Classic Movie Picks: November

by Lani

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

11/1: Writer/Director/Actor

8 PM - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)

9:45 PM - Sleeper (1973)

11:30 PM - Modern Romance (1981)

1:15 AM - Modern Times (1936)

3 AM - Jour de Fete (1949)

4:30 AM - Three on a Couch (1966)

Sure, I've seen most of these before - I've even recommended them here before - but after a month of spooky movies, isn't everyone ready for a good laugh? Tonight's line-up features 6 of cinema's best comic triple threats from America and abroad. If you are a student of comedy, you should check these off your "need to see" list!

11/8: And then that happened...

11:15 AM - The Titanic Incident (1955)

6 PM - The Last Days of Pompeii (1935)

There are some days when I just know the TCM programmers love to have fun with their jobs - how else to explain the scheduling of two stories dealing with best laid plans going awfully awry due to notorious disasters? (It couldn't be a coincidence, right? I prefer to think it is yet another twisted joke from the TCM elves.) In an episode from Screen Director's Playhouse a husband and wife try to con a British lord out of his money...aboard the Titanic. In Pompeii, an ambitious man's position of wealth and power is complicated by his son Christian sympathies (this is 79 A.D., after all)...and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Pompeii also features Basil Rathbone as a scene-stealing Pontius Pilate.

BONUS PICK: 11/17, 9:45 PM - Juggernaut (1974)

More tragedy at sea! From that fertile period of disaster films, the 1970s, Juggernaut puts Richard Harris, Omar Sharif, and a set of bombs aboard a transatlantic ocean liner.

11/10: Four Daughters & Claude Rains

8:30 AM - Four Daughters (1938)

10:15 AM - Daughters Courageous (1939)

12:15 PM - Four Wives (1939)

2:15 PM - Four Mothers (1941)

Most people think of Claude Rains as a worldly, continental type (think Capt. Louis Renault in Casablanca) and not as a small-town family man. However, he plays just that sort of character in this popular series of films. Real-life sisters Priscilla, Rosemary, and Lola Lane, plus Gale Page, play Rains's daughters. Four Daughters, the first film to team this group, was so well-liked, it was nominated for Best Picture of the Year and co-star John Garfield was nominated as Best Supporting Actor. Four Wives and Four Mothers continue where the first film left off; you can probably guess the plot developments from the titles. Daughters Courageous is not exactly a sequel, though it stars most of the same actors in very similar roles to their Four Daughters characters.

11/25, 3:30 AM - UHF (1989)

Something I never thought I'd see on Turner Classic Movies: the "Weird Al" Yankovic movie! With all the weirdness on display, 3:30 AM seems like just the right time slot for this one.

11/27: Sergei Eisenstein

12 AM - Strike (1925)

2 AM - Ivan the Terrible Part 1 (1947)

3:45 AM - Ivan the Terrible Part 2 (1959)

And, finally, one for the film geeks...As one of the greats of Russian cinema, Sergei Eisenstein pushed the film medium forward with sophisticated storytelling techniques. He fought against the common opinion that films should be simple, plain, and realistic. Though he is best-known for Battleship Potemkin, he made many accomplished films, including tonight's selections. Despite his revolutionary tendencies, Eisenstein was commissioned by the Soviet government to create a three-part historical epic glorifying the first tsar of Russia. Ivan the Terrible Part 1, in which Ivan struggles to unite a divided empire, was well-received. However, Part 2 was banned because Ivan's vicious actions began to resemble Stalin's regime a little too closely; and Part 3 was destroyed.

Notes from the 2011 Austin Film Festival

by Lani

The 2011 Austin Film Festival wrapped up on October 27 and after a week of watching films one stood out above the rest: The Artist.

The Artist is set in Hollywood in the late 1920s and early 1930s as silent films gave way to talkies and movie "stars" first took hold of the public's imagination. Jean Dujardin plays popular film star George Valentin, a combination of Douglas Fairbanks, John Gilbert, and Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly's character in Singin' in the Rain). If Valentin's name brings to mind Rudolph Valentino, that's not the only reference to classic movies you'll notice. A sharp eye will spy nods to many well-known films, from The Thin Man to Citizen Kane, as well as bits of true Hollywood history.

Singin' in the Rain is an obvious influence for The Artist as the two films share similar storylines about an actor who can't cope with the change to talking pictures. However, The Artist goes to a much darker place dramatically and contains a lot less singing. In Singin' Don Lockwood bounces back from the dumps after a night of moping over sandwiches and milk. Let's just say that after the failure of Valentin's last-ditch effort to maintain his stardom, he does not head for the milk. Nevertheless, this film closes with the best kind of Hollywood ending: an exultant musical number.

I knew that Dujardin was adept at comedy from his starring roles in the OSS 117 spy spoofs. He can make an entire theater laugh simply by breaking out in a big, cheesy, movie star smile. However, in The Artist he proves that he is capable of much more than campy charm. I was especially moved by a scene late in the film when his star has faded and he encounters a young actress he once helped who is now a leading lady. As he politely listens to her, conflicting emotions of happiness and pain subtly play upon his face, and your heart breaks for him.

Have I mentioned that The Artist is a silent film itself? It could have been a gimmick, but writer-director Michel Hazanavicius uses the lack of dialogue in a very smart way. He highlights physical comedy and visual gags, while the title cards are often punchlines themselves.

This is an excellent film that many people, not just classic film aficionados will enjoy; however, as a "silent" film with a foreign pedigree, it will probably only appeal to a niche market. If you are a film lover, urge your local theater to show The Artist - it is a wonderful big screen experience.

And classic film fans should also keep an eye out for Sal, directed by James Franco. This film follows the final day in the life of Sal Mineo, an actor that Franco and the film's star Val Lauren have long admired. Mineo was twice nominated for an Oscar, but never became a big star. At age 37, he was poised for a career resurgence with his first chance at directing a film, but his life was cut short by a random, senseless crime. Though it is not a documentary, much of the action and characters in Sal are based on real events and people in Mineo's life. It is a quiet and thoughtful portrait of an artist; consequently, Sal seems even less likely than The Artist of reaching theaters outside New York and L.A. However, I think the intimate style of this film will translate just as well on a small screen if you miss it in theaters.

Classic Movie Picks: October

by Lani

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

10/3: A Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King

October always puts me in the mood for spooky movies. I'm not a fan of "hardcore" horror--the super gory, super gross, or super violent--but I can appreciate a good (i.e. not too scary) chiller-thriller, especially in the season of ghosts and goblins. Stephen King's stories tend to be too much for my innocent psyche, but I can't deny that he is an accomplished storyteller and a pretty knowledgeable guy when it comes to the horror genre. In tonight's TCM original documentary, King is our guide on a tour of the history of horror movies. It kicks off a month-long line-up of classic horror films on Monday nights, culminating in an all-day marathon on Halloween. The films are arranged in a basic chronology, beginning with silents from the 20s on October 3rd and ending with films from the 60s in primetime on October 31st. Get the complete schedule on the TCM website to pick out your "must-sees."

BONUS PICK: 10/1, 7 PM - A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics

10/2, 7 PM - A Night at the Movies: The Suspenseful World of Thrillers

Two more TCM originals exploring a particular genre through interviews and film clips.

DOUBLE BONUS PICK: 10/29 - Films of Val Lewton

As a Halloween appetizer watch some of Lewton's exotic, psychological thrillers, starting with Cat People (1942) at 8 PM followed by Martin Scorsese's documentary on the revered producer, Val Lewton - The Man in the Shadows (2007).

10/9, 8 PM - Sherlock, Jr. (1924)

As "Star of the Month" for October, Buster Keaton is taking over primetime on Sundays. I haven't seen many of his films, especially the silents, so this is a great time for me to catch up. In Sherlock, Jr., Keaton plays a theater projectionist who dreams that he has entered the movie screen as a master detective. This is one of Keaton's best-loved films, filled with his signature gags and stunts. Of course, he does all his own stunts and while some of the visual effects are achieved through camerawork, many were done with clever visual tricks Keaton brought from vaudeville.

10/20: Featuring Zachary Scott

8 PM - The Mask of Dimitrios (1944)

9:45 PM - The Southerner (1945)

11:30 PM - Colt .45 (1950)

1 AM - Danger Signal (1945)

2:30 AM - Flamingo Road (1949)

4:15 AM - Bandido (1956)

In 1968, the Austin Civic Theatre was renamed The Zachary Scott Theatre Center in honor of the recently deceased Academy Award-nominated actor and Austin native Zachary Scott. Though Austinites today know the theater as simply "The ZACH," the theater staff endeavor to keep the memory of Austin's first big film star alive with Scott memorabilia throughout the building. (I confess I wasn't familiar with Scott when I moved to Austin, and apparently I wasn't alone according to this article from the local paper: "Who was Zachary Scott?") Scott's best-known movie role is as Joan Crawford's untrustworthy second husband in Mildred Pierce. He was often typecast as caddish characters, but tonight's line-up shows Scott playing a variety of roles: a notorious criminal, a hard-working cotton farmer, an escaped convict on a spree, a womanizing cad (there had to be one!), a weak-willed politician, and a corrupt arms dealer. If you wondered "who's Zachary Scott" before, you'll definitely know after tonight!

10/22, 11:45 PM - My Name is Julia Ross (1945)

I said I was in the mood for spooky films and I think this one starring a young Nina Foch fits the bill. Director Joseph H. Lewis brings the noir-ish touches of his later films to this suspense thriller in the vein of Gaslight. Young Julia Ross is a maid to a wealthy widow in London...or is she Marion, a lady of the manor in Cornwall suffering from a nervous breakdown? And why does Ralph keep playing with that knife? This film seems perfect for watching on a chilly October night.

10/27: 1970s Musicals

8 PM - Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

11:15 PM - The Boy Friend (1971)

1:45 AM - Hair (1979)

4 AM - Man of La Mancha (1972)

The 1970s were an interesting decade for the movie musical; some books about film history will tell you that at this point the musical was dead, having gone out of favor with audiences in the 60s, despite the success of Oscar-winning The Sound of Music (others will say it was dead even before that having become unpopular in the late 50s, despite the success of Oscar-winning Gigi). Young directors, usually with no experience filming musicals, began taking chances with movie musical conventions, often focusing on injecting their films with realism--a seemingly contradictory idea for this most unreal of movie genres. While not all these films were successful with audiences or critics, their influence can be seen in the newest influx of movie musicals. For example, director Milos Forman shot Hair on the real streets of New York, a stark contrast the soundstages representing the city in 1949's On the Town. 2005's Rent did a similar thing by opening up the static settings of the stage musical; and, also like Hair, it was unfortunately made about 10 years too late to be truly relevant. Ken Russell's The Boy Friend sets its most lavish production numbers within dream sequences, grounding the rest of the film in a decidedly unglamorous suburban theater. This device was later used by director Rob Marshall in his 2003 adaptation of Chicago. Chicago won the Oscar for best picture, so perhaps the musical isn't so dead after all.

BONUS: Teresa Wright Day, 10/27

Before tonight's line-up of musicals, TCM will fill the day with the films of Teresa Wright. She's one of my favorite classic movie stars, so I always like to give her films a recommendation when they're scheduled.

Here's to a chill-filled October, and a happy Halloween!

Frustrations of a Fan

by Lani

Anyone who is a fan of movies also has their favorite movie stars. Even film critics are not immune to a bit of bias: I can always tell which actresses Roger Ebert has a crush on and the Filmspotting guys are notoriously fond of Naomi Watts and Michael Fassbender.

One of my favorite actors is Hugh Jackman. One reason I like him is that he harkens back to the movie stars of classic Hollywood, combining the musky masculinity and athleticism of swashbucklers like Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn with the physical presence and booming baritone of Howard Keel. Sure, he's a bit "theater people," but I love theater people. I am theater people. And it was at the theater, watching Jackman's Tony-winning turn as singer/songwriter/showman Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz, when I was truly and thoroughly convinced of his talent.

All this is to say, I would like to see Hugh Jackman in a movie; however, his choice of film roles is making this more difficult than it should be. At the beginning of his movie career Jackman made a couple of good action films (X-Men, X2) and a decent romantic-comedy (Kate & Leopold), but in the ensuing years he's had more duds than not. I'm speaking of Swordfish, Van Helsing, Deception. And with every new movie trailer, I'm left asking: Why can't Hugh Jackman just be in a movie that I want to see?

For a comparison, let's look at the career of Brad Pitt. Like Jackman, Pitt is handsome, charismatic, and able to handle both comedy and drama. But can Brad Pitt sing? I haven't heard any compelling evidence. And, let's be real, if Wolverine walked into Fight Club, he'd kick Tyler Durden's ass. Yet almost every year Brad Pitt puts out a movie that I want to see. He has two high-profile films out this year: The Tree of Life, an arty, dreamlike meditation on life and loss, and Moneyball, a mainstream-yet-intellectual true story set in the world of pro baseball. These films are very different from each other, but they both seem to have been made for intelligent adults. What's Hugh Jackman's big movie next month? Well, he's starring in Real Steel, a schlocky-looking popcorn flick about boxing robots. Now, I'm not against a robot boxing movie on principle; I would just prefer that movie if it starred Vinnie Jones. Frankly, Real Steel looks like the kind of movie that would star Gerard Butler, an actor who, at this point, either needs to fire his agent or just stop making films altogether because he seems to be a magnet for terrible scripts. And no one wants to look like they are taking Gerard Butler's cast-offs (except maybe Vinnie Jones). I don't want to have to watch something that I don't like just to see an actor that I do.

The last Hugh Jackman film I really liked was The Fountain, an arty, dreamlike meditation on life and loss. (Sound familiar? This film was also originally set to star Brad Pitt.) Some people, myself included, felt it was a haunting, poetic film about a love that transcends time. Others felt it was just really weird. However, I think everyone who saw The Fountain could agree that co-star Rachel Weisz was luminous even while on her deathbed. Jackman was in love with her on camera, director Darren Aronofsky was clearly in love with her from behind the camera, and I fell in love, too. Unfortunately, Weisz is another star with frustrating taste in projects. Her new film, Dream House, is advertised as a haunted house thriller reminiscent of everything from The Shining to The Others. So, while I like Rachel Weisz, I just can't get excited for Dream House. First of all, I don't like scary movies. Sure, I can sometimes be persuaded to watch one if it stars a compelling performer or has a unique premise, but I've been burned too many times before. There was the disappointment of The Forgotten with Julianne Moore and her pretty red hair. Then there was the drab, depressing Dark Water with Jennifer Connelly and her cute ankle-strap shoes. I refuse to be seduced this time by Weisz and her adorable paint-splattered jeans. And while I think Weisz sparkles on screen with beauty, wit, and intelligence, I hate, hate, hate her American accent. As soon as I hear it in a movie trailer, I'm out.

I'm not asking that Hugh or Rachel only make movies which are good. I'm just asking them to make a movie that I might be interested in seeing. I realize this is highly subjective and entirely selfish, but if I'm going to commit to being a fan, I will need something to work with beyond X-Men and The Mummy.

Of course, they aren't the only actors I like who pick films in which I have no interest at all. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was at the top of this list for nine years. Since 3rd Rock from the Sun ended in 2001 until last year when he co-starred in Inception, Joe did not make a single film which I wanted to see. Paul Bettany, so charming in A Knight's Tale and Wimbeldon, is lately starring in weird, religious-themed action movies like Priest and Legion. Then there's Bettany's wife, the aforementioned Jennifer Connelly, who despite being an Oscar-winner is stuck playing fourth fiddle in lame relationship comedies like He's Just Not That Into You. Ryan Reynolds is a gifted comedian who is usually the best thing about a crummy movie, but even he couldn't get me to watch The Green Lantern. Brendan Fraser was the best thing about several movies circa 1999, but then came Monkeybone...and I haven't watched a Brendan Fraser movie in ten years. I'm almost ready to give up on Anna Faris after a string of films in which she is either a vapid airhead (Observe and Report) or a good-hearted Jezebel (The House Bunny). I feel like she is capable of more, but it looks like we may never see a film which proves it.

I guess I just have to accept that while the guys who run Hollywood continue to insist that Julia Roberts is America's Sweetheart and Sam Worthington is the greatest actor of his generation, my favorites will have a harder time getting the roles that I want for them. Sure, it can be frustrating, but isn't cheering for the underdog what real fans love to do anyway?

Classic Movie Picks: September

by Lani

Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)

9/5: Tribute to Telluride
Since 1998, TCM has been airing an annual 24-hour marathon in honor of the Telluride Film Festival. The films chosen for this marathon are usually an interesting and eclectic mix, and this year's group is no exception. The tribute will include all seven episodes of TCM's Emmy-nominated miniseries Moguls and Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood, as well as several TCM premieres: Below Zero (1930), Wanda (1970), The Plumber (1979), and Election (1999). (The film festival will take place Sept. 2-5 in Telluride, Colorado.)

9/10: September Spirits
10 PM - The Innocents (1961)
12 AM - Dead of Night (1945)
Tonight's spotlight on actor Michael Redgrave includes two films about ghosts. The Innocents is an adaptation of Henry James's novella The Turn of the Screw and stars Deborah Kerr as a governess who believes the children she cares for are haunted (or is it all in her head?). Dead of Night is an anthology film of stories of the supernatural. The most famous of the six vignettes is "The Ventriloquist's Dummy" starring Redgrave as an entertainer whose dummy seems to be in control.

9/16, 5:45 AM - Delicious Dishes (1950)
In this vintage short, "experts demonstrate such innovative kitchen gadgets as a cheese slicer and melon baller." This should be instructive; I've always wondered how to use a cheese slicer. And couldn't we all wield a melon baller with a little more expertise?

9/19, 12:15 AM - Invitation to the Dance (1956)
This ambitious film, which tells three stories through dance, was a pet project of Gene Kelly, who was always striving to bring his art form to the fore of popular culture. As a lover of dance and great fan of Gene Kelly in particular, I've been anxious to see this film since I first heard about it in a documentary about Kelly. It also features many of Europe's top ballet dancers, MGM contract player Tommy Rall (Frank in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), and Broadway star Carol Haney.

9/20: Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is the Star of the Month, so you can see his films each Tuesday in September - and he made a lot of great films! I've chosen to highlight this particular night of programming because it features films from what I consider to be Douglas's prime: the late 50s and early 60s. However, you really can't go wrong on Tuesday nights this month.
8 PM - Lust for Life (1956)
10:15 PM - Paths of Glory (1957)
12 AM - Last Train from Gun Hill (1959)
1:45 AM - The Devil's Disciple (1959)
3:15 AM - Town Without Pity (1961)
5:15 AM - Two Weeks in Another Town (1962)

Thursdays in September: 50 Years of Merchant Ivory
Producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory formed their famous partnership in 1961 with the intention of making English-language films in India for an international audience. However, they are best-known today for their elegant British dramas such as Remains of the Day and Howard's End. TCM will be showing these "greatest hits" as well as films from their early years in India, made-for-TV projects spanning from 1959 to 1994, and films by others which their company produced. One thing that stands out among the Merchant Ivory filmography: they attracted some of the most talented actors of the past 60 years. In the films I've listed below you'll see Peggy Ashcroft, Alan Bates, Anne Baxter, Pierce Brosnan, Vanessa Redgrave, Naseeruddin Shah, Maggie Smith, Christopher Walken, and Teresa Wright, among others. Here are my personal picks, but I would urge any cinephile to look over the full schedule of 21 films and 5 shorts since most of these films are unlikely to be shown on TCM again in the near future.
9/8, 8 PM - The Europeans (1979)
9/8, 12 AM - Roseland (1977)
9/8, 2 AM - Quartet (1981)
9/8, 4 AM - Savages (1972)
9/22, 8 PM - The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1988)
9/22, 10 PM - The Deceivers (1988)
9/22, 12 AM - The Perfect Murder (1990)
9/29, 8 PM - Hullabaloo over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures (1978)
9/29, 1:45 AM - Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980)

A Look Ahead: Fall/WInter Preview

by AJ

I had originally planned on writing about how little I went out to the movies this summer in post titled "The Summer of My Discontent." But instead of looking back at how few in number the highlights of the summer were I thought I'd take a look ahead at the movies coming out in the next few months. Here are some that I am looking forward to:

September 16th: Drive

IMDB Synopsis: A Hollywood stuntman (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a get-away driver for the criminal underground finds himself on the run from after a botched job.

Yes, it sounds like Transporter, but with Ryan Gosling in the lead it seems worth checking out. Also, Nicolas Winding Refn won best director at Cannes and the movie was up for the Palm d'Or so that makes me think twice about this being just another action movie.

September 23rd: Moneyball

IMDB Synopsis: Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) works to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.

So there's the Bad News Bears angle, but this isn't really about a group of misfits that work hard to prove themselves (though I'm sure that'll happen). It's mostly about looking at the game of baseball in a different way and that is what has me interested.

September 30th: 50/50

IMDB Synopsis: A comedic account of a 27-year-old guy's cancer diagnosis, and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.

I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogan are good enough at what they do to walk the tightrope of a dark but good hearted comedy about about someone with cancer. I liked Funny People from 2009 which more or less had the same premise, but, despite being about funny people, was much more of a drama. There were also too many subplots in Funny People that don't seem likely to occur here since the trailer focuses on Gordon-Levitt and Rogan trying to look on bright side of things.

October 14th: The Thing

IMDB Synopsis: Do you really need one?

I think this is still a prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing which I imagine will end up being a lot like John Carpenter's The Thing. I mean there's only so many directions this story can take. I hope it isn't bogged down with low rent CGI effects that are so common in horror and action movies theses days (how expensive can corn syrup and red dye be?). I really like John Carpenter's The Thing which is the reason I want to see this version/prequel at all. Also, I'll be looking out for a wolf and a helicopter at the end of this movie (stay tuned for angry rant when that ending doesn't happen).

The Skin I Live In

IMDB Synopsis: A thriller centered on plastic surgeon Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas), who has been conducting experiments on a human subject (Elena Anaya) while trying to perfect an artificial skin to use to treat his severely burned wife.

Four words will get me to see a movie quicker than just about anything else: A Film by Almodovar. The plot sounds weird and twisted, the trailer is infinitely enticing, and Almodovar clearly knows how to make a movie and make it good even if, or especially if, it's about something, shall we say, uncommon.

October 21st: Red State

IMDB Synopsis: A group of teens receive an online invitation for group sex, though they soon encounter Pastor Abin Cooper (Michael Parks), his followers, and their sinister agenda.

I'm a Kevin Smith fan and I'm very interested in Red State. There's not too much in the trailer that says "this is a Kevin Smith film" and neither does the premise. He's talked about making Red State for so long that I almost have to see it just because, finally, it's here. I've heard less than stellar things about it from critics that have seen it so far, but I still think there's a good chance for this to be a satisfying movie.

November 18th: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

IMDB Synopsis: During the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6's echelons.

This is another film I've been hearing about for a while. I'm a bit tired of Bourne-style action movies which even the new James Bond movies are trying to imitate, so I'm kind of excited about a spy story where the spies are men in suits after documents or microfilm or in this case a double agent. And a cast including Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Tom Hardy is reason enough to be excited.

November 25th: The Muppets

IMDB Synopsis: When an oilman hatches a plan to raze the Muppet Theater, Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of their friends reunite and, with the help of some of their biggest fans, they decide to stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever in order to save their old stomping grounds.

This plot reminds me a bit of The Blues Brothers and I really hope this new Muppet movie is like that. I recently watched a few episodes of The Muppet Show and I still thought they were great. With the songs and irreverent comedy the Muppets reminded me of The Marx Brothers and I hope this movie, written by Jason Segal, sticks with that spirit.

December 23rd: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

IMDB Synopsis: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a young computer hacker.

I can't tell you how extremely excited I am to see this movie. I've never read the books. I've never seen the movies. I don't really know what it's about or why it's a big deal. And that's a good thing especially with a movie like this that has so much baggage. I want to go in blind and experience this movie fresh, my expectations and preconceived notions at a minimum. So far, to me, this is only the new David Fincher film which is plenty of reason to be excited. Also I love that a studio is willing to put it's name along with the phrase "presents the feel bad movie of Christmas."

We Bought a Zoo

IMDB Synopsis: Set in Southern California, a father moves his young family to the countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo.

It's been 6 years since Cameron Crowe's last film, Elizabethtown, which was not nearly as bad as people talk about it as. In fact, it's not bad at all, it's quite good. In any case, I will certainly see Cameron Crowe's latest. There's no trailer as of yet, but Matt Damon as the lead is a good place to start.

Not-So-Fresh New Releases #6

by Lani

This summer quite a few not-so-fresh films hit the theaters. Last weekend alone brought the openings of Spy Kids 4 and Final Destination 5, plus remakes of Fright Night and Conan the Barbarian. Even film critics are avoiding theaters - Ebert Presents At the Movies is showing old Sneak Previews footage all month, rather than reviewing the current crop of summer movies. It seemed the time was ripe for another installment of my not-so-fresh series, otherwise known as "watch this, not that." So, I've once again chosen three of the worst-reviewed movies currently in theaters and offered some alternative viewing options.

Cowboys & Aliens - 45% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes

• This film, in the tradition of Snakes on a Plane, has a title that says it all. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford star as men of the Old West who must rally their town to fight against invaders from space. But we all know that Ford first tangled with aliens as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy. And since you already know this, then I shouldn't need to tell you to just watch Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, or Return of the Jedi instead.
• If you are intrigued by the idea of a fun sci-fi/western combo, try Back to the Future Part III (1990) in which Marty McFly travels back in time to Hill Valley of 1885 to save the life of his old friend Doc Brown.
• Alien invasion movies have been almost as popular as super heroes movies this summer and Super 8, which came out in June, is definitely the best of the bunch. Check your local theaters, it is still playing on some screens.

The Change-Up - 22% freshness

• In The Change-Up bachelor Ryan Reynolds and family man Jason Bateman make a wish to switch lives while urinating in a (magical?) fountain; when they wake up the next day and find that they've switched bodies, blah blah...you know what happens in a body-switch movie. This one seems particularly unappealing when, in the trailer alone, we are treated to the sight of three of the lead actors (Reynolds, Bateman, and Leslie Mann, who plays Bateman's wife) going to the bathroom. If that is the "good stuff" that's meant to pique my interest and get me to the theater, I'm not anxious to see what didn't make the cut. Films about two characters switching bodies go back at least to 1940's Turnabout, about a bickering husband and wife. And the last thirty years have seen a glut of child/parent switches, including several versions of Freaky Friday.
• I prefer variations on the simple body-switch concept, preferably ones involving millionaires since they tend to have nicer houses. All of Me (1984) could be called a "body-sharing" comedy since the spirit of dying millionaire Lily Tomlin is accidentally transported into the body of her lawyer, Steve Martin.
• Heaven Can Wait (1978) is another good film about a soul in a new body; this time it's the spirit of pro-athlete Warren Beatty inhabiting the body of an aging millionaire.
• Being John Malkovich (1999) offers a fresh take on the idea of walking in another man's shoes by having many characters literally inhabit the body of movie-star (and likely millionaire) John Malkovich.

The Smurfs - 21% freshness rating

• I'm not sure why 2011 was deemed the optimum moment to bring back the Smurfs, but obviously someone thought it was. The cartoons were certainly not masterpieces, but I can admit that I enjoyed watching those little blue guys in the magical world of Smurf Village. If you feel like reminiscing, full episodes are available to watch on the WB website. This film, rather than sticking to the village we all remember, transplants the Smurfs to modern day New York City where they meet up with a young married couple (Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays). The ensuing subplot about the couple's marital problems and pregnancy-related anxiety doesn't even seem to belong in a movie for kids. If you are trying to entertain your kids, or yourself, surely you can do better.
• Ratatouille (2007) about Remy, a rat who dreams of being a great chef in Paris, is a delightful film about a little outsider in a big world.
• Enchanted (2007) is, like The Smurfs, about someone from a fantasy world transported to NYC and the culture-shock which follows, in this case it's fairy-tale princess Giselle played by Amy Adams.
• And going back even further into the Disney vault, you'll find The Gnome-Mobile (1967) in which two children and their grandfather help some lost gnomes find their tribe.