It's cold out there. ...Not that we should be surprised, it is February in Halifax, after all. So, let's all go inside on Tuesday, February 16th to watch a movie, shall we?
This month there are five contenders:
Dear John
From Paris with Love
The Wolfman
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Valentine's Day
Peruse the possibilities and vote in the poll below!
Dear John
THE MOVIE: "Dear John" tells story of John Tyree, a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis, the idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation. Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John's increasingly dangerous deployments. While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas -- correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences.
THE CAST: Richard Jenkins, Amanda Seyfried, Channing Tatum, Scott Porter, Henry Thomas, Leslea Fisher, Cullen Moss, Mary Rachel Dudley, Michael Harding, June Letourneau
THE MOVIE: A low-ranking intelligence operative working in the office of the U.S. Ambassador in France takes on more than he bargained for when he partners with a wisecracking, fast-shooting, high-ranking U.S. agent who's been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack.
THE CAST: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, John Travolta, Kasia Smutniak, Melissa Mars, Amber Rose Revah, Farid Elouardi, Richard Durden
THE MOTIVATION:
A good old-fashioned action movie!
Jonathan Rhys Meyers = sexy.
John Travolta as a semi-psychotic, kick-ass US agent.
THE MOVIE: Lawrence Talbot's childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades trying to forget. When his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers. As he pieces together the gory puzzle, he hears of an ancient curse that turns the afflicted into werewolves when the moon is full. Talbot must destroy the vicious creature in the woods surrounding Blackmoor, but as he hunts for the nightmarish beast, a simple man with a tortured past will uncover a primal side to himself -- one he never imagined existed.
THE CAST: Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving
THE MOTIVATION:
Sir. Anthony. Hopkins.
A modern re-make of one of the classic horror movie icons.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
THE MOVIE: Trouble-prone teen Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out school -- but that's the least of his problems. The gods of Mount Olympus and assorted monsters seem to have walked out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology texts and into his life -- and they're not happy. Zeus' lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now, Percy and his friends must embark on a cross-country adventure to catch the true thief, save Percy's family, and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves.
THE CAST: Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Catherine Keener, Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Kevin McKidd, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson
THE MOTIVATION:
A few well-placed big names in non-starring roles; always fun!
The Greek mythos are always a great source of material.
Some are saying this is the next Harry Potter movie series. Why not get in on the ground floor?
THE MOVIE: "Valentine's Day," follows the intertwining storylines of a diverse group of Los Angelinos as they navigate their way through romance and heartbreak over the course of one Valentine's Day. Couples and singles experience the pinnacles and pitfalls of finding, keeping or ending relationships in a day in the life of love.
THE CAST: Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Shirley McClaine, Julia Roberts, Taylor Lautner, Taylor Swift & more!
THE MOTIVATION:
All-star cast!
Romantic comedy montage movie may seem like an odd concept but think about Love Actually (and if you haven't seen that, SHAME!)
Pssst! You can't tell from the previews but there's a gay plotline!
...Not so much. Sorry film fans. For those of you who have been reading the blog (all 2 of you; Hey Mom!), I apologize. I'm going to have to trim down the features; I just don't have the time.
I'll still occasionally post movie events of interest to the queer community or that I deem cool.
I'm also cutting the twitter account in the next few days.
Does this mean the end of Out @ The Movies? Heck, no! It's just going to allow me to focus more energy on the core points.
If you do want to find movies in Halifax that are a bit off the beaten track, I recommend the following:
http://www.empiretheatres.com; as the only movie chain in Atlantic Canada, they are the biggest game in town. They do lots of special features such as the opera or Empire Fan Favourites.
There's a lot happening in Halifax over the next few months for you! Lots of indie screenings and movies-with-discussions. Let's see how we wrap up the first month of 2010, shall we?
FOOD, INC
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Sunday, January 24th @ 1:30
Location: Potter auditorium, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building (6100 University)
Behind the Scenes: Presented by Business Alliance for Local Living Economoies NS, Farmers’ Market Investment Cooperative and Dalhousie University's College of Sustainability. Panel discussion to follow with refreshments from Halifax Farmers’ Market.
The Movie: In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.
The Movie: ART & COPY reveals the stories behind and the personal odysseys of some of the most influential advertising visionaries of our time and their campaigns, including Lee Clow (Apple Computer 1984, and today's iPod); Dan Wieden ("Just Do It"); Phyllis K. Robinson (who invented the "me generation" with Clairol); Hal Riney (who helped President Reagan get re-elected); and George Lois (who saved MTV and launched Tommy Hilfiger overnight).
Location: St. Andrews United Church (6036 Coburg Rd)
Behind the Scenes: Presented by St. Andrew's United Church and the Halifax Shambhala Sustainability Initiative
People of many faiths around the world recognize our sacred Earth is in grave danger. The communities of St. Andrew’s United Church and the Halifax Shambhala Centre have joined to explore the deep connections between Spirit and Earth in a new cooperative film series, Sacred Earth Awake. We invite you to share these films with us and aspire to a broader understanding of how to live together in our precious world.
The Movie: In a world teetering on the edge of self-destruction, award-winning filmmaker Velcrow Ripper sets out on a unique pilgrimage. Visiting the 'Ground Zeros' of the planet, he asks if it's possible to find hope in the darkest moments of human history. ScaredSacred deftly weaves together stunning footage with haunting memories, inspirational stories, and an evocative soundscape. An exquisite portrait of a search for meaning in times of turmoil.
Location: Royal Bank Theatre, Halifax Infirmary, QEII
Behind the Scenes: Part of States of Mind 2010: a Film Series on the Ethics of Mental Health. Novel Tech Ethics (Dalhousie University) invites you to its fourth film series on the ethics of mental health. The four films have been chosen to highlight specific mental health issues. The screening of each film will be followed by a question and discussion period on the ethical issues provoked by the film. A panel of professionals, chosen for their knowledge and experience of the mental health issues involved, will respond to audience questions and offer further elucidations on the topic.
The Movie: "Rachel Getting Married" is a about the return of an estranged daughter to the family home for her sister's wedding. Kym's reemergence throws a wrench into the family dynamics, forcing long-simmering tensions to surface in ways both hilarious and heartbreaking.
Location: MacAloney room, 4th floor, Dalhousie Art Gallery (6101 University)
Behind the Scenes: Part of the film series Jane Austen: Wit and Realism, to accompany the exhibition Lord Dalhousie: Patron and Collector.
The Movie: At 10, Fanny Price, a poor relation, goes to live at Mansfield Park, the estate of her aunt's husband, Sir Thomas. Clever, studious, and a writer with an ironic imagination and fine moral compass, she becomes especially close to Edmund, Thomas's younger son. Fanny is soon possessed of beauty as well as a keen mind and comes to the attention of a neighbor, Henry Crawford. Thomas promotes this match, but to his displeasure, Fanny has a mind of her own, asking Henry to prove himself worthy. As Edmund courts Henry's sister and as light shines on the link between Thomas's fortunes and New World slavery, Fanny must assess Henry's character and assert her heart as well as her wit.
Location: Tantallon Public Library (3646 Hammonds Plains Road)
Behind the Scenes: Bring the family to a movie at the library, it’s fun and it’s free!
The Movie: Shawn Levy (CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, JUST MARRIED) directs the sequel of his hit film NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. Night guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), now a successful entrepreneur, returns to the Museum of Natural History to visit his friends--the exhibits that come to life at night--only to learn that they are being shipped off into deep storage at the Smithsonian Institution. To make matters worse, the exhibits at the Smithsonian, including the pharaoh Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), are suddenly coming to life--and they aren’t at all happy about their new visitors. Determined to save his friends, Larry rushes to Washington, D.C., and makes his way into the inner workings of the largest museum complex in the world while Kahmunrah recruits the likes of Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), Napoleon (Alain Chabat), and Al Capone (Jon Bernthal). Larry, meanwhile, finds himself with spunky Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) as a co-conspirator and love interest, and General Custer (Bill Hader) leading the battle for the Smithsonian.
Location: Alderney Gate Public Library (60 Alderney Drive)
Behind the Scenes: The Saint Mary’s lecture series at Alderney Gate this winter is an Introduction to Shakespeare. To prepare, the library is presenting three films featuring two of his greatest works.
The Movie:No info on which version this is... the classic plot outline: Murder and violence, revenge and intrigue, sex and desire, paranoia and madness -- the heady brew of passion and emotion that makes up Shakespeare's great tragedy has intoxicated audiences of all ages. The story of the Prince of Denmark, who seeks revenge for his father's murder at the hands of his perfidious uncle, delves into fundamental issues about humanity and the nature of being.
Location: Universalist Unitarian Church of Halifax (5500 Inglis St)
Behind the Scenes: The Universalist Unitarian Church of Halifax Young Adult Ministry hosts a chili (vegetarian and meat options) dinner and movie ("Bent"). All young adults 18-35 are welcome to attend. Email for more information.
The Movie: Max is gay and as such is sent to Dachau concentration camp under the Nazi regime. He tries to deny he is gay and gets a yellow label (the one for Jews) instead of pink (the one for gays). In camp he falls in love with his fellow prisoner Horst, who wears his pink label with pride.
Location: Scotiabank auditorium, Saint Mary's University (923 Robie)
Behind the Scenes: International Week (IW) is an annual tradition that provides an opportunity for students and the wider community to learn more about issues pertaining to international development both within Canada and abroad. It provides an occasion to showcase international opportunities, and cultures, as well as activities that encourage discussion and sharing of ideas on issues that are of great concern. The theme this year is food and more importantly, food security.
The Movie: Directed by local filmmaker Timothy Barron Tracey - Where does food come from? Why are there so few young farmers? These are all questions addressed by “Feast Or Famine”. Our society has embraced a bigger, faster, cheaper model of food production, choosing convenience over sustainability. Large-scale mono crop farming has lowered the value of food, making it very difficult for small-scale farmers to make a living. In turn causing less and less youth to choose farming as a career. Knowledge that was traditionally passed on from generation to generation is slipping through the cracks. Why are so few youth choosing farming as a career?
Cost: $6.99 (or $9.99 which includes a reg. popcorn & reg. drink)
Date/Time: Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30 @ 11:45 p.m.
Location: Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden Rd)
Behind the Scenes: Empire Fan Favourite is a film series hosted by Empire 8 Parklane dedicated to bringing classics back to the Big Screen. These are original 35mm prints, not re-mastered DVDs!
The Movie: Peyton Westlake is a scientist who has discovered a way to produce synthetic skin. This could revolutionise skin grafting, except for one minor glitch; the synthetic skin degrades after 100 minutes of exposure to light. When gangsters attack Peyton, he is horrifically burnt, and assumed dead. In his quest for revenge, Peyton, aka the Darkman, is able to take on the appearance of anyone (using the synthetic skin,) but he's only got 100 minutes per disguise.
Behind the Scenes: Presented by AFCOOP - Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative (http://afcoop.ca).
The Movie: Every spring, China’s cities are plunged into chaos, as all at once, a tidal wave of humanity attempts to return home by train. It is the Chinese New Year. The wave is made up of millions of migrant factory workers. The homes they seek are the rural villages and families they left behind to seek work in the booming coastal cities. It is an epic spectacle that tells us much about China, a country discarding traditional ways as it hurtles towards modernity and global economic dominance.
Thanks to everyone who came out to see Daybreakers! It was quite the experience including a few moments of good scare and lots of vampire-related conversation at the Second Cup.
Let's start off with a quick recap of the plot:
"The year is 2019. A mysterious plague has swept over the earth, transforming the majority of the world's population into vampires. Humans are now an endangered, second-class species -- forced into hiding as they are hunted and farmed for vampire consumption to the brink of extinction. It's all up to Edward Dalton, a vampire researcher who refuses to feed on human blood, to perfect a blood substitute that might sustain vampires and spare the few remaining humans. But time and hope are running out -- until Ed meets Audrey, a human survivor who leads him to a startling medical breakthrough. Armed with knowledge that both humans and vampires will kill for, Ed must battle his own kind in a deadly struggle that will decide the fate of the human race."
And what did our moviegoers think?
Better than New Moon; an actual vampire movie - Tara H
I think it was great movie. I liked it! - Xian W
I screamed so f***ing loud in the scary preview (for the "Crazies" car wash scene) that it certainly set the tone for the feature presentation and the rest of the night. I am sure everyone was more entertained because I was scared out of my be-jesus wits. Movies about vampires are really good. I like being human though. I did my last Will and Testament earlier and got me thinking... if I was to die by converting to Vampire, then would I need to execute my Will? - Curtis C
Willhem Dafoe chews up the scenery and Sam Neil slurps up the gooey leavings. An interesting vision of what a "world on blood" could look like. I recommend this movie to anyone who's tired of sparkly abusive boyfriend "vampires" and prefer to see that the real monster is the vampire, but the twisted human nature beneath it. Oh, and Ethan Hawke can bite me, seriously. - Curtis L.
Afterwards, we headed down to Second Cup and had discussions regarding various aspects of the movie and vampires. For example, if the vampirism is spread by some sort of disease, why didn't they have reflections? If they had reflections, how could they be recorded on video? When will the vampire movie trend end? Who's sexier; vampires or werewolves? <- that last question depends greatly on which vampires you're considering.
What about February? Right now, there are 5 potential movies:
Dear John
From Paris with Love
The Wolfman
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Behind the Scenes: Tom Ford's directorial debut starring Colin Firth.
The Movie: In Los Angeles 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis George Falconer, a 52 year old British college professor is struggling to find meaning to his life after the death of his long time partner, Jim. George dwells on the past and cannot see his future as we follow him through a single day, where a series of events and encounters, ultimately lead him to decide if there is a meaning to life after Jim. George is consoled by his closest friend Charley, a 48-year-old beauty who is wrestling with her own questions about the future. A young student of George's, Kenny, who is coming to terms with his true nature, stalks George as he feels in him a kindred spirit. A romantic tale of love interrupted the isolation that is an inherent part of the human condition and ultimately the importance of the seemingly smaller moments in life.
A special note... If you want to see this movie, I highly recommend you go within the first week as movies at the Oxford tend to play for only one week. And this isn't some big box-office-blockbuster like Avatar; it may only last the week.
La Mariée était en noir (The Bride Wore Black)
Cost: Free
Date/Time: Saturday, January 16 @ 7
Location: Alliance Française (5509 Young St)
Behind the Scenes: Practice your French skills by watching this movie with Alliance Française.
The Movie: After trying to commit suicide, the widow Julie Kohler pretends to her mother that she will leave her town. Actually she stays, chases and assassinates the five men that accidentally killed her beloved husband in the stairs of the church immediately after their wedding ceremony.
Behind the Scenes: ...no idea why they're playing it...
The Movie: A gritty and emotional look at the lives of a platoon of American soldiers as they patrol, fight and die in the jungles of Vietnam as seen through the perspective of a young recruit. Two veteran sergeants clash when one of them precipitates a massacre of villagers.
Location: Royal Bank Theatre, Halifax Infirmary, QEII
Behind the Scenes: Presented in part by the Scandinavian Society.
The Movie: An elderly man is found murdered in his basement flat. Inspector Erlendur and his crew don't have much to go by in the investigation, but a photograph of a young girl's grave gives them a lead.
Location: Royal Bank Theatre, Halifax Infirmary, QEII
Behind the Scenes: Novel Tech Ethics (Dalhousie University) invites you to its fourth film series on the ethics of mental health. The four films have been chosen to highlight specific mental health issues. The screening of each film will be followed by a question and discussion period on the ethical issues provoked by the film. A panel of professionals, chosen for their knowledge and experience of the mental health issues involved, will respond to audience questions and offer further elucidations on the topic.
The Movie: The only thing hurting Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez more than his face from a recent bike accident was his pressing need for story ideas. Then he discovers Nathaniel Ayers, a mentally ill, homeless street musician who possesses extraordinary talent, even through his half-broken instruments. Inspired by his story, Lopez writes an acclaimed series of articles, and attempts to help both him and the rest of the underclass of LA have a better life. However, Lopez's good intentions run headlong in the hard realities of the strength of Ayers' personal demons and the larger social injustices facing the homeless
Behind the Scenes: Presented as part of the Dalhousie Art Gallery's film series; this was an earlier movie of Ang Lee who went on to direct Brokeback Mountain.
The Movie: With an Oscar-winning script by and starring Emma Thompson, this mid-90s costume drama by Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee set off a vogue for Jane Austen that has yet to abate. The story concerns a worthy but impoverished family who must marry off their daughters into financial stability, possibly at the cost of true love.
Behind the Scenes: It's the return of The Thrillema! Thrillema's goal? Bringing 35mm prints of cult films to Dartmouth. They've returned after a far-too-long hiatus with two wonderfully gory flicks! First up: the locally produced short Blood Shed. Following that is the main feature, Peter Jackson's Dead/Alive AKA Brainded. If you haven't experienced Thrillema yet, this will be a great introduction!
The Movie:
Blood Shed - Bizarre, bloody, exploitative tale of two Acadian brothers who snort drugs, shoot guns, and go berserk in the eastern Canadian woods.
Dead/Alive - Poor Lionel. He lives with his mother and has just fallen in love. When his mother tries to destroy the relationship between Lionel and Paquita, his new girlfriend, she ends up bitten by a rare monkey. Lionel's mother soon dies and, not long after, his house becomes zombie central.
Well, after two rounds of voting and 60% of the final tally, our decisive winner is...
DAYBREAKERS
THE PLAN: We'll head out on Tuesday the 19th to Park Lane. We'll start gathering at 6 by the arcade. Around 6:20, we'll head in to grab our seats before the movie starts at 6:35. Tickets are $8.99 for adults and can be pre-purchased online. After the movie, we'll head down to our local Second Cup to have a nice cup of cocoa (or coffee or tea) and have a nice chat about the movie. Doesn't that sound lovely?
THE MOVIE:"The year is 2019. A mysterious plague has swept over the earth, transforming the majority of the world's population into vampires. Humans are now an endangered, second-class species -- forced into hiding as they are hunted and farmed for vampire consumption to the brink of extinction. It's all up to Edward Dalton, a vampire researcher who refuses to feed on human blood, to perfect a blood substitute that might sustain vampires and spare the few remaining humans. But time and hope are running out -- until Ed meets Audrey, a human survivor who leads him to a startling medical breakthrough. Armed with knowledge that both humans and vampires will kill for, Ed must battle his own kind in a deadly struggle that will decide the fate of the human race."
THE MOTIVATION:In case you were wondering why 60% of the votes went to this looks-to-be-amazing movie, here are the Top 10 Reasons to see Daybreakers:
10. The makers of the movie hosted a contest in Worth1000.com (famous photo manipulation-contest site) to come up with images of how the world would look if nearly everyone were a vampire
9. Vampires. Almost everyone is one.
8. The vampires are the majority and when was the last time you saw a movie where that was the case?
7. Other movies toy with the idea of humanity losing to evil, this one shows what would happen next.
6. The first vampire movie of the year.
5. The brothers who directed Daybreakers also did the outstanding "zombie" movie Undead.
4. Roger Ebert gave it !
3. Willem Dafoe. ...As a good guy? That almost never happens!
2. Ethan Hawke.
1. ...Vampires that don't "sparkle."
THE TRAILER:
Looking forward to seeing all of you at our first outing of 2010!
Well, moviegoers, we have a bit of a conundrum. The poll for next week is supposed to close tomorrow. But over the last several months I've realized practically no one votes on the last day. So I thought I'd check the results and get an idea who was in the lead.
What I discovered is that no one movie was in the lead!
Here is how the numbers broke down:
Daybreakers 30%
The Lovely Bones 30%
Youth in Revolt 20%
Leap Year 10%
The Book of Eli 10%
The Spy Next Door 0%
So I'm going to mix things up a bit and eliminate the bottom three and re-open the poll. For just two days to decide an ultimate winner. I'll close the poll Wednesday evening, announce our movie choice and send out invitations.
Let's start of 2010 with another movie outing! We've got 6 different movies to consider for our movie outing on Tuesday, January 19th.
Our first candidate is a comedy starring Michael Cera...
Youth in Revolt
The Movie: "Youth in Revolt" is the irreverent story about the wild adventures of a teenage boy named Nick Twisp who meets the girl of his dreams while on a family vacation and has to turn his life and the lives of all those around him upside down in order to be with her.
The Cast: Michael Cera. ...And some other people.
The Reasons:
Michael Cera co-starring with Michael Cera
Who hasn't had the urge to be bad every now and again?
Now you can find out how that might work out for you....
What better way to start the year than with a good laugh?
Interested in something a little more in the vampire/sci-fi vein? Consider voting for...
Daybreakers
The Movie: The year is 2019. A mysterious plague has swept over the earth, transforming the majority of the world's population into vampires. Humans are now an endangered, second-class species -- forced into hiding as they are hunted and farmed for vampire consumption to the brink of extinction. It's all up to Edward Dalton, a vampire researcher who refuses to feed on human blood, to perfect a blood substitute that might sustain vampires and spare the few remaining humans. But time and hope are running out -- until Ed meets Audrey, a human survivor who leads him to a startling medical breakthrough. Armed with knowledge that both humans and vampires will kill for, Ed must battle his own kind in a deadly struggle that will decide the fate of the human race.
The Cast: Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, Isabel Lucas, Jay Laga'aia, Vince Colosimo, Claudia Karvan, Christopher Kirby, Renai Caruso, Michael Dorman
Maybe you'd prefer a classic romantic comedy? Then you should vote for...
Leap Year
The Movie: "Leap Year" follows one woman's determined quest to get married to the perfect guy, despite what fate has in store for her. When their four-year anniversary passes without a marriage proposal, Anna decides to take matters into her own hands. Investing in an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on Feb. 29, Anna decides to follow her boyfriend Jeremy to Dublin and get down on one knee herself. But airplanes, weather and fate leave Anna stranded on the other side of Ireland, and she must enlist the help of handsome and surly Declan to get her across the country. As Anna and Declan bicker across the Emerald Isle, they discover that the road to love can take you to very unexpected places.
The Cast: Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Kaitlin Olson, Adam Scott, Peter O'Meara, Michael J. Reynolds, Martin Sherman, Annika Hammerton, Flaminia Cinque, John Burke
How about a supernatural murder mystery/drama? That would be...
The Lovely Bones
The Movie: A young girl, who has been murdered, watches over her family -- and her killer -- from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.
The Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Saoirse Ronan, Michael Imperioli, Amanda Michalka, Nikki SooHoo, Rose McIver, Carolyn Dando
The Reasons:
Look at that cast!
Based on the best-selling novel.
Murder, mystery and a glimpse of heaven? All in one movie!
If you're craving some post-Apocalyptic action, you'll probably vote for...
The Book of Eli
The Movie: In the not-too-distant future, across the wasteland of what once was America, a lone warrior (Washington) must fight to bring civilization the knowledge that could be the key to its redemption and save the future of humanity.
The Cast: Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, Denzel Washington, Malcolm McDowell, Michael Gambon, Jennifer Beals, Ray Stevenson, Tom Waits, Lateef Crowder, Chris Browning
The Reasons:
Denzel Washington is kicking @$$ and taking names!
The first post-apocalyptic movie of 2010 (unless you count Daybreakers).
Maybe you're just looking for some good old-fashioned family-friendly physical comedy. If that's the case, then your choice would be...
The Spy Next Door
The Movie: Bob Ho is an undercover CIA super spy who decides to give up his career in espionage to settle down with his next-door neighbor and girlfriend, Gillian. But, Bob has one more mission to complete before Gillian agrees to marry him: winning over her three opinionated kids. When Gillian suddenly has to leave town, Bob volunteers to baby sit the children so he can earn their approval. But, when one of the kids mistakenly downloads a top-secret formula from his computer, Bob's archenemy, a Russian terrorist, moves in for the attack, forcing Bob to juggle the roles of spy and prospective stepfather in the most challenging mission of his career!
The Cast: Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lucas Till, George Lopez, Magnús Scheving, Madeline Carroll, Katherine Boecher, Jeff Chase, David Mattey
The Reasons:
Jackie Chan is one of the best modern physical comedians!
A good old-fashioned "fish out of water" scenario with hijinks and high-kicks.
What the heck is Billy Ray Cyrus doing in this movie anyway?
!
