Weekend Forecast: 4/18/08
By Craig Kennedy - April 17th, 2008; 12:01 am
Jonah Hill, Mila Kunis, Jason Segel, Russell Brand
and Kristen Bell in Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Here’s what’s opening wide this weekend:
- 88 Minutes. That’s about how long we’ll have to wait for this turd to turn up on DVD. Jon Avnet directs Al Pacino as a forensic psychiatrist framed by the serial killer he helped put away. How many Hollywood producers does it take to birth a waste-of-time paycheck movie? In this case, the answer is 19. I shit you not.
- The Forbidden Kingdom. Jet Li and Jackie Chan, together at last with martial arts choreography by Woo-Ping Yuen. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s about a 21st century American kid (Snow Angels‘ Michael Angarano) transported to ancient China where he has adventures and whatnot before finding his way back home. Yeah, I know, but I’ll probably see it anyway.
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall. From prolific producer and one-man-cottage-industry-of-comedy Judd Apatow comes “the world’s first romantic disaster comedy.” Struggling musician (Jason Segel, TV’s How I Met Your Mother) gets dumped by hot actress girlfriend (Kristen Bell, TV’s Veronica Mars). As his life implodes, he retreats to Oahu in an attempt to forget his troubles, only to find he’s sharing a hotel with the ex-girlfriend and her hot new rock star boyfriend (Russell Brand). I approve of R-Rated comedies, but I found the trailer to be almost entirely laugh free. Here’s hoping they saved the best parts for the movie itself.
Opening in limited release:
- Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. I’m glad I live in a country where people can espouse whatever unprovable bullshit theories they want about the origins of the universe without worrying they’ll be shot. That’s about all I have to say about this documentary where Ben Stein bitches about the Evolution vs. Creation debate. I support his right to be an asshat 100%
- The First Sunday in May. Documentary about the Kentucky Derby. Oooh. I’m tingling.
- Kiss the Bride. In this romantic comedy, Matt finds out his high school boyfriend is marrying Tori Spelling so he sets out to stop him from making a big mistake. I’d be a little horrified if anyone I knew was marrying Tori Spelling too.
- The Life Before Her Eyes. From Vadim Perelman, the director of The House of Sand and Fog, comes this drama with Evan Rachel Wood and Uma Thurman as the same woman at two different stages in life, each on the other side of a terrible tragedy. Beautiful to look at with an engaging performance by Wood, but it never quite comes to life. Nevertheless, recommended for Wood fans.
- Pathology. Milo Ventimiglia (TV’s Heroes) is a top graduate of a prestigious pathology program who gets involved with a bunch of interns who’re competing in a twisted game to see who can commit the perfect unsolvable murder. The MPAA rates it R for disturbing and perverse behavior throughout, including violence, gruesome images, strong sexual content, nudity, drug use and language. OK, you talked me into it. They should use that in the ads.
- Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? I don’t know, but since the question is being asked by Morgan “Michael Moore Lite” Spurlock, I’m guessing we’re not going to find out. We’ll probably get a few chuckles to make up for the lack of illumination however.
- Zombie Strippers. We’re big fans of the deep philosophical questions here at LiC so, if a porn star acts in a movie with her clothes on next to a fallen tree in the forest, does she make a sound?
Opening NY:
- Anamorph (LA 5/2) An intriguing cast including Willem Dafoe, Peter Stormare (”I need unguent”) and Clea DuVall in what sounds like kind of a Se7en ripoff.
- Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts. From Scott Hicks (Shine) comes this documentary about modern composer Philip Glass.
Expanding:
- The Visitor. Half-recommended.
- Young@Heart. Highly recommended.
Filed under: Upcoming
Related Posts: - Movies You May Have Missed: 8/17/08
- Weekend Forecast: July 4th
- In the Pipeline: The Life Before Her Eyes
- Weekend Forecast: 3/7/08
- Weekend Forecast: 9/21/07
Wasn’t 88 Minutes _already_ out on DVD?
In Brazil, Israel, Romania, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Russia, Austria, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Hungary and the Philippines, 88 Minutes was already released on DVD, yes.
Wasn’t 88 Minutes made way back when people still thought Jude Law was going to become a really big star because he appeared in 37 movies in one year or somethin’?
The fact that 88 Minutes is 108 minutes long seems like the cruelest part. They couldn’t even be honest about that… and keep this obviously grade C flick at a bearable running time.
I see it merited only three paragraphs from Armond White.
Sarris apparently likes 88 Minutes. Noooo…
Craig, your Weekend Forecast bits are a great way to wind the week down. Stormare (”I need unguent”), aha…
Saw a trailer for The Life Before Her Eyes in front of Priceless. Didn’t grab me at all.
The Forebidden Kingdom looks like decent fun. Armond like!
I’m pretty sure I saw it out on video here in the USA.
I’ve read many stories from many people saying the same thing and a friend up here (San Francisco Bay Area) said he saw it as well.
I’m over Judd Apatow and his remaking of his initial sclub meet cute. He’s a very talented writer and the press is too up his ass to call him on his treading water.
I don’t have a disfunctional self-loathing hatred of average looking guys that certain other people who shall remain nameless do, but the thanklessness of the female in these pictures is becoming, if nothing else, boring.
Would it be too much to ask that a mainstream romantic picture have just a smidgen of COMMON SENSE or, god forbid, empathy? No, I guess that has to be relegated to the art houses.
So if I was in the US, I would be seeing “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” - I am nostalgic for Veronica Mars and that is the only reason I would see it, “Life Before Her Eyes,” I am a Wood fan, and “Youn @ Heart” if I had not already seen it.
Wow, this is possibly one of the single worst weekends of releases in a long time. Other than the Visitor finally expanding into my backyard, there’s nothing in this list that sounds remotely interesting. Plus, TWO of these are movies that have been on the shelf for ages. 88 Minutes and Pathology both got early marketing then were pulled and shelved. I swear to god, 88 Minutes is at least two years old. I know I saw the trailer for Pathology late last Summer.
It’s just stunning how bad these releases sound. Other than The Visitor, I’m still curious to see Shine a Light. I should have seen it two weeks ago…but I didn’t.
…if a porn star acts in a movie with her clothes on next to a fallen tree in the forest, does she make a sound?
Ahahaha. You always make me laugh, Craig.
Only a half-recommendation The Visitor? Hmm.
I have a slight interest in Spurlock’s new documentary. I mean, he obviously didn’t find Bin Laden or else it would be all over the news, right? So, if nothing else, we could watch him be an ignorant American in the Middle East. Might be hilarious but I’m thinking it’s going to be more painful than anything.
However old Pathology is, the premise is still interesting and I’ve heard it’s pretty decent so I might see that eventually. Zombie Strippers will wait to be seen on DVD, if at all. And Young @ Heart starts playing in Harvard Square, which is a good thing.
As for the theater I work at, we’re getting Forbidden Kingdom, so I have to watch that. I’m with you, Craig. It might have been good if it wasn’t for that awful “American kid in ancient China” story line. Why couldn’t they just make an old fashioned martial arts movie with wires starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li? That would have been cool.
And I saw The Rape Of Europa last night. It was fantastic. Highly recommended. I’ll be posting a review of it soon, in case anyone’s interested.
@Nick: ah, Veronica Mars…now THAT was a fun, female-empowering show. And the best part? Veronica was a truly flawed hero, not just a strong female character but a complex one too.
Also, what IS is with movies getting dumped on the DVD market in Europe before they’re even released in the US? I mean, Chapter 27 (aka. the film Jared Leto got fat for, or, in the words of the one we will not mention, the movie that gets John Lennon’s haircolor wrong) is already in the discount bin here.
I’m with Chuck on Apatow. I was late to the original party actually. I didn’t realize until the last 6 months or so just how widespread the Apatow cult was on the internet.
Alison. There were some small things that bugged me about The Visitor and keep me from recommending it more enthusiastically. It’s still recommended though. Some people won’t be bothered and others (coughcoughScottFoundascough) will probably be bothered more than I was. I’m going to go out on a limb and say you should probably check it out.
Justin. “Why couldn’t they just make an old fashioned martial arts movie with wires starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li?” Exactly! ahh well, I’m still probably going to check it out. I’m with you on Pathology too even though I have a bad feeling about it.
Joel. I think if you look back at some recent weekend forecasts, you’ll find at least a couple of weeks that were way worse than this one. Weeks where the new releases didn’t even have sneak-in value…though maybe that applies for you in this case.
Nick. Life Before Her Eyes was a little disappointing, but your ERW obsession might just carry it over. It almost did for me.
Alexander. I noticed that Sarris review of 88 Mminutes, but I didn’t read it. Hey, if I can love My Blueberry Nights, Sarris can like 88 Minutes I guess…
As for the DVD question…I don’t think it was officially released in the US, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t turned up.
Hedwig. Did whatsisname REALLY bitch about Lennon’s hair color? You know, I’ve come to fully appreciate how difficult it is to post daily, and he posts many times each day, but jeez!
Craig, your cutting edge description of 88 Minutes almost made me choke on my chocolate milk. If you’re this funny that early in the morning, well…
Much as I worship AL PACINO, it would appear (sadly) that you are right on all counts. But everyone has to eat. Or make more money. Or something.
Like those thoughts on Apatow, Chuck. The brand is either becoming diluted as his name is attached to everything, or it’s a one-trick pony situation. I might still see it. Maybe. The one bit in the trailer I found funny was the restaurant reservation scene. If I have a choice I’ll see Osama.
Alison, I feel like the half-recommendation for The Visitor might be partially directed towards me. Maybe I’m just being vain. Probably I’m just being vain. My sense is that Craig did not enjoy it, but I’ve struggled to keep my insane expectations for it under wraps. Tom McCarthy, who is a one-time Minnesotan, is introducing it as the opening night selection for the MSP Int’l Film Festival Tonight. I’m on a plane out of here unfortunately, and will additionally miss screenings of Young @ Heart, Tuya’s Marriage, and Son of Rambow - director and producer present. Dang it.
I’ll be in Vegas, which has possibly the worst movie market west of the Mississippi. So like I said, my options will be Marshall or Osama.
Ah, and I somehow missed Craig’s comment there about The Visitor. I’m still going at first opportunity, expectations somewhat tempered. It doesn’t have the freshness of The Station Agent at first glance, but I think something in it will work for me.
No offense against Mr. Al Pacino, Miranda. The man has earned his dinner and he can do whatever he wants from here on out as far as I’m concerned.
mmm…chocolate milk.
Daniel. As I said, there’s a lot to like about The Visitor. Go forth in peace and enjoy. I look forward to hearing your take on it.
I see what Chuck is getting at and I agree with everyone that the Cult of Apatow is fairly annoying, but then again the Cult of Kevin Smith or really any director or actor are typically annoying. We have our own fair share of apologists for certain individuals on this site, myself included.
Regardless, Apatow has a niche and he’s filled it fairly well. His basic themes and characters may be kinda redundant, but his movies are funny and his casting has been excellent so far. John Hughes was no less redundant in his movie-making.
Many comedic actors over the years have developed niches that they like to inhabit, yet you’d be hard-pressed to deny the brilliance of a Peter Sellers or Bill Murray, yet both repeatedly played similar characters in movie after movie.
I fail to see what’s wrong with it. If he’s making movies that mine the same jokes or concepts over and over again, fair enough. Otherwise, why not just enjoy the fact that once or twice a year there’s an honest-to-god funny mainstream comedy coming out of the studios?
If you’re complaining about all the penis sightings in his movies, you may be on to something, but I applaud that. There’s not enough peni in modern American mainstream films.
I had somehow failed to miss the fact that Apatow had anything to do with Sarah Marshall. I saw the trailer and was quite unimpressed and thought nothing of it. Now knowing that Apatow has his name on it makes me want to give it another shot. I’m sure it’ll have it’s moments but I still feel like it’ll be a dud, especially compared to his other movies.
Justin, I agree. It’s telling that the studio is dropping this one in April when they would otherwise push this one out in the Summer.
Most of the reviews I read that came out of Sundance were fairly positive. The subject and the cast and the trailer didn’t do it for me, but I do like Kristen Bell and you already know what I think of most trailers.
It is kind of an odd release date, but this summer is pretty crowded with comedies. Maybe the studio thought they’d do better with no competition. Perhaps they’re dreaming of a Wild Hogs sized hit. Hopefully the movie isn’t that bad though…
Well I haven’t been watching much TV of late and what I do watch, I skip commercials for via the TiVo, but it seems like this movie hasn’t gotten much promotion. I haven’t seen a lot of ads or a blitz of interviews for it online.
Either the studio is cutting potential losses about it or they are hoping the built-in audience for this will find it on their own.
Good points Joel and each movie, taken on its own, works and the casts are very strong, but I’m just burned out. If Apatow were less gifted I would be more appreciative, but, truth is, none of the picture she’s directed or produced are anywhere near Freaks and Geeks or The Larry Sanders Show, he’s backpeddling and, worse yet, I’m tired of the desperate to be hip media pretending like he hasn’t.
I can live with/or understand Kevin Smith or John Hughes hitting the same well because I don’t think too much of their output at its best (and i was at the age where I was a prime candidate for their suckering).
If you live in LA kids, you need not feed from the contaminated Hollywood trough.
Go to the New Beverly and support the single repertory theater here!
Joe Dante in person programming! Tonite, Roger Corman in the flesh!
For seven friggin’ dollars! A Coke is a buck fifty! And you can see Diablo Cody in all her genuine hotness! And me!
Get more out of life. Go out to a movie!
I’m glad I’m not the only one skeptical of Morgan Spurlock. To me it’s obvious that, unlike Michael Moore, he isn’t interested in educating people about current events or happenings as much as he’s all about making himself the center of attention. His ‘journalism’ is as interesting as Conan O’Brien wandering around Central Park interviewing tourists, except Conan doesn’t have any pretensions.
Meanwhile: Christian, 2 Corman movies, plus the man in person on the one side…and Diablo Cody on the other side of the balance…hmmm.
I’d be there if I could, sadly I’m 3000 miles and change away.
ok…. i’m gonna brave it out..and likley see zombie strippers on sunday……
i haven’t even seen the sarah m, trailer….oh but it’s currently at 82 % at rt…… hmm……
craig… you may not be as horrified if a friend was marrying tori s. hey maybe the’y be doing it for the money. :)
oh and di i mnetion i was gonna see zombie stippers ????? one more time… ;)
really bewteen sarah m… the forbidden kingdom.
fans of top five for weekend stuff are pretty buzzed/blissed out…
chuck…and if i was 3000 miles and change away…i’d steal your dvd collection !!!!! :)
Sold Christian! If only I lived in LA.
satre… you know everything is either n.y. or la. the rest of america doesn’t count….. :)
Ok, The New Bev it is. Are you going for sure Christian? How about you Jeff?
christian, I know all about the New Beverly. Plus I got my hands on a couple of awesome guidebooks. One actually written BY LA residents FOR LA residents. Tres informative, as they say.
So now I finally know where everything is. So I have one word for you, christian: SOON.
Craig, I have a couple for you, my sweet: TWO STRAWS.
Chuck, your points are well taken. I see what you mean.
“I’m glad I’m not the only one skeptical of Morgan Spurlock. To me it’s obvious that, unlike Michael Moore, he isn’t interested in educating people about current events or happenings as much as he’s all about making himself the center of attention. His ‘journalism’ is as interesting as Conan O’Brien wandering around Central Park interviewing tourists, except Conan doesn’t have any pretensions.”
Jeff MCM, I’m no fan of Spurlock but what makes him any different in this regard from Michael Moore? Moore is no more a documentarian, journalist, or educator than PT Barnum.
Please wait for DVD for Zombie Strippers, it’s a better use of your money. Believe me, there’s ’so bad it’s good’ and then there’s the other kind.
Because I think that Michael Moore actually is, more often than not, genuinely interested in the issues he explores. Yes, in recent years he’s gotten more full of himself, and the Bowling for Columbine scene with Michael Moore is obnoxious, but take a look at him at his best - Roger & Me, the first half of Sicko, and you’ll see a guy who’s mostly interested in listening to other peoples’ stories.
“Please wait for DVD for Zombie Strippers…”
…because if ever there were a good reason for an uncut hardcore NC-17 DVD version, this movie is begging for it.
I LOVE Morgan Spurlock, so I can’t wait to see “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden.”
If it’s Spurlock, I’m there.
Jeff, I agree about Roger & Me, but the Michael Moore of today is so far removed from the Michael Moore of then that it’s almost like he’s two different people. He seems to really enjoy the limelight of his celebrity more than he does his responsibility as a documentary filmmaker, rabble-rouser, whatever, to offer an insightful or meaningful commentary. I’ve given up on Moore offering anything entirely factual a long time ago.
I think Michael Moore has come dangerously close in the last five years of co-opting the tactics of the far right and by doing so, he’s bringing himself and his work down to their level. He may not be as rude as the Bill O’Reillys of the world, but I don’t think he’s helping to further his causes anymore either.
Well like I said, I think the first half of Sicko, the half where he doesn’t do any grandstanding but just lets people tell their stories about the health care industry, shows him to still be that sympathetic fighter-for-causes that he should be.
Point taken, Jeff.
And your point is taken too - the end of the movie, where he hauls people to Cuba, kind of spoils what’s come ahead of it.
Agreed that the first half of Sicko was pretty great.
Miranda, are you speaking in code or am I just more retarded than I thought?
I’ll be there tonight, Craig. I’ll introduce you to Diablo and say, “By the way, he didn’t like your movie. I’ll be right back.”
That would be kind of awesome….if it wasn’t happening to me
You could do it with me, except to be honest you’d have to say ‘he really liked how Jason Reitman and the actors got your script to work.”
Heh heh…that was pretty funny, Jeff, and I’m practically a Juno apologist on this site, all things considered.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is an outright stalker fantasy.
Saw “88 Minutes,” it’s extremely silly but nowhere near the disaster that I was expecting…probably because Pacino elevates everything he is in. Otherwise it would have been complete rubbish. He’s the only good thing about the movie, which kept my opinion of the movie at mild dislike instead of extreme loathing.
Review is here: http://fromthefrontrow.blogspot.com/2008/04/review-88-minutes.html
Craig darling, you are most definitely NOT retarded. Don’t most people reference the post directly above them, the last thing they said OR the last comment the other person made?
Just to make it simple for you I’ll be direct and not toy with you. This time.
My “two straws” comment was in reference to your chocolate milk assertion - which was in response to mine.
Guess we’re clear. Hope you can sleep tonight…
I like it a bit less than you Matthew (a perfect screener has been floating around for six weeks now, and I secured one) but your review is most excellent, and I am definitely on the same wave length with you.
Bad release weekend for sure, I will be catching up with stuff like BLUEBERRY NIGHTS.
I’m a little slow sometimes Miranda…especially lately. Thank you for clarifying.
Glad 88 Minutes didn’t make you want to gouge your eyes out Matthew.
Jeffmcm. “‘he really liked how Jason Reitman and the actors got your script to work” ahahahha.
“Get more out of life. Go out to a movie!”
Those, my friends, are the wisest words I’ve heard in a long time. What does the rest of the general public do without movies?
They miss out on a lot of good stuff. Last night for example they could’ve met Roger Corman in person which was pretty cool I must say. He’s old, but he’s still sharp with an excellent and specific power of recall.
It was nice to see him get such a warm reaction from the crowd, though the crowd should’ve been bigger even for a midweek movie.
I WANT ZOMBIE STRIPPERS! You know I do!
But seriously, stay away from Forbidden Kingdom. I could kick myself for maying to see that junk tonight. KArate kid meets neverending story…with some martial arts mixed in? Ugh, it was torture.
Heh heh, I might see it this morning as part of my weekend 3-for-1 multiplex package…
Maybe.
“Craig darling, you are most definitely NOT retarded.”
I wish that were true Miranda. Craig, nicknamed Bilo, has very small head but is strong in arm. They have to keep him and his laptop in cage. Take care to never tease him.
I saw the trailer for Zombie Strippers yesterday and I applaud it for carrying the mantel of Grindhouse into the new year, but I kinda wish it had been made as a serious zombie movie that ended up being laugh-out-loud silly rather than a tongue-ripping-through-the-cheek spoof.
I’m convinced it will deliver the goods for anyone curious to see it though. Jenna Jameson’s acting should be worth the admission price alone.
As for Forbidden Kingdom, Wax on, wax off, PJ. I’m sorry it wasn’t fun for you. I had a bad feeling about this one from the start but I was hoping it was going to be at least mildly entertaining.
sartre, you so naughty. Yes, I know it’s not my usual impeccable English but I’m up late or down early. Or something remotely resembling that.
Craig is my good friend. He has helped me so much and he’s always there when the chips are down.
Reminds me of a little incident that I witnessed some years ago in a local drugstore. A young mother was attempting to drag her tiny daughter out of the toy aisle. Obviously, the poor woman had neither the time nor the money to lavish on her angelic little blonde. The mother insisted that they leave. But the child was determined.
She wanted that doll…and if she wasn’t going to get it (THAT PARTICULAR DAY) she was definitely going to make a statement. Just before her parent forcefully took her by the hand to make her way to the exit, the girl picked up the porcelain figurine in the box and hugged it. Then, she remarked in a very clear, precise voice, “I LOVE HER AND YOU CAN’T STOP ME LOVING HER.”
That’s how I feel about my Craig, sartre. Resistance is futile.