I know….what? That’s what I thought until I watched the trailer. Derivative? Yes. Am I going to be there with bells on? You betcha. A revenge flick with Liam Neeson? Heck yeah. Feels like a modern take on Rob Roy and I love Rob Roy.

Here’s a link to the trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sGGRS_UaPY

Bad film concept. Interesting entrepreneurial idea.

It’s bad.

The acting is fantastic. JAMES GARNER and GENA ROWLANDS are wonderful. JOAN ALLEN (who plays RACHEL’S mom) is great. As always.

The chemistry between RYAN GOSLING and RACHEL McADAMS is absolutely electric.

The part that gets to me is that she was going to marry the perfect guy (JAMES MARSDEN) and she couldn’t let go of RYAN emotionally. He had just HAD her in a way that she couldn’t even explain.

It’s that first love thing. So he went off with this other woman but he pined for RACHEL just the same. It was killing him.

So finally they got back together and (if I’m not mistaken) they hit the sheets within about half an hour of that meeting. Maybe before.

RYAN had had a physical relationship with this other girlfriend. But RACHEL was pure and unsullied. (This was the 40s, after all.) So afterwards when they’re laying in bed together, she leans over and says to him, “Is that what I’ve been missing? I want to do it again and again AND AGAIN!!!’

I thought that was hysterical. But the flick itself is ponderous and a real downer. You’ll cry. But you’ll cry mainly because you’re angry that you’ve been manipulated into it.

I loved the characters but the movie is pure idiocy. And that twist is just horrible….

Did you like her in Pride and Prejudice?

I don’t get the Keira hate either, Alison. People are weird

As for Lakeview Terrace, my beef is with the concept. There have been a million movies preying on the fears of middle class suburbanites. This one is maybe a little twist on it, but it just seems so…I don’t know.

I’ll allow that the trailer might just be trying too hard to make it seem familiar.

I’m sad that DeNiro and Pacino have come to this. Maybe Righteous Kill will be better than we’re expecting. Seems unlikely but here’s hoping.

As for The Women: Damn, what a waste of talent like Annette Bening. That’s all I have to say.

Like Alexander I’m interested in The Duchess because of Ralph Fiennes. And I am routing for Keira Knightley. There’s so much hate for the poor woman.

Nick, that’s interesting about Sam Jackson in Lakeview Terrace. I try to not let trailers influence me too much but the ones for that movie have been so obnoxious that they have turned me off the movie, but if he’s as good as you say, it might be of interest nevertheless.

For September, the three films I’m most excited about, in order are, Burn After Reading, The Miracle at St. Anna and Appaloosa. Those are probably the three films I’ll see no matter what at this point, just because the Coens and Spike Lee made the first two, and the other has stirred my interest.

That is a pretty hilarious poke at Rodanthe, Pierre. But like you say, Miranda, those two generally work together (you know I loved Unfaithful). Who knows? I haven’t been to a decent romantic drama in years. My last attempt was a disaster. Not even Bardem could save it.

Plus, I missed “The Notebook” and every other person gushes over it.

All that being said, Rodanthe is still near the bottom of this list for me. Lakeview Terrace sounds like a true guilty pleasure. I have yet to see a trailer, but Nick’s word on it impresses me.

Other than that, nothing else on this list opens in SA anytime soon, but I’ll be here to listen to you all chatter about whats hot and whats not.

I hear they chafe.

“I certainly agree that NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, from the looks of the trailer, seems like a dose of Glade air freshener – and not the kind made from essential oils.”

Pierre, that’s WICKEDLY funny.

I disagree with you exceptionally rarely, Pierre. On the odd (VERY ODD) occasion that I do, you always have something eloquent, profound or fascinating to say.

So I always enjoy your POV immensely regardless.

Miranda, I certainly agree that Nights in Rodanthe, from the looks of the trailer, seems like an overdose of Glade air freshener — and not the kind made from essential oils.

My hunch is that Miracle of St. Anna will be good and well-received critically, and I’m also guessing that Appaloosa has a lot going for it in terms of casting alone.

The trailer to Choke is more fun that the one for Burn After Reading, but this could easily shift upon viewing the films themselves.

Like others here, including glimmer, I’m curious about Towelhead.

And — for the record on American Beauty — timing had a lot to do with that film’s successes, but I still think it was a smart, incisive and uniquely rare take on contemporary life.

Craig, OF COURSE you look forward to the fall. You’re living in the Golden City, baby. Or maybe you looked forward to the fall EVEN WHEN you were living in Seattle?

Do you really miss all the god damn rain we get in the Pacific Northwest? Fairly mild temperatures, but still…

Frankly honey, I’m a little hazy about what comes out right up until the end of the year. But I did put up a Fall Preview thing on site within the last two weeks. I was talking to glim about it.

Oh yeah…

I’m looking forward to Bond and AUSTRALIA. THAT’S ALL.

I’ll be seeing SOME FILMS. I will go to the cinema regularly regardless.

But these flicks don’t make my hormones flow like honey. I’m not hot for any of them and I can’t say they interest me much.

However, EVERY SINGLE YEAR I am blown away by some motion pictures that hit me right out of left field while some highly anticipated movies seem to disappoint.

But there doesn’t seem to be much in 2008 that I’d pull my best lingerie out of the closet for.

Hmmm..

Maybe if someone does a little begging and brings me chocolates on bended knee….

Can’t hurt……

Are you judging based on just September or have you looked at all the way to the end of the year and see nothing worth liking?

But, aside from a change, I don’t know WHY anyone is excited about this fall’s lineup.

I think it looks rather….LAME?

I’ll end up seeing a bunch of these if they’re potential awards contenders. But I can’t say ANY of them are must sees for me and I don’t find any of them particularly compelling.

I had never heard about NIGHTS IN RODANTHE until I saw the trailer just now. Now I understand why. DIANE LANE and RICHARD GERE are always fantastic together. They were electric in an interesting very flawed film like THE COTTON CLUB and they added a litle bit of intrigue to a complete flame out like UNFAITHFUL.

But NIR looks like your classic cliched love story (gorgeous beaches and awesome cinematography aside – from the author of THE NOTEBOOK – oh there’s a tip off if I ever saw one) and a highly typical shallow wallow.

God, DIANE LANE is SO beautiful. Why doesn’t her character have a better hair cut? I think I’ll pass.

I’m NOT a COEN BROTHERS fan (and I’m sure everyone around here is aware of that fact by now) but I’ve seen the trailer for BURN AFTER READING often enough that it’s becoming a point of interest. Haven’t viewed a trailer that hysterical in some time…and that cast will be wild.

RIGHTEOUS KILL MAY be good. But it could be a disaster of unqualified proportions. Mr. De Niro and Mr. Pacino (ESPECIALLY) are not anywhere past their due date. But I couldn’t even begin to speculate at this time. It coud easily go either way.

I will PROBABLY see TOWELHEAD for sure unless it gets horrific reviews. I own the entire five seasons of SIX FEET UNDER on DVD and I saw AMERICAN BEAUTY ten times in the theatre. I’ve got that at home as well. Let’s just say that I really dig ALAN BALL’S sensibility.

Though I found AB REVELATORY in 1999 (it spoke to me on levels that I can’t easily describe in words) I don’t think it’s aged particularly well. But it’s still a brilliant satire of suburban angst and desire – and the things that it says about life and love are splendidly poetic regardless.

Period costume dramas are usually a whole lot of BS. I end up seeing more of them than I would like simply because a lot of them are generally nominated for a lot of important awards. THE DUCHESS may not be much more than elegant nonsense. But the fact that it has KEIRA KNIGHTLEY and RALPH FIENNES does give me hope. Not a tremendous amount. But still….

CHOKE may be an interesting surprise. Trailer is crudely amusing in the right way for me.

I may get roped into MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA by virtue of the fact that it’s likely to be an awards contender. But we shall see.

So…

As always I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kinda girl. There isn’t ONE MUST SEE in this group for me, though there may conceivably be some very fine motion pictures here.

Did I mention how I hate fall? It’s just the seasonal thing. it’s depressing. Once I’m living in SoCal, I won’t give a damn.

*sigh*

Next…..

How do I decide? I go by who made it and who’s in it and a little bit on what it’s about. Beyond that, I try to see as much as I can.

the review ot bop mentions minutes/minues have been trimmed from the version that hit whatever festival. and that doesn’t make me smile…makes me think things have been tamed down…. :(

craig you don’t watch a trailer and seldom read reviews b efore going to a film. how do you decide what to see or do sort of go see evrything.

i never watch trailers.well not really i don’t even have pc speakers.so it really doesn’t matter.

craig…. you avoid trailers in the theatres too ????