Weekend Forecast: 9/18/08
By Craig Kennedy - September 18th, 2008; 12:01 am
Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris in Appaloosa opening in NY, LA and Toronto
Unless you live in New York or Los Angeles, this might be a good weekend to go see Burn After Reading again because there isn’t much to get excited about in this week’s new wide releases:
- Ghost Town. Ricky Gervais is a dentist whose near death experience leaves him with the ability to see and communicate with dead people. Greg Kinnear is a dead guy who’d like Ricky to convince his living wife Téa Leoni she’s getting involved with the wrong guy. The problem is, Gervais doesn’t like people when they’re alive let alone dead. A good cast might make this one more interesting than your typical high-concept comedy. Maybe.
- Igor. In this animated tale from MGM, John Cusack voices Igor who dreams of becoming an evil scientist but who is doomed to forever being typecast as an assistant because of the hump on his back. When he’s given a chance to compete in the Evil Science Fair, he creates a hideous monster. Unfortunately she turns out rather nice. Also, she’d rather be acting than terrorizing. John Cleese, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi and Eddie Izzard also lend their voices.
- Lakeview Terrace. Hey look, it’s another movie about a young couple (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) made to be afraid in their comfortable suburban dream home. This time it seems sketchy cop/neighbor Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t approve of a white man married to a black woman so he sets about making their lives hell.
- My Best Friend’s Girl. Mix director Howard Deutch (Grumpier Old Men) with Kate Hudson (studio stooge’s first choice for flaccid romantic comedies), Dane Cook (the anti-matter of comedy) and Jason Biggs (career peaked while humping a pie with his ass hanging out) and what do you get? You get this steaming turd of a laugh-free comedy. Cook plays a man-pig who is hired to drive their ex-girlfriends back into their ex-boyfriends waiting arms by being the worst date ever. Biggs hires him to win back Hudson, but the plan goes haywire when Cook falls in love with her. It took me way to long to type all that. Moving on.
Far more promising are the limited releases:
- A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (NY and Seattle. Opens in LA on 9/26). This is a terrific little film from Wayne Wang about a father who comes to America from China to help his estranged daughter through a divorce. Unfortunately, the generation and cultural gap that divides them may be too deep. Quiet and restrained, Wang’s film says as much when the characters are silent as when they speak.
- Appaloosa. (NY, LA and Toronto. Opens wide 10/3) Ed Harris directs himself and Viggo Mortensen as two hired guns looking to take back a New Mexican town from evil rancher Jeremy Irons. Renée Zellweger also stars. Recent years have seen something of a western renaissance. I hope Appaloosa continues the trend.
- The Duchess. I’m trying to think of something different to say about this than what I wrote in the fall forecast. Alas, I grow weary so I’m just going to cut and paste: Keira Knightley stars as Georgiana Spencer, the 18th century Duchess of Devonshire (and direct relative of Princess Diana) who had a taste for society, fashion, politics and gambling. It turns out Oscar has a taste for pretty English costume dramas so you can see where producers hope this one is headed. Ralph Fiennes also stars as the Duke.
- Battle in Seattle. Ensemble drama set during the 1999 WTO protest-turned-riots in Seattle. Isaach De Bankole (Ghost Dog), Woody Harrelson, Ray Liotta, Michelle Rodriguez, Joshua Jackson (TV’s Dawson’s Creek) and Charlize Theron star. It has always struck me as a little ironic that Seattle was hit with a major riot and a major earthquake within a few years of my moving to Los Angeles, a city better known for both. Anyway, I hope Battle in Seattle is less like Crash than it sounds.
- Houndog. A rough cut of this film got booed at Sundance and some labeled it child pornography for a scene with the implied rape of underage Dakota Fanning. Deborah Kampmeier’s film has been re-edited since then and Fanning is getting good notices for her performance as a troubled young girl in the rural American south of the ’50s who takes solace in the music of Elvis Presley. Robin Wright-Penn, Piper Laurie and David Morse also star.
- Elite Squad (Tropa De Elite) (NY). This Brazilian crime drama tells the story of an elite police force that combats the drug trafficking militias and corrupt cops who control the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Elite Squad has been hitting the festival circuit since it won the Golden Bear at Berlin. Fataculture’s Nick Plowman obviously wasn’t on the Berlin jury because he didn’t much care for it (3 stars out of 5). Who’re you going to believe? Nick or a bunch of Hasselhoff lovers?
Filed under: Weekend Forecast
Tags: A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, Appaloosa, Battle in Seattle, Charlize Theron, Dane Cook, David Morse, Ed Harris, Eddie Izzard, Elite Squad, Ghost Town, Greg Kinnear, Hounddog. Dakota Fanning, Howard Deutch, Igor, Isaach De Bankole, Jason Biggs, John Cleese, John Cusack, Joshua Jackson, Kate Hudson, Keira Knightley, Kerry Washington, Lakeview Terrace, Michelle Rodriguez, Molly Shannon, My Best Friend's Girl, Patrick Wilson, Piper Laurie, Ralph Fiennes, Ray Liotta, Renee Zellweger, Ricky Gervais, Robin Wright Penn, Samuel L. Jackson, Steve Buscemi, Tea Leoni, The Duchess, Tropa De Elite, Viggo Mortensen, Wayne Wang, Woody Harrelson
Related Posts: - LiC 2008 Fall Forecast: September
- Split Opinion on ‘Duchess’
- Weekend Forecast: 2/22/08
- Movies You May Have Missed: 10/26/08
- Review: Appaloosa (2008) ***
Not that I have anything against anyone I’ve never met (but they’d be SERIOUSLY evaluated by me at one time or another in any case), I’d definitely believe my wondrous little Nicolas over any of those people.
Any day of the week.
That is all………..
Haha, thank you :)
Great limited releases indeed, or at least a lot of them that I’d see if I could. I am still really curious about “Hounddog” and “The Duchess.”
Well, it looks like I still may not make it to the movies this weekend. Still really sick. :(
But, if I can get out, it will be Burn After Reading first. Also interested in The Duchess and Appaloosa.
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, Appaloosa, and The Duchess sound the most interesting to me but I’ll have to wait for my opportunity to see them. Going camping this weekend for the last time this year. Cross your collective fingers for me that it stays dry on the Oregon Coast this weekend.
You are in God’s Country Joel, Best Wishes for a wonderful trip. And Alison, let’s hope that your malady will not sideline you beyond this weekend.
There is a French film called THE SECRET opening here that may be interesting by Claude Miller I think, but surely several of the above choices will be negotiated.
How angry am I that Taken got shoved back to February? Not a good sign. By the way, am I the only person even slightly interested in that film? Have none of you even heard of it?
And I’d take Nick over Hasselhoff lovers any day of the week.
Except Tuesdays.
Thanks Sam.
I like Wayne Wang, so I’ll have to check that movie out too if I can.
Good health and safe travels, Alison and Joel.
The new I-35W bridge in Mpls opens here today, just over a year after it collapsed into the Mississippi River, taking 13 lives and injuring over 100. Such a rushed opening is being met with some trepidation here, but it’s going to make getting around a lot easier for everyone. The new design has this ugly blue night light, though. Whatever.
I didn’t realize you’d already seen Thousand Years, Craig. I’d been wondering about how much I should be looking forward to it.
Definitely waiting for Appaloosa next week. I have little interested in The Duchess but have heard some trustworthy praise for it.
Twin Cities are getting Trouble the Water and I Served the Kind of England this weekend, both of which I’d like to see. As I mentioned earlier this week, my friend and I are also still going to throw caution to the wind and double bill Lakeview Terrace with Righteous Kill. Wish us luck.
Ghost Town? eh. Tea Leoni gets on my nerves. Maybe I’d see this for free.
Speaking of free, I saw Flash of Genius last night. Turns out a Greg Kinnear-driven legal drama about windshield wipers is…still about windshield wipers. Kind of have to wonder what let to the production of this. Kinnear is fine and it’s a harmless movie, but it’s hard to think that this is really going to captivate audiences around America.
Yes, I hope you start feeling better really soon, Alison. You don’t sound good at all.
I’m looking forward to Ghost Town and The Duchess, and I’m intrigued by Battle in Seattle.
Get better soon, Alison.
I hope it stays dry for you, Joel. Safe travels.
Today is really the first day I’ve felt about 95% well, as my brief flu was more tenacious than I gave it credit for being. Unfortunately, between it and other obligations, I probably won’t be seeing Burn After Reading until at least tomorrow evening. Argh, why couldn’t they have released it a week earlier?
Houndog finally being released? Ha. Okay.
The Battle in Seattle trailer didn’t do much to win me over. What a strange title, it sounds like a boxing pay-per-view show or something.
Get well soon Alison, from one sicky to another. I actually thought of you while I was watching Thousand Years, what with your fascination for Asian cinema.
It’s too modest of a movie to really be called a home run, but sometimes this is a good thing. I doubt I’ll get my review up by tomorrow AM, but surely by the time it widens a little bit next week.
Keep in mind that the companion piece Princess of Nebraska (much like Wang did with Chan is Missing/Dim Sum and Smoke/Blue in the Face) is coming down the YouTubes sometime in October.
K. I hope you’re right about Ghost Town. I’m blocked by skepticism, but I still plan to see it. The cast is too much to resist for me.
Daniel, first Julianne Moore and now Tea Leoni? We are both definitely on different pages when it comes to the opposite sex.
Samuel, I thought The Secret already came out? Was that another Weekend Forecast mistake from a previous week?
Evan, are you talking about the Besson film? I remember you saying something about a movie as I was launching into the fall forecast, but then I couldn’t remember what the movie was. When did Taken get moved?
Evan, Taken opened here last weekend, and I already reviewed it.
Just saying…
Feel better Ally :)
Apparently it was moved last week or so. It was on the release schedule for ages, but I had not seen any advertising for it, which I thought was odd. And then POOF! It’s showing up in February. The trailer makes it look fantastic, if not entirely original. Liam Neeson opening up a can on someone? I am so there.
ARRRRGH Nick! Well, hey, for all the times you get things months later then us, I guess it’s only fair that you would have the upper hand once or twice.
Going to your site to skim now…
Alexander — Charlize Theron was on The Daily Show last night, and she said the title (Battle in Seattle) was meant to sound like one of those catchy news headlines — Battle in Seattle, Attack in Iraq, etc.
That does make sense, k. Thanks.
Am I the only one who thinks “Ghost Town” (however cleverly it might tie in to the plot) is the worst title ever saddled on a romantic comedy set in New York City?
Am I the only one who thinks Neil Labute may have the most dispiriting career of any director who ever came bursting out of the indie box? I find the preview for “Lakeview Terrace” an utter chore to sit through … can’t imagine sitting through it for 90 minutes plus ….
You are not alone on either count Harvey.
If Ghost Town is any good at all, the title is a disservice to the film.
And yeah, Labute’s career has taken some odd turns after a promising start. What happened?
Labute went from hurting his characters to hurting his audience.
Can someone please tell me what Lakeview Terrace is about? From the trailer and the few summaries I can find, they may as well have just called it Annoying Neighbors.
Lucas and Washington are a cute young interracial married couple moving into their sweet suburban LA neighborhood. Sam Jackson is their neighbor who threatens them (the implication being he doesn’t like interracial couples)…the problem is he’s also an LA cop.
What’s a cute young interracial suburban married couple to do???
God I love that Wicker Man montage. NOT THE BEES!
Is this where I admit that I liked The Shape of Things?
It’s a testament to the the joy and wonder of the WM montage that it makes me laugh just by Jeffmcm saying “NOT THE BEES!” I don’t even have to watch the thing anymore. I stil do, I’m just saying I don’t have to.
What is it sister? SMM-MAAACK!!!!
I tried to watch The Wicker Man remake on cable a year or so ago, figuring it would be worthy of laughs considering how much I love that montage. Man, was I wrong. It was like having an extended visit to the dentist. PAINFUL. Turned it off after about 40 minutes of boredom and awful acting.
But I heart the montage.
“How’d it get burned? How’d it get burned? How’d it get burned? HOW’D IT GET BURNED?!?!?”
“I don’t KNOW!”
Classic.
If that was the only video ever on YouTube, YouTube would still be awesome.
I love Samuel L. Motherfuckin’ Jackson…but I am not looking forward to having to review LAKEVIEW TERRACE this weekend. Just the trailers made me want to take a nap.
Perhaps SLJ will be enough to at least keep it watchable….?
He’s entertaining, but the rest seems so tired.
Even Samuel L. Jackson couldn’t keep ATTACK OF THE CLONES watchable…
But I’ll withhold judgment till I see it. *sigh*
Still love the original 1970’s Wicker Man though. Classic.
I will always remember sitting in an otherwise empty little theatre in my small town watching The Wicker Man approximately two years and two weeks ago.
That YouTube clip does have all the best parts.
The weekend prospects in Manhattan look most enticing, and I am trying to forge a tentative schedule. While APALOOSA and THE DUTCHESS are part of the mix, and IGOR is here locally for the kids, I am far more interested in:
Fraulein
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers
Battle in Seattle
Taking Father Home
Amexicano
The fourth of these, a debut film from a Chinese director, has been firmed up at the Saturday night feature for my small entourage, but tonite’s plans will be a little trickier.
I don’t know about y’all, but I see Hunger today…I hope so anyway, if I can make the screening. *fingers crossed*
Since Wayne Wang was in the conversation for the Forecast and this appeared in my inbox this morning from Regal, I thought I’d post it here for you all to enjoy. A letter from Wayne Wang regarding A Thousand Prayers (SPOILERS: Beware, there are some minor spoilers for the film contained within):
Dear Film Club Member,
In 1984, my wife and I were married at San Francisco’s City Hall, with only a few very good friends attending as witnesses. We had a small celebration at a vegetarian restaurant that evening, with a dinner of imitation meat dishes that symbolized good blessings. We didn’t inform either of our parents in Hong Kong, as they would have expected an elaborate banquet with all their relatives and friends.
A few weeks later my father called long distance from Hong Kong.
“Do you have something to tell me and your mother?” he asked.
“No, nothing,” I replied.
He pushed on with his questions and I quickly realized that one of the Hong Kong gossip magazines had probably found out and run a story about our marriage. My wife was a popular actress in Hong Kong in the ‘80s.
My father showed up shortly after our phone conversation. As soon as he arrived, his questions continued, many of them quite personal. We politely deflected as many as we could. During the day, my wife and I went to work and my father was alone in the house.
Over dinner one night, he started asking some more specific probing questions about my money situation. Finally he said, “What makes you think you can afford to get married? You have only $3000 in your bank account.” He obviously had gone through our belongings, even our checkbooks.
“What makes you think you have the right to go through our private things?” I said.
My father defended himself explaining that he will always be my father no matter how old I am and that he had a right to find out what I was hiding from him. I got very angry at him and went on to accuse him of being like the communists during the Cultural Revolution, spying on and betraying innocent people, leading many to wrongful prosecutions.
Twenty-something years later, my father passed away. In reading Yiyun Li’s short story I could finally look at this situation from my father’s perspective. Even though I still don’t condone my father’s actions, I can now understand what my father did through the point of view of Mr. Shi. Arriving in a strange land to an estranged daughter Mr. Shi hasn’t seen in many years, he wants to find out why she broke up her wonderful marriage and begins to peel back layers of his daughter’s life like he takes apart the Russian nesting dolls on her dressing table.
It’s a mystery he feels compelled to solve. A mystery that, when uncovered, reveals both their pasts that they had preferred to bury. Their stories are so intimately and irrevocably linked because they are father and daughter. And neither could escape the legacy of what they went through during the Cultural Revolution.
For many years I have been looking for a way to tell a personal story about the Cultural Revolution. As Mr. Shi says in the film, “It’s enough to have survived it.” I didn’t want to do something too dramatic or anything too direct. I wanted to tell a tale around the peripheral and about the after-effects. Sometimes paring things down, or focusing on the “small details,” gets us closer to the truth.
- Wayne Wang, director
Nick, you lucky dog!
Thanks for that Joel. Reminds me I need to get cracking on the review.
For the record I caught Appaloosa last night. I think it was a solid 3.5/5 stars. David Poland moderated a Q&A with Ed Harris and the co-screenwriter Robert Knott.
Poland got things off to an amusingly bad start by quoting AO Scott’s review refering to the movie as kind of a “sex comedy.” Harris curtly explained that he doesn’t read reviews and the reason was now he’d never be able to shake the idea that some asshole had called his western a sex comedy.
Anyway. I liked the movie. I hope to have a review up sooner or later. Viggo was great.
That was a truly wonderful letter there from Wayne Wang, Joel, and I thank you for sharing it. I hope to see his film before the weekend is out.
Craig, I hope to see APPALOOSA at 7:15 tonite, while the kids and Lucille will go in another theatre in the same multiplex to see IGOR. Wow, that sounds like a terrific Q and A there with Harris, Poland and the screenwriter! That’s great that you caught it!
Nick, I can’t wait to hear what you think of HUNGER, and look forward to your review!
I’m impressed Harris maintained his cool in that situation. He’s been known to get rather testy dealing with dumb questions/comments from interviewers. Sounds like he summed up his feelings rather nicely with sarcasm instead.
It was touch and go there for a while, but he finally let it go and relaxed. He was prickly though.
Ghost Town might be the most absolutely ordinary movie that I’ve ever seen. WIsh I had thought of that line before writing the review.
sounds like a waste of a perfectly good cast.