The Vow

Paige and Leo (Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum) are a happy newlywed couple whose lives are changed by a car accident that puts Paige in a coma. Waking up with severe memory loss, Paige has no memory of Leo, a confusing relationship with her parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange), and an ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman) she may still have feelings for. Despite these complications, Leo endeavors to win her heart again and rebuild their marriage.

Opens Friday, February 10, 2012.

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Haywire

This dynamic action-thriller directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zorro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous); and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts.

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Opens Friday, January 20, 2012.

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The Eagle

In 2nd-Century Britain, two men – master and slave – venture beyond the edge of the known world on a dangerous and obsessive quest that will push them beyond the boundaries of loyalty and betrayal, friendship and hatred, deceit and heroism…The Roman epic adventure The Eagle is directed by Kevin Macdonald and produced by Duncan Kenworthy. Jeremy Brock has adapted the screenplay from Rosemary Sutcliff’s classic novel The Eagle of the Ninth.

In 140 AD, the Roman Empire extends all the way to Britain – though its grasp is incomplete, as the rebellious tribes of Caledonia (today’s Scotland) hold sway in the far North. Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) arrives in Britain, determined to restore the tarnished reputation of his father, Flavius Aquila. It was 20 years earlier that Rome’s 5,000-strong Ninth Legion, under the command of Flavius and carrying their golden emblem, the Eagle of the Ninth, marched north into Caledonia. They never returned; Legion and Eagle simply vanished into the mists. Angered, the Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered the building of a wall to seal off the territory; Hadrian’s Wall became the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire – the edge of the known world.

Driven to become a brilliant soldier and now given command of a small fort in the southwest, Marcus bravely leads his troops during a siege. Commended by Rome for his bravery, yet discharged from the army because of his severe wounds, Marcus convalesces, demoralized, in the villa of his Uncle Aquila (Donald Sutherland), a retired army man. When Marcus impulsively gets a young Briton’s life spared at a gladiatorial contest, Aquila buys the Briton, Esca (Jamie Bell), to be Marcus’ slave. Marcus is dismissive of Esca, who harbors a seething hatred of all things Roman. Yet Esca vows to serve the man who has saved his life.

Hearing a rumor that the Eagle has been seen in a tribal temple in the far north, Marcus is galvanized into action, and sets off with Esca across Hadrian’s Wall. But the highlands of Caledonia are a vast and savage wilderness, and Marcus must rely on his slave to navigate the region. When they encounter ex-Roman soldier Guern (Mark Strong), Marcus realizes that the mystery of his father’s disappearance may well be linked to the secret of his own slave’s identity and loyalty – a secret all the more pressing when the two come face-to-face with the warriors of the fearsome Seal Prince (Tahar Rahim).

A Focus Features presentation in association with Film4 of a Duncan Kenworthy production. Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell. The Eagle. Donald Sutherland, Mark Strong. Casting by Jina Jay. Music by Atli Örvarsson. Costumes by Michael O’Connor. Editor, Justine Wright. Production Designer, Michael Carlin. Director of Photography, Anthony Dod Mantle, BSC, DFF. Co-Producer, Caroline Hewitt. Executive Producers, Tessa Ross, Miles Ketley, Charles Moore. Based on the novel The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. Screenplay by Jeremy Brock. Produced by Duncan Kenworthy. Directed by Kevin Macdonald. A Focus Features Release.

Opens February 11, 2011.

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The Dilemma

Vince Vaughn and Kevin James headline an all-star comedy from director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer about a man who finds out that what you don’t say to a friend is just as important as what you do. Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah join them in The Dilemma, a story of how far you can bend a brotherly bond before it snaps.

Since college, confirmed bachelor Ronny (Vaughn) and happily married Nick (James) have been through thick and thin. Now partners in an auto design firm, the two pals are vying to land a dream project that would launch their company. With Ronny’s girlfriend, Beth (Connelly), and Nick’s wife, Geneva (Ryder), by their sides, they’re unbeatable.

But Ronny’s world is turned upside down when he inadvertently sees Geneva out with another man and makes it his mission to get answers. As the amateur investigation dissolves his world into comic mayhem, he learns that Nick has a few secrets of his own. Now, with the clock ticking and pressure mounting on the biggest presentation of their careers, Ronny must decide how and when he will reveal the truth to his best friend.

Opens January 14, 2011.

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Dear John

Directed by Lasse Halström and based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks, DEAR JOHN tells story of John Tyree (Channing Tatum), a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried), 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.

Opens February 5th.

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Review – G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

This year’s summer blockbuster, G.I. Joe, didn’t disappoint – in fact, it surpassed my expectations, ranking over Star Trek and Transformers 2 (although I did like Star Trek’s character banter more). With elements of both films, its futuristic weaponry and onstreet action sequences, it also reminded me of the new version of The Day the Earth Stood Still (nanomites) as well as James Bond plots and villains (evil doctors and shades of Thunderball). The G.I. Joes are up against the Cobra organization, maneuvering between the Egyptian desert, the polar ice caps, and Paris.

Being a non-G.I. Joe fan (‘never watched the cartoon – to me, G.I. Joe was simply an alternative to Barbie’s Ken), I came into the film with no expectation of whether or not the story stayed true to its origins. The core team certainly exemplified their characters: Channing Tatum as Duke, the down-to- earth soldier and leader of the pack, Ray Park (a/k/a Darth Maul in Star Wars) as ninja Snake Eyes, Marlon Wayans as the funny, aerial-loving Ripcord, Rachel Nichols (Gaila, the green gal in Star Trek) as tough Scarlett, Said Taghmaoui (Hidalgo, Vantage Point) as high techie Breaker, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as battle commander Heavy Duty.

Along with the major plot of the story, the subplots between lovesick Duke and the mysterious Baroness (Sienna Miller), and between ninjas Storm Shadow (Byung-Hun Lee) and Snake Eyes, held most of the dramatic sequences of the film. Flashbacks to their histories are conveyed when once again they meet in conflict. Their stories unfold throughout the film, ending in surprise revelations and solutions.

Dennis Quaid delivers well as General Hawk, opposite Christopher Eccleston (BBC’s Dr. Who) who plays the corrupt Scot arms dealer McCullen. I mention “Scot” because it becomes an important reference in Ripcord’s ultimate mission. The Cobra organization’s Doctor, whose identity I won’t reveal here (it’s a surprise), wears a mask throughout the film, and his quirky movements make for a sinister performance.

Stephen Sommers, who previously created the Mummy and Scorpion King films, as well as Van Helsing, can be counted on for blockbuster films meant to entertain with visual effects, epic action sequences, and stunning actors. However, if you’re looking for Shakespeare quality drama, you won’t find them in his films. G.I. Joe is a lot of fun, entertaining, and impressively futuristic but not quite spacey.

I’ve never been a big fan of Sienna Miller (I have trouble remembering her face) but this film puts her on my list of badass women of film, along with Famke Janssen (Goldeneye), Kate Beckinsale (Underworld), and Milla Jivovovich (Resident Evil). Channing Tatum also has come a long way from being Pretty Boy Floyd in Public Enemies. Both of these actors for the most part, carry the film beyond its integrated cartoon-on-screen action bubble. I have to give special kudos to the costume designer: the body suits are gorgeous (although Duke without it also isn’t bad). The only question I have of this film is, “Are the female soldiers called G.I. Janes or G.I. Jo-ettes?”

Public Enemies

From the official site – In the action-thriller Public Enemies, acclaimed film director Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard in the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Depp)  – the charasmatic bank robber whose lightening raids made him the number one targer of J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling FBI and its top agent Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the public. Read more