Review in 100 Words – Dinner for Schmucks

For a film with a wealth of comedians (Steve Carell, Zach Galifinakis, Jermaine Clement and others), I wanted this movie to be funnier. Director Jay Roach (the Austin Powers films) goes for the easy laughs at the expense of star Paul Rudd. (Think the Ben Stiller character in the Fokker movies and one Rudd’s played many times before.) Carell’s Barry is sweet and awkward; like “The Office’s” Michael Scott’s less sophisticated cousin. The pedestrian writing will more than likely make you smile but rarely laugh out loud. I’ll be checking out the original French film with higher expectations, I think.

Dinner for Schmucks

“Dinner for Schmucks” tells the story of Tim (Paul Rudd), a guy on the verge of having it all. The only thing standing between him and total career success is finding the perfect guest to bring to his boss’ annual Dinner for Extraordinary People, an event where the winner of the evening brings the most eccentric character as his guest. Enter Barry (Steve Carell), a guy with a passion for dressing mice up in tiny outfits to recreate great works of art. From Jay Roach, director of “Meet the Parents” and “Meet the Fockers” comes an unforgettable feast about two unlikely friends and one very memorable dinner.

Opens July 30th.

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The Kids Are All Right

The Kids Are All Right is the heartfelt new comedy from acclaimed director Lisa Cholodenko, starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo. Two teenaged children (Alice in Wonderlands Mia Wasikowska and Journey to the Center of the Earths Josh Hutcherson) get the notion to seek out their biological father and introduce him into the family life that their two mothers (Bening and Moore) have built for them. Once the donor (Ruffalo) is found, the household will never be the same, as family ties are defined, re—defined, and re—re—defined. The New York Times raves that its “a generous, nearly note—perfect portrait of a modern family,” and Entertainment Weekly calls the movie “funny, smart and sexy!”

Opens July 9th.

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Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 welcomes back Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and the whole gang back to the big screen as Andy prepares to depart for college and his loyal toys find themselves….in daycare.  These untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice so it’s all for one and one for all as plans for the great escape get underway. A few new faces – some plastic, some plush – join the adventure, including Barbie’s counterpart, Ken (voice of Michael Keaton), a thespian hedgehog named Mr. Pricklepants (voice of Timothy Dalton) and a pink, strawberry-scented teddy bear called Lots-o’-Huggin-Bear (voice of Ned Beatty). Directed by Lee Unkrich (co-director of “Toy Story 2″ and “Finding Nemo”), produced by Pixar veteran Darla K. Anderson (“Cars” and “Monsters, Inc”), and written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Michael Arndt (“Little Miss Sunshine”), Toy Story 3 is a comical new adventure Disney Digital 3D.

Open June 18th.

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A-Team (2010)

THE A-TEAM follows the exciting and daring exploits of Hannibal Smith and his colorful team of former Special Forces soldiers who were set up for a crime they did not commit. Going “rogue,” they utilize their unique talents – and eccentricities – to try and clear their names and find the true culprit. Liam Neeson (“Taken”), Bradley Cooper (“The Hangover”), mixed martial arts champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and “District 9” sensation Sharlto Copley, are “The A—Team.”

Opens June 11th.

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The Back-up Plan

The Back-up Plan is a comedy that explores dating, love, marriage and family “in reverse.”

After years of dating, Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) has decided waiting for the right one is taking too long. Determined to become a mother, she commits to a plan, makes an appointment and decides to go it alone. That same day, Zoe meets Stan (Alex O’Loughlin) – a man with real possibilities.

Trying to nurture a budding relationship and hide the early signs of pregnancy becomes a comedy of errors for Zoe and creates confusing signals for Stan. When Zoe nervously reveals the reason for her unpredictable behavior, Stan commits fully and says he’s in. Never before has love seen a courtship where a wild night of sex involves three in a bed – Stan, Zoe and the ever-present massive pregnancy pillow. Or, where “date night” consists of being the “focal point” at a near-stranger’s water birth which does for kiddie pools what “Jaws” did for swimming in the ocean. The real pregnancy test comes when both of them realize they really don’t know each other outside of hormonal chaos and birth preparations. With the nine month clock ticking, both begin to experience cold feet. Anyone can fall in love, get married and have a baby but doing it backwards in hyper-drive could be proof positive that they were made for each other.

Jennifer Lopez (Monster-In-Law, Shall We Dance) and Alex O’Loughlin (August Rush, “Three Rivers”) star in The Back-up Plan for CBS Films, the film division within CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS). The project, which commenced principal photography in Los Angeles on May 11, will debut in theaters spring of 2010.

The Back-up Plan is rated PG-13 and opens April 23rd.

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Kick-Ass

“How come nobody’s ever tried to be a superhero?” When Dave Lizewski – ordinary New York teenager and rabid comic-book geek dons a green-and-yellow internet-bought wetsuit to become the no-nonsense vigilante, Kick-Ass, he soon finds an answer to his own question: because it hurts. But, overcoming all the odds, the eager yet inexperienced Dave quickly becomes a phenomenon, capturing the imagination of the public. However, he’s not the only superhero out there – the fearless and highly-trained father-daughter crime-fighting duo, Big Daddy and Hit Girl have been slowly but surely taking down the criminal empire of local Mafioso, Frank D’Amico. And, as Kick-Ass gets drawn into their no-holds-barred world of bullets and bloodletting with Frank’s son, Chris, now reborn as Kick-Ass’s arch-nemesis, Red Mist – the stage is set for a final showdown between the forces of good and evil – in which the DIY hero will have to live up to his name. Or die trying…

Opens April 16th.

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Death at a Funeral (2010)

Directed by Neil LaBute, Death at a Funeral is a hilarious day in the life of an American family come together to put a beloved husband and father to rest. As mourners gather at the family home, shocking revelations, festering resentments, ugly threats, blackmail and a misdirected corpse unleash lethal and riotous mayhem.

Opens April 16th.

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The Bounty Hunter

Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler), a down-on-his-luck bounty hunter, gets his dream job when he is assigned to track down his bail-jumping ex-wife, reporter Nicole Hurly (Jennifer Aniston). He thinks all that’s ahead is an easy payday, but when Nicole gives him the slip so she can chase a lead on a murder cover-up, Milo realizes that nothing ever goes simply with him and Nicole. The exes continually one-up each other – until they find themselves on the run for their lives. They thought their promise to love, honor and obey was tough – staying alive is going to be a whole lot tougher. Andy Tennant (Hitch, Sweet Home Alabama) directs.

Opens Friday March 19th.

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Valentine’s Day

An all-star ensemble cast comes together in VALENTINE’S DAY, following the intertwining storylines of a group of Los Angelinos as they find their way through romance over the course of one Valentine’s Day.

Directed by veteran director Garry Marshall, the film stars Jessica Alba(FANTASTIC FOUR), Academy Award winner Kathy Bates (MISERY), Jessica Biel (I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY), Bradley Cooper (THE HANGOVER), Eric Dane (TV’s GREY’S ANATOMY), Patrick Dempsey (ENCHANTED), Hector Elizondo (the PRINCESS DIARIES movies, Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx (RAY), Jennifer Garner (JUNO), Topher Grace (Spiderman 3), Academy Award nominee Anna Hathaway (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED), Ashton Kutcher (WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS), Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah (CHICAGO), Taylor Lautner (THE TWILIGHT SERIES: NEW MOON), George Lopez (BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA), Academy Award Winner Shirley MacLaine (TERMS OF ENDEARMENTS), Emma Roberts (HOTEL FOR DOGS), Academy Award Winner Julia Roberts (ERIN BROCKOVITCH) and award-winning singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.

Opens February 12th.

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I Love You Phillip Morris

The story begins with Steven Russell (Jim Carrey), on his deathbed recalling the events of his life. He begins in Texas as a happily married police officer who plays the organ at church, prays with his wife (Leslie Mann) and spends his off hours looking for his biological mother. That, and he’s gay. But after finding and being rejected by his mother, Steven leaves his life and family to go out into the world and be his true, gay self. He moves to Miami, finds a boyfriend (Rodrigo Santoro) and begins living the high life. But a life of luxury is expensive, leading this former cop to become a conman.

When the law finally catches up with him, Steven is sent to prison where he meets and falls in love with Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). But Steven – a forlorn lover who cannot bear to be separated from his soul-mate – will go to any lengths to be withPhillip, including breaking out of jail, impersonating Phillips’ lawyer and fraudulently becoming the CFO of a major corporation.

Opens March 26, 2010.

When in Rome

From the official site: An ambitious young New Yorker (Kristen Bell), disillusioned with romance, takes a whirlwind trip to Rome where she defiantly plucks magic coins from a fountain of love, inexplicably igniting the passion of those who threw them in: a sausage magnet (Danny DeVito), a street magician (Jon Heder), an adoring painter (Will Arnett) and a self-admiring model. (Dax Sheppard). But when a charming reporter (Josh Duhamel) pursues her with equal zest, how will she know if his love is the real thing?

Opens January 29th.

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Leap Year

From the official site: Amy Adams and Matthew Goode star in LEAP YEAR, a romantic comedy that 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 (Amy Adams) decides to take matters into her own hands. Investing in an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on February 29th, Anna decides to follow her boyfriend Jeremy (Adam Scott) 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 (Matthew Goode) 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.

Open January 8th.

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Fantastic Mr Fox

From the official site – The mean old farmers – fat Boggis, squat Bunce and skinny Bean have joined forces and have Mr. Fox and his family surrounded.

What they don’t know is that they’re not just dealing with any old fox – it’s Fantastic Mr Fox and he has a fantastic master plan to save the day!

Opens November 13th.

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Gentlemen Broncos

From the official site – Benjamin (Michael Angarano), home-schooled by his eccentric mother (Jennifer Coolidge), is a loveable loner whose passion for writing leads him on an offbeat and hilarious journey as his story first gets ripped off by the legendary fantasy novelist, Ronald Chevalier (Jemaine Clement) and then is adapted into a disastrous movie by the small town’s most prolific homespun filmmaker.

Opens October 30th.

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