New Movie Releases for Friday, March 2nd
This week we have five movies releasing. Four are in wide release and one is in limited release. One of the, supposed, nationwide offerings isn’t available at a theater near me, up here in Seattle. Yet, the one that is on fewer screens includes my local theater. There are a couple of dramas, a couple of comedies and a comedy drama.
Movies Opening Wide on March 2nd:
Movie: Black Snake Moan (R)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci and a Pair of Panties
Genre: Romance Drama
Synopsis: A young woman who was abused as a child seeks affection wherever she can but doesn’t find much. When her boyfriend joins the military, she turns to her wild side where she ends up beaten and left on the side of the road. An old bluesman finds her and takes her in. He locks her up with a chain and goes about trying to fix her and her wicked ways.
First Thoughts: It is Christina Ricci chained up wearing nothing but panties and a half shirt for two hours. This salacious element seems to be getting in the way of whether or not the acting, the story or anything else is good or not.
Movie: Wild Hogs (PG-13)
Starring: John Travolta, William H. Macy, Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Four middle-aged friends go on a motorcycle trip to getaway from there stuck in a rut lives. They have run-ins with other bikers along the way. Comedy is supposed to ensue.
First Thoughts: The trailer looked funny and the cast is as solid as they come. Could be good.
Movie: Zodiac (R)
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr. and Anthony Edwards
Genre: Drama Suspense Thriller
Synopsis: Based on the events of the real Zodiac serial killer who terrorized the San Francisco area in the late 1960s and 70s. The story revolves around those who were trying to find him but never did.
First Thoughts: A fictionalized portrayal of real events can be good even when you already know the outcome. But, in this case you know the outcome was that there was know outcome. They never caught the guy. The movie may be good and has a solid cast but I like an ending in my movies. I wonder how they will satisfactorily wrap this story up for the viewer.
According to First Showing the movie Full of It is in wide release this Friday. But, according to Fandango it is not playing anywhere near me. So, it won’t be in consideration for this week’s pick and review.
One Movie in Limited Release:
Movie: Two Weeks (R)
Starring: Sally Field, Ben Chaplin, Julianne Nicholson and Tom Cavanagh
Genre: Comedy Drama
Synopsis: The mother of a brood of four brothers and sisters is on her deathbed. Her children all show up to see their mother before she passes on. Yet, she hold on for longer than anyone expects causing the group to spend more time together than they had anticipated. During this time home movies are watched and relationships of a dispersed family are brought closer together.
First Thoughts: This movie actually looks pretty good. It has a great cast including Julianne Nicholson and Tom Cavanagh, who are two of my favorites from their TV work.
That leaves me with four movies to choose from this week. Which one would you go see? Why?
Movie Review: Amazing Grace – Starring Ioan Gruffudd
Movie: Amazing Grace (PG)
Released: February 23rd, 2007
Runtime: 1 hr. 51 min.
Ticket Price: $5.00 Early Matinee
Refreshments: None
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Albert Finney and Rufus Sewell
Director: Michael Apted
Rating: Worth a Full Price Ticket
Synopsis: Based on the life of William Wilberforce. He led the fight in Britain to abolish the slave trade at the end of the 18th century. He fought for two decades in the British Parliament. Those who relied on the trading of slaves were strongly opposed. Many friends encouraged Wilberforce to fight for what he thought was right until he saw it come to fruition. One of these friends was John Newton, his minister and the man who wrote “Amazing Grace.” He was once a captain of a slave ship, who was haunted by it.
Review: It was 200 years ago, on February 23rd, 1807, that the Slave Trade Act was finally passed by a vote of 283 to 16 in the House of Commons of the British Parliament. William Wilberforce
Today, two centuries later, the movie Amazing Grace is released on the anniversary of one of William Wilberforce’s greatest achievements. The movie tells the story of this great man and his two-decade battle in the House of Commons to get a bill passed to abolish the slave trade.
When making a movie based on historical events, it is tough to create compelling drama, the kind that keeps you glued to the screen, when the outcome is already known. You can do this by placing fictional characters into a historical event, like Titanic
Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four, TV’s Hornblower) plays William Wilberforce, a real life “Mr. Fantastic.” His portrayal of this great historical figure from his early 20’s to his late 40’s is done with great fervor. The path of young idealist to persistent leader to almost broken to reinvigorated by love and finally victorious is displayed is well done. The aging of the 33-year-old Gruffudd was pretty good. He was convincing as the younger Wilberforce. But, even with the makeup job, he still looked like a young guy trying to play old when playing Wilberforce in his later years.
Albert Finney (Erin Brokovich) plays John Newton, the man who wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace
The movie begins near the end of his battle, where he has been defeated yet again, and jumps back and forth between that present and the past. Much of the past story is told as he spends the night talking to the women who would become his wife, played by Romola Garai (Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights). This gets him back on his path and ready to continue the fight and the movie moves forward from there. This flashback storytelling style could have been a bit smoother but was an effective way to tell the story.
Amazing Grace is a very good historical drama with great individual performances, a solid supporting cast and an important story of standing up, against great odds, for what you believe, of persistence in a just cause and ultimately of triumph. While just shy of amazing, it is worth gracing the theater with a full price ticket.
Have you seen Amazing Grace? What did you think of it? Leave your mini-review in the comments.
The Number 23 is Abandoned for Amazing Grace
Once again, we have a week with a lot to choose from. This week has two movies that interested me: The Number 23 and Amazing Grace.
The Number 23 with Jim Carrey in a dark performance of a man spiraling out of control with an obsession for the number 23. Amazing Grace with its portrayal of a great man, William Wilberforce, in history who stood for the abolishment of slavery and worked for it for years until it came to fruition in England.
I was originally going to go see The Number 23 until I saw this week that Amazing Grace would be showing at theater near me. This sweeping historical drama just looks really good. You can check out the Amazing Grace website to view the trailer or see if it is playing at a theater near you, this week.
So, I will be heading out to my local AMC Theater to see Amazing Grace on Friday. Come back tomorrow to see if you should grace the theater and see this amazing movie or whether it should be abandoned for something else?
What New Movies Release on Friday, February 23rd?
It looks to be another good week. Whether the movies turnout to be any good or not, we shall see, but we do get a good selection to choose from. This week there are nine movies opening. Four are nationwide offerings and five are in limited release. The week leans toward the dramatic after last week’s comic and comedy movies. Two of them have Virginia Madsen playing the supportive wife.
Nationwide Movie Releases for February 23rd
Movie: The Abandoned (R)
Starring: Nobody I have heard of
Genre: Horror
Synopsis: After being adopted and growing up in America a film producer visits where she would have grown up in Russia. On the family farm weird things start to happen and then her guide disappears, ghost start to appear and a strange man arrives at the farm.
First Thoughts: Sounds spooky and lame like most horror flicks.
Movie: The Astronaut Farmer (PG)
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen and Bruce Dern
Genre: Family Drama
Synopsis: After being dismissed from NASA’s astronaut training program a man goes about building his own rocket to live his dream of going into space. He must battle the government, locals who don’t see what the heck he is doing and bankers wanting to foreclose. It is the story of a man who wants to show his kids that they too can achieve their dreams, even if it looks hard and others want to keep you down.
First Thoughts: Looks like it could be a sweet endearing movie or a bad silly one, hard to tell.
Movie: The Number 23 (R)
Starring: Jim Carrey and Virginia Madsen
Genre: Suspense Thriller
Synopsis: A man becomes obsessed with how his life relates to the number 23 after reading a book. The more of the book he reads the more he thinks it is about him. Unfortunately, the book points to a dark conclusion for his life and what he will become.
First Thoughts: Jim Carrey playing dramatic, dark or both hasn’t really gone over very well with the movie going public or critics usually. I have always thought he does pretty well in these roles, even if the movies themselves sucked. This just might be the right number.
Movie: Reno 911!: Miami (R)
Starring: The cast of Reno 911! the Comedy Central TV show.
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: The Reno crew has headed for the national police convention in Miami. When a terrorist attack unfolds, it leaves them the only ones able to save the day.
First Thoughts: If you are a fan of the show, you will probably enjoy this movie. The whole idea looks like someone sat down in an attempt to make a dirtier and more twisted Police Academy
Movies in Limited Release this Week
Movie: Amazing Grace (PG)
Starring: Ioan Gruffodd and Albert Finney
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: Based on the life of William Wilberforce who lead the fight in Britain to pass a law to abolish the slave trade at the end of the 18th century. Those in the British Empire who rely on the trading of slaves strongly opposed him in Parliament. Wilberforce was encouraged to fight for what he thought was right until he saw it come to fruition by many friends. One of these friends was John Newton, his minister. He is the man who wrote “Amazing Grace” and was once a former captain of slave ships himself.
First Thoughts: This movie looks really good. It is a big sweeping historical drama about a man, William Wilberforce
According to Fandango the other new movies in limited release, but not in a theater near me, are:
- Glastonbury – A documentary of the 30th anniversary of the British music festival
- Gray Matters – A romantic comedy starring Heather Graham and Tom Cavanagh.
- Premium – A romance drama with Zoe Saldana as the pursued woman.
- Starter for 10 – A romantic comedy set in the 80s, which opens in LA and NY only this week.
Well, for me there are five choices at a theater near me this week. Which movie looks like it will be a blast and get me to grace the theater with my presence and what should be abandoned? Leave your thoughts in the comments and come back tomorrow and see which movie gets the nod for Friday.
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