What New Movies Start on Friday, May 16th?
This week, there are three new movies hitting the big screen. One is opening everywhere and two are in limited release.
Opening Nationwide on Friday, May 16th:
Movie: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (PG)
Starring: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Sergio Castellitto & Peter Dinklage
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Synopsis: It is one year since the kings and queens of Narnia fell back out of that wardrobe, but it has been more than 1300 years in Narnia. While they were gone, the Golden Age of Narnia went into extinction and Narnia was taken over by the Telmarines. It is now under the control of an evil King. Now back in Narnia, the kids come across the young Prince Caspian, who is the rightful heir to the throne, but is being hunted by his uncle, the evil King, so he can place his own son on the throne. Then they all set out to find Aslan and bring Narnia back to its former glory.
First Thoughts: Just got finished watching the first one and I wish I had seen it in the theater. Not that there is any other choice this weekend, but I would have seen this one anyway. Definitely looking forward to it.
Movies in Limited Release:
- Padre Nuestro - A teacher in 1939 Ireland clashes with the head of a reform school for boys. Stars Aidan Quinn.
- Reprise - Comedy drama about two friends that are writers, one that becomes an overnight sensation and ends up in the psych ward and the other who can’t get published.
For New Movie Friday there is one new movie to choose from this week. It is The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. What new movie looks good to you this week?
Movie Review: Speed Racer - Starring Emile Hirsch, Mathew Fox & Christina Ricci
Released: May 9th, 2008
Runtime: 2 hr. 15 min.
Ticket Price: $5.00 Early Matinee
Refreshments: None
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Susan Sarandon & John Goodman
Director: Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski
Rating: Wait for the Rental, if Not Longer
Synopsis: Speed was born to race, as his family has always been in the business of racecars. He has become the hottest thing on four wheels. He gets a big offer from a mega corporation, but turns it down and then finds that powerful people behind the scenes are fixing races to make more money. So, he sets out to win a cross-country race and beat these people at their own game. He ends up in a showdown at the Grand Prix.
Review: Speed Racer is a whirling dervish of colors flashing across the screen. While it can be beautiful to look at, although overwhelmingly so at times, it doesn’t have much else. Yet, there actually is a story underlying the whiz-bang graphics, not much of one, but one nonetheless.
From the little I have seen of the old Speed Racer cartoon
With all the racing scenes, you would think there would be more excitement. But, this turns out not to be the case. The racing in a movie like Days of Thunder
Overall, you should just wait for the rental, if not longer. Well, if new CGI techniques interest you, then it might be worth checking out on the big screen, but otherwise you aren’t missing anything. Speed Racer was quite the let down after Iron Man got the blockbuster season off to a great start last week.
What did you think of Speed Racer? Let us know in the comments.
What New Movies Come Out Friday, May 9th?
This week, there are three new movies hitting the big screen. Two are opening everywhere and one is in limited release.
Opening Nationwide on Friday, May 9th:
Movie: Speed Racer (PG) (Read Review)
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Susan Sarandon & John Goodman
Genre: Adventure
Synopsis: Speed was born to race, as his family has always been in the business of racecars. He has become the hottest thing on four wheels. He gets a big offer from a mega corporation, but turns it down and then finds that powerful people behind the scenes are fixing races to make more money. So, he sets out to win a cross-country race and beat these people at their own game.
First Thoughts: Admittedly, this looked really stupid when they first began showing the ads and trailers. But, more recently, I saw a trailer that showed that this might actually have a story behind all the CGI special f/x. It is from the Wachowski brothers, so it looks like it will be getting my five bucks this week. It is also being released on IMAX.
Movie: What Happens in Vegas (PG-13)
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher, Rob Corddry, Lake Bell, Treat Williams, Dennis Farina, Jason Sudeikis & Dennis Miller
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Synopsis: Two people meet in Vegas and after a night of drunken partying they wake up married. One of them wins a huge jackpot and then stays together to get at the money, even though they hate each other. But, they start to fall for each other.
First Thoughts: Kutcher at the kitchen sink in the trailer made me laugh, but that was about it. Will probably see it down the road some day when it hits the likes of HBO or Showtime.
Movies in Limited Release:
- Noise - Tim Robbins, Bridget Moynahan and William Hurt star in this black comedy about an angry New Yorker who starts a one-man campaign against car alarms and it leads him to a showdown with the mayor.
For New Movie Friday there are two new movies to choose from this week. They are Speed Racer and What Happens in Vegas. What new movie looks good to you this week?
Movie Review: Iron Man - Starring Robert Downey Jr. & Gwyneth Paltrow
Released: May 2nd, 2008
Runtime: 2 hr. 6 min.
Ticket Price: $5.00 Early Matinee
Refreshments: Red Vines
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard & Gwyneth Paltrow
Director: Jon Favreau
Rating: Worth a Full Price Ticket
Synopsis: A billionaire industrialist, who is a genius inventor and notorious playboy, is captured in Afghanistan after demonstrating his company’s latest weaponry. A fellow captive saves his life. Together, instead of building the weapons their captures want; they set out to build a powered suit of armor to aid their escape. During the escape his, now friend, and fellow captive is killed. He returns home a changed man, who wants to change his ways. He starts working on a new and improved version of the suit, so he can protect people.
Review: Iron Man is one of the best movies in the comic book genre. It ranks up there with Spider-Man and Batman Begins. It gives another great example of what can and should be done when turning comic books into movies. But, it isn’t just that, it is also a really good movie in general.
Iron Man does the main thing that should be accomplished, in the first of a possible comic hero franchise, it tells you the origin story, in detail. No five-minute overviews or voiceovers, etc., so you can get right to the action. You get to see how Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr. (Zodiac, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), becomes Iron Man. This is the reason why I liked Spider-Man
Jon Favreau (Zathura, Elf), he also appears in the film as Stark’s driver Hogan, opens the film with a bang and then flashes back and takes you through the events leading up to his capture. This grabs your attention and then allows you to get to know the Stark character before his capture. You then see his captivity, first suit creation and escape. The escape being the next time there is any action. Yet, you never lose interest. The bulk of the action is in the second half of the film.
Next, you follow his building of the Version 2.0 prototype. This is filled with a lot of slapstick type comedy, as he perfects his suit, things don’t always go well. This section is a whole lot of fun. It provides a great comic interlude between the seriousness of his captivity and his using the suit in battle for the first time. There is actually a lot of comedy throughout the whole film.
As someone that new nothing about the Iron Man comic characters going in, I really enjoyed the movie. Iron Man is worth a full price ticket and makes for a great start to the summer movie season, even if it is still spring. Oh, and don’t be in such a hurry to get out of the theater before the credits finish, as everyone else I saw it with was, if you want to see Samuel L. Jackson (Jumper, Coach Carter) as Nick Fury, the Director of S.H.E.I.L.D., talk to Stark about the “Avenger Initiative.”
What did you think of Iron Man? Let us know in the comments.
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