Good lord, my predictions last week about G-Force
were abysmally wrong. Seemingly everyone and their
brainless, half-witted cousin went to see a film about a
group of highly trained gerbils as it topped the
box-office. Could someone from the Midwest please report to
SF immediately so I can see if your alien faces actually
look different?
This week looks decently enjoyable, almost entirely because
of the presence of Judd Apatow's new flick Funny People.
Aside from that it's cheap-o slashers, a documentary about
dolphins, and some kiddie fare I'd take castration over.
As always, thanks for reading.
Hitting Theaters This Weekend:
FUNNY PEOPLE
Director:
Judd Apatow
Cast:
Seth Rogen, Adam Sandler, Leslie Mann
Summary:
A dying comic (Adam Sandler) befriends a budding comic (Seth
Rogen) and hilarity, and heartfelt emotion, ensues.
Thoughts:
I love Apatow. Loved Freaks and Geeks, loved
Knocked Up and 40-Year Old Virgin, and think a
lot of the stuff he's producing right now is helping to
create a brand new golden age of comedy. That said, I think
Funny People looks a bit adult-contemporary for me.
Sure, I know they're trying to market it to everyone of all
ages, but Jesus, some of the musical notes in the trailers
for this film make fingers swell with choking rage.
Nonetheless, I'm curious as to how a bunch of former
stand-up comics play in a movie about stand up comedy, a
field I always think deserves more films.
Rotten Tomatoes Score:
66%
ALIENS IN THE ATTIC
Director:
John Schultz
Cast:
Carter Jenkins, Robert Hoffman, Angela Tisdale
Summary:
Teenagers in a Maine town must protect their home
from, well, aliens.
Thoughts:
I have no idea. Is this a remake of that movie that wasn't
ET but still starred a sort of goofy wrinkly penis
creature that sat on shoulders and loved everyone? Or is
this a G-rated version of Signs but without Mel
Gibson's religious hollerin'? I don't even know why I ask,
as both of those sound neigh unwatchable. Count me out.
Rotten Tomatoes Score:
N/A
THE COLLECTOR
Director:
Marcus Dunstan
Cast:
Josh Stewart, Andrea Roth
Summary:One
dumb criminal gets caught up in another criminals web of
deadly traps when he attempts to break in to a home.
Thoughts:
As stupid as this looks, it might be stupid in that "fun"
way. You know, bloodshed, trap avoidance, twirling gears
... all that good stuff. It's not going to be a
mind-blower, but it might be the right flick for the horror
fans out there to grab this week. I'm shocked by my lack of
vitriolic rage towards this, but for some reason it just
doesn't seem that bad.
Rotten Tomatoes Score:
33%
LIMITED RELEASE:
THE COVE
Director:
Louie Psihoyos
Cast:
Richard O'Barry, a bunch of dolphins
Summary:
A documentary about a small cove of dolphins outside of
Japan, who are under threat of ecological disaster.
Thoughts:
Well, I was assuming this was just going to be March of
the Dolphins and was only interested to see if the LDS
would call "homo" on another good-natured, uh, nature flick,
but this actually seems to be a shocking, well put together
piece of documentary. I love a documentary as much as the
next guy, as this one addresses ecological issues in the
waters of Japan, a timely issue that needs more people
looking at it.
Rotten Tomatoes Score:
96%
Final Thoughts:
Funny People,
it's all about Funny People. The rest don't look
terrible, aside from Aliens in my Arsehole, but only
those suckers with children are going to be forced in to
that one. Or I could be wrong and the G-Force crowd
could come back clamoring for more idiocy ... you never
know.
Noah Sanders is the blog/news editor at Light In The
Attic and a contributor at Sound On The Sound and
the KEXP blog. He also has his own
Criterion-based film site, Criterion Quest.
If you'd like to contact Noah in regards to his
writings here at Side One: Track One then please do
so
here.
- Noah Sanders
-
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