The Weigh In #47

Monday, March 20th is officially the first day of Spring and we here in the Dallas area spent the last few days of the Winter of ‘05-’06 watching the last few months of one of the hottest winters I can remember wash away in a 2 day flash flood that seems to have paved the way for bluebirds and sunshine, rainbows and the a much needed mind scrub of movies like The Pink Panther, The Shaggy Dog, Big Momma’s House 2, and Madea’s Family Reunion. Now don’t get me wrong, the next few months will have its share of direct to DVD films on the big screen, but at least with the Spring season we will begin to see actual films released that make us want to head to the theaters. Like daisies re-emerging from a snow crusted hill if you will. Ok, I think you get the idea and I can finish with the thinly veiled metaphors. This weekend saw the first #1 movie of the year that didn’t seem to win entirely by default, V for Vendetta. From now until the big Memorial Day summer movie kickoff, the theaters will be showing movies that the studios feel won’t probably won’t have a $200 million dollar opening weekend, but don’t have that certain January smell to them. While you still get bad movies, occasionally a few of these movies sneak in and by word of mouth sticks with us longer than anyone could have predicted. Remember, The Matrix was originally one of these films.

This week I wanted to take a look at some of those movies that we may well be talking about while we are standing in line waiting for the first screening of that big budget blockbuster movie.

Films I think we should look out for this spring season:

Inside Man (3/24) stars Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodi Foster, and is directed by Spike Lee. This film looks to be a very stylish crime caper flick.

Slither (3/31) was directed by the Dawn of the Dead remake screenwriter James Gunn. A tongue in cheek invasion spoof.

Brick (3/31 limited release) is being described as a Daschel Hammet novel in high school. Think noir with a teenager twist.

Lucky Number Slevin (4/7) is a caper flick starring Josh Hartnet, Bruce Willis, and Stanley Tucci.

Hard Candy (4/14) takes the standard child molester thriller flick and turns it around.

The Notorious Betty Page (4/14) a biopic about pinup/fetish model Betty Page. I mention this because Gretchen Mol really seems to have captured the look and feel of this photographic icon.

Flight 93 (4/28) is the first of more than a few 9/11 movies to be slated for this year.

Alpha Dog (4/28 limited) is the true story of the youngest person on the FBIs most wanted list, Johnny Truelove, starring, Justin Timberlake and Bruce Willis.

Mission Impossible III (5/5) although probably more of a summer movie, released just a few weeks before the official season starts.

An American Haunting (5/5) is a movie version of the freakiest “true story” haunting I have ever read about, the legend of the bell witch.

Poseidon (5/12) has an all star cast and is a very big budget remake of the original with the same name. Directed by Wolfgang Peterson of A Perfect Storm, Troy, and Das Boot.

Hopefully this list of films will give you something to look forward to while you wait for the big blockbuster season. With this time of year sometimes the best movies are the ones that you only hear about around the water cooler. So come on by and check out the weekly article, movie reviews section, and we can have a chat in our forums section. Just don’t mind the clutter; we are doing a little remodeling.

Limited Feature: Superman News
Here are a few little tidbits that have been floating over the net pertaining to the release of
Superman Returns:

Courtesy of Newsarama: Bryan Singer working on a comic series connecting Superman 2 and Superman Returns (*correction, although John Byrne is listed as an artist on the project, he has announced that he is not involved).

Courtesy of JoBlo.com: an interview with Brandon Routh and a Fortress of Solitude pic.


At your local multiplex: (3/24/2006)

Inside Man: Thriller
Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Willem Dafoe
Plot: Set during a hostage crisis a seasoned police detective tries to convince a bank robber to release the hostages while the robber tries to commit the prefect crime.
Buzz: Directed by Spike Lee and with this stellar cast you can expect one well acted movie. The only problem is that even with top notch actors and directors, films like this tend to hinge on the twist ending.

Still Alive: Horror
Frankie Muniz, Jon Foster, Samaire Armstrong
Plot: A group of gamers receive a new video game through the mail only to soon realize that members are getting killed the same way they are dying in the video game.
Buzz: Interesting premise but this movie really hasn’t gotten any kind of buzz at all, even on hard core horror internet sites.

Larry the Cable Guy: Health Food Inspector: Comedy
Larry the Cable Guy
Plot: Larry the Cable Guy gets a job as a health food inspector
Buzz: An hour and a half of vignettes featuring Larry the Cable Guy’s humor. Can’t you just watch his stand up routine?

This week on DVD: (3/21/2006)
2001 Maniacs
21 Jump Street (season 5)
Batman Beyond (season 1)
Bewitched (season 3)
Over There (season 1)
Capote
Derailed
Dreamer
Everything is Illuminated
Gidget: The complete series
House of the Dead II
In the Mix
Justice League (season 1)
Keane
A League of Ordinary Gentlemen
Roseanne (3rd season)
Huff (season 1)
The Hidden Blade
Chicken Little

As always if you have any questions or want to pick my brain, drop me a line at DPlace76@yahoo.com.
You can see some of my random musings at www.livejournal.com/bigdpimpin, and you can get new and updated info in the Stumblebum Studios goings on by friending our myspace account at www.myspace.com/stumblebumstudios.