The Crystal Ball - March 17 Releases

Written by Mitch Cyrus

For those of you not glued to the tube this weekend watching March Madness, there is one terrific (I think) movie coming out this week…and one really stupid one.

Quite unusual that there are only two releases coming out nationwide this weekend. But as mentioned, there are the basketball games to watch, plus the fact that even people with last names ending in ‘ski’ will be wearing green and acting like drunken Irishmen (and women) this Friday night. Nothing like St. Patrick’s Day to turn the world into a giant Muni Parking Lot tailgate party. And as someone who has named his kids Erin and Eric…rest assured I’ll be part of that number.

So cheer on the Buckeyes as they embark on a quest for a Final Four appearance that WON’T result in the banner having to be removed, and if you have a good cure for a green beer hangover, please forward it to my email address.

Title: V for Vendetta

Starring: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Rupert Graves

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Plot: In an alternate reality, Germany won WWII, and Great Britain is now a fascist state. A shadowy freedom fighter known only as “V” uses terrorist tactics to Fight The System. After rescuing a girl from the secret police, she becomes his protégé.

The BeerBuzz: The release for this was delayed from last November due to the terrorist attacks on the London subway system. Even so, the producers have elected to retain the scenes in this movie where they were attacked by “V”. Ballsy move; and we’ll see how it turns out. Adapted from a graphic novel, this has the look of a cross between “The Matrix” and “Sin City”, with a little “Phantom of the Opera” (without the singing…I hope) mixed in. Unlike “Phantom” you never see who is under the mask of “V”…a strange acting gig for Hugo Weaving, but not surprising he was cast to replace James Purefoy (Marc Anthony in “Rome”) since he previously worked so closely with the Wachowski Brothers in the Matrix Trilogy (Agent Smith).

This looks to be a huge hit, even with Natalie Portman going all Sinead O’Connor on us. The early buzz from the critics has been very positive. If you loved “The Matrix”, then go see this movie.

Title: She’s the Man

Starring: Amanda Bynes, Laura Ramsey, Channing Tatum

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Plot: When her twin brother decides to take off for London, a girl disguises herself as him at an elite prep school, then falls for one of her soccer teammates.

The BeerBuzz: I guess if any 13 year old girls have babysitting money left over from watching “Aquamarine”, they’ll be flocking for the theater to check this out. I think the dry heaves I may have Saturday morning after St. Paddy’s Day may be more enjoyable than sitting through this mess.

Title: Thank You For Smoking (limited release)

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Katie Holmes

View Trailer

Plot: A chief lobbyist for the tobacco industry tries to push his clients’ product while still trying to be a role model to his son.

The BeerBuzz: I normally don’t do limited releases, but I have some space to fill this week…plus this looked pretty funny based on the trailers I saw earlier. This lighthearted satire was an Indie film hit at Sundance and Toronto, and it’s got a great cast that also includes William H. Macy, Rob Lowe, JK Simmons, Sam Elliot and Robert Duvall. On the downer side the top possible attraction in the movie, a sex scene between Eckhart and Katie Holmes, was axed. Reason #1,298 to hate Tom Cruise.

New DVD Releases on Tuesday, March 21st

Capote – This week’s top recommendation is the story of Truman Capote’s effort in writing the hugely popular and critically acclaimed “In Cold Blood”. Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of a literary legend is a performance for the ages, but the movie is much more than that. DJK felt it deserved the Oscar for Best Picture, and while I made my preference for “Munich” known, DJK has some legitimate points in that regard.

The Squid and the Whale – Drama with comic undertones about how two brothers deal with the divorce of their parents (Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney). Very highly rated by critics, especially the performances of Linney and Daniels.

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story – Dakota Fanning sob story about a broken down horse and a broken down trainer that pull themselves back up. If you think this sounds like a sappy “Seabiscuit” for kids…you get a cookie.

Derailed – Thriller about two executives (Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston) involved in an affair being blackmailed, then having to fight back to save their families. Lame, totally predictable plot with all the ludicrous leaps in logic that you come to expect from this type of lazy filmmaking. Don’t waste your money.

Chicken Little – Something for the kids…make sure that you have plenty of alcohol available for you if you’re stuck in the same room when it’s on…because this ain’t no “Shrek” when it comes for laughs for the adults as well.

Stalag 17: Collector’s Edition – William Holden’s Oscar winning performance in Billy Wilder’s tale of a WWII POW camp. No, this is NOT Hogan’s Heroes.

Southpark: The Complete Seventh Season – RESPECT MY AUTHORITY!!!

Posted by Mitch Cyrus Mar 16, 2006 7:00 PM

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The Crystal Ball - March 17 Releases

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