Thompson on Hollywood

Weekend Preview: Limitless, Paul, Lincoln Lawyer For Men, Indies Win Win, Cracks, Winter in Wartime

This weekend, it's Matthew McConaughey and a car vs. Working Title's alien vs. Bradley Cooper on super-human drugs. According to Flixster Forecast: "The Lincoln Lawyer, the first adaptation of a Michael Connelly novel since Clint Eastwood’s Blood Work in 2002, surged in search activity leading into this weekend. Given that its Want-to-See interest is almost entirely centered with women-over-25, the film will probably have to build a strong case to beat out Britcom Paul, opening on more screens; or Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in Limitless, which is seeing intense Want-to-See interest that is closer to the middle."

By Sophia Savage
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March 18, 2011 5:35 AM
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Battle: Los Angeles, Jane Eyre, Red Riding Hood, Certified Copy, Mars Needs Moms, Black Death

[Pictured: Red Riding Hood, Battle: Los Angeles, Jane Eyre]There is something for everyone this weekend. If you are somehow still in the mood for mass destruction, despite the tragedy that has befallen Japan, check out Battle: Los Angeles. More interested in classic love stories? Jane Eyre is Sin Nombre director Cary Fukunaga's smart retelling of Charlotte Bronte's gothic novel; Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy offers a complex investigation of originality, value and love ripe for post-screening debate. Red Riding Hood and Mars Needs Moms should keep younger audiences entertained for a few hours. Indies Black Death and Kill the Irishman provide ample violence and machismo. Film details, reviews and trailers are below.

By Sophia Savage
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March 11, 2011 8:30 AM
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Rango, Adjustment Bureau, Beastly, Take Me Home Tonight, I Saw the Devil: Blockbuster Weekend?

2011 is due for its first blockbuster weekend. From Johnny Depp's animated Rango and Matt Damon and Emily Blunt's The Adjustment Bureau to teen flick Beastly, 80s throwback Take Me Home Tonight and Korean horror film I Saw the Devil, all the demographic bases are covered. We recommend Damon and Blunt's effortless on-screen chemistry, the wondrously imaginative Rango, and indie festival favorites Abel and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. Film details, reviews and trailers are below.

By Sophia Savage
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March 4, 2011 8:30 AM
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Weekend Preview: Drive Angry 3D, Hall Pass, Of Gods and Men, Heartbeats

Of this weekend's new entries, the one I want to see most is French Oscar entry Of Gods and Men, which earned raves around the world but was unaccountably shut out by the foreign language committee. UPDATE: It also won the Cesar award for Best Film.

By Anne Thompson
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February 25, 2011 8:00 AM
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Weekend Preview: Unknown, I Am Number Four, Big Mommas, Last Lions, Putty Hill

It's no surprise that indie offerings Putty Hill and the doc The Last Lions score the best reviews of the motley crew of movies that opened for the holiday weekend. Unknown, Liam Neeson's follow-up to sleeper hit Taken is next.

By Anne Thompson
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February 19, 2011 1:18 AM
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Memorial Day Bloody Box Office Duel Pits Femme Sex and the City 2 vs. Male Prince of Persia

For the first time ever, this Memorial Day Weekend could mark the first-ever number one chick flick, predicts TOH box-office numbers cruncher Anthony D'Alessandro, who interviews distribution chiefs from Warners and Disney about their expectations for the four-day holiday.

By Anthony D'Alessandro
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May 27, 2010 2:47 AM
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Must -Sees: The Last Station, Up in the Air, Bright Star

Must-Sees:Jason Reitman's Up in the Air has been deemed a too-dark marketing challenge. But the movie's strength is the way it skips past conventional genre cliches while deftly taking its characters through romantic escape and isolation--and the tough economy. Paramount Pictures is one of the few studios that can market both big and little movies. Up in the Air may be on its way to some Oscar nominations: it won four awards from the National Board of Review, including best picture of the year. It's tied with Precious for number one on the Gurus 'O Gold. Reviews are stellar: Tomatometer: 84%. Metascore: 81.

By Anne Thompson
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December 4, 2009 1:00 AM
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Must-Sees: Red Cliff, Bad Lieutenant, The Blind Side

All of a sudden, with the Thanksgiving Day weekend, there's more than enough good movies to see.

By Anne Thompson
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November 28, 2009 2:57 AM
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Must Sees: Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Messenger

The movie most likely to succeed this weekend is Roland Emmerich's 2012, which I look forward to seeing with a crowd. The critic-proof doomsday movie is expected to do $40-50 million on over 3400 screens. I just want to see the VFX. That's what Emmerich is good at. Even in the trailer John Cusack looks embarrassed.