This week brings a new trio of wide releases to my area, as well as a couple to the local art house. I don't think any of them look like a surefire hit, but I have been known to be wrong. We are still in the build-up period to the blockbuster season, which begins in earnest next month when we see Mission Impossible III and The Da Vinci Code.
American Dreamz. (2006, 115 minutes, PG-13, comedy, trailer) This is the latest from writer/director Paul Weitz, who was behind About a Boy and In Good Company. This looks like it could be pretty good. First off it takes a few shots at the American Idol mentality of this country; for the record, I cannot stand the show. Plus it features a goofy presidential character, plenty of comedic potential there. There is also the cast which includes Dennis Quaid, High Grant, Mandy Moore, and Marcia Gay Harden. Not bad if you ask me. Whether or not it is actually going to be any good has yet to be seen.
The Sentinel. (2006, 108 minutes, PG-13, thriller, trailer) AKA 24 the Movie. This looks like a made-for-TV movie elevated to a much higher budget status. Kiefer Sutherland returns to the big screen, this time in a character that, judging by the commercials, is Jack Bauer in a suit. He is a secret service agent, with Eva Longoria as his partner, looking into a plot to assassinate the president. The primary suspect is played by Michael Douglas. The commercials also hint at the involvement of Kim Basinger, but I do not recall seeing her in them. The movie was directed by Clark Johnson, whose last big screen outing was S.W.A.T.
Silent Hill. (2006, 120 minutes, R, horror, trailer) This is my choice for the movie to see this weekend. Yes it is another horror film, but fortunately it has the R rating, and yes it is based on a video game, but those facts do not automatically make it bad. It does have a good director on its side, Christophe Gans, who was behind the excellent Brotherhood of the Wolf. He seems to have the right eye and a good visual style to render this on the big screen. Alternate dimensions, demons, evil, death, sounds like fun. Plus it has excellent character actor Sean Bean, he rarely disappoints.
Article comments
1 - Steve
Given the contents of your article only, here are my top 10 predictions -
1) The Sentinel
2) American Dreamz
3) Ice Age 2
4) The Wild
5) Scary Movie 4
6) Silent Hill
7) The Benchwarmers
8), 9) and 10) should be the same as yours.
2 - Rodney Welch
Did you see the New York Times' review of American Dreamz? They ate it alive. Said it was unfunny. It's gotten a lot of promotion, but if you'll look closely all the blurbs are from radio stations -- always a bad sign. It gets a 49 percent rotten score at rottentomatoes.com. I smell hard sell.
3 - Steve
Rodney, I haven't read the reviews, however, all but one of Hugh Grant's movies released in the 21st century have made 40 million plus at the box office, so although it may not have legs, it will open strongly methinks.