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DECEMBER 18th: Opening This Week | Top 10

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Director: Marc Lawrence
Stars: Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott (Full Cast)
Studio: Columbia Pictures

The Plot: In New York City, an estranged couple (Grant and Parker) who witness a murder are relocated to small-town Wyoming as part of a witness-protection program.

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THE BUZZ: I once had the misfortune of going on a very bad date to see Extreme Measures, a medical thriller in which an at-his-height Grant was paired with a pre-Sex and the City Parker; their chemistry was nil, but then again they were dodging needles and who knows what else. (Side note: the script was by Michael Clayton's Tony Gilroy!) Not sure if they'll be doing any better here. Despite the potential mismatch, the warning bell is writer-director Marc Lawrence, the man behind such Sandra Bullock vehicles as Miss Congeniality and Two Weeks Notice (in which Grant co-starred), so you can expect broad regional humor, occasional funny bits, supporting caricature roles, tinkly music near the end, and lots of wacky slapstick.

Message Boards: I might see it just for Steenburgen | To the people who say she looks like a horse....

Avatar

Director: James Cameron
Stars: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez (Full Cast)
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

The Plot: A paraplegic former marine (Worthington) accepts a unique mission that sends him to the planet Pandora, where, through a connection to a remotely controlled biological body, he learns the way of the indigenous Na'vi people. His link to this world puts him in direct opposition with his orders to infiltrate the Na'vi and remove the barrier between them and the precious ore desired by military and corporate interests.

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THE BUZZ: James Cameron's response to upping the world of visual effects? He takes a new approach to 3D -- all the way down to creating his own cameras -- and augments the natural world by introducing new plant life and creatures to the aforementioned band of humans. It's the kind of anticipation that even makes President Roslin swoon. Meanwhile, Sam Worthington quietly has become new face of sci-fi. That makes us swoon.

Message Boards: Anyone know the exact production budget? | In what movie you had an awful cinema experience because of the crowd??

Crazy Heart [12/16 -- limited]

Director: Scott Cooper
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures

The Plot: A hard-living country music singer (Bridges) makes a reach for salvation with the help of a journalist (Gyllenhaal) set in her attempt to find the real man behind the musician.

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THE BUZZ: A late entry into this year's awards sweepstakes courtesy of Fox Searchlight and first-time director Scott Cooper, Crazy Heart doesn't sound like the story offers anything new, however, the idea of watching Bridges sing, drink, puke, cry, and redeem is undeniably appealing. Assuming Bridges will earn a Best Actor nomination, you might want to revisit Tender Mercies, the Oscar winner to which Heart is intimately linked.

Message Boards: Jeff Bridges will finally win that Oscar that he deserves.... | Tender Mercies?

Nine [limited -- wide expansion on 12/25]

Director: Rob Marshall
Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz (Full Cast)
Studio: Weinstein Company, The

The Plot: Famous film director Guido Contini (Day-Lewis) struggles to find harmony in his professional and personal lives, as he engages in dramatic relationships with his wife, his mistress, his muse, his agent, and his mother.

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THE BUZZ: This musical adaptation of 8 1/2 (and based on the Tony-winning Broadway show) was originally supposed to headline dreamy Javier Bardem, but the Oscar winner dropped out citing exhaustion. Enter Oscar winner number two, Day-Lewis, who must be thrilled to work with the amazing female cast. We're not sure all of them can sing, but if anyone can make them, it's director Marshall -- we never expected to hear anything tuneful from Renee Zellweger until we saw Chicago. And now that Marshall is forsaking geisha memoirs for his familiar musical turf, we're hoping this turns out glitzy and fun -- heck, we're even excited to see Fergie, too! Just no Best Picture Oscar, okay?

Message Boards: 'Only With You' Song cut/American Cinematographer | I'm eating my words

The Young Victoria [limited]

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Stars: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany (Full Cast)
Studio: Apparition

The Plot: A dramatization of the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria's rule, and her enduring romance with Prince Albert.

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THE BUZZ: Upstart indie distributor Apparition, headed by beloved former Picturehouse honcho Bob Berney, beat out the Weinsteins and a couple other competitors for the rights to Jean-Marc Vallee's follow-up to the kinda-weirdly-excellent C.R.A.Z.Y.. But Vallee won't be dealing with queer-glam Canadian teens this time around; instead, he's focused on the even-more-youthful British monarch. The picture didn't exactly dominate in the UK, but I think there's a generation or two of older women who'd flock to this, depending on how it's marketed -- a specialized male audience is ready to be tapped as well. I've heard it drags, though! So maybe a slight re-cut from the UK version. Something tells me, sight unseen, that Jim Broadbent will be positioned for awards nominations here, in addition to the obvious trumping for Ms. Blunt.

Message Boards: Any one else find the proposal scene moving? | America's Royalty-Misogynists And Exhibitionists

The Princess and the Frog

Director: Ron Clements John Musker
Stars: Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Oprah Winfrey (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Plot: A fairy tale set in Jazz Age-era New Orleans and centered on a young girl named Princess Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) and her fateful kiss with a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again.

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THE BUZZ: Here, Disney reunites Aladdin creators Ron Clements and John Musker, rekindles their love for hand drawn animation, endures a storm of controversy regarding the initial name given to their first African-American princess ("Maddy" which was changed to "Tiana"), then adjusts their title a bit as to not insult the French (original title: The Frog Princess). Pixar is never this controversial.

Message Boards: I heard this was the best disney film since the lion king (?) | How was the audience in your theater?

The Blind Side

Director: John Lee Hancock
Stars: Quinton Aaron, Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Plot: A disadvantaged teenager is taken in by a conservative family who see tremendous promise in the young man. Despite certain obstacles, the attention and inspiration he receives helps him mature into an athletically and academically successful NFL prospect.

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THE BUZZ: This is the true story of Michael Oher, whose first season in the NFL will be underway by the time Sandra Bullock blitzes (?) the big screen with her third movie of the year. If Oher and the Baltimore Ravens, who selected the young man in the first round of this year's draft, are both performing well, some sort of uncharted cultural zeitgeist could occur at the box office. This is also great counterprogramming for all the non-Twilight moms out there.

Message Boards: Honest ?...is this a Christian film? | NFL you sure are clever

Invictus

Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Plot: A look at life of Nelson Mandela (Freeman) after the fall of apartheid in South Africa during his first term as president when campaigned to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup event as an opportunity to unite his countrymen.

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THE BUZZ: Morgan Freeman has had this project in development for several years, and he sought out a reunion with Clint Eastwood for what has to be the biggest challenge of his acting career to date. The media already seems to be rewarding his efforts, with little to go on but the considerable source material and a mere glimpse of the man in uniform. It's hard to bet against this combination of human interest and Hollywood talent, as Eastwood turns in his 5th film in as many years -- making directors such as Cameron and Fincher seem like slowpokes. Can Matt Damon make like Hilary Swank here?

Message Boards: I hope Eastwood realizes that Mandela is a socialist | Overrated and too long (spoilers)

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Director: Chris Weitz
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner (Full Cast)
Studio: Summit Entertainment

The Plot: When Bella's blood is shed at her birthday celebration, Edward's intense reaction to the event causes his parents to pull up stakes and leave Forks, Washington for the sake of the young lovers. Heartbroken, Bella finds a form of comfort in reckless living, as well as an even-closer friendship with Jacob Black (Lautner). Danger in different forms awaits.

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THE BUZZ: There's nobody hotter on IMDb -- or anywhere in general pop culture? -- than Edward and Bella. Even their real-life counterparts, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, are making indie-cool choices which make them appealing to those of us who might not be the biggest fans of Stephenie Meyer's novels, or their adaptations. Boosting the appeal of Twilight is the studio behind the franchise, Summit Entertainment, who listens to their fan base (We heart Jacob Lautner!) and is pulling a Disney move by investing in their stars (Kristen Stewart will co-star in the biography of seminal 1970s all-female rock band The Runways, while Robert Pattinson is shooting Remember Me) after New Moon wraps). We're interested to see how underdog director Chris Weitz meshes with this material, and, whether or not this second installment will boost its appeal to non-U.S. audiences.

Message Boards: 2 very akward questions about the books... SPOILERS!!!! | BELLA + EDWARD The Most Dull And Boring Couple EVER!

A Christmas Carol

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Plot: An animated retelling of the Charles Dickens novel about Ebenezer Scrooge (Carrey), a Victorian-era miser who is taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.

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THE BUZZ: Could it be that Robert Zemeckis has finally found source material that perfectly suits his creepy mo-cap fantasies? Initially we were unsure, but ever since Comic-Con we've been behind this movie way more so than our affection for Monster House and Beowulf combined. However, this does not mean we're behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit 2 ...

Message Boards: Bah Humbug ??? | The jist of it!

Brothers

Director: Jim Sheridan
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire (Full Cast)
Studio: Lionsgate

The Plot: Sam Cahill (Maguire) returns from being held as a prisoner-of-war in Afghanistan to find that his ex-con brother (Gyllenhaal) has become the man, of sorts, of the household where Sam's wife, Grace (Portman) had been living under the assumption that she was a widow.

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THE BUZZ: Hollywood types love Danish director Susanne Bier; the industry has tried to remake a couple of her films, mostly noticeably is/was Zach Braff's on-again/off-again attempt to craft a version of Bier's Open Hearts into his second film as a director. (Remember when Z.B. was a promising filmmaker?) Anyway, it's not hard to imagine that Lionsgate is measuring their Oscar chances with this film, with Jim Sheridan calling the shots, Kite Runner screenwriter David Benioff handling the adaptation, and two of the best American actors under thirty in starring roles. Plus, Tobey Maguire! (He's 34 and, yes, awesome.) Just no "I can't quit you" jokes here, okay? And Natalie Portman knows how to iron?! We don't believe it.

Message Boards: Gyllenhaal sucked in this. | Great movie..

Old Dogs

Director: Walt Becker
Stars: Robin Williams, John Travolta, Seth Green (Full Cast)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Plot: Ben (Williams) is a successful businessman whose professional and personal life is altered when an old flame re-enteres his life -- with her two children (twins!) in tow. Finding himself temporarily in charge of their welfare, he enlists his best friend and colleague (Travolta) to co-parent.

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THE BUZZ: I love it when weirdos like Seth Green are cast in family movies. And he seems to steal scenes in the way-too-revealing trailer. Looks like another win for suddenly mainstream director Walter Becker (Wild Hogs), and continued momentum for Travolta, who received great reviews for the underperforming Pelham 1 2 3 and will next be seen in Pierre Morel's Taken follow-up, From Paris with Love.Update: If you're unaware of the current climate at Disney, it's refreshing to read words from a movie executive who thinks a movie such as this one missed out on the idea of appealing to women's tastes and likes.

Message Boards: Seinfeld Refrences | I walked out...

2012

Director: Roland Emmerich
Stars: John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor (Full Cast)
Studio: Columbia Pictures

The Plot: Academic researcher Jackson Curtis (Cusack) leads a group of people in a fight to counteract the apocalyptic events that were predicted by the Mayan calendar.

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THE BUZZ: After 10K BC's middling success, Roland Emmerich probably sensed that movie-going audiences worldwide prefer him in present-tense mode, heavy on apocalyptic imagery. I've heard rumors that 2012's script, which Emmerich wrote with composer-turned-screenwriter Harald Kloser, contains an incredibly cheesy twist of Shyamalanian proportions, but I'm not one to seek out (or deliver) spoilery goods. I will say that part of me hopes this end-of-the-world scenario could mint Emmerich as the slightly higher brow Uwe Boll, if only he thought to cast Tara Reid as an anthropologist here. Said differently: This A-and-B-list cast is slumming! P.S. Have you heard the one about Emmerich's planned 2012 TV spin-off?

Message Boards: Is this a goof that the African continent was not shown upside down????? | This really has to be the biggest load of unadulterated sh*t ever seen!

Armored

Director: Nimród Antal
Stars: Columbus Short, Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne (Full Cast)
Studio: Screen Gems

The Plot: A newbie guard for an armored truck company is coerced by his veteran coworkers to steal a truck containing $42 million. But a wrinkle in their supposedly foolproof plan divides the group, leading to a potentially deadly resolution.

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THE BUZZ: Did you know that distributor Screen Gems has invested in Columbus Short to the tune of a three-picture deal? Truth be known, so he's the guy I'm figuring will churn the plot here. Director Nimrod Antal offers up his second English-language picture after Vacancy proved a sleeper hit worthy of a DVD sequel (check out his bizarro Kontroll, too), and I can guarantee the man will deliver all the butch action that genre fans require. He might even do so without an endless barrage of gunfire, too!

Message Boards: Ending *kind of spoilers* | Could this be the worst heist movie ever?

Ninja Assassin

Director: James McTeigue
Stars: Rain, Rick Yune, Naomie Harris (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Plot: Raizo (Rain) is a rogue ninja who comes to the aid of Mika Coretti (Harris), a Berlin-based Interpol agent who has linked the shadowy Ozunu Clan, a secret society of assassins who trained Raizo, to a series of murders. Most dangerous to them both is Takeshi (Yune), Raizo's former ally and the assassin leading the charge of Ozunu killers to Berlin.

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THE BUZZ: Despite the somewhat redundant title, I'm looking forward to ninjas being brought front and center in director James McTeigue's follow up to V for Vendetta. What's more, I'm hoping Naomie Harris will get the chance to showcase her fighting/survival skills, which really haven't found an outlet since 28 Days Later (by the way, Ms. Harris says she's down for a proper sequel to the film, just so you know ...). Perhaps a pop-culture phenomenon will occur this weekend, if boys put down their video-game controllers, and the hordes of teenage girls who idolize Rain also head out to the movies ...

Message Boards: Not A Ninja Movie Expert, but this was my favorite by far... | Lol This is who Rain Really is...

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