Bhutto

Diagnosis: Film–Weekend of Dec. 3

It looks like Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis will be in my near future with Black Swan. Probably could have seen it during the AFI Fest if I had REALLY concentrated hard enough, but I decided against it and saw a whole lot more throughout the festival. There are a few other films out this weekend that might be worth checking into, but I’m not sure if they’re “must-see” or even “must-see this week.”

*mimics Geoffrey Rush* Films. Damn.

Warrior’s Way

Directed By: Sngmoo Lee
Written By: Sngmoo Lee
Starring: Kate Bosworth, Danny Huston, Geoffrey Rush
Release Date: December 3, 2010 (1,500 screens)
Synopsis: A warrior-assassin is forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands after refusing a mission.

Thoughts: This is the type of film that will be so bad it’s good, be Netflix Party fodder and yadda-yadda

Diagnosis: Definitely a rental!

All Good Things

Director: Andrew Jarecki
Written By: Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank Langella
Release Date: December 3, 2010
Synopsis: All Good Things is a love story and murder mystery based on the most notorious unsolved murder case in New York history. The original screenplay uses newly discovered facts, court records and speculation as the foundation for an imaginative spellbinding story of family, obsession, love and loss.

Thoughts: Looks like an interesting enough film. Just not my cup of tea. I’d rather see Blue Valentine, instead.

Diagnosis: Right actor, wrong film!

Bhutto

Director: Duane Baughman, Johnny O’Hara
Release Date: December 3, 2010 (2 screens)
Synopsis: A riveting documentary of the recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto, a polarizing figure in the Muslim world. Following in her father’s footsteps as a pillar for democracy, Bhutto was expected to dominate Pakistan’s 2008 elections but the assassination sent Pakistan politics into turmoil. This major event sent shock waves throughout the world and transformed her from political messiah into a martyr for the common man.

Thoughts: This could be an interesting documentary, actually.

Diagnosis: Curious.

Black Swan

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Written By: Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
Release Date: December 3, 2010 (19 screens)
Synopsis: A thriller that zeros in on the relationship between a veteran ballet dancer and a rival.

Thoughts: Yeah. This. Definitely going to see this.

Diagnosis: Yeah. This.

Dead Awake

Director: Omar Naim
Written By: Johnny Harrington and Justin Urich
Starring: Rose McGowan, Amy Smart, Nick Stahl
Release Date: December 3, 2010 (50-75 screen)
Synopsis: Dylan, a young man working at a funeral parlor, is trying to unravel a mystery that shattered his life ten years earlier. After faking his own funeral to see who will show up, he befriends a mysterious street junkie and is reunited with an old love from his past. The lives of these three characters are transformed by supernatural forces as Dylan discovers that no one is who they seem to be.

Thoughts: The synopsis alone……

Diagnosis: I got nothing.

I Love You, Phillip Morris

Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Written By: John Requa and Glenn Ficarra
Starring: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann
Release Date: December 3, 2010 (6 screens)
Synopsis: Incarcerated at the state penitentiary, con artist Steven Russell (Carrey) meets the love of his life: Phillip Morris (McGregor). As a free man, his passion results in a series of improbable cons to bust Phillip from jail and build the perfect life together.

Thoughts: Normally I’d pass up a Jim Carrey film for…a better one. This one seems like it might be a better one, actually.

Diagnosis: Curious.

Meskada

Director: Josh Sternfeld
Written By: Josh Sternfeld
Starring: Nick Stahl, Rachel Nichols, Kellan Lutz
Release Date: December 3, 2010
Synopsis: Small-town detective Noah Cordin is called to solve a juvenile homicide that occurred during a home burglary in his affluent town of Hilliard. The dead boy’s mother, Allison Connor, is a member of the Meskada County Board of Commissioners, and a powerful woman in Hilliard; and the entire township rallies together in solidarity – to support her and Detective Cordin’s efforts to find the killers.

Thoughts: Another film with Nick Stahl in it. Kind of a big weekend if you are a fan.

Diagnosis: Pass.

Night Catches Us

Director: Tanya Hamilton
Written By: Tanya Hamilton
Starring: Kerry Washington, Anthony Mackie, Wendell Pierce
Release Date: December 3, 2010
Synopsis: In 1976, complex political and emotional forces are set in motion when a young man returns to the race-torn Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age during the Black Power movement.

Thoughts: This seems like a pretty straight-forward film about the time. I’d like to see this if I can.

Diagnosis: Want to see.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

Director: Jalmari Helander
Written By: Jalmari Helander
Starring: Per Christian Ellefsen, Peeter Jakobi, Tommi Korpela
Release Date: December 3, 2010
Synopsis: In the depths of the Korvatunturi mountains, 486 metres deep, lies the closest ever guarded secret of Christmas. The time has come to dig it up! This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus.

Thoughts: Hot damn! I want to see this. Had a chance earlier, but another awesome show conflicted. Guess I’ll have to see this ASAP.

Diagnosis: Must see!