NEW MOVIES THIS WEEK: ”Step Brothers”, “The X-Files: I Want To Believe”

Good luck Mulder and Scully!  Good luck Ferrell and Reilly!   ”The Dark Knight” will be tough to beat.. maybe you should fight each other for 2nd place…

“Step Brothers”

(Rated:R for crude and sexual content, and pervasive language) (1 hr, 35 min)

Genre: Comedy

Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins, Wayne Federman, Seth Rogen, Horatio Sanz

Director: Adam McKay - “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” (2006) and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004)

The Plot: Two spoiled guys become competitive stepbrothers after their single parents get hitched.

The Buzz: Some cautious optimism and some excitement, others saying this was funnier than they thought.

My Bottom Line: I’m a big Will Ferrell fan and I like the team with Reilly and Director McKay in “Talladega Nights”… but I was inititally a little apprehensive about the concept since “The Brothers Solomon” tanked last year with Will Arnett and Will Forte.  But since I’ve now seen 3 trailers, I’m ready to roll!  

We’ll see if this latest entry can crack my Top 10 Will Ferrell movies… “Semi-Pro“ (without with Reilly and Director McKay) was funny, but not good enough to make it, so we’ll see if “Step Brothers” can!

watch “Step Brothers” trailer through this link at trailerspy.com

watch “Step Brothers” international trailer at trailerspy.com

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly discuss their new comedy “Step Brothers”

A “classy” Laff fact: This is the final movie in a 3-picture deal for Ferrell and Director McKay (“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004), “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” (2006)), but there are rumors that there will be a second “Anchorman”, set in the 1980s.

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“The X-Files: I Want To Believe”

(Rated:PG-13 for violent and disturbing content and thematic material) (1 hr, 45 min)

Genre: Mystery/Sci-Fi

Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly, Xzibit, Callum Keith Rennie

Director: Chris Carter (writer/director/creator of X-Files)

The Plot: The case of a missing FBI agent causes Mulder and Scully to assume their former roles and try to solve the mystery. Assisting them on the case is a troubled priest whose psychic visions lead them to their first clue.

The Buzz: This is being touted as a “stand alone” movie.. which means audiences wouldn’t have to see every episode of the series or the 1998 movie to understand what is going on… and it may be able to grab new fans in the process.

My Bottom Line: The TV show has been off the air since 2002, the first movie “The X-Files” was in 1998… so its either been 6 years or 10 years since this franchise was hot… this movie will either stumble and fade away, or the “stand alone” concept will re-ignite those “X-File” fires that have been smoldering.   As the series says “The Truth Is Out There”… but I don’t think we’ll have to search far beyond Monday’s Box Office report to find out the truth!

watch “The X-Files: I Want To Believe” trailer at trailerspy.com

watch “The X-Files: I Want To Believe” preview

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny discuss their return in”The X-Files: I Want To Believe”

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NEW MOVIES NEXT WEEK: “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”, “Swing Vote”, “The Midnight Meat Train”

NEW MOVIES IN TWO WEEKS: “Pineapple Express”, “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2″, “The Perfect Game”, “Hell Ride” (limited), “Elegy” (limited)

My Box Office Forecast for this week:

1. “The Dark Knight” - $75 million
2. “Step Brothers” - $25 million
3. “X-Files: I Want To Believe” - $15 million
4. “Mamma Mia!” - $12 million
5. “Hancock” - $9 million
6. “Journey to the Center of the Earth” - $7 million
7. “WALL-E” - $5 million
8. “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” - $4 million
9. “Space Chimps” - $2 million
10. “Wanted” - $1.8 million

 

“Step Brothers” poster courtesy Columbia Pictures