The summer’s second best movie “Iron Man” and second best comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” are available on DVD this week…. there’s also Jared Leto in a movie about the days leading up to the murder of John Lennon… and a couple of straight-to-video horror movies….

“Iron Man”

I gave it a very solid 8.0 out of 10: Read My Review of “Iron Man”

It also became my 3rd favorite Superhero movie of all time: Check out “Laff’s Lists”

(2008) (rated: PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content)

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb, Shaun Toub, Faran Thair

Genre: Action/Adventure/Superhero

The Plot: When wealthy industrialist Tony Stark is forced to build an armored suit after a life-threatening incident, he ultimately decides to use its technology to fight against evil.

Big Hit at the Box Office: $318.22 million in 20 weeks, 2nd only to “The Dark Knight” this year!

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“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”

I gave it 6.9 out of 10: Read My Review of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”

(2008) (rated: R for sexual content, language and some graphic nudity)

Starring: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Liz Cackowski, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, Jack McBrayer

Genre: Romantic Comedy

The Plot: Devastated Peter takes a Hawaii vacation in order to deal with recent break-up with his TV star girlfriend, Sarah. Little does he know Sarah’s traveling to the same resort as her ex … and she’s bringing along her new boyfriend.

Not Forgotten at the Box Office: $62.87 million in 12 weeks

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“Chapter 27″

(2008) (rated: R for language and some sexual content)

Starring: Jared Leto, Lindsay Lohan, Judah Friedlander

Genre: Crime/Drama

The Plot: A film about Mark David Chapman in the days leading up to the infamous murder of Beatle John Lennon.

Chapter 11 at the Box Office: $0.05 million in 4 weeks of very limited release (2-5 screens)

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“Pulse 2 Afterlife”

(2008) (rated: R for violence, disturbing images, some sexuality, nudity and language)

Starring: Jamie Bamber, Noureen DeWulf, David Pitt, David Jensen, Courtney Shay Young

Genre: Horror

The Plot: Sequel that picks up where the original Pulse left off. The dead have found a way back to our world – through cell phones and WiFi – and the human survivors have taken to remote areas to escape.

Not at the Box Office: straight to video

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“Rest Stop: Don’t Look Back”

(2008) (NOT RATED)

Starring: Diane Salinger, Gary Entin, Richard Tillman, Edmund Entin, Jesse Ward 

Genre: Horror

The Plot: No rest for the wicked! One year ago, the mysterious Rest Stop killer drilled, ripped and splattered young road trippers Jesse and Nicole. Now three more unsuspecting travelers come looking for the missing duo.

Not at the Box Office: straight to video

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NEW TO RENT/BUY NEXT WEEK: “The Happening”, “Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead”, “Paranoid Park”, “Sleeping Beauty” (Platinum Edition DVD/Blue Ray Platinum), “The Visitor”, “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan”

On DVD (Tuesday): “Deception”, “The Foot Fist Way”, “Leatherheads”, “Pathology”, “Run Fat Boy Run”, “Sex and the City”

New on DVD:

My Take: 1 guarantee here: copies of this summer’s big hit for the female audience – “Sex and the City” – will fly off the shelves at rental store and retail stores, so if you want to rent or buy… you better be patient… and resilient !!

Also, if you can’t get enough of NBC stars John Krasinski (”The Office”) and Milo Ventimiglia (”Heroes”), check out their respective, but very different movies: “Leatherheads” and “Pathology” !!!

“Deception” starring Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams, Maggie Q

(rated R for sexual content, language, brief violence and some drug use) (1 hr, 48 min)

Genre: Drama/Romance/Thriller

The Plot: An accountant is introduced to a mysterious sex club… but he soon becomes the prime suspect in a woman’s disappearance and a multi-million dollar heist.

The early word was that 20th Century Fox initially stayed away from this one… but the involvement of actor-producer Jackman and the upcoming spin-off to the very successful X-Men movies about Wolverine led the two sides to some sort of compromise.

Box Office: $4.60 million in 9 weeks

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“The Foot Fist Way” starring Danny McBride, Ben Best, Mary Jane Bostic

(rated R for strong language and some sexual content) (1 hr, 25 min)

Genre: Comedy

The Plot: An inept karate instructor struggles with marital troubles and an unhealthy obsession with fellow karate enthusiast Chuck “The Truck” Williams.

Mixed reviews for low-budget comedy about a Taekwondo’s instructors life.

Box Office: $0.23 million in 11 weeks in limited release

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“Leatherheads” starring George Clooney, Renee Zellwager, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce, Stephen Root, Wayne Duvall

(rated PG-13 for brief strong language) (1hr, 54 min)

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Sports/Drama

The Plot: A romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s football, where the owner of a professional team drafts a strait-laced college sensation, only to watch his new coach fall for his fiancée.

A football story set in the 1920’s.

Box Office: $31.19 million in 9 weeks

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“Pathology” starring Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Weston, Alyssa Milano, Lauren Lee Smith, Johnny Whitworth, John de Lancie, Mei Melancon

(rated R for for disturbing and perverse behavior throughout, including violence, gruesome images, strong sexual content, nudity, drug use and language) (1 hr, 33 min)

Genre: Horror/Crime/Thriller

The Plot: A group of medical students devise a deadly game: to see which one of them can commit the perfect murder.

This is not for the faint of heart or stomach (see rating description above)… but if you can handle horror/thrillers and adult themes, this could be a very exciting movie!

Box Office: $0.11 million in 3 weeks in limited release

“Run Fat Boy Run” starring Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria

(rated PG-13 for some rude and sexual humor, nudity, language and smoking) (1hr, 40 min)

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Sports

The Plot: Five years after jilting his pregnant fiancée on their wedding day, out-of-shape Dennis decides to run a marathon to win her back.

Mixed reviews for this comedy directed by David Schwimmer (”Friends”)

Box Office: $5.99 million in 8 weeks

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“Sex and the City” starring starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, Candice Bergen, Jennifer Hudson, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler

(rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity and language) (2 hr, 28 min)

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama

The Plot: A New York writer on sex and love is finally getting married to her Mr. Big. But her three best girlfriends must console her after one of them inadvertently leads Mr. Big to jilt her.

Set four years after we last saw the ladies, Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte negotiate their friendships, romances, and careers in New York City. At the center of it all is Carrie’s pending nuptials to Mr. Big.

Box Office: $152 million in 15 weeks

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Next Week on DVD:

Two of the summer’s best: “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Iron Man”

In Theaters (Friday): “Lakeview Terrace”, “My Best Friend’s Girl”, “Igor”, “Ghost Town”

An intense Samuel L. Jackson in “Lakeview Terrace” looks good, “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “Ghost Town” could be disappointing comedies, “Igor” is an animated adventure for families

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On DVD (Tuesday): “88 Minutes”, “Finding Amanda”, “The Love Guru”, “Made of Honor”, “Snow Angels”, “Speed Racer”, “Young@Heart”

Best options here are “Snow Angels” and “Made of Honor”…. because ”88 Minutes”, “The Love Guru”, and “Speed Racer” bombed at the box office, so don’t put them at the top of your rental list!

sorry for the short preview, but that’s all I have time to write… gotta go!

In Theaters (Friday): “The Women”, “Burn After Reading”, “The Family That Preys”, “Righteous Kill”
On DVD (Tuesday): “Baby Mama”, “The Forbidden Kingdom”, “Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour”

New in theaters:

My Take: 2 movies from my 15 movies to see preview are hitting theaters this week, plus there’s a good “chick flick”… and if you took my advice and saved your money last weekend and skipped the movies, this is the weekend for a double-header!!!

“Burn After Reading”

starring Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, J.K. Simmons

Genre: Comedy/Drama

The Plot: A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees who attempt to sell it.

(1 of my 15 movies to see preview)

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“Righteous Kill”

starring Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy

Genre: Crime/Drama

The Plot: Two veteran New York City detectives (De Niro and Pacino) work to identify the possible connection between a recent murder and a case they believe they solved years ago; is there a serial killer on the loose, and did they perhaps put the wrong person behind bars?

(1 of my 15 movies to see preview)

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“The Women”

starring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bette Midler, Candice Bergen, Carrie Fisher, Cloris Leachman, Debi Mazar, Ana Gasteyer

Genre: Comedy/Drama

The Plot: A wealthy New Yorker leaves her cheating husband and bonds with other society women at a resort. A remake of George Cukor’s 1939 film “The Women.”

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“The Family That Preys”

starring Alfre Woodard, Kathy Bates, Tyler Perry, Sanaa Lathan, Rockmond Dunbar, Cole Hauser, Robin Givens, KaDee Strickland

Genre: Comedy

The Plot: Two families from different walks of life learn to work together.

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Next Week at Theaters:

“Lakeview Terrace”, “Appaloosa” (limited), “My Best Friend’s Girl”, “Igor”, “Ghost Town”

New on DVD:

My Take: ”Baby Mama” and “The Forbidden Kingdom” were not my 1st choices when they were in theaters, but now on DVD, they are worth a look! 

“Baby Mama” starring Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear

Genre: Comedy/Romance

The Plot: A successful, single businesswoman who dreams of having a baby discovers she is infertile and hires a working class woman to be her unlikely surrogate.

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“The Forbidden Kingdom” starring Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Jackie Chan

Genre: Action/Adenture/Comedy/Fantasy/Romance

The Plot: A discovery made by a kung fu obsessed American teen sends him on an adventure to China, where he joins up with a band of martial arts warriors in order to free the imprisoned Monkey King

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“Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour” starring Kurt Braun, Triston Coleman, Brian Comrie

Genre: Horror/Mystery/Thriller

The Plot:  A 17-year-old girl has mysterious encounters with paranormal activity in the small town of Pine Valley.

Next Week on DVD:

“88 Minutes”, “Finding Amanda”, “The Love Guru”, “Made of Honor”, “Snow Angels”, “Speed Racer”, “Young@Heart”