New at Theaters (Friday): “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”, “The Informant!”,  ”Jennifer’s Body”, “Love Happens”

Limited Release in Grand Rapids market: 
“Soul Power” (The Harbor Theater in Muskegon one week only 9/18 – 9/23),
“Tony Manero” (The Harbor Theater in Muskegon one week only 9/18 – 9/23),
“Humpday” (UICA in Grand Rapids until 9/24),
“Afghan Star” (UICA in Grand Rapids until 9/24)

On cable: “Weather Girl” (on Lifetime network one day only Wednesday 9/23 at 9:00pm)

Moving to Woodland Mall this week ($4.00 shows): “G-Force”, “The Proposal”, “Taking Woodstock”, “Blood Creek”

Best Bet(s): I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”, I’ve heard good things about Matt Damon’s “The Informant”, the new horror/thriller “Jennifer’s Body” is getting mostly poor reviews, and “Love Happens” is getting mixed reviews.  I’ll be seeing “Love Happens” and “The Informant” over the next few days… so check back for those reviews!

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New on DVD (Tuesday): “Easy Virtue”, “Next Day Air”, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, “Star Wars The Clone Wars: Clone Commandos”

Best Bet(s): I had mixed reactions to “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, but if you like this genre and didn’t see it in theaters – you should rent it now.   I haven’t seen the others, but I can tell you that “Easy Virtue” got mixed reviews and “Next Day Air” got mostly poor reviews.

Next Week at Theaters: “Fame”, “Surrogates”, “Pandorum”, “In The Loop” (UICA in Grand Rapids 9/25), “Paper Heart” (The Harbor Theater in Muskegon 9/24), “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” (Lansing only)

Next Week on DVD: “Battle for Terra”, “Clive Barker’s Book of Blood”, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”, “Lymelife”, “Observe and Report”

MY REVIEWS OF OTHER MOVIES CURRENTLY PLAYING IN THEATERS OR AVAILABLE TO RENT/BUY: 

Playing at West Michigan movie theaters:
“500 Days of Summer” (9.5 / 10)
“District 9″ (9.0 / 10)
“Star Trek” (8.5 / 10)
“The Hurt Locker” (8.9/ 10)
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”  (8.9 / 10)
“Angels & Demons” (8.5 / 10) – on DVD 11/24
“The Hangover” (8.0 / 10)
“The Answer Man” (8.5 / 10)
“The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ (8.0/ 10)
“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” (7.5 / 10)
“G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra” (7.5 / 10)
“The Ugly Truth” (7.5 / 10)
“Weather Girl” (7.5 / 10)
“Four Christmases”  (7.5 / 10) – on DVD November
“Extract” (6.5 /10)
“Love Happens” (7.0* review deferred to my wife)
“Imagine That” (6.5 / 10) – on DVD October
“Monsters Vs. Aliens” (6.0 / 10) – on DVD 9/29
“All About Steve” (5.5 / 10)
“My Life in Ruins” (5.5 / 10) – on DVD 10/6
“Year One” (4.0 / 10) – on DVD 10/6

- – -

Available to rent or buy:
“Slumdog Millionaire” (9.5/ 10)
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (9.5 / 10)
“The Dark Knight” (9.5 / 10)
“Changeling”  (9.5 / 10)
“WALL-E” (9.0)
“Pride and Glory” (9.0 / 10)
“The Wrestler” (8.9 / 10)
“Righteous Kill” (8.9 / 10)
“Eagle Eye” (8.5 / 10)
“Burn After Reading” (8.5 / 10)
“Wanted” (8.0 / 10)
“Defiance” (8.0 / 10)
“I Love You, Man” (8.0/ 10)
“State of Play” (8.0 / 10)
“The Visitor” (8.0 / 10)
“Australia”  (7.9 / 10)
“Frozen River” (7.9 / 10)
“Revolutionary Road” (7.9 / 10)
“New in Town” (7.9 / 10)
“Felon” (7.9 / 10)
“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (7.5 / 10)
“Quantum of Solace”  (7.5 / 10)
“Taken” (7.5 / 10)
“The Air I Breathe” 
“Hancock” 
“Fanboys” (8.5 for me, adjusted to 7.5 for most)
“Traitor” (7.5 / 10)
“The Bank Job” 
“He’s Just Not That Into You” (7.5 / 10)
“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”
“Role Models” (7.5 / 10)
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” (7.5 / 10 )
“Marley & Me” (7.5 / 10)
“Bride Wars” (7.5 / 10)
“The Women” (7.5 / 10)
“Rachel Getting Married” (7.0)
“Paul Blart: Mall Cop” (7.0 / 10)
“Get Smart” (7.0 / 10)
“The Happening” 
“Bedtime Stories” (7.0 / 10)
“Twilight”  (7.0 / 10)
“Knowing” (7.0 / 10)
“Watchmen” (7.0 / 10)
“Funny Games” 
“Nights in Rodanthe” (7.0 / 10)
“Hotel for Dogs” (7.0 / 10)
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (6.9 / 10)
“Appaloosa” (6.9 / 10)
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” 
“The Invasion” 
“What Just Happened” (6.5 / 10)
“Hamlet 2″ 
“Lakeview Terrace” (6.5 / 10)
“Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead”
“Hellboy II: Golden Army” (6.5 / 10)
“Tropic Thunder” (6.5 /10)
“Good Luck Chuck”
“The Day the Earth Stood Still” (6.5 / 10)
“Journey to the Center of the Earth” 
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (6.0 / 10)
“Body of Lies” (6.0)
“Zach and Miri Make a Porno” (6.0 / 10)
“Noise” (6.0 / 10)
“The Chaos Experiment” (6.0 / 10)**
“Confessions of A Shopaholic” (5.5 / 10)
“Quarantine” (5.5 / 10)
“Charlie Wilson’s War” 
“Mad Money” 
“Dance Flick” (2.0 / 10)

– 

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“Star Wars” nerds, geeks, dorks, freaks, … or… fanboys, as I would more loving call myself… are going to love this movie.

Eventhough this movie took years to be released from concept to 5 different release dates (see below)… I think in the end for anyone with legitimate Star Wars interest and also children of the 1980’s… this movie was worth the wait.
 

(Spoiler-free !!!)  The core intended audience of “Fanboys” are fans of the Star Wars franchise… but even those with a love of Star Wars without the “geek” level knowledge of the Star Wars universe will also enjoy this movie.

Its a road trip movie about Star Wars fans, produced by and starring some Star Wars fans, devoted to Star Wars fans… which means Trekkies should be on alert.

The movie centers on two friends who lost touch but reunite in 1998 in the months before the release of “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” and their journey is motivated by one of the friends’ diagnosis of terminal cancer… making the trip to Skywalker Ranch essential because the friend may not live to actually see the movie in theaters.

The film was originally scheduled to be released in August 2007, but it was pushed back to January 2008 because of a larger budget allocated to director Kyle Newman to shoot additional scenes.  But, as the story goes, the re-shoot director cut out the cancer motivation in the storyline, but it was later added back in after Newman compiled the final cut of the movie.  The new release date was scheduled for September 2008, but two weeks before its release, another new release date was announced for November 2008.   After being pushed back again, the final release date was moved to February 6, 2009.

“Fanboys” has all the right “Star Wars” references, cliches, and cameos (I won’t spoil it here)… and not too many that could make it cheesy or a flat out joke aimed at “Star Wars” fans.  This movie had us laughing throughout, but not just for the non-stop “Star Wars” references (and even the pop quizes that I aced)… but also for the 1980’s references and the settings that transported us back to 1998.  

The one-liners and “Star Wars” references will keep you laughing and so will the references to movies like “Top Gun”, “Dirty Dancing”, ”THX 1138″, and “Back to the Future” and TV shows like “Alf”, “Night Court”, “G.I. Joe” and “Scooby Doo”.

The cast that was put together were mostly unknowns at the time, but since shooting this movie, Kristen Bell has gone on to “Heroes” (NBC), Craig Robinson and David Denman are known for their roles on “The Office” (NBC), Ethan Suplee is Earl’s brother on “My Name is Earl” (NBC), and Will Forte is an even bigger name these days on “Saturday Night Live” (NBC).     Seth Rogen has starred in “Superbad” (2007), “Knocked Up” (2007), “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” (2008), “Pineapple Express” (2008), and “Kung Fu Panda” (2008)… Jay Baruchel starred in “Tropic Thunder” (2008)…   Dan Fogler was in “Balls of Fury” (2007) and “Good Luck Chuck” (2007)… and Sam Huntington is in “Tug”, a movie shot in Holland, Michigan and produced by TicTock Studios, set for release sometime in 2009.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

 This felt like a real group of friends and a real group of “Star Wars” fans on screen and behind the camera that wanted to take special care that this movie would be great.  As a devoted fan of the “Star Wars” franchise, I no doubt like this movie more than the general public… I give it 8.5 out of 10… probably a full rating point higher than most of you would give it.    I’m just being honest.    Sure its not cinematic masterpiece, but it is a fun ride with some funny jokes for anyone who gets “Star Wars”.

 ”Fanboys”

(2009) (rated: PG-13 for pervasive crude and sexual material, language and drug content) (1 hr, 30 min)

Starring: Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell, David Denman, Christopher McDonald, Seth Rogen, Danny Trejo, Ethan Suplee, Will Forte, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, and several cameos I don’t want to spoil !!!

Director: Kyle Newman

Genre: Comedy/Adventure/Road Trip

The Plot: “Star Wars” fans travel to Skywalker Ranch to steal an early copy of “Episode I: The Phantom Menace”.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

 
“Fanboys” poster courtesy The Weinstein Company

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Chewbacca: Welcome to Hoth, I mean West Michigan

Yes, I’m a big Star Wars fan, but no I didn’t really say my headline “welcome to Hoth” … it just seems like it was fitting with our current sub-freezing temperatures and non-stop snow.  But I did tell Peter Mayhew it was nice to meet him as I shook his hand.

The approximately 7′0″ British born actor best known for playing everyone’s favorite wookiee in 4 Star Wars movies visited Grand Rapids Saturday, and it couldn’t have been a better peak to my birthday weekend!!!

.

Seriously – this is the man who played Chewbacca – one of the most recognizable movie characters from the 1980s – and not only did I get to shake his giant hand and get an autograph – I also got to take a picture with him.

Mayhew may have been big and imposing on screen in the Chewbacca suit, but in real life Mayhew is quiet and reserved, and at the age of 64, his tall lanky build has him using a cane these days.

And yes, there was charge for an autograph – but that’s okay when you realize most stars on the convention circuit charge for autographs anyway – and this was without the cost of admission to a convention, Mayhew made a stop at Celebration! Cinema North… but bottomline: can you really put a price on a special link to a favorite childhood memory?    It was totally worth it. 

Special thanks to the 501st Legion, Great Lakes Garrison (a fan based costuming group that works mostly for charities) for bringing Mayhew here from his home in Texas.

And thanks again Peter Mayhew – it was nice to meet you after all these years!

MY PREVIOUS BLOG ABOUT MAYHEW’S APPEARANCE IN GRAND RAPIDS

Peter Mayhew played Chewbacca in 4 Star Wars movies

 Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) makes a visit to Grand Rapids Saturday

The 6 foot 9 inch tall actor who portrayed the classic character in 4 Star Wars movies: Star Wars IV: A New Hope (1977), Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars VI: Return Of The Jedi (1983) and Star Wars III: Revenge Of The Sith (2005) will be in Grand Rapids tomorrow.

Mayhew will be appearing in person at Celebration Cinema! North Saturday, December 6, 2008.  He will be available for autographs and photos from 7:30 pm until 8:30 pm in the lobby of Celebration Cinema! North, located at 2121 Celebration Drive NE at the corner of Knapp and East Beltline.

Mayhew will also be in attendance with Star Wars characters from the 501st Legion, Great Lakes Garrison, a fan based costuming group.

The fall trend continues… last weekend, only “Tropic Thunder” made more than $10 million, the week before 4 movies made more than $10 million, now this past weekend none of the movies even came close to that mark, setting up a very interesting weekend ahead…

Top 10 Weekend Box Office list this week (actual results):

1. “Bangkok Dangerous” - $7.78 million (1st week)

2. “Tropic Thunder” - $7.23 million
(4th week, was #1 last week, lost 37% from last week)

3. “The Dark Knight” – $5.52 million (total gross: $511.99 million)
(8th week, was #3 last week, lost 36% of its audience from last week)

4. “The House Bunny” - $5.51 million
(3rd week, was #4 last week, lost 33% of its audience from last week)

5. “Traitor” - $4.27 million
(2nd week, was #5 last week, lost 45% of its audience from last week)

6. “Babylon A.D.” - $4.18 million
(2nd week, was #2 last week, lost 56% of its audience from last week)

7. “Death Race” - $6.29 million
(3rd week, was #6 last week, lost 41% of its audience from last week)

8. “Disaster Movie” - $3.03 million
(2nd week, was #7 last week, lost 48% of its audience from last week)

9. “Mamma Mia!” – $2.86 million
(8th week, was #8 last week, lost 32% from last week)

10. “Pineapple Express” - $2.26 million
(5th week, was #9 last week, lost 36% of its audience from last week)

—

Chasing History:

“The Dark Knight” continues to try to close the gap between itself ($511.99 million) and “Titanic” ($600.78 million) for the highest grossing movie ever in the U.S. !!

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

“Bangkok Dangerous” poster courtesy Lionsgate

The previous weekend, 4 movies made more than $10 million, this past weekend, it was just “Tropic Thunder”… but as I mentioned last week… its only dominating the weak August offerings in the wake of “The Dark Knight”’s success…

“Tropic Thunder” was first for the 3rd weekend….  Vin Diesel’s “Babylon A.D.” was 2nd, but had the lowest per screen average of the top 5 movies, so its likely to fall next week… my pick for a possible acting nomination “Traitor” showed up in 5th place… “Disaster Movie” debuted in 7th…  and for the 2nd week in a row, a new movie - “College” – failed to make the top 10 (last week it was “The Rocker” in 13th place).

Top 10 Weekend Box Office list this week (actual results):

1. “Tropic Thunder” - $11.51 million
(3rd week at #1, lost 29% from last week)

2. “Babylon A.D.” - $9.56 million (1st week)

3. “The Dark Knight” – $8.61 million (total gross: $502.28 million)
(7th week, was #4 last week, lost 18% of its audience from last week)

4. “The House Bunny” - $8.30 million
(2nd week, was #2 last week, lost 43% of its audience from last week)

5. “Traitor” - $7.80 million (1st week)

6. “Death Race” - $6.29 million
(2nd week, was #3 last week, lost 50% of its audience from last week)

7. “Disaster Movie” - $5.76 million (1st week)

8. “Mamma Mia!” – $4.36 million
(7th week, was #8 last week, gained 1% from last week)

9. “Pineapple Express” - $3.50 million
(4th week, was #6 last week, lost 35% of its audience from last week)

10. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” - $2.81 million
(3rd week, was #11 last week, lost 6% of its audience from last week)

14. “The Longshots” - $2.31 million
(2nd week, was #10 last week, lost 43% of its audience from last week)

15. “College” - $2.11 million (1st week)

17. “Hamlet 2″ - $1.69 million
(2nd week, was #22 last week, gained 286% of its audience from last week) (playing in 1,494 more theaters from last week)

Chasing History:

“The Dark Knight” continues to try to close the gap between itself ($502.28 million) and “Titanic” ($600.78 million) for the highest grossing movie ever in the U.S. !!

Box Office numbers courtesy Box Office Mojo

“Tropic Thunder” poster courtesy DreamWorks

The Clone Wars: great for kids, good for fans, just ok for everyone else