movieEVERYday.com Capsule No. 126
movies: news • premieres • awards • star birthdays • new to DVD • coming soon
posters: just in • hottest • extravaganzas • stand-ups | capsules: previous]
Most Recent Movie Reviews:
review archive: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008
(click a poster to purchase a poster)
Movie Review of American Teen (2008) [PG-13] 95 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.50
Sundance was very, very good to American Teen with voters bestowing it with awards and accolades. The Nanette Burstein-directed documentary film that plays out like a cross between an episode of "The Hills" mashed with "The O.C." splashed with some Cartoon Network for art's sake is either a poignant, real, and insightful examination of the life of American teens today or one of the most scathing indictments of current American education ever put on screen. Maybe it's both. The film follows the lives of four central teens seemingly selected because they represent what both reality and fictional shows of the day point to as the main archetypes in our public high school culture…continued…
Movie Review of Meet Dave (2008) [PG] 90 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.25
After his dismal in almost every way big screen comedy return that was Norbit, posters announcing a new Eddie Murphy comedy called first Starship Dave and then Meet Dave were at once unwelcome. And, probably, going into see Meet Dave with low expectations, is a good idea, for the surprises will carry even more impact in the positive direction. Actually, though, given Mr. Murphy's abundant talent, expectations should be high, and he should be held to them. Fortunately, his ego takes a firm back seat in this film, and he comfortably re-emerges the hilarious physical and situational comedian those of use who grew up on him beginning way back in his "SNL" and then Bev Hills Cop days.…continued…or read the spoiler points…
Movie Review of Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) [PG] 92 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.50
Taking the tact that Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth
was based on fact, the new Walden Media 3D version of the film, immediately creates an engaging family drama that's sure to entertain even the most skeptical pre-teens and adults alike. With an incredibly likeable cast and trilling 3D effects, Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D rocks the socks off the original film and adds a new twist to the original Jules Verne story. …continued…or read the spoiler points…Movie Review of Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) [PG-13] 110 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $11.50
If the publicity surrounding Hellboy II: The Golden Army does nothing but get people to see writer / director Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece film, Pan's Labyrinth, then this moive's worth it, because, everyone should see Pan's Labyrinth instead. While Hellboy II represents a mishmash, uneven sequel to the first Hellboy film adapted from Mike Mignola's comic book, Pan's Labyrinth is an astonishing, haunting, brilliant Academy Award®-winning film. Likewise, if big-budget action films like Hellboy add money to the coffers allowing for del Toro's really great films, then bravo. Unfortunately, the previews for Hellboy II and del Toro's name, made it seem like it might stand a chance of joining Superman II or Star Trek II as sequels that rivaled their prequels rather than the convoluted and borderline incomprehensible film it turned out to be.
Did you make the mistake and see The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? Or, honestly, the first Hellboy? In either case, you were probably filled with dread upon hearing of a sequel to Hellboy—thankfully, no sequel for The League has been mentioned in a long time. But, as for Hellboy, one would think that Guillermo del Toro would be quite up to getting this 'franchise' on track. His genius is obvious, it's probably just the source material that's problematic.…continued…or read the spoiler points…
…a mishmash, uneven sequel…see Pan's Labyrinth instead…
Movie Review of Hancock (2008) [PG-13] 92 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.75
Pow…Zowie…Kerplunk…Smash…Ahhhhhhhheeeeeeahhhhh…splat…If you thought the Batman Returns sequel, The Dark Knight, was the only superhero movie with any real gusto this summer, and now that summer is half over you still think Iron Man is the best…well, you might be right because Robert Downey Jr.'s performance will be hard to top for years to come…however, now that Will Smith has started to get back in the swing of things as the action hero her really is with his 'inspired sort of' return in I Am Legend which was a bit over the top to his virtual resurrection as Hancock on the spot on the annual calendar that once might have been relabeled, "The 4th of July as brought to you by Will Smith" back when a Will Smith action movie actually meant it was going to be a fireworks-packed, all-you-can-eat-barbeque-ribs, no-holds-barred, alien-smashing, celebration worthy of the birthday of the world's oldest-surviving with a continuously-operating government country on the face of the globe (insofar as we know, and we don't know that we aren't the puppets of the hive mind of the bees).
[Don't worry that does not break the record for longest sentence ever, not even close, but it does capture how exasperatingly good both Will Smith and this movie are. Exasperating because most people, well maybe only I, didn't want there to be a better super hero movie this summer/year than Iron Man. And, probably, Hancock actually isn't quite as good, but it's within a George Carlin word or 50 shy. It's actually kind of too bad that the writers decided that potty mouth is back in and to virtually exhaust George Carlin's list in the first 10 minutes. Had it stopped there, it might have made Hancock more kid friendly than it is from the language point of view. It's still also quite bloody and violent, which is also a shame for the kids who might really get to dig this film without having to break house rules and get the "all you have is your honor" speech from their parents and guardians trying to do the right thing. And, it is the right thing really for pre-teens, probably, not to see this film un-chaperoned. They'll hear worse on certain cable channels, but to be on the safe side, if you want them to see the film, and it's never a bad idea to preview it yourself first, go along with them and be informed or able to answer questions.…continued…or read the spoiler points…
The 4th of July as brought to you by Will Smith.
Other Recent Reviews:
Wanted (2008) [R] 110 minutes WIP™ Scale: $14.00
Get Smart (2008) [PG-13] 110 minutes WIP™ Scale: $10.00
The Happening (2008) [R] 91 minutes WIP™ Scale: $14.25
Son of Rambow (2008) [PG-13] 96 minutes WIP™ Scale: $13.75
The Incredible Hulk (2008) [PG-13] 114 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.50
The Love Guru (2008) [PG-13] 88 minutes WIP™ Scale: $7.50
Kung Fu Panda (2008) [PG] 92 minutes WIP™ Scale: $14.00
The Wackness (2008) [R] 108 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.50
You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) [PG-13] 113 minutes WIP™ Scale: $10.25
The Strangers (2008) [R] 90 minutes WIP™ Scale: $11.00
Sex and the City (2008) [R] 148 minutes WIP™ Scale: $11.25
Indiana Jones 4 (2008) [PG-13] 124 minutes WIP™ Scale: $13.50
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) [PG] 147 minutes WIP™ Scale: $12.75
Frontier(s) (2008) [NC-17] 108 minutes WIP™ Scale: $4.25
Film Premiere and Award Photo Sets
archive: 2008 • 2007 | Videos from the Latest Premieres
Listed in Order of Publication in the mEd database not necessarily chronologically...
Step Brothers Premiere • Mamma Mia! The Movie Premiere • The Dark Knight Premiere • Wanted Premiere • Wall-E Premiere • The Love Guru Premiere • Kung Fu Panda Premiere • The Incredible Hulk (2008) Premiere • The Happening Premiere • Hancock Premiere • Get Smart Premiere • Camp Rock Premiere • You Don't Mess with the Zohan Premiere • Sex and the City Premiere • Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Premiere • What Happens in Vegas Premiere • Made of Honor Premiere • Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Premiere • Forgetting Sarah Marshall Premiere • The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Premiere • (continued)
Brand New Posters Just In:
New Poster Archive: 2007 • 2008 | TV Posters: 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008
New as of 16-July-08
Brand New Stand-Ups Just In:
New Stand-Ups Archive: 2008
New as of 16-July-08
Recent Movie Star Birthdays:
birthdays: last month / this month / next month / by month / alphabetically
[click star names to see tribute pages]
| 21-Jul | 20-Jul | 19-Jul | ||||||||
| Josh Hartnett | Sandra Oh | Jared Padalecki | ||||||||
| (click to purchase) | (click to purchase) | ||||||||
| Also: Robin Williams | Also: Charlie Korsmo Simon Rex | Also: Anthony Edwards | ||||||||
| 18-Jul | 17-Jul | 16-Jul | ||||||||
| Vin Diesel | David Hasselhoff | Corey Feldman | ||||||||
| (click to purchase) |
| ||||||||
| Also: James Brolin Elizabeth McGovern | Also: Diahann Carroll Donald Sutherland Mike Vogel Alex Winter | Also: Phoebe Cates | ||||||||
| 15-Jul | ||||||||||
| Forest Whitaker | Related DVDs | Related DVDs | ||||||||
(click to purchase) | ||||||||||
| Also: Willie Aames Lolita Davidovich Brian Austin Green Eddie Griffin Jan-Michael Vincent |  |  |
Movies Now on DVD and Download:
DVD releases: Archive / This Week / Next Week
(click poster to purchase)
Shutter (2008) [PG-13]-- W.I.P. Scale™ Rating: $8.50
Review-lite: Banjong Pisanthanakun made the original Thai version of Shutter. The Hollywood version, written by Luke Dawson and directed by Masayuki Ochiai, starts with newlyweds Benjamin (Joshua Jackson) and Jane Shaw (Rachael Taylor) relocating to Tokyo for his new job as a photographer. While driving at night in rural Japan on their Honeymoon, Jane is startled when she believes she's just hit a woman crossing in the middle of road. No one nor any body is ever found; however, then, Jane sees visions of the woman she believes she hit and ghostly images show up in Ben's photos. The twist is a bit better concealed, though, perhaps affording a modicum more thrill than the others of the genre. In the end, Shutter's trailer with the awesome vibrational music probably resonates better than the film as a whole. Unfortunately, it's just not new or fresh enough to really captivate. (click for full details and complete review) • (click to purchase Shutter)
Also This Week:
The Bank Job • College Road Trip • Meet Bill • Step Up 2 The Streets
Previously or Recently Announced Available for Pre-Order:
21 • August • Baby Mama • Doomsday • The Forbidden Kingdom • Forgetting Sarah Marshall • Hannah Montana And Miley Cyrus: Best Of Both Worlds Concert • Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay • Leatherheads • Made of Honor • Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day • Never Back Down • Nim's Island • Prom Night • Shine a Light • What Happens in Vegas •
Movies Coming Soon:
Dynamic Calendar Jan 2007 - Jun 2009 with links to official sites, trailers, reviews & more
Plain Calendars: 2006 • 2007 • 2008-09
Friday, 18 July 2008
The Dark Knight • Mamma Mia! • Space Chimps
in limited release only: Felon • Mad Detective • Transiberian
Friday, 25 July 2008
Step Brothers • X-Files: I Want to Believe
in limited release only: American Teen • Boy A • Henry Poole is Here
Top 10 Hottest-Selling Movie Posters:
(source: our friends at
| #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 |
| The Dark Knight | Indiana Jones 4 | Sex and the City | Hancock |
| #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 |
| Wall-E | Iron Man | Twilight | Mummy 3 |
| #9 | #10 | ||
| Chronicles of Narnia 2 | Quantum of Solace |
Movie Poster Extravaganzas:
Here we honor the Batman franchise with this movie poster extravaganza.
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