February 2008
(as seen in the Scottsdale Airpark News)
Movies in theaters are alive and well as Hollywood
continues to release some very exciting films. Why see these films
in a theater instead of at home on your great home theater system?
Some movies are best experienced on a massive screen with amazing
sound, with audience interaction, or maybe that guilty pleasure
-- with hot liquid butter poured all over that big bag of popcorn.
There could be one annoyance though -- deciding just what to see,
given there are often five or more new movies released every week.
So with your busy life, if you could see just one newly released
movie per week, which five in February should they be?
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For the weekend of February 1, it is
“Over Her Dead Body”, starring
Eva Longoria Parker (Desperate Housewives), Paul Rudd (Knocked
Up), Lake Bell (Boston Legal), Jason Biggs (American Pie),
and Lindsay Sloane (Dog Gone Love), directed by Jeff Lowell
(John Tucker Must Die). Genre: romantic comedy / fantasy,
rated PG-13. The plot: Devastated when his fiancée
Kate (Longoria) is killed on their wedding day, Henry (Rudd)
reluctantly agrees to consult a psychic named Ashley (Bell)
at the urging of his sister Chloe (Sloane). Despite his
skepticism over her psychic abilities, Henry finds himself
falling hard for Ashley, and vice versa. But there is a
big snag. Ashley is being haunted by Kate's ghost, who considers
it her heavenly duty to break up Henry and Ashley's fledgling
romance, if it is the last thing she does on this earthly
plane.
The other five movies opening this weekend are Caramel,
Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds
Concert Tour, Strange Wilderness,
The Eye, and Trailer Park Boys:
The Movie. |
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For the weekend of February 8, and the Scottsdale
Airpark News Movie of the Month, it is “The
Spiderwick Chronicles”, starring Freddie Highmore
(August Rush), David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum), Sarah
Bolger (Premonition), Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Andrew McCarthy
(E-Ring), and Martin Short, directed by Mark Waters. Genre:
family adventure / fantasy / drama, rated PG. The plot: When
the three Grace children, troubled Jared (Highmore), his bookish
twin Simon, and their fencing jock sister Mallory (Bolger),
move to the ancient Spiderwick (Strathairn) mansion, they
are at first unimpressed by the rundown Victorian. Then they
discover a Brownie, an enchanted creature, living in the walls.
They soon find a book: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to
the Fantastical World Around You, that will open their eyes
to the invisible, odd, and sometimes dangerous world of boggarts
(Short), dragons, phookas, fairies, sprites and goblins that
are all around them. When they cross paths with the ogre Mulgarath,
it becomes apparent that he will stop at nothing to get his
hands on the Guide. Based on the best selling series of books
by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.
The other six movies opening this weekend are: Fool’s
Gold, In Bruges, The Band’s
Visit, The Hottie and the Nottie,
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, and Wild
West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights – Hollywood
to the Heartland. |
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For the weekend of February 15, it is “Jumper”,
starring, Hayden Christensen (Star Wars), Samuel L. Jackson,
Rachel Bilson (The O.C.), Jamie Bell (Flags of Our Fathers),
and Diane Lane, directed by Doug Liman (Mr. and Mrs. Smith).
Genre: action-adventure / science fiction, rated PG-13. The
plot: A young man, Davey (Christensen), learns that he has
a new power to instantly teleport anywhere he wants by simply
using his mind. He decides to use this new power to escape
his unbearable family life, fight crime and hunt down the
man who killed his mother. However, there are forces out there
that wish to destroy him and all other Jumpers (Bell). Now
he must pursue his goals with the NSA hot on his tail, who
is interested in harnessing his powers for their own gains.
The other four movies opening this weekend are: Definitely
Maybe, Diary of the Dead, My
Blueberry Nights, and Step Up 2 the Streets. |
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For the weekend of February 22, it is “Vantage
Point”, starring Dennis Quaid, William Hurt,
Matthew Fox (Lost), Sigourney Weaver, Forest Whitaker, and
Zoe Saldana (Guess Who), directed by Pete Travis (Henry VIII).
Genre: drama / suspense / thriller, not yet rated. The plot:
Thomas Barnes (Quaid) and Kent Taylor (Fox), are two Secret
Service agents assigned to protect President Ashton (Hurt)
at a landmark summit on the global war on terror. When President
Ashton is shot moments after his arrival in Spain, chaos ensues
and disparate lives collide. In the crowd is Howard Lewis
(Whitaker) an American tourist video taping the historic event
to show his kids when he returns home. Also there is Rex (Weaver)
an American TV news producer who is reporting on the conference.
It's only as we follow each person's perspective of the same
15 minutes prior to and immediately after the shooting that
the terrifying truth behind the assassination attempt is revealed.
The other five movies opening this weekend are: Be
Kind Rewind, Charlie Bartlett, Possession,
The Signal, and Witless Protection. |
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For the weekend of February 29, it is “The
Other Boleyn Girl”, starring Natalie Portman,
Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana (Munich), and Kristin Scott
Thomas (Keeping Mum), directed by Justin Chadwick (Bleak House).
Genre: historical romantic / drama, rated PG-13. The plot:
Based on a novel by Philippa Gregory the story revolves around
the ferociously ambitious Boleyn sisters, Mary (Portman) and
Anne (Johansson), who are rivals for the bed and heart of
16th century English King Henry VIII (Bana). A side note:
while this dynasty is one of the most dynamic royal families
in English history, the reason we are so fascinated with the
Tudors centuries after they ruled, is how truly dysfunctional
the family was. The royal court was constantly full of intrigue,
betrayal and multiple sex partners, especially the court of
King Henry VIII. In just a 38 year rule, Henry managed to
go through six wives and countless mistresses. The Other Boleyn
Girl focuses on Mary Boleyn's time in the royal court from
her arrival as a little girl until her mid-life.
The other five movies opening this weekend are: Chicago
10, City of Men, Mama I
Want to Sing!, Penelope, and Semi-Pro. |
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These are
expected to play at the multiplexes in the Scottsdale, AZ - Airpark
area including:
Harkins Scottsdale 101 at 7000 E. Mayo Blvd. 480-538-1707
AMC Desert Ridge 18 at 21000 N. Tatum Blvd. 480-606-0806
United Artists (Regal) Sonora Village 10 at 15512 N. Pima
Rd. 480-998-1300
Farrelli’s Cinema Supper Club at 14202 N. Scottsdale
Rd. 480-905-7200
Furthermore, gong to the movies still gives you the most entertainment
“bang for the buck” when compared to a similar two hour
venture at any professional sporting event, play or music performance.
See you at the movies!
Note: While the release dates & ratings for
these movies were correct at the time of printing, studios sometimes
make last-minute changes. If this happens, we apologize for any
inconvenience.
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