Friends With Kids

A great cast (John Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph, Megan Fox, Edward Burns) with a script that seems to take a different comedic approach to parenthood than screaming, pooping, food-throwing little ones. It’s got just as much potential as Bridesmaids and is likely to be more surprisingly good.


Casa de mi Padre

Will Ferrell movies are almost always highly quotable, and you won’t want to be left out of the loop. It’s not a big budget comedy, and so it’s not going to seem cookie cutter, especially with Matt Piedmont (FUNNYorDIE.COM staff director) at the helm and the inclusion of Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna. Maybe you don’t know those names yet… but you will after enjoying this one.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home

Enjoy THE LEAGUE? If you’ve heard of it, you have, which means you should probably be more familiar with Mark Duplass, not to mention his brother Jay. They’re behind this one, but it stars Jason Segel (who you definitely know) and Ed Helms (THE OFFICE, HANGOVER I & II). Susan Sarandon and Judy Greer might be wild cards in this one, as I’m not sure what to expect out of either of them, but I’m betting the Duplass brothers help everything turn out right.

The Hunger Games

It’s a wildly popular book series which isn’t necessarily aimed at teens / “young adults”. For those of us who initially ignored it under false assumptions, it’s time to find out why everyone who reads it seems to get hooked by it.

Wrath of the Titans

By all rights, this movie shouldn’t have been made. CLASH OF THE TITANS didn’t get good reviews, so the fact that this one got turned over to a new writer and new director and the studio got Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes involved is very intriguing.

Goon

Jay Baruchel and Evan Goldberg are the creative force behind this one, and paired with the fact that it’s a hockey movie in the vein of SLAP SHOT, that’s all I need to know. I’m hearing good things about (director) Michael Dowse, too.

The Five-Year Engagement

Jason Segel working with Nicholas Stoller (director of FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL) in an R-rated comedy? That’s enough for me. Throwing Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt and (the lovely) Alison Brie in for good measure just makes it all the more intriguing. If this one’s bad, I’ll be surprised.

Movies To Avoid:

21 Jump Street

Are these types of remakes ever good? Do yourself a favor, wait two weeks after it opens, read the reviews and then decide if you want to watch it. At that point, the theaters won’t be crowded with the type of kids who don’t care what my perspective on the film is because they love Jonah Hill movies.

Mirror Mirror

Though other people might have a vastly different opinion, this looks to me like one of the worst mainstream movies of the past couple years. If you think it looks like PRINCESS BRIDE, I’ll be surprised to hear how let down you are after seeing it.

American Reunion

After all the straight-to-video films in this series, we’re supposed to think this one’s going to be good? I won’t be really surprised if it’s entertaining, but it won’t be good enough for me to see in theaters.

The Three Stooges

If you’ve seen the trailer for this film, you agree. If you haven’t, go watch. You will. It looks worse than Adam Sandler’s JACK AND JILL. The Farrelly Brothers are likely only involved in this one for the pay check.