"Love & Other Drugs"

[From advanced press screening]

If you catch the "Love & Other Drugs" trailer recently and expect to see a cute story of boy meets girl... beware. It's a hard R-rated romcom - more on the comedy side but with doses of sappiness - for adult audience. It shouldn't be confused with a mild PG-13 romcom.

Jake Gyllenhaal (Jamie Randall) and Anne Hathaway (Maggie Murdock) reunite after their distinctive roles in "Brokeback Mountain." Jamie as a smooth-talker drug rep and a player among the ladies, and Maggie as a carefree artist with Parkinson's disease.
 After an eye-popping encounter during an examination in a doctor's office (Hank Azaria), Jamie and Maggie seem inseparable while maintaining a non-committal relationship. Smitten and bitten by a love bug, the two share caring and heartbreaking moments. What started as a purely physical relationship is becoming real.

Things are complicated by Jamie's fast-track career to the top of the pharmaceutical industry and Maggie's incurable condition. They recognize the true person and potential behind the other's persona. Love may be the ultimate drug of all.

With product placements as co-star, it makes you question whether a certain drug prescribed to a patient is the best choice or because it's the one gets peddled by overzealous reps, with the likes of Jamie (and his boss, played by Oliver Platt) and Trey Hannigan (Gabriel Macht), to medical offices and hospitals. Josh Randall (Josh Gad), Jamie's wealthy, geeky brother cheers on and tags along for the ride with his gross-out gags. 

The movie relies heavily on the couple's chemistry and all-around, in-your-face saucy antics and lewd humor. Its attempts to equally appeal to both male and female audiences come across as fragmented. Nevertheless, Hathaway deserves kudos for her sensitive portrayal amidst all the excessively gratuitous shots and crudeness. Gyllenhaal wears both aggressive and lovesick look well.  

Personally, raunchy comedy is not my "cup of tea," but those who are into movies like "Knocked Up" or "40-Year Old Virgin" may find it just plain fun. 

http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/movie-review-love-drugs/ 

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/25w4mo4

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Press Screening: "Love & Other Drugs"

Note: Original post dated 11/22/10 got deleted.

I attended the press screening a few weeks ago as a backup reviewer for SD Entertainer. The review has been submitted but the site is down due to a technical glitch.

"Love & Other Drugs" opens nationwide on November 24.
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11/24/10 *Update* http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/movie-review-love-drugs/

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"Tangled"

"Tangled" is a fun fairy tale with a modern twist and a message to follow our dream.  The mass of bright lanterns floating in the night skies is magical.

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/2fdy7l8

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My fellow columnist at SD Entertainer, child film critic Perry Chen*** specializing in kid-friendly movies, gives "Tangled" a 4.5-"stafish" rating. Full review is available at: http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/movie-review-tangled/

***At 10, Perry Chen is the youngest award-winning entertainment critic, TV personality, Annie Awards presenter, filmmaker/animator, and radio host, reviewing movies and entertainment from a child’s perspective. He has been interviewed by Katie Couric (CBS Evening News) and Liane Hansen (NPR). He has interviewed Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera, director & producer of Pixar's "Up." Perry is currently partnering with an Oscar-nominated animator, Bill Plympton, in a new animation about the Holocaust (2011 release).

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"Faster"

*Press Screening*

"The Rock" is back in furious form (no "Tooth Fairy" here) and it's good to see what he does best.  

Having been released from prison after 10 years, muscle-bound "Driver" (Dwayne Johnson) sprints toward freedom and finds his ride.  He single-mindedly hunts and guns down those who set up and ambushed his gang after a bank robbery getaway and executed his brother in cold blood.

With high-strung "Killer" (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), deadbeat "Cop" (Billy Bob Thornton) and inquisitive "Detective" (Carla Gugino) in pursuit, it's a race for Driver to finish his job. Telemarketer, sex offender, strip club bouncer, priest (and eventually leader) have nowhere to hide. "God can't save you from me," as Driver states with a straight face.  

It's a stark story (the main characters don't even have names). There's no confusion or hesitation as far as what Driver sets out to do, although Cop may have his own reason to chase other than justice. In a supporting role as Cop's wife, Moon Bloodgood holds a connection that shouldn't be dismissed. Killer provides a tad of flash with his "movie-star" good looks, cash, requisite sports car and beautiful woman (Maggie Grace).

"Faster" is a Dwayne Johnson movie; kill first and talk later. It's nothing more, nothing less and that's what I expected.

"Faster" opens nationwide on November 24.

http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/movie-faster/

http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/movie-faster/
DVD: http://tinyurl.com/25bgrf7

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"Unstoppable"

Tony Scott-Denzel Washington's collaborations ("The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3," "Deja Vu," "Man on Fire") mirror those of superbly recurring director-actor combo, Martin Scorsese-Leonardo DiCaprio and Tim Burton-Johnny Depp. They work together so well that you can bet you'll get a stellar work on the screen.

"Unstoppable" is inspired by a true event in 2001 where a train departed from a railyard in Ohio, unmanned for 66 miles. There was no casualty in that incident, but the movie steps up the suspense by taking on the "what-if?" scenario.

There is an air of resentment when veteran railroad engineer Frank Barnes (Washington) meets his junior, Will Colson (Chris Pine, "Star Trek") on his first day on the job as a rail conductor. The situation reflects an all too real "new economy" where some baby boomers are forced to retire and replaced by their younger counterparts. As a new kid on the block, the one who gets the job based on nepotism no less, Will isn't eager to hear the ridicules and sarcastically shoots back.

Fright hits the rail center managed by Connie Hooper (Rosario Dawson) when a freight train, loaded with tons of toxic chemicals, accidentally runs sans its engineer (Ethan Suplee) at full-throttle speed. Unless stopped or derailed, this "missile on wheels" (with the size of the Chrysler building) will continue to barrel down past the farmlands and small towns, and eventually through an elevated curvy track toward a densely populated city of Stanton (population of 752,000). 'Galvin' (Kevin Dunn), Connie's supervisor at corporate (and his higher-up), more concerned about the company's potentially plummeting stock prices, leads the botched attempt to stop the train on its track.

With the unmanned train picking up speed to 75 mph and the possibility of failed derailment ahead, Frank and Will take the hazardous matter into their own hands. While they don't necessarily turn into buddies, they've developed a rapport. They talk about their families - widower Frank with two teenage daughters working their way through college, and Will as a father of a toddler son with a wife who has filed a restraining order against him.

Frank and Will are ordinary people placed in an out-of-ordinary situation who decide to do the extraordinary. They pursue the train with the plan to attach their locomotive from reverse and slow it down to a halt. The most nail-biting moment happens when Will, stormed by gravels, is missing from view. Frank's jumping from the back of one car to another is pure adrenaline rush. With a last-minute assistance from another railyard personnel, 'Ned' (Lew Temple), driving a pickup truck parallel to the track, Will and Frank put an end to this treacherous trajectory at last.

The undercarriage shots of the speeding metal and rumbling of locomotive commotions strike a contrast with the wooded greens and tranquility of rural Pennsylvania. Washington's fist-pumping scene atop the train is triumphantly iconic.

The efficient, edge-of-your seat execution can be attributed to its capable cast and crew. The simplistic story about a runaway train in "Unstoppable" is, plain and simple, unstoppably good.

http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/movie-review-unstoppable/

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/36mhajw

DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/323peka

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Black Friday: Movies-TV Deals

Look for favorite DVDs to be priced as low as $1.99 and blu-ray discs $5 in "Movies & TV Lightning Deals," running November 22-29 (Thanksgiving week through Cyber Monday) on Amazon.  

"Movies & TV Lightning Deals" are available at limited quantity and time-specific (different DVDs are only available within 4-hour window and must be purchased within 15 minutes once you put it in your shopping cart).  

***Bookmark "Movies & TV Lightning Deals" page and check back daily for selections and specially discounted prices: http://tinyurl.com/2f7fm7p

"Regular" deals are also available at: http://tinyurl.com/2f24x9t  

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S.  Movie DVDs and online streaming sites are now posted on the right-hand side of the blog.

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Upcoming Movies: December 2010

12/3 - "Black Swan" (ltd.) (http://www.foxsearchlight.com/blackswan/)
12/10 - "The Tourist" (http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thetourist/), "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," (http://www.narnia.com/us/), "The Company Men" (http://www.thecompanymenfilm.com/)
12/17 - "Tron: Legacy" (http://disney.go.com/tron/)
12/22 - "Gulliver's Travels" (http://www.gulliverstravelsthemovie.com/)

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Note: "Unstoppable"

"Unstoppable" review is now up on http://www.sdentertainer.com/arts/reviews-arts/movie-review-unstoppable/  The review will be posted on the blog next week.

Posted via email from The MovieMaven

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Top Money-Saving Sites

Potential discounted movie tickets are available at:
Bulk Tix - http://www.bulktix.com/
Discount Movie Passes - http://www.discountmoviepasses.com/
Get1Free - http://www.get1free.com/
MovieBuzzed - http://www.moviebuzzed.com/
Movie Ticket Savings - http://www.movieticketsavings.com/

Of course, the most convenient way is to always carry your frequent movie-goer card from your favorite theater and accumulate those points for free tickets and concession food & beverage.

On a separate note, non-movie daily bargain links (50-90% off) are now listed under "Hot Deals" on the right-hand side of the blog by "Top Resources." I personally have used the majority of these sites for all kinds of services and saved tons.

Happy savings!

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Just For Fun: Movie Personality

What's your movie personality?  Action?  Drama?  Adventure?  Romance?  Comedy?  Horror?  Take a quiz and find out!

http://www.beliefnet.com/Entertainment/Quizzes/Movie-Personality-Quiz.aspx
http://www.youthink.com/quiz.cfm?action=go_detail&sub_action=take&obj_id=1471
http://www.funquizcards.com/quiz/movies/find-your-movie-personality.php

Posted via email from The MovieMaven

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"Megamind"

"Megamind" tackles nature vs. nurture, expected roles, society obligations vs. free will. It bucks the traditional story of good winning over evil; the good guy beats the bad guy and gets the girl in the end.
While Metroman crash-landed from space into luxury on earth, Megamind into prison. Would Metroman live up to the superhero hype and Megamind be forever destined for villainy? What happens when there's a new evil in town?
Big blue-headed and lanky Megamind (Will Ferrell), and his relationships with fishy minion-guardian and reporter Roxanne Ritchie (Tina Fey), are front and center. Metroman, as flashy hero as he's introduced, turns out to be no more than a minor role in their playing (or fighting) ground called Metro City.
The physical contortions and the bells and whistles are fun to watch, but the jokes are wickedly funny. Like "The Incredibles," the lines are written for adults. I don't think kids would understand the "big words" banters or a play of on the slogan used in the Obama political campaign.
In the world of heroes vs. villains, mistaken identity, and lifelong rivalry, the story has an original twist. "Megamind" is mega-fantastic!

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My fellow columnist at SD Entertainer, child film critic Perry Chen*** specializing in kid-friendly movies, gives "Megamind" a 4-"stafish" rating.  Full review is available at:  http://tinyurl.com/28a9sxs

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/26y22og

DVD (blu-ray): http://tinyurl.com/29lvu8g

***At 10, Perry Chen is the youngest award-winning entertainment critic, TV personality, Annie Awards presenter, filmmaker/animator, and radio host, reviewing movies and entertainment from a child’s perspective. He has been interviewed by Katie Couric (CBS Evening News) and Liane Hansen (NPR). He has interviewed Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera, director & producer of Pixar's "Up." Perry is currently partnering with an Oscar-nominated animator, Bill Plympton, in a new animation about the Holocaust (2011 release).

Posted via email from The MovieMaven

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Movie Trend: Big Brother

Movie theaters soon to begin watching you.  One company is developing a system that will watch moviegoers to help analyze their reactions for film directors, cinema advertisers, and theater chains.

Read full story at Moviefone:

http://tinyurl.com/38j8f4s

Posted via email from The MovieMaven

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Top Resources

Top movie-related sites are now posted on the right-hand side of the page under "Top Resources" at http://themoviemaven.posterous.com/  Informative, interesting, fun resources - including but not limited to free advance screenings, pop culture convention, upcoming trailers, bloopers, spoilers, studio tours, star-studded premieres, be in a movie as an extra.

Comic-Con - http://www.comic-con.org/
Film Metro - http://www.filmmetro.com/
GoFoBo - http://www.gofobo.com/
Wild About Movies - http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/
Be In A Movie - http://www.beinamovie.com/
Coming Soon - http://www.comingsoon.net/
Hollywood Tickets - http://www.hollywoodtickets.com/
Movie Bloopers - http://www.moviemistakes.com/
MovieFone - http://www.moviefone.com/
Movie Spoilers - http://www.themoviespoiler.com/
The Oscars - http://oscar.go.com/
Seeing-Stars - http://www.seeing-stars.com/Calendar/index.shtml

***Top non-movie sites for daily bargains are now listed under "Hot Deals" at http://themoviemaven.posterous.com

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"Hereafter"

I was dragging my feet to see "Hereafter."  I'm not into paranormal or supernatural story, but the trailer looks mystifyingly interesting, and the director's name attached to it, Clint Eastwood ("Mystic River," "Million Dollar Baby"), is hard to ignore. 

The introductory pieces, giving glimpses into the lives of three characters in different countries (famed French journalist Marie LeLay, Cécile De France; jaded San Franciscan psychic-turned-factory worker George Lonegan, Matt Damon; English twin boys Marcus/Jason, Frankie/George McLaren), start dramatically.

The most powerful opening is arguably Marie's, who nearly dies during her vacation in Indonesia after the destructive tsunami wipes out villages and thousands of people.  However, the twin boys' situation, at the hands of an addicted, irresponsible mother, (Lyndsey Marshal) and the needless accident, is insufferable. 

In another continent, George undeniably feels that being able to connect with the deceased is a curse, as seen from his failures of having normal relationships.  The price of having this "gift," including the ability of making money out of it, might be unduly high.  Knowing everything about someone's past, even a love interest (Bryce Dallas Howard), may not be as it's cracked up to be. 

"Hereafter" is steadily slow, but never loses my attention.  There's a pensive aura throughout, but not necessarily depressive.  The trailer makes us believe that this is a "supernatural" film, which may demystify questions such as:  What happens when we die?  Will we see bright white lights?  Does everything fade into black?  Are we truly gone?   Are we watching over the people we leave behind?  Can someone really communicate with the departed and relay the message to the living?  While the trailer may beg these questions, "Hereafter" is largely a drama - with a supernatural element. 

"Hereafter" shows how an everyday act - something that you're doing or not doing - can result in an incident that changes the course of your life, and link you to another human being that you would never have otherwise.  It shows that no matter how precious (or how awful) someone had been to you, life goes on and somehow you'd have to find a way to cope and move on.  Don't go in expecting insight into the afterlife; "Hereafter" mostly deals with here and now. 

DVD: http://tinyurl.com/22tu42x

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