Week 1 (Street Date 12/1/2009)

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Brooklyn Heist

Studio: Image MPAA Rating: PG13 Genre: Act-Com Pre Order Date: 11/2/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: Ltd Number Of Screens: Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2008 Fest Director: Julian M. Kheel Cast: Danny Masterson, Leon, Dominique Swain Videoretailer.com Review: ‘Connie’ (Phyllis Somerville) is an aging, cranky racist who runs a run-down pawnshop in Brooklyn with the help of her dim-witted son, and the big safe behind the main counter of the shop has always been an itching mystery for local hoods who speculate about what’s stashed inside. When Connie’s ailing heart sends her to the hospital, three gangs of would-be thieves swing into action -- "The Amateurs," led by ‘Fitz’ (Danny Masterson) and ‘Dino’ (Michael Cecchi), who seem to have learned everything they know about crime from watching old mob movies; Wannabe rap gangstas "The Moolies,"; and "The Sputniks," who hail from some former Soviet republic and literally live in black and white. Unfortunately, none of these inept thieves are aware of the other two groups -- and they're all surprised to find they've chosen the same night to knock over the pawnshop. Wacky goofball comedy doesn’t pretend to be anything other than this, and manages to be entertaining an enjoyable for the most part…it’s not going to be any kind of big surprise sleeper hit by any stretch, but unlike many other similar indie comedies, this doesn’t suck. Most should be alright with 1-5…maybe a few more for stores with heavier traffic. IMDB User Rating = 8.8 (out of 10).

Christmas Tale, A

Studio: Image MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: 10/12/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 1.0 Number Of Screens: 47 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 11/14/09 Director: Arnaud Desplechin Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon - France Videoretailer.com Review: ‘Abel’ and his wife ‘Junon’ (Catherine Deneuve) are a French couple living happily with their daughter ‘Elizabeth” and son ‘Joseph” until things take a dark turn when Joseph is diagnosed with a rare and deadly condition. A bone marrow transplant could save him, but none of the family are compatible donors – not even a third child, ‘Henri’, conceived as a last resort effort to save Joseph. After Joseph dies a young boy, nobody in the family found the strength to recover, and now, years later, Junon is diagnosed with the same lymphoma, and while some family members may be a good match for the marrow transplant, the family has become critically dysfunctional – tensions run high as they all gather over the holidays at the family home. Very long (151 minutes), talky French drama is confounding as it pounds home the fact that this family doesn’t have it all together – over and over again, but the performances, writing, atmosphere and chemistry among the host of unlikable characters is good enough that fans of heady foreign drama are likely to love this critic’s favorite…others will find it pretentious and unbearable…this has an outside chance of being a Best Foreign Picture nomination, and by the way, it’s not a feel-good Christmas flick despite the title. Given the thick dramatic nature of this film, and the fact that it’s a foreign picture, most shouldn’t need more than 1-4. IMDB User Rating = 7.3 (out of 10).

Deadline

Studio: First Look MPAA Rating: R Genre: Thriller Pre Order Date: 10/26/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: DTV Number Of Screens: Non-U.S. Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2009 Non-U.S. Director: Sean McConville Cast: Thora Birch, Brittany Murphy, Marc Blucas Videoretailer.com Review: ‘Alice’ (Brittany Murphy) is a 32-year old writer recovering from a nervous breakdown who retreats to a remote Victorian house to convalesce and focus on finishing her screenplay in time for a fast approaching deadline. Shortly after her arrival, mysterious noises and strange happenings cause her imagination to run wild, sending her on a twisting and terrifying pursuit to find out what is behind the endless mind games. Frightened but intrigued, Alice gathers the courage to go the attic where she finds a shoe box filled with mini-dv tapes that contain a shocking secret about Alice's dark past. Run-of-the-mill premise is trumped by a good cast and very good boxart…this should find some okay mainstream interest that would have been better had this been released 2 months prior, but there’s always appeal to be found with psycho thrillers. Compare with 10/09’s “100 Feet”. IMDB User Rating = 6.3 (out of 10).

Death Warrior

Studio: Lions Gate MPAA Rating: R Genre: Action Pre Order Date: 11/4/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: DTV Number Of Screens: Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: Director: Bill Corcoran Cast: Hector Echavarria, Nick Mansuco, Quinton 'Rampage' Johnson Videoretailer.com Review: A gritty MMA fighter (Hector Echavarria) is forced into a twisted, underground gambling ring in which he must fight to the death with other MMA fighters in order to save his wife from certain death at the hands of a maniacal crime boss. In a desperate race against time, he is forced into a series of increasingly violent life and death matches while simultaneously piecing together the puzzle which leads him to uncover the identity of the promoter and the ultimate showdown, in which there can only be one Death Warrior. Low-rent action movie with a $3M budget stars various MMA fighters and will appeal to fans of extreme fighting and of bottom shelf action flicks. Boxart is goofy but tells the story…most should be alright with 1-5.

Girl In The Park, The

Studio: Weinstein MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Drama Pre Order Date: 10/19/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: Ltd Number Of Screens: Fests Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2008 Fests Director: David Auburn Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Kate Bosworth, Keri Russell, Elias Koteas Videoretailer.com Review: Enduringly traumatized by the disappearance of her 3-year-old daughter 15 years ago, ‘Julia Sandburg’ (Sigourney Weaver) has cut herself off from anyone once near and dear to her, including her husband ‘Doug’ and son ‘Chris’ (Allesandro Nivola), who tried for years to penetrate her wall of isolation and despair, without success. But when Julia meets ‘Louise’ (Kerri Russell), a troubled young woman with a checkered past, all Julia's old psychic wounds painfully resurface, as does her illogical and increasingly irrational hope that lowlife Louise may be the daughter she lost so long ago. Mediocre dialogue and an over-the-top performance from Weaver make this melodramatic psycho thriller an almost silly affair. Less cynical fans of human-interest dramas should be able to enjoy, but the other side will find much of this unbearably overwrought. Very good starpower will find pretty good mainstream interest for a title with little to no awareness, but word-of-mouth will do no favors. Compare with 8/09’s “Fragments”. IMDB User Rating = 6.6 (out of 10).

Into The Storm

Studio: HBO MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Bio-Dra Pre Order Date: 10/27/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: TV09 Number Of Screens: HBO Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 5/09 HBO Director: Thaddeus O'Sullivan Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Iain Glen, Len Cariou Videoretailer.com Review: Brendan Gleeson stars as the intrepid British leader Winston Churchill whose fiery rhetoric inspired Allied forces to fight back against Hitler's Germany to with everything they've got as the flames of war spread throughout Europe, and Churchill rose to the call and became a national hero, disregarding the detrimental effects his actions had on both his political career and his marriage to lifelong supporter ‘Clemmie ‘(Janet McTeer) in a single-minded effort to defeat one of history's greatest tyrants. Sequel to HBO's award-winning film “The Gathering Storm”, this worthy follow-up has a good performance from the always reliable Gleeson who won an Emmy for his role, but as good as it is, it’s not a match for Albert Finney’s rendition of Churchill. Nominated for 12 Emmys, winning 2, this should have good appeal with fans of the first, and with fans of historical dramas. Most should be alright with 1-6. IMDB User Rating = 7.2 (out of 10).

Live!

Studio: Weinstein MPAA Rating: R Genre: Dramedy Pre Order Date: 10/19/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: Ltd Number Of Screens: Fest Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2007 Fest Director: Bill Guttentag Cast: Eva Mendes, David KrumHoltz, Katie Cassidy, Eric Lively, Missi Pyle Videoretailer.com Review: Mockumentary follows ABN network president ‘Katy Courbet’ (Eva Mendes) and up-and-coming documentary filmmaker ‘Rex’ as inspiration strikes to create the most daring reality program eve - Russian Roulette, network style, with contestants competing for 5 million dollars on-air, complete with loaded guns. As seen through the lens of a documentary film crew, the film examines the competitive and often gut-wrenching world of television production, where everyone from the crew to the contestants to the network brass becomes engulfed in a ratings battle to the top - a battle where questions of morality and ethics culminate in a darkly humorous way. Part drama, part pitch-black comedy, this well-made mockumentary gives the audience plenty to think about as reality TV further pushes the envelope of bad taste with every passing season, and this has the potential to be a minor sleeper hit – the cast will help find mainstream appeal, and the premise may seal the deal for some while the morbidity will turn off those who don’t groove on films void of warm & fuzzies. Limited festival screenings found mostly very good reviews from both critics and consumer. Most should be good with 1-6. IMDB User Rating = 5.8 (out of 10).

Mental - Season 1 (4dsc)

Studio: Fox MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Drama Pre Order Date: 11/4/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: TV09 Number Of Screens: Fox Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2009 Fox Director: Cast: Chris Vance, Jacqueline McKenzie, Derek Webster Videoretailer.com Review: Season 1 of 1 and counting (?), this Fox drama follows the story of ‘Dr. Jack Gallagher’ (Chris Vance), a dynamic, young psychiatrist who becomes Director of Mental Health Services at a Los Angeles hospital. There he must reconcile his effective, yet highly unorthodox treatment methods with his conservative boss, hospital administrator Nora Skoff, a woman with whom he shares a romantic past. As Gallagher takes on new cases, he is confronted with patients battling unknown, misunderstood and often misdiagnosed conditions. Gallagher delves inside their minds to gain a true understanding of who his patients are, allowing him to uncover what just might be the key to their long-term recovery. Very much a psycho ward version of “House”, this okay drama quickly found a fanbase that wavered over the course of its first season as the series hit several bumps in the road…currently it appears to be up in the air weather Fox will greenlight a 2nd season. Though comparisons to “House” are hot & heavy in the blog rooms, don’t mistake this for having the same appeal…you may want to tread lightly with ordering this $50 4-disc set until you get a feel for the interest in your market.

Night At The Museum: Battle For the Smithsonian

Studio: Fox MPAA Rating: PG Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: 11/4/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 177.2  Number Of Screens: 4101 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 5/22/09 Director: Shawn Levy Cast: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest, Ricky Gervais Videoretailer.com Review: Ben Stiller stars as ‘Larry Daley’, who has left his night watchman gig at the Natural History Museum in D.C. to become the CEO of a successful company that sells his quirky inventions, such as a glow-in-the-dark flashlight. On a return visit to the museum, he learns that most of the exhibits are being shipped to deep storage at the Smithsonian, but when Larry gets an alarming call from miniature cowboy Jed (Owen Wilson), he springs into action to help his old friends who are engaged in a battle with the ancient leader ‘Kahmunrah’ (Hank Azaria) who – thanks to a magical tablet has sprung back to life with a thirst for world domination. So-so sequel has a few laughs here and there, but is really a by-the-numbers re-hashing of the first film; just with a bit of a different plot, a few new characters and some unimaginative uses of Smithsonian props. Family friendly yes, but enjoyable by all? Not so much…this is more of a kid thing that’s largely a lazy and forgettable foray into CGI comedy adventure. This said, “Night 2” will have big mainstream appeal and should have very good demand that would normally last 2 – 3 weeks, but due to the holidays, this should have some endurance before it starts slipping away. Compare with 4/09’s “Bedtime Stories, but bump this up for the sequel title recognition, and the fact that December is a better renting month than April…especially for family films. IMDB User Rating = 6.0 (out of 10).

Paper Heart

Studio: Anchor Bay MPAA Rating: PG13 Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: 10/28/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 1.2 Number Of Screens: 96 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 8/8/09 Director: Nicholas Jasenovec Cast: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Seth Rogan, Jake Johnson Videoretailer.com Review: Part documentary, part fictionalized quirky dramedy (and the lines between what’s real and what’s not are significantly blurred) follows the nerdy ‘Charlyne Yi’ as she embarks on a quest across America to make a documentary with her good friend (and director) ‘Nicholas’ (Jake Johnson, starring as this film’s director, directing Yi’s documentary) as they search for answers and advice about love. As Charlyne talks with friends, strangers, scientists, bikers, romance novelists, and children, everyone offers diverse views on whether true love really exists. But, shortly after filming begins, Charlyne meets Michael Cera, starring as himself, and as their relationship develops on camera, her pursuit to discover the nature of love takes on a fresh new urgency. Quite Quirky and very indie, this Sundance hit has otherwise found love-it or hate-it reviews from critics and consumer; some finding it a sweet, simple and touching film, while others found this to be too aware of its indie-ness, and playing that card for all it’s worth. Cera’s starpower will help this a little bit, but “Juno” this ain’t, and the interest will be fairly niche with young hipsters looking for an indie comedy. Maybe compare with 8/09’s “Gigantic”, bumping this up for the bigger appeal to the indie hipster crowd…it’s unlikely, but this could become a surprise sleeper. IMDB User Rating = 6.5 (out of 10).

Sticks And Stones

Studio: Peace Arch MPAA Rating: PG Genre: Family Pre Order Date: 11/3/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: DTV Number Of Screens: Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: Director: George Mihalka Cast: David Sutcliffe, Alexander De Jordy Videoretailer.com Review: Inspired by a true story, this family-friendly flick surrounds a Canadian youth hockey coach who organizes a cross-border Friendship series with an American team, after the Americans were mistreated by its Canadian hosts at a prior match. Not much else to be found on this Canadian family film that should have okay appeal with families – especially those involved with youth hockey programs. The timing is good as the hockey season is in full swing, and the holidays are a good time for family-friendly fare. Most however shouldn’t need more than 1-6, unless hockey reigns king in your community. IMDB User Rating = 6.1 (out of 10).

Terminator: Salvation

Studio: Warner MPAA Rating: R Genre: Sci-Fi Pre Order Date: 10/12/2009 Video Release Date: 12/1/2009 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 125.3 Number Of Screens: 3602 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 5/21/09 Director: McG Cast: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Helena Bonham Carter Videoretailer.com Review: Set in post-apocalyptic 2018, when ‘John Connor’ (Christian Bale) is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators that roam the war-torn streets killing humans. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of ‘Marcus Wright’ (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind. Pretty good addition to the Terminator franchise is darker, grimmer and more serious than its “Hasta La Vista Baby” predecessors, connecting more with the first Terminator’s tone, and while some felt that this was a soul-less CGI extravaganza, others were highly entertained with the non-stop action. The domestic B/O didn’t come close to making the budget back (though $125M is nothing to sneeze at), but the worldwide B/O brought the financers to above-even. This should have very good mainstream demand and will have some endurance through the holidays. Maybe compare with “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, but tone this down a bit as the “R” rating will limit younger audiences, and to be honest, the interest in the Terminator franchise has waned a bit thanks to a crappy “Terminator 3” movie, and to some lackluster over-exposure with the “Sarah Conner Chronicles” TV series. IMDB User Rating = 7.0 (out of 10).