Week 2 (Street Date 1/12/2009)

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Amreeka

Studio: Arts Alliance MPAA Rating: PG13 Genre: Dramedy Pre Order Date: 12/14/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 0.6 Number Of Screens: 40 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 9/18/2009 Director: Cherien Dabis Cast: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem Videoretailer.com Review: Divorcee ‘Mouna’, a Palestinian resident of the West Bank, works as a local bank manager while raising her 16-year-old son ‘Fadi’ amidst the constant violence that occurs around them daily – all the while waiting for a green card so they can move to America. When the card finally arrives, they fly to Chicago, but get a bitter taste of reality behind the American dream when the customs department claims the money that Mouna wrapped in a cookie tin, leaving her penniless, forcing them to move in with Mouna's sister and her family. As Mouna and Fadi try to acclimate, she settles for a job at White Castle when unsuccessful finding a banker’s position, and he navigates his new high school, encountering racism and the imminent threat of violence…not unlike what they were trying to escape. Pretty excellent slice-of-American-life as seen through the eyes of Palestinian immigrants doesn’t fall into being an overly political commentary, nor is it a depressing dirge about the pitfalls these immigrants fall into…it’s actually an uplifting and engaging little drama that has humor, optimism and a realistic vision as it explores the obstacles immigrants can face in America. No starpower will find more of a niche audience, but socially and culturally conscious folks looking for a light, witty drama with very good performances will be quite pleased with this selection that was nominated for the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and was a critic’s fave. Most should be alright with 1-6. IMDB User Rating = 7.0 (out of 10).

Becker - Season 3 (3dsc)

Studio: Paramount MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: 11/30/09 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: TV00 Number Of Screens: CBS Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2000 CBS Director: Cast: Ted Danson, Hattie Winston Videoretailer.com Review: Season 3 of 6, this CBS sitcom stars Ted Danson as a cynical, embittered doctor who dislikes everything and everyone around him. As sitcoms go, this was alright, but never came close to hitting the popularity of shows like Cheers, and hasn’t found much interest on the TV-to-DVD market.

Big Fan

Studio: Visual MPAA Rating: R Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: 12/7/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 0.2 Number Of Screens: 15 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 8/28/09 Director: Robert D. Siegel Cast: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport Videoretailer.com Review: 35-year old parking attendant ‘Paul Aufiero’ (Patton Oswalt) is a hardcore sports fan and fancies himself the New York Giants’ #1 fan. Living at home with this mother and spending all his free time calling sports talk shows – often getting into arguments with Philly Eagles fan / on-air personality ‘Philadelphia Phil’ (Michael Rappaport)…that is when he’s not busy defending his obsession with family who feel he’s wasting his life away. When Paul and pals spot the Giants’ star linebacker, they follow him to a strip club and Paul approaches him and things quickly go south with Paul getting beaten up by his hero. Now, with ensuing media fallout and the Giants heading into the playoffs with the Eagles, Paul’s allegiances and his sense of self are tested. Off-center indie dramedy is a pretty involving exploration of the obsessive fanboy culture that surrounds any team in any sport, and is accented by a great performance from Oswalt. Not your typical sports comedy, this quickly switches gears from funny to serious, usually without missing a beat, and while this won’t appeal, or be enjoyed by most mainstream, it’s a gem for fans of non-formula film…as well as for hardcore sports fans who will relate to both Paul’s personality and his dichotomy. Both critics and consumers who were able to catch its limited release spoke highly. Most should be good with 1-5. IMDB User Rating = 8.1 (out of 10).

Breaking Point

Studio: Lions Gate MPAA Rating: R Genre: Action Pre Order Date: 12/15/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: DTV Number Of Screens: Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: Director: Jeff Celentano Cast: Tom Berenger, Busta Rhymes, Armand Assante, Sticky Fingaz Videoretailer.com Review: ‘Steven Luisi’ (Tom Berenger), a once prominent criminal defense attorney is attempting to come back to the profession after a struggle with drug addiction and a family tragedy, and when he stumbles into a complex, high profile murder case, it quickly leads him down a path that brings him face to face with his own demons. Teaming up with an ex-athlete-turned gang member, Richard "Beanz" Allen (Sticky Fingaz), th two develop a fast friendship, going head to head with the murderous ‘Bowen’ (Busta Rhymes), a vicious Gang leader and Steven's old drug dealer. With Allen's help, Steven discovers that there are deep connections between Bowen, himself, and a corrupt police department. Direct to video crime-actioner has a decent cast that could appeal to both young and old blue-collars and gang-bangers, and traces of anticipation are present on the net. Berenger has okay starpower…good for a DTV, and Fingaz & Rhymes have okay fringe appeal. Most will be alright with 1-6, depending on how DTV actioners with some starpower typically do for you.

Burning Plain, The

Studio: Magnolia MPAA Rating: R Genre: Crime-Dra Pre Order Date: 12/14/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 0.2 Number Of Screens: 26 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 9/18/09 Director: Guillermo Arriaga Cast: Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Jennifer Lawrence Videoretailer.com Review: Charlize Theron stars as ‘Sylvia’, a beautiful restaurant manager whose cool, professional demeanor masks a sexually charged storm within, and when a stranger from Mexico confronts her with her mysterious past, Sylvia is launched into a journey through space and time that inextricably connects her to these contrasting characters - all of whom are grappling with their own romantic destinies. In Mexico, a young motherless girl lives happily with her father and his best friend until a tragic accident changes it all; In the New Mexico border town of Las Cruces, two teenagers find love in the aftermath of their parents' sudden deaths and in an abandoned trailer, a housewife, ‘Gina’ (Kim Basinger), embarks on a passionate affair that will ultimately put Sylvia and the others on a collision course with the explosive power of forbidden love. Slow-moving and frustratingly complex, this crime-drama almost hits some marks, but will take too long for many, if not most, to begin untangling the non-linear plotlines, without much to hold onto throughout the ride. This isn’t a bad film by any stretch, in fact there were some who quite liked, but largely speaking, the masses attracted to the Theron / Basinger starpower will be put-off. Maybe compare with 9/09’s “Adoration”, but bulk this up a little for the increased starpower – that was a better film, but this will have more initial pull. IMDB User Rating = 6.8 (out of 10).

By the People: The Election of Barack Obama

Studio: Sony MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Documentary Pre Order Date: 12/9/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: Cable09 Number Of Screens: HBO Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2009 HBO Director: Amy Rice Cast: Documentary on Obama's Presidency campaign Videoretailer.com Review: HBO Documentary, produced by Ed Norton, and made by a small group of filmmakers who have had inside access to the Obama camp since his days as a lowly Senator, that traces the political journey of Barack Obama from his days as a Chicago senator to his current status as Commander in Chief, focusing on the grass roots effort to get him elected by witnessing his landmark first victory in Iowa and following him on the road during the punishing primary campaign, and eventual road to the White House. As a documentary, it’s okay stuff – plenty of all-access sort of footage & interviews, but it’s also nothing that’s going to wow the pants off of anyone…unlike many docs, it’s not really exposing anything scandalous…it’s just here to show the inspiration and spirit behind the grass roots campaign that helped Obama gain the inertia needed to become President. The spirited fans of Obama – his official and unofficial campaigners – may show interest with this, but it’s tough to imagine that anyone will need more than 1-4 of these…even in the bluest of states. IMDB User Rating = 6.6 (out of 10).

Damages - Season 2 (3dsc)

Studio: Sony MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Crime-Dra Pre Order Date: 12/9/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: TV07 Number Of Screens: FX Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2007 FX Director: Cast: Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Ted Danson, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt Videoretailer.com Review: Season 2 of 3 and counting, this FX crime-drama set in the world of New York City high-stakes litigation, follows the turbulent lives of ‘Patty Hewes’ (Glenn Close), the nation's most revered and reviled high-stakes litigator, and her bright, ambitious, protégé ‘Ellen Parsons’ as they become embroiled in a class action lawsuit targeting the allegedly corrupt ‘Arthur Frobisher’ (Ted Danson), one of the country's wealthiest CEOs. As Patty battles with Frobisher and his attorney Ray Fiske, Ellen Parsons will be front and center witnessing just what it takes to win at all costs, as it quickly becomes clear that lives, as well as fortunes, may be at stake. Critically acclaimed show has won 3 Emmys and 1 Golden Globe, and has been nominated for a slew of others…this has received high marks from both the critics, but despite all of this, this 2nd season found low ratings. FX has signed on for another season (3rd) citing fan response from the Emmys, and DVD rentals and sales numbers from season 1 being a harbinger of increased interest in the show. See how season 1 did for you and buy this accordingly.

Departures

Studio: E1 Entertainment MPAA Rating: PG13 Genre: Drama Pre Order Date: 12/14/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 1.4 Number Of Screens: 27 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 5/29/09 Director: Yojiro Takita Cast: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki - Japan Videoretailer.com Review: ‘Daigo Kobayashi’ is a devoted Japanese cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved, and therefore, the unemployed man decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of acting as a gentle gatekeeper between the departed and the family of the departed, entering into a profound and often comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living. Whimsical Japanese film that explores existential matters by using death as a path to discovering life, but does so in such a simple and uplifting way, that it’s not weighted down with heavy introspection or philosophizing that often make an arthouse film unbearable for most of us. Adored by critics and consumers, and winning the 2009 Best Foreign Film Oscar, there may be some extra interest in this film that did quite well in the global B/O (while only pulling in 1.7 in the U.S., this made $60M world-wide). Compare with 8/09’s “The Class”. IMDB User Rating = 8.2 (out of 10).

	ER - Season 12 (6 dsc)
	Studio: Warner MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Drama Pre Order Date: 12/7/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: TV05 Number Of Screens: NBC Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2005 NBC Director: Cast: Noah Wyle, Maura Tierney Videoretailer.com Review: Coming soon

Fame (2009)

Studio: MGM MPAA Rating: PG Genre: Musical Pre Order Date: 12/15/2010 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 22.5 Number Of Screens: 3133 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 9/25/09 Director: Kevin Tancharoen Cast: Kay Panabaker, Naturi Naughton, Megan Mullaly, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelsey Grammar Videoretailer.com Review: Remake of 1980’s film that spawned a short-lived TV series, focuses on a group of young students attending New York City High School of Performing Arts, a diverse, creative powerhouse where students from all walks of life are given a chance to live out their dreams and achieve real and lasting fame...the kind that comes only from talent, dedication, and hard work. Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, and Bebe Neuwirth star as the instructors – the students / aspiring artists are played by a largely unknown group of youths. Lame-o remake has sanitized the gritty predecessor, and dumbed it down for the current youth market, creating a predictable and bland piece that found unkind critic reviews (Roger Ebert called it the “dinner theater version of the original”), and similar sentiments from the consumer. There will be some fans of the theater and of American Idol who may give this remake a look…the title recognition will find some traction (perhaps some good traction at first)…but once the initial curiosity is sated, this probably won’t move much. IMDB User Rating = 4.3 (out of 10).

Halloween 2 (2009)

Studio: Sony MPAA Rating: R Genre: Horror Pre Order Date: 12/9/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 33.2 Number Of Screens: 3088 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 8/28/09 Director: Rob Zombie Cast: Scout Taylor-Compton, Brad Dourif, Sheri Moon Zombie, Malcolm McDowell Videoretailer.com Review: ‘Michael Myers’ is fresh off his first blood-bath as an adult, and is still at large. After a failed reunion to reach his baby sister at their old home, ‘Laurie Strode’ is immediately taken to a hospital to be treated for the wounds that had been afflicted by her brother a few hours ago. However, Michael isn't too far off and will continue his murdering 'Halloween' rampage until he gets his sister all to himself. Director Rob Zombie’s remake of the 1st Halloween flick came with mixed reviews…he’s got his vision, and it’s not necessarily one shared by all. This second (and reportedly, last) remake of the franchise was a disaster from the moment the cast arrived on the set, until the credits roll. There’s lots of violence, blood and gore, but zero substance – you don’t care about the characters, there’s no wit, tricks or treats – just carnage. This got awful reviews from the critics...the consumer was a bit friendlier, but not by much. This suffered a relatively poor B/O, but why Sony decided for a mid-August release, rather than October is anybody’s guess. Title recognition and the popularity of the genre should make for really good initial interest, but word-of-mouth won’t help. Maybe compare with 8/09’s “Last House On The Left”, but crank this up quite a few more for the more popular franchise. IMDB User Rating = 5.1 (out of 10).

Hurt Locker, The

Studio: Summit MPAA Rating: R Genre: Action Pre Order Date: 11/23/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 12.5 Number Of Screens: 535 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 6/26/09 Director: Kathryn Bigelow Cast: Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly Videoretailer.com Review: In the Iraq conflict, one of the most harrowing and unsung jobs is that of the bomb disposal teams who day-in and day-out identify, defuse, and otherwise handle crudely made and cleverly disguised IED (Improvised Explosive Device)’s. In one such three-man team, a new sergeant, ‘William James’ (Jeremy Renner), an eccentric thrill-seeker who is uncannily the best at the job, joins ‘Sanborn’ and ‘Eldridge’ after their previous commanding officer is killed. With only a month left in their tour of duty, Sanborn and Eldridge are pushed to the edge as their new fearless CO, who thrives on adrenaline, takes tense risks in a job and in a place where ‘more’ risk is unfathomable. Excellently riveting and often incredibly suspenseful Iraq action / drama is a smart, gritty, non-formula thrill ride that found incredibly adoring reviews from critics (scored an average 94 out of 100 on 35 contributing critics on Metacritic.com), and the consumer (IMDB User Rating = 8.0 out of 10), but wasn’t given a broad release by Summit Entertainment, leading to the lowly $12M B/O…this theatrical gross is by no means a commentary on this film’s quality, nor on the mainstream appeal it will find. This may work out in the favor of the video release as the limited release has left most markets unexposed. Good starpower in the secondary, but not a huge amount up front, but the genre and premise will find good initial response…word-of-mouth will only help. Maybe compare with 4/08’s “Lions For Lambs”, but while that had bigger starpower, this is a much, much better film, with more action for those fans, and plenty of smart dialogue and drama for those who crave more substance…this is a gem.

I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Studio: Lions Gate MPAA Rating: PG13 Genre: Dramedy Pre Order Date: 12/15/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 51.7 Number Of Screens: 2255 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 9/11/09 Director: Tyler Perry Cast: Tyler Perry, Taraji Henson, Adam Rodriguez Videoretailer.com Review: When ‘Madea’ (Tyler Perry) catches sixteen-year-old ‘Jennifer’ and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt ‘April’ (Taraji P. Henson), a heavy-drinking nightclub singer who lives off her married boyfriend. April initially wants nothing to do with the kids, but her attitude begins to change when ‘Sandino’, a Mexican immigrant looking for work, moves into April's basement room. Making amends for his own troubled past, Sandino challenges April to open her heart, and April soon realizes she must make the biggest choice of her life: between her old ways with Raymond and the new possibilities of family, faith ... and even true love. Typical offering from Tyler Perry’s Madea franchise has the expected mixture of Madea’s sassy comedy, and melodrama that fans of Madea have come to appreciate, and while the reviews were pretty clearly a love-it (many stating this is the best Madea to date) or hate-it affair, rental performance for you should be almost predictable at this point for any of these Madea titles…the same customers will rent and the same customers will avoid. Compare with 6/09’s “Madea Goes To Jail”. IMDB User Rating = 2.1 (out of 10).

In The Loop

Studio: MPI MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: 12/6/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 2.3 Number Of Screens: 92 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 7/24/09 Director: Armando Ianucci Cast: Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, James Gandolfini Videoretailer.com Review: The British Prime Minister and the US President infer that they want to embark on a war in the Middle East, and when ‘Simon Foster’ (Tom Hollander), the British Minister for International Development, states off the cuff in a radio interview that "war is unforeseeable", he later tries to recant the statement to a hoard of media with another statement: "to walk the road of peace, sometimes we need to be ready to climb the mountain of conflict"; thereby setting off a series of maneuverings on both sides of the Atlantic by both the pro- and anti-war factions in both governments, as both sides do whatever he or she needs to achieve the desired end goal, including having fake meetings, fake committees, spinning & leaking information and sleeping with whoever can help an angle. Dark British political satire is an extraordinarily well-written film that brims with sharp dialogue, witty, often laugh-out-loud moments, and knows its material well enough to feel as though it’s also in the loop. Critics loudly applauded this film for being a smart, thoroughly enjoyable piece of entertainment…the consumer followed suit. This is one of those titles that few have heard of, but those who give it a shot will be pleasantly surprised. The starpower is okay and will find some mainstream appeal…perhaps enough to get the word-of-mouth ball rolling to make this a profitable sleeper. It’s tempting to compare this with “W”, or “Recount”, but this is honestly a better film than both, and doesn’t take a biased bend…only shortfall here is the lack of starpower (Gandolfini being the biggest name here). If you have the sort of market that enjoys good writing over action or FX, this should be a good pick. IMDB User Rating = 7.7 (out of 10).

Invention Of Lying

Studio: Warner MPAA Rating: PG13 Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: TBA Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 18.0 Number Of Screens: 1743 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 10/9/09 Director: Ricky Gervais Cast: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Jeffrey Tambor, Rob Lowe, Tina Fey Videoretailer.com Review: Taking place in an alternate reality where lying, and even the concept of a lie doesn’t exist…nobody lies…not even white lies. But when down-on-his-luck everyman ‘Mark’ (Ricky Gervais) one day utters a small lie that brings him small levity to his run of bad luck, he discovers that dishonesty has lush rewards in a world where every word is assumed to be absolute truth. Quickly finding fame & fortune, Mark also loses control of the situation when some of his tall tales begin to reach the hoards of the populace who begin to consider him some sort of apostle for God. With the entire world now hanging on his every word, there is only one thing Mark has not been able to lie his way into: the heart of the woman he loves (Jennifer Garner). Overall, a mildly enjoyable excursion that unfortunately starts out terrifically – very funny and engaging - but falls flat in the last half, leading to this getting lukewarm reviews and perhaps a deflated potential B/O. While not as good as Gervais’ first Hollywood film “Ghost Town”, this should nevertheless find just about the same interest…maybe a bit more demand here as Garner has more starpower than Tea Leoni…then again, “Ghost Town” had Greg Kinnear. In any event, this should perform about the same. IMDB User Rating = 6.9 (out of 10).

Like Stars On Earth

Studio: Buena MPAA Rating: PG Genre: Drama Pre Order Date: 11/30/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 1.2 Number Of Screens: 70 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 12/21/09 Director: Aamir Khan Cast: Darsheel Safary, Aamir Khan, Tanay Chheda Videoretailer.com Review: In an adult world where fancies of a child’s imagination are nowhere near as important as homework, top marks and neatness 8-year old Indian boy ‘Ishaan Awasthi’ fights to understand and be appreciated. Constantly embroiled in mischief, his stern father and doting mother despair at his inability to perform scholastically. Facing expulsion, Ishaan is shifted to a boarding school in an attempt to instill some discipline in him. But it’s here that he’s introduced to an unconventional art teacher – ‘Ram Shankar’ - who sets out to discover why Ishaan has so many problems at school, and help the young boy overcome whatever issues are at hand, and discover himself. Sweet coming-of-age drama from India is a simple feel-gooder that found excellent consumer response and critical acclaim at the festivals, nominated for 23 awards, winning 11. The 165 minute run-time is excessive, and requires a commitment to get through, but ultimately will be rewarding for fans of human dramas. The foreign-ness of this title will nichefy the demand, but with the success of “Slumdog…”, U.S. audiences may be more open this sort of thing. Most will probably be alright with 1-8. IMDB User Rating = 8.1 (out of 10).

Moon

Studio: Sony MPAA Rating: R Genre: Sci-Fi Pre Order Date: 11/30/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 5.0 Number Of Screens: 251 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 6/12/09 Director: Duncan Jones Cast: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey Videoretailer.com Review: With only three weeks left in his three year contract on the moon, mining a gas that will reverse the Earth’s energy problem, ‘Sam Bell’ (Sam Rockwell) has been alone with computer and assistant ‘GERTY’ (voice of Kevin Spacey) the entire time, and he’s getting anxious to finally return to Earth to see his wife and 3-year-old daughter again. Unfortunately, the long period of time alone, and a long-standing communication malfunction that disallows direct communication with Earth has made Sam a little stir crazy, and when a near fatal accident leaves Sam with cause to believe he’s not alone, the begins to become paranoid that his company ‘LUNAR’ has other plans for him than sending him safely home…and he embarks on a mission to get home on his own – all the while questioning his own sanity and beliefs. Slowly but evenly paced existential space-drama is very well-performed by Rockwell, and works out to be an excellent, if slow, film that found very good reviews from the critics and consumer who praised it for being a nice contrast to the big-budget FX-filled extravaganzas that fill the theaters every summer; those who disliked nominated this for the most boring movie ever. Despite the alright starpower, there is little title awareness for this indie flick, but you may find some word-of-mouth interest pick up some traction before long…it will be niche however to fans of indie, dramas for thinkers, and fans of old-school non-action Sci-Fi. Despite a different genre, perhaps compare with 9/08’s “Noise”? IMDB User Rating = 8.1 (out of 10). Originally slated for a 12/09 release – don’t double order.

Post Grad

Studio: Fox MPAA Rating: PG13 Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: 12/15/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 6.3 Number Of Screens: 1959 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 8/21/09 Director: Vicky Jenson Cast: Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch Videoretailer.com Review: ‘Ryden Malby’ (Alexis Bledel) had a plan – excel in high school for the big scholarship, excel in college for a dream job at a publishing house and a sweet urban loft apartment. But when her college nemesis steals her perfect job, Ryden is forced to move back to her childhood home with her eccentric family - a stubborn do-it-yourself dad (Michael Keaton), an overly thrifty mom (Jane Lynch), a politically incorrect grandma (Carol Burnett), an odd little brother, and a growing stack of rejected job applications. Feeling like she’s going nowhere quick, Ryden's going to need to come up with a new plan...one which her longtime guy best friend forever ‘Adam’ (Zach Gilford) involves him. Completely innocuous to the point of being bland, this formulaic & predictable romantic comedy is a sweet little thing, but it just isn’t anything that everyone hasn’t seen a hundred times…those looking for this sort of thing may groove a bit on this, but even for those looking for an innocuous & predictable romantic comedy won’t have much to dig into here. The good starpower will find good initial demand, but don’t expect much out of this happy flat-line. Maybe compare with 10/09’s “I Love You Beth Cooper”.

	Simpsons - Season 20 (4dsc)
	Studio: Fox MPAA Rating: NR Genre: Comedy Pre Order Date: 12/15/2009 Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: TV08 Number Of Screens: Fox Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 2008 Fox Director: Cast: Homer and Family Videoretailer.com Review: Coming soon

Whiteout

Studio: Warner MPAA Rating: R Genre: Action Pre Order Date: TBA Video Release Date: 1/12/2010 Box Office Sales / Broadcast Details: 10.2 Number Of Screens: 2745 Theatrical / Broadcast Release Date: 9/11/09 Director: Dominic Sena Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Tom Skerrit Videoretailer.com Review: U.S. Marshall ‘Carrie Stetko’ (Kate Beckinsale) has been stationed at Antarctica's South Pole research base for two years, and now after turning in her resignation she's looking forward to finally going home. The last plane out leaves in just three days, and just after that Antarctica will not see the sun again for another 24 weeks. But, 72 hours before she is set to escape the coming darkness, a body is discovered in the ice -- prompting the first murder investigation ever to take place on the desolate Antarctic Circle continent. Little does Carrie realize that she's suddenly been thrust into a mystery over 60 years in the making, and that the killer is ready to strike again in order to protect a grim secret. Despite an interesting and exotic setting, the lack of thrills, suspense and rational plot progression sink this thriller that really could have been better than it is, but ultimately is pretty much a frozen pile. Critics did not like, and consumers for the most part did not like…there were very few un-scathing reviews. Beckinsale has good starpower, and the premise has plenty of allure, so unsuspecting renters patrolling your new releases will certainly show interest…initial demand should be quite good; but word-of-mouth could play a negative hand here, and a long shelf-life this won’t have. Maybe compare with 2/09’s “Blindness”. IMDB User Rating = 5.5 (out of 10).