Popcorn Pick 5-21-10

It's always tricky adapting a movie from something that doesn't have a complete story to it. Examples: a short story. A pirate ride from Disneyland. A series of sketches from Saturday Night Live. It's especially difficult when the lead is a risky goofball who's never headlined a hit movie before. But if it's worked for movies that weren't even that good, why couldn't it work for something that looks at least halfway decent, like this week's MacGruber? Will Forte and Kristen Wiig upgrade their popular SNL sketch characters to the big screen in this action-comedy that looks less MacGyver (which the sketches spoof) and more Lethal Weapon. The plot (retired hero gets called back into action to stop a powerful terrorist) is simple, but is still more complicated than each of the sketches (MacGruber and sidekick are stuck in a bunker with a bomb, get distracted, and die). This film has promised to push the R rating to the limit, with coarse language, crude humor, and gratuitous sex in every scene. I'm hoping for a laugh-a-minute pace, a new star in Forte, and the comedy event of the year. Co-stars Ryan Phillippe (Crash) and Val Kilmer.

(I feel I have to put a postscript on this week's Pick. While I'm excited to see MacGruber, it was difficult for me to put it as my pick when Shrek Forever After opens on the same day. Unfortunately, buzz for this animated sequel isn't good and seems likely to disappoint fans of the series. Forte's film appears to be impressing audiences and it seems we might have a surprise hit on our hands there. Regardless of its quality, Shrek is opening in 3-D and will probably open at number 1 this weekend.)

Popcorn Pick 5-14-10

Popcorn Pick

5-14-10

The newest Robin Hood interpretation stars Russell Crowe as the legendary archer, with, as always, Ridley Scott directing. It takes a more "realistic" approach to the age-old story, with Robin rallying armies to fight against the tyrannical Prince John. This version seems to focus more on epic battle scenes than anything else; any character development and romance will probably be inconsequential to the film. I admit that it doesn't look all that good, but you probably can expect some great action from the makers of Gladiator. The film also stars the always-brilliant Cate Blanchett as Marion. In this movie age where audiences prefer giant talking robots and superheroes as opposed to old-fashioned bows and arrows, this probably won't make that big a splash after its opening weekend.

Popcorn Pick 5-7-10

Popcorn Pick

5-7-10

This week's pick is easy- a certain superhero movie starring one of the kookiest actors currently in Hollywood. Two years ago, Iron Man started off the summer with a bang, wowing audiences and leaving them panting for more. No one expected it to be as big as it was, but this time around, expectations are very high. Iron Man 2 finds Tony Stark dealing with the newfound celebrity he has with the whole world knowing his double life and facing down the badass Russian villain Whiplash. Robert Downey, Jr. is back as the iron-clad stud with a performance that's sure to impress. Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) looks like he puts everything he has into Whiplash to create a complex and real-seeming villain. The glittery cast is rounded out by Gwyneth Paltrow, once again playing Stark's tireless babysitter Pepper Potts (a comic book name if ever I heard one); Don Cheadle, sadly replacing Terrence Howard to play Rhodey and suit up in his own Iron Man uniform; Scarlett Johansson, clad in tight leather as Black Widow (hero or villain? See it to find out!), Samuel L. Jackson as the one-eyed Nick Fury, expanding on his cameo from the first film, and Sam Rockwell as a businessman interested in building more Iron Man suits. Expect lots of slam-bang action, awesome special effects, and witty banter. Sure to be one of the biggest films of the summer.

Popcorn Pick 4-30-10

Popcorn Pick

4-30-10

A Nightmare on Elm Street is not a typical horror remake: Freddy Krueger is one of the most famous- and at one point in time, one of the most terrifying- screen villains in the world. The knifed glove, the striped shirt, that hat, and the third-degree burns are all iconic. Horror fans everywhere are looking closely to see if this will impress or disappoint. This version seems to be pretty faithful to the 1984 original: a dead serial killer haunts teenagers in their dreams and somehow manages to kill them off in real life. They attempt to stay awake for as long as possible, which naturally fails, until one brave girl attempts to confront him. The casting of Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen) as Freddy is inspired and is sure to thrill. The young cast also includes Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles).

Popcorn Pick 4-23-10

Popcorn Pick

4-23-10

No movies of any real quality opening this week (with the possible exception of the nature documentary Oceans, if you're into that kind of thing), so I'll choose a film you might have missed that came out a couple of weeks ago. How to Train Your Dragon is the latest 3-D animated film to come out of DreamWorks (the makers of the Shrek films), clearly aimed at kids and young adults who are looking for escapist entertainment. The story of a young boy who befriends a not-so-ferocious dragon and changes the way his Viking-esque people looks at their scaly enemies is sure to satisfy the cute factor many times over. The film looked pretty average, but its consistent box office performance suggests otherwise. Features the voices of rising star Jay Baruchel and Gerard Butler.

Popcorn Pick 4-16-10

Popcorn Pick

4-16-10

Watchmen meets Superbad. If that sounds intriguing to you, then Kick-Ass is probably right up your alley. This movie takes a popular movie concept- the comic book superhero film- and turns it on its head. The action comedy explores what happens in the real world when ordinary people don superhero costumes and start fighting for justice. It's raunchy, crude, and gory- R-rated territory where superheroes rarely tread. Nicolas Cage and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (forever McLovin) are second bananas to unknowns in the lead roles. But it's not the actors or the story that matter here (although the story, based on a real comic book, is very unique), it's the colorful costumes, the fight scenes, and the comedy. Here's hoping that it lives up to its hype.

Popcorn Pick 4-9-10

Popcorn Pick

4-9-10

Thanks for reading Popcorn Pick, a new feature I've decided to add to my blog! Hundreds of movies are released into American theatres every year. Keeping up with all of them is not only difficult, but very annoying. I can help on that front, because I don't think it's annoying. I keep track of all the major movies that come out every week, and I'll let you know which ones are worth the price of a ticket.

The basic question surrounding this feature is, if you are going to see one movie this weekend, which one should you see? Popcorn Pick will give you my opinion on which movie to see. For this feature, I will try to take my opinion out of it as much as possible and recommend the film that is driving the most buzz or that looks the best. Ninety percent of the time, I'll choose a new release, but if nothing good is coming out that week, I'll pick a film that's been out for a while that you might have missed. But I'll always choose a new film every week- no going back for seconds here. Look for a new Popcorn Pick every Thursday or Friday. Since I'm updating weekly, these should be very brief posts.

For my first Pick, I choose a film I've been excitedly waiting for: Date Night. For the first time ever, The Office's Steve Carell and 30 Rock's Tina Fey- in my mind, basically the king and queen of current comedy- are finally doing a movie together. The action comedy stars Carell and Fey as a married couple who decide to have a date night that doesn't go quite as planned. They are mistaken for another couple who has stolen from the mob and have to go on the run. The film also stars Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, and Mila Kunis, and is sure to be if not a great movie, then at least a great night out at the movies.