1. The Women (2,962 Theaters, 114 Minutes, Rated PG-13): At long last, this film finally hits the screen.
This project was in the works for over 10 years and at one time or another, every big name actress was attached to star. The one constant was Diane English, creator of TV’s Murphy Brown, who wrote this adaptation and was always attached as director.
The movie is a remake of the 1939 film and the stage play of the same name. If any of you guys out there a dragged to this by your girlfriend and are looking for a male cast member to identify with, keep looking. This is an all female cast.
The story involves a woman who husband is having an affair with a younger woman. She deals with this betrayal by bonding with some of her lady friends.
2. Righteous Kill (3,152 Theaters, 100 Minutes, Rated R): Robert DeNiro. Al Pacino. That is pretty much the entire advertising campaign for this film. Two of the best actors of our generation, sharing the screen together.
Not that this is the first movie in which they co-starred. Both were in Godfather II but did not share any scenes. They also co-starred in Heat but only shared a handful of scenes. This film, they are definitely interacting with one another. Personally, I would be more excited if it happened a few years ago, but I still recognize the specialness of them acting off one another.
Of course, the question is: will the quality of their acting overcome what seems to be a rather common plot. A cop is a suspect in a murder. He tries to clear his name but there is some doubt if he is innocent.
3. Burn After Reading (2,651 Theaters, 96 Minutes, Rated R): If you are the Coen Brothers, and you have to follow your dark and disturbing drama, No Country For Old Men, with something, what do you do?
You do a compete 180 and do a goofy caper comedy, of course!
Yes, for those of you who forgot that the Coens can also do comedy in addition to crime dramas, well, here you go. The story revolves around a pair of dim-witted fitness instructors who find a disc with secret CIA information on it. They try to sell it to whoever wants it. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned and hilarity ensues.
I don’t know how good the movie is, but I laugh whenever I see Brad Pitt’s goofy face and silly pompador on the ads. So at least it will be a little funny.
Be warned: the following trailer is a “yellow band” trailer. Which I guess means that it might be a bit naughtier than a green band but not as raunchy as a red band. But if you are easily offended,well, for gosh sakes don’t click below!
3. Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys (2,070 Theaters, 111 Minutes, Rated PG-13): The bloom might be off the Tyler Perry rose, so to speak. His last film, Meet the Browns, did okay but didn’t debut at number one like his movies usually do. This week will be an interesting test to see how big his fanbase really is because he has some very tough competition.
The title leads you to believe that this movie would be about a family of serial killers how bond over the people they murder, which would be a refeshing change of pace for Perry and might make for quite an interesting movie.
Unfortunately, it is the story of two families rocked by scandal who find relief to their woes through the power of friendship. Oh, and a cross-country road trip.
