Yet another installment in the “Final Destination” franchise hits theaters on Friday. Between this movie and “Halloween II,” there’s some intense flicks on the big screen this week.
A premonition of a fatal racing accident gives a group of young friends a second chance at life. But Death doesn’t like people who cheat the system, and the friends find that their second chances are easily revoked.
“The Final Destination” is rated R for strong violent/gruesome accidents, language, and a scene of sexuality. Directed by David R. Ellis, it stars Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten, Krista Allen, Mykelti Williamson, Haley Webb, Nick Zano, … [Read More]

Time Out New York calls “Bronson” “Jaw-Dropping. Awesome … A Stylish Thrill Ride,” and it certainly looks like all of those things.
It’s based on a true story about 19-year-old Michael Peterson, who in 1974 decided he wanted to make a name for himself. So with a home-made sawn-off shotgun, he tried to rob a post office and was sentenced to seven years in jail. But he’s been behind bars for 34 years, 30 of those in solitary confinement. This movie follows his metamorphosis into one of Britain’s most dangerous criminals, Charles Bronson (Tom Hardy).
The trailer looks very stylized and … … [Read More]

Movie: Bandslam * Gecko Preview *  Official Site
In Theaters: Aug. 14, 2009

Runtime: 111 minutes
Directed by: Todd Graff; Produced by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas

MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic elements and mild language
Gecko Rating:

I take back my earlier thoughts about "Bandslam." If, like me, you were expecting something akin to "High School Musical," you’d be dead wrong!
Yes, there’s a teensy bit of sap in this movie, but nothing like the volume offered up in Disney’s HSM. This is Summit Entertainment, after all, which automatically kicks it to a different level. The soundtrack includes Lou Reed’s "Femme Fatale" and Steve … [Read More]

This looks like a cute, sexy, funny movie; a subtitled French film you might see at a film festival or arthouse theater.
"The Girl From Monaco" is about a high-priced Parisian lawyer named Bertrand (Fabrice Luchini) who travels to Monaco to defend a wealthy woman accused of murder. He discovers that his bodyguard, the scowling Christophe (Roschdy Zem), can be useful in a variety of ways. But then they run into a stunning – and dangerous - TV weathergirl, played Louise Bourgoin.
Directed by Anne Fontaine, it’s rated R for some sexual content and language. Arrives in theaters July 3, … [Read More]

Zac Efron may be moving beyond Disney-type movies, but it seems like his girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens is sticking with the tried-and-true formula.
Hudgens ("High School Musical") and Alyson Michalka ("Phil of the Future," "Aly and AJ") are starring in "Bandslam," due in theaters Aug. 14, 2009. Michalka plays a gifted singer-songwriter who recruits a new kid in town (Gaelan Connell, "Chocolat") to manage her rock band. Her main motivation? Go up against her egotistical ex-boyfriend (Scott Porter, "Friday Night Lights") and his band at a battle of the bands competition. Meanwhile, Sam (Hudgens) and Will find romance.
My first … [Read More]

Sacha Baron Cohen is one of those actor-comedians you either get or you don’t. Well, maybe that’s too cut and dried for him, because there were some parts of "Borat" that I thought were hysterically funny (two naked guys fighting in a hotel hallway, anyone?), but there were also parts of that movie that didn’t really strike me as funny. And maybe they’re not supposed to.
Anyway, he’s back in "Bruno," playing a flamboyant Austrian fashionista who comes to America and shakes things up. Frequent collaborator Larry Charles is directing. It’s rated R and opens in U.S. theaters July 10, … [Read More]

Well, it all makes sense to me now. When I heard that Quentin Tarantino was the guest mentor on "American Idol" this week, I went, what the…? But of course, it was all designed to publicize new footage from his upcoming film "Inglourious Basterds," in theaters Aug. 21, 2009. 
The clip shows some behind-the-scenes stuff, followed by a montage featuring Brad Pitt and our first look at Mike Myers in character. Pitt plays Lt. Aldo Raine, who’s in charge of eight Jewish-American soldiers tasked with invading France and killing Nazis occupying the area. I haven’t been that excited about this … [Read More]

The trailer for "Inglourious Basterds" was just released, and it looks intense. At least with Quentin Tarantino on board as writer and director, it’s sure to be more intense than, I don’t know, Tom Cruise’s "Valkyrie." And much bloodier, too.
I’m not a huge fan of Brad Pitt’s acting, but let’s hope he does something besides just play himself like he usually does. He plays Lt. Aldo Raine, who’s in charge of eight Jewish-American soldiers tasked with invading France and killing Nazis occupying the area.
"The Basterds," as they’re known, have one job: screw up the German war machine. "Inglourious … [Read More]

“Punisher: War Zone” hits theaters this Friday, Dec. 5, 2008. It tells the story of Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher (Ray Stevenson), who after hunting down and killing hundreds of violent criminals, faces his most deadly foe yet: Jigsaw (Dominic West). It’s rated R for pervasive strong brutal violence, language and some drug use, so definitely not for kids. More at the official site. Check it out:

I’m seeing a theme lately, where fictional characters come to life and cause havoc in peoples’ lives. In “Bedtime Stories,” the tales Adam Sandler tells his niece and nephew magically come true. I guess this is nothing new in fairy tale history, though, right? 
“Inkheart” centers on Meggie (Eliza Bennett), a young girl whose father (Brendan Fraser) has a secret ability to bring characters from books to life when he reads them aloud.
But it all goes oh-so-wrong when a power-hungry villain from a rare children’s fable kidnaps Meggie’s father, and Meggie and friends - both real and imaginary … [Read More]