Golden Tomatoes

This is the annual list of Rotten Tomatoes’ best reviewed (and the worst) films of 2008.

Wide Release:

WALL-E

1. WALL-E – 96%
2. The Dark Knight – 94%
3. Iron Man – 93%
4. U2 3D – 92%
5. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – 88%
6. Kung Fu Panda – 88%
7. Forgetting Sarah Marshall – 85%
8. Bolt – 85%
9. Tropic Thunder – 83%
10. Ghost Town – 83%

Limited Release:

Man on Wire

1. Man on Wire – 100%
2. Taxi to the Dark Side – 100%
3. The Wrestler – 98%
4. The Band’s Visit – 98%
5. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days – 97%
6. Let the Right One In – 97%
7. Bigger, Stronger, Faster* – 97%
8. Trouble the Water – 97%
9. Slumdog Millionaire – 95%
10. My Winnipeg – 95%

Moldy:

One Missed Call

1. One Missed Call – 0%
2. Strange Wilderness – 0%
3. Deal – 0%
4. Witless Protection – 0%
5. Disaster Movie – 2%
6. Meet the Spartans – 2%
7. The Haunting of Molly Hartley – 3%
8. In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale – 4%
9. 88 Minutes – 5%
10. The Hottie & the Nottie – 5%

Action/Adventure:

1. The Dark Knight – 94%
2. Iron Man – 93%
3. JCVD – 87%
4. The Bank Job – 78%
5. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – 76%

Animation:

1. WALL-E – 96%
2. Kung Fu Panda – 88%
3. Bolt – 85%
4. Chicago 10 – 79%
5. Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! – 79%

Comedy:

1. Happy-Go-Lucky – 94%
2. Forgetting Sarah Marshall – 85%
3. Tropic Thunder – 83%
4. In Bruges – 81%
5. Burn After Reading – 79%

Documentary:

1. Man on Wire – 100%
2. Taxi to the Dark Side – 100%
3. Bigger, Stronger, Faster* – 97%
4. Trouble the Water – 97%
5. My Winnipeg – 95%

Drama:

1. The Wrestler – 98%
2. Slumdog Millionaire – 95%
3. Milk – 93%
4. The Visitor – 92%
5. Frost/Nixon – 91%

Foreign:

1. The Band’s Visit – 98%
2. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days – 97%
3. Let the Right One In – 97%
4. The Counterfeiters – 94%
5. Tell No One – 93%

Horror:

1. Teeth – 82%
2. Cloverfield – 77%
3. Baghead – 77%
4. George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead – 60%
5. Quarantine – 59%

Kids/Family:

1. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl – 78%
2. Son of Rambow – 74%
3. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas – 63%
4. Journey to the Center of the Earth – 61%
5. Nim’s Island – 49%

Musical:

1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year – 67%
2. Cadillac Records – 66%
3. Hamlet 2 – 63%
4. Mamma Mia – 53%
5. Soul Men – 44%

Romance:

1. Ghost Town – 84%
2. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – 82%
3. In Search of a Midnight Kiss – 84%
4. Definitely, Maybe – 72%
5. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist – 72%

Sci-Fi/Fantasy:

1. Hellboy II: The Golden Army – 88%
2. The Spiderwick Chronicles – 79%
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – 72%
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian – 66%
5. The Forbidden Kingdom – 64%

Thriller:

1. Transsiberian – 90%
2. Paranoid Park – 76%
3. Stuck – 72%
4. Changeling – 59%
5. Valkyrie – 87%

Hello, fellow sports fans. Wait, that can’t be right. This week on DVD Watch, we have the Brendan Fraser family adventure Journey to the Center of the Earth, the American Girl leap to the big screen in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, and-get this- more!

Coming in 3D and standard 2D to places that sell DVDs and Blu-Rays is Journey to the Center of the Earth, the Brendan Fraser adventure based on the Jules Verne 1864 novel of the same name. The movie is about Trevor Anderson (Fraser), a scientist who goes to the center of the Earth with his nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) and an explorer named Hannah (Anita Briem) after he finds that his brother died trying to find it. Once they fall down there, they have to get out due to the increasing heat- and fast. The story of the movie pretty much stands aside to let the adventure, and the cast is no more impressive than a simple family movie, but what makes the film stand out is the 3D, the format I viewed the movie in. The special effects take great advantage of the three dimensions and makes the movie a fun, mindless roller coaster. It won’t win any awards, but it is the movie that it wants to be and succeeds in that format. The problem is without the 3D it would absolutely suck, and I do not know how good the 3D on DVD would be- it may be impressive in Blu-Ray though. The movie made over $188 million dollars worldwide against a $60 million budget, so I would call it a hit, and reviews were pretty nice as well. As the biggest movie of the week and the only one I have seen, it gets my Pick of the Week. Movie Jacuzzi Temperature: 81° with 3D, 69° without it.

Also on DVD this week is Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, starring Abigail Breslin of Little Miss Sunshine fame. The movie, about the girl determined to become a reporter who lives during the Great Depression, had a pretty narrow appeal at the box office despite great reviews. I am sure fans of the doll series would dig this movie though, but I am not so sure about me.

Openings this week also include the Disney cheapquel (definition: direct-to-video sequel) Tinker Bell, DVD boxsets of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and The L-Word, and The Polar Expres (quite possibly the worst film I have ever seen) in 3D on Blu-Ray. That’s all for this week, but next month will bring us tons of great movies from last summer: WALL-E, Tropic Thunder, Get Smart, Kung Fu Panda, and much, much more…

A writer, director and sometimes actor who’s enjoyed considerably more success abroad than in his own country but is nevertheless regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and able to attract big names to his projects, Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) is an incredibly prolific and rythmic worker, churning out one film a year like clockwork. Melinda And Melinda marks his 2004 offering, though it was released in 2005 in numerous countries.

Actually two stories in one (thus the title), the film has two playwrights arguing about whether life at its core is tragic or comic. One of their friends thus suggests a challenge by setting the premise of a troubled woman crashing a dinner party and asking whether the subsequent events would evolve into a tragedy or a comedy. Naturally, we see both options unfold at the same time.

As is common for Woody Allen films, Melinda And Melinda stars a substantial amount of notable people including Radha Mitchell (The Children Of Huang Shi), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Redbelt), Will Ferrell (Step Brothers), Jonny Lee Miller (Aeon Flux), Amanda Peet (The X-Files: I Want To Believe), Chloë Sevigny (Zodiac), Wallace Shawn (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl), Josh Brolin (American Gangster) and Steve Carrell (Get Smart) among others. Trailer and review after the jump.

Despite a very interesting concept, and good performances by the whole cast, Melinda And Melinda manages to be only a so-so film, mostly due to its lacking script. Indeed, the movie’s big problem is that its so-called “tragic” storyline isn’t tragic enough and the supposedly “comic” storyline isn’t funny enough to really sustain the viewer’s interest.

Melinda And Melinda thus joins the numerous other Allen films that are certainly watchable and mildly enjoyable, but actually nothing really special. Thus, Allen fans will probably like it, but the casual viewer may want to skip it. As a matter of interest however, it can be seen as a transition piece for Allen between the decidedly light Anything Else and the decidedly dark masterpiece Match Point.

As with most Woody Allen films, Melinda And Melinda didn’t make a whole lot of money, at least in the US, which may or may not have played a part in Allen making his next four films in Europe. For a truly enjoyable movie with a slightly similar concept, I’d suggest you watch the superior 1998 British film Sliding Doors instead.

Verdict: An interesting concept with a rather bland execution. Melinda And Melinda currently holds a 6.5/10 on IMDB and a 52% on Rotten Tomatoes.

More “Movies Of The Day”

Confessions Of A Shopaholic, based on a series of novels by Sophie Kinsella has long been hyped as the new The Devil Wears Prada. There’s only one problem though, that movie was actually good, while this looks bad, bad, bad. In any case the film will premiere in the US and Russia just before Valentine’s Day 2009.

Adapted by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls) and Tracey Jackson (The Guru), Confessions Of A Shopaholic tells, obviously enough of a compulsive shopper who gets in over her head in financial trouble. Directed by P.J. Hogan (Peter Pan), the film stars Isla Fisher (Definitely, Maybe), Hugh Dancy (The Jane Austen Book Club), Krysten Ritter (What Happens In Vegas), Joan Cusack (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl), John Goodman (Speed Racer), Leslie Bibb (Iron Man), Kristin Scott Thomas (The Other Boleyn Girl) and John Lithgow (Dreamgirls).

I’m actually a guy who enjoys so-called “chick flicks” but this just made me cringe, from the unfunny silliness of it all to the way Fisher says “Gucci”…*shudder*…What do you think? Also, why the hell is action man Jerry Bruckheimer (the National Treasure films) producing this?

Star Shia LaBeouf (Eagle Eye) got injured again while working on Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen, this time cutting himself under the eyebrow (ouch). Filming was not interrupted.

Chris O’Donnell (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) and Jack McBrayer (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) are currently filming Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore in Vancouver, under the direction of Brad Peyton (an assistant on Hedwig And The Angry Inch). The script was written by duo Ron J. Friedman & Steve Bencich (Open Season).

The new Sherlock Holmes movie from Guy Ritchie (RocknRolla) is expected to start a franchise.

Kung Fu Panda 2 will be released in the US on June 3rd 2011, and will be presented in IMAX 3D. The first film’s writers are back, as are most, if not all of the main cast.

Zack Snyder (300), while doing press for his adaptation of Watchmen, has declared he won’t have anything to do with potential franchise continuation.

Meanwhile, the planned 300 sequel will likely take place between the Battle of Thermopylae and the Battle of Plataea.

Source: /Film

Response to footage of The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, the new film from cult director David Fincher (Zodiac), has been rather lukewarm so far but I must say this trailer looks amazing, just like the first one. Naturally, this new trailer gives us more insight into the movie’s plot and it seems fascinating, while reminding me a bit of last year’s Youth Without Youth, the overlooked comeback of legendary director Francis Ford Coppola (The Rainmaker).

Written by Eric Roth (Lucky You) and Robin Swicord (The Jane Austen Book Club), based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby), The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button tells the story of a man who’s born with the body of an old man and who grows younger as he ages. It stars Brad Pitt (Burn After Reading), Cate Blanchett (Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull), Tilda Swinton (Burn After Reading), Elle Fanning (Reservation Road, also Charlotte’s Web actress Dakota’s younger sister), Elias Koteas (Shooter), Jason Flemyng (Mirrors) and Julia Ormond (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) among others.

In any case, this promises another brilliant performance for Pitt. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button will premiere around Christmas in the US and Australia and in most other countries in January & February 2009. But to me the real question is, what’s with all the Brad Pitt & Cate Blanchett pairings recently? First they were supposed to co-star in The Fountain, then they were together in Babel and now this…WTF?

Holy crap, that’s it, I’m convinced! I wasn’t that impressed with the first trailer, but this one takes badass to the next level. While I still son’t know what those valkyries are about (yeah, that’s what they are), and I really think the game’s awesome music should be in there, could this possibly surpass Silent Hill as the best video game adaptation yet?

Max Payne will premiere in Egypt on October 15th (why?) and will have been released just about everywhere else by the end of November. The movie is directed by John Moore (The Omen remake) on a script by Shawn Ryan (FX’s The Shield) and newcomer Beau Thorne. It stars Mark Wahlberg (The Happening) as the titular character, alongside Mila Kunis (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Beau Bridges (Stargate SG-1), Ludacris (Crash), Donal Logue (Ghost Rider), Chris O’Donnell (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) and Canadian pop singer Nelly Furtado in her feature acting debut.

Frozen River – Rated R, 97 minutes – drama

vicky Cristina Barcelona – Rated PG-13, 96 minutes – comedy

Friday & Saturday @ 1pm, 3:10, 5:20, 7:40 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 1pm, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

Elegy - Rated R, 1 hour 46 minutes, drama

Friday & Saturday @ 2:10, 4:30, 7pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 2:10, 4:30, 7pm & 9:35

Brideshead Revisited – Rated PG-13, 2 hours 13 minutes, drama

Friday & Saturday @ 12:15, 5pm & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 12:15, 5pm & 9:35

Henry Poole Is Here – Rated PG, 1 hour 40 minutes, comedy

Friday & Saturday @ 3pm & 7:40

Sunday to Thursday @ 3pm & 7:30

Bottleshock – Rated PG-13, 1 hour 52 minutes, mild comedy

Friday to Thursday @ 2:10 & 7pm only

Sixty-six – Rated PG, 93 minutes, comedy

Friday & Saturday @ 4:30 & 9:45

Sunday to Thursday @ 4:30 & 9:35

Kit Kittredge An American Girl – Rated G, 1 hour 41 minutes

Friday to Thursday @ 12 noon only

Wall-E – Rated G, 1 hour 43 minutes, animation

Friday to Thursday @ 12 noon only

COMING NEXT  for the Malverne Cinema:

“Burn After Reading” and “Transsiberian” and “The Duchess” and more!

Brideshead Revisited  – Rated PG-13, 2 hours 13 minutes – drama

Friday & Saturday @ 1:05, 3:45, 6:30, & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 1:05, 3:45, 6:30 & 9:35

Tell No One – Unrated, 2 hours 5 minutes SUBTITLED produced in French – drama

Friday & Saturday @ 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:35

The Visitor – Rated PG-13, 1 hour 43 minutes

Friday & Saturday @ 5:20, 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

Kit Kittredge An American Girl  – Rated G, 1 hour 41 minutes – family fun

Friday to Thursday @ 1:00 & 3:10 only

Sixty-Six  – Rated PG, 93 minutes  (Starts Wednesday August 6th)

Wednesday & Thursday @ 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

The Wackness  – Rated R, 1 hour 41 minutes

Friday & Saturday @ 3:10, 5:20, 7:40, & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

Meet Dave  – Rated PG, 91 minutes Comedy

Friday to Thursday @ 1:00 only

Brick Lane – Rated PG-13, 1 hour 41 minutes

Friday to Tuesday @ 2:00 & 7:00 only

The Last Mistress  – Unrated, 1 hour 49 minutes SUBTITLED produced in French. Drama

Friday & Saturday @ 4:30, & 9:55

Sunday to Tuesday @ 4:30, & 9:35

Kit Kittredge An American Girl  – Rated G, 1 hour 41 minutes

Fridy & Saturday @ 3:45

Sunday @ 5:00

Monday to Thursday @ 1:00 & 5:00

Journey To The Center Of The Earth  – Rated PG, 93 minutes

Friday & Saturday @ 5:45, 7:30

Sunday @ 7pm & 8:45

Monday to Thursday @ 3:00, 7:00 & 9:45

Cannibal The Musical, brought to you from Frantic Fran’s Theatre troupe.  Friday & Saturday night @10pm only.  Tickets are $18 each.  $16 with current student ID.

The Wackness — Rated R, 1 hour 41 minutes – Sony Classics

Friday & Saturday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:35

Brick Lane — Rated Pg-13, 1 hour 41 minutes, Sony Classics 

Friday & Saturday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:35

Tell No One — Unratd, 2 hours 5 minutes, SUBTITLED in French, Palm Pictures

Friday & Saturday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 2pm, 4:30, 7pm & 9:35

The Visitor — Rated PG-13, 1 hour 43 minutes, Overture Films

Friday & Saturday @ 3:10, 5:20, 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

Kit Kittredge An American Girl — Rated G, 1 hour 41 minutes, Picturehouse films

Friday to Thursday @ 1pm & 3:10 only

The Last Mistress — Unrated, 1 hour 49 minutes SUBTITLED in French, IFC films

Friday & Saturday @ 5:20, 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday @ 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

Kung Fu Panda — Rated PG, 1 hour 32 minutes, animation

Friday to Thursday @ 1pm only

Brick Lane – Rated PG-13, 1 hour 41 minutes – Sony Classics

Friday & Saturday – 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

Tell No One – Unrated, 2 hours 5 minutes – SUBTITLED produced in French – Palm Pictures

Friday & Saturday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:35

The Last Mistress – Unrated, 1 hour 49 minutes – SUBTITLED produced in French – IFC Films

Friday & Saturday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:35

The Visitor – Rated PG-13, 1 hour 43 minutes, Overture Films

Friday & Saturday – 3:10, 5:20, 7:40, & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 3:10, 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

Beauty In Trouble – Unrated, 1 hour 50 minutes – SUBTITLED – produced in Czech, Menempsha Films

Friday & Saturday – 5:20, 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 5:20, 7:30 & 9:35

Kitt Kittredge An American Girl – Rated G, 1 hour 43 minutes – Picturehouse Films

Friday to Thursday – 1:00 & 5:10

Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears A Who -  Rated G, 86 minutes Animation

Friday to Thursday – 1:00 only

BEAUTY IN TROUBLE - not rated, 1 hour 50 minutes SUBTITLED produced in Czech.

Friday & Saturday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:30

THE LAST MISTRESS - not rated, 1 hour 49 minutes SUBTITLED produced in French.

Friday & Saturday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:30

THE VISITOR - Rated PG-13, 1 hour 43 minutes

Friday & Saturday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:55

WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE YOUR FATHER? - Rated PG-13, 92 minutes

Friday & Saturday – 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30

GROCER’S SON - not rated, 96 minutes SUBTITLED produced in French

Friday & Saturday – 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 7:30 & 9:30

KIT KITTREDGE AN AMERICAN GIRL - Rated G, 1 hour 41 minutes

Friday to Thursday – 1:00, 3:15, & 5:30

Will Smith, uma das melhores apostas de Hollywood, superou algumas das piores críticas de sua carreira para atingir o topo das bilheterias no lançamento deste feriado do Dia da Independência com “Hancock”.

A comêdia, na qual Smith interpreta um super-herói bêbado, arrecadou aproximadamente 66 milhões de dólares nos Estados Unidos e Canadá durante os três dias iniciados no 4 de julho, afirmou seu distribuidor Columbia Pictures neste domingo.

Desde seu lançamento em 2 de julho (com a bilheteria da pré-estreia de terça-feira à noite contabilizada nas vendas de quarta-feira), o filme arrecadou 107,3 milhões de dólares, se firmando como seu 8º primeiro lugar consecutivo.

Smith, de 39 anos, dominou o feriado de 4 de julho por cinco vezes, começando em 1996 com “Independence Day”, seu maior sucesso pessoal. Ajustando os preços dos ingressos à inflação, a estréia de “Hancock” fica em terceiro lugar entre estes, segundo a empresa ox Office Mojo.

A última aparição de Smith nos cinemas com o drama apocalíptico “Eu Sou a Lenda”, arrecadou 256 milhões de dólares nos Estados Unidos após seu lançamento em dezembro.

“Hancock”, que custou aproximadamente 150 milhões de dólares para ser filmado, é dirigido por Peter Berg. A Columbia é uma unidade da Sony Corp.

O campeão da última semana, a história de amor de um robô da Walt Disney “Wall-E”, caiu para a segunda colocação com 33,4 milhões de dólares, no acumulado desde o seu lançamento, o filme já levou 128,1 milhões de dólares. (Reportagem de Dean Goodman)

Confira as dez maiores arrecadações da semana nos Estados Unidos:

1(*) Hancock (US$ 66,0 milhões)
2(1) Wall-E (US$ 33,4 milhões)
3(2) O Procurado (US$ 20,6 milhões)
4(3) Agente 86 (US$ 11,1 milhões)
5(4) Kung Fu Panda (US$ 7,5 milhões)
6(5) O Incrível Hulk (US$ 5,0 milhões)
7(7) Indiana Jones e o Reino da Caveira de Cristal (US$ 3,9 milhões)
8(23) Kit Kittredge: An American Girl – (US$ 3,6 milhões)
9(9) Sex and the City – (US$ 2,3 milhões)
10(10) You Don’t Mess with the Zohan – (US$ 2,0 milhões)
(Nota: Em parênteses, a colocação do filme na última semana)

THE LAST MISTRESS – Unrated, 1 hour 49 minutes SUBTITLED produced in French

Friday & Saturday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 2:00, 4:30, 7:00 & 9:30

WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE YOUR FATHER? – Rated PG-13, 1 hour 32 minutes

Friday & Saturday – 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30

KIT KITTREDGE AN AMERICAN GIRL – Rated G, 1 hour 41 minutes

Friday to Thursday – 1:00, 3:15, 5:30 & 7:45

THE VISITOR – Rated PG-13, 1 hour 4 minutes

Friday & Saturday – 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30

MONGOL - Rated R, 2 hours 1 minute SUBTITLED produced in Mongolian

Friday & Saturday – 4:30, & 9:55

Sunday to Thursday – 4:30 & 9:30

THE GROCER’S SON – Unrated, 96 minutes SUBTITLED produced in French

Friday to Thursday – 2:00 & 7:00

Is it worth eleven dollars?: No. The trailer for this, which I’m sure contains most of the funny jokes from the film, is painfully unfunny (with the exception of Justin Timberlake doing a Québécois accent). When your coworkers start spitting out catchphrases from this movie, it will be better to have not seen it and not know what they’re referencing. Trust me.

Where is it playing in Brooklyn/New York?: Pavilion and United Artists on Court Street.

Is it worth eleven dollars?: Probably not, sadly. Although if you want to see a comedy this weekend, my guess is that this will be a hell of a lot funnier than The Love Guru. Steve Carell seems like a pretty good choice to play the bumbling super spy, and with cameos from Bill Murray, Patrick Warburton and James Caan, it’s probably pretty entertaining. And the Rock isn’t the Rock anymore, nor is he Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Now he’s just Dwayne Johnson. I think that’s cause for celebration.

Where is it playing in Brooklyn/New York?: Pavilion and United Artists on Court Street.

Is it worth eleven dollars?: I don’t really know anything about this. It’s barely getting a release though, so probably not. Unless you’re a ten year old.

Where is it playing in Brooklyn/New York?: Clearview Ziegfeld on 54th Street.

Is it worth eleven dollars?: If you’re my mom. I say this because we saw a trailer for it together and she whispered to me that she wanted to see it. So if you’re like my mom, or really want to be more like my mom (and why shouldn’t you?) then you should check this out.

Where is it playing in Brooklyn/New York?: Landmark Sunshine.

Is it worth eleven dollars?: Yes. This looks great and is already getting some fantastic reviews. It doesn’t start until next Wednesday, but is definitely worth checking out. Matt McGrath and Judah Friedlander star as the titular pair. The film also stars Alan Cumming, Debbie Harry and Amy Sedaris.

Where is it playing in Brooklyn/New York?: Starts Wednesday the 25th of June at Cinema Village.

Mongol is opening at BAM and Cobble Hill Cinemas, and Tarsem’s The Fall is opening at Brooklyn Heights Cinemas. Grease is the midnight movie at the Landmark Sunshine tomorrow night, and Woody Allen’s Sleeper is playing at midnight tomorrow at the IFC Center.

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl will premiere at the Ziegfeld Theatre, and help raise funds for K.I.D.S.

The film stars Little Miss Sunshine’s lead actress Abigail Breslin as well as Joan Cusack and Chris O’Donnell, who will all be the New York premiere.

K.I.D.S., the charity organization helping children worldwide, were given 200 tickets to the event.

The Kit Kittredge: An American Girl premiere is on June 19.

Yesterday, on CBC Radio’s Q, Jian Ghomeishi interviewed Kickstart participant Patricia Rozema on the question of whether Hollywood needs a bit of an estrogen kick. The conclusion was ‘Yeah, pretty much.” With the exception of the forthcoming Sex and the City godzilla, the cineplex is a virtual sausage fest of superheroes. Why is that? Apparently, it’s due to a bunch of things, one of which may relate to a declining proportion of women in the industry, and the rest of which are all pretty much economic.

Rozema argues that teenage boys are the only demographic that can guarantee a huge opening weekend. Why? Because they’re boys. They see a superhero movie and they need to line up for three hours on the opening day. And then they need to do it all again – dragging their girlfriends, if they’re lucky enough to have any. Where young women are increasingly making up a larger and larger percentage of appointment TV watchers, their refusal to leave their dens and hike it to the Silver City is the main reason why there aren’t any big summer movies with strong heroines.

The interview is as our interview with Rozema was – off-kilter, rambling, and hilarious. Check out the podcast of the show here.

Here’s the trailer to her upcoming kids film, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.