The most distressing month in America probably isn't November or December, when the big Oscar dogs come out in full force with their pride on their sleeves, only to be shot down or embraced by critics or audiences alike. I'd argue the most stressful month in Hollywood is the wet fart that is January, where Hollywood exhales whatever material it has left over from summer or fall or dates, or even worse, releases material not "fit" for either. While the holiday season apparently works like "everyday is Saturday" for the box office, January is the opposite - everyday is like Tuesday morning. The motivation to see movies isn't there as much. However, movies have always provided a safe haven for its returning viewers. As some of you may know, this was a great year for the American box office. I'm sure some of that enthusiasm is going to continue, but here are some of the titles that the multiplex is going to have to work with in the next month:
January 8
Movie of the Week
Youth in Revolt
The Stars: Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi, Fred Willard, Ray Liotta
The Plot: A boy in a trailer park hopes to lose his virginity to the girl of his dreams.
The Buzz: This heavily casted comedy has had its release date pushed back numerous times, but now that it's been screened across the country at various campuses, it's ready to be unleashed. Was it postponed for a reason? One would hope not. Also, we can also only pray that this movie's leading the charge of January is more of a coincidence, and not a sign that bad (or disappointing) movies are back in season.
The Others: Daybreakers - Sam Neill, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Isabel Lucas Leap Year - Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott, John Lithgow Crazy On The Outside - Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Ray Liotta, J.K Simmons, Kelsey Grammer
January 15
Movie of the Week The Book of Eli
The Stars: Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, Tom Waits
The Plot: A man travels across a post-apocalyptic America to protect a book that could save what remains of mankind.
The Buzz: Denzel kicks butt with a sword, what else should we expect? As long as the action is decent (and not ruined by the trailer), this could be an exciting watch. Do we need another movie that looks like I Am Legend, but with more violence? Answer: Yes.
The Others: The Spy Next Door – Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Madeline Carroll, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Lopez Hoodwinked! Hood VS. Evil - Hayden Panettiere, Bill Murray, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Joan Cusack, Patrick Warburton, Wayne Newton, Brad Garrett
January 22
Movie of the Week
Tooth Fairy
The Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Billy Crystal, Ashley Judd, Julie Andrews, Brandon T. Jackson,
The Plot: A hockey player is forced to be the Tooth Fairy for a week.
The Buzz: I once heard about a guy who had a utensil dropped down his throat by his dentist accidentally during a surgery. But this realization of the corniest plot imaginable (though Hollywood always has plenty of "surprises") sounds even more awful. The pain!
The Others: Legion - Dennis Quaid, Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Kate Walsh, Willa Holland Extraordinary Measures - Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford, Keri Russell
January 29
Movie of the Week Edge of Darkness
The Stars: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Shawn Roberts
The Plot: A Boston detective investigates the murder of his own daughter and uncovers a government conspiracy.
The Buzz: Hell yeah - Mel Gibson is back on the scene, and with a Boston accent. This role was originally meant to be played by DeNiro, but Gibson's inclusion just makes this story look a little more fresh. Directed by Martin Campbell, who did Casino Royale, this is bound to at least look good. We can cross our fingers that this is going to be a nice surprise in a month not very complimentary to movie releases nor kind to audiences, but I must admit I am hesitant of stepping into this Darkness.
The Others: When In Rome - Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Will Arnett, Anjelica Huston, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Alexis Dziena