The Scorecard Review

JCVD Directed by: Mabrouk El Mechri Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, François Damiens, Zinedine Soualem, Karim Belkhadra RunningTime: 1 hr 36 mins Rating: R Opens: In Chicago on Nov. 14 at Piper's Alley

Plot: A self-conscious Jean-Claude Van Damme stars in a film about a self-conscious big screen star (himself) whose life has unraveled. As if losing custody of his child, and compiling a long list of tax problems weren’t enough, when our hero ventures into a bank for a loan, he’s offered another scary addition to his list of problems.

Who’s It For? Only life-long Van Damme fans will get the laundry-list of inside jokes only diehards would find amusing. Though we’re all aware of the action-star’s existence, his twenty-plus year career has been largely ignored. He’s never had a critical hit, nor any mainstream cred outside

Nov 13
Nov 13 Let the Right One In

Let the Right One In ... Låt Den Rätte Komma In Directed by: Tomas Alfredson Cast: Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Patrik Rydmark Running Time: 1 hr 45 min Rating: R

Plot: Oskar (Kare Hedebrant), a 12 year old boy, is unhappily resigned to a lonely life of friendlessness and a wicked trio of school bullies. When a mysterious girl named Eli (Lina Leandersson) moves into the apartment next door, the two outcasts form a deep connection. The dark and beautiful Eli is actually a 200 year old vampire, struggling for discretion and survival on a day-to-day basis.

Who’s It For? Horror fans. Wait, allow me to clarify--discriminating horror fans with taste and sophistication. Låt Den Rätte Komma In is a Swedish film, so go in expecting subtitles. If you like those brainless, sexist, and

Nov 12
Nov 12 Will Smith to Green Light New Version of 'The Karate Kid' With Kid Jaden Smith

Nov 11
Nov 11 Slumdog Millionaire

Nick Allen

Slumdog Millionaire Directed by: Danny Boyle Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal Running Time: 1 hr, 50 mins Rating: PG-13

Plot: The success story of a poor Indian boy (Patel) is coincidentally told through the questions he must answer while on India’s own “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”.

Who’s It For? This is for anyone who likes a little "twist" on their Dickensian rags to riches stories. Slumdog shares the same arc as many tales before it, but is unlike nearly every movie of its kind. It is worth the adventurous view.

Expectations: Other than Darren Aronofsky's < ;b>The Wrester, Slumdog Millionaire was apparently the other critical winner at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

SCORECARD (0-10)

Actors: Dev Patel as Jamal Malik: Patel is actually British, but plays the innocent Mumbai born and raised Jamal with great conviction

Nov 11
Nov 11 Danny Boyle - Director of Slumdog Millionaire

Nick Allen

Interviews

The mastermind behind films like Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, the underrated Sunshine, and the newest, Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle introduces himself with a big genuine smile and a firm handshake. When he starts talking, (immediately, about his take on British toilet humor), he has the intrigue and charm reminiscent of a nice chap at the pub who loves to tell stories. In a cozy room at Chicago's wonderful Hotel Sax, Boyle discussed with great enthusiasm his latest and possibly best achievement, Slumdog Millionaire. The film is a unique take on the concept of the underdog that, with amazing visuals and storytelling, catapults us headfirst into the life on the streets of Mumbai, India. Slumdog focuses on a young man named Jamal, whose life story is incidentally told through the questions he

Nov 12
Nov 12 TOP 7 James Bond Gadgets

David Pohl

We start the Top '007'. You finish the Top 10. Who would James Bond be without his cool gadgets? Sure, he would still be a great spy with a license to kill but would there be 22 movies about the man? Bond fans remember the old films when Q would introduce some new gadgets with each new installment. Q may be missing in the latest films but Bond still has some slick tools. Even some of Bond's adversaries dabble in gadgetry but this list will be strictly MI6.

With Quantum of Solace opening on Friday, it's a great time to look back at some of past films and the gadgets Bond uses to dispose of henchmen, save himself and ultimately save the world.

7. Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - Electromagnetic RPM Controller Ring

Recap

Nov 10
Nov 10 TOP 7 James Bond Villains

Nick Allen

We start the Top 7. You finish the Top 10. World domination is a tough business. The hours are long, the sacrifices are heavy, and the workload is endless. Sometimes, your hard work doesn't even pay off. Even worse than all of this is when some horn dog super agent is killing your henchmen (and most likely) bedding your girlfriend/wife/mistress behind your back.

Amped up for the release of new James Bond film Quantum of Solace, I've compiled a list of Top 7 Bond Villains.

Carly Simon said it best: "Nobody does it better." But who does "it" worst?

7. Curd Jurgens as Karl Stromberg in The Spy Who Loved Me -- Villainous Stromberg was a lover of the sea, with a scheme that would have forced us all to oblige: with captured submarines

Nov 10
Nov 10 Box Office Review - November 9, 2008

WEEKEND TOP 5 STUDIO ESTIMATES, NOVEMBER 7-9, 2008 Rank. Movie Title (Distributor) Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (Paramount (DreamWorks)) $63.5 million | 4,056 | $63.5 million | 1

2. Role Models (Universal) $19.3 million | 2,792 | $19.3 million | 1

3. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Buena Vista) $9.3 million | 3,464 | $75.7 million | 3

4. Changeling (Universal) $7.3 million | 1,855 | $20.6 million | 3

5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (Weinstein Company) $6.5 million | 2,735 | $20.9 million | 2

Source: boxofficemojo.com

The first Madagascar made $47 million in its opening weekend, so this can only mean one thing ... expect more Madagascar.

Zack and Miri is slowly slipping away, already down to number five, the attempt at mainstream just didn't seem to work for porn

Nov 7
Nov 7 Now on HollywoodChicago.com: Exclusive Viggo Mortensen pics from Chicago

Nov 6
Nov 6 Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa

Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa Directed by: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath Cast: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Bernie Mac, Alec Baldwin Running Time: 1 hr 20 min Rating: PG

Plot: Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) are finally leaving Madagascar and returning to New York City. With the help of King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen) and the penguin special forces (voices-Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights), the original Madagascar gang hopes to fly a makeshift plane back to the Big Apple. The problem is, they've just crash landed in Africa...

Who’s It For? Anyone and everyone. The kids will love it, because it's goofy and fun; the adults

Nov 6
Nov 6 Synecdoche, New York

CLICK HERE to read De Salvo's complete Scorecard Review ... he gives it a 7/10

Quickcard Review Synecdoche, New York

Directed by: Charlie Kaufman Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams Time: 2 hrs 4 mins Rating: R

Plot: It's pronounced (sin-neck-doe-key) if you're unsure. But unsure just might be the point. Caden (Hoffman) attempts to create the most ambitious play ever imagined at the exact time his life begins to unravel.

Who’s It For? Let me just take a line from the film to explain who it's for ... "Knowing that you don't know is the first essential step to knowing, you know?" This is an impressionist film. It is what you make it. That will turn away most, but with Kaufman directing, you are guaranteed to see something original.

OVERALL

It's a movie about

Nov 6
Nov 6 Soul Men

Thomas Pardee

Soul Men Directed by: Malcom D. Lee

Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac

Running Time: 1 hr 43 mins

Rating: R

Plot:

Two estranged and aging former soul singers, Louis and Floyd (Jackson and Mac), are forced to reunite after the death of their former band mate Marcus (real-life crooner John Legend) has his managers clawing for a "Real Deal" reunion tribute concert. It's up to Floyd to convince Louis to pull himself out of the dumpy L.A. apartment he calls home and make his way to New York City, where the tribute is set to take place.

Trouble starts soon after the two hit the road, and as they make their way from state to state --making stops along the way way to brush up on their rusty stagecraft and reunite with a young woman who

Nov 6
Nov 6 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Pyjamas)

The Boy in the Striped PajamasDirected by: Mark Herman Cast: Asa Butterfield, Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Jack Scanlon Running Time: 1 hr 35 mins Rating: PG-13

Opens in Chicago on November 7. Opens in Portland on November 14.

Plot: Based on the John Boyne novel, and set during World War II, this is the story of Bruno (Butterfield), an 8-year-old and son of the commander in charge of a concentration camp. Bruno secretly explores the area and finds a friendship with a Jewish boy (Scanlon) who is inside the camp.

Who’s It For? I looked it up ... and there are officially infinity different films about WWII. Just amazing. What's more impressive is that this is another original way to tell the horrendous story. If you are looking for a way to introduce your

Nov 6
Nov 6 Synecdoche, New York

Chris De Salvo

Synecdoche, New York Directed by: Charlie Kaufman Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams Time: 2 hrs 4 mins Rating: R

Plot: When suburban theater director Caden Cotard’s life begins to unravel in a very unconventional way, his ambitions to create an original work arise. This is the story of a man whose self-consciousness and self-awareness are constantly playing tug of war. As a result, he attempts to stage a large-scale production of the brutality honest living provides. The lens through which we see his deteriorating world is nuanced by none other than the eccentric Charlie Kaufman.

Who’s It For? People with patience. People who allow directors to present inexplicable realities that merge with reality. If you liked Being John Malkovich, but you weren’t sure what it was about, this is probably the film for you. Kaufman has a talent to make you care about something you may not understand. Those who prefer a linear tale with a Hollywood ending should find any other two-hour excursion.

Nov 6
Nov 6 Role Models

Role Models Directed by: David Wain Cast: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobb’e J. Thompson Time: 1 hr 35 min Rating: R

Plot: Two energy drink reps (Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott) get into trouble with the law, and they agree to spend time with troubled kids in order to avoid 30 days in jail. Danny Donahue (Rudd) is assigned to the D&D worshipping Augie (Christoper Mintz-Plasse) and Wheeler (Scott) is assigned to pint-sized terror Ronnie (Bobb’e J. Thompson).

Who’s It For? Anyone over 18 years old with the emotional maturity of a 15 year old, such as myself. There are adult themes throughout, including nudity and language—most notably the f-bomb, which is dropped with cheerful frequency.

Expectations: Low, low, and lower still. I went in expecting another lame, diluted attempt at Superbad, and then

Nov 5
Nov 5 TOP 7 Animal Characters in Movies

We start the Top 7. You finish the Top 10. With Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa and Bolt creeping up on us, we started thinking about the top 7 animal characters in film, either real or animated. I trusted Bayer with the top 7 animated films and he didn’t even mention Spirited Away or Ghost in the Shell, so I realized I’d have to take this list into my own two hands.

So, here is the official countdown to the King of all Animalian Stardom. I’ve tried to capture a nice blend of “classic” (a.k.a., unknown to anyone born after 1980) and modern, in an effort to please both the kiddies and the fogies. The rules: the character has to be a real animal (so, no Shrek, folks, sorry); the character has

Nov 6
Nov 6 TOP 7 Paul Rudd Performances

Chris De Salvo

There are certain actors who carry a movie without having to bear the weight. Paul Rudd invented this situation. He’s a character actor with leading-man looks who impressively walks the fine line between the two without loosing a shred of the charisma that would make President Obama proud. Girls love that smile. Guys love that he thinks Coldplay is “gay.” Filmgoers eagerly line up to see movies he’s featured in (well, we'll find out with Role Models). A trained stage actor, Rudd seems to effortlessly portray a whole gamete of characters who only resemble one another only because of those trademark baby-blues.

7. As Kevin in 200 Cigarettes

Recap: As a heartbroken twenty something whose affinity for cancer-sticks rivals only his instance that without love, life is neither meaningful, nor necessary.

Reason: As he

Nov 1
Nov 1 Box Office Review - November 2, 2008

Rank. Movie Title (Distributor)Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Buena Vista) $15.0 million | 3,626 | $61.8 million | 2

2. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (Weinstein Company) $10.7 million | 2,735 | $10.7 million | 1

3. Saw V (Lionsgate) $10.1 million | 3,084 | $45.8 million | 2

4. Changeling (Universal) $9.4 million | 1,850 | $10.1 million | 2

5. The Haunting of Molly Hartley (Freestyle Releasing) $6.0 million | 2,652 | $6.0 million | 1

Source: www.boxofficemojo.com

I like to think people chose parties and trick-or-treating with the kids over going to the theater. And I also like to think that the reason I underperformed on the Bayer Box Office Challenge was because I was too concerned on properly draping fake spider webs on the banister.

Here

Nov 1
Nov 1 November '08 Monthly Movie Preview