The Scorecard Review

Quickcard Review Coraline Directed by: Henry Selick Cast (voice): Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, David Keith, Ian MacShane Time: 1 hr 20 min Rating: PG

Plot: A young girl finds a hidden door in her new home and finds that it leads to an alternate, seemingly happier, version of her own life.

Who’s It For? This one is a little spooky, so you need to be pretty confident your kids (and some adults) can handle this beautiful looking picture.

OVERALL I've lived in Portland just a little more than six months now, but one thing I've learned is ... buy local. So, with Coraline, being produced right here in Portland by LAIKA Studios, we pretty much have to love it right?

Well, luckily, we don't have to try too hard. It's directed by Henry Selick who also did A Nightmare

Feb 5
Feb 5 Saddest Film of 2008? Vote in TSR Awards

Click Here to vote of the 7th Annual TSR Movie Awards

Oscar doesn't have this category.

When your eyes welled up with tears this year, what film were you watching?

Did Will Smith's Seven Pounds make you reach for the tissue?

Did the life of a Slumdog Millionaire have you blubbering like a baby?

What about the end of Milk and Gran Torino?

Or is it all about a pooch this year with Marley and Me?

Vote for the Saddest Film of 2009 in the 7th Annual TSR Awards.

The Academy Awards just don’t cut it. Every year I watch, and every year I think they get something wrong.Not only that, why can’t there be more than five nominations, categories that fans care about (no offense “Best Achievement in Sound Editing), and who got second

Feb 5
Feb 5 Scariest of 2008 - Vote in TSR Awards

Click Here to vote of the 7th Annual TSR Movie Awards

Oscar doesn't have this category. What's the scariest film of 2009? The Strangers - but did anyone see it? Saw V - it can't be, right? Let the Right One In - Do you even know what I'm talking about? The Happening - for those of you who weren't laughing. Or will Cloverfield smash the competition?

Those are just five of the nine nominated films in this year's 7th Annual TSR Awards.

The Academy Awards just don’t cut it. Every year I watch, and every year I think they get something wrong.

Not only that, why can’t there be more than five nominations, categories that fans care about (no offense “Best Achievement in Sound Editing), and who got second place?

Instead of sitting still — I created

Feb 5
Feb 5 The Black Balloon

Megan Lehar

The Black Balloon Directed by: Elissa Down Cast: Toni Collette, Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Gemma Ward Running Time: 1 hr 35 min Rating: PG-13

32nd Portland International Film Festival Country: Australia English?: Yes

Plot: Thomas Mollison (Rhys Wakefield) moves to a new town with his family, including pregnant mother Maggie (Toni Collette) and an autistic brother (Luke Ford). He desperately wants to fit in at his new high school, but finds it hard. Having a brother on the "spastic" bus doesn't help ... until he befriends Jackie Masters (Gemma Ward), an alarmingly beautiful girl with a compassionate heart.

Who’s It For? A coming of age movie for people who are sick of coming of age movies (like me). Also, anyone who every really wanted a Super NES.

Overall:

The characters in Black Balloon

Feb 5
Feb 5 Slap Shot Being Remade, Paul Newman rolling over in grave?

The 1977 classic hockey film is ready to be remade with Dean Parisot (Fun With Dick and Jane) directing. Peter Steinfeld, who co-wrote 21, is writing the script. Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy will produce. In the original, Paul Newman played the minor league coach who turns his hockey team into a bunch of violent ruffians in order to re-establish themselves.

Parisot is set for some internet forum cross-checking, but Variety brings up a good point. The remake of sports classic The Longest Yard with Adam Sandler grossed at least triple of what the original made. At the least, maybe this particular remake will inspire people to check out the original.

What do you think - will you see the remake?

Source: Variety

Feb 5
Feb 5 Martin Scorsese's Latest - Silence - with Day-Lewis and Del Toro

As long as you have three names ... Scorsese will consider you for his latest. Now with Shutter Island behind him (due this October), director Martin Scorsese is now focusing on his next project - Silence.

The film would be about two Jesuit priests who face persecution in the 17th century when they travel to Japan to find their mentor and spread Christianity. Based on a novel from Shusaku Endo, the script is adapted by Gangs of New York co-writer Jay Cocks.

The all-powerful Daniel Day-Lewis and Benicio Del Toro are in negotiations to star in the film. Y Tu Mama Tambien's Gael Garcia Bernal is also a possibility for the project.

Should this film happen, it would be the third time that Day-Lewis and Scorsese have worked together. It would also be a

Feb 5
Feb 5 He's Just Not That Into You

Chris De Salvo

He’s Just Not That Into You Directed by: Ken Kwapis Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Justin Long, Scarlett Johansson, Bradley Cooper Time: 2 hrs, 3 minutes Rating: PG-13

Plot: A story centered on several loosely related adults struggling to make sense of the fusion between love and legal binding. Their collective pursuit of happiness involves not only the search for a soul mate, but the pitfalls lovers can run into when they’re not being up front about how they feel, or what they’re feeling.

Who’s It For?: Those who can stomach a ceaseless innuendo of insinuation rather than full-on linguistic combat. IN other words, you have to believe that love is based on the “games” people play in order to woo one another. Love’s all about saying things, just never exactly what you mean, right? Honestly, this is

Feb 2
Feb 2 The Last Airbender adds a Slumdog Millionaire

David Pohl

Slumdog Millionaire is bringing more than just awards to those involved with it's production, it's also bringing new opportunities. Variety reported that Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel has recently joined the cast of The Last Airbender. According to director M. Night Shyamalan, Patel was already in the running but his role in Slumdog brought him to the forefront. Patel will play the villain Prince Zuko, replacing Jesse McCartney whose music career interfered with production scheduling.

Other actors involved in the film include newcomer Noah Ringer (who was cast based on a virtual audition video), Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone and Jessica Jade Andres. Production on The Last Airbender is scheduled to start in March and the film is slated to be released July 2, 2010

Source: Variety

Feb 2
Feb 2 Dakota Fanning in New Moon?

David Pohl

Rumors have been circulating that 14 year old actress Dakota Fanning may have a role in the upcoming Twilight sequel New Moon. In a recent interview with People, Fanning responded to the gossip saying, "It's not 100 percent yet set in stone but it's definitely not totally untrue or a rumor." Although, not the most concise statement it appears she is at least in the running for the part. She went on to say, "It's definitely a possibility and I think it would be really, really fun to be a part of."

Previous reports have suggested Fanning is up for the part of Jane, a petite and powerful vampire. "I think just playing an evil vampire is really cool," said Fanning. "If I got to do [New Moon], that'd probably be the

Feb 2
Feb 2 Funniest Movie of 2008 - Vote in TSR Awards

Click Here to vote of the 7th Annual TSR Movie Awards

So, what's the funniest film of 2009? - Hamlet 2 - Zack and Miri Make a Porno - Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Or is Tropic Thunder just going to dominate? Well, now you can voice your opinion. Funniest is just one of the categories you can vote on.

The Academy Awards just don’t cut it. Every year I watch, and every year I think they get something wrong. Not only that, why can’t there be more than five nominations, categories that fans care about (no offense “Best Achievement in Sound Editing), and who got second place?

Instead of sitting still — I created the Scorecard Movie Awards.

Categories range from the typical (Best Overall Cast, Best Actor, Best Film) to the atypical (Best Ending, Best Quote, Funniest).

If

Feb 2
Feb 2 Box Office Review - February 1, 2009

Box Office

WEEKEND TOP 5 STUDIO ESTIMATES, JANUARY 30-February 1, 2009 Rank. Movie Title - Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. Taken - $24.6 million | 3,183 | $24.6 million | 1

2. Paul Blart: Mall Cop - $14.0 million | 3,206 | $83.4 million | 3

3. The Uninvited - $10.5 million | 2,344 | $10.5 million | 1

4. Hotel for Dogs - $8.7 million | 3,160 | $48.2 million | 3

5. Gran Torino - $8.6 million | 3,015 | $110.5 million | 8

Super Bowl week and ... wow, New in Town is no where to be seen. Look, I'm not saying the Renee Zellweger film is good. All you have to do is read my review to see I disliked the thing, but with football taking center stage, at

Feb 2
Feb 2 The Uninvited

Morrow McLaughlin

The Uninvited

Directed by: Charles and Thomas Guard Cast: Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel, David Strathairn, Elizabeth Banks Running Time: 1 hr 20 min Rating: PG-13

Plot: Anna (Browning) has been recuperating in a mental hospital after a tragedy that took her mother’s life. She returns home to find that her father (Strathairn) has taken up with her deceased mother’s nurse (Banks) and both Anna and her sister, Alex (Kebbel), begin to suspect the mother’s death was no accident.

Who’s It For? Fans of ghost stories and anyone who wants to see Elizabeth Banks drop all traces of cute and take on the role of wily seductress.

Expectations: I was excited to see this movie up until the very moment I realized I had already seen this movie: it’s copied off of an amazing Korean film called A Tale of Two Sisters. After that, my heart sank and I braced myself for another one of Hollywood’s lame duplicates.

Jan 30
Jan 30 The 7th Annual TSR Movie Awards

It's time. 7th Annual The Scorecard Review Movie Awards From Jeff Bayer, film critic with The Scorecard Review and KPTV Fox 12

Will The Dark Knight reign supreme? Can Valkyrie steal some awards? Will Slumdog Millionaire dominate the competition? And let's not forget the Hall of Fame with Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Paul Newman trying to get it in.

The Academy Awards just don't cut it. Every year I watch, and every year I think they get something wrong. Not only that, why can't there be more than five nominations, categories that fans care about (no offense "Best Achievement in Sound Editing), and who got second place?

Instead of sitting still -- I created the Scorecard Movie Awards.

Categories range from the typical (Best Overall

Jan 29
Jan 29 New in Town

Quickcard Review New in Town

Directed by: Jonas Elmer Cast: Renée Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., J.K. Simmons, Siobhan Fallon Running time: 1 hr. 40 mins. Rating: PG

Plot: A Miami business woman (Zellweger) gets transferred to Minnesota to take care of the downsizing of a town plant. Through her struggles, she starts to identify with the town and falls for the local union rep. (Connick Jr.).

Who's it For? People who love stereotypes of small townsfolk AND big city people will feel right at home watching this mild romantic comedy. Yes, both the romance and the comedy is mild.

OVERALL

Remember Renée Zellweger? She proved she could do romance with Jerry Maguire, she proved she could dominate physical comedy with Bridget Jones and heck, she can even be Oscar-worthy with Cold Mountain. So why, WHY? is she in

Jan 29
Jan 29 Taken

Quickcard Review Taken

Directed by: Pierre Morel Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen Running Time: 90 minutes Rating: R

Plot: A former spy (Neeson) must dust off his old skills when his daughter (Grace) travels to Paris and then gets kidnapped into the sex slave industry.

Who's it For? Those who can get past some bad acting, and throw away one-liners will be tickled pink ... wait, that's not manly enough ... they'll be tickled blood red. The action is quality and intense.

OVERALL

Do you want to know how to truly enjoy this film? It's going to be hard, but totally and completely worth it. You must skip the first 20 minutes, and it would be a good idea to leave 10 minutes early as well.

The screenplay is co-written by Luc Besson and you can see his

Jan 28
Jan 28 The Dark Knight Returns in 2011

The freshest news involving the next Batman movie isn't completely solid, but it's way better than that junk we heard involving Shia LeBouf or even Cher. A New Jersey paper, the Courier-Post, talked to Dark Knight executive producer Michael Uslan to discuss his career and previous Batman business. Uslan revealed in the interview that he is signed on to continue his role as executive producer in the next film from the franchise, which he has said should be in theaters by 2011.

However, he would not divulge any more information, particularly that of the next villains. "If I told you," he said, "I'd have to kill you."

This is great to hear, simply for the sigh of relief that there will be a followup to the almighty Dark Knight. With such news comes

Jan 28
Jan 28 Fantastic Four Franchise Finished

For those who can also enjoy their superhero movies with popcorn lightness, you might just weep over the latest news involving the Fantastic Four films. According to Chris Evans, who was promoting his latest movie Push with Joblo.com, there will be no more movies in that series. When asked, he said, "I think they're done. They've closed the book on that franchise. I think that if there was talk I would have heard it by now."

The Human Torch has himself admitted that the franchise's fire has died. Though the breezy set of movies was not miraculous, they still made for decent, super-hero matinee fare.

Source: Joblo.com

And now, the song from First Blood - dedicated to the newly deceased Marvel movie franchise

Jan 26
Jan 26 Underworld: The Rise of the Lycans

Morrow McLaughlin

Underworld: The Rise of the Lycans Directed by: Patrick Tatopoulos Cast: Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra Running Time: 1 hr 40 min Rating: R

Plot: The third installment to the Underworld franchise explains the bloody history behind the war between the lycans and the vampires.

Who’s It For? Really, really forgiving fans of the Underworld series.

Expectations: I was rooting for this movie. I love fantasy/horror movies where a tough chick gets to wield a sword. Obviously, it’s ideal if there is a modicum of actual quality.

SCORECARD (0-10)

Actors:

Michael Sheen as Lucian: Oh my GOD! Michael Sheen was David Frost in Frost/Nixon! Can you all hear me? This is incredible news, people! Michael Sheen went from quiet subtlety in a probing look at the story behind Frost’s interview of former President Nixon ... to prancing around without

Jan 26
Jan 26 Slumdog Millionaire at SAG Awards

David Pohl