Hitting movie theaters this weekend:

Hop - Russell Brand, James Marsden, Elizabeth Perkins Insidious - Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins Source Code - Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga

Movie of the Week

Source Code

The Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga The Plot: A soldier (Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown commuter and is forced to live and relive a harrowing train bombing until he can determine who is responsible for it. The Buzz: Source Code looks to be a Quantum Leap meets Groundhog Day sci-fi action romp. 35 seconds into the film's trailer, I half expected Jake Gyllenhaal to utter, “oh boy.” He instead exclaims, “no, no, no, no,” as if to echo my thoughts exactly -- I don’t want to see Gyllenhaal act the same “stop the terrorist on the train” scene, over and over and over again.

I have a strong feeling that this film will bomb -- the story seems tired, and trains have been recently trumped by Tony Scott’s excellent Unstoppable. The cinematography, location, and overall look and sound of Source Code look to be purely average. This whole enterprise just reeks of unoriginality. I have enjoyed the work of both Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga, and they might be able to bring this film up a few notches, but I doubt enough to save the day.

I’m dismayed that director Duncan Jones chose this project to follow up his brilliant Moon (2009). That movie was excellent on all fronts, so perhaps my aforementioned “doom and gloom” box office premonition will be completely errant? Time will tell.

Towards the end of the trailer, Jake Gyllenhaal asks Michelle Monaghan, “what would you do if you knew you had less than eight minutes to live?” And with a smile she answers, “I’d make those seconds count.” Gyllenhaal’s mouth curls up ever so slightly, hinting at the potential of a “less than eight minute long” love scene. “Oh boy.” [grimace]

Every Friday we'll have new reviews of the latest films. TSR's complete Film Review Database

New Blu-ray and DVDs released this week:

Against All Odds (BD) - Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges, James Woods All Good Things (BD/DVD) - Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank Langella Anthony and Cleopatra (DVD) - Charlton Heston, Hildegard Neil, Eric Porter Anthing Goes (DVD) - Frank Sinatra, Ethel Merman Awakenings (BD) - Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner Black Swan (BD/DVD) - Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel Capone (DVD) - Ben Gazzara, Susan Blakely, Harry Guardino Colony (DVD) - Carter Gunn, Ross McDonnell Dogtooth (BD) - Christos Stergioglou, Michele Valley, Aggeliki Papoulia Fair Game (BD/DVD) - Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Sonya Davison The Human Experience (DVD) - Jeffrey Azize, Clifford Azize, Michael Campo Imax: Hubble (DVD) - Leonardo DiCaprio, K. Megan McArthur, Scott D. Altman Inferno (BD/DVD) - Leigh McCloskey, Irene Miracle, Eleonora Giorgi Ingredients (DVD) - Robert Bates, Bebe Neuwirth King of Kings (BD) - Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna, Hurd Hatfield Made in Dagenham (BD) - Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Andrea Riseborough Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 [Part Two] (BD/DVD) - Vincent Cassel, Ludivine Sagnier, Mathieu Amalric The Mikado (BD/DVD) - Kenny Baker, John Barclay, Martyn Green The Resident (BD/DVD) - Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lee Pace Scream (BD) - Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette Scream 2 (BD) - Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette Scream 3 (BD) - Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette The Secret of NIMH (BD) - Elizabeth Hartman, Derek Jacobi, Dom DeLuise Soylent Green (BD) - Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson, Leigh Taylor-Young Tangled (BD/DVD) - Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy Teen Wolf (BD) - Michael J. Fox, James Hampton, Susan Ursitti The Ten Commandments (BD/DVD) - Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter Topsy Turvy [The Criterion Collection] (BD/DVD) - Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Dexter Fletcher

Blu-ray/DVD of the Week

Black Swan

The Stars: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel The Plot: A ballet dancer (Portman) wins the lead in "Swan Lake" and is perfect for the role of the delicate White Swan - Princess Odette - but slowly loses her mind as she becomes more and more like Odile, the Black Swan. The Buzz: Though I feel Natalie Portman has become rather over-exposed lately, I can't deny that she was absolutely perfect in Black Swan, and director Darren Aronofsky delivered  yet another remarkable film. As directors go, Aronofsky is inching closer and closer to the stuff of legend.

Check out our reviews of these movies and more ... TSR's complete Film Review Database