The City of Your Final Destination Directed by: James Ivory Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Imar Metwally, Laura Linney Rating: PG-13 Release Date: April 16, 2010 (NY)

TRAILER SCORE: 3/10

MY THOUGHTS: I don’t mind intellectually engaging movies. I admit, I don’t always prefer them, but I certainly have no issue watching them. However, The City of Your Final Destination seems to be propping itself up as this grand emotional and intellectual experience, when frankly, I couldn’t give a damn. The story of a misanthropic writer who leaves the world behind and the amateurish student whose love for his work blinds him to the person he might have really been is neither fresh nor exciting. I was hoping with the amazing cast that it has, as a fan of Laura Linney, that it might prove to be something invigorating. Instead, at least judging from the trailer, it lives up to the stereotype that all Merchant Ivory films are dull character dramas. Finally, I’m sure there may be something of merit in this; all I’m saying is that the trailer doesn’t highlight it. Instead, it sells itself as a stuffy pretentious piece for “cinephiles”. That being said, I can see this being adored by critics, but this story feels like it’s been done before so I can’t say I’m too interested in finding out if it is truly original. No matter what The City of Your Final Destination may be, I’m not planning on making the journey to find out.