Cinetopia

Romantic Comedies That Are Fun for Men and Women

admin — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Romantic comedies that are fun for men and women are easy to find, one of my favorite romantic comedies is The Ugly Truth, starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler. Katherine Heigl plays the role as Abby Ritcher who is the producer of a morning news show in Sacramento that is about to be canceled. Her boss hires Gerard Butler who plays Mike Chadway an un-orthodox local cable host who has a very popular show called The Ugly truth. Mike Chadway promotes in his show that the only bond in a relationship is sex and that men are unable to change and are only attracted to a woman’s looks.
This enrages Abby Ritcher because she is a hopeless romantic and feels degraded by having to work with Mike who she sees as a male-chauvinist pig. While working with Abby, Mike discovers she has a checklist about the perfect man and seems to have found him in her neighbor. To make his point Mike offers to help Abby with her neighbor to prove his ugly truth theory. This turns out to be a hilarious series of events that clues you to the movie, but you’ll have to find out how it ends.

What’s in Theaters Now

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

One of the top movies out now is Rango, an animated feature with Johnny Depp providing vocal talent. The movie is an offbeat tale about a lizard (Rango) who gets the chance to save a small Western town. While some may write this movie off as just another kids’ movie, most critics say they enjoyed this movie more than their kids did.

Fans of now-classic comedies Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz will enjoy Paul, the latest comedy released from popular duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. While critics say the movie definitely doesn’t live up to past releases from Frost and Pegg, the movie is still wonderfully funny and enjoyable.

Those who were intrigued by Red Riding Hood’s plot and concept (children’s fairy tale turned dark) will be sadly disappointed by this thriller starring Amanda Seifried. Both critics and viewers alike have openly laughed at this movie, which suffers from poor storytelling and a cliched plot.

Critics say the Farrelly brothers’ latest, Hall Pass, is just as unfunny as one may expect, given the plot premise (two men are granted a one-week repreive from marital duties).

Movies Ripe for the Remaking

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Some movies have been sequeled to death and some remakes are insults to the original movie. The first Jaws movie scared me silly but I thought the sequels were kind of lame. Sylvester Stallone was fantastic in Rocky and Rambo but less so in their successors. The worst are sequels or remakes of movies that weren’t that great to begin with. I’m thinking American Pie 2.

The remake I’m waiting for is the Wizard of Oz. I have watched this movie more times than I can count and I know the remake could be even better. The movie is based on a novel that was published in 1900 and a smart group of writers could certainly come up with some modernizations of the language and plot.

The movie is largely fantasy so of course costumes and special effects are a main consideration. The advances in computer animation and production technique alone would have a dramatic effect on the original 1939 version. In the original film the lion character was obviously a man in a cheesy costume. With today’s technology a real lion could be used and the same can be said for the tin man and the scarecrow. I nominate Katy Perry as the perfect Dorothy.

Movie Home Hints: Satellite TV

www.cinetopiatheater.com — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

A lot of technologically advanced movie lovers default to satellite TV as their main means of movie consumption, considering the unparalleled High Definition picture quality and even some 3D programming options in recent months (following the standard Hollywood trend -> home timeline), but not every household does their research as thoroughly as they might were they going to see a flick in theaters. Between trailers, Rotten Tomatoes, sites like ours and the opinions of good friends, even casual movie goers are relatively realistic about their expectations.When shopping around for TV service, it’s best to do your homework. It’s not just the provider that will ultimately affect your bottom line and viewing experience, but where you buy it.

Take DirecTV for example (www.direc4u.com). Yes, buying straight from the company will ensure you will get straight from the source products and pricing. While these are of the utmost concern in nearly any high-involvement purchase, assuming this is the only place where such quality is guaranteed may eliminate the advantageous aspects of shopping around.DirecTV may be offered in conjunction with another companies products or services; Best Buy offers a gift card to their stores if purchases through their DirecTV Center. Other companies are authorized DirecTV dealers helping to provide customer service and incentives sometimes superior to the brand itself.Whether buying online or in-store, the wealth of satellite channel package options available makes price structure an essential consideration, and as you will certainly find, each is priced differently depending on personal programming preference and according to the policies of that vendor. How many movie channels, which movie channels, on-demand service, all of this ultimately shows up (or doesn’t show) on your monthly bill, making thorough research a necessary process before arriving at any sort of purchase decision. The goal is to find a plan that’s right for you, matching your movie needs (or perhaps lack thereof, if you’re hopelessly addicted to Netflix) while staying well within your price range.

Little Fockers

www.cinetopiatheater.com — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Ah Christmas, the best time of year for children around the world, when parents and grandparents can spoil their kids rotten under the cover of Santa Claus, the way they’ve always secretly wanted to throughout the rest of the year. Six years after Meet the Fockers, the successful sequel to Meet the Parents, it’s time to introduce the world to the most terrifying father in law alive’s new grandchildren, the Little Fockers. Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner and Owen Wilson all return to their original roles, with Jessica Alba, Laura Dern, Harvey Keitel and Barbara Streisand joining the all-star cast. Director Jay Roach, however, will not be partaking in the third installment, rather Paul Weitz (of American Pie and About a Boy fame) will be directing the film.Greg and Pam Focker have been married for some time now, raising a set of 5 year old twins. It’s holiday time in the Focker household, with the mayhem only escalating when Pam’s parents drop in for a visit. With Greg elbow deep in a midlife crisis, Jack still harboring his investigative tendencies from his former CIA life, coupled with their new roles as parents and grandparents, Little Fockers is sure to be an all-out laugh fest shedding new light on familiar characters. With a release date of December 22, the film arrives just in time for the holidays, adding a little laughter to the tidings of joy and goodwill towards men and presenting a picture a family dysfunctionality that will make you appreciate even your most outlandish visiting relatives.

A Long Awaited Wall Street Sequel

www.cinetopiatheater.com — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:54:12 +0000

For more than 20 years the only Gecko in town was small green and single-track minded on selling car insurance. When Gordon Gecko was jailed in the 1987 classic Wall Street, starring Michael Douglas (as Gordon Gecko), Charlie Sheen and Daryl Hannah, we slowly forgot about how he wronged society, assuming we would never again see the Oliver Stone creation. Little did we know, Gecko would make a similar return to mainstream glory in 2010, similarly coordinated with jailed NFL quarterback Michael Vick, as the original movie was finally granted a sequel, with the release of Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.Douglas reprises his role as Gecko, like Vick, supposedly a changed man after his incarceration. Stone once again sits in the director’s chair and even Charlie Sheen makes a cameo appearance playing an aged version of his original character Bud Fox. Up and coming star Shia LeBouf joins the cast as the movie’s central protagonist, Jake, a young go-getter dating Gecko’s estranged daughter.The delayed making of a sequel allowed realistic time to pass for Gecko to serve his fictional prison sentence, not to mention a movie-worthy occurrence on real life Wall Street. The film centers around the 2008 near-collapse of the United States financial structure, with the always savvy though not always savory Gecko attempting to warn investors and stock market authority’s about the dangers of pre-2008 practices. At the movie’s onset, Gecko is now an author and lecturer, penning the book “Is Greed Good?” which explores the economy as it relates to inherent human limitations for integrity. Simultaneously, Jake plans marriage with Winnie, yet struggles to balance his career with his curiosity about Gecko and Winnie’s reluctance to let her father back in his life.Ultimately this is a timely movie, with an all-star cast and firm rooting in both film history and reality. Reviews so far have been positive, making it a prime choice for viewing in the coming weekends.

Michael Cera changes scenes, not expressions: how he makes it work

www.cinetopiatheater.com — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:55:50 +0000

If there’s one young actor of recent years who has made a career out of being typecast, it’s Michael Cera. His blend of indie rock earnestness and nave teenage awkwardness is honed to a fine edge, and yet he continues to make entertaining, thought-provoking movies. In his most recent film, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, he plays a young bass guitarist who meets his mysterious dream girl and learns that to be with her, he must defeat her seven evil exes. The film is scheduled for wide release on August 13.Cera seems to work best in casts with such large ensembles. He got his first big break in 2003 with Arrested Development after voice acting in shows like Rolie Polie Olie, The Berenstain Bears, and Braceface. Alongside Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, the quirky sitcom about a family patriarch sent to jail for embezzlement quickly evolved into one of the most critically acclaimed shows of the decade.However, Cera may also win our hearts because he just seems like a good kid. In his first two movies following Arrested (Superbad and Juno), Cera brings across a unique but wholesome image. Whether singing to a group of drunk party-goers in Superbad or jogging in his tight-fitting track uniform in Juno, Cera brings his awkwardness past the point of pitiable to an almost new kind of cool.Cera’s next big role was in the 2008 Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, where he also played a bassist. The film is based on the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. Cera seems to have a knack for picking interesting adaptations. His 2009 film Youth in Revolt was based on a novel by C.D. Payne, and Scott Pilgrim is based on a series of graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Whatever the reason, Cera’s success has been steady and worth watching, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon.

The Many Masterpieces of James Cameron

www.cinetopiatheater.com — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:07:08 +0000

Few directors can claim to have a film on the top ten list of highest grossing films of all-time, even fewer can claim to have more than one of their movies on this list, but only one can claim to have directed the top two highest grossing films worldwide. James Cameron not only has produced numerous chart-topping works, but the diversity of his films sets him apart in the field. His ability to tackle a range of genres is evident in the fact that Avatar, the highest grossing film ever, is a Sci-Fi Fantasy, and the second highest-grossing film ever is Titanic, a historical, romantic drama. Cameron wrote, produced and directed both.One of the many reasons Cameron’s works are so exceptional is the time he spends preparing for each film. Before filming Titanic, Cameron went on 12 dives to the actual Titanic remains. He even had special cameras developed for recording footage of the wreckage, and rehearsed each dive using models of the sunken ship. His love for scuba diving, and being underwater also provided much inspiration for his recent chart-topper, Avatar. All of this experience in deep sea science even resulted in him being called in as an expert to discuss the BP Oil Spill on CNN.Other famous films by Cameron include The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies, and Aliens. Currently in pre-production, Battle Angel is an upcoming film being directed by Cameron. This movie is based on Yukito Kishiro’s graphic novels about the 26^th century, where the world is ruled by cyborgs and Alita is the only creature capable of putting an end to the death and destruction that resulted from a world war. Knowing Cameron’s reputation and record of producing world class films, this is definitely one to look out for, set to release in 2011.

Disappointments of the Decade

www.cinetopiatheater.com — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:41:45 +0000

If you, of your own free will, buy a ticket to a movie’s 5^th sequel or any film starring a former reality TV star, you won’t find any sympathy here. What’s unfair is when a movie is billed with high expectations and top end talent, yet still manages to waste an hour and a half of your life you will never get back. This countdown chronicles the biggest disappointments of the decade,worth avoiding at all costs.10. Two For the Money (2005) Matthew McConaughey, Al Pacino and Rene Russo headline what appeared to be a promising look inside the seedy world of sports gambling. The all-star cast conned many moviegoers into gambling 6.50 on a ticket and losing everything.9. From Justin to Kelly (2003) In hindsight, perhaps this shouldn’t qualify, as no one end their right mind should expect much from two never-acted-before semi-celebrities in a romantic comedy musical. Still, the build up from American Idol’s first season was enough to lure nave audiences to the theater.8. All About Steve (2009) How could a movie starring Sandra Bullock, fresh off her award winning performance in The Blind Side, and Bradley Cooper, who stole the summer comedy stage as part of The Hangover crew, be so awkwardly painful?7. Freddy Got Fingered (2001) Bare in mind, this was early in the decade, back when people still thought Tom Green was funny. Perhaps this was the turning point.6. Fred Claus (2007) This marked the first of two straight holiday seasons in which Vince Vaughn delivered proverbial coal. Though Four Christmases gets the slight edge, “marginally better than Fred Claus” isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement.5. The Love Guru (2008) Oh how the mighty have fallen. Mike Myers was once seen as a comedy guru of sorts, with successful Wayne’s World and Austin Powers series. The Love Guru left viewers wondering if Myers every really knew how to get a laugh.4. The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) – Starring Eddie Murphy at a time when Eddie Murphy still had credibility (read: some time before Daddy Day Care), Pluto Nash reportedly cost of 100 million dollars to make. When the final figures were tallied, the film grossed under 8,000,000, probably still more than it deserved.3. Speed Racer (2008) Matthew Fox brought relevance with the acclaim of ABC’s hit show Lost, and Susan Sarandon has cemented her place in history, but this classic cartoon annihilation strayed far from its name, going absolutely nowhere fast.2. Gigli (2003) It’s fairly common for a film to bomb at the box office. Only a few films are epically bad enough to break up a marriage. Not only did Gigli spell a decline in the acting careers of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, it was a precursor to the couple’s split in 2004.1. The Happening (2008) – Give M. Night Shyamalayan credit for another ending no one saw coming only this time, it was just that no one stuck around for it.

Year in Review: Ten Best of 2009

www.cinetopiatheater.com — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:17:59 +0000

With June marking the halfway point on the calendar, we can finally get a grasp of how this year’s movies are stacking up against 2009, a great year for moviegoers by all accounts. In case you’ve already forgotten what last year gave us, this countdown of 2009′s best should refresh your memory.

10. New Moon Based on box office numbers it would place towards the better half of any list, but with so many loose ends leading into the saga’s third movie, Eclipse, New Moon is more of a stepping stone than a complete film.

9. Adventureland Kristen Stewart’s other movie in 2009 didn’t register nearly the same mainstream response, but Adventureland quickly developed a significant cult following. Starring Jesse Eisenberg alongside Stewart, this coming of age story is set in the late 80′s and explores a post-graduate virgin’s struggle to make ends meet both socially and financially.

8. The Blind Side Based on the true story of Michael Oher’s improbable rise to the NFL stage, The Blind Side is carried by Sandra Bullock’s Oscar winning performance. In addition to Bullock’s first career Best Actress award, the film itself received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

7. District 9 This mock-umentary tracks alien life on earth after their 1982 arrival, as the extraterrestrial “prawns” are relegated to slums inside South Africa. More than a mere science fiction flick, District 9 explores issues of race and segregation inspired by the country’s apartheid history.

6. The Hangover Four friends embark on a Vegas bachelor party they will never forget remember in Todd Phillips’ blockbuster comedy. Hilarity ensues as they try to retrace their steps in an effort to find Doug, the missing would-be groom.

5. Up In The Air George Clooney plays the part of corporate terminator and motivational speaker Ryan Bingham, intentionally devoid of personal relationships with the single goal of reaching the mythical 10 million sky mile mark. At the urging of his company’s young new hire Natalie, Bingham is forced to challenge his own philosophy and explore emotions he’s made a career out of ignoring.

4. Up Pixar’s second highest grossing film worldwide, behind fellow animated film Finding Nemo, Up follows the skyward journey of an unlikely pairing: neighborhood grouch Carl Fredricksen and Russell, a youngster with a flair for exploring.

3. Avatar James Cameron’s visual masterpiece raised the bar for special effects, even if the resounding themes of the movie are a bit clich.

2. The Hurt Locker The 2009 Best Picture award winner offers an intense look at the stresses and pressures, both mental and physical, of a military bomb squad in the Middle East.

1. Inglorious Basterds Quentin Tarantino’s World War II film centers around a team of 8 Jewish soldiers, led by eccentric commander Aldo Rain, hell-bent on taking as many Nazi “scalps” as possible. Full of laughs, suspense and sheer shock value, Inglorious Basterds has something for everybody, except maybe Nazis.