When Life Doesn't Go As Planned, Go To The Movies

One of the great things about cinema is the wide range of subject matters it tackles. Its great to see surreal and realistic depictions of life's disappointments and what happens when things don't go according to plan. Most of the time films have happy endings or at least one that that has ran past a test audience for the most satisfying cut.

Then I saw this trailer and definitely felt it was worth sharing. Universal Pictures brings Adjustment Bureau to theaters this fall. It stars the ever versatile Matt Damon and uber gorgeous Emily Blunt. It mixes romance and suspense and will make the perfect recipe for a great dinner-and-a-movie date night as we follow the couple dealing with the consequences of "adjusting" their plans to be with each other.

Cyrus is another delightful film about fate and life's expectations. It stars John C. Reilly (a fellow Chicagoan), Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener and the hilarious Jonah Hill.

"With John’s social life at a standstill and his ex—wife about to get remarried, a down on his luck divorcee finally meets the woman of his dreams, only to discover she has another man in her life – her son. Written and directed by Jay and Mark Duplass, the iconoclastic filmmaking team behind Sundance Film Festival favorite THE PUFFY CHAIR (my favorite indie flick), CYRUS takes an insightful and funny look at love and family in contemporary Los Angeles." The film was chosen as the official selection for the SXSW and Sundance Film festivals.

Remakes & RomComs, Comedy & Drama + Suspense!

Morning Glory - seeing this trailer just made me light up. Rachel McAdams, Jeff Goldblum, Patrick Wilson, Diane Keaton, and Harrison Ford make for a solid cast. From the people that brought you The Devil Wears Prada.

The Killer Inside Me - while I'm not particularly a fan of any of these actors/actresses (Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, and Jessica Alba), this might mark a break out role for each of them. Following in the same vain as the 1976 adaptation of the book by the same name, Killer follows a sheriff by day and sociopath by night. The premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

The Divide - I tend to like apocalyptic thriller films (The Mist, 28 Days (and Weeks) Later, Dawn of the Dead, Quarantine, etc) that throw a random cast group of people together to survive the unknown and each other. I've seen the buzz around this movie all over the web and it looks like it will be good.

Love Ranch chronicles the foundation of the first legal brothel in Nevada. Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci star.

Going the Distance - You can totally see why Drew Barrymore & Justin Long are a couple, the chemistry oozes off the screen. They star as a couple trying to maintain their long distance relationship. Also features Christina Applegate and Charlie Day (from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," seriously that was enough to sell me)!

Action Overload

When I saw the trailer for this movie I thought I was going to keel over! Who hadn't thought it would be great to see Bruce spar with Stallone or Statham reunite with Jet Li at some point in their life?

Bring forth The Expendables, due out August 13th. These actors play veteran mercenaries on a mission in South America. Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler, Iron Man 2), WWF wrestler Steve Austin (The Condemned), Terry Crews (Are We There Yet?) and UFC champ Randy Couture fill out the muscle-clad cast. This movie even brings the Cali Governator back to the screen!

Anyone who loves explosions, a good knife fight and muscular protagonists should love this movie [points to self]. Definitely can't speak to the plot, which seems like the run of the mill action flick, but the headliners should definitely pack a punch to the box office competition.

Check out some interesting production trivia here and the movie blog here.

Photo Credit: Apple

Remakes & Retakes

It seems like Hollywood is losing its juice now-a-days with all the remakes done as of late as well as those in production. Two in particular are The Karate Kid and Predators, both due out this summer.

The new Kid will follow in its 1984 predecessor's footsteps as a coming of age film. It also transports the characters to China, whereas the original took place in California. As a product of the 80's, I am excited to see them rework the franchise on June 11. I think that the story is one that could be welcome (as are most films geared toward families). I think it can be especially relatable among younger crowds with bullying in the news. Hope over to Sony Pictures for more information.

Also, I am excited to see Jaden Smith hold up a movie. He has grown up before our eyes and he has definitely has the charisma and charm of his dad, Will Smith (also producing along with his wife, Jada). Jackie Chan and Taraji P. Henson round out this production.

Predators, in theaters July 9th, has a very talented cast. Adrian Brody, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo and Laurence Fishburne. Make sure you check out the movie's official website. The 1987 original starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura as a military unit trying to survive a Central American jungle and an extraterrestrial force to be reckoned with. Robert Rodriguez's update will take place on an alien reserve where a hand-picked group must survive being hunted by aliens.

Movie Trailers I've been following...

Megamind: Who do you think would win in a fight: Brad Pitt or Will Ferrell?

You Again: I have hope that one day there will be a female equivalent to 40 Year Old Virgin. This might not be it, but it looks like a step in the right direction. Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, and Betty White:-D

Splice: Adrian Brody has not tickled my fancy since The Pianist and Sarah Polley doesn't make me want to see it either. What did pique my interest were blogs that have been following the production.

Super 8: J.J.Abrams + Spielberg = guaranteed theater seat!

Inception: I've always been interested in Leonardo DiCaprio's projects, but I tend to be weary of overly-hyped pictures. However, this one adds Ellen Page (Juno), Marion Cotilliard (Nine), Joseph Gordon Levitt (500 Days of Summer - one of my indie faves) and more to the mix. If anything, the visuals should be enough to make you excited to see Inception later this summer.