Opening This Week

Ye olde Valentine's Day weekend; time for the first big-budgeted romantic comedy of the year, plus medieval combat if love's not your thing, a second tier Disney flick about gnomes and something about some kid named Bieber!

WIDE RELEASE

• Just Go With It- Adam Sandler re-teams with master auteur Dennis Dugan (Grown Ups, You Don't Mess With the Zohan, I Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, et al) for extended man boy silliness.  Of course it will easily win the weekend, it's the most critic proof flick out right now (RT: 10%)  For this adventure he tags along Jennifer Aniston.  Bizarrely, Nicole Kidman cameos.

• The Eagle- Starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell, this period action flick from director Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland) stands as interesting anti-Valentine's counter-programming; too bad the ads for this look so generic. (RT: 52%)  However, it features a supporting role performed by Tahar Rahim, who was so incredible in A Prophet, nominated last year for best foreign film.  He deserves to breakout!

• Gnomeo & Juliet- 2011's first animated feature, and the third feature this year to be released in the third dimension (damn, it only February!)  Here the often told Shakespearean tale gets shifted to the perspectives of garden gnomes.  Features the voice talents of young and talented Brits like James McAvoy and Emily Blunt.  From Kelly Asbury, the director of Shrek 2. (RT: 62%)

• Justin Bieber: Never Say Never- 2011's fourth 3-D feature-- has there ever been two opening in the same week before; are there really that many 3-D screens!  This one's about some kid, not particularly famous...

LIMITED RELEASE

• Carancho- Argentinean thriller about a personal-injury attorney who crossing paths with an idealistic country doctor.  Premiered at last years Cannes Film Festival.

 

• Cold Weather- From director Aaron Katz, this indie mystery is about a man who tries to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.  Was quite the sensation at last years SXSW Film Festival.

 

• Cedar Rapids- Hold on tight, but this indie raunchfest is so far at least, the top reviewed film of 2011 (RT: 83%)  Ed Helms (The Hangover; The Office) plays a tightly wound insurance agent whose life is opened up at a convention where he meets oddballs played by John C. Rielly and Anne Heche.  Director by Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl), I'm not sure I can readily admit to wanting to see this, but I do support the strange casting.  Heche is such an incredibly versatile and bizarre actress, I want nothing more for her loopiness is succeed.  Played well at the recent Sundance Film Festival, and championed by indie strategists extraordinaire Fox Searchlight, it might be the first bright spot on an underwhelming year, so far.

 

And for the lucky, the Oscar-nominated shorts will be inconveniently playing this weekend at very few theaters near you.

...and finally, cross your fingers, but by this weekend's close, Black Swan will have crossed the $100 million mark, marking a career best for director\enchanter Darren Aronofsky.  Do yourself a favor and cuddle up this love-filled weekend with an odd and hypnotic ballerina\horror trip...you shan't regret.  It repeats well too for those you've ventured before...and that's absolutely insane when you think about it; sometimes good things happen to good movies!