Coming Soon to a Theater Near You...

Here are the new releases you can look for your movie night!  The line up this week looks great.  I want to see all three films that are opening this Friday, how about you?

Brave (PG)

Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Meirda defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Meirda must rely on her bravery and archery skills to undo a beastly curse.  -IMDb

I am ridiculously excited for this movie!  How could you not love a kick-butt princess like Meirda?  She rides, she fights, she shoots a bow, and apparently she climbs mountains with her bare hands.  With Pixar and Disney teaming up for this endeavor, I don't see this being a box office flop.  The animation is as sophisticated as we have come to expect from Pixar film with the magic and whimsy of a good Disney film.

There has been a noticeable lack of kids films this summer, so Brave already stands out.  The action will appeal to boys, while a female heroine will appeal to the girls.  100 minutes of peace will no no doubt appeal to parents.  Victoria and I are going to see this tomorrow afternoon, so expect a review soon!

Abraham Lincoln:  Vampire Hunter (R)

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.  -IMDb

A... unique look at the 16th president of the United States brought to you by Tim Burton.  This is an adaptation of a popular novel that I saw in the bookstore a few months ago and put down laughing.  The trailers make me wish I had given it a second look.  Producers and directors are calling it a classic super hero origins story.  This has the potential to be weird and wonderful, so it may be worth a shot.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (R)

As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan. -IMDb

"The final mission to save mankind has failed."  This sounds like an better suited to a doomsday tragedy film, but this is a comedy.  A humorous take on the very serious question, What would you do if you knew the world was going to end?  Starring the unlikely duo, Steve Carell and Keira Knightly,  Seeking a Friend for the End of the World seeks to answer this question.

Here is the list of what will be on limited release this weekend.

To Rome With Love (R)

A story about a number of people in Italy, some American, some Italian, some residents, some visitors, and the romances and adventures and predicaments they get into. -IMDb

It is worth mentioning that this is a Woody Allen film.

The Invisible War (NR)

An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.  -IMDb

Grassroots (R)

After losing his job, a journalist reluctantly agrees to help his oddball friend with his bid to earn a seat on the Seattle City Council. -IMDb

What will you choose to see this weekend?  Happy watching!

Katelyn

Dark Shadows

I went and saw Dark Shadows yesterday morning.  This film is based on an old 60's soap opera of the same name, and the style of the film greatly reflects this.  Before I review this film, I'd like to take a moment to issue a disclaimer:

I AM NOT A TIM BURTON FAN.

Movie Poster for Dark Shadows

However, I liked the film!  It managed to be an excellent mix between drama and comedy, and some of the humor was rather dark while other bits were quite light.  It meshed together well to create an interesting film.  The storyline was simple enough to follow but complicated enough to be interesting, and the film definitely sets itself up for a sequel in a couple years (big surprise there).  My one complaint is that I wish there were fewer sexual references/scenes, though other people may not be as bothered by those things as I am.

Even thought I usually can't stand Tim Burton, I feel like he didn't try to take this film to the next level of weirdness and creepiness, which worked out well for me, at least.  It kept to his style without being over the top, and for the type of film this was intended to be, his style worked perfectly.  The characters were decently believable (though, of course, greatly exaggerated), and there were several excellent actors.

Also, FINALLY there is a good, nice, intelligent character named Victoria!  Seriously, all the Victoria's are either evil, annoying, or dim-witted, so it's nice to see my name put to dignified use!

All in all, I'd recommend this film to anyone who likes Johnny Depp or Tim Burton, or anyone who likes dramatic yet funny vampire/horror-type films.  I rate this film a C+.

Cheers,
Victoria

PS: Katelyn and I hope to be making a post about our summer and fall semester plans in the near future.