Thursday, November 1, 2012

Our Preview of This Week's New Releases (for Friday, November 2nd)

Andrew: Hello readers! Our apologies about not getting our new Six Pack Of... column posted yesterday, I got a little busy with the day job and wasn't able to write my half of it. Sarah did her part perfectly, so put all the blame on me.

That said, it's time now for our preview of this week's new theatrical releases. We have three wide releases coming out this week - the latest non-Pixar animated film from Disney, Wreck-It Ralph; the return to live-action directing for Robert Zemeckis, Flight, starring Denzel Washington; and what looks to be an action and blood-filled romp in The Man With The Iron Fists, starring Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu.

Sarah, which one would you like to start with?

Sarah: Let's start with the anticipated, Wreck-It Ralph. I am so excited to see this one! It looks like Disney has done it again, bringing together an amazing cast for this animated gem. 

It has a great concept! Ralph is the bad guy in 30-year-old arcade game called Fix-It Felix, Jr., which is also the name of the game's hero. When Ralph realizes that he no longer wants to be the bad guy he decides to check out all the other video games in the arcade to see what it would be like to be the good guy for a change. I think that John C. Reily is the perfect fit for Ralph and with stars like Jack McBrayer (as Felix) and Jane Lynch and Sarah Silverman as fellow video game characters, I think this looks like it's going to be a barrel of laughs!

Official Trailer for Wreck-It Ralph


A: I totally agree with you on the voice actors. We love the trailer for this film and it clearly looks like the strength of the film will be Reilly's voice as Ralph and McBrayer as Fix-It Felix Jr.

I love the concept of this movie, that all video game characters are real people in their own virtual world and basically plays roles in their games. They're actors, really, and Ralph isn't really a bad guy, he just plays one in the game. 

And I love the concept of ALL video game characters living in the same world because it means we get to see classic video game characters in this movie's universe, like Sonic the Hedgehog, Q*Bert, Ken and Ryu from Street Fighter and more.

Here's my question for you, Sarah: since it's not a Pixar film, are you hesitant at all?

S: Not at all. Disney was making great animated movies before Pixar so I don't know why it would make any difference that it's not Pixar doing a 3D movie for Disney in this instance. Does it make you hesitant?

A: Not in the least. It'd being directed by Rich Moore, who's a long time animation director/producer on shows like shows like The Simpsons and Futurama, and more importantly long-time Pixar/Disney mainstay John Lasseter (director of Toy Story 1 & 2 and both Cars films) is an executive producer. So the creative minds behind it pretty much put my mind at ease.

S: Great! We are seeing this one this weekend on a double date with some friends and I can't wait to do the review for this one!

Ok, next we have Flight starring Denzel Washington as a pilot who successfully lands a crashing plane but ends up facing jail time because it turns out he's an alcoholic and was drunk while flying the plane. This movie looks absolutely terrifying to me and it would be like the worst dream realized on the screen, but the critics are raving over this one so I don't necessarily know what to think of this one. What do you think?

Official Trailer for Flight


A: There's a term you like to use, my dear, that certainly applies to this movie - "Oscar bait." It's the first live-action film by Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis (for Forrest Gump) since 2000's Cast Away, it stars two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington (supporting actor for Glory and best actor for Training Day) as an alcoholic/drug addicted pilot who miraculously saves a doomed plane from crashing, and it's rounded out by a great supporting cast including Don Cheadle, John Goodman and Bruce Greenwood. I'm totally in.

S: Yea I'm in on this one too but it just looks too real-life scary for me to really love it. I think that Washington is an amazing actor and I totally see where Oscar-bait is perfect for this one but I worry that it might be a little too predictable. They seemed to have given away a TON of stuff in the trailer so I'm a little worried. 

A: The thing about Flight that actually catches my attention the most is this: it's rated R for drug and alcohol abuse, language, sexuality/nudity, and an intense action scene. I'm curious to see to what extent they go with the drugs/alcohol angle and what the language and sexuality aspect of it are. Coming from the director who did all three Back to the Future films and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? I'm curious to see how dark this movie really is and how Denzel portrays an addict.

S: That could be the part that will be interesting. It looks pretty intense so I think that people are going to love this one. 

And last but not least we have The Man With The Iron Fists. With a whole host of Asian actors and Russell Crowe, this movie looks like another Kill Bill-like movie. I am not really looking forward to this one so much but the action sequences look pretty epic.

Official Trailer for The Man with the Iron Fists


A: I'm intrigued by The Man With the Iron Fists because it's produced and co-written by Eli Roth, who has made two horror films I adore in Cabin Fever and Hostel, and it looks like a rollicking good time with the mixture of Western influence in Crowe's character and Eastern martial arts films. I'm a little hesitant only because it's directed and co-written by the rapper RZA. Now, he's been acting for over a decade now, but I had no idea he was trying his hand at writing and directing a movie.

That said, it looks so ridiculously over the top that it can only be one of two things: awesome or terrible. I'm hoping it's relatively awesome.

S: Over the top definitely! I'm not sure this will be one that I want to go see on the big screen but I can see where it would attract a certain group of movie goers. The action will of course be choreographed to death but that is what people expect from a martial arts movie so it will work. 

Well readers, we've been slacking on the blogging this week but we are definitely going to see a Flight and Wreck-It Ralph this weekend and hope to get out reviews quickly! So be on the lookout for those! Thank you for reading!

2 comments:

  1. The ones I would see in theaters is Wreck it Ralph and Man with the Iron Fists. FLight looks really cool, but it's story is one I could watch at home. Great Post

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    1. Thanks bud! We highly suggest seeing Wreck-It Ralph, while Flight is definitely one you can skip in theatres. We probably won't see Man with the Iron Fists while it's in theatres, so if you do let us know how it is Vern!

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