Coming In October - MoreVideoViews.com

Coming In October
Dates are subject to change. Titles may not be available in all store locations.
OCTOBER 7
YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN
(PG-13) Comedy
Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson, Lainie Kazan, Rob Schneider. (page 4)
THE HAPPENING
(R) Suspense/Thriller
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo. (page 4)
THE VISITOR
(PG-13) Drama/Comedy
Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira, Hiam Abbass. (page 5)
OCTOBER 14
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
(PG-13) Action/Adventure
Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent. (page 3)
THE PIRATES WHO DON’T DO ANYTHING: A VEGGIETALES MOVIE
(G) Animated Adventure/Comedy
Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki. (page 15)
WAR, INC.
(R) Comedy/Action
John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Marisa Tomei, Hilary Duff, Ben Kingsley, Dan Akroyd. (page 5)
STUCK
(R) Suspense/Thriller
Mena Suvari, Stephen Rea, Russell Hornsby. Directed by Stuart Gordon. (page 5)
THE INCREDIBLE HULK
(PG-13) Action/Adventure/Fantasy
OCTOBER 21
Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson. (page 3)
THE STRANGERS
(R) Horror/Suspense/Thriller
Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman. (page 4)
EXPELLED: NO INTELLIGENCE ALLOWED
(PG) Documentary
Ben Stein. (page 5)
OCTOBER 28
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
(PG) Adventure/Sci-Fi
Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem, Seth Meyers. (page 15)
KIT KITTREDGE:AN AMERICAN GIRL
(G) Drama/Comedy
Abigail Breslin, Julia Ormond, Chris O’Donnell, Joan Cusack, Stanley Tucci, Max Thieriot, Jane Krakowski, Wallace Shawn. (page 15)
On the Inside
Coming In October
Reviews by the Video Views Staff
Top Picks
Place Your Bets - Art Slavin
Terrified Teens - Sue Varno
Pages 3-5
Page 12
Top 50
Contest & Games
Pages 6-11
Another Look
Shia LaBeouf
Page 12
Page 14
Family & Kids Views
Page 15
Look for the NOVEMBER issue of Video Views featuring:
Hancock; WALL-E; Fred Claus; This Christmas; Space Chimps;
Meet Dave; The Perfect Holiday; Tell No One; Transsiberian; & MORE!
October 2008
Video Views
2
Sid Skolnik
The Visitor; The Incredible
Hulk; Indiana Jones;
Kit Kittredge; Stuck;
War, Inc.
Art Slavin
Indiana Jones; The Visitor;
You Don’t Mess With the
Zohan; War, Inc.;
The Incredible Hulk;
Kit Kittredge
Rhonda Rae
The Visitor; The Incredible
Hulk; The Strangers; Indiana
Jones; Kit Kittredge; Stuck
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (PG-13: v) Action/Adventure October 14
It’s 1957, and he may be older, but
he’s just as smart, just as tough, and
just as nutty as ever. This time “Indy”
(Harrison Ford) and his sidekick “Mac”
(Ray Winstone) have been kidnapped
by a gang led by Russian KGB agent
Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), who
wants them to lead her to a supernatural treasure. Jones escapes once,
but when motorcycling greaser Mutt
Williams (Shia LaBeouf) shows him a
cryptic letter from mutual friend Professor Oxley (John Hurt), “Indy” is enticed into joining the kid in following
a series of riddles taking them on a
death defying journey into the wilds
of Peru, full of poisonous scorpions,
crazed monkeys, a horde of man-eating red ants, and a giant snake. Spalko
is once again on their trail, which
leads to a reunion with old girlfriend
Marion Ravenswood (Karen Allen) and
surprises for both Indy and Mutt. Jim
Broadbent is featured in this excellent
sequel, full of fun, danger, and excitement. 124 min. (Slavin)
DVD Extras: “The Return of a Legend” Featurette. More on the Special Edition.
Partial Credits: Harrison Ford (Firewall; Hollywood Homicide; K-19: The Widowmaker; What Lies Beneath; Random Hearts; Six Days, Seven Nights; Air
Force One; The Devil’s Own; Sabrina; Clear & Present Danger; The Fugitive; Patriot Games; Regarding Henry; Presumed Innocent; Indiana Jones & The Last
Crusade; Frantic; Working Girl; The Mosquito Coast; Witness; Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom; Return Of The Jedi; Blade Runner; Raiders Of The Lost
Ark; The Empire Strikes Back; Apocalypse Now; Star Wars; bit-American Graffiti). Shia LaBeouf (see Another Look on page 12).
THE INCREDIBLE HULK (PG-13: bd, v) Action/Adventure/Fantasy
October 21
Now a fugitive, hiding out in Brazil and working in a bottling plant,
brilliant scientist Dr. Bruce Banner
(Edward Norton) is striving to control his anger and find a cure for the
blood condition that turns him into
the green hulk. But an accident at
the factory causes a drop of his blood
to get into a soda bottle, thereby allowing General “Thunderbolt” Ross
(William Hurt) to locate him and
hunt him down. Close to a cure, and
driven by his passion for the general’s daughter (Liv Tyler), his one
true love, Banner returns home, not
only to be continually hounded by
the warmongering military men, but
also beset by an egocentric soldier
(Tim Roth), who has been turned
into an evil monster. The action
sequences and computer graphics
are amazing, especially in the final
showdown between the two giants
in Times Square. Tim Blake Nelson is
featured as an eccentric scientist,
and Lou Ferrigno makes one of the
two cameos. 114 min. (Slavin)
DVD Extras: Commentary; Deleted Scenes. More on the 3-disc set.
Partial Credits: Edward Norton (The Painted Veil; The Illusionist; Down in the Valley; Kingdom of Heaven; The Italian Job; The 25th Hour; Red Dragon;
Frida; Death to Smoochy; The Score; Keeping the Faith; Fight Club; American History X; Rounders; The People vs. Larry Flynt; Everyone Says I Love You;
Primal Fear). Liv Tyler (See The Strangers on page 3). William Hurt (Vantage Point; Into the Wild; Mr. Brooks; The Good Shepherd; A History of Violence;
The Village; A.I.: Artificial Intelligence; Lost in Space; The Accidental Tourist; Dark City; Michael; Jane Eyre; The Doctor; Kiss of the Spider Woman;
Broadcast News; Children of a Lesser God; The Big Chill; Body Heat; Eyewitness; Altered States).
Ratings Codes: a-Adult Theme; m-Mature Theme; d-Sexual Dialogue; I-Coarse Language; n-Nudity; s-Sexuality; v-Violence; b-Brief; g-Graphic; p-Partial
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October 2008
YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (PG-13: m, d, bl, bpn, bs) Comedy
October 7
He was the most talented counter-intelligence agent in Israel. Zohan Dvir (Adam Sandler) could satisfy the women as
well as he could fight. But his dream was to go to America
and become a hair stylist. So when he was sent in to kill
the renowned “Phantom (John Turturro),” he faked his own
death and disappeared, stowing away on a plane to New
York. There he displayed his amazing talents by saving the
life of a shy fellow (Nick Swardson) and moving in with
him and his sex-crazed mother (Lainie Kazan). But finding
a job wasn’t easy, so he settled on sweeping the floors in
a salon owned by Dalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui) a beautiful
Palestinian girl. Soon he’s cutting hair as well as servicing
the senior citizen customers in the back room. His success,
however, is threatened when he is recognized by a Palestinian cabbie (Rob Schneider). Lots of fun cameos, with a
message. 113 min. (Slavin)
DVD Extras: Commentaries; Deleted Scenes; 10 Featurettes. More on the 2-disc set.
Partial Credits: Adam Sandler (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry; Reign Over Me; Click; The Longest Yard; Spanglish; 50 First Dates; Eight Crazy
Nights; Anger Management; Punch-Drunk Love; Mr. Deeds; Little Nicky; Big Daddy; The Waterboy; The Wedding Singer; Bulletproof; Happy Gilmore; Billy
Madison; Airheads). Rob Schneider (bit-I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry; The Benchwarmers; Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo; 50 First Dates; The
Hot Chick; The Animal; Deuce Bigalow I & II; Down Periscope; Judge Dredd; Surf Ninjas). Emmanuelle Chriqui (In the Mix; Wrong Turn; On the Line; bitsSnow Day; Detroit Rock City).
THE HAPPENING (R: m, gv) Suspense/Thriller
October 7
Something very strange is happening. Starting in New York City, then
moving throughout the entire northeastern United States, an airborne virus that appears to be a terrorist act is causing people to kill
themselves. In Philadelphia, high school science teacher Elliot Moore
(Mark Wahlberg) is lecturing his students about forces at work that
are beyond our understanding when the eerie event hits their area.
Along with his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel), fellow teacher Julian
(John Leguizamo) and Julian’s eight year-old daughter Jess (Ashlyn Sanchez), Elliot heads for the Pennsylvania countryside, where
population density seems to be safer than the urban areas. But that
doesn’t seem to work, as dead bodies start to crop up everywhere.
Theories abound. If not terrorism, it could be a nuclear leak, a plant
condition, or even our own government causing it. And if it happens
once, could it happen again? A tale about human strengths, weaknesses, and emotions. From M. Night Shyamalan. 91 min. (Slavin)
DVD Extras: Deleted Scenes; Featurettes include “I Hear You Whispering.”
Partial Credits: Mark Wahlberg (We Own the Night; Shooter; The Departed; Invincible; Four Brothers; I Heart Huckabees; The Italian Job; The Truth About
Charlie; Rock Star; Planet of the Apes; The Yards; The Perfect Storm; Three Kings; The Big Hit; Boogie Nights; Fear; Renaissance Man; The Substitute;
bit-The Basketball Diaries). Zooey Deschanel (The Assassination of Jesse James; voice-Surf’s Up; Bridge to Terabithia; Failure to Launch; The Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxy; Abandon; The Good Girl; The New Guy; Almost Famous; Mumford). M. Night Shyamalan (Lady in the Water; The Village; Signs; Unbreakable; The Sixth Sense).
THE STRANGERS (R: m, l, bs, gv) Horror/Suspense/Thriller October 21
James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) thought that a wedding reception
would be the perfect place to propose marriage to Kristen McKay
(Liv Tyler). He was mistaken. She told him that she just wasn’t
ready. So all the way back to his family vacation home which
he had prepared for a romantic celebration, they hardly spoke
a word. James even called his pal to come and get him in the
morning. Once there, though, she weakened enough to make
love, but their romance was cut short by a loud knock on the
door. A strange sounding woman asked if Tamara was there, and
the young couple, thinking she was lost, sent her away. However, neither she nor her two cohorts, all wearing weird masks,
were about to leave. Phone lines cut, her cell phone stolen, a
ham radio destroyed, and their car rammed, James and Kristin
were trapped. Background sounds, strange music, and excellent
camera work increase the tension. 90 Min. (Slavin)
DVD Extras: Deleted Scenes; “ Elements of Terror” Featurette.
Main Credits: Liv Tyler (The Incredible Hulk; Reign Over Me; Jersey Girl; Lord of the Rings 1 & 2; One Night at McCool’s; Dr. T. & the Women; Cookie’s
Fortune; Plunkett & Macleane; Armageddon; Inventing the Abbotts; That Thing You Do!; bits-Can’t Hardly Wait; U Turn; Stealing Beauty; Empire Records).
Scott Speedman (XXX: State of the Union; Underworld 1 & 2; Dark Blue; bit-Duets).
October 2008
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THE VISITOR (PG-13: bl) Drama/Comedy
October 7
Widowed professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) is bored with his job, bored with
his life, and bored with himself. He’s been going through the motions for years.
Forced by his boss to travel to New York City in order to present a paper at a weeklong conference, he goes back into his apartment there to find a young couple
occupying the place. Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) from Syria and Zainab (Danai Gurira)
from Senegal thought they had rented the flat legally, but of course, agree to leave.
Walter feels sorry for them, and allows them to stay until they can find other accommodations. While Zainab is cautious, Tarek and Walter find a common ground,
and a strong friendship develops. One day, however, illegal alien Tarek is arrested
and sent to a detention center. Walter finally seems to have something to care
about and becomes dedicated to Tarek’s release, even taking Tarek’s mother (Hiam
Abbass) into his life. It’s both heartwrenching and heartwarming. 108 min. (Slavin)
DVD Extras: Commentaries; Deleted Scenes; Featurettes.
WAR, INC. (R: m, l, bs, v) Comedy/Action
October 14
Brand Hauser (John Cusack) is an assassin working for Tamberlane, a corporation
that is foisting itself on the world by whatever means it can. In Turaqistan, for
example, a seemingly senseless war is raging while Tamberlane profits by means of
governmental contracts on every front. The ex-Vice President (Dan Aykroyd) has sent
Hauser there to kill the Oil Minister who wants his country to build its own pipeline
without Tamerlane. His cover is that of the manager of a trade show, the finale of
which will be the marriage of sexy Middle Eastern singer Yonica Babyyeah (Hilary
Duff) to a man she doesn’t love. With his secretary (Joan Cusack) helping, and a
liberal reporter (Marisa Tomei) attempting to get to the truth, Hauser has trouble
accomplishing his assignment. But his involvement with the two women provides
him with a whole new mission. It’s a hilarious but biting political satire, with more
than one final twist. Ben Kingsley is Hauser’s boss. 107 min. (Slavin)
DVD Extras: “Making-of” Featurette.
STUCK (R: a, l, n, s, gv) Suspense/Thriller
October 14
Tom Bardo (Stephen Rea) was not having a good day. His landlord threw him out on the
street. Then the people at the employment office gave him the royal runaround. With no
where to go he wandered around until Brandi Boski (Mena Suvari) came in contact with
him. She was having a wonderful day. Her boss at the old people’s home had indicated
that a promotion to head nurse was practically hers. Then that night, she and her friend
Tanya (Rukiya Bernard) went out to a club where they ran into her drug dealing boyfriend Rashid (Russell Hornsby) and got stoned. Driving home she ran into Bardo. Literally. He went right through the windshield. Panicked, she left him there and drove the
bloody car into her garage. Later she told Rashid what had happened and he promised
to help. Their plan was to let Bardo die and then dump him somewhere. Loosely based
on a true story. Directed by Stuart Gordon (“Re-Animator”). 94 min. (Slavin)
DVD Extras: Commentaries; Featurettes include actual news footage of the incident the film is based on.
EXPELLED: NO INTELLIGENCE ALLOWED (PG) Documentary
October 21
Ben Stein, the well-known television personality, actor (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”)
and former White House presidential speechwriter journeys around the globe where
he speaks to men and women who have lost their jobs and their standings in the
scientific world for challenging Darwin’s theory of evolution; proposing that life on
this planet could be a part of some intelligent design and not random chance. He
uses the Berlin Wall as a metaphor and asserts that these people have been unjustly
ousted, merely for speaking their minds. Stein explains the differences between
creationism and intelligent design and demonstrates that the latter is a belief held
by people of all deity-based faiths, not just Christianity. He even contends that
this scientific theory contributed to the Nazi Holocaust, communism, atheism and
Planned Parenthood. The film’s climax features Stein going head-to-head with Richard Dawkins, a renowned atheist and author of the bestseller “The God Delusion.” 90 min.
DVD Extras: Behind-the-Scenes.
Related Views
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YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (Hairdressers) Shampoo; Barber Shop 1, 2; Beauty Shop; Steel Magnolias; The Beautician and the Beast;
Educating Rita; Poetic Justice; Grease.
THE HAPPENING (Strange Occurrences) Signs; The Mist; The Fog; The Orphanage; An American Haunting; The Thing; Close Encounters of the Third
Kind; Poltergeist series series; White Noise;The Exorcist series; The Grudge.
THE INCREDIBLE HULK (Comic Book Characters) Iron Man; Batman series; Blade series; Daredevil series; Fantastic Four series; Spiderman series;
Transformers; X-Men series; The Punisher; Hellboy; Ghost Rider.
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October 2008
Top 50
* Indicates a new entry - This list reflects current popularity
1. *IRON MAN (PG-13: bd, v) Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi
Robert
Downey, Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb. Directed by Jon Favreau. Tony Stark is as brilliant as he is wealthy. As CEO of Stark Industries
he has changed the face of the weapons world. While in the Mideast presenting his newest weapon to the US military, he is caught in an ambush and wakes up in the hands of
terrorists who insist that he build his weapon for them. Instead he creates an impenetrable suit, complete with built-in weapons that allow him to beat his captors and escape.
Once free, Stark discovers a deadly conspiracy that could destabilize the entire globe, and
dons his powerful new suit on a mission to stop the villains and save the world. 126 min.
2. *SEX AND THE CITY (R: a, gd, l, bgn, gs) Comedy/Drama/Romance
Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, Jennifer
Hudson, Evan Handler, David Eigenberg, Jason Lewis. Follow up to the TV series. The
foursome are still friends. Miranda and Steve are married and living in Brooklyn; Charlotte
and Harry have adopted Lily from China; Samantha has moved to Malibu to be with Smith,
whose Hollywood career has skyrocketed; and Carrie and Big have decided to get married.
But when Steve drops a bomb on Miranda, Charlotte comes up with a big surprise for everybody, Samantha is unable to get New York out of her system, Big gets cold feet, and dissention creeps into the close relationship of two of the girls, we’re in for a rocky ride. 148 min.
3. *FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (R: a, gd, gl, bgn, s) Comedy/
Romance Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, Mila Kunis, Jonah Hill, Paul
Rudd, Jack McBrayer, Bill Hader. Sarah is a beautiful and successful television star who
has been dating Peter for five years. Peter has been struggling to create an innovative musical, but because of his relationship with Sarah, is satisfied writing the background music
for her series So he’s shocked and emotionally destroyed when she tells him that while
she loves him, she has found someone new… kinky English rock star Aldous Snow. Peter’s
step-brother convinces him to get out and play the field, but that doesn’t work. Maybe
a trip to Hawaii will help. But who’s there too? Sarah and Aldous, of course. 112 min.
4. *LEATHERHEADS (PG-13: bl) Comedy/Romance George Clooney
(also directed), Renee Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce, Stephen Root.
It’s 1925. Dodge Connolly is a free-spirited, hard-living player in the fledgling American
professional football league. When his team loses its sponsor, Dodge reinvents the game
with the assistance of C.C. Frazier, a greedy public relations man, and Carter Rutherford, a too-good-to-be-true college football star and war hero. Just as the game begins
to peak the interest of the American public, Dodge and Carter find themselves at odds
and the fragile credibility of the league teetering in the balance when they cross paths
with Lexie Littleton, a beautiful, ambitious reporter from the Chicago Tribune. 114 min.
5. *MADE OF HONOR (PG-13: m, d, bl, bs) Comedy/Romance
Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin McKidd, Kadeem Hardison,
Sydney Pollack, Kathleen Quinlan. Ten years ago, Tom and Hannah met under
the most unusual circumstances, yet in spite of her refusing his advances, became
very close friends. Tom is still the womanizing bachelor he always was, saving Sundays for his best friend Hannah. After a while, it seems that Hannah is starting to
have feelings for Tom, and when she has to travel to Scotland on business, Tom truly
misses her and decides that she is the only woman he wants. But upon her return she
introduces her fiancé to Tom and asks him to be the “maid” of honor at their wedding in Scotland. Tom agrees, but needs to find a way to stop the marriage. 101 min.
6. SPEED RACER (PG) Action/Adventure
(see page 15)
7. *THE LOVE GURU (PG-13: m, d, bs, bv) Comedy Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Romany Malco, Justin Timberlake, Meagan Good, John Oliver, Stephen
Colbert, Jim Gaffigan. Pitka is an American who was left at the gates of an Ashram in
India as a child and raised by gurus. He moves back to the U.S. to seek fame and fortune in
the world of self-help and spirituality. His unorthodox methods are put to the test when he is
hired to settle a rift between Toronto Maple Leafs star hockey player Darren Roanoke and his
estranged wife. After the split, Roanoke’s wife starts dating a L.A. Kings star out of revenge,
sending her husband into a major professional skid. Pitka must return the couple to marital
nirvana and get Roanoke back on his game so the team can win the Stanley Cup. 88 min.
October 2008
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8. *BABY MAMA (PG-13: m, d, bl) Comedy Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Greg
Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Martin, Maura
Tierney, Holland Taylor. Successful and single businesswoman Kate Holbrook has long
put her career ahead of a personal life. Now 37, she’s finally determined to have a kid on
her own. After unsuccessful attempts at in vitro fertilization and adoption, she reluctantly
hires a surrogate. But the executive’s well-organized strategy is turned upside down
when her Baby Mama, gum-smacking working girl Angie Ostrowiski shows up at her
doorstep with no place to live. Sructured Kate tries to turn Angie into the perfect expectant mom and they struggle their way through preparation for the baby’s arrival. 99 min.
9. *THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM (PG-13: v) Action/Fantasy Jackie
Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano. American teenager Jason, who is obsessed with Hong
Kong cinema and kungfu classics, finds an antique Chinese staff in a pawn shop. With the
lost relic in hand, Jason unexpectedly finds himself transported back to ancient China. There,
he meets the drunken kungfu master, Lu Yan; an enigmatic and skillful Silent Monk; and a
vengeance-bent kungfu beauty, Golden Sparrow, who lead him on his quest to return the the
legendary stick weapon to its rightful owner, sage and warrior the Monkey King… imprisoned
in stone by the evil Jade Warlord for five hundred years. Along the way, Jason attempts to outmaneuver scores of Jade Warriors, Cult Killers and the deadly White Hair Demoness. 113 min.
10. *88 MINUTES (R: m, bd, bl, bn, bs, v) Drama/Suspense/Thriller
Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Amy Brenneman, Leelee Sobieski, William Forsythe, Neal
McDonough, Deborah Kara Unger. Dr. Jack Gramm is a forensic psychologist and
professor at a college in Seattle who’s best known for his courtroom testimony that helped
convict Jon Forster as the city’s notorious Seattle Slayer. Forster has always claimed he’s innocent, and that’s returned to top the news now that it’s the eve of his scheduled state execution. Similar rape-murders have started occurring again, casting doubt for many about
the conviction as well as Jack’s testimony. When Gramm receives a death threat claiming
he has only 88 minutes to live he must narrow down the possible suspects. 108 min.
11. WHATEVER HAPPENS IN VEGAS (PG-13: m, bd, bl, bs) Comedy/
Romance Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher, Rob Corddry, Lake Bell, Dennis Fa-
rina. She’s a hyper stock trader who has just been dumped by her fiancè; he’s a laid back
guy who’s been fired … by his own father. To forget their problems, each of them heads to
Las Vegas where Joy and Jack meet, get very drunk, and wake up to find themselves married. Neither is happy about it and agree on an annulment; but when they win a $3 million
jackpot on a slot machine that he played with her quarter, their attempt at dissolving the
marriage is stymied by a judge who insists that they try to make it work for six months,
and see a therapist. Jack makes it tough for Joy, and she does the same to him. 99 min.
12. STREET KINGS (R: m, gd, gl, gv) Drama/Thriller
Keanu Reeves,
Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans, Cedric the Entertainer, Jay Mohr,
John Corbett, Amaury Nolasco, Naomi Harris, Common, The Game. Tom Ludlow is a veteran LAPD cop who finds life difficult to navigate after the death of his
wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced
to go up against the cop culture he’s been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him. Feeling responsible for
bringing justice to the dead man’s wife he teams with a forensics detective to try
to find out who’s responsible and then deliver his own brand of justice. 109 min.
13. PROM NIGHT (PG-13: m, bd, bl, v) Suspense/Thriller Brittany Snow, Jonathan Schaech, Scott Porter, Dana Davis, Jessica Troup. It’s
been three years since her family was murdered by a teacher obsessed with her,
and Donna is getting ready to go to the prom with her boyfriend. Now living with
her aunt and uncle, Donna has just started having nightmares again about the
tragedy, especially the part where she was hiding under the bed as she watched
the teacher, Richard Fenton, kill her mother. On prom night, Detective Winn, who
handled the original case, is suddenly told that three days ago Fenton had broken out of the psychiatric hospital where he was imprisoned, and is now missing.
Winn has a strong suspicion that Fenton will be heading after Donna. 88 min.
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October 2008
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* Indicates a new entry - This list reflects current popularity
14. SMART PEOPLE (R: m, bgd, l, bs) Comedy/Drama/Romance
Dennis Quaid, Thomas Haden Church, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page. Lawrence Wetherhold, a depressed and self-absorbed widower mopes through his days as
a professor of Victorian Literature, angry that none of his students cares enough about
the subject he loves. Also his collegiate son won’t confide in him. Matters are made
worse when his adopted brother, who has perfected the art of freeloading, shows
up and asks for his help. He tries to corrupt his 17-year-old, straight-laced daughter,
an acid-tongued overachiever who follows all too closely in dad’s misery-loving
footsteps. But Lawrence’s life changes when an ex-student, who apparently had a
crush on him, treats him in the emergency room after a fall. 95 min. 15. *RUN FATBOY RUN (PG-13: bd, bl, bpn) Comedy/Romance
Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria, Dylan Moran. Dennis Doyle left his pregnant bride Libby at the altar, and over five years later, he’s still after her. But she’s now dating
Whit, a good-looking, well-to-do hedge fund manager. And Dennis is a dork who can’t even
pay his rent from his salary as a security. He’s a loving father to their son, but his incompetence and irresponsibility seem to be no competition for Libby’s affections as are Whit’s
good manners and considerate behavior. In an attempt to prove his worthiness, Dennis decides to join Whit in running the Nike River Run marathon to show he’s more than a quitter
but then finds out just how much sweat, strain and tears it takes to run for 26 miles. 100 min.
16. *DECEPTION (R: m, bgd, l, bn, s, bv) Suspense/Thriller Ewan Mc-
Gregor, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Wiliams, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Maggie Q, Natasha
Henstridge, Charlotte Rampling. A disconnected accountant finds his mundane life
injected with a new sense of urgency after striking up a friendship with a charismatic attorney. Jonathan is an accountant who has lost his passion in life. When his powerful new
lawyer friend, Wyatt, introduces Jonathan to a salacious underground sex club called The
List, the dejected accountant soon believes he has found the woman of his dreams. His newfound happiness takes a turn for the worse, however, when Jonathan is named the prime
suspect in the woman’s disappearance as well as the theft of 20 million dollars. 108 min.
17. MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY (PG-13: m, bd, bpn, bs)
Comedy/Drama/Romance Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, Lee Pace, Mark
Strong, Ciaran Hinds. In 1939 London, Miss Guinevere Pettigrew is a middle-aged governess who finds herself dismissed from her job and not sure where her next meal is coming from.
But some cleverness leads her to the door of aspiring actress Delysia Lafosse, a woman who
needs a social secretary to juggle her three men: a nightclub owner, a son of a theater producer,
and a piano player. The first two offer her a chance at stardom, but the pianist can’t give her
anything but love. In a single day, Miss Pettigrew helps Delysia navigate the ever-stormy waters of love, while she learns that romance may not only be reserved for the young. 92 min.
18. 21 (PG-13: m, bpn, bs, bv) Drama/Suspense Jim Sturgess, Kevin
Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne. Ben Campbell is a shy, brilliant M.I.T.
student who… needing to pay school tuition… finds the answers in the cards. He is recruited to join a group of the school’s most gifted students that heads to Vegas every weekend
armed with fake identities and the know-how to turn the odds at blackjack in their favor.
With an unorthodox math professor leading the way, they’ve cracked the code. By counting
cards and employing an intricate system of signals, the team can beat the casinos big time.
The stakes are high, and the challenge becomes not only keeping the numbers straight, but
staying one step ahead of the casinos’ menacing enforcer. Inspired by a true story. 123 min.
19. *THEN SHE FOUND ME (R: m, bl, bs) Comedy/Drama/Romance
Helen Hunt (also directed), Colin Firth, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, Ben
Shenkman. With her biological clock ticking and desperate to start a family, 39-yearold schoolteacher April Epner is thrown into confusion when she is unexpectedly abandoned by her fellow schoolteacher husband. She gets another shock when she meets
her birth mother who suddenly wants to be back in her life… a self-centered talk show
host who’s not exactly the ideal mom. At first she rejects her, along with the attentions
of the divorced dad of two students at April’s school. She is even more confused when
she finds she’s pregnant with Ben’s child. Adapted from Elinor Lipman’s novel. 100 min.
20. NIM’S ISLAND (PG) Adventure
October 2008
Video Views
(see page 15)
8
21. HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY
(R: a, gd, gl, gn, s) Comedy John Cho, Kal Penn, Rob Corddry, Roger
Bart, Neil Patrick Harris. The roommates are are headed for Amsterdam where Harold hopes to run into Maria, the girl of his dreams. Kumar has dreams also… his are
about his ex-girlfriend Vanessa, but she’s on her way to Texas to marry Colton, a politically influential yuppie. Kumar sneaks his homemade bong aboard the plane, causing
air marshalls to think it’s a bomb, then arresting the boys and sending them to prison
at Guantanamo. Just before they are forced into a fate worse than torture, they escape and attempt to head to Texas where they hope Colton might help them, all the
while they are being chased by an incompetent Homeland Security guy. 102 min.
22. THE BANK JOB (R: m, d, n, s, v) Suspense/Thriller
Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows. A car dealer with a dodgy past and new family, Terry has always
avoided major-league scams. But when Martine, a beautiful model from his old neighborhood, offers him a lead on a foolproof bank hit on London’s Baker Street, Terry recognizes the opportunity of a lifetime. Martine targets a roomful of safe deposit boxes worth
millions in cash and jewelry. But Terry and his crew don’t realize the boxes also contain
very incriminating photos that will thrust them into a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal that spans London’s criminal underworld, the highest echelons of the British
government, and the Royal Family itself. Inspired by the infamous 1971 robbery. 110 min.
23. *MARRIED LIFE (PG-13: m, bs) Drama/Suspense Pierce Brosnan,
Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson, Rachel McAdams. Set in the 1940s, it’s the tale of
Harry… a man whose faithful but emotionally distant wife has become all but impossible
to love. Entering into a passionate affair with the beautiful Kay but ultra-sensitive to the
shame associated with divorce, Harry opts to poison his wife as a means of allowing
the marriage to end with her pride still intact. Harry’s scheme soon goes horribly awry,
however, when after revealing the plan to his best friend, Richard, he too falls in love
with the ethereal young beauty and sets into motion a cunning plan all his own. 90 min.
24. REDBELT (R: m, l, bv) Drama/Action Written and Directed by David
Mamet. Chjwetel Ejiofor, Tim Allen, Emily Mortimer, Alice Braga, Joe Mantegna.
Mike Terrys owns afailing Jiu-jitsu studio in Los Angeles, causing tension between him and
his wife. But their lives change drastically when Terry comes to the aid of an actor during a
bar fight, who invites him to come and work as a consultant on a movie he is shooting. Just
as Terry’s fortunes seem to be changing, he finds himself caught up in a deceitful plan. With
his debts piling up, Terry decides to enter the competitive fighting world, where he stands
to win a huge cash prize. But he is in for a shock when he gets a close-up glimpse of the
corruption that runs rife throughout the sport. 99 min.
25. DOOMSDAY (R: m, bgd, bn, bs, gv) Action/Thriller/Sci-Fi
Rhona
Mitra, Bob Hoskins, Craig Conway, Malcolm McDowell. A deadly plague, known as
the “Reaper Virus,” spread throughout Scotland, its residents were quarantined behind a
thirty foot steel wall, and anyone that tried to escape was gunned down. But one little girl,
Eden Sinclair, got out. Thirty years later, the virus was back, and Major Sinclair was tapped
by her boss to head a team to go into the infected area to look for a cure at the laboratory
of Dr. Marcus Kane, who had been sending back reports of the horrors that were taking
place there over the years. Once inside, however, Sinclair and her team are met by hordes of
bloodthirsty “survivors,” who force them to participate in sadistic violent games. 105 min.
26. NEVER BACK DOWN (PG-13: m, bl, bs, v) Drama/Action
Sean
Faris, Djimon Hounsou, Cam Gigandet, Amber Heard. At his new high school, rebellious teen Jake Tyler is lured into an ultimate underground fighting club. After receiving threats to the safety of his friends and family, Jake seeks the mentoring of a veteran
fighter, Roqua, to train his mind and body for one final no-holds-barred elimination
fight with his unrelenting personal nemesis and local martial arts champion. It is immediately apparent to Jake that Mixed Marshall Arts is not street fighting, but rather an art form he wants to master. Roqua will take Jake under his wing, but it is up to
Jake to to learn humility, self-control and what’s really worth fighting for. 110 min.
9
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October 2008
Top 50 Views
Continued...
* Indicates a new entry - This list reflects current popularity
27. SON OF RAMBOW (PG-13: bv) Comedy/Drama Bill Milner, Will
Poulter. They met in the hallway at school: Will Proudfoot, a quiet artistic boy from a family
of Plymouth Brethren, God fearing folk who insist that Will not mix with “outsiders”; and
Lee Carter, his exact opposite, a rowdy, thieving little con artist. Lee blackmails Will into
joining him in his secret film-making venture and shows him a video of Sylvester Stallone
as Rambo in “First Blood,” which gets Will’s imaginative juices flowing. Together the boys
shoot one wild action scene after another. Meanwhile back at school, French exchange
student Didier Revol has arrived, getting all the kids excited. When this eccentric fellow
and his followers get involved in the boys’ movie, their relationship is sorely tested. 96 min.
28. VANTAGE POINT (PG-13: m, bl, v) Action/Thriller
Dennis
Quaid, Forest Whitaker, William Hurt, Matthew Fox, Sigourney Weaver. Security is tight at a summit meeting in Spain to forge an international commitment
to put an end to world terrorism. But before the U.S. President begins his speech,
a bullet rings out and hits him. Moments later a bomb explodes, causing major
damage and utter chaos. Secret Service Agents saw something. In the crowd is an
American tourist video taping the historic event to show his kids when he returns
home. Also there is an American TV news producer who is reporting on the conference. As they and others reveal their stories the movie shows us eight different perspectives from eight different people leading up to the shooting. 90 min.
29. DRILLBIT TAYLOR (PG-13: bd, bpn) Comedy
Owen Wilson, Troy
Gentile, Nate Hartley, David Dorfman, Leslie Mann. On the first day of high school,
a trio of anxious freshmen become the instant target of the school’s senior psycho-inresidence, the ultimate school bully. A daily living hell, the boys realize they have only
one choice… hire their own personal bodyguard. Enter Drillbit Taylor, not the best but
definitely the cheapest of the mercenaries, hit men and bodyguards who answer their
online ad. Drillbit claims he is skilled in covert black-ops and exotic martial arts. He’s also
a complete fraud. He bluffs and cajoles the credulous trio through his “boot camp,” while
masquerading as a substitute teacher so he could keep an eye on them. 102 min.
30. STEP UP 2 THE STREETS (PG-13: bl, bs, bv) Drama/Romance/Music Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Will Kemp. The sequel
is set again at the Maryland School for the Arts. Andie may show great promise
as a dancer, but she just can’t seem to let go of her old life and get a fresh start.
With Baltimore’s hottest underground dance contest looming on the horizon,
Andie joins forces with top dancer Chase (while simultaneously helping to sharpen the skills of her outcast classmates). Perhaps if Andie, Chase, and their talented team of misfit dancers can earn the top slot at “The Streets,” the troubled
new arrival can finally make her dreams a reality while also letting go. 98 min.
31. *YOUNG@HEART (PG) Documentary/Music A vocal group from
Northampton, MA has earned an international reputation for their unique interpretations
of songs by James Brown, Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, the Ramones, and the Clash. However, this isn’t a teenage garage band attacking the classic soul and rock songbook… the
Young@Heart Chorus is comprised of 22 senior citizens whose average age is 80, and under
music director Bob Cilman they’ve gained a degree of fame for their enthusiastic a cappella renditions of well-known rock & roll tunes. Filmmaker Stephen Walker spent several weeks with the members of the chorus. We look at their rigorous rehearsal process, the
background of several members, and their efforts to stay active and think positive. 107 min.
32. *SNOW ANGELS (R: m, bgd, l, bs, bv) Drama Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Angarano, Jeanetta Arnette, Griffin Dunne.
High school student Arthur works at a Chinese restaurant and is trying to deal
with the fact that his parents are breaking up. His lack of self-confidence is tempered when a new-girl-in-town shows a romantic interest in him. Meanwhile,
Arthur’s co-worker and former babysitter, Annie, is trying to raise her child alone
after the failure of her marriage to the unhinged Glenn. Annie embarks on an unwise affair with a man who happens to be married to her best friend and restaurant coworker. They all try to make the best of their modest lives, until a major incident raises the tension between Annie and Glenn to a breaking point. 146 min.
October 2008
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33. *THE FALL (R: m, bv) Drama/Adventure/Fantasy Lee Pace, Catinca Untaru. Back in the days of silent movies, a Los Angeles hospital was the temporary home of Roy Walker, a stuntman who had jumped off a bridge during the making of
a film. There he met five year-old Alexandria, who had broken her arm from a fall. She was
a happy little girl. He, on the other hand, was depressed, recently having been dumped by
his girlfriend for the film’s leading man. Roy tells Alexandria a story… a fantastic tale about
five warriors intent on killing the evil Governor Odious, who had done terrible things to
each of them. As the tale moves along, we see that each of the characters is based on a
real person in their lives, and that Roy is using Alexandria for his own purposes. 117 min.
34. THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES (R: m, l, bv) Drama/Suspense
Uma
Thurman, Evan Rachel Wood, Eva Amurri. Diana, a suburban wife and mother, begins to question her seemingly perfect life and perhaps her sanity on the 15th anniversary
of a tragic high school shooting. In flashbacks, Diana is a vibrant high schooler who,with
her shy best friend Maureen, plot typical teenage strategies, The older Diana, however, is
haunted by the increasingly strained relationship she had with Maureen as the day of the
school shooting approached. These memories disrupt the idyllic life she’s now leading with
her professor husband and their young daughter. As older Diana’s life begins to unravel and
younger Diana gets closer and closer to the fatal day, a deeper mystery slowly unravels. 90 min.
35. *PATHOLOGY (R: m, d, l, n, s, gv) Suspense/Thriller
Milo Ventimiglia,
Alyssa Milano, Michael Weston. Harvard Medical School graduate Ted Gray joins one of
the nation’s most prestigious Pathology programs. Ted is quickly noticed by the program’s
privileged and elite band of pathology interns who invite him into their crowd. Intrigued
by his new friends he begins to uncover secrets he never expected and finds that he has
unknowingly become a pawn in their dangerous and secret after-hours game where he and
four others indulge in their extra-curricular activities...finding ways to commit the perfect
undetectable murder. As Ted becomes seduced into their wild behavior the danger becomes
real and he must stay one step ahead of the game before he is the next victim. 93 min.
36. SHUTTER (PG-13: m, bl, bs, bv) Supernatural/Horror
Joshua Jackson, Rachael Taylor. Newlywed couple, photographer Benjamin Shaw and Jane, move to
Japan for a promising job opportunity in Tokyo. In order to have a few days for a honeymoon, the couple arrived early before Ben had to go to work. While in the car one night driving on a dark forest road, Ben fell asleep, and Jane hit something. She swore it was a girl
in the road, but when they got out to investigate, no one was to be found. Later the honeymoon photographs they had taken showed a mysterious bright light, which Ben attributed to a faulty camera. But Jane believes that the blurs are actually spirit photography of
the dead girl who they hit on the road, and that she may be seeking vengeance. 85 min.
37. STARSHIP TROOPERS 3: MARAUDER (R: m, l, bn, gv) Action/Sci-Fi Casper Van
Dien, Jolene Blalock, Boris Kodjoe. Colonel Johnny Rico, hero of Planet P, finds himself battling bugs,
new and old, on the federation frontier planet known as Roku San when it falls to the arachnid scourge .
With the future of the federation and the life of his good friend lying in the balance Rico takes the fight to the
bugs using the highly advanced weapons system known as Marauder. As Captain Lola Beck and the rest
of the starship crew fight to survive in the harsh conditions, it begins to dawn on them that something on
OM-1 is very, very wrong. This time the bugs have a secret weapon that could destroy humanity. 93 min.
38. PENELOPE (PG) Comedy/Drama/Fantasy
Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O’Hara, Richard E. Grant, Peter Dinklage, Reese Witherspoon. A wealthy family incurs the
wrath of a witch, who places a curse on them: their next female child will have the face of a pig . Until
someone of her own kind loves her for who she is, she’ll possess the facial protuberance. Generations
later Penelope was born to Jessica and Franklin, and sure enough, the curse came true. Penelope had a
pig’s snout for a nose, and when she’s a young woman her mother searches for a wealthy boy for her
daughter to marry in order to break the curse. But the search proves fruitless since none of the young men
can tolerate Penelope’s appearance. Then Max, a down-on-his-luck gambler, enters the scene. 102 min.
39. *THE SCORPION KING 2 (PG-13: bd, bs, v) Action/Adventure/Fantasy
40. DEFINITELY, MAYBE (PG-13: m, bl, d, bs) Romantic Comedy
41. 10,000 B.C. (PG-13: v) Action/Adventure/Fantasy
42. FOOL’S GOLD (PG-13: m, bd, bn, bs, bv) Adventure/Comedy/Romance
43. JUMPER (PG-13: bl, bs, v) Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi
44. STOP-LOSS (R: m, bgd, l, bgv) Drama
45. THE RUINS (R: m, bgd, l, bn, gv) Horror/Suspense/Thriller
46. SUPERHERO MOVIE (PG-13: m, bl, s, bv) Comedy/Action/Fantasy
47. THE BUCKET LIST (PG-13: bd, bl) Comedy/Drama
48. THE COUNTERFEITERS (R: bn, bl, bs, bgv) Drama
49. IN BRUGES (R: m, gd, gl, bs, gv) Comedy/Drama/Action
50. SEMI-PRO (R: m, gd, gl, bs) Comedy
11
Video Views
October 2008
Place Your Bets
Ben Siegel, aka BUGSY, built Las Vegas from scratch. Warren Beatty
and then future wife Annette Bening co-star in this Oscar winning
biopic. There’s greed between two mobster best friends over a gambling empire in CASINO, starring Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci. George
Clooney took over Sinatra’s role in OCEAN’S ELEVEN and hit Vegas with
his new gang including Brad Pitt and
Matt Damon. Then in 2004 the guys
returned with OCEAN’S TWELVE, and
in 2007, OCEAN’S THIRTEEN. Eric
Bana is a Vegas gambler who works
hard to be as good as his dad (Robert
Duvall), but learns something more
important from a girl he meets (Drew
Barrymore) in LUCKY YOU. William H.
Macy is THE COOLER, bringing bad
luck to winning gamblers. A college
professor (Kevin Spacey) puts together
a group of students and teaches them
to outsmart the casino in 21. In the
adventure comedy RAT RACE, a Vegas
casino owner (John Cleese) invents a
new way to gamble, creating hilarious results. A host of comics provide
the laughs. Nicolas Cage won an Oscar as an alcoholic screenwriter
who lost it all in LEAVING LAS VEGAS. Four Oscars went to RAIN MAN
including one one for Dustin Hoffman who played the savant brother
of a yuppie hustler (Tom Cruise) who together travel cross country
Terrified Teens
Why are we intrigued by teenagers shrieking in panic as they flee from
someone or something trying to kill them? An evil force stalks young
adults who cheated “Death” in FINAL
DESTINATION (2000) 2 (2003) and
3 (2006). The Creeper, a winged,
flesh-eating terror wants a brother
and sister for lunch in JEEPERS
CREEPERS (2002), and in 2 (2003)
a high school basketball team’s bus
is attacked by the same monster. A
college freshman “sees dead people”
who want her to join them among the
SOUL SURVIVORS (2002). However,
teens greatest terror comes from other humans. In DISTURBIA (2007) a
teenager (Shia La Boeuf) under house
arrest thinks his new neighbor (David
Morse) might be killing women and
stashing them in his garage. The kid is stir crazy, so no one believes
him. In JOY RIDE (2002) three college kids lure a trucker to a motel
for a practical joke. Not amused, he spends the rest of the movie
trying to kill them with his eighteen-wheeler. See also THE GLASS
HOUSE (2002). A rebellious teen (Evan Rachel Woods) meets a sweet,
older guy (Edward Norton) DOWN IN THE VALLEY (2006). Suddenly
By Art Slavin
ending up in Las Vegas. In the East Coast gambling
center, ATLANTIC CITY, Burt Lancaster and Susan
Sarandon were nominated for Oscars for their performances. And moving across the ocean to the CASINO ROYALE, James Bond (Daniel Craig)
must gamble against terrorism. In LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING
BARRELS four London working class
stiffs pool their money for a high
stakes card game. Back in the States
we find MICHAEL CLAYTON (George
Clooney) having a tough time pulling
away from the card table in order to
do his job for his law firm.Winning
two Oscars and earning seven more
nominations, THE HUSTLER is the
quintessential story of pool gambling
and the talented kid (Paul Newman)
who takes on the legendary Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). Twenty-five
years later, Newman took home the
Best Actor Oscar reprising his role as
“Fast Eddie” Felson… but this time
he was mentor to a new cocky kid (Tom Cruise) in THE COLOR OF
MONEY. And in TWO FOR THE MONEY, a former college football star
(Matthew McConaughey) aligns himself with one of the most renowned
touts in the sports-gambling business (Al Pacino).
By Susan Varno
he develops problems: no job, out on bail, a fascination with guns. Where is the line between desire and
danger? For serious
stalking, see SWIMFAN (2002). The
longest running teen serial killer is
Michael Myers in HALLOWEEN, thirty
years with eight movies beginning in
1978 plus Rob Zombie’s 2007 remake of the original. For teen peril
with a smile, a Texas Ranger (Tommy
Lee Jones) becomes MAN OF THE
HOUSE (2005) while protecting five
University of Texas cheerleaders who
witnessed two murders. Done with
style, SCREAM (1996) celebrates
the clichés of terrified teen movies.
In one scene a movie buff explains
the nuances of the genre while his
young friends watch slasher flicks. The survivors meet new killers at
college in SCREAM 2 (1998). The laughs pile up among the dead
bodies as SCARY MOVIE (2000) makes silly fun of SCREAM and all
other “teens in danger” movies. SCARY MOVIE 2 (2001) also sends
the graduates to college.
Another Look ­­­– Shia LaBeouf
From age two, Shia Saide LaBeouf learned to please an audience working with his parents as street clowns in Los
Angeles. Born June 11, 1986, Shia is Hebrew for “Praise God.” His Cajun father was a Vietnam vet who suffered
with drug addiction; his Russian-Jewish mother was a former ballerina. He describes his parents as hippies who
showered him with love. To help with family finances, Shia began doing stand-up comedy in local clubs when he
was nine. At twelve he convinced an agent to sign him as an actor. She found him work in commercials and TV series. In 1998, he appeared in children’s movies. From 2000 to 2003, he played Louis Stevens, the smart-mouthed
younger brother in the Disney Channel series “Even Stevens,” reprising the role for THE EVEN STEVENS MOVIE
(2003). Also for Disney he starred as a teen felon sentenced to hard labor digging HOLES (2003) in the desert.
After a small role in DUMB AND DUMBERER (2003), LaBeouf played an orphan rescued by Angels in CHARLIE’S
ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE (2003) and starred in Project Greenlight’s THE BATTLE OF SHAKER HEIGHTS (2003).
Other roles included Will Smith’s street urchin/sidekick in I, ROBOT (2004) and the chauffeur for graphic novel
superhero CONSTANTINE (2005). LaBeouf starred as a young golfer who challenges the pros in THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED (2005).
For A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS (2006), he was an inner city youth torn between gangs and literature. In the ensemble cast
on the day BOBBY (2006) Kennedy was assassinated, LaBeouf did his first nude scene as a hotel waiter high on LSD. He voiced a penguin
training for a surfing championship in SURF’S UP (2007). He starred in DISTURBIA (2007) as a teen under house arrest who thinks his
neighbor (David Morse) might be a serial killer, in TRANSFORMERS (2007) as the young man who saves the world from invading robots and
in INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL as Indy’s (Harrison Ford) son.
October 2008
Video Views
12
Please visit www.morevideoviews.com for the full articles
Sid Skolnik’s
Movie Contest
Win $50.00
Match the correct title with the most appropriate clue.
One entry per person. Mail your answers to “Movie Contest” P.O. Box 596 Palos Park, IL 60464 or e-mail your entry to:
[email protected]. You must include where you obtained Video Views, as well as your current address. All entries must be sent by October 31.
The entry with the MOST CORRECT answers wins. Ties will be broken by a drawing.
This month’s winner will be announced in the December 2008 issue of Video Views.
Mov
ies
s
C l ue
1. “You sound like you’re from London!”
A. Then She Found Me
B. Made of Honor
C. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
D. Deception
E. Married Life
F. 88 Minutes
G. Leatherheads
H. The Love Guru
More Cash Contests
on our web page
I. Iron Man
www.morevideoviews.com
J. Baby Mama
2. “In the beginning, the rules were simple.
There weren’t any!”
3. A schoolteacher.
4. Stark Industries.
5. Scotland.
6. The Stanley Cup finals.
7. Angie Ostrowiski. 8. An accountant.
9. The 1940s.
10.
August Answers 1-F; 2-H; 3-I; 4-A; 5-B; 6-G; 7-D; 8-E; 9-J; 10-C
August Contest Winner:
Mildred Bradshaw of Bastrop, LA
Must call 708-671-1952 to claim prize!
All monthly winners are entered into the year end $200 Grand Prize drawing.
See our website for more details.
Video Game Views
TOP 10 (11- 25 on www.morevideoviews.com)
6. BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY (XBOX 360, PS2)
7. ARMY OF TWO (XBOX 360, PS3)
8. SID MEIR’S CIVILIZATION REVOLUTION (XBOX 360, PS3)
9. UNREAL TOURNAMENT III (XBOX 360, PS3)
10. TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 09 (XBOX 360)
1. MERCENARIES 2: WORLD IN FLAMES (XBOX 360, PS3)
2. TOO HUMAN (XBOX 360, PS3)
3. SOUL CALIBUR IV (XBOX 360,PS3)
4. MADDEN NFL 09 (PS3, XBOX 360, Wii)
5. METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS (PS3)
AVATAR - THE LAST AIRBENDER: INTO THE INFERNO (PS3, XBOX 360, Wii)
October 13
You control Aang as he battles his way through a ship ravaged by war. He has to fight through hordes of
enemies and string together elements in order to solve some equally simple puzzles.. Perform explosive
martial arts moves while exploring the environments presented to Aang and using his powers to fight off
enemies. Based on the final season of the highly acclaimed TV series.
FRACTURE (PS3, XBOX 360)
October 7
Amidst a backdrop of worldwide ecological and seismological chaos in
the the year 2161 the United States has been split in two by the “Great
Flood”. As a result of the polar ice cap melting, the Mississippi River
has destroyed the central portion of the United States, literally cutting
the country in half. These two halves are left to fend for themselves and
against each other. Players take the role of Mason Briggs, a demolitions
expert fighting for the Atlantic Alliance.
MIDNIGHT CLUB: LOS ANGELES (PS3, XBOX 360, Wii)
October 7
The best way to see Los Angeles is at 200mph. Race at breakneck speeds through the streets of modernday L.A. recreated in stunning detail. Drive the hottest range of real-world tuners, muscle cars, exotics and
superbikes on the streets today. Customize your ride with the best after-market performance parts and
custom kits. Illegal street racing with no track, no load times, no rules.
Video Views October 2008 Vol. 19 Issue 10
Published Monthly by SBS Publications - All Rights Reserved©
Main Office (708) 671-1952 - P.O. Box 596 - Palos Park, IL 60464 - E-Mail: [email protected]
Publisher and Editor: Sid Skolnik - Art Director: Shaun Rowe
Advising Editor: Rhonda Rae - Writers: Art Slavin, Susan Varno - Consultant: Paul Kamzic
Visit our website - www.morevideoviews.com
October 2008
Video Views
14
Look for more Family choices in our other sections.
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (PG) Adventure/Sci-Fi
October 28
Ten years after his older brother Max went missing, science professor
Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser) continued his work at the Center
of Volcanic Activity. But due to the lack of any progress, the lab is
being shut down. To add to his distress, Trevor’s nephew Sean (Josh
Hutcherson) has come for a visit. Looking through Max’s copy of a Jules Verne book, the two are fascinated with the comparison between
Max’s notes and Verne’s novel. So they travel to Iceland where, with
the help of mountain guide Hannah Ásgiersson (Anita Briem), they
discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the
earth. At first they are awed by the beautiful waterfalls, prehistoric
glow birds and giant mushrooms, but soon find themselves having to
deal with runaway mine cars, flying piranha, man-eating plants, giant
sea monsters, and even an enormous dinosaur. The journey will keep
you entertained. 92 min. (Slavin)
KIT KITTREDGE:AN AMERICAN GIRL (G) Drama/Comedy
October 28
Margaret Mildred “Kit” Kittredge (Amy Breslin) is a smart, ambitious ten year-old
living in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the midst of the Great Depression. Her dad Jack (Chris
O’Connell) is a car dealer, and her mom Margaret (Julia Ormond) is a warmhearted
housewife whose garden parties are brought to a halt when her husband loses his
dealership to the bank. With their home on the brink of foreclosure, Jack leaves to
find work in Chicago while Margaret takes in boarders. Kit is intent on becoming
a published reporter, but is turned away by the editor of the Cincinnati Register (Wallace Shawn). But she is not discouraged. When a rash of “hobo robberies”
throughout the state moves much closer to home, and Will Shepherd (Max Thieriot),
a homeless teenager who has been working for the Kittredges is the obvious suspect,
Kit and her pals put on their investigative hats to solve the crimes. Joan Cusack,
Stanley Tucci, and Jane Krakowski are featured. 91 min. (Slavin)
THE PIRATES WHO DON’T DO ANYTHING: A VEGGIETALES MOVIE
(G) Animated Adventure/Comedy
October 14
Elliot, Sedgewick, and George (Larry the Cucumber, Mr. Lunt, and Pa Grape) are all busboys
at the Pieces of Ate Dinner Theater, and all long for the day when they can cease cleaning
tables and step into the spotlight. If Elliot could overcome his timidity, Sedgewick could
muster some motivation, and George could only boost of self-confidence a bit, perhaps
their dreams of starring in the big pirate show could finally come true. When a mysterious
artifact known as the “Helpseeker” falls from the sky searching for three heroes to embark
on a treacherous quest back to the 17th Century, Elliot, Sedgewick, and George must
choose between traveling back in time to rescue a royal family from a dangerous despot,
or spending the rest of their lives lazily lounging around on the couch. Voices include Phil
Vischer and Mike Nawrocki. 85 min.
1. SPEED RACER (PG) Action/Adventure Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon.
2. NIM’S ISLAND (PG) Adventure Abigail Breslin, Gerard Butler, Jodie Foster.
3. COLLEGE ROAD TRIP (G) Comedy Martin Lawrence, Raven-Symone, Donny Osmond.
4. HANNAH MONTANA & MILEY CYRUS... (G) Documentary/Music Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jonas Brothers.
5. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (PG) Fantasy/Drama Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker.
6. ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS (PG) Comedy/Animation
7. THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP (PG) Adventure/Fantasy
8. ENCHANTED (PG) Comedy/Fantasy/Romance
9. BEE MOVIE (PG) Animated Comedy
10. NANCY DREW (PG) Mystery
11. THE GAME PLAN (PG) Comedy
12. THE SEEKER (PG) Action/Adventure
13. MR. MAGORIUM’S WONDER EMPORIUM (G) Fantasy/Comedy/Drama
14. UNDERDOG (PG) Adventure/Comedy/Fantasy
15. EVAN ALMIGHTY (PG) Comedy/Fantasy
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Video Views
October 2008