"Trouble With the Curve"
Like "Moneyball" for girls. What appears to be a sentimental feel-good film about family, baseball, friendship and love (again, sports for girls) features big names like Amy Adams as that one pretty, smart girl that works in baseball, Clint Eastwood as her cranky old father who is a baseball scout and Justin Timberlake as a random friend Adams' character will likely be romantically interested in. With all the Hollywood clichés for inspirational movies both about family and the sports business, it's the perfect way for girlfriends to trick their boyfriends into seeing a sentimental flick disguised as a baseball-themed movie.
"Taken 2"
Remember when Liam Neeson killed EVERYONE in "Taken"? It turns out those people actually worked for someone bigger and scarier, who is now sending his gangsters to avenge the many killed. This time Neeson's character is on vacation in Istanbul, and the stakes are raised when the bad guys take him and his wife, and they go after his daughter ... again. Dramatic and awesome conversation about being taken on the phone again, along with all the action, promises a movie just as epic and ridiculous as the first. Much like "The Hangover 2," it's the same movie, just in a different place. So if you liked "Taken," you will likely not be disappointed.
"Seven Psychopaths"
Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson and Christopher Walken. They're only three of the titular characters in the film "Seven Psychopaths," but they account for the bulk of what looks like one of the most offbeat comedies this fall. It follows a group of dog kidnappers who have mistakenly held the wrong shihtzu hostage as they wait for its gangster owner Harrelson to pay them off. The appearance of Tom Waits as a man with an unhealthy attachment to his pet rabbit just drives home how strange but wonderful this movie could be. The shihtzu takes a starring role with "Awww"-inducing puppy dog eyes and surprisingly great comedic timing. If the story is any match for its all-star cast, it looks to be one of the most hilarious movies this year.
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
Regardless of whether or not you have read the novel of the same name, the trailer for "Perks of Being a Wallflower" looks impressive. As it is directed by Stephen Chbosky, the novel's author, "Perks" just might be able to live up to its acclaimed status as an oft quoted contemporary coming-of-age story. Notably full of angst and intentionally indie, this teen-centered film looks to exaggerate and bring out the inner thoughts of those high schoolers that feel they just don't belong. Emma Watson's presence in "Perks" certainly makes it appealing and, if nothing else, the soundtrack clips (selected by author Chbosky) sound promising.
"The Words"
"The Words" looks like a combination of "The Time Travelers Wife" and "Midnight in Paris." With romantic, suspenseful music and quick shots from golden-era Paris to modern-day New York, the trailer bounces back and forth between the parallel universes of Rory Jensen, played by Bradley Cooper, and that of the true author. The movie is set simultaneously in Paris and New York (directors Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal filmed in Montreal to take advantage of the city's aesthetic versatility and portray both cities). The film teases with a stunning cast - Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde, Dennis Quaid, ZeljkoIvanek, J.K. Simmons, and Jeremy Irons. While the plot seems simplistic (Bradley is a desperate beat writer who plagiarizes another man's book, which complicates his rocketing literary career), we will be seeing this for the star-studded lineup.
"Django Unchained"
Writer and director Quentin Tarantino's latest film, "Django Unchained," premieres Dec. 25. It is a western set in the deep south, and it stars Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz as bounty hunters. Foxx's eponymous character seeks to find his wife and win his freedom, and like in all Tarantino revenge films that process will probably be extremely violent and filled with obscure references. Tarantino and Waltz worked together on the film "InglouriousBasterds" another historically inspired revenge film, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards. Leonardo DiCaprio also stars as a plantation-owning antagonist. Fans of Tarantino movies will no doubt find this movie right up their alley.
