New Releases

There are a few films to see this week, so let's jump right in!

The Corporation. This documentary is opening at the local arthouse theater. I saw a trailer for this the last time I was there, looks interesting. It examines the phenomenon of the corporation and how it is seen as a person in the eyes of the law. It is comprised of a variety of sources and interviews. It seems to be in a style similar to that of Michael Moore, but minus the abrasive personality and questionable politics. I hope to catch this one.

Opening the past Wednesday was The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. I really have no interest in seeing this, especially considering the atrocious reviews it has received, although it makes me slightly interested in Ella Enchanted, as recommended by Roger Ebert as an alternative.

Also opening a week or two ago, Garden State is making its opening locally. This one looks good. It was written and directed, not to mention stars, by Zach Braff (JD of NBC's Scrubs). It has gotten generally good reviews and looks interesting and strange enough to be entertaining. Braff plays Andrew, a television actor, who returns home for his mother's funeral, minus his medication. Once home he must interact with old acquaintances and new friends. It co-stars Natalie Portman.

Yu-Gi-Oh also makes it's way to the local cineplex. This one is sure to please young kids and annoy parents. Either way it will probably be a moderate success along the lines of Pokemon, but count me out among the masses.

Finally there is Alien vs. Predator. A highly anticipated film which is being set up as a big disappointment to fans. Not screened for critics, not a good sign. That is reserved for films that even the studios don't care for and want to sneak it into theaters for a cash grab before word of mouth gets out as to how bad it is. For over a decade Alien vs. Predator comic series have been written with excellent stories, characters, and settings just ripe for the picking, sadly the studio chose another route. I remember awhile back when James Cameron and Ridley Scott were interested in collaborating on this project with Cameron writing and Scott directing. Stop and think for a moment just how great that could have been. Ok stop drooling, fast forward a bit and now your seeing the announcement that Paul Anderson has been brought on to direct, and that he has promised to deliver a PG-13 film, remember that Anderson is responsible for mildly entertaining but ultimately forgettable fare such as Resident Evil and Mortal Kombat. Ok, stop groaning. Well, he delivered the PG-13 they wanted, and the trailers look like video games, but I am still willing to give it a shot. I am one of the few Anderson fans, although I admit that he is not a terribly original director and would have liked to have had someone else on the project. It looks like it may have some interesting portions, and it will be sort of cool to see these two species battle it out, but in the end this project should have been treated with a little more respect and it should have been targeted as an R rated film, like the rest of the two series. At least that didn't happen last year with Freddy vs. Jason, while not great, a definitely enjoyable romp for the two horror icons.

I hope you all find something to like at the theater.