It is temping to say that the summer blockbuster season starts now (a full week and a half into Spring) with the 3D action epic "Clash of the Titans." But with last week's big returns for "How to Train Your Dragon" and the gargantuan force of Tim Burton's "Alice In Wonderland" that line is forever blurred. There are many wannabe blockbusters hitting screens even before Memorial Day, and it's a wonder some enterprising studio doesn't move a major tent-pole picture to the normally dead months of January or September. "Titans" should rule the box office this weekend, as the competition is very slim across the board, but it probably won't break any major records. Tyler Perry's fans will show up for his latest, making the film another success for the urban auteur, who shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. We normally advocate a trip to the theater every week if you can, but this Easter weekend might be better spent outdoors.
In Wide Release: Sam Worthington continues his streak of being totally forgettable in mega-budget films with "Clash of the Titans." The actor plays Perseus, the demigod son of Zeus who must follow his destiny and battle the evil forces of Hades. This remake of the 1981 film was retrofitted in 3D after the massive success of "Avatar," irking James Cameron, even if he is doing the same thing with his own aging blockbuster "Titanic." We posted our review yesterday, finding the flick to be a huge mess, with clearly expensive but very cheesy special effects. We were all hoping for a fun guilty pleasure with this one, but it doesn't even have the panache to succeed on that level. Rotten Tomatoes tracks the film with a 35% rating, while Metacritic is close with a 38 score.
Amazingly the two other films releasing wide today, both going after the estrogen crowd that may be turned off by "Titans," look even worse. "The Last Song" is somehow the second adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel this year (after "Dear John") and it's only April. The tearjerker stars Miley Cyrus as a girl forced to spend the summer with her estranged father (the under-appreciated Greg Kinnear) in a small southern beach town. The film is interesting more as a test of Cyrus' star power, given it is her first purely dramatic role aimed at an older crowd. Reviews don't really matter with a film like this, but RT has it at 14%, with a 33 score from Metacritic.
Finally in wide release is "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too." Let's just say that we probably won't get around to seeing this one, as they haven't screened it for critics (not that we would have subjected ourselves to it anyway). Perry's built-in audience should make a profit for the modestly budgeted picture though, paving the way for more sequels from his hit factory.
In Limited Release: Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan play grieving parents who receive a visit from a young woman pregnant with their dead son's baby in "The Greatest." The cast is solid enough with recent Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan playing the pregnant woman, but the film, from first-time writer/director Shana Feste looks heavy on the grief-cliches and unearned sentimentality. Also, does it seem like Brosnan is in every other film coming out these days? Did he get burned by Madoff or something? Rotten Tomatoes has it at 50%, while Metacritic calculates a 44 score.
Thomas Haden Church stars in rookie director Jake Goldberger's "Don McKay." The actor plays a man who returns to his hometown 25 years after a horrible tragedy forced him to leave. He tries to rekindle a romance with his high school flame, played by Elizabeth Shue, but finds that dark forces are still at work in the town he vowed never to return to. The dark noir might be worth checking out for lack of better options this weekend and we're always happy to see Church get meatier roles. Critics are very mixed on the picture with RT at 47% and Metacritic clocking in at 51.
Also in limited release this weekend, the Chinese Qing Dynasty epic "The Warlords." Jet Li plays a good solider who survives a massacre, befriending two bandits in the process. Their relationship is quickly put to the test by various deceptions and intrigue. The film was a huge hit in Asia, but western audiences don't usually turn out for this kind of film in large numbers. Expect some great battle sequences, a hackneyed love story and a long running time. RT: 56%, Metacritic: 79.
Finally, the low-budget relationship drama "Breaking Upwards" hits a few screens today. The film stars real-life couple Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones in a fictional narrative based on their actual open relationship. Expect a lot of hyper-articulate dialogue about love and sex and navel-gazing, but the film's interesting premise may make the preciousness of the whole thing somewhat tolerable. We look forward to checking it out sometime soon. RT: 67%, Metacritic: 61.
Reference: http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/04/in-theaters-clash-of-titans-last-song.html
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