The Cinema For 1/15/10: The First Two Weeks Of Releases

Denzel and Gary tried to bring their quality to an up and down script in "The Book Of Eli"

The first "Cinema" of the year. Now because there was no Cinema post from last week, we have to catch up and give the previews for last week releases with this week's ones (unless you already those movies).....First, this week:

The movie getting most of the attention is the film starring Gary Oldman and Denzel Washington. "The Book Of Eli" is the latest apocalypse movie that is pushed in our face. And unfortunately, it is receiving more criticism than it is approval. Attacks on the screenplay being poor has been massive, such as this column review from the Toronto Star's Peter Howell

But the picture is a lost opportunity, perhaps mirroring reality in that regard. This Book doesn't teach, inspire or amuse; instead it mysteriously flops open at that well-thumbed page favoured by hack filmmakers, the one that reads simply, "Smash, hack and torch." It's The Road Warrior meets The Road, and a lot of brain cells burn along with the rubber.

But there are some that enjoyed it thanks to Washington's usual quality

Washington, ever potent, brings to the role the full force of his thousand-mile stare and regenerative smile. His pilgrim of the postapocalypse sees beyond his immediate rut and a world that's bigger than himself. In a word, Eli is inspirational.

This is certainly one of those movies that is up to you to see.

A movie getting slammed this week even more than "Eli" is "The Lovely Bones." Even the top class director that Peter Jackson is couldn't save an otherwise gruesome and weird story from most people's eyes. In his main thought of the film, Rick Goren of "The Globe & Mail" says "Some books should stay between them, and the Lovely Bones may well be one of them."

But it isn't as ridiculed as "The Spy Next Door" movie. Jackie Chan stars in another travesty with George Lopez. And it is so bad, that even they probably will tell you, they hate the movie.

Probably the pick of the lot this week, and probably this entire month, is from overseas. The British film "Fish Tank" certainly does not tank. It is receiving so much praise from everywhere.

Those are the releases for today.

And for last week's movies (pushed back from last week):
The first releases of 2010 are out, and it seems that "Youth In Revolt" seems like it has slightly one over most of the critics. It is has its ups and its downs, and how you feel about will probably factor on how you feel about Michael Cera.

In comparison to a decent majority approval for "Youth In Revolt", the year's first totally awful movie appears to be "Leap Year." It has been trashed everywhere.

From the NY Times titled "Ireland in February, With Romance in the Air, Manure on the Ground" to Richard Roeper labeling it as "Recycled plot, lame sight gags" and much more negative feedback, the Amy Adams film has annoyed.

Especially "The Spill" guys (Listener Discretion is advised):

But the movie that is probably the best of the first week for 2010 is the undervalued and overlooked "Daybreakers." From the Spill guys giving good praise to "Daybreakers" is actually a vampire movie that does justice to......vampires.

Which adds to the reason why it is getting overlooked, having to precede after the likes of New Moon and Zombieland, though the latter was well received as well. Vampire fatigue has probably set in, and with this movie being placed in the incipient stage of the year, attention has been hard to come by.

Probably the New York Press' Simon Abrams sums it up best (with probably a little hyperbole)

Daybreakers was unceremoniously dumped into theaters by unadventurous studio heads in the first week of January, [but] one shouldn’t take their cluelessness seriously: Daybreakers is so much better than they would have you believe.

And that is the Cinema for this week. Tuned in next week for more.

If you are part of the Michael Cera fan club, you will probably will like "Youth in Revolt"