September is here again. It’s the month for the thickest magazine issues, the newest TV shows, the hustle and bustle of back to school, and undoubtedly- the most movies. From the Emmy Awards to the Toronto Film Festival, we’re celebrating good screen material…all month.

(NOTE** Films marked with “TIFF” will also be shown at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Stick with TGOTV for reviews from the festival coming this month!!!)

September kicks into gear with The American, opening on Wednesday, September 1st. A shoot-em-up style showcase of George Clooney’s incredible star power, about an American among Italian assassins with an adventurous assignment.

Then, Friday September 3rd gives us Going the Distance, starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long in a comedy about how to make a long distance relationship work. Also starring Christina Applegate and Jason Sedakis. Also opening, another action-adventure- Machete, starring Danny Trejo and Steven Seagal, and a bad-ass female cast including Michelle Rodriguez, Jessica Alba and Lindsay Lohan.

Next up on September 10th, Mila Jovovitch is back as ALICE  in Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D. And if zombie-killing doesn’t sound appealing to you, maybe Joaquin Phoenix will. I’m Still Here (TIFF) also opens to select theaters, as Casey Affleck’s debut documentary follows Phoenix in the year after he publicly gave up acting in order to  become a hip-hop musician.

With a limited release on September 15th, Never Let Me Go (TIFF) opens. The coming-of-age drama about 3 friends in boarding school stars Keira Knightly, Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield.

Then, on Friday September 17th, The Town opens, starring Ben Affleck. Also starring Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall and Blake Lively, the action romance divulges what can happen when a bank robbing criminal falls for one of his victims.  Also opening this weekend, Easy A (TIFF)- a comedy starring Emma Stone, about a high school chick who likens herself to The Scarlet Letter’s Hester Prynne after a white lie spreads about her virginity.  And, Devil opens- with the M. Night Shyamalan name on it (as a writer), about a group of people trapped in an elevator with an invisible evil force.

Opening to select theaters on September 22nd, You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger- starring Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Frieda Pinto and Antonio Banderas, about the individual love lives and problems of an unconventional family.

Photo Credit: www.collider.com

And finally, on Friday September 24th, a family-friendly animated flick- Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole opens nationwide. Director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) makes his animated debut with this fantasy adventure based on the bestselling book series, with the voice talents of Jim Sturgess, Ryan Kwanten, and Geoffrey Rush among others.

The 24th also gives us Shia LaBeouf and Michael Douglas starring in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. A reprise for Douglas as the villainous Gordon Gekko, Oliver Stone directs it again- also starring Carey Mulligan, Susan Sarandon and Frank Langella. Then, opening to select theaters this month (and nationwide Oct. 8th) Ryan Reynolds gets Buried (TIFF) six-feet under with no idea how he got there, as time runs out in this thriller struggle for survival.

And even more movies this weekend! Opening to select theaters- in a special documentary called Waiting for “Superman” (TIFF), award-winning filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) explores the plight of the American education system. Also opening, a cast of hilarious women including Kristen Bell, Betty White, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristin Chenoweth, and Sigourney Weaver all star in the comedy You Again, about what happens when two generations of women are reunited with their high school bullies.

So many movies, so little time…

C.A.M.

CONGRATS GINA C.,

WINNER OF 4 FREE MOVIE TICKETS!!

THE CONTEST ANSWERS

1. Highest & Lowest Rated Reviews (August 2009 to July 2010):

Highest: Avatar, Inception and This Is It

(I only asked for 2)

Lowest: All About Steve

2. Name an Actor-Director Double Threat:

There could have been several answers to this question, including:

Jon Favreau, Tyler Perry, Clint Eastwood, or George Clooney.

3. How Many Best Picture Nominees did TGOTV Review? Five.

UP IN THE AIR

AVATAR

DISTRICT 9

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

PRECIOUS

Thanks to all that entered, and stay tuned for the next contest…coming this October.

C.A.M.

Stallone… Jet Li…Jason Statham…it was all too good to be true. What started out as the idea of a lifetime, turned out to be an unnecessary blast from the past.

Call me new-fashioned, but The Expendables just can’t roll with the times. What would have been an action orgy back in the 1980s (maybe even early 90s) falls short today, and young audiences just won’t buy it. We’ve come to expect our action films to have a story line that highlights the shoot-em-up style without losing any sort of structure. And when it does- we lose interest.

On the contrary, fans of Stallone and his friends in their heydays (Schwarzenegger, Willis, etc.) can appreciate seeing the reunion. If you can get past Stallone’s manhandling of the camera- unnecessary close ups, constant following of the character eye-line, handheld confusion resembling a home video- then The Expendables could be a beer-and-barbeque good time.

But I don’t think anyone- old or young- can get past this stale, steroidy excuse for an action flick. No real story, no real explanations, barely even a reason for any of the action that ensues. For a generation that’s so quick to spot a bad story, a pointless explosion, a cheesy line or a dry dialogue, The Expendables sticks out as all of the above.

Rating: 1.9/5

As previously mentioned, it’s our 1 year anniversary over here at TGOTV. And to show our appreciation for you, the readers…

One lucky reader will win

4 FREE MOVIE TICKETS!!

There are plenty of ways to appreciate this:

*That’s 2 dates with the girl/guy of your dreams on me! If the first date is good, I’ve paid for your happiness with a second date.

*Socially awkward? I’ll pay for 3 people to be your friend for an evening at the movies. If they don’t like you after that…I really can’t help you.

*Make it a “Sex & The City” night with 3 of your girl friends! 4 of you can go see the latest romcom, cry, and get tubs of ice-cream afterwards. I’ll pay for the good time, but can’t be held responsible for any weight gain.

* Or, I’ll pay for one family night out at the movies with your nuclear family (Could also be a non-nuclear family: one single mom with 3 kids, Gay couple with 2 kids, mom and dad with only one kid and a dog, etc.)

*Not a huge fan of other people? Well, keep them for yourself. Four movies on someone else’s tab? With no exchange for sex or any other strings attached? Yes please.

THE CONTEST

Leave a comment below OR respond as a DM on twitter (@ThatGirlOnTV — you should retweet contest tweets or use #TGOTV!!) with the answers to these questions. You have until 11:59 p.m. on August 19th to participate. Make sure you include contact information like an e-mail address so we can notify you if you win. Winner among correct answers will be selected at random (I have a number generator system going, so being my friend doesn’t help you at all) and will be announced on August 20th.

ANSWER THESE 3 QUESTIONS:

1. WHAT ARE THE FILMS WITH THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST RATING ON TGOTV, FROM AUGUST 2009 TO JULY 2010 (ANSWER MUST INCLUDE 3 TITLES: 2 MOVIES TIED FOR HIGHEST AND ONE LOWEST)?

2. NAME A DOUBLE THREAT (A PERSON THAT IS A DIRECTOR AND ACTOR) THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED IN A TGOTV REVIEW (I can think of  at least 3, any one of them will work).

3. HOW MANY OF THE 10 BEST PICTURE NOMINEES (THE 2010 OSCARS) DID TGOTV REVIEW? I saw all of the nominated films, but only wrote reviews for ____.

Important Note: PRIZE WILL BE SENT ANYTIME BETWEEN AUGUST 20TH AND SEPTEMBER 17TH. FREE TICKETS/PASSES WILL ONLY BE VALID AT REGAL THEATERS, THOUGH THIS CONTEST IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH REGAL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP (REG) IN ANY WAY. TICKETS WILL ADHERE TO REGAL RULES. TGOTV IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOST/STOLEN TICKETS ONCE THEY’VE BEEN SENT.

GOOD LUCK, and THANKS FOR READING!!!

C.A.M.

Well, it certainly is entertaining. Whether or not you want to take The Other Guys seriously as a buddy cop movie- that’s another question. But in the director’s defense, I highly doubt he wanted anyone to take these guys seriously.

Terry (Mark Whalberg) and Allen (Will Ferrell) are desk detectives, one trying to spread his peacock wings and do some real police work, the other just trying to mind his own business and be the paper-pusher he was destined to be. When a corrupt banking incident is brought to their attention, the duo finally get their chance to shine instead of just being those other guys.

In my opinion the height of Will Ferrell funny was Anchorman, and this film is kind of far off. There were some real WTF moments, and those certainly came often, but the funny is buried in there. On the other hand, Whalberg tries his hand at being violent AND funny (instead of just violent), and perhaps that’s the way to make his anger tolerable. The two work well together as partners in comedic crime, because it’s their constant failure that carries the film.

In short, I wasn’t terribly impressed. Though, with the addition of Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Eva Mendes, and Michael Keaton (just to name a few of the notable cast and cameos)…I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a sequel from director Adam McKay.

Rating: 2.7/5

Can’t believe it’s August already…

Not only is it the last month of summer vacation, August also happens to be the 1 year anniversary of this very website. TGOTV is thrilled to have been able to provide you with a year’s worth of reviews and previews for your moviegoing pleasure, and we’re equally thrilled that you’ve been coming back for more reads!

(In fact, TGOTV will be holding an anniversary contest this month. Details coming soon, so keep reading!!)

Here’s to another year and beyond… must-sees, stinkers, and all in between! Starting right now, with August:

Friday, August 6th opens the month with a nice selection for the young and energetic movie goer. Teens and dance fans can experience Step Up 3D, the third installment in the dancing sensation, with some new players and a lot of new moves. Also opening to select theaters: Twelve, starring Chase Crawford, Emma Roberts and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson- about a high school dropout who ventures into drug dealing on New York’s Upper East Side. And last but probably best, The Other Guys opens this weekend, a buddy-cop comedy starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, but also featuring Samuel L. Jackson (and Dwayne Johnson) so it has to be good.

Next up, it’s Friday the 13th (No Jason, no Nicki Minaj) and instead of a slew of thrillers, we’re getting an action-packed manparty. This weekend you can see The Expendables, directed by Sylvester Stallone and featuring the worlds best gang of ass-kickers (Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke….Arnold Schwarzenegger?!), and then there’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World-starring Michael Cera, who’s more likely to just get his ass kicked.

Also opening on the 13th, Eat Pray Love. Julia Roberts is Liz Gilbert, a woman who goes on a journey of self-discovery,  attempting to take her life in a different direction.

Then, the back-to-schoolers get a little bit more attention, as Vampires Suck opens on Wednesday, August 18th. It’s like the Anti-Twilight, following suit with Dance Flick, Date Movie, Epic Movie, Superhero Movie, Not Another Teen Movie, Scary Movie, and every other dismal parody of movies that are actually good. Oh well, at least Ken Jeong is in the cast.

On Friday August 20th, Bow Wow returns to the screen in Ice Cube’s latest comedy, The Lottery Ticket. Also opening this weekend, another Jennifer Aniston romcom- The Switch, with Jason Bateman, about an artificial insemination gone wrong between two friends. And, for those that just can’t get enough of the 3D craze (though I don’t see how that’s possible, it’s as common as a cold) the suspenseful thriller Piranha 3D opens, starring Jerry O’Connell, Ving Rhames and Jessica Szohr.

And just in time for school to start, FINALLY, Takers opens on Friday, August 27th. My apologies for the outburst of caps, I’ve just been waiting a long time for this cast: Idris Elba, Matt Dillon, Hayden Christiansen, T.I., Michael Ealy, Jay Hernandez, Paul Walker, and Chris Brown. I don’t even care what the movie is about.

(Just kidding, it’s actually an action-drama about a group of criminals whose covert operations might be blown by a detective Matt Dillon).

Also closing out the month of August, The Last Exorcism, for those who adore those kinds of disturbing thrillers, and the more lighthearted Going the Distance- a romcom about a long distance relationships, starring real life on again/off again couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long.

Cheers to an August anniversary choc-ful of action and hot guys!

C.A.M.

The representation of the American family has perhaps never been more honest than in The Kids Are All Right. Sure, there’s room for a witty comedy about being married lesbians with kids in today’s society, but this is not a film about being lesbian. Instead we explore the hardships of marriage, and the conflicts between two people who love each other. In addition, this film explores what a family is comprised of, and does it with exceptional style.

Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) are a married couple, raising their two teenagers Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), learning how to deal with their comings of age. When the curious kids seek out their biological “father”- sperm donor Paul (Mark Ruffalo), incorporating him into the family that Nic has already established proves tumultuous for everyone, especially for the married pair.

Director and writer Lisa Cholodenko (The L Word, Six Feet Under) gives us a less gritty view of same-sex relationships than some of her previous works; taking time to differentiate love and sex, in a light-hearted and refreshing way. Centering the story around the family house, the dinner table, the indoor environments, Cholodenko carefully  delivers messages that resonate with any human being. Portraying values and conversation, interactions and a range of emotions, The Kids Are All Right is an excellent example of storytelling skills.

Stellar performances from Julianne Moore (Children of Men, A Single Man) and Annette Bening (The Siege, American Beauty). Working off of each other, the two women present a couple whose relationship is believable and whose personalities work well with each other. They almost become ambiguous in fulfilling the gender roles- as each take turns channeling the maternal and paternal relationships to their children and to each other. As actors, both women present performances that exhibit the heights of their abilities. Also, a great performance from Mark Ruffalo (Zodiac, Shutter Island) whose accuracy in this film nods to the fact that his star rises, still.

The Kids Are All Right should never be compared to Brokeback Mountain, and shame on those who try to put them in the same sentence. Though both very intricate introductions to the lives of same-sex relationships that encompass much more than sex, this film follows suit- being much more than two women. It’s two women, one man, two kids, one family.

And it’s a much needed reminder that no matter the composition, every family with kids face similar issues, and every family is- at the very least- a bit unconventional.

Rating: 4.6/5

Well, if you’re not a fan of the Carell camp humor-  including Paul Rudd and the add-on Zach Galifianakis- then this movie is absolutely not for you. On the other hand, if you found Steve Carell’s scene stealing performance as Brick Tamland funny back in the day, then you’ll love this pseudo homage to that character.

Tim (Paul Rudd) is a suit-wearing analyst trying to get the bigger office and impress his boss. When he finally gets the chance- in the form of an invite to the dinner that the executives look forward to- all he needs to bring is an idiot for the entertainment. Barry (Steve Carell) is that idiot. A taxidermist with an affinity for mouse exhibition, Barry finds the friend he needs in Tim, while making his life ten times more complicated.

Jay Roach (Austin Powers franchise, Meet The Parents/Fockers) gets it right when it comes to directing and producing funny men. With a plethora of schmucks to his name, including Austin Powers, Bruno, Gaylord Focker and others, it was only a matter of time before Steve Carell found his way into the mix. Notice, though, there’s a compromise on story when the funny becomes the main focus.

Lots of laughs, lots of love, lots of mice… Dinner for Schmucks makes audiences feel like we’re the ones hosting a party for idiots, and this movie delivers on the entertainment.

Rating: 3.7/5