Monthly Movie Preview: April 2014

April will bring us quite the variety. A few blockbusters – one named Captain America: The Winter Soldier – as well as some sci-fi/horror and chick flicks. There’s something for everybody this month.

April 4 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, Stan freakin Lee

This is the second story for Captain America and the third story since Avengers. Cap is working for S.H.I.E.L.D. as an official agent and we finally get to see Steve Rogers in modern times by himself. The big question I have going into the film is who is in the casket they keep showing? As far as I’ve seen they haven’t explicitly said in the previews who the Winter Soldier actually is; although, IMDb does list Bucky and Winter Soldier being played by the same actor. It should be no surprise who the Winter Soldier is by this point, but considering the Mandarin and Extremis B.S. that was Iron Man 3, I wouldn’t be surprised if they made it someone else. This film will be directed to comic book fans as well as people who have begun to follow the films since Marvel decided to unify its movie universe. I’m sure that this will shape up to be a great film and I am not only excited to see the Winter Soldier in action, I am pretty excited to see the film adaptation of Falcon. – Robert

April 4 – Afflicted

Starring: Derek Lee, Clif Prowse

This film is about two friends who travel the world. After one of them hooks up with a mysterious girl, he begins getting these weird powers. Eventually, things take a turn for the worse and it becomes this really creepy – you guessed it – affliction. Just by the way it’s filmed, it feels so much like Chronicles, but without the lame adolescent meltdown aspect. The disease/affliction thing is kinda interesting, but there’s something about Affliction that just feels like it’s been done before. Luckily, the chemistry between Lee and Prowse is believable and the effects are neat. Chances are, if you enjoyed Chronicle, you’ll like this movie, too. However, if you’re not seeing Captain America on this weekend, you’re not doing it right. – Sheirf

April 4 – In the Blood

Starring: Gina Carano, Cam Gigandet, Danny Trejo, Luis Guzmán

The woman passed up to play Wonder Women (still bitter), Gina Carona, is thankfully headlining In the Blood – coming out this week. It’s a nice turn on dark-mysterious-man with dark past who must save his romantic interest. I’m a big fan of turning cliché upside down and this movie looks like it will deliver. Ava, played by Gina Carona, is on vacation with her husband. He gets abducted and it’s up to Ava to save him. Ava and her badass MMA skills tracks down her husband’s attackers while uncovering a conspiracy in the middle of seeming paradise. It has a very Far Cry-like vibe going on. In general, these kinds of movies aren’t my cup of tea, but watching the preview was entertaining enough. I can appreciate and enjoy a woman kicking some major ass and I have this guilty pleasure for MMA fighting. It looks like it has the potential to be a solid movie and spark others to make movie that mess with conventional plot templates. – Jené

April 11 – Under the Skin

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, some other people I don’t care about

I can’t think of an easier way to sell tickets to a movie than to put a half-naked picture of Scarlett Johansson on the poster. This sci-fi tale is about an alien in human skin who travels the country of Scotland, seeking for men to prey upon. By prey upon, I mean make sweet, sweet love to them before filling their body with some weird black embalming fluid, harvesting them for who knows what. I’m not sure how that’s a bad thing, but I sure am determined to find out. It’s based off a Michael Faber novel of the same name – and from what I’ve read about the book, things get even weirder later. To make the premise even creepier, it turns out a lot of the conversations in the movie were unscripted talks ScarJo had with random non-actors who didn’t know who she is. It sounds wildly inane, but did I mention a half-naked Scarlett Johansson? – Sherif

April 11 – Oculus

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Karen Gillan, Garrett Ryan, Annalise Basso, Katee Sackhoff

A new and interesting horror film staring two female nerd heroes with Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) and Karen Gillan (Doctor Who). This film is about a brother and sister who are haunted by an entity in an antique mirror. They believe this entity caused their father to kill their mother which made the son shoot the father. It is based off of a short film the director and co-writer made back in 2006. Quite possibly the most interesting thing about this film is that it is made by WWE Studios. Normally the films this studio makes are along the lines of the upcoming films Jingle All the Way 2 with Larry the Cable Guy (gross…), and the reboot of the Leprechaun film series with the wrestler Hornswaggle (what is Leprechaun without Warwick Davis?). So, it was surprising to me to be interested in this project knowing that. This film is obviously aimed towards adult fans of horror films. I hope more people will see it as it is very much an original idea and not a cookie-cutter gorefest like so many horror films these days. – Jacob

April 11 – Rio 2

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg (Blu), Anne Hathaway (Jewel), Leslie Mann (Linda), Jemaine Clement (Nigel), Jamie Foxx (Nico), Tracy Morgan (Luiz), and will.i.am (Pedro)

Rio 2 is the sequel to the successful film Rio. This time the film takes the macaws Blu and Jewel to the amazon to try and find other parrots of their species as they thought they were the last two on earth. This journey leads them to meet Jewels father and some of her childhood friends. Along the way they run into the villain from the first film, Nigel the Cockatoo, whom tries to enact revenge upon Blu and Jewel by finding new lackeys in a dart frog, Gabi, and an anteater, Charlie. The great original cast is back with . The great original cast is here, and this time, a couple other great voices are added with Kristen Chenowith (Gabi), Wanda Sykes (Chloe), and Jane Lynch (Alice). This is the only film other than Ice Age from Blue Sky Studios that has warranted a sequel, so it is guaranteed to be a great film for the kids and family, as well as any fan of animation and beautiful scenery. – Jacob

April 18 – Small Time

Starring: Dean Norris, Christopher Meloni, Devon Bostick, Bridget Moynahan

This movie was described as a “Drama” on IMDb, but judging by the preview, it looks like it will be hilarious. With Christopher Meloni and Dean Norris in the lead, it certainly has a solid leading cast. It seems like it will be a limited release or something because I didn’t see very much in the way of information about this movie other than a cast list and a short, but sufficient, preview. The movie is about a boy deciding to skip college in order to become a used car salesman. This might sound pretty cliché, but I am sure that it will include some solid life lessons, as well as plenty of used car salesman hijinks that ensue. Since this doesn’t seem like a very big release, it doesn’t seem like it is meant for the big theaters but who knows. I think anyone who can appreciate the humor of Hank from Breaking Bad will appreciate the humor here. I am genuinely interested to check this out after watching the preview. – Robert

April 25 – Brick Mansions

Starring: David Belle, Paul Walker, RZA

I didn’t even have to make it half way through the preview before I realized that this was a remake of a French film called Banlieue 13 or District B-13. This film stars David Belle, who is the creator of Parkour. It also is supposed to be one of the last films that Paul Walker is starring in. It’s a shame because the actor he is replacing from the original is a much better actor and is a great martial artist, as well. I will probably go see this but I can’t honestly see this being better than the original. I would recommend everyone to rent the original as it isn’t hard to find and while you are at it, pick up the sequel called District B-13 Ultimatum. This is directed towards people who like action as well as crazy stunts. This film is sure to be full of both with David Belle at the lead. The only possible saving grace I can see for this film is that it was written by Luc Besson who did The Professional, so there is that. – Robert

April 25 – Transcendence

Starring: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Kate Mara

This film is something I have thought about many times and had many discussion with friends about. It is about a terminally ill scientist who uploads his thoughts and mind into a computer to live after death, which ultimately gives him too much power and he becomes an unstoppable force. The idea is both terrifying and yet could be an answer of how to live forever, which may seem cool to others. The film stars Johnny Depp as the scientist going through the procedure. The supporting cast includes many great actors as well including Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, and Paul Bettany. The film looks very interesting and yet to me it also is an idea that has haunted my dreams for years. I feel this film is targeted to the teen to adult range and even the future generation who are kids now as it shows us the true problems of having technology not just being a huge part of our lives, but it becoming our lives itself. – Jacob

April 25 – The Other Woman

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kate Upton, Nicki Minaj,

Oh goodie another female comedy surrounding how their man’s gone and done them wrong. Where have I seen this before, oh right, The Frist Wives Club. And judging by this movie trailer, I’m going to go ahead and say it – First Wives Club did it better. In this movie, three women find out they are dating/married to the same man. They meet, become friends, and then exact their revenge. I’m not going to hold my breath for this movie. They story isn’t new and has been rehashed ad nauseum and marketed as comedy. Lets get hammered, puke, talk about dicks. Oh and man boob, because turning into a woman is so funny… haha I’m becoming emotional because being a woman is such a joke. Eye roll. I wonder if it even passes the Bechdel test. Sure, it’s a cast of women, but do any of them have a conversation not pertaining to their romantic entanglements? In all, the  trailer doesn’t do it for me and I’m not going to waste my money. Maybe when it’s out on prime time I’ll watch it when I have nothing better to do with my life.  This movie screams C movie Netflix gold. – Jené

Written by Jacob Robinson, Jené Conrad, Robert Michael and Sherif Elkhatib

Monthly Movie Preview: March 2014

March is here and with it comes a few of the year’s most anticipated action films. There’s a little something for everybody: big money blockbusters, children’s flicks, intriguing independents and guilty pleasure films.

March 7 – 300: Rise of an Empire

Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson

Now that all those crappy Valentine’s Day movies are out of the way, it’s time for the manliest of manly movies. A prequel? A sequel? The answer is C, all of the above. Following the tale of the man-God named Xerxes from his “transformation” to the defeat of the Spartans and quest for domination against Greece. Meanwhile, Themistokles gathers the entire Grecian fleet to take down the Persians. Like 300 before it, Rise of an Empire will be directed by Zack Synder and based off of Frank Miller’s writing. Oddly enough, this film is based off Xerxes, which hasn’t even been published yet. I’m not sure how the story will play out, but all I really expect is big budget action and effects – anything more than that is just syrup on the pancake. – S

March 7 – Grand Piano

Starring: Elijah Wood, John Cusack

Stage fright? No worries, because Grand Piano has the solution. In this independent film, which debuted last September, a famous pianist (Wood) returns to the stage after infamously choking at his last performance. This time, though, the pianist has the added motivation in the form of a sniper, who threatens to shoot him if his fingers mess up a single note. It’s a bit of a crazy idea, but I think that’s what will really make this work. Everything seems dramatized in the trailer, insinuating that this will be a real thriller – not the cheap horror angle that is so easy to play off. I’m interested to see where this goes, but I’m not vested enough to see this in theaters – S

March 7 – Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Starring: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Stephen Colbert, Allison Janney

Grab onto your butts and get ready to go on an adventure with everybody’s favorite dog genius. Originally a short in the Rocky & Bullwinkle show called “Peabody’s Improbable History” in the 1950’s and 1960’s, Mr. Peabody has been renewed in epic proportions. The original segment was purely educational, so it will be bittersweet to have the movie become such a spectacle. There are a lot of laughs in the trailer alone, but I really enjoyed learning about historical times and figures, and it feels like Dreamworks is cheapening the experience a little. Visiting Egypt, Italy and Greece will be fun for the whole family, I’m sure, so If nothing else, I look forward to the witty banter of Peabody and Sherman – just like old times. – S

March 14 – Need for Speed

Starring: Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots, Dominic Cooper, Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi

It’s a funny cycle, this racing genre thing. When I was in high school, the Need for Speed games were really taking off – and it seems as though the Fast and the Furious films only only amplified it’s success. Heck, the downhill drifting scenes in Toyko Drift looked like they came straight out of Need for Speed: Carbon. Ten years later and the Fast and the Furious has solidified itself as a stable movie franchise, while Need for Speed‘s popularity has dwindled considerably, even after the addition of a story mode. Now Need for Speed has entered the realm of movies. There’s really only one selling point for me here, and its name is Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad). It might be too early to suggest replacing the late Paul Walker with Aaron Paul, but I’m seeing no reason for another street racing genre movie. – S

March 14 – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman

Wes Anderson is a movie making genius.  So thank goodness that his latest project is coming out this month – The Grand Budapest Hotel.  The story follows Misuser Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), the illustrious concierge of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and his various and most interesting adventures with his disciple lobby boy.  While the main plot appears to revolve around the theft of a famous painting, the real allure are all the minute – and more often than not – hilarious details that can only be seen in a Wes Anderson movie.  GBH (yes, I’m giving it an acronym cause it’ll be that cool) promises to be one of Anderson’s best.  You can tell by the star studded lineup: Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson, and it wouldn’t be a Wes Anderson without Bill Fu**ing Murray.  Not bad for an independent filmmaker.  Anderson’s approach and style to filming is so creatively unique, it’s practically hypnotic.  I’d dare to say that nobody out there makes a better “feel-good” movie than this guy.  If you’ve never heard of Wes Anderson or seen one of his movies, Hush Comics highly recommends you find your nearest Indie-Cinema and add The Grand Budapest Hotel to your must see list for March. – T

March 14 – Veronica Mars

Starring: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Krysten Ritter

I won’t lie,  I have never seen Veronica Mars the TV show.  Why would a girl my age not have seen it?  Well, it came out around the time Buffy was ending and I was bitter that any other pretty blonde chick was trying to be a badass.  Ten years later, I realize my mistake.  Not only do I wanna veg on my couch and watch every ep of the show, I really want to see this movie.  The trailer makes it obvious that in order to totally enjoy it, you would have had to have watched the television show.  What is Veronica Mars you may be asking?  Well its about a woman who is really good at investigating crimes in her hometown.  The movie shows her ten years later as a successful lawyer who gets dragged back into the PI biz.  Plus, who doesn’t love Kristen Bell? – A

March 14 – Ernest & Celestine

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Mackenzie Foy, Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright

Now if this isn’t the most adorable movie since Wall-e, I’m not sure what is. Ernest and Celestine follows the unlikely friendship formed between a bear and a mouse, both of whom are outcasted for their bond. E & C was originally a 2012 Belgian film that is being released as an American film; this version has some top-notch actors voicing it. I’m also in love with the animation style. I’m usually crazy about any earnest story about two unlikely friends that come together despite outside circumstances, and I will continue to be inspired until it becomes a non-issue in our world culture.  – S

March 21 – Muppets Most Wanted

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, Ray Liotta, Kermit the Frog

Kermie!!!!!  The Muppets franchise is always a must see for the whole family.  In Muppets Most Wanted, Kermit is framed by Constatine, his evil twin.  And Kermit’s friends must save him.  What more do you need to know? A simple plot, but the laughs are sure to be constant.  Not to mention that Tina Fey and Ricky Gervais are in it, so it is sure to be silly and amazing.  – A

March 21 – Divergent

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ansel Elgort

Divergent is yet another book-to-movie adaptation.  And in the time of dystopias and apocalypses, it just seems like we have all seen this before.  Yet, there is something about the premise that makes me want to read the book (nope, I haven’t read it, yet) in time for the movie.  Honestly, I don’t think the movie looks that great, but the concept of people being broken up into factions is a fascinating metaphor for government control.  Kate Winslet may be the only actor who is worth going to the theater for.  But I will probably wait for the DVD. – A

March 28 – Bad Words

Starring: Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand

Is it bad the movie I want to see the most this March is about a 40 year old who joins a kids spelling bee, uses the worst kinds of cuss words and really self-centered?  Well, I don’t think so.  Mostly because Jason Bateman has usually played the guy with a head on his shoulders, ya know, like Michael Bluth.  But in Bad Words, he is anything but, and I kinda like it.  Bateman (who also directed and produced this film) plays Guy Trilby who is a high school dropout.  He befriends a boy named Sriram at the spelling bee and learn about life from each other (or at least that’s my guess).  It looks downright hilarious, but check for it in your local indie theater, it won’t be mainstream. – A

March 28 – Noah

Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson

Since The Passion of the Christ, Hollywood has been trying to make epic Bible flicks.  Without going into religion, I don’t really like those types of movies.  But Noah?  It looks pretty darn good.  Maybe its because the director of The Black Swan also is directing this.  Maybe its because the actors are some of the best ever.  Maybe its because the music makes it sound frickin’ epic.  Or maybe, for me, its because my love of A Beautiful Mind proves that Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly should be 2gether 4ever, and were even in Biblical times.  Oh, and voices talked to Crowe even then.  Plus, isn’t Anthony Hopkins a modern day Methuselah?  All jokes aside, I am looking forward to Noah.  It seems less to be promoting religion and more so telling a story that is recognized around the world. – A

March 28 – Sabotage

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Terrence Howard, Josh Holloway

Raise your hand if you think Arnold Schwarzenegger should just call it quits already and step away from the camera?  If you were to ask me that a few months ago, my hand would have been up high and waving.  Ask me that now, and you’ll find me sitting on my hands.  Actually, you’ll probably find my hands frantically working my smart phone to find a preview of Sabotage to lay aid to my newfound change of heart.  While I agree with the notion that Arny needs to stay as far away from the Terminator franchise as California is long, I think The Governator is catching his second wind.  He’s not the young action hero he used to be, but roles like the one he has been cast in for Sabotage are perfect for him today.  The film follows a highly trained and effective DEA task force lead by John ‘Breacher’ Wharton (Schwarzenegger) that ends up on the wrong side of a cartel affair.  Wharton and his fellow operatives along with their families are threatened by the drug lords and it’s up to Wharton to GET EVERYBODY TO DA CHOPPA… err… I mean save the day.  Whereas Arnold’s most recent films have been overwhelmingly-cliché action flicks, Sabotage has a real gritty and realistic vibe.  Though I’m sure the action will come in full force, I’m more anxious to see how well Arnold can carry a more serious role.  I’ve got fairly high expectations for what I’m going to coin as the film where “Arnold Got His Groove Back.”  – T

Written by Adrian Puryear, Sherif Elkhatib and Taylor Lowe

Monthly Movie Preview: January 2014

Welcome to the New Year!  2014 kicks off with a menagerie more Oscar hopefuls and contenders along with a few sure flops, the kid movie and the annual Mark E Mark, er Wahlberg movie we all know we are gonna watch.  Here are our January 2014 previews!:

January 10 – August: Osage County

Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch

August: Osage County is based on the Tony Award winning play of the same name by Tracy Letts.  Now a film adaptation and sure to be a strong contender for several acting categories, the story follows the Weston family after the suicide of their father.  Filled with all sorts of sins including but not limited to, drug use, incest, infidelity and molestation August may be a tough watch, especially since it is touted as a dark comedy.  It is hard to believe that the combination of those things can be funny.  It does have a stellar cast, and I for one am excited to see Julia Roberts back in the type of role that suits her best. -A

January 10 – Her

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara, and Olivia Wilde

Written by Spike Jonze, Her follows Theodore, played by Joaquin Phoenix, a man in the midst of divorce and falling in love with an operating system named Samantha.  A seemingly odd plot, Her will more than likely be a little eye-opening about how we all feel about love.  Joaquin Phoenix is said to give a sensational performance and the film as a whole has already received numerous accolades.  I expect this is a film that will define my generations take on love. -A

January 10 – Lone Survivor

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Emile Hirsch, Taylor Kitsch, Eric Bana

Lone Survivor is a film about four Navy SEALs sent on a mission to take out a Taliban leader in Afghanistan.  When the mission becomes compromised, the four SEALs mission becomes one of survival as they try to escape across the hills of Afghanistan.  The most compelling reason to see this film is that the story is based on true events.  The story was originally told via book authored by Marcus Luttrell – the actual “Lone Survivor” of the SEAL team sent to Afghanistan.  Luttrell was also very involved in the filming process to ensure event accuracy and keep film makers focused the important details.  This film stars Mark Wahlberg as Luttrell and is directed by Peter Berg (Hancock, Battleship).  Wahlberg plays the military role so well (can I get a hey-hey for Shooter?!) and it’ll be good to see him playing the role of true American hero.  Expect this film to be action packed, suspenseful and heart wrenching, but also well worth the trip to the theater. – T

January 17 – Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Starring: Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Peter Andersson, Kevin Costner

Chris Pine as Jack Ryan?  Why not!?  He is the most popular current action-hero.  Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit continues the Jack Ryan film series and is based off the character created by late author Tom Clancy.  Shadow Recruit is a little different than the other movies because it is an original screenplay rather than based off a book by Clancy.  Jack Ryan finds clues that a terrorist attack is going to happen and he must stop it.  Meanwhile, his lover finds out his true identity as a CIA junior analyst.  It’s pretty cut and dry, but who doesn’t love an action-thriller?  I’m looking forward to the newest installment in the series. -A

January 17 – The Nut Job

Starring: Will Arnett, Brendan Fraser, Gabriel Iglesias, Liam Neeson, and Katherine Heigl

This month’s kid flick The Nut Job seems to be aimed toward older kids and adults alike.  Aside from the obvious sexual jokes that can be made out of the title alone, the story is about squirrel named Surly who decides to pull off a heist on a nut store after being forced out of the park and into the city.  The previews look pretty funny and the animation will be a draw for younger kids.  And for the fans out there, lets hope that Will Arnett will show us all a little Gob from Arrested Development in this grand heist. -A

January 17 – Ride Along

Starring: Kevin Hart, Ice Cube, Tika Sumpter

If you haven’t been wedged in a box screaming, “my stomach in my ass,” then you don’t know love. Tim Story, who has directed other films such as the Fantastic 4 films, Think Like a Man, and Barbershop, is out to make sure your stomach is in your ass by the end of this movie. Ben (Kevin Hart) is out to prove to James (Ice Cube), a no-nonsense cop, that he is the right man to marry James’ sister. He does this by agreeing to go on a ride along in the mean streets of Los Angeles. Needless to say, things may or may not get a little out of hands…okay, they definitely will get out of hands; bullets will fly, explosions will erupt and I plan on laughing the whole time. In recent years, Kevin Hart has been everywhere in world of comedy, which should balance well against Ice Cube’s seriousness. So if you want to see Kevin Hart argue and fight with kids and see Ice Cube smash people’s faces in, then this is one you will definitely want to check out in the new year. – E

January 17 – Reasonable Doubt

Starring: Samuel L Jackson, Dominic Cooper

I know you all are just like me – ever since Snakes on a Plane, you haven’t been able to get enough Samuel L. Jackson in your life.  Worry not, faithful fans, Jackson returns in the new year alongside Dominic Cooper (Howard Stark from Captain America) in Reasonable Doubt.  Mitch Brockden (Cooper), District Attorney, finds himself between a rock and a hard place when he runs over a man taking a late night city stroll, killing him.  Mitch flees the scene of the crime, seemingly with no witnesses.  The plot thickens when Mitch becomes the assigned DA for Clinton Davis (Jackson), the man accused (wrongly so, but only know by Mitch) of committing the fatal hit-and-run.  Dun-dun-dunnnn!!  Previews indicate that the story may be even more twisted as Davis begins to reveal he may know more about Cooper and the man he ran over than an innocent man should.  The film is directed by newbie shot-caller Peter P. Croudins.  It’ll be interesting to see if Croudins can carry a complex plot on his first go-around.  With Sam-Jack and Cooper in the spotlight, this one should be entertaining at the least. – T

January 21 – Knights of Badassdom

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Summer Glau, Daniel Pudi, Steve Zahn

Can we just take a moment and applaud whoever had enough clout to cast all of these BAMFs in one movie? Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones), River Tam (Firefly) and Abed (Community) are going to be sharing the screen in just a few weeks. This movie hasn’t been heavily promoted – nor should it be. In what has become the niche genre of Horror-Comedy, with movies like Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil and This is the End, Knights of Badassdom looks to be by fanboys for fanboys (and fangirls!). Don’t believe me? Check out director Joe Lynch’s short film inspired by Eddie Brock (Venom) called “Life in Journalism.” Badassdom centers around a group of LARP-ers (Live Action Role-Play) friends who accidentally summon a succubus (female sex demon). If I haven’t sold you yet, I probably am not going to at all. Seeing Daniel Pudi on the big screen is exciting to me, and this will be a must-watch for any self-proclaimed geek. – S

January 24 – I, Frankenstein

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy

Set in present day, Adam Frankenstein (Aaron Eckhart), still sees himself as the monster that was created 200 years ago, but in fact he may be the key to ending a war between two eternal clans within an ancient city. The movie is based on the graphic novel, with the hopes to be an action packed, dark tale of good versus evil, as well as redemption. However I am skeptical of it all. Yes, there are indeed some things about this movie that could be really cool; gargoyle transformations, weapons and fighting, fire and explosions, but I’m not so sure that stuff alone can carry the story Stuart Beattie is trying to convey to the audience. I do have faith because Beattie has brought this world the Pirates of the Caribbean films as well as G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Either way, the legend lives, and his name is Adam. Personally I just think it’s weird that this monster of a man that people fear is named Adam. He ought to just stick with Frankenstein – E

January 24 – Gimme Shelter

Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Rosario Dawson, Brendan Fraser, James Earl Jones

Another January movie with great acting, Gimme Shelter (not like the song by the Rolling Stones) is about a young girl named Apple (Vanessa Hudgens) who is sick of the street life her junkie mother has provided her. She leaves to find her father, who quickly kicks her out due to her pregnancy.  She then is taken into a shelter for expectant teen mothers.  Hudgens is definitely shedding her Disney image in this independent film.  But really, she is the only selling point for me other than the Lana del Rey music in the ad.  It seems like a more privileged Precious and in an era still recovering from 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, it may be refreshing to see teen girls be normal again. -A

January 31 – That Awkward Moment

Starring: Zac Efron, Michael B Jordan, Miles Teller

What do you call a chick-flick made for men?  A manly-chick-flick?  Maybe a chickman-flick?…  Well whatever you call it, That Awkward Moment is sure to exemplify it.  Total mega-hotties Zac Efron, Michael B. Jordan and Mile Teller play three best friends in the prime of their sexy-young adult lives.  Each of them will explore love and relationships in their own way all the while adapting to the ever changing dynamics of their own friendships.  The lovely female roles are played by Imogen Poots, Addison Timlin and a lot of other hot Hollywood ladies – check the IMDB list and proceed to drool, gentlemen.  That Awkward Moment looks like it’ll be a lot of fun to watch.  I certainly appreciate these types of films where romance and love are put in a more relatable context.  Something that you can watch and think, “I know what that’s like!” or, “that’s definitely happened to me.”  None of that Notebook nonsense.  Now if only I could figure out how Zac Efron got his hair to do that… – T

Written by Adrian Puryear, Taylor Lowe, Evan Lowe and Sherif Elkhatib