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
Hush Comics 