Daily Archives: January 11, 2008

Jan11

Opening in Chicago, 01/11

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Diva (trailer)
Director: Jean-Jacques Beineix
The latest reissue from Rialto Pictures is this 1981 film that started, according to the promotional materials for this reissue, “The NEW New Wave”. Is it perhaps the film that started it all? Anyway, Ebert has marked the occasion by inducting the film into his Great Movies list, and I personally eat these things up, so I’m there.
MC/RT: not listed/100

Millions: A Lottery Story
Director: Paul La Blanc
A documentary about six people who have won the lottery. Playing at the Facets Cinematheque, which specializes in small releases that I typically don’t even remember reading about from film festivals. Like this one.
MC/RT: not listed/not listed

Kurt Cobain About a Son (trailer at official site)
Director: AJ Schnack
I was 16 when Cobain blew himself away, which you’d think would make me the perfect age to see him as a martyr. But I wasn’t a fan of Nirvana when he was still alive, and I’ve found him a less and less interesting figure as the years have gone by. I’ve never figured out what the infatuation with him is.
MC/RT: 69/74

The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie (trailer)
Director: Mike Nawrocki (Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie)
I leave any and all VeggieTales commentary to Joe.
MC/RT: 49/60

First Sunday (trailer)
Director: David E. Talbert
You know, I originally had this listed behind The Bucket List. But screw that, I’m moving it up. I’d rather sit through this.
MC/RT: 41/19

The Bucket List (trailer)
Director: Rob Reiner (The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, The American President, The Story of Us)
This looks truly miserable. Two actors doing their tired schtick in service of a story that screams feel-good hackishness directed by a man who has, since The Story of Us, become perhaps the worst director working in Hollywood today. I want no part of it. In fact, I’ve come to hate its very existance. I’m serious.
MC/RT: 41/39

In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (trailer)
Director: Uwe Boll (House of the Dead, Alone in the Dark, BloodRayne)
Boll just keeps cranking them out, although his name is curiously not played up in the promotional efforts I’ve seen for this one. What other audience for this film could there possibly be (I mean, Burt Reynolds in a period epic?), other than the crowd that worships Boll as the new Ed Wood?
MC/RT: no score/0