New In Theaters - December 21, 2012

THIS IS 40

Starring: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Megan Fox, John Lithgow,

Iris Apatow, Maude Apatow, Melissa McCarthy,

Robert Smigel, Charlene Yi & Albert Brooks

Directed by Judd Apatow for distribution by Universal

The Plot: Picking up five years after the events of “Knocked Up,” the “sort-of” sequel focuses on how Pete and Debbie (from the first film) are dealing with turning 40.

The Final Word: The idea for a “sort-of” sequel was actually not a bad idea. “Knocked Up” was a surprise summer hit and helped launch the film career of co-star Katherine Heigl (before her “Grey’s Anatomy” exit promptly derailed it not long after).  “This Is 40” may not pull the same opening weekend numbers as its predecessor, but that’s okay. Apatow has never been obsessed about making blockbusters; he’s more content to just put out a quality film and one that causes a conversation.

THE GUILT TRIP

Starring: Barbra Streisand, Seth Rogen, Kathy Najimy,

Colin Hanks & Adam Scott

Directed by Anne Fletcher for distribution by Paramount

The Plot: A inventor heads out a cross-country sales trip along with his mother.

The Final Word: Looking past all the “car trip” puns, the overall feel is that the movie had potential but ultimately stalled out. Normally there are only a handful of films out this time to appeal to the typical Streisand audience, but with Billy Crystal and Bette Midler’s (equally panned) “Parental Guidance” and Oscar pics “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Les Miserables” also in theaters, poor reviews will probably have an impact on “Trip’s” bottom line.

MONSTERS, INC. 3D

Starring: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, 
James Coburn,Jennifer Tilly, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger,
 Frank Oz & Bonnie Hunt

Directed by Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, David Silverman for distribution by Disney

The Plot: A little girl causes havoc in a city inhabited by monsters.

The Final Word: “Monsters, Inc.” is another of Pixar’s gems from the past that Disney has repurposed in 3D to earn a little extra money at the holiday box office. It also reminds audiences its sequel “Monsters University” is due out next year.

JACK REACHER

Starring: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, David Oyelowo, Richard Jenkins,

Alexia Fast, Robert Duvall, Jai Courtney & Werner Herzog

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie for distribution by Paramount

The Plot: A military investigator becomes entangled in a high stakes murder plot and is forced to find the truth while evading capture.

The Final Word: Tom Cruise succeed last year in a big way at the December box office with “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” and seems set to double-down on that success. While Cruise is a different version of the title character than the one made famous in the Lee Child novels, audiences shouldn’t have a problem envisioning him as Reacher given his success with action films.

New In Theaters - December 14, 2012

THE HOBBIT

Starring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, 
Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, 
Evangeline Lilly & Andy Serkis

Directed by Peter Jackson for distribution by New Line (Warner Brothers)

The Plot: Bilbo Baggins is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which is currently under the control of the dragon Smaug.

The Final Word: It’s fairly safe to say Oscar winning director Peter Jackson was the only man who could have possibly brought “The Hobbit” to the big screen. The talented filmmaker behind “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy originally was content to sit this experience out and serve only as a consultant to one-time director Guillermo del Toro, however when del Toro dropped out of the project, it soon it became clear audiences wanted Jackson back in the fold.

‘Lincoln’ tops Golden Globes nominations with ‘Argo’ and ‘Django’ close behind

This morning’s Golden Globes nominations are only a few hours old and already it’s clear that this is anybody’s game!

While Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” topped all opponents with 7 nominations, its top challengers weren’t that far behind. Hot on the bio-pic’s tale were both “Argo” and the rapidly rising “Django Unchained” with 5 each. “Les Miserables,” “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Zero Dark Thirty” followed with 4 nominations apiece.

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Screen Actors Guild nominations favor ‘Marigold Hotel’ and ‘Lincoln’

Following yesterday’s reveal of the Critics’ Choice Awards, today the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) had their say and while a number of the current Oscar favorites were nominated, voters still managed to provide a surprise or two.

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Golden Globes poised to recognize ‘Argo’ and ‘Lincoln’ with drama nominations

Every year a few films enter into the race as wild cards; you know they are going to be represented, but you aren’t sure to what extent. This year the main wild cards fall under the comedy/musical genre, which means when the Golden Globe nominations are handed out this week, they’ll be in a completely different race, but it still doesn’t like like that will clear the clutter in any way.

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‘Lincoln’ and ‘Les Miserables’ top Broadcast Film Critics nominations

As awards week in Hollywood continues to ramp up, today it was the Broadcast Film Critics’ (BFC) turn to reveal their nominees for 2012’s best in film and as usual they supplied the industry with a surprise or two.

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‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Silver Linings’ expected to shine at Golden Globes

Of all the Oscar season precursors, the Golden Globes are the most unique. Presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the Globes spilt their top categories into comedy/musical and drama races. As a result a number of films that aren’t usually thrust into the award race are suddenly right there in the mix with the big contenders.

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AFI names 2012 film and TV honorees; ‘Argo,’ ‘Dark Knight,’ and ‘Louie' make cut

Awards week is officially upon us as the Critics’ Choice, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nominations are set to be unveiled over the next few days, but today it was the American Film Institute’s (AFI) turn to honor the best of 2012! The group as per custom released its annual top ten list of the year’s best in both film and television, which many awards experts believe usually represent a solid predictor of the upcoming Oscar race.

For the full story, click here.

‘Amour’ and ‘The Master’ breakthrough at Los Angeles Film Critics awards

After three separate film groups this week named Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty,” their choice for Best Picture, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association took a different approach today and gave their top honor to “Amour.”

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‘Zero Dark Thirty’ leads Boston film critics' selections; ‘Lincoln’ also strong

For the third time in one week Kathryn Bigelow and her drama “Zero Dark Thirty” have again found themselves coming out on top following today’s Boston Society of Film Critics awards.

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‘Zero Dark Thirty’ tops National Board of Review film awards

For the second time in just three days Kathryn Bigelow’s "Zero Dark Thirty" has come out ahead of the pack, earning top honors at today’s National Board of Review (NBR) awards.

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‘Lincoln’ and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ big winners at New York Film Critics awards

Today kicks off the official start of the 2013 award season as the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) have just revealed their selections for the best in film from the current year and it has already shaken up the race.

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New In Theaters - November 23, 2012

LIFE OF PI

Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irffan Khan,

Gerard Depardieu, Adil Hussain & Rafe Spall

Directed by Ang Lee for distribution by 20^th Century Fox

The Plot: Following an accident at sea, a teenager and a tiger must depend on each other to survive until helps reaches them.

The Final Word: “Pi” is heavily favored as a lock for a Best Picture nomination, with a corresponding nod for Lee in the Best Director race. After going through numerous directors (including M. Night Shyamalan, Alfonso Cuarón and Jean-Pierre Jeunet), Lee was the one to right the ship and make this 3D drama a Oscar frontrunner.

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

Starring (voices): Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher & Jude Law

Directed by Peter Ramsey for distribution by DreamWorks Animation

The Plot: Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost team up and disrupt the plans of a evil spirit named Pitch, who’s bent on taking over the world.

The Final Word: If “The Avengers” was an animated film starring some of today’s most renowned legends then this would be it! This 3D holiday film should do well enough to win over audiences during the Christmas season, but DreamWorks is hoping it will do well enough to become its next franchise.

RED DAWN

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson,

Adrianne Palicki, Isabel Lucas, Connor Cruise & Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Directed by Dan Bradley for distribution by FilmDistrict

The Plot: A group of teenagers fight back when there city comes under siege from a North Korea army.

The Final Word: In 1984, “Red Dawn” made more sense as the Soviet Union was front and center in the news and audiences could buy into the premise. Fast forward to 2012 and the Soviet Union is no more and the Russians have been replaced with North Koreans. While North Korea was the logical choice to act as the film’s villain, it’s still a little illogical why Spokane, Washington would serve as their initial target. However that’s only one of the strings critics will be pulling at when this hit theaters after sitting on the shelf for years.

New In Theaters - November 16, 2012

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner,

Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone,

Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Billy Burke, Rami Malek & Maggie Grace

Directed by Bill Condon for distribution by Summit

The Plot: Edward and Bella put everything on the line to save their daughter and their lineage.

The Final Word: People of all ages have at one time or another attempted to get into the franchise and become a fan.  The saga’s success has even led to Lionsgate paying over $400 million to acquire franchise distributor Summit, in a deal ensuring they’d control the film rights (and residuals) to both “Twilight” and its box office successor “The Hunger Games.”

LINCOLN

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn,

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook & Tommy Lee Jones

Directed by Steven Spielberg for distribution by DreamWorks

The Plot: The final days of America’s 16^th President are recounted as Abraham Lincoln battles to end slavery.

The Final Word: With Spielberg attached to direct and Day-Lewis signed as the star, “Lincoln” became a surefire Oscar contender from day one. Along with Oscar winners Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones, along with the incomparable David Strathairn and rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the movie has slowly been gaining buzz in its early limited release. This week’s expansion is set to bring in a whole new audience eager to see the bio-pic inspired by the material of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals” novel.

New In Theaters - November 9, 2012

SKYFALL

Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Dame Judi Dench, Naomie Harris,

Berenice Marlohe, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney & Ben Whishaw,

Directed by Sam Mendes for distribution by Sony/MGM

The Plot: Following a devastating attack on his own turf, James Bond takes on his most personal mission yet.

The Final Word: After 50 years and (now) 23 films, the 007 series remains one of the most iconic in cinematic history, however it wears its age well and always returns to theaters with a must-see feel. Skyfall” (which incidentally refers to a particular place from Bond’s past), continues to fill in certain holes from the superspy’s past while at the same time delivering a deeply emotional storyline that sends the franchise in a exciting new direction.

New In Theaters - November 2, 2012

WRECK-IT RALPH

Starring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch,

Ed O’Neill, Mindy Kaling, Adam Carolla, Horatio Sanz & Dennis Haysbert,

 Directed by Rich Moore for distribution by Disney

The Plot: A video-game villain decides he wants to be the good guy for a change and abandons his world in search of others where can be a hero.

The Final Word: “Wreck-It Ralph” will do for videogames what “Toy Story” did for children’s toys. It’s a genius idea and one that should get a warm reception at the box office.

FLIGHT

Starring: Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, Don Cheadle,

Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, John Goodman & Tamara Tunie

 Directed by Robert Zemeckis for distribution by Paramount

The Plot: A pilot sees his life come apart at the seams after initially being called a hero for the way he (crash) landed a flight and saved the lives of nearly everyone on board.

The Final Word: Essentially this is the story of what probably would have happened had Sully Sulleberger not been the selfless and upstanding citizen we all know him to be; in other words its pure Oscar bait. It’s also a movie that relies heavily on the strength of its lead actor and when that actor is Denzel Washington, it should do just fine!

New In Theaters - October 26 2012

CLOUD ATLAS

Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving,

Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy,

Xun Zhou, Keith David, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon & Hugh Grant

 Directed by Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski for distribution

by Warner Brothers

The Plot: Six inter-related group stories portray an exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future.

The Final Word: Opening day reviews show the critics are very evenly split with some believing this is a new classic that should be an automatic Oscar contender, while others believe it’s a self-important train wreck. However everyone seems to respect what the Wachowskis and co-director Tom Tykwer attempted to pull off as this was a book that many deemed “un-filmable.” It just seems like in order to get everything on screen they had to take a few creative avenues that didn’t necessarily work.

FUN SIZE

Starring: Victoria Justice, Thomas Mann, Jane Levy,

Thomas McDonell, Thomas Middleditch & Chelsea Handler

 Directed by Josh Schwartz for distribution by Paramount

The Plot: A high school senior loses her little brother while trick-or-treating and enlists her friends to help track him down.

The Final Word: Did anyone over the age of 18 even know this was coming out? This is a teen comedy aimed at a the younger side of the spectrum with the hope the appeal of Nickelodeon’s Victoria Justice and “Suburgatory’s” Jane Levy; still entirely sure that will translate to box office success.

SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D

Starring: Adelaide Clemens, Sean Bean, Kit Harington, Radha Mitchell,

Deborah Kara Unger, Carrie-Ann Moss, Malcolm McDowell,

Martin Donovan & Heather Marks

 Directed by Michael J. Bassett for distribution by Open Road Films

The Plot: On the eve of her 18^th birthday a teenager learns a shocking secret about her past that may hold the key to her father’s recent disappearance.

The Final Word: The original “Silent Hill” wasn’t exactly a massive success but it did have a very solid $20 million opening weekend back in 2006. For any film to pull off that type of haul means that a sequel is always in the cards; this one just took a little longer than expected. Incidentally the original did that big business in April so imagine what it may be able to pull off Halloween weekend.

New In Theaters - October 19, 2012

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4

 Directed by Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman for distribution by Paramount Pictures

The Plot: Yeah, like they are going to reveal this!

The Final Word: Ever since the original “Paranormal Activity” debuted back in 2007, Paramount hasn’t really that much detail about its horror franchise; including its cast. The bottom line is this is a hugely successful film series for the studio and should once again scare up some serious profits. It’s also worth noting that this time the film is directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman who are responsible for the controversial “documentary” “Catfish,” which hit theaters in 2010.

ALEX CROSS

Starring: Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox, Edward Burns,

Rachel Nichols & Jean Reno

 Directed by Rob Cohen for distribution by Summit Entertainment (Liongate)

The Plot: A cat and mouse game between a detective and a serial killer quickly gets personal when the killer targets the detective’s wife.

The Final Word: Originated on screen in 1997 by Morgan Freeman in “Kiss The Girls,” the character of Alex Cross has long been a successful box office fixture. Created by noted author James Patterson, “Alex Cross,” represents the return of the cunning detective to cinemas across the country with Tyler Perry now paying the role. Perry is actually already receiving rave reviews for his performance and is rumored to be “this close” to agreeing to terms for a sequel. 

New In Theaters - October 12, 2012

ARGO

Starring: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston & John Goodman

Directed by Ben Affleck for distribution by Warner Brothers

The Plot: Using a fake move as cover, a CIA extraction expert enters into Iran to rescue six Americans seeking refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador following the start of the Iranian hostage crisis.

The Final Word: Fundamentally “Argo” is a movie about a military operation that is so absurd in nature and over the top in execution that if it wasn’t based on actual events it probably would be getting a much chillier reception from audiences and critics. Yet it is based on actual events and as a result it is being taken seriously (and rightfully so).

HERE COMES THE BOOM

Starring: Kevin James, Salma Hayek & Henry Winkler

Directed by Frank Coraci for distribution by Columbia (Sony)

The Plot: A teacher turns to mixed martial arts competition to raise money to save the arts program at his school.

The Final Word: Kevin James had a major hit with his CBS series “The King Of Queens,” since then he’s a had a fairly healthy run at the box office. Although James’ comedies seem to get over better with fans when he’s paired with a fellow comedian and here he’s shouldering the load mostly solo. “Boom” should do okay, but it won’t be to the levels frequent co-star Adam Sandler used to command early in his career.

SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

Starring: Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson,

Abbie Cornish, Tom Waits, Olga Kurylenko &  Zeljko Ivanek

Directed by Martin McDonagh for distribution by CBS Films

The Plot: A struggling screenwriter gets entangled in a scheme to kidnap a gangster’s dog.

The Final Word: Read the plot line again and then tell me your expecting more out of this film than action and dark humor. CBS Films was designed to make small budget movies with big name casts and hopefully turn a profit; not sure how much of one this one will turn, no matter the pedigree of its cast and crew.

SINISTER

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, 
James Ransone & Fred Dalton Thompson

 Directed by Scott Derrickson for distribution by Summit Entertainment

The Plot: A crime novelist and his family are plunged into a state of terror following his discovery of a box of mysterious and disturbing home movies.

The Final Word: It’s October and this is a horror film. You do the math! “Sinister” came out of nowhere and has slowly built up buzz which should translate into a solid return.

New In Theaters - October 5, 2012

TAKEN 2

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen

Rade Sherbedgia & Luke Grimes

Directed by Olivier Megaton for distribution by 20^th Century FOX

The Plot: A retired CIA agent looks to protect his wife and daughter after he’s targeted by the family of a group of sex traffickers he killed years prior.

The Final Word: Liam Nesson is a man with “a very particular set of skills.” I think we all can agree Nesson can open a movie on his name alone and the original “Taken” is a big reason why that’s the case. Despite a critical beatdown, the sequel’s going to do just as well because this is a non-thinking action film and those are currently in high demand.

FRANKENWEENIE

Starring (voices): Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Landau,

Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron & Conchata Ferrell

Directed by Tim Burton for distribution by Disney

The Plot: After losing his beloved dog, a young boy finds a way to bring his pet back from the dead only to see him come back with a few “quirks.”

The Final Word: Simply put if you’re a fan of Tim Burton and “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” this move is for you. If you aren’t and are looking for a kids film then “Hotel Transylvania” is probably looking pretty good right now.

New In Theaters - September 28, 2012

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

Starring (voices): Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg,

Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Cee-Lo Green, David Spade,

Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon & Jon Lovitz

Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky for distribution by Sony

The Plot: A human teenager mistakenly stumbles into a hotel catering to monsters and promptly falls for the daughter of the proprietor.

The Final Word: With Halloween just a few weeks away, releasing “Transylvania” now is a smart move. The summer rush is over and the fall tentpoles have yet to start rolling into theaters. Packed with an all-star ensemble of celebrity voices including Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez, the 3D animated picture is on track to break the $25 million mark at the box office; no matter what the critics may say.

LOOPER

Starring: Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt,

Paul Dano, Noah Segan, Piper Perabo & Jeff Daniels 

Directed by Rian Johnson for distribution by Tri Star (Sony)

The Plot: In a world where time travel exists, the mob sends enemies to the past to be handled by a “looper,” but when they decide to close the loop, the “looper” finds his future self his latest target.

The Final Word: All in all, “Looper” has everything to gain and very little to lose. It looks like a smart thriller which audiences appreciate and in turn will show up to support. It also doesn’t hurt that Gordon-Levitt is one of the year’s most bankable stars.

WON’T BACK DOWN

Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Oscar Isaac, Holly Hunter,

Rosie Perez, Lance Reddick & Emily Alyn Lind  

Directed by Daniel Barnz for distribution by 20^th Century FOX

The Plot: Two mothers fed up with the public school system wage a war against mediocrity in the name of their kids.

The Final Word: Based on actual events, the drama finds Oscar nominees Gyllenhaal and Davis teaming with Oscar winner Hunter for what figures to be a hot button issue based film. The question though is if audiences will show up as they don’t like films that preach and despite the positive message, that could be the case here.

New In Theaters - September 21, 2012

DREDD 3D

Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey & Rachel Wood

Directed by Pete Travis for distribution by Lionsgate

The Plot: In a world where society has crumbled to unspeakable levels, a group of cops named “judges” are given the power to act as judge, jury and executioner. Following a heinous crime, one of the city’s most notorious “judges” springs into action along with his rookie trainee to take down a slum controlled by a merciless Madame.

The Final Word: Anybody else the Sylvester Stallone version of “Judge Dredd” from 1996 that nearly destroyed the franchise? Yeah, Lionsgate is hoping you don’t and will be able to go into this version with an open mind. While fans seem willing to give the filmmakers a second chance, the problem is there may not be as many left as studio executives had hoped when they originally greenlit the project.

END OF WATCH

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Anna Kendrick,

Frank Gillo & America Ferrera

Directed by David Ayer for distribution by Open Road Films

The Plot: Two police officers are marked for death after they disrupt the plans of a local drug cartel and must fight to stay one step ahead of the group’s allies.

The Final Word: While Gyllenhaal and Pena are earning some of the strongest reviews of their careers for the action drama, audiences don’t seem to be that interested. Many probably wouldn’t even know the plot if they weren’t a preview like this one. However, Hollywood is ripe with movies that start off with no buzz, earning solid reviews and then dominate during award season.

HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Elisabeth Shue, Max Thieriot & Gil Bellows

Directed by Mark Tonderai for distribution by Relativity Media

The Plot: A mother and daughter looking for a fresh start move to a new house where they learn their neighbor is the sole survivor of a brutal crime that still haunts the neighborhood.

The Final Word: Jennifer Lawrence is still riding high courtesy of “The Hunger Games” and Relativity should be able to milk that opening weekend. The trick is going to be sustaining whatever type of buzz the movie manages to garner as the movie opens at the start of a very crowded time at the box office.

TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman,

Robert Patrick, Matthew Lillard, Scott Eastwood & Joe Massingill

Directed by Robert Lorenz for distribution by Warner Brothers

The Plot: A aging baseball scout seeing his career slip away reluctantly allows his daughter to accompany him on his latest scouting trip in order to prove to his bosses he still has what it takes to get his job done.

The Final Word: Despite his status as a Hollywood legend, the four-time Academy Award winning filmmaker has seen a very uneven track record as of late. Every year Eastwood is talked about in Oscar circles as automatic contender, but it’s been years since he’s been an automatic nominee. In addition, “Curve” will actually be Eastwood’s first movie in almost twenty years that he has starred in but hasn’t directed. First time director Robert Lorenz instead shepherded the project with some helpful hints probably coming from his iconic star.

New In Theaters - September 14, 2012

FINDING NEMO 3D

Starring: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres & Alexander Gould

Directed by Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich for distribution by Disney/Pixar

The Plot: A over-cautious clown fish teams up a forgetful but well-meaning fish to rescue his son who was scooped up by a diver.

The Final Word: “Finding Nemo” dominated when it first came out in 2003 and has been one of Disney/Pixar’s most recognizable films to date. Now courtesy of the 3D upgrade trend it’s getting a second life in theaters.

RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Kevin Durand,

Shawn Roberts, Colin Salmon, Johann Urb, Boris Kodjoe & Li Bingbing

Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson for distribution by Sony Screen Gems

The Plot: The continuing adventures of Alice as she battles the mysterious Umbrella Corporation and seeks the truth about her own origins.

The Final Word: Three sequels and over $700 million later the “Resident Evil” film series has carved out a nice fanbase that continually shows up to the theater. “Retribution,” the fifth installment in franchise (and X in 3D) shouldn’t have a problem capitalizing on what otherwise is a very light weekend.