THE HELP
Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas
Howard,
Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Sissy Spacek,
Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer, Cicely Tyson
& Mike Vogel
Directed by Tate Taylor for distribution by Walt
Disney
The Plot: A secret
writing project by a young woman (Stone) sets into motion a friendship that
goes against the grain of race relations in 1960’s Mississippi.
The Final Word: Based on the
best-selling novel of the same name, the movie places rising star Emma Stone in
the role of a socialite who befriends the African-American help at her family’s
plantation. Although as she meets the extraordinary women working there she
begins to write a book with their help that gives them a voice in a time where
they didn’t have one. Already this Disney film is being buzzed about for
Hollywood’s top prizes and the film’s August release date could give it just
the jumping board it needs to get noticed.
30 MINUTES OR LESS
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Aziz
Ansari,
Nick Swardson & Michael Pena
Directed by Ruben Fleischer for distribution by Columbia
Pictures (Sony)
The Plot: Two inept
slackers (McBride, Swardson) kidnap a pizza delivery guy (Eisenberg) and force
him to rob a bank or they’ll detonate a bomb strapped to his chest.
The Final Word: Somehow it is
hard to imagine Jessie Eisenberg figured this would be his first live-action
movie following his first career Academy Award nomination and yet here we are.
Yet August comedies do seem to do really well (i.e. “Superbad,” “Tropic
Thunder”), so while this looks like a typical non-thinking summer movie that
seem to be aimed at stoners, you may want to remember the success of “Pineapple
Express.” You also have to take into account that the budget on this movie
can’t be that high and Eisenberg’s already seen success with Fleischer when
they first paired on “Zombieland.”
FINAL DESTINATION 5
Starring: Nicholas D'Agosto, Emma Bell, Miles
Fisher, Arlen Escarpeta,
David Koechner, Tony Todd, Courtney B. Vance, P.J.
Byrne,
Ellen Wroe & Jacqueline MacInnes-Wood
Directed by Steven Quale for distribution by New
Line (WB)
The Plot: Survivors of a
bridge collapse begin to realize you can’t cheat death as one by one they begin
to meet horrific ends.
The Final Word: For some movies
3D is just a gimmick designed to get every last dime from audiences, for the
“Final Destination” series it actually gave the franchise new life (which is
ironic for a movie about death). By now you have to know what the “Final
Destination” films are all about and more importantly you have to know they
make money; big name cast or not.
GLEE LIVE! 3D!
Starring: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley,
Chris Colfer,
Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Dianna
Agron,
Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Harry Shum, Jr.,
Chord Overstreet, Darren Criss & Ashley Fink
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen for distribution by 20th
Century Fox
The Plot: The
Emmy-winning FOX series takes its show on the road and brings along the cameras
the cast of “Glee” performs favorites from the series’ two seasons.
The Final Word: “Glee” in 3D.
Not really sure there is much else to say on this one except it’s a smart move
for FOX who stands to make even more money on a tour that consistently pulls in
audiences.
Previewed next week: Conan The Barbarian, Fright Night, One Day, Spy Kids: All The Time In The World
