The upcoming weekend is a mix-bag of dramas, westerns, comedies and Disney’s attempt at real-life talking dogs. It’s an interesting weekend at the box-office with indie hopefuls and westerns looking for the same box-office recognition that “3:10 to Yuma” got last fall. And Chihuahuas falling in love hopes to bring people to the theater through sheer cuteness.
What will come of the new Simon Pegg movie adapted from a book, and Ed Harris’ next try at directing? Greg Kinnear tries to bring emotion and inspiration to windshield wipers. And Michael Cera plays on his talents and his current hot-streak at the box-office.
“Appaloosa”
Ed Harris directs, stars, produces and even claims writing credits in this adaptation of Robert B. Parker’s popular 2005 novel of the same name. Set in the 1880s, “Appaloosa” pairs Harris and Viggo Mortensen together as lawmen. Hired to protect a wild-west town from a scurrilous rancher (Jeremy Irons), Harris and Mortensen soon grow antagonistic toward one another as they struggle to win the affections of a local widow (Renee Zellweger).
With the recent success of “3:10 to Yuma,” Harris hopes to that his western tale will bring the same crowds.
“Rachel Getting Married”
Jonathan Demme returns from the land of documentaries to direct this tale of a family in dysfunction. Anne Hathaway (“The Devil Wears Prada”) stars as the ex-model, prodigal daughter of the family. An insufferable troublemaker, she resurfaces in time to crash the wedding of her elder sister Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt).
“Rachel Getting Married” is similar in title and theme to Noah Baumbach’s 2007 drama, “Margot at the Wedding,” but Demme hopes he can prove to be a bigger draw this weekend.
“Beverly Hills Chihuahua”
In its first movie since storming the box office with the animated hit “Wall-E,” Walt Disney Pictures hopes to have yet another triumph in “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.”
The film is directed by Raja Gosnell, director of “Home Alone 3,” “Big Momma’s House,” “Scooby Doo,” and most recently, “Yours, Mine and Ours.”
Drew Barrymore and George Lopez lead the cast as the voices of Chloe and Papi, both talking Chihuahuas. The big-name cast also includes comedians Pablo Francisco, Andy Garcia, Tom Arnold, Jamie Lee Curtis and Cheech Marin.
Chloe (Barrymore) finds herself lost on vacation in Mexico and must use her new-found dog friends to get back home. She must do this amidst trying to escape a man who wants to kill her for her fur.
It seems as though better titles may have been “101 Chihuahuhas” or “Homeward Bound: The O.C.”
“Flash of Genius”
Marc Abraham’s directorial debut has the storyline potential to be a hit. “Flash of Genius” stars Greg Kinnear (“Little Miss Sunshine,” “Invincible”) as Robert Kearns. He is supported by Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls,” “Bad Santa”) and Dermot Mulroney (“Zodiac,” “Must Love Dogs”). The film is based on a 1993 John Seabrook New Yorker magazine article.
The story is about Bob Kearns, the man who rightfully invented the intermittent windshield wiper. Detroit-based automaker Ford steals the idea from Kearns, and uses it in their automobile production.
He ends up spending most of his life fighting a legal battle against the large companies in an attempt to earn recognition for his invention.
The story has potential to be a great legal drama, and an uplifting story about a man sticking to his morals.
“How to Lose Friends and Alienate People”
British actor Simon Pegg (“Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz”) is back with his second film of 2008 in “How to Lose Fiends and Alienate People.” Starring along side Pegg is Megan Fox (“Transformers”), Jeff Bridges (“Iron Man,” “The Big Lebowski”) and Kirsten Dunst (“Spiderman,” “Bring It On”).
The film is based on Toby Young’s 2001 memoir with the same name. The memoir was about Young’s five-year struggle to make a name for himself after getting an internship with Vanity Fair magazine. The film’s story is similar to the memoir, but fictionalizes most of the names, most notably the name of the magazine. Young is sent to interview Jonathan Lane as one of his first jobs, but never gets past the first question. .
The movie’s actual plot follows Sidney Young (Pegg) as he is hired by Shapes magazine in New York City. Rather than becoming friends with his fellow employees, Young decides he would rather annoy them, slowing down the likelihood of success.
