UK Releases

Battle: Los Angeles

Studio – Columbia Pictures (Previous Film: Just Go With It)

Director - Jonathan Liebesman (Previous Film: The Killing Room)

In a nutshell....

UFO sightings are nothing new as Argentina, Japan, France, Germany and China have all witnessed them. But now finally the aliens have decided to attack and when America comes under threat, Sergeant Michael Nantz, along with his platoon has to fight them off and save the country, and the city of Los Angeles.

Aliens, aliens, aliens.... they've always been around, if not anywhere else, atleast in Hollywood. We've seen so many films based on the extraterrestrial in the last two decades that one might say the subject is done to death now. Yet we continue to get more and more stories based on the unseen and the unknown because of the very fact that we are yet to encounter aliens. Which is why films will keep happening, we'll keep watching, but only those with imagination and tension will stand out. And, I think Liebesman's take on aliens might fall short on those two counts. But WB thinks otherwise. The studio is impressed with the way the director has handled this film and they've offered him the sequel to Clash of the Titans. The trailer does promise a lot of action and destruction but in terms of story I think it might lack the punch as it is a straight forward alien invasion which we've seen in countless other films. Sure much can't be predicted and said before watching the film in its entirety but for me this one seems more like a money churner, and with a popular cast it'll make things easier. I'm sure it'll top the box office collections at the end of the week but whether it has that real magic of wooing the audiences across the globe remains to be seen, which is why I'm more eager to find out what this new alien film has on offer.

Runtime - 116 mins

Genre - Action/Sci-fi/Thriller

Rated - PG-13

Principal Cast

Aaron Eckhart – Sergeant Michael Nantz (Last seen in: Rabbit Hole)

Ramon Rodriguez - 2nd Lt. William Martinez (Last seen in: Harlem Hostel)

Michelle Rodriguez - Sergeant Elena Santos (Last seen in: Machete)

Bridget Moynahan - Michele (Last seen in: Ramona and Beezus)

Principal Crew

Christopher Bertolini - Writer

Lukas Ettlin - Director of Photography

Christian Wagner - Editor
Brian Tyler - Music Director

Film’s USP

Alien Invasion

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAdm9ssE6gk

Anticipation Rating - 3.5/5

---

Fair Game

Studio – Fair Game Productions (Debut)

Director - Doug Liman (Previous Film: Jumper)

In a nutshell....

Valerie Plame is a CIA agent whose status is revealed by White House officials who are allegedly out to discredit Valerie's husband, Joe Wilson. Wilson had written an op-ed piece in the New York Times in 2003, which said that the Bush administration had manipulated intelligence about weapons of mass destruction to justify the Iraq invasion.

Based on the real life story of Valerie Plame, this film has an interesting and relevant plot. It may not go down well with Bush lovers as it's based on a controversial fact. Fair Game has already released in the US and has done well. With a director like Doug Liman at the helm, and the pairing of Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, this film is bound to do well at the box office. It's a must watch for it's based on a true story, and also for Naomi's performance.

Runtime - 108 mins

Genre - Biography/Drama/Thriller

Rated - 12 A

Principal Cast

Naomi Watts – Valerie Plame (Last seen in: The International)

Sean Penn - Joe Wilson (Last seen in: Milk)

Sonya Davison - Chanel Suit (Debut)

Principal Crew

Jez Butterworth John-Henry Butterworth, Joseph Wilson (book - The Politics Of Truth), Valerie Plame (book - Fair Game) - Writers

Doug Liman - Director of Photography

Christopher Tellefsen - Editor

John Powell - Music Direcotr

Film’s USP

Biopic + Naomi Watts + Sean Penn + Doug Liman

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpMGQgXbOgA

Anticipation Rating - 3.5/5

---

Hall Pass

Studio – New Line Cinema (Previous Film: The Rite),

Director - Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly (Previous Film: The Heartbreak Kid)

In a nutshell....

Rick is a married man but does often like to admire other beautiful women, sometimes even in the presence of his wife, Grace. Thus, Grace gives him a Hall Pass: A week off from marriage to do whatever you want without consequences.... As the definition suggests, Rick does get a week off to do whatever he desires. He is joined by his best pal, Fred. They set out to woo women and enjoy the week they got. But things get crazy when Grace, and Fred's wife, Maggie, also start engaging in extra marital activities.

This film's gonna be a laugh riot, no doubts about that. With super comedies like There's Something About Mary and Dumb and Dumber to their credit, the Farrelly brothers have another funny treat for us with Owen Wilson as the icing on the dessert. A unique story, which is funny and entertaining, and some seriously funny acting, this film will definitely do wonders at the box office and sure has to be the pick of the week. Wives never make the mistake of giving a Hall Pass to your husbands. ;)

Runtime - 105 mins

Genre - Comedy

Rated - 15

Principal Cast

Owen Wilson – Rick (Last seen in: Little Fockers)

Jason Sudeikis - Fred (Last seen in: Going The Distance)

Christina Applegate - Grace (Last seen in: Going The Distance)

Jenna Fischer - Maggie (Last seen in: Solitary Man)

Principal Crew

Pete Jones, Kevin Barnett, Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly - Writers

Matthew Leonetti - Directors of Photography

Sam Seig - Editor
Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe - Music Supervisors

Film’s USP

Unique story + The Farrelly brothers + Owen Wilson

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF9CPtD_UsI

Anticipation Rating - 4/5

---

The Resident

Studio – Hammer Film Productions (Previous Film: Let Me In)

Director - Antti Jokinen (Debut)

In a nutshell....

Juliette Deverau is a young doctor who moves to a new apartment in Brooklyn. She feels her house is haunted, and gradually learns that her landlord has formed a frightening obsession with her.

We've known, read and seen many stories and films that are based on a haunted house which straight off goes against this film. It's a difficult task for a debutant director to frighten the audiences when he hasn't got a great story. The Resident seems to be based on a few cheap thrills and cliched situations. There seems to be nothing new in the story or the way it's made. Therefore, I think the chances of this film doing well are bleak, especially when it faces some good competition this weekend. I'd watch it only if I were a fan of Hilary Swank.

Runtime - 91 mins

Genre - Horror/Drama/Thriller

Rated - 15

Principal Cast

Hillary Swank – Juliet Devereau (Last seen in: Conviction)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Max (Last seen in: Jonah Hex)

Christopher Lee - August (Last seen in: Season Of The Witch)

Principal Crew

Antti Jokinen, Robert Orr - Writers

Guillermo Navarro - Director of Photography

Stuart Levy, Bob Murawski - Editors

John Ottman - Music Director

Film’s USP

Hilary Swank in a horror

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndHDPuK_Rrw

Anticipation Rating - 2.5/5

---

The Company Men

Studios – Odyssey Entertainment (Debut)
Director - John Wells (Debut)

In a nutshell....

Bobby Walker is an arrogant employee of GTX, a manufacturing company in Boston, which provides him super salaries and privileges. The company decides to down size and thus gives Bobby a pink slip because of which he has to beg to his wife's brother, Jack, to find him a job. Similarly, Gene and Phil are also shown the door by the same company, both in a pre-retirement limbo. What follows next is how the lives of these three men affected in terms of family, lifestyle and reputation.

I could not catch this one in the Mumbai Film Festival and regretted later when most of the cinema goers were talking about how decent it was. It might be John Wells' debut film but he seems to have done it in the most effective way as it is a sensible take on the economic crisis of the US and not a satirical one. I've also heard a lot about the performances, especially that of Ben Affleck's. So I think it's worth a watch.

Runtime - 109 mins

Genre - Drama

Rated - 15

Principal Cast

Ben Affleck – Bobby Walker (Last seen in: The Town)

Tommy Lee Jones – Gene McClary (Last seen in: In The Valley Of Elah)
Chris Cooper – Phil Woodward (Last seen in: The Tempest)
Kevin Costner - Jack Dolan (Last seen in: The New Daughter)

Principal Crew

John Wells - Writer

Roger Deakin - Director of Photography
Robert Frazen – Editor

Film’s USP

The star cast

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8XgnQTInoQ

Anticipation Rating - 3.5/5