Zombies and Rollergirls to Make Moviegoing Fun Again
Maybe we used up all our bile last weekend, but no one is more shocked then we are to find ourselves actually looking forward to the movies this weekend. Maybe we're getting old...It can't be Hollywood's getting better, can it?
WHIP IT
The Story: A Texas teen (Ellen Page) gives up a life of beauty pageants to fight it out in the roller derby rink.
The Pitch: Fight Club meets Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
Who It's For: Grrrl power wolf packs.
Cause for Hope: Precious as it may be, it's hard not to get excited for roller derby; buzz has been good for Drew Barrymore's directorial debut.
Cause for Concern: The project leaves huge room for the Drew nose-scrunching, head-bobbing cutesy factor to rear its pig-tailed head.
Gawker Enthusio-Meter: 7
ZOMBIELAND
The Story: The world is overrun by zombies. Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg fight back.
The Pitch: Shaun of the Dead meets Red Dawn
Who It's For: Nerds
Cause for Hope: Hilarious trailer; movies success will propel Eisenberg to the Hoodie Hearththrob crown.
Cause for Concern: Cruising around with Woody 'n kilin' some zombies is a fantastic joke, but it still is just one joke and 90 minutes is a long time.
Gawker Enthusio-Meter: 8
A SERIOUS MAN
The Story: The Coen Brothers portrait of Jewish life in the '60s suburban Midwest.
The Pitch: Yentl meets Blue Velvet
Who It's For: College administrators
Cause for Hope: The ever aloof Coen brothers portraying the world of their own youth promises the "laughing at the hicks" quotient might fall slightly.
Cause for Concern: They've still got plenty of snideness to spare.
Gawker Enthusio-Meter: 7
THE INVENTION OF LYING
The Story: In a land where people speak only the truth, one man (Ricky Gervais) learns how to bend the world through the magic of false speaking.
The Pitch: Bruce Almighty meets Withnail and I
Who It's For: Gervais TV die hards
Cause for Hope: Despite gimmicky concept and Gervais' spotty non-BBC track record, hope springs eternal for the sometimes genius.
Cause for Concern: Formulaic concept promises depressing anti-lying message.
Gawker Enthusio-Meter: 6
TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2 in 3D
The Story: The rip roarin' Buzz Lightyear and friends have adventures in a little kid's bedroom. No Polanski jokes here.
The Pitch: Westworld meets Pinocchio in 3D
Who It's For: Citizens under seven, their parents and film nerds who don't feel weird about sitting alone in a theater filled with children.
Cause for Hope: It is the Citizen Kane of animation after all.
Cause for Concern: America comes one step closer to falling under the mass hypnosis that 3D creates an entirely new level of cinematic experience, worth paying more than ten dollars for.
Gawker Enthusio-Meter: 8