Winter Movie Preview
Friday January 8th
Leap Year – Amy Adams plays a desperate-to-be-wed woman that follows her boyfriend (Adam Scott) to Ireland where a woman can propose to a man on the titular day
Youth in Revolt – A teenager creates a bad boy alter ego do to all the things he can’t in order to impress his girlfriend. Based the novel of the same name by C. D. Payne, the film stars Michael Cera and newcomer Portia Doubleday.
Daybreakers – In a world where vampires have taken over, a small group of humans struggle to survive while looking for a cure to vampirism. Meanwhile, the vampires are faced with a dwindling blood supply. Finally, a new twist on everybody’s favourite creatures of the night that involves neither sparkling nor teen romance.
Friday January 15th
The Book of Eli – The Hughes Brothers return after a nearly decade long break for this post-apocalyptic tale about a one man army sworn to protect a book (Denzel Washington) and bad guy willing to do anything to get it (Gary Oldman). Washington kicking butt? Oldman being evil? Sounds like a winner.
The White Ribbon (limited) – This well-received German drama has gotten a lot of play at major film festivals, and is the country’s entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category at this year’s Oscars.
Largo Winch – The secret son of a billionaire seeks to prove his legitimacy after his father’s death so that he can secure his inheritance and discover who murdered his father along the way.
High Life (limited) - Timothy Olyphant leads a crew of criminal slackers in committing the perfect heist, in this comedy whose title was two meanings.
Hoodwinked 2: Hood vs. Evil – Because Hoodwinked 1 left so many unanswered questions, we get this animated sequel. 
The Spy Next Door – Jackie Chan babysits some kids that inadvertently download some top secret something-or-other off the internet that ends up getting them all chased around by some goons. Jackie Chan then presumably fights them with some martial arts prowess.
Friday January 22nd
Creation (limited) – This biography of 19th century scientist Charles Darwin opened the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. Real-life couple Paul Bettney and Jennifer Connelly star as Darwin and his wife Emma.
Legion – More post-apocalyptic fun as angels bring the wrath of God against mankind for all his wickedness. But one rebellious angel (Paul Bettany) stands ready to protect a woman (Adrianne Palicki) whose baby may be the salvation of the human race.
Tooth Fairy – The idea of a hockey player being turned into a tooth fairy is not without a sense of ironic charm, but this family comedy starring Dwayne Johnson and Julie Andrews looks about as painful as a toothache for anyone over the age of 7.
Extraordinary Measures – Brendan Fraser plays a father trying desperately to save his terminally ill children and recruits dedicated researcher Harrison Ford to help him do it. If you didn’t already know that this was uplifting story about the human condition than watch the trailer.
Friday January 29th
Edge of Darkness – Mel Gibson takes his first acting role in eight years in this remake of the British television series of the same name. Gibson plays a Boston cop that goes all Any Means Necessary to find out who killed his daughter and why.
When in Rome – The cute as a bug Kristen Bell dips her toe in lame romantic comedy in this story of a lovelorn young woman that curses herself by taking coins from a wishing fountain in Rome and having the wishers magically fall in love with her. Josh Dummel plays the guy that really is in love with her in a non-magical way.
Zooey & Adam (limited) – A difficult drama about a couple coping with pregnancy. After months of trying, Zooey becomes pregnant after she’s raped, but unsure of the paternity, her husband Adam has difficulty accepting the prospect of raising the rapist’s baby.
Friday February 5th
Dear John – Another Nicholas Spark’s three-hanky romance is adapted for the big screen. This one is about a soldier (played by Channing Tatum) that falls for a conservative college student (Amanda Seyfried) while on leave. There relationship is tested by distance, but their love cannot be broken. Or can it? This is Sparks, so probably not.
From Paris with Love – While the title is a charming pun on the classic James Bond movie, this film probably has more in common with other Luc Besson-produced films like Transporter and District 13 than Roger Moore era Bond. The film features a bald John Travolta as a killer for hire and The Tudors’ Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as his driver.
The Last Station (limited) – A young man is drawn into the family drama of the Tolstoys when he agrees to become War and Peace author Leo Tolstoy’s new secretary. Whatever the result, this move sports a fine cast including Christopher Plummer as Leo Tolstoy and Helen Mirren as his suffering wife Countess Sofya.
Saint John of Vegas - Steve Buscemi plays a man trying to lead a straight and normal life as an insurance adjuster in New Mexico after leaving his life as a gambler in Vegas behind. But when he heads back to Vegas on the job, he hears the siren song of the casinos again.
Friday February 12th
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief – Director Chris Columbus seems to be trying to make up for the fact that he quit Harry Potter after part 2 by filming this Potter-esque tale about the children of the Greek gods living in modern New York.
Valentine's Day – Garry Marshall apparently tries to remake Love Actually with this star-studded ode to the most romantic day of the year. The film is headlined by a bunch of actors who should have known better.
The Wolfman – This long in development remake of the Lon Cheney classic seems worth the wait with the appropriately moody Victorian setting and two great actors (Benecioi Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins) in the lead roles. Wolfman should easily scare up some business this Valentine’s weekend.
Friday February 19th 
Shutter Island – Martin Scorsese goes all psychological on us with this adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel about an institute for the criminally insane and the investigation into a missing prisoner led by two Federal Marshals played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Raffalo. This is Scorsese’s first non-documentary movie since his Best Director win for The Departed.
Mardi Gras – Three friends look for the best party in New Orleans during Marti Gras. That is all.
Fish Tank – A 15-year-old girl living in housing projects in West London is forced to wonder if her mother’s new boyfriend is being so nice because he’s genuine, or if he’s really a predator lying in wait.
Friday February 26th
Cop Out – Once called “A Couple of Dicks,” this film about two maverick cops stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. Kevin Smith directs, and for the first time not from one of his own scripts.
The Crazies – Another wink and nod zombie film about a virus that makes people go crazy and start murdering people. The concept is kind of familiar, but the trailer looks darn good.
A Prophet (limited) – The film is about a 19-year-old half Arab, half Corsican named Malik (Tahar Rahim) who goes to prison for gang involvement
Friday March 5th 
Alice in Wonderland – Tim Burton finally gets a chance to play in Lewis Carroll’s world with his 3-D enhanced interpretation of the classic tale. The all star cast includes Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover and Mrs. Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter.
Brooklyn's Finest – The story of three Brooklyn cops who all came from different places but ended up at the same deadly location on one fated evening.
Friday March 12th
Green Zone – Director Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon team-up again for this real-life tale of conspiracy and corruption in Iraq following the defeat of Saddam Hussein. The film is based loosely on Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s book Imperial Life in the Emerald City.
Remember Me – Robert Pattinson trades brooding about being a vampire for brooding about his strained relationship with his father (played here by Pierce Brosnan) in a new drama from Hollywoodland director Allen Coulter.
She's Out of My League - Jay Baruchel plays a poor schlub that finds his luck changing when a girl that’s, yes, way out of his league, falls for him. The She in question is played by Alice Eve, the English actress of Crossing Over fame.
Greenberg (limited) – Writer/director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) examines arrested development in the person of the titular character played by Ben Stiller, who finds new life when he agrees to housesit for his younger, more successful brother in LA.
Our Family Wedding – Two fathers must put aside their over-protectiveness and mutual animosity to plan the short order wedding of their son and daughter. Hilarity ensues.
Friday March 19th
The Bounty Hunter – Gerard Butler plays Milo Boyd, and if you can’t guess what he does, read the title of the movie again. Milo gets the sweetest bounty of all when he’s assigned to bring in his ex-girlfriend played by Jennifer Aniston. Naturally, appropriate sparks start flying once they’re back in each other’s orbit.
Hot Tub Time Machine – John Cusack re-unites with Grosse Pointe Blank co-creator Steve Pink for the story about a group of guys that re-live their reckless youths with the assistance of a Red Bull powered bath tub time machine.
Season of the Witch – Set in the 14th century, a group of knights and monks think that they’ve found the cause of the black plague: a witch.
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