Sundance Review: 'I Am Michael' starring James Franco and Zachary Quinto

If it's Sundance, then James Franco probably has two or three movies there and this year is no different. When not indulging in stoner comedies with his pals, Franco's drive as an indie filmmaker and actor has seen him exploring themes of sexual identity, especially when it pertains to homosexuality. Franco's latest film, I Am Michael, is easily the most thought-provoking work he has done in this milieu yet as it deals with the true story of a formerly gay man who renounce his homosexuality.

This isn't just any ordinary man, though, as Franco plays rabble-rousing gay activist Michael Glatze, former editor of popular gay magazine 'XY'. When we first meet him it's much later on during his time as a Christian pastor, warning a young man not to give in to his homosexual urges. As a mocking counterpoint, of which the film has many, we are jumped back ten years to 1998 San Francisco when Michael was a very different man. Then he was energetic, young, and very gay; living in domestic bliss with his architect boyfriend Bennett (Zachary Quinto) and running 'XY' as the editor and lead voice. A move to Halifax puts a strain on their relationship, but it is soon bolstered by the presence of Tyler (Charlie Carver), a young college student who shares their bed. Michael continues to fight for gay causes and even embarks on a road trip to mount a documentary on gay youth. After once encouraging homosexuals to be loud and proud about who they are, he begins to adopt the notion that labels of any kind are misguided. It's a fair assessment to make, but Michael soon begins to question everything he thought he knew. Despite the evil acts committed by Christians against gays, such as the Matthew Shepard murder, is it fair to label all Christians as "evil"?

When a series of health problems arise, Michael finds himself turning towards God in a way he never has before. He's consumed with the desire to be reunited with his late mother and to be seen favorably in the eyes of the Lord, and this change naturally has a dramatic effect on Bennett, as well, who openly wonders where the Michael he knew has gone. But Michael insists that he's still only trying to break through stereotypes and go beyond the labels, even as his increased use of extreme fundamentalist dogma says otherwise. It isn't long before Michael has pulled away from the life he knew completely, renouncing his homosexuality and proclaiming that he is and always has been a heterosexual with "homosexual problem".

For writer/director Justin Kelly, Michael's evolution, if one can call it that, is clearly a confused one filled with contradictions. The film begins mostly in biographical fashion, free of judgment as Michael lives his life as a gay rights activist. Kelly is quick to show how truly happy Michael was during this time as a contrast to the somber, conflicted man he appears to be later on after his conversion. But Kelly also manages to consider Michael on an even level for the most part, taking great pains not to ridicule his choices no matter how ridiculous some of them may seem. His transformation is depicted honestly, if curiously, as an alienated man simply trying to find some sense of belonging. All of the babble he piles on about reaching Heaven and earning God's favor comes off as slightly disingenuous, and it's during those brief, somber moments when he reaches out (usually by phone) to Bennett that he's truly himself again. When Michael joins a Bible school and forges a romantic heterosexual relationship with a young classmate (Emma Roberts), it's perhaps the surest step in the new direction he is going. If the screenplay is perhaps a bit simplistic and laborious at times, it's kind of understandable because Michael is a constant work-in-progress. To completely understand him is impossible given that he barely seems to understand himself.  Franco is in charge of practically every scene and it's one of the most textured performances he's ever given considering the world of difference between the vibrant young Michael and the mysterious, closed-off individual he becomes later on.

I Am Michael isn't a feel-good story by any means. It's not the story of a man who came to discover his true place in the world. Instead it's a sad but fascinating look at a man who was unable to see that the one thing he wanted most in the world, acceptance, was already in his grasp and he threw it all away.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Emma Roberts Joins 'February', Billy Crudup Enters the 'Spotlight', Jena Malone Leads 'Bottom of the World'

Emma Roberts, who is set to rejoin American Horror Story for its fourth season, has signed to another horror in February. She'll be joined by 14-year-old Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) in the film written and directed by Osgood Perkins, whose father is none other than Psycho star, Anthony Perkins. So lots of horror pedigree for this one. The story takes place at an all-girl prep school where friends Rose and Kat are left stranded when their parents mysteriously don't pick them up for winter break. As their beautiful friend Joan makes a dangerous trek to the school, Kat becomes possessed by an evil force.

Thomas McCarthy (The Visitor) has already assembled quite a cast for Spotlight, his film centered on the Catholic Church's cover-up of a child sex abuse scandal in Boston. Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Stanley Tucci, Aaron Eckhart, Liev Schreiber, and Michael Keaton are already on board, and now the latest addition is Billy Crudup. Crudup will play high-powered Boston attorney Eric MacLeish.

Jena Malone (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) and Douglas Smith (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters) will star in Richard Sears' indie horror, Bottom of the World. They'll play "a young couple who stop at a desert motel on their way to start a new life in L.A. When she vanishes, Alex desperately tries to find her but is plunged into a nightmarish world where he finally realizes that he must be in a dream — but he is not the dreamer." [Deadline]

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Emma Roberts and Zachary Quinto Join 'Michael'; Neel Sethi Swings to 'The Jungle Book'

 * Emma Roberts got to make out with James Franco in the adaptation of his book, Palo Alto, and now she'll get to play his girl once again in Michael, a film which tells the true story of a gay activist who evolves into an anti-gay Christian minister. Zachary Quinto and Chris Zylka are also coming aboard as two of the title character's past boyfriends. Benoit Denizet-Lewis wrote the New York Times article from which the film is based, with Gus Van Sant protege Justin Kelly directing. [Variety]

* After a lengthy worldwide casting search, 10-year-old newcomer Neel Sethi has won the role of Mowgli in Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book. He'll be the only human actor seen in the film as Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong'o and Ben Kingsley will be voicing the many CG-animated animals from Rudyard Kipling's novel. The Jungle Book will be released in 3D on October 9th 2015.

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Review: 'Palo Alto', Starring Emma Roberts, Jack Kilmer, and James Franco

Gia Coppola comes from a family of directors, actors, and screenwriters. So, it's really not surprising that she's found her way to it as well. She already has her own unique style, some beautiful facial shots, and a way of telling her story that's solely her own. It's a shame, however, to say that the source material for Palo Alto, based on the short stories written by James Franco (who knew, right?) don't help her at all. The film lacks any substance, its characters making teenagers and their problems look bland and shallow because there's no in-depth look at any of them and why they act the way they do. It's mottled with too much emoting and for no good reason. The result is a lackluster and slow-going film where its stories don't pan out well.

April (Emma Roberts) is a "good girl." Or rather, she's the stereotypical definition of a good girl (a vague terminology which is thrown around far too often to describe quieter, naive-seeming, and less outrageous girls). She's on the soccer team, gets good grades (for the most part), and babysits for her coach Mr. B (James Franco) on the weekends. She's

confused about her affection for Mr. B, his supposed love for her, and college among other things. 

Teddy (Jack Kilmer) likes April. Wading through his life of drugs, getting drunk, and hanging out with his reckless and hanging-by-the-edge friend Fred (Nat Wolff), Teddy is forced to do community service after a hit-and-run, or end up in juvenile hall. He navigates strange encounters with Fred's dad, watching April from a distance without any real interaction, painting class, and parties. 

Other than some of the nice shots in this movie, Palo Alto doesn't really have much to offer by way of intriguing plot or characters. It takes its time unfolding the story, but you realize very quickly that there isn't much story to tell. The only character you truly ever feel some kind of sympathy toward is Emma Roberts's character. This is because her's is the more fleshed out storyline. You can sense her confusion and loneliness in the midst of it all because we see what's happening to her. With the other two male leads, Kilmer and Wolff, there isn't a drawing point for either of them. 

The teens in the film are all shallow and have no substantial reasons for doing the things that they do. It's almost like an insult to the age group. The '90s had such good stories about teens and brought them to life in a way the 21st century films about teens have seemed to destroy. There's always a lot of partying, drinking, sex, and smoking involved, but these things don't bring us closer to seeing them and their vulnerabilities in a way that's relatable. 

The two main stories in the film don't even feel like they fit together. April has her own problems, Teddy has his (if you can call them that), and by the time the end comes around we're supposed to feel like they've both reached a place, when they really haven't. Most scenes seem to drag on because we're following these characters into a dead end, the film taking itself too seriously and not providing us with any interesting and three-dimensional characters.

James Franco appears in the film, and the lack of real storytelling will be credited to him since he wrote the original short stories. He's been known to most definitely make some interesting artistic and career choices, and Palo Alto certainly falls into one of the more awkward and boring things he's done. Gia Coppola tries to breathe life into a movie that ultimately finds itself falling into the trap of angst-ridden teens with no sense of heart and lacking any substance for audiences to care about. 

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Nat Wolff, Emma Roberts, Mickey Rourke, and Sarah Silverman to Star in 'Ashby'

There has been a lot of strong buzz surrounding the performances of Nat Wolff and Emma Roberts in Palo Alto, the teen drama directed by Gia Coppola and based on James Franco's collection of short stories. That film opens this weekend and takes an extremely dark look at the usual gamut of teen troubles. Now Wolff and Roberts are set to re-team on another film that takes a much deadlier glimpse at the high school years.

Mickey Rourke and Sarah Silverman will join Wolff and Roberts for Ashby, a dramedy that "charts the relationship between a high school student (Wolff) and a retired CIA assassin (Rourke) who only has months to live." Tony McNamara will write and direct with filming set to begin next month. No wor

I can watch Emma Roberts and Sarah Silverman in anything and am curious to know what parts they'll play in a film like this. [ScreenDaily]

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New Trailer for Gia Coppola's 'Palo Alto' Starring Emma Roberts and James Franco

Between Francis Ford, Sofia, and Roman, the Coppola name is one of the most storied in all of Hollywood, and that filmmaking tradition is being carried on by the next generation. Francis' granddaughter Gia Coppola is making her directorial debut with Palo Alto, adapted from the writings of James Franco. With the film set to open in just a few weeks, a new trailer takes us into the complicated lives of Cali teens.

Starring Emma Roberts, Val Kilmer, his son Jack Kilmer, Nat Wolff, and Franco himself, the story tells multiple intertwining stories about the difficult life decisions made by a group of Palo Alto teenagers. This isn't too vastly different from an earlier trailer, and the specific stories being told tend to be the familiar ones dealing with love, angst, and personal identity. Coppola wrote the script, but it's clear she's drawing from Sofia for directorial inspiration.

Palo Alto opens May 9th.

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Gary Ross to Pen 'East of Eden' for Jennifer Lawrence; 'We're the Millers' Sequel Moves Forward

* Last fall we learned Jennifer Lawrence was looking to re-team with The Hunger Games director Gary Ross for a two-part adaptation of John Steinbeck's East of Eden. Ross was already directing but now he's agreed to pen the screenplay, as well.  The book "tells of two families over the course of two generations, loosely alluding to the biblical tale of Cain and Abel, focusing on a father, his two sons, and the children's mother, whom they thought was dead." It was famously adapted into a 1955 film starring James Dean. This one's still a ways off as Ross is in line to direct Peter and the Starcatchers first.

* Not that this will come as any surprise, but New Line is looking for a sequel to last year's $270M-grossing comedy, We're the Millers. According to THR, they've hired Adam Sztykiel (Due Date) to pen the follow-up, with Rawson Marshall Thurber expected to return as director. But what about the cast? Jennifer Aniston, Will Poulter, Jason Sudeikis, and Emma Roberts are all expected back although no deals are in place. Expect that to be rectified soon.

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Watch the First Trailer for Gia Coppola's 'Palo Alto' Starring James Franco and Emma Roberts

Much has been made of the various side projects James Franco has become involved with, whether it's a reality show, or adapting acclaimed novels such as Child of God or As I Lay Dying. But it goes even further than that, and a couple of years ago he published a collection of short stories titled Palo Alto, which was met with the usual helping of cynicism anything by the actor generally receives. With Telluride kicking off today, the first trailer for the big screen adaptation of Palo Alto has arrived, and no Franco isn't behind the camera, but in front of it.

Trying her hand at the family business, Gia Coppola writes and directs the film which takes place in the titular city and tells multiple intertwined stories. Franco plays a soccer coach, with Emma Roberts as a young babysitter he takes too much of an interest in. She seems to be friends with two troubled kids played by Jack Kilmer and Nat Wolff. Kilmer's father, Val, also makes an appearance. There are splashes of many different approaches here, but the most obvious influence appears to be Gia's sister, Sofia.

Palo Alto premieres at Telluride this weekend and is also part of the TIFF line-up. [Vulture]

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Sure Shots: Richard Jenkins; Diane Kruger; Emma Roberts

* Of the two White House-set thrillers, Roland Emmerich's White House Down looks the stronger by far. And now it's getting even stronger with the addition of vaunted character actor, Richard Jenkins(The Visitor). He'll play the Speaker of the House, trailing behind the VP in the Presidential line of succession. Something tells me that will come into play. Channing Tatum will come to the rescue as a Secret Service agent when terrorists attempt to take the President hostage. Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and James Woods star. [Variety]

* The very German Diane Kruger as a southern belle? Ok, sure. We'll go with that. She'll play Abraham Lincoln's step-mother, Sarah Bush Lincoln, in Green Blade Rising.While we still don't know who will write the script or direct, we do know Terrence Malick is producing, which makes it worth keeping a close watch on. Sarah Lincoln was a crucial figure in setting Abe on his path to becoming the man he grew up to be, coming into his life when he was 10 years old, and teaching him how to read. [Movie Nation]

* Emma Roberts(Scream 4) and Kathryn Hahn(Wanderlust) have joined Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston in the drug-fueled comedy, We're The Millers.  Directed by Rawson Thurber, the story centers on a low level drug dealer who attempts to transport 1400 pounds of marijuana across the border by creating a fake family going on a road trip. Jennifer Aniston is playing his wife, with Roberts as a troubled girl who poses as their daughter, and Hahn as the wife of a DEA agent. Nick Offerman co-stars, along with a cameo by Ed Helms. [Variety/Deadline]

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Trailer Time: 'Virginia', starring Jennifer Connelly and Ed Harris

Most people probably recognize the name Dustin Lance Black for being the writer of Milk, the biopic which led him to win the Best Screenplay Academy Award and took Sean Penn to Best Actor. But Black's actually been around longer than most people think, directing his first film back in 2000 before focusing primarily on writing, most recently penning the script for Clint Eastwood's uneven J. Edgar. Back in 2010, Black debuted his most recent writing/directing effort, then titled What's Wrong with Virginia? The results were mixed, to say the least, with the leading performance by Jennifer Connelly praised but the film's off balance tone the biggest knock against it.

Black has basically gone back to the drawing board, having totally re-edited the film, and shortened the name simply to Virginia. As for the tone, well it's hard to say but to me it doesn't appear much has changed. We'll just have to wait and check out the new finished product. One thing for sure is that it's good to see Connelly doing something which is different for her, playing an unstable mom in a small southern town, trying her best to raise her over-protective son(Harrison Gilbertson), while carrying on an affair with the Mormon sheriff(Ed Harris) turned senatorial candidate. Emma Roberts, Amy Madigan, Toby Jones, and Carrie Preston round out an impressive cast.

Virginia opens in theaters on May 18th. Check out the trailer below....

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Emma Roberts joins Dwayne Johnson and Liam Hemsworth in heist film, 'Empire State'

We're reaching the point where it'll become necessary to stop labeling Emma Roberts as a "rising star" or "up 'n coming" actress. To me, she's already there as one of the best in the biz, even if every film she's in hasn't panned out quite as expected. The Art of Getting By is a prime example of a movie she's excellent in but with a story that basically runs in place. She might've been excellent as part of Harmony Korine's weird crime film, Spring Breakers, if she didn't drop out. Fortunately she has a number of other projects on the way, including an acclaimed performance in the Sundance hit, Celeste and Jesse Forever.

Variety reports she'll next star in Empire State, the latest film from indie film maker, Dito Montiel(Fighting, The Son of No One). First reported back in January, the heist feature is part of a busy 2012 for both Dwayne Johnson and Liam Hemsworth, based on a 1982 armored truck robbery that is one of the largest in history. Roberts will play a waitress and love interest to Hemsworth's character, one of two friends who are planning the cash grab. Johnson is the NYPD detective sworn to bring them down.

Roberts will most likely be seen next in Adult World, an indie comedy currently in production and featuring John Cusack, Shannon Woodward, and Evan Peters. 

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Sure Shots: Michael Fassbender; Alfred Hitchcock; John Cusack

* Ridley Scott is officially on board to direct The Counselor, the first original screenplay from acclaimed novelist, Cormac McCarthy. The story, which has been compared to McCarthy's No Country for Old Men, follows a lawyer who tries to dabble in the drug trade and get out unscathed, but finds it more difficult than he thought. Deadline reports that Michael Fassbender is Scott's first choice to star, and may be leaning towards taking the lead role. Filming could begin in early May, which would make this his first post-Prometheus gig.

* Now this has disaster written all over it. Dreamworks is planning a remake of Rebecca, one of Alfred Hitchock's finest works and winner of two Academy Awards including Best Picture. Steven Knight(Eastern Promises) will pen the script, adapted from Daphne Du Maurier's great novel about an American woman who married a rich widower, only to discover that the lingering memory of his dead ex-wife, the titular Rebecca, continues to have a hold over him, the house, and his staff. Hitchock remakes tend to go really...really badly, and Rebecca is one of those that shouldn't be screwed with. Knight is a fantastic writer, and since he's pulling straight from the novel I have no doubt the script will be up to par, but it's going to take the perfect director to not lose any of the film's spooky tone in favor of cheap thrills. [Variety]

* Even though filming has just gotten underway on Adult World, a new comedy from Scott Coffey(Ellie Parker) and starring Emma Roberts, casting is still rounding into shape. John Cusack and Evan Peters(American Horror Story) have joined the film which has Roberts playing an Ivy League graduate and wannabe poet who takes a job as a clerk in an adult bookstore to make ends meet. Cusack will play Rat Billings, her mentor and personal hero. [Deadline]

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James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, and Emma Roberts join Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers

To be honest, avant garde filmmaker Harmony Korine lost me a long time ago. He burst onto the scene and became a name to watch after writing the groundbreaking Kids way back in 1995. Since then his films have been so weird I just sorta gave up. In 1999 he gave us Julian Donkey Boy, a strange, stagnant film notable only for it's oddball cinematic style. The next film I saw from him was the dismal Ken Park, which I've said many times is the worst movie I've ever seen. Period. Somebody gave it to me thinking I would dig it, and that person is no longer a friend.

Korine's experimental style has attracted a lot of fans, though. Not the least of which is James Franco, who has been working with the director on various projects throughout the year. The duo are in the process of pairing up for Korine's next feature film, which sounds like a departure even for him.

Variety reports that Franco and Emma Roberts will star in Spring Breakers, which Korine will both write and direct. Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez are in talks to join the film as well, which will be far darker than anything they've ever been attached to. This ain't Ramona and Beezus.  The story will focus on four college age girls who rob a fast food joint to pay for their spring break trip, but get tossed in jail. Franco will play a rappin' arms and drug dealer who bails them out and convinces the girls to kill his rival. Seriously.

Franco seems to have a thing about playing criminals and dealers in particular. Just look at Due Date, Pineapple Express, and most recently his hilarious cameo in The Green Hornet. So we know he'll be good to go in this. Hudgens is out of the teeny bopper thing after starring in Sucker Punch and the upcoming Frozen Ground, and Roberts has been tackling heavier material for awhile now. But Gomez? This is a serious change of pace for her. I can't wait to see how this pans out.  Production is set to kick off during spring break in Florida.

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Emma Roberts and AnnaSophia Robb to star in Anything But Ordinary

Ever heard of synesthesia? It's an extremely rare neurological condition in which a stimulation of one particular sense triggers an automatic response in another sensory pathway. So in one version of it, words and numbers can only be processed through sounds and vibrant colors. Awesome, right? A number of famous people are said to have been synesthetes, including inventor Nicola Tesla, musician Duke Ellington, and Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett. Sounds like somebody could make a pretty cool, inventive movie about synesthesia, right? Well somebody is, and it's going to feature the considerable talents of Emma Roberts(It's Kind of a Funny Story) and AnnaSophia Robb(Soul Surfer).

The film is called Anything But Ordinary, and is being prepped at the same time as Lara Avary's upcoming book. The story centers on a 17-year old diving phenom, who suffers a terrible accident during the Olympic trials, putting her into a coma. When she miraculously awakes five years later, nobody realizes that she has become a synesthete, processing words and numbers through color, the third dimension, and sound.

This sounds like a film that will demand a creative visual director, so it's a little disheartening to learn that Sanaa Hamri(Something New, Just Wright) is at the helm. There's cause for concern on the writing front as well, with Charlie Craig(Pretty Little Liars) having cranked out the script.

A great idea, but are they sure Michel Gondry(The Science of Sleep) isn't available? Just asking. [THR]

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Sure Shots: Emma Roberts; The Hunger Games; John Carney

· Despite her less than inspiring turn in Scream 4, Emma Roberts is quickly becoming one of my favorite young actresses. She tends to be able to lighten up anything she’s in, which is good because she’s just been brought on to a film that hadn’t appealed to me at all until now. She’ll be joining the cast of Celeste and Jesse Forever, a comedy from director Lee Toland Krieger about a couple trying to remain friends in the midst of a divorce. Rashida Jones(The Social Network) both co-wrote and stars alongside Andy Samberg, Ari Graynor, and Chris Messina.

· Toby Jones(Infamous) will play the co-host/narrator opposite Stanley Tucci in Gary Ross’s The Hunger Games, the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ novel depicting a fierce annual battle between teens for the enjoyment of a ruling government. I don’t remember there being a co-host in the book, but I could be wrong. Whatever, Jones is a fantastic actor, who will be seen next in Captain America: The First Avenger.

· I had John Carney’s beautiful 2007 Irish musical, Once, at the top of my list of favorites that year. But since then the director has been a ghost, with only one film that barely made it out of the festival circuit. Surprisingly he’s been hard at work on his next effort, a sci-fi flick called The Rafters, taking place at “an old guesthouse in the Aran islands where two American backpackers vie for the affections of a young woman who is, literally, haunted by her past.” This appears to be a low key affair, as the entire cast is full of unknowns. Worth keeping an eye out for.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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It's Kind of a Funny Story

Most teen comedies are built around the idea of exclusion. Exclusion from the cool clique at high school or whatever social order they're trying to break into. Like with most teenagers in reality, these minor problems are life engulfing mountainous disasters. In It's Kind of a Funny Story, the new coming of age comedy from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck(Half Nelson), we're given a little something different. A character that doesn't have those desires to be popular, rich, or cool. He just wants to be able to enjoy what life has already given him.

Craig(Keir Gilchrist, United States of Tara) is about to do something most people his age would never even think of. Overwhelmed by perceived burdens and an inability to enjoy anything, he's seriously considering suicide by jumping off a bridge. That's not the crazy part. I'd be more surprised if a teen didn't consider it at some point. What he does that's truly bizarre is voluntarily checking himself into a mental health facility where he's immediately greeted by the enigmatic Bobby(Zach Galifianakis), a patient trying to pass himself off as a doctor.

It isn't long before Craig realizes that he doesn't belong there. His problems don't nearly measure up to those with legitimate mental and emotional concerns, but he's required to stay for at least a week, which could put a serious crimp in his ability to steal away his best friend's girl(Zoe Kravitz). Rather than sulking, Craig decides to make the best of it with Bobby's help, even though it's obvious Bobby's got some issues of his own. A mostly genial guy with the token Galifianakis beard and one hell of a roller coaster mood swing, Bobby serves as the de facto leader of the quirky crew of misfits. He's sort of a peanut gallery Buddha, dispensing crazy insights into the ways of the world. The question remains, if Bobby is so wise and grounded, what was it that put him in the hospital just like everybody else?

By the time Craig starts making kissy face with the troubled, suicidal Noelle(Emma Roberts), it's clear that we're being treated to is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest mixed with a John Hughes comedy. We even get the non-sensical musical number in the form of Queen and David Bowie's rockin' "Under Pressure". A mental ward turns out to be a strangely perfect venue for dealing with the eccentricities of the teenage mind, raging hormones, and feelings of isolation. The biggest hurdle for any film like this is avoiding clichéd portrayals of drooling crazy folks banging their heads into walls and talking to their hands. For the most part, Boden and Fleck(who also co-wrote) avoid those pitfalls by focusing on the honest relationship between Bobby and Craig.

When The Hangover came out, like a lot of people I had Galifianakis pegged as the guy who would be pigeon holed for the rest of his career. Up until now he hasn't exactly proven me a liar, but it should go without saying that this is the first real three dimensional role of his career and he nails it. He can be likable without being a buffoon, and when the call is made for him to get a little scary or serious he's right on point. Gilchrist's performance is a little understated, but that's the point playing opposite Galifianakis. Emma Roberts is solid even if I think her storyline isn't given much screen time. Out of nearly a dozen characters nearly everybody gets a singular moment to shine.

After two somewhat somber, raw flicks it's nice to see Boden and Fleck do something a little more cheerful and fun, even if they had to go to the psychiatric ward to do it. You'd have to be a little crazy not to walk away with a smile on your face.

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Sure Shots Redux: Scream 4; Bruce Willis; Sherlock Holmes 2

A lot of news caught my eye today, but we're both off to see the drug trafficking flick Holy Rollers in just a few minutes, so......

* It's lookin' like Ashley Greene(Twilight) may be out as the lead in Wes Craven's Scream 4. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Emma Roberts(Nancy Drew) has been cast as Jill, the role Greene was rumored to have just last week.  While nothing is confirmed, it's looking like Greene either was never attached or got the boot.

*It's Ethan Hunt vs. Sherlock Holmes as Warner Brothers has nailed down a December 16th 2011 release date for the sequel to Guy Ritchie's hit detective film. The date puts it in direct competition with the Brad Bird helmed Mission: Impossible 4. Rachel McAdams(The Notebook) will be reprising her role as Holmes' love interest, Irene Adler. Producer Joel Silver also confirms that this one will deal with the super sleuth's arch nemesis, Moriarty. 

*Bruce Willis is reteaming with his Tears of the Sun director, Antoine Fuqua for a prison break film called The Tomb. Willis would play a structural security expert, framed for a crime and sent to an inescapable prison of his own design.

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