I look forward to spring. Not just the warmer weather and no snow but also because in mid-April, all the blockbuster films of the late spring and summer come out. I try to keep up with what's coming out when and what the buzz is on the film (I read my Entertainment Weekly). If you are looking for a breakdown of what's right or wrong with a film, don't look here. Check out Christianity Today's film reviews for a film's artistic merit or pluggedinonline.com's reviews for positive/negative elements. Unlike those websites that can only provide reviews the day before the film hits theatres, I can let you know when the films are due to open and a bit of a synopsis of them. I am not endorsing these films but am letting parents know of their existence because these will be the films that elementary and teenagers are predicted to flock to. With that in mind, here are a list of a few noteworthy films opening in the next 3-5 months:
Hop:
Running Time: 1 hr. 35 min.
Comes out: April 1, 2011
Rating: PG for some mild rude humor
Who's In It: Russel Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Despicable Me, Get Him to the Greek), James Marsden (the X-Men trilogy, Enchanted), Hank Azaria (The Simpsons) and Kaley Cuoco
Synopsis: The soon-to-be Easter Bunny (Brand) gets injured and develops a unique friendship with the man (Marsden) who accidentally hits him with his car. E.B. has his heart set on Hollywood in pursuit of becoming a drummer but things change.
This should do well in what has been a lackluster year thus far at the box office. It's animated, it has a pretty good cast and has key ingredients that kids love (i.e. poop jokes, crazy antics, interesting story).
Soul Surfer:
Running Time: TBA
Coming Out: April 8, 2011
Rating: PG for an intense accident sequence and some thematic material
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb (Bridge to Terabithia, Race to Witch Mountain), Dennis Quaid (Traffic, The Rookie, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra), Helen Hunt (TV series: Mad About You, What Women Want)
This should do pretty well if it's catering to Christian audiences as it's based on the true tale of a Christian surfer who lost her left arm in a shark attack and the challenges both physically and spiritually that she must overcome. A big focus of the film seems to be about making a difference in the lives of others.
Arthur:
Rating: TBA (my guess is 14A)
Coming Out: April 8, 2011
Starring: Russel Brand (Hop, Get Him to the Greek, Despicable Me), Helen Mirren (Red, The Queen), Jennifer Garner (Juno, Elektra, TV series: Alias)
Not sure how it will do. It is a remake of the classic Dudley Moore film of the same name. A spoiled Arthur must choose between an arranged marriage which the family (aka the money) approves of and an uncertain life with the only woman he's ever loved. I don't believe that this will draw many elementary kids but teenagers familiar with Brand from Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek may be inclined to want to see this. A pretty solid cast but I'm not sure if this film will give the boost that the box office desperately needs this year.
Wow, I didn't realize that it would take this long to write 3 movie updates coming out in April. Stay tuned for significant May releases in the next few days.
Pop...
Greg
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