This week's new movie releases - March 20, 2009

We're only looking at three wide releases this week: Tony Gilroy's "Duplicity" with Clive Owen and Julia Roberts, "I Love You, Man" with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, and Alex Proyas' thriller "Knowing" with Nicholas Cage:

KNOWING

Synopsis: In 1958, as part of the dedication ceremony for a new elementary school, a group of students is asked to draw pictures to be stored in a time capsule. But one mysterious girl fills her sheet of paper with rows of apparently random numbers instead. Fifty years later, a new generation of students examines the capsule's contents and the girl's cryptic message ends up in the hands of young Caleb Koestler. But it is Caleb's father, professor John Koestler, who makes the startling discovery that the encoded message predicts with pinpoint accuracy the dates, death tolls and coordinates of every major disaster of the past 50 years.

First thoughts: I really enjoyed Proyas' fast-paced "I, Robot," but I am not quite sure about "Knowing" about this stage. I'm sure the film will boast a nice look and the plot comes with plenty of big action scenes, but will it be enough to fully entertain me? Or is this just another standard apocalypse flick? We'll find out this weekend.

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I LOVE YOU, MAN

Synopsis: Peter Klaven is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey, discovers, to his dismay and chagrin, that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man. Peter immediately sets out to rectify the situation, embarking on a series of bizarre and awkward "man-dates," before meeting Sydney Fife, a charming, opinionated man with whom he instantly bonds. But the closer the two men get, the more Peter's relationship with Zooey suffers, ultimately forcing him to choose between his fiancee and his new found "bro," in a story that comically explores what it truly means to be a "friend."

First thoughts: This is one I am really looking for. Paul Rudd did a great job in "Role Models" and Jason Segel was hilarious in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," so now I'm obviously looking forward to seeing them together on the big screen. Trailers for this one look funny. It's been a while since I've last seen a really solid comedy, and I can only hope this one will make me laugh a bit.

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DUPLICITY

Synopsis: CIA officer Claire Stenwick and MI6 agent Ray Koval have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first. For their employers--industry titan Howard Tully and buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik--nothing is out of bounds. But as the stakes rise, the mystery deepens and the tactics get dirtier, the trickiest secret for Claire and Ray is their growing attraction.

First thoughts: I really loved Gilroy's "Michael Clayton," and while this one fits into a different genre, I'm still looking forward to it. I certainly like the basic concept, and the cast looks great as well. Let's hope this one is both funny and challenging.