Movie Review: "Cars 2"

Seen on: June 15, 2011

The players: Directors: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis, Writers: John Lasseter, Ben Queen, Cast: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer

Fact of interest: The character of Finn McMissile was originally written in the first flick as the lead in a movie Lightning and Sally see at the end.

The plot: Best Friends Lightning McQueen and Mater head off around the world for a series of big races. On the trip, Mater gets mistaken for a spy, and troubke ensues.

Our thoughts: It’s summertime again, and that inevitably means we're in for another masterpiece from the creative geniuses at the Pixar animation house. With 11 films under their belt already,  and every single one a critical and commercial smash hit, expectations run sky high with each new offering.

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New trailer for 'Our Idiot Brother'

A new trailer for Jesse Peretz's upcoming comedy "Our Idiot Brother" has landed on the Web, and you can check it out after the jump. The film generated positive buzz at Sundance, and it stars Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer.

In short, this comedy centers on an idealist who barges into the lives of his three sisters. Rudd's going all long hair and beard on us in the flick, and he looks hilarious. "Brother" opens Aug. 26, 2011, and it co-stars Rashida Jones, Hugh Dancy and Steve Coogan.

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Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel join 'Idiot'

Actor Paul Rudd ("I Love You, Man") will be joined by four lovely women in Jesse Peretz's upcoming comedy "My Idiot Brother": Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer and Rashida Jones.

Written by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall, the film follows a man trying to deal with his mother, who creates chaos at the homes of thid three sisters (played by Banks, Deschanel and Mortimer).

As for Jones, the Hollywood Reporter says she will play Deschanel's girlfriend. Rudd already co-starred with Jones in "I Love You, Man." She also starred with Banks in "Role Models" (so much for trivia).

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Short takes: Max Thieriot is a 'Prodigy'

• Max Thieriot has signed on to star as the lead in "Prodigy," a sci-fi thriller directed by Chuck Russell, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Thieriot ("Nancy Drew") plays a boarding school student who's implicated in the mysterious murders of several alumni.

• Variety reports Steve Buscemi, Emily Mortimer and Tim Blake Nelson (among others) are starring in Hue Rhodes' directorial debut "Saint John of Las Vegas." Buscemi plays a former gambler who's coached by an insurance fraud investigator.

• Channing Tatum is set to star in Richie Smyth's untitled project about Parkour, an extreme sport in which fearless athletes jump from rooftops. I know there was a French flick about exactly that before, but I can't recall the title now. (Variety)

• Early numbers published by Variety indicate David Gordon Green's stoner action comedy "Pineapple Express" scored $12.1 million Wednesday. Meanwhile, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" took home $5.7 million.