Movie Review: "Case 39"

Seen on: October 2, 2010

The players: Director: Christian Alvart, Writer: Ray Wright, Cast: Renée Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper

Facts of interest: It cost $27 million to make.

The plot: The film follows a social worker whose life spins out of control when she takes care of a young girl with a dark secret.

Our thoughts: Christian Alvart’s “Case 39” should never have been opened. Filled with cheap scare tactics, a messy story, boring characters and dry performances all around, this completely unnecessary horror flick isn’t quite worthy of a theatrical release. It doesn’t add anything to the already exhausted genre of horror movies about demon children, and it sure as heck fails to deliver decent suspense.

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This week's new movie releases - Oct. 1, 2010

Opening this week are David Fincher's "The Social Network" with Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield; Matt Reeves' "Let Me In" with Chloe Moretz; and "Case 39" with Renee Zellweger and Bradley Cooper.

The Social Network: Fincher's "The Social Network" chronicles the beginning of Facebook, and wow, it's a masterpiece for sure. The acting is flawless and the fast-paced plot will keep you on the edge from start to finish. This is clearly one of the best films of the year. My rating: 10/10! Don't miss it...

Let Me In: Matt Reeves' remake of the hit horror movie has been getting great reviews, even though it's supposed to be incredibly close to the original. That said, I am looking forward to see the great Chloe Moretz star as a child vampire in need of blood. My excitement rating: 8/10.

Case 39: Renée Zellweger and Bradley Cooper in a thriller sounds ok, but "Case 39" looks terrible. Zellweger plays a social worker taking care of a girl with abusive parents. Looks like one of those lame horror flicks using the same old cheap scares to keep audiences engaged. My excitement rating: 3/10.

Renée Zellweger in 'Case 39' trailer

Someone out there finally decided to release "Case 39," a supernatural thriller directed by Christian Alvart and starring Bradley Cooper, Renée Zellweger and Jodelle Ferland. The film will open Oct. 1, 2010.

Now the trailer for the horror flick is online, and you can check it out after the jump. It looks like yet another standard thriller in which evil spirits don't give the living a break, and that's hardly intriguing.

The quick synopsis goes like this: A social worker (Zellweger) fights to save a girl (Ferland) from her abusive parents, only to discover that the situation is more dangerous than she ever expected. Enjoy!

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Poster Madness: 'The Informant!; 'My One and Only'

It's time for another round of poster madness, and the following are three one-sheets that recently hit the Web. These posters are for Steven Soderbergh's "The Informant!," Richard Loncraine's "My One and Only" and "Motherhood" with Uma Thurman.

The coolest poster is undoubtedly the one for "The Informant!," which stars Matt Damon as a man exposing his company’s multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI. Based on the novel by Kurt Eichenwald, the film will hit theaters Oct. 9, 2009.

Next up is Loncraine's "My One and Only," about Anne Deveraux (played by Renée Zellweger), who takes her kids from town to town across the United States to find a wealthy man and establish a new life. The flick opens in limited release Aug. 21, 2009.

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Trailer for 'My One and Only' hits the web

Here's the brand-new trailer for Richard Loncraine’s upcoming comedy “My One and Only,” which will open in limited release Aug. 21, 2009.

The film is based on the childhood adventures of George Hamilton and focuses on Anne Deveraux (played by Renée Zellweger), who took her kids from town to town across the United States to find a wealthy man and establish a new life.

Also starring is Kevin Bacon, who will play the husband she leaves behind when she embarks on the trip. Chris Noth, Logan Lerman and Mark Rendall co-star.

Zellweger seems to be in great shape in the flick, and I'm looking forward to her injecting her scenes with her usual charm and energy.

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Oh no! Third 'Bridget Jones' flick in the works

"Bridget Jones's' Diary" is literally my favorite romantic comedy of all time. There, I said it. Yes, I saw that film numerous times in theaters, and I even visited some of the locations they shot it at when I went to London a few years ago. Yes, it is indeed an all-time favorite of mine.

Alas, Working Title is now developing a third Bridget Jones flick, and frankly, I think it's absurd. Problem is, I already didn't enjoy the sequel "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" that much, and I highly doubt they'll be able to create something as fabulous and original as the first one.

The good news is Renee Zellweger will apparently return to reprise her role as the woman who's always getting herself into trouble. Variety says the flick could be based on columns author Helen Fielding wrote in 2005. Bridget is now in her 40s, and she's shooting for a baby before time runs out.

Let's just hope the rest of the original cast will return as well. Production for the third film is not set to start before the end of next year, so we'll still have to wait for Bridget for a while. Maybe that's a good thing. I'm really not sure about this one, folks. What do you think?

Review: "New in Town"

Seen on: January 31, 2009

The players: Director: Jonas Elmer, Writers: C. Jay Cox, Ken Rance, Cast: Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., J. K. Simmons, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Frances Conroy

Facts of interest: None whatsoever.

The plot: A Florida businesswoman's stay in a small Minnesota town changes for the better when she falls in love with the local labor union rep.

Our thoughts: In Jonas Elmer’s “New in Town,” Renee Zellweger plays Lucy Hill, a successful Miami consultant whose life takes a drastic turn when she’s sent to a small Minnesota town to oversee the restructuring of a manufacturing plant. Lucy really despises the place and its inhabitants at first, but once she gets better acquainted with a local labor union rep (Harry Connick Jr.), things change quicker than she could have ever imagined…

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This week's new movie releases - Jan. 30, 2009

This week of movie releases is not necessarily one I'm looking forward too, but here's a quick look at what's on the menu this Friday: "New in Town" with Renee Zellweger, "Taken" with Liam Neeson and "The Uninvited" with Emily Browning, David Strathairn and Elizabeth Banks.

NEW IN TOWN

Synopsis: A Miami businesswoman (Renee Zellweger) is transferred to rural Minnesota, and while she is there she re-evaluates her big-city values.

First thoughts: Renee Zellweger cozying up to Harry Connick Jr. in a little, cold Minnesota town? Doesn't sound too exciting, now does it? While I admit Zellweger has a charm that's hard to resist, the trailer of "New in Town" makes her look like someone who'd probably get on my nerves after five minutes.

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Daily news dose: Three more join Nancy Meyers comedy; 'New in Town' cut to PG

Here's your dose of quick news bits for Jan. 21, 2008...

• Zoe Kazan, Lake Bell and Hunter Parrish are the latest to join Nancy Meyers' untitled comedy, which also stars Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. Streep is expected to play a woman caught in a romantic triangle with two men. The project is set up at Universal. (Variety)

• Bad news for those who thought they'd see Renee Zellweger say a dirty word in "New in Town." Lionsgate has cut out some of the strong language from the upcoming romance to make it more kid-friendly. Hey, a romance doesn't need to appeal to kids. Say you did it for the money. Anyway, the PG film opens Jan. 30. (Variety)

• "500 Days of Summer" director Marc Webb is set to helm "The Spectacular Now" for Fox Searchlight. Based on the book by Tim Tharp, the story focuses on a partying high school senior whose life takes a turn when he encounters a shy girl. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber will write the screenplay. (Variety)

• Tobey Maguire is set to produce "Good People," the big-screen adaptation of Marcus Sakey's book. Variety says the story follows a "couple in debt from several rounds of futile fertility treatments who think their problems are solved when they stumble upon money found in their deceased tenant's apartment."

Trailer radar: 'New in Town'

Renée Zellweger gets her cold on in Jonas Elmer's romantic comedy "New in Town," for which you can check out the new trailer right after the jump.

In the film, Zellweger plays a businesswoman from Miami who's sent to a cold town in Minnesota to oversee a new project.

But while the adjustment to the new temperatures prove to be a tough task, her heart slowly warms up for a local resident played by Harry Connick Jr.

Sometimes a trailer makes it difficult to get a clear first impression of a movie, and I'm not quite sure what to think of "New in Town." It looks a little silly at this point, but knows... Zellweger certainly has solid charm.

Watch out for "Town" Jan. 30, 2009.

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