Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg try to navigate the ups and downs of breaking up while remaining BFFs in Lee Toland Krieger ‘s Celeste and Jesse Forever , which is also one of the more vibrant LA-set pictures in recent memory. Declare your love for C&J and their bittersweet dramarama with a 10-word review of the film, now in wide release, and you could win a poster signed by the cast. A signed poster that you can cry to late at night whenever you get lonely ! Or, you know, dedicate a Boyz II Men song to. Take it along on your next fro-yo run. Make sweet drunken love to it. Whatever floats your boat and gets you back on that horse, my dear. CONTEST RULES: – Submit an original 10-word review of Celeste and Jesse Forever , starring Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg! – Enter with your full name and an email address where you may be reached. – One (1) winning entry will be selected and announced on Thursday, September 13 Contest ends Thursday, September 13 at 2pm PT/5pm ET, so get to reviewing!
Penélope Cruz, Woody Allen and Geta Gerwig at the NYC premiere of To Rome with Love this week hosted by the Cinema Society. Photo by Nick Hunt/Patrick McMullan Co. This weekend’s new theatrical offerings include a massive array for any taste. In the studio realm, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter marks the 16th Prez as a savior from Vampires, Pixar’s Brave centers on a Princess who must save her kingdom. Focus’ Seeking a Friend for the End of the World pits a mismatched man and woman on an unlikely road trip, while doc The Invisible War is a fascinating but sad exposé on the sad truth about sexual assault in the U.S. military. Fellow doc Kumaré , meanwhile follows a man posing as an Eastern guru who builds his own following in Arizona. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Director: Timur Bekmambetov Writers: Seth Grahame-Smith Cast: Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie Distributor: Fox Just the title itself makes it a worthy consideration. In this fantasy/horror pic, America’s 16th President adds another credit to his stellar historical legacy. Vampires are planning to take over the United States and of course he is the man who takes it upon himself to eliminate them… Brave (Animation) Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell Writers: Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi Cast: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson Distributor: Buena Vista Paramount/Dreamworks Animation has been bringing in lots of cash with their big summer animated feature Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted and it looks like Disney/Pixar will be reaping some box office gold themselves with Brave . So, for the plot… Princess Merida is a determined gal, who wants to follow her own destiny. She breaks with tradition and unfortunately it brings chaos to her kingdom. But, she is granted one wish and Merida must rely on her bravery and even her archery prowess to end the curse. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World Director: Lorene Scafaria Writer: Lorene Scafaria Cast: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Melanie Lynskey, Adam Brody Distributor: Focus Features The directorial debut of screenwriter Lorene Scafaria, this pic explores what people will do when faced with the end of the world. In the feature, an asteroid is speeding toward Earth and one attempt to avoid calamity has failed. Dodge (Steve Carell), a man who plays by the rules, is facing a failed marriage. His wife leaves him on the spot. Meanwhile, his neighbor Penny (Keira Knightley) is an extroverted woman who does not play by the rules. Dodge decides to seek out a long lost love, while Penny makes her way back to her family and the two unlikely travel companions set out on the road together. The Invisible War (Documentary) Director: Kirby Dick Subjects: Helen Benedict, Anu Bhagwati, Susan Burke Distributor: Cinedigm Digital Cinema, Docurama This could very well get an Oscar nomination, so check it out before the hype begins. Kirby Dick and producing partner Amy Ziering delve into the mostly unknown scourge of rape and sexual assault that runs rampant in the U.S. military. Don’t let the subject matter scare you off. Sure it’s tough, but this is a great movie and – what the hell – why not educate yourself? Said Kirby Dick about making the film : “Each one of these interviews were equally stunning. Amy did each interview and she did a phenomenal job and she’d be emotionally drained and devastated and be incredibly angry afterward. It was a good combination.” Kumaré (Documentary) Director: Vikram Gandhi Subjects: Vikram Gandhi, Purva Bedi, Kristen Calgaro Distributor: Kino Lorber Films Ever wondered how gurus and other spirituals manage to find their, well… following? If so, then so has filmmaker Vikram Gandhi and his crew. Gandhi, who grew up in New Jersey and is skeptical of religion decides to don a beard, long hair and some made-up Eastern Mysticism jargon and heads West to Arizona where sure enough, he finds his followers. His message is quite benign, “the answers are within yourself,” he tells his sheep. “It’s a place where nobody really knew us and a place that represented America, but at the same time open to new ideas,” producer Brendan Colthurst shared about Arizona. Most of the country may have to wait a bit though, the film is only in New York this weekend. To Rome with Love Director: Woody Allen Writer: Woody Allen Cast: Woody Allen, Penélope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Page, Roberto Benigni, Judy Davis Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics Last year Woody Allen made the City of Lights a character in one of his most successful films to date, Midnight in Paris and this year, the New York director made the Eternal City a star in To Rome with Love . The film, a story about a number of people in the Italian capital, follows Americans and Italians in various romances and adventures throughout Rome. The film already opened overseas and opened the Los Angeles Film Festival last week. It had its own glittering premiere in New York earlier this week, courtesy of the Cinema Society and sponsor Piaget at Casa Lever. Fittingly, Italian beverage Disaronno was being served. Along with cast members, the celeb quotient was through the roof.
After introducing the world to Bella Swan and Edward Cullen in her 2005 global hit novel Twilight (thus launching a multi-billion-dollar franchise, which draws to an end in November’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 ), author Stephenie Meyer wrote the sci-fi best-seller The Host , about human heroine Melanie Stryder, the alien “soul” who comes to inhabit her, and the dual lives and loves they have while sharing the same body. With a Saoirse Ronan -starring adaptation set for 2013, now’s the perfect chance to give The Host a read. Get your shot at winning a signed copy of the book by entering Movieline’s latest 10-word review contest! Movieline has two signed copies of The Host to give away to the winners of our latest 10-word review contest, which will end on Monday, June 25 at 5pm ET/2pm PT . We’re opening this contest up to the topic of any of this weekend’s new releases; pick any new film — perhaps Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter ? The ginger heroics of Pixar’s Brave ? Or Woody’s latest Euro-confection ? — and flex those brain muscles to deliver your best 10-word review. ( More weekend openers here .) Movieline’s editors will select the two best entries judging on originality, wit, and analysis (only one entry per person). CONTEST RULES: – Submit an original 10-word review of any new release movie in theaters this weekend in the comments below. Entries must be exactly 10 words, no more, no less! – Enter with your full name and an email address where you may be reached. – Two (2) winners will be selected and announced on Monday, June 25. Contest ends Monday, June 25 at 5pm ET/2pm PT — so get to reviewing! About The Host : Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed. When Melanie, one of the few remaining “wild” humans is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn’t expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. Wanderer probes Melanie’s thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer’s mind with visions of the man Melanie loves—Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body’s desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love. The Host , directed by Andrew Niccol and co-starring Diane Kruger, William Hurt, Jake Abel, and Max Irons, hits theaters on March 29, 2013.
This Friday Jason Statham charges into theaters as a cage-fighting ex-NYPD officer who protects a 12-year-old Chinese girl from the Triads, the Russian mob, and corrupt city officials in Boaz Yakin ‘s throwback actioner Safe . So what better way to celebrate the stone-cold suaveness of Britain’s most bad-ass action export than by penning a 10-word review of any one of his films? Transport yourself into Statham mode, crank up the chaos, and expend your best critique for your chance to snatch up the grand prize. Speaking of which, here’s what the author of the best 10-word Statham review will receive, courtesy of Lionsgate: – $100 Gift Card (Gamespot or AmEx — your choice) – Jason Statham DVD Pack ( The Expendables, Crank, Crank: High Voltage, Transporter 3, The Bank Job ) – Safe one-sheet To enter, submit your entry in the comments below, on Facebook, or on Twitter (including @Movieline , @LionsgateAction and the hashtag #SAFE ). Reviews must be exactly 10 words long and critique any Statham movie of your choice. Contest ends Tuesday, April 24 at 5pm ET/2pm PT.
John Cusack dives into the twisted psyche of 19th century author Edgar Allan Poe in this week’s The Raven , a fictional adventure-mystery that blends the writer’s real life with the kind of dark, macabre tales he wove — and Movieline has your chance to catch it before it opens on April 27! Enter Movieline’s 10-word review contest (critiquing any film from Cusack’s nearly three-decade career) and you could win a pair of tickets to the Los Angeles premiere and after party for the film. So turn on the hot tub time machine and crank up the high fidelity, tapeheads and grifters and America’s sweethearts, because, um, the cradle will rock over Broadway. Or something. It’s a sure thing! Oh, just say anything… Okay, that was terrible. But my point is, there are so many great Cusack flicks to choose from. Submit your best 10-word Cusack review in the comments below (or on Facebook or Twitter) and your faithful Movieline editors will pick the most clever, lyrical, and inspired one of the bunch; the writer of the best 10-word review will receive a pair of tickets to the Raven premiere and afterparty, to be held Monday, April 23rd at the LA Theater (615 Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles). CONTEST RULES: – Submit an original 10-word review of any John Cusack movie in the comments below. Entries must be exactly 10 words, no more, no less! – Enter with your full name and an email address where you may be reached. – Eligible entrants must be at least 18 years of age and able to attend the premiere in Los Angeles on the evening of Monday, April 23rd. One (1) winner will be selected. Tickets must be picked up at will call at the Los Angeles premiere and are not transferable. Contest ends Friday, April 20 at 3pm ET/12 pm PT — so get to reviewing! More on The Raven , in theaters April 27: The macabre and lurid tales of Edgar Allan Poe are vividly brought to life – and death – in this stylish, gothic thriller starring John Cusack as the infamous author. When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Poe’s darkest works, a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe in a quest to get inside the killer’s mind in order to stop him from making every one of Poe’s brutal stories a blood chilling reality. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, which escalates when Poe’s love (Alice Eve, She’s Out of My League) becomes the next target. Intrepid Pictures’ The Raven also stars Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Faster). Follow Movieline on Twitter .
MMA star Gina Carano makes her action heroine debut this month in Steven Soderbergh ‘s spy revenge pic Haywire , which bone-crunched its way into moviegoer hearts during AFI Fest . Can’t wait to see Carano put a beat down on just about every leading man (Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender) whose path she crosses? Submit a 10-word review of any Soderbergh film to enter to win a pair of tickets to Thursday’s Los Angeles premiere. Your faithful Movieline editors will select the 10-word review that moves, tickles, or pummels us the most, in true Haywire fashion. The best part? The premiere ticket prize includes entry to the after party, where you can worship Carano in person. Just, y’know. Keep your distance. The rules for Movieline’s Haywire premiere giveaway: – Submit a 10-word review of any Soderbergh movie in the comments below. Entries must be exactly 10 words, no more, no less! – Enter with your full name and an email address where you may be reached. – Eligible entrants must be at least 18 years of age and able to attend the premiere in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 5 at 7:30pm. One (1) winner will be selected and notified the morning of Thursday, January 5. Tickets must be picked up at will call at the Los Angeles premiere and are not transferable. Contest ends Thursday, January 5 at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET. — so get to reviewing!
Because it looks complicated to make, has very limited mobility, and is kind of super creepy, this homemade Pixar -inspired costume — a full-body reconstruction of the anthropomorphic Pixar Luxo lamp logo — may not be the best costume idea for your Halloween movie-related revelries. But you’ve got to see it in action. Shivers . Check it out and stick around for your daily Buzz Break.
Since last week’s Tree of Life giveaway event was such a success, we’re staging another 10-word review contest — this time, in celebration of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides , the Johnny Depp/Penélope Cruz pirate adventure epic that gets it home release this week. So find your black pearl pen, channel your inner Captain Jack Sparrow, mix your best mermaid tear cocktail and click ahead for details.
Chapter three of Madonna’s flower-humiliating tour continues in Toronto, with the voguess showing off a new perfume inspired by her ’91 documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare . Flare Editor-in-Chief Lisa Tant literally experienced the sparkling topnotes firsthand. Read her account of its aroma, then let’s suggest our own.
Let’s hear it for all the readers, fans and aspiring MMA fighters who participated in our 10-word review contest for Gavin O’C onnor’s Warrior , starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte. We’ve received a plethora of thoughtful submissions but alas, we could only choose one as the winner. Click ahead to see whose knockout review earned him/her a prize pack of the ultimate Warrior memorabilia.
