Hollywood

Hollywood is a district in the city of Los Angeles, California, situated west-northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word "Hollywood" is often used as a metonym of cinema of the United States. The nickname Tinseltown refers to the glittering, superficial nature of Hollywood and the movie industry. Today, much of the movie industry has dispersed into surrounding cities such as Burbank and the Los Angeles Westside but significant auxiliary industries, such as editing, effects, props, post-production and lighting companies, remain in Hollywood.
Many historic Hollywood theaters are used as venues and concert stages to premiere major theatrical releases and host the Academy Awards. It is a popular destination for nightlife and tourism and home to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Although it is not the typical practice of the city of Los Angeles to establish specific boundaries for districts or neighborhoods, Hollywood is a recent exception. On February 16, 2005, Assembly Members Goldberg and Koretz introduced a bill to require California to keep specific records on Hollywood as though it were independent. For this to be done, the boundaries were defined. This bill was unanimously supported by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the LA City Council. Assembly Bill 588 was approved by the Governor on August 28, 2006 and now the district of Hollywood has official borders. The border can be loosely described as the area east of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, south of Mulholland Drive, Laurel Canyon, Cahuenga Boulevard, and Barham Boulevard, and the cities of Burbank and Glendale, north of Melrose Avenue and west of the Golden State Freeway and Hyperion Avenue. This includes all of Griffith Park and Los Feliz—two areas that were hitherto generally considered separate from Hollywood by most Angelenos. The population of the district, including Los Feliz, as of the 2000 census was 167,664 and the median household income was $33,409 in 1999.

As a portion of the city of Los Angeles, Hollywood does not have its own municipal government, but does have an official, appointed by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, who serves as "Honorary Mayor of Hollywood" for ceremonial purposes only. Johnny Grant held this position for decades, until his death on January 9, 2008.

'Bride Wars 2009'

The Story
Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, two pretty adorable women, take on the lead roles in the chick flick Bride Wars. Hathaway and Hudson are Emma and Liv, best friends forever who turn into catty, shrewish monsters when their weddings are accidentally booked on the same day at the same location - the much sought-after Plaza Hotel in New York. Emma and Liv grew up dreaming about their weddings, picturing themselves walking down the aisle at the Plaza Hotel in all their bridal glory. But that dream turns into a nightmare when they both wind up engaged at around the same time and decide to go together to visit a wedding planner (played by Candice Bergen).
The wedding planner's soon-to-be-unemployed assistant screws up booking their June dates, and voila! Liv and Emma won't be available to attend the other's wedding as each will be smack dab in the middle of her own ceremony. That is, they'll be unavailable unless one budges off the date and agrees to having the ceremony performed somewhere other than the Plaza.

But let's back up this tale a bit to fill in some needed info… Liv is a high-powered attorney used to getting her way at all times. Emma is a push-over school teacher who never says no. So obviously it has to be Emma who dons her gown and hoofs it down an aisle not at the Plaza, right? No. Emma for once decides to grow a pair and stands up for herself, shocking Liv and leading to some horrible antics. The BFF go at each other in a myriad of silly ways, some of which lead to blue hair, orange tans, and a five pound weight gain. There's also a bizarre dance off at a strip club that barely deserves mentioning... Seriously, a strip-off to see who's the sexiest bride? Really? Hello - did anyone consider the target audience for this movie when planning out that scene?

'Gran Torino 2009'

The Story

Eastwood stars as Walt Kowalski, a cranky racist introduced to the audience on the day of his wife's funeral. How cranky is he? Walt's sons don't even like hanging around the old guy. He doesn't filter his thoughts and feelings. Whatever he thinks, he says, and it doesn't matter one iota how racist or inappropriate his opinions may be. Walt's a Korean War vet who's retired from Ford after years of putting together automobiles and now that his wife's passed away, he's all alone in the home in which they raised their children. Overall Walt's lived a long and full life, but it's some sort of miracle that he hasn't been murdered by one of the many people he's insulted over the years.
Walt's racism runs deep, and he's unafraid of calling his neighbors every possible hateful word you can use to describe someone of Asian descent. He despises the fact most of his neighbors are now Hmong immigrants and he rails at them whenever one gets within earshot. Yet despite what can only be described as deep-set hatred for anyone not a WASP, he begins warming up to the teenage Hmong girl who lives right next door. After saving her from gang bangers, he begins a weird friendship with her that eventually expands to include other members of her family, in particular her younger brother. When a local Hmong gang threatens the family, it's Walt who stands up for the same people he spent years putting down.

'The Dark Knight 2008'

The Story

Gotham City's falling to pieces and Batman is both the problem and the solution. The caped crusader has taken down a king-sized helping of bad guys, although he's not working on his own. Ordinary citizens have taken up his cause, donning their own Batman costumes and patrolling the streets. And now the mobsters left in town have joined forces in order to keep the real Batman at bay.

Fortunately for Gotham City, the newly elected district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is a real hard-ass on crime. Even Batman approves of this steely-jawed White Knight, and getting the superhero's stamp of approval wasn't easy since Harvey is spending lots of time with Batman's ex, Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Rachel couldn't handle Bruce's covert nighttime activities and now keeps company with a man unafraid of the spotlight.


However, the local mob and Rachel's preference for a non-costumed boyfriend aren't Batman's biggest problems. A new villain has emerged on the scene and he's not playing by any rules. Sporting smeary clown makeup that emphasizes a smile carved into his flesh like a pumpkin on Halloween, the maniacal character known as The Joker (Heath Ledger) is ready to take over as the leader of Gotham's underworld. The Joker's single-minded in his desire to inflict pain and unmask Batman. The formidable though strictly unofficial team of Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), Harvey Dent and Batman must take down this sick clown before Gotham City turns into Slaughter City.

Wanted 2008

The Story

You know a guy like Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) and you wouldn't want to be him. He's a cubicle-dwelling sad sack of a man who merely exists. There's nothing special about his job or his life. He's stressed out, suffers from panic attacks, and even his girlfriend has a bigger set of gonads than he does. A strong wind could blow him away, and odds are if it did no one would notice he's gone.

But there is in fact something special about Wesley. He's gone through life oblivious to the fact his father, who deserted the family when he was just a baby, was actually the world's greatest assassin and a member of a secret organization known as The Fraternity. He 'was' as in he's now dead and it's Wesley's turn to step into his father's shoes.


sWhile shopping in a grocery store, Wesley's approached by the sexiest killer one would ever want to meet (if one did, in fact, actually ever want to meet someone who murdered people as a job). She introduces herself as Fox (Angelina Jolie), gives Wesley a very brief recap on his mysterious father's death, and pulls him into the world of The Fraternity while quite literally pulling him out of the line of fire. Seems she was followed into the store by Cross (Thomas Kretschmann), the man who took down Wesley's dad and who has now apparently set his sights on sending Wesley to his grave. Cross and Fox take their fight to the streets, engaging in one of the most complex, heart-stopping car chases on film with poor Wesley reluctantly along for the ride.
So now that he knows who his dad was, it's up to Wesley to decide if he wants to leave his rotten life behind and join in with this bizarre group of killers whose mission is to take out only those fated/deserving to die (in other words, someone who in the future will be a child molester, serial killer, or some other sort of despicable character). Oh and by the way, if he does decide to trade in being Wesley the Cubicle Rat for being Wesley the Sleek Assassin, he'll inherit his dad's millions. Wesley returns to work while making up his mind, is pushed beyond his limit by his bitchy boss, and cracks.


There's no turning back after he tells off his annoying boss but, soon after he checks in with The Fraternity, returning to that life in cubicle hell looks mighty appealing. In order to become an assassin and ultimately square off against Cross, Wesley must first get beaten down by various members of The Fraternity before he can begin to build himself up. Once he's completed his training, which involves learning to bend bullets and run on top of trains, Wesley believes he's ready to take down Cross. But things get twisty when deep dark secrets are revealed...

Untraceable 2008

The Story
Do you slow down when passing a car crash? Are you one of those people who can’t help but watch replays of horrible accidents on TV and/or online? With Untraceable, the moral question posed is along those same lines. If you knew about a website with live video of a stranger being tortured and killed, would you click on the link and check out what’s going on?

Lane stars as Special Agent Jennifer Marsh, an integral part of the FBI’s newly formed cybercrimes unit located in Portland, Oregon. Marsh and her partner Griffin Dowd (Hanks) spend their nights on duty surfing the internet seeking out criminal behavior. Dealers of kiddy porn, sexual predators, and other sickos are their targets as the team attempts to keep the internet safe.

An anonymous tip leads the investigators to killwithme.com. Visiting the site, Lane and Dowd see a kitten being lured into a trap and left to die in front of a video camera streaming the feed in real time on the net. It’s extremely disturbing, but Lane’s told by her boss to focus on crimes against humans. However, the killing of the poor kitten was just a way to entice viewers to the site. From that jumping off point, the creep who created the website progresses to torturing and killing a man for millions to see. In fact, he’s counting on millions of sets of eyes watching the horrific event unfold. The more people visit his site, the faster the victim dies.

Lane, Dowd, and local cop Detective Eric Box (Burke) need to discover the killer’s physical address, but he’s as computer savvy as the FBI team trying to catch him. His site is virtually untraceable. Complicating and aggravating matters, the publicity generated by the case only serves to help increase the number of visitors to killwithme.com. Law enforcement’s only hope is to somehow find a connection between the seemingly random victims and whoever runs the site. But as they’re tracking down the psycho, he’s not only one step ahead of them but also ready and willing to make things personal for the officers involved in the investigation.

'Twilight 2008'

The Story
Through a minimal amount of voice-over we learn Bella's leaving Arizona – and the sun – behind to live with her dad, Police Chief Charlie Swan, in Forks, Washington. Her first day at school she makes friends with Jessica, Angela, Eric and Mike, and spots…cue drum roll please…Edward Cullen. Be still our beating hearts – his already is.
If you've read the books, you know Bella falls quickly for the strangely cold, strangely detached 17 year old who occupies the same table at lunch every day with his brothers and sisters. The Cullens stick together and their fellow high school students tend to leave them alone. They're not ostracized, but they're definitely not the first to get invitations for sleepovers. But Bella sees something everyone else apparently misses or wisely chooses to ignore.


The film puts Edward and Bella together quicker than the book, which is fine because the most interesting parts of Meyer's story focus on Bella and Edward by themselves. Edward has to deal with balancing his desire to bite Bella with his longing to kiss her, which makes for one angst-ey vampire. And all Bella knows is that she's found the guy she wants to be with; the fact he's a vampire is pretty much a non-issue.
The Cullen family is the exception to the vampire rule, opting to feast on animals rather than people. They've adapted well to this lifestyle and although they're by no means totally immune to the smell of humans, they've progressed to the point where they can live amongst us fairly normally. But when vampires who do love humans – to death – come to town, it's up to Edward and his family to keep Bella safe.

'Tropic Thunder 2008'

The Story

The film begins with a series of fake movie trailers setting up our three lead actors: Tugg Speedman (Stiller), Kirk Lazarus (Downey), and Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black). Tugg's a fading action movie stud verging on has-been status who needs a hit or else he'll be bumped to the D-list. His one attempt at serious drama, Simple Jack – a film which was supposed to be a heartwarming story of a man with mental retardation – turned out to be more of a misfire than Ishtar.

Aussie Kirk has five Oscars under his belt and is aching to add a starring role in what's supposed to be the biggest war movie of all time to his resume. Kirk, a Method actor who's so caught up in his craft he actually believes the meaningless philosophy he spouts ("I don't read the script. The script reads me."), undergoes a medical procedure to play an African-American. Jeff's claim to fame is a series of gross-out fart comedies centering on the flabby fictional 'Fatties' family.
Rounding out the group of actors selected to bring the true story of Vietnam war hero John 'Four Leaf' Tayback (Nick Nolte) to life on the screen is rapper-energy drink spokesperson-wannabe actor Alpa Chino (Brandon T Jackson) and the only guy who bothered to read the script and go to the training camp, Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel).
Just days into shooting, the biggest budgeted war movie ever to head into production is weeks behind schedule and director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) must face the wrath of a studio head (Tom Cruise) known for his explosive temper and R-rated language. Threatened with the loss of his job if he doesn't keep his big-name cast in check and get the film back on schedule, Damien does something he shouldn't do under any circumstances. He listens to the obviously out of his mind Tayback and sends his coddled actors out into the jungle to film the movie guerrilla style.

Pampered, clueless, and totally outside their element, the cast of the war movie has no idea they've actually left the set and have stumbled upon real drug lords carrying real guns that shoot real bullets. But then, slowly and reluctantly, the actors begin to catch on to the fact they're no longer tucked safely in the world of make-believe. That is, all of them start to figure it out except for Tugg who stands firm in his belief that the drug lords are all just extras and/or stuntmen.


It's not until Tugg's captured and taken back to their camp that he figures out these guys don't respect the meaning of 'Cut'. Now it's up to his fellow actors to come up with a plan to free Tugg from the bad guys and save the day. And Kirk, being a Method actor extraordinaire, is determined to not break character once while doing it.

'The Spiderwick Chronicles 2008'

The Story

Fairies, goblins, griffins, and assorted beasties do exist according to the world of The Spiderwick Chronicles. Twins Jared and Simon along with sister Mallory (a whiz with a sword) find out things that go bump in the night can actually do harm when they move into the creaky old house once occupied by their great-great uncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn) and his daughter (Joan Plowright).

Arthur Spiderwick spent his adult life investigating and documenting the strange creatures most people have no idea exist. All of his research and hard work is contained in a journal he called Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Jared, the twin who’s always in some kind of trouble, finds the book hidden away in an old trunk while chasing down a noise in the wall. The noise turns out to be a house brownie named Thimbletack (voiced by Martin Short). The honey-loving creature tells Jared to stay away from the book, but his words fall on deaf ears. Although there’s a warning attached to the book, Jared breaks open the sealed volume and dives in, reading the text throughout the night.
This book is so valuable that Arthur was abducted by creatures and kept in a state of suspended animation for decades in order to keep him away from evil goblins, led by the horrible Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), who want to possess its knowledge. If Mulgarath gets his hands on the book, he’ll be able to destroy all the fairies and other extraordinary critters.

The book itself is safe as long as it remains within the protective circle which surrounds the Spiderwick estate. But after Jared’s curiosity gets the best of him, Mulgarath quickly learns Arthur isn’t the only one with complete knowledge of his secret world. Unwittingly, Jared puts his entire family at risk and it’s up to the three Grace kids to outsmart an age-old ogre and restore order to the fairy universe.

'Role Models 2008'

The Story
Wheeler (Scott) and Danny (Rudd) work for Minotaur Energy Drinks and travel from school to school in a souped-up truck trying to persuade teens to gulp Minotaur and stay off of drugs. Even hidden beneath a humongous Minotaur costume, you can tell Wheeler loves this job. But Danny…he's a different sort of beast. Danny's definitely not into spending the rest of his life peddling Minotaur to students as an alternative to illegal drugs, and he's depressed over the prospect that that's where he's heading if he doesn't make a job change.

Danny's black mood hangs over everything he does and everyone interacts with, particularly the live-in love of his life, Beth (Elizabeth Banks). And when he unceremoniously pops the question in the least romantic way possible, Beth - an attorney who could do much better - figures she's had enough of his lousy moods and packs up and leaves. Which, of course, plunges Danny into an even deeper funk. Acting out, he goes a little bonkers in front of a crowded high school auditorium, wrecks the truck, and gets thrown in jail for his outburst.
Although it wasn't Wheeler's doing, he and Danny are both sentenced to community service with the Sturdy Wings mentorship program run by an ex-addict who thinks her bullsh-t meter is infallible. Wheeler winds up paired with a foul-mouthed kid named Ronnie (Bobb'e J Thompson) whose ability to edit himself is as dysfunctional as Wheeler's. Danny gets to mentor Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a live-action role-playing geek who dresses like a waiter at Medieval Times.

At first no one wants anything to do with their partner. But as Wheeler and Danny evolve from being forced into volunteering into actually connecting with the kids they've been assigned, they begin to really care about helping out their young Sturdy Wings partners.

'Yes Man 2008'

The Story
Carl (Carrey) is not over his divorce by a long shot. He's in mourning over the demise of his marriage and has become a video store regular whose idea of a good time is to veg out on his couch watching a DVD. Even his best friends Peter (the cute, sympathetic and supportive one played by Bradley Cooper) and Rooney (the horndog played by Danny Masterson) can hardly even guilt him into leaving his house.

Carl's work life parallels his home life in that it's equally predictable and boring. Carl's worked in a bank for five years, and it's not even the job he set out to do. And when his boss, Norman (Rhys Darby), an affable Harry Potter-loving goofball, delivers the news that once again he's been passed over for promotion, Carl drops into an even deeper funk. Stepping outside the bank for a breath of fresh air, he's approached by a guy he hasn't seen in years who tells him he needs to attend a seminar on the power of 'yes'.
Carl attends the seminar, takes the preaching to heart, and walks away believing he needs to say yes to everything. Giving homeless people car rides, learning Korean, learning to play the guitar, etc., etc., etc... If it's possible to say yes, he does. And, cue the violin music, that means he says yes to life and love once again. Awww.

WALL-E 2008

The Story
In the not so distant future, humans have quite literally trashed the planet to the point it's uninhabitable. With no means to sustain themselves – the plants have all died or are buried under miles of garbage – humans have fled in luxurious spaceships where their every whim is satisfied by robots. After hundreds of years living in space not having to move a muscle, we've devolved to the point of being fat couch potato globs that vaguely resemble the Pillsbury Doughboy.

Back on Earth, WALL-E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) goes about his lonely job of compacting trash. It's what he was built for and programmed to do, and there's no reason for him to stop. He was inadvertently left turned on when everyone took off, so he goes about his work each and every day with only an indestructible cockroach named Hal for company. And after hundreds of years of this, WALL-E has developed a personality. He's an inquisitive little guy who collects weird items of trash that he then uses to furnish and decorate his home. He's also developed an affection for Hello, Dolly! and watches the old VHS tape over and over again.


Hello, Dolly! has taught WALL-E about holding hands and falling in love, and the lonesome robot has dreams of finding that someone special. After endless years of waiting, WALL-E's shot at love appears in the form of a glistening egg-shaped drone named EVE. EVE was sent to Earth to check for any signs of life, and our little WALL-E falls head over wheels for this state-of-the-art metallic cutie. He wants nothing more than to make a connection with this beauty, but EVE's not on the same wavelength. Fortunately, WALL-E's a persistent suitor and when EVE's sent back to report her findings to the people on board the Axiom spaceship, WALL-E goes along for the ride. Nothing will stop this starry-eyed robot from being with his EVE, not hundreds of thousands of miles of space travel, evil robots, or weird jelly-ish people who've lost all concept of what life on Earth was like before their ancestors all but destroyed our planet.

'Quantum of Solace 2008'

The Story
Quantum of Solace picks up about an hour after the end of Casino Royale. Bond's lover Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) has been killed by an organization that set her up and made her betray him. Although he claims it's not personal, Bond sets out to find the men responsible. Tracking the mastermind behind Vesper's murder, Bond travels around the world piecing the puzzle together and dispatching anyone unwilling to answer his questions. M (Dame Judi Dench) even has to ask Bond to try and avoid killing every possible lead, but it's a request Bond doesn't take to heart as the body count continues to mount.
Declared rogue by MI6, Bond is on the run from his own agency but that barely slows him down. He's learned all he needs to know about his target, industrialist Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), and is off to South America to make Greene see red – blood red.

'Pride and Glory 2008'

The Story

The story starts out innocently enough. NYPD officer Jimmy Egan (Farrell) is taking part in a football game when the call comes in that sends the department into a frenzy of activity. Four cops, men who served alongside Egan, have been gunned down during what appears to have been a drug bust. The killer's still on the loose, and a special task force is set up to capture the murderer.

Egan's brother-in-law, Detective Ray Tierney (Nolan) - an officer with a troubled history - is also one of the officers on the scene. Ray was injured during an incident that sparked controversy, and he's been riding a desk for the last two years instead of being out in the middle of the action. Prompted by his dad, Chief of Manhattan Detectives Francis Tierney, Sr (Jon Voight), Ray volunteers for the task force. The men killed in the shootout were under the command of Francis Tierney, Jr. (Emmerich), Ray's brother, and their father knows Ray's got the talent to ferret out the truth.
Ray's decision to get involved places him back on the streets and smack-dab in the middle of a case which he's quickly figuring out has to do with corrupt police officers. Ray's investigation is heading in a direction which can't be good for the New York Police Department in general or the Tierney family in particular.

'Pineapple Express 2008'

The Story
Seth Rogen plays process server Dale Denton, a man of many disguises who loves the gotcha moments when an unsuspecting doctor or husband or whoever finds his or herself on the receiving end of a Dale-delivered subpoena. Dale's not bad at his job, he's got a pretty 18 year old high school senior (Amber Heard) as a girlfriend, and his pot dealer, Saul (James Franco), keeps him well supplied with weed.

However, Dale's sweet life turns sour when Saul offers him a new strain of pot named Pineapple Express. It's the best weed on the planet and very rare. So rare that when Dale witnesses a lady cop (Rosie Perez) and one of the city's major drug dealers (Gary Cole) – a guy Dale was casing in order to subpoena - murdering someone, he's identified by the killers by the joint he tossed out of the car window when trying to flee the scene.

Unable to fully understand what he's just seen, Dale finds himself at a total loss as to where to turn. He's high, he's just seen a stranger shot to death in front of his very stoned eyes, and now he's scared out of his drug-addled mind. So where does he run to? His friendly neighborhood pot dealer, of course.


After wiping the drug haze from Saul's eyes by explaining the ultra-serious nature of their predicament, the two hit the road without a plan but with large amounts of pot and a handful of munchies. Car chases and lots of physical comedy antics ensue as the bad guys try to snuff the life out of the pot-smoking duo. As the net tightens, Saul and Dale transform from bumbling stoners into bumbling action heroes who discover the importance of friendship. Ahhh, how sweet!

Penelope 2008

The Story

Poor Penelope. Born with a pig’s nose as the result of a curse, all of her family’s wealth can’t disguise the fact the first-born daughter of the upper-crust Wilhern clan resembles a pig. Mom Jessica (Catherine O’Hara) and dad Franklin (Richard E Grant) love their daughter but in order to shield her from the cruel taunts of children, have kept Penelope (Christina Ricci) pretty much a prisoner in their home. Penelope’s days are spent studying music and art, reading the classics, and dreaming of the world beyond the locked gates of the family’s estate.

Attempts at plastic surgery are unsuccessful; the only way to get rid of the porcine feature is to find true love with one of her own kind (someone from an equally well-off family, not someone with piggy qualities). Penelope’s mom, obsessed with the idea of getting her daughter married so that the horrible curse will be broken, invites every eligible bachelor around into their home to meet Penelope. But despite her sizable dowry, one look at Penelope’s most prominent feature sends potential suitors fleeing in panic.
But there is hope for our heroine. Max (James McAvoy) arrives at the Wilhern house along with a batch of guys better dressed and seemingly more suitable. Penelope enters the room, men fly out doors and windows, but Max – who was distracted when Penelope made her entrance – stays put. Retreating behind a one-way mirror before Max has another opportunity to see what caused everyone else to bolt from the premises, Penelope engages Max in a lengthy conversation believing he knows about her nose.

Penelope finds herself attracted to the disheveled, witty character and works up the courage, after a few more visits, to talk to him nose to snout. What Penelope doesn’t know is that Max isn’t who she thinks he is and instead is, reluctantly, working for a newspaper reporter (Peter Dinklage) and Edward Vanderman (Simon Woods) – the heir to a fortune who caused a stir by announcing to the public he’d seen a horrible beast.


Max is a decent guy, just down on his luck, and takes off not because of Penelope’s nose, but because he doesn’t want to hurt her. But Penelope, used to being treated like a pariah, believes he’s just another in the endless string of men who find her repulsive. Striking out on her own, Penelope sets out to discover the world and herself with the help of a new friend (played by Penelope’s producer Reese Witherspoon) and a very colorful scarf.

'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist 2008'

The Story
The plot's pretty straightforward and simple. Nick (Michael Cera) just got dumped by his girlfriend, has to perform with his band (made up of all gay guys except for Nick), and wants desperately to find the secret location of a concert being held by his favorite band. Norah (Kat Dennings) is busy watching out for her incredibly drunk and out-of-control friend while trying to enjoy Nick's band. Nick's ex shows up, puts Norah on the spot, and Norah tries to convince her she's now dating Nick, which of course makes the ex – who believes she's the hottest thing on two legs – super jealous.

Things turn weird when Norah's drunken friend wanders off and Nick, his band, and Norah have to spend the night searching for her instead of the secret concert. As Nick and Norah spend more time in each other's company, romantic feelings begin to surface.

The Cast

Kat Dennings and Michael Cera have similar acting styles. Neither appear to be doing any acting; they seem to just be doing what comes naturally. Both take a very genuine, very authentic approach to the way they handle their characters.


Dennings isn't cut from any cookie cutter actress mold. There's something refreshingly different that sets Dennings apart from the horde of young actresses her age, some indefinable quality that makes it easy to connect to whatever character she's playing. And if Cera's doing here what he does in every other feature film (which is basically the same as what he did in the too-soon-cancelled TV series Arrested Development), that's just fine by me. So what if he hasn't exactly stretched himself yet? I like his geeky, non-threatening, sympathetic characters. Cera's found his niche and he's capitalizing on it while he can. Maybe one of these days he'll play a serial killer or used car salesman, but for now he's got a lock on the patient, suffering boyfriend parts.
Norah's best friend is played by Ari Graynor, an actress I was unfamiliar with but who does a fantastic job at playing drunk. Where's she been hiding? Aaron Yoo and Rafi Gavron play Nick's band mates and do great at the supportive buddy parts. There's also a batch of cameos by familiar faces who contribute some funny lines in super brief bits.

Michael Clayton 2008

The Story
Michael Clayton (Clooney) is the guy you turn to when you need things fixed or hushed up in a hurry. Clayton weaves his magic behind the scenes at the huge law firm of Kenner, Bach & Leeden where he makes anything that could damage any of the firm’s clients simply fade away.

Clayton hides well the fact thats he’s begun to feel repulsed by what his job entails. And while he’d just as soon tell these scummy corporate bigwigs where to go, he continues performing the job the firm expects of him while loathing himself for doing it. His displeasure is just barely contained beneath the surface when he’s called out of a poker game to take care of a hit-and-run accident. Arriving at the driver’s home, Clayton reels off the client’s options while obviously struggling to hide his distain for the man who clearly believes he’s entitled to special treatment due to his connections -- and money.

But that’s just the set-up for the main story of Michael Clayton which is the potential settlement of a $3 billion class-action suit that’s been dragging on for half a dozen years. The firm’s lead litigator assigned to the case, Arthur Edens (Wilkinson), has snapped. Edens has stopped taking his manic-depressive meds, as evidenced by a bizarre strip tease he does while in the middle of a deposition. Edens has come to the conclusion that the class-action suit against his client, the agrochemical giant U/North, has merit. Hundreds of people have died as a result of using weed killer from U/North, and Edens believes U/North should be held accountable.

Clayton’s called upon to rein in Edens, a man he respects, admires, and knows well. At the same time as Clayton’s assigned to watch over Edens, a pair of ‘investigators’ are hired by Karen Crowder (Swinton), the in-house lawyer for U/North and one of the most power-hungry beasts in the corporate jungle. Unfortunately for Clayton, Edens has become a man obsessed with getting the truth told – damn the consequences.

'Marley & Me 2008'

The Story
John (Owen Wilson) and Jenny (Jennifer Aniston) are happily married journalists who, like a lot of young couples, decide to start their family off with a dog. But Marley, named after Bob, is not your average yellow Labrador. No, Marley is actually a four-legged eating machine. Sofas are a favorite treat of his, but he doesn't mind snacking on drywall when push comes to shove. Marley's hell on paws, but John and Jenny love him.
John and Jenny aren't big into training and by the time they turn to a professional for help Marley's pretty much past the point where he wants to follow any rules. Kicked out of obedience school, Marley continues to misbehave and pretty much control the household.

As Marley grows, so does the Grogan family. Over the years as John and Jenny's brood expands with the addition of three kids, Marley settles into the big brother role – with only occasional streaks of wildness. And as Marley matures into a senior citizen dog the Grogans learn important life lessons from their furry family member.

'Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 2008'

The Story


This Madagascar sequel picks up right where the 2005 film left off, with the Central Park Zoo animals preparing to leave Madagascar to return to the Big Apple. Attempting to prove penguins can fly, the tuxedoed dudes pieced together a plane and now Alex and company, along with King Julien and his 2nd in charge, Maurice, believe they're on the way back to New York City. But penguins, as we soon discover, are not qualified to be airplane mechanics.
The plane crash lands in Africa which turns out to be the best place on the planet for our NY gang to wind up – if they can't make it back to the States. Their plummet to earth couldn't have worked out better if it'd been planned. The four zoo buddies, the penguin posse, and the lemur duo find themselves face to face with wild animals of their own kind. And for Alex, this unexpected detour is actually a homecoming. The king of the lions, Zuba (Bernie Mac), and his mate (voiced by Sherri Shepherd) turn out to be Alex's real parents.


Everyone's happy to finally get to know members of their own species in the wild, but the reunion between Alex and his parents doesn't please all members of the pride. Makunga (Alec Baldwin) has long wanted to replace Zuba as the leader, and the return of the city-raised Alex provides him with just the right opening to make his move...

Leatherheads 2008

The Story

Leatherheads takes a look way, way back in time to when professional football was taking its very first baby steps toward being an organized sports league. In the early days, players played the sport for the love of the game, a couple of bucks, and the thrill of being part of a team. The game itself more closely resembled rugby than anything else, with passing used only sporadically. Trick plays, cheating (a certain New England Patriots coach would have fit right in) and fistfights were the order of the day. Finding sponsors and paying for roadtrips was tough work for the fledgling league in the 1920s, and teams folded with little or no warning.

At the center of the Leatherheads story is Dodge Connolly (Clooney). One of the sport’s most recognizable players/advocates, Dodge is a quick-witted, middle-aged player who calls the plays, captain’s the team, and even ghost-writes the sports column for the local newspaper reporter who spends most of his days three sheets to the wind. Dodge loses the battle to keep his struggling Bulldogs team afloat but, ever the smooth-talker, he refuses to stay down for the count.

Dodge figures out that the way to pull in the crowds, and thus guarantee his team’s financial success, is to lure college football star/war hero Carter ‘The Bullet’ Rutherford (Krasinski) into signing with his team and turning pro. The Bullet’s presence on the field’s enough to fill stands and save the Bulldogs from extinction. But what Dodge doesn’t count on is the persistence of Lexie Littleton (Zellweger), a perky, pouty-faced reporter who’s easily his match in the brains department. Lexie’s editor believes there’s something fishy about the story surrounding Carter Rutherford’s act of heroism in the war and if Lexie can get the real scoop, she’ll get a huge promotion at the paper. With nothing to lose and two handsome studly football players vying for her affection, Lexie sets out to uncover the truth about The Bullet’s war record.

'Iron Man 2008'

The Story

Tony Stark has the world on a string - gorgeous women, a Malibu mansion to die for, and more money than any one man should ever be allowed to accumulate. Oh yeah, life’s sunny on Stark’s side of the street. But karma is a bitch and Tony’s ticket is almost punched when he visits the US troops in Afghanistan and his convoy comes under enemy fire. Pulled barely alive from the wreckage, Stark is taken to a hillside hideaway and tortured into building his most powerful weapon – the Jericho missile - for a brutal batch of terrorists.


Kept alive only by a special battery-powered electromagnetic device which keeps metal fragments from piercing his heart, Tony and his fellow captor, interpreter Yinsen (Shaun Toub), decide to create their own little Shock and Awe moment. Instead of building the Jericho missile, Stark and Yinsen design an iron suit. This special suit can withstand pretty much anything shot at it and is loaded down with an arsenal of weapons capable of annihilating the terrorist camp and its inhabitants.
After destroying the terrorists’ supply of Stark Industry manufactured weapons, Tony’s new suit shoots him skyward, safely out of the camp and into the inhospitable desert. With his suit destroyed on impact, Tony gets a lift home to America courtesy of his close friend and military liaison Jim ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Terrence Howard) who never stopped searching for Tony during all the time he was held hostage.

Once back in the States, Tony holds a press conference to announce he’s done with providing the means for men to blow up cities and kill innocent people. This new direction for the company doesn’t sit well with Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), Stark Industries second-in-command and a guy who values money over innocent lives. While Tony shifts direction and works on upgrading his specially designed red and gold Iron Man suit of armor, the company he believes he’s in charge of continues about the business of arming terrorists. But when he gets wind of these backdoor deals, Tony vows to reverse the damage done by the company his father founded decades before.

'Kung Fu Panda 2008'

The Story

Po the panda (Jack Black) is an enthusiastic kung fu groupie who dreams of fighting alongside his heroes, the Furious Five. By day, Po works in his dad’s noodle shop. But at night the panda’s dreams are full of kung fu adventures where he takes on the bad guys side by side with Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Monkey (Jackie Chan), and Viper (Lucy Liu). Po longs to train with Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), a strange looking creature in charge of the Furious Five and the mentor martial arts enthusiasts want to have as a guide in their kung fu studies.

But there’s one or two or maybe 100 reasons why Po’s dreams might never come true. He doesn’t know even the basic kung fu moves. He’s klutzy and easily distracted, and he’s severely overweight - even for a giant panda. Po loves food and it loves him right back, so his chance of ever being accepted into Master Shifu’s group appears to be about as likely as landing a spokesperson spot for a fitness center.


However, unlikely as it may seem, an ancient turtle named Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) names Po as the new Dragon Warrior. This news doesn’t sit well with members of the Furious Five who were all in the running for the title until Po interrupted their Dragon Warrior ceremony. Meanwhile, a vengeful tiger named Tai Lung (Ian McShane), who years earlier had turned to the dark side after being denied the Dragon Warrior title he believed he deserved, escapes from his heavily guarded prison cell. His goal: to exact his revenge on Shifu and his followers. Now it’s time for a showdown between the brand spanking new Dragon Warrior and the astonishingly skilled and highly lethal Tai Lung. In order to conquer his enemy, Po must first understand the philosophy behind kung fu and learn what it really takes to be the Dragon Warrior.

'Iron Man 2008'

The Story

Tony Stark has the world on a string - gorgeous women, a Malibu mansion to die for, and more money than any one man should ever be allowed to accumulate. Oh yeah, life’s sunny on Stark’s side of the street. But karma is a bitch and Tony’s ticket is almost punched when he visits the US troops in Afghanistan and his convoy comes under enemy fire. Pulled barely alive from the wreckage, Stark is taken to a hillside hideaway and tortured into building his most powerful weapon – the Jericho missile - for a brutal batch of terrorists.


Kept alive only by a special battery-powered electromagnetic device which keeps metal fragments from piercing his heart, Tony and his fellow captor, interpreter Yinsen (Shaun Toub), decide to create their own little Shock and Awe moment. Instead of building the Jericho missile, Stark and Yinsen design an iron suit. This special suit can withstand pretty much anything shot at it and is loaded down with an arsenal of weapons capable of annihilating the terrorist camp and its inhabitants.
After destroying the terrorists’ supply of Stark Industry manufactured weapons, Tony’s new suit shoots him skyward, safely out of the camp and into the inhospitable desert. With his suit destroyed on impact, Tony gets a lift home to America courtesy of his close friend and military liaison Jim ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Terrence Howard) who never stopped searching for Tony during all the time he was held hostage.

Once back in the States, Tony holds a press conference to announce he’s done with providing the means for men to blow up cities and kill innocent people. This new direction for the company doesn’t sit well with Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), Stark Industries second-in-command and a guy who values money over innocent lives. While Tony shifts direction and works on upgrading his specially designed red and gold Iron Man suit of armor, the company he believes he’s in charge of continues about the business of arming terrorists. But when he gets wind of these backdoor deals, Tony vows to reverse the damage done by the company his father founded decades before.

'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008'

The Story
Set in 1957 when America considered the Red Menace to be a real viable threat to our way of life, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull opens with the Russian army forcing their way onto a top secret military base and into a secure warehouse in search of one specific box. The expert the Russians need to help them discover the location of the box is – you guessed it – Dr Henry Jones Jr aka Indiana (although that's actually his family's dog's nickname, not his). Led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) a hard as nails, ‘take no prisoners unless it’s absolutely’ necessary kind of gal, the Russians think they’ve got Indiana Jones under control but fail to realize Indy doesn’t cooperate with people who’ve kidnapped him. Although he’s now getting up there in years, Indy’s one giant step ahead of the Russians when it comes to escaping impossible situations. A bunch of Russians holding guns on him wouldn’t have stopped Indy 20 years ago and it doesn’t stop him now. Guns, jeeps, hand to hand combat, and even a nuclear test can’t keep a good archaeologist down.

Fast forward through a patch of storytelling that sets up the actual adventure, and Indy’s off to Peru with a kid named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf in full Marlon Brandon regalia) to track down the Crystal Skull of Akator. Mutt’s mom and a friend of both Indy and Mutt’s family, Professor Oxley (John Hurt), are being held against their will by the very same Russians Indy’s already encountered (proving it is a very small world, after all).

The Crystal Skull of Akator is a fascinating object of unknown origin which is said to have incredible powers, and its special abilities are what make the skull an irresistible target for Spalko and her minions. Spalko isn’t just evil; she’s got a little extra sensory perception of her own going on, and the idea of unlocking the secrets of the skull is practically an obsession. She’ll stop at nothing to find the tomb which holds the key to the origin of the skull and it’s up to – cue the familiar theme music – Indiana Jones, Mutt, Mutt's mom, and Professor Oxley to take down the Russkies.

'The Incredible Hulk 2008'

The Story

What little backstory you need to know unspools within the first 10 minutes of The Incredible Hulk. General Ross is the reason Bruce Banner (Norton) has gamma poisoning and turns into a 9’ tall monster when he gets angry. Ross’ daughter, Betty (Tyler), is the love of Bruce’s life, but he can’t be around her, not just because he’s wanted by the American military, but because he doesn’t trust himself to not hurt her after putting her life in danger once already.

That explanatory bit out of the way, it’s off to the races with The Incredible Hulk. Bruce is hiding out in Brazil when the story catches up with him. He’s working in a soda factory, trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible, and taking lessons in how to breathe deeply to keep his temper under control. Bruce is not harming anyone, but of course that doesn’t stop General Ross (Hurt) from his nearly one man crusade to get him in custody. I say ‘nearly’ because he finds a kindred spirit in Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth). Calling Blonsky a pit bull in military clothing is an insult to pit bulls. The man is obsessed, possessed, and totally absorbed with doing his job. Collateral damage isn’t an issue, so no civilians are safe when this guy’s on the hunt.
After an encounter with Banner that leads to the fugitive hulking out, Blonsky quickly comes to the conclusion that he needs a little of whatever drug Banner has coursing through his system. With Ross’ blessing and backing, Blonsky fully commits to taking down Banner/The Hulk any way possible, no matter what he needs to become to do the job.

'Igor 2008'

The Story

Igors exist only to serve mad scientists; it's just a fact of life. If you're born with a hunchback, you are automatically subservient to some sort of crazy professor/scientist dude. But one Igor (voiced by Cusack) has bigger plans than simply obeying his dim-witted boss every time he orders a switch to be thrown. This Igor's an inventor just waiting for an opportunity to step into the limelight.

Said opportunity presents itself when his boss is killed by one of his own experiments. Finally Igor and the creatures he's created -– the low-wattage Brain (Hayes) who's not nearly as intelligent as he believes himself to be (he misspelled his own name, scrawling Brian across his cranium in permanent marker) and Scamper (Buscemi), an indestructible rabbit with a death wish -– have their chance to compete in the annual Evil Science Fair. And Igor knows exactly what will earn him first place. He's been slaving over the design of a gigantic evil woman and believes it'll be just the ticket to win first place.

he pieces her together, zaps the creature with electricity, and voila! she rises. But her evil bone is dysfunctional and everything that could go wrong, goes wrong. She's not evil -– she's Eva (Shannon), a prissy giant who loves blind orphans, flowers, and ultimately decides she's a dainty actress headed for Broadway. That sort of attitude isn't going to win an evil tournament, and as Igor stresses out over how to win he, of course, learns a massive amount of important life lessons.

'Horton Hears a Who! 2008'

The Story


Jim Carrey provides the voice of one of the jungle of Nool’s friendliest creatures, Horton the Elephant. Horton is like that goofy older kid all the little kids want to hang out with. He’s footloose and fancy free, and definitely marches to the beat of a different drummer. His bubbly personality is at odds with Kangaroo (voiced by Carol Burnett), a woman who likes everything nice and neat and who has absolutely no imagination. Kangaroo's so anal she never even allows her son time outside of her pouch to play with the other kids. Poor guy!
Horton’s just being Horton when he hears a cry coming from the tiniest of specks. Now any other creature in the jungle of Nool might have figured they were hearing things that weren’t there, but Horton’s open-minded and willing to go along with the idea that an entire world could exist on a speck that’s resting on a stalk of clover. Making contact with the Mayor of Who-ville (voiced by Steve Carell), Horton takes on the responsibility of finding a safe place for the speck to reside, despite the fact that in doing so he becomes the laughingstock of Nool. With Kangaroo and a squad of menacing monkeys on his tail, as well as an evil vulture named Vlad, Horton sets off on a journey to save the community of Who-ville before it’s too late.

'Hellboy: The Golden Army 2008'

The Story

Freed from the burden of having to establish backstories, Hellboy II delivers more action than its predecessor while delving further into the relationship between Hellboy (Ron Perlman) and his fiery girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). Hellboy II also reintroduces Hellboy's buddy and brainy crime-fighting partner, Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), as well as Hellboy's boss at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor).


setup for the big showdown in this sequel involves a truce between humans and magical, mythical creatures who share our world while remaining unseen. Since ancient times these other beings have kept to themselves, leaving humans alone. But the son of the great King who brokered the truce with the humans is tired of being repressed. Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) wants to set his people free – and if it means that humans are going to have to die, then that's the price he's more than willing to pay.
Fortunately for the good people of Earth, Prince Nuada has a twin sister whose heart is in the right place. Princess Nuala (Anna Walton) does not support her brother's plan to unleash an army of unstoppable robots and makes contact with first Abe and then the rest of Hellboy's BPRD crew.

While Prince Nuada's been formulating his plan of attack, Hellboy's been creating a bit of a public relations problem for the Bureau. Hellboy shares a few traits in common with Prince Nuada, one of which is a desire to stop hiding out. Posing for photos, signing autographs…Hellboy's getting out of hand and so the mighty muckety-mucks at the Bureau decide to send in someone to take control. Johann Krauss (voiced by Family Guy's Seth Macfarlane), a protoplasmic genius with a crisp German accent and a sharp wit, takes over operations and finds a kindred spirit in the cerebral Abe.


The new team is tasked with putting a stop to Prince Nuada's evil plan, although a lot of what Prince Nuada slyly whispers in Hellboy's raging-red ear hits home. Fighting on the side of good and putting his own life at risk time and again in order to protect innocent bystanders, Hellboy's initially embraced by the citizens and treated as a hero. But just as quickly as people were willing to accept the presence of this demon among them, they do an about-face. They hurl threats and insults in his direction (as if he didn't realize he's ugly by human standards), ignoring the good he's done on their behalf. With ordinary citizens treating him like a big red punching bag and his home life with Liz edging toward a meltdown of epic proportions, Hellboy has to try and focus his energy on taking down Prince Nuada and his gang of evil creatures.

'Hamlet 2' 2008

The Story

Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't get paid work as an actor outside of herpes commercials, teach drama. Failed actor Dana Marschz (he can't even pronounce his own last name so don't even bother trying to wrap your tongue around it) has the enthusiasm to succeed but not the talent, so he turns his attention to teaching drama at a high school in Tucson, Arizona. Yet even there critics can't leave him alone. Actually, it's just one critic who's the thorn in Marschz' side. The kid who writes reviews for the school paper has nothing but negative things to say about Marschz' obsession with putting on plays based on popular movies (Erin Brockovich brought to life by two over-acting high school kids is a sight to behold).

Marschz' class is one of the least popular on campus – he has two diehard students and that's it – until the principal closes down a section of the school. Forced into taking drama, the new students – predominantly Hispanic – don't know what to make of their incredibly bizarre dress-wearing teacher. But before they can really get to know Marschz, the principal announces they're shutting down the drama department. Marschz, passionate and more than a little pathetic, doesn't want to go quietly into the night. Instead of throwing in the towel, he comes up with the idea of staging an original production in order to earn enough money to keep the drama department open.

Marschz has a big heart but he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. After hours of frustration and arguments with a cat who won't fight back, Marschz comes up with an original musical that's sure to be a hit. Marschz goes where no man or woman should ever go - he writes Hamlet 2 – the sequel to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Hamlet's ending was such a bummer that Marschz believes it deserves to be reshaped. Marschz feels he can do Shakespeare one better by rewriting the ending to Hamlet, adding in a time-traveling Jesus with rockin' abs and a swimmer's bod, and a handful of catchy tunes.

Of course no one outside the kids in his class (who were all a hard sells other than his two dedicated students) wants Marschz to put on this play. It's controversial, profanity-laden, and offensive. But Marschz and his students won't be deterred and the show will go on – despite protests, death threats, and a lack of good taste.

Hancock 2008

The Story

John Hancock (Smith) wakes up on a park bench, empty liquor bottle close at hand, and with a small boy begging for his attention. There's a shootout happening on the freeway and the police need help. But Hancock, hung-over and looking like he hasn't washed in weeks, doesn't care. All he wants is for this kid, who calls him an a-hole (a recurring gag throughout the film so get used to it), to go away. Still, it's his job to save the day and so he streaks into the sky, crashes through freeway signs and sends cop cars flying before landing in the backseat of the bad guy's car. Now, subtly isn't in Hancock's vocabulary and neither are the words 'delicate landing'. $9 million worth of damage later, Hancock's latest 'good deed' is yet another in a long string of rescues that have left the citizens of Los Angeles, the police department, and prosecutors ready to lock Hancock in jail and throw away the key.


Columbia PicturesAnd, actually, Hancock does wind up in the slammer. PR guy Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), a well-meaning family man Hancock saved from being turned into mush by a train, takes on the job of reworking Hancock's image. It's a daunting task as Hancock has pretty much alienated all Los Angelinos, even the ones who owe their lives to the obnoxious superhero. Anyway, after introducing Hancock to his wife, (Charlize Theron), and young son, Aaron (Jae Head), Ray convinces him to issue a public apology, surrender to the authorities, and pledge to turn over a new leaf.
Gone are the days of boozing it up. Ray has worked miracles and now Hancock's complimenting the cops and even trying to learn how to smile. He's the good guy everyone wants to root for, but there's a big problem. Ray's pretty, perky wife has a secret – and it involves Hancock's past.

'Frost/Nixon 2008'

The Story
Peter Morgan (The Queen, Last King of Scotland) wrote the play Frost/Nixon with no intention of turning it into a feature film. But almost immediately after Frost/Nixon started its run on the stage, he began hearing rumblings about how good it might be as a movie. Director Ron Howard saw the play, was drawn into the world of Frost versus Nixon, and ultimately convinced Morgan to adapt his play for the screen. Morgan did so, and crafting the screenplay actually allowed him to flesh out pivotal scenes and to add more backstory to the complicated true story of how the most unlikely of TV personalities was able to land a four-part interview with one of America's most controversial public servants.

Universal PicturesMichael Sheen and Frank Langella star, respectively, as Frost and Nixon in the feature film, roles they received critical acclaim for onstage in 2006 and 2007. Sheen and Langella perfected their parts while performing in front of live audiences, and now in the feature film they're simply brilliant bringing to life these two men whose lives on the surface couldn't have been more dissimilar. But despite outward appearances, there was in fact a common thread driving both men forward in their chosen careers. Neither Nixon nor Frost was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and both fought their way into the public spotlight, emerging as men who - during specific periods in their careers - deserved to be admired and respected.

'Forgetting Sarah Marshall 2008'

The Story

Peter Bretter composes background mood-setting music for the TV series Crime Scene: Scene of the Crime, while dreaming of the day he can complete and make public his Dracula puppet musical. Or at least that’s how he spent his time prior to his girlfriend, series star Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), dumping him. Now he’s a sad shell of a man, going through the motions of sex with random strangers and unable to work up the energy to do his job because Sarah’s constantly on his mind.



Universal PicturesHis brother (Bill Hader), trying to be helpful, convinces him the only way to recover is to unwind and relax by taking a vacation in Hawaii. Peter agrees and flies off to the land of bikini-clad babes to heal his wounds. There, while making small talk with Rachel (Mila Kunis) - the cutie behind the counter at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore - Peter discovers he’s randomly chosen the same hotel as his ex. Sarah’s also picked Turtle Bay as her vacation spot of choice and is there with her new British rock star boyfriend, Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), a man dripping with sexual energy. Sarah, of course, believes Peter’s only there to check up on her.
After a crying bout to rival any newborn’s, Peter tries to suck it up by sucking down mai tais and mixing with the locals. But no matter where he turns, Sarah and Aldous are there. Getting over Sarah isn’t easy when he can’t seem to get away from her.

'The Express 2008'

The Story
Ernie Davis (Rob Brown) grew up in a poor neighborhood in Elmira, New York in the '40s and '50s, and it was there he found a home away from home on the local youth league football fields. As a child, Ernie could run like the wind. And as he developed as a football player, Ernie's speed and ability to outmaneuver defenses made him standout from the pack so much so that he caught the attention of Syracuse University coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid). Coach Schwartzwalder offered Ernie a scholarship to play, but it was NFL standout Jim Brown (Darrin Dewitt Henson) who convinced Ernie Syracuse was the perfect college for running backs.

Although Coach Schwartzwalder and Jim Brown butted heads while Brown played at Syracuse, the men had a great deal of respect for each other. Jim Brown didn't promise Ernie Davis he'd have an easy time at the 99% white college – or an easy time under Coach Schwartzwalder - but he did assure him he'd come out of the experience a better player and a better man.

Battling racism on and off the field, Ernie Davis did what no one – not even the great Jim Brown – was able to do. Davis' talent and determination made Syracuse's 1960 season, which is showcased in the film, one for the record books.

Doubt 2008

The Story
Set in the 1960s, Doubt takes place in a private Catholic school where Sister Aloysius (Streep) rules the roost with an iron fist. She's got a reputation as the dragon lady of the school, and it's a reputation she not only deserves but claims with pride. On the opposite end of the mean scale rests Father Brendan (Hoffman), a jovial priest the kids love and respect. Planted somewhere in the middle is the young, impressionable Sister James (Amy Adams) who seems truly dedicated to her young charges and almost in awe of the elder Sister Aloysius.


Aloysius doesn't appreciate women being considered second class citizens in the Catholic Church. She's frustrated and powerless to do anything to change the pecking order and it's the happy go lucky Father Brendan who becomes the target of her ire. Sister Aloysius charges Sister James with keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary involving Father Brendan, and it's not long before Sister James does in fact see something that causes her to question his activities. Sister James suspects there's something wrong about the relationship Father Brendan has with the school's only African American student and voices her concerns to Sister Aloysius. Although Sister James didn't witness any inappropriate behavior, her observations fuel the fire of suspicion already burning in Sister Aloysius.

'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2008'

The Story
Fitzgerald lifted the premise of his story from a quote attributed to Mark Twain: "Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18." The Curious Case of Benjamin Button screenwriter Eric Roth follows Fitzgerald and Twain's musings, focusing on a special man who ages backwards.
The film begins with Benjamin Button's birth in New Orleans in 1918. His mother dies in childbirth and his father (Jason Flemyng), upon seeing Benjamin's ancient crinkly face, races from the house in horror with the bizarre baby cradled in his arms. He leaves the newborn on the stairs of a nursing home run by Queenie (Taraji P Henson), a practical woman with a lot of love to give.



Paramount PicturesAlthough the doctors believe Benjamin's time on earth will be short, Benjamin proves everyone wrong. Under Queenie's care, he progresses from the size of a newborn into a short, misshapen elderly man who looks to be in his 80s, which makes him fit right in with the real senior citizens who come to the nursing home to live out their final days. Benjamin's accepted by the elderly folk who reside at the home, and in fact it's one of the residents who introduces Benjamin to the young girl who will become the great love of his life. Daisy (played as a youngster by Elle Fanning and in later years by Cate Blanchett) is an intelligent, free-spirited girl who feels an immediate bond with Benjamin, despite what appears on the surface to be a great difference in their ages. With Daisy, Benjamin can play and act like a child - albeit a child whose body shows all the classic signs of old age.
As Benjamin grows ever-so-slowly younger, he begins to long for a life outside the walls of the nursing home. Feeling his oats, Benjamin signs on to a tugboat and discovers much about the world. Still, Daisy's always on his mind. And after overcoming impossible odds, the two do reconnect at a point in their lives where his body is physically close in age to hers. Their love has endured for years, but as Benjamin continues his backwards journey through life, he remains firm in the belief that nothing lasts forever.

Cloverfield 2008

The Story

Rob (Michael-Stahl David) and his long-time close friend Beth (Odette Yustman) hook up for at least one night of non-wedded bliss. That much we know for sure because of snippets of a video recorded in her bedroom after they had sex, snippets we see at random moments throughout the film.

Flash-forward a month from their night together and Rob’s set to leave for Japan to take on a VP job at some company. Rob and Beth apparently never got together as a couple and she’s at his send-off with another guy. Rob wants her, but something’s obviously gone wrong with their relationship.



Paramount PicturesMeanwhile, Rob’s going away party is loaded with pretty people drinking, gossiping, and leaving farewell messages into a camera operated by his buddy, rookie videographer Hud (TJ Miller). Also in attendance at this upscale Manhattan shindig is Rob’s younger brother Jason (Mike Vogel) and Jason’s main squeeze Lily (Jessica Lucas). The party introduces us to one more key player, Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), the girl Hud has a thing for who has no idea Hud even exists.
An earthquake signals the end of the going away party setup, but those first 20 minutes of the movie do provide all the backstory you ever need to know on the five main players. Screenwriter Drew Goddard (Lost), director Reeves and Abrams know the audience wants, needs, is dying to see a monster, but give them credit for taking the time to let us connect with the people whose story we’ll be a part of for the remainder of the film. If we don’t embrace Rob, Beth, Jason, Lily and Hud, then Cloverfield would be dead in the water.

Once the monster hits – literally – the city, Cloverfield explodes into a run for your life action film. But it also manages, strangely enough, to keep the story small at the same time. Everything that goes down is recorded by Hud and that footage puts us up close and personal into the terrifying events.

Because we know the key players, Cloverfield never devolves into the standard scream and be eaten horror fare. There’s a point to Rob and his friends running around the city, which makes their journey meaningful. Rob needs to help rescue Beth, and that’s the only thing pushing him forward.

'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian 2008'

The Story

We meet our hero Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) as he’s being hustled out of a castle. His uncle, Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), and aunt have just become parents of a strapping baby boy, and so having Caspian around standing in the way of their own son’s ascension to the throne won’t do at all. Miraz is evil to his very core and willing to kill his own nephew in order to make sure he, and eventually his son, will be king.

Prince Caspian narrowly escapes being murdered by Miraz’ henchmen and is pursued through the forest where he runs into creatures he believed were long extinct. Two dwarves (played by Peter Dinklage and Warwick Davis) surprise the young prince and he, being in such a perilous situation, decides it’s time to blow the horn to summon the Kings and Queens of Narnia – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie.

Of the four Pevensie siblings, it’s William who’s had the hardest time adjusting to being just a plain, ordinary school student back in England. After fighting fantastical creatures and being crowned Kings and Queens of Narnia, going through the daily grind of school work is a major letdown. So when the horn sounds, it’s enthusiastically back to Narnia they go.



Walt Disney PicturesHowever, time in Narnia passes at a much quicker rate and 1,300 tumultuous years have gone by since their last visit. The world they return to is in shambles, with the Telmarines having destroyed the Narnians way of life. The Narnians are now living in fear, hiding their existence from the conquering Telmarine army.
Reluctantly accepting Prince Caspian as an ally, the Pevensie siblings - with the help of a 2-foot tall mouse, a badger with a lot of spunk, and Nikabrik the dwarf - lead the Narnians into war against Miraz’ Telmarine troops with the future of Narnia at stake.

'Burn After Reading 2008'

The Story

A custodian at the gym finds an unlabeled disc on the floor in the women's room. Chad pops it into a computer and is smart enough to know he's looking at sensitive documents. Linda thinks they can use the disc to make money (remember, she needs those operations). The disc, which Katie burned in order to have all the inside info on their financial positions so she'd know what to ask for in a divorce, contains Cox's work-in-progress memoir as well as financial information. Chad somehow connects the dots, and he and Linda call up Cox believing he'll fork over some cash to the Good Samaritans who found his missing disc.


But nothing goes as planned. Cox gets combative and Chad takes a hard shot to the nose. Linda decides crashing her car into Cox's and then heading to the Russian Embassy to sell off secrets is the way to go. And Harry…well Harry winds up on the same internet dating site as Linda and without knowing it he's sleeping with a woman who's blackmailing the husband of the other woman he's screwing around with. And the folks at the CIA have no idea what's going on, but they do know Cox is involved and somehow the Russians are in on things. And if you think the plot is clear as mud, you're right - that's the point of the entire film.

'The Bank Job 2008'

The Story

It’s 1971 and incredibly high cheek-boned model Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) is stopped at the airport and arrested for smuggling drugs. Terry Leather (Jason Statham) is having problems keeping his car dealership afloat. Martine solves both their problems by telling Terry about a bank that’s about to undergo a change in its security system, leaving a very small window of opportunity to break into the safe deposit vault and wipe out the vault’s contents. Terry, a bit down on his luck and with a wife and child to care for, decides to go for it.



Daniel Mays and Jason Statham in The Bank Job.
© LionsgatePutting together a small crew of his (minor) criminal buddies, they rent a business near the bank and tunnel their way through 40 feet of dirt, bricks, and other assorted material, into the vault. Once there, safe deposit boxes are plundered and their contents – items some of the box owners never wanted to see the light of day – are laid out to be divvied up by the crew. But let’s back up a minute… How exactly does Martine’s drug bust relate to setting Terry up with this job? And how is it possible Martine knows all about this particular bank – Lloyd’s Bank on Baker Street? And what’s with the secret meetings Martine’s having with a buttoned-down fellow who looks like he works for the government?
Terry’s sharper than he looks, but not savvy enough to put two and two together before finding himself knee deep in a boatload of trouble. Money and jewels aren’t the real treasures discovered in the bank’s safe deposit boxes. Perusing their loot, Terry and his crew find a batch of photos featuring a very well-known member of the Royal Family in an extremely compromising (and naked) situation. There’s also some x-rated footage featuring government officials having fun with whips, chains, and other S&M toys. The bank robbers quickly figure out what Martine was really after, and deduce they’ve been set up. But nasty photos and millions in cash aren’t the only things in their possession that’ll get them in trouble. No, there’s a certain member of the criminal underworld who kept his book of payoffs to dirty cops in his safe deposit box and he’s willing to kill to get that ledger back.