Heads up on upcoming November releases

By Joe Weindl
Special to the Saipan Tribune

October was not a particularly good month for movie buffs on Saipan. The forecast for the next couple months is looking much brighter, I’m glad to say. Over the last couple years, the pattern I’m noticing at Hollywood Theater is that the only time we miss out on major releases is during a slow month. October is traditionally one of the slowest months of the year as far as box office receipts are concerned, and Saipan is a small market, so I’m not terribly surprised that we missed out on more than four major movies. Things should be picking up in November, so my best guess is that we’ll be able to see most of the big ones.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?

If we cross our fingers, we may still be able to see those movies we wanted to catch last month, since they do sometimes come late to Hollywood Theater. Team America, the political satire from the masterminds behind South Park, has been widely praised, especially by fans of Kenny, Stan, Cartman and Kyle. ESPN has been touting Friday Night Lights, starring Billy Bob Thornton, as one of the greatest sports movies of all time. Shaun of the Dead probably won’t make it here, because it’s a foreign film, with limited distribution, but we should consider ourselves lucky if it does. Multiple reliable sources have told me that the spoof of zombie movies is drop-dead hilarious (pun intended). And finally, Ray, the biopic of music legend Ray Charles, has been getting critical acclaim, and countless mentions of star Jamie Foxx for Oscar consideration.

OSCAR HEAVIES

There are two busy seasons for Hollywood. In the summertime, they roll out the teen-pleasing blockbusters to rake in the cash. If a producer wants their movie to receive Oscar consideration, they traditionally slate it for a holiday release. Because of the fact that so many Oscar-worthy movies are low-budget small releases, we shouldn’t expect to see them here, but we’ll probably get a few.

Before winning two Oscars (Cold Mountain, Chicago), Renee Zellweger received her first nomination for her role in Bridget Jones’ Diary, the critically acclaimed movie, based on the book of the same name. Bridget Jones’ Diary, the book, has a popular sequel, so of course, a sequel for the movie is guaranteed cash in the bank for Universal. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, costars Hugh Grant, and opens Nov. 19.

In what appears to be the latest attempt to remake Gladiator, Oliver Stone directs Alexander, the epic story of the Roman conqueror Alexander the Great, with an all-star cast headed by Colin Farrell, and including Angelina Jolie, Rosario Dawson, Val Kilmer, and Anthony Hopkins. Alexander opens Nov. 24th.

HOLIDAY MOVIES

Is there any better way to celebrate the birth of Christ than to fork over ridiculous amounts of money to Hollywood producers who already are filthy rich? I can’t think of any. Christmas with the Kranks, starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, looks like good old slapstick fun, and opens Nov. 24th.

Warner Bros. is expecting big things from Polar Express, the animated movie based on the popular children’s book. Tom Hanks has fared quite well when he’s teamed with director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Cast Away). Polar Express is being released on Nov. 10, a Wednesday, two weeks before Thanksgiving. Movies only get that kind of treatment when they’ve got something special to offer. Polar Express could be HUGE.

CROWD PLEASERS

Disney’s Pixar has consistently made very good animated movies, from their feature film debut, Toy Story, to their latest blockbuster, Finding Nemo. Expect more of the same, with The Incredibles, starring Craig T. Nelson and featuring Samuel Jackson, scheduled for release on Nov. 5th. The Incredibles tells the story of a retired superhero family called to action one last time.

In National Treasure, Nicolas Cage looks to conjure the spirit of Indiana Jones, while trying to protect an invaluable treasure from looters. The map to the treasure, apparently, is on the back of the Declaration of Independence, so in order to protect the treasure, he must steal the Declaration of Independence. Yes, THE Declaration of Independence. Sounds like a really intelligent script. Might be fun, nonetheless. National Treasure opens Nov. 19th.

DVDS TO LOOK OUT FOR

Shrek 2 (Nov. 2): This year’s biggest box office success should do equally well on the small screen. Though not as good as the original, Shrek 2 is still a fun movie. Elf (Nov. 16): Fans of Will Farrell MUST see this movie. Everyone else might want to skip it. Chronicles of Riddick (Nov. 16): This one’s pretty much just for the fans of the sci-fi genre; I doubt anyone else would like it. Before watching Chronicles of Riddick, make sure to first watch it’s far superior predecessor, Pitch Black. Harry Potter 3 and Harry Potter box set (Nov. 23); Spiderman 2 (Nov. 30): Just in time for your Christmas shopping (The Harry Potter series isn’t even complete yet, but already they have a box set? Try telling me that’s not a blatant attempt to get you to empty your pockets). The Terminal (Nov. 23): Boring to some people (Attention Deficit Disorder), adored by others (yours truly included). Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg can do no wrong, if you ask me. Hero (Nov. 30): It may be propaganda, but this kung-fu movie is sure pretty to look at.