Picking up a dropped ball

It has been far too long since I have helped you schedule your weekend cinematic experiences.

Ready Go.

Pride and Prejudice: Guys love to moan about how they will never watch this movie, and married men have learned better. I read the book just to give it a fair chance and never actually finished it. But Keira Knightley has proved herself time and time again - I recommended the movie Domino to you primarily because she stars in it (in a sad side note, Domino Harvey - the bounty hunter who's life story Keira portrays in that movie - died of an accidental overdose several months ago after being a longtime friend of the director and producer of her film). So Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice should be enough to attract any hardened male chauvenist. Not because she's hot. Because she's a fiery actress who doesn't flaunt her body but has no qualms about doing what's necessary for a film. She will make this a good picture for everyone even if they don't already like the story. Ladies, it's in your genetics to go see every incarnation of this story out there, so I don't have to tell you twice, but men don't make your women beg you this time, eh?

Zathura - Jumanji in space. What a waste of time. Doesn't even have Robin Williams. It's made by the same producer, so it's obvious that he had this idea when he ran out of other ideas. What a waste of time. I wish he could have made something more original. Great one to take kids to - those who are young enough to enjoy it are too young to have seen Jumanji when it was first popular...

Get Rich or Die Tryin' - Rappers turned actors are hit-and-miss as we all know, but they are not universally bad. And they tend to be good when portraying their own life stories. If you don't respect today's gangsta-rappers then this movie will either change your mind or solidify that belief because it will show you the truth of what they are all about. Think of it like 8 Mile - totally different plot but the same type of powerful ethos. Some of these guys actually have real motivation in their background for acting and singing the way they do. Yes rap is music. Of course it's bound to be full of sex violence and swearing, so don't take your kids or anyone else who doesn't need to see that kind of stuff.

Derailed - The trailer does an excellent job of making you think it's just another attempt by Hollywood to justify an extramarital affair on the basis of steamy romantic attraction (I mean come on it's Clive *sigh* Owen and Jennifer *my brother thinks she's hot but I don't know why* Aniston). And then it switches gears on you. I expect the film to do this same thing even more powerfully - Two "ordinary" people having an affair for the first time, fumbling their way through something they know is wrong but convince themselves is "worth every penny", suddenly find themselves paying for what they've done in a very real way as they are blackmailed by a violent intruder. There might be some moral value, there will almost certainly be some twists, but I think that either way this movie is going to keep you tightly in suspense for quite a long time.

More on the Jacob Fisher story tonight or tomorrow perhaps, but until then...

SEE YA!