The Reject Report

Weekend Warrior: Seriously, what’s Next?

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on April 27, 2007

Welcome to edition #2 of the Weekend Warrior. Every week I am dedicated to delivering the need-to-know info around what is coming out, what you should be going to see and what you should pass on by. This week seems to be one of those “looking forward to next week…” weekends with a few lame duck releases whose studios want to make a quick buck before Spider-Man swoops in for the kill next week. Don’t expect to be wowed this week, rather expect disappointment — unless of course you are going to catch up on some films from last week.

But enough of that babble, here is your line-up for April 27, 2007:

The Condemned
[R, 113 minutes, View Trailer]
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Vinnie Jones square off as two of ten contestants in the world’s sickest reality show concept since American Idol. Ten convicts are put on an island and forced to fight to the death in order to earn their freedom. This one is everything that you would expect it to be, exhausting ever action movie cliche known to man with a ton of terrible dialog mixed in for show. If you can handle a two hour long UFC fight with gaping plot holes all around, then this one is right up your alley. If not, don’t say I didn’t warn you. (Full Review)

Risk Factor: High Risk. Don’t go see this unless you have “WWE” tattooed somewhere on your body.

Next
[PG-13, 96 minutes, View Trailer]
Nicholas Cage plays a guy who can see into the future, which is a small step up from a guy whose head bursts into flames. But unlike Ghost Rider, this one is not destined for box office bliss, despite the fact that it has a much hotter leading lady. No offense for Eva Mendes, but Jessica Biel is up there on the list of “celebrities worth stalking.” Biel plays Cage’s girlfriend and Julianne Moore plays an FBI agent who would like him to help stop a terrorist attack with his special “talent.” From the initial words from the critics out in the land, everything goes alright until the ending, so watch out!

Risk Factor: Medium Risk. All’s well that ends well and this one doesn’t end well.

The Invisible
[PG-13, 97 minutes, View Trailer]
It is never a good sign when they don’t screen a film for critics, as they didn’t do with this particular release. The Invisible is a supernatural thriller about a boy who is murdered and then must live in that all too common plane of existence between life and death. In order to be able to live again he must solve the mystery of his own death. It is Sherlock Holmes meets Ghost, only I doubt it has a sex scene with Demi Moore.

Risk Factor: High Risk. Even the trailer can’t get me interested. That is a bad sign.

Year of the Dog
[PG-13, 97 minutes, View Trailer]
Molly Shannon plays a woman who loves her dog, then it dies. She then realizes that she is a thirty-something woman whose only companion was a dog and she seeks out a new man in her life. While ultimately I’m sure she realizes she was better off with the dog, she does meet John C. Reilly and a very nerdy Peter Sarsgaard along the way. From the sound of it, this one wasn’t half bad and may turn out to be one of the better quirky Indie comedies of the year.

Risk Factor: Low Risk. If it is playing near you, it may be worth a shot in the dark.

Financial Outlook
Disturbia hung around at the top last weekend, but it has to drop off at some point. Nicholas Cage should be the one to do it with Next, as people will unfortunately be drawn to the star power. When it is all said and done, the Top 10 should look something like this on Monday: