Moviefone Copyright 2011, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Moviefone Good old fashioned elbow grease. Moviefone's New Release of the Week
"Chronicle"
What's It About? Teens gain superpowers and struggle between becoming heroes or villains.
See It Because: A "found footage" superhero movie sounds like a gimmick on top of a gimmick, one trying to capitalize on the success of "Paranormal Activity." But the young talent in front of -- and behind -- the camera imbue the format with real, dynamic youthful energy; be warned it's a short movie, clocking in at 84 minutes.
(Also Available on Amazon Instant Video)

Moviefone's Blu-ray Pick of the Week
"Being John Malkovich" (Criterion Collection)
What's It About? John Cusack stars as a sad-sack file clerk by day, amateur puppeteer by night, who finds a secret tunnel that places him in the mind of actor John Malkovich. He uses the strange phenomena to change his (and the actor's) life around.
See It Because: The film was one of the most creative comedies of the '90s, and this new edition boasts oodles of special features, like a comprehensive booklet, bonus short films and commentaries from the likes of Michel Gondry and John Hodgman.

New on DVD & Blu-ray
"Albert Nobbs"
What's It About? Glenn Close's passion project tells the story of a working-class woman in 19th century Dublin, who must disguise herself as a man in order to achieve any kind of success. Along the way, she gets caught up in a love triangle mired in complicated motivations.
See It or Skip It: The concept is interesting and Close and co-star Janet McTeer deserve the critical acclaim they received, but the execution just doesn't work. See it, if you're an Oscar junkie.
(Also Available on Redbox | Amazon Instant Video)

"The Devil Inside"
What's It About? A gimmicky "Exorcist"-style found footage movie that upset audiences with its abrupt gimmick ending that tells you to go to a website.
See It or Skip It: Skip it.
(Also Available on Redbox DVD & Blu-ray | Amazon Instant Video)
Watch an Exclusive Clip from "The Devil Inside"

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"The Grey"
What's It About? Liam Neeson fights wolves. Other stuff happens.
See It or Skip It: See it if you like to follow your movie with a big steak dinner.
(Also Available on Amazon Instant Video)
Watch an Exclusive Clip from "The Grey"

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"One for the Money"
What's It About? Katherine Heigl stars in another cold, mechanical "opposites attract" romance.
See It or Skip It: Skip it.
(Also Available on Redbox DVD & Blu-ray | Amazon Instant Video )

"Rampart"
What's It About? Woody Harrelson made a pretty good drama about a corrupt cop working in '90s L.A., but then he did a bad PR interview and turned the whole thing into a joke.
See It or Skip It: See it, if you don't use Reddit.
(Also Available on Redbox DVD & Blu-ray | Amazon Instant Video)

New to Blu-ray
"Before and After"

"Born Yesterday"

"Bringing Down the House"

"D.O.A."

"Father of the Bride" / "Father of the Bride II" 20th Anniversary Edition

"Gone Fishin'"

"Holy Man"

"Mr. Wrong"

"New York Stories"

"Novecento"

"The Odessa File"

"The Princess Diaries" / "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" 10th Anniversary Edition

"Road Trip"

"The Walking Tall" Trilogy

"White Squall"

New on Redbox
"Let the Bullets Fly"

"Men in Black"]]> Mon, 14 May 2012 16:16:14 EDT 1516019 With a title like that, I'm sure to get a lot of hate for even suggesting such a notion.

But here's the thing: I loved Tim Burton. He was my absolute favorite director until around 2001. The worlds he created held my attention in a deeper way than other filmmaker's. The oddball and macabre design, along with the melancholy atmosphere, were unlike anything I had seen in movies. It was as fantastical in imagination as any blockbuster, and it felt more ethereal and personal than the "Hollywood" spectacle of a Spielberg or Zemeckis film. He introduced me to ideas of retro kitsch, spooky fringe and proudly holding onto timeless obsessions of your youth.

Burton is one of those early influences in my life that made me become a passionate movie lover. I can catch "Beetlejuice" or "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" at any moment on TV and immediately get sucked back into them. Batman, Jack Skellington, Martians that explode at the sound of Slim Whitman -- I was (and still am) a head-over-heels fanboy for those cinematic adventures. But now I look at those movies and hold them in high regard in spite of Tim Burton.

Tim Burton is not the filmmaker he used to be. The haunting emotional resonance of an early project like "Edward Scissorhands" does not exist in something like 2010's "Alice in Wonderland," or the recently released "Dark Shadows." (And if you think it does, please feel free to explain.) Since 2001, he's been more content playing the Hollywood game: trying to sell the public on pre-packaged, risk-free commercial entertainment that looks pretty, has distinct colors, and usually features Johnny Depp exhibiting some kind of quirk for ninety-minutes. These projects are the cinematic equivalent of cotton candy: They're not meant to be "deep" or "profound," nor are they trying to use the artform of movie-making to uncover any new truths about the human condition. Their sole purpose is to get you to pay twelve dollars to laugh and be distracted from your life. It's as interchangeable and disposable as "Battleship" or those Geico commercials with the excited pig.

How did Tim Burton become such a money-chasing hack? How could someone who was so unique become so manufactured? There are only two potential answers. One: he's much more cynical than his public persona lets on. He's a businessman, who is perfectly content selling his brand to the young (and young at heart) outcasts of society with a few token themes of "loneliness," and then wrapping it all in a line of merchandise ready for the new season at Hot Topic. He doesn't care if it's an old drawing, a trading card set, a '70s soap opera or a comic book; if it's "goth," then he wants to sell it to you. If that's the case, then he doesn't deserve the adulation that his fanbase has given him. The only other option is this: he was never that good to begin with.

When he was a young and hungry director, Burton wasn't given free rein to do whatever he wanted. He had to compromise with producers, writers, actors and scores of other people involved with a movie. Making a film is a collaborative process; no one person is responsible for a film's perfection, even on the greatest movies of all time. But now that he's "Tim Burton" -- and delivered billions on box-office profits -- he's not going to be reined in. He's surrounded by producers who sign blank checks for him to do his "Tim Burton" thing, then he casts his best friend and his girlfriend in his movie. He's so ensconced in his little bubble that he'll never hear "that's a bad idea" or be pushed to find new ways to entertain. Looking at the last decade of his work, it's clear that if he's this one-note, then all the past glory he's received needs to be given to other people.

So let's stop pretending and call it like it is: Tim Burton is a really good art designer. And that's it. He's great at coming up with visual graphics that translate to impressive costumes, makeup, scenery and special effects. That's an impressive skill set, but it doesn't make him a good director. "Directing" a film comes with a lot of storytelling responsibilities that go beyond making everything look cool. Burton's been handed a rare opportunity to tell stories to a global audience, and all he does is make toy commercials. Why do I have to pretend like he's anything better than that?

For further proof, let's take a look back at each of Burton's projects

"Pee-wee's Big Adventure"
This character (and movie) belongs to Paul Reubens (not to mention co-writers Phil Hartman and Michael Varhol). While Burton helped translate the Pee-wee persona to the big screen, this was a passion project for the film's star.

"Beetlejuice"
Michael McDowell was the one who brought the script to Burton; later Larry Wilson and Warren Skaaren developed the story further. The movie also sports an impressive cast, from Alec Baldwin to Winona Ryder to Jeffrey Jones. And the titular character might be the perfect demonstration of Michael Keaton's manic comedic timing.

"Batman"
Again, Burton had nothing to do with the story -- the script is again credited to Sam Hamm and Skaaren (plus several uncredited rewrites). And once more Keaton was spotlighted in a leading role, this time a risky departure from his usual character type. Plus, it starred Jack freakin' Nicholson, who had so much presence and control over his character, he could basically dictate the shooting schedule around Lakers games.

"Edward Scissorhands"
Edward started as a drawing from Burton's teenage years, and the task of creating an actual story was handed off to Caroline Thompson, a novelist who proved to be very adept at translating fairy tales to the big screen (her later credits include "Black Beauty," "The Secret Garden" and a TV version of "Snow White.") A young Johnny Depp signed on to take his first big acting risk, and he was surrounded by Oscar-winning talent like Dianne West and Alan Arkin, plus the legendary Vincent Price.

"Batman Returns"
Burton was not interested in directing the film, but only signed on to get "Scissorhands" greenlit. Again, he had nothing to do with the script, and the extravagant production was filled with effects by wizards like Stan Winston.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas"
This is a contentious one in some fan circles because Burton didn't even direct and he regularly receives credit like he does. "Nightmare" started as a three-page poem from the '80s; the movie script was developed by Caroline Thompson again and the musical portions came from long-time creative partner Danny Elfman. The whole affair was directed under the eye of Henry Selick, one of the most successful stop-motion animators in history.

"Ed Wood"
The genesis of this idea came from screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who have gone on to pen biopics "The People vs. Larry Flynt" and "Man on the Moon." The project was originally going to be directed by "Heathers" director Michael Lehmann, but he had to drop out at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts. Burton took over and filmed the first draft, as is. The film was buoyed by performances from Depp, Bill Murray and an Oscar-winning turn from Martin Landau.

"Mars Attacks!"
The goal of this movie was to pay tribute to B-movies from decades past, and it accomplished it: "Mars" was the first commercial and critical disappointment of his career. But if it's not your aim to make a good movie, is it considered a failure?

"Sleepy Hollow"
The film started as a low-budget slasher from the writer of "Seven" and Kevin Yagher, a special effects artist looking to make his directorial debut. After Yagher lost the job due to creative differences, Burton signed on, having just removed himself from the infamous "Superman" debacle at Warner Bros.

"Planet of the Apes"
The poorly-reviewed and forgotten remake spent years in development hell before Burton signed on, amid criticism that he was a "hired gun" for 20th Century Fox.

"Big Fish"
Screenwriter John August adapted the unpublished novel "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions" and spent years working with Steven Spielberg, who was planning on directing. Burton signed on after Spielberg had to drop out. And don't forget August's words were delivered by critically acclaimed actors like Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor and Jessica Lange.

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
This second attempt at adapting Roald Dahl's book came from Dahl himself, who spent years trying to get a film version that was closer to his vision than the 1971 family classic. After many directors toyed with the idea of working on "Wonka," Burton signed on with August and Depp, adding their own new backstory to the candy-maker and receiving criticism for Depp's eccentric Michael Jackson-like performance.

"The Corpse Bride"
Burton shared co-directing credits with Mike Johnson, a stop-motion animator, and screenwriting credits again went to August and Caroline Thompson.

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Burton replaced Sam Mendes, who was working directly with Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim. The film adaptation was scripted by the multi-time Oscar-nominated John Logan, while Sondheim remained as a creative consultant overseeing the production.

"Alice in Wonderland"
Burton signed a deal with Disney to make two 3D films; with Disney writer Linda Woolverton on board, Burton tackled "Alice" because he never felt an "emotional connection" to Lewis Carroll's story. His re-worked tale, that involved effects-laden battle scenes, received some of the worst reviews of his career.

"Dark Shadows"
For his latest effort, Burton hired Seth Grahame-Smith to pen the adaptation of a cult 70s soap opera. Prior to his first screenplay work, Grahame-Smith was famous for writing a "Spider-Man" handbook, "The Big Book of Porn" and the literary mash-ups "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," which combine one thing that was already successful with another thing that was already successful.

]]> Sun, 13 May 2012 23:40:37 EDT 1513645 Moviefone's Blu-ray of the Week
"Gremlins 2: The New Batch"
What's It About? Billy Peltzer and Gizmo wind up in New York City, where a Donald Trump-like mogul tries to experiment on the Mogwai, inadvertently unleashing a whole new gang of even more advanced gremlins.
See It Because: One of the most underrated sequels of all time gets the hi-def Blu-ray treatment. Director Joe Dante turns the whole affair into a bizarre "Looney Tunes" parody of the first "Gremlins," and the end result is one of the most clever dark comedies of the past 25 years.

Watch a Deleted Scene from "Gremlins 2: The New Batch"





Moviefone's New Release of the Week
"Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie"
What's It About? Um... well... Tim and Eric are given a billion dollars to make a movie by Robert Loggia, but they waste it, so they have to go on the run. They find themselves staying at a bizarre rundown mall full of eccentric characters and a dangerous wolf that stands in the way of them repaying the money they owe.
See It Because: Um... well... the underground cult comedians and late-night TV stars are not for everybody (in fact they're probably not for most people). But we find their gross-out characters and surreal, absurd filmmaking style to be as hilarious as they intend. And since this is a terrible week for home releases, we'd rather go with the movie that's aiming to be intentionally stupid, instead of the movies that pretend to be anything other than cheap drivel.

New on DVD & Blu-ray
"Underworld: Awakening"
What's It About? The same thing as the first three "Underworld" movies: bad-ass chicks in leather, terrible CGI, even worse acting, vampires. You should be adequately satisfied by now; you don't need to spend money on this anymore.
See It or Skip It: Skip it.
(Also Available on Redbox DVD & Blu-ray | Amazon Instant Video)

"The Vow"
What's It About? The stars of "The Notebook" and "Dear John" do one of those kinds of movies. If you're already a fan of weepy dramas with the depth of a paperback romance novel, you could care less about a critic's review.
See It or Skip It: Skip it.
(Also Available on Redbox DVD & Blu-ray | Amazon Instant Video)

"The Front Line"
What's It About? South Korea's pulpy account of the 1953 ceasefire during their war with North Korea isn't the most revelatory new war movie, but director Jang Hun is growing into one of the most interesting young action directors in Asian cinema.
See It or Skip It: See it.

"Mother's Day"
What's It About? The guy who did "Saw II" through "IV" remakes the 1980 grungy schlock horror anti-classic about hillbilly serial killers who love their momma, without any of the weird cult aesthetic that made the original infamous.
See It or Skip It: Skip it.
(Also Available on Redbox )

New to Blu-ray
"The Barbarian and the Geisha"

"The Big Heat" (1953)

"The Big Trail" (1930)

"Dirty Dancing" Collection ("Dirty Dancing" / "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights")

"42nd Street Forever"

"La Haine" Criterion Collection

"The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968)


New on Amazon Instant Video
"The Grey" (For Purchase)

New on Redbox
"Joyful Noise" DVD & Blu-ray

"New Year's Eve" ]]> Mon, 7 May 2012 17:30:34 EDT 1498042 You don't go breaking all those box-office records only to bow out early.)

Unfortunately, it will likely be years before Earth's Mightiest Heroes assemble for another cinematic team-up. So, rather than go crazy with anticipation, why not partake in a healthy distraction, like in-depth movie geek conspiracy theories about the plot of "Avengers 2"?

It's easy to say "We want to see Spider-Man team-up with the Avengers, and then they can fight Loki and the Red Skull and the Abomination!" But that way leads to fanboy ruin. The Marvel Movieverse is heading down a clear path, and all you need to do is a little detective work to figure out their plans for the future.

Moviefone decided to put the clues together and predict the events of "The Avengers 2." We stand behind our educated guesses, so consider this the early scoop on new heroes, new villains and new hazily defined magic sci-fi MacGuffins!

SPOILER WARNING: Not surprisingly, to talk about "Avengers 2," we have to reveal the events of "The Avengers." If you haven't seen it, turn back now!

]]> Mon, 7 May 2012 15:17:57 EDT 1497592 don't have these things. They're the smaller movies, which aren't based on comic books or a '70s TV show or a board game.

While most independent films have limited release schedules, seeking out a local theater that's showcasing an interesting new indie is a great way to kick back and relax on a summer afternoon. This season, audiences have new offerings from Woody Allen and Wes Anderson, locales from Rome to New York City, and stories of love, death and time-travel.

Below, check out Moviefone's round up of indie films and documentaries we're most psyched for this season.

For the rest of Moviefone's 2012 Summer Preview, head here

PHOTOS:


]]> Fri, 4 May 2012 10:37:15 EDT 1477452 The theatrical release date of "The Aveng -- no you newb, today is all about "Star Wars" Day! Those Marvel superheroes may be the new kids on the block, but this day will forever belong to George Lucas and his sci-fi epic set a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

But how exactly does one celebrate "Star Wars" Day? Moviefone has put together a very special guide to help you get through this celebration of the Force. And since 2012 marks the 35th anniversary of the beginning of the Jedi Saga, we've decided to give you a Boss Nass-sized list, detailing 35 unique and hilarious ways to celebrate "Star Wars" Day.

May the fourth be with you!

1. Watch the Star Wars Kid for the 832nd time.

2. Read what happened to "Star Wars Kid," after his video went viral.

3. Track down a box of C-3PO's cereal:


4. Find E.T.'s cameo in "The Phantom Menace."

5. Admire the classic stylings of iconic movie poster artist Drew Struzan.

6. Close your eyes, randomly click on a "Featured article" on the Wookiepedia reference site. Memorize everything on that page.

7. Like Yoda for the entire day, you speak.

8. Be a hipster and go around saying: "Yeah, I liked 'Star Wars' better when it was 'The Hidden Fortress.' It's Japanese, you've probably never heard of it."

9. Get a temporary version of this tattoo. Or a real one if you're feeling hardcore.


10. Get your groove on with the Disco version of the "Star Wars" theme.

11. If you go out to eat and the restaurant doesn't have what you're craving, react accordingly.

12. Watch the opening credits for the "Ewoks" saturday morning cartoon. Shake your head in disgust.


13. Upstage your hipster friend and go around saying: "Yeah, I liked 'Star Wars' better when it was 'Flash Gordon.' It's vintage and a movie serial, you've probably never heard of it."

14. Show some respect for the man, Ralph McQuarrie.

15. Before passing through it, wave your hand across any automatically-opening door.

16. Pick a fight with a Klingon.

17. Remember that Jake Lloyd was eight-years-old when he filmed "The Phantom Menace" and cut him some slack.

18. Check out the "Tag & Bink" comic series, a hilarious adventure about the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of the "Star Wars" universe. Then make "Star Wars"-Shakespeare comparisons with reckless abandon!


19. Confirm to your non-"SW" fans that, yes, he really was named Porkins.

20. Add MC Chris's "Fette's Vette" to your playlist, for crying out loud!

21. Bid on this Han Solo Pog Slammer.

22. Stay up 'til 11, find out how to fight the frizzies.

23. Get out the needle and thread; try to recreate this amazing Death Star Cosplay from Jennifer Landa.


24. Steal the super-secretive Holocron continuity database from Lucas Licensing and hold it for ransom.

25. Spot all the Easter Eggs in this incredible picture from the mega-talented Ulises Farinas:

(Click to enlarge)

26. Turkish Star Wars? Turkish Star Wars!

27. Write fan-fiction about Timothy Zahn; get into vicious arguments about its validity.

28. Ponder if this performance by the Icy Hot Club is the coolest cover of the Cantina Band song:


29. Fly to France, have a "Star Wars"-themed burger.


30. Watch the bizarrely hilarious ninety minute Red Letter Media video review of "The Phantom Menace."

31. Take pride in the fact that you didn't need to look up that "frizzies" reference in suggestion #22.

32. Get an early start on your Life Day gift shopping.

33. If you're embarrassed by any photos from your past, just go and change them all, refusing to release the originals.

34. Mount a protest outside your local cineplex, attacking "The Avengers" for stealing the May 4 thunder.

35. Watch Triumph the Insult Comic Dog at the premiere for "Attack of the Clones." And laugh and laugh and laugh... ]]> Thu, 3 May 2012 15:29:11 EDT 1475376
This summer has got new offerings from the likes of Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks animation and features everything from heroic princesses to ghost-talking kids to battling dance squads. (And we can't forget about the nut-chasing Scrat the Squirrel.)

Below, check out Moviefone's round up of cartoons and family films we're most psyched for this season.

For the rest of Moviefone's 2012 Summer Preview, head here

PHOTOS:


]]> Wed, 2 May 2012 06:33:35 EDT 1470092 Moviefone's Pick of the Week
"Haywire"
What's It About? "Ocean's 11" director Steven Soderbergh takes a shot at the action-thriller genre, telling the story of a butt-kicking black ops soldier who is double-crossed on a mission and goes on a path of revenge.
See It Because: It's not anything revolutionary in terms of storytelling, but the masterful director has a lot of fun riffing on the action movie staple. What makes "Haywire" stand out is that he loads his cast with great actors like Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender and Michael Douglas. And best of all, the film's tough-as-nails lead is played by the legit MMA champion Gina Carano.

Watch a Clip from "Haywire"


(Also Available on Redbox DVD & Blu-ray | Amazon Instant Video )

New on DVD & Blu-ray
"George Harrison: Living in the Material World"
What's It About? Martin Scorsese's amazing and introspective documentary on the quiet Beatle may be the definitive account of the musician's life.
See It or Skip It: See it.

"New Year's Eve"
What's It About? Stars show up for a paycheck -- one corny, ham-fisted, schmatlzy, groan-inducing paycheck. Has all the depth of a Ryan Seacrest project.
See It or Skip It: Skip it.
(Also Available on Amazon Instant Video )

"Joyful Noise"
What's It About? Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah star as bickering choir directors. Over-the-top guilty pleasures like this are usually good-taste proof.
See It or Skip It: Skip it.
(Also Available on Amazon Instant Video )

"W.E."
What's It About? Madonna makes her directorial debut with this flowery vapid period romance between King Edward VIII and the American Wallis Simpson. Who would have thought that Madonna would do something shallow?
See It or Skip It: Skip it.
Also Available on Redbox | Amazon Instant Video )

New to Blu-ray
"About a Boy"

"Clueless"

"Definitely, Maybe"

"Jeremiah Johnson"

"Meet Joe Black"

"Men in Black II"

"Pillow Talk"

The Tim Burton Collection ("Beetlejuice" / "Batman" / "Mars Attacks!" / "Batman Returns" / "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" / "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" / "Corpse Bride")

New on Redbox
"The Innkeepers"

"Trust"

"We Bought a Zoo" DVD & Blu-ray ]]> Tue, 1 May 2012 12:14:18 EDT 1467904 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:46:28 EDT 1465728