Opening March 27, 2009

Hey, glad I caught you before you went out to spend Friday night! We've got 3 major (and 1 minor/major) movies opening this weekend, March 27-Monsters vs. Aliens, The Haunting in Connecticut and 12 Rounds ( and Sunshine Cleaning). Read up on what I'm thinking of 'em and stay tuned for my top pick for the week!

Dreamworks, you never disappoint! Their latest, Monsters vs. Aliens, is by the same people who did the epic hits Kung Fu Panda and Shrek. This is targetted at kids, obviously, but that doesn't mean adults can't enjoy this animated gimmick as well. Aliens casts huge actors/actresses, as Dreamworks policy-Rainn Wilson, Seth Rogen, Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd (must really be raking in the cash this month, already having released the bromantic comedy I Love You, Man with Jason Segel last weekend), Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, Renée Zellweger and John Krasinski. PHEW, that was long! I'm looking forward to seeing the film I'm absolutely positive America will make #1 at the box office. But come on, no Steve Carell? You've got other NBC comics, why not him?

The Haunting in Connecticut. Based on the true story? Well...sort of. The plot tells of a family that moves into a Connecticut (Southington, to be exact) home and starts to experience some paranormal activity going on. As you all may know, my hometown is in Connecticut-Colchester, Connecticut. I'm stoked to check this out, although I hear most of it is fiction, not fully based on true events. Still, it happened, and so did this teen horror flick. And sure, we'll welcome it.

John Cena. Trying to follow in 'The Rock's" footsteps now, are we? Cena stars in the latest "pure action" film that studio Fox Atomic want fans of Speed and Die Hard 2 to get into, since the producer of Speed and director of Die Hard 2 took part in making this. It's basically about how Cena's wife is kidnapped and now he has to save her. -Yawn-. Been there, done that. His other flick The Marine didn't go over well (it only made $18.8 million nationwide during it's run in theaters) either. It looks pretty cool, but not very high on my "must-see" list. Can't be on a lot of other people's, either, as it's not opening in many movie theaters opening weekend. Guess we all can't be as successful as Dwayne Johnson. Sorry, Cena.

Sunshine Cleaning reminds me a of a Juno-Little Miss Sunshine cross. Funny, but touching. That's why I want to see Sunshine (that and the fact that it stars one of my favorite actors of all-time Alan Arkin). It's about a mom who wants to raise money for a tuition to send her son to private school, so she starts a biohazard/crime scene clean-up business with her sister (played by Emily Blunt, who also stars in the quiet Great Buck Howard, out in select theaters today). Probably one of those silent hits that doesn't make a lot of money and not nominated for an Oscar (too early, the Academy Award nominees usually crash onto silver screens towards the end of the year). Sunshine Cleaning opened at the Sundance Film Festival January 18th, opened in limited release March 13th, expanded a week later and is now being released wide today. Can't wait for this one!

I'm actually looking forward to seeing all of these great flicks. Sunshine Cleaning and Monsters vs. Aliens are my top 2 this weekend, but only one of them can be my #1 pick-and that movie is...Monsters vs. Aliens. The Dreamworks and Pixar films are always insanely awesome and hilarious. Plus we got Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen and 4 other NBC sitcom stars-and Stephen Colbert. Fan-TAS-tic!