Steadily for the last few years there's been an uptick in sci-fi films revolving around alien invasions, from The Host (2006) to Transformers (2007) to Cloverfield (2008) to District 9 (2009) to Skyline (2010). 2009 actually had the most alien films of the decade, racking up 13 mainstream additions to the subgenre: The Knowing,
Dragonball: Evolution,
Race to Witch Mountain,
Monsters vs. Aliens,
Star Trek,
Transformers 2,
Aliens in the Attic,
Shorts,
District 9,
The Box, The Fourth Kind,
Planet 51,
and Avatar. This year, the trend returns, toting more than a dozen films with aliens at the core and covering nearly every genre: action, comedy, drama, thriller, Western, comic book adaptation, and animation. Check out what sets each apart from the rest:
I Am Number Four Cast:Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant (Hitman and Live Free or Die Hard), Dianna Aragon ("Glee"), Teresa Palmer (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), Kevin Durand ("Lost" and Wolverine) Plot:John (Pettyfer) is an extraordinary teen, masking his true identity and passing as a typical high school student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed ... he is Number Four. Aliens: Human-like with superpowers. What Sets it Apart: Teenagers are the heroes AND the aliens. Release Date:February 18
Battle: Los Angeles Cast: Aaron Echkart (Dark Knight), Michelle Rodriguez (Avatar), Bridget Moynahan ("Blue Bloods" and I, Robot), Michael Pena (Crash), Noel Fisher ("The Riches"), Ramon Rodriguez (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Jim Parrick ("True Blood"), Lucas Till (Hannah Montana: The Movie), R&B singer Ne-Yo (Stomp the Yard), and many more. Plot: A Marine platoon faces off against an alien invasion in Los Angeles. Aliens: Robot-like on land and in spaceships. What Sets it Apart: It's the army's perspective of an alien invasion. It's like Black Hawk Down meets District 9. Release Date: March 11
Mars Needs Moms Cast: Seth Green ("Robot Chicken"), Joan Cusack, Dan Fogler (Kung Fu Panda) Plot: A young boy named Milo (Green) gains a deeper appreciation for his mom (Cusack) after Martians come to Earth to take her away. Aliens: Beady-eyed, immature, and childlike. What Sets it Apart: It's animated and the aliens don't want to take over the planet. They just want to steal one human to preserve their own. Release Date: March 11
Paul Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig ("SNL"), Jason Bateman, Sigourney Weaver, Jane Lynch ("Glee"), Bill Hader ("SNL"), Jeffrey Tambor ("Arrested Development"), David Koechner (Talladega Nights), Jesse Plemons ("Friday Night Lights") Plot: Two British comic geeks (Pegg and Frost) go on a road trip through America. On the way, they discover an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) at Area 51. Alien: It basically looks like a younger, less beleaguered E.T. What Sets it Apart: It answers the question as to what would happen if idiots, and not the military (or children), found an alien. Release Date: March 18
Attack the Block Cast: Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead), Jodie Whittaker (St. Trinian's and Good), Luke Treadaway (Clash of the Titans and Heartless) Plot: A teen gang in South London defending their block from an alien invasion. Alien: Unknown What Sets it Apart: It has an entirely British cast. Release Date: April 8
Apollo 18 Cast: Unknown Plot: "The story revolves around recently 'found footage' shot by the crew of an abandoned moon mission that NASA claims never took place in the early 1970s. The footage reveals the existence of alien life and explains why the agency has hidden the evidence for all of these years." Alien: Unknown What Sets it Apart: So far it's being sold solely on its mystery factor and not on a celebrity's name. Release Date: April 22
Thor Cast: Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek and A Perfect Getaway), Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Kat Dennings (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist), Idris Elba (The Losers and Takers), Stellan Skarsgard (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Mama Mia), Ray Stevenson (The Other Guys and The Book of Eli) Plot: The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor (Hemsworth) is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders. Alien: A super buff warrior carrying a giant hammer. What Sets it Apart: He hasn't come to take over Earth but to assimilate and eventually defend it. Release Date: May 6
Super 8 Cast: Elle Fanning (Somewhere), Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights"), Amanda Michalka (The Secretariat) Plot: It's under wraps, but basically something comes to Earth. Alien: Unknown What Sets it Apart:J.J. Abrams is directing and writing, and since he's a master of mysteries, he directed the Star Trek reboot, and produced Cloverfield, he knows how to tell a good alien story. Release Date: June 10
Green Lantern Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes), Blake Lively (The Town and "Gossip Girl") Plot: A test pilot (Reynolds) is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe. Alien: Green superheroes wearing green uniforms and rocking a green ring that gives them powers. What Sets it Apart: There's a lot of green going on. Kidding. It's based on a comic book and the aliens intend on saving Earth not conquering or destroying it, and they've tapped a human to help them do it. Release Date: June 17
Transformers: Dark of the Moon Returning Cast: Shia Labeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Ramon Rodriguez New Cast: Model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Patrick Dempsey, John Malcovich, Ken Jeong ("Community" and The Hangover), Frances McDormand Plot: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets, which could turn the tide in the Transformers' final battle. Alien: They're robots. What Sets it Apart: This war is alien vs. alien, not alien vs. human. Of course, if the good aliens lose, it will become alien vs. human. Release Date: July 1
Cowboys & Aliens Cast: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde (Tron: Legacy), Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood), Noah Ringer (The Last Airbender), Ana de la Reguera (Cop Out) Plot: A spaceship arrives in Arizona, 1873, to take over the Earth, starting with the Wild West region. A posse of cowboys are all that stand in their way. Alien: Unknown What Sets it Apart: It's a Western and the heroes are cowboys. Release Date: July 29
The Darkest Hour Cast: Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Olivia Thirlby (The Wackness), Max Minghella (Social Network), Rachael Taylor (Transformers) Plot: In Russia, a group of kids struggle to survive after an alien invasion. Alien: Unknown What Sets it Apart: It doesn't take place on American soil for once and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted), an innovator in sci-fi special effects, is producing. Release Date: Aug 5
The Thing Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), Ulrich Thomsen (Hitman), Joel Edgerton (King Arthur), Eric Christian Olsen ("Community" and Fired Up!) Plot: At an Antarctica research site, the discovery of an alien craft leads to a confrontation between graduate student Kate Lloyd (Winstead) and scientist Dr. Sander Halvorson (Thomsen). While Dr. Halvorson keeps to his research, Kate partners with Sam Carter (Edgerton), a helicopter pilot, to pursue the alien life form. Alien: It's a shapeshifter, so it generally looks human. What Sets it Apart: It's a prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 film of the same name, and this alien is dormant and unearthed as opposed to on the cusp of invading. Release Date: October 14
11-11-11 Cast: Unknown Plot: "After the tragic death of his wife and child, a famed American author tries to reunite with his estranged brother and dying father in Barcelona. His life soon becomes plagued with strange happenings, and the constant sightings of the number 11 a portent for an entity's arrival on our earthly plane through Heaven's 11th gate." Alien: An angel? What Sets it Apart: This seems a lot more supernatural/religious than extraterrestrial, but since they're being vague it's hard to tell. Release Date: 11/11/11
PLOT: A Marine platoon faces off against an alien invasion in Los Angeles.
CAST: Aaron Echkart (Dark Knight), Michelle Rodriguez (Avatar), Bridget Moynahan ("Blue Bloods" and I, Robot), Michael Pena (Crash), Noel Fisher ("The Riches"), Ramon Rodriguez (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Jim Parrick ("True Blood"), Ne-Yo (Stomp the Yard), and many more.
VERDICT: I can't wait to see this! Ever since District 9, I've been pumped for war-like alien movies, which is basically the point. This is District 9 from the perspective of the army, specifically the American army, instead of from the perspective of the aliens and one human sympathizer. It may have been done before but really aims to put you in the thick of it. To make you feel like you're apart of the war, like this could happen some day. It both shows you what war feels like and makes you grateful that it's never happened on our soil in our lifetime. And, unlike other alien invasion films like Independence Day or Transformers, there's no guarantee that this will end in our favor. Add in the fact that two of my favorite underrated actors Michelle Rodriguez and Noel Fisher are apart of the cast and I'm good to go.
Heather Morris from "Glee" and actresses Riki Lindhome and Ashley Lendzion wrote a rap song using the beat from "Nothing but a G Thang." They invited "Glee" cast members Matthew Morrison, Cory Monteith, Harry Shum Jr., and Naya Rivera, as well as Sofia Vergara from "Modern Family," to dance and act in the video. It gets pretty crazy right at the point where Morris starts rapping and dry humping her cast mates, and they adamantly declare "F*ck You Gossip Girl!" The only thing that could've made this better is an appearance from Gwyneth Paltrow and Ed Westwick's characters.
• Looks like Jaden Smith is about to have some competition. Tom Cruise's adopted son Connor will be apart of the ensemble cast of the upcoming Red Dawn remake. The film will follow "a group of teenagers [who] look to save their town from an invasion of Chinese and Russian soldiers."
• Gemma Arterton beat out Noomi Rapace (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterds), and Eva Green (Quantum of Solace) for the role of Gretel for the dark fairytale Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters.
• Rapper Eminem's next feature film venture will be the crime thriller Random Acts of Violence. He'll play an ex-con who is forced by the FBI to become a snitch on his former gang.
• I was sincerely disinterested in the sequel to The Clash of the Titans, dubbed Wrath of the Titans. The film was fun, but not worth rewatching. Then I heard the news that Edgar Ramirez (Domino, The Bourne Ultimatum, Vantage Point, and Che) was offered the role of the God of War and Toby Kebbell (RocknRolla and Prince of Persia) was offered the role of the Phoenician King of Tyre. Now THAT I'll sign up for. • The Monsters, Inc. sequel will be a prequel. It'll show them at The University of Fear, and they'll be frenemies at first. Adorable.
Here's a sneak peek of Alicia Keys' tribute to her new baby boy, Egypt Daoud Dean, which rapper Eve will be guest-rhyming on:
There's a myth that singers lose their voice and/or motivation after they have kids. That's why I was surprised to hear Alicia boldly croon, "I'm just speechless baby / the poet in me has gone away." While we can tell by the song alone that she has neither lost her voice nor her ability to write beautiful music, I love that she doesn't shy away from that myth and faces it head on—intentionally or otherwise.
MONDAY, JANUARY 3
8pm - "Pretty Little Liars" (ABC Family) Last Season: The girls were at Mona's glamp when Hannah discovered the true identity of A and got hit by a car before she could tell anyone. This Season: After Hannah was rushed to the hospital, she gets a creepy visit from A.
9pm - "Greek" (ABC Family) Last Season: The KTs tried to get back at the Omega Chis, and Casey and Cappie were reevaluating their relationship. This Season: Casey tries to figure out why she was rejected from CRU's law school, Calvin and Rebecca adjust to their new duties as presidents, and Rusty and Ashleigh begin to develop feelings for each other.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 7
10pm - "Merlin" (Syfy) Last Season: Merlin saved the kingdom from The Great Dragon and Morgana ran away. This Season: Morgana returns to Camelot and Merlin fears she'll reveal his secret. But something far more sinister is happening in the kingdom as the king becomes consumed by hallucinations and dark magic. Merlin must question whether Morgana is to blame.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 9
8:30pm - "Bob’s Burgers" (FOX) Plot: An animated family comedy about a family-owned burger joint. Verdict: Because it rounds out the night—two hours of animated family comedies.
9pm - "The Cape" (NBC) Plot: It's a one-hour drama about a cop (Lyons) who gets framed for a series of murders. He manages to escape and fake his death, leaving behind his wife and son. In order to reunite with his family and combat the criminal forces against him, he decides to become his son's favorite comic book superhero "The Cape" with the help of a circus ringleader (David) and an investigative blogger (Glau). Cast:David Lyons ("ER"), Jennifer Ferrin ("Life on Mars"), Ryan Wynott ("FlashForward"), James Frain ("True Blood" & "The Tudors"), Keith David (Death at a Funeral remake), Summer Glau ("Dollhouse" & "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"), Dorian Missick ("Six Degrees"), Vinnie Jones (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels) Verdict: I'll watch at least one episode because of Glau, but I feel far too mature for this.
10pm - "Shameless" (SHOWTIME) Plot: Frank Gallagher (Macy) is the proud single dad of six smart, spirited and independent kids, who without him would be... perhaps better off. The Gallaghers may not have much in the way of money or rules, but they know who they are — and they're absolutely, wildly, unapologetically shameless. Cast:William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum (Mystic River and The Day After Tomorrow), Cameron Monaghan (Click and "Malcolm & the Middle"), Justin Chatwin (Dragonball: Evolution), Steve Howey ("Reba"), Shanola Hampton (You Again and "Miami Medical"), Jeremy Allen White (Twelve), Ethan Cutkosky (The Unborn), Emma Kenney (Girl, Positive). Verdict: I like dysfunctional family dramedies, and I think there are enough characters in this one to produce at least a few storylines that'll keep me interested. Plus, I never got around to watching the British version that had James McAvoy for a season.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11
10pm - "Lights Out" (FX) Plot: An aging former heavyweight boxing champion struggles to find his identity and support his wife and three daughters after retiring from the ring. Financial problems leave him at a perilous crossroads – battling the urge to return to boxing or reluctantly accepting a job as a brutal and intimidating debt collector. Cast:Holt McCallany (The Losers), Catherine McCormack (Braveheart and 28 Weeks Later), Pablo Schreiber ("The Wire"), Stacy Keach ("Prison Break"). Verdict: It reminds me of "The Sopranos," but I just don't think I can get into a boxing series. But if both of those things interest you, you might like it.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12
10pm - "Off the Map" (ABC) Plot: In this ensemble drama, six doctors who have lost their way will go to the ends of the earth to try to remember the reasons why they wanted to become doctors in the first place. Cast:Martin Henderson (The Ring), Caroline Dhavernas ("Wonderfall" and Hollywoodland), Mamie Gummer ("The Good Wife" and Coach), Zach Gilford ("Friday Night Lights"), Jason George ("Grey's Anatomy" and "Eastwick"), Rachelle Lefevre (Twilight), Valerie Cruz ("True Blood" and "Dexter"), and newcomer Jonathan Castellanos. Verdict: Because it's not your run-of-the-mill medical series. Because I want to find out what they're all individually hiding. And, let's be honest, because the creator of "Grey's Anatomy," Shonda Rhimes, is producing.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 16
9pm - "Big Love" (HBO)
MONDAY, JANUARY 17
9pm - "Being Human" (Syfy) Plot: Three 20-something roommates—a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf—struggle to keep their dark secrets from the world, while navigating the complexities of living double lives. Cast:Sam Witwer (Doomsday on "Smallville"), Meaghan Rath ("The Assistants"), Sam Huntington (Fanboys and "Cavemen"). Verdict: Even though it's a "re-imaginging" of a BBC series that's already had two seasons, it's easier to start watching this from scratch instead of going out of my way to get a hold of the British episodes. I've seen several of them already, and if the American version follows the same plot line, then you'll get to see how each of them came to be what they are, their struggles with not giving into their supernatural urges, how it effects their love lives, and the secret of who killed the girl—it's a doozy.
10pm - "Harry’s Law" (NBC) Plot: It's about a group of misfit lawyers who decide to work for an unconventional firm run by an ex-patent lawyer who believes that fate brought them together. Cast:Kathy Bates, British actor Aml Ameen ("The Bill"), Nate Corddry ("The United States of Tara" and "Studio 60 and the Sunset Strip"), Brittany Snow (Hairspray and "American Dreams") Verdict: It's impressive that it's being produced by the creator of "The Practice" and "Ally McBeal," and Kathy Bates is starring, but it's just not my type of humor.
10pm - "Skins" (MTV) Plot: It's the American remake of the British series that followed several teenagers in their adventures of debauchery, using drugs, having sex, and partying hard as they try to navigate their way towards adulthood. Cast: James Newman, Rachel Thevenard, Daniel Flaherty, Ron Mustafaa, Sofia Black-D'Elia ("All My Children"), Camille Cresencia-Mills, Jesse Carere, Britne Oldford, Eleanor Zichy Verdict: I really, really, really loved the first two seasons of the British version, so I find it hard to believe that this will ever live up to it, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 18
10pm - "White Collar" (USA) Last Season: Mozzie gets shot during a botched con. This Season:Hilarie Burton will reprise her role and possibly make Neal's life a little more interesting.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19
10pm - "Hot in Cleveland" (TVLAND) Last Season: Elka gets arrested by Melanie's cop boyfriend for being an accessory to her late husband's grand larceny. This Season:Mary Tyler Moore will play a friend of Elka's, Melanie Griffith will have an argument with Victoria, Melissa starts to reevaluate her relationship, Joy will have to figure out how to stay in the U.S., Victoria will have to construct a get-rich-quick scheme after going broke, and the ladies will return to L.A. to tie up some loose ends.
10:30pm - "Retired at 35" (TVLAND) Plot: Successful young businessman David (McClain) decides to leave the rat race of NYC behind and move into his parents' (Segal and Walter) Florida retirement home to reconnect with them, re-evaluate his life and live the dream of retirement that so many are working toward. Cast:Jonathan McClain ("Scoundrels"), Jessica Walker ("Arrested Development"), George Segal ("Just Shoot Me!"). Verdict: I'm not really into geriatric humor, but it could have a few laughs.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20
8:30pm - "Perfect Couples" (NBC) Plot: The series explores three types of couples—the normal, the neurotic, and the passionately insane—and how each of them deal with their relationship issues differently. Cast: Kyle Bornheimer ("Worst Week"), Christine Woods ("FlashForward"), David Walton ("100 Questions"), Mary Elizabeth Ellis ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"), Hayes MacArthur (She's Out of My League), and Olivia Munn ("Attack of the Show") Verdict: Because of the guys and Munn, it has major potential to be funny...eventually. The preview episode that ran in December really wasn't that great, but the promos have been stellar, so you get the idea that it could get funnier.
9pm - "Royal Pains" (USA) Last Season: Everyone's relationships started steaming up, including Divya's developing romance with a patient, despite her pending nuptials. This Season: Hank will have to deal with his father's latest treachery, and Divya will have to choose between her new beau and her fiance.
9:30pm - "Parks and Recreation" (NBC) Last Season: The department was on the brink of being shut down. This Season: They're still at risk of getting shut down, but in the mean time, Will Forte will drop by to play a character that demands for Twilight to be inserted into the time capsule, Megan Mullally will return to disrupt Ron's budding relationship with Tom's ex-wife, and Ron and Leslie will go on a road trip together.
10pm - "Fairly Legal" (USA) Plot: Once a lawyer at her family's firm, Kate Reed's (Shahi) frustration with the legal system led her to a new career as a mediator. With the help of her assistant Leonardo (Vaughn), Kate must balance the stress from her "wicked" stepmother Lauren (Williams) and soon-to-be-ex-husband Justin (Trucco) with her unconventional life as a mediator. Cast:Sarah Shahi ("Life"), Michael Trucco ("Castle" and "Battlestar Galactica"), comedian Baron Vaughn, Virginia Williams (Revenge of the Bridesmaids) Verdict: I prefer my Shahi feisty, but I'm willing to see if she is just as appealing as a quirky and adorable girly-girl.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7
9pm - "The Chicago Code" (FOX) Plot: A cop series set in Chicago that revolves around the corruption that plagues the city. Cast:Jennifer Beals ("Lie to Me"), Jason Clarke ("Brotherhood"), Delroy Lindo (This Christmas), Matt Lauria ("Friday Night Lights" and "Lipstick Jungle"), Todd Williams ("In Plain Sight"), Devin Kelley ("Tease"), and Billy Lush ("Generation Kill"). Verdict: I'll probably watch one episode because 1) it's always refreshing to see a woman running things and uncovering a conspiracy, 2) I guess I'll need a replacement for "The Closer" soon, 3) Lauria is adorable and it's always fun to watch him be nervously awkward.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8
TBA - "Traffic Light" (FOX) Plot: It's about three guys and how they maneuver through their varying love lives. Cast: Kris Marshall (British version of Death at a Funeral), Nelson Franklin (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), David Denman ("Drop Dead Diva" and "The Office"), Alexandra Breckenridge ("Life Unexpected"), Liza Lapira ("Dollhouse" and "Dexter") Verdict: Because it's always fun to watch guys try to figure out women. It's like watching monkeys do calculus.
11pm - "My Life as Liz" (MTV) Last Season: Liz was on her way to New York after finally kissing Bryson. This Season: She'll realize New York isn't as easy to fit into as she thought it would be, her relationship with Bryson is on the rocks, and she meets a new guy in New York who might change her life for the better.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9
TBA - "Mr. Sunshine" (ABC) Plot: Ben Donovan (Perry) is a self-involved manager of a second-rate San Diego sports arena who begins to re-evaluate his life on his 40th birthday. Cast: Matthew Perry ("Friends"), Allison Janney ("The West Wing"), Andrea Anders ("Better Off Ted" and "Joey"), James Lesure ("Las Vegas"), Nate Torrence (She's Out of My League and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") and Portia Doubleday (Youth in Revolt). Verdict: It's been a long time since I've laughed that long at a trailer. Bring it Matthew. Bring it hard. Break that "Friends" curse...actually Courtney Cox already did, but do it for the boys!
10pm - "Justified" (FX) Last Season: Raylan and Boyd teamed up to take down their fathers. This Season: Word is "the pendulum will swing in a completely different direction for Boyd, and religion may receive his ire. He may become an agnostic vigilante, [but] I won't say against who."
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28
9pm - "The Event" (NBC) Last Season: Leila and Sean discover that her dad's one of the aliens and the experiments are on alien children. Meanwhile, Thomas used a rocket to set up a satellite to send a message home. This Season:Virginia Madsen ("Scoundrels") will join the series to play an attorney who must take her husband's position as Alaskan senator after he dies. Meanwhile, Thomas and the aliens await a rescue team.
TUESDAY, MARCH 29
10pm - "Body of Proof" (ABC) Plot: The world of Dr. Megan Hunt (Delany), a brilliant neurosurgeon, is turned upside down when a devastating car accident puts an end to her time in the operating room. Megan resumes her career as a medical examiner determined to solve the puzzle of who or what killed the victims, and graying the lines of where her job ends and where the police department’s begins. She'll also have to rebuild her family, which once took a backseat to her ambition. Cast:Dana Delany ("Desperate Housewives"), Jeri Ryan ("Leverage" and "Shark"), Geoffrey Arend (Devil and 500 Days of Summer), John Carroll Lynch (Shutter Island), Windell Middlebrooks ("The Suite Life on Deck"), Nicholas Bishop ("Past Life") and Sonja Sohn ("Brothers & Sisters" and "The Wire"). Verdict: I'm not really a fan of Delany. She kind of bores me. But I'm rooting for Arend.
TBA [date & time] - "The Killing" (AMC) Plot: It's a drama based on the wildly successful Danish television series "Forbrydelsen," and it tells the story of the murder of a young girl in Seattle and the subsequent police investigation. Cast: Mireille Enos ("Big Love"), Billy Campbell ("4400" and Enough), Michelle Forbes ("True Blood"), Joel Kinnaman (Snabba Cash), and Brent Sexton ("Life" and "Justified"). Verdict: It looks a little too slow for my taste.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
TBA - "Breaking In" (FOX) Plot: A high-tech security firm that takes extreme, and often questionable, measures to sell their protection services. Cast:Christian Slater, Bret Harrison ("Reaper"), Odette Yustman (You Again and The Unborn), Alphonso McAuley (Fat Albert), Trevor Moore (Miss March) Verdict: Well, you could say, third time's a charm for Slater, but to be honest Bret will be the reason I watch. He's always been funny in every comedy he's starred in and I'm confident he'll bring the funny again.
TUESDAY, APRIL 12
TBA - "Happy Endings" (ABC) Plot: Forget who gets to keep the ring—when a couple splits, the real question is, who gets to keep the friends? In this modern comedy, a couple's break-up will complicate all of their friends' lives and make everyone question their choices. Cast:Elisha Cuthbert ("24"), Eliza Coupe ("Scrubs"), Zachary Knighton ("FlashForward"), Adam Pally (Assassination of a High School President), Damon Wayans, Jr. (The Other Guys and Dance Flick), and Casey Wilson (Killers and "SNL"). Verdict: At first I was like, this looks funny enough, then Damon started cracking on Wilson, and Coupe topped it all off with the "It's like if Paul Rudd gave up" description and I was sold. Plus, I'm glad Coupe and Wilson are getting work.
TBA - "Game of Thrones" (HBO) Plot: Kings, queens, knights and renegades use schemes and swords to battle for the throne. Cast: Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings), Nikolaj Coster Waldau ("New Amsterdam"), Lena Headey ("Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles"), Emilia Clarke, Mark Addy ("Still Standing"), Peter Dinklage (Death at a Funeral and Penelope), Jason Momoa ("Stargate: Atlantis") Verdict: A little too much carnage for me.
Here are my favorite films of the year and why I'll be re-watching them all year long (spoilers):
PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS
Shutter Island
One of man's worst enemies is his himself. To lose faith in one's worth, to second-guess one's self, to question one's sanity can lead to ruin. In this film, Leonardo DiCaprio's character was faced with this burden, hellbent on finding a missing mental patient and feeling driven to insanity in the process. Martin Scorsese did a predictably well-detailed job of making you doubt everything you saw and everything you were told. It was a tragedy wrapped in a mystery. And the end result, the final twist, poses a question you'll find difficulty answering: Would it be worse to live as a monster or to die a good man?
Inception
This film is a bit of a mindfuck. It'll have you wondering if the life you're living is real or just a fabrication of your subconscious. I know, I know. If you were really dreaming, you'd be filthy rich. But somehow, some way, you'll finish watching it and become truly uncertain. You'll also realize that Christopher Nolan is an artist. James Cameron may have brought back 3D, but Nolan actually created a place that appeared 3D. Landscapes were folded inward, folded out, turned vertically, and sent into a spiral. It was like an origami planet. The set, the cinematography, and the intricacy of how the inception process works will have you marveling for days.
ACTION DRAMAS
The Karate Kid
I liked this movie so much I saw it twice. Jaden Smith has his father's work ethic. It shows in his performance and in the fight scenes that he worked extremely hard to add authenticity to this film. I really can't believe he trained for so long. I was also impressed with Jackie Chan's dramatic acting skills. He's usually the clown of all of his action movies and in this one you get to see a more muted performance, sort of a sad clown.
The Town
I might actually like Ben Affleck more as a director and a screenwriter than I do as an actor. The trailer for this film presents it as your average heist flick: blue collar bank robbers pull off one last big job. But the final job is so unique and Boston-specific that my jaw actually dropped when they revealed the place they were going to rob. It makes perfect sense. It's the perfect target. I have no clue why no one has thought of robbing Shea stadium before. The planned getaway was also inspired. The character played to his strengths and to his ability to blend in, driving out of the city as a bus driver. It was one of the best getaways since Ocean's Eleven. Affleck also did a great job in choosing his costars. Jeremy Renner was far too convincing as a lowlife murderer and Jon Hamm toned down his sexiness from a 10 to a 2 to play an easy-to-fool and easy-to-piss-off FBI agent. As for Affleck's character, he was so good at planning heists that I'd definitely watch another caper with him at the helm.
Salt
It was really interesting watching Angelina Jolie play a seemingly defenseless woman who was desperate and afraid. But it was even cooler when she came to her senses and realized what she had to do. While I did enjoy her revenge montage, my favorite part was actually when she MacGuyvered the murder of her so-called compatriot—jumped off a balcony and choked him out with her handcuffs. It's rare to see a woman commit such a vicious act without playing a crazy person. It just made Angie seem even cooler, especially since she got away with it.
ACTION COMEDIES
Kick-Ass
Hit-Girl really steals the movie. I mean, it's not often that you see a 12-year-old be so badass. The action scenes, the snarky, snippy, foul-mouthed dialogue, and the choreographed fight scenes were just awesome!
Knight and Day
This movie was a lot of fun. Cameron Diaz did a great job of playing the damsel in distress and Tom Cruise's constant attempts to calm her were extremely comical. Every action scene, from the car chase to the kitchen train fight to the warehouse shoot-out was both suspenseful and funny. The love story didn't have a lot of time to play out, but I like that it came full circle. First he saved her, then she saved him.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
This was an incredibly creative film. I loved the pop-ups and just the entire comic book aesthetic. It was like reading a comic book on an iPad, everything in 3D. The villains were kind of annoying and kitschy, but Michael Cera pulled off playing a superhero and Kieran Culkin provided just the right amount of snark and cynicism to tone down the dork factor.
The A-Team
Of the two ensemble action films that premiered this Spring, I thought I'd prefer The Losers, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover myself thoroughly amused by Sharlto Copley's Murdock and in awe of Liam Neeson's Hannibal. Not to mention, the aerodynamically impossible helicopter scene in the beginning was one of the coolest aerial stunts sincethe upside down flip-off in Top Gun.
Date Night This is most likely the only instance in which you'll ever see Steve Carell and Tina Fey as both action stars and romantic leads. With Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Mila Kunis, and rapper Common filling out the supporting cast, there are plenty of laughs in every scene. The plot may be preposterous, but it's fun to see Carell and Fey put into certain situations, from muggings to forced strip teases.
ROMANTIC COMEDIES
Letters to Juliet
I'm a sucker for a film where the leads don't like each other initially. The hopeless romantic that Amanda Seyfried plays and the pompous, over-protective grandson that Christopher Egan plays butt heads at first, but once they start to get to know each other their chemistry is undeniable.
Leap Year
Here's another relationship that starts off as love-hate. The prim and proper Amy Adams clashes with the gruff Irishman Matthew Goode as she pays him to escort her to Dublin. You get to see the beautiful country and watch two polar opposites realize that they have more in common than they care to admit.
The Tourist
I loved the romantic story that was at the core of this film. I thought that Angelina Jolie's character was a fool for doing everything her paramour asked of her, but then when I realized it was all a test so she could prove her love for him, I was exponentially impressed.
Going the Distance
I liked this movie for spanning the time of a real relationship. So many rom-coms have love stories that happen over too short of a time. This one deals with a realistic problem that faces many couples today, and it doesn't pussyfoot around the consequences of a long distance relationship. It refreshingly spares us of the pristine and perfect leading lady and shows us a girl who swears and makes dirty jokes and doesn't always look put together. It also addresses our currently influx generation of 20somethings who are stuck in romantic and professional limbo, afraid of taking a chance on anything and fearful of repeating their parents' mistakes.
Burlesque
I think the next phase of Christina Aguilera's career should be on Broadway. She was such a natural on that burlesque stage. Her voice was made for those smoky, sultry, seductive performances. And she was surprisingly not a bad actress, considering it was her first time. Granted, it's not the best dialogue or the best coming-to-Hollywood tale, but it avoided all the cliche climaxes, told a practical love story, and showed some of the best performances in musical history. It makes Chicago look and sound like a high school play.
Valentine's Day
I love ensemble films, because there's always one couple/storyline that interests you. For this one, my favorite was the surprise gay couple in the end. They had you thinking that Bradley Cooper was trying to romance Julia Roberts, and then you discover he's in love with Eric Dane.
ANIMATED/FAMILY FILMS
How to Train Your Dragon
I love dragons, but I didn't like the way they designed this one. It kind of looked like a lizard. But I soon forgot all about that minor detail once I got into the story of how a young scrawny Viking befriends his clan's sworn enemy. The mythology behind the dragons, the bond formed between boy and dragon, and the battles were cool enough even for an adult to enjoy.
Alice in Wonderland
I just think Tim Burton did an amazing job of re-imagining this world, and the set designers and wardrobe should be awarded for the attention to detail.
