For me, nothing is gonna top Hellboy II this weekend, but the competition looks pretty weak anyway.
A whole bunch of limited release stuff that might have some sort of interest on another weekend. Spencer Breslin as a balding teenager, with a supporting role from Cuba Gooding Jr., yeah, he's still alive. Looking at Cuba's latest string of crap though, it might be wise to steer clear. Who even watched Daddy Day Camp? So Harold looks like a no.
Death Defying Acts is The Illusionist a couple years too late, so that's a no as well.
Ellen Burstyn is on a venture of memories and self-discovery in The Stone Angel. Not sure if i'm feeling writer director Kari Skogland's prior resume with a weak Crow tv show and something called Children of the Corn 666. But working with Burstyn and an upcoming project with Ben Kingsley means she might be better than her history would imply. Sounds like a wait for dvd.
The we move on to the wide release stuff.
Does anyone remember when Eddie Murphy made good comedies? No? Me neither. With the exception of the Shrek movies, i think we have to go all the way back to 1999 for the passable Bowfinger and 1998 for his first Nutty Professor which was better than i thought it should have been. The latest debacle with multiple Eddies is Dave. If Hollywood hasn't learned that multiple Eddies in a film hasn't worked in a decade, then maybe this one will teach them. Yeah, it was awesome in Coming To America. It was still amusing in 1998's Professor. That was the point where the concept should have died. Maybe his paychecks are bigger for the more roles he plays? Ah, who cares.
Brendan Fraser as been busy. Mummy 3 (or 4 if you count Scorpion King) is on its way. But before that we're getting Journey to the Center of the Earth. In all three dimensions. That might just be too much excitement. Maybe they could give us the full 4D experience and jab you in the back and spray water at us too. My prediction here is too much flash, not enough substance. A classic Jules Verne book given the family friendly treatment by Hollywood? Maybe if i had kids, which i don't, so no thanks.
-John Berry, Online Editor--