Opening This Week: February 1st, 2008

By Christopher Bonet

IFC News

[Photo: "Shrooms," Magnolia Pictures, 2008]

A round-up of the best (or worst) $10 you'll spend this week.

"Caramel"

Actress Nadine Labaki's first feature film sounds like an Lebanese version of "Beauty Shop" mixed with a contemporary "Chocolat." This Beirut-set romantic comedy tells the trials and tribulations of the personal lives of five women who meet regularly in a beauty salon run by the hardworking Layale (Labaki). Not only was Labaki's debut film well-received during its run on the festival circuit, it also served as Lebanon's official entry for the 2008 Academy Awards. Not bad for a first time director.

Opens in limited release (official site).

"The Eye"

Based on the 2002 Hong Kong film of the same name from horror maestros the Pang brothers, this remake is notable for being one of the first films left up in the air after the Tom Cruise/Sumner Redstone split at Paramount Pictures in late 2006. Lionsgate picked up the project and traded in original star Renée Zellweger and director Hideo Nakata for Jessica Alba and co-directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud. The film tells the story of a young woman (Alba) who begins seeing supernatural beings (we call them ghosts) after an eye transplant. In the wake of a rough 2007 that had her starring in two of the year's worst movies ("Good Luck Chuck" and "Awake"… ewww), Alba starts the new year strong with her first lead role since 2003's "Honey," even if it is in a genre we stopped caring about four years ago. Indie darling alert: Parker Posey in credited supporting role!

Opens wide (official site).

"Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour"

Unable to afford those $1000+ tickets for your tween son/daughter? Might as well take them to your closest Cineplex, as Disney is offering a limited edition 3-D concert film of the 2007 Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus tour. Just to be sure, this is the one where those high school kids break out into song, right? No? Man, we're old.

Opens wide (official site).

"Over Her Dead Body"

The spirit of a deceased bride-to-be (Eva Longoria Parker) attempts to sabotage her former boyfriend's (Paul Rudd) current relationship with a psychic (Lake Bell) from beyond the grave, making her the bitchiest ghost we've seen in quite some time. The film comes courtesy of "John Tucker Must Die" screenwriter Jeff Lowell, who makes a directorial debut that looks to be lacking the romanticism of "Ghost" and the comedy of … well, anything else. We're calling it right now: "Over Her Dead Body" is 2008's "Because I Said So."

Opens wide (official site).

"Praying with Lior"

Ilana Trachtman's directorial debut finds the documentarian investigating the case of Lior Liebling, a young boy with Down syndrome who many around him believe to be close to God. The film explores Lior's relationship with his family, his community and his faith as the boy prepares for his bar mitzvah.

Opens in limited release (official site).

"Shrooms"

Harvesting nearly every cliché in the horror film handbook, director Paddy Breathnach (2001's "Blow Dry") goes the low-budget horror route in this film about five American travelers on a quest for psychedelic mushrooms in the Irish backwoods who are stalked by a serial killer. The film premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival.

Opens in limited release (official site).

"The Silence Before Bach"

Pere Portabella, the 78-year-old Spanish surrealist, delivers another experimental film blending drama and documentary, as well as past and present, with this take on the work of composer Johann Sebastian Bach. The film will be playing at the Film Forum in New York City through February 12th.

Opens in New York (official site).

"Strange Wilderness"

The latest from Adam Sander's Happy Madison Productions finds actor-turned-director Fred Wolf helming this nature comedy that Sandler probably would've starred in himself a decade ago. With the ratings of their wildlife TV show in the toilet, two animal enthusiasts (Steve Zahn and Allen Covert) head to the Andes mountains in pursuit of Bigfoot. Leading an ensemble cast of comedic supporting actors (Justin Long, Jonah Hill, Ernest Borgnine!?), Wolf's debut feature may be the perfect distraction for the cinemagoers sick of serious Oscar fare and heavy drama. Or it could be crap. Who can tell?

Opens wide (official site).

By Christopher Bonet in news | Link | Recommended (0)