Maximum Impact: February 2007 Movie Planner

February 2007

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Maximum Impact: February 2007 Movie Planner
by Max Braden
Published: February 21, 2007

February - The climax of movie award season. The Writers Guild, Grammys, and American Society of Cinematographers give out their awards, but the focus of course is on the Oscars, televised on February 25. on Feb. 18. "Dreamgirls" leads in the number of nominations with 8, but three of these are for Best Song and it wasn't nominated for Best Picture or Director. Still, Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy are early favorites in their acting categories. "Babel" follows with 7 nominations, including Picture, Director, Writing, and two Supporting Actresses. "Pan's Labyrinth" and "The Queen"" each have 6 nominations and are likely winner's for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actress (Mirren) respectively. "Blood Diamond" and "The Departed" follow with 5 nominations each, with "The Departed" leading in the Director (Scorsese) and Picture categories. Also nominated for Best Picture are "Letters From Iwo Jima" and "Little Miss Sunshine". Forest Whitaker is the favorite in Best Actor for his role as "The Last King of Scotland". See my updated Nominees chart for a list of the 2006 movies that have been nominated or won awards.

"The Departed" and "Babel" are both released on DVD this month, but so is "Stranger Than Fiction", my favorite movie of the year. Also strong on DVD are "Half Nelson" featuring Ryan Gosling's Oscar-nominated role, and "The Prestige" with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. Best choices in theaters are "Breach", with Chris Cooper starring as FBI traitor Robert Hanssen. Ryan Phillippe plays the agent who caught him, with help from Laura Linney. And this year's high profile Valentine's Day release is "Music and Lyrics" with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore falling for each other (in a matter of days) while writing a pop hit song. For straight up comedy, look for "Reno 911!: Miami", a film version of the tv show about bumbling cops. Family viewers get the fantasy "The Bridge to Terabithia" in theaters and "Flushed Away" on DVD. Action movies offer the most dismal selections this month, but if you're interested in seeing what everyone else is seeing, "Ghost Rider" is the pick.

Take a look back at January's Planner to see what's already out in theaters and on DVD, and check back for a new planner at the beginning of March.

Below is a week-by-week table listing Event notes, and DVD and theatrical releases for the month. My Recommended selections are noted in blue, based on my anticipation of their quality or entertainment value. Other titles are listed in order of my expected grade. I will tend to highlight two in each column each week. Assume wide release (upwards of 1000) for theatrical releases unless indicated as limited ("lim.") - I put these releases on the date they arrive in major U.S. cities beyond New York and Los Angeles. NY/LA exclusive releases are not shown here but will be listed on future calendars if they expand to more markets and when they are released to DVD. I've only listed contemporary movie titles here - be sure to check our recent reviews for television series and older movies recently released on DVD.

In the section below the table I give description and comments on each title. You can see my grade and comments after I've seen these movies by clicking over to my 2006 and 2007 viewing journals.


Jan. 28 - Feb. 3
	January 30:	Catch a Fire Flyboys	February 2:	Because I Said So The Messengers
February 4 - 10
	February 6:	The Science of Sleep Flags of Our Fathers Flicka Running With Scissors Hollywoodland Trust the Man The Grudge 2	February 9:	Breaking and Entering (lim.) Norbit Hannibal Rising
February 11 - 17	The Writers Guild Awards are announced and the Grammy Awards are broadcast on Feb. 11.
	February 13:	Half Nelson The Departed Infamous School for Scoundrels F*ck The U.S. vs. John Lennon Zoom The Quiet Marie Antoinette	February 16:	Breach Music and Lyrics Days of Glory (lim.) Daddy's Little Girls Ghost Rider
February 18 - 24	The ASC hands out its cinematography awards on Feb. 18 and the Spirit Awards are televised on IFC on Feb. 24.
	February 20:	The Prestige Babel Shut Up and Sing Flushed Away Keeping Mum American Hardcore For Your Consideration Crossover Man of the Year A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints	February 23:	Reno 911!: Miami Gray Matters Amazing Grace The Astronaut Farmer The Number 23
Feb 25- Mar 3	The Oscars are televised on February 25.
	February 27:	Stranger Than Fiction The Heart of the Game A Good Year Tideland Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny Conversations With God The Return	March 2:	Zodiac Wild Hogs

The list below provides some brief description about each movie and my recommendation for each. DVD titles are linked to the Amazon.com page while theatrical releases are linked to that title's official website.

Family Friendly (MPAA Rated PG or G)


The Astronaut Farmer	�02/23 - Billy Bob Thornton plays a farmer who builds a rocket in his backyard. An okay family film with weak writing and directing. Review
The Bridge to Terabithia	�02/16 - Half live action, half animation, the story of two young kids and a magical world in a forest.
Flicka	�02/06 - The story of a girl (Alison Lohman) and her horse.
Flushed Away	�02/20 - An animated tale about a rat's adventures underground. Voices by Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet.
Zoom	�02/13 - Tim Allen runs a school for kids with superpowers. Review

Drama/Romance/Documentary


Amazing Grace	�02/23 - The 18th century story of the birth of the famous song and the end of slavery in the British Empire.
American Hardcore	�02/20 - A documentary on hard rock punk in the early 1980s.
Babel	�02/20 - Seven Oscars for this three-part depressing drama about loneliness in a big world. Review
Because I Said So	�02/02 - Overprotective mother Diane Keaton tries to set up daughter Mandy Moore and ends up finding love herself. With Piper Perabo and Lauren Graham.
Black Snake Moan	�03/02 - Samuel L. Jackson tries to save the wild Christina Ricci in this roadhouse movie. With Justin Timberlake.
Breach	�02/16 - Based on the true story of FBI traitor Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper)and the young agent (Ryan Phillippe) who caught him. With Laura Linney.
Breaking and Entering	�02/09 - Jude Law plays an architect married to Robin Wright Penn, while becoming close to Juliette Binoche.
Conversations With God	�02/27 - Based on the true story of a man who lost everything, and his physical and spiritual recovery.
Daddy's Little Girls	�02/16 - From Tyler Perry, a father tries to gain custody of his daughters with the help of Gabrielle Union.
Days of Glory	�02/16 - From France, the WWII story of Northern African soldiers who helped save France and then fought for respect.
The Departed	�02/23 - This crime drama received Oscar nominations for Picture, Writing, Editing, Directing, and Acting. Review
Flags of Our Fathers	�02/06 - Clint Eastwood's story of the men who raised the flag over Iwo Jima during WWII. Review
F*ck	�02/13 - A documentary history of the four letter word.
A Good Year	�02/27 - Russell Crowe plays a fast dealing broker who inherits a French winery and develops an eye for the local girl.
Gray Matters	�02/23 - Tom Cavanagh and Heather Graham play brother and sister who both find themselves attracted to Bridget Moynahan.
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints	�02/20 - A coming of age drama set in 1980s NY, with Channing Tatum, Robert Downey Jr., Rosario Dawson, Shia LeBeouf, and Chazz Palminteri.
Half Nelson	�02/13 - Ryan Gosling got an Oscar nomination for his role as a drug-addicted teacher who is close with a student.
The Heart of the Game	�02/27 - A documentary on a girls high school basketball team in Seattle.
Hollywoodland	�02/06 - Adrien Brody investigates the death of George Reeves, played by Ben Affleck. Review
Infamous	�02/13 - The other movie about Truman Capote stars Toby Jones and Sandra Bullock.
Marie Antoinette	�02/13 - Sofia Coppola directs Kirsten Dunst as the French Queen in this pretty but dull period drama. Review
Music and Lyrics	�02/14 - Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore fall for each other while composing a pop song.
The Prestige	�02/20 - Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale play dueling magicians in Christopher Nolan's drama. Review
Running With Scissors	�02/06 - An offbeat coming of age comedy with Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Gwyneth Paltrow, Evan Rachel Wood, and Joseph Cross.
The Science of Sleep	�02/06 - Gael Garc�a Bernal merges dreams with reality in Michael Gondry's bittersweet romance. Review
Shut Up and Sing	�02/20 - A documentary on The Dixie Chicks since they were maligned in 2003 for speaking out against President Bush.
Stranger than Fiction	�02/27 - The best movie of 2006 stars Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, and Emma Thompson.
Tideland	�02/27 - An odd drama with Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Tilly.
Trust the Man	�02/06 - A New York romance about two troubled couples starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Billy Crudup, David Duchovny, and Julianne Moore.
U.S. vs. John Lennon	�02/13 - A documentary about John Lennon's anti-war years.

Comedy


For Your Consideration	�02/20 - Christopher Guest's group stars in a movie about a movie suddenly generating award buzz. Review
Keeping Mum	�02/20 - Rowan Atkinson stars as an oblivious minister in this comedy with Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, and Patrick Swayze.
Man of the Year	�02/20 - Robin Williams stars as a Jon Stewart-like tv show host who actually becomes president.
Norbit	�02/09 - Eddie Murphy uses makeup effect to star as multiple characters in this comedy about a guy who can't shake his girlfriend.
Reno 911!: Miami	�02/23 - The cast of the Comedy Central series star in their first movie, set at a Miami police convention. Review
School for Scoundrels	�02/13 - Billy Bob Thornton teaches Jon Heder how to be a man and pursue Jacinda Barrett. Review
Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny	�02/27 - Jack Black and his musical partner Kyle Glass seek to become the greatest rock band in the world.

Action/Thriller/Horror/Sci-Fi


Crossover	�02/20 - A basketball movie currently ranked lowest possible on IMDB.
Ghost Rider	�02/16 - Nicolas Cage plays the flaming motorcycle vigilante from the comic book. Review \| Review
The Grudge 2	�02/06 - Amber Tamblyn suffers the same curse in Tokyo that haunted Sarah Michelle Gellar in the first movie.
Hannibal Rising	�02/09 - The story of "Silence of the Lambs"' Hannibal Lecter as a young man.
The Messengers	�02/02 - Kids see dead people in this supernatural thriller with John Corbett, Dylan McDermott, and Penelope Ann Miller.
The Number 23	�02/23 - Jim Carrey becomes obsessed with numerical coincidences in this thriller. Review
The Quiet	�02/13 - Elisha Cuthbert takes on a deaf housemate (Camilla Belle) in a thriller that doesn't really deliver.
The Return	�02/27 - Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in a supernatural murder mystery set in a Texas town.

January 2007 Planner
2006 Nominees chart
Max's 2007 Viewing Journal
Max's 2006 Viewing Journal

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