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Paramount Vantage
Opens on 25 July in NY / LA & Wide Release in August

Oh, the horror. There are days when I think that you couldn’t pay me all the money in the world to go back to high school. And then there are days when I would love to go back with my L.L. Bean backpack chock-full of If-I-Knew-Then wisdom. Nanette Burstein’s documentary, “American Teen” reminds us that high school-ers are delicate flowers waiting to blossom. They are also, more often than not, total biatches that need a good slap. For a documentary, this one if hyper-produced, but that only enunciates the stories of these Indiana teenagers as they begin their senior yeah of high school and dream of bigger things. The cafeteria politics, the romance, the pressure, it’s all there. Burstein is smart enough to know that these kids will be categorized by her audiences, so she does it for us. There’s the jock, the geek, the rebel, the princess and the heartthrob. Each one of these kids allows us in, if only for a brief time. There is such drama in here - clearly high school hasn’t changed a lick. And for the stuff that you can’t capture on film - the hopes and dreams of our leads - for that, the film looks to animation, video games and drawings. It’s all pretty engaging on a personal level, and pretty horrifying on a social/douchery level. And with a soundtrack that includes Imogen Heap, well for that, we can forgive some of the moodiness of these kids lying in bed and pouting. Yet, in the throes of that moodiness, the most striking moments erupt without notice, and all our presumptions and judgey-ness evaporate. Watching “American Teen” will remind you of the years when pain and joy were immeasurably intense.

Every time we turn around, there’s a big tidal wave and the world is coming to an end. People eat that stuff up, so keep it comin.’ This one has Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connolly starring for a 12 December release. Plus Kathy Bates, John Cleese and Jon Hamm. It’s a remake of the 1951 film, so if we don’t want to be complete idiots we should check that out first.

Watch the trailer.

Genius Products / The Weinstein Company
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The story for “My Blueberry Nights” comes from a short that director Wong Kar Wai had done years ago. His new feature, which has just come out on DVD, concerns the delicate relationship between the owner of a small New York diner (Jude Law as Jeremy) and a neighborhood gal with a freshly broken heart (a surprisingly endearing Norah Jones as Elizabeth). A light flirtation with the man who bakes the pies is not enough, however, for Elizabeth. And thus begins a road trip to some of the saddest corners of present-day America. She works at bars and casinos and coffee shops and the like. And it’s in those spots that she bears witness, and later becomes a player in the dismantled lives of these lost souls as they dig themselves deeper into their little messes. And it’s here on the road that she learns what we all do eventually. That there’s no place like New York. Much of her journey is tough to watch because it’s just, well, it’s straight-up deeeeepresing. Thankfully, a fine ensemble of actors fill those roles: David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman. And when she returns to New York and to Jeremy (as we know she will), he is beguiling and she is open to his kindness. It’s a very sweet - if very simple - story, but if the depravity of its characters affects you as it did me, then you may have to give it a couple tries before hitting the finish line that we are anticipating.

Nike has finally responded to my monthly letters to reproduce the glowing powerlace sneakers from Back to the Future II. Only they decided to make them not powerlace or light up.

The “McFly Hyperdunk’s” will be released later this month with a rumored price tag of $2015. While I’m sure they will probably be less than said price, they probably will still be priced to high for sneakers that don’t tie themselves. Continue Reading »

The new bond picks up right where Casino Royal left off. Bond, blinded by “inconsolable rage” goes on a killing spree. Kinda like Columbine, only Bond makes out with girls.

They also stole a shot from Bourne Ultimatum only they put Bond on a motorcycle.

[Moviefone]

Is there nothing these unemployed final cut pro master’s can’t think of?

We would like to commend President Bush for squeaking up against unfair voting practices in Zimbabwe. In an unrelated story, HBO Video will be releasing “Recount” on DVD on 19 August.