Brooklyn Skeptic

Summer is officially over. There are no big blockbusters to be found this weekend. Unfortunately, there aren’t many limited release movies that look interesting either.

The Nanny Diaries: This looks pretty weak, but people liked Devil Wears Prada which shares basically the same plot line as this. A girl starts working for an absurdly psychotic maniac, they fight, the girl starts to become something she’s not, they learn a little something about each other, and the audience goes home with eleven less dollars in their pockets. Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney star as Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep. The only thing that could be its saving grace: it’s from the directors of American Spledor. This is playing at the Park Slope Pavilion, United Artists on Court Street and Cobble Hill Cinemas.

Illegal Tender: I saw the trailer for this a long time ago, and apparently it was put on the back burner for a while. Why? Because it probably sucks. A group of drug lords come after a guy and his mother after they’ve killed his father. It’s produced by John Singleton, who brought us the amazing Boyz N’ The Hood and the god awful Four Brothers. Take your chances. This is playing at the United Artists on Court Street.

Mr. Bean’s Holiday: In this installment of Mr. Bean, Rowan Atkinson finds a time machine and travels back many years ago to the few minutes when the world actually found him mildly humorous. Then he makes a funny face. This is playing at Park Slope Pavilion.

Resurrecting the Champ: Josh Hartnett plays a sports reporter who discovers a boxing champion who is now homeless and presumed dead (Samuel L. Jackson). I like Sam Jackson when he actually decides to act (Changing Lanes, Black Snake Moan) and not so much when he’s annoying and gimmicky (The Man, pretty much every other movie he’s done in the past ten years). This is playing at the United Artists on Court Street.

September Dawn: From the director of the Joe Pesci/Danny Glover classic Gone Fishin (a wacky fish out of water comedy - no charge for the pun), comes this dramatic romance set around the Mountain Meadows Massacre of the nineteenth century. This film is most notable for starring Dean Cain who, quite frankly, I assumed was dead.

War: Is it me, or are action movie titles just getting lazy? I bet the new Steven Seagal movie is called Punching and Kicking Really Hard and Frequently (actually, I just looked it up, it’s called Urban Justice - I’m pumped!). Jet Lee and Jason Statham star in this action thriller about an FBI agent who is determined to kill the guy who killed his partner. And….yes….I’ve checked and that is officially the most clichéd action plot in history. The film costars forty explosions, eighteen words of dialogue and Luis Guzman. This is playing at the United Artists on Court Street and Park Slope Pavilion.

Hi. I need work.

Dedication: This is about an emotionally challenged, misogynistic children’s writer (Billy Crudup) who has to work with a female artist (Mandy Moore). Justin Theroux directed, and while I like him as an actor, that doesn’t mean he’s going to have that much talent behind the scenes. As far as pop-stars turned actors go, Mandy is by far one of the better ones. She’s no JT though. This is playing at the Landmark Sunshine.

The Hottest State: Remember the last time you were in a bookstore and you saw those books by Ethan Hawke on display, but ignored them despite the large type they used to print the author’s name? Well, because you didn’t read them, he’s gone and adapted one into a movie! And he stars in it as well! I would see it if I were you, because apparently his next plan is to go door to door and act out the dialogue in your living room. For the love of God, pay attention to him! He’s got angst! This is playing at the Landmark Sunshine.

Warning: Author is a douche.

Right At Your Door: I don’t know much about this movie, but I’m going to say it’s my pick of the week. Dirty bombs are set off in Los Angeles after which a guy quarantines his wife and the city basically melts down. It stars Rory Cochrane, the stoner kid from Dazed and Confused. Check out the trailer, it looks pretty crazy. This is playing at the Angelika.

And that’s it sadly, as there are no more outdoor movies. Luckily, we’ve all got a good sports movie to look forward to.