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Title:
Inception
Stars:
Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page
Studio:
Warner Bros. Pictures
Plot:
Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) is a thief who specializes in the art of extraction, the stealing of secrets from a target's subconscious. Though his profession cost him everything he has ever loved and has turned him into a fugitive, an offer for a final job -- one that requires him to plant an idea instead of pilfering it -- could be his chance at redemption.
Buzz:
Our founder has already called this "the movie of the decade".
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Title:
Salt
Stars:
Angelina Jolie
Studio:
Columbia Pictures
Plot:
When CIA officer Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is accused of being a spy by a Russian defector, she goes on the run, putting all of her experience and skills to use to elude capture, learn the truth of her identity, and hopefully clear her name.
Buzz:
With Angelina Jolie in front of the camera and sensitive guy Phillip Noyce behind it, I have to stop and recall the point in time when this movie was almost made by Tom Cruise and director Michael Mann. We're thinking this could be the best one-off spy story since The Long Kiss Goodnight (a 90's fave), and the real-life outing of Russian spies in the U.S. couldn't have been more timely! Did you see Angelina in the newest issue of Vanity Fair? She (still) has it.
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Title:
Despicable Me
Stars:
Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand
Studio:
Universal Pictures
Plot:
A trio of orphan girls cause the normally deplorable Gru to rethink his plan to steal the moon.
Buzz:
Universal is still looking for its first animated hit, and we think its gutsy for them to push an original story out into the summer's box-office waters. Initially annoying, Gru and those orphan girls have grown on us (the minions? um, no.), and we're hoping that families, still smiling from Toy Story 3, will be attracted to this tale.
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Title:
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Stars:
Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina
Studio:
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Plot:
Master sorcerer Balthazar Black (Cage) recruits a seemingly everyday guy (Baruchel) in his mission to defend New York City from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Molina).
Buzz:
Everyone's harping on Nic Cage's hair, his financial woes, and how 2010 seems to be his Dungeons & Dragons year. If National Treasure mastermind Jon Turteltaub were not behind this project, I'd have serious doubts about its chances; as it stands, I semi-seriously hope it's a surprise blockbuster -- maybe it'll even earn a sequel? I feel like parents and kids alike could entertained by the story and visuals. Strange how Monica Bellucci's presence is being played down ...
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Title:
Toy Story 3
Stars:
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
Studio:
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Plot:
Woody (Hanks), Buzz (Allen), and the rest of their toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, departs for college.
Buzz:
Easily one of the biggest movies of 2010, the secret weapon here is screenwriter Michael Arndt, who wrote Little Miss Sunshine; his sentimentality is evident in the trailer, which causes Rex-sized lumps in our throat.
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Title:
Ramona and Beezus
Stars:
Joey King, Selena Gomez, Bridget Moynahan
Studio:
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Plot:
When grade-schooler Ramona Quimby (King) senses that her family's home is danger, she uses her boundless energy and enthusiasm to save the day.
Buzz:
A special-effects free family movie is a rare thing these days, although today's parents are probably more familiar with the name Beverly Cleary than their kids? I could be wrong there. Fox-Walden probably shelled out a bit in casting Disney Channel star Selena Gomez, but she's a good face for the marketing campaign as Ramona's long suffering older sister, Beezus. (Also, Ms. Gomez cost way less than Miley Cyrus, who was first approached for the role.)
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Title:
Grown Ups
Stars:
Adam Sandler, Salma Hayek, Kevin James
Studio:
Columbia Pictures
Plot:
After their high school basketball coach passes away, five good friends and former teammates reunite for a Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Buzz:
Adam Sandler didn't have much luck with Judd Apatow, but his success with director Dennis Dugan is nearly unparalleled. Together, with plenty of their famous, lovable friends and colleagues in tow (and Rob Schneider) they appear to be channeling 80s-era family comedy and trafficking in the getting-older themes of which Sandler has become so fond. Meanwhile, is Kevin James, in Chris Farley mode, the real draw here?
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Title:
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Stars:
Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Studio:
Summit Entertainment
Plot:
Bella Swan (Stewart) oscillates between vampire Edward Cullen, who wants Bella's hand in marriage, and werewolf Jacob Black, who has just declared his love for her. Meanwhile, the Cullens and the Quileute werewolves unite to stop an army of powerful vampires from seeking their revenge on Bella.
Buzz:
Call this third chapter the guy-friendly saga since the story provides both supernatural reveals and borderline epic action. Goth parents should revel in Peter Murphy's cameo, and newcomers should feel welcomed by the amount of back story built into the events here. Since Eclipse the book really pushed Stephenie Meyer's work into the spotlight, is it fair to say this movie might improve on New Moon's phenomenal success? The Fourth of July weekend berth should help in this matter.
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Title:
The Last Airbender
Stars:
Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone
Studio:
Paramount Pictures
Plot:
Aang (Ringer), a young successor to a long line of Avatars, learns that he possesses the power to engage the Fire Nation and hopefully end their century-long war against the Water, Earth, and Air nations.
Buzz:
Regardless of the range of opinions on (1) M. Night Shyamalan's career trajectory and (2) the project's "racebending" controversy, TLAs trailers contain some of the best money shots of the year thus far. The springtime announcement that the movie will be converted into 3D was no surprise, but also entirely welcome. We're unsure exactly how big it will be in the U.S., though this is more worldwide entertainment -- the beginning of a potential trilogy and a renaissance for Shyamalan, who is attached to develop the other two films if all is a go.
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Title:
Predators
Stars:
Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace
Studio:
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Plot:
A group of elite warriors are hunted by members of a merciless alien race.
Buzz:
When it comes to competing franchises, Predator is way less enduring than Alien, wouldn't you agree? Maybe that's why this reboot doesn't make me red-hot angry as much as Fox's planned Alien prequel. The cast is lean (hopefully Splice will be seen by the naysayers who think Adrien Brody isn't tough enough for the genre), and you really could ask for a much worse director/producer combo than Nimrod Antal and Robert Rodriguez. Truthfully, doesn't it just come down to how cool the creatures look?
