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Reel Buzz: Leatherheads, 88 Minutes, Nim's Island
By Angela Yeager
from Salem Monthly, Section Screen
Posted on Tue Apr 01, 2008 at 12:10:26 AM PDT

George Clooney, a new film by Martin Scorsese, and a major film festival -- April is looking to be a film lover's paradise.

Here's what else April has to offer:

April 4

"Leatherheads"
George Clooney directs and stars in this sports comedy that is said to be "His Girl Friday" meets "Any Given Sunday." He plays an aging football player who is fighting a hot college star (John Krasinski) for the heart of a journalist, played by Renee Zellweger. Hey, if anyone can bring back the art of the screwball comedy, I believe Clooney can do it. And the trailer looks terrific.

"Shine a Light"
There have been several movies made about the Rolling Stones: "Gimme Shelter," "Sympathy for the Devil" (not to mention all the movies Mick Jagger has appeared in), but Scorsese apparently feels there is more to tell about the aging rockers. This documentary looks at the history of the band as they hit stages in their 2006 tour.

"Nim's Island"
Jodie Foster stars in this family-friendly adventure tale for girls as a reclusive author who teams up with a young girl ("Little Miss Sunshine's" Abigail Breslin) and the fictional adventurer she created ("300's" Gerald Butler) to find the girl's father on a secret island.

April 11

"Street Kings"
When Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves), a veteran policeman, is implicated in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he's been a part of his entire career.

"Smart People"
In the tradition of the quirky indie comedy, Dennis Quaid stars as a widower who discovers new love (Sarah Jessica Parker) while he deals with an unexpected visit from his crazy brother (Thomas Haden Church) and his young Republican daughter (Ellen Page, of "Juno" fame). The trailer makes the movie look smart, funny and sweet.

April 18

"88 Minutes"
Al Pacino plays a college professor who moonlights as a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI. When he receives a death threat telling him that he has only 88 minutes to live, he has to scramble to stay alive. Just keep reminding yourself that Pacino once made great movies while he continues to stomp on his legend status.

April 25

"Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay"
Usually I'm not a fan of what I call dude movies (this would include such intellectual gems as "Old School"), but the title of this alone makes me want to see it. In the comedy, the hapless heroes find themselves mistaken for terrorists on a plane and sent to Guantanamo Bay. I just can't wait to see how they pull this off.

"Baby Mama"
Tina Fey stars as a career woman who hires a surrogate mother ("Saturday Night Live's" Amy Poehler) to carry her child. The problem is that the surrogate mother is, well, unconventional and bit rough around the edges. The previews for this comedy are getting a huge response from chuckling audiences. Let's see if the movie lives up to the hype and if people will turn out for the female version of a Judd Apatow ("Knocked Up," "Superbad") movie.




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