At least that’s the idea.  At its core the principal sounds great.  Fake celebrities like the Kardashians, Kimora Lee Simons, and anyone who’s a woman and marries rich have a cult following that would make even the highest powered marketing firm jealous.  NeNe Leakes of Housewives of Atlanta “fame” has over 370,000 Twitter followers.  Virgin Mobile is trying to capture that same type of exposure while trying a new and fresh way of marketing.

Not only do I hope this campaign fails I’m fairly confident that it will.  At its core celebrities are followed because people value their lifestyle.  Virgin has decided to be completely transparent about their involvement and manufacturing of the fake couple.   This transparency will keep people from buying in.  While what makes reality TV personalities so popular is that nearly all of them are bat dung crazy or at least already marginally known.  I would assume that Virgin is going to stay away from the type of drama that makes the audiences of shows like Housewives gravitate towards them.  Without that train wreck aspect (and absence of a television show…for now) I don’t know how or why anyone would care.  Then again I already think that about all celebrities.  Can Virgin create enough buzz without over the top manufactured drama?  That remains to be seen.

Check out the official “Sparah” website at www.sparah.com

The early days of Matt Damon are becoming a distant memory.  Movies like Good Will Hunting and Rounders are getting further away in our rearview mirror.  I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.  Just when I compare films like Adjustment Bureau and Hereafter to those movies I feel….old.

Adjustment Bureau is based on a short story called “Adjustment Team” by Philip K. Dick.  The film is about a man, David Norris (Damon), who’s a politician that has his whole career ahead of him.  When he meets the woman of his dreams in Elise Sellas (Blunt), suddenly the fire that burned inside of him to be a political giant becomes the passion he feels for Elise.  The problem is that this isn’t his plan.  He’s not supposed to be with her.  Someone has bigger ideas in mind for Mr. Norris.

Bottom line, if this cast wasn’t top notch Adjustment Bureau would be incredibly hokey.  The movie teetered dangerously close at times

Men With Special Hats

to feeling like Angels in the Outfield.  While I was expecting the themes of fate and free will to be center stage I didn’t expect the blunt theological metaphors or sheer amount of exposition.  Adjustment Bureau works like the Jr. version of Inception in the department of explaining the rules of a surreal environment.  In fact I feel like I could write the Adjustment Bureau handbook myself.

One of the cooler concepts in the film is that the divine G-Men can travel more quickly by teleporting through doors, similar in the way that the Keymaker traveled in the Matrix Reloaded.  Want to know how they did it?  Grab a pen and paper.

1. Must be wearing a special hat given to you by the chairman (aka God aka Morgan Freeman).  To stop someone from following you (other special hat people) knock the hat off. Take that!
2.  Must turn the door handle clockwise.  Turning the handle counterclockwise will send you to the law offices of Bender & Bender.
3. If you are a passenger you must be touching the person with the special hat all the way through the threshold.

Freeman should play God in every movie

Get all that? You can see where this just invites a ton of silliness.  It would have been better if either this was left unexplained or more inferred than explicit.  All these rules, and there are much more of them, invite questions to pick them apart.  Not to mention that they are obvious plot devices that again, skirt the line of gimmicky.

What’s great is that this cast is good enough to have you overlook any awkwardness in the exposition, at least enough to enjoy the love story.  Although I’ve got to say they would have made my day if Freeman really did play God.

Starring: Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler

IMDB Score: 7.9

Meta Score: 72

Super 8 is a true marketing anomaly.  You have the stunning pair of J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg tag team behind the scenes.  Abrams writes an intriguing sci-fi mystery thriller that harkens back to Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind days.  With a summer release this movie had powerhouse marketing campaign written all over it.  Except it didn’t.  The marketing handlers behind Super 8 admitted as much when they tried to set up a viral campaign a week before opening because they felt a lack of buzz.

I wish I was this productive at their age

For those of you who don’t know super 8 is a type of film that was predominately used from the mid 60’s into the 80’s and also has nothing to do with this movie.  Super 8, the film, takes place in smalltown U.S.A. where a couple film geek kids are in the middle of capturing a zombie masterpiece.  While filming near a train station they witness a truck careen into an oncoming train causing it to derail (in spectacular fashion no less).  After the incident strange happenings begin to occur all over town.

Super 8 starts of slow and I’m talking real slow.  The only thing that saved the first thirty minutes of the movie was the stunning train crash scene.  I would HIGHLY recommend IMAX if only for that scene.  I don’t think I’m exaggerated by saying it was the best action scene I’ve watched all year.  The first hour or so is all dialogue and character development.  That’s all well and good, but with such an intriguing premise the relationships between the characters was lost on me.  With a monster ripping through town I didn’t particularly care that Joe was falling awkwardly for Alice.  My favorite sci-fi’s are ones that balance character and action/intrigue.  Super 8 starts out being a character driven drama and turns into an action movie that tries to cram emotion down your throat.

Joel Courtney (Joe) and Elle Fanning (Alice)

After we get through the drama and begin the pull the curtain off this mystery we realize more and more that all that glitters is not gold.  I could write another post discussing a number of later plot point issues, but that would require too many spoilers and an equally long post.  Although I do have to mention something that bothered me.  Only one kid got hurt.  There’s just no way in hell these kids survived all the stuff they went through.

This was probably my most anticipated movie of the summer and while it didn’t live up to expectations it didn’t totally disappoint.  Super 8 will appeal more to film aficionados who want to salivate over Spielberg’s early career than the typical movie goer.  For those who don’t care Super 8 is simply an average movie that tries to do too much.

Emily Browning "Baby Doll"

Director:  Zach Snyder

Starring: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish

IMDB Score: 6.6

Meta Score: 33

I have no doubt that somewhere along the way Snyder intended Sucker Punch to be a female empowering action thriller.  Somewhere along the line he decided “screw it! Let’s give them school girl outfits and put them in a brothel!”

There’s really not a whole lot to say about Zack Snyder’s first original screenplay except for whatever connotations come with that above sentence.  The film opens with what can only be described as a ten minute music video where Emily Browning (Baby Doll) becomes institutionalized by her abusive Step Father.  In fact Browning doesn’t utter a single line of dialogue until twenty minutes in.

At the psych ward she creates an alternate universe for herself so that she can escape the facility along with her now companion captives.  If she can’t find the five items she needs to flee, as prophesized by “the Wise Man”, she’ll be lobotomized and its game over.

Zack Snyder won't be directing a Lifetime flick anytime soon

The concept is surely there, but everything gets as distorted as Baby Doll’s perception of reality.  Clearly Snyder wanted the best of both worlds, an action flick that had a purpose but still roided up with as much machismo as the Bash Brothers.  Why does Browning’s main alternate world have to be a brothel?  Why is her only weapon in this world distraction by exotic dancing?  Why does she have to be wearing a school girl outfit while everyone else wears (relatively) appropriate clothes?  The answer of course is quite obvious.  I still can’t help but shake my head.

The saving grace of Sucker Punch is Snyder’s strong suit.  It’s simply a breathtaking film to absorb visually.  The hairs on the back of your neck will spike seeing Baby Doll do a barrel roll over a 50 foot pike on her way to decapitating the head of an equally tall samurai warrior.  There will be the critics who say that this is simply a video game in movie form, and as a video game player that label always bothered me.  Unfortunately I can’t find much to rebuttal.  The plot is so worthless I’d almost have preferred no one spoke at all.  In fact, when the horrible twist ending came around I couldn’t have cared less.  Shutter Island this is not.

It's girly because there's a pink bunny on it

Sucker Punch is about babes, guns, video games, zombies, dragons, robots, brothels, and exotic dancing.  The more of those things you like the more you’re going to like Sucker Punch.

As the band wound down and the curtains closed I made my way to the opening of stage left.  I could distinctly hear the click click click of Anne Hathaway’s heals and the floping of James’ worn Sperrys.  I realized this was because the audience was stunned into silence by their great performances.  Hathaway floated by me as if on a cloud.  It reminded me of when Penny was dancing after one of Still Water’s shows in Almost Famous.  Franco was taking it all in.  He paused in front of me, mouth gaping, staring at a spotlight in the distance.  He was in an actor’s trance no doubt.  I dared to break the silence.

Me: James. How did hosting the Oscars feel?

J: [snapped out of his trance.  He regarded me with a big smile and a warm hug] It was so sweet.  Way too many people out there though, had to fight the urge to crowd surf.  So who are you brah [quizzical eyebrow]?

Me:  Josh Greenberg.  You said you were alright with an interview about 127 Hours after you got off stage at the Oscars.  Is this still a good time?

J: [shrugs] No movie offer.  Weak sauce.  Whatever, we can talk about the one two seven H.

Me:  First, we’ve got to talk about the amputation scene.  What did you do to get prepared?  Did you talk to Ralston himself?

J: Oh ya.  Dude was awesome on set.  [lowers voice to a whisper] He gave me some tips that really put me in the right mind set [nudges, winks] or should I say planet [hysterical laughter].

Me:  I’m sure you had to go to another place in your mind to be able to realistically portray that horrifically brutal scene.  Was it as difficult to perform as it was to watch on screen?

J: Nah brah.  I just closed my eyes and thought about the purp [mimics this action].

Me: So how do you feel about 127 Hours being nominated for best picture and you for best actor.

J: Oh it’s a solid movie, but no Black Swan, man I tripped balls during that movie [grabs testicles].  Being nom’ed for best actor is cool man.  I just don’t know why I didn’t get picked for Pineapple Express.  That movie was raw.  Truth bro, I was just stoked to be on stage with Anne Hathaway.  She’s so moist. [makes a gesture resembling a seizure].

Suddenly a black man with dreadlocks, dressed in Rastafarian fashion, strode up to us.  He had dark sunglasses on and a large oddly shaped cigar pursed between his lips.  He pulled it away producing a large billow of smoke.

J: Sorry brah.  Time to fly [laughter].  Seriously though buy my shit on DVD.

And off he went into the Oscar sunset.  What an honor.

-Josh Greenberg

It can hardly be denied that the Yankees are seen as the evil empire of the baseball world.  They more or less admit and embrace that label.  It wasn’t so long ago however that even the Yankees were a likeable team built on farm talent.  Through their run of Championships in the late 90’s they started a core of players drafted through their minor league system; Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada, with Alfonso Soriano winning ROY in 2001.  After losing to the Diamondbacks in the World Series that year the Yankees signed a plethora of big name players without seeing any results until they signed C.C. Sabathia and Mark Texiara after the 2008 off season.

There comes a time when a team goes from likeable winner, to Dynasty, to the league’s hated team.  If you want another example see Patriots.

Given the above, does that mean that the Phillies will soon be the League’s most hated team?  They can very well be compared to the Yankees of the 96-Present.  Consider the Phillies home grown talent; Rollins, Howard, Hamels, Utley.  That set is comparable to the Yankees; Williams, Jeter, Pettite, Posada of the 90’s.  The Phillies then traded for the two biggest pitching free agents out of the past three off-seasons.  Then stunned the baseball world by adding Cliff Lee as a free agent signee .  Suddenly The Phillies don’t seem so homegrown.  They look a lot more like a team that has deep pockets that steals from the poor.

How the Phillies added to their roster may have been the same as “the Yankee way” but the players’ intentions were different.  Cliff Lee chose the Phils over New York and Texas.  Both teams offered him more money.  Most likely he saw Philadelphia as a better chance for a championship, valid point.  Roy Oswalt waived his no trade clause to come to the east coast.  The Astros were falling apart and the Phillies offered the best return for an asset like Oswalt, again reasonable.  In the case of Halliday the Phillies knew they couldn’t keep both Lee and sign the Doc.  So they parlayed the two pieces in a three team deal to acquire the one time Blue Jays ace.

When you take a hard look at how each transaction was made it’s hard to find the Phillies at fault for greed.  They have a team with a great farm bred core and added the best talent they could to sustain a run.  Isn’t it the goal of every franchise not only to win, but to win consistently?

While the Phillies are 25 championships away from matching the Yanks they are certainly able to match them on the field.  If the Yankees are the evil empire what does that make Philadelphia?

“Either you die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” –Harvey Dent

-Josh Greenberg

For many people speaking in public is unnerving.  You’re in front of a group of people, usually people you don’t know.  They have given you their full attention, or at least that is the polite thing to do, and they’re ready to judge you as a person based on the words that come from your mouth and how they come out.

Now, for all of those people that get a little clammy in the paws when they’re put on the public spot, consider this.  That small group of people isn’t small; it’s more like several million.  You not only have your audiences’ attentions, they’re looking to you for courage.  Now, with your imagination still, try to picture having a debilitating speech impediment, one that takes away the ability for you to control your jaw, larynx, and some of your facial expressions.  And with your last ounce of inner projection make yourself the King of England.

Firth's speech at Wembly Stadium

Colin Firth plays such a character, King George VI, as he combats not only his speech impediment, but also the inner demons that hold him from being the man he’s desperately always wanted to be.  He’s not alone in his fight.  His wife (Hillary Bonham Carter) has enlisted the services of an unorthodox speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) as a last ditch effort.  The Doctor’s unorthodox approach comes from not also treating impediments using training, he also plays therapist and friend, trying to break down the castle walls inside the King that keep his words internal.

When everything gets boiled down The King’s Speech is a buddy film.  It is an expertly done buddy film with a great cast in front of the camera and behind.  I wouldn’t begrudge anyone for picking Firth for Best Actor at the Academies.  For all of its obviously good qualities, I still couldn’t completely identify with Firth.  I think simply it is because I don’t have a problem speaking in public.  Those who do have a public speaking issue will most likely find that this film will strike them deeper than with others.

Colin Firth, Hilary Bonham Carter

I always say that the best historical/biographical pieces are the ones where they transcend the facts.  Everything is believable while at the same time being completely unbelievable.  King George VI was a real person with a very real speech impediment.  Writer David Seidler, who suffered from a stammer, asked the Queen Mother for permission to write the script.  She responded that he could do so only after she had passed because reliving the pain was too much.

-Josh Greenberg

"You just got knocked the F out!"

10. Friday
I never thought Chris Tucker would appear on any of my rankings lists except for most obnoxious voice, yet here he is.  Friday was the beginning of the end of Ice Cube’s NWA image and evolution into the current TBS incarnation we see today.  While I rue the day I do thank him for bringing me this gem.  He took the hard street life that he grew up in and made it into a comedy that could relate to a wide audience.  The second film lacked the grassroots nature of the first but the addition of Mike Epps was welcomed.   You can skip the third movie.  I refuse to acknowledge its existence.

Best name for a sequal ever

9. Die Hard
“Yippe Ki Yay Mother F*****!” is  #96 on Premier’s list of “The100 Greatest Movie Lines.”  That line pretty much sums up the franchise.  They’re simple, fun, and full of action.  The first Die Hard is considered one of the best action movies of all time and I wouldn’t argue that claim.  The second set a record for most people to die in a film (not in real life of course).  The third one…well it had Samuel L. Jackson.  The fourth wasn’t bad either.  If you’re looking for a good action flick this is the first place to start.

Ricky Tan is still the most fun name to say

8. Rush Hour
Jackie Chan essentially created the Action-Comedy genre and  Hong Kong owes much of its successes in film to Chan. He established a fantastic career in Hollywood as well.  While none of Chan’s movies can be considered classics the Rush Hour franchise vaulted his career to household status in the U.S.  The Shanghai series might have had higher grossing, but I believe Rush Hour was simply better.  I’d take Chris Tucker over Owen Wilson in a buddy film any day of the week.  Rush Hour was a fantastically enjoyable ride that had you craving more when it was over.  Like many other franchises however the third installment was simply an abortion and is the only rival to Spiderman 3 as the worst third installment ever.  At least for those franchises that anyone has ever cared about.

Cowabunga!

7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Alright, now before you start casting stones remember that this is a list of MY favorite movies series.  This is also a highly underrated series.  I loved TMNT so much that my mom literally had to take it away from me because I watched it so much.  What did I do?  I bought the second one and watched that instead!  For whatever reason TMNT hit on all cylinders for me.  The characters were great and had all types of personalities.  The action wasn’t on the Borne level but still entertaining. This was also a time where costume guru Jim Henson was sharing his gifts with the world. Hey, when Vanilla Ice makes a musical cameo you know it’s going to be a classic.  GO NINJA GO NINJA GO!

Love Kirsten Dunst's expression

6. Spiderman
When Sam Raimi was announced as Director for the first ever film adaptation to one of my favorite comic book heroes I was very skeptical.   He was better known for daytime TV series like Xena and Hercules.  Could he really tackle a major blockbuster franchise?  On that note could the unassuming Toby Maguire handle the lead?  An astounding yes and yes.  Spiderman 1 and 2 smashed box office  records and snagged Oscars.  The second film was the apex of the franchise and Dr. Octavius is one of the most complex film adapted comic book villains thanks in no small part to Alfred Molina.  The third film doesn’t even deserve a mention here except to say it is the worst third act in a franchise ever.   It is the only movie I’ve ever thought of leaving in the middle of (I couldn’t because I didn’t drive to the theater).

Sam definitely had a man-crush on Frodo

5. Lord of the Rings
FRODO!!!!!  Everyone should go into an open public area and scream that once in their life.  It’s really quite invigorating.  I remember when I saw the first preview of LOTR at my local movie theater.  Without having any prior knowledge of the J.R.R. Tolkien novels I still knew this was going to be something big.  And boy was I right.  If there ever was an epic this is it.  Essentially the trilogy is just one long movie that’s more or less meant to be watched back to back.  While my brain would scramble inside of my skull if I ever tried that I do find them great pieces on their own.  A friend who read all of the books once told me that Tolkien wasn’t a very good writer, but he was a master linguist.  That definitely shows in the films at points where the plot drags.  At the end of the series however I’m always left thinking “There’s no way that shortcake Frodo really survived all that.”  The Sauron in me kind of wanted him to die a horrible death.

"There's a snake in my boots!"

4. Toy Story
The third installment of the series released just last year and boy am I glad.   Take a look back at TS1 and then remind yourself that movie was made in 1996.  It’s a 3D animated movie that would give current films of that genre a run for their money in a side by side comparison.  Looks aside, Toy Story had a solid cast and great stories.  The scene where Buzz finds out he can’t fly still gets me choked up.  They brought us on whimsical journeys that made us wonder what our old toys would have done if they came alive when we were away.

"Imperial March" best original score ever

3. Star Wars (Original Trilogy)
This is a series that needs no introduction.  If you haven’t heard of Star Wars then you need a slap to the face and a swift kick to the groin.  I would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know what a Light Saber is.  Star Wars was described by creator George Lucas as a space opera and that’s exactly what it is.  The series has one of the most devoted followings of any kind and has spawned an equally successful (financially) second prequel trilogy.  With most sci-fi films however the Star Wars saga has not aged particularly well even with the retouching which is already over a decade old.  Also, no one can dispute the porous acting.  Not even Lucas himself.

This one's all about Damon

2. The Bourne Series
The number 1 main character may be the perfect balance of brains and brawn, but Jason Bourne is genetically perfect.  However, he lacks a one of a kind charm because this series is much more serious and grounded in reality.  What that makes for is a breakneck action tour-de-force that has you trying to peak around the corner of your TV and training your eyes to try and follow the incredible fight scenes.  The European landscape also provides some great scenery porn.  The one small con about the Borne series is that it’s hard to follow.  You really have to pay attention to what is happening underneath all the action.  Other than that it’s probably the best “stay at home and watch movies all day” series.

My man-crush

1. Indiana Jones
Really this one just isn’t even close.  Indiana Jones is one of if not the best trilogy character.  He has the perfect balance of brains and brawn.   His fedora and whip (with a whit just as fast) are some of the most recognizable items in American pop culture.  Even though it’s been 30 years (!) since Raiders of the Lost Ark opened all three films stand the test of time.  One of my favorite movie scenes ever is when Indy shoots the skilled swordsman in the streets chasing after Marion.  Think about this…Harrison Ford starred in the Indiana Jones series AND the Star Wars series, two of the most popular franchises in movie history.  For all of those saying “That fourth movie sucked!” Chill you’re pants.  It wasn’t that bad of a movie and doesn’t taint the series at all for me.

The franchises that fell short:
Matrix: The first film blew my mind and I wasn’t the only one.  The next two movies were so promising, but left me feeling as empty as the Purgatory scenes.

Rocky:  Again the first film is a classic, which really can’t be disputed.  However, these films really haven’t stood the test of time.  The only thing worse than a cheesy 80’s montage is cheese 80’s montage music.

Jurassic Park:  This was the other movie that my mom had to take away from me for watching it too much.  The other two films were forgettable.  A T-Rex in San Diego…really Steven?

Terminator:  I was very hard pressed to leave this one off the list.  The first film just looks so bad now and the last two installments were highly disappointing.

X-Men:  Another difficult one to leave off the list.  It suffered from the bad third act complex and I was just never a huge X-Men fan.

Pirates of the Caribbean:  One of my favorite Jonny Depp Movies.  I nearly fell asleep during At World’s End and Orlando Bloom is just hard to stomach for me.

Lethal Weapon:  Seriously diluted over the life of the series.

Aliens:  One of the scariest movies of all time and one that scarred me as a child. The first two are great, you can take the rest.

Bond: For obvious reasons its way too spotted.

Shrek:  Just not a huge fan.  Original and has a good connection with adults as well as kids.   The Shrek character just wasn’t likeable to me.

Star Trek:  J.J. Abrams brought a needed breath of fresh air into a franchise that had seen much better days.

American Pie:  The franchise dropped off a ledge after the first film not even counting all the spinoffs.

Batman:  When (if?) Christopher Nolan makes the third film it will seriously contend for number one.  Too many bad movies compared to good ones.

Hannibal Series:  Silence of the Lambs is one of the best movies of all time and Red Dragon is a nice film.  Not much else there.

Naked Gun:  Absolutely hilarious, but completely indistinguishable from each other.  Also, don’t hold up to the test of time criteria.

Austin Powers:  Very hard to leave off the list.  The third film left a very dirty feeling in my mouth and there are a few comedy franchises I have simply liked better over time.

Back to the Future:  Ironic how old these films look considering their topic.  These films got worse as the franchise went on.

Beverly Hills Cop: Eddy Murphy used to be so good.  Things got pretty repetitive after the first movie.

Blade:  Loved the first one.  The second was interesting.  The third was terrible, Ryan Reynolds hunting vampires?

The Dollars Trilogy (Man With No Name):  Sorry film Gods.  I haven’t seen any of these.  May I be burned at film critic stake for my indiscretions.

The Colors Trilogy:  See above.

Godfather:  One of, if not the most, overrated movie of all time.  I read the book before seeing the movie and was bored to death by the adaptation.  Besides no one liked the third one.

Major League:  The first two are number one and two favorite sports comedy movies.  It’s a pretty short list.  Back to the Minors should have been cut from the roster.

The Mighty Ducks:  As endearing as the series is there is a cheese factor that can’t be ignored.  Hearing their puberty voices in D3 was painful.

Step Up:  This is for a certain someone.  I’m sorry but it did not make the list.

For what it's worth You Decide!

With the Oscars looming and the end of awards season right around the corner the best films of 2010 are getting their last chances to earn their stripes.  I personally hate awards season.  The awards are more for negotiating power than anything else.  The actors know the politics involved and a nomination is as good as a win in my humble opinion.  The debate between “should win” and “will win” shouldn’t even have a distinction.  If I had to categorize this poll it would be your “should win” picks, otherwise no politics involved.  I also understand that the average person does not know or care enough about the smaller categories to pick a winner so I have left those out.  Even if you haven’t seen all the films listen go with your gut!

-Josh Greenberg

The Company Men
Director: John Wells
Starring: Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones

What’s the Story?
When the GTX Corporation must cut jobs to improve the company’s balance sheet during the 2010 recession, thousands of employees will take the hit, like Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck). Bobby learns the real life consequences of not having a job. Not only does he see a change to his family lifestyle, and the loss of his home, but also his feelings of self-worth. Written by Douglas Young (the-movie-guy)

Sneak Peak:
The Company Men Trailer HD

JPG Preview Rating: B
This is a pretty solid B.  Good cast anchored by Jones and Chris Cooper is very dependable (can Affleck be in a movie that’s not filmed in Boston?).  I’m partial to Cooper’s role in The Patriot, Col. Harry Burwell “This is not a war for the independence of one or two colonies, but for the independence of one nation.”  There was a lot of Oscar buzz and also a lot of comparisons to Up in the Air.  This appears just so since they both have star power and deal with very similar subject matter.  I see Company Men being held back from greatness by sappy cheese-ball moments.  From the trailer Jones seems to embody both of those feelings.

No Strings Attached
Director: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher

What’s the Story?
A guy and girl try to keep their relationship strictly physical, but it’s not long before they learn that they want something more. IMDB

Sneak Peak:
No Strings Attached Trailer HD

JPG Preview Rating: B-
After seeing Black Swan it blows my mind that Portman can switch from such polar opposite roles with the bat of an eyelash.  I have no doubt she’ll be great in No Strings Attached as well.  I can’t say the same for Kutcher.  He’s never bad, but also never all that good.  I’d expect there to be as much story here as there is indicated above.  You’ll laugh, sometimes.  You’ll cry, maybe.  You’ll walk out shrugging, definitely.  By the way why are all these “friends with benefits” movies coming out?  The list goes; Love and Other Drugs in November, No Strings Attached now, and in July the bluntly titled Friends with Benefits which was also one of the original titles for No Strings Attached.

-Josh Greenberg