Movie: Fame * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: Sept. 25, 2009

Runtime: 107 minutes
Directed by: Kevin Tancharoen

MPAA Rating: PG for thematic material, including teen drinking, a sexual situation, and language
Gecko Rating:

The original 1980 movie “Fame” was rated R, and while I understand the desire to make this one PG (to appeal to the “High School Musical” crowd), it loses a lot in translation.
This modern version could have benefitted from a PG-13 rating; then they could have included more intense material, without trying to dilute it for the younger crowd. As it is, the movie is a little …read more

Movie: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: Sept. 18, 2009

Runtime: 90 minutes
Directed by: Phil Lord

MPAA Rating: PG for brief mild language
Gecko Rating:

 
 
Based on the popular children’s book by Ron and Judy Barrett, “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” is a cute movie, but rather forgettable in the big scheme of things.  The graphics and animation are interesting, not to mention the idea of being able to order up whatever food you want and have giant amounts of it fall from the sky. So there’s that. But truth be told, it was more boring …read more

That fabulously fun food film (like that alliteration?) “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” cooks into theaters this Friday, Sept. 18, 2009, and the stars hit the red carpet to talk up the movie.
The big screen version of Ron and Judi Barrett’s classic children’s book features the voices of Anna Faris, Bruce Campbell, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, James Caan, Tracy Morgan, and Mr. T. Looks like good fun! Check out the trailer here, and watch the stars on the red carpet. 

Here’s the trailer for Summit Entertainment’s “Astro Boy,” due in theaters Oct. 23, 2009. Sometimes these animated movies don’t quite reach the “summit” of what they could be (sorry, couldn’t resist), but this one looks like a winner.
The movie is set in futuristic Metro City, where Astro Boy (voiced by Freddie Highmore) is a young robot created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy has super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed, and the ability to fly.
The young robot goes on a search which eventually leads him back to Metro City to …read more

You can tell that people have this abiding love for Sandra Bullock, and that she can take it as well as dish it out. She just seems like she’d be a lot of fun, whether you’re working on a film or having a beer with her. And yeah, she definitely seems like a beer drinker rather than a frou-frou alcoholic beverage drinker. 
Here, Bradley Cooper, her co-star in the upcoming “All About Steve,” talks about how tyrannical she is to work with, while Sandra explains that it’s impossible to explain the movie in 10 seconds. Makes sense to me. Go …read more

I’ve gotten so used to seeing Bruce Willis with no hair, that it’s just creepy seeing him WITH hair. Regardless, “Surrogates” looks like a fun sci-fi flick with lots of twists and turns.
Willis and Radha Mitchell star as FBI agents investigating the murder of a college student linked to the man who helped create a high-tech surrogate program that allows people to create “perfect” versions of themselves. These remote controlled machines assume the person’s life roles, which means they never have to leave the comfort and safety of their own home. How boring.
Check out all of Film Gecko’s …read more

Movie: Bandslam * Gecko Preview *  Official Site
In Theaters: Aug. 14, 2009

Runtime: 111 minutes
Directed by: Todd Graff; Produced by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas

MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic elements and mild language
Gecko Rating:

I take back my earlier thoughts about "Bandslam." If, like me, you were expecting something akin to "High School Musical," you’d be dead wrong!
Yes, there’s a teensy bit of sap in this movie, but nothing like the volume offered up in Disney’s HSM. This is Summit Entertainment, after all, which automatically kicks it to a different level. The soundtrack includes Lou Reed’s "Femme Fatale" and Steve …read more

I just posted the trailer for Mike Judge’s Extract, and here’s a look at the characters. I’m probably most excited about this movie as any coming out this fall. The character descriptions are straight from the official Extract press site…
Joel (Jason Bateman) Jason Bateman plays Joel, the big boss at Reynolds Extract. If Joel hasn’t reached his front door by 8 o’clock, he’ll find his wife, Suzie (Kristen Wiig) cinching up her sweatpants – and about as interested in him as he is in her mastery of supermarket coupon design.
Sexually frustrated, Joel confides in …read more

The movie "Office Space" is one of my all-time favorites (with some of the best quotes ever!), and now my kids are old enough to watch it without me getting too cranky over the swearing, so that’s fun, too.
When I heard Mike Judge was coming out with a new movie called "Extract" … well, I’m all over that baby. In theaters Sept. 4, 2009, it’s another story that takes place in the comedy-fertile ground of the American workplace. This time, it’s a flavor extract company that employs – you guessed it – a bunch of misfit losers and loners. …read more

Actor Zac Efron won a coveted Teen Choice surfboard for Choice Movie Actor in a Comedy, for his turn as Mike O’Donnell, the dad who gets to be "17 Again." The movie is on DVD now, and I thought it was sweet and funny; check out my review here. 
Image: INF