Screenhead

I was actually really looking forward to this one, and given that I had such an array of movies to choose from today, it was kind of tough to finally settle on one.  But settle I did, and here I am, talking about Law Abiding Citizen with Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler.

When a couple of random hoodlums break into Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler)’s house, kill his daughter and kill (and possibly rape) his wife in the process, he gets a first hand look at the magnificent justice system, that’s willing to let one scumbag off with five years in exchange for sending another scumbag to death row.  Brokering the deal in question is hotshot attorney Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), whose proudest achievement seems to be either his daughter or his ninety-six percent conviction rate.

Clyde, meanwhile, feels the system has let him down and thus launches off on a one man crusade to fix it by first tearing it to the ground in a series of horrendous remote-control murders.

About midway through the movie, I knew that they were going to have to cheat their metaphorical heinies off to get out of this one in anything resembling one piece.  They had set it up so clearly and so beautifully that Clyde Shelton was a remote control killing mastermind that, in order to win, the government was going to have to cheat itself BLIND.

But aside from the ethical and moral ramifications of watching your government toss out the rule book it wrote itself to satisfy its own vendetta against one man, Law Abiding Citizen is a fantastic, thought-provoking movie that ably combines a legal thriller with a mechanical engineering spectacular like Saw.

Yeah, that’s a good way to put it.  Picture Jigsaw in The Pelican Brief and you’ve got a pretty fair idea of what’s going on here.

Law Abiding Citizen is easily one of the best movies I’ve seen in a good long while–yeah, I know, I said that about Zombieland, too.  But they’re in different genres, so it’s still valid.  Oh, sure, there’s a lot of unpleasant things you could say about this movie.  I personally hated that ending, and watching Jamie Foxx’s regular stiff-necked pride throughout the whole thing, even as he was CONSTANTLY being showed up by Clyde was annoying to say the least.

And of course implausibility is simply a matter of course around here (how exactly did Clyde manage any of this stuff?  It assumes ridiculous sets of circumstances that are almost, but not quite, on par with magic.), but if you’ve got a really strong capacity for suspension of disbelief, then you’ll have an incredible time watching this.

Sci-fi buffs, I’m looking at you.

Despite the flaws, I had a great time watching Law Abiding Citizen, and as such, am holding a remote control connected to a bucket of salt and batteries that I have dunked the Screenhead Ten Scale’s feet in, and am forcing it to hand over a seven out of ten for a thought provoking thriller with a few glaring flaws.

It’s hard to have any active dislike for a movie like Gamer, because it really doesn’t try very hard to be much more than an excuse to get some really cool blood spatter effects on screen and occasionally feature topless women.  Naturally, for the target market, which is  spelled out in gigantic letters everywhere you look–Gamer–this is pretty much all a movie needs.

And to that end, Gamer is a massive success.  Is it worthwhile?  Let’s take a look.

Gamer posits that, in the not too distant future, the U.S. prison system will be so massive and so budget intensive that it threatens to bankrupt us.  Which isn’t technically too far from the truth–but anyway.  Along comes a software genius with a plan: take those Death Row convicts–who were just gonna die ANYWAY!–and make them fight for our amusement in gladiatorial matches.  The difference here being that they don’t get to fight on their own behalf but rather be controlled by outside gamers, including a seventeen year old clear Fata1ity analogue who is apparently so popular that, once again, topless women are prepared to send him fifty million euros in exchange for control of his character who just happens to be Gerard Butler.  Gerard, meanwhile, doesn’t like this and is out to escape his role as target / programmed assassin.

Gamer gives Mr. This-Is-Sparta himself, Gerard Butler, a chance to get back to the kind of roles that made him a big name, basically, roles that require him to do little more than grunt and kill things.  Seriously, give King Leonidas Halo Spartan armor and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what he’s doing here.

Like I said, Gamer is basically just a gigantic ninety minute excuse for explosions and exposed nipples, two things every gamer really wants but seems to have a tough time finding.  Oh, sure, there’s a MESSAGE here, delivered with all the subtlety of a Wayans movie–they practically ANNOUNCE “Message!” whenever they’re about to deliver this overhand chop to the beanbag–but whether or not anyone’s really paying attention while being badly overstimulated by bursting bloodpacks and bouncing boobies is anyone’s guess.

As long as you consider Gamer in the light it was produced in, a simplistic summer movie, a popcorn thriller with lots of action and violence, then you’ll do all right.  If you’re looking for something more substantive than I suggest you look elsewhere, because nothing’s going to happen here that you won’t see coming a mile off and several parts of it you won’t even WANT to see.

Like, for instance, a graphic representation of the all too real likelihood of just who you’re cybering with.  Eeeyipes.  And don’t even get me started on the occasional racist overtones in virtually every direction.

The Screenhead Ten Scale shakes its head at this strange little summer confection and gives it a seven out of ten for doing EXACTLY what it sets out to do and not one iota more.  The only real reason it didn’t get more is that it likely shouldn’t have set out to do any of that in the first place.

Gerard Butler movies are everywhere! This actor is busy.

He stars in Gamer which opens tomorrow and the promotions company gave me the impression that this is the last TV commercial before the movie opens. If you listen careful, you will hear a expletive word. Wow!  I still think the movie trailers are better.  Gerard Butler is awesome in this movie.

Gamer opens September 4, 2009 and the TV Spots are hitting the airwaves hot and hard.  I personally dislike the jump cuts and sharp cuts and this cuts and that cuts.  But TV people probably love it and can relate to it.  Interestingly with all these cuts, I sense it’s aimed for younger audiences but it’s R-rated.   Go figure.

The release of Lionsgate’s Gamer on September 4, 2009  is coming up quick and we wanted to share with you a new :60 trailer from the film!  We are seeing a lot of Gerard Butler, but we will never forget him when he tore up the big screen as Leonidas in 300, he certainly is making his presence known again as a power-house action star in this highly anticipated action thriller! The clip speaks for itself. Get ready to rock!

Gerard Butler is really enjoying himself in this movie; especially when his character starts taking revenge against the whole city and particularly Jamie Foxx’s character. You can’t help but notice the real honest-to-good change in his persona after his wife and daughter are killed, a good lesson in acting

Butler makes some real crazy looks and it matches well with Foxx’s sullen, down beaten reactions when he knows he’s up the judicial creek without any leverage.

With that being said, it’s obvious that Law Abiding Citizen movie trailer has spoilers. I feel like I know the whole story just from watching the trailer. I can practically predict the end.  What do you think will happen?

Gamer-It’s Cool, Yeah – Click here for the funniest movie of the week

Lionsgate released a new clip for their upcoming Gerard Butler film Gamer and they asked me to share this clip with you.  Butler is the badass of the week with this clip, telling the teenager “If you want to win this game, let me go.”

Gamer opens September 4, 2009. That’s Labor Day weekend and just may prove to be the blast of the box office that weekend.

(Source)

Gerard Butler is a very good looking actor. Even the magazines say he is one of the sexiest men in movies.   I first saw him in Phantom of the Opera and he was fantastic — a great voice and charismatic.  Then, I saw him in a sweet, gem of an independent movie called Dear Frankie. He played a warm and caring man – very different from the Phantom.  When I saw him in 300, I saw a whole new Gerard Butler, wow, a vibrant and strong leader – what a body!

In these two clips, Gerard Butler visits with Conan on the Tonight Show and they talk about 300 and his next movie, The Ugly Truth.  He also talks about the Jennifer Aniston’s rumors.

(Source)

Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler film Bounty Hunter has signed Christine Baranski (Mamma Mia!) to play Aniston’s mother in the comedy.

Hunter is in production with Andy Tennant (Hitch) directing.

 The other day, if it means anything, People Magazine framed some pictures of Butler and Aniston driving around in a convertible together.

Sarah Thorp wrote the script that follows a bounty hunter hired to retrieve his ex-wife (Aniston), who has skipped bail.

With the casting of Baranski, it appears the movie is rounding out quite nicely into a mainstream hit comedy.

Lionsgate’s theatrical marketing team has just debuted a website featuring an augmented reality movie poster for their upcoming Gerard Butler film, Gamer.  The silhouette is a bizarre looking image – it’s actually an icon of Gerard that can be used in conjunction with a site that Lionsgate just launched to create a 3-D image on your webcam! 

You click on the icon and you will go to that site.  It’s something to do on a hot summer afternoon when you want to stay in doors or late at night when you can’t fantasize about Megan Fox or Gerard Butler, depending on your preference.