Top 6 Scarlett Johansson movies

Sure, there's Jessica Alba, but if you're more into the curvaceous hotties, Scarlett Johansson lands right near the top of the list. And, with a slew of new upcoming Scarlett movies including The Nanny Diaries, The Other Boleyn Girl, He's Just Not That Into You and The Spirit, I thought I'd cover the best movies that this rising actress has contributed to the world. She's had a few disasters - The Perfect Score and Girl with a Pearl Earring - but she's done some great films as well. And we wanted an excuse to look up some pictures, too.

Without further ado...

1. Match Point
   Woody Allen's modern day masterpiece (when was the last time he did a truly great movie?) is about a young social climber who finds a wife only to start an affair with a super-hot beauty (Johansson) - but when she starts going a bit crazy on him, he realizes there is only one way to guarantee his family isn't ruined in the process. By far the best movie Johansson has ever starred in, she delivers a good performance as a woman who falls in love with the wrong guy, even though he isn't that bad of a guy. I think I may watch this movie later tonight...


2. The Prestige
   OK, Johansson isn't that great in this one as she doesn't get much of a role, but still looks wonderful playing the woman two rival magicians are lusting after (well, technically three). It's a shame she didn't get a more developed part as the movie is otherwise extremely good and powerful, but she plays her part effectively nonetheless. This film shows Johannson's knack for choosing darker and more character-driven stories that can still entertain, engage and excite.


3. In Good Company
   This Topher Grace/Dennis Quaid film never got the recognition it deserved, but this comedy-drama was surprisingly good and quite funny. Johansson once again plays the love interest (and daughter of Quaid), and as she is the love interest in just about every film, she does it quite well. While her character would normally be one-dimensional, she manages to make an intriguing and likable one nonetheless.


4. Ghost World
   I don't remember much about this movie other than that I liked it and that it was the first film where I noticed Scarlett. At age 17, I remember her being quite attractive, even though she didn't have the look she has now. This is probably the least known quality Ghost World film.


5. Lost in Translation
   Probably the most popular Scarlett film and the one that marks her most memorable role, Lost in Translation stars Bill Murray as... hell, everyone knows what this movie is about. Personally, I liked it but didn't love it (which means everyone should like it but not love it), but Johansson is a surprisingly good counter balance to Murray.


6. The Island
   This is a love-it-or-hate-it film, as some people who despise Michael Bay for everything he has ever done (though they were conveniently lenient on Transformers) refused to watch The Island, while the few who actually saw this movie found it relatively entertaining, despite going a bit over-the-top at times. It's not a perfect film by any means, but from an action perspective it's quite good, and Scarlett looks as hot as ever.
   

Now that I think of it, despite Scarlett's knack for choosing quality films, she essentially has just played the love interest in every movie, and has a tendency to choose movies where the guy doesn't get the girl. Out of all the movies listed above, only in The Island does she ride off into the sunset with her man.

And let's just show one more picture for the hell of it...

26 movies to watch (or not watch) in September

September is a surprisingly full month for movies, despite kids returning to school, summer still lingering around and its reputation for being a dump month. But never fear, because Erik the Movie Review Guy is here to tell you exactly what to watch this September. Stray from this list and I may hunt you down (and subsequently throw a pillow at you), so be warned.

(click on the title to see release dates, cast details and more)

1. Eastern Promises
   
   The latest film from David Cronenberg, the director of the awesome A History of Violence, Eastern Promises pulls Viggo Mortensen out of hiding to co-star with Naomi Watts in this drama-thriller about a woman who digs a little too deep into the Russian mafia. With all of the ingredients prepared and a kick-ass trailer to boot, this one looks like a repeat of the success of Violence. I can't wait.


2. 3:10 to Yuma
   
   This western flick stars Russell Crowe and Christian Bale as two men on different sides of the law. Gritty and definitely not like the westerns your parents grew up with, 3:10 to Yuma is about a vicious robber (Crowe) who is captured by the law (Bale) and then transported to another town for execution. Along the way, Bale's character runs into his defiant son, and Crowe's men show up to rescue their fearless leader. Based on the trailer, we're looking at some great drama by two excellent actors and some intense action sequences to boot. If this one isn't good, I will be highly disappointed.


3. The Kingdom
   
   I've been anticipated this action-thriller set in Saudi Arabia for quite some time. While the push from its original release date in the spring to September is a little unsettling, this Jamie Foxx/Jennifer Garner movie looks to have plenty of intrigue and action, and has the budget to back everything up. It could end up being more of a drama than the previews let on, which might turn off some viewers, but I'm still looking forward to a quality action movie set in the Middle East.


4. The Brave One
   
   Jodie Foster doesn't do a lot of movies, but she's back and The Brave One certainly looks to be one of her darker films. Following late August's Death Sentence, this thriller will be the second revenge flick in less than a month, but the previews have been stellar for both. It doesn't look like there will be much comedy in this one, as Foster becomes a real-life vigilante who kills criminals whenever she feels like it. These revenge movies can often end up being not so good, but when done right, boy do they kick ass.


5. Lust, Caution
   
   The latest film from Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), this Chinese drama-thriller is about a woman who seduces a man (Tony Leung) with the eventual intent to kill him. Presumably, the movie is in Chinese, so the trailer for the film features no dialogue but instead a moving and powerful soundtrack and lots of brief shots of the progression of the story. Lee has shown a knack for quality when his main character is not a green comic book character, and this one has all the makings of an early Oscar contender.


6. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
   
   This Brad Pitt film has been pushed back over a year, which does not bode well for its chances at being good, but that aside, everything I've seen thus far has me wetting my pants. The teaser trailer is short and to the point, and makes my hair tingle every time I watch it. And how can you beat that title? Compared to 3:10 to Yuma, the other western of the month, I don't expect it to be as good, but it definitely has the marketing intrigue going for it.


7. Across the Universe
   
   This Julie Taymor movie looks like a combination of Moulin Rouge, Yellow Submarine, Platoon and perhaps Forrest Gump (only not funny), as it takes a look at a love story set against the turbulent 1960's and the Vietnam War. Taymor, never known to do "normal" movies, has apparently added a musical element to the film, so who knows what the final product is actually going to look like. Either way, the film stars Evan Rachel Wood, who I like for multiple reasons, not all of them innocent, and certainly seems to have a grasp on its subject matter. It's just a question on whether Taymor manages to piece everything together.


8. Fierce People
   
   Every year a couple of these movies come along, about some young man getting thrust into a strange setting and growing up really quickly as a result. Not unlike Almost Famous, Fierce People looks to have the intrigue of a bug-on-the-wall perspective on the upper class, as one young guy gets lucky and lands a room in a mansion owned by Donald Sutherland, who seems to be screwing his mom, played by Diane Lane. He then runs into an elite brother and sister, the brother being the Human Torch (Chris Evans) and the daughter being the ever-so-attractive-and-apparently-sort-of-crazy Kristen Stewart. Fierce People looks like a dramatic blast, or like a serious version of Mean Girls.


9. Run, Fatboy, Run
   
   Certainly not an Oscar contender, Run, Fatboy, Run is on this list for one simple reason: Simon Pegg. Pegg, the star of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, is gold right now, and this movie, with its hilarious title, looks pretty damn funny, even if the trailer just shows Pegg getting hurt and running around in his nasty underwear. It might not be rocket science, but the previews cater perfectly to Pegg's audience.


10. Good Luck Chuck
    
    This comedy could easily end up being bad, especially considering the fact that neither Jessica Alba or Dane Cook have much of a record for choosing quality comedies, but, then again, the movie stars Jessica Alba and Dane Cook. Alba looks about as good as she has ever looked, which is enough to draw me to theaters along with millions of other desperate men; I'll leave the women to comment on Cook. The movie is about a guy who women sleep with because there is a rumor that after they sleep with him, they will find the love of their lives. This works out well for Chuck until he meets the girl of his dreams - but if he sleeps with her, will she fall in love with someone else? The concept is funny and... it stars Jessica Alba.


11. The Darjeeling Limited
    
    The latest Wes Anderson film doesn't look as funny as his previous efforts, but the more I watch the trailer the more I want to see it. About three brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman) who ride a really weird train around India, The Darjeeling Limited looks like it has all the odd ball things one has come to expect from Anderson. My highlight is a scene where the train gets lost, and Schwartzman points out that trains can't get lost because they're on rails.


12. In the Valley of Elah
    
    Tommy Lee Jones does what he does best in In the Valley of Elah, by playing a man investigating a crime. He has worked the role to perfection and then some, and even though he's not playing an official investigator here, he seems made for the role of a retired Army man looking into the disappearance of his soldier son. A military cover-up ensues. While the ending of the trailer may suggest this is more of a character drama than a suspense film, the movie looks pretty fast-paced and intriguing. Also note how many times Charlize Theron knocks papers off of desks in the trailer.


13. The Savages
    
    Starring Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Savages looks to be a promising drama-comedy about a brother and sister trying to reconcile after years of fighting. The movie promises lots of fighting between the two, which should be entertaining, but overall looks pretty good. This film probably isn't Oscar caliber, but if done right could get some votes for the talented actors involved.


14. Resident Evil: Extinction
    
    The two previous Resident Evil movies haven't been great, but they haven't been terrible, either. Probably one of the most successful video game adaptations, the movies have been restrained by unnecessary video game elements (flashy action sequences and over-the-top stunts), but you can see signs that it wants to break the mold. Extinction looks to be set sometime later in the wasteland that was once Las Vegas, and has a Mad Max aura about it. That's not a bad thing, as it gives the movie a fresh look without completely departing from formula. Extinction probably won't be great, but it could be a fun ride.


15. Into the Wild
    
    This Sean Penn-directed movie doesn't look amazingly exciting, but it could still end up being quite good if done right. About a young man who leaves everything he has to go live in the wild (though he eventually meets a girl who is thankfully not an animal), Into the Wild will have lots of beautiful scenery and hopefully some good acting from rising stars Emile Hirsch and Kristen Stewart. I'm not a huge fan of these self-exploration flicks, but Into the Wild still looks pretty good (I'm getting quite sick of saying "looks pretty good" but I can't think of any better way to describe most of these movies).


16. The Hunting Party
    
    About a couple of overly ambitious journalists in the middle of a war zone, The Hunting Party looks like it will be one of this year's first mainstream films to address unrest in another part of the world. Based on a true story of what I can't remember, the film stars Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg as three reporters who attempt to track down an elusive fugitive terrorist for an interview, but, as one might imagine, end up stepping on a hornet's next in the process. Political intrigue, action and government conspiracy ensue.


17. Trade
    
    I thought this movie had potential... when it was supposed to be released in 2006. Now that it's been pushed back almost a year to a month that is not known for Oscar-worthy films, I have to question how much of a disaster Trade is. Still, this look into the black market trade of humans is intriguing, so I'll give it a chance, but my guess is that it isn't going to be all that good.


18. December Boys
    
    Harry Potter returns, but this time in a drama about four boys who are looking to be adopted. This movie marks the first semi-big film for Daniel Radcliffe that does not include magic wands, and that alone should draw people to theaters. The movie looks halfway decent, though it's certainly a story that has been done before in some form or another. Still, it's a good choice for Radcliffe who would be smart to stay away from mainstream films as much as he can to avoid the inevitable typecasting he is going to receive.


19. Feast of Love
    
    This quirky romantic comedy-drama starring Greg Kinnear, Morgan Freeman and a slew of others (don't worry, Kinnear and Freeman are not love interests of one another) looks like it has promise, though the trailer really isn't funny enough to have me heading to theaters. More than likely, Feast of Love will be forgotten before it reaches DVD, but good reviews could save this one.


20. Mr. Woodcock
    
    Seann William Scott stars as a young man who was tormented as a child by his coach, Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton). To his horror, he finds out that the evil man has moved in with his mother. The two roles are perfect for these two actors, and I look forward to them sparring for an hour and a half. More than likely, Mr. Woodcock is not going to be a great comedy, but it has enough funny scenes in the trailer to draw some audiences to theaters.


21. The Brothers Solomon
    
    Certainly the dumbest movie of September, The Brothers Solomon stars the pretty funny Will Arnett ("Arrested Development") and Will Forte as two sheltered men trying to get with women - unfortunately, they don't have a clue how to do it. The movie won't appeal to everyone, but the trailer has enough goofy gags to interest certain audiences. I'm on the fence, and more than likely will wait until DVD. After films such as Knocked Up and [maybe] Superbad, expectations for male-oriented comedies have gone through the roof. Will The Brothers Solomon fulfill those expectations? I highly doubt it.


22. The Signal
    
    It's hard to rate a film where the teaser only has a really annoying sound and a few creepy clips of random things, but The Signal is definitely trying to play up its similarities to The Ring. Hell, I received a DVD in the mail a month or two back - I thought it was a screener for the film, and instead it turned out to be nothing more than thirty seconds of the horrid "signal". The tagline, "Do you have the crazy?" is pretty cool, though, so I'm a bit intrigued.


23. Romance & Cigarettes
    
    This comedy-drama from John Turturro that stars James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken, Mandy Moore, Mary-Louise Parker and more certainly has the talent, but the previews aren't all that amazing. The movie looks like a midlife crisis kind of flick, but while there are a few funny moments, there isn't enough here to have me heading towards theaters.


24. Shoot 'Em Up
    
    Normally, I would jump all over a Clive Owen-starring action movie that also features Paul Giamatti, but Shoot 'Em Up just doesn't look that good. There'll be plenty of action, but an action movie without a story to piece everything together is just stupid, and Shoot 'Em Up definitely seems to fit that mold. Who knows - maybe it'll be a blast - but I'd rather see Sin City 2 come around one of these days. Oh, and the title is God-awful.


25. The Jane Austen Book Club
    
    It's a chick flick about women who really like Jane Austen. As they discuss books, they also look at ways to get their relationships and lives on track. Might be okay, but I'm in the wrong demographic, and hence unless I get dragged unwillingly to theaters on a date, my eyes will never meet this movie.


26. Dragon Wars (D-Wars)
    
    Wow. How is this one actually making it to theaters? While the concept is fine (dragons attack the world), the visual effects just don't look up to snuff. This one should be heading direct to DVD, but for some reason Freestyle Releasing thinks they can make some money off of this piece of crap. Pump another $10 million into the visuals and you might have something here, but as is this looks like a destruction film that was made thirty years ago.
    
    

Summer Stinkers (Bad Movies of the 2007 Summer Season)

The summer usually amounts to this: a bunch of really big movies you're excited for but that are ultimately disappointing, a bunch of so-so films that exceed expectations, and a whole lot of garbage that you can smell a hundred miles away. This is a list of my summer stinkers...

Delta Farce

Yet another vehicle for Larry the Cable Guy (how does this guy get work?), the fake southern hick stars as one of a couple guys who are accidentally set to Iraq. A war spoof, this movie is unlikely to be even remotely funny. If this makes money, I'll have no faith in the world. [Editor's note: since writing this quick anti-blurb, we are happy to say that Delta Farce crashed and burned, though there were still idiots in America that handed this film $3.5 million for the weekend]

Lucky You

Another movie that has already been released but is not being removed for the sake of allowing me to say "I told you so," Lucky You also crashed on burned... maybe because it looked awful! And here's what I originally wrote: Lucky You has a good cast (Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall) but this drama/romance just looks boring as Hell. A movie about a poker player who hates his poker-playing father and who falls in love with a woman, the previews haven't shown me a single reason to go and see this in theaters, let alone watch it on DVD. Maybe this is just a hard film to market, but this one looks to come and go in a matter of weeks (I told you so!).

Hostel: Part II

The first Hostel was God-awful; I really don't understand what people liked about it. The nudity was great, but everything else was just terrible, and the gore really wasn't that good. Hostel: Part II will undoubtedly up the ante for gore, but I don't expect this new film from Eli Roth to be any better than its predecessor. While I have nothing against gore/shock films, I hope this film falls flat and kills this strange little genre once and for all (or at least for a decade or so).

Surf's Up

Are you freaking kidding me? Another penguin movie? While I didn't love Happy Feet, it came at the right time and offered some funny moments, cute penguins and great visuals. Surf's Up is late to the party, and appears to lack all three of those ingredients. The previews aren't funny, the penguins really aren't that cute, and the visuals look sub par compared to other CGI films out there. This one really looks like a disaster in the making.

Evan Almighty

When I first heard that they were making a sequel to the hit Jim Carrey comedy Bruce Almighty and that it starred show-stealer Steve Carrell, I was excited. Carrell ("The Office", The 40-Year Old Virgin, and, of course, Bruce Almighty) is at the top of his career right now and is hilarious beyond belief. Unfortunately, the movie trailers portray Evan Almighty as an unfunny attempt at making money, and I am almost certain this movie is going to suck. Am I going to go see it in theaters? Probably. Am I going to like it? Most likely not.

Hairspray

I've never seen the original movie, nor have I seen the Broadway play upon which this new movie is based, but everything I've seen and heard implies that Hairspray is going to suck. Other than John Travolta as a fat woman, Hairspray sounds boring and downright stupid. I also saw the movie trailer the other day at Fracture, and my fears were concerned. The movie just looks like cheesy stupidity, and offers little in the way of laughs or plot.

No Reservations

The romantic comedy starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart may not end up being terrible, but it doesn't look all that good, either. A romantic drama-comedy, I can see this movie being one that can't decide which genre it belongs to, as it's going to have some dark parts and some goofy parts. All in all, I read dud all over this one.

Underdog

I'm a big fan of Jason Lee, but when he stars as a dog in a live-action, comedy, I see a disaster of epic proportions. How a film about a talking superhero dog made its way to theaters is beyond me, but coming it is... Hide your children in the closet.

Most anticipated movies of the summer

The official summer movie season starts Tuesday, May 1st, which means it starts Thursday at midnight with the release of Spider-Man 3. Here are my top ten most anticipated movies of the summer...

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

One of the most consistent, entertaining and exciting franchises out there, the latest Harry Potter finds, once again, a new director and even a new screenwriter, which could make it the most questionable of the series. Still, the Harry Potter track record has been good, and as this is the darkest of the films thus far (the war begins!), it could be one of the best. I don't actually remember exactly what happens in the book, other than a major death, but I am certainly pumped to see this one on the big screen.

2. The Bourne Ultimatum

The Bourne Supremacy is one of my favorite action movies, as director Paul Greengrass, despite some shaky camera moments, presented an intense, sophisticated thriller that was full of surprises. Greengrass is returning once again, and I am holding my breath that this movie may finally introduce Carlos the Jackal, the main villain of the Robert Ludlum trilogy who has been completely left out of the movies. I am currently in the process of reading The Bourne Ultimatum, though I am certain that the movie will be 100% different, as two key characters who are dead in the films are essential parts of the book, and, of course, there is no Carlos the Jackal back story. Nevertheless, I can't wait to see this latest film, and hopefully it won't be the last.

3. Spider-Man 3

The Sandman, I'm thinking, will be a pretty minor villain, as Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) is going to have his hands full with the new Green Goblin (or is it Hobgoblin, I'm not sure?), played by his vengeful friend James Franco. Of course, more importantly, the movie is about the black suit that eventually turns Eddie Brock into Venom, probably the most popular Spider-Man villain. The movie trailers have been fantastic, especially the most recent one where it starts out with Brock (Topher Grace) praying to God to kill Peter Parker for him. The movie is going to be noticeably darker than the previous two, and, with three villains, should provide plenty of action.

My only concern - will three villains stretch the story too thin? The Spider-Man franchise has always relied on developed characters and a balance of action and "drama" - could Raimi have pushed things too far?

4. Transformers

When I first heard about this Michael Bay film, I scoffed. A movie about robots fighting against one another just sounded ludicrous; what works as a cartoon will not work as a live-action summer blockbuster. But movie trailers and photos thus far have completely changed my mind; Transformers simply looks... awesome. The visuals look fantastic, and Michael Bay appears to have applied some grainy-ness to his typical glossy filming style. Of course, plot and dialogue are still up in the air, but we haven't had an alien invasion/destruction movie in a few years, and Transformers looks to blow the genre out of the water.

The only question mark is Michael Bay. While he is up to the task of making an incredible action movie, the parts in between tend to suffer. Will Bay overcome his negligence of non-action scenes, or will Transformers be another mindless action film (not like there's anything wrong with that).

5. The Simpsons Movie

Little needs to be said about this one. The Simpsons Movie is probably the most anticipated movie of the last 15 years - of course, that doesn't mean it's going to make the most money, but it's still going to make a lot. This one should appeal to the old and young equally (unlike South Park, for instance, which still made a ton of dough), and hopefully will be as funny as everyone is expecting it to be. The only problem here is that while The Simpsons are still going strong, they aren't quite as popular as they used to be. Has the time passed where we needed a Simpsons movie? Will expectations be too high? Time will tell...

6. Mr. Brooks

The only movie that is not an action film or comedy on this list is Mr. Brooks, a suspense thriller starring Kevin Costner as a seemingly nice man who just happens to murder people. When a voyeur (Dane Cook) happens to catch him in the act, the two make an unlikely alliance. Mr. Brooks definitely looks sophisticated, and movie trailers thus far have been top notch. Definitely a change of pace for Costner, this film could go the course of American Psycho; it may not make a lot of money, but, if done right, it could be a critical darling, something that Costner desperately needs.

7. Live Free or Die Hard

Another highly anticipated movie that has been talked about for years and years and years, the fourth Die Hard finally makes it to the big screen, with Bruce Willis returning to the role of John McClane. The movie has a different director and looks a lot glossier and shinier than its predecessors, but the trailers have been effective in presenting the film as a rather dark, action-packed movie with glimmers of the old Die Hard humor that one would expect. For some reason I have fears that this one is going to end up being a stinker, yet at the same time it is one I am dying to see. There's only one way to find out...

8. Ocean's 13

Ocean's 13 is, of course, the sequel to Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's 12, and thus has a 50/50 chance of being good. Ocean's Eleven was excellent, while Ocean's 12 all but sucked. Luckily, Ocean's 13 looks like it is returning to its roots (Las Vegas), keeping most of its stars (except for Julia Roberts, who really didn't add much to the sequel anyway), adding one really big cast member (Al Pacino, anyone?) and taking the stakes much higher. The plot appears to be that after one of the Ocean gang is betrayed by new casino owner Pacino, the rest of the crew decides to reap revenge by fixing every game in the casino, thus robbing Pacino of millions of dollars, destroying his credibility, so on and so forth. In addition, it appears that they team up with former enemy Andy Garcia to share in the destruction of this new casino, though I'm guessing there will be betrayal along the way. All in all, Ocean's 13 looks like everything Ocean's 12 wasn't - the question is, will audiences recognize that.

9.Ratatouille

The movie no one can pronounce is coming to theaters in late June, and targeting the youngest crowd. The latest from Disney and Pixar, Ratatouille looks like a major step up from the God-awful Cars, which was Pixar's first misstep in a long series of successful and entertaining movies. Cars was just boring to me, but Ratatouille looks to be going more of the Toy Story route, and previews thus far have been pretty funny. I would be highly surprised if this isn't Best Animated Movie of the Year.

10. Shrek the Third

The first Shrek movie was extremely funny. The second Shrek movie was even funnier. Hence, the trend should continue into the third movie. The voice cast is all returning, and Justin Timberlake has been added as Prince Arthur. Still, Shrek the Third is on the fence for me, as I really haven't found the trailers to be all that funny. They seem rather chaotic and not nearly as effective as the masterful previews for Shrek 2. Are the bad trailers a result of poor marketing or a poor movie? My guess is the former, but again, there is only one way to find out.