movie feature | Tue. 04 24. 2007 12:00 AM EDT
Backed by powerhouses such as Robert DeNiro and Harvey Weinstein, The Tribeca Film Festival is now in its sixth year, and it's getting more and more serious. High-profile premieres of titles such as Spider-Man 3 and Lucky You help bring the bash lots more visibility. Here are five
Starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace Having nailed the worldwide premiere of the web-slinging thriller (a week before it hits theaters in the rest of the world) Tribeca no longer feels like a vanity project for rich New Yorkers. The third installment in super-hero franchise features popular villain Venom, less popular villain Sandman and sort-of-new villain, the New Goblin. The premiere takes place in Queens (Peter Parker's home -- adorable), marking this the most important Hollywood moment to happen to the borough since Coming to America. Inside dope: Don't expect to see a fourth film, at least not with this cast. Both Dunst and Maguire have said that they're not feeling it, thanks. Starring Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall Another one that's premiering a week early. This father-son-gambling drama stars Bana as Huck Cheever, a professional poker player who's out to win the affection of Billie Offer (Barrymore), a Sin City singer. Things get heavy when, just as he's gearing up for the tournament of his life, he learns that his opponent will be his estranged dad, L.C. While there's nothing particularly creative about that plot, the casting and character names are inspired, and since this one is from L.A. Confidential director Curtis Hanson and Inside dope: The soundtrack features stars like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt...and Drew Barrymore. Starring Lukas Haas, Giovanni Ribisi, Erika Christensen Entourage star Kevin Connolly is the director of this black comedy about disenfranchised youth in suburban New Jersey. Way to cop your ideas from that Scrubs guy, Connolly. OK, yes, while that does sound like a certain Zach Braff project from a few years back, Gardener of Eden feels a little more arch: It's about a young man who rescues a girl from an assault and then decides it's his life's mission to become a hero. That premise has worked before (everywhere from Star Wars to Super Mario), but we get the sense that the chivalry here is going to get all tangled up with the ensemble cast. Which includes David Patrick Kelly, the man who played Luther, the baddest bad guy in The Warriors. Inside dope: In the effortlessly-promoting-this-movie-to-must-see category, Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the film's producers. Starring Eva Mendes, Monet Mazur, Jay Hernandez These days, comedy is rarely so tongue-in-cheek. When a television executive (Mendes) develops a hot new idea for a reality show, she becomes the subject of a documentary film about the trials and tribulations of high-powered network folk trying to limbo around FCC rules. The thing is, see, the television show she's trying to get on the air is called Live!, and it's about a group of contestants (including Mazur and Hernandez) playing Russian roulette. With a loaded gun. Inside dope: The film is written and directed by two-time Oscar winner Bill Guttentag, whose documentary shorts have been highly acclaimed. Starring Emmanuelle Vaugier, Beau Garrett, Charlie Murphy When an archaeologist who's obsessed with the disappearance of a Native American tribe digs up an ugly, evil and violently homicidal creature, a town in New Mexico is screwed. You know the rest of the plot already without even having seen the movie -- but it's the same plot that always delivers, and in this new version of the story, it features real eye candy. Vaugier (Saw II) plays the sheriff who rounds up the townspeople into defending themselves. Inside dope: If you're a fan of derivative monster movies, then this is going to be a surefire hit. The creature design here is so close to the xenomorphs from the Alien quintilogy that H.R. Geiger might want to call his lawyer. |
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