RA: Renters Anonymous - May 13th, 2008

Posted by Trevor

May 13, 2008

This Week: May 13th, 2008

Untraceable - 7/10 - Trailer
A serial killer kidnaps his victims and hooks them up to an internet website that kills the victim faster as more people view the website. Our heroine must solve the identity of the killer to save the public and herself. If you’re itching for a new thriller this week than you might pick this up but with a 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, I’d just keep walking down the aisle.

Mad Money - 6.5/10 - Trailer
Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes are three ordinary women who decide to rob the Federal Reserve Bank in which they work. The decide to steal the old currency that is set to be destroyed so that it will be a victimless crime. Now they must figure out how to stay one step ahead of the law. If you watched the trailer you probably skipped this movie when it came to theaters and I’d suggest to do the same when you see it on the shelves. This isn’t a Catch Me If You Can with female leads, it’s just a bad idea.

The Great Debaters - 7/10 - Trailer
From wikipedia:

The film, based on a true story, revolves around the efforts of debate coach Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) at historically black Wiley College to place his team on equal footing with whites in the American south during the 1930s, when lynch mobs and Jim Crow laws abounded. The Wiley team eventually succeeds to the point at which they are able to take part in a debate with Harvard University.

This film is doing very well with critics and currently has a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is probably the only decent movie to release this week. Denzel Washington directed and stars in this film and as usual pulls off a great performance. If you enjoy Denzel’s historical dramas then this is your rental for the week.

Youth Without Youth - 7/10 - Trailer
Francis Ford Coppola returns behind the camera for the first time in a decade in a film where a 70-year-old man is struck by lightning which restores his youth. The film takes place around World War II in Romania. Now he must escape from the Nazi’s, who want to learn of his new rejuvenation, while completing his life’s work in linguistics. The critics have looked very poorly on this film and are hoping this is just a means to an end, predicting more and better work from Coppola in the future. The general public seem OK with Coppola’s film and have given it decent reviews but the overall consensus is that the film is just too confusing for regular viewing. If you’re a Coppola fan that you’ll probably pick this one up no matter the reviews.

My Rentals:

None. I had a chance to watch Mad Money on a recent flight but I decided to catch up on some TV shows instead. I think we’re in a lull of movies right now waiting for the summer blockbusters to launch.

Are you going to even bother renting anything this week or are you going to pull an Indiana Jones marathon in anticipation of the new film?