Looking at the Weekend: March 11-13, 2011

A week to thrill most audiences. For the women, you have the period romantic fantasy Red Riding Hood; for the men, you have sci-fi actioner Battle: Los Angeles; and for the family, you have animated sci-fi abduction comedy Mars Needs Moms. And, each of those there groups will have cross-over appeal to the other films, so it’s a boatload of movies for everyone this weekend.

Consensus

Below is a list of what we have come to a general consensus on. The number in parens represents the percentage of our contributors who agree with the statement.

Battle: Los Angeles: The concern is that this could be a retread of action and alien invasion movies that have been done countless times before, so we are split on whether or not to check it out (33%). Though, we are more in agreement on its lack of Oscar chances (67%)
Mars Needs Moms: We aren’t sold on the concept or the animation (100%) and think Oscar will take a pass (100%).
Red Riding Hood: Interesting concepts and attractive visuals do not make a must-see film (67%) nor does it generally make an Oscar contender (100%).
Certified Copy: We agree that Kiarostami is an important director whose works must be seen (67%) and feel Oscar could be swayed into this line of thinking (67%).
Jane Eyre: Costume dramas hold some interest for our group, even if they are re-adaptations (67%), which make them ripe for some measure of Oscar consideration (100%).
Making the Boys: Check it out on DVD (67%) even if Oscar voters won’t (100%).

Check out our individual thoughts below:

WIDE RELEASES

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts Alien invasion movies can be great fun. And with Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez in the cast, it might not be too bad.	Thoughts Looks like another witless action flick.	Thoughts This looks like it could be a solid, mindless action film…or it could be a horrible mess.	Thoughts PENDING

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

Alien invasion movies can be great fun. And with Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez in the cast, it might not be too bad.

Thoughts

Looks like another witless action flick.

Thoughts

This looks like it could be a solid, mindless action film…or it could be a horrible mess.

Thoughts

PENDING

MARS NEEDS MOMS
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts I can’t stand this style of animation and considering how terrible this one looks, it won’t be on my schedule.	Thoughts The opening scenes on Earth looked promising in the trailer, but then they got to Mars and the whole thing seemed to fall apart.	Thoughts A mindless-looking cartoon.	Thoughts PENDING

MARS NEEDS MOMS

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

I can’t stand this style of animation and considering how terrible this one looks, it won’t be on my schedule.

Thoughts

The opening scenes on Earth looked promising in the trailer, but then they got to Mars and the whole thing seemed to fall apart.

Thoughts

A mindless-looking cartoon.

Thoughts

PENDING

RED RIDING HOOD
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts While I like the style of the film, the premise is a bit weak and I believe I’ve already figured out the conclusion.	Thoughts Looks good with an exceptionally strong cast, but director Hardwicke’s past films have all been disappointments for me.	Thoughts An interesting concept that doesn’t look to play out well at all.	Thoughts PENDING

RED RIDING HOOD

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

While I like the style of the film, the premise is a bit weak and I believe I’ve already figured out the conclusion.

Thoughts

Looks good with an exceptionally strong cast, but director Hardwicke’s past films have all been disappointments for me.

Thoughts

An interesting concept that doesn’t look to play out well at all.

Thoughts

PENDING

LIMITED RELEASES

CERTIFIED COPY
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts A noted director could make for a strong feature, but the trailer is so unexceptional that I can’t decide if I even want to see it.	Thoughts It stars Juliette Binoche, is directed by Abbas Kiarostami and was filmed in Tuscany, so what’s not to like?	Thoughts Kiarostami and Binoche are a match made in heaven.	Thoughts PENDING

CERTIFIED COPY

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

A noted director could make for a strong feature, but the trailer is so unexceptional that I can’t decide if I even want to see it.

Thoughts

It stars Juliette Binoche, is directed by Abbas Kiarostami and was filmed in Tuscany, so what’s not to like?

Thoughts

Kiarostami and Binoche are a match made in heaven.

Thoughts

PENDING

JANE EYRE
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts Word has it that Mia Wasikowska acquits herself nicely, but the trailer doesn’t look that terrific, so I’m not sure whether I want to see it or not.	Thoughts There have been so many film versions of Charlotte Bronte’s book, but the superlative cast and underrated director Cary Fukunanga give me hope that this will be one of the better ones.	Thoughts While another Jane Eyre doesn’t seem necessary, Cary Fukunaga is an interesting up-and-coming director and he has assembled a strong cast.	Thoughts PENDING

JANE EYRE

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

Word has it that Mia Wasikowska acquits herself nicely, but the trailer doesn’t look that terrific, so I’m not sure whether I want to see it or not.

Thoughts

There have been so many film versions of Charlotte Bronte’s book, but the superlative cast and underrated director Cary Fukunanga give me hope that this will be one of the better ones.

Thoughts

While another Jane Eyre doesn’t seem necessary, Cary Fukunaga is an interesting up-and-coming director and he has assembled a strong cast.

Thoughts

PENDING

MAKING THE BOYS

Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts It could be an interesting cultural investigation of a prominent feature, but I can’t summon up enough interest.	Thoughts This appears to be the documentary that accompanied the 2008 DVD release of the film. It’s got the exact same cast and the same forty years on perspective, so it’s either that or a slightly edited version.	Thoughts Interesting subject matter in an uninteresting format.	Thoughts PENDING

MAKING THE BOYS

Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

It could be an interesting cultural investigation of a prominent feature, but I can’t summon up enough interest.

Thoughts

This appears to be the documentary that accompanied the 2008 DVD release of the film. It’s got the exact same cast and the same forty years on perspective, so it’s either that or a slightly edited version.