Rated: PG
Directed by: Christopher Rowley
Cast: Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Joan Allen, Tom Skerrit, Christine Baranski

Bonneville stars Oscar winners Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and three-time nominee Joan Allen. After losing her husband while on a vacation, Arvilla (Lange) returns home to cremate her husband and spread his ashes. These plans are spoiled by his vindictive daughter, Francine (played by Christine Baranski), who has a prior will ordering that her father’s ashes be returned home and leaving his house to her. Arvilla’s best friends, the wild Margene (Bates) and uptight Carol (Allen) suggest trading his ashes to Francine in order to keep her home. The friends embark on a cross-country road trip in the deceased’s 66' Pontiac Bonneville to bring the ashes to Francine.

I had high hopes for this film… expecting nothing less than perfection from a phenomenal cast like this. But sadly, Bonneville felt like a postmenopausal Thelma and Loiuse rip off to me. I guess it speaks to the fact that Hollywood just isn’t producing good roles for female actresses in this age range. This movie was an insult to these legendary ladies by casting them in parts they could have done in their sleep. They deserve better! Despite the best efforts of these veteran actresses, this feature struggled to be entertaining.


The only positive thing I can say about Bonneville is that the cinematography was enjoyable as the friends travel through scenic Utah, California, Nevada and Idaho. The score desperately tried to keep the tempo flowing, but this was a long 90 minutes. The gratingly monotonous story and dialogue were predictable, filled with clichés and droll humor. First-time director, Christopher Rowley, and writer, Daniel Davis, disappoint with this failed attempt at a middle-aged female buddy movie.

Bonneville debuted at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival, but hasn’t been released until now… after all the Oscar hopefuls. That says all you need to know about its commercial viability. If you watch the trailer, you'll already know what to expect from this aggravatingly ridiculous film. Simply put, this was a tragic waste of time and talent. I can only give it 1 out of 5 stars.

Semi Pro

Will Ferrell stars in "Semi-Pro," an outrageous comedy set in 1976 against the backdrop of the maverick ABA – a fast-paced, wild and crazy basketball league that rivaled the NBA and made a name for itself with innovations like the three-point shot and slam dunk contest. Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, a one-hit wonder who used the profits from the success of his chart-topping song "Love Me Sexy" to achieve his dream of owning a basketball team. But Moon's franchise, the Flint Michigan Tropics, is the worst team in the league and in danger of folding when the ABA announces its plans to merge with the NBA. If they want to survive, Jackie and the Tropics must now do the seemingly impossible – win.

The Other Boleyn Girl

Based on the best selling novel by Philippa Gregory, "The Other Boleyn Girl" is an engrossing and sensual tale of intrigue, romance, and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in history. Two sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) Boleyn, are driven by their ambitious father and uncle to advance the family's power and status by courting the affections of the King of England (Eric Bana). Leaving behind the simplicity of country life, the girls are thrust into the dangerous and thrilling world of court life – and what began as a bid to help their family develops into a ruthless rivalry between Anne and Mary for the love of the king. Initially, Mary wins King Henry's favor and becomes his mistress, bearing him an illegitimate child. But Anne, clever, conniving, and fearless, edges aside both her sister and Henry's wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon, in her relentless pursuit of the king. Despite Mary's genuine feelings for Henry, her sister Anne has her sights set on the ultimate prize; Anne will not stop until she is Queen of England. As the Boleyn girls battle for the love of a king – one driven by ambition, the other by true affection – England is torn apart. Despite the dramatic consequences, the Boleyn girls ultimately find strength and loyalty in each other, and they remain forever connected by their bond as sisters.

Penelope

"Penelope" is the story of a young woman, Penelope Wilhern (Christina Ricci), born to wealthy socialites (Richard E. Grant and Catherine O'Hara). Penelope is afflicted by a secret family curse that can only be broken when she is loved by one of her own kind. Hidden away in the family's majestic home, she is subjected to meeting a string of blue-bloods through her parent's futile attempt to marry her off and break the curse. Each suitor is instantly enamored with Penelope (and her sizable dowry)... until the curse is revealed. When a willing mate cannot be found, mischievous tabloid reporter Lemon (Peter Dinklage) hires Max (James McAvoy) to pose as a prospective suitor in hopes of snapping a photo of the mysterious Penelope. Max, who is really a down-on-his-luck gambler, finds himself drawn to Penelope and not wanting to expose or disappoint her, disappears and leaves Lemon in the lurch. Fed up by this latest betrayal and determined to live life on her own terms, Penelope breaks free from her family and goes out into the world in search of adventure - curse be damned.

City of Men

In "City of Men," producer Fernando Meirelles ("The Constant Gardner") returns to the Brazilian favelas of his Academy Award-nominated film, "City of God." Growing up in a culture dictated by violence and run by street gangs, teenagers Acerola (Douglas Silva) and Laranjinha (Darlan Cunha) have become close as brothers. With their eighteenth birthdays fast approaching, Laranjinha sets out to find the father he never met, while Acerola struggles to raise his own young son. But when they suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a gang war, the lifelong friends are forced to confront a shocking secret from their shared past.

Bonneville

When the life she knew suddenly changes, Arvilla Holden finds herself at an emotional crossroads. Hijacking her two best friends, Carol and Margene, she sets off in a vintage '66 Bonneville convertible across the great American West on what turns out to be the journey of a lifetime. A friendly trucker who becomes an unlikely suitor.