KPCC film critics Henry Sheehan, Claudia Puig and Charles Solomon join Larry to review the week’s new film releases including Cars 2, Bad Teacher, The Best and the Brightest, A Better Life and more. Plus, we have Wade Major to discuss the "Films That Got Away" screenings that LAFCA co-programmed at the LA Film Festival. TGI-FilmWeek!
Guests:
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and henrysheehan.com
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and Variety
Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC; animation critic, author and historian for amazon.com
Films Reviewed:
Cars 2 (In Imax 3-D)
Animated story about cars going overseas to compete in a worldwide race
Starring: the voices of Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer
Written by: Ben Queen
Directed by: John Lasseter
Rated: G
Walt Disney Pictures
Bad Teacher
A foul-mouthed, lousy teacher comes up with a scheme to stay employed.
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch and Jason Segel
Written by: Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg
Directed by: Jake Kasdan
Rated: R
Columbia Pictures
A Better Life
An illegal-immigrant working as a gardener wants a better life for his son.
Starring: Demian Bichir, Jose Julian and Dolores Heredia
Written by: Eric Eason
Directed by: Chris Weitz
Rated: PG-13
Summit Entertainment.
Trollhunter
Norwegian film students follow a mysterious troll hunter.
Starring: Otto Jespersen, Hans Morten Hansen and Tomas Alf Larsen
Written and directed by: Andre Ovredal
Not rated
Magnet Releasing
The Names of Love (Le Nom des Gens)
A young woman uses sex to instill her liberal ideas in conservative men.
Starring: Jacques Gamblin and Sara Forestier
Written by: Michel Leclerc and Baya Kasmi
Directed by: Michel Leclerc
Not rated
Music Box Films
Beginning of The Great Revival
A historic look at the birth of the Communist Party in China.
Starring: Andy Lau, Daniel Wu and John Woo
Written by: Dong Zhe and Guo Junli
Directed by: Huang Jianxin and Han Sanping
Not rated
China Lion Film
Page One: Inside the New York Times
An inside look at the newsroom of the New York Times.
Starring: Brian Stelter, Tim Arango and David Carr
Directed by: Andrew Rossi
Rated: R
Magnolia Pictures/Participant Media.
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop
After leaving NBC, Conan O’Brien takes his show on the road.
Starring: Conan O’Brien, Andy Richter, Stephen Colbert
Directed by: Rodman Flender
Rated: R
Abramorama
One Lucky Elephant
A circus producer attempts to find a home for Flora, a retiring elephant.
Starring: David Balding
Written by: Cristina Colissimo
Directed by: Lisa Leeman
Not rated
One Lucky Elephant, LLC
DVDs
The Adjustment Bureau
Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Kastriner
Directed by: George Nolfi
The Eagle
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland
Directed by:Kevin Macdonald
Unknown
Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Sera
Elektra Luxx
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Carla Gugino, Ermahn Ospina
Directed by: Sebastian Gutierrez
Haunted 3D
Starring: Twinkle Bajpai, Krishna Bhatt, Mimo Chakrabaty
Directed by: Vikram Bhatt
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
Starring: Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Robert Capron
Directed by: David Bowers
Cedar Rapids
Starring: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche
Directed by: Miguel Arteta
Ceremony
Starring: Michael Angarango, Uma Thurman, Reece Thompson
Directed by: Max Winkler
Happythankyoumoreplease
Starring: Josh Radnor, Malin Akerman, Zoe Kazan
Directed by: Josh Radnor