Movie Buzz – 1/16

Katie Holmes’ acting was hard enough for audiences to stomach on the small screen, so why are casting directors torturing us by putting her in another movie?

Unfortunately, Holmes’ schooling in the dramatic arts came through several torturous years of overacting on the teen melodrama “Dawson’s Creek.” From there, Holmes went on to make several forgettable movies before embracing Scientology as Mrs. Tom Cruise.

Her latest movie is an all-girl affair with Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah. The film, “Mad Money,” comes from chick-flick director Callie Khouri (“The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”), whose most impressive credit to date is as the writer of another female-driven film, “Thelma and Louise.”

Keaton plays the quirky, slightly neurotic (are you surprised?) mastermind of a plot where three female workers at a Federal Reserve bank steal money that is set to be destroyed. If the plot sounds painfully simple, that’s because it is.

On the bright side, Holmes will not be reprising her role in the upcoming Batman movie, “The Dark Knight.” She has been replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal, an actress who, unlike Holmes, has demonstrated admirable talents in movies like  “Sherrybaby” and “Stranger Than Fiction.”

One actress who has successfully transcended from the television world to the big screen is “Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl. She earned a huge fan base through her work on writer-director Judd Apatow’s recent Beauty and the Beast-themed comedy, “Knocked Up.”

Now, Heigl is trying a far less crude romantic comedy on for size in “27 Dresses.” It seems weddings bring out the worst in some people. This is especially true for disgruntled career bridesmaids, like the one Heigl plays in the film.

Things get ugly when the man she secretly loves, played by Edward Burns, ends up getting engaged to her younger sister. Luckily, James Marsden (“Enchanted,” “Hairspray”) and his sparkling blue eyes will be there to help her get over it.

Expect some graceful moves from the cast, too, since director Anne Fletcher’s (“Step Up”) primary area of expertise is as a choreographer.

Can “Cloverfield” do for horror movies today what  “The Blair Witch Project” did nearly 10 years ago?

Let’s see. Hand-held camera, check. Teen and 20-something actors scared out of their minds, double check. But there’s one major difference: Witches really are scary and folklore suggests they existed at one point and possibly still do today. Monsters, on the other hand, are far less believable, making producer J.J. Abrams’ film about a monster attack on New York City too phony to induce pure fear.

Yet, like “Blair Witch,” this flick’s bumpy camcorder action will probably bring on motion sickness in anyone who can bear to watch. Bringing your own barf bag is highly recommended.

Some top-notch films that didn’t originally open in the CSRA have finally come to our area. Buzz-worthy flicks like  “The Kite Runner,” “The Orphanage” and the romantic war drama “Atonement” are now playing here. Head to the theater and rejoice!