March Madness: The Biggest Movies of the Month
By Erin Steele
February 28, 2007
Opens: March 9
Starring: Kal Penn
Directed by: Mira Nair
The story: American-born Gogol (Penn), the son of Indian immigrants, wants to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers, despite his family's unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways.
Critical mass: "Though the condensing of Lahiri's episodic, decades-spanning narrative into two compact hours of screen-time makes for a pic occasionally overstuffed with incident, 'The Namesake' remains a richly compelling story of family and self-discovery." -Variety.com
Opens: March 9
Starring: Gerard Butler (formerly known as The Phantom of the Opera) and Lena Headey
Directed by: Zack Snyder
The story: "300" is based on Frank Miller's graphic novel and concerns the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta (Butler) led his army against the advancing Persians.
Critical mass: "Zack Snyder's decadent, hyper-violent and -stylized take on Frank Miller's graphic novel is shaping up to be some sort of new Fanboy Masterpiece, as the man who dared to update "Dawn of the Dead" is turning the battle of Thermopylae into one of the most anticipated movies of the year." -imdb.com
Opens: March 16
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon
Directed by: Mennan Yapo
The story: A housewife (Bullock) is shocked after her husband (McMahon) dies in a car crash -- and then reappears the next day, alive and well. Realizing it was a premonition, she looks for ways to avoid the tragedy.
The buzz: Not good. "Sandra Bullock either has absolutely no idea how to pick movies, or she simply doesn’t care about how she earns her paycheck," says cinemablend.com.
Opens: March 23
Starring: Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle
Directed by: Mike Binder
The story: A man (Sandler) who lost his family in the September 11 attack on New York City runs into his old college roommate (Cheadle), and their rekindled friendship helps him recover from his grief.
The buzz: Sandler proved his dramatic chops in "Punch-Drunk Love"; looks like "Reign Over Me" could pack a one-two emotional punch. "The general consensus seems to be the film doesn't manipulate 9/11 for an extra emotional response; instead, Bender is putting forth his take on how people bury their pain and eventually come to deal with it." -imdb.com
Opens: March 23
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chris Evans (voices)
Directed by: Kevin Munroe
The story: Does it even matter? The Turtles are back! For real!
The buzz: No reviews yet, but the new "Turtles" movie is a first-of-its-kind CGI feature, which means expect exceptional visuals at the very least.
Opens: March 23
Starring: Terrence Howard
Directed by: Sunu Gonera
The story: At the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, coach Jim Ellis (Howard) turns a group of troubled teens into one of the best swim teams in the country.
The buzz: Everyone loves a good inspirational sports movie. Word has it, this one could fit the bill.
Opens: March 30
Starring: Daniel Hansen, Wesley Singerman
Directed by: Stephen J. Anderson
The story: A boy genius named Lewis (Fry) has his latest invention stolen by the Bowler Hat Guy. He meets Wilbur Robinson (Fox), a curious young fellow from the future, who invites him to travel forward in time to meet his eccentric extended family and hunt down Bowler Hat Guy.
The buzz: "Disney's in-house animation studio was stoked when 'Chicken Little' proved they could succeed without Pixar. So for their next number, they will turn William Joyce's best-seller into one of the potentially best-looking animated films of the year." -imdb.com
Opens: March 30
Starring: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder
Directed by: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
The story: In 2002, two rival Olympic ice skaters (Ferrell and Heder) were stripped of their gold medals and permanently banned from men's single competition. Presently, however, they've found a loophole that will allow them to qualify as a pairs team.
The buzz: The film I've been looking forward to all year. With a cast that also includes real-life couple Will Arnett and Amy Poehler as figure skaters, this could be one of the highest-grossing comedies of the year.
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