Kinda Product-y, But...

It's got a hook, I'll give it that. Antoine Fuqua directing is a very good thing...for a product-y movie. The guy has that down pat.

With Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Aaron Eckhart, Gerard Butler. Sure, sure. Good, good.

The story:

• A Secret Service agent is tasked with saving the life of the U.S. President after the White House is overtaken by a paramilitary group. 

Oh, wait. Sorry. That's the logline for 'White House Down'. My bad. Well...doesn't matter -- same thing, same story. Really.

Just for clarity here's the spiel for 'Olympus Has Fallen':

• A former Secret Service agent works to prevent a terrorist attack on the White House. 

Toldja. Same.

Thing is, OHF opens first, April 5, while WHD rolls out on the much hotter (in every respect) June 28 and is directed by the much higher-profile (at least for movies like this) Roland Emmerich. WHD also benefits, at least in appearance, from being written by James Vanderbilt who penned 'The Amazing Spider-Man', 'Zodiac', and 'Robocop'. OHF is written by two first-timers. 

'White House Down' even gets the nod for the better title. Sorry, but 'Olympus Has Fallen'? Wha? Still, I'm thinking OHF will win when it comes to drama/story. WHD gets everything else: Box office, rental, TV/Cable, word-of-mouth. Everything. That ain't bad, really. 

Sure, sure. Good, good.

.

Blastr 'Battle: LA' Cast Interview

Clip from 'Battle: LA'

Aaron Eckhart talks 'Battle: Los Angeles'

Aaron Eckhart's Chintastic ChinterviewBattle: Los Angeles, Aaron Eckhart's Chin

'Battle: Los Angeles' Trailer

With a few seconds new footage.

'Battle: Los Angeles' International Trailer

With a few seconds of very nice new footage.

More hints of depth of character/quality of writing. Sort of the 'Deep Impact' of invasion flicks.

'Rabbit Hole' Trailer

A whole new Nicole Kidman. Beautiful looking movie. Excellent trailer. One of the best I've seen.

No Reservations

Here is a romantic dramedy with spine. In 'No Reservations' Catherine Zeta-Jones is a chef with issues. Here she is serving a raw steak to a customer who complained that the first one was too well-done.

Visual, gets deep into character. Chef is high-maintenance and her food is froufrou. When her sister dies in a car accident Chef must take care of her niece. She is not prepared for a kid in her life, especially under the conditions, and a nervous breakdown follows. When Chef takes time off work to deal with new circumstances Sous-chef, Aaron Eckhart, steps in to keep things afloat at the restaurant. That he is a man (and a brass-tacks Italian chef at that) irks Chef to no end. However, Sous-chef manages what Chef can't -- he connects with niece and helps smooth things out during a difficult time, helping Chef to create a family out of broken pieces and start a new life.

/film has some production stills and I was struck by the genuineness of this one.

Cute but not too too. I like the feel of this movie -- crafted, good story, light but not lite. Zeta-Jones is a draw, and she clicks well with Eckhart. Food, and the preparation of same, serves as the central metaphor here -- these guys did a good job contrasting the pros and cons of Cuisine Nouveau vs. classic dishes and the parallels between quality of food and quality of life.

Director Scott Hicks shot this one with a very grounded look that will balance out the subject matter and appeal to adult audiences. And, Village Roadshow has a great track record with script selection. This one should have a light but long run in theaters and do great business on DVD.