Weekend Preview: Other Movies Besides Blades of Glory

This week I’m going to start with the little guys first, because they need the love.

Peaceful Warrior is based on the book The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Even though I’ve read the book, Peaceful Warrior isn’t easy to sum up without making it sound like hooey, so I’ll let the PR people do the talking. “In the film, Scott Mechlowicz plays Dan, a talented-yet-arrogant college gymnast with Olympic dreams and a golden future. The athlete thinks he has it all: bookcases of trophies, endless friends, fast rides and disposable relationships. But all that is about to change. One day, Dan’s world is turned upside down after a chance meeting with a mysterious stranger he comes to know as Socrates (Nick Nolte)—a man who holds the power to tap into new worlds of strength and understanding. After he suffers a debilitating injury, with the mystical help of Socrates and an elusive young woman named Joy (Amy Smart), Dan will grow to realize that strength of spirit is what leads a man to his true greatness.” I had pictured someone more peaceful than Nick Nolte (he of the scraggly mug shot) as Socrates, but he’ll do. The book was quite interesting and the trailer makes the movie look even better. RENT IT. (Official site)

Live Free Or Die (not to be confused with the next Die Hard sequel, Live Free or Die Hard) is the latest addition in the bumbling criminal genre. John “Rugged” Rudgate is a criminal legend in his own mind. When Rugged and his friends get the chance to commit a real crime, of course everything goes awry and hijinks ensue. Michael Rapaport and Zooey Deschanel co-star. The trailer is pretty funny, so I say RENT IT. (Official site)

After The Wedding was nominated for Best Foreign Film this year, with the tagline of “Champagne is poured, and secrets are spilled.” Based on the title, I was expecting a bit of a chick flick, but the trailer is all sex, lies, and intrigue. Mads Mikkelsen acts in his native language, proving he can be more than just Bond’s nemesis in Casino Royale. RENT IT. (Official site)

The Lookout was written and directed by Scott Frank, who also wrote Out of Sight. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays an injured former athlete who gets conned into participating in a bank robbery. The Lookout could go one of two ways: forgettable heist movie or dark, twisting crime drama. Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers) and Jeff Daniels co-star. RENT IT. (Official site)

Blades of Glory: Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Will Ferrell’s lampoon on the world of figure skating. Jon Heder, Craig T. Nelson, Jenna Fischer, William Fichtner, Amy Poehler, and Will Arnett co-star. SEE IT, not that you need prodding. (Official site)