Previews before reviews - in theaters 1/29/10

After a moribund showing last week, theatrical films bounce back a bit this week.

Crazy Heart: The film that will finally win Jeff Bridges his Oscar (and I say that with the utmost confidence) opens locally this week and is at the top of my to-see list. Now I'll finally be able to determine if this movie's appeal is all Bridges, or if there's something to the film as a whole.



Edge of Darkness: Mel Gibson steps out from behind the camera for the first time in a good long while, but me being more of a technical geek, I'm more interested in the director credit: Martin Campbell, who did a magnificent job rebooting Bond in Casino Royale. (He also directed the best of Brosnan's outings, Goldeneye.) Campbell, who with this film remakes a British miniseries he shot years ago,  is one of the more underrated action helmers out there, maybe because his style is more muscular than it is flashy. It also helps that one of the writers is William Monahan, who won an Oscar for The Departed. Mild concern: the reviews are soft.




When in Rome: I really like Kristen Bell, who absolutely radiates appeal, but I'm getting the funny feeling that this isn't the best vehicle for her talents. For one thing, the director is Mark Steven Johnson, who was last seen stinking up theaters with Ghost Rider. And for another, one review called it  "... a weak rehash of Love Potion No. 9, with Love Potion No. 9 replaced by crack." Where's my pipe?





Two outta three ain't bad.