“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was a $480 million worldwide hit, but buzz-averse distributor 20th Century Fox rolled out the movie in early August with a blitz of TV advertising but otherwise so little fanfare (as per their usual operating procedure, screenings for critics were “opt-in,” and additionally hush-hush) that a lot of more savvy filmgoers who perhaps look to advance reviews and feature coverage peeks as signs of studio confidence in the marketplace thought the movie was a brainless dud. Far from it, actually. Director Rupert Wyatt’s reboot of Tim Burton’s reboot of Fox’s second most well known franchise property (not counting “Star Wars,” which they don’t own)…

A discussion and review the week’s new movie release from your favorite entertainment and celebrity website. Hello everyone, this is episode 14 of the Movie Night Podcast. This week Rudie Obias and Perri Nemiroff discuss the remake of “Straw Dogs” and the new thriller “Drive”. Subscribe on iTunes or Download and Listen Here. “Straw Dogs” features James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd, James Woods, Dominic Purcell and Willa Holland. It was written and directed by Rod Lurie. “Drive” features Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Oscar Isaac, Christina Hendricks and Ron Perlman. It was written by Hossein Amini and it was directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Read Perri…

Title: Straw Dogs Directed By: Rod Lurie Starring: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgård, James Woods, Dominic Purcell, Rhys Coiro, Billy Lush, Laz Alonso, Willa Holland, Walton Goggins, Drew Powell Whether or not you’ve seen the original, the promotion campaign for Straw Dogs lays it out quite clearly; this film boasts a bloodbath. Emotion? Character development? Some sense? Not so much. But, if you’ve got a taste for this type of horror film and don’t mind forgoing effective storytelling for some gruesome and original kills, it might be worth a watch. Big time screenwriter David (James Marsden) and his wife Amy (Kate Bosworth) ditch Los Angeles so he can take…

Kate Bosworth and Alexander Skarsgard are set to star alongside James Marsden in Screen Gems’ “Straw Dogs,” a “reimagining” of the original 1971 film by Sam Peckinpah. Rod Lurie wrote the script and is directing, with shooting set to start in August 2009. Marsden plays a Hollywood screenwriter who relocates with his actress wife, played by Bosworth, to her hometown in Mississippi. Skarsgard will play her high school boyfriend, an ex-football hero who sees her coming home as a way to reclaim lost glory. The original film was controversial upon its release for its violence and scenes of rape, and for what was viewed as glorification of misogyny and vigilantism….