Hollywood in March: the month that came in like a lion (see: Alice in Wonderland) and will likely go out like one as well, thanks to crowd pleasers that–artistic merit aside–ought to bring in the bucks. Here’s a handy guide to the new releases.
Hot Tub Time Machine
What’s the story: And you thought Snakes on a Plane had a literate title. HTTM (as the kids on Twitter call it) stars John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke as four friends who travel back in time to 1986 with the help of—you guessed it—a hot tub. Needless to say, hijinks occur. The reviews have been shockingly good—hey, even critics like to laugh—and the buzz on this one has been deafening for a while. But before you get too excited, remember: The last time a movie had this kind of advance hype it was the aforementioned Snakes, and we all know how that ended (hint: badly). Still, throw enough Back to the Future references out there and we’ll probably be satisfied.
Who should see it: Doc Brown.
How to Train Your Dragon
What’s the story: Jay Baruchel Month rolls on! Just two weeks after our favorite second-string Judd Apatow Player headlined She’s Out of My League, the Canadian supplies the voice for the lead character in How to Train Your Dragon. Fellow Apatow regulars Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kristen Wiig provide support in this tale about a young Viking who takes a dragon under his wing. With reviews that are Pixarian in their praise and the added benefit of 3-D, expect major bank.
Who should see it: Jake Sully.
Also opening: Director Atom Egoyan embraces his inner Adrian Lyne for the sexy thriller Chloe, co-starring Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and Amanda Seyfried. (Read Sara Vilkomerson’s review here.)
