With absolute garbage spilling into theaters this weekend — if you were expecting actual reviews for Sorority Row and Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself we apologize — Peter Travers uses this week's At the Movies to get you revved up for autumn with his Fall Movie Preview, spotlighting all the Oscar-bound films and the Scum Bucket-worthy debacles heading to a multiplex near you this season. The biggest directors and actors are all making a play for awards season gold or Christmas dollars, so let Travers help navigate you between the must-see films and the don't-see flops.
Check out all of Peter Travers' fall movie picks.
With the Academy Awards' Best Picture category expanded from five films to 10, James Cameron's Avatar, the Titanic director's first film since, well, Titanic, seems like a lock for a nod. The less-than-impressive teaser trailer already has the movie-loving message boards worried, but Travers insists that after seeing 40 minutes of the "spectacular" 3D footage, it's Cameron's Best Picture category to lose. Also in the Oscar hunt are Jason Reitman's Up in the Air, which might net George Clooney a Best Actor trophy, and the musical Nine, which stars Daniel Day Lewis and is partly based on Federico Fellini's 8 1/2.
So what's to avoid? For starters, the sixth installment of the Saw series, mysteriously titled Saw VI. There's also Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which could be the worst name for a movie since Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself. There's also Jim Carrey in A Christmas Carol, Harrison Ford in Brooklyn's Finest and John Cusack in the world-destroying 2012. Avoid, avoid, avoid. You'll be better off saving the money you would've spent on this trash and buying presents for loved ones this holiday season.
Travers also breaks down upcoming films from acclaimed directors like Terrence Malick, Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze and Lars von Trier, so check out his Fall Movie Preview above.
>>>Watch every episode of our weekly Peter Travers video podcast by subscribing via iTunes (when prompted, click “Launch application”). Every Friday, a new episode will be delivered to your iTunes. [If you don't have iTunes, download it here.]
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Lauren | September 25, 2009 7:35 PM
You Adam Lambert fans are a hoot. So way OTT that most people are laughing at you guys. You aren't doing anything to help the guy but if its what makes you happy go for it. Are most of you 13 or 14? Or perhaps that is just your emotional age.
anonymous | September 25, 2009 10:15 AM
It's unbelievable. Crazy Adam Lambert's fan are attacking all over the Internet whenever Adam is not mentioned. HE IS NOT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE!
Maynard | September 25, 2009 6:42 AM
You Adam people are freaks! Who in the world goes to a movie just to hear the soundtrack? Buy the CD. Unbelievable!
whatevia | September 25, 2009 5:20 AM
Going to see a movie because of ONE SONG IN THE SOUNDTRACK, PLAYED DURING THE CLOSING CREDITS???????
Ok.
Speechless here.
Adam | September 16, 2009 12:16 PM
What happened to that Halloween II review?
adam llambert and yay | September 15, 2009 12:27 AM
tyler perry actually finally comes out with a decent movie woo hoooooo
Donna | September 12, 2009 10:43 AM
Won't miss 2012 even though I'll find out it's a crap movie only because of Adam Lambert's song.
DAR | September 11, 2009 11:13 PM
No mention of The Princess and the Frog?Disney's return to hand drawn animation, I say welcome back
Jesper Winther Lykke | September 11, 2009 6:23 PM
I beg you Peter Travers to give Antichrist a chance. As the hater of hollywood crap movies that you proclaims to be I hope you give this movie a chance to shine because it is not to be missed. Von Trier has made a masterpiece that centers around the (catholic) suppression of women's sexuality. It is not, as people have been mislead, a movie that portrays women as evil, rather is it a movie that speaks in favor of women and deals with the historic suppression of female sexuality. The Movie doesn't give you any straight answers as to what it is about, which is the beauty of it. - It demands that you delve on it in order to reach an understanding of what it is all about. To all of you Transformers lovers: "Stay away from this one. You wouldn't be able to appreciate a movie that contains this kind of depth and artistic ambitiousness. However I hope you would Peter Travers. In fact I'd be disappointed if you do not."
JD | September 11, 2009 3:48 PM
Wow you completely lied about what Antichrist is about, there goes my respect for you Mr. Travers
Gary | September 11, 2009 2:43 PM
Guess i should be a movie critic. Since at least I REALIZE THAT HARRISON FORD IS NOWHERE IN THE UPCOMING MOVIE "BROOKLYN'S FINEST" but i guess even the best critics make mistakes.
hdbngr63 | September 11, 2009 1:05 AM
Correction: "The Lovely Bones" goes wide in January 1010. In limited Decenber 11th. Still stupid about "The Road" getting pushed back, guess Weinstein's were afraid of getting beat by "Where The Wild Things Are"
hdbngr63 | September 11, 2009 12:58 AM
Son of a bitch! I just found out "The Road" got pushed back to November and, here's the real pain in the ass, "The Lovely Bones" got pushed back to JANUARY 2010!!! Are you kidding me? Who's going to be left for Oscar contenders this year? Damn You Hollywood should legally be changed to "Damn You Paramount Pictures," because they are the ones ruining everything.
Avi | September 10, 2009 10:16 PM
The Informant anyone?
UK Fan | September 10, 2009 9:25 PM
Yah, me too. won't miss '2012' for Adam's sake! Anything and everything Adam is worth checking.
Tom | September 10, 2009 9:06 PM
Surprised by the lack of mention of "A Serious Man". Coen Brother's. Need I say more?
4adam4sure | September 10, 2009 8:39 PM
Adam on the soundtrack will be reason enough to see 2012.
Jessie | September 10, 2009 8:31 PM
I'm going to have to agree with the majority on here. I had actually planned to skip "2012" but once I found out an Adam song was going to be on it there is no way I would miss it :)
Lindajean139 | September 10, 2009 8:18 PM
Ok,,,,this has to be one of the dumbest things Rollingstone has every posted. How can you pan a movie that hasn't been completed yet. Hmmmm shouldn't you wait until it's completed?? How do you say to avoid something you know nothing about?
I | September 10, 2009 8:13 PM
I'll be going to hear the amazing voice of Adam Lambert on his first movie soundtrack for the movie"2012". If the movie turns out to be one I enjoy, that will be a bonus!
Fingers crossed.
LOVE ADAM!
Jules | September 10, 2009 8:10 PM
After the fantastic comments that Brian May said about Adam Lambert's song in '2012' - miss the film and Adam's voice in surround sound??? You have to be joking!!
Jen G | September 10, 2009 8:01 PM
Will have to see 2012 just to hear Adam Lambert's sweet, sweet voice on the soundtrack.
Dina | September 10, 2009 7:39 PM
Yeah, I'm going to have to agree with Sharon. I have wasted my money on a lot of movies, so if it turns out that you are right about 2012, I will have at least been able to hear Adam's first song for a movie. Yay!
Lisa | September 10, 2009 7:35 PM
I can not wait to hear Adams voice in surround sound
hdbngr63 | September 10, 2009 7:11 PM
Great picks for must-see's and scumbuckets, but there's one you left off the scumbucket list that MUST go in sight unseen. "Old Dogs" with John Travolta and Robin Williams. I saw this trailer the other day, WTF!? Those two+the director of "Wild Hogs"+Disney the evil empire of greed=VERY BAD MOVIE!
Michelle | September 10, 2009 6:10 PM
You can tell people to avoid a Tyler Perry movie 'til your blue in the face, but i bet it makes #1 in the box office. We African Americans LOVE Tyler Perry's films!!! (ps: iv'e seen the play and it was great)
Sharon | September 10, 2009 6:04 PM
I won't avoid '2012'. The soundtrack has to do allot with my choice not to avoid this movie. Adam Lambert is singing there. Got it?? And when Adam is singing, I don't care about the rest!!