With the Red Dawn remake, that Red Box may give you a Red Scare and have you reminiscing about the Cold War. Even Wreck-It Ralph showcases ’80s video game star Q-Bert. If you prefer to watch films about life in the 21st century, a light Gerard Butler comedy may be more your speed.
1) Wreck-It Ralph
With the voice talent of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman and Jane Lynch, there’s much to like in this animated film that serves as an homage to 1980s video games. Your kids will love watching the Sugar Rush car-racing game, where elaborate candy cars race through a cavity-inducing obstacle course.
Rotten Tomatoes: 86% fresh
Wreck-It Ralph movie review: Q-Bert’s back! >>
2) Red Dawn
This remake of the 1984 classic Cold War–era teen film starring Patrick Swayze and C. Thomas Howell doesn’t quite measure up to the original. In this newer version, the Soviet threat was originally replaced by China in the script. With China demanding so many American movies these days, the threat was changed in post-production at the last minute to North Korea. Judging from the Tomatometer, however, you may just want to rent the original.
Rotten Tomatoes for Red Dawn, 2012: 11% splat
Rotten Tomatoes for Red Dawn, 1984: 53% fresh
Red Dawn movie review: Who’s afraid of the big, red wolf? >>
3) Playing for Keeps
Poor Gerard Butler. He’s an out-of-work soccer player who’s decided to slum it by taking a job coaching his son’s soccer team. The only problem is he’s so darn sexy, all the moms of the players can’t keep their hands off him. Screenwriter Robbie Fox claims he wrote the screenplay when he found himself in a similar situation. Though not a great movie, it does give some good man-candy.
Rotten Tomatoes: 4% splat
Playing for Keeps movie review: Bend it like Butler >>
4) The Intouchables
What happens when an aging quadriplegic hires a welfare deadbeat as his new caregiver? Two strangers with seemingly nothing in common butt heads until they eventually spark inspiration in each other. The Intouchables was a box office smash in Europe and will likely gain a following in the United States with its DVD release.
Rotten Tomatoes: 75% fresh
5) Lay the Favorite
This comedy, based on a true story, stars Catherine Zeta-Jones as Tulip, an ex-stripper who climbs up the career ladder by becoming a Las Vegas cocktail waitress. Quickly, she becomes embroiled with a no-good bookie, Dink, played by Bruce Willis. Director Stephen Frears, best known for his films The Queen and Dangerous Liasons, is sure to up the comedy with solid actors like Rebecca Hall and Vince Vaughn.
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