By Rene Rodriguez, McClatchy Newspapers –
FRIENDS WITH KIDS (R): Writer-director Jennifer Westfeld (“Kissing Jessica Stein”) returns with this comedy about two best friends who decide to have a child together but keep their relationship platonic. The starry cast includes Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Adam Scott, Jon Hamm and Megan Fox.
JOHN CARTER (PG-13): The Walt Disney Co.’s $250 million gamble stars Taylor Kitsch as Edgar Rice Burroughs’ planet hopping hero. The early word is that director Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”) has done himself proud in his live-action feature debut. But there are concerns that the studio hasn’t marketed the film well enough to stoke the broad mainstream audience. With a price tag like this one, the movie has to hit huge.
SILENT HOUSE (R): In this English-language remake of a 2010 Uruguayan chiller, “Martha Marcy May Marlene’s” Elizabeth Olsen is being terrorized again, this time by unseen forces — Ghosts? Demons? Something else? — inside a creepy mansion. The husband-and-wife directing team of Chris Kentis and Laura Lau (“Open Water”) stay true to the original conceit of the entire movie unfolding in real time, in one single take, with no cuts.
A THOUSAND WORDS (PG-13): Eddie Murphy reunites with his “Norbit” director Brian Robbins for this comedy about a fast-talking agent who must suddenly make every word count, because he only has 1,000 of them left before he drops dead. (Not being screened in advance for critics.)
