THE ROOMMATE - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from The Roommate

What a mess. Christian E. Christiansen's The Roommate gets its inspiration from 1992's Single White Female, which was an edgy portrait of Obsession. Where this Film suffers its greatest downfall is its hopes of appealing to a Teen audience, shying away from risks which would have made it the terrifying Thriller it aspired to be.

Sara Matthews (Minka Kelly) is a Freshman College Student with aspirations in Fashion Design. All is well until she comes home one night to her room to find Rebecca (Leighton Meester) waiting on her. Eerily, they bear striking resemblances to one another. We learn that Sara once had an older Sister who passed away when she was nine years-old. Before long, we begin noticing Rebecca's controlling ways with her incessantly demanding to be Sara's one and only Friend and replacement Sister.

Crazy Rebecca stalks Sara's Friend Tracy (Alyson Michalka) in the Shower, pushing her face-first to the floor, threatening her life should she not stay away from her. Rebecca also has Phone Sex with Sara's Ex-Boyfriend Jason (Matt Lanter) whilst impersonating Sara. In addition to this, she seduces Sara's Professor (Billy Zane), effectively sabotaging his career after learning that he has made sexual advances on Sara. More jaw-dropping, we see Rebecca visiting a Lesbian Club, engaging in a sexy tryst with one of Sara's Best Friends Irene (Danneel Harris).  And if you think Rebecca is totally obsessed, wait till you see how she feels about Stephen (Cam Gigandet), the current Boyfriend of Sara.

NEW STILL FROM "TRESPASS" - NICOLE KIDMAN & CAM GIGANDET

Still from Trespass

Occasionally some Stills from an upcoming movie get released and I get excited and this one sure looks good (other than for the obvious reasons).  Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage are paired together as Sarah and Kyle, a wealthy couple in Joel Schumacher's latest project Trespass.  The Thriller sees a wealthy couple who are held for ransom by four men, but as the situation becomes more desperate, a story of Betrayal is unravelled.  Oh yes.  

Just putting it out there, that if you're a Burglar and you look like Burlesque's Cam Gigandet, who plays the role of Jonah, you're more than welcome to help yourself to whatever Snacks are in the cupboard.  Thanks.

Schumacher has been quiet of late but when he is working on something you can almost be certain that it's great and suspenseful.  Veronica Guerin and Phone Booth are two of his more memorable recent works.  This latest effort does not yet have a release date, but will be released in 2011.

JustJared has posted additional Stills from Trespass here.

BURLESQUE MOVIE REVIEW

Still from  Burlesque

It certainly had the recipe for greatness, but these Cookies were packaged half-baked. How is it possible to put together a Cast with so much presence as the likes of Cher, Eric Dane, Alan Cumming, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Bell and megastar Christina Aguilera, yet still come up with a final product as unremarkable and forgettable as Burlesque? First-time Director/Screenwriter Steve Antin appears to have to pulled off the unfathomable.

Ali (Aguilera) is a Waitress, fed-up with her dead-end Waitressing job at a Diner where her Boss is behind in payments to her. She quits, leaves town (and that Iowa accent!) and finds herself on the Sunset Strip, wandering into a Burlesque Club, where she is seduced by the glamour of the Girls on stage. So enamoured, she finds herself pleading to Club Owner Tess (Cher) for a job, settling even as a Waitress. Before we know it, magically she knows the Choreography for all the numbers in the Girls' repertoire, forcing her way into an Audition and wowing both a skeptical Tess and Gay confidante/Costume Maker Sean (Tucci) who "couldn't keep his eyes off her."

All is not well in the world of Showgirls Burlesque, as jealous rival Nikki (Bell) doesn't take kindly to the Troupe's newest member with all the attention she receives. Wealthy Businessman Marcus (Dane) is taken aback by Ali's talent and beauty, while at the same time wanting to buy out Tess' Club, using the land for Condominiums as he is fully aware that her Club has seen more successful days, nearing Foreclosure. Ali finds herself caught also in a bit of a love triangle between herself, wealthy suitor Marcus and also temporary roommate Jack (Cam Gigandet) who also happens to be an aspiring Songwriter and a Bartender at the Club. Although Ali brings the Club some much needed success through Song and Dance, is this turn of fortune coming too late? And who will Ali choose as her Lover: Marcus with his suspicious motives or Jack, who can't seem to decide what he wants in life?

Let's be honest about it - Burlesque really upset me. Although many will be quick to point the finger at her, the Film's shortcomings aren't entirely the fault of first-time Actress Aguilera; in fact, she does a v. credible job here actually.  Her weakness only shows in quieter moments, struggling to evoke pain and disappointment.  But even her most committed performance isn't enough when the material she is working with isn't fully fleshed-out. It is particularly baffling that even by the end of the Musical, we don't find that we know anything about Ali other than that out of nowhere, she possesses remarkably refined talents. She becomes the Star of the Club, but then what? We witness no challenge or vulnerability in her rise to success other than a couple cruel jabs from Nikki, who conveniently keeps popping-up despite being told she is no longer welcome at the Club. The romantic story lines between Ali and her two suitors lack any trace of passion. She seems about as enthused about these two devastatingly handsome hunks as a raging Lesbian in a Men's Locker Room.