American Gangster - It's getting a crazy amount of press, but you pit Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe against each other when it's not in Virtuosity, you'll have that. Denzel just never fails to deliver a magnetic performance, especially as a charismatic bad guy like Frank Lucas, heroin smuggling crime lord. It'll also be a treat to see Crowe back in the shoes of a dogged detective, as his great turn in L.A. Confidential is what put him on the map in the first place.
Bee Movie - Jerry Seinfeld's new direction after four years of work is this animated story about a bee who wants life outside the destiny of a drone. Check out my interview with co-writer Barry Marder for more on this family fare that's sure to open huge. If Barnyard can be a hit while featurin inexplicably male cows, this should cruise to success.
Martian Child - John Cusack as a distraught sci-fi author who responds to the death of his fiancee by adopting a child who insists he's an alien. Anytime both John and Joan Cusack get together on screen, it's a special occasion, and Cusack is not really known for picking bad projects, Serendipity excluded. Chances are, though, that this low-key drama is going to get swallowed up by the other two big fish in this week's pond.
