January 7

Nicolas Cage just keeps distancing himself further and further from his Oscar win for “Leaving Las Vegas” back in 1995. He kicks off another disappointing year of quirky movie selection with “Season of the Witch,” originally slated for release about 9 months ago. This supernatural thriller where he plays a 1300s Crusader and gets involved in some sort of black magic. Needless to say, go see “Little Fockers” again.

Speaking of 2010, most theaters will finally be receiving “Country Strong” this week; whether it comes with any sort of awards season heat though is yet to be seen.Gwyneth Paltrow’s vehicle as a fading country music star in desperate need of rehab looks a little corny and cliched, but would you rather see “Season of the Witch?” My guess is no.

What I will be seeing this weekend? Country Strong

January 14

“The Green Hornet” was going to be a fanboy favorite, despite the casting of Seth Rogen as the title character.Then some footage was released at Comic-Con, and everyone saw that it was just a typical Rogen slacker humor-a-thon. They got angry, but I got happy. I love Seth Rogen’s shenanigans, and I’m happy to see him move them to some genre other than gross-out comedy.

Is it possible for a movie’s trailer to get more coverage than the movie itself? That’s likely the case for “The Dilemma,” a comedy of best friends, secrets, and infidelity strangely directed by Academy Award-winner Ron Howard. With the use of the word gay, the trailer sparked an uproar and plenty of discussion on the power of words in society. Apparently the joke stayed in the movie, and while I won’t head to the movie just to see that, I’ll probably hit it some other time once I’ve knocked out my mandatory 2010 viewing.

Also worth noting: “Rabbit Hole” should be getting a wide expansion this weekend. As for other 2010 movies just seeing release in the new year, there’s also “Barney’s Version,” the dramedy starring Paul Giamatti, Minnie Driver, Rosamund Pike, and Dustin Hoffman. All those names together can’t be too bad.

Opening as well is “Every Day” with Liev Schrieber, Carla Gugino, and Helen Hunt in a rare appearance. But given the no-name distributors, it’s going to be a while before it hits anywhere other than New York or Los Angeles. And for all environmentalists out there, “Plastic Planet” looks at how safe plastic really is.

What I will be seeing this weekend? The Green Hornet

January 21

“No Strings Attached” looks like a suitable romantic comedy. Starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, the movie tells the story of two lovers who only want a physical connection – in other words, the flip side of the coin of “When Harry Met Sally.” It’s directed by Ivan Reitman, who helmed old classics like “Stripes” and “Ghostbusters” but also new stinkers like “Evolution” and “My Super-Ex Girlfriend.” All I can say is that this had better not be for Natalie Portman what “Norbit” was for Eddie Murphy.

If “The Way Back” didn’t look interesting and gritty as you-know-what, I’d probably joke that it’s the “Defiance” of 2010/2011. But alas, I can’t poke fun at this trailer.

What I will be seeing this weekend? The Way Back

January 28

Hey, look!  It’s another movie starring Jason Statham and a gun! In other words, you’ve probably seen “The Mechanic” before. As for other retreads, there’s another Catholic Church conspiracy theory movie combined with an exorcism movie. Top it off with a little creepy Anthony Hopkins, and you get “The Rite!”

“From Prada to Nada” opens also in limited release, but this Jane Austen wannabe tale looks entirely dismissable. Unless, of course, you want to see Carmen from “Spy Kids” all grown up.

What will I be seeing this weekend? The Mechanic

So, what’s the verdict on January?  Are you going to don the glasses for “The Green Hornet” or just see “TRON: Legacy” again?

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Thanks everyone!