STUDIO NEWS: Walt Disney Pictures reveals 2011 lineup

Below is a preview of Walt Disney Studios Motions Pictures 2011 lineup.

Compiled by R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic

GNOMEO & JULIET (Touchstone)
February 11, 2011
www.gnomeoandjuliet.com

Voice Cast: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Jason Statham, Patrick Stewart, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas, Jim Cummings,
Julie Walters, Richard Wilson, Ozzy Osbourne, Dolly Parton, Hulk Hogan
Director: Kelly Asbury
Executive Producer: Elton John
Songs by: Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Original Score by: James Newton Howard and Chris Bacon

The greatest love story ever told, starring...garden gnomes? In the upcoming “Gnomeo & Juliet,” Shakespeare's revered tale gets a comical, off-the-wall makeover. Directed by Kelly Asbury (“Shrek 2”) and showcasing both classic and original songs by Elton John, the film features the voices of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt as Gnomeo and Juliet, who have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and thrilling lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness?

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I AM NUMBER FOUR (Dreamworks)
February 18, 2011
http://www.findnumberfour.com
Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Callan McAuliffe
Kevin Durand
Director: D.J. Caruso
Producer: Michael Bay
Based on the book by: Pittacus Lore

Three are dead. He is Number Four. D.J. Caruso (“Eagle Eye,” “Disturbia”) helms a suspense-thriller about an extraordinary young man, John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), who is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant), John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events—his first love (Dianna Agron), powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

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MARS NEEDS MOMS (Disney)
March 11, 2011
Cast: Seth Green, Dan Fogler, Elisabeth Harnois, Mindy Sterling and Joan Cusack
Director: Simon Wells
Producers: Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Steve Boyd
Based on the book by: Berkeley Breathed

Take out the trash, eat your broccoli—who needs moms, anyway? Nine-year-old Milo (Seth Green) finds out just how much he needs his mom (Joan Cusack) when she’s nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own young. Produced by the team behind “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and “The Polar Express,” “Mars Needs Moms” showcases Milo’s quest to save his mom—a wild adventure in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader (Mindy Sterling). With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble (Dan Fogler) and a rebel Martian girl called Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), Milo just might find his way back to his mom—in more ways than one.

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AFRICAN CATS (Disneynature)
April 22, 2011
http://disney.go.com/disneynature/africancats
Directors: Keith Scholey, Alastair Fothergill
Producer: Keith Scholey, Alix Tidmarsh

Against the backdrop of the African savanna, witness the heart-stopping rivalry between two clans and the epic journey of one brave family. “African Cats” captures the real-life love, humor and determination of these majestic kings of the savanna, including Mara, the daughter of an injured, but determined lioness; Sita, a brave cheetah and single mother of five newborn cubs who’s trying to make a home in the wildest place on Earth; and Kali, a lion once banished from his pride who returns with his sons to reclaim his home. Disneynature brings “The Lion King” to life on the big screen in this True Life Adventure directed by Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill (“Earth”). An awe-inspiring adventure blending family intimacy with the power and cunning of the wild, “African Cats” leaps into theatres on Earth Day, April 22, 2011.

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PROM (Disney)
April 29, 2011
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/prom
Cast: Aimee Teegarden, Thomas McDonell, Danielle Campbell, Yin Chang, Kylie
Bunbury, Nicholas Braun, Jared Kusnitz, Jonathan Keltz, De’Vaughn Nixon, Nolan Sotillo, Cameron Monaghan­, Joe Adler, Janelle Ortiz, Raini Rodriguez
Director: Joe Nussbaum

At “Prom,” every couple has a story and no two are exactly alike. Several intersecting stories unfold at one high school as the big dance approaches; “Prom” portrays the precarious passage from high school to independence as some relationships unravel and others ignite. For Nova Prescott (Aimee Teegarden), it’s a battle of wills as she finds herself drawn to the guy (Thomas McDonell) who gets in the way of her perfect prom. Fellow seniors Mei (Yin Chang) and Tyler (De’Vaughn Nixon) harbor secrets, while others face all the insecurity and anticipation that surrounds one of high school’s most seminal events. There are hundreds of nights in high school, but there’s only one “Prom.” Featuring an emerging ensemble cast and a powerful soundtrack, “Prom” hits theaters April 29, 2011.

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PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (Disney)
May 20, 2011
http://disney.go.com/pirates
Cast: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Kevin R. McNally,
Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Sam Claflin and Geoffrey Rush
Director: Rob Marshall
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penelope Cruz), he’s not sure if it’s love—or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Berges-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.

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CARS 2 (Disney-Pixar)
June 24, 2011
http://disney.go.com/cars/cars2
Voice Talent: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Jason Isaacs, Joe Mantegna, Peter Jacobson, Thomas Kretschmann
Director: John Lasseter
Co-Director: Brad Lewis

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2” when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning spy-in-training Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer). Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.

John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct this follow-up to his 2006 Golden Globe®-winning “Cars.” “Cars 2” is co-directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film “Ratatouille,” and produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, “Up”; visual effects executive producer, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”). The film hits the track on June 24, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters.

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WINNIE THE POOH (Disney)
July 15, 2011
http://disney.go.com/pooh

Voice Cast: Jim Cummings, Craig Ferguson, Tom Kenny, Travis Oates, Bud Luckey
Directors: Stephen Anderson, Don Hall

Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the Hundred Acre Wood with “Winnie the Pooh,” the first big-screen Pooh adventure from Disney animation in more than 35 years. With the charm, wit and whimsy of the original featurettes, this all-new movie reunites audiences with the philosophical “bear of very little brain” and friends Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, Roo—and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore, who has lost his tail. “Well a tail is either there or it isn’t there,” said Pooh. “And yours isn’t… there.” Owl sends the whole gang on a wild quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit. It turns out to be a very busy day for a bear who simply set out to find some hunny. Inspired by five stories from A.A. Milne’s books in Disney’s classic, hand-drawn art style, “Winnie the Pooh” hits theaters July 15, 2011.

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THE HELP (Dreamworks)
August 12, 2011
http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/films/the-help
Cast: Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone
Director: Tate Taylor
Based on the novel by: Kathryn Stockett

Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, “The Help” stars Emma Stone (star of the breakout hit, “Zombieland”) as Skeeter, a southern society girl who returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends’ lives—and a small Mississippi town—upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Academy Award® nominee Viola Davis (“Eat Pray Love”) stars as Aibileen, Skeeter’s best friend’s housekeeper, who is the first to open up—to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community. Despite Skeeter’s life-long friendships hanging in the balance, she and Aibileen continue their collaboration and soon more women come forward to tell their stories—and as it turns out, they have a lot to say. Along the way, unlikely friendships are forged and a new sisterhood emerges, but not before everyone in town has a thing or two to say themselves when they become unwittingly—and unwillingly—caught up in the changing times.

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FIGHT NIGHT (Dreamworks)
August 19, 2011
http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/films/fright-night
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Tennant, Imogen Poots and Toni Collette
Director: Craig Gillespie

Senior Charlie Brewster (Anton Yelchin) finally has it all going on: he’s running with the popular crowd and dating the most coveted girl in his high school. In fact, he’s so cool he’s even dissing his best friend. But trouble arrives when Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door. He seems like a great guy at first, but there’s something not quite right—but everyone, including Charlie’s mom (Toni Collette), doesn’t notice. After observing some very strange activity, Charlie comes to an unmistakable conclusion: Jerry is a vampire preying on the neighborhood. Unable to convince anyone, Charlie has to find a way to get rid of the monster himself in this Craig Gillespie-helmed revamp of the comedy-horror classic.

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REAL STEEL (Dreamworks)
October 7, 2011
http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/films/real-steel
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand
Director: Shawn Levy

A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.

“Real Steel” is directed by Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum” franchise and “Date Night”).

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THE MUPPETS (Disney)
November 23, 2011
Cast: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Walter
Director: James Bobin
Writers: Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller

On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate. With secret, signature, celebrity cameos, “The Muppets” hits the big screen Nov. 23, 2011.

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WAR HORSE  (Dreamworks)
December 28, 2011
http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/films/war-horse
CAST: Emily Watson, David Thewlis and Jeremy Irvine
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
PRODUCERS: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Frank Marshall, Revel Guest
SCREENPLAY BY: Lee Hall and Richard Curtis
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Michael Morpurgo

From director Steven Spielberg comes “War Horse,” an epic adventure for audiences of all ages. Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, “War Horse” begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the fi lm follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets—British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter—before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land. The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. “War Horse” is one of the great stories of friendship and war—a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is arriving on Broadway next year. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history.
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YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: Animal Kingdom

Catching up with movies that likely slipped past your radar.

By R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic

ANIMAL KINGDOM
Dir. David Michod
112 min.  Rated R


Most movies about organized crime chronicle the rapid, prosperous rise of the crime family in question. "Animal Kingdom," the incredibly taut and expertly economical debut from Australian filmmaker David Michod, catches up with a lawless crew while it's coming apart at the seams.

Loosely based on real-life people, the Melbourne-based Cody clan is seeing some of its chief soldiers drop like flies, just as it's adopting an unlikely, reluctant new member in the form of young Joshua (James Frecheville). The reverse-assessment of this type of tale is only the start of how "Animal Kingdom" continually defies convention.

You'll fully forgive the film for its surprisingly, yet necessarily, slow-paced start, which throws in a bang or two, but mostly labors on cementing the dynamics of its characters. Because once the proceedings fold over the halfway point, "Animal Kingdom" becomes one of the year's most breathlessly enthralling dramas. It is truly a film for which the adjective "gripping" can be used to its utmost potential. In his hugely inspired script, and with his Hitchcockian direction, Michod delivers one never-saw-it-coming turn after another. Even the one development you might anticipate hits you like an electric shock. And, in hindsight, it's because of the seeds sewn in part one that the masterful suspense gets under your skin instead of just giving you goosebumps.


And speaking of goosebumps, if for no other reason, "Animal Kingdom" should be experienced for the revelatory terror that is Jacki Weaver's supporting performance. As the Cody family's quietly-malicious matriarch, Weaver is June Cleaver-meets-Carmela Soprano-meets-Norma Bates. At a pivotal point just prior to the film's climax, the whole temperature of the story hits a spike -- it's the moment Weaver's character finally steps front and center. It's a chill and a thrill to see how fully Weaver takes control of the movie, and to wrestle with how you receive the character's admirable authority and unnerving capacity for evil. Most folks don't get away clean in "Animal Kingdom," but in the real world, justice will only be done if Weaver walks away with an Oscar. 

5 stars (out of 5)

STUDIO NEWS: Universal announces early 2011 slate

A look at what's to come in the early part of next year from the major movie studio.

Compiled by R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic

"THE DILEMMA"
January 14, 2011

Vince Vaughn and Kevin James headline an all-star comedy from director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer about a man who finds out that what you don't say to a friend is just as important as what you do. Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah join them in The Dilemma, a story of how far you can bend a brotherly bond before it snaps.

Since college, confirmed bachelor Ronny (Vaughn) and happily married Nick (James) have been through thick and thin. Now partners in an auto design firm, the two pals are vying to land a dream project that would launch their company. With Ronny's girlfriend, Beth (Connelly), and Nick's wife, Geneva (Ryder), by their sides, they're unbeatable.

But Ronny's world is turned upside down when he inadvertently sees Geneva out with another man and makes it his mission to get answers. As the amateur investigation dissolves his world into comic mayhem, he learns that Nick has a few secrets of his own. Now, with the clock ticking and pressure mounting on the biggest presentation of their careers, Ronny must decide how and when he will reveal the truth to his best friend. http://www.thedilemmamovie.com/


"SANCTUM"
February 4, 2011

The 3-D action-thriller Sanctum, from executive producer James Cameron, follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth. When a tropical storm forces them deep into the caverns, they must fight raging water, deadly terrain and creeping panic as they search for an unknown escape route to the sea.

Master diver Frank McGuire (Richard Roxburgh) has explored the South Pacific's Esa-ala Caves for months. But when his exit is cut off in a flash flood, Frank's team--including 17-year-old son Josh (Rhys Wakefield) and financier Carl Hurley (Ioan Gruffudd)--are forced to radically alter plans. With dwindling supplies, the crew must navigate an underwater labyrinth to make it out. Soon, they are confronted with the unavoidable question: Can they survive, or will they be trapped forever?

Shot on location off the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, Sanctum employs 3-D photography techniques Cameron developed to lens Avatar. Designed to operate in extreme environments, the technology used to shoot the action-thriller will bring audiences on a breathless journey across plunging cliffs and into the furthest reaches of our subterranean world. http://www.sanctummovie.com

"THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU"
March 4, 2011

Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? Matt Damon stars in the thriller The Adjustment Bureau as a man who glimpses the future Fate has planned for him and realizes he wants something else. To get it, he must pursue the only woman he's ever loved across, under and through the streets of modern-day New York.

On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt)--a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart.

David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself--the men of The Adjustment Bureau--who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path...or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.

The Adjustment Bureau is written for the screen and directed by George Nolfi (writer of Ocean's Twelve, co-writer of The Bourne Ultimatum). It is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick ("Total Recall," "Minority Report" and "Blade Runner").


"PAUL"
March 18, 2011

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) reunite for the comedy adventure Paul as two sci-fi geeks whose pilgrimage takes them to America's UFO heartland. While there, they accidentally meet an alien who brings them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever.

For the past 60 years, an alien named Paul (Seth Rogen) has been hanging out at a top-secret military base. For reasons unknown, the space-traveling smart ass decides to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town -- a rented RV containing Earthlings Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost).

Chased by federal agents and the fanatical father of a young woman that they accidentally kidnap, Graeme and Clive hatch a fumbling escape plan to return Paul to his mother ship. And as two nerds struggle to help, one little green man might just take his fellow outcasts from misfits to intergalactic heroes.

Paul is directed by Superbad's Greg Mottola, from a story by Pegg & Frost. Joining the comedy's cast are Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, Joe Lo Truglio, John Carroll Lynch, David Koechner and Sigourney Weaver. http://www.whatispaul.com/


"HOP"
April 1, 2011

Blending state-of-the-art animation with live action, Hop tells the comic tale of Fred (James Marsden), an out-of-work slacker who accidentally injures the Easter Bunny (voiced by Russell Brand) and must take him in as he recovers. As Fred struggles with the world's worst houseguest, both will learn what it takes to finally grow up.

The film is helmed by Tim Hill, director of the blockbuster Alvin & the Chipmunks and produced by Chris Meledandri's Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me). http://www.iwantcandy.com/


"YOUR HIGHNESS"
April 8, 2011

Throughout history, tales of chivalry have burnished the legends of brave, handsome knights who rescue fair damsels, slay dragons and conquer evil. But behind many a hero is a good-for-nothing younger brother trying just to stay out of the way of those dragons, evil and trouble in general. Danny McBride and James Franco team up for an epic comedy adventure set in a fantastical world--Your Highness. As two princes on a daring mission to save their land, they must rescue the heir apparent's fiancée before their kingdom is destroyed.

Thadeous (McBride) has spent his life watching his perfect older brother Fabious (Franco) embark upon valiant journeys and win the hearts of his people. Tired of being passed over for adventure, adoration and the throne, he's settled for a life of wizard's weed, hard booze and easy maidens. But when Fabious' bride-to-be, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), gets kidnapped by the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux), the king gives his deadbeat son an ultimatum: Man up and help rescue her or get cut off.

Half-assedly embarking upon his first quest, Thadeous joins Fabious to trek across the perilous outlands and free the princess. Joined by Isabel (Natalie Portman)--an elusive warrior with a dangerous agenda of her own--the brothers must vanquish horrific creatures and traitorous knights before they can reach Belladonna. If Thadeous can find his inner hero, he can help his brother prevent the destruction of his land. Stay a slacker, and not only does he die a coward, he gets front row seats to the dawn of an all-new Dark Ages. http://www.yourhighnessmovie.net/

"FAST FIVE"
April 29, 2011

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker lead a reunion of returning all-stars from every chapter of the explosive franchise built on speed in Fast Five. In this installment, former cop Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) partners with ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) on the opposite side of the law. Dwayne Johnson joins returning favorites Jordana Brewster, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Matt Schulze, Tego Calderon and Don Omar for this ultimate high-stakes race.

Since Brian and Mia Toretto (Brewster) broke Dom out of custody, they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he's not the only one on their tail.

Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can't separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey...before someone else runs them down first.

The Best Posters of 2010

By R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic

A poster can say a lot about a movie. If it's a good one, it effectively re-creates the tone of the movie itself. If it's an elegant one, odds are the movie is elegant, too. Great posters are severely rare these days. The art of simplicity is all but dead, and generic collections of square-cropped celebrity head shots are mucking up the walls of movie theaters and bus stops everywhere.

But there's hope yet. A small crop of one-sheets for 2010 films is strong enough to salvage one's faith in the capital-A art of movie marketing. Before we get to the Top 10, behold the runners-up, in no particular order:

LOVE & OTHER DRUGS

A fine example of a poster being much better than the film. This happy-naughty specimen does tell you a good bit about the happy-sappy rom-com it represents, notably the abundance of nudity, but it also misleads: never is "Love & Other Drugs" as enjoyable a watch as this simple under-the-covers looker.

127 HOURS

A fine visualization of the rock-and-a-hard-place theme, this poster makes great use of line, drawing your eye right to the center. The configuration provides a nice, sunny nook for the title, and even the precariousness of lead character Aron Ralston's extraordinary situation. But most importantly, for me, it gives you a taste of Danny Boyle's vivid, fantastical color scheme.

SOMEWHERE

A stunning wide shot of Hollywood's Chateau Marmont, the poster for Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere" is a beauty of stacked layers: its setting on top, the visual metaphor of dense jungle beneath that, its principal characters beneath, and a cool reflective pool beneath that. It wonderfully conveys the milieu of its story, about a movie star (Stephen Dorff) and his young daughter (Elle Fanning).

FOR COLORED GIRLS

There were a number of additional posters for Tyler Perry's powerhouse drama, specifically the individual character sheets. But I much prefer this painterly, minimalistic, all-encompassing version, which features a watercolor-style blend of the girls' "colors," and a face obsured enough that it could be any one of them. More than any poster in my entire list, it makes great use of white space.

LOVE RANCH

I didn't see this dusty-brothel drama (which got very little love from critics), but I adore the '70s throwback-ness of its design, which immediately directs the mind to the art for Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown," itself a throwback. Vintage can be just as inspired and classy as minimalist, even if its key subject is a batch of prostitutes.

BURIED

I give a lot of credit to the folks behind the little-seen Ryan Reynolds drama "Buried" for going with a poster image as sparse as its narrative. Like "127 Hours," "Buried" is essentially about a man trapped in one place for a feature-length of time, and its poster opts for a stark image that's like a cross-section of the earth. Plus, from font to black background to yellow glow, it echoes that great, iconic poster for the original "Alien." 



THE TOP 10 MOVIE POSTERS OF 2010

JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK

If great movie posters are in short supply, then great illustrated movie posters are practically extinct. Film is a photographic art form, so naturally photography should best relate the experience, but the essence can sometimes come through even more directly with a little homespun hand-drawing. The humor and life of this exquisite documentary is infinitely better expressed in the pink piece above than in the inevitable throwaway DVD cover.

RABBIT HOLE

Like its more generic sister, this cloud-wrapped poster for John Cameron Mitchell's "Rabbit Hole" tells you everything and nothing. Looking at it leaves you clueless as to what it's peddling, but I tell you it's about a couple grieving the loss of their young son and suddenly it's all there. I simply find this one prettier than the other, but the clinchers for both are the taglines about "getting through."

TANGLED

Kudos to Disney for eschewing another damned family portrait of cuddly characters and instead moving forward with this enticing, mischievous and great-looking peek-a-boo beaut. Did any of you get to see that even-better cardboard stand-up that wrapped itself around half the movie theater lobby? Loved that. And love this.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

The whole theme of this movie is the likening of the criminal world to the open wild (or "the bush," as it were), which roars front and center in this colorful juxtaposition of beast and baddie. The coyote (I believe) looks almost fake in its fierce and haunting frozen pose, but the bites of the seemingly timid characters above are far worse, I assure you.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

In truth, this isn't the most inspired poster, but man, is it striking, and it's easily the most instantly iconic of the year. How do you market a movie about the creation of Facebook? Well, with the face of its creator, scrawled with damning truth. Okay, so the truth part has been notoriously contested, but that changes nothing. The movie gives you a fearless portrait of a modern entrepreneur. So does the poster.

THE RUNAWAYS

This underrated rock-band biopic was preceded by one of the year's great graphic images: a literal Cherry Bomb that gives you The Runaways' chief single, their explosion onto the music scene, and their ripening sexuality. It fully reflects the point-of-view of  writer/director Floria Sigismondi -- ferociously feminine, retro and dirty. If only the whole movie were as fully assured.

NEVER LET ME GO

Tragic and beautiful, the poster for the subtly sci-fi haunter "Never Let Me Go" has both grace and grimness. Literally running toward the childhood that was stolen from them, the two doomed lead lovers are faceless, just as they're seen by the society that wants to -- spoiler alert -- harvest their organs. Speaking of which, the disassembling of the body parts, I mean letters, of the title give the whole thing just the right amount of edge.

THE AMERICAN

Fully evoking the Antonioni style it so beautifully employs, this classic spread for the George Clooney "thriller" "The American" is already hanging on my wall. They simply don't make 'em like this anymore. The halftone image of the femme fatale is a stunning backdrop for Clooney's running man, and the poster is both true and false: the film's as stylish as suggested here, but it's not at all what viewers are led to believe.

BLACK SWAN

Take your pick of which incredible "Black Swan" image suits you best. I'm partial to the American variation on top (Portman's uncanny facial symmetry!), but any of the avant-garde international versions beneath it would make worthy stand-ins. Sometimes a movie has everything -- incredible film, incredible performance, incredible trailer, incredible posters. "Black Swan is one of those movies.

I AM LOVE

Another five-star film with a slew of beautiful posters, the Italian masterpiece "I Am Love" never puts anything less than its best face forward. The greatest, in my opinion, is the American one-sheet that's gorgeously adorned with enormous script font, eclipsing all faces but that of genius lead star Tilda Swinton. It's as lush and extravagant and slightly preposterous as the movie. An irresistible invitation to pure cinema.

Studio News: DisneyNature teams with African Wildlife Foundation for 'African Cats' fundraiser

DisneyNature announces collaboration with the African Wildlife Foundation to help Save the Savanna during "African Cats" opening week of April 22 to 28, 2011.

Compiled by R. Kurt Osenlund, The Good Life film critic

Disneynature announced plans to collaborate with the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) on a program to celebrate the release of the new Disneynature feature film “African Cats.” The program, “See ‘African Cats,’ Save the Savanna” was revealed in Nairobi, Kenya, during AWF’s 50th anniversary celebration last evening. During the film’s opening week (April 22 to 28), a portion of the proceeds from that week’s ticket sales will be donated to the organization through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to ensure the future of lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras, giraffes and a host of other animals in the vibrant African savanna. The AWF will be working to protect the Amboseli Wildlife Corridor, a passage between the Amboseli, Tsavo West and Chyulu National Parks, that is frequently used by a variety of wildlife.

“With its honest portrayal of life on the African savanna, ‘African Cats’ reveals the brilliance of the animals who live there,” said Alan Bergman, president, The Walt Disney Studios. “We are committed to helping the African Wildlife Foundation establish this protective corridor, building upon previous enormously successful conservation efforts from the Disneynature label.”

“The African Wildlife Foundation is proud to work so closely with Disneynature on the release of ‘African Cats,’” said Patrick Bergin, CEO, African Wildlife Foundation. “We are celebrating 50 years of working with the people of Africa to ensure the wildlife and these wild lands endure forever; extending the Amboseli Wildlife Corridor will be a great step forward in these efforts.”

The film, which will be released in theaters worldwide, opens in North America on April 22, 2011. Tickets for groups of 20 or more are already available in the United States by calling 1-888-DISNEY6.

ABOUT THE MOVIE

An epic true story set against the backdrop of one of the wildest places on Earth, “African Cats” captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna. The story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a once banished lion. Disneynature brings “The Lion King” to life on the big screen in this True Life Adventure directed by Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill (“Earth”). An awe-inspiring adventure blending family bonds with the power and cunning of the wild, “African Cats” leaps into theatres worldwide beginning on Earth Day 2011. For more information about the movie and the “See ‘African Cats,’ Save the Savanna” initiative, check out Disney.com/AfricanCats.

ABOUT AWF

Founded in 1961, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is a conservation organization focused solely on the African continent. AWF’s programs and conservation strategies are based on sound science and designed to protect both the wild lands and wildlife of Africa and ensure a more sustainable future for Africa’s people. Since its inception AWF has protected endangered species and land, promoted partnerships with the private sector for ecotourism to benefit local African communities as a means to improve livelihoods, and trained hundreds of African nationals in conservation—all to ensure the survival of Africa’s unparalleled wildlife heritage. AWF is a non-profit organization currently operating in 14 countries across the continent. AWF is a registered 501(c)(3) in the United States. Visit http://www.awf.org/.

ABOUT DISNEYNATURE

Disneynature, the first new Disney-branded film label from The Walt Disney Studios in more than 60 years, was launched in April 2008 to bring the world’s top nature filmmakers together to share a wide variety of wildlife subjects and stories with theatrical audiences. “Earth” (opening Earth Day 2009) was the first film to premiere domestically under the new label, and garnered a record-breaking opening weekend for a nature documentary. Its “Buy a Ticket, Plant a Tree” initiative led to the planting of 2.7 million trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Hitting theaters on April 22, 2010, “Oceans” was the third highest grossing feature-length nature film in history. Its “See ‘Oceans,’ Save Oceans” initiative helped establish 40,000 acres of marine protected area in The Bahamas, preserving essential coral reefs. Walt Disney was a pioneer in wildlife documentary filmmaking, producing 13 True-Life Adventure motion pictures between 1949 and 1960, which earned eight Academy Awards®. For more information about Disneynature, check out disneynature.com like us on Facebook: facebook.com/Disneynature, and follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/Disneynature. For more information about the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, please visit Disney.com/conservation.