Preview This! Elysium

Opening this week at a theatre near you:

"Elysium" (2013)

It's the year 2154, and the Earth is an overcrowded, polluted mess. The world's wealthiest people live on a space station, called Elysium, high above earth. A gang leader named Spider (Wagner Moura) has a plan to ship illegal immigrants to Elysium, but he needs one man to take on a dangerous mission and that man is Max (Matt Damon). One of the leaders of Elysium, Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster), has made it her mission to keep Elysium free of all illegal immigrants, and she hires Kruger (Sharlto Copley), an insane bounty hunter, to use any means necessary to get the job done. Now, Max and Kruger are destined to battle. Elysium Website

Main photo courtsey of Tristar Pictures

What to Watch For: This film re-teams writer/director Neil Blomkamp with actor Sharlto Copley, who worked together on the 2009 Sci-fi hit, "District 9."

Word on the Street: Production designer Philip Ivey, who also worked on "District 9," has cited the films "Blade Runner" and "Aliens" as his inspiration for the look of the film.

My Take: I wonder how well this film will do with an R-rating, due to its heavy violence. That makes it harder for the young Matt Damon fans to see this movie.

"We're The Millers" (2013)

A small time pot dealer, David (Jason Sudeikis), is hired to bring a huge shipment of weed over the U.S. border from Mexico. To successfully smuggle the pot, he needs a plan; so David rents an RV and then hires a stripper (Jennifer Aniston), a runaway (Emma Roberts) and a neighborhood kid (Will Poulter) to pose as his family. His thinking - that no one will suspect a loving, fun group coming back from vacation. The big question is, can they pull it off? We're The Millers Website

What to Watch For: The director of the film, Rawson Marshall Thurber, was the writer/director of the very funny 2004 comedy hit, "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story."

Word on the Street: Ed Helms, it's said, steals the movie as a rich client who hires Sudeikis' character to run the pot across the border.

My Take: It will be interesting to see how this film does with vet Saturday Night Live player Sudeikis in his first headlining role.

"Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" (2013)

Percy (Logan Lerman), Grover (Brandon T. Jackson), Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) and Clarisse (Leven Rambin) embark on a journey to retrieve the legendary Golden Fleece. Luke (Jake Abel), Percy's arch-enemy, is determined to get the Golden Fleece first and therefore stop Percy and his gang from saving their training grounds, Camp Half-Blood. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Website

What to Watch For: Portions of the movie were filmed on the old, abandoned Six Flags site in New Orleans.

Word on the Street: Expect more of a comedic tone to the film as director Thor Freudenthal's first two films were "Hotel for Dogs" (2009) and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" (2010).

My Take: I can't wait to see Nathan Fillion in the role of Hermes, the God of Thieves, after his very funny appearance this summer in "Much Ado About Nothing." Oh, by the way, Hermes just happens to be the estranged father of Luke.

"Planes" (2013)

Dusty (Dane Cook) is a small-town crop-dusting plane that dreams of competing as a racing plane. Two problems - he isn't built for speed and worse yet, he is afraid of heights. With the help of his mentor, Skipper (Stacy Keach), he sets his sights on taking on the champ of the racing circuit, Ripslinger (Roger Craig Smith). Planes Website

What to Watch For: This is a spin-off of the Pixar "Cars" franchise and is the first of a planned three films. While not a Pixar film, it will have a number of characters from the "Cars" series.

Word on the Street: The film boasts a big cast including Cedric the Entertainer, Sinbad, Teri Hatcher, John Cleese and Val Kilmer.

My Take: I am interested in seeing this film as a number of the film's character designs were based on actual planes.

"Blue Jasmine" (2013)

Jasmine's (Cate Blanchett) life is falling apart, so she moves to San Francisco to live with her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins). Jasmine is used to living the good life on Park Avenue, but now she must come back down to reality where people get jobs and live paycheck-to-paycheck. Blue Jasmine Website

What to Watch For: Cate Blanchett is already being touted for the Best Actress Oscar in this performance.

Word on the Street: Standup comedian Andrew Dice Clay is said to give a surprisingly restrained performance as Ginger's ex-husband.

My Take: It will be interesting to see how this Woody Allen written and directed film will do. Will it be the box office magic of his 2011 film "Midnight in Paris" or more like the lesser hit, "To Rome with Love" (2012)?

If you can't make it to the theatre this weekend stay at home and watch movies on CW69.

Saturday

1:00 pm

"Jumper" (2008)

David Rice (Hayden Christensen) learns at an early age that he has the ability to teleport or "jump" from one location and instantly land in another. Now, living on the money he steals through his teleportation, David discovers that there is an extremist group called, the Paladinsis, that is intent on tracking down and killing the "Jumpers." The film also stars Rachel Bilson, Jamie Bell, AnnaSophia Robb and Samuel L. Jackson.

Saturday and Sunday

3:00 pm

"Single White Female" (1992)

Allison (Bridget Fonda) has just broken up with a boyfriend and needs a roommate. So she places an ad for "A Single White Female." When Hedy (Jennifer Jason Leigh) answers the ad, it seems that Allison has the perfect roommate. Things seem great for a while, but then Allison realizes that Hedy has a troubled past - one that may come back to haunt her.