In Theaters: 04.04.08

We’ve left the sometimes entertaining but mostly lackluster month of March behind us with thunderous applause. So how does April repay us? Well, don’t judge April on this week alone. There are some noteworthy titles but most of them can be categorized as flops. I think it’s easy to see that George Clooney’s football comedy Leatherheads will be on top come Monday. But the question remains, does it deserve all the fame and glory?

Well, yes and no. I’m particularly biased in this discussion because I’ve always had a liking for George Clooney. His second attempt at directing a full length picture is said to be filled with its own ups and downs. I guess you could call this his sophomore slump since Good Night, and Good Luck was successful and all that jazz. The story follows two up and coming football players as they compete for the love of a cub journalist and in turn, jeopardize their team’s success. Sounds fine and dandy but I’m split on Leatherheads for two reasons: John Krasinski and Renée Zellweger. Yes, Krasinski is great in NBC’s The Office but his film career thus far has been anything but enjoyable. Zellweger always looks like she’s sucking on something sour and I can never bring myself past that. Don’t get me wrong though, I have managed to sit through some of her movies like Empire Records and Jerry Maguire. If you don’t think those are two valid reasons to not see Leatherheads then I recommend it.

Finally the return of teen horror! I remember the days where I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream ruled the horror circuit. Now we have films like The Descent and all those foreign remakes. That’s where The Ruins comes in. It hopes to capture the magic you saw in The Descent and mix that around with little boys and girls looking for an adventure. The cast is made up of relative unknowns and that won’t help its standing this weekend. You’re W.T.F. moment of the week: the movie is produced by Ben Stiller. Ok, moving on.

Perhaps the most discussed film of the week is Martin Scorsese’s Rolling Stone concert documentary, Shine a Light. This is also the easiest decision you’ll make at the box office all week. Do you like The Rolling Stones? Do you think Martin Scorsese is a good director? If you answered yes to both of those questions you’re probably going to enjoy Shine a Light. It’s not quite Hannah Montana but I think you’ll manage.

Will April disappoint us as much as March? Doubtful. We’ll soon see if Ellen Page and Dennis Quad have the star power to make Smart People a success and my future pick of the week, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, comes out on the 18th. Things are definitely looking up.