What to See This Weekend: 'Morning Glory,' 'Unstoppable,' 'Skyline'

Isn't it supposed to be Oscar season? There may not be anything award-worthy this week, just some slick, polished entertainment, in the form of a romantic comedy and two thrillers.

New and Noteworthy: 'Morning Glory'

Starring: Rachel McAdams Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum
Directed by: Roger Michell
What's It About? McAdams lands a TV producing job at a low-rated morning chat show, where she must manage on-air veterans Keaton (an acerbic diva) and Ford (a grumpy newsman who feels daytime fluff is beneath him). Wilson is along as a love interest, but as in 'The Devil Wears Prada,' this comedy is really about the platonic love-hate relationship between a Manhattan working gal and her prickly mentor (Ford).
Why Should You See It? It's written by Aline Brosh McKenna, the screenwriter behind 'Prada.' It's a rare chance to see Harrison Ford in a comedy. J.J. Abrams produced it. And it features, by all accounts, the sparkling star turn from McAdams we've been awaiting since 'The Notebook.'
You Might Like It If You Like: 'The Devil Wears Prada,' 'Broadcast News,' 'Working Girl,' 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show.'

•Showtimes & Tickets
•Trailers & Clips
•Exclusive: Harrison Ford talks 'Morning Glory,' 'Star Wars' prequels
•Reviews

'Morning Glory' - Trailer No. 1

Also New: 'Unstoppable'
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson
Directed by: Tony Scott
What's It About? Washington and Pine ('Star Trek') must stop a runaway train filled with explosive chemicals from wiping out a city.
Why Should You See It? Really, do you need to know more than that? How about that it was written by 'Live Free or Die Hard' screenwriter Mark Bomback? Or that it marks the fifth collaboration between Washington and action master Scott ('Top Gun')?
You Might Like It If You Like: 'The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,' 'Under Siege 2,' 'Runaway Train'

•Showtimes & Tickets
•Trailers & Clips
•'Unscripted' Interview with Denzel Washington and Chris Pine (VIDEO)
•Reviews

'Unstoppable' - Trailer No. 1

'Skyline'

Starring: Eric Balfour, David Zayas, Donald Faison, Brittany Daniel, Scottie Thompson
Directed by: Colin Strause, Greg Strause
What's It About? Mysterious lights appear above Los Angeles that draw people toward what turns out to be an extraterrestrial threat that could wipe out humanity. Uh oh.
Why Should You See It? Um, 'cause 'Megamind' isn't really doing it for you in the sci-fi department?
You Might Like It If You Like: 'Independence Day,' 'District 9,' 'War of the Worlds'

•Showtimes & Tickets
•Trailers & Clips
•8 Ways to Stop an Alien Invasion (in the Movies)
•'Skyline' Exclusive Clip: When Aliens Attack
•Reviews

'Skyline' - Trailer No. 2

In Limited Release
'Cool It' is a documentary that allows Bjorn Lomborg -- an environmental scholar who believes global warming isn't as scary or as costly to fix as mainstream scientists say it is -- to make his case.
Showtimes & Tickets
'Tiny Furniture' is a microbudgeted indie about a 22-year-old woman (played by director Lena Dunham) trying to figure out what to do with her life after college.
Showtimes & Tickets
Still In Theaters, Still Awesome

•'Megamind' - Sick of Will Ferrell and Tina Fey yet? Didn't think so. | Showtimes & Tickets
•'Due Date' - Sick of Zach Galifianakis yet? Didn't think so. | Showtimes & Tickets
•'127 Hours' - In which mountaineer James Franco gives his right arm for a shot at an Oscar. By all accounts, a must-see; just don't eat first. | Showtimes & Tickets

Staying In This Weekend?

New on DVD This Week: Even though the geekosphere totally grokked 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,' the mass of moviegoers were indifferent to this comic-book-derived saga of a swain (Michael Cera) who must battle his inamorata's numerous supervillainous ex-boyfriends. But the innovative, videogame-inspired battles should look right at home on your TV. Buy the DVD | 10 Reasons Edgar Wright Wants You to See 'Scott Pilgrim' on DVD (VIDEO) | More new DVD releases

Movie Homework, Part 1: Probably no one will confuse the frothy 'Morning Glory' with a harder-hitting backstage look at the TV news business like 'Network.' Still, it's worth revisiting the 1976 satire, with its eerily prescient predictions about reality TV, populist demagoguery, corporate manipulation, and anything-for-a-Nielsen-uptick shamelessness. Buy or rent the DVD

Movie Homework, Part 2: 'Morning Glory's' Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton have worked together before, in the ensemble dramedy 'The Family Stone.' Keaton is the cancer-stricken matriarch trying to straighten out the lives of her unhappy adult children before she dies. McAdams is one of her kids, a bitter singleton who gets an unlikely Christmas present in the form of a discarded ex-boyfriend. Watch, chuckle, and weep. Buy or rent the DVD

On My Netflix Queue: In memory of my father-in-law, it's time to revisit one of his favorites, 1954's 'The Wild One,' in which the impossibly young Marlon Brando and Lee Marvin are bikers raising hell in a small town - and setting the standards for masculine cool and toughness for decades to come. Buy or rent the DVD
•Follow Gary Susman on Twitter @garysusman.

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