Once again it is Friday and here are the movies that are being released for the weekend of August 7, 2009:

Julie and Julia – (Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Chris Messina) This one looks like it could be either a hit or miss. On one side you have great actors performing a unique story based on true events. On the other hand, it just looks kind of boring. This story takes a look into the lives of two women in two different times. One is Julia Child, who becomes a famous cook and the other is Julie Powell who starts a blog about cooking all of Julia Childs’ creations in a year and blogs about it. Directed by Nora Ephron (You’ve Got Mail & Sleepless in Seattle), you would think it would not disappoint, but I have hopes that it should be a good little movie that could inspire you to follow your dreams. See it/rent it.

Shorts: The Adventures of the Wishing Rock – (Jimmy Bennett, James Spader, Kat Dennings) Must be below four feet tall to enter. A story about a bunch of kids who stumble upon a “rock,” from what the trailer suggests is a small alien craft, who grants the wishes of the children and get into some adventures. This movie is just one of those little kids movies that whisk you away from reality and excite little kids imaginations. Jimmy Bennett seems to be getting a lot stardom since being in the Amityville Horror Remake, Star Trek, Orphan, and now this. For some reason this is directed by THE Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Til Dawn, Sin City, Grindhouse), but I guess he dips his foot in the water of kids movies like Spy Kids 1-3. If you have kids this would be one to see I suppose. Rent It/Skip It

A Perfect Getaway – (Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant) A new horror film about a two newlywed couples on their honeymoons in Hawaii who encounter murderers who stalk and hunt them. There is a supposed twist that will shock you and the last twist I saw (Orphan) that they claimed was shocking, I was actually impressed. It looks like it could be exciting and not as bland has a slasher gory bloodfest, so it should impress. With actors like Jovovich and Zahn, it should be well played. See it.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra – (Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols) The beast is out and takes over where Transformers: ROTF left off being the Hasbro toy movie of the Summer. Just what we need is another toy movie that is over the top and gaudy. Big actors, in a big explosion movie, with what looks like a weak plot. Although it could be a good origin story and something new instead of a remake or a sequel, this looks like eyes area already rolling out the door. I’d see it just to see what they did with it, but its nothing I would want to run out the door to get in line first. See it/rent it.

Cold Souls (LA/NY release) – (Paul Giamatti, Emily Watson, Dina Korzun) This looks like a unique and funny little dramedy. Paul Giamatti plays himself as an actor who is struggling with anxiety over a the production of a play. He stumbles upon a New Yorker article about a high-tech company promising to alleviate suffering by extracting souls. When the stress of the play is over he seeks to retrieve his soul back only to find out it was traded off to somewhere else in “soul-trafficking.”. Paul goes on an adventure to get back his soul to feel again. See it when it comes to your area.