The Princess and the Frog

Tiara is a young woman living in New Orleans striving to make her dream of owning her own restaurant come true, applying her fathers advice that "dreams come true with hard work", as she works two jobs and saves every penny. A lazy, out-of-money prince comes to town and pulls Tiara into an adventure that changes both of their lives...in more ways than one.

Disney hand-drawn animation is back! It's an exciting thing to see since the overwhelming success of 3D animated films the past 15 years and the underwhelming 2D films that came out of Disney the past 8-10 years, almost proved the death of hand-drawn animation. But this film puts it back on the map. The story is fun and engaging, the animation beautiful and the music is the best since the 2nd Disney golden age of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. You'll leave the theater humming many of the songs that have a great New Orleans/Jazz flavor to them. It's quite obvious that this movie will soon be a play on Broadway, and will probably work quite well as one.

The minor complaints I have are first the character design. There's not a defined "look" as in most Disney animated films, i.e. the curls and loops of Aladdin and Hercules, the sharp edges of 101 Dalmations and Sword in the Stone, etc. It seems each character's look is kind of borrowed from a different style. Some look great (the villain, Dr. Facilier) and some are a little too bland looking (Tiara's parents). But overall it works enough and probably wouldn't be noticed by most viewers. There are also some important plot points that aren't made quite clear enough at the beginning. But in the end this is a huge triumph for Disney and the art form of hand-drawn animation.

***1/2 out of 4 - Must See (Rated G)

Avatar

I could not agree more with every point of Mandy's review, so I'm going to pretty much leave you to read hers.

The one thing I will add is that it is visually the most amazing movie ever created. It's a must see in the theater just for the visuals, and it must be seen on an IMAX screen and in 3D.

*** out of 4 - Must See

Avatar

It is 150 years in the future. A small moon called Pandora contains a valuable mineral that a demanding conglomerate exploits at all costs. They import mercenary marines to help contain the natives while they mine.

OK so take one part Dances with Wolves, one part Fern Gully: The Last Rain Forest, a dash of the Matrix and a pinch of Aliens. Mix well and add a whole lot of special effects and you have Avatar.

If you are a special effects person, and well even if you are not they are spectacular. The world that is created is amazing. The story however, is basic, simple, and although thoroughly developed totally predictable and done. Again if you have seen Dances with Wolves you know all the plot points.

Also take note that the running time is two hours and thirty minutes. I was done after an hour and a half. Predictability aside, the final battle scene goes on and on, while the entire audience is patiently waiting for the ending that was all too eagerly foreshadowed within the first 45 minutes.


** ½ Rentable (but totally worth seeing on the big screen for the f/x)


Rated PG-13 (for language and violence)

Up in the Air

Ryan Bingham is a corporate downsizing expert who spends his life on the road, or technically in the air. He is just about to reach ten million frequent flier miles when his lifestyle is in danger of drastically changing.

This was done by Jason Reitman, who also did Juno and Thank You for Smoking. So going in I had some preconceived expectations. It didn’t quite live up to those. I thought this would be sharper, edgier, more curt, and more bleak. I was somewhat surprised at how schmaltzy it turned out to be.

The storyline is predictable and methodical, but Clooney is still amazingly entertaining. It has a slightly cynical edge to it but again I was not expecting the sentiment. It still delivered on the ending, however, even if it was conventional.


** ½ Rentable


Rated R (for language and sexual content)

The Princess and the Frog

Tiana is a hard working class woman who desperately wants to open her own restaurant. When a young Prince comes to town a financial opportunity comes her way that just might make all her dreams become a reality. Things get sticky when she is persuaded to kiss a frog.

After a five year hiatus, Disney returns to its roots, with a 2-D traditional animated feature, complete with songs and all. I was pleasantly entertained by the return. The animation, in my opinion, was not up to par. It reminded me of a straight to video type movie, as did the under developed storyline. However the dialogue was fun and kept me engaged for the most part.

What was really fun was the music. The songs were cute and clever and reminded me of what it was like to see a vintage Disney cartoon. So yes, the animation could have been a lot more polished, the storyline a tad more cultivated, but when it was all said and done, it was cute and kids will love it.


*** Must See (it’s Disney)


Rated G

Invictus

The true story of how Nelson Mandela inspired and united the country of South Africa through their national rugby team's run to become the World Cup champions.

This is also definitely a feel-good movie which does a decent job of fulfilling its role. But it feels as though there's something missing to push it into being a "great" movie. Maybe it's that the parallel story lines should each get their own movie instead of sharing one. I feel like I wanted to see more of Nelson Mandela's life and what made him the man he was, yet I also wanted to see more of just how the rugby team inspired and united the country. I didn't get in depth enough with either. That said, the performances by Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon are solid and believable. It seems like director Clint Eastwood didn't dive in quite enough for this one...it's inspiring and well done, but I feel like it could have been much more.

**1/2 out of 4 - Rentable (PG-13 for some language and violence)

The Blind Side

The true story of a young black homeless high school student that is taken in by a white family in Tennessee, which changes the lives of him and his new family for the better.

This is a feel good movie that does it's job. It's acted well and doesn't have too much cheese. Sandra Bullock does a great job as the feisty yet loving mom. The characters are believable and you definitely want to root for them. As Mandy said, not going to be remembered as a great sports movie but is inspiring and leaves you with a good feeling.

*** out of 4 - Possibly theater worthy

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Mr. Fox is forced out of his life of burglary after his wife demands a calmer life for their soon to be family. Mr. Fox agrees and upholds his promise...for a few years. Fox jumps back into the old life with the help of some friends and in the process upsets the local farmers and endangers his family and entire town (..or hill).

Really fun to see different kinds on animation on the big screen, in this case stop-go animation, puppets or clay models moved and photographed one frame at a time, and also hand drawn animation in the upcoming "Princess and the Frog". The artistry, time and effort on display is amazing and inspiring. The story is simple and fun, the comedy is very subtle and adult and as Mandy stated, the voice work is perfectly cast and performed. But overall this is kind of forgettable and a little too long. I kind of lost interest at some points, maybe it had been too hyped for me. Cute and fun, but forgettable.

**1/2 out of 4 - Rentable

New Moon

Edward and Bella continue their love-can't love relationship as Edward decides he must leave her to protect her. While he's away Bella starts to get involved with another Halloween character, Jacob the werewolf.

Alright, so I avoided "The Twilight Saga" until now, having a girlfriend may have influenced me in the viewing of it, as I had no intentions of seeing it before...but I agreed to see it, more out of curisosity to see how any movie could create crazier fans than Star Wars fans...but, congrats Twilight, you did it. I watched the original the night before seeing New Moon, since I hadn't seen it, and actually kind of enjoyed it since my expectations couldn't have been any lower. Despite being extremely over-dramatic and its low production quality, it was bearable. Now on to the movie at hand; the story is ok, the actors are ok, and the millions they made from the first movie improved the production quality this time around. But every aspect of this movie and the first is way too over dramatic. I'm not sure I can remember a fun or comedic scene with the leading man and lady. I'm not sure they even smile in either movie. Their relationships aren't built up at all so it's hard to buy into them or even root for them.

*1/2 out of 4 - Not a chance (PG-13 for violence, sensuality and language.)

This is it

Ok, apologies, I am waaay behind on my reviewing. So let's get to it.

As Michael Jackson was preparing, planning, and rehearsing for his comeback/farewell tour, multiple cameras caught behind the scenes footage to give us an insite as to what the concert might have been like.

This isn't quite a documentary and it isn't quite a concert. It seems they didn't have enough footage to make it a documentary and not enough performances to make it a concert. But in the end it leans more towards concert. Being a fan of Jackson's music, I quite enjoyed all the performances. It was amazing to see that at age 50, he still "had it", to some degree. It's still clear how his dance moves and voice revolutionized pop music. The performances are fun and the music is great, you can't help but get into it. The documentary side is a small insite to MJ's personality and leaves you wanting more. The behind the scenes of his planning and adjusting the performances is very interesting. Being the King of Pop you'd almost expect or think he's entitled to be bossy, short and impatient with those around him. But the opposite is conveyed, as I was impressed with how down to Earth, patient, collaborative and hard working he was. Although it's evident by his mere physical appearance that Jackson wasn't healthy. The ending is somewhat abrupt, as it's basically the ending to a concert, and not a documentary, but it's a fun time seeing and hearing his music.

**1/2 out of 4 (I don't think it was rated, but I would imagine G or PG).

Brothers

Two siblings who are complete opposites come together as one heads off on his fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan and the other is released from prison. The Marine is shot down and reported as dead, leaving the Parolee to care for his family.

I was surprised at how engaging this movie was. The script is really well written and the actors totally step up to the challenge. In a story that could have been plagued with clichés it was careful to avoid them. Sam Shepard was particularly good as the grief stricken father.

What I will say, and it is rare that I would ever encourage this, so take note – but it was just a tad too short. YES, too short – just a hair. The ending is unexpectedly abrupt. I am not one that needs happy endings or everything resolved and tied with a bow, however, I was truly taken aback when the credits started to roll. “That’s it?” will be going through your mind as you walk out of the theatre.

** ½ Rentable

Rated R (for language and violence)

Everybody's Fine

A widower prepares for his four children to come home for a family visit for the first time since his wife’s’ death, but as the date approaches, each of his kids end up canceling on him forcing him to take a road trip across the country to visit each one. He quickly discovers that they are all keeping things from him.

This movie has such a stellar cast and yet they never hit the mark. The story tries so hard to be sentimental and yet at the same time never develops enough to make you care. Also the actors seem to have a hard time meshing and I never truly believed that they were anything other than themselves on screen.

The ending is somewhat predictable and to be honest irritating. As I mentioned before the story seems under developed and it wraps up a little too neatly causing one to wonder if you missed something.

* ½ Rentable I suppose


Rated PG -13 (language)

The Blind Side

Michael Oher, a young black teenager is taken in by the Tuohy’s, a wealthy white family in Memphis, Tennessee. Based on a true story, Michael is given opportunities that transform his life.

That is a pretty pitiful synopsis; nevertheless, you can probably guess the rest. You know, one of those feel good sports flicks. In all honesty I was surprised that I liked this as much as I did. I expected it to be way sappy and overly melodramatic. And, yes it has it’s moments of cliché sports drama, but overall the story is much more about Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and how this boy changes her life.

Bullock does a great job, and for the first time in years, is in an age appropriate role. Entertaining and clever dialogue keep the obnoxiously predictable storyline in check as it does run over two hours. This won’t go down in history as a great sports movie, or even an amazing biopic, but it was cute and fun.

* * ½ Rentable


Rated PG -13 (who knows why, it was like watching a Disney Cartoon)

Fantastic Mr. Fox

A young Mr. Fox makes a promise to his wife that he will give up his thievery career path now that they are expecting a cub. Flash forward; he is working as a newspaper columnist and totally unsatisfied with life. He secretly starts to get back into his old ways, causing a stir and eventually all out war between the animal community and the local farmers.

This is a total Wes Anderson film. Think The Royal Tenenbaums meets Chicken Run. I thought the movie was quite clever and funny, having said that, the comedy itself is so subtle I doubt small children would appreciate this for anything more than the visual effects.

The voice casting was perfect. George Clooney is fabulous, as is, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. Somewhat forgettable in terms of a animated flick, yet exactly what one would expect from Wes Anderson…including the lengthy running time.

* * ½ Rentable


Rated PG (for violence)

Pirate Radio

A random and curious group of DJ’s broadcast rock n’ roll music from ships anchored in the North Sea next to the isle of Great Britain. Though not technically breaking the law, the government hates them and is doing all they can to shut them down.

This is apparently based on a true story. That in the mid-60’s it was illegal to broadcast rock n’ roll music while on British soil. So many radio stations took to the seas and became known as Pirate Radio. I found this so odd, as some of the greatest music of the 60’s came out of England; it seems so silly that they wouldn’t allow it on air.

Nevertheless enough history—back to the film. While based on actual events the movie itself doesn’t really have much of a story line. It kind of follows a teenager in a weak coming of age attempt, but the rest of it is basically just a bunch of cleverly written skits that are merged together with the momentary government angst clips.

Having said that, the music is fabulous, and if you are a fan of that era you will have tons of fun watching this collage of vignettes’ about nothing more than sex, drugs, and rock and roll. See it.

* * ½ Rentable


Rated R (for language and sexual content)

The Box

A young couple, in the late 70’s, are given the financial opportunity of a lifetime. Push a button and receive $1 Million dollars, someone, somewhere, will die as a result. Don’t push the button and you will be paid $100 dollars and the offer will be made to someone else.

So this movie had such potential but fell flat. The idea was intriguing. Testing humanity and the general integrity of mankind, however the movie takes on this random supernatural sci-fi twist that completely down grades the story. I thought that this would be so much more suspenseful and more of a psychological thriller. Instead you are left with a heavy handed question of morality that is neither thought provoking nor entertaining.

The art direction does however create a very 70’s feel that is commendable, not worth running to a theatre near you, but it works.

* ½ Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for language)

Surrogates

It's the future and mankind lives an isolated existence, their only interaction is through perfect robotic versions of themselves which they control from home and live their lives through. This revolutionary way of life has become the norm, making homicide and other crimes almost non-existent. When someone is murdered while connected to their surrogate, detective Bruce Willis (I forget the characters name) sets out to discover how and why this unprecedented set of events took place.

Pretty cool and original idea in some ways (society living through surrogate robots) , very unoriginal in others (minds plugged into machines, hello Matrix), in the end it just doesn't quite fulfill its potential. Although the idea of everyone having their brain connected to ultra-realistic, robotic versions of themselves is kind of creepy and makes your mind wander with the possibilities, that wandering leads you to question some of the basic rules that this futuristic society lives with and kind of distracts from the story. Which story feels very much like I, Robot meets The Matrix, although there is some interesting social commentary on how we've become so connected to our phones, computers, ipods, video games and tv's and less connected as human beings. There's some fun action and enough intrigue to keep you into it, but it's nothing too amazing.

** out of 4 - Rentable (PG-13 for language, violence, brief drug and sex scenes)

Couples Retreat

Four couples head off to an exclusive resort designed to bring couples closer together. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the others are there for the sun, sand, and fun, only to find out the therapy part of the package is not optional.

I went into this movie with very low expectations. I figured that I had seen all of the funny parts in the commercial spots and that the rest was just going to be crude and crass filler. I was somewhat surprised that it wasn’t and that I found myself laughing throughout most of the movie. Granted in general this flick was totally forgettable but I have to admit that I was shocked that it was so much better than I had anticipated.

This was Peter Billingsley’s directorial debut—for those of you who don’t know who that is, he was “Ralph” in A Christmas Story. He does a fairly decent job. The actors, all of whom are very funny, play their typical character. Nothing new there. Most of the jokes are predictable but the dialogue, in true Vince Vaughn fashion, was fast, funny and frantic.

Nothing to run out and see but totally fun video pick.

** ½ Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for sexual content and language)

The Invention of Lying

Mark lives in an alternate reality where lying doesn’t exist. Everyone is always honest, and most of the time it’s brutal. In a desperate attempt to save himself he discovers the concept of saying something that “isn’t”. He also seems to be the only person with this ability and quickly lies himself into fame and fortune.

I really liked the concept of this movie and the first half is really clever and very funny. I particularly liked the commercials and advertisements, which are basically CEO’s pleading with the population to continue to buy their product. The second half however, gets really slow and predictable. The twist is funny and while trying not to give anything away, let me just say that I particularly enjoyed the pizza box part.

Overall the movie could have been much better and is totally forgettable. The beginning is much stronger than the plot itself and fizzles out pretty quickly. Not as funny as Liar Liar, another movie about lying. I would say that the inability to lie is much more funny than the inventing of it. Which again is probably why the beginning of this movie is the best part.

** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for language and sexual content)

Whip It

Bliss is a young high school student that is trapped in her mothers’ world of Texas debutants and beauty pageants. She is entranced by the world of Women’s’ Roller Derby and sets off to try out for the team, even though she is a minor and her parents will never approve.

This was Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, and wasn’t too shabby. The story itself is predictable enough, but the dialogue is sharp and really funny. I was a tad disappointed by the pacing of the movie. It was unnecessarily slow, and had about two or three tandem story lines that were never fully fleshed out and seemed to slow down the plot even more.

Barrymore was also in the movie, and frankly should have stayed behind the camera. Her character was annoying and distracting. The rest of the cast however does a great job, particularly Kristen Wiig, as fellow roller derbiette and Marcia Gay Harden and Daniel Stern as Bliss’s parents.

This isn’t that great of a movie, it was slow and predictable, but the actors, for the most part, were great and again the dialogue is what makes it worth watching. Nothing to run out and see, but still kind of entertaining.

** ½ Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for language and sexual content)

Fame

Fame = Lame.









* out of 4. Not a chance.

Extract

Joel is the owner of a flavor extract company. While his business is booming his personal life is falling apart. To make matters worse he has recently hired a very attractive con-artist.

Oh I was so excited to see anything with Jason Bateman in it. I absolutely love him. Alas even he could not pull this movie off. The story was predictable, the pacing horrifically slow. The audience was constantly four or five steps ahead of the plot. The characters were trite and boring. And it really wasn't even that funny.

I kept waiting for…something to happen…anything, but it never did.

So sad.

** Rentable

Rated R (for language and sexual content)

All About Steve

Mary is a walking encyclopedia. Her knowledge about seemingly, everything, makes her extremely socially awkward. Her parents, in an attempt to help her, set her up on a blind date. The date lasts only five minutes when Steve, is called off to work. The rest of the movie is Mary stalking him.

In my defense, I didn’t even want to see this movie. A friend, who shall remain nameless, bamboozled me into seeing it. I informed said friend, that this movie in recent polls got a Turkey. A Turkey! No Stars. None. Twenty minutes into the movie I got many an apology.

NOT-A-CHANCE (that’s no stars)

Rated PG-13 (for sexual content)

Julie & Julia

Julie is frustrated with her career and the success of those around her. In an attempt to center herself she decides to blog her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

I saw this flick a little late in the game, hearing rave reviews, only to be horrifically disappointed by it. The movie is two stories edited together and frankly we could have done with out the Amy Adams part. She was annoying and unsympathetic. The Julia Child part was more interesting and Meryl Streep is fabulous as Julia Child; however I was disturbed by the incessant love scenes with her and her husband. I mean come on people – no one wants to see Julia Child having sex.

Too long, too annoying, and too much.

** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for randomly placed language and the awkward sex)

District 9

Aliens become refugees in Johannesburg, South Africa at a camp known as District 9. Here the government attempts to keep the Aliens isolated from humans, while ignoring their health and welfare; they harass and abuse to get information about the alien weaponry.

I was more than pleasantly surprised by this movie. It was scary, entertaining, fun, and thought provoking. It is a tad heavy handed in its political and social commentary, but still very well done.

I went in not knowing what the movie was about, which is always the best way to see a movie, and really liked it. The totally unknown cast makes the movie all the more real, as a single personality is not carrying the movie or give you preconceived notions as to where the story will end up. Kind of like Alien meets The Great Escape.

*** Must See

Rated R (for language and violence)

G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra

A secret, peace keeping, terrorist-fighting organization known as "G.I. Joe" made up of the best of the best from every military group around the world, is drawn into an epic battle when three warheads containing microscopic anything-eating engineered bugs are stolen by a very well-funded terrorist group.

I went into this movie with very, very low expectations because a) It's directed by the same guy that directed The Mummy, so I was expecting uncomfortably cheesy dialogue. b) Because they didn't allow critics to view it, c) It was an August release and not May, June or July with all the other blockbusters, and d) Because it's based on a cartoon series which was based on a line of toys....So, with my expectations nice and low, I was entertained and enjoyed it. There's plenty of cheese and bad acting but lots of fun action and special fx. Also being a very big G.I. Joe fan as a kid, it was fun to see all of my favorite characters on screen. I would have loved this movie if it came out when I was 8 years old. And that may be the issue, this is intended for the 8-17 year old boy, but none of those grew up with G.I. Joe. It's the kids from the 80's that grew up with the cartoon series and toys at their peak of popularity. But it really is wall to wall action with one too many flash backs. Some of the animation of characters doing extreme, maybe stylized actions, feel a tad too unrealistic. And all the action/battles/fights/chases in the last 30 minutes can get a little confusing. It's not comparable to the first Transformers but not as bad as the second Transformers. But it is what it's supposed to be, I guess. See it if you're a G.I. Joe fan or want some mindless, explosive summer movie fun.

**1/2 out of 4 - Rentable

The Hurt Locker

Bravo Company, an elite Army bomb squad unit has 39 days left of active duty in Iraq. They struggle to come together when the new Staff Sergeant arrives. His cavalier attitude and renegade style seems to bring the chaos of war to a whole new level and the potential of getting out alive at tremendous risk.

Wow. Amazing performances, engaging story, and nail biting suspense. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember that last time I saw a movie that kept me on the edge of my seat from the moment it started – probably Die Hard.

This was so well done, and felt so real, one forgets that it isn’t a documentary. Kathryn Bigelow did an amazing job directing. It is truly a voyeuristic masterpiece. No twists or plot holes, just a glimpse at what war is.

*** ½ MUST SEE

Rated R (for language and violence)

Funny People

A famous, albeit jerk of a comedian finds out that he has a rare cancer that will take his life within the year. As he prepares for his inevitable death, he hires an unknown stand-up comedian to be his assistant and help him tie up all his loose ends.

Just so you know, Funny People isn’t that funny. It tries to be, but it’s not. It is a pitiful attempt at trying to make comedy look serious. If you can imagine it, it was like Terms of Endearment meets The Odd Couple, Seth Rogen style. Yeah, I know.

It was an interesting idea, but it takes on a weird twist that is hard to care about when the characters themselves are so despicable. The forgettable supporting cast includes Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill who probably have the best lines throughout the movie. Also as my attention span is that of a four year old, I must once again harp on the fact that this movie was two and a half hours long. I mean, for reals?

** Rentable

Rated R (for language, nudity, and crude sexual humor)

(500) Days of Summer

Tom is heart broken when his girlfriend, Summer, for no apparent reason suddenly dumps him. He then looks back at the 500 days they spent together in hopes of figuring out where he went wrong and what he can do to get her back.

I saw this at Sundance earlier this year and was surprised that I liked it just as much the second time around. There is nothing mind blowing about the story – we have all seen it before. However, the way it is all compiled is just refreshing and fun.

The opening title card is fabulous!!

*** MUST SEE

Rated PG-13 (for language)

The Ugly Truth

An uptight television producer is forced into working with the new “talent”— an over opinionated talk show host that feels it is his duty to tell it like it is when it comes to men and women. The two points of view clash and collide, each trying to prove that their theory on the opposite sex and relationships is the right one.

Yeah this movie was hopeless. First of all it was clearly written to be a chick flick, a light hearted romantic comedy, but in an effort to lure in the male audience, they tried to make it a Seth Rogen movie—which it is not. The dialogue is trite, the pacing horrific, the story weak, and the actors have no chemistry. It is neither clever nor cute. Just dumb.

*1/2 Not-A-Chance

Rated R (for language)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Do you really need a synopsis? I mean most of you have read the books, right? And for those of you that haven’t, you know the gist, he is back at Hogwarts and troubles brewing…

I saw this at the Midnight showing with the over zealous crowd, that screamed like banshees when the New Moon preview popped up, and then again when Potter appeared on screen. They were excited, fine, I get that. However what I don’t get is why when you have a crowded theatre full of the over anxious fans do you opt to turn the air conditioning off? It is JULY! For the love of man, I can’t understand it. The over bearing heat made it difficult to notice that at only two hours and thirty three minutes, this was actually one of the shortest Potter movies.

Nevertheless even in its condensed form, it isn’t exactly brisk. This whole movie is just set up. So if you have read the book you may find it to be horrendously slow. If you haven’t then you should be pleasantly entertained.

*** A Must See for the Devout

Rated PG (violence and language)

Public Enemies

John Dillinger becomes America's first "Public Enemy Number One" as he and his gang, escape from prison, rob banks, and help J. Edgar Hoover turn his federal police force, into what is known today, as the F.B.I.

This semi-biopic, although somewhat historically inaccurate, gives us a glimpse of how the F.B.I. came to be. Johnny Depp who is always brilliant, is also, aside from the classic cars, the only redeeming thing about this flick. The movie is way too long, and yet still couldn't find time to fully flesh out the storyline.

This is John Dillinger! Public Enemy Number One! Show me why! Historically the man was known to have robbed over two dozen banks. In the movie we see him rob two. This makes him a threat? Also the development of the F.B.I. is slow and uninteresting.

In addition this film seriously lacked the dynamics and camaraderie of something like the "Untouchables" or even "Bonnie and Clyde" for that matter. Again, aside from Depp, you don't care about any of the other characters, or really even know who they are.

On a technical note: the cinematography is a little askew. It jumps in and out of hand held, which is jolting and annoying. Not to mention that the ADR is horrid. The music nevertheless is pretty cool and again the cars may be the best thing on screen.

** Rentable

Rated R (for blood and violence)

Away We Go

An expectant couple travels across the country looking for guidance from friends and family about how and where to raise their new family.

This has a very "Sundance" feel to it. If you enjoy independent film you would probably appreciate the humor more so than others. The idea is fun and simple, but the pacing is somehow off in this movie. I am fully aware that independent films tend to have a more methodical tempo to them, but this is just lacking something.

Don't get me wrong. I actually enjoyed it. It made me laugh in parts. Nevertheless it kind of dragged and again, it had a weird rhythm to it. Cute but not stellar performances from either of the lead actors. Even in their endearing oddities, there was just something missing.

Still it had it's own charm.

** 1/2 Rentable

Rated R (for language)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

NEST is a special military task force that with the help of the Autobots, seeks out and destroys Decepticons attempting to steal the remaining fragments of the All-Spark, and resurrecting Megatron.

Is that enough of a synopsis? The plot is extensive and convoluted and takes well over an hour to set up—but I think you get the gist of it. It is a sequel. And like most sequels, doesn’t live up to its predecessor.

This episode struggles to recreate the excitement and humor of the original. In fact it is almost like two separate films were made. One an action flick, the other a poorly written comedy, and the two were hastily edited together. In true Michael Bay fashion there are a lot of epic fight scenes that carry on for such a lengthy amount of time, you may forget what is actually happening.

The story has a lot of holes, it goes on for way too long, is inconsistent in its tone and direction, and believe it or not I think some of the dialogue was stolen right off the pages of the Star Wars scripts - and perhaps Man's Search For Happiness. Having said all of that, the special effects are amazing and if you do opt to see it in the theatre, do so in IMAX.


** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for sexual content and violence)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Their war on our planet continues as the Autobots and Decepticons continue to slug it out over Earth's destiny.  Sam Witwicky is caught in the middle as important clues from the All spark have been imprinted on his mind and holds keys to the survival of transformers and humans alike.

This movie is big, loud, wacky, too long and dumb...but it's lots of fun eye-candy.  I really enjoyed the first Transformers, but this sequel suffers the same fate as the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels; they try to cram too much into one movie, even unnecessary things, making it too long  and too much.  The story is all over the place and has plenty of holes.  There is way, way too much cheap humor.  Some of the newly introduced robots are annoying characters.  The original movie made the relationship between Sam and Bumblebee pretty endearing and funny; serious lack of any of that in this one.  About midway through I was on board with the story and the fun action, but it loses steam from that point on.  There is plenty of jaw-dropping action, fights (one with Optimus Prime taking on 4 Decepticons is particularly impressive.) and some of the most amazing effects I've seen.  I imagine director Michael Bay will push those envelopes even further for part 3, hopefully he mixes in a little more work on the story as well.

** out of 4 - See it on IMAX for the fx.

(PG-13 for violence, mayhem, language and crude humor.)

The Proposal

Sandra Bullock, an ambitious book editor, has an expired visa and needs to get married to stay in the United States. She blackmails her assistant, Ryan Reynolds, into marrying her and off they go to break the news to his parents.

I am fully aware, that in general, romantic comedies are meant to be fluff. Mindless entertainment that makes you smile and cheer the endearing couple onto blissful happy endings. I am aware of this, I am. I still expect more.

This unlikely couple starts the movie off hating each other—common enough, most romances start this way right? No, this one is a tad more extreme. Ryan Reynolds loathes his boss. He has worked for her for three years, knows everything about her, and finds nothing about her charming. He hates and despises her. Sandra Bullock expects the world from her assistant and offers nothing in return. Again they have worked together for three years and she knows nothing about him. Her “Devil Wears Prada” attitude seems to be that assistants should be neither seen nor heard. This contempt for one another continues into their charade of an engagement and makes the inevitable love story so hard to swallow.

The comedy is weak, the story flawed, and nothing is more annoying than casting an elderly person for the sole purpose of making crude sexual jokes (Betty White). It just isn’t funny. The dialogue is awkward and far from clever.

** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (sexual content, language and nudity)

The Hangover

Doug and his three friends head to Vegas, two days before his wedding for a bachelor party they will never forget. The problem is, they can't remember it, nor can they find Doug. They frantically, albeit cluelessly proceed to piece the evidence together in efforts to find their friend in hopes of getting him to the church on time, all the while in awe of the events that they are discovering they were a part of the night before.

I am admittedly embarrassed that I saw this movie. It has several laugh out loud moments nevertheless it does not make up for it's crude, crass and all around foul content. NC-17 would have been a more appropriate rating. It was well cast, well written and did have its funny moments--particularly Zach Galifanakis, who plays Alan, Doug's soon to be brother-in-law, whose comments and all around ignorance are hilarious. Still it was so distasteful that I can't in good conscious recommend it. If you choose to see it, you will laugh, but you will cringe as well.

* 1/2 Not-A-Chance

Rated R (for language, crude sexual dialogue, and nudity)

My Life in Ruins

Georgia is a professor of Greek history, who has lost her job at the local university and now works as a tour guide, herding stereotypical tourist throughout Greece. She hates her job and is often short with her tour groups who would rather buy ice cream than listen to her history lessons.

This, "not really a sequel" to my Big Fat Greek Wedding is pretty pitiful. It is painfully predictable and the dialogue is awful. The "Greek" jokes we already saw in the Nia Vardoles predecessor and they are old and tired. It is really horrific writing that goes to cartoonish lengths in an effort to be funny and endearing. Only to be annoying and trite. This was only an hour and a half but it felt like three. It's not even cute and corny enough to recommend for renting.

* Not-A-Chance

Rated PG-13 (for language and awkward sexual content)

UP

Carl Fredrickson wants to fulfill a promise to his wife that they'd go on a grand adventure, so he ties thousands of balloons to his house and floats off for South America. Russell, a young wilderness explorer stows away on the house and the adventure and comedy ensue.

Pixar goes 10 for 10. This movie is completely random, very original and lots of fun. It has so much heart to it, the opening 10-15 minutes will definitely tug at your heartstrings, but it also immediately endears you to the characters. It's clearly evident, yet again, that Pixar spends so much time on getting the story just right, adding the heart and selling you on it emotionally. There's lots of funny and random moments and characters. Kevin the bird and Doug the dog are particularly random and very entertaining. The character design is great, the rendering is amazing, the voice cast is perfect and animation is very well done. I saw it in 3D, which adds a little depth to it, but isn't really necessary. Plus, if you see it in 3D, you don't get to see Pixar's new animated short about a baby-delivering stork titled "Partly Cloudy", which was very disappointing not to see, so I'll have to see it again. There's also a trailer for Toy Story 3, which was fun.

**** out of 4 - Oscar Worthy

(Rated PG for action, violence and adult themes)

UP

Carl Fredricksen, a retired balloon salesmen, finally realizes his life long dream of adventure, when he ties thousands of balloons to his house to carry him off to the audacious wilds of South America.

I saw this in 3-D which really isn't necessary, as it adds nothing to the story, nevertheless...what a story. Truly creative with random twists that are absolutely charming. Pixar has once again proven that script is everything and that a good screenplay brings about fabulous character development. It seems that no matter how arbitrary, unlikely, and fanciful the subject matter they still flesh out the tale leaving nothing to chance.

This set up is very sentimental and sweet, that truth be told, might upset small children...or overly sensitive adults. The rest of the movie, you will find, that the dialogue is smart, the animation amazing, the characters adorable and it is over all an extremely fun, enchanting film.

**** Oscar Worthy (who are we kidding they've already won)

Rated PG

Easy Virtue

John Whittaker, a young British aristocrat has been off traveling Europe. His family, particularly his mother, all anxiously await his return. Upon his arrival however, they are less enthusiastic about his new bride, Larita, a glamorous young American, whose career and persona are a tad too much for the quiet country estate.

This is a fun Indy flick, set in the late twenties, early thirties--the clothes and cars alone are worth watching it for. The story is fun, simple, scandalous, and though slightly predictable is still very entertaining to watch. Jessica Biel was shockingly perfect for the role and Colin Firth always delivers. Kristen Scott Thomas is also excellent and the woman you love to hate. The indignation, the melodramatic, the retorts, not to mention the vocabulary are all sharply clever and fun.

If you like period pieces, independent film and screwball comedy - this is for you.

**1/2

Rated PG-13 (for sexual content)

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Larry Daly, now a successful inventor returns to the Natural History Museum to find that many of his exhibit friends are being sent to the Federal Archives for storage. In an effort to save them, he travels to Washington DC to the basement of the Smithsonian where once again chaos ensues.

I was actually pleasantly surprised that this wasn't the same movie spun out just at a different location. There is a decent storyline and a lot of fun to be had combining world history with American iconography. It was cute, coherent, and despite the many loose ends that never really get tied up, still was an acceptable sequel. They wasted no time in setting up the story and the movie comes in under two hours.

Fine family fun.

*** Must See

Rated PG (mild violence)
Also on a side note--it made more money opening weekend than Terminator Salvation. :)

Terminator Salvation

John Conner leads a resistance group against Skynet, the technological monster behind the cyborgs that are determined to eradicate the human race.

Yeah, so what can I say...? I expected more. I remember my dad taking me and my brothers to see Terminator 2: Judgment Day and thinking it was scary, fun, and exciting all wrapped up into one gripping little package. Not that this flick isn't semi-entertaining and full of action, but it is also full of holes. Lots of holes. Things that could have been easily fixed in a more thorough script, it was like they didn't think it through completely. *sigh*. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into detail, but suffice it to say the story was a tad lacking. Did I mention the holes?

The deficient character development goes hand in hand with the impoverished plot. Matt touched on this a bit. Christian Bale annoyed me. I thought that he developed that grizzly growl way of talking just for the Batman series...apparently not. Also, as John Conner, he was the most apathetic of characters. Kind of flat and not very engaging. The rest of the cast however, I thought did a great job. In fact I don't know who this Sam Worthington is, but he was much more dynamic as his character, Marcus Wright, not to mention way cute. You are just more vested in watching him than you are John Conner. Pitiful.

Oh and one last thought, it took itself slightly too seriously and didn't defer enough to the originals -- Just my opinion.

Disenchanted but not disgusted.

** 1/2 Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for violence)

Terminator Salvation

The Terminator saga continues, this time in the present/future.  John Connor leads the human resistance against Skynet and it's ever improving machines that are bent on humanity's extermination.  

This movie is in the odd place that few movies can be in; it's part sequel, part prequel.  It's leading us into how we got the first Terminator movie yet also telling us what happens after Terminator 3, all the while dealing with time travel.  Some franchises haven't handled the sequel/prequel very well, no names need to be mentioned, but this does a fairly decent job.  The first half is very interesting and engaging, with loads of fun action (one of the best choreographed car chases I've seen in a while).  It loses a little bit of steam near the end as it gives us some stuff we've already seen in the previous three Terminator movies; a terminator chasing our hero around a half destroyed factory.  But overall it's entertaining, especially for Terminator fans.  It does a good job explaining certain details that fans have probably been wondering about since the first two movies.  There is however a lack of character development, yes we have known some of the characters for a couple of movies now, but I needed to care a little more about some of them.  The acting is good, special fx are good (the return of one character will have you wondering "How did they do that?").  Kudos on the running time at just under 2 hours, a welcome relief when so many big action movies are at least 30 minutes too long.  That could be because they're saving material, as the ending suggests the Terminator franchise...will be back... 

*** out of 4 - worth a trip to the theater 

(PG-13 for violence and language.)

Angels and Demons

Robert Langdon, noted symbologist, is called upon to help the Catholic Church find four kidnapped Cardinals and save the Vatican from obliteration.

I never read the books. Nevertheless I was much more entertained by this movie than I was DaVinci Code. Like Matt said, The DaVinci Code was too easy. Cracking codes left and right, never explaining how or why. This flick was much more engaging. It made more sense, was more intriguing, and had a greater sense of urgency.

I still thought, again having never read the book, that it was way too predictable, but I guess I was still entertained. Tom Hanks does a decent job and is much better in this one. The storyline was really interesting and I found myself wanting them to spend more time explaining the history behind the mystery. But hey they were limited on time, so I guess I will have to catch it on the History Channel.

Entertaining, despite its predictability.

**1/2 Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for violence)

Angels & Demons

Professor Robert Langdon is back in action, solving religious/scientific mysteries. The Pope has unexpectedly died and the Vatican fears a return of the Illuminati, as the Pope's four most likely successors have been kidnapped.  They subtly turn to Professor Langdon to figure out where they are and why.  

I didn't care for The Da Vinci Code, I thought it was too much like the National Treasure movies, in that everything falls into place too easily and they figure things out way too easily.  Angels & Demons still has some of that but not so much that I'm thinking "yeah right" every time they figure out a piece of the puzzle.  This is a fun, interesting and exciting mystery/action movie that brings up interesting thoughts about the balance between science and faith and how they can compliment each other.  There's also some interesting and touching twists at the end.  The acting is good enough all around.  The running time is a little too long, but it keeps you interested throughout.  

*** out of 4 - Maybe theater worthy  

(PG-13 for violence)      

Monsters VS Aliens (3D)

Susan, an everyday girl, is minutes away from her dream wedding when she is struck by an asteroid that turns her into 40 ft tall, "Ginormica".  The government takes her to a secret base where she and other monsters are kept out of the public's sight.  When aliens attack Earth in search of the same powerful substance that created Ginormica, and our weapons don't work against them, the government releases the monsters on the aliens and the chaos ensues. 

Dreamworks continues to be second fiddle to Pixar in the animation arena.  This is a moderately fun movie, with a couple of laughs here and there, but there's just no heart to it.  Something I seem to say after every Dreamworks Animation movie.  There's been the exceptions, with Prince of Egypt, Shrek, Over the Hedge and maybe Kung Fu Panda, but they're far from going 10 for 10 as Pixar is expected to do in two weeks with "Up" (early reviews are off the charts.)  That said, the character design and rendering of Dreamworks continues to be top notch.  Very original look to the characters, it's fun eye candy.  The 3D element is distracting at first but once you get used to it, it adds loads of depth to the movie.  It's really pretty cool, some parts you really feel like you could reach out and touch what's on screen.  And they don't have a lot of scenes where things pointlessly come out of the screen at your face just to show you they can do it.  I think just one scene at the very beginning is like that and I think it's to remind you it's 3D, the rest is pretty fun and adds to the experience.  The voice cast does a good job and is well cast, specifically Seth Rogan as Bob the blob.  The writing just could've been stepped up a notch.

** out of 4 - Rentable (unless you want to experience the 3D, otherwise just wait and see Up in 3D.)   

Star Trek

Prequels: The final frontier.
These are the voyages of the movie studios.
Their mission, to exploit the stories of old,
To seek out new money from the same civilization.
To boldly go where we have all been before....

A bit much? Perhaps, nevertheless true. In the last few years studios have made a killing off the idea that they can take a once lucrative franchise and start it over. Some, have been wildly successful. Batman and James Bond for instance have both been triumphantly reborn. Others... Star Wars, being the most odious example, tend to leave more than just a sour taste in our mouths--they ruin the whole story!

So how did Star Trek measure up you ask?

How sweet it is! First of all, as Matt has already mentioned, the casting was great. I should have taken notice or looked it up, but whomever the casting director was--brilliant! Not only did they get people that looked like their respective characters but they fit their age range as well. Second and really the most important--the story. It was fabulous! Engaging, fun, just complex enough to thrill the Trekkie's, and basic action/adventure enough to keep even the most anti-science fictionists entertained. As one who grew up in a Star Trek friendly home, it paid just enough homage to the originals to allow itself to create a whole new spectrum of events.

Move over Origins--this is the prequel that set the summer precedent. Terminator has a lot to live up to.

***1/2 - MUST SEE

Rated PG-13 (for violence and language)

Star Trek

Director J.J. Abrams (Lost, Cloverfield) gives the original Star Trek crew a reboot and origin stories to to go along with it.  We see where Kirk became Captain and how he teamed up with Spock, Bones, Scotty and the rest of the crew.

There's the "LET SUMMER BEGIN!" I was looking for.  Well done Mr. Abrams.  I'm not a Star Trek fan at all.  Never got into any of the TV shows and the only movie I liked was Star Trek: First Contact.  That said, I loved this movie.  It's loads of fun.  I saw it with a friend who is as "Trekkie" as they come and he thoroughly enjoyed it.  That's part of the fun; it can be enjoyed by either end of the Trekkie spectrum.  I grew up with a Dad and brother that were Star Trek fans, so I knew enough to understand a lot of the homages to the originals, which are very well played.  Each actor chosen to reprise the members of the Enterprise crew does a great job in look and performance.  There's lots of exciting action and fun dialogue.  The special fx are top notch, they did a lot of subtle things to make the effects look very realistic.  The story gets a little too "Trekkie" and jumbled in the middle, with a lot of time travel talk and explanation, but it's a small complaint and doesn't last very long.  Star Trek stepped it up for Summer '09, loads of fun.  Next up, Angels and Demons.  

***1/2 out of 4 - Must See 

(PG-13 for violence, language and some sensuality)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Two young mutants, with the ability to heal themselves and apparently unable to age after the age of 35 are finally discovered by the US Army. Asked to join up with a special task force, it reveals their true natures.

So I think that Matt did a pretty good job of taking this flick apart. He gave it the "Let Summer Begin" title which I figured it wouldn't live up to. I wasn't a fan of X-Men II or III and although had a little more hope for this film still went in with low expectations--sadly they weren't low enough.

Lots of plot holes, kind of boring--I caught myself dosing off, twice--and just not cool enough to be a fun superhero movie.

** Rentable

Rated PG-13 (for violence)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

The story of how Wolverine came to be.

Good but not great, more "Let Summer begin.", than "LET SUMMER BEGIN!!!".  This movie just felt a little flat, not a lot of umph to it.  It also feels more like X-Men 4 than an origin story of Wolverine.  So many characters are thrown in and we don't get enough time with them.  I was expecting a little more of James Logan, aka Wolverine, discovering who he is and that he's not alone as a mutant.  Instead he seems to be fully aware of his kind from the beginning, way back in the 1800's.  But that aside, the beginning is pretty good when we start to learn what makes him become the angry Wolverine.  At times they quickly touch upon parts that could be very interesting, yet take a long time to get through other parts that seemed to already be partially explained in the X-Men movies, especially in part 2.  As I said, they throw in a lot of extra characters and by the end it just felt like an excuse to get more mutants on the screen and make money off the X-Men name than a need to put a great story on screen.  Also some of the special fx shots are poorly done.  At times his claws look really fake and a few other scenes looked hastily put together.  I also thought the look of the movie was a little too "clean", a little too green screen-ish, if that makes sense.  

As always, stay for after the credits as it will set up more sequel-prequels.  Apparently the origin story of Magneto is next.  Here's hoping Star Trek steps it up next week.

**1/2 out of 4 - Rentable