Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Brittany, Janette, and Elenore accompany Dave on a luxury cruise as they make their way to perform at the International Music Awards. Chaos ensues when the six chipmunks end up stranded on a desert island and have to rely upon their natural instincts to survive.

I went and saw this with my two nieces, ages 3 and 6.  I was informed by the 6 year old that it was "so funny!" the 3 year old thought it was "kind of scary" (there is a large rumbling volcano on the island).  Anyway it seems to be a big hit with the little ones... for me on the other hand it was horrifically painful to sit through.  Not enough music to entertain adults and the story itself was boring even for children.

** Rentable (for kids)


Rated G

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Tom Cruise is back in yet another assignment. While attempting to obtain information deep within the Kremlin a bomb goes off allowing evil scientists to steal a nuclear bomb launching device. All agents have now been disavowed. With limited resources and a skeleton crew.  Four agents set out to save the world.

So this was fun, I guess.  It was interesting in that it seemed slightly more comedic that Mission Impossible pasts. In fact, it felt more like I was watching an Ocean's 11 installment rather than a Mission Impossible sequel.

The story is a tad weak, but again it is better than recent episodes. Forgettable fun.

** 1/2  Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for language and violence)

Young Adult

Mavis Gary is an alcoholic and a writer.  She is the ghost writer of a young adult teen series that is coming to an end.  In an attempt to end her writers block she travels back to her home town to be inspired by her own glory days in high school as well as to win back the heart of her now married with child high school boyfriend.

Wow. Charlize Theron, amazing at being pathetic.  This is a strangely unlikeable film.  Kind of like a train wreck, it is awful but you can't look away.  She is so completely selfish and unsympathetic that she puts herself in the most horrifically awkward positions that literally make the audience squirm.

Extremely slow paced and methodical, it is difficult to watch, and not just because it is awkward, but it does become a bit slow and boring. However if you can make it through all the angst you may come away with more of an understanding of those that peaked in high school.

** Rentable


Rated R (for language and sexual content)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Holmes is back, and right where he left off.  Europe is in a state of unrest and war seems to be inevitable. Holmes is convinced that it is a web of clues all leading to Professor Moriarty, an evil genius.

A worthy sequel.  Fun dialogue, witty commentary, action adventure, and mystery.  I don't know if I enjoyed it quite as much as the original -- but it was close.

Robert Downey Jr, again proves himself as an amazing actor and brilliant entertainer and Jude Law is equally on par.  Very fun, a tad long at two hours and ten minutes, not to mention the twenty five minutes of previews before hand.

Fine holiday fun.


*** Must See


Rated PG-13 (for violence)

New Years Eve

Several intertwining stories told against the backdrop of Time Square on New Years Eve, welcoming in 2012.

OK so this was better than Valentines Day -- for those of you that were unfortunate enough to have seen that.  Nevertheless it is far from the craft of Love Actually which is easily the best of these multiple shorts mixed into one big movie type deal.

New Years Eve is slow, very slow, in fact the audience is so far ahead of the story that it is painful. Second because of the timing it is also so pitifully predictable that again, why bother. There are multiple story lines obviously and it seems to be the goal of the director to bombard us with so much information that we will forget how they all relate and then we will all be blown away in awe when it all comes together.... yeah not so. In fact, it is just the opposite, they spend so much time trying to mislead the audience that nothing is surprising nor spectacular.

It has a fun soundtrack and lots of people in it -- but I couldn't sit through it a second time.


* 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for sexual references and language)

The Descendants

Matt King,  a wealthy native islander, lives in Hawaii with his family.  When tragedy strikes and his wife is left in a coma family secrets surface.  Matt struggles to deal with the inevitable death of his wife while trying to save his dysfunctional family.

This is actually really good.  It is a well crafted story that never pretends to redeem the characters from their pathetic flaws.  It just tries to point them out in a humanizing way.

The cast is great, as none of the characters are particularly likable.  But you come to accept everyone for who they are and appreciate their willingness to fight for the survival of their relationships, no matter how pitiful.

Clooney is good as always but the two actors that steal the show are Shailene Woodley (plays Clooney's older daughter) and Nick Krause (her friend).  They are really amazing and made the movie.

Kind of slow and not what I expected, but really well done.


*** Must See


Rated R (for language)

Arthur Christmas

If one has ever wondered about the genealogy of Santa Claus, here is the answer.  Arthur is the current Santa's youngest son. He is a bit of a screw up, but loves Christmas. Loves everything about it. His older brother Steve, is in line to become the next Santa Claus and runs the show like a strict marine, introducing streamlined technology along the way. However when his perfect machine missed one child, it is up to Arthur and Grandpa Santa to save the day.

This was so unexpectedly clever and fun.  Truly a new and fresh idea to the story of Santa Claus.  The characters are fabulously developed along with the witty and heartfelt storyline.

This film is fun for children and adults and is easily one of the best and funnest Christmas flicks released ever -- let alone this year.

*** 1/2 Must See


Rated PG (for mild rude humor)

The Muppets

The Muppet Theatre is old and washed up, and the Muppets have all gone their separate ways.  In one last effort to salvage the theatre and the Muppet legacy, Kermit tries to reunite the gang and stage a telethon of the old "Muppet Show" to raise the $10 Million need to save the theatre from the evil oilman Tex Richman, who wants to knock down the theatre and drill for oil underneath it.

Well this definitely paid homage to the original Muppet Show as well as the original Muppet Movie.  Nevertheless it wasn't exactly fabulous. Mostly because there is this horrifically annoying side story with Gary (Jason Segel), Mary (Amy Adams), and Walter (random muppet). Unlike the original movies that revolve around the Muppets and have the multiple fun cameos through out the film. This one seems the opposite, where the story revolves around the stupid Walter character and the Muppets make the cameos. Not really but they obviously are not the center story and that is completely unacceptable.

If they had taken out that whole, Mary, Gary, Walter side nonsense this would have been great, but sadly it wasn't.


** Rentable


Rated PG (for mild rude humor)

The Skin I Live In

Dr. Robert Ledgard, a brilliant plastic surgeon, has been developing a new skin to save burn victims.  Since the death of his wife, a burn victim herself, his research has become an obsession.  His experiments are considered unethical by his medical peers.  As he continues the line between science and scruples is severely blurred.

Oh. My.

Weird. Lecherous. Scary. Twisted. Disturbing and Lewd.

** Rentable (if you can handle it)


Rated R (for sexual assault, sexual content, language, violence, graphic nudity and disturbing violence)

The Way

A man travels to Europe to pick up the remains of his son and finish the trek he started.  Along the way he meets up with a eclectic group of characters and learns about himself as well as the man that his son was.

This is a very charming film, written and directed by Emilio Esteves and staring his father, Martin Sheen.  It is a tad slow but has just enough balance of sentiment and sarcasm.  It is nothing fancy, but leaves that Eat, Pray, Love nonsense in the dust.

It is about finding one's self as well as others and accepting them for who they are.  Again there was nothing spectacular about this movie, but it was well made, well acted, and for those that see it, it will be well received.

*** Must See


Rated PG-13 (for language)

Like Crazy

A young couple fall in love and deal with the hardships of a long distance relationship.

This movie was so utterly frustrating and annoying!  This was at Sundance this year and I purposely didn't go see it there only to find myself at the LA screening.  It was so stupid.

The characters are completely irritating and unsympathetic.  They are in a vexing situation that was brought on by themselves because they are both so immature and apparently foolish.

I don't know if other actors had taken on these roles that I would have actually liked the movie.  I do know that my opinion on the movie itself is tainted because of my enormous animosity for both lead actors.  Having said that, those that accompanied me to the show had the same sentiment about the film as I did and liked the actors so I don't think I am in the wrong.

* Not-A-Chance


Rated PG-13 (for sexual content and language)

J. Edgar

J. Edgar Hoover ran the FBI for almost fifty years.  He was one of the most powerful men in Washington and was able to keep his job and country safe by being both ingenious and ruthless.

This was interesting.  It is a historical account of not only Hoover but of the entire functionality and development of the FBI.  Directed by Clint Eastwood it is a slow moving and methodical piece of work.  In fact as it is constantly jumping between flashbacks and flash-forwards, one wonders if it had been told as a linear story would it have held the audience's attention?  I doubt it, as despite the amazing casting, brilliant acting, delightful production design, and again creative editing, I still found myself getting a tad bored and looking at the clock.

Sure to get Oscar buzz, it is an intriguing story but not overwhelmingly engaging.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated R (for language)

Puss In Boots

Puss is mistakenly accused of a bank robbery and lives his life as an outlaw.

So this is technically a prequel to the Shrek movies.  Yeah I wasn't so impressed.  First of all, this in no way follows the actual story of Puss in Boots.  This is in fact a convoluted creation using, Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, and Jack and the Bean Stalk.  Which leads to my second point that it completely missed the mark in terms of being clever and creativity.  Had they stuck to the original story it is quite possible that they could have brought in multiple other fairy tales and/or nursery rhymes and still brought it all back to it's Shrek origins.  Third it is way too long, or at least it felt that way.  The movie is actually only 90 minutes but drags so, that it seemed as though it was well over two hours.  And finally, it just isn't funny.

* 1/2 Rentable (if you have children perhaps)


Rated PG (for violence and mild crude humor)

Tower Heist

Josh, the general manager of, The Tower, a posh New York condo high rise finds himself at odds with the buildings most wealthy tenant, Mr. Arthur Shaw.  Shaw is under house arrest for embezzling over two billion dollars from his investors, including the staff at the Tower.

This was pretty entertaining.  It's not quite as much fun as say, Ocean's 11 (2001),  but totally comparable to Trading Places (1983).  Speaking of Eddie Murphy, he does a decent job in this.  In fact he and Matthew Broderick totally steal the show.  Ben Stiller is OK as is Alan Alda.  Tea Leoni is a tad annoying, but still manages to pull it off as the FBI agent.

This is a fun heist movie but does have awkward moments of crude dialogue that don't really fit the rest of the film.  Overall it was funny and good for a laugh.


** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for language and sexual content)

50/50

A young radio producer discovers that he has a rare form of cancer and that his odds of survival are 50/50.

I went into this expecting a dark comedy and was somewhat disappointed that it wasn't really that funny.  I liked the idea of taking something that was extremely serious and laughing at it.  Making light of awkward situations that might come up, or shamelessly using ones illness to get what you want. But for whatever reason it didn't happen.  There were odd holes and major inconsistencies that not only made this somewhat trite, but also annoying and boring.  The movie is only and hour and forty minutes but it felt much longer.  The love interest is so unbelievable and the characters seem way to cliche.

I really wanted to like this, but... no.


** Rentable


Rated R (for sexual content and language) 

The Ides of March

A young idealistic press secretary believes in the democratic process.  He is zealously committed to his candidate, his candidates integrity, and knows they can win.  As his ego in his own campaign grows he makes a couple of mistakes that may cost him the election.

I absolutely enjoyed this and am somewhat hesitant to give too many details away.  First of all, George Clooney and Ryan Gosling?  Already I like it.  Second, they are all so perfectly cast.  They do such a great job, you forget that Clooney isn't really running for President.  The best part of this though, is that it shows the politics behind the politics and does it in an almost graceful way that neither glorifies it nor belittles the game but the players.

Really well written, well played, well cast, well done.


*** Must See


Rated R (for language) 

The Three Musketeers

Athos, Aramis, and Porthos... you all know the story, right?

OK so I went into this with, I don't know, gusto perhaps?  I was excited, though not overly expectant.  Wow!  Disappointing to say the least.

Let me break down the flaws for you.... so first of all, they tried to "Sherlock Holmes" it up.  You know what I mean by that, don't you?  Lots of slow motion, clever wood-worked gadgets, and a touch of the matrix.  Yes, well that didn't really work here.  You see, The Three Musketeers, though fiction, is a classical story about the art and skill of swordsmen.  When you attempt to turn them into a seventeenth century mission impossible crew, the story suffers.

Speaking of story.... correct me if I am wrong, but were there flying hot air balloon pirate ships in Alexandre Dumas' novel?  I mean, I know that wasn't in my book.  And OK, it's understood that this is fiction and that one might add their own twist or flair to it, but this so did not work.  It was ridiculous and completely leveled the authenticity and fun of a classic action adventure story.  Along the lines of the writing, the dialogue.... way too modern. Uncomfortably so.  The hodgepodge mix of accents, be they French, English, American, or what have you was annoying too.  Now we come to the cast.  This is where they actually did a semi-decent job.  They were believable, the looked the part, and had they had a cohesive script might have made a fun movie.  Funny thing is, that the 1993 Disney version of this, though somewhat comically and cartoonishly cast, did a MUCH better job.  They followed the story, they all spoke in a classical cadence while still able to be humorous, simple yet consistent accents, and it was believable -- not to mention satisfying. This one gets so off track the ending is crushingly dumb. Don't do it.


* 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for violence)

Abduction

A troubled teen begins to question the identity of his parents, thus doubting who he is himself.

This was dreadful. Absolutely ridiculously horrible.  I don't know who wrote this, but it was like finger nails on a chalk board.  There are multiple sections of spoon fed dialogue thrown at the audience as the writer obviously couldn't be bothered with story development.

Also how were they able to pull this cast together?  I mean did they read the script? Or just owed someone a favor?  I am guessing the latter as Sigourney Weaver was just phoning it in, and Alfred Molina seemed put out the entire time.

I actually gave up on this movie.  No I really did, I told myself it was OK to fall asleep.  I was traveling and out of the state at the time, I figured I would use the time to take a nap.... It didn't work.  Not only could I not fall asleep, but I discovered that a bad movie is even worse with your eyes closed.

* Not-A-Chance


Rated PG-13 (for language and violence)

Moneyball

Billy Beane is the General Manager for the Oakland A's.  Faced with having lost his best players and having no money to buy new ones, he sets out to change the game.  With the help of a young economics graduate he tries to put together a championship team by buying runs, not players.

This was based on a true story and it's about Sports so already it has everything going for it.  What I wasn't expecting was the fact that this movie is truly character driven, it is not a comedy.  Keep that in mind if you find it running a tad long.

I absolutely loved this.  The cast was perfect.  Brad Pitt, the Robert Redford clone, was incredible.  Jonah Hill, is able to reign in his over the top awkwardness just enough, that you truly believe he is a bean counter.  Not to mention Phillip Seymour Hoffman, so impressive, even more so that he took such a small role and really ran with it.

Rocky, Rudy, Miracle, The Natural, Hoosiers, A League of their Own,  all some of my all time favorites. This could be up there. I don't want to reveal too much, but I will say this,  the ending, which baseball fans are all too familiar with, makes this story all the more great.

*** 1/2 Oscar Buzz


Rated PG-13 (for language)

I Don't Know How She Does It

Kate is a successful financial analyst, happily married, and the mother of two.  She seems to have it all but when she is offered a high profile account at her firm, her job takes center stage and she struggles to keep all the pieces together.

I have to admit that I actually liked this.  Granted, I went in with extremely low expectations.  I was prepared for Sex and The City 3, which, who are we kidding,  it kind of was... however truth be told it is by far the best episode in that trilogy.

You all know that Sarah Jessica Parker is capable of playing only one role, that of herself, well it actually worked here.  The dialogue is witty and smart.  The characters are funny and engaging.  The plot was predictable and a tad trite,  but hey, two out of three isn't too bad.  OK that is a blatant lie, but I laughed enough that I am willing to overlook the mundane storyline.

This is not something that anyone needs to rush out and see, but if one does see it you will be pleasantly surprised and delightfully entertained.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for sexual references and language)

The Debt

Three young spies cross into East Germany in the 60's to track down a Nazi war criminal.  Their heroic deeds are published in a book in the late 90's.  As the book gains notoriety the three spies must relive as well as come to terms with their past.

I liked this.  It was a fun espionage thriller, albeit a tad predictable.  It is also a smidgen confused in its use of language and subtitles as the characters randomly slip in and out of different languages.

The casting is great, particularly the group in the 60's.  They were much more engaging than their older counterparts. The ending,  I found to be slightly disjointed and unfulfilling.  Nevertheless,  it was still entertaining.

** 1/2  Not a Must See -- but theatre worthy


Rated R (for violence and language)

Fright Night

A young teenager discovers that his new next door neighbor is a real life vampire.

Oh how I hate horror films, and yet it is amazing what a good looking man can get me to see.  Yes I saw Fright Night, and in 3D no less -- tsk tsk tsk Colin Farrell.

OK so this was absolute rubbish.  I have never seen the original Fright Night so I have no commentary on how this remake compares.  I will say however that I did spend the entire movie with my ears plugged as it was bloodcurdling, although at the same time I was totally irritated at how stupid all the characters were.

I suppose if you are into vampire movies this one might work for you,  I understand that it borrowed from many of the early vampire works in terms of what vampires can and can't do and how one goes about destroying them, which FYI isn't common knowledge.

Can't say I was impressed by this scary movie, mostly because I can't stand Anton Yelchin, the kid who played the main character. He is so spineless.  I don't know that this actor is capable of playing anything but himself and that seems to be a soft spoken, stammering, stick figure -- serves me right, as I went only to see Colin Farrell.  Who by the way makes an excellent bad guy.  He is the saving grace of this flick as he is truly frightening.

* 1/2 Rentable


Rated R (for gore and language)

Our Idiot Brother

After being released from prison, a optimistic pot dealer upsets the delicately balanced lives of his three sisters.

So this was at Sundance this year and I didn't go see it because it got kind of bad reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised.  This was not the movie I expected to see.  You know the typical Seth Rogan type comedy about pot that really needs to be seen while high to actually find it funny... no this was actually quite endearing and brazenly sentimental.

I was in fact charmed by this silly concept and tricky dynamics that made up this family.  It was real and despite the foolishness of the main character he was very believable.

Nothing to rush out and see but again delightfully entertaining.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated R (for sexual content and language)

One Day

A young aspiring writer and a wealthy playboy become friends on July 15 1988.  Their story is told as they reunite that day every year for the next twenty years.

I didn't read this book but I understand it is a very accurate adaptation.  The movie was a bit melodramatic but I found it charming in it's own way.

It is very precise in developing their friendship and how deep it is showing how each character follows his or her path in life and how those consequences, be they, positive or negative not only affect them but their relationship with each other as well as those around them.

Although I did find it to be slightly miss-cast and Anne Hathaways' accent a little muddled. It was still engaging and in a very methodical way points out that all relationships be they platonic or romantic are all about timing.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for sexual content and language)

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

A research scientist desperately works on finding a cure for his father's Alzheimer's disease.  He has developed a drug that works with a virus strain and has been testing it on chimpanzees. When the presentation of his new drug goes awry he not only finds himself at odds with his employer but harboring a baby chimp.

I always think that James Franco selects the most bizarre roles, one minute he is an Oscar nominee and the next he is on a soap opera.  Notwithstanding he always does a great job, it is just a constant surprise of what he'll show up in next.... so this was fun I guess.

I liked the scientific explanation of how the Planet of the Apes came to be as apposed to the random space expedition gone askew.  Granted 89% of this movie was all set up for the inevitable sequel.  So be prepared for a slow moving story line.

The CGI is really good albeit a tad creepy.  I don't know why but movies about animals always scare me.  I just keep waiting for them to snap and wreak havoc upon everything, so when you know that is the main plot point, it kind of puts me on edge and I spend most of the movie with my fingers in my ears.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for language and violence)

30 Minutes or Less

A pizza delivery guy is hijacked by a couple of rednecks.  They strap a bomb onto him and tell him he has ten hours to get them one hundred thousand dollars or they will blow him up.

This is quite possibly the worst movie I have seen all year.  It was so stupid!  The dialogue was so painful and on the nose, it made The Fast and The Furious series look like Shakespeare.  I am convinced that this was semi biopic -- probably based off the life of one of the rednecks.  Also I won't be surprised when this disappears, it is so completely miss marketed.  The commercials try to appeal to teenagers, yet it is Rated R so they can't get in.

And!! It isn't funny.  I can remember the 3, yes, only 3 times that I laughed in this movie.  The audience seemed disappointed as a whole and I believe I counted twelve people that walked out before the halfway mark.

Seriously this is what happens when someone owes someones dad a favor -- rubbish like this gets made.  Shameful.

* Not-A-Chance


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

IRIS | Cirque du Soeil: A Journey Through Cinema

So I get that this isn't a movie..... nevertheless, I went and saw this last night, a friend took me for my birthday and it was amazing.

Now, let me preface this with, I had never before seen a Cirque de Soeil show.  Admittedly I was somewhat anti-acrobat.  I don't know if it was the history of film theme or just the show in general but I really loved it.

It's absolutely beyond my scope of recognition that the human body can do the things that these acrobats and contortionists do.  I mean I thought I was bendy!  After watching this show I not only need to attend a yoga class but I need to spend much more time in the gym.

It's a great show, and I LOVED the cinema theme, I will definitely be seeing more of the Cirque du Soeil in my future, so if you get a chance to see Iris -- Do it!

The Help

It's the early 60's, and a young debutante from Jackson, Mississippi decides she would like to write a book from the viewpoint of the "help."  As she tries to get local maids to cooperate and give interviews she finds that the current political atmosphere along with the early civil rights movement, has them all fearful and unwilling to aide her in her efforts.

I went to London/Paris about 2 weeks ago -- long story short, our flight got canceled and we were rescheduled for a later flight.  This left me and my two girlfriends that I was traveling with 5 hours to kill in LAX.  So I bought this book and read it to them -- and anyone else within ear shot.  (I did all the voices too!) Anyway, the book was great. We laughed endlessly, in fact there were a few moments that I could barely read the words on the page I was laughing so hard.  So you can imagine our excitement as well as our expectations for the movie....

It was sweet.  In terms of adaptations, it was sweet.  There are so many details that are left out that completely define certain characters, that we, my fellow travelers and I, decided that if we hadn't read the book we don't think we would have liked the movie that much, but having all the information, it was easier to accept the movie for what it was.  Again, the book was fabulous and if you haven't read it, I would suggest you do so before you see the movie.  Notwithstanding if you happen to see the flick first, even with it's uneven character development,  Hollywood endings,  and blurring of subplots, it is still very sweet.


*** Must See


Rated PG-13 (for language and thematic material)

Midnight in Paris

Sooooo.... I saw this again, at Midnight, in Paris!

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Cal Weaver's wife has had an affair and wants a divorce.  He sadly complies and winds up in a bar airing his dirty laundry to anyone that will listen.  A young ladies man takes him under his wing and schools him in the modern dating scene.

This movie actually had several funny parts.  Aside from the pathetic ending, where the whole thing takes a huge nose dive, I would say that it was decent.  It is very funny and accurate as it portrays the typical 40 year old divorced man that doesn't have a clue how to date and even after he is mentored and becomes obnoxiously arrogant in his ability to seduce women still doesn't get it.

The cast is pretty fun, but the story lines are mismanaged and unbalanced.  Way too much time is spent on Cal (Steve Carell) and not enough on Jacob (Ryan Gosling) who really steals the show.  The characters are all really well developed and horrifically astute. Anyone, particularly females that are currently dabbling in the dating scene, will appreciate how dumb men on the prowl are. At the same time it is unbelievable how many women fall for their nonsense.

Shrewd, Clever, Poignant, Ridiculous, And about 20 minutes too long.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for sexual content and language)

Cowboys and Aliens

A man with no memory of who he is finds himself in a small dried up mining town.  He quickly gets himself into trouble with the law and it is discovered that he is a wanted outlaw.  As he is about to be hauled off to the federal marshals office bright lights from the sky change everything for him and the towns folk.

I remember seeing previews for this movie and thinking this is either going to be absolutely genius or a complete flop there will be no in between.... so imagine my surprise when it turned out to be kind of middle of the roadish.

OK so here's the deal.  We have a movie about Cowboys of the old west fighting against Aliens from afar.  So I thought it would be all about how old fashion Cowboy and Indian ingenuity beats out Alien technology.  It's not.  It should have been, but it's not.  Our hero seems to come pre-armed with a piece of alien weaponry and that is the only way they are able to really make any progress with the aliens. Not only that, but there are a few bumps and hitches along the way that are totally unnecessary, they neither further the story nor glorify the old west just simply unload alien information.

Anyway in terms of film making it is very true to slick western cinema.  Not as humorous as expected but I suppose they tried to stay away from a Men in Black feel.  The problem with that is it almost comes off as a Western version of Predator.  I don't know.  Harrison Ford was fantastic.  Perhaps his best role since Indiana Jones.  It was a fun twist on a traditional western but again I wanted it to be more about how the west was won by Cowboys with six shooters, not Cowboys with light sabers.  Oh well.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for violence)

Captain America: The First Avenger

Steve Rogers, a scrawny sickly, little man desperately wants to join the United States Army.  He has tried to enlist multiple times under multiple aliases, each time being deemed 4F.  His commitment, dedication and enthusiasm however catches the eye of Dr. Abraham Erskine who is convinced that Steve Rogers is exactly what the US Army needs.

Well, I went and saw the midnight show amongst the dedicated comic book fans.  I once again was clueless as to what the original story of Captain America was and waited to be enlightened.

So here are my thoughts.... Although it was fun and entertaining, the villain wasn't threatening enough.  Ignorant me, I thought the villain was Hitler, that makes sense, he's scary.  But no, I was wrong.  It was this Red Skull guy.  Who looked kind of creepy but he nor his hench men ever seemed that big of a threat.

Also I get that to set up the story of Captain America we must go back to his origins, WWII, nevertheless, I suppose that because of the setting I was expecting something along the lines of Raiders of the Lost Ark.  A superhero designed to destroy the Nazi's a'la Indiana Jones.  You know, make this story exciting without the use of modern weapons and technology etc.  This is not the case, and perhaps if one is aware of that the movie is more enjoyable.

Once again, not as fun as Iron Man, but I found it more enjoyable than Thor.
(Side note: Stay till after the credits)


** 1/2 Fun Summer Flick


Rated PG-13 (for violence)

Winnie the Pooh

Disney returns to the Hundred Acre Wood for another adventure with Winnie the Pooh and friends.

So this was kind of a throw back to the original movie as it makes every effort to mimic the style and tone of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.  

The dialogue is very clever and A. A. Milne-esque in some respects, however it was also a tad more high speed and modern that I expected.  In some regard it reminded me of a Saturday morning cartoon.  The plot in particular was reminiscent of a Looney Tunes short.  It was a musical, which was totally unnecessary.  I suppose the original was a musical as well, but the characters themselves rarely participated in the singing,  which fits the tone of A.A. Milne much better. 

Anyway as a devout fan of the original I think this new feature falls short of its predecessor.  Having said that, it is only 57 minutes long and the kids will love it I'm sure.  There is also a short before hand about the Loch Ness Monster that was delightful in every respect.

** Rentable


Rated G

A Better Life

Carlos, an illegal immigrant works as a gardener in LA in hopes of giving his teenage son a better life.  He desperately wants to move to a better neighborhood to keep his son out of gangs and into a better school.  When Carlos has his truck stolen the idea of the American Dream seems to be slipping away and the fight to get it back may cost him his son.

This was a very sweet and slowly paced character piece.  It was really well done, and although at times it felt a tad like an after school special, it is touching.  It conveys, without being patronizing, what so many immigrants face everyday and accept as part of their lives in this country.

Charmingly honest and captivatingly genuine.

*** Must See


Rated PG-13 (for language and violence)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

You've read the books right? It's the final chapter....

So this episode immediately picks up where the last one left off.  No recap, no long set up, just boom we are back.  Kind of nice.  The story takes off and you are right back into the wizarding world.

It works.  As I have said before none of the movies are as good as the books although I suppose they are a decent adaptation for what they are this final movie does wrap things up nicely just as in the books.

I found that all the movies, aside from the very first, lost the mysticism and wonder that was always present in the books.  I get that it was in exchange for a chance to represent a darker side of events but the books seem to keep the balance of looming evil and still stand in constant awe of all that goes on in the world of Harry Potter.

Oh well it is still a very fun movie and probably the best since the first.


*** A Must See for the Potter Fans


Rated PG-13 (for violence and brief language)

Horrible Bosses

Three friends have the same problem, they all work for individuals that make their lives absolutely miserable.  Quitting is not an option and when all three are pushed to the brink, they decide that their only alternative is to kill their respective bosses.

 OK, I knew going into this movie that it was going to be crude and vulgar, full of profanity and sexual references, which it was.  That kind of thing just typically isn't my brand of humor.  Nevertheless, having said that, I will also admit that I don't remember the last time I laughed so much at the movies.

I love Jason Bateman! Seriously I think that he is quite possibly the most under rated actor in Hollywood.  He is absolutely brilliant. The whole cast was fabulous actually.  Kevin Spacey who is always great, seems to excel at being the bad guy.  Jennifer Aniston totally steps outside the box and proves she can play something other than herself.  And Colin Farrell whom I normally swoon over was so amazingly sleazy you forget who he is.

Again this is not for everyone as it is profane,  lots of bad language and bawdy dialogue, however the discourse that goes beyond that is so very funny and clever.  Anyone that has experienced a less than ideal working environment will appreciate this as well as be able to relate to the nuances that make this movie work.

*** Not something I would recommend to everyone or perhaps anyone -- but I found it hilarious.


Rated R (for coarse language and crude sexual references)

Larry Crowne

A middle age man is let go from his Wal-Martesque job because he didn't go to college.  In an effort to make sure this never happens again he enrolls in the local community college to change his life.

Tom Hanks co-wrote and directed this movie, as he did with That Thing You Do, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I can't say the same for Larry Crowne.

The movie is painfully slow and cliche.  Predictability and lack of chemistry are just a few of the short comings.  The odd speech class that he takes is neither profound or endearing, in fact it almost plays off as though it is a high school remedial class.  The quirky side kicks are trying to hard to be likable and the whole thing although wrapped up neatly is completely unsatisfying.

* 1/2  If you want to rent it


Rated PG-13 (for language and sexual content)

Midnight in Paris

An aspiring author roams the streets of Paris dreaming of the golden age of art and literature.

I am not a huge Woody Allen fan, but I loved this movie.  It is idealistic, sweet, charming, and a tad cynical.  I really loved it.  Owen Wilson who I find has a difficult time playing anybody other than himself was really well fit for this character.  Rachel McAdams was perfect as well as the list of caricatures.

I think this is quite possibly Woody Allen's best movie ever.  Granted as an aspiring writer myself, perhaps I found the story more endearing than others might -- nevertheless I think that most people can relate to idealizing a time or era that seems, from our futuristic point of view, as golden.

*** 1/2 MUST SEE!!


Rated PG-13 (for some sexual references)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

They're back... again.

This was better than the last one.  I opted to see it in 3D as I knew that I was going into this for the special effects not the plot.

In traditional Michael Bay style the end fight scene goes on for 45 minutes to an hour leaving the audience somewhat bored even by the outlandish F/X's.

** Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for violence and sexual innuendo)

Cars 2

Lightning McQueen competes in the first ever World Grand Prix. This time he brings along his best friend Mater who quickly gets mixed up in a energy conspiracy.

Wow. Who would have thought it... Pixar is human after all.  This was somewhat of a let down.  I love the original Cars.  LOVE it. Pixar has a history of making movies that have such well developed story lines and characters.  They bring real heart and soul to cartoons making them enjoyable for both adults and children. This one seriously lacked that.  It seemed that the moral of the story was, Mater is an idiot, and that's OK.

It is really just an animated James Bond movie and I suppose many people will like it.  I just don't think that it comes even close to the other Pixar vehicles in terms of story and character development.  I will say this however -- The Toy Story short that is shown before the movie is FABULOUS and well worth your ticket.

*** Must See (if only for the short)
Rated G

X-Men: First Class

A prequel to the X-Men saga of how they all came to be.

I'm really not a huge fan of the X-Men series, but I think that despite its extended running time this may be the best one yet.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for violence and language)

Bad Teacher

A woman is dumped by her fiance and must return to her teaching job at a Jr. High School.

This had some funny parts but struggles to keep the story going.  It is extremely crude and predictable.

** Rentable


Rated R (for sexual content and language)

The Conspirator

A woman is put on trial for aiding in the assassination of President Lincoln.

Very well acted.  Kind of slow and methodical but interesting.  To be honest I don't know how historically accurate the entire thing is but it was a well made movie.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for violence)

The Hangover Part II

Same guys, same story.

This was such a disappointment.

* 1/2 Not-A-Chance


Rated R (for everything)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

This time we are looking for the Fountain of Youth....

If you are a fan, it was better than the last two but let's face it, that isn't saying much.

** Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for violence)

Bridesmaids

A maid of honor attempts to help her best friend plan her wedding as her own life crumbles around her.

Boo. This was completely marketed as a female version of The Hangover.  It is not.  It is totally a chick flick with random bathroom humor in it.

* 1/2 Rentable I guess


Rated R (for language and crude sexual content) 

Something Borrowed

While helping her best friend plan her wedding the maid of honor begins an affair with the groom.

This was so horrid.  Predictable, trite, annoying, and long.  The best thing about it were the few moments with John Krasinski.

* 1/2 Maybe Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for sexual content and language)

Thor

Heir to the throne of Asgard, Thor begins a war that strips him of his birthright and is banished to earth.

Ehhhh.... This definitely wasn't nearly as good as Iron Man.  The casting is a little off (Natalie Portman) and the story and set up really drag on too long.  But there are some nice things to look at I suppose and I am not referring to the F/X.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for violence and language)

The Victim

A lone hermit is suddenly called upon to help defend a woman from two crooked police officers.

Oh no.  There isn't enough time for me to tell you how horrid this film is and frankly it doesn't matter, as the likelihood that it ever gets distribution is slim to none.

- NOT-A-CHANCE


NR

Fast Five

Our heroes are still on the run from the CIA and find themselves in Brazil at odds with an infamous drug lord.

Eye candy.  That's really all this is.  A horrid script with lots of fast cars a beautiful bodies.  The dialogue is actually painful and this would be a better movie if watched with a mute button.  Nevertheless it is a guilty pleasure and I would see it again.

*** Must See


Rated PG-13 (for violence and language)