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)