Watchmen

The acclaimed graphic novel makes its way to the big screen.  It's 1985 in the United States and superheroes, which were in decades past common place and accepted in society, are now outlawed and now being taken out one by one by unknown persons.  A few of these superheroes rejoin to figure out who's behind it and why, while the Cold War gets closer and closer to nuclear war.

This is a new take on the superhero genre, and one not for kids.  It is rated R for everything in the book.  It's an interesting movie and keeps your interest throughout.  It is however too long at 3 hours, but the length is somewhat necessary with all the different story lines that tie together, still some probably could've been cut out.  For being a superhero movie there really isn't a lot of action, it's more of a mystery and you're watching it all unravel.   It is pretty cool how they show a different version of the 50's-80's, where superheroes where the norm.  Some of the acting is a little questionable but overall it's well done.  I probably would've been fine not seeing this movie, but it's entertaining.  It's overly graphic in pretty much every way.

** 1/2 out of 4 - Rentable

Sunshine Cleaning

A single mom (Amy Adams) desperately wants to change her circumstances in hopes of providing a better life for her son. While working as a maid she stumbles upon the idea of working as a crime scene clean-up crew. Enlisting the help of her slacker sister(Emily Blunt), they take on a tad more than they bargained for.

Total indy film. If you are a fan of Sundance, which is where this premiered last year, you will love it. It is a total character piece. Slow, methodical, but clever. The story is simple, predictable, and does lag at times, but the characters really pull you through it. Both actresses do a fabulous job and Alan Arkin, who plays their father, is great as well.

Again this is much more of an independent film, but for you traditionalist, I think you will still be OK with it as it doesn't stray too far from the formulaic. Just remember that it is more of a character development deal and does get a tad slow at times, but very entertaining.

*** Must See

Rated R (for language and thematic elements)

Race to Witch Mountain

A Las Vegas taxi driver unknowingly picks up two teen aged aliens and then finds he must help them get to their spaceship so they have time to save the world.

Yep, that's what this movie is about. I went to see it because I remember the originals when I was little. They actually kind of scared me. So I thought that the remakes might be kind of fun. Oh dear. Can we say campy? Yes boys and girls this was one of the worst. The four unsuspecting friends that accompanied me to the theatre all fell asleep leaving me to make sarcastic remarks to myself.

The story is actually not bad, just poorly underdeveloped as are all of the characters--and again the dialogue! How is it that these movies get made?

* 1/2 Not-A-Chance

Rated PG (for violence)

Taken

Liam Neeson plays a retired and divorced special agent or "preventer" whose daughter is kidnapped while vacationing in Europe.  He takes matters into his own hands in order to get her back and punish those that took her.  

This is a very intense and exciting movie.  Kind of "Ransom meets The Bourne Identity", and Liam Neeson's character is very Jason Bourne-esque, dropping multiple attackers with a few moves and always one step ahead of his enemies, but in a believable way.  The things his daughter go through are scary and troubling to think they really exist.  I don't quite buy Liam Neeson with an American accent.  I don't know if it's just because I know he's not and I've seen many movies with his normal accent, or if it's because he does a bad American accent.  I don't have that problem with say, Christian Bale or Hugh Jackman.  But it's a solid movie, although the ending, although a nice wrap-up, is a tad cheesy and doesn't quite match the mood of the rest of the movie.  

*** out of 4 - theater or rentable (PG-13 for violence and language) 

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Paul Blart is a mall cop with aspirations of becoming a real cop, for which his low blood sugar and high weight prevent him from becoming so.  But he's given the chance to be the hero when his mall is overtaken by crooks.  

This is a really stupid movie with few funny parts.  It seems like it had a very low budget, but it received lots and lots of advertising.  The lead character seems way too old for his love interest, a gal working a wig/hair stand in the mall, although our hero is a likable character.  I can't recommend spending money on this movie, which I unfortunately did. 

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

Echelon Conspiracy

A young computer programmer receives anonymous text messages guiding him in the direction of wealth and power. He soon discovers that all his luck can change if he doesn't do everything that the messages demand of him and ends up being hunted by the Government, a crime boss, and "it".

Oh-my-horridness! Yes I said horridness. This movie had such horrid dialogue, and so many plot holes that I don't even know where to begin. It has a bizarrely credible cast--I mean did they read the script before agreeing to this? It is so painful to watch you can't help but laugh, mostly at yourself for staying and seeing it through, hoping that it might get better. Guess what--it never did, in fact it got worse. The outlandish connections, the stupid ending, the whole thing--seriously? I want to be in the room when a couple of producers got together with the script and were like, yeah this will be great--it will work.

Why don't people consult me?

* Not-A-Chance

Rated PG-13 (for language and violence)

Confessions of a Shopaholic

A young girl dreams of being a writer for chic fashion magazine in New York but accidentally gets a job at a financial magazine by mistake due to her ability to apply simple shopping tactics to big finance. She becomes hugely admired for her fiscal advice all the while she is drowning in her own debt.

Tst tst tst tst...shame on me for falling for this again. I read the book. It was fun. It was cute. It was entertaining. The movie had none of these elements. In fact I was with people that may never again speak to me for making them come and see this flick and forcing them to stay till the end of the credits. It is seriously horrid. The fun articles that you get to read in the book are never developed in the movie and you are left with a horrid Lifetime/ABC Familyesque atrocity.

Don't Do It!!!

- Not-A-Chance

Rated PG (probably for the scary mannequins that talk to her)

He's Just Not That Into You

A handful of vignette's intertwine giving us the ups and downs, ins and outs, and all around chaos of trying to understand the opposite sex.

I was really excited to see this movie, as I was a fan of Greg Behrendt, the author of the book and writer on the Sex and the City series. So needless to say I was a tad disappointed. It has its funny moments. The story line with Justin Long is by far the most original and creative, not to mention entertaining. The rest of it, we have seen before. Funny at times but nothing new.

I think I was most disturbed by the audience that I saw the movie with. Cooing women that seemed shocked and surprised by the most cliche lines and subplots. So irritating--This is why I hate chick flicks! Anyway this one isn't that bad, but no need to rush out and see it.

** 1/2 Rentable

Rated PG-13 (For language and sexual content)

Slumdog Millionaire

A young man from Mumbai, India named Jamal is about to win "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and is arrested before the final question for suspicion of cheating. As the police interrogate him, trying to find out how he cheated or how he knew the answers, we see how his life experiences have led him to the answers of each progressing question on the show.

This movie is winning lots of awards and deservedly so. The story is very engaging, the acting great, and the directing is solid. It takes you on an incredible emotional ride with the characters. Very rewarding and well done. Some of the shots of the slums of India are amazing and some points I felt like I was getting almost a documentary-type, kind of inside look at what those parts of India are really like, since I've never been there. Should be getting plenty of Oscar buzz. It is Rated R for a little bit of language and violence.

**** out of 4 - Oscar Worthy

Yes Man

Jim Carrey's character says no to everything, his life is in a rut. He attends a seminar that preaches to say "Yes" to everything, which changes his life and we follow him on the ride.

I also thought this going to be "Liar Liar 2", but it didn't turn out to be the case. It's its own movie and is pretty funny. I'm a big Jim Carrey fan. This isn't his best but it's his best in a while. As Mandy said there's plenty of laugh out loud moments, the story has some heart and the leading lady is charming as well. There is however a totally unnecessary part with an old lady and Jim Carrey having to say yes to her. I agree with Mandy that this movie isn't for kids, it's PG-13 but a few F-bombs are dropped and the old lady stuff is totally out of place.

**1/2 out of 4 - Rentable. Theater worthy if you're a Carrey fan.