King Kong ***
Cast: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Andy Serkis, Jamie Bell, Kyle Chandler, Thomas Kretschmann
Director: Peter Jackson
Running Length: 3:07
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Carl Denham (Black) is a filmmaker who wants to get his film made. The problem is that creditors are after him and he is missing a leading lady. Ann Darrow (Watts) is an out of work actress who stumbles across Denham's path. When she agrees, they make a hasty retreat to the "Venture", the ship that will take them to the filming location. In the process, he manages to strand screenwriter Jack Driscoll (Brody) on board. Soon, they ae heading for Skull Island.
Once there, the filming begins, only to be interrupted by the natives, who have a tendency to remove the heads from their victims. Ann is offered up as a sacrifice to the dominant male of the island, a big ape by the name of Kong (Serkis). Instead of killing her, he develops a crush on her. After a long chase on the island, we go back to New York for the fateful ending.

"King Kong" is a good movie, full of action, special effects, and heart. Serkis gives Kong a realness that has not been seen before. The action is tense and unrelenting. Black and Brody do good jobs as their respective characters. Watts shows she can act convincingly with a green screen. The biggest drawback to this film is the running time. At over three hours, "King Kong" is at least an hour too long. This is not an epic tale, despite getting the epic treatment, and the film is hurt by it. Fans of Peter Jackson (and there are many) will no doubt be thrilled by everything in this movie, and for them I recommend this film highly. Otherwise, you may want to wait to DVD so you can have access to a pause button.

Syriana ***1/2
Cast: George Clooney, Jeffrey Wright, Matt Damon, Alexander Siddig, Chris Cooper, Christopher Plummer, Amanda Peet, William Hurt
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Running Length: 2:06
MPAA Classification: R

"Syriana" is a complex film about oil, terrorism, the government, and other related issues. It is so intricate, that it really cannot be described in a way to make it clear. There are, however, three main story lines. First, Bob Barnes (Clooney) is a Middle East CIA operative that is let go after he ceases to be helpful. Second, Connex and Killen are two oil companies that are merging. Third, Prince Nasir Al-Subaai (Siddig) is next in line to become Emir of his unnamed country, and believes that his country should not give in to the United States. These story lines, as well as the others, all come together in the end in a satisfying conclusion.

"Syriana" is a thinking person's movie. If you do not pay attention, you will get lost very quickly. But, if you pay attention, "Syriana" is highly satisfying. Structured like "Traffic" and "Crash", "Syriana" is a movie that makes you think. The cast is excellent all around, all providing their piece of the puzzle. Director Stephen Gaghan weaves the tale skillfully, bringing seemingly unrelated stories together for a fantastic finish. "Syriana" is definately not a movie for everyone, but I highly recommend this film.

The Chronicles of Natnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe ***
Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Liam Neeson (voice)
Director: Andrew Adamson
Running Length: 2:20
MPAA Classification: PG

During World War II, the Pevensie children - Peter (Moseley), Susan (Popplewell), Edmund (Keynes), and Lucy (Henley) - are sent from London to stay with Professor Kirke (Broadbent). One day, while playing hide and seek, Lucy hides in a wardrobe. She soon finds it is no ordinary wardrobe as it transports her to Narnia, a magical wintery world. She meets Mr. Rumnus (McAvoy), and finds out that it has been winter there for 100 years because of the rule of the Wite Witch (Swinton). After returning to her world, she brings her siblings back with her. Edmund disappears, having been tricked by the White Witch, and the rest must rescue him and save Narnia in the process.

On the heels of "The Lord of the Rings", it is no surprise that this movie has been made. There has been a surge in the popularity of fantasy epics as of late, and "Narnia" is a logical coice for the film treatment. The results are about the same as the "Rings" trilogy. The acting is solid all around. This is impressive since the film is carried by four kids with minimal acting experience. Swinton is menacing as the evil White Witch, and probably the standout performance of the movie. The special effects are good overall. Aslan the lion is impressive, and looks completely real. Some of the scenes look like they were definately filmed in front of a green screen though, and that is distracting. The story is given a good treatment by "Shrek" director Andrew Adamson, but I was not blown away like I hoped to be. The result is an entertaining and good film that falls short of greatness.

Good Night, and Good Luck ***
Cast: David Strathairn, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Ray Wise, Frank Langella, Jeff Daniels, George Clooney
Director: George Clooney
Running Length: 1:33
MPAA Classification: PG

"Good Night, and Good Luck" is the true story of CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow (Strathairn) and Senator Joseph McCarthy. In 1953 and 1954, Murrow attempted to discredit McCarthy's hunt for communists on his television show. When McCarthy turned on him, Murrow was able to disprove the allegations, and soon the Senate would choose to investigate McCarthy, ending his hunt.

"Good Night, and Good Luck" is a solid movie with a solid cast. Strathairn is impressive as Murrow, portraying him as a man of integrity and a desire to expose the truth. He is not a household name, but he is the core of this movie, and it succeeds mostly because of him. The story itself is very interesting, mostly because it really happened. George Clooney's direction gets the job done, and shows that he has whet it takes to make serious films about important topics. This is not a fun movie, but it is very good and well worth seeing.

Aeon Flux *1/2

Cast: Charlize Theron, Marton Csokas, Jonny Lee Miller, Sophie Okonedo, Frances McDormand, Pete Poslethwaite, Amelia Warner
Director: Karyn Kusama
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: PG-13

400 years from now, 99% of the world's population has been wiped out by a virus. Those remaining are living in a walled city and led by the Goodchild regime. Five million people survived the plague in 2001, and five million still live in 2415. The Goodchild regime is a totalitarian government, and the Monicans are focused on removing him from power by any means necessary. The most dangerous Monican, Aeon Flux (Theron) accepts a specific mission from the Handler (McDormand) to kill Trevor Goodchild (Csokas). With the help of her sidekick, Sithandra (Okonedo), she ventures into his fortress. When the time comes to pull the trigger, something happens that will change their world forever.

"Aeon Flux" is the film version of some short cartoons aired on MTV in the 1990's, and is a mixed bag, sometimes working and sometimes not -- mostly not. There are a lot of nods to the cartoon, and they seem kind of silly when not in cartoon form. Theron is wrong for the role, and never really feels right to this fan of the cartoon. The story is moderately interesting, but poorly executed for the most part. "Aeon Flux" was a disappointment for me, and I can't help but think that with a different cast and crew, a better job could have been done.

The Ice Harvest **
Cast: John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Platt, Randy Quaid, Mike Starr
Director: Harold Ramis
Running Length: 1:28
MPAA Classification: R

Charlie Arglist (Cusack) and Vic (Thorton) are attorneys who steal $2 million from their boss, Bill Fuerrard (Quaid) on Christmas Eve. They just need to kill some time before meeting up later in the night to split the money. Charlie wants to take stripper Renata (Nielsen) with him, and tries to convince her to leave town with him. As he is doing this, one of Bill's enforcers shows up asking questions about Charlie and Vic. While dealing with this, he is hindered by his drunken buddy Pete (Platt). As things begin to accelerte, Charlie finds that he just might not get out of town alive after all.

"The Ice Harvest" was somewhat disappointing. I expected more, and while the film delivers here and there, overall it is missing something. Cusack, Thorton, and Platt give good performances (especially Platt who steals every scene he is in), but that is not enough to lift this film above average. I can only recommend to wait for the DVD.

Rent *
Cast: Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Tracie Thoms
Director: Chris Columbus
Running Length: 2:15
MPAA Classification: PG-13

"Rent" is the story of eight New Yorkers from Christmas Eve 1989 to Christmas Eve 1990. Those New Yorkers include Mimi (Dawson), a stripper who got HIV from sharing needles; Tom Collins (Martin), a gay man with HIV; Angel (Heredia), a transvestite with HIV; Roger (Pascal), a musician who also got HIV from sharing needles; and Mark (Rapp), a filmmaker who is trying to catch a break. When old friend Benny (Diggs), the guy who owns the tenement that they all live in, threatens to evict them unless they start paying rent, they begin to worry about what the future holds for them.

"Rent" is based on the popular musical of the same name and stars most of the original Broadway cast. That is probably the greatest thing I can say about this movie, and I applaud the filmmakers for getting the cast to reprise their roles. After all, they are the ones who made the characters what they are. The music is OK, the stand out song being "Seasons of Love". Of course, that is the first song, and the rest of the songs are lesser in comparison, so it is all downhill song-wise from there. The story is maddening, as these lazy people struggle to live rent-free so that they can just enjoy life. While I appreciate their desire to enjoy the time they have, I hated the characters for doing it at the expense of others.

I did not like this movie. I suppose to see it live is more impressive, and that may be enough to overshadow the dumb story, but that does not work in movie form. This is for die hard fans of the musical only. Otherwis, stay away!

Walk the Line ***
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick, Dallas Roberts, Dan John Miller, Larry Bagby, Shelby Lynne
Director: James Mangold
Running Length: 2:16
MPAA Classification: PG-13

"Walk the Line" is the story of Johnny Cash from his childhood in 1944 to the late 1960s. As a child, we see two people that shaped his life: his brother and his father. Skip ahead ten years, and Johnny Cash (Phoenix) is married to his wife, Viv (Goodwin), and has started a band. After getting a record deal, he finds himself on tour with Jerry Lee Lewis and June Carter (Witherspoon). Along the way he finds drugs, which threaten his newfound popularity, and he falls in love with June, which just may save him.

Both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon give excellent performances, sounding and acting just like the stars that they are portraying. Phoenix is as good, if not better than Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles in last year's "Ray". The story is well told, and it is interesting to see the events that shaped Cash's life, and made him who he is. Whether you are a Johnny Cash fan or not, "Walk the Line" is a highly entertaining and well made movie that is worth seeing.

North Country ***
Cast: Charlize Theron, Frances McDormand, Sean Bean, Woody Harrelson, Jeremy Renner, Richard Jenkins, Sissy Spacek, Thomas Curtis, Elle Peterson, Michelle Monaghan
Director: Niki Caro
Running Length: 2:10
MPAA Classification: R

Josey Aimes (Theron) returns with her two kids to her childhood home in the North Country of Minnesota, fleeing the abuse of a bad relationship. Working at a local hair salon does not give her enough money to get by, and soon her friend Glory (McDormand) persuades her to apply at the iron mine. She gets the job, but soon finds herself and the other women outnumbered 30 to 1. The men are not happy the women are there, and to say that the women are treated poorly is a great understatement. The women just accept the conditions because they need the money, but Josey is pushed too far.

When she visits with the CEO, he tells her to resign. Josey then finds a lawyer named Bill (Harrelson). Bill has an idea. He wants to pursue the first sexual harassment class action lawsuit. All they need is to get the rest of the women on their side. That is not as easy as one would think, and the fight is on.

"North Country" is an unfomfortable film to watch. No one should have to go through what these women go through. Director Niki Caro does a good job weaving the story through a series of courtroom scenes, and keeps things interesting. The cast does a good job in all their roles, although none give truly stand out performances. "North Country" is not a movie that one can "enjoy", but it is good, and is worth checking out.

Jarhead ****
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Brian Geraghty, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Dennis Haysbert
Director: Sam Mendes
Running Length: 2:05
MPAA Classification: R

"Jarhead" is the true story of Anthony Swafford (Gyllenhaal) from basic training through the Gulf War. Basic training is rough and reminiscent of the movie "Full Metal Jacket". Swafford emerges from the training as a sniper candidate, and becomes best friends with his spotter, Tony (Sarsgaard). Sergeant Siek (Foxx) is their commander, and sees them as the best snipers of the group. In 1990, Swafford's unit is sent to Iraq to participate in the Gulf War, but this war is not a war for snipers, and he soon finds himself ready to fight, but never allowed to.

The unit is trained and trained and trained to be their very best, but there is no outlet for all their training, and soon that begins to take its toll. They are soldiers who are unable to use the skills that they have, and sooner or later someone is going to snap.

Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent as the baby faced Swafford, and is a definite candidate for an Oscar nomination. Sarsgaard, who has been in a number of films this year, finally has found a role to really shine in. Finally, Foxx is perfect as a true Marine that loves being a Marine. "Jarhead" is an interesting war movie that really has little war in it. Its focus is on the people that are there to fight the war, and what happens when the highly trained men are not allowed to do what they have been trained for. This is the best war movie in recent years, and I highly recommend it.

The Weather Man ***1/2
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis, Gemmenne de la Pena, Nicholas Hoult, Michael Rispoli, Gil Bellows
Director: Gore Verbinski
Running Length: 1:41
MPAA Classification: R

David Spritz (Cage) is the weathereman on Channel 6 in Chicago. Well, he reads the weather, someone else does all the predicting for him. As luck would have it, a national morning show is looking for a new weather man, and he is one of the candidates. Unfortunately, that is just about the only good thing going on in his life.

His marriage to Noreen (Davis) is over, and his inability to trust her is not helping his desire to reconcile with her. His son Mike (Hoult) is just out of rehab for drugs. His daughter (de la Pena) has no self-esteem. Finally, his famous author father, Robert (Caine), is dying of lymphoma, and has always been disappointed in him. Nothing is going right for David, but maybe getting that national weather man position could turn things around. Of course, getting that job would mean giving up on his family. That is a lot for one man to weather.

Nicholas Cage is excellent as the poor schlub who has nothing going for him. His wry narration and embodyment of David show that Cage is at the top of his game here. Caine is great as the disappointed father that just does not understand his son. In between filming "Pirates of the Carribbean" movies, director Gore Verbinski has churned out a serious look at someone who just cannot get things right. "The Weather Man" is not a happy movie, but it is a good one. I have a feeling that it will either be loved or hated. I, for one, loved it, and if you are willing to give it a chance, you might find that you will too. Highly recommended.

The Legend of Zorro **1/2
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Adrian Alonso, Nick Chinlund, Rufus Sewell
Director: Martin Campbell
Running Length: 2:08
MPAA Classification: PG

After seven years, Zorro (Banderas) is back. After stopping an attempt to disrupt California's vote to join the United States, he returns to his wife Elena (Zeta-Jones) and son Joaquin (Alonso). Elana wants him to stop being Zorro now, but he thinks there is still a need. A huge argument leads to a divorce. Three months later, Zorro is a drunk and Elena is being courted by a French count by the name of Armand (Sewell). Zorro begins to think that Armand is up to no good, and begins looking into things, only to find something surprising. Now, Zorro must go into action to save the day.

"The Legend of Zorro" may have taken too long to hit the big screen. It has been a long time since "The Mask of Zorro" entertained audiences. While there is still some of the magic left, it is nowhere near the magic of the original. Banderas and Zeta-Jones are back, but their chemistry is a little off. The story is ok, but not good enough to sustain 128 minutes. That is not to say that there is nothing to be enjoyed here. There are a number of moments throughout the film that work, but as a whole, "Zorro" is lacking something. Wait until DVD.

Saw II ***
Cast: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Donnie Wahlberg, Lyriq Bent, Tim Burd
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Running Length: 1:33
MPAA Classification: R

Detective Eric Mason (Wahlberg) has finally caught the Jigsaw Killer, John (Bell). But, John has one last game to play. He has kidnapped some people and imprisoned then in an old house. Poisonous gas is being pumped into the house and Mason only has two hours to find them before the gas kills them all. To make matters worse, one of the trapped is his son.

"Saw II" is a worthy successor to last year's surprise hit "Saw". Tobin Bell is excellent as Jigsaw, this time full and center and interacting with Wahlberg's Mason. He is a creepy little man suffering from terminal cancer who just wants to teach others to appreciate what they have. Unlike most horror movies, he gives good insight into the killer's motives. The twist at the end is slightly more satisfying than the original's, and the gore and violence is about the same. "Saw II" is a solid scary movie, and I'm sure it is not the end of the "Saw" series.

Stay ***1/2

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling, Naomi Watts, Bob Hoskins, Janeane Garofalo, Kate Burton, Elizabeth Reaser, B.D. Wong
Director: Marc Forster
Running Length: 1:39
MPAA Classification: R

Psychiatrist Sam Foster (McGregor) is filling in for a co-worker when he meets Henry Letham (Gosling). Henry clearly has some problems, and when he tells Sam that he is going to kill himself in a few days on his 21st birthday, Sam decides to try to save him. As Sam begins to look into Henry's life, he finds the line between reality and illusion begin to blur.

"Stay" is all of that and none of that at the same time. Things are not what they seem, and it is interesting to watch things unfold. What could have been a huge twist at the end is instead diffused by scenes early on the let the audience in on what is happening. In fact, it is possible to know what is going on from the very beginning of the film. What makes the movie great is the journey they characters take on the way to the inevitable end.

Director Marc Forster does an amazing job of making all things tie together. If something in the movie seems odd, it is there for a reason, and if you pay close enough attantion, you will see what I mean. The acting is good as well, but is not what makes the movie so good. "Stay" is an entertaining and thought provoking film that I highly recommend.

Domino **1/2
Cast: Keira Knightley, Mickey Roarke, Edgar Ramirez, Lucy Liu, Christopher Walken, Jacqueline Bisset, Delroy Lindo, Mena Suvari
Director: Tony Scott
Running Length: 2:00
MPAA Classification: R

Domino Harvey (Knightley), daughter of actor Laurence Harvey, was a model turned bounty hunter before her recent death. This is her story (sort of). The story is exaggerated and even retold as new information becomes known. Domino is looking to get away from the 90210 world she has lived in, and joins Ed (Roarke) and Choco (Ramirez) as a bounty hunter. They all work for Claremont Williams (Lindo), bringing fugitives to justice. When Williams gets them all involved in a scheme that involves the mob, a billionaire and $300,000, Domino must find a way to get her and her crew out unscathed.

"Domino" is a glorious mess that both works and doesn't work depending upon the moment. Director Tony Scott employs ADD filmmaking to get Domino's frantic story across. The constant quick cuts work against the story, but after a while become bearable. Knightly does an adequate job as the titular character, with great support from Rourke. Ironically, two of the best roles are Brian Austin Green and Ian Ziering (from "Beverly Hills 90210") playing themselves as hosts of a reality show focusing on Domino and her gang.

This film will probably either be loved or hated by the average viewer, most likely hated. It is not a bad film though, just one that could have been better. I think Tony Scott accomplished what he set out to do, but for this moviegoer, it wasn't enough. Wait for DVD.

Elizabethtown **1/2
Cast: Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon, Judy Greer, Alec Baldwin, Bruce McGill, Jessica Biel
Director: Cameron Crowe
Running Length: 2:05
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Drew Baylor (Bloom) is a big shot at the shoe company in which he works until the Spasmotica comes along. That is a deal that will cost the company $972 million and Baylor his job. At the same time, his father dies on a visit to the town where he grew up. Drew's mom and sister elect him to go to Elizabethtown and bring his dad home. On the flight out, he meets Claire Colburn (Dunst), a chatty stewardess who treats him with extra care. After dealing with his extended family in Elizabethtown, he calls Claire (who gave him her number on the flight), and the two connect more meaningfully. Drew may be on his way to healing himself.

"Elizabethtown" is not as good as it could be. It has a decent amount of great moments, but the filler between those moments drag things down. Orlando Bloom still has not proven himself as a leading man (having failed earlier in the year with "Kingdom of Heaven". Kirsten Dunst is mostly annoying as the stalker-like claire. The chemestry between the two is so-so. The movie is flooded with songs to the point where one almost feels like director Cameron Crowe is trying to cram in as much as possible.

"Elizabethtown" is not a bad movie, but it could use a lot more trimming down. Most will find the film enjoyable, but forgettable. It is not on par with Crowe's previous films, but is still better than a lot of films in theaters now.

The Fog **
Cast: Tom Welling, Maggie Grace, Selma Blair, DeRay Davis, Kenneth Walsh, Adrian Hough
Director: Rupert Wainwright
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: PG-13

As the town of Antonio Bay gears up for its 100th anniversary, a thick fog works its way toward the town. Something in the fog begins to kill the townspeople, and it is up to Nick Castle (Welling) and his girlfriend (Grace) to figure out what is going on and save the town from the danger in the fog.

I've never seen the original and this newer version does not particularly make me want to. Despite starting out well, the ending is a mess, not making much sense at all. The effects are pretty good and give some genuine scary moments, but that is not enough to save the movie. If you want to see this, wait for the DVD.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit ***
Cast (voices): Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham-Carter, Peter Kay
Directors: Nick Park, Steve Box
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: G

Wallace (Sallis) is an inventor and Gromit is his dog. Despite that, Gromit is the smarter of the two. They run an animal removal service called Anti-Pesto. They don't kill the pests, the capture them and remove them from the area in question. This is especially important with the Lady Tottington's (Bonham-Carter) Giant Vegetable Contest coming up. Things are looking good for all until a giant were-rabbit shows up to throw the small town into chaos. Wallace and Gromit set out to capture it, while Victor Quartermaine (Fiennes) is set to kill it. At the same time, they are competing for Lady Trottington's affections.

Sound silly? It is a bit, but it is also highly entertaining. The creaters of "Chicken Run" have brought Wallace and Gromit to the big screen in style. The stop motion animation is so good that the silent Gromit's emotions can easily be read on his face in every scene. The story is funny, and engaging. This is a very good movie for the family that will be thoroughly enjoyed.

Serenity ***1/2
Cast: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Ron Glass, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Director: Joss Whedon
Running Length: 1:59
MPAA Classification: PG-13

The space ship Serenity is a place of refuge for River (Glau) and her brother Simon (Maher). River is a young telepath whose life is being manipulated by the Alliance. Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Fillion) has been working against the Alliance for a while now, and despite his gruff exterior, he is actually a nice guy. Taking River and Simon on board is not a problem until Simon begins to question the captain's orders and River begins to show some mental instability. Add to that their pursuit by an Alliance operative (Ejiofor), and the crew of the Serenity has their hands full.

"Serenity" is the rebirth of the cancelled TV series "Firefly". I have never gotten into "Firefly", despite numerous attempts, so I consider myself new to the "Serenity" universe. While the TV show never engaged me, "Serenity" was the exact opposite. Filled with action, science fiction, and humor, "Serenity" is a highly entertaining movie experience.

Joss Whedon, creator and first-time director, has crafted a highly entertaining tale that can be enjoyed by "Firefly" fans and newcomers alike. With a cast of no-names, Whedon has crafted a tale that is reminisent of the first "Star Wars" film. And, while there is closure at the end of the film, there are still possibilities that are left to be explored. I, for one, hope that we will see the spaceship Serenity again.

A History of Violence ****
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Ashton Holmes, Heidi Hayes
Director: David Cronenberg
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: R

Tom Stall (Mortensen) is a mild mannered man in a small town. He is a family man, and runs a diner. One day two criminals enter his diner with robbery and rape on their minds. Tom manages to get one of their guns, and kill both of them. Hailed as a hero, the media descends and Tom finds his face on the television. Enter Earl Fogaty (Harris), a thug who thinks he recognizes Tom, only he knows him as Joey Cusack, an ex-killer from Philadelphia. Fogaty comes to see Tom and "out" him for the killer that he believes Tom to be. Tom firmly denied knowing anything about this Joey Cusack and claims to never have seen Fogaty before. Fogaty is unwilling to accept Tom's casual dismissal, and begins to stalk Tom and his family.

"Violence" is an excellent movie. From a solid story to solid acting, "Violence" is top notch on all levels. The story is compelling. The uncertainty of Tom's past keeps the viewer engaged in his plight. The four main actors all give top notch performances. Mortensen gives no clue as to his characters past, portraying Tom as a man living a quiet peaceful life until confronted with violence. Maria Bello is excellent as Tom's wife, who loves and supports her husband. Harris is pure evil and menace as Fogaty. His character is not likeable in the least, and you know that he is not going to leave Tom to live his life peacefully. Finally, William Hurt gives a memorable, and at times, funny performance. You have to wait until the final third of the film to see him, but he steals the scenes he is in.

"Violence" is a must see movie. It will make you think about what makes a person who they are, and how their identity is defined. And, can that change? I highly recommend "A History of Violence".

Corpse Bride **1/2
Cast (voices): Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman, Paul Whitehouse, Joanna Lumley, Albert Finney, Christopher Lee, Jane Horrocks, Michael Gough, Richard E. Grant
Directors: Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
Running Length: 1:18
MPAA Classification: PG

Victor Van Dort (depp) is arranged to be married to Victoria Everglott (Watson), a woman he has never met. Her family is upper class, but broke. His family have recently come into money through the fish business. This marriage will save Victoria's family and keep them solvent. Fortunately, when Victor and Victoria meet, it is love at first sight. Unfortunately, the wedding rehearsal goes poorly, with Victor forgetting his lines. While practicing his vows later in the forest, he accidentally places the ring on the skeletal finger of Emily (Carter), the Corpse Bride. She brings him to the underworld to meet her parents and friends. Meanwhile, in Victor's absence, Victoria's parents plot to marry her off to Barkis Bittern (Grant).

"Corpse Bride" looks amazing. Stop-motion animation comes seamlessly to life and makes the characters alive. Tim Burton's "regulars" voice all the characters and all do a good job. The main problem, for me, was that the movie felt too long, even at only 78 minutes. While the animation is neat to see at first, it loses something after a while and ceases to be a novelty. "Corpse Bride" is definately for fans of Tim Burton or this kind of animation. Others may be less satisfied with it.

Flightplan ***
Cast: Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, Sean Bean, Kate Beahan, Erika Christensen, Marlene Lawston
Director: Robert Schwentke
Running Length: 1:28
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Kyle Pratt (Foster) is heading from Berlin to New York on a red eye flight with her daughter. She, along with her daughter Julia (Lawston), are taking her husband's dead body with her on a large plane that she helped to design. She falls asleep, and when she wakes up, over the Atlantic Ocean, she discovers her daughter is missing. A calm look around the plane quickly decends into mania as Julia is no where to be found. With the help of Carson (Saarsgaard), an air marshall, she begins a more thorough search only to find that no one remembers her with a little girl. In fact, Julia may just be in Kyle's imagination.

Jodie Foster carries this movie. It is hers all the way, and she is a good part of what makes it work. Unfortunately, what will make or break the movie for most viewers is their acceptance of the explanation behind Julia's disappearance. I find that it is a stretch, but still works. Peter Saarsgaard, Sean Bean, and Kate Beahan all give good supporting performances that are all key to the developments of the story. "Flightplan" is an extertaining suspense movie that is worth seeing.

Cry_Wolf ***
Cast: Julian Morris, Lindy Booth, Jared Padaleki, Jon Bon Jovi
Director: Jeff Wadlow
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG-13

At a prep school in the country, a group of kids play a game called Wolf. One of the group is chosen as the wolf and the rest must figure out who it is. After the nearby murder of a girl, Owen (Morris) suggests changing the game. They will send the school an e-mail crediting the murder to a serial killer called the Wolf. They say that he has killed before in other towns, and is now stalking them. It seems like a harmless joke that will scare some of the other kids, but soon members of their group begin to disappear under mysterious circumstances. Now, Owen and Dodger (Booth) try to figure out what is going on before they are the next victims.

"Cry_Wolf" exceeded my expectations. There is very little blood, as befitting a PG-13 movie, but that dies not detract from the film's eerieness. In fact, the film relies more on plot twists than blood to entertain. Wheather the key twist is believeable is for the viewer to decide, but I found that it worked for me and made this a enjoyable thriller.

Just Like Heaven **1/2
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Donal Logue, Dina Waters, Jon Heder
Director: Mark Waters
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Elizabeth Martinson (Witherspoon) puts in long days as a doctor. She does this all the time and by all accounts has no life outside of her job. One night, after being sent home after an expecially long shift, her car meets an oncoming truck head on.

David Abbott (Ruffalo) is a quiet, sad man who moves into Elizabeth's afartment that is being leased on a month-to-month basis. More often than not he has a beer in his hand, and is nursing some personal pain. One thing he did not bargain for with the apartment is the sudden appearance of Elizabeth's spirit. It shows up demanding to know why he is there.

Soon it becomes apparent to David that Elizabeth is a ghost. Elizabeth is, at first, reluctant to acknowledge it, but eventually comes around. Then the two set off to find out what happened to her and why David is the only one that can see her.

This movie is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of quality. Witherspoon and Ruffalo, veterans of the romantic comedy, do the best with what they are given, and come off as quite likeable. The story, on the other hand, does not always work. The biggest problem here is the happy ending that is unbelieveable. The nitpicker in me also has to complain about the "ghost rules". Elizabeth's character freely walks through or sits on furnature as the story demands. There is no logic to it, and while this is only a romantic comedy, at least it should stay true to its own rules.

That is not to say that "Just Like Heaven" is awful. There are plenty of scenes to make you chuckle, and there is a chemestry between the leads. But, at its best, this is just an average romantic comedy.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose **1/2
Cast: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Carpenter, Colm Feore, Mary Beth Hurt, Shohreh Aghdashloo
Director: Scott Derrickson
Running Length: 1:53
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Father Moore (Wilkinson) is going on trial for the murder of Emily Rose (Carpenter). He has been charged with "negligent homicide", and the Roman Catholic Church has hired Erin Bruner (Linney) to represent him. The Church would prefer a plea bargain, but Father Moore does not feel he has done anything wrong. He just wants Emily's story to be told, and he is willing to take the stand to make that happen.

"Emily Rose" is a courtroom drama first and foremost. The scenes of Emily and her exorcism are all told through flashback as the trial progresses. In addition to the flashbacks showing Emily's story, we also get a helping of Bruner's dealings with strange things that go bump in the night. As father Moore tells her, there forces about that do not want Emily's story to be told.

All that being said, "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" could have been a better movie. The acting is top notch. Wilkinson, Linney, and Scott are all bringing their A game, but something in the screenplay just does not work. Maybe it is the disjointedness that comes with flashbacks. Maybe it is the supernatural events surrounding Linney's character. It most assuredly is the PG-13 rating that this movie has. Once again, what should be an R rated film has been tamed down to attract the younger audience. And so, we get an exorcism that just missed being truly scary.

This is not a bad movie by any stretch of the imagination. It just falls short in enough areas that I have to recommend waiting for DVD. And if you need an exorcism fix right now, go rent "The Exorcist". It is far superior and still creepy today.

The Constant Gardner ***1/2
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston, Bill Nighy, Pete Postlethwaite, Gerard McSorley, Hubert Koundé
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Running Length: 2:09
MPAA Classification: R

Justin Quale (Fiennes) is a mild-mannered British diplomat in the African country of Kenya. His wife Tessa (Weisz), is an activist that is pushing peoples buttons. When she turns up dead from an apparent accident, Justin suspects a cover-up. And there are many questions surrounding Tessa's life that he has. Was she having an affair with her sidekick Arnold Bluhm (Koundé)? What was her obsession with a new TB drug? And why are his superiors (Huston, Nighy) telling him to let it go? Justin is determined though, and soon finds himself involved in a mystery that will change his life.

"The Constant Gardener" is a slow moving but highly engaging film. The story is interesting and timely, and provides an insight in to modern day Africa and its politics. Both Fiennes and Weisz are more than capable in the lead roles, and make the Quales real human beings. The biggest drawback of the film is the hand-held camera shots that are very distracting from the story. They almost make you feel more detatched from the story. That is a shame in a movie that wants you to feel Justin's pain and confusion over the death of his wife. Fortunately, that is one small aspect of an otherwise excellent movie.

Four Brothers ***
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund, Terrence Howard, Josh Charles, Fionnula Flanagan
Director: John Singleton
Running Length: 1:49
MPAA Classification: R

Evelyn Mercer (Flanagan) was a foster mom all her life, taking in many kids. In all her life there were only four kids that she could not find homes for: Bobby (Wahlberg), Angel (Gibson), Jeremiah (Benjamin), and Jack (Hedlund). They were still bad seeds, but not nearly as bad as they would have been without Evelyn. They considered her to be their mother, and each other to be brothers.

Evelyn's murder at a convenience store in her neighborhood brings the four brothers back home. They attend the funeral and soon decide that since Evelyn did so much for them, perhaps they should do some informal investigating into her murder. It doesn't take long for them to sense there was more to it than Evelyn being caught in a simple robbery, and the brothers begin to rattle some cages that may be better left unrattled.

One of the strongest points of "Four Brothers" is the relationship between the brothers. The comraderie is very beliveable, and is what holds the film together. "Four Brothers" is very much a revenge film set in the mean streets of Detroit, and as such is successful. This movie engaged me more than I anticipated, and I was pleasantly surprised with it. For those seeking a good urban revenge movie, look no further than "Four Brothers".

The Skeleton Key ***
Cast: Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard
Director: Iain Softley
Running Length: 1:44
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Caroline Ellis (Hudson) is in New Orleans for school. For money, she takes a job as a live-in caregiver for stroke victim Ben Devereaux (Hurt). Dealing with Ben is no problem, but dealing with his old fashioned wife is quite a task. Violet Devereaux (Rowlands) does not like having Caroline in her house, but realizes its necessity. The Devereaux house is far enough out of the way that the three of them are essentially cut off from the real world. The only visitor is Violet's lawyer, Luke (Sarsgaard). And when Caroline begins to see things in the attic, Luke is her confidant.

All is not what it seems, and Violet may be up to no good. Caroline begins to try to figure out what is going on, especially after she senses that Ben is asking for help. The clues are all there, and an astute viewer may figure out the mystery before the big reveal at the end.

Kate Hudson is branching out into the suspense genre, and does a credible job as the city girl who wants to get to the bottom of this back woods mystery. Rowlands brings an air of mystery to Violet, and is down right nasty when need be. "The Skeleton Key" is a solid suspense movie that does indeed hold up after all is explained. I recommend "The Skeleton Key" to all who like a good mystery.

Red Eye ***
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox
Director: Wes Craven
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Lisa Reisert (McAdams) is heading home to Miami to see her dad (Cox). Of course, her leaving for home puts the hotel she works at in a bind. She apparently is the one that kept everything moving smoothly. When her fill-in calls her looking for some help, Lisa is able to diffuse the crisis over the phone. Thank God for cell phones. Then, while waiting for her delayed flight, she meets Jackson Rippner (Murphy). They have a few drinks in the lounge, and then find themselves sitting next to each other on the plane.

They have hit it off and things are going well for Lisa. Then she finds out that Jackson is not what he seems, and his ulterior motives are going to make this an awful flight for her. It seems that he has a task for her to perform, or her dad will pay the price. Now, trapped on a plane with her dad's life in danger, Lisa must figure a way out of this crisis that could have far reaching consequences.

"Red Eye" is a fast moving, edge of your seat thriller. Director Wes Craven keeps ratcheting up the tension until the very end. Murphy is perfect as the crazed Rippner, especially when all out craziness is required. McAdams is believeable as the woman who is used to being in control of everything. "Red Eye" is a good, fast-paced and entertaining thriller.

The Brothers Grimm **
Cast: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Jonathan Pryce, Lena Headey, Peter Stormare, Monica Bellucci
Director: Terry Gilliam
Running Length: 1:58
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Will (Damon) and Jake (Ledger) are the fabled Brothers Grimm. Although, in this story, they are con-men, travelling the countryside exorcising demons from various villages. Of course, they are behind the "hauntings", and when they make things right again, they collect the money and move on.

Napoleon's minion in Germany, Delatombe (Pryce), discovers what they are doing, and decides to have some fun with them. He sends them to a village that appears to be haunted for real to solve their problems. It seems that the 500-year old mirror queen (Bellucci) is casting a spell upon the area in an attempt to regain some youthful looks. Now, the Brothers Grimm, with the aid of a local huntswoman (Headey) must save the day.

"The Brothers Grimm" could have been so much better, but a talented director and cast are not enough to lift this movie off the ground. The effects and look of the film are good, but the film itself is not very engaging, and when you don't care about the heros, you have a serious problem. Add to the fact that this movie has been sitting around for a few years, and is part of a movie dump by Miramax before new management takes over, and you have a probable box office flop on your hands. This movie will find an audience with some, but probably not many. Wait for the DVD.

The 40 Year Old Virgin ****
Cast: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch
Director: Judd Apatow
Running Length: 1:55
MPAA Classification: R

Andy Sitzer (Carell) is a geeky inventory stocker at an electronics store. He is shy and avoids women. He is a closet virgin, but when he describes a woman's breasts as feeling like "bags of sand", his co-workers David (Rudd), Jay (Malco), and Cal (Rogen) figure out Andy's problem. They take it upon themselves to hokk Andy up.

There are two candidates: Trish (Keener) and Beth (Banks). Andy likes Trish, but is nervous every time he is around her. Beth is a freaky gal who is definately not a virgin. And then there are all the girls that Andy comes in contact with as he speed dates, hits the bars, and does other things set up by his friends.

"Virgin" is a hilarious movie. It is easily the funniest movie of the year. It is also unabashedly R-rated, which is a relief in these days of taming a movie to get a PG-13 rating. Carell is perfect as Andy, bringing dorkiness and likeability to him. We feel his pain even as we are laughing at his misadventures. Keener is great as Andy's love interest. The two have chemestry, and you want to see them together. Rudd, Malco, and Rogan provide countless laughs as three buddies who just want to get their friend laid. Judd Apatow keeps things moving quickly as director and co-writer. He knows what is funny without being cruel, having created the excellent television shows "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared".

The bottom line is that this movie will make you laugh out loud. It is funny, sweet, and an unexpected treasure. I cannot recommend this movie highly enough.

The Dukes of Hazzard **
Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson, M.C. Gainey, David Koechner, Lynda Carter
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Another old TV show hits the big screen as Bo (Scott) and Luke Duke (Knoxville), along with Daisy (Simpson) and Uncle Jesse (Nelson) try to thwart Boss Hogg's (Reynolds) mysterious plans for Hazzard County. Along the way you are treated to the car chases and Southern locales that fans of the show are used to. There's not a whole lot of plot, and what plot there is is kind of silly, but "Dukes" was never known for its awesome storylines.

Seann William Scott and Johnny Knoxville fill the shoes of the Duke brothers pretty well, while Jessica Simpson and Willie Nelson are poorly cast. Simpson in particular is almost painful to watch at times. The standout is Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg. He seems to be enjoying himself thoroughly in every scene he is in.

We are not talking about a great movie here, people. "Dukes" brings the TV show to the big screen, and if you found the TV show stupid, this will be more of the same. But, if you enjoyed it, especially because of it's silliness, you will enjoy the movie.

Must Love Dogs **
Cast: Diane Lane, John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins, Christopher Plummer, Dermot Mulroney, Stockard Channing, Ali Hills
Director: Gary David Goldberg
Running Length: 1:39
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Recently divorced school teacher Sarah (Lane) wants no part of the dating scene, but her family, including sister Carol (Perkins) and father Bill (Plummer) are bound and determined to get her dating. Carol puts Sarah's profile on perfectmatch.com, and she ends up on a series of bad dates, and a date with her own father. But then comes Jake (Cusack), who is also dealing with the end of his marriage and is also dealing with dating again. Their first date is awkward, but not off-putting, and they both want to try again. Of course, when things start to look good, Bob (Mulroney), the father of one of her students, enters the picture and makes things a little more complicated.

"Must Love Dogs" is pretty much a standard romantic comedy. There is nothin special about it to seperate it from any other romantic comedy. Cusack and Lane are trying to make it work, but this formula can only take things so far. That is a shame, because both are good actors that deserve a better story. This one is for fans of the genre only. Otherwise, stay away.

Sky High ***1/2
Cast: Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Steven Strait, Dee Jay Daniels, Nicholas Braun, Kelly Vitz, Bruce Campbell, Lynda Carter
Director: Mike Mitchell
Running Length: 1:38
MPAA Classification: PG

Will Stronghold (Angarano) is not a normal 14-year old. His parents are the two most known superheros in the world, Commander (Russell) and Jetstream (Preston). Will is starting high school at Sky High, his parents' alma mater. Sky High is a high school for kids with super powers. And there lies the problem -- Will has no super powers. He has been waiting for them to appear, as some show up late, but to no avail. At school, Will and his best friend Layla (Panabaker) get placed in the "Sidekicks" class.

Will is afraid of what his parents will think, knowing that they expect great things from him. So, he tries to delay telling them for as long as he can. Another problem is that the girl of his dreams, Gwen (Winstead), is out of reach in the superheros class. Soon, things start to change for Will, and he finds himself in a position where hi must step up and save the day.

"Sky High" works surprisingly well. As a superhero movie, it gives the audience plenty of superpowers to take in. They are all done with solid special effects. When the effects are less than stellar, it suits the situation and does not work against the movie. As a high school movie, "Sky High" is right on the money as Will experiences the different cliques (heros & sidekicks) and gives us a glimpse into each. Resemblences to the real world are scary.

The young actors, all virtual unknowns, are all up to the task. They all breathe life into their characters and make them real. Russell, Preston, and Campbell all give good performances that call for a little over the top acting. "Sky High" is a pleasant surprise as the summer movie season begins to wind down. It is a movie that can be enjoyed by everyone, and I highly recommend it, especially for those with kids.

The Island **
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Honusou, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan, Ethan Phillips
Director: Michael Bay
Running Length: 2:18
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Lincoln Six Echo (McGregor) and Jordan Two Delta (Johansson) are workers in a recovering society. They mindlessly go about their tasks for the greater good. All this is necessary because they have been told that they are all that remains from an event that contaminated the Earth. They are two of a few thousand that live in the compound. All have a dream of winning a daily lottery that would give them a trip to The Island, "nature's last remaining pathogen-free zone."
Lincoln begins to think that The Island is not what it seems, and when his best friend Delta wins the lottery, he wisks her away to find out the secret. Aided by a technician named McCord (Buscemi), they soon find themselves on the run from a mercenary named Laurent (Hounsou) who was hired by Merrick (Bean),the doctor that runs the compound.

"The Island" takes an interesting idea, and executes it poorly. Directed by Jerry Bruckheimer's long-time lackey, Michael Bay, this feels like a Bruckheimer production despite him having nothing to do with the film. Bay has Bruckheimer's style down pat, and the less movies made in this fashion, the better. An interesting idea is lost amongst the action and special effects. Sure the effects are good, especially a later scene in the movie where McGregor gets to act against himself, but effects alone do not make a movie. Bay brings the mindless moviemaking that he is known for, and that is what makes the movie less than it could be.

Bay has gone on record saying that perhaps the fault of the movie's dismal opening is due to the lack of star power in McGregor and Johansson, but they are solid actors doing the best they can with what they were given. Buscemi is his usual quirky self as McCord, providing some chuckles. Bean and Hounsou fill the roles of bad guys adequately.

Another large problem with the movie is that what should be a main plot twist is given away in most of the previews. I'm sure that this is meant to make the movie seem more interesting, but when seeing the movie, this revelation lacks any punch. The previews for "The Island" are prime examples of what not to do when promoting a movie.

In the end, fans of Bruckheimer-style movies will probably be satisfied. Those looking for a little more than an interesting idea that is dumbed down for the sake of action and effects will be disappointed.

March of the Penguins (La Marche de l'empereur) ***1/2
Narrator: Morgan Freeman
Director: Luc Jacquet
Running Length: 1:20
MPAA Classification: G

"March of the Penguins" spends a year in the life of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica. It begins in March, as winter nears, and the penguins emerge from the ocean to begin their 70 mile journey across the ice to the mating grounds. Once there, they pair up and will be faithful to each other for the duration of the season. The female lays the egg, the male keeps it warm. Then the females return to the water to get food. Upon their return, the eggs have hatched, and it is the males turn to go get food. The couple continue on this path until the chicks are developed enough to be left on their own. By then, nine months have passed, and the penguins will return to the sea to enjoy themselves for three months before starting all over again.

"March of the Penguins" is an entertaining and interesting documentary. Narrated by Morgan Freeman (who could narrate movies for a living), "Penguins" is a tale of love and adventure that is both at times funny and sad. The camerawork is impressive, inserting the viewer right into the lives of these penguins. You cannot get much closer to these birds than this movie takes you. If you are looking for something a little different, check out this film. And parents, take your kids...they will love it.

Wedding Crashers ***
Cast: Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Christopher Walken, Jane Seymour, Bradley Cooper
Director: David Dobkin
Running Length: 1:56
MPAA Classification: R

John Beckwith (Wilson) and Jeremy Klein (Vaughn) are wedding crashers. At the beginning of "wedding season", they map out plans to hit all the big weddings. They go the the weddings, pretending to be distant relatives of the bride or groom, and soon are partying away at the reception. Of course the ultimate goal is to hook up with a woman, and they do. Over and over again.

After the season is over, they are presented with a bonus round. The oldest daughter of William Cleary (Walken), Secretary of the Treasury is getting married. They are successful, and soon John finds himself falling for the bride's sister Claire (McAdams). On the down side, Jeremy finds himself stalked by the other sister, Gloria (Fisher). When the secretary takes a liking to the boys, he invites them to a private party for the weekend. John is excited, Jeremy is not, and soon both meet Claire's fiancee Sack (Cooper).

"Wedding Crashers" is a funny movie. Wilson and Vaughn have the buddy vibe going, and their interactions all seem genuine. They both have their moments to shine, but Vince Vaughn really cranks it up a notch as he tries to avoid Gloria and the gay brother. This movie is similar in tone to the "American Pie" movies as well as comedies from the 1980's. It is a good end of the summer diversion, and will not disappoint fans of the genre. I recommend.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory **1/2
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Johnny Depp, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Deep Roy, Christopher Lee, Annasophia Robb, Julia Winter, Jordon Fry, Philip Wiegratz
Director: Tim Burton
Running Length: 1:55
MPAA Classification: PG

Willy Wonka (Depp) has been in seclusion for years. One day, it is announced that Wonka has hidden five golden tickets in the wrappers of five million candy bars to be sold around the world. Those who find the tickets will get a tour of the Wonka candy factory. One by one, the tickets are found, and the winners are announced...Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teavee, and finally, Charlie Bucket. The first four are gluttonous, spoiled, an overachiever, and a TV addict respectively. Charlie, on the other hand, is just poor. When the group arrives at the factory, they are all introduced into the the strange world of Willy Wonka. Willy also tells the kids that one of them will get a special surprise.

Johnny Depp plays Willy Wonka with a creepy intensity. To say that he is odd would be an understatement, and most of the time he is acting unexpectedly. The movie itself is a treat for the eyes, as most movies by Tim Burton are. The chocolate factory is filled with wonders, and run by the Oompa Loompas, all played by actor Deep Roy. They steal all the scenes that they are in, providing songs about the childrens' misguided actions.

I have read that Roald Dahl's family is endorsing it, and can't help but think that most people will like it, especially if they liked the original. Unfortunately for me, I found the movie only slightly less annoying than the original. So, while I can say that it is an improvement, I can't say that it did much for me.

Dark Water ***
Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Ariel Gade, John C. Reilly, Pete Postlethwaite, Tim Roth, Dougray Scott, Camryn Manheim
Director: Walter Salles
Running Length: 1:49
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Dahlia (Connelly) and her daughter Ceci (Grade) have just moved into a ninth-floor apartment on Roosevelt Island. Dahlia is in the midst of a custody battle, and the apartment is very close to one of the best schools in the New York City area. It is also very affordable, and that is not surprising given how gloomy the place looks. Kyle (Scott), her ex, wants sole custody since he believes Dahlia is an unfit mother.

The only problem with the apartment is a leak in the ceiling dripping black water. The handyman won't fix it and Dalhia wonders why. At the same time Ceci makes an imaginary friend who may not be as imaginary as she seems. And the water keeps dripping...

"Dark Water" is more of a thriller than a horror movie, despite what the previews may want you to believe. If you go into it expecting horror, you will probably be disappointed, and that would be a shame. "Dark Water" is a smart movie whose twists and turns make sense and follow from what has gone before. Jennifer Connelly is solid as the mom who just wants what is best for her daughter, but has issues of her own to deal with. The supporting cast of John C. Reilly and Pete Postlethwaite as the apartment manager and handyman respectively deliver excellent smaller performances. "Dark Water" is a good thriller and is worth checking out.

Fantastic Four ***
Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Chiklis, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington
Director: Tim Story
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Reed Richards (Gruffudd), Sue Storm (Alba), Ben Grimm (Chiklis), Johnny Storm (Evans), and Victor Von Doom (McMahon) embark upon a mission to Von Doom's space station to study the effects of cosmic rays on living material. Reed's motives are the good of humanity, Victor's are profit, and he already has squeezed out 75% of the proceeds for himself. They are supposed to be protected by the space station, but when things goe wrong, they are all exposed to the radiation. Their DNA is significantly altered, and they soon find themselves with super powers.

Reed, Mr. Fantastic, becomes elastic. Sue, the Invisible Woman, can turn invisible and manipulate force fields. Ben, the Thing, becomes rock-like with immense strength. Johnny, the Human Torch, can ignite himself at will and even fly. Victor, Dr. Doom, goes to the dark side with his ability to manipulate electricity and his development of a metal skin. They must all deal with this adjustment, contemplate changing themselves back, and facing off against each other four vs. one.

The greatest weakness of "FF" is that it is an origin story. Most viewers will want to see some action right away. Die hard fans of the comic will be dismayed at the alteration of Dr. Doom's origins. In fact, the origin IS the story, culminating in the big battle to end the film.
While no where as good as "Batman Begins" or "Spider-Man 2", "FF" carves out its own niche in the superhero movie world. True to the comics, the story is mostly lighter in tone with the inter-character humor that fans will expect. It is an enjoyable popcorn film that does not strive to be more than it is.

Acting wise, the cast is pretty good. Michael Chiklis steals every scene as Ben, weather he is human looking or rocky looking. He also provides the most moving of stories. After all, his world is turned upside down by his transformation, and not in a good way. Ioan Gruffudd is capable as the somewhat boring Reed Richards. And Chris Evans is perfect as the wisecracking Johnny Storm. The interaction between Ben and Johnny is priceless at times, and is very true to the source material.

"FF" is a thoroughly entertaining movie that can be seen by the whole family, and can be enjoyed by all. That is more than can be said for most of the other movies out there right now, and that works greatly in its favor. Hopefully, with this origin story out of the way, any sequels can dive right into the action that many viewers crave. Give it a chance, and I think you will be pleased.

War of the Worlds ***
Cast: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins Miranda Otto
Director: Steven Spielberg
Running Length: 1:57
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Average guy Ray Ferrier (Cruise) is just getting by. His blue collar job is enough to give him a very modest house in an OK neighborhood. After work one day, his ex-wife drops off the kids, Rachel (Fanning) and Robbie (Chatwin), for a weekend visit. He is a poor parent, and it is quickly evident.

When strange lightning strikes awaken long buried alien tripods, the world turns to chaos, and Ray and his family must run for their lives before they are vaporized with the rest of the city. The aliens are unstoppable, bringing destruction to every area the encounter, and things seem grim for humanity.

Speilberg set out to create the "event movie" of the summer, and is somewhat successful. Speilberg has yet to make a bad movie, and this one falls somewhere in the upper-middle of his resume. "War of the Worlds" provides almost non-stop action and amazing special effects. The story has been brought to modern times, but stays faithful otherwise to the source material. Told almost exclusively from Ray's point of view, we see what the average person would see in this situation. Of course, Ray gets up close and personal with some of the aliens, so there is plenty of action. The weakest point of the movie is the ending, but to be fair, it is true to the novel.

"War of the Worlds" pretty much delivers everything you would expect going in, and is a very entertaining summer movie. It is a hard PG-13 though, just missing an R rating for the violence. If you are looking for an entertaining popcorn movie, this is a good bet.

THE 13 BEST MOVIES I SAW IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2005
1. Crash ****
2. Batman Begins ****
3. Million Dollar Baby **** (from 2004)
4. Hotel Rwanda **** (from 2004)
5. Sin City ***1/2
6. Cinderella Man ***1/2
7. The Aviator ***1/2 (from 2004)
8. Mr. and Mrs. Smith ***1/2
9. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith ***1/2
10. High Tension (Haute tension) ***1/2
11. Robots ***1/2
12. The Jacket ***
13. The Interpreter ***

Land of the Dead ***
Cast: Simon Baker, John Leguizamo, Asia Argento, Robert Joy, Dennis Hopper, Eugene Clark
Director: George A. Romero
Running Length: 1:33
MPAA Classification: R

Kaufman (Hopper) is a very wealthy man who owns a high-rise in zombie-free Pittsburgh called Fiddler's Green. All the privlidged live there, while the rest live on the streets. Riley (Baker) and Cholo (Leguizamo) are two of Kaufman's henchmen. Their job is to journey outside the city and bring supplies back while avoiding the zombies. They are two sides of the same coin, Riley wants to help people and Cholo wants to help himself. Both manage to anger Kaufman though. Riley saves a woman (Argento) from being thrown to the zombies, and Cholo's ambition marks him as a threat to Kaufman.

Cholo steals Dead Reconing, a armored vehicle capable of doing some serious damage in the wrong hands, and Kaufman must ask Riley for help. After all, Riley created Dead Reconing. This involves leaving the city again to find Cholo. Of course the zombies are not helpful as they stalk the living and find out that perhaps thay can get into the city after all. All to this the beginnings of thought abongst the undead, and there is a whole lot of trouble brewing.

This is the fourth zombie movie from George A. Romero, creater of "Night of the Living Dead". Those with a fondness for zombie movies will not be disappointed, although I found it inferior to last year's "Dawn of the Dead" remake. There are lots of zombies and clever deaths, and the story takes us down a somewhat new path in the zombie genre. Dennis Hopper is great as the Trump-lik Kaufman, and he steals every scene that he is in. The rest of the cast gets the job done, but they are nothing spectacular.

"Land of the Dead" gives you exactly what you would expect, and perhaps a bit more. There is some commentary on the world today, but not enough to interfere with a good old fashioned zombie movie. I recommend to fans of the genre.

Bewitched **1/2
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Jason Schwartzman, Kristin Chenoweth
Director: Nora Ephron
Running Length: 1:41
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Isabel Bigelow (Kidman) wants to live in the real world. She wants to give up being a witch and just be normal. Her father, Nigel (Caine) does not think she could or should do it. She gives it a go anyway, and is soon living a domewhat normal life, even if she cheats every once and a while.

Jack Wyatt (Farrell) is an actor whose career is on the downswing. He agrees to do a remake of "Bewitched" as long as Darren is the star. He sets out to find an unknown actress for the role of Samantha so that he is not upstaged.

Isabel and Jack meet, and he quickly signs her up for the role, not knowing that she is indeed a real witch. They end up falling in love, but when he upsets her, he soon finds out that hell hath no fury like a witch scorned.

I was hopeful of this film, as they decided to take a different approach to the transition to the big screen. "Bewitched" is the show that everyone knows about, and at first glance the movie seems to take a Charlie Kaufman-like approach to the subject. The problem is that as the movie goes along, it loses its originallity. The typical romantic comedy "rules" take over and the film loses something. Kidman and Ferrell try their hardest, but that's not enough to save the romantic comedy formula. "Bewitched" has some laughs, but in the end it leaves you feeling empty. This could have been much better than it is, but fans of the romantic comedy will probably not be disappointed.

Batman Begins ****
Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Ken Watanabe, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer
Director: Christopher Nolan
Running Length: 2:20
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Bruce Wayne (Bale) is a man troubled by the deaths of his parents at the hands of a local thug. He blames himself, and has been travelling the world, picking fights. The movie opens with Bruce being rescued from prison by Henri Ducard (Neeson). Ducard aims to train Bruce in the art of fighting and have him join the League of Shadows, an organization presided over by the mysterious Ra's Al Ghul (Watanabe). They are dedicated to restoring balance to a world overrun by criminals.

Bruce trains incredibly hard, but declines the offer to join the League. He returns to Gothan City with the desire to ride the city of crime. With the help of his faithful butler Alfred (Caine) and inventor Lucius Fox (Freeman), Bruce develops an alter-ego that will help him install fear into the criminals of the city. The two biggest are crime lord Carmine Falcone (Wilkinson) and The Scarecrow (Murphy), a twisted psychiatrist who works for a mysterious employer.

The establishment of Batman is fully fleshed out, in this excellent film from director Christopher Nolan. Almost no stone goes unturned as we learn how and why Batman does what he does. Nolan has yet to make even an average movie, and was a great choice to re-boot the franchise. And re-boot it he does. The previous four films are ignored and a fresh look at the superhero is given.

Bale is perhaps the best Batman, pulling off both Bruce and Batman convincingly. His anger, pain, and determination are very real. Neeson is excellent in the role of teacher, perhaps channelling his inner Qui-Gon. Caine brings dignity and compassion to Alfred the butler. Murphy is absolutely perfect as the crazed Scarecrow (a villian I knew nothing about). The film is dark, gritty, and violent; just as it should be. There are even some scary moments. And of course, the ending sets up another film. Nolan has said that he envisions a trilogy, and I for one hope that he stays with the franchise for a while.

"Batman Begins" is one of the best superhero movies ever made. It is also one of the best movies I have seen in a while. I highly recommend this film. See it at once!

Madagascar **1/2
Cast (voices): Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter
Directors: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: PG

Alex the Lion (Stiller) is the star of the Central Park Zoo. He lives a movie star type of life. His friend, Marty the Zebra (Rock) just wants to leave. He dreams of a life in the wild. One day, Marty manages to escape, and Alex goes after him to stop him from doing something stupid. Withe the help of Melman the giraffe (Schwimmer) and Gloria the Hippo (Smith) he catches up to Marty, only to be captured by the zookeepers. Deeped too dangerous, they are sent to an animal preserve in Kenya..

On the way, the penguins hijack the boat and divert to Antarctica, and drop the foursome off in Madagascar. They befriend some lemurs and must adjust to life in the wild. A task made all the more difficult by Alex's lack of daily feedings. His wilder side starts to emerge, and his friends may have some troubles ahead of them.

"Madagascar" is the latest in what now seems like an endless stream of computer animated movies. Despite all the start providing voices, it falls a bit short of expectations. There are laughs , but they don't come as readily as more recent childrens' fare. While not a bad movie, "Madagascar" could have been better. Wait for DVD and see for yourself.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith ***1/2
Cast: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Kerry Washington
Director: Doug Liman
Running Length: 2:03
MPAA Classification: PG-13

John (Pitt) and Jane Smith (Jolie) have been married for five or six years, depending on which one you ask. Their relationship, which started out firey, has settled into less-than-exciting, average marriage. The spark is gone, and they are both unhappy. Through these years of marriage, they have kept a major secret from each other. Each of them is a professional assassin. One day, when they are both hired to kill the same person, their secrets are revealed to each other. They decide to come after each other, and quickly find out that the spark is back.

The chemestry between Pitt and Jolie lights up the screen in every scene. Whatever may be going on in their personal lives, onscreen they are great together. Filled with action and humor, "Smith" proves to be quite good. My only quibble is with the ending which really doesn't solve the main problem. But then, maybe it is not supposed to. Clearly, the tension and excitement between the two Smiths is what fuels the excitement in their relationship. For those looking for a good, entertaining movie, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" will not disappoint.

High Tension (Haute tension) ***1/2
Cast: Cécile De France, Maïwenn
Director: Alexandre Aja
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: R

Marie (de France) and Alex (Maïwenn) are heading home to Alex's family's farm house, isolated in the French countryside. The first night there, a killer enters the house, kills Alex's family, and takes her hostage. Marie goes unnoticed, since the killer doesn't know about her and she is hiding. When Marie tries to untie Alex in the killer's truck, she is accidentally trapped, and taken along for the ride. Marie is now in a battle of wits with the killer, as she attempts to save Alex and escape the killer.

While not completely original story-wise (I was reminded of Dean Koontz's "Intensity" specifically), "High Tension delivers just that...high tension. From the beginning the very end, the feeling of unease permeates the film. It is excellently directed, with no cheap scares. The killer is ruthless, from the first kill to the last. And there is blood galore. This movie is a hard R for violence and gore, having been trimmed from the original NC-17, and is not for the faint of heart. What makes this movie so great is the execution (pardon the pun). Horror fans will delight in this movie and I recommend this specifically for them.

The biggest complaint I have with the film is the subtitles & dubbing. This is a French movie, so you know that you are getting one or the other, but for some reason, the filmmakers chose to use BOTH. It seems kind of odd, but fortunately, there is not much dialogue for this to become too large of an issue. Some will also argue that the ending does not support what has gone before, but I disagree. I don't want to give too much away, so I will not go into specifics. If you are a horror fan, check this movie out.

Cinderella Man ***1/2
Cast: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Connor Price, Paddy Considine, Paul Giamatti
Director: Ron Howard
Running Length: 2:24
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Jim "Bulldog" Braddock (Crowe) is a figher making his way up the ranks in 1928 to become a viable challenger for the boxing championship. His wife Mae (Zellweger) cannot bear to watch him in the ring, and waits at home for him to return after every match. They are happy. Five years later, the Great Depression plagues the country. Jim no longer is on the fast track. He gets paid little for poor fights. Breaking his hand ends his time in the ring, and he soon finds himself as a longshoreman.

That job does not pay enough, and soon the electricity is cut off in their apartment, and the kids are sent to his in-laws to live. One day, former manager Joe Gould (Giamatti) sets him up as a last minute replacement in a match with a contender. He is expected to get pummelled, but surprises the crowd and himself with a victory. Pretty soon he is on the fast track again, and who knows how far he will go?

"Cinderella Man" is based on the true life story of Braddock, and is more than just a boxing movie. I found the treatment of the Great Depression to be absolutely fascinating. Director Ron Howard gives a very real feeling of what that era was like. Crowe and Giamatti shine in their respective roles, and the boxing scenes are top notch. This is a very good film that will be remembered come Oscar time.

THE 13 BEST MOVIES I HAVE SEEN SO FAR IN 2005
It's time for my list of best movies for the first five months of the year. There are 13 on the list because three are from 2004.

1. Crash ****
2. Million Dollar Baby **** (from 2004)
3. Hotel Rwanda **** (from 2004)
4. Sin City ***1/2
5. The Aviator ***1/2 (from 2004)
6. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith ***1/2
7. Robots ***1/2
8. The Jacket ***
9. The Interpreter ***
10. Sahara ***
11. In Good Company ***
12. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ***
13. Hitch ***

The Longest Yard ***
Cast: Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, James Cromwell, Walter Williamson, Michael Irvin, Nelly, Edward Bunker
Director: Peter Segal
Running Length: 1:57
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Paul "wrecking" Crewe (Sandler) is a former NFL star quarterback that left the league in scandal after being caught point shaving. He has been down on himself ever since, and after a drunken car chase, he finds himself in prison with a chance at redemption. He has been "recruited" by Warden Hazen (Cromwell) to coach the prison guard's team. This leads to him putting together a team on inmates to scrimmage against the guards before their season starts to give them confidence. Of course, along the way the Crewe and the inmates start to show the desire and ability to win. The game will be a free-for-all, guards against inmates on national television.

"The Longest Yard" is a remake of the movie of the same name from 1974. Having not seen the original, I cannot make a comparison. I have a feeling that this one packs a few more laughs with the likes of Sandler and Rock in the cast. Burt Reynolds (who was also in the original) rounds out the cast of inmates. Full of football action and laughs, "The Longest Yard" succeeds at what it sets out to do. This is not a great movie, but it is an entertaining way to spend a few hours.

Mindhunters **1/2
Cast: LL Cool J, Jonny Lee Miller, Kathryn Morris, Val Kilmer, Christian Slater, Patricia Velasquez, Eion Bailey, Will Kemp, Clifton Collins Jr.
Director: Renny Harlin
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: R

Seven serial killer profiler students and one observer are taken to an island by their teacher, Jake Harris (Kilmer). They are given a weekend to solve a fake case, and this will serve as their final exam. They quickly find out that there is a killer amongst them when people start getting killed one by one. As the suspicion shifts from person to person, the team must use their skills to find the killer before it is too late.

"Mindhunters" is a good movie with no outstanding performances. The story is interesting, but when everything is revealed, it seems impossible that the killer could have planned all the killings. This, of course, is a big plot hole. If you can get over this, and not take the movie too seriously, "Mindhunters" is a mostly entertaining, although forgettable experience.

Star Wars: Episode III - Return of the Sith ***1/2
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Jimmy Smits, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, James Earl-Jones (voice)
Director: George Lucas
Running Length: 2:20
MPAA Classification: PG-13

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

The series started in 1977 is finally completed with "Sith". It is no secret what happens -- Anakin becomes Darth Vader, Darth Sidious becomes Emperor, the Jedi are killed -- the bigger questions are why and how. George Lucas manages to tie up enough loose ends to satisfy, and "Sith" is one of the better films to bear the name "Star Wars".

The movie opens Obi-Wan (McGregor) and Anakin (Christensen) attempting to save the kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine (McDiarmid) from Count Dooku (Lee). Not all is as it seems, and soon the Jedi have their eyes on Palpatine. They fear he will prolong the war to retain power. Meanwhile Anakin is having nightmares of Padme (Portman) dying. Soon, Darth Sidious is taking advantage of both these situations to acquire a new apprentice in Anakin by promising unlimited power.

"Sith" is not a happy movie. The film is darker in tone than every other "Star Wars" movie that has come before it, and the PG-13 rating is well deserved. Fortunately, that is what most fans want. There is loads of action from beginning to end, including the long light saber battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan and another battle between Darth Sidious and Yoda.

Unfortunately, the movie is plagued by the poor acting that has been evident in the previous prequels. The only standouts are Ian McDiarmid and Ewan McGregor. McDiarmid is both reserved and dignified, and over the top evil as necessary to the story. He is the glue that has held the prequels together, and has lent some class to the acting. McGregor looks and sounds more like Sir Alec Guiness, and his pain in palpable when his best friend betrays him.

The effects are astounding. Every inch of the screen is filled with something to see, all the time. The story really delivers as well. Filled with lots of tie-ins to the original series, "Sith" really bridges the gap between Episodes I-III and Eposodes IV-VI.

My biggest complaint is the appearance of the dark attired Darth Vader. The whole movie leads up to this point, and what we get is a bit disappointing. Comparisons to Frankenstein are not entirely off, and that is not a good thing.

In the end, it is a heck of a ride, and a fitting conclusion to a series that has captured the imaginations of many for 27 years. Lucas has said that he will not make Episodes VII-IX, but only time will tell. Until then, we have a complete tale of the rise, fall, and redemption of one of the biggest villians of the 20th century. I highly recommend seeing this film and all the "Star Wars" films if for some reason you have not. Thank you Mr. Lucas.

Kicking & Screaming ***
Cast: Will Ferrell, Robert DuVall, Mike Ditka, Musetta Vander
Director: Jesse Dylan
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: PG

Phil Weston (Farrell) has never lived up to his dad, Buck's (Duvall), expectations. Buck is a man's man, big on toughness. When he trades his own grandson from the soccer team he coaches, Phil is mad. He sees his son being treated like he was as a child.

Circumstances put Phil in the position of coaching his son's new team. They are really bad, and Phil recruits the help of his dad's neighbor and arch-nemesis, Mike Ditka (gleefully playing a caracature of himself). The get a couple of ringers (kids of the local Italian butcher), and soon find themselves on the winning track. Of course, before the season ends, they will cross paths with Buck's team, and that will be Phil's chance to prove himself once and for all.

"Kicking & Screaming" is a good, funny family movie. Farrell, having long since proven he has escaped the SNL curse, is great and believeable as the sone who just wants his dad to be proud of him. Duvall also shines as the tough as nails dad. Mike Ditka also gives a great performance in a role that pokes some fun at himself. Plot-wise, there is nothing new here. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable and funny film, and I recommend it.

Unleashed ***
Cast: Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins, Kerry Condon
Director: Louis Leterrier
Running Length: 1:43
MPAA Classification: R

Danny (Li) is mobster Bart's (Hoskins) enforcer/dog. He is treated like a pet and has been trained to be docile and subservient until his collar is taken off. At that point he unstoppable, beating enemies into a bloody pulp. One day, fate steps in, and Danny finds himself a free man.
Sam (Freeman), a blind piano tuner and his step-daughter Victoria (Condon) take him in and become his friends. Together they give him everything he never had, most notibly, a family. They re-train him to live a normal life. Unfortunately, Danny's past is not yet behind him, and when his past and present meet, anything could happen.

Hoskins and Freeman are standouts in this film. Hoskins steals every scene he is in as the genuinely evil Bart. He plays the part with a delicious glee. Freeman is equally good as the reserved Sam. He is immensely likeable and completely believeable as the piano tuner who gives Danny a real life. Li provides first rate action sequences that are no holds barred pummelling.

Action lovers will definately enjoy "Unleashed". Oddly enough, I think that piano lovers will as well. Either way, "Unleashed" is an entertaining film.

Crash ****
Cast: Matt Dillon, Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillippe, Larenz Tate, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner, Terrence Dashon Howard, Ludacris
Director: Paul Haggis
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: R

Early on in "Crash", Don Cheadle's character makes an observation that people crash into each other just to feel something. He is talking about a car accident, but the deeper meaning is that we crash into each other as individuals. "Crash" is a chronicle of those instances. The film weaves a number of different story lines featuring characters of different races, religions, and wealth together in unexpected ways. You have the opportunity to make a first impression of every character, only to find out later that that impression was completely wrong.

A big name cast makes this a movie that many will see. If the cast contained more lesser-known actors, it still would have been as good, but would probably disappear quickly. First time director Paul Haggis provides the screenplay (he wrote the screenplay for "Million Dollar Baby" as well) to a finely crafted film that makes you think without being too preachy, a common downfall of movies with this subject matter.

The cast is excellent all around. The script is great, providing serious drama as well as some genuine laughs, with revelations about the characters peppered throughout the film. "Crash" is an excellent movie that shows how first impressions are not always correct. I highly recommend this film.

Kingdom of Heaven **1/2
Cast: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Eva Green, Brendan Gleeson, Edward Norton, Ghassan Massoud, Marton Csokas, Alexander Siddig, David Thewlis
Director: Ridley Scott
Running Length: 2:25
MPAA Classification: R

In 1184, Balian (Bloom) is mourning the death of his wife. One day Baron Godfrey of Ibelin (Neeson) shows up to tell Bailen that he is his father. Bailen reluctantly agrees to accompany him to Jerusalem to gain forgiveness for his sins and for his wife's sins (she had committed suicide). On the way, Godfrey is mortally injured. He knights Bailen and gives him the title of Baron before he dies.

He arrives in Jerusalem as a friend of King Baldwin IV (Norton) and Tiberias (Irons), but in Guy de Lusignan (Csokas), he finds an enemy. Outside the city, Saladin (Massoud), the Arab leader is amassing an army to take Jersulam back from the Christians.

One thing "Kingdom of Heaven" does well is portray both sides evenly. Niether the Christians nor the Arabs are perfect. The audience can sympathize with both sides. Unfortunately, this leads one to not really favor one side over the other. The Arabs are not being outrageous when they finally do attack, and one could argue that the Christians had it coming. The Christians are just defending themselves, and the acts of the few are causing this war. The film is objective with regards to the two sides, but that takes away from some of the emotion that otherwise could have been developed.

Orlando Bloom is nothing special as the leading man. Riding his "Lord of the Rings" action hero status into this film, it is quickly obvious that he was a supporting figure in those better movies. The rest of the cast is fairly unremarkable, except for Edward Norton, who provides an uncredited performance as the leper king of Jerusalem.

The film is beautifully shot, and while longer in running time, does not feel long. "Kingdom of Heaven" was being looked to to revive the grand epics that suppered with "Troy" and "Alexander". It probably won't help the cause, as the first weekend's gross indicated.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ***
Cast: Martin Freeman, Mos Def , Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel, John Malkovich, Bill Nighy, Anna Chancellor, Alan Rickman (voice), Stephen Fry (voice), Helen Mirren (voice)
Director: Garth Jennings
Running Length: 1:43
MPAA Classification: PG

In England, Arthur Dent (Freeman) wakes up to a bad day. His house is about to be flattened to make way for an expressway bypass. He finds out his friend Ford Prefect (Def) is an alien. And the Earth is about to be destroyed by the Vogons. Ford gets them off of Earth in time, and soon they find themselves in the company of Zaphod Beeblebrox (Rockwell), the President of the Galaxy; Trillian (Deschanel), the last human woman; and Marvin (voice of Rickman), a depressed robot that makes Eeyore look happy.

"Hitchhiker" is just what fans of the books have been waiting for. While deviating from the source material, the screenplay was co-written by Douglas Adams himself, and a lot of the dialogue is lifted from the novels. The story has existed in different versions before as well, so the changes are nothing to throw the fans off.

Martin Freeman is the perfect Arthur, an ordinary everyman. Mos Def nails Ford Prefect almost perfectly. Sam Rockwell is over the top annoying at times as Zaphod. And there is no one more perfectly suited to give voice to Marvin than the great Alan Rickman. Marvin steals just about every scene he is in.

That being said, this movie is more for fans of the novels than the average moviegoer. It is true to the spirit of Adams's work, and should leave fans satisfied. Others may walk out saying "what was the point?". I think it is worth a viewing though even if you are not a fan on the off chance that you connect with it. And if you don't, don't panic, the summer movie season is just around the corner.