The Day the Earth Stood Still **

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jaden Smith, Kathy Bates, John Cleese, Jon Hamm
Director: Scott Derrickson
Running Length: 1:43
MPAA Classification: PG-13

The alien Klaatu (Reeves) arrives on Earth in a giant sphere that he lands in New York’s Central Park. Earth’s greeting party, led by Dr. Helen Benson (Connelly), attempts to make contact, but that is derailed when Klaatu is shot. They take him to a secret medical lab for surgery and also interrogate him on his intentions. Klaatu wants to speak to the leaders of the world to advise them that the end has come for the people of the Earth – he is there to save the planet from us.

“The Day the Earth Stood Still” is a middle of the road, average film. The effects are good, but they aren’t always necessary. The acting is ok, with Keanu Reeves’s usual wooden performance actually working for the alien Klaatu. Jaden Smith’s character Jacob is annoying and a hindrance to the story. This could have been better, I suppose. I have not seen the original, so I cannot compare the two, but I get the feeling that aside from the special effects, this version brings noting new or worthwhile to the table. I would wait for DVD if you must see this.

Bolt 3D ***

Cast: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton, Greg Germann
Directors: Dan Fogelman, Chris Williams
Running Length: 1:36
MPAA Classification: PG

Bolt (Travolta) the dog is the star of a television show about a girl named Penny (Cyrus) and her super-powered dog who battle the evil Dr. Calico (McDowell). A mix up sends him across the county and way out of his element. See, Bolt doesn’t know he is the star of a television show. He thinks that he is actually super-powered. On his journey to get back to Penny, he teams up with a cat named Mittens (Essman) and a hamster named Rhino (Walton), and begins to inspire them to be more than they are despite learning that he is not as powerful as he thought.

“Bolt” is a step in the right direction after the last few animated films for Disney. The opening sequence grabs the viewer and takes tham on an action packed thrill ride worthy of the best summer blockbusters. The voice talents of Travolta, Essman, and Walton breathe life into their characters and make them likeable and relatable. The animation is solid, as one would expect from Disney, with the 3D effects crisp and clear. Finally, “Bolt” is a movie that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Four Christmases ***

Cast: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Jon Favreau, Tim McGraw, Mary Steenburgen, Kristen Chenoweth, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight
Director: Seth Gordon
Running Length: 1:22
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Brad (Vaughn) and Kate (Witherspoon) are heading to Figi for Christmas so they do not have to spend time with their family. A dense fogbank grounds all flights out of San Francisco and destroys their plans. A local television report from the airport seals their fate, and soon they are off to see their families – Brad’s divorced mom and dad and Kate’s divorced mom and dad. Brad’s dad (Duvall) and brothers (Favreau and McGraw) are hell on Brad, but Kate finds amusement in his discomfort. Kate’s mom (Steenburgen) is a bit of a cougar, making things uncomfortable for everyone. By the time they have survived Brad’s mom (Spacek), their relationship is hanging by a thread. Kate’s dad is not so bad, but by then it may just be too late.

“Four Christmases” is a pretty funny holiday film. Vaughn and Witherspoon are two likeable, funny leads. A star-studded supporting cast keeps the humor coming as well. The humor is of the squirmy, uncomfortable kind. You feel bad for these two as they are forced to deal with their families. This is an entertaining film for fans of holiday movies. If you are in the mood for something Christmassy, check it out.

Quantum of Solace ***

Cast: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Giancarlo Giannini, Gemma Arterton, Jeffrey Wright
Director: Marc Forster
Running Length: 1:46
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Picking up where “Casino Royale” left off, James Bond (Craig) is taking Mr. White back to M (Dench). White is not giving up the goods on his employer, and when the interrogation goes awry, Bond is tracks down a woman by the name of Camille (Kurulenko), who in turn leads him to Dominic Green (Amalric). Greene is attempting to control Bolivia’s water supply. His role in Vesper’s death puts him in the crosshairs of Bond, who is bent on revenge. Meanwhile, M has orders to rein Bond in, but that is easier said than done.

“Quantum” has a lot to live up to after “Casino Royale”, almost too much. And, as such, it falls short. There is plenty of action, and Craig is once again great as James Bond, but the direction is seriously lacking. Forster is a good director, but does not know how to film action scenes, and the result is a confusing mess at times. It is nice to see an actual sequel in the series, especially since “Casino Royale” set “Quantum” up so nicely. Wright reprising his role as Felix Leiter is also a nice touch. It is clear that the producers wanted to set up a new bad guy organization for Bond to deal with and that is done fairly well. However, it would have been nice to have some info on them disseminated. Sure, they are probably waiting for the next Bond film, but they needed to give the audience something. Not the best Bond, but a solid effort nonetheless.