Hancock ***
Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Jae Head, Eddie Marsan
Director: Peter Berg
Running Length: 1:32
MPAA Classification: PG-13

John Hancock (Smith) is a superhero that just does not care about anything. He is a drunk bum. Sure, he saves the day sometimes, but at a staggering cost to the city. The D.A. wants him in prison, but no prison will hold him. He is the focus of lawsuits, but he doesn’t have the money to pay for any damages. One day, he saves Ray Embrey (Bateman) from getting hit by a train. Ray, who is in the public relations business, decides to help Hancock improve his image. His plan involves some time in prison, rehab, and a superhero costume. Hancock is reluctant at first, but soon gives in. Hancock is on the way to turning his life around, when he is blindsided by a revelation that will cause him to question his abilities and the kind of person he really is.

“Hancock” is an interesting idea for a superhero movie. After seeing all those heroes that are saviors of the world, Hancock is one that just doesn’t give a damn. Will Smith has the charisma to be that superhero, and make the jerk actually likeable. This is another movie that is saved by Smith’s charm. Without him, this movie would probably not work. The story itself is really two stories sandwiched together. Director Peter Berg would have been better off focusing more on the first half of the film and doing away with the second half which explores Hancock’s origins. The second half has been completely ignored in all advertisements for the film, and at least provided a bit of a surprise. The surprise would have been greater without all the pointed looks in the first half between Hancock and another character, but you take what you can get here. “Hancock” is an entertaining film for the most part that could have been more. Still it is worth seeing.

WALL•E ****
Cast: (voices) Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver, Fred Willard
Director: Andew Stanton
Running Length: 1:37
MPAA Classification: G

700 years into the future, Earth is uninhabited. Humans have left its wasteland and now live among the stars. Left behind to clean up the mess are WALL•Es (Waste Allocation Load Lifters-Earth class). After all this time only one WALL•E (Burtt) remains. He goes about his insurrmountable job, collecting and compacting trash. One day, things change. A spaceship arrives and a robot named EVE (Knight) emerges. She is on a mission of her own, but soon becomes friends (of a sort) with WALL•E. When the time comes for her to leave, WALL•E hitches a ride, and is off on a new adventure that may just save the human race.

Pixar has done it again. WALL•E is an amazing film that introduces one of the most loveable characters in recent memory. The animators humanize the robots through their actions, making the audience care for them. There is very little dialogue in the film, especially in the first half, and the high quality animation drives the story successfully. There is an ecological message to be found here, but it isn’ forced. There is enough humor and action to entertain the whole family. WALL•E is probably the best family film of the summer, and I highly recommend seeing it.

Get Smart ***
Cast: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terrence Stamp, James Caan, Ken Davatian, Dalip Singh
Director: Peter Segal
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

CONTROL is an American intelligence agency led by Te Chief (Arkin). Maxwell Smart (Carell) is their best analyst, but is not a field man. When arch-enemy KAOS attacks CONTROL headquarters and takes out the majority of the field agents, Max is elevated and given the designation “Agent 86.” He is partnered with Agent 99 (Hathaway) to stop whatever scheme KAOS is up to.

Steve Carell is the perfect choice for Maxwell Smart. He does not try to imitate Don Adams, and yet is reminiscent of him. Don Adams would be proud. Hathaway, Arkin, and Johnson are also good in their respective roles. There are plenty of laughs, and a surprising amount of action to be found too. One does not picture Carell as an action star, but with “Get Smart”, he is. Faithful to the television show, long time fans will not be disappointed. This is one TV to movie upgrade that works. I recommend this film for a good laugh.

Kung Fu Panda ***
Cast (voices): Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Seth Rogen, Randall Duk Kim
Director: Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Po the panda (Black) wants to be a martial arts expert. Unfortunately for him, he is working for his father (Hong) making noodle soup. One day, at the nearby temple, Master Oogway (Kim) has a vision that the evil Tia Lung (McShane) will escape from prison and wreak havoc. Now Oogway must determine who will be the Dragon Warrior, and defeat Tia Lung. The five contenders are: Monkey (Chan), Tigress (Jolie), Viper (Liu), Crand (Cross), and Mantis (Rogen), all apprentices of Master Shifu (Hoffman). Somehow, all of them are overlooked and Po is chosen. Now, Po must find it within himself to save the village, as Tia Lung has just escaped.

“Kung Fu Panda” is an entertaining, action packed film. The voice talents are all well chosen, especially Jack Black as the titular panda. The humor works, and adults and children will enjoy this film. The animation, while good, is about what one has come to expect in animated films. The animation bar is high, and “Kung Fu Panda” makes it over, but does not blow it away. “Kung Fu Panda” is a good family movie, and I recommend it.

The Happening **1/2
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Ashlyn Sanchez, Betty Buckley
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: R

In New York City, people begin committing suicide and acting disoriented. They kill themselves with whatever is available. Some jab themselves with knitting needles, some jump off buildings. Soon, the phenomenon is spreading throughout the northeast, hitting Philadelphia and Boston. At first, it is believed to be a terrorist attack, but soon the people come to believe it is something more elusive. Four individuals, Elliot (Wahlberg), his wife Alma (Deschanel), his friend Julian (Leguizamo), and Julian’s daughter Jess (Sanchez), fled the city just as the outbreak started, and find themselves momentarily safe in eastern Pennsylvania. There, they try to figure out what is happening, and how they will deal with it when it reaches them.

“The Happening” is a somewhat successful thriller. The success lies in the genuine creepiness that pervades the film. The methodical suicides that are shown in R rated detail are disturbing. They are shocking and powerful. The problem here is that the story has nowhere to go. Any explanation is going to feel like a letdown (and it is). The best film I can compare “The Happening” to is “The Birds”. Creepy, but ultimately unsatisfying. Wahlberg and Deschanel are adequate in their roles, but Buckley steals the show when she is on screen. Shyamalan has produced a film that is better than his last effort, “Lady in the Water”, but he needs a real hit to stop his downward slide. Recommended for DVD viewing only.

The Incredible Hulk ***
Cast: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson
Director: Louis Letettier
Running Length: 1:52
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Dr. Bruce Banner (Norton) is in hiding in South America, searching for a cure to a hulk sized problem he has. An accident at the factory where he works alerts General Ross (Hurt) to Banner’s location, and he sends a team led by Emil Blonsky (Roth) to capture him. He is able to elude the team by turning into the Hulk, and heads back to America to retrieve data from his accident that his ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Tyler) has. Meanwhile, General Ross has Blonsky injected with a super soldier serum to help him capture Banner, not counting on Blonsky being somewhat unstable.

Unlike many, I was a fan of Ang Lee’s “Hulk”. “The Incredible Hulk” reboots the franchise and takes a more action oriented approach that will satisfy most fanboys out there. This film works in different ways than its predecessor, and brings us all one step closer to an eventual “Avengers” movie. Norton is adequate as Banner, but his acting skill is somewhat lost on the part. No one wants to see Banner onscreen, only the Hulk. Tyler is forgettable as Betty, and there is minimal chemistry with Norton. Hurt and Roth are both excellent in their roles as well as Tim Blake Nelson as the mysterious “Mr. Blue”. Nods to the TV show are there in appearances by Lou Ferrigno and even Bill Bixby. The effects are good, but not great. Overall, “The Incredible Hulk” is worth seeing, and enjoyable. It does not reach the lever of “Iron Man” earlier this year, but is a solid entry into the Marvel lineup. Well worth seeing, if only for Rober Downey, Jr.’s appearance as Tony Stark.

You Don’t Mess With The Zohan **
Cast: Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson, Lainie Kazan, Ido Mosseri, Rob Schneider, Michael Buffer
Director: Dennis Dugan
Running Length: 1:53
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Zohan (Sandler) is an Israeli special agent who is tired of the Middle East conflict and dreams of moving to America to become a hair stylist. He is able to fake his own death in a battle with his arch enemy, The Phantom (Turturro), and moves to New York City. Once there, he affects a disguise and goes to work Dahlia (Chriqui), a Palestinian hairdresser, and soon becomes popular with the ladies for the extra service he provides in the backroom of the salon after the styling. Soon, The Phantom learns that Zohan is still alive and comes looking for him to finish him off for good.

“Zohan” is mediocre Sandler that runs way too long. 20 minutes could have been cut and would have improved the overall film. The last half hour drags. Sandler is amusing as Zohan, the super agent who can do just about anything, including style hair. Turturro is always entertaining, and his Phantom is no exception. Sadly, this film also suffers from having the best parts shown ad nauseum in previews. The scenes still get laughs, but one cannot help but think that they would have been more effective had they not been played to death beforehand in previews. Sandler fans will probably enjoy “Zohan”, but non-fans will tire quickly. Wait for DVD if you must mess with the Zohan.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull **1/2
Cast: Harrison Ford, Shia LeBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent
Director: Steven Spielberg
Running Length: 2:17
MPAA Classification: PG-13

In 1957 Nevada, Indiana Jones (Ford) and his sidekick Mac (Winstone) have been kidnapped by Irina Spalko (Blanchett) and her Soviet henchmen. They break into an American military facility and Spalko enlists Indy’s help in finding something. Indy manages to escape, and soon finds that he has been given a leave of absence from teaching. Before leaving town, “Mutt” (LeBouf) enlists his help to find Professor Oxley (Hurt), who has gone missing while looking for crystal skulls in South America. They set off, and soon find themselves face to face with Spalko again, as well as a face from the past – Marion Ravenwood (Allen).

“Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” could never live up to the hype surrounding it. One would have hope that is was less disappointing than it is though. It is good to see Indiana Jones back in action. George Lucas’s desire for the perfect story/script has been the major factor in the delay, and it is ironic that the story/script is the weakest point of the film. In fact, it is downright silly at times. Sure, it is good to see Harrison Ford back in action as Indy, but that can only carry a movie so far. LeBouf and Blanchett are adequate in supporting roles, and it is good to see Karen Allen again. Marion and Indy recapture some of the magic from “Raiders”, but it is not enough. “Kingdon” will make a bunch of money, that is certain, but it is likely to leave a bit of a sour taste in the viewers’ mouths as they leave the theater.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian ***
Cast: William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Ben Barnes, Sergio Castellitto, Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis, Vincent Grass, Liam Neeson (voice), Eddie Izzard (voice)
Director: Andrew Adamson
MPAA Classification: PG

One year after the events of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy find them drawn back into Narnia. 1300 years have passed there and their former castle is in ruins. They have been summoned by Prince Caspian (Barnes), who is in hiding from his uncle, King Miraz (Castellitto), who has marked him for death. If the Pevensie kids can help him reclaim his throne, all the creatures of the land will be able to live in peace. If not, Miraz will rule ruthlessly.

“Prince Caspian” brings the Narnia series to the next level. The effects are improved, the action is improved, and the actors seem more comfortable in their roles. Ben Barnes, as the titular character, is average however. He lacks enough personality to make us care about Caspian, but that is a small quibble in an otherwise entertaining film. Director Andrew Adamson has learned from the first film and improved the finished product. Although rated PG, it is more in line with {G-13 fare due to a load of violence. That’s not a bad thing, just a warning. I recommend this film.

Made of Honor *1/2
Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin McKidd, Kadeem Hardison, Busy Philipps, Kathleen Quinlan, Sydney Pollack
Director: Paul Weiland
Running Length: 1:41
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Tom (Dempsey) and Hannah (Monaghan) meet during their senior year in college. At first, she is put off by him, but soon they become best friends in a completely platonic relationship. Tom is a player, and is with a different woman every night. He even has rules for dealing with the revolving door of women in his life. With Hannah, he has companionship and someone to talk to. It is a good life for him until Hannah goes on a six-week business trip to Scotland. While she is gone, Tom realizes that he loves her, and plans to ask her to marry him upon her return. Unfortunately for him, Hannah returns engaged to Colin (McKidd), who is just about perfect. Hannah asks Tom to be her Maid of Honor, and he agrees seeing it as an opportunity to drive a wedge between her and Colin.

“Made of Honor” is an unimpressive romantic comedy that is pretty cookie cutter. There is nothing here to set it apart from any other romantic comedy. Dempsey and Monaghan are uninspired leads with little chemestry, and Dempsey’s Tom is an ass. McKidd’s Colin is so perfect, one cannot help but hope that Tom fails to win Hannah over. Stay away from this stinker.

Iron Man ****
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb, Shaun Toub, Faran Tahir
Director: Jon Favreau
Running Length: 2:06
MPAA Classification: PG-13

While visiting Afghanistan, billionaire arms supplier Tony Stark (Downey) finds his caravan overrun by terrorists and himself captured. Injured in the kidnapping, he finds a n irremovable piece of shrapnel in his chest. He must wear an electromagnet to keep it from piercing his heart. The terrorists want him to replicate his latest and greatest missile for them to use. Stark has other plans, and is able to fashion a suit of armor that allows him to escape captivity. Back home, he decides to stop his company from making military weapons, and focus on perfecting his metal suit.

“Iron Man” is a great film, and as a superhero film it rates up there with “Batman Begins” and “Spider-Man 2”. It has action, drama, fumor, and great special effects. The story of the self-made superhero is different and interesting. Robert Downey, Jr. is inspired casting. He IS Tony Stark, and he is at least as responsible for the greatness of this film as director Jon Favreau. Favreau would not be the obvious choice for a film of this nature, but he pulls it off spectacularly. “Iron Man” is a great movie for all ages. I highly recommend it.

The Forbidden Kingdom **1/2
Cast: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Michael Angarano, Yifei Liu, Bingbing Li, Collin Chou
Director: Rob Minkoff
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Jason (Angarano), a high school student who likes kung fu movies, likes to hang out at a local pawn shop in Chinatown. One day, while there, bullies attack him and soon the owner of the store is shot and Jason is transported to ancient China by a magical staff. The staff belongs to the Monkey King (Li), who needs it to defeat the Jade Warlord (Chou). The Jade Warlord sends his minions to get the staff, but Jason has help in protecting it from Lu Yan (Chan), Golden Sparrow (Liu), and the Silent Monk (Li). Together they embark on a journey to help the Monkey King and free his kingdom from tyranny.

“The Forbidden Kingdom” plays more like a Jackie Chan film than a Jet Li film. The tone is light and it is a bit on the hokey side. Those looking for an epic matchup between Chan and Li will be sorely disappointed. As a family film it works fairly well, illustrating Jason’s struggle for inner strength and confidence. The acting is average, but the fight scenes are well done. This film won’t be at the top of either’s best of lists though. Wait until DVD if you must see it.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall ***1/2
Cast: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: R

Peter Bretter (Segel) has just been dumped by the love of his live, Sarah Marshall (Bell). She is the star of a CSI-type show that Peter does the music for. While she is ready to move on, he isn’t, and is devastated. For a change of scenery, he decides to take a vacation in Hawaii. Once there, he discovers that Sarah is there, at the same hotel, with her new boyfriend, Aldus Snow (Brand). His only support is the hotel’s receptionist (Kunis), who attempts to help him out. Maybe she will even help him forget Sarah Marshall

Another movie from producer Judd Apatow, this time written by star Jason Segal follows the proved Apatow formula. Romantic comedy meets raunchy comedy, and a very funny and enjoyable movie is the result. The characters are all well developed and real. The acting is excellent, and the audience feels for poor Peter. Segel isn’t afraid to bare all to get the laughs either. This is a really enjoyable and funny movie, and I highly recommend it.

The Ruins ***
Cast: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey, Joe Anderson
Director: Carter Smith
Running Length: 1:31
MPAA Classification: R

Four friends on spring break in Mexico,; Jeff (Tucker), Amy (Malone), Stacy (Ramsey), and Eric (Ashmore); meet Mathias (Anderson) while lounging around the hotel pool. Mathias tells them of a pyramid that has just been discovered, and they all decide to go exploring. In the middle of nowhere, cut off from civilization, they find the temple. Once there, they are surrounded by the locals wo make it clear that they will kill them if they try to leave. They head up to the top of the pyramid with their meager supplies to figure out what to do, but soon find that the villagers below are the least of their problems.

“The Ruins” is a great horror story of survival. Death lurks on top of the pyramid for the characters, and is very much a character itself. The sense of having no way out permeates the film. Adapted by the author himself from the great novel, Scott Smith has rearranged the kills and story elements to keep everything fresh for the readers of the book. Despite that, the film is faithful to the spirit of his book. The cast effectively handles the mental deterioration that their characters endure. The film is tense and suspenseful and one of the better horror movies to come out in the last few years. I recommend this film.

Leatherheads ***
Cast: George Clooney, Renée Zellweger, Jonathan Pryce, John Krasinski
Director: George Clooney
Running Length: 1:54
MPAA Classification: PG-13

In 1925, professional football is struggling to survive. They play where they can, in front of few people. There is no future for someone who wants to play after graduation from college. Dodge Connelly (Clooney), an aging player has a plan. He wants to recruit college star Carter Rutherford (Krasinski) with the help of C.C. Frazier (Pryce), a sports promoter. Rutherford is a war hero, and is offered $10,000 per game. With the deal made, football becomes suddenly important. But there is a problem. Newswoman Lexie Littleton (Zellweger) is digging into Carter’s past to uncover the truth about his service in WWI, which may have been embellished.

“Leatherheads” is an amusing film that is a throwback to older screwball comedies. It is not perfect, but it does have its moments. Clooney and Zellweger play off of each other well, with quick witty dialogue. Krasinski is also credible as the young hero whose star is on the rise. Finally, the film is not all fluff, as it explores the making of a hero and the turning of a sport from being just for fun into being a business. The movie is always light and enjoyable.

21 ***
Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts, Laurence Fishburne, Jack McGee
Director: Robert Luketic
Running Length: 2:03
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Ben Campbell (Sturgess) has a problem. He is graduating from MIT and has been accepted to Harvard Med School, but he doesn’t have the $300,000 it will cost him to attend. Then, along comes Professor Micky Ross (Spacey). Mickey offers him a place on his “team”. This team visits Las Vegas on weekends, and by counting cards makes a lot of money. After initially refusing, Ben is swayed by the need for money and the affections of Jill Taylor (Bosworth), a member of the team. In Vegas, Cole Williams (Fishburne), the head of security of one of the casinos is about to figure out the team’s scheme. Ben may be in for more than he bargained for.

“21” is the fictionalized account of college kids who really did beat one of the most sophisticated anti-crime systems in Las Vegas. The story is interesting, even if it has been Hollywoodized. The plot points toward the end are predictable, but the fact that these kids were able to get away with this for so long sustains the interest for the majority of the movie. Kevin Spacey is good as always, radiating intenseness. Sturgess and Bosworth get the job done, while not providing memorable performances. “21” is an interesting, enjoyable film.

Drillbit Taylor ***
Cast: Owen Wilson, Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, David Dorfman, Alex Frost, Leslie Mann, Valerie Tian
Director: Steven Brill
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Wade (Hartley), Ryan (Gentile), and Emmitt (Dorfman) are three nerdy kids in need of protection. School bully Filkins (Frost) has decided to make their lives a living hell. After about a week of dealing with this, they decide to hire a bodyguard. Constrained by money, they opt for Drillbit Taylor (Wilson), an ex-military man who is currently homeless and trying to make enough money to get to Canada. Drillbit is less than impressive though, and has to come up with a plan quickly if he wants to help the kids and himself as well.

“Drillbit Taylor” fits the mold of the Judd Apatow-produced films, albeit in PG-13 form. Think of it as Judd Apatow-light, and that is fine because he knows what makes good movies. Sweetness, likeable characters, and raunchy comedy make up the mix, and for “Drillbit Taylor”, the raunchiness is toned back to give it a PG-13 rating. Wilson is very good as Drillbit, a con-man of sorts that really isn’t that good at things. “Drillbit Taylor” is an amusing addition to the Apatow family of films.

Horton Hears a Who! ***
Cast (voices): Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Isla Fisher, Amy Poehler, Jaime Pressly, Charles Osgood
Director: Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino
Running Length: 1:28
MPAA Classification: G

Horton (Carrey) is an elephant who one day discovers a talking speck of dust. Of course, it is not really the speck that is talking, but the people living on it. He catches the speck on a clover and manages to talk to the Mayor of Whoville (Carell). The mayor begs Horton to find a safe place for the speck so his world isn’t destroyed. Horton agrees, but must deal with the Kangaroo (Burnett) who does not believe in anything she cannot see.

“Horton” is the best motion picture adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ work. Better than “Granch” and far better than “Cat in the Hat”. The computer animation better suits the characters created in childrens’ books many years ago. Carrey and Carell do solid jobs as the two leads, and the rest of the voice talents are good as well. This is a movie geared more towards kids, but adults will find enjoyment in it as well. Son’t be surprised if we see Horton again in a few years, trying to hatch an egg. I recommend this film.

10,000 B.C. *1/2
Cast: Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Joel Virgel, Affif Ben Badra, Mo Zinal, Nathanael Baring
Director: Roland Emmerich
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: PG-13

D’Leh (Strait) and Evolet (Belle) are destined to be together, but are kept apart by clan politics. Evolet wants to run away with him, byt D’Leh will not because his father left the tribe when he was a child. His father’s act made D’Leh an outcast of sorts, and he has worked hard to restore his name. When a roving band of warriors raid their village and take most of the tribe, including Evolet, D’Leh makes it his mission to save his people and the woman he loves.

At the very least, “10,000 B.C.” has good special effects. Not great, but good. The story itself is nothing special, even silly. The acting is about the same. There does not appear to be any factual basis for anything that occurs in the film either. A key point at the end of the film even elicited an audible groan from me. There was a time when director Roland Emmerich made movie that were somewhat engaging, but those days seem to be long gone. My recommendation is to stay away from this film.

U2 3D ***1/2
Cast: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.
Director: Catherine Owens, Mark Pellington
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: G

“U2 3D” is an example of just how great a 3D movie experience can be. Mostly shot in Buenos Aires, this concert film puts you in the audience and on the stage at a concert from one of the best bands of the last 30 years. Actually shot at a number of concerts and meshed together, the illusion is seamless. At times, the band seems so close you could reach out and touch them. The set list is a good selection of old and new, hits and lesser known songs. The band members themselves are great showmen, and each get their own close-up. Fans of U2 will definitely want to check this out. If you are not a fan, see this movie and become one. The band is great, the 3D is great, the film is great. Highly recommended.

Set list:
Vertigo
Beautiful Day
New Year’s Day
Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own
Love and Peace or Else
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bullet the Blue Sky
Miss Sarajevo
Pride (In the Name of Love)
Where the Streets Have No Name
One
The Fly
With or Without You
Yahweh

Atonement ***
Cast: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave, Saoirse Ronan, Harriet Walter, Brenda Blethyn
Director: Joe Wright
Running Length: 2:10
MPAA Classification: R

In 1935 England, 13-year old Briony (Ronan) lives with her family in the countryside. Her older sister Cecilia (Knightley) is developing a relationship with Robbie (McAvoy) the servant. Cecelia herself has a crush on Robbie and is a bit jealous. She does see him as a seducer and wants to protect Cecelia. When a friend of the family is raped on the grounds, Briony offers up a lie that will change the three of their lives forever.

“Atonement” is an interesting, if tragic, movie. It straddles a thin line between youthful misunderstanding and jealous maliciousness. Briony is a tragic figure, played well by Ronan, Garai, and Redgrave, who spends her life trying to make up for a wrong that may or may not have been intentional. McAvoy is solid as Robbie, the person whose life is most directly affected by her actions. Director Joe Wright does a good job bringing war torn Europe to life. The problem with “Atonement” is that, aside from having a main character in Briony that is mostly unlikable, the film is a bit of a downer. This will not be a hit with mainstream audiences, and really was the weakest of the Best Picture nominees in 2007. This is definitely not a film for everyone.

Vantage Point **
Cast: Dennis Quaid, William Hurt, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Eduardo Noriega, Edgar Ramirez, Said Taghmaoui, Ayelet Zurer, Sigourney Weaver
Director: Pete Travis
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG-13

At an anti-terrorism summit in Spain, an assassination attempt is made on President Ashton (Hurt). After the president is shot, chaos reigns. During the pandemonium, there is a distant explosion followed by one in the arena. Secret service agent Thomas Barnes (Quaid) must find the assassin before its too late.

The movie’s hook is that is shows the events from multiple points of view. First, through the eyes of a news broadcast, then through Barnes’ eyes. Next is a police officer’s (Noriega) point of view, a tourist’s (Whitaker), and then the President’s. There is backtracking to show perspectives from the same starting point, and each point of view takes the story a little further into the future.

“Vantage Point” has two large drawbacks. First, the very nature of the film reduces all the roles to extended cameos. None of the characters feel like the focus of the film, and none have any real development. Quaid and Hurt do what they can, but they aren’t given much to work with. The other problem is that for a movie built around the novelty of seeing the characters’ point of view, they abandon that approach in the last 30 minutes, reverting back to a “normal” movie. What does work is the level of intensity that is maintained through much of the film. There is enough action to make one forget about some of the absurdities of the plot as well. Overall, this was a movie that could have been better with some tweaking.

Jumper **1/2
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane, Michael Rooker, AnnaSophia Robb, Max Thieriot
Director: Doug Liman
Running Length: 1:28
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Nerdy high schooler David Rice (Thieriot) really likes Millie (Robb). One day, when trying to give her a gift, the local bully intervenes and tosses the gift into a frozen river. When attempting to recover the gift, David falls through and is trapped. At least, he is until he teleports into the middle of the Ann Arbor library. Everyone believes him to be dead, and he sees it as a chance to start over. He hones his skills as well. To get some money, he robs a bank, and that is when NSA agent Roland (Jackson) notices him. Roland doesn’t like “jumpers.” As an adult, David (Christensen) lives a good life. He returns home to see Millie (Bilson), and she notices that something is different about him. He also finds out he is not alone. There are other “jumpers” that are being hunted by “paladins” whose only desire is to kill them. When Roland finds David, David is in for the fight of his life, because Roland is out for blood.

“Jumper” is an interesting idea that is poorly executed. Christensen has proven himself to be a wooden actor, and this is no exception. He is a poor choice for David. The action and the effects are top notch. The origin story is well told, and I’m not a fan of origin stories. The powers and the war between jumpers and paladins is left vague enough to make you want more. The biggest problem with the movie (aside from Christensen’s acting) is the fact that the movie doesn’t end so much as it just stops. The last five minutes leave a nasty taste in your mouth as David confronts one of the bad guys and is given a head start. He decides to take a leisurely direction even though he is still the hunted. Clearly, “Jumper” is set up for a sequel, but when that sequel is not a given, a movie needs to provide some closure. This is one to wait for on DVD.

Complete list of 80th annual Academy Award winners:

Best Picture:
No Country for Old Men

Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Actress:
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose

Supporting Actor:
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

Supporting Actress:
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Director:
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Foreign Film:
The Counterfeiters, Austria

Adapted Screenplay:
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Original Screenplay:
Diablo Cody, Juno

Animated Feature Film:
Ratatouille

Art Direction:
Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Cinematography:
There Will Be Blood

Sound Mixing:
The Bourne Ultimatum

Sound Editing:
The Bourne Ultimatum

Original Score:
Atonement, Dario Marianelli

Original Song:
Falling Slowly from Once, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Costume:
Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Documentary Feature:
Taxi to the Dark Side

Documentary (short subject):
Freeheld

Film Editing:
The Bourne Ultimatum

Makeup:
La Vie en Rose

Animated Short Film:
Peter & the Wolf

Live Action Short Film:
Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)

Visual Effects:
The Golden Compass

The Spiderwick Chronicles ***1/2
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker, David Strathairn, Joan Plowright, Nick Nolte, Martin Short (voice), Seth Rogen (voice)
Director: Mark Waters
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Helen Grace (Parker) and her kids Mallory (Bolger) and twins Jared and Simon (both Highmore) are starting fresh after Helen’s separation from the kids’ father. They are moving into the Spiderwick Estate, a mansion that Helen inherited from her Aunt Lucinda (Plowwright). The estate has an interesting history though. 80 years ago, Arthur Spiderwick (Strathairn) wrote a “field guide” to the world around him. This guide includes all kinds of fantastical creatyres. By writing it, he unleashed some terrible forces and now an army of goblins is amassing. Led by the ogre Mulgrath (Nolte), they seek to take the book away from the protection of the house. The kids are all that stands between Mulgrath and world domination.

“The Spiderwick Chronicles” is a surprisingly well done movie. For a movie that covers five books, there isn’t a feeling that much was lost in the translation. There is a lot of action that keeps the moving quickly. The child actors do a good job in the roles, especially Highmore in dual roles. The story is not complex, but is not simple either. Plus, it deals with serious issues like divorce, a topic that many kids will relate to. “The Spiderwick Chronicles” is an excellent move for kids from about 6-7 on up to adults. I highly recommend this film.

Definitely, Maybe ***
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Derek Luke, Kevin Kline
Director: Adam Brooks
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Will Hayes (Reynolds) is almost divorced. After picking up his daughter, Maya (Breslin), they head to his house where she asks him to tell her the story of how he and her mother met. Her hope is that his memories will deter him from signing the divorce paperwork. He agrees, but decides to change the names of those in the story so that Maya will have to guess who her mom is. The three main choices are Emily (Banks), Summer (Weisz), and April (Fisher). Emily is Will’s college sweetheart, Summer is Emily’s ex-lover, and April is a co-worker at the Clinton campaign.

“Definitely, Maybe” is a surprisingly good romantic comedy. The reason it really works though, is because of the uncertainty of who Will will end up with. It isn’t your typical romantic comedy. Even if you pick out who Maya’s mom is, you may not predict the ending. The trio of actresses are all good in there roles, and manage to help Reynolds along. Kevin Kline even turns up for a scene stealing role as Summer’s professor/lover. “Definitely, Maybe” is a solid date movie that will be enjoyed by both men and women. I recommend it.

There Will Be Blood ****
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Dillon Freasier, Ciarán Hinds, Kevin J. O'Connor
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Running Length: 2:38
MPAA Classification: R

In 1898, Daniel Plainview (Lewis) is digging in the ground, searching for a gold. Instead, he finds oil. Years later, he has a team working for him to pump the oil. When one of that team is killed in an accident, Daniel takes the man’s son as his own. By 1912, Daniel is a well-known oil man. He follows up a lead in California, only to find himself at odds with the evangelist preacher Eli Sunday (Dano). Sunday wants $10,000 for the church before he sells the land. After a contract is signed, Daniel reneges on the deal, and the church is left without the money. An enemy is formed. As Daniel continues his rise in the oil industry, the more corrupt he becomes.

“There Will Be Blood” is a fascinating character study. Daniel is many things: friendly, ruthless, kind, violent, manipulative, and charismatic. He knows how to get what he wants, and rises from nothing into a wealthy businessman. Daniel Day Lewis is excellent in this part and is the film’s biggest selling point. He makes a long movie pass quickly. The film itself is fascinating, showing the rise and fall of an oil tycoon. The ending may turn some off, but I find it appropriate given what has gone before it. I highly recomment “There Will Be Blood”. It is easy to see why this is an Oscar favorite.

Fool’s Gold **
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Alexis Dziena, Ewan Bremmer, Ray Winstone, Kevin Hart
Director: Andy Tennant
Running Length: 1:52
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Finn (McConaughey) is looking for a lost Spanish Galleon in the Caribbean. He believes he has found the location, and has it marked by his own sunk ship. He enlists the help of his ex-wife, Tess (Hudson), who is intrigued until she finds he has no real proof of the Spanish ship’s location. Fate puts them together again on the boat of multi-millionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Sutherland) and his daughter, Gemma (Dziena). He is fascinated by Finn’s stories, and wants to help him find the treasure. Also looking to find the treasure are Moe (Winstone), Finn’s old mentor and gangster rapper Bigg Bunny (Hart), who Finn owes money to.

“Fool’s Gold” is a moderately entertaining film. McConaughey and Hudson are trying to recapture the chemistry from “How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days” with moderate success. Sutherland is sporting a poor English accent. Dziena stands out because her character is so incredibly stupid. She seems to steal the scenes she is in. The action is pretty good, especially in the last half hour. Overall, “Fool’s Gold” is forgettable though. Check this out on DVD if you must.

Untraceable **1/2
Cast: Diane Lane, Billy Burke, Colin Hanks, Joseph Cross
Director: Gregory Hoblit
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: R

When the website Killwithme starts up and shows the cruel killing of a kitten, FBI agents Jennifer Marsh (Lane) and Griffin Dowd (Hanks) are on the case. They work for the cybercrime division of the FBI, and are skilled at tracking down criminals over the internet. One week later, the site is back up, this time with a human being tortured. To make matters worse, the more traffic the site gets, the quicker the victim dies. The killer has somehow made the site untraceable, and the FBI can’t stop it and as the public finds out about it, it gets more and more visitors. Soon, the killer’s game becomes personal, and if Marsh cannot stop him, she might be the next victim.

“Untraceable” is an average thriller with moments of greatness. It starts out well, but spirals downward as it progresses. That’s not to say it is bad though, just that it could have been better. Clearly the movie is criticizing the type of material available for viewing on the internet. That being said, the director has no problem showing the audience exactly what he seems to be rallying against. Sometimes less is more, and this would have been a good opportunity to leave things to the imagination rather than providing torture scenes worth of a “Saw” movie. Again, this is not a bad movie, just one that is flawed and could have been better. Wait for the DVD.

Cloverfield ***
Cast: Michael Stahl-David, Jessica Lucas, Lizzy Caplan, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman
Director: Matt Reeves
Running Length: 1:18
MPAA Classification: PG-13

All is well at the going away party for Rob (Stahl-David). The next day he is heading to Japan, but tonight he is having fun with his friends. Those closest to him are his brother Jason (Vogel), Lily (Lucas), Marlena (Caplan), and Hud (Miller). Hud is videotaping the events when all hell breaks loose outside in downtown New York. Buildings fall down, others explode, and the Statue of Liberty’s head comes rolling down the street. Hud keeps the camera rolling because “people will want to know what happened.” Soon it becomes apparent that the source of the commotion is a giant monster that is scared and apparently immune to anything the army uses against it. Rob and his gang must rescue Rob’s crush Beth (Yustman) and get out of town before the army takes extreme action.

“Cloverfield” is “Godzilla” meets “The Blair Witch Project”. The hand-held camera approach brings a fresh experience to the monster in a big city story. Some may dislike the jittery camerawork, but it adds an immediacy to the story and makes you feel like you are in it. The movie doesn’t cheat either with shots of the monster. It is shown in all its ugly glory a number of times from a distance and very close up. It is like no movie monster previously, and it is a scared creature making its way through a strange world. And that only makes him more dangerous. “Cloverfield” is a fresh take on an old story, and I recommend checking it out.

The Bucket List **1/2
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Beverly Todd, Rob Morrow
Director: Rob Reiner
Running Length: 1:37
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Edward Cole (Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Freeman) have terminal cancer. They are opposites, with Edward being a rich CEO and Carter being a car mechanic. They are sharing a room at the hospital, and share the same diagnosis: six months to a year. Carter begins making a “bucket list” – things to do before he dies. Edward gets in on the list, and having the money funds their attempt to cross everything off that list. They see the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall of China. The skydive and drive race cars. They share their stories and become good friends. Soon they realize returning home will help them more than traveling the world.

Nicholson and Freeman are always good, and “The Bucket List” is no exception. They give their usual standout performances. On the downside, this is a movie that sets out to make views shed a few tears. This gives the film a feeling of trying to be more important than it really is. If that could somehow be toned down, this would be a better movie. There are some good laughs though, and that is the films saving grace. As it is, it is a harmless diversion for just over two hours. I would probably recommend this one for DVD viewing.

Complete list of 80th annual Academy Award nominations:

Best Picture:
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Actor:
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises

Actress:
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno

Supporting Actor:
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

Supporting Actress:
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Director:
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman, Juno
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood

Foreign Film:
Beaufort, Israel
The Counterfeiters, Austria
Katyn, Poland
Mongol, Kazakhstan
12, Russia

Adapted Screenplay:
Christopher Hampton, Atonement
Sarah Polley, Away from Her
Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood

Original Screenplay:
Diablo Cody, Juno
Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco, Ratatouille
Tamara Jenkins, The Savages

Animated Feature Film:
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up

Art Direction:
American Gangster
Atonement
The Golden Compass
Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
There Will Be Blood

Cinematography:
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Sound Mixing:
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma
Transformers

Sound Editing:
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood
Transformers

Original Score:
Atonement, Dario Marianelli
The Kite Runner, Alberto Iglesias
Michael Clayton, James Newton Howard
Ratatouille, Michael Giacchino
3:10 to Yuma, Marco Beltrami

Original Song:
Falling Slowly from Once, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Happy Working Song from Enchanted, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz
Raise It Up from August Rush
So Close from Enchanted, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz
That's How You Know from Enchanted, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz

Costume:
Across the Universe
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
La Vie en Rose
Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Documentary Feature:
No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
War/Dance

Documentary (short subject):
Freeheld
La Corona (The Crown)
Salim Baba
Sari's Mother

Film Editing:
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Makeup:
La Vie en Rose
Norbit
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Animated Short Film:
I Met the Walrus
Madame Tutli-Putli
Meme Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)
My Love (Moya Lyubov)
Peter & the Wolf

Live Action Short Film:
At Night
Il Supplente (The Substitute)
Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)
Tanghi Argentini
The Tonto Woman

Visual Effects:
The Golden Compass
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Transformers

Charlie Wilson’s War ***1/2
Cast: Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty, Om Puri
Director: Mike Nichols
Running Length: 1:37
MPAA Classification: R

Democratic congressman Charlie Wilson (Hanks) is a bit of a playboy who never met a party he didn’t like. In 1980, he is named to the Defense Appropriations subcommittee in Congress, and becomes aware of a situation in the Middle Eastern country of Afghanistan. The US is funding the “freedom Fighters” to fight against the USSR with $5 million. Charlie has that amount doubled, but his friend Joanne Herring (Roberts) informs him that more is needed. Soon, Charlie is visiting the region and seeing how things are going firsthand. He returns to the US determined to win this war. With the help of CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Hoffman), he is able to get the funding significantly increased, and soon the US is spending $500 million to help Afghanistan.

“Charlie Wilson’s War” has a top notch cast, including three Oscar winners and two nominees. As one would expect, Tom Hanks is excellent as the womanizing Wilson. Over the course of the film, his Wilson develops a conscience and becomes something more than just a playboy. Hoffman steals the scenes as Avrakotos, and should be a serious contender for another Oscar nomination. Up-and-comer Amy Adams also makes a solid appearance as Wilson’s assistant. The story is interesting and even funny at times. In fact, the majority of the film has a lighter tone despite being about war. This is an enjoyable, smart film that is worth checking out. I recommend it.

The 15 Best Movies I Saw in 2007
1. Gone Baby Gone ****
2. The Queen **** (from 2006)
3. Michael Clayton ****
4. No Country For Old Men ****
5. Juno ****
6. Babel **** (from 2006)
7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ****
8. Zodiac ***1/2
9. Notes on a Scandal ***1/2 (from 2006)
10. The Bourne Ultimatum ***1/2
11. 1408 ***1/2
12. 300 ***1/2
13. Pan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno) ***1/2 (from 2006)
14. The Last King of Scotland ***1/2 (from 2006)
15. Knocked Up ***1/2

Juno ****
Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons, Olivia Thirlby
Director: Jason Reitman
Running Length: 1:32
MPAA Classification: PG-13

After taking three pregnancy tests, sixteen year old Juno MacGuff (Page) accepts that she is indeed pregnant. Her and her boyfriend Paulie (Cera) only had sex once, but that is all it took. After initially considering an abortion, she decides to put the child up for adoption. Her parents (Simmons, Janney) are supportive, and soon she meets Vanessa (Garner) and Mark (Bateman). They seem to be ready to adopt, but things are not always as they seem. Soon, Juno must decide whether to continue down this path or explore other options, but her nine months is almost up.

“Juno” is a smart and engaging film. The screenplay is solid, telling a good story with humor and drama. It is smart and provided likeable characters. Ellen Page is perfect as Juno, a girl with a witty comeback for everything. The supporting cast, especially Simmons and Janney as Juno’s parents are also great. This is a film that is all around enjoyable that leaves you with a good feeling. Teen pregnancy is a serious topic and it is handled well. I highly recommend “Juno”. You will not be disappointed.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets **
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Ed Harris, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Harvey Keitel, Bruce Greenwood
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Running Length: 2:10
MPAA Classification: PG

When treasure hunter Ben Gates (Cage) has his great-great grandfather accused of participating in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, he sets out to prove the man’s innocence. That innocence lies in finding the lost City of Gold, located somewhere in the United States. On the way, he will have to get at the Queen’s desk in Buckingham Palace as well as its twin in the Oval Office, and kidnap the President of the United States (Greenwood). Fortunately, he has the help of his father (Voight), his mother (Mirren), his former girlfriend (Kruger) and his sidekick (Bartha). Meanwhile, Mitch Wilkinson (Harris) is looking to find the city first and make a name for himself.

The first “National Treasure” was enjoyable, even though it was a bit of a rip off of “The DaVinci Code”. The plot was a bit far-fetched, but one could mostly suspend disbelief. “Book of Secrets” on the other hand is over-the-top ridiculous. It asks the viewer to believe an awful lot of implausible things, and that is its downfall. Its almost as if the screenwriters decided to see how unbelievable of a story they could craft. Sure, its nice to see the characters we met in the first one back in action, but that’s not enough to make this movie work. If you must see this, wait until it is out on DVD.

I Am Legend ***
Cast: Will Smith
Director: Francis Lawrence
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: PG-13

The year is 2012, and Dr. Robert Neville (Smith) may be the last man on Earth. He is partially responsible for a cancer cure that mutated and turned humans into beings that cannot stand sunlight and crave blood. Neville is lonely, and only has his dog Sam for a friend. During the day, he searches for food and supplies, and works on trying to cure this awful disease. At night, he locks himself away in his house and hides from the horrors that wander the streets. One day, he gets sloppy, and his world becomes worse.

Will Smith carries this movie full on his back. Acting alone or with only a dog, he is the reason to see this movie. Like Tom Hanks in “Castaway” or John Cusack in “1408”, he gives a solid performance all on his own. Visually, “I Am Legend” is mostly excellent. A desolate New York City is well rendered and eerie. The monsters, on the other hand, mostly look like the work of CGI. That’s a shame because CGI wasn’t really needed for them. The story does differ from the classic novel by Richard Matheson, and while the ending isn’t a total cop-out, it is a bit disappointing. On its own merits, “I Am Legend” works pretty well and is worth checking out.

The Golden Compass ***
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards, Ben Walker, Ian McKellan (voice), Eva Green, Jim Carter, Sam Elliott, Freddie Highmore (voice)
Director: Chris Weitz
Running Length: 1:53
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Lyra Belacqua (Richards) is an orphan. Her only living relative is Lord Asriel (Craig), a powerful and respected man. She lives at a college, and one day Ms. Coulter (Kidman) is there attending a meeting. Ms. Coulter picks Lyra to take a trip with her up north. Although excited to see the ice bears, she is reluctant to leave when her best friend Rober (Walker) is taken away by the Gobblers, a mysterious group of people stealing children. Before she leaves, the Master of Jordan College gives her an alethiometer. She is told it will reveal the truth of things to her, but she must not tell Ms. Coulter about it. When life with Ms. Coulter turns out to not be not what she expected, she runs away to look for her friend Roger. Lyra though, may be the child of the witches’ prophecy, and destined for greater things.

There is more to “The Golden Compass” than this, and it all moves pretty fast. In fact, the film could have used an extra 15-20 minutes of running time to feel less rushed. Religious undertones from the novel have all been removed, and it will be interesting to see how they continue to pull this off if the final two films in the trilogy get made. Richards is good as Lyra, bringing her sassiness and enthusiasm from page to screen successfully. Kidman is perfect as the evil Ms. Coulter. Craig has limited screen time but gets the job done as well. Aside from the running time, the other problem is the lack of an ending. The end was chopped off to give it a happier ending, and presumably the footage will show up in the next film if it gets made. Without it though, the film feels a bit incomplete. “The Golden Compass” is not a movie for everyone, and fans of the book may find themselves disappointed. Still, it is worth seeing.

August Rush **1/2
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard, Leon G. Thomas III, Jamia Simone Nash, William Sadler
Director: Kirsten Sheridan
Running Length: 1:54
MPAA Classification: PG

Cellist Lyla Novacek (Russell) and rock singer Louis Connelly (Meyers) share a magical night together after just meeting, but circumstances prevent them from meeting the next day. Their paths diverge, but nine months later, Lyla gives birth to a boy. Lyla’s father (Sadler) tells Lyla the child died in childbirth and gives the child up for adoption. Twelve years later, that boy, who will go by the name August Rush (Highmore), is in an orphanage. He runs away to New York, where he discovers he has musical talent. He believes that if he can make his parents hear his music, they will find him.

“August Rush” is hokey, but harmless. It is a nice movie that will be enjoyed by many, but there is not much substance to it. If you can accept that music and fate bind these characters together, your enjoyment level will be higher. In fact, musicians will be more likely to appreciate the film and its love of music. Non-musicians may find it cheesy.

No Country For Old Men ****Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper
Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen
Running Length: 2:02
MPAA Classification: R

Anton Chigurh (Bardem) is a serial killer, wandering Texas and killing indiscriminately. The only thing likely to help one win an encounter with him is winning a coin toss. He is cold blooded and merciless. Moss (Brolin), a welder on a hunting trip, stumbles upon a bunch of dead bodies, a truck full of “Mexican brown” and a suitcase full of money – all that remains of a drug deal gone bad. He takes the cash and runs, but somebody else wants the money. Sheriff Bell (Jones) is the sheriff in the county where Chigurh escapes and where the drug deal went down. They are all on a collision course, and not all of them will be left standing when all is said and done.

“No Country For Old Men” is non-stop relentlessness from beginning to end. The story is great, full of twists that are not at all predictable. The acting is top notch, especially Bardem, whose Chigurh is a terrifying, remorseless killer. He is not someone you would ever want to run into. The direction by the Coen Brothers is some of the best of their careers. This film is a definite Oscar contender on many fronts, and I highly recommend it.

Enchanted ***1/2
Cast: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Susan Sarandon, Idina Menzel, Rachel Covey
Director: Kevin Lima
Running Length: 1:47
MPAA Classification: PG

In the animated world of Andalasia, Giselle (Adams) dreams of falling in love with a prince. Fortunately, Prince Edward (Marsden) falls in love with her the moment he sees her. Of course, Edward’s evil step-mother, Queen Narissa (Sarandon) is not happy with the match, and banishes her to New York City – the real world. With the help of Nathaniel (Spall) and a talking chipmunk, Edward goes on a quest to return Giselle to their world. In the real world, Giselle is a fish-out-of-water who is rescued from wandering the streets by Robert (Dempsey), a single parent who doesn’t believe her story but is too nice to just leave her. If Edward is able to find her, she may have to decide who really is her true prince.

“Enchanted” is a great movie, capturing the spirit of Disney’s princess movies. Amy Adams is adorable as Giselle. She clearly has done her homework, and has the mannerisms down pat. She looks and acts like she just stepped out of a Disney cartoon. She is the reason that this movie is as good as it is. The rest of the cast fill their roles nicely. Marsden is good as the dopey prince, and Sarandon gets to have some fun as the evil Queen. “Enchanted” is an enjoyable film, and I highly recommend it.

The Mist ***1/2Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Toby Jones, Laurie Holden, Frances Sternhagen, Andre Braugher, Nathan Gamble, William Sadler, Alexa Davalos
Director: Frank Darabont
Running Length: 2:05
MPAA Classification: R

After a bad storm that puts a tree through his studio window, David Drayton (Jane), his son Billy (Gamble), and neighbor Brent (Braugher) head into town to get some supplies from the supermarket. Once there, the mist that they saw rolling across the lake has made it into town and engulfs the store. The terror level is upped when a man runs into the store with blood on his face, screaming that there is something out there. Indeed, there is, and soon those trapped in the store see what it is. To make matters worse, a religious fanatic by the name of Mrs. Carmody (Harden) is stirring up some of the customers with her talk of the end of the world. David finds himself looked to for guidance, and when things seem to be as bad as they can be, things get worse.

Director Frank Darabont takes another stab at a Stephen King story, this time a horror story, and succeeds quite well. Like “The Shawshank Redemprion” and “The Green Mile”, “The Mist” is a faithful adaptation of the source material, with an added on ending that may or may not work for viewers. I, for one, enjoy endings of this nature, but am not sure that it was the right ending to tack on the end of this particular story. The acting is solid all around, especially Marcia Gay Harden as the disturbing Mrs. Carmody. The film has its share of monsters, but the scariest ones are inside the store, not outside it. “The Mist” works because it is a smart thriller, directed by an excellent director. I recommend this film.

Beowulf ***Cast: Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright Penn, Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover, Alison Lohman
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Running Length: 1:55
MPAA Classification: PG-13

In 6th century Denmark, Kin Hrothgar’s (Hopkins) kingdom is being terrorized by the monster Grendel (Glover). The king calls for someone to come and defeat Grendel. Beowulf (Winstone) answers that call, seeking glory more than gold. On his first night there, Grendel attacks and Beowulf must deal with him. But, Grendel is not the only creature waiting to terrorize the kingdom. Grendel’s mother (Jolie) and a dragon also lie in wait.

Computer animated and only loosely following the epic poem, “Beowulf” is an entertaining feast for the eyes. I think that animation was the way to go with this story, and the images are very realistic. Voice talents of Winstone, Hopkins, Jolie, Gleeson, and Penn all fit well with the characters. Purists will probably be disappointed with the changes, but for those not familiar with the story will probably have no problems. “Beowulf” is a great example of how far CGI has come, and an excellent diversion for those craving some action.

Bee Movie ***
Cast (voices): Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, Patrick Warburton, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Barry Levinson
Directors: Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: PG

Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld) is not a conformist like other bees. He yearns for something more, and that yearning leads him out of the hive into the world. After almost getting killed, he is saved by Vanessa (Zellweger), a human that owns a flower shop. She is surprised that Barry can talk, but then they develop a friendship. Accompanying her to the grocery store, he discovers that humans are stealing honey from bees and decides to file a lawsuit against the human race

“Bee Movie” is an odd but enjoyable film. The humor is geared more toward grown ups, but is flashy and eye catching which will appeal to kids. Also, there is no real moral to the story that is applicable to kids. Yet, somehow “Bee Movie” works. Fans of Jerry Seinfeld will not be disappointed in the humor he brings to the film. The voice talents do decent jobs bringing their characters to life. “Bee Movie” is a nice movie that will provide enjoyment for kids and adults.

P2 ***
Cast: Rachel Nichols, Wes Bentley
Director: Franck Khalfoun
Running Length: 1:38
MPAA Classification: R

On Christmas Eve, Angela (Nichols) is heading home after a late night. She is pretty much the last one in the building, and discovers her car won’t start. Thomas (Bentley) the parking attendant offers to help, but Angela soon realizes that he has ulterior motives. Thomas attacks her with chloroform, and when she wakes up she is in an evening dress and chained to a table. It seems that Thomas has had eyes for her for a while, and now he has her all to himself.

This movie is all Nichols and Bentley. They both give solid performances, especially Bentley. He manages to be both pathetic and creepy at the same time. The movie is tense and pretty well paced. The characters are real people and not superhuman like many movies of this type. Overall, if you are looking for a solid thriller, I recommend “P2”.

Martian Child **1/2Cast: John Cusack, Bobby Coleman, Amanda Peet, Sophie Okonedo, Joan Cusack, Oliver Platt
Director: Menno Meyjes
Running Length: 1:48
MPAA Classification: PG

David (John Cusack) has never really gotten used to his wife’s death. Years later he is considering adopting a child despite his sister Liz’s (Joan Cusack) advice. His friend Sophie (Okonedo) has the perfect child for him. Dennis (Coleman) is a child who believes he is from Mars. He hides in a box during the day because the sun bothers him. He wears a “gravity belt” to keep him from floating away. Once home, David finds that it is more difficult than expected to connect with Dennis. In these tough times, doctors from the orphanage are checking in on things, and David realizes he must make a breakthrough if he wants to keep Dennis.

While “Martian Child” is a fictionalized account of author David Gerrold’s adoption of a child, one can’t help but hope that there were less sappy moments in real life. “Martian Child” is full of them, just begging the audience to shed a tear at the characters’ plight. Cusack does his usual best with what he is given here, but the script hinders him more than usual here. Sure there is a nice story here, but it seems to be buried under a layer or two of sap. This was not a bad movie, but it definitely wasn’t my thing. I recommend this to those who enjoy tear –jerker type films.

Dan in Real Life ***
Cast: Steve Carrell, Juliette Binoche, Mitch Burns, Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt, Alison Pill, Brittany Robertson, Marlene Lawston
Director: Peter Hedges
Running Length: 1:38
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Dan Burns (Carrell) writes advice columns and fiction. After his wife died, he raised their three girls by himself. Every year, the Burns family all gather at grandma and grandpa’s (Wiest and Mahoney) house for a family reunion. While at the bookstore, Dan meets Marie (Binoche). They hit it off, but eventually Marie has to leave to meet her boyfriend. Dan heads home to meet his brother’s (Cook) girlfriend, who happens to be Marie. Now they have to be in close proximity without letting on that they met and had an attraction. The secret gets harder and harder to keep and soon Dan must figure out how to tell his brother.

“Dan in Real Life” is a nice movie. It has laughs, but isn’t hilarious. The acting is good, but not great. Carrell is good at playing likeable characters, and “Dan in Real Life” is no exception. The family dynamic in the film is probably the film’s funniest aspect. “Dan in Real Life” will be enjoyed by most, but when its all over, it really hasn’t given you a whole lot. Still, I have to recommend it because I think it accomplishes what it sets out to do.

Rendition ***Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Alan Arkin, Meryl Streep, J.K. Simmons, Omar Metwally
Director: Gavin Hood
Running Length: 2:00
MPAA Classification: R

Egyptian-American Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Metwally) is returning to the United States to see this wife Isabella (Witherspoon) and son. When a CIA official (Streep) receives intelligence that El-Ibrahimi may be involved with a North African terrorist attack, she orders him subjected to rendition, the policy of shipping detainees to foreign soil so they can be tortured to elicit information from them. Soon he is being interrogated in part by CIA analyst Duncan Freeman (Gyllenhaal), who comes to believe he is innocent. Meanwhile, Isabella goes to Washington to try to find her husband.

“Rendition” attempts to tackle a current issue and has mixed success. The story is compelling, but Anwar’s guilt or innocence seems pretty cut and dry. That robs the story of some of its punch. Witherspoon and Gyllenhaal, as the leads, seem to have less screen time than would be warranted for lead actors. Witherspoon has the meater role as the terrified wife, while Gyllenhaal spends a lot of time watching the actions of other characters. “Rendition” is a politically charged film that obviously takes a shot at the current administration, and those that may be turned off by that should probably look elsewhere. Overall, “Rendition” is a good movie that could have been better. While slightly disappointed with it, it is still worth seeing.

Gone Baby Gone ****
Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, John Ashton, Amy Ryan, Amy Madigan, Titus Welliver, Madeline O'Brien, Edi Gathegi
Director: Ben Affleck
Running Length: 1:55
MPAA Classification: R

Private investigators Patrick Kenzie (Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Monaghan) are approached by Lionel (Welliver) and Beatrice McCready (Madigan) to look for their niece, Amanda (O’Brien), who has gone missing. They fear the police won’t be able to devote enough time towards the investigation and think Patrick and Angie would be a great help. Opposed to their help are the girl’s mother, Helene (Ryan); the police chief Jack Doyle (Freeman); and the two cops working the case, Remy Bressant (Harris) and Nick Poole (Ashton). They quickly discover some overlooked clues that put them in harm’s way as well as put them in the position of having to make some morally ambiguous decisions.

“Gone Baby Gone” is a mystery/thriller that is full of twists and turns. They can be figured out beforehand if one pays attention thanks to this well written and executed script. Solid performances all around compliment Ben Affleck’s first outing in the director’s chair. Like “Mystic River” before it (it was also based upon a novel by Dennis Lehane), the film doesn’t offer any easy answers. It forced the audience to decide for themselves if the right thing is done by the characters. This is a solid, top-notch film, and a definite contender for Best Picture when the Oscars come around. I highly recommend this film.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age ***
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Abbie Cornish, Samantha Morton, Jordi Molla, Rhys Ifans, Adam Godley, Tom Hollander
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Running Length: 1:54
MPAA Classification: PG-13

A holy war has been declared against England’s Protestant Queen Elizabeth (Blanchett) by the Pope. Leading the charge is Spain’s King Philip II, who wants to replace her with Quenn Mary of Scotland (Morton), a Catholic who is imprisoned. On the home front, Elizabeth is being pressured to marry by her advisor, Sir Francis Walsingham (Rush). She rejects many possible husbands, but finds some interest in Sir Walter Raleigh (Owen).

“The Golden Age” is an entertaining but flawed movie. On the positive side, it is great to look at. The costumes, set design, and cinematography are gorgeous. The acting, while not as standout as in the first movie, is still impressive, especially by Cate Blanchett. On the negative side of things, the story isn’t that exciting. Historical fact is also compromised for cinematic value, but not much is added. The war with Spain comes and goes quickly, and without much excitement. “The Golden Age” is an adequate sequel, but by no means surpasses the original. It is worth checking out though.

Michael Clayton ****
Cast: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O'Keefe, Ken Howard
Director: Tony Gilroy
Running Length: 2:00
MPAA Classification: R

At the law firm of Kenner, Back & Ledeen, Michael Clayton (Clooney) is the “fixer”. He can clean up anything, no matter how messy. He hates his job, but is well paid and very good at it. Also, his personal life is a mess. He owes money and has a strained relationship with his son. Then, friend and co-worker Arthur (Wilkinson) goes off the deep end. Arthur decides to blow the lid off a major class action lawsuit against one of the firm’s biggest clients, U/North. The evidence he has is damning, and U/North’s corporate lawyer Karen Crowder (Swinton) takes steps to remove Arthur from the equation. Michael’s boss Marty (Pollack) orders him to fix the situation immediately.

“Michael Clayton” is a well told, well acted, intelligent thriller. It burns slowly, but is very satisfying. Clooney is great as the brilliant but troubled fixer. Wilkinson’s crazy Arthur steals the scenes he is in. Swinton’s performance is solid as someone in way over their head. The story comes at the viewer from different angles, fitting together in the end, but not always clear in the build up. Yes, folks…you have to think a little in this one. That’s not a bad thing though, because in the end, “Michael Clayton” is a satisfying thriller. I highly recommend it.

The Jane Austen Book Club ***
Cast: Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Kathy Baker, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Marc Blucas, Kevin Zegers, Nancy Travis
Director: Robin Swicord
Running Length: 1:55
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Five women and one man decide to start a book club, reading the works of Jane Austen. Bernadette (Baker), the organizer of the club, is a woman looking to add one more to her many marriages. Jocelyn (Bello) is single and happy with her dogs. Sylvia (Brenneman) is in a failing marriage to Daniel (Smits). Allegra (Grace) is their lesbian daughter. Prudie (Blunt) is unhappily married, and attracted to one of her students. Lastly, there is Grigg (Dancy), a science fiction fan who is in the club because he is interested in Jocelyn. Their lives all contain elements that echo Jane Austen’s stories, so their choice of reading is appropriate.

“The Jane Austen Book Club” is a female bonding movie that will also appeal to fans of Jane Austen. The acting is capable, but nothing outstanding. There is a little of everything relationship-wise here, and all the stories are handled pretty well. Jocelyn and Grigg’s story is probably the most appealing though. To the story’s credit, knowledge of Jane Austen isn’t necessary, but it helps. In all fairness, the title of the film is going to draw in the appropriate audience, and they will probably enjoy it.

The Kingdom ***1/2
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Chris Cooper, Richard Jenkins, Jeremy Piven, Ashraf Barhom
Director: Peter Berg
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: R

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a community of foreign oil workers and their families, terrorists shoot and bomb the residents. More than 100 people die, including some FBI agents. In the US, Ronald Fleury (Foxx) gets his forensic team ready for an investigation. They consist of: Janey Mayes (Garner, a pathologist; Adam Leavitt (Bateman), a computer expert; and Grand Sykes (Cooper), an explosives expert. His team is allowed into Saudi Arabia, but they have to be watched by police-colonel Al-Ghazi (Barhom). Of course, he is more intent on keeping the peace than getting to the bottom of things, and as Fleury and his team get closer to the answers they are looking for, things begin to spiral out of control.

“The Kingdom” is an excellent movie that is both intelligent and suspenseful. It is well acted all around, and especially by Jason Bateman. He has the meatiest role, and gives a strong dramatic performance. He also gets the best one-liners. The story and direction are top notch. The movie is tense and urgent, pulling the viewer in with ease. I highly recommend this film.

Resident Evil: Extinction **1/2
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Ali Larter, Iain Glen, Ashanti
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: R

Since the last “Resident Evil” movie, the zombie-making virus has spread across the entire planet. The world is a wasteland, but the Umbrella Corporation still exists underground. Alice (Jovovich) teams up with a group of survivors, led by Claire (Larter), who are heading to Alaska. Rumor has it that the infection hasn’t reached there yet. Soon, the Umbrella Corporation is targeting Alice and messing up the group’s plans.

“Resident Evil 3” is better than “2”, but not as good as the original. This time around, things seem more tame, with less blood and gore. That will upset some die hard fans. There is plenty of action though. Milla Jovovich seems to be enjoying herself as alice, and although she has said that this is the last film in the series, the ending opens up infinite possible sequels. This film is for fans of the series only.

In the Valley of Elah ***Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Jason Patric, Susan Sarandon, James Franco, Barry Corbin, Josh Brolin
Director: Paul Haggis
Running Length: 2:04
MPAA Classification: R

After returning from Iraq, soldier Mike Deerfield goes AWOL. His dad Hank (Jones), a retired officer, is given a courtesy call. Mike will be reported missing if he doesn’t return in a few days. Hank decides to head to the base and do some looking for his son. Once there, he quickly hooks up with Emily Sanders (Theron), a civilian cop. When Mike’s charred corpse is discovered, Hank must figure out who is behind the grizzly murder and what caused it to happen.

Tommy Lee Jones gives a strong performance in a movie that is above average, but not great. It cover no new ground, showing the audience that war changes people, and not for the good. Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon both give credible performances but are underused. This is Jones’s movie to carry, and while the story takes some interesting twists, the ending will have many viewers rolling their eyes as they are beat to death with symbolism. Still, “In the Valley of Elah” is better than most movies out there and worth checking out.

The Brave One ***Cast: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveeen Andrews, Mary Steenburgen, Nicky Katt
Director: Neil Jordan
Running Length: 2:02
MPAA Classification: R

New York City talk show host Erica (Foster) is on the brink of marrying David (Andrews). She is very happy. Then one night, they are attacked. David dies and Erica lives. Unfortunately, she is an emotional wreck. Just getting the courage to leave her apartment is a challenge. Once out, she buys a gun – for protection and revenge. When a few dead bodies start showing up, Detectives Mercer (Howard) and Vitale (Katt) are at a loss to what kind of a person they are dealing with. Erica’s friend ship with Mercer complicates things for her as well. As the police close in on her, Erica must decide of revenge is really worth it.

“The Brave One” is an interesting movie that doesn’t provide any easy answers. Jodie Foster gives an excellent performance as a character who is both vengeful and sympathetic. Howard and Katt are both good in supporting roles as the detectives. “The Brave One” is the type of movie to provoke a discussion on what is right, and by giving no real answer it makes itself more interesting. This is not a movie for everyone, but it is worth seeing.

3:10 to Yuma ***1/2Cast: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Peter Fonda, Ben Foster, Logan Lerman, Gretchen Mol
Director: James Mangold
Running Length: 2:00
MPAA Classification: R

Dan Evans (Bale) needs money to save his ranch. Forclosure is on the horizon, and he is short on money. Being a former sharpshooter in the Civil War makes him a good addition to the group escorting outlaw Ben Wade (Crowe) to the train station. There Wade will catch the 3:10 train to Yuma Prison, and a hanging. The journey is full of troubles, not the least of which is the fact that Wade’s gang is in pursuit, led by Charlie Prince (Foster), Prince is Wade’s right hand man, any wants nothing more than to see Wade set free.

This movie is all Crowe and Bale. They give great performances, and are the reason to see “3:10 to Yuma”. Crowe in particular bounces back and forth between charming and nasty, yet creates a character that is likeable in his own way. The supporting case, including Peter Fonda and Ben Foster solidly support the leads as well. Action-wise, there is enough to satisfy and both suspenseful and, at times, violent. The ending is satisfying and feels right, given what has gone before. I highly recommend “3:10 to Yuma”.

Balls of Fury **Cast: Dan Fogler, Christophen Walken, George Lopez, Maggie Q, James Hong
Director: Ben Garant
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG-13

After being humiliated in ping pong in the 1988 Olympics, Randy Dayton (Fogler) becomes a lounge act in Reno, showing off his skills to uninterested audiences. A government agent (Lopez) recruits Randy to go undercover at a ping pong tournament hosted by believed criminal Feng (Walken). To hone his rusty skills, they enlist the help of Wong (Hong) and his niece Maggie (Q). At the tournament, Daytona finds himself over his head in a contest that is truly sudden death.

“Balls of Fury” is an amusing, but not hilarious film. Fogler, a poor man’s Jack Black, lacks the charisma to me a lead actor. Walken, although funny and odd, does not get enough screen time. Hong is consistently funny in his scenes though, and that helps. In the end, “Balls of Fury” misfires more than not, and ends up being less than it could have been. If you must see it, wait until DVD.

Halloween **1/2Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Tyler Mane, Sheri Moon Zombie, William Forsythe, Scout Taylor-Compton, Danielle Harris
Director: Rob Zombie
Running Length: 1:49
MPAA Classification: R

Michael Myers (Faerch) is a kid destined for trouble. His mom (Zombie) and her boyfriend (Forsythe) are terrible parent figures. Pushed to the brink, he eventually snaps. One Halloween, he dons a mask and attacks a school bully. Then he heads home to kill his family. The only survivors are his mother and infant sister Laurie. Michael is committed to Smith’s Grove Sanitarium under the care of Dr. Sam Loomis (McDowell). Loomis eventually realizes he is dealing with pure evil in Michael. Fifteen years later, on Halloween, Michael (Man) escapes from the sanitarium and heads home to Haddonfield to find his sister, and finish the job he started years before.

“Halloween” does some things really well, and some things really poorly. The result is an average movie that in no way eclipses the original. The good includes Tyler Mane as the grown up Michael. Finally played by an actual actor, Michael is menacing and really scary. It’s also nice to see familiar scenes from the original. That, along with the original’s music makes the film feel close to the original at times. Unfortunately, with 45 minutes devoted to backstory that took about 10 minutes in the original, the meat of the story feels compressed and rushed. There is no building up to the final showdown. It feels like the movie is one continuous murder after the other. Lastly, the ending is terrible, without any of the creepiness of the original. Yes, it has been changed, and not for the better. Rob Zombie’s “Halloween” is an interesting take on the original, but is deeply flawed. If you want to see a great “Halloween”, go rent the original directed by John Carpenter.

Becoming Jane ***Cast: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith, Joe Anderson, Anna Maxwell Martin
Director: Julian Jarrold
Running Length: 2:00
MPAA Classification: PG

In 1796, a young Jane Austen (Hathaway) meets Tom Lefroy (McAvoy). He has no money and depends on his uncle to support him. After initial dislike, they fall in love. Jane’s mom (Walters) is not pleased, as she wants Jane to marry someone rich, like Lady Gresham’s (Smith) nephew). Jane’s father (Cromwell) wants her to follow her heart. While this relationship develops, Jane also follows her other passion: writing. And her writing will mirror her life.

“Becoming Jane” is a fictionalized account of an unknown time in h the life of Jane Austen. Much like “Shakespeare in Love” took liberties with the facts, so does “Becoming Jane”. Of course “Becoming Jane” is less successful, The acting is ok…no Oscar contenders here. Hathaway and McAvoy are engaging, but not spectacular. Jane Austen fans will enjoy the film and its references to her works. Those who enjoy love stories will also be somewhat satisfied. “Becoming Jane” isn’t for everyone, but it is worth checking

Superbad ***Cast: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Seth Rogen, Emma Stone, Martha MacIsaac, Aviva
Director: Greg Mottola
Running Length: 1:53
MPAA Classification: R

Evan (Cera) is a average shy high schooler. Seth (Hill) is loud and obnoxious. Fogell (Mintz-Plasse) is a big nerd. Together, they have a chance to impress the girls at a high school party by supplying alcohol. Evan is interested in Becca (MacIsaac), Seth likes Jules (Stone), and Fogell wants Nicola (Aviva). Of course nothing goes smoothly, and soon they are dealing with Officers Slater (Hader) and Michaels (Rogan), who aren’t very competent and want to hang with Fogell, who is going by the name McLuvin on his new fake ID.

“Superbad” is a very funny movie. The dialogue is profane and very R-rated, but clever as well. It is like an even funnier version of “American Pie”. The three leads are all believable as high schoolers on the brink of college. The camaraderie is genuine, and you can tell that they had a blast making this movie. Produced by Judd Apatow (director “Knocked Up”’) and written by Rogan and Evan Goldberg, it is clear that they know their subject matter, and know how to make it funny. Apatow and Rogan seem to be the voices of comedy these days, and “Superbad” is a prime example. I recommend this film.

Stardust ***
Cast: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sienna Miller, Peter O'Toole, Mark Strong, Jason Flemyng, Rupert Evertt
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Running Length: 2:02
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Tristan (Cox) loves Victoria (Miller). He would do anything for her, so when she asks him to retrieve a fallen star, he sets out across a magical wall and enters the realm of Stormhold. To his surprise, the star is actually a woman named Yvaine (Danes). She isn’t happy to be on the earth, and does not want to go with Tristan. He makes a deal with her to help her find a way back into the heavens if she just comes with him back to Victoria. Meanwhile, the witch Lamia (Pfeiffer) is looking for Yvaine as well. She wants to cut out the star’s heart to gain eternal life. Finally, Septimus (Strong) needs Yvaine’s necklace to claim the throne. Eventually, all will meet in a battle that will have consequences for the land of Stormhold.

“Stardust” is very much an adult fairy tale. Dark at times, and filled with adult humor, most kids will not like it. The cast, especially Danes, does an excellent job. The only two sticking points for “Stardust” are the running time (it runs 5-10 minutes longer than it needs to) and special effects (a little on the cheap looking side). But those are small quibbles for what is a thoroughly enjoyable movie. It’s not a classic, but it is done well, and for that I recommend it.

The Bourne Ultimatum ***1/2
Cast: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Joan Allen, Paddy Considine, Albert Finney
Director: Paul Greengrass
Running Length: 1:51
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Jason Bourne (Damon) is still searching for his true identity, and is once again becoming a thorn in the side of the CIA. Noah Vosen (Strathairn), head of black ops targets him for elimination, and soon he is on the run again. This time around agents Pamela Landy (Allen) and Nicky Parsons (Stiles) are on his side, offering their assistance to stop the darker aspects of the CIA as well as help him find himself.

“The Bourne Ultimatum” is an excellent action movie, and a fitting end(?) to the Bourne trilogy. The best of the three and the best threequel of the summer, “Bourne” is nonstop action with a smart story. Matt Damon falls back into Bourne’s shoes easily, and the supporting cast is once again top notch. The “Bourne” series has delivered top notch stories and action from the beginning, and it would be a shame if it didn’t continue beyond this point. This is one of the best action trilogies ever made. I highly recommend this film.

The Simpsons Movie ***1/2

Cast (voices): Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harrry Shearer, Hank Azaria
Director: David Silverman
Running Length: 1:27
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Homer’s (Castellaneta) new pet pig is producing a large amount of waste, and when Homer dumps that waste into Lake Springfield, the toxicity threatens the environment. The government decides to quarantine the city. The Simpsons are able to escape Springfield and their rioting citizens, and head to Alaska to start fresh. Soon, word reaches then that the government has far sinister plans for Springfield, and the family heads back to try to save their home.

18 years in the making, the Simpsons finally come to the big screen, and “The Simpsons Movie” does not disappoint. Written by 11 of the show’s best writers, the story is movie worthy, and not just three episodes cobbled together. Many secondary characters are present as well to please hardcore fans of the show. The animation is bigger, crisper, and brighter. They have gone out of their way to make this movie theater-worthy, and they have succeeded. Fans will not be disappointed, and non-fans will be able to follow the story. Hopefully, the next film will not take 18 years to hit theaters.