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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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