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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kung Fu Hustle **1/2

Cast: Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qui, Leung Siu Lung, Shengyi Huang
Director: Stephen Chow
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: PG-13

In Shanghai, in the 1930s, everything is controlled by the Axe Gang. Well, everything except the slums. There is no profit in the slums. Sing (Chow) wants to take advantage of this, and when he arrives at Pigsty Alley playing the role of an Axe Gang member, his performance is so bad that nobody believes him. Then some real members of the gang arrive, and Sing is in trouble. To add to that, there are some kung fu masters hiding in Pigsty Alley, and they are not too thrilled with the gang making an appearance in their little town.

I can honsetly say I have never seen a movie quite like "Kung Fu Hustle". It is a strange hybrid of a kung fu movie, a slapstick comedy, and even a little Road Runner/Looney Toones. It is really funny at times, but the humor is a bit uneven. The biggest drawback to this film is the subtitles. I prefer this to dubbing, but I think that some of the humor is lost, having to read them.

Apparently Stephen Chow is second in popularity in China only to Jackie Chan. He has yet to really make a name for himself here in America, but there definately is potential. He writes, directs, stars, and produces this movie, so this movie is definately his. If you are looking for something a little different to see, "Kung Fu Hustle" just may be the movie for you.

The Interpreter ***
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen, Yvan Attal, Earl Cameron, George Harris, Hugo Speer, Curtiss I'Cook
Director: Sydney Pollack
Running Length: 2:08
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Silvia Broome (Kidman) is an interpreter for the United Nations. Late one night, when returning to her sound booth to retrieve belongings, she overhears a plot to kill Edmond Zuwanie (Cameron), president of the fictional Africal country of Matobo when he appears at the United Nations to give a speech. Broome is originally from Matobo, and has lost the majority of her family to a landmine. When she overhears the assassination plans, she is spotted, and becomes a target for the assassins too.

Secret Service agents Tobin Keller (Penn) and Dot Woods (Keener) are called in to investigate what Silvia has to say. They are skeptical at first, but given her dislike for Zuwanie, it seems doubtful that she would make the story up. Tobin comes with some baggage himself, having recently lost his family in an accident. They begin to form a bond of sorts, and he takes on the role of her protector.

"The Interpreter" is an entertaining and timely political thriller. Zuwanie is a dictator who started out good, but became corrupted by power. He enforced a purge of his opposition, and killed many innocents in the crossfire.

Kidman and Penn give their usual excellent performances. The story is top notch, providing action, suspense, and even some thought. It is effective because it is grounded in the reality of today's world. It does not cheat or go for an overly happy ending. This is a good, solid movie and well worth checking out.

The Amityville Horror **
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Jesse James, Jimmy Bennett, Chloë Grace Moretz, Rachel Nichols, Philip Baker Hall
Director: Andrew Douglas
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: R

In 1974, in the town of Amityville, Rondald DeFeo went on a murderous rampage and killed the six other members of his family with a shotgun, shooting them as they slept. In 1975, George (Reynolds) and Kathy Lutz (George) move into the house, not knowing its history. They see a good deal on a big house. The Lutzs move into the house with their three kids, and a few days later, things start to go badly.

George's easygoing ways turn menacing. The daughter, Chelsea, makes an imaginary friend that bears the same name as the DeFeo's murdered daughter. Windows open on their own, voices can be heard, and a priest flees an exorcism attempt.

I had hopes for this movie, but found myself disappointed. There is potential, but in the end, the film does not deliver more than a typical slasher-movie bad guy with axe chase scene. The leads, Reynolds and George, are not engaging, and I never really felt for their characters.

Then, there is the "based on real events" caption. The Lutz's story is generally considered to be fiction these days, and perhaps a little more leeway should have been taken with the story. Better special effects do not make a movie better, story does. Unfortunately, "The Amityville Horror" can be added to the list of forgettable horror movies that have come out this year. And that list is growing quickly...

Fever Pitch ***
Cast: Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon
Directors: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: PG-13

After being hassled by his students on a field trip, school teacher Ben (Fallon) asks out businesswoman Lindsey (Barrymore). She turns him down, not ready for another short-term boyfriend, but then reconsiders, thinking that he se seems so different, and maybe that is what she needs. Their relationship is great for both of them as the winter passes, but come spring, Lindsey finds out that Ben has another mistress -- Red Sox baseball.

Ben is a huge Red Sox fan who attends every home game, and has forever. His fellow season ticket holders that sit around him are like family. And Lindsey begins to wonder what he like more -- the Rex Sox or her.

"Fever Pitch" is an excellent portrayal of the rabid fan. No matter the sport, there are people like Ben. The extremes of his fandom are disturbingly amusing. Add to it the "Curse" of the Red Sox coupled with their winning of the World Series, and you have all the ingredients of a solid sports/romantic comedy.

Barrymore does her usual solid job in the genre she seems destined to excel in. Fallon puts a funny face on the heavy-duty fan. The movie as a whole is enjoyable, and worth seeing. The Farrelly brothers are somewhat restrained in the directors' chairs this time around, and that was a good decision on their parts. "Fever Pitch" is a movie that can be enjoyed by all.

Sahara ***
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, Penelope Cruz, Lambert Wilson, Glynn Turman, Delroy Lindo, William H. Macy
Director: Breck Eisner
Running Length: 2:07
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt finally comes back to the big screen in the form of Matthew McConaughey. He is a treasure hunter of sorts, working for the National Underwater and Marine Agency, and aided by good friend Al Giordino (Zahn). Dirk has been looking for a lost Civil War boat -- in Africa -- for a while. His boss, Admiral Sandecker (Macy) and Al both think he is crazy, but still he presses on.

Eva Rojas (Cruz) is a doctor for the World Health Organization, looking for the source of a new plague in Africa. Pitt show up in time to save her life, and since they are working in the same area, they decide to team up. Of course, things are more than they initially seem, and soon Pitt finds himself in the position of having to save the world.

"Sahara" stretches the boundaries of believeability, but that is not the movie's fault so much as the source material's. Clive Cussler novels have a tendency for over the top story lines, but that is part of their charm -- much like James Bond movies. "Sahara" the movie is a little lighter in tone than the novel, and perhaps that is why the story seems far-fetched at times.

McConaughey and Zahn convincingly portray life long friends and adventurers, even if they would not seem like the best choice to fill Cussler's characters. Their relationship is the centerpiece of the movie, and it is very funny at times. Cruz is bland as the love interest, and adds little to the movie. Macy is his usual great self as the grumbling Sandecker. "Sahara" is a surprisingly entertaining movie. I had some worries after seeing the trailers, given that I have read all the books, but director Breck Eisner pulls it off.

Unfortunately, the chances for a sequel are slim to none despite the amount of material available from Clive Cussler. During the production of the movie, the producers and Cussler had a falling out over the direction the film was heading and there are lawsuits pending. My recommendation is to enjoy this Dirk Pitt adventure, because it might be the last for a while.

Sin City ***1/2
Cast: Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Jamie King, Brittany Murphy, Benicio Del Toro, Nick Stahl, Elijah Wood, Michael Clarke Duncan
Directors: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino ("special guest director")
Running Length: 2:03
MPAA Classification: R

Hartigan (Willis) is a cop who is on his last case, saving a young girl from the a seriel rapist (Stahl). Marv (Rourke), after finding love in the arms of Goldie (King), wakes up to find her dead. Dwight (Owen) is helping the hookers of Old Town cover up the accidental murder of Rafferty (Del Toro), and preserve the uneasy peace. All three are residents of crime-ridden Sin City.

"Sin City" is the most stylish movie to hit theaters since "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow". "Sin City", however, has much more to offer. Stylish and comic book-y, directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller deliver a film that feels live a graphic novel come to life. Shot in black and white with some reds and yellows thrown in, "Sin City" engages the eyes as well as the mind.

Willis, Rourke, and Owen are the stars in this ensemble cast. Each embodies their characters and drives their respective stories. The standout of the three though, is Rourke. From under a large amount of makeup, Marv's story is the emotional core of the movie. His desire for revenge against the people who took the only good thing in his life away from him is the best of the stories.

"Sin City" is really an amazing piece of work. I hope that more "Sin City" stories make the jump to the big screen, but only under Rodriguez's guidance. One can't halp but feel that he really gets the source material, and has a passion for it. I highly recommend "Sin City".

Hostage ***
Cast: Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, Jonathan Tucker, Ben Foster, Jimmy Bennett, Michelle Horn, Marshall Allman, Serena Scott Thomas, Rumer Willis
Director: Florent Siri
Running Length: 1:53
MPAA Classification: R

Jeff Talley (Willis) is the chief of police in Bristo Counta, a small town in Ventura County, California. He used to be a hostage negotiator in the LAPD, but after a disasterous negotiation that led to the deaths of two people, he fled the big city. Now, nothing much happens, and Talley is content. On the perosnal front, his wife and daughter do not like the new JEff or his lifestyle.
When an accountant (Pollack) and his son and daughter are taken hostage after a botched robbery attempt, Talley must get the situation under control until those higher in the chain of command arrive. Once they do, he heads out, grateful to be out of the situation. Talley quickly finds out that there is more going on than meets the eye, and is forcefully thrown back into the midst of things with added incentive to resolve the situation.

With the kids working against the hostages on the inside, and Talley working against them from the outside, things quickly spiral out of control, and it soon looks like another crisis will befall Talley.

I went into "Hostage" knowing very little about it (a rare thing), and was pleasantly surprised. While there are some leaps of logic that you must accept, once you do, you are in for a wild ride. Suspenseful and more layered than it might seem at first, "Hostage" is a really entertaining movie. None of the performances are terribly outstanding, but everyone does a decent job bringing the characters to life. There is enough action and suspence to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. "Hostage" was an unexpected surprise in the doldrums of the early-year movies.

The Ring Two **1/2
Cast: Naomi Watts, Simon Baker, David Dorfman, Elizabeth Perkins, Gary Cole, Sissy Spacek
Director: Hideo Nakata
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: PG-13

It has benn a little while since the events of "The Ring", and since then, Rachel (Watts) and Aidan (Dorfman) have made a new home in Oregon and are trying to forget Samara and the nightmare she made of their lives. When a teenager in town dies, Rachel discovers a mysterious tape in the deceased's VCR. She promptly destroys it, but Samara has found her. Soon, she is showing up on Rachel's TV without a videotape, and she has her eyes on Aidan. Rachel must find a way to stop Samara once again, and we all know that something is wrong when Aidan calls Rachel "mommy".

"The Ring Two" is directed by Hideo Nakata, director of the Japanese versions "Ringu" and "Ringu 2", but while "The Ring" was a remake of "Ringu", "The Ring Two" is an original story that branches the mythology out into new areas. That being said, "The Ring Two", while offering some creepy moments, falls just short of the original. Dorfman does a great job as the possessed Aidan, and Watts does another respectable turn in the role that increased her popularity. Sissy Spacek provides a disturbing appearance as a lady that may or may not have the solution to Rachel and Aidan's problems.

"The Ring Two" is probably the best of the horror movies that are currently in theaters, even if it does not live up to the original. Those looking for some scares will find what they are looking for here, and unlike some other horror movie of late, the PG-13 rating does not hurt it.

Robots ***1/2
Cast (voices): Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Jim Broadbent, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest
Directors: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Rodney Copperbottom (McGregor) is a old-model robot with dreams of inventing. He sets out to the big city of Robot City to find Bigweld (Brooks), an inventor who is always looking for new ideas. When Rodney gets there though, he finds Bigweld nowhere to be found. Instead Phineas T. Rachet (Kinnear) is in charge, with the help of his mother Madame Gasket (Broadbent) who is really pulling the strings. Their plan is to get rid of the outmodes and make everyone into "upgrades" that are all shiny new and resemble Rachet. It seems that even in the robot world, greed is a problem. Rodney sets out with some new friends to find Bigweld, and make things right.

This is a great looking movie. Children and adults will be drawn into the robot world. Full of gadgets and bright colors, there is always something to catch your eye in every frame of film. The public transportation is a wild and crazy Rube Goldman-esque ride through the city that is fun to watch. The voices behind the robots are all solid with Robin Williams being the only standout as Rodney's friend, Fender. You can't help but wonder how much of what he says is scripted and how much was just ad libbed.

"Robots" is good family fun for all. With the adult humor that has become standard for animated features in recent years, adults will not be bored. The ideas of following your dreams and being yourself are nothing new, but they are presented well. Fox has also showed that they can make animated movies as well as Pixar and DreamWorks, which can only lead to higher and higher levels of movie making in the future. I highly recommend "Robots".

Robots ***1/2
Cast (voices): Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Jim Broadbent, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest
Directors: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Rodney Copperbottom (McGregor) is a old-model robot with dreams of inventing. He sets out to the big city of Robot City to find Bigweld (Brooks), an inventor who is always looking for new ideas. When Rodney gets there though, he finds Bigweld nowhere to be found. Instead Phineas T. Rachet (Kinnear) is in charge, with the help of his mother Madame Gasket (Broadbent) who is really pulling the strings. Their plan is to get rid of the outmodes and make everyone into "upgrades" that are all shiny new and resemble Rachet. It seems that even in the robot world, greed is a problem. Rodney sets out with some new friends to find Bigweld, and make things right.

This is a great looking movie. Children and adults will be drawn into the robot world. Full of gadgets and bright colors, there is always something to catch your eye in every frame of film. The public transportation is a wild and crazy Rube Goldman-esque ride through the city that is fun to watch. The voices behind the robots are all solid with Robin Williams being the only standout as Rodney's friend, Fender. You can't help but wonder how much of what he says is scripted and how much was just ad libbed.

"Robots" is good family fun for all. With the adult humor that has become standard for animated features in recent years, adults will not be bored. The ideas of following your dreams and being yourself are nothing new, but they are presented well. Fox has also showed that they can make animated movies as well as Pixar and DreamWorks, which can only lead to higher and higher levels of movie making in the future. I highly recommend "Robots".

Robots ***1/2
Cast (voices): Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Jim Broadbent, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest
Directors: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Rodney Copperbottom (McGregor) is a old-model robot with dreams of inventing. He sets out to the big city of Robot City to find Bigweld (Brooks), an inventor who is always looking for new ideas. When Rodney gets there though, he finds Bigweld nowhere to be found. Instead Phineas T. Rachet (Kinnear) is in charge, with the help of his mother Madame Gasket (Broadbent) who is really pulling the strings. Their plan is to get rid of the outmodes and make everyone into "upgrades" that are all shiny new and resemble Rachet. It seems that even in the robot world, greed is a problem. Rodney sets out with some new friends to find Bigweld, and make things right.

This is a great looking movie. Children and adults will be drawn into the robot world. Full of gadgets and bright colors, there is always something to catch your eye in every frame of film. The public transportation is a wild and crazy Rube Goldman-esque ride through the city that is fun to watch. The voices behind the robots are all solid with Robin Williams being the only standout as Rodney's friend, Fender. You can't help but wonder how much of what he says is scripted and how much was just ad libbed.

"Robots" is good family fun for all. With the adult humor that has become standard for animated features in recent years, adults will not be bored. The ideas of following your dreams and being yourself are nothing new, but they are presented well. Fox has also showed that they can make animated movies as well as Pixar and DreamWorks, which can only lead to higher and higher levels of movie making in the future. I highly recommend "Robots".

Robots ***1/2
Cast (voices): Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Jim Broadbent, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest
Directors: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Rodney Copperbottom (McGregor) is a old-model robot with dreams of inventing. He sets out to the big city of Robot City to find Bigweld (Brooks), an inventor who is always looking for new ideas. When Rodney gets there though, he finds Bigweld nowhere to be found. Instead Phineas T. Rachet (Kinnear) is in charge, with the help of his mother Madame Gasket (Broadbent) who is really pulling the strings. Their plan is to get rid of the outmodes and make everyone into "upgrades" that are all shiny new and resemble Rachet. It seems that even in the robot world, greed is a problem. Rodney sets out with some new friends to find Bigweld, and make things right.

This is a great looking movie. Children and adults will be drawn into the robot world. Full of gadgets and bright colors, there is always something to catch your eye in every frame of film. The public transportation is a wild and crazy Rube Goldman-esque ride through the city that is fun to watch. The voices behind the robots are all solid with Robin Williams being the only standout as Rodney's friend, Fender. You can't help but wonder how much of what he says is scripted and how much was just ad libbed.

"Robots" is good family fun for all. With the adult humor that has become standard for animated features in recent years, adults will not be bored. The ideas of following your dreams and being yourself are nothing new, but they are presented well. Fox has also showed that they can make animated movies as well as Pixar and DreamWorks, which can only lead to higher and higher levels of movie making in the future. I highly recommend "Robots".

Robots ***1/2
Cast (voices): Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Jim Broadbent, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest
Directors: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Rodney Copperbottom (McGregor) is a old-model robot with dreams of inventing. He sets out to the big city of Robot City to find Bigweld (Brooks), an inventor who is always looking for new ideas. When Rodney gets there though, he finds Bigweld nowhere to be found. Instead Phineas T. Rachet (Kinnear) is in charge, with the help of his mother Madame Gasket (Broadbent) who is really pulling the strings. Their plan is to get rid of the outmodes and make everyone into "upgrades" that are all shiny new and resemble Rachet. It seems that even in the robot world, greed is a problem. Rodney sets out with some new friends to find Bigweld, and make things right.

This is a great looking movie. Children and adults will be drawn into the robot world. Full of gadgets and bright colors, there is always something to catch your eye in every frame of film. The public transportation is a wild and crazy Rube Goldman-esque ride through the city that is fun to watch. The voices behind the robots are all solid with Robin Williams being the only standout as Rodney's friend, Fender. You can't help but wonder how much of what he says is scripted and how much was just ad libbed.

"Robots" is good family fun for all. With the adult humor that has become standard for animated features in recent years, adults will not be bored. The ideas of following your dreams and being yourself are nothing new, but they are presented well. Fox has also showed that they can make animated movies as well as Pixar and DreamWorks, which can only lead to higher and higher levels of movie making in the future. I highly recommend "Robots".

Robots ***1/2
Cast (voices): Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Jim Broadbent, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest
Directors: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Rodney Copperbottom (McGregor) is a old-model robot with dreams of inventing. He sets out to the big city of Robot City to find Bigweld (Brooks), an inventor who is always looking for new ideas. When Rodney gets there though, he finds Bigweld nowhere to be found. Instead Phineas T. Rachet (Kinnear) is in charge, with the help of his mother Madame Gasket (Broadbent) who is really pulling the strings. Their plan is to get rid of the outmodes and make everyone into "upgrades" that are all shiny new and resemble Rachet. It seems that even in the robot world, greed is a problem. Rodney sets out with some new friends to find Bigweld, and make things right.

This is a great looking movie. Children and adults will be drawn into the robot world. Full of gadgets and bright colors, there is always something to catch your eye in every frame of film. The public transportation is a wild and crazy Rube Goldman-esque ride through the city that is fun to watch. The voices behind the robots are all solid with Robin Williams being the only standout as Rodney's friend, Fender. You can't help but wonder how much of what he says is scripted and how much was just ad libbed.

"Robots" is good family fun for all. With the adult humor that has become standard for animated features in recent years, adults will not be bored. The ideas of following your dreams and being yourself are nothing new, but they are presented well. Fox has also showed that they can make animated movies as well as Pixar and DreamWorks, which can only lead to higher and higher levels of movie making in the future. I highly recommend "Robots".

Robots ***1/2
Cast (voices): Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks, Jim Broadbent, Amanda Bynes, Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest
Directors: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Rodney Copperbottom (McGregor) is a old-model robot with dreams of inventing. He sets out to the big city of Robot City to find Bigweld (Brooks), an inventor who is always looking for new ideas. When Rodney gets there though, he finds Bigweld nowhere to be found. Instead Phineas T. Rachet (Kinnear) is in charge, with the help of his mother Madame Gasket (Broadbent) who is really pulling the strings. Their plan is to get rid of the outmodes and make everyone into "upgrades" that are all shiny new and resemble Rachet. It seems that even in the robot world, greed is a problem. Rodney sets out with some new friends to find Bigweld, and make things right.

This is a great looking movie. Children and adults will be drawn into the robot world. Full of gadgets and bright colors, there is always something to catch your eye in every frame of film. The public transportation is a wild and crazy Rube Goldman-esque ride through the city that is fun to watch. The voices behind the robots are all solid with Robin Williams being the only standout as Rodney's friend, Fender. You can't help but wonder how much of what he says is scripted and how much was just ad libbed.

"Robots" is good family fun for all. With the adult humor that has become standard for animated features in recent years, adults will not be bored. The ideas of following your dreams and being yourself are nothing new, but they are presented well. Fox has also showed that they can make animated movies as well as Pixar and DreamWorks, which can only lead to higher and higher levels of movie making in the future. I highly recommend "Robots".

Be Cool **1/2
Cast: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn, Cedric the Entertainer, André Benjamin, Christina Milian, Robert Pastorelli, Harvey Keitel, The Rock, Steven Tyler
Director: F. Gary Gray
Running Length: 1:58
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Chili Palmer (Travolta) is back in this sequel to 1995's "Get Shorty". Since making it big in the movie business, he has grown tired of the cinema, and is thinking of geeting into the music business. After spotting the talented Linda Moon (Milian), he relieves her of her current deal with Nick Carr (Keitel), and uses his friendship with the owner of a recording company, Edie Athens (Thurman) to get Moon going on the path to stardom. Chili faces two problems though, Carr really does not want to let Moon go and hires a hit man to clear up the situation, and Athens owes Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer) $300,000, which she does not have. What follows is a series of double-crosses that get to be just a bit too over the top.

I really wanted to like "Be Cool", and to some extent I did. "Get Shorty" was a great movie, and a sequel was inevitable, especially once Elmore Leonard wrote the sequel novel. The problem this time around is that the talent of the large cast is less than the sum of its parts. "Get Shorty" had four leads, and they were all on top of their game. "Be Cool" has arguably nine leads, and more does not mean better. Sure, Cedric the Entertainer and The Rock are the standouts of the group, but Travolta's Chili is just a bit too cool. We never really believe that he is in any danger. Thurman's casting is just a stunt to get her and Travolta dancing to recreate their famous "Pulp Fiction" scene. Vaughn is amusing as the white guy who thinks he is black, but that grows tiresome by the time the movie is half over.

All in all, "Be Cool" is not a bad movie, but it is not as good as it could be, and never lives up to the standard set by its predecessor. I would recommend it, but wait for DVD.

The Jacket ***
Cast: Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Kris Kristofferson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Daniel Craig, Kelly Lynch
Director: John Maybury
Running Length: 1:42
MPAA Classification: R

During the Gulf War, in 1991, Jack Starks (Brody) gets unexpectantly shot in the head by a child, and left for dead. Doctors soon see is alive and treat him. A year later, he is home, and physically healed. Mentally, he is not quite 100%. While wandering down a country road, he helps a little girl and her mom, and then hitchhikes a ride from another driver who gets him involved in a shooting. Once again he is injured, and soon finds himself in the Alpine Grove Psychiatric Hospital for the criminally insane.

There, Dr. Becker (Kristofferson) begins unorthidox experiments on him. Dr. Becker puts him in a straightjacket, drugs him, and throws him into a morgue drawer. "You can't break something that is already broken." In the drawer, he travels 15 years into the future and meets up with Jackie (Knightley), the girl he helped on the roadside. She begins to help him solve a mystery about his future and perhaps even her own.

Adrien Brody is good as the tormented Gulf War vet trying to figure out exactly what is happening to him. Keira Knightley also gives a good performance as the woman tormented by her past. "The Jacket" is a pleasantly bizarre and thought provoking movie. It providw no definite answers, and encourages the viewer to come to their own conclusions. That is a rarity in movies these days, and what director John Maybury has done is refreshing. This is not a perfect movie, but it is a very good one.

The Jacket ***
Cast: Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Kris Kristofferson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Daniel Craig, Kelly Lynch
Director: John Maybury
Running Length: 1:42
MPAA Classification: R

During the Gulf War, in 1991, Jack Starks (Brody) gets unexpectantly shot in the head by a child, and left for dead. Doctors soon see is alive and treat him. A year later, he is home, and physically healed. Mentally, he is not quite 100%. While wandering down a country road, he helps a little girl and her mom, and then hitchhikes a ride from another driver who gets him involved in a shooting. Once again he is injured, and soon finds himself in the Alpine Grove Psychiatric Hospital for the criminally insane.

There, Dr. Becker (Kristofferson) begins unorthidox experiments on him. Dr. Becker puts him in a straightjacket, drugs him, and throws him into a morgue drawer. "You can't break something that is already broken." In the drawer, he travels 15 years into the future and meets up with Jackie (Knightley), the girl he helped on the roadside. She begins to help him solve a mystery about his future and perhaps even her own.

Adrien Brody is good as the tormented Gulf War vet trying to figure out exactly what is happening to him. Keira Knightley also gives a good performance as the woman tormented by her past. "The Jacket" is a pleasantly bizarre and thought provoking movie. It providw no definite answers, and encourages the viewer to come to their own conclusions. That is a rarity in movies these days, and what director John Maybury has done is refreshing. This is not a perfect movie, but it is a very good one.

Boogeyman *1/2
Cast: Barry Watson, Emily Deschanel, Skye McCole Bartusiak, Lucy Lawless, Tory Mussett
Director: Stephen T. Kay
Running Length: 1:26
MPAA Classification: PG-13

When Tim Jensen (Watson) returns home after his mother's death, he has more to deal with than just funeral arrangements. When he was a child, his father disappeared. He knows it was the boogeyman that took him, dragging him into Tim's closet. People who know him feel that his father just pounded the boogeyman story into his head so much that it was Tim's way of dealing with his father's disappearance.

Now, having returned to his childhood home, he is still dealing with the childhood fear of the boogeyman, and when strange things start to happen in the old house, Tim decides to find out some answers once and for all. With the help of childhood friend Kate (Deschanel), he looks for the solution to this fear from his childhood.

The best thing I can really say about this movie is that it is a horror movie that works well with its PG-13 rating, unlike recent horror movies. It completely suits the story, and nothing feels "removed" to get the lower rating. The story is somewhat interesting, but could have been handled better by a more experienced director. There are some "jump" moments, and some non-linear story movement that work about as well as can be expected in a movie of this quality. The actors are nothing special. With no big names in the movie, one would at least hope for a surprise stand out performance, but there are none. This is B-movie all the way, and if that kind of horror movie suits you, then check it out. If not, then steer clear.

Cursed *1/2
Cast: Christina Ricci, Jesse Eisenberg, Joshua Jackson, Milo Ventimiglia, Judy Greer, Portia de Rossi, Shannon Elizabeth, Mya
Director: Wes Craven
Running Length: 1:26
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Siblings Ellie (Ricci) and Jimmy (Eisenberg) are hit a big furry something while driving and end up in an even bigger accident, rammin another car and sending it off the road and down a hillside. While trying to save the driver of that car, they are both bitten by a wolf. Jimmy comes to believe it is a warewolf, while Ellie harbors doubts. Soon, supernatural powers begin to present themselves. Jimmy likes what they do for him, Ellie becomes worried. Soon, they are searching for the "wolf" that bit them in an attempt to end the curse.

There are a number of things hurt this movie. The first is the cast. A virtual who's who of young Hollywood, the case of "Cursed" exists only to draw in teens to the theater. The only real quality actor name-wise in this movie is Christina Ricci, the lead. Unfortunately, her performance shows none of the quality that she has produced before. She seems like she is on auto pilot. Scott Baio, of all people, gets credit for playing a disperaging version of himself, and showing that he can take a joke at his own expense.

Director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson have distanced themselves from the movie. They made the "Scream" franchise work, and revived interest in horror movies, and for some reason the studio decided that they wanted a PG-13 rating. The studio forced the cuts without Craven and Williamson's input, and it shows. The choppy editing of the kills and obvious desire not to show too much are painfully obvious.

Finally, the PG-13 rating will be the death of horror movies as we have known them. Why any studio would trim a horror movie that was filmed for an R rating down to a PG-13 is beyond me. Why they would do this to a Wes Craven moven movie is even more puzzling. This is a clear case of trying to get teens into the theaters, and it is insulting to any fan of the horror genre.

That being said, this movie would still have been bad with the gore. It just does not work on so many levels that a little blood and guts would make absolutely no difference. This movie was a disappointing experience that I would not recommend partaking in.

OSCAR WINNERS 2005
Hey...I picked all the winners. Not too bad!

Picture:
Million Dollar Baby

Director:
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby

Actor:
Jamie Foxx, Ray

Actress:
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby

Supporting Actor:
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby

Supporting Actress:
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Sideways

Writing (Original Screenplay):
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Animated Feature Film:
The Incredibles

Constantine **1/2
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LeBeouf, Djimon Hounsou, Max Baker, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Gavin Rossdale, Tilda Swinton, Peter Stormare
Director: Francis Lawrence
Running Length: 1:57
MPAA Classification: R

Yet another comic book movie graces the big screen in the adaptation of DC Comics's "Constantine". John Constantine (Reeves) is cursed with the ability to see angels and demons in the world around us. And they are everywhere. As a child, he tried to kill himself rather than deal with what he saw. He was unsuccessful, and now he is trying to atone for his suicide and win God's favor so that he may enter heaven upon his death. Constantine does not really have faith though, and he finds himself tormented to one degree or another by the angel Gabriel (Swinton) and the demon Balthazar (Rossdale). Oh yeah, and he has terminal lung cancer. If that is not enough of a downer, Satan's son is trying to enter the "real world" and mess everything up. With the help of Angela Dodson (Weisz), a Los Angeles cop, he just might be able to stop him, but it will not be easy.

Keanu Reeves is still in "Matrix" mode, and Constantine is not too different from Neo, the character he played three times. Unfortunately, that character is growing tiresome. Reeves definately needs a more upbeat movie to work on next. Swinton does a good job as the androgenyous angel Gabriel, helping and tormenting poor Constantine at the same time. The real scene stealer is Peter Stormare as Satan himself. Played with creepy glee, one wishes that he had more screen time. "Constantine" also does not feel like it is playing fair at times, bending the rules that it has set up for the supernatural forces. My suggestion is to wait for the DVD.

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Picture:
The Aviator -- Will be a disappointing night for Martin Scorsese and company.
Finding Neverland -- Just does not have what it takes to win.
Million Dollar Baby -- SHOULD WIN and WILL WIN The most solid choice of all the candidates.
Ray -- Not a chance, this is riding on the coat tails of Jamie Foxx's performance.
Sideways -- Could be a surprise, and if so I would not be disappointed.

Hitch ***
Cast: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valletta, Julie Ann Emery
Director: Andy Tennant
Running Length: 1:56
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Smith) is the date doctor. Having problems getting the girl you want? Call Hitch. He will show you just what you need to do to win her over, and tell you what mistakes to avoid. He knows all this from observation. He has seen what works, and wants to share his knowledge. On the down side, his own love life is sorely lacking. Enter Sara, a gossip writer who catches Hitch's eye. They go on a series of disasterous dates in which Hitch can do nothing right, but somehow a connection is made. Of course, Sara is following a lead on the mythical date doctor, and you know that sooner or later, Hitch's secret will be revealed.

Will Smith does a good job in his first romantic comedy, showing the screen presence that movie-goers have come to expect. Kevin James steals almost every scene that he is in as the unlucky in love Albert. They are the reasons that this movie works, and is very funny at times. The story itself is predictable (as most romantic comedies are), but weaves a number of stories into an ending where everything comes together. "Hitch" is a good date movie, and a funnier than average film.

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Director:
Martin Scorsese, The Aviator -- He will be passed over again this year.
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby -- SHOULD WIN and WILL WIN
Taylor Hackford, Ray -- Jamie Foxx's performance is better than the movie.
Alexander Payne, Sideways -- This is not his year, but he will win eventually.
Mike Leigh, Vera Drake -- DID NOT SEE

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Actor:
Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda -- SHOULD WIN The breakout performance of an actor that has been great for a long time now. This performance will open him up yo so much more in the future.
Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland -- Solid job as always, but nothing extraordinary. He will win eventually, but not this year.
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator -- A good job, I find him to be highly overrated.
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby -- Another great performance, Clint could surprise everyone and pull out a win here.
Jamie Foxx, Ray -- WILL WIN Big buzz, this seems to be the only category that is a "lock".

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Actress:
Annette Bening, Being Julia -- DID NOT SEE
Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace -- DID NOT SEE
Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake -- DID NOT SEE
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby -- SHOULD WIN and WILL WIN Gives an amazing performance as a girl who realizes her dream. Powerful and moving.
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -- Surprise nomination, but this came out too long ago for her to have a chance.

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Supporting actor: Could be a close race.
Alan Alda, The Aviator -- Surprisingly good performance in a role that would not appear to be much at first.
Jamie Foxx, Collateral -- His performance in Ray is getting the bigger buzz.
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby -- SHOULD WIN and WILL WIN Great performance by an actor that has been around for a long time and has never won.
Thomas Haden Church, Sideways -- Great performance, but will lose out to the veteran.
Clive Owen, Closer -- DID NOT SEE

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Supporting Actress:
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator -- WILL WIN Good impersination, but that's it.
Laura Linney, Kinsey -- DID NOT SEE
Virginia Madsen, Sideways -- SHOULD WIN Great performance.
Sophie Okonedo, Hotel Rwanda -- This was Don Cheadle's movie.
Natalie Portman, Closer -- DID NOT SEE

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Very close category, with all nominees worthy.
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, Before Sunset -- DID NOT SEE
David Magee, Finding Neverland -- Original take on the writing of "Peter Pan", but will be overshadowed by the other nominees.
Paul Haggis, Million Dollar Baby -- I would not be surprised if this wins, but it was the actiong that made this movie work. The screenplay is a tad manipulative.
Jose Rivera, The Motorcycle Diaries -- DID NOT SEE
Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Sideways -- SHOULD WIN and WILL WIN Great story of midlife crises and finding ones self.

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Writing (Original Screenplay):
John Logan, The Aviator -- Covers a couple decades in Howard Hughes' life, but nothing too special.
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -- SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN A truly original and thought provoking story.
Brad Bird, The Incredibles -- An interesting take on the superhero genre.
Mike Leigh, Vera Drake -- DID NOT SEE

OSCAR PREDICTION:
Animated Feature Film: A weak category this year.
The Incredibles -- SHOULD WIN and WILL WIN The best of the nominations by a long shot, and has already won an bunch of animation awards.
Shark Tale -- The only other real competition, but we have seen this before (and will again).
Shrek 2 -- The nomination itself was a gift. This movie does not deserve a nomination and has absolutely no chance of winning.

The Wedding Date **
Cast: Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, Amy Adams, Jack Davenport, Sarah Parish, Jeremy Sheffield, Peter Egan, Holland Taylor
Director: Clare Kilner
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Kat (Messing) does not want to go alone to her sister's wedding. So, she hires an escort named Nick (Mulroney) for $6,000. Soon, they are off to England for the ceremony. She hasn't seen her family in a while, and only gets along with her stepfather (Egan). Oh yeah, and her ex-fiancee (Sheffield) is the best man. She wants to make him jealous, but soon sparks begin to fly between her and Nick.

"The Wedding Date" is a romantic comedy with no originality. One could argue that the genre itself has no originality, but this movie feels cobbled together from scenes from romantic comedies past. I hated "Pretty Woman", and there are enough similarities in "The Wedding Date" to make me cringe. The leads, Messing and Mulroney, do the best with what they have, and there are some laughs, but unless you really like romantic comedies, this movie is not for you.

Hide and Seek **
Cast: Robert De Niro, Dakota Fanning, Famke Janssen, Elisabeth Shue, Amy Irving, Dylan Baker
Director: John Polson
Running Length: 1:42
MPAA Classification: R

After his wife kills herself, psychologist David Callaway (DeNiro) and his only daughter Emily (Fanning) move to a secluded house to start fresh. The death of her mother has affected Emily, and her father finds her very withdrawn and not herself. She lashes out at David's female friend Elizabeth (Shue), detailing her mother's suicide in an attempt to scare her off. The only happiness she finds is from her new imaginary friend, Charlie. But Charlie is not the nice sort of imaginary friend. He writes accusations on the bathroom walls for David to find, and kills the family cat. David refuses to hospitalize Emily for her imaginary friend's actions, hoping that things will get better on their own. But they don't, and Charlie becomes a force that must be reckoned with.

"Hide and Seek" is a movie that desperately wants to be better than it is, but director John Polson is no master cratsman, and the big reveal, when it comes, is not really a surprise. In addition, all the goodwill built up in the first 2/3 of the movie evaporates quickly as "Hide and Seek" degenerates into standard horror movie cliches. The time between revelation and end of the movie is too great to maintain the tension, and the second twist leaves you shaking your head.

Forget DeNiro, Dakota Fanning is the star of this movie, and the best reason to go see it. It is hard to believe that so young an actress can carry an entire movie, but carry it she does. Any faults are the script's and director's. Fanning is convincing as the girl who is haunted by her mother's death and an unstable imaginary friend. She deserves more than the final product delivers.

Million Dollar Baby ****
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman
Director: Clint Eastwood
Running Length: 2:17
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) has a dream to be a professional boxer. She seeks out gym owner Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) to be her trainer. He quickly turns her down because he doesn't train girls and she is too old anyway. Of course, Maggie is determined, and with the help of Frankie's long-time friend Eddie Dupris (Freeman), she is able to win him over in a weak moment. Soon, with Frankie's training, Maggie finds herself winning match after match.

A strong father-daughter relationship develops between the two. Maggie's dad is dead, and Frankie's daughter will not speak to him. The relationship is a second chance for both, and is the emotional core of the movie.

Clint Eastwood has crafted yet another fine movie with "Million Dollar Baby". There is more to it than a first glance would lead you to believe, and even if it is manipulative at times, it is done so well that it is not a detriment. The trio of actors that are the core of the movie are amazing both alone and together. The ease with wich Eastwood, Swank, and Freeman interact is so real that you will feel drawn to them, faults and all. This is a great boxing movie, perhaps the best since the original "Rocky", but "Million Dollar Baby" is about more than just boxing. To share more than this would be to spoil a movie that deserves a fresh viewing, but let's just say that the final act of the movie has another focus that is thought provoking.

This is a movie that will give you something to think about and debate for long after you leave the theater. "Million Dollar Baby" is more than the sum of its parts, and is well deserving of the Oscar nominations that have been heaped on it.

The Phantom of the Opera **1/2
Cast: Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson, Miranda Richardson, Minnie Driver, Ciaran Hinds, Simon Callow
Director: Joel Schumacher
Running Length: 2:23
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Andrew Lloyd Webber's immensely popular musical is finally given the movie treatment, and to moderate success. Christine (Rossum) it taking singing lessons from the Phantom (Butler) at the opera house where she is a performer. She is still learning, but when the Phantom is done with her, she will be ready for the big time. The Phantom, when not teaching Christine, lurks around and beneath the Opera House, hiding his scarred face. He loves Christine, but fears her rejection.

With the arrival of Raoul (Wilson), a childhood sweetheart of Christine, the Phanton finds that he has waited too long, and Christine's heart has already been taken. The jealous Phantom of the Opera then decides to take revenge.

Let me say that I am not a huge fan of musicals. I have a problem with people spontaneously bursting into song, and that somewhat colors my review. I found "Moulin Rouge" and to a lesser degree "Chicago", the two most recent cinematic forays into the musical, to be superior, especially in terms of songs. Nothing stands out to me as being remarkable in "Phantom", although I do thing the actors try their hardest.

Emily Rossum is the standout in this otherwise unknown cast. I cannot help but think that a few bigger names might have helped things along somewhat. Joel Schumacher, the man responsible for the downfall of the "Batman" franchise, crafts a beautiful looking movie. It looks so good that I wanted to like the movie more than I did.

Acknowledging that this is probably a better movie than I think, here is my qualified review: if you like the stage version of this, or musicals in general, you will enjoy "Phanton" quite a bit. If you do not care for musicals, stay away. Simple as that.

In Good Company ***
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson, Marg Helgenberger, David Paymer, Clark Gregg, Philip Baker Hall, Zena Grey, Malcolm McDowell
Director: Paul Weitz
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Dan Foreman (Quaid) is the Sales Director at Sports America magazine. He is a very good salesman who has built relationships with his customers. When Sports America is taken over by Worldcom, Dan (and his co-workers) find their world turned on end. Dan finds himself demoted to "wingman" for the new boss, Carter Duryea (Grace). 26-year old Carter is not a salesman, but he has had success in the business world. He is in over his head, and must rely on Dan's assistance if he wants any chance to succeed.

After seizing an opportunity to come over for dinner at Dan's house, Carter is amazed by the nice life that Dan has put together for himself. Coming off of a failed marriage, Carter longs for what Dan has, and soon finds himself dating Dan's daughter Alex (Johannson) behind Dan's back.

"In Good Company" is a movie about relationships and the business world. The interaction between Quaid and Grace and Grace and Johannson feels genuine, and that is the main reason that this movie works. There is nothing too original here story-wise, sometimes grasping at long-time plot devices, but it is the start interaction with each other that makes this movie stand out. Dennis Quaid gets to be the likeable guy that most see him as in real life, and Topher Grace gets a chance to shine on the big screen as the good-hearted young man that he seems to be in real life.

And, while this movie does rely on formula to some extent, director Paul Weitz is gutsy enough to not give any of the characters a clear answer to their problems. It feels real, and that is why "In Good Company" succeeds.

Oscar Nominations 2005

The 77th annual Oscar nominations were announced Tuesday in Beverly Hills, Calif., by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:

Picture:
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways

Director:
Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
Taylor Hackford, Ray
Alexander Payne, Sideways
Mike Leigh, Vera Drake

Actor:
Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda
Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
Jamie Foxx, Ray

Actress:
Annette Bening, Being Julia
Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace
Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Supporting actor:
Alan Alda, The Aviator
Jamie Foxx, Collateral
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Clive Owen, Closer

Supporting Actress:
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator
Laura Linney, Kinsey
Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Sophie Okonedo, Hotel Rwanda
Natalie Portman, Closer

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, Before Sunset
David Magee, Finding Neverland
Paul Haggis, Million Dollar Baby
Jose Rivera, The Motorcycle Diaries
Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Sideways

Writing (Original Screenplay):
John Logan, The Aviator
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Brad Bird, The Incredibles
Mike Leigh, Vera Drake

Animated Feature Film:
The Incredibles
Shark Tale
Shrek 2

Hotel Rwanda ****
Cast: Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix
Director: Terry George
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

The country of Rwanda was having some serious problems in 1994. The members of the Tutsi tribe in the country were being killed by the Hutu tribe. In fact, it was more of a massacre (the death toll was around a million), and the world looked on and did nothing.

One man did though. His name was Paul Rusesabagina (Cheadle). Paul was a hotel manager, of all things. He sheltered 1,200 member of the Tutsi tribe in his hotel, despite being a member of the Hutu tribe. His tribal status, along with knowing how to buy off the right people and manipulate hotel registries is what allowed him to do this good deed. His main focus was his family, as his wife was Tutsi, and his kids mixed. But he quickly came to realize that he could make a difference, even if it was small, in this awful conflict. Calling in favors, Rusesabagina was able to get these refugees to safety with the help of the United Nations.

Don Cheadle has been giving solid performances in smaller roles for years now, establishing himself as a great actor. "Hotel Rwanda" is his chance to really break through. And break trough he does. The excellence of this movie is because of him. He brings tru humanity to a man who does not want to be in the position that he is in. His struggle to help more than his family is difficult, and Cheadle conveys the difficulty with the grace of a great actor. He should be nominated for an Oscar, and if he is not, it would be a great shame.

The movie as a whole is disturbing. The lack of assistance from the global community baffles the mind. And the fact that one man could take his "safe" life in his own hands to save as many as he could is inspiring. "Hotel Rwanda" is about the choices we make as individuals and as countries to do what is right. This is an excellent film that should be seen by all. It will not be necessarily enjoyed, but it should be experienced.

The Aviator ***1/2
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, John C. Reilly, Kate Beckinsale, Adam Scott, Alec Baldwin, Ian Holm, Alan Alda
Director: Martin Scorsese
Running Length: 2:48
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" is a look at about two decades in the life of millionaire Howard Hughes (DiCaprio). As the movie opens, he is spending tons of money to get his film "Hell's Angels" filmed to his satisfaction. His passion for aviation leads him to acquire TWA, develope a spy plane, and battle with Senator Ralph Owen (Alda) and Pan-Am president Juan Trippe (Baldwin) over international flights. The movie ends with the long awaited flight of the "Spruce Goose". Along the way, he romances Katherine Hepburn (Blanchett), Ava Gardner (Beckinsale), and Faith Domeregue (Kelli Garner). He also battles an obsessive compulsive condition that nearly hobbles him a number of times.

"The Aviator" is an unflinching look at Howard Hughes' life. The highs and the lows are portrayed equally, showing him to be an intelligent and driven man with a debilitating sickness. DiCaprio does an adequate job as Hughes (I find DiCaprio to be overrated). Cate Blanchett is excellent as Hepburn, and supporting roles by Reilly, Baldwin, and Alda hold the film together. I would argue that the biggest drawback to the film is the somewhat abrupt ending. Not knowing anything about Hughes, it left me wondering what happened next.

The 12 Best Movies I Saw in 2004
So, here is a summary of my list. If you disagree, let me know. If you agree, let me know. I will defend my choices passionately! 2004 was a better than average year for movies (in my opinion), and I hope that 2005 will be able to surpass it. Thanks for visiting my site and reading my reviews. Stay tuned for more in 2005.

#1 The Passion of the Christ ****
#2 Spider-Man 2 ****
#3 Sideways ****
#4 House of Sand and Fog **** (from 2003)
#5 21 Grams **** (from 2003)
#6 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ***1/2
#7 Secret Window ***1/2
#8 Dawn of the Dead ***1/2
#9 I, Robot ***1/2
#10 The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou ***1/2
#11 Collateral ***1/2
#12 Friday Night Lights ***1/2

The 12 Best Movies I Saw in 2004
#1 The Passion of the Christ ****
If "Spider-Man 2" was the most enjoyable film of 2004, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" was the most powerful. The story of the last days of Jesus is one of the most intense and thought provoking films ever made. Anchored by the intense performances of James Caviezel as Jesus, Maia Morgenstern as Mary, and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdelen, Mel Gibson's film was the movie to talk about in the first half of the year. I knew when I saw it that it had a good shot at being my #1 movie for the year, and to be fair, nothing really came close. This is also a great movie that everyone should own.

The 12 Best Movies I Saw in 2004
#2 Spider-Man 2 ****
This was, hands down, the most enjoyable movie of 2004. It has something for everyone: action, special effects, romance, character development...and it is very well made. Roger Ebert called it the best super hero movie ever made. I agree. The second installment in the Spider-Man series builds upon what has gone before, advancing the overall storyline. It also gives us a great villian in Doctor Octopus. The effects are amazing, and the battles between the hero and villian on the building, on the train, and at the end are simply awesome. "Spider-Man 2" is a movie that should be in every DVD collection.