Snakes on a Plane ***
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Nathan Phillips, Rachel Blanchard, Flex Alexander, Kenan Thompson, Sunny Mabrey
Director: David R. Ellis
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: R

FBI agent Neville Flynn (Jackson) is accompanying Sean Jones (Phillips) a Federal witness to a mob murder, from Honolulu to Los Angeles. It seems like an easy task, and soon they are on the plane. But, they did not consider that the mobster would smuggle thousands of poisonous snakes aboard, and rig their container to open up at 30,000 feet. Soon, the snakes are slithering, and the passengers are dying, and it is up to Flynn to save the day, if that is at all possible.

Ridiculous and fun is the best way to describe “Snakes on a Plane”. Sure, they try to explain how and why the snakes are on the plane, but it seems overly complicated and unbelieveable. The movie does deliver what it promises though, and soon those snakes are all over the place, biting people, well, all over the place. Samuel L. Jackson is the glue that holds this all together, and without him, this movie would have no life beyond the direct-to-DVD shelves at the rental store. He is in full Samuel L. Jackson mode, and gets all the good lines. No, this movie is not a masterpiece, but it is very entertaining, and sometimes that is all you can ask for. If it sounds interesting to you or you like Samuel L. Jackson, you will probably like this film. Check your brain at the door, and sit back for a wild ride.

World Trade Center ***1/2
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Michael Peña, Jay Hernandez, Armando Riesco, Maria Bello, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Director: Oliver Stone
Running Length: 2:08
MPAA Classification: PG-13

"World Trade Center” is the true story of police officers John McLoughlin (Cage) and Will Jimeno (Peña), who were trapped on the concourse between the North and South Towers, beneath the rubble when the Towers came down. The movie follows them from early morning on 9/11/2001 to their rescue. While trapped, they must rely on each other to survive long enough to be found. A friendship forms in the most awful of places, and neither would have probably survived if it wasn’t for the other. It is also the story of their wives, Donna (Bello) and Allison (Gyllenhaal), and how they had to deal with not knowing what had happened to their husbands.

“World Trade Center” is almost as good as “United 93”, the other 9/11 movie from this year. It has been made tastefully, and shows heroism in a terrible time of national crisis. Cage and Peña do good jobs as the two leads, spending most of their time under rubble where only there faces are shown. They make these people real. Oliver Stone’s direction is good, and he makes the story very compelling. This, along with “United 93” is one of the must see movies of the year. I highly recommend it.

The Night Listener **1/2
Cast: Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Bobby Cannavale, Joe Morton, Rory Culkin, Sandra Oh
Director: Patrick Stettner
Running Length: 1:28
MPAA Classification: R

Radio talk show host Gabriel Noone (Williams) reads an unpublished manuscript by 14-year old Pete Logand (Culkin), and begins a friendship by telephone with the boy. Pete was abused as a child, contracted AIDS, and is dying. Donna (Collette), his foster mom takes care of him all by herself in Wisconsin to avoid Pete’s real parents. Gabriel himself is going through some tough times. His partner Jess (Cannavale) has just broken up with him. Gabriel and Pete for a close friendship, but one day, after hearing a voice message left my Pete and Donna, Jess wonders aloud why the two sound the same. Gabriel begins to wonder if he is the victim of a prank, and sets off to Wisconsin to investigate.

“The Night Listener” is an interesting but slow-moving film. Unfortunately, its slowness drags it down pretty bad. Perhaps a better director could have ratcheted up the tension a little more, and made the movie a little less “talky”. Williams and Collette do good jobs in their respective roles. For some reason, the very funny Williams does better in serious roles. This is no exception. This movie is not for everyone, but does have an interesting story to it. If you are not put off by slower moving films, this one might be for you.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby ***
Cast: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, Michael Clarke Duncan, Sacha Baron Cohen, Greg Germann, Gary Cole
Director: Adam McKay
Running Length: 1:44
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Ricky Bobby (Ferrell) was always wanted to go fast. That suits him well as a NASCAR driver. He is the #1 driver, with a little help from his best friend Cal Naughten Jr. (Reilly). Everything is going well for Ricky, until Frenchman Jean Girard (Cohen) enters his life. He is everything Ricky is not, and his alternative lifestyle is at odds with everything Ricky believes in. When a race goes bad, Ricky finds himself on the bottom looking up, and he must decide whether to try for a comeback or move on.

“Talladega Nights” is your typical Will Ferrell movie. Take that as you will. Ferrell has just the right amount of goofball charm to make Ricky a likeable character. The always excellent Reilly is great as Cal, and Cohen makes Girard hilarious. There are lots of NASCAR in-jokes, and that will appeal to that section of the audience. Overall, “Talladega Nights” is not a huge step forward for Ferrell, but it is a step in the right direction. His star is getting bigger and bigger with each movie, and he is quickly becoming the new Jim Carrey.

Monster House ***1/2
Cast (voices): Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Steve Buscemi
Director: Gil Kenan
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: PG

Across the street from DJ’s (Musso) house is a possessed house. It has a tendence to “eat” people and things that venture on to the property. No one believes DJ, except his friends Chowder (Lerner) and Jenny (Locke). When an accident befalls Mr. Nebbercracker (Buscemi), the owner of the house, the house seems to become even more alive. The kids take it upon themselves to rid the neighborhood of the house.

“Monster House” is surprisingly good. It lacks the look of a Pixar film, but has the quality of a Pixar story. The voice talents are all top notch, with the kids being played by relative newcomers and the adults being played by voices you will recognize. The story lends itself well to computer animation, and the monster house looks great as the film progresses to its climax. The PG rating is warranted though, and smaller kids may find some images too frightening. I highly recommend “Monster House.”

Miami Vice ***
Cast: Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Gong Li, Luis Tosar, Naomie Harris, John Ortiz, Barry Shabaka Henley, Ciaran Hinds
Director: Michael Mann
Running Length: 2:10
MPAA Classification: R

A sting gone bad, resulting in many deaths leads to Miami cops Sonny Crockett (Farrell) and Rico Tubbs (Foxx) going undercover to find the leak in the FBI. Under the guise of transportation experts, they meet up with drug smuggler Jose Yero (Ortiz) and his associate Isabella (Li). Crockett and Tubbs want to take over as Yero’s distributors, handling all their shipments to the United States. Yero is suspicious, but takes them on, with Isabella as the go-between.

“Miami Vice” is a movie that probably did not need to be made, but unlike other TV shows that have been made into movies, “Miami Vice” has a quality director that was involved with the original material as a producer. That is what brings the film to the next level. Mann has taken the idea from the TV show and transformed it into a grittier, more realistic version of itself. Indeed, aside from the character names, there is little similarities to the TV show. Farrell and Foxx are good as Crockett and Tubbs, two big sets of shoes to fill. The story is tight and at times very violent. The look is dark, and that suits the film just fine – atmosphere is almost a character itself. I could even see this film spawning a sequel or two. “Miami Vice” is not for everyone, but it is an above average cop film that is worth checking out.

Lady in the Water **
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bob Balaban, Jeffrey Wright, Sarita Choudhury, Freddy Rodriguez, Bill Irwin, Jared Harris, M. Night Shyamalan
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Running Length: 1:52
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) is a superintendent in an apartment complex. He takes pride in his work, and seems to know everyone pretty well. One night, he discovers a stranger swimming in the apartment’s pool. Her name is Story (Howard), and she is a narf. It seems that she has come from the Blue World to provide enlightenment to one man before returning home. Making things difficult is the Scrunt, a grass-covered wolf creature that wants to stop her. According to an Asian fairy tale, there are others who will help her, and Cleveland attempts to locate them in the apartment complex. But, when the Scrunt attacks, it may be too late, and Story might not accomplish her task.

“Lady in the Water” was a bit of a disappointment for me. I found it to be a bit on the silly side, with its narfs, scrunts, and even tartutics. It tries to have a point, but it is somewhat lost amonst the goofiness of the story. Paul Giamatti does the best he can with what he is given, creating a very real character that is likeable. Bryce Dallas Howard’s Story is unremarkable, and even somewhat boring. M. Night Shyamalan does a decent job as an actor, having cast himself in a bigger role in this movie. In the end, it does not quite work for me. Shyamalan has misstepped here, making perhaps his weakest film to date. On the heels of “The Village”, that is not a good thing. He has some serious rebuilding to do with his next film.

Little Man **
Cast: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Tracy Morgan, Kerry Washington, John Witherspoon
Director: Keenan Ivory Wayans
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Upon being released from prison, little man Calvin (Marlon Wayans) hooks up with accomplice Percy (Morgan) to steal a large diamond. When the theft goes awry, Calvin stashed the diamond with Darryl (Shawn Wayans) and Vanessa (Washington). Darryl is desperate to have a kid, and Calvin uses his size to his advantage, posing as a baby. Once inside the house, all he has to do is find the diamond, but that task proves to be more difficult than he originally thought.

“Little Man” is mindless, stupid fun. Fans of the Wayans brothers will not be disappointed, and if the previews make you chuckle even a little, you will probably like this film. The special effects are top notch, as Marlon Wayans’ face is digitally superimposed on body doubles every time Calvin is on the screen. The humor is mostly lowbrow, but like I said, it is mindless fun.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ***
Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy, Stellan Skarsgård, Jack Davenport, Kevin McNally, Naomie Harris, Jonathan Pryce, Tom Hollander
Director: Gore Verbinski
Running Length: 2:35
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Captain Jack (Depp) is back, and causing trouble for Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley). Their marriage is interrupted when they are arrested for aiding in the escape of Captain Jack. Lord Cutler Beckett (Hollander) does not want to see them die, and wants to make a deal. If they help him get Jack, they will not be put to death. Will finds Jack being worshiped as a god by a bunch of cannibals. After a fashion, they escape to the Black Pearl, where Jacking is looking for a mysterious chest that belongs to Davey Jones (Nighy). Jones is trying to get to the chest before Jack for reasons of his own. Amongst all this, Elizabeth shows up to join the hunt, and finds a new interest in Captain Jack.

“Dead Man’s Chest” delivers all that “Curse of the Black Pearl” delivered, but the difference is that “Black Pearl” was new and fresh, while “Chest” gives off a feeling of “been there, done that.” That is not to say that “Dead Man’s Chest” does not deliver the goods, but it is not as original, and that is a slight drawback. Another negative is the running length. At 155 minutes, it is longer than it needs to be. That being said, it is good to see Captain Jack and the gang back in action again. The action is well done, and the special effects are top notch, especially the squid-faced Davey Jones. A few cliffhangers thrown in at the end assures “Pirates 3” a warm reception come May 2007. If you like the first film, you will like this one. I recommend it, and hope that “Pirates 3” can take it up a notch to end on a high note.

The Lake House ***
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Shoreh Aghdashloo, Scott Elias, Dylan Walsh, Christopher Plummer
Director: Alejandro Agresti
Running Length: 1:38
MPAA Classification: PG

Alex (Reeves) and Kate (Bullock) are two lonely people. They each live in a fancy glass house on the shore of Lake Michigan. The same house, in fact. He lives there in 2004, she lives there in 2006. The house’s mailbox begins delivering letters through time, and the two are able to communicate, and eventually fall in love. They just have to figure out how to meet.

If you can get over the time traveling mailbox, “The Lake House” is an enjoyable movie. Reeves and Bullock are together again for the first time since “Speed”, and one wonders why they have not teamed up again sooner. They have a chemistry that is believable, and you root for the characters to get together in the end. I recommend this film.

The Devil Wears Prada ***
Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Adrian Grenier, Tracie Thoms, Rich Sommer, Simon Baker
Director: David Frankel
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Andy Sachs (Hathaway) applies for the job of second assistant to Miranda Priestly (Streep), the editor of “Runway” magazine. “Runway” is THE magazine for the fashion industry, and Andy has no fashion sense. Miranda is revered by all who know her. She has the power to make or break people in the industry, and she is not afraid to use this power. Work for her for a year, and countless doors will open. Of course, others like Emily (Blunt), Miranda’s number one assistant and Nigel (Tucci) have become fixtures at the magazine, while waiting for those doors to open.

Miranda hires Andy on a whim, hoping she has what it takes despite her appearance. Andy dislikes the shallowness of her coworkers, but soon finds herself becoming more like them. Will she get sucked into that lifestyle, or will she me able to resist and remain true to herself?

Meryl Streep makes this movie work, and is the prime reason to see it. She dominates every scene she is in. She is both cruel and funny, sometimes at the same time. Hathaway, Tucci, and Blunt are also very good, especially when playing off of each other. This is definitely a “chick flick”, but is entertaining and really funny at times. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but worth giving a shot.

10 Best Movies I Have Seen in the First Half of 2006
This year has had fewer good movies than last year through the first six months. Hopefully, things will pick up.

1. United 93 ****
2. Capote **** (from 2005)
3. X-Men: The Last Stand ***1/2
4. Mission: Impossible III ***1/2
5. Cars ***1/2
6. The Matador *** (from 2005)
7. Thank You For Smoking ***
8. A Prairie Home Companion ***
9. The Da Vinci Code ***
10. Superman Returns ***

Cars ***1/2

Cast (voices): Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech Marin, Tony Shalhoub, George Carlin, John Ratzenberger, Michael Keaton, Richard Petty
Director: John Lasseter
Running Length: 1:52
MPAA Classification: G

Lightning McQueen (Wilson) is a rookie in a NASCAR type race called the Piston Cup. When the season ends with him in a tie with his two major rivals, Chick Hicks (Keaton) and The King (Petty), he must head to California for a tie-breaker race. Along the way, he ends up stranded in Radiator Springs, arrested for traffic violations. Doc Hudson (Newman), the town judge, sentences him to repair the road before he can leave. Initially, he just wants to get done and get out, but soon he finds himself making friends with the locals, including Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and Sally (Hunt). Soon, this cocky race car who had no real friends finds he may not want to leave so fast after all.

When I first saw the trailer for “Cars”, I was worried. It did not look good, and I thought Pixar had its first flop on its hands. Bumping the release date back six months did not ease my worry. That being said, “Cars” is an excellent movie. Pixar, I am sorry that I ever doubted you. The voices are perfect, especially Wilson, Newman, and Larry the Cable Guy. The film looks great, with bright colors kids will love. The story is nice, and like many Pixar movies, focuses on friendship. The only drawback I can find is that it runs a little long. Still, it is worth seeing by kids of all ages.

Superman Returns ***
Cast: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Parker Posey, Frank Langella, Sam Huntington, Eva Marie Saint, Marlon Brando, Tristan Leabu
Director: Bryan Singer
Running Length: 2:37
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Superman (Routh) is back, five years after where “Superman II” left off. He returned to Krypton, hoping to find some life still there, but when he found nothing, he returned to Earth. As Clark Kent, he gets his job back at the Daily Planet, and is reunited with Lois Lane (Bosworth). But, people have moved on. Lois has a five year old son, and a boyfriend (Marsden). She has also won a Pulitzer for an article about how the world does not need Superman. Elsewhere, Lex Luthor (Spacey) is free from prison, and up to no good. It seems that he has found Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, and has devised a plan with what he found there that will wipe out most of the United States. Once again, Superman must try to stop Luthor’s evil scheme, and try to win the girl in the process. But things will be a little more difficult this time.

After almost two decades, Superman is finally back. Bryan Singer takes the helm as director after bowing out of the X-Men franchise. Not the wisest move, but it is the opportunity of a lifetime to bring back the Man of Steel. He does a few things right. First, he uses the backstory established in “Superman” and “Superman II”, wisely ignoring “III” and “IV”, and not having to do a complete reboot. He attempts to have a look of continuity and even uses John Williams’ famous themes from those films. This IS the Superman we grew up with, he has just been away for a while. Kevin Spacey is great as Luthor, bring menace and some humor to the role. He even manages to inflict some pain on the hero. On the weak side, Lex’s plan is dumb. For as smart as he is supposed to be, he has not really thought things through. Kate Bosworth is weak as Lois, and James Marsden has the unenviable role of being the other man. Brandon Routh does not bring much to the table as Superman/Clark Kent except a resemblance to Christopher Reeve. Finally, the running time is way too long to support the story. Some trimming could have improved the story’s flow.

Yet, for the most part, it works. It is good to see Superman back after all these years. The effects are top notch, and the movie is mostly fun. I do recommend this movie, but I hope that the filmmakers are able to tighten things up the next time around. A sequel is planned (duh), and could be better than this restart. For now, we can enjoy what we have.

A Prairie Home Companion ***
Cast: Garrison Keillor, Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Tommy Lee Jones, Virginia Madsen, Lindsay Lohan
Director: Robert Altman
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: PG-13

“A Prairie Home Companion” is a fictionalized story of the famous radio show’s very last performance. The movie covers the show itself, hosted by Garrison Keillor (playing himself), the goings on backstage, and a little action before and after the show. Besides having to deal with a corporate axeman (Jones) who is there to officially pull the plug, they have to deal with a death mid-show and a mysterious woman (Madsen), who wanders about backstage. On stage, three skit characters from the real radio show come to life: Guy Noir (Kline), and the cowboy singing duo of Dusty (Harrelson) and Lefty (Reilly). Other characters are a combination real and fictional people).

This film is a slightly skewed view into the world of Garrison Keillor (he wrote the screenplay) and his famous radio show. It is a “nice” movie, that will amuse most who see it. Keillor’s and director Robert Altman’s styles seem to be made for each other, and this film works well to give an insight into the radio show. Performances are solid all around, especially Keillor’s. He is the glue that holds this all together. I recommend this film.

The Break-Up **1/2
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Ann-Margret, Vincent D'Onofrio, Cole Hauser, Jon Favreau, Peter Billingsley, Jason Bateman
Director: Peyton Reed
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Gary (Vaughn) and Brooke (Aniston) are the perfect couple, until one evening when everything falls apart. During the huge fight, we out Brooke thinks Gary is lazy and thoughtless, and Gary thinks Brooke is too controlling and unappreciative. She dumps him, but neither of them want to give up the condo that they own together. They each mark their territory, and set about doing whatever it takes to drive the other out.

Vaughn and Aniston are well cast, and have a chemistry together. Supporting cast, including Jon Favreau and Joey Lauren Adams as their best friends, do good jobs and help keep the movie moving. There are even some really funny scenes. Yet, something is missing. Perhaps the characters are not nasty enough to each other. Anyway, while somewhat entertaining, “The Break-Up” fall a little short of success.

X-Men: The Last Stand ***1/2
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Aaron Stanford, Cameron Bright, Vinnie Jones, Ben Foster, Ellen Page, Josef Sommer
Director: Brett Ratner
Running Length: 1:44
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Scientists have discovered a “cure” for the mutant gene. Now, all mutants can choose to become a “normal” human. Division rises amongst the mutant community. Some see this as an opportunity to be something they always wanted to be. Others, like Magneto (McKellan) see this as an attempt at racial cleansing. While Professor X (Stewart) sits on the sidelines, Magneto rallies the troops to rise up against the cure and those who are pushing it. The X-Men must stop Magneto before he causes too much damage, but a former ally has been raised from the ashes of her former self, and she may be the deciding factor in this war.

This X-Men movie is the best yet. Filled with action and an always timely storyline, it does not disappoint. Story-wise, characters die, return from the dead, lose their powers, and are changed significantly before all is said and done. This shake-up introduces doubt into who will survive the final battle, and ratchets up the stakes. Director Brett Ratner is taking over the reins from Bryan Singer, who left this franchise for another (“Superman”). He proves that he is up to the challenge. I highly recommend this film.

The Da Vinci Code ***
Cast: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellan, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina
Director: Ron Howard
Running Length: 2:29
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks) is called to the Louvre to help with a murder investigation. He has been framed for the murder, and with the help of French police officer Sophie Neveu (Tautou), he manages to escape from Captain Fache (Reno), and follow a trail of clues that lead to “the greatest cover-up in human history.” This cover-up involves the Catholic Church, the Holy Grail, Opus Dei, the Knights Templar and more. They seek the help of Grail expert Sir Leigh Teabing (McKellan),, and soon find that they have an albino by the name of Silas (Bettany) on their trail too. And Silas is not working with the police.

Based on the best selling book by Dan Brown, the film manages to remain faithful and give the legions of people that have read it a first class treatment. Hanks, although not the obvious choice for Langdon, fills his shoes well and is believable. The supporting cast are all bigger names, and Ian McKellan stands out among them. He brings humor and wisdom to the role of Teabing. This is an interesting movie that is worth seeing, if only to see what all the controversy is about.

RV **
Cast: Robin Williams, Cheryl Hines, Joanna 'JoJo' Levescue, Josh Hutcherson, Jeff Daniels, Kristin Chenoweth
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Running Length: 1:38
MPAA Classification: PG

When work interferes, Bob Munro (Williams) decides to cancel the family vacation to Hawaii and instead rent a RV and take a road trip to Colorado. His wife Jamie (Hines), daughter Cassie (Levesque), and son Carl (Hutcherson) are not thrilled. Unbeknownst to his family, he needs to be in Colorado for a presentation that his boss expects him to be at. Along the way, the Munros meet the Fornickes – Travis (Daniels) and Jo (Chenoweth), and their kids. They are a homeless family living in their RV, and take a liking to the Munros, much to their dismay. The Munros are on the road trip from hell, and it can only get worse.

Robin Williams is a funny man, and yet I do not think he has ever found a good movie to really showcase his comedic talents. Certainly he has done better than “RV”. While funny in parts, there is not enough humor in this movie to sustain its 98 minute running time. I would imagine that those who have ever traveled in an RV will find more humor than I did, but too much more. “RV” is a rather harmless movie, but not really worth seeing either. Wait for the DVD, people.

An American Haunting **1/2
Cast: Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek, Rachel Hurd-Wood, James D’Arcy, Matthew Marsh, Thom Fell, Sam Alexander
Director: Courtney Solomon
Running Length: 1:31
MPAA Classification: PG-13

In 1818, when a land deal between John Bell (Sutherland) and his neighbor Kate Batts (Brown) goes bad, she blames John for her problems. She then curses John and his family. When things start happening, especially to John and his daughter Betsy (Hurd-Wood), religious leader James Johnson (Marsh), and schoolteacher Richard Powell decide to help the family.

“An American Haunting” is based on a true story, but how “true” it is has been called into question. As a movie, it works fairly well, with a twist ending that is only somewhat satisfying. The wraparound story that feels tacked on serves no real purpose and should have been left out. Despite some good actors, the acting is nothing exceptional. Sutherland and Hurd-Wood have to carry the most weight as the haunted, but neither gives stand-out performances. “An American Haunting” is a slightly above average ghost story that is better off waiting for on DVD.