The Dark Knight ****

Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Eric Roberts
Director: Christopher Nolan
Running Length: 2:30
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Batman (Bale) has become Gotham City’s hero, meting out justice to criminals. Some citizens question whether he is a hero or a menace, and some copycat “Batmen” are popping up pretending to be the Caped Crusader. Over all, Batman is gradually stopping the mob of criminals in the city. The new D.A. Harvery Deny (Eckhart) is taking them on in court, and Lieutenant Gordon (Oldman) is cracking down as well. An understanding of sorts is formed between the three, and then a lunatic enters the mix. The Joker (Ledger) has sights on Gotham to usher in a wave of chaos. All he wants is Batman to remove his mask, and when that does not happen, he unleashes a whirlwind upon Gotham City of unimaginable proportions. Now, Batman must decide how far he can go to take down The Joker, without crossing the line.

“The Dark Knight” is a worthy successor to “Batman Begins”, that mostly exceeds its predecessor in all areas. Bale once again embodies Bruce Wayne/Batman, a man driven to make morally questionable decisions to defeat a psychopathic enemy. Ledger steals all the scenes he is in, giving a more twisted performance than Jack Nicholson did so many years ago. It is a shame that we will never see another appearance of this Joker, but Heath Ledger’s final completed performance is spectacular. Eckhart is perfect as Harvey Dent, a man also pushed to the edge and then over. The greatest asset to this film though, is not in front of the camera, but behind it. Christopher Nolan has crafted yet another great film. His direction and writing (with his brother) are what make this film as great as it is. He is one of the most gifted filmmaker around today, and brings a “comic book movie” to a whole new level. This is great filmmaking, and I highly recommend seeing it.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army ***

Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, John Alexander, James Donn, Luke Gross, Anna Walton, Jeffrey Tambor, John Hurt
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

The government has a bunch of freaks working for it in New Jersey. They consist of Hellboy (Pearlman), a large devil-like being who is a wise-guy; Liz (Blair), Hellboy’s girlfriend who has the ability to create flames around her; Abe Sapien (Jones), an amphibian; and Johann Kraus (Dunn), a gas creature stuffed into a human shaped suit. They need to stop Prince Nuada (Gross), who wishes to control the Golden Army, indestructible warriors who he can use to wage war against humanity. Nuada’s twin sister Nuala (Walton) is opposed to him, and steals a piece of the controlling crown and flees to Hellboy and his friends for protection. She might not be a safe as she thinks, as Nuada seeks her out with a vengeance.

“Hellboy II’, like its predecessor, is a strange superhero/fantasy hybrid. That and its quirky characters make this a different moviegoing experience, and raise it above a standard. Also the direction by Guillermo del Toro is top notch. He has fantasy films down pat, and is able to bring all the mythical creatures to life with ease. The acting is good too. All the principals make the characters their own, much like they did in the first film. They all seem to be enjoying themselves, and that translates well to the characters in the film. Story-wise, there are some big plot holes, but the journey is fun enough to make you not think about them. “Hellboy II” is well worth seeing, and I am sure we will be seeing more of Hellboy and friends in the years to come.

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D **

Cast: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem
Director: Eric Brevig
Running Length: 1:32
MPAA Classification: PG

Professor Trevor Anderson (Fraser) believes that the tale told by Jules Verne in “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is a true story. When the opportunity arises, he, his nephew Sean (Hutcherson), and guide Hannah (Briem) set out on the path in Iceland set forth in the book. Misfortune sends them down a tunnel to the center of the Earth, where the find a world of man-eating plants and dinosaurs. Soon, the rising heat of the underworld necessitates that they find an escape route before being burned up. Along the way, Trevor and Sean, who aren’t close, develop a bond, and Trevor and Hannah feel sparks begin to fly.

“Journey” is the first live-action film to use the new 3-D technology that has been used for animated films. In fact, the movie is just an excuse to show off what can be accomplished in 3-D now. The story is thin and the acting is not strong. But, the film sure does look nice. The 3-D is crisp and clear. If this is a movie you want to see, be sure to see the 3-D version, and not the 2-D version. Young kids will most like be the most entertained here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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