** denotes that movie is still playing in theaters.

January 2011 Releases:

**BARNEY'S VERSION - Starring Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver, Rosamund Pike.

This is the life of Barney Panofsky (Giamatti) spanning three decades and two continents. Barney is a seemingly ordinary guy who lives an unusual and complex existence, married three times to very different woman. At his wedding to wife #2 (Driver), he meets, falls in love and pursues Miriam (Pike) who eventually becomes his 3rd wife. Barney has a self destructing personality, making a number of bad decisions while under the continuing influence of drinking. After several happily married years with Miriam, a very sweet and understanding person, Barney self- destructs yet again, leaving him alone and fighting alzheimer's.

This is not a comedy, but an honest portrayal of the life of a complex character, ravaged by heavy drinking and bad behavior.

Paul Giamatti is brilliant as Barney and will rival Colin Furth for the Oscar for leading actor. However, while the movie has an excellent script and support cast, it is a sad depiction of man who is incapable of sustaining happiness. It's worth it for the unbelievable performance by Giamatti.                       B

**RABBIT HOLE - Starring Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Sandra Oh.

Becca (Kidman) and Howie (Eckhart) are a couple attempting to cope with the death of their son in a car accident 8 months ago. They join a support group to no avail and their marriage is getting increasingly strained. Howie meets Gabby (Oh) at the support group and forms a friendship, while Becca forms a bond with the teenager who hit and killed her son on their street. Nat (Dianne Wiest) is Becca's mother who attempts to heal the wounds of this tragic loss.

A dilemma for any movie critic is to balance the quality of the script and acting, with the entertainment value of the movie. This is one such movie, where the movie quality and acting is suburb, but the depressing tone of the content leaves you wondering whether you were truly entertained.

I would recommend this for viewers who appreciate great melodrama but if you're looking for an uplifting experience look elsewhere.  Similar  to BLUE VALENTINE in this regard.                                  B

**COUNTRY STRONG - Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, Leighton Meester.

Kelly Canter (Paltrow) is an aging country superstar who is in and out of rehab, which is threatening to destroy her career. Her husband, James (McGraw) is trying everything to prevent this from happening. While in rehab she has an affair with Beau Hutton (Hedlund), a young country singer, and hires him to open for her concerts. James hires Chiles Stanton (Meester), a young and beautiful "country barbie" to join the ensemble.

The relationship among the four becomes increasingly strained as Kelly battles her demons.

If you like country there is some great music, particularly by Garrett Hedlund. Who ever thought Gwyneth Paltrow could sing! Wow.

The script and acting are good and the movie is entertaining but not in the category of WALK THE LINE, the Johnny Cash story. Worth the trip.                                                    B

**SEASON OF THE WITCH - Starring Nicholas Cage, Ron Perlman, Claire Foy.

Behmen (Cage) is a knight who fled the Crusades because of the slaughter of innocent women and children. His comrade Felson (Perlman) joins him, and the two are captured as deserters. They are offered freedom if they would accompany an accused witch (Foy) to be tried by monks in an isolated monastery . The witch is blamed for the Black Plague that is ravaging the country, threatening to destroy the world.

The journey is fraught with danger from the demons that possess the young girl accused of witchcraft.

We had low expectations and therefore was not too disappointed. I'm a fan of these fantasy/adventures, even the bad ones, and this was watchable and somewhat entertaining. If you also like these type of movies this one is not bad. Don't except great acting and script.                              C+

**BLUE VALENTINE - Starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams.

A couple with very different backgrounds and career goals, meet at a nursing home. Cindy (Williams) is visiting her mother while Dean (Gosling) is visiting a person whose furniture he moved to the home. Cindy has a college relationship with a dorm mate that leads to a pregnancy. She chooses to keep the baby after almost having an abortion, and Dean (not the father) offers to marry her and start a family.  While loving Cindy and their daughter, his lack of ambition and drinking have a devastating effect on the marriage.

This is a story of found and lost love. It goes back and forth to past and present as the relationship and marriage deteriorates.

First the positive, superb acting by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, both Oscar level performances.

Now the negative. This is a  dark, sad, depressing tale of a couple growing apart, destroying the love they had for one another. If the opposite of uplifting is downlifting, that would describe the movie perfectly.

This is a movie favored by professional critics, who are more interested in the technical aspects of the presentation.

If you're looking for entertainment and an uplifting experience, look elsewhere. I'm still depressed.          C+

December Releases:

**THE TOURIST - Starring Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp.

Elise (Jolie), a rouge British undercover agent, is attempting to link up with her boyfriend, who has stolen $1.4 MM from Reginald Shaw, a notorious gangster. In order to get them off her trail she identifies a "look-a-like to her boyfreind, Frank (Depp), and pretends to the people pursuing her that he is the one they are after.

With Venice as the venue there are many water chases, gun battles, and close calls, with Scotland Yard pursuing the thief, and  Shaw and his gang pursing Frank.

It's not an "award" movie (Golden Globes nominated the movie and the two lead actors), but it's not as bad as the critics indicate.

THE TOURIST is a fun movie with limited suspense and is a showcase for the glamour of Jolie. This was not one of Depp's better roles.

Unless you're desperate to see a movie in the theater, I would wait for the DVD.                    C+

**THE KING'S SPEECH - Starring Colin Firth, Helen Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush, Guy Pearce.

This is the true story of George VI of England, also known as Bertie (Firth), who suffered from severe stuttering, but reluctantly accepted the crown following the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII in 1936. You may recall that Edward was in love with Wallace Simpson, an american divorcee, and was forced to abdicate because their marriage was prohibited by the Church of England and the Royal Family.

Following many attempts to cure his stutter, his wife  Elizabeth (Carter), the future Queen Mother, solicits the services of Lionel Logue (Rush), an unorthodox speech instructor, who greatly assisted Bertie in public speaking and in his confidence and self esteem. He works with him through all his speeches and becomes a friend of life.

 George VI goes on to inspire a nation during the critical times of WWII.

This is an uplifting and inspirational story of perseverance, with an outstanding performance by Colin Firth as George VI.  Helen Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush also give Oscar level performances. 

As someone who as been challenged with stuttering my whole life, this gives an accurate account of the difficulties and potential remedies of the problem, which few non stutterers appreciate.

One of the top movies of the year. Don't miss it.                                           A

**TRUE GRIT - Starring Jeff Bridges, Hailie Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin.

A 14 year old girl, Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) is determine to bring to justice the man, Tom Chaney (Brolin) who murdered her father. She hires a notorious federal marshal, Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) who is a trigger happy drunk. She also meets up with Texas Ranger, La Boeuf (Damon), and the three go into Indian Territory (presumedly Oklahoma) to capture Chaney and his gang.

This is a truly authentic western with amazing perfomances by Jeff Bridges, who should win an Oscar, and newcomer Hailey Steinfeld, playing a committed teen who is focused only upon avenging the murder of her father.

This is superior to the John Wayne original and has brilliant and authentic wild west characters.

Thoroughly enjoyed it and a top ten movie of the year.  Don't miss Bridges performance.                   A- 

**THE LITTLE FOCKERS - Starring Robert DeNiro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand, Jessica Alba, Blythe Danner.

The Fockers are at it again with the added attraction of Jessica Alba, playing an over aggressive drug salesperson, and an expanded part for Owen Wilson, as the wealthy ex boyfriend.

My friends at SRV Times, true to form, gave it an F rating and based upon this we almost didn't see it,

Well we're very happy we did. It's a good light comedy with allot of laughs. It's raunchier than the others but the Jack Byrnes (DeNiro) and Greg Focker (Stiller) feud continues and has many funny sequences.

Go see it for some laughs.                                    B

**THE FIGHTER - Starring Mark Wahlberg. Christian Bale, Amy Adams. Melissa Leo.

This is the true story of "Irish" Mickey Ward (Wahlberg) and his brother/trainer Dickey Eklund (Bale), who conquered much adversity to win the welter weight boxing championship. Ward, being held back by his obsessive family and crack head brother, hires a new manager and trainer leading to a shot at the title. Following his brother's rehab and stint in prision, he takes him back into the fold.

This is a dynamic portrayal of true events, with excellent performances by Wahlberg, and especially Bale. Definitely Oscar material for best picture, lead and supporting actor.                                   A

**HOW DO YOU KNOW - Starring Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson.

Lisa (Witherspoon) is a softball Olympic champion who have little else in her life except her passion for the game. When cut from the team her world collapses and she stumbles toward regular life with no plan or ideas.

While having a fling with Matty (Wilson), a professional baseball pitcher, she meets George (Rudd), a boring business man who is under investigation by the Feds for corporate criminal activity perpetrated by his father, Charles (Nicholson). The love triangle has some funny situations and Jack Nicholson adds some spice to the comedy.

I'm a huge Witherspoon fan and appreciate her as a great comedy actor, but even she can't save this tedious, rambling movie. Most of the laughs are in the trailer and it's exhausting trying to figure out Lisa's thought process in wavering between Matty and George. A rental at best.                          C+ (Without Reese it's a D).

**BLACK SWAN - Starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey.

A ballerina, Nina (Portman) is raised in a secluded and sheltered home, by an intense mother (Hershey) who is trying to relive her failed ballet career in her daughter. Nina is a perfectionist whose goal is to perform as  the SWAN QUEEN in Swan Lake, while suffering from self mutilation and hallucinations caused by her insecurity and need to succeed at any cost. 

She works in a ballet company managed by Thomas (Cassel) who tries to force Nina into a passionate performance. Lily (Kunis) is her unterstudy. who Nina fears as competition, trying to steal her role.

This is a psychological drama that is simply one the best movies of the year and the best leading performance (Natalie Portman) in years. It is dark, disturbing yet brilliant  portrayal of the intense and competitive world of ballet, and will be implanted in your mind forever. This is what truly outstanding movie making is all about. Don't miss it,      A

 

**THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA - THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER - Starring Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter.

The battle between good and evil continues in the 2nd of the NARNIA series. This is very good fantasy/adventure  and is as good as the original. The acting is quality, except  the Eustace character, played by Will Poulter, who is a bit annoying in the first half of the movie.

However, overall it is very entertaining and has an element that the other popular fantasy movies (i.e. HARRY POTTER, LORD OF THE RINGS) don't have: excellent symbolism and spirituality. If you look below the surface there are inspiring themes that are prevalent throughout the series. Go and enjoy.                     B 

November Releases:

**LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS - Starring Anne Hathaway, Jake Gyllenhaal, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria, Josh Gad.

Jamie (Gyllenhaal) is a prescription drug saleman who is obsessed with women and casual sex. He meets Maggie who has a similar approach to life, mainly because she is suffering from stage 1 Parkinson's.  Jamie and Maggie romp about, having sex everywhere, while his company Pfizer, discovers Viagra, making his business go through the roof.

There are two intertwined storylines here. One is the romantic comedy in which a  couple discover love, despite the trials of a future coping with a debilitating disease.

 I believe this is Ann Hathaway's first venture into nudity and she makes up for lost time. However the problem is not the nudity, it's the parallel storyline that  is a lewd, tasteless display of casual sex and gutter comedy, highlighted by graphic sex scenes, a pajama orgy, and ugly sexual banter.

While this movie could have been a good romantic comedy, it becomes a soft porn disaster.

Particularly obnoxious is Josh Gad's character, Josh, who is Jamie's brother. He wins the tasteless attempt at humor prize, hands down.

This movie exemplifies how far down the respectability path Hollyword has gone, and our society as a whole. 

Unless this type of movie interests you, I would not recommend.                           C   (Only because the romantic comedy storyline has some merit).

**BURLESQUE - Starring Christina Aguilera, Cher, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Bell, Eric Dane, Peter Gallagher.

I love musicals so I'm bias, but I loved BURLESQUE. I never appreciated Christina Aguilera until this performance. She is an incredible talent. Combined with 2 great numbers by Cher, and a great cast including Stanley Tucci, as Sean the stage manager, and Kristin Bell as the jealous rival Nikki, this was great entertainment. Note, if you are a "Dancing with the Stars" fan, Julianne Hough is one of the dancers.

As in many musicals the script is a bit sappy and predictable, but you're not there for the story. The singing and dancing compete with CHICAGO and DREAM GIRLS. See it for a great musical experience.           B+

**127 HOURS - Starring James Franco.

In 2003 Aron Ralston, an avid hiker and rock climber, suffers an accident when a displaced rock pins his arm. He is in the middle of nowhere and tries everything possible to dislodge his arm to no avail.

This is the true story of the ordeal faced by Ralston, with an Oscar level performance by James Franco. The movie is a bit tedious with Ralston's dreams and hallucinations depicting events in his life, but the suspense certainly holds your interest, and the conclusion is breathtaking (not for the faint of heart). It's worth the trip simply to see Franco's superb performance.                                       B

**HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS I - Starring Daniel Radciffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint.

If you're a "Potter Head" you will be a fan. If not, like me, it was same ole, same ole. Special effects are excellent as usual and Emma Watson is growing up to be a very attractive young lady, but unless you are enchanted with the Potter series, I would not rush to see it.                              B-

**THE NEXT 3 DAYS - Starring Russel Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Brian Dennehy. 

Lara and John Brennan (Banks and Crowe) are a happily married couple living  uneventful lives, when Lara is arrested for murder. The evidence is compelling against her for the murder of her boss, who just had a public fight with her. She is convicted and will serve 25 years to life. John, knowing she is innocent, files all possible appeals with no success. Her only hope is breaking out of prison and John spends three years developing an elaborate plan for the breakout and escape.

This was surprisingly good with great suspense leading up to the climax. I would highly recommend it for entertainment value.                             B+  

**FAIR GAME - Starring Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Dave Andrews.

This is based upon the true story of Valerie Plame (Watts), who is a CIA agent investigating the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Her husband Joe Wilson (Penn) is asked to join the team, to investigate the alleged sale of enriched uranium from Niger, a country where Wilson served as a US diplomat. Wilson writes a NY Times article indicating that no such uranium exists, igniting a controversy with the US Government with serious consequences. Plame is fired from the CIA and Wilson receives death threats for his anti Iraq war stance.

Excellent acting performances by Sean Penn and Niomi Watts, and an engaging portrayal of the 2003 events. However this is as much a political statement as a movie, with significant trashing (perhaps warranted) of the Bush Administration, particularly Dick Chaney. If the politics bother you avoid the movie, but I found it entertaining and compelled me to investigate the controversy in more detail to determine the accuracy of the movie.        B+

                

**MORNING GLORY - Starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum.   

A dedicated TV producer, Becky Fuller (McAdams),  is a victim of cut backs and her career is looking as bleak as her love life, She stumbles into a job at "Daybreak", which is last in the ratings for morning news shows. She begins to revitalize the show by bringing on legendary and aging TV anchor Mike Pomeroy (Ford), who is arrogant, self serving and a hand full to manage. He joins Colleen Peck (Keaton), the current co-anchor, forming a very unlikely team, who have no love for each other.

This is a light comedy with many funny sequences. Rachel McAdams is excellent as a hard driving. type A personality who revitalizes the show in very unusual and comical ways.

This rivals "DATE NIGHT" as the best comedy of the year to date and is a very entertaining experience.      B

**UNSTOPPABLE - Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson.

If this were fiction you wouldn't believe it, but it is the true story of a runaway  train in Pennsylvania, that is travelling at 70+ mph, heading for Scranton, where it will never negotiate a sharp turn in the heart of the city. Only some type of human intervention will prevent a major disaster.

This is a non-stop, edge of your seat action film, with great acting from Denzel Washington and newcomer Chris Pine. It's pure entertainment from start to finish and an unbelievable true story. Go see it.                          B 

October Releases:

CONVICTION - Starring Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver.

This is a true life drama of Bette Anne Waters (Swank) who dedicates her life to proving that her brother, Kenny (Rockwell), was wrongly convicted of a murder. She is a high school dropout who graduates from college and law school to serve as her brother's attorney and prove his innocence.

Riveting, Oscar worthy performances by Swank and Rockwell and amazing story of perserverance and dedication over a 20 year period. This is one of the best movies of the year.                     A

THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST - Starring Michael Nyquist, Noomi Rapace.

This is the third in the Trilogy based upon the best selling books by the late Stieg Larsson.

Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) is fighting for her life in hospital after being shot in the head at the end of 2nd movie of the trilogy. She is charged with three murders and attempted murder of her father, and is being targeted by a rouge group in Swedish Intelligence because of her knowledge of the group's existence and shady dealings regarding her father.

Mikael Blomkwist (Nyquist) uses his publication, Millinium, to prove Salander's innocence while bringing this rouge group to justice.

As stated in my reviews of the previous two movies, this is outstanding action/drama, highlighted by the portrayal of Lisbeth Salander by Noomi Rapace.

If you read the books you will love the movies, If you didn't read the books I suggest that you read at least the 1st  (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) to gain an understanding of the storyline.

These books and movies have attracted International acclaim and Lisbeth Salander has created quite a cult following.

I believe the Trilogy will be released as a DVD set for the Holidays. Don't miss them, but beware the the Lisbeth Salander character is like no heroine you have ever seen, and there is graphic sexual situations and violence. 

My wife and I are full members of "THE GIRL" cult.                                A

HEREAFTER - Starring Matt Damon, Cecile De France

George, a famous psychic (Damon), reverts to a blue collar job in an attempt to avoid the gift that he considers a curse. He is brought back by his brother to perform readings for clients with near death experiences, and returns to his former calling after he is fired from his laborers job.

Across the Atlantic, two people are touched by death in different ways. A London schoolboy loses his twin brother in a car accident and searches for way to contact him in the "hereafter". Marie, a french journalist (De France), suffers a near death experience on vacation, and is obsessed with her visions of the "hereafter".

The three characters lives become intertwined in a quest to understand life after death. Great acting and an absorbing storyline, that is thought provoking. It takes a while to develop but is well worth the effort, and could have award nominations at end of year, particularly relating to Clint Eastwood's directing.              B+    

                                     

STONE - Starring Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich.

A convicted arsonist attempts to manipulate a correction officer (DeNiro), who is a major factor in his potential parole. He solicits his wife (Jovovich) to seduce the correction officer into assisting in granting his parole. Jovovich is stunning in this role and Ed Norton gives his usual excellent performance as the convict.

This is a game of wits between the convict and officer, uncovering major personal flaws in the officer's marriage and life in general. The storyline develops slowly and drags a bit, but the acting is good and will lead to some interesting discussion. Worth a look.                              C+

RED - Starring Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman.

Frank Moses (Willis) is a retired super CIA agent whose team has become the #1 target of the CIA. The team comes out of retirement to stay one step ahead of their pursuers and concoct a plan to infiltrate the CIA Headquarters, discovering a conspiracy that threatens the US Government.

Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich are excellent as CIA aged hitmen, and Mary-Louise Parker plays a memorable role as the innocent bystander who is sucked into the action. Loads of fun and great entertainment.       B+                                  

SECRETARIAT - Starring Diana Lane, John Malkovich, Otto Thorwath, Margo Martindale.

This is the true story of  SECRETARIAT, who many critics believe to be the greatest racing horse of all time. Penny Chenery (Lane) becomes the owner of a stable of horses,  when her mother dies and father is too weak and distaught to run their estate.

 Two of the mares are expecting a fold, both by a famous stallion, and a coin flip between the two owners will determine who gets which fold. Penny loses the coin toss but receives ownership of the one she wanted, who is born as a red colt named Secretariat.

When Penny's father dies, the inheritance tax on the estate is $6MM, which she cannot pay without either selling Secretariat, or doing something very creative. Hence the plot is developed with Secretariat needing to win the racing "Triple Crown" to raise the necessary money.

This is a very enjoyable, Disney produced, family movie that is light entertainment and certainly worth the visit. Like all true life movies, there is little room to enhance the outcome. In this respect it is a predictable movie with not a great deal of drama, and a little soupy and hammy in places.

But considering what Hollywood is putting out lately this is a feel good movie with good acting and an inspirational message.  You'll enjoy it.                       B

                                       

RESIDENT EVIL 4 - AFTERLIFE - Starring Mila Jovovich, Ali Larter.

The world is savaged by a virus that turns victims into the "undead". Alice (Mila Jovovich) is the savior of the world in attempting to cure the virus while wiping out armies of the undead. A friend from the prior 3 episodes, Claire (Ali Larter), helps in the mayhem.

This is the 4th of the series which are based on a popular video game and plays like a big screen video game in 3D.  Alice explodes the "undead" with a hail of bullets and other explosive devices, never messing her makeup or body suit.

If you saw the first three you would understand a bit more about how we got in this mess, and will identify with some of the characters. It's a typical "what you expect is what you get" flick which is non stop action, nice looking leading women, and some fun watching 3D. You need to love video games and mayhem to enjoy, but it was somewhat entertaining.                                   C+

THE SOCIAL NETWORK -  Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer.

This depicts the creation of FACEBOOK by founder Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg), who became the youngest billionaire in US History. It has received the largest hype in a long time and guess what, it's well earned.

This is a riveting unauthorized biography of Zuckerberg, a brillant computer programmer at Harvard, with a number of character flaws that impacts his social relationships and life in general.

Eisenberg is outstanding in this role, and is supported with a great cast including Justin Timberlake, who plays Sean Parker, a self made entrepreneur and  a major contributor to the growth of FACEBOOK.

This is a "don't miss" movie experience and will definitely be nominated for best picture and best lead actor.

Best movie of the year  thus far.                         A

September Releases:

YOU AGAIN - Starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustmen, Betty White.

This is a light comedy about meeting your arch rival and nemesis from High School. as the future wife of your brother. Kristen Bell is an new star in movie comedy, rivaling Reese Witherspoon and Amy Adams, and is very entertaining as Marni,  the high school nerd turned successful business woman, confronted with the person responsible for making high school a living hell.  Gail (Curtis), plays her mother who is confronted with the same crisis, when the aunt of the groom arrives (Weaver) as her arch enemy in high school.

This is a fun comedy experience and well worth a visit. Critics were mixed but this is one of the best comedies of the year.                                     B+

DEVIL -  Starring Chris Messina, Bojana Novakovic, Geffrey Arend.

I'm not a big horror movie buff and was a bit skeptical of seeing DEVIL. However this is not a horror film, but a thriller, with significant  depth and underlying meaning.

Five random people are together in an elevator which suddenly and inexplicably stalls. While building security attempts to solve the problem, murders take place in the blacked out elevator, bringing the police into situation. One of the five is believed to be the killer but there are strange developments that lead the police on a desperate chase to discover the source of the murders.

You're on the edge of your seat throughout, with an unexpected climax. There are little known actors but the plot works and is well worth the experience. We liked it.                            B-

WALL STREET - MONEY NEVER SLEEPS - Starring Michael Douglas, Shia La Boeuf, Carey Mulligan.    

This is the sequel to the Oscar winning "Wall Street", and while not quite in the same league, is an entertaining experience.

Gordon Gekko (Douglas) is released from prison after 20 years, and begins the process of putting his life back together. He remains a popular and influential figure in the world of finance and reclaims much of his power. Jacob Moore (La Boeuf) is a successful Wall Street broker, who is engaged to Gekko's estranged daughter. He approaches Gekko and becomes intertwined in Gekko's world much to the chagrin of his fiancee.

The movie has some flaws and is not in the same class as the original, but it holds you interest throughout and is well worth a look.                                  B

**THE TOWN - Starring Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner.

The story centers around "The Town", a one square mile area of Boston, which nurtures much of the crime in Boston. Dog MacRay (Affleck) is a career criminal, whose gang specializes in armored car heists. His partner and childhood friend, James Coughlin (Renner) is an unstable loose cannon, willing to kill anyone who crosses him. During a heist they take a hostage, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), who, although blindfolded, can identify Coughlin from a tattoo on his neck. Claire is released but MacRay follows her, befriends her, and falls in love, creating a conflict between his feelings for her and her ability to identify the gang.

Jon Hamm plays the relentless FBI agent who is determined to take down the gang any way possible.

This is simply the best action drama of the year to date and is Ben Affleck's best performance. He is complimented by excellent performances by Rebecca Hall and Jon Hamm, and a potential Oscar performance by Jeremy Renner.

Don't miss it. It's great entertainment from start to finish.                                             A

ANIMAL KINGDOM - Starring Guy Pearce, Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton,

This is an Australian drama about  the Melbourne crime underworld. The Cody brothers, a gang of armed robbers, are in the process of initiating their teenage nephew Joshua into their terrifying world. This is the Wild West played out in the streets of Melbourne, complete with bad guys, corrupt cops, gun molls etc. 

Guy Pierce plays Nathan Leckie, the senior police detective, who is on a mission to destroy the Cody family. It is a battle for the heart and mind of Joshua (J) a 17 year old who attempts to survive his criminal family with the help of Leckie. For the most part it works and is very entertaining. The Joshua character spends a bit too many moments contemplating his fate, but I would recommend as a better than average crime drama.      B

SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD - Starring Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Scott (Cera) is a teenager looking for the girl of his dreams, who he finds in Ramona Flowers (Winstead). However Ramona has significant baggage with a number of super hero ex-boyfriends, who Scott must take on.

We went to see this because my daughter loved it. While the young find such movies hysterical, I usually find them dumb and stupid, and SCOTT PILGRIM was no exception. If you over 30 I would avoid, and if you're curious, wait for the DVD.                             C+

THE AMERICAN - Starring George Clooney, Violante Placido.

This is a much hyped and anticipated Clooney movie that totally disappoints. It's all about Clooney, who plays an assassin (Jack), who develops a conscience and wants out of the business. It is very slow moving with many moments of "emoting" by Clooney, and just doesn't work. His costar, Violante Placido (Clara) is the prostitute he falls in love with. She is not hard to look at, particularly in her "work clothes", and is the only positive in a dreary movie.  Clooney;s worst I can remember.                                  C

MACHETE - Starring Danny Trejo, Robert DeNiro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez.

Danny Trejo is "Machete", a renegade Mexican Federale, who tries to save the Mexican border from drug lords, corrupt US politicians (DeNero), and anyone else on the set for that matter. Trejo is so ugly that women find him attractive (I guess), and is you newest brand of hero. i.e. scary looking, barely literate, willing to slaughter anything living in his reach.

The movie is a bloodbath spoof with heads flying off, severed arms thrown in the air, intestines used as an escape rope etc. If that's your cup of tea by all means go see it.

Jessica Alba is her usual beautiful, lousy acting self, and Michelle Rodriguez is refreshing as  an immigrant expediter turned action hero.

As bloody action spoofs go, it isn't bad and Trejo certainly makes a name for himself as an unconventional action hero.  However be aware of the carnage that awaits you.                                                    C+

August Releases:

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS - Starring Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Stephanie Szostak.

We dragged ourselves to see this because the pickings are very thin. It was a big mistake. I'm a Steve Carell fan (The Office) and expected some good, if not great comedy. It was tedious, boring, stupid, and very few funny sequences. The plot is not worth describing. I would avoid this like the plague. Where has all the good comedy gone. Only redeeming value, a very pretty Stephanie Szostak.                            D

EAT PRAY LOVE - Starring Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, James Franco. Viola Davis, Richard Johnson.

This is the film version of the best selling book about a woman seeking the truth in life after a divorce, by traveling to Italy, India, and Bali. It is a pilgrimage to find her inner self, God, and what true love is.

This is a true story that meanders through exotic places following Liz's (Julia Roberts) quest.

I didn't read the book (my wife and daughter did), so I didn't fully understand the reasons for Liz's unhappiness (and frankly I still don't). She had, what appeared to be a good, trusting marriage, yet, with no warning, abandoned it for the search for truth and love. The journey itself was entertaining, the scenery beautiful, and the characters she befriends compelling.

Although not necessarily a "chick flick", woman will appreciate her motivations and needs more than men will. I found it somewhat entertaining, but was left without a full understanding of the quest.                                B-

THE EXPENDABLES - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Arnold.

I was intrigued by the cast of aged action heroes and how they would blend. Well it was exactly as expected. Very little dialogue, no acting, and wall to wall bloodbath and mayhem.

There is a cult of movie goers (all guys) who love this movie. If you like non stop action. ear piercing sound, and the "slaughter" of thousands of extras, then this is your movie. For anyone with any intelligence, who is looking for a plot or quality acting, please stay away. There is a comedy aspect. with at least 7 million rounds of ammunition expended, and the 5 heroes totally unharmed, except for Stallone eating a round in his bullet proof vest.

Redeeming qualities: Jason Statham is a pretty good actor and great action hero, and cameos by Bruce Willis and Arnold are entertaining.

If you go see it, know what to expect. I would wait for the video but the magnetism of the cast may draw you.                     C+

THE OTHER GUYS - Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton.

This is a spoof on detective movies and is a wild ride with a limited plot and a number of funny situations and one-liners. It's typical Will Ferrell humor, who plays an accountant made detective, and with his partner, Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg), stumble and bumble their way in chasing the bad guys. Eva Mendes, as Ferrell's gorgeous and subservient  wife, and Michael Keaton as the clueless captain of the precinct, are both positive additions to the cast.

Mildly entertaining and funny in parts, but I expected more. Unless there's nothing else to see I would wait for the DVD.               C+ 

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT - Starring Julianne Moore, Annette Bening. Mark Ruffalo.

If your idea of a conventional family is LEAVE IT TO BEAVER or BRADY BUNCH , this movie may be a bit of a shock. A middle aged lesbian couple (Moore and Bening) each have a child via sperm donor. The kids are now teens and are on a quest to find their birth father, who turns out to be Paul (Ruffalo), a small restaurant and farm owner.

Paul's intrusion into the unconventional family causes strain in the relationships highlighting the vulnerability in this uncommon family structure.

This is an intelligent, warmly funny, and heartfelt comedy/drama, with outstanding acting performances from Julianne Moore and Annette Bening. 

It's well worth the trip.                                               B

July Releases:

INCEPTION - Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Michael Caine.

This is one of the most unusual and clever story lines in a long time. Cobb (DiCaprio) is an expert in new technology that extracts dreams from people and shares them across groups of people. He experiments with a new breakthrough enabling one to plant ideas in one's dreams (i.e. inception), with the goal of altering one's thinking. However this requires three levels of dream inception, i.e. a dream within a dream, within a dream. If this sounds "way out there" it certainly is, and you need serious concentration (particularly in the beginning) to understand where the movie is headed. Having said that, INCEPTION is an intellectual masterpiece that will keep you discussing it for days after.

Be prepared for a unique experience, and don't give up on it. It gets better and better once you grasp the concepts.                     A-

SALT - Starring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber.

This is the action thriller of the year thus far. Angelina Jolie is superb in the role of Evelyn Salt, a double agent like none other. The plot keeps  you guessing right until the very end and leaves you with certainty that sequels will follow. This is an action thriller with a great plot, excellent special effects, and a great performance by Jolie. If you watched 24 on TV you will love this.  Don't miss it.                                      A-

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE - Starring Mikael Nyqvest, Noomi Rapace.  (In Swedish with English subtitles).

This is the 2nd in the trilogy which began with THE GIRL IN THE DRAGON TATTOO. Note that the three movies are being released in rapid succession, following the release of the books by author Stieg Larsson. Unfortunatelly Larsson died unexpectedly while working on the 4th book. The 3rd, THE GIRL KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST, is out in hard cover, and the movie will follow shortly.

There are a number of caveats with the movie trilogy, i.e. subtitles, graphic sex, violence, many complex characters, must be seen in sequence. If this scares you then stop here.

As you probably know the books are a best selling craze, and the two movies I've seen to date, mirror the books very closely.

Now the review:  in a phrase, DON'T MISS THEM. The portrayal of Lisbeth Salander by Noomi Rapace, is absolutely riveting and definitely Oscar material. She is a most unlikely and memorable heroine and will captivate you throughout. The plot is too complicated to summarize. I suggest that you read at least the 1st book (DRAGON TATTOO) because it will help lay the framework for the movies.

Finally, there will always be some who won't like these because tastes in movies (and books) varies greatly. But for us these two movies were the stars of the summer.                                          A

TOY STORY 3 - Starring the voices of Tom Hanks (Woody, Tim Allen (Buzz), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Don Rickles (Mr Potato Head).

Many friends who saw this with their children/grand children, are raving about it so I took my wife to see it among the throng of families. Surprisingly there were a number of adults there without children.

This is a Walt Disney/Pixar release, the third and best thus far. Pixar is truly amazing and the characters come to life in extraordinary ways. Relive your childhood in this animation masterpiece. We enjoyed it so much that we are borrowing the first two  from out kids. If your  embarrassed to see it alone, take a child as cover, but it's one of the most entertaining movies to date. Don't miss it.                  A

June Releases:                    

THE TWILIGHT SAGA - ECLIPSE - Starring Kristin Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner.

If you haven't lived in a cave the past two years you know about the famous trilogy. We made a point to see the first two via rental so we were well versed in the vampire/werewolf romantic saga. The conditions in enjoying this experience are 1) See the first two or you will not understand certain key elements, 2) Get you mind set for a romantic fantasy. Having said that we totally enjoyed ECLIPSE and would rate it the best of the three.

This is a love triangle centers around three high school kids, Isabella (Stewart) who is pursued by Edward (Pattinson), a vampire whose family has lived in the area for centuries, and Jacob (Lautner), who while human during the day, is a member of a family (pack) that turns into wolves at night.

I'm sure you realize that the two guys are very popular with the girls and expect the theater to be filled with loving fans.  Although not in that category we really were engaged in the romance, and the conflicts among the good vampires, the werewolves, and the bad vampires was very entertaining. I realize my audience may not appreciate this type of movie but it really worked for us and presented us with great discussion with our kids and grandkids.                                       B+

I AM LOVE - Starring Tilda Swinton, Pippo Delbono. (Italian with English sub-titles).

The wealthy Recchi family is undergoing significant change. Eduardo Sr. chooses to split succession to power in running their massive industrial company. His son Tancredi and grandson Edo will share the reigns. But Edo has dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef.

Tancredi's wife Emma (Tilda Swinton), a Russian immigrant, falls deeply in love with Antonio, embarking upon a passionate love affair that will shock the Recchi family to the core.

This is a drama of passion and betrayal that highlights Tilda Swinton in a role with Oscar potential. The love affair is steamy and the family relationships intriguing, but the flow of the movie is a bit tedious, and the conclusion leaves you with a number of questions, leaving many elements for discussion. The reviews will vary depending upon your movie taste, but we enjoyed the experience.                    B-

KNIGHT & DAY -Starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.

A government agent (Cruise) discovers a plot by another agent to steal a battery with the power to last forever and sell it to a Spanish arms dealer.  

Diaz is an innocent bystander whose Cruise character selects as an unwilling accomplice.

The plot's not the important thing, its the non stop action, the comedy, and the interplay between the two. Cruise and Diaz work great together, resulting in an very enteraining and fun ride through many scenic locations. The action is outrageous with Cruise dragging Diaz though  endless wipeouts of the bad guys. It's allot of fun and highly recommended.                                 B+

A TEAM - Starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel.

This is the movie version of the popular TV series. A noisy action movie with a weak plot, but the acting is fairly good and if your expectations are not high, it delivers pretty much what you expect. If you are an action movie freak like I am, you'll enjoy it. But don't expect an Oscar level experience.                                   C+

WINTER'S BONE - Starring Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes.

This is a dark tale of a 17 year old girl, Ree Dolly (Lawrence), who is searching for her father because he has placed their house up for bond and if he jumps bail they will lose the house. The story takes place in the Ozarks, offering a graphic and disturbing look at this element of society. 

Ree's quest to find answers to her father's whereabouts weaves through the many lies and deceptions from friends and  family members, leading to a grisly discovery.

The movie is dark and a bit slow moving at times, but the acting performance by Jennifer Lawrence is riveting and is worth the trip alone.

This is a realistic look at life in the Ozarks and is worth a visit if you enjoy an outstanding acting performance.                B-

KARATE KID - Starring Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan.

This is the same story, the same characters, the same scenes, etc, etc. as the original. Guess what? It works.  Jaden Smith (son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith), is a very impressive child star with potential for adult stardom. He brings new life to the role of Dre Parker aka Karate Kid.  Jackie Chan is also very good in a more dramatic role than normal, and the supporting cast is very believable and adds to the experience. This is filmed in Beijing, China, which breathtaking scenery of the surrounding countryside (Great Wall and all).

You certainly know what to expect, but I really enjoyed it, perhaps even more that the original. Go see it for a fun experience.         B

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - Starring Mikael Nyqvest, Noomi Rapace (Swedish with English sub-titles).

This is the movie version of the best selling novel of the same name.

Mikael is an investigative reporter who loses a libel case against a famous businessman, and will serve 3 months in prison. Before his sentence is carried out, he is offered a job by Henik Vanger to solve the disappearance of his niece 40 years ago. The Vanger family is a wealthy and notorious family with ties to the Nazis during WW11.  Mikael moves to  Henik's residence, on an island only accessable via one bridge, and begins his investigation.

Lisbeth (Rapace) is an expert computer hacker, with a photographic memory, who is on parole for illegal access to computer records. She hacks into Mikael's computer, becomes intrigued by his investigation, and becomes his partner in the investigation.

This is one of the best murder mysteries in years and is the best movie to date in 2010. It is true to the book (for the most part) and is a compelling mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Performances by Nyqvest and Rapace are outstanding, with Noomi Rapace stealing the show as a quirky girl with a dark history.

Beware of a disturbing rape scene early in the movie, and the sub-titles can be a bit distracting, until you get used to them. My wife read the book and I did not, but we both thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Don't miss it.                               A

May Releases:

PRINCE OF PERSIA - Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina.

A long time ago in the land of Persia, Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal) and his two brothers are tricked by their uncle Nizam (Kingley) to attack a sacred land ruled by the beautiful Princess Tamina (Arterton).  Dastan embarks on a journey with the Princess to protect and return a dagger, which contains the sands of time, before it falls into the hands of the evil Nizam.

The movie, which is based upon a video game of the same name, is an adventure fantasy, that is visually captivating, well acted and very entertaining. Jake Gyllenhaal excels as the swashbuckling Prince, and Gemma Arterton, a younger version of Catherine Zeta-Jones , is breathtaking as the Princess Tamina.  Don't let the video  derivative fool you. This is a perfect epic for the screen, with some good twists and excellent visual effects.

Note that after viewing SEX IN THE CITY 2 yesterday, a root canal would have been a better experience, but PRINCE OF PERSIA is highly recommended and well worth the trip.                                          B

SEX IN THE CITY 2 - Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Krisin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall.

This is a cult thing for those addicted to the TV series. There is no point explaining the plot because there is none. This is a superficial, nonsensical, voyage into the world of unabashed materialism, with absolutely no redeemng value. Don't waste your time. If your wife or girl friend wants to see it, take her, and duck out to see ROBIN HOOD OR PRINCE OF PERSIA. A thorough waste of time.                   D

                   

MOTHER AND CHILD - Starring Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington, Samuel Jackson, Jimmy Smits.

The lives of three woman are intertwined, profoundly affected by adoption. Karen (Benning) had a baby at 14, gave her up at birth, and is haunted by the baby she never knew. Elizabeth (Watts) grew up adopted and is bright, ambitious, and controlling. Lucy (Washington) and her husband are looking to adopt and are interviewed extensively by an unwed 20 year old who is 6 months pregnant. 

This is an intense, thought provoking drama of the difficulty and pain associated with the various aspects of adoption. Annette Bening gives an Oscar level performance as a woman agonizing over giving her child up for adoption many years ago. Equally excellent is Naomi Watts portrayal of the child, now grown, and suffering from not knowing her birth mother.

The movie is R rated for some sexuality.  I would recommend for those who enjoy an intense, thought provoking experience.             B

SHREK FOREVER AFTER - Starring the voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Eddie Murphy, Walt Dohrn.

This is the final of the Shrek series.  Shrek, happy married with three kids, misses some of his old life as a feared Ogre. He signs a pact with the bad guy, Rimplestlskin, to give up a day of his life to live one day as his old self. He doesn't realize that the day chosen is the day he's born, which eliminates his former happily married life entirely.

While perhaps not quite at the quality of the first two, it's creative, funny, and well worth the trip. I did not see it in 3D but thoroughly enjoyed the animation and script,  and would definitely recommend it. This is not just for kids. Adults will love the humor.            B

LETTERS TO JULIET - Starring Amanda Seyfried, Vanessa Redgrave, Chrjis Egan.

Sophie (Seyfried) is engaged to be married and takes a pre-wedding honeymoon to Tuscany. While in Verona she finds a 50 year old letter under a brick in a wall. The letter was from Claire (Redgrave) to Lorenzo. the love of her life, explaining why she must brake off the relationship. Sophie begins an adventure to find Claire and reunite her with Lorenzo.

This is a light and predictable romance, with beautiful Tuscany as backdrop. It's a feel good movie that will awaken the romance in everyone. Amanda Seyfried is captivating as Sophie, and Vanessa Redgrave is perfect as a widow in her 60's seeking her Lorenzo.

Forget what SRV Times says. I really enjoyed it.     

                        B

ROBIN HOOD - Starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, Oscar Isaac.

This is a realistic portrayal of the English folklaw leading up to the Robin Hood legend. Robin Longstride (Crowe) is an archer in the army of Richard the Lionheart, who is plundering the French countryside in his return from the 3rd Crusade. Robin takes on the identity of a knight, Sir Robert Loxley, who asks him to return his sword to his father in Nottingham, before dying on the battlefield. Robin and his comrades travel to England posing as knights  and presents the crown of Richard the Lionheart to his mother, after Richard is also killed in battle.

Prince John (Isaac) becomes king, and is persuaded to impose heavy taxes on the people, to replenish the wealth squandered by Richard in his Crusade.

The story line mixes fact and folk law very effectively resulting in a realistic historical accounting of the period. Cate Blanchett is excellent in a very different portrayal of Marion, and Russell Crowe plays these roles very well and this is no exception. This is a fun movie with plenty of action and interesting characters, with a very good historical perspective of 12th/13th century England. Highly recommended.                   B+

IRON MAN 2 - Starring Robert Downey Jr, Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johnsson, Sam Rockwell, Samuel Jackson.

Tony Stark (Downey Jr) has taken his Iron Man status to a new level with his ego running wild, as he propels himself into "rock star" stardom, and becomes the self proclaimed savior of the country. He is called to a Senate hearing to gain knowledge of the technology of his iron suit, but refuses to give info, stating that he and the suit are one. 

Meanwhile Ivan Vanko (Rourke), a rouge Russian scientist, develops his own iron suit with great destructive powers. Justin Hammer (Rockwell), CEO of Hammer Corp, is also developing drones with similar destructive powers. Vanko joins Hammer in pursuit of the ultimate drones, with the goal of destroying Iron Man, and gain control of the US military machine.

This results in battles resembling a high speed video game, with endless special effects.

The positives are Mickey Rourke (THE WRESTLER) who plays an effective bad guy, and Scarlett Johnsson, who sparkles as a martial arts assistant to Iron Man.

The negatives are the continued bantering by Tony Stark and his cohorts, an annoying performance by Sam Rockwell, as Justin Hammer, and the tedious battles among all the iron suited characters.

The original was far superior, and I would not recommend this. Wait for the video.                    C+

HARRY BROWN - Starring Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer.

Harry Brown (Caine) is a retired British Marine who lives alone in a crime and drug infested London housing development know as THE ESTATE.  Following the murder of his best friend, Leonard, Harry has had enough of the fear and brutality from the local gangs,  and becomes a vigilante in quest of revenge and justice.

This is the British version of GRAND TORINO, with far more violence and drug related sequences. If graphic violence and drug use offends you stay away. Also the British cockney accent is difficult to understand on occasion.

Having said this, the movie flows well and keeps your interest throughout. If you liked GRAND TORINO you will like this as well. We liked it and I would recommend.                                      B-

May Releases Avoided (Chose not to see)

MACGRUBER - Terrible reviews.

JUST WRIGHT - Terrible reviews.

BABIES - Some might like this documentary but I chose not to see it.

PLEASE GIVE - Not great reviews and turned off by the premise.

A NIGHTMARE AT ELM ST - Need I explain.

April Releases:

OCEANS - Walt Disney documentary.

A documentary of the Oceans and the life they support. Sequel to "EARTH" that was released on Earth Day 2009.

A visual masterpiece. Stunning photography of sea creatures you never knew existed, and those that you have never seen up close. Breathtaking,  Don't miss it,          A

CITY ISLAND - Starring Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Paul Diomede, Emily Mortimer.

VInce Rizzo (Garcia) is a life time resident of City Island, a harbor community in the Bronx. He secretly aspires to be an actor but is afraid to tell his fiery wife, Joyce (Margulies). He takes acting classes at night, telling her he is playing poker with the guys, leaving her very suspicious.  He meets Molly (Mortimer) at the class, who encourages him in his acting pursuits.

Vince regular job is a prison guard, where he suddenly meets his son, Bill (Diomede), from a pre-martial relationship, that he also has not told his wife. He takes Bill home on parole, telling his wife that he is a friend.

There are a number of funny sequences from these deceptions, and the added elements of a daughter that is a secret stripper, and a younger son who is infatuated with overweight people.

However the comedy falls short of what you would expect from such a disfunctional family situation. Having said that, the acting by Garcia and Margulies is excellent as a combative couple, and the multiple storylines are entertaining.

A special added attraction for me was the setting in City Island and Orchard Beach, where I frequented often as a kid.

A good comedy but a bit lacking in the hilarity department.                B-

THE JONESES - Starring David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Amber Heard, Gary Cole, Ben Hollingsworth.

An apparently well off and fashionable family moves into a wealthy suburb, buying a magnificent house with exquisite furnishings. But "The Joneses" are not what they seem. They are a highly trained and charismatic unit of four, whose mission is to entice the wealthy into buying the luxury products that their clients are marketing. The concept initially seems rather far fetched, but it grows on you throughout the movie, to a point where you wonder is stuff like this actually happens. Duchovny and Moore are excellent as the fake married couple, and there contrived children, Jenn Jones (Heard) and Mick Jones (Hollinsworth) and also compelling, playing a sexually crazed daughter and a closet gay son.

This is a journey through the materialistic world of the rich, who will strive at anything to keep up with the "Joneses".

Steve Jones (Duchovny) battle of deceit vs honestly is the cornerstone of the movie, and works for me.

In fact THE JONESES is unique and thoroughly entertaining.   Give it a try.                             B

CLASH OF THE TITANS - Starring Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Sam Worthington.

Perseus (Worthington), son of Zeus (Nisson), embarks upon an adventure to save humans from the wrath of Hades (Fiennes), who cajoles Zeus into war with humans to teach them a lesson in obedience. This is a 3-D fantasy of Greek Mythology that is pretty much what you would expect. The special effects are decent, the acting forgettable, and the storyline true to the Greek Myths, if you like that sort of thing.

I was entertained but not overwhelmed. 3-D adds very little to the movie and frankly is annoying at times. Unless your a lover of these special effect adventures, I would wait for the rental.                 C

DATE NIGHT - Starring Steve Carell, Tina Fey, and Mark Wahlberg,

The Fosters (Carell and Fey), need a night out on the town to liven up their lives, and choose try a very trendy restaurant in NYC. They have no reservations and are told to wait in the bar by a rude maitre d.  Seeing the rejection they answer to the name of the Tripplehorns when the laters reservation is called.

While enjoying their meal they are confronted by two thugs who are after the Tripplehorns, for blackmailing their boss, a known mobster, with illicit info about the District Attorney, who is owned by the mobster.

This mistaken identity leads to series of confrontations with the police and bad guys.

There are many hilarious sequences, with Steve Carell and Tina Fey working well together as a very funny comedy team.

There are many cameos including James France, Mila Kunis, and Mark Ruffalo,  all adding to the experience.

Best comedy of the year so far and certainly worth a trip to the movie.                        B+

April Movies Avoided (Chose not to see):

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID - No interest.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON - Kids movie.

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE - Brainless comedy.

FURY VENGEANCE - Dreadful reviews.

THE LOSERS - Bad reviews and a typical low grade adventure flick.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET - Need I explain.

KICK ASS - I couldn't convince my wife to see it. I heard it was funny but very violent and gory. I'll see it on DVD some day.

DEATH AT A FUNERAL - I heard that all the funny scenes are in the trailer.

March Releases:

CHLOE - Starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried.

Catherine Stewart (Moore) is a successful doctor, who suspects her husband, David (Neeson) of cheating. She hires a high class prostitute, Chloe (Seyfried,) to seduce him, attempting to discover whether he is faithful to Catherine.

Chloe reports back with graphic detail of how she has seduced David, and entwines Catherine in a web of sexual desire which threatens to destroy her family.

This is a tale of sexual desire and mistrust that certainly holds your attention. Amanda Seyfried is far from the innocent daughter she played in Mama Mia, and is provocative as Chloe, a very disturbed sexual predator.

If you are offended by graphic sexual content stay away. However there is excellent acting and a storyline that keeps you engaged . Worth a visit.                                    B-

REMEMBER ME - Starring Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper, Pierce Bronson.

Ally Craig (de Ravin) witnesses the murder of her mother on a subway platform in Brooklyn in 1991. Her father Sgt Neil Craig (Cooper) is overcome with grief.

10 years later, Sgt Craig, who still suffers major anger issues, assaults  and arrests Tyler Hawkins (Pattinson) in the back alley of a Club. Hawkins, has major anger issues of his own, resulting from the suicide of his older brother, and his strained relationship with his father (Bronson). Tyler and Ally Craig are in the same class in college and begin to date based upon a dare by Tyler's friend, to get back at her father who arrested them.

There are many interesting characters and a complex plot which works well. The movie received mixed reviews from critics but I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it as an compelling story of love and relationships.

If you watch LOST you will recognize Emilie de Ravin, who does a nice job in her first major movie, and Robert Pattinson, who is a major "heart throb" from the Twilight Saga vampire movies.                       B

GREEN ZONE - Starring Matt Damon, Amy Ryan, Greg Kinnear.

Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Damon) is on a mission to discover WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) following the occupation of Bagdad by the US. There are no WMD found at the locations  targeted, supposedly based upon intelligence given by a high level Iraqi Official. Miller smells a conspiracy and undertakes a mission to discover the truth about WMD.

The movie contains a heavy political bias against the War in Iraq and the WMD controversy. If such political overtones disturb you avoid the movie. However, politics aside, Matt Damon is excellent in this role and the plot has significant depth. The action is realistic, however the constant "jumping" of the camera is distracting.

If you like a good action movie with a meaningful plot, AND if movies with political bias don't bother you, I would recommend it.            B

OUR FAMILY WEDDING - Starring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Regina King, Carlos Mencia.

This is a comedy about the family challenges of a wedding between an African American guy and a Latino gal. The plot is very predictable as is most of the racial humor, but it's a very cute movie with a number of funny sequences. These days it's difficult to find a comedy with no drugs, no explicit sex, and no bathroom humor, but this achieves that.

This is a "feel good" light comedy that has you laughing out loud in parts, but lacks the one hilarious character that steals the show. However it's worth the experience.                         B-

THE GHOST WRITER - Starring Pierce Brosnan, Ewan McGregor, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams.

Adam Lang (Brosnan) is the ex-Prime Minister of Great Britain who is writing an autobiography, with the help of a succession of ghost writers, the last of whom died mysteriously, falling overboard on a ferry. The Ghost (Ewan McGregor) is recruited to take his place and joins Adam Lang and his staff at his retreat in Cape Cod. His new ghost writer quickly discovers a series of inconsistencies in the life of Lang, involving possible CIA ties, while  Lang is being accused of turning over Gulf War prisoners to the CIA for interrogation during his Administration.

It's a compelling storyline with intrigue surrounding Lang's ties to US war policy and the CIA, and keeps you guessing throughout.

I have difficulty in rating this movie because of the heavy political message,  which is anti US and  anti CIA.  Liberals and "Progressives" will love it because it depicts the US and particularly the CIA as the bad guys on the world stage. I found that offensive, and would warn the viewer to check  your politics at the door when seeing it.

However it was well acted, suspenseful, and one of the better releases early this year.                                    B

BROOKLYN'S FINEST - Starring Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, Wesley Snipes.

Three parallel stories which converge at the end.

Eddie Dugan (Gere) is an ordinary cop who is retiring in 7 days. He is a heavy drinker who is very depressed over his future, and contemplates ending his life.

Tango (Cheadle) is an undercover cop whose childhood friend Caz (Snipes) is released from prison and attempts to regain his position as drug lord. He agonizes over his undercover work aimed at apprehending his friend.

Sal (Hawke) is a cop who is depressed over his families financial situation and his wife's health. He is constantly tempted to steal drug money that he uncovers during drug raids.

The three plots do not paint Brooklyn's finest in the best light and offer a graphic look at the criminal drug element in Brooklyn. There's plenty of action, and the acting is good, particularly Ethan Hawke, who excels in these depressing, poor soul roles.

This movie earns it's "R" rating on many fronts, with graphic violence, sex, and street language. If you are easily offended by this, stay away.

However it holds your interest and is effective in weaving the three plots to a dramatic end. Not for everyone but if you like a graphic action flick you will like it.                 B-    

Movies Avoided (chose not to see) in March:

ALICE IN WONDERLAND - Not my cup of  tea.

SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE - A lame comedy with poor ratings.

THE BOUNTY HUNTER - Poor ratings.

                

Late January / February Releases:

COP OUT - Starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan.

Two NY Police officers, Jimmy and Paul, have very unorthodox methods and are suspended for 30 days. They still pursue the bad guys after a valuable baseball card is stolen from Jimmy. There's no point describing the plot further, since it's not about the plot but the comedy. In this regard it falls short, although there are some funny scenes and dialogue. I'd recommend a rental when it comes out but not worth a theater visit.        C

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS - Starring Logan Lerman, Brandon Jackson, Uma Thurman.

The Greek Gods are alive and well, having offsprings with humans known as demigods. Percy Jackson (Lerman) is the half human son of Poseidon, who is accused of stealing the "lightning rod" that gives Zeus his power.

This is the first, and hopefully the only, film version of the popular book series. The movie is a 2nd rate fantasy, in the same vein as Harry Potter, but not nearly as good.

Special effects are OK, and Uma Thurman is excellent in her role as Medusa. However the movie is a waste of time with a lame plot, annoying half human/half animal characters, including Pierce Bronson in a laughable role. I pray they spare us the pain of sequels. Stay away.          C-

SHUTTER ISLAND - Starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffino.

In 1952 a detective, Teddy Daniel (DiCaprio) and his partner, Chuck (Ruffino) embark upon an investigation into the disappearance of a patient at an "Institution for the Criminally Insane" on Shutter Island, off the coast of Boston. Dr. Crawley (Kingsley) is the head of the facility and introduces them to the philosophy in treating the patients of the institution, and the mystery surrounding this disappearance. Daniel is haunted by the loss of his wife and three children in a house fire.

Any further discussion of the plot would give too much away, in a movie experience which mirrors  a modern Hitchcock-like drama at his best. This is a psychological thriller that keep you glued to the screen and will take you through a number of twists leading to a finale that you will never anticipate.

This is the best movie of its kind that we have seen in a long time and is worthy of Academy Award consideration for 2010. Ditto for a superb performance by Leonardo DiCaprio. This is not the horror movie you might expect from the trailers. Highly recommended. Don't miss it.     A-                                 

A SINGLE MAN - Starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore.

In 1962 LA, a 52 year old gay man struggles with the meaning of life after losing his long time partner in an auto crash. The story depicts a single day in his life, when he meets a number of people, who help him to finally decide that life does have meaning.

Colin Firth is nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of George Falconer.

The word "struggle" come to mind in attempting to explain how painful it was to sit through this film. It drags so much that I found myself counting the beams on the ceiling of the theater. If you're cerebral about your movie watching, you may appreciate Firth's performance. Frankly I wish I had stayed home and read a book,  C-

THE LAST STATION - Starring Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giamatti, James McAvoy.

This is a biography/historical drama about the later life of Leo Tolstoy, author of "War and Peace. Tolstoy (Plummer) was revered as Russia's most famous author, and had a worldwide following. The film begins in 1910, in pre-WWI Russia, where Tolstoy  and his friend Vladimir Cherlkov (Gaimatti) have established a movement for a utopian, communist society, whose followers are called Tolstoyians. This is much to the chagrin of his wife Sofya (Mirren) whose life style and inheritance are threatened by Tolstoy's philosophy of giving his wealth and writings to the Russian People.

There are outstanding performances by Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer, both of whom were nominated for Academy Awards. Although released in 2010 this is considered eligible for 2009 Academy Awards.

This is a little known piece of history that is portrayed in grand fashion, and is highly recommended as a masterpiece of acting and film making. It would have made my top 10 movies of 2009 if it was released earlier. Don't miss it.                                  A

THE WHITE RIBBON - Starring Susanne Lothar, Leonard Proxauf, Leonie Benesch, and Burghard Klaussner,

A village in pre-WWI Germany is beset by a number of brutal events, placing the whole village in turmoil. There is much mystery surrounding the person(s) responsible for these events amongst villagers whose strict and intolerent treatment of their children play a major factor in the mystery.

During this a romance blossoms between the schoolmaster, Martin ((Proxauf), and a young governess Eva (Benesch).

There are many interesting characters and the storyline, although a bit slow, holds your interest.  The movie is "black and white" and in German, with English subtitles, and was voted the "Best Foreign Film" in the Golden Globe Awards.

I found it to be thought provoking resulting in good post movie discussions, but the 2 hr 40 minutes drag in a number of places and certain scenes remain on the screen far too long.

I would recommend it for those who enjoy a thought provoking, surreal foreign film experience.               B-

THE WOLFMAN -Starring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins and Emily Blunt.

This is a modern remake of the 1941 classic starring Lon Chaney Jr.    

A man is brutally murdered in a village in England (1890). The villagers suspect either a vicious animal or a madman. The man's brother, Lawrence Talbot (Del Toro), returns to investigate the crime, and reunites with his father (Hopkins), and his brother's fiancee, Gwen (Emily Blunt). 

The savage attacks continue in a local gypsy camp, where the villagers have assembled to accuse the gypsies of the crimes.

Lawrence is bitten by the monster during the attack, and becomes a werewolf himself.

This is the same theme as the original movie, with significantly more blood and carnage.

This is not for the squeamish but the acting is as good as expected from the likes of Hopkins, Del Toro, and especially Emily Blunt, who has become a rising star.

This is not for everyone but if you enjoy epic horror/monster movies, and don't mind jumping out of your seat a few times, this is entertaining and a lot of fun.             B        

 

FROM PARIS WITH LOVE - Starring John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

A junior  member of the US State Department contingent in Paris (Meyers) is partnered with a "larger than life", high ranking  operative, Charlie Wax (Travolta), who takes his junior partner (Meyers) on a wild ride through Paris to foil a terrorist plot, killing half of Paris during the onslaught.

If you are looking for a brainless bloodbath, with laughable acting, and a story that could have been written by a 4th grader, this is your movie. Travolta does an OK job as the crazed operative, but Jonathan Rhys Meyers will live to regret his dreadful performance in this one.

I happen to glance at a few of the "user reviews" on Yahoo and was astounded how many guys liked this movie. This is an indication of the depths  this country has fallen in embracing  brainless entertainment. 

I would avoid this one like the plague.                       D

                         

DEAR JOHN - Starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried.

This was billed as as the ultimate tear jerker but didn't come across to us as such.

A soldier on leave meets a girl, they fall in love, and must face the inevitability of his return to duty. 9/11 occurs and John Tyree (Tatam) is caught up in the moment and re-enlists, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend Savannah (Seyfried).

The story is moving, with some unexpected twists, and is worth a trip. I did not read the book but hear that it is superior to the movie. Nonetheless, it was entertaining, and Tatum and Seyfried make a beautiful and believable couple.                                  B

EDGE OF DARKNESS - Starring Mel Gibson and Bojana Novakovic                

Thomas Craven (Gibson)  is a Boston Detective whose daughter Emma (Novakovic) is murdered in a drive-by shooting in front of his house. He is determined to find the killer, who is believed to have targeted him in the attack. He learns that his daughter's company has sinister motives in the development of "dirty bombs", and has covert  Government backing.  His daughter's life was in constant danger for uncovering this.

The story line is complex, but holds your attention throughout. Gibson is effective as Craven and the movie is surprisingly good for a late January release.  Definitely recommended.                      B

Movies avoided, i.e not seen:

THE CRAZIES - Not a fan of Zombie movies.

VALENTINES DAY - Great cast, terrible reviews.

TOOTH FAIRY - I don't think so.

IMAGINATION OF DR PARMASSUS - A kids fantasy.

WHEN IN ROME - May be worth a rental but got bad reviews.