Wanted features a cast made up of Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, and James McAvoy from last year’s Atonement. Now while this might not exactly sound like the recipe for a successful action film it works rather well in the end. James McAvoy plays a cubicle driven common place worker who of course hates his job, his boss, and even his girlfriend who is cheating on him with his best friend. He often thinks to himself of what he’d like to do to these people or what he’d like to happen and for the first twenty or so minutes I feel like I’m watching a blatant rip off of Fight Club and Edward Norton’s character only used with much less style and about half as much kick ass properties. All this aside though the droll annoyed characteristic works with McAvoy in the role and he leads us along this movie until Angelina Jolie shows up to inform him that his father was murdered that day on the top of a rooftop by one kick ass sniper, who just happens to be right behind him at the time… BOOM…

Now let me take a quick moment to discuss my feelings on Miss Angelina Jolie… While I haven’t quite jumped on the bandwagon that she’s insanely hot and the best thing since sliced bread I will say that like it or not this woman has some acting talent and while she doesn’t fully use it here she’s no pain on the eyes either. Moving on.

After that little encounter in the supermarket which turns into a full blown Grand Theft Auto car chase complete with flying (and curving) bullets McAvoy’s character is taken to Angelina Jolie’s headquarters where Morgan Freeman explains that they are a Fraternity of brothers, aptly named THE FRATERNITY, and that they carry out assassinations assigned to them by some cloth that knows binary code. For those of you who aren’t geeks and don’t know what Binary code is… think back to the days when you watched the matrix and saw all of those 1’s and 0’s floating up and down on the screen. Well that’s binary code, only in reality it looks half as cool. Anyways, this magical cloth provides names for people who need to be assassinated because the cloth is sent by… … Fate…. Or something and it is to prevent further bad things from happening… you know… like assassinations…

But in the end they follow the philosophy, Kill One, Save a thousand, or at least Angelina Jolie does, I never heard it out of anyone else’s mouth, but I’ll take her word for it.

Well the movie progresses with McAvoy training to be this super assassin so that he can avenge his father while Morgan Freeman tries to teach him that he can indeed bend bullets as well as everyone else. He struggles at first, but if he didn’t we wouldn’t get that sudden shock and relief when he finally accomplishes his goal. After this new talent he hesitates on his first kill, but only for a second after which he curves the bullat like it’s nothing and proceeds from then on to shoot anyone that the cloth deems worty of death all under the guise of “trying to get to his father’s murderer.”

The film goes on in a big bang with it’s twists and turns and Morgan Freeman says some words that you normally would never expect Morgan Freeman to say, and then the movie’s over. After leaving this film I felt a familiar experience that I had felt before after watching the movie Speed Racer and I realized that this movie has the same redeeming qualities as that one. While the acting, story line, and movie overall are average or only slightly above, it’s the visuals that give it its big push towards Better than most. Yes the movie has it’s own feel and I was really into it. Even though they show that bullet’s point of view type of shot over sixty times it never really felt old and I was into it the entire time.

This film reminded me a bit of last year’s Shoot Em Up,which admittedly I did enjoy, and while it’s not as exaggerated as that movie, Wanted’s not as funny so they balance out in terms of which one is better. Overall though Wanted is fun flick, great for the teenagers who will flock to see it in theaters and a possible worthy addition to any DVD collection when it comes out… I give wanted a 3.5 out of five,counted down mainly because it reminded me of too many other movies and didn’t too anything to spectacular, but I still feel that it is worth the full price ticket… so go see it, it’s worth it.

P.S. I wanted some obscure photo from the film that didn’t have Jolie on it… … but apparently those don’t exist…

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This is not a film for the weak-stomached.  This is a very real, gritty and non-glamorous look at drug abuse and a revelation of its many forms and faces.  Darren Aronofsky does an impressive job directing a cast that doesn’t “wow” anyone in name (Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans, Ellen Burstyn and Christopher MacDonald), but certainly does in performance, particularly Burstyn, who was nominated for an Academy Award for this role.

Harry Goldfarb (Leto) is a lazy ne’er-do-well breaking into the adulthood in Brooklyn who happens to have a little heroin issue.  He’s been supporting his habit by stealing his mother’s television and selling it, only to have her purchase it back on a regular basis from the same resale vendor.  Harry feels guilty, but not that guilty.

Harry’s in love with Marion Silver (Connelly), an aspiring designer with a teeeensy weeeensy cocaine addiction.  In fact, he loves her so much, that he and his best buddy Tyrone (Wayans) decide that if they give this whole drug-dealing thing a whirl, they can put away enough money to open up a store for Marion and live the proverbial dream.

Of course, it’s not as easy as it looks.  Harry and Tyrone have some devastating run-ins with the police and with some big-time dealers.  Marion’s addiction drives her to desperate measures for a fix.  Meanwhile, Harry’s mother Sara (Burstyn) is becoming dependent on diet pills in a fervent quest to fit into a red dress for an elusive television appearance.  All of these characters hit rock bottom, revealing the true evil of drug addiction and how it spins lives out of control.

I know that Aronofsky’s directing style isn’t everyone’s favorite, but I think that this is one film that it fits.  The actual use of the drugs isn’t glorified or even spotlighted.  This is a story about what drug addiction does to people, not about people using drugs.  These aren’t street rats who were born addicts.  They are real people.  They have dreams.  I believe that this film can make people think twice before experimenting with drugs.  It’s that powerful.

The highlight of this film is Burstyn, in all her glory.  You’ll want to cry when she’s having coffee with Harry and speaking of her lonely life, filled with nothing but television and chatty Brooklyn biddies.  This is why her quest for the red dress consumes her.  The refrigerator gains a personality as she increases her dosage of the uppers.  Christopher MacDonald plays an infomercial personality who acts almost as a spirit guide directing her throughout her quest.  Her performance is absolutely dazzling.

As I mentioned above, this film is certainly not for the queasy.  If you think you can handle some rather graphic images, I strongly recommend this movie; if for nothing else, for Ellen Burstyn’s superb performance.

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I managed to get a exclusive look at the upcoming film The Mutant Chronicles, blasting its way into theaters some time in 2008. The exact release date is unknown as of this writing, but it’s certain that it will be some time this year. The big question is whether or not it is worth the time and price of admission.

During the 23rd century, a soldier by the name of Mitch Hunter (Thomas Jane) guides an army of fierce fighters to battle underground mutants after opening a seal to an ancient creation. This creation is a machine known to turn humans into blade-slinging mutants determined to wipe out mankind. It is up to Mitch and his fierce army to save the world. Quite possibly the first ever pen-and-paper-role-playing-game-turned-movie, The Mutant Chronicles is surprisingly satisfying.

Loud, exciting, very funny, and brutally entertaining, it just might be the action film of the year — a movie full of great fight scenes, excitement around every corner, and visually arresting set designs that will hold even the most cynical viewer’s interest. Truthfully, it is the most fun I’ve had at the movies in a long time.

Sporting an A-list action cast that includes Ron Perlman (Hellboy) and Thomas Jane (The Punisher), it is sure to please a certain targeted audience that has a lust for action and a strong appetite for gore. The thrills, the shocks, and the sheer enjoyment of going to the movies is all there and in full, ass-kicking form.

But don’t get me wrong, readers, this isn’t a masterpiece. It does have its glitches like underdeveloped characters, loads of commentary, and Ron Perlman’s acting (which is nearly laughable). Not to mention the small cameo appearance from John Malkovich was unnecessary and could’ve saved the filmmakers a few bucks by casting an unknown actor for this role. Things like that are giving the movie a bad rep after its premier at the Cannes Film Festival. However, there are enough adrenaline-charged moments to flush out these glitches and make for pure entertainment.

In the final act, we get to see Hellboy and The  Punisher go head-to-head in a battle to the death. It’s an exhilarating moment added to the tons of violence beforehand and a great finish to a spectacular fusion of sci-fi, action, horror, and comedy. The Mutant Chronicles is an authentic film and certainly worth the admission price, popcorn and all. 4.5/5 stars

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Cassandra’s Dream (2007) is a London based film written and directed by Woody Allen now out on DVD. This crime drama stars Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell as two brothers in need of fast cash and who are willing to do anything to obtain it.

Ian (McGregor) and Terry (Farrell) are two middle-class English brothers chasing after their financial dreams. Ian, the more stable and prosperous of the two, is a capitalist who is working on a scam to buy hotels in California. Terry is a local mechanic struggling with drug, alcohol, and gambling addictions. The brothers pool their money together and buy a small sailboat which they name Cassandra’s Dream after one of Terry’s winning race dogs. Ian becomes infatuated with Angela, a local gold digger actress (Hayley Atwell). Ian tries to impress Angela by driving fancy cars (borrowed from Terry’s shop) and buying her expensive gifts with Terry’s gambling winnings. Quickly Terry’s winning streak comes to an end when he owes 90,000 pounds. The brothers go to their Uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson), a rich plastic surgeon arriving back home from a business trip in Asia, asking for money. Uncle Howard agrees to help them with their money problems only if they agree to kill a business associate who is going to make Howard’s illegal activities public. The brothers are so desperate for money they agree to do their Uncle’s dirty work, but they are not prepared for the consequences of their actions.

I was fairly disappointed with Woody Allen’s effort with this movie. The film seemed to be a side project, which contained no meaning or importance to the director. A local High School theater company could of done better. The actors were left to stumble through their lines which was most apparent in the under the tree scene when Uncle Howard is asking the brothers to kill his business associate. Tom Wilkinson carried the scene with struggled improvisation.

From the very beginning the musical score (Philip Glass) was over the top. The music was on the verge of annoying and distracting. The score took away from my connection and empathy with the main characters. The musical score was more appropriate for a fight scene or a car chase not an emotional dark drama. 

The film would of benefited from a role reversal between Farrell and McGregor. Farrell’s portrayal of a sensitive and damaged workingman is just not convincing. McGregor, notable the better actor of the two, would of made Terry believable and provoked sympathy from the viewers.

I was excited to watch a new offering from a great director/writer, which also contained one of my favorite actors, but I was disappointed. The film was sloppily put together from the writing, directing, and even the music. I wouldn’t call this film a nightmare, but it’s not a pleasant dream either.

Rated PG-13

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Directed by Guillermo Del Toro
Written by Guillermo Del Toro
Starring Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones

Four years after the original, Hellboy is back, and although there wasn’t a lot of demand for a sequel, it proves to be a welcome addition to the list of summer 2008 blockbusters. This time around, “Red” has to stop an ancient mythical prince from summoning The Golden Army, an indestructible force of 70 times 70 mechanical warriors to take back the world that was once his. Whatever, the plot isn’t really important. It just works as a vessel for visionary director Guillermo Del Toro to work his remarkable imagination. And he does.

The first Hellboy seemed impressive in 2004, but it pales in comparison to The Golden Army. From start to finish there are dozens of breathtaking creatures that raise the bar of fantasy. The sequel is a lot more rooted in fantasy/fairy tale territory than typical superhero stuff. Which is a good thing because Del Toro knows a few things about fantasy and fairy tales, he directed the masterpiece Pan’s Labyrinth. For example, in a brilliant early scene, Hellboy and his team encounter hundreds of little “tooth fairies”, vicious little killers who have habit of stealing their victim’s teeth. Or when the team infiltrate the “Troll Market”, a place for the things that go bump in the night to shop, which may actually top the Tatooine bar scene in the first Star Wars film. A couple delightful surprises wait there, and I wont spoil them. Or when the prince throws a harmless looking green jumping bean at Hellboy, that once it finds water, becomes something rather spectacular, maybe even beautiful. Like Pan’s Labyrinth, the film has a way of balancing makeup/costume effects with CGI. The result is authentic looking creatures that completely engross you into the movie’s reality. Why other directors don’t instate such style is quite the mystery to me.

The characters are all back, aside from Myers, which admittedly disappointed me…Until the Seth McFarlane (Family Guy) voiced Johan Krauss was introduced. A brilliant addition to the team, he seems to be a gas-like entity contained in some strange suit. His ability? He can possess inanimate objects, a power that will ultimately be underused because it’s way too useful. Hellboy is up to his old smoking cigars/petting kittens/pissing off authority antics, as well as some new ones as well (a duet of Barry Manilow between Red and Abe Sapien may occur). Ron Perlman enthusiastically continues his great performance with just the right mix of brawn and sensitivity, making Hellboy very endearing. Del Toro regular Doug Jones (played multiple creature parts in Pan’s Labyrinth) does triple duty as the more interesting this time around Abe Sapien as well as the film’s two best creatures, The Chamberlain and The Angel of Death. Selma Blair again fails to impress as Liz, but the writing for her character isn’t necessarily very strong. Jeffrey Tambor of Arrested Development gets more screen time but not more to do. He’s still grouchy and only there for minor conflict and a couple weak laughs.

The characters are fun, and certainly are a big part of the experience, but it’s the visuals that make this really worth seeing. Del Toro goes no holds-barred this time around, ad it’s sure to get any Lord of the Rings geek excited for his upcoming adaptation of The Hobbit. The plot is a bit trivial and the storytelling isn’t up to the par of Del Toro’s work. The Hellboy films feel more like a mix of Pan’s Labyrinth and Men In Black than a typical superhero movies. I wouldn’t rank them amongst Iron Man, the Spiderman films (well, maybe #3) or the new Batman movies but it really isn’t cut from the same cloth anyhow. So, striking visually, a bit weak story-wise, but a fun summer movie I highly recommend.

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Directed by Steven Sawalich, Music Within tells the true story of Richard Pimentel (Ron Livingston), a brilliant public speaker who enlists in Vietnam to help secure enrollment into college, and who loses his hearing in a bomb blast. He returns from the war and finds his true purpose in life; to help disabled Americans find work and he becomes the voice for there cause.

After surviving both a tramatic childhood and Vietnam, brilliant and natural public speaker Richard Pimental returns from the war having lost his hearing. He enters college and teaches himself to lip read and meets Art Honeyman (Michael Sheen), a brilliant genius stuck in a wheelchair with a disfiguring condition called cerebral-palsy, a condition where the person’s brain works normally, but there body doesn’t. After viewing how Art is treated by the students around them, Richard befriends him and they soon meet Christine (Melissa George), a sexually freeminded young woman who falls for Richard. Soon, Richard finds his calling and begins to help other disabled vets find jobs, and then begins to help all Americans with disabilities. Government begins to take notice, and Richard is tasked with writing a handbook for American companies to follow in hiring disabled Americans. Richard eventually travels the country to help major companies and levels of government to train its employers on how to treat the disabled and how to hire them, and it all eventually leads to the inclusion of the disabled Americans act in the early 1990’s.

At once a highly moving, poignant and incredibly well acted film, Music Within will also most likely make even the most callis person feel slightly guilty. The movie’s message is a powerful one, that you can’t treat people differently just because they don’t look like you, and the elegant writing of screenwriters Bret McKinney, Mark Andrew Olson and Kelly Kennemer drives that point home in a very moving and identifiable way. Like women’s rights, the civil rights movement and all the other struggles of the time, it is easy for us today to forget how it was just a few short decades ago, and that if not for people like Richard, a whole group of Americans would have no voice. It’s a story I’m not ashamed to admit I was unaware of, taking it for granted that the disabled Americans act had always been there and I had no idea it was so recent before they finally found that success. I doubt I am alone in that statement, and its why the film is so important and why the fact that its so well done makes it even more remarkable.

The performances by the lead actors also make the movie enjoyable to watch and very inspiring. Ron Livingston’s portrayal of Pimental is extremely well done, and subtly layered in its deepness, playing both his witty, playful and romantic side with Art and Christine and also his passionate drive, anger and ethusiasm while championing his cause. Michael Sheen’s performance as Art is simply phenomonal, and award worthy. He never comes off as cliche, ridiculous or a figure to pitty, as is usually the case when even the best actors play people with disabilities this extreme, instead he comes off a charismatic and brilliant companion to Richard and steals more than one scene in the movie. Completing the leads is Melissa George, who doesn’t seem as comfortable in the movie right away, but grows with her character and eventually has one of the more poignant scenes with Richard near the end of the film on his front steps. It’s a shorter film, and she plays a smaller role within it, but her character does have the biggest change in the film, which (eventually) George plays quite nicely.

Film’s like this often seem like they’re waving a finger at you, trying to make you feel bad, which at times this one will feel that way, but mostly it is just an inspired story of a true American who stood up for what was wrong and changed it. An emotional, heartfelt and compelling drama that is highly recommended.

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Wanted Stars Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy.  It is rated R for violence, language and intense scenes.  It is an hour and fifty minutes long. 

Based on a graphic novel this movie follows a line of assassins who have let fate provide their kills for them.  The main character, Wesley, finds himself being drawn, no thrust into their world.  One of the head men Sloan (played by Morgan Freeman) find Wesley with the help of his fellow Assassins, mostly Fox (played by Angelina Jolie).  They take this young accountant, who has a droll and lonely life, a man whose boss is a pain in his crack and whose girlfriend isn’t the best girlfriend he could hope for, and they make him a killer.  Or they try to, so that he can get vengeance on the man who killed his father, or the man who had his father killed.  In the end only one assassin can remain standing, and it is a fight to the finish to see who lives.

This movie as I said is based on a graphic novel, and it looks like it, but not in the same well thought out way of movies like Sin City or Batman.  It has some very interesting special effects, at least one involving a car, which were well done and exciting.  Yet I had to realize when I entered the movie that this wasn’t a movie based in plot or storyline, it was a movie based on special effects and not much more.  Plus to see this movie I had to suspend reality more than I have had to do for most other movies.

Everything involving a gun pretty much couldn’t happen, and the reason I know this is because the person I went to see the movie with is a competitive shooter.  There is no way to curve a bullet in a circle killing everyone standing in that circle.  There is no way to shoot one single bullet from so far away that you are basically in another country.  I also am not sure my suspension of belief will go that far.  Plus none of the characters were really that well developed.  We know Wesley’s father wasn’t around to raise him but we get no idea of who did raise him or where he lived or how he got to where he was.  Plus Angelina Jolie’s character, Fox, is the only other character we get any history on and it is only childhood history as well.  We know what happened to her as a young girl but we don’t know really how she got from there to where she ended up.  Plus as a group of assassins they seem so easy to manipulate and not out for themselves enough. 

That said I can’t say if I was happy or not to see this movie.  It was a fun movie, especially if you like lots of special effects and fun, but not a good movie if you like character driven plots and good storylines.  If you are interested in the graphic novel then I don’t know what to tell you because I have no idea how the graphic novel is written or drawn so I can’t say if you would like this or not.  Personally I think maybe I enjoyed this more than I didn’t, it was fun and some of the inner dialogue of the main character Wesley was funny. 

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Barry Manilow’s classic love ballett “Can’t smile without you” blasts thru the halls of the B.P.R.D. (The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) as Hellboy (Ron Perlman) and Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) sing along, naturally out of cue, while drinking beers and each brooding over there own special girl. The scene is wonderful, humerous, touching and well…priceless, and if reading that description raised your eyebrow or turned you off a bit, then I’d suggest skipping this movie.

While that particular level of humor is unmatched in the film (or in many others), the film is largely quick-witted and humerous throughout, often even during the fantastically choreographed and highly entertaining action scenes. It’s a film thankfully unrestrained from studio suits, second guessing or backseat directing, as Director Guillermo Del Toro has, by all accounts and appearances, been given full reign and creative control after his worldwide phenomenon Pans Labrynth of a few years back. And thank the film gods for that blessed miracle, and thank the continued success of the comic book film industry (basically holding hollywood on its back these days) for such a wonderous treat as Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

The sequel to 2004’s Hellboy is both a welcome return to favorite characters and a breath of fresh air to a young film franchise that often seemed to suffucate under its own weight during the sometimes fun, sometimes heavy and boring, and sometimes amazing first film. In the sequel, Hellboy and gang find themselves up against Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) and his army of fable creatures set on reclaiming the earth from the human species they feel has grown greedy and heartless, and who have nearly destroyed the once proud planet, forcing there kind into exile. Hellboy must stop Prince Nuada from finding the location of The Golden Army, a large army of monsterious metal creatures who can only be controlled by the unchallenged leader of the realm. To control the army, Nuada will need to reforge an ancient crown that was broken into pieces millenia ago to prevent the army from being awakened ever again. To stop him, his sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton) hides the last piece from him and seeks the B.P.R.D.’s help.

Aside from the Army plotline and Prince Nuada, the movie also focuses on Hellboy’s relationship with everyone around him. His relationship with B.P.R.D. head honcho Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor) has fizzeled since there reconsciliation at the end of the previous film; His romantic relationship with Liz (Selma Blair) is hitting a rocky point, and she carries a surprise for him thru most of the movie, a delightful surprise the audience is let in on very early on in the film. And then there is Hellboy’s need to draw attention to himself, his need to make everyone like him. As a result of his ego, the B.P.R.D. are outed to the public in the first chunk of the movie, making his rocky relationship with Manning even more so, and forcing the powers that be to send a new agent to take over command of the squad.

That new commander is the highly entertaining Johann Kraus (voiced by Seth Macfarlane), who is basically a robotic body with the spirit of a brilliant scientist living within it. He sounds a bit like the robot on Lost in Space and looks like a bounty hunter from Star Wars, only much more entertaining. Another Star Wars cantina-esche moment is when Hellboy, Kraus and Abe enter a warped version of Diagon Alley from Harry Potter, filled with dozens of amazing creatures, all which put anything in the cantina (or anything else in the films) to shame with its level of detail and originality. At least 6 or 7 times in this movie you will see something and say to yourself: “Boy, I haven’t seen that before.”

It’s simply an enjoyable, fantastic adventure story with great characters and great writing. The character designs and visuals are breathtakingly cool, and Del Toro’s visual flair from Pans Labrynth is once again on full display here. Nowhere have we seen such original, interesting and vibrant looking characters. The result is a scope and believability rarely achieved in such fantasy films like this. Even the action is on a level unachieved in many of its comic book film peers, often adding twists to the excitement, such as Hellboy carrying an infant in one hand while hopping cars, buildings and loading very large guns with the other. Mixed with the same trademark humor from the first film and some strong hints at a possible third film, and it all makes Hellboy II the latest in this summer’s trend of spectacular comic book adaptations. A must see!

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12-year-old Mauro is left alone after his parents get taken away by the military during the regime of 1970’s Brazil. Mauro’s parents told him they were going “on vacation” to keep Mauro from worrying and claim to be back before the World Cup of soccer. Now, Mauro must wait patiently for his parents return from vacation in hope that they will arrive before Pele leads his country to victory.

Like most foreign films, it’s is beautifully shot. Unfortunately, it suffers from leaving viewers who aren’t familiar with the game of soccer isolated and distant from what’s going on. This builds up frustration for those who know there is a good movie to be found here. Foreign film buffs will most likely be pleased and scope out the masterpiece within. However, if you are the casual movie goer, it ends up being nothing spectacular and overlooking the film will save you some precious viewing time.

The first half of the movie is dull and doesn’t show much of a breakthrough until the third act, where we see a glimpse of a great movie. It does have moments of humor wedged in that up the entertainment level, but the bottom line is that even a great ending can’t subdue the mild frustration beforehand.

Vacation is strong in most aspects of film including direction, acting, and cinematography. Cao Hamburger does well at avoiding clichés and directs the film with style, Michel Joelsas gave a true performance as a distraught child, and the cinematography was remarkable. This is what makes it a well made Foreign film and helped gathered up praise from both critics and audiences.

I acknowledge all of the films major accomplishes, but I can’t quite say that it held my interest. The dilatory pace and timid approach nearly put me to sleep and while most of the performances are authentic, the characters are underwritten. This is a film that I can’t recommend, but do see the talent and reasons for its acclaim. A film that isn’t completely original, but still has a refreshing feel to it. Something that isn’t my cup of tea, but deserves attention. 2.5/5 stars

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Journey to the Center of the Earth starring Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutchison will take you for a ride, literally. This 3-D movie is packed with adventure and great fun for anyone!

The story begins when a professor has to watch his nephew who just lost his father. Brendan takes Josh to Iceland so they can do some field lab work, but when they meet a woman who guides them into the mountain for a little research, they get more than a bargain. Soon, the group find themselves stuck in cave and needing to get out with the little time they have left. Along the way, the trio sees things that are out of the ordinary and make exciting finds and also might I add get into a little trouble and romance.

The 3-D effects were really cool. I liked how things flew at me and made the movie more fascinating. The 3-D affects made you want to go back and re-read the book. The 3-D effects also had some fun surprises in them! The coolest part of the movie was seeing the center of the earth itself, is that how it really looks like, Jules Verne had quite an imagination.

However, the beginning was a bit confusing, leading into the story itself took a while. Things eventually picked up when the uncle and nephew follow the guide into exciting heights. In the beginning, the scenes made you a little sick for it it was going too fast. The rest of the movie was fun to watch and you felt like you were going on a rollercoaster the entire movie.

Overall, this action packed adventure will take you on a ride to the center of the Earth. It makes you wonder if you can go to the center of the earth and survive!

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This 2005 flick, written and directed by Adam Rapp, is mostly unentertaining and slightly annoying.  While the film immediately works to portray a melancholy, alternative-lifestyle-feel, it merely comes off as trying to be artsy, rather than actually containing any elements that would actually make it an art film.

 Zooey Deschanel who gave stellar performances in films such as The Good Girl (2002), Eulogy (2004) and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), stars in Winter Passing (2005), but falls far from the cinematic tree she earlier climbed so high in.  Deschanel plays Reese Holden, the daughter of Don Holden (Ed Harris), a famous, yet reclusive writer who has hidden some manuscripts very desired by the literary world.  After the death of her mother and an emotional separtion with her father, Reese is offered a large sum of money to obtain and release the manuscripts.  As a struggling actor, Reese accepts and ventures home only to find that everything she knew about ‘home’ has changed.

So many elements of this film fail to work.  The character psychology is lacking and the performances are just blatantly unbelievable.  As a usual fan of Ed Harris, I found myself very befuddled and equally dissapointed with his strange bearded character; it merely seemed like a facade to hide his very flat, unfaceted acting.  Will Ferrell even makes an appearance as Corbit, Don Holden’s live-in (friend?).  As he was clearly enlisted as comic relief, he does this in his usual confused, unattached way, but even this doesn’t work for me, it simply falls flat.  We learn almost nothing about Corbit throughout the film and his believability is on par with Maggie Smith in a Sci-Fi flick, it is just so unlikely.   As the film slowly moves to transform Reese and give her a new perspective on the world, you just don’t care by the middle of the film what happens to her and by the end, can you even imagine?

The film just goes nowhere.  Reese Holden is full of angst and confusion, but it just does not pull you in like its meant to.  I lost interest throughout the course of the film and found myself looking at my watch, a tell-tale sign of a bad movie.  I do wish I could get that time back and at the same time ask Adam Rapp why it was so necessary to invest in Winter Passing.  Maybe there is some emotional attachment, or some real-life experience projected in this film by Rapp.  But if this is the case, what a boring experience it must have been, and to be honest, I’m surprised he even remembers, because Winter Passing is truly forgettable.

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Will Smith plays an un-conventional superhero in “Hancock” also starring Charlize Theron, and Jason Bateman.  It was directed by Peter Berg who is more known for his acting than directing but does a great job in this film.

Hancock (Will Smith) is an un-destructable superhero rescuing the public in time of need but his rescue efforts are looked down upon by the public because of the destruction he leaves behind, including damaged public property, and cost to the city, which fuel his loneliness and drinking problem. After Hancock saves the life of Public Relations Executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) in what the news business calls a car vs. train scenario Ray feels in dept to Hancock and wants to help him become a person the public would trust, and admire.  Ray’s wife Mary Embrey (Charlize Theron) on the other hand doesn’t think it’s a good idea having him around but at the same time it seems she is somewhat attracted to him.  Ray chooses to have Hancock do some hard time in the L.A. prison thinking that the public will miss him and will demand his comeback- besides he’s a superhero he can escape at anytime.   After coaching from Ray behind bars and some anger management meetings, Hancock gets the call… there’s a bank robbery and the L.A.P.D needs him.  Hancock does what superhero’s do and saves the day, he is then welcomed with joy from the public accepting this new, nicer superhero.  Hancock finally feels accepted and appreciated while the public treats him like a rockstar, but Ray’s wife Mary continues to reject him but for good reason.  She has a secret and when Hancock uncovers it he finds out who he really is.

Will Smith did a great job portraying a drunk, lonely superhero and it was fun watching him acting this role because the last time I saw him was in “I am legend”  which seemed like the typical hero type of character.  The rest of the cast was great also and their characters were well put together.  I loved everything about it; there isn’t much that I have to criticize, the writing, acting, and graphics were good, plus there were some great camera shots.  I definitely recommend and I would watch again.

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Rated PG and running two hours and twenty minutes this movie stars Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell and Sergio Castellitto.

Following the same characters from the earlier Narnia movie this movie begins a year later.  The children are all on their way to school when Narnia comes for them.  They find themselves on a beach in a land that they once knew that has changed drastically.  There a new ruler has found himself in the position to take control and he has desires to be king.  Which is why Prince Caspian must run for his life and search for help from those sons and daughters of olde.  When Susan, Peter, Edmond and Lucy find themselves in Narnia they are startled that so much has changed, and they find that many of the Narnians has disappeared or gone into hiding to save themselves.  A war is on the way, a war for the lives of the Narnians and the control of an empire.  Prince Caspian must make a choice and his biggest adversary might just be himself, or Peter.

Visually this movie follows along the tracks of the first movie.  Most of the characters are digitally animated or added to, and it does take away from the fun of the movie.  At times it can be distracting enough that the viewer is taken out of the movie and pays more attention to the characters visually than what they are saying.  The plot of this movie is lacking and there is way too much going on.  There are too many characters and to be honest the plot seems to suffer, as well as the story.

The biggest drawback of this movie for me was that it seemed like one giant fight scene.  There was no further development of the characters and it seemed as if the scenes of the movie were more thought out as a fight scene than as character storyline.  Even Prince Caspian was lacking.  I didn’t feel like there was enough development of him to care about if he lived or died or became king or whatever.  I really thought that his character and the character of the bad guy and many others should have been expanded a little more.  The character I found myself disliking the most was not of the main bad guy but of Peter.  I was offended by him and thought that he was played a little strongly. 

This movie was a great disappointment to me.  Having read all of the books several times since I was a child I was hoping that this movie would be as well done and fun as the movie before it.  Also I wondered why they creator of the movies didn’t do the first or the third books?  Why skip and do the second and fourth books? 

If you are a fan of the Narnia books I don’t recommend seeing this movie.  If you like fighting then you might like this movie because there are a lot of fight scenes in this movie.  If you want a plot driven movie don’t see this one.

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If you enjoyed Thomas McCarthy’s beautiful 2003 film, The Station Agent, I certainly would not let his most recent film, The Visitor, slip through the theatres without seeing it first. This film, starring Richard Jenkins, is touching, vocal and ultimately meaningful, providing realistic and believable performances.

This film follows a lifeless professor through the strains of his everyday–a life that we quickly understand no longer has meaning or prowess. As we reluctantly watch him drown in the sorrows of his own repetition, the viewer cannot help but attach themselves to his life, hoping that over the course of the film he will find passion and beauty in something–anything.

Through a real estate mix-up, Walter befriends an immigrant couple who briefly inhabit his apartment along side of him. Though this relationship is appropriately awkward and uncomfortable, Walter’s love for music manifests itself in his new roommate’s African drum and one cannot help but become involved in this unlikely partnership. Partly about music, but more about unjust social policies, this film concentrates its well-spoken commentary on immigration in America. The film is not completely austere however, The Visitor comes complete with a muted taste of humor. Be it sublte and sharp, McCarthy does not take himself too seriously, allowing a wide array of viewers a chance to enjoy it.

Though the story may unfold slowly for some, the film works to come full circle at the end, so if you do lose interest, by the end you will have forgotten why. Aside from the eloquent narrative, it is refreshing to stray from the ever-present college hipster film and move toward a film that focuses on the middle-aged man and his journey through life. The Visitor is beautifully presented with more action than talk and the camera work lends a hint of realism, reasonably appropriate for the theme. The performances are pleasing and though the characters’ motivations sometimes seem to move at the speed of honey, the poignant nature and heart-felt performances really make you believe in what you are watching and may even change any preconcieved notions of immigration policies you may have. This film is expressive and important–definately worth the money to see in the theatre.

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The new British comedy, Son of Rambow, directed by Garth Jennings and written same duo who gave us the brilliant and innovative Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, have done it yet again.

Set in a 1980s British village, Son of Rambow follows two young boys who form an unlikely friendship. William (Bill Milner), a member of the Plymouth Brethren religion, is not allowed to indulge in any sort of media, including movies and music and is sent out of the classroom any time a film is shown.  As he is tormented, then slowly befriended by the cheeky troublemaker Lee Carter (Will Poulter), the boys’ difficult home life is what ultimately brings them together and when William catches a glimpse of Stallone in all his glory, his life is transformed and this friendship is forever sealed. Along with Didier (Jules Sitruk), the too-cool French exchange student, the boys attempt to make their own rendition of the ultimate action film, First Blood, leading to a surprising and fantastical plot.

These non-professional child actors are refreshing and quick-witted and the dialogue is snappy giving it the refreshing feeling of improvisation; this is what makes the film so special, it is sufficient, sentimental and honest . The sincerity of the acting is what gives Son of Rambow such an interesting twist that is so hard to find these days in the cinematic world and the pure-hearted nature of the comedy will keep you interested and entertained the length of the film. With fantastic use of animation, perspective and perfect pacing, Son of Rambow uses its British-ness to poke fun at the French and even themselves. In a recent Q&A I personally attended with the director and writers, they revealed that much of the story was taken from instances in their childhood and was based on their notions of growing up in England, showing that though anyone could write a script similar to this, nobody could execute it as precisely as they. This light-hearted comedy is insightful and mature, yet by the end brings out the child in each of us. I have a sneeking suspicion it will not receive the praise it truly deserves and for this alone, I highly reccomend seeing this film.

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In efforts to cash in on the frenzy for the upcoming The Dark Knight, Warner Bros. and D.C. Comics have released the third in the newly established D.C. Universe animated movies on DVD, following the footsteps of last fall’s Superman: Doomsday, and this past winter’s Justice League: The New Frontier. The film takes six different stories (and six very different animation styles) centering on Batman, Lt.Gordon and the status of Gotham City since the events in Batman Begins in 2005. Effectively, the collection of animated shorts is meant both to give viewers insight and knowledge that fills in the “gaps” between the two motion pictures Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Think what the Wachowski brothers did with The Animatrix, filling in the gaps inbetween The Matrix and The Matrix Reloaded, only nowhere near as cool and nowhere near as watchable.

Batman, when you stop and think about it, should be the perfect candidate for Japanese animation, a.k.a. anime, and yet most of the styles represented in Batman:Gotham Knight are terribly unappealing to watch. Sadly, the better styles are often on the less action-filled pieces and just leave you wanting more and wondering about what could have been. Batman is an iconic character, a majestic character and the appeal to his story (when told right) is the darkness of it, the grittiness of Gotham, its criminals and even of Batman himself. Despite popular opinion (much of which is still based on the terribly campy and inaccurate 1960’s T.V. show), Batman is not a happy story. it is a story about a man who loses everything. His parents are murdered in front of his eyes when he is a young child and he turns that helpless rage into something greater. There is a delicate unbalance within Batman, and its why so few screenwriters have captured the character very well. In Gotham Knight, very few of the stories bother to showcase this, or even make much attempt at action. Much of the 74 minute film is talking heads, which works great when its great actors performing it, but not in an animated Batman film, which makes slight attempts to fill us in on the state of things between films, but nothing remarkable occurs, and my guess is anyone skipping this DVD won’t be missing much, if anything at all. For example, nothing is said or mentioned about either Harvey Dent or the Joker, who was set-up in the conclusion of Batman Begins.

Perhaps the greatest disappointment is the collection of great comic book, and film writers responsible for the six stories, who collectively lay one giant egg. Veteran comic book writers Brian Azzarello, Greg Rucka and others turn in stories that seem like they were concieved on the taxi-ride over to the production meeting. David Goyer, co-writer on both Batman Begins and the upcoming The Dark Knight, does provide one of the only two entertaining stories, entitled In Darkness Dwells, focusing on “Killer Croc” and what the Scarecrow has been up to since escaping at the end of Begins. Aside from Goyer’s piece, the only other entertaining short (to me) was the final, much too short, piece introducing a brand new villian named “Deadshot.” The piece also sets up the notion that the crime world is now on the defensive and are beginning to realize they must rid themselves of Batman to restore things to what they used to be. The remaining shorts, varied in animation quality, all just leave you feeling empty and frustrated. All of them are much too short to accomplish any solid storytelling, and the little tidbits of information that may set things up in The Dark Knight don’t make the film worth watching in the slightest.

The only truely great thing is the addition of Kevin Conroy’s voice as Bruce Wayne and Batman in all six shorts. Conroy has been doing the voice of Batman on all the recent animated series’ from D.C. and Warner Bros., including Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League and Batman: Beyond. His familiar tone does ground any longtime fans of Batman and his animated adventures with a sense of comfort, even if the writing and animation around that voice falls short. Ironically, the best things about the DVD (the single disc version anyhow) is the emmaculate digital preview for The Dark Knight and the 10 minute sneak peek at 2009’s Wonder Woman animated movie, which looks extremely fun, accurate and well casted. Too bad none of the those qualities can be used to describe Gotham Knight, a total letdown and complete waste of time…even for the hardcore fan. Thankfully, The Dark Knight looks to be a true masterpiece for both critics, fans and casual movie-goers and the memory of Gotham Knight will be lost and forgotten quickly.

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