Worthwhile (or not) 6/27/08

Here's how MetaCritic numerically ranks the films (xx/100). I only saw the last half of Wall•E so I really can't comment on it officially. What I saw looked OK but not great. Those who watched the entire film seemed to enjoy it but weren't ecstatic. Wanted will be strongly enjoyed by younger males, especially gamers, I suspect. But if a plot is important to you I'd think about this one before shelling out the money.

91 WALL•E,
64 Wanted

Click on the title links to see if the ratings change as more reviews come in.

WANTED **½

Russian director Timur Bekmambetov helms this action thriller which stars: James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, and Morgan Freeman. One hour and fifty minutes long, the film is rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality.

McAvoy is an apathetic nobody who is transformed into an unstoppable assassin when a woman (Jolie) recruits him into the Fraternity, a thousand-year-old secret society (headed by Freeman) that teaches him how to develop lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility. But, after several kills he is confronted with the fact there is more to his dangerous associates than meets the eye.

If you're looking for lots and lots of bloody action this is your pic. After a short introductory segment the pace takes off and never lets up. Production values are good and the cast is fine. But this director belongs to the hand held, close-up school so it's hard to see all that's going on at times. The biggest problem for me were the glaring plot contrivances that left me thinking as I exited that this was just an OK feature but nothing really special. That's too bad because with a little tweaking of the plot this film had the potential to be really great. I have the feeling (some of the preview scenes are missing from the picture) this film was edited a little more than it should have been. Perhaps the director's cut will be better. There are no added scenes during and after the end credits to keep you in your seats.

Opening 6/27/08

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

WALL•E [G] 1 hr. 45 min. Animated adventure Trailer Cast: Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Sigourney Weaver, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Ben Burtt. Plot: after hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, WALL•E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new purpose in life when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word it is safe to return home). Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Starlite Drive-In, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

WANTED [R] 1 hr. 50 min. Fantasy/Thriller Trailer Cast: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common, Angelina Jolie. Plot: an apathetic nobody is transformed into an unparalleled enforcer of justice when a woman recruits him into the Fraternity, a secret society that teaches him how to develop lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility. But, slowly, he begins to realize there is more to his dangerous associates than meets the eye. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

Opens Tuesday, 7/1/08

HANCOCK [PG-13] 1 hr. 40 min. Action/Comedy/Drama Trailer Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan. Plot: a hard-living superhero, out of favor with the public, has a questionable relationship with the wife of the public relations professional who's trying to repair his image. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Starlite Drive-In, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

Opens Wednesday, 7/2/08

KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL [G] 1 hr. 40 min. Drama Trailer Cast: Abigail Breslin, Joan Cusack, Glenne Headly, Jane Krakowski, Chris O'Donnell, Julia Ormond, Wallace Shawn, Stanley Tucci, Madison Davenport, Zach Mills, Willow Smith, Max Thieriot. Plot: the story of a nine-year-old girl growing up in 1934 during America's Great Depression. Showing at: Northrock 14, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 6/26/2008

Derby Plaza - You Don't Mess With The Zohan, Indiana Jones 4, Iron Man
Movie Machine - You Don't Mess With The Zohan, Sex And The City
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - Harold And Kumar
Starlite Drive-In - You Don't Mess With The Zohan
Warren East 13th - The Strangers, Prince Caspian, Then She Found Me
Warren Old Town - You Don't Mess With The Zohan
Warren West 21st - Prince Caspian, What Happens In Vegas

Worthwhile (or not) 6/20/08

Here's how MetaCritic numerically ranks the films (xx/100). To put it bluntly the two major releases this week looked so bad I simply had no desire to see them. So, I didn't attend a screening this week. I would have liked to see THE VISITOR but it wasn't screened so perhaps I'll catch it later.

53 Get Smart,
23 Love Guru, The,
79 Visitor, The

Click on the title links to see if the ratings change as more reviews come in.

Opening 6/20/08

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

GET SMART [PG-13] 1 hr. 50 min. Action/Comedy Trailer Cast: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp, Terry Crews, David Koechner, James Caan, Masi Oka, Nate Torrence, Kenneth Davitian. Plot: when the headquarters of a U.S. spy agency is attacked and the identities of its agents compromised, it means a promotion for ever-eager analyst Maxwell Smart. Armed with nothing but a few spy-tech gadgets and his unbridled enthusiasm--he must thwart the doomsday plans of KAOS. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Starlite Drive-In, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

THE LOVE GURU [PG-13] 1 hr. 30 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Ben Kingsley, Meagan Good, John Oliver, Verne Troyer, Romany Malco, Jim Gaffigan. Plot: an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus moves back to the U.S. to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE VISITOR [PG-13] 1 hr. 45. min. Comedy/Drama Trailer Cast: Richard Jenkins, Oliver Bokelberg, Hiam Abbass, Maggie Moore. Plot: a disillusioned Connecticut economics professor's life is transformed by a chance encounter in New York City. Through new found connections with virtual strangers, he is awakened to a new world and a new life. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren.

Leaving 6/19/2008

Derby Plaza - Sex And The City
Movie Machine - Indiana Jones, Narnia: Prince Caspian, Iron Man
Northrock 14 - Nothing
Palace West - Prom Night, Under The Same Moon, 21
Starlite Drive-In - Nothing
Warren East 13th - Son Of Rambow
Warren Old Town - Sex And The City
Warren West 21st - Nothing

Worthwhile (or not) 6/13/08

Here's how MetaCritic numerically ranks the films (xx/100). I didn't see RAMBOW but there's no doubt in my mind the other rating scores are pretty accurate. I liked HULK a little better that its rating but thought HAPPENING was worse than its rating. Since both are sci-fi it's pretty obvious which one will give you the most bang for your buck.

37 Happening, The,
62 Incredible Hulk, The,
66 Son of Rambow

Click on the title links to see if the ratings change as more reviews come in.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK ***

Louis Leterrier is the relatively new French director of this action/thriller which stars Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson, and William Hurt. The running time is one hour and fifty-five minutes and it's rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, some frightening sci-fi images, and brief suggestive content.

A scientist (Norton) desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him creating The Hulk. Living in the shadows he struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of the military (Hurt) that seeks to capture him by creating another being like him (Roth) and brutally exploiting his power. He's helped in his quest by his girlfriend (Tyler) and a mysterious, unknown scientist (Nelson).

I don't really remember the earlier versions of this story and never read the comic books so this was all new to me. Fortunately, the opening credits do a credible job of giving the back story. Once the storyline of this film starts, the pace is good with plenty of action. The cast is fine with Norton doing better at this than I had supposed he would but Tyler is not a real standout. Hurt is good in his role and is made up to look like Stalin (his character pretty much acts like Stalin, also). Oklahoman Nelson is fine although his role is fairly small. This isn't as good as Iron Man in my opinion but it's still an entertaining sci-fi pic. The very last scene will give you an inkling of what's coming next. There is no additional scene at the end of the credits so feel free to rush out when they start! You'll need a large screen and great sound to get the full effects.

THE HAPPENING *

M. Night Shyamalan is the writer/director of this film which stars Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, Betty Buckley, and Ashlyn Sanchez. Rated R for violent and disturbing images this science fiction drama is one hour and thirty minutes long.

A paranoid thriller about a couple (Wahlberg and Deschanel) and a friend's daughter (Sanchez) on the run from an inexplicable and seemingly unstoppable attack which destroys the most basic human instinct of them all: the will to survive.

Shyamalan did well with The Sixth Sense and Signs but has been disappointing since. You can add another to the disappointment list as this one just isn't happening either. The film has an interesting premise and starts well, with some very disturbing images of people who really don't want to keep on living. But as the film progresses the tension fizzles out and while the ending doesn't leave you hanging, it also doesn't provide a satisfying conclusion. When it was all over, I was disappointed. The cast is fine and it was certainly nice to see Buckley again, but the script isn't top drawer and the conversation seems strained and unnatural. I don't think you'll be very happy shelling out a lot of money for this one.

Opening 6/13/08

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

THE HAPPENING [R] 1 hr. 30 min. Thriller Trailer Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Betty Buckley, Spencer Breslin, Ashlyn Sanchez. Plot: a paranoid thriller about a family on the run from an inexplicable and unstoppable event that threatens not only humankind... but the most basic human instinct of them all: survival. It is only when the true nature of what is lurking is discovered - and just what has unleashed this force -- that a sliver of hope is discovered. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock 14, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK [PG-13] 1 hr. 55 min. Action/Thriller Trailer Cast: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell, William Hurt. Plot: a scientist desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk. Living in the shadows he struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of the military that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Starlite Drive-In, Northrock 14, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

SON OF RAMBOW [PG-13] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Bill Milner, Will Poulter, Jules Sitruk, Jessica Stevenson, Neil Dudgeon, Anna Wing, Ed Westwick, Eric Sykes. Plot: the death-defying adventures of growing up in the video age. The story takes place in 1980s Britain, where young Will Proudfoot is raised in isolation among The Brethren, a puritanical religious sect in which music and TV are strictly forbidden. When Will encounters his first movie, a pirated copy of "Rambo: First Blood" his imagination is blown wide open. Now, Will sets out to join forces with the seemingly diabolical school bully, Lee Carter, to make their own action epic, devising wildly creative, on-the-fly stunts, all the while hiding out from The Brethren. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren.

Leaving 6/12/2008

Derby Plaza - Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Strangers
Movie Machine - Sex And The City
Northrock 14 - Made Of Honor
Palace West - Meet The Browns, Super Movie, Drillbit Taylor
Starlite Drive-In - What Happens In Vegas
Warren East 13th - Made Of Honor, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Baby Mama, Speed Racer
Warren Old Town - Iron Man
Warren West 21st - Made Of Honor, Baby Mama

Worthwhile (or not) 6/6/08

Here's how MetaCritic numerically ranks the films (xx/100). Panda seems to be the favorite of both the critics and the audiences who've seen it. Zohan is strictly for younger males. She Found Me is for the literate art house crowd altho the critics seem to like this better than the patrons.

74 Kung Fu Panda,
52 You Don't Mess with the Zohan,
56 Then She Found Me

Click on the title links to see if the ratings change as more reviews come in.

YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN *

Director Dennis Dugan (Chuck and Larry, Happy Gilmore) gets to take credit for this so called comedy which stars: Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson, Rob Schneider, and Lainie Kazan. Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content throughout, language and nudity. The film is two hours long.

An Israeli commando (Sandler) fakes his own death after a battle with The Phantom (Turturro) in order to pursue his dream: becoming a hairstylist in New York. He meets a friend almost immediately (Swardon) who lives with his mother (Kazan) and who invites him to supper and to stay the night. After searching for awhile he finds a shop that will give him a job and he and the owner (Chriqui) fall in love. When he's spotted by a Palestinian cab driver (Schneider) he must decide whether or not to remain a stylist or return to a life of combat.

I've got to be honest, I don't find Sandler in the least funny and that goes for his part in this movie also. Certainly there are several instances that could have been funny but since he seems to think crude behavior is in itself hlarious, these just didn't work for me. Turturro is fairly amusing in his role and Schneider isn't nearly as obnoxious as he usually is. Chriqui is absolutely gorgeous but even that isn't enough to offset Sandler's antics. This is strictly juvenile humor that will be appreciated most by adolescent males. No one else will be as amused. There are a number of well known faces in cameo roles but since they add nothing to the plot you have to wonder why they are there. Nothing in this film requires a large screen so waiting for the DVD makes good sense. (Skipping this altogether makes even more.)

Opening 6/06/08

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

KUNG FU PANDA [PG] 1 hr. 30 min. Animated Comedy Trailer Cast: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, David Cross, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim, Michael Clarke Duncan, Dan Fogler, Wayne Knight. Plot: Po the Panda is a kung fu fanatic whose shape doesn't exactly lend itself to kung fu fighting. That's a problem because powerful enemies are at the gates, and all hopes have been pinned on a prophesy naming Po as the "Chosen One" to save the day. A group of martial arts masters are going to need a black belt in patience if they are going to turn this slacker panda into a kung fu fighter before it's too late.
Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Starlite Drive-In, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THEN SHE FOUND ME [R] 1 hr. 40 min. Drama/Romance Trailer Cast: Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, Colin Firth, Matthew Broderick, Ben Shankman. Plot: a story of a schoolteacher and her very unlikely path towards personal fulfillment. Following the separation from her husband and the death of her adopted mother, she is contacted by her apparent birth mother, who turns out to be a local talk show host. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren.

YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN [PG-13] Comedy Trailer Cast: Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson, Rob Schneider, Kevin Nealon. Plot: an Israeli commando fakes his own death in order to pursue his dream: becoming a hairstylist in New York. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock 14, Starlite Drive-In, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 8/5/2007

Derby Plaza - What Happens In Vegas, Speed Racer, Made Of Honor
Movie Machine - Iron Man
Northrock 14 - Nothing
Palace West - 10,000 B.C., National Treasure: Book Of Secrets
Starlite Drive-In - Baby Mama
Warren East 13th - Twisted, Young At Heart
Warren Old Town - Narnia: Prince Caspian
Warren West 21st - Speed Racer