Apparently The MTV Movie Awards Happened?

I had no clue the 2009 MTV Movie Awards were tonight, and since I didn't even know what the categories and candidates were, I wandered over to the official site. Having looked everything over and seen the winners, I am reminded exactly why I didn't know it was tonight. The winners are absolute jokes, though it's not really surprising given that the voters are most certainly made up of middle schoolers. Either way, I'll break down the categories and chime in.

Best Movie: Twilight

How this beat out The Dark Knight, Iron Man, and Slumdog Millionaire I'll never know. All three were excellent films, whereas Twilight was mediocre at best.

Best Male Performance: Zac Efron (High School Musical 3)

Really? He was better than Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) and Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man)? I think not, but it's clear there's a theme starting here. Also, wtf are Shia LaBeouf (Eagle Eye) and Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious) even doing on the list of nominees?

Best Female Performance: Kristen Stewart (Twilight)

Noticing the theme yet? Winslet (The Reader) and Henson (Benjamin Button) had no shot seeing as this is MTV. Anne Hathaway (Bride Wars)? I didn't hear a single good thing about that film.

Best Villain: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

The first of two deserving winners. He had no competition from three guys you've never heard of and Dwayne Johnson (Get Smart).

Best Comedic Performance: Jim Carrey (Yes Man)

The second of the two deserving winners. Franco (Pineapple Express) and Carell (Get Smart) were decent nominees, but Poehler (Baby Mama) and Faris (The House Bunny)?

Best Fight: Robert Pattinson vs Cam Gigandet (Twilight)

Though it was one of the only good parts of the movie, it's not better than Bale vs Ledger (TDK) or Perlman vs Goss (Hellboy II). Whatever, this is one Twilight win that is somewhat acceptable.

Best Kiss: Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (Twilight)

Two nominees were man on man, and the other options were nothing too glamorous, but the one from Slumdog Millionaire was great. The whole movie worked towards that moment, but the voters don't give a damn.

Best Breakthrough Performance, Female: Ashley Tisdale (HSM 3)

Yes, just ignore the fact that Freida Pinto is being pursued for Woody Allen's next film solely from her performance. No one but her on the list should have stood a chance.

Best Breakthrough Performance, Male: Robert Pattinson (Twilight)

Apparently you can give an uninspired, unemotional, and wooden performance and still beat out Dev Patel (Slumdog) who's career, like Pinto's, has skyrocketed from his performance.

Best WTF Moment: Peeing in the sink, Amy Poehler (Baby Mama)

You know what, they're all wtf moments and I don't give a crap about any of them.

Best Song from a Movie: "The Climb" Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana)

Well, I hear this song everywhere, so I'm going to assume it's incredibly popular. "Jai Ho" (Slumdog) and "The Wrestler" (The Wrestler) were decent.

7 of the 11 categories went to either Twilight or High School Musical. The only people who like these films are middle school girls, and it's the only explanation why these should ever win anything that's not a Razzie. I understand that this is the MTV movie awards, but The Dark Knight, Iron Man, and Slumdog Millionaire should be cleaning house against the competition. They were not only excellent movies, but the exact types that usually dominate this sad excuse for an awards show. Twilight is absolutely mind boggling to me. I tried watching to understand the craze, but I only walked away thinking far less of society. Here's looking forward to next year's MTV Movie Awards!

Movie Rewind: Primer (2004)

Director: Shane Carruth

Cast: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden, Anand Upadhyaya, Carrie Crawford

The Deal: Four friends work out of a garage building error-checking devices, but they all feel that there is something more, something much bigger and revolutionary to discover. They have been working on a device through trial and error, and two of the friends, Aaron (Carruth) and Abe (Sullivan), discover the device's true nature- time travel. Deeming this discovery far too valuable to immediately market, they decide to keep it to themselves, and use it to land successful investments in the stock market. As the two continue to use the device, they butt heads over what they can and can't do, and their friendship becomes strained.

Thoughts: I haven't had to think this hard about a film in a long, long time. Not only is the story complex, but they don't hold back on the scientific lingo. Done on a budget of $7000 by a few engineering students with no film experience, many will find their talk way over-the-top and too confusing for a mass audience. But this is exactly what I feel strengthens the film the most. They aren't polished actors in any way, but they are engineers, and they are playing engineers, so the end result is that they are perfect for the film. The way they talk, they way they think, and the way they rationalize is exactly the way my friends and I talked while studying engineering in college.

As I mentioned before, the actors have no acting experience. Though many will find this a huge disadvantage for the film, it is actually what makes it the best. Carruth, who's also the writer, director, producer, ect, and Sullivan were both excellent. They were both in their natural element, and it played off that way on screen. The supporting cast, which was made up of their friends and family, had smaller roles, but were very adequate for the film. Only when one considers how small the film's budget was and how little experience the actors had will one realize how good the acting actually was. 

Time travel can be a very messy subject if handled poorly. They don't go out of their way to make everything jump out on the first viewing, but with multiple viewings, everything does add up. Surprisingly, they handle time travel better than most films out there. They are very concerned about the consequences of being seen in two places at once, as well as with the results of changing the past. They go into great detail on how their machine works and how the time flow functions. Through the combination of this attention to detail with their actual knowledge of engineering, the performances work and make for an incredibly suspenseful film from start to finish.

Verdict: An extremely complex film that will require multiple viewings. Despite a $7000 budget and no acting experience, the film is both excellent and delivered very believably. ☆☆☆☆1/2

Review: Marley & Me (2008)

Director: David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada)

Cast: Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers, The Royal Tenenbaums), Jennifer Aniston (Friends, The Break-Up), Erik Dane (Grey's Anatomy), Alan Arkin (Get Smart, Little Miss Sunshine)

The Deal: Newly weds John (Wilson) and Jennifer (Aniston) Grogan just moved to Florida where they both are newspaper writers. In an attempt a stall Jennifer's desire for children, John buys her a labrador puppy they name Marley. Marley grows and grows despite never loosing his puppy-like rambunctiousness and lack of discipline. Having recently been granted a column in the paper, John decides to chronicle the ups and downs of life with Marley. As they mature and have kids, Marley remains the same spirited and troublesome dog, but the family never stops loving him.

Thoughts: If you saw all of the commercials and thought the film would follow Marley left and right, you would be mistaken. This is not exactly the super-cheery film about a dog, it's much more than that. This film takes a look into what it actually is like to raise a family- the highs, the lows, the struggles, the sacrifices, and the love. Yes, there is plenty of hilarity thanks to Marley, but this film is just as much about John's and Jennifer's lives with their work and kids. It can be a very serious film, even with some of the crazy antics, and the ending does not try to make itself any less sad or difficult to endure. At least half the theater was sobbing in tears as the credits rolled, even the people who knew what to expect going in.

Wilson and Aniston have been around so long now that we know what to expect from their performances. Neither is a dynamite dramatic actor, but they both possess an ample combination of seriousness and comedy in their arsenal to really make the film work. Dane seems to have the same role he has on Grey's Anatomy, only this time around he's in Miami. He's a ladies man who it seems will never be meant for or understand committed relationships. Alan Arkin was excellent as the newspaper chief. He really takes over any role he's in and has no hesitation to steal any and every scene.

By half way through the film, all of Marley's antics had transitioned from funny to annoying, in the realm of the character's lives that is. As they started a family, Marley becomes one of the largest sources of problems, but as every dog loving family does, they find a way. The film was an excellent take on the typical American family. Marley always wanted to play, and he sure loved mangos, but the family didn't always have the time. The highs and lows of Marley become funny memories to look back on, and John's column proves to be an excellent outlet to preserve and share the memories. Anyone who has ever owned a dog will connect with the film, whether it was a life-long family dog or a failed attempt to successfully handle a puppy. It's all here and plays out so believably. The film really just grabs you by the heart and takes it on a roller coaster ride.

Verdict: A great family film that tackles what it truly means to be a family. There's plenty of comedic antics, but it doesn't hesitate to tug at your heartstrings. ☆☆☆☆

Review: Terminator Salvation (2009)

Director: McG (Charlie's Angels)

Cast: Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, The Prestige), Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Charlie Bartlett), Moon Bloodgood (Journeyman), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village, Spider-Man 3), Common (Wanted), Helena Bonham Carter (Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd), Jadagrace

The Deal: John Connor (Bale) is destined to lead the human resistance against Skynet's Terminators, or so his mother always told him. When Marcus Wright (Worthington) appears, it alters the future to one Connor is not familiar with. While Connor must decide whether to trust Wright, he must also deal with the hoards of machines bent on killing him and Kyle Reese, his future father. The resistance believes they have the key to ending the war, but Skynet has an ace-in-the-hole of their own.

Thoughts: Everything we were shown leading up to this film had me very giddy in anticipation, for it looked like it could be very good. Disappointingly, it's hit and miss. Everything related to the action is a spectacle to see and full of adrenaline and awesomeness. Unfortunately, the plot is riddled with holes and illogical actions. This is not to say this wasn't an entertaining film, because the action is almost non-stop and very cool to watch, but it lacks the substance needed to make this into a truly great film. Ultimately, I shouldn't have been surprised by this given McG's past films, but the hype material was just so good.

The performances were passable, but somewhat disappointing. I like Bale as John Connor, he does a solid job, but he's capable of so much more. This was my first exposure to Worthington, and his performance wasn't special, but it fit with the film and he did a good job. Yelchin was similarly adequate. Moon Bloodgood's performance, on the other hand, was noticeably subpar. Her character was erratic and I never really believed anything she said. For not having any lines, I thought Jadagrace did quite a good job. Common had the right role for his style- light on the lines but looking cool.

The best and worst thing with the Terminator franchise is time travel. Though it yields for endless story options and directions, it also muddies up any chance of having a solid script. It's hard to root for the characters when you know if they fail they will probably just use time travel to rewrite the mistake. It also can be very confusing keeping up with the story if you aren't very familiar with it. Then again, we love Terminator because it's man vs machine, and the time travel just means we can get more explosions, more action, more cool machines, and more John Connor. The films are always entertaining and cool, but unfortunately, the time travel element takes away some of the purpose.

It really bothers me that the trailer gave away what Marcus Wright was. I know there were a few other twists, but this one would have made the most impact. The twists we were left with were good, but ultimately, somewhat foreseeable. The Marcus Wright reveal could have been a game changer, and it seems illogical to spoil a twist, since that makes it no longer a twist. Just look at The Sixth Sense. It was a mediocre movie up until the big reveal, but after learning it, it changed the way we had to view the whole film. Terminator could have had a decent twist that changed the game, but alas, they blew it.

Verdict: Full of adrenaline from start to finish, the audience will get plenty of the man versus machine they crave. The story could have been better, but it will still entertain. ☆☆☆1/2

Summer Movie Picks: June

Must See: Moon (June 12, Limited Release)

The Deal: Sam Rockwell (Frost/Nixon, The Green Mile) plays Sam, an astronaut finishing up his 3-year contract on the moon mining Helium-3, Earth's primary energy source. It's a lonely job made worse by a downed communications satellite, leaving him with no one but the on board computer (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Two weeks shy of completion, Sam starts seeing and hearing strange things, and discovers how his employer actually intends to replace him.

Why: Great science fiction films are rare, and good ones are uncommon, but the early buzz for this movie has been overwhelmingly positive. The visuals look beautiful, and the early word is that Rockwell's performance is excellent. Kevin Spacey rarely disappoints, and I think he'll be very interesting playing a computer. This has been the one film I've been counting down to for the last few months more than any other. I want this to be amazing, and it sounds like it just might be. 

Sleepers

The Hangover (June 5): This comedy completely flew under my radar up until a few weeks ago, at which point I started hearing good things about the film. It boasts a familiar comedic cast including Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers), El Helms (The Office), Justin Bartha (National Treasure), and Zach Galifianakis (Tru Calling). The previews look fairly funny, and the word is that the production company has already green-lit a sequel. It must be decent if a second one is coming before the first has even arrived.

Year One (June 19): It's some what of a toss up between this and Land of the Lost. I don't think either will be that great, but they have the casts to make them successful. I'm going with Year One because I'm tired and annoyed of Will Ferrell, but not of Michael Cera and Jack Black. The biggest plus for this film is the supporting cast which includes the always funny Paul Rudd and David Cross, as well as the emerging beauty Olivia Wilde. If it delivers a few good laughs, it should prove to be a decent option for an overly hot summer day.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24): Michael Bay is known for one thing, and one thing only, giant explosions. He's the master of his craft when it comes to giant things blowing up. The first Transformers, though not a masterpiece of cinema, boasted exactly what it promised- big giant robots fighting and lots of explosions. The second installment promises more of the same, and looks to be be bigger, badder, and more adrenaline fueled than before. It doesn't need to have a sound story to fill the theater, because the visuals alone are what carries the film.

Movie Rewind: Enchanted (2007)

Director: Kevin Lima (Tarzan)

Cast: Amy Adams (Doubt, Talladega Nights), Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy, Made of Honor), James Marsden (X-Men, 27 Dresses), Timothy Spall (Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd), Rachel Covey, Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking), Idina Menzel (Rent)

The Deal: After meeting Prince Edward (Marsden), her true love, Princess Giselle (Adams) is banished by the evil Queen Narissa (Sarandon) from the fairy tale world of Andalasia and into real world New York City through a magical well. There, Giselle meets Robert (Dempsey), a divorce lawyer and single father, who comes to her aid. As he helps her try and find Prince Edward, their ideas about whether true love exists collide. Determined to rescue his princess, Edward and Nathaniel (Spall) venture to NYC, but Nathaniel has special orers from the Queen to ensure the prince doesn't find his princess.

Thoughts: On paper, this seems nothing like my cup of tea. I have nothing against Disney films, but I have never really been one to get excited over them. So to say that I not only enjoyed this film, but actually kind of loved it, is incredibly surprising. I truly hope that whoever pitched the idea of having cartoon fantasy meet real world actuality got a big fat raise, as it was a brilliant idea. The two worlds in many ways are complete opposites. Love at first sight, true love, happily ever after, these are all ideas the real world just doesn't support. So naturally, the collision of ideals plays out rather humorously. One of the most wonderful things about the film is that it doesn't crush any dreams. Fantasy and reality play off of each other, and both sides learn and benefit from the other. The two extremes come together to find a perfect middle ground where fairy tales can exist.

The performances here were exceptional. Never a big fan of Dempsey, I was pleased to find him not only tolerable, but a great fit for his role. He has the right amount of real world Prince Charming in him despite his sad past of failed love. Amy Adams has skyrocketed up my charts after this performance. She was in every way a true Disney princess, and how that unfolds given this film's premise was pure enjoyment. She sang, she danced, she hailed woodland creatures, and she was as innocent and naive as one could possible be. Marsden was a good choice for Edward, prancing around the city, devout in his quest to rescue the fair maiden. He acted the way all Disney princes are supposed to act. Sarandon's role was limited to mostly cartoon, and Spall's was very adequate as her blindly-faithful servant.

One of my favorite parts of the film was that everyday, Giselle would sew a brand new dress for herself. Of course, in true Disney fashion, this is done using bed sheets and curtains. This results in a few very hilarious scenes, since after she cuts out the fabric she needs for the dress, she puts the fabric back where it was. Needless to say, Robert was not to pleased the first time he saw dress shaped cut-outs in the middle of his curtains. The musical bits in the film play out surprisingly well. I was worried they would feel out of place, but a wonderful job was done in at least beginning them in a plausible fashion, though by the end they were extravagant performances. One of the things I noticed that really interested me was Idina Menzel's role. Despite her phenomenal Broadway talents, her character never seemed to have a single musical melody, though I hear she had one but it was cut. It seems a shame to not use here talents in at least one musical number, though Adams and Marsden both did very good jobs with theirs.

Verdict: A wonderful twist on the typical Disney princess fairy tale. The performances were wonderful, and the story was original and entertaining from start to finish. ☆☆☆☆

Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Director: David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac)

Cast: Brad Pitt (Troy, Babel, Ocean's Eleven), Cate Blanchett (The Aviator, Elizabeth), Julia Ormond (First Knight), Taraji P. Henson (Boston Legal), Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton, The Chronicles of Narnia), Jason Flemyng, Jared Harris

The Deal: Benjamin Button (Pitt) was born under unusual circumstances, aging backwards through his life. His mother died giving birth and his father abandoned him, so he was raised in an old folks home by Queenie (Henson). There, he befriends Daisy (Blanchett), the granddaughter of one of the home's residents. Though they both go their separate ways in life (Benjamin travels the world), they always keep in touch, and when they finally meet again in their forties, their ages match physically, sparking a long-overdue romance. But as they grow older, Benjamin's age regresses mentally, and their relationship is stressed.

Thoughts: There are a lot of wonderful things about this film, but it is not perfect, and those issues do need to be addressed, but not quite yet. The make-up and visual effects crews on this film need tons of props. They did a wonderful and spellbinding job transforming Pitt into all ages of life, and the Oscars they won are very much deserved. The story is very original and moving, providing for a very interesting and enjoyable viewing experience. Having a character who physically looks the opposite of his actual age provides for a unique look into one's life and the relationships in it.

Pitt and Blanchett had nice chemistry throughout the film, and their performances together never felt forced. As his character traveled the world, Pitt did an excellent job capturing the emotions encountered as Benjamin discovered things in a fashion unlike any man or woman before him. Blanchett had the difficult task of trying to convey the uncertainty and confusion regarding her character's relationship with Benjamin, but she succeeded. Though I won't go through every role, I will state that Taraji P. Henson did a wonderful job as Benjamin's adoptive mother. She truly came across as very loving and blessed to be caring for Benjamin.

As good as the film was, there were two things that still bug me. I was quite disappointed in the manner at which Benjamin's aging was handled. When he was born, it was a baby's body, but one suffering from all the consequences of old age. As he grew up, those things slowly faded away into youth, as one would expect. My problem lies in how they handled his final years-- he shrunk. Instead of a full grown man suffering from childlike appearances and traits, his body grew back into a baby. I found this nonsensical despite his unusual circumstances, as it seemed to go against how his body functioned throughout life. The narration and story telling style of the film is an incredibly close match to that of Forrest Gump. That is in no way a bad thing, as it is a very enjoyable style, but I had hoped for more originality. Upon further research, I discovered that this is because the same man, Eric Roth, wrote both films. I like his style, but it made the two films too similar.

Verdict: A beautiful and moving story supported with very good performances. One of the year's strongest films, and is well worth the slightly long running time. ☆☆☆☆

Revew: Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)

Director: Steve Carr (Dr. Dolittle 2)

Cast: Kevin James (King of Queens, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry), Jayma Mays (Heroes, Ugly Betty), Keir O'Donnell (Wedding Crashers), Raini Rodriguez, Adam Ferrara (Rescue Me), Bobby Cannavale (Third Watch)

The Deal: Paul Blart (James) is stuck working as a security guard at a mall because his hypoglycemia has caused him to fail his police training test, and he's got a huge crush on Amy (Mays), the girl who works at the Un-Be-Weave-Able kiosk selling hair extensions. One day, a gang of criminals seize control of the mall attempting to steal all of the credit card codes worth $30 million. With Amy among the hostages, Paul remains in the mall and puts what little police training he has to the test in an attempt to save the day. But when his daughter Maya (Rodriguez) becomes involved in the fray, the game changes.

Thoughts: This is one of those films that drifts in between being good enough to praise and bad enough to trash. The story is ridiculous, the humor is hit or miss, and the acting is nothing you haven't seen a million times before. The first half of the film is used entirely as set-up for the last half, and almost every joke here fails miserably. Thankfully, the second half of the film is decently entertaining. The best jokes land here, and the action is entertaining enough, bordering on almost being suspenseful. It's not a huge success, and large parts of the plot defy even the most basic forms of common sense.

The performances are exactly like every performance these people have ever done. Most of the actors are television veterans more so than film stars, and it shows. Kevin James is funny at times, but his character becomes repetitive, and he's best suited for roles like in King of Queens. I like Jayma Mays, she's a fresh face and quite pretty, but I'm afraid she's just going to become the red-haired version of Anna Faris (who coincidentally stars in the other mall cop movie, Observe and Report). I did not recognize Keir O'Donnell as the creepy gay brother from Wedding Crashers, but he was OK here. Not quite menacing enough to be the bad guy, but passable. Raini Rodriguez stands out with the best overall performance. I think her talents may allow her to branch in to more serious films.

At the end of the day, this is just another Happy Madison film, though this one has a bonus, there's no Rob Schneider. Instead we get Erick Avari, the bearded guy in Mr. Deeds. I don't know what it is about him, but I find him hilarious in small supporting roles. I had hoped the hypoglycemia would have provided for more jokes, but it's used very predictably, though Blart eating the dirty sucker for the sugar was funny. The use of Segways was a terrible decision. Though it was meant to be funny, its use here seemed very old hat and hence, not very funny.

Verdict: A mediocre comedy with a few decent laughs. Mildly entertaining in its last half, but most likely a film you'll forget about. ☆☆1/2

Movie Rewind: Fargo (1996)

Director: Joel Cohen (No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski)

Cast: Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading, Almost Famous), William H. Macy (ER, Pleasantville), Steve Buscemi (Armageddon, The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs), Peter Stormare (Prison Break)

The Deal: Jerry (Macy) works for his father-in-law at a car dealership, and has gotten himself into some deep financial trouble. After a bunch of failed attempts to get himself out, he hires two men, Carl (Buscemi) and Gaear (Stormare), to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom, which would be split between himself and the kidnappers. Unfortunately, the plan goes wrong, and a cop and two bystanders are killed. Marge (McDormand), the pregnant Police Chief, is dispatched to investigate the murders, and the trail leads her right to the kidnapping scheme.

Thoughts: The one thing that did impress me with the film was the level of acting. Macy was excellent as the in-over-his-head car salesman. He displayed a wide range of emotions effortlessly, and he felt very natural in his role. McDormand merits similar praise as the pregnant police officer. The one thing that really rubbed me the wrong way with their performances was their attempts at Minnesotan accents. They were way over-the-top, and far heavier than every Minnesotan I've ever met (I have friends in the twin cities and usually visit at least once a year). Buscemi and Stormare were both good in their roles as the kidnappers. In Buscemi's case, he seems to flourish in these types of roles, as they seem to make up the majority of his acting credits.

The Coen brothers have a very unique style to their films, one that I've never been a huge fan of. They usually have a very interesting concept, but tend to move at a very low pace, a trend Fargo continues. I think the idea of a man staging his wife's kidnapping has loads of potential, but I never was on the edge of my seat during the film. It was smart and entertaining, but lacked excitement where it could have been.

I was turned on to this film after hearing about the unforgettable wood-chipper scene. It was as shocking as it was made out to be, and will forever be etched in my mind when I think of Fargo. Much of the story will fade, but this scene was so disturbing and perfect for the film that it's worth watching just for this scene. I know many people find the Coen's films fairly humorous, but I never seem to find them very funny.

Verdict: An interesting story with very good acting, but the pace is quite slow and lacks excitement. Worth seeing for a very memorable scene involving the wood-chipper. ☆☆☆1/2

Review: The Tale of Despereaux (2008)

Director: Robert Stevenhagen

Cast: Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Dustin Hoffman (Kung Fu Panda, Rain Man), Emma Watson (Harry Potter), Ciaran Hinds (Rome), Tracey Ullman (The Tracey Ullman Show), Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter), Sigourney Weaver (Aliens), Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda), William H. Macy (ER, Fargo), Tony Hale (Arrested Development), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future)

The Deal: Despereaux (Broderick) is an undersized mouse with an oversized thirst for adventure (and some big ears). After reading a story about a brave knight and a princess, he begins to live a life of bravery and nobility. When it is discovered that he had contact with a human, Princess Pea (Watson), his fellow mice cast him to the dungeons to live with the rats. He is saved from certain doom by Roscuro (Hoffman), a rat who once sailed the world and refuses to resort to the filthy rat ways. When Princess Pea is captured, Despereaux sets out to brave the odds and rescue her.

Thoughts: I was not impressed by the animation in the film. It felt outdated compared to other films, even some from a few years ago. When it comes to animation, Disney-Pixar is king, and Dreamworks comes in second. Despereaux is from Universal, and their lack of experience in this style was blatently obvious. Had the story been stronger, this fault could be overlooked, but since it was not, the viewer is forced to resort to the visuals, which were not strong enough to support the film. 

The voice acting was pretty standard for animated films these days. Dustin Hoffman was good, but his character was underused and needed more screen time, which could have helped the film. Broderick was alright as Despereaux, though I never really felt the complete range of emotions his character experienced. Watson was not given much to stand out with. She had a few standard conversations, and then a couple of scenes where she was trapped. The rest of the voice actors get lost in the fray, though it was fun picking their voices out throughout the film.

If this film teaches anything, it's that soup is the key to a wonderful life. Seriously, it is essentially the solution to all of the problems in the kingdom of Dor. Everything else the film hopes to teach, such as apologies and forgiveness, is simply thrown in at the end for good measure, despite never really addressing it during the film. This is mostly in part due to the story, which moves to fast for its own good. It seems to just throw a bunch of different fairy tale themes at the viewer and hopes they can piece it all together on their own. It was fairly predictable, though I'm at a complete loss with the point of the "food person." There was no explanation why there was a floating chef made up of food, and his purpose was fairly non-existent. The narration seemed out of place, as it popped up randomly throughout the middle of the film, but was heavily present in the beginning and ending, conveying typical fairy tale commentary.

Verdict: The story is cobbled together with traditional fairy tale elements, and provides little explanation for its purpose. Despite a very solid cast, it is a very disappointing animated film. ☆☆1/2

Review: Star Trek (2009)

Director: J.J. Abrams (Cloverfield, Lost, Alias)

Cast: Chris Pine (Smokin' Aces), Zachary Quinto (Heroes), Leonard Nemoy (Star Trek), Eric Bana (Troy, Munich), Bruce Greenwood (St. Elsewhere), Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings), Zoe Saldana (Guess Who), Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead), John Cho (Harold and Kumar), Anton Yelchin (Charlie Bartlett)

The Deal: James T. Kirk (Pine) meets Captain Pike (Greenwood) in a bar after a bar fight, and is challenged to join Starfleet. Having been reminded that his father saved over 800 lives in his 12 minutes of command, Kirk gives in and enlists. After defeating Spock's (Quinto) Kobayashi Maru test, which is designed to be a no-win situation, he is put on trial for cheating. Before a verdict can be reached, a distress call arrives from Vulcan, where the Romulans, under the command of Nero (Bana), have set out to destroy the planet out of revenge for a future event. With the aid of his friend "Bones" McCoy, Kirk finds his way on to the U.S.S. Enterprise, and sets out on his quest to prove himself worthy of becoming starship captain.

Thoughts: Abrams has successfully reenergized the Star Trek franchise with this film. Though Trekkies may have their issues, and I will address this later, the film is action-packed and very enjoyable for all movie goers. The story, which delves into a parallel timeline that offers a new origin for Kirk, is fast paced, clever, and an all out thrill to watch. The visuals are very beautiful and the action sequences are well choreographed, a big change of pace for the Star Trek universe. The only slight annoyance was the overuse of lens flares, a fault Abrams admitted to in hindsight.

The acting was good and very fresh for such a young cast. Pine did an excellent job becoming William Shatner's Kirk without resorting to the ridiculous mannerisms Shatner is known for. Quinto was similarly pleasing as Spock, though I found it hilarious that he needed rubber bands to do the Vulcan salute. I could continue breaking down every character, but in the end, it would be the same for each. I thought they felt right for their respective roles, and Yelchin's Russian accent was perfect.

I enjoyed this film very much, but I am not a Trekkie, so I feel it necessary to include some of the comments my brother (who is a Trekkie) made. He felt that they abused their creative freedom with the script, mainly the parallel timeline portion, slightly crushing his love of Star Trek. He hated Quinto as Spock, and felt he was completely wrong for the character. He thought rest of the cast was fine, though he said that Yelchin's Russian was absolutely perfect. From a Star Trek perspective, he hated it. From a movie perspective, he liked it. 

I'll just cut through the confusion with my brother's final thoughts and say that it was in fact a good film. It was full of action and suspense, and the comical lines came at the right times. The story was very engaging and fast paced, and it leaves me viewing the Star Trek universe as a whole in a more positive manner.

Verdict: An action-packed thrill ride with a great, fresh cast. Though Trekkies may grumble a bit, it was a very good film, and I highly suggest seeing this in theaters if you haven't already. ☆☆☆☆

Review: Dragonball Evolution (2009)

Director: James Wong (Final Destination, The One)

Cast: Justin Chatwin (War of the Worlds), Emmy Rossum (The Day After Tomorrow, The Phantom of the Opera), Yun-Fat Chow (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), Jaime Chung (Samurai Girl), James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Eriko Tamura (Heroes), Randall Duk Kim (Kung Fu Panda)

The Deal: Goku (Chatwin) has grown up and trained with his adoptive grandpa, Gohan (Kim), and is given one of the seven mystic Dragon Balls for his birthday. Hunting the Dragon Balls, which when united summon a dragon that grants one wish, Lord Piccolo (Marsters) attacks Grandpa Gohan, and with his last words, Gohan instructs Goku to find Master Roshi (Chow) and collect the seven Dragon Balls. With the help of Bulma (Rossum), Goku sets out on his quest to save the world.

Thoughts: I knew going in that this was going to be awful, yet somehow, I still found it disappointing. I've never really been a fan of the show this was based off of, but thanks to my brothers, I am familiar with it. The film had the potential to at least be decent given the material, but failed miserably. Everything was phony, over-the-top, and as corny as humanly possible. Where there should have been cool fight scenes, there were unexciting cat-fights. Where there should have been giant cool energy blasts, there were pint-sized flickers of light good for nothing more than lighting candles.

The performances were quite terrible, even from the likes of Emmy Rossum and Yun-Fat Chow, who have both given good performances in their careers. Justin Chatwin in the lead was iffy. At times, he showed the playfulness Goku is supposed to have, but he never displayed any of the fierce fighting and intimidation Goku was known for. Chow tried very little to make his character come off like the girl-crazy martial arts master he should be. James Marsters was not very intimidating as the ultimate bad guy, and he was defeated far too easily. The overall feel was that not a single actor took their parts remotely seriously, which would be fine here and there in the film, but is devastating as a whole.

The one scene that I thought was kind of cool was the fight scene outside the party. Goku finally reveals his fighting skills by not throwing a single punch, while Goku's attacker destroys his own sports car. It was fun to watch, but in no way should it have come close to being the coolest fight scene. Unfortunately, it was. The final, epic fight between Goku and Piccolo was anticlimactic and the CGI in that entire scene was some of the worst I've ever seen in a major motion picture. The background wasn't remotely realistic, and the ape transformation looked awful.

Verdict: What could have been a passable film is ruined by the horrible acting, CGI, and action sequences. It's not even worth a rental. ☆

My Dislike for American Idol Is Supported Again

So I really couldn't care less about American Idol, but I was with friends and saw last night's season finale. It's impossible to go anywhere without hearing people gossip about the show, but the one thing that seemed consistent was that Adam Lambert was easily the best. Having heard them both sing last night, I can not only agree that he was easily the best, but I though he was the best by a landslide. Seriously, no offense to Kris Allen, but he did not deserve the win. Kris even said after winning that Adam should have won.

This is a perfect example of why I hate this show. It's not a talent competition as much as it is a popularity contest. Kris won because lonely, desperate, and crazy women thought he was cute. Lambert had far more range in his vocals, had much more entertaining stage presence, and the judges have justly gushed about him all season. He was the favorite for a reason, but America doesn't care. Sure, Lambert will have a smashing career despite the loss, but that's not the point. Too many people vote for ridiculous and absolutely irrelevant reasons. It's stupid to decide a talent competition based on the votes of people who lack the intelligence to decide based on actual talent. Way to go superficial America, you once again proved that all you care about is appearances.

Movie Rewind: Oldboy (2003)

Director: Chan-wook Park (Sypathy for Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance)

Cast: Min-sik Choi (Lady Vengeance), Hye-jeong Kang (Lady Vengeance), Ji-tae Yu (Lady Vengeance)

The Deal: Dae-su Oh (Choi), who has a wife and daughter, was kidnapped and imprisoned in a shabby room for 15 years with no explanation why. In his confinement, he had a TV, through which he learned that his wife had been murdered and he has been deemed the killer. Upon his release, he is equipped with money, a cell phone, and nice clothes. He has 5 days to unravel the mystery of who captured him, and why they did it. In his quest for revenge, he recounts deep secrets of his past, which may hold the key to his imprisonment.

Thoughts: This is the second film in Chan-wook Park's Vengeance Trilogy (the first being Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, the last being Lady Vengeance), and also the strongest installment. The story is engaging, dark, mysterious, and contains one of the best cinematic twists around. There is plenty of action in the film, including a very satisfying hallway scene involving a hammer, and like Roger Ebert said, the action "makes a statement and has a purpose." 

Min-sik Choi was excellent in the lead as Dae-su Oh. He displays all of the emotions one would expect for a man in his position, and he does so very believably. Hye-jeong Kang is also quite good as Mi-do, Dae-su's love interest after being released. Her character does a good job of providing comfort to Dae-su while helping to try and uncover the mysterious plot against him. Ji-tae Yu, though having far less screen time than the other characters, was quite sinister as Woo-jin Lee, the man who imprisoned Dae-su. His plot against Dae-su stretches back many years, and involves some of the most cringingly twisted acts a man could do.

The scene that stands out the most would be the hallway scene. Without saying too much, Dae-su has only a hammer, and must make his way down a hall full of enemies. It felt like like one of those great side-scrolling action games of childhood, though Park has said this was unintentional. There is also a scene where a live octopus is consumed, which many will find disturbing and cringe worthy, but this act is not unheard of in East Asia. The scene when Dae-su finally confronts his captor is epic, leading to the big reveal and ultimate twist. There are plenty of other great scenes, but I don't want to spoil anything, since this is a film with lots of twists and turns.

Verdict: A bloody and twisted revenge film containing one of the best twists in cinema. This film may not be for everyone, but I believe it is a must see.  ☆☆☆☆

Review: I Love You, Man (2009)

Director: John Hamburg (Along Came Polly)

Cast: Paul Rudd (Role Models, 40 Year Old Virgin), Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Rashida Jones (The Office), Jaime Pressly (My Name Is Earl), Jon Favreau (The Break-Up), J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man, Juno), Andy Samberg (Saturday Night Live), Sarah Burns

The Deal: Peter (Rudd), a successful real-estate agent, becomes engaged to the girl of his dreams, Zooey (Jones), only to realize that he has no male friends worthy of being his Best Man. Determined to solve his dilemma, Peter sets out on a series on man-dates to find a best friend, but has no luck. At a house showing for Lou Ferrigno (Himself), Peter meets Sydney (Segel), who crashes open-houses for the food while investing in random projects for a living. The two become fast friends, but at the cost of Peter's relationship with Zooey, which is slowly crumbling.

Thoughts: It's getting to the point where any comedy with the same group of actors (Rudd, Segel, Leslie Mann, Seth Rogan, etc... the "Judd Apatow Gang") is guaranteed to at the very least bring the humor. I Love You, Man takes it the distance, combining all the humor within a charming and believable story. Peter is the stereotypical nice guy, the one who drops everything for his girlfriend and puts her first, no matter what the cost is else where. But he realizes he needs a male friend, someone to rock out to Rush with and just hang out. The film really delves into the complexities of relationships and the importance of finding balance between one's activities, and it does so in hilarious fashion.

Segel and Rudd have great chemistry on screen, with all of their jokes flowing effortlessly and their friendship feeling natural. This isn't surprising given the two and their past history of projects, but out of the entire Apatow group, I have always found these two to be the funniest. I wasn't a huge fan of Jones on The Office, I never really cared for her character, so her performance in this was pleasantly surprising. She felt very natural in the role and worked well with the entire cast. What I liked most about her was that she felt like a typical girlfriend and not like a Hollywood starlette playing a girlfriend. Favreau, Simmons, and Samberg all had smaller roles in this film, but they were consistently funny in the scenes they did have.

Some of the more memorable bits from the film are Sydney's billboards, all the scenes with Lou Ferrigno, and the incredibly awkward encounters with Peter's man-date who was actually gay and very much attracted to Peter. The guy popped everywhere Peter and Sydney were hanging out, and in the worst times, causing him to become incredibly jealous despite actually being clueless.

Up until this past year, the band Rush has been one that I was familiar with, but nothing more (I was born in the 80's so they were just before my time). But in the last year, there has been an assault of Rush in TV and films (I Love You Man, Chuck, Fanboys). It's somewhat become the geek anthem, but I love it, and it worked very well in this film.

Verdict: A hilarious and genuine comedy guaranteed to bring the laughs. Rudd and Segel bring all the humor we've grown to expect from them. ☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: 40 Year Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) 

Review: S. Darko (2009)

Director: Chris Fisher

Cast: Daveigh Chase (Donnie Darko, Lilo & Stitch), Briana Evigan (Step Up 2: The Streets), James Lafferty (One Tree Hill), Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl), Jackson Rathbone (Twilight), Matthew Davis (Legally Blonde), John Hawkes

The Deal: Seven years after her brother Donnie was killed by a rogue jet engine, Samantha Darko (Chase) becomes plagued by weird dreams on a road trip with her friend Corey (Evigan) when their car breaks down in a small town. To top it off, Corey and the strange local boy, Iraq Jack, have strange dreams of their own. As was the case with her brother Donnie, these dreams are all connected and hold the answers to how things were supposed to play out.

Thoughts: As a devout Donnie Darko fan, I was intrigued by this film despite my worries it would fail, which were only heightened by poor critic reviews. The story, though different, essentially just rehashes all of the ideas and themes from the original, sometimes far too closely. I had hoped that the similarities would be great, but instead they were simply repetitive and executed very poorly compared to its predecessor. Where the story in Donnie Darko was well developed and very mysterious, the story here was jumbled together with no real purpose.

The acting was quite bad across the board. Chase was OK in the lead, but her performance was fairly flat, which made it hard to feel any connection or care towards the outcome of her character. Evigan's performance was bad as well, but considering she's most known for her role in Step Up 2, this is not surprising. Despite a mediocre performance, Rathbone easily stood out in this cast. His performance was barely believable, but was a large cut above the rest. Westwick's was better than most, but all in all, the performances were exactly what you'd expect for a direct-to-DVD film, not very good.

The things that made Donnie Darko so good were all completely absent in this film. The soundtrack was forgettable and never matched the mood of the film well. As bad as the acting was, the story was even worse. One would hope that this installment would have added something new to the Donnie Darko universe, but instead it clumsily readdressed the events of the original film. The scenes felt forced, and were both erratic and far too convenient. Where in Donnie Darko, the viewer was left with complex ideas to piece together, S. Darko has no complexity or puzzle for the viewer, everything is obvious and predictable.

Verdict: A bad script and uninspired acting plague every minute of the film. Though Donnie Darko fans may be drawn to this film, it does not come remotely close to satisfying, and is unfit to bear the "Darko" title. ☆1/2

Chuck Renewed!

For the last 3 weeks, Chuck fans have been left on the edge of their seats over whether NBC would renew the show. The show has a solid loyal following, receives positive critic response, and was thought of highly by NBC executives, but despite all of this, the show had been struggling to snare viewers in its Monday night time slot. The Hollywood Reporter now tells us that Chuck has officially been renewed with a 13-episode order for next fall.

I am overjoyed by this news. Every new episode of Chuck has me liking the show more and more, containing a wonderful blend of action, comedy, romance, geek factor, and likable characters. With Scrubs "ending" (technically it has been renewed, but the show's format will be changing), Chuck was the one show I hoped would be back more than any other. It did well in its first season, and I believe that FOX moving House (another excellent show) to Monday nights in the same time slot really hurt NBC's gem this season. There's no need to worry anymore, but if you haven't seen this show before, please check it out, because it deserves to be on the air for a long while, but it can't afford another close call like it has just had.

Also, it is relevant to note that this means we get to see a lot more of the beautiful Yvonne Strahovski kicking some major booty, and looking great while doing it.

Movie Rewind: Das Boot (1981)

Director: Wolfgang Petersen (Troy, The Perfect Storm)

Cast: Jurgen Prochnow (The English Patient), Herbert Gronemeyer, Klaus Wennemann, Herbertus Bengsch, Martin Semmelrogge

The Deal: During World War II, the German submarine fleet is engaged in the "Battle of the Atlantic", in which they harass and destroy British shipping vessels, but the U-Boats have begun taking heavy losses since the British started escorting their vessels with Destroyer Class ships. U-96 is one of these German submarines, captained by Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Prochnow), and is playing host to Lieutenant Werner (Gronemeyer) who will be documenting their brave endeavours as they attempt impossible missions that test their professionalism as soldiers and their loyalty to their government.

Thoughts: I was unaware when viewing this that the director's cut was over three and a half hours long. Generally, it is nice to know this simply to prepare the mind for that long of a film, but despite this lack of knowledge, the length of time went unnoticed. Despite spending 90% of the film inside the submarine, the film did a great job maintaining suspense and developing very deep characters. It really did a wonderful job capturing the people and experience of spending time in a giant tube hunting warships, even making the "boring" lengths of time very interesting.

The acting was quite good, and I liked that the cast was all German. It adds a lot more depth and realism to the crew. I thought Prochnow and Gronemeyer gave the best performances of the cast. Prochnow really captured the look and feel of a salty, sea-wise captain. Gronemeyer similarly captured the look and feel of a privileged soldier who had no clue what it was actually like on the front lines. It was very interesting watching his character grow and adjust through the film. I won't single anyone else out for their performances, but let it be known that they were all at the very worst decent.

I really can't stress enough how well the characters were developed. In many films, developed characters come at the cost of an exciting story, but the two were blended exceptionally in the film. Any long "slow" period was remedied with, at minimum, some suspense before ever getting tedious. The final impossible run for the ship was very exciting and tense, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.

Verdict: A very deep and suspenseful war film that sports extremely developed characters while maintaining high entertainment levels. A must see WWII film. ☆☆☆☆1/2

Liked It? Try These: The Hunt for Red October (1990), Crimson Tide (1995)

Review: Taken (2008)

Director: Pierre Morel

Cast: Liam Neeson (Schindler's List, Chronicles of Naria, Kinsey), Famke Janssen (X-Men, GoldenEye), Maggie Grace (Lost)

The Deal: Bryan Mills (Neeson) is a retired "preventer", a skilled government operative. He has recently moved closer to his daughter Kim (Grace) who is living with his ex-wife (Janssen). After reluctantly agreeing to let Kim travel to Paris with a friend, she is abducted, but gets off a last ditch phone call to him. Using his "preventer" skills, Bryan travels to Paris, pieces together the clues, and single-handedly hunts down the assailants to save his daughter.

Thoughts: This is the type of premise that is getting more common in Hollywood, and usually they end up being forgettable, but that's not the case with Taken. The story is fairly original, fast paced, full of action, and makes just enough logical sense to avoid being utterly ridiculous.

Neeson is brilliant in his role, constantly displaying a scary blend of calmness and ruthlessness. It was pure enjoyment watching him trek around Paris hunting for his daughter while putting all of his vaunted skills back in play. I didn't recognize Maggie Grace right away, as her brunette hair completely disguised her from her blonde-haired days on Lost. She does a pretty decent job, particularly in the end. The look on her face when she sees that her father has come all of the way to rescue her is heartwarming.

This isn't a very complex story, and since it moves very quickly, it seems at times unbelievable to think Mills had made so much progress. But the combination of the characters background and some wonderful luck, it's not entirely unbelievable. It's the type of film guys like because Neeson comes off as a total badass in every action scene. The film does a good job of maintaining big action sequences without getting too over the top.

Verdict:  The story is enjoyable and the acting is pretty good. A fast paced action thrill ride, and very much worth the time to see. ☆☆☆☆

Scrubs Renewed

The Hollywood Reporter reports that ABC has officially renewed Scrubs for a 9th season. Bill Lawrence has said in his blog that he viewed "My Finale" as the true finally to the show, and that if it was renewed, it would be done as spin-off like Frasier was to Cheers. 

THR says "Star Zach Braff is set to come back for six episodes to transition the show to its new set-up." Original rumors implied that the 6 episodes would be stretched throughout the season, but this report supports a spin-off show much better. "Donald Faison, John C. McGinley and Neil Flynn have all closed deals to continue as regulars in second position to their pilots... It us understood that Sarah Chalke has been approached with a similar deal, but it's not clear if she will be rejoining the series... ABC and creator Bill Lawrence had said they envision the show continuing with a mix of original cast members and some of the interns introduced this past season."

If handled properly, this will not ruin what the first 8 seasons accomplished (including the finale), but will also create an enjoyable extension for Scrubs fans. Here's to hoping for the best for this new direction, long live Scrubs.

Review: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Director: Gavin Hood (Tsotsi)

Cast: Hugh Jackman (X-Men, Van Helsing, The Fountain), Liev Schreiber (Defiance), Danny Huston (The Aviator), Lynn Collins (True Blood), Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights), Ryan Reynolds (Smokin' Aces, Blade: Trinity), Will i Am, Daniel Henney, Dominic Monaghan, Kevin Durand

The Deal: Chronicles the origin story of James Logan (Jackman), aka Wolverine, including his complex relationship with Victor Creed (Schreiber), romantic involvement with Kayla Silverfox (Collins), and association in William Stryker's (Huston) Weapon X program.

Thoughts: The film is so juiced-up on adrenaline that it neglects most everything else. Wolverine's origin story, which is complex and should make for a very interesting film, is reduced to one rage-induced action sequence after the next. It does make attempts to blend James the man with Wolverine the animal, but ultimately gets stuck on what was felt to be more important for a summer blockbuster, the animal. As cool as the action is, it's over-the-top and the CGI is a little ridiculous. It's exciting and entertaining, but lacks substance.

The performances are just more of what has come from the previous X-Men films. Jackman is the same Wolverine fan's have loved from the last films, full of his rage induced yelling. It's not great, but he plays the character well. Schreiber and Huston were both solid as Creed and Stryker, respectively. The two performances that stood out the most were Kitsch's and Reynolds'. I thought they both did excellent jobs portraying the characters Gambit and Deadpool. Kitsch was a cajun accent away from absolute perfection in his role, which will please the fans who had to wait until the fourth film for Gambit. I thought Reylonds was hilarious as Deadpool, but unfortunately, that character has a whopping 5 minutes on screen before vanishing. 

The most disappointing part of the film was the "climactic" battle between Wolverine, Creed, and Weapon XI (formerly Deadpool). This is where the poor CGI stood out the most, as almost nothing but the characters looked remotely real. In what will certainly upset fans, Deadpool becoming Weapon XI failed. I understand they needed some ultimate mutant villain, but the cost of which was wasting the film's funniest character. What we get instead as unfulfilling enemy equipped with essential every relevant mutant power. In the comics these were two separate characters, and I like it better that way. My favorite part was the opening credits, as we get a cool little intro that phases through all of the wars James and Victor fought in (it reminded me of the opening credits from Watchmen).

Verdict: Loaded with action but lacking a compelling story, it ultimately disappoints. It makes no progress from the previous X-Men films, but all in all, it was still fun to watch. ☆☆☆

Movie Rewind: Blade Runner (1982)

Director: Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator)

Cast: Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones, Star Wars), Rutger Hauer (Sin City), Sean Young (Dune), Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica)

The Deal: In dystopian Los Angeles, circa 2019, Rick Deckard (Ford) is a blade runner, a cop who specializes in killing replicants (biologically engineering humanoid beings). When six replicants escape from an off-world colony, Deckard is forced out of retirement to hunt them down. Based on the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" by Philip K. Dick.

Thoughts: I had heard so many great things about this film, and it is generally considered one of, if not the best film in my favorite genre. I wanted to like the film more, in fact, I wanted to love this film, but alas, I found it disappointing. It took me three tries to watch this movie, having fallen asleep the first two.

For as good of a job as Scott did creating this believable futuristic world full of things sci-fi fans only could dream about, the pacing of the fill was surprisingly slow. It was very dark in most of the scenes, and there was lots of dialogue, some of it very interesting, some of it very boring. I never really felt any of the suspense or tension that was intended until the last few scenes of the film. It does a good job of portraying man's obsession with creating equal beings, and really questions what it is to be human, but it spends to much time doing this.

The acting was solid, but it wasn't anything that left me gushing. Ford generally does a good job of always bringing an above average performance to his his roles, and he did in this, but I find it lost behind so many of his other more memorable roles (Indiana Jones, Han Solo, and even President Marshall). Hauer and Young were both solid, though I thought Young's performance stood out the most in the film. She did quite a good job portraying a replicant that believes she is human.

Verdict: Though the scenery and ideas were very ambitious, they couldn't distract enough from the film's slow pace. Though I find it overrated, it's hard to ignore its intentions and contributions to science fiction. ☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: Dark City (1998), Minority Report (2002), Total Recall (1990)

Review: Bedtime Stories (2008)

Director: Adam Shankman (Hairspray, A Walk to Remember)

Cast: Adam Sandler (Click, 50 First Dates), Keri Russell (Felicity, Waitress), Guy Pearce (Momento), Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Richard Griffiths (Harry Potter), Courteney Cox (Friends), Jonathan Morgan Heit, Laura Ann Kesling

The Deal: Skeeter's (Sandler) and Wendy's (Cox) dad had to sell the family motel to Barry Nottingham (Griffiths), but in doing so, Skeeter was promised to one day be named manager of the hotel. Years later, Skeeter is working maintenance at the hotel, waiting for his chance, and it finally comes, but he must compete with Nottingham's future son-in-law Kendall (Pearce) for the position. When he agrees to babysit his sister's children, Skeeter discovers that the bedtime stories he tells them come true, and he then tries to manipulate the stories to get him the job, and the girl. Things don't quite work out the way he wants, as he realizes he has no control over the stories, but the children do.

Thoughts: The story itself wasn't anything impressive, but it was fun and enjoyable. I could have done without the CGI guinea pig, Bugsy, which was quite bad and more distracting than anything else. I'm sure it was meant for the kids to laugh at, but parents will be turned off by it. The manipulating of the stories and the real-life outcomes that ensue are a little ridiculous, but fun and worth a few good laughs. 

The performances are about what you'd expect for a film like this, passable but nothing with lasting appeal. Sandler is his typical self, Pearce is the typical jerky bad guy, Russell the unknowing damsel in distress, and Cox is the overprotective mother. Brands stood out among the cast, bringing his typical style of humor that will get the adults to laugh, but it's tame and in no way inappropriate for the film. Heit and Kesling are good as the children, but as is the case with most child actors, nothing special can be expected.

What I liked most about the film is that it doesn't take itself seriously. It's meant to be fun and silly, and the actors all knew that. You could tell they were all just having a fun time making a silly movie for families to sit down and watch together. I also like that Keri Russell has seemingly resurrected her career. The last couple of years she's gone from forgotten to relevant, with roles in Waitress, August Rush, and a small bit on Scrubs. She's been around for a while, but she feels fresh and brings a nice presence to the screen.

Verdict: Though the humor is very silly, and the story isn't anything spectacular, it's a fun film. A solid choice for a family movie night. ☆☆☆1/2

Review: Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Director: Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later..., Sunshine)

Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Rubiana Ali, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, Anil Kapoor

The Deal: Jamal is 18 years old and one question away from winning 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" when the show must break for the night. Unable to believe a slumdog (a person of poverty) could be doing so well on the show, the police arrest Jamal on suspicions of cheating. Through the interrogation, Jamal is forced recount his days growing up an orphan in the slums of Mumbai with his brother Salim. It is through these recounts that Jamal reveals how every one of the questions had some significance in a chapter of his life, ultimately leading to his reason for being on the show, the love of his life, Latika. 

Thoughts: I have yet to read a negative review of this film, and rightly so, but I am left feeling that this film is overrated. It is a very good film, but I don't think it deserves the worship and head-over-heel rave reviews many have bestowed upon it. Does it deserve its awards? Yes. Is it the best film of the last 5 years? No. Please don't misunderstand my feelings towards this film, as I did enjoy it, and the remainder of this review will focus on the positives.

The acting was quite good in the film, and will most surely launch the careers of Patel and Pinto. Both gave excellent and heartfelt performances, and their romance felt natural. I was most impressed by Khedekar, Ali, and Ismail, the youngsters who stole so many people's hearts. For such young actors to successfully and ably carry a large portion of a film this serious is impressive. Kapoor was wonderful as the show host, truly feeling like a perfect choice to be India's Regis Philbin.

The story was original, and full of nice blends of humor into all of the suffering on screen. It was hysterical seeing a young Jamal jump into a pile of poop just so he could get a celebrity's autograph. Ultimately, what satisfied me the most was the game show questions themselves. What makes the show so difficult to win is that it seems the contestant must have an unlimited knowledge of random facts, so it leaves me smiling at the idea of a perfect set of questions to reward a contestant who had so much suffering before getting in the hot seat. It truly would be mesmerizing to think that legitimate and impactful moments of one's life could culminate into all the answers one needs, instead a pool of useless knowledge.

I would also like to mention the efforts both Danny Boyle and the production studio have made to remove the children from poverty as well as establish trust funds for the kids so that their parents don't waste the money from the film. Too often child stars don't see a penny of their earnings because their parents spend it all on themselves, but now these kids will have the money to stay out of poverty and get a proper education. Kudos.

Verdict: An original feel-good rags to riches story that grows on you more every viewing. Good acting and nice visuals make this arguably the best film of the year. ☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try This: City of God (2002)

Movie Rewind: The Incredibles (2004)

Director: Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, Ratatouille)

Cast: Craig T. Nelson (Coach), Holly Hunter (The Piano, The Firm, Thirteen), Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Star Wars), Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl), Spencer Fox (Kim Possible), Sarah Vowell, Elizabeth Pena

The Deal: Bob Parr (Nelson) and his wife Helen (Hunter), formerly the superheroes Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, have retired to lives of normalcy, thanks to the Superhero Protection Program, to raise their super-children Dash (Fox), Violet (Vowell), and Jack Jack. Bored with his desk job and reveling in his glory years, Bob fights small-time crimes with former superhero Frozone (Jackson). One day he is approached with an opportunity for a high profile job that only someone of his caliber could handle, and he jumps at the chance. Things take a turn for the worse when it's discovered that the new employer is Syndrome, a former number-one fan who just wants to be super. With his family at his side, Mr. Incredible must stop Syndrome sinister plan.

Thoughts: Often over-shadowed by the wonderful Finding Nemo and the more recent success of Wall-E, The Incredibles remains an excellent addition in the long line of Disney-Pixar greats. It is absolutely chock full of humor from start to finish, and the story is action-packed and always entertaining. The cast all lend their voices wonderfully to their characters, and rather fittingly too. 

The story itself is built from the ground up to be a great animated action-comedy. The characters are funny, the story is fun, and the action is great while remaining family friendly. The montage of why heroes with capes is a recipe for disaster is hilarious, and is a theme that runs through the entire movie. The characters are all super, but not without their faults. Mr. Incredible can't do things on his own anymore, Elastigirl has to worry more about her duties as a mother, Dash is fast-as-lightning but kept out of sports to prevent humiliating other kids, Violet is powerful but very shy and withdrawn, and Syndrome is only as super as his technology is.

As I mentioned before, the cape montage was great, but there are plenty of other wonderful scenes: Elastigirl as a boat, Enda "E" Mode as the costume designer, the kid on the big wheel who keeps catching Mr. Incredible being incredible, and Dash's first track race.  All are very noteworthy, and there are plenty others as well. I consider it just as good as Finding Nemo, with the same ability to draw the admiration of any viewer, no matter what their age may be.

Verdict: A wonderful film in the long line of great Disney-Pixar films. A fun story with tons of humor, it has plenty of lasting appeal. One of the best family friendly films you will find. ☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: Finding Nemo (2003), Wall-E (2008), Toy Story (1995), Ratatouille (2008), Kung Fu Panda (2008), Shrek (2001)