Alice in Wonderland

I am huge fan of Tim Burton’s work. Actually some of my favorite films are his doing. He has had some missteps before, Mars Attacks and Planet of the Apes, to name the most obvious. Now, with Alice in Wonderland , he had the perfect material to exercise his directorial prowess but sadly, the movie does not succeed.

The opening world of the movie set against a stuffy Victorian wedding proposal was pretty genius to introduce the now grown Alice (Mia Wasikowska). She wants so much more than the world has allowed. She just wants to think for herself. When she first catches a glimpse of the white rabbit, I got giddy. It was a wondrous moment that made me anxious for things to come. Falling down the rabbit hole was pretty cool and then we hit our first snag. The door room. This scene lost something that I can’t quite figure out. When she finally enters Wonderland (actually Underland as the caterpillar later informs us), it’s, again, cool and somewhat underwhelming. We are rushed into meeting certain characters (The flowers, Dodo, Tweedles, Dormouse). And as quickly as they are introduced they are taken away by the Bandersnatch incident. It’s like we get these great moments of joy and heart that are then replaced by soulless storytelling.

Don’t get me wrong I didn’t hate this homage to Lewis Carroll’s books but it just doesn’t always come together. You have a teenage Alice back in Underland who has no memory of ever meeting any of these weird creatures or crazy people. Its fun thinking that she has to be re-introduced to the characters and much along the same path of her original adventure as a young girl. You get to experience some great character moments like with the Cheshire Cat and the Tweedle brothers all over again. That said, making the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) integral to the plot for the sake of the lead actor being director’s pet, just didn’t work (I love Johnny Depp but this character was a mess). This should be Alice’s story and we should be focusing on her quest yet it seems the Hatter is shoe horned in. I would have loved to spend more time with both queens, Red (Helena Bonham Carter) and White (Anne Hathaway), because their back-story seemed genuine and really the main cause of the plight in Underland.

Okay what did I love? The visuals are amazing! The fact that all the sets where created digitally is incredible. The costumes and set design were fantastic. I loved the dark touches Burton and writer Linda Woolverton added like the eye jab and the moat of heads. Danny Elfman’s score was perfection. He gave certain scenes much needed emotion and wonder with the music. Anne Hathaway is a stand out for having a confusingly small role. And Helena overacts to the right level for the Red Queen. I can’t say it enough but I loved the Cheshire Cat (voiced by Stephen Fry). Every scene he was in connected me to the story.

The bad. Hatter did not need this much screen time. I didn’t feel for his character nor did I need him in almost every scene. The dialogue needed work namely that some information was hard to understand. Maybe it was the audio in the theater or the thick British accents? Not sure but it needed work. Overall the film never gets as weird or quirky as it should. It gets to those points then just goes back to being blah. I will see it again just to catch some detail but not what I was expecting. When I got home I longed to watch the Disney animated film, hell even the 1986 TV version with Sammy Davis Jr as the Caterpillar. Burton’s wonderland needs more wonder and madness to make it truly spectacular. My grade: C+

The Wolfman

Perhaps I shouldn’t mention the trouble The Wolfman had in getting made but it may give some insight as to why it didn’t turn out fantastic. A few weeks before director Mark Romanek was to begin filming he left the production over budget disagreements. So Universal hired Joe Johnston (Jurassic Park 3, Jumanji) to take over and get the film made. However, Johnston’s take would also re-write some of the screen play and cut some of Rick Baker’s practical effect transformations. Then Universal rejected Danny Elfman’s complete score which borrowed heavily from Wojciech Kilars score from 1992’s Dracula. They hired Paul Haslinger to create a more pseudo-rock heavy contemporary score. After the final cut of the film it was decided to go back and use Elfman’s score. So throughout its production problems the film finally came out in Feb 2010.

So how is The Wolfman? It’s actually pretty good but with its share of problems. Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) must return to his childhood home in England after learning of his brother’s brutal death. He is greeted by his creepy and secretive father, Sir John (Anthony Hopkins) as well as his brother’s beautiful bride to be, Gwen (Emily Blunt). The filmmakers do an interesting thing with this story line. Del Toro is obviously Latino or “Spanish” and speaks with an American accent however this is explained by making his mother Latina or “Spanish” living in England and shipping Lawrence off to America. Hopkins really plays this whole role up. He’s constantly alluding to things but keeps the mystery going rather well. Blunt tries her best to be the ideal “damsel in distress” and predictably falls for Lawrence. The human element suffers greatly in the movie due to Del Toro’s bland performance. He just doesn’t convey emotion and depth the way you’d think the character would. Thankfully we are introduced to inspector Abberline (Hugo Weaving) who’s acting fits the atmosphere like Blunt and Hopkins. Sadly, what ends up happening is that every scene with the Wolfman becomes the most interesting thing in the film.

Believe me the werewolf stuff works so well. It’s violent, scary, thrilling and all together perfect. The gypsy massacre is breathtaking and very bloody and the horrific transformation scene in the asylum leads to an awesome rampage through the streets of London. Benicio in the wolf makeup is the only time I have any interest in his character. The creature CG effects are also really great. However, there are a couple of CG animals that look very CG.

The film feels choppy at times and disjointed. There are some beautiful shots and the lighting is gorgeous. Elfman’s score borrowed heavily from Kilar’s Dracula score that at times, when I heard the theme, it would take me out of the movie. The music was still effective if only because it was very familiar. Overall Johnston was able to make a pretty good movie but casting Del Toro was its major flaw. The movie is creepy, violent and bloody but kind of boring as a whole. My Grade: B-

Jennifer's Body

It's never easy to blend horror with comedy. Many films try and fail. This year luckily movies like Drag Me to Hell and now, Jennifer's Body have succeeded.

Director Karyn Kusama (Girlfight, Aeon Flux) and writer Diablo Cody (Juno) take us into the sad and fcked up world of high school, now with demonic possession. Megan Fox plays Jennifer, The hot girl that all the girls strive to be and all the boys want. Amanda Seyfried plays Jennifer's nerdy best friend, Needy. The girls have been best friends since childhood and its apparent how close they are, but for what reason?



We meet Needy in the opening scene at the looney bin. She's gone completely crazy after all that has happened with Jennifer and all that the town has gone through. We are taken by flashback to the very beginning to see how it all went down. Cody's writing is perfect in the scenes of day to day high school life. I mean some laugh out loud stuff which would fit in with a darker telling of Mean Girls or Jawbreaker. These two best friends are inseparable, until the bar scene where they meet the band, Low Shoulder. Here is where things change and we get into some fantastic horror. Kusama's directs this in such a deceptive way. She really ramps up the tension because unlike most horror films this one is pretty unpredictable. The more the story reveals itself we see whose really at fault for Jennifer's craving for boy meat (Settle down perverts!)



The thing that works about this movie is its creative approach to the typical scary movie. Yes you get scares but in those scares there is this offer of light. The dialogue sparks in these darkest moments. Like the sacrificial scene. Its brutal but punched with one liners which really adds to the evil of the whole situation. The movie was an R rating, thank goodness. You get all the profanity and bloody violence you can handle. Although I wish the gore level was a little higher but I can see why they pulled back. There is a great cameo by Amy Sedaris as Needy's mom. Overall, a fun horror film that I will definitely watch again. If just to hear some of the dialogue again. The final scene kicks in with the Hole song, Violet. Perfect. The end credits cap off the story with a satisfying conclusion. My Grade: B+

Inglourious Basterds

I've been a fan of Tarantino's work since I laid my teenage eyes upon Pulp Fiction. The mixture of story, quick wit dialogue and memorable characters makes for a pretty damn good movie.

Inglourious Basterds is great addition to his library of work (Pulp and Kill Bill being my favorites followed by Death Proof) Although this film is very different for Tarantino. This story has a complete narrative marked by his love of chapter titles.

There are two stories to follow:



The first, a teenage Shosanna Dreyfuss (Melanie Laurent) has escaped the wrath of Nazi Officer Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) only to come face to face with him in her later years. Shosanna runs a movie theater in Paris where she is ordered to only play films by German/Austrian directors. She meets a young war hero who is smitten with her. She denies him any real attention until she is forced to dine with him as well as meet the infamous Dr.Joseph Goebbels. After all, this is Nazi occupied France and their will is law. Eventually, her movie theater is chosen for the premier of the film version of the young war hero's exploits, produced by Goebbels. Shosanna concocts a plan to do in the Nazi high command.



The Second, Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) enlists the help of a group young Jewish-American soldiers, "The Basterds", to land in France and take out the Nazi high command, including the fuhrer himself, Hitler. Of course, Aldo has an unconventional way of inflicting some well-deserved pain to the Nazis. Just as the Native Americans did to the settlers and soldiers of the past, they scalp the head of each kill. If you were lucky enough to be set free from the Basterds, they would leave you a mark you could never erase. Another great scare tactic at Aldo's command, The "Bear" Jew played by Eli Roth (Writer/Director of Cabin Fever and Hostel). The Bear's weapon of choice, a baseball bat. Together this group of Americans kills its way through the French countryside to reach its ultimate goal.

There is a third story involving a rogue Nazi, a British Actor and German Actress who join the Basterds cause. Their story is interesting on its own but I won't go into it here. (The Basement Bar scene is excellent) The finale has our two main stories come together for an over the top, surprising and violent end.



Tarantino has cast some amazing actors in this film. The are two real standouts for me. Christoph Waltz as the delightfully evil Col. Landa. This actor is so beyond brilliant. He is able to speak French, German, English and Italian to perfection. His scenes are riveting. He will be nominated for best supporting actor, no question. The other, Melanie Laurent as Shosanna. She is given this story line ripe for any actress. She commands scenes and you are drawn to her story. One of my favorite scenes is the "Glam Rambo" scene heightened by Tarantino's fitting use of the David Bowie song Cat People (Putting Out the Fire). Shosanna is getting ready for the opening night of the Nazi film and it will be night no one will soon forget. I also loved the portrayals of some of histories greatest villains. Hitler is played as an over the top buffoon. Goebbels is this douchey prick who really needs Hitlers praise and approval. The one scene which just doesn't work for me involved Mike Meyers. It was just waste of casting, another actor could have easily played it better. Overall, the use of music and some amazing scenes make for a fantastic movie. Also if you are not used to subtitles, it has those too. A great film that I thoroughly enjoyed. My Grade: A-

9

Animation is so much more than a child's medium or simple form of entertainment. It can tell any kind of story and can take you anywhere.

9 plays more like an animated drama than anything else. Director Shane Acker has fleshed out this harsh post-apocalyptic landscape and detailed his characters down to the last stitch. It is directed with a cinematic scope that other traditional films rarely use to their advantage.



9, the title character voiced by Elijah Wood, is the last creation made by a recently deceased scientist. Humanity has been eradicated by the machines they created. Machines that were made specifically to destroy their human enemies during war. All that survives are these hodge-podge machines and little sack covered gear-bots. Each one with a distinct personality. 9 meets 2, voiced by Martin Landau, on the day of his birth. The first of his kind he has ever met, but not the last. As these two get to know each other, they are being hunted by a motley machine with the skull of a cat. 2 is taken and 9 enlists the help of the other, um, numbers to help get him back. We meet 1 (Christopher Plummer) who is the leader and the law maker of the little survivors. His cowardice, he believes, is keeping the survivors safe. 9 convinces 5 (John C. Reilly) to join him on his quest to retrieve 2. They arrive to the machine's home base and 9 accidentally awakens the master machine. The survivors are now forced to destroy the machines or meet their demise.



The action is crazy. I mean these scenes are impeccably choreographed and thrilling. The voice work is very well done. Especially in Elijah's case as he gets most of the dialogue. Jennifer Connelly voices 7 with a bravery and fire, she is the action star of the movie. This is a technically brilliant computer animated movie. It is full of atmosphere and tension. One scene showcases an element of heart that drives the story home. These little guys have to succeed. The future depends on them. Overall: A great dramatic sci-fi film light on humor but full of detailed imagery. My grade: A-

G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra

It's true, sometimes the trailers for a movie look way better than the film itself. Sadly, when I saw the first G.I Joe preview I was like WTF is this? Are you kidding me? I completely dismissed the movie from my summer viewing options. After some disappointing films like Wolverine and Transformers 2, I thought that I might as well give the Joe's a chance. I'm happy I did.

After an unnecessary opening back story scene, we are thrust into this fantastical, glossy, action packed, live action cartoon world. What works here is that they have literally brought the 80's cartoon to life. There is absolutely no basis in reality. It's not dark and gritty and it doesn't take itself too seriously. It free's your brain from being too critical or even rational. This is the G.I. Joe world.. not ours. If you are a "techy" or gadgetry freak you'll love this movie. Its full of cool stuff like sleek vehicles and high tech weapons that do cool shit. It's like being a little kid in your backyard playing with your G.I. Joes. There were no limits to what you could do.



Sadly the actors don't really matter in the movie. The characters are throw-aways if anything. Cheesy dialogue, shoe-horned sentiment and unexpected twists kind of weigh down character moments. Its simple, Sienna Miller as the Baroness is hot and delightfully cold however missing the Russian accent from her cartoon counterpart. Channing Tatum is Duke and lets face it.. he's hot and does his best to act with the material given. Marlon Wayans borders the token black character as Ripcord. I didn't find him as offensive as those two "Step n Fetch It" robots in TF2 but he was still funny. Cobra Commander isn't that menacing. Destro's evolution is kinda cool...very Fate of Anakin (for my SW geeks out there) type of deal. The two real standouts as far as actors goes are Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes. Wow these two are just awesome. They get the best fight scenes and the coolest back story (with some talented young actors/fighters).



Lastly, the special effects and cgi are killer. There are scenes so big and action packed its like visual overload. Stephen Summers directed this movie just like his previous ones (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns). Big effects shots and hyper kinetic action push the movie along without really slowing down. The movie goes by fast for being 2 hours long. The last battle is everywhere. In the air, underwater, on land.. I mean just everywhere. It makes for a satisfying popcorn flick and a fun night at the movies and I'm eagerly awaiting a sequel. My Grade: B

Bruno

Vaz up!

Sacha Baron Cohen is back to his guerrilla mock-umentary shtick with Bruno. The tale of a flamboyant Austrian fashionista who will do anything to be famous. I think that's about all the story I got out of it. There is no real narrative to speak of. What we get are a series of vignettes, skits in which people are duped with this characters crazy antics. Some are actually quite funny if only because they are shockingly over the top and crude. However, there are too many scripted moments or scenes that didn't feel genuine to the genre so well executed by Borat 3 yrs ago.

Some of moments of note: Paula Abdul being interviewed on illegal immigrant human furniture, The Seduction of Ron Paul and a very interesting focus group. There are times when the movie works but that can't save it from being all together kinda lame. The gay "gags" work, pardon my pun but gets tired toward the end. My Grade C-

Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince

Note: I've not read any of the books in the series and I hope to actually visit them after the films are completed. I don't want to know what happens next because I will not be able to handle the cinematic let down that this film has become for some fans.

So, We finally come to our 6th film in the Harry Potter series and things are developing quite nicely as we prepare for the next two movies, The Deathly Hallows PT1 and Pt2. Here in the Half Blood Prince, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) faces a difficult road ahead. Prof. Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) needs Harry more than ever in the effort to finally, eradicate the torment of Voldemort and his Death-Eaters.



From the opening sequence of Death Eaters run a muck in modern day London, the tone is set. This is going to be a treacherous journey for these characters.
I can't detail the story too much because, well lets face it, if you haven't been watching these films all along, its a little difficult to jump right in. I think the revelation I had during the film was the connection between the characters. The theme of unrequited, young love. The bonds between mentor and pupil. These are at the overall core of The Half Blood Prince. There are plenty of little wondrous surprises thrown in but this is truly a character tale. A dark, detailed and lusciously filmed character tale.



The cinematography is gorgeous. The lighting and the bluish hue throughout deliver a cold magical world. One shot was so perfect and effective that I could not let it out of my mind. Its rare that movies give you little gems like that anymore and I'm glad this one did. The score was dramatic and well suited for the action. The effects were outstanding as always. However, its really the performances by our three young leads and honorable mentions to Michael Gambon and Prof. Snape (Alan Rickman. They deliver a touching story as well as the keys to our next two cinematic chapters. I have one small gripe with the editing. It was very choppy at times from scene to scene. A fine addition to the series. My Grade A-

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

The first Transformers movie made my favorite films list of 2007. It was great to see the cartoons from my childhood finally realized in a big summer action film. I liked it so much that I saw it 3 times in the theater! I know its not a "critics" film but it was so much fun.

So two years roll by and we come to number 2 in the saga, Revenge of the Fallen. Sad to say, this movie is not as great as the first. Don't get me wrong, you have some amazing action sequences (The fight in the woods, incredible!). The problem is the story has so many plot holes and idiotic characters, its hard to care about the story. Shia Lebouf and Megan Fox are always running. Lots of danger with them bots around!



I'm glad they included more scenes of the Decepticons interacting with each other. Megatron conversing with Starscream is what a lot of us remember from the cartoon. Also, We get to see our heroes, the Autobots in some upsetting predicaments. I know, I'm geeking out a bit here but its the only way I'm going to justify my grade for this one. So, what did I absolutely hate? Two words: Skids and Mudflap. Wow some of the most racist characters I've ever seen. This Autobot duo is so un-appealing and not funny! There are so many ridiculous moments its crazy. Also the movie is 20-30min too long. So much we don't need to see. How many times can I watch military mobilize to try to defeat the robots? Its like c'mon. Anyway, I had fun watching but 1 time was enough for me, at least for a while. My Grade: B-

Drag Me to Hell

Horror movies need to keep changing the game to stay interesting. Something like The Descent which relies on darkness and claustrophobia or recently My Bloody Valentine in 3D. Its not that its harder to terrify the audience but it is difficult to do it well. Director Sam Raimi's beginnings were in the world of horror. Evil Dead has become a cult classic as has Evil Dead 2. The reason these movies worked well in the 80's is because they were distinctly different from the schlock being produced at the time. He was able to bring this element of goofiness and accidental humor to some pretty gory and nasty visuals.

After many years of directing in different genres, namely comic book films (yes he directed the terrible sequel, Spiderman 3 but it was also the studios fault) he returns to scare the hell out of people. Did he succeed? Well, almost.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into watching this movie. I have seen the bad reviews by the common man (you know us little people who don't get paid for our opinions) and the adoration bestowed by so many critics. I can see where and what both were witness too. The beginning is shocking and pretty effective. Overall the movie has some interesting and shocking gross out scenes. Definitely gag inducing. There are some just crazy moments that are like OMG. All of this is more of the first hour of the film. Towards the last act things get a little too wacky and silly to really care. One word comes to mind: Goat. I like the lead actress, Alison Lohman. She handles this material with a sincerity and motivation that works well within the confines of a surreal, demonic movie.

The effects are well done and the visual gags work. One Word: Gums. I can't say I didn't like the movie because I found it to be entertaining and hilarious. It did make me feel uneasy at times and some of the imagery was pretty frightening. Its supposed to be a horror-comedy but I think most won't be able to take it as such. My Grade: B-
Note: The movie is very LOUD, you've been warned.

UP

Pixar is one of my favorite animation houses, right behind its parent company Disney. It might sound like I am a bit biased but believe me that I critique every film on its merit. A lot of other animation companies have some great films in their libraries i.e Dreamworks Shrek and Kung Fu Panda or Blue Sky Studios' Horton Hears a Who and Ice Age.


That said, UP is a phenomenal achievement in filmmaking. This is Pixars first 3-D film and unlike this year’s big Dreamworks hit, Monsters vs Aliens, Up doesn’t exploit the 3D effects. What Pixar did was enhance the scope of the movie. It was like looking out your window as opposed to things jumping out of the screen. It allowed depth to take over, so when you are viewing the jungles of Venezuela, you are immersed in them.

Beyond the technical achievements, it’s the story that really delivers. Carl is a widowed old man who has disconnected himself from society. The world has grown around him and his only constant is the home he built with his late wife, Ellie. This part of the film is heavy for some people. We get to see how Carl and Ellie lived their lives up until her quiet end. I was in tears and the theater was silent during this part. Many animated films have shown death and loss of life in different ways but none so deeply emotional as this one (except maybe Bambi’s mother or Simbaa asking Mufasa to wake up after the stampede). Once we see who Carl is, he sets out for a wild adventure that includes Russell, the young wilderness explorer whose enthusiasm grows on Carl’s grumpy nature.


The story is involving with colorful characters. There is a lot of laugh out loud moments for me. The introduction of the dogs is hilarious. The humor is executed with perfect timing and balance nicely to heartfelt scenes. Ed Asner’s voice work is tangible and sincere. Newcomer, Jordan Nagai voices Russell and does it very well. He gets some of the best lines in the movie. Director Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.) and Co-director Bob Peterson do a great job of keeping the story moving and still allowing the audience to take in its grandeur. Pixar movies prove to be the best in the industry and they have maintained that reputation with UP. Next year, Toy Story 3! Can’t wait. My Grade: A

Terminator Salvation

“Are you ready for Salvation!?”
Our Arclight Cinema usher shouts to pump up the crowd. Cheers follow and the movie rolls.

The Terminator introduced us to this universe in 1984. In 1992, T2 pushed the limits of action and VFX. It also fleshed out the grim future that lies ahead for humanity. In 2003, Arnold and company returned for T3: Rise of the Machines. The film moved the story along somewhat but it was mostly about the action. (i.e. the Crane sequence, amazing!) So what does T4, I mean Salvation, bring to the mix? I’m sorry to say, not much.

The story of John Connor (Christian Bale) has been elaborated so much over the years, most recently with the TV series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I think it’s that reason that he isn’t really the main character of this movie. Although they are trying to give more info on his journey as the Leader of the Resistance, it falls short. The real draw here is Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). This character’s story adds nice undercurrent to this dull plot. Sam is going on to some pretty big things this coming year and he deserves it. He is a great actor and I can’t wait to see more from him. Other notable performances are from Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) and Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood). Sorry Christian Bale you bored me. His performance was just so forced and just not good overall.

So what’s the real reason to see this movie? The action, effects and sound are outstanding! There are so many great action scenes. If anything, these are the film’s saving grace. The sound was booming and the bass shook the theater. They really spent the money on these effects. Also, a great cameo from the governator via CGI that looks amazing! Danny Elfman scores the movie and although I am huge fan of his, the music here is lackluster. There is nothing new thematically and nothing memorable. If you’re looking for a mindless effects driven movie, that’s not as awful as Wolverine but not as Fantastic as Star Trek, Go see it. Its popcorn time! My Grade: C+

Angels & Demons

In 2006, We were introduced to the film version of the Da Vinci Code. At the time, lovers of the bestselling book it was based upon were eagerly awaiting the release. Well as often happens, the movie was not nearly as good as the book. I did not
read the book so I could see the movie for what it was. A few days before seeing the movie, I watched a documentary about the book and its secrets on the History channel. I was fascinated by the story and it was a good prelude to the actual movie. Imagine my surprise when the film bored me to tears! Ron Howard's direction was excruciating at times. The pace was very slow and the mystery not so amazing after a while.

I am happy to say that Angels & Demons is a much better film but not a great one. Tom Hanks returns as Prof. Robert Langdon, this time to assist the Vatican in a plot against them by an old enemy, the Illuminati. The movie does a good job of filling us in to understand how this volatile relationship came about. The pacing works well but of course as with the previous movie, we begin to get bogged down with what the audience already knows. A good example of this is a monologue scene with a certain character that feels heavy handed.

The acting was pretty good even though Tom Hanks loves to ham it up a bit. Ayelet Zurer plays Vittoria, the scientist assisting Dr. Langdon. Vittoria belongs to another section of the movie I take issue with. The opening scene is overwhelming in terms of scientific information. A lot of moments are very over the top. The film leaves the realm of reality in a story about murder and conspiracy. Also the score comes in at the worst times. You shouldn't have the drums thumping while you are still in a dialogue scene. The audience is trying to stay with story yet you are musically pushing us into the next scene.

Overall it's an effective thriller more so than the Da Vinci Code. I was entertained but not eager to watch it again. Its occasional moments of awe and sweeping views of Rome are worth seeing on the big screen. My Grade: C

Star Trek

There are many who will say, “Well I’m not a fan of Star Trek, so this movie isn’t for me”. I’m happy to say this movie is definitely for you. I will add that any fan can and will appreciate what has been done to this dying series.

I’m going to dissect my review a little more than usual just so I can get across why I loved this film so much.

The Cast
Zachary Quinto will own Spock’s character for years to come. He has embodied the quiet strength and subtle humor that Leonard Nimoy created. Chris Pine is a fantastic Kirk with his handsome, cocky and clever nature. This is a Kirk/Spock film depicting the growth of their loyal friendship. The rest of the cast is really great. Zoe Saldana plays Uhura with tenderness and intelligence. Karl Urban makes McCoy “Bones” his own.
Anton Yelchin as Chekov, John Cho as Zulu and Simon Pegg as Scotty round out this brilliant casting.

The Director
J.J. Abrams is mostly known for his TV work. He created Alias, LOST, and Fringe. He accepted the challenge of resurrecting Star Trek for a new audience and has succeeded. At 2 hrs and 7 minutes, the movie feels like a half hour. It goes by fast and full of energy. You can’t wait to see what happens next. At the end of the movie, after the applause, people were yelling out to roll it again. You want to see more and thankfully sequels are coming.

The Story and Effects
The story kicks off with something poignant. The audience can and will connect to what’s happening here. We are witness to the birth of our two heroes, Kirk and Spock.
We are dealt with longing, loss, humanity, and compassion. However, this movie isn’t a downer. It has comedy, romance, and heart throughout. All of this resonates beyond the overwhelming spectacle that is the effects. Wow the effects are downright amazing! We’ve never seen space so vibrant and alive as we do here. I have to make the following side note: Wolverine was made for $140mil and it looked Cheesy and cheap. Star Trek was made for $150 million and it looks super expensive. You can see that money used to create something spectacular.

If you love SCI Fi, go see this movie. If you are looking for a good summer action movie with a great story and characters see this movie. If you only have $12 bucks for one movie this weekend, DON’T SPEND IT ON WOLVERINE, see Star Trek, a satisfying movie from start to finish and one that I can’t wait to see again and again. My Grade: A

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

This is going to be a very easy and quick read as far as my reviews go.

Save your money. Skip this movie. It was probably the biggest let down in a long time. Too many characters with nothing to do. No story to speak of. There are times when things get good or somewhat cool and the next scene kills it. The effects are sooo bad, you'd think you were watching a movie on the SCI-fi channel. The whole movie was cheap on story and really cheats the audience that it needs. I'm glad its over and I've seen it. I can not wait for Star Trek next week. Wolverine will soon be a memory. I know some will nit-pick this mini review but let me tell you EVERYONE in the audience just groaned when it ended. Yes it was that bad. I seriously considered an F grade but there were some parts that were cool and fun and Liev Schriber was very good.. but the majority of the movie was a waste. This is the nail in the coffin for the X-men franchise. My Grade:D

Monsters Vs Aliens - 3D

Dreamworks animation studios has tried really hard to create memorable, original, and funny movies. They have succeeded a few times within the past 10 years. Movies like Shrek, Shrek 2, and Kung Fu Panda. Sadly, they have made many mediocre to lame movies more so than great ones. Yet, the bad movies are still pretty big hits. I suppose for anyone starved for entertainment or those waiting for the next big Pixar flick, these Dreamworks crap family films tie them over.

It's unfortunate that I am going to have to include Monsters vs Aliens in the list of the lame batch. I went into this movie with high hopes and ready to be entertained. What I got was tired jokes, lazy dialogue, and bland storytelling. I was sitting in a full audience that barely chuckled at some of these jokes. Beyond the humor being attempted here, the voice work from actors like Stephen Colbert and Will Arnett falls flat. Given, they have very little to work with so they can't be blamed.

The surprising thing is this movie is essentially the story of Susan i.e. Ginormica played by Reese Witherspoon. I didn't gather that from the trailers but it was a nice surprise. Her story works but its not given any real respect by the writers. They are trying to setup her journey fast enough to get to the lame jokes.

The animation is extremely well done. The destruction sequences and action scenes are thrilling. To be honest, If it wasn't for the animation and 3D effects, I would have been utterly bored. This premise offers so many opportunities that its sad to see what it became. My grade: C-

WATCHMEN

Visual. Visceral. Violent. Intelligent. Absorbing.

I've been a fan of Zack Snyder since he directed the Dawn of the Dead remake back in 2004. I love how he re-made this zombie movie with more fury and tension. His next work came about in 300. A movie based on the graphic novel by frank miller. Again, Snyder was able to bring the pages of this novel to life. A movie full of eye candy and carnage.

So we come to his 3rd work, Watchmen. The graphic novel that could "never be filmed". The subject matter transcended its time to become a celebrated work. I don't want to get into the minutia of the story. This is a movie that will force you to open your brain to the ideas being laid before you. The opening sequence is brutal. A nice taste of the aforementioned violence that is to come. The opening titles will re-write history before your eyes but will you let yourself accept it. This movie will push people. There are boundaries that are seldom crossed within comic books films. We don't expect the heroes to be the villains but in life many of our heroes have done villainous things. The movie take the superhero archetypes that we have praised in comics for ages and tears them down to raw humanity. You have to look at it from a different point of view.

The cast is very good. The standouts for me are Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach and Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II. The only let down is Malin Ackerman as Silk Spectre II. I didn't like her in 27 Dresses and I just don't like her here. The character needs more passion and more depth. She couldn't convey any of that well. There is the occasional CGI full frontal of Dr. Manhattan and a hot sex scene. There is also violence against women, rape, murder. This movie deserves the R rating it received. There is nothing left to the imagination. It was filmed perfectly and some scenes are just awesome. I have two gripes that affected my overall grade. 1: The music chosen can be good (Times, They are a Changin' during the opening titles) but sometimes the songs fall flat (99 luftballoons and All Along the Watchtower) because they have been used so much in film over the years. 2: I felt the movie could have been longer. There was so much to cover in 2 hours and 41 min. I didn't feel the running time at all. The story was so different that it kept me engaged the entire time. That said some scenes could have been shortened and others lengthened. This is the beginning of the event movie season and it is well worth watching. Even days after watching it, I can't really stop thinking about it. I will have to watch it again. My Grade : B+

Confessions of Shopaholic

I'm not sure I understand the compulsion to shop. When I walk in to a store, I head straight for what I need. I rarely browse or buy over and above what I was looking for. Yet as I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic I began to see a bit of myself in Isla Fisher's 'Rebecca Bloomwood'. (Note: I've never read the books) I am addicted to Amazon.com. I buy everything and anything I want from that site. I peruse it everyday just to see if there is anything I might need. A new DVD, some more music, a new gadget for my blackberry. So in a way I am shopaholic. "My name is Rich and I am a shopaholic". lol . I like getting new things that make me feel better about myself.

That is one aspect that the film gets right. Rebecca is a clumsy, funny, good natured girl with a serious compulsion that has lead her into debt. The apt she shares with her roommate ( a character I felt the film forced on us) is packed with stuff. Clothes, shoes and accessories are everywhere. Her credit cards are maxed out and she is drowning in credit card bills. Although you'd think that paying her bills would be her first priority, its landing a job at Allet fashion magazine that takes precedent. Without giving too much more away, she meets a dreamy young professional and son of a socialite named Luke Brandon played by Hugh Dancy (Claire Danes real life Fiance). Hugh was very good in the film. He worked with what they gave him and was able to pull of a charming performance. Other notable supporting characters are Rebecca's parents played by Joan Cusack and John Goodman. I loved these two. They added a much needed warmth and mild humor to the film. John Goodman has been a favorite of mine for years. His heart shows through every line he delivers and doesn't disappoint here. I almost wish there were more scenes with them but this story is about Rebecca's life in the city and her addiction.

Although I found the film to be enjoyable and entertaining, it does have its share of problems. The pop music soundtrack is extremely overused. I mean every time we see a chick walking in heels its this hip hop laced pop song blasting out of the speakers. It's like we get it, chicks walking in heels equals booty thump. I will say there is one acoustic cover version of Cyndi Laupers 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' that was very well done and came in at the right time. Then there was the CGI. You may ask what kind of effects would they have in this kind of film? Well its unexpected and I'll be honest kind of cool. However it is very distracting and not all together necessary. Also the story is far fetched. The villain in the movie or the 'Debt Collector' scenario is just not believable but it offers a good bit of balance. Finally, I hate to compare actress' but Isla is no Amy Adams. By that I mean I don't think Isla pulls off the funny, quirky girl to serious, dramatic moments as well as Amy Adams. I know its not a fair comparison but I just had to say it. Overall a lighthearted film that I think is made for teens or young twenty somethings? I am not entirely sure since it has blatant alcohol use and stories of bad debt and irresponsibility. Rich's Grade: C+