Sucker Punch

10/10 E.M.
9/10 C.E.

  There are three things that I don't think anyone will doubt about this movie. One that it is absolutely visually breathtaking, two that the action scenes are awesome, and three the plot is way over people's heads or even to many doesn't make sense. Like it or leave it these are sadly undeniable and will have many leaving the theater thinking man that was so cool but I really don't understand any of it. If you thought Inception was bad or confusing trust me this one is far worse on the confusion factor. I do want to say if you can hang in for the entire film and have the ability to see the symbolism and downright artistry of the film you will leave like I did one very happy movie goer. Plus who doesn't love a movie with hot girls, dragons, guns, samari swords and even more awesomeness?

 Fortunately for the movie all of the girls are able to pull off not just looking downright hot but also they are all believable action stars that I for one wouldn't want to mess with. (especially Cornish/Sweet Pea) Emily Browning is able to pull off both a look as well as act showing us the dimensions of Baby Doll's character. This said there are sadly times when all you can see is the puppy dog innocence that Browning's look portrays and not see the emotions that face is actually showing you. As mentioned Abbie Cornish is easily the best of the bunch at portraying her character being utterly believable and showing us her abilities as an actress.

  On the flip side Jena Malone who plays Rocket felt the most forced of the girls although as a whole not a bad performance by her just was largely when she cried or delivered an emotion filled line it came off as downright unbelievable. Jamie Chung who played Amber does a good job of filling the innocent peppy role that is called for and brings excitement to the table making her the cheerleader of sorts of the film. Lastly Vanessa Hudgens who plays Blonde doesn't actually stand out much at all which is surprising considering she's one of the best known out of the girls. Oscar Isaac who plays the movie's villian Blue does a great job in the role not exactly holding a light to other portrayed essential gangsters (cause when it boils down to it that's kind of what he plays) such as the legendary Don Corleone however he holds his part very well in the film. Both Scott Glenn and Carla Gugino fill their roles well in the film although their characters aren't really fully developed so they are held back a bit in that matter.

  The characters in this film with a few exceptions such as Baby Doll, Sweet Pea, Blue and a few others largely are not all that developed however we do get the dynamics in crystal clarity. The plot a lot like Inception actually seems very very fragmented at first however by the end of the film if you're able to understand it will all make sense either that or you'll just be confused. Don't even try to figure out why there are machine guns in a mid evil castle or anything of the like cause let's not forget it's a FANTASY world after all.

  As with all Zach Snyder films Sucker Punch is absolutely beautiful to see tons of popping color, cool scenes, great CGI, lovely camera work and editing and above all else sweet action scenes and choreography. The soundtrack also is beautiful with a downright brilliant job of selection and editing so that the music pronounces and augments the movie really really well. In fact if you like how well the trailer's music was done then you'll be in even more of a treat with the movie. So when faced with a Sucker Punch I would definitely recommend you take the hit cause if anything else you'll get some eye popping action out of it!

The 5th Quarter

5/10 E.M.
4/10 C.E.

  For those of you who are about to go into this movie thinking that it is an inspirational football movie I'm gonna save you a lot of disappointment and let you know that it flat out isn't. This isn't We are Marshal nor is it by any means Remember the Titans. However this said the movie is actually a semi inspiring drama about getting up when life beats you down with a football backdrop. The main focus of this movie is dealing with death not by any means a focus on how one boy's death inspired a football team to a huge victory. I want to make it clear though that although that's not it's focus it does encompass the football victory and there is definitely plenty of football game content ect.

  As far as the acting in the film is concerned this really was a double edged sword being both great and bad sometimes in the same actor/actress. Ryan Merriman who played the son/brother Jon was quite truly impressive not coming across as overacting and accurately portraying a brother in pain as one would no doubt be in the same situation. Aidan Quinn was easily the most inconsistent as far as nailing his part as the father in the movie. There were plenty of times when his obvious show of remorse was spot on and realistic however the problem was that there were also times when it comes off as inauthentic and more importantly too much/over the top. This carries on throughout the whole movie and doesn't just apply to when he is showing sorrow and the like but also sometimes even joy. Andie MacDowell does a good job of showing us how a mother in such a situation would deal although by no means is she spectacular. The other characters were done well enough by the actors/actresses that played their parts however none were really either exceptional nor abysmal considering there were few characters that had any screen time besides those reviewed.

  The movie sadly has a few holes in it and you cannot help but feel that some parts were glanced over.Worse is that we often saw parts and heard dialogue that was strategically cut to portray the image desired rather than tell the story. Many and I do mean many of the football scenes were highly uninspired giving us just the highlights of the game along with what seemed to be or what was hoped to look like the original game footage which only caused it to feel even more disjointed. In the end the football scenes felt far more like a highlight reel on a coach's season slide show that showing us the struggles victories or even simply the games played on the field.

  The story is based on a true story so there's no possible way to bash or praise the plot. What was highlighted however and how it was portrayed did tell the story well as far as the Abbate's families struggle. The soundtrack was painfully obvious in taste and style however it does it's job despite the fact that I don't think I ever heard a single one of those songs before nor would I now like to hear them again. Sadly the film just doesn't hit it's target audience or at least the audience that will go will not get what they thought they were in for. When the game is played, the last seconds are on the clock and if you want a good story you'll have one but you probably won't want to play The Fifth Quarter

The Lincoln Lawyer

9/10 E.M.
9/10 C.E.

  The Lincoln Lawyer answers the new craving that movie goers everywhere have had for intellectual dramas and thrillers ever since Inception came out last year. Lawyer's story and plot are without a doubt well thought out and conceived and will not only hold the audience's interest but more important will have you wondering how it will all work out till the very end. Best of all it stays within the confines of reality and doesn't break the rules that it sets up. It also balances well the task of not just being a straight up drama but also throwing in humor at the right moments with the right characters as well as a bit of romance. But make no mistake Lawyer will deliver hard in the courtroom of the movie theater something new and better than just another episode of Law and Order or the like.

  The chemistry between all the actors is really something unreal for once everyone hits every note just right. Those who hate Mick (Matthew McConaughey) come across as exactly that, those who love him make it clear. In other words whatever dynamic SHOULD come across between characters DOES which is not only hard to do sometimes but even harder to find in movies during this off season. Speaking of Matthew McConaughey it should be said that he did extremely well considering some of his past roles include such paltry movies as Fools Gold and the like. This time he really comes across as a lawyer who is conflicted, you don't want to mess with and compassionate all at once not to mention suave and smart.

  William H. Macy does a good job of being the sidekick Frank who provides comic relief providing a good portion of the humor in the film. Josh Lucas also nails his part as the wet behind the ear lawyer Ted. Lucas is able to convey that Ted although new has intuition going for him and it's nice to be able to actually see the wheels turning along with the other emotions he portrayed well.  Ryan Phillippe has developed a knack and is incredibly good at playing the part of a rich kid that has brains to go with his money. Downright great performance on everyone else's part as well there really were no weak links in this film.

  The music in the movie is limited but a good selection often something like what you might find in some sort of poetry coffee hut but fitting and nice. (The last song before/during the credits especially so.) As said before the plot is really well thought out and all the characters are well developed. The script is also well written leaving out overused cliches and not limiting the actors/actresses allowing the story to be told in all it's brilliance. I want to also point out that the camera work is really well done hitting scenes from nice angles and refraining from too many close shots a danger when it comes to dramas in courtrooms. It lets the words commit the action and not the camera. The final verdict on Lincoln Lawyer is that it's guilty... of being really good!

Paul

8/10 E.M.
5/10 C.E.

  Any movie that starts off with nerds at Comic Con automatically scores points in this critic's heart. Fortunately for the rest of us who aren't so geeky Paul goes on to score more points especially in the laughs department. Granted some of the laughs are given away in the trailers but you would be hard pressed these days to find a movie where this is not the case. Spoilers aside the movie still has plenty of laughs in store especially for those versed in all things geeky as well as alien movies which this movie pays tons of homage to. Although all of these nerd and alien jokes are funny they in reality serve to distract the audience from the fact that the movie itself isn't very original mostly just laughs many stolen from greater works.

  Seth Rogen who of course plays Paul's voice does a great job of somehow being believable and serious and yet also funny at the same time. This is ironic because let's face it when you watch him in person the last thing you can ever believe is that he's serious. Instances come to mind from Green Hornet when he's supposed to be serious in the role but you just can't swallow it. This along with his numerous other roles that are goofy or funny further strengthen the case against him as a person to take earnestly. Both Simon Pegg and Nick Frost do a good job as the nerds Graeme and Clive. As always it seems they come in a package deal both being in previous works such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. At this point it is clear to see that they have settled into a familiar partnership with each other however ironically it comes out as forced in the movie.

  Jason Bateman sadly does a flat out bad job of being Agent Zoil one of Paul's pursuers. The fact of the matter is Bateman comes off as a nice guy naturally anything else seems forced and impossible to believe.Bill Hader however does a great job as the eager to impress ambitious agent Haggard and actually in the end would have made a better fit for the role of Zoil. Jane Lynch and Sigourney Weaver who both make brief appearances in the film do a wonderful job of playing their characters considering how small and one dimensional they are. Strangely with the exception of Rogan it is largely the supporting cast that comes off as more believable in this film than the main stars.

  The movie's plot is frankly predictable as they come so it's really more about what they do on the ride and the laughs not to mention that there is barely a plot in the first place. The soundtrack keeps the party going but isn't anything out of this world, kind of filler music at a party between D.J.s. The computer animation, stunts and explosions are all nicely done and cool to watch although by no means revolutionary. When it comes down to it if you're in the mood for a movie with laughs but no subsistence hitch a ride with Paul.

Limitless

9/10 E.M.
7/10 C.E.

  In a world where we are hit every day by billions of facts and bits of information Limitless seeks out to show us what it would be like if we could actually retain and use all of this knowledge that slips through our hands like grains of sand. This rather unique idea often discussed but never (to my knowledge) made into a movie plays out brilliantly. This cool idea alone when combined with a story that is full of intrigue, glamor, fun and plotting makes Limitless a great movie. Limitless shows us what it would be like to live out our full potential and plays out what many would do with this power. At the same time it poses the question of what YOU would do with this power and of course if you would even use it risk or no.

  Bradley Cooper's role as Eddie Morra proves once again as in The Hangover and The A Team that Cooper can act. He has found himself very capable of filling the shoes of a stylish smart man child in his roles who never fails to be a bit eccentric. Robert De Niro of course fills his role well as Carl Van Loon as can be expected considering he has filled similar roles equally well in the past. Abbie Cornish brings a realistic portrayal of Lindy to the table showing the audience honesty and believability in what we may feel in her shoes. Last but not least Andrew Howard does an adequate job of playing the dumb but dangerous villain Gennady.

  The movie is filled with witty banter and of course as mentioned lives out many of our fantasies. It also is intelligent in it's design leaving no plot holes and answering each challenge that arises in the plot realistically and with style. The story plays out well keeping the audience's attention throughout each and every interesting twist and turn. The cinematography makes sense especially as an art form however many will find the for lack of better words zoom camera shoots far too disorientating or distracting. Fortunately it is used sparingly so you don't feel like you're constantly in Madona's Ray of Light music video. The music selection is great featuring songs that are well known but utilized well regardless. If you're looking for a great intellectual thriller then Limitless is not a hard pill to swallow.

Mars Needs Moms 3-D

9/10 E.M.
8/10 C.E.
9/10 3-D

  This is plain out down right a great family film. Best of all believe it or not there are actually GREAT family values in this movie that kids will pick up and understand. Call me a momma's boy but it's a wonderful thing to see mothers painted in such a great light for once in Hollywood. It is a bit of a pity that they didn't release it on Mother's Day instead because that would be fully appropriate. But let's not forget that the movie is also just a blast to watch with plenty of action and adventure as well as laughs for the family (although admittedly a bit lighter on the laughs department.)

  You can tell that there was a lot of work put into this film which if filled with tons of detail and far better for the audience imagination something that Disney tends to deliver. I will admit the art direction is a bit strange at first the humans looking weird and the aliens even weirder however you quickly adapt to it and find that it works and more important that you will be immersed in a fully developed world full eye candy especially later in the film.

  The 3-D is flat out great and used very very well perhaps the best use of 3-D seen in an animated film to date (save Avatar which was kinda live/animated anyway.) You will see all sorts of cool stuff fly at you and more important feel like you part of the journey on the planet Mars at points in the film and not just watching it.  This combined with all the detail put into the movie makes it a must see in 3-D so long as you don't get headaches or whatnot.

  As for the voice talents the casting department really outdid themselves in this film. Let's face it Joan Cusack is the perfect voice of a mother- nagging and yet also loving. As for Dan Fogler I could not think of many actors who could better play Gribble the crazy older brother in many ways of the film. Of course everyone else did a great job as well but these two were just nail on the head in my book. Admittedly the plot is a bit weak and even predictable at points, however it is such a pleasant ride that you probably won't care. The music in the film is good and makes the adventure that much better. In the end if you're looking for cool adventure for the whole family that has family values to boot you should strap in and blast off to Mars. (Especially if you're a mom cause they need those.)

Red Riding Hood

5/10 E.M.
5/10 C.E.

  A new take on the classic tale Red Riding Hood does a good job of re inventing the story we all grew up with although it doesn't quite deliver on the passion side as many would believe. However I do want to point out that in the original tale there is no love story so from that perspective anything added is actually extra not less. The problem arises however for many in that the director Catherine Hardwicke is the same director as Twilight thus a certain expectation is created. As far as I was concerned however that expectation was met in that the movie was basically Twilight only in the backdrop of Red Riding Hood. You have the same stupid love triangle, (once again the girl goes for the guy with the stupid hair right off the bat) werewolves, and bad CGI. All you're really missing are shinny vampires.

  Similarities to Twilight aside the movie is actually pretty good and it's strength is in a plot that is compelling enough to keep you interested. Throughout the movie if anything else you will wonder how it's gonna vary from the story we heard growing up. You also may be left in the dark and wondering throughout the whole movie who the heck is the wolf something that is actually well concealed throughout the movie and I shall spoil now- It's.... no just kidding.

  Now I have seen Amanda Seyfried play some really good roles and know the girl can act as seen in movies such as Chloe. However sadly in this film although she does well as a whole she still often looks doe eyed and lost. There is however no doubt the girl looks good in a red robe plus that she is also developing a knack for playing a seductive female.  Gary Oldman's role as Father Solomon is perfectly adequate but nothing more not really bringing anything powerful to the table largely due to a one dimensional character.

  Considering his last role was so well played it was hard to see Billy Burke as anything other than the crazed Jonah King from Drive Angry. However as the film progresses you can easily see that considering what he's given Burke does a good job of playing Valerie's father. Shiloh Fernandez really brings nothing to the table in his role of Peter besides looking like a wannabe Edward only creepier. Max Irons on the other hand does a good job of playing the kind hearted Henry. Lastly it would seem only fair to give a head nod to Julie Christie for her perplexing role of the famed grandmother.

  The choice of music on this movie is plain out downright horrible and doesn't fit at all... a lot like the music on the Twilight series come to think of it. The aforementioned love triangle does a good job of providing confusion for the real identity of the wolf in it's absence of steamy teen angst. When journeying into the woods make sure that you go for the trip and mystery not the romance. If you do I'm sure you'll enjoy the new twist on an old tale.

Beastly

6/10 E.M.
4/10 C.E.

  As anyone who has taken even the slightest interest in this movie should know it is basically a modern day live action Beauty and the Beast. The movie is also based on the book by Alex Flinn of the same title. Now granted I never read the book however if you ever saw the cartoon you would in all likely hood know upon seeing the movie you aren't missing out on much. The only changes really are that instead of turning into a beast the main character Kyle becomes horribly deformed and instead of owning a castle filled with talking teapots he lives in a nice loft in New York with a blind teacher and a servant. Other differences include a tree tattoo instead of a rose that indicates how much time he has left to find true love and the Belle character Lindy filled with a troubled dad and daddy issues. All in all same old tale just twisted around a little.

  However somewhere in all this twisting and turning the movie becomes disjointed and in the end feels downright rushed. The movie shows us Kyle chilling in his hideaway if you will for months on end doing nothing wasting this film time where literally nothing happens and sacrificing it when it would be more useful to later in the film when stuff actually happens. They would have been better off going the Twilight route and had him sit in a chair and look out the window and see time go by or better yet just show the next scene and have the words X months later. ( Sorry forgot how many months that was in the movie.) Furthermore time is as mentioned rushed way too much in the parts that it counts. For example it shows Kyle and Lindy just sitting and reading poetry for a whole winter rather than using it to show instances of love growing fonder ect throughout that time. This shortcut although a bit artsy and poetic as a film device cripples the film and doesn't actually SHOW the growing love connection. It's almost like showing a happy couple that meets and their first few dates then fast forwarding to the marriage.

  Alex Pettyfer surprised me considering his last role in I am Number Four and shows the audience that he indeed can act, although I stand by my earlier statement that the poor guy's face restrains his emotional range. He does and excellent job, although a bit over the top of being a rich spoiled jerk who's completely sure of himself and on top of the world. His later role of being this boy striped of all he's known and who's in love with a girl is also well portrayed us able to see his old self crop up every once and a while which is realistic and yet at the same time able to largely see the changes in his character. These changes are however dangerously balanced because they aren't strong which is let's face it is realistic, however at times due to either script, directing or acting become almost invisible.

  Vanessa Hudgens does a good enough job of being the object of Kyle's affections as well as being a "deep" girl who's on the outside. We however don't really see her as a girl with daddy issues which most girls would have given the scenario which I would attribute to her being a strong character which is really just a way of either creating a fictional girl or of avoiding further character development on the director's part. Niel Patrick Harris whom I love from How I Met Your Mother did a great job in his role of being the sassy blind teacher Will and I honestly wouldn't want to see anyone else play that role. According to IMDB he even wore opaque contacts to cause him to really be blind while he acted. Last but not least I believe that Lisa Gay Hamilton deserves a pat on the back for her role of Zola hitting the nail on the head at every point of the film.

  As mentioned the plot is entirely unoriginal and really predictable but what more can you expect? As for the soundtrack it isn't really all that spectacular either. I will definitely give props to the make up or CGI artist whichever that did a great job of changing Alex Pettyfer into "the beast" as well as the costume design for the witch Kendra. (Mary Kate Olsen) In the end the movie is definitely nothing that we haven't in our youth seen before however it is well done acting wise and is a charming enough love story as can be expected.

Take Me Home Tonight

10/10 E.M.
8/10 C.E.

  How much did I love this movie? Let me put it this way I would GLADLY pay to see it again and even again and I get to see movies for free. If you go to see this movie for anything else watch it for the soundtrack. They picked out some of the best songs from the 80's and executed them brilliantly choosing just the right parts in the movie to play them. If that wasn't a good enough reason how about it was a blast straight back to the 80's with the hair, beautiful classic cars, styles, dancing and everything else you think of when someone says the words 80's.

  It captures the 80's that Hot Tub Time Machine tried to capture while making a story that immerses you without feeling like it's trying to fit into an 80's motiff but rather the movie itself is the 80's. Hard to explain but you'll see soon enough. You will also no doubt love pointing out stuff like the Delorean that is cleverly hidden at the Beverly Hills drive way scene and cool 80's movie references ect.. The movie was a great 80's party- dance battle, sex, drugs and rock and roll included.

  Topher Grace was excellent in his role of Matthew (an amazing name I got to say) delivering his lines with good comic timing and of course fitting his role of the geek grown up well after thorough practice with Eric Forman in That 70's show. Anna Faris actually does a good job in this movie for once not forcing the laughs upon the audience and showing that she can portray a character with something of depth to it... kinda. Dan Fogler nails the crazy peer pressuring friend quite well not over doing his party boyness so that the humor seems forced and yet at the same time being without a doubt the life of the party... or the idiot who tries to be that is. Teresa Palmer not only can act but also fills the 80's dream girl part nicely allowing her to actually bring to life the girl of our dreams who is actually a person and not just another pretty face.

  The plot and character development admittedly were not that amazing being quite predictable in fact however that's how it works with an 80's film and furthermore it is more than made up for by the comedy of the script and that delivery of the actors. As mentioned the fact that it could be a movie that takes place in the 80's without being an 80's film nor feeling like a film that tries and fails to capture the 80's or the 80's ideal is in itself triumph enough. By the end of the film you just might come out feeling like you partied so hard that you will need to know who will be taking you home tonight.

Rango

8.5/10 E.M.
8/10 C.E.

  The trailers and the movie promise the audience adventure above all else and boy does it deliver! Admittedly it does seem to nearly miss it's target audience (families and kids) due to it's adult humor that will go waaaayyy over little kid's heads, plot devices and even art direction. (more realistic than cartoony) However where little kids will enjoy it is it's awesome action and adventure, the singing owls and also some of the humor as there are fortunately still some laughs for the little ones. Although as mentioned the art direction is a bit more adult  there is no denying that the visuals on this movie are flat out fantastic taking animation to a wonderful level that you can in some scenes with the background etc almost mistake for reality.

  The story is classic and compelling although makes the plot entirely predictable. However what it creates in predictability it makes up for in fun and more importantly epic adventure. You really do wind up feeling like you went on an epic western adventure by the end of the movie. It also is a bit artsy in it's story telling using many different plot devices and some cool character dynamics and symbolism (Rattlesnake Jake being death and Rango's own self doubt) that some movie goers may enjoy if they can see it. Every character is very well thought out and wonderfully portrayed not impeded for a minute by the animated vessels that deliver their story.  Plain and simply if you're looking for fun and adventure then there's a new sheriff in town and his name is... Rango!

Hall Pass

2/10 E.M.
1/10 C.E.

  This was without a doubt one of the most disappointing movies that has come out in the recent months. The movie grabs and tries to attract a certain audience that is looking for and expecting certain things from this type of movie and let's face it it doesn't deliver AT ALL. Instead it tries to walk a fine line the line of a party/pervy type of movie and a drama but fails at both. It tries to make the characters into men who are going through nothing more than a mid life crisis and snap into reality. But let's face it that's not what the characters are and it's certainly not what the audience wants. You go in hoping for something kind of like Hangover and instead you get guys who want to be like the Hangover but aren't even near as cool. They are further impaired by a moral conscience that kicks in not only at the dumbest time but also shouldn't be there from a plot perspective after they have/all but have committed the wrongs. There's nothing wrong with having a story of redemption, nor is there anything wrong with a story of a changing of heart however firstly it doesn't fit your target audience plus it has to be done right and committed to, something that the Farrelly brothers seem to have forgotten in this movie.

  Owen Wilson brings little to the table on this film and Jason Sudeikis brings FAR less. This is very disappointing because if you watch Saturday Night Live you will most likely agree Sudiekis is a funny man. Not sure if it was the script or the classic curse of SNL star to movie star transition but he just hit nothing as far as funny was concerned. The ladies Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate on the other hand were a joy to watch and easily the superior ones in the film. The chemistry between the ladies was good enough however due to the guys slipping we saw very weak chemistry from couple to couple which makes it that much harder to sell the whole oh no I can't go through with this I love my wife bit. Last but not least Nicky Whelan did her bit well which was of course to be an obscenely hot siren for poor Owen's character.

  The music as the case of the movie as a whole was uninspiring if you're gonna have party like a rock star have them party like a rock star at SOME point. On the note of uninspiring was the humor I mean come on the funniest part in this whole movie was the very end with Stephen Merchant's British character Gary's daydream scene. I seriously wish the whole movie had been as funny as that cause then I could have left with some laughs. I am never opposed to rude or obscene humor in a movie admittedly it is one of many ways to my funny bone, however when it's rude and obscene just to be rude and obscene with no laugh at the end there's nothing but failure in my book. The movie could have easily been PG-13 at least and lost no laughs whatsoever which just means it failed as a movie. When you go down the halls of the movie theater make sure you pass on Hall Pass.

Drive Angry 3-D

8/10 E.M.
7/10 C.E.
9/10 3-D

  Nicolas Cage is capable of some great movies and acting such as Lord of War, Kick Ass and Gone in 60 Seconds. On the filp side he is also capable of some down right bad or at best mediocre movies such as Season of the Witch and the like. The key more often than not is whether or not the man is having fun in the movie cause it shows whether or not he's dialing it in or having the time of his life. Fortunately for the movie goers who decide to indulge in Drive Angry he isn't dialing it in. I do however want to say it isn't one of his great movies but at least you can tell he's having fun in it.

  The real star of this movie believe it or not though was EASILY William Fichtner. He was down right hilarious and stole the show. To that point I do want to say whoever finally paired Fichtner and Cage together was a genius they play incredibly well together and were a down right joy to watch. Amber Heard played the tough as nails Piper largely just playing a type not exactly bringing much to the table otherwise. Billy Burke of course played the crazy zealot Jonah King and really nailed it. I mean honestly that was messed up with the femur I got to say.

  The 3-D in the movie is down right excellent. We finally see a movie that not only has consistent 3-D and was intelligently actually shot not converted to 3-D, but we also see a movie that is thought out and planned around the 3-D prop it stands on. Are some of the parts obviously CGI, yeah but that's not really their fault technology just isn't there yet it would seem. You will though finally see stuff fly at your face in action scenes and get the full effect of 3-D. The pop and immersion factor are blended together throughout the movie something some of these 3-D films just can't figure out yet.

  The soundtrack is a bit obvious choice wise however at least it suits the movie well. Mix of "On the Highway to Hell" with various country and kinda hard to go wrong considering. The plot is admittedly a bit predictable but the humor and script is just so wonderful and more importantly well executed that although it may seem familiar in ways it's a joy to watch. I mean come on who doesn't want to watch an anti hero who says he's gonna drink out of a villains skull and then actually does it? The movie as a whole was kind of a high production B movie that knew it and just went for it trying to have fun all the while. Like Piranha 3-D and Machete before it it is obscene but very enjoyable if you can get past how out there it is violence and content wise. For a movie that is called Drive Angry and that has some extended scenes with car chases and the like I was a bit let down it just wasn't something exceptional although the 3-D helped. I will say the cars were beautiful though so they had that going for them. If you were looking for a fun ride that's a bit obscene and knows it you can't go wrong if you Drive Angry.

The Adjustment Bureau

8/10 E.M.
7/10 C.E.

  This kinda of like Inception is one of those movies that will make you think and more importantly bring up more questions than answers, in other words my type of movie. You can easily see some of it's influences or similarities to other movies surprisingly being more similar to The Matrix than Inception. It also has strong ties to movies that bring up the God question and equation such as Bruce Almighty, throw in some predestined love like in movies such as Serendipity and what do you get... a good movie actually! The plot can easily be figured out just from the trailers however what makes the movie good and interesting are the aforementioned questions of life it brings up combined with how the movie explains this universe they create.

   Matt Damon and Emily Blunt have wonderful screen chemistry that helps bring alive the script that in the wrong hands and considering it's lackluster could have easily ended in disaster. You get the feel of a flirty witty banter that is a joy to watch and actually reminds me of that between 007 and Vesper in Casino Royale. Blunt does a great job and is charming at the right points and later nails the whole distressed damsel that has no idea what the heck is going on. Damon on the other hand although by no means bad doesn't fully nail the determination we have to see his circumstances conveying it more to the audience than the actual actor. This said he did good overall and as mentioned held up his end when interacting with Blunt.

  John Slattery does a wonderful job in his role as Richardson reminding me kind of a less uptight Tom Hanks from Catch Me If You Can. I do wonder though if between his role in this movie and his part in Mad Men if he will ever get out of a suit the poor guy. Terence Stamp at this point more often than not fills a look or type (in this case powerful determined antagonist.) in the films he partakes which he does well however at the same time makes his performances very unremarkable because you've pretty much seen it before in one way or another. The saying you've seen one you've seen them all from Singing in the Rain comes to mind when evaluating him in a film.Some of the musical selection especially early on in the film (for example the first song) seems odd ball to the movie however it quickly turns around and gets on track later helping to accent some of the films key scenes. By the end of the film audience members will more than likely leave happier than they expected and likely questioning some age old questions and how they want to control their fate or if indeed they can.

I Am Number Four

9/10 E.M.
5/10 C.E.

  Once this movie gets rolling it is like a giant snowball of awesomeness down the proverbial hill. Unlike The Eagle this movie thankfully isn't dull in the middle or at any part, however at the same time it isn't entirely exciting either. The main reason for this is because the movie is the first of what will obviously be several movies. It takes the time to set the scene and introduce the characters etc sacrificing action for the first half of the movie or so. Think Harry Potter 7 Part One all this is a lead up for the next more awesome part. The fact it's kinda a first part movie now being established I have to say that it is an awesome first part that has some sweet battles and all around goodness especially once it starts cooking, so if you feel at any point disappointed hang in there.

  Alex Pettyfer or more accurately Alex Prettyfer who plays John the main character is exactly what his last name secretly implies just a pretty face (or so I'm told.) The boy sadly as a whole can't act and even worse it's not entirely his fault. Put simply his face just isn't very expressive except for extreme emotion which as a result more often than not leaves him with a stern look on his face. To the director's credit many of the camera shots with him in it are shot in such a way and angle to aid Pettyfer and make it LOOK like he's expressive. His lack of an expressive face aside Pettyfer does a good job trying and isn't so bad that he impedes the movie.

  Timothy Olyphant who plays the over protective Henri on the other hand has a face that can not only express emotion but when combined with his delivery of it gave him one of the best performances in the movie. I really have no complaints when it came to the job he did on this film. Also in the awesome department was Dianna Agron. It is not hard at all to see how the character John falls for Sarah with Agron behind the wheel especially since she can actually act. In the romance between John and Sarah it is sadly easy to see which actor/actress is the one doing the romancing and actually creating the chemistry we see. I honestly wish I could see Agron with a different male lead that could act so that we can really see John's love for Sarah rather than the other way around. Agron's timing and charm certainly combine well to create a wonderful performance that I am looking forward to seeing again in the sequel.

  Teresa Palmer has a minimal role in this movie and even fewer lines so it's really hard to gauge her performance. She did however do a great job as a the bad girl who can kick butt and take names I just look forward to finding out if she is capable of doing more than just create an image in her future performances. The rest of the cast did their jobs however none really shined and Kevin Durand who played the leader of the Mogs was just down right hard to understand.

  The plot to the movie is definitely interesting and will hold the audiences attention and the action scenes are just down right sweet. The movie does however have a huge weak spot at least to anyone who's seen many films in that it draws tons of obvious influence from a variety of films. Two examples being that as far as the love story goes it's pretty much Twilight only with aliens which is well a bit annoying and the scene where the Mogs are feeding the beast things that is VERY much reminiscent of The Sandlot. All this aside it still delivers in the end and it's hard not to be similar to other works out there. The music did it's job well although the soundtrack felt a bit uninspired. Add in the cool special effects and you are left with a very enjoyable movie despite it's obvious influences and poor male lead.

Gnomeo and Juliet 3-D

6/10 E.M.
4/10 C.E.
5/10 3-D

  Put quite simply this is a cute movie and good family film that many will enjoy whether dragged there by little kids or not. The 3-D is not exactly great having few pop moments and not doing the best of jobs immersing one into the film. On the same token the 3-D is potentially worth the price especially if there is no 2-D format. (like at my theater.) In the end it's largely up to the viewer in this case especially since it can wind up being pricey to bring a family to a 3-D movie.

  The script and plot are definitely not original largely taking Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and then changing it in the fashion of their choosing. For some their twisting of Shakespeare may seem wrong but let's keep in mind this is a kids movie. This twisting however results in the movie having the characters, lines and a very loose following of the plot infused with garden gnomes and the world they would live in... if they were alive that is. There are many funny parts in the movie especially the terafermanator which always gives me a chuckle when I check in on the movie at work. The music is largely Elton John so if you like his work you'll like the movie if you don't well you may want some ear plugs. If you've already seen Tangled and are looking for a good family film that does a great job of immersing you in a cute world Gnomeo and Juliet is a good choice

Unknown

9/10 E.M.
8/10 C.E.

  Probably my favorite part about this movie as a movie critic was that the plot wasn't entirely predictable. Were there bread crumbs and hints that you latter see very clearly, yes however as a whole the movie did a good job of keeping you in the dark which is exactly where the hero Martin Harris is at first. (thus adding another enjoyable layer to the film.) The movie also has honestly one of the best car chases I have seen in a long time if not ever that's not only really well shot but also makes a car chase exciting something movies have failed to do these days. Throw in the great action and fighting choreography that isn't impeded by camera shots and you are left with a downright good movie.

  Everyone and I mean everyone in the cast does an awesome job in this film. Nelson finds his pace well in the film and fits in nicely considering this is exactly the role that he plays so well and comfortably. January Jones and Diane Kruger both fill their roles well keeping them from being just another pretty face that should have been replaced by someone who can act better which is always the danger of being an attractive actress. Bruno Ganz actually does a spectacular job as the old spook of the movie (by that I mean spy of course) easily stealing the show surprisingly from Frank Langella when they are in the same scene. (a hard thing to do!)

  The musical score is great and the camera work is really spot on shying away from getting too close to the action as more and more action movies are doing these days. The script is well conceived and fortunately not cliche as it no doubt could be at many points in the wrong hands. There is very little to complain about however not quite the umph needed to send this film into the truly great department, through no particular fault of anyone or anything.  If you want to see something well executed and exciting this is probably the film for you.

Just Go With It

10/10 E.M.
9/10 C.E.

  This is easily one of the best comedies of the year to date. There were so many parts where the entire audience was laughing and one part that I honestly was rolling over in my chair hardly able to breathe. As with many of Sandler's films there is of course crude humor in it so if that's not to your taste this may not be your movie. However there is tons of just down right funny situations and lines that don't rely on fart gags or whatnot. (If you've seen the movie imagine me with a British accent on the whatnot.) Throw in the incredibly hot Brooklyn Decker and then the talent of Nicole Kidman you really can't loose.

  Without a doubt the smartest move made in creating this movie was giving the kids in it some great lines and getting kids who can act well to begin with. Seriously some of the best parts in this movie are delivered or there because of Bailee Madison and Griffin Gluck who play Maggie and Michael respectively. Madison's talent shines in this movie and she is given plenty of room to show it and showcase her range. Gluck also does an excellent job and can go from a manipulative little prankster to a venerable real little boy at the drop of a hat. The best trait of these kids is they don't come off as annoying little kid actors who happen to have good line like Sandler's last film Grown Ups but rather are a joy to watch.

  The second smartest move that was made was that quite simply as more and more of Sandler's films seem to prove there winds up being more than meets the eye. Lately the trend seems to be with movies such as Click and of course Reign Over Me that Sandler's films show at some point layers of unexpected depth to them Just Go With It follows these fine examples to a T. Seemingly a shallow film which don't get me wrong the plot and much of the film is as you go on in the film you quickly realize that there is actually something to it. When the actual real life problems and implications come to light at certain points you can't help but wonder if the writers were schizophrenic but in a good way.

  Sandler and Aniston have good chemistry largely because for once Aniston is something resembling good in her acting. All this aside Aniston is nowhere near gold quality but it is probably the best acting I've seen out of her in a while. Sandler was of course his comical self and does a great job of entertaining. I wouldn't have minded seeing him shine a bit more like we did in the afore mentioned Reign Over Me however as far as funny goes he was almost entirely spot on with the exception of a few spots that he wasn't so funny or where jokes got a bit tired.

  The music was picked out well many of the songs are ones that I personally enjoy and they helped compliment the movie well. The plot wasn't entirely original however it wasn't one that was too overused. What the plot may have lacked it made up for in the series of lies that came in it and the comedy that supplemented it. All the actors/actresses played well off of each other and the addition of Kidman playing the snob that she plays so well just sweetens the pie. Summed up the movie is a laugh riot that will all but surely have you leaving the theater with a smile on your face and maybe even sore sides.

Justin Bieber Never Say Never 3-D

9/10 E.M.
8/10 C.E.
8/10 3-D

   Oh Lord how I so desperately wanted to hate this movie. Sadly in the end I wound up a 21 year old male with a mild case of Bieber fever. If there is one thing this movie does incredibly well is spew it's own propaganda/agenda with the best spin possible. Seriously this is brain washing at it's finest and thus considering how well it accomplishes it also really good film making.

  The movie sucks you in with well loved Youtube clips that many are familiar with and then slowly yet surely makes us love this man child. Highlighting points such as his religion (add two points to Christian crowd), dedication to fans (add five points to fans), pain he goes through (two points to audience) and little town boy into huge phenomenon (add underdog points) it all adds up along with everything else to one thing- great and I mean great marketing. Portray anyone in their best lighting possible and appease/compliment those who already love that person you are guarantee success. They of course gloss over or ignore completely the problem of his negligent father, how unhealthy some of his fan's obsessions are (I mean come on quit crying you little girls) and I'm sure other things I missed in the razzle dazzle.

  The 3-D of the movie is actually pretty good giving us some parts that are obviously made to show case the 3-D of the movie. It helps to draw the audience in as well doing a great job especially if the theater volume is loud enough of making you feel like you're at one of the concerts crazy little girls and all. The music if you haven't heard it is obviously great to girls and the music you hate to love if you're a guy. Also on the point of music it must be pointed out how clearly talented Justin is a fact undeniable as well as how charismatic he is/ how well he puts on a show. All these factors come together to put on a truly great show that is bound to make you leave the theater with Bieber fever.

No Strings Attached

10/10 E.M.
8/10 C.E

  I enjoyed this movie so much I seriously wanted to put 10/10 on the critical eye meter. However in good conscience I couldn't knowing that the reason I created the critical eye meter was to actually critic the movie. Anyway as I said the movie is thoroughly enjoyable, was incredibly funny and sweet. If you leave the theater without butterflies in your belly and sore cheeks from laughing I for one would be surprised. It did a great job of doing what it set out to do- be a light hearted romantic comedy. Because it accomplishes this so well I do not believe it to be reasonable to lower it's C.E. score too much for the flaws it has as described later on. Whenever a movie does exactly what it sets out to do and hits it's target audience dead on it shouldn't be punished at least in my book.

  It is obvious from the get go that the movie is about a light and as it points out unlikely topic being able to just be sex buddies (or any of the other names they call themselves throughout the movie.) It should be pointed out that  it is clear that Emma and Adam aren't really long time friends or even really friends considering the past sexual tension. Rather they decide to label themselves as friends instead of being friends for a while and then changing the nature of their relationship into a sexual one as the trailer suggest. So there is no going from the friend zone to the love/sex zone as we see often in movies such as Just Friends.

  It is also obvious that the movie forgoes some character and plot development for more laughs. We never really find out all of the character's background or get a sense of why they are the way they are. We also often get either weak friend to friend relationship dynamic out of Portman and Gerwig. This is very unlike the male trio of Ludacris, Kutcher and Johnson who of course spout absurd bro code advice but with obvious comradeship established. Even in the dynamic between Emma (Portman) and Shira (Kaling) we see some sort of concern from Shira for Emma. Just seemed that Patrice (Gerwig) was far too caught up in herself/ her love life which happens I guess in reality.

  Alvin (Kevin Kline) is a cookie cutter rich dad who more often or not provides comedic lines with a hint of parental help or new absurdities rather than an explanation of how he really feels about his son and how he got the way he is. If a father were in the situation Alvin was I highly doubt he would just laugh it off, instead would likely have serious misgivings for himself or concern for his son, at the VERY least wonder if he was psychologically sound. Lake Bell does an amusing job playing the low self esteemed and slightly neurotic Lucy often reminding me of Kristen Wiig in many of her SNL skits.

  Portman and Kutcher have excellent screen chemistry, both of them (or so I've been told Kutcher is by the ladies) being equally adorable and funny. Most importantly both portrayed their characters with a lighthearted let's laugh and have fun attitude otherwise the movie and the comedy probably could not have been pulled off. If they had gotten too serious it would have likely changed the mood of the film thus not only making it more drama and miss it's target audience but also denying everyone of the feel good fun romp that this movie was. Both of their comedic timing and charm when combined with the excellent writing of the script ensured the almost non stop laughter and delivery of a sweet love story that this movie provided.

Black Swan

10/10 E.M
10/10 C.E.

  An absolutely brilliant and perhaps even flawless film. Of all the movies that are out right now in theaters this one is pure and simply my favorite. A strong warning to parents this movie is very very rated R. Starts off PG for the first 30-40 mins just long enough to make you fall in love with it and not care about how risque it gets as it goes on. It has just about everything that you could put in an R rated film save surprisingly nudity so not a movie for kids most likely or anyone who may be uncomfortable with what would come in the territory of an R rated film.

  Natalie Portman does an incredible job in this movie and it is without a doubt her best performance yet and maybe even the best anyone could have asked of any actress in the same role. She steals your heart in the first thirty minutes of the film as said before showing a sweet innocence along with the hunger and drive of a ballet dancer. She goes on throughout the film to show an amazing range and ability to act out every emotion required and shows the slow transformation of her character along with the deep running psychosis. Portman is plain and simply spell binding.

  The soundtrack for the film is of course a nice selection of classical music that does an excellent job of augmenting the movie blending in with the action and highlighting just the right points all in all couldn't be done better if anyone tried. The plot is pure and simply genius and above all  captivating even for those who have no interest whatsoever in ballet or Swan Lake. This said it felt almost like watching an amazing take on the classic Swan Lake along with the back story of the actress performing it strangely making me wish I could see the entire play once it's performed in the movie and not just some of it. The character development is incredibly thorough with different levels to each character not a single one of them even the mom being just cookie cutter background noise. Another beatiful part to this film is it's symbolism that can be seen throughout the film even in subtle things such as Nina's putting on a black skimpy shirt over her white shirt as seen in the club scenes, downright brilliant.

  Mila Kunis does a great job as the source of Nina's jealousy embodying the freedom and passion that Nina feels hesitant to pursue and is seemingly out of her reach at first. Mila does a great job of being the new kid in the studio where we can clearly see her eagerness to fit in and please. Her bad girl devil may care attitude is infectious and fun exactly what the role calls for and her chemistry with Portman and comedic timing is well done and more importantly easy to recognize often drawing laughs from audience members. Vincent Cassel  does a good job of being the brilliant and seductive director showing both sides of his character along with concern for each of the crew members in the play.

127 Hours

5/10 E.M.
8/10 C.E

  So first thing is first before going into this movie you have to know what you're getting yourself into. This movie is a survival movie based on the true story of how a man (Aron Ralston) survived in a Utah canyon for 127hrs after getting his arm trapped by a giant boulder. This means he does anything to survive including yes cutting off his arm. If you aren't prepared for it you may not like it unless you like survival movies. I personally knew what I was getting myself into although I am not huge on survival films.This all aside now let's dive in.

  First and foremost I want to give James Franco a huge round of applause for his portrayal of Aron. He does an awesome job of carrying the movie really pretty much all by himself which is no small feat. No matter if it's regret, insanity, joy or hope Franco portrays it beautifully and really brings the character and reality of the situation to life. He does a great job in several parts at beating himself up humorously and truth be told shows all of us just what we may do and what it may be like if we were in the same boat. Franco shows everyone that he has the range as an actor to be serious or funny where needed better in this movie than perhaps any movie he's been in yet.

  Now on to the other parts of the movie. I obviously can't really criticize the plot because well it's based on a true story and will either be found as compelling or just not interest you much like the non fiction part of the library. The soundtrack is good considering it's limits in the movie and the fact that the movie doesn't much call for music which also segways into the point that there is at points little sound period in the movie as would be in reality. The camera work is at a few points a bit irritating and sloppy but that's to be expected and the flash back scenes are a bit confusing at points but it all comes together well in the end and tells the story as if you were Aron and randomly thinking about what has happened to you lately. All in all a great well done movie that if you like that type and know what your getting into will leave you happy to see.