Sin City: A Dame To Kill For

2 out of 5 Stars

The sequel to the innovative Sin City film from Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller follows three primary storylines: Nancy Callahan's (Jessica Alba) plot to get revenge for Hartigan,  Johnny's (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) plot to beat Senator Roark in gambling, and Dwight's (Josh Brolin) love affair with the deceptive dame (Eva Green). Much like the original film, the style is similar, saturated in a stylistic film noir world with a graphic novel feel and specific colors highlighted against the black and white shading scheme.

Outside of that element and closing the story on a few of the characters from the first film (namely Nancy, Hartigan, and Senator Roark), much of what made the first film unique and enjoyable is missing in the sequel. The interwoven plot structure of the first film that brought characters together is separate sequences is completely missing and traded for a simple through line that feels like it's trying to hold onto what the first film captured but failing. The characters fall flat in the new structure despite solid acting from most of the cast. But despite any of the performances, the characters just aren't as engaging as they were in the first film. Even Marv, who was a character that shined in the first film, only feels mediocre in this Sin City re-hash.

We are taken to many of the familiar locations of the first film, such as Old Town, and many of the characters from before are brought back into the sequel. Really, Eva Lord (Eva Green) and Johnny are the only major knew characters. It's still a fun romp with the enjoyable entertainment style that the first film brought. Yet, this time around the style isn't quite as fun and the simpler color scheme that the first film used is heightened with far more color in the sequel, detracting from some of the enjoyment. Rodriguez and Miller this time around should have stuck with the simplicity that made the first film work so well instead of trading it for heightened color schemes and 3D gimmicks.

Salt

3 out of 5 Stars



Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie), a rogue CIA agent, is put on the run after being accused of being a Russian spy. Now she sets out to protect her husband and clear her name. Her supervisor, Winter (Liev Schreiber), believes her story but counterintelligence officer Peabody doesn't and will do anything to bring her in.

Salt is a film that uses a lot of plot cliches including twists. Because of this it is not predictable. In that case it's not that great of a movie. But it's an intriguing film and keeps the viewer interested until the end. Perhaps it isn't the fastest paced thriller but it's still exciting, despite that it's really not very realistic. But what a lot of spy thrillers do terribly wrong this movie does well. It's engaging in it's own right. And Angelina Jolie passes surprisingly well as a Russian. I don't know about a Russian spy. But definitely a Russian. And surrounded by a decent cast this film turns out to be a lot of fun. It won't necessarily keep you guessing for most people but for some people it may keep them asking what side is everyone on. In the end though, this is a political action thriller.

Ramona and Beezus

1 1/2 out of 5 Stars



Ramona and Beezus is based off the best selling books by Beverly Cleary about a young girl who continuously causes mischief but not on purpose. The film follows Ramona on a quest to raise money to help save their house because her dad just lost her job. At the same time she must deal with her older teenage sister and help her aunt with guy problems.

This film had promise from the books. At least what I know from the books. I don't remember if I actually read them or not. But the idea of the character is an idea that could make a fun movie. This was not that movie. The cast was surprising, including newcomer Joey King as Ramona, but not even the acting can save the film. But on another plus note it promotes the imagination of kids, something that should be nurtured and not completely squandered. And in this case that is how Ramona is a bit odd but is what also what makes her special.

But the rest of the movie is terrible. The film attempts to touch on every theme a young child could possible have to deal with besides death of a family member. Family job loss, divorce, marriage, loneliness, bullying, etc. There are far too many themes explored for one movie. And it was far to reminiscent of another horrible film this year, Diary of A Wimpy Kid. But Ramona still flies higher, primarily because the characters are likable. Though there is another level that feels like this is just another movie for transferring a Disney pop star out of the pop star. In this case that would be Selena Gomez. Ultimately what could have been a fun popular book turned movie was a haphazard story attempting to encompass too much of life's troubles into a movie that was supposed to be fun.

Inception

4 out of 5 Stars



Inception is Christopher Nolan's next film after The Dark Knight. It follows the story of Cobb, a skilled extractor, someone who extracts information from people's dreams. We soon learn that after something that went wrong with his wife he has been forced to live out the United States. Now he ends up taking a job that could allow him to go back home. But this job requires inception, planting an idea into someone's brain and letting it grow inside them. This is a very difficult task but Cobb manages to assemble of team of skilled people to infiltrate a man's dreams and accomplish the task. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Ken Wantanabe, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Apparently Nolan worked on his script of Inception for ten years. And it definitely shows. The ideas and concepts in Inception are so deep and complex it could have easily been written as ultra confusion. And the fact that he was working on his script for so long I can forgive the eerily coincidental story arc of Leo's character from Shutter Island. But the reality is that Inception is incredibly well written. Few films have so directly dealt with the idea of dreams and so very few succeed. Inception is a film that not only succeeds in it's ideas but also manages by the end of the film to play with your mind, causing you to think. But really that is the best way to engage with the audience and many of the best films find ways to truly engage their audience. It's a story that delves into the deep reaches of the human subconscious that are not often thought about and plays with the ideas of dreams while continuously asking "What if?" Because after all, at it's heart it is still half a science fiction film, the other half a heist film.

Inception is also acted very well with an interesting but great cast and has a wonderful and enticing score. It's even directed pretty darn well. It's evident that Christopher Nolan put a lot of heart into this project. I must admit I really did like this film. It was a nice refresher but a big budget summer blockbuster that just explodes. Instead it actually caused you to think, something that the US might consider doing a bit more often. And really it's in the story and it's complexities made less complex by great writing and acting that make this film a real treat.

But there is one major problem. Inception isn't necessarily too long. After all, Return of the King was three and a half hours and needed to be for the importance of story. The problem is more that Inception just feels too long. A little over two hours starts to feel like almost three and by the time the movie is over the only thing that really truly draws you back is that end shot, causing you to ask so many questions. But re-watching it just brings up more questions and doesn't provide much of any answers. And it's in that feel of length that Inception finds it's flaw for no matter how good I feel a movie is, if it doesn't move enough it's hard for me to get into. I've probably seen more movies this year so far in theaters and on DVD than any other single year. And because of that I'm finding myself bored with more movies and it takes more to intrigue me. So the reality is that if Inception would have moved a little bit faster I could have given it my ultimate elusive rating. But the reality is that even The Karate Kid was over two hours and didn't feel like more than two.

The Sorceror's Apprentice

2 1/2 stars out of 5



This movie is suggested by the animated short from Fantasia, that one that many people know and love. And really that is most of this film's real draw. Except now there is more of a story than just a short. The idea is that Nicholas Cage plays a sorcerer who was one of three of Merlin's closest confidants. Only one of them turned evil and joined with Morgana. Now only the prime Merlinian can stop him and that's where Jay Barucel's character comes in. And then the quest to stop evil while still trying to have a social life kicks in.

This film is exactly what it looks like and tries to be; a fun action adventure movie. It's nothing more. It is from the same team as National Treasure after all. It was never supposed to be anything wonderful. But it is something fun. And obviously it's not believable. But all the same the cast is enjoyable, the special effects pretty good, and it's fun to see how they bring a concept to life in a bigger story. And Alfred Molina works as a pretty darn good villain.

If anything this is the film that most people won't see in theaters just because of ticket prices but will probably rent once it comes out. Because really it is fun to watch. And it's a whole lot better than it looked out to be. And every once in a while some of us just need these ridiculous action adventure movies just for the sake of entertainment so we can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Despicable Me

4 out of 5 Stars




Gru is a super villain. He also isn't that good at it. In fact, another super villain who is new in town just stole a pyramid. That is Vector. Then Gru concocts a plan for the ultimate heist, to steal the moon. So he steals a shrink ray but then Vector steals it from him but he can't get into the heavily guarded fort. So Gru ends up adopting three little girls who sold cookies to Vector and works on carrying out his plan but things don't always go quite accordingly to plan as the girls begin to take a place in his heart. And all the while he is helped by little yellow minions.

Despicable Me is the kind of kids movie that makes movies truly fun, especially for kids. This is a film that is filled with great humor, good voice acting, and truly enjoyable characters. And with a year with so few great films it's nice that at least the animated films still hold up this year, the other films being Toy Story 3 and How To Train Your Dragon. Sure the plot is simple and predictable but it's a move geared to kids. It's not meant to be unpredictable. After all as one person I know put it about Toy Story, "You expect the toys to actually die?" There is a reality that in a kid's movie (basically anything rated G) there are just certain themes that are too intense for young kids to handle.

But what Despicable Me has is many laughs, great morals, and much heart. It's easy to know what is going to happen. But at the same time there is enough heart that you can feel for the the characters as you come along for the ride. And of course the addition of the minions makes for a clever and originally creative twist. Really it's a clever rendition of a simple plot. Really, it's the fun that somehow manages to be missed in a good many kids movies. And it's also the fun that somehow Shyamalan managed to miss in Airbender.

Predators

2 1/2 out of 5 Stars




Predators is a direct sequel to Predator. It opens on a bunch of people falling through the sky and finding parachutes they never knew they had. Soon they discover each other and are led through the jungle by Adrian Brody's character and find that they are being hunted by alien creatures known as predators. But of course some people know more than others.

Predators is from what I hear beyond a reasonable doubt much better than the former predator film sequels. I'll just have to take their word for it. All the same, this film is more of a fan film for those who enjoy the franchise more than anything. By all means it's a decent action film with fun sequences throughout the second half of the film. The cast does a surprisingly good job at acting in a film with such a ridiculous plot. It's so simple and mundane that it's storyline follows that of basically hundreds of B-movies but succeeds where they don't. And the acting really does help the films cause.

But the action in the film can't save it from it's mediocrity and slow and mundane first half. Very little seems to happen until close to the one hour mark and therefore causes a sleep inducing feeling before finally picking up the action. And when a film is known as an action film and not much more there is a problem. It was better than I necessarily expected but that didn't save it. I was still too bored. I wanted more action. I wanted more drive. Instead I got lots of walking around and exposition. At least they throw in a samurai and a katana fight.

The Last Airbender

1 1/2 out of 5 Stars




The Last Airbender, M. Night Shyamalan's new film, is based off the popular TV show and follows the first season or book. The avatar is the only one who can control the four elements and bring peace to the nations but he's been missing for a hundred years and the fire nation has waged war. Then Katara and Sokko find Aang, the last airbender and avatar. The only problem is that Aang doesn't know how to control the elements yet so they head out to find teachers all while being chased down by the fire nation.

I have to admit. I really did enjoy this film. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily make the film that good. The TV show was a gem. Something unexpected in the realm of kid's animation. Unfortunately Shyamalan didn't translate it very well to the screen. All the characters are there and cast surprisingly well. The general plot is in tact. And it also is a visual feast. And for these things it can be enjoyable but possibly more so if they would have left out the 3D. In that realm almost every film this year has been frustratingly thrown into this madness.

So unfortunately when I think harder about the film after my initial reaction there really is little to the film that makes it good. Much like the Golden Compass the film does not do justice to the source material. The plot may exist in the film but by the end if you've never seen the series you may be trying to fully piece it together. The characters jump from one space to another without any real connection. The major events are still in tact but transitions are missing. Appa and Momo still make appearances but once they do just seem to disappear. And the biggest dilemma of all is that humor seems almost void and turns this film into a fantasy drama. It's an entertaining feast for the eyes but falls far short of what it could have been. So basically, here is another big budget popcorn flick. This is the first time I personally have ever been disappointed in M. Night. I even liked The Happening. So I may have enjoyed this but the reality is that this film just really needed help.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

2 out of 5 Stars




First there was Twilight. Then there was New Moon. Now welcome back to the teenage melodrama with Eclipse. This time around, Bella faces her inner turmoil as she wrestles with the reality that she loves Edward and Jacob. At the same time Victoria is still after her for Edward killing her mate and an army of newborn vampires is created that could wipe everyone out if they aren't taken care of or the infamous Volturi step in.

Truly, Eclipse is the best in the series so far. Sadly, that says very little. Twilight was alright. New Moon was terrible. Eclipse is still pretty bad. These stories are basically the closest thing you could get to a big budget soap opera. And where they went wrong has (at least I believe) nothing to do with the filmmakers. The score was quite excellent. The cinematography absolutely wonderful and I think the best of the three. The acting even improved (though not by a lot). And there was even more action (but only slightly). The different take on the story helped a bit and I think the director must have worked a little on less awkward characters but that doesn't save them from their ridiculous scenarios and dialogue.

Eclipse further exemplifies that Stephanie Meyers books just make horrendous films, especially when realizing how faithful they are to the source material. The books might be enjoyable, at least possibly the first time around, but the reality is that some books should never be movies. This series is a good example. Although Eclipse is the closest they have come to bringing a good film to the screen in this franchise, if they stay true to the books closely there is no possible way to succeed after this. In fact, if so the next film will most definitely be worse. Basically, there is not much of any redemption for this series when it comes to quality. And when it comes to "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" I realize I start to side with "Team Bella's Father." And that's just because he adds a desperately needed small dose of humor to this laughable film.

Twilight made vampires "cool." Well, vampires were never meant to be cool. For good reason. And then it gave young girls a false reality. To say that this series is like teenie bopper softcore porn doesn't seem to far off the map it seems. Especially if you start comparing it to the idea of romance novels. Now in the midst of it's shortcomings it at least turns on the grounds of modern cinema and advocates abstinence. Unfortunately that can't save this sad storytelling from being so laughable. This is a generational film series and one that has a very influential impact on society but one that falls far short of such series of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. At least those series have some quality. Here, we just have young girls ogling muscular guys with their shirts off.

Killers

3 out of 5 Stars



Katherine Heigl is Jen, a recent bachlerotte who takes a trip with her parents to Nice, France. Ashton Kutcher is Spencer, a spy working for the CIA. Spencer meets Jen. Jen and Spencer fall in love. Then they get married and Spencer gives up his former life. There is only one problem, now a bounty has been put out on Spencer's head so everyone he knows is trying to kill him.

The plot of this film feels a bit contrived and teeter totters between action conspiracy and comedy and balances just enough to find a place to withstand falling. Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl are two actors who are in the realm of people you sometimes like on screen but many people don't. But in this film they seem to pull it off in a quirky way. I think their roles work more in a world of suspended belief than reality but at the same time have a kind of real world charm that pushes you towards wanting to root for them.

But really it's the entertainment factor if anything that saves the film. The comedy is actually funny at times and the action is entertaining. There is also a good moral tale beneath about taking responsibility for your actions, second chances, and the opportunity to change into a different person from your past. The supporting cast also rounds out this film and of course Tom Selleck has an awesome mustache. In the end, Killers isn't much for plot, but it's still fun and entertaining. Though it's still hard to buy Ashton Kutcher as a spy.

Grown Ups

2 out of 5 Stars




Grown Ups follows five childhood friends who won a basketball championship under a coach of theirs. This coach was a close figure in their life. Now they have all grown up to be successful or not so much but the coach dies and his funeral all brings them back together along with their families. Soon they are all staying at an old lake house from their childhood where many boyish antics occur.

This film is one of those comedies that is not only ridiculous but incredibly stupid. For the majority the humor is immature, gross, or just plain wrong. On occasion the humor takes a direction that causes to film to actually be funny, but rarely. A large ensemble cast is set up with noticeable names; Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider. However the talents of some of these actors are wasted. It's a story about learning to grow up that doesn't quite get to anything good and seems to skimp around the point a bit too much. It basically feels like a reminiscent film and trying to remember what it was like to be twelve except at the age of forty.

However, Grown Ups is a good morality tale relevant to the current dilemma faced with the new generation of kids growing up in a technological world. During the film most of the kids are spoiled, stuck up brats. They soon learn that there is more to life than video games, cell phones, and all else that relies on technology and discover the great things that older generations grew up on. And it does have an important message that we all need to take responsibility when we get older, not just live in the past. But even so, that doesn't save this sort of chuckle comedy from its drastic fall into immaturity.

Toy Story 3

4 out of 5 Stars



Pixar returns with its next feature in the third installment of the Toy Story series, the only to date sequels of any Pixar film. This time Andy is all grown up and is about to head off to college. He must therefore decide what to do with all his old toys and when he puts them in a trash bag to go in the attic they accidentally get thrown out. The toys then escape into a donation box and wind up at Sunnyside Daycare. They soon discover that a big bear named Lotso is running the joint but not for the better. Soon it's up to Woody to help save the day and help the toys escape and return to Andy.

Pixar really does have an amazing streak for films. To this day they still have not made a terrible film. People can argue against cars all they want, I still think it was well done. But Toy Story definitely has a special place and the third installment not only once again has the humor that kids can enjoy, but also the occasional adult humor and on top of that there are a large number of toys that adults will remember from their younger years. Toy Story 3 is, like most Pixar films, a film that will pull your heart strings. You'll feel for those toys. I know I did. And it's not so much because you like toys. Rather, it's because these particular toys embody so much of what the human heart longs for and the good inside people strives for. They look out for each other and they don't leave their fellow toy behind. And even when Woody is confronted with the evil Lotso and getting back at him, he still does the right thing. Andy's toys are ones of justice and honor. And it is in these toys that human truth is conveyed.

And of course once again, the wonderful voice talents of the previous two films have returned. There is no doubt in my mind that Pixar has one of the greatest ways of making films; crafting great stories before they even begin. Toy Story 3 is just another gem to add to the wonderful collection of Pixar. And of course that short, Night and Day, was pretty darn clever as well.

The Karate Kid

3 1/2 out of 5 Stars




Dre Parker and his mom have just moved to China. Dre doesn't fit in but he meets a nice girl. Unfortunately he also meets the school bullies who know kung fu and train at a merciless school. Then Dre meets Mr. Han, the maintenance man, who knows kung fu and soon decides to train him. Dre's training prepares him to take part in the official kung fu competition. So basically, the same plot as the original Karate Kid only with kung fu and the kid moves to another country.

When it comes to remakes, this film really is quite faithful. But more accurately it really is a retelling, as I have heard is what the filmmakers said it was. I also understand that the filmmakers have great respect for the original and in this case the new lives up to the old. And if you ask me it exceeds the old. The characters have more depth here. There are more dynamics between the teacher and the student and their lives are always distinctly separate. Kung Fu also looks better on screen than karate and of all the film stars Jackie Chan really is one of the best to portray a kung fu master on screen. This is perhaps one of his best performances.

One of the best parts about this film is that it shows the training that Jaden Smith went through. This kind of authenticity adds to the film immensely and even though it is almost 2 1/2 hours long, it doesn't feel quite that long. The plot may be simple, but it's the same as the previously done and beloved Karate Kid. Only this time the fight scenes are more intense, the master is able to hold his own and truly proves it, and you'll want to cheer for the student at the tournament even more. And even though it's more intense, The Karate Kid teaches important lessons of peace versus violence in the midst of martial arts.

Knight and Day

3 out of 5 Stars



In Knight and Day, June Havens soon finds her life entangled in that of Roy Miller, a secret agent. Despite his attempts to keep her off the plane he's on, higher authorities find a way to get her on and before she knows it she can't escape Roy, leading a series of misadventures.

Knight and Day is a simple movie with a pretty simple plot and one dimensional characters. But at the same time there is lots of action, plenty of witty one liners, and surprising performances by Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. And the filmmakers of course also try to keep you guessing as to the truth. But the reality is that the film just isn't that unpredictable. And I'm pretty sure that it's not supposed to be either. It's a basic summer popcorn flick. You've got action, you've got humor, and really not much else. But the cast makes this movie surprisingly fun. It seemed hard at first to see Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz fitting together in the same movie, but once all the excitement is over it really does seem to work. Although this film is nothing special, it is fun.

Jonah Hex

2 out of 5 Stars




Jonah Hex is yet another of many comic book/graphic novel films to fill the screen this year. Josh Brolin and Megan Fox star in this action western comic story about Jonah Hex, a civil war soldier turned bounty hunter after a man named Turnbull kills his family and brands him alive. From his near death experience Jonah is able to communicate with the dead by bringing them back to life. Soon it turns out that Turnbull faked his own death and Jonah Hex is hired by the government to stop him before he uses a powerful weapon that was never fully completed. And somewhere in the middle of it all Jonah Hex finds time to spend with his love interest, the prostitute, Lilah.

This film is flawed really from beginning to end. The characters are one dimensional, the plot highly cliche, and there is just not enough to any of the story. This has to be one of the shortest comic book movies I have ever seen, running at less than an hour and a half, and it feels like there needed to be more depth which could have been found in a longer movie. When events occur they happen quickly and then end. When supporting characters enter they quickly disappear and we might see them again in a short scene or two. Anyone other than the antagonist, protagonist, and love interest seem to have really any meaning. And of course there is the irritation that ever time Megan Fox shows up on screen her face looks like it was airbrushed on screen.

On the pro side, Jonah Hex has potential to be an interesting character. The action is also fun at times and the gadgets entertaining, though overall it is all quite over the top. It's the kind of movie that if you turn off your mind you could enjoy it. It is the completely mindless action popcorn flick. Sometimes they're fun. In the case of Jonah Hex, it's sort of fun. But even the short action sequences can't save this film but everything else it's lacking. Even The Losers, a previous film this year based off a DC comic, was much more fun. And of course this film is also a western. A completely and ridiculously over the top action western.

Shrek Forever After

2 out of 5 Stars



Just when we thought that Dreamworks had run out of fairy tale ideas they return to, well ... show us that they really don't. In this latest and final installment of the Shrek series, Shrek lives his happily ever after life only to find it too frustrating and mundane, desiring to live the old ogre life he used to at the beginning of the first film. Therefore, he decides to sign a contract with Rumplestiltskin to have that. But there's a catch ... he has to give a day in return but Shrek doesn't care what day. Now Shrek finds himself in a world where everyone is scared of him but all his friends don't know him.

Part of what made the first couple films so enjoyable was their charm and mix of somewhat adult humor with themes and storylines that kids could understand. Sure, the films were a little bit more crude than one would usually expect for a family movie, but they were still pretty good. The humor was good and they were really quite creative. This film really is nothing like the first two. It's more like the third film but with a creative energy puttering out.

Shrek Forever After has not only a plot that no kid could ever understand, but the charm and humor that used to exist is virtually lacking. It's still better than earlier family films of the year such as Diary of A Wimpy Kid, but the enjoyment factor of the earlier installments isn't quite there. Even three had a pretty heavy adult storyline but I still enjoyed it. At the same time it can be said that the animation by Dreamworks is wonderful. On the big screen you can tell the detail that the animators put into the film with spots and lines on characters and surroundings. Everything is amazingly detailed. Unfortunately that doesn't save the film lack of creativity. When all that the Shrek makers can come up with is Rumplestiltskin, the Piped Piper, and multiplying ogres, then the carriage has turned back into a pumpkin before the movie started. It's the films like this that are leaving Dreamworks behind in the animation game with Pixar.

Letters To Juliet

3 out of 5 Stars



Letters to Juliet follows lead character Sophie on the typical romantic comedy quest to find true love. At the beginning of the film she is engaged to a young man who is thoroughly engaged in his work starting a new restaurant, so much so that he ignores Sophie more than he should. They take a pre-honeymoon vacation to Italy where Sophie spends much of the time on her own. While exploring Verona, she stumbles upon what is said to be the wall beneath the balcony of Shakespeare's Juliet. Here women write letters to Juliet asking for advice and Sophie soon discovers there are women who write back and Sophie joins them. She discovers an old letter in the wall and writes a thoughtful letter back and meets and elderly woman named Claire and her grandson and sets out on a trip with them to try and find Claire's old love, Lorenzo.

Letters to Juliet is a typical romantic comedy in almost all ways from the set up to the end. This means that there is plenty of romance, the ending is predictable, and unsuprising events keep characters from being together for most of the film. But all the same the film is still enjoyable. Amanda Seyfried gives a spark to her performance that was lacking in her previous romance role of the year, Dear John. The characters are fun and there are plenty of comic moments to make this film more than a eye roller.

Something I very much respect about this film is the target audience. It is one of the only films I know of (at least for a romantic comedy) that targets both a very young and a very old audience at the same time. And it does a good job of succeeding at the same time. Romantic comedies have never been known for their quality in the direction of award status, but rather as quality in their specific genre. It is a chick flick and a pretty good one at that. And within the story there is also breathtaking shots of the countryside of Italy.

When you see it, don't expect too much. It's a typical romantic comedy after all. But it's still enjoyable, as long as you let yourself get immersed in the story.

The Last Song

2 stars out of 5




Two people meet somehow and somewhere on the east coast. Their relationship goes through major ups and downs before they decide to stay together and something terrible happens to the main character through the course of the journey. This seems to be what happens in almost every movie based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks. "The Last Song" is no different. One summer Ronnie and her brother Jonah are sent to her dad's house for the summer. Her parents are divorced and she is bitter about it, having let her life plummet in New York. During her stay on the east coast she slowly works towards reconnecting with her father and builds a romantic relationship with a young man who accidentally causes her to spill her milkshake all over her. Also, she used to play piano but ever since her dad left them she has given it up.

Remember that other film that was released this year based on a Nicholas Sparks novel called "Dear John?" This film is just as terrible. Perhaps part of the reason is because (as I have heard) that the filmmakers decide to venture a great deal from the source material. On the other hand, perhaps there is something about most Nicholas Sparks novels that just don't translate well to the screen. But no matter what it is true that "The Last Song" is a bore. The writing is mediocre. The film is paced slowly and it's hard to understand how two people can fall so quickly in love within a few days especially when one of those two despised the other to begin with. Of course anything is possible is the dreamlike hollywood land.

Even the acting was mediocre. Greg Kinnear couldn't even save his performance in this film and he is one of the few in the cast who has acting chops. When it comes to the others they are there for either romantic kissing scenes are tear inducing scenes that don't manage to produce emotions because it took so long to get there in the first place. One thing is for sure though. Miley Cyrus is definitely jumping away from her Hannah Montana days and moving up into the older teenage crowd. But she still has some work to do.

If there was something that redeemed this film it was the cinematography and the soundtrack. The film is littered with wonderful sunset shots and manages to capture the beauty of nature when it finally ventures away from the uninteresting characters. The soundtrack is filled with quality songs that are honestly too good for the material it is representing. In the end, though, the main thing I have to say is they should just stop trying to adapt Nicholas Sparks novels into films. All of the recent ones have been awful and feel exactly the same.

Alice In Wonderland

4 out of 5 Stars



We all know the stories of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass penned by Charles Dodgeson using the pseudonym of Lewis Caroll. Countless films have been produced based on his books and most have failed. These books have always been considered classics yet at the same time they are two novels that were really just a series of random happenstances which created stories that were virtually unfilmable when it came to story. Of course these stories also have never been bright and joyous but rather dark and creepy. They really are kids books in an adult world.

In Burton's wonderland, Alice is now 19 and stumbles down the rabbit hole once again after being faced with a marriage proposal from a snobbish lord. She returns to Underland, which she originally called Wonderland as a young girl, and encounters many of the same characters and events as she did on her first journey as well as much more.

As I have previously stated, the books really are a journey of random events and to this the story of Burton's wonderland, written by Linda Woolverton, takes a coherency that was heavily lacking in the novels. The story successfully combines both books in one story that captures the heart and imagination of this surreal world. Whereas the original story was a surreal dream with random and passing characters, this Alice is a coherent story with a through plot of in depth characters.

The characters all have amazing depth. There seems to be a backstory to each one, from the hatter, to the red queen, to the hound we can feel for the characters and see there is more to them than just a purpose for what could very well be Alice's crazy imagination. These characters all fit very well into the newly imagined wonderland and the vibrant visual style that is brought to the screen in this adaptation.

It is a film that relies heavily on CGI for it's created world but is also one of the few where it fits well. For such a surreal world and oddly imagined story, Burton really is one of the few directors who is fit to direct such a project. Wonderland becomes more than just a dream in this world, it is a surreal world where most anything can happen and by the time it comes to return to the real world we sort of want to stay with these mad characters. There is a sort of charm to them despite their slight creepiness.

But mostly this film is a coming of age story. When Alice is faced with a big decision she doesn't know what to do, so she flees, and than in wonderland she discovers herself. It's a story of transitioning from the young life to the adult life, one of the hardest transitions, and even though we are tempted to stay in the surreal world we must come back and face reality.

Burton's wonderland is a fresh and original adaptation as you've never seen it before that contains the heart of both novels combined.

The Crazies

3 Stars out of 5




Ogden Marsh is a small farming community in the middle of Iowa. Than one day the townspeople begin to go crazy and kill everyone they know, pretty much turning them into a more sophisticated form of zombies. Pretty soon government ops show up to quarantine to the town and the sheriff is on the run with his wife for their life.

The Crazies is a film that isn't quite what it was advertised to be. It isn't quite a full fledged horror film but rather a film that is partially horror, partially drama, and very much seems to be political. It's perhaps also the film with the year's worst title. What makes it a horror is that the townspeople start to kill everyone and also perhaps the fact that the government comes in to fix to the town in their own way. The script is at least written decently so we only primarily follow one or two characters who by the end of the film we have been able to feel for.

The Crazies is a film that will startle the general audience for at least half the film but will most likely wear off soon after that. The same antics are used enough that pretty soon we understand that hand out of the darkness to the sudden soundtrack hit is really just our main characters helping each other out of a tough situation. But the tension is built well. Unfortunately what this film ultimately feels like it is supposed to be is what throws things off a bit. Really it seems to be a political statement against the government messing things up.

It's really a scenario that has been seen before. The government loses something important, a weapon of some kind, and someone else's lives are destroyed because of it but the government really has no remorse for their actions and instead tries to cover it all up. That is really the horror of this film. A government unwilling to take action for destroying people's lives. This film is the cautionary tale of what the government can truly become as well as the threat of nuclear weapons with a dose of zombie on the top.