Dolphin Tale

If you are not out in the theater to see the re-release of The Lion King in 3D this weekend then you may want to check out this family friendly movie. The story is about a dolphin who loses her tail and overcomes the disability to learn how to swim again but her troubles do not end just there. The cast includes Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd as the caring animal rescue worker, the prosthetic specialist, and the understanding mother of the boy who found the dolphin who go to extraordinary lengths to save Winter. The best part is that Winter is played by herself and the movie will bring a tear to your eye. If you want to see how Winter is doing, be sure to see her at her live web cam located here.

Click here to check out the official website.

Shark Night 3D

Bikini clad babes, 3D sharks and blood almost abound in this Shark Week inspired film. PG-13 horror movies always leave something to be desired like nudity and more visceral kills but this was a fun if all be it short film. The cast includes some returning horror newbies like Sara Paxton from The Last House on the Left, Joel David Moore from Hatchet, and Donal Logue from Blade. The sharks are the real stars of this film with the 3D making them leap of the screen and giving them some really cool close ups. If you like surface breaking leaps by the killers of the deep then this movie is for you.



Click here to check out the official website.

Apollo 18

I went in to this film with a Paranormal Activity like mind set but set in space. Though not as good, this SyFy channel cast of who's who stars does have a few creepy moments and some pretty good acting. The special effects are excellent and make for a very believable lunar set piece. I am surprised this got a widescreen release but smaller genre films have been getting a break lately at the cinema. A matinee screening at best but worth a look.



Click here to check out the official website.

Smurfs 3D

I could not convince any of my friends to see this movie with me but the little West Virginia boy inside of me who was bombarded with the Smurfs every Saturday morning had to see this film to satisfy my need for nostalgia. I am happy to say the film was much more fun than the original cartoon series. Hank Azaria is perfectly cast as Gargamel with your favorite Smurfs like Papa, Smurfette, Brainy, Grouchy, Clumsy, and Handy voiced by Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, and Jeff Foxworthy respectively. Other casting notable is the always hot and hilarious Sofia Vergara who steals the scene when on the screen. I am not looking forward to a resurgence of Smurf mania and speak but I did enjoy this film - all three apples worth.



Click here to check out the official website.

The Debt

There are a lot of film sub-genres and one that always seems to deliver is the hunt for the Nazi war criminal. Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciaran Hinds and Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, Sam Worthington play the the older and younger versions of a Mossad undercover team sent to kidnap and bring a notorious war criminal to trial but things do not go as planned and they must deal with the consequences. The film is well crafted and the performances by all are excellent with Jesper Christensen's as the former Nazi surgeon down-right chilling. My love for anything starring Mirren aside, this film is worth full admission and a must see. Now that summer is over, it is time for the smaller films to take back the screen.



click here to check out the official website.

Final Destination 5 - 3D

Well Death's design is back and I have to say this outing is much better than the last film in the franchise with better 3D. The deaths are cool and the misdirection works well for everything accept for the tie-in back to the first film that is telegraphed like a WWE body slam. The sequence in the gym is gruesome awesomeness! The looming Tony Todd is the one constant as the mortician/coroner and is short on screen time just like in all the past films. Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Mmmmaaaarrrggghhhhhh...

Click here to check out the official website.

Wicked - The Kennedy Center's Opera House

I love this musical and had to see it again but this time out I brought along my best friend, his wife, their oldest daughter, her grandpa and my friend Sharon. The musical was just as great as I remembered from seeing it on Broadway with only slight changes to the set. Morgan, my friend's daughter, just loved it and that made my birthday outing just perfect. Since seeing it the first time I have read the novel it was based on and I have to say the musical captures the best of the story that is actually quite dark. This is a fantastic musical and I hope everyone can check it out before it leaves the area.

Conan the Barbarian 3D

After being let down by the anemic Fright Night remake, Jason Momoa delivers as the kick-ass barbarian we all know from the comics and pulp magazines of our youth. Hot wenches, the lopping off of heads and buckets of blood, mystical beasts and sorcery - nothing is left out. The action is non-stop and the opening sequence where young Conan must win a race to earn the right to go to battle with his elders set the tone for the film and guaranteed delivery of everything I was hoping to see. I like Rose McGowan - or at least until she butchered her face with plastic surgery for a permanent duck face - but Rachel Nichols is smokin' and holds her own beside Momoa. Does anyone else think that Nichols would make a great Red Sonja if Robert Rodriguez does make the film?

Click here to check out the official website.

Fright Night 3D

As a horror fan I am compelled to see remakes of the favorite films of my youth and must endure the lack luster re-imagining or a director's new vision. I had high hopes based on the trailer but this remake is anemic and lacks any of the charm that makes the original film a classic. One thing I did like was the updating of the Peter Vincent character from a TV horror host to a Las Vegas entertainer headlining a show like Bite - a very sexy show which I recommend checking out when in Vegas - with the 10th Doctor, David Tennant, filling in for Roddy McDowall. Also there is a nice cameo that fans of the original will like and should be expecting. It does not do justice to the original but if you have not seen it then it may not be too bad.

Click here to check out the official website.

Bowling Heads

Thanks for sending this my way Carl. I so want one! Now if the balls just moaned or screamed as they went tumbling down the lane...

13th STREET – Bowlingheads (Case Video) from RUOK on Vimeo.

Teaser Trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man

Seems darker but not seeing were this actually needed a series reboot versus just a new story.

Trolljegeren aka TrollHunter

This movie continues to show that the best new and interesting horror films are coming from overseas with this gem coming from Norway. The movie is done in a documentary style reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project but with no hidden beasties or out of camera creatures. The trolls look great and the underlying premise of why they are out and about gives the film a credible plot. Although it is only getting a one week run at E Street Cinema you should try to get out to see it. Now we just have to wait and see if it is unique enough to get an Americanized version of it made like Låt den rätte komma in.

Click here to check out the official website.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon 3D

The big July 4th weekend movie event is now here and it is definitely the biggest of the three films to date with more Transformers and scenery damage but not necessarily any real character development. Everyone makes it back for this outing except Megan Fox who is replaced by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley who trumps Fox's blue jean cut-offs with a partly buttoned man's long sleeve shirt. Like most sequels this film suffers from the addition of more non-essential characters who serve no purpose but to provide comic relief and do that poorly. Can anyone tell me what the point of John Malkovich's character is please? This is a popcorn muncher of a movie so turn off your brain and enjoy.

Click here to check out the official website.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Trailer

Not sure I am happy there is another IM movie coming out or the fact it has
Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg in it.

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Extended Edition for one night only

It is the Blu-Ray premiere of the Oscar-winning third film of the Ring trilogy and Peter Jackson tells us about his childhood desire to see a 6,000 cavalry charge on screen. And yes there are 6,000 Rohan mounted horsemen at the Battle of Pelennor Fields. It has been a few years since I watched my extended edition DVDs but I could swear there are more added scenes in this cut of the film. This viewing was the fastest four hours I have ever spend in the theater. Tonight was the last night of the screenings so if you missed them and are a Peter Jackson or J.R.R. Tolkien fan, shame on you for missing the chance to see these great films on the big screen again.

Click here to check out the official website.

Batmare Begins

Another awesome video.

My Little Serenity

I was just sent this link by my good friend Reesa and I just had to share. I would see this movie.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remake trailer

This trailer for the remake is awesome and I look forward to David Fincher's take...



.. but let's not forget the original film is a f*#king fantastic thriller already.



If you have not seen them already, I suggest hitting NetFlix and adding the entire trilogy to your instant watch queue.

Latest Smurfs Movie Trailer

I liked watching the Smurfs on Saturday as a child when Saturday morning TV was still predominately cartoons at least until noon. Like everyone else, there is only so much blue you can take even as a child but there are two things that will require me to see this movie: Neil Patrick Harris - hilarious - and Hank Azaria as Gargamel. And let's forget the smokin' hot Sofia Vergara so I guess that makes three.

New Trailer for Apollo 18

This movie makes me think of Paranormal Activity on the moon. That is a good thing. You up for seeing this with me E? We have not been to a good fright flick in awhile.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Jim Carry is back with a new family friendly comedy that turns out to be quite good. Mr Popper receives a gift from his ever-absent father that disrupts his life but gives it the kick it needs to repair his relationship with his ex-wife and his two children. The penguins are fun to watch and the CGI is good though not perfect but it does not detract from the story. Other cast notables are Carla Gugino, who has come along way since Son In Law, the wonderful Angela Lansbury, and Clark Gregg, last seen as Agent Coulson in Thor.  If you want a fun family film to see this one will not disappoint.

Click here to check out the official website.

Bad Teacher

Carmen Diaz stars as Elizabeth Halsey a teacher who is trying to find the money for a boob job so she can land a financially well-endowed husband to get out of teaching and tries to win the state bonus for having the class with the best standardized test scores to cover the rest of her deposit on the surgery. Although not as funny as Bad Santa, the comedy is good and the supporting cast includes Jason Segel as the gym teacher, Phyllis Smith from The Office as a fellow teacher who has the best one liners, and Lucy Punch as Elizabeth's nemesis that is keeping her away from the new hot sub played by Justine Timberlake. The car wash scene is good and Cameron is hot covered in water and suds but the "dry humping" scene with Timberlake is by far the most hilarious. Not Shakespeare by any stretch but the film is funny and worth a watch.

Click here to check out the official website.

Cars 2

Pixar is back this weekend with a follow up to Cars. Cars was my least favorite of the Pixar films but was still saved because it had a good story and a heartwarming feel to it but I do not get that from this sequel. The animation is still great as expected and the scale is enormous but the tug on the heartstrings is just not there for me. The Toy Story short in front of the film was well worth the trip to the theater and had everything that the feature did not. I hope the film does well because I love Pixar and I am looking forward to their next feature film that was teased in the trailers, Brave.

Click here to check out the official website.

New Captain American Trailer

Movie looks better and better all the time. Not so worried about the re-shoots that were done any more.

The Dark Knight Rises Video Game

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Extended Edition for one night only

There is nothing like seeing the extended editions of these films because they include all of the little things that fans of the book wanted in the original theatrical release but alas would make the movie too long. Tonight we got a new intro from Peter Jackson and the fun thing we learned is that the infamous Gollum/Smeagol split-personality argument scene was actually written and then directed by Fran Walsh and not Peter Jackson due to time and scheduling deadlines. Two down and the Return of the King to Go. Good times.

Troll Hunter coming to The E Street Cinema in DC

This trailer looks great and I will definitely be checking it out with it hits E Street Cinema the week of July 1. Who else is up for this? Buy your tickets here.



Check out the official website here.

New Puss in Boots Trailer

Now we finally get to see some of the story. Anyone thinking Zorro besides me? Either way, Puss was one of the best characters from the Shrek series so I look forward to checking this out when it hits theaters later this year.

The Muppets Trailer

I have loved the Muppets ever since I was a child and I have to go see their new movie. Here is the first real trailer for the film. Enjoy.

Green Lanten 3D

DC Comics finally makes its presence known on the big screen this weekend even though it is going to be the "Summer of Marvel". Ryan Reynolds is Hal Jordan, the newest emerald space cop on the block, who receives a power ring from a dying alien and must come to terms with the responsibility of being a ring slinger. All comic nerds know the origin story and this one is good enough for prime time with a few strands from other story plots thrown in to insure sequels if it does well. I enjoyed the film even it it was a bit rushed when on OA during Hal's training but Sinestro was introduced well and played excellently by Mark Strong who seems to be the industry's go to new to bad guy. A CGI fest which is what I expected and a good superhero film but I don't see it beating out Thor or Captain America at the box office.

Click here to check out the official website.

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Extended Edition for one night only.

I heard that the extended editions where finally getting the Blu-Ray treatment which did not mean anything to me at the time until I learned that all three films where going to be re-released to theaters for one night only as part of the promotion. Being a huge fan and participate in the original Trilogy Tuesday that lead up to the theatrical release of The Return of the King at the Uptown, there was no way I was going to miss this. Nothing beats seeing these films on the big screen and we get a personal introduction to the films from Peter Jackson. Awesomeness!

Click here to check out the official website.

Super 8: The IMAX Experience

J.J. Abrams' love letter to Steven Spielberg's E.T. and other films is finally here and my inner nostalgic child along with my older hardened horror fan just loved the movie. I am not going in to the details of the film but what stands out best is that the alien is smart but not cute and I will be damned if he does not actually kill and eat people. The plot moves you along quickly and does not have to explain anything unnecessarily and the child actors are good with Elle Fanning delivering an on-screen film test that is truly amazing to watch. The other standout is the lead, Joel Courtney, who has doe-like eyes that just suck you in to the emotions of the scene with no real dialogue needed. The film is a must see and do stick around through the credits to see a soon to be local award willing film.

Click here to check out the official website.

Glee Live Tour 2011

Yes I bought tickets to see this concert/performance because I could not get the tickets to see it last year in New York. The production values were great and almost everyone from the cast and backup crew were there so every character had their moment on stage - Warblers and all. Britney, aka Heather Morris, was first and everything everything took off from there. The pre-show performance was by the LXD and they are just amazing. All in all a great show and if you were able to make it you got your money worth.

Click here to check out the official tour website.

Britney's signature performance



A sample of the LXD's opening performance.

X-Men: First Class

The X-Men are back and the new movie is great. Promoted as the origin of the X-Men this movie is really the staring vehicle of Magneto that delivers on the core of the character unlike X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Magneto gets his revenge and it is bloody delightful and fun to watch. The plot is all there in the trailer so nothing needs to be hashed out here and I have to say it is on par with the first X-Men film and may even be better. A rock solid story with great effects so let's see where Marvel can take their most popular franchise from here.

Click here to check out the official website.

Kung Fu Panda 2 3D

I am a huge fan of the first movie and was stoked to get advanced screening passes for the new film. The Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five are back to face a new enemy that could spell the end of kung fu and our lovable panda. All the voice actors are back with new voices provided by Gary Oldman as the evil Lord Shen who takes down kung fu masters Thundering Rhino, Oxen and Croc voiced by Victor Garber, Dennis Haysbert and Jean-Claude Van Damme. I enjoyed this story much more than the first film because it was more adult- themed and did not need to spend time introducing the main characters. Definitely check this film out with the family this holiday weekend for a great time at the movies.

Click here to check out the official website.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides An IMAX 3D Experience

Our favorite pirate is back this weekend with the full IMAX treatment and 3D just to add some flare. This time out we have a few new faces with Ian McShane as the villainous Blackbeard, Penelope Cruz as the new femme fatale and Geoffrey Rush back as a peg-leg Barbossa racing to find the legendary Fountain of Youth. The effects are good along with a solid story but as these movies tend to be just a bit too long. The mermaids were a sight to behold - both beautiful and deadly. As franchises go this movie is still worth seeing and the fifth one is just around the corner.

Click here to check out the official website.

Hobo With A Shotgun - Original 2007 Teaser Trailer

Here is the original teaser trailer that lead to the awesome film I saw earlier tonight. It is playing for only one week at the West End Cinema in Washington, DC so be sure to get your tickets now. This is not to be missed. Enjoy my fellow cinephiles!

Hobo With A Shotgun

Just like with Snakes On A Plane this title cuts right to the point and does this movie ever deliver. It's violent, bloody, gory, offensive, exploitive and friggin' hilarious. Rutger Hauer and Jason Eisner put the smoking barrel of the gun to the audience's face and just unload with grindhouse abandon. The lines in this movie will have you rolling in the aisles while insuring it cult film status and a must see attraction for fans of midnight movie madness. This is grindhouse at its best and you are doing yourself a serious disservice if you do not check this out ASAP!

Click here to check out the official website.

Priest 3D

I like a good futuristic vampire thriller like the next guy but unfortunately this is not one. The 3D keeps the creatures to cartoony and the bloody deaths are not done practically to give them any real kick. It is funny that Stephen Moyer of True Blood plays a bit part as a farmer fending of the vampire hordes. Paul Bettany seems to be channeling an even more restrained performance then he did in Legion which was a far superior film. Unless you are an ardent fan of Bettany then you have seen all you need to about this film from the trailer.

Click here to check out the official website.

Bridesmaids

This movie is being promoted as a female version of The Hangover but that is really an injustice to this incredibly awesome film that can stand on its own as the comedy hit of the summer. The cast is awesome and the scene where the bridesmaids are trying on their dresses will have you rolling in the aisles unable to breath from laughing so hard. The standout cast member is Melissa McCarthy who plays the sister of the groom who steals every scene with her steam heat. Kudos to writers Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo and director Paul Feig for hitting a grand slam with this film. A must see for everyone!

Click here to check out the official website.

Spellbound

Of the many things to do on a Friday the 13th, going to the AFI Silver Theatre to see a screening of an Alfred Hitchock 1945 film with friends is one hard to beat. I have not seen all of Hitchcock's films and I can say this is not one of my favorites but it does have some very good stuff going on. The Salvador Dali dream sequence is an effects standout for the time and just creepy. It was great seeing a young Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman even if their acting was far from riveting and I was hard pressed to see any chemistry. But hey it's a Hitchcock film so it gets a pass in my book and gets checked off as a film I needed to see on the big screen.

Click here to check out the original theatrical trailer.

Something Borrowed

As date movies go most get a bum rap but I am kinda hard pressed to see were this one does not deserve it. Ginnfer Goodwin from Big Love stars as Rachel whose supposed best friend played by Kate Hudson steps in and takes the man she is in love with. Once you get past the tears and emotion baggage that doesn't jive the only interesting performance is given by John Krasinski in the friend zone. The move is a skip but if you still want to see it go during a matinee so you don't waste too mch money. Better yet go see Thor again instead.

Click here to check out the official website.

Thor IMAX 3D

This movie was a must see for me being a long time comic fan and it was a pleasure to see Chris Hemsworth make the transition from the father of James T. Kirk to the brash and arrogant son of Odin. The movie gives us Thor's fall from grace and the reclaiming of Mjolnir as he overcomes his own shortfalls to be the god he is destined to be. Outside of the expected cameo of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury to tie the movie in to next year's The Avengers film we have a dream cast of Sir Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Colm Feore as the King of the Frost Giants, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg and Tom Hiddleston as the delicious trickster Loki. I don't believe this movie would have been nearly as good as it is under any other director then Kenneth Branagh whose track record with Shakespeare's works is second to none. Outside of the signature Thor fighting poses from the comic page, the best images to be realized are those of the glorious Asgard which must be seen in IMAX 3D and so worth the surcharge.

Click here to check out the official website.

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night

Like many others I have been missing Buffy The Vampire Slayer so it was nice to see another monster ass-kicker hit the big screen. Brandon Routh is a New Orleans private eye who specializes in keeping the peace within the supernatural underworld but has been off the radar due to a tragic loss but gets pulled back in when a local businessman is found murdered by a werewolf. The cast includes Sam Huntington as Dylan's newly turned zombie side kick, Peter Stormare as the head of the local wolf pack, and Taye Diggs as the new devious vampire leader. Routh has hit his stride in smaller film projects and turns out to be a fine actor that has finally moved on from Superman Returns. A fun little movie for horror fans that is worth a trip to the local matinée showing.

Click here to check out the official website.

Fast Five IMAX

Fast cars, hot chicks and crime so you know that another sequel was due. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are back and the heist is more ridiculous with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in to make sure there is still even more octane on the screen. The film does not get much from being in IMAX but the action is non-stop and the fight between Diesel and Johnson is fun to watch. All the familiar faces are back from the previous sequels so could this be the last film? I doubt it but it seems that Diesel can not make anything else work for him.

Click here to check out the official website.

Win Win

Paul Giamatti is one of my favorite actors because he can play anything and does it well. This time out he is a struggling lawyer and father trying to keep his practice afloat but sees a ray of hope when he tries to take advantage of a client's living situation to help his family and is thrown a curve when the grandson the client just shows up on the front porch with nowhere to go. The movie is very funny and heartwarming - the perfect little art house feel good film. The standout performance is by Amy Ryan as the spitfire wife with the heart of gold who takes the grandson under her wing as one of her own. This film did well on the festival circuit and you would be remiss to not check it out at the theater or when it hits the Netflix queue.

Click here to check out the official website.

Insidious

James Wan and Leigh Whannel, the team who brought us the horror franchise hit SAW, continue their run of creative and lower budget horror with this new film. Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson star as Renai and Josh Lambert who are trying to wake their comatose son that may be stalked by a supernatural menace. Whannel is joined by genre favorite actress Lin Shaye as the paranormal investigators who try to help the Lamberts save their child. The movie has some great scares and the story is very good at sucking you with well placed twists to keep you interested. The movie proves if you have a good story and a love for the genre you will always do well and this film should do very well.

Click here to check out the official website.

The Conspirator

Director Robert Redford brings us this historical drama telling the story of Mary Surratt who was the single female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln. The cast includes Robin Wright as Mary Surratt, James McAvoy as the lawyer assigned to defend her by his mentor played by Tom Wilkinson to the displeasure of the Secretary of War played by Kevin Kline. As with all Redford films the acting is first rate and the story engrossing even if you already now the outcome. James McAvoy is definitely making his mark in Hollywood and will be showing up again in the summer's blockbuster X-Men: First Class. If you like historical films and stories from the Civil War era, then you would be remiss not to check out this fine film.

Click here to check out the official website.

Your Highness

When it comes to raunchy comedy then you cannot do much better than anything that is co-written or starring Danny McBride. In this farce of a film McBride is joined by James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, and Charles Dance about two brothers going out to save one's fiance who was kidnapped from their wedding by a powerful wizard. The film has its funny moments and it surprising to see Oscar winner Portman as a warrior kicking ass. The film was a fun filler for an all day marathon at the local AMC but I am not sure you want to make a special trip just to see it. You probably would like to see it as a double feature with Land of the Lost.

Click here to check out the official website.

Rio 3D

Of the slew of new animated films coming out for children, this film is good fun and sports an all-star voice cast with Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, and Tracy Morgan. The story is about Blu, a domesticated male blue macaw, who is brought to Rio de Janerio to mate with another captured blue macaw to hopefully save their rare species but run in to trouble when they are stolen by poachers. The animation is great and the 3D does add a fun aviation element to the film. The story is tight and you do get a fun look at Carnival from the animals perspective. A good family outing!

Click here to check out the official website.

Scream 4

Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson are back together with another installment of the franchise that brought us Perils of Pauline...sorry the never-ending stalking of Sidney Prescott. This movie is like a visit from old friends who have brought along their annoying children to disrupt the picnic. What is pure genius is the signature opening sequence that just keeps on giving and giving. The kills are fun and it is just great to watch the annoying teens drop like flies. If you loved the previous films, then you will not be disappointed but if you never got it the first time around, then don't sit next to me when I go see this again.

Click here to check out the official website.

Source Code

This film was a pleasant surprise and gives a good alternative on the standard "time paradox" based films. Colter Stevens, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is caught up in a military experiment that allows a person to access the last eight minutes of a dying person's life so that major catastrophes can be intercepted or averted. An interesting thriller that tries to keep the plot twist hidden until the end, rather unsuccessfully, but knowing it does not detract from the film. The cast includes great supporting performances from Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright that keeps the film grounded within the characters and does not get lost in the scifi elements. A good sleeper film that all should check out.

Click here to check out the official website.

Hanna

I was intrigued to see this film due to the high-octane trailer and because of the stand out performance by Saoirse Ronan previously in The Lovely Bones. Hanna is raised by her father to be the perfect assassin and set loose on her own to take out her target. An interesting film with a lot of fairy tell imagery and cool stunt work on the part of Ronan. It was great to see Cate Blanchett in a particularly villainous role for a change that makes her unlikable and seemingly deserving of her fate. Not your typical thriller but definitely worth seeing.

Click here to check out the official website.

Sucker Punch

Zack Snyder, the director of 300 and Watchmen, knows how to deliver highly stylized imagery with an interesting story and this time out the ladies get their turn. Emily Browning, last seen in The Uninvited, is Baby Doll who must cope with being locked away in an insane asylum by her abusive stepfather and find a means of escape and empowerment within her own fantasies. The movie has plenty of hot girls, big guns, anime style creatures and a dragon no less that make for just plan old fun movie watching. The story has a nice twist at the end that leaves you questioning where the really story ends and the fantasies begin. A film that must be seen and is ever so hard to explain - enjoy!

Click here to check out the official website.

The Lincoln Lawyer

Matthew McConaughey is lawyer Mick Haller who practices law from the back of his Lincoln town car for those who are willing to pay. This is a fun little lawyer film that has a great cast that includes William H. Macy, Josh Lucas, Marisa Tomei, John Leguizamo and finally a worthwhile roll for Ryan Phillippe as Haller's latest client that does not seems as innocent as he protests. The revenge and payback make this film worth seeing but nothing to make a special to the theater to see it. Check it out when it hits Netflix for a good night in.

Click here the the official website.

The Butcher, The Chef, and the Swordsman

I saw this movie because it fit in perfectly between two other films I wanted to see. This movie is bizarre. An enchanted meat cleaver connects the stories and that is about all I can explain. You have to see this to believe it.

Red Riding Hood

A re-imagining of the story of Red Riding Hood that deals with coming of age and sexual maturity but then there is no sex. What gives? I like Amanda Seyfried and she is the only thing that got me in to see this film. How did they get Gary Oldman to participate in this? Definitely worth skipping unless you are happy with sexless quasi-horror films like Twilight.

Click here to check out the official website.

Mars Needs Moms

I tend to like most Disney family films but this one just did not pull me in. Since Joan Cusack and Seth Green were providing the principal voices that was good enough to get me into the theater but that was the best it could do. The plot was OK but nothing that tugged at any heart strings as you would expect from a Disney film and the animation was nothing special compared to any of the other animated releases currently out. Your children might get a laugh from it even if you do not but is that good enough? Save your money and watch this on cable when it comes out.

Click here to check out the official website.

Limitless

The premise is what would you do or who would you become if you could take a drug that let you realize all of your brain's mental capacity. This is a good little movie and it's about time that Bradley Cooper got to carry a movie on his own. Robert De Niro is along in one of his better supporting roles in a while and not just there to be a name in the film. The plot is interesting and Cooper's evolution on screen is a selfish little pleasure to watch. I suspect this will be a sleeper hit at the box office and worth checking out.

Click here to check out the official website.

Paul

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the comedy duo from Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, are back and this time they are best friends on their way to see America's famous UFO sites and happen to run in to an actual alien voiced by Seth Rogen. It is good to see that buddy comedies are making a comeback and Pegg & Frost really know how to make great genre parodies. Other cast notables include Jason Bateman, Jane Lynch, Kristen Wiig and Sigourney Weaver that round out the ensemble. The alien effects are good and isn't it interesting that Rogen's funniest performances are usually when he is actually not on the screen but voicing a character. A lot of good solid laughs are to be had here so you will want to see this film.

Click here to check out the official website.

Gulliver's Travels

In lieu of seeing Blue Valentine I opted to see this retelling of a literary classic with the hit or miss acting of Jack Black. The updated pop culture references and the regular manic antics of Black do not make for a fun film for anyone over the age of ten. The cast includes some of my favorites actors like Emily Blunt, Billy Connolly, Jason Segel and the hilarious Chris O'Dowd - loved him in The IT Crowd - and Catherine Tate from the revived BBC Doctor Who series but they do not make the movie any more enjoyable. Tenacious D rules but it is the duo that rules and not just Black on his own. Your children might suck you into seeing this but try not to disturb everyone with your snoring.

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website.

The Dilemma

Ron Howard teams up with Vince Vaughn and Kevin James for a new buddy comedy where one of the friends finds out that his best friend's wife is cheating on him and he doesn't know if he should tell him or not. A bit of a downer comedy but what makes it worth watching is the supporting performance by Jennifer Connelly who play's Vaughn's long time girlfriend. Winona Ryder is good as the cheating spouse but loses out on her scenes to Channing Tatum's ridiculously sensitive Zip. I have to agree with Cecily Knobler's comment from the Jack Diamond Morning Show on Friday in that James's character is not endearing at all so why do we care about his wife cheating on him. Another matinee movie so save your cash unless you think Vince Vaughn is worth it.

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The Green Hornet 3D

After meeting my best friend Geoff and his family for a late birthday dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Bethesda - my was the ribeye terrific - I decided to hit this film at the Regal Cinemas just across the street to make up for passing on dessert. I like Seth Rogen as a general rule but did not have any high expectations for this film since I never followed The Green Hornet old time radio dramas and was more of an Abbott and Costello Show fan but I was pleasantly surprised to find this film enjoyable. There are plenty of comic moments and the 3D is rather unnecessary - yeah marketing execs - with some fine action sequences throughout and a dash of darkness to keep it interesting. I won't go in to the story because you get the gist of it from the trailer pretty much verbatim but it was great to see that Cameron Diaz was more than just eye candy in the film and she still has good comedy chops. If you are in the mood for a matinée then you really can't go wrong seeing this movie but beware of the gas gun!

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The King's Speech

There is a lot of Oscar buzz for Colin Firth's portrayal of King George the VI and it is well deserved. This is a perfect little movie with outstanding casting that includes Helena Bonham Carter as George's wife and Geoffrey Rush as the speech therapist that helps the King overcome his speech impediment but all compliment the outstanding and constrained performance of Firth. The pressures on King George to overcome his stammer and be the voice of his country during the rise of Nazi Germany while maintaining the dignity and propriety of the royal family are overwhelming but Firth captures it all in a very credible and human performance that is deeplying moving. Firth has been an Oscar nominee before but I believe this perform just may snag it for him - damn it he is due! Everyone I know who has seen this film loved it so don't short change yourself by waiting for it to come out on cable - get a ticket now.

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Season of the Witch

Nicholas Cage is popping up everywhere and always seems to have a movie coming out and this week it is the Crusades and witchcraft. Behmen and Felson, played by Cage and the always cool Ron Perlman (any thinking The Name of the Rose besides me) , are two deserting Crusaders who are drawn back in by the Church to deliver a witch to a local monastery for judgement and hopefully end the plague afflicting the countryside. The movie is fun with good Crusade fight scenes and decent horrific plague imagery with ok CGI effects when needed for the witch showdown but the film is very short and no great leap in storytelling. I wonder how many more hell or magic themed movies Cage has left on his plate because that ship is starting to founder. With my AMC Producer's pack to keep me satiated it was still a good way to spend my Saturday afternoon.

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Country Strong

I am a sucker for country music themed movies and after seeing Gwnyneth Paltrow perform on an episode of Glee this season I knew I would be seeing this movie. The great thing about a movie like this is that the stars, or actors, actually sing the songs and it is funny that the one real country music performer, Tim McGraw, does not sing at all. The movie is supposedly about the comeback of a signer after she has fallen from grace and tries to make it back from rehab but it is more than that. The movie has good acting and even better music but it is the ending that that may through some people off track. If you like country music than you will want to see this but like country music it is about the story and that is not always pleasant or happy.

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