The Amazing Spiderman

      A very entertaining but totally unnecessary reboot of the Spiderman franchise. Toby Maguire wore the suit 10 years ago and made a terrific Spiderman. The series lost steam with the forgettable Spiderman 3 but Sony and Columbia have found a way to keep this cash cow alive by starting fresh with a new cast, new villain and tweaks to the origin story.

      For those familiar with the comic, the earlier films or even the Broadway play, the first hour drags on as these fans (including myself) know Spiderman's origin by heart. Neither this version or the earlier film completely get it right, changing certain events to suit the script. Maybe the 3rd reboot in the next decade will finally get it right. Now there's an idea, a new Spiderman for each generation.

      What works very well here is the great chemistry between Andrew Garfield's "Peter Parker/Spiderman" and Emma Stone's "Gwen Stacy. Unlike Mary Jane Watson in the original, Gwen Stacy was Peter's real first love. It's refreshing that the writers acknowledge that. Mr. Garfield makes a very credible teen superhero and the film spends a great deal of time on the human element and not just CGI and special effects. A nice touch (true to the original) are the mechanical web shooters and not organic webs.

            There is a great deal of early bonding between Mr. Garfield and his Aunt May (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen).  Rhys Ifans brings gravitas to the tortured Dr. Curt Conners /Lizard and Denis Leary plays it straight as Police Captain Stacy (Gwen's father). One character I really missed was J.J. Jameson, the cigar chomping editor of The Daily Bugle and Spiderman's biggest critic. Mr. Leary's "Captain Stacy" is given that role here and without J.J. Jameson, there's a gaping hole in the Spiderman universe.

           Once the menace of "The Lizard" is introduced, the action is pretty much non-stop and there are some great fight sequences and wonderful web swinging through Manhattan.  The camera work, in particular, is wonderful with unusual angles and beautiful wide shots of New York City as a backdrop. The film makers are obviously proud of their work as they include two long scenes of web swinging that are pretty amazing and really "pop" in 3-D. I didn't see the IMAX version but I would imagine that one sends audiences out dizzy from the effects.

            If you were completely satisfied with Mr. Maguire performance and Sam Raimi's direction ten years ago, there is really no need to sit through this new version unless you are a huge fan of Andrew Garfield. If you've been living in the dark for the last ten years and never saw the earlier versions, this one will be a thrill ride.

Beasts of The Southern Wild

          A remarkable film that transports you to another world...the Louisiana tidal basin. "The Bathtub" as it's know by it's inhabitants is filled with fascinating characters, in particular, six year old "Hushpuppy" and her harsh but loving father "Wink". The film is filled with beautiful imagery and incredible acting, especially Quvenzane Wallis as "Hushpuppy". Words just can't describe the depth and maturity of this little girl's performance.

            It's heartbreaking to realize people truly live like this but from their perspective, it's the only life they know and they make the best of it, through the good times and bad. "Wink" is an obvious drunk who borders on child abuse and yet, there are moments of such tenderness between father and daughter that it takes the viewer on an emotional roller-coaster ride. When a major storm threatens along with more personal tragedy, "Hushpuppy" must learn to face her demons (yes, this six year old has demons) and become stronger for it. 

             The cinematography is beautiful and at times, it's as if you are watching a documentary rather than a scripted film. The characters are real, the location is real but there is such a magical quality to everything, it's like nothing you've seen before. This is very much an "Indie" film that will probably never play wide so seek it out and spend some quality time in "The Bathtub".

Ted

   A  dumb but endearing comedy from the creator of "Family Guy", Seth McFarlane. "Ted" is an unusual buddy comedy about a 35 year old man who's best friend is a walking, talking teddy bear. If you are a "Family Guy" fan, you will love "Ted".  If you took Brian the animated talking dog from that show and switched him into a offensive CGI teddy bear in a real world, you would have Ted.

     This very R rated film begins when little John Bennett gets a cuddly teddy for Christmas. That night he wishes that "Teddy" can be real so he has a friend for life. Much to everyone's surprise, Teddy comes to life and 30 years later, he is still John's best friend although he has turned into a foul mouthed, stoner, know it all who has something irreverent to say about everything. 

     The adult John is played by Mark Wahlberg and he deserves a lot of credit for selling this ridiculous concept.  John is such a good, sweet guy that you buy into his life with Ted and really root for him to succeed. That's not so easy when he has a loser job and spends all his free time getting high with Ted. The one good thing thing in his life is his girlfriend, played by Mila Kunis.  Ms. Kunis, like Mr. Wahlberg, takes acting with a CGI bear very seriously. The film also stars Giovanni Ribisi and Joel McHale. Both play different sorts of sleazy characters, one who wants the bear and one who wants the girl.

     The dialogue is very funny at times, even if the story is completely absurd. With everyone taking their roles so seriously, it makes the concept that much funnier. Obviously a talking teddy bear can get away with offensive, insulting, filthy language and behavior. The city of Boston is in on the joke and plays background to John and Ted's adventures.  Boston girls, however, may take offense at some harsh humor directed at them.

      Mr. McFarlane wrote the screenplay, directed the film and is also the voice of Ted. He has a legion of loyal fans out there and they won't be disappointed. Everyone else should go knowing what to expect and definitely leave the kids at home

Rock of Ages

   Most Broadway shows don't translate well to films and "Rock of Ages" is no exception. A marginal but crowd pleasing musical, "ROA" contains a great soundtrack of '80's rock but it's star power casting fizzles in excruciatingly embarrassing moments. The only saving grace is Tom Cruise, who once again proves he can do just about anything and make it work.

         Mr. Cruise went into this project a self-admitted "bad" singer but after some hard work with a vocal coach, he makes a very credible singer and the only actor who seems in on the joke. His role as "Stacee Jaxx" is spot on rock star extravagance. The rest of the cast including Alex Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamati, and Russel Brand all find ways to completely embarrass themselves. The young leads played by Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta are attractive enough but robotic, boring singers that can barely act. They may have chemistry with each other but none with the audience and when you don't care about the leads, you lose focus on the rest of the film.

          Like the Journey song says "they go on and on and on..." just like this film. It seemed like the end would never come. The only thing keeping my interest was Mr. Cruise, but unfortunately, even he succumbs to an embarrassing moment singing "I want to Know What Love Is" into the rear end of Malin Ackerman in a poorly filmed (bordering on pornographic) seduction number.

           Director Adam Shankman did a very good job bringing "Hairspray" to the screen but comes up short here.  You're never sure if this is meant to be taken seriously or one big inside joke. Only Mr. Cruise successfully plays it both ways. I will give credit to some of the musical numbers and their clever choreography but overall, this rock falls flat.

Snow White & The Huntsman

  A very dark vision of the classic fairy tale starring Charlize Theron, Kristin Stewart, and Chris Hemsworth. The film tries hard to be a serious take on a children's classic but it mixes in elements of too many other movies ("Pan's Labyrinth" for one) to take itself seriously. And digitally grafting the heads of famous British actors onto the bodies of dwarves is just plain disturbing.

       Ms. Theron easily steals the movie as the evil queen. She is becoming quite adept at playing the icy villain (see "Prometheus"). She takes her part very seriously, even when imparting those famous words, "Mirror mirror on the wall..." Kristin Stewart, on the other hand, plays a very schizoid Snow White. At once an innocent, a warrior, a leader and a follower. She also navigates her way through a strange land pretty well for a girl who has been locked in a tower for most of her life. Her poisoned apple scene seems forced in this version but has a surprising twist. Mr. Hemsworth is not asked to do much except fight, act drunk, and look attractive. Basically the same thing he does as Thor in the Marvel films.

        Someone must have thought casting Ray Winstone, Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Toby Jones and Eddie Marsan as part of the seven dwarves was a fun idea. As I implied earlier, it's just creepy. They, however, seem to be enjoying themselves (and there's not a "Sleepy", "Doc" or "Dopey" among them). The digital landscape and CGI work is impressive but with an overall dark tone, it all becomes rather depressing. In the final scene, Ms. Stewart and Mr. Hemsworth appear not sure what to do next. The answer is simple... pray there's no sequel.

Prometheus

           You don't have to know anything about the film "Alien" or it's sequels to enjoy "Prometheus" but it will certainly add another level of enjoyment if you do know the mythology behind those films. Either way, if you are a fan of science-fiction films, this one will be a blast for you. If  Sci-Fi is not your thing, then I advise you to stay clear as you probably won't have a clue what's going on anyway.

           "Prometheus" is a prequel of sorts to "Alien" but can easily stand on it's own. There are many similar elements to the story- strong female hero, evil corporation, android with a secret agenda, and it's own brand of creepy, crawly things that go bump in the night. Noomi Rapace (so good in the original "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy) is Elizabeth Shaw, a scientist looking for answers to the origin of mankind. Her scientist boyfriend is played by Logan Marshall-Green. Also along for the ride is Idris Elba as the spaceship's captain, Charlize Theron as the evil corporation executive and a wonderful Michael Fassbender as the android, "David".

           Director Ridley Scott puts together a team that truly makes movie magic. He returns here to familiar territory but still manages new twists. The digital effects are seamless and this is one film that really deserves to be seen in IMAX 3-D. It is visually stunning and enhanced by the IMAX sound system, you will feel totally immersed in the action.  

           Anyone who remembers the "pop-out" alien baby from "Alien" will not be disappointed by many of the gory sequences in the film, so be warned. One sequence in particular, will either amaze or disgust you. Despite the cringe worthy scenes, "Prometheus" rises way above your average Sci-Fi adventure and while it took over 30 years to return to this dark world, credit Mr. Scott for making it worth the wait.

Bernie

   Featuring an award worthy performance by Jack Black as "Bernie", this dark comedy is a remarkably true story. Director Richard Linklater films Bernie Tiede's story in a pseudo documentary style, using many of the real inhabitants of Carthage Texas, where the story takes place. Mr. Tiede was an assistant funeral director beloved by everyone in town. When he takes up a friendship with the town's nastiest citizen, the widow Mrs. Nugent (played wonderfully by Shirley McLaine), the town is aghast and after an unexpected turn, things really start to heat up.

       The film co-stars Matthew McConaughey, charismatic as always and perfectly cast. And while he and Ms. McLaine shine, it is really Mr. Black who shines the most.  He completely disappears into the role of Bernie, a character so completely different from anything he has played before. Mr. Black is also known for singing as well as acting and in the film he gets a chance to show off his vocal range with a list of gospel songs. It's a Jack Black we have never seen and he's just terrific.

       Give Mr. Linklater credit for not only seeing potential in Mr. Black for the role but in his choices of the real life towns folk he puts on screen to fill in the back-story of Bernie Tiede. They are truly a colorful cast of characters and really add flavor to the story.

        This little independent film certainly has a quirky appeal and is worth your time, especially if you are looking for something completely different.

Moonrise Kingdom

  Director and co-writer Wes Anderson brings his unique style to the screen once more with this whimsical tale of young love. This is the story of Sam and Susie, two twelve year olds living on an island community who fall in love and run off together.  Featuring a co-starring cast of Bruce Willis, Francis McDormand, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and Ed Norton, "Moonrise Kingdom" is a pure delight.

     The film is light and sweet-natured. The young lovers run off to the wild end of the island while everyone else looks for them. The film takes place in 1965 and has a magical innocence to it. Ed Norton plays a scout master who enlists the entire troop to hunt for Sam and Susie. Sam was one of the scouts and has excellent survival skills. Mr. Willis is the island police officer and plays very much against type except for one brief heroic moment. Ms. McDormand and Mr. Murray are Susie's parents and Ms. Swinton plays "Social Services", coming after Sam who, as it turns out is an orphan.

     The film itself is, in many ways, reminiscent of a live version of  "The Fantastic Mr. Fox", Mr. Anderson's animated classic.  All the actors play colorfully odd characters and much of the film is spent chasing down Susie and Sam. The soundtrack is lovely and makes much use of "A Child's introduction To The Orchestra".

      It may not become a classic like "Rushmore" or "The Royal Tannenbaums" but it has it's own charming appeal.

Men In Black 3

       If you're going to make a totally unnecessary 3rd film in a series, at least cast it well. "Men In Black" succeeds on the brilliant casting of Josh Brolin as a younger version of the Tommy Lee Jones character, Agent K. Mr. Brolin completely captures Mr. Jones's mannerism, vocal pattern and facial expressions. It's the best special effect in a movie full of them and the only one not CGI.

       Of course Will Smith is back as Agent J and he continues to be one of Hollywood's most engaging actors. There's not much effort here when you've done this twice before but he's still fun to watch and his chemistry with Mr. Brolin is terrific.  Tommy Lee Jones gets less screen time due to the plot but still has some good scenes bookmarking the film and is as gruff as ever.  Jemaine Clement plays the villain "Boris the Animal" but is buried under tons of makeup and CGI effects and replacing Rip Torn is Emma Thompson as Director O. A welcome addition is the wonderful actor Michael Stuhlbarg as an alien who can predict alternate futures.

        There's not much new to the "Men in Black" world but watching the film is like visiting an old friend and Rick Baker's old fashioned creature effects are still fun. Using time travel to journey back to 1969 is the clever twist and allows for some fun "period" humor but there is  a quick racial profiling scene that doesn't really work and seems uncomfortably out of place.

         "Men In Black 3" is simply a silly summer diversion quickly forgotten as we move to the next "summer blockbuster".

         

The Dictator

       Be afraid. Be very afraid. Sasha Baron Cohen is back. After giving the world Ali G, Borat and Bruno, Mr Cohen adds Admiral General Aladeen to his rogue's gallery of outrageous characters. Mr. Cohen's brand of comedy is not for everyone but if you are a fan, you will definitely be amused by "The Dictator".

       There are plenty of sight gags and topical jokes abound. Many fall flat but others hit the mark and there are scenes that will have you laughing out loud as well as cringing at their offensiveness. The reason Mr. Cohen can get away with offensive material as well as the 911 references, is that, as with his other films, he makes it clear from the start that his character is an idiot and that he is clearly making fun of himself. Although the 911 reference does push the limit and while funny in the context of the film will certainly offend many.

       Aladeen's love interest is played by Anna Ferris, who for once is the "straight man" rather than the fool she has played in other films. And while she is the voice of reason here, she also gets some of the best lines. Also starring is Sir Ben Kingsley which at first is remarkable to consider. This is the man who played Gandhi but then again he also starred in "Sexy Beast" so playing the villain in "The Dictator" isn't such a stretch. When Aladeen is kidnapped and replaced by a body double,  Jason Mantzoukas, a character actor by trade, has his biggest role to date as Alladeen's conspirator in his plans to return to power.

       The "fish out of water" plot is not new but Mr. Cohen milks (literally at one point) plenty of laughs out of a powerful dictator working in a grocery co-op in Brooklyn. Many of the funniest bits you've already seen in the trailer or in the TV ads but some of them have had lines altered which makes me wonder if somebody lost their nerve. Mr. Cohen's "Borat" was truly an original. With "The Dictator", the joke's still funny but it's starting to wear thin.

Dark Shadows

           Johnny Depp's undead vampire has more life in him then this disappointing take on the late sixties TV show. While Mr. Depp is terrific, biting the scenery as Barnabas Collins, the rest of the cast suffer in very poorly underwritten roles. Director Tim Burton does a great job recreating the look and sounds of the early seventies (the musical choices, in particular, are pure pleasure) but he can only do so much with a top notch cast working with a weak script.

            The original show which ran from 1966 until 1971 was a daytime soap opera disguised as a Gothic horror story. It put a new twist on an old genre and was a cult sensation. The new film borrows the basic idea of the show but strives for a more comedic approach. Mr. Depp never plays a false note and gives a wonderful performance and of course, gets all the good lines. Michele Pfeiffer is wasted with nothing to do as the current matriarch of the Collins family. The same can be said for Helena Bonham Carter as the family's live-in psychiatrist. Her character is supposed to be treating young Mr. David Collins, who believes his mother haunts the mansion.  We never see them in scenes together and David himself has very little to do until the film's climax. Chloe Grace Moretz plays the teen daughter of Ms. Pfeiffer and while her role has more depth, it also has a twist that comes ridiculously out of nowhere. Johnny Lee Miller plays another Collins family looking as bored as the audience. At least Jackie Jackie Earle Haley has some fun as the boozy family caretaker.

           The best scenes are between Mr. Depp and Eva Green, who plays his adversary, Angelique. It is Angelique, a very wicked witch, who first turns Mr. Depp into a vampire and has him buried alive when he spurns her love. When he returns 200 years later to 1972, she has ruined his family by a series of curses and by becoming a successful business rival. Their renewed love/hate relationship adds a desperate spark of life to the film.

            Mr. Burton is famous for his unique visual style and storytelling but here he gets lazy using an idea from "Death Becomes Her" for a big scene involving Ms. Green and a final shot that we've all seen way too many times. Both he and Mr. Depp have shared their love of the old series and strive to do it justice in their own fashion but unlike Mr. Depp's character, the script should have remained dead and buried.

The Avengers

      Comic book geeks assemble. This is the superhero movie you've been waiting for. The good news is that even an average film fan will enjoy  "The Avengers". A long time in the making, Marvel's master plan was to release individual superhero films  to eventually come together in this super group made up of Nick Fury, Iron Man, The Mighty Thor, The Hulk, Captain America, The Black Widow and Hawkeye. Anyone familiar with these characters will undoubtedly have a great time for two and half hours. Everyone else can still enjoy the escapist good time the film provides. 

        Directed with love and written for the screen by Joss Whedon, the film brings every hero together to defeat a common foe, Loki (the Asgardian God of Mischief) first introduced in "Thor" and played by Tom Hiddleston. The film takes it 's time to get going as too much dialog sets up the master plot, presumably for the audience living under a rock. But once it kicks into high gear it never looks back and provides plenty of action and some great one liners (delivered in majority by Robert Downy Jr. as Iron Man/Tony Stark).

         The special effects range from good to great at various points in the film. Case in point, The CGI Hulk who seems to constantly be changing size and bulk. His human side, Bruce Banner is played by Mark Ruffalo and he  spends most of the film moping about and trying to contain "the other guy". The CGI destruction of Midtown Manhattan is very well done although why is it always Manhattan? The film is in 3-D and actually works well in the medium. The colors and details really "pop".

          Screen time is divided pretty evenly so everyone can get their action spotlight although Scarlett Johansson as The Black Widow, seems to have just a little bit more than everyone else. Although in her skintight suit, who can really complain? Male eye candy gets it's share in the presence of Chris Evans as Captain America and Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Also returning is superspy Nick Fury played by Samuel Jackson and master archer, Hawkeye played by Jeremy Renner (also first introduced in Thor).

           In between battling Loki and his Alien army, there are verbal and physical sparring matches among the group which humanize the comic characters as well as provide lots of entertainment. It's hard to walk out disappointed and the good news, of course, is  the table is set for the inevitable sequel with the very brief appearance of a major Marvel villain.

Headhunters

This is a new Norwegian thriller from bestselling author Jo Nesbo. I believe it's the first time one of his books has made the transition to film and it's a welcome relief to the fairly dull film choices out there now. While Hollywood is waiting for "The Avengers" to kick off the official "summer Blockbuster" season, this little foreign film sneaks in early and does it's best to entertain (in a very "R" rated sexy and violent way).

 It's an engaging story that begins when a corporate headhunter (who moonlights as an art thief) ends up with the wrong client. Roger Brown is a smug executive who lives well beyond his means (to keep his trophy wife happy) and after meeting Claus Greve, his neat little life takes a wild and unexpected turn. Roger becomes a hunted man and the film turns up the violence as his situation becomes more and more outrageous. There are moments of absurd black comedy as well as much bloodshed (and one nasty act of violence against an attack dog) as the film twists and turns it's way to a neatly wrapped up ending.

 Askel Hennie stars as Roger and he endures quite a bit in a physically demanding role. Also starring as the cool and calculating Claus Greve, is Nicolaj Coster-Waldau (currently on "Game of Thrones" as Jamie Lannister). The plot continues to thicken and twist as the two stars play a dangerous game of cat and mouse. See it before the inevitable American remake... starring James Spader (if the casting agent has any good sense).

The Cabin in The Woods

Five stereotyped friends go for a weekend at a cabin deep in the woods and mayhem ensues. Think you've seen this before? Think again. From the opening moments, you will realize this is not your typical horror film but rather a cross between "The Truman Show" and "Evil Dead". The entire "horror" experience is being controlled by a group of scientists led by Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins. And just when you think you know where the film might be headed, it veers of course and surprises you.

Directed by Drew Goddard and written by Mr. Goddard and Joss Whedon, "Cabin" is a fun puzzle of genres that stays true to the source but playfully mixes things up. Mr. Goddard and Mr. Whedon manipulate their audience just as the characters themselves are manipulated. At times, the script is too smart for it's own good. Scattered throughout are sly references to other films (blatantly even a character named Truman).

There is horror (but not that scary) and cast members do die bloody deaths but there is also humor (mostly the witty banter of Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Whitford) and many suspenseful moments. The friends are played by Chris Hemsworth (pre-Thor), Jesse Williams, Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchison and Fran Kranz. Each one inhabits their stereotype admirably. There is even a surprise guest star who is very appropriate.

I originally wrote it off as just another "kids in the woods bloodbath" but when other critics became so divided about the film, I had to see it for myself. Despite the "aren't we clever moments", and even if you do feel manipulated, you'll still enjoy the ride.

The Raid: Redemption

This simple premise of police raiding a drug lord's apartment complex turns into a masterful choreography of bullets and bodies in this new Indonesian action fest. While the film is in subtitles, the story is really all visual. A heavily armed police squad enter the building and have to fight their way to the 15th floor through an army of thugs. Non-stop use of machine guns, handguns, machetes, knives, fists and feet all combine into 100 minutes of action packed violence that will leave you breathless.

This is certainly not a film for everyone but fans of the genre will enjoy themselves very much. Hollywood will probably remake this film but will be hard pressed to recreate the suspense and action as the police fight their way up through the building, their numbers dwindling floor by floor. The martial art fight scenes are remarkable and directors Gareth Evans and Iko Uwais perform movie magic keeping the body count high but maintaining a human element in the form of the hero cop, Rama, played by Mr. Uwais.

It's an all out war played out in the urban landscape of the apartment complex and the claustrophobic camera work puts the viewer directly into the action from the very beginning. The stunt work is exceptional and watching the end credits made me laugh when I saw the long list of names for the on set medical team. Leaving the theater, I could swear I had new bruises myself.

Goon

The best hockey film since "Slapshot". Come to think of it, have there actually been any others? This is based on the true story of Doug Smith (Doug Glatt in the film), a boxer who becomes a hockey enforcer. Doug is not a very good hockey player but he is an excellent fighter and every hockey team needs an enforcer to do the dirty work against the other team.

Doug is play by Seann William Scott in his best role to date. When he isn't punching someone's lights out, he shows some real range as the mild mannered and dim witted Doug (who comes alive only when he's doing what he does best...hitting people). He is joined by Jay Baruchel (who also produced and co-wrote the film) as his best friend Pat. Mr. Baruchel captures the Boston hockey fan stereotype perfectly and is very funny in the film. Also starring are Alison Pill as Doug's love interest, Kim Coates as the coach of the team and Liv Schreiber as a rival enforcer.

The movie has lots of hockey action, intense fight scenes on the ice, and some very funny scenes off the ice thanks to a clever script with memorable dialogue. It's full of colorful characters and while brutal at times, it is also very touching.

Hockey is far from my favorite sport but "Goon" keeps things interesting and fun. It's a lot better than watching an actual hockey game.

The Hunger Games

"The Hunger Games"

I have not read the bestselling novel this film is based on so I can't use it as a reference point. I can only judge the film on it's own merit. So for those of who have read the book, you may have an entirely different viewpoint. I found the film interesting and exciting at times but the central plot left a bad taste in my mouth.

Do we really want to watch a film where the entire second half is about a group of youngsters trying to kill each other for the enjoyment of adults? The premise is distasteful but at least most of the slaughter is quick or off screen. I suppose it could have been worse as the film is rated PG-13 to attract it's legions of teenage fans.

Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss, the plucky heroine who volunteers to take her younger sister's place at the "games". Ms. Lawrence is a very talented actress who truly breathes life to Katniss. There is not one false note in her performance and I would imagine she does the character proud. She's an exciting talent who carries the film on her young shoulders. She was terrific in "Winter's Bone", "The X-Men: First Class" and now, the first of a Hunger Games trilogy. Co-starring are Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Wes Bently, Donald Sutherland and Lenny Kravitz. Apparently everyone in the future has horrible hairstyles.

There are elements of "The Truman Show" and certainly "Battle Royale" (a Japanese film from 2000 that basically used the same plot first) found throughout the film and when it tends to lose steam, Ms. Lawrence keeps everything ramped up until the grand finale (which technically isn't a finale at all but a bookmark until the next installment).

Fans of the series will hunger for more but I was satisfied with the first course.

John Carter

I had to see for myself why this film has been getting so much bad press. Sometimes critics are just too critical. Yes, it's a bad hybrid of "Star Wars" meets "Avatar" with terrible dialog and some wooden acting but....it does hold a certain appeal for the 12-year old boy in all of us.

If you are a fan of Science fiction action films, you can certainly do worse than "John Carter". If you do decide to see it, see it in IMAX 3-D where you can at least appreciate the exciting visuals. Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote a whole series of stories about John Carter so there is plenty of appeal of the character in literature. Translating it properly to the screen is the issue. The story is sloppy and unoriginal, blatantly stealing chunks of ideas from the earlier mentioned sci-fi giants.

The film stars Taylor Kitsch as the title hero. Mr. Kitsch has the looks but lacks the skill to pull off the role. He takes everything much too seriously and tries too hard to please. His love interest, played by Lynn Collins is attractive and handy with a sword but has little personality. Ciaran Hinds and Dominic West add some acting weight to the proceedings but this is a far cry from "Rome" or "The Wire".

The story is confusing enough transplanting a confederate soldier to Mars via a sliver medallion but once John Carter arrives he finds himself in the middle of a Martian Civil War involving humanoid Martians. At the same time, totally CGI alien looking Martians co-exist peacefully but for some reason get caught up in the war. Director Andrew Stanton has made a ton of hits for Pixar and has no problem directing his CGI Martians. It's his approach to human interaction that needs work.

The action sequences are fun and the film does look great in IMAX 3-D. Sometimes, a movie is just a movie and if escapist entertainment is all you seek, then consider John Carter. Your inner child may thank you...or throw a tantrum for wasting his allowance.

21 Jump Street

This new comedy borrows the concept from the original TV show (that launched the career of Johnny Depp) but only in a very broad sense. The film is sophomoric, raunchy, very funny and surprisingly entertaining. What could have been just a lame re-make filled with genital jokes is actually a very smart script constantly making fun of itself and keeping the audience in on the gag. Oh, and lots of genital jokes.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum have great chemistry together and going undercover at high school presents all kinds of sub-plots. A bathroom scene where he and Mr. Tatum try to regurgitate drugs they had swallowed had me roaring with laughter. More than just an action comedy, the film is a "bromance" and plays upon role reversals of high school stereotypes. Mr. Hill co-wrote the story but is generous enough to share the spotlight with his cast mates.. Rob Riggle and Ice Cube co-star and both are given ample screen time to provide laughs. Brie Larson provides the love interest and Dave Franco (younger brother of James) rounds out the cast as the ecology minded high school drug dealer.

Give credit to the studio for making a trailer that, for once, doesn't give away ALL the funny parts. There are plenty of verbal and visuals gags that you don't see coming. Chase scenes are constructed in an unconventional way as well as other typical "action" scenes making the film fresh even while it makes fun of it's origin. There is also an unbilled cameo that comes as a pleasant surprise.

The film's rated R for a reason but there is intelligence beyond the raunchy humor and it's an address you'll want to visit. And if you do enjoy it, don't worry...the end practically screams sequel.

Wanderlust

A bright spot during a winter of bad B movies, this new comedy has many laugh out loud moments. Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston star as George and Linda, unemployed New Yorkers on their way to start again in Atlanta Georgia. On the way to live with George's brother, they get sidetracked at Elysium, a commune of free spirits that offer them a new lifestyle.

This is a reverse "Out of Towners" where the laughs come fast as the NY couple try to adjust to the easy going lifestyle of the commune where nudity, free love and vegan diets are the order of the day. Paul Rudd is the king of sarcasm and double takes. He is just hilarious throughout the film and the scene where he is talking to himself in the mirror will have you rolling in the aisles. Ms. Aniston plays to her comedic strength and has good chemistry with Mr. Rudd.

The film co-stars Justin Theroux co-stars as Seth, the magnetic leader of the commune and Alan Alda as the founder of Elysium. Ken Marino, who co-wrote the script with director David Wain, is also very funny as George's obnoxious older brother.

It's a silly (rated R for a reason) comedy but a good escape from the winter blues.