For some odd reason I was looking forward to Adam Sandler’s Jack and Jill. I can’t explain it, I certainly don’t have an excuse for it and I’ve never been on pins and needles w]]> Either I had a mini stroke while watching Justin Lin’s Fast Five or the films in this lucrative series for gearheads are getting better and better. I’ll be damned if I don’t think it]]> A longing for another time has never been far from many of Woody Allen’s films. Many of his movies take place in a past (Radio Days, Bullets Over Broadway) that’s recreated, if not idyllic]]> The success of Sara Gruen’s novel, Water for Elephants, speaks to a need people have to believe in something basic and necessary in these dire times. It was no coincidence that during the Great ]]> It makes sense that Country Strong, the new drama starring Gwyneth Paltrow as a big time honky-tonk queen on the ropes, would resemble the sort of songs its characters sing. There’s infidelity, ]]> The previews for Pixar’s Up do everything they’re suppose to do to get you to see it. They feature cute cartoon characters coupled with an intriguing premise and promise a few ]]> One of the advantages of having low expectations is that you increase the possibility of being pleasantly surprised. Case in point, Peter Berg’s Battleship, a movie that upon seeing the trailer,]]> Untitled Document Back in May, when I was looking over the many lists of films for the coming summer movie season, Nancy Drew did not make my must-see list. However, after w]]> The movies I hate most are those that play it safe, the ones that refuse to take any chances in their quest for laughs or tears. Boundary pushing is not for those who operate in this milquetoast terri]]> As advertised, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo appears to be a rollicking adventure about a young Parisian orphan who’s on a quest to uncover a mystery involving his late father and a primitive rob]]> What’s better — life in the fast lane or enjoying it at a slower pace? And can you get where you’re going by going it alone? Don’t expect any surprise answers in Cars]]> Putting the Tim Burton reboot debacle firmly behind them, 20th Century-Fox has produced a worthy prequel to their Planet of the Apes franchise with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Spending virtually n]]> There’s plenty of blame and shame to go around in Lee Hirsch’s Bully, a flawed yet compelling documentary that puts our nation’s bullying epidemic under the microscope. Shot in 2010,]]> We flock to romantic movies because they provide us with an idealized look at what we all want love to be. All obstacles are overcome, characters reveal their true natures to one another and are accep]]> I think everyone hits a wall at their workplace. While many are happy to be employed and give their all at their jobs, there are times when a bit of malaise sets in and instead of giving 100 percent, ]]> Comedians as broad as Jim Carrey are an acquired taste. You either love him or hate him. He’s mellowed a bit over the years and I’ve come to admire his willingness to go all out on screen.]]> Marvel Entertainment’s grand plan of bringing its superhero team, The Avengers, to the big screen moves one step closer to fruition with the release of Kenneth Branagh’s Thor. A god among ]]> Funny thing about having all of your dreams come true. Usually there’s that other shoe that drops, making you wonder if your good fortune is a blessing or not. Case in point: Po (voice by Jack B]]> As ruthless investment banker Max Skinner, Russell Crowe seems right at home during the opening scenes of A Good Year. With his character belittling his employees and manipulating London’s finan]]>