While I was reasonably sure that 21 Jump Street would be reasonably funny, what I didn’t anticipate was how smart it would be. As written by Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill, the film contains the ]]> You have to give French filmmaker Luc Besson credit – he has no problem displaying his preference where women are concerned on the big screen. With La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element, and The Me]]> In the world of film, 2008 will be remembered as the year in which the industry proved it could thrive even when the economy did not. Never before were there so many films that grossed ov]]> It really comes as no surprise that faith-based dramas have found a devoted following. Films such as Facing the Giants, Fireproof and Courageous answer a need with their life-affirming messages as the]]> Bearing the Steven Spielberg stamp of approval and the most effective viral ad campaign since The Blair Witch Project, the $15,000 independent horror feature Paranormal Activity, comes bearing the onu]]> Having racked up serious box office and generally favorable reviews with the first three Paranormal Activity films, the producers of the series have finally gone to the well once too often. The fourth]]> It’s not every summer we see the end of a cultural phenomenon, but with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 on July 15, the saga of “the boy who lived” comes ]]> The buzz has been steadily building for Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right. The advance reviews have been great and it’s crept into the national consciousness, referred to as “]]> Walking in to see Jim Sheridan’s Dream House, my expectations were less than high. The film was not screened in advance for critics – never a good sign – and the trailer for the film]]> If ever there was a genre ripe for parody, it’s the superhero film. Matthew Vaughn’s take on Mark Millar’s post-modern comic book “Kick-Ass,” strives to be the feature th]]> Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 has the unenviable task of following Joss Whedon’s widely entertaining The Avengers as the next Marvel Studios movie out of the chute. Too bad that Iron Man 3 gets]]> You have to give Brendan Fraser one thing – the guy’s a good sport. Having donned a loincloth in George of the Jungle, sported a Canadian Mountie’s outfit for Dudley Do-Right and gon]]> Trying to channel a Friday-like vibe, director Erik White’s Lottery Ticket sports a premise ripe with comic possibilities, yet lacks the easygoing tone to make it a complete success. Bow Wow, si]]> Based on a true story, Ric Roman Waugh’s Snitch is far better than it has any right to be. As a vehicle for Dwayne Johnson, going a far way toward putting his “Rock” image in the pas]]> The poster for the reboot of Sam Raimi’s cult horror movie The Evil Dead (1981) promises that it is “the most terrifying film you will ever experience.” Of course, there’s more]]> Without question, Michael Oher’s story is remarkable. The young man was the son of a crack addict and homeless as he entered high school. Fate showed him a kind hand as he was accepted into Memp]]> Gran Torino proves to be a requiem of sorts for Clint Eastwood. This graceful, poignant film is the perfect exit for the iconic actor/director as he displays not only his usual confidence]]> While Aardman Animation’s Wallace and Gromit characters have been embraced in their native England, they’re only marginally known in the United States. Animation fans are aware of their od]]> Grace Smith wanted to do something radically different for her 30th birthday: She decided to write, direct and star in her own feature film. She will screen the result--Hope's Happy Birthday--at this ]]> Ostensibly a recruitment film as well as a flag-waving message of reassurance, Act of Valor is intent on delivering two very important messages - that the United States is constantly under the cloud o]]>