THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Daniel Craig    (Mikael Blomkvist)
Rooney Mara   (Lisbeth Salander)
Stellan Skarsgard   (Martin Vanger)
Christopher Plummer   (Henrik Vanger)
Robin Wright    (Erika Berger)
Joely Richardson   (Anita Vanger)

A disgraced writer (Daniel Craig) is hired by a man (Christopher Plummer) to find out what happened to his deceased daughter some forty years ago. The writer hires an assistant (Rooney Mara), who has a dragon tattoo (hence the name). Together they solve the mystery. The End. I had to pay close attention, but it was worth it. I would rate it 4 1/2 out of 5. Definitely a hard "R". I think I shall see it again. (2011 - R)

THE DESCENDANTS

George Clooney   (Matt King)
Beau Bridges  (Cousin Hugh)
Robert Forster   (Scott Thorson)
Matthew Lillad   (Brian Speer)
Judy Greer   (Julie Speer)
Laird Hamilton   (Troy Cook)

An Hawaiian attorney has a trust of some really choice land entrusted to him and his cousins. His wife has a terrible accident and is on lift support. In the middle of all that, he finds out that before the accident, his wife was sleeping around on him. He takes his two daughters and decides to go on a vacation with them (to look for the man his wife has been sleeping with). I didn't think it was all that good. I liked "Up In The Air" better. The End. I would rate it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

HUGO

Ben Kingsley   (Georges Melies)
Sacha Baron Cohen   (Station Inspector)
Asa Butterfield   (Hugo Cabret)
Chloe Grace Moretz   (Isabelle)
Emily Mortimer   (Lisette)
Jude Law   (Hugo's Father)
Christopher Lee  (Monsieur Labisse)

Based on the life of Georges Melies, the father of motion picture photography. The best film in 3D since "Avatar". I really liked it! It takes place in the 30s, and Hugo is the boy who takes care of the clocks at Paris's train station. He meets Georges Melies, the owner of a Curiosity Shop, and his daughter, Isabelle. I won't another word about it - see it!!! The only thing I found annoying was that half of the people spoke in British accents while the other half spoke in French accents. I mean, come on, Chloe Grace Moretz speaking in an English accent. Directed by Martin Scorsese. And, please, see it on the big screen in 3D. The End. I would rate it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG)   

J. EDGAR

Leonardo DiCaprio  (J. Edgar Hoover)
Armie Hammer  (Clyde Tolson)
Noami Watts  (Helen Gandy)
Judi Dench  (Annie Hoover)
Steven Root  (Arthur Koehler)
Lea Thompson  (Lela Rogers)

Snooze-fest. Directed by Clint Eastwood about the life of J. Edgar Hoover. The End.  I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

SHARK NIGHT 3D

Donal Logue   (Sabin)
Joel David Moore   (Gordon)
And Sherman, The Wonder Dog

You may remember Donal Logue from the 2001 - 2005, "Grounded for Life". You might also remember Joel David Moore from the movie "Dodgeball". I'm sorry, neither one put on the acting chops for "Shark Night". Some simple folk and some high-falutin' college kids. You know where this is going, right? Some of the cheapest 3-D effects out there. I was rooting for the bad guys to win. Unfortunately, they did not. A shark film on a lake??? The End. I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG-13)

THE THING

Mary Elizabeth Winstead   (Kate Lloyd)
Joel Edgerton  (Braxton Carter)
Ulrich Thomsen  (Dr. Sander Halvorson)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje   (Jameson)

Really, really scary. A team of scientists travel to Antarctica to unearth a alien. The alien turns out to be really nasty. It is the third one in the series. Number one was released in 1951 and starred James Arness as "The Thing". It was a Howard Hawks picture  called "The Thing From Another World". Number two was released in 1982 and starred Kurt Russell. It was a John Carpenter film. The third is a Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. film, and is the scariest one (although number 2 wasn't bad). I liked all three films! The End. I would give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - R)

THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE

Dominic Cooper   (Uday Hussein / Latif Yahia)
Philip Quast   (Saddam Hussein / Faoaz)

A cheap rip-off bordering on pornography. About the life of Uday Hussein, Saddam's son. At least, in real life, he got what was coming to him. I don't know how true it was. The End. I would give it a 1 1/4 out of 5 stars. Absolutely horrible.  (2011 - R)

HIGHER GROUND

Vera Farmiga  (Corinne)
John Hawkes   (CW)
Taissa Farmiga  (Young Corinne)
Bill Irwin  (Pastor Bud)

I have always liked Vera Farmiga (exept in the stinker, "Running Scared") and this is her directorial debut. After suffering a near-fatal car crash, a woman (obviously, Vera Farmiga)  and her family find God. They join the "Rupture" church, an evangelical denomination. But try as she might, the "Rupture" never takes hold of her. And, yes, I got the part where the dogs where hanging around the front of the church. Taissa Farmiga played the younger Corinne. She plays "Violet" on the TV's "American Horror Story". The End. I would give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars, but I would wait for it to come out on TV.  (2011 - R)

MONEYBALL

Brad Pitt   (Billy Beane)
Jonah Hill   (Peter Brand)
Philip Seymour Hoffman   (Art Howe)
Robin Wright   (Sharon)
Bob Costas as Himself

The true story about baseball's Oakland Athletics General Manager, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) who, depite a near broke club, he put together a bunch of guys who, in the end, made it.  I liked it, but you have to know about baseball or you will be lost. Another effort penned by Aaron Sorkin (West Wing, A Few Good Men, The Social Network) from a book by Michael Lewis. Jonah Hill was good as Peter Brand, a Yale educated economist who was Billy Beane's right-hand man. I liked "Major League" with Tom Berenger and Charlie Sheen better. Wait untill it come's out on video. The End. I would rate it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2011 - PG-13)

CONTAGION

Matt Damon   (Mitch Emhoff)
Gwyneth Paltrow   (Beth Emhoff)
Laurence Fishburn   (Dr. Ellis Cheever)
John Hawkes   (Roger)
Jude Law   (Alan Krumwiede)
Marion Cotillard   (Dr. Leonora Orantes)
Kate Winslet   (Dr. Erin Mears)
Elliott Gould  (Dr. Ian Sussman)
Demetri Martin   (Dr. David Eisenberg)
Bryan Cranston  (Lyle Haggerty)

A lot of stars! A killer flu (worse than H1N1) and how it spreads all over the world. In the last scene, we find out where it comes from. I sure am glad that I had a cup of coffee beforehand. A real snooze-fest. The movie "Outbreak" staring Dustin Hoffman and Donald Sutherland was more exciting. The End. I would give it a 2 1/2 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG-13)

OUR IDIOT BROTHER

Paul Rudd   (Ned)
Zooey Deschanel   (Natalie)
Emily Mortimer   (Liz)
Elizabeth Banks   (Miranda)
Rashida Jones   (Cindy)
Steve Coogan   (Dylan)
Adam Scott   (Jeremy)
Sterling Brown   (Omar)
Shirley Knight   (Ilene)
and Matthew Mindler as River

A "stoner" (Paul Rudd) gets arrested for selling pot and gets sent to prison. On his release, he visits his sisters (Deschanel, Mortimer, and Banks), spending time with each one of them. He has a knack for telling the truth no matter what. Each sister has a secret they want kept, but he always tells of truth. In the end, his sisters learn to deal with it. What was all right, but no great shakes. The End. I would rate it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - R)

FRIGHT NIGHT

Colin Farrell    (Jerry)
Christopher Mintz-Plasse  (Ed)
Anton Yelchin  (Charley Brewster)
Toni Collette  (Jane Brewster)
Imogen Poots  (Amy)
David Tennant  (Peter Vincent)

The worst vampire movie I have ever seen!!! I felt like saying "We don't buy it" to the screen. At least it was over in an hour and a half. DON'T SEE THIS MOVIE. It was awful. If you want to see a great vampire movie, see "From Dusk to Dawn" starring George Clooney and Harvey Keitel. I would give it 1 out of 5 stars. The End.  (2011 - R)

THE HELP

Emma Stone   ('Skeeter' Phelan)
Viola Davis   (Aibileen Clark)
Allison Janney   (Charlotte Phelan)
Octavia Spencer  (Minny Jackson)
Cicely Tyson  (Constantine Jefferson)
Sissy Spacek  (Missus Walters)
Mary Steenburgen   (Elain Stein)
Bryce Dallas Horward   (Hilly Holbrook)

Another chick-flick! About the early 60's in Jackson, Mississippi and a shit pie. Landed gentry (all white) and their maids (all black) - and a chick that dreamed of becoming a writer. It was all right. At least it kept me awake. I would rate it a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.The End. (2011 - PG-13) 

FINAL DESTINATION 5

Courtney Vance   (Agent Block)
David Koechner   (Dennis)
A whole lot of people I don't remember

In this edition, nobody dies. Just kidding.....everybody dies! This is the fourth "Final Destination" movie I have seen. I loved them all! I saw this one in 3D. The End. I would rate this one at 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - R)

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

James Franco   (Will Rodman)
John Lithgow   (Charles Rodman)
Brian Cox   (John Landon)
Freida Pinto   (Caroline Aranha)

A guy (James Franco) who's father (John Lithgow) is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, discovers a cure. He makes apes smart. Unfortunately, it has some drawbacks. The apes become aggressive. So they kill all the apes but one. The guy takes the ape home and reares it. He secretly gives his father the cure. Fast track to eight years in the future. The guys father has Alzheimer's again, only this time he has sunk even further. After the father get confused, the apes goes after a neighbor. So they have to put the ape in a petting zoo. The ape steals the formula and makes all the apes smart. They escape and go against the humans. "Get your God damn hands off me you dirty ape". The End. I would rate it 2 1/2 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG-13)

COWBOYS & ALIENS

Daniel Craig  (Jake Lonergan)
Harrison Ford  (Woodrow Dolarhyde)
Sam Rockwell  (Doc)
Olivia Wilde  (Ella Swenson)
Keith Carradine  (Sheriff John Taggart)
Paul Dano  (Percy Dolarhyde)
Noah Ringer  (Emmett Taggart)

Well, it's the story of cowboys and .......aliens. Together. On the same screen. Only Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig could pull something like this off. Basically, it's the story wild west cowboys, outlaws, and a whole mess of Indians doing battle with aliens who want the earth's supply of gold. The cowboys, outlaws, and Indians formulate a plan of attack. Like I say, only Ford and Craig could pull this off. I liked it! The End. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG) 

HORRIBLE BOSSES

Jason Bateman  (Nick Hendricks)
Kevin Spacey  (Dave Harken)
Jason Sudeikis  (Kurt Buckman)
Colin Farrell  (Bobby Pellit)
Charlie Day  (Dale Arbus)
Jennifer Aniston  (Dr. Julia Harris, D.D.S.)
Jamie  Foxx  (Dean "Muthafuckin'" Jones)
Donald Sutherland  (Jack Pellit)
Bob Newhart  (Lou Sherman)
Barry Livingston  (Hank)
Julie Bowen  (Rhonda Harken)
Ron White  (Detective Samson)
Isaiah Mustafa  (Officer Wilkens)

A story about three employees (Bateman, Sudeikis, and Day) who hatch a plot to kill their "Horrible Bosses" (Spacey, Farrell, and Aniston). Unfortunately, it fell flat. It was a good cast who ended up in the wrong movie. I couldn't wait for it to end. The End. Skip it! The best thing about it was Isaiah Mustafa, the "Old Spice" guy. I would rate it as 1 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

LARRY CROWNE

Tom Hanks   (Larry Crowne)
Julia Roberts  (Mercedes Tainot.....not "Tai-bo")
Cedric the Entertainer   (Lamar)
Pam Grier  (Frances)
Bryan Cranston  (Dean Tainot)
George Takie  (Dr. Matsutani)
Nia Vardalos   (Map Genie)
Rob Riggle  (Jack Strang)
Dale Dye  (Cox)
Rita Wilson  (Wilma Q. Gammelgaard)
Wilmer Valderrama  (Dell Gordo)

Another one about a drunk teacher. This time, Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) get's fired from a job because he didn't go to college. He enrolls at the junior college. There he meets Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts), an instructor in one of his classes. (She is the drunk) In the end, he gets an A+ in her class, "Speech 217". The End. Not one of either Hanks' or Roberts' best performances.  I would rate it 2 3/4 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG-13)

BAD TEACHER

Cameron Diaz   (Elizabeth Halsey)
Justin Timberlake  (Scott Delacorte)
Jason Segel  (Russell Gettis)
Lucy Punch  (Amy Squirrel)
Phyllis Smith  (Lynn Davies)

I'm sorry; I loved it! A foul-mouthed, drunken  junior high school teacher (Cameron Diaz) needs a boob-job. She discovers a way to make it happen. "Hey, Chubs". I laughed a lot! It definitely is R-rated. The End. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

Owen Wilson   (Gil)
Rachel McAdams  (Inez)
Michael Sheen  (Paul)
Tom Hiddleston (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
Alison Pill (Zelda Fitzgerald)
Corey Stoll  (Ernest Hemingway)
Kathy Bates  (Gertrude Stein)
Sonia Rolland  (Josephine Baker)
Adrien Brody  (Salvador Dali)

A Woody Allen film. I really liked the movie! About a writer (Owen Wilson) who is magically transformed to 1920's Paris every night when the clock strikes midnight. You have got to see it! The End. I would rate it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2011 - PG-13)

THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

Johnny Depp   (Jack Sparrow)
Pelelope Cruz   (Angelica Malon)
Geoffrey Rush   (Barbossa)
Ian McShane   (Blackbeard)
Keith Richards   (Captain Teague {Jack's father})
Gemma Ward   (Tarama)

Jack (Johnny Depp) goes looking for the Fountian of Youth. Along the way, he meets up with Blackbeard's (Ian McShane) daughter played by Pelelope Cruz. Also, along the way, they meet some mermaids. That was it. This is number four in the series. I wished they'd stopped with number two. Where are Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley when you really need them? The mermaids were the best part. The End. I would rate it 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. It wasn't very good.  (2011 - PG-13)

ATLAS SHRUGGED

Taylor Schilling  (Dagny Taggert)
Grant Bowler  (Henry Rearden)
Michael O'Keefe  (Hugh Akston)
Michael Lerner  (Wesley Mouch)
Patrick Fischler  (Paul Larkin)
Jon Polito  (Orren Boyle)
Christina Pickles  (Mother Rearden)

I always get "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" confused. One is about buildings and one is about railroads. The other day, I went to "Atlas Shrugged" and  thought I stumbled into a "Young Republicans" meeting. What a load of horse hockey. Even a Senator named "Wesley Mouch". I won't bother to tell you what it is about. And I won't be going to part two. The End. I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG-13)

THE CONSPIRATOR

James McAvoy  (Frederick Aiken)
Robin Wright  (Mary Surratt)
Justin Long  (Nicholas Baker)
Kevin Kline  (Edwin Stanton)
Tom Wilkinson  (Reverdy Johnson)
Evan Rachel Wood  (Anna Surratt)
Stephen Root  (John Lloyd)
Danny Huston  (Joseph Holt)
Norman Reedus  (Lewis Payne)
Toby Kebbell   (John Wilkes Booth)
Alexis Bledel  (Sarah Weston)

A woman (Robin Wright) is charged with conspiring with the likes of John Wilkes Booth (Toby Kebbell) and Lewis Payne (Norman Reedus) in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. A war hero (James McAvoy) is put in charge of her defense. As the trial wears on, he is more and more convinced of the woman's innocents.The critics panned it, but I rather liked it.What ever you think, Mary Surratt was given a raw deal. The End. I rated it 4 1/4 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG-13)

SRE4M

Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers-Riley)

David Arquette (Dewey Riley)
Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott)
Hayden Panettiere (Kirby Reed)
Emma Roberts (Jill Roberts)
Anna Paquin (Rachel)
Kristen Bell (Chloe)
Mary McDonnell (Kate Roberts)
Lucy Hale (Sherrie)
Shenae Grimes (Trudie)
Aimee Teegarden (Jenny Randall)
Brittany Robertson (Marnie Cooper)
Anthony Anderson (Deputy Perkins)
Rory Culkin (Charlie Walker)

A mother and her son take the two thousand mile journey on horseback to discover what is .......... just kidding, the same as all the "Scream" movies. I think Courtney Cox is getting a little long in the tooth. Same old thing, a serial killer hunts for young victims.  Not quite The End. I would rate it a 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

SOUL SURFER

Dennis Quaid    (Tom Hamilton)
Helen Hunt   (Cheri Hamilton)
Carrie Underwood  (Sarah Hill)
Kevin Sorbo   (Holt Blanchard)
Craig T. Nelson   (Dr. Rovinksy)
AnnaSophia Robb   (Bethany Hamilton)

The story of champion surfer Bethany Hamilton. She got her arm bitten clean off by a shark. She learned how to surf all over again, and went on to be a championship surfer. I guess that they did not have rehabilitation facilities back then (the picture was made time-frame of three years ago). I thought it was too religious in nature and not enough car chases. The End. I would rate it 2 out of  5 stars.  (2011 - PG)

ARTHUR

Russell Brand   (Arthur)
Helen Mirren   (Hobson)
Jennifer Garner  (Susan Johnson)
Nick Nolte  (Burt Johnson)
Luiz Guzman  (Bitterman)
Greta Gerwig  (Naomi)
Evander Holyfield  (Himself)

A drunken playboy (Russell Brand) stands to lose a wealthy inheritance when he falls for a woman (Greta Gerwig) his mother doesn't like. I thought that Helen Mirren great as "Hobson". An updated version of the one starring Dudley Moore. To be honest with you, I like the 2011 better. The End. I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.  (2011 - PG-13)

YOUR HIGHNESS

Danny McBride (Thadeous)

James Franco (Fabious)

Natalie Portman (Isabel)

Zooey Deschanel (Belladonna)

Toby Jones (Julie)

Damian Lewis (Boremont)

Once apon a time, there lived handsome prince (James Franco) and his ne'er-do-well  brother (Danny McBride). The prince's fiancé (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped and the prince must go find her. He takes his brother and goes on a quest. Definitely adult in nature, it gives a whole new meaning to "your higness". I really liked it! But, again, you have to like drug related humor. The End. I would give it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE

Josh Radnor  (Sam Wexler)

Michael Algieri  (Rasheen)

Kate Mara  (Mississippi)

Malin Akerman  (Annie)

Zoe Kazan  (Mary Catherine)

Richard Jenkins  (Paul Gertmanian)

A writer (Josh Radnor) finds an abandoned kid in a subway car. He decides to take the kid home. Josh Radnor plays on "How I Met You're Mother" and also directs the flim. It was okay, but no great shakes. The End. Wait till it comes out on DVD! I would rate it 3 3/4 out of 5 stars. (2010 - R)

WIN WIN

Paul Giamatti  (Mike Flaherty)

Amy Ryan   (Jackie Flaherty)

Alex Shaffer  (Kyle)

Burt Young   (Leo Poplar)

Jeffrey Tambor  (Stephen Vigman)

Melanie Lynskey  (Cindy)

Margo Martindale  (Eleanor)

A down-on-his-luck attorney, Mike (Paul Giamatti) has himself appointed to conservatorship for Leo (Burt Young), a guy who is suffering with dementia. He places Leo in a old folk's home, even though Leo's doing fine at home. Along comes Leo's grandson, Kyle (Alex Shaffer), who is a high school age runaway from Ohio. Mike is also the local high school's wrestling coach. After learning that Kyle is a wrestler, Mike transfers him to the local high school. Kyle is a natural, and for the first time Mike starts winning. I thought it was a delightful film. The End. I would give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. You should definitely see the movie.  (2011 - R)

PAUL

Simon Pegg (Graeme Willy)

Nick Frost (Clive Gollings)
Seth Rogen (Paul - voice)
Jane Lynch (Pat Stevens)
Jason Bateman (Agent Zoil)
Sigourney Weaver (The Big Guy)
Bill Hader (Haggard)
Kristen Wiig (Ruth Buggs)
Blythe Danner (Tara Walton)

Two English gentlemen (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) go to "Comi-Com" and then go around to see all the UFO sites. Along the way, they meet Paul (Seth Rogen); an alien. They have to get Paul back to the site where he is going to be picked up. They meet up with Ruth (Kristen Wiig) and Tara (Blythe Danner) and the five of them go to Paul's pickup location. He takes Tara and goes back to his own planet. The End. It was okay, but not spectacular. If I were you, I would wait for it come out on DVD. I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

SUCKER PUNCH

Emily Browning (Baby Doll)
Abbie Cornish (Sweet Pea)
Jena Malone (Rocket)
Vanessa Hudgens (Blondie)
Scott Glenn (Wise Man)
Jon Hamm (Hign Roller / Doctor)
Jamie Chung (Amber)

Purely and simply, I didn't like it. It was too much like "Burlesque" with one additional subplot. A girl kills her sister, and so she is sent to an insane asylum. Once there, she has to become an exotic dancer. She and four girls devise a way to get out. It was very confusing to me. The End. I would give it 2 3/4 out of 5 stars. It was finished back in October - an extra six months before it came out. (2011 - PG-13)

LIMITLESS

Bradley Cooper (Eddie Morra)

Robert De Niro (Carl Van Loon)

Abbie Cornish (Lindy)

Anna Friel (Melissa)

A guy (Bradley Cooper) takes a drug and suddenly he has limitless potential (hence the name, "Limitless") . The problem is, a bunch of people want to get their hands on this drug (including the Russian mafia). Another guy (Robert De Niro), hires Eddie to work on a leveraged buyout. He suspects Eddie has the drug. In the end, Eddie runs for the Senate. Actually, it was a good movie. The only thing was, why isn't everybody on the drug? The End. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. (2011 - PG-13)

THE LINCOLN LAWYER

Matthew McConaughey (Mick Haller)

William H. Macy (Frank Levin)

Marisa Tomei (Maggie McPherson)

John Leguizamo (Val Valenzuela)

Bryan Cranston (Detective Lankford)

Bob Gunton (Cecil Dobbs)

Michael Pena (Jesus Martinez)

Ryan Phillippe (Louis Roulet)

Trace Adkins (Eddie Vogel)

Matthew McConaughey plays a lawyer who drives around in a Lincoln Towne Car. He takes on a murder case where the guy (Ryan Phillippe) is supposedly innocent. But is he really? Lots of twists and turns abound. The End. That's all I will tell you about it. You have to see the movie. I liked it! I would rate it a 4 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

RED RIDING HOOD

Amanda Seyfried (Valerie)
Gary Oldman (Father Solomon)
Virginia Madsen (The Mother, Suzette)
Billy Burke (The Father, Cesaire)
Lukas Haas (Father Auguste)
Julie Christie (Grandmother)

Shiloh Fernandez (Peter)

Stop me if you've heard this one before. A girl takes some goodies to her grandmother. When she gets there, her grandmother has been eaten by a (were)wolf. Peter comes in and saves the girl's life. The End. The CGI scenes were excellent. Kind of like a fairy tale for adults. (And actually, the high school crowd would have been an ideal audience.) I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. (2011 - PG-13)

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES

Aaron Eckhart (SSgt. Michael Nantz)

Michael Pena (Joe Rincon)

Michelle Rodriguez (TSgt. Elena Santos)

A lame sleeper that tells the story of the battle for Los Angeles with some outer space guys. Done in the annoying "MTV-style" of photography. I guess one band of Marines thought of doing what no one else, including all the scientists around the world, thought of doing. That is, destroy the mothership. The End. Lame, lame, lame! I thought it was going to be a good movie - instead of a stinker. Oh well. Exactly like "Skyline" only the good guys win this time. I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars. (2011 - PG)

THE ILLUSIONIST

Jean-Claude Donda (The Illusionist)

Eilidh Rankin (Alice)

Duncan MacNeil

(Animated) - It was made by the same director as "The Triplets of Belleville". I liked "The Triplets" only slightly more than I liked "The Illusionist". The story concerns an illusionist [a magician] (voiced by Jean-Claude Donda) and his muse (Eilidh Rankin), Alice. They venture to Edinburgh, Scotland, so "The Illusionist" can find work. Everything he makes goes to Alice, because he loves her. Eventually, Alice finds a younger man, so The Illusionist lets his rabbit go and leaves a note for Alice saying "Magicians Do Not Exist". The ending was sad. The End. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. (2010 - PG)

SANCTUM

Richard Roxburgh (Frank)

Rhys Wakefield (Josh)

Ioan Gruffudd (Carl)

Alice Parkinson (Victoria)

Stay away from this movie! The worst piece of b******t I have seen in a long while. I swear a couple got up and walked out part way through the movie. That is how bad it was!!! James Cameron ought to hide his head in shame. The End. I would rate it 1 out of 5 stars. (2011 - R)

THE WAY BACK

Ed Harris (Mr. Smith)

Colin Farrell (Valka)

Jim Sturgess (Janusz)

Saoirse Ronan (Irena)

Seven people escape from a Soviet gulag and make it all the way to India on foot (a journey of over 2000 miles) during World War II. The cinematography was tremendous. I really liked it. The End. I would rate it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2010-PG-13)

THE FIGHTER

Mark Wahlberg (Micky Ward)

Christian Bale (Dicky Eklund)

Amy Adams (Charlene Fleming)

Melissa Leo (Alice Ward)

True story about Boston-born fighter, Micky Ward. Just like "Rocky" including the nice girlfriend, the piece-of-shit brother (in "Rocky" it was his best friend), good-guy manager, and the nefarious fight promoter. The only difference was in "Rocky" they had "Smoking" Joe Frasier, and this time they had "Sugar Ray" Leonard. I thought "Rocky" was a better story. Where was "Butkus"? The End. I would rate it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2010 - R)

BLACK SWAN

Natalie Portman (Nina Sayers)

Mila Kunis (Lily)

Vincent Cassel (Thomas Leroy)

Barbara Hershey (Erica Sayers)

Winona Ryder (Beth Macintyre)

Whew! I sure in glad that I didn't have to pay money in order to watch this turkey. I went with a free pass. Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is the lead in an upcoming ballet. Lily (Mila Kunis) is her understudy. Lily wants get Nina's part. It was very confusing. In the end, Nina kills herself at the end of "Swan Lake". The End. It was hard to tell which was real and which was made up. I would rate it 2 1/4 out of 5 stars. (2010 - R)