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)

THE KING'S SPEECH

Colin Firth (King George VI)

Geoffrey Rush (Lionel Logue)

Helena Bonham Carter (Queen Elizabeth)

Guy Pearce (King Edward VIII)

Micheal Gambon (King George V)

Timothy Spall (Winston Churchill)

King George VI (Colin Firth) had a horrible speech impediment. He was a stammerer. As his speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) was the man who helped him get over his stuttering. And believe me, I know. I have been going to speech therapy for 6 1/2 years, and getting out the simplest of phrases can be challenging. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush turned in masterful performances. The End. I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars. (2010 - R)

TRUE GRIT

Jeff Bridges (Rooster Cogburn)

Matt Damon (LaBoeuf)

Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross)

Josh Brolin (Tom Chaney)

Barry Pepper (Ned Pepper)

A stubborn young woman (Hailee Steinfeld) hires a drunken U.S. Marshal (Jeff Bridges) to track down her father's killer (Josh Brolin). Almost as good as the original motion picture. Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn. Matt Damon was superior as LaBoeuf. He brought a realism that Glen Campbell couldn't bring to the role. Another standout was Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. Again, she brought more realism than Kim Darby. If you haven't seen the original, then shame on you! Rent it on DVD today! And then see "True Grit" in the movie theater. I think you will be glad you did! The End. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. (2010 - PG-13)

TRON: LEGACY

Jeff Bridges (Kevin Flynn / Clu)

Garrett Hedlund (Sam Flynn)

Olivia Wilde (Quorra)

Bruce Boxlietner (Alan Bradley / Tron)

Micheal Sheen (Castor / Zuse)

Beau Garrett (Gem)

I really liked the original TRON. That's why I was so disappointed in TRON: Legacy. It was confusing, and I think tried to do too much with the plot. Of course, that is one guy's opinion. Basically, Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is the tech-savvy son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the original TRON guy. Some twenty years later, Sam enters the same computer motherboard as his father. He meets a woman called Quorra (Olivia Wilde), and she takes him to his father. Finally, he and Quorra escape the motherboard and they live happily after ever. The End. Wait untill it comes out on DVD. I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars. (2010 - PG)

THE TOURIST

Angelina Jolie (Elise Clifton-Ward)

Johnny Depp (Frank Tupelo)

Paul Bettany (Inspector John Acheson)

Timothy Dalton (Chief Inspector Jones)

Well, that is two hours that I can not get back. I'm sorry but it is the worst movie I have seen since "Salt". With in 10 minutes I realized that Johnny Depp was actually "The Guy' (I forget what his name was). A guy steals $2 billion from some Russian mobster. Yada, yada, yada. The guy endes up being Johnny Depp. The End. I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars. (2010 - PG-13)

FAIR GAME

Naomi Watts (Valerie Plame)

Sean Penn (Joe Wilson)

Bruce McGill (Jim Pavitt)

David Andrews (Scooter Libby)

Brooke Smith (Diana)

It's all true! Valerie Plame (Noami Watts) is "outed" as a CIA Agent when the Bush White House starts getting heat concerning the WMD's in Iraq. Her husband (Sean Penn) criticizes the White House so Scooter Libby (David Andrews) says that Valerie is a CIA operative. I really liked it, but I realize it's not for everyone's taste. Similar to "Nothing But The Truth" which starred Kate Beckinsale and Matt Dillon. I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars. (And I usually don't like anything with Sean Penn) (2010 - PG-13)

SKYLINE

Donald Faison (Terry)

A bunch of people not as famous as Donald Faison

Donald Faison played "Turk" in the hit series, "Scrubs". An alien race attacks the earth. It eats people. In the end, the people are gone and the alien race has taken over. The End. Awesome special effects; not much in the storyline. Go and see it when it is $2.00 (see it in the movie theater only don't pay full price for it). I would rate it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars for the special effects. (2010 - PG-13)

CONVICTION

Hilary Swank (Betty Anne Waters)

Sam Rockwell (Kenny Waters)

Minnie Driver (Abra Rice)

Melissa Leo (Nancy Taylor)

Juliette Lewis (Roseanna Perry)

Peter Gallagher (Barry Scheck)

A woman (Hilary Swank) puts herself through law school in order to prove her brother (Sam Rockwell) is innocent of murder. Painfully slow for the first half of the movie, it picked up during the second half. In the end, though, it was long and boring. But it's a true story, so I gave it points for being accurate. I would rate it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. Wait for it to come out on TV. The End. (2010 - R)

HEREAFTER

Matt Damon (George Lonegan)

Cecile De France (Marie LeLay)

Frankie & George McLaren (Marcus/Jason)

Steve Schirripa (Cooking Instructor Carlo)

Jay Mohr (Billy Lonegan)

Richard Kind (Christos)

Directed by Clint Eastwood. A physic (Matt Damon) reluctantly shares his "gift" with a London schoolboy (Frankie & George McLaren) whose twin brother (again, Frankie & George McLaren) has been killed. Meanwhile, in another part of world, a young woman (Cecile De France) has a near-death experience when the Southeast Asia tsunami happens. The physic, the boy, and the young woman me in the end. You will have to see it in order for you to get what I really mean. I thought that "Million Dollar Baby" and "Changeling", both directed by Eastwood, were far superior. Still, I would give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End (2010 - PG-13)

RED

Bruce Willis (Frank Moses)

Mary-Louise Parker (Sarah Ross)

Morgan Freeman (Joe Matheson)

Ernest Borgnine (Henry, the Records Keeper)

John Malkovich (Marvin Boggs)

Helen Mirren (Victoria)

Richard Dreyfuss (Alexander Dunning)

Brian Cox (Ivan Simanov)

James Remar (Gabriel Singer)

Rebecca Pidgeon (Cynthia Wilkes)

The second John Malkovich movie I have seen in a week. A whole lot of stars, but in the end, it was disappointing. Bruce, Morgan, John, and Helen come out of retirement for one last mission. It seems that RED is a synonym for Retired-Extremely Dangerous. I think that John Malkovich stole the show and Helen Mirren was superb as a retired agent from MI-6 (the British secret service). I think you should wait until it comes out on video, but I definitely think you should rent it. I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - PG-13)

SECRETARIAT

Diane Lane (Penny Chenery Tweedy)

John Malkovich (Lucien Laurin)

Scott Glenn (Mr. Chenery)

James Cromwell (Odgen Phipps)

Dylan Walsh (Jack Tweedy)

Fred Thompson (Bull Hancock)

Kevin Connolly (Bill Nack)

Margo Martindale (Miss Ham)

Dylan Baker (Hollis Chenery)

The life and times of "Secretariat", the race horse. He was the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. As matter of fact, I remember the Triple Crown that year. It is the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes run in the spring. Only two horses have won such an honor since.("Seattle Slew" in 1977 and "Affirmed" in 1978) The story was okay, but the actors were flat. Even John Malkovich, as the "trainer", was less then stellar. I had seen the actors before, and they were brilliant. I think it is the director's job to make sure that his actors at their best. I looked into it, and the same director did "Braveheart", "Pearl Harbor" and "We Were Soldiers". I think a much better picture to see is "Seabiscuit" starring Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges. After giving it much thought, I decided to give it a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - PG)

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Jesse Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg)

Justin Timberlake (Sean Parker)

Rashida Jones (Marylin Delpy)

Barry Livingston (Mr. Cox)

Aaron Sorkin (Ad Executive)

I don't like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Sean Parker, or Mark Zuckerberg. I realize that they are all rich, and I am poor. So I, reluctantly, have to give them their due. The Social Network is the story of Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). Written by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The American President, A Few Good Men), it is story of a Harvard undergraduate who designs "Facebook". In the story, Zuckerberg was obnoxious and Parker (Justin Timberlake) was blow-hard. I understand that they are that way in real life. It's hard to think that it's only been seven years (the story started in 2003). I would rate it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - R)

WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko)

Shia LeBeouf (Jake Moore)

Josh Brolin (Bretton James)

Carey Mulligan (Winnie Gekko)

Eli Wallach (Jules Steanhardt)

Frank Langella (Louis Zabel)

Susan Sarandon (Jake's Mother)

Natalie Morales (Churchill Schwartz Trader)

and, yes, Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox)

Skip ahead 25 years. Gordon Gekko has served eight years in jail and has authored a book called "Is Greed Good". Winnie Gekko (Carey Mulligan) is now her 20's and is an editor at an online news magazine. Jake Moore (Shia LeBeouf), Winnie's boyfriend, is a manager at a hedge fund. And that's where it gets confusing. I like the original "Wall Street" more. In that one, there was one protagonist (Charlie Sheen as Bud Fox) and one villain (Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko). In the new one, you need a scorecard to keep up with who's good and evil. Needless to say, I like the original. I would rate it 3 3/4 out of 5 stars. (I would rate the original at 5 out of 5 stars) The End. (2010 - PG-13)

THE TOWN

Ben Affleck (Doug MacRay)

Jon Hamm (Adam Frawley)

Jeremy Renner (James Coughlin)

Blake Lively (Krista Coughlin)

Rebecca Hall (Claire Keesey)

Chris Cooper (Stephen MacRay)

A crew has a bunch of successful bank heists and armored car robberies. The leader, Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), falls in love with a bank manager (Rebecca Hall) during a job. About this time, the FBI starts tailing them. They have to pull one the last job before they get out of town. The FBI wants to shut them down. It was all right, but I enjoyed "Heat" and "Public Enemies" more. At least it held my interest for two hours. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - R)

RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE

Milla Jovovich (Alice)

Ali Larter (Claire Redfield)

Boris Kodjoe (Luther West)

Wentworth Miller (Chris Redfield)

Spencer Locke (K-Mart)

An hour and half long thrill ride - in 3-D (for those of us that really appreciate a good "Resident Evil" films). It had it all - thrills, a kick-ass Alice, and zombies. For those who aren't into the "Resident Evil" franchise, it's still a good movie to see. This time, Alice goes looking for Arcadia, which she thinks is a town in Alaska. Once she gets there, she finds Claire, and both of them figure about that the Arcadia is a ship (which they go looking for). I won't give too much away. You'll have to see it for yourself. I would rate it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - R)

MACHETE

Danny Trejo (Machete)

Robert DeNiro (Sen. McLaughlin)

Jessica Alba (Sartana)

Steven Seagal (Torrez)

Cheech Marin (Padre)

Lindsay Lohen (April)

Don Johnson (Lt. Stillman)

A man's movie! I have not seen anything like this since "Grindhouse". Basically, "Grindhouse Part II". A man named Machete (Danny Trejo) wants vengeance on an evil drug lord (Steven Seagal). The rest of it is superfluous bullshit. I really liked it! I would give it a 5 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - R)

GET LOW

Robert Duvall (Felix Bush)

Bill Murray (Frank Quinn)

Sissy Spacek (Mattie Darrow)

Gerald McRaney (Rev. Gus Horton)

Lucas Black (Buddy)

Bill Cobbs (Rev. Charlie Jackson)

A stellar cast for disappointingly awful film. It took place in the 30s. Robert Duvall plays a hermit. He wants to invite every one to his funeral while he is still alive. An hour and 40 minutes later he tells a story about himself. Needless to say, the story is a big disappointment. Because of the actors, I will rate it 2 3/4 out of 5 stars. Although it is pushing it! The End. (2009-PG-13)

THE EXPENDABLES

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Trench)

Bruce Willis (Mr. Church)

Sylvester Stallone (Barney Ross)

Mickey Rourke (Tool)

Dolph Lundgren (Gunner Jensen)

Eric Roberts (James Munroe)

Jason Statham (Lee Christmas)

Jet Li (Ying Yang)

Steve Austin (Paine)

Terry Crews (Hail Caesar) [Chris Rock's father from the TV show "Everybody Hates Chris"]

A lot a car chases, buildings being blown up, and fistfights. So you should expect something different from an action movie? All they needed was Mr. T and Carl Weathers. The plot had something to do with a South American dictator, cocaine, and the CIA. And a lot of car chases, buildings being blown up, and fistfights. I would rate it 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010-R)

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

Steve Carell (Barry)

Paul Rudd (Tim)

Zach Galifianakis (Therman)

Jemiane Clement (Kieran)

Ron Livingson (Caldwell)

Kristen Schaal (Susana)

Jeff Dunham (Lewis the Ventriloquist)

I told myself that I was not going to laugh during the movie. I laughed... a lot! The premise is one which, once a month, some big wigs hold a dinner for schmucks. This time the cast includes Lewis (Jeff Dunham), the ventriloquist; Madame Nora (Octavia Spencer), the pet psychic; Marco (Chris O'Dowd), the blind swordsman; Vincenzo (Patrick Fischler), the vulture lover; Chuck (Rick Overton), the beard champion; Therman (Zach Galifianakis), the mind controll expert; and Barry (Steve Carell), the mouse taxidermist. Each one more insane than the rest of them. I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010-PG-13)

Salt

Angelina Jolie (Evelyn Salt)

Liev Schreiber (Ted Winter)

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Peabody)

Andre Braugher (Secretary of Defence)

Setting: Present Day

I know that it's guy's opinion, but, for what it's worth, don't go see "Salt" on the big screen. As a matter of fact, don't see it on any screen! The first 10 minutes of it were intriguing. The last hour and a half were bitterly disappointing. Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is working the CIA. A spy tells her that the President of Russia is about to be killed. And it goes down hill from there. I would say - Skip It. I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010-PG-13)

Inception

Leonardo DiCaprio (Cobb)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Arthur)

Ellen Page (Adiadne)

Tom Berenger (Browning)

Michael Caine (Miles)

Lukas Haas (Nash)

Setting: Now (Sci-Fi)

Another hit for Leonardo DiCaprio! Although I don't want to give anything away, "Inception" is the story of where our dreams take us. After 2 1/2 hours I came out of the theater and wasn't sure where I was. Amazing acting by DiCaprio and the rest of the ensemble. Be sure and see it on the big screen! I would give it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010-PG-13)

City Island

Andy Garcia (Vince Rizzo)

Emily Mortimer (Molly)

Alan Arkin (Michael Malakov)

Julianna Margulies (Joyce Rizzo)

Setting: Modern Day Bronx

A guy (Andy Garcia), his wife (Julianna Margulies), and their two children inhabit a place called City Island in the Bronx. He hires a guy to be his handyman. Come to find out, that guy is his son from another relationship. I've liked it! I would give it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. (2009-PG-13)

Knight and Day

Tom Cruise (Roy Miller)
Cameron Diaz (June Havens)
Peter Sarsgaard (Fitzgerald)
Paul Dano (Simon Feck)

Setting: Present Day

I don't know why everybody said they didn't like the movie. I liked it just fine! Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) is an agent who has gone rogue. He is assigned to protect Simon Feck (Paul Dano), a man who has built a battery that doesn't go dead. June Havens (Cameron Diaz) is set to go home for her sister's wedding. She meets Miller in the airport and gets on a plane with him. Further hijinks result. I would rate it a 4 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010-PG-13)

The Karate Kid

Jaden Smith (Dre Parker)

Jackie Chan (Mr. Han)

Wenwen Han (Mei Ying)

Setting: Beijing

Exactly the same thing as the other "The Karate Kid" movie. Only this time it's in China, and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) is substituted with Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). Oh, and it's kung fu instead of karate. I didn't get to see the end of it because my bus was early by 15 minutes. But let me guess, the karate kid prevails and the other participant's teacher is made to feel like a fool. I would say see it on the big screen! I would rate it a 4 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010-PG)

Jonah Hex

Josh Brolin (Jonah Hex)

Megan Fox (Lilah)

John Malkovich (Quentin Turnbull)

Will Arnett (Lieutenant Grass)

Setting: United States in 1876

For one thing, more Megan Fox. And for another thing, more Megan Fox. Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) is an ex-Confederate officer searching for Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich), the possessor of all horrible new weapon. Then Megan Fox appears. Something, something, something. And then Megan Fox appears yet again. Something, something, something. The End. I would wait for it to come out on video. I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. (2010-PG-13)

Splice

Adrien Brody (Clive Nicoli)

Sarah Polley (Elsa Kast)

Delphine Chaneac (Dren)

Setting: Present Day

Clive (Adrien Brody) and Sarah (Elsa Kast) are to of them there scientists. All though none of them are doctors, they head the genetic research lab at a company. Unbeknownst to anyone, Clive and Sarah experiment with cloning. They succeed! But they can't let anyone know what they've done. They spirit the female clone to Sarah's farmhouse. While there, Clive takes part in the first act of intra-species love with Dren (Delphine Chaneac), which is nerd spelled backwords. Next, the clone turns into a man. Then everybody dies except for Sarah. Come to find out, she is pregnant with the clone's baby. The End. Kind of ridiculous. I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. (2009-R)

Killers

Ashton Kutcher (Spencer)

Katherine Heigl (Jen, Jennifer, or Jenny)

Tom Selleck (Mr. Kornfeldt)

Catherine O'Hara (Mrs. Kornfeldt)

Rob Riggle (Henry)

Setting: Present Day

A guy (Ashton Kutcher) and a girl (Katherine Heigl) get married. Three years later, the girl finds out her husband was a CIA assassin. Further hijinks ensue. I liked it! I think my favorite line is: "Let's just say I worked for the blah blah blah and they gave me a license to blah." I would rate it a 4 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010-PG-13)

Prince of Persia

Jake Gyllenhaal (Dastan)

Ben Kingsley (Nizam)

Gemma Arterton (Tamina)

Alfred Molina (Sheik Amar)

Setting: A long time ago

Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) is plucked up by the King of Persia and his brother (Ben Kingsley) because he is orphan. Years later, his ersatz brothers and he capture Alamut, a holy city. They succeed. However, his father is killed and Dastan has to flee, along with Princess (Gemma Arteton), because they think it is him. While they are trying to prove him innocent, they join forces with Sheik Amar (Alfred Molina). Two hours of Jake Gyllenhaal speaking in an English accent is more than I can take. I would rate it 2 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - PG-13)

Iron Man 2

Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark)
Mickey Rourke (Ivan Vanko)
Sam Rockwell (Justin Hammer)
Scarlett Johansson (Natalie Rushman / Natasha Romanoff)
Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts)
Don Cheadle (Lt. Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes)

Setting: Present Day

Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) is back! This time it's a Russian he is up against. Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) has an Iron Man weapon himself. Vanko teams up with Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) to sell the Army a version of I.M. The big finish is when Iron Man and his cohort, 'Rhodey' Rhodes (Don Cheadle), team up to take Vanko down. Look, you either like it, or you will be bored to tears with it. I liked it! I gave it 3 3/4 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - PG-13)

Death at a Funeral

Chris Rock (Aaron)
Martin Lawrence (Ryan)

Danny Glover (Uncle Russell)

Luke Wilson (Derek)

One of the worst movies I ever seen! And to top it all off, the theater was empty and this guy came in late and sat directly behind me. He thought that everything was funny (even though it was not), and he brayed throughout the entire picture. What happened to "guy manners"? Aaron (Chris Rock) and Ryan (Martin Lawrence) are holding a funeral for their father. Further hijinks ensue. I would rate it -3 (that's right, I said a minus 3) out of 5 stars. I absolutely hated it. The End. (2010-R)

Kick-Ass

Nicholas Cage (Damon Macready/Big Daddy)

Chloe Grace Moretz (Mindy Macready/Hit Girl)

Aaron Johnson (Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass)

Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Chris D'Amico/Red Mist)

Setting: Present Day New York City

Be forwarned. The first hour and a half are disappointing. However, the last half an hour is, dare I say it, kick-ass! That is the time when Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) takes over. I think that Hit Girl would have been a much coherent film than Kick-Ass (Aaron Johnson). A guy thinks it would be cool to be a super-hero. So he does just that. Along the way he meets Hit Girl and Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage). Wait for it to come out on video! 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End. (2010 - R)

Date Night

Steve Carrell (Phil Foster)

Tina Fey (Claire Foster)

Mark Wahlberg (Holbrooke)

Ray Liotta (Joe Moletto)

James Franco (Taste)

Mila Kunis (Whippit)

Kristen Wiig (Haley Sullivan)

Mark Ruffalo (Brad Sullivan)

Setting: Today in New York City

Phil (Steve Carrell) and Claire Foster (Tina Fey) are an average couple living in the suburbs with two kids. They keep their lives interesting by going on "Date Nights" where the two of them go out sans kids. One night, instead of going to a local eatery, they head into the city. Phil and Claire are mistaken for somebody else. Further hijinks ensue. A strong showing by Tina Fey and a host of stars add to this run-of-the-mill comedy. I must admit there were several parts I laughed at, but I would wait for it to come out on video. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. But seriously, I would wait for the DVD. The End. (2010 - PG-13)

Clash of the Titans

Liam Neeson (Zeus)

Ralph Fiennes (Hades)

Sam Worthington (Perseus)

Setting: A long, long time ago

A 3-D movie. The worst I have ever seen. Instead of using Claymation effects, they used a green screen. That is the only difference I saw between the 1981 version and the present version. Perseus (Sam Worthington) is a demi-god who is raised by a fisherman and his wife. Zeus (Niam Neeson) is the real father. I don't know the rest of what happened. It was very confusing. At one point, Perseus beheads Medusa. He then shows the head to Hades (Ralph Fiennes). But Hades doesn't die, he goes and rules the netherworld. Release the Craken. I would give it a 1 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End (2010 - PG-13)

Chloe

Liam Neeson (David Stewart)

Julianne Moore (Catherine Stewart)

Amanda Seyfried (Chloe)

Setting: Today

A Gynolgist...A Gynokogist....A Gynecoljist....An OB/GYN (Julianne Moore) and Professor husband (Liam Neeson). She thinks he is having an affair so she hires a woman named Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to spy for her. Chloe ends up seducing her. In the end, Chloe admits she is making it all up (the part where David is unfaithful), falls out a window to her death. Soft-core porn. I would rate it 2 1/4 out of 5 stars. The End. (2009 - R)