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)

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)