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)

Repo Men

Jude Law (Remy)

Forest Whitaker (Jake)

Liev Schreiber (Frank)

Alice Braga (Beth)

Setting: In the Not to Distant Future

Remy (Jude Law) and Jake (Forest Whitaker) are repossession agents working for Frank (Liev Schreiber). Frank sells body parts (artificial livers, artificial kidneys, artificial hearts, etc.) with a buy now, pay later policy. But if you don't pay later, the repo men pay you a call and take back the property. After a near fatal shock, Remy wakes up with an artificial heart owned by Frank. After falling behind on his payments, Remy must watch out for the repo man. Not quite there. I would rate it a 3 out of 5 stars. The End.

Green Zone

Matt Damon (Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller)
Greg Kinnear (Clark Poundstone)
Amy Ryan (Lawrie Dayne)
Brendan Gleeson (Martin Brown)

Setting: Spring of 2003 - Baghdad,Iraq

Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is on a search for WMD's in Iraq. The Special Assistant to the President (Greg Kinnear) and a CIA agent (Brendan Gleeson) are at odds whether WMD's are even in Iraq (the spook doesn't think they are). Along the way, Miller finds out that a reporter (Amy Ryan) has not even bothered to get confirmation on a story she has written about WMD's, and in fact took the White House's word. Oh, by the way, they don't exist. I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. The End.

Alice in Wonderland

Mia Wasikowska (Alice)

Johnny Depp (The Mad Hatter)

Helena Bonham Carter (The Red Queen)

Anne Hathaway (The White Queen)

Setting: In the Land of Make Believe

I have one word for it. Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. This time, Alice (Mia Wasikowska)is 20 years old. She is about to entertain a marriage proposal from Hamish (Leo Bill). Before she accepts, she makes a journey down the rabbit hole. She meets all sorts of characters including the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp),Tweedledee and Tweedledum (both parts played by Matt Lucas), and the Blue Caterpillar (Alan Rickman). The 3-D effects are awesome. I would rate it as a 4, but because the 3-D are stupendous, I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars. You must go and see this movie immediately! The End.

Valentine's Day

Ashton Kutcher (Reed Bennett)

Taylor Swift (Felicia)

Julia Roberts (Capt. Kate Hazeltine)

Jamie Foxx (Kelvin Moore)

More Stars Then The Universe

Setting: Present Day

The most positive thing I can say this film is I GOT IN FOR FREE! Oh, I got a free soda, too. About every two months I get a free movie because of the points I have accumulated with my Regal Crown Club card (but I had to use it today). Now, it all takes place on Valentines Day, and it is all interconnected. It would take too long to tell you about all the subplots in this movie. Suffice it to say, that every one is happy in the end except for Dr. Copeland (Patrick Dempsey). I think I would have liked it more if I were a girl and about 16. It definitely is a chick flick. I would rate it as 2 3/4 stars out of 5 stars because it had all the stars in it. The End.

The Crazies

Timothy Olyphant (David Dutton)

Radha Mitchell (Judy Dutton)

Joe Anderson (Russell Clank)

Danielle Panabaker (Becca Darling)

Setting: Present Day

Years ago, when I was running a sheltered workshop, there was a client who was convinced that everything was a government conspiracy. I couldn't help but think of him when I watched "The Crazies". A George Romaro film, I think I liked him best when he does zombie pictures instead. ("Night of the Living Dead", "Dawn of the Dead", "Day of the Dead", "Land of the Dead", "Breakfast of the Dead", etc., etc.) The place is a rural town somewhere in Iowa, where something gets in to the drinking water. Slowly but surely, the whole town is driven mad. (Hence the name, "The Crazies"). The sheriff (Timothy Olyphant) and his wife (Radha Mitchell) attempt to flee before madness overtakes them. They're are so many inconsistencies, I can't begin to count them. Oh yeah, look away from the atomic blast, not towards it! I would only give it 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars. The End.

Shutter Island

Leonardo DiCaprio (Teddy Daniels)

Ben Kingsley (Dr. Cawley)

Mark Ruffalo (Chuck Aule)

Max von Sydow (Dr. Naehring)

Setting: 1954 America

The most "Stephen King" screenplay ever written. I had the Internet to see if it was not one of Stephen King's nam d' plume. It was not. Dennis Lehane, the author, also wrote "Mystic River". But getting back to "Shutter Island". Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCapino) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are U.S. Marshals sent to investigate a disappearance of a patient on Shutter Island, a hospital for the criminally insane. The guards and hospital staff, including Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow), aren't cooperating with their investigation. As a storm approaches, Teddy feels if he can see the records it would solve the case. I won't tell you how with the movie ends, but it is a surprise! I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. The End.

The Wolfman

Benicio Del Toro (Lawrence Talbot)

Anthony Hopkins (Sir John Talbot)

Emily Blunt (Gwen Conliffe)

Setting: 1880's England

Such a dark movie. No, I mean it, it was dark (meaning not a enough light)! I had the same complaint with Sherlock Holmes. Everything was lighted by candlelight. Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) is an actor giving a performance in London. He get word that his brother has been killed. He goes to the family house and the meets his father (Anthony Hopkins). While there, he gets bitten by a werewolf. He falls in love his brother's fiancé ( Emily Blunt), who swears to help him out no matter what as befallen him. It turns out that his father has passed the werewolf gene to him. In the end, his brothers fiancé shoots him with a silver bullet. He dies. The End. I gave away the ending so that you wouldn't have to see it on the big screen. Wait till it comes out on video. I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Crazy Heart

Jeff Bridges (Bad Blake)

Maggie Gyllenhaal (Jean Craddock)

Robert Duvall (Wayne)

Colin Farrell (Tommy Sweet)

Setting: Present Day

Crazy Heart is the story of a burned out country singer (Jeff Bridges). He plays in the worst dives, and he is an alcoholic who smokes like a chimney. One day, he meets a reporter (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who does a story on him. She falls in love with him, but he disappoints her. He loses her young son one day while he is taking care of him. He reaches bottom, and decides check in to an alcohol rehabilitation program. He gets better, and decides to write some songs for Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), the biggest country star in the world. I liked Colin Ferrell doing a Texas twang instead of his usual Irish Barogue. Robert Duvall also stars. I would rate it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End.

Legion

Paul Battary (Michael)

Dennis Quaid (Bob Hanson)

Charles S. Dutton (Percy Walker)

Setting: Present Day

Mary, I'm sorry, Charlie (Adrianne Palicki) is pregnant. Joseph, I'm sorry, Jeep (Lucas Black) is not the baby's father, but he sticks with Charlie. An angel named Michael (Paul Battary) comes down to help Charlie, Jeep, Bob (Dennis Quaid) and Percy (Charles S. Dutton) against the undead, including the Ice Cream Man. Mary, I'm sorry, Charlie has the baby. Michael and Gabriel (Kevin Durand), another angel, have a fight in the kitchen. Mary and Joseph, I'm sorry, Charlie and Jeep, along with the baby, escape, and Jeep grows some tattoos. Later on, Charlie and Jeep ride around with guns in the back of their car. The End. I would give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

I will post about "Legion" when I get to class next week. It is really exciting.

The Book of Eli

Denzel Washington (Eli)

Gary Oldman (Carnegie)

Mila Kunis (Solara)

Malcolm McDowell (Lombardi)

Setting: Thirty years after the apocalypse

It was very confusing. Basically, A man named Eli (Denzel Washington) is heading west on foot. He comes to a town where Carnegie (Gary Oldman) and his group of henchmen are staying. They find out that Eli has a book, which Carnegie wants. After spending the night, Eli says that he is not going to sell the book to Carnegie. A fight erupts. It turns out that Eli is invincible. After laying waste to Carnegie's crew, Eli continues his way west. When he gets to San Francisco, he meets a man called Lombardi (Malcolm McDowell). He then starts translating the book. It is the Bible. I would give it a 5 for the scenery, but a 2 for the plot. For one thing, how did Solara make it out of the locked room. Another thing,who taught him braille? All and all, I would give it a 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End.

Daybreakers

Ethan Hawke (Edward Dalton)

Willem Dafoe (Elvis)

Sam Neill (Charles Bromley)

Claudia Karvan (Audrey Bennett)

Setting: 2018 America

It the future and everyone is a vampire except for a few that are "food suppliers" and a few roaming free. Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) works for Charles Bromley (Sam Neill). They are vampires. As supplies dwindle, they try and come up with a blood substitute. Audrey (Claudia Karvan) and Elvis (Willem Dafoe) lead a band of human beings from their vampire stalkers. They are helped by Edward, who comes up with the "cure" for being a vampire. Not every one would enjoy the film, but I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. Bloody good! The End.

Sherlock Holmes

Robert Downey, Jr. (Sherlock Holmes)

Jude Law (Dr. Watson)

Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler)

Mark Strong (Lord Blackwood)

Setting: 19th Century England

Let me see if I can get this out. It is quite involved. Basically, in the beginning, Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) catches a murderer named Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). Blackwood is to be executed. On the day of his execution, Dr. Watson (Jude Law) certifies he is dead. But in fact, he is not. The high point is when Lord Blackwood is going to kill all the members of Parliament unless they swear allegiance to him. It is quite exciting. I am going to give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. The End.

Up in the Air

George Clooney (Ryan Bingham)

Anna Kendrick (Natalie Keener)

Vera Farmiga (Alex Goran)

Jason Bateman (Craig Gregory)

Setting: Present Day

I wouldn't like Ryan Bingham's (George Clooney) much. He fires people! He works for a company that handles downsizing. And he is good at it. But Bingham's boss (Jason Bateman) decides he will start firing people through the Internet instead of doing it personally. Along the way, he gets romantically involved. But in the end, it doesn't work out. I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars. The End.

Avatar

Sam Worthington (Jake Sully)

Zoe Saldana (Neytiri)

Sigourney Weaver (Dr. Grace Augustine)

Stephen Lang (Col. Miles Quaritch)

Giovanni Ribisi (Parker Selfridge)

Setting: Some time in the future

I have seen the future, and it is "Avatar"! A James Cameron film, I saw it in 3D, but not in IMAX. Basically, it takes place on the planet Pandora, which is inhabited by a race of people called Na'vi. They are 10 feet tall, blue skinned, and have tails. Naturally, the Earthmen want the supply of "Unobtanium", a rock, which is located on Pandora. Jake (Sam Worthington), in the form of an avatar, attempts to make peace with the Na'vi. The best picture since "Star Wars". I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars. The End.

Invictus

Morgan Freeman (Nelson Mandela)

Matt Damon (Francois Pienaar)

Setting: 1990's South Africa

I really liked this movie. Clint Eastwood does it again! Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela is superb. It has to do with a professional rugby team from South Africa and it's quest for the 1995 World Cup. Only one of the players is Black, the rest are Afrikaners (Whites from South Africa). It is an inspiration. I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars. The End.

New Moon

Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan)

Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen)

Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black)

Dakota Fanning (Jane)

Setting: Present day Forks, Washington

I have two words to say about the movie: teen angst. The second in a three part series concerning a girl, vampires,and werewolves. This time, Bella (Kristen Stewart) takes up with a pack of werewolves including Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Bella finds Edward (Robert Pattinson) in Italy, where he says that he will change her into a vampire. I had to force myself to stay awake during the movie. But the part with the werewolves was cool! I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. The End.

The Blind Side

Sandra Bullock (Leigh Anne Tuohy)
Kathy Bates (Miss Sue)
Quinton Aaron (Michael Oher)

Setting: Present day Tennessee

Sickeningly-sweet tale of Michael Oher taken in by (gasp) Republicans. A feel-good movie, it follows Michael (Michael Oher) from his days as a homeless youth until he got drafted by the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL. Along the way, he gets taken in by the Tuohy's who help him realize his true potential. Sandra Bullock is tailor-made for the roll of Leigh Anne Tuohy. I would rate it 4 out of 5. The End. (2009 - PG)

Precious

Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)

Mo'Nique (Mary)

Paula Patton (Ms. Rain)

Mariah Carey (Mrs. Weiss)

Setting: New York City

I wanted to see "The Blind Side",but when I got to the theater the performance was canceled. So I went and saw "Precious" instead. It's about a teenage girl (Gabourey Sidibe) in New York City. Horribly abused by her mother (Mo'Nique) ,and pregnant by her father, she gets help at a local A.B.E. (Adult Basic Education) center. Little by little, with the help of teacher, Blu Rain (Paula Patton), she comes out of her shell. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. The End.

Pirate Radio

Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Count)

Bill Nighy (Quentin)

Kenneth Branagh (Sir Alistair Dormandy)

Setting: 1960's -- off the coast of England

During the 1960s, Britain controlled the radio waves. Rock 'n roll was banned. A few enterprising individuals headed out into international waters and had what were known as pirate radio stations. They played rock 'n roll. This is the story of one of them. I gave it an extra point for the music. So I would rate it as 4 out of 5 stars. The End.

Law Abiding Citizen

Jamie Foxx (Nick Rice)
Gerard Butler (Clyde Shelton)

Setting: Present Day Philadelphia

A Phildelphia inventor, Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler), witness his wife and daughter being murdered. Assistant District Attorney, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), gets the best deal he can. He gets one of the killers the death penalty, but the other one gets only 10 years. So Clyde Shelton plots his revenge. After the 10 years has passed, he gets busy! He first goes after the killers, and then goes after the District Attorneys Office. Rated "R" for violence, it is the tales of Clyde Shelton's revenge. I would rate it as 4 out of 5 stars.The End.

Amelia

Hilary Swank (Amelia Earhart)
Richard Gere (George Putnam)
Ewan McGregor (Gene Vidal)

Setting: 1930's America

I saw "Amelia". The End. Now I wouldn't necessarily say that "Amelia" was a bad movie, but I didn't think it was good either. It was so so. I would rate it as 2 1/2 out of 5 stars. I wouldn't go see it at the big screen. It is about Amelia Erhardt. It takes place in the 30's. Big surprise -- she dies in the end. The End.

I went on vacation this week. I went on the train to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and stayed with my sister and brother-in-law. On the way down, we were almost an hour and a half late. I showed up at Penn Station with 10 minutes to catch my next train. By that time I got to the track, there was less than one minutes be for the train took off. While I was there, I went to the play "Dial M for Murder". It was an excellent play. The whole thing was done in black and white. I really enjoyed it. Also, I went to the "Dosie Dough" for breakfast a couple of mornings. I had Black Russian bagels. On the fourth day, I came home to Rochester. It was a pretty uneventful trip. That is, in till I got here. While I was waiting for my bus, I was robbed! I was sitting by myself at the station. The two clerks were in the back. I looked up, and there was a man standing in front of me. He said, "Give me your wallet". I resisted but the only thing I could get out was "No!". He then shoved a knife in my ribs and said "I will cut you". By that time the clerks had shown back up. I gave him my wallet, but I had a death grip on it. He had to use two hands to take it. The last thing I saw of him, he was headed for St. Paul Street. The police were there with in three minutes. A K-9 went looking for him -- but to no avail. I finally got home at 11 o'clock. Tuesday, I will go see "Amelia" at the movie theater.

I am going on vacation next week. I shall write about my adventures when I get back.