We Bought a Zoo

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After the death of his wife, Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) feels the need to move himself and his kids out of town to escape all the memories of her, but the house he falls in love with happens to also be a zoo.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford, Maggie Elizabeth, Jones, Angus Macfadyen, Elle Fanning, Patrick Fugit, John Michael Higgins, Carla Gallo, J.B. Smoove, Stephanie Szostak, Kym Whitley

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This is the "family film" version of The Descendants, and between you and me, it's a lot more pleasant to watch.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: More than The Descendants.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: More than The Descendants.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Less than The Descendants, but that wouldn't be the case if I were the boss of all things buzz.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Matt Damon is always good-- if we don't count that moment when he smiles a little too hard at Scarlett Johansson, who is usually bad, but bucks that trend in this one-- if we don't count that moment when she stares a little too hard at Matt Damon. But the true breakouts here are the kids, Colin Ford, who shows some real acting chops at the ripe young age of 14, and Maggie Elizabeth Jones who may actually be as cute as Drew Barrymore was as a kid.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: My only gripe about the directing is actually about the acting. Both John Michael Higgins and Angus Macfadyen seems to be in a much broader and over the top movie than the rest of the cast, who played it real. I would let it slide with a lesser director, but Cameron Crowe, you're better than that.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Nothing in the script is particularly brilliant, but you still let the occasional cheesy or improbable line of dialogue slide because the story is so damn sweet.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: We Bought a Zoo Trailer

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The Sitter

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An aimless slacker (Jonah Hill) gets stuck babysitting three difficult kids (Max Records, Landry Bender, Kevin Rodriguez) on the night when the girl he's trying to sleep with (Ari Graynor) gives him his big chance.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jonah Hill, Max Records, Landry Bender, Kevin Hernandez, Ari Graynor, Sam Rockwell, J.B. Smoove, Kylie Bunbury, Erin Daniels, D.W. Moffett, Jessica Hecht, Bruce Altman, Samiri Wiley, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Sean Patrick Doyle, Alex Wolff, Jack Krizmanich, Grace Aronds, Jane Aronds

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Yes, it's R-rated and shows children swearing, stealing, blowing things up, and partying with dangerous grown-ups until the wee hours of the night, but isn't that what's great about it?!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The laughs aren't non-stop, but when they come they are subtle and clever, and generally make you happy you're there.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It made me sad that there weren't more people in the theater. Mostly because there would have been a lot more laughs if there were.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Commercial Comedy that Nobody Decided to See.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Most of the laughs wouldn't be there if it weren't for the actors' awkward delivery. Jonah Hill is known for this style of acting, but Erin Daniels, in the small role of the mom, does a great job of laughing awkwardly at her own weird dialogue, too.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: David Gordon Greene has done bigger movies and smaller movies, and he seems absolutely comfortable at any level.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Okay, so it's not the most original or artistic thing you've ever seen, but it captures the fish-out-of water comedy caper genre at least as well as Date Night did. And frankly, after sitting through several weeks of mediocre to bad awards contenders, this kind of improbably fun ride is a welcome relief.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Sitter Trailer

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The Artist

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: It's a silent film about a silent film star (Jean Dujardin) struggling with the concept that audiences want actors to talk in movies now.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller, Missi Pyle, Beth Grant, Ed Lauter, Joel Murray, Malcolm McDowell, Ken Davitian, and Uggie the dog.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Go!  I'm pretty sure this is what a masterpiece looks like.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  The biggest laughs are at sounds.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  This happy little silent film actually gets about as depressing as depressing can be, at one point.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  It's the sleeper hit of the season, so it's already surprised Americans with several come-from-behind wins, and I suspect it will continue to do so, as it's about the most original film I've seen in my lifetime.  But I also hope that Award-givers won't forget to recognize the score, since it is one of the main communicators in this dialogue-less film.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  The actors are as adorable as a kitten.  Especially the dog.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: All while paying homage to the black & white film era, director Michael Hazanavicius, keeps the camera moving in a modern way and finds places to exhibit his artistry as a film composition expert.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  It functions on so many levels at once that it's hard to imagine that there is one.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A:  How is it possible that in 2011, I've just seen back to back movies where a silent film star, depressed about talkies, burns all of his work?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Artist Trailer

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The Muppets

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  When a greedy oil tycoon (Chris Cooper) threatens to take over the old Muppet Show Theater, Kermit the Frog teams up with two human fans (Jason Segal and Amy Adams) to reunite the old Muppet gang and put on a show to save the theater.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jason Segal, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Jack Black, Jim Parsons, Sarah Silverman, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Gonzo, Beaker, Swedish Chef, Scooter, Miss Poogy
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It’s a Disney-fied version of the Muppets and if you enjoyed the old Muppet Show there are a few moments in this movie that will remind you of the off-beat wackiness of that show’s best moments. Short of that, this version of The Muppets skews more “kiddie” and simplistic than past Muppet versions. The Toy Story short that screens first will remind you of how well Pixar has created ‘kid films’ that appeal equally to adults. Unfortunately, it makes us acutely aware of how much The Muppets does not walk that line.
Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It’s not bust-out-loud laugh inducing, but there are some good chuckles here and there. I do seem to recall Miss Piggy being funnier than she is in this movie though.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I’m pretty sure it wanted to and it tries really hard. But the only thing that effort elicited in me was a discussion with my friend afterwards about past films that have made us cry. (My top #1: Rudy.)
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I can’t think of a single one unless some union gives them out for puppeteering: The Puppet Union?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I can’t stand Jason Segal so it’s unfortunate he’s the main human driving this story. Amy Adams is normally great in most films she’s in, but sort of wasted here. Thankfully more screen time is given to the Muppets than any human and they all act as well as you remember any Muppet acting. Back to Jason Segal though: one of the best things about the Muppets was their interaction with human guest stars on their show. To that end, I wish they had a more interesting – or funnier – human at the center of this story. Jack Black would have been much better, because all his scenes with the Muppets are way funnier than Jason’s.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I didn’t really notice it much in either a good way or bad, so I guess it disappeared enough and got out of the way enough to be considered… “meh.”

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The general idea of the story is spot on because it calls for the Muppets to reunite and put their show on again. And the Muppet Show was a truly great show. The problem is it takes a little too long to get there and everything leading up to it isn’t very funny. Or, well, not as funny as the actual show. There’s also a big deal made out of the basic plot points, which really dumbs down the movie in a needless way. Lastly, most of the original songs aren’t very good; although a barbershop quartet rendition of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit captures the irreverent brilliance of what the old Muppet Show was like on a weekly basis.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Muppets Trailer

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Young Adult

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  A Young Adult novelist, who used to be popular in high school (Charlize Theron) and hasn't evolved since then at all, returns to her home town 20 years later to try to nab her high school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson) who just had a baby with his wife (Elizabeth Reaser).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Collette Wolfe, Hettienne Park, Brian McElhane, Jill Eikenberry

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Proceed with Caution.  While the dialogue reminds us why we fell in love with Diablo Cody, and the pacing reminds us why Jason Reitman's films so far have been 3 for 3, the story itself is fairly unimportant in every way possible.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  If you like dark and dry, this will have you laughing in that way that only dark and dry can-- silently, so that nobody can hear how f'd up you are.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  Possibly at the sex scene at the end.  It is consensual and at the same time extremely sad.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  In yet another one-man show character story, Charlize is aiming at Oscar number two.  I'd nominate her.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Patrick Wilson, in a role that looks like nothing, is the one I was most impressed with.  There is a deceptive simplicity to his role, so don't be deceived.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  There's no question that Jason Reitman is one of the most significant rising directors of his generation.  That remains true in this, his least entertaining movie to date.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  The point of the script is that nobody cares about pretty girls anymore.  The problem with the script is that nobody cares about pretty girls anymore.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Young Adult Trailer

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Tower Heist

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  When a group of high-rise employees lose their pension to a Ponzi scheme that one of their tenants got them involved in, they hatch a plan to rob the money back from the white collar criminal.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda, Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, Tea Leoni, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nina Arianda, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Juan Carlos Hernandez,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Go!  It doesn't suck.  And at this point, that's good enough for me!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  It's more of a light-hearted heist movie than a comedy, so don't be surprised if you don't laugh as much as you would in another Ben Stiller comedy.  And by another Ben Stiller comedy, I mean Zoolander, because let's be honest, most of the rest of them aren't all that funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  There's one part where Alan Alda explains why he (as a rich man) matters more than they do (as average incomed people).  That's sad because rich people really think this way, and they're wrong.  The only time they matter anymore than the rest of us is when they're giving their money away for a good cause. 

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  No, but speaking of awards, don't you think it's interesting that after the Oscar Awards producer, Brett Ratner, who happens to be the director of this movie made a homophobic slur, that caused him to resign, which caused the host, Eddie Murphy, who happens to be the star of this movie, to drop out, that Brian Grazer, who happens to be the producer of this movie quickly stepped in to replace Brett Ratner as the Producer of the Oscars.  No one has mentioned this, but here's my analysis of why Brian Grazer suddenly decided that he had to take on this thankless job: P.R. emergency.   Grazer, who I'm assuming never really wanted the job of producing the Oscars, is taking a bullet for the team, so that this movie, and his company, Imagine, don't continue to get the bad rap that started when Vince Vaughn had a similar debacle due to what some called a "slur" in the trailer for The Dilemma, and has been followed up with a series of high-profile flops, including Cowboys & Aliens.  Tower Heist is the first Imagine movie in some time to make any money, and Grazer has no choice but to save its face, by tying a positive image to someone involved with the movie (himself).  The happiest news, though, is that he somehow landed the best Oscar host of all time, Billy Crystal.  And by "somehow," I'm sure I mean, "Paying him way more money than anyone has ever been offered to host the Oscars before." (Disclaimer: The above paragraph is all hearsay, made up by me...  But think about it.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Ben Stiller isn't annoying, even one single time.  Eddie Murphy is funny for the first time since Beverly Hills Cop II, and Michael Pena is quickly making his way to the top of my hilarious actors' list.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  Everyone thinks Brett Ratner is a really funny guy, because he bangs all those chicks on Entourage and looks like an older Jonah Hill, but most of his movies are much more serious than you remember (see: The Family Man.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  The script had me wondering how they were gonna pull things off, and even sometimes thinking they were clever in the way they did it.  All that, while being simple enough to make screenwriting look easy-- which is one of the hardest things to do when you're writing a script.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Tower Heist Trailer

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A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Harold & Kumar (John Cho & Kal Penn) are no longer friends because Harold is married and has decided that Kumar's friendship is trouble.  Now Harold needs to find a 12 foot Christmas tree to appease his father-in-law (Danny Trejo), and Kumar still loves him enough to help him, despite the fact that Harold has become a stuck-up douchebag.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Kal Penn, John Cho, Danny Trejo, Thomas Lennon, Amir Blumenfeld, Paula Garces, Elias Koteas, Jordan Hinson, Patton Oswalt, Bobby Lee, Ashley Coss, Chloe Coss, Hannah Coss, RZA, Da'Vone McDonald, Yasen Peyankov, John Hoogenakker, Eddie Kaye Thomas, David Krumholtz, Neil Patrick Harris, Daneel Ackles, Bennett Saltzman, Jake M. Johnson, Richard Riehle

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Proceed with Caution.  It's wacky, but not in a clever way.  The most interesting thing is the weird ways in which they attempt to use the 3D psychedelically.  But I still hate 3D.  First it makes me dizzy, and then it puts me to sleep.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  The funniest parts are around a baby's first drug trips, so that's bound to be really unfunny to parents-- mostly because parents have no sense of humor about how kids do the darndest things!

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  Actually, it is sort of depressing at the beginning, when you see these two best friends who no longer talk.  Why do people who get married think they're so much better than those who don't?  Have they forgotten that over 50% of marriages end in divorce?  Do they think they're unsusceptible to that statistic?  Seriously married people, get off your high horses, and respect those people who were there for you when you were just a lonely loser, you may need them again sooner than you think.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Despite Your Highness's best efforts, this one takes the award for longest penis.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Even after his hiatus to work in the White House, Kal Penn has not forgotten how to act and be charming.  A few others start to break out in some of the miniscule roles, allowing you to picture them in bigger parts in future movies, including Jake Johnson of The New Girl, Bobby Lee of Mad TV, and Amir Blumenfeld of pretty much nothing.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  The 3D effects are noticeable, especially when you consider that Todd Strauss-Schluson is essentially a first time feature director.  Aside from those, it could have been directed by anybody.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  I just wish that Harold & Kumar had rekindled their friendship earlier on, because while the plot is clearly meant to be about the rekindling, the script is missing the love that used to be the reason Harold would put up with or go along with all of Kumar's hijinks.  Without the love, it's just one character annoying another, and that's not funny.  It's sad.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

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The Descendants

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  A man's wife goes into a coma, and that's when he (George Clooney) finds out she was cheating on him. 

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause, Amara Miller, Robert Forster, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Proceed with Caution.  It's called The Descendants but it should have been called, "Come Visit My Dead Wife in the Hospital," because that's the majority of what happens in the movie.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  Yes, but not as much as you have in past Alexander Payne films.  So don't go in expecting Election or Sideways.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  Right when I thought I couldn't care less, Judy Greer had me holding back tears so I wouldn't embarrass myself by crying.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  There is buzz, but most of it is from before anyone saw the movie.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  I don't like George Clooney as an actor, he just doesn't jump off the screen.  But the 3 kids are amazing!  I predict much work in the future for Amara Miller, Nick Krause, and Shailene Woodley-- who just today came out as one of Hollywood Reporter's 35 power people under 35.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  Alexander Payne goes to great lengths to show us the ugly underbelly of the West-Coast's favorite vacation spot, Hawaii.  If this was supposed to draw tourism to the area (which is Hawaii's #1  industry), then I'm sorry to say that I'll soon be checking out Tahiti.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  There is some interesting dialogue here and there, especially out of the mouths of babes, but the story of the land buyout isn't executed in a compelling manner, and the dying wife starts to feel like she's not even there.  Sometimes, in the midst of all the characters' depression, I couldn't even remember what they were so depressed about.  Maybe it would've been different if we'd gotten to know the wife a little bit before the coma.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A:  People dress funny in Hawaii.  I guess the cost of getting a fashion magazine across all that ocean is just too high.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Descendants Trailer

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The Big Year

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  Three guys compete in the Big Year competition, which consists of attempting to look at the largest variety of birds between January 1st and December 31st of any year.  You don't have to take pictures or have any kind of proof to win, you just have to say you saw them.  Very un-American.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Rachida Jones, Rosamund Pike, Diane Weist, Brian Dennehy, Joel McHale, Kevin Pollak, JoBeth Williams, Anjelica Houston, Jim Parsons, Paul Campbell, Anthony Anderson, Tim Blake Nelson, Cindy Busby, Steven Weber, Andrew Wilson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Stop!  This movie wrongly assumes that anyone cares about birds, or watching them.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  Well, Owen Wilson's nose does still look like a phallic symbol.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  I had a vulnerable moment around a baby's name, and that's how I remembered that I needed to stop by the store on the way home and pick up some feminine hygiene products.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  I remember reading that this story was set up at a studio and thinking, "Why?  How could that possibly be interesting?"  Then I read that Steve Martin and Jack Black and Owen Wilson were in it, and I thought, "There must be something I don't know about it that makes it interesting."  And then I read that it was based on a book, so I imagined that there had to be something interesting about the book that made them want to turn it into a movie...  Well after all that, I'd like to give myself the "I Was Right" Award. And that's why it's important to always go with your first instinct.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Nothing wrong with it... except that these people thought this film was a good use of their talents.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  Really, David Frankel?  You're gonna go from The Devil Wears Prada and Marley & Me to a movie about people who ruin everything in their lives so they can run around looking at birds?  I have nothing more to say on the matter.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  It's naively hopeful to think that a competition about looking at bird varietals across America could be relatable to anyone who isn't already a birder, so when these guys risk their relationships and jobs over it, they look pretty bird-brained-- and not in a funny way, just in an idiot way.  What I'm saying is that the stakes are terrible.  And normally before making a movie, producers look into the size of the built-in audience, but come on now, how many people in the world really care about birds that aren't marinated in a balsamic reduction? 

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A:  Somebody please remind me not to see the movie formerly known as Everybody Loves Whales.   My gut instinct was the same when I read about that movie getting set up at a studio as when I read about this one.  I've seen the trailer for it now, too (currently -- and forgettably -- entitled Big Miracle), and I have a strong feeling that it's going to have exactly these same problems as Big Year, because  everybody doesn't love whales, either!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Big Year Trailer

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50/50

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  A 27-year-old guy (Joseph Gordon Levitt) discovers he has cancer, with a 50/50 chance of survival.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston, Serge Houde, Andrew Airlie, Matt Frewer, Philip Baker Hall, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Sugar Lyn Beard, Sarah Smyth

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Proceed with Caution.  A lot of people are hyping up this movie, but I think it may be because it's inspired by the true story of writer Will Reiser's actual cancer, and they feel like they have to say good things about it because, shit, the guy had cancer!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  Seth Rogen does his schtick, and it works, but guess what?  Cancer's not funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  There is one moment that almost got me, and surprisingly, it was a shot of a book.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  It will most likely win a Golden Globe for Best Comedy because it's not funny.  I've noticed that Awards shows don't like to recognize sense of humor as an award-worthy skill, so if they can find a project that was marketed as a comedy, even though it's not, they feel more dignified giving an award to that.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is impeccable, as always.  This is by far Anna Kendrick's best performance ever.  And Seth Rogen is perfectly cast in the role of himself-- really, his character is based on the real life him.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  Jonathan Levine finds ways to be interesting even in the most mundane of shots.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  There's nothing wrong with it, but ultimately it's just like watching someone go through cancer, and as the friend who turned me down to go to this movie with me said, "Don't we do that enough in our real lives?"

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: 50/50 Trailer

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Our Idiot Brother

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man (Paul Rudd) is so sweet and naive in his belief in the good in people that he gets himself and his three sisters into a lot of trouble. But it's also because he has a big mouth.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Rashida Jones, Steve Coogan, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, T.J. Miller, Shirley Knight, Matthew Mindler, Sterling Brown, Hugh Dancy, Janet Montgomery, Lydia Haug

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! This is a very sweet character and a perfectly sweet movie, but there's nothing engaging about any of it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It is marketed as a broad comedy and it's not. There are still some good clever laughs, but the humor is much more subdued than you might think. It's almost British, in fact.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Still not engaging.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Movie I've Ever Told You Not to See... It's going to be more enjoyable on the small screen anyway. Wait for that.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: There are a lot of stand out performances. Paul Rudd is perfectly dumb. Elizabeth Banks is a perfectly uptight bitch, not dissimilarly to Kathryn Hahn's perfectly hippie bitch.While T.J. Miller is perfect at seeming like he's understudying for the role of the idiot brother.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There is an energy missing from the film that keeps it from being as fun as it should be, and it seems to have something to do with the directing.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It just doesn't feel original in any way... and you really want it to.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Our Idiot Brother Trailer

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The Guard

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A murder in small town Ireland brings an FBI agent (Don Cheadle) into an offbeat partnership with a very strange police officer (Brendan Gleeson).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Mark Strong, Fionnula Flanagan, Dominique McElligott, Sarah Greene, Katarina Cas, Pat Shortt, Darren Healy, Laurence Kinlan, Michael Og Lane, Owen Sharpe

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Today I challenge you to see a film that is smarter than you and nothing like any Hollywood movie you can think of... Except:

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not since Fargo has a crime mystery been so funny due to dialect.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not since Waking Ned Devine have the Irish been depicted in their own movie as so unabashedly shameless.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Not since Snatch has an English language film so badly needed English language subtitles.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Not since In Bruges has Brendan Gleeson played such a multi-dimentionally hilarious bad guy with a heart of gold.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Not since The Future has an independent film been shot so still, wide, and patient.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Not since Inception has there been a good ending so ambiguous, debatable, and intriguing.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Guard Trailer

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30 Minutes or Less

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A pizza delivery boy (Jesse Eisenberg) wakes up strapped to a bomb, with a pair of small time criminals (Danny McBride & Nick Swardson) demanding that he rob a bank for $100,000 if he wants to get out of exploding.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari, Nick Swardson, Dilshad Vadsaria, Michael Pena, Bianca Kajlich, Fred Ward

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's incredibly dumb, but not dumb enough to be awesome.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The funniest clips are in the trailer, and to add insult to injury, even those are slightly funnier when taken out of the context of the film.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No emotions of any kind will be had.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Funniest panel at Comic Con. If you weren't one of the thousand people at that panel, you may never discover how truly hilarious the actors in this film actually are. Because it's not particularly clear from watching this film.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Aziz Ansari is such a bad actor that he makes Jesse Eisenberg seem like he's over-acting just for hitting his emotions at appropriate levels. And Michael Pena, whose resume includes just about everything serious that's ever been made, turns out to be something of a comic genius... After this performance, I have a feeling that he will get a speedy welcome into the club.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The opening car scene is pretty awesome... and then you never notice the directing again.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: So after getting a bomb strapped to you, you go to your best friend who is a school teacher, and you say "Rob a bank with me," at which point he deserts his classroom full of children and agrees to rob a bank with you. Think about that... Yeah, there's no world in which it happens that way. Here's a possible alternative. You rob a bank by yourself, while your best friend calls the cops to explain why you're robbing the bank, and then the cops, using their years of professional knowledge and expertise, devise a strategy to get you out of that bomb. And don't get me started on the dialogue.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: 30 Minutes or Less Trailer

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The Change-Up

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A married man (Jason Bateman) and a single man (Ryan Reynolds) switch bodies and try not to f-up each other's lives.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Mann, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin, Sydney Rouviere, Mircea Monroe, Grogory Itzin, Ned Schmidtke, Lo Ming, Craig Bierko, Bailey Anne Borders

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you go to a body-switch movie, and your main complaint is that the set-up and the ending are predictable, then you only have yourself to blame. That's what body-switch movies do. You're supposed to watch a body-switch movie for the second act. That's where you get to find out if the actors where able to transform to the point of making you believe they are inhabited by the other, and it's where you get to see the ways in which they screw up each other's lives while they are inhabiting them. So let's talk about the second act, which isn't anywhere near as bad as the buzz on it. In fact, once it's released on VOD and DVD, I predict that many people will find themselves telling a friend, "You know what I saw last night, that wasn't half bad?"

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not out loud much, because the writers rely too heavily on swear words instead of humor, and the insulting nicknames the characters lob at each other incessantly quickly begin to feel overbearing and self-conscious.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: What makes me cry most is how all the nerds and haters are so quick to say this movie is the end of the raunchy R-rated comedy being hot. Some of us love comedies, don't consider them a phase but rather a necessity, and don't start screaming about how it's the end of your stupid comic book movies, just because Green Lantern came out and sucked. (Disclaimer: I didn't see it.) Hey, I'm noticing a pattern. Maybe we could all get along if we instead went around screaming that it's the end of Ryan Reynolds?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'm giving Judd Apatow a Tolerance Award for letting the mother of his children show her boobs. It takes a truly secure man to be okay with that... Or maybe a truly twisted one. Either way, we should start counting down to their divorce.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jason Bateman does an amazing job of making you forget that he doesn't actually have Ryan Reynolds inside his body. Ryan Reynolds does an amazing job of making you forget why he's become such a hot commodity.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: David Dobkin directed Wedding Crashers, so my first instinct is never to say anything bad... But. There are several pivotal pissing scenes, where we get full frontal shots, and before you get all grossed out, let me clarify that my complaint is that neither one of these men seems to have a penis. Now I know you can't show that in an R-rated movie, but what I don't know is why the director chose to shoot an angle that makes it so obvious that they're holding little water hoses rigged to come out of their flies. It would have been so easy to use only angles that don't show the pants' opening. The way it is shot, you can't help but peek, and seeing nothing there is disturbing.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: From the writers of The Hangover, comes a film that feels like it's from the writers of an ABC Family Film-- with tits, swearing, and male leads. I think the lesson here is that you shouldn't try to do a body-switch movie for the R-rated audience. It would seem they don't care for the conceit. Oh well, I guess I'd better scrap my plans to write that body-switch movie between a hooker and her pimp.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Change-Up Trailer

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Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a man's (Steve Carell) wife (Julianne Moore) asks for a divorce, he goes to a bar where he meets a womanizer (Ryan Gosling), who teaches him to get his manhood back.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Analeigh Tipton, Jonah Bobo, Joey King, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Spacey, John Carroll Lynch, Beth Littleford, Liza Lapira, Josh Groban

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's sweet and romantic, and Steve Carell will charm the pants off you -- quite literally if you're a woman who frequents that one bar he goes to.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Sure, there are some jokes, but it's also funny to think that Ryan Gosling's pickup lines could work on anyone, no less everyone. Film's Message #1: Women love to have one night stands with complete tools.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: What's depressing is Film's Message #2: You only have one true soul mate in life. Don't worry, if you lose that person, fate will eventually bring you back together. But if it doesn't, because you live in the real world and not fantasy land, you can always kill yourself, because what are you living for anyway, now that you will never love again? (Can you tell that I hate the theory of "The One," or am I being too subtle?)

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: From the opening shot on a pair of shoes that I absolutely must have, to the most beautiful men's wear line I have ever seen, this film absolutely must win a costume design award. More likely though, it won't be nominated, because it's not a period piece, and most voters are too dense to recognize that copying old designs from pictures of the past is way easier than creating a beautiful and original style within modern men's wear.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: While Steve Carell and Julianne Moore find the line between heightened reality and comic timing pitch perfectly, Ryan Gosling has some challenging character and dialogue improbabilities to overcome. Meanwhile, Emma Stone mugs a lot more than I would expect from an actress of her caliber, making this her first performance that I haven't enjoyed (not counting her cameo in Friends with Benefits, which exposed a similar problem). And Analeigh Tipton, in the role of the babysitter, has a nice awkward quality, but to quote the teenage girls I encountered in the bathroom, "Her acting is really weird."

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The vibrant color scheme is pleasant, but my problem with the directing is that I could tell it was shot in L.A., and the amount of coincidences in the story just isn't realistic in a city that big. They never show any landmarks or mention what city it is, so maybe they were hoping it would look like some non-descript small town where everyone has a plausible chance of running into each other all the time, and there's only one bar that anyone ever goes to, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who recognized the Century City shopping mall, or the smog covered Santa Monica Mountains... I'm just sayin', this is what Canada is for!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Within the world of being a romantic comedy, it feels original because it revolves around a family, rather than young, unattached star-crossed lovers falling in love for the first time. But the coincidences get a little out of control. And if Ryan Gosling's character does exist, he's been cast on the Jersey Shore, and he's not falling in love ever -- not in that faithful way, anyhow.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Crazy, Stupid, Love. Trailer

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Friends with Benefits

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man (Justin Timberlake) and woman (Mila Kunis) become best friends after they each get dumped for being "damaged," and to prove the point, they decide to have casual sex on a regular basis, while attempting to maintain their best-friendship.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins, Bryan Greenberg, Nolan Gould, Andy Samberg, Emma Stone, Shaun White, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's a little edgier than No Strings Attached, and they really are friends first this time, but it's hard to enjoy the rom-com process when the entire first half of the film makes you feel like an idiot for enjoying rom-coms.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The laughs are slight but plentiful.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Your eyes might get teary at the end, but then you'll remember how at the beginning these very characters called you a wuss for buying into the romance that movies like this sell. So as thirsty as you may feel, you will suddenly get an uncontrollable urge to not drink the Kool-Aid. (And to those people sitting next to me, I got mascara in my eye.)

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It Smells Like the 70s Just Got a Lot More Puritanical Award... For all the sex they have, most of it is hidden under sheets -- very un-70s. But you will get a naked butt shot of both Justin and Mila during non-sex scenes, so at least people still walk around naked in the privacy of their own movie.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I apologize in advance, but as much as we love him on SNL, on the big screen Justin Timberlake is completely flat. I'm sure he's charming and charismatic in person -- I've heard nothing but good things -- but his charm and charisma just aren't photogenic.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Nothing really stands out in the directing, except for how big and creepy Mila Kunis's eyes are in the first scene. I think they're gorgeous, myself. How about you? Creepy or stunning?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The beginning of the script is so punchy and clever, that you know it was a good read. Unfortunately, when put on its feet, it feels more forced than clever. The second half of the film is more grounded, and is therefore more compelling.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Friends with Benefits Trailer

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Zookeeper

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A zookeeper (Kevin James) finds out that the animals can talk, when they try to reunite him with the woman who broke his heart (Leslie Bibb).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, Ken Jeong, Donnie Wahlberg, Joe Rogan, Nat Faxon, Steffiana De La Cruz, Nick Turturro, Brandon Keener, and the voices of: Nick Nolte, Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Cher, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Maya Rudolph, Bas Rutten, Don Rickles, Jim Breuer

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Here's what happened to me... I tried to take my almost 3 year old niece to see the movie with talking cars, but the Arclight didn't let us in because they were more than 10 minutes into the previews. She was disappointed, so I agreed to take her to the movie with talking animals instead. Turns out that talking animals are really scary to an almost 3 year old-- especially when voiced by the dulcet tones of Nick Nolte, Sylvester Stallone, and Faizon Love. So we left after 20 minutes. Unfortunately for me, the first 20 minutes were really promising, so I went back the next day to see the rest.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A few times in the first 20 minutes. Less when I found out what the ride I was on was really gonna be like.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It made my niece cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Beastiality Scene in a PG movie. (Thanks to the beautiful and charming Katrina Begin of Minnesota.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Kevin James is great. I know, I really just said that. But the voice cast is a-nnoy-ing! Especially Maya Rudolf as the giraffe. She's lucky she's in Bridesmaids, because otherwise, this could've marked the beginning of a dry spell for her. And why did Judd Apatow suddenly decide he needed to add acting to his resume? Isn't he busy enough?

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Seeing it a second time, I realized that it was the lighting and the score that were scaring my niece almost as much as the deep voiced lions, bears, and gorilla. But I think the fact that I had to explain to her several times that it was supposed to "funny" not "scary" kind of says it all.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Well it has 5 writers, so you know how that goes. But at least they got a T.G.I.Fridays promotion in there, so everyone could get paid and laugh all the way to the bank! Honestly, it's not that bad if you like movies that are completely predictable in every way.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: A Gorilla in T.G.I.Fridays is totally disturbing even if he does speak English and wear a shirt. Speaking of which, whatever happened to "No shoes, no shirt, no service"? Dude isn't even wearing pants!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Zookeeper Trailer

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