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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War Horse

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  A boy and his horse are separated during World War I, and we follow the horse's journey through the war.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, Emily Watson, Niels Arestrup, David Thewlis, Tom Hiddleston, Bnedict Cumberbatch, Celine Buckens, Toby Kebbell, Patrick Kennedy, Leonard Carow, David Kross, Matt Milne, Robert Emms, Eddie Marsan

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Stop!  I can see the little old church ladies now, watching this movie on TV and then telling their grandchildren, "Oh, wasn't that a nice picture?"  They are the only ones who feel that way.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  I laughed several times at how ridiculously improbable every other beat in the movie was-- starting with the way the boy acquires the horse.  Any decent screenwriter knows that you can't have more than one coincidence in a script.  This movie is built around them.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  Horse lovers might, but I'd like to prevent that by reminding them that horses don't really think like humans do.  That's just a movie device.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  I think it's time to give Spielberg the Lifetime Achievement Award, because based on the movies I've seen in the last two nights, he has clearly passed his peak.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  People regularly have giant reactions to absolutely nothing; reactions that last longer than the final shot in a soap opera scene.  How do I know this style is outdated?  All of the soap operas just got cancelled.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  It's 2 1/2 hours of melodramatic acting with melodramatic music, shot in exteriors that are lit like they are on a sound stage from the 1950s.  Need I say more?

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  There is one good scene in the entire movie, and I'd seen that one done before too. 

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: War Horse Trailer

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The Adventures of Tintin

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  Based on a combination of stories from the Belgian comic books, a young journalist named Tintin buys a model ship from a flea market, and suddenly people are trying to kill him and steal the ship, which leads him on a journalistic adventure to find out what is so special about this little ship.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Cary Elwes, Daniel Mays, Mackenzie Crook, Gad Elmaleh, Tony Curran, Kim Stengal, Enn Reitel, Joe Starr

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Proceed with Caution. I spent most of the movie wondering who the target audience was supposed to be.  If it's supposed to be for grown-ups, then making it live-action would've made the action-adventure parts more exciting.  And if it's supposed to be for little boys, then why is one of the main characters a drunk?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  For once I can say, I preferred the book.  I remember reading these as a kid, and I remember them being funny-- especially those twin cops Thomson and Thompson. Even with one of my favorite comedy teams (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) in the roles, this is not.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  I felt like crying for poor little Tintin because the way they animated it, he looks about 14, so when he gets lost at sea and then lands in a foreign country without his mommy and daddy, I worry.  Turns out-- and I had to have this explained to me-- that he's in his low twenties.  I'm not a fan of the look they chose for him.  He doesn't look old enough to be a journalist, and more importantly, he doesn't look like Tintin.  It's animated!  You could've made him look exactly like he does in the books.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  The Award for 2011 goes to Belgium!  Between this and The Smurfs, Belgium is really positioning itself this year to look like more than just the European Canada.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Once again, my favorite actor is the dog.  But in comparison to the live-action dog in The Artist, who I've heard has people campaigning for his eligibility in the Best Supporting Actor category, this dog is nothing more than a drawing.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  The choice to do this animated originally made sense to me, because the comic book lends itself to animation.  But the choice to do the animation using motion capture, so that the characters end up looking  semi-human, without  looking anything like their drawn counter-parts mind-boggles me.  Now that I've seen it, I think they should've gone with live-action  -- which was Spielberg's first instinct, once again proving the point that you should always listen to your gut.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  Tintin is such a goody-two-shoes, that his character is boring, and never gives you any sense that he might mess up, or not figure something out.  In other words, there's no suspense. 

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

A:  Spielberg isn't the only master of his craft to deliver less than stellar results here, composer John Williams also creates a score that is beneath him.  The music itself is fun and light, and would probably make good listening if you were sitting around in your library smoking your pipe, but put up against this movie, it just feels wrong.  In the opening credits for example, twice as much action is in the music than in the images on the screen.  And in the rest, it would've served the movie to have music creating a greater sense of suspense in the parts when the story did not.  It's cheating, but it's exactly what makes renowned composers like John Williams so great at their jobs.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Adventures of Tintin Trailer

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Kung Fu Panda 2

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Po the Kung Fu fighting Panda (Jack Black) is tasked to save China and Kung Fu from a military weapon built by an evil peacock (Gary Oldman-- of course).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Danny McBride, Dennis Haysbert, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Victor Garber

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. With the lethal combination of feeling more geared toward the kiddies, while at the same time being too action packed with violence for many kiddies, it's just not as good as the first one.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not as much as the first one... by which I mean very little.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not as much as the first one... by which I mean not at all.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Sequel in which I Most Would Have Liked a Refresher on the Dynamic of the Team. I didn't remember any of the characters' traits from the first one, and they aren't clearly defined in this second part... But I guess most kids have watched the first one at least 45 times by now.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Is it just me, or is Angelina Jolie boring as hell? On a positive note, I enjoyed lesser-known actor James Hong's performance so much, I actually thought I was listening to Ken Jeong. (For the sake of clarity, I'd like to explain that by "lesser-known," I mean that despite his 56 year career, which includes about 100 movies and 150 TV series, I've never personally heard of him.)

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Jennifer Yuh makes interesting artistic choices, like distinguishing the past from the present by using a distinctively old-fashioned, 2-dimensional, Chinese style of animation for the past. Her style is noticeable throughout, as you find yourself often paying attention to the shots and camera angles, my favorite of which is a parody of the Pac Man video game-- which is no doubt setting itself up to be a basis for the Kung Fu Panda 2 video game.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Sequels are tough. How do you move beyond an origin story and keep it fresh? The writers of this script clearly do not know the answers to that question either.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Kung Fu Panda 2 Trailer

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Tangled 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Disney's animated version of Rapunzel, about a lost princess, who longs to get out of her tower and visit the world. Is it just me, or does anyone else not remember her hair being magical in any previous versions?

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, M.C. Gainey, Jeffrey Tambor, Brad Garrett, Paul F. Tompkins

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's very cute, but not the most original or funny animated Disney movie of the bunch. Most disappointing are the songs, which seem like rehashes of better songs from more remarkable Disney musicals. I guess the bottom line is that now that they've spoofed themselves in Enchanted, it's very hard to go back to making these princess musicals in a non-joking way. They just seem like some old-fashioned thing trying desperately to make a comeback, and you find yourself thinking of Amy Adams and laughing when you're not supposed to.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Aside from when you're imagining Amy Adams, not so much. But I find Dan Fogelman to be a comedy writer whose forte isn't really humor.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Your small children might cry at the blood, and the multiple frightening falls from high places that seem to pollute these films, which are supposedly made for kids, but clearly only exist to teach them what their nightmares should be about.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Probably not Best Animated Picture of the year. It's a small category, but the competition is thick this year, and this isn't the best one.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The chameleon is right on hue, but the horse chews up the scenery.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: On the plus side, there is a beautiful shot of lanterns floating in the sky that both parallels and exceeds the beauty of the flying balloons of Up. On the minus side, the prince and the horse each take several falls that they shouldn't have survived, which jolts you right out of the reality of this fantasy film. That's why when the prince dies at the end, it almost makes up for all the times he didn't... Come on, that's not really a spoiler, this is a Disney movie, the Prince couldn't possibly die!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There's not nearly enough of a fish out of water moments for a girl who has never seen anything besides the view from her window. The love story is only thinly developed. And the ending seems like a cheat... I mean, sure I'll buy that it could work, but it's not set up and it's hardly justified.

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

A: Did you ever notice that the bad guys always get the most powerful songs?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/tangled/33552/trailers

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Ramona and Beezus

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on the Beverly Cleary novels, Ramona is just about the most independent, unorthodox, original 9-year-old there is. Unfortunately, when a girl can't fit in, even when she tries to, it can make for some pretty embarrassing elementary school moments.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Joey King, Selena Gomez, John Corbett, Bridget Moynahan, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Duhamel, Jason Spevack, Sierra McCormick, Sandra Oh, Hutch Dano

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. At first it's unclear what the story is about, but it maintains your interest because the main character is terrifical!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The comedy is soft but delishus.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: The last 15 minutes will have you welling up over and over again for one reason and then the next... Hell, no! I didn't allow no tears to actually drop!

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Ineptly Titled film of the year. Why is it called Ramona and Beezus when it should simply be called This Movie is About Ramona, and Only Ramona, So Help Me God?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: What a star! Joey King as Ramona is extraordinary. Spelled E-X-T-R-A-O-R-D-I-N-A-R-Y. See I can use Ms. Meacham's words in a sentence, too... Okay, I admit, I looked it up on dictionary.com.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There are some partially animated imagination sequences that bring the directing to a slightly higher level than one might expect from a movie targeting 8-year-old girls.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I know I read some Ramona books, though I'm pretty certain that I didn't read this one, and I'm even more certain that it's been almost 30 years since the last time I picked one up (yes, I learned to read 5 years before I was conceived), so I can't say if it's true to the book or not. What I can say is that the last 20 minutes are good enough to make up for the lack of direction in the first hour and a half.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/ramona-and-beezus/31195/trailers

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Despicable Me

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An evil villain (Steve Carell) attempts to steal the Moon, in a last ditch effort to prove that he's the best bad guy in the world, but his plans start to falter when 3 orphan girls come into his life.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Miranda Cosgrove, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, Dana Gaier, Elsie Fisher, Jack McBrayer, Jemaine Clement, Danny McBride, Mindy Kaling, and the Minions

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Whatever the story departments in the animation world are doing, live action development people should figure it out and start imitating it as soon as possible. In some of these animated movies, it almost feels like someone cared about the user experience... and these are the movies that are supposed to be for little kids, you know, those small-sized people with completely undeveloped minds.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Most of the cleverness is in the details, so pay very close attention.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It goes so far as to make you say, "Awwww." Out loud.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: As enthusiastic as I may seem about this movie, it's not that good.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I was impressed with Steve Carell's accent-- not because I could place what country it was supposed to be from, but because it totally made you forget that it was Steve Carell. Same goes for Russell Brand, who really sounds old. But it goes without saying that the best voice comes from Elsie Fisher, a little girl who can't be more than 8-years-old, and should be able to parlay this into being the next Dakota Fanning.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Pretty standard.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The writers do a nice job of creating an antihero with a backstory that makes you sympathize with him. They quickly establish how mean he is, then suddenly show you why, then the plot sets in motion, and emotionally, you understand what a guy like this is getting out of hanging around a bunch of little girls. The girls are also established in such a way that you buy that they would be accepting of this man's strange home and lifestyle.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/despicable-me/36148/trailers

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The Karate Kid

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When an American boy (Jaden Smith) moves to China with his mother (Taraji P. Henson), he is bullied by the local boys, so he learns Kung Fu from a broken master (Jackie Chan).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Wenwen Han, Zhenwei Wang, Rongguang Yu, Shijia Lu

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! I'm sorry Ralph Macchio, but there is truly no longer any reason to ever watch the original again. Though it's the same story, everything in this new one is of a higher quality.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not too much, but Jackie Chan's expression when he sees what Jaden Smith's character decides to do for his final fight makes up for all the laughter that was lacking throughout the rest.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There's a scene that's supposed to, but that was the one part where I found myself thinking about other things, like what I'm gonna eat for lunch tomorrow. Maybe I should've gone to the grocery store instead of the movies.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Fight on MTV. You know how bad guys in movies often say things like, "I'm gonna beat you up with that guy's fist!"?... Well, in this movie, Jackie Chan actually does that.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jaden Smith is such a ham! He regularly mugs too much for the camera, but you forgive him because he's just so adorable when he does.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Going to China for this remake was such a good idea. The beautiful scenery and landmarks and culture make you wonder how there ever could have been a version of this film that took place in America. We are taken to the Great Wall and the Forbidden City and the Dragon Fountain, where we get to see the mountainous scenery on the way. And I learned a few new ways to use a crane shot in the process.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There is not one line of corny dialogue in this remake. Despite repeating the beats of the original, everything feels real, natural and surprisingly new. I was also impressed with how well defined Jaden Smith's character is. He is goofy and cocky around people he likes, but shy and scared around people he doesn't. His blind courage is well set up in the first fight (or should I say "beating"), so it's believable that he would make bold choices by the end.

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

A: As a consolation to Ralph Macchio, we still love The Outsiders and My Cousin Vinnie.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-karate-kid/35823/trailers

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Disney's A Christmas Carol 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: If you don't know what A Christmas Carol is about you're probably too young to see a PG movie... or for that matter, to be able to read this.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jim Carrey, Jim Carrey, and Jim Carrey! (Don't you love when they say that? Neither do I.) Also with Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Robin Wright Penn, Bob Hoskins, Cary Elwes, Fionnula Flanagan

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! This is a tried and true interpretation of Dickens' classic tale, that basically does no interpreting at all. If you've seen any version of it before, the only reason to see this one is for the 3D performance capture effects.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: People don't often think about that fact that this is in no way a humorous story by its nature.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're an actor it should, because if motion capture continues to catch on, your job will soon be obsolete.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The art direction is pretty spectacular, and if nothing else depicts a beautiful traditional Christmas that makes you long for those fantasy filled days, still so far in the future...

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The actors are done no favors by the directing. Each of their animated counterparts are drawn like uglier versions of the real people, and no matter how many motion-capture probes you put on a person, you can never fully capture the look in their eye. That's why most movies hire professional actors and let them do the acting. Using this fancy technique, the director and the animators have to fill in the blanks, and they don't have nearly as much acting experience as the 3D people they're drawing.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: In his efforts to turn a 50 minute play into an hour and a half long movie, the director builds endless pauses into the dialogue and the action, most of which seem to exist to create suspense, but in fact are only there to create a good time for a little nap. Turns out, I really needed to catch up on sleep.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: That's funny, there was a writer on this? Because (coincidentally) I recently read the play, by Dickens, and I didn't see any differences... It makes you wonder how much he was paid? And how do I get that job?

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

A: If you're only going to see one version of A Christmas Carol this year, make it one of the other ones.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/disneys-a-christmas-carol/30597/trailers

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Imagine That

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A financial adviser (Eddie Murphy), who is estranged from his young daughter (Yara Shahidi), finds out that her security blanket can take him to a magical world that can predict the stock market. Get it? It's a securities blanket.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Eddie Murphy, Yara Shahidi, Thomas Haden Church, Ronny Cox, Martin Sheen, Bobbe'e J. Thompson, Nicole Ari Parker, James Patrick Stuart, DeRay Davis, Vanessa Williams, Timm Sharp, Talen Ruth Riley, Stephen Root

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's very cute, but if you don't have a family to bring, you'll find yourself wondering why you're there.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are some laughs. And a couple of them aren't even totally immature.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Maybe if you're on your period... Yes, some girls get it when they're still young enough to be in the demographic for this movie! And don't say, "Eiw," it's a fact of life, it's where babies come from, and you should have a little more compassion for those poor young girls who are already having to deal with it, even though they're only 9 or 10 years old.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Adorable Disney Movie to come out of Nickelodeon this year.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Yara Shahidi has a mug you could look at for hours. She is beautiful from all angles, in all hairdos, and in all emotions-- each of which she plays like a real child, but without any of the bad acting that usually comes with having to let a child play the part. It's amazing to think that she's never done a movie before.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Run of the mill, but inoffensive.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I can't help but wonder whose idea it was to make a children's movie so heavily centered around stock trading. It's hard to imagine that even if there were an imaginary world in which 3 invisible Princesses and a Queen can communicate with a little girl through her blanky, that they would talk to her about which companies' values were going to rise or plummet on the market, the next day. While it's a good device to help the little girl relate better to her dad, kids don't want to see a movie about that, and imaginary royalty certainly wouldn't care about it either.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/imagine-that/28965/trailers

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Hannah Montana: The Movie

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When Hollywood starlet, Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus), gets too big for her britches, her dad (Billy Ray Cyrus) hijacks her back to Tennessee, to reconnect her with her roots, and Miley bitches.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lucas Till, Melora Hardin, Emily Osment, Vanessa Williams, Peter Gunn, Margo Martindale, Jason Earles, Michael Musso, Moises Arias, Barry Bostwick

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you are or ever have been a pre-teen girl, there is no good reason not to set aside your pretension and indulge in this festival of corniness.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Mostly at how excited all the screaming, pubescent girls in the audience get every time Miley's love interest, Travis, smiles at her. You can feel their hormones raging through you as if they were your own... And that alone is reason enough to see this one in the theaters.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I'm really too embarrassed to talk about that right now... Please don't lose respect for me.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: At this year's Academy Awards, Miley Cyrus humiliated herself on the red carpet by saying that she hoped to be back next year as a nominee for this movie... But considering that every song in the movie is a number one hit waiting to happen, I think her crazy prediction could actually come true. I even found myself dancing in my chair to some of the country ditties.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Who is Lucas Till?... You won't even need to ask that question in about one week. As Miley's charming, emotionally open, and thoughtful love interest, Lucas Till has just been positioned to compete for a spot on the list of young America's biggest heart throbs. Robert Pattinson watch your back!

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I'm not one to notice "goofs" in a movie, (i.e. continuity mistakes), but in this one I saw several without even trying. Including things like people on stage in one shot, who weren't on stage in the next, and clocks on the wall whose time did not match the lighting or time of day being described in the dialogue.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It stays true to the TV show it's based on, in both wacky tone and ridiculous premise. If you like the silly plots on the Disney Channel show, you will appreciate how the writer built on it to tell the only storyline that justifies a feature length movie. And how could you not like the silly plots on the Disney Channel show? She puts on a blond wig! There's no way anybody could recognize that she's a famous pop star in that disguise!

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

A: Right when you thought line dancing was dead, Miley unleashes her new electric slide on the world. Since this girl is an instant trend factory, second only to Dora the Explorer, I'm just going to throw caution to the wind and accept the fact that we'll all be doing this synchronized dance together the next time we see each other at a wedding, Bar Mitzvah, or other dance-oriented function. See you on the dance floor!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/hannah-montana-the-movie/33072/trailers

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Coraline

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An animated girl, named Coraline, discovers a secret passageway in her new house that leads to an evil woman, posing as a better version of her mom, in a better version of her life. But when Coraline gets wise to her Other Mom's evil ways, the Other Mom won't let her leave.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgeman, Robert Bailey Jr., Ian McShane

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The colors, animation, and 3D effects are spectacular, but who is the audience for this movie? It's not clever enough for adults, it's too dark for little girls, and it's got too much of a female protagonist for little boys.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you find giant, naked, old lady boobies funny, then sure. I think they can be funny, too... But not in a kids' movie. And by the way, when I say "giant," I guarantee that what you're picturing in your mind right now is only half the size of what they actually drew. And wearing nothing but pasties. I couldn't be more serious.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but the imitation Enya music will put you in a trance and make you very, very sleepy.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Least attractive animated humans ever drawn. Come on, they're animated, there's no excuse for them not to be cute!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I'm a huge Dakota Fanning fan, but the animators didn't do this character any favors with the facial expressions they created. Coraline is not particularly likeable, she's not nearly as cute as Dakota Fanning, and Dakota is much better at using her eyes to look sweet and innocent when she's saying something bratty-- that's how she gets away with all the bratty things she says in live action movies. Teri Hatcher, as the Other Mom, has the opposite effect. Thanks to the animation, her textured vocal tones are, for once, matched by an expressive physicality. What I'm saying is, her performance had a complete lack of Botox!... I actually thought she was fantastic in this.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Aside from the slow pace at the beginning, the directing is quite obviously the star of this film. The animation is vivacious, and with 3D glasses, it even comes right into your seat.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It seems to have been made into a movie about one draft too soon. The beats of a story are there, but it's devoid of those clever, "Why didn't I think of that?" moments. Once we know what the story is going to be, everything is laid out too easily for the protagonist to succeed.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/coraline/26304/trailers

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Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A fat, pathetic loser (Kevin James) falls for a girl who's way out of his league, and despite her rejection, puts his life on the line to save her from a robbery in which she is taken hostage. Do girls ever really fall for that old trick?

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Kevin James, Jayma Mays, Keir O'Donnell, Raini Rodriguez, Shirley Knight, Stephen Rannazzisi, Peter Gerety, Bobby Cannavale, Adam Ferrara, Allen Covert, Jamal Mixon, Adhir Kalyan, Erick Avari

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you're the kind of person who laughs at absolutely anything, this movie is for you. If you have standards of any kind, skip it. And separately, if that giant tub of man hadn't done 9 years on TV as the King of Queens, that girl wouldn't give him the time of day, even if he did save her life. She'd say thank you, and ask if they could be friends... Just in case she happened upon an unattractive lonely woman to set him up with.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you find an hour and a half of a guy riding around on a Segway funny, all I can say is... Your mother must be very proud.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I will say this, it is very depressing.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Yes, First Mall Cop Movie to Come Out this Year. (Seth Rogen has one coming soon called Observe and Report, which will undoubtedly be compared to this. Without having seen it, I can guarantee that the Seth Rogen one is better.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The ninja gymnastics was the best thing the acting had going for it. I don't know who decided that ninja skateboarders, bmx riders, and half-pipe-riding roller skaters would make for a compelling band of robbers, but if you overlook the ridiculousness of it all, you will notice that their stunts are still more interesting than the parts of the acting that involve words.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: In the scene in the Rainforest Cafe, where Blart takes down the grand majority of the bad guys, you have no idea how he got them. Why? Because the director doesn't show us those parts. Why doesn't he? My guess is because they had run out of ideas by that point in the script. After all, it's not so easy to convince an audience that an out of shape Mall Cop could take on 6 athletic ninja villains, who are all coming at him at once, and win.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: While it couldn't be more lowbrow if it had been a straight to DVD movie, it did have a few clever moments in which Paul Blart had to "outsmart" (in quotes) the robbers, in order to take them down. Considering how much money it's made, you probably have a friend who's already seen it, so maybe you can just get the Cliff's Notes from him.

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

A: They somehow forgot to mention in the promos that this was a Christmas movie. Maybe because there's no more relevant time to put out a Christmas movie than 2 weeks after Christmas is over. God I hate January movies.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/paul-blart-mall-cop/31338/trailers

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Bolt 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In this animated movie, a dog named, Bolt, who lives confined to a sound stage in a Truman Show like world, is led to believe that he has actual superpowers and defends the world from the Green-Eyed Man's evil plan. So when his owner, Penny, gets kidnapped, he goes to her rescue, and ends up in the real world, only to discover that he doesn't have superpowers and he is simply the star of a TV series.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton, Greg Germann, Diedrich Bader, Nick Swardson, J.P. Manoux, Dan Fogelman

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! The premise of a dog who needs to believe he's a real superhero in order to give a convincing performance to an audience of humans is totally ridiculous, and possibly the best reason to see this movie. Other good reasons are: because you are a child, because you have a child, because you wish you were or had a child, and because you like things that are totally cute, sweet, witty and adorable. And let's face it, delusional talking animals on cross-country road trips to save little girls are even more awesome in 3D!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you hate cats, like most well-balanced people, you will appreciate all the laughs at their expense. If you love cats, you should really rethink that, but you will still feel vindicated as they are best characters in the film, and they get all the funny lines that weren't already given to the pigeons. Yes, I am talking about humorous cats and pigeons. I can see you running to buy your ticket now.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There are some moving moments which are especially relatable to domesticated animals that have been abandoned, put in the pound, and released into the wild of the big city to fend for themselves.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: They already got Miley Cyrus, the biggest tween star in the world, to make this her first feature film starring role, so let's spread the good fortune around, by giving the awards to someone else. Nothing whatsoever against this movie, I'm just being a Socialist... er, I mean, "fair."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Even though he doesn't realize he's just an actor, when he's put to the test, Bolt proves to be a natural talent at it, in a fun sequence where Mr. Mittens, the female cat, has to teach him natural dog tricks like how to act cute so that humans will give you their food. And honorable mention goes to the pigeons who are weirdly wonderful in all their disgustingness, with their quirky neck moves and awkward waddling. I'm pretty sure they must be method actors.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Part road movie, some of these animals must travel from New York to Hollywood, and every city they hit is lit and colored to match real life perfectly. In Vegas they capture the exact color and dryness of the desert, in New York they capture the feeling that dirt and grime is covering every surface, and in Los Angeles they master the classic view of the city, as seen through a layer of muddy smog. And did I mention how cool 3D is?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Every necessary beat is hit, and hit with humor. The only reason not to enjoy this story is because you're pretentious.

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WALL•E

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Right when the last living robot on Earth gets lonely, a female robot lands on his planet, and together they attempt to bring humans back to rebuild it.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigournery Weaver... although you really can't recognize most of them.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's got some very current messages about the environment, big corporations, and obesity-- as well as how they're all tied together-- but at times you find yourself thinking too hard to understand what's going on. What I'm saying is that (as tends to happen with Pixar films), it's a little over-rated by the majority of critics that aren't me.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Here and there, but with almost no dialogue for the first two-thirds, this kids' movie often times went right over my head.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Probably not, but it's nice to see that in the year 2700, robots have absolutely no stigma attached to interracial dating.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: There are only two steps in the recipe for getting an Academy Award. 1) Compete in a category with hardly any contenders (Animation), and 2) Be a Pixar film.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Robotic.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: As with most Pixar projects, the most wonderful stuff is in the details and the little moments that you feel you couldn't have thought of yourself.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's impressive that they are able to tell so much with so few words, and yet the message is not always well communicated. There's also something unsatisfying about the ending. I mean, it's happy... kind of... But there is no heroic moment that makes you feel like the good guys did something really special in order to win. It just ends happily. And then it's over. And then the credits roll.

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

A: This is the first time I've seen a movie tie in what the video game will be about during the closing credits. They don't announce that that's what they're doing, but if you watch the little 2-D animation that runs alongside the credits, that's what they're doing.

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Kung Fu Panda

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A Panda who dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master is picked to defeat his village's most powerful and dangerous enemy, despite the fact that he has no experience in Martial Arts.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, Michael Clarke Duncan

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! One of the best Kung Fu movies I've ever seen. Oh, and also it's really, really cute.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes. But if you can catch a weekend matinee, the laughter of the children laughing will add exponentially to your enjoyment of the jokes.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Almost.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: A likely winner in the Best Animated Picture category. Which sometimes doesn't seem like that great of an accomplishment, considering they can rarely ever find more than three movies a year to nominate for that meagerly category.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Much like the character he plays, Jack Black is a master. He continually rises above your expectations, conquering all lines of dialogue that are placed before him with awesomeness and attractiveness.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The inventiveness of the director's vision is sold in the first few frames, as the movie opens on Panda's Kung Fu fantasy, which cleverly parodies the Japanime animation style. And the attention to detail just expands from there.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It starts out seeming like it's going to be the same old movie about a boy who wants to be a dancer, while his father wants him to follow in his footsteps working a passionless job at the coal mines. Only instead of dancing, this boy wants to do Kung Fu, and instead of coal mines, this father wants him to become a Top Ramen-style noodle chef... But happily, the movie quickly takes a turn into more original and charming territory.

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

A: The merchandise is going to kick as much butt as the Dragon Slayer.

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