In Time

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  In a world where time is literally money, which when you run out of it you die, Justin Timberlake is given a hundred years by a suicidal man, which he uses to infiltrate the rich neighborhood, before being accused of stealing the time, at which point he kidnaps the richest man's daughter (Amanda Seyfried), and goes on the lam, while giving every hour he can back to the poor people in his ghetto neighborhood.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Vincent Kartheiser, Olivia Wilde, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Galecki, Matt Bomer, Collins Pennie, Toby Hemingway, Yaya DeCosta, Brendan Miller, Ethan Peck

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Proceed with Caution.  A really interesting premise gets lost inside of what becomes a never ending chase scene.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  The only joke I remember is Amanda Seyfried accidentally firing off a gun-- haha, somebody got shot.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  A lot of main characters die at the beginning, middle, and end, so-- no.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  When I was at Comic Con, the preview for this movie was By Far the Best Preview I Saw in Hall H... Which makes it that much more disappointing that the film didn't live up to its promise.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Justin Timberlake plays a character called Will Salas, but he might as well have been called Justin Timberlake because you never stop thinking you're watching Justin Timberlake.  Amanda Seyfried is cute and strong as always.  And how is Cillian Murphy not a bigger star by now?... Oh, yeah, because 50% of the roles he picks are cross-dressers.  At least he recognizes that he looks hot as a woman.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  The...  Pace.... In...  Certain... Sections.... Is... Sooooooo...  Slowwww... That...  I... Started... To... Fall... Aslee--zz-zz-zz...

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  The story starts out interesting, as you learn about the whats, hows, and whys of this world, which aims to parallel the division of wealth in our own society between the 1% and the 99%.  Then Justin Timberlake is given a whole lot of time, which he wants to use to bring down the 1% by giving it back to the 99%.  But when he gets accused of stealing that time, the script goes in a direction that doesn't take advantage of the interesting dynamic that has been set up.  The minute police take all his time, and he goes on the run.  I would've liked to see this premise go in more of a "clever mind game" direction, and less in a "who can run the fastest" direction.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: In Time Trailer

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Cowboys & Aliens

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: With a title like that, you have to ask?

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig are the cowboys. CGI wizards are the aliens...

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It has a lot of summer popcorn scenes that you should like, but none of them have any "wow!" And the genre mash-up is not enough to keep it fresh.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you do, it'll be at that stupid title.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Doubts... Other than the tears that I shed after reading Russ’ great review for Captain America. I let the movie time pick between the two. I guess I lost...

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I doubt that even MTV wants to reward this one.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: An over the top Harrison Ford is enjoyable, but his easy turn from the “bad guy” to the “good guy” makes his character a big mess. And Daniel Craig is always fun to watch in my opinion, but in this story, even his charisma couldn’t keep me from looking at my watch. Olivia Wilde is a hottie, for sure. She says very little in the film until a dumb plot twist makes her say a lot. Not necessarily a good thing...

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The strong suit of an action film should be the action sequences. Jon Favreau did well with the first Iron Man, but this is a different story. The action is just okay. Not a single scene makes me want to see it again.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's just cowboys fighting aliens... which is its biggest draw and its biggest fault.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Cowboys & Aliens Trailer

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Another Earth

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: At the moment we discover another parallel Earth, a teenage girl (Brit Marling) drunk drives into a family of three, killing the wife and young son. When she gets out of jail, 4 years later, she tries to apologize to the surviving husband (William Mapother), and ends up becoming his maid instead, giving them an opportunity to get to know each other.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Brit Marling, William Mapother, Jordan Baker, Flint Beverage, Robin Lord Taylor, Kumar Pallana, Diane Ciesla

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Not since Birdie (1984) has a film that just barely holds my attention become an instant indy classic based 100% on the conclusion.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Did you laugh during Winter's Bone? Because this is just a repeat of that cold, dark tone, with a vastly different plot.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Gasp, yes. Empathize, yes. Cringe, yes. Cry? It's almost too depressing for that simple of an emotion.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won two special prizes at Sundance. Why do you think I went to see it?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Brit Marling, much like Jennifer Lawrence, is a beautiful blond playing a low class dirty tough chick. Unlike Jennifer Lawrence, Brit Marling fails at hiding her beauty in this role. But I can definitely see why everyone was talking about her after Sundance. She's an A-lister in the making. William Mapother also breaks out in this role, although I personally wasn't nearly as impressed with his acting or his beauty. (And a lot of the time I was distracted by looking for similarities between him and his cousin Tom Cruise (maiden name "Mapother"), of which there are plenty.) Special mention to Jordan Baker, in the tiny role of Brit Marling's mom, because she reminds me of Diane Keaton, and on Another Earth, could've had her career.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Mike Cahill makes his directing debut with this incredibly Sundance-y looking film. The Winter's Bone influence works well enough, but on more than one occasion, he uses dissolves in a way that reminds me of a cheesy 1970s Steely Dan Video.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Brit Marling and Mike Cahill, who have collaborated before and I assume are dating (this is how rumors get started), write a slow, quiet, and somber movie with enough poignant dilemmas to keep your attention until the Inception-like ending, which puts the whole story over the top.

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

A: I know this is terrible to bring up, but I'd like to take wagers on how many months Brit Marling can make it in Hollywood without getting a boob job. I don't normally notice this through clothes, but she's the most flat-chested actress I've seen since Selma Blair. I'm giving her 2 more flat chested movies, and by the 3rd, I'm expecting to see a C-cup. So, I guess that adds up to about 9 months. Come on, you love me because I'm honest!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Another Earth Trailer

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Super 8

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A bunch of pre-teens, who are making a super 8 film (because it's 1979, and digital doesn't exist yet), witness a mysterious train crash, and as they put together the pieces, start to realize that there is an alien force involved.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Riley Giffiths, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Basso, Zach Mills, Noah Emmerich, Richard T. Jones, Jessica Tuck, Joel McKinnon Miller, AJ Michalka, Brett Rice, Michael Hitchcock, David Gallagher

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! The story is hoaky as all hell, but the kids are adorable in a way that reminds you of Goonies and Stand by Me.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you stay for the Super 8 movie, which plays in its entirety about 45 seconds into the closing credits.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're going to, it'll be at both Elle Fanning's amazing acting, and the boys' reaction to it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Steven Spielberg-like movie since the 80s.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The lead in this movie, Joel Courtney, has not a single credit to his name. He must've been very intimidated playing up against an old pro like Elle Fanning. Joel's co-star, Riley Griffiths, also breaks out as the amazingly talented fat-kid, so I'm assuming he'll grow up to look like Jerry O'Connell, and marry a gorgeous super-model.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It's impossible not to think that the filmmaking aspect of the story is a little autobiographical to J.J. Abrams. Furthermore, if you don't think that, somewhere in the back of your mind, these 11-year-olds' level of expertise quickly starts to seem completely improbable for their ages... Of course, I'm talking 1979 11-year-olds, not the ones we see today. (But in all fairness to Generation X, digital is way easier to master.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I've heard mashups of music, I've seen mashup shorts on the web, but this is the first time I've seen a feature film mashup. Along with being part Goonies, and part Stand by Me, it's also part War of the Worlds, part Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and there's even some elements that are strangely similar to Kung Fu Panda 2.

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

A: You're probably wondering why they decided to place this film in 1979. So was I. But I concluded that it was in order to use super 8 film. Then I wondered why it was so important to them to use super 8, when this film could have easily been in modern times... And I have yet to come to a conclusion. Let me know if you have any theories!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Super 8 Trailer

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Source Code

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An Afghanistan war vet (Jake Gyllenhaal) is part of the "Source Code" program which forces him to repeatedly go back in time, to the 8 minutes leading up to the moment when the train he is on will blow up. There, he must figure out who planted the bomb, and then deter the terrorist's plan for an even bigger attack.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Arden, Cas Anvar, Russell Peters

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Don't try to understand why the ending works, I'm not sure it does, but somehow that doesn't seem to lessen the entertainment value of this sci-fi premise.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There is exactly one funny line, and it didn't come from the stand-up comedian.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Now that I think of it, all of the emotional beats are very surface. You know what, maybe don't give this movie too much thought after you see it. Because while some movies get better with reflection, this one is the opposite of that.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Engrossing Plot that Makes No Sense, Ever!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The best actor in the cast, Vera Farmiga, has the most boring role. As far as Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan go, I have fairly low expectations for both, so I'm just happy when they don't annoy me.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Duncan Jones, who directed Moon before this, is already demonstrating the kind of track record that will soon have him stealing jobs away from Michael Bay.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The structure is unpredictable, as are many of the choices the character makes during his 8 minute train rides. When we grow to know more about the character, his choices begin to make more sense, and the seeming randomness of the choices make the movie feel original. At the same time, it's pretty easy to figure out who the terrorist is and the major twist isn't that surprising either. Maybe because it's sci-fi, and so completely make-believe from the start, but for some reason, you find yourself compelled to forgive all the major flaws in the plot.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Source Code Trailer

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The Adjustment Bureau

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a politician (Matt Damon) finds out about a secret society that keeps everyone's destiny on track, he is forced to choose between a successful career and true love.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, Terence Stamp, John Slattery, Michael Kelly, Anthony Ruivivar

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Not since Titanic has a film so successfully merged high action for the dudes with high romance for the ladies. And just for good measure, The Adjustment Bureau also throws in religious innuendo, to make sure there is no demographic left behind.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The humor is quirky and unexpected, and exists primarily to demonstrate why these two people are so strangely perfect for each other.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If the premise of this movie is true, and we really have no say over the direction of our lives, that would be enough to throw even the strongest of us into a good cry. Thankfully, we humans are too willful to ever choose to believe in the lack of free will. So who cares if we have it or not!

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's a good thing that Woody Allen has quit filming in New York, because this year would have been a big loss for him in the "I ♥ NY" category.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I would be curious to know if Emily Blunt does her own dancing, because if she does, I'm very impressed. And if she doesn't, I'm still impressed by the seamless special effects that would've had to have been used to make it look so convincingly like she's doing it all herself in the full body shots.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: First time director, George Nolfi, shot 90 locations around New York in 60 days. If you know anything about film-making, you too are inwardly saying, "Wow."

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It all holds together, except for one annoyingly unexplained Hollywood moment in the end. It's slight, and can be easily over-looked, if you accept what comes immediately after it.

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

A: This is the kind of film that will be remade in 20 years. See it now, so that when the new version comes out, staring some "it" kid who's not even born yet, you can talk about how great the original was, and how they shouldn't even try to live up to it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Adjustment Bureau Trailer

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TRON: Legacy 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A fearless rebel (Garrett Hedlund) enters a dangerous video game to try to find his father (Jeff Bridges), who disappeared when he was a boy.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, James Frain, Beau Garrett, Cillian Murphy

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. From the Benjamin Buttons effect to the live action video game play, the special effects are impressive. Everything else about the movie is painful.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: You know, making even a single attempt at humor might've been a good idea. You don't get to make a silly movie about being a live player running around a video game AND take yourself seriously.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's a sad story about childhood abandonment by a father trapped in a gilded cage, but I didn't cry. Maybe because I was so busy wondering what I was doing at a movie that could only appeal to 10-year-old boys. No, that's not it. It's because the writing sucked.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I hope the visual effects get a nomination, because otherwise, this the biggest waste of $300 million I've ever seen.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Garrett Hedlund had me thinking, "Why this guy?" I have to imagine they picked him because he was cheap, and they needed a nobody to counteract the high cost of special effects. But still, there are so many nobodies running around L.A. looking for a job like this one, so, "Why this guy?" Jeff Bridges, on the other hand, had me thinking, "I know why this guy!" He plays two versions of himself, and so convincingly that you sometimes forget he's talking to himself. Separately, I should mention that it's great to see Michael Sheen playing a character that's not Tony Blair.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Okay, so the guy can do special effects. But truth be told, as they were playing their death-games with their little disks, I rarely had any idea who was winning, how they were winning, what the rules were, why somebody died or disintegrated while somebody else didn't, or even who was playing to begin with. And my inability to follow the action is directly related to how the action is directed.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Father and son stories easily lend themselves to heartfelt, universal emotions, but when you bring dialogue like "The Creator" and "His Son" into it, you patronize the Christian audience you're trying to pretend this was made for, and you alienate everybody else. Not to mention that the sci-tech talk is incomprehensible, and the emotional talk is trite. But, yeah, go see it for the special effects, everybody! I know how important those are to you.

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

A: Daft Punk is getting a lot of notoriety for doing the techno-score, but musically, the thing that impressed me the most was the use of Journey to harken the 1980s, when Tron was born... Although I beg you not to do the math on that, because if Sam's dad disappeared when old- fashioned video games and arcades were still hot, Sam should be a lot closer to 37 than 27-- which is the age that he says he is... Then again, based on the city they live in and the technological advances, the movie takes place some time in the future, so realistically, he's probably closer to 127.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: TRON: Legacy Trailer
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Never Let Me Go

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Three kids (Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley) grow up together in an English boarding school, where their love triangle is confused by the fact that they are the only family the other two know... and they're clones whose sole purpose for existing is to donate organs.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley, Isobel Meikle-Small, Charlie Rowe, Ella Purnell, Charlotte Rampling, Sally Hawkins, Nathalie Richard, Andrew Riseborough, Domhnall Gleeson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. There are many unanswered logic questions, which all turn out to make perfect sense if you get a chance to listen to a Q & A where the book's author, the filmmaker, the screenwriter, and the actors explain their intentions. I got that after my screening, so I know what they were trying to do, and it's quite deep. Unfortunately, most audiences won't have the cast and crew there to explain all the pitfalls in the logic, and in making up their own excuses, those who guess correctly will love it, and the rest will find it not to depict humanity very well. But the bottom line is, if the film requires a live person telling you answers, then they didn't communicate it on the screen.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Some of the hairstyles might... aside from that it's all pretty bleak.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: The friend I saw it with, who really loved it, says she was holding back tears. She was one of those who had guessed correctly, I imagine. I, on the other hand, felt detached from the characters, because they had too many passive reactions that made me write them off as clones who don't act like humans. By the end of the film I realized that was not what the filmmakers had hoped I would think.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It is certainly angling for that.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Carey Mulligan is not a one hit wonder. In fact she may be the next Meryl Streep. Isobel Meikle-Small, who plays her as a child, channels Mulligan perfectly, despite the fact that she has never been in front of a camera before. And Andrew Garfield is the next Spider-man, so you may want to catch him here, in an acting role, before he never gets to do a small independent movie again.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Coming from a music video background, Mark Romanek has a mastery of the technical aspects of shooting a film, and he uses color expertly, as he gradually desaturates the picture from the first section of the film, to the second, to the third, in an effort to depict the slow deterioration of the characters' life-spans.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This script implies that the book it's based on is quite beautiful. What I'm saying is that the screenwriter fell in love with the book, and stayed too faithful to it, ultimately failing to translate the material cohesively to a medium that requires more direct explanations and less poetry. A film is not a book. In part because you can't hear the ramblings from inside the author's head, which normally fill the pages of a book, creating the tone and subtext. A film is a visual medium and is generally shorter than a book. To adapt it, you have to pick it apart and chop it up, which usually requires moving things around, and then you have to bring the important elements to life again in a clear, visual, and brief way, telling the same story differently, yet equally as beautifully.

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

A: The sci-fi twist seems like it wants to be the main thrust of the movie, and draws a conclusion about clones that feels trite and obvious. Surprisingly, in the Q & A, the book's author, Kazuo Ishiguro, explained that he only used the sci-fi twist as a device to show how short our time is, here on Earth. It will improve your viewing experience to know going in that the filmmakers are more interested in examining mortality and how quickly death approaches, than they are in examining the pros and cons of human cloning. Without knowing this, the cloning stuff will look like it's meant to be the main hook.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/never-let-me-go/1428581/trailers

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Avatar 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After the Earth has used up all its resources-- and also developed the technology to fly people 6 years into space so they can inhabit the bodies of man-made beings that look like the aliens who live 6 years into space-- earthlings use their military to try to claim the distant planet Pandora's resources as its own.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi, Laz Alonso

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. I had totally forgotten what Dances with Wolves was about until I saw this movie, which when you change American Indians to blue-alien-nature-worshippers, is pretty much the same movie. That said, if you're a lover of art and fantasy, the sights in this land are not to be missed.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: All the hype and build up made me laugh.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not likely, but the music might rock you to sleep.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It really does deserve to sweep the special effects and makeup categories. But anyone who calls this the best picture of the year should be fired immediately. Even if it's your dry cleaner.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I kinda get what all the hype about Sam Worthington is about. But I did hear his Australian accent slip through noticeably several times.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I wouldn't be disappointed if James Cameron won the Oscar for Best Director. The world he creates is truly stunning. I would almost suggest watching the movie on mute, and simply enjoying the visual artistry.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Hard to follow and filled with moments that you have to ask your friends to explain the justification for afterwards. Your friends won't be able to justify those holes in the logic either. And the dialogue (what little of it there is) is filled with cliched jingoisms. "Let's dance!"

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

A: Way too long. As usual. 162minutes. Egregious.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/avatar/26982/trailers

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Gentlemen Broncos

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A home schooled teen (Michael Angarano) dreams of being a sci-fi novelist, so he takes a seminar offered by his idol... and then, as is usually the case, his idol plagiarizes his book.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Michael Angarano, Jennifer Coolidge, Jemaine Clement, Sam Rockwell, Hector Jimenez, Halley Feiffer, Mike White, Josh Pais, Suzanne May

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. For all you Napoleon Dynamite fans, this is the closest Jared Hess has come to accomplishing whatever he accomplished with that inexplicable hit.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Your ability to find the humor in this film will be directly proportional to your ability to find the humor in Napoleon Dynamite.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Again, I will refer you back to your level of emotion in watching Napoleon Dynamite. And let's be honest, nobody ever cried at Napoleon Dynamite.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Do they still have any avant-guard awards for movies? Or did those go out with the 70s?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: While I never actually enjoy his films, director Jared Hess does seem to bring an interesting quality out in his actors. The strained, awkward, never ending pauses, after which no words are often spoken, demonstrate that he has a style all his own, and he commits to it fully and consistently.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Again, I will admit that while I never actually enjoy his films, I really like the composition of Jared Hess's shots. They capture the strained, awkward, never ending pauses, after which no words are often spoken, quite descriptively. Also, this campy-stylized film has two other films in it, each more campy and stylized than the next, begging the question, "How does this guy come up with so many original ways to make awful looking movies."

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Here's where you'll have to suspend your disbelief. You see, that a teenage boy would write this ridiculous nonsensical sci-fi novel is believable. That someone would read it and like it is much less believable. But that someone would like it enough to plagiarize it is totally preposterous.

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

A: If when I mentioned Napoleon Dynamite, earlier, you thought that I was talking about some Blacksploitation version of the French Revolution, this film is definitely not for you.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/gentlemen-broncos/33271/trailers

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The Time Traveler's Wife

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A romance about a little girl who falls in love with a time traveling man (Eric Bana), and grows up to marry him, despite all the complications of building a life with a man who comes and goes at random. You know, put that way, it's not that different from a lot of regular marriages out there.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Ron Livingston, Hailey McCann, Tatum McCann, Michelle Nolden, Arliss Howard, Jane McLean, Brooklynn Proulx, Stephen Tobolowsky, Philip Craig

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Thinking about what you would and wouldn't know about the past, present and future is engaging, but the pace is often too slow, the tone too melodramatic, and you can tell from watching the movie that the book is more romantic.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Some say melodrama is a less subtle form of comedy, so you might laugh at all the intense stares, but I don't think they mean for you to.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Because we know the future, we are never caught off guard by the sad things that happen, but there is a moment or two that could induce tears in those of you who are emotionally unstable to begin with.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'm giving it the award for the Most Predictable Studio Note of the Year. There is a moment so inauthentic and obvious, that even without reading the book, I could tell it was 100% pure Hollywood concoction. And without giving anything important away, I will tell you that it has to do with the Lottery, and the fact that any movie with time travel has to do this beat, even though we've all seen it a million times before... To quote my ex-boyfriend, misquoting Jay-Z, "So unnecessary."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Rachel McAdams is as talented and beautiful as she always is, but I don't yet get why Eric Bana, was plucked off the streets of Australia to become the next big Hollywood star. He does nothing particularly wrong, but he's not super great looking, and I have yet to see him do any acting that answers the question "Why him?"

Q: How is the Directing?

A: From the first frame I was bored by both the music and the tone. Thankfully there were scenes that exceeded my low-set expectations, but still, this movie is more proof that first impressions can taint your whole experience.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are too many times when the young versions of Rachel McAdams say to the time traveling man, "You've never said that before." This is used to telegraph the rules of time travel to the audience, and it works, but it's way too on the nose. It's also a pretty good example of the level of finesse the rest of the script displays.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-time-travelers-wife/28722/trailers

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Moon

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Astronaut Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is weeks away from finishing a three-year stint working all alone on the moon harvesting new energy to ship back to earth when something goes horribly and mysteriously wrong.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott, Kaya Scodelario, Matt Berry, Malcolm Stewart, Benedict Wong

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Moon is a sci-fi, thriller and psychological character study all rolled into one – and the mix works really well. Sam Rockwell is practically a one-man show in this, with only a computer named GERTY (voiced by Spacey) as companion. Something is amiss very early on in Moon, and once the mystery starts unfolding it’s impossible not to be riveted and intrigued by an intelligent, thought-provoking pay-off. This movie will not be for everyone, but if you have the patience for an-- at times slow-- film that’ll make you think, Moon is the one to see and then go discuss with your friends for hours on end afterwards.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you still see the humor in emoticons.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There is a scene near the end between Sam and his daughter which may indeed start the water works. You’ve been warned.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Even though it’s being released during the summer, Sam Rockwell makes such a searing impression that it will be hard to ignore his performance(s) come awards season at the end of the year. In fact – without any spoilers – Sam Rockwell could conceivably become the first actor in history to be nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for playing the same part in the same film. Wow, I think I just blew my own mind thinking about that. But go see Moon and you’ll understand and agree with me.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Sam Rockwell is an amazing talent and has made a career of effortlessly working in both indies and big studio films. He is so good in this film – and in many regards it’s a very understated performance – that I can’t think of a single actor who would have been better. Rockwell has a way of conveying emotion that is uniquely his own and just hits you in the gut because it’s so devastatingly real and heartbreaking.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Up to this point director Duncan Jones was probably most famous for simply being the son of singer David Bowie. But this debut film will push him out from under his famous father’s shadow. For all intents and purposes Moon is an indie film (picked up for distribution by Sony at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival) that looks and feels rich on what was probably a relatively low budget. The special effects are not flashy but the moon locale, machines, space-suits and space-station all feel authentic and real. And Jones displays a sure hand in presenting challenging material in a way that is visual and suspenseful but also respectful to the audience.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There is a strong emotional core to Moon, that is embedded in its story, and as the secrets of what’s happening unfold, the logic of it all makes perfect sense. Additionally, within the trappings of an unraveling mystery that is both suspenseful and tense, the story asks fascinating questions about what makes us human – and how much respect does a living breathing person deserve. It’s also worth mentioning that the ending of Moon is so good that you will realize it has perfectly set up a sequel that might be even more compelling. (And I nominate they title the sequel Moon 2: Earth.)

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/moon/36289/video/moon-trailer-no-1/20292755001

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Terminator Salvation

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Future savior, John Connor (Christian Bale), leads a human resistance in a war against Skynet machines in order to save mankind.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Anton Yelchin, Helena Bonham Carter, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, Jane Alexander, Michael Ironside

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The Terminator franchise, which now consists of four movies (and one TV show, RIP), includes two bona fide classics (the first and second films), a boring one I can’t even remember (#3) and now Salvation which lands somewhere in the middle. The action is pretty cool and the machines are sort of like transformers with no paint, but the biggest thing missing is still James Cameron in the director’s chair.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you've heard the recording of Christian Bale's on-set freak out, then it probably already has.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Isn't it enough to know that he made his cinematographer cry? And he should be very proud of that, too, because it would certainly be the first time anyone has laughed or cried at one of his films.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It actually already won a secret underground award for Film Most Likely to Make you go Deaf. And it turns out someone snuck out a snippet of audio from Bale's acceptance speech. I have titled it, "Ohhhhhhh, good for you!" (*warning: contains foul language) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrvMTv_r8sA

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Does anyone care about the acting in Terminator movies? Maybe James Cameron once did. Sam Worthington who is the real star of this movie actually makes an impression and from what I can tell he does it all by himself since the script did him no favors. And speaking of James Cameron, he cast Worthington as the star of his next movie, which is called Avatar and is supposed to blow everyone away when it comes out on December 18th. Proving once again James Cameron knows good acting. Anton Yelchin pops up in yet another summer blockbuster and you’d never know he’s the same guy who played Chekov in Star Trek – the kid has a future. Moon Bloodgood has a cool name and gives a cool performance to go with it. I think maybe Christian Bale is in this movie too, but he did not have pointy ears and a cape so it was hard to tell.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: McG can definitely direct action, and boy is there a lot of it in this movie. Pretty much wall-to-wall and some sequences are genuinely riveting. But there is so much of it, it only makes you recall what made the first two Terminator movies so good; namely the subversive humor, suspense, character development and quiet between the big action set pieces. There is no salvation from the noise in Salvation, and we learn almost zero about any of the characters. I mean, Bryce Dallas Howard plays a pregnant woman who is in a bunch of scenes with Christian Bale, but by the end I still had no idea if she was his wife or his maid. (And really, it didn’t matter either way but I’m thinking it should have.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story is sort of interesting and has a decent twist to it, but it could have been way better and executed for more suspense. It all revolves around Marcus Wright, the Sam Worthington character and the less you know about him going in the more satisfying it will be. There is still that whole time-travel tripiness to the story, so it helps to have seen the first two films (at the very least). Maybe the fact this movie isn’t horrible is a triumph in itself. Or have my expectations for summer movies just fallen way too far?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/terminator-salvation/31561/trailers

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Where did Wolverine come from? How did he get to be the way he is? You will find out, but he won't.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Will.i.am, Lynn Collins, Kevin Durand, Dominic Monaghan, Taylor Kitsch, Daniel Henney, Ryan Reynolds

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. After resisting seeing this movie, I have to say, it's not nearly as bad as you think it's going to be. I'd even go so far as to admit that it's a lot of fun-- so long as you don't require any elements that you've never seen before in a film.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are several efforts made, but none of them are successful.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I hope you don't mind fingernails on a chalkboard, because in a movie featuring so many characters with remarkable nails, you're bound to get a lot of them scratching up things... and the flesh is almost easier to take than the metal.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: How great is Weapon XI? Best bad guy ever! Talk about having it all!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: As good of an actor as Hugh Jackman is, I sometimes have a hard time getting past his total thespianism. His posture in the the way he walks, and stands, and glares is so actor-y to me, that I don't always see a tough guy-killer, but rather a sweet, family man, who likes to take on interesting roles. And I love Danny Huston, but the mere fact that he's cast in a role, gives away who the bad guy is going to be. He needs to play some nice guys soon, to bring back that element of surprise.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing is fast-paced and move-y. So much so, that it inspired me to make up a word... only to realize that the word already exists, and it's spelled, "movie." But, yeah, I thought the directing was great.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The fights, the superpowers, the special effects, are all there. And the story is absolutely adequate, too. They kind of had it easy though, since we already know that Wolverine doesn't remember his past, from the X-Men movies we've already seen. So the writers could basically do anything, because they have to erase his memory by the end, for continuity, so this story is ultimately irrelevant to the rest of the lore.

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

A: Do not stay for the little scene after the credits. It's not nearly interesting enough to justify sitting through approximately 17 minutes of visual effects credits.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/x-men-origins-wolverine/30722/trailers

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Race to Witch Mountain

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A skeptical cab driver (Dwayne Johnson) picks up a pair of child aliens (AnnaSophia Robb & Alexander Ludwig), and they all run from the government, an alien monster, and some mafia thugs, as they attempt to save their planet and ours from imminent destruction.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig, Carla Gugino, Ciaran Hinds, Tom Everett Scott, Chris Marquette, Billy Brown, Garry Marshall, and from the original, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If I were Simon Cowell, I might say, "You didn't make it your own." If I were Randy Jackson, I would add a "Dawg" to that. And if I were Paula Abdul I would say, "I like cake." But what they all mean is, it's all there, except for the charm.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only once, thanks to the well written dialogue of a non-speaking dog named, Junkyard.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I cried when I found out that there were no witches on the mountain, or anywhere else in the film. Maybe they meant to spell it "Which" mountain. That would've made more sense, in the context of a film that asks the question, "Hey, which mountain is our space craft hidden on?"

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Well, it is the Best Movie I've seen this year for boys 7 to 11 years old. And since it's made by Disney, I can't imagine it'll get a Nickelodeon award... unless the lesson of the day at Nickelodeon is "share-nice."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The kids' speech patterns are purposely stilted, for the purpose of proving to the audience that they're aliens. So when you cast The Rock next to that, who delivers every line with his signature stiffness, it's sometimes hard to decipher who is supposed to be human. But when it comes to the physicality of being an action hero, Dwayne Johnson is the most believable one they've got. With his gargantuan biceps, you actually believe he could knock an alien-created, robot-soldier off his feet with a single punch.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing captures all the action appropriately, I only wish some of it didn't contain the types of hokey effects you would find on a ride at Disneyland. But it is a recession, so maybe Disney is cutting back by creating the ride first, and then shooting the movie on it.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It is choreographed like an old standard: And 1) and present the skeptic, and 2) and introduce him to aliens, and 3) have them running from everyone until he believes they exist, and kick-ball-change, chassé, and spin!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/race-to-witch-mountain/33071/trailers

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Knowing

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A scientist (Nicolas Cage) gets his hands on a series of numbers that has been buried underground for the last 50 years, and realizes that it is a pattern predicting all the major death inducing accidents that have happened since then... Only the list isn't done yet, and the next major disaster is coming tomorrow.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne, D.G. Maloney, Lara Robinson, Nadia Townsend, Ben Mendelsohn

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. What a great premise! What would you do if you knew in advance that something bad would happen? Could you find a way to stop it? Would knowing make you feel more relaxed, or more stressed out? Would you take full advantage of your last hours on Earth if you knew the end was near? These are all interesting questions, most of which are not addressed in the film... And then the aliens come.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: By the end, I was laughing a lot inside my head.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: And crying inside my head, too, about how they took such an interesting opportunity to explore the hypothetical questions that have been on all of our minds since we developed analytical thinking skills in the second grade, and instead of mining it for gold, they mined it for human manure.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Let's start with the Most Illogical Character Choices Ever! Award. Everything that a normal, logical person would do if faced with these circumstances, Nicolas Cage does the opposite of... But at least his character is consistent.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I always enjoy Nicolas Cage when he plays off-beat characters like in Adaptation, Raising Arizona and Valley Girl. Likewise I regularly find him over the top and annoying in this schmaltzy stuff where he tries to be an action hero. Rose Byrne looks a lot like Jennifer Connelly, so that was confusing me. But the kids are pretty good.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing is the primary reason why this movie stays exciting, even during the scenes that defy all reason. The musical score and the sweeping shots of Cage running add a level of thrill-ride that clearly rises above anything that would have been described on the written page.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It seems to be going for some sort of faith-based message, but I couldn't tell which faith it was attempting to kowtow to. First, it leans toward preaching that there is a Heaven... And then the aliens come.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/knowing/32271/trailers

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Watchmen

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Adapted from Alan Moore's landmark comic book series, Watchmen is a story set in an alternative 1985, where the world is ticking closer to the brink of nuclear war, and a plot to eliminate a band of ex-crime fighters is instigated, but why? and by whom? It is up to two of those ex-crime fighters to investigate the plot, before the plot exterminates them.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! For all but the die hard fans of the graphic novel, this movie will not live up to expectations or the hype. It is not your typical Superhero movie, in that (much like in the novel) there aren't that many fight scenes or action scenes. Just a lot of standing around and talking– which is very heady when you're trying to enjoy your popcorn. Plus, if you have not read the book, you will most likely be lost a good portion of the time, since some of the key back story is left out. Concurrently, if you did read the book, and didn’t like it, you won’t feel any differently about this incredibly faithful movie adaptation.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not intentionally. I did hear a few laughs during the screening– but they had that air of confusion, as if to say, "What is going on?" Having read the graphic novel, I could tell from what they weren't getting, that those laughing had not.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: At 2hrs40, my eyes were filled with tears from the large Coke I had to drink to get through it– I was running for relief when it ended.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Maybe Visual Effects, if somebody wants to throw it a bone.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Malin Ackerman, who plays Silk Spectre 2 (one of the major characters), falls flat most of the time. But the rest of the cast does well, and the standout performance by Jackie Earle Haley, as Rorschach, made me want to see a movie based solely on him.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It is extremely faithful to the graphic novel– even framing most shots to replicate the novel’s visuals. While not requiring the imagination that made Lord of the Rings transcend its source material, Zach Snyder does a good job with this movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The problem with the movie is its source material, which holds this movie back from mass appeal. The Watchmen is a challenging deconstruction of the Superhero. This is something that works on the page in a way that can't possibly be translated to the screen. On top of that, some scenes come off campy, using word for word dialogue taken from the novel-- this is especially true of the final confrontation.

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

A: I don't know why Warner Brothers thought that Joe Blow in Idaho would like this story. And it begs the question whether the guy at Fox who thought the script was unreadable and passed on the project had ever read the graphic novel. My guess is that he only read the coverage.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/watchmen/26998/trailers
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The X Files: I Want to Believe

(Guest Review by Jack and Kacy)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) are called back to duty by the FBI when a former priest claims to be receiving psychic visions pertaining to a kidnapped agent.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly, Alvin "Xzibit" Joiner, Mitch Pileggi

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! If you liked the series, revisit your favorite episode on DVD. If you didn’t like the series, this will not make you want to believe.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: No. There is a George Bush joke in there, but even that isn’t funny. And he's the easiest target since Michael Jackson.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you liked the series, you will cry about how badly they wasted their opportunity to grow the franchise. After this bomb, you can file Mulder and Scully in a place more remote than the X-Files. They will not return. Believe that.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: If this wins anything, then I'll believe that aliens exist!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: During the extended hiatus, Gillian Anderson seems to have forgotten who Scully was... David Duchovny is passable, but all that mumbling through his beard for the first third of the movie doesn’t help his cause.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Chris Carter promised that this movie would scare the daylights out of me... It did. I was scared that he thought this was any good. No wonder they kept everything ultra secret. They didn’t want the secret to get out that it stank!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: In Gillian Anderson's defense, maybe she phoned in her performance because she wasn’t given anything worthwhile to say. The story is boring and the script even more so. This would not even rate in the upper half of X-Files TV episodes.

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Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Hellboy returns to save humanity from a forgotten Prince, who is disillusioned with the human race and wants to raise his mechanical, Golden Army from their slumber, in order to do away with peace and people.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor, Doug Jones, Seth MacFarlane, Luke Goss, Anna Watson, John Hurt

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. For a movie that's been so critically praised, it sure has a lot of illogical and boring parts. My conclusion, people are crazy in love with Guillermo del Toro. Unfortunately, your love for del Toro's directing can blind you to the fact that he's not a very good writer.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There's a scene where they get drunk and listen to Barry Manilow. It's funny, but it also feels like it belongs to a different movie. Like Tropic Thunder.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I had heard this film had a lot of heart... I looked for it... Who knows, maybe I'm the one who's heartless.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The makeup is great, but also feels ripped off from Pan's Labyrinth.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Everyone is good except Selma Blair, who exudes none of the sense of powerfulness that seems requisite to a superhero character. She's cute. She's pouty. But I think you could knock her over with a feather. Even when she's on fire.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: When it comes to the directing, even I am crazy in love with Guillermo del Toro.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I didn't buy it. The bad guys could've easily won about 40 minutes in, if they had wanted to. And again 50 minutes in, and a few other times, too. The conceit of a twin brother and sister being able to read each other's thoughts ruins all the suspense, and forces the bad twin to let the good guys off the hook too many times. Even the final twist is obvious, causing you to wonder why the good guys didn't figure it out before you did.

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Meet Dave

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A spaceship, in the shape of a human, with a crew made up of lots of tiny little human-looking aliens, crash-lands on Earth to find a lost probe, which the mini-aliens need to recover in order to save their planet. Unfortunately for us Earthlings, saving their planet means destroying ours.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, Gabrielle Union, Ed Helms, Scott Caan, Kevin Hart, Mike O'Malley, Judah Friedlander, Pat Kilbane, Marc Blucas, Austin Lynd Myers

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! Meet Dave is a great concept ripe with opportunities for humor and clever observations about human life on Earth... None of which are taken.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you've never been to the movies before, because there's not a joke to be found that hasn't been in another movie before it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Yes, when you think about the talent that Eddie Murphy continually wastes when he chooses mediocre scripts to star in. I was just watching Eddie Murphy Raw again on TV last night, and man, can that guy be funny! Like for hours at a time.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: In line with Norbit and The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Eddie Murphy's comedies seem to be on a winning streak at the Razzies.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Eddie Murphy has his usual moments of genius in the physical comedy department. And Elizabeth Banks, who has not always given me cause for fandom, is charming and believable as a neurotic overbearing single mother. But several of the child actors in this piece really come off like child actors.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The slow pace of much of the delivery of the lines-- in particular by the alien and robotic characters-- gives you way too much time to think about how slight your level of entertainment is. On a positive note, when the spaceship first lands on Earth, and rocks fly up into the screen, it's immediately evident that the special effects work is way more professional than in Hancock.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Riddled with coincidence, easy answers, and moments that require supreme suspension of disbelief, this script is either a first draft, or the product of too much time in development, where studio executives forced compromise after compromise onto the screenwriters, gradually sucking any and all life out of what could've been a great comedy. Even the original title, Starship Dave, was multitudes more memorable than the title it's being released with, so you be the judge.

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