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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Angels & Demons

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), is called upon to solve a mystery that will save Vatican City from exploding at midnight.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Thure Lindhardt,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's exactly like The Da Vinci Code, but with a different set of clues, leading to a different story about how the church has issues.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I laughed once, but I was the only one. It was very lonely.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There is one little, teeny-tiny tinge of emotion at the end. But as you know from the first one, this is more of an intellectual undertaking than an emotional one.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I can't see any reason for it. Nothing particularly stands out as being remarkable.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It's exactly like The Da Vinci Code but with a different set of dialogues, leading to a different book that Robert Langdon can write, Dan Brown can write about, we can read, and Hollywood can make a movie version of.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Lavish. I mean, not only does Ron Howard have two of every award, but this time, he got to film in the fake Sistine Chapel!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Exactly like The Da Vinci Code, but with a different set of bad guys, leading to a different set of surprise twists.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/angelsdemons/

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Star Trek

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The beginnings of Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the USS Enterprise crew from before they had a famous television series, or as is the case with this new cast, an inevitable film franchise. This Star Trek movie is so special, it doesn't even need a number.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder, Tyler Perry, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Morrison, Rachel Nichols, Faran Tahir

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! I have a long history of hating Star Trek. First it was a source of fights with college roommates about what was or was not allowed to be cluttering the air of our living room, via the television airwaves. Then, as luck would have it, my first job out of college was as a director's assistant on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager-- a job that forced me to watch endless episodes of those series, and worse, to have to read boring scripts, geeked out with techno-babble beyond my comprehension-- and that's not to mention the constant dodging of Trekkies who had-- to my misfortune-- asked, "So what do you do?"... Well the years have passed, and this movie has none of the old, stiff tone of the television shows. It's fun, and vivacious, and thrilling, despite the fact that I still only understood about two-thirds of what they were talking about with their trans-thrusters and their parallax beams.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Surprisingly, quite a bit. And even more so if you're in the know.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I almost cried twice, and one of the times was in the first act, so that's unusual, but the reasons James T. Kirk is given, as to why he should join Starfleet Academy, are deeply moving.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Anyone who can reinvigorate this tired old series deserves an award for something.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Chris Pine is Brad Pitt: The Next Generation (TNG for those on the inside). He's sexy, charismatic, and he even has those little pockmarks on his face. But the whole cast is fantastic and well defined, each building on and amplifying what their predecessors brought to the table in the 1960s. We will look back on this film as the one that launched a lot of young actors into the A-list.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: In a lot of ways, it is the look of this film that sells it to the non-Trekkie audience. It is modern, and big, but still true to the standard angles so often highlighted on the Starship's Bridge, like the whip pan from the Captain's chair to the Flight Engineer, or the side angle, slow pans and push ins of two shots and three shots, as the crew looks dramatically at some disaster on a screen. I'm sure it's deliberate on J.J. Abrams' part, but having been on the bridge of several of those ships, I can tell you that it's also because there are very few places to put a camera on those sets, especially if you want to capture anything that looks dynamic. Oh God, I'm having flashbacks!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I love time travel! It keeps your mind in a constant state of jumble, so you almost don't notice the wormholes in the plot, or care, for that matter, about how many incredible coincidences it takes for this story to work itself out. And anyway, the characters are so well developed, and the dialogue is so snappy, that I have to assume it all makes sense.

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

A: The area that requires the biggest suspension of disbelief and has probably not been mentioned by anybody else is this: How many times can Kirk hang off the edge of a cliff by just his fingers and not fall? Do it once, and I'll give you a pass, but in this movie it happens about 4 times. Maybe it's an inside joke I don't know about, but all I kept thinking was, "Not only is it rare to manage to catch yourself mid-flight that way, when gravity is pulling you downward, but it's nearly impossible to lift yourself up from that position using only the strength of your own arms." Try it if you don't believe me. I can't do it, and I was a trained gymnast.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/star-trek/29301/trailers

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Easy Virtue

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Set in the UK in the 1920s, the prodigal son (Ben Barnes) of a rich family returns home with an older woman (Jessica Biel), whom he's already married, and who is American. And so his mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) sets to breaking them apart.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth, Kimberley Nixon, Katherine Parkinson, Kris Marshall, Charlotte Riley, Christian Brassington, Pip Torrens

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Based on a Noel Coward play, the fast paced farcical tone gets off to a good start, but about 20 minutes in, you realize that this movie has no plot, and the story element that would've made the catty goings-on more interesting is not revealed until 20 minutes before the end.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The dialogue is quick witted, but you might want to brush up on your proper English listening comprehension skills, because in some parts it is so fast and thrown away that you completely miss what they're saying.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Maybe, if you've ever had in-laws. But probably not.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Can you imagine how insulted Kristin Scott Thomas must have been when she found out she was going to be acting up against 7th Heaven's Jessica Biel? Apparently she put all that anger into this role, and it served her well because she has already won a couple of acting awards in Great Britain for this film.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jessica Biel is pretty, but she's completely miscast as the older woman. Not only does she not appear to be older than her husband, but in real life, she's several months younger than Ben Barnes. The whole movie would have made a lot more sense if they had gotten Charlize Theron or Angelina Jolie. Another reason those actresses would've been more impactful, is that they wouldn't look so ridiculous trying to act next to top tier professionals like Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth. On a positive note, I'd like to ask you all to look out for Kimberley Nixon, a fairly newcomer, who really does hold her own next to these old pros. I see a big career in her future.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Even though it is an adaptation of a play, and takes place primarily all on one giant estate, it never feels too small or boxed in to be a movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The script, on the other hand, does not escape the play-to-movie transition unscathed. A play and a movie don't have the same format. In a play, the audience is more patient, and you can leave certain key plot points and underlying emotional motivations until the end. But in a movie format, the audience is accustomed to knowing why a character is being unreasonably cruel much earlier, so that they can feel deeply for both the villain and the victim, and experience the moral dilemma of choosing sides. If the screenwriters had introduced the pivotal plot piece twenty minutes into the film instead of twenty minutes from the end, they might have had a movie. But as it sits now, they have a very cinematic play.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/easy%20virtue/trailers

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Rudo y Cursi

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This movie examines the complex sibling rivalry of two half-brothers (Gael Garcia Bernal & Diego Luna), which inspires them to find both greatness and failure, on and off the soccer field, as they compete to be the first son who is able to build their mother her dream house.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Guillermo Francella, Jessica Mas, Adriana Paz, Dolores Heredia

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! If you're tired of the same old predictable stories that constantly come out of the Hollywood machine, and you want to see a story that has never been done before, then I hope you have the heart-- or rather the stomach-- for this intense character study of what brotherly love-hate can lead a man to do.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: In some ways, it's a dark comedy... which means it's for the most part not funny. But you'll laugh your butt off if you're a jaded or twisted SOB. (Which I recognize is an endorsement for at least 23% of you curmudgeons to go see this film.)

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: As empathetic as you'll feel for these cynical characters, they're not nearly likable enough to consider shedding a tear over.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that this wins (yes, I said wins) Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards. Come back in 10 months to see if I know what I'm talking about.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The breakout star for American audiences is going to be 54-year-old, Guillermo Francella, who is actually quite well known in Argentina. He is by far the most likable character in this batch of selfish misfits. According to the director, our two leads, who are reunited with their creators from Y Tu Mama Tambien for the first time, are deliberately cast against type, so as not to feel like a repeat of the aforementioned film. "Rudo" which means "tough" is played by Diego Luna, while "Cursi" which means "corny" is played by Gael Garcia Bernal. I can only take this to mean that in real life, Bernal is the tough one, and Luna is the corny one. If that's the case, they are both very convincing as their counter-types. But having seen them in person, badgering each other non-stop at a Q & A, I think their actual character types are "Laurel" & "Hardy."

Q: How is the Directing?

A: For a first time director, Carlos Cuaron already comes off like an old pro. Clearly the directing gene runs in his whole family, and not just to his brother Alfonso.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This beautifully written script uses soccer as a metaphor for everything important in life, love, and relationships, with the ongoing battle between the shooter and the goalie at its center. At all levels for one to succeed, the other must fail, and so we are introduced to the film's subtle exploration of the duality of being human. Every character and every relationship in the film is one thing on the outside, and it's opposite underneath. The slick characters are sweet, the strong characters are weak, and the tough characters are corny. Similarly, the loving brothers share an extreme rivalry , but right when you think they couldn't hate each other more, expressions of their love rise to the surface-- albeit in confusing and indirect ways. What I like about this story is that it's both easy to follow, and filled with subtexts which you can think about and debate afterward. The conclusion is not spelled out for you, yet it is incredibly accessible, so you get to feel smart (though not brilliant) for having gotten it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/rudo%20y%20cursi/trailersu>

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Battle for Terra

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In an animated sci-fi world, in the distant future, after the Earth's atmosphere has become uninhabitable, the last remaining humans in the Universe, who live on a space station that's only months away from running out of breathable air, decide to invade and take over the planet of Terra, which requires annihilating the peaceful little Alien beings who currently inhabit the planet.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Evan Rachel Wood, Luke Wilson, Chris Evans, David Cross, Brian Cox, Danny Trejo, Amanda Peet, Justin Long, Phil LaMarr, David Krumholtz, Danny Glover, Beverly D'Angelo, Rosanna Arquette, Ron Perlman, Dennis Quaid, James Garner, Mark Hamill

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. There are only two types of people who would enjoy this die-hard sci-fi, morality tale. 1) The serious sci-fi connoisseur. The kind who remembers that the original purpose of science fiction was to hypothesize about the future, so as to warn against potential forthcoming dangers in the present. Those who stick to their belief that sci-fi is not just supposed to be an excuse to blow things up. And 2) The 10 year old boys-- but not the kind who ever plan on having a girlfriend.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Rarely has an animated movie taken itself quite so seriously.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It might bore you to tears.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It is filled with award winning ideas about peace vs. war, and the ability to live side by side and share things... like land... and air... You know, like we learned to do in nursery school-- when we were four! (Yes, I'm talking to you Israel and Palestine.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Considering the list of big names above, you really never think about who's doing the voices in this one. Probably a sign of believable acting.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The world that is created is quite peaceful and beautiful-- before the battle begins. So visually, it's fairly original. But the pace is much too slow, especially at the beginning. And it's hard not to compare the battle scenes to every space movie and TV show that starts with the word "Star."

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are several high stakes scenes that get you thinking about what the most ethical choice would be for a character, and what you might do if put in that character's precarious situation. But those moments are surrounded by scenes that rock you to sleep, so good luck being awake to catch them.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/battle-for-terra/36649/trailers

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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Structured like Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but having nothing to do with Christmas, this is the story of a man who is visited by 3 ghosts, who take him on a journey to his past, his present, and his future, so that he can discover that he's a total douche.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Robert Forster, Anne Archer, Emma Stone, Daniel Sunjata, Noureen DeWulf, Rachel Boston, Camille Guaty, Amanda Walsh, Logan Miller, Christa B. Allen, and Christina Milian

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's not deep or anything, but it's a really good take on A Christmas Carol. When you go see a romantic comedy, you know who's going to end up together before the movie ever begins. So what makes one good isn't so much the "What?" as the "How?" When you genuinely wonder how one of the characters is going to get past the other one's irredeemable flaws, and the filmmakers find a way to convince you that they actually could overcome all the obstacles that have been keeping them apart, that's when a rom-com is worth watching. This one manages to do all that, within the predictable construct of being visited by 3 familiar ghosts, who usually only show themselves at Christmas time.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The biggest laugh was during the preview trailer for the Wayans Brothers' Dance Flick, but that certainly wasn't the only laugh this film had to offer.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I've seen 5 versions of A Christmas Carol in the last 6 months, but this one had the only "Christmas Present"scene that almost got me crying. When the nephew defends the "scrooge"-- in this case the younger brother defends his older brother-- behind his back, it usually seems like he's doing it out of obligation, but in this version, you can really feel the sincerity of his love.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I think it'll win Biggest Box office for a movie based on A Christmas Carol, that was released before July. It could even take home Only movie based on A Christmas Carol released before July.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Matthew McConaughey plays the same guy he always plays, only this time with playboy dialogue. But I happen to have met this particular playboy before, and McConaughey's portrayal is realistic enough to serve as a poignant reminder to always run away from him, as fast as you can. Lacey Chabert turns in more of those magnificent freak-outs, she gave us a small taste of in Mean Girls. And if you haven't had a chance to fall in love with Emma Stone yet, you obviously haven't seen all her movies, like I have.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Mark Waters has a way of shooting comedies that keeps them feeling fun, upbeat and grounded in reality, without ever looking cheezy or too broad. He manages to keep an even tone, even when the script tries to get wacky. If you don't believe me, watch Mean Girls again.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Surprisingly unpredictable for a story we know by heart. Good concept, good gimmick, good title, and good resolution. You can almost hear screenwriters around the world pulling out their hair as they scream, "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, why didn't I think of that?"

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/ghosts-of-girlfriends-past/26716/trailers

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The Soloist

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on a book, that's based on newspaper articles, that are based on a true story, this movie explores the relationship that is formed between a homeless musical prodigy and the L.A. Times reporter who befriends him in the hopes of writing about his story.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Justin, Martin, Stephen Root, Rachael Harris, Tom Hollander, Lisagay Hamilton, Marcos De Silvas, Esa-Pekka Salonen

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. On every level this film tries too hard to be important, and it would have been more so, if we didn't see everyone working so hard to matter.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I thought Jamie Foxx's hairstyle was funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not even close. Which is probably its biggest failing.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: They thought about it last year, when they started showing previews at just the right time for awards consideration, but then they pulled the release from last year's required deadline, and released it now, at a time that is no less defeatist than waiving the white flag.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Robert Downey Jr. is his usual perfect self. Jamie Foxx has the bigger challenge of playing a character with a mental disorder, without coming off like he's acting. Does he succeed? I don't know enough schizophrenic people to say for sure, but his performance may be a good argument for casting unknowns as characters who have mental disorders, so at least you don't spend the whole time knowing that the guy isn't really schizophrenic.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Not one to experiment with naturalism, or the theory that the director should be invisible, Joe Wright likes to remind the audience at every turn that THIS FILM HAS A DIRECTOR. (Also see Atonement.) Some audience members may fall for his "look at me" style, but I find his over the top visual aides distracting and pretentious.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The true story and the book likely both had a stronger emotional impact than the movie does. The pace is slow, and by the end you feel neither inspired nor moved. That said, it's in no way hateable.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-soloist/30936/main

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Lymelife

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Set during the late 70s, a fifteen-year-old boy grapples with first love while dealing with a chaotic home life involving his constantly quarreling parents.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Rory Culkin, Emma Roberts, Alec Baldwin, Timothy Hutton, Jill Hennessy, Kieran Culkin, Cynthia Nixon

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is a paint-by-numbers ‘indie’ developed through the Sundance Institute which helps explain its pedigree both in front of and behind the cameras (e.g. Martin Scorsese is a producer on it). You’ve seen variations on it before many times, and since this film is dated, I'm going to allow myself to use a dated joke: I liked this movie the first time I saw it, when it was called The Ice Storm.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The other reviewers make it sound like a yuck-fest from beginning to end-- don’t believe them! It's not a comedy, which isn't to say that you won't chuckle here and there-- if you’re paying attention.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Only if you’re intimate with the horror that is lyme disease.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Coming out in April…? Despite fine performances, I would guess that the distributors of this film have written off major award consideration.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It’s a terrific cast and they all give terrific performances. Rory Culkin is in just about every scene – it’s very much his film – and his angular, oddly handsome face perfectly expresses the confusion, anger and bemusement of a 15 year-old boy going through major life-changes. The revelation is Emma Roberts (Julia’s niece) as the precocious love object of Rory’s affections. She goes from sexy to vulnerable – and everything in between – within the heartbeat of a single scene (multiple times) breaking down every stereotype of a 16 year-old teenager that ever existed. The adults are all good too – even Timothy Hutton in a pointless and thankless supporting role.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Apparently this is a pretty low-budget film, but it looks really good – getting the Long Island setting period detail (late 70s) just right. The film is small and intimate, and the direction is given over to letting the performances shine and in that regard it’s more than competent. The tone is also consistent but it’s not as ‘quirky funny’ as the filmmakers probably think it is.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: So about a half-hour into this you start to realize there’s no plot and maybe – unlike myself – you are fine with that because you rarely expect indie films to have plots because supposedly a plot would not make it very ‘indie.’ I miss having plots when they aren’t there regardless of what kind of movie it is. This movie would have been better with a plot, but as ‘coming-of-age’/'slice-of-life’ films go, it’s fine and will most likely hold your interest thanks to Rory Culkin and Emma Robert’s performances.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/lymelife/trailers

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17 Again

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: If you don't know what this movie is about from looking at the title, you're an idiot.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon, Matthew Perry, Sterling Knight, Michelle Tractenberg, Hunter Parrish, Melora Hardin, Jim Gaffigan, Brian Doyle-Murray, Nicole Sullivan

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's been done before, it'll be done again, but I don't think it will ever stop being a good time for all. Anyway, you can't really go wrong with a premise about suddenly changing ages, and getting mixed up in weird sexual situations like having to avoid your daughter's come-ons and resist your own attraction to your currently age-inappropriate wife.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not guaranteed, but it will definitely make you smile.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Zac Efron is like porn for the 16 and under crowd. And since the movie opens on shots of his shirtless 6 pack abs, some girls will be screaming and crying by the end of the first scene.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'll bet Matthew Perry would give it an award for Movie I Most Wish Were My Real Life and Not some Made-up Story. Can you imagine if every time his life fell apart, he got to turn into a mature version of Zac Efron? Those hard times he fell on during the height of Friends never would've happened.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: All Zac Efron has to do to get the ladies screaming is walk to the beat of the soundtrack, looking cool. It's a good thing for him, too, cuz that's kind of what he does best. And I'm so glad that Leslie Mann married Judd Apatow, so that he could put her in his movies, so that Hollywood could get a chance to recognize how funny she is, and let her be a star in her own right.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: You can tell this director comes from an indy background, because he takes a story that is an otherwise standard example of what comes out of the studio machine, and tries to add some art to it. Sure it draws attention to itself as being totally on the nose, but if you didn't know from the actor's expression that he was going through a difficult time, at least the blatant lighting shift from bright and cheery to dark and dismal telegraphs that for you at every phase. The good news is, it's no longer important for an actor to convey his own feelings, when the dramatic shift in lighting and music can do most of it for him. And that means we can cast more really good-looking, totally talentless people in stuff!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The set up is really heavy handed, with lines like, "You're my best friend"-- as if we couldn't tell. And, "If your wife hadn't kicked you out and your kids didn't hate you, etc."-- in case we weren't going to catch on to the family dynamic depicted in the very next scene... But once Matthew Perry turns into Zac Efron the fun begins, and the clunky exposition takes a rest.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/17-again/33126/trailers

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State of Play

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After the brutal murder of the assistant/mistress of a junior U.S. Congressman (Ben Affleck), who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending– an obvious Blackwater stand in--, buried secrets come tumbling out, inciting a reporter (Russell Crowe) and a political blogger (Rachel McAdams) to begin their quest for the truth.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Viola Davis, Michael Weston, Harry Lennix

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This is a movie genre that they just aren’t making enough of anymore – adult thrillers. Psychological thrillers are hard to sell in a trailer, because they can't instantly knock your socks off without giving everything away, but ultimately, this is two hours of solid entertainment.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Ben Affleck's attempt at acting might. But that's not special, since the same could be said for any Ben Affleck movie.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Only when you think about what this movie could have been with a real actor instead of Ben Affleck.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Two words as to why it won't: Ben Affleck.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Have I mentioned Ben Affleck? Oh, I have? Then let's move on... Russell Crowe is always good and this is no exception. Rachel McAdams starts out well as the doe-eyed starter reporter, but kind of drops the ball in the one emotional scene she has.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Outside of some casting issues (I know I said we'd move on, but you have to admit, Ben Affleck is in the movie), Kevin MacDonald does a good job at keeping what could have been a tirelessly meandering plot within the confines of a tightly knit thriller.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Based on a UK miniseries, it wants to be today’s All the President’s Men. But because it is not a true story, it starts out at a disadvantage. The entire movie takes place over maybe three days, not the multiple-months of Watergate, so the investigation is not quite as buried at ATPM, but there are a few twists and turns that should keep you guessing ‘til the end. And the basic “Blackwater” conspiracy is eerily plausible. Also keep an eye out for a great scene in a parking garage.

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

A: An interesting thru-line concerns the state of newspapers in this country. The digital age has not been kind to them, but you have to admit that there is something about seeing a newspaper headline that makes an event more real than seeing a computer browser headline. Maybe that is my age talking (and the fact that I am one of the dwindling numbers of daily newspaper readers), but I think that the makers of State of Play are as curious as I am to see what investigative journalism looks like in 10 years. I do not think it will be the same if it is exclusively online…

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/state-of-play/27010/video/state-of-play-trailer-no-1/2372618

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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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Sleep Dealer

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Set in the near future, a young man (Luis Fernando Pena) moves to the booming city of Tijuana, Mexico to become a “node worker,” which is the Mexican migrant worker of the future. In this version of the future, migrant workers perform their hard labor tasks in virtual reality, and therefore never have to physically cross the border in order to send money home to their families.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Luis Fernando Pena, Leonor Verala, Jacob Vargas

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It’s been a long time since there was an organic sci-fi film, not based on a comic book or a video game. In the vein of Blade Runner, this highly inventive and intellectual film takes the genre back to its roots to explore what becomes of humanity and society in the near future if we continue on the path that we’re on. And as sci-fi purists will tell you, it works because it’s all very plausible.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The visual effects might. But if you remember that this is a small independent film out of Mexico, the visual effects will actually blow your mind. And then you’ll laugh at yourself for laughing in the first place.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It’s more of a thinking man’s movie. But if you are that sci-fi geek, or that deep college student, or that bio-engineer, you will find a story rich with ideas.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It was up for an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, and as someone who watched most of the nominated films, I can tell you that this was one of only very few that weren’t too long, incredibly boring, completely pointless, or topped off with an ending that makes you want to kill yourself. Honestly, I’m surprised this little gem got nominated at all. It’s far too interesting to fit in with the rest.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: There weren’t any challenging acting moments in the script, but the main characters are attractive and the chemistry in the love story is strong, especially in the scene where they make love in a futuristic way you’ve never seen before.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: This Alex Rivera guy is going places. He tells a visual story that manages to be showy without showing off. The stylization is as organic to the story as the ideas about globalization and human disconnection through technology. I rarely understand why big studios pluck little indy and documentary directors out of oblivion and entrust them with multi-million dollar effects films, but in this case I really would get it.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story is easy to follow, and the timely themes, including lacking water supply, technology going too far, and immigration, will stimulate your mind.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/sleep%20dealer/trailers

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Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This documentary about 1980s heavy metal band, Anvil, shows us where they are now. And to our surprise, this band never broke up, they just faded away.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Anvil, their families, and the five people who drunkenly stumbled into the bar they happened to be playing at.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Depending on what kind of person you are, this band’s never say die attitude toward reclaiming the fame they had back in the early 80s will either inspire you, or make you wonder how people can never say die when they’re already dead and buried.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: They do have a volume knob that goes to 11.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: As these talented musicians pursue their lofty dreams, one thing that’s sadly evident is how incredibly out-dated their music is.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: To predict the future I will look into the past, and after seeing that it has already won several festival awards for Best Documentary, I can predict with assurance that it will.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The guys in this band are best friends, so that’s sweet. They’re also 50-year-old musicians who are trying to make it, so that’s crazy.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The director, Sacha Gervasi, used to tour with the band when he was a teenager and a fan, so he knows these guys pretty intimately. And while we can feel just how wacky his characters could be, with their reckless drive to be somebody, and their complete disregard for the fact that they already once were, somehow we feel like the best of the insanity may have been left on the cutting room floor. Perhaps Gervasi was too close to his subjects, and hoped to protect their image just enough to stop this film from having the raw, squirmy moments that would have put it over the top.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story’s arc is standard and predictable, without quite enough surprise twists to make it feel completely original. Ironically, the most interesting part of the movie’s conclusion is likely to happen after the film gets some notoriety, as that will likely lead to the band’s newfound glory, even more so than recording a 13th and 14th album which nobody is going to hear.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/anvil-the-story-of-anvil/32510/trailers

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Observe and Report

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A mall cop (Seth Rogen) is totally f'd in the head.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Anna Faris, Michael Pena, Dan Bakkedahl, Jesse Piemons, John Yuan, Matt Yuan, Celia Weston, Collette Wolfe, Randy Gambill, Alston Brown, Danny McBride, Ben Best, Aziz Ansari, Patton Oswalt

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This comedy is so dark, it may actually cause you to long for Paul Blart.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The jokes are mean and ugly, and some of them even make you laugh.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I cried a little inside when I realized that I enjoyed watching Paul Blart: Mall Cop slightly more than Ronnie Barnhardt: Go "f" yourself if you think I'm not a good enough cop... Did it write that out loud? It's okay. I'll be right back. I'm just gonna go kill myself now...

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: ... Not to cry wolf, but I decided to put of my imminent pending suicide on hold so I could give this movie the award for Best Use of Totally Unknown, Chubby, Asian Twins. They're adorable, and they're not even babies!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Rarely have I seen so much believable drunkenness as in this movie. Anna Faris' eyes actually get glossy, making her look wasted, tired and haggered, like only a drunk slut can. And Celia Weston, best known as that actress you've seen a million times in a million movies, but couldn't possibly name any of them, even for a million dollars, is incredible as Seth Rogen's alcoholic, slurring-her-words, insensitively-brutally-honest mom.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The budget has gone up exponentially from Jody Hill's first film, The Foot Fist Way, but the production quality hasn't gone up proportionally.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Many admirable risks are taken in this attempt to be something different. Most are cringe-worthy disasters, but a few teeter on the edge of genius. Thanks, at least, for trying to do something original.

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

A: Male frontal nudity. Lots of it. And not the pretty kind.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/observe%20and%20report/trailers

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