The Thing (2011)

An alien doppelganger is discovered in Antarctica and unless a small team of scientists can keep it quarantined it may spell the end of the human race! I thought this was going to be a reboot of John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) but its not, its a prequel that fits very nicely on top of the 82 version (making it a natural double header). If this will be your first exposure to The Thing then I would say you are in for quite the critter FX experience. There are of course gaffs but I like to chalk that up to the nature of the beast (movies), as well as time constraints. The standard issue flame throwers will have to be overlooked as well..lol.. and you have some cliche's where this group of supposedly intelligent people can't seem to agree on what is obvious to us regular viewing folks. But this is failing you will find in nearly all movies of this type, on the up side the players work well and the tempo stays brisk. I enjoyed it and although I was less than thrilled with it as a reboot, I am more than satisfied with it as a 'part one'. For old school sci-fi/monster movie fans this will take you back to those Saturday afternoon creature feature marathons.

The Guard (2011)

An Irish country cop has a new partner, F.B.I. agents, and an international drug smuggling ring dropped into his tea and screws up an otherwise lovely morning. This is comedy the way I like it, dry and rapid fire. Sort of a Beverly Hills Cop in reverse where the straight man is the transplant and the rest of the world is wacky. Everything comes in just the right portions of comedy, drama, action and warm fuzzy tacked on the end. The language is Irish and what else would it be ya fucking cunt! If that doesn't throw you off then this may be a good choice for those looking for something light but not without intelligence. Definitely a feel good film. Highly recommended.

Another Earth (2011)

A young girl bound for MIT causes a felony drunk driving fatality. This story has been told many times, a horrible tragedy with one life consumed by grief and the other by guilt. The first thing you should realize is this is a drama, not a sci-fi movie. The 'other earth' provides a cool backdrop but really doesn't become a factor until the end of the film. What you do get is top shelf presentation by all parties and a very moving portrayal of penance. This is one that will benefit from quiet and thoughtful viewing. If you are looking for something that's moving without costing you a fortune in tissue this would be a great choice. A very slick twist on a time worn theme. Recommended.

The Rite (2011)

The Vatican is seeking exorcists to deal with an upswing in demonic possessions. This is a well written and well played drama that is fairly entertaining. This is less a horror movie than it is a story of interpersonal faith with scary overtones. There is no graphic scenes of violence or gore, the actual scenes of possession, with the exception of the finale', are understated and rely on dialogue and delivery over FX. What makes this movie appeal to me was the discussions of faith and 'truth' and how these could and do intersect. Don't worry there are no drawn out monologues or slobbering blubbery. I think this film would have benefited from another 15 minutes to explore some topics that were hinted at that may have found their way to the cutting room floor. If you want a thoughtful drama with a mild tingle this wouldn't be a bad pick. One thing I did find very refreshing was the portrayal of the priests as human beings.. don't get a lot of that these days.

Bunraku (2010)

A stranger comes to town looking for revenge on the areas most powerful warlord. This is a stylized retelling of 'man without a name' in a post apocalyptic future where guns are 'banned' and ruthless crime lords rule the lands. How much you enjoy this one is almost entirely based on your ability or willingness to suspend belief and let the movie deliver every aspect of its skewed, primary color, story board style vision.. sort of a mash up of Edward Scissorhands (1990), Sin City (2005), and Kill Bill (2003-04). The action is near non stop set over minimalistic cartoonish backdrops. The fighting is highly choreographed, the 'bad guys' are over the top and the good guys aren't really good, they just don't like the bad guys. A lot of mindless fun and testosterone in 118 minutes of mayhem.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)

Big old house, hidden basement, scary evil secret. I was roundly disappointed by this one. Nearly every horror movie cliche' shows up and there is a point fairly early in the movie where if the 'average' person couldn't realize something was horribly wrong they should be sterilized. I'm also starting to realize that Katie Holmes can't act for shit. I don't know what audience they were trying to reach with this one but for the serious horror fan this is a pretty thin sandwich. If you have seen Cat's Eye (1985) this views much like an expanded version of the 3rd story 'The General' with a little sauce on it to hide the similarities. You won't die if you decide to see this anyway, but much like going out to a French restaurant be prepared to hit a Burger King on the way home.

Drive (2011)

A part time wheel man finds himself in deep shit when a pawn shop robbery nets 10 million dollars and the ire of the local wise guy. This is a very easy watch.. no complex story elements or plot twists, no boring character development. Its almost like watching a John Hughes film without the brat pack. Very 80's tempo soundtrack and boy meets girl story that gets kicked over when a third returns to the scene. Things quickly head south from there and our hero must remain true to his macho urges despite what should have been long odds. There are a couple scenes of fairly realist and graphic violence with accompanying sound FX. WARNING: if you are squeamish one scene may send you running to the bathroom (if this is you when the guy with the mangled hands shows up in the Pizzaria go find something to do for about 2 minutes). Nice easy entertainment with a little white hat bad boy macho thrown in for flavor. Recommended.

Apollo 18 (2011)

The 'real' reason Apollo 18 was the last manned mission to the moon. Great premise, lackluster delivery. Shot in the now tiresome "I was there" self filming technique made famous by a Witch movie that will go unnamed, that is supposed to add to the 'realism', but not so much when you have 3rd person shots to show off your set. Coupled with the notion astronauts don't have a light source other than the flash on a camera (oO) so they can set up a 'gotcha' moment so telegraphed that when it landed the sheer not scariness of it makes you want to scream out of frustration, it just comes in light. There are other huge problems as well but lets move on to the other side of the coin. Everyone likes conspiracies and this one hands up a whopper dripping with all the 'powers that be' slime sauce you can stomach. They do borrow from Red Planet (2000) for the antagonist with just enough of the detail tweaked as so to be able to deny it in case of lawsuit (not the robot). Overall this plays like a good ScyFy production.. as far as seeing it on the big screen, maybe the bottom of a double header at the drive in (do they still have those?) Fish fingers too long under the light and a flat cola.

Colombiana (2011)

The little girl of a South American drug lord is the sole survivor of a hit order on her family and comes to America sworn to avenge them. Featuring the very hot Zoe Saldana in the title role [Star Trek (2009), Avatar (2009)] this femme fatale is unstoppable as the one woman killing machine named after a flower. Very cool action, slick twists in old themes and the obligatory glimpses of skin keep things fairly tight throughout.. I did catch my attention wandering in a few places, mostly during long monologues, but they are relatively few. I thought the ending was fantastic, definitely within character and pulling an appreciative laugh from me. If you enjoyed The Mechanic (2011) for more than Jason Stratham you should enjoy this one as well.

Stake Land (2010)

Its Vampires that over run the world with this one. The same basic set up as Zombieland (2009) with the first person narrative presentation and the make up 2 main characters.. but thats where it ends. I was pleasantly surprised by this one, the title and the first 5 minutes didn't have me expecting much. While there is some humor in this one, its not a comedy by any stretch. FX are about what you would expect from a movie not getting a million dollars worth of media hype. This was a well told story that was much darker than what we have come to expect from similar fare. While this may miss the mainstream, I could easily see a cult following. If you are tired of cute fluffy vegan vampires and long for the days of bloody nasty horrifying ones, this is your ticket. There are some very cool twists in this one, and I could see elements from 30 Days of Night (2007), 28 Weeks Later (2007), and any number of post apocalyptic movies where humans still prey on each other. For fans of the genre, very worth your time. Recommended.

Death and Cremation (2010)

One is a loner by choice, the other by his peers.. one is a serial killer, the other is about to make a friend. This is one fun dark twisty, definitely not to be viewed with a critical eye, but with a measure of insight and social commentary none-the-less. The bullied loner is chased out of the house and told to find a job.. the local neighborhood discount crematorium seems just the place. The gore is minimal, but there is some as well as brief clips of realistic violence. No need to watch half the movie to get the flavor, its well displayed in the first 10 minutes so if this isn't you, your evening isn't shot.. I know I'm a sick bastage so I laughed more than a few times with this one. My only complaint is how the ending came together, but it had to end somehow I guess. Definitely not family viewing unless your name is Addams.

Fright Night (2011)

Like the original the unlikely hero finds himself living next door to a sinister vampire who has found a way to blend in. Unlike the original everyone soon believes Charlie. This isn't a bad movie on its own, but as a horror movie it comes in a little light. Think of this more like a sanitary version of From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). Some of the dialogue is clever and action is sufficient to make things fairly watchable. There is no overt stupidity which is refreshing. Take it for what it is, another luke warm Hollyweird production. Make it a rental.

Red State (2011)

Three teens answer a sex ad and find themselves captured by the local cult. This one sets up like a slasher movie but quickly evolves into a much more mature and darker film. The buzz sets this as Kevin Smiths most 'mature' work yet, and I must admit the dark satire is well done and slathered on very thick in places with a couple very clever twists. A good crew of journeyman players on this one, most notably a rather sickly looking John Goodman (hope you are okay John cause we luv ya out here). If you aren't familiar with Kevin's politics (the Silent Bob look would be good for him) it may be a good idea to stay away from them before seeing this movie (otherwise there are portions that come across as cheap and petty). No doubt about it this is a film worth seeing if you are a fan of dark satire, top shelf effort by Mr. Smith.

Bad Teacher (2011)

A gold digging tramp has her meal ticket dry up and is stuck as a public school teacher. Pretty funny in places and moves at a good pace- it follows the 'comedy movie formula' where the lead learns a 'lesson' at the end most the rest of us already know. Writing is good and all the players deliver well. Sort of a Bad Santa (2003) light, so if you enjoyed that chances are good you will enjoy this as well. Maybe its just me but Cameron Diaz dressed like a tramp and getting soapy just doesn't do anything.. for me or for her. I really think she should either grow as a player or find roles that don't cast her as a hot slutty bitch because 2 out of 3 isn't cutting it.

Fast Five (2011)

5th installment in The Fast and The Furious franchise continues to live by the same motto that fast cars, hot bods, slick FX and a double shot of adrenaline never gets old. If the success of this 5 movie run is any indicator, you have to admit they are right. For those unfamiliar the formula goes something like this.. you take 2 characters on opposite ends of the scale (Laurel and Hardy), and you tie them together with a passion and skill (in this case fast cars and driving), sprinkle a hard luck story and gangsta notions of 'familia' (for street cred), top it off with sweaty scantily clad hard bodies (to bring them together) and voilà! instant box office. For anyone who likes it hard, fast, and sweaty this is aimed right at your... crotch... oO. Great mindless fun, 2 dimensional characters, semi witty urban dialogue, very cool cars, gadgets and slick FX, lots of destruction and chaos... hard to stuff a taco more full than this one. Recommended.

Return to the Hiding Place (2011)

A based on true events story about the resistance in Holland during WWII and their role in helping Jewish people survive the Nazi occupation. This is a feel good movie about faith, courage, honor, love, and all the good stuff that makes mankind noble; especially poignant when contrasted with the utter vileness of Nazi nationalism. A group of youths get pulled into the resistance when they get caught up trying to prevent Nazi violence on some Jewish citizens. Top notch story telling through a soft focus lens with a strong message of faith and character. Its hard for me to imagine someone who wouldn't be touched by this film. Highly and unequivocally recommended.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

A man wakes up in the desert with no memory and a strange device on his arm. This one starts out fast and continues at a break neck pace for almost the entire duration.. Action is brisk, flashy and sanitary. FX are very good. I found this to be an entertaining but not a mind bending movie.. everything is pretty safe.. including the obligatory bullet proof alien horde (wouldn't it be refreshing if just once bullets would kill aliens?). The end of the movie is kind of a kumbaya moment when all the humans who have been at each others throat join together to fight the critter invaders. History repeats itself.

Conan the Barbarian (2011)

The Cimmerian is back seeking to avenge the death of his father by hacking his way across Hyboria. My first thought going into this was "Jason Momoa... really?!" but since I had the exact reaction to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine I decided to see it before I judged it. I have to say I am fairly impressed. Not only do they not try to outdo Arnold in this role, they go the other way with it and make Conan the runt, who although has great strength relies on reflex, savagery, intelligence and outstanding swordsmanship to win the day. I still hold Arnold as the benchmark but Jason could very well surpass that if they do another with a better script. Much more roguish and refined, this Conan is as at home in the press of cities as he is in the wilderness. I have to think someone said 'What if Bruce Lee was Conan' at a production meeting early on. The first 20 minutes of this film had my mouth hanging open, young Conan sets a pretty serious pace. Unfortunately they are unable to maintain it (despite some very cool scenes) and the climax of the final battle is somewhat muted (over the top in a manner that would do Indiana Jones proud). However it is still a very entertaining watch for fans of the genre, very rated R. Keep a look out for Rose McGowan as the psychotic mystic Marique, she makes the role her own. A big rare steak sandwich and a pitcher of stout. Get your kill on! Recommended.

Super 8 (2011)

A bunch of kids are making a movie when they witness an event that will soon change the world. This is a good movie but I couldn't shake the feeling I had seen it before, then it hit me.. Steven Spielburg.. I guess even 'the master' can't resist repackaging. Sure its darker, hipper, bigger and louder than the first one but all the same elements are in place although Elliot.. oops.. I mean Joe.. is old enough they can throw in a little spring romance to sweeten the pot. The cube gimmick is cool enough to warrant seeing this movie if for no other reason. Even if you don't need to phone home its hard to imagine you won't be entertained.. more sci-fi and less Reese's Pieces this time around but still good family friendly entertainment. Recommended.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

A serum designed to battle Alzheimer is discovered to endow primates with heightened intelligence. I made a prediction after watching Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) that CGI would soon replace human players.. after Avatar (2009) and now this movie I am more confident than ever of that prediction. This was a very well done film despite the humanization of the Caesar character and they do a very good job getting the audience to connect with him and his plight. Yes you will be cheering 'the bad guys' in this one. I thought this was a much better watch than Planet of the Apes (2001) although it lacks the fire of Tim Burton's movie. If you were a fan of the original run of Ape films you should find this one a real treat. Note: all apes in the movie are CGI. Recommended.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

In WWII a German scientist defects to the US with a formula designed to enhance soldiers. They only get the chance to inject one volunteer (Steve Rogers) with the 'super soldier' serum before the proverbial shit hits the fan. I was very apprehensive going into this one.. and was completely blown away! This may be the best Marvel movie to date. Every aspect of this film has the feel of being carefully considered so that everything fits as the movie rolls along. The inclusion of Tommy Lee Jones and Hugo Weaving in the cast sure doesn't hurt things either. Well written, well directed and well played on all fronts and a nice neat tie-in for the upcoming Avengers movie. I can't imagine anyone going wrong with this selection. The best apple pie you have ever tasted! Highly Recommended.

Age of Heroes (2011)

A special British commando unit has been ordered on a suicide mission into Nazi held Norway to compromise an early form of radar. Pretty cool and believable war movie. The cast is small so its easier to identify with the characters. Nothing real heavy although some of the interrogation scenes may be tough for delicate constitutions to watch. They make it real easy to cheer for the good guys in this one. If you are tired of comedies and don't want something that will make you cry or drain you to watch, this wouldn't be a bad choice.

Drive Angry (2011)

A man escapes from Hell to avenge his daughter and save his grandchild. This film has the feel of a group of people listing stuff they think would be cool to see in a movie and everyone is agreed when Nick Cage yells 'from hell!'. Lots of action, lots of FX, cool cars and not a lot of character development or sticky mish-mash. If you enjoyed Ghost Rider (2007) chances are good you will enjoy this one as well.

Green Lantern (2011)

An alien crashes to earth and bestows a ring of astonishing power upon a bungling test pilot. This one is likely to satisfy fans and non fans alike. There are no forced laugh lines, no over cooked romance scenes, and some very cool FX. The story and dialogue flow naturally and all players are in good form. Did I mention cool FX? I look forward to the sequel so we can meet more of the corps and which I predict will be the downfall of Sinestro, given they set it up. Hard to go wrong with this one- good action and cool FX- a flick the whole family can enjoy. Recommended.

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Po the dragon warrior learns the secret of his origins. As funny as the first with a couple laugh out loud moments (the street dragon scene is hilarious!). No way you miss with this one. Be prepared for a 3rd (oh geez) as the sequel for Rise of the Panda is built in. Stellar voice cast. Highly Recommended.

Your Highness (2011)

Fighting for the girl of his dreams a prince must depend on his bungling stoner brother to help him rescue her from a evil wizard. Not the side splitter the trailers made it look to be (yeah big shock I know) but no where near as bad as it could be. I'm thinking this movie was formulated during a weekend D&D session as much of the comedy seems to revolve around genitalia or the lack thereof. Action is fairly good but well within Hollyweird canned formula. Enjoy it for what it is, would make a good rental for a stoner comedy double header.

Thor (2011)

The god of thunder is stripped of his powers and banished to Midgard for crimes against the kingdom of Asgard. For those of you who know nothing about Thor this movie will be better than fair despite some painfully cheesy and forced laugh lines (how many times you going to hit him with a car?). For those of us who know Thor this is another come up short for Hollyweird. While its not a complete disaster, they take a lot of liberties with a guy who is supposedly the fiercest warrior in a realm of warriors. If you can get past that, the Dawsons Creek dialogue, and the predictability, you are left with some cool FX, action and a surprisingly cool portrayal of Loki. Oh and the built in plug to the Avengers movie. Marvel movies are starting to look, unfortunately, more and more like their comics.. speaking for myself I am tired of plug-n-play and would welcome something that requires a little chewing. Artwork is nice, but you need story for an encore.

Priest (2011)

The war between man and vampire has ended.. or has it? One Priest will defy the Church when a loved one is taken in a raid. This is basically a rehash of Judge Dredd (1995) with vampires and 3D gimmicks, some story tweaking aside, but not near as cheesy. Action is very good throughout as are the FX. It does have a built in sequel that promises to be much more violent and bloody than this one. The story is set in a 'old west' style theme with 'modern' civilization being confined in huge walled cities. This should appeal to adrenaline junkies, vampire slayer buffs, and those who like movie watching on the lighter side. Thankfully there is no 'comic relief' redshirt.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)

When terrorists steal a new super weapon the services of a multi national spec ops organization is called upon. Okay I have to admit I wasn't expecting much from this one, especially after talking myself into seeing Masters of the Universe (1987) (IMDb gives it 5 stars.. o.O I will never live it down). However with the awesomeness that was Transformers (2007) I decided to give this a go and am glad I did. This is a very entertaining veggie watch movie with just enough back story to keep the plot all plump and succulent. There is nothing heavy here, just a whole lot of fun.. cool FX.. action.. and one hell of a built in sequel. If you are in the mood for just something just north of mindless fun this wouldn't be a bad choice.

Beowulf & Grendel (2005)

A warrior of renown sets off to aid a foreign king against a terrible monster. This is a much more 'realistic' telling of the story of Beowulf than the highly stylized and top heavy Beowulf (2007) that would claim the spotlight 2 years later. If you have to pick one of the two and want a solid story told in a 'historic' manner, then this is the one I would go with. Gerard Butler portrays Beowulf in a manner that is mighty and honorable as well as thoughtful and humble. Compare to The 13th Warrior (1999). Fans of the genre should not be disappointed. Recommended.

Immortal (Ad Vitam) (2004)

In the year 2095 a Pyramid appears floating over New York City. For seven days Horus is free to roam before his sentence is carried out. This is a tasty little gem of a sci-fi story in the style of the late 1970's and early 80's Heavy Metal magazine. Partially animated, the story is one of competing interests by powerful forces (the idea, the corporation, the politician, the alien, and the god). Live action FX are on the weak side, but the animation is top shelf. Its a lot to wrap your brain around in a relatively short period of time, they don't connect all the dots but its not overly complex. This isn't going to appeal to everyone, in fact I imagine the interest will be rather narrow. If the name Allgood means something to you, you may want to give this a watch. Hard core sci-fi fans and seekers are encouraged to see this one.

The Way Back (2010)

Based on actual if somewhat unbelievable events, a group of men escape from a Siberian gulag and walk 4000 miles overland to India. While listed as a drama the character development is fairly light and straight forward with roles being clearly defined early on and each staying in character throughout. While showcasing the incredible, and in places icky, hardships this band endured the real magic for me was the amazing scenery. Once free of the gulag viewers are treated to about an hour of some of the most stunning on location wide shots of landscape both beautiful and harsh. Its like taking a vacation on your couch. If you need a break from loud flashes and mythical creatures this one has your name on it. Despite the harsh story, viewing is easy and fairly light. Recommended.

Insidious (2010)

When they find out the source of the haunting isn't the house, but their son who is in a coma, the father's childhood becomes the key to getting him back. Poltergeist (1982) gets an upgrade in this better than your average thriller. Like the aforementioned, the creepy factor starts very high then falls off into an action style fight against the supernatural. Of course this is the same guy who brought us Saw (2004) and Dead Silence (2007) so don't waste your time waiting for the warm fuzzy at the end. Nice medium intensity hair raiser with good tension.

Super (2010)

Franks life was defined by two events.. when drugs and criminals seek to rob him of one of those God steps in to show him his destiny. This is one brutally zany flick.. from Monty Python style humor to gore and violence this is a movie of extremes. A mash up of Defendor (2009) and Kick-Ass (2010) with all the polish of a Dave Chappelle celebrity roast after a week long binger. From pipe wrenches to pipe bombs the Crimson Bolt is out to exterminate crime.. add to this a psychotic nymphomaniac and tips from The Holy Avenger and its hard to imagine making this trip any more bizarre. Mindless fun. Twisty humors only need apply.

Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)

In a town gone mad with vice and violence one man stands up from the gutter and screams "I'M TIRED AND I NEED MONEY FOR A MOWER!". There is so much cheese on this one you have to pay extra! A wonderful low budget exploration into blood bath exploitation! If you like your movies somber and serious then don't even pick up the box because this is anything but.. revolving disgust, humor, and in your face raw nastiness this leaps right off with terrible puns, juvenile antics and wonderfully awful one liners that for some reason work great. This isn't Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1988) but they probably have similar budgets. If you are a fan of the drive in double headers then this has your name on it. Great fun!

Limitless (2011)

A man who's life is on the skids stumbles across a wonder drug that enables him to unlock the power of his brain. A fairly cool zero to hero story presented in the now popular narration style. This isn't a squishy story about self discovery or lost love, instead you get a movie tribute to Huey Lewis 'I Want a New Drug' with plenty of action and tension. A very enjoyable watch that will appeal to the get rich quick in all of us.

The Eagle (2011)

A valiant Roman officer seeks to restore honor to his family name by recovering the lost standard of the infamous 9th Legion. In many ways this is similar to Centurion (2010) plot wise.. the differences in story and characters are fairly inconsequential but there is a fair bit more grit in this one. Two big fight scenes, one at the beginning one at the end.. fairly sanitary in that they let your imagination do most the work for the blood and gore. In some ways this could be looked upon as a sequel to Centurion. Fans of the genre shouldn't be disappointed.

Source Code (2011)

A man wakes up in the body of another man with 8 minutes to live. This is a mix of Deja Vu (2006) and Groundhog Day (1993) (trade humor for romance) with some RoboCop (1987) flavoring. Sound confusing? Well this will be your condition for about the first 20 minutes of this film; once things are laid out you won't have too much trouble keeping abreast of the story. If you are a fan of the temporal paradox like I am, then chances are good you will enjoy this one. But it doesn't stop there, we get a little romance and a warm fuzzy tacked on the end so your lady friend won't sit and stare daggers at you the whole time because you are such a geek.. well she might, but it won't be because of this movie. Something a little different, a flirt with the weird.. oh go on, you can always take a shower after. Platter of baby back ribs and an appletini.

Sucker Punch (2011)

At the moment of truth anything is possible. Okay here we go... this one is a mind bender. If you gag ball your brain and just watch the movie you will be treated to a mish mash of Dragons, Orcs, giant Samurai, steam powered Nazis, and I-Robot style death machines told over the span of 4 adventures. Baby Doll leads a band of Comicon wet dream style erotic dancers (each in appropriate costume) on missions that start and end with an unbelievable amount of ass kicking. Fun Fun Fun. But now your brain has spit out the gag ball and is screaming 'What the Hell is going on?!' Because all this is supposedly happening in a fantasy world contained within Baby Doll's on stage gyrations and coincide with real world actions which we find out is a hallucination. Now do you understand why you need to shackle that troublesome brain? To enjoy this movie treat it like a roller coaster.. get in, hang on, and enjoy the ride. If dragons fighting B-24's are something you can groove to then join the geek fest! Tasty mystery meat. 0.0!

Knowing (2009)

An astrophysicist is confronted with the sudden answer to an age old question and a horrifying revelation. This is a great story in an okay movie. If you are a fan of premonitions and prophecies then I expect your reaction to this film will be similar to mine..with wonderful tingles up the spine at all the right moments. FX are very good, especially in the last 5-8 minutes or so. The characters are not well developed and some of their actions don't really make much sense.. the time span of the movie is measured in days so you would expect characters to stay fairly consistent.. but I doubt it will be so noticeably bad that anyone will pull the disk out of their player and set it on fire. Sci-fi and end of the world types apply within.

Red Riding Hood (2011)

The 1062nd retelling of the classic old fairy tale, and only the 1045th version with a werewolf, Little Red is once again threatened by the big bad wolf. A fairytale setting with some cool FX and sequences and Gary Oldman wasn't enough to save an already over done and thin story from the doldrums. Its pretty obvious from early on that a stick figure with puffy lips rolling around her absurdly large eyes was supposed to be the one to carry this movie.. she doesn't. Now I'm not ready yet to call this a complete waste of time, some of the new tweaks were interesting, but by and large this is one that will be quickly forgotten. Save your cash and make it a rental if you must. Third day leftovers.

Unstoppable (2010)

A run away train carrying dangerous freight is just hours away from causing the worst disaster in Pennsylvania history. Once again we are treated to the lesson that its not the story but how you tell it that makes for great entertainment. Denzel Washington is joined by a very impressive Rosario Dawson in creating just the right formula of tension, excitement, and hoorah! for a 'based on actual events' winner as they race to prevent the devastation. Aside from a couple places where they drop the F-bomb, this is family friendly viewing. Highly Recommended.

Arn: The Knight Templar (2007)

Accused of crimes against the church Arn is separated from his true love Cecilia and sent to fight in the crusades while she is sentanced to a nunnery for 20 years. This is a very good Swedish made period piece and a top shelf bit of cinema. The story is pretty evenly split between Arn and Cecilia with each holding to their honor while being mistreated by those jealous of them. While there is action and sword fighting, this is for the most part a drama and love story and comes off as more 'realistic' than Braveheart (1995) just to pick a name. Of course being realistic means its not comic book exciting with lots of color and noise, but rather more relaxed and subtle. Anyone who enjoys the genre should find this well within the margin of enjoyable and entertaining. Chicken Alfredo with a glass of Chardonnay. Recommended.