Reviews

Avatar is a rare movie. Not only is it a stunning example of CGI, excellent writing, and acting that truly brings characters alive, Avatar is a movie that has a story worth telling. Today we are surrounding with movies, especially science fiction, of repeated stories of alien invasions, war, battles, etc., Rare is the movie that has all of these but actually has a story with telling within the CGI and visuals. Avatar is that movie.

The year is 2154 and humanity has begun colonizing other worlds. Pandora is a world rich with resources and former marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is chosen to replace his brother on a mission that would hopefully change humanity's role on the world. Crippled though not defeated in spirit, Jake is willing to do anything that could get him back the ability to use his legs and the Avatar program may be just that and perhaps something more.

His arrival to Pandora opens up a world that is beyond imagination. Working with Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), who makes her disdain towards Jake openly, Jake is thrown into the Avatar program where he mentally takes the form of one of the Na'vi who are the native people of Pandora. At first seeing his mission as a marine would, Jake has no problem gathering intelligence for Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) who leads the military contractor wing that provides security for the mining operations on Pandora.

Jake realizes that there is something more to Pandora and the Na'vi once he befriends Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). He becomes accepted by her tribe slowly once he begins a series of rituals that teach him not only how to understand the Na'vi, but to become one. Jake one day realizes that he is torn between his loyalty to his own race and marine identity and his new found people, and love, for Pandora. The battle that comes is one that will not only decide if Pandora will survive, but also if Jake will remain the man he once was. Pandora, a world of beauty and innocence, is facing its greatest challenge and Jake becomes the only man, and Na'vi, able to save it.

There is a spiritual theme that runs through Pandora. The idea of environmentalism and new age thought runs through the Avatar but not in a way that is forced or condescending. Unlike other movies that preach a message, Avatar lets the idea of defending what is pure run freely and it is this that makes James Cameron's writing one of the best this year. No matter your religious beliefs, there is a spiritual message that is in Avatar and one can compare the corruption that humanity brings to Pandora much as sin did to the Garden of Eden. There are those who will not like this but that is okay. Even if you don't enjoy the ideology behind Avatar, the movie is still one of the best this year. James Cameron deserves best credit for what is one of the most original movies ever made.

10/10

The end of the world is upon us again and this time humanity's greatest enemy happens to be the sun, the earth's crust, and some tsunami waves that have the power to destroy entire countries. 2012 is the latest mega disaster movie using the best special effects centered upon a melodramatic plot that is everything one expected it to be. While this isn't necessarily bad, it doesn't make a great movie.

Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) is another dad struggling to come close to his kids Noah (Liam James), and Lily (Morgan Lily), even though they now live with their mother Kate (Amanda Peet) and her new doctor boyfriend Gordon (Thomas McCarthy). The relationship between Jackson and his estranged family is what one would expect between a father trying to do the right thing and a mother hoping that her ex will at least remember to pick them up when he's supposed to. Jackson himself is a struggling writer whose lack of fame and books sold has only further weakened his already low self esteem.

As if Jackson's problems weren't enough, it turns out that humanity is facing its final days. Dr. Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Washington politician Carl Anheuser (Oliver Platt) discover that the world is going to be destroyed through a series of solar flares and massive weakening of the earth's crust. Helmsley, ever the humanist, sees a chance to try to help everyone while Anheuser sees only the possible diplomatic problems and financial problems that trying to save humanity would bring. They are two sides of the same coin facing a problem that threatens the whole world. The solution, it is hoped, is the construction of a series of massive ships that will contain the best (that is the rich enough to afford a seat) of humanity and remaining animal life. 2012 never explains how such a low number of survivors, especially those who are rich and spoiled, could save humanity, but it works at least for this kind of plot.

2012 follows a predictable plot with scenes of cities being destroyed, floods wiping out entire continents, and massive amounts of CGI death. While impressive on a big screen, the plot itself wears thin half way through. Of course we know that Jackson will reunite with his family and that there will be a spectacular ending that of course will defy all logic. The amount of scientific nonsense during the first half of the movie was enough to make one think that 2012 really should have been a cartoon. The fact that Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser both decided to focus on father trying to redeem himself to his family during the end of the world is less than original. Focusing on the struggles of Dr. Helmsley at least would have given some more intellectual and moral depth to the plot.

Not a bad movie, but 2012 isn't more than one would expect it to be. In reality, the only reason to watch it is because of the CGI and not because of some deep scientific or moral idea. A disaster movie yes, but nothing really more.

7/10

9 is the story of a world destroyed by war. A less than original idea, but the twist is that this time the heroes in this dark world are not human survivors but a series of puppet like creations. It is these creations who hold the key to the survival of the world. 9 will be known for its CGI effects but the story itself should have been the focus of the movie.

9 (Elijah Wood) awakes in a world where death is everywhere. Unsure of where he is, or what he is, he wanders out into a land filled with ruins and the remains of humanity. He is discovered by 2 (Martin Landau) who is just like him except that he has a different number and personality. 9 is grateful to make a friend but 2 is soon taken away by a strange beast that is half skeleton and have machine. It is then that 9 realizes that the world he is in is a place of terror.

Discovering a group of other survivors who are also like him, 9 learns that the leader of this group, 1 (Christopher Plummer), refuses to fight or do anything else besides hide. 9 refuses to do nothing and instead, with the help of 5 (John C. Reilly), tries to rescue 2. With the help of 7 (Jennifer Connelly) 9 and 5 discover the location of 2 and the nature of the beast that holds him. However, in doing so, they awaken the very machine responsible for the end of humanity. 9 and the rest of the survivors then must defeat the very monster that their own creator was responsible for unleashing upon the world.

9 will be remembered for its CGI but little more. The plot is lacking of a real explanation for what has happened and that effects the rest of the movie. There is no real reason given for why 9 and the others had to be created in order to defeat the machine itself. More explanation would have helped the final scene where apparently life is created once more through the spirit of the machines and its inventor. 9 felt at times lacking in detail while spending too much time focused on the effects. The darkness of the world was impressive, but it felt as if director Shane Acker and Pamela Pettler built the story around the world instead of the other way around.

The CGI is worth watching but don't expect more. 9 will stand out but not long enough to be worth remembering.

7/10

Whiteout is a basic crime movie which has been done countless times. A lone officer, or in this case a US Marshall, has to solve a mystery that may involve those closest to him or her. The difference is that this time the setting is one of the most dangerous places in the world and not a major American city. Unfortunately, it isn't enough to make Whiteout special.

Carrie Stetko (Kate Beckinsale) is a US Marshall suffering from the fatal shooting of her partner which she caused. Running to Antarctica to hide from herself and the shock of his death, she has spent two years in the cold and darkness dealing with drunken scientists. Her life is a series of mindless patrols and reports which, beyond the single station, mean little to anyone. Thankfully, she has been able to befriend Dr. John Furry (Tom Skerritt) who is another refugee from the real world.

On her last night in Antarctica a body is discovered. Investigating the death, Carrie discovers that three US scientists discovered a crashed Soviet transport that carried within it a secret that someone is willing to kill over. UN investigation officer Robert Pryce (Gabriel Macht) believes that it is weapon material that could be sold to terrorists. Carrie isn't sure if she can trust him but realizes that she needs his help not only to solve the case but to stay alive.

What happens next is a series of clichés that are common in most mystery movies. Carrie discovers who the murders are and what the secret of the transport actually was. She then learns that the man she least expected (of course) was the one responsible for the crimes and the deaths around her. Instead of leading to a climax that stands out, Whiteout ends on a less than interesting note which makes one wonder why he or she stayed so long to watch it. The idea of using Antarctica as a scene for such a crime is interesting but it can't carry the whole movie. Director Dominic Sena appears to believe that his use of scenery and man vs. nature conflict would do just that.

Why did Kate Beckinsale do this movie? It is easy to see why this wasn't a summer release simply because it really isn't that special. Not the worse movie this year, but a disappointment.

5/10

Aliens are not new to movies. We have seen them countless time either invading, killing, or enslaving humanity. That there is still room for an original story about an alien "invasion" shows that creative thought still exists within the movie world. District 9 is a reminder that even the most ordinary of sounding plots can still deliver. One will not see a major star or large budget. Peter Jackson is the only real known name with District 9 but even his presence is forgotten as the plot moves forward. The best movies of the year, District 9 is easily the standout movie of the summer.

South Africa becomes host to almost one million alien survivors of a ship that suddenly appears in the skies above Johannesburg. The United Nations and South Africa hand control over the aliens directly to a corporation known as MNU which, along with caring for the aliens, is also interested in their weaponry. It is discovered that that alien technology can only work with their DNA so humans are unable to use them. Placed into District 9, a slum that separates the aliens from the human population which fears them, the aliens are subjected to a life not too different from those who also suffer such poverty.

Wikus Van De Merwe(Sharlto Copley) is an uninteresting cubicle worker for MNU who is also the son-in-law of one of the major corporate owners of the company. When he is promoted to lead an eviction of the aliens from from District 9 where they were placed, he sees a chance at having a better future and a real career. The Prawns, as the aliens are known, earn no sympathy from him. Humans see them mostly as a problem that sucks away resource and breed crime. Wikus has the same mentality and has little ethical concerns about cheating the Prawns out of what little they already own.

That changes the day he arrives to serve the evictions. Suddenly sprayed by an strange alien chemical, Wikus finds himself transforming into one of the Prawns. Not only this is distributing to one who was as bigoted as himself, but it also drives MNU to hold him captive. His arm, which was the first to transform, is able to use the Prawn weaponry which makes him suddenly the most valuable man in the world. If MNU can discover how to transfer this biotechnology into humans then that will make them one of the most powerful corporations in the world.

Wikus, escaping and finding a place of hiding within District 9 itself, discover the chemical he found was the necessary fuel for Prawn shuttle which has remained hidden for years. Realizing how oppressive he had once been, Wikus joins with the Prawn who developed the fuel in not only an assault on MNU's headquarters but also a final stand in District 9 itself. It is the final scenes that make District 9 the most powerful because we see one of the most touching conversions seen in a story. From seeing the Prawns as simple creatures that can be ignored, Wikus sees their oppression as a cause worth fighting for even if it means losing his own life.

If there is a small complaint then it is that we never really learn more about the Prawns and why they were made so sick in the first place. Then there is the matter of leaving aliens in the hands of a private corporation. Would the United Nations leave such a duty to a group of businessmen? It seems unlikely, but this does not subtract from the movie too much.

District 9 is easily a commentary on the affairs of humans. That the Prawns would land in a country such as South Africa is evidence that the writers were attempting to say something about society as a whole. The barbarity of MNU and humans against those who are different compares to human prejudice against other humans. South Africa, once more, has experienced this throughout its history of being a colony and since independence. One cannot but feel a sense of the injustice delivered to the Prawns without thinking back up the injustices that humans continue to deliver to each other.

The question District 9 asks is how would aliens change humanity. Would humans be better or worse? Unlike other invasion movies, District 9 shows that human reaction may be one that is not so different in terms of dealing with those who are not the same. Prejudice, that human emotion so common in all nations, may still be very well alive when it comes to those from a different world. That, it seems, is the real tragedy of District 9.

10/10

The Orphan is a movie that uses an old theme. A scary kid who no one believes is evil is in fact the greatest threat to everyone around her. The idea has been used countless times and isn't too original. However, unlike those other movies, this one does stand out for the right reasons. A surprise hit of the summer, The Orphan is worth watching.

John Coleman (Peter Sarsgaard) and his wife Kate (Vera Farmiga) are upscale residents who discover that their life is missing something. The miscarriage that Kate suffered earlier has left a hole that needs to be filled despite the fact they already have two children and wealth. Ignoring their own marriage problems that circle around Kate's alcoholism and John's past affairs, the two still want to continue the marriage. Deciding that a new child would replace the one they lost, and perhaps bring them closer together, they decide to adopt.

Never explaining why they choose an older child to adopt, John and Cole reach out to a Sister Abigail (CCH Pounder) whose orphanage is home to older girls. There, they meet Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) who appears to be a polite and intelligent child. Not only does she paint she can tell stories, sing, and more importantly, act as a young girl who desperately needs a home. If there was ever a stereotype orphan, Esther is it and John and Kate can't help but want her in their lives. She is everything that a parent would want and they quickly accept her into their family.

Esther soon reveals a darker side though to her new brother Daniel (Jimmy Bennett) and hearing impaired sister Max (Aryana Engineer). Games take a dark turn and Esther shows a vicious side after killing a wounded bird. She then reveals an even darker nature after she forces Max to help her murder Sister Abigail after she attempted to check up on her. From there Esther descends further into the realms of madness and Daniel and Max both find themselves held hostage in their own home.

Kate herself begins to notice that something is wrong. Instead of being the innocent girl they adopted, Esther becomes distant, cold, and eventually hostile. Kate is then convinced that Esther is hiding something despite John's refusal to accept such an idea. The family is slowly torn apart as Esther attempts to destroy everyone in her new family which leaves only Kate willing to stand up to her. The act of desecrating the flowers that honored Kate's lost child shows Esther's willingness to challenge her new mother. John's refusal to accept Kate's belief, however, only alienates her from her him. Kate is eventually forced into rehab after striking Esther after she accuses her of trying to murder Daniel. She finds that she soon has to face Esther if her family is to survive. When it is too late Kate, Daniel, and Max survive but at a cost that should never have been paid in the first place.

The Orphan is a movie that excels in the use of suspense and plot development. However, the use of over exposed ideas such as "scary" music and sound effects, at times limit the effect of the horror. The serious problems exist around the plot holes that eventually develop. It seems hard to believe that a Esther, who was in fact a dwarf who spent time in a mental institute and was 33 years old, could pass herself off forever as a child. And why wouldn't John and Kate spent more time looking into her past? The adoption process itself seems unrealistic as if one could simply pick up a child in a matter of weeks without really understanding who the child is. And if Esther did belong to a mental institute, how could it be that she was so easily adopted first in her own country and then across the world?

Ignoring the plot holes, The Orphan is still a movie that draws you in. Isabelle Fuhrman is an actress we will watch in the future. Her portrayal of a murderous adult whose delusions lead to the deaths of those around her stands out in a character who will be remembered.

7/10

Gran Tarino is the story not of a car but of a man who discovers that there is a meaning to his life. The problem isn't that his life is difficult. The problem is that he sees no reason to enjoy life. A dead wife, distant kids, and a neighborhood falling apart around him, give him the idea that there isn't much to live for. It will be two unlikely friends who will change his mind.

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is bitter. Alone and single, living in the house he has called home for years, he can only sit and watch as the world around him descends into what he sees as madness. Immigrant families moving in around him, gangs running around his neighborhood, and his own sickness, leave him little to hope for. Every neighborhood has that one old man who is angry and Walt is very much the local angry recluse who would rather use racial slurs than smile and say hello. Walt also has little problem sharing his feelings about Father Janovich (Christopher Carley), the priest his wife confided in before her death. Not only does Walt seems to hate Asian ethnic groups, he hates religion and devout priests.

Next door a Hmong immigrant family has moved in. Shy and timid Thao (Bee Vang), and his bold sister Sue (Ahney Her), live with their widowed mother and attempt to fit into both Hmong and American culture. The problem is that when a local Hmong gang attempts to "recruit" Thao, they find themselves on the defense. It is then that their paths will cross with their racist neighbor who will become a kind of father figure and hero not only to them and their family but also the local Hmong community.

Gran Tarino is a story about redemption. Not only for Walt, whose bitterness begins to fade as he slowly befriends first Sue and then Thao, but also for Thao himself who finds himself forced to redeem his honor after his attempt to steal Walt's Gran Tarino. The two are opposite in almost every way but they will learn from each other important truths that both needed to discover. Walt, insensitive to cultures different from his own, will discover that he enjoys spending time with immigrants he once despised. Thao will learn from Walt courage and the strength to stand up to those around him. Walt will also learn that his past experiences in the Korean War, experiences that have haunted him to this day, no longer have to be the burden they always have been.

Some have complained about the acting by the Hmong actors and actresses used. However, there was a sense of cultural realness in the use of Bee Vang, Ahney Her, and the other Hmongs. The use of these new actors and actresses along with the experience of Clint Eastwood was a contrast that worked well for Gran Tarino. Walt's character seemed more real in dealing with kids and not professional actors. The dialogue was more valid and seemed realistic in terms of the cultural and age differences.

There is some plot weakness that holds back Gran Tarino from being a notable classic. The conflict with the gang feels tacked on at times and distracts from the character development of Walt and Thao. Clint Eastwood's direction is notable, but the writing itself is weak in terms of trying to create a more vivid conflict. A more powerful conflict would have been Walt dealing with his own cancer and his struggling relationship with his two sons. Walt's death is a Christ like moment where he is the savior for Thao and Sue but also the one being saved himself. A touching ending, but one that felt forced.

One of the best films to showcase Clint Eastwood's talent as an actor and director, Gran Tarino is worth watching and good ending to a career that has lasted over three decades. Not a perfect movie, but one that will be remembered as one of Clint's most humane stories.

8/10

Passengers isn't going to be well received by most people. The issue is that one is easily mislead by the theme of the movie which appears to be that of a thriller or mystery. The problem is that it is neither and that alone will disappoint most who watch it. However, for those who do stay for the entire story, they will be treated to a rather touching story about fate.

Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) is determined therapist who takes her studies and her practice seriously. Unmarried, single, and living for nothing else but her education, she is closed off from most of those around her and that includes a distant sister. Perry (Andre Braugher), a close friend, suggests that she work with a group of survivors from a crashed airline in order to gain more experience and to escape her "comfort zone".

Eric (Patrick Wilson) is one of the survivors and the one who Claire finds herself most drawn to due to his rather euphoric feelings about his survival. Claire believes that he is simply trying to live off a high but she ends up finding him seductive in his new view on life. Breaking the doctor patient ethical line, Claire becomes involved with him only to regret what she feels is a weakness on her part.

Passengers is a story not so much about the survivors but the reason why they "survived" at all. However, it doesn't take one long to figure that none of the survived and that they are waiting to cross over to the afterlife. Not only does this include Eric, an airline employee named Arkin (David Morse), but also Perry and yes Claire herself who was sitting next to Eric on the flight. They were all waiting for the moment when they would be able to accept their death and move to the afterlife.

The main weakness in Passengers is that the attempt to build a sense of mystery fails and seems distracting. It is obvious that Claire and Eric's relationship is the center of the story, but trying to use Arkin as a possible stalker for Claire and the other survivors doesn't work. Passengers seems shallow at times even though the conclusion is well thought out despite its weakness.

The question that Eric poses to Claire in so many ways is one that is asked to all of us. What do we value most? Why do we live the way we do? A movie that makes you think about how one would accept their own death, Passengers is movie worth watching even if it is fails to live up to an idea of suspense.

7/10

Terminator Salvation is very much a summer movie. Special effects, loud explosions, and over dramatic acting, ensure that Terminator Salvation is very much a movie that falls in line with other major summer releases. If you wanted a movie with good effects then this is the movie for you. If you wanted something more, well, then you will be disappointed.

John Conner (Christian Bale) is a member of the resistance. Humanity has been brought almost to extinction after the nuclear war launched by the computer Skynet and the later use of terminators and automated hunter killer aircraft. Along with his wife Kate Conner (Bryce Dallas Howard) the two struggle to not only stay alive but also to keep hope. John finds himself using old recordings his mother made during the 1980's and 1990's in order to keep his faith. Now that he is fighting the war he was always told to expect, he is finding himself tested in ways he never thought possible.

Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) was a death row convict in the year 2003. Before his execution, Doctor Serena Kogan (Helena Bonham Carter) arranged an organ donation so that he could perhaps have a second chance. However, as he feels the needle going into his arm, Marcus awakens and finds himself in a nightmarish world where robots hunt humans and where Los Angeles is in ruin. He meets a teen by the name of Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) and a pilot named Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood) who teach him how to survive this new world. Marcus then learns that he is not the human he once was and that he could be the greatest threat not only to Blair and Kyle but the human resistance as a whole.

The Terminator storyline is one that is well known so fans of the series can expect to see the future which the last three movies only hinted at. The world is desolate and death is everywhere. Director McG was able to give the impression of a world perhaps a little less evolved then that of Mad Max. We see how the resistance is controlled and how it deploys itself against Skynet not only in America but also around the world. Skynet itself is finally revealed in its true evil after Marcus, who we discover is a advanced cyborg which uses the organs he donated, confronts it.

The problem is that McG is unable to give the feeling of darkness and despair that the last three Terminator movies gave when it came to covering the future. Instead of massive ruins where skulls are crushed as if they were grains of sand, and large battles where small groups of humans find themselves overwhelmed by terminators, McG's future is one of hide and seek. The writing is good and the story flowed with no problems. The issue, however, is that it all feels superficial. This isn't helped by the use of explosions and special instead of dialog to keep the plot moving. McG's images of a San Francisco turned into a major Skynet facility and terminator production site is the best example of what the Terminator future should look like. It is a disappointing that he wasn't able to use more settings such as it to give a feeling as to what a world run by Skynet would appear.

Terminator Salvation is not a bad movie. The problem is that it felt rushed and the decision to use Marcus Wright as a cyborg locater feels hollow as does his sacrifice to save John Conner's life. There was the potential to go deeper into the human/robot question in terms of where does one begin and the other end by introducing the possible romance between Marcus and Blair. However, it is never really explored and thus it seemed almost unnecessary to have Marcus and Blair form the relationship they did.

The question is whether or not the next story will be able to surpass the disappointments within Terminator Salvation. There is reason to hope but the fans should demand something better.

7/10

Valkyrie is the story of the planned assassination of Adolf Hitler. Based on true events, as the movie reminds us, it the story of a missed chances, divided loyalties, devotion, and sacrifice. Unfortunately, Valkyrie the movie has trouble keeping up with the idea that these were men moved by desperate times to do desperate things in order to make sure their country survived. Part of the problem is that director Bryan Singer is unable to convince the audience to forget the historical ending of the coup leaders before the movie ends and thus Valkyrie is limited as soon as it begins.

Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) is a man who finds himself facing a war not only against the Allies, but also the Furher who he believes will destroy Germany. Every scene implies the sense of dedication Stauffenberg has to his country but also the tension he feels towards Adolf Hitler (David Bamber) and the officers responsible for Germany's defeats. After being wounded in North Africa, losing a hand, eye, and fingers from his one remaining hand, Stauffenberg carries a lasting memory and bitterness as to what Hitler has done not only to Germany but also to him as well as his family. A reunion with his wife Nina (Carice van Houten) and his children remind Stauffenberg what is at stake if Germany loses the war, a reality that seems very close to happening as the Allies move closer to Germany on three sides.

Stauffenberg if recruited by Major General Henning von Tresckow (Kenneth Branagh) and General Friedrich Olbricht (Bill Nighy) who are Wermarcht officers determined to replace Hitler. It is then that Stauffenberg soon takes over as the head of the operation to kill Hitler and to defeat the SS through an internal coup using an internal defense operation codenamed Valkyrie. If Hitler can be killed, and his circle of loyal officials and generals dealt with, then the war can be ended on honorable terms before Germany is destroyed.

The problem is how to do this and this is where Valkyrie the movie is unable to deliver. Valkyrie is unable to build suspense in the plans to kill Hitler which is of course the core of what the plot is about. This is a major flaw despite otherwise good acting and excellent writing. We learn of the various ways this could go wrong and the various tensions amidst the coup leaders themselves who had different objectives and reasonings to kill Hitler. None of this, however, can support the plot if it lacks suspense which Valkyrie tries to give. Valkyrie spends most of its time showing the dedication of these men to their mission but is unable to make the audience really care. Tom Cruise gave an excellent performance as Stauffenberg but he couldn't carry Valkyrie through. If more was spent perhaps focusing on his internal reasons for supporting the coup, and the fears he had for his family, then perhaps Valkyrie could have been more then what it was.

A disappointing historical movie, Valkyrie does show that there were men who were willing to challenge Hitler even if it was during the years when Germany's defeat was unavoidable. The tragedy is that these few men were not enough to stop him.

7/10

Taken is an action movie that stands out not because of great writing, or directing, but because it is an enjoyable film that shows that pure entertainment still works today. One doesn't need a "best movie nomination" hanging over a movie for it to be enjoyable or a budget of over one hundred million dollars. Taken reminds us that the basic plots and action scenes can still work to entertain and create a plot that can stand on its own.

Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is a retired CIA agent who finds that his most difficult mission is to stay a part of his distant daughter's life. Kim (Maggie Grace) is a spoiled teenage girl whose mother, Lenore (Famke Janssen) does her best to not only shelter her but also keep Bryan out of her life. Bryan himself knows this but patiently waits for the time when he can be there for Kim in order to make up for the lost years he spent around the world. Her 17th birthday is a chance to do that but also reminds him that Kim belongs to a world where he has no place despite his hopes.

Kim's trip to Paris is a dream vacation that will let her see Europe. However, when she is kidnapped by a gang of Albanians, Bryan discovers that his old skills are needed once more as he hunts down those responsible for her daughter's disappearance. Lenore herself pleads for Bryan to bring their daughter back and that is he swears he will do. It is then that he discovers a secret that is traced by to a friend and a corruption with the French government.

Bryan spends most of the movie searching Paris and destroying the Albanians who kidnapped not only his daughter but other girls who are later sold into slavery. One can argue that some of the skills used by Bryan are not realistic and that the action scenes are clichéd. What stands out perhaps most of all is Bryan's use of voice technology to identify one specific Albanian which forces us to ask if the CIA is really that powerful to track and identify even a minor criminal. However, in comparison to Bond or the Bourne movies with their over the top technology, is there really a difference?

Liam Neeson is a convincing agent and shows that he is still one of the top actors. Maggie Grace was not as believable as a 17 year old but she played her small part of being a kidnapped daughter well for what its worth. Taken is a movie that remind us that good movies still exist aside from major releases and that one doesn't need an "original" concept to entertain.

8/10

The USS Enterprise is a cultural icon that has defined not only a generation but the entire idea of science fiction. James T. Kirk, Spock, Sulu, etc., are names that have been handed down through the years to new generations of fans and which stand out as characters as memorable as any other. Star Trek isn't just a show, its a vision of what humanity is capable of. J.J. Abrams has created a miracle by recreating not only the show and characters but also giving a new light to what the vision is.

James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine) is man living with no real purpose in his life. Growing up in Iowa after the death of his father, Kirk has spent his years in rebellion and trouble. One night Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) approaches Kirk with an offer. Kirk's father was a hero who saved the lives of his crew including his family. Pike dares James to follow his legacy and become a Starfleet officer. Kirk himself is not to excited about the idea but he realizes that he wants something in his life and Starfleet may have the answer.

Spock (Zachary Quinto) is a half Vulcan half human growing up on the world of his father. While Kirk is rebelling against the law and his parents, Spock discovers that he has no place among the people of his father due to his heritage. When he discovers that even the science ministers of Vulcan disapprove his blood, he turns down a prized seat in the science academy and joins Starfleet. It is there that he will meet a most unlikely friend.

Kirk soon becomes friends with two of his fellow cadets who have their own reason for joining Starfleet. Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy (Karl Urban) quickly befriend Kirk despite his issues with authority and rules. This includes cheating to defeat the infamous Kobayashi Maru Scenario which was designed as impossible to beat. It is this act that catches the attention of Spock who is the creator of the scenario.

Disciplinary actions against Kirk are prevented due to an emergency distress call that quickly mobilizes Starfleet Academy's cadets. Vulcun is under attack and Starfleet his forced to deploy the inexperienced cadets to rescue the Vulcans. Through some rather dubious means, Dr. McCoy is able to bring Kirk on board the Enterprise which is not only Captian Pike's new ship but also recently built and ready for her first mission. A new officer by the name of Hikaru Sulu (John Cho) is finding that his first mission is one of both excitement and danger. Later, an engineer by the name of Scotty (Simon Pegg) will also join the crew to defeat not only a threat to the Federation idea of space time itself.

Star Trek is centered upon not only the story of Kirk and Spock but the idea of time and history. Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan from the future, destroys Vulcan in order to gain vengeance against the future Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) who he believes is responsible for his world's destruction. Spock himself travels back in time and witnesses not only Vulcan's loss but how his relationship to Kirk began. The destruction of Vulcan cannot be avoided and thus the history that Ambassador Spock knows now no longer exists. The Enterprise of his history is gone and that leaves cadet Kirk and cadet Spock to create a new future.

J. J. Abrams was bold in deciding to create not only a new movie but also a new universe for Star Trek. The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, etc., have been excluded from the history that we have come to know. There is freedom to not only make more movies but also a new history for the Federation. Star Trek needed this and while some will of course disagree, the Star Trek universe was drying up in terms of ideas and interest. The idea of a new universe is not only a sign of creativity but of Star Trek becoming more than what it once was. Star Trek is better than ever before.

9/10

The Uninvited is a movie which forces the question on why studios continue to make movies that are unoriginal and often clichéd. Not a bad movie compared to others, The Uninvited is still a movie that has taken tired old plots and simply sells them once more to those who enjoy movies.

Anna (Emily Browning) is a troubled girl. The death of her mother almost a year earlier caused a suicide attempt which forced Anna into a mental hospital. She left behind her father Steven (David Strathairn) sister Alex (Arielle Kebbel) and Rachel (Elizabeth Banks) who served her dying mother as a caretaker. Life is otherwise as it was when Anna left except with one difference that cannot be overlooked. Rachel has gone from being a nurse for the family and is now Steven's new girlfriend.

Of course, Alex and Anna are not too excited about this and begin to see that something is wrong Rachel. Her behavior leads them to believe that Rachel may not be who she claims to be. Alex also begins to see visions of "spirits" that seem to point to Rachel as being not only a seducer but also the one responsible for her mother's death as well as the death of three children years earlier. While Steven ignores their pleas for help, Rachel is seen as controlling and willing to do anything to stay in Steven's life even if it means destroying the lives of Alex and Anna. The death of Anna's friend Matt (Jesse Moss) points to Rachel as being capable of anything to keep her secret safe.

In the end we discover what the truth really is. Anna's mother was killed not by Rachel but by Anna. Matt himself was killed by Anna after he attempted to explain her actions the night of the fire. Also, Alex is dead and has been for almost a year after she was killed in the same fire that Anna started. Who Anna was speaking to was a sub conscious twisted by paranoia and guilt. However, Anna discovers this too late and Rachel's own life is ended by her hand.

The problem with The Uninvited is that we have seen this before. Supposed spirits haunting characters, parents who don't understand, cheap attempts at suspense by using darkness and sounds, mystery surrounding the history of one character who could be evil or not, etc. Anna's character is the only one with depth while everyone else, including Rachel, are almost flat. The twist does redeem the movie and it is easy to be surprised by the realization that Alex has been dead. The Uninvited isn't bad but its something we have seen before.

6/10

Wolverine is one of the main heroes of the X-Men and the idea of a movie focusing on his "origins" was bound to be one that would receive much support from fans of the series. However, X-Men Origins: Wolverine may be a movie that most fans will compare to X-Men The Last Stand, a less than impressive accomplishment since there was great expectations for the movie.

Logan (Hugh Jackman) and his brother Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) are two brothers with unique powers. Escaping their Canadian childhood home in the 1840's, the two brothers will spend the next 100 years fighting in every war from the American Civil War to Vietnam. Ignoring the fact that these are Canadians who seem to like fighting for America, the two brothers find that their talents and abilities make them the perfect soldiers. Victor, more so than Logan, finds a taste for blood that eventually turns off Logan who himself has grown tired of the constant fighting and death.

A mission in Vietnam ends with the death of a superior officer and a death sentence. However, the invincibility of the two brothers attracts the attention of Colonel William Stryker (Danny Huston) who would rather see the two of them work with his own team of soldiers. Men, who like Logan and Victor, possess special powers that make them stand out. The problem, for Logan, is that this leads to more death and a feeling of revulsion. He abandons not only Stryker's team but also Victor.

Years later, Logan has made a comfortable life in the Canadian Rockies with his girlfriend Kayla (Lynn Collins). Tragedy soon follows Logan and, when he believes Kayla has been murdered by Victor, Logan will take the first steps that will lead to the creation of Wolverine. Logan has been fighting the beast within for years but now he will see that he has to unleash it in order to solve the mystery of Kayla's death. Not only will he become the weapon he always had the potential to be, Logan will discover that vengeance will not always bring redemption.

The problem is that there really isn't more to draw us into the story. Instead of focusing in on the transformation from "man" into "animal", X-Men Origins instead uses overblown special effects, explosions, and pointless camera shots of slow motion rage. An average movie about two brothers, X-Men Origins suffers from not enough depth. There isn't enough time spent on the history of Logan or Victor to make us care about their relationship. A better movie would have focused upon their past instead of jumping straight to the present. What other experiences did the two share that lead them to two opposite lives? There is more to the story but we never see it. There is a sense of rivalry between the two but it is never explained except that Victor seems to suffer from low self esteem. The use of other minor mutants only distract since their stories are never explained either.

A disappointment that compares to The Last Stand, fans will not be excited. The X-Men series will have to ensure that the next movie is able to live up to the standards of the first two movies.

6/10

The Butterfly Effect, an almost forgotten movie now, was a underrated thriller that asked what would happen if you changed a single aspect of your life. Would things be better? Or, would they be worse? The answers, it seems, was both. In that case a young man discovered that changing the past was never as easy as one might think.

Sam Reide (Chris Carmack) will discover this to own cost. Years ago his girlfriend Rebecca was murdered and her killer never caught. Since then Sam has worked with the police in helping solve unsolved crimes. Using the ability to jump back in the past to observe the crime taking place, Sam is able to see things that no one else can. With his friend Goldberg (Kevin Yon) advising him on the risks involved with such changes to the time line, Sam feels that he can do almost anything.

Almost. Years ago his sister Jenna (Rachel Miner) was killed in a fire. Sam went back to change that event only to save her but in doing so his parents died. Since then he has been hesitant to change his own past simply because it cost him so much the last time he did it.

Rebecca comes back into his life in the form of her sister Elizabeth (Sarah Habel) who shares with him that there was more to her sister's life than Sam knew. Using the information given to save the life of the man convicted of her murder, Sam decides to do what he knows he should do and change his own past. As with the first Butterfly Effect, and the less than impressive sequel, things go wrong. Not only does Sam not discover who Rebecca's murderer is but he also "creates" a serial killer who murders other women as well. Murders that eventually point back to Sam in that each were women that ended up having connection with him. Not only does Sam have to solve Rebecca's murder but now he has to stop a killer and save his own innocence. The problem is also that the present itself changes each time he jumps back so he awakens in a new reality with a new crisis every time he tries to save someone.

Unlike the first Butterfly Effect the third ends with predictable situation which anyone could guess was coming. The only problem with this is that it lacks the suspense the original had. Sam can jump back in an adult form while Aston Kutcher's character, in the first Butterfly Effect, had to relive the event from whatever age he was during the jump. Kutcher's character also could only appear to change events in his own past and not those of strangers. This changes the series but not too much. However, Revelation is still a worthy attempt to continue a series that has much promise despite the low budget movies that have taken over the series.

7/10

Splinter is a story of not only survival but also facing the unknown. Low budget horror movies are often terrible because of budget problems and poor acting. However, Splinter is rare in that it has a good story and doesn't need a major budget to work. Instead of focusing on gore and blood, Splinter uses the idea of the unknown to build interest. If there were more movies of this caliber then perhaps this genre would have more going for it.

A yuppie couple, Seth Belzer (Paulo Costanzo) and Polly Watt (Jill Wagner), have hopes of enjoying a quiet night in the wilderness so they can celebrate their anniversary. Little do they know that their camping experience will lead them not only into the hands of an escaped convict but also a non-human threat more dangerous and cruel than any drug addict or prisoner.

After being unable to build a simple tent, both are taken hostage by convict Dennis Farell (Shea Whigham) and his meth addicted girlfriend Lacy (Rachel Kerbs). Driving with no clear direction, Seth and Polly can only listen to Dennis if they hope to survive the night. However, in the middle of the night, they lose a tire which suddenly ends their drive at a small, isolated gas station. There they come face to face with a creature beyond anything they have ever seen before. Not only does it appear to take over the human body, it is also deadly as witnessed when Lacy is quickly killed. Dennis, Seth, and Polly are soon under siege trying to keep what appears to be a parasitic life form away. Seth, a biology major, is fascinated and it is he who discovers the abilities, and weakness of the creature they face. A creature that appears almost unstoppable and determined to take their bodies as well.

Splinter doesn't go beyond a simple story of survival. It doesn't need to. Instead, it is about the reaction to the unknown. Dennis, Seth, and Polly respond as most humans probably would in that situation. What makes their characters interesting in that they are normal people. There is no major over the top plot twist to make them stand out. Their only goal is to survive the night.

We also don't know the source of the monster. What is it and where does it come from? Movies like this try to explain everything and it doesn't always work. However, Splinter doesn't even attempt to which makes the unknown feeling work. We are left with a question that isn't solved except that we know that whatever it is still spreads in the forest itself.

If there is a complaint then it has to be the appearance of the state trooper who is the quickly killed. Wouldn't the state police quickly respond if one of their officers was no longer in contact with them? The fact that there is no further response from the police even after she called in the situation was a little too much to believe. Oklahoma isn't that remote to say that the police can't help their own.

Despite this hole, Splinter is a rare monster movie that is both good and intelligent. If more of these movies followed the idea of story over gore then they would be better.

8/10

Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) is a man with a mission. He hunts down the criminals the police are unable, or unwilling, to take down themselves. The Punisher, as he is known, uses the most violent and graphic ways imaginable in order to ensure that justice is served. This leaves the police in awe of him and the criminals fearful of his vengeance.

Punisher War Zone is a violent movie made for those who enjoy comic books movies and, most of all, violence. While the first Punisher movie was violent, War Zone is an entirely different movies. Heads are blown off, faces are punched in, eyes gouged out, and others are blown apart through explosives. The Punisher is a bloody comic and War Zone brings this out more than the last movie.

The problem, however, is that violence is all that War Zone has going for it. War Zone becomes not so much a comic movie but instead a comical movie. Bad writing, bad direction, bad acting, and and most of all a poor plot render War Zone a disaster.

Billy Russoti (Dominic West) has replaced the head of a local crime family after the Punisher executed most of the upper family's membership. However, the Punisher left him scarred leaving him to bring about a new personality known as Jigsaw. Not only is Jigsaw insane, he is also determined to hunt down the Punisher and that includes releases his cannibal brother Looney Bin Jim (Doug Hutchison) from a hospital.

Frank has also become involved in the lives of Angela Donatelli (Julie Benz), and her daughter Grace (Stephanie Janusauskas), after he kills Agent Nicky Donatelli (Romano Orzari) who was working undercover. Special Agent Paul Budiansky (Colin Salmon), a family friend of the Donatelli's, is determined to also bring down Frank after Nicky's death. He mistrusts Frank despite his protection of Angela and Grace.

The last Punisher movie failed and this one does for the same reason. While the director and writers tried to remain true to the comic book in tone and plot, War Zone instead is a senseless movie of violence with little else. Ray Stevenson is a good Punisher with his brooding looks and voice but Dominic West, and Doug Hutchison, seem like comic relief instead of evil criminals. There is little else to this violent fantasy. The comic deserves something better.

5/10

John Koestler (Nicolas Cage) is a divided man. The death of his wife has not only left him a single parent to their son Caleb (Chandler Canterbury), but also leaves him questioning fate as well. Is there a reason why things happen? Or, do things happen for no reason? As a MIT astrophysicist, the question isn't one of mere scientific thought. It is now very personal and one which John hides from by finding a bottle.

John Koestler, unfortunately, will have an answer to his question.

The Knowing is a movie about fate and whether or not we can change the future. The question is also whether we would want to know the future even if we couldn't change it. Fate is something that has been written about before and been the center of many movies in the past. The Knowing takes the question into standard direction but with some special effects that are horrifying. However, the problem with the Knowing isn't a predictable ending but the fact that it takes some rather strange events to get there.

The discovery of a piece of paper covered by a series of strange numbers suddenly captures John's attention. The numbers, and the paper itself, were taken from a time capsule from Caleb's school which was buried 50 years earlier. John discovers that the numbers are not random and in fact give the exact date, location, and casualties for a series of natural and man made disaster. While a scientist, John realizes that what he has is something that is unexplainable.

John learns that the numbers were written by a school girl named Lucinda Embry (Lara Robinson) in 1959. Lucinda is now dead, but her daughter Diana Wayland (Rose Byrne) is still alive. John tracks her down only to discover that she is also a single parent but that, most of all, she wants nothing to do with the memory of her mother. During this time John has already witnessed a plane crash which the numbers predicted. By the time that Diana is able to speak to him about her mother, he also experiences a subway disaster that claims more lives in New York.

Caleb and Diana's daughter Abbey (Lara Robinson) discover a secret as well. The "whispers" that Abbey's grandmother Lucinda suffered from soon begin "speak" to them. John and Caleb have also noticed that strange men dressed in black have shown interest in them as well even though the men have always disappeared before they are confronted. John finds himself under more pressure as he attempt to solve the mystery of the numbers while protecting his son.

The Knowing is a movie that promises suspense but fails to deliver. Chandler Canterbury is underwhelming at playing a character who has been placed into the center of fate. He seems half asleep during most of the movie. John is the only character who is built up while Caleb, Diana, and Abbey are given almost secondary roles around his character. John's sister Grace (Nadia Townsend) only has a few lines which give little hint as to their relationship except that John and his father had a falling out. The characters of Grace and even Diana seem almost unnecessary. If the end result is predictable, which it is, then the Knowing should have chosen better characters.

The only thing that stands out in the Knowing is the final scenes in which the Earth is consumed in a solar flare. The whispering men, angels or aliens depending upon your view, rescue Caleb, Abbey, and other children (so we are hinted at) and remove them to a new world to start over. They knew that the world would be destroyed so they gave hints of the destruction to a certain few. Why those choose who they did is never answered but the guess is easy enough. Kids are pure and they have faith. They can believe in the future despite the unknown that surrounds it.

M. Night Shyamalan couldn't have come up with a better over the top moral ending. The problem for the Knowing is that even with him it is doubtful that it would have been a movie worth watching again.

6/10

The Watchmen is not just another comic book movie. It is the story of a group of men and women who, for various reasons of their own, decide that they want to make America, and the world, a better place. While most lack superpowers (with the exception of one), these men and women have developed courage, determination, and the strength to face the daily evils that surround us. The moral story behind the Watchmen is not the defeat of some super villain and how the heroes are better off. The real story behind the Watchmen is whether or not the ends justify the means and if heroes can live with the legacies that they create.

The year is 1985. The hero known as the Comedian/Edward Blake (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is dead. Thrown from his condo window, the once famous hero belonged to a former team of vigilantes known as the Watchmen. His death is seen as a robbery gone bad though one who knew him better think otherwise. Rorschach/Walter Kovacs (Jackie Earle Haley), the only member of the Watchmen who still believes in what he is doing, is determined to discover why the Comedian was murdered and who did it. A dark and brooding individual, Rorschach's black and white view of the world and human nature suits him in his personal journey of vengeance and justice.

His task, however, will not be an easy one. The surviving members of the Watchmen have little interest in the fate of the Comedian who they all knew as a violent man who may have finally reaped what he sowed. Nite Owl/Dan Dreiberg (Patrick Wilson) has buried his costume and his equipment beneath his apartment, Ozymandias/Adrian Veidt (Matthew Goode) is busy as CEO of his own corporation with plans of creating a new source of energy, while Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre (Malin Akerman) is busy trying to save her relationship to Dr. Manhattan/Jon Osterman (Billy Crudup) who has the ability to exist outside of time and space.

The Watchmen, as noted above, isn't a normal comic book about heroes saving the day. The movie focuses not only on the present mystery of the Comedian's fate but also the history of how the Watchmen came to be who they are. These are men and women who discovered that their place in society was no longer wanted due to politics and social anger over their actions. The sense of bitterness in all of them, with the exception of Dr. Manhattan, is felt as a betrayal. Why work so hard to defend the people when the people have turned on them? What about their lives? What about their sacrifice? Why be a hero when it only takes your own life away?

Rorschach discovers that the conspiracy behind the Comedian's death is traced back to one of their own. Adrian knew that the Comedian, as well as the reset of the Watchmen, stood in his way to bring real world peace. However, in order to do so, it means the death of millions and the framing of Dr. Manhattan. Rising American and Soviet tensions makes Adrian believe that now is the time for a united world even if it means sacrificing the Watchmen, and millions, to do so. In a normal comic book story, this would seem straight forward but this is not a normal comic book plot.

In fact, Adrian gets away with his plan and millions do die. Dr. Manhattan leaves the Earth once more in exile so that the world can believe that he was responsible and thus prevent a nuclear war while Nit Owl and the Silk Specter realize that Adrian cannot be stopped. Rorschach is the only one who chooses to make a stand and declare that Adrian is a murderer even if he saved billions from nuclear war. The tragedy is then that Rorschach must die so that the lie can remain a secret. Adrian may be a murderer, but he actions did prevent a nuclear war and the deaths of millions more.

Thus this is the question the Watchmen asks in the end. Do the ends justify the means? Hero or not, we all face the question. The moral story behind the Watchmen is that these were men and women who choose to live a life of great sacrifice only to discover that the sacrifice wasn't always worth it. They couldn't save everyone and they couldn't even save themselves. Adrian brought world peace but at the cost of any morality he once believed in and Rorschach lost his life trying to live what he believed. The question of who watches the Watchmen is then answered.

They watch themselves..... And don't always like what they see.

The movie follows closely to the comic book in almost every way despite the exclusions of some character back stories, side plots, and a change of the details leading to the conclusion. In the end, though, the Watchmen is one of the most faithful movies to follow source material, and is a foundation for comic books movies that will come after it.

8/10

Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a deep undercover CIA agent who works some of the most dangerous operations in the world. The War On Terror is his everyday life and especially so as he quickly travels from Iraq, to the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan in order to track and destroy various terrorist cells. With his handler Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), a bureaucrat who safely sits in his home or in Langley while openly disdains humility and anyone who disagrees with him, Ferrris finds that he is little more than a pawn in a game that he no longer has the will to play.

A terrorist known as Al-Saleem (Alon Abutbul) is responsible for several terrorist attacks in London as well as Amsterdam and Hoffman, along with Ferris, are both determined to bring him down. The problem is that both men see two different ways how to do this. Hoffman, a man who cares little for codes of edict when he deals with foreigners, sees little in common with Ferris's respectful ways of dealing with the locals. This becomes an issue when Ferris must deal with Jordanian intelligence official Hani Salaam (Mark Strong) who finds little reason to trust Hoffman even though he personally favors Ferris. Hoffman blows an early operation which comprised not only Ferris's goals but also Salaam's plans. Of course it is Ferris, not Hoffman, who faces the consequences.

There is of course more to Ferris than just a simple CIA operative. He becomes fascinated with a Jordian/Iranian nurse named Aisha (Golshifteh Farahani) who brings out the more humane side of the American. While never fully explaining who he really is, Ferris does let on to the fact that he is more than just another American who looks down on Arabs and waves the flag when it comes to the War On Terror. Ferris's own marriage has recently failed and Aisha appears to be something of the opposite of previous wife though we never really know who she was.

Spy movies always have the inevitable twist where the hero discovers that something has gone wrong and, in this case, this happens when one of his plans backfires. Ferris finds that he has been compromised and that Aisha and her own family are in danger. This leads to his capture by Al-Saleem himself and a brutal torture scene which is ironic considering that we have glimpses of Ferris sitting at the other end of the table during such events. However, at that moment, Ferris is rescued by Salaam who later admits that his "capture" was set up by the Jordanians and that Aisha was never in danger.

The problem with Body of Lies, and spy movies in general, is that they often have endings that are too easy. Hoffman and Ferris are supposed to be excellent spies who are in fact later played by the Jordanians. Shouldn't this have crossed their minds? And wouldn't Ferris know that any relationship he had with a woman in the field would lead to a potential danger to himself and his operation? And why would Saleem open himself up to capture torturing a CIA Agent in person? Wouldn't someone like him stay far away even from a captured American?

Body of Lies has an excellent plot that tries it's best to explain the gray that exists on the political and moral level when it comes to fighting the War on Terror. Crowe does and excellent job portraying a complicated man who lives in his own world and DiCaprio who proves himself more and more to be one of the best leading actors. However, an easy ending makes enjoying it somewhat difficult despite the great writing and acting by everyone involved.

8/10

Quarantine is a movie that tries to push an old genre into a new direction at least for the standard American movie. While Cloverfield and the Blair Witch Project all tried to use the first person camera view for otherwise suspenseful plots, Quarantine is perhaps the best film so far to achieve something of a personal experience during a horror movie. The camera shots feel authentic and so director John Erick Dowdle should be noted for doing a good job.

However, that doesn't mean there aren't problems. Quarantine is a movie that promises much and while it delivers for the first half the latter has much to be desired.

Angela Vidal (Jennifer Carpenter) is a reporter covering the late shift of Los Angeles Fire Department station. With cameraman Scott Percival (Steve Harris), Angela is soon teamed with firefighters Jake (Jay Hernandez) and George Fletcher (Johnathon Schaech) who quickly show her how macho their job is. In between shots them showing off gear, the shower room, and them washing a fire truck, and the occasional bet on who can get into her Angela's pants first, Jake and Fletcher are two average firefighters who enjoy their job. Good shots but not quite the action that Angela is hoping for.

Then the call comes. Angela and Scott soon jump on board Jake's and Fletcher's truck and ride off to what seems to be an average medical emergency at an apartment. An old woman, they are told, has apparently fallen and hurt herself. While not too exciting its enough for Angela to show off that something did happen.

The reality of what they have walked into soon becomes apparent. The woman who they have responded for suddenly attacks a LAPD officer before being subdued. While Angela and Scott record everything with horror, Fletcher's falling body landing on the first floor lobby of the building only adds to the confusion and fear. Then, the military and the CDC show up along with a plastic covering that seals them inside with no hope of escape.

Quarantine during this time introduces half dozen characters who we aren't really introduced to or even know by name. While this to be expected since Quarantine rests more on the camera's view to tell the story more than the characters, it can be frustrating in that we never really know who it is who is dying and why we should care. This becomes even more of a problem towards the end when everyone except Angela, Jake, and Scott are infected. And, what was once a clever way to introduce a story soon becomes shaking camera shots of Scott running while the three are chased by everyone up a flight of stairs until they are picked off one by one.

The thrills in Quarantine are good as we try to understand what Angela, Scott, Jake, and Fletcher have walked into. The problem with Quarantine is that given the plot, and the way it is filmed, there is no real good way to end it. The deaths of everyone is expected which replaces the thrills with more horror and blood which while good is nothing special. The rumors of some kind of cult towards the end aren't really explained so we are left wondering if this was the work of one madman or some greater plan to destroy humanity. There are no real answers given which either gives more to the story or takes away depending on your point of view. The camera view can only do so much and it is unfortunate that we only have that to go on.

7/10

Americans live in dangerous times which, some believe, call for extreme measures in terms of security and more laws. However, security could also overthrow the very liberty it was meant to protect and Eagle Eye is another attempt to portray how our need to feel safe may actually become our worse nightmare.

Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) is a drifter. A drop out from Stanford who spent years wandering around the world with no direction, he pales in comparison to his twin brother Ethan who graduated from the Air Force Academy along with earning a top degree. Its easy to see why Ethan was their father's favorite and its also not surprising to see that Ethan's death drives another wedge between father and his less than successful remaining son Jerry who can't even pay his rent without help.

Then one day, everything changes. Jerry, the failure of a son, is suddenly called out of nowhere from a woman demanding complete obedience. If that were not strange enough, he discovers his apartment is full of everything from the latest automatic weapons, false passports, and of course anything one would need for setting up a bomb. Jerry, it seems, has become the next major threat to the United States and FBI Agent Thomas Morgan (Billy Bob Thornton) is determined to lock up Jerry despite Jerry's pleas of innocence. Not only that, Air Force investigator Zoe Perez (Rosario Dawson) is also determined to discover Jerry's link to his twin brother's activity.

Enter Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan) a stressed single mother trying to raise a son while working a low paying job and spending nights at the bar with her girlfriends. When her son is invited to head to Washington for a music concert, it is then that Rachel receives a similar message demanding complete obedience at the cost of her son's life if she fails to obey.

The two meet up in a way that is almost too hard to explain while sounding coherent. Needless to say, Eagle Eye turns into a classic chase movie with Jerry and Rachel doing everything to avoid capture with the help of the mysterious woman who, they discover, is actually a computer that Jerry's brother actually worked on before his death which the computer caused. The same computer also desires to overthrow the government and place Secretary of Defense Callister (Michael Chiklis)into power.

Eagle Eye doesn't have much depth beyond this. Shia does an excellent job playing the down on his luck character as always while the rest of the actors fall in line with the clichéd roles they have been given. Monaghan's character seems almost pointless and one could not help but think that the computer could have chosen from millions of others who could have helped overthrow the government. Still, she does her best and the character is convincing for what she has to do. Chiklis stood out and it is unfortunate that his wasn't given more time since there is more this actor is capable of.

Not really a thriller or even techno-thriller, Eagle Eye is amusement but not more than that. Don't expect to leave with deep ideas on the political reality of security in the light of liberty.

6/10

I can remember growing up with the X-Files when I was a kid and the X-Files were a staple of my life which I watched as often as possible. Ufos, monsters, ghosts, mutants, and conspiracies were the stuff that nerdy kids like me loved and I can honesty say that the X-Files were one of my favorite shows while growing up. While I was not a fan of X-Files Fight the Future, I still had enough faith in Fox Mulder and Dana Scully and their cases to remain a fan. My excitement over X-Files I Want to Believe was understandable but I knew I had to watch it before, well, I believed that Chris Carter had made up for Fight the Future. I had my doubts once I watched the trailer for I Want to Believe but I still wanted to know if Mulder and Scully could return to what they do best.

Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) has long left the FBI for a medical practice involving children's cancer. Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) has also left the FBI but is now a recluse who has been lowered to hunting down paranormal stories in newspapers. Their relationship has reached the point where they now live together. However, as will be explained later in the plot, they are still as far apart as when they first met. The X-Files was able to be successfully because of the tension, professional, personal, and sexual, that existed between the two and I Want to Believe returns to this concept at high speed. While the two have tried to turn their back on that part of their lives, they realize there is no changing who they really are which I Want to Believe is really about more than anything else.

A federal agent has disappeared and a former priest named Joseph Crissman (Billy Connolly) claims to have "visions" that could lead to her rescue. Special Agents Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) and Mosley Drummy (Xzibit) are skeptical of Father Crissman's claim and Whitney believes that Mulder could provide some background and support in the case that Crissman is telling the truth. Since Mulder is not the most popular former agent in the agency, Whitney herself is bound to take some flak for the decision but she believes that he can still help. Scully herself approaches Mulder with the idea of helping the FBI not only to help save an agent's life but to redeem himself. Fox is hesitant but he cannot help but draw himself into another paranormal case. Scully though soon regrets bringing up the idea to Fox once he throws himself into the case and all the details. As could be expected, Fox and Scully will return to the usual paranormal-skeptical debates that fueled their relationship.

Then there is the issue of Father Crissman himself. A pedophile priest who now lives in a community of sex offenders, Crissman is not the most reliable or trustworthy source in a case. Since he claims to have "visions" of the crime itself, Crissman also has to overcome the natural doubt that many have towards such claims. As can be expected, Fox is the only one to give Crissman a chance even though he has lead the FBI to several major clues. Scully herself will have major issues with Crissman that will, as ironies go, prove beneficial for the case and the eventually horrific discovery of the kidnapped agent.

In the background of all of this is the attempt of Scully to save the life of a child patient who is dying. Does Scully really believe that a new medical procedure could save the child's life? Or, is this a reflection of his past issues which she is trying to redeem herself through treating this patient? While interesting, I Want to Believe spends too much time focusing on this issue and it felt as if it were more of a distraction in that Scully is more concerned about her patient then the disappearance of the agent which of course started the whole movie.

X-Files I Want to Believe follows the traditional plot of a X-Files episode. The only difference is that being a movie, I Want to Believe spends more time building up the case and those involved in it. That would be good if the case itself, and the sub plots around it, were worth exploring. The title I Want to Believe does give hints to the idea of faith but Carter is willing to spend too much time pressing this idea forward when he should have been focusing on the case itself.

Which leads to my main complaint. The actual reason for the disappearance is glossed over which is unfortunate considering that it was a unique idea. The kidnappings, which are part of a human Frankenstein type surgeries, are treated as a side thought as if Carter really wanted to use that as mere background to explore the relationship of Fox, Scully, and now Father Crissman who has is own obvious reason to doubt due to his sins. Why hint at a dark secret when you don't fully explore it? Carter lost a good chance to create a memorable X-Files case only so that he could explore a more personal drama between Fox and Scully which I Want to Believe is really about. Could Fox and Scully really believe in each other and themselves despite everything they have gone through together.

Duchovny and Anderson pour their heart into the characters that have very much become part of their persona on a professional, and perhaps personal, level. I can only hope that the next X-Files movie, if there is one, will be able to make up for Fight the Future and I Want to Believe so that hard core fans such as myself can finally be pleased.

6/10

What do you call a movie that incorporates aspects of Resident Evil, Mad Max,and Braveheart? Oh, and throw in a beautiful special forces soldier who knows not only how to use a assault rifle but also a rapier sword before driving a high powered sports car while battling cannibal gang members. Apparently, you call it Doomsday.

Scotland, of all places, is devastated by the Reaper Virus in 2008 which quickly kills those who it infects. The British government in London, understandably, wants to contain the situation before the virus spreads and decides to literally cut off Scotland from the rest of the British Isles. Using the plan Rome's Hadrian's Wall, except with steel walls 30 feet high and manned with automated cannons, the Scots are left to face a slow and agonizing death as the population turns on itself once it realizes there is no escape. London, believing that the situations has been contained is willing to leave Scotland as a vast wasteland forgotten by the rest of the world.

Decades have past and suddenly the nightmare returns. London, which has remained packed with refugees from the first outbreak who were not infected, discovers the Reaper Virus has appeared in the slums. British Prime Minister John Hatcher (Alexander Siddig) and his adviser Michael Canaris (David O'Hara) realize that the only solution may be the unthinkable. In this they approach the head DDS, Bill Nelson (Bob Hoskins) in sending a team north to Scotland itself on what my be very well be a suicide mission.

Nelson believes he has the perfect woman in mind for the mission. Major Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra) is a experience DDS agent who has worked in the slums of London tracking down the worst criminals. When approached by Nelson about leading the mission, Sinclair agrees to go. However, not only out of duty, but also because Scotland was her own home until the Reaper Virus broke out. Only a desperate act of her mother was able to get her across the wall and in doing so the only thing she left her child was a letter with an address. Sinclair knows it's a long shot but perhaps she can find the home she lost so long ago and some answers of her own.

Sinclair leads her team across the wall on a mission to find the lost work of a Doctor Kane (Malcolm McDowell) who was working on a possible cure for the virus. However, instead of finding the lost work of Kane, or even an abandoned country, the DDS agents are quickly ambushed by the 80's style British punk rock dressed gang of survivors who enjoy colored hair and leather clothing. Lead by a man named Sol (Craig Conway) the DDS is quickly overwhelmed and only quick thinking by Sinclair allows her to escape. Now Sinclair intends track down Kane himself who is said to still be alive and who could possibly give a cure. That he doesn't is predictable but Malcom McDowell does a good job as a 21st century recluse determined to lead his "people" into a 13th century existence (the Braveheart aspect of Doomsday) who uses pop philosophy to explain his sudden hatred towards everything modern.

As stated above, Doomsday quickly turns into a montage of various aspects of movies ranging from Resident Evil to Braveheart. The violence is gory, silly, and typical for an over the top action movie the relies on violence to tell the story. One can only wonder why the writer and directer Neil Marshall would want to include so many various extreme scenes and ideas in one movie but, strangely, it works in an amusing way. Doomsday is not a good movie but is one that entertains despite the stupidity that runs through it.

6/10

Batman Begins returned the Dark Knight to the true realm which he belongs. Nolan's Batman is every bit the dark and brooding hero who finds himself torn by the memory of his parents, vengeance, and the conflict he finds himself facing alone as he stands between the worst criminals of Gotham and its citizens. Christian Bale's portrayal is memorable and truly is the best representation of who Batman should be in every way.

It has been a year since the defeat of Ra's Al Ghul and Scarecrow. The criminals of Gotham have found themselves under a never ending siege as Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) continues his personal crusade. This time the major gangs and mob have been broken and forced to hide from the night as Batman hunts them down one by one. While there are always battles to be found, Batman has won the streets for the people of Gotham.

He is not alone in his struggle. District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckart) is also out to destroy the criminal element that has ruled Gotham for so long. Daring, popular, and determined, Dent is as hard on criminals in the court as Batman is on the streets at night. By his side is Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who is as determined as he is to bring down the criminals who have made so many in Gotham cower in fear. However, her past relationship with Bruce and new relationship with Harvey, complicates an already delicate situation between her and Bruce. In the future it will have dangerous consequences for all three.

The law of cause and effect comes into play when a mysterious scarred and painted criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) appears. First seen as obnoxious by the existing criminal leadership of Gotham, Joker soon surpasses and replaces them as the most dangerous threat Gotham has seen since Ra's Al Ghul and Scarecrow. His terror will include everything from murder, robbery, kidnapping, and terrorism. If Batman is a one man army for law and justice, the Joker is a one man army of death and chaos who will not be stopped.

The two collide head on and Gotham pays the price. Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) leading the major crime unit of Gotham and Dent do their best to control the damage. However, Gordon and Dent find themselves unable to cope with the rising threat of the Joker who soon turns the city upside down in his rampage. The city is unable to deal with the Joker and soon the population of Gotham finds itself held hostage to the Joker's destructive urges. The police are crippled, the government nearly broken, and Batman himself finds himself struggling to defeat the Joker before he burns the whole city down around them both. This is Gotham's darkest hour and Batman may be unable to return the city to the light.

The Dark Knight is stunning in almost every scene as we watch Batman soar, fall, and ride through the streets of Gotham to Hong Kong. The drama between Bruce, Rachel, Dent, Gordon is complex but works. This is a personal drama besides being an action movie and it works well. Bruce's personal transformation, and conflict between his desire of protecting Gotham and Rachel, is a perfect evolution from his trials during Batman Begins. Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) return as aides but also voices of conscience for Bruce who support but also challenge Bruce to continue his mission.

The problem, though, comes in Nolan's disjointed direction. Unlike Batman Begins, The Dark Knight is unable to bring its many plots together to a conclusive end. There is so much going on that the Dark Knight bounces around so much that it doesn't focus well until the latter half of the movie. The transformation of Harvey Dent into Two Face occurs at the right time but then ends before we can enjoy it. Batman's sudden act of heroic sacrifice in that he becomes the "criminal" to save Harvey's reputation seems well meaning but rushed and not convincing. Wasn't he already an outcast who many didn't trust besides Gordon? Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker will forever mark the highlight of that character's existence. However, in what amounts to a heresy, I would argue that Liam Neeson's Ra's Al Ghul was an even more interesting villain whose goal was more complex and more of a threat than the Joker's. Mindless death and destruction for anarchy is interesting but in the end of the day that is all what it is.

The Dark Knight reigns despite a disjointed effort and the tragedy is that this will be Ledger's final role. The Dark Knight isn't a perfect movie but it is a excellent tribute to an actor who will be missed.

8/10