Jennifer's Body

Horribly written, acted, and directed with the only enjoyability coming from the "so bad it's good" quality of the film. This film thinks it is cool and hip and its self awareness of that fact (as false as it may be) is cringe inducing. I expected better from Diablo Cody (write of the fantastic Juno who also won an Oscar for said film). Skip it completely unless you have a fascination with bad movies.

500 Days of Summer

This is one of the best films based on love that I've seen in awhile. It's completely honest, open, and you feel the sting from the emotions of the characters. The acting is stellar across the board, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt was the highlight. He will no longer go under my radar. This isn't one of the fantasy movies where characters are put in ridiculous situations and fall in love at the end. It's better. It feels real. Don't miss it.

Sherlock Holmes

An intermittently entertaining film with a nonsense plot and lackluster villain. Mark Strong is a great actor and can play a good villain type role (see Body of Lies), but his character is generic and boring so it isn't really his fault. Blackwood isn't menacing whatsoever and the lack of a good villain in a movie like this is almost disaster from the start. Downey and Law are pretty good and have some funny interplay between the characters, but there's little character development. McAdams has almost nothing to do in the film other than look pretty and keep up with the boys, which is disappointing because I was hoping for more being a fan of hers. The action sequences are nice and the special effects are pretty good, but the further I got into this film the less I liked it because it got dumber and more nonsensical. It reminded me of Angels & Demons from earlier this year in terms of story (that movie was far more entertaining for my money). There's very little closure at the end too because it leads into a sequel, so be prepared for that. I didn't dislike the film, but only find it worth a rental.

Avatar

Avatar is an "experience" worth taking without a doubt, but it is not a great film beyond its technical achievements. It has a mediocre script, retread storyline that has no surprises (if you have seen the trailer it had everything in it, unfortunately), and it is just too long. The action is spectacular though as is expected from a James Cameron film. The acting is solid, but nothing that will standout. The visuals are often breathtaking to behold (the CGI people in the movie look like real people that I could touch in 3-D and even more convincing than Gollum in LotR) and the cinematography is great. Those 3-D glasses will still continue to be a barrier for me though because they are simply uncomfortable and gave me a headache that kept me from completely immersing in the experience. Despite all my complaints, I can't wait to watch this again in 2-D to see how much the experience changes. It won't be the same on a regular TV, so if you are interested go see it in theaters.

The Taking of Pelham 123

In this remake of the 1970's movie John Travolta stars as Ryder, a criminal who decides to hijack a subway train and hold the train and the people inside hostage for 1 million dollars. Denzel Washington plays the subway dispatcher in communication with Ryder and who has to find a way to stop him and save the hostages. I like Travolta as a bad guy so I enjoyed the movie...I did have trouble with what a weak character Washington played, but overall it was still a fairly good movie.

Up

When Carl Fredricksen loses his wife he is still determined to finally do what he had always promised and make the trip to Paradise Falls, South America. Of course the method he uses to travel is a little unorthodox...he attaches a ton of balloons to his home and up they go. Unfortunately a local Wilderness Explorer is accidentally taken along for the ride. Disney/Pixar did another great job on this film and it is fun to watch for all ages...of course Russell and Doug truly make the movie.

Four Christmases

In an effort to avoid spending Christmas with their dysfunctional families Brad and Kate make up an excuse of why they cannot come and have plans to take off to Fiji for the Holidays. When their plane is cancelled and they are caught on live TV suddenly their plans change. Now they have to attend 4 different Christmas gathering and get to know each others family. The question becomes will they and their relationship survive it? Great cast but a mediocre movie that is definitely not a must have. If it has starred anyone else it would have been truly painful to watch.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra

This is your every day good guys vs. bad guys movie that has been done a million times. Based on your popular children's toy, you get to know the "Joe's" or our modern day heroes fighting to protect the world from all evil. The movie does have your typical plot centered on the bad guy having some weapons that will destroy the world and the good guys have to stop him and save the day. That being said there are some pretty cool gadgets and fight scenes and lots of eye candy, so if you don't expect too much you might enjoy the action.

Paper Heart

What starts out to be a documentary about a girl (Charlyne Yi) who does not believe in love takes a turn when she meets Michael Cera and starts having a relationship that just might be love. Traveling the country with friend/director Nicholas Jasenovec she is determined to see what all different types of people think about love. Along the way you get to enjoy all the people she comes in contact with and watch her new friendship with Michael start to change. This is a very cute movie that kept you guessing about what was real and what was scripted.

Angels & Demons

After the death of the current Pope, and during the time of the Conclave to decide on the next Pope, the 4 Cardinals most likely to be chosen are kidnapped. They receive communication that these Cardinals are going to be executed at specific times unless someone can stop them. Professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is brought in to work with the Swiss Guard to figure out who is behind the kidnappings and attempt to decipher the clues to where the executions will take place. This film took place in many of the churches in Rome with the majority centered on the Vatican whose beauty was wonderfully shown. I found this movie really entertaining and it held me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Inglourious Basterds

If you are a fan of Tarantino this movie is a no-brainer. Those who normally don't like his style probably won't change their mind, but I say give it a shot. It's hilarious, rousing, and features a breakout performance from Christoph Waltz. He's a shoe-in for the best supporting actor Oscar, and should win. Brad Pitt kind of fades in the background every once in awhile during the film (despite his higher billing), but when he's on screen he is hilarious. One of his better performances. It's a re-imagining of the events in WWII and the people who take it seriously are missing the point entirely. It isn't trying to be historically accurate. That's the brilliance of it. Who could possible take a subject as haunting and serious as that and turn it on its head in a brilliant way? Tarantino of course. Inglourious Basterds is about the power of cinema and it's effect on people. Anyone with an undying love of film will answer to it. I'll be darned if it isn't one of, if not the, best film of the year.

Imagine That

Eddie Murphy stars in this comedy about a workaholic dad who is growing estranged from his daughter in his effort to climb the corporate ladder. His daughter copes by creating imaginary friends...or are they imaginary? When her imaginary friends start giving him financial advice that turns out to be very profitable he starts spending more time with her in order to keep gaining this helpful advice. Along the way he is slowly mending the relationship with his daughter until he finally has to decide which love of his life is the most important...his work or his daughter. A cute comedy that is fun for the whole family.

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper glosses its subject until it glistens. No matter what is happening, it has to look beautiful and harmonious. It's just too much. I was never that emotionally involved with the characters & story because the director (Cassavetes) is constantly trying to pull at your heart strings and it gets annoying. There are a few touching scenes, like the romance between Kate and Taylor, but there's also too much of the tear-jerking kind. The movie needed a softer approach despite some decent performances. It also doesn't go deep enough into the moral and ethical questions that it raises because of the ending. You'll only get emotional if you cry at anything that is sad. I expect more than that. It still has to be done effectively and I don't think it was in this film.

Bruno

For me, Bruno was only sporadically funny, relying too heavily on the shock value of his antics. It was too hard to tell whether what was happening was real or fake and it took away from some of the hilarity of the situations. It doesn't help that I think he goes too far at times. A little subtlety can go a long way. I was never bored while watching it and the brisk running time is a bonus, but I will never ever watch this movie again. People who are easily offended won't like this film period, but those with an open mind (and those not offended by tons of gratuitous nudity) might be amused by it.

Funny People

Okay for a movie called Funny People I guess I naively thought this was going to be a really funny movie...well it isn't. It is really more a drama about a famous comedian (Adam Sandler) who finds out he might not have much longer to live and realizes that his life is really pretty shallow. He doesn't have any real friends and he messed up his relationship with the one woman he ever loved. If it wasn't for Seth Rogen this movie would have been completely awful, but he made it slightly bearable to watch.

The Accidental Husband

When a radio love doctor (Uma Thurman) gives some advice and accidentally breaks up an engagement the jilted husband-to-be (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) decides the best way to get revenge is to interfere with her marriage plans. The method he chooses is to make it look like she is already married...to him. When she goes to find him and straighten things out he decides not to make it easy on her or her fiance (Colin Firth). Kind of a fluffy chick flick, but with this great cast it was really enjoyable to watch.

Spread

Okay when I saw that Ashton Kutcher and Anne Heche were in a movie I thought "that is one I will have to watch". I should have saved my time because really the entire movie was really just him having sex with various women and using them for money. He is pretty much just a bum who finds women to take care of him and then when finally meets a woman he likes she is doing the same thing. If you like your movies steamy you will probably like this movie, but I was disappointed.

The Ugly Truth

Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler star in this comedy about an uptight TV producer who is forced to allow a crude cable show host to join her show in order to try and save the ratings. He is determined to teach her about how to get the guy and she is determined to prove him wrong. As they battle it out the sparks begin to fly. A very funny movie that is not for those easily offended. It is definitely rated R for a reason.

Terminator Salvation

The almost 2 hour long Terminator Salvation flew by while I was watching it. I couldn’t believe 2 hours had just gone by. You know what that means? I was royally entertained. It’s not the perfect summer blockbuster (and isn’t as good as Star Trek), but it’s a well made action film with plenty of eye candy to behold.

Terminator Salvation is a different type of movie than its predecessors. While those were also action films, they also had humor and had a much lighter tone than the one present in Salvation. This is Terminator at its darkest yet. It is a war movie after all. Some might miss the humor of the earlier films, but I didn’t really mind. Plus there are plenty of easter eggs for series fans to catch and laugh at along the way. It’s kind of weird that this is the first Terminator to not have an R rating though. Just proves that violence isn’t nearly as bad as sex and foul language according to the MPAA.

I can’t really get into story specifics because it will make my head spin with all this time travel stuff, but Salvation does a good job of setting up everything that was hinted at in the other movies. There’s nothing there that hasn’t been told to us already though, which means little to no surprises. Its purpose is basically just to show everything that was told rather than expand the story. That’s for the sequels. I will say though, that Marcus Wright (played by Sam Worthington) is the best character in the movie and Worthington gives a good performance as someone who is trying to figure out what the difference between man and machine is. Christian Bale is a decent John Connor. Nothing extraordinary but he gets the job done. The character isn’t nearly as developed as Marcus though, which is a shame since John is so integral to the story. Anton Yelchin does a solid job as the young Kyle Reese as well. Everyone else has little to no screen time and isn’t worth mentioning (though a certain cameo will have series vets smiling).

Terminator Salvation is basically nothing but action and special effects and it’s all done beautifully. McG (director) might have struggled with some things, but action was not one of them. Some people might even feel a little Transformers in this movie (I certainly did), which I don’t consider a bad thing when it comes to action. While the earlier films were basically one big chase sequence, Salvation is huge set piece after huge set piece and you can clearly see that massive budget.

Ultimately, in terms of summer blockbusters this year, Salvation is a couple notches ahead of Wolverine and a notch below Star Trek. Action junkies will love it and I’m sure most Terminator fans will welcome it with welcome arms after the hate that Terminator 3 got. It’s a solid new beginning for a franchise that has huge potential.

Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince is the best film in a series that has been constantly getting better as the series progresses. It's gorgeous to look at, emotionally satisfying, and stands alone as a triumph. It's definitely one of the best movies of the year.

The biggest difference from this one and the last film is that there is a lot of comedy (just like in the book). I do believe the comic relief (which consists of plenty teenage romance) in the film will split some people's opinion on the movie. Some will love it and laugh hysterically while others will wonder why such goofiness was put into an otherwise dark and haunting story. I happen to be in the former category and I'll tell you why. Too much darkness isn't always a good thing and it reminds us that these characters are just like us. They experience first loves and crushes, wonder about the opposite sex, and long to be with the ones they love. The film captures the hormones raging through teenagers wonderfully, and even manages some truly emotional moments from it. And the people who complain that Ginny and Harry's first kiss is different and in a different location from the book are just nitpicking. Who cares WHERE it happens as long as it does? The worst films in the franchise (which are still pretty decent) were the ones that put every detail possible into the movie and suffered pacing issues because of it. I've never been one to complain about what isn't there, because it's what's there that matters most.

I've heard people complain about some of the things added into the film as well, including an attack on the Weasley's house. It serves a couple purposes and I'm glad they added it in. At that point in the film there has been a significant amount of time without any real threat (except those hormones) and it reasserts that threat. It also makes it clear that nowhere is safe, including places they live. It helps the pacing of the film, simple as that. Not everyone will agree of course, but this is what I believe.

The performances and technical aspects of the film are also of extremely high quality and easily the best in the series so far. The visual effects are absolutely breathtaking, and along with the cinematography, make everything old new again. Even Hogwarts isn't safe anymore, and they show it brilliantly. The young actors have taken to these parts and have an easy chemistry between them. Daniel Radcliffe is the best of the bunch, but I don't think any of them hits a bad note the whole time. Rupert Grint is hilarious and serves as the comic relief throughout much of the film while Emma Watson's Hermione finally starts falling in love with Ron and shows it well. Jim Broadbent is the newest member of the cast and practically walks away with it. He looks so at home as Slughorn. He's simply brilliant. I give props to Michael Gambon as Dumbledore too, who has made the character his own and managed to pull at my heartstrings with his final few scenes. Alan Rickman is also wonderful as always playing Severus Snape. His casting for that role has done wonders for the series. You can do a roll call with the rest of the cast. They are the who's who of British acting.

When it comes down to it, I find Half-Blood Prince to be the crowning achievement of the series so far. The final few scenes absolutely do the book justice and are the most emotionally fulfilling moments they have captured. The series is in good hand with David Yates and I look forward to the rest of the series with bated breath.

I Love You Beth Cooper

During graduation and in the middle of his speech as valedictorian, Denis decides to announce his thoughts about his classmates especially his love for Beth Cooper (Hayden Panettiere). Not only does this announcement tick some people off, but if embarrasses Beth and so she decides she is going to mess with his head a little. As she spends time with him they both realize there is more than meets the eye. A cute teenage movie that was really pretty funny if you don't expect too much.

Aliens in the Attic

When two families join up for a relaxing vacation the kids are sure it is going to be boring. When the vacation house is invaded by Aliens and the kids are determined to fight them and save the planet all without letting their parents know, things get a lot more exciting. A cute family movie that kids will enjoy.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

All of your favorite characters are back in this latest Ice Age movie with the addition of a few new ones like Buck (Simon Pegg) and a female squirrel who joins the battle for the nut. Ellie and Manny are expecting a baby and so Sid and Diego are trying to find their place in the world. Along the way they come in contact with some dinosaurs and of course another fight for survival has begun. Fans of the other movies will also enjoy this one.

Land of the Lost

Will Ferrell plays a washed up scientist that finally stumbles across the Land of the Lost that he always new existed. Now he has to battle dinosaurs and aliens and of course defeat the bad guy. This movie was so bad that I don't even know what else to say...

My Life in Ruins

Nia Vardalos stars in this romantic comedy about a history professor who is currently working as a Greek tour guide and hating every minute of it. When she gets a special group of tourists she realizes that she has lost her kefi (mojo) and she wants to get it back. A cute movie worth watching...of course it made me want to travel to Greece.

Sunshine Cleaning

Two sisters who are simply try to make a modest living, but who need more cash stumble upon a potentially lucrative business of being crime scene cleaners. They soon find that not only is the work a little repulsive, but they didn't count on how tough it is emotionally. A fairly funny and emotional movie that will not be an Oscar winner, but is enjoyable to watch.

State of Play

Always looking for the next big story Cal McCaffrey (Russell Crowe) stumbles upon more than he bargained for when he begins a story about the death of a Congressman's aide. The death is believed to be a suicide but upon further investigation found to be murder that could in turn lead to enough corruption to impact the entire Nation's power structure. I enjoyed this movie because it had enough to keep you guessing and is filled with a great cast.

Crank 2: High Voltage

Chev Chelios is back only this time someone has removed his heart and he wants it back. Only in order to get it back he has to find it and stay alive until he does so, not easy when you have a mechanical device inside your chest that needs constant voltage to work. Even crazier and more far fetched than the first, but Statham fans will still watch it, they might not enjoy it but they will watch it.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

All your favorite characters are back in this Transformers sequel that is even more action packed than the first. When a whole new group of bad guys try to once again take over Earth, Optimus Prime and his special group of enforcers again battle to protect the human race. Short on plot, but action junkies will still enjoy it.