Review: `Cars 2' is a clunker (AP)

Pixar's track record has been close to impeccable for turning out intelligent, emotionally rich, beautifully detailed animated films, with plenty of humor and heart to appeal to movie lovers of all ages.

But the weak link in the chain, at least from a narrative standpoint, has always been 2006's "Cars," with its two-dimensional talking autos and hokey, borrowed tale of small-town life.

Sure, it was bright and zippy, which was enough to appeal to the little ones, and it became a merchandising juggernaut. Just try finding a kid who doesn't have some sort of "Cars" stuff. My 19-month-old son has a Lightning McQueen sippy cup and I have no idea how he got it — these things just show up on their own. That's how ubiquitous they are.

So sure, why not make a sequel? Trouble is, "Cars 2" is such a mess, it makes the original look like it ought to rank among Pixar's masterpieces by comparison.

What has set the studio's films apart from all the other animated fare is story: It's paramount. Innovative tales like "WALL-E" and "Up" get you choked up just thinking about them, they're that good. "Cars 2" tries to encompass many kinds of stories at once, none of which is terribly clever or compelling. And the fact that Pixar mastermind John Lasseter is back as director is the most baffling part of all. This is the man who kicked it all off with the soulful and groundbreaking "Toy Story" back in 1995. This is not someone from whom you would expect empty glossiness.

Here, working from a script by Ben Queen, Lasseter makes a transparent attempt at catering to the ever-expanding global moviegoing audience by having the hero of the original "Cars," Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), compete in an international grand prix through Japan, France, Italy and Britain. The sponsor is a Richard Branson-type Range Rover-looking vehicle (Eddie Izzard); McQueen's main rival is an arrogant Italian Formula 1 racecar (John Turturro).

At the same time, "Cars 2" panders to middle America by placing Mater, the rusty, aw-shucks tow truck, front and center. McQueen is flashier but this is Mater's time to shine, as it were; Larry the Cable Guy, who voices the character, even gets top billing over Wilson. But a little of the comedian's twangy shtick goes a long way — for the audience, and for McQueen, who gets annoyed with Mater's boorish behavior in all these refined settings. Still, Mater is there to teach us some lessons about valuing the underdog. Or not judging people because we think they're different or stupid. Or something.

But wait, there's more. "Cars 2" is also a James Bond spoof, with Michael Caine providing the voice of the elegant English sports car, superspy Finn McMissile. Finn and his rookie sidekick, Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer), run into Mater, who has tagged along with McQueen on this globe-trotting journey, and mistakenly believe he's the American undercover operative they're supposed to meet during their latest mission. This ties into a whole `nother subplot involving alternative fuel sources and the German villain (Thomas Kretschmann) who has big plans to keep cars reliant on Big Oil.

With all these new characters and various narrative strands competing for our attention, there's not much room for fun. "Cars 2" is one thing a family-friendly summer blockbuster should never be: boring. Yes, it looks beautiful, lavishing in photorealism as so many Pixar movies do. In 3-D (because of course it's in 3-D), the chase scenes have their thrilling moments, and the many shiny surfaces do have a tactile quality. Young kids — at whom so much of this material is clearly aimed — will probably enjoy the bright colors and incessant motion.

But as the structure grows repetitive and Mater's corny puns and malapropisms become tiresome, we — like the anthropomorphized autos — feel like we're just spinning our wheels.

"Cars 2," a Disney Pixar release, is rated G. Running time: 114 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

___

Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G — General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG — Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 — Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R — Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 — No one under 17 admitted.

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Red Riding Hood 2011 Review

Red Riding Hood is a fairy tale gone thriller. It opened in March of this year and attempted to retell the tale of the Red Riding Hood to adults. With Amanda Seyfried in the lead and a budget topping over $40 million, not a heck lot could go wrong, or so it seemed. Is this a great interpretation of the famous fairy tale? Or does it fall short, becoming one of the many highly anticipated downfalls this movie season, let's learn.
Story

Red Riding Hood is set in medieval times in a small village haunted by a werewolf. Meanwhile Valerie, a young girl played by Amanda Seyfried, falls in love with a "bad boy" called Peter. The problem being that her parents had set up an arranged marriage with higher-class Henry.

The first plot comes quickly when a new king attempts to tackle the threat by putting the town under siege during the red-moon season. From there the movie becomes an audience's guessing game, as they try to predict the killer in human form. This is done well by the director by offering plenty of leads and awkward/exciting moments. The writers weren't scared of making radical things happen, which helped the story progress.

The acting of Red Riding Hood is somewhat off at times. The romantic lines, for example, are so cringe worthy that it becomes even more far-fetched than the characters' state of mind. Nevertheless the main characters have delivered very decent performances, compensating for the few less-convincing lines in the movie.
Presentation

In the early days of HD releases, movies were very subject to noise generated in darker scenes. Luckily this is fixed because there're a lot of dark scenes in Red Riding Hood. The picture remains grain-free even during the darkest of times.

The overall level of detail is decent without excelling compared to other recent 1080p movies. The country wheat, during the fire scene, could've reflected more details to name an example.

The special effects (especially the werewolf) look amazing and are very convincing. He might be unnatural strong, even for a mythical creature, but has the visuals to match his killing character.

Red Riding Hood offers the next generation of sound, conveniently dubbed: Dolby digital true-HD or DTS-HD. Unfortunately I wasn't near a set that supports these formats, so I had to fall back on the traditional DTS format. In this mode the movie does well to suggest the werewolf's whereabouts. They used the 5 channels to great extend, accompanied with a satisfying movie score.
Conclusions

Red Riding Hood is a decent movie with a compelling story that leaves the audience guessing the entire 100-minutes through, helped by strong and brave writing for the most part. The image does well without blowing any senses out of the water, with the sound up there with the best. Taking everything in consideration leaves me with this: Watching Red Riding Hood is entertaining and time well spent, despite the minor issues here and there.

I'm Robin Chung. In my spare time I like to write articles and stories. My ultimate dream is to write a life altering story for a lot of readers. Feel free to visit my website and learn more!

Robin Chung

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The Dark Knight Film Review

The 2008 action drama The Dark Knight is distributed by Warner Bros. Some of its stars include Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Heath Ledger as The Joker, Gary Oldman as James Gordon, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes. The writers are Jonathan Nolan (The Prestige), Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins), David S. Goyer (The Unborn), and Bob Kane (Batman). The director is Christopher Nolan.

The film opens roughly a year after the events of Batman Begins. The Joker and his men rob a bank in the first scene. New District Attorney Harvey Dent joins Lieutenant Gordon and Batman to help destroy the mob. During a mob boss meeting, a Chinese mafia accountant named Lau informs them that the stolen money has been hidden and he has fled to Hong Kong. The Joker interrupts the meeting and tells the mob bosses that Batman will go after Lau and he will offer to kill him if he receives half the shares. They refuse and place a bounty on the Joker's head. Batman does go after Lau in Hong Kong and brings him back to Gotham City.

He agrees to testify against the mob bosses, freeing up Dent to arrest and charge them. Because of these recent events, the Joker threatens to kill people until Batman reveals his true identity. The first deaths are Commissioner Loeb and the judge presiding over the mob boss trial. A later attempt to assassinate the mayor is foiled and Lieutenant Gordon appears to be killed. In order to prevent further loss of life, Bruce Wayne plans to reveal himself until Harvey Dent says he's Batman to keep the truth secure. While being transported across the city, the DA is captured by the Joker's men. In the process, the Joker himself is arrested.

He reveals to Batman that Dent and Rachel Dawes, Bruce Wayne's love interest, have been placed in separate buildings at opposite ends of town, each surrounded with explosives. The Caped Crusader goes after who he thinks will be Rachel while Gordon, who had faked his own death to lure the Joker, goes after Dent. Batman arrives and discovers that Harvey Dent is the one held captive there while Gordon fails in his attempt to save Rachel. In the explosion, Dent is badly burned on half his face and is distraught over her death.

When I first heard about this film, I was thrilled because the Joker is my favorite Batman villain. But, as I found out later, there is very little of the Joker's main attributes displayed in the film. Things like the Joker's venom don't make any appearance. With the exception of a couple of tricks, which includes the Joker card, none of this psychotic's well-known characteristics are ever shown. In effect, any sort of criminal could have been the main antagonist in The Dark Knight; it didn't have to be the Joker. The Joker appears to be more of a terrorist in this film than one of Batman's freakish enemies.

When I discovered what they were going to call the film, The Dark Knight, I initially believed that it was just referring to Batman and his black suit, but I was wrong. The title of the film was referring to a Dark Knight opposing a White Night. A Dark Knight is someone who will stop the bad guy at any cost, legal or not. A White Knight, on the other hand, will attempt to stop him by legal means. A line early in the story gives it away, "Either you die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself as the villain."

Ironically, both Batman and Harvey Dent prove this to be true. At the start of the film, the people of Gotham are still unsure of what Batman really is, hero or villain. He did save the city from Ra's al Gaul in the previous movie but, in this one, he appears willing to capture the bad guy at any costs, even if it means invading other people's privacy or viciously beating up a man during interrogation in order to have the information he needs. The new district attorney follows a similar path. He starts out as this bold prosecutor going after every bad guy in Gotham, no matter how bad they are. Later on after his fiance Rachel is killed by the Joker, he becomes more of a vigilante. Dent goes around killing everybody that he believes was responsible for her demise.

To wrap, The Dark Knight is actually a pretty good film, but lacks most of the joking aspect of a Batman movie featuring the Joker.

Written by Kevin Dillehay
http://www.moviefilmreview.com/author/Kmonk10

Kevin T. Dillehay has written nearly a hundred movie reviews from all genres. He provides a unique perspective on the movies you see all the time but may not stop and think about in depth. You are invited to check out his work at http://www.moviefilmreview.com/author/kmonk10.

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Movie Review: The Dilemma (2011)

Vince Vaughn and Kevin James seem like a perfect duo for a straightforward comedy heavy on slapstick and crazed antics. It's surprising then that The Dilemma masks much of its laugh-out-loud funniness with dark humor, subtle jests and highly serious drama. Vaughn's fast-paced ramblings and James' general goofiness are still present, but the staid business of infidelity and work-related pressures are rarely laughed at. The cast is certainly capable, but based on your expectations of the leading comedians you'll either be pleasantly surprised by the film's favor of examining realistic relationship tragedies or disappointed by the unfulfilled potential for supreme silliness.

Ronny Valentine (Vince Vaughn) and Nick Brannen (Kevin James) have been best friends since college and now as adults run an electric engine manufacturing company together. They also have idyllic relationships; Nick with wife Geneva (Winona Ryder) and Ronny with soon-to-be fiancee Beth (Jennifer Connelly). When Ronny inadvertently spies Geneva kissing a tattooed mystery man (Channing Tatum), he is faced with a formidable dilemma - does he tell Nick about his wife's unfaithfulness and risk losing a major business deal for their company, or wait and chance losing his best friend altogether? Ronny's predicament only grows worse when he confronts Geneva and she threatens to expose a long kept secret. As he struggles with his increasingly troublesome situation, Ronny begins to cause more problems than he's able to fix and soon finds himself barreling towards a head-on collision with both his friends and the inescapable truth.

Although it's primarily a comedy, The Dilemma delves into the dark infidelities of faulty relationships, which uncovers some serious predicaments. The cheeriest of comic relief interludes can't overcome the solemnity of disloyalty and its destructive nature. But comedians Kevin James and Vince Vaughn certainly try, bringing their trademark playful, flirtatious, speedy, back-and-forth dialogue to the table. Allan Loeb writes the film, but with Vaughn producing, it's likely the scripting was heavily influenced. The sickly-sweet "getting to know the characters" intro is the only segment that doesn't scream of Vaughn's verbal work, with the moral impasse and its resolution appearing to be director Ron Howard's material. It's a return to comedy after a decade of dramatic projects for the filmmaker, but not devoid of tragicomic substance.

The supporting cast of Ryder and Connelly overreaches in the attempt to portray chemistry, which feels like generically perceived romances instead of an authentic union. Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah are more believable as idiosyncratic quacks, but belong in a different movie. Fortunately, awkward confrontations, uncomfortable but funny scenarios, mixed messages, riotous hypothetical situations, and challenged urination make their way into The Dilemma, which is wholly watchable but substantially forgettable.

- The Massie Twins ( http://www.GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Movie Review: The Green Hornet (2011)

The Green Hornet attempts to represent the very epitome of cool, with fast cars, masked crime-fighters, seductive girls, dastardly villains, enormous explosions, martial arts combat and senseless destruction. The creators must have thought they had every element necessary to build the perfect action flick - but they completely forgot to design a sensible plot and interesting characters. Although the story is based loosely on the 1930's Green Hornet radio series and the TV shows and comics that followed, this 2011 adaptation feels entirely like a Seth Rogen teen comedy.

That's not altogether surprising, considering Rogen and Evan Goldberg (the writer of Superbad and Pineapple Express) not only penned the script but produced the movie as well. This causes the lead character, Britt Reid (Rogen), to assume the role of a giggling, incompetent schmuck, carelessly wasting away his father's vast fortunes (superheroes cannot be poor) from The Daily Sentinel, the last independently owned Los Angeles newspaper. Drunken partying, countless nameless girls (summed up in a hyperspeed scene of love-making, sans actual sex, a la A Clockwork Orange) and pampered luxury fill up his days, not unlike Christopher Nolan's early theatrical interpretations of Bruce Wayne. Reid even has a devoted, coffee-serving valet, Kato (Jay Chou) to wait on him, who secretly specializes in kung fu, words of wisdom, and hi-tech engineering.

When Ried's father (Tom Wilkinson) dies, his spoiled life is suddenly thrown into perspective - he's not consumed with filling shoes, but rather thrill-seeking, especially when he discovers Kato's knack for kicking ass and customizing weapons onto their custom car, Black Beauty, like a human Swiss Army knife. Deciding to become a masked vigilante (leaving all the physical labor and fighting skills to his experienced partner), Reid dons the moniker "Green Hornet" and embarks on a mission to disrupt the crime in the city, conducted chiefly by aging mobster Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz).

The only mildly amusing aspect of this generic superhero team is the notion that they pose as villains to get closer to the real criminals, while diminishing suspicions about their true motives to law enforcement. The rest is a hodgepodge of failures, from the ceaseless inclusion of juvenile slapstick, to the Academy Award-winning antagonist who embarrassingly switches from realistic to ridiculous while fretting over his intimidation abilities (he predictably participates in the offing of his own henchmen for evil demonstration), to the "drop dead gorgeous" secretary Lenore Case (a noticeably aging Cameron Diaz), who desperately struggles to retain even an ounce of the allure she possessed in The Mask.

Who is the one actor least likely to be on the top of every moviegoer's list to star as an action hero? It would probably be Seth Rogen, who is so far removed from being anything other than a crass, cachinnating, chowderhead that his version of a cloaked vigilante is just short of a court jester. In its defense, The Green Hornet does feature a few thrilling car chases and explosive standoffs, but the typically dependable, macho hand-to-hand combat sequences we expect are tossed aside for highly stylized choreography and graphics that look like an inhuman, computer animated ninja dueling in a video game, with the option to pause and select targets and weaponry. The slow-motion in all the wrong spots and disastrous pacing don't help either.

- Mike Massie ( http://www.GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Film review: "Rest on Your Shoulder" (Reuters)

SHANGHAI (Hollywood Reporter) – A candy-colored, marshmallow-sweet fairytale about true love, horticulture and immunology, "Rest on Your Shoulder" tells of a botanical scientist who faithfully pines for his missing fiancO, unaware that she is by his side in a different form. Its loudly spelled out ecological lesson is tailor-made for family viewing and is Hong Kong writer-director Jacob Cheung's ("The Ticket," "A Battle of Wits') most guileless and mainstream film.

Although some adults may find the story and its fantasy elements hopelessly naive, young kids will be swept away by the cascade of CG animation merged with splendid natural scenery. In addition to a routine run at cinema circuits in Chinese-speaking territories, this could be considered for festival sidebars aimed at family viewing.

In an unspecified time when epidemics run rampant, botanist Yan Guo (Aloys Chen) and his fiancOe-assistant Baobao (Zhang Yiyan) move to Moon Island, a nature reserve, to research the curing properties of rare plants. As is customary, they pray to the magical Eros Tree to cement their love, unaware that they have to undergo a severe trial, in which Baobao must remain unseen to Yan for three years in exchange for his life.

Baobao transforms into a butterfly, and like the Little Mermaid, she watches two other women - horticulturalist Bailan (Kueh Lun-Mei) and journalist Yang Lin (Gigi Leung) -- court her lonely boyfriend, but cannot speak out her feelings. Cheung does not exploit the plot potential to create a melodramatic love quadrangle. Instead, he opts for a more down-to-earth, feel-good emotional arc by describing how Yan's platonic friendship with the two women motivates a breakthrough in his research.

The subplot about Baobao's adventures in the insect and plant world provides animated slapstick to keep a young audience's attention, as well as showcase the lush natural landscapes shot on location in Hokkaido and Guangxi, and the idyllic replica Canadian houses shot in Yokohama. The generous use of CGI effects don't always blend in completely with the live action or outdoor locations. While smaller scale animation, such as flora and fauna, look fairly life-like, larger scale elements such as waterfalls, tainted skies and fantasy effects look quite artificial.

The music by Joe Hisaishi, who composed most of Hayao Miyazaki's animated features, tends toward the sappy, but it helps to brighten the rhythm during some dull lapses when the film is droning on drily about conservation. It also helps bridge the gap in tone between the adult love story and the childish insect shenanigans. The four main cast members make do with stock expressions and responses for their undemanding roles.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Guzaarish Movie Review: Completely Off The Mark

While Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish leaves no stone unturned to make you feel the pain of a quadriplegic man and even sways you to some extent, this highly intimate film strangely maintains a certain kind of distance that never allows you to become a part of the journey.

Guzaarish Story

After a super dud called Saawariya, Bhansali returns with the done to death basic formula that has been the source of his cinematic existence and even though Guzaarish ventures into overdrive mode every now and then it, thankfully, treads cautiously. Exploring the trails of Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan), a former magician who meets with an accident that confines him to a wheelchair for a better part of his life, the film starts off rather well and gets into the thick of things without wasting any time. After fourteen long years of suffering a spinal injury and his health deteriorating, Ethan decides to end his life. Much to the shock of his doctor (Suhel Seth) and the anger of caretaker Sofia (Aishwariya Rai-Bachchan) Ethan asks his lawyer, Devyani Dutta (Shernaz Patel), to file a plea for euthanasia. In between hosting his own radio show and going about everyday life that includes a liberal dose of flirting with Sofia, Ethan also decides to teach magic to Omar Siddique (Aditya Roy Kapoor), a Raj Kapooresque tramp like character who arrives unannounced at the Mascarenhas House.

The initial brisk twenty minutes done Guzaarish jumps between sequences that don't really add anything substantial to the basic plot. A series of flashbacks inter-cut with lyrically choreographed shots through the Portuguese mansion Ethan resides in reveal snippets- his mother, his ex-flame, etc. from Ethan's life follow and just bon the basis of that we are supposed to fall in love with his man. Ethan who had inspired millions since his accident through his radio show and writing a book, starts using his show to garner public support in his favor before challenging the court's order that dismissed his plea. People from all walks of Goan life call in and inspire him to carry on while he tries to find someone who will understand his plight. True to the rules of high drama the approval comes in the form of Estella (a finely carved piece of wood called Monikangana Dutta), his ex-flame who had left him on his request and Mama Isabel Mascarenhas (Nafisa Ali) who suddenly and surreally reappears.

Pitfalls in Guzaarish

No one portrays suffering better than Sanjay Leela Bhansal but to think that watching the anguish of a wheelchair bound Hrithik Roshan for two hours is reason good enough for Guzaarish to work is completely off the mark. Roshan's acting skills do immensely contribute to Bhansali's vision of Ethan but one wished there were something more than a handful of scenes that would help the viewer feel the man's pain. Yes there are scenes like an unattended Ethan falling off the bed, rain drops from the roof drenching a helpless Ethan and an Ethan lying next to his dead mother who dies as unexpectedly as she has appeared but these moments are fleeting and few.

One of the good things about Guzaarish that works like a charm is the sheer chemistry between Hrithik Roshan and Aishwariya Rai-Bachchan. These two actors are so tuned in that Bhansali is not only able to create wonderful moments between the two but also uses them liberally in montages peppered throughout the film. On her own Rai-Bachchan looks unlike a nurse and over emotes while Roshan constantly reminds himself to be the uber cool full of beans Ethan who will live it up no matter what. Shernaz Patel mostly gets it right but Seth goes from bad to worse as the film progresses. Annoying at times but passable, Aditya Roy Kapoor is like the classic Sanjay Leela Bhansli hero; a cross between Salman Khan from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Ranbir Kapoor in Saawariya.

Final Words on Guzaarish

The other problem with Guzaarish besides not being able to connect with the characters is the screenplay that becomes senseless at places. If Ethan knew that Omar was the son of Yasser Siddique (Ash Chandler), his competitor and the man responsible for his accident, and if its revelation wasn't going to have any impact on the film or on the characters then let it slip towards the end? Even the scene where Omar is surreptitiously talking to someone about how he has won Ethan's confidence has no meaning for we never get to know who was on the other end of the line. But in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's world such things don't matter. What matter is living life to the fullest even it's just 100 grams! All in all Guzaarish isn't all that bad but then it's not worth dying for.

Guzaarish Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Shernaz Patel, Nafisa Ali, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Monikangana Dutta and Suhel Seth.

Guzaarish Screenplay by: Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Bhavani Iyer

Guzaarish Music & Directed by: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Guzaarish RATING: 2 / 5

Guzaarish Genre: Romance / Drama

I am a Delhi-based author who writes for Buzzintown.com. To know more about Hindi movies in Hyderabad or new movies in Chennai please visit movies.Buzzintown.com.

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Movie Review: Green Lantern (2011)

The filmmakers are under the impression that audiences will accept anything, as long as it's drenched in special effects. Balls of gaseous substances, electrical fields of lightning, pulsing rays of color, billowing smoke, fiery explosions and glowing energy beams all shown rapidly and accompanied by piercing noises - these tricks are sure to impress even the most cynical critics. Unexplainable things happen all of a sudden and viewers are expected to sit back and soak up the visual zaniness without questioning all the cryptic events. This is simply not true. For an origins movie, Green Lantern certainly has a lot more explaining to do.

For centuries, the emerald energy of willpower has been fueling intergalactic peacekeepers known as Green Lanterns. Thousands of specially chosen warriors and guardians police the galaxies, using their unimaginable powers to quell the evil forces of fear. Legendary legionnaire Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison), aglow with purplish, translucent skin and rubbery tendons, discovers that an ancient monstrosity called Parallax has been steadily growing and is responsible for the recent deaths of several highly skilled Green Lanterns. When he encounters the frightful anomaly firsthand, he's mortally wounded and must crash land on Earth.

The viridian energy works in mysterious ways, and purposefully chooses the individuals that harness its powers. When Abin dies, the ring he possesses, recharged by a literal chartreuse lantern, seeks out devil-may-care, foolhardy, hotheaded jet pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds, who hasn't changed drastically from Van Wilder) to be its new caretaker. At first he has no interest in assuming the responsibilities of protecting a massive sector of civilization, but with the help of negativistic ally Sinestro (Mark Strong), bulky alien Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan) and bird-beaked mentor Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush), Hal will become the most powerful Lantern of them all.

From the very start, solemn narration, intrusive flashbacks and countless tongue-twisting alien worlds, names and devices are utilized, going overboard to stay faithful to the DC Comics characters and entities. With such a swift running time, too much mindboggling content is thrown at the screen rapidly. In the vein of Star Wars or Star Trek, the ideas are completely science-fiction, working on a level closer to Thor than Iron Man. Almost nothing is grounded in reality, and because of this, little is deemed worthy of explanation. An "induction process" allows for communication between the human and his newfound comrades, along with quick acceptance of his lime green muscle suit, comical mask (to protect his identity, despite merely covering his cheekbones), and super powers. "The ring's limits are only what you can imagine," insists Tomar-Re, making further definition pointless.

A subplot with Dr. Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) is unnecessary and wasted, the primary villain Parallax is built up to be invincible but then casually discarded, and Hal's love interest Carol Ferris (Blake Lively, proving she can only play one character) is hopelessly generic. It takes over an hour to devise a plot and forge an antagonist, and just a few minutes to hastily resolve it all. Impressive makeup goes the route of repulsive instead of awe-inspiring, and the costumes and character designs follow suit, appearing absurd rather than impactful.

While trying to stay true to the look of the original comic books, Green Lantern has crafted some incredibly silly stuff. The visuals are entirely too goofy for non-fans to readily digest. There's also a huge focus on responsibility, facing fears, and never giving up, which passes as noticeably bland and uninteresting. Like Iron Man 2, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and most of the X-Men sequels, Green Lantern is a mishmash of outdated graphic novel lore, reinvention, redesign, revival, adaptation, stale humor and budget-busting special effects, all of which are an abrasive assault to the senses and dolefully dreary filmmaking.

- The Massie Twins GoneWithTheTwins.com

The Massie Twins are identical twin film critics who have been professionally reviewing movies full time for over 5 years, appearing on TV, radio, online and in print. They are members of the Phoenix Film Critics Society and the Internet Film Critic Society and their work can be seen at http://www.gonewiththetwins.com/.

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Movie Review: Season of the Witch (2011)

Season of the Witch doesn't aim very high, which at least allows it to accomplish what it sets out to do. A few cheap scares, some bloodless swordfights, a slightly miscast Nicolas Cage and a perfectly cast Ron Perlman keep the simple plotline moving along, while the bevy of witches, demons, and deformed priests don't hinder the minimal thrills. Perhaps the film never really knows what direction it's ultimately going, but that uncertainty offers a level of unpredictability that keeps the audience guessing - to an extent. Is the girl a real witch or just an innocent child? Are the priests evil torturers or wise saviors? Is there an underlying theme of redemption through sacrifice, or a championing for fair trials? Nah, probably not.

After many years and countless battles, Crusaders Behmen (Nicolas Cage) and Felson (Ron Perlman) realize the devastation they have caused in the name of God. Denouncing the church and casting off on their own, the two knights wander the countryside until they happen upon a village ravaged by plague. Apprehended by soldiers and faced with execution for desertion, Behmen and Felson agree to once again assist the church in a perilous mission - transport a young girl (Claire Foy) accused of witchcraft to a remote monastery where the monks' rituals might at last end the suffering. Enlisting the aid of weary knight Eckhart (Ulrich Thomsen), disgraced merchant Hagamar (Stephen Graham), paranoid priest Debelzaq (Stephen Campbell Moore), and young runaway altar boy Kay (Robert Sheehan), the knights begin a dangerous quest through uncharted territory - where mysterious forces attempt to destroy them from the outside while each man's internal demons threaten to destroy them from within.

It's been some time since a theatrical swords and sorcery movie was released, sticking strictly to the time period of the medieval 14th century, with themes of witchcraft, crusaders, knights, the church and the devil. Although supernatural in nature, Season of the Witch is thankfully devoid of Krakens, Gorgons and other such mythological creatures that disrupt the generally more believable notion of possession. Unfortunately, with generous amounts of computer graphics during the conclusion, the marginally creepy, craftily foreboding opening act is forgotten to the utterly unconvincing animation.

Nicolas Cage, who portrays his average self in a new environment, isn't nearly as authentic as his partner Ron Perlman, who carries himself like an aging warrior knight crossed with Will Ferrell. The language, which cuts in and out of old English and contemporary jesting, also betrays the setting, despite the costumes and gruesome makeup effects that work to complete the illusion. The random flashbacks to scenes witnessed a mere 15 minutes earlier are nothing short of insulting, along with the raspy demon and mutant wolves that appear hideously out-of-place, but a certain atmospheric charm exists over the basic epic quest plot.

While the film only briefly succeeds at creating suspense, the inclusion of swordplay for the sake of swordplay, staring contests, castles, flesh-eating disease aftermath, mass graves, duels, ferocious animals, treacherous bridges, lightless forests, ghostly towns, unsettling fog and boil-covered monks lend to amusing imagery. Sadly, Season of the Witch can't quite recapture the entertainment of '80s sword and sorcery B-movies, despite the wealth of technological advancements.

- The Massie Twins ( http://www.GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Movie Review: I Am Number Four (2011)

If you've enjoyed a steady diet of Twilight films, superhero movies, and sci-fi television shows, you might like I Am Number Four. But probably not. The film, based on the young-adult novel of the same name, derives almost its entirety from other related materials, leaving individuality a permanently absent entity. The most disconcerting problem is that Twilight does the high-school romances better, the comic-book movies handle the action with more finesse and the television shows contain fewer cardboard characters. If this is number four, I'm just thankful we didn't have to wallow through one, two, and three.

After their homeworld of Lorien is besieged by the Mogadorians, a ruthless race of alien intruders, only nine gifted youngsters escape to Earth and await their destiny. John (Alex Pettyfer) is one such survivor, who, along with his guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant), must constantly stay on the run to avoid being found by the Mogadorians. After learning of the assassination of another Lorien, John and Henri head to Paradise, Ohio where they hope to lay low and discover a way to make contact with their remaining allies. When John falls in love with Sarah (Dianna Agron), a pretty photographer at his high school, he decides to stay and fight rather than continue running - a decision that will pit him against a relentless team of brutal alien executioners.

Sometimes, (though rarely) mediocre dialogue can be forgiven in the presence of great action. Unfortunately, I Am Number Four has neither. The direction of conversation, if not the actual exchanges, can probably be guessed before anyone has spoken and the revelations often rival those found in an episode of Scooby-Doo. The dialogue drifts into extremely awkward territory on a number of occasions and can't even grasp realism when the conversations are supposed to be maladroit. Friendships, fatherly guidance, antagonistic threats, and confessions of love never felt so lame.

Perhaps even rarer yet, humdrum dialogue can be dismissed when uttered by intriguing characters and inspiring demeanors. Still nothing here. In John's defense, he is supposed to be trying to blend in and become invisible. He succeeds, but that does the audience the disservice. Sarah lends an arguably pretty face, but certainly no more, and Timothy Olyphant's Henri tries ever so hard but can't overcome the tedium of the script. The otherworldly villains are perhaps the most cringe-worthy, spitting broken English over harsh alien speech and committing the cardinal sin of talking too much before killing their victims.

A few interesting shots during combat do make an appearance, though their ingenuity quickly vanishes beneath the shoddy special effects and the behemoth beasts that look to be the lovechild of a flying squirrel and the Cloverfield monster. If inexplicably powerful teenagers, giant sugar glider-creatures, and hokey glowing flashlight hands are your cup of tea, this one's for you.

- The Massie Twins ( GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Film review: "Don't Tell Me I Can't!" (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Another entry in the seemingly inexhaustible succession of kids' competition documentaries, "Don't Tell Me I Can't!" manages to keep things fresh by profiling a unique problem-solving contest now in its 26th year. Well-suited to educational settings and perhaps a narrowly targeted DVD release, the doc could also see limited public broadcasting exposure.

Founded in 1999, Destination ImagiNation(DI) is a global educational tournament for kids and young adults aged 5-25 now established throughout the U.S. and more than 20 foreign countries. DI organizers design each year's competitive problems and regional playoffs lead contestants to the DI finals, which bring teams of kids from all over the world to Knoxville, Tennessee every May.

In 2010, 16,000 participants came together for four days of competition, recreation and celebration at 80 venues all over Knoxville. Hundreds of area residents and supporters from across the country volunteered to assist with event organization, logistics and evaluating the competitors' execution of assigned challenges.

The film follows five state championship teams from Southern California to the finals, including fourth-graders the Funky Junky Monkeys, middle-schoolers the Neon Ninjas and three high-school groups. While the younger students take on theater arts projects incorporating script writing, improv skits and homemade props and costumes, the older teens select initiatives focusing on engineering/technical challenges or social issues. Although parents and teachers play supportive roles, DI guidelines prohibit adults from participating directly in the projects, which rely entirely on youthful imagination and ingenuity.

While some of these students might be considered outright geeky in a typical school setting, DI becomes a transformational experience for many participants. "Don't tell me I can't" becomes the kids' rallying cry as they respond to their challenges.

First-time filmmaker and former DI mom Vandana Tilak profiles team members, follows events and interviews DI organizers and volunteers for a well-rounded perspective on the global event. Many of the interviewees are impressively articulate, but the doc's narrow scope makes it difficult to get a sense of the significance of the DI experience for the young competitors beyond the tournament phase. Camerawork and production values are adequate, supported by Marc Cahill's fluid editing, although the film's voiceover narration has a tendency to over-enthuse and become rather cloying.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Movie Review: X-Men: First Class (2011)

It is undoubtedly a tune of excitement, or at least curiosity, for fans of the X-Men characters to see what turns the movie franchise takes with origin stories. As expected, massive liberties are taken with every mutant and while some are clever and others contrived, a few are reworked from the ground up to the point that they're recognizable only by name to their comic book counterparts. It may be admirable to blend mutant lore into world history to fabricate realism, but is battling Nazis and contending with the Cuban Missile Crisis the best way to do so? Perhaps it's preferable to create more plausible explanations for certain character traits (having an angry space alien crush Professor X's legs might not be palatable for today's audiences), but tampering with historical events is always a little difficult to accept. Even excusing all such alterations in the space-time continuum, the oftentimes explosive action sequences can't mask the silliness and pointlessness of many of the newly introduced mutants. We're talking to you, dragonfly girl and sonar boy.

A prequel to both X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the original X-Men trilogy, First Class explores the beginnings of telepathic genius Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and metal-manipulating mutant Erik Lehnscherr (Michael Fassbender) and their ascension to becoming founders of the X-Men. When the CIA calls upon Xavier to aid in stopping the machinations of madman Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), Erik joins his cause with vengeful motives of his own. When the two begin recruiting new mutants to train for the eventual confrontation with Shaw and his band of superhuman cohorts, a rift in ideals develops that will give rise to the creation of Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants.

X-Men: First Class does an outstanding job of setting into motion all of the events and themes that frequent the original movie trilogy. It should be noted that failure to have watched the first three movies, or at least acquiring a basic knowledge of the X-Men history, will come as a great disadvantage, as this origins movie is poignantly and humorously taking advantage of all the elements previously defined in films taking place chronologically in the future. With the large number of mutants both old and new, it's surprising how well everything ties together (save for a training montage involving gene manipulation and research, the creation of technologically advanced mechanisms, and honing mental serenity, stated to have taken a mere week). Unfortunately, as so much of the screenplay focuses on introductions and designs to match a separate movie, the entertainment value relies almost entirely on those connections, a few intense scenes of destruction and special effects, and the strained relationship between Xavier and Lehnsherr.

Superheroes are generally enjoyable to watch, especially when they're called upon to unleash their mighty powers on irredeemable evildoers. In this instance, some of the fun is muddied when so many mutants are presented. Magneto, Professor X and even Mystique are amusing, but several of the lesser-known Marvel entities should have been left on the cutting room floor. Angel Salvadore is particularly silly, with little more than the ability to fly with dainty dragonfly wings; Hank McCoy is adorned with oversized feet, and even when making the full transformation into Beast, barely displays increased strength; and worst of all is Banshee, who must utilize a winged costume to haphazardly soar across the sky, careful to scream at the right frequency to gain lift. Although they're all youngsters training to harness their destructive powers, why couldn't Xavier recruit some more experienced, serious, older mutants with just an ounce more discipline?

One of the biggest questions surrounding X-Men: First Class is whether or not it could survive without Wolverine, the undisputedly most popular character from the comics. While the movie is still occasionally diverting, most notably with the sincerely moving friendship between eventual archenemies Professor X and Magneto, the insertion into history without drastic alterations in outcome, and action-packed fight sequences, ultimately, fans might be disappointed to see a strong antihero absent from the picture. It's likely that stronger outrage will stem from the comparison of supernatural mutation to homosexuality, however, as outing nonhuman creatures (or mutated to the point of fiction) is lightly laughed off.

- The Massie Twins (http://GoneWithTheTwins.com)

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Movie Review: Limitless (2011)

Most viewers will go into Limitless with low expectations, thanks to a mediocre trailer and a cast of second-tier regulars. This works to a great advantage, since the film actually possesses a unique plot, fascinating concepts and genuine thrills. There's also a lot of humor mixed into the graveness, lightening the mood for the more shocking material and creating a sense of fun - it's also difficult to take anything Bradley Cooper does too seriously.

Edward Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a failing writer, struggling to type the first sentence of the book he's already taken an advance to pen, frequently turning to booze for inspiration. When he happens upon the brother of his ex-wife, Vernon (Johnny Whitworth), a well-dressed drug dealer convinced that he's a successful businessman, Eddie is given a clear pill known as NZT that promises to expand the usage of the brain from the standard 20% to a whopping 100%. Upon downing the drug, Eddie is suddenly shot with an unprecedented surge of motivation; he's capable of spouting a sparkling cocktail of useless information (which makes him irresistible to the ladies), recalling everything he's ever seen or heard in a remarkably organized manner, learning languages just by listening to people speak, and finishing his novel in a few days.

He returns to Vernon for more of the miracle drug and is able to secure a large bag. It's a limited supply, but enough to boost his mind into transforming $12,000 into $2 million by playing the stock market. Despite terrifying side effects, which he is eventually forced to control, Eddie is all set to become a very powerful man - if only he can keep a murder charge off the record thanks to gaps in memory, prevent a shady loan shark from killing him, and not run out of NZT while trying to impress the Gordon Gekko of investment bankers, Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro).

Two things make Limitless a lot more entertaining than typical, mindless thrillers: firstly, Eddie's "super powers" aren't actually superhuman, allowing the premise to be much more believable. The fact that it's caused by a drug also dissuades inquiry because it's generally accepted that drugs do crazy things. It's a purely science-fiction idea without the otherworldly disposition of aliens or time travel. His moments of superior intelligence are demonstrated by green-screen work, CGI, a hazy gray world transforming into a vivid golden one, and hyperactive camera tricks. Secondly, our superhero frequently loses his special abilities and must cope in the real world, dealing with adversaries that also don't possess a super weapon or Kryptonite - along with the accompanying downers of addiction and crashing. He's also simply not a clean cut protagonist.

A necessary narration presides over Limitless, smartly filling in what can't be described by actions. The rest is a combination of adventure, suspense, and creatively hilarious violence. The unexpected conclusion might leave you with questions and concerns, but also a certain undeniable degree of satisfaction. If the bewildering nature of the outcome is too much to wrap your head around, just remember that it's only a Bradley Cooper movie.

- The Massie Twins ( http://www.GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Movie Review: Take Me Home Tonight (2011)

It's an interesting concept to make an '80s teen sex comedy in 2011 (or a few years earlier since the film's release was delayed) and Take Me Home Tonight manages to touch upon some of the magic of those films while also retaining modernistic comedy elements. The creators have stated that they wanted to make a movie that feels like it was made in the '80s rather than just parodying the decade, but the result shifts back and forth between accomplishing that goal and venturing towards the outlandish antics of present day gross-out teen comedies. The R rating allows for more colorful dialogue, a little nudity and plenty of drug use, but the most satisfyingly humorous moments don't involve sex, drugs, or its '80s setting. Visually (and certainly musically) the best of the '80s is there, but strangely the film would have been as effective set in any era.

Though Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) now works at a Suncoast Video after graduating from MIT and has no prospects on his future career, his greatest regret is never obtaining the phone number of his unrequited high school crush Tori Frederking (Teresa Palmer). When a chance meeting with his dream girl allows him to join her at Kyle Masterson's (Chris Pratt) legendary Labor Day weekend party, Matt, his best friend Barry (Dan Fogler), and his twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris), navigate the rocky revelations of burgeoning adulthood through a night of wild partying, self reflection, and second chances.

Master of the '80s teen comedy, John Hughes, often employed a tactic where a moment of hilarity emerged after reflecting on the more serious revelations of growing up. Take Me Home Tonight uses an antithetical approach - bouts of comedy are capped with the somber musings of regrets and failures. This often leaves a bitter taste to the conclusion of each event no matter how comically it started and forces the viewer to reminisce on the solemnity. As a result the comedy acquires a much darker feel than it actually deserves, which perhaps accurately resonates with the seriousness of cocaine use and lying to women, but detracts from the laugh-out-loud appeal.

A few references to Hughes' work and some paralleling ideas surface in Take Me Home Tonight, but the film can't quite grasp the charm and sincerity of its authentic predecessors. It does, however, still manage to feature a classic tale of a teenager searching for his dream girl and accompanies this with clever bits of comedy and the scene-stealing over-the-top exploits of funnyman Dan Fogler.

- The Massie Twins ( GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Movie Review: Gnomeo and Juliet (2011)

Though a scant few scenes might have you laughing, Gnomeo and Juliet doesn't seem at all concerned with entertaining the adult audiences dragged along to the theater with the target group of small children. The juvenile humor and immaturity run rampant, as do several annoyingly hyperactive supporting characters, resulting in a tug-of-war between eye rolling and grimacing. Plenty of attention has been given to the texturing and detailing of the clay creations, though the mishmash of ceramic materials, squash and stretch animation, and clanking stone sound effects strains general acceptance as much as the rehashed usage of sudden immobility in the presence of humans (at least we're given the ground rules for gnome desirability: a rotund belly and a thick, pointy hat). With tired Matrix parodies, several bland character designs and a flamingo (voice by Jim Cummings, who reuses his own unique voice of Don Karnage from Talespin) and a frog that won't stop jabbering, it's quite likely you'll be begging for the end to come - and hoping it remains faithful to Shakespeare's original play.

It's love at first sight when blue garden decoration Gnomeo (James McAvoy) meets red lawn ornament Juliet (Emily Blunt). There's only one problem - they belong to opposing factions of a ceaseless feud between backyards. As the pranks and paybacks continue to escalate amongst the warring forces, Gnomeo and Juliet realize they must bring the conflict to an end if they wish to find true happiness and alter the tragic fate befallen their namesakes.

Gnomeo and Juliet started with an amusing pun for a title and just went for it - a feature-length animated movie with nothing more than a one-dimensional riff on a universally renowned play. Without interesting characters, situations or even creative jokes on Shakespeare, and armed with the remnants of a hobbled-together, terribly generic rip of the most basic love story, this half-hearted attempt at family entertainment is void of any screen magic. None of the pieces combine to make even the faintest form of fun; tragedy is included for the sake of staying reminiscent to the source material (and then promptly withdrawn), the romance is childish and the humor is hopelessly infantile.

There is no shortage of gnome jokes or goofy nods to Shakespeare, although only one rib is successful (and it's not the parody of American Beauty). Many of the physical gags are repetitive, pie-in-the-face monkeyshines and other stale attempts at obnoxious buffoonery, often accompanied by complex setups for completely unrelated material. Every supporting character struggles aimlessly at adding comic relief, most of which is tired and humorless, making the reach for laughs just that much more painful. If the lack of hilarity isn't enough to remind us of other utter failures in animation (such as Planet 51 and Battle for Terra), Elton John, who also executive produces, has stuffed the production with ill-timed, out-of-place songs that suck the life from every scene of whimsy and each already humdrum montage.

- The Massie Twins ( GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Movie Review: Red Riding Hood (2011)

If the thought of theatrically adapting the famous fairy tale isn't enough to incite giggles, the recitation of the line "Grandmother, what big teeth you have" will certainly do the job. Little about the film doesn't warrant laughter; the revealing of the red cape, the repetitious jump-scares with the grandmother casting wolf shadows and other bits of details from the source material thrown in for those who forgot what the movie is based on, and the overwhelming feeling that this is a lesser known chapter from the Twilight Saga. All are reasons to dismiss this ridiculous fantasy. Even the dead bodies smirk. Director Catherine Hardwicke, who helmed the first Twilight movie, certainly isn't trying to hide her excessive fascination with werewolves, teenage relationships, love triangles and shirtless hunks.

For twenty years, the tiny, isolated, mountain village of Daggerhorn has kept the peace with a bloodthirsty werewolf by sacrificing the best livestock and the cutest pink piglets. Blonde-haired, red-cloaked Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) hasn't thought too much about it during her childhood, instead concentrating on keeping a secretive relationship with brown-eyed woodcutter Peter (Shiloh Fernandez). Thanks to an arranged marriage with wealthier blacksmith Henry (Max Irons), Valerie is doomed to break away from her true love.

When Valerie's sister is found slashed to death by the werewolf, a party of vengeful villagers goes in search of it. They kill a common gray wolf and believe they've dispatched the menace for good, but legendary monster killer Father Solomon (Gary Oldman) arrives just in time to prove them wrong. His is a deliciously evil role, an unhinged character that Oldman plays often and quite entertainingly, quick to persecute, invade privacy and harm without mercy. It's a Van Helsing of sorts, fused with the maniacal methods of a preacher intent on forcing others to don his beliefs via physical violence, complete with wild-eyed horror stories and a giant metal elephant of torture.

Valerie is eventually confronted by the wolf and realizes that it is someone in the village with a special connection to her. In an effort to keep the viewer guessing, a few gaping plot holes are developed and red herrings thrown in, which creates a mystery unworthy of solving. The greatest accomplishment is for the actors who can deliver their execrable lines without bursting into laughter. Unintentionally, the audience will surely bust up at the climax, everything the grandmother does (Julie Christie must have really needed a paycheck), and the difficulty with which the actors try to take things seriously. Now how long do we have to wait for the live-action feature film of Goldilocks and the Three Bears?

- The Massie Twins ( GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Movie Review: Rango (2011)

Rango is basically one giant homage to all the great westerns, from the spaghetti west of Sergio Leone to the comedic parodies of Bob Hope. A multitude of references to a plethora of classics make an appearance throughout the film, and even those that don't recognize these oftentimes clever allusions will find entertainment in the action, sly comedy, and hilariously twisted character designs. Rango may be the typical fish-out-of-water protagonist trying to discover his own identity, but when transplanted into an old west town inhabited by miserly turtles, gun-toting rattlesnakes and hillbilly varmints, all while plagued by intermittent surrealistic visions, profound metaphors, and pessimistic narration from an avian mariachi band, his story seems anything but normal.

The desert town of Dirt finds itself in a crisis of epic proportions. A terrible drought has swept over the land, the bank's water supply is almost dry, and outlaws torment the town's citizens. Luckily for Dirt, the heroic lizard Rango (Johnny Depp) has just arrived to bring about a new order of justice and peace as the latest town sheriff. Unfortunately for both Dirt and Rango, the wily chameleon is actually just an aspiring actor desperate to play the role of a fearless gunslinger. When his theatrical antics find him appointed an official lawman, Rango must gather all his courage and acting savvy to save Miss Bean's (Isla Fisher) ranch, recover the town's precious water supply, and fend off depraved outlaw Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy).

The character designs in Rango range from comically bizarre to truly inspired and end up stealing the show from each creature's individually eccentric personalities. From bug-eyed toads and mangy cats to wheelchair-bound turtles and skeptical possums, the wide variety of animals are brought to life with such vivid visuals that you might find yourself laughing before they even speak. Many of the animals are hideously deformed and disfigured, or their characteristic features so exaggerated that you won't even be able to tell what creature they represent. A bird with an arrow in his eye, a rabbit missing an ear, and an overly hairy mouse mark just a sampling of the curious and intriguing creations that share the screen. The few humans that make an appearance are pure caricatures of their actor counterparts and nearly every design screams of innovation and ingenuity. In addition to the brilliant character designs, the texturing and animation reach a new level of authenticity thanks to the work of Industrial Light and Magic, a company known for their expertise in creating special effects.

With its clever references to classic western films and spattering of dark humor, Rango will almost certainly appeal as much to adults as to children. In fact, aside from the slapstick action sequences and goofy misadventures of the title lizard, the vast majority of jokes, surrealistic dream sequences, and intelligently intricate dialogue seem geared for a more mature audience with a firm appreciation for the genre the film so meticulously spoofs.

- The Massie Twins ( GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Movie Review: True Grit (2011)

The story of True Grit is an excellent source for a movie adaptation and the Coen Brothers retain the storytelling prowess they've always possessed with their vision of this epic tale of retribution. It still feels like a remake though, with every major event (as well as most of the minor ones) from the 1969 film finding its way into the script. Little has changed, save for the cast, and while the characters are handled well by the seasoned crew, it's unlikely their performances will hold up against the adoration of John Wayne and the original film. Even without comparing the leads between the two, this latest Rooster Cogburn is afflicted with such slurred speech and sonorous grumbling that intelligently written banter is lost to humorously unintelligible ramblings - this vocal setback plagues many of the other characters too. Hailee Steinfeld offers an entertaining precociousness and Matt Damon revels in his arrogant Texas Ranger, but it's nearly impossible not to recall the performances of Kim Darby and Glen Campbell. Perhaps the Coen Brothers' True Grit will find favor with those unfamiliar with the original - unfortunately those viewers have already missed out.

When her father is gunned down in cold blood by the treacherous Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) determines to see justice done no matter the cost. Searching out the meanest, orneriest Marshal she can find, Mattie hires Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to hunt down Chaney in the harsh wilderness of Indian territory. Much to the lawman's dismay, Mattie insists on accompanying him, as does cocky Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Matt Damon), seeking out his own unrelated bounty on the man, leading the mismatched trio to begin a dangerous quest for vengeance.

The Coen Brothers' newest film is just begging for comparison to both the original novel by Charles Portis and the 1969 film adaptation. It's incredibly difficult to judge it on its own merits considering just about everything it accomplishes is immensely derivative. While this version follows the book closely, the changes aren't different enough from Henry Hathaway's earlier film, resulting in an attempt that for all intents and purposes, might as well have been a shot-for-shot remake. Many of the scenes are nearly identical, and much of the dialogue is the exact same, including the climactic showdown catchphrase which is cringe-worthy for fans of John Wayne's unforgettable delivery. It can't even top Strother Martin's minor supporting role, this time portrayed by Dakin Matthews.

Jeff Bridges' Rooster Cogburn isn't so much a new interpretation of the marshal from the book, but a variation on John Wayne's performance. This is unfortunate because while Bridges portrays a memorable, likeable character, he hasn't really displayed something creatively fresh for audiences. The language used is perhaps more authentic, but resultantly harder to understand, and the strained lack of spoken contractions doesn't flow well with the contemporary camerawork, lighting and effects. The only real improvements are the costumes and props, which were undoubtedly blessed with larger budgets and extensive attention to details.

True Grit is an exciting story with intriguing characters and therefore exceptional material for a screenplay. But it doesn't mean that it should be redone when it was already successfully adapted 41 years ago with an indelible actor that won an Oscar for his efforts. Especially when the filmmakers have nothing new to bring to the table, outside of an alternate cast and bringing back the bookending of familiar characters with detached, older versions of themselves, for the sake of following the novel - a trick that sadly distances viewers from the roles they're accustomed to.

- The Massie Twins www.goneWithTheTwins.com

The Massie Twins are identical twin film critics who have been professionally reviewing movies full time for over 5 years, appearing on TV, radio, online and in print. They are members of the Phoenix Film Critics Society and the Internet Film Critic Society and their work can be seen at GoneWithTheTwins.com

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Movie Review: No Strings Attached (2011)

Immediately after the success of Black Swan, her Golden Globe Best Actress win, an inevitable Academy Award nomination, and worldwide critical praise, Natalie Portman decided to star with Ashton Kutcher in a raunchy sex comedy/drama. The fact that renowned filmmaker Ivan Reitman (Meatballs, Ghostbusters) was attached to direct doesn't give legitimacy to the project, since it was funded by Portman's own production company. It seems the popular star is trying everything possible to shed her "good girl" image; despite her breakout role in The Professional and her riskier performances in V for Vendetta and Closer, she still can't run from the Queen Amidala part. She strips away more clothes for No Strings Attached, but reveals the same level of nothing as usual - perhaps her blatant "no nudity clause" is one of the reasons she can't escape her past. She can only hope this movie doesn't have the same disastrous effect Norbit had on Eddie Murphy's shot at a 2006 Oscar (for Dreamgirls).

Adam Franklin (Ashton Kutcher) and Emma Kurtzman (Natalie Portman) have always been a little odd, outcasts in their own minds as youths when they first met at a camp. Years pass and they continue to meet randomly as they grow up, realizing they have an undeniable yet unnamable attraction towards one other. When Adam's father (Kevin Kline) decides to date Vanessa (Ophelia Lovibond), a sexy young woman who just broke up with Adam, the understandably upset son drunkenly calls every person in his phone until someone agrees to sleep with him. He awakes the following morning naked, in Emma's apartment, and with no recollection of the previous night's events.

This leads to a "friends with benefits" scenario in which Emma only wants to have a physical relationship with Adam. And she's not afraid to speak plainly, openly and confidently about their affair, minded with using crass definitions. His friends Eli (Jake Johnson) and Wallace (Ludacris) think he's struck gold, but Adam realizes he's falling in love with Emma, an unattainable girl thanks to daddy issues and her seemingly all-consuming, intellectual work as a doctor in training. Cary Elwes receives fourth billing with a nearly wordless cameo, Lake Bell presents a possible love triangle, and Ben Lawson is a potential rival with only a single scene to support that notion - just about every supporting role is poorly written and thrown in for pitiable comic relief.

Sadly, No Strings Attached is just an average raunchy sex comedy, lacking likable characters, plausibility and general funniness. No scene is outrageous, no performance is shocking, and no line of dialogue is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Portman seems like an unlikely candidate for this kind of role, which is probably what she was hoping for, but it doesn't aid her while shamelessly failing at romantic chemistry and the delivery of uncomfortable dialogue. "That just felt wrong," mumbles Adam as he reluctantly pulls away from cuddling with Emma, pegging the problem with No Strings Attached through unintentional, unrelated words. Much of the film is like a series of simple jokes compiled together with scenes built around them for the sake of inclusion. It's a fake, stodgy, pointless love story that begins exactly as expected and ends with the same level of surprise-free blandness.

- The Massie Twins ( GoneWithTheTwins.com )

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Limitless Review

"Limitless" is directed by Neil Burger, the same who directed "The Illusionist". The story is about a man who discovers drug which allows him to use 100% of his brain potential and hereby solve all of his problems and reach huge and quick achievements in his life. But of course every drug has its side effects and outside demand.

At first, when I saw the trailer, I predicted that "Limitless" will be one of my best movies of all time due to its tremendously appealing story. But it is not. Although it is hard to name any specific flaws, expectations were much higher than the result and most obviously due to details of the story. I think this happens almost to every movie where the story is original and promising but the script cannot handle the full potential of the story. For example, I wish that someday I will see a movie, where there won't be involved any guns to reach high tension in climax of the story, I wish that there would be also another source of all problems in couple relationships than lies. All such originality is killed by the same problem and problem resolution details, that repeat in almost every movie. With all this I want to say that all three main characters around the main character ( Bradley Cooper ) were unnecessary, especially main character's wife, who seemed to be necessary in the script just to show that she is one of his achievements during the journey of his development. de Niro's character on his side very much narrowed the storyline to one type of way how the main character could express 100% of his brain potential.

Bradley Cooper was as usual - dependable and stable acting, but without Oscar qualities. Robert de Niro also was the same - if not playing gangster or bad cop, his acting is always somewhere in between.

Overall I cannot say that "Limitless" was bad, it was still interesting, but if after the trailer you probably thought this is a "must see", then I believe after you'll watch it you will consider it as another movie with supernatural elements.

At the time of this post IMDb users has given it 7.1 out of 10 rating. I rate it a little higher, but just because such stories meet my taste.

All of the above is just my opinion and of course everything depends on everyone's taste, but I hope I gave You at least a little impression of whether this movie corresponds to Your particular taste.

You are welcome to visit other movie reviews at http://www.criticpress.com/

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