"THE CRAZIES" (R) ***3 STARS

    

Residents living the American Dream in a small midwestern town wake up in a horrific, nightmare witnessing most of their family, friends and neighbors slip into complete madness in the movie "THE CRAZIES" from Director Breck Eisner("Sahara"). This updated version of George Romero's classic horror film is told from the residents point of view.

The residents are living their worst night mare fighting for their lives against people they know and love who have turned on them. "The Crazies" is beautifully shot but predictable because you expect to see murder and mayhem but the storyline hooks you because you don't know why this is happening or what's making the people descend into madness?

Sheriff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant)and his pregnant wife Dr.Judy Dutton (Radha Mitchell) are the first to try and figure out what's really going on? Dutton discovers the town's water supply is the source of the problem. A biological weapons spill turns residents into mindless, vicious killers. To make matters worse the military is brought in to contain the situation. They shut down access to and from the town and use deadly force against those who are infected, leaving the few healthy residents trapped to fend for themselves.

Becca (Danielle Panabaker) a medical assistant who works with Dr.Dutton and Russell (Joe Anderson) Dutton's Deputy join the Sheriff and his wife on a mission to escape this doomed town.
Will they make it and are they infected?  It's exciting to see if they handle everything they're up against. What's chilling about the movie is the residents of this picture perfect town had no clue the government was working on a top secret project in their area. It makes you wonder if something like this could happen in the real world? "The Crazies" does its job. It's frightening! The violent scenes are very graphic, but if you're a fan of this genre of horror film you'll love it!

(R) Director Breck Eisner

Rating: ***3 Stars

"SHUTTER ISLAND" **3 STARS**

"Shutter Island" Director Martin Scorsese's psychological thriller is more confusing than anything else and maybe that's a good thing because you really can't figure out what's going on until just before the movie ends.  "Shutter Island" which is set in 1952 is the story of U.S. Marshal  Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) who travels with his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) to a Massachusetts island to investigate a patient's disappearance from a hospital for the criminally insane.  Ben Kingsley is the Chief Physician who reluctantly assists the two U.S. Marshals in their investigation. The hospital staff, the chief physician and the armed police who guard the facility all seem to be withholding information from the federal officers. 
To add insult to injury the two Marshals have to deal with a hurricane and a deadly inmate riot which leaves them stranded on the island. Now you might think this is too much information but trust me you'll need all the help you can get trying to figure out what's going on. The brief synopsis I've given you doesn't begin to even scratch the surface of what this film is about. I refuse to spoil it for the fans who love solving mysteries but the way the story line plays out the hospital's medical administrators appear to be as crazy as the criminally insane patients they're treating. There were some cruel and inhumane experimental psychological treatments in the 1950's that were used to contain mentally disturbed patients. You will see some of that, plus disturbing violence and some nudity, which adds to the confusion. Leonardo DiCaprio as U.S. Marshal Daniels is nervous and preoccupied throughout the film but you get the feeling that he's about to make a huge discovery that administrators don't want him to reveal.  Ben Kingsley as Dr. Cawley is calm, comforting and calculating which makes him a bit creepy and sinister. Mark Ruffalo as U.S. Marshal Aule appears to be the only level headed character. He's an outsider who was just added to the case but you believe he's willing to support his partner in getting to the bottom of what's going on. There are several unexpected twists in the plot that will surprise you. The ending was disspointing because Scorcese takes you on this confusing, crazy trip only to find out that what's really going on is something totally different. I gave this move 3 stars because of the amazing web of mystery the Director, weaved making you believe it's one story when it's really a more disturbing one. It's worth checking out just to see if you can figure out what's going on? I guarantee you won't.
(R)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Rating:  **3 Stars*
Runtime:  2hr. 18min

"VALENTINES' DAY" **3.5 Stars**

"Valentine's Day " is refreshing, funny, and upbeat for the most part. It's a great date movie that both men and women can relate to. It wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be and had a few shocking surprises about who's in love with who and who's falling out of love. It's a pivotal day in the lives of several Los angeles couples who learn some truths and find out where they really stand with their significant other. Director Gary Marshall has a large star-studded cast and tells an unpredictable story of how these characters are connected which leaves you wondering what's going to happen next?
Ashton Kutcher is great as a flower shop owner who's overjoyed after proposing to the girl of his dreams Jessica Alba who says yes but doesn't seem excited about the idea. Kutcher is also Jennifer Garners' best friend and he has the tough job of telling her the man of her dreams Patrick Dempsey is married. Garner and Kutcher have meatier roles than the rest of the cast but there are a few story lines that don't fully evolve like Queen Latifah's character. She's a high powered Sports agent that is obviously meant to only provide a little comic relief because she has no love interest. Jaime Fox is a sportscaster who's fed up with the cost of Valentine's Day like his counterpart Publicist Jennifer Biel who's neurotic about the fact that she's a workaholic who never has a date on Valentine's Day.
Fox is funny but there's no real chemistry between the two.
Taylor Swift plays a kooky high school cheerleader who's in love with the idea of love but she expresses it often and publicly with her boyfriend high school football player Taylor Lautner. They're cute but forgettable.
Julia Roberts' love story adds a nice touch showing the lengths a woman will go to for someone she loves. Gary Marshall manages to weave these stories together beautifully with humor, a touch of drama and heart. It's a real feel good movie that's fun to watch.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

"PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS" 4.5 Stars

Young boys have enough to contend with dealing with the daily pressures of life but imagine learning that your father is a Greek God and you have to take on monsters and demons like Medusa (Uma Thurmond) and Hades to keep the Gods from destroying the world!
That's the story in a nutshell of"Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" based on the popular fantasy book series form Rick Riordan. It sounds far fetched but this film is exciting to watch, the special effects are killer and this young cast pulls it off. The movie is set in modern day America and the Greek Gods are alive and well but upset because Zeus's lightning bolt has been stolen and they believe Percy's(Lerman Logan) is the thief. Percy discovers that his father is the Greek God Poseidon, which makes him a demi-God, half Human- half -God.
He has 10 days to master powers he never knew he had, get the lightning bolt back and save his mother from the depths of hell.
That's a tall order but with the help of two young demi-God's, his best friend and protector Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) who's a Satyr (half-goat) and Warrior Annabeth who's searching for her mother the Goddess Athena, Percy sets on a transcontinental journey to save the world from the wrath of the Gods.
Critics have said this is no "Harry Potter" but it surpasses that film in the sense that America's youth will be able to relate to Percy. He's just a regular kid experiencing some of lifes' growing pains, who's thrust into an impossible situation, which he tries to handle to the best of his ability. The storyline is a bit mature and the special effects are intense and somewhat frightening for small children. But it's a fascinating story that leaves you wondering what the sequel will be like?

Rating: 4.5 Stars

"THE WOLFMAN" *3.5 Stars**

Universal's remake of it's classic horror film"The Wolfman" is impressive thanks to the special effects of Horror makeup artist Rick Baker. It's worth watching for the special effects alone but this is not a film for the squeemish. The cinematography is beautiful dark brooding classy shots of victorian-era England but it soon becomes ugly because of it's extremely violent, gory, bloody scenes. True horror fans will be able to handle it but the story line is a bit complex.
Benedicio Del Toro plays Lawrence Talbot an American who comes back to his ancestral home to get to the bottom of his brother's death at the hands of a beast that's been terrorizing the locals. But he gets more than he bargained for thanks to his estranged Father Sir John Talbot(Anthony Hopkins) who is hiding secrets that ultimately lead to the fate of his son being bitten by the Werewolf.
Del Toro's transformation scenes are the best, frighteningly realistic.
There's no question that there's a werewolf in town due to the trail of body parts and heads that are left behind. As the story unfolds you see the horrific legacy Sir John Talbot(Hopkins) has inflicted upon his family and it's difficult to watch but this is a horror film and it does its job. The real stars of this movie are the wolfman's transformations and the violent scenes, that trumps any kind of story line because the characters don't get a chance to bond and develop. I wouldn't recommend this for children but true Horror Movie Fans will love it.

Rating: 3.5

"FROM PARIS WITH LOVE" **4.5 Stars**

John Travolta has re-invented himself once again. He's taken his bad boy image to a new level in his new movie "From Paris with Love". Just call him Billy Beat Down because he's kicking butt and taking names. Travolta is still the charismatic, cool good looking guy we know and love from all his films but his new bald look gives him a serious edge. Travolta is CIA special agent Charlie Wax who's comes to Paris France to stop a terrorist attack. His new partner is a low-level CIA operative James Reese( Jonathan Rhys Meyers) who's getting a shot at his first senior level assignment. Reese who's also a personal aide to the U.S. Ambassador in France believes this is his chance to prove he can be a CIA operative full-time until he meets Wax (Travolta). The two are like night and day. Reese is the brains and Wax is the braun but he gives his new inexperienced partner a crash course in the real world of espionage when he takes him on a shooting spree through the Parisian crimeworld. The tables turn when Wax discovers, unbeknownst to his partner, that Reese is actually a target of the criminals their trying to bust so his mission is to keep him alive and stopped the terrorist attack. Travolta is fearless in some action packed fight scenes where he actually peformed all the stunts. The film on the surface might seem predictable but you really don't seen the violent scenes coming.
Your on a roller coaster ride throughout the film wondering what's going to happen next. The film reminds me of Denzel Washington's "Training Day" but there are so many twist and turns and so the violence and mayhem is so amped up...that you're amazed at what you're seeing. "From Paris with Love" is everything you're expecting and more!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

"DEAR JOHN" **4 Stars**

You will cherish the love you have after seeing the powerful movie "Dear John" which tells the story of John Tyree(Tatum Channing) a young soldier home on leave and Savannah Curtis(Amanda Seyfried) a beautiful young college student he falls for during spring vacation. The two make promises to build a life together but are separated by Tyree's deployments which become even more dangerous. They remain connected by a continuous stream of love letters which leads eventually to some painful decisions and sacrifices which proves to be the ultimate test to the couples relationship. This is not the classic "Dear John" situation where the one who's left at home falls in love with someone else and moves on. The young soldier makes a heroic choice which changes the course of their lives.
Henry Thomas ("E T") is almost unrecognizable since he's all grown up. He's the longtime family friend and neighbor of Savanna. His character is a single father raising an autistic son who's in denial about his wife's leaving him.
"Dear John" is a story about unselfish love and the sacrifices lovers are often forced to make.
Seyfried is passionate and refreshing as a young college student who's found what could be the love of her life. Channing shows depth and maturity as a young man who's had anger management issues but found stability and direction through serving his country. You will be amazed at the sacrifices this young couple makes but you'll be inspired by the depth of their love for each other..."Dear John" touches your heart!

Rating: (4 Stars)

"AVATAR" ***5 Stars** (Dir. James Cameron)

"Avatar" is a movie that's in a class by itself.
There is no other film that comes close.
"Avatar" is more than a movie it's an experience which is best seen in 3-D.
Director James Cameron takes you on a magical journey to a beautiful new world in the future called Pandora. He spent 4 years and millions of dollars making this making this film. The finished product was well worth the wait. "Avatar" is beautiful to watch and the story line is classic but told in the most amazing way. We are introduced to the fascinating world of Padora and it's Na-vi people, who aare connected to their environment in a way that makes them powerful,magical healers. As these stories go, The Na-vi people are on the fast track to being driven from their beloved home by greedy Corporate Businessmen who have the military armed and ready to wipe them out so that the riches of their land can be stolen. What makes this film so interesting to watch is that every nuance of the performances of the cast which includes Sam Worthington (Jake Scully), Zoe Saldana(Neytiri), and Sigourney Weaver(Dr. Grace Augustine) have been captured and infused into these digital blue Blue Alien characters like some sort of high tech costume. It enables us to see the essence of who they are as actors in their Avatar form. This takes film making to another level. What's even more astonishing is that Human Scientists have found a way to transfer their minds into an Avatar clone of the Na'-vi people so they can experience what it's like and live in secret amongst this humanoid race.
Strong performances from Sam Worthington who plays a paraplegic war veteran who takes his dead brothers place on a mission to infiltrate the Navi people to learn their secrets in exchange for surgery that will repair his legs.
There's a powerful chemistry between Worthington and actress Zoe Saldana(Neytiri) which challenges his beliefs and forces him to have doubts about his mission.
Sigourney Weaver as the lead Scientist also becomes an Avatar but she's torn between two worlds trying to protect and preserve the Na-vi's, She is fearless!
Go see "Avatar" for one reason alone, there is no other film like it!
"Avatar" has changed the way movies will be made forever!

Rating : 5 Stars

"SHERLOCK HOLMES " *** 3.5 Stars

Robert Downey Jr. gives you his classic, witty, tongue in cheek, fearless, comedic performance his fans love. It's was brilliant for Director Guy Ritchie to allow Downey to play Detective Holmes with a more contemporary feel and flavor in this 19th century setting because it makes audiences connect with the genius that is Robert Downey Jr. He never fails to deliver and brings a fresh approach to a story that's been done many times.
The special effects and innovative methods Downey uses to enhance his investigative process makes it exciting and interesting to watch.
Jude Law as Dr. Watson brings a certain vulnerability to his role but a sense of stability that balances out Downey's often reckless behavior which consitently puts Law's character in some dangerous situations.
Rachel McAdams is no damsel in distress as Irene Adler. She's the female counterpart of Holmes, holding her own as a sassy, sexy daredevil with a criminal past who has a thing for the Detective.
"Sherlock Holmes" is action packed from start to finish and keeps you guessing from start to finish, wondering what's going to happen next! That's saying a lot for a period piece!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

"The BLIND SIDE" **4 STARS**

Actress Sandra Bullock's scene stealing performance thoughout the movie "The Blind Side"is the reason this film is unforgettable. Bullock plays a completely different character than we've seen before. She's Leigh Anne Touhy a beautiful, charming but tough woman from a well to do family that takes in a big burly under-educated, homeless African American teenager. "The Blind Side " is a based on the true story of Michael Oher who thanks to his adoptive family (The Touhy's) becomes and All American Football Player and first round NFL draft pick. You get an unexpected gift with Bullock's performance in this movie. You expect to see the downtrodden life of Oher and his struggles to fit in but the story is a gift about a woman who steps outside of her comfort zone, opens her heart and makes a difference in the life of a young black teenager who's mother has abandoned him. Quenton Aaron as Michael Oher gives a touching and humble performance, that breaks your heart> He's like a gentle giant, who's found his way home from a world that would most certainly find him eventually in jail or dead. Sandra Bullock's character is definitely the driving force behind this film, but the amazing story of what the Touhy family did for Michael Oher is an experience you won't forget.

Rating: "The Blind Side" 4 STARS!

"PRECIOUS" **5 Stars***

The soul stirring film "Precious" from Director Lee Daniels will shock you, leave you in tears and unexpectedly makes you laugh at times. Life is extremely hard for Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) an illiterate, overweight, harlem teenager who's severly abused by her mother and father and pregnant with her second child. Despite her cruel environment Precious hopes going to an alternative school will help her build a new life for her children. The intense scenes of abuse between Mo'Nique's character Mary (her mother) and Precious are like nothing I've ever seen on film before. You are stunned and riveted because it's so evil, cruel and so real. Director,Lee Daniels successfully takes the edge off the films' darkness, with dream sequences and some of the more humerous moments. Despite the drama "Precious" is inspiring! Mo'Nique and Gabourey Sidibe give unforgettable Oscar worthy performances.
Mo'Nique has the breakout performance in the film, playing Mary, the brutally abusive mother of Precious, with such raw authencity, pain and vulnerability, that her performance is jaw dropping.
Gabourey Sidbe's debut performance is amazing for someone who's never been in a movie or had any formal training.
It's definitely a must see film! Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Sherry Shepherd round out the cast.
You will walk away from this movie with a deep appreciation for your own life and a new respect for just how hard life can be for others who are less fortunate.

Rating: "Precious" 5 STARS.