By Jason Rugaard | Thursday, August 5th, 2010
2 Stars
The Third film in the ‘Step Up’ series has the distinction of being the first 3D musical. That’s about the only distinguished thing in the entire film. Second rate actor and first rate dancer Adam G. Sevani plays Moose, an NYU freshman who’s promised his parents he’d ditch the dancing to hit the books. That is until he is recruited into the ‘Pirates’ a group of dancers who apparently spend a lot of time spinning and flipping around enclosed spaces. All of this leads to complications between Moose and his longtime sweetheart Camille. It’s a good – Continue reading…
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010) – Review
By Jason Rugaard | Friday, July 16th, 2010
3 Stars
The latest collaboration from Mega Producer Jerry Bruckheimer , star Nicolas Cage and ‘National Treasure‘ director Jon Turteltaub is a surprisingly fun and breezy ride complete with some of the most magnificent GCI effects of the summer season. Very loosely based on a sequence from Disney’s much beloved ‘Fantasia’ cartoon, this live action-adventure cast Jay Baruchel in the ‘Mickey Mouse’ role. His off-center looks and mousey physique add to his appeal in the role of Dave, a physics major chosen to be ”the prime Merlinian” — an apprentice to Balthazar (Nicolas Cage). A former protégé of – Continue reading…
The Last Airbender (2010) – Review
By Trevor Anderson | Saturday, July 3rd, 2010
1 Star
One of the years worst flicks, ‘The Last Airbender’ has great special effects, but is sorely lacking in every other department. M. Night Shymalan has slowly been digressing as a filmmaker and with this film he’s hit rock bottom. The 3d isn’t great, the acting is worse and the dialogue is of no help. This could have been a decent action flick, but even the action sequences are staged poorly. There really isn’t much more to say, so we’ll keep this review short. If you’re a parent of a child who really loves the cartoons then it may – Continue reading…
By Trevor Anderson | Thursday, June 17th, 2010
3 1/2 Stars
With so much to live up to after ‘Toy Story’ and ‘Toy Story 2′, Pixar has once again delivered a great film. Fifteen years after the original, and first feature length 3d animated movie, ‘Toy Story 3′ brings back the original characters and charm without missing a beat. The biggest difference between the three films is how much the technology has advanced, and this third installment dazzles its audience with some of the most beautiful and cinematic moments ever seen in a CG film.
Once again Andy’s toys find themselves in a strange and unusual place. This time – Continue reading…
The Karate Kid (2010) – Review
By Trevor Anderson | Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
3 Stars
At first the ‘Karate Kid’ seems nothing more than a polished version of its original. Beat for beat it follows the same formulaic storyline that made the first a great kids film. But movies from the 80’s have originality in their defects. It was a time when Hollywood was dreaming bigger than the special effects and the filmmaking process itself could deliver. In today’s Hollywood anything is possible – and it always looks crisp and somewhat soulless. Fortunately Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan make the ‘Karate Kid’ work.
Somewhat longer (140 mins) and darker, this ‘Karate Kid’ finds our – Continue reading…
Shrek Forever After (2010) – Review
By Trevor Anderson | Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
2 Stars
Being a fan of the first Shrek it’s disheartening to see the quality of writing diminish with each installment. The last in the series being the worst of the bunch. There is nothing left to tell in the Shrek universe, money is the only reason this franchise exists.
Shrek Forever After tries desperately to recreate what made the original so good. Unfortunately all we end up with are flat jokes and boring musical numbers. A decent film for young kids, but there is little in here for the adults. If not for the huge success of the 2nd Shrek – Continue reading…
Furry Vengeance (2010) – Review
By Jason Rugaard | Thursday, April 29th, 2010
1 Star
It’s hard to imagine anyone over the age of 9 that will be able to sit through this dud, another in a long line of Brendan Frasier family film mis-fires. This is easily the actors worst film since 1999’s ‘Dudley Do-Right’. Like that picture ‘Furry Vengeance’ is also a laugh-less affair with a hypocritical message for the green tween set to boot. Frasier (deserving better) plays a developer overseeing a construction site when he runs into a wildlife area inhabited by the cruelest animals in existence. The film then turns into a protracted series of scenes in – Continue reading…
How To Train Your Dragon (2010) – Review
By Trevor Anderson | Monday, March 29th, 2010
3 Stars
In classic animated story form, this is another movie that tells the tale of how a young kid can rise up and save the day. The main character, Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), embodies everything that makes a whimpy nerd, well a whimpy nerd. The adults are so set in their ways when it comes to handling dragons. None of them have stopped to see if there is another way of dealing with them. Along comes Hiccup with an alternative point of view that only a kid could possess. And by doing so shows the adults how kindness – Continue reading…
Alice In Wonderland (2010) – Review
By Jason Rugaard | Friday, March 12th, 2010
2 1/2 Stars
Tim Burton and Johnny Deep team for the seventh time in the strange re-imaging of the Lewis Carroll classic. This version has a teenage Alice not quite ready for an arranged marriage, escaping to the magically frightening world of Underland. The film and Burton excel in these opening moments, creating a visually stunning and exquisitely detailed environment aided by a well chosen color palette. The 3-d deepens the frame instead of being in- your-face distracting. As the narrative moves along (laboriously), these Burton-esque moments become too much of a good thing. The film gets a shot of – Continue reading…
By Trevor Anderson | Thursday, March 4th, 2010
3 1/2 Stars
From the teary beginning through to the action packed ending, Up gives audiences a reason to still love animated films. Firstly the movie is beautifully rendered and stunning to look at. Secondly the script, direction and acting are top notch. Parents and kids alike will enjoy the rich story of an old man (Ed Asner is perfect for the role), trying to get away from it all – to the point where he literally attaches hundreds of balloons to his house and floats away into the adventure of a lifetime. His sidekick, a young boyscout, stows away – Continue reading…
Race To Witch Mountain (2009) – Review
By Jason Rugaard | Monday, February 22nd, 2010
1 1/2 Stars
Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson’s second film in a row under the Disney banner is an uninvolving bore. Admittedly I’m not the target audience for the picture. However I have been a fan of Johnson’s films, including his first foray into family friendly territory 2007’s ‘The Game Plan’. Unlike that film Johnson isn’t given a chance here to display his first rate comic timing, multiple appearances on ‘SNL’ have proven this guy is a clown in a gladiator’s body. The plot centers on a Las Vegas cabbie (Johnson) compelled to protect two aliens, in the form of children, – Continue reading…
Rajan: i am sure a certain harrison ford will equal that record. Stallone becomes 1st Movie Star to Headline #1 Openings in last 5 Decades – News