Good
Luck Chuck
- A Film by Mark Helfrich (Rush Hour 3, X-Men: The Last Stand)
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Click
here for the trailer
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Charlie
Logan (Dane Cook) has had girlfriends come and go
but he's never felt strongly enough about any of
them to tell them he loves them. When it suddenly
dawns on him that all of his ex-girlfriends married
the next guy they dated, he realizes that he has
a gift. He is Good Luck Chuck. Overnight, women start
stopping by his dental office, hoping to bed Chuck
so they can move on to the next guy and find true
love. At the insistence of his best friend, Stu (Dan
Fogler), Chuck takes advantage of the situation and
sleeps with as many of these women as possible. Unfortunately,
along the way he meets the women of his dreams, Cam
(Jessica Alba), who takes care of the penguins at
a local aquarium and is extremely clumsy. Fearing
that Cam will fall in love with someone else after
he sleeps with her, Chuck tries to avoid doing the
act and then, once it happens, tries everything to
win Cam's heart.
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Good
Luck Chuck was a let-down for this reviewer. Dane Cook has
been receiving a lot of attention lately (including being the
on-air promoter for Major League Baseball's playoffs) but really
did not live up to the hype in this film. Jessica Alba actually
generated more amusement with her clutzy penguin loving Cam.
Adding to the comedic timing is Fogler as Stu, the completely
breast obsessed plastic surgeon. Sophomoric to the extreme
at times, Good Luck Chuck just isn't that funny. Additionally,
the previews that we saw over the past few months were misleading
as to what the plot of this film is. Perhaps the studio realized
that the best parts of the film surrounded Alba and Fogler
and focused less on Cook's character. Of course, for all those
testosterone driven males out there, the film includes plenty
of nudity, especially with Chuck bedding every female in town
and Stu being a plastic surgeon. Good Luck Chuck is definitely
a rental. And, for the testosterone driven males out there,
then you can pause the video or DVD. Think about it. Just don't
expect a lot of belly laughs during this one.
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3:10
to Yuma
A Film by James Mangold (Walk the Line)
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Click
here for the trailer
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Set
in Arizona in the late 1800s, 3:10 to Yuma is a
modern version of the classic western of the same
name. Outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) and his infamous
band of thieves and murderers is wreaking havoc
for the advancing Southern Railroad, stealing their
payroll and putting up roadblocks at every turn.
When Wade is captured in Bisbee, Civil War veteran
turned rancher, Dan Evans (Christian Bale), volunteers
to assist in transporting Wade from Bisbee to a
neighboring town where he will be placed on the
3:10 train to the prison in Yuma. There, he is
to be hanged the following morning. As they cross
the drought stricken terrain, Wade and Evans come
to earn the respect of the other, all while being
chased by Wade's band of marauders, Native Americans
and Evan's son, who has never respected his father.
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As
other critics have pointed out, 3:10 to Yuma is probably
the best western since Unforgiven and follows on the heels
of another recent modern western, Open Range, in being true
to the genre but with a level of action that will keep the
interest of today's movie-going audience. The pairing of
Crowe and Bale is at the heart of the story and drives the
film from start to finish. The remaining cast filters in
and out of the action as needed, providing the perfect ensemble
around our two stars. The gritty Peter Fonda is effective
as the grizzly Pinkerton guard, Ben Foster plays the psychotic
Charlie Prince to great effect, and Logan Lerman brings Evans'
teenage son William to life. As with most westerns, tons
of gunfire leave the audience in doubt as to who will live
and die, right up to the final scene. And, as with the most
successful movies of the genre, 3:10 to Yuma does not disappoint
as the action comes to a fitting and profound end when the
train whistle blows and the 3:10 train to Yuma lurches forward
down the tracks.
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The
Bourne Ultimatum
- A Film by Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Supremacy)

Click
here for the trailer
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Matt
Damon returns for the third time as trained assassin
Jason Bourne in The Bourne Ultimatum. Still hunted
by those who orchestrated his training and still
haunted by the death of his beloved Marie, Bourne
continues his search for the secrets of his past.
He travels all over the world during his quest
and encounters some familiar faces including Nicky
(Julia Stiles) and Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) along
with some new ones. David Strathairn joins this
installment as CIA division head Noah Vosen and
Scott Glenn plays CIA Chief Ezra Kramer. As Bourne
tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together,
he discovers a more tangled web of deceptions and
half truths than even he imagined. Car chases and
foot races take Bourne and those tracking him to
such exotic locales as Morocco, Spain, Italy, England
and the United States.
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The
Bourne Ultimatum picks up where The Bourne Supremacy left
off, sort of. The action in this installment is as energetic
and frenetic as that of the first two, if not slightly higher
in its octane level. The camera moves fast and Damon once
again seems to actually be in the thick of things as he beats
the living you-know-what of the other agents and smashes
just about every vehicle into which he steps foot. Joan Allen
reprises her role of Pamela Landy with the same amount of
compassion as before and still shines as a determined and
focused intelligence operative. The additions to this cast,
obviously, cannot be overlooked. It says a great deal about
a film (from script to director to lead actors) when actors
the caliber of Strathairn, Glenn and Albert Finney (as the
doctor who psychologically broke Bourne in the first place)
agree to be part of the cast. While the back story, the acting
and the action are sound, this movie is driven a little too
much by the fight scenes and car chases, a couple of which
seem to be longer than necessary. The search for his past
also seems a bit tired and a retread of the previous two
films but it is that search that is at the heart of the novels
written by Robert Ludlum. This is well worth the ticket price
and those car chases need to be seen on the big screen. Just
promise us that, if you wait to see it until you can only
view it on the small screen, you at least get the Widescreen
version so you can see ALL the action.
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The
Simpsons Movie
- A Film by David Silverman (Monsters, Inc.)

Click
here for the trailer
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The
Simpsons clan comes to the big screen after 18
years on the small screen and numerous awards and
honors. And, good thing too because this story
is too big (and Homer is too large) to be contained.
Springfield is in jeopardy after it becomes apparent
that Lake Springfield has become a cesspool of
pollution. As Lisa Simpson (voiced by Yeardley
Smith) tries to convince the town to clean up its
act, Homer (Dan Castellaneta) comes through as
always and ignores the warning, thereby bringing
the EPA down on Springfield like an iron hammer,
or glass dome, as it were. With Marge (Julie Kavner),
Bart (Nancy Cartwright), Lisa and baby Maggie in
tow, Homer leads the family out of Springfield
to escape the horde of citizens bent on killing
them for his ignorance. After relocating to Alaska,
it becomes apparent that the family must return
to Springfield and save their family and friends
before it's too late.
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The
Simpsons have been named the best television show of the
twentieth century but it took 18 years to get them to the
big screen and it was worth the wait. The Simpsons Movie
is hilarious, not losing a step from its small screen version.
The humor is biting and often times off center. The first
thirty minutes will have you rolling in the aisles, if you
have any affinity for this dysfunctional family. And, the
big screen allows the creative team behind the series to
let their hair down, so to speak, and take some risks with
language and, yes, even animated nudity. The story is true
to The Simpsons credo with Homer as the central figure in
a disastrous situation. After the first thirty minutes, there
are some slow moments but a slow moment in The Simpsons Movie
is like a speedy moment in most other comedies. Of course,
any review of this movie would be remiss without mentioning
SpiderPig. There, it was mentioned. Take our word for it,
you'll be talking about SpiderPig (or laughing about it)
for days to come.
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Harry
Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
A Film by David Yates (Feature Film Directorial Debut)

Click
here for the trailer
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Harry
(Daniel Radcliffe) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon)
are accused of being liars as they attempt to convince
everyone in the wizarding world that Lord Voldemort
(Ralph Fiennes) has returned. The Minister for
Magic, Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy), prefers
to hide from the truth, too afraid of the implications
of Voldemort's return to face it. To bring order
back to Hogwarts and put Dumbledore in his place,
he appoints Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton)
as High Inquisitor and she quickly begins to seize
power at the school. Fearing that help is going
to be difficult to come by from the establishment,
Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint), Hermoine (Emma Watson)
and the other students at Hogwarts band together
along with their teachers, fellow wizards and witches
to resurrect the Order of the Phoenix to prepare
for a showdown with Voldemort and the army he has
begun to build.
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In
the fifth film in the series, Harry Potter has grown up and
Daniel Radcliffe has grown up with him. The Order of the
Phoenix is not as light-hearted and upbeat as the first film
and more closely resembles the much darker third film, Harry
Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Still, there is plenty
of humor and some bright moments when Harry is interacting
with his two closest friends and the other students. With
the maturing of Harry, Ron and Hermoine, the atmosphere and
mood has necessarily shifted. They are approaching adulthood
and dealing with different issues than they were in their
first year. This is also driven by the fact that the film
makers no longer need to establish these characters. They
can now focus more on the story and the action, of which
there is quite a bit in this outing. Unfortunately, that
means that some characters (and the quality actors portraying
them) get little opportunity to really have a strong screen
presence. Of course, as with the other Harry Potter movies,
the film cannot fully live up to the book upon which it is
based. The time constraints of a major motion picture force
the storytellers to shorten important sequences, leave out
what could be important information and not include some
of the visuals that may not be able to be replicated on screen.
According to those in our group who had read the book awhile
back, the film is pretty faithful to the overall story and
they were forgiving of the omissions. Radcliffe, Grint and
Watson are definitely growing up and word that Radcliffe
has signed on for the final two films gives us all hope that
the remaining two installments will bring this series full
circle and give us a fitting climax. We at 365 cannot wait
for the seventh and final book to be released later this
month. It will certainly be tough not to skip to the end
to see how our time with Harry will come to a close.
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Ratatouille -
A Film by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant)

Click
here for the trailer
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Remy
(voiced by Patton Oswalt) is a simple country rat
who aspires to be a chef in the world famous Paris
bistro of recently deceased Gusteau (voiced by
Brad Garrett). Upon arriving at the bistro, Remy
quickly discovers and befriends the hapless Linguini
(voiced by Lou Romano), a young man who is all
thumbs in the kitchen. Remy becomes the puppet
master, serving as Linguini's brain as he attempts
to cook and impress the beautiful Colette (Janeane
Garofalo) and prove to the new head chef (voiced
by Ian Holm). Through a bizarre twist of fate,
Linguini takes over as head chef and is put to
the test when the imfamous food critic, Anton Ego
(voiced by Peter O'Toole) decides to drop by for
dinner.
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Ratatouille
is a delightful outing from the creative geniuses at Pixar
Animation Studios. Despite their acquisition by Disney, Pixar
has not lost any of its steam as Ratatouille combines spectacular
animation with clever dialogue and witty humor that appeals
to kids and parents alike, much like the vast majority of
their other offerings to date. Thankfully, the Pixar miscues
have been few since they burst on the scene several years
ago and this story of a rat who wants to be a chef keeps
that steam rolling. Participation from the likes of Peter
O'Toole, Ian Holm, Brian Dennehy (as Django), Brad Garrett
and Janeane Garofalo show the appeal of working with this
studio and their voices lend a certain pinach to the entire
movie, especially O'Toole as the pompous food critic. And,
once more, the payoff in a Pixar film makes the ride all
the more worthwhile. Ratatouille is definitely worth the
price of admission and really only suffers from a few slow
moments. Probably the biggest plus is that we do not recall
one moment in the film where we were unnecessarily subjected
to the ubiquitous musical interlude. If that were not enough,
the theater is air conditioned, the popcorn is freshly popped
and the beverages are ice cold. What more can you ask for
on a Sunday night.
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Transformers
A Film by Michael Bay (Armageddon, The Rock, Bad Boys)

Click
here for the trailer
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Sam
Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is your average teenager.
He desperately wants to own his own car and date
the hottest girl in school. He gets his first wish
when he and his father purchase a classic, if not
somewhat dilapidated, Chevy Camaro. As luck would
have it, an opportunity presents itself and the
hottest girl in school, Mikaela (Megan Fox), suddenly
needs a lift. But Sam's car is more than a car,
which he discovers when it transforms into an alien
robot known as BumbleBee. Sam learns that BumbleBee
is part of a race of aliens known as Autobots.
The Autobots, lead by Optimus Prime, are in a centuries-old
battle with another group of alien robots known
as the Decepticons, lead by Megatron. The battle
between the Autobots and Decepticons has come to
Earth as both are searching for a mysterious Cube,
whose powers would allow the robots to rebuild
their home planet, or convert Earth into their
new home, destroying all humans in the process.
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Transformers
is a pure joy ride from start to finish. Michael Bay leaves
nothing in his bag of tricks as he creates believable robots
that transform from cars, semis, planes, helicopters, you
name it. He even uses colors other than orange and blue this
time around. The action dominates the film and at times seems
like it will never cease. The only negative is that the action
is so intense sometimes that it's hard for the audience to
keep up. But this film is a crowd pleaser. One only needs
to sit in a packed theater and here the crowd react with
laughter at the humor and gasps at the action to know that
Bay has succeeded in drawing the audience in and giving them
exactly what they want. Transformers will undoubtedly be
one of the most successful films of the year and it deserves
to be. It is the quintessential summer, popcorn movie. Just
be sure to stay for the first few minutes of the credits
so you can catch a few snip-its that provide you with a last
laugh and a little something more. Transformers is the most
entertaining movie of the summer…so far...
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Live
Free or Die Hard - A Film by Len Wiseman
(Underworld, Underworld II: Evolution)

Click
here for the trailer
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Detective
John McClane (Bruce Willis) is at it again. It's
been 12 years since he last wrestled with really
bad guys in Die Hard with a Vengeance and when
he's not doing detective work, he's spying on his
teenage daughter Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).
On a routine Fourth of July holiday, McClane gets
the call to head to New Jersey to pick up a known
computer hacker, Matt Farrell (Justin Long), and
escort him to FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC.
What seems like an easy assignment quickly turns
into another extreme holiday for him as terrorists
lead by Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant) begin
a calculated attack on the nation through the use
of technology, affecting everything from traffic
control to utilities to national defense. Detective
McClane and Farrell become the country's best hope
to stop the terrorists and return everything to
normal.
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The
fourth in the Die Hard series that launched Willis into superstardom
and spawned the global box office champion of 1995 (Die Hard
with a Vengeance), Live Free or Die Hard has all the same
elements as the previous three films: gritty Detective McClane,
some really nasty bad guys, lots of explosions, lots of guns
and plenty of humor. Much like its predecessors, Live Free
or Die Hard is a roller coaster thrill ride as cars, helicopters,
semis, roads, planes and buildings are laid waste all in
the name of stopping the aforementioned bad guys. Of course,
the thing that initially set Die Hard apart from other films
in the same genre and continues in Live Free or Die Hard
is the personality and humor that Willis brings to the role
of Detective McClane. Many have copied or tried to copy the
formula of the Die Hard films but few have succeeded. Thankfully,
Live Free or Die Hard does. McClane is older and slower but
his determination and stubbornness has not subsided. Long
is excellent as the geeky computer hacker and adds plays
off Willis well. The action is often intense and the film
is quite enjoyable. Live Free or Die Hard is a good follow-up
to the other three films.
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Evan
Almighty - A Film by Tom Shadyac
(Ace Venture: Pet Detective, The Nutty Professor, Liar, Liar)

Click
here for the trailer
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Bruce
Almighty is a thing of the past and polished television
news anchor Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) has just
been elected to the United States Congress. Upon
arriving in Washington with wife Joan (Lauren Graham)
and their three sons, Evan is immediately enlisted
by the powerful Congressman Long (John Goodman)
to co-sponsor a piece of legislation that would
allow development along the outer fringes of our
national parks. His excitement soon turns
to confusion and a visit from God (Morgan Freeman.) In
his posh suburban community, Evan is instructed
to construct an ark. Lumber and animals begin
arriving at his home and the animals even follow
him to work. The Lord works in mysterious
ways and convinces Evan to take on this mighty
duty after causing his facial hair to grow uncontrollably,
among other things. Once he's convinced to
build the ark, he must enlist the aid of his family
to complete the ark in time for the flood scheduled
for September 22.
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A
sequel that pales in comparison to the original, Evan Almighty
has a few good laughs to it but generally misses the comedic
mark. Carell is obviously a comedian with a future
but Evan Almighty is not likely to advance his career a great
deal, no matter how much money it makes, and it will make
some good money as it is a family friendly film with tons
(or at least pairs) of animals. The special effects
in Evan Almighty led to it being the most expensive comedy
ever produced but the money could have been better spent. You
can tell when watching the film where the money went since
it is obvious that all of those animals were not really there
and the flood (including the ark floating through it) were
mostly digital. There would be no other way to do it
and you'll understand why when you see that scene. While
Carell has showed that he can carry a major motion picture
(see The 40 Year Old Virgin for proof), his comedic talents
are not enough to carry Evan Almighty in the way that Jim
Carrey carried Bruce Almighty.
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Fantastic
4: Rise of the Silver Surfer: A
Film by Tim Story (Barbershop, Fantastic 4)

Click
here for the trailer
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Reed,
Susan, Johnny and Ben (Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba,
Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis respectively) are
still saving the world as the Fantastic 4 in this
follow-up to the highly successful original Fantastic
4 film. As Reed and Susan attempt to plan
their wedding, the world is embroiled in a mysterious
series of unexplained events. They soon discover
that an intergalactic traveler (Doug Jones as voiced
by Laurence Fishburne) has arrived on Earth in
preparation for its destruction. Based on
his appearance and the elongated disk he flies
on, the alien is named The Silver Surfer. Reed
struggles with his commitment to Susan when he
is asked by the military to help them track down
the alien and figure out a way to stop him. Eventually,
the Fantastic 4 is forced to partner with their
arch nemesis, Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon), who has
somehow been revived through a close encounter
with The Silver Surfer. Will Reed and Susan
ever walk down the aisle and can the Fantastic
4 stop The Silver Surfer before it's too late.
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Yet
another comic book film hits the big screen in Fantastic
4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the first sequel to the successful
first adaptation of the Marvel comic started by Stan Lee. Our
four heroes are once again portrayed by the same four actors,
all of which pick up where they left off last time. Chiklis
is by far the best placed character actor in the series. Alba
and Evans have the looks, obviously, but they are not the
greatest actors in the world. And, for some reason,
Gruffudd and McMahon are just there. Hearing Fishburne's
voice coming out of a shiny silver guy seemed a bit out of
place at first but somehow worked throughout the film. Some
great special effects, some nifty gadgets (with amazing product
placement which someone paid through the nose for, we're
sure) and the interactions between The Thing and the Human
Torch, though, cannot elevate Fantastic 4: The Rise of the
Silver Surfer above the rating we are giving it. It
was enjoyable but not a "must see". It is
worth seeing on the big screen but we cannot recommend rushing
to the theater, much like we didn't rush to write this review.
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Ocean's
Thirteen
A Film by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's 11, Ocean's 12, Erin Brockovich,
Traffic)

Click
here for the trailer
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Danny
Ocean (George Clooney) and his group of sophisticated
thieves are at it again, this time in defense of
one of their own. When Willy Bank (Al Pacino), a
ruthless casino owner, double crosses one of the
original Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's mentor, Reuben
Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), putting him in the hospital,
Danny gathers the group together to pull off one
of the most daring heists in the history of Las Vegas.
Not only will they take Bank for every penny, they
will do it on the night of the grand opening of Bank's
newest casino. To top it all off, the plan also includes
ending Bank's winning streak of earning his fifth
straight Royal Review Board Five Diamond Award for
new hotels. At every turn, the crew seems to run
into snags from a worker strike at the dice manufacturing
plant in Mexico to a broken down tunnel drilling
machine to an unbeatable security system. Such roadblocks
force the team to enlist the help of an unlikely
partner. Can they pull off this latest heist and
restore Reuben's faith and health?
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For
this, the third film in the series, Clooney is once again joined
by the same all-star cast from the previous two films (i.e.
Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Gould, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac, Don
Cheadle, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan and Carl Reiner among others.)
Besides Pacino, Ellen Barkin also joins the cast this time
around as Bank's casino manager. Missing from the list in Ocean's
Thirteen are Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The story
is not all that different than the first two films though it
is a twist on the same theme. The rapport between the characters
is well played and one gets the sense that these high priced
stars get along just as swimmingly in real life as well. You
can visualize Clooney, Pitt, Damon, et al hanging out in a
bar, taking turns buying each other drinks. Ocean's Thirteen
recreates the same swagger that the first two films did and
as long as they can continue to come up with unique twists
on the same basic story, this is one fan that will continue
to pay the admission price. Ocean's Thirteen, like the others,
never seems to slow. That may actually be the movie's biggest
flaw, consistent with the other outings. The terminology of
the world of gamblers and thieves and the speed with which
the information is offered may escape some audience members
as the dialogue and pace are necessarily frenetic. The ride
may be fast and bumpy, it is a fun joy ride none-the-less.
Ocean's Thirteen is a good follow up to its predecessors and
avoids the jinx of the number thirteen. Just what will Ocean
and his partners in crime be up against next time? We'll just
have to wait and see but our guess is they'll find a way to
get themselves into trouble once again in Ocean's Fourteen
and beyond.
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Pirates
of the Caribbean: At World's End
A Film by Gore Verbinski (Pirates
I and II, The Weatherman, The Ring)

Click
here for the trailer
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Darkness
has fallen as Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander)
has gained control of the seas after attaining the
heart of Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) at the end of Pirates
of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. With the power
of the British fleet at his disposal and the Flying
Dutchman leading the charge, Beckett and the East
India Trading Company (EITC) have begun systematically
hunting down and killing all pirates, any known associates
of pirates and anyone who has ever thought of associating
with a pirate. The fleet is now led by Admiral Norrington
(Jack Davenport), who attained his lofty position
by being the man who brought the heart to Beckett
in the first place. In order to counter the EITC,
Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), Will Turner (Orlando
Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) seek
to assemble the nine Lords of the Brethren Court
with the hopes that as a collective, the world of
pirates can defeat the armada. Ironically, that is
what Beckett is hoping for. Unfortunately, one of
the lords is missing: Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny
Depp). To get Jack back, they must travel to World's
End and Davy Jones' locker. Once rescued, can Captain
Jack, Elizabeth, Captain Barbossa, Will, Tia Dalma
(Naomie Harris) and the rest of the pirates stop
Beckett and Jones? Will freeing the sea goddess Calypso
help? Only time will tell as allegiances are formed
and the ultimate battle approaches.
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Following
on the heels of two hugely successful predecessors, Pirates
of the Caribbean: At World's End had a lot to live up to. We
went into the theater the other night, not knowing if it would
succeed or not, especially after some of the poor reviews we
read prior to paying our admission fees. Still, and perhaps
somewhat as a result of those poor reviews, we left the theater
pleasantly surprised. Yes, At World's End is longer than it
needs to be. Some of the fight sequences do drag on. But all
in all, At World's End is an enjoyable ride, a fitting payoff
for the 4-year journey we've all taken with Captain Jack and
his merry band of pirate misfits. Depp reprises his role as
Captain Jack without blinking. Bloom, Knightley and the remainder
of the returning cast also keep their characters going strong.
The addition of Chow Yun-Fat and cameos by the likes of Depp's
inspiration for Captain Jack, Keith Richards, only add to the
fun. The length of the film and the complicated nature of the
storyline (which may be difficult for many to follow) are the
only two real strikes against the film but they are enough
to keep At World's End from being a Five Kernel film. Still,
it is the best of the summer blockbusters so far, besting Spider-Man
3 and Shrek the Third so far.
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Shrek
the Third
A Film by Chris Miller (Feature Film Directorial Debut)

Click
here for the trailer
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With
his father-in-law ailing and unable to attend to
his duties as King of Far Far Away, Shrek (Mike
Myers) must assume the role, knighting knights
and christening ships, among other things. Princess
Fiona (Cameron Diaz) tries to help Shrek through
this difficult time but she is distracted by her
desire to start a family. When King Harold (John
Cleese) passes away, it opens the door to a power
struggle. On one side is Shrek who is a reluctant
King. Then there is Prince Charming (Rupert Everett)
who is still smarting from the way Shrek took his
supposed one-true-love away from him. When Shrek
finds out Princess Fiona has a long-lost cousin
named Artie (Justin Timberlake), he, Donkey (Eddie
Murphy) and Puss-in-Boots (Antonio Banderas) embark
on a journey across the sea to find Artie and convince
him to come back with them to Far Far Away to take
his rightful place on the throne.
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As
with other mediocre reviews we have written, the synopsis
above makes the movie sound better than it actually is. This
Shrek is no where near as funny or entertaining as the previous
two in the series. While there are a few good belly-laughs,
they are Far Far and Away too few and far between. Myers,
Murphy and Banderas, even though you never see them, seem
to be just going through the motions on this one. The story
is weak compared to the other two films, each of which introduced
some really great characters (like Puss-in-Boots). In Shrek
the Third, the additions of Artie and Merlin (Eric Idle)
just aren't as significant or funny. And, as has been the
norm with animated films over the past several years, Shrek
the Third has a lot of humor that will go right over the
heads of the children in the audience. Considering that a
good portion of the audience for this movie is under the
age of 10, being more obtuse in the jokes does not serve
the movie well. Even the adults in the audience seemed to
be bored at various points during the movie, I know I was.
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Spiderman
3
A Film by Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Spiderman 1&2, For Love of the Game)

Click
here for the trailer
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In
the third Spiderman film, Peter Parker (Tobey McGuire)
has finally found a balance between his personal
life and his secret life as Spiderman. He
and Mary Jane have gotten closer and though his
best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco) has turned
against him, his life has settled into a good pattern. The
general public adores him in spite of the best
efforts of Daily Bugle editor Jonah Jameson (J.K.
Simmons) and that adoration eventually goes to
Peter's head and he begins to neglect those closest
to him. As his focus shifts, he is changed
by a mysterious alien entity that falls from the
sky in a meteor. It overtakes Peter, changing
his Spiderman suit into a foreboding, black version
of the patriotic red and blue suit the world is
accustomed to seeing. As the black goo takes
greater control, Peter becomes a changed man, virtually
unrecognizable. He is overshadowed at work
by an upstart photographer (Topher Grace) and,
when he discovers that the man (Thomas Hayden Church)
who really shot Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) is
still at large, his need for vengeance is heightened
by the alien force. Can Spiderman/Peter Parker
pull it together before he loses everything?
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Anticipation
for Spiderman 3 has been high for months. The appeal
of this film was the conflicted nature of the main character
and the potential emergence of Harry Osborn as the New Goblin. Perhaps
the most disappointing thing about the film was that these
two main plot points and storylines are overshadowed by too
many other storylines and villains. Sometimes less
is more and this is one of those cases. The love story
with Mary Jane, the conflict with Harry, the realization
that Uncle Ben's killer is still at large, the competition
at work, etc. create a jumbled mess. Then throw in
the competing genres of comedy, drama, action, etc. and the
film never seems to find a niche. The funny moments
are funny, the action is exhilarating (if not difficult to
follow or focus on at times) and the drama is dramatic. Is
this installment as good as the other two Spiderman films? Probably
not for the reasons cited above. Is it an entertaining
film? Sure. The script could have been tighter
and some of the comedic moments could have been less hokey
but it is a movie based on a comic book. Spiderman
fans will enjoy the film but probably not as much as they
would like.
Spiderman
3 (Review # 2)
Well
True-Believers, let me preface this review with one simple
statement: I am the Spyderfreek. I’ve watched everything
Spidey for as long as I can remember. I’ve been to
all three movies on opening day, and at a midnight showing
for the last one to boot. I waited in quiet anticipation
for this movie, avoiding as much of the hype and advertising
as possible. I went into this movie with as open a mind as
any can have in this day of instant information. I truly
wanted to enjoy this movie as much as I did the last two,
but I was disappointed. Sam & the gang did a fine job
of story telling, it’s just that the story feels contrived
and clunky. Sam is an old school Spidey fan, so that is where
main villain number one comes from. Avi Arad & the rest
of Marvel demanded a more mainstream villain, which gives
you villain number two. Villain number three has been building
since the first movie, and was by far the most wonderfully
executed part of the movie. I don’t want to spoil the “surprises”,
but suffice it to say this movie is decidedly different in
tone and flavour than the other two. Trying to cobble together
a continuing coming of age story, love story, and revenge
story all into one along with the typical villain/enemy dynamic
makes for a mind twisting stretch that even the most avid
fan is hard pressed to follow. Spider-man 3 is somewhat entertaining,
but I would put it far below the other two movies in the
trilogy in the likeability category. 2.5 kernals, maybe 3.
- Ryan “Spyderfreek” Winkelman
Spiderman
3 (Review # 3) WARNING - BIG SPOILERS - HUGE!!!
Okay,
so, the butler waited for a couple of years to randomly tell
Harry that his old man was the Goblin, and did so conveniently
right as Peter was getting the crap kicked out of him? And
the oh-so-convenient amnesia?
Emo
Spidey? HELLS NO! That was ridiculous. I can't believe actual
screen time was devoted to watching Peter COMB HIS BANGS.
Seriously, the entire sequence reminded me of Superman 3.
This is NOT a good thing.
The entire Sandman plot was entirely superfluous and unnecessary to the
movie outside of driving Peter's vengeance, and his dark side was more
than adequately developed elsewhere.
One
of the fundamental aspects of Spider-Man's character through
over 40 years of comics, television and movies is his guilt
over his part in Uncle Ben's death. With great power comes
great responsibility, and all that. By making Uncle Ben's
murder an accident, you mess with something that you should
not mess with. It essentially destroys the only real motivation
that Peter has.
Hey!
Here's this gooey black stuff that falls from the sky, and
just happens to land right near Peter's moped. As we find
out from Professor Cameo, it's a symbiotic gooey stuff that
amplifies whatever the host is feeling, and becomes part
of the host.
I
have a genuine dislike for the Venom character, I have never
been a fan whatsoever and I cringe everytime he appears in
the comics, but I was pleasantly surprised with how Venom
was handled in the movie. That may have to do with Sam Raimi,
though, as Raimi has gone on record since Spider-Man 1 as
saying that he hates Venom, and he said during the cycle
for this movie that originally the only villain was Sandman,
but producer Avi Arad convinced him to include Venom, as
Venom is somehow a fan favorite.
I
really, really, really hated the stupid news-cast in the
end, with the on-the-scene reporting of the climactic fight.
The whole breakup thing was horribly written. Ugh. And
whoever thought it was a good idea to have Kirsten Dunst
sing needs to be shot...
It's
not nearly as big a drop in quality from X2: X-Men United
to X-Men: The Last Stand, but definitely one of the most
disappointing comic-book films in recent memory. Really,
the only thing I can say I genuinely and truly loved about
it (outside of the brilliant Bruce Campbell cameo) was that
the central villain (the alien symbiote) has the last laugh,
in a manner of speaking: Peter's probably totally alienated
Gwen Stacy from his life forever due to the way he used her;
Peter and MJ need serious relationship damage control from
everything he did to her; and Peter has to live with everything
he did during the time he wore the black suit. And he can't
say it was all the symbiote, because, deep down, he has to
know that the symbiote was merely taking the dark side of
him that was already there and amplified it. It's a downbeat
ending, with a little sliver of hope.
Harry
was the best part of the entire movie. In a Spider-Man movie,
this is not a good thing.
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NEXT -
A Film by Lee Tamahori (XXX: State of the Union, Die Another
Day)

Click
here for the trailer
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What
would you do if you could see what was going to happen
to you, two minutes into the future? For Cris Johnson
(Nicolas Cage), his tortured existence has led him
to Las Vegas, where he performs as a small-time magician
and quietly wins modest sums of money at blackjack.
That is, until he confronts a would-be thief and
becomes a target. Little does he know that others
are watching him, namely the FBI led by Agent Ferris
(Julianne Moore), who believes that Johnson can use
his gift to help her find a nuclear bomb somewhere
in Los Angeles. With everything else that is going
on around him, Johnson is preoccupied by a vision:
A woman (Jessica Biel) he has never met but whom
he will meet someday. That day comes right on the
heels of these other events and she becomes part
of the action. What will happen NEXT? NEXT is based
on the short story The Golden Man by Philip K. Dick.
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We
at 365 have typically given reasonable reviews to recent big
screen versions of Philip K. Dick stories (see our reviews
for Imposter, Minority Report and Paycheck), and obviously
Blade Runner came out before we began reviewing movies but
it is a classic sci-fi movie. NEXT appeared to be heading down
that same road. In fact, the concept was intriguing: A man
can see two minutes into the future but only if the events
involve him personally. And, of course, the cast is a quality
cast so they carry that story well. The action is fast-paced
and trying to figure out where the film is going, how it is
going to get there and what will happen along the way kept
our interest. And it keeps steaming along until the end, which
comes abruptly. Just when we thought we were witnessing one
of the best-played twists in recent movie history, the movie
ends and we were left wanting more. NEXT went from a four kernel
rating to a two in about ten seconds. And, as the credits rolled,
that's where it stayed. Rent it and when the big twist happens,
turn off the television before they ruin the movie for you.
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Shooter
A Film by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day)

Click
here for the trailer
|
Bob
Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) is a former Marine sharp
shooter living in the mountains, far away from the
life he left behind after his last mission went awry.
That mission, which lead to the death of his partner,
has left him disillusioned and betrayed. Suddenly,
he is thrust back into the world of intrigue when
Colonel Johnson (Danny Glover) approaches him about
a mission that only he can complete: plan the assassination
of the President in an effort to smoke out a real
assassin. Little does Swagger realize that this mission
will be more treacherous and dangerous than his last
one. Along the way, his partner's former fiancé (Kate
Mara) becomes his only refuge and a rookie FBI agent
(Michael Pena) becomes his primary ally. Chased from
the streets of Philadelphia to the mountains of Montana,
Swagger must solve the case and clear his name in
a desperate race against time.
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Fuqua
brings the look and feel of Training Day to this 2007 suspense
thriller. Wahlberg seems well cast as the ex-Marine who, when
asked to do his patriotic duty, reluctantly agrees to help
uncover an assassin. The tension is well played, creating a
fast-paced and exciting ride for the audience. Watching Wahlberg
as Swagger using his knowledge as a Marine to not only unravel
the mystery but also survive is enjoyable. Some good car chases,
shoot outs and explosions never hurt as well. The story is
somewhat tired (the old conspiracy theory that reaches to the
highest levels of government and involves some sort of desperate
need to protect a cover-up) but it is always nice when it comes
with some new twists. In the end, Shooter is not exceptional
but it is edge-of-your-seat entertainment. Is there anything
really wrong with that? Grab a bucket of popcorn and a jumbo
Pepsi, relax for awhile and let Markie Mark have the really
bad day tonight.
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300
A Film by Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead)

Click
here for the trailer
|
An
epic retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae of 480
B.C., 300 is based on the graphic novel by Frank
Miller. The story begins by giving background on
how King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) came to be a Spartan
warrior. From his training as a young boy to his
exile into the wilderness as a teenager, Leonidas
was trained in the way Spartan warriors had been
trained for centuries. His rise to the throne included
marriage and a young son whom he was now training.
When the Persian King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) sends
messengers throughout Greece, asking each city-state
to submit to his rule, Leonidas casts the messengers
into a well, refusing to give in to this self-proclaimed
God-King. This enrages Xerxes and he begins a march
into Greece with his massive army. Leonidas, without
the support of the council, heads to the Pass of
Thermopylae with his 300 best soldiers to head them
off. His plan is simple. If this small group of warriors
can make a statement by fighting to the death against
insurmountable odds, perhaps all of Greece will band
behind the effort and rally all of Greece's forces
to keep Xerxes and the Persians from further advancing
into Europe.
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300
is a visually stunning movie, there is no doubt. The combination
of live action set against a backdrop of virtual backgrounds
is interesting and visually appealing. The story is larger
than life, perhaps enhanced much as the story of this epic
battle was at the time to incite the rest of Greece to take
up arms against the invading Persians. The script carries that
theme throughout the film, generating heroic lines for the
pumped up Spartans to utter. At times, the movie seems like
a cheap knock-off of Gladiator, taking everything to another
level of cheese but, in hindsight, that's what the film is
all about. The Spartan warriors have barrel chests and six-pack
abs just like all of the classic paintings and sculptures.
They are tough and unflinching in the face of certain death,
just like the stories always tell us. And they are fiercely
loyal to the concept of democracy and freedom. After all, the
Greeks invented democracy, right? So, though I walked out of
the theater not really sure whether or not I truly liked the
film, it has grown on me as I have thought more about it. Additionally,
I did some research on the actual events and discovered that
the script is pretty accurate, though everything in it is larger
than life. A movie worth seeing just for the way it depicts
the ancient Greeks and presents their world in the way we all
picture it growing up.
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Wild
Hogs
A Film by Walt Becker (National Lampoon’s Van Wilder)

Click
here for the trailer
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Doug
(Tim Allen), Woody (John Travolta), Bobby (Martin
Lawrence) and Dudley (William H. Macy) are four middle-aged
men living in Cincinnati. They each own motorcycles
and, when their lives and wives allow it, they get
together to ride around as the Wild Hogs. They wear
leather jackets and pretend that they’re rough
and tumble bikers. When Woody decides that it is
no longer time to pretend, they cast their cell phones
away and head out on the open road with the Pacific
Ocean as their final destination. Along the way,
they encounter some real bikers known as the Del
Fuegos, led by Jack (Ray Liotta), who don’t
quite accept that these | | |