Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Shia LaBeouf stars with Michael Douglas, who'll reprise his Gordon Gekko role. Langella will play Lewis Zabel, an old-time broker who mentors LaBeouf's character, a young Wall Street broker. When Gekko comes out of prison, he essentially has to redefine himself, redefine his character, he's looking for that second chance. LaBeouf portrays Jake Moore, who is the fiancé of Gekko's daughter, played by Carey Mulligan; Josh Brolin as the head of an investment bank; and Susan Sarandon as Jake's mother.

Maybe its just how not into the financial or economy world I am, but I was bored out of my mind watching this. It was a very long two hours with the characters either going bla bla bla bla or crying. Seriously. They were either talking about a bunch of stuff that I simply don't care enough to understand or crying about the backstabbing that was going on. I've always liked Michael Douglas and I'm a big Shia LaBeouf fan, but I just couldn't get into this movie at all.

I really wouldn't recommend people checking this movie out . . . . . . unless the state of the economy or day trading is up your alley. I have no interest in that stuff whatsoever so this movie was a huge snoozefest for me.

Legend Of The Guardians

Acclaimed filmmaker Zack Snyder makes his animation debut with the fantasy family adventure "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole," based on the beloved books by Kathryn Lasky. The film follows Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father's epic stories of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who had fought a great battle to save all of owlkind from the evil Pure Ones. While Soren dreams of someday joining his heroes, his older brother, Kludd, scoffs at the notion, and yearns to hunt, fly and steal his father's favor from his younger sibling. But Kludd's jealousy has terrible consequences--causing both owlets to fall from their treetop home and right into the talons of the Pure Ones. Now it is up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave young owls. Together they soar across the sea and through the mist to find the Great Tree, home of the legendary Guardians of Ga'Hoole--Soren's only hope of defeating the Pure Ones and saving the owl kingdoms.

The animation in this movie was phenomenal. The aerial stuff made the 3D actually matter more than it usually does. Unfortunately, the story was beyond convoluted. I had no clue what they were talking about most of the time. It was like an animated version of Lord Of The Rings with how in depth the story was. Go read the above synopsis above and you'll completely understand what I'm saying here. All I kept asking myself is how in the blue hell kids would be able to follow this.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out. Even with how great the animation is, the story is way too much to be able to just enjoy the movie.

You Again

Successful PR pro Marni (Kristen Bell) heads home for her older brother's (Jimmy Wolk) wedding and discovers that he's marrying her high school arch nemesis (Odette Yustman), who's conveniently forgotten their problematic past. Then the bride's jet-setting aunt (Sigourney Weaver) bursts in and Marni's not-so-jet-setting mom (Jamie Lee Curtis) comes face to face with her own high school rival. The claws come out and old wounds are opened in this crazy comedy that proves that not all rivalries are forever.

This movie is exactly what you would expect from the trailer. There are no surprises. You know damn well how its going to play out before you even sit down. There are some good laughs scattered throughout. Thats really about it. Oh, there is one more thing. This movie has been at the forefront of the Betty White hype push yet she really isn't in the movie that much at all. What's that about?

I'd lukewarmly recommend people checking this one out. There are better comedies out there than this completely formula movie.

Catfish

In late 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sensed a story unfolding as they began to film the life of Ariel's brother, Nev. They had no idea that their project would lead to the most exhilarating and unsettling months of their lives. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our times, "Catfish" is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.

For the record, this movie is not scary in any way. Its not thrilling in any way. The advertising is totally false . . . . . . except for the disturbing part. It was very, very disturbing. My initial reaction to this is that this is exactly what I've always thought was wrong about facebook. I can't really go into too much detail without giving the movie away, but it is a very psychologically upsetting movie. Its also one of those movies that people are either going to totally love or totally hate and think its stupid. I loved it. It felt very real and believable throughout the movie and the way that it was filmed in both style and build up was very catchy and kept me beyond intrigued until the end. Its not something that I'll ever watch again, but it was a major eye opener.

I would definitely recommend everyone seeing this but ask them to keep an open mind and don't rush to judgement about whether the movie was good or not. Wait a while and let it digest so that you can really take in just how disturbing it was.

Easy A

After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl (Emma Stone) sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne's in "The Scarlet Letter," which she is currently studying in school – until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing.

I thought this movie was great. All of the characters were entertaining (especially the parents!!!) and Emma Stone has a very bright future in front of her. The movie was very well written and witty throughout. It was full of 80s pop culture references. John Hughes would be so proud. The movie also felt very real and made you really get in to the whole how hard it is to be in high school thing.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out. Its got lots of huge laughs and more than worth your time.

Alpha & Omega

What makes for the ultimate road trip? Hitchhiking, truck stops, angry bears, prickly porcupines and a golfing goose with a duck caddy. Just ask Kate and Humphrey, two wolves who are trying to get home after being taken by park rangers and shipped halfway across the country. Humphrey is an Omega wolf, whose days are about quick wit, snappy one-liners and hanging with his motley crew of fun-loving wolves and video-gaming squirrels. Kate is an Alpha: duty, discipline and sleek Lara Croft eye-popping moves fuel her fire. Humphrey's motto – make 'em laugh. Kate's motto – I'm the boss. And they have a thousand miles to go.Back home rival wolf packs are on the march and conflict is brewing. Only Kate and Humphrey can restore the peace. But first, they have to survive each other.

This was a watchable kids movie. Unlike most animated movies that are just as entertaining for the adults, this one was blatantly aimed more at the kids. There are some good laughs for the adults, but without younger children to enjoy this you will find yourself asking why you are watching it.

I would definitely recommend this movie to those with younger kids. Its short and worth the visit. Those of you grown up animated movie fans - be warned that this one isn't really made for you.

Devil

A group of people trapped in an elevator realize that the devil is among them.

That's really it for the synopsis. This movie is super short and that pretty much sums it up. The movie felt like a Tales From The Crypt episode. It was very watchable but I feel like they could have easily scared the hell out of more but held back. The trailer was more terrifying than the movie. Its watchable . . . . . especially because its like a hour and 15 minutes long. They keep you interested in what is going on. I just feel like they pulled their punches big time.

I would sort of recommend people checking this out. Its not nearly as scary as expected, but is a short, watchable visit to theaters.

The Town

Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) is an unrepentant criminal, the de facto leader of a group of ruthless bank robbers who pride themselves in stealing what they want and getting out clean. With no real attachments, Doug never has to fear losing anyone close to him. But that all changed on the gang's latest job, when they briefly took a hostage--bank manager, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall). Though they let her go unharmed, Claire is nervously aware that the robbers know her name...and where she lives. But she lets her guard down when she meets an unassuming and rather charming man named Doug...not realizing that he is the same man who only days earlier had terrorized her. The instant attraction between them gradually turns into a passionate romance that threatens to take them both down a dangerous, and potentially deadly, path.

This was an exellently well crafted movie. I kind of got that Heat or The Departed vibe from watching the trailer and was very excited to see the movie. While the movie wasn't necessarily on par with the two aforementioned movies, it was still an excellent story that was told in perfect fashion. Factoring in the part where this was directed by Ben Affleck and that just makes it that much more impressive. The performances across the board were great. Being familiar with Boston and how much of a part it plays in the story made it that much better.

I would definitely recommend everyone checking this movie out. Its the way story build up should be done and a great ride.

Resident Evil: Afterlife

In a world ravaged by a virus infection, turning its victims into the Undead, Alice (Milla Jovovich), continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is overrun by thousands of Undead - and Alice and her comrades are about to step into a deadly trap.

Why do they keep making these? I had actually lost count and had to ask around to find out that this was the fourth installment of this "franchise". I'm guessing it picked up right where the third one went off. I had no clue what the hell was going on because I clearly didn't care about the third one. I just kind of accepted that there were numerous versions of Milla Jovovich. It was tough to accept seeing as how one of her is painful enough. Side note - I still can't watch her without hearing her say multipass. Anywho, the movie is garbage. The whole franchise is garbage. The only thing that was a positive about this movie is that it is only the third movie out of all the "3D" movies that was made with the intention of it being 3D all along instead of that after the fact altering. You can totally tell the difference and there were some cool visual moments throughout the movie. But that really was all.

Hell no I wouldn't recommend anyone checking this out. I want them to stop making these. Its ridiculous that this franchise has more movies that Spider-Man or Iron Man or even Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married franchises.

The Last Exorcism

When he arrives on the rural Louisiana farm of Louis Sweetzer, the Reverend Cotton Marcus expects to perform just another routine "exorcism" on a disturbed religious fanatic. An earnest fundamentalist, Sweetzer has contacted the charismatic preacher as a last resort, certain his teenage daughter Nell is possessed by a demon who must be exorcized before their terrifying ordeal ends in unimaginable tragedy. Buckling under the weight of his conscience after years of parting desperate believers with their money, Cotton and his crew plan to film a confessionary documentary of this, his last exorcism. But upon arriving at the already blood drenched family farm, it is soon clear that nothing could have prepared him for the true evil he encounters there. Now, too late to turn back, Reverend Marcus' own beliefs are shaken to the core when he and his crew must find a way to save Nell – and themselves – before it is too late.

I really liked this movie. You know how after the Blair Witch Project opened up so many movies tried to do the same mockumentary hand held camera approach and it was all over done and got beaten to death? Well, this one finally delivers just like The Blair Witch Project. Its super short, they establish legit doubts about exorcisms and what not, the camera angle approaches build up in creepiness, and then it culminates in a way that you are glued to the screen. Granted, I didn't really expect too much from this movie. Maybe that led to my enjoyment of it, but I still liked it alot.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out . . . . . if you enjoy movies like this. There is hand held camera throughout so avoid if that makes you naseuous. It also gets pretty grisly at the end so be warned.

Machete

The feature version of the trailer from Grindhouse finds Machete (Trejo) a renegade former Mexican Federale, roaming the streets of Texas after a shakedown from drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal). Reluctantly, Machete takes an offer from spin doctor Benz (Fahey) to assassinate McLaughlin (Robert De Niro) a corrupt Senator. Double crossed and on the run Machete braves the odds with the help of Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), a saucy taco slinger, Padre (Cheech Marin) his "holy" brother, and April (Lindsay Lohan) a socialite with a penchant for guns. All while being tracked by Sartana (Jessica Alba), a sexy ICE agent with a special interest in the blade slinger.

I must tell the truth and say that I turned this movie off after 33 minutes. It wasn't that it was the worst thing I've ever seen. I just figured I had too many things to do other than continue watching it. This is yet another of those it is what it is movie. Its a 70s exploitation movie with crazy over the top gore, lame writing/acting and a grainy feel to the film itself. Machete kills anyone that gets in his way . . . . . in the nastiest way possible. For example, I turned it off shortly after he gutted some guy and used his intestines as a rope to jump out of a window and go two floors down.

My recommendation for this movie solely depends on if you like these kinds of movies. If you do - you will laugh and have a great time watching it. If you don't (or you are too busy like I was) you shouldn't bother with it.

Going The Distance

Erin's (Drew Barrymore) wry wit and unfiltered frankness charm newly single Garrett (Justin Long) over beer, bar trivia and breakfast the next morning. Their chemistry sparks a full-fledged summer fling, but neither expects it to last once Erin heads home to San Francisco and Garrett stays behind for his job in New York City. But when six weeks of romping through the city inadvertently become meaningful, neither is sure they want it to end. And while Garrett's friends, Box (Jason Sudeikis) and Dan (Charlie Day), joke about his pre-flight calorie cutting and his full-time relationship with his cell phone, they don't like losing their best drinking buddy to yet another rocky romance. At the same time, Erin's high-strung, overprotective married sister, Corrine (Christina Applegate), wants to keep Erin from heading down an all-too-familiar road. But despite the opposite coasts, the nay-saying friends and family, and a few unexpected temptations, the couple just might have found something like love, and with the help of a lot of texting, sexting and late-night phone calls, they might actually go the distance.


I really enjoyed this movie. It was one of the more funny and believable date movies to come out in a while. The chemistry worked. The supporting characters (especially Charlie Day) were awesome with the comedic support. It wasn't too long.


I'd definitely recommend people checking this out. The language might be a little bit crude, but this was one of the more unexpected fun times I've had at the theater in a while.

The American

As an assassin, Jack (Clooney) is constantly on the move and always alone. After a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, Jack retreats to the Italian countryside. He relishes being away from death for a spell as he holes up in a small medieval town. While there, Jack takes an assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious contact, Mathilde (Reuten). Savoring the peaceful quietude he finds in the mountains of Abruzzo, Jack accepts the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Bonacelli) and pursues a torrid liaison with a beautiful woman, Clara (Placido). Jack and Clara's time together evolves into a romance, one seemingly free of danger. But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.

This is a stunning example of how false advertising can ruin a movie. The commercial for this looked great with tons of action and Clooney being all bad a$$. In the movie . . . . . none of this happened. There was one action scene that lasted about 2 minutes. Clooney could not have been less bad a$$ if he tried. He was actually more of a depressing bump on a log for most of the movie. The movie is not an action thriller whatsoever. Its actually more of an artsy independent movie and might have been enjoyable . . . . . . . if it was advertised as one.

I wouldn't really recommend too many people going to check this out. It ended up being a pretty big snoozefest due to misadvertising.