The Worst Movies of 2010

I have more than 10 but here are the ones that should never have made it past the pitch meeting:

1) The Bounty Hunter
Jennifer you are a TV star not a movie star. PLEASE go back to TV!

2) Wolfman
Why was this made???

3)Cop Out
Not everybody black from Saturday Night Live can be Eddie Murphy.

4) Wall St. 2
Gorden Gecko a nice guy???? Shades of Godfather 3.

5) Killers
Did Ashton peep the Tom Cruise script for Knight & Day?

6) When In Rome
The sixties are over and Doris Day is near death, why try to recreate chemistry that is long gone?

7) The Back Up Plan
Now we know why J-Lo is on American Idol.

8) The American
Clooney, you tried, now go back to being what the audience wants you to be. The Cary Grant of our time not a Foreign film star.

9) Iron Man 2
God this story sucked, and we all spent our shekels on it.

10) Piranha 3D
Need I say more?

Top Ten Movies of 2010

This was a very, very poor year for movies but here are my Top Ten:

1) Social Network
The Citizen Kane of this generation. It will stand up to the test of time as a classic.

2) Inception
Not a remake but the most original action movie of the last decade.

3) Black Swan
Thank God for Natalie Portman and her awesome talents.

4) The Kings Speech
Everything about this movie is "A" List.

5) Shutter Island
Mesmerizing and thought provoking, Martin and Leo's best picture to date.

6) Toy Story 3
If you didn't cry then you are SOFT.

7)Kick Ass
Best surprise action movie of the year.

8) Colored Girls
All the critics were wrong. Tyler Perry's best movie to date.

9) Joan Rivers A Piece of Work
The only Oscar worthy Documentary next to Client 9.

10) The Town
Affleck nailed it.

Fast Five - Official Trailer [HD]

Black Swan

Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as a ballet dancer in an Oscar worthy performance. We have seen Natalie grow up on the screen from The Professional to Star Wars so you would think that you would know what kind of performance to expect from her. But in Black Swan she raises the bar and shows why she is one of the best female actresses on the screen today.
The story is a about a ballet dancer who wins the lead in "Swan Lake" Babara Hershey, who's talents has been missing from the screen for years, stars as her mother and does an excellent job.
The movie is a study in madness and is one of my favorite movies of the year.
Black Swan is why I fell in love with the movie experience. Every few years a movie comes out that is not predictable and that takes viewers to a place they have not visited before where they are taken on a journey for 2 hours.

Verdict:
MUST SEE! One of the best movies of 2010. Natalie Portman will win the Oscar, sorry Annette Bening but The Kids Are Alright was just alright.

Tron: Legacy 3D - imax -DBox - etc.

The original Tron was light years ahead in special effects back in 1982. It was never a box office blockbuster but it did become a cult favorite. I never liked the story which was not engaging enough for me and I found it boring.
Tron: Legacy is a dazzling, awesome movie to watch but once again I was not very captivated by the story. Legacy bring back (2) Jeff Bridges, one that is present day Jeff and one that is a computer version of his young self. This special cinema plastic surgery effect was used earlier this year on Bruce Willis in the flop movie Surrogates.
Legacy is about Jeff Bridges's son who goes looking for his father and ends up inside the digital world that his father designed.
Some theaters are showing this movie with a new creation called DBox where your seat moves in sync with the action scenes. This movie is also in 3D and IMAX. Why? because there is not much of a story and if your eyes are not dazzled and your seat is not moving you will fall asleep.
Based on this movie the future of cinema looks like actors will always stay young and you will not need much of a story due to the mechanics that will keep you engaged.

Verdict:
Like a bright shiny apple that looks good on the outside but full of worms on the inside.

True Grit

Whatever you do, do not rent the original version of this movie prior to seeing this remake. I made that mistake and I was disappointed with the Coen Brothers version. With the Coen Brothers you expect great movies and surprises due to their unconventional approach to making movies like their great movie No Country For Old Men. No surprises here.
True Grit is the story about a tough U.S. Marshal who helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer.
Oscar winner Jeff Bridges is a great actor but he is not John Wayne. When you do a remake of a classic and you are repeating the same lines that The Duke said in the original it comes off lame.
Matt Damon who plays a Texas Ranger is funny and comes off as a nitwit.
Josh Brolin is wasted as the killer that is being tracked.
The only bright spot is Hailee Steinfeld who plays the young girl seeking her father's killer.

Verdict:
I am not even a fan of John Wayne but after seeing Jeff Bridges try on his role you can see why The Duke was great. Skip this movie rent the original.

Thor Movie Trailer 1 - Official HD

Battle Los Angeles | trailer #1 US (2011)

The Kings Speech

The Kings Speech is based on the true story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it. Colin Firth, who I liked in Love Actually, plays the King and shows that he will win the Oscar for his performance. Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush is also excellent as the speech therapist. Director Tom Hooper does a great job of capturing the mood of post war England. He also keeps the story simple so that people who are not history buffs will be able to enjoy the movie.
I was on line to see this movie and several people in front of me were paying to see it again.

Verdict:
Believe the hype and go see two of the Best Actors, Firth and Rush, at the top of their game. Firth will win the Oscar and I will be seeing this again.

The Fighter

The best thing about The Fighter is that Mark Wahlberg is starting to show how good an actor he really is. After critical praise for Boogie Nights, Marky Mark stared in various flops (who could forget The Happening?) The Other Guys made money but he played a straight man. With The Fighter Marky Mark shows heart and embraces this true story of Micky Ward.
There are also other great performances and everyone is talking about Christian Bale who is good in the movie however Melissa Leo is outstanding as Micky Ward's mom.
The story is about the early years of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward and his brother who helped train him before going pro in the mid 1980s.
This is a modern day Rocky movie with Amy Adams as fiery Adrian.

Verdict:
Very good performance movie. Decent boxing movie. See it for the two people who will be nominated for Oscars: My Prediction Melissa Leo and Christian Bale.

Unstoppable

I didn't think that this movie was going to be any better than a classic movie called Runaway Train with Eric Roberts. Nor did I think action maestro Tony Scott and Denzel Washington could improve on their last train movie The Taking of The Pelham. I was wrong on both counts. Unstoppable is a solid movie with performances and action that you expect from action movies but never get. The movie is based on a true story about an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train that ends up barreling toward a city. Denzel Washington plays a veteran engineer that tries to stop the train with Chris Pine, (Capt. Kirk from Star Trek) who plays a young conductor.
As always Director Scott makes you care about the characters while he keeps the action going.
The only improvement would have been to give Denzel's daughters more depth.

Verdict:
A hit movie that has been overlooked by everyone including myself. This movie must be seen on the big screen.

Fair Game

Its hard to view Fair Game and see it as a starring role for Naomi Watts when Sean Penn takes over the movie.
This is a true story about a female CIA agent Valerie Plane, played by Naomi Watts,
who is revealed by White House officials allegedly out to discredit her husband, Joe Wilson, played by Sean Penn, after he wrote a 2003 New York Times op-ed piece saying that the Bush administration had manipulated intelligence about weapons of mass destruction to justify the invasion of Iraq.
If you didn't follow this story when it took place you will have to pay close attention to what is going on otherwise you will be lost in what is happenning on screen.
I will be surprised if Naomi gets a nomination from this because she was able to hold her own with Penn in the movie 21 Grams. In this movie the audience just waits to see what Penn will do next. You become more intrigued with the charcter of her husband, who was out of work while his wife went on Secret Missions.
The movie was directed by Doug Liman who did Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Verdict:
Don't confuse this movie with the Billy Baldwin and Cindy Crawford stinker with the same name that came out in the 90's. In fact don't even try to rent that movie because you will not be able to get through it. See this film for Penn’s performance.

The Next Three Days

Russell Crowe returns in a movie that portrays him as a working stiff who wants to rescue his wife out of jail. Surprisingly Crowe, after staring in a number of flops other than Robin Hood, shows his enormous talents in this small "B" movie. Prison Break movies have been done before (see Charles Bronson in Breakout) there has also been a television series on breaking out of prison. Crowe takes the road Liam Neesom did in the hit movie Taken by making a small film that may connect with a massive audience. In fact Liam has a brief cameo in the movie.
Olivia Wilde, who is everywhere these days, is also in the movie in a limited capacity. Not sure if she is talanted but she is in Tron so jury is still out on her skils.
Two time Academy Award winner Director Paul Haggis tries to keep the audience guessing during the movie's slow takeoff. By the end of the movie you hope that Crowe succeeds because you have already invested 2 hrs.

Verdict:
Not as good as Taken. Slow start but fine finish.

Faster

Finally the Rock keeps his mouth shut. I guess after the failure of Tooth Fairy Dwayne decided to take another path. The path of other action stars Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Steve McQueen, etc.THE LESS YOU SAY THE MORE THE AUDIENCE WILL BE INTRIGUED BY YOUR CHARACTER. Great choice.
The story is about an ex-con who sets out to avenge his brother's death after they were double-crossed during a heist years ago.
Billy Bob Thorton returns back to the screen as a cop who is on drugs and near retirement. He decides to track down The Rock?? Billy is good in this role and shows just how much better he is than most actors on the screen with him.
Director George Tillman Jr., who directed Notorious, knows how to make an action movie.
People I reviewed this movie with said they loved the movie but they were shocked that Dwayne Johnson was not cracking jokes.
The Rock would be wise to continue with this character.

Verdict:
Testosterone action flick with plenty of violence. I am going to see it again.

Love and Other Drugs

This is one of the few new movies that takes on a serious subject, and it's not LOVE. The movie is about a woman named Maggie, played by Anne Hathaway,who has a disease. She meets Jake Gyllenhaal's chracter, who is a ladies man that is in pharmaceutical sales.
Without giving away too much more about the movie I found the movie to be PURE and down to earth.
Director Edward Zwick is not looking to give the audience what they expect from love stories he gives you a chance to learn and care about the main chracters. Jake Gyllenhaal is now developing into a great talent and he does a good job of emersing himself into a shallow, callous chracter. Anne Hathway continues to nail the chracters that she portrays. Remember how she showed a flash of brilliance as Jake's wife in Brokeback Mountian.
This movie is not an Oscar contender but she score at the Golden Globes.

Verdict:
Go see it. Well done.

Burlesque

Well you heard all the reviews about this movie and the majority of them have not been good.
I was surprised that this movie was better than I thought it would be.
The story is about a small-town girl who ventures to Los Angeles and finds her place in a neo-burlesque club run by a former dancer. The movie gives no background information about Christina's character and the story is very thin.
The pros of this movie is Christina's singing numbers, and the supporting cast. Alan Cumming who is excellent in the TV show the Good Wife plays Alexis. Also Stanley Tucci who is excellent in every role plays a supporting character for Christina.
Cher looks like she can barely move and she talks with slur which is very pronounced. I was enjoying the movie right up until Cher decided to do a solo number. That's when the movie went South. I guess that was the deal Cher worked out to star in the movie. You got to give her props. At 65 yrs old she stars in Las Vegas the same time that she has a movie out.

Verdict:
It's not THAT bad. It's a very long Christina Aguilera video. Think a poor man's Purple Rain.

Morning Glory

A few years ago Rachel McAdams was targeted as the next Julia Roberts due to her excellent performances in the Notebook, Wedding Crashers, and Red Eye. Her selection of movies since then have been mixed with many poor choices.
Morning Glory displays why Rachel McAdams was targeted in the first place. This movie showcases her amazing talent and why she will eventually be the next big thing. The movie is a Broadcast News reboot. It’s the story of an upstart television producer, McAdams, who accepts the challenge of reviving a struggling morning show program. Jeff Goldblum, who is always good, plays her boss.
This is not a chick flick and the critics have not been fair to this movie. Sure Harrison Ford and Dian Keaton are too old to play Morning Show hosts but they have excellent banter together and the chemistry between Ford and McAdams feels true.
The Daybreak weatherman provides laughs as he does a takeoff of Al Roker from the Today Show.

Verdict:
Netflick Broadcast News, which is dated but still good, then go see this movie. This film should pull McAdams out of the pack of Julia Roberts wannabes and put her next to Reese Witherspoon as a major talent.

Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer

This documentary is an in-depth look at former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, including interviews with the scandalized, former politician.
I first saw Client 9 in a hotel room while traveling on business. The movie started off slowly so I started to multi task while watching it out of the corner of my eye. As the movie progressed I became totally engrossed with Eliot Spitzer’s story. I didn’t know much about him prior to his scandal but based on this movie he came off a righteous nerd. He made his mission early in his career as a DA to go after shady billionaires on Wall St. Having been raised with a golden spoon in his mouth and zero street smarts Eliott didn’t realize the ramifications of creating powerful enemies and how to defend himself when they decide to come after him. Alex Gibney, director of the well crafted documentary, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, does an excellent job covering both sides of the story. It’s amazing that he was able to get the interviews from players on both sides. The only one missing was Spitzer’s wife.

Verdict:
Must see documentary that will definitely be nominated for an Oscar. Spitzer has his demons similar to Bill Clinton but I learned a lot about Spitzer and I ended up liking the guy.

Saw 3D

Yes I am a fan of this franchise and I had to see the last installment.
This movie centers around Jigsaw's survivors and a self help guru who has made a fortune on his story of survival from Jigsaw. You can pretty much figure out what happens next. I always wonder how they will bring Tobin Bell (Jigsaw) back into the movie because he died many movies ago. He character is the only reason you want to see Saw and he does return in this final version. Someone else returns and I will not spoil it for Saw fans who read this review. This final version was not the best but as a fan I felt it tied up loose ends where when other franchises end there are many questions unanswered. Lets not forget, if it was not for the Saw movies Donnie Wahlberg would not be playing a cop in Blue Bloods right now. He plays the same exact cop on this CBS television series that he did in Saw 2 and 3.

Verdict: For Saw fans ONLY!
Prediction: Saw will return in 10 years just like Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, etc. etc. etc.
Question: My favorite version is the first one. Close second is Saw 3 the one where the doctor cuts open Jigsaw's head.
Which Saw movie is your favorite?

For Colored Girls

I had apprehensions about going to see another Tyler Perry movie. Don't get me wrong, I think he is talented but his movies are predictable and he follows the same blueprint he has discovered that makes money. Throw in some comedy, dress up like a woman, make sure you have some religion and you have a hit.
With Colored Girls Tyler Perry has made his best movie to date. First and foremost this is not Mr. Perry's work so we are off to a good start. Colored Girls was a hit Broadway play back in the seventies. The movie is about various black women and each of their characters is represented in a collection of twenty poems, revealing different issues that impact women in general and women of color in particular.
Mr. Perry has done a fantastic job taking this play to the screen. The visuals are rich, the screenplay is melodious, and the acting is top notch. Janet Jackson is fine but it's Kimberly Elise, Denzel's wife in John Q, who deserves an Oscar. She is probably one of the best actresses on the scene today. Whoopi Goldberg is excellent and should get off The View and go back to bringing rich performances to the screen. Loretta Devine, who is always overlooked, should be nominated for an Oscar as well. She gives a funny performance as Juanita. Finally Mrs. Hucktable (Phylicia Rashad) and Thandie Newton round out the cast with Oscar worthy performances.
If Mr. Perry has any chance of winning an Oscar this movie is it. He may be a day late and a dollar short since Precious won awards last year.

Verdict:
Must see! Bring tissues.
Also you will see Janet Jackson with a short hairdo and she looks just like her brother! It was very eerie.

Hereafter

It seems like every year Clint Eastwood comes out with a movie that is worthy of an Oscar. Hereafter comes very close. The movie is a drama centered on three people a blue-collar American, a French journalist and a London school boy who are touched by death in different ways. The special effects in the movie are spot on when Eastwood recaptures the Tsunami which is in the first half of the movie. After that the story slowly evolves into a cool movie in which Matt Damon is trying to find a new path in life.
Do not expect to go to this picture and see Clint's take on what happens once you die. Do expect to deal with subtitles. I have many friends who can't deal with that while watching a movie (they don't know what they are missing). French actress Cécile De France is very good and captivating. I expect to see her in additional American movies.
This movie is not for everybody and will probably not win best picture however it is different in the same vein as Grand Torino and is worth checking out once you run out of movies to go see.

Verdict:
Excellent picture for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

The Social Network

Every year a movie comes along that has the right cast, the right screenplay, and the right soundtrack. Throw in a director that knows what he is doing and you have the Best Picture of 2010. That’s right I am putting my reputation on the line by saying this movie will win Best Picture. The Social Network is about the founders of the social-networking website, Facebook. Jesse Eisenberg, who was in Zombieland, gives an Oscar worthy performance as Mark Zuckerberg. Justin Timberlake who plays the man who started Napster, Sean Parker, is good at playing Justin Timberlake. Word is that he should be nominated for an Oscar but he’s barely in the movie and he’s acting like himself, a wise ass who looks out for only himself regardless of who he steps on i.e: gets with Cameron Diaz then dumps her in order to get Shrek money, teams up with Janet Jackson for the Superbowl and takes zero blame when her blouse comes off, etc, etc. You can tell I like J.T. right?
Anyway this movie also gives you an inside look into Harvard and how some of the brightest people in the world can be idiots due to not having street smarts.
If you hate documentaries you will have an issue with this movie but you must see it for its great filmmaking. It reminded me of the classic Citizen Kane where at the end of the movie all that Kane REALLY cared about other than millions of dollars was when he was a child riding his snow sled Rosebud. Mark Zuckerberg and this movie have parallels to Citizen Kane.
Trent Reznor, who used to be a rock star in the band Nine Inch Nails, did the soundtrack which was good and the movie ends with one of my favorite Beatles song from Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Verdict:
The Social Network is this generation’s Wall Street movie. Best movie of the year. Oscars should go to Jessie Eisenberg and Director David Fincher.

Catfish

Any normal person will be able to figure out how the story ends 5 minutes into the movie.
The critics are wrong! I am never good at figuring out how a movie ends and this was no problem. So why is everyone saying that this is a great movie?? Catfish is a documentary involving a man being filmed by his friends as he builds a romantic relationship on the social networking website Facebook with an attractive girl, and the mysterious results when they all go to visit her.
If you already know how the movie is going to end then you will be HUGELY (is that a word?)disappointed. Anyway it was BORING and there is not much more to say about this movie.

Verdict:
Awesome word of mouth = Poor movie.

Wall Street 2: The Audience Will Fall Asleep

Where do I begin with this review??? OK here we go…..I was at a movie premiere about 8 years ago and Oliver Stone was taking pictures in the lobby of the theater. He asked who I was as people took various pictures of us.
The point I am making here is that Stone didn’t know that I was not an actor or critic at the time. I was NOBODY. My point is that he is now in the back 9 of his career, he is out of touch.
That was 8 years ago and he still is out of touch. People who enjoyed the classic Wall Street that he made in his prime were waiting to see the villain Gordon Gekko come back to life. In Wall Street 2 Gecko doesn’t even show up. The Gecko character which Douglas won an Oscar for died back in the 80’s The Gekko you see in this movie is similar to Michael Coleone in Godfather 3. A weak man who doesn’t have fight left in him.
Let’s move on to casting. Who the hell told Stone that Shia LaBeouf would make a good Wall St. executive? He is not believable and his drama queen wife, Carey Mulligan who happens to be Gekko’s daughter, cries through 50 percent of the movie. She is HORRIBLE and you want to scream at the screen, “GIRL THE %#$@% UP!! David Byrne did some of the music in the original and Stone now lets him do the soundtrack for the entire movie. Big mistake! Music sounds dated and does not move the film along.

Verdict:
Stone needs to get back in touch with what audiences want to see. He was one of the great filmmakers back in the day and if someone is going to continue giving him money to make films they should at least get a good script.
In this movie The King, Gordon Gekko, is dead.

Love and Other Drugs Trailer 2010 HD

Easy A

Easy A is the first movie this year that I have seen that lives up to it's trailer.
The story is about clean-cut high school student, Emma Stone, who relies on the school's rumor mill to advance her social standing. This is Emma's breakthrough movie and she nails the role. Emma has previously been seen in Zombieland, but it's amazing that someone who has hardly stared in any major roles succeeds in this movie. There are other actors in the movie such as Amanda Bynes (didn't she say she was going to retire?), Penn Badgley from Gossip Girls, Lisa Kudrow from Friends, & Stanley Tucci from Devil Wears Prada. Bear in mind that these stars are hardly in the movie and that Emma owns the show. This movie comes across as an updated John Hughes. In fact the director pays homage to the deceased director in the movie.

Verdict:
This will make my Top 10 of 2010. Look out Lindsey Lohan there is a new redhead in town!

For Colored Girls - Official Trailer (2010)

The Town

Ben Affleck has come a long way since Gigli (a movie I couldn't watch until the end). He does a good job as a director on The Town. The story is about a longtime thief who tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to one of his earlier heists, as well as the FBI agent looking to bring him and his crew down. As you watch the movie the story has many holes in it to the point where you ask yourself how stupid can the cops and FBI be? Why didn't the police (headed up by Mad Men's Jon Hamm) do this and why did Ben's crew do that? (no spoilers in my reviews).
You are asking these questions to yourself throughout the movie to the point where you know how it's going to end and you really don't care. Jeremy Renner, from The Hurt Locker, comes off like a young James Cagney and pretty much steals the movie. Blake Lively is also stars as a down and out local girl. She is not believable and she gave a better performance as Tiger Woods wife on Saturday Night Live vs. her performance of her character in this movie.

Verdict:
This movie has been done before and with a better story (see Heat with Robert DiNiro). Affleck's Gone Baby Gone is way better. Hope to see Jon Hamm's skills as an actor in a movie with a better story.

Resident Evil: Afterlife

This is the 4th version of the movie and the best sequel of them all.
In fact I would claim this as the best action movie of the year. The story goes that in a world ravaged by a virus infection, turning its victims into the Undead, Alice (Jovovich), continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. It would help if you saw the original movie prior to seeing this but not necessary. The idea of walking dead people eating the living started in the 60's with Dawn of The Dead. So not alot to figure out here after many of you have seen the countless walking dead movie.
The highlight here is Jovovich who owns the role as Alice and gets better with each movie. She is by far the best action female star in movies today. Wentworth Miller, from the television show, Prison Break plays a key role in the movie.
The 3d and IMAX is a must to see this movie and it's special effects.

Verdict:
Great action movie with gore.

The American

George Clooney is the Cary Grant of our time. He is great as the charmer and in The American he tries to show that he has range. The range he is trying to show is that he can be Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, or go back 100 years to Charles Bronson. He tries to be these guys by not saying much and hoping the audience will be captivated by his actions. It does not work. Clooney's persona is already set for all Americans (no pun intended) and he is not good enough an actor to show that he can act like Clint Eastwood. At one point in the movies an old Sergio Leone western is playing in the background as if to pay homage to that style of acting and directing. Clooney even uses Clint's slow piano soundtrack (that Clint uses in the majority of his movies) to try and create suspense.
In the movie the audience spends about 20 minutes watching Clooney make a gun?!?!
The director tires to create suspense by showing alot of back of the head shots of Clooney and the audience wonders if someone is ready to shoot him from behind. I am not good at figuring out endings but I was able to figure this one out from the start of the movie.

Verdict:
SKIP IT!

Machete

For a minute I thought this movie would be similar to previous tongue in cheek Robert Rodriquez movies I have seen in the past.
It was not, it was way better. I loved this movie. The story is about an ex-Federale being betrayed by the organization that hired him and launches a brutal rampage of revenge against his former boss. Rodriquez’s genius is taking veteran stars such as Steven Segal, Don Johnson, and Robert DiNiro and cast them in roles as the bad guys. He also takes a 66 year old veteran supporting actor, Danny Trejo, and makes him a star. In the credits Rodriquez introduces Don Johnson, who is a little heavier since his Miami Vice days, and creates a new image of him for this generation. Don Johnson nails the role by making you forget he was Sonny Crockett. Cheech Marin, Don Johnson’s TV sidekick from Nash Bridges, also stars in the movie as a gun slinging priest. Jeff Fahey plays a character he used to play in numerous 80’s movies rather than the Wus pilot he played in the television show Lost. There is plenty of blood and gore from start to finish. One great scene involves an intestine?! Jessica Alba is in the movie and stars as, believe it or not, a Mexican!?! I guess Perez Hilton finally got to her. Finally Steven Seagal makes a funny comeback (with a jet black rug on his head) as the main villain.

Verdict:
Must see. Rodriquez’s best effort to date.

Takers

This movie was supposed to be the black Oceans 11, or 12, or 13.
It does not come close to any of them. The movie steals from various other heist movies you have already seen. The story is about a group of bank robbers who find their $20 million planned heist interrupted by a hard-boiled detective (Matt Damon).
“A List” actress Zoe Salandana is also cast in the movie but is totally wasted. She is barely in the movie. Matt Damon looks as if he recently had cheek implants and for the first half of the movie I was trying to figure out if he did or he didn’t? His performance however was the best in the movie.
Some of the scenes were totally unrealistic such as the hotel shootout and blowing up a street to rob an armored truck?? Strong acting could have made some of these absurd scenes somewhat believable but most of this cast couldn’t open a movie much less be in a strong supporting role. Chris Brown (the rapper who had the altercation with Rhianna) cannot act and is annoying as youngest Taker. There is a chase scene that works but is predictable.

Verdict:
Not as bad as Zoe's movie The Losers but you can still wait for this flick to air on cable.

Piranha 3D

This is the type of movie that Roger Corman made back in the day.
Have gratuitous T & A; include lots of blood, and don’t spend a lot of money. In addition have stars that have already seen their best days (Richard Dreyfuss from Jaws, Elizabeth Shue from Adventures In Babysitting, & Christopher Lloyd who starred in from Back to the Future). The movie begins with underwater tremors that set free prehistoric man-eating fish. Then the "B" cast bands together to try and stop the attack.
Ving Rhames utilizes a boat motor, (while he standing in the water??) to try and stop the Piranhas. Ving looked as if he was drunk throughout the entire movie yet his character is supposed to be sober. Offset he probably drank so that he can get thru the flick and collect a check.
All males will love the slow motion underwater boob ballet set to classical music.

Verdict:
I paid extra for 3D and I wish I didn’t.

The Expendables

I was hoping that this was going to be a great action movie similar to The Dirty Dozen or Chuck Norris's Delta Force (which has been playing endlessly on cable) however when I saw in the opening credits that Stallone directed this movie I knew it didn't have a chance of being good.
The concept was cool where you have former action stars come together and you bring in a current star, Jason Statham, but the story was weak and the directing was a hot mess.
There was one high points: Bruce Willis, The Govonator, & Stallone meet in a church. This scene had the best line in the movie and the audience could not stop laughing however the scene was too short.
If Stallone is trying to be like Clint Eastwood and start directing movies in his early 60's forget about it. Eastwood started directing his own films in 1971 when he was 41yrs old (The Beguiled )and is now one of the top directors in Hollywood. Stallone should stick to remaking Rambo and Rocky until they don't make money anymore.
Another problem with this flick is that some of the stars get their ass kicked!? I don't want to see an action movie and see my favorites get their ass kicked.
When the Expendables meet in Mickey Rouke's tattoo parlour I felt that I was watching one of his worst movie Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. I am not kidding, it looked like the same set and the movie has the same sloppy feel.
FACT: Some of you probably don't know but Stallone has an Academy Award for the Rocky screenplay. Yes believe it or not.

Verdict: I went home and watched Kick-Ass again and felt better.

What Ever Happened To Bridget Fonda??

There is a new La Femme Nikita television show that is coming out this fall with Maggie Q. The 3rd remake from Luc Beeson's (director of The Transporter series) original masterpiece. Maggie earned her strips in Mission Impossible 3 and the last Die Hard movie.
Since Nikita is coming out again, I wondered what happened to Bridget Fonda who played in the American movie of Nikita called Point Of No Return?
She was born into a family that was embedded in the Hollywood industry and she had a couple of hit movies in the early 90's, Single White Female, and Singles. She was not a great actress but she was not as bad as some of the women you see on screen today. Her La Femme Nikita was her best work in a leading role.
She has not been in anything notable since 2002???
Maybe she was smarter than everyone else, she lived her dream and got out of the business before it destroyed her. America loves a comeback and she should be at the top of director's lists.

The Other Guys

I didn’t expect much from this movie because I didn’t see any chemistry between Mark Walhberg and Will Ferrell in the trailers. I was wrong.
These two work well together and there are plenty of laughs from this uneven comedy. The story is about two mismatched New York City detectives who seize an opportunity to step up like the city's top cops whom they idolize.
Ferrell plays it straight, which is what he does best. This movie is comparable to an Adam Sandler comedy so if you don’t like Adam Sandler comedies you will have a tough time with this movie
Verdict:
Will Ferrell fans will not be disappointed. Not his best but enough good laughs to help us through a day in this loooonnnnngggg recession.

Salt

Angelina Jolie is the most bankable actress in Hollywood today. Not only can she act
she delivers a very good summer movie in Salt. The story is about a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt who swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty is tested when a defector accuses her of being a spy.
The movie feels like a Bourne Identity movie and this flick was first offered to Tom Cruise I can see why he turned it down. He would come off like a wanna be Matt Damon however with Angelina in the role you are totally engrossed in her character and as the movie flows you are trying to figure out where the story is going. Liev Schreiber, who was excellent in Wolverine, is starting to now get good work and rightfully so because he is very good in any role he immerses himself in.
I hope one day they will stop having comparisons in trash magazines between Jennifer Aniston and Angelina. When it comes to movies there is no comparison. Angelina
is a true International star, Aniston needs to go back to television.

Verdict:
Better than both Tomb Raider movies. Better than all existing Resident Evil flicks.

Ramona and Beezus

I went thinking that this was a Selena Gomez flick and it’s not. Selena Gomez, who does an ok job in the flick is Beezus. The superstar and the little undiscovered actress that plays Ramona, Joey King, is the true star and steals the movie from every single veteran actor in the flick. The movie follows the misadventures and imagination of young grade schooler Ramona Quimby from Beverly Cleary's popular children's book series. Selena Gomez should stick to what she is excellent at, singing and performing.
Not a flick to take a child under 5yrs old but good for all ages above.

Verdict: You will see and hear a lot about Joey King, Let’s hope she doesn’t grow up to be like Lindsey Lohan.

The End of Saw

By Erick Davis
Just when we started to get used to what could become a really fun Halloween box office to-the-death match-up between the Saw franchise and the up-and-coming Paranormal Activity franchise comes word that in all probability Saw VII will mark the final installment in the franchise. Speaking to a UK radio show, Saw IV, V, VI and VII co-writer Patrick Melton revealed that while the plan was to continue making Saw films until at least part eight, the lackluster box office showing for Saw VI has pretty much put the nail in this franchise's coffin.

Melton says (via Latino Review), "I think it's going to end with Saw VII. I have a very strong feeling its going to end with Saw VII. That's something we're debating now. You saw in previous interviews or discussions where we thought Saw VIII would be the last one where we had the first trilogy and the second trilogy and then sort of a grand finale wrapped up in two films. But frankly because Saw VI hasn't performed as well as we anticipated, the idea is well why make two movies when we can make one really excellent movie that wraps up as best we can? And it's going to be in 3-D which sort of adds to the spectacle. So if you had to ask me, I don't own the franchise, nor do I run the studio, but I have a feeling, a strong feeling that it's going to be Saw VII which will be also known as Endgame. And nothing's official yet, but that's where we're hoping things will go."

As far as an entire franchise reboot goes (because you know that's at least being considered), Melton claims he's never heard of such talk, saying "maybe ten years from now", adding "At this point everyone is very focused on making Saw VII and seeing if we can make this sort of the grand finale."

What do you think? Would you be happy with this franchise ending this October, or are you down with more sequels

Wesley Snipes Heading to Jail

Wesley Snipes will serve three years in jail after losing his appeal on a conviction of tax evasion. Snipes was first found guilty in 2008 of dodging more than $15 million in taxes on income earned during the peak of his career. His lawyers argued that Snipes’ tax advisers, who also received jail terms, had convinced him there were no laws binding him to pay tax and that the sentence was “unreasonable.” But the case was not enough to sway the court. Even a letter from Denzel Washington to the District Court judge who upheld it could not save Snipes. “Wesley is like a mighty oak tree,” Washington wrote, “Many who know him have witnessed the fruit of his labours. I have sat in his shade and even been protected by his presence.”

Inception

"That movie was confusing" is what I heard from a teenager leaving the theater after the show ended, so I didn't feel bad because I was a little lost. I also heard that it was one of the most original movies so far this year. This I do agree with however I had a splitting headache from the pounding Hans Zimmer soundtrack, which was awesome, but too loud in the Imax theater I saw the movie in.
The story is about a highly skilled thief, Leonard DiCaprio, who is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date, planting an idea in a target's mind.
Leo DiCaprio is the man and always does a great job in making you believe in his characters. He is now well skilled at playing characters that are damaged but want to do well (Revolutionary Rd, Shutter Island, etc.). In fact this movie reminded me somewhat of Shutter Island.
Christopher Nolan is now the top dog director in Hollywood and I look forward to his movies with their visual effects and stunning cinematography.
This is not a lighthearted popcorn movie and you will have to pay attention otherwise you will get lost in the layers of plot. At one point in the movie a character asks "Wait, who's subconscious are we entering now?"
The cool thing is that you will be trying to figure out what is taking place and how it will end.

Verdict: Excellent movie. Oscar winner Marion Cotillard is haunting as Leo's wife. I will be going to see it again. Another dream movie that is a favorite of mine but that was not well received was 1999's In Dreams with Robert Downey Jr. and Annette Bening. Check it out after you see Inception. It's not as good but it's worth a look.

"Diary Of A Tired Black Man" 3 Min. Clip

Predators

This movie is suppose to open a new chapter in the franchise.
Oscar winner Adrian Brody, who has not had much luck in his career since kissing Halle Berry in front of her husband, is the leading man with "The Situation" abs.
The story is about a group of killers, some trained and some who are not, must endeavour the alien race of predators that have set out to target them as prey.
The director uses the same background music as the original. The reason why the first Predator is one of the greatest action movies is because it's non-stop action from start to finish. This new movie starts off pretty good but then gets bogged down with predictable fight scenes and story lines. This is better than all previous sequels except for Predator 2.

Verdict:
Check it out but go out and rent Predator 2 with Danny Glover to see the better sequel.

Eclipse

Take a little Twilight, a lot of New Moon and you have Eclipse. This story revolves around Bella’s love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob. Like Back To The Future 2 & 3 this movie was made the same time that New Moon was made. So what happens is that the viewers never get a quality movie, you just get more of the same. None of the actors are really very good except for Kristen Stewart who plays Bella. What she needs to do next is a comedy before she gets typecast.

Verdict: Not impressed at all. Not sure how many more of these movies they can make worth seeing. It will be interesting to see if it holds up 10 years from now or will people wonder why there was so much vampire crap out.

Love Ranch

You probably already heard the story of the Love Ranch on the ID Channel, Dateline, or 48 Hours Mystery. It’s the true story centered on a married couple, Charlie and Grace Bontempo who opened the first legal brothel in Nevada. Two great actors Joe Pesci and Helen Mirren play the couple. Pesci does what he does best which is being obnoxious as he wants to be and says the “F” word with every sentence. I realized how much I missed the guy from GoodFellas. Yea, he pretty much plays himself but I loved it. I was laughing in parts where I should have been silent. Helen Mirren can do no wrong. She does a good job playing a woman who is depressed, dying, and wants to be loved. She is great in any role she takes on.
The movie also has newcomer Sergio Peris-Mencheta. He is good as the boxer that Helen falls in love with. Gina Gershon is also in the movie and plays a hooker.

Verdict: If you love Joe Pesci then this flick is for you. Gina Gershon made me want to watch 1995 Showgirls over the weekend and surprisingly it still holds up after all these years.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

This is a documentary on the life and career of Joan Rivers, made as the comedienne turns 75 years old. The movie starts with a close-up of an old woman without makeup and as the makeup is applied you realize its Joan Rivers. I am a fan of Joan’s and I found this documentary to be a very revealing portrait. Take away all the trappings of success and stardom and we see a woman who is very insecure and has held on to things from the past. For instance as a very young girl who acted in the theater, you find out that she always wanted to be an actress and this documentary shows that at 75 yrs. old she is still trying?! The movie also reveals one of the reasons why she has taken on all the plastic surgery, bad things have been said to her face about her looks and the things she would like to hear (you are beautiful) have not.
We also hear about her rise to success with Johnny Carson and her fall with her husband who ended up killing himself and leaving her broke and in debt. If you don’t like Joan Rivers you may end up liking her after seeing this. I loved that she is a fighter and she has never quit nor does she plan to. I got tired just watching her execute her schedule. If you are retired watching this movie you will make you feel like a wimp.

Verdict: An amazing piece of work.

Grown Ups

This Adam Sandler movie is not as bad as the Zohan but comes close.
The story is about a group of High school buddies who attend the funeral of their basketball coach. During the weekend they learn valuable life lessons. SNORE!
The movie feels like a Rodney Dangerfield stand-up gig. One bad joke after another until
You laugh at one.
The performances are weak; cinematography is poor (at the theater I attended the picture was cloudy or I could be in denial that I need glasses).
Even the soundtrack was disjointed. Sandler always has old school hits that play throughout his films but in this one they didn’t seem to flow well.
There are only (2) good things about this movie:
1) There is an elderly black woman who goofs on Chris Rock throughout the movie and she comes off like Madea in Tyler Perry’s movies.
2) Salma Hayek I know I’m a dude but WOW does this woman ever gets old?

Verdict: Good for a few laughs.

Knight & Day

I was bored at times watching this Tom Cruise action movie. Yes, this is the first Cruise action movie that was boring . Don’t get me wrong, there are some great action scenes and Cameron Diaz is very believable but the movie feels like a 70’s Roger Moore James Bond movie. Do you want to sit and watch Roger Moore as Bond again?
The story is about a woman (Diaz) who finds life tangled with that of a secret agent (Cruise) who allegedly has gone bonkers and needs to be stopped.
The chemistry between Cruise and Diaz is great but not enough to sustain a weak story.
Tony winner Viola Davis shows up as Cruises boss and gives the same exact performance she did in Law Abiding Citizen.
I had recently seen Ashton Kutchner’s movie Killers, both movies have similarities in the fact that they were both filmed in exotic locations. If I had to choose one to watch for a vacation guide it would be Killers.

Verdict: This is a B script with A list actors. If you see it you will not want to watch it again.

Toy Story 3

I was anxious to see this movie because I was wondering how Disney was going to continue the story after all these years. So the story goes that Woody, Buzz, and the rest of their toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, departs for college. Wow, a Day Care center full of toys, why didn’t I think of that? This story creates a great movie that is as good as T.S. 1 & 2. This is not a Godfather 3.
You end up falling in love with the characters again and it brings back memories of when you first met them. Barbie and Ken are in this movie (Disney must have paid Mattel a mint) and Ken is voiced by Michael Keaton (Batman #1). There are times when all the adults in the theater are laughing, due to humor aimed at parents, and children in the theater looked puzzled. Kids will however love this movie and want to buy the old DVDs if they don’t already own them.

Verdict: A very good movie and sets the stage for many Toy Stories to come. Pixar is also working on Cars 2 & 3 and Monsters Inc. 2. Why? Because they have these theme based rides of these movies at their parks in CA, Florida, and around the world and they have to have young kids relate to the characters and get their butts on the rides.

The A - Team

I didn’t watch the television series but I knew of and liked Mr. T.
I loved this movie and found myself laughing and smiling throughout the entire flick.
The story is about a group veterans looking to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the A-Team of committing a crime for which they were framed.
The movie is well cast. Liam Neeson as the teram leader Hannibal adds solidness. If anyone else was cast it would have been more of a spoof but Liam plays it for real. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson as Mr. T is very funny and makes you forget about the real Mr. T half way thru the movie. and there are new actors playing bad guys in Hollywood, Patrick Wilson and Brian Bloom. Even Gerald McRainey (remember the TV show Simon and Simon?) shows up in a key role.
Jessica Biel is fantastic looking as always and has a decent role.
This is the best action movie I have seen this year and it moves at a frantic pace.
This movie is not for everyone but if you are looking for a summer popcorn action flick then this is it.

Verdict: The A-Team is re-born. I am going to see this again.

Killers

Sorry I have not posted any reviews lately. I have seen about 10 movies that sucked and they didn’t inspire me to write. The writer’s strike of 2008 has now set us up for a slew of poor summer movies.
Let’s start with Killers.
The story is about a woman who meets the man of her dreams. They get married and her life is upset when she discovers her husband is an assassin.
Katherine Heigl plays the uptight wife. In fact in her last few movies she has played the same character. I have never watched Grey’s Anatomy but I wonder if she plays the same character when she was on that show? The girl has no range! On the other hand Ashton Kutcher is likable (if not annoying at times) in all of his movies. He also has yet to show some range. I do believe he has a better chance of being a breakout star in the same vein as Tom Hanks. Now bear with me, Hanks made a plethora of BAD movies as the goofy, likable everyman (The Burbs, The Money Pit, Turner & Hooch, The man with One Red Shoe, shall I continue) then he hit pay dirt with good scripts and great directors.
I feel Ashton is following Hanks playbook.
Back to the movie…the first half is great only due to the exotic locations. Tom Selleck is better of playing drunken cop Jess Stone than playing Heigl dad.
Everyone else in the movie mailed in his or her performances.

Verdict: Only for Ashton fans.

Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 falls into the same sophomore attempt that Transformers 2 fell into. Both first movies made tons of money, so with both 2nd attempts the directors give the audience too much action, too many characters and not enough of a story to care about. For Fanboys who have read the Iron Man comic book they know that the creator of Spiderman and Iron Man, Stan Lee, took time to develop characters, and bad guys that you cared about. Similar to Doc. Octopus in Spidey 2. Stan Lee is one of the writers of this movie so I wonder if his input was honored?
The story is about Tony Stark, Iron Man, who must contend with deadly issues involving the government, his own friends, as well as new enemies due to his superhero alter ego Iron Man. In this movie you have Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson. They are all great on screen but there is no substance. Scarlett Johansson has a great action scene but so what? Iron Man 2 is an OK movie that could have been better. Robert Downey Jr.'s stock does not go down in this flick, he is great as always. I am not a Gwyneth Paltrow fan but she was good in this movie. I think it's because it looks like she is having fun in the role. You will be disappointed if you see it in IMAX because the IMAX previews prior to the movie (Tron, Toy Story 3, Shrek 4, and Inception) look better in IMAX than Iron Man 2.

Verdict: It will make a ton of money and there will be an Iron Man 3. Terance Howard is not missed because Don Cheadle rocks. Fanboys and Marvel Baby Boomers stay until all the credits are gone for a surprise. All others head to the exits.

The Back-Up Plan

After trying to win an Oscar with her husband, (Mark Anthony aka Skelator), in the movie El cantante, J-Lo is back doing what she did best (Hollywood history has shown that you never do a movie with your spouse). The Back-Up Plan is a wannabe romantic comedy. I say wannabe because it is not as funny as J-Lo's past successes in this arena. The movie starts out with a Doris Day type cartoon to remind you that this is a romantic comedy. This was already a weak attempt. The story is centered on a woman who tries to have a baby through artificial insemination, only to meet the man of her dreams on the very same day.
The editing is really bad in this movie because some scenes take forever to get through to the next. The chemistry between the 2 main characters, J-Lo and Alex O'Loughlin is fine however he does not have any friends? The only supporting friend he has is a stranger he meets in the park, Anthony Anderson. Why couldn't he be his friend? Anderson, who was hilarious in Two Can Play That Game is totally wasted in this movie.
J-Lo friends are also not that funny. With any romantic comedy you need funny supporting players, think Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada.
This movie is a waste of time. The only good thing is that at 40 years old J-Lo still looks fetching! Good Genes or Good Doctor?

Verdict: J-Lo, you have been away too long. How many more romantic comedies can you make?

Death At A Funeral

This movie is a remake of a Frank Oz 2007 flick. This version it is the story about Aaron, Chris Rock, a well-mannered and hard working young man, married to Michelle Regina Hall, and still living at his father's home. When his father dies, it is up to Aaron, the oldest son, to organize the funeral and give the eulogy. There are many other story lines within the movie and there lies the problem.
The trailer for this movie was great but had the majority of the laughs that movie has.
I thought this was going to be Chris Rock's first big movie hit however Tracey Morgan steals the movie away from him. This is not Morgan's breakthrough role but if I was a comedian I wouldn't want him in my movies, he is that funny.
Zoe Saldana and Christopher Short (who are also both in The Losers?!?) also star in this movie.

Verdict: Too much dialogue and comics, not enough laughs.

Kick-Ass

Yes I was a comic book collector. Yes I was one of the thousand of kids that got rid of their comic collections before they were worth anything. Why do I bring this up? because Kick-Ass is a cool comic book movie.
The story is about a high school student and comic book fan who one day makes the simple decision to become a super-hero even though he has no powers or training.
Not much of a story but remember Batman didn't have any superpowers.
I didn't hear any early buzz on this movie but I saw people lining up for sneak previews in San Francisco on a recent trip so I knew it had to be good and it is.
THIS IS NOT A NICK CAGE MOVIE however Nick Cage stars as single parent Big Daddy who is an ex cop bent on revenge. His daughter Chloe Moretz (remember that name) is raised to be a super hero named Hit Girl. Chloe is OUTSTANDING and you can't wait until she returns to the screen. She is that good. Beware: There is lots of blood and gore which may be too much for the casual movie watcher. Some scenes in the movie are like a video game with graphic violence and big boob skanks. This is the first movie this year that had my adrenaline rushing due to vivid cinematography and a crisp soundtrack. Hit Girl has an Elvis Presley snarl when she gets mad and the director cleverly inserts an Elvis song at a key moment. McLovin from Superbad is in the movie as well and does a good job. The only flaw in the movie for me is that Yancy Butler (that crazy women from Lifetime movies) is in the movie but is wasted.

Verdict: Kick-Ass is fresh and funny. I will say it again, Chloe Moretz is OUTSTANDING!

Date Night

I hated Tina Fey in Baby Mama (her first starring major movie role) and I wanted it so badly to be good because I loved her on Saturday Night Live.
With Date Night I didn't expect much and I was pleasantly surprised. The story is about a married couple whose domestic life has become routine. Phil, Steve Carell, decides to take his wife, Tina Fey, to the city for dinner and chaos ensues. Yes at times it seems like a long Saturday Night skit but this one is a little more focused on the characters than cheap laughs. Various actors have cameo roles and Common plays one of the bad guys. Common is the bald headed black guy in every other movie that grimaces and does not say much. He seems to be getting alot of work that way but they need to give the guy something to say. Marky Mark Whalberg walks around without a shirt and Ray Liotta plays a Mafia type hood. Some slow periods throughout the flick but great moments of dialogue. The chemistry between Fey and Carell is dynamic and they should continue to do movies together. Don't make the mistake Will Smith did with not teaming up with Kevin Smith again.

Verdict: Great script, good movie, and Tina Fey what more can I say. Check it out! Director Kevin Smith (Cop Out) should take notes from Director Shawn Levy, this is how you make a comedy.

Why Did I Get Married Too?

After seeing the first version of this movie I didn't think there was much more to say. I was wrong, Tyler Perry has found his movie franchise. WDIGM2 is so good I can see 2 more movies being made with this great cast of characters. The story takes the four couples from the first movie, reunites them in the Bahamas, and they spend time analyzing their marriages with disastrous results. Tasha Smith as Angela steals the movie from everyone with her over the top performance. She is EXCELLENT and should be nominated. I do think that Perry should develop a television show for her and her husband in the movie, Marcus, Michael Jai White.
Janet Jackson and the other stars also manage to give solid performances. Perry does not really get into Janet's character's background so expect to see why she is such a BITCH in WDIGM3.
The movie runs a bit long and is not for everyone.

VERDICT: Must see for Tasha Smith's excellent and funny scenes. A Star is Born!

How To Train Your Dragon

Finally!
A kids movie I can take my kids to and enjoy without falling asleep.
The story is about A nerdy young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons and becomes the owner of a young dragon and then learns that he has alot in common.
This movie was a children's book and it was refreshing to see a new movie with "B" actors as the voices of the main chracters rather than a remake with "A" list stars.
Jay Baruchel from She's Out of my League does the vocals for Hiccup the lead chracter and does an excellent job. If you remember his breakthrough role was in Million Dollar Baby as Danger, the young skinny kid that wanted to be a boxer.
Gerard Butler also does vocals. Some may consider him an "A" list actor but with the crap he has been making since 300 it seems like he is just collecting a paycheck.
The other star of the movie is the 3D effects and to truely enjoy it you will have to see it in IMAX. If you don't want to see it in 3D then don't worry because the story is good enough witout it.

Verdict:
Very good childrens movie. Dreamworks has done a fine job but Pixar is still the leader in this niche.