Rambo (2008)

This Movie Is About: change. The change in a man and what he can do to promote change in a nation. But can a man really change? That is the question that has been eating at John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) for all of his life, ever since he was drafted into the Vietnam War. After decades of fighting and killing, John has settled nicely in Thailand hunting snakes for and whatever else animal he can get his hands on to make a profit and just stay under the radar. But he doesn't stay there for long as a group of missionaries from the US come looking for him to see if Rambo can provide passage to Burma, a civil war-torn nation. They want to go in there and help the children with medicine and god but according to Rambo, if you ain't bringing guns, you ain't helping anyone. Things look like they're going to end for the group real fast until One of the missionaries, Sarah (Julie Benz) talks him into going because she believes that a country can change. But things go wrong like they're supposed to when a group of white people go into Burma. They get captured and now it's up to John to lead a group of mercenaries into the Burma to rescue them. It's a suicide mission but why does John wanna go? Perhaps he's starting to believe that he can change. Maybe he believes that if he saves Sarah, he can be human again.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: there are very few people who can kick as much ass as Rambo. He is badass to the bone and he doesn't take any prisoners. I don't even think he knows what that word means. This time, not only is he pissed off, he has a group of pissed off mercenaries that goes with him. The group brings a new dynamic to the Rambo series and although some purist might think that this is digressing away from the formula, rest assured, Rambo does a lot of ass kicking on his own. There are plenty of blood, gore, violence and really a lot of unnecessary evil that goes on in this movie. Putting Rambo in the middle of a civil war was a great idea and one that definitely pays off in this movie in more ways than just blood but don't worry, there's a lot of that too.

What's Hot: These bad guys are real bad ass. They have no moral value and they are brutal. Which makes Rambo even that much more brutal and without remorse. John Rambo is a character that needs to accept what he has done in the past and believe that he can change and be a better human being. Although the message of change and going home is pretty clear, sometimes painfully clear, it's a nice touch of character that makes us care about this guy and really wants him to go home and find his humanity. But he has to kill about a million guys before he can do that and that's where the fun is for us! His team is pretty bad ass as well including School Boy (Matthew Marsden) who carries the biggest sniper rifle I have seen in a movie since Smoking Aces. It may actually be the same gun. The other members of the team add in that nice little dynamic which creates an interesting team going up against the worst thing since the Nazis.

What's Not Hot:In Rambo, it's difficult to establish any other characters other than John because they usually end up dying very very gruesome deaths and no one wants to be invested in a character that's going to get chopped off right away. That has always been the problem with Rambo and it doesn't change here. Everyone other than John is very one dimensional. This is more apparent in the bad guys than in the team as these guys are pure evil. Not just the commander but everyone! Now, I know these guys are hardcore but there should at least be some heart left with these guys and even if they're isn't, for a movie it's just not interesting to kill a person with no heart. We need to try to understand why these people are doing what they're doing so we can understand why they're bad and be more emotionally invested in their death. But that doesn't happen, these bad guys are just one beat and there really isn't any emotional reward for Rambo taking them out. Other than that, a lack of a proper love story is something else that the Rambo series has not been able to solve and even though there seemed to be a chance in this movie to change that, they decided against it. It was probably a good decision but there was just something there that could have worked. Some more depth with some of the other members of the team other than School Boy would have been nice. But come on, let's not kid ourselves. We came to see one thing, and it wasn't characters so it's not like they cheated us or anything.

Last Comments: Rambo brings back all the wonder and glory of the past movies as well as it's problems but it's so fantastic the way everything is shot and just the nostalgia alone will make you forget everything you know about good stories and good characters and it will just wow you. Prepare to see a lot a lot a lot of blood and gore and people exploding. It was nice to give Rambo a team to show how the world is now in the future and really nice to get that modern technology in there so we can see what Rambo is like in the 21st century. It would have been nice to get a better glimpse into the psyche of the villain but oh well. The movie might be disappointing for some people from the beginning because it is very slow to establish the type of shit Rambo has going on inside of him but the flashbacks to the original films was a nice touch and it made his character really come full circle in the end. The action needs no words to describe but Sarah's character was almost there to being a very good supporting role to balance out Rambo's nature because she was the exact opposite but we can tell that they're both good and caring but in different ways. It could have used more work to bring that out but oh well. Overall it's an action movie in the purest sense with a character that we already love, could have done more but I was very satisfied with what it is, and so will most people.

Breaking it Down:
Story: 7.2 (Sylvester Stallone & David Morell)
Direction: 8.5 (Sylvester Stallone)
Acting: 6.8
Cinematography: 8.0
Music/Sound: 7.0

Entertainment Value: 8.4 (not an average)

Death Sentence (2007)

This Movie Is About: the perfect family. Nick Hume (Kevin Bacon) has the perfect family. He has the beautiful wife, Helen Hume (Kelly Preston) and the two perfect boys, Brendan and Billy. Brenden is also the golden boy of the family who is the perfect son and the perfect athlete who plays on the first line on his hockey team. He also has a chance to make it pro after a string of great games. He wants to go to Canada for university and maybe a shot at the pros. That is when he and his father decide to pull up at a broken down gas station. A group of gang bangers walk in with ski masks and pulls a shot gun on the owner and blasts the shit out of him before turning their gun on Brendan. Nick can't get in there fast enough before a kid slashes Brendan's throat and runs out of the gas station only to get hit by a car. Brendan dies and Nick's perfect family is torn apart. Things go from bad to worse when Nick's lawyer tells him that they can't get this guy jail time more than 5 years because there were no witnesses. Nick doesn't testify in court and the guy just walks out of there scott-free. But you just wait, my friend. Nick has other ideas for him to pay, but in doing so will have to pay his own price, for going into the dark side.

You Should Watch This Because: it's like The Punisher if it was more hardcore and more serious. Now that movie was pretty serious but this one is off the charts as the feel of it was great. A single man up against a force that's just brutal but he's doing it for a reason we can all understand even though we might not necessarily do the same thing. The action is pretty none stop and it's messy which is great. Nick is not the hero that we all want to be. In fact, there is so many things wrong with him we're surprised that more shit hasn't happened to him. But that's when all that shit does happen to him and it just makes it that much greater. If you like the gritty, dark grim movies, then this movie is one that you don't want to miss.

What's Hot: These movies are cheesy because the situation is usually very serious but the characters and what they do to get their revenge is just stupid. That's where this movie dodges a bullet. They take it very seriously and goes through all the right steps in making sure that they're doing all the things that a real person would do. This includes getting the police involved with the introduction of Detective Wallis (Aisha Tyler) and she does all the police stuff that's supposed to be taken care of in these films. One of the other great things about this film is the primal natural of it. It's so raw and crude that it will definitely appeal to an audience that likes that style. The graphics and effects are very Sawesque which is great if you liked the way that movie was shot.

What's Not Hot: Unfortunately this film doesn't go out of that stereotypical genre that gets plagued by bad reviews because it's just not new and the same thing has been done before and it's just not that interesting anymore. This one does change it up a bit by making it a bit more grim but really it's something we've all seen before. The biggest problems were with the ending and the antagonist. The antagonist is the leader of the gang, Billy Darley (Garrett Hedlund) who is just a straight up bad guy with a father complex. It never goes beyond all of that and although we understand why he's doing what he's doing through out the film, we don't know anything else about him. This made him just a reactive antagonist and not that interesting as opposed to an antagonist that always has a plan or has something planned out or believes that he/she is doing something great. The ending is just stupid. I'm sorry, but it was going pretty good despite all the one dimensional characters and then the end came and it was just not deserved. I won't say too much about it because it is the ending but I just felt like it went against what he has been doing and he really deserve what he got.

Last Comments: Death Sentence does a great job in creating a situation that is believable for us to watch them get killed and go through this journey with a character. Although the characters are shallow and there is really no other layers to them, the action is very well done and everything comes together nicely enough that we can have fun watching this movie while not expecting too much from it. It might seem like it's selling this movie short but it's really not. Because by the end of it it's all about having fun anyways and this movie delivers on that front and that is the most important thing.

Breaking It Down:
Story: 6.5 (Brian Garfield: novel, Ian Jeffers: screenplay)
Direction: 8.0 (James Wan)
Acting: 7.8
Cinematography: 8.2
Music/Sound: 5.5

Entertainment Value: 7.0 (not an average)

Rush Hour 3 (2007)

This Movie Is About: the third installment of Detective Chris Carter (Chris Tucker) and his Asian brother from another mother, Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan). This time they're going to Paris to stop the Triads before they become bigger than ever. They get a tip of the Triad's secret leader Shia Shen. Once they get to Paris, that's when the fun starts as Carter and Lee get into their rhythm and start messing up everything they meet. One of those people is George (Yvan Attal) who becomes their taxi driver and a quick learner of the American ways. The two are constantly lost and things seem bleak especially with Lee's step-brother, Kenji (Hiroyuki Sanada) always trying to kill them. It's not until they meet Genevieve (Noemie Lenoir) do they get a sense of what's really going on and who or what Shia Shen really is.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: I remember Rush Hour to be hugely entertaining when it first came out. That was when Jackie Chan was doing all those crazy stunts and the world has never seen anything like it. That time, the black humor was just starting up as well so Tucker's rendition were like a breath of fresh air. Now that's it's been almost 10 years since the original came out, some might feel that the freshness has been lost and it just isn't funny anymore. Well, they're wrong. This film is still hugely entertaining if only just a little predictable. But seriously, no one really goes to see these movies for the story but just the fact that there is a story in there with a small theme of brotherhood and what it means to be brothers just gives it that little extra push for people to go watch it.

What's Hot: I have to admit that this series doesn't have a great track record it comes to picking hot female co-stars but this time they got it right in picking Noemie Lenoir for the role of Genevieve, a french exotic dancer that holds the key to Shia Shen. She's hot but at the same time vulnerable which is the dream isn't it? But seriously. These films have always been interesting because of the relationship between Lee and Carter and this time that relationship gets put to the test as Lee must choose between his evil brother and his not-so-evil brother. It's an interesting dynamic that gets played up through the film and comes to a nice end. The comedy is there and the stunts are there. Carter is more involved in the craziness and his high-pitched screaming is as hilarious as ever. All in all, everything you expect from this movie is in there and wrapped together nicely.

What's Not Hot: Again these films give us what we always wanted from the Rush Hour series which is fine but it doesn't go beyond that. In fact, this film is probably the least innovative of the three and it really sucks because I'm sure they had a lot of room to explore Paris and the relationship between Carter and Lee and also with Lee's past and maybe Carter's past. I thought they were going to do more with Carter's family and/or Lee's family but they didn't. Instead, they just stuck with what made the series popular back in the days and although it was still fun to watch, it would have been nice to have seen a bit more depth with these characters that haven't been thoroughly explored. You would think after three movies we would know something about these characters but we don't. A bit of insight is afforded to Lee with his brother Kenji but that's pretty much. The romantic subplot in this movie is probably the weakest out of the three as well as whatever build up to the romance was taken out and everything was secondary to the action and humor. It wasn't a good choice because it meant Genevieve's character was static when she was the most troubled character of all. I don't mean to change this film into a drama and a mystery but a little bit of how characters feel about what they're doing would have been nice.

Last Comments: Rush Hour 3 is everything you would expect from the series and they give you a lot more of it this time around. Carter and Lee are the characters you have grown to love and even though they don't give you any more insight into their every day lives or who they really are, it's forgivable in this kind of film. Even though the action and comedy are abundant in this film, I can't help but think how good have this film would have been if it was just given some time to breath in order to get some characterization in there. Just something for us to see where the characters are coming from and why they're doing what they're doing. It would have been nice to see an internal motivation accompanying that external motivation. If you just forget that there is no clear reason why these people are doing what they're doing, then you will enjoy this movie. If you need to get to know the characters and need to understand why they're doing what they're doing, then you might not like this movie that much.

Breaking It Down:
Story: 6.5 (Jeff Nathanson & Ross LaManna)
Direction: 7.8 (Brett Ratner)
Acting: 8.0
Cinematography: 7.5
Music/Sound: 6.2

Entertainment Value: 6.9 (not an average)

Juno (2007)

This Movie Is About: growing up and everything that comes with it. For Juno MacGruff (Ellen Page) it means making the wrong decision once and having to pay for it for 9 months of your life, not to mention all the clothes she has to get altered. Being pregnant sure is a bitch when you're in high school. Things aren't all bad though because the father, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera) seems to be cool with it and wants to help her with whatever she wants to do but really what can he do? What can anyone do when they're in high school. As a result, Juno puts the child up for adoption and finds a family right away. Vanessa and Mark Loring seem like the perfect couple. They're nice and nice to look at. They live in a good house in a good neighborhood and they seems real friendly. Juno doesn't take long to make her decision to give these two her baby. With that, we're on our way through the nine months of hell as some would call it as it stretches over three seasons of a year where the changes in Juno life mirror the change in the leaves. It would be easy if it was only her that changes but as you know in life, the only thing you can count on is change.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: it's super sweet. I mean, it's real cute to watch. Even though it's dealing with issues that are real and serious for anyone going through that age and period in their life, it does so in the background and really focuses on the characters and their interactions. As a result, the film is fun and easy to watch and the story doesn't get bogged down on the message parts of it. Instead, the lesson comes intrinsic with the story and the situation and we learn what they are trying to tell us while being entertained. That's not an easy thing to do in modern cinema and something that should be appreciate.

What's Hot: Even though I disagree with most of my friends in saying that Ellen Page is not that hot, I have to admit that she is hella funny. Her lines are smart and she delivers them with gusto and flare only she can manage. All the characters around her have the same quality and that makes for some interesting banter between the characters. Even the usually stale step mother character comes alive later on in the film to be an unexpected mentor which adds depth to her character. The situation itself is a interesting one and even though it has been done plenty of times and a couple already this year, it's one of those topics that never seem to get old because it's a constant problem in society and we are always fascinated by it.

What's Not Hot: Perhaps the only thing wrong with this movie is that it's too smart. The dialogue is over the top witty and everyone seems to be saving up their one liners for this situation. As a result, there are certain situations and responses which seem unnatural and forced. It's not a big deal but these people just doesn't seem like real people sometimes and I know what people in high school sound like. I was there. and Yes I know I sucked at English back in the day but I don't think anyone of my English speaking friends could pull off half the stuff theses characters pulled off. The other major concern for this film comes with the subplots that it opened up and never closed. There are plenty of relationship stuff with the family and that is supposed to adopt the child. That relationship was never completed or resolved properly especially with Juno and Mark. Hell, Juno and Vanessa didn't really have that moment as well to warrant what happened in the end. There are minor story lines that weren't very clear how it ended like with Juno and her best friend, Leah, and Leah and her not-so-secret crush. These are just all minor stuff but it's minor in that it could have been fixed with a couple of added scenes which would have given the film a much tidier finish and more closure.

Last Comments: Juno is one of those movies you go watch when you're sad or when you know someone is sad and you want to cheer them up. Granted, they'll probably be pretty sad for most of the film but the ending will turn it around no problem. The characters are smart and witty almost to a fault and the story has a few holes which could have been patched up with some small details but it doesn't take away from the main story which is a coming of age story as well as a love story which is super cute and also very meaningful for the subject of teenage pregnancy. The subject matter is something we can all relate to even if we haven't experienced it ourselves and it's always nice to see someone come through in the face of adversity because it gives us hope that if we ever make a mistake that can potentially scar us for the rest of our lives, it's nice to think that we will be able to make the right decision and be better for it.

Breaking It Down:
Story: 8.0 (Diablo Cody)
Direction: 7.0 (Jason Reitman)
Acting: 7.5
Cinematography: 8.4
Music/Sound: 9.0

Entertainment Value: 8.0

I Am Legend (2007)

This Movie Is About: an epidemic that has wiped out 99 percent of the world's population. The rest of the 12 million survivors who are immune to this virus have been killed by the infected. All but one man survives alone in New York, Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith). He, along with his K9 friend, Samantha, wander around New York keeping busy and hunting the wild game that has got into the city now with its inhabitants shun from the day light. They have a pretty relaxed routine all the way until night time. That's when the fun starts. They live outside the city in a house that is a barricade. The only thing that keeps Robert from killing himself is the belief that there is a cure out there that can save whoever is left. That cure has been coming for three years and everything he's done hasn't worked. It's getting grim and the solitude is starting to get to Robert as a life alone just doesn't seem worth living anymore. That's the situation when Robert believes that he's found a cure to the virus only to find an unexpectant visitor which leads to a crisis that will force Robert to choose between his own life and his legacy.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: the general consensus going in was that if they've already made this movie two times, then the third time has to be the charm right? That's what people might think and they have good reason to. There is plenty of action despite things not happening during the day and there are some great character drama even if the movie has one actor for the most of it. The special effects are well done with the vampires and they come out and are as bad ass as you would expect a modern vampire to be. They even go a bit overboard with the way they present themselves and sometimes it's a bit annoying. But overall, they are well done and gives the movie that extra horror touch that it needs.

What's Hot: When I say that Robert is alone, that's not quite true. For most of the movie, he's accompanied by his dog, Sam. Which was given to him by his daughter just before she was killed on a helicopter out of the quarantine zone. They have a good relationship, Robert and the Sam, and they do everything together. Robert has grown quite attached to the dog and there are some brilliant exchanges between the two that are both heart warming and melancholic at the same time. The climax is also one to remember. Sure the ending might not have been as great as the 1951 novel, but they really devoted themselves to making their version of the ending the best that it could possibly have been. And damn was it great. The special effects and how everything came together with Robert being a smart scientist and the whole single person versus a mass force was really flushed out. It was hella entertaining and definitely worth the build up.

What's Not Hot: And so we get to the ending. As I have mentioned above, I don't think the ending is as strong as the original which was written in 1951. It's not just the ending actually. It's the whole theme and meaning of the story. This rendition takes the concept and drastically changes it to make it more commercial and more generic. The original story had a great concept of what a legend means and how it applies to real life and real life situations. That idea takes Robert through a bunch of trials where he figures out which legends about vampires are true and which are not. This movie doesn't do that. It instead focuses on the legend of a man and his struggle to keep his legacy alive. The legacy of human beings that is. While that's all fine and good, I just think that they missed the boat by changing the original. In my opinion, if they had kept the original and mixed in the special effects and modern technology, this movie would have been something real special.

Last Comments: I Am Legend is a good third attempt at a classic story. The good out-weigh the bad as I was thoroughly entertained through out the film and even had problems watching parts of it because it was really scary! I didn't think this film would be able to frighten compared to some other modern horror movies but then again, it's not supposed to be a straight up horror. It's supposed to be a thriller/drama with horror bits and they do it justice. The story itself lacked the punch that the original concept had and even though they did well in committing to their vision of the story, I believe that this version is tainted because of the studio's attempt to make it more commercial and less philosophical. If they decide to make this movie a fourth time 15 years later, I hope they go back to 1951 and give that concept and theme a good look over because I believe that the original mixed in with modern cinema can create something real special instead of a just another above-average Hollywood film.

Breaking It Down:
Story: 7.6 (Richard Matheson: novel, Akiva Goldsman & Mark Protosevich: screenplay)
Direction: 8.8 (Francis Lawrence)
Acting: 8.0
Cinematography: 7.2
Music/Sound: 7.5

Entertainment Value: 7.8 (not an average)

Resurrecting the Champ (2007)

This Movie Is About: the true story about Battling Bob Satterfield who was once considered the top three boxer in the world and had the chance to be the number one contender. That was in the 50s and now is now, and right now The Champ (Samuel L. Jackson) as he so calls himself, is living out of dumpsters and getting beat up by cocky teenagers. It's not looking so good for The Champ until one night he runs into an young hot-shot sports reporter, Erik Kernan Jr. (Josh Harnett) whose father was the famous radio sports announcer, Erik Kernan. It is no doubt that Jr. has a lot to live up to and so far he hasn't done his name justice. That's when he bumps into The Champ outside a low tier boxing match he had to attend. They get to talking and Kernan soon discovers this bums try identity. With the help of his researcher at the local newspaper he works for, he goes after the real truth behind what happened to Battling Bob Satterfield and in the mean time, kick starting his career. Things are going fast until he finds out the real truth behind Battling Bob and the guy who claims to be him.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: this is the first movie where Samuel L. goes out on a limb and does something completely different. You've seen him the gangster/police role, always yelling at people and blowing shit up. Well, this time he doesn't even swear! But what fun is that you might ask? It's actually a lot of fun to see the interaction between a bum and a sports announcer whom are both down and almost out. They have to help each other get out of the ropes and the only way to do that is to trust each other a bit. This dynamic is interesting all the way through the film and it's amazing how much things change with the slightest reveals.

What's Hot: Other than Erik and The Champ duking it out with each other, there are plenty of times when they have to fight their own battles on their own turfs. The thing is that they both face similar situations but in very different situations if you know what I mean. If you don't then don't worry because I don't think I'm making any sense! The point is that their lives mirror each others even if they are super age difference and one of them lives on the street. They can relate to each other and as a result, we can relate to them. Erik goes through more of the challenges because he is the main character and we are introduced to his family. Or his ex-wife, Joyce (Katheryne Morris) and his six year-old son. Their relationship is what drives this film and gives it that extra dimension that pushes it beyond the ring and into real-life.

What's Not Hot: There are so many things going on and so many turns that it's easy to get lost in the story lines and I think the writers might have gotten lost a bit themselves! It's not that bad, in fact the story is actually quite dramatic for something that's real. The problem is that the family issue with Erik and his ex-wife, Joyce is not resolved properly. We don't know exactly what happened between the two of them before the movie started and we don't really know why they end up the way they do when the movie ends. Things just happen and we don't know why and a little explanation would have been nice. Other than that, the whole things happens a bit too fast which I guess is needed to cover up some of the legal logic that go missing through out this film. Everything just happens way to fast in this and people get away with murder! Not literary, unless. But yeah, things happen and sometimes it just feels like they happen so something big can happen later to make you forget the logic of the set up.

Last Comments: Resurrecting the Champ brings a lot to the table and the drama is thick and fast through out this true life story. There are problems with the logic but if you are willing to over-look that then this film will be a real hit for you. The whole dynamic between would be all-star boxer now living on the street and the hot-shot desperate reporter looking for a break is a great one and one that is thoroughly explored. The family issue is a nice touch and gives it a bit more depth even though some back story and clarification throughout the arc would have been appreciated. Overall, this is a great drama and definitely one of the best of 2007.

Breaking It Down:
Story: 7.8 (J.R. Moehringer: article, Michael Bortman & Allison Burnett: screenplay)
Direction: 7.0 (Rod Lurie)
Acting: 9.0
Cinematography: 7.0
Music/Sound: 6.0

Entertainment Value: 8.0 (not an average)

The Simpsons' Movie (2007)

This Movie Is About: the lovable Simpsons family moving to the big screen with an equally big adventure. The unexpected turns and excitement are led by none other than Homer who is accompanied by his loyal family Bart, Lisa, Marge and of course, Maggie. But that's not all the fun! The real entertainment is the situation they've got themselves into this time. Springfield has become so polluted that the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has decided to put Springfield under a huge dome and let nature take its course. Homer, however, finds a way to escape out of the dome of doom and begin a new life with his family in another part of the world, or at least it feels like another part of the world where they're going. But all is not well with Homer and his family getting used to their new life as they soon realize that their hearts belong only in Springfield and only they can rescue the city from being razed by the EPA.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: if you haven't lived under a rock for the last 20 years then you will definitely know what the Simpsons are. Hell, even if you have been living underneath a rock I'm sure The Simpsons have found some way into your lives. If that is the case, it must be a complete joy and a given that you will watch this movie in the theatres. If you can't watch this movie in the theatres then I'm sure you will find some way of viewing it one way or another. The characters are lush and predictable in a good way while the animation and jokes are on par with the best Simpsons' episode. Everything about The Simpsons is crammed into this extended episode and definitely worth the view.


What's Hot: Everything and everyone you would expect from the show shows up here. Sometimes they only fulfill a small role in completing a joke but it's a nice touch to make sure that everyone's favorites are in here. This film really doesn't try to do too much and try to become something that it isn't. It doesn't try to change the formula into something drastically different than the TV episodes because it suddenly is on the big screen. Instead, it takes the old formula that has withstood the test of time and extended it and spiced it up with some detailed animations and put it on a 50' screen in front of you. That's pretty much what the movie is any it wouldn't have worked any other way.

What's Not Hot: Everything I said above can be pretty much interpreted as being negative. This movie doesn't bring the show out of the TV realm and for some viewers, that will be a major disappointment. The story line is a bit more expanded and offer a bigger arc for the main character because it has to take up more time than 20 minutes. But the depth isn't there for it to have any major dramatic punch. I think they recognized this and addressed it in the film for some laughs which was a nice way to approach the problem. There really isn't any other problems with the story of the movie if you are a Simpsons fan but if you are not, then you will have to watch a few episodes and make sure you know what you're going to get before you put down your money to watch it.


Last Comments: It's nice to finally see Homer on the big screen and his family of course is there with him all the way to add complications and raise the stakes and of course provide that crazy humor that makes us love these guys for over 15 years. The story is crazy and zany but that's the universe and that is exactly what this movie delivers. It doesn't go over the top with anything and it plays it safe for the most part. There are some small laughs mixed in with some satire on stuff but overall it's the light humor that families enjoy. Having said that, perhaps this movie could have used a bit more innovation and revolution as opposed to the minor evolution. But I think this film does just fine being what it is and as long as you know that, then you will enjoy it, guaranteed.

Entertainment Value: 7.5

The Invasion (2007)

This Movie Is About: an alien epidemic that takes over the Earth. Well, not quite the Earth when the movie begins. In fact, it's only really a small town in the US. But don't worry, the epidemic gets bigger. It starts off when a person gets effected, then once that person sleeps, the alien life-form uses the sleep hormones to alter that person's genes. And then that person becomes your friendly neighborhood alien with no emotions and no other purpose but to make everyone else like they are. Sounds like fun except for those stupid humans that keep getting in the way. One of those stupid humans is Dr. Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) who is a psychiatrist and a well known one at that. Her stupid human best-friend who wants to become more than friends, Dr. Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig) are the only two people who are not aliens it seems like. They, along with their scientist friend, must escape the city into a quarantine zone. But not so fast! Carol has a son who's with his stepfather who's acting very very strange but Carol's son has not been affected due to his frequent text messages. Could Carol's son be the cure for this epidemic? Of course he is, and thus the movie begins with the humans trying to get out of the city and Carol trying to get her son out of the grasps of her ex-husband and in the meantime, save the world.

You Should Watch This Movie Because sometimes a movie is worth watching based on the premise along. And this one definitely is one of those. With an interesting concept along with an easy to understand problem, it creates suspense by setting simple rules to play with and manipulate. The simple fact that the humans who are infected can't sleep, creates immediate dangers and is actually quite exciting see all the ways a person can stay up. Furthermore, this movie has quite the star power and even if you are not a Nicole Kidman fan, Daniel Craig is there for your star fix.

What's Hot: The aliens are pretty cool and it is interesting when a person turns into an alien. The transformation is handled nicely and even the rapid cuts away from the action works nicely to replicate the struggles in a person's mind. In fact, the editing of this film is very well done in that they cut away from the action and present time quite a bit in order to show what happens in the future and then they carry on right after the cut. It's kind of like fast-forwarding through all the exposition and just getting into the good stuff. This does make the movie feel faster because it's shorter due to the edits. But at least it doesn't make it boring as you are thrown into action after action. And the characterization and exposition doesn't ever stop.

What's Not Hot: When I said that a movie is worth watching because of the premise, I didn't mean it made it good. And this movie definitely fell short of the promise. When I heard of this movie I was thrilled at the idea and even the trailer looked very good. But once you really get into the meat of the film, there really isn't much there. The story is standard as Carol goes through all the steps that a hero should and the result is predictable half way through the film. Or even from the beginning if you've seen the trailer. They don't go beyond anything amazing with the rules they've created and only do okay in stretching the imagination with the set up. The thriller parts of the movie isn't all that thriller and the emotional parts aren't that emotional because of the one dimensional characterization for Daniel Craig's character. I mean, come on! If they only pushed his character a bit more than the lonely perfect guy best friend, then it would have made it a helluva better in the end, in my opinion.

Last Comments: The Invasion is a good attempt of the 1956 remake but it comes up short for sure. There are some good moments and some excellent editing to make this film at least moderately thrilling. But anyone who wants something serious and at least a bit political will be disappointed. This film does a whole bunch of things but never one that stands out. The insect politics are light and the emotional impact of people losing their right to vote and free thought are light. Even the action and the thrilling parts of the movie are light. I guess you can call this a light movie which was something I was not expecting. And too bad because it did have a lot of potential.

Breaking It Down:
Story: 7.0 (Jack Finney: novel, David Kaiganic: screenplay)
Direction: 8.8 (Oliver Hirschbiegel)
Acting: 7.5
Cinematography: 7.0
Music/Sound: 6.5

Entertainment Value: 7.0 (not an average)

The Nanny Diaries (2007)

This Movie Is About: a college grad, Annie Braddock (Scarlette Johnasson), fresh from her graduation and without a clue what she wants to do. Sounds like something we've all been through, or will go through for those of you still in school. So she's poking around central park in New York when she meets Grayer, the sweestest little boy you will ever find. She immediately meets Grayer's mom, which we will call Mrs. X. Mrs. X is in desperate need of a sitter and since Annie doesn't know what to do any money is always in short supply, she takes the job and becomes Annie the nanny. She moves into the amazing condo and begins her training as a nanny only to realize that life at the top isn't all that great and when you're up there, the only place to go is down.

You Should Watch this Movie Because: despite all the criticism and some plot issues, this film is actually pretty funny. It's nice and I know some people or a lot of people don't go pay to see nice, but I think this movie has potential to please a lot of casual viewers. It's light in tone but deals with a real problem in child rearing in today's busy society and having a character like Annie, on the brink of chosing her life and seeing what she can potentially become, is something that we can all use in our lives. This film offers an unique point of view of not only Annie but of Grayer as well. A child is supposed to be innocent but this film toys with the notion that no one is innocent anymore because of the social standards that we've adopted. Sure this film is a romantic comedy but deep inside, it explores these themes which need exploring.

What's Hot: Scarlette Johansson does a good job in trying to shed that hot female in distress but really knows what's going on and plays everyone cause she's hot. Sure she's pretty in this film but not overly so. I think this film is a good platform for her skills to come through and even though she does play a stereotypical role in a stereotypical movie, she does a good enough job in distinguishing herself nicely. Laura Liney plays a great antagonist as Mrs. X and her character is amazingly deep. In my opinion, she's the most interesting part of this film and having an experienced actress play that role was definitely the right decision. She's not a straight up antagonist which is hard to do but adds depth to the story as well as her charactre arc. Then who is the antagonist you might ask. Well, I don't know. Guess you will have to watch the movie and decipher that yourself.

What's Not Hot: Damn you production studios! I say this not because I hate you and I don't want a job cause I do and I probably do a lot of unmentionables to get a job but seriously, this is a film that got butchered because of studio demands and it's all over the movie. Having mentioned the theme as one of the strong points of the film, it's completely taking a back seat here and substituted for the romantic sub-plot because Annie and the Human Torch (Chris Evans). Sorry, his name here is Havard Hottie. He plays the character that's too good looking to be nice but then turns out to be nice and perfect only to have it screw up because of misunderstandings and then a big talk about life to resolve it. I hate to say any story line is stupid but this one really was. It served no purpose other than give Annie a romantic interest but it wasn't needed cause her love for Grayer when his own mother wouldn't even love him was the real interesting part and I think they missed some great possible beats because they sacrificed it for a romance story that didn't really have anything to do with anything.

Last Comments: The Nanny Diaries is a clever take on a social piece but putting it in the romantic comedy genre which is smart because it will attract viewers who may not have been looking for something so serious but also can see a real problem in society. What's not so clever is the fact that the romance in the story was really not necessary and felt tacked on. I think if they just focused it more on the relationship between Annie, Grayer, Mrs. X and her husband, it would have made much more sense and those plots would have gotten more room to breathe and develop. As a result, the story moves along nicely and it has a fun tone and there is some real comedy there but the heart of the story goes missing in certain parts and that's just too bad. But nonetheless, it's a valient effort in trying to do something special with something already so formulaic. And because of that, this movie is definitely worth a watch if you want something light and mildly clever.

Breaking it Down:
Story: 6.9 (Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus: novel, Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini: screenplay)
Direction: 7.2 (Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini)
Acting: 7.6
Cinematography: 6.5
Music/Sound: 6.0

Entertainment Value: 6.5 (not an average)

Bee Movie (2007)

This Movie Is About: Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfield) who just graduated from bee school with his best friend, Adam (Matthew Broderick). They are both excited to start working on the hive and contribute to the perfect working machine which hasn't taken a year off for 27 million years. Barry and Adam are ready to pick their jobs until the tour guide tells Barry that he can only pick one job for the rest of his life. Barry doesn't know what he wants to do today let alone for the rest of his life. He decides to join up with the bee jocks who collects the pollen. Once he's out, he breaks the rule and talks to a human: Vanessa Bloome (Renee Zellweger). She introduces him to the human world but once Barry see's how bees are treated in the human world, he doesn't like what he sees and finds his calling in life, to put bee's back on the map. To bee or not to bee, that is the question that Barry has to answer.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: Dreamworks has a pretty good record lately with animated films and they don't break the mold with this movie. This film brings you into the wonderful world of bees and their life. Barry is a fun character there is no one better to play his role than Jerry Seinfield if you are a fan of the show then you will love Barry's character. The people around him make his character all that much better. And one he's out into the human world and begins to interact with Vanessa, things get interesting and you can say all you want about Renee Zellweger but she does a great job in playing an animated character.

What's Hot: The comedy in this movie a bit different than what you might expect from an animated film. The humor is slapstick at times, but there are some real clever moments in here that will please people of all ages. Make no mistake though. This is a kids' movie through and through, and in that, it doesn't disappoint. If your kids don't love this movie when they see the hive for the first time, then your kid is not a kid. The cute way which the bees act all add to the fun and the ending especially is pretty fantastical that it's sure to please young audiences.

What's Not Hot: This film doesn't quite live up to the high expectations set by Dreamworks from the past. The story itself is not as compelling as something like Over the Hedge and although this movie is fantastical in the fact that it's dealing with talking bees, it does cross that line of making it believable. I think the problems start when Barry leaves the hive and enters the human world which is okay, but once he starts talking to the humans, that's when everything goes down hill. I guess I'm just being picky and that I should have a more open mind, but it just seems like every animal can talk to the humans so why hasn't this story happened before? This combined with physics for the insane contribute to the scoffing of this film. There are times when you just won't accept what's going on. That's too bad because I really think film had all the ingredients to be a great film if they just focused a bit more on the hive and the people or bees in it.

Last Comments: Bee Movie doesn't live up to the hype that it generated based on Dreamworks previous successes but it doesn't disappoint that much. It has a wonderful world and even though you don't see much of the hive after the 15 minute mark, that first introduction to the hive is great and I really wish I could have seen more of that. The characters are charming and even though Barry sometimes comes off selfish and stupid at times, it just adds to his character in the end when he learns his lesson. I think that this film will be a hit and miss for many people because the type of humor is mature at times and really only appeal to people who likes Seinfield. I could be wrong about this but I didn't find this movie all that funny but I have heard otherwise. Having said all of that, this is still a great movie to take the family too and a nice alternative to all the christmas/drama movies that are coming out these days.

Breaking it Down:
Story: 6.8 (Jerry Seinfield & Spike Feresten)
Direction: 8.0 (Steve Hickner & Simon J. Smith)
Voice: 8.2
Animation: 8.5
Music/Sound: 6.0

Entertainment Value: 6.6 (not an average)

The Golden Compass (2007)

This Movie Is About: a young girl named Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards) who loves adventure, so long as it's within the confines of Jordan College run by the Magisterium. Where is Jordan College you might ask? Well, Jordan College, along with everything else in the world exist in a parallel universe. Everything is similar to our world but just a little different. Okay, back to Lyra. So she hangs around with her friends and her Daemon, Pantalaimon, which is a little pet that everyone is born with. The person's daemon is their soul and if one hurts, so does the other. Lyra and Pan are always causing mischief until they meet Marisa Coulter (Nicole Kidman), who is a instructor at Jordan College. She tells Lyra that she's going to the North to study something. Rumor has it that's she's going to find the mysterious Dust that circles the area. Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig) has already left on the journey. He proposed a few days ago that this Dust is the key to another dimension, thousands of dimensions, in fact. What's more interesting is that Dust is what connects the people to their Daemons. The adventure begins on the wrong foot when Lyra learns of Ms. Coulter's connections with the shady Magisterium and their involvement with the recent kidnappings around Jordan College. It's not until Lyra escapes from Ms. Coulter does she find her true calling. Oh, yeah and she has a gold compass but that's not important.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: it's based on the same-titled Carnegie Prize-winning book. The world is fantastical but familiar so it's easy to make the leap in believing that this world can actually exist. What's more, everyone wants to go on an adventure in a magical world and experience all the fun and excitement it has to offer! I mean, if I was in a magical new universe I definitely would want to go explore it. And this movie brings you front and center into the action and takes you into the deepest caves of danger. It's all very exciting stuff and having the story unfold through the eyes of a little girl adds more depth to the story. Then you have the golden compass. I don't know what this thing really does or how powerful or important it is, but so far it looks pretty neat and if I had a golden compass I definitely would be pretty happy.

What's Hot: The digital design for the Daemons is handled superbly. They come alive in their own way and since everyone has one, it must've have taken a lot of work to get them all in the shots and use them effectively to show us what their connection to their hosts is all about.The action sequences are handled nicely and there were times when you really thought you were in the North. Or maybe it was just because the theatre was really cold. Either way, the atmosphere is great and the whole visual experience of the book has been translated on film quite well.

What's Not Hot: At first, I just thought I was confused because I didn't read the book and wasn't familiar with the world. Then I thought: "wait a minute, I shouldn't have to have read the book to enjoy a movie." And that is where this movie fails. If you haven't read the book like me, you will definitely be confused at what's going on. This movie doesn't explain the world very well. Or a better way to put it, it doesn't explain the whole world very well. There are times when they would just sit around and talk and talk about what the world is like and what they have to do. And then there are times when they just do something or someone would show up like Serafina Pekkala (Eva Green), say something and then show up later with no solid reason for being there. It seems like all the characters are just in there to be on this adventure for no reason. The only real reason anyone has to go to the North is Lyra. Everyone else just seems to go help her without knowing anything. Perhaps I missed something there but there was just so much expositional hemorrhaging that I got lost in the plot and the purpose for the characters. This is a trilogy and at times it felt like it. That is, this movie didn't take care of itself. Instead, it spent large parts of it talking about things that will happen in the future, things that we don't see in this movie. Well, that's no good. Each film has to stand on it's own and this is where this movie doesn't come together. Lord Asriel seems like a pretty bad ass dude with his Daemon but we never see him past the 15 minute mark. Come on! And even though this film works structurally, it just felt the end goal and the resolution is small in comparison to what's going to happen. That's good in the sense that each part of the trilogy is supposed to build to a grand climax in the third movie, but because they were trying too hard to set up the next movies, and talking about all the great stuff that's to come, the climax of this film just felt insignificant in comparison and not all that important.

Last Comments: While The Golden Compass is a marvel to look at and has a lot of exciting visual treats, the story just isn't there. I think this is a case when the people behind the film were too involved with the novel and really wanted to bring the same experience to the big screen. I think that's where this movie fails and a movie like Lord of the Rings succeeds because the makers recognized that it's a different experience. There is no way a novel like this can be fully translated into film format and it shows in this attempt. There are parts where it is just downright boring with the talking about what's to come and then there are parts when it's just confusing because there was no explanation of why people are doing what they're doing. I think that this film will be fun for children and lovers of the novel to see their characters come to life. To see that Ice Bear fight and hear Ian McKellen do the voice of Iorek Byrnison is treat but there are times when it's just too much story and not enough at other times, not enough. This movie felt like a big set up for what's to come making seem insignificant and even unnecessary to watch.

Breaking it Down:
Story: 6.0 (Philip Pullman: novel, Chris Weitz: screenplay)
Direction: 8.0 (Chris Weitz)
Acting: 7.8
Cinematography: 8.8
Music/Sound: 6.8

Entertainment Value: 6.5 (not an average)

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

This Movie Is About: the moment before you're fucked. The moment when you think everything will be alright and that you might just possibly get away with a crime that you shouldn't have been doing in the first place. That's what this movie is all about as Andy (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Hank (Ethan Hawke), brothers and friends to start, decide to knock off a jewelry store in order to get some money. They plan to rob none other than their parents place. It all makes sense on paper, small place, nobody on weekends, they know the layout, and the place is covered by insurance. Nobody gets hurt! That is until the robbery goes horribly wrong and their mother gets shot in the crossfire, not to mention the guy Hank hired to rob the place. So what are brothers to do when they get their own mother killed? That is the story of this fascinating movie which takes us back in narrative throughout the movie and shows us the different perspectives of everyone involved in this robbery and how our decisions affect everyone around us.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: It's one of those films that's hard to classify. On one hand, it works nicely as a crime film. That moment after a crime's gone wrong hasn't been explored properly since Reservoir Dogs and this film does a good job in using this extreme situation to show us a messed up family dynamic which is the underlying problem in this crime. That brings me to the other reason you should watch this. This film stars two characters that are so messed up from the very beginning. Not only do we have Andy, who's the older brother that's been under appreciated by his parents. And despite having a smoking hot wife, Gina (Marisa Tomei) has turned to heroine and cocaine to ease his pain. Hank isn't much better. Divorced, and back on child support, he's having a hard time making ends meet. Not helping is his constant fear of taking responsibility for his actions and doing something about his situation. This dynamic plays out over a robbery and shows us what happens when you listen to your idiot older brother.

What's Hot: I Do I need to say it, guys? I don't think so. There are three scenes in here worth watching alone. will not spoil it for everyone but let's just say that Mr. Skin was very happy. The story itself is interesting but it wouldn't be nearly as interesting without the acting. Of course it's good with two Academy Award winners in Hoffman and Tomei but Ethan Hawke steps it up too and puts in a performance worthy to be compared to Training Day. The crime itself is nothing special but that messed up family drama is real interesting and makes us question our own character under that kind of pressure. These are normal everyday guys who has lost their minds by the pressures of society and that is something we can all relate to.

What's Not Hot: The crime itself is a bit thin on the details. It's not the best conceived plot and plan which is okay since these guys aren't not the sharpest tools in the cupboard but there were no sign of the cops in this. The cops just didn't do anything about it. Maybe that's what the story was supposed to be. What happens when society doesn't give us shit and when they just don't care about us. What do we do? Perhaps that was something they were going for but it just made things confusing when it wasn't properly taken care of. Other than that, the cutting back and forth between different times of the robbery is major confusing. This is a a film that felt like it could have been made in a straight line and having it chopped into pieces didn't feel necessary. Sure there were parts where we watched a same sequence over again from a different point of view, but some scenes extended longer than others which made the sense of time really confusing and unnecessary. There are some minor subplots that weren't properly resolved. This leads to the ending which feels a bit incomplete on Hank and Gina's part and a bit undeserved on Andy's part.

Last Comments:Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is an interesting concept which has that extra dimension with the added family dynamic. The story is funny at times and sometimes just ridiculous which goes with the whole tone of a light crime film. There were moments that the cutting back and forth were confusing and even though the subplots were not really resolved properly, there are some great dramatic scenes in the beginning and the end which makes this film worth watching. The film does slow down at times especially in the 2nd act which will cause a couple of yawns but overall this is definitely a good film to watch. It's fun, and light but there are some dark and dramatic moments mixed in there to give it that extra depth.

Breaking It Down:
Story: 7.8 (Kelly Materson)
Direction: 8.0 (Sydney Lumet)
Acting: 8.8
Cinematography:7.9
Music/Sound: 7.0

Entertainment Value: 7.9 (not an average)

Awake (2007)

This Movie Is About: Clayton Beresford Jr. (Hayden Christensen) as one of the 700 people per year that is awake during surgery. Apparantly this is a real number. Damn! isn't that scary just thinking about the possibilities when you go into surgery, God forbid. So Clayton is a successful business man. The most successful business man in New York and pretty much the US and he's under 30! What's more is that he's engaged to the beautiful and sexy Samantha Lockwood (Jessica Alba). They have a beautiful relationship except Clayton doesn't want to introduce Sam to his over protective mother (Lena Olin). Oh, yeah, he has a severe heart problem that requires a transplant. That is where Terence Howard comes in. He is the head surgeon at the hospital that Clayton attends. Dr. Jack Harper is the common man's doctor, but the common man doesn't love him because he's had four mal-practice lawsuits against him and his team. But when the new heart finally arrives, Clayton doesn't want anyone else to do his surgery than his doctor, and his best friend. But once Clayton gets on the table, he has an adverse reaction to the anesthesia and doesn't go under properly and what he hears while his 'best-friend' is doing the surgery really makes him wish he listened to his mother.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: the concept alone should be intriging enough for it to get some consideration. But they went further than just the concept. They added a storyline to the patient that stays awake during surgery and gave him a real emotional back story with the death of his father and his over-bearing mother. It is a nice idea and the movie is loaded with subplots which make the one-location 2nd and 3rd act much more interesting than what people might think.

What's Hot: Jessica Alba is not the hottest person in this movie. Well, she is physically but Lena Olin for me was one of the stars in this film. Not only did she play that role of the over-protective, abused mother with the dark past to perfection, but she looked great for her age. Other than that, Hayden Christenen does well in trying to shed his Anakin Skywalker shell and this film is definitely a step in the right direction. Other than that, the surgery and everything in that operating room is real tense. Some of the best suspense I've seen in while and the set up is clever and although it takes a while for everything to get under way, it just flies by like the rest of the movie. Or perhaps it was because it's only an hour and eighteen minutes long but nonetheless!

What's Not Hot: I hate to say it guys but this nice concept and many subplots just didn't come together properly. This film just felt major rushed. The biggest problem with the film is that Clayton being awake and hearing a whole bunch of stuff doesn't go anywhere. Without spoiling what he hears, it's pretty much something pretty bad that the doctors are planning for him. So he has to wake up and expose the doctors for what they're doing, but in the end, what he hears has nothing to do with the ending. It gets resolved for him. I'm not going to say how or what happens because I think it is interesting but I think they really missed a good note because they must have gotten this flagged at story meetings. Too bad. Other minor things include how convenient everything is. Like everything. That's all I will say. Terence Howard plays that confused character who doesn't know what's wrong or what's right and is emotionally torn. You've seen this character a few times already and it doesn't change.

Last Comments: Awake is a nice concept and there are many interesting subplots that run through it. The tension is great at times and the surgery scenes are especially tense and the direction is fabulous for those scenes. But the story is where the heart is and it's just not there. Other than the fact that what he hears has no bearing on the ending, him being awake or not doesn't really factor into anything whatsoever. The whole set up of the crime or the operation is a bit too easy and what happens is all a bit too easy. And although the backstory with Clayton's father is interesting, it really didn't have enough weight on it to warrant him being alive or dead in the end. I just thought since this film was only an hour and eighteen minutes, they could have taken a bit more time at the beginning and the end to sure up the logic and add a bit more emotional punch to the characters which would have gotten the audience more on board with the emotional aspects of the film.

Breaking It Down:
Story: 6.0 (Joby Harold)
Direction: 8.0 (Joby Harold)
Acting: 7.0
Cinematography: 6.5
Music/Sound: 7.6

Entertainment Value: 6.8 (not an average)

Hairspray (2007)

This Movie Is About: Baltimore in the 1960s. More specifically, it's about the black and white relations in the work area. The conflict centers around the the local TV station and a happy go lucky teenager, Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) who loves the Cory Collins (James Marsden) Show. In fact, she loves it so much that's all she wants to do is dance on it. One day, the show calls an audition for a new happy girl who can do the twist and Tracy is all over it. But once she gets there, she meets the dance-Nazi, Velma Von Tussle (MIchelle Pfeiffer) and her daughter, Amber (Brittany Snow). Velma is the stage director and Amber is her prodigy. Together they wish to conquer the TV dancing world and their success all centers around the Ms. Teenage Hairspray pageant at the end of the season. Tracy desperately wants to win that pageant but has no chance now that she's stuck in detention. But when God closes the door he opens a window or so the saying goes. And Tracy meets her window in a group of African American dancers. Through them, Tracy learns a new style of dance that the TV world has never seen before giving her a chance at her dream.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: It's fun and funny. Those two reasons should be enough for anyone to watch this movie. But that's not all. Since it's based on the musical, you can expect there to be a lot of singing and even more dancing. The songs are all pretty good and catchy and gives the movie that modern feeling even though it's set in the 1960s. But that's only the first half of the movie. By the time the race issue kicks in, it starts getting grim and the drama begins. But don't worry, there is still plenty of singing and dancing during these dramatic issues dealing with society but the tone lowers a bit and really gives this film that added dimension which will please many people looking for some drama and social commentary about the 1960s.

What's Hot: Other than the singing and dancing, the story itself is very well balanced between fun and laugh out loud moments with deep and meaningful scenes which reflects the problems in the 1960s. Velma is the perfect antagonist and people will recognize her type immediately. It doesn't turn that Michelle Pfeiffer is still uber hot even for her age. Hell for any age! This film has a big cast and sometimes it's easy for people to get lost in these casts but this film avoids this problem by having it all centered around Tracy. Her actions are the ones that always takes center stage and all the characters move and play around her. It really focuses the picture and gives makes sure the audience doesn't get lost in all the mayhem. In the end, you're left with a group of characters that are defined by the way they interact with Tracy and how they respond to her change through out. It's a clever decision made by the writer and one that greatly benefited the movie.

What's Not Hot: I've been saying this about a lot of movies now and that's the ending. This film, it dragged on way too long. It just wouldn't end! I mean I love the singing and the dancing and the singing and the dancing but there is only so much I can take before it gets boring. That's the biggest problem with the film but I have a personal issue with this film. I understand that black people weren't given equal rights during this time and it's definitely wasn't right and it's still not right in many parts of the world. But this film makes it seem like all the white people hate black people and all the black people are really nice. That is, they make the white people seem like the enemy when really it was only a portion of the population at that time. And seriously, not all black people were that nice! Not all black people were inviting and kind to the whites. There has to be a balance there and this movie didn't show it. It showed that were white people in power that was racist and they showed people like Tracy who eventually learn about integration but they did not show that spectrum and diversity in personality with the black people which, in my opinion, isn't a fair presentation of the society in the 1960s.

Last Comments: Hairspray is a lively performance and a very well crafted social commentary on the 1960s in American. It blends in singing and dancing which is the vehicle for a much deeper theme and message. Although the characters themselves were all very stereotypical, it didn't take anything away from the experience has audiences will identify with the characters easily. Tracy and Velma are two sides of the same coin in that they are very similar in their ambition but different in the way they see the world. Protagonist VS antagonist has never been so clear in cinema and it works brilliantly. The movie does drag for parts of the film especially the end and people who don't like the happy go-lucky feel will definitely dislike this movie. But having said that, most people who like music and dance and seeing it on a big screen with colorful characters and a meaningful story line is second to none.


Breaking It Down:
Story: 8.0 (Leslie Dixon & John Waters (1988))
Direction: 9.0 (Adam Shankman)
Acting: 7.0
Cinematography: 8.0
Music/Sound: 8.8

Entertainment Value: 8.0 (not an average)