Tron Legacy Review

Right out of the gate I will mention I have always been a fan of the idea of a Cyber World. From the original Tron film up to the Reboot television series, the notion of a living world inside of our electronic devices has always fascinated me. So I have been giddy with anticipation for this movie, hoping it would not disappoint. Have my dreams come true? Let's take a look at what I felt worked, and what failed.

The original Tron was ground breaking at the time in terms of special effects, which puts a lot of stress on Legacy to recreate that effect for a new digital age. In that category I do not think it was able to bring as big an impact, but not for lack of trying. It's just hard to push the limits of computer effects in time where it's become such a staple of film making. While the visuals on display are indeed beautiful to behold, it doesn't go beyond what has been seen before.

Jeff Bridges's younger face being digitally recreated is an impressive step forward, but is still flawed. This particular effect does not quite look real enough just yet. They do their best to hide it behind helmets or shots from behind as often as possible. Linger on the digital face to long and you begin to notice how rubbery and fake it appears.

So that leaves the 3D effects, a format that audiences seem to have burnt out on recently after a number of poor 3D conversions released. Does Legacy push the boundaries of the format? Compared to other recent 3D films it still doesn't bring anything new. In fact portions of the film are in straight 2D, as stated by a text message that pops up at the beginning of the movie.

Were the special effects disappointing? Yes and no, sure maybe they didn't blow my mind but it did not hinder my enjoyment of the film. Overall it's beautiful to watch and a fun ride all the way through.

Next I'd like to mention the score of Tron Legacy written and performed by French artists Daft Punk. Their album Discovery is in my top ten favorite albums of all time, so when news broke that they were providing the score for Tron my only thoughts were "Hell yes." This is where the film does not disappoint. Their music syncs perfectly with the world being presented and helps bring it to life. One piece even shares similar themes to the now infamous booming score of Inception. All I have left to say on the subject is to and buy the soundtrack immediately.

Last is Legacy's story, which has been harshly criticized by others already. Looking through reviews you will see Tron Legacy's plot described as stupid, derivative, incompetent, and soulless. I disagree with such generalizations entirely. This is a science fiction story to the very core, and as a fan of the genre I was sucked into it. Is it the most unique story ever told? Not at all, but it changes things up enough to keep it interesting. It is a familiar tale told within a unique world, making it feel new again.

Ignore what some of the reviews might say, and simply go out and see this film for yourself. This isn't the type of film for everyone, but if it happens to be in your taste you'll find something to love for sure. So don't listen to what others tell you to think, even forget everything I've just said. Go and see it and find out for yourself. If you hate it then I'm sorry and understand why it didn't work for you. Tron Legacy might not have been everything I wanted, but it was all that I needed to enjoy a great film.

Final Grade: A-

Skyline Review

Right away I have to say that I was actually looking forward to this one. The trailers were rather vague on plot details, aside from it being an alien invasion movie involving a light that sucks people up I had no idea what else to expect. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up though.

This is another case of every major scene in the movie being shown in the trailers, while every other scene is nothing more than dull padding. Even some of the better scenes of the film are spoiled by the trailers.

So what is the story of Skyline? It is a mash up of nearly every aliens attack plot conceived, with very few original ideas thrown in. It's 50% War of the Worlds, 25% Independence Day, 15% Matrix, with the last 10% taken from any video game involving aliens. In the right hands that could make up a winning combination, but here it equals 100% boring.

What could have saved this mess would have been a cast of characters you could give a shit about, but instead they are annoying and unlikable. I cared so little about these people I can't even remember their names, and since I don't feel like taking the time to IMDB them I'll use the names I had given them.

Most recognizable would be Turk from Scrubs who plays almost the exact same style of character. Then there is his friend played by a guy I've seen before in supporting roles but is given a staring role here. He is meant to be the anchor for the audience, but he is so subdued through out most of the film it's hard to care about him at all. Next is his girlfriend played by Not Jessica Biel who spends most of the movie looking like Jessica Biel and whining about how she doesn't want to go outside. The only other worth mentioning is the guy from Dexter that isn't Dexter, who I'm sure is a talented actor outside of this project, but here fails to deliver emotion even when he is angry.

A majority of the special effects range from decent to meh, but my biggest gripe is with the over all design of the aliens. I think the Strause Brothers have been playing a few to many video games, since most of their aliens feel ripped right out of Gears of War, Resistance, etc. One creature even looks so close to something out of Matrix I would almost consider it a cameo appearance.

Now we come to the ending which ranks up there as one of the worst endings I have seen in a long while. I won't spoil it for anyone still wanting to waste their time on this garbage, but I will make one comment on it. To me it looks like they ran out of money toward the end, and to make up for they decide to show the final scene through still shots during the ending credits. This movie ends in a slide show, that is all I have to say about it.

Should you waste your time and money to see this movie? Absolutely not. Nothing happens through most of the film, in fact 95% of it takes place inside one building. The characters are dull and uninteresting, leaving the audience with no one to identify with. Watch the trailer and you will see everything that is worth seeing, end of story.

Final Score: D-

The Town Review

I can describe The Town in one word, intense. Portions of this film physically had me on the edge of my seat. It might sound cliche, but I can't think of a better way to describe this film. I missed Ben Affleck's first feature in Gone Baby Gone, but heard good things about it. After watching The Town I assume they were right, if it was any where near as good as this film.

The Town is about a bank robbery, and the people involved from the robbers, victims, and police officers. Ben Affleck's character is one of the bank robbers, who becomes involved with a victim of their recent heist. With the police on their trail, and his growing relationship with the woman puts a strain on his life. I won't go to much deeper into the story and risk spoiling some great moments in the film.

The cast here all bring their A game, with Affleck himself stealing the show with his charm. When it comes to the acting I can't think of a single weak link. I also have to heap praise onto Affleck again for directing this film. The direction is what really helps build the intense atmosphere that swells with every action scene.

Should you go out and see this film? Yes, and yes. Please go out and support this great film, you will not be disappointed.

Final Score: A-

Devil Review

With this release the Night Chronicles has officially begun. For those not aware of what the Night Chronicles are, it is a series of films being produced by M. Night Shyamalan. If that name alone makes you groan, then perhaps it will ease your mind to know Shyamalan himself will not be directing any of the films. The story concepts are from his mind, but his creative involvement ends there. This project is way to let new blood sit in the director's chair, and we can only hope they turn out better than most recent films with Shyamalan's name attached to them.

First out the gate is Devil, a psychological thriller about a group of strangers trapped in an elevator. Doesn't seem very thrilling you say? What if one of them could possibly be ... the DEVIL ?!? ... Eh that still sounds kind of dull if you ask me. Does the devil have nothing better to do then dick around with people on an elevator? Anyway, so how is it? Well it's ... okay. I didn't hate the movie, but I certainly didn't love it either.

My major problem with the film is how bored I was through most of it, and how little is shown in what is supposed to be a movie. The action only happens when the lights go out in the elevator, so you are left looking at a black screen listening to thuds and screams. It's supposed to create an atmosphere, but when you don't really care about any of these characters then why should you care if one of them happens to be the devil?

The entire movie can't take place in an elevator, so the movie also adds on a police officer on the scene who does his best CSI act trying to use logic to piece together who the killer might be. If this were a murder mystery it might have worked, and been suspenseful and interesting. However this movie is called Devil, who happens to play a major part to the plot so logic doesn't exactly fit into the equation. In the end all of the cop's deductions mean nothing, and are pointless.

The cast are nearly all fresh faces. I can't think of any time I've seen any of these actors in major roles before. For the most they all perform well, but with poorly written dialogue it's hard for anyone to really shine.

So should you take the time to check out the beginning of the Night Chronicles? I say check it out if you're at all interested, but if you could care less then the movie won't change those feelings. If you need something to watch this weekend, maybe skip Devil and watch The Town instead.

Final Score: C

Resident Evil Afterlife 3D Review

I took a bit of a break from reviewing movies last week for my trip to Dragon-Con, so to quickly sum up last week's releases, skip The American and go watch Machete. While The American is a decent film it can be extremely boring, while Machete is just a ton of fun. In fact go watch Machete again this weekend and stay far away from the movie I'm about to review.

I love the Resident Evil series, correction, I love the video game series. I loathe the film series that shares the same name. The first movie was tolerable, but since then each new installment has gotten worst than the last. Resident Evil Afterlife does not break this trend, and stands at the top as the worst of the bunch.

If you happened to watch the previous film you might remember a few of the incredibly stupid plot points introduced, such as Alice having psychic powers and forming an army of clones. Don't worry though they wipe out all of that within the first ten minutes of this film, by killing off every clone and turning the real Alice human again. Good thing they got rid of those idiotic ideas, but wait this leaves it open for even worst ideas.

What is the worst thing they could have possibly done at this point? Ride on the coat tails of the recent 3D trend of course. The creators of the movie seem to believe that using 3D means that everything must be shot in slow-motion so the audience can see the objects flying at the screen for long stretches of time. I hate it when slow-motion is abused to the point that it feels like padding to draw out the film's length.

I'll quickly mention the actors of the film, starting with the supporting cast. Everyone does a decent job with what little they have to work, and really most of them should have been the real stars of the movie. Then we get to the lead played once again by Milla Jovovich who continues to show no emotion, and speaking in the same dull sounding voice she always has. It doesn't help when the movie throws in pointless video logs from her character, forcing us to listen to boring dialogue that is poorly delivered.

I hate this movie and wish the series would finally die out, but like the zombies of the film it continues to rise from the grave every so many years to haunt me. Please do not waste your money on this piece of crap. I now give this the lowest score I have ever given a film since I started these reviews.

Final Score: F

The Last Exorcism Review

I can't say much about The Last Exorcism without possibly spoiling the plot, so I'll just get into the basic set up. Reverend Marcus has had a crisis of faith, and has begun to doubt his practices one of which includes exorcisms. He has hired a film crew to follow him as he sets off to perform his last exorcism, and reveal the tricks of the trade. Marcus is a performer, and puts on a show to ease the minds of the families and the victim who they believe to be possessed. However things turn out differently with this particular case, and he finds himself dealing with what appears to be a real possession.

That means this is another hand camera thriller similar to Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity. If you were not a fan of those films, then you most likely will not enjoy this either. I did happen to enjoy those films, and Last Exorcism isn't as effective as either but it does pack a few thrills of it's own. The actors come off as very convincing in this fake reality, aside from a few hiccups here and there.

My one major fault with the film is that it presents itself as documentary footage, but durring intense moments a sound track has been added to increase the effect. It does a decent job of building suspense, but it also ruins the entire atmosphere the film tries to present.

While the film doesn't pack very many jump out of your seat scares it is very creepy and unsettling at times. If you're looking for an early thrill before the rush of horror films leading up to Halloween then you might just find one in The Last Exorcism.

Final Score: B-

Piranha 3D Review

It's been a busy week at the movies for me, three nights in a row of movies and all with a similar theme. That being that all three could be considered a different type of comedy. Starting with the spoof comedy of Vampires Suck, followed by the more witty comedy of The Switch, and ending off the week with a horror comedy in Piranha 3D.

This is a horror film that goes so over the top sometimes you can't help but laugh, and I believe that was the intent. This isn't really meant to scare people, but make you cringe and laugh at the same time. The plot here is an earthquake opens up a tunnel to an underground lake where thousands of prehistoric piranha have been living for millions of years. They then proceed to terrorize the surface of the lake were Spring Break is in full swing, giving the man eater fish hundreds of bodies to feast on.

I'll just say it right now, I enjoyed this film for what it was. A dumb gorey monster movie, that is a throwback to the old monster horror films of the 70's and 80's. Yes the CG is bad, but so were the rubber suits monsters were in past decades. The point is just to have fun with it, and watch these fish tear into these people in very bloody and brutal ways. The 3D is just a slight bonus, but I would have enjoyed it even without it.

Final Score: B

The Switch Review

I've had to review a lot of comedies this summer, and so the trend continues with The Switch. The concept involves a guy who replaces a sperm donor's seed for his own after an accident at his best friend's fertility party, and reunites with her years later were it becomes clear that her son is his. It sounds like a silly plot, and at first it is with the bizarre fertility party. Once that set up gets out of the way the film really opens up.

As a comedy Switch is pretty funny, but is also intelligent with its humor. Jason Bateman plays the same nice but sarcastic guy he always does, but he does it so well you never really mind. The supporting cast all perform well, but the real star of the movie is the young boy playing the son. This kid was adorable as a smart but neurotic little boy, who is just to cute.

This summer has been a bit crowded with a wide range of comedies from utterly stupid to surprisingly witty. The Switch starts off a bit stupid, but really turns it around with some great jokes. You should have a good time, and would be better off checking Switch out over Vampires Suck.

Final Score: B+

Vampires Suck Review

This will be a quick review, since this movie doesn't really give me much to talk about. Vampires Suck is from the same directors of craptastic films such as Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, and Disaster Movie. That resume doesn't instill much confidence in their latest release. This time they take a swing at the recent Vampire obsession that has taken over pop culture, most specifically Twilight.

So how does this compare to their other steaming piles? Well it's about as funny as their previous films, meaning not very funny at all. At least I was unable to find much humor in their gags, because I know practically nothing about Twilight as it is. This is a film made for those fans of Twilight who know it's bad but love it anyway. These are all "in jokes" that only a Twilight fan can appreciate.

From a technical stand point Vampires Suck is actually their best made film to date. I believe this strength comes from the focus on the Twilight films itself, so it doesn't try and cram as many pop culture references into one movie as they usually do. I also have to give it up to the actress playing Kristen Stewart's part, who captures every pause, twitch, hair tuck and bland personality of that horrible character perfectly.

If you are a fan of Twilight and can make fun of it for what it is, then you will love this film. If not ... eh skip it, there is nothing here for you.

Final Score: C-

Scott Pilgrim vs The World Review

Nerds and geeks rejoice, this movie was made with you specifically in mind and worships the ground you walk on. I count myself a member of Nerdom, this is Nerd Xing after all, so I'm a part of Scott Pilgrim's target demographic for sure. I can't let fandom blind my judgment of the film though, so I'll try my best to be fair in this review.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World is set in a world were life plays out like a video game, with Scott Pilgrim being the main character. Scott's life has become a bit complicated since he started going out with Ramona Flowers. Now he has to fight The League of Ramona's Evil Ex's if he wants to continue dating her. These fights play out as video game boss battles, and each one different then the last.

The cast is massive, but the main players are Scott, Ramona, and Scott's friends with the Evil Ex's playing minor to major roles. Nearly everyone is spot on as their given character, but I have one minor gripe in the casting. I'm not joining the "I hate Michael Cera Club" in fact I don't mind the guy, but felt he was slightly miss cast as Scott Pilgrim. As a fan of the source material, the comic, I felt major parts of Scott's personality and development were lost in his performance. He is perfectly fine for the film's version of the character, but disappointing that it couldn't have better matched the comic.

If you're looking for something fun, wild, and original then check out Scott Pilgrim this weekend for sure. Director Edgar Wright delivers a fast paced action comedy with a kinetic energy like you've never seen before. It is flawed and maybe not for everyone, but it's still one of the best of the year.

Final Score: A-

The Expendables Review

Expendables isn't just a big, dumb and loud action flick. It is the biggest, dumbest and loudest to hit the big screen. This is a manly movie made for men, written by men, directed by men, and staring manly men. Really the only thing that sets it apart from any other action film is the cast, which is jam packed with action stars from the last few decades.

What is the plot of Expendables? Eh ... does it really matter? It tries to tell a story outside of all the action, but the writing just isn't there so it tends to fall apart. Until another big action set piece builds the movie back up again. The action is what you are looking for here, and this movie has everything you have seen before and then some.

How about the Expendables themselves? Well lets go down the list. First is Sylvester Stallone who represents the macho American action hero. Then there is Jason Statham as the fakey Hollywood type of Martial Artist, who also likes to throw knives apparently. While Jet Li steps in as the real Martial Artist who is the smallest of the group. My favorite of the group was Dolph Lundgren who is an insane bad ass, and It's awesome to just see the guy in anything. There are a few other guys along with two cameos from big name action stars, but none are given the amount of screen time as the rest.

So should you see The Expendables? Well you're not missing anything if you happen to skip it. It's just a big action flick with a lot of names attached to it. If you're looking for something a bit more fun and different this weekend maybe check out Scott Pilgrim instead. Also warning to any ladies who plan on watching Expendables, you may leave the theater with a pair of testicles due to the dangerous amounts of testosterone you will be exposed to.

Final Score: B-

The Other Guys Review

It's time to review another comedy, but this one is a special case. This particular film is a Will Ferrell comedy, which tend to be a different breed of movie. His over the top hi jinks can make or break a film, but shockingly this is one of Ferrell's more subdued roles.

The Other Guys is a buddy cop movie with a twist. Instead of the two lead cops being macho super cops from your typical cop drama, they are in fact desk cops. After a seemingly tame case involving building permit violations turns into a corporate scandal the cops find themselves under fire. This forces them to step up their game and take on the jobs of real cops.

Will Ferrell plays an oddball cop who enjoys doing paper work and is happy behind his desk, while Mark Wahlberg's character is eager to get out of the office and hit the streets like real cops. With Ferrell restraining himself for once it must have made Wahlberg feel the need to release his insanity. Wahlberg goes off the wall with his anger constantly, but that might just be how the character was written.

As a comedy The Other Guys is pretty damn funny, with lots of laughs from nearly every cast member. If you might be on the fence about the movie because of Ferrell's involvement I want to assure you this doesn't go down the same road many Will Ferrell movies do. It is a lot of fun, and one of the funnier comedies of the summer.

Final Score: B+

Cats & Dogs 2 Review

I am shocked anyone bothered to make a sequel to the original Cats & Dogs, which was made almost ten years ago. However I actually liked the first film, and have to say that I enjoyed this one as well. The story mostly repeats itself from the original, just the players have changed.

Beneath it's furry coat is a James Bond inspired spy film. If the film's subtitle "The Revenge of Kitty Galore" did not already make that clear. This Kitty Galore has a plot that will rid the world of dogs and allow her to take over the world, but not every cat agrees with her methods. So now both cats and dogs must work together to put a stop to her evil plan. Has it been done before? Of course, but they manage to make it fun and still tell a decent story.

Most of the characters are new, but a few from the original pop up here and there. However the main dog from the first film has had his voice switched from Tobey Maguire to Neil Patrick Harris. The change is barely noticeable, and it's always good to see NPH is anything even if its just a voice. Other than Nick Nolte being slightly hard to understand (what else is new?) the cast all perform well in their parts.

The only fault I have against the film are the visuals. They aren't terrible, but by today's standards they feel dated like the film was made only a year or so after the original instead of the actual ten years it has spent in limbo. With a bigger budget to polish the effects this would have been an A-List film, but it falls just shy of that high mark.

Final Score: B+

Dinner for Schmucks Review

This is a hard one to review, because it is a bit of mixed bag for me. There is a lot you could really hate here, but also some really good laughs. I've said it before the best way to judge a comedy is the jokes themselves, but while Schmuck's jokes aren't bad they can become a bit annoying.

The general plot here is that Paul Rudd's character is trying to get a promotion at his work, but to impress his bosses he has to bring an idiot to a dinner they put on to amuse themselves. Steve Carell's character is literally thrust into his life and proves to be the right amount of bizarre and clueless that Rudd needs. Hilarity ensues, yada yada yada go see the movie if you really want to know what else happens.

This is where things can get a bit annoying, Carell's character while awkward and funny at first can become slightly grating as his idiocy keeps piling up more and more. I liked the character mostly, but I could see how it might become to much for others. His character reminds me of Jim Carrey from The Cable Guy, a strange guy who becomes attached to someone and seemingly destroys that person's life around them.

There is some fun to be found here, but it drags on a bit longer than it probably should and it dips into a realm of supremely stupid a few times. One thing I did love though was the score and soundtrack of the film, which includes a great Beatles song that fit the movie perfectly.

Final Score: B-

Salt Review

Add another uninteresting movie onto the already crowded list of cliche and boring releases this summer. Salt does absolutely nothing new, and doesn't even do this old routine very well. It tries to fool you with twists and turns, but the problem is most of the audience should already be aware of what's going on.

Who is Salt? I don't know and frankly I don't care, but in the context of the movie Salt is Angelina Jolie. She does a decent job in the role of a quadruple agent, but the problem falls upon what little material she has to work with. You have seen Jolie do this all before, and to much better effect. The action is mediocre no matter how hard the music attempts to build suspense.

I honestly have nothing else to say on the matter of Salt, because there is nothing to talk about. I didn't hate it, but there was nothing to really like either. It is the definition of a "meh" movie in every way shape and form. Don't really waste your time with this dull film, and instead go check out Inception which dares to do something new.

Final Score: C-

Inception Review

What are dreams? In the world of Inception they become a gateway to all of our secrets. Through a process called Extraction mind thieves are able to enter the world of your mind, and pilfer those secrets. They are also capable of planting an idea into the person's subconscious, this method is known as Inception. That is the basic set up for the movie of the same title. Sound a bit confusing? Trust me it is, and you may find yourself lost more than once. It doesn't take much time to catch back up though.

Inception is the newest film by director Christopher Nolan after the successes of the Dark Knight two years ago. Nolan gives us a mind bending action thriller as it dives into dreams within dreams within dreams. Inception may not be his best movie, but it certainly is the best looking. After Dark Knight it seems Warner Brothers did not hesitate to throw buckets of cash Nolan's way, giving him one of the biggest budgets he has ever had. The 200 million dollar budget shows with a number of truly breathtaking scenes which you will question just how they were done.

The cast is packed with stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, and Ken Watanabe. They all perform well within their given roles, but none really stole the show for me. DiCaprio is main character, but I was never interested in any of his problems or history. In a few ways this is almost identical to his character from Shutter Island. I wish the minor characters were given more development, because I honestly could not even tell you their names.

It may have a few flaws, but it is still one of the best films of this mostly dismal summer. I won't spoil anything, but I will go ahead and warn you that it has a very polarizing ending. You might find yourself hating it simply because of how it ends. I understood it, but was slightly annoyed at the same time. It wasn't enough to turn me off completely though, but does lower it's score a tad.

Final Score: A-

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Remember that iconic scene from Disney's Fantasia titled "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" which stars Mikey Mouse wearing a wizard's hat and robe. In the short Mikey is the Apprentice of the Wizard Yen Sid (Disney spelled backwards, get it?) and while his teacher is away Mikey abuses magic in order to finish his chores with disastrous results. It is a true classic moment in cinema, and is also the inspiration for this film ... sorta.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice certainly has sorcerers and apprentices, hell it even uses that famous mop scene. However the rest of the film steals more from Arthurian lore than it does Fantasia. There is enough back story crammed into the first five minutes of the film to make an entire other movie. So here is the gist of it all, Merlin had three apprentices but one of them turned evil and joined forces with Morgan Le Fay. Merlin dies, but not before sealing Le Fay and passing on his ring claiming one day someone would inherit his power and end Le Fay for good.

Jump a thousand years into the future where his apprentice Balthazar discovers the boy who has inherited Merlin's power. Horvath the evil apprentice returns and seeks to free Le Fay, and so Balthazar must train the young boy to stop her return from happening. That sounds like a lot to digest I know, and the movie doesn't do a very good job of telling it either.

I have mixed feelings about the movie. Part of me enjoyed the Arthurian influence and the way it portrays magic, but another part of me was annoyed by the number of cliches that feel forced. It screams studio meddling in attempt to try and appeal to every possible demographic, and causes the plot to lose focus. There was enough entertainment to be found that it falls into a tolerable mediocrity.

All I can tell you is there is nothing here to miss, but if you have time to kill it won't piss you off. There might be some joy to be found here, but nothing you couldn't get from any other film out right now.

Final Score: C

Despicable Me Review

There have been a lot of great animated films released this year, which puts a lot of pressure on Despicable Me to live up to expectations. Does it manage to do that? Well ... sort of. There isn't anything particularly terrible about the movie, but nothing really stands out to help it stand above the rest either.

Despicable Me's catch is what if a classic Bond style villain was the main character of a movie? Gru is a pointy nosed villain with grand ideas that never seem to work out, and The Bank of Evil is tired of his failures and refuse to grant him any further loans to fund his dastardly deeds. His plan requires a shrink ray that is currently in possession of another villain named Vector. He adopts three orphan girls as part of his plan to steal the ray gun from Vector.

It is a unique concept, but fails a bit in the execution. The two best things the film has going for it are the three girls, and Gru's minions who provide a bulk of the movie's best laughs. I couldn't do this review without mentioning those little yellow minions, who are still a mystery to me. Their origin is never explained, but all we need to know is they act as Gru's henchmen and do all the heavy lifting.

Margo, Edith, and Agnes are the little girls that Gru adopts for his plan, who slowly begin to soften up villain's heart. These three are adorable, and the young actresses playing them do a great job bringing them to life. After the awful child actor performances from Airbender last week it's nice to see some young talent really shine.

Animation is Despicable Me's biggest flaw, with rather dull character designs and flat textures keeping it from reaching Pixar or Dreamwork's level of computer animation. I did not see this in 3D, but a number of scenes were clearly meant to use a 3D effect to hurl objects toward the audience.

A decent family film that will provide a few good laughs. If you have already seen Toy Story and looking for something the whole family can enjoy, then give Despicable Me a shot.

Final Score: B

Predators Review

It has been twenty years since a Predator has appeared on screen outside of an Aliens VS Predator movie, but now the series finally continues with Predators. The plural title used in the same manner of the Aliens sequel because there are multiple predators this time.

Right away the movie opens with a soldier played by Adrian Brody as he finds himself falling through the sky when a parachute is suddenly deployed saving him from the deadly fall. The movie moves at break neck speed as more characters begin to plummet from the sky, and our cast has been assembled within the first five minutes. This group of strangers realize they are all soldiers, killers, and gangsters from around the globe and they have been brought to this planet to be hunted. Who is hunting them? A pack of Predators of course. Now they must fight to survive on this alien world.

From the get go it is clear that Predators is an attempted throw back to the original film. The jungle setting, the group of soldiers, and of course the stealthy predators. It doesn't hold a candle to the original of course, but it wasn't expected to. Predators still holds it's own as an entertaining film, and we don't get great action sci-fi movies like this very often. Adrian Brody and entire cast all perform their roles well, each with their own unique persona's that help round the group out.

My biggest complaint about the film would be the pacing that starts rapidly, then slows almost to a dead stop, before kicking right back into overdrive. It also suffers from an overuse of reaction shots from the cast. Every time the team discovers something new on the alien planet we have to see everyone of their faces reacting, and this happens multiple times over the course of the movie.

Aside from those flaws it was great to see the Predators in action, and was generally an entertaining experience. If you are a fan of the original Predator then you should enjoy this new installment, so check it out.

Final Score: B+

The Last Airbender Review

Dear M. Night Shymalan, please stop. Just stop doing whatever it is that makes your movies so terrible. Unless you truly are an evil genius, and your goal in life is to bore audiences with films like Lady in the Water. So instead of writing another original turd you decide to take an existing franchise and write a story around that. Or in this case you took the first season of a cartoon and chopped it down to about one hundred minutes, then filled it with your inane dialogue.

So lets get to why Shymalan fails once again at providing an entertaining film. As with most of his movies it all comes down to abysmal performances from nearly every member of the cast. Shymalan has a gift at bringing the absolutely worst out of even seasoned actors, and Airbender fairs the same fate. The actors here are so dull and wooden he might as well have cast the trees from The Happening, they were obviously excellent airbenders to begin with.

I don't know everything there is to about the original series, but I do know these characters are capable of feeling joy and at times playful. None of the humor and emotion that brought the characters to life in the cartoon exists here.

The only hope this movie had was if the action sequences were to turn out well, but even those couldn't save it. Shymalan steals from another director I despise, Zack Snyder, by using his stop and go slow motion technique during nearly every fight. This breaks up the flow of a battle, and only draws attention to the less than stellar visual effects. Adding slow motion to the choreographed movements of the benders only drags out the sequences even further.

If you truly must see this movie for some reason, do not watch it in 3D. There is no reason to throw your money away because the 3D effect does not exist in this movie. This was simply another attempt to cash in on the 3D fad and grab more money at the box office. If it had been filmed intentionally in 3D the visual effects could have been spectacular, but this was forced into the format after the fact.

Final Score: D