Fred Claus

Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn) has lived almost his entire life in his little brother's very large shadow. Fred tried, but he could never live up to the example set by the younger Nicholas (Paul Giamatti), who was just a perfect... well... Saint. True to form, Nicholas grew up to be the model of giving, while Fred became the polar opposite: a repo man who then steals what he repossesses. Now Fred's dirty dealings have landed him in jail. Over Mrs. Claus's objections, Nicholas agrees to bail his big brother out on one condition: that he come to the North Pole and work off his debt making toys. The trouble is that Fred isn't exactly elf material and, with Christmas fast approaching, this one bad seed could jeopardize the jolliest holiday of the year. Has Fred finally pushed his little brother to the brink? This time, what Fred may have stolen is Christmas itself, and it is going to take more than Rudolph to set things right.


This movie is to Vince Vaughn what Elf was to Will Ferrel. It is literally a holiday movie that is built around his personality. It enables him to be his talkative, sarcastic self in a holiday movie. I happen to think that Vince Vaughn is absolutely hysterical and I wasn't disappointed at all with this movie. The interaction with his mother and brother (Santa Claus) is awesome and there is a scene where he is in siblings anonymous with a bunch of brothers to famous people that was classic. Along with the overall funniness of the movie, there is also the gratuitous feel good holiday vibe going. The only problem I have with this is that I can't for the life of me figure out why Hollywood insists on releasing these movies so early in November. Its a shame that this movie will be long gone by the time Christmas comes around. I wish they would have waited until early December or something so that you could actually take in the holiday vibe more.


I recommend this movie to everyone. Its got some big laughs, makes you feel good, and plants the seed for you to get excited about the holidays.

Meet Dave

Dave Ming Chang (Eddie Murphy), newly arrived in New York City, may be the ultimate fish out of water. There's something about him that's not quite right – for starters, he seems remarkably out of place and uncomfortable in his own body. And for good reason. Dave is not a man at all, but a ship made in the image of its miniature-sized captain.


Although I found myself laughing a lot at some of the earlier scenes in this movie - this is definitely one of the dumbest movies ever made. We're talking Howard The Duck, Leonard Part 6 and The Adventures Of Pluto Nash type dumb, people! I can't even begin to understand how this movie was ever made in the first place. Did Eddie Murphy really look at the script and say "So I'll be the captain of a space ship that will also be me and I get to poop out money at one point too? Where do I sign?" Seriously? Its just ludicrous to think of the millions of dollars spent on something this ridiculous. Again - I definitely laughed at a bunch of scenes in this movie, but I laughed at scenes in the aforementioned historically dumb movies too. That doesn't mean that the movies are not eternally enshrined as Hollywood's biggest jokes.


I wouldn't recommend anyone ever seeing this. Actually, that's wrong. I do recommend that everyone see this at some point. I wouldn't go running to the theater to waste my time and money, but this is one of those movies that is so bad - everyone should check it out just to get that jaw on the floor at how dumb this movie is feeling.

Space Chimps

Space Chimps is an intergalactic comedy that highlights the antics of astronaut chimps with the "wrong stuff." Ham III (Samberg), the slacker grandson of the first chimp blasted into space before manned spaceflight, joins two other astronaut chimps for a dangerous mission through a black hole to an inhabited planet. When they're stranded there, the chimps must help the inhabitants rid themselves of a tyrannical leader, and then figure out how to get back to Earth.


This was a watchable kids movie. The parts with the monkeys were actually really funny. Unfortunately, every time that they switched over to what was going on with the aliens, I felt like I was watching a Saturday morning kids cartoon. Basically - thats all this movie was. There was no reason for it to be made for the big screen. It wasn't bad by any means - it just was not an animated movie worthy of this kind of marketing.


I wouldn't have recommended anyone rush to check this out in theaters. Watching it at home will probably make it much more digestible.

Hancock

There are heroes... there are superheroes... and then there's Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock's well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough – as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn't the kind of man who cares what other people think – until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock's greatest challenge yet – and a task that may prove impossible as Ray's wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he's a lost cause.


I didn't really have high expectations for this movie. I figured that it would be a visually entertaining summer popcorn movie with Will Smith who I haven't ever found to be disappointing. Turns out that is exactly what I got. This wasn't a great movie by any means. It was simple entertainment. The movie simply started with the preview I guess being the prerequisite storyline information. I found that kind of weird, but was totally able to accept it because I was getting quite a kick out of Will Smith playing a prick. Watching him curse and be confrontational towards people had me cracking up. Then, there was a major plot twist in the middle of the movie that I thought was going to send it in to a massive downward spiral, but they were even able to rebound pretty well from that by giving you the actual background of Hancock that I was hungry for at the beginning of the movie. I could totally see how someone would hate this movie if they had sky high expectations for it though.


I would recommend people checking this movie out. Just keep your hopes in check so you won't up getting disappointed.

The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants 2

I haven't seen it.

WW doesn't want to see it. Stinka doesn't either. God bless their sweet little hearts.

You are on your own with this one.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

After an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader who treads the world above and the one below defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Now, it's up to the planet's toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders. He may be red. He may be horned. He may be misunderstood. But when you need the job done right, it's time to call in Hellboy (Ron Perlman). Along with his expanding team in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development--pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), aquatic empath Abe (Doug Jones) and protoplasmic mystic Johann--the BPRD will travel between the surface strata and the unseen magical one, where creatures of fantasy become corporeal. And Hellboy, a creature of two worlds who's accepted by neither, must choose between the life he knows and an unknown destiny that beckons him.


Holy disappointment, Hellboy! I was a huge fan of the first movie. I remember seeing the trailer and thinking that it looked stupid but I ended up really enjoying the movie. The trailer for this one made it look awesome and I was actually pretty excited to see it. Unfortunately, I was totally let down. They changed the whole way that the story was portrayed. In the first one - it was this top secret thing and most of the humor came from Hellboy's complaining or sarcasm. This one was for lack of a better word schlocky. I get that its a comic book adaptation but at least the first one took the story seriously. I almost felt like they were making a joke out of all these different monsters. The score had a doofy tone to it throughout the movie and that definitely didn't help at all. Abe, the fish guy, was this brilliant freak in the first movie but was reduced to being more of a goofy nerd in this one. I really don't understand why they would do all these things since the first one was really good and the villain in this one was even better than in the first one. This will probably end up being the biggest disappointment of the year for me.


I wouldn't recommend anyone checking this one out. Even though the trailer looked awesome, the director's lack of taking the material seriously totally ruins the awesome visuals that you've come to expect from Guillermo Del Toro.

Tropic Thunder

Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. lead an ensemble cast in Tropic Thunder, an action comedy about a group of self-absorbed actors who set out to make the most expensive war film. After ballooning costs force the studio to cancel the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they encounter real bad guys.


I can't believe how funny this movie was. I was beyond shocked. I thought at best it would be somewhat funny, but I was laughing out loud for most of this movie. Robert Downey Jr. was beyond awesome and I can't stress enough how happy I am to see him back in the mainstream. I haven't seen an actor return from the dead like he has this summer since John Travolta with Pulp Fiction. Jack Black played really well off of everyone else and Ben Stiller was a lot funnier than he usually is. The absolute best part of this movie was Tom Cruise. Yes that's right. Tom Cruise. He is in this movie and plays an obnoxious, bald, hairy, film producer. It is possibly the best career movie I've ever witnessed in my entire life. He was by far and away the best and funniest part of this movie. This movie might have the best credit sequence I've ever seen.


I fully recommend that everyone check this one out. In terms of comedies, I give this the must see stamp.

WALL-E

After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, WALL•E discovers a new purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans who have been eagerly awaiting word that it is safe to return home. Meanwhile, WALL•E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most exciting and imaginative comedy adventures ever brought to the big screen. Joining WALL•E on his fantastic journey across a universe of never-before-imagined visions of the future, is a hilarious cast of characters including a pet cockroach, and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots.


Lets state it for the record that Pixar really doesn't do anything bad. They have truly brought animated movies to a level of such greatness that I never imagined possible. Wall-E is no exception to this. In fact, Wall-E might be one of the greatest love stories ever told. Even though its an animated movie about robots in space - this was a truly great love story. The animation is probably the best I've ever seen. How real everything looked and the pinpoint precise movements of Wall-E on his wheel tracks was very impressive. The way that the script mocked society for getting lazier and lazier and just eating up whatever stuff is told to us was hysterical . . . . even though its so sadly true. The more I think about the fact that this movie was so well done with there being pretty much no talking outside of the words Wall-E, Eve and directive for the first hour only makes it that much more amazing.


This movie is an absolute must see by all. Its a truly amazing movie even though its animated and is probably a lock to show up on the best movies of the year list.

This Christmas

This year, Christmas with the Whitfields promises to be one they will never forget. All the siblings have come home for the first time in years and they've brought plenty of baggage with them. As the Christmas tree is trimmed and the lights are hung, secrets are revealed and family bonds are tested. As their lives converge, they join together and help each other discover the true meaning of family.

This is your textbook familly holiday drama/comedy. A big family gets together. They all have different sets of issues or problems. They issues/problems magically all get solved within the Christmas holiday because Christmas is so miraculous. As blah as I sound about this movie, I actually enjoyed it. Surprisingly so. I watched the whole thing from beginning to end and actually got excited for the characters at certain parts.

I'd recommend people checking this movie out for the holidays. Its cheesy and very predictable but still makes for an enjoyable holiday watch.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

As the Clone Wars sweep through the galaxy, the heroic Jedi Knights struggle to maintain order and restore peace. More and more systems are falling prey to the forces of the dark side as the Galactic Republic slips further and further under the sway of the Separatists and their never-ending droid army. Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano find themselves on a mission with far-reaching consequences, one that brings them face-to-face with crime lord Jabba the Hutt. But Count Dooku and his sinister agents, including the nefarious Asajj Ventress, will stop at nothing to ensure that Anakin and Ahsoka fail at their quest. Meanwhile, on the front lines of the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda lead the massive clone army in a valiant effort to resist the forces of the dark side.


Star Wars has been like a religion to me for most of my life. Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi have always been and will always be my three favortie movies of all time. To this day - I will still stop whatever I'm doing if I happen to catch any of them as I'm flipping through the channels. I couldn't wait to see the three prequels and believe it or not I left each one of them absolutely loving them . . . . . . warts and all. It wasn't until it came to repeated viewings of the prequels that I realized how poopish they really were. Regardless, I wasn't willing to write off the genius that was George Lucas. I know that his legacy was dented but I was still proud to call myself a die hard fan. Then I saw this gigantic turd. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is obviously a kids movie with it being animated and what not. Essentially its a saturday morning cartoon. The first problem is that its basically a saturday morning cartoon . . . . . . . for girls. The new character that they introduce, Anakin's female padawan, is basically the central character of the movie and is so beyond annoying that those who hated Jar Jar might end up putting him on par with Darth Maul in terms of coolness compared to her. The second problem is that their mission is to protect Jabba's "huttling" that they keep referring to as Stinky. I'm not joking. It was absurd. The third and biggest problem was the introduction of Jabba's uncle Zero - who is portrayed as flamboyantly gay. Again - not kidding. I just sort of sat there with my mouth wide open and the what the hell look on my face. This movie was totally horrible and George Lucas should honestly be ashamed of himself for associating the unequivocable greatness that is the original Star Wars trilogy with this crapola.


I woulnd't recommend anyone seeing this. Little kids will absolutely love it but it is just downright painful for those of us who grew up with the REAL Star Wars to sit through.

Kung Fu Panda

Po (Jack Black) is the biggest fan of kung fu around... which doesn't exactly come in handy while working every day in his family's noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy, Po's dreams become reality when he joins the world of kung fu and studies alongside his idols, the legendary Furious Five—Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey—under the leadership of their guru, Master Shifu. But before they know it, the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way, and it's up to Po to defend everyone from the oncoming threat. Can he turn his dreams of becoming a kung fu master into reality? Po puts his heart — and his girth —into the task, and the unlikely hero ultimately finds that his greatest weaknesses turn out to be his greatest strengths.


I loved this movie. I don't know if its because of the fact that Po's girth played in to him being a hero and I one day hope that my girth can one day accomplish the same thing or if it was just Jack Black being the perfect voice casting for the character. I just did. The animation was awesome - especially the kung fu scenes. The voices of Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu and Ian McShane (aka Swaringen from Deadwood) were great as the guru and villian. This is definitely one of those animated movies that the adults can enjoy just as much, if not more than, the kids.


I strongly recommend everyone checking this bad boy out. Its totally worth the trip and price of rental. This one should actually be owned.

Transibberian

An American couple, Roy (Woody Harrelson) and Jessie (Emily Mortimer), decide to take the long way home from their recent sojourn in Asia on the legendary Trans-siberian Express train from Beijing to Moscow. On their way, they meet another couple from the West, Carlos (Eduardo Noriega) and Abby (Kate Mara), with whom they quickly form a familiar bond that often unites fellow travellers away from home. When Roy accidentally gets separated from the group at a stopover, Jessie begins to realize that their compatriots aren't exactly who or what they seem to be. The real danger begins to surface as a deceitful Russian detective (Sir Ben Kingsley) and locals terrorize Jessie in this unforgettable journey.

The beginning of this movie was paced about as fast as watching a snail move. It was downright painful especially since you pretty much knew exactly where it was going to go. It was supposed to be a suspenseful movie but had absolutely none for the first hour of the movie. Once you get past the first hour, the movie is a decent watch but I was definitely too annoyed by the boredom to really get in to it.

I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone. There's simply no reason to pay for this movie. Just wait for it to hit cable.

Get Smart

Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) is on a mission to thwart the latest plot for world domination by the evil crime syndicate known as KAOS. When the headquarters of U.S. spy agency Control is attacked and the identities of its agents compromised, the Chief (Alan Arkin) has no choice but to promote his ever-eager analyst Maxwell Smart, who has always dreamt of working in the field alongside stalwart superstar Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson). Smart is partnered instead with the lovely-but-lethal veteran Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway). Given little field experience and even less time, Smart--armed with nothing but a few spy-tech gadgets and his unbridled enthusiasm--must thwart the doomsday plans of KAOS head Siegfried (Terence Stamp).

This was one of those textbook summer movies. Great laughs. Great action. Simple enjoyment. Steve Carell was perfectly cast as Maxwell Smart. I am a huge fan of The Office (if you are not watching this show - you really need to start!) and he really can't do any wrong in my eyes. Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson and Alan Arkin were all excellent complimentary parts to his lead. If handled right, Warner Bros could totally turn this in to a workable franchise. I found myself really looking forward to this movie as the summer approached and it didn't remotely disappoint me.

I would recommend everyone checking this movie out. It wouldn't qualify as a must see but it is pure, simple enjoyment at the local video store.