Cry Freedom - 6 stars out of 10

Cry Freedom - 6 stars out of 10

"Cry Freedom" wanders away from expectation as this seeming story of racial freedom suddenly becomes a story of escape.  Though the shift in focus is a very effective twist, it robs the film it's point (South African equality) in exchange for a weaker one (a white character's struggles).  That being said, Washington and Kline have amazing performances in their roles and the supporting cast creates some wonderful emotional tension.  Although no other actors particularly stand out, the family provides the necessary emotions to drive the second half of the film, particularly the eldest daughter's tears as they leave their home.  If this film's goal was to to use a family's struggle to create a a heroic character expertly portrayed by Kevin Kline, it was a success; however, if this film was trying to promote the ideals historically prounounced by Steven Biko, it failed.  The end credits prove this point as the list the injustices to South American prisoners feels awkward after final feel-good scene with the family.  Good film, but it would've been better if it would've focused on Biko instead of Woods.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - 9 stars out of 10

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - 9 stars out of 10

Although I was terrified of this movie as a child, I have come to realize that it goes beyond the simple concept of an alien being left behind on earth.  "E.T." uses a child's perspective to create one of the most epic stories of friendship in the universe.  With most of the shots filmed at a child's eye level and the purposeful avoidance of showing the faces of adults to avoid giving them identity throughout the course of the movie (with the exception of the mom), "E.T." has the power to transport any viewer back to the age of 10, looking at the world with innocence and naivety.  Henry Thomas is perfect in this role, acting far beyond his years.  The fact that none of these actors were stars when this film was made adds to the sense that this could happen to anyone.  It is amazing how well the special effects hold up 30 years later.  The robotics are amazing and it is impossible to avoid chills when Elliot rides the bike in front of the moon with one of John Williams' greatest musical themes overwhelming your senses.  If you didn’t get choked up during the final scene... you're lying.  Saying that E.T.'s final line is a tearjerker is an understatement.  This movie is the complete emotional package as a family-friendly adventure that has themes that can truly move adults.

Jack - 7 stars out of 10

Jack - 7 stars out of 10

At first, I was trying to figure out why such an awesome cast signed on for such an average movie. What begins as a display of typical childhood comedy about farts and dirty magazines turns into some very profound statements about childhood innocence, growing up, and the value of life. Robin Williams, at first seeming too over-the-top, is magnificent as his consistency in the childhood role will make you into a believer by the end. The first playground scene perfectly stereotypes that sad kid that just can't fit in at school. While the first hour is very goofy, the ending is incredibly heartfelt, accented by a whimsical, childlike score by Michael Kamen. There were 100 ways to end this movie the wrong way but the writers chose the one perfect ending. The cast brings this story to life - Diane Lane has never looked better, Bill Cosby was himself and yet a perfect fit as the tutor, J-Lo's emotional scene with Williams was a wonderful preparation for the second half of the film, and even Fran Drescher (whose voice typically sounds to me like nails on a chalkboard) was perfect. Externally, "Jack" appears to be a kids movie, but hidden deep within that childish exterior lies a poignant portrait of life's fleeting moments.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) - 8 stars out of 10

X-Men Origins: Wolverine - 8 stars out of 10

Despite hearing less-than-impressive reviews, I believe that this rivals the best of the X-men movies.  With Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber as the leading guys, the acting is incredibly intense from the start as the movie is introduced with one of the most exciting title sequences in cinema.  I believe that I received this movie exactly as it was intended - as a viewer who did not understand Wolverine's motivations in the X-Men movies, struggling to relate to this character and needing background information to understand the gruff exterior.  After seeing this film, Wolverine has become my favorite X-Men character as I can now see the tortured side of his early life through this excellent character development.  The fighting was great and there were some cool special effects, though the CG powerplant just wasn't working for me.  In the end, Ryan Reynolds "transforms" into one of the most horrific-looking villains that I've ever seen and it was worth watching the whole movie for the pure adrenaline contained in the last big fight.  If you're a fan of super hero movies, this should definitely be on your list.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) - 8 stars out of 10

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) - 8 stars out of 10

"Sweeney Todd" is an amazing story told in a very gruesome fashion. Tim Burton's genius work with dark movies lives on through "Sweeney Todd," both in artistry and twisted concept. The lack of color in their world, with the exception of flashbacks and blood (...there is so much blood...), gives the film a great Burton-esque feel. Though the vocal arrangements were adapted to eliminate full ensemble performances (thus eliminating the "spontaneously busting into song" sensation), the film stays very true to Sondheim's beautifully chilling original musical score. The acting is superb within this all-star cast as Depp and Carter navigate the incredibly challenging vocal score with excellence. Alan Rickman is awesome as always and Sacha Baron Cohen shakes off his reputation as Borat to put on an unexpectedly impressive performance. Spall is completely stereotyped (which is why we love him) while you will want to listen to Jamie Campbell Bower sing Johanna all day. I hope that you can stomach this one because if you can, you will be delighted in this gruesome story of vengeance and hate.

Monster House - 2 stars out of 10

Monster House - 2 stars out of 10

You can tell that a movie wasn't very memorable when you can't stop thinking "This seems familiar and I'm pretty sure that I've seen it before, but I barely remember anything." In the end I realized that I had seen this before and apparently tried to erase it from my memory. Visually, the house is pretty creative, treating it as an ...actual working body; unfortunately, the plot and dialogue aren't very good and I didn't care for the look of the main boys. The performance capture technique was much less effective than in The Polar Express and I'm still trying to figure out what Zemeckis and Spielberg were thinking when they made this film. I wouldn't recommend it - the parts that are supposed to be funny are just annoying and the entire thing is ridiculous (considering that this film is way too juvenile for an adult but some sequences are not appropriate for young chidren).

Sahara - 7 stars out of 10

Sahara - 7 stars out of 10

"Sahara" is a fast-paced adventure/comedy whose far-fetched plot is balanced by clever dialogue and good action sequences.  Though Matthew McConaughey is far from my favorite actor (bordering on having utter disdain for his every breath), this was a great role for him.  Since Dirk Pitt is an action character whose role revolves around fight sequences and camel-train chases, McConaughey did not need to be a good actor to succeed.  On the contrary, Steve Zahn thrived in his wisecracking role, consistently saying the "wrong" thing at the right time.  Add Penelope Cruz in a bikini and you're set.  Small roles by William H. Macy, Rainn Wilmson, Delroy Lindo, and Lambert Wilson (a.k.a. The Merovingian) add depth to the shallow plot, to the point that you don't question how a battleship could be in the middle of a desert.  As far as depth of plot, this film is like National Treasure Jr... but is worth it just to catch Zahn's dialogue and Cruz's... personality.