Charlotte's Web (2006) - 8 stars out of 10

Charlotte's Web (2006) - 8 stars out of 10

"Charlotte's Web" may be the best story about friendship that I have ever seen.  This family-friendly film is a breathe of fresh air between the extremes of "way inappropriate" and "painfully cheesy."  The all-star cast of voices does not disappoint, from Julia Roberts as Charlotte to Steve Buscemi as Templeton.  I feel that E.B. White would have been proud of this live-action interpretation of his story.  Unlike the cute cartoon Charlotte in the 1973 animated film, this rendition of Charlotte is realistic and kind of creepy-looking to effectively drive home the point that Wilbur is able to see past the skin (uh, do spiders have skin?) and into the heart of this well-meaning friend.  Whether you are six or sixty, everyone can take a few lessons from this film.  From amidst the great voices of John Cleese, Oprah, Kathy Bates, and Robert Redford comes another enchanting performance by Dakota Fanning.  She'll melt your heart with every subtle mannerism.  Beau Bridges is also great, but my favorite part of the film is definitely the crows, voiced by Thomas Haden Church and Andre Benjamin.  They are absolutely hysterical, particularly their dialogue about the scarecrow.  Even though the humor breaks up the sentimentality exactly when it needs to, be prepared to get choked up.  Whether it's the actual events of the story or that childhood attachment to these characters (like when "Some Pig" makes its first appearance), this movie will transport you back to a time of innocence.  Something about the cinematography and music combine to give the film a great "nostalgia factor" and you will just want to watch it over and over again.

A Good Day to Die Hard - 1 star out of 10

A Good Day to Die Hard - 1 star out of 10

“A Good Day to Die Hard” is one long eye-roll.  The entire film is so over the top that even “Die Hard” fans must have a tough time stomaching this one.  I love this franchise for its intricate plots and unexpected twists but this film is unoriginal and trite.  I can just picture the writers sitting around a big table tossing out ideas.  “Hey, didn’t John McClane have a son?” [writers scratch heads]  “Maybe in the first film, but he was completely insignificant and hasn’t appeared since.”  “Oh… LET’S BRING HIM BACK!!!!!!”  “But isn’t that the exact same thing that we did in the last film with his daughter that nobody knew existed?”  “Yes, but now THE SON IS BACK!!!!”  “And what about his daughter that appeared in the last film?  Shouldn’t we continue building on that plotline?”  “Good point… we’ll put her in the first and last scenes and hopefully the audience will forget about her because THE SON IS BACK!!!!”  “But how do we explain the son’s absence for the past 20-some years?”  “Duh, he was estranged from his family and is now an undercover CIA agent who is infiltrating a terrorist organization.”  “That.  Is.  GENIUS!!!!!”  I mean seriously, when did the writers give up on the story in an attempt to turn the franchise into “The Expendables”?  This is the “Crystal Skull” of film franchises.  It has completely lost the aura of the original films and effectively left a sour taste in my mouth towards the “Die Hard” films.  Bring back the incredible villains like Jeremy Irons, the comedy of Samuel L. Jackson, and the edge-of-your-seat thrills while you hold your breath as the plot veers off-course.  “A Good Day to Die Hard” is 75% over-the-top action sequences, 13% cheesy family moments (which are meaningless because we didn’t even know that this kid exists), 8% John McClane battling a terrorist regime on his own, 3% twist that is a feeble attempt to make it seem like the story matters, and 1% clever catch phrase (“Yippee Ki-Yay Mother Russia”).  In fact, I’m pretty sure that they started with the catch phrase and adapted the story around it.  This film is absolute rubbish.

Nature: My Life as a Turkey - 10 stars out of 10

Nature: My Life as a Turkey - 10 stars out of 10

“My Life as a Turkey” is an incredibly unexpected surprise.  What sounds like a five-dollar bin Halloween-themed film is actually a touching story about a man who gets to experience nature from the other side.  His journey begins as he watches over several turkey eggs until they hatch and then establishes himself as the “mother-figure” to these turkey.  The main character is just as surprised as us when all of nature opens a hidden door to him as it views him as another bird.  The story will certainly create a new appreciation for these creatures and change your perspective of Thanksgiving.  Outside of the unique story, the film is a masterpiece of cinematography.  There are so many beautiful and fascinating shots that will make you say “How on earth did they do that?”  This series from PBS always impresses with its visionary approach to nature, but this one is truly a vision.  From its story to its cinematographic exploration of nature, the Emmy-winning “My Life as a Turkey” is a must-see.

Hotel Rwanda - 9 stars out of 10

Hotel Rwanda - 9 stars out of 10

"Hotel Rwanda" is a true story and, although it is difficult to watch at times, its bold statements about war and its theme of selflessness are incredibly rewarding.  This powerful portrayal of this dark chapter of world history has led to it being called the "African Schindler's List."  This Rwandan Genocide occurred when my generation was very young and I am glad that this film has opened my eyes up to these events.  Don Cheadle was the perfect choice for the film's hero, Paul Rusesabagina.  His accent is incredibly convincing and his acting captures the intense emotion that this character must endure as he saves thousands.  The other big names do not really get a chance to shine but add a lot of character to the film, from Nick Nolte's frustration with the U.N. to Jean Reno's sense of duty to these helpless victims and Joaquin Phoenix's compassion as he witnesses the slaughter of countless Rwandans.  These characters do not stand out but their polarizing emotions engage the sympathy of the audience.  Regardless of the acting, cinematography, and violence, the script is what creates the potent sensation of anguish that creates a connection between the characters onscreen and the people sitting in the audience.  It develops the perfect equation of getting to know the characters, interpolating historic fact with fiction, and showing the right amount of violence that is bearable to watch but difficult to stomach.  "Hotel Rwanda" may not be on my list of favorites but it is simply a great film.

Olympus Has Fallen - 4 stars out of 10

Olympus Has Fallen - 4 stars out of 10

Explosions fill the screen as Gerard Butler tortures and kills a bunch of people in the bloodiest manner possible.  Believe it or not, this is not a review for "Law Abiding Citizen."  There was a lot of potential for cool action sequences and special effects as Washington D.C. gets destroyed by terrorists, but the writers tried to do too much with the story once the terrorists invaded the White House.  There were a few amazing moments of high anxiety as hostages are killed and the writers really had my emotions completely invested into this plot.  The concept of taking hostages in the White House to force an end to the Korean civil war was actually pretty clever – why did we need more than that?  Unfortunately, as the hostages seem hopeless and we are relying on our kick-butt hero to save them, the story goes beyond its limits by adding in the terrorist’s attempt to blow up all of the nuclear missiles in their silos and turn the United States into a nuclear wasteland.  This is a clear case of a “bigger is better” attitude rather than relying on character development and plot to drive the film to an exciting conclusion.  In fact, I did not feel an attachment to a single character in this film.  It lacks an amazing villain like Die Hard III and things just fall flat.  I would say that the plot of the White House being attacked was an original one for this summer but... "White House Down"...  The acting is good for an action movie with Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, and Melissa Leo topping the cast list.  In fact, there wasn’t nearly enough Ashley Judd or Morgan Freeman.  You can never have enough Morgan Freeman, but he was underutilized in this film. These big names gave me the hopes that this would be more of a thriller (a la "Runaway Jury") but it is pure action and these quality actors actually lower their performances accordingly.  Butler was pretty cool but again, I would’ve much rather watched him rescue hostages than implausibly save the country from being blown up by nuclear missiles with two seconds to spare. In the end, there are just too many women being beaten and execution-style murders.  I would give the CGI an 85% and, while it's cool to see a lot of our landmarks blown up, Hollywood needs to find a new strategy to engage our emotions.

The Company You Keep - 8 stars out of 10

The Company You Keep - 8 stars out of 10

"The Company You Keep" is really good but still can't live up to the expectation for such an incredible cast.  The story is gripping as this political thriller demands that each of its characters undergo an enormous transformation (literally and figuratively).  I wouldn't consider this star-studded cast list to be an ensemble cast; rather, they are a group of actors that wanted to be a part of something awesome so they signed on to play roles that only appear in 3 scenes.  We have to start with Shia LaBeouf.  This polarizing actor has been given more great acting opportunities than he probably deserves (much like the good fortune of his character) and, while he can't keep up with the stars around him, his performance is adequate.  Robert Redford is at his finest as he directs and acts with finesse and precision.  Susan Sarandon's couple of scenes are magic, particularly her interview in prison with LaBeouf.  The spotlight can't help but shine on Pittsburgh native Jack Evancho.  She is enchanting as Redford's daughter and is responsible for 90% of our emotional attachment to him.  Anna Kendrick has rapidly become one of my favorites and leaves an impression after a mere few minutes of screentime.  Other big names include Stanley Tucci, Richard Jenkins, Terrence Howard, Nick Nolte, Julie Christie, Brendan Gleeson, and Chris Cooper.  The most enjoyable part of this film was actually watching the trailer as my jaw dropped farther and farther as each actor appeared on-screen.  The film really is good but cannot live up to the firepower of its actors.  Even without a huge twist, this thriller will keep you in suspense and make you glad that you had the chance to experience such a unique story.

Mud (2013) - 5 stars out of 10

Mud (2013) - 5 stars out of 10

The critics loved "Mud" but I didn't.  While it exceeds the expectations of a Matthew McConaughey film, it is still completely unmemorable.  The story itself is fine, exploring the mysterious back rivers of Mississippi.  As a coming-of-age film, it succeeds in teaching two young boys some important lessons about growing up; and yet, there isn't much to latch on to.  None of the characters are particularly likable.  The actors masterfully deliver their lines with a southern drawl but it doesn't matter much if we don't like their characters.  Reese Witherspoon was particularly disappointing.  You could tell that she was trying to put a lot of heart into it but with her character receiving so little screen time and this being so far off of the roles that have brought her success, this one won't be making her highlight reel.  McConaughey isn't terrible but he isn't much better than "average."  The real reason to watch this film is for the strong performance by Tye Sheridan as Ellis, carrying the film on his shoulders with realistic acting and line delivery.  As far as its marketability as "a film that families can watch together," I think that there is far too much strong language for most parents to comfortably watch this with their children.  There isn't really anything wrong with "Mud."  It tells a fairly interesting story but I wouldn't see it again or really recommend it to anybody else.