X-MEN: FIRST CLASS certainly lives up to its title with first-rate performances by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender but the character-driven film might disappoint some action fans.
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Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor star in BEGINNERS, a beautifully structured and provocative story based on director Mike Mills personal experience.
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Jack Black brings back the charm of Po to KUNG FU PANDA 2 but Gary Oldman steals the show (as always) as the new villain.
Po, the crime fighting Panda is back as the Dragon Warrior, in the sequel to Dreamworks
animated film. KUNG FU PANDA 2 tackles an issue unresolved from the first film. How did Mr. Ping the goose become a father to a panda? Po starts to doubt his origins with a recurring dream about his panda mother. The villaneous Lord Shen holds the key to his past. Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), a peacock with his own daddy issues, plans to conquer China with a secret, unstoppable weapon and destroy kung fu. Po, Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), Monkey (Jackie Chan), and Crane (David Cross) travel far to stop Lord Shen.
While saving the world from domination premise is not at all original, the more engaging story is Po's eventual discover of Lord Shen's involvement with his parent's disappearance. That emotional connection is what makes the two Kung Fu Panda movies work. Apart from being relatable, the animated sequel is much funnier than the first one with more adult humor.
The character of Po, voiced by the always entertaining Jack Black, continues to warm his way into our hearts with his many insecurities and love of food. He may be the Dragon Warrior but he is still vulnerable and that is the charm of the character.
Voicing the character of Lord Shen is Gary Oldman who once again creates a unique villain. Oldman never repeats a performance especially as a viilain which he's played many times in memorable roles such as in The Professional and the Fifth Element. He brings a sophistication to the animated comedy as the peacock. Rather than going for the typical evil voice, The Dark Night actor brought a vulnerability to Lord Shen. The new addition to the cast definitely proved to be the best part of the movie.
The other Furious Five's roles are reduced this time except for Angelina Jolie's Tigress who hasn't quite gotten used to the bumbling Panda. Also missing from the majority of the film is Dustin Hoffman's Shifu. Shifu's dynamic with Po was so entertaining the first time around that you miss it here. Most of the new voices were unrecognizable such as Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michelle Yeoh and Dennis Haysbart. Michelle Yeoh as the Soothsayer was hilarious with some of the best dialogue from the film.
KUNG FU PANDA 2 has a lot more action and fight sequences the second time around. One particularly hilarious action scene involves the Furious Five and Po taking cover under a paper mâché dragon but when they are discovered, they take on Lord Shen's henchmen by scooping them up in the dragon's mouth. It looked like a game of centipede and it had the audience rolling in the aisles. Definitely the best scene in the movie.
With a different director at the helm for KUNG FU PANDA 2, Jennifer Yuh Nelson brings a different look to the film with a red color scheme where as the predecessor used a lot more yellows in the photography. Jennifer Yuh Nelson served as the head of story for the previous film so it's no surprise the story flows between the two films.
KUNG FU PANDA 2 is a film that all ages can enjoy. And the finale of KUNG FU PANDA 2 suggests there may be a third Po story in the works.
KUNG FU PANDA 2 is now playing in movie theaters.
PHOTOS: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jack Black At 'Kung Fu Panda 2' Movie Premiere
VIDEO: Jack Black Meets Real Kung Fu Panda Named Po
PHOTOS & VIDEO: Angelina Jolie, Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman In Cannes For Kung Fu Panda 2
Exclusive Sneak Peek: Jack Black & Antonio Banderas Preview Dreamworks Film Add a comment
The real life story of Stan Herd comes to the big screen in EARTHWORK, an inspirational tale of an artist played by Academy Award nominee John Hawk (Winter's Bones).
Some say that artists have their head in the clouds but for Stan Herd that would be quite the advantage. A third generation Kansas farmer, Stan has pioneered a new art form known as representational crop art, or Earthwork.
Using the tools that he grew up with Stan began manipulating the earth to create pictures that can only be viewed from the air. Struggling for years to bring attention to his art Stan put in a bid to do an Earthwork project on a vacant lot in New York City owned by Donald Trump. Not wanting to lose the opportunity to another artist Stan Herd agreed to do the project for free using his own funds and putting his family in tremendous debt.
The film EARTHWORK chronicles this monumental undertaking and the emotional toll it took on his family. It also shows how the community was impacted by this ambitious project.
In the past year I’ve seen several movies that centered on non-traditional artists such as Wasteland and Exit Through The Gift Shop. But as great as these films are, by making Stan Herd’s story a dramatic film rather than a documentary you are able to experience his emotional journey as well as his artistic one. EARTHWORK not only documents John’s struggle, but it shows us the impact that his work had on the street people who squatted on the land and lived in the tunnels near-by. This is something that would not have been possible in a straightforward documentary. I believe that telling Stan’s story in this way was the best choice, and Oscar nominated actor John Hawkes is wonderful in the role.
When Stan produces his art he tills, rakes and plows the soil to create texture and then adds plants, rocks and other natural materials for color and shade. From the ground you cannot see the result, but from the air everything takes form. In the telling of this story we are right there with Stan in this vacant lot scratching and digging to achieve some distant goal. With every set back we feel his pain, and with every friend he makes we feel his humanity. But like the people of New York we have to wait until the end to see the final result. The reveal is breath taking and I am now very much a fan of his art. I hope one day to meet Stan Herd or better yet fly over his work.
What a phenomenal inspirational man he is and what a tremendous awe-inspiring concept. I highly recommend this film.
Melanie Wilson
Vvisit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com
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Don't let the name fool you. BRIDESMAIDS is not a chick flick about a wedding. Instead it's a woman's version of a bromance and a counterpart to The Hangover.
Chris Hemsworth, the God of Thunder from the land down under, proves himself a worthy Marvel comic book hero in THOR.
The Marvel comic book comes to life on the big screen in THOR starring a relative newcomer from Australia alongside Academy Award-winners Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman. However, it isn't the Oscar winners who stand out in THOR.
In the fantastical realm of Asgard, Thor, the soon to be king, wields his hammer with great arrogance. He is powerful but immature. When he disobeys his father, King Odin (Hopkins) and attacks their enemy, Odin casts out the God of Thunder to live among the humans on Earth, stripping him of his powers. When he lands on Earth, he doesn't realize he is now like the humans - just an average Joe.
Meanwhile back on Asgard, his supportive brother Loki begs his father to bring back Thor, that is until he discovers a dark secret kept from him by his father. On Earth, Thor is helped by scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her mentor (Stellan Skarsgard), but one of them doesn't believe his story.
Photo Gallery: THOR Movie Stills
Aussie Chris Hemsworth certainly looks the part of a Nordic god with his God-like stature and brawny physique. At first a bearded super hero seemed far-fetched but Chris Hemsworth wears it well. He plays the arrogance over the top, but it works well in the story especially when he arrives on Earth proclaiming his status as a god. Those are some of the funniest moments on screen. When Thor realizes his errors of his way, you sort of miss that arrogance about him and he becomes in a way dull. Imagine Tony Stark losing some of that selfishness - boring.
Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman lacked chemistry as a potential love interest. Neither actor really clicked with each other. It may not have been helped by the weak women roles. Natalie Portman's dialogue often times seemed cheesy and too giddy for a character that's supposed to be a scientist. She's no Scully.
Movie Clip: Thor Stripped of Powers
The stronger relationships in THOR are between father and his two sons. Tom Hiddleston as Loki is a welcome departure as the low-key villain of the film. While Chris Hemsworth played the arrogance over the top, Tom was very subtle in his acting. And you believe Anthony Hopkins is this all-powerful god.
The father/son drama plays out throughout the film and eventually that is what holds the film together. The dramatic porton of the film clearly has actor/director Kenneth Branaugh's stamp all over it. As a thespian, Branaugh brings that Greek tragedy feel to the action movie. Once the story leaves Asgard, we lose some of that with the human characters who aren't as interesting or dynamic.
Once the action takes place on Earth, the tone is more humorous with a handful of laugh out loud one-liners. Iron Man set that tone and it carries on in this Marvel adaptation which is appropriate given these superheroes will come together in The Avengers.
THOR looked great on the IMAX 3D screen but it didn't add too much more of a viewing experience than watching it on a 2D screen.
THOR is no Iron Man but the film is quite entertaining although silly at times but a little of both never hurt anyone.
And as usual, stay until the end credits for a bonus scene.
THOR is in movie theaters May 6, 2011.
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Orlando Bloom, Juliette Lewis, and Laura Linney come together in first-time director Mark Ruffalo's noteworthy debut -- "Sympathy for Delicious."
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Every February, children all across the United States learn about Abraham Lincoln as a man who fought against slavery and kept the country together during the Civil War. But that is usually the extent of most people's knowledge and most are unaware of what he meant to the country at the time. That’s why Robert Redford's film The Conspirator is so important.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS may seem like a sappy love story but the adaptation based on Sara Gruen's novel, proves to be much more.
The film starts in modern times with Hal Holbrook recounting his days in the circus as a young man during the depression era. He flashes back to his young days as the young Jacob played by Robert Pattinson, a veterinarian student who loses his parents, and runs away joining the circus.
Interview: Robert Pattinson Wins Over Female Co-Star With Candy
Inglourious Basterd's Christopher Waltz is August Benzini, the bipolar circus ringmaster in the Benzini Bros. Circus who hires Jacob as the circus veterinarian. Jacob becomes infatuated with August's wife Marlena, the beautiful circus star played by a platinum blonde Reese Witherspoon. When Marlena's horse, the main circus act, must be put out of its misery, August purchases Rosie, an elephant. Rosie bonds the Marlena and Jacob in their love for the animal. After witnessing August's abusive behavior towards Marlena and the circus animals, Jacob wants to rescue Marlena from his clutches.
Movie Clip: An Elephant Flirts With Robert Pattinson In Water for Elephants
Initially, there is not much chemistry between Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon but as the story progresses you start to believe the mutual attraction. While the love story binds the plot together, it's the circus elements and August's character that brings together the film. Oscar winner Christopher Waltz again takes on the role of the villain but in WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, his character has moments of sympathy. His bipolar characteristics make his character the most interesting of the cast.
Movie Stills: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon in Water For Elephants
Robert Pattinson gives a different kind of performance in this dramatic period piece. The Twilight star rarely flashes a smile on screen, and in WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, we get to see a lighter side from Robert with the occasional laughter and his pearly whites. Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon gives another good performance as a flirty and sexy circus mistress. Rarely do we see her sexy side in her girl next door roles but here the circus outfits and beautiful dresses make Reese a goddess. Her circus act on the elephant was quite impressive, even more so when you find out she did all her stunts with her massive co-star.
The production quality is suberb and the depression era makes for an interesting backdrop for the love story. Director Frances Lawrence put together an entertaining and dramtic film that could've easily gone for a harlequin-style romance but it didn't.
HANNA is a return to good old-fashioned action movie with strong characters and an original storyline that entertains from start to finish. 
Monogamy, starring Parks & Recreation's Rashida Jones and Chris Messina, focuses on how our bodies always tell the truth. Our words may say one thing, while our faces, eyes and body language may say another. The problem is we don’t always know why, so reading into things may get us into trouble. This film is about truth, lies and photography. It is also about communication and what makes a couple work. It is a fascinating character study and brings up some interesting ideas. How much do we really know about each other?
A wedding photographer who makes just enough to get by, creates a second job in order to make more money. He has always been fascinated by the real stories that pictures tell by the studying the background, body language and expressions of the subjects in them. His new business, called Gumshoot, is a service where people contract him to photograph them in public places without his presence being known. The idea is to see what you look like in candid moments, to see yourself in your own environment and how others in that environment react to you.
Theo’s (Chris Messina) new business is picking up, and as he and his live-in girlfriend get ready for their own impending wedding, Theo begins to fixate over other people’s wedding photos and how they relate to each other. He is looking for that certain something that shows when a couple is truly in love. Meanwhile, Nat (Rashinda Jones) is having her own fixations. She begins reading into everything that Theo does.
In his Gumshoot business, clients contact Theo via the Internet with a time and place to meet and what they are wearing. Theo will then photograph them in secret and process a series of proof sheets. Next they will meet in person and Theo will help the subject pick their best photos and point out things that the background says about them. When a new client contacts him, Subgirl (Meital Dohan) shocks Theo by doing some very private things in very public places.
This bold, daring blonde mystifies Theo. While entranced in her photographic shots, Nat walks in behind him and he blushes. Nat knew about the shoot upfront, but neither she nor Theo knew that the subject would be so titillating. Both try to be cool, but seeds of doubt arise. Nat wonders why Theo is so obsessed with this woman and Theo wonders why Nat keeps pulling away.
Melanie Wilson
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com
A little pot smoking alien voiced by Seth Rogen sounds like a silly concept for PAUL but the British comedians behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, once again provide a fun movie-going experience with a whole lot of laughs.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost bring their brand of comedy to America with PAUL, a film written by the comedy duo. This time around, the Brits pay homage to the science fiction genre with references from every possible movie made about aliens including classics such as Star Wars, Aliens, Close Encounters, and E.T. The brains behind Shaun of the Dead take themselves out of jolly old England and take it to the western part of the United States for a hilarious send-up of an alien on the lamb.
Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) are two English science fiction fans visiting Comic Con in San Diego for the first time. Once they make their nerd rounds at the comic book convention, Graeme and Clive are off in a RV adventure across Nevada to visit Area 51 and UFO sighting locations. While on the road, they encounter Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen), a space alien who has escaped Area 51, who needs their help taking him to location where a space ship will return him home.
Justin Bateman is the man in black chasing the fugitives across the desert with the help of the always hilarious Bill Hader from Saturday Night Live and character player Joe Lo Truglia (Superbad, Role Models). Another SNL player Kristen Wiig comes along for the ride as a woman kidnapped by the alien and his human friends. Blythe Danner (Meet The Parents), Jane Lynch (Glee), Sigourney Weaver (Aliens, Avatar), David Koechner (Anchorman, Get Smart), Jeffrey Tambor and even Steven Spielberg make brief but hilarious cameos in PAUL.
At first you would think Seth Rogen's voice of Paul might annoy your senses but Seth managed to hold back his usual tone to give Paul a unique voice. However, the pot smoking, party animal mentality of Paul seemed to fit right in with Rogen's personality from Pineapple Express...without the whining.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost made a very smart choice with this project by changing the setting to America and surrounding themselves with American comedians. The casting looks like they invaded SNL and a Will Farrell or Steve Carell comedy.
As with Frost and Pegg's two previous films, PAUL pays homage to classic genre films with some great one-liners borrowed from other movies. Even if you are not a science fiction movie buff, you'll enjoy the film but you will certainly feel left out when the audience go crazy over the references.
The funniest and boldest part of the movie which might offend Sarah Palin and Christians is the banter over religion and science. Frost and Pegg, obviously, have strong opinions over the subject matter as they dedicated some funny lines to discounting the Christian beliefs... all in good fun of course. Another group which could find offense with the characterization is the Geeks themselves. However, Pegg and Frost, self-admitted nerds themselves, respectfully portrayed science fiction fans without being overly critical and joking at their expense...except for the running gag over being gay buddies. Nerds will be proud.
Thankfully, the American setting In PAUL didn't take away from the British wit we enjoyed in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz but they certainly injected it with humor Americans can appreciate. The story is simple and the laughs are plenty with a clever script and fantastic characters.
The CGI work on Paul looked great and added to the illusion that he was real in that reality. The end sequence, however, didn't impress with a certain object (won't give it away), looking rather low-budget but all was forgiven because of the final pay-off.
PAUL was so much fun watching, that a repeat viewing is in order. A definite must see.
A young music-loving father is teaching his son all about his favorite music. With each melody comes the artist, composer, and where he was and what he was doing when he first heard the song. Like a game, young Gabriel knows all about his father’s passion, but when he grows up and develops a musical taste of his own, father and son no longer see eye to eye. One night, Gabriel (Lou Taylor Pucci) and his father (J.K. Simmons) have a terrible row and as Gabriel is storming out of the house his father yells after him, “And never come back again!” It is now twenty years later and Henry has yet to see his boy.
Judging by the trailer, BATTLE: LOS ANGELES looked to be just another Independence Day, but surprisingly its not. While BATTLE: LOS ANGELES has its share of spectacle, the film spares us the pompous American patriotism and focuses on humanizing the characters and conflict. 
While most Americans have no love for corporate America during the recession, you will be feeling sorry for these company men played by Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, and Chris Cooper.  |
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Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba, George Lopez, Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Burlesque are just a few possible candidates for the 31st Annual Razzie Movie Awards celebrating the worst films and performances of 2010.
2010 was a good year for really bad films and many have made the Razzie;s nominating ballots, according to The Envelope. The event which takes place February 24th has sent out members a shortlist of possible nominees that include The Bounty Hunter (Jennifer Aniston, Gerard Butler), Clash of the Titans (Sam Worthington), Sylvestor Stallone's The Expendables, Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin, Megan Fox), Grown Ups, Vampires Suck, Yogi Bear, Little Fockers, Sex and the City 2, Killers (Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl), and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson) as options for the Worst Picture of the Year.
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Robert Rodriguez's over the top action movie MACHETE comes to DVD and Blu-ray January 4. Too bad the DVD extras and behind the scenes are not as equally over the top but the deleted scenes of Jessica Alba's slutty twin sister should make up for it.
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Funnyman 
Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor star as two gay men in love in the true story I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS. I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS is an unconventional story of a love that knows no bounds. Jim Carrey is Steven Russell, a man who will cheat, lie and steal to be with the one he loves played by Ewan McGregor. It is a bizarre story, but true, and Jim Carrey plays Steven Russell with conviction (pun intended).
In the Texas State Penitentiary is a man named Steven Russell who is serving a life sentence. He’s never killed anyone, he’s never used a gun, what he did was much, much worse; he embarrassed the state of Texas. Jim Carrey (The Grinch) plays Steven Russell, a man who did everything by the book until one day when he nearly loses his life in a car accident. While being loaded into an ambulance he has an epiphany, life is not worth living unless you can be yourself. So he leaves his wife, announces that he is gay, and begins a life of crime to support his new homosexual lifestyle.
Russell moves to Miami Beach, gets a boyfriend and become a feature in the decadent nightclub scene. Soon he is racking up major debt and starts committing insurance fraud to pay for his extravagant lifestyle. When the lies finally catch up with him and he’s thrown into jail, he becomes an expert of the law and a wizard of prison bureaucracy.
After multiple escapes and recaptures Russell meets Phillip Morris, Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer). Philip is a shy, sweet reserved man and Steven is totally smitten with him. When Phillip is transferred to another cellblock they begin a romance of secret letters. Then Steven accomplishes the impossible, he falsifies documents and gets himself transferred into Phillip’s cell.
Together they live in bliss with Steven protecting and caring for his more demure lover. But when they get separated again, Steven moves heaven and earth to reunite himself with his one true love, even to the point of faking his death.
I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS is strange, but it is also very sweet. It is a love story with obstacles and one that you’ll never forget.
I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS is in select theaters and going wider January 7.