[R]
New Line Cinema
Release Date:

FV Rating:

Directors: Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg
Starring: John Cho and Kal Penn

Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) are back in Harold and Kumar 2 Escape from Guantanamo Bay, the long-awaited sequel to the 2004 surprise cult-hit where the two overcame great and numerous misadventures while craving White Castle’s delicious little burgers.

Picking up moments after the end of the first film, Harold and Kumar are getting ready to embark on a greater journey, this time following Harold’s love-interest, Maria (Paula Garcés, Red Princess Blues). While on the airplane, Kumar decides to test out his newly invented smokeless bong in the bathroom. Mistaken for a terrorist with bomb-in-hand, our heroes are subdued and imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which they manage to escape from in little time.

To clear their names, they turn to an old college friend (Eric Winter) with important political connections. The only conflict here? He’s about to marry Kumar’s ex-girlfriend Vanessa (Danneel Harris, One Tree Hill) and Kumar is intent on stopping their union, no matter the risk.

While Harold and Kumar remain marijuana aficionados, this adventure, much like the last, can hardly be considered a "stoner flick," as there remains the political and racial humor that made the duo’s first outing so refreshing. Fans of the franchise can expect more shots aimed at the Bush administration, as well as even greater ones taken at the US government itself. In fact, popular Bush impersonator James Adomian (The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Mind of Mencia) appears as good ol’ G.W. to remind Harold and Kumar what it means to be an American.

And while they may have managed to spin the controversial presidency in a way that won’t offend liberals or conservatives, writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg (who also directed and produced) should be even more commended for the manner in which they continually expose the ridiculous stereotypes that exist in our society, particular those of the post-9/11 United States. Perhaps the most laugh-inducing moment of the film comes when Harold and Kumar, after having escaped confinement, drive through an urban neighborhood while on their way to Texas. Practically every stereotype associated with living in the ‘hood is exposed here, from Air Jordan sneakers to loud hip-hop music to kool-aid. However, this form of satire is equally aimed at the various ethnicities featured in the film’s wide-range of characters, with the majority of this coming from Rod Corddry’s (Semi-Pro) portrayal of Ron Fox, the government official whose personal mission is to chase the two fugitives around the country. It is his penchant for racial profiling that allows him to become this caricature of the ignorance of racism.

Along with Cho, Penn, and, Garcés, returning are David Krumholtz (Superbad) as Goldstein, Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie) as Rosenberg, and Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), reprising what is arguably the most prolific role of his storied career as an overly perverse and eccentric version of himself.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
Excellent
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[PG]
Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: January 22, 2008

FV Rating:

Director: Andy Fickman
Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Madison Pettis, Roselyn Sanchez, Travis Sanders, Kyra Sedgwick

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Gridiron Gang, Walking Tall) stars as Joe Kingman, star quarterback for the Boston Rebels professional football team. Although he has made a career for himself in a position requiring him to run a team, he often puts himself before his teammates. The self-proclaimed "King" even makes it a point to end each interview he does by reminding media and fans alike that he is "number one on the field and number one in your heart." His main option on offense, when Kingman decides to look past himself, is Travis Sanders (Morris Chestnut – The Perfect Holiday, Like Mike), a conflicting personality to Kingman’s if there ever was one. The wide-receiver often gets ribbed by his teammates for his tendency to cut out early on post-game partying to spend time at home with his wife and kids.

Madison Pettis shines in her first feature-film role as Kingman’s estranged 8-year-old daughter, Peyton Kelly, the result of a short-lived marriage early in his career. The child Kingman never knew he had unexpectedly arrives at his apartment in the midst of the first championship run of his career. With her mother apparently on a month-long humanitarian trip in Africa, Peyton sets out to find and stay with her father.

Johnson and Pettis work well together as well as off of each other, portraying the difficulties of building such an important relationship, with this one being more complicated than it originally seems. Both stars bring emotion and passion to the table, even when their roles are meant to reflect their growing tension with each other. Likewise, their comedic timing helps keep the mood light at times, ensuring a greater emotional response in the moments when this father-daughter relationship develops. It is at times a really moving film, which says a lot for what may be considered by some critics as recycled material.

Johnson’s willingness to play the role up, as well as the chemistry had between the two stars, is what makes this film work in spite of being a story that’s been told before. Bringing his usual charisma to the role, he is never hesitant, even in the most demanding of cases. Whether getting covered in his protein shake or diving into giant bubble bath, the former wrestling superstar turned actor is just as game as his young co-star.

As for Pettis? The Disney Channel star has a rare understanding that acting is more than just dialogue. The girl is capable of moving a scene without saying much, if anything (Her expressions are priceless!).

The game plan for this one? Don’t miss it!

Special Features:

· Deleted Scenes – There are nine deleted scenes featured on the DVD. Many of these are short, and mostly all of them did not make the film due to time constraints or because of failure to move the story along, as explained in the director introduction that precedes each scene. Two scenes standout more than the others, "Peyton’s Sharing Lesson," where the coach utilizes Peyton’s presence to teach the team, and her father in particular, that even when you win, you lose if you play selfishly. The other is the extended version of the ballet scene from the film, which would have fit in nicely but was cut from the film due to its lengthiness, running just under seven minutes.

· Bloopers with Marv Albert – An amusing three-minute blooper reel featuring play-by-play by legendary sportscaster Marv Albert.

· Drafting The Game Plan Behind-the-Scenes Featurette – Those involved with the film’s creation, cast and production alike, discuss the making of the film, featuring several interesting revelations. The first of these is made by producer Gordon Gray about how The Game Plan came about – Johnson actually called the Walt Disney Pictures showing interest in making an uplifting sports film by the production company, leading to the film being created for the Rock rather than having the actor cast in pre-production. It’s also revealed that the film was in jeopardy of being made when The Rock ruptured his Achilles’ heel just prior to physical production. This is a very in-depth and informative segment shows how at times the filming was difficult, but that the cast and production team really had fun making the film together.

· ESPN’s Sportcenter: The Rock Learns to Play QB – ESPN personalities Stuart Scott and Sean Salisbury, along with Johnson and the film’s production team, offer the viewers an inside look at the challenges Johnson faced in his portrayal of a pro-quarterback.

· ESPN’s Sportcenter DVD/Blu-Ray exclusive: The King in Search of a Ring – This exclusive biography of Joe Kingman of the Boston Rebel, hosted by ESPN’s Stuart Scott, shows his teammates growing impatience with his selfishness and ego. This is a key element of backstory for the film as it maintains continuity and is even featured in the film, with Johnson’s character watching this and getting upset with what is said about him.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
Excellent
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[R]
Sony Pictures/Apatow Productions
Release Date: December 4, 2007

FV Rating:

Directors: Greg Mottola
Starring: Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seth Rogan, Bill Hader

In the summer of 2007, Hollywood saw more blockbusters released than possibly ever, with proven-franchises finding success in sequels (Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End), as well as in feature-film debuts (Transformers, The Simpsons Movie). But that summer also saw the rejuvenation of the often-times ill-fated R-Rated comedy, with Seth Rogan and Judd Apatow responsible. Not only did they work together on the critically acclaimed Knocked Up, but they used their now proven formula of smart and witty humor to balance out the sexual connotations that often dominate the high school comedy genre here in Superbad.

With Rogan already having worked with rising star, and Apatow mainstay, Jonah Hill (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Walk Hard) in Knocked Up, and Michael Cera providing the awkward humor along with the quick, subtle comebacks he perfected on the Emmy-Award-winning sitcom Arrested Development, the comedic expectations here should be rightfully held to high standards. Newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Little Big Men) compliments the stars well in his acting debut as Fogell, a friend of Seth and Evan’s who fits in even less than they do.

Evan (Cera) likes Becca (Martha MacIsaac, The Last House on the Left), a girl in his math class, but he lacks the nerve to approach her as more than a friend. Instead, a firm believer in chivalry, he offers to let her borrow (and eventually keep) pencils and treat her with respect, in hopes that she will like him the same.

Seth (Hill) has a crush on Jules (Emma Stone, The Rocker), the popular girl in school who, unlike the rest of the student body, has maintained a friendship with Seth throughout school, despite their evident differences in the social reign of order. When the two end up as lab partners in culinary arts class, Jules invites Seth to the big party she is throwing that night. Intent on impressing her, Seth insists on providing booze for the party.

With Fogell getting a fake ID during lunch period, both Seth and Evan decide to win their girls by means of alcohol. Seth plots to bring the entire supply of booze for the party, and Evan offers to pay for a bottle of Becca’s favorite brand of Vodka. Unfortunately, Fogell’s new ID states that he is a 25-year-old organ donor from Hawaii. Oh, and his name is McLovin. One name, three syllables. Yeah, let the adventure begin.

While the main story, which is told within a 24-hour period, is driven by Seth and Evan’s relationship, many of the film’s most memorable moments occur with neither protagonist on-screen. Mintz-Plasse is a scene-stealer, as are Officers Slater (Bill Hader, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Michaels (Rogan), two slacker cops who take a liking to Fogell, or rather, McLovin.

Eventhough Superbad will find itself compared to recent, similarly themed comedies such as the American Pie or Harold & Kumar franchises, this film blends both the high-school comedy and the buddy comedy genres together seamlessly, in turn creating something that will surprise skeptics who may have written the film off as sophomoric because of its plot.

It seems ironic that Apatow has been able to find so much success as a filmmaker recently, as he was once known only as being the creative mind behind a pair of failed television endeavors (both of which are more than worthy of the cult-following they’ve maintained, by the way).

This film warrants its R-rating within the first 15 minutes as Seth is loud, insanely explicit, and very straight-forward with his sexual intentions. Evan, on the other hand, is being soft-spoken, respectful, and painfully shy. The yin to the other’s yang, where Seth is driven purely by emotion, determined to get both drunk and laid, in that order, no matter the cost, Evan is the voice-of-reason and moral-center of the friendship, as well as the film itself.

There is an underlying theme and message throughout the film about acceptance with our protagonists truly becoming heroes in this film, heroes for every young male who doesn’t quite fit in, as well as for anyone struggling with a major transition period in life. The audience is bound to root for them to succeed with each wrong turn they take, as there is resilience found in their roles as underdogs. Their individual vices and follies only make them seem more deserving of their eventual successes.

Hopefully that success will also transfer over to their real-life counterparts as well. Cera and Hill both are two budding stars in comedy, and while Hill’s track record runs a little deeper due to his supporting roles in well-received hits, Cera already has a cult following due to his role as George Michael Bluth in the Emmy-Award winning Arrested Development (can an Emmy-Award winner BE a cult hit?) and in his lead role in the indie-sensation, Juno. These two are sure to keep us laughing for years, and thankfully they were able to do so together here.

Simply put, for anyone wanting to spend two hours in non-stop laughter, Superbad, produced by Apatow and co-written by Rogan (along with Evan Goldberg), is where it’s at.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
Excellent
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       Decent
          Ok
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[PG]
Walt Disney Pictures
Television Premiere: August 17, 2007

FV Rating:

Director: Kenny Ortega
Starring: Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, Monique Coleman

Following the events of the original High School Musical, this original Disney Channel movie begins at the culmination of a school year that, as Ashley Tisdale’s Sharpay Evans states in this film, "It was a very trying year, ladies. My drama department was invaded by outsiders. Singers coming from the chemistry lab and locker room. Shocking, really." This time around, the plot has the whole gang spend their summer vacation working at a local country club, owned by Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) and Sharpay’s parents. While Sharpay used her clout to get Troy (Zac Efron) a job, since she wanted to get him away from his girlfriend Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), as well as his Wildcat teammates, Troy insisted that his friends get summer jobs there as well, resulting in the whole gang from the first movie being on-hand for a new adventure.

The sub-plot has Sharpay not only have the intention to steal Troy from Gabriella, but to also get him to perform a duet with her for the club’s annual "Midsummer Night’s Talent Show". Because employees are allowed to enter, Sharpay plans to get Troy to perform with her to keep the other East High students from causing a repeat of what took place in the school year, with her being overlooked in favor of her classmates.

Among the musical numbers taking place, the majority of which detailing Gabriella and Troy’s relationship, from “You Are The Music In Me,” which is a tribute to what they’ve been for each other, to Gabriella’s break-up song she sings to Troy, “Gotta Go My Own Way,” there are some truly standout performances from Efron and Hudgens.

One of the most memorable scenes in the entire movie is the song-and-dance routine that takes place during the employee baseball game where Chad (Corbin Bleu) and Ryan face-off, both in sport and in song as they perform “I Don’t Dance.” This is Bleu’s first actual song in the High School Musical franchise as a lead performer (as he has only performed in ensemble efforts prior to this) and it also marks the first performance that Ryan has without his sister Sharpay. The scene itself is extremely well-choreographed, with the pitches, hits, and missed swings, along with the outfield running and the running of the bases all being integrated with elements of hip-hop, swing, and ballet dancing.

High School Musical 2 takes the characters that were introduced in the first and really broadens them, especially with Ryan and Chad particularly having more significant roles this time around, making each of them more better-developed characters as a result of it. For a direct-to-cable sequel to be this good, it’s really no wonder why Disney is planning on the next installment to be released on the big screen.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
Excellent
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[G]
Universal Studios
DVD Release Date: September 26, 2006

FV Rating:

Director: Matthew O’Callaghan
Starring: Will Ferrell, Frank Welker, Drew Barrymore, David Cross, Dick Van Dyke

A kid’s film with little-to-no adult humor offered – using a more traditional style of animation rather than the seemingly industry standard methods of CGI – successful in today’s society? Impossible! With Pixar/Disney and Dreamworks releasing some of the film industries best animated comedic and family films over the past decade, and predominantly going the CGI direction in those films, the thought of a feature-length film based on a 65-year-old children’s book series of a monkey whose only means of communication are action and expression seems like a sure-fire miss, an idea that may have gone over well in the early 90s but is destined to fail in this new age of entertainment. However, with Curious George, the formula, unfamiliar to this generation, works surprisingly well.

While the character designs have been modified from the popular Curious George book series, both George (voiced by Frank Welker, The Ant Bully) and "The Man With The Yellow Hat," finally given a name in Ted (Voiced by Will Ferrell, Elf), sustain a familiarity that works well in the transition from storybook to feature film. The story is beautifully told, with the truly heartwarming moments coming nearly every time George is featured. The film’s opening scene has George wandering around the jungle making friends with the other young animals residing in the wild who are just as playful as he is, only to have their parents scold him time and again, leaving him lonesome and in need of a friend. The endearing curiosity and sincerity that is characterized with the wondrous monkey allows for him to be instantly likable.

Ted, an archaeologist who seeks to save the museum at which he works from being closed due to a growing lack of interest in cultural artifacts. In a desperate attempt, he ventures to Africa in search of the Lost Shrine of Zagawa, an ancient idol that would ensure a boost in museum attendance. It is there that he first makes George’s acquaintance, and it is on the ship that was used to transport the artifact that George infiltrates and uses to reunite with Ted, making his way to New York City in the process.

George’s ability to help Ted find comfort in joy and laughter ultimately allows for the two unlikely companions to become best friends who equally need each other. Innocent at heart, the simplicity of the film makes for a joyous adventure for lifelong fans of the popular series, both young and old. While it is likely to be considered by many as purely a children’s film, Curious George is a safe choice for parents looking for kid-friendly entertainment as well as being a reminder to those who can remember a time when comfort was found in childhood outlets as the heartwarming charm displayed here is universal, capable of winning over anyone.

Perhaps we could all use a little reminder of a familiar innocence that has simply been lost due to the saddened realization of a much more difficult world that inevitably comes with growing up. Perhaps there is beauty in the irony that a Curious George film, remaining true to the roots of the character, can successfully exist in an entertainment world that seems more focused on mirroring realism through dramatizations than distributing the types of feel-good stories needed to instill the much sought-after hope for humanity. Perhaps Curious George will become a film that shall stand the test of time and offer a sense of the lost innocence of generations past in hopes of rekindling the fading hopes of magic and that nearly extinct childhood innocence that was once so cherished. Perhaps that is a bit of a stretch, but then again, who would have thought that such a film would exist in 2006?

Special Features:

· The majority of the special features are directed towards the younger audiences, with over ten interactive games and activities for kids to partake in. Among the other notable features for children are the Jack Johnson "Upside Down" music video, with available "sing-along" option, "’Drawn’ to George," a feature that teaches kids to draw Curious George, and "Monkey Around With Words," which focuses on commonly used words relevant to the Curious George world.

· "A Very Curious Car" is a featurette where the film’s creators discuss the different techniques they decided to take in making the movie and how they went about creating the environments with which George would curiously interact with. "Monkey In Motion" is another featurette which shows how the artists made George "come alive."

· There are 15 Deleted Scenes which are a collection of rough sketches mixed with actual scenes form the film, showing how certain scenes were originally to occur. Unfortunately many of these cut scenes were rather effective and would have added to the film.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
Excellent
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       Decent
          Ok
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[PG-13]
20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 28, 2006

FV Rating:

Director: Brett Ratner
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewarr, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin

Taking place shortly after the concluding events of X2: X-Men United,
X-Men: The Last Stand opens to a war scene set in the Danger Room, the training facility used by the X-Men to prepare themselves for battle. Led by veterans Wolverine (Hugh Jackman – Van Helsing) and Storm (Halle Berry – Gothika), the younger mutants, Rogue (Ana Paquin – Finding Forrester), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore – Underclassman), Colossus (Daniel Cudmore – Alone In The Dark), and Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page – I Downloaded A Ghost) are all going through preparation with an emphasis on teamwork. While the previous movie had the core group of mutant heroes join together to save their race from extinction, there was a key loss that left the rest of the team divided and this is one of the focal points of the movie being explored early on. Ever the loner, Wolverine single-handedly ends the battle session, leaving him and Storm at odds as she feels strongly about teaching her students the values and benefits of coming together to accomplish a goal as opposed to individual achievements.

Storm’s fellow group leader, Cyclops (James Marsden – Superman Returns) has yet to come to terms with the perceived loss of his girlfriend, Jean Grey (Famke Janssen – Hide & Seek), after she sacrificed herself to save the team at the close of X2, deciding to get away from the X-Mansion in search of both solitude and healing. As he arrives at Alkali Lake, the landmark which she performed such a heroic act, he witnesses a miracle as Jean, left for dead, breaks through the water and for the first time in the franchise, her incredible power becomes evident. While she is deemed a more powerful mutant than even the master of magnetism himself, Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen – The Da Vinci Code), the seemingly limitless power is too much for her to handle as she is portrayed throughout the film as out of control. Tragedies occur due to this uncontrollable power that she is capable of now that she has been set free from herself.

The action in this film, as noted from the opening scenes, is of greater significance here than in the previous two entries of the series, and rightfully so seeing that this should be a staple for the comic-book genre made relevant by this very franchise at the turn of the century. However, there is, perhaps unnecessarily at times, too much being done, as the increased focus on action can easily take away from the significance of character-driven sequences. Another staple to the genre would be the special effects, and as with the action, this film goes above and beyond its predecessors in that area. CGI-technology is used to make Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart – Star Trek: Nemesis), the creator of the X-Men, and his longtime friend, but often nemesis, Magneto appear twenty years younger as viewers are introduced to a young Jean Grey, whose power is so great at such a young age that it causes her parents to fear the worst. Other notable moments where the special effects excel are the "iced-up" Iceman, Colossus in his metal form, Storm’s weather-controlling abilities, and practically every time Jean Grey’s alter-ego, Phoenix, lets loose on a perceived enemy.

In an attempt to build his own army of sorts, Magneto has recruited several minions to help in his war on humankind. Along with mainstay Mystique (Rebecca Romijn – The Punisher), "The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants," as his group is known, is made up of the mighty Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones – She’s The Man), Pyro (Aaron Stanford – The Hills Have Eyes), Multiple Man (Eric Dane – Feast), Callisto (Dania Ramirez – Fat Albert), and what seems to be an endless number of second-string mutants who have been outcasted by the society which fears them. The key new member to this group would be Phoenix, Jean Grey’s unstable alter-ego, as her powers alone are seemingly greater than those of the rest of the cast of mutants collectively. While outnumbering the X-Men by far, The Brotherhood find themselves in quite the dilemma as the emotionally-driven Wolverine lets loose with a purpose on more than one occasion, taking out the villains in great numbers, with his determination to assist Jean in overcoming the Phoenix being his main priority throughout the film.

Elsewhere, at the Worthington laboratories on Alkatraz, a "cure" has been developed by using the DNA of a young mutant whose power consists of any mutant who gets within a certain distance of him to lose their abilities. This cure is to be initially tested on Warren Worthington III (Ben Foster – Hostage), the son of the cure’s founder, who also may be recognized as "Angel," a mutant who has 2 giant wings that allow him the ability to fly very much like a bird. There are many ethical themes at hand to consider. With the possibility of mutants having their powers stripped from them, either willingly or not, there is a conflict as to what holds more ground, loyalty or likeness. When a mutant loses his or her powers, becoming relatively human, how will this effect pre-existing relationships? Both sides of this are explored, making it more of an internal conflict then an external one as it becomes clear that the reaction is subject to the individual.

The newly introduced, yet longtime X-Men acquaintance, Hank McCoy (Kelsey Grammar – 15 Minutes), otherwise known as Beast, has an internal conflict of his own to face throughout the movie. The U.S. President’s Secretary of Mutant Affairs, Beast must choose between supporting the "cure" or fighting alongside his fellow X-Men. Keeping true to the character, while adding some liberties to ease the transition from animated comic hero to a live-action likeness for the big screen, the excellently casted character adds both humor and intellect in his dialogue, making the most of his screen time.

Of course the ongoing debate between Xavier and Magneto, along with their respective followers, is whether or not mutants and humans can ever coexist amongst each other. This has been a key element throughout the franchise, with Magneto being made the villain due to his willingness to use extremities to reign superior. However, in this film more so than the others, the military forces that police the mutants are worse than even the villainous Magneto as they too now have a "by any means necessary" attitude in regards to defeating disruptive mutants who infiltrate Alkatraz. While this may leave viewers on the fence as to who is ultimately morally righteous, leading some to even question the moral values of the X-Men at times, this is what makes this film stronger than the others as there is far much more of a "shade of grey" in regards to who is good and who is bad. Instead of fighting on one side or the other, there are characters such as Wolverine, sympathetic to Jean, questioning Xavier at times, or Beast, who has close ties to the government as well as to the X-Men. There is a deeper character exploration here than in previous films despite being overcrowded at times with less-important characters.

While it would be unreasonable to expect great character development for many of the characters whose roles consist of nothing more than a cameo, there are those lesser characters, such as Angel, who, despite minimal roles, are used to set up future storylines. This, along with several of the students at Xavier’s school becoming full fledged X-Men, make it hard to consider this film is the actual "last stand" for the X-Men, as a collective group, on film. With so many stories yet to be told, and significant characters, such as the ever-popular Gambit, who have yet to be introduced to the X-Film universe, here’s hoping that this is the end of one trilogy, with others soon be explored.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
Excellent
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       Decent
          Ok
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[PG-13]
Warner Bros.
Release Date: June 28, 2006

FV Rating:

Director: Brian Singer
Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden

Superman Returns is essentially the sequel to 1980′s Superman 2, and while there have been some liberties taken to ease the 26 year transition, for the most part continuity is maintained. Likewise, newcomer Brandon Routhe’s physical resemblance to the late Christopher Reeves adds to the continuity of the newly revived franchise. This respect paid to the former Man of Steel and the franchise that he helped jump-start in the late 70′s is displayed from the opening credits both with the introductory commentary by Marlon Brando’s Jor-El along with the familiar theme music heard in the film’s score.

After a 5 year hiatus from Earth while searching for the remnants of Krypton, Superman (Routh) returns home to find that nothing is the same as he left it. Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth – Beyond The Sea), once Superman’s inamorata, now the jilted lover, has moved on since his leaving, engaged to pilot and newspaper editor Richard White (James Marsden – X-Men), and mother to a sickly child (Tristan Leabu) who becomes more important to the story as it progresses. Lois, rightfully peeved after falling for the hero only to have him take an extended leave of absence without a proper farewell, has recently won a Pulitzer Prize for an article which she wrote entitled "Why The World Doesn’t Need Superman." Unfortunately, her character takes a hit due to her ignorance or Superman’s alter-ego, Clark Kent, and his affection for her. This unrequited affection is displayed throughout the film, causing the desirable reporter to seem quite inconsiderate as a result.

This topic remains relevant throughout the first half of the film, discussed in-depth by the two main parties involved atop the rooftop of the Daily Planet, prior to a late-night rendevous. Superman’s defense to the question at hand is that he hears people constantly asking for a hero, a savior of sorts. Perhaps a metaphor for religion in itself, Jor-El, who sends his son to Earth to help humanity realize its potential for goodness, saving those in need for a greater good. While a touchy subject, especially in today’s society, it is a metaphor that works rather well.

One of the most telling scenes in the movie has Superman eavesdropping on Lois while she reassures her fiancé by claiming she "never loved Superman." Following this revelation, The Man of Steel makes an attempt to get as far a way from the scene as possible, flying into the heavens only to hear the cries of those who need him, sort of God-like in that sense. In an attempt to take his mind off of his heartache, Superman literally goes all over the world saving the day for practically everyone who needs him.

Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey – Beyond The Sea), Superman’s long-time arch-nemesis who was recently released from prison after a 5 year stay, inherits a lump sum of money and plans to use it to finally get his share of land, even if it means the destruction of a certain well-populated pre-existing continent. This is the essential threat in the film, and Spacey plays Luthor perfectly, as the villain who is as full of greed as he is revenge. The man who once nearly killed Superman remains his greatest adversary to date as he infiltrates Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, stealing the crystals that are held within Superman’s lair. Spacey’s Luthor is far more evil than Gene Hackman’s of the Superman movies past.

On a lighter note, the humor in the Clark Kent/Superman conundrum is that while the world maintains a consistent view on Superman and all that goes on with him, Clark Kent is virtually invisible to everyone around him. Even in his workplace, Clark is constantly looked over by his colleagues, excusing his physical likeness to Superman for nothing but mere coincidence, and is even used as comic relief for Lois and Richard at one point. Interestingly, Lois’ son quickly notices the resemblance of Clark to his hero and begins to hyperventilate at this revelation.

For a movie that’s set to take place five years after a movie that was released twenty-six years ago, there has been so much that has taken place in the world since, with wars, terrorism, and natural disasters as well as normalcy’s such as children growing to adulthood, with hopes of raising children of their own in a likeness similar, but better to their own. The existing question of whether or not the world needs Superman rests on many key factors, the most-telling of which would be whether or not there is a desire to hope, to feel, and to love again. Often times, with the negativity and hopelessness displayed by current events, whether exemplified by war and famine or by everyday criminal activities and cruelty to mankind, it would seem that there is in fact a great need for such an icon. Thankfully, his return could not have come a moment sooner.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
Excellent
    Great
       Decent
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[PG]
Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon
Release Date: June 16, 2006

FV Rating:

Director: Jarred Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Ana de la Reguera, Héctor Jiménez, Darius Rose, Cesar Gonzalez

Nacho Libre is the second major film by director Jarred Hess, of Napolean Dynamite fame. Like his first film, much of the comedy here comes from both social- and self-mockery.

Other than Jack Black (School of Rock, King Kong), the film’s unequivocal star, the cast is made up of relatively unknown actors as well as actual mexican luchadors. Perhaps this is only to add to the greatness that Hess offers in his films as there seems to be a deliberate determinedness to succeed with less than what is expected. However, this takes nothing away from Black in what is arguably his best work to date, perhaps surpassing even his critically acclaimed 2003 hit School of Rock. While Black has shown little consistency in past films, with School of Rock he solidified himself as a legitimate comedic actor who could carry his own film. Nacho Libre not only further proves that point, but allows Black to show that he can be a successful character-actor as well.

Nacho (Black) is a kind-hearted, yet discontented Friar who resides at a monastery, working with orphans. Much of his unhappiness is due to his position in the monastery, bearing little responsibility other than cooking meals for the orphans and doing objectionable side jobs for his elder colleagues. Often disrespected by his peers, yet adored by the children with whom he works with, Nacho has longed for the fame and respect of the locals that is often attained by the luchadors, as is made evident from the film’s opening sequence, However, because of his title in the church, this adoration for wrestling must be well-concealed.

As with any story where the protagonist has to overcome a certain amount of obstacles in order to find what it is he is looking for, only to find that he’s had it within him all along, Nacho seeks inner strength from his higher power. Cliché as it is, the film has fun with it, making a joke out of Nacho’s search for solitude and new direction. The comic genius throughout Nacho Libre comes when referencing ridiculous religion customs, examples of such being when Nacho explains how his mother, a Scandanavian missionary, and father, a Mexican deacon, each attempted to convert each other but ended up getting married instead, or how when Nacho’s tag-team partner, Esqueleto (Héctor Jiménez), who doesn’t believe in God because he only believes in science, has his head dumped into a bowl of holy water by his partner, getting baptized against his own will. Esqueleto’s adamance of only believing in science is proclaimed throughout the movie, and is one of the better side-jokes on display. Others often include Nacho’s infatuation with a newly-recruited nun, Sister Encarnación (Ana de la Reguera), and the relationship that develops between the two. Often, the dialogue shared between the two leave a lasting impression as these are easily some of the funniest interactions of the movie.

Jack Black truly shines in this film as he tends to deeply explore Nacho, rarely breaking character. There are two scenes in the film where Black does go off a bit, and typically, it is when he sings, with both songs being hysterical for different reasons. The first instance has Nacho finding himself in an unlikely situation as he is posing as a musician with the sole purpose of such a disguise being to meet Ramses (Cesar Gonzalez), his favorite luchadore, and offer him a proposition. The song that he is to "dedicate" to Ramses is rather humorous and it only offers a preview for what is to come as the second song is of greater length and has much more material to indulge in. The latter song has Nacho perform a serenade of sorts, behind closed doors of course, to his beloved Sister Encarnación, with the situation itself being ridiculous as the only other person in the room with him is Esqueleto. This is where Black really goes into his shtick, although there are no negative effects sustained from these instances.

Looking past all of the clichés, Nacho Libre is a simple, enjoyable, family-oriented film and it works under all of those conditions. There is a sense of innocence on display here and it works well. Perhaps considered a children’s movie, Nacho Libre is an enjoyable romp that should please viewers of all ages. Highly recommended for Jack Black and Jarred Hess fans alike.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
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[PG-13]
New Line Home Video | buy now
DVD Release Date: March 7, 2006

FV Rating:

Director: Roger Kumble
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Chris Klein, Chris Marquette

Just Friends opens to a scene, circa 1995, of a rather overweight Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds – National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, Waiting) offering an enjoyable "rendition" of All-4-One’s "I Swear" while writing in the high school yearbook of his B.F.F., Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart – The Butterfly Effect). After his feelings are revealed to his friend, and it turning out the complete opposite of what he had hoped, Chris runs away from small town New Jersey, vowing to "be somebody." Ten years later, and Chris Brander is a big time music executive residing in Hollywood, where he sets off to sign the popular, yet insane, Samantha James (Ana Farris – Scary Movie) to a record deal. Following a series of mishaps, Chris unexpectedly finds himself back in Jersey for the Christmas holiday, where he is greeted at home by his kooky mother (Julie Hagerty – She’s The Man) and hormone-obsessed younger brother (Chris Marquette – The Girl Next Door). His first night back, he heads to a local restaurant where he finds Jamie and shortly after, his feelings for her once again find him. Unfortunately for Chris, despite being away for ten years, his struggles with getting out of "the friend zone" are far from over.

While Just Friends may be a bit formulaic at times (and face it, most romantic comedies are), it has the makings of a film for all-ages. With an ensemble cast that is both established (Reynolds) and up-and-coming (Smart, Farris, and Chris Klein – American Pie), along with the countless one-liners by all characters, the genius comedic timing that Reynolds has been known for, and an incredibly memorable performance by Farris, this is easily one of the better comedies in recent years.

Special Features: Behind-The-Scenes featurettes are by far some of the more interesting special features as they tend to allow viewers to get a sort of first-hand look at the movie-making business. "Just Friends" has a more in-depth behind-the-scenes featurette exploring the writing process, the directing process, the make-up process that Ryan Reynolds had to go through to become Chris Brander, circa 1995, as well as two of the DVD’s deleted scenes, among many others.

Along with the excellent behind-the-scenes section of the special features section, Just Friends also has 9 deleted scenes that for the most part follow continuity with the rest of the film, giving fans of the film further back story and greater insight of the film’s characters. Among other special features that are worthy of mention are a blooper reel, a feature-length crew commentary, and the "Jamie Smiles" music video (performed by Chris Klein).

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
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FV Rating:

Director: Rob McKittrick
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, Justin Long, David Koechner, Luis Guzman, Dane Cook

Depending on who you consult, being considered among movies such as National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, and The American Pie Franchise can either be a compliment or an insult. This genre, which has become widely accepted amongst older high school-ers and college students alike in recent years, tends to aim to please this particular demographic as anyone younger shouldn’t be allowed to watch and most who are older would probably consider any and all of the movies that make up said genre to be nothing more than gross-out and immature humor, and rightfully so, as for every Van Wilder and American Pie, there are several Sorority Boys and 40 Days and 40 Nights, and for every Harold & Kumar there is a Dude, Where’s My Car. With that being said, even the greatest and most loved of these movies would be hard pressed to win anything other than a moonman at the MTV Movie Awards, which should actually be considered a positive more than anything, as this MTV generation is exactly that which such movies market to.

Waiting takes a fresh approach to this genre, as the story takes place in a single workday at "ShenaniganZ" restaurant, where the staff and Monty (Ryan Reynolds – National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, Just Friends) in particular, is giving a training session to a newly recruited waiter. Throughout the course of the day, there is enough gross-out humor to give anyone reason enough to never want to "mess with people who handle your food" again (After all, it is the cardinal rule of eating out!). While there are several relationships that are either developing or faltering throughout the movie, all of the main character’s individual storylines take a backseat for the most part, as this comes off as more of an ensemble piece than anything else. For the most part, this approach works as the movie doesn’t really require any heavy thinking or contemplating to go on. The only storyline that consistently feels worthwhile throughout the film would be the progression of head waiter, Dean (Justin Long – Dodgeball). However, many of the characters are capable of greater development (considering the genre, it’s quite obvious), with Monty, who finds himself attracted to girls much younger than him, to a fault even, head cook, Raddimus (Louis Guzman – Anger Management, Carlito’s Way), is just as much obsessed with getting his girlfriend in the sack as he is showing off his genetelia, and Serena (Ana Faris – Scary Movie, Just Friends), who continues to maintain dissension with Monty due to past relations. Among the other zany and one-dimensional characters, the restaurant manager, Dan (David Koechner - Anchorman), tend to offer some of the more quotable one-liners throughout the film.

While the gross-out humor may be a bit much for most, Waiting has the makings of a true cult classic, in the same sense as many of the hit 80′s high school movies, and more recently, the aforementioned Harold & Kumar. While a bit overboard at times in the moments where excessively rude customers consequently have their food treated in the most unsanitary of instances, and more evidentially, with "The Game." If a fan of the genre, Waiting is definitely recommended, for all others, unless having spent years as a waiter/waitress, I wouldn’t expect to find much hear worth savoring.

Special Features: Disc 1 – Deleted scenes and alternate takes allow for prolonged entertainment for those craving more at the conclusion of the film. A soundtrack preview samples three of the songs found on the original motion picture soundtrack. "That Little Extra" documentary offers rather interesting insight into the writers/producers of the film and how they came to create the comedy.

Disc 2 – "The Works" is a collaboration of cast and crew side commentaries, discussing what they thought of the film, what it was like working on the film, what experiences they have had in regards to working at restaurants. This is rather entertaining and insightful as is the "That Little Extra" featurette on the first disc. Feature-length telestrator commentary offers a rather unique feature-length crew commentary, unconventional in the way it pauses the film while continuing commentary, pointing out important facts by use of telestrator. "Sending It Back: The Real Dish on Waiting Tables" offers a realistic, yet interesting perspective in regards to waiting at restaurants. Side Dishes: Cast commentaries offered for character-specific scenes, followed by what seem to be audition shoots.

- Christopher Griffin

RATINGS:
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