Karate Kid

A-

There are some things you just don't mess with. . . . This is the case with many of the remakes Hollywood is churning out. This remake of the beloved Karate Kid might have been one of them, but in this case . . . Wow. Bravo! Great job. I loved it. My wife loved is. And my kids (age 8 and 5) loved it.

When his mother's career results in a move to China, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) finds that he is a stranger in a strange land. Though he knows a little karate, his fighting skills are no match for Cheng, the school bully. Dre finds a friend in Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), a maintenance man who is also a martial-arts master. Mr. Han teaches Dre all about kung fu in the hope that Dre will be able to face down Cheng and perhaps win the heart of a pretty classmate named Mei Ying.

Before I continue, let me get this out of the way. I was very impressed by both Jaden Smith (Will Smith's son) and Jackie Chan. Jaden's performance came across as genuine. As a professional teacher I can say that he nails the persona of a twelve year old kid. And Jackie Chan, we all know he can do action, but man he can do drama too!

One big change from the original. This karate kid does NOT do karate, but kung fu! A subtle, but important difference, especially for those within the martial arts world. ( For example, Karate is Japanese, but Kung Fu is Chinese.) Overall, it was a great, family-friendly movie, filled with fun actions scenes, descent character development, and clean entertainment. It is rated PG for some martial arts violence and some mild profanity.

Iron Man II

B

Iron Man II was pretty entertaining.I can't say it was as good as the first, but it had great action sequences and special effects. I think where it fell a little short was in the area of character arc. While in the first movie, Tony Stark went through some character change, in this one he did not. But I must say that I did like the Iron Man II villain more than the money grubbing business partner from the first. Here's a rundown:

With the world now aware that he is Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey) faces pressure from all sides to share his technology with the military. Tony is reluctant to divulge the secrets of his armored suit, fearing the knowledge will fall into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and ``Rhodey'' Rhodes (Don Cheadle) by his side, Tony must forge new alliances and confront a powerful new enemy.

Overall, it is worth watching. The role of SHIELD is increased in this movie with much more information on the development of the future Avengers group. (Don;t forget to stay for the bonus scene after the credits!) Overall, it was a good popcorn movie and hopefully a good enough bridge to the other avenger prequels. It is rated PG-13 for some language (including a "bleeped" f-word) and violent superhero combat.

Letters to Juliette

B

Guest reviewer: my wife

review pending

Sherlock Holmes

B+

(maybe A-)

Wow! I was very impressed. I loved this re-imagining of the Sherlock Holmes character. Holmes purists (if there are any) may be upset at some of the big changes made to the character, but I think the changes breathed new life into this previously boring (though brilliant) character.

When a string of brutal murders terrorize London, it doesn't take long for the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey) and his crim-solving partner Dr. Watson (Jude Law), to find the killer: Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). But Blackwood, a devotee of the occult dark arts, has a bigger scheme in mind, and his execution plays right into his plans. The game is afoot when Blackwood seems to rise from the grave, plunging Holmes and Watson into a world of the occult and strange technologies.

Some of the big changes made from the original character. This new Holmes is a brilliant thinker and problem solver, of course, but he is also a master street fighter, sporting a combination of Chinese Kung Fu, Filipino stick fighting, and a little Japanese Judo. Even with his superhuman skill, Holmes is still a reasoned analyzer and the film effectively portrays his logical breakdown of his fights. Instead of Holmes' being a cocaine addict, they made him an alcoholic (great move, I think). This Holmes is beset with hygiene issues, bad manners, and ADHD. Instead of playing the violin, he merely plucks at it. Downey turns in another homerun performance. The soundtrack is also great, featuring very unorthodox violin tracks that add to the quirky tone. The grimy underworld of 19th century London is also vividly portrayed. And finally, it was funny. What a combination. I loved it. It is rated PG-13 for violence, some suggestive humor, and profanity.

Avatar

B+

I had a lot of fun watching this movie. the story was compelling enough to work, even if it wasn't spectacular. But the visuals WERE spectacular. It was a Thanksgiving feast of stunningly real visual effects. Even though the movie is almost three hours long, it didn't feel like it.

On a lush planet called Pandora live the Na'vi--humanoid beings who appear primitive, but are actually highly evolved. Because Pandora's environment is poisonous, human-Na'vi hybrids, called avatars, are linked to human minds, allowing for free movement on Pandora. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a paralyzed ex-Marine, is made whole again through one such avatar, and falls in love with a Na'vi woman (Zoe Saldana). As his bond with her grows, he is drawn into a battle for the survival of her world.

This film is available in 3D and standard. I watched it in 3D. I honestly found that the visuals were so spectacular anyway, I don't know if the 3D made it any better. All the other critics say that "you gotta see it in 3D." You can choose for yourself. As I said, the story was good enough. it has been described as "Dances with Ferngully," if that gives you a handle on the basic plot. Some of the twists were predictable. The action sequences were awesome. But the real star of the show has got to be the breathtaking visuals. Definitely worth and probably buying (on BluRay, of course). It is rated PG-13 for intense action scenes, some violence, peril, and language, and some brief sexuality.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (6)

A-

I really enjoyed this newest edition to the Harry Potter saga. It has already been observed that the story is getting darker the further it goes. But movie six does a good job of balancing this darkness with light-hearted humor.

It is Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwart's and he is invited to have special classes with Professor Dumbeldore. In preparation for a final showdown with Voldemort, Dumbeldore and Harry work together to unravel the Dark Lord's mysterious past by reconstructing memories. They hope to learn the secret to Voldemort's destruction. Meanwhile teenage romance abounds and Professor Snape continues to make us ask the question: "Who's side is that guy on?"

The pacing of this one was slower than the other movies. There was less action and more dialogue and exposition. It has the atmosphere of the "calm before the storm." Even the epic climax had a serene feel to it. Overall I really liked it, I added the "minus" to the A that i gave mostly for it's removal of what I thought were some exciting action scenes from the book. Although it is rated PG, there is one scene near the end which will definitely scare small children.

Forever Strong

A

This was a great feel good movie about sports, character, and becoming a man. Forever Strong tells a story from the Highland High rugby team, the winningest high school rugby team in the country. The story, based on true events, is heartfelt, the action is thrilling, and the the moral lessons are needed.

The story centers around Rich Penning (Sean Faris), a troubled teen whose father coaches rugby in Arizona. AS a consequence of another DUI, Penning is sent to a juvenile detention center in Salt Lake City, UT. Eventually, he finds himself on the on the Highland High rugby team, rivals to his father's AZ team. Coach Gelwix (Gary Cole) teaches his players how to be champions in life, not just in rugby.

If you enjoyed Remember the Titans, Miracle, and Rudy, then you will also love Forever Strong. Maybe I am biased, because I am also a high school coach with a very similar coaching philosophy as Gelwix (although I think he executes it better than I do). It was great. The movie is PG-13 for some thematic elements including drug abuse and alcohol.

UP

A

Wow. I've said it before and I'll say it again, When is Pixar gong to throw up a stinker? It seems that all they know how to make are winners. Up is no different. The animation quality was astounding (as we've come to expect from Pixar) and the story was great. Although somewhat "grounded" in reality, Up is definitely a fantasy adventure story. It has it all, unforgettable characters, genuine laughs, action, suspense, and truly tender emotions that we can all relate to.

Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream. He ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies it to South America. He is surprised to find that a little boy named Russell has accidentally stowed away on his trip. Hilarity and action ensue.

As you watch the film, notice the attention to detail. For example, as the movie progresses Carl's facial hair slowly grows from clean-shaven to stubble. I was a little concerned that maybe the villain's mean dogs might scare my 4 year old, but she handled it just fine. And by the end, the dogs had become quite endearing. It is another phenomenal film that I highly recommend to all viewers. It is rated PG for action, some peril, and some frightening chase scenes.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

B

I liked this movie. I was a little disappointed because I was expecting "great" and got "good." But it was good. It was packed with action, had a few laughs, and even had some tenderness. The violence felt a little excessive for PG-13, though. This film launches a new direction in the X-Men franchise: origin stories for their superheroes. In that sense all of these new movies are/will be prequels to the existing X-Men trilogy.

Seeking solace from his dark past, Logan (Hugh Jackman), better known as Wolverine, seems to have found love and contentment with Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins) . Logan's peaceful existence is shattered when Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber), his vicious brother, brutally murders Kayla. Logan's thirst for revenge propels him into the Weapon X program, where he undergoes a painful procedure to bond his bones with adamantium, making him virtually indestructible and more than a match for Victor.

Overall, it was a good movie. It connected some of the dots in the later movies and answers many of the questions raised about Wolverine's past in the trilogy. It is rated PG-13 for sci-fi, superhero violence (some of which may be hard to watch for a sensitive viewer).

Star Trek

A-

What a ride! This newest edition to the Star Trek franchise may be the best film yet. It was exciting and funny. And the opening scene was about the best I've ever seen.

Aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, the most sophisticated starship ever built, a young crew embarks on its maiden voyage. Their path takes them on a collision course with Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan commander whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. If humanity is to survive, a delinquent Iowa farm boy named James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and a coolly logical Vulcan named Spock (Zachary Quinto) must move beyond their bitter rivalry and find a way to defeat Nero before it is too late.

I really enjoyed this film. It didn't take itself too seriously and seemed to enjoy poking fun at itself. The characters were believable (given the sci-fi setting). There were plenty of little things that only Star Trek fans would get, yet even the uninitiated will find the the movie thrilling and fun. Well done! The movie is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some brief sexuality.