Review: “Rebound”

Martin Lawrence stars in the latest sports comedy about a coach teaching a group of kids and learning how to be a better person in Rebound (PG). Lawrence plays Coach Roy, a man that gets banned from coaching college basketball for bad behavior and ends up coaching a team of misfits at a junior high. There is nothing really new here as the plot sticks firmly to the old and worn formula. However, the kids stand out and make this variation worth seeing. There is plenty of heart and quite a few genuine laughs to be had in this more-than-decent family flick.

Review: “Land Of The Dead”

George A. Romero, the man that invented the zombie genre with Night Of The Living Dead makes his long-awaited return with his fourth entry in the genre Land Of The Dead (R). This one features a world that has been taken over by the flesh eating creatures. The wealthy live in a shopping-mall-like building while the rest of the human population fend for themselves on the street. It features a bit too much social commentary as the humans have to fight off other humans as well as the zombies. However, it is also probably what fans of the genre have all been waiting for. It is creepy, and exciting, and a very well-made horror flick.

Review: “Bewitched”

Without a decent joke in it, Bewitched (PG-13) stars Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman. The film is about the production of a remake of the old sitcom about a witch. The catch is that the star of the remake is in fact a real witch. You are lucky if you laugh even once throughout this horrible update. Everything from Kidman’s and Ferrell’s acting and the lame plot to the ridiculous story devices (rewinding?) make this nearly unbearable.

Review: “Herbie: Fully Loaded”

Lindsay Lohan takes the wheel in the return of the love bug with a mind of its own. “Herbie: Fully Loaded” (G) is your typical family fair with no real surprises other than the fact that it is actually pretty good. This time around, Herbie has his eyes set on the NASCAR track. Supporting performances by Justin Long and Matt Dillon add plenty of spice to the mix. I can promise you that you will not be able to avoid smiling throughout and after this perfect family flick.

Review: “The Perfect Man”

Hilary Duff stars as Heather Locklear’s daughter in The Perfect Man (PG). The flick has the girls moving from town to town each time Locklear gets out of a failed relationship. Tired of switching residences, Duff makes up an ideal secret admirer for her mother. It is extremely light fluff so there isn’t much depth to it all, but it is moderately enjoyable. It doesn’t have much intelligence, but it does satisfy most of your chick-flick cravings.

Review: “The Honeymooners”

Cedric The Entertainer stars as Ralph Kramden and Mike Epps stars as Ed Norton in the big screen update of the Jackie Gleason sitcom The Honeymooners (PG-13). The movie places the two characters in their usual situation of trying to stay out of trouble with their wives. Making money for a new house is the glue that holds the plot together. It is certainly one of the worst films of the year with only a few scattered laughs. Fortunately it is short, but it is a waste of time nonetheless.

Disney’s Incredible Animation: Part 1 - Once Upon A Time…

Right click on the title of this entry and select save link as to download and listen to this podcast. Alternatively, you may read the written review by clicking HERE. You may receive all new podcasts as they become available by downloading iPodder and subscribing to http://thepopcornjournal.blogspot.com.

Batman Begins

Right click on the title of this entry and select save link as to download and listen to this podcast. Alternatively, you may read the written review by clicking HERE. You may receive all new podcasts as they become available by downloading iPodder and subscribing to http://thepopcornjournal.blogspot.com.

Review: “The Adventures Of Sharkboy & Lavagirl In 3-D”

Two years ago, Robert Rodriguez brought back the novelty 3-D format for his hit sequel Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. Now, he's back at the eye-popping action again with The Adventures Of Sharkboy & Lavagirl In 3-D (PG). The story centers around a boy that has a wild imagination and dreams up a couple of superheroes. When those superheroes comes to life one day they need the boy's help to save their home planet. The key to it all is the boy's dreams. The message of the flick is you should never give up on your dreams, which is a very nice theme. (Walt Disney once said that if you can dream it, it can come true. Lavagirl says that everything good started with a dream. Those are some nice rules to live by.) Sadly, the story is so childlike that it ends up being lost on everyone and there are several puns that are nothing short of wretched. The actor that plays Sharkboy is unlikely to succeed in the field of acting but the actress that plays Lavagirl and the actor that plays Linus/Minus are some nice finds. The real question here is do the special effects work and the answer is in most cases they do. The dreamy landscapes of electricity, cookies, and ice are stunning and provide a few surprises of awe. This is nothing more than a gimmick flick that kids will absolutely love and everyone else will get a kick out of for the most part. It is a slight disappointment but it does have plenty of heart, action, and depth (both thematically and visually).

Review: “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie star as married spies in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (PG-13). The trick is, neither know the other is a competing agent. When they discover the truth, action ensues. But that is the problem - for the first hour of the flick, there is very little exploit leaving a huge pile of stale dialogue and bad acting. Jolie isn't bad at all but Pitt is awful. He is the definition of a one character kind of actor and even if the script gave him some good lines, he would still deliver them with the same old mold. When the action hits, it is great (even while it is far-fetched). The pace is uneasy, the running time is a little too long, and the ending is truly pathetic. Still, given all of its flaws, for a summer popcorn flick Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a moderately fun ride. However, I recommend you stay home and rent the Antonio Banderas / Lucy Liu action thriller Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever instead. It has a semi-similar plot and is far more entertaining.