There is a scene in DreamWorks Animation’s Over the Hedge when Hammy (voiced by Steve Carell), an already-hyperactive squirrel, chugs a can of the most caffeinated cola on the market. Time literally stands still, everyone else moves in slow motion, and Hammy accomplishes his mission. This scene alone is worth… Continue reading
Whether intentional or not, the original “Poseidon” (1972’s The Poseidon Adventure) was a cheesy good time. Star-studded and over-the-top, the film virtually invented the “who’s going to die next?” way of thinking that dominates so many of today’s films. I’m surprised that a remake has taken this long to surface… Continue reading
It’s now official: The Mission: Impossible movie franchise has to be comprised of three of the most mediocre big budget films I’ve ever seen. Brian De Palma stayed true to the TV show’s form in 1996’s original, but the labyrinthine plot frustrated many moviegoers. So Honk Kong explosion master John… Continue reading
RV is a film so bad in so many different ways that I can’t even really decide where to begin. The premise, which has been done hundreds of times before, borrows so liberally and directly from National Lampoon’s Vacation and 1988’s The Great Outdoors (the raccoon scene is acted out… Continue reading
How the era of computer animated films has changed in just the past few years. When the original Ice Age was released back in 2002, the genre was virtually unstoppable. Every offering was not only a box office cash cow, but also quite inventive and fun. I was not a… Continue reading
I have no doubt that Queen Latifah is a wonderful person. All of her performances have exuded likability and charisma – this even includes the Pizza Hut commercials. Her project choices, however, have made it difficult for me to fully appreciate her talents. With dreck ranging from shameful knockoffs (Beauty… Continue reading
If we’re lucky we get one film a year that has the action, humor, heart, and colossal appeal of King Kong. The story and message are both timeless, and it’s likely that many audiences worldwide will leave the theater exclaiming that they’ve never seen anything like this before. Of all… Continue reading
C.S. Lewis was ahead of his time. A hot stove topic of late has been that shortly before his death in 1963; Lewis made public his wishes that no film or TV version of his Narnia books was to be made with live actors portraying the animal characters. Well, someone… Continue reading
Go ahead and gasp. I have never read a page of any Harry Potter book, nor have I seen any of the movies up to this point. How have I managed to accomplish this feat? I have no clue. J.K. Rowling’s novels are a worldwide sensation and sell at such… Continue reading
Zathura will undoubtedly be compared to 1995’s Jumanji, and for good reason, at least topically. Both stories concern a board game with magical powers and an undeniable gift for dropping unsuspecting youths in a land of very good special effects. But what Zathura has, and what ultimately makes it a… Continue reading