THE MOVIE GODS HAVE SPOKEN!

With names like John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows and Judd Apatow attached to this film, I really expected more.  The film is a basic send up of the Johnny Cash bio pic 'Walk the Line' and like most Apatow films, starts out ambitious enough.  Reilly is a hoot as the singer who changes with the times from country to rock to easy listening to disco through the years.  Meadows is hilarious as his drug addict drummer and Fischer is fine as well, but the writing fell short less than half way through.  About a half hour too long, what starts out as clever humor becomes a ploy for cheap laughs. 

It's worth a rent if you're a fan of Reilly, but it starts off with the best scences and ends with a flutter.

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WILLA FORD

Wow!  The remake of Friday the 13th is under way and super hottie Willa Ford will be one of the unfortunate Camp Crystal Lake counselors!  Since she posed nude for Playboy, I'm pretty sure she'll get naked for the film.  Damn, Jason is one lucky guy!

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CASINO ROYALE - SHOWTIME

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With the next installment of the Daniel Criag version of the James Bond franchise currently filming (see above photo), it's nice to finally see Casino Royale make it to cable after nearly 2 years!  Easily the best Bond film ever, Casino Royale is also one of the best modern action/adventure films in recent memory.  For the first time in the franchise's run we are filled in as to how Bond became a '00' and a more unpolished, bad ass version of 007.  Daniel Craig breathes new life in the usually stuffy character and for the first time I was convinced that Bond could actually kick people's asses!

We're treated to an unprecedented opening action sequence the likes of which has never been seen in American cinema (Hong Kong, yes) featuring the amazingly talented Sébastien Foucan and left to catch our breath for the next 2 hours!  Judi Dench is perfect as M and Giancarlo Gianini, Jeffrey Wright, Mads Mikkelson and Eva Green round out a fantastic cast.  You can also expect exotic locations (Bahamas/Monte Carlo) and exotic cars (the new Aston Martin). 

I was never a fan of Bond before, but now I'm addicted!  Check it out this month on Showtime.

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SHERI MOON ZOMBIE

She's sexy..in a scary way.  No, she's so sexy, it's scary...yea, that's what I meant.

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If Stephen King writes it and Frank Darabont directs it, I'm gonna see it an I'm gonna love it.  'Shawshank' - classic!  'Green Mile' - awesome!  'The Mist' - amazing!  After a brutal storm trashes a small New England town, Thomas Jane heads to the grocery store with his little boy to stock up on goods.  The local mart is packed with customers (many you'll recognize from 'Shawshank') when a man bursts through the front doors bloodied and running from the mist!  There's something in the mist alright!  Winged creatures, giant insects and spiders with hundreds of friends are among it's inhabitants and it's up to the customers trapped inside to survive until it clears.  The only problem is that more and more of the markets patrons are siding with Marcia Gay Harden's religious zealot character that this is the wrath of God instead of just a military experiment gone wrong.

The tension steadily builds throughout with plenty of intense scenes of 'attacks' and what have you.  Jane is perfect in the lead and Harden is nothing short of brilliant!  Darabont's direction is as the top of it's game - as usual and his cast of 'Shawshank/Green Mile misfits' including Wil Sadler, are perfect.  Go with it and enjoy - just don't expect it to end in a traditional manner.

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MILLA JOVOVICH

A longtime staple in the realm of sexy, Milla continues to remain hot film after film!

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This one should have been called 'There Will Be Blood', but 'Rambo' does have a certain ring to it.  Anyway, we find John Rambo living in Burma, catching deadly snakes for money, hunting for food; basically living a peaceful 'Ramboesque' life.  Things are going smoothly for Rambo when a group of missionaries arrive and want him to take them into the heart of Burma's genocide region.  After much coaxing and turning down any money, he agrees.  A week later, a representative from the church asks Rambo to take a group of mercenaries into the 'hot zone', so they can rescue the now captive missionaries.  Bring on the blood!  Why let mercenaries try and do what Rambo is the best at?  Let the limbs fly!  Rambo marches into hell and brings the fire power with him.  I have never seen such on-screen war caused havoc on humans than in this film.  Oh and it doesn't wait until the last half either.  We're treated to a bevy of violent images during the opening credits and a preliminary raid or two on poor villages that may be too much for the squeamish.  If you're a fan - you'll love every minute!

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Tommy Lee Jones gives the best performance of his career as a father trying to find out just what happened to his son upon his return from Iraq.  A day after his son returns from war, his dismembered and charred remains are found on the side of a road.  Jones isn't satisfied with the way the investigation is going, so he shows up and enlists the help of the investigating officer played by Charlize Theron.  The two of them uncover plenty of suspects, but no one seems to know exactly what happened 'that' night.

A great supporting cast including Susan Sarandon and Josh Brolin keep the film moving, but the pace may be a bit too slow for some.  My interest was held mostly by Jones' mesmerizing performance and not by the story itself.

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Next to 'No Country For Old Men', 'Michael Clayton' had more great performances than any other film this year.  Clooney is a super attorney with a huge firm that calls him in to clean-up a mess left by his idol, played by Tom Wilkinson.  The problem arises when Wilkinson releases information about a large company the firm represents pending case regarding more than 400 deaths they may be responsible for.  Clooney has to find out exactly what the heck was leaked out before it hits the public and green lights the pending $4 billion law suit!  Tilda Swinton plays the companies legal advisor, for which she took home the Oscar, a solidifies a place among the great modern actresses.  Her confrontations with Clooney are fantastic to say the least!

Thank goodness the acting was so fabulous because the story itself was pretty basic and a little played out.  Think 'Erin Brockovich', but very dramatic!  Clooney and Wilkinson's performances were both Oscar worthy, but they had some stiff competition this year!

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Ellen Page gives a career making performance as a pregnant teen that's decided to give her baby to an adopting couple (Jason Bateman & Jennifer Garner) in Juno.  Page's character is far from normal which makes this film so entertaining.  Michael Cera plays the 'father' of the unborn child with a quiet calm that reminded me of a young Tom Hanks and J.K. Simmons & Allison Janney round out this fantastic cast as Juno's parents.

Juno finds the couple in the Penny Saver of all places and immediately takes a liking to Jason Bateman's laid back, father to be character while Garner is a little over anxious about becoming a mother.  We follow Juno through the entire pregnancy during which she finds a new bond with her step-mom, second thoughts about giving the baby up and love with Cera's character. 

The script is as solid as they get these days, written as tight as a Jimmy Page guitar solo and deserves the Oscar.  The dialogue is near perfect and had me laughing within the first 2 minutes!  Another bonus was the very manageable running time of an hour forty minutes, so there is no dead space in the pace of the film. 

I'm sure you've heard a lot about the film and I haven't met a person that didn't enjoy it, so jump on the bandwagon - it'll be a fun ride!

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