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A young ladies man teaches his dating tricks to his lonely, widowed, grandfather, and plays his best mind games to meet the woman of his dreams.

Production Status: Released

Genres: Comedy and Drama

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content and language. .

Distributors: Slowhand Releasing

Production Co.: Story Films

U.S. Box Office: $365,805

Filming Locations: Los Angeles, California USA

Produced in: United States

Exploring the Moon was humankindâ¿¿s most incredible journey. Between theyears of 1969 and 1972, seven spacecraft traveled nearly a quarter-million milesthrough space, providing a select group of highly trained men the chance to stepout into the unknown and explore the surface of the Earthâ¿¿s closest neighbor inthe solar system. Their expeditions were odds-defying.Only 12 have walked on the Moon. Youâ¿¿re next. 3D film showcases the past, present and future of space exploration asmoviegoers experience what the extraordinary Apollo astronauts did when theyfirst stepped onto the Moon.

had the priviledge of attending an advanced screening of this film and I\'m grateful I did. This IMAX documentary is insightful, thoughtful, and even emotional. The visuals are stunning and the 3D is extremely well done - clear, crisp, and convincing.

I left the threater with a sense of gratitude to the 12 men who have walked on the moon, and a sense of patriotism to my country. Even the small children left the movie excited, which I think is the point, for they are the next to walk on the moon.

Genres: Documentary

Running Time: 40 min.

Release Date: September 23, 2005 Limited

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Distributors: IMAX Corporation

Production Co.: Playtone

Studios: IMAX Corporation

U.S. Box Office: $28,607,681

Produced in: United States

At the Forest Ridge Mall, head of security Ronnie Barnhardt patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist, combating skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun. His delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall is struck by a flasher. Driven to protect and serve the mall and its patrons, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his underappreciated law enforcement talents on a grand scale, hoping his solution of this crime will earn a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive dream girl Brandi, the hot make-up counter clerk who won't give him the time of day. But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison of the Conway Police, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops do.


One of the characters in this movie has the line "I thought this was going to be funny, but it's just sad." That pretty much sums up this movie. The entire plot is based on making fun of a guy with bi-polar disorder who you are supposed to like, but he's such an obnoxious ass it's hard to sympathize with him. The rest of the movie is fat jokes and be cruel to the cripple girl jokes. This is basically a meaner rip off of Paul Blart.



Logline: The self-important head of security at a shopping mall squares off in a turf war against local cops.

Genres: Comedy

Running Time: 1 hr. 26 min.

Release Date: April 10th, 2009 (wide)

MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language, graphic nudity, drug use, sexual content and violence.

Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution

Production Co.: De Line Pictures

Studios: Warner Bros. Pictures

Financiers: Legendary Pictures, Inc.

U.S. Box Office: $23,434,987

Filming Locations: Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Produced in: United States

When their new guardians forbid 16-year old Andi and her younger brother, Bruce to have a pet, Andi has to use her quick wit to help find a new home for their dog, Friday. The resourceful kids stumble upon an abandoned hotel and using Bruce's talents as a mechanical genius, transform it into a magical dog-paradise for Friday--and eventually for all Friday's friends. When barking dogs make the neighbors suspicious, Andi and Bruce use every invention they have to avoid anyone discovering "who let the dogs in."

My kids loved the scenes with the dogs and the inventions. It felt like the type of movie I used to watch as a kid. A movie made for the amusement of kids and a saturday matinees and not a movie with adult humor disquised as a kid film. Was it deep in content? No. Was it fun and amusing? Absolutely. Made us feel like we should adopt a dog and/or a kid at the end :)

Logline: A teen secretly fills a vacant house with stray dogs after she moves in with her fastidious aunt and has to leave behind the dog who's her best friend.

Genres: Comedy, Kids/Family and Adaptation

Release Date: January 16th, 2009 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG for brief mild thematic elements, language and some crude humor.

Distributors: Paramount Pictures

Production Co.: Donners Company, The Montecito Picture Company

Studios: DreamWorks

Filming Locations: Los Angeles, California, United States

Produced in: United States

Traces the rise and fall of former Heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.

I am a movie and boxing fan so this was right up my alley. I didn't really learn anything new about Mike because I have followed his career. The first half of the movie I really felt for him hearing his backround and the effects it had on his self esteem. I also was intrigued by where he is now and how he sees himself. Where he lost me was when he talks about women. I was thinking, "what an animal" It's an interesting study of a dysfunctional boxer that bounces from high to low.




Production Status: In Production/Awaiting Release

Genres: Documentary and Sports

Running Time: 1 hr. 30 min.

Production Co.: Fyodor Productions, Green Room Films

Produced in: United States

A taxi driver gets more than get bargained for when he picks up two teen runaways. Not only does the pair possess supernatural powers, but they're also trying desperately to escape people who have made them their targets.

I'll admit I am a fan of Dwayne Johnson. This movie is fun and exciting and when you take your children to see a movie, it's a nice bonus to actually enjoy the movie yourself. The entire audience seemed to have a great time and the entire cast did well. The actors who played the kids were new but terrific. The action kept things moving and the humor added fun without being too cheesy. All ages were represented in our viewing and folks left smiling and chatty. For me it was worth the trip to the cinema and it even ranks as a DVD to purchase when it comes out.


Genres: Action/Adventure, Kids/Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller, Adaptation and Remake

Running Time: 1 hr. 38 min.

Release Date: March 13th, 2009 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG for sequences of action and violence, frightening and dangerous situations, and some thematic elements.

Distributors: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

U.S. Box Office: $64,977,532

Genres: Documentary

Running Time: 40 min.

Release Date: February 13th, 2009 (limited)

MPAA Rating: G

Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution

U.S. Box Office: $7,763,851

This new IMAX adventure transports moviegoers to some of the most exotic and isolated undersea locations on Earth, including Southern Australia, New Guinea and others in the Indo-Pacific region, allowing them to experience face-to-face encounters with some of the most mysterious and stunning creatures of the sea. It offers a uniquely inspirational and entertaining way to explore the beauty and natural wonder of the oceans, as well as the impact of global climate change. In IMAX 3D, the images will literally leap off the screen and float around the theatre, putting the audience in the movie.

This is a wonderful movie for the entire family.
Children have a great time with this film, they were reaching up to touch the fish and trying to pop the bubbles it was so real. It does make reference to global climate change and its effects on the environment, however it doesnt place blame but points out ways we can all help.
If you have ever been diving you will appreciate the efforts it took to make this film, if you havent been diving this is as close as it gets without a wet suit.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Thriller

Running Time: 2 hrs. 1 min.

Release Date: March 20th, 2009 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for disaster sequences, disturbing images and brief strong language.

Distributors: Summit Entertainment, LLC, Sony Pictures Releasing

U.S. Box Office: $78,836,466


Im going to throw this out there right now - this movie isn't for everyone. Despite the heavy advertising and the overall mainstream appeal the studio is trying to establish for the film, 'Knowing' isn't blockbuster material. Yeah, there are some killer special effects, and yeah, there are some pretty sweet disaster sequences, but lets face it: this isn't 'Transformers' or even Proyas' last big budget attempt, 'I, Robot.'

No, this is science fiction to the core, and to some, that is exactly what the doctor ordered. It is a thriller of sorts, since suspense is created from the unknown. The characters, and thus the viewers, discover the unknown through an unfolding narrative, with a big pay-off at the end.

That being said, as with the nature of this particular genre, the big pay-off may throw some viewers off. It isn't a cheap ending since whatever twists involved were set up early on in the film. I, for one, found it very satisfying. It made me think, long after I finished watching the movie, which is the best pay-off any movie can really give a viewer. Without giving too much away, this movie really acts as a spiritual successor to the excellent 'Dark City,' another Proyas film that left me pondering well after the film was done.

Maybe Proyas could have found a better actor than Nicholas Cage to play the lead role, but all in all he did a respectable job. The overall tone of the film reflects the director's unique style: an overall sense of dispair set to (i apologize for overusing this term) a very sinister 'unknown.' I hope Proyas continues to make movies within this frame, since they are so compelling to watch.

In the end, I thouroughly enjoyed 'Knowing,' and I feel that others who enjoy the deep complexities of true sci-fi will enjoy it as well.

Engaged to the woman of his dreams yet uncomfortable with the prospect of not having a best man for his upcoming wedding, a successful real estate agent with no male friends schedules a series of "man dates" in hopes of finding a suitable candidate for the big day. Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is just like most other guys, only when it comes to making friends he's always been a bit withdrawn. After proposing to his girlfriend, Zooey (Rashida Jones), however, Peter quickly realizes that he doesn't even have any friends close enough to qualify for the role of best man. And what better method to find the perfect best man than to spend some time getting to know the most qualified candidate for the position? While most of Peter's "man dates" are incredibly awkward from the very beginning, the desperate bridegroom is surprised to hit it off with Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) on their very first meeting. Sydney is charming, personable, and opinionated, and before long he and Peter have become inseparable. But this isn't exactly what Zooey had in mind, because the closer that Peter grows to his new "bro," the further he drifts from the woman who will soon be his wife. Now, with the wedding closing in and the drama heating up, Peter begins to ponder a means of staying good friends with Sydney while still remaining true to the woman he loves.

From Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures comes Iron Man, an action-packed take on the tale of wealthy philanthropist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who develops an invulnerable robotic suit to fight the throes of evil. In addition to being filthy rich, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark is also a genius inventor. When Stark is kidnapped and forced to build a diabolical weapon, he instead uses his intelligence and ingenuity to construct an indestructible suit of armor and escape his captors. Once free, Stark discovers a deadly conspiracy that could destabilize the entire globe, and dons his powerful new suit on a mission to stop the villains and save the world. Gwyneth Paltrow co-stars as his secretary, Virginia "Pepper" Potts, while Terrence Howard fills the role of Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes, one of Stark's colleagues, whose military background leads him to help in the formation of the suit. Jon Favreau directs, with Marvel movie veterans Avi Arad and Kevin Feige producing.

Rockstar Games' double-gunned action franchise comes to the big screen thanks to director John Moore (The Omen) and Mark Wahlberg, who embodies the title character of Max Payne, a widowed cop hell-bent on delivering justice no matter what the cost as he investigates a string of killings in his city. Mila Kunis and Chris O'Donnell head up the supporting cast, with Beau Thorne adapting the screenplay for the 20th Century Fox production.

WWE star John Cena headlines his sophomore action picture as a police officer whose wife is kidnapped in New Orleans. Daniel Kunka provides the script, with Deep Blue Sea's Renny Harlin handling the directing duties for the 20-million-dollar Fox Atomic/WWE Films production.

As the Street Fighter saga celebrates its 20th anniversary, fight fans are invited to follow along with fearsome fighter Chun-Li (Smallville's Kristin Kreuk) as she faces off against a series of formidable opponents in this feature adaptation of the popular video-game franchise directed by Exit Wounds' Andrzej Bartkowiak. Previously adapted for the screen in the 1994 Jean-Claude Van Damme film, the series continues to thrive as eager gamers across the globe go toe-to-toe to determine who is the most skilled and powerful warrior in the video-game universe. Michael Clarke Duncan, Chris Klein, Rick Yune, and Neal McDonough co-star in the 20th Century Fox production.

Director: Rob Letterman Conrad Vernon
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert Studio: DreamWorks Distribution

The Plot: After being hit by a meteorite on her wedding day, Susan Murphy (Witherspoon) is transformed into a monster named Ginormica and subsequently whisked away to a secret government compound where others like her have been rounded up over the years. When the Earth comes under attack by an alien commander known as Gallaxhar (Wilson), however, Ginormica and her new allies are set free to save the planet.

Taking a page out of Pixar's playbook, D'Works may have finally caught on that audiences (and Academy voters) prefer a good story, interesting characters and funny jokes to a farting donkey. Adding an all-star line-up and 3-D effects is pretty awesome, too. "Is this potential serial action?" Insiders says yes.

Director: Shawn Levy
Stars: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Amy Adams (Full Cast)
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

The Plot: Security guard Larry Daley (Stiller) infiltrates the Smithsonian Institute in order to rescue Jedediah (Wilson) and Octavius (Coogan), who have been shipped to the museum by mistake.

Similar ideas abound for this sequel, but even naysayers might admit that a better cast has been assembled around Ben Stiller for his second Washington, D.C. adventure. (It's pretty amazing that Stiller has three active franchises going, if you believe reports that Little Fockers is getting made). Here's a first look at the film, and a glimpse at how much Stiller has aged over the past couple years. P.S. Is it just me, or does Amy Adams seem kind of annoying as Amelia Earhart? Granted, she's probably way less irritating than Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt, who returns for the sequel (along with two handfuls of new faces), but pinched and snippy just aren't her colors.

The Madagascar 2 movie is a great flick, full of fun and witty lines. If you liked the first movie, this is more of the same, if not better and probably worthy of five stars. The second DVD featuring two Nick Penguin shorts for a total of about 25 minutes of video, isn't worth the additional cost, in my opinion. The first Madagascar release had a Penguin animation short included as an extra on the movie disc, whereas the new one has two shorts and charges the buyer for the priviledge.
Dreamworks' animated films have not been able to hold a candle to caliber of Disney/Pixar films, but let's face it: who can? That said, Madagascar 2 is learning from Pixar at the very least. Animated films work when they are able to successfully blend humor, heart, and a good story to keep the audience sustained for at least 90 minutes.

Madagascar 2 starts in the right direction by presenting a very nice opening featuring a brief origin of Alex and how he got to New York. It's probably less than 5 minutes, but already set the tone for the heart of the picture, which focuses chiefly on Alex fitting in with his fellow lions. The other chief characters are also stumbling as they interact with their own in Africa.

Also back is the humor. I sometimes feel like the movies would be funnier if the penguins had more screen time, but they are still funny in whatever scenes they're in. The granny who beat up Alex in the first film is also back for some humor. The humor is better and more consistent than the first.

The only flaw in the film is that it is fairly predictable. The chracters are a little bit better here than in the first and it has a good heart, but sometimes they don't spend as long on the emotional aspect as they could. It's still good entertainment and I like to see Dreamworks progress with their films.

The qualities of the stories are simple. Mistakes, redemption, pure of heart, honor, etc.

The movie opens with a ship heading to a city. On it is Roscuro the rat. Wearing cloths and an ear ring he looks forward for the famous Soup of the day of the kingdom of Dor. Wandering through the city he accidentally finds himself in the royal hall as the royal family are first to try the soup. Too entranced with the smell; Roscuro falls into the Queens soup and she is shocked to see a Rat, suffers a heart attack and dies. The guards chase him and he eventally falls into a drainage where he lands in Ratworld. There he is discovered by Botticelli who befriends him and decides to teach him the proper ways of being a Rat.

The grieving king then declares no more soup and rats are outlawed and any who harbor them will be punished.

Despereaux is born in mouseworld. He is not a typical mouse. Smaller then normal and he has over-sized ears. What's worst is that he doesn't cower, run, and he likes to take the cheese from mouse traps. His parents are called into school and told he is about to fail since he does not cower from knives and he draws pictures of cats. Even names one fluffy. The school master suggests that Despereaux follow his brother who graduated and was a proper mouse and could teach by example.

They head off to the library where Despereaux is supposed to eat books but instead he starts reading them and learns about knights, honor and questing to save the fair princess. This eventually takes him to the Princess Peas room where he befriends her as she is curious by his gentlemanly ways.

Eventually, Desperaux is found out and he is punished as he has gone too far by talking to a human.

He is sent to Ratword where no mouse ever returns. The rats find him and toss him into a Colosseum where he is to be sacrificed to a cat.

Roscuro notices him and sees that he is different. He decides to save him by declaring he wants to eat him. Botticelli, leader of the rats, agrees as he had been unhappy with Roscuro since he was refusing to eat flesh.

In Roscuro's room, Despereaux tells Roscuro about knights, chivalry and his quest to save the princess. Roscuro recognizes the princess is the very girl whose mother he caused to die and decides to help as he may get a chance of redemption by telling her he is sorry.

I could go on but I don't want to completely spoil the film. Overall I liked the film as the hero really doesn't solve all problems. It's more cause and effect that guides the story. The actions of one affect another. Happiness is lost and as the narrator says a hero appears when most needed. Despereaux is the hero and he actions effects others and causes actions which cause the return of happiness.

The cast is excellent. Sigourney Weaver does a great job as the narrator. Matthew Broderick as Despereaux and Dustin Hoffman as Roscuro. Emma Watson as the princess(though I must admit I thought was Emily Watson). Tracey Ullman as Miggery Sow. Kevin Kline as Andre the soup master. Ciaran Hinds as Botticelli(though I must admit I thought Peter O'Toole would have been better).

Visually the film is beautiful and the music adds to experience in the right ways.

Violence wise it's pretty safe. There is fighting but you don't see things like stabbing, etc. It can be intense especially with the Rat chases and the rat gladiatorial scenes but it's not too bad. My girl is sensitive but she only wanted a little comfort but she still kept her eyes on the screen.

2008 was a very big year for films adapted from books, with several reaching the high acclaim of Academy Award nominations. One adapted film that didn't get much recognition, however, is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, based on the novel by John Boyne.

The film opens with the following quote emblazoned on the screen: "Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows." As the quote suggests, this is a sort of coming of age film, and over the course of 94 minutes,those in the audience slowly watch the innocence of children unravel before their eyes as the reality of what is taking place becomes more and more illuminated.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is the story of a family living in Berlin during World War II. The main character, an eight-year-old boy named Bruno (Asa Butterfield), spends his time in Berlin playing with his friends and reading adventure novels. His father, brilliantly played by David Thewlis (most will recognize him as Professor Lupin from the Harry Potter franchise), soon gets a promotion, however, and Bruno, his parents, and his sister move to the German countryside where his father will take up his new position. Unlike their time in Berlin, Bruno's parents are careful to keep their son close to home, and Bruno, an explorer and adventurer at heart, is confined to the small fenced area surrounding their house.

From his bedroom window, Bruno can see what he thinks is a strange farm off in the distance. He notices that the "farmers" act strangely and wear strange "pajamas" while they work. Later, he notices that the smokestacks on the farm give off an absolutely wretched stench when they are burning. By now, of course, the audience knows that what Bruno has seen is not a farm at all, and that his father's new position is Commandant of the nearby concentration camp.

The naive Bruno manages to escape from the grounds of his home and is finally free to explore the woods behind the house. Not paying much attention to where he is going, he happens upon a remote part of the camp where he meets another eight-year-old boy, Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), confined by a different kind of fence. The two become friends, and Bruno sneaks away every chance he gets to go and visit the only playmate he has found since moving away from Berlin.

This is an interesting film on many accounts, the most fascinating being the changes that each member of Bruno's family undergoes. His father, a seemingly reluctant, "political only" Nazi at the beginning, devolves into a hardened, harsh man. Bruno's sister Gretel (Amber Beattie), encouraged by a handsome lieutenant working with her father, falls victim to the Aryan propaganda so much that her room is soon filled with posters of the Fuhrer, much like young girls today would adorn their walls with images of the Jonas Brothers. Finally, there's Bruno's mother (Vera Farmiga), who is the antithesis to the growing Nazism in her family. At first she is happy for her husband and the success he has as a soldier in the German army. However, as she learns more about her husband's new charge, and the truth is revealed about the camp, she becomes bitter and angry.

And then there's Bruno. All the signs are there. Bruno comes across every hint he possibly could as to the truth behind the "farm" where his friend Shmuel lives and works. Yet he remains utterly oblivious. Caught between the two stages of "sounds and smells and sights" and "the dark hour of reason," the filmmakers show the great price of failing to deal with the world around us.

Much of the criticism that I've read regarding this film deals with the supposed overextension of innocence to both child characters. Many critics cannot grasp the idea of an eight-year-old child not understanding that the "farm" is really a horrible work camp, that the "pajamas" are prison clothes, that the mysterious disappearances that Shmuel tells of and the smoke from the chimneys are the results of the systematic slaughter of the camp's inhabitants. That may be a fair criticism, but I think it misses the greater point that the filmmakers seem to be making.

Bigger than a child's loss of innocence, Bruno seems to be a representation of Germany, perhaps even humanity, itself, and the failure to deal with the evil right before one's very eyes. So many Germans claimed the innocence that we see in Bruno, saying they had no knowledge of the Final Solution to the Jewish Problem that Hitler and his SS were carrying out across the European continent. Even today, despite all the existing evidence, there are still those that deny the Holocaust happened, not wanting to acknowledge the great evil of which humanity, perhaps even their neighbors and family members, is capable. More than anything else, this film shows the great price humanity pays for such utter naivete.

All in all, this is a very well done film. The story, though slow in the beginning, is engaging, thought-provoking, and, in the end, heart-wrenching. It is well-acted, especially in the performances of the young boys, and the bright colors and airy score provide a sort of bizarre juxtaposition to what is happening on screen.

The story of Appaloosa is very similar to that of the excellent Warlock. Two mercenary "lawmen" are summoned to a town being terrorized by a local band of cowboys (led by a powerful and particularly ruthless rancher -- in Appaloosa's case, Randall Bragg played by Jeremy Irons). These lawmen are close friends and have worked together for many years, moving from town to town killing bad guys for money. They are called upon when the town's previous sheriff is murdered. They agree to clean up the town, but only if the town agrees to grant them any power they wish to do so.

Here the stories of Warlock and Appaloosa diverge. Warlock makes great use of the idea that fighting outlaws with mercenaries is a morally questionable solution, while Appaloosa features only one scene that ponders the question, even though the setup seems tailor-made for further conflict. Harris' character, Virgil, has been made uncomfortable and embarrassed by a conversation with his romantic interest (played by Renee Zellwegger), so he takes it out on some workers having a drink at the bar. Though drunk, they are doing no harm, and Harris' explosive temper and sense of impunity are first exhibited as he viciously pummels one of them before being restrained by Viggo's character (Everett). One of the town's officials questions this behavior, but beyond that it is never addressed again.

Other story similarities include a confrontation at the jailhouse (though the specifics of the scene were more reminscent of one in Rio Bravo), a love interest that may lead to the retirement of one of the characters and the dissolution of their partnership, a final shoot-out that ends the partnership and that the title of each movie is simply the name of the town in which the action takes place.

Beyond those the story plays out in a very different fashion. There is no character equivalent in Appaloosa to Richard Widmark's outlaw-turned-lawman, Everett doesn't have any of the shadiness that Anthony Quinn's "Doc Holiday" had, and there is no betrayal among the old friends. The romantic interest also plays out very differently in Appaloosa.

Overall, the story is good, but there did seem to be a few too many Acts. I didn't mind that much, because I enjoyed all the possibly extraneous scenes, but it did feel a little long, a little less tight, even though the movie ran just under two hours. And there was one bone-headed decision that you see coming from a mile away. If you're a smart guy who has been cleaning out towns of bad guys for years now, what's the dumbest thing you can do? Very publicly fall in love with a girl who now lives in the town. I said out loud "liability and leverage" as soon as I saw Virgil go after her.

Other good points: Harris demonstrates a talent for writing (and delivering) comfortable, funny, and natural sounding dialogue. (Jeri said the dialogue at the beginning was bad, but I don't remember.) The relationship between Everett and Virgil is great. They effectively demonstrate respect, loyalty and love in subtle believeable ways. Renee Zellwegger's character surprises you several times and turns out to be as interesting as the two leads. Irons' character doesn't have much substance to him other than "I'm a jerk," but he does have some good moments of interaction with the Virgil and Everett.

Harris, along with his DP, has a good eye for the scenery. Everything is shot on location, and it looks great. He also shoots within these locales well; I always knew where the characters were in relation to one another (which sounds simplistic, but I'm thinking of the scene on the river with the Indians where Everett rides up to meet them). I appreciated the unique camera work in the scene on the train where Allison is brought out from underneath the bridge.

Of course, I have to comment on the action and perpetrators there-of. This isn't 3:10 To Yuma (2007) or Tombstone, so the gunplay is pretty sparse. But when it happens, it's well-staged, and often unique in consequence. Virgil and Everett rescuing the kidnappers from the Indians, for example, plays out differently than you might expect. Allison has been kidnapped in order to secure Bragg's release, and Virgil and Everett have tracked them to a canyon. Before they can act, they notice a party of Indians about to raid them. They allow this until the Indians start to take Allison. Rather than shooting the Indians, Virgil and Everett shoot the pack-horse that Allison is on, and fire up into the air to scatter the raiding party. Later, Everett offers the group Bragg's horse to make up for the one they shot. Another unique scene is the shoot-out in the Mexican town. It's close-quarters and over in seconds. It also leads to one of the funniest lines in the movie.

Virgil and Everett lie on the ground, wounded but alive.

Everett: That was quick.
Virgil: Yeah, everybody could shoot.

The sound design is excellent, right up there with Open Range in terms of power and realism.

And the guns! Well, The Gun, anyway.

As you may have read, Everett carries a very unique item: an 8-gauge double-barreled shotgun. Until Appaloosa, I didn't even know 8 was a possible gauge. I'd heard of 10-gauges, and only seen one or two at all the gun auctions I've been to. For those unfamiliar with the gauge system, the smaller the number, the larger the bore. 12-gauge is the most popular. My double-barrel is 12. So the 8-gauge that Everett wields is HUGE, and is mentioned specifically about five times in the beginning of the movie. There are only one or two scenes where Everett is without it, too. He lugs that honkin' thing around everywhere he goes. And you only get to see him use it twice! The other guns are all pretty standard, though I noticed Everett's sidearm is a Colt open-top conversion, which is also unique.

I recommend Appaloosa to Western fans and fans of Viggo & Ed.

Here's the deal: Audiences aren't buying into dramas right now. Comedies, comic book-inspired films, action movies, teen films...those are getting the attention of moviegoers. Anything that makes us forget about what's happening in our world and gets us caught up in a total fantasy experience for a couple of hours is doing well at the box office. So, in this climate, it's not the wisest move to unspool something as serious and thought-provoking as The Soloist. Come on, now is not the time of year we normally see films of this ilk, even when the atmosphere isn't as poisonous to dramatic films as it is currently.

The Soloist is the type of prestige film that would normally come out in October, November or December - the sort of picture that usually garners awards attention and attracts ticket buyers looking to check out supposedly the best of what Hollywood has to offer for the year. Orchestrating a beginning of the summer movie season release for The Soloist doesn't make much sense. It was pushed back from a late 2008 release anyway, so what harm would have come from delaying it a few more months to a more appropriate time of year? I don't get it. Summer's when we want to have fun at the theaters, not get caught up in a sad tale of homelessness, mental illness, and the affect of journalism on society at large. And it's a shame The Soloist may get ignored by moviegoers and critics groups alike as it features a couple of the best performances we're likely to see in all of 2009.

The Story
Based on a true story, The Soloist explores the unusual relationship between Los Angeles Times reporter Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr) and Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a homeless, schizophrenic street musician who dresses in wild, psychedelic toss-offs and keeps up a steady stream of conversation decipherable only to his own ears much of the time.

Lopez is looking for a story to fill up his column, and a random encounter with Ayers sets off his writer instincts and sets his brain to pinging with ideas. Ayers tells Lopez during their first meeting that he attended Juilliard, and the way he plays his violin (which has but two strings left on it) makes that pronouncement seem a possibility. Lopez checks up on him and finds out that in fact Ayers did attend the prestigious school for a couple of years before dropping out.
As Lopez gets to know Ayers - as much as anyone can know a stranger with severe mental problems who's not being treated for his disease - he discovers an incredible musician still exists inside the man who 99.9% of the population would go out of their way to avoid eye contact with. What started as the idea for one column turns into a life-changing relationship from which both men benefit, though in vastly different ways.


The Cast
Is proclaiming Robert Downey Jr one of the best actors of his generation pushing it? Check out The Soloist and tell me Downey Jr isn't at the top of his game as a newspaper reporter who uses Ayers to get a story before finding himself unintentionally becoming the most stable friend the tortured Ayers had during his years on the streets. It's mostly through Downey Jr's eyes that we follow the story, listening in while he dictates what he's learned dealing with Ayers into his tape recorder before writing up his articles for the LA Times. Downey Jr thoroughly and absolutely becomes this veteran journalist who gets too close to his subject and finds himself caught up in Ayers' life to point where an actual friendship has formed.
Jamie Foxx delivers yet another poignant performance as he tackles what just had to be the most difficult role of his career. Whether speaking at a manic pace as Ayers' mind trips out on him or altering everything about his being when Ayers shows moments of near lucidity, Foxx never, ever turns his portrayal of Ayers into a caricature of a mentally unbalanced man.

The Bottom Line
Director Joe Wright chose The Soloist as his first American film after having earned high praise for his work helming Pride and Prejudice and Atonement. And Wright appears to have been the right choice for this tricky film. He handles the scenes of homeless people and the mentally ill living hard lives on the streets without sugar-coating his subject matter. Wright's made an honest, unflinching film that's uncomfortable to watch at times, a pure joy to behold at others, and overall as faithful to its source material as possible while still being cinematically entertaining. I'm hoping audiences will give it a chance, despite the bad release date and somber subject matter.