Grown Ups - D -

Rated PG-13 for crude material including suggestive references, language and some male rear nudity, 102 minutes

Offensive, sloppy, immature "Grown Ups"

Imagine you got together a few friends you used to work with, played around in front of a camera, cracked some jokes and pretended to have gorgeous wives. That's essentially what Adam Sandler has done, except on a slightly larger scale, with his pitifully, excruciatingly unfunny and sloppy new lowbrow comedy "Grown Ups." You'd think that with his buddies Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider and David Spade, all on the big screen together for the first time- you'd think - there would be some better (and smarter) material, but the movie falls flat and takes a crash landing in the first few frames.

Sandler and his pals, James, Rock, Schneider and Spade were all childhood pals in New England who somehow played on a championship basketball team. They reunite 30 years later when their coach dies and they spend the weekend together in the same lakehouse they celebrated their championship in, along with their wives, including Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Joyce Van Patten and Maria Bello and children in tow. They realize how different they are but also realize the meaning of true friendship.

I went in to "Grown Ups" with low expectations anyway, but at least expected a few more laughs than normal, given the comedic talent involved. But I was sorely disappointed painfully sitting through the incessantly dumb, immature jokes so redundantly piled on, but then should I really be surprised? What is surprising is that Sandler actually gets credit for writing a script for this mess, and only he would write himself as a successful Hollywood agent with the gorgeous wife.

Dennis Dugan, who's worked with these guys before on such dreck as "The Benchwarmers," "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" and "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," makes no effort at creating real characters or stories and just lets the cast just mess around on camera. If you’ve seen any of those earlier films, you know what’s in store in "Grown Ups ," and it’s more cringe-worthy than laugh-worthy.

Sure, all of the guys at some point get in a brief zinger here and there, especially Rock and Spade, but this is really just a waste of celluloid with some brief episodes slung together and some unfunny, offensive jokes thrown in. The dog who's vocal cords are shut; making fun of overweight children; James dancing around with a KFC bucket on his head; or anytime that Schneider is onscreen making out with his older wife, Joyce Van Patten (she's Dugan's ex-wife but cinemaphiles will recognize her - in much younger form – from the original "The Bad News Bears"), which is as yucky as you’ve seen in the film’s trailers. It also trots out former "Saturday Night Live" vets Colin Quinn (along with Schneider among the most annoying comedians ever), Tim Meadows and Norm Macdonald, as if that would help any, and utterly wastes a decent actor like Steve Buscemi.

Given that most of the viewers of "Grown Ups" will likely be male, at least Sandler is smart enough to have the pretty Hayek, Bello and Rudolph as eye candy in between all the gross-out jokes, but the sexist material only treats them as objects and little else, given they come out at the end in the pointless climax, a basketball rematch with their old foes, dressed in skimpy cheerleader costumes.

While all of this is seemingly typical Sandler fluff, I give him a little credit. Year after year, he churns out critic-proof films the masses turn out to see and he somehow turns a profit on them, and "Grown Ups" will likely join that list of films. I could certainly make statements like: “'Grown Ups' is one of the worst comedies of the year” and “a disappointment for even Sandler fans” (both are true) but that doesn’t matter, his fans will still turn out. Go if you must but you’ve been warned.

Knight and Day - C+

Rated PG-13 for sequences of action violence throughout, and brief strong language, 110 minutes

"Knight and Day" an uneven blend of thriller and comedy

The mildly entertaining new spy thriller "Knight and Day" starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz is a very divisive film. People will love it or loathe it. It will be either a big hit or a huge flop. On the upside, there is a reckless, enjoyable charm to it and it's peppered with some decent action sequences, on the downside it's wildly uneven, implausible and largely pointless.

Diaz is June Havens, a midwestern girl who finds herself wrapped up in the life of a secret agent named Roy Miller (Cruise), with a deadly mission of guarding a top genius inventor (Paul Dano) who has created a perpetual energy battery that some high-powered and dangerous criminals the globe over is seeking. June is unsure who to believe - the beguiling Miller - or his colleagues at the CIA, including Agent Fitzgerald (Peter Sarsgaard), who also has an interest in the battery, and their director (Viola Davis), who just wants all of this put to rest. June and Roy soon realize the only thing they can count on is each other.

"Knight and Day" is filled with a high-powered energy and a fast pace that starts minutes into the film. The only thing is, it's hard to buy into the story and particularly the romantic comedy angle, which seems forced and inconsequential to the story. Diaz's annoying, shrill character really is unnecessary; Cruise could've (and has) played this alone in the past ("Mission: Impossible" anyone?) and done just fine. All said and done, much of "Knight and Day" is a pointless excuse to get Diaz and Cruise together onscreen, which isn't a bad thing given the eye candy they provide, but a more engaging story would've helped; after all, the bad guys are after a...battery.

The action sequences, and there are many in "Knight and Day," are the real highlight, including the opening plane crash sequence, to many explosions to the finale, an exciting motorcyle-car chase-bull run through the streets of Spain. The script, on the other hand, is wildly jumpy, going from one episode to the next, as Diaz's character literally wakes up to another adventure.

This may be due to director James Mangold's ("Walk the Line") craggy direction, who handles the action serviceably but doesn't integrate the romance as smoothly. Cruise throws Diaz around, drugs her up and before you know it, they're in love. As for the supporting cast, recent Tony-winner and Oscar-nominee and wonderful actress Viola Davis ("Doubt") is considerably underused as the CIA director, while character actor Peter Sarsgaard ("An Education"), playing another slimeball, is fun but miscast.

"Knight and Day," with all it's shortcomings, has an carefree appeal and some energetic fun that manages to keep you centered in the action, even if you don't care much for the stars, who have the capability to both charm and annoy at the same time. With that in mind, you'll hate it or hate that you enjoyed it.

Ondine - B

Rated PG-13 for some violence, sensuality and brief strong language, 102 minutes

"Ondine" - a lovely fairy tale that treads familiar waters

"Ondine" is an Irish fairy tale about a fisherman who believes he has discovered a mermaid. It's a handsomely photographed, well-acted and tender story from Neil Jordan ("Interview with the Vampire") and starring bad boy Colin Ferrell in a change of pace for him. The script is a little uneven and slow, but there are a handful of nice, poignant moments.

"Ondine" tells the story of Syracuse (Colin Farrell), an Irish fisherman whose life is transformed when he catches a beautiful and mysterious woman (Polish actress Alicja Bachleda) in his nets. She says her name is Ondine, which means "she came from the sea." His ailing but irrepressible daughter Annie (Alison Barry) comes to believe that the woman is a selkie, a magical seal/woman creature who can transform themselves into a human, while Syracuse falls helplessly in love. All goes well until the real, dark world intercedes in the tale, and Syracuse, Annie and Ondine are forced to deal with secrets that could permanently all of their lives.

"Ondine" is a well-developed, emotionally satisfying story that's part love story and part fairy tale, all with dark shadings. It all has a familiar ring to it, but those that stay with the story will appreciate it's poignant payoff in the end. "Ondine" is especially memorable for the low-key but believeable turn from Ferrell, who gives his best performance in several years and this, along with the recent "Crazy Heart," proves he may be developing into a solid character actor.

The title role is well-played by a novice, Polish actress Bachelda, a risky move for director Jordan considering he could've gone with a more well-known actress in the role. The role is the film's trickiest and the more underdeveloped; Bachelda plays it well though a little emotionally vacant at times. The role probably could've been more skillfully played by a better actress, but we'll never know that. Newcomer Alison Barry is outstanding as Ferrell's daughter and nearly outshines him; she's the real heart and soul of the film and has some of the best scenes. Watch for director Jordan's favorite actor (he's collaborated with Jordan on several films) Stephen Rea in a small role as a priest.

"Ondine" may not please everyone, but then most fairy tales don't. Either you'll like it or you won't with little in between. I happened to enjoy it, particularly the restrained Ferrell performance.

Jonah Hex - C-

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, disturbing images and sexual content, 80 minutes

Unfocused, messy "Jonah Hex" doesn't deliver

Take a decent DC Comics character, scramble it with a couple of solid character actors, a pretty movie star and some big explosions and you come up with the murky, jumpy "Jonah Hex," a disappointing adaptation of the graphic novel character. Sure, it's moderately entertaining with a handful of energetic action set pieces, but in the end it's a rather pointless affair.

Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) is a scarred bounty hunter and ex-Confederate military in the post-Civil War who nearly died at the hands of an evil criminal named Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich), who scarred Hex's face in a grotesque way. Turnbull supposedly died before Hex could enact his revenge, but he is back again, wreaking havoc and building a dasterdly weapon and an army that could destroy thousands. The U.S. military under President Grant's (Aidan Quinn) is devising its own way to stop Turnbull: by using Hex to stop him. Hex, who also has special powers to speak to the dead, is on a very personal mission of redemption, love with a beautiful woman named Talulah (Megan Fox) and exacting violent revenge on the man who physically and mentally scarred him for life.

Jonah Hex is a shoddy, mildly enjoyable misfire that has gone wrong in the hands of the wrong director. Brolin, under heavy makeup, tries his hardest for a believable performance and he would succeed had the unfocused script not gone in so many directions. Jimmy Hayward, director of "Horton Hears a Who" and an animator who ironically worked on the first two "Toy Story" films, is the wrong choice for the material, falters in navigating the material. The uneven plot, filled with lots of explosions and gun shooting, simply doesn't give a chance to fully develop the Hex character.

Malkovich chews up the screen and it's always nice seeing Michael Shannon, who's wasted in a brief supporting part as a circus ringleader. The beautiful Fox has little to do as Hex's love interest, and she's the weakest link in a movie full of them. The first big action set piece, in which Hex fires upon a group of criminals, is tremendously pointless, and goes down hill from there. The predictable showdown between Hex and Turnbull pulls absolutely no surprises, either, only setting up more films if this is a hit.

"Jonah Hex" could've been great. It has all the right elements, but fell apart under a forgettable, uneven story and misdirection. Comic book enthusiasts will likely be very disappointed, to say the least. Not worth your time unless you really enjoy this type of thing.

Toy Story 3 - B+

Rated G, 103 minutes

A colorful, funny playtime with Pixar's "Toy Story 3"

It's hard to believe that it's been 15 years since the first "Toy Story." That film helped put Pixar on the map with animation movies, and the rest has been history. Lots of things have changed since 1995, but one thing is for sure, Pixar can still make great animated films with a rich palette, warm storytelling and some fun moments. It's also great seeing Woody, Buzz and the gang back for another adventure and while the thin story treads familiar ground, there still some fun moments to be had with an poignant, unforgettable ending.

Andy Davis is now 18, fresh out of high school and soon to be off to college. His childhood toys Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) along with Jessie (Joan Cusack), Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), the Potato Heads (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris) and the whole gang clamor for his attention, afraid he'll forget them forever when he goes off to school. Due to a mix-up, the toys end up in Sunnyside, a daycare that gets a lot of use out of used toys. All of them think it's a great place where they'll be wanted, led by a big, friendly purple bear named Lotso (Ned Beatty) but Woody constantly reminds them that they're Andy's toys. They soon realize the truth about Lotso and Sunnyside and decide to make their way back to see Andy before he heads off to college.

"Toy Story 3" is a florid, enjoyably fun animated vehicle that doesn't disappoint though it's not the best of the three films. Pixar, now making their films largely away from the Disney studio, have remodeled the characters for some fresh laughs but a thin, familiar story and too many characters seem to detract from the Woody-Buzz chemistry that made the first two films so memorable.

Back in the 1990's when the first two films were released, both Hanks and Allen were nothing short of superstars, something that's definitely not the case today. For that reason, the writers and producers of "Toy Story 3" have added a considerable amount of characters, including Barbie (Jodi Benson), Ken (Michael Keaton) and Lotso (Beatty) and while they all have some good moments, they fill "Toy Story 3" with too many predictable laughs and a distracting busyness.

The middle section sags but it picks up for an energetic climax and a very emotional ending that will have you reaching for the tissues. All the actors do solid work, and it's nice hearing both Hanks and Allen again. Rickles, Ratzenberger and Shawn are all a hoot as usual and steal most of the film's best laughs, such as when Mr. Potato Head uses a tortilla as a disguise.

Even with it's flaws, "Toy Story 3" is still far better and more clever than most animated films these days. It's entertaining, often hilarious (one bit with Buzz in Spanish is particularly funny) with great appeal to the masses. It comes with the usual Pixar short that precedes the main film, this time a clever, symbolic one called "Day and Night." Also, don't forget to stay over to watch the credits for more fun moments.

The Karate Kid - B

Rated PG for bullying, martial arts action violence and some mild language, 140 minutes

Pleasant, entertaining but overlong "Karate Kid" remake

Those who grew up in the '80s will have a good weekend at the movies with the remake and movie version of "The Karate Kid" and "The A-Team." "The Karate Kid" is a pleasantly enjoyable if not overlong redo of the charming Ralph Macchio-Pat Morita 1984 hit film that spawned a couple of sequels. Starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith and produced by Jaden's parents, superstars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, it really should be called "The Kung Fu Kid" or "The Martial Arts Kid" and is a little redundant at times, but it's still a decent summer popcorn flick.

Dre Parker (Smith) moves with his mom Sherry (Taraji P. Henson) to China when she's transferred there with her work. He soon encounters some bullies who rough Dre up, until he meets his apartment building's maintenance man Mr. Han (Chan), who teaches him about life, love and martial arts. With Mr. Han's help, he's able to stand up to his cruel Chinese bullies but learns from Mr. Han there's more to life than just fighting.

Simplistic, humorously predictable but entertaining, much like the original "Karate Kid," this is a movie for the masses. Chan and Smith are a good team though they lack the charisma of Macchio and Morita, who'll forever be remembered with the "wax on wax off" (this time it's "jacket on jacket off"); they still have tremendous appeal that carries it through the film's chief flaws. For one, it states and restates its wholehearted messages over and over again, and at 140 minutes, it's simply much too long for a family film. It's also slow to develop the story in the film's initial chapters, as it really doesn't get going until nearly an hour into it.

Still, there are some fun moments, primarily with the teacher-student montages and you clearly know this sets up the predictable ending, but it's fun getting there. Also, for a film called "The Karate Kid," it's a tad misleading given that there's no karate in the film, it's all about martial-arts and kung-fu, but then times have changed too.

"The Karate Kid" remake is mostly memorable for the likable Chan-Smith pairing, who'll make this a hit if it resonates with a new generation.

The A-Team - C+

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence throughout, language and smoking, 117 minutes

Energetic but overdone "A-Team"

It's nice having not one, but two 1980's remakes in one weekend. "The A-Team" remakes the cheesy, iconic '80s TV show that made Mr. T famous, while "The Karate Kid" remakes a hit 1980's action movie. "The A-Team" the movie rides on the easy charm of the TV show while also standing on its own two legs. The story's a little wobbily, but it's filled with enough humor and action set pieces that it may be easier to forgive the fact that underneath all the explosions there isn't much to go on.

The story follows the adventures of four U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers-turned-mercenaries, including: Col. Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson), their charming leader; B.A. Baracus (wrestler Quinton "Rampage" Jackson); handsome ladies man Lt. Peck (Bradley Cooper) and of course the wildly crazy Murdock ("District 9's" Sharlto Copley). The team is arrested and jailed for robbing the Bank of Hanoi, but they were set up by renowned criminal Pike (Brian Bloom) and are branded war criminals. After managing to escape from military prison, they set out to find Pike to set things straight and become heroes again.

"The A-Team" is a fun-filled, action-packed adventure that's really one extended action set piece. Those who don't care much for explosions won't care much for the overlong film, either and the cheeky self-aware humor grows tiresome after while, but it should please fans of the serious, who've had to wait nearly 25 years for this to get to the big screen. The film, directed by "Smokin Aces" Joe Carnahan, is harmless and bloodless enough to please the masses, along with a handsome cast, particularly Cooper, who spends a lot of time shirtless, and Jessica Biel, added to include some female power in the mix.

Neeson grounds the film well (but we still miss George Peppard), Copley steals scenes as the imbalanced Murdock, though Jackson has big shoes to fill trying to impersonate Mr. T. He does OK on his own though it's unnecessary to add "fool" in Mr. T form after each sentence. Mr. T could pull that off but Jackson, a professional mixed martial-arts wrestler with limited acting abilities, is less than memorable. Watch closely for a couple of brief cameos from Dwight Schultz and Dirk Benedict, who appeared in the original series.

"The A-Team" movie, much like the TV show, comes together predictably in the end, a little messy, a little scattered and far too long for something like this. "The A-Team" is a forgettable but likable action-movie that'll do well for a bit, and then be gone quickly.