The Road - B+

Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language, 119 minutes

"The Road" is a bleak but superbly crafted post-apocalyptic tale

There's simply no way around it: the apocalypse is not uplifting material. Just know that going into "The Road," the dreary, very heavy but affecting tale of post-apocalyptic survival of a man and his young son. While the recent "2012" had fun blowing up the world, the far superior "The Road" is in no way amusing, which isn't to say it's not entertaining, just in a far different way. "The Road" isn't a message movie per se, but it's stark reminder of what life after the apocalypse could be like makes it one of the year's must see films.

A father (Viggo Mortensen) and his son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind and water. It is cold enough to crack stones, and, when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the warmer south, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing: just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless cannibalistic bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a rusting shopping cart of scavenged food--and each other.

"The Road" is a dark, heavy drama of life in post-apocalyptic America, based on Cormac McCarthy's 2006 best-selling (and equally downbeat) novel. It's essentially a two-person film, ably carried by "Lord of the Rings" Mortensen, excellent as the wise, protective father who looks out for his son, and from young Australian actor Smit-McPhee as his sickly young son. Their pain, their struggles, are effectively and poiganantly highlighted thoroughout the film; it's dark, depressing tone and vivid shades of gray remind of the 1983 film "Testament," starring a wonderful Jane Alexander in a bleak film with similar themes.

"The Road" is quite effective at portraying a harrowing life of survival (particularly scary: cannibals who hunt people down). The Oscar-worthy photography is stark, memorably evoking what a nuclear winter is like (it's never specifically mentioned what really happened, but that is the assumption here). Director John Hillcoat ("The Proposition") elicits realistic, very natural performances from both Mortensen and Smit-McPhee, known only as Man and Boy here.

There are a few other notables in the cast, but they're too brief to make a huge impact. Charlize Theron plays the wife and mother and is seen only in flashbacks; Theron is very poignant but seen briefly in a role that's actually quite expanded from the novel. Blink and you'll miss Robert Duvall (hardly recognizable under a load of makeup) as an old, dying drifter, and Guy Pearce as a fellow father and traveler.

As you might expect with something like this, it isn't that hopeful, but the script tries to uplift when the two leads find pockets of food, a bath or warm clothes, things they now take for granted. As much as "The Road" tries to be hope, it really isn't, so don't go expecting to leave happy. But you'll certainly remember some of the film's stark images, not to mention the superb performances from the leads.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans - B+

Rated R for drug use and language throughout, some violence and sexuality, 121 minutes

"Bad Lieutenant" is an arresting portrait of one bad cop

"Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" is a hypnotic, often explosive story of a corrupt, drug-addicted cop in Post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. It's dirty, seedy and a little over-the-top (OK, maybe way over-the-top) but then that is its appeal. A very loose remake of the 1992 Harvey Keitel film "Bad Lieutenant," it also provides Nicolas Cage with a commanding, Oscar-worthy performance and his best in years.

Cage is Terrence McDonagh, a New Orleans Police sergeant, who starts out as a good cop, receiving a medal and a promotion to lieutenant for heroism during Hurricane Katrina. During his heroic act, McDonagh injures his back and later becomes addicted to prescription pain medication and becomes involved with a drug-addicted prosititute named Frankie (Eva Mendes). McDonagh quickly finds himself on the dark side of life, struggling with addictions and tangling with drug dealer Big Fate (rapper Xzibit), who is suspected of murdering a family of African immigrants.

"Bad Lieutenant" is a splendidly dark tale of the underside of New Orleans and the exploits of one corrupt cop. Directed with flavor by Werner Herzog ("Rescue Dawn"), the film is a very, very loose remake of an earlier 1992 film "Bad Lieutenant," starring Harvey Keitel, though it bears little resemblance to that seedy film. In fact, Herzog improves upon that uneven film considerably, held together by a mesmerizing, centerpiece performance from Cage, with his best role in years and a reminder of why he won an Oscar for "Leaving Las Vegas" 14 years ago. Given his penchant for annoyingly overacting in the worst way, I forgot that Cage can be an affecting, even hypnotic actor, but he delivers a terrific turn here, making you forget anything with "National Treasure" in the title (and hopefully overcome his current financial troubles).

Eva Mendes, another actor noted for more commerical roles, also has a strong turn as his junkie hooker girlfriend. Herzog has assembled some of the finest character actors to deliver some memorable scenes. Jennifer Coolidge (of the Christopher Guest films) is excellent as a blowsy, alcoholic younger wife of Terrence's father, as is Brad Dourif as a bookie friend and Dallas-site Irma P. Hall as a grandmother of a witness who's quite bothered by Terrence's questions (one scene with Hall, Cage and an elderly woman is one of the film's highlights). One disappointment: Val Kilmer is hardly there as a fellow corrupt cop, wishing he had more screen time.

The script takes some nice downturns down some dark alley's, and New Orleans never looked so gray, though the plot chases too many rabbits and some part of its mid-section don't seem fleshed out. And as mesmerizing as "Bad Lieutenant" is at times, it doesn't have a huge wide appeal; those who have become accustomed to Cage's action-hero roles will be quite surprised when they find out all the terrible things he does here. The film's final scene is a stark reminder that a leopard (especially a drug-addicted one) never quite loses its spots.

Every few years, Cage reminds us that he can still act. "Moonstruck," "Leaving Las Vegas," "Adaptation," and now "Bad Lieutenant." Let's enjoy it while we can before we get more bad hairpieces and saving the world action set-pieces like we saw with dreck like this year's "Knowing."

The Fantastic Mr. Fox - B+

Rated PG for action, smoking and slang humor, 87 minutes

Inspired, original "Fox" near fantastic

Who would've thought that the guy who directed such offbeat fare as "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums" would make a thoroughly enjoyable, inspired and slyly amusing children's film such as "The Fantastic Mr. Fox." But an unconventional director like Wes Anderson is seemingly a natural choice to direct Roald Dahl's unconventional children's book in colorful, stop-motion form. "Mr. Fox" is energetic, affectingly voiced and its themes suitable for everyone, though the dialogue-heavy plot may lose some of the younger set it's intended for.

The story concerns Mr. Fox (George Clooney) and his wild-ways of hen heckling, turkey taking and cider sipping, nocturnal, instinctive adventures. Since he started a family with Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep) and now has a son Ash (Jason Schwartzman), his wild days are behind him and he must do what fathers do best: be responsible. However, given his rebellious foxy ways, he's going to try "just one more raid" on the three nastiest, meanest farmers that are Boggis (Robin Hurlstone), Bunce (Hugo Guinness) and Bean (Michael Gambon). It is this quest for one last great adventure that opens the door for some major problems when the farmers begin their hunt to destroy Mr. Fox, his friends and their way of life below the ground.

Magical, inventive and fun, "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" is brought to life with fresh imagination from Anderson, who carefully adapts Dahl's (he also wrote "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach") ingenious children's novel but adds a goofy, pleasant humor not usually found in those novels. Anderson bookends the film with his own original scenes while remaining faithful to the source through the rest of the film.

Anderson also adds some of his usual touches - family dysfunction, lots of dialogue and those yellow placards which come upon the screen to introduce us to another chapter. All works well with the story, except Anderson's dialogue isn't kid-friendly and may be lost on many of the younger ones in the audience, who with no doubt will enjoy the stop-motion animation and the amusement of it all (my favorite: some sleep-inducing blueberries that Mr. Fox throws to the beagles).

"The Fantastic Mr. Fox" is voiced with natural ease by all the actors; the suave Clooney is especially an inspired choice for the title role, while Streep is a wistful, gentle Mrs. Fox. Anderson regulars Schwartzman, as nerdy son Ash, and Bill Murray, as the Badger, are among the highlights of the film (the Murray-Clooney exchanges are particularly memorable). Gambon (of the recent "Harry Potter" films), Owen Wilson (also an Anderson regular) and Willem Dafoe all have a few fun moments as some colorful characters in Mr. Fox's world.

However, the real star of "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" is the seamless, bright stop-motion animation, which seems remarkably smooth and crisp compared to other films. It's an inspired choice to make Dahl's film this way but also a risky one, given that the Tim Burton-produced "James and the Giant Peach" remains one of the most fantastic, vivid stop-motion films ever seen.

"The Fantastic Mr. Fox" is near-fantastic in its fresh approach to appeal to all ages: the kids will enjoy the superb animation, the adults will enjoy the dialogue, not to mention the underlying messages of community and family. "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" is a pleasant, enjoyable movie-going experience that the whole family can enjoy this holiday season.

Ninja Assassin - B-

Rated R for strong bloody stylized violence throughout, and language, 99 minutes

Buckets of blood and fun in "Ninja Assassin"

"Ninja Assassin" arrives in timely manner for the holidays, when turkeys are carved and served with sides of cranberry sauce and dressing, as there's plenty of slicing, dicing and flying appendages in the new martial arts film. With loads of fast-paced fight scenes and more blood than Jason or Freddy could ever dream up, it's far more entertaining than you might think. Don't get me wrong, the Wachowski Brothers (of "Matrix" fame) produced film is pure hokum and ridiculously over-the-top, so much that it’ll end up an end-of-year guilty pleasure over much more serious movie going fare.

Raizo (Rain) is one of the world's deadliest ninja assassins, having been kidnapped as a child and raised by the Ozunu Clan, believed by the world to be a myth. When Raizo's friend is executed by the clan, Raizo flees into hiding. He later reemerges, seeking revenge. Meanwhile, Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) is a Europol agent who investigates money linked to political murders and finds that it is linked to the Ozunu Clan. She defies her superior, Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles), and retrieves secret agency files to find out more. The clan, finding out about the investigation, attempts to assassinate her, but she is rescued by Raizo. Hiding in Europe, Raizo and Mika must find a way to take down the Ozunu Clan.

"Ninja Assassin" swoops in at a time when the martial-arts tank has run dry and masters like Jet LiJackie Chan or aging or taking a different direction. If you think you've seen it all, then you should see "Ninja Assassin," a preposterous, messy but energetic film that comes with some eye-popping fight scenes and featuring excessive amounts of violence, gore and bright red stylized blood. Director James McTeigue ("V for Vendetta") gets things going early on in a jolting, splattery prologue that sets the pace for the rest of the film.

There's not a single subtle thing about "Ninja Assassin" and in some respects that isn't a bad thing, after all there's nothing worse than a boring martial arts film. A weak back story told in flashback nearly drags it down, but a few action set pieces midway through, including one in a parking garage, rev up the film. As for the rest of the movie, it's a bit of a mess: the thin story is barely there, character development is marginal at best and the acting, well, there's not much to it, all of it held together by those exciting action sequences and a dark tone that befits the story.

South Korean pop singer and model Rain plays "Ninja Assassin's" lead role with essentially a series of poses, but he handles the big knives and weapons well, while Naomie Harris' (a U.K. actress who may be recognizable from the last two "Pirates of the Caribbean" films) role is largely nonessential, adding beauty and some comic relief to its remarkably downbeat feel (and how she miraculously escapes any injury is as big a contrivance as any sword used in the film).

If you don't have the stomach for this kind of thing (and you may not if you eat too much holiday food), then you're better off with the scrubbed PG-13 "Twilight" set, as the violence here, while clearly video-game inspired along with some added CG effects, pops with a lot of fervor, and in a couple of scenes (particularly one in a restroom) may cause some discomfort. Still, without it, "Ninja Assassin" wouldn't be near as fun, including the cool way that some characters can appear and reappear during key battle scenes. The overlong climactic battle in "Ninja Assassin" is enjoyable, predictable and overdone, adding guns to an already crowded mix of swords, knives and any other type of blade that can be used in battle.

Martial-arts enthusiasts - no pun intended - will get a big kick out of this and may clamor for sequels if the film becomes a big hit. "Ninja Assassin" is mindless, escapist entertainment and worthwhile for those wanting to enjoy the holidays with some blood and a few high kicks.

Old Dogs - C

Rated PG for some mild rude humor, 90 minutes

"Old Dogs" offers nothing new: same 'ol dumb, silly fun

The new Disney comedy "Old Dogs" starring Robin Williams and John Travolta is nothing new, especially if you've seen the trailers for the film, or any other Disney comedy in the last 10 years, for that matter. Williams and Travolta make for a pleasant comedic team in an otherwise forgettably silly, hit-or-miss film that should please the popcorn movie-going masses this holiday season.

Two best friends and business partners -- unlucky-in-love divorcee Dan (Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor Charlie (Travolta) -- have their lives turned upside down when a former flame of Dan's (Kelly Preston) shows up and they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of his children, 7-year old twins (Conner Rayburn and Ella Bleu Travolta) all while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins, leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what’s really important in life.

Lacking any sort of fresh comedic sensibility, "Old Dogs" is mildly amusing and slightly entertaining at best but has an air of sadness stemming from its casting and the fact it features Bernie Mac's last screen role. Travolta's wife Preston plays Williams love interest, while one of the kids is Preston and Travolta's real-life daughter Ella Bleu, which makes for a nice family affair until you remember their son Jett's unexpected and tragic death since the film was completed. Even more unfortunate is that "Old Dogs" will be remembered as Mac's last screen role, sad given the fact that his very brief role in it isn't very good or all that funny.

It's not all Mac's fault, though, as the movie lacks many laugh-out loud moments, peppered with only a few mildly amusing gags. It really comes down to the star pairing of Travolta and Williams to carry all of this and while they work well together, their lazy, collect-a-check performances bring to light the worst parts of "Old Dogs": the lousy direction from "Wild Hogs" director David Becker and the maudlin, predictable script that Disney so likes to churn out these days. It's all safe, silly and suitable fun for the family, though you can't help wonder why these characters are so dumb - from mixing up medication to excessive tanning to breaking and entering - all of which seems like filler to pad an already weak story.

With that in mind, it's also easy to see why they also packed "Old Dogs" with so many cameos at every turn, a stunt casting trick that ends up a mixed bag here. They range from sharp (comedian Amy Sedaris is onscreen for less than a minute and still earns a laugh) to moderately amusing (Rita Wilson as a cross-eyed hand model) to plain unfunny (Matt Dillon and Justin Long as camp counselors) to completely wasted (Ann-Margaret, appearing drunk). All that's missing is a cameo from Tim Allen, who's made a decent living by appearing in numerous middling Disney films over the years, a route that Travolta himself seems to be taking as well, with a forthcoming "Wild Hogs" sequel.

Even with this, "Old Dogs" isn't a complete waste of time. Seth Green adds some goofy energy as their co-worker (and the scenes with a gorilla you've seen in the trailers is one of the more memorable bits), and you can impress your friends by answering a trivia question as to what's happened to Lori Loughlin, one of the co-stars of the '80s sitcom "Full House," appearing here briefly as Travolta's love interest.

Take a couple of big movie stars past their prime, add a few gags, insert a few tears and wrap it up, put a falsely nice happy-ending bow on it and you have another mediocre Disney package. "Old Dogs" is not completely awful but then it could've been much, much better given the talent.

An Education - B+

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving sexual content, and for smoking, 95 minutes

Smart, touching "An Education"

"An Education" is an intelligent, touching coming-of-age British dramedy with superb performances that could see awards consideration in the near future. Inspired by true events, "An Education" is all about making the right choices at the right time, sometimes before its too late. It's also a poignant reminder that it's not too early for teenagers and young folks to carefully consider their career paths before they go down the wrong road.

In the early 1960's, sixteen year old Jenny Mellor (Carey Mulligan) lives with her parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour) in the London suburb of Twickenham. On her father's wishes, everything that Jenny does is in the sole pursuit of being accepted into Oxford, as he wants her to have a better life than he. Jenny is bright, pretty, hard working but also naturally gifted.

Jenny's life changes after she meets David Goldman (Peter Sarsgaard), a man over twice her age. David goes out of his way to show Jenny and her family that his interest in her is not improper and that he wants to expose her to cultural activities which she enjoys. Jenny quickly gets accustomed to the life to which David and his constant companions, Danny (Dominic Cooper) and Helen (Rosamund Pike), have shown her and Jenny and David's relationship evenutally turns romantic. However, Jenny has to decide if her life with David is worth forgoing her plans of higher eduction at Oxford.

"An Education" is an affecting, relevant coming-of-age movie about the choices we make early on in life. Danish director Lone Scherfig helms a script by Nick Hornby ("Fever Pitch") that's actually based on autobiographical events of British journalist Lynn Barber, whose memoir is the inspiration for the film. Scherfig elicits sensitive, tender performances from the cast, especially Sarsgaard as Jenny's older romantic interest.

But it's young British actress Mulligan who is a revelation as Jenny, a teenager who gets an education in real life; she yearns for romance but also wants to do the right thing. Character actor Molina ("Spider-Man 2") contributes an outstanding supporting performance as Jenny's protective father, who's also living vicariously through his daughter and wants the best for her. Watch for Olivia Williams ("Dollhouse") and Oscar-winner Emma Thompson in small but key roles as Jenny's teacher and principal, respectively.

Most important are the director and script's fair treatment of the main character; it doesn't look down on her but does its best to show Jenny has good intentions in what she does. The initial chapters are a bit too leisurely, and it takes too much time to develop the story, but Mulligan and Sarsgaard are both engaging actors that you want to spend time with. You'll see a couple of plot twists coming if you play close attention, but Mulligan's expressions when she discovers the truth about David is one of the film's highight.

The ending of "An Education" is predictable but uplifting and an appropriate test that Jenny passes with flying colors. Both Mulligan and Molina are possible Oscar nominees for their fine, textured performances. "An Education" is an enjoyable experience and comes recommended as a better choice than vampires or werewolves this weekend.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day - C-

Rated R for bloody violence, language and some nudity, 117 minutes

"Boondock Saints II": Far from heavenly, an entertaining mess

A friend introduced me to "The Boondock Saints" (1999), lending me his DVD of the film about two vigilante brothers that became a cult hit on video. Even more interesting was the fact that its director and writer, Troy Duffy, was working as a bartender shortly before he made the film. The first film's appeal came through the bloody entertaining, fun story and comedic banter between the leads. Ten years later, Duffy is finally releasing the sequel, "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day," an unnecessary sequel that's missing much the charm of the first one (not to mention Willem Dafoe); it does have a few fun moments and laughs, but is hammy, surprisingly second-rate and hastily produced.

For the last 8 years the brothers, Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus) have been living with their father on a sheep farm deep in isolated Ireland. One day their uncle tells them that they have been framed for the murder of a Bostonian Catholic priest. The boys must return to Boston to not only clear their names but find the men who framed them, one of them (Judd Nelson) who has a connection to their past. They get help from a new partner, Romeo (Clifton Collins, Jr.) along with their old detective pals at the Boston Police Department: Rocco (David Della Rocco), Greenly (Bob Marley), and Duffy (Brian Mahoney), not to mention a fast-talking, head strong Southern FBI Special Agent Eunice Bloom (Julie Benz) who has nifty tricks up her sleeve to solve the case.

"Boondock Saints II" is a fast-paced, bloody entertaining mess of a movie that's both watchable ridiculous. It reunites most of the cast (sans the aforementioned Dafoe), primarly Flanery and Reedus as the Irish vigilante McManus brothers. There's no denying their charm, though it's been so long (ten years) since they've been onscreen, it may be helpful for even fans of the first movie to rewatch that one before seeing this one. The story is a flimsy, contrived one at best, but even worse, some audience members may pick up on a creepy, homoerotic undercurrent between the two brothers (never married, always together and give each other tattoos - maybe all coincidences).

You also won't miss the addition of two new colorful characters in "Boondock Saints," that of Collins and Benz, who are enjoyable but give two of the hammiest performances seen in recent memory, particularly Benz, who has trouble holding down that fake Southern accent for long. The rest of the cast overacts just as much, if not more. You can stop wondering what happened to "The Breakfast Club's" Judd Nelson, wasted in a small, one-note role as one of the bad guys, and if you stay through the bloody, overlong and over-the-top climax, you'll get a chance to see a fun cameo from a miscast Peter Fonda, who does a worse job with his Italian accent than Benz did with her Southern one.

"Boondocks Saints II" is hardly subtle but fans of this may still enjoy it, even if Duffy's forgettable production that ends up as both cheap and offensive. Duffy himself comes across as a one-trick pony, having done no other films except these and seemingly gearing up for a third installment. "Boondocks Saints II" may end up being guilty-pleasure entertainment and could find a bigger audience on DVD, where this should've gone in the first place.