X-Men Origins: Wolverine - B

PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some partial nudity, 107 minutes

"Wolverine" kicks off the summer movie season with loads of intense fun, action

The new fantasy adventure film X-Men Origins: Wolverine literally kicks off the summer movie season in high style, with loads of intense fun and action geared toward the comic book set. Even if you don’t fall into that group, there’s still plenty of things to enjoy Wolverine, though the story is unoriginal and the first act unloads lots of unnecessary backstory and characters. Wolverine is peppered with some colorful visuals, a few stellar action sequences and a game, extremely buffed-up Hugh Jackman in the title role.

Wolverine is a prequel to the X-Men trilogy of films, set approximately 15 years before those films, dealing with the violent past of James Logan, aka Wolverine (Jackman), before he met Charles Xavier and those mutants you’re familiar with. Logan and his brother Victor Creed (who will later become Sabretooth, played with zest by Liev Schreiber) run away together as children in 1845 after Logan kills their biological father who had murdered Logan’s adoptive father.

After serving together in the military in many wars they are recruited by William Stryker (Danny Huston) to serve in a special unit made up of mutants. After wiping out an African village, Logan quits the unit and goes off to live a life of peace in Canada with his girlfriend Silverfox (Lynn Collins). However, Creed commits some acts of betrayal and murder against Logan, and wanting revenge against Creed, Logan is recruited by Stryker and covered with an indestructible metal. Now on a search and destroy mission, the ultimate battle is set between Wolverine, Sabretooth and Stryker to see who’ll emerge standing.

Wolverine is an exciting, enjoyable fantasy action-adventure that starts out the summer movie season with a load of adrenaline. If you enjoyed the other X-Men movies or enjoy superhero movies, you’ll get the most of Wolverine, though some of it lacks the heart and originality of the earlier X-Men films. The action is the best thing about Wolverine, though its detailed story slows things down considerably in the first 30 minutes, when it attempts to pack too much in. Those not attune with the first X-Men movies may get lost, but even with its script flaws there’s still much to enjoy about Wolverine.

Gavin Hood (Rendition) fills the palette with many sumptous visuals (it’s fun seeing Wolverine get all pumped up with metal) yet the most memorable parts of Wolverine are the superbly handled action sequences. One breathless sequence involves a helicopter, then another exciting fight between Gambit (Friday Night Lights’ Taylor Kitsch) and of course the extended final showdown between Wolverine, Sabretooth and Stryker on some deadly nuclear reactors.

A huge, muscled Jackman is a game, energetic Wolverine, and he ably carries the movie on his shoulders, but he couldn’t have done it without a sterling supporting cast. A snarling Schreiber comes close to walking off with the movie, and he has tremendous fun with the role of the snarky Sabretooth; Kitsch is also quite good as Gambit, but it’s a smallish role that will seemingly be developed in future films. Huston is terrific as the slimeball double-crossing Stryker, though Ryan Reynolds (yes, that Ryan Reynolds) and Lost’s Dominic Monaghan don’t have much impact in brief roles seen only in the film’s first act.

There were some things that should’ve been developed more - like Wolverine’s relationship with Silverfox, or more about Silverfox’s sister Emma Frost, whose skin can change into diamonds, and as much as Wolverine attempts to pack in, it’ll still leave you wanting more, and some may carp that Wolverine’s revenge isn’t fully realized. Aside from these story flaws, Wolverine is an exciting ride, and as fully expected, the ending leaves it wide open for more installments.

Wolverine is a satisfying, action-adventure film worth your time that will please X-Men enthusiasts and non-fans alike. It’s not a perfect film that sometimes tries too hard but is an entertaining escape from a recessionary real world.

You'll also find this review at www.popsyndicate.com.

Battle for Terra - B

Rated PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and some thematic elements, 85 minutes

Animated "Battle of Terra" is leisurely, crisp and should please sci-fi fans

"Battle for Terra" is an animated sci-fi adventure that will please sci-fi fans drooling over the release of the new "Star Trek" next week. For an animated film with a limited budget, "Terra" is a solid effort - crisp, colorfully drawn and filled with many familiar voices. The story lacks a sense of wonder and its pacing too slow for the younger set, but science fiction afficionados should take a look before Trekkie madness takes over.

Mala (Evan Rachel Wood) is a precocious alien girl living on the beautiful planet Terra, a place where peace and tolerance are celebrated. Mala and her fellow Terrians, the last inhabitants of Earth, are unaware that they've exhausted the resources of their planet and those of three others, and are now searching for a new home.

When the Earthlings embark on a hostile invasion of Terra, Mala's father, Roven (Dennis Quaid), is kidnapped. Hoping to save her father, Mala captures and hides a crashed human pilot named Jim (Luke Wilson). While Mala nurses Jim back to health, the two forge a friendship and a plan that could save both the human race and the planet of Terra.

"Battle for Terra" is a modest but worthwhile effort, with clean, crisp visuals though it's story lacks the power and involvment on the level of "Star Trek" or "Star Wars." Sci-fi fans will get a treat out of it. and "Terra" is seemingly made for them. Director and co-writer Aristomenis Tsirbas has made a feature-length film from his award-winning short animated film "Terra" (2003), on which this is based. The feature-length "Terra" is an auspicious debut for Tsirbas, proving he may have a solid career in filmmaking.

"Terra" is loaded with familiar voices, including Evan Rachel Wood, who makes a perfect Mala, along with Justin Long, Luke Wilson, Brian Cox, Chris Evans, Beverly D'Angelo, David Cross, Rosanna Arquette, James Garner, and if you listen closely enough, Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. They lend themselves nicely to the original story, which moves too slowly and may lose some of the younger set, which is unfortunate as it has some nice messages of loyalty, friendship and peace. The climactic battle scenes are the best, and there's a cute little robot named Giddy (voiced by comedian Cross) that is awfully familiar of WALL-E.

"Battle for Terra," with "Star Trek" on the near horizon, may not make much of a splash, but it's a decent, modestly entertaining effort that's suitable for the family and recommended strongly for those with an interest in space.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - C

Rated PG-13 for sexual content throughout, some language and a drug reference, 100 minutes

"Ghosts of Girlfriends Past": shallow, mildly enjoyable but half-baked rom com

When a romantic comedy like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is released the same weekend as a blockbuster film like Wolverine, the studio must have great faith in the movie, or think it’s a dog of a movie. On the surface, it seems to be the latter, but studio execs might’ve also wanted an estrogen-filled alternative during a male-dominated weekend at the box-office, and Ghosts certainly fits that bill. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is fluffy and altogether pointless entertainment at best, with a handful of fun moments and not anything that actually rings true life.

A smooth-talking successful fashion photographer and womanizer named Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) heads to his younger brother Paul’s (Breckin Meyer) wedding to control freak Sandra (Lacey Chabert). Free-wheeling bachelor Connor has slept with most of the brides maid’s, including former flame Jenny (Jennifer Garner). During the weekend, he has an epiphany ala Dickens A Christmas Carol, when the ghost of Connor’s womanizer Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas) shows up and brings the ghosts of his girlfriends past, present and future to teach him a lesson or two about how to truly treat women and the true meaning of love and loyalty.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a lazy excuse for a movie, but fun, forgettable entertainment sandwiched between all the Wolverine-Trekkie craziness that will dominate the early summer season. Much like a cruise, it’s a sunny, shallow getaway with loads of handsome people making eyes at each other and pretending to be funny. Mark Waters, the guy who directed half-way decent movies The Spiderwick Chronicles and Mean Girls, ends up with a half-baked, mildly enjoyable rom com. A novel premise for sure but so lazily executed you’ll forget it why you’re even there after awhile.

I give McConaughey a little (and just a little) slack because he’s a Texas boy, but he manages to play a version of this same womanizer stud in every movie, and while I do give him credit in Ghosts for actually keeping his shirt on and overall, it’s far better than the utterly dreadful Fool’s Gold, he still lacks emotional depth, particularly in the film’s climax, to reach out and emotionally connect with his (largely female) audience. The changes in his character, while honorable, are really just surface changes, and he’s still as annoying as he was at the film’s beginning (it also cheerfully and unrealistically overlooks the idea of any STD’s as he beds so many women).

As well, the more engaging parts of Ghosts come from the supporting cast of mostly women that surround McConaughey in the movie. Co-star Garner has never been more likable as she has been here (and really deserves better), which makes it even more difficult to buy that such an intelligent woman would tolerate someone like Connor for even 5 minutes, much less over many years. Even better is Emma Stone (The House Bunny) as the ghost of his girlfriends past, a 16-year old frizzy-haired brace face Valley Girl who’s much smarter than she looks, and ghost of girlfriends present, Connor’s long-suffering, lonely but caustic personal assistant (Noureen DeWolf).

Michael Douglas has the most fun in Ghosts as the slimy Uncle Wayne, the special Burt Reynolds role with “and” attached to it in the credits. With greasy, slicked-back white hair and rose-colored glasses, he spouts bad advice and is a horrible role model to a young Connor/McConaughey. His most memorable advice: “women like to be screwed, but not screwed over.” That could really apply to the movie-going audience who’ll pay good money to see Ghosts. Watch for a smokin’ Anne Archer (ironically Douglas’ screwed-over wife in Fatal Attraction) in a very brief role as the bride’s hot mom.

Handsomely filmed, energetically paced and peppered with a few entertaining moments (a wedding cake, some horny bridesmaids among them), most of which come early on. You won’t buy a single minute of Ghosts or remember it after it’s over, but it’s mindless entertainment for 90 minutes racing to a cheesy, predictable ending and an even cheesier ‘80s REO Speedwagon song. McConaughey, a wedding and loads of pretty people may make some good eye candy, but that doesn’t mean it’s a great movie, either.

McConaughey or romantic comedy fans will love Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. The rest of us will tolerate it. Live long, prosper and go at your own risk.

This review also published at: www.popsyndicate.com.

The Soloist - B

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some drug use and language, 109 minutes

Flawed but affecting, well-acted "Soloist" has some good moments

"The Soloist" is a flawed but superbly acted, well-directed real-life portrayal of the ways in which mental illness can affect those around us, regardless of how gifted they are. There are some affecting moments in the drama, which changes some key facts of the key story but keeps most of the major themes in acts. It's very leisurely paced (i.e. slow) in some sections, but stick with it until the emotionally satisfying ending.

"The Soloist" is based on the real-life events that inspired Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey, Jr.) to write some articles for his paper that were later turned into a book. Lopez befriended a homeless man in downtown L.A. named Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), who was in fact a Julliard trained musician who was a musical prodigy and who can play a multitude of instruments, specializing in the violin and cello. Ayers had a nervous breakdown in his second year of Julliard and was taken care of by his mother until her death and has been diagnosed as schizophrenic. He then came to L.A. in search of more family and ended up homeless barely getting by playing a two-stringed violin.

When Lopez learns of his plight, he begins writing articles for the paper, all the while becoming emotionally attached to Ayers, who is a member of an L.A. homeless shelter and organization called LAMP. Lopez encourages him to get help with the aid of doctors and medication, hoping to get him off the streets and fully utilizing his talents. But his relationship with Ayers becomes volatile and uncertain when Ayers himself refuses the help and Lopez realizes the most important thing to Ayers may be the friendship he has with him.

"The Soloist" is a poignant, often sad picture of mental illness and how it affects even the gifted. What could've been the next TV movie of the week is lifted by the superb performances of leads Downey and Foxx, whose chemistry provides the more touching moments of the story. Foxx does an excellent job of capturing the physical, outward extremities of mental illness (not to mention he actually learned how to play the violin and cello), but the trickier role is Downey's, whose requires more registering internal emotions than external ones. Downey is moderately successful, though he plays the role too distant to stake a huge emotional bond with the audience (sarcasm can only get you so far and his voice-over narration is unnecessary).

"Soloist" is leisurely but well-directed by Joe Wright, the Brit who sublimely directed "Atonement" and "Pride and Prejudice," and does an auspicious job here in his first big U.S.-filmed movie. The script borders on the maudlin, especially near the climax when it tries too hard to be inspiring, when the story alone is inspiration enough. Also, the script by Susannah Grant ("In Her Shoes") changes too many facts of the real story, which may explain why Catherine Keener's role of the ex-wife/co-worker is so awkwardly handled and underwritten (the real Lopez is, in fact, still happily married), wasting the very gifted actress.

In the end, "The Soloist," in spite of script and pacing flaws, is emotionally satisfying in the end and helps its audience realize the value of friendship in any situation, and that isn't such a bad thing at all.

The Informers - D-

Rated R strong sexual content, nudity, drug use, pervasive language and some disturbing images, 98 minutes

You've been duly informed: "The Informers" a horrible mess

"The Informers" is a baffling, junky and incoherent mess that won't do the careers of any of the actors involved any favors. The choppy, badly edited film seems to have gone terribly wrong in post-production, and most of the blame can probably go to writer and producer Bret Easton Ellis, who wrote the novel the movie is based on. What ends up on screen bears little resemblance to his book, and seems to channel his earlier (and better) efforts "Less than Zero" and "Rules of Attraction."

"The Informers" is a multi-strand narrative set in early 1983 Los Angeles, centered on an array of characters who represent the good and the bad. A bitter Hollywood movie executive (Billy Bob Thornton) is romancing a young TV newscaster (Wynona Ryder), though he wants to move back in with his boozy, estranged wife (Kim Basinger). Their handsome twenty-something son Graham (Jon Foster) is a high-profile drug dealer who lives with his promiscuous girlfriend (Amber Heard) and their hedonistic friend Martin (Austin Nichols), a music video producer.

Meanwhile, there's the dissolute rock star Bryan (Mel Raido) with substance abuse problems and who enjoys sleeping with underage women. A voyueristic doorman (Brad Renfro) must deal with his amoral leech ex-con uncle (Mickey Rourke) who moves and brings problems with him. And then there's Graham's friend Tim (Lou Taylor Pucci) who goes on an awkward vacation to Hawaii with his rich dad Les (Chris Isaak) in hopes they become closer.

"The Informers" is an unfortunate, awful piece of junk that wastes a talented cast with a bizarre, baffling and altogether incoherent story and doesn't flow well at all. It's very loosely based on Ellis' 1994 novel of the same name, using some of those same characters but that novel's non-linear structure makes it a difficult adaptation. He also wrote the screenplay for the movie, and is responsible for some of the worst dialogue that makes "Valley of the Dolls" look good. Had "The Informers" at least had camped it up some, it would've been more fun to watch, but it takes itself far, far too (and painfully) serious.

The horrific acting in "The Informers" doesn't help and brings out the most annoying habits in the gifted Billy Bob Thornton, Wynona Ryder, Mickey Rourke and particularly Kim Basinger, whose incapable of showing any emotion. It is notable that this is the last movie for Brad Renfro, who died of an overdose early last year. The bloated Renfro gives a bizarre, fidgety performance that indicates substance abuse, and his exchanges with an equally stoned-looking Rourke provide the film's only real watchable moments. The rest of the young, pretty unknown cast are completely forgettable.

The movie skims over heavy issues like infidelity, death, AIDS, substance abuse and with the exception of some nifty retro '80s songs, doesn't make good use of the time period. The script goes from one episode to the next without really saying much, and the choppiness of it all is why the story seems so baffling and filled with gaps. "The Informers" seems cut off in the middle, with one of the worst, baffling endings that I've seen in some time. Be duly informed, "The Informers" is a complete, utter mess and waste of time, don't bother.

Obsessed - D+

Rated PG-13 for sexual material including some suggestive dialogue, some violence and thematic content, 105 minutes

"Fatal Attraction" rip-off "Obsessed" is a forgettable, cliched thriller

The new thriller "Obsessed" certainly is obsessed with one thing: ripping off "Fatal Attraction" or any other crazed psychopath vixen. In spite of a handsome cast that includes music star Beyonce and a few entertaining, over-the-top moments near the end, "Obsessed" is strictly forgettable: a paint-by-numbers, cliche-laden, badly acted and written thriller that you shouldn't waste your time or money with until it hits the discount theaters or DVD.

Derek (Idris Elba) and Sharon (Beyonce) are a happily-married couple with a young son, a huge house in the suburbs and Derek's career at his firm is on the rise. Their idllyic life comes to an end when Lisa the temp ("Heroes" Ali Larter) begins working for Derek's firm. Derek is a nice guy, but Lisa misunderstands his behavior and begins flirting with Derek, then coming on to him at the company Christmas, then in his car and other attempts. Derek resists her advances, but the delusional Lisa believes they're involved, leading to disasterous and dangerous results, particularly when Lisa and Sharon have a showdown that will leave only one standing.

"Obsessed" is a third-rate thriller that throws out every movie cliche regarding these types of things (red dress, tainted drinks, et al) and is truly painful to watch. Believability is thrown out the window and you won't buy a single minute of this, though the cast is pretty to look at. All of the characters are strictly cardboard cut out with no depth, motivation or backstory. The lame direction by TV director Steve Shill and the dervivative script by "Lakeview Terrace's" David Loughery don't help, either.

As for Beyonce, who also co-produced (along with Magic Johnson), she looks good and may be able to carry a tune, but may want to sharpen those acting skills; she comes across too wooden and stilted to believe. Larter proves she can handle herself on the TV show "Heroes" but not here, and Elba (seen currently to better effect in "The Office") is altogether wasted in a one-note role. Watch for Jerry O' Connell, character actor Bruce McGill and even Christine Lahti (yes that Christine Lahti, of "Chicago Hope") in small roles that considerably underuse their talents.

The main reason that most will want to "Obsessed" is the girl fight at the end that is the most entertaining, though over-the-top moment in the film. The climax is even extremely predictable, you'll know who'll kick who and who will die at the end. At least the R&B, urban soundtack is nice to listen to, and Beyonce sings a new song on it, appropriately called "Smash into You" (if you see the film you'll know why it's appropriate).

It's hard for me to diss someone as hugely talented as Beyonce, but "Obsessed" is a forgettable drama that's beneath her talents. You're better off listening to her music, it's far more memorable and worthwhile than this trashy mess of a movie.

Earth - B+

Rated G, 90 minutes

What a wonderful..."Earth" - captivating and entertaining documentary perfect fit for Earth Day

The new Disney documentary "Earth" is a perfect treat for the green and non-green, making a great addition to Earth Day and one good thing you can do actually do indoors. Entertainingly filled with stunning, awe-inspiring footage, "Earth" isn't really new but a feature-length extension of the "Planet Earth" documentary series, and this film is really the first bookend on what could be a whole film encyclopedia on our wonderful world. This entry could also be called "Migration," as it spans the globe following the migration paths of three different animal families.

The Earth is on such an enormous scale-where would you actually begin to make a documentary? Documentary filmmakers Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield decided to begin looking at how animals migrate - for whatever reason - climate changes, sustenance, breeding - in various parts of the globe. The American version, narrated with familiar force by James Earl Jones, primarily looks at polar bears, elephants and whales, and take a few rabbit trails devoting secondary footage to other animals, such as geese, moose, ducks, lions, tigers, caribou, sharks - you name it. In the process they get some impossibly stunning, breathless footage in the process, from the depths of the oceans, to the icebergs to the Himalayas, they have their cameras positioned (and with a $40 million budget, the most expensive documentary ever) to capture the unexpected.

To name just a few of "Earth's" visually engaging scenes: the great white shark lunging and emerging out of the blue seas, the polar bear trekking across glaciers in desperate search for food, the elephants trekking over desolate dry lands for water. The more intense but highly entertaining and watchable scenes come when the documentary invariably (and in National Geographic mode) focus on the ways in which animals hunt each other for food. One truly breathless scene has a wolf chasing a young caribou for miles - and one of them invariably has to win out.

There's also the scene of the tiger chasing the deer and a stunning underwater scene with fish battling out for their lives. Though "Earth" is Rated G and suitable for everyone, these scenes may be a tad intense for the younger set, especially if they don't enjoy seeing animals get hurt (no worries, no graphic bloodshed is shown). Of course, if you want cute there's plenty of that too - from clumsy, young ducklings to those adorable young polar bear cubs - "awww" may be heard more than once.

As expected, "Earth" captures the beautiful, the breathless, the stunning (even the first doc to get footage atop Mt. Everest), but even with all that it seems a little incomplete, and it understandably leaves it open to many more of these (the series took about a dozen or so episodes). With over 4,000 hours under the filmmakers belt, expect it for future Earth Day's. "Earth" is highly recommended viewing for the whole family, though this entry is a bit intense for those under 6 or 7, and no worries, there are no heavy-handed political messages, just lots of animals, loads of pretty scenery, and absolutely no humans.

In honor of Earth Day, if you see the film this weekend, Disney will plant a tree in your honor. So get your green on and see "Earth" in captivating form this weekend.