Starring: Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner and Chadwick Boseman
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 49 mins
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In 1994 the film “Major League II” had the hapless Cleveland Indians heading to the World Series. Sadly, because of a labor dispute the real World Series was cancelled that season. However, in 1995 the real Indians did, in fact play in the World Series.

It’s 2014, and the NFL player draft is about to begin. Holding the seventh pick in the draft is Cleveland Brown general manager Sonny Weaver, Jr. (Costner) Sonny’s first two years at the helm have not been the best, both for the Browns and him personally. Injuries hurt the club, causing losses to pile up. It got so bad that Sonny made a tough decision and fired the team’s beloved coach, who also happened to be Sonny’s father. Coach Weaver passed away during the off season and now Sonny must not only grieve for the man who taught him everything he knows about football but he must keep the Cleveland faithful happy

An incredible inside look into how NFL teams wheel and deal, “Draft Day” is an excellent film for anyone that ever rooted for the home team. It is a little “football nerd” centric so if you’re not a draft junkie or only have a passing interest in your team you may find it a little boring.

With the draft 12 hours away we find Sonny making phone calls. Should he take the defensive player he’s been scouting for years? The running back that’s the son of a former Brown. Or should he trade away the future by grabbing the number one pick from the Seahawks by offering future first round picks? It’s not an easy decision to make. Especially when the local fans are already calling for your head on the call in radio shows. Left with nothing to lose, by the end of the day Sonny will have considered all of the above.

Told with humor, and with the obvious support of the NFL, “Draft Day” is just the film to see before the real draft starts on May 8. Costner leads a great cast of characters, all with their own personalities. Denis Leary is the newly hired coach, intent on keeping the team’s quarterback. Garner is the team’s number cruncher, as well as Costner’s behind the scenes girlfriend. She started the day with an announcement of her own so to say Sonny is stressed out is an understatement. As the countdown to pick number one comes to a head the wheeling and dealing go into overdrive!

What’s funny about the film is that they present it as right before this year’s draft, with the Seahawks picking first. Ironically, the Seahawks won the Super Bowl last year so they’ll actually pick last! Which is why I mentioned “Major League II.” Who knows, maybe movie magic will return to the Forest City and we’ll see the Browns next February in Arizona. But I wouldn’t bet on it!

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Starring: Pat Healy, Sara Paxton and David Koechner
Directed By: E.L. Katz
Rated: R
Running Time: 85 minutes
Drafthouse Films

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I don’t know about you, but the most I’ve spent on a bottle of liquor is $35 and that was on sale. Imagine spending $300 for a bottle of tequila and silencing the waitress’ doubts that you can afford it by flipping out five Benjamins with a quick flip from your pocket (tip included). That’s exactly the kind of money Colin (Koechner) has to spend and that’s barely a drop in the bucket to his unforeseen amounts of wealth.

Our story isn’t about Colin, it’s about Craig (Healy). Despite being in a happy marriage, Craig is quickly and quietly down on his luck. As soon as he steps outside his apartment, he finds an eviction notice on his door. Even as he arrives to his job as a grease monkey, his boss calmly tells him that the company is downsizing and his name was on the chopping block. Instead of going home and telling his wife that he’s now unemployed and they will soon be out on the street, he decides a night at the bar with his friend Vince (Ethan Embry) would be better. That’s when they meet Colin and his wife Violet (Paxton). They’re celebrating her birthday by making $50 bets and soon want to include them in on the fun.

What kind of fun? Colin tells Craig and Vince that the first one to get the depressed looking female at the bar to slap them across the face, gets $200. Vince is game, but Craig is not. On to a strip club where one of them can now go slap a stripper’s rear end for a couple hundred. Vince is game, but Craig is still not. When they’re chased out, Craig is the one who is picked up by the scruff of his shirt by a bouncer and asked if he’s the one who touched the stripper. Colin in the heat of the moment says, “I’ll give you $500 if you hit him first.” After a night of watching a total stranger shell out money like a deranged Secret Santa and seeing his buddy cheerfully take every bet and make his wallet fatter, Colin gives in. He’s not the strongest looking guy so his meager punch is quickly responded with one knockout blow from our beefcake security guard.

As the night progresses, so does the severity and corrupt nature of the bets, but as the money stakes progress, Colin and Vince can’t help but become competitive. As Craig points out in the movie, we’ve already seen hundreds, if not thousands compete in degrading reality TV competitions, that sometimes involve the consumption of horse genitalia, for the almighty dollar. We also can’t forget that history has taught us that men have done worse for far less. Craig and Violet are a couple that Marquis de Sade would have idolized and wished he had written about. While Violet is the obvious reciprocator of watching these increasingly lewd, sexual, violent acts that Colin and Vince do, Craig is the cuckold husband who is the financial means to an end. Although the narrative is lacking and depraved set-ups are sometimes wasted, this is still a devilishly fun watch.

“Cheap Thrills” shows how insane our characters are willing to go for a quick buck while silently whispering in the audiences ear, “How far would you go?” Our society still divides itself over what is morally right and wrong for some easy cash. Companies will still cut safety corners to save a dime while people will gladly lineup for the next season of bug eating or starvation on “Survivor”. So I ask myself…would I punch the bouncer of a strip club in the face for $500 with the repercussion being a solid blow to my own? Make it $2,000 to help cover the cost of potentially losing my dental crown and you got yourself a deal.

NOW PLAYING EXCLUSIVELY AT AN ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE THEATRE NEAR YOU!

Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 16 mins
Walt Disney Pictures

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

CAP IS BACK!!

Fresh from his adventures in New York with his Avengers buddies, Steve Rogers (Evans) is still trying to adjust to his life in the 21st Century. Each day he refers to a notebook he keeps, where he writes down new information to research. A couple entries: NIRVANA (Band?) and ROCKY (Rocky 2). While jogging along the tidal pool in Washington D.C. he meets fellow soldier Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who gives him another name to put in his notebook, telling him that listening to his “Trouble Man” album will give him all the answers he needs. The artist: the great Marvin Gaye.

It’s almost an understatement to say that, since his revealing to the world, the nation has fallen in love with Captain America. In fact, there is an exhibit detailing his life (so far) in the Smithsonian. Sometimes, when he’s feeling low, Steve visits the exhibit incognito, taking in the sights. And, each time, he finds himself thinking about his friend Bucky Barnes, who gave his life so many years ago. Right?

As exciting as the first film, with wall to wall action from start to finish, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is another perfect piece in what is becoming the most profitable super-hero puzzle of all time. Long time television directors Anthony and Joe Russo (yes, they’re brothers) have crafted an exciting tale that perfectly encompasses not only the adventure that is happing on screen but helping to foreshadow what will probably be the highest grossing film of 2015: “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.” I’m hedging my bets and saying probably because that is the same year that “Star Wars: Episode VII” is due. I wonder if I can buy a movie theatre between now and then.

This adventure finds Cap and friends taking on a new Russian villain known as the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Cap is a little taken aback because his new adversary bears a strong resemblance to someone from his past. Led by Nick Fury (Jackson) and assisted by Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) and his new friend Sam, Cap soon finds himself battling a member of his own government, the slick and weasely Alexander Pierce (a well cast Robert Redford) as well as the evil group known as HYDRA.

The filmmakers do an incredible job of keeping the action front and center and I dare say there isn’t a boring minute in the films two hour plus run time. The visual effects are outstanding and comic book fans will enjoy the various hints dropped for future films, including a very quick Doc Strange reference! A great addition to the Marvel heroes family, “Captain America: the Winter Soldier” is another testament to the powers that be at Marvel Studios that anything worth doing is worth doing well!

Starring: Jude Law, Richard E. Grant, Demian Bichir, Emilia Clarke
Directed By: Richard Shepard
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 93 minutes

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

Jude Law struts and blusters around the screen as a Cockney safecracker who’s just been released after twelve years in prison in Richard Shepard’s Dom Hemingway. The title character makes for a lot of fun and a surprising performance from Law however it’s undercut by an episodic script that doesn’t really know what to do with all its characters, least of all Dom.

Dom’s angry that he’s spent so much time in jail but his objections are foggy from the get go. Immediately he beats the bloody pulp out of his dead wife’s second husband, but then he’s remorseful over being estranged from his daughter (Emilia Clarke), but then that thread is dropped so he might go off and attain reparations for his prison time spent protecting crime boss, Mr. Fontaine (Demian Bichir, who is no more threatening than Dos Equis’s Most Interesting Man in the World character). But first Dom must go on a three day binge of coke and hookers.

Like most things in Dom’s life, his meeting with Mr. Fontaine goes awfully and is spent alternately yelling at the crime boss for money while lusting after his girlfriend and then apologizing for the yelling and the lusting at the behest of Dom’s partner in crime, Dickie (a wonderful Richard E Grant whose judgmental looks deserved more screen time.) This meeting features some of the film’s highlights including Grant chasing a nude Law through an orchard and a spectacularly over the top car crash scene that the remainder of the film can’t live up to.

For some reason the car crash is the near-death experience that rewires Dom into wanting to make amends with his daughter. It’s here where the movie is most problematic as it attempts to balance the deadbeat father-daughter dynamic with the larger than life criminal who’s more compelling when behaving badly. Additionally, it’s hard to believe that this character hasn’t had many near-death experiences in his mess of a life so what made this one so different? The film’s never quite clear on this and an outrageous sequence where Dom attempts to regain his safecracking infamy doesn’t help sell the angle that Dom would ever make good on going straight for his family’s sake. Shepard appears to think that the mere fact that Dom has a dead wife and an estranged daughter is reason enough for the audience’s sympathy without doing anything to actually earn it.

Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly and Anthony Hopkins
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 18 mins
Paramount

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

There are going to be three types of people showing up to the cinema to check out the new film “Noah.” First will be people who go to see the big movie-of-the-weekend with the big-name stars. Second will be those people expecting a Biblical tale. Third will be devout fans of filmmaker Darren Aronofsky. I am part of the third group.

I am also a fan of both Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly. Crowe first caught my interest in the mid-nineties with the film “Romper Stomper” while Jennifer Connelly was probably every young boy’s crush of the late-80‘s and 1990’s. However, even with their talent and pull, I don’t know if I would have even gone and seen this movie if it weren’t for its director and co-writer, Darren Aronofsky, whose career I’ve been following since his 1998 directorial debut “Pi.” I have been waiting for years for a major studio to give him a large budget and let him unleash the undeniable talent that he has. And, with “Noah,” a studio finally has.

Those in tune with Aronofsky’s style and previous work could easily see this as a tonal prequel to his 2006 film “The Fountain.” There is a similar visual style at work here as well as the concept of the story. Aronofsky co-wrote “The Fountain” with Ari Handel, with whom also co-wrote this film.

“Noah” is an epic tale, with grand landscapes and fantastic visual effects (for the most part). Yet the story relies mainly on the humanization of the Noah character. As we all know the story of Noah, one doesn’t need to rehash it. This story brings Noah into human form and shows that he isn’t all-knowing and miraculous; rather he is shown as flawed and in constant struggle. Crowe does an excellent job at making you fall for his compassion and sincerity. In due time he is also able to make you fear him and root for him to change his mind. This is certainly one of the better performances he has given in years. It’s worth calling to attention that this is the second time that Russell Crowe has performed opposite Jennifer Connelly. They are husband and wife here, just as they were in 2001’s “A Beautiful Mind,” a film that earned them both Academy Award nominations, with Connelly taking home the Oscar for BestSupporting Actress. Here their characters are quite believable and have an obvious chemistry.

They seem to draw great performances out of one another. The same can be said of the team of Aronofsky and Connelly. This is their second film together, after working previously on 2000’s “Requiem for a Dream.” For reasons only known to the filmmakers, for a majority of the film Connelly’s role seemed to be that of turning to the camera and showing awe or concern. I feared she was going to be underused in the film, until the third act when she steps forward and gives one of the most compelling performances of the film. Hopefully another Oscar nomination will come her way next award season.

The final positive I have for this film is the beautiful-yet-haunting score by Clint Mansell. Like the film itself the music blends well with his score for “The Fountain.” It is powerful, operatic, and seems made to be played against the backdrop of Matthew Libatique’s beautiful cinematography.

If there are any negatives here they are small. One is the composition of the visual effects. The effects themselves are fine but they do not blend well with the live-action shots. I blame this mostly on the clarity of digital projection. Film grain, in the past, helped blend the seams a little better. While most of the visual effects shots were epic and powerful, a few were too noticeable and brought me out of the moment. The second negative is the story structure. While the writing itself was fine, it sometimes came across as a little cliché’; you could almost feel some sort of studio influence at hand.

That being said, “Noah” is a film that should be seen on the big screen with the hope that it will be remembered next award season

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Starring: Jason Bateman and Rohan Chand
Directed by: Jason Bateman
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 29 mins
Focus Features

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Guy Trilby (Bateman) is a man with a dream. That dream is to be named the best speller in America. And what better way to prove your skills than at the annual Golden Quill Spelling Bee? The only problem: Guy is 45 years old.

In a very strong directorial debut, Jason Bateman gives a change of pace performance as a spoiled man-child who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Finding a loophole in the rules, which states that no contestant can compete if they have graduated 8th grade, Bateman completely leaves behind the gentle “everyman” persona he’s made a career out of playing in everything from ”Arrested Development” to “Identity Thief.” Whether it’s convincing a fellow contestant that he’s just had sex with his mother or threatening to physically assault a girl contestant, Bateman adds a new “trick” to his overloaded bag of comic goodies.

Equally good is the supporting cast, headed up by eight year old Rohan Chand as a little boy who, despite his best intentions, ends up bonding with guy. That the boy and his father may be just as dastardly as Guy is one of the comic highlights of the film. Other strong supporting work is turned in by Kathryn Hahn as the reporter who sponsors Guy’s attempt, Allison Janey as the “Bee” overseer and the great Phillip Baker Hall as the long time educator who will stop at nothing to keep the spelling bee scandal free.

As a director, Bateman knows how to tell a story and, more importantly, how to pace the comedy so, when it’s at its best, it just flows smoothly across the screen. In a word, “Bad Words” is H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington and Olivia Williams
Directed By: David Ayer
Rated: R
Running Time: 109 Minutes
Open Road Films

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

First thing I did when I got home from this movie was Google Arnold Schwarzenegger’s age. At this point in life I’m just hoping to look half as fit as he does at 66. In fact I should pray I live that long. The reason that bit of insignificant trivia was at the forefront of my mind is because he can still be a believable action star. After watching ‘Sabotage’, I believe that Schwarzenegger can pull off the lead in as many violent movies he wants to for the next decade. It’s too bad this potential return to form was sabotaged by an obnoxious cast of characters.

Breacher (Schwarzenegger) leads an underground group of mercenary-style DEA agents in a Cartel bust that goes bad when $10 million goes missing by the end of the mission. As much as it would help to visualize my complaints, I don’t feel like rattling off the seven crass biped creatures that make up his squad. They each carry around their own undesirable traits and probably still laugh at their own flatulence in the bathtub. After it becomes apparent that someone in this team has taken the money, the government takes it upon themselves to begin months of questioning and stalking that turns up nothing. But once the government gives up it’s investigation, things become complicated when it appears that the Cartel is now killing them one-by-one. Instead of the federal government becoming interested in an international criminal organization killing DEA agents, an Atlanta detective, Caroline (Williams) picks up an invested interest in the matter.

If it wasn’t for Schwarzenegger and Williams, I would have disliked everything. Despite tallying the highest kill count, Breacher feels like the most sane of the bunch. He seems to be the only one of the group that doesn’t abuse drugs, have a bipolar disorder and is able to carry a civil conversation that doesn’t involve constantly referring to the inquisitive Caroline as a stripper. His ensemble of commando DEA agents come off as a band of vulgar misfits that would much rather get in a fight in the strip club than worry too much about who’s picking them off systematically. I was hoping that the mystery murderers would at least speed up the process.

‘Sabotage’ is mild on the action, but shockingly heavy on the gore. I would have enjoyed more shootouts over people being disgustingly nailed to ceilings and bloated corpses wrapped in chicken wire. This movie goes with a mystery/thriller angle, but falls short of materializing any suspense or intrigue. I’m suppose to be on the edge of my seat with bated breath, but the juggling act of drama, suspense and action has them dropping the ball on multiple occasions instead of performing a trifecta in the genre department.

Despite the ineffective writing I did find myself entertained, but only when Schwarzenegger was realizing not everything has to be delivered in a stone cold tone and when detective Caroline entered a scene equipped with comebacks and pleasantries. I have to touch on these two again because they had a surprising chemistry. Even when the script finally calls for them to “do the deed,” it doesn’t feel forced, but more like a natural comedic break that allows for plot to move forward. Let’s just hope someone realizes Schwarzenegger’s talents are alive and well and shouldn’t be wasted as the sands of time slowly tick away.

Starring: the Muppets, Ty Burrell, Ricky Gervais and Tina Fey
Directed by: James Bobin
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 52 mins
Walt Disney Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Three years ago Jason Segel helped resurrect the Muppets. With a genuine love for the characters, Segel made a franchise that had seemingly lost its steam over a decade before seem new and exciting again. While still entertaining, the newest film, “Muppets Most Wanted” could use a little of Segels wit and enthusiasm.

The film picks up at the end of 2011’s “The Muppets,” with the gang wondering what to do now that they’ve “gotten the band back together.” Before they can reason things out, they are approached by a promoter (Gervais) and persuaded to embark on a world tour. Wanting to keep things low key, the group leader, Kermit the Frog, encourages taking things slow. Instead they are booked into the grandest theatres in Europe, unaware that their performances are being used to mask a series of crimes. When Kermit is mistaken for Constantine, the world’s most dangerous frog, who has just escaped from a Russian gulag, he is imprisoned while Constantine takes over the troupe. Occasional hijinx ensue.

Lacking a lot of the eternal fun that made the Muppets stars four decades ago, “Muppets Most Wanted” is a by the book sequel which occasionally rises to funny thanks to its humorous human co-stars. As someone that grew up with the band of puppets, from “Sesame Street” to their own show to their early films, what is missing to me is the fun and enthusiasm that I always heard in the vocal performers. Sadly, Jim Henson, Jerry Nelson and Richard Hunt are no longer with us. And while the various performers voicing their characters do their best to sound like fans remember, to my ears they don’t have the same passion as the creators of the characters did.

The songs (and there are many – and not enough good ones) seem to be filler…as if the filmmakers thought that bright puppets and musical numbers would distract the audience from the fact that this is strictly a one-plot film. The saving grace here aren’t the title characters but the human guest stars. If you’ve ever wanted to see Ray Liotta perform the opening number to “A Chorus Line,” backed up by such well-known musical talents as Danny Trejo and Jermaine Clement, then you’re in luck. Tina Fey has fun as one of the Gulag guards who enlists Kermit in planning the annual talent show. Gervais and Burrell have fun as the masterminds behind the various heists the Muppets unwittingly help complete. If only the voices behind the Muppets had as much fun, this could have been a really fun film. Paging Jason Segel.

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori and F. Murray Abraham
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 40 mins
Fox Searchlight

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Though it may not look like much today, a half century ago there was no place finer than the Grand Budapest Hotel. We meet a young writer (Jude Law), who is researching the hotel for an upcoming book. As luck would have it, he is informed that the hotel’s owner, Mr. Moustafa (Abraham) is on the premises. A quiet man, Mr. Moustafa visits often and when he does, insists that he lodge in a small room in the employee quarters. Mr. Moustapha invites our young writer to join him for dinner and, over wine, tells him the story of the majestic hotel.

As the second World war rages across Europe, we are introduced to Mr. Gustave (Fiennes), the concierge of the Grand Budapest Hotel. Gustave is in charge of everything – from the flowers put out on the tables to what is served for dinner. When he’s not looking out for the needs of the guests, Gustave is looking out for the needs of the FEMALE guests, preferably the elderly ones. He gives them pleasure and, when they pass on to a better place, they give him a piece of their estate. As we meet Gustave he has just hired a young man (Revolori) to be the hotel’s newest Lobby Boy. Things go well until Gustave learns that one of his favorite guests (an unrecognizable Tilda Swinton, standing in for Angela Lansbury (!)) has passed on. He attends the reading of the will and learns that he has been left a very valuable painting. However, the late woman’s children, led by a wild eyed Adrien Brody, protest. Realizing his chances of getting the painting legally are probably slim and none, Gustave, with the assistance of his trusted Lobby Boy, steal the painting. And the adventures begin.

Wes Anderson has always found a way to create different worlds so perfectly that we, the audience, feel right at home in them. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is no exception. Filled with fully fleshed out characters, amazing dialogue and a look that is right out of the 1940s, the film travels smoothly on the shoulders of Ralph Fiennes. Moviegoers who know him only as the sadistic Nazi officer of “Schindler’s List” or Lord Voldemort may be shocked when they see what a fine and natural comedian he is. He is joined by an all star cast that includes Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel and long time collaborators Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray. The script, by Anderson and Hugo Guiness and inspired by the works of author Stefan Zweig, is full of the humorous twists and turns that Anderson is well known for. The production design is outstanding, with attention to detail making the film a virtual picture postcard of the Continent.

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Zoe Kravitz
Directed By: Neil Burger
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 139 minutes
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

War has obliterated the planet, leaving what survivors there are to take refuge in a crumbling Chicago landscape. The residents have divided the city into five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. By the age of 16, this bizarre society forces their teens to take an aptitude test that will determine which faction they are ideal for. Looks like it’s time for another movie based off a young adult novel that can’t differentiate itself from it’s siblings.

Beatrice (Woodley) is one of those teenagers mentioned above. She was born into an Abnegation family, but has always yearned to be apart of the Dauntless faction. Why? Who knows. She goes into to take her “test”. All she does is drink a concoction which induces bad acid trip visions. Once she awakens she’s told that she’s a divergent, someone who can actually fit perfectly into any faction. Her “test” administrator tells her to leave and not speak of the test results to anyone. Shadowy conspirators. Mysteries begging to be uncovered. A lot of decent ideas are set-up in the first five minutes followed by an over two hour rough tumble downhill.

Despite having an inconclusive test, on the selection day, Beatrice chooses…you guessed it…the Dauntless faction. And why? Who knows. Dauntless is the military wing of this society, although every time they make an appearance they seem more like adrenaline junkies as they scale buildings and run everywhere. She also decides to go by the name Tris now. Don’t even think about asking me why. We meet her boot camp friend and foes. Christina (Kravitz) turns out to be her true to heart tag-a-long companion. Meanwhile she has to deal with the sophomoric insults of Peter (Miles Teller) and the constant scrutiny of her leader Eric (Jai Courtney). There’s also her instructor and mandatory love interest, Four (James). The first half is an unnecessarily bloated prologue coupled by a few harmless laughs and way too much water treading. By the time things start picking up, we don’t know a whole lot and we don’t care.

The theme, individualism and being skeptical of authoritarian regimes, is the movie’s hammer and they bash you across the face with it repeatedly. This movie not only steals cliches, it repeats the same ones throughout the movie. There’s a dystopian world waiting to be explored along with a power struggle wanting to be uncovered, but this movie would much rather focus on training montages and capture the flag. The bright spot is definitely the acting. Woodley has shown in the past that she’s fantastic and really able to embody whatever role she’s given. She really gives it her all in this and is incredibly likable. The supporting characters played by James, Kravitz and others live and breathe their characters. This cast is also surrounded by an established group of actors and actresses like Kate Winslet, Ashley Judd and Ray Stevenson. Why couldn’t they hand something readable to these people?

At a certain point I merely entertained myself with questions. Like…what kind of war happened to where the remaining survivors thought a society based on dividing their people into factions that hate each other would be a good idea? Why is it one of the largest cities in the United States was spared full blown devastation? If people are given the free will to choose what faction they join, what’s the point of the test? These questions and more will never be answered in the near two and a half hours you’ll be sitting in the theater. Maybe the answers are in the book. Maybe I should go pick up a copy and figure out what’s going on. But I’m afraid if I go and read the book, I’ll be convincing Hollywood to keep up this young adult movie trend and I’m afraid if you go see “Divergent” this weekend, I’ll have to see the sequel.

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal and Melanie Laurent
Directed by: Denis Villenueve
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 30 mins
A24

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Chaos is order left undeciphered.”

These words are taken from a novel titled “The Double,” by Nobel Prize winning author Jose Saramago and they are the first images we see on screen in director Denis Villenueve’s film based on that novel, “Enemy.” And chaos, undeciphered or not, is definitely in the DNA of this film.

College teacher Adam Bell (Gyllenhaal) is living a very boring life. Get up, go to work, lecture a room full of bored faces, go home. The only change in the routine are the times his gal pal (Laurent) stops by for sex. One day a co-worker suggests he has a “movie night” and suggests a title or two. Renting one of them, Adam goes home and puts it in his computer. He suddenly sits upright, noticing that the young actor playing the hotel bellhop looks incredibly like…him. Doing some research on-line, he learns that the actor in question is one Anthony Clair. He tracks down his representative and shows up at the office, hoping to meet him. Of course, the doorman thinks Adam IS Anthony, which begins a story about mixed identities and…spiders?

I had the great fortune to interview director Villenueve last year when his film, “Prisoners,” was released. During our conversation he referenced “Enemy” which was his original opportunity to work with Jake Gyllenhaal. He called the film “an art house experiment” and he wasn’t kidding. The film is full of odd and unusual visuals and often plays like a film directed by Villenueve’s fellow Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg. Actually “odd and unusual” are among the many words that could be used to describe this film. I’ll admit here that when it ended, with one of biggest “what the hell was that” scenes ever featured in a major film release, that I actually sought out a fellow critic…one who had actually gone to college to study the art…and asked him what it was that I just saw. I was happy to see that I wasn’t the only critic looking at him with wide eyes and blank faces.

If I have to sum up the film I’d say it was a mixed bag of intense acting (Gyllenhaal does a fine job in both roles) and creepy visual suggestions. I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. I also didn’t get it. It doesn’t help that Villenueve has managed to make Toronto look like Beijing, China with the fog hanging heavy in gray skies and resembling smog. That manages to set the atmosphere for awhile. Unfortunately, someone involved with the film has obviously seen “The Shining” one too many times because that atmosphere is often broken with loud “booms” of the musical soundtrack.

Starring: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper and Imogen Poots
Directed By: Scott Waugh
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 130 minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Story? Dumb. Characters? Dumb. Motivations? Dumb. Stunts? Yeah…those were pretty cool, but still dumb. Dumb is the word that best describes this movie. There is some dumb fun to be had, but not enough fun to cover the dumb that induces eye rolling boredom. “Need for Speed” is the latest in a long line of attempts by the studios to peddle street racing smut to teenagers and young adults. For this go around, they base the premise off a video game franchise, but even video games have better writers than this.

Tobey Marshall (Paul) is a grease monkey who moonlights as a street racer in small town USA. He’s in a bit of financial trouble and unlucky for him, an old nemesis of his, Dino Brewster (Cooper), offers him a chance to refurbish an aged mustang. Once it’s spruced up and ready, they make a cool 2.7 million dollars on it. Tobey could walk off with a quarter of that money…or he could risk it all on a pissing contest…I mean street car race. Also, you know a movie’s boring when I think doing the math on 25% of 2.7 million is more entertaining. By the way it’s $675,000. So what a shock, someone dies in their over 200 mph race. It’s Marshall’s best friend Pete (Harrison Gilbertson). Dino clips him in an attempt to win the race. So what an even bigger shock when Dino, the multi-millionaire entrepreneur gets away with it and the scruffy and haggard looking Tobey is thrown in jail for two years. Considering all his years of putting pedestrian’s lives in danger for his races, this doesn’t seem like enough time in jail.

Regardless, the rest of the movie is a cross country revenge tale, but he doesn’t have a vehicle. So he teams up with a quick witted, blonde British gal by the name of Julia (Poots). She gives gives him the keys to the 2.7 million dollar car that he built and she paid for. I’ll let that sink in.

Just when as I was on the verge of falling asleep from this preposterously dull story, the roar of an engine would awake me up and I’d get to watch another silly chase. Things are made even worse by the fact Michael Keaton is rolled out as the host of a videocast who is putting on a prestigious race, only for underground racers, called the De Leon. How he has the financial means to put this on and how the police haven’t wiretapped him to find these illegal races, I don’t know. The De Leon is Tobey’s one chance at revenge against Dino. This movie could be a great form of escapism if it wasn’t so head shakingly stupid.

Once the well shot chases are done, we’re forced to sit through another dose of bad dialogue and head scratching questions. The biggest one is one of Tobey’s friends, Benny, who has a gig with the military that allows him to “commandeer” any plane or helicopter so he can help Tobey dart through city streets. I could have easily just written a review about all the ludicrous moments in this. It’s a bit maddening why two time Emmy award winning Aaron Paul would jump straight into this after coming off one of the most successful TV series of all time. It makes you wonder what it is he saw in this because I certainly don’t see it.

Starring the voices of: Ty Burrell and Max Charles
Directed by: Rob Minkoff
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 32 mins
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

As a youngster in the 1960s (yikes) I have fond memories of several cartoon programs. For those of you reading this that may not remember, in the early 1960s several popular animated shows, among them “The Flintstones,” ran in prime time. Another one of those shows featured an unlikely pair of pals – Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose (the “J” in their names stood for their creator, Jay Ward). Titled “The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show,” the program introduced many a popular character to kids of all ages. Among them were an incredibly smart dog and his adopted son; Mr. Peabody and Sherman.

We meet Mr. Peabody (Burrell) and Sherman (Charles) as the young boy is about to start the school year. The summer has been spent visiting amazing times in history, via what Mr. Peabody calls the WABAC machine. In fact, the two just returned from a trip to Paris, where they almost lost their heads taking in the French Revolution. It is while in history class that Sherman contradicts his teacher, maintaining that George Washington did NOT chop down a cherry tree. Later, while at lunch, Sherman is made fun of by a fellow student, who mocks the boy because his father is a dog. A trip to the principal’s office leads to a meeting with the other student’s parents. And then the fun begins!

Completely faithful to its source material, “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” is a delightful story that will entertain both the youngsters and their parents. With a script by Emmy and Pulitzer Prize nominated writer Craig Wright (and really, who else BUT a Pulitzer Prize nominated writer could do justice to Mr. Peabody), the film is a fun trip through history, where our two heroes, accompanied by Sherman’s classmate, learn the most important lesson of all. Burrell does a fine job as Peabody, giving him a new, yet familiar, voice. The same can be said of young Charles. Supporting work by such familiar names as Stephen Colbert, Dennis Haysbert and Leslie Mann is also spot on.

Director Minkoff gave us “The Lion King,” so it’s no secret that he has crafted an outstanding animated adventure. The 3D effects are ok but not spectacular, so no harm in seeing it at a regular screening. Make sure you get there early and catch the humorous short film, “Almost Home,” before hand.

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Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green and Lena Headey
Directed By: Noam Murro
Rated: R
Running Time: 102 Minutes
Warner Brothers Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Prepare for another trip into the re-imagined green screen history of ancient Greece. Prepare for another thick dose of blood splatter to coat the screen. Prepare for another unnecessarily high body count that probably outweighs the actual population of ancient Athens. Prepare for pure testosterone driven men who’ve never heard of the word shirt. Prepare for…ah hell, you get the picture. It’s time for another heaping plateful of gore in Zack Snyder’s stylized look at war, between the Greek city states and Persian Empire.

If you haven’t seen “300”, then don’t bother seeing this; you’re going to be confused. “300: Rise of an Empire” takes place before, during and after the movie “300”. It wraps itself around its predecessor like a cocoon and heavily relies on the viewer having previous knowledge of it. That’s not to say there isn’t a story here. The movie starts off with the Battle of Marathon, detailing the heroics of Themistocles (Stapleton), as he repels the first invasion by Persia and slays Darius, the father of Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro). That segues into Xerxes’ path towards vengeance that will eventually lead to the second invasion of Greece nearly a decade later. He slowly deludes himself into believing he is a God among men. You can thank his right hand woman, Artemisia (Green), for polluting his mind with such a silly notion. Artemisia is Greek by blood, but wills the Persian army to avenge the wrongs made against her. We then see the duo’s carefully laid out land and sea invasions. Since we already the land invasion ends with King Leonidas and 300 Spartans biting the dust, we follow Artemisia as she commands a fleet into two sea battles. Themistocles and Artemisia lead their respective sides into battle, both seemingly invincible when participating in the melee.

I would probably be scolded for this sentiment, but I enjoyed this one more than the first. Where the first one took itself way too seriously and forcibly jammed the idea of freedom into it’s story, this one appears to realize how absurd it’s premise already is and just settles into violent popcorn entertainment. The extreme nationalistic pride is still there, but not persistently regurgitated in conversation. The movie instead propels the war forward as a personal vendetta by Xerxes and Artemisia. With that said, this movie would have crumbled without Eva Green playing a fantastic femme fatale. She owns the role of Artemisia in every way possible, clothing or not. I suspect Green has wanted to be the bad guy in movies for a while because she outshines the 10 foot tall Xerxes and is nothing short of malicious.

Zack Snyder seemed to tag along instead of sit in the director’s chair for this movie. He found Noam Murro to pilot this sequel and I’m not sure why he selected Murro. His only other directorial job was “Smart People”, where he had Dennis Quaid rediscover love and happiness with Sarah Jessica Parker. Maybe I’m wrong in my assumption. Maybe there’s a scene in “Smart People” that hinted at the director’s insatiable appetite to film disembowelment and decapitations of Persian underlings. Regardless, he seems to have filled Zack’s directorial shoes. If you had told me Zack directed this, I would have believed you.

Sure, I could go over the historical inaccuracies that tally higher than the corpse count, but that would be pointless. This movie’s purpose isn’t to be a glimpse into Greek history, but instead just a silly bloodbath. It’s more of the same, but it’s also a re-establishing of the brand Snyder put out way back in 2007. It’s simple minded violence that’s visually exciting and a true thrill to watch play out as it challenges itself to become more ludicrous with it’s psychotic clashes. “Rise of an Empire” manages to do what the Greeks did so famously with their own myths. It takes the history and culture and bloats it to make the heroes appear unbeatable and the enemies hopelessly evil. It then weaves it in an entertaining fashion.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 46 mins
Fox Searchlight

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bill Marks (Neeson) is having a bad day. Feeling the effects of a long night of drinking he doesn’t look forward to the next 6 hours, when he’s going to be trapped with 150 other passengers on an airplane heading towards England. He begs with his boss to have someone else do the job but is rebuffed. Reluctantly he boards and takes his seat. He wishes he had a smoke. And a new job. Bill is an air marshal and he’s having a bad day. It’s about to get worse.

Tense and well told, “Non Stop” is another feather in the directorial cap of James Collet-Serra, the Spanish filmmaker who is responsible not only for this film but recent achievements like “Unknown” and “Orphan.” The excitement starts after take-off when Bill receives a text message, on his official business phone, telling him that without his cooperation a passenger is going to die in the next 20 minutes. Bill is given a bank account number and told to have the airline wire $150 million into it. Bill notifies his superiors but they’re a little wary of the information, considering the bank account is set up in Bill’s name! The next 80 minutes is a wild ride, one you could easily call “non-stop.”

I never would have suspected, after such films as “Schindler’s List,” “Nell” and “Before and After” that Liam Neeson would become one of the more popular, and credible, action stars making films today. Even his brief turn as the shotgun wielding Briar in “Next of Kin” didn’t hint at the quiet, thoughtful bad-ass he’s become. Literally working against time (the blackmailer has assured him that someone on the plane will die every 20 minutes unless his demands are met), Bill must rely on his friendship with crew members, and the nice traveler that sat down next to him (Moore), to deal with a situation that continues to get worse, especially when news reports, triggered by passenger text messages, label Bill the hijacker.

As mentioned, Neeson is again solid as a man with faults he must overcome to save those around him. As his nervous seatmate, Moore has little to do but what she does have she does well. Several of the supporting actors, including Scooter McNairy, Corey Stoll, Michelle Dockery and this coming Sunday’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o (how’s that for putting it all on the line) also contribute to the film. The action sequences, both inside and outside the plane are also well executed. The only thing I was disappointed in was the film’s “message,” which really doesn’t fit with the characters delivering it. However, that being said, the film is well worth seeing.