Movie Review- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

The third installment of the Ice Age series brings alot of what we've seen with a few decent additions. As I have said before, sequels aren't easy to do but the third film does what the others have done before. The film doesn't have the magic the original or the second had, but that doesn't mean its not a good watch.

PLOT:
Manny (Ray Romano), Diego (Denis Leary), and the crew must rescue Sid (John Leguizamo) from the dinosaur world after the mother of three dinosaur eggs he adopts abducts him.

PROS:
As usual the characters are extremely likable and the dialogue compliments the talented actors. The addition of Simon Pegg as Buck provides the movie with a welcomed boost of energy it need. And of course, you can't go wrong with Scratte.

CONS:
The problem with this film may not really be Ice Age's fault. Since the original was released in 2002, animated movies have changed in terms of look and content. The jokes are geared way more toward children than others developed in the last few years. In order to keep the Ice Age series trademarks and similarities, it would be reckless to change the movie completely.

Recommendation:
Wait til it comes on HBO.

Written by:
Peter Ackerman
Michael Berg
Yoni Brenner
Mike Reiss

Directed by:
Carlos Saldanha
Mike Thurmeier

MAIN CAST:
Ray Romano ("Grilled", "The Grand")
John Leguizamo ("Miracle at St. Anna", "Gamer")
Denis Leary ("Who's the Man?", "Murder at 1600")
Queen Latifah ("Chicago", "Stranger then Fiction")
Josh Peck ("The Wackness", "Drillbit Taylor")
Seann William Scott ("American Pie", "The Rundown")
Simon Pegg ("Shawn of the Dead", "Star Trek")
Bill Hader ("Tropic Thunder", "Year One")
Kristen Wiig ("Adventureland", "Whip It")
Jane Lynch ("Role Models", TVs "Glee")

Similar Titles:
Ice Age, Ice Age 2: The Meltdown, Madagascar

Next Review:
Whatever Works - Trailer

Movie Review-Whatever Works (Guest Blogger Jules Forde)

Ehem...Hi, my name is Jules, and I'll be taking over for Andra in today's review of Woody Allen's comedy Whatever Works starring Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood. You may be asking yourself Tom, what is this guy doing writing for Andra's blog? I mean its Andra effing Hale, well the answer to that folks is two fold. First I have seen a substantial amount more Woody Allen movies than Andra and am more adept to his writing and directorial stylings adding more depth and context than Andra's feable microb brain can begin to comprehend. Second, there are 2 black people in the whole movie for a grand total of about 10 seconds which makes it damn near impossible for Andra to write his review without spiraling into a Mel Gibson-like anti-semetic tirade. So, now let's get to the review shall we?

PLOT:

Boris is a near Noble level physicist whose misanthropy after years of a loveless marriage and a self imposed sense of intellectual entitlement leads him to jump out of his New York City apartment only to bounce off a canopy thus ruining his plans of suicide. A few years and a divorce after the leap, we find Boris as callous as ever when he meets Melodie an 21 year old vagabond straight off the bus from Mississippi. She begs him to let her stay at his apartment which he eventually succumbs to her persuasion. Over the next couple months the two develop a friendship which very suddenly turns into a marriage. Things start to get really interesting when Melodie's parents from Mississippi try to track her down but end up happy victims of the cultural power of the big apple. The rest of the movie begins to explore the boundaries of religion, philosophy and of course relationships.

PROS:

I really enjoyed watching this movie. It posses that classic Woody Allen cynical style writing where its the main character against the world who eventually begins to understand the value of humanism. The writing is probably the best part of the film. The dialogue is smart, hilarious, and creates characters that are at times both detestable and loveable. The only draw back to the writing is the plot gets kind of predictable after a while, but you're so busy laughing you don't really care. Now when Woody Allen directs a movie in New York you pretty much know exactly what shots to expect. Notice his directing changes styles particularly when he goes abroad(ie Match Point or Vicky Christina Barcelona). Anyway if you've ever seen a Woody Allen movie you know you're probably gonna see what seem like improvised scenes between 2 or sometimes more characters, there will be at least one scene in a deli, about 70% of the movie will take place on NYC streets, and you're gonna hear a lot of good jazz. Now just because it's cliché Woody doesn't mean it's not good. Quite the contrary, in fact it harkens back to the appeal of some of his earlier comedies better than some of his more recent comedic tries. On top of the great script, Woody had a great cast to work with. The only real weak link acting wise was Larry David, who is still hilarious and does an adequate job, but the problem is you're trying to picture Larry David as a genius and it just never clicks. Even Rachel Wood is practically unrecognizable for her first 3 or 4 scenes as the naïve yet clever Melodie, the catalyst for everything going on the upswing for Boris. The rest of the cast is superb though slightly under-used.

CONS:

The film does have its flaws. It is pretty predictable after a certain point, though granted when you're first introduced to each character you really can't forsee where they end up. After a while you can start to see the patterns their lives begin to mold into. Also if you're looking for just a mindless blow things up with complete randomness movie than this certainly is not your cup of tea. In fact despite his ability to create characters that are easily identifiable it takes a certain breed to really appreciate your average Woody Allen movie. Not to insult my idiot brethren, but you do have to have an appreciation for the liberal intellectual perspective to really connect with a Woody Allen movie. So its not really for everybody.

Recommendation:

4/5 Thumbs up (don't ask why I have 5 hands) aka. Rent It

Written by:

Woody Allen

Directed by:

Woody Allen

MAIN CAST:

Larry David (TVs "Seinfeld", TVs "Curb Your Enthusiasm")

Evan Rachel Wood ("The Wrestler", "Across the Universe")

Ed Begley Jr. (TVs "St. Elsewhere", "Pineapple Express")

Michael McKeon ("Spinal Tap", "A Mighty Wind")

Patricia Clarkson ("Green Mile", "Lars and the Real Girl")

Henry Cavill ("Count of Monte Cristo", "Tristan + Isolde")

Olek Krupa ("Blue Streak", "The Italian Job")

Christopher Van Welch ("War of the Worlds", "The Good Shepard")

Conleth Hill

Similar Titles:

Something's Gotta Give, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Next Review:

I Love You Beth Cooper-Trailer

Movie Review- Orphan

THAT LITTLE GIRL IS THE CREEPIEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!

She should seriously win an NAACP award for her performance. I don't know if she is in fact a "negro" but i say why not.

"Orphan" manages to hearken toward the older horror films i loved in the 80s. A basic story that appears normal, but slowly twists and turns into a more details story that no one sees coming. This is by no means the greatest horror movie I've ever seen, and of course I'll explain why, but it is solid and doesn't require much thinking.

PLOT:
After the tragic death of their newborn, the Colemans, wife Kate (Vera Farmiga) and husband John (Peter Sarsgaard) want to adopt to fill the void. They meet a talented and sweet 9 year old Russian girl Ester (Isabelle Fuhrman) and decide to adopt her. As she mixes in with her family, which includes their deaf, 5-year old daughter Max (Aryana Engineer) and bitter 10 year-old Daniel (Jimmy Bennett), the Colemans slowly learn that their sweet new daughter is not anywhere near what she seems.

PROS:
The creepy factor in this film is at a staggering 9/10.5 of the creepy scale. Watching this movie you quickly realize why adoption agencies opposed this movie. Fuhrman's performance as Ester reminds me of Linda Blair in the "Exorcist". It makes me wonder how such adult-like performance from a teenager. In addition, Bennett and Engineer, also added in good perfomances, almost overshadowing a decent job by Farmiga, who i thought was Rosana Arquette until late into the movie, and Sarsgaard, who i knew was Peter Sarsgaard. I just hope that the kids in the film won't endure psychological damage from this, because the violence and themes were incredibly oriented, not something for kids at all, but there was no way you could make this movie any other way.

CONS:
The build-up took a while to comes to life. The audience knew very early that the girl was disturbed. I found myself wanted the family, particularly the parents, to figure things out a little bit more. When the nun that runs the orphanage, CCH Pounder, reveals to the family a little while after adopting Ester that there is something weird about her, it was lazily dropped in, in a very anticlimactic manner. Almost as if they knew they needed to speed it up a little bit. Though the climatic reveal at the end was surprising and a good twist, the final scenes were crafted lazily as well, and the characters did not display the emotions that the scenes actions warranted.

Recommendation:
Rent it.

Written by:
David Johnson
Alex Mace

Directed by:
Jaume Collet-Serra

Main Cast:
Vera Farminga ("The Manchurian Candidate", "The Departed")
Peter Sarsgaard ("Garden State", "Jarhead")
Isabelle Fuhrman ("Hounddog", "Children of the Corn")
Jimmy Bennett ("Evan Almighty", "Shorts")
Aryana Engineer
CCH Pounder (TVs "The Shield", "Batman/Superman: Public Enemies")

Similar Titles:
The Omen (1976), The Omen (2006), The Good Son

Next Review:
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs- Trailer

Movie Review-Nothing Like the Holidays

I'm not the biggest fan of Christmas movies, especially when it's not Christmastime. But I am a fan of ensembles with a diverse group of talented actors. That is what "Nothing Like the Holidays" is.

This isn't nearly the first family Holiday film, but this film features a majority Latino cast, that alone makes "Nothing Like the Holidays" unique. But the filmakers do a good job of making sure that they don't spend the entire movie focusing on heritage, in turn, focusing on the talents of the actors and their characters.

PLOT:
The Rodriquez's (Alfred Molina and Elizabeth Pena), a Puerto Rican family living in Chicago, are reuniting their family for the Christmas holiday. They are joined by their 3 children, oldest Mo (John Leguizamo) and his wife Sarah (Debra Messing), Jesse (Freddy Rodriquez) who is returning from a tour in Iraq, Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito) who is an actress living in LA, and a few extended family. All is well, for the most part, until the parents reveal they are divorcing. The family must now try to figure out how to juggle their individual problems with the possibly of never spending a Christmas as a family again.

PROS:
John Leguizamo, though he is apart of an ensemble, stands out as the lawyer leading a slightly different life than raised. I believe it now and will for life, that Leguizamo is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood.

I think the movie did a good job of paying tribute to the obvious fact that the cast is Latino and making it a focal point, but not overdoing it. I call it "Carlos Menncia-ing up". An addition kudos to the makers for also not overdoing the obvious" fish-out-of-water" subplot featuring Debra Messing's character being the white family member.

The characters are genuine and the family feels real, eerily real. Even more real than the characters, is their storylines. It was a really well-put together plot.

CONS:
The only drawback about this film is the rapid change in tone. The film goes from a funny family comedy, though it seems, to multiple stories of tragedy and sadness, with all the characters revealing secrets they are holding in. Though it made the characters more real, the sadness was piled on so much, it lost some of the initial spark that began at the start of the movie.

Recommendation:
Rent it.

Written by:
Alison Swan
Rick Najera

Directed by:
Alfredo De Villa

MAIN CAST:
John Leguizamo ("Romeo and Juliet", "Across the Universe")
Debra Messing ("The Wedding Date", TVs "The Starter Wife")
Luis Guzman ("Boogie Nights", "Waiting...")
Alfred Molina ("Frida", "Spider-man 2")
Elizabeth Pena ("Rush Hour", "Transamerica")
Freddy Rodriguez ("Dead Presidents", "Grindhouse")
Vanessa Ferlito ("Grindhouse", "Madea Goes to Jail")
Jay Hernandez ("Crazy/Beautiful", "Friday Night Lights")
Melanie Diaz ("Lords of Dogtown", "Be Kind Rewind")
Ramses Jimenez ("Let's Go To Prison", "Dark Knight")

Similar Titles:
Home for the Holidays, This Christmas

Next Review:
Orphan- Trailer

Movie Review- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

If it ain't broke don't freaking fix it!

2 years ago the original "Transformers" hit theaters and blew everyone away. "Transformers" wasn't the greatest movie of all time but it was funny, original, smart, action-packed, and had a great ensemble. Needless to say, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" was the most anticipated movie in years.

Now I know sequels aren't always easy to do. If you make the exact same movie, everyone hates it. If you change it, you may wreck what people loved in the first place. In this case, as with most big movies like this, it appears as if it would be really simple to make this movie as good as the first. It's so simple you can hear all the people who didn't like this movie yelling "WHY?!!" when things completely off base from the original happens.

PLOT:
2 years after saving the world, Sam (Shia Lebeouf) is still being protected by Optimus Prime and is still driving Bumblebee. More Autobots have joined forces with a special unit in the army and are continuing to protect clueless humans against the vengeful Decepticons. The day he leaves for college, Sam discovers he is in possession of a piece of the ALLSPARK. The Decepticons get wind of it and decide to capture Sam so they can obtain the Matrix of Leadership. The battle begins again.

PROS:
The movie still possessed alot of the elements the original film had. The funny moments, the action. Overall the movie was very entertaining and solid, for the most part. There are more Cons, but its hard to have alot of Pros when you are expecting one thing, and you get the opposite.

CONS:
As with any big budget, highly anticipated movie its natural for everyone to be extra critical of this film. I think in a sick/sad way we all take movies we love personal. I'm sure filmakers expect it the extra nerdy criticisms, as they should.

My first con is just that the film was way too long. The storyline really wasn't as complicated as they made it. A build up to a big battle has to happen in a movie like this, but the problem is that the build up took so long that i found myself almost not caring as much when it actually happened. Granted, the sequel should have been longer than the original, but not this long. I never wanted a movie to finally end so bad in my life.

One thing i liked about the original was the eclectic ensemble, that added to alot of the witty conversations. They did bring back Josh Duhamel and Tyrese, but they were basically minimized to just using corny one-liners and military Jargon. Also, there were times when i actually forgot Bumblebee was in the movie. The focus seemed to be on making the plot as complicated as can be or on LeBeouf and Fox trying to make the other say i love you. grr.

Which brings me to my next point, why the hell was it so damn dramatic. How many deep, slow and intense zooms right into the characters faces do you really need. And in the words of Jules Forde "If you drank, you could take a shot every time Megan Fox runs in slow motion." 'Nuff said.

Next, we all know the song "21 Guns" by Green Day is an awesome song, but damn, how many times did we need to hear it!

And for my last point, you have to listen to this man. Follow the link and he will tell you everything im feeling on the subject.
The N***er-Bots.

Recommendation:
Rent it.

Written by:
Ehren Kruger
Roberto Orco
Alex Kurtzman

Directed by:
Michael Bay

MAIN CAST:
Shia LeBeouf ("Eagle Eye", "Surf's Up")
Megan Fox ("Tranformers", "Jennifer's Body")
John Turtorro ("Mr.Deeds", "Anger Management")
Tyrese Gibson ("2 Fast 2 Furious", "Four Brothers")
Josh Duhamel (TVs "Las Vegas", "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton")
Ramon Rodriguez ("Pride and Glory", "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3")
Rainn Wilson ("Juno", "The Rocker")
Julie White ("The Nanny Diaries", "Michael Clayton")
Kevin Dunn ("Small Soldiers", "Gridiron Gang")

Similar Titles:
Transformers

Next Review:
Nothing Like the Holidays- trailer

Movie Review- Drag Me To Hell

ALISON LOHMAN WILL PUT ANYTHING IN HER MOUTH FOR THE RIGHT PRICE!!!
Okay, now that I got your attention, as all of you know I am not a huge horror fan by any means. Not to any fault of my own, the horror movies released over the last decade have mostly been utter disappointments and have veered from the very things that made horror movies so popular over the past 60-70 years. Sam Raimi and his sick mind, was able get back what alot of recent filmakers have forgotten.


PLOT:
Loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is cursed by a gypsy who sends an evil spirit that tortures its victims for three days before it eventually take her to hell for all eternity. With the help of her loving boyfriend Clay (Justin Long) and fortune teller Rham (Dileep Rao), Christine must find a way to fend off the spirits before it is too late.

PROS:
This movie is smart. The Raimis do a great job of developing a good plot and keeping it lively and intruiging.It has all the elements in it that makes a great horror movie great. "Drag Me to Hell" ranks to me amongst the top 5 best horror films of the last decade. Good acting and the creepy, disgusting element make this movie worth every single second. Its not the greatest film of all time, it is certainly better than the majority of crap squirted out by movie studios of late.

CONS:
I just thought that Christine could have done a better job of giving Ganush a reason to be that angry with her. It didn't seem as if it warranted such a reaction. Sure, losing the house is, but falling to the ground didn't seem like it.

Recommendation:
Rent it.

Written by:
Sam Raimi
Ivan Raimi

Directed by:
Sam Raimi

Main Cast:
Alison Lohman ("Flicka", "Beowulf")
Justin Long ("Accepted", "Waiting...")
Dileep Rao
David Paymer ("Mr. Saturday Night", "Ocean's 13")
Lorna Raver
Reggie Lee ("The Pirates of the Caribbean "trilogy, "Tropic Thunder")

Similar Titles:
30 Days of Night, The Messengers, The Grudge

Next Review:
Transformer 2: Revenge of the Fallen- Trailer

Movie Review- Land of the Lost

Mr. Ferrell is VERY talented. But he is hit and miss, especially of late. "Land of the Lost" is definitely a miss. Gone are the laughs we love from "Ricky Bobby" and Ron Burgundy. Here is another movie where Will Ferrell doesn't play a memorable character, in fact, this may be his most forgettable character so far, almost as forgettable as the movie itself.


PLOT:
Black balled Paleontologist Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) is the lone expert in time warping, but has given up after an embarrassing encounter with Matt Lauer.Soon he is approached my aspiring Paleontologist Holly (Ana Friel) who encourages him to continue making his T-amplifier which is a time warp machine. Joined by firecracker shop owner Will (Danny McBride) the group is thrown into a another dimension, where they lose the amplifier. Now in order to get back, and save the universe from an evil creature, they must fend off an offended T-Rex and search the unfamiliar territory.

PROS:
Danny McBride and Jorma Taccone are actually a funny combination, even with Taccone not having actual lines. McBride's one liner may not be classics, but they do help drive the the few laughs.

CONS:
It just wasn't funny. The script, if there was one, wasn't good. Maybe the makers thought Will Ferrell and special effects were all you needed and the script wasn't as important, if so, they were mistaken. Ferrell didn't play a character. Maybe if he had made an actual character with certain distinct characteristics, a weak script might have been the least of this films problems. All those elements even made the special effects look awful and cartoonish. I won't say never see this movie, it does provide some entertaining moments, but overall this was just an awful movie.

Recommendation:
Wait til it comes on HBO.

Written by:
Chris Henchy
Dennis McNicholas

Directed by:
Brad Silberling

MAIN CAST:
Will Ferrell ("Anchorman", "Stepbrothers")
Danny McBride ("Pineapple Express", "Tropic Thunder")
Anna Friel ("Midsummer Night's Dream", "Goal!)
Jorma Taccone ("Hot Rod", "Role Models")
Lenard Nimoy ("The Pagemaster", "Star Trek")
John Boyland ("Harold and Kumar go to White Castle", "Fever Pitch")
Ben Best ("Foot Fist Way", "Superbad")
Bobbe J. Thompson ("Role Models", "Imagine That")

Similar Titles:
Inkheat, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Land of the Lost (TV Series)

Next Review:
Drag Me to Hell- Trailer

Movie Review-The Proposal

We've seen it before. A romantic comedy about two complete opposites who somehow end up with each other reluctantly and then somehow find common ground and grow on each other. But there is a reason why these types of movies keep being made. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. In this case, comedic veterans Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock make an unoriginal plot work with the charm and sweetness that has helped make them famous.


PLOT:
Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is a tough, hard-working, and at times mean, book publisher who frightens her employees and intimidates her clients. Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) is her verbally abused assistant who is desperate to please her and eventually work his way up to book publisher. Margaret soon finds out she has to be deported for a year, which means she also loses her job. In a panic, she proclaims that she's engaged to a just entering Andrew that they are engaged and getting married. To get something out of the deal, Andrew convinces Margaret to travel to his grandmother's 90th birthday where the two must pretend they are in love.

PROS:
The movie has an abundance of cuteness, sweetness, and genuinely funny moments. Reynolds and Bullock have good chemistry and are funny together doing what they are really good at separetly. There are many memorable scenes, like the accidental naked encounter, Bullock singing the "Get Low" by Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys at Gammy's prayer to the Gods, and an eagle's attempt to fly away with the family dog. Those realistically funny moments is what make movies like this good.

CONS:
The bad part about this movie and others like it is that it is so predictable. You know where the story is going. You know they are gonna fall for each other and all will end well. It's annoying and unoriginal at times, it doesn't seem like good effort. But like many other times, I say again, everyone involved knows this coming into it.

Recommendation:
Rent it.

Written By:
Peter Chiarelli

Directed By:
Anne Fletcher

MAIN CAST:
Sandra Bullock ("Speed", "Miss Congeniality")
Ryan Reynolds ("Just Friends", "Adventureland")
Craig T. Nelson ("Poltergeist", "The Family Stone")
Mary Steenburgen ("Stepbrothers", "Four Christmases")
Betty White ("Holy Man", "Bringing Down the House")
Denis O'Hare ("Milk", "Duplicity")
Malin Akerman ("The Heartbreak Kid", "Watchmen")

Similar Titles:
While You Were Sleeping, What Happens in Vegas, Two Weeks Notice

Next Review:
Land of the Lost-Trailer

Movie Review- Imagine That

I have to rant for a second.

Anyone that really knows me, knows i love Eddie Murphy. I got like 20 of his movies and he is actually an inspiration to me, when i perform. But over the last decade I have had to defend him, frustratingly. He is heavily criticized for his movie roles of late. Though i get the point, no one wants to see one of the biggest comedic stars in the world divert from what made him famous. But i think he had to. Eddie Murphy just turned 48 years old. He could not continue to do the same roles that made him famous when he was 20. What Murphy has done is a double- edged sword. On one hand he is changing what he's always done. On the other hand, he's cornering a market no one else his caliber is. There isn't another big time, African-American comedic actor doing family friendly comedy. Most of those movies can easily make 100 million dollars and he earns 15-20 million dollars without much effort. I can't fault him for making movies his younger kids can go see and basically turning into a modern day Bill Cosby in turn.

Ok, i can say more but i'm not. I am also gonna remain unbiased. I'd never urge you to buy or go rent a movie because of my feelings towards an actor. Ok, let's do this.

NOTE: Eddie Murphy and Ronny Cox reunite again after 22 years. Cox played Bogomil in 1987's hit "Beverly Hills Cop 2". Also Vanessa Williams and Nicole Ari Parker appear as friends. The two played sisters on Showtime's adaptation of "Soul Food".

Murphy is Evan Danielson. Evan is a hard working finance executive who is trying to move up the ladder at a company he has worked at for 7 years. At the same time, he and his wife Tricia (Nicole Ari Parker) are getting divorced and he is estranged from his daughter Olivia (Yari Shahidi). Evan soon learns that his boss Tom (Ronny Cox) is leaving and will be appointed someone to take his spot. Evan must compete against new co-worker Johnny Whitefeather (Thomas Hayden Church)a native american who uses tribalistic rituals and nature to inspire clients. Olivia's school is concerned that she is attached to her purple blanket she calls goo-ga that sends her into an imaginary world but in turn has isolated her socially. After he learns that Olivia's imaginary friends can predict mergers,ect. Evan drifts into his daughters imaginary world, finding success with his business and his relationship with his daughter.

PROS:
The movie is simple. It's for kids and family. You don't think too hard, you don't expect too much. The movie is so sweet i got diabetes. As for a kid film, this works. It doesn't have many adult themed jokes, but is entertaining enough to stomach. Murphy's performance is really Cosby-esque. Silly faces and animated voices add to the appeal for kids. He also works well with kids. Also, i gotta admit i was surprised with a very impressive cast. Along with Murphy, acting veterans Thomas Hayden Church, Ronny Cox, Martin Sheen, DeRay Davis, ect. all give the movie a boost of credibility.

CONS:
The movie lacks the amount of laughs as previous Murphy family films. Some scenes looked phoned in but the writing didn't completely complement his skills. The plot took a little bit longer than desired to develop, but some can say the end justified the means. Also, a few plot holes makes some of the secondary stories incomplete.

Recommendation:
Got Kids: Rent it.
Don't: Wait til it comes on HBO.

Written by:
Ed Solomon
Chris Matheson

Directed by
Karey Kirkpatrick

MAIN CAST:
Eddie Murphy ("Daddy Day Care", "Dr. Dolittle")
Thomas Hayden Church ("Sideways", "Smart People")
Yari Shahidi
Martin Sheen (TVs "West Wing", "The Departed")
Nicole Ari Parker ("Remember the Titans", "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins")
Ronny Cox ("Our Town", "Beverly Hills Cop")
DeRay Davis ("Barbershop", "Scary Movie 4")
Vanessa Williams ("New Jack City","Like Mike")
Stephen Rannazzisi ("For Your Consideration", "Paul Blart: Mall Cop")
Stephen Root ("Office Space", "Just Friends")
Richard Schiff ("I am Sam", "Ray")
Bobb'e J. Thompson ("Role Models", "Fred Clause")

Similar titles:
Bedtime Stories, Daddy Day Care

Next Review:
The Proposal- Trailer

Movie Review- Year One

Its happening more and more. A comedy featuring a main and supporting cast who worked together many times before. I'm not against it, it can be a good thing. But the only problem with it is that its hard to not compare a movie like that to other movies you've seen featured the same group. And sometimes it helps, but sometimes the movie can't live up to others.

PLOT:
"Year One" follows two cavemen, one a terrible hunter Zed (Jack Black) and a sensitive gatherer Oh (Michael Cera). Angry after a bad hunt, tribe joke and friend Oh stomp off away from the tribe and runs into the forbidden fruit at the Tree of Knowledge. Zed now thinks he is the chosen one. After the tribe discovers that he ate the fruit, they banish him. While away, the men find out that their tribe has been captured and enslaved. The two decide to be heroes and save their tribe from the sinful sodomites.

PROS:
The film manages to get some genuine laughs. The use of modern day lingo in ancient times is enough to get a few laughs in the beginning but wears thin soon. David Cross, Paul Rudd and a cameo from Bill Hader provide the most genuine laughs.

CONS:
"Year One" is random, but not funny "Hot Rod" random. Randomness is usually funny, but in this case the plot disappears, but comes back, only to disappear again. While the use of biblical satire can be done well, this movie's crude jokes and disgusting acts kill the potential. Jack Black is simply redoing his character from "Orange County", and Michael Cera is being, well Michael Cera. Sometimes it's funny, but he lacks chemistry with Black.

Recommendation:
Wait til it comes on HBO.

Written by:
Harold Ramis
Gene Stupnitsky
Lee Eisenberg

Directed by:
Harold Ramis

MAIN CAST:
Jack Black ("Tropic Thunder", "Kung Fu Panda")
Michael Cera ("Superbad", "Juno")
David Cross ("Run, Ronnie Run", "Alvin and the Chipmunks")
Oliver Platt ("Frost/Nixon", "Dr. Dolittle")
Juno Temple ("The Other Boleyn Girl", "Atonement")
June Diane Raphael ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall", "Bride Wars")
Horatio Sanz ("Road Trip", "The New Guy")
Bill Hader ("Tropic Thunder", "Superbad")
Hank Azaria ("America's Sweethearts","The Simpson's Movie")
Christopher Mintz-Plasse ("Superbad", "Role Models")
Harold Ramis ("Ghostsbusters", "Stripes")
Paul Rudd ("Clueless", "I Love You, Man")
Vinnie Jones ("Gone in Sixty Seconds", "Swordfish")
Olivia Wilde ("Alpha Dog", TV's "House")

Similar Titles:
Ponty Python and the Holy Grail, History of the World:Part 1

Next Review:
Imagine That- Trailer