One great film that really didn't need a sequel was "Cheaper by the Dozen." But naturally, becaue the first made so much money, Hollywood has decided to reunite Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt for a sequel. The seqel has a number of problems. The first is that the film isn't really about the kids. The film is more about the parents and the way they treat their kids. This could have worked as a plot outline, had the rest of the film not been weighed down by endless slapstick comedy. The first film was original and had alot of sophisticated humor. This film appealed to younger kids and those people who enjoy films with sappy endings. The film seems to be attempting to make a film that will hit the audience emotionally, however the movie tries too hard and goes overboard with the cheesy one-liners.

In the film The Baker family sets off to their house on a lake where Tom (Steve Martin) meets up with his old "Labor Day Marathon" nemesis (Eugene Levy). Instead of having a fun filled family vacation Tom turns it into a competition with the family across the lake. Naturally the kids try to socialize with the other family, romances blossom, and the fathers learn a valuable life lesson.

Sure the film offered a few funny scenes, but when I saw that the family would once again pull an "underwear soaked in meat" prank, I knew the film was destined to fail. Younger kids will like it, but teens and adults will find it stressful and boring.

Over Christmas Break I have seen a few new movies. Here are quick reviews on each.

The Producers: A remake of the 1968 film by Mel Brooks. This film captures both the original film AND the musical aspects that made the broadway show so popular. Nathan Lane is hysterical as always and Matthew Brodrick plays a fair Leo Bloom (though noone does it as well as Gene Wilder). Will Ferrell also does a tremendous job as former Nazi Franz Liepkinz. Definitely see this film.

Rumor Has It: Rob Reiner's new film that is "based on a true rumor." The credits to the film states that the movie is one hundred percent fiction, however it is based on the Dustin Hoffman film 'The Graduate' and who may have inspired the film. The film is a cheesy romantic-comedy chick-flick, but offers many good laughs and doesn't leave you rolling your eyes. Though I absolutely hate Kevin Costner as an actor I have to give this film a good review.

King Kong: I was a little skeptical about seeing a three hour long movie about a monkey, but I'm glad I went. Peter Jackson once again takes a classic story and makes an obnoxiously long, but totally amazing film. This movie was slow in parts and some of the scenes dragged on a little, but for the most part the film keeps you interested and on the edge of your seat. The acting was amazing and I think this was Jack Black's best performance in a movie. THe role was perfect for him and no actor could have done it better. Adrian Brody also did a great job, as did Naomi Watts. This movie gets a big thumbs up.

It's 9:30 and I still have alot to do tonight to get ready for Christmas, but I can give you a quick review of the new Jim Carrey film "Fun with Dick and Jane."

Once again Jim Carrey is hysterical and perfect. Though the film doesn't have the comic genius of films like 'Bruce Almighty" (which also starred Carrey) or "The 40-Year-Old Virgin (also written by Judd Apatow) "Dick and Jane" keeps you entertained through every step of the film. Whether Jim is singing "I believe I can fly" in an elevator or is stealing carnations from a cemetary the film is hysterical.

A more in depth review will be posted tomorrow.

Finally! After a little over one year Jim Carrey comes out with another movie. My favorite actor is on the big screen once again!

Fun wuth Dick and Jane opens in theaters today and I am psyched about seeing it. Unfortunately its a school night and my parents don't think that it would kill me to see it the second night it was open. It is Cruel and Unusual Punishment, but I guess I'll survive until tomorrow night.

Review will be available Thursday night around Ten.

The Brothers Grimm

Making a living has always been pretty easy for the Grimm brothers. They plant ghosts and witches in different towns and then charge these towns for the Grimm's service of exorcising these ghosts. But, what would happen if they were asked to exorcise paranormal creatures that the brothers didn't plant there? Creatures that were real! This film is definitely worth seeing, but needs to be seen with an open mind. Don't expect anything otherwise you will come out of the theater saying "Well, that was different." However, a very good directing job from Gilliam and great performances from Damon and Ledger. See this movie, but see it twice.


The Exorcism of Emily Rose
“The Exorcism of Emily Rose” is the new thriller based on the last exorcism that was performed. This exorcism leads to Emily Rose’s death. When the priest who performed the exorcism is accused of homicide a workaholic lawyer takes the case to defend him. This film is definitely worth seeing; however do not listen to the reviews that say it is scarier than “The Exorcist” or “The Omen.”
The film is actually a very interesting court film with a few creepy curve balls thrown in. I would say if it compared to any film, it compares the most with “The Devils Advocate.” I would say that scary wise this film is creepy and the story line is interesting.


Also on DVD:

Must Love Dogs starring John Cusack

Rebound starring Martin Lawrence

Cry Wolf

Serenity

Four Brothers

The Producers was scheduled to be released nation-wide on Friday December 26, however at the last minute the film distributers decided to make December 16th a limited release day. The nationwide release day has been bumped back to Christmas Day. What a nice Holiday gift that will be.

Unlike 2003 which produced 'Elf' and 2004 which produced 'Christmas with the Kranks' and 'The Polar Express,' 2005 has not had any Holiday films that jump out at you and say 'SEE ME NOW!' The only three Holiday films that came out this year are "The Ice Harvest," "Just Friends," and now "The Family Stone." Even though advertising for this film was poor, the film can get you into the Christmas mood. However you won't necessarily leave the theater feeling good.

The Family Stone stars Diane Keaton (Something’s Gotta Give), Luke Wilson (Old School, Hoot), and Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls, Red Eye) who are all members of a large and slightly eccentric family. Christmas is off to a good start until Everett (Dermont Mulroney) brings home his girlfriend (Sarah Jessica Parker - Sex in the City).

The family is excited until they met her and find out she is an egocentric workaholic who has no regard for anyone else’s feelings. Just when the family decides they hate her, Everett decides to marry her. Though his mother promised to give him her mother’s engagement ring when he found the right woman, she refuses to give him the ring, and asks him to reconsider.

While Everett and his mother argue about this, his brother Ben (Wilson) finds out their mother has a terminal illness and will not live to see another Christmas. She was going to tell her family after Christmas, but Ben's father let it slip while he and Ben were on a walk. Luke's personality around his mother changes dramatically and the family becomes suspicious that something might be wrong. As if that weren't bad enough, Ben also falls in love with Meredith (Parker).

After a very tense discussion at dinner, regarding Keaton's deaf son's sexual preference, Keaton openly tells Meredith what she thinks of her. The good feeling of the Holiday takes a nose dive from here. Though much of the movie is still hysterical, you can't help feeling a little depressed.

Overall this film is a VERY funny holiday film that will have you laughing the entire way through. However afterwards you will need to go home and give your mom a hug. I did.

TRAILERS

I also saw a trailer before the movie for a film called "Catch and Release" starring Jennifer Garner and KEVIN SMITH!!! Kevin smith is my all time favorite director (next to Tim Burton) and I was psyched to see that he was one of the main characters in this film. It looks great and I will be first in line opening night (surprise, surprise).

"The Producers" based on the 1968 film by Mel Brooks, will NOT be showing in ANY theater in Maine. Unless some theaters add the film at the last minute most mainers will not have the privelage to see this new movie musical!

I am a huge fan of the original (it is my fifth favorite film of all time) and I have been looking forward to this movie ALL YEAR! I wanted to see Will Ferrell playing a Nazi! I wanted to critique the difference between Matthew Broderick and Gene Wilder! And I want to see the new performance of "Spring Time for Hitler!" Where is the Producers?

Steve Carrell stars as Andy Stitzer in the funniest film of the year "The 40-Year-Old Virgin."?  Though the title suggests a rather risque film filled with rude and crude jokes, this movie provides the audience with so much more than that. The film is also a feel-good romantic comedy which adds a nice tone to this hilarious movie.

Michael Bay has once again made a film that makes you wonder "Why does he get to keep on making movies?" The film stars Ewen McGreggor and Scarlet Johanson as two people living in a world where everyone does the same thing everyday. Everyone dresses alike, has a diet they must stick to, and a job they must perform. There are hardly ever any surprises, however every night there is a lottery. Whoever wins the lottery may leave the strange futuristic city to go and live on 'the island.' But there is a strange secret about the island that no one knows. This was the absolute worst film this year. There wasn't enough dialogue, the action and special effects seemed to be deleted scenes from "Star Wars Episode Two," and overall the acting was terrible. Steve Buschemi was great in it, but then he fell thirty feet and landed face first on a glass sculpture.

I was not expecting 'Narnia' to be anything more than another failed attempt for Disney to draw in a fanbase with a Fantasy/Adventure film that kids could enjoy. I was plesently surprised by a film that I would consider the 'Lord of the Rings'? for a younger audience. I have never been a fan of C.S. Lewis' 'The Chronicles of Narnia' however I found myself drawn into the film due to its visual effects and wit.

From the opening scene I could tell the film would be more than I expected. A World War Two German Air Raid kicks off the film showing that Disney was not just trying to make another cheesy kids movie that parents would roll their eyes at. During this brief opening we meet the characters and can identify with their personalities immediately. While fleeing their house the second youngest of the children, Edmond, runs back in to grab a picture of their father. Peter, the oldest, begins yelling for the younger brother to come back and when Edmond doesn't listen Peter starts lecturing him about how he never listens to their mother. Being an older brother I can easilly identify with this situation.

The two sisters take a little longer to get to know. We first begin to understand Lucy's character when the children are sent away to live with 'The Professor' so that they aren't caught in the middle of the war. While playing hide and seek Lucy finds an old wardrobe and decides to hide inside it. She soon finds herself transported to the kingdom of Narnia. Upon returning to the professor's house she tells her siblings what happened. Naturally no one believes such a far out story.

I was actually surprised as to who long it took for all four children to go into Narnia. Edmond was the second to go through the wardrobe when he followed Lucy through at night. His experience is much different than Lucy's. He meets up with The White Witch who tells Edmond that she is the queen of Narnia. She then convinces him to lure his siblings into Narnia so that they can be 'servants.' Little does he know that she plans to kill them all in order to stop a prophecy and become the TRUE queen of Narnia.

When Peter and Susan finally go through the wardrobe with Edmond and Lucy they find out that there is a prophecy. The prophecy says that Two Sons of Adam and Two Daughters of Eve will come into Narnia to lead an army to war against the white witch. Susan's character is never explained well, but after the children find out about the prophecy Peter makes a brief comment about her always trying to be smart. Her character was the only one that needed work.

The best character in the film was the white witch. She was ugly, terrifying yet, during the scenes where she tries to trick Edmond, she could almost convince YOU that she was the rightful queen of Narnia. Her part was cast perfectly.

This film is long, but very well made. I never really liked the story of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" and none of the movies made about it were at all impressive, however I found this film both entertaining and thought provoking. My favorite thing about the film was that there was a little bit for everyone. The kids had the mystical, fantasy half of the film while the teenagers and adults had the battle sequences and hidden meanings behind the story. I just learned today that the Lion in the film is a biblical allusion. According to several sources the Lion's sacrifice represents Jesus' sacrifice for man kinds sins. I didn't know this when I saw the film, but looking back on it now, it makes perfect sense.

Overall I suggest you see the movie. Though I don't believe it will be winning any Oscars, it is a great film to take kids to.

CINDERELLA MAN

Cinderella Man is the true story of James Braddock, the inspirational boxer who fought during the great depression just so that he could feed his family. Russell Crowe and Renee Zellwegger star in this triumphant Ron Howard film that will leave you wanting more. The film’s cinematography is fantastic, giving you the perfect image of the Great Depression and the acting compliments it perfectly. Paul Giamti plays Braddock’s manager and as always gives both a strong and funny performance. If you haven’t seen this film you should go out and rent it imediately.

Special Features on the DVD include:

English DVS Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. "The Fight Card: Casting Cinderella Man," "The Man, The Movie, The Legend: A Filmmaking Journey," "For The Record: A History In Boxing," "Ringside Seats," "Jim Braddock: The Friends & Family Behind The Legend," "Kodak Cinderella Man.", Audio Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Double Sided/Dual Layer

THE DUKES OF HAZZARD

Johnny Knoxville and Sean William Scott star as Bo and Luke Duke in the movie version of the popular 1970’s television show “The Dukes of Hazzard.” The story follows the Duke boys as they try to stop Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds) from taking Hazzard County and using it for land development. To do this the boys must disguise themselves as Japanese doctors, drive their car recklessly, and of course, parade their cousin Daisy around in the hsortest of shorts. Could there be a dumber movie? This film is a total waste of time. I absolutely hate car chases in movies and they were the most entertaining part of this film. The acting on Knoxville and Scott’s part was okay, but Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, and Willie Nelson added nothing to this film. I also noticed major errors in the characters of Boss Hogg and Daisy Duke. In the show Boss Hogg was heavy set, but in the film he was very thin. Jessica Simpson may not have been the best choice for Daisy Duke, because the Daisy Duke in the TV show was a brunette. If I were you I would skip this movie.

Special features on this DVD include:

Featurettes include: "Daisy Dukes: The Short Short Shorts" (Parents will LOVE this feature) - Learn how they made the shorts so short and how to make your own; "The General Lee Lives" - A close look at the beloved car; "How To Launch A Muscle Car 175 feet In 4 Seconds" - How they pulled off such a large scale car jumping stunt. Hilarious outtakes. "The Hazards Of Dukes" - Behind the scenes look.Blooper Reel, Gag Reel, Music Videos, Trailers

FANTASTIC FOUR

Though it may not be “fantastic” it is one of the most entertaining superhero films that I have seen. After comic book film dissapointments like “X2: X-MEN UNITED,” “The Hulk,” and “Daredevil” I was expecting Fantastic Four to be a two hour bore-fest of overly stylized action sequences and cheesy catch phrases. I was very wrong. Though not quite to the level of “Batman” or “Spider-man,” Fantastic Four has the perfect blance of action and dialogue to keep the audience’s attention, and actually make them WANT a sequel. The film follows five scientists who gain superpowers after a bizarre experience in a space shuttle. Though four of the team members try to use their powers for good, one decides to take a different path, and the four set out to stop him. If you are a fan of comic books or comic book films you should see this film.

Special features on this DVD include:

Featurettes include: "Daisy Dukes: The Short Short Shorts" - Learn how they made the shorts so short and how to make your own; "The General Lee Lives" - A close look at the beloved car; "How To Launch A Muscle Car 175 feet In 4 Seconds" - How they pulled off such a large scale car jumping stunt. Hilarious outtakes. "The Hazards Of Dukes" - Behind the scenes look.Blooper Reel, Gag Reel, Music Videos, Trailers

ALSO ON DVD

STAR WARS TRILOGY LIMITED EDITION

Though I am not a Jennifer Aniston fan in the least, Derailed is an interesting film with an excellent twist at the end. The twist is what makes the movie good. In the middle of the film I began to get bored with the plot and I found myself thinking "When is this going to end?" The ending finally came and when it did I was thrilled to find the film go in a direction I was not expecting. usually I go to the movies and I can figure out the twist midway. Not this one. This one surprised me, though my friend said that she expected something along the lines of what happened. After the twist took place there is a ten or fifteen minute wrap up of the film. This was not needed. I felt that the filmmaker was just squeezing everything he could out of the story. Overall I would say that it is worth seeing, but with the other great films in theaters right now I would say wait for the DVD.

Though I was expecting "Just Friends" to be funny, I thought it would just be a string of stupid jokes strung together to make a funny, yet pointless movie. I was very wrong. This film was not only hilarious, it was well written, so you understood each characters emotions and could identify with them.

The opening scene shows Chris, played by Ryan Reynolds (Amityville Horror, Waiting), getting ready to go to a party with his best friends. However he is hoping that on this particular night his friend Jamie, played by Amy Smart (Road Trip, The Battle of Shaker Heights), would become his girlfriend. After a brief monologue about how they might get together we see Chris' face for the first time and you cannot help but laugh. He is chubby, with curly hair and a retainer, causing him to lisp a little. It does not stop there. Moments after you see Chris for the first time he begins lip syncing to Kenny Roger's "I Swear." This all happens in the first few minutes of the film and already you are laughing hysterically.

After he confesses to Jamie that he wants to be her boyfriend, she tells him that she just wants to be friends. This and the constant taunting of others drives Chris to leave his small New Jersey town, to pursue bigger things in LA. Ten Years later he is no longer a heavy-set geek. He is now an egocentric Record Executive whose love life consists of frequent one-night stands. Why such the dramatic change in personality? He promised himself that if he were ever interested in a woman he would NEVER fall into "the friend zone" again.

This is what causes Chris to meet Samantha James, played by Anna Faris (Scary Movie 1, 2, 3), an Ashlee Simpson type Pop Star who has her mind set on going to Paris with Chris. However while on the plane Samantha manages to set a container of salmon on fire and the plane is forced to land. Where do they land? None other than Chris' Hometown in New Jersey.

This film is absolutely hilarious and had be laughing from start to finish. Wether it was the four Christmas Carolers who would randomly walk by in the background of several scenes, or Samantha James eating toothpaste after a bad head injury the comic scenes are original an priceless. But overall it is the characters that hold the film together. One of my favorites was Dusty (Dinkleman) Lee, played by Chris Klein (American pie), who had been labeled a "crazy guy" in High School and has now turned into a sleaze. The conflict between Chris and Dusty is funny, but watching Dusty pretend to be a nice guy, just so he can go out with Jamie makes you hate his character. Chris Klein does a perfect job in this role.

Overall this was a hysterical holiday film that is a must see.

Well, it’s December First and its time to start getting ready for Christmas. To get in the mood, why not watch a few Christmas movies? Here is a list of my 12 all time favorite Christmas Movies.

12. The Santa Clause

11. The Original “Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

10. Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer

9. Miracle on 34th Street (The Original)

8. Frosty the Snowman

7. A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott

6. The Charlie Brown Christmas Special

5. It’s a Wonderful Life

4. A Christmas Story

3. Christmas Vacation

2. Elf

1. Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

I can’t think of very many TERRIBLE Christmas movies off the top of my head, however stay away from “Surviving Christmas” starring Ben Affleck.

Can you think of any that are just as bad or worse? Do you agree with my list of "Best Films?" Let me know!