Campfire Stories (Direct to video/DVD)
Two teen guys come across a stranded young woman ("Soprano's" Jamie-Lynn Sigler) on a dark, back road and end up in the woods hearing "Campfire Stories" from a Park Ranger. Ranger Bill tells three tales in yet another campfire trilogy for 2 misses and 1 hit. The first story, about some prep school bullies who pick on the wrong guy, didn't go far enough and seemed disjointed for a miss. The second, about three young psychos who decide to kill a Native American and steal his weed had cool special effect hallucinations and a nice "Twilight Zone" feel right to the tight ending for a hit. The third story, about someone stalking two college girls, lacked tension and became lost in itself with an attempted twist ending for another miss. Finally, the story comes full circle, bringing us back to the two guys who learn that the stranded young woman has plans of her own. Worth your time? If there's nothing else to watch, maybe.

Carnal (DVD—also known as 2003's Mala Carne)
Argentine writer and director Fabian Forte's attempt at a macabre tale involves two college buddies, Eduardo (Federico Bezenzette) and Patricio (Guido Krilovetski), who need to take a break from a project and decide to go out for a bite. While walking along a street, they meet two "hot older chicks," Marcel and Maria (played by Alexia Zamparo and Mara Said), who invite them to their place for drinks. Eduardo and Patricio soon discover that these women have more than sex in mind when they start taking bites (the women turn out to be vampires) and organs (which they sell on the Black Market) from Patricio. Eduardo is paralyzed with drugs to be kept as a play thing. The premise for Carnal is promising, (bodies stacked in the closet, a feral flesh-eating man in the basement being kept as a pet,) but the payoff is disappointing for a film that the promo promises will be a "nightmare journey into a terrifying and claustrophobic underworld of unexpected violence that we will soon not forget." First, we have to wait for over 45 minutes in an 80-minute film while we listen to dull, pedestrian dialogue around a kitchen table as Eduardo whines over and over that they have to get back to "finish their project." When things do get started, the sex is PG Rated, as is the violence, which cuts away before showing anything of shock value, especially when competing with today's films like Hostel, Saw, and Touristas. The other problem is the superficial plot about vampires harvesting and selling body organs. Neither the vampire plot nor the harvesting organs plot is delved into with any depth, so we are kept in the dark and learn little about the two women who obviously have issues. Especially interesting were the scenes where the two women fought like growling animals and we only glimpsed what was happening. That's where Forte should have focused his effort. What was going on with these women? The two women were the real story here, not the college buddies. While the film does have some redeeming values for its limited budget, such as using handheld cameras for a realistic docudrama effect, this is not a film "we will soon not forget." Unfortunately, in spite of its promise, it is easily forgotten.

The Cave (DVD)
Bruce Hunt, a Second Unit director for 1998's Dark City, 1999's The Matrix, and 2003's Matrix Reloaded and Evolutions for IMAX gets a shot at first director for The Cave, a story about a group of cave explorers hoping to be the first humans to find and map a legendary cave in the Carpathian Mountains. That's correct, the Carpathians—the land of Dracula. The film opens with a hook about a previous group who found the cave but were immediately trapped and attacked by something from within the dark. Then we jump to the current group and spend some time meeting all the members of a very large group of experts—the special forces guy, the scientists, the climbing experts, the diving experts—almost too many people to keep track of, which becomes the first, although small, problem with this film. Of course, only minutes after descending into the cave this new group is trapped, so now instead of exploring, their only goal is to get out. But there's something in the cave with them and it has a tattoo. Now, instead of focusing on the creature, the story focuses more on the conflict within the group, mostly "which way do we go?" After only fleeting glimpses of the creature, which reminded me of those 1950s movies that didn't show the monster until the film was almost over, one member is bitten and begins to transform into the creature. By now I was losing interest watching more swimming in the dark and listening to more arguments. By the end, the giant bat-like creatures do come out in force, after the initial group has been whittled down, and it becomes a race for freedom. But why in the Carpathian Mountains? If you haven't guessed, the film hints that these cave dwelling creatures are the origin of the vampire legend, but by then, who cares? I didn't and I doubt most of you will.

The Cell
The parts were better than the whole. Disturbing scenes that were truly disturbing, contrasted well with the fantastic and surreal dream sequences,but what the hell was up with that Jennifer Lopez "Madonna" thing? I wanted to laugh.

Children of Men (DVD)
Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) directed and helped write the screenplay for this science fiction/drama based on the P. D. James novel. It's 2027 and women can no longer have children. The world is in ruins—except England, where martial law has been declared, illegal aliens are rounded up, and various rebel groups are trying to recapture the government. Against this background, mild-mannered Theo Faron (Clive Owen) is contacted by his former wife, Julian (Julianne Moore), leader of a revolutionary group, because she wants him to escort the last pregnant woman to a secret organization called the Human Project—a journey fraught with double crosses and danger. I missed this one in theaters and am happy I didn't miss it on DVD. Besides having a well-written, character-driven story, peppered with plenty of action—enough to keep even the likes of me happy—the plot also had enough twists and turns to make me wonder what would happen next. I was captured from beginning to end. Especially noteworthy is a great performance by Michael Caine as Jasper, a character who manages not to be caught up in the politics of his time. But what really made this film scary was its comparison to current events. So much of this story could happen tomorrow, not in twenty years. Rent this one when you have time to watch without distraction. You might be surprised.

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Shreks 1 and 2's director Andrew Adamson directs this C. S. Lewis classic about four children's (Georgie Henley as Lucy, Skandar as Edmund, William Moseley as Peter, and Anna Popplewell as Susan) accidental journey to a magical world where they soon discover that they have been chosen to fulfill a prophecy and restore peace to a land divided between the forces of good, led by the lion Aslan (voice of Liam Neeson), and the forces of evil, led by the White Witch (Tilda Swinton). But things don't go so smoothly for our young heroes when Edmund falls prey to the enticements of the White Witch and betrays his family. While the storyline is simple, but solid, it's the characters that grabbed my attention. The children couldn't have been played better, especially Georgie Henley's wide-eyed Lucy. Even the White Witch was a simple character in that she is all bad and doesn't hide it, but considering that a sign of her reign is that Narnia is in a perpetual winter, Tilda Swinton does play her so well as icy cold, especially with her crown of icicles and cold stare. But most impressive is Aslan, who on first look appears to be a real lion whose Liam Neeson voice fits perfectly. And that's the magic of this film. Again the CGI artists have outdone themselves. Sure, some of the mythological creatures of Narnia looked like actors with masks, but so many of the creatures, especially portrayals of real animals like beavers, tigers, jaguars, rhinos, and leopards looked and moved like the real thing. And seeing these animals, along with minotaurs, centaurs, Cyclopes, giants, dwarfs, fauns, gryphons, and especially the evil wolf pack, talk and fight—that was the real treat. Make no mistake, C. S. Lewis admitted that Narnia is a fairy tale written for children, thus the simplicity, but if you're an adult who loves fantasy (like me), then you'll appreciate this film. Children as young as six filled the audience and actually kept still most of the time except for hiding in their mothers' laps during some of the battle scenes. But this is a good chance to take the family and enjoy a film that everyone can appreciate at their own level.

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Director Andrew Adamson (2005’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, 2004’s Shrek 2, and 2001’s Shrek) returns to direct and pen the second Chronicles film in which the human, Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes)—the rightful heir to the throne of Narnia—flees his scheming, murderous uncle. Caspian takes shelter in the forest where he befriends the Narnians—the creatures of legend and folklore we met in the first film. To aid him in his quest, Prince Caspian blows a magic horn summoning the kings and queens of old—the Pervensies—Georgie Henley as Lucy, Skandar Keynes as Edmund, William Moseley as Peter, and Anna Popplewell as Susan. However, whereas the heroes from the first film have aged 1 year, Narnia has aged 1500 years. The siblings ultimately join with Caspian to fight for the throne and save the Narnians from extinction. Need I say, as with all films in a series, much of the charm and surprise is gone. Seeing the Narnians (centaurs, dwarves, talking animals etc), again didn’t have the magic of the first time. Even the story of regaining the throne appeared worn, at least to people like me. I am sure the younger audience isn’t as tainted as I am. It also wasn’t a total surprise to see that Adamson had been involved in the Shrek films because the plot to exterminate the Narnians reminded of  Lord Farquaad’s quest to exterminate fairy tale creatures. I’ve never read the books so I don’t know if this film follows the book. There is plenty of action with two battle scenes, which again lost their enchantment a bit. Much of the violence—and there is plenty for a PG film—is off screen, but adults will notice the hints of throat slitting and stabbing, as well as a beheading. The cinematography is as wonderful as the first film, but again, this is our return to Narnia. So does all this mean I didn’t like this film? Far from it! High Fantasy is probably my favorite genre, so although there were few surprises, I enjoyed being transported back to this world along with the Pervensie children. If you are a fan of the first film, you owe to yourself to see Prince Caspian. If you haven’t seen the first, be aware that while this film mostly holds up on its own, it is a continuation, and having knowledge of the first film couldn’t hurt. You might want to rent The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe before seeing Prince Caspian.

The Chronicles of Riddick
The writer/director of Pitch Black, David Twohy, returns with the continuing adventures of his glowing-eyed loner—Riddick (Vin Diesel). It's some years after the Pitch Black escape and Riddick is back to being hunted for a bounty. Along the way he bumps muscles with The Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), leader of the Necromongers, a race of religious fanatics conquering the planet where the "Holy Man" (Keith David) from Pitch Black now lives with his family. Riddick joins the rebellion (sort of), but just as that plot unfolds, Riddick ends up in prison where he meets Jack from Pitch Black, now grown and called Kyra. Now the film becomes a prison escape story. For Act III we return to the Necromongers for lots of shooting, running, jumping, and blowing things up. So what you end up with is an action-adventure space yarn with nothing especially notable and nothing particularly bad. Borrowing from just about every other film in the genre, this generic approach means Chronicles should have something for everyone. For me, Diesel is more Sylvester Stallone than Arnold Schwarzenegger, which isn't a bad thing, but unless he moves quickly he will be destined for more decent "B" films. Wait for the rental.

Cloverfield
Television director Matt Reeves takes his cue from 1999’s Blair Witch Project by putting a video camcorder into the hands of a group of twenty-somethings (Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, TJ Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman) at a going away party in mid-town Manhattan where one of their friends is moving to Japan. During the party we get to meet the group, who loves who, who broke up with who etc. Things are rather plain until what appears to be an earthquake shakes the building. When most of the partygoers run to the roof to get a better look of the state of the city, we get our first glimpse of something smashing buildings in the distance. A panicked scramble to the street gives us one of the best shots of the film—the Statue of Liberty’s head rolling down the street like a bowling ball. From here on it’s a “monster on the loose” as the six friends try to escape. My major concern—the quality of the cinematography—was put to rest quickly, because the film was clear and crisp. Cloverfield also didn’t suffer from the dark scenes that plagued 2007’s Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. There is plenty of camera shaking when running, but it only adds to the confusion and terror of being chased by a giant creature. The actors are all television experienced, but again it added to the reality when delving into their personal relationships during the crisis. They were even very funny during some of the light-hearted moments, which drew chuckles from the audience. Chalk one up for the writers who managed to balance the tension with the laughs. Of course, I can’t tell you what the monster is or looks like, but you won’t be disappointed as it slowly reveals itself until nothing is left to the imagination. Expect plenty of non-stop action, a few well-placed laughs, some great special effects and an overall good time as New York City is reduced to rubble.

Collateral
A Los Angeles cab driver's (Jamie Foxx) fare (Tom Cruise) turns out to be a professional hitman who forces Foxx to drive him to each of his five contracted hits in this dark-comedy action thriller from director Michael Mann (1995's Heat, and 1992's Last of the Mohicans). Some comedians make the shift to dramatic actor successfully (Robin Williams), and some don't (Eddie Murphy). After seeing Collateral, I'm putting Jamie Foxx on the "can make the shift" list. He did such a good job in this starring role that at times I didn't recognize the slap-stick comedian from television's In Living Color. Even Tom Cruise fits well into his role as the cold-blooded assassin to round off this starring team. But what about the film itself? Collateral starts great, looks great, and sounds great. Mann gives us the action we expect, some wonderful camera shots and angles, and a great mix of music, using everything from classical piano to blues harmonica in the soundtrack. Interesting plot twists and unexpected turns force you to pay attention, even if he did lose me for a moment here and there, especially when the story neatly (too neatly) comes full circle in the third act. Collateral isn't a film you need to run and see in the theaters, but make this a must-rent, if only to watch Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise. I think you'll also be pleasantly surprised.

Constantine
Getting a reprieve from eternity in Hell after committing suicide, Constantine (Keanu Reeves) returns to earth to round up half-bred demons and return them to the fire and brimstone he escaped. But things have changed and the hellspawn themselves are coming through to the earth plane in preparation for the coming of the Devil's son. Joining forces with Detective Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), the two must stop the coming of Hell on Earth. We don't go to a Keanu Reeves film for the acting. Keanu Reeves can't act. Not that he plays his characters poorly, but he always plays the same character in every film. But so what. If I could get The Matrix meets The Exorcist with this film I'd be happy and I almost—almost—got my wish. When Constantine— is moving, it moves with high energy, some wonderful special effects, and some pretty cool exorcisms. But I did find my mind drifting during some of the lengthy expositional scenes. I think the situation was that I got it, I understood the plot, but as often happens with films from comics, they tell too much. Even the direction by Francis Lawrence, whose only prior experience is music videos, works well. He really gets off filming Reeves lighting a cigarette (entertaining the first two times), but it gets the spotlight way too many times. But all in all everything works. I just wish I could have gotten more from what turns out to be an interesting and entertaining little film. I say 'little,' because even though the characters are in a city, rarely do we ever see more than three characters on screen at a time. I also enjoyed a different portrayal of the Archangel Gabriel who is played this time around as a woman (Tilda Swinton), but didn't like Satan (Peter Stormare) portrayed like a character from The Sopranos, making Constantine a nice effort that fell a bit short. Definitely worth a rental.

Corpse Bride
In Corpse Bride, Victor (Johnny Depp), nervous about his upcoming arranged marriage to Victoria (Emily Watson), is practicing his vows in the dark woods where he accidentally marries a corpse bride (Helena Bonham Carter) who had been murdered and buried to hide the crime. Besides trying to figure out how Victor will get out of the marriage, the plot uncovers the devious plans of Lord Barkis Bittern (Richard E. Grant) who offers to marry Victoria in Victor's absence. I became a great fan of Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas after its release to DVD, and its soundtrack has become a favorite staple for long car trips, so I was excited about seeing Corpse Bride. And since Tim Burton is so unique, he ends up competing with himself, so when I put Corpse Bride up against A Nightmare Before Christmas, I ended up disappointed. Corpse Bride, while having wonderful sets and animated characters, came off dull and simple compared to A Nightmare Before Christmas, which comes off like a party, a celebration. Even the supporting characters are underdeveloped, appearing more like shadows, unlike A Nightmare Before Christmas where we get to spend some quality time with the residents of Halloweentown. Also, there are hardly enough songs to call this a musical, and with Danny Elfman composing, it seemed a waste of his talent. Actually, Corpse Bride would have been better served had it been a live-action film with real people in the roles of the puppets. It would have been quite macabre with a streak of dark humor. Should you see this in theaters? To be honest, you can wait for DVD. Of course, there's always the chance I'll like this more on DVD, as I did with A Nightmare Before Christmas. I guess I'll just have to have to wait and see.

Cry_Wolf
After a group of bored, Prep School brats use a local murder to create a fictional serial killer, their fiction turns real and begins hunting them. Soon into the plot you start recognizing the misdirection and while it took a while to figure out what was really going on, I didn't care by then. I'm not a gore freak, but this is one of those films that could have used an R Rating to get it off the level of a television movie. The scares are under the surface, but as they are now, they barely chill, even by television standards. And no wonder—the director/writer, Jeff Wadlow, is hardly out of film school, and the cast (Julian Morris, Lindy Booth, Jared Padalecki, Sandra McCoy, and Kristy Wu), the typical good-looking young actors that plague these films, are mostly television-experienced, keeping this on the level of a 9 p.m. television movie, and I didn't pay to see something I could have seen for free on television. So skip this in the theaters, pass on the rental, and wait for it to be on television because that's where it belongs. Jon Bon Jovi fans can look for the singer/actor as teacher, Rich Walker.

Cursed
Recipe for horror: Two cups of writer Kevin Williamson (Scream Trilogy) stirred together with two cups of director Wes Craven (Scream Trilogy and an extensive list of horror classics); sweeten with Christina (Sleepy Hollow) Ricci, and add a pinch Portia de Rossi for spice. So what could go wrong? Well somehow, what should have been a really good film ended up a bit flat and at times hard to swallow. Things start off well enough with a car crash, a werewolf, and some tongue-in-cheek horror, but just when you think this is good, it doesn't continue to get better or even maintain the original drive. Williamson resurrects the Scream formula by adding the who-is-it twist, but his "who is the werewolf" spin ends up with too much misdirection, the worst of which is Joshua (Urban Legend, Dawson's Creek) Jackson's character Jake who shows up at the oddest times to become quite annoying. Williamson tries to bring it together by the end, after even more misdirection, but by then it's too late. I guess you can tell I was expecting more. I was. Unfortunately what could have been a good film turns out to be merely okay. This one should have been better. Wait for the rental. If you want some good tongue-in-cheek with your werewolf, rent 2000's Ginger Snaps, directed by John Fawcett—a favorite of mine that won't miss. (But skip Ginger Snaps 2. It sucked. There's a Ginger Snaps 3 floating around that I haven't seen yet so let me know if it's worth my time if you see it first.)