Jason X
It's Jason Voorhees in space as the hockey masked killer finds innovative high-tech ways to dispense with a platoon of space marines (one gets impaled on a giant corkscrew. After his body winds down, a comrade says, "He got screwed."), and the usual assortment of trapped, sex starved teens. If you're a real fan of the genre, you've seen all the previous Jason, Freddy, and Michael Myers films (a promo for "Halloween: Resurrection" screened during "Jason X"), so how can you avoid this newest addition to the series? And fans won't be disappointed. "Jason X" delivers plenty of laughs, and plenty of teens you just hope will get killed good because they're so annoying. Killings include freezing a victims head to smash like glass, decapitations and plenty of impalings on Jason's famous machete. There is even a scene where Crystal Lake is recreated with holograms and Jason gets to kill two bikini clad campers by banging their sleeping bags together (yes, with them in it). The audience with me had fun laughing out loud, so go with a group. If you like cleavage with your cleavers, don't miss "Jason X," while we wait for Jason to meet Freddy, which is finally in production!

Jeepers Creepers
Expecting the worst, I was pleasantly entertained. Gina Philips and Justin Long did a great job as the sister and brother being chased by the under explained monster (probably because the ending smelled of sequel ). Yes, they used some standard formulas (which still made me jump), but also offered some really macabre visuals that made me want more. While not the greatest horror film ever made, "Jeepers Creepers" might still give you some heebie-jeebies!

Jeepers Creepers 2
Writer/Director Victor Salva (the original Jeepers Creepers) brings back his winged-demon, The Creeper (Jonathon Breck), during the 28th Spring for 28 days to feed on humans and more (as we learn this time around). After a farmer's (Ray Wise) youngest boy is preyed upon by the demon in the opening scene, evoking the farmer's wrath for revenge, a school bus carrying a championship high school basketball team (and three cheerleaders) is targeted as a meal like tuna in a can. And that's where the story takes us, into the bus where confronting the demon causes the teens, who had just worked so well together to win a championship (back-story), falls apart in the face of terror, turning on each other. Again I was fascinated with the acting abilities of another young cast (read my review of Jeepers Creepers). They were incredibly believable, not the stupid teens we expect in this kind of film. So even though the demon was outside the bus, the tension inside the bus was also riveting. And I had no clue as to whom was going to be the next meal. Before the film started, four teen males sat in front of me and didn't stop fidgeting or talking throughout the previews, but from the moment the film started, they were frozen in their seats. Not a stir. Not a peep. Audience voices actually cried out from the dark, "My god, what's going to happen next." With riveting characters, well-paced tension that doesn't give up, and one hell of a cool demon, Jeepers Creepers 2 is better than the first film, which I liked a lot. It isn't required that you see the first film, but I think it will make you fear the demon even more.

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Take the kids to see this one! This was the fastest 82 minutes I'd ever spent at a movie. Great music, animations, action, comedy, a giant alien chicken and some totally "off the world" creativity. Someone had fun making this one!

Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade
Written by Mamoru Oshii, director of Ghost in the Shell, this political-thriller was a bit too dramatic and serious (although engrossing) for my taste. Fortunately, it was still visually stunning with breath-taking cityscapes and eye-popping fire-fights that look more live-action than anime. I can't help it; I like seeing things get "blowed up good."

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
With director Eric Brevig, noted for visual effects, you know what to expect—a film where actors perform in front of green screens—and that’s what you get with this re-imagined version of the Jules Verne classic. In this retelling, Trevor Anderson (Brendan Frasier) a professor of plate tectonics, goes to Iceland in search of his lost brother, along with his nephew, Sean (Bridge to Terabithia’s Josh Anderson), using an actual copy of the Verne book. Picking up a guide (Anita Briem as Hannah), they enter a cave to seek shelter from a storm only to find themselves trapped. The only way out is through the center of the Earth where they encounter a lost world of man-eating plants, giant fish and dinosaurs.  With only three actors, Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) feels like a small film, especially with so much CGI filling the story. Another thing that separates this updated version from previous versions is the lack of dissent among the trapped explorers. In the 1959 version, where a larger group of adventurers is trapped, some of them become villains, adding treachery and depth to the story. In the update, its get from Point A to Point B without being eaten. Of course, the special effects of the 1959 version don’t compare, but in an industry where special effects improve with each film, we still need strong story elements to propel the plot. Also, as another Brendan (The Mummy) Frasier vehicle, you can expect plenty of attempted comedy mixed in with the adventure, often times dulling any feelings of danger and tension. Finally, Journey (2008) is also available in a 3-D version, which I did not see. However, it was obvious this film had a 3-D element based on all the times something pointed at the audience or flew off the screen. Often, this attempt at adding a 3-D effect merely wasted screen time adding nothing to the plot. I can't believe that, other than the novelty, a 3-D version would have been much better. Still, Journey to the Center of the Earth will probably do well with the under 16 crowd. My 10 year old liked it better than I did. Make Journey to the Center of the Earth a family day at the movies and you’ll probably do fine.

Jungle Book 2
I don't believe that everything released by Disney is destined to become a classic, but that doesn't mean some of their films can't just be plain good. And that's Jungle Book 2. It's just plain good. In this sequel, Mowgli (voice of Haley Joel Osment) has been living in a man-village since the first film but his heart belongs to the jungle. So when he leaves to be with his old friend Baloo the Bear (voice of John Goodman), his (kinda) girlfriend Shanti (voice of Mae Whitman) follows only to become lost. Enter the tiger Shere Khan. Looking for revenge, the man-eater uses Shanti to get Mowgli into the tiger's trap. Running a mere 72 minutes, this film moves right along with the typical snappy tones, beautiful coloring, nice backgrounds, and enough adventure and tension to keep my five-year-old at the edge of his seat. Listen for the voice of Phil Collins as Lucky the Vulture and his Vulture buddies, who sound like the Beatles. Even John Rhys-Davies (the dwarf in The Lord of the Rings) lends his talents as the voice of Ranjan's (Conner Funk) father. As usual, John Goodman (one of my favorite character actors, and a Disney regular) steals the show. The Beatle-sounding vultures made me giggle. And the visuals kept me entranced. A Classic? Maybe not. Just a good film to take the kids to and have a good time.

Jurassic Park III
It's like "Jurassic Park the Ride" in this fast-paced "start here—get out there" plot about new, cool dinosaurs eating and chasing more people stranded on the island.