Saw
The film opens with Adam (newcomer Leigh Whannell) waking up to find himself chained to a pipe in a filthy, smelly abandoned restroom with a dead body sprawled across the middle of the floor, just out of reach, the apparent victim of a suicide; and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) also chained to a pipe on the opposite side of the restroom. In an attempt to discover who did this to them and why, Dr. Gordon fills us in on the escapades of a psycho who captures and tortures people by putting them through horrific tests to stay alive. We learn of a man trapped in a room who has to crawl through razor-edged barbed-wire if he wants to live, and a young woman (Becker's Shawnee Smith) who found herself trapped with a bear-trap-like apparatus around her head that would pulverize her face if she doesn't retrieve the key from inside the stomach of a semi-conscious man on the floor before her. There are others but I'll let you enjoy them for yourself. Chasing the psycho are Detectives David Tapp (Danny Glover) and Steven Sing (Ken Leung). After getting us caught up on things, Gary Elwes learns he must kill Leigh Whannell by six o'clock or his wife and daughter will be killed. If this sounds tense, it is. From the opening to closing scenes there is tension and it works rather well. Yes, it does share a style similar to 1995's Seven, but that's as far as the comparison goes. These are two distinctly different films. Newcomer writer-director James Wan does a fine job with his camera and sets to create a claustrophobic feel, forcing us to identify with the restroom captives. And his writing keeps us guessing as to the identity of the madman right to the end. If you like your thrillers tense with a "what the hell is going on" plot, this one's for you. In spite of the carnage I've highlighted, Wan manages to keep the blood and guts to a bare minimum, because once the nightmare of what is about to happen to these poor people is planted in your head, you really don't need to be shown, your imagination will do its job. It might be a good idea to see this in a crowded theater for the group experience, but any way you see it will do just fine.

Saw II
In Saw II, six people wake up to find themselves trapped in an abandoned house, captives of The Jigsaw Killer (Tobin Bell) who is ready to play another game. They have all been given a lethal dose of a toxic nerve gas and have two hours to find the antidotes and the exit, but they have to play by the rules, warns Amanda (Shawnee Smith), the only person to survive the Jigsaw Killer in the original film, and now captive again. Meanwhile, the Jigsaw Killer is seemingly captured by Detectives Eric Mason (Donnie Wahlberg) and his partner, Kerry (Dina Meyer), one of the detectives from the original, when the tables turn and the Jigsaw Killer reveals that one of the six people he's captured is Detective Mason's son. Now Mason "must play by the rules" if he wants to see his son again. Saw II is a continuation of the original with many of the same characters, but more blood than in the first film. You will still cringe when people peek through keyholes or open doors. There isn't much that's different, except for some new and innovative ways to torture people, but as I said, this is a continuation, not a new movie. Still, I managed to become immersed, wondering what was coming next, taking the side of some characters against others, wondering what was on the Jigsaw Killer's mind this time around as he doled out his own perverted sense of justice. Then, when I had just about had enough, the film gets to the ending, and as with the first, it's the ending that makes it all worth it because that's when we learn what has actually been going on. It isn't necessary to have seen the first film to see this one, and if you liked the first, you'll probably like this one—just remember to "play by the rules."

Saw III
Saw II's director, Darren Lynn Bousman, returns to direct Saw III and continues the style of his former film. Even Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and Amanda (Shawnee Smith) return to reprise their previous roles. So what's different? After tying up some loose ends with Detective Kerry (Dina Meyer) from Saw II, or in this case "ripping off some loose ends," Saw III takes us through two new stories—one about Lynn (Bahar Soomekh,) a nurse kidnapped by Amanda and fitted with a collar that will explode if the cancer-ridden Jigsaw should die before he gets to see his newest "game" played through. The second story involves Jeff (Angus Macfadyen), a father twisted with hate and a desire for revenge after the man who killed his son in an automobile accident gets off with only a six-month sentence. Now Jigsaw wants to see if Jeff can overcome his desire for revenge by sending him through a maze where he must actually help some of the people responsible for his son's death by trying to release them from the types of hideous trademark contraptions that make for Saw films. We also get to learn more about the background between Jigsaw and Amanda as the two main plots unfold. Of course, if you've seen the other Saw films, you know that everything is building toward a trick climax where things turn out to be different than we thought and this film is no exception. As with each Saw film before it, the torture contraptions will make some of you squirm. But for me, the hardest thing to watch was a brain surgery scene, maybe because it was the most realistic. There are enough differences about Saw III to make fans see it and the ending does hold a surprise or two. Was it the best Saw film so far? Sequels rarely are.

Saw IV
In Saw IV. we seem to pick up where III left off as mostly new characters take on the case of the diabolical “Jigsaw” killer. We do get much more background into Jigsaw’s/John’s (Tobin Bell) pre-psychotic (?) life through interviews with his ex-wife, Jill (Betsy Russell), whom the FBI believe knows more than she is telling. Meanwhile, and I can’t explain how or why without giving away vital information, Jigsaw uses Detective Rigg (Lyrig Bent) for his "rat in the maze" experiment this time around. Rigg becomes the thread that ties the film together. His “obsession” with the case does work well as a driving force for the plot. Unfortunately, the story does tie itself in knots at times making you ask too many questions, some never answered to my satisfaction. On the positive side, Director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II and III) uses editing and scene transition, which overlapped nicely, to add a touch of art. And if you were wondering, yes, they do manage to come up with new and innovative ways to torture people. As usual, everything is explained at the end, but as I said, not necessarily well. If you’re a fan of the series, you must see it. For the rest of you, seeing it in a crowded theater and sharing the group scare factor would definitely be more fun then seeing this as a small-screen rental.

Scary Movie
Officer Doofy and two unexpected over-the-top bits save this otherwise standard pot and fart parody.

Scooby-Doo
Finally got to see this one, only to realize there was no rush. The Scooby Gang (Freddie Prinze Jr as Fred, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy, and Linda Cardellini as Velma) break up to be reunited to solve the mystery of Spooky Island in yet another cartoon gone live action. But that's what was missing "live action." Yes, it was fun to see the CGI Scooby and his human companions . . . for about ten minutes. The rest of the time was spent on fart duels and less than funny side bits that stumbled through a less than creative plot involving Scrappy-Doo. Their tag line brags that they don't forget there are adults in the audience, but the only thing that got me through this film was watching Sarah Michelle Gellar (wearing tight, hip high skirts and knee high boots) climb and bend, scoop and stoop. She looked yummy.

The Score
I knew Edward Norton was going to be one of the next great actors after I saw American History X. He proved me correct with Fight Club, and now this. Throw in legends, De Niro and Brando, great pacing and editing from Frank Oz and you get a top notch thriller that's a joy to listen too as well as watch.

The Scorpion King
This by-the-book sword and sorceress adventure finds Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson leading a rag-tag band of rebels that includes "the kid," "the funny sidekick," and "the enemy turned friend," against an evil war lord. While lacking the graphic tension of a Conan film or the campy tongue and cheek of Xena, this was a respectable action vehicle for launching The Rock's" film career. Better looking than Arnold and certainly more eloquent, Dwayne Johnson definitely has screen presence and is rather likeable. I expect to see more of him as an action hero and that's not a bad thing.

Scream 3
The scariest thing in this film was the close up of Courtney Cox with her hair pulled back, combined with a strained, contrived plot that brought the "Scream" series to a horrible end, or was it "suicide?"

Secret Window
Writer Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) catches his wife (Maria Bello) in bed with her lover (Timothy Hutton) causing his life to crumble. Then, to make matters worse, a southern stranger (John Turturro) turns up at Mort's mountain retreat to accuse Mort of stealing his story. As things escalate with the stranger, Mort's dog turns up dead and the house he formally shared with his wife is burned to the ground making Mort fear for his life. What could have been a decent film ends up as mediocre with only Johnny Depp and John Turturro to thank for keeping it afloat. This is the type of story that starts tense enough but never lets the tension mount for the climax you can see coming. Directed and written by David Koepp from a Stephen King novella, Secret Window has none of the eeriness and complexity of Koepp's Stir of Echoes, a much better film. Save Secret Window for a rental if you must see it or you're a Johnny Depp fan, but then why not rent Stir of Echoes while you're at the video store and come away totally satisfied.

See No Evil
Executive producer Vince McMahan taps director Gregory Dark's extensive experience with porn films and a Britney Spears music video to direct the WWE's (World Wrestling Entertainment) foray into films and the end result isn't that bad. After the film's hook in which two police officers discover a vacant house full of dead bodies, a woman with her eyes poked out, and an axe-wielding maniac (played by Glenn "Kane" Jacobs), the story jumps ahead a few years to where one of the two surviving officers, along with his female counterpart, are escorting a group of eight (4 guys and 4 girls) twenty-something, non-violent criminals to an abandoned hotel to prepare it as a shelter for the homeless. The criminals have been promised time off their sentences for the community service. After a gracious greeting by an elderly woman representing the group hoping to renovate the building, the maniac—Jacob Goodnight—makes his second appearance in the film to begin hunting the young criminals and their chaperones. As we learn from flashbacks, Goodnight was abused by his mother, a religious zealot, who told him to "look at the evil" when she caught him glancing at men's magazines. So now after killing his victims, Jacob plucks out their eyes to keep in jars—his apparent trademark. Surprisingly, this mostly unknown cast (mostly TV actors) does a well-enough job to pull off this WWE entry into the slasher genre. Even Jacob Goodnight manages to show some personality toward the later part of the story. Another surprise was the handling of the "who will live and who will die" factor, which this film also did rather well. Especially entertaining (in a sick way, of course) was the death of an animal rights activist. There is even a plot twist that many will see coming, but stills ends up being fun. All in all, the word "surprise" sums this one up pretty well. Whether Jacob Goodnight will join the unholy trinity (Freddy, Jason, and Michael) and return for an encore is probably up to Vince McMahon, but until that's decided, this might make for a good rental as it's not easy to find in theaters.

Seed of Chucky (DVD)
Don Mancini directs and scripts this fifth film in the Child's Play series with Seed of Chucky. In the last episode (1998's Bride of Chucky), Chucky took a wife in the form of Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) and after going on a honeymoon rampage, what else was the couple to do but have a child. Well, they don't actually "have" a baby . . . if you're a fan of the series you remember that voodoo has always been an integral part of the Chucky mythos. So once again, using black magic, Chucky, Tiffany, and Glen (or Glenda) [voice of Billy Boyd] plan to take over the body of Jennifer Tilly and her chauffeur. And that's what makes this film hysterical—watching Jennifer Tilly goof on herself. And for you Ed Wood fans, since there is some debate as to whether the child is a boy or a girl, Chucky calls him Glen, while Tiffany calls her Glenda. And to complicate matters even more, Tiffany wants to go straight now that they have a child, but Chucky is proud of being the infamous killer doll and wants his son to be (dare I say it) a chip off the old block. As you can see, I took the kind of advice I give on many films and waited for this one to go to rental. It's a Chucky film, we know what to expect so we go into it hoping there are at least some new, creative ways for the killer doll family to do their thing. And that they do with the help of special effects wizard, Tony Gardner (2001's Bones, 1996's The Craft, 1995's Lord of Illusions, 1987's The Lost Boys.) But it's Jennifer Tilly who shines in a film that looks like everyone is having fun. So if you're a Chucky fan, you owe it to yourself to see this one. And for an added treat, you get to watch Chucky and his son melt John Water's face as the famous cult writer/director plays the part of the snooping photographer, Pete Peters.

The Seeker: The Dark Rising
Susan Cooper’s novel is brought to the big screen to compete with the standards set by Harry Potter in the realm of young adult fiction and unfortunately The Seeker: The Dark Rising is pale in comparison. Will Stanton (Alexander Ludwig) as “the seventh son of a seventh son” must save the world from the coming Darkness in the form of The Rider (Christopher Eccleston.) He only has three days to collect six signs hidden somewhere in the past. Of course, one of his newly found powers is the ability to travel to the past, almost exactly to the spot where each sign is located. So whenever Will “feels” a sign, he travels back in time and usually finds it quickly without much trouble. Besides the fact that so much time is spent explaining things, considering there is only three days to save the world, there should have been much more tension—there isn’t. There is an attempt at a climatic finish, but for me it was too little too late. This film lost me way before the third act and I was too bored to catch up. The 10 year-old with me felt as I did so you might want to wait for a rental when the kids can watch it without you.

Series 7: The Contenders
You hear a knock on the door in the middle of the night. When you answer, two government agents hand you a gun. You've been chosen as a contestant on the popular game show "The Contenders" where five contestants must eliminate the others to win. No rules. Anything goes. This is the premise for Series 7: The Contenders. Think "Survivor" with weapons and you know what to expect in this sharp, witty, social satire that will have you laughing and gasping and waiting for that knock on the door. The film is shot documentary-style (Cops) for added realism, and it works!

Shadow of the Vampire
No horror here, just a scene-stealing Willem Dafoe giggling with delight.

Shaun of the Dead
In this humorous homage to classic zombie films, Shaun (Simon Pegg) and his slacker buddy Ed's (Nick Frost) loser lives are interrupted by a sudden outbreak of zombies in London. Gathering Shaun's on again/off again girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), wannabe actress friend, Dianne (Lucy Davis), stuck-up friend, David (Dylan Moran), and Shaun's mum, Barbara (Penelope Wilton), the group decides to make their stand at the Winchester, a neighborhood pub and local hangout. This film can be divided into three parts: BZ—before the zombies, DZ—during the zombies, and AZ—after the zombies. BZ is especially funny because everyone looks and acts like zombies stuck in their humdrum, run of the mill lives, going to and from work, watching the tellie, or playing video games. DZ is funny because it takes Shaun and Ed quite a long time to even realize that there are zombies, since things almost look normal. It's not until the zombies start biting and eating people that they realize "this is for real." And most funny is AZ, a kind of epilogue to the film that shows life after the zombie menace. Unfortunately, I can't tell you about AZ or I'll spoil it. Fans of the genre should watch for the obvious references to Dawn of the Dead and Dead Alive, with a quick reference to Evil Dead. While this film isn't hysterical, or even over-the-top by zombie film standards, it did grow on me until I actually found myself becoming attached to the characters, which makes for a more engaging climax. I even found myself laughing quite a bit. The gore is kept to a minimum, although the two or three bloody scenes do manage to pull out the stops. This is a must see for zombie fans, so if you miss it in the theater, be sure to rent it. And if you're a "Queen" fan, you'll find an added, if silly, extra treat.

She Creature: The Mermaid Chronicles (on DVD/video)
Unable to fall asleep one Saturday night, I surfed the cable channels stopping at a film title "She Creature." As the opening credits rolled, I spotted the names Samuel Arkoff (need I list the 150 films his name ties too?) and Stan Winston (if you have to ask, you shouldn't be here) as producers. That was enough to make me stop and watch. And I wasn't disappointed. As one of the characters says, "You told me we were going to take a mermaid to America (circa 1900) so we could become rich and famous, not that it would turn into a monster and eat everyone." Taking itself very serious, with special effects to match, great atmosphere and shades of Dracula, you're sure to find this film a pleasant distraction for a sleepless Saturday night.

Shrek
The depth went into the animation with little left over for character or the cute fairy tale adventure highlighted by Eddie Murphy. Some of the little ones may stir at times, but older kids will get a kick out of this comedy fantasy adventure that at times reminded me of the "Rankin Bass" style cartoons.

Shutter
Directed by Masayuki Ochiai, Shutter has all the makings of a typical Japanese ghost story, except here, we are dealing with the ghost of a stalker. Newly weds Benjamin (Josh Jackson) and Jane Shaw (Rachael Taylor) move to Japan where Ben has a job as a photographer. Once in Japan, we also meet Ben’s business partners and close friends—Bruno, played by David Denman, and Adam, played by John Hensley. Soon, Bob and Jane notice that Bob’s photos, even the ones of their honeymoon, are flawed by a white wispy blur. Ben dismisses the defective photos as a problem with the film. However, Jane begins to investigate and identifies the face of a young woman, Megumi Tanaka (Megumi Okina), in the flawed images. Setting the film in Japan was a good move, because, as is necessary with all horror, the victims need to be isolated. In this case, Jane feels lost in a country where she can’t communicate with anyone or even find her way around town. Even her husband dismisses her concerns. Nevertheless, it is where Jane’s investigation leads and what she discovers that gives this film its punch. I missed Shutter in theaters, but was happy I had the opportunity to see it on rental. While most of the film is predictable, the ending blew my mind with some genuinely freaky images I have never seen before; adding depth to what would have been just another ghost story. Rent this one and you might actually shutter during the wonderfully creepy ending.

Signs
In M. Night (The Sixth Sense) Shyamalan's Signs, aliens have come to earth to harvest humans for some nefarious purpose. Imagine watching H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds through the eyes of a Pennsylvania widower, his two children, and his brother. We see the news on the television and watch the characters reactions to the reality of an alien invasion, but we never leave their farm. And that's where this film will either be a winner or loser for you because rather than being about the aliens, Signs puts forth the message that everything happens for a reason, even the little things, as the Mel Gibson character tries to deal with his wife's untimely death. And in the end, Shyamalan (as writer) ties all the loose ends together, even the little ones, renewing Gibson's faith in the world. While I liked the aliens, I did wonder why a life form that could travel millions of light years couldn't break down a basement door. But I didn't like the acting, which came across stiff and recited by everyone except Cherry Jones, who plays a local cop. So if you like a message with your aliens that's supposed to make you feel better about the things you can't control, that maybe there is someone watching over us, you might like Signs. Me? I prefer my aliens with acid for blood being blown-up good by some bad-ass marines.

Sin City
Sin City's producer/director Robert Rodriquez (From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado, Spy Kids) puts together a class act by joining with Sin City's creator, Frank Miller (who also produced, directed, and wrote the script for the film) to bring the dark graphic novel to the big screen. Sin City tells three stories that take place in the same locale and at times cross paths, reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino who also helps with the directing and definitely leaves his mark. In story one, two cops, John Hartigan (Bruce Willis) and Bob (Michael Madsen) are on the trail of a serial killer (Nick Stahl) who rapes and mutilates little girls. But things get complicated because the killer has family ties in Sin City's government (Powers Booth). In the second story, Marv (Mickey Rourke) wants to avenge the murder of a hooker (Jaime King) for which he is framed. His trail leads to a cannibal (Elijah Wood) who kills and eats prostitutes. And to complicate matters, this trail also leads to connections with Sin City's religious community (Rutger Hauer). In the third story, Dwight (Clive Owen) joins with Sin City's prostitutes in Old Town to protect their turf from gangsters and government after the prostitutes mistakenly kill a scumbag (Benicio Del Toro) who turns out to be a cop. First off let me say, Sin City works! I know I rarely like comic books turned into films, but that's the point here. Sin City stay a comic book, although in this case a graphic novel. And it works. The film is almost entirely black and white with splashes of color (mostly red) at opportune times. The dialogue is also straight from the pages of the graphic novel, with plenty of wise cracks, dark humor, and one liners. I haven't seen a comic-book-to-film that works like this since 1994's The Crow. Forget realism. This one is surrealistic and that's also what makes it work. Also expect lots of gore (you did read the story outlines above, right?), but the blood is white most of the time, and red only when it counts. Sin City is more of an experience then a film, but one you should see on the big screen with full sound effects. It may take a few minutes to cozy up to this over the top dark comedy mayhem, but once you do, you'll enjoy yourself (in a dark, twisted way). But hey, that's who we are, right? Also of note is the fact that Robert Rodriquez also wrote original music for his film, handled the cinematography, film editing, and even had a hand in special effects. Not bad for a guy whose first film was the low-budget Mexican import El Mariachi. So take a trip to Sin City first chance you get.

The Sixth Sense
Good story. Good acting. Good twist. More drama than scares. Watch it again to see how they did it.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Newcomer Kerry Conran (writer, director) finally gets to see his little film come to the big screen with the help of computer graphics. It's a re-imagined 1930s where a mad scientist is using giant robots and flying machines to steal the world's resources and there is only one person who can save us—Joe "Sky Captain" Sullivan (Jude Law). Aided by reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow), the two must rescue their friend Dex (Giovanni Ribisi) who has been taken to the mad scientist's (Laurence Olivier) island, which is protected by a mysterious female warrior in black (Ling Bai). I say "little film" because although the fate of the entire world seems to be at stake, there are only the two lead characters doing anything about it. When the flying machines attack New York City, only Sky Captain's plane takes off to engage them (even though we are told at the beginning that he leads an "army" for hire). And when the giant robots attack New York City, Polly Perkins is just about the only person in the street. In New York City? Sure, the visuals were nice and filming in a 1930s style was fun to watch, but these days we need more and that's where the film goes flat. We never get the feeling of a world threatened. I actually felt as if there was never more than three or four people in this film. I did like Conran's vision of a futuristic 1930s, but his vision is actually what the 1933 World's Fair predicted for the future—including a world of blimps for transoceanic travel. Don't forget, the Empire State building roof was actually made to anchor blimps, which is done in the film and it looked great. While Angelina Jolie's role was small, it didn't matter, but Ling Bai's role should have been expanded into a Darth Vader or Boba Fett. She was really cool and hardly used. Sure, this film looks great, but I wasn't drawn into the story by "the characters" until the last 30 minutes. It has no scope. And that about sums it up. See it if you must, but saving it for a rental won't hurt it at all.

Sleepy Hollow
Picture perfect, fairy tale horror, but like the Horseman, something was missing. Better the second time.

Slither
James Gunn, writer of the two Scooby Doo films, 2004's Dawn of the Dead, and 1996's Tromeo and Juliet (which he also directed) puts those experiences to great use as writer/director of Slither. After a meteorite crashes in a forest outside of some out-of-the-way little town "somewhere" in the United States, a slug emerges that infects a local man and sets off a series of events reminiscent of any of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers films. But Gunn adds some ingredients of his own that will have you cringing and laughing at the same time. One great piece of timing was when the town is celebrating deer hunting season with a party and the mayor counts down from ten to one yelling, "Let the hunt begin," just as the aliens bag their first human. Gunn also borrows from his zombie experience to throw in some walking dead to round out the plot, creating a film that disgusts, yet makes you howl with laughter at the same time. Nathan Filliori (TV's Firefly) does a fine job as Sheriff Bill Pardy, delivering plenty of "straight man" lines with all the insanity going on around him. And Elizabeth Banks (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Spider-Man 2) as Starla Grant does as well having to deal with her husband Grant Grant (played by character actor Michael Rooker), the first human infected by the aliens. Starla Grant to her husband after he has transformed: "And I'm gonna stay by you, just like I swore I would, for better or worse." Bill Pardy: "Much fucking worse!" Slither has it all: alien invasion, meteor shit, mind control and flesh-eating zombies, which Gunn combines with great special effects and just enough gore to get an R Rating. Then Glen goes one step further by adding new angles to what's been done a thousand times before to show us that there are new ways to look at old stories; ways that make them fresh and enjoyable. This a great Friday- or Saturday-night theater film, but if you can't manage that, make it a definite rental—for the fun of it! But whatever you do . . . don't scream! See Slither and you'll understand.

Snakes on a Plane
Director David R. Ellis (2004's Cellular and 2003's Final Destination) once again leaves behind his extensive experience as a stuntman (68 films) to direct Snakes on a Plane where FBI Agent Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson)—good cop—and his partner, Agent John Sander (Mark Houghton)—bad cop—must accompany a key murder witness (played by Nathan Phillips) to Los Angeles to testify against crime boss Chen Leong (Terry Chen). To stop the witness, Leong decides to bring down the plane by having his men rig the cargo hold to release hundreds of poisonous snakes after takeoff. When I first heard the title, I thought it was a joke. I mean, how can you get 90 minutes + from that premise? So think of Snakes as a catastrophe film similar to 1974's The Towering Inferno and Earthquake, or the more recent 2006 Poseidon and you'll understand what to expect. The first part of the film was spent meeting the characters to like and dislike (victims), and then on cue the snakes are released; followed by a load of clichés: the guy who cares only about himself, the woman who risks her life to save a baby, two children in peril, the sex scene in the toilet, even an "assumed" gay airline steward and the brave stewardess (Julianna Margulies.) Throw in some unique ways of getting bit—on the penis, on the nipple, in the eyeball, on the lip, tongue, etc.—actions that did get an audience reaction. It was obviously difficult to take this one serious, especially with Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson in a very key role, but the audience with me appeared to enjoy it, and I'll admit, in spite of all the clichés, it did have its moments—like when Jackson screams "I've had enough of these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane!" I just wish there were more.

A Sound of Thunder
Director Peter Hyams (End of Days, The Relic, Time Cop) takes the helm in this adaptation of a Ray Bradbury short story about a time travel safari that inadvertently changes the past, and as a consequence, the future. In this screen version, Ben Kingsley hams it up as Charles Hattan, a man who cares only for the mighty dollar and who at times comes into conflict with his safari guide, Travis Ryer (Edward Burns). But its Sonia Rand (Catherine McCormack), the inventor of time travel who warns of the dangers, until one day her fears materialize. To keep the past intact, the time machine generates a path suspended above ground so travelers do not interact with their surroundings. But during one of the safaris, in which they get to kill a T-Rex about to die in a tar pit, a mechanical error and some terror cause one of the time travelers to step off the path onto a butterfly. Soon after they return to Chicago, the weather turns tropical as the earth begins changing to an altered future, explained by time waves passing over the earth at certain intervals. With each wave, the new future comes closer into being, a future that will eventually remove humans as we know them. But before the humans get to change come animals that look like baboonasaurs and giant bat things. And so the race against time begins as our heroes try to figure out what changed and how to fix it. And knowing the paradoxes of time travel, as I am sure most of you do, changing the past to change the future can get complicated. This was one "adaptation" I was glad to see as while the Bradbury story is thought provoking, it doesn't make for a good action adventure film. So expect some low budget fun here with the typical 'get from here to there without being eaten by creatures or killed by terrified humans.' One thing I found especially interesting was that a film about the future, shot with the digital technology of 2005, used a technique reminiscent of the 1930s. Think King Kong where the dinosaurs were filmed separately and projected on a rear screen and the actors performed in a sound stage in front of the screen as the two scenes were filmed together. Then notice how so many of the street scenes in A Sound of Thunder use the same basic technique and how very obvious it is. But don't worry, not all of the film is like that; most of the SFX are just fine for its budget. While this film will probably never be a box office smash, it is a pleasant sci-fi action adventure worth a rental, especially with the colder weather about to return. So snuggle up with your honey and rent it for fun, because that's all this is. And that's just fine with me.

Species III (DVD)
Veteran television director Brad Turner (episodes of 24, Mutant X, Andromeda, Stargate SG-1) gets a shot at this straight-to-DVD addition to the Species franchise with unfortunate consequences. This film was so bad and boring that the plot is irrelevant. Forget who was in it, it makes no difference. Just stay clear of this very bad film as it doesn't share anything with the other two films except for Species in the title.

Spiders
This campy, government experiment gone wrong (Directed by Mosquito's Gary Jones) is a notch above the typical direct-to-video science fiction crap thanks to some decent special effects and hysterical dialogue.

Spider-Man
Leading off the summer 2002 film season is Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, the story of a bullied high school senior who is bitten by a genetically mutated spider to become a somewhat tragic superhero. Toby Mcguire's Peter Parker/Spider-Man is very likeable and it is great fun watching Spidey swing through the caverns of New York City. And, as usual, Willem Defoe becomes totally absorbed in his Jeckle/Hyde role as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin. As with all his roles, Defoe appears to be having so much fun with his character that he makes himself fun to watch. But alas, the parts are better than the whole. While colorful CGI images of the Green Goblin flying through the air, tossing bombs and tackling Spider-Man, (who looks so cool) fed my appetite for enjoyment, the plot never quite got off to a solid roll or pace, bouncing between the story of Parker's tragic love for MJ (Kirsten Dunst), his own coming of age angst, and the Goblin's quest for revenge. But by the end, Parker has accepted his lot in life and the Goblin's hate for Spider-Man is passed to Osborn's son (Parkers best friend) so the story can continue in a sequel. And you can count on me to be standing in line with my ticket.. Hopefully, by then, the story will be rolling along just fine.

Spider-Man 2
I remember standing in line for an hour at a Fangoria Horror Festival to get the autograph of a director only horror fans had heard of, but worshipped—Sam Raimi, director of the Evil Dead Trilogy. Well, to say that things have moved along well for Raimi would be an understatement. (Don't forget Xena, which knocked Star Trek off TV's most watched Sci-Fi/Fantasy list.) With Spider-Man 2, Raimi hits gold. If you saw his 2002 Spider-Man, you knew the story had to continue and continue it does. Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) is still tortured by his uncle's murder and his duel identity. He still loves Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), but Spider-Man keeps them apart. And then there's Peter's best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco), who wants Spider-Man dead for "murdering" his father. This time around, Harry's company is backing the experiments of Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), who promises a self-renewing energy source. After things go terribly wrong, Octavius becomes Doc Ock, a crazed half-man, half octopus-like creature with metal arms. As Doc Ock, he still wants Harry to help him continue the experiments, except now, Harry wants Doc Ock to kill Spider-Man first. Watching Spider-Man (who looks even cooler this time) swing through the streets of New York is still mesmerizing as are the Doc Ock effects and the battles between the two, giving this installment everything I wanted and more. Higher stakes (the fate of New York City). More tension. More action. More heart. More soul. Peter/Spider-Man finally gets to close some doors with Mary Jane and Harry, but just when you think all is well, Harry opens a new door that can only lead to Spider-Man 3. With directing by Raimi, music by Danny Elfman, cinematography by Bill Pope (the Matrix films), and special effects by John Dykstra (the SFX pioneer behind the original Star Wars), Spider-Man 2 has to be best comic book to film so far. Let's just say that if you want to get that autograph from Sam Raimi now, you'll be waiting in line for more than an hour.

Spider-Man 3
The prolific Sam Raimi returns as Spider-Man 3's director and writer to bring us a convoluted third installment that has Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) preparing to propose to his childhood sweetheart, Mary Jane Watson (Kristen Dunst), who is now on Broadway pursuing her dream. But Mary Jane's lack of success conflicts with Spider-Man's hero status, causing friction between the couple. Throw in the New Goblin/Harry Osborn (James Franco) trying to break up the couple and kill Spider-Man to avenge his father's death; Venom/Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), who wants to get back at Spider-Man for stealing his girl and his job; and Sandman/Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), an escaped convict who turns out to be the real killer of Parker's Uncle Ben and you've got the makings of at least two films rolled into one. Oh, I almost forgot, an alien presence, in the form of a black oil-like sludge, has attached itself to Parker, feeding on his aggressive dark side and giving birth to the black Spider-Man suit, giving us another side of Spider-Man to enjoy. The New Goblin and Sandman could have been rolled into one fine film, while the alien creature, Black Spidey, and Venom could have been combined for a really great second film. Venom was my favorite character in Spider-Man 3, but, of course, received the least amount of screen time. Spider-Man 3 was a real roller coaster of ups and downs, with the action scenes and super villains being the "ups" and the relationship scenes being the "downs." Not that the relationship scenes were bad, only that they contrasted with the high energy action bringing the film to a crawl at times. Tobey Maguire was again the staple that held all the parts in place. Even when he wasn't in his Spidey outfit, he stole the scene or made you laugh. Fortunately, Raimi did manage to bring all the stories and loose ends together for one bang-up finish. Spider-Man 3 was the kind of film I wasn't sure I was liking while I was watching it, but felt that I liked it once it was over because of the high-energy, high-impact ending. Spider-Man 3, for Venom alone, is definitely worth a look-see, especially before the wave of Summer releases.

The Spiderwick Chronicles
Director Mark Waters (2004’s Mean Girls, 2003’s Freaky Friday) takes on the monumental task of compiling the Tony DiTerlizzi/Holly Black The Spiderwick Chronicles series of books into 97 minutes of non-stop action and adventure for the under 13 audience. Eighty years ago, Arthur Spiderwick compiled his chronicles of the fairy kingdom, its creatures and secrets – secrets that in the wrong hands could mean the end of the human race. So, before his abduction by fairies, Arthur Spiderwick hid his book in the secret attic of his house, protected by a magic spell. This brings us to the present day where the Grace family (Freddie Highmore as brothers, Jared and Simon Grace, Sarah Bolger as their sister, Mallory; and Mary-Louise Parker as their mom, Helen) move into the Spiderwick house. Before long, Jared Grace discovers the hidden attic and the magic chronicle, awakening an army of goblins, dead set on retrieving the chronicle for their master, the giant Mulgarath (voice of Nick Nolte.) This film moved surprising fast, wasting no time in getting to the action and moving non-stop to a climatic battle sequence. Freddie Highmore did a great job as the outsider son, blamed for everything, while at the same time playing the opposite role as his own brother. Of course, with today’s special effects wizardry, playing two roles on the same screen was seamless. The CGI goblins and other creatures did their job of making a fantasy world come alive and the added voices of Seth Rogen as Hogsqueal and Martin Short as Thimbletack added just enough humor to balance the action and tension. Even the evil Mulgarath captured the scene whenever he appeared. The film stands on its own if you or your kids haven’t read the books and if you or they have, it’s always fun to see the books come alive, even if they aren’t as detailed as their print counter parts. Put simply, The Spiderwick Chronicles is a fun film for the entire family.

Spirited Away
From the writer/director of the popular 1999 Princess Mononoke (a film I've come to like more than my original review indicates) has hit gold with his newest project Spirited Away. A father (voice of The Shield's Michael Chiklis), mother (voice of Lauren Holly), and their little girl (voice of Daveigh Chase) get lost on their way to a new home. But "lost" is a mild word when they stumble upon, what they believe to be, an abandoned amusement park. It is actually a Bath House for the Spirits—a menagerie of animals and wonderfully creative creatures that defy description but are a joy to behold. The parents are soon turned into pigs and the daughter must now try to survive to rescue her mom and dad. I thought Alice in Wonderland as I watched this visual feast where the animated girl actually steals your heart with her facial expressions. What struck me was that the audience was filled with parents and children and there was not a peep throughout the film. My own five-year-old was riveted to the screen, as was I. This is a must-see for fans of children's stories, fantasy, anime, and adventure. But you'll have to look hard as it is not in wide release.

Spy Kids 2
The spy kids (Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara) are joined by their parent (Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino) and grandparent spies (Ricardo Montalban, Holland Taylor) for this second mission. What exactly that was, I'm not sure. First understand, I saw Spy Kids TWICE! It was a total entertainment surprise. But this one, also written and directed by Robert (From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado, Four Room's segment 'The Misbehavers,' and El Mariachi) Rodriguez was a total mess. It was as if they made this film fifteen minutes at a time, ("Okay, now we need something to happen for another fifteen minutes.") coming up with a sequence of scenes so poorly stitched together that had little or nothing to do with each other. Did I say stitched? How about saliva and chewed gum holding this together. There must have been at least three to four possible plots emerging although none carry through to the end. Sure, kids may enjoy the mad (Steve Buscemi) scientist's special effect creations, but try asking them what this film was about and send me a snapshot of their faces. Don't forget, I've seen plenty of kid flicks and loved most. This was a total disappointment.

Stardust
Long-time producer Matthew Vaughn wears the director’s hat to bring Neil Gaiman’s (2005’s MirrorMask) fairytale novel to the screen with the help of a star-studded cast. In Stardust, the king of a magical land (Peter O’Toole) is on his death bed when his remaining sons (Mark Strong, Jason Flemyng, Rupert Everett, Julian Rhind-Tutt) come to his bedside to learn who will inherit the throne—symbolized by the ownership of a jeweled medallion. Of course, only one son may be king and some rather amusing shenanigans occur among the brothers as they try to knock each other off. With only two brothers left, the medallion ends up shooting into space where it knocks a star (Claire Danes) from the night sky and plummets her to earth. At that moment, Tristan (Charlie Cox), a local store clerk in the town of Wall, England, who wants to prove his love for Victoria (Sienna Miller), offers to retrieve the falling star for her, not realizing the star is a person. To do this, Tristan must venture beyond the wall of Wall into the magical realm. We also meet three witch sisters (led by Michelle Pfeiffer) who need the star, because for as long they can feed on the star’s heart, it will restore their youth and allow them to live forever. So let the race begin between the princes, the witch, and Tristan. Stardust has an air about it that will remind some of 1987’s The Princess Bride, although Stardust does lack some of the whimsy and sharp dialogue that makes the former a classic. There are beautiful wide-open landscapes and a magical world that does come alive here thanks to some stunning cinematography. Also, look for Robert De Niro as Captain Shakespeare, pirate captain of an eye-popping flying ship that gathers lightning to sell at the market. Although when he’s below decks, Captain Shakespeare loves to wear women’s corsets and dresses. I will admit, I had a difficult time accepting De Niro like this. Stardust could probably have benefited by cutting about 20 minutes from its length, but as the racers get closer to their goal, things do heat up, lessons are learned, and the climax does its job of wrapping things up well so everyone who should can live “happily ever after.”

Starship Troopers
Ignore the bad acting and wait for the bugs.

Star Trek: Nemesis
Let me preface by saying I am a Trekker. Qualifications? I've seen every episode (more than once) of classic Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager, every Star Trek film, and every episode of Enterprise, so-far. And yes, I've been to the conventions, but no, I didn't dress up like a Klingon. In Nemesis, the TNG gang is back again to save planet Earth from a very bad alien, who happens to be a clone of Captain Picard raised by Romulans. I was surprised at how good the cast looked, "seasoned" rather than "aged," but let's not forget "special effects." The only character that didn't get enough screen time was Worf, but the rest are there to do their share. (Look for Weenie Wesley's cameo at "the wedding.) The spiffy new Enterprise looks fresh from a detailing shop in a story with plenty of exploding photon torpedoes and phasers to satisfy "blow'd-up-good" fans. Does this film stand on its own as "a film?" Probably not. This is a film for fans who wished for just one more two-hour episode of TNG. For me, TNG is the definitive Trek and The Picard the definitive captain, so it was like being with old friends one more time.

Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones
What can you say about a cultural phenomena? Yes, again the special effects were mind blowing, but again, special effects don't make a film great. Episode II follows Anakin trying to deal with his conflict: should he love Padme, even if it means breaking his Jedi oath; while Obi-Wan investigates a multi-layered plot against the Republic and its Jedi guardians. Fans of the series will love seeing more back story revealed (meeting Boba Fett's father, seeing C3P0 and R2D2 first teaming up, seeing the first plans for the Death Star, meeting the aunt and uncle who will raise Luke), watching Anakin slowing changing to what will become the Dark Lord himself, and a cool battle between the Jedis and their new enemies. But too many flat spots, sprinkled with flat acting, scenes that reminded me of "Blade Runner," and pedestrian dialogue, grounded this latest installment on an earthly plane. When the action finally comes, the film is over and I felt cheated. If it wasn't for the best scene in the film (watching Master Yoda fight with a light saber), I would have been "totally" disappointed. With the Yoda scene I am only "partially" disappointed as I cautiously await Lucas' last shot at redeeming his pop culture crown.

Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
Episode III, written and directed by George Lucas, had the task of bridging the 28-year gap between Episodes I and II and Episodes IV and VI, so let me put that one to rest quickly for all you fans out there—it was done superbly as only the creator himself could have done. Episode III continues the torments of Anakin Skywalker, believed to be the Chosen One by some in the Jedi Order, but having lost his mother in Episode II, Anakin is now consumed by the thought that he will lose his wife, Padme, and that thought drives his conflicts about whether to support the Jedi, who offer wisdom, or Chancellor Palpatine who offers Anakin the secrets of life and death through the dark side. You know the choice Anakin makes, so the question is whether Lucas convinces us as to why Anakin goes over to the dark side. And that also is handled quite well. I actually found myself siding with Anakin a few times, asking myself how could they do that to him? As far as the world goes, it's rich and spectacular, if only we could have spent a little bit more time exploring it, but "the worlds" are only a background to Anakin's story—as it should be. So what can I add? The special effects are incredible, the battles stupendous, the light saber duels better than all before, and as a friend said, all to come. The scene of Darth Vader's rising before our eyes, an instant classic for film fandom, can only be compared to the creation of Frankenstein's monster. This isn't the greatest film ever made, but it is a great Star Wars film, a must-see for fans. Unfortunately, if you are not familiar with what's come before or after before you see III, there is no way you will be able to appreciate all the nuances. Tomorrow, I plan on watching my copy of Episode IV, because it will have more dimension than ever now. You may have also heard that this is the first Star Wars film to earn a PG-13, and while there are some terrible images planted into our heads, this plot is actually the most adult oriented, dealing with inner conflict and politics, so expect the little ones to stir in their seats between the battles.

Stay Alive
Former Second Unit Director, William Brent Bell, takes the First Director's reins, and joins with first-time writer Matthew Peterman to bring us a tale about six twenty-somethings (the only well-known face was Frankie Muniz, but they did include the obligatory Goth) who come together to play a video game called Stay Alive after another friend and his two roommates are found dead—after playing the same game. The basis for the game is a New Orleans legend about the head mistress of a girl's finishing school who tortured and killed all the girls in her charge. So into the game they (and we) go to kill the ghosts and zombies of the dead girls. Things do get quite hairy in the game at times, bringing a few scares, but shortly after playing, one of the gamers is killed in the game by a mysterious woman. Soon thereafter, the same player is killed in real life, exactly as he was in the game—by the same mysterious woman. Of course, the friends need to investigate, so they continue playing the game until another and another is killed and we are down to the final three who must use a combination of reality and the virtual world to defeat the ghost of the blood-thirsty head mistress returned to life. I wasn't expecting much, so I was surprised by the hook and first 30 minutes of the film. The combining of real life with the game world went over well and if you're a fan of the girl from the well in The Ring, you'll enjoy the horde of spastic females in this film. Unfortunately, the second third of the film plateaued even after an attempt to bring in a subplot about the police investigation, slowing the plot quit a bit as it fell into drudgery. Thankfully, the final third did manage to bring some tension back and the interplay of the game and reality was used with a novel approach that should have been used even more. I wouldn't run to see this in theaters, but it wouldn't hurt to wait for Stay Alive to make its way to DVD as it wasn't a bad "little film."

The Stepford Wives (2004)
Walter Kresby (Matthew Broderick) takes his television executive wife, Joanna (Nicole Kidman) out of New York City and into Stepford, Connecticut, after Joanna is nearly killed by a contestant from one of her reality TV shows and is fired from the network. But Joanna notices something's not right in Stepford. The town appears to be a cross between a Conservative Republican lifestyle handbook and American television's world of overweight or short, skinny nerd men married to Barbie Doll-like wives who spend their days cooking, cleaning and serving their husbands' every need. Except Walter thinks it's not so bad. There's not much horror and very little suspense in this comedy-horror anchored by some decent comedy portrayals by Bette Midler, and Roger Bart, who plays the feminine half of a gay couple turned into a young Ronald Reagan look-alike after his transformation. Christopher Walken (as Mike Wellington) does a good job (as usual), Jon Lovitz (as Midler's husband) gets a few (too few) laughs and it's only Glenn Close (as Mrs. Wellington) who actually manages to give you the creeps. The addition of a gay male couple is but one of a few changes Director Frank Oz made to the original 1975 version, but that's still not enough to recommend this film that fails to create any of the chills dispensed by the original.

Stigmata
More style than scares. More politics than poltergeists. Rent The Exorcist.

Stir of Echoes
Solid story, scares, acting, and suspense. I jumped out of my seat.

The Strangers
Newcomer, Bryan Bertino, wrote and directed this by-the-book thriller about a couple (Scott Speedman as James and Liv Tyler as Kristen) who go to an isolated home in the country for a weekend where they are taunted and finally threatened by a mask wearing trio (Gemma Ward as Dollface, Kip Weeks as the Man in the Mask, and Laura Margolis as Pin-up Girl.) Sticking with the tried and true, Bertino relies on music and sound effects to carry the chills and in this instance, he pulls it off. The music worked well to emphasize the scares and feelings of the trapped couple. There were at least three jump scenes accompanied by the appropriate sound effects. Especially chilling were the knocks on the wooden front door, which seemed to announce their doom. The acting was sufficient, but nothing special. What was special was the mask-wearing trio. Even though we never really see their faces, they seem to take on the personalities of their masks, adding feelings of uneasiness for the trapped couple and the audience. I guess it is better to see who is going to torture you. One thing that bothered me was the couple going to the home in the country in the first place. We learn through flashbacks that James asked Kristen to marry him and she said no. So why did they still go to the weekend home where they are both uncomfortable now? I know, we are not supposed to ask those questions. Things are a bit slow as we get the background and don’t pick up until the masked three show up. The action picks up, but seems to lose steam toward the end with an ending that might leave some of you disappointed. Just remember I said, tried and true, because the ending goes where we’ve gone before. The Strangers had its moments but you might want to save it for a DVD rental.

Stuart Little 2
A canary and falcon (voices of Melanie Griffith and Paul Scovino) pull a scam on the Little Family (Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Jonathon Lipnicki) to steal a diamond ring by having the canary woe Stuart Little (voice of Michael J. Fox). I had to sit through sixty minutes of so much cuteness and sweetness I developed tooth decay. Finally a semblance of plot emerged as Stuart "thinks" he has to save the canary from the falcon. The mouse never did see the scam. Again, the CGI work is wonderful, making birds fly and cats talk to the point that the CGI creatures and real animals appeared to be acting while the humans only recited lines. I've never seen a more annoying Geena Davis character. Otherwise, there wasn't much going for this "oh so cute" family fair. If you can make yourself believe that a talking mouse can be a human family's child (don't ask me how they pulled that one off) and if "cute" is enough for you, try it, but my five year old squirmed while I tried not to snore. Maybe next time, the mouse will get squashed. We can only hope.

Sublime (2007—Direct to DVD)
Tony Krantz takes a break from a long list of producing credits to direct Sublime, written by Erik Jendresen (writer of parts 1, 5, and 10 of Band of Brothers) and the black magic of this writer/director combination couldn't have worked better. George Grieves (Thomas Cavanagh) is a well-to-do, upper-middle-class white guy with a beautiful wife (Dead like Me's Paget Brewster) and two adoring children (Shanna Collins and Kyle Gallner). After his 40th birthday party, which we attend and get to meet the family, he dutifully reports to Mt. Abaddon Hospital for a routine colonoscopy. But after his anesthetic, everything changes and George experiences all his worst nightmares. Are they dreaming nightmares or living nightmares? Is he asleep or awake? What's real? What's not? Erik Jendresen's tight, well-crafted story has us living every tension-filled moment with George as we try to guess what the hell is going on. And Tony Krantz's directing adds visual puzzles with ghostly visions and stark white, glowing scenes. Together, they never miss a stroke. The premise of Sublime is "If you spend your life worrying, can your life only have meaning if your worries come true?" To answer, Krantz and Jendresen give us one hell of a Twilight Zone-like psychological horror story that rings too true. I heard of this through word of mouth and now I'm telling you, find this DVD, but beware, you may never look at doctors the same again, and some of you may even lose some sleep.

The Sum of All Fears
As a fan of Tom Clancy political thrillers, I was excited to see another of his novels hit the screen. In the film version, a young Jack Ryan must thwart the plans of a Neo-Nazi organization trying to start a war between the USA and The Soviets by exploding a nuclear bomb in Baltimore and blaming the Russians. Unfortunately, I found I couldn't care less. I don't fear Neo-Nazis and as for nuking Baltimore.. This film version drifted from the novel and ended up apolitical. Where were the fanatical Muslim terrorists? Was it Harrison Ford's absence from the lead role or my having grown up with the threat of nuclear war that made this film so ho-hum. The only thing I feared was that this film would never end. Go if you must, but the only thing you'll have to fear is giving up two hours of your life in a darkened theater.

Superman Returns
Director Bryan Singer foregoes his connections to the X-Men series to revive the Superman franchise with Superman Returns. In this continuation of the film series, which ended disastrously with 1987's Superman IV: Quest for Peace, Superman (now played by Brandon Roth) returns to earth after a five-year hiatus searching for any remains of his homeworld, Krypton, only to find that his love, Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth,) has a child (Tristan Lake Leabu) and a boyfriend (James Marsden). This plot reminded me of the small-town guy going off to war only to return to find his girlfriend has dumped him for someone else. So, nothing new here. Another plot, hard to miss because they shove it in your face, is the messiah plot where Superman is told of his duty as savior of the earth. This plot felt empty and contrived. Oh, I almost forgot. There is another minor plot about Superman's arch nemesis, Lex Luther (Kevin Spacey), trying to grow land with crystals found at Superman's fortress of solitude. Although Lex Luther was the only one smart enough to question Lois about her son's age. Wink. Wink. Luther's plot is almost pointless except to provide excuses for some of Superman's heroics that attempt to remind us that the guy has super powers. But even these scenes are scattered without adding up to anything new or innovative, making no real attempts to use Kevin Spacey's talents. In the end, the love story between Superman and Lois won out as the dominant plot and that bored me because it was too melodramatic. As a fan of sci-fi and comics turned into film, Superman Returns satisfied neither craving, lacking any of the undertones of either 2002's and 2004's Spiderman or 2005's Batman Begins. I was totally disappointed, and the thought of another Superman film in 2009 does not excite me. I am, however, looking forward to the Spiderman sequel scheduled for a 2007 release and a Batman sequel scheduled for 2008.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
The team of director Tim Burton (2006’s Corpse Bride, 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and 1999’s Sleepy Hollow) and actor Johnnie Depp is enough to make anyone want to see this story of bloody revenge. Barber Sweeney Todd (Johnnie Depp) begins extracting revenge with his razor after the destruction of his family at the hands of Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) and the judge’s henchman Beadle Bamford (Timothy Spall.) However, Todd’s revenge soon runs unchecked when he begins slitting the throats of almost anyone who sits in his barber chair. Turned over to Todd’s partner in crime, Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter,) the bodies are chopped and ground into her famous meat pies. Tim Burton’s decision to bring the staged musical to the screen couldn’t have fallen into more capable hands with most of Stephen Sondheim’s original words and music making it to the film. The sets are magical and wondrous, maintaining an air of the stage while capturing London during the Napoleonic Wars. Burton’s decision to use main characters that are not singers also adds substance to the character driven scenes. Depp, Rickman, and Carter shine during their songs as does just about everyone, including Sacha Baron Cohen’s (Borat) portrayal of rival barber, Signor Adolfo Pirelli. Be aware, there is so little dialogue that I am tempted to label this film an “opera.” The story builds slowly for the first hour as we get the background between Todd and Judge Turpin and are brought up to date, but the last fifty minutes of the film are tight, suspenseful and engaging as the story wraps up with a very satisfying ending. In addition, every blood spurting close up of Todd’s razor sliding from ear to ear as he slits his victim’s throats earns the well-deserved “R” rating. I look forward to seeing it again as a rental.

Swordfish
This action-adventure-thriller poses the question, "How many innocent people are you willing to kill to stop terrorism." John Travolta is back in form as the fanatic patriot willing to put the question to the test, and he does, with explosive results.