The film version of Nim’s Island is pretty as a postcard and just as deep. The human and animal stars are, of course, adorable, but anyone over the age of 10 may have a hard time staying awake or involved throughout this family romp.

(more…)

Calendar Girls is about the women of the Rylstone Women’s Institute in North Yorkshire. This Women’s Group produces a calendar each year based around scenes of the Yorkshire dales. In 1999, one of the ladies husbands became ill with leukemia. He would say that if the ladies planted Sunflowers, he’d make sure he’d get better so he could see them. Unfortunately, he didn’t pull through and in order to raise funds for Leukemia research the women decided to make an alternative calendar of themselves in the nude hoping to sell a few hundred copies around their villages. This calendar in fact became a worldwide sensation, out-selling even those of Britney Spears and Cindy Crawford. Written by Steve Mappley

(more…)

“Anger Management” is another example of a good idea gone bad. Take two popular actors with radically different styles, mix in a sprinkling of a few name actors, throw in Adam Sandler’s buddies in supporting roles, and ask them to take an intriguing idea and turn it into a solid comedy. The result? Well, let’s just say this is deeply disappointing considering how much promise Sandler showed in “Punch-Drunk Love.” And Nicholson’s far from blameless. He takes his wild man character from the latter part of “The Shining,” tones it down a bit, and then generally looks uncomfortable with the results throughout this film.

(more…)

Ten years ago, Jake Hopper was a CIA agent who was stationed in Thailand. Then one day, things went sour, and his partner, Sunti barely escaped with his life…after accidentally killing a woman. Jake called it quits and returned to the United States when his wife died, and Sunti became a Buddhist monk to atone for his sins. For the past 10 years, Jake has run a successful private security business, and has been raising his daughter Jessica, who is now an adult. While hiking in Thailand, Jessica and her friend Sarah Winthorpe are kidnapped. A group of Islamic fundamentalists known as the Abu Karaf claims responsibility. Sarah is the daughter of United States senator John Winthorpe. For ransom, the Abu Karaf demand the release of 20 prisoners from American custody. The US Secretary of State urges restraint — he won’t negotiate. Tom Collins, an ex-colleague of Jake’s, recognizes Jessica on the ransom tape and tips Jake off. Jake knows that he must rescue the girls himself. An old CIA buddy puts Jake in contact with Leon Washington, an active CIA agent who is working in Thailand. Jake goes to Bangkok, and escapes an assassination attempt. Leon arranges a meeting for himself with with Soku — the internal security chief for General Jantapan. Jantapan is a rebel military general who is making a play to be one of the most powerful men in Thailand. Secretly, Jantapan is messing with some dangerous spiritual forces. Soku provides Jake with a cover story, but the CIA wants Jake out of it — they are planning to take out the Abu Karaf with the aid of the Thai army, and they don’t want a civilian in the middle. Jake is a spiritual man, so he contacts his spiritual master Paijan Paitoon. As Jake is in trouble, Paitoon offers to arrange a divination from the oracle of the order. Jake enlists the help of Sunti. Jake gets Lulu, the girlfriend of arms dealer Fitch McQuoid, to steal information leading to the Abu Karaf. Jake and Sunti follow the leads to a warehouse where they discover evidence of highly sophisticated weaponry. With their enemies now after Lulu, Jake takes Lulu under his wing. Jake shares some of his info with Leon. Can he trust Leon? Another attempt is made on Jake’s life — and this time, Jake is sure that Leon was involved. Finally, the Abu Karaf contact Jake to arrange a meeting — the pieces are coming together, and Jake figures out that it was not the Abu Karaf who kidnapped Jessica and Sarah. Jantapan tries to send the spirit of an ancient warrior demon to kill Jake, but the ceremony goes wrong and the spirit enters Jantapan himself, giving Jantapan amazing physical and spiritual powers. Jake and Sunti go to meet Mongkol, the leader of the Abu Karaf. Mongkol confirms that ever since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Jantapan has worked to corner the narcotics and arms markets. It was Jantapan who kidnapped the girls, blaming the Abu Karaf so the army would wipe out his competition. Mongkol knows where the girls are, and he gives Jake plans and intelligence. They both need the girls alive. Jake must engage in a battle that will put both his physical and spiritual powers to the ultimate test. Written by Todd Baldridge

While practicing motocross in Hawaii, Sean Jones witnesses the brutal murder of an important American prosecutor by the powerful mobster Eddie Kim. He is protected and persuaded by the FBI agent Neville Flynn to testify against Eddie in Los Angeles. They embark in the red-eye Flight 121 of Pacific Air, occupying the entire first-class. However, Eddie dispatches hundred of different species of snakes airborne with a time operated device in the luggage to release the snakes in the flight with the intent of crashing the plane. Neville and the passengers have to struggle with the snakes to survive. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

(more…)

A government agent trains a typical teenager Cody Banks who loves to skateboard, hates math, and feels like a complete idiot around girls, in the ways of covert operations that require younger participants. But Cody’s got a secret–he’s actually part of a secret teen CIA program. Cody’s living every boy’s dream life–he can drive like a stunt man, has an incredible arsenal of cool gadgets, and his agency mentor, Ronica Miles, is totally hot. But Cody’s training is put to the test when he’s sent to pose as a prep school student and befriend fellow teen Natalie Connors in order to gain access to her father–a scientist unknowingly developing a fleet of deadly pair of twisted villains called the nanobots for the evil organization ERIS, which can destroy any carbon or silicon-based substance-to destroy the world’s defense systems so he can threaten anyone who opposes him. From runaway cars and high-speed snowboard chases to a spectacular final mountaintop showdown, Cody has to use everything he’s learned to prove himself as an agent and stop ERIS from completing their mission before their mission fails. Written by Anthony Pereyra {hypersonic91@yahoo.com}

(more…)

After being discharged from the local police force, Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) travels to Texas with his girlfriend Maggie (Kari Wuhrer) to face down his demons and visit an old friend. Along the way, however, Jim & Maggie picks up a demented hitchhiker who has diabolical plans for the duo. Written by JRH

This time Zucker and Abrams are spoofing, most notably, Elvis films and WWII spy movies. Val Kilmer stars as Nick Rivers, a handsome American 50s-style rock and roll singer. While performing in East Germany, he falls in love with a beautiful heroine and becomes involved with the French Resistance. Written by {jgp3553@excite.com}

(more…)

Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay launched a full out attack on moviegoers on May 25th. “Pearl Harbor” exploded onto the big screen with an impressive publicity campaign that had fans, websites, and other media outlets, counting down the days until its Memorial Day Weekend release. “Pearl Harbor’s” approved budget of $145 million made it the biggest movie budget ever to get greenlit. The approved $145 million had to be knocked down to $135 after Joe Roth left Disney to run Revolution Studios. Bay and Bruckheimer waived their front-end salaries to squeeze in under the new budget, and Ben Affleck agreed to work for the low upfront salary of $250,000, and a share of the profits - if there ends up being any. Moviegoers will ultimately determine whether the $135+ million budget was spent wisely, and whether the film is a rip-off of America’s history or a fitting tribute to the men and women who served our country during wartime.

(more…)

I am not a gullible person but “Cold Creek Manor’s” trailer had me completely fooled. I assumed from watching the suspenseful publicity tool that the movie would be intriguing, maybe a little scary, and yes - suspenseful. Boy was I had. Shame on me.

Sharon Stone and Dennis Quaid play parents of two young kids growing up in the big city. When an accident causes them to reassess their lives, they take the seemingly over-reactive step of selling their NY home and moving to the country. They purchase Cold Creek Manor, a huge house filled with the previous owner’s furniture, clothing, and most personal and private possessions.

(more…)