Up To Hell

Finally! Finally a scary movie that's worth the film it's printed on. Drag Me to Hell is an exceptionally fun horror flick in the spirit of old school frights. Alison Lohman stars as Christine, a bank loan officer who, after denying an elderly woman an extension on her home loan, is cursed to death. In three days the evil Lamia spirit will, you guessed it, drag Christine to hell. This movie is filled with make-you-jump moments and is just super entertaining. Do yourself a favor and take special notice of the foley, it's great. I was a little disappointed that you could see the ending coming a mile away, but that's a small criticism in an otherwise impeccable movie.

Our annual Disney-Pixar film is Up. Can Pixar do no wrong? Up is a very charming and cute movie that's filled with adventure. I wasn't expecting such a sweet backstory to lead to the balloon journey, but it was a welcome surprise. I don't think the characters are as endearing as previous Pixar outings, but they're still quite lovable.

Big Four This Weekend!

Another small, offbeat film this weekend - The Brothers Bloom. Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo play globe trotting con men brothers out for one last score. Their mark? A hobby collecting shut-in played by Rachel Weisz. The idea here is stellar, but I don't think the execution lived up to the idea. Don't get me wrong, the movie is super clever and fun and has a very Wes Anderson-ish vibe, but it just left me wanting a little more. Rinko Kikuchi had some nice moments, but I think Weisz was the best part of this movie. Someone get her into a Will Ferrell comedy stat! Oh, and keep an eye out for the Joseph Gordon-Levitt cameo, very cool.

My first documentary this year comes way of Every Little Step - a behind the scenes look at the casting process of the revival of A Chorus Line on Broadway. This doc isn't as engrossing as some recent features (like Man On Wire), but it does provide some great insights into the goings-on backstage at a Broadway show. Seeing the full casting process is pretty interesting.

Those pesky machines are back for the fourth time this weekend in Terminator Salvation. Christian Bale plays grown up John Connor continuing the battle against Skynet and all its evils. Salvation took a little while to get going, but once it did it was quite fun. It was better than T3 and I really got a kick out of how they used phrases and events from previous Terminator films and incorporated them into this new one.

In spite of myself, I had a lot of fun at Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. I really disliked the first Night at the Museum, so I was a bit hesitant about this new installment, but it really delivered. Smithsonian had a lot more laughs and really played to a wider audience. Night at the Museum seemed to be aimed at 6 year olds, which is probably why I wanted to claw my eyes out when I saw it. But with all the new characters and adventures, Smithsonian was a great ride.

Managing Angels

Oddly enough I had the same reaction to Angels & Demons as I did to Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. It was a satisfying enough picture, I just don't have a lot to say about it. I did like it, but there wasn't really anything that stimulated me. For my money, I think The Da Vinci Code was more up my alley. I liked the story in The Da Vinci Code better than this mystery, but Angels & Demons is still worth the price of admission.

What's great about the summer movie season (and often the winter season) is the release of the smaller, independent movies, which coyly supply very nice counter programming. So often these pictures linger for the entire summer and become bigger crowd pleasers than the latest action flick - I'm thinking of Garden State and Little Miss Sunshine. This weekend we have our first indie gem of the summer - Management. Steve Zahn and Jennifer Aniston star in this unlikely romantic comedy about a hotel manager (Zahn) who falls in love with a business woman who's passing through (Aniston). Zahn and Aniston really make this film work. Zahn's charm and vulnerability emanate through his big blue puppy dog eyes and he makes you just want to root for him. Aniston excels here. She can more or less carry a big studio picture, but she's never as good as she is in these small, offbeat pictures she occasionally does - like The Good Girl. I wish she did more.

Star Trek

I never watched the show. I haven't seen any of the other movies. I can't compare or rank this adaptation against its predecessors. What I can do is tell you that I had a wicked good time with the newest Star Trek installment. Thanks in large part to J.J. Abrams, this movie is a great thrill ride with a solid story to boot. It would be illogical to miss this movie!

Mutants and Ghosts

The summer movie season got off to a roaring start this weekend with the release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. My only problem with Wolverine was that I wish it was longer. The filmmakers could have delved even deeper into the backstory, but it's still satisfying as is. Great action, some good laughs and a solid story. What else could you want from a summer blockbuster?

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was a good enough picture, but I just don't have a whole lot to say about it. It also had some pretty good laughs and even some more dramatic moments that I wasn't expecting. I think Jennifer Garner was a little under utilized, but Emma Stone was a highlight.