RSSShort takes
The A-Team (PG-13) (117 min.; dir. Joe Carhahan; Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Patrick Wilson, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson, Gerald McRaney) action/adventure: Although it took a back seat to the "Karate Kid" remake, "The A-Team" is a legitimate summer blockbuster. It boasts all the standard explosions and gunfights, but the plot is more clever than might be expected. Just like the TV show, a group of wrongly convicted Army rangers go rogue to clear their names. After a security firm frames them for murder, they travel the globe to hunt down a set of U.S. currency plates that will prove their innocence. Neeson does a fine job as team leader Hannibal, and Cooper is both charming and ruthless. Beyond the action, the key to the film's success is director Carnahan's ability to measure out the correct doses of humor, violence and romance. With only a couple of references to the original, the movie creates its own universe ripe for sequels. Who cares if Jackson can't act? There are enough twists and thrills to keep the blood pumping.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (PG) (120 min.; dir. Thor Freudenthal; Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn, Devon Bostick, Chloe Grace Moretz, Grayson Russell, Laine MacNeil, Alex Ferris) comedy/children: This cute movie is aimed directly at the pre-adolescent fans of the Jeff Kinney illustrated novels on which it is based. With an endless parade of unfunny gags, it aspires to be nothing more. It's fair to make this criticism when so many recent children's films have set the bar so high. But these movies ("Shrek," "Up") are all animated. One gets the feeling that studios are neglecting live action fare like "Wimpy Kid." The premise is great. An undersized boy named Greg (Gordon) experiences the high and lows of his first year in middle school. He's already awkward enough, and his dorky best friend (Capron) doesn't help the situation. The two leads are a little stiff, but the biggest problem is a reluctance to tell the truth. Middle school is a dark place, and director Fruedenthal is satisfied with just letting the characters revel in goofball hijinks.
Exit Through the Gift Shop (R) (87 min.; dir. Banksy; Thierry Guetta, Shepard Fairey, Rhys Ifans, Space Invader, Banksy) documentary: The new movie "Exit Through the Gift Shop" pushes the boundaries of documentary film. Directed by British street artist Banksy, it dives deep into the underground culture that has produced the likes of Fairey and the Frenchman Space Invader. Banksy mined most of the footage from the hundreds of tapes Guetta shot in an attempt to create his own film about the daredevils who tag public spaces after the sun goes down. By turning the documentarian into the subject, Banksy creates a fascinating and hilarious look at art and the male ego. Guetta, with his child-like enthusiasm, is a joy to watch. His transformation into the artist Mr. Brainwash forces the audience to consider the fine line between art and absurdity. "Gift Shop" is only playing at a couple of theaters, but it's definitely worth seeking out.
Iron Man 2 (PG-13) (124 min.; dir. Jon Favraeu; Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Favreau, John Slattery, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell) action/adventure: "Iron Man 2" begins several months after the original ended. As Iron Man, Tony Stark (Downey) has helped established peace around the world. However a new enemy (Rourke) rises from the Russian tundra to take Stark down using blueprints design by Stark Industries. The plot is ridiculous, but the nonstop action wipes away any reservations about plausibility. Downey is at the top of his comedic game and the banter he shares with Cheadle is priceless. As the mysterious Natalie Rushman, Johansson is both smart and sexy. And forget about how Rourke's Ivan Vanko got so tan living in Siberia. He's a great villain. "Iron Man 2" is a fantastic start to the summer blockbuster season. It is likely to linger around movie theaters well into July.
Letters to Juliet (PG) (105 min.; dir. Gary Winick; Amanda Seyfried, Gael Garcia Bernal, Christopher Egan, Vanessa Redgrave, Oliver Platt) romance/comedy: "Letters to Juliet" can best be described as cute. To some, that's appealing; to others, the sugary dialogue and awkward plot is a turnoff. While visiting Italy with her neglectful fiancé, American writer Sophie Hall (Seyfried) visits the balcony where women leave "Dear Abby"-style letters to Shakespeare's Juliet. Sophie joins four other women in sending replies and discovers a 50-year-old letter from an English woman (Redgrave). She then begins a quest to reunite the woman with her long-lost Italian love. While the story is sweet, the execution of the story is not. Seyfried does her best to make up for a clunky script, but Egan is completely unconvincing as a romantic lead. As the movie wears on, the jokes become less funny and the dramatic moments grow unintentionally humorous. Redgrave's tender performance and gorgeous shots of the Italian countryside only are the film's only strengths.
Love Ranch (R) (117 min.; dir. Taylor Hackford; Helen Mirren, Joe Pesci, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Gina Gershon, Taryn Manning, Bai Ling, Scout Taylor-Compton, Gil Birmingham, Rick Gomez, Bryan Cranston) drama: Director Taylor Hackford cast his wife, Helen Mirren, to star in his latest film. The actress plays Grace Botempo, the madam of a legal brothel outside Reno in the 1970s. Alhough Grace does all the work, her husband Charlie (Pesci) spends all the money and sleeps with the prostitutes who populate the ranch. But business is booming, so Charlie pays off a boxer's gambling debt in hopes of cashing in on a bout with Muhammad Ali. The plan backfires when the fighter (Peris-Mencheta) begins a fling with Grace. It's hard to make a boring film about hookers and crooked boxing promoters, but Hackford did just that. The first act is fun. After that, the plot drags with melodramatic scenes that never seem to end. Mirren is only adequate, and Peris-Mencheta fails to spark any chemistry between himself and his older costar. Pesci does throw a few of his signature tirades. As much fun as those fits are to watch, they're hardly worth the price of admission.
Marmaduke (PG) (87 min.; dir. Tom Dey; Owen Wilson, George Lopez, Emma Stone, Lee Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Steve Coogan, Fergie, Keifer Sutherland, Marlon Wayans, Damon Wayans Jr., Sam Eliot) family/comedy: Some cartoon adaptations make sense, but not this one. Only grandparents of the grade school-aged children it targets are likely to be familiar with the comic strip the movie is based on. Without a built-in audience, the product must be spectacular. It's not even decent. Despite Wilson's best efforts to energize the titular great Dane, the low brow humor and paper-thin plot suck the air out of the theater. Marmaduke, new to California, tries to blend in with the pooches at a dog park. Unfortunately, the vicious Bosco (Sutherland) fights to maintain boundaries between mutts and purebreds. It's up to Marmaduke to unite the clashing canines. OK, so it's not fair to expect "Finding Nemo," and parents will appreciate the film's themes of tolerance and diversity. Still, it wouldn't have hurt to add a little bit of intelligence. At least, the movie is short.
Princess Kaiulani (PG) (97 min.; dir. Marc Forby; Q'orianka Kilcher, Barry Pepper, Shaun Evans, Jimmy Yuill, Julian Glover, Tamzin Merchant, Will Patton) historical drama: Five years after portraying Pocahontas in "The New World," Q'orianka Kilcher returns to the big screen as another Native American royal forced to balance imperialistic modern life and tradition. This time, she embodies the title character in "Princess Kaiulani." At the turn of the 20th century, American economic interests in the Kingdom of Hawaii have lead to an all-out takeover of the islands. The U.S. Government, guided by businessman Lorrin Thurston (Pepper), seeks to make the kingdom into an American territory. Armed with a proper British education and a strong sense of nationalism, the princess fights to at least secure voting rights for her people. It's a story ripe for cinematic gold, but first-time director Marc Forby sacrifices character development for pretty pictures. And Kilcher falls short of a star-making performance. Although the effort is there, she's not quite ready to carry a picture. Overall, the movie is a pleasant but flawed snapshot of American history.
Sex and the City 2 (R) (146 min.; dir. Michael Patrick King; Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall, Chris Noth, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, John Corbett, Willie Garson, Liza Minnelli) comedy: After a beatdown by critics and an awful opening weekend, "Sex and the City 2" is primed to enter the sequel hall of shame. Clearly out of ideas, writer-director King sends the girls to Abu Dhabi for a week of fun in the Arabian sun. The trip is designed to be an escape from their tense domestic lives, but ends up causing more stress. Carrie (Parker) runs into an old boyfriend and Charlotte (Davis) worries about a nanny problem back in New York. Overseas, Samantha's promiscuous behavior gets her in trouble with the conservative Muslim police. Six years removed from the original TV show, "Sex" has become a parody of itself. The bad puns never cease, and the fashion that helped make the show iconic is too far over the top. If the dialogue and flimsy story aren't enough to turn you away, then maybe the two and a half hour running time will -- or the stereotypical portrayal of Muslims. This dud is for die-hard fans only.
Toy Story 3 (G) (103 min.; dir. Lee Unkrich; Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, Jodi Benson) family/comedy: "Toy Story 3" earbed $109 million on opening weekend, and is primed to become the biggest animated film of the year. A decade after their last adventure Woody (Hanks), Buzz (Allen) and the rest of gang find themselves stuck in a daycare center that's more like a prison. The devious Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear exiles the new arrivals to the toddler room. To help the others escape, Woody draws a clever but risky plan. The voice acting, as expected is great. The talent approach their roles as if the film is a live action dramedy, not a cartoon. Again, the movie boasts a wonderful mix of wit for grownups and slapstick for kids. If this third installment in the series isn't quite as good as the first two, it's right up there. Its box office success is a testament to the fact that in this era of wisecracking zoo animals and 3D technology, a good story always wins.