It’s 2011 and a virus has wiped out almost all of the earth’s population and pretty much all of the movie critics as well. Alright, so this one isn’t really all that bad if you’re a devotee of the animated series that ran on MTV in the 90’s.

The remaining inhabitants are under the auspices of Dr. Goodchild (Marton Csokas) who has found a cure for the virus. They live in the utopian city of Bregna, the last city on earth where, as anyone who lives in any city at any time in this country knows, is a breeding ground for sin and corruption of all manner and type. And of course, rebelling against all this corruption and sin are the holier than anybody else Monicans and their warrior supreme, Aeon Flux. Once our intrepid heroine is ordered to kill Dr. Goodchild, she immerses herself into Bregna and discovers the awesome truth behind the city.

Ok, so half the plots of Star Trek are more complicated and believable than this one. But none of those other movies have Charlize Theron parading around in what looks like 21st Century bondage wear.

I was especially disappointed in the direction of Karyn Kusama who made the wonderfully inventive and heartfelt “Girlfight” in 2000 and I guess it was the lure of the paycheck and the moviemaking on such a level that threw her a curve of monstrous proportions. She literally was in over her head and it remains my firm belief that if the studio had cut her budget in half she would have come up with twice as good a movie. But that could just be me.

I like mindless action adventure fun in my movies and there really doesn’t have to be all that much plot to be satisfying. Take for example “Armageddon”. Really nothing special in the heart and soul and characterization departments but overall it works. And overall this one really doesn’t.

It’s more similar to Vin Diesle’s Chronicles of Riddick than Armageddon – great sets, great costumes, pretty good CGI going on and yet, somehow the whole thing just really doesn’t gel. Charlize is in over her head along with Karyn Kusama but she looks really lovely. Pete Postlethwaite on the other hand looks like an ad for a candy bar rather than a serious actor.

The ultimate error in judgment on the parts of everyone involved with this movie is that they assumed that the audience would be familiar with the story line, the characters and the series in general. This assumption leaves anyone entering the theater who is unfamiliar with the series in a state of wonder trying to figure out what the heck is going on and why people are acting the way that they do. If they wanted to appeal only to the people who had seen the show, they accomplished that. Anyone else will be literally left in the dark.

Please add your comments as to what you thought about the movie. Let me know whether you’ve seen the show.

Johnny Cash was a pretty cool guy. I like some of his music, I have a few of his Sun records, but I can’t claim to be his biggest fan or anything. Mainly I just find the guy to be interesting. When I heard that they were making a movie based on his life, I was rather unsure what to expect, since Hollywood adaptations tend to be either horrible or amazing. In the case of Walk The Line, it’s a bit of both.

My main problem with the film is that it doesn’t cover enough of Cash’s most turbulent periods much, instead opting to make the film into a two dimensional dramatic love story. While both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Whitherspoon do good jobs at acting, I really wanted to see the darker side of Cash’s life in full detail. What they do show of Cash’s life is pretty good, though as previously stated, the focus on Cash’s relationship with Carter bugs me. It just seems rude to completely paint over the fact that Cash was a really intense drug addict for a large part of his career. I think this is something that would really effect your life, and since it went on for decades, I think it is worth documenting, if only to fully understand his recovery from addiction. But that aside, this is a pretty decent picture. Could have been a lot better, but it could have been a lot worse too.

If you want to see a magnificent movie, be sure to take in King Kong. It is far superior to the previous versions (1933 and 1976,) and takes us into a world where beast and human bond with a passion that will touch your heart.

Director Peter Jackson, of Lord of the Rings fame, wisely follows the example of producers of Jaws. He doesn’t show Kong or any of the other creatures for over an hour into the film. In the meantime, the audience views soup kitchens and bread lines that remind us of the Dirty Thirties era.

The heroine, Ann Darrow, played by Naomi Watts and Jack Driscoll, played by Adrien Brody, find themselves aboard a tramp streamer that’s set a course for the South Seas. Driscoll is a playwright who’s accompanying a director who feels that Skull Island is the perfect setting for a blockbuster movie. Ann and Jack form a close friendship on the steamer, but not so close that it undermines the bond that is later formed between ape and human.

The next portion of the movie takes place on Skull Island and combines two storylines; that of Ann and Kong and another between the humans and other creatures. Amazing special effects draw us into the jungle where prehistoric creatures pursue humans over log bridges and gaping chasms. It is here that Kong snatches Ann and takes her to his lair high in the mountains.

Once there, Kong sets Ann down, roars, bares his teeth and pounds his chest. Instead of cowering in fright, Ann realizes that Kong is acting out the part of an alpha male. Though she doesn’t know how a female gorilla would react, she goes through a series of vaudeville stage routines, which impresses the huge gorilla.

From that moment on, Kong thinks of Ann as his and instinctively knows that it is his job to protect her. A defining moment in the film is when Kong and Ann silently share a magnificent sunset. The viewer instantly realizes that the two have formed a special bond and that Ann trusts Kong explicitly.

Ann’s friend, Jack Driscoll, climbs the mountain to rescue her. When he arrives at Kong’s lair, he finds Ann sitting comfortably in Kong’s giant palm. The movie progresses with Ann and Kong being pursued by giant bats, dinosaurs and other horrifying creatures, as well as the Army Air Corps. Kong is determined to protect Ann at all costs from the creatures and humans alike.

King Kong follows the storyline of both the 1933 and 1976 versions of the movie. However, Peter Jackson has made an adjustment in the relationship between Ann and Kong. The closeness of the two touches the hearts of the audience and gives us a glimpse of the bond that can exist between animal and human.

When Kong climbs the Empire State Building, Ann screams, not out of fear of the ape, but for the fear that her friend will be killed by a society that misunderstands him. King Kong is a magnificent movie with spectacular effects. It’s great entertainment that will remain a classic for years to come. Don’t miss it!

Please share your thoughts on King Kong by adding a comment.

There are times in a suspense flick when we have a hunch as to what is going on, but that is not the case with Flightplan. In fact, you question if the main character, Kyle Pratt (Jodie Foster) is a reliable source and wonder if she isn’t making the whole thing up! The point is you never really know who to believe, which makes for on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense movie.

When the movie opens we learn that Kyle Pratt’s (Jodie Foster) husband has died, but the purposely choppy flashbacks make it difficult to decipher if he was murdered or committed suicide. Throughout the movie, but especially at the beginning, the scenes shot during cold, cloudy and gray weather adding to the somber mood and depression of Pratt. Pratt and her husband worked as engineers in Berlin, so to transport her husband back to New York, she must take a flight on a state-of-the-art double-decker plan that Pratt and her husband designed. The plane seems to be a painful reminder to Pratt and her six-year old daughter who is equally upset, but also afraid to be outside of their house. To comfort her, Pratt keeps her daughter isolated to create a feeling of protection. Before the flight takes off, they sneak away to empty seats in the back of the plane to take a nap. When Pratt wakes up, her daughter has disappeared.

Where did she go? Did she ever exist?

Pratt’s search of the two floors of the plan is unsuccessful, so she frantically requests that the crew search the plan. Later, the crew learns that things are not what they seem with Pratt. The crew including Captain Rich (Sean Bean) and Air Marshall Carson (Peter Sarsgaard) sympathize with Pratt’s loss and try to be understanding about the difficulty she is dealing with it, but soon things get out of hand.

Where is her daughter? Did she ever exist? Was she kidnapped as Pratt accuses? If so, do you know who could be in on it? Are you sure? Now, are you sure the daughter really existed? This psychological thriller was directed by Robert Schwentke who does a great job of keeping us on our toes until the end. You never really know who to believe or how it will end, but of course when it does it is dramatic and emotional.

Please share your thoughts on the movie Flightplan by adding a comment.

Drew Baylor has issues.

Drew, played by Orlando Bloom from Pirates of the Caribbean, is about to experience the cosmic law that bad things occur in threes. Shortly after a euphoric success at work, he is suddenly responsible for the company’s catastrophic loss of almost one billion dollars. As his boss, played by Alec Baldwin, tells Drew that the company will no longer be able to save endangered species or sections of precious rainforest, Drew realizes his error has global consequences. His memories of carefree office parties and being the golden boy at work are squashed by his present horror. That is bad thing number one.

Next, Drew is dumped by his girlfriend, although you may experience stomach pains watching because Drew doesn’t quite comprehend he has been dumped. Such is love.

Worse than losing almost a billion dollars, and being dumped, Drew learns his father passed away while visiting family in Kentucky. Ironically, his sister called with the news at the exact moment Drew was about to commit suicide. With his sister crying and his mother barely making sense, Drew realizes he must be the one to bring his father back from Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

On the flight to Kentucky, Drew meets Claire (Kirsten Dunst) a bubbly and at first annoying flight attendant. Under normal circumstances we are lead to believe that Drew would not give Claire the time of day, but her persistence and his state leads to conversation.

Drew is depressed and clearly distraught over his father’s death, his work situation, love life, and state of his mother, but when Drew arrives in Elizabethtown he is cocooned by his father’s family whom he had not seen since his youth. Writer and director Cameron Crowe shows and doesn’t tell us what is going on in this story and suddenly we realize Crowe has exaggerated Drew’s success and failures in a way that makes us realize, it’s okay to take chances and fail. Crap happens. Life goes on, And during this movie, if you look close enough you’ll see a remedy for a broken heart.

The most touching and at the same time exhilarating part of this movie is when Drew accompanies his father back home. This movie (irony, metaphors and all,) the scenery and the soundtrack make for one great emotional ride. This is one of those movies you see more than once, and then buy the DVD and watch a few times more.

Please let me know what you think about Elizabethtown by leaving your comments below.