FUNNY PEOPLE (B)

Starring: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman
Story: Funny People is the story of a famous comedian/box-office star who has a near death experience (Universal Pictures).

Rated: R

Bottom line: Well-timed jokes, solid comedy, human emotion, drama - seems like the newest cinematic ingredient director Judd Apatow (THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN and KNOCKED UP) prefers working with is depth. Although meandering and not quite as profound as it wants to be - an enjoyable, adult-themed, expertly-crafted, movie-going experience is delivered heartily by a stellar cast doing their best to help these funny, troubled, grumpy souls find their direction in life. If you’re looking for funny people this weekend then go see the summer smash THE HANGOVER…if you want funny, unhappy people than look no further than this solid outing.

DVD’S/BLURAYS RELEASED NEXT TUESDAY
Race to Witch Mountain B
The Soloist B-
Obsessed C-

THE UGLY TRUTH (D)

Starring: Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler

Story: The battle of the sexes heats up in Columbia Pictures’ comedy The Ugly truth. Abby Richter is a romantically challenged morning show producer whose search for Mr. Perfect has left her hopelessly single. She’s in for a rude awakening when her bosses team her with Mike Chadway, a hardcore TV personality who promises to spill the ugly truth on what makes men and women tick (Sony Pictures).

Rated: R

Bottom line: You may laugh once or twice (assuming this is the first movie you’ve seen all year), but this shallow, formulaic and trite attempt at creating a hybrid rom-com-gross-out-chick-flick-date-night-buddy movie fails to thoroughly entertain. The truth is THE UGLY TRUTH isn’t pretty….and that ain’t no lie.

DVD’S/BLURAYS RELEASED NEXT TUESDAY
Fast and Furious D+

G-FORCE (D+)

Starring: Bill Nighy, Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Sam Rockwell, John Favreau, Penelope Cruz, Tracy Morgan, Steve Buscemi and Nicolas Cage

Story: Armed with the latest high-tech spy equipment, highly trained guinea pigs discover that the fate of the world is in their paws. Tapped for the G-Force are guinea pigs Darwin, the squad leader determined to succeed at all costs; Blaster, an outrageous weapons expert with tons of attitude and a love for all things extreme; and Juarez, a sexy martial arts pro; plus the literal fly-on-the-wall reconnaissance expert, Mooch, and a star-nosed mole, Speckles, the computer and information specialist (Walt Disney Pictures).

Rated: PG

Bottom line: G-FORCE is perfect for young children who don’t care about silly things like story, continuity or stuff making any sense. But for parents it’s nothing more than a pointless exercise in patience. Teamwork is important! Beat that mantra (and this movie’s only message) in to your child’s brain and skip the film. There, you’ve just saved yourself twenty bucks.

ORPHAN (C-)

Starring: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard and Isabelle Fuhrman

Story: The tragic loss of their unborn child has devastated Kate and John, taking a toll on both their marriage and Kate's fragile psyche as she is plagued by nightmares and haunted by demons from her past. Struggling to regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives, the couple decides to adopt another child. At the local orphanage, both John and Kate find themselves strangely drawn to a young girl named Esther. Almost as soon as they welcome Esther into their home, however, an alarming series of events begins to unfold, leading Kate to believe that there's something wrong with Esther--this seemingly angelic little girl is not what she appears to be. Concerned for the safety of her family, Kate tries to get John and others to see past Esther's sweet facade. But her warnings go unheeded until it may be too late...for everyone (Warner Bros).

Rated: R

Bottom line: One part psychological thriller, one part violent horror film and all-parts average in its indecisiveness. Decent acting, poor dialogue, mostly predictable story-telling and lazy scare tactics make your living room (for a possible one night rental) the only home this ORPHAN should ever visit.

Blatant Product Placement

I've said it before (on this blog and every week on multiple radio stations), I'll say it again...

If you live in the Puget Sound area, you need to see movies at Gold Class Cinemas at Redmond Town Center.

They open new release movies there every week (their current line-up looks like this: HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, BRUNO, PUBLIC ENEMIES, THE HANGOVER, THE PROPOSAL and TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN).

You can even check out this clip and get a feel of what it's like: http://goldclasscinemas.com/About-Gold-Class-Cinemas/Village-Roadshow-Gold-Class-Cinemas-Video-Tour.htm

Good food, comfortable seats and new release movies - all under the same roof!

Also, be sure to mention 'Brian the Really Handsome and Charming Movie Guy' and receive a free appetizer.

I dare you tp Go Gold Class this weekend...and not like it. It's impossible. Can't be done.

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (B)

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, David Thewlis and Jim Broadbent

Story: Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again (Warner Bros).

Rated: PG

Bottom line: It’s a bit long and we could have been left with a little more to hold on to in the end but HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE is still a dark, visually stunning, entertaining, well acted and directed piece of pop-culture literary cinema that ranks as one of the better installments in the series and delivers pretty much what we Muggles have come to expect from this thriving franchise…and I can’t believe I just used the term ‘Muggles’ - oh my gosh I’m a dork.

DVD’S/BLURAYS RELEASED ON TUESDAY 7/21
Coraline A
Watchmen D+

500 DAYS OF SUMMER (B)

Starring: Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Story: This is a story of boy meets girl, begins the wry, probing narrator of 500 Days of Summer, and with that the film takes off at breakneck speed into a funny, true to life and unique dissection of the unruly and unpredictable year-and-a-half of one young man’s no-holds-barred love affair.

Rated: PG-13

Bottom line: It’s topped of with a very thick layer of Hollywood sap toward the end but don’t let that turn you away from this clever, engaging and off-beat movie that also happens to be one of the best romantic-comedies I’ve seen in a long time.

Here, Take It...

This is what most children all over the world will be doing at ticket counters over the next few weeks when HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE hits theaters starting this evening at midnight.

Just saying...

It's Not Easy Being Green

He's been on the brink of leading-man, A-list status now for the past seven years (or when his first 'big' movie, VAN WILDER, hit theaters in 2002) but Ryan Reynolds may finally get there by playing a green spandex-clad guardian of the universe.

Earlier this week the actor was picked (from screen-tested candidtaes like Bradley Cooper, Jared Leto and even Justin Timberlake) to star alongside Natalie Portman in the title role of their 2011 summer release GREEN LANTERN.

The superhero GREEN LANTERN is a DC Comics title (Batman; Superman) and tells the story of a man who is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe.

I've waited along time to see the hilarious, whip-smart Reynolds in a break out leading role - I'm pretty sure this will be that... I better sign off now before I nerd out.

BRUNO (B)

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen

Story: After being ousted from the fashion community during a hi-profile mishap on a Milan runway, the uber-famous fashion correspondent, Bruno, heads to the U.S. to try and straighten himself out.

Rated: R

Bottom line: Same shtick, different summer. If you have an open mind to the lewd, crude, rude and down-right obscene – then see this in a packed theater because it’s much easier to laugh when you’re surrounded by 300 other demented, non-PC-loving moviegoers. The ‘B’ grade stands for bath – because you may want to cleanse yourself in one after seeing this movie.

THE HURT LOCKER (A)

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pearce

Story: The Hurt Locker is an intense portrayal of elite soldiers who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: disarming bombs in the heat of combat. When a new sergeant, James, takes over a highly trained bomb disposal team amidst violent conflict, he surprises his two subordinates, Sanborn and Eldridge, by recklessly plunging them into a deadly game of urban combat. James behaves as if he's indifferent to death. As the men struggle to control their wild new leader, the city explodes into chaos, and James' true character reveals itself in a way that will change each man forever. (Summit Entertainment)

Rated: R

Bottom line: THE HURT LOCKER is a smart, paranoia-infused game of bullet and bomb-riddled cat-and-mouse that delivers a white-hot, unyielding edge-of-your-seat intensity. I’m basically saying it’s really good…and that you should see it.

I LOVE YOU BETH COOPER (D-)

Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Paul Rust, Jack T. Carpenter and Lauren London

Story: Buffalo Grove High School valedictorian Denis Cooverman has had quite an academic career...on paper, at least. Superlative student, conscientious young gentleman and patently obvious dork, Denis has played it safe and made it all the way to graduation day without ever having really experienced some of the joys of higher learning: breaking curfew, destruction of property, over-consumption of alcohol, fist fights, late nights, fast cars or faster women (actually, women of any sort). But all of that is about to change, and all by uttering five little words: I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER. (20th Century Fox)

Rated: PG-13

Bottom line: You know what I love most about BETH COOPER? That nobody will see it…and it will soon be gone. Uncreative, unfunny and unbelievable dull.

PUBLIC ENEMIES (C+)

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Giovanni Ribisi, Billy Crudup and Stephen Dorff (directed by Michael Mann)

Story: No one could stop Dillinger and his gang. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone—from his girlfriend Billie Frechette to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression. But while the adventures of Dillinger's gang thrilled many, Hoover made Dillinger America's first Public Enemy Number One. (Universal Pictures)

Rated: R

Bottom line: This had masterpiece written all over it…but somewhere it went awry. Strong performances, beautiful cinematography - it’s like a work of art…but it’s often flat, there’s no sense of urgency and the whole thing felt more than a little uninvolving. PUBLIC ENEMIES is a big Hollywood production that practically demands you only pay matinee prices to see it…

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (C-)

Starring the voices of: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Simon Pegg and Queen Latifah

Story: The sub-zero heroes from the worldwide blockbusters Ice Age and Ice Age: The Meltdown are back, on an incredible adventure...and in 3-D. This time, they’re beneath the ice, discovering a world of dinosaurs. (20th Century Fox)

Rated: PG

Bottom line: After a recent masterpiece like Pixar’s UP, summer animated movies have no where to go but down. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the occasionally funny, sometimes sweet and always average ICE AGE 3.