'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' (Sony)
Sony Pictures Animation continues to provide steady competition for the animators at Disney's Pixar, and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is more evidence of that. With voices provided by Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Mr. T and Andy Samberg, the film should get an Academy Award nomination in the animation category. It's already secured a spot on the Golden Globes ballot. What makes this film special is the same recipe Pixar puts into its hits: its imaginative and precise animation blended with a clever story line that hits on a range of emotions. Additionally, in a genre that's specifically geared toward a younger audience, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is appealing to all ages. Based on a 1978 children's book penned by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett, the picture follows the exploits of a young scientist named Flint Lockwood (Hader). Flint is serious about his inventions, and he's been at it, albeit unsuccessfully, since he was a kid. His latest invention has the ability to turn water into the food of his choice. When a power surge sends his invention into the clouds, food begins pouring down on his town, and he begins to achieve some of the acclaim he's been craving. But the success goes to his head, setting the table for a storm of culinary proportions. The film is available in single- and two-disc editions as well as Blu-ray. Two-disc and Blu-ray packages house the best of the special features. There are a few interactive extras for the kids, quality making-of featurettes, deleted scenes and commentary. Blu-ray packages have a few additional extras. PG; 2009. Our Take: 3.5 Stars (out of four)
Buy It: A fabulous film that the whole family can enjoy.
'The Final Destination' (Warner Bros)
The fourth installment in a franchise that mixes components of the thriller and horror genres is the worst of the lot. The latest addition — done in 3D — amps up the predictability and dumbness in finding its place as one of the worst movies of 2009. Unfortunately, "The Final Destination" might yet again get topped by a descendant, as the motion picture won the box office two consecutive weeks this past summer. Let's hope not, as this feature, directed by David R. Ellis, is saddled with an underdeveloped story line, poor acting and not much suspense. It's an eye-rolling affair best summed up as a bloody mess of bodies strewn throughout the 82-minute run time. The film begins with four friends enjoying their day at an auto race. When Nick (Bobby Campo) receives a vision of a horrible crash spreading into the crowd and killing him, his friends and numerous spectators, he gathers the troops and gets them out, saving their lives. The rest of "The Final Destination" more or less follows the plot of its predecessors, as Nick and his friends try to escape death. The film is available in 3D in standard and Blu-ray, and carries glasses with it. Standard DVDs only carry deleted scenes as extras. Blu-ray packages offer a bit more by way of featurettes and other extras. R; 2009. Our Take: 1 Star.
Skip It: Don't bother with another serving of death porn.
'Lorna's Silence' (Sony)
Belgian brothers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne return to the big screen with "Lorna's Silence," a film with a quiet intensity that builds throughout this well-written feature. The film covers the embattled life of Lorna (Arta Dobroshi), a young and attractive Albanian who simply wants to operate a small eatery in Belgium. But she's gotten mixed up with a shady gangster named Fabio (Fabrizio Rongione), who has ties to the Russian mob. Fabio put Lorna in touch with citizenship in Belgium by way of a fake marriage, but now she'll have to do something for him. A Russian gangster wants citizenship, and Fabio wants to hook him up with Lorna. The only problem is Lorna's husband will have to disappear, and she's not too comfortable with that impending situation. Can the gangsters count on Lorna to be quiet⢠Like a lot of the work from the Dardennes — "The Son" and "The Child" included — "Lorna's Silence" finds its strength in dialogue, human emotion and an effective cloud of mystery that envelops an ever-changing Lorna in going about a daily life that's getting more dangerous by the second. Winner of the Best Screenplay Award at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, "Lorna's Silence" comes without special features. Commentary would have been nice for an engrossing film such as this. R; 2009. Our Take: 3 Stars.
Rent It: A foreign indie that's worth the price of admission.
'50 Dead Men Walking' (Phase 4 Films)
There's plenty of potential to be found in "50 Dead Men Walking." But most of it goes unfilled, as viewers are saddled with a generic and disjointed version of an interesting story in a film directed by Kari Skogland. The picture is a loose adaptation of Martin McGartland's 1997 autobiography of the same name. McGartland was a member of the Irish Republican Army who passed info along to the British army. When he was found out, McGartland was tortured before escaping. "50 Dead Men Walking" explores these events with a heightened sense of drama, but the film fails, as it tries to move away from its historical background. Skogland dumbs down the plot with heavy doses of flash, taking away from what should be a riveting picture starring Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess. As the story line moves forward, the film becomes a task in deciphering the difference between fact and fiction in the interestingly dangerous life of McGartland. Deleted scenes, commentary and more than 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes action are available as special features. None of the extras is all that special. R; 2009. Our Take: 2 Stars.
Skip It: A film that has its moments but stands as a huge disappointment.
OTHER MOVIE RELEASES:
• "The Hip Hop Project" (documentary, PG-13, 2009, Image Entertainment): Producers Queen Latifah and Bruce Willis are responsible for bringing this uplifting story about a group of New York City teens looking to accomplish their dreams in the music industry. The film, directed by Matt Ruskin, is a portrait of the four years in the making of an inspirational journey into the world of hip-hop. Extras.
• "10 Things I Hate About You: 10th Anniversary Edition" (Heath Ledger, PG-13, 2000, Disney): The late Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles can thank this film, directed by Gil Junger, for helping them in breaking out in Hollywood. This popular film, best described as a modern-day update of William Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew," was a mainstream hit and saw both actors move on to successful careers. Extras.
• "The Circuit" (Michelle Trachtenberg, NR, 2009, Vivendi Entertainment): Michelle Trachtenberg of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gossip Girl" fame plays the lead in this story about a young woman finding success as a race-car driver. The film is an ABC Family original movie.
OTHER TV RELEASES:
• "Chuck: The Complete Second Season": Six discs, 22 episodes, extras.
• "Mighty Mouse, The New Adventures: The Complete Series": Three discs, 19 episodes, extras.
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