Safe House

For the past year, Matt Weston has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town. A "housekeeper" who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. When the first and only occupant he's had proves to be the most dangerous man he's ever met, Weston readies for duty. Tobin Frost has eluded capture for almost a decade. One of the best ops men that the CIA's known, the ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military intel to anyone with cash since he turned. From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he's done to the U.S. is immeasurable. And he's now back on the reservation with a secret. As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston's safe house. Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way. Now it's up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they're both eliminated from the game.

Starring: Denzel Washington, and Sam Shepard

Grade: B

Joyful Noise

The small town of Pacashau, Georgia, has fallen on hard times, but the people are counting on the Divinity Church Choir to lift their spirits by winning the National Joyful Noise Competition. The choir has always known how to sing in harmony, but the discord between its two leading ladies now threatens to tear them apart. Their newly appointed director, Vi Rose Hill, stubbornly wants to stick with their tried-and-true traditional style, while the fiery G.G. Sparrow thinks tried-and-true translates to tired-and-old. Shaking things up even more is the arrival of G.G.'s rebellious grandson, Randy. Randy has an ear for music, but he also has an eye for Vi Rose's beautiful and talented daughter, Olivia, and the sparks between the two teenagers are causing even more friction between G.G. and Vi Rose. If these two strong-willed women can put aside their differences for the good of the people in their town, they--and their choir--may make the most joyful noise of all.

Starring: Queen Latifah, and Dolly Parton

Grade: C

Red Tails

1944. As the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options -- including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country -- and the fate of the free world.Good Movie!

Starring: Terrance Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr

Grade: B

New Year Eve

Intertwining stories promise love, hope, forgiveness, second chances and more for a number of New Yorkers on the celebrated night. A rock star (Jon Bon Jovi) and his ex-lover (Katherine Heigl) ]clash at an exclusive party; a singer (Lea Michele) ]becomes stranded with a killjoy (Ashton Kutcher) ]on the way to a New Year's gig; a nurse (Halle Berry) stays with a dying patient (Robert De Niro) as he tries to hang on long enough to see the ball drop in Times Square one last time. Wait until it come out on DVD!

Starring: Hallie Berry

Grade: D

The Sitter

The Sitter fits neatly into the mediocre, generic comedy category a classification reserved for films that are dumb funny humor. One could argue that these are among the most difficult movies to watch because, although not incompetently made, their entertainment value is minimal - they can't even be enjoyed in a "so bad they're good" sense. An optimist can find things to like about them, but the bright spots are overwhelmed by the drudgery of the whole. For every laugh offered by The Sitter, there are a few minutes of boredom and at least one failed scene of would-be "dramatic" character building. Noah is a suspended college student, living at home with his single mom. When he is talked into babysitting the three, young, misfit kids next door, he decides to take them along on an attempted sexual rendezvous, and the night takes a wild and dangerous turn for the worse for which he is totally unprepared. The is a white humor movie that will get a number of laughs. Will the movie win best movie of the year? (NO). will you laugh?(Yes). I get The Sitter a thumbs up with caution.

Starring: Jonah Hill, J.B.Smoove, and Landry Bender

Grade: C

Happy Feet II

Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son, Erik, is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces. Erik learns of his father's "guts and grit" as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals to put things right. This is a movie for kids, so go in with that idea.

Starring: Robin Williams

Grade: B

Tower Heist

Queens native Josh Kovacs has managed one of the most luxurious and well-secured residences in New York City for more than a decade. Under his watchful eye, nothing goes undetected. In the swankiest unit atop Josh's building, Wall Street titan Arthur Shaw is under house arrest after being caught stealing two billion from his investors. The hardest hit among those he defrauded? The tower staffers whose pensions he was entrusted to manage. With only days before Arthur gets away with the perfect crime, Josh's crew turns to petty crook Slide to plan the nearly impossible…to steal what they are sure is hidden in Arthur's guarded condo. Though amateurs, these rookie thieves know the building better than anyone. Turns out they've been casing the place for years, they just didn't know it.

Starring: Eddie Murphy

Grade: C

The Help

At the dawn of the civil rights movement, three Mississippi women are about to take one extraordinary step. Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss and her mother won't be happy till she finds a husband. Aibileen, a wise African-American maid and caretaker suffers after the loss of her own child. And Minny, Aibileen's sassy best friend, struggles to find and hold a job. Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk.

Starring: Emma Stone, Chris Lowell

Grade: A

Rise of the Apes

A single act of both compassion and arrogance leads to a war unlike any other -- and to the RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is one of those rare franchise reboots, in that it actually works. If you're a fan of the original series, which included five films and an animated cartoon for children and people whose ingestion of hallucinogens had reached such a fever pitch that only talking apes could sate it, this film is.. well, odd. It almost requires two reviews; one for people who are familiar with the original series, and one for those who will instinctively find the very premise laughable.The original Planet of the Apes, a stunning science fiction film featuring the late Charlton Heston, is a cinematic benchmark. As previously pointed out, the premise - talking apes - is silly on paper. When viewed properly, however, the movie became terrifyingly earnest; the apes, who hemmed Heston's character in and harried him at almost every turn, became startlingly alien, yet eerily familiar. Planet of the Apes was a parable about man being the true animal, and it featured the greatest twist ending ever. It was based on a French science fiction novel, La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle, and whilst the differences between book and film are numerous, both managed to capture imaginations. Andy Serkis, plays Caesar who steals the show!

Starring: James Franco, and Andy Serkis

Grade: B

Zoo Keeper

The animals at the Franklin Park Zoo love their kindhearted caretaker, Griffin Keyes. Finding himself more comfortable with a lion than a lady, Griffin decides the only way to get a girl in his life is to leave the zoo and find a more glamorous job. The animals, in a panic, decide to break their time-honored code of silence and reveal their biggest secret: they can talk! To keep Griffin from leaving, they decide to teach him the rules of courtship - animal style.All in all, I thought it was ok, but I would wait to rent it versus paying full ticket price at the theater. I loved the animals, especially Bernie the gorilla. There were a lot of funny parts with the animals. The movie was produced/directed by Adam Sandler. It has a lot of Sandler's cast of characters (if you are familiar with his movies). In summary, it's a typical love story with a funny animal spin. This is a movie for small kids! Yes, I was bored, but you must thinks of what kids like and they will be in their seats for the entire movie.

Starring: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, and Faizon Love

Grade: C

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Mr. Popper's Penguins" is a stupefying dumb family movie proving that penguins have limited charisma as pets. I mean, what do they do? They sit on eggs, they waddle, they eat fish and they squawk. Sometimes they might snap at you. The movie stars Jim Carrey, who is in his pleasant mode. It would have helped if he were in his manic mode, although it's hard to get a rise out of a penguin.The movie is inspired by a 1938 children's book, apparently beloved by many. I haven't read it, so I'm trying to imagine why kids might like it. My best guess is that the idea of living in your home with penguins is more delightful than the experience. Penguins look cute in their little tuxedos, and kids can imagine being friends with them. The problem with a movie is that they take on an actual presence that gets old real fast. Wait until it come out on DVD!

Starring: Jim Carey

Grade: C

Hangover Part II

Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre wedding brunch. However, things don't always go as planned. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can't even be imagined. I like hangover part II, not as better than Hangover I, but still funny! I say yes go see this movie! Men Power!

Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, and Mike Tyson

Grade: B

Jumping the Broom

A collision of worlds when two African-American families from divergent socioeconomic backgrounds get together one weekend in Martha's Vineyard for a wedding. Taylor is caught in a six month whirlwind romance that includes nights at the opera, long-stem roses and live performances from R&B crooner El DeBarge and proposes to Watson at the beginning of the film. Watson, who has to move to China for business, happily accepts. But doubts about their impending marriage begin to seep in when they confront difficult future in-laws, pressure from friends, and revelations of dirty secrets. Funny movie that I enjoyed! I know everybody has someone in their family that act this way.

Starring: Mike Epps, Meagan Good, and Angela Bassett

Grade: B

Tyler Perry Happy Family

Madea, everyone's favorite wise-cracking, take no prisoners grandma, jumps into action when her niece, Shirley, receives distressing news about her health. All Shirley wants is to gather her three adult children around her and share the news as a family. But Tammy, Kimberly and Byron are too distracted by their own problems: Tammy can't manage her unruly children or her broken marriage; Kimberly is gripped with anger and takes it out on her husband; and Byron, after spending two years in jail, is under pressure to deal drugs again. It's up to Madea, with the help of the equally rambunctious Aunt Bam, to gather the clan together and make things right the only way she knows how: with a lot of tough love, laughter... and the revelation of a long-buried family secret. Just wasn't a good movie! You can wait until it come out on DVD!

Starring: Tyler Perry

Grade: D

HOP

E.B. is the teenage son of the Easter Bunny, and on the eve of taking over the family business, he leaves for Hollywood in pursuit of his dream of becoming a drummer. Once there, he encounters Fred, an unemployed slacker with his own lofty goals. Feigning injury, E.B. persuades Fred to take him in, and Fred finds himself living with the world's worst houseguest. Back on Easter Island, a power-hungry chick who has lived in the shadows for far too long has been plotting a coup to take over one of the biggest jobs in the world. Now that E.B.'s gone, he's got his chance. As E.B. discovers who he really wants to be and who he's meant to become, everything will lead him and Fred in an epic showdown to try and save Easter. This is a very good movie for kids and well as parents. I give HOP a big thumbs up!

Starring: Russell Brand, and Gary Cole

Grade: B

Hall Pass

Rick Owen Wilson and Fred Jason are just run of the mill suburban guys,taking their wives to neighborhood housewarming parties, playing poker games with the boys on their allotted nights, and checking out foxy ladies on the sly. What they don't know is that their wives are so fed up with their behavior that they earn "hall passes, which gives them a week off of marriage. They can do whatever they want. And of course, at the end of the week, they see what their marriage is really made of.Rick Owen Wilson and Fred Jason are just run of the mill suburban guys,taking their wives to neighborhood housewarming parties, playing poker games with the boys on their allotted nights, and checking out foxy ladies on the sly. What they dont know is that their wives are so fed up with their behavior that they earn hall passes, which gives them a week off of marriage. They can do whatever they want. And of course, at the end of the week, they see what their marriage is really made of. And they see some boobs too.Farrelly Brothers normally make let this. They create a portrayal of everyday people that is easonably relatable, but with acutely zany edges. If you are the world's biggest fan of movies that bake adultery, family, self esteem, and your true lifes purpose into a cake frosted, this is your film.I laughed a lot in this movie when it was letting the characters do relatively relatable,but there was time I didnt laugh.The only thing that dulls this film was the fake tan. Wait for DVD! Chicken Scale Two piece and a pepper and fries

Starring: Owen Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate,

Grade: D

Big Mama Like Father

Note carefully the title of the third Big Momma movie. There’s no house and no numeral, giving the chilling implication that the series will no longer be restrained by space, and can potentially spin off into infinity, adding momma after momma with each new entry. Only the subtitle will change: Big Mommas: The Search For Big Momma’s Gold, Big Mommas: Mommas To Moscow, Big Mommas: In Space, etc., etc. Or maybe not. Star Martin Lawrence, now the sole remaining element from the original Big Momma’s House 11 years ago, looks pretty tired both in and out of makeup here, bringing only a fraction of the purse-slapping, fat-jiggling energy on display when the series began. He isn’t the only worn-out element of the film, which opens with him overseeing a botched attempt to catch some criminals by wiring one of their own. One dead informant later, Lawrence and stepson Brandon T. Jackson are both donning dresses and going undercover at an all-girls’ art school in search of an incriminating flash drive.

Starring: Martin lawrence

Grade: C

The Dilemma

Since college, confirmed bachelor Ronny and happily married Nick have been through thick and thin. Now partners in an auto design firm, the two pals are trying to land a dream project that would launch their company. With Ronny's girlfriend, Beth, and Nick's wife, Geneva, by their sides, they're unbeatable. But Ronny's world is turned upside down when he inadvertently sees Geneva out with another man and makes it his mission to get answers. As the amateur investigation dissolves his world into comic mayhem, he learns that Nick has a few secrets of his own. Now, with the clock ticking and pressure mounting on the biggest presentation of their careers, Ronny must decide what will happen if he reveals the truth to his best friend. Which is your wife is cheating on you! This was not a good movie, I expected so much more! I am a Vince Vaughn fan, but save your money until the movie come out on DVD!

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Kevin James and Queen Latifah

Grade: C

Made in Dageham

The protest that would lead to a significant change in British law guaranteeing equal pay for women begins inauspiciously enough. It's a summery day in 1968 in the factory town of Dagenham, not far from London. The morning streets are filled with workers bicycling into the massive Ford Motor plant. Most of the facility is state-of-the art new, but the women are relegated to sewing car-seat covers in an old sweatshop of the type that put the sweat in the shop. It's so hot they strip down to their bras (strictly utilitarian, no Victoria's Secret here) to keep from melting. The straw that breaks the camel's back and sets the course for the very shrewd fun of "Made in Dagenham" comes when union rep Albert (Bob Hoskins), eyes covered against the barely clad, makes his way to the shop floor to bring news that the women's request to be classed as skilled workers, which would bring a pay upgrade, has been turned down. In a sort of Debbie versus Goliath play led by one of the machinists, Rita O'Grady (Sally Hawkins), they buck the union and Ford executives and start a ripple effect that will impact laws and lives.With humor, common sense and courage Rita and the other women take on their bosses, an increasingly belligerent local community, and finally the government, as their intelligence and unpredictability proves to be a match for any of their male opponents. Daring to stand up and push boundaries, the women changed a system that no one wanted to admit was broken. This is a very good movie!

Starring: Sally Hawkins, James Geraldine, and Bob Hoskins

Grade: B

Little Fockers

The test of wills between Jack Byrnes and Greg Focker escalates to new heights. It has taken 10 years, two little Fockers with wife Pam and countless hurdles for Greg to finally get "in" with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack. After the cash-strapped dad takes a job moonlighting for a drug company, however, Jack's suspicions about his favorite male nurse come roaring back. When Greg and Pam's entire clan including Pam's lovelorn ex, Kevin - descends for the twins' birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he's fully capable as the man of the house. But with all the misunderstandings, spying and covert missions, will Greg pass Jack's final test and become the family's next patriarch - or will the circle of trust be broken for good? if I’m honest, I don’t know why they’re making another one of these. Meet the Parents was great, a giddy stumble through a series of off-handed gags. Meet the Fockers, on the other hand, was one of the unfunniest films I’ve ever seen. Meet the Parents: Little Fockers is therefore going to be one of two things: a stellar return to form of the first film or more of the same from the second. Having said that, plenty of people loved the bawdy ramblings of Meet the Fockers. No More Fockers

Starring: Robert

Grade: D

How do you know

Directed by James Brooks, ‘How Do You Know’ stars three of the brightest in Hollywood namely Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson with Jack Nicholson as supporting cast. It tells the story of an ex Olympic athlete who goes through a tough pace in her life after she gets cut out of the US softball team. She now struggles to choose between a baseball player and a corporate executive who works for the company of her father. Rudd is the one who plays the role of the corporate executive who goes through a lot of struggles and is the most likeable character in the film. You would surely find yourself cheering on for him. Catherine Hahn, even if playing the supporting adds to the comic relief of Rudd’s role which serves as another strength to the film. Everything else seems to go off with this movie. Reese may have been cute still but her playing the unusual role of being whiny and a poor decision maker did not make her acting believable at all. Jack Nicholson’s role is just to add to the credits and nothing else than that. While Owen Wilson’s character could have been better if there were a lot of comedic value to his character.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, and Jack Nicholson

Grade: B

Black Swan

(Natalie Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

Starring: Natalie Portman, and Toby Hemingway

Grade: A

Unstoppable

Unstoppable is based on a true story that comes out of Ohio where we have a low-level employee who fails to set the air brakes on a train while changing tracks and the issues that ensue as a result. The director Tony Scott, no newcomer to the action genre, sets the stage for the high-octane second half by letting us get to know the 2 main characters: Rookie conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) and veteran engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington). The two both have their share of family issues, which adds to the difficulty of being able to work together initially. Another dynamic we discover is that the company is forcing employees to be laid off, as evidenced by the fact that Barnes is being replaced by younger engineers such as Colson. The 2 characters provide solid low-key performances and we see the tension that initially exists turn into mutual cooperation to work together for a solution, and then at the end, respect.

Starring: Denzel Washington

Grade: B

Colored Girls

Converting Ntozake Shange's award-winning For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf from stage to screen is clearly not a task for the faint of heart: It's a big, modernist painting, abstract and minimalist -- a "choreopoem"-- told in verse and movement, with anonymous characters identified only by the color of their dresses. Colored girls across the generations have fervently embraced its tales of love lost and gained and lost again, memorizing lines about Toussaint Louverture, sorry sorrys and mute, cute-colored Puerto Ricans.Outsized expectations come with this adaptation.But no one has ever accused Tyler Perry of being fainthearted, and he ever so bravely barrels through his cinematic version of the classic, shortening the title, imposing narrative structure where there was none, doing away with much of the verse and otherwise imprinting it with that distinctive Perry-esque imprimatur. Call it Diary of a Mad Colored Girl.

Starring: Keri Washington

Grade: C

Waiting for Superman

Every morning, in big cities, suburbs and small towns across America, parents send their children off to school with the highest of hopes. But a shocking number of students in the United States attend schools where they have virtually no chance of learning--failure factories likelier to produce drop-outs than college graduates. And despite decades of well-intended reforms and huge sums of money spent on the problem, our public schools haven't improved markedly since the 1970s. Why? There is an answer. And it's not what you think. From "An Inconvenient Truth" director Davis Guggenheim comes "Waiting for 'Superman'", a provocative and cogent examination of the crisis of public education in the United States told through multiple interlocking stories--from a handful of students and their families whose futures hang in the balance, to the educators and reformers trying to find real and lasting solutions within a dysfunctional system. Tackling such politically radioactive topics as the power of teachers' unions and the entrenchment of school bureaucracies, Guggenheim reveals the invisible forces that have held true education reform back for decades. This a must see movie for all ages. I give Waiting for Superman a big thumb up!

Starring: Johnson

Grade: B

Wall Street 2010

Emerging from a lengthy prison stint, Gordon Gekko finds himself on the outside of a world he once dominated. Looking to repair his damaged relationship with his daughter, Gekko forms an alliance with her fiance Jacob, and Jacob begins to see him as a father figure. But Jacob learns the hard way that Gekko still a master manipulator and player is after something very different from redemption. Douglas plays the egomaniacal Gekko as sleek and calculated, a symbolic character representing nothing but the power he possesses. It may not be apparent at first viewing, but Douglas portrays Gekko with great skill, turning a transparent icon into a larger-than-life man of predictable, almost mythical actions. The guy's too much of a caricature to glean any depth out of him, so Douglas opts to go to an extreme.

Starring: Michael Douglass, and Charlie Sheen

Grade: C

Takers

A group of five exceptional bank robbers have been able to successfully rob several banks with such perfect execution that the police do not have a single clue to capture them. These criminals treat each robbery as a business plan that works. First, they plan each job with clockwork precision and are extremely careful in not leaving any evidence behind. Second, they all lay low between jobs as not to bring attention to themselves. They decide to pull off one last heist that will be their biggest score by taking out an armored car. Their meticulous planning of robbing banks is thrown out the window, because of the large amount of cash they will split. This may be the break the police have been waiting for, when this band of thieves finally make a mistake. Douglas Young the movie guy.But when they attempt to pull off one last job with more money at stake than ever before, the crew may find their plans interrupted by a hardened detective (Matt Dillon) who is hell-bent on solving the case. The women love the cast in the movie and talked back to each and every male in the movie on how fine they felt the young was. This is not a movie for kids, but if you like a shoot them up, BANG them up type movie, this is your movie. I give Taker a thumb ups! But the best actor in the movie is Dillon, the only actor who gets much in the way of characterization is the imposing British-African actor Idris Elba (The Wire) as the heist gang's leader. He's dangerously distracted by the drug problems of his sister former Oscar nominee Marianne Jean Baptiste Secrets and Lies.

Starring: Chris Brown

Grade: B

The Other Guys

Detective Allen Gamble is a forensic accountant who's more interested in paperwork than hitting the streets. Detective Terry Hoitz is a tough guy who has been stuck with Allen as his partner ever since an unfortunate run-in with Derek Jeter. Allen and Terry idolize the city's top cops, Danson and Highsmith, but when an opportunity arises for the Other Guys to step up, things don't quite go as planned. This is a funny movie. Thanks Will, for making a novie that we can laugh at and lunch with!

Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, and Eva Mendes

Grade: B

Charlie St. Cloud

Accomplished sailor Charlie St. Cloud has the adoration of his mother Claire, and his little brother Sam, as well as a college scholarship that will lead him far from his sleepy Pacific Northwest hometown. But his bright future is cut short when a tragedy strikes and takes his dreams with it. After his high-school classmate Tess returns home unexpectedly, Charlie grows torn between honoring a promise he made four years earlier and moving forward with newfound love, And as he finds the courage to let go of the past for good, Charlie discovers the soul most worth saving is his own. This movie is a movie for high school students.

Starring: Zac Efron, and Amanda Crew

Grade: C

Karate Kid

12 year old Dre Parker could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's latest career move her and landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying, and the feeling is mutual but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts "the karate kid" on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life. This movie moves well as well it could, but it worked. The only problem is two hours & 20 minutes long.

Starring: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, and Taraji Henson

Grade: B

Just Wright

Leslie Wright, a straight-shooting physical therapist, gets the gig of a lifetime working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight. All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig of a lifetime and the tug-of-war inside her heart. Oblivious to her romantic overtures, McKnight is instead drawn to the affections of Leslie's gorgeous childhood friend Morgan, who has her sights set on being an NBA trophy wife. Is Leslie destined to play the role of "best friend" forever or will Scott finally see that what he always wanted is right in front of him? This is just a OK movie!

Starring: Queen Latifah, Pam Grier, and Common

Grade: C

Death AT A Funeral

A day in the life of an American family who come together to put a beloved husband and father to rest. As mourners gather at the family home, shocking revelations, festering resentments, ugly threats, blackmail and a misdirected corpse unleash lethal mayhem. This was not the black funeral that I know about. I think there was to much talent and not enough laughs.

Starring: Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan

Grade: D

Why DiD I Get Married Too

Gathered together in the Bahamas for their annual one week reunion, four close couples eagerly reconnect, sharing news about their lives and relationships. But their intimate week in paradise is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of Sheila's ex husband, Mike, who hopes to break up her new marriage with Troy and win her back. The others soon realize they too are not immune to the challenges of commitment and fidelity. Angela doesn't believe her husband, Marcus, can be faithful now that he's a celebrity television newscaster. Dianne and Terry's relationship is feeling the strain of raising children. And Patricia, a successful self help psychologist, must finally reveal the deep flaws in her seemingly perfect marriage to Gavin. With their relationships hanging in the balance when they return home, each couple must choose between blame and forgiveness, doubt and faith, with life altering consequences...

Starring: Tyler Perry,Jacket Jackson

Grade: C

Our Family Wedding

Our marriage, their wedding." It's lesson number one for any newly engaged couple, and Lucia and Marcus are no exception. They learn the hard way that the path to saying "I do" can be rife with familial strife. When they return from college and too suddenly announce their marriage plans, they soon discover that their fathers - two highly competitive over-the-top egos - can wreak a major amount of havoc on their special day. With insults flying and tempers running high, it's anyone's guess if the alpha dads will survive to make it down the aisle in one piece. Lucia's mother is busy planning the wedding of "her" dreams and the only levelheaded one in the bunch is Angela, the groom's father's best friend and lawyer, who manages to keep her cool when the madness reaches a crescendo. With only weeks to plan their wedding, Lucia and Marcus soon discover the true meaning of love and find there is truth to the saying - that when you marry someone, you marry their entire family.

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Regina King, and Charie Murphy

Grade: C

The Crazies

avid Dutten is sheriff of Ogden Marsh, a picture-perfect American town with happy, law-abiding citizens. But one night, one of them comes to a school baseball game with a loaded shotgun, ready to kill. Another man burns down his own house-after locking his wife and young son in a closet inside. Within days, the town has transformed into a sickening asylum; people who days ago lived quiet, unremarkable lives have now become depraved, blood-thirsty killers, hiding in the darkness with guns and knives. Sheriff Dutten tries to make sense of what's happening as the horrific, nonsensical violence escalates. Something is infecting the citizens of Ogden Marsh with insanity. Now complete anarchy reigns as one by one the townsfolk succumb to an unknown toxin and turn sadistically violent. In an effort to keep the madness contained, the government uses deadly force to close off all access and won't let anyone in or out - even those uninfected. The few still sane find themselves trapped: Sheriff Dutten; his pregnant wife, Judy; Becca, an assistant at the medical center; and Russell, Dutten's deputy and right-hand man. Forced to band together, an ordinary night becomes a horrifying struggle for survival as they do their best to get out of town alive.

Starring: Ranha Mitchell, and Joe Reegan

Grade: B

The Wolfman

Lawrence Talbot's childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline has come to investigate. This movie will not be for everyone. No kids please!

Starring: Anthony Hopkins

Grade: C

The Book of Eli

In the not-too-distant future, some 30 years after the final war, a solitary man walks across the wasteland that was once America. Empty cities, broken highways, seared earth--all around him, the marks of catastrophic destruction. There is no civilization here, no law. The roads belong to gangs that would murder a man for his shoes, an ounce of water... or for nothing at all. Denzel Washington is always good in any movie that he is in.

Starring: Denzel Washington

Grade: B

Invictus

The true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team, Francois Pienaar, to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa's underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match. This is a good history movie, and Morgan Freeman is great , and he will be up for an award! Invictus is a hard movie to following , but it pay off in the end.

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon

Grade: B

Precious

Clareece "Precious" Jones is an overweight, illiterate African-American teen in Harlem. Just as she's about to give birth to her second child, Jones is accepted into an alternative school where a teacher helps her find a new path in her life. This was a great movie! I think kids of all ages need to see this movie. I think that Mo Nique should be up for awards for this act.

Starring: Mariah Carey, Produced by Oprah Winfrey

Grade: A

This Is It

A rare glimpse into the final days of Michael Jackson, the documentary is compiled from an estimated 80 hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage of the legendary entertainer preparing for his 50 sold-out shows at London's O2 Arena that were scheduled to commence in July 2009 before his untimely death in June at age 50. Interviews with collaborators and close friends of the late performer are also featured. If you like Michael Jackson, you will like this movie.

Starring: M. Jackson

Grade: B

Law Abiding Citizen

Clyde Shelton is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice, a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Over his objections, Nick is forced by his boss to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Fast forward ten years. The man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: Either fix the flawed justice system that failed his family, or key players in the trial will die. Soon Shelton follows through on his threats, nor prevented. must outwit this brilliant sociopath in a harrowing contest of wills in which even the smallest misstep means death. With his own family now in Shelton's crosshairs, Nick finds himself in a desperate race against time facing a deadly adversary who seems always to be one step ahead. This is a movie not for the people who have a weak system. I think you need to eat then come to the movie, not eat there. Jamie did a great job.

Starring: Jamie Fox

Grade: B

Couple Retreat

Four Midwestern couples embark on a journey to a tropical island resort. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the other three set out to jet ski, spa and enjoy some fun in the sun. They soon discover that participation in the resort's couples therapy is not optional. Suddenly, their group-rate vacation comes at a price. What follows is a hilarious look at real world problems faced by all couples. Thsi is a funny movie! I think all married couple and single people who are considering getting marry should see this movie.

Starring: Vince Vaughn

Grade: B

Tyler Perry Bad By Myself

n Madea, America's favorite pistol-packing grandma, catches sixteen-year-old Jennifer and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt April. A heavy-drinking nightclub singer who lives off of Raymond, her married boyfriend, April wants nothing to do with the kids. But her attitude begins to change when Sandino, a handsome Mexican immigrant looking for work, moves into April's basement room. Making amends for his own troubled past, Sandino challenges April to open her heart. And April soon realizes she must make the biggest choice of her life: between her old ways with Raymond and the new possibilities of family, faith... and even true love.

Starring: Glady Knight,Mary J Blige, and Taraji Henson

Grade: C

District 9

Thirty years ago, aliens made first contact with Earth. Humans waited for the hostile attack, or the giant advances in technology. Neither came. Instead, the aliens were refugees, the last survivors of their home world. The creatures were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa's District 9 as the world's nations argued over what to do with them. This is a good movie, but you must stay in tune with what happening.

Starring: William Allen Young, Nathalie Boltt

Grade: B

G-Force

Armed with the latest high-tech spy equipment, a covert team of highly trained guinea pigs discover that the fate of the world is in their paws. Darwin, the squad leader is determined to succeed at all costs! Blaster, an outrageous weapons expert with loads of attitude and a love for all things extreme; along with Juarez, a sexy Martial Arts expert accomplish their mission. This is a GREAT SUMMER KIDS MOVIE; but for all the moms and dads you may be bored. This movie is full of kid humor.

Starring: Bill Nighy, and Tyler Patrick Jones

Grade: C

Bruno

Bruno, a gay fashionista host, of a top-rated late night fashion show in a Germany. Bruno's mission! Is to become the biggest Austrian celebrity since Hitler. His strategy? To crisscross the globe in the hopes of finding fame and love. I must say, I do not understand the humor in this movie at all! I found the language, sexuality and racial slurs to be offensive. THIS IS NOT A MOVIE FOR KIDS!!!

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Elton John., and Sting

Grade: D

Hangover

Two day before his wedding, Doug and his three friends drive to Las Vegas for a blow-out bachelor party they'll never forget. But, in fact, when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can't remember a thing. For some reason, they find a tiger in the bathroom and a six month old baby in the closet of their suite at Caesars Palace. The one thing they can't find is Doug. With no clue as to what transpired and little time to spare, the trio must retrace their hazy steps and all their bad decisions in order to figure out where things went wrong and hopefully get Doug back to L.A. in time to walk down the aisle.

Starring: Heather Graham, Mike Epps, and Mike Tyson

Grade: B