Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
R
3 stars
Directed by Jonathan Mostow
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Daines
Years have passed since the originally projected date for
”
Judgment Day,
”
but John Connor continues to live
”
off the grid
”
in anticipation of SkyNet’s conquest of the world’s military
systems. When a T-101 terminator returns, he fears for the
worst.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
R
3 stars
Directed by Jonathan Mostow
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Daines
Years have passed since the originally projected date for “Judgment Day,” but John Connor continues to live “off the grid” in anticipation of SkyNet’s conquest of the world’s military systems. When a T-101 terminator returns, he fears for the worst.
James Cameron does not helm this Terminator, and while this effect is strongly felt, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Although it has a smaller budget and thus fewer special effects, T3 lives up to the challenge put by its predecessors by delivering a decent story and a very unconventional ending for an action film.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
PG-13
3 stars
Directed by Gore Verbinski
Starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom
Pirate captain Jack Sparrow steals a ship in hopes of catching the pirate crew that stole his own ship, The Black Pearl. However, a horrible curse has befallen his former crew, turning them into undead creatures in search of a means of reversing their fate.
Johnny Depp is fun to watch as the pirate captain, and his scenes opposite Geoffrey Rush are among some of the best in the movie. The special effects might be too frightening for small children, but Pirates should be lots of fun for everyone else.
From Justin to Kelly
PG
1 star
Directed by Robert Iscove
Starring Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson
Kelly’s friends rescue her to head for spring break in Miami while Justin is headed that way with a group of friends from Pennsylvania to search for a girl he met on the Internet. When Justin and Kelly meet, it’s love at first sight, but Justin loses her number and one of her friends is gunning for him.
Completely awful. Not just boring and insipid, the makers of FJTK also ar e a day late and a dollar short, as last year’s “American Idols” are also yesterday’s news.
Swimming Pool
R
3 stars
Directed By Francois Orzon
Starring Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier
Sarah is a famous English mystery writer with a bad case of writer’s block. When her publisher offers to let her stay at his summer house in the South of France, she takes him up on it. When his sexually charged teenaged daughter shows up unexpectedly, tensions between her and the priggish Sarah mount.
That may be a bit weighed down Although overly dependent upon French and English stereotypes, director Orzon has created a tense psychological thriller that is deliberately paced. His accomplished use of silence is a nice respite from the latest over-the-top offerings.
Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle
PG-13
3 stars
Directed by McG
Starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu
When two wedding bands containing the database of participants in the Witness Protection Program are stolen, the angels are called in to kick ass and look cute. In the process, they meet up with their deadliest foe yet: a former angel gone bad.
More action, more cameos, more outfits, more EVERYTHING. Full Throttle’s only problem is that it might have too much of a good thing, leaving the viewer a little tuckered out after it’s over. That being said, it would be very difficult for anyone to see this film and feel like they didn’t get $10-worth of fun.
28 Days Later
R
4 stars
Directed By Danny Boyle
Starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris
Animal rights activists unleash a mysterious virus on London which quickly sweeps across the country, infecting its victims with a murderous rage. A young man awakes from a coma 28 days after the epidemic begins and heads to what he believes is safety with a small group of survivors.
A well-scripted and stylish conceptual thriller that belongs in a league with The Ring and Night of the Living Dead for its creativity. The gore is effective, not gratuitous, giving 28 Days plenty to offer viewers who aren’t fans of the traditional horror genre.
Alex and Emma
1 star
Directed by Rob Reiner
Starring Kate Hudson, Luke Wilson
With only 30 days to pay off his gambling debts to ruthless loan sharks, a romance novelist hires a stenographer to help him finish his manuscript. Life imitates art as a romance between them develops.
Alex and Emma represents a watershed moment in the history of romantic comedies in that it is the first of its kind to contain neither romance nor comedy. Boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back, audience loses interest, but not necessarily in that order.
The Hulk
PG-13
2 stars
Directed by Ang Lee
Starring Eric Bana, Nick Nolte
An unwitting subject of his father’s genetic experimentation, Dr. Bruce Banner’s inner demons manifest themselves outwardly after he is transformed by a massive dose of gamma radiation into The Hulk.
Perhaps the most ambitious comic book adaptation to date. Lee’s take on the origins of the Marvel character may not be completely faithful to the source material, but he has created a deeper and more human story then we’ve come to expect from this genre. Action fans may find the first third of the film a little draggy, but should rest assure that they’ll get what they came for before it ends.
Finding Nemo
4 stars
G
Starring Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres
Marlin, a skittish clown fish, loses his entire family in an unfortunate underwater incident save his son, Nemo. When a scuba diving dentist takes Nemo home to his office fish tank, Marlin sets off to rescue him.
Pixar hits another one out of the park. The vastness of the ocean provides ample opportunities for Pixar’s CG artists to play. The ample eye-candy serves to support, not distract from, the clever story and charming characters.
