Archive for December, 2008

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The House Bunny

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

Dvd release date: 12/18/2008

Starring: Anna Faris, Katharine McPhee
Director: Fred Wolf
Category: Comedy
Rated: PG-13

Shelley is living a carefree life until a rival gets her tossed out of the Playboy Mansion. With nowhere to go, fate delivers her to the sorority girls from Zeta Alpha Zeta. Unless they can sign a new pledge class, the seven socially clueless women will lose their house to the scheming girls of Phi Iota Mu. In order to accomplish their goal, they need Shelley to teach them the ways of makeup and men; at the same time, Shelley needs some of what the Zetas have – a sense of individuality. The combination leads all the girls to learn how to stop pretending and start being themselves. (Publisher)

Summary of critic reviews:

New York Post: ** (out of four)
USA Today: **1/2 (out of four)

Overall: **1/2 (out of four)

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Mamma Mia!

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

Dvd release date: 12/16/2008

Starring: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Category: Music & Musicals
Rated: PG-13

Join the music, laughter and fun of the irresistibly charming “Mamma Mia! The Movie”. Academy Award-winner Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast, including Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgard – as well as up-and-comers Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper in this musical celebration of mothers, daughters and fathers, true love’s lost and new one’s found. Based on the Broadway smash-hit and filled with ABBA Songs you know and love, it’s the feel-good experience that will have you singing and dancing over and over again. (Publisher)

Summary of critic reviews:

Chicago Tribune: ** (out of four)
New York Post: *** (out of four)
Rolling Stone: ** (out of four)
USA Today: *** (out of four)

Overall: **1/2 (out of four)

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The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

Dvd release date: 12/16/2008

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li
Director: Rob Cohen
Category: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13

The blockbuster global “Mummy” franchise takes a spellbinding turn as the action shifts to Asia for the next chapter in the adventure series, “The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor”. Brendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O’Connell to combat the resurrected Han Emperor (Jet Li) in an epic that races from the catacombs of ancient China to the neon-lit streets of post-war Shanghai and high into the spectacular Himalayas. Rick is joined in this all-new adventure by son Alex (newcomer Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother, Jonathan (John Hannah). And this time, the O’Connells must stop a mummy awoken from a 2000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service. Doomed by a sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China’s ruthless Dragon Emperor and his 10,000 warriors have laid forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. But when dashing adventurer Alex O’Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber. The reckless young archaeologist must seek the help of the only people who know more than he does about taking down the undead: his parents. As the monarch roars back to life, our heroes find his quest for world domination has only intensified over the millennia. (Publisher)

Summary of critic reviews:

Chicago Tribune: *1/2 (out of four)
New York Post: ** (out of four)
Rolling Stone: * (out of four)
USA Today: * (out of four)

Overall: *1/2 (out of four)

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The Dark Knight

Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

Dvd release date: 12/09/2008

Starring: Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Director: Christopher Nolan
Category: Action & Adventure
Rated: PG-13

The follow-up to “Batman Begins”, “The Dark Knight” reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves effective, but soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces Batman closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. Heath Ledger stars as archvillain The Joker, and Aaron Eckhart plays Dent. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast as Rachel Dawes. Returning from “Batman Begins” are Gary Oldman as Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. (Publisher)

Summary of critic reviews:

Chicago Tribune: **** (out of four)
New York Post: ***1/2 (out of four)
Rolling Stone: ***1/2 (out of four)
USA Today: **** (out of four)

Overall: **** (out of four)

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Man on Wire

Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

Dvd release date: 12/09/2008

Starring: Philippe Petit, Jim Moore (II)
Director: James Marsh
Category: Documentary
Rated: PG-13

Tightrope-walker Philippe Petit’s daring, but illegal, high-wire routine performed between New York City’s 1350 feet high World Trade Center’s twin towers in 1974, what some consider, “the artistic crime of the century”. (Publisher)

Summary of critic reviews:

Chicago Tribune: **** (out of four)
New York Post: ***1/2 (out of four)

Overall: ***1/2 (out of four)

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