The Prestige
BAD. To be fair, a lot of critics enjoyed this drama, calling it a great period piece that's always challenging the viewers. But it seemed to be challenging too much, & the twist & turns seem unsatisfactory. Basically people seem to be split right down the middle, so keep that in mind before viewing this flick.

Flags of our Fathers
GOOD. This action-adventure film takes an incredible look at heroism (in more ways than one), & a well-filmed salute to the soldiers who fought at the battle of Iwo Jima.

Flicka
BAD. Tween girls & kids will probably enjoy this drama about a young heroine, but parents will notice the things that children don't. One-dimensional characters, silly dialogue that doesn't flow right, & a plot that goes nowhere. Could've been a lot better.

Marie Antoinette
BAD. & here we have yet another period drama this weekend, though this being the weaker one. To note its good qualities, it does have splendid imagery as well as a daring soundtrack that sets it apart. The problem though is that there's too much style, & it can be seen that such a thing was all that was important to the creators. Plot, character development, & other such things are forced to take a back seat.

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Man of the Year
SUCKS. This could have been a good presidential comedy, but its failed attempts to add romance & thriller ruins its potential. The comedy itself also fails to hit any political notes that it could have. The end result is a confusing & disappointing film.

Note: Every other major movie that came out this weekend is utterly terrible, even worse than "Man of the Year." Specifically, these garbages are "One Night with the King," "Grudge 2," & "The Marine." They're not even worthy of reviews, so avoid at all costs.

A little late this week due to a crazy weekend. Not only was it my birthday weekend but I had a huge paper due on Monday. But now we're back on schedule and ready to bring you what's new in theaters. Martin Scorsese returns with "The Departed," Dane Cook woos Jessica Simpson in "Employee of the Month," & terror abounds in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: the Beginning."

The Departed
GREAT. A rare drama that's truly worth waiting for, this modern masterpiece gangster film is extremely interesting, entertaining, & is a warm welcome back for director Martin Scorsese. A must see in every sense of the word.

Employee of the Month
SUCKS. Dane Cook finally moves up to the big leagues in this comedy, unfortunately it falls flat on its face. The acting is merely average, laughs are rare, & it just overall lacks any satiric bite.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: the Beginning
SUCKS. This prequel to the horror-suspense classic is full of blood, gore, & the like which should please many fans. However it's not actually all that scary & the story lacks coherency to make it a true success. Not at all like the original.

Open Season
BAD. Ashton Kutcher's first strike on American film culture this week is this tired & cliched children's animated film. It's basically full of unfunny jokes & CGI animal foolishness, & not the "good kind" of foolishness. The sad thing is that there have been so many unfunny CGI films like "Open Season" this year. Just look back on past Film Strip posts to see other examples.

The Guardian
SUCKS. & Ashton Kutcher strikes again, this time this live-action drama that's even worse then his other film this week. Just like said movie, this one is also very cliched. It tries to be like other better military movies, but doesn't even come close to success. This specific movie focuses on the coast guard branch, but "Guardian" fails to give the justice that real coast guards deserve.

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Fearless
GOOD. Jet Li's final martial arts action-adventure has amazing choreography, & is amazingly filmed at that. A great ending to Li's great legacy.

Jackass: Number Two
BAD. This comedy is one of those "so bad it's good" kind of films. Similar to "Snakes on a Plane," if you know what you're going in to then you're going to have a blast. But this isn't everybody's cup of tea, so it's hard to recommend to everyone.

Flyboys
SUCKS. Whereas "Fearless" is a good example of an action-adventure flick, here's pretty much the opposite. The script writing which tries to rewrite history fails miserably, which doesn't give the actors much to work with. As a result, the acting isn't that great either, but it's not as nearly as bad as obvious CGI-made battle scenes. Avoid this, you know film to catch this week instead.

All the King's Men
SUCKS. This drama has gathered together a strong cast, & the source material should be equally as strong. Sadly, the end results are just really, really bad. While the film tries to aim for major statements, it misses so horribly it becomes painful to watch.

The Last Kiss
BAD. Really this comedy could go either way. On the one hand you might feel that something was lost in translation of this remake, & be bored with the results. But thanks to Zach Braff & the rest of the talented cast, you might find it to be a refreshing take on young adults at the crossroads of their lives.

Gridiron Gang
SUCKS. The Rock shines in this film & his role fits him well, but that doesn't change the fact that this drama based on a true story is cliched & uninspired.

The Black Dahlia
SUCKS. This crime-drama does a decent enough job of capturing the look & feel of the era it's set in. However, it's filled with bad acting, convoluted story, & fails terribly when compared to similar movies in its genre that are much more successful.

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Inner demons are all the rage in theatres this week with the release of "The Covenant," the tale of TV's Superman's death in "Hollywoodland," & "The Protector."

Hollywoodland
GOOD. This drama is not just your average murder-mystery flick. The film takes its time so all the intriguing details about the rise & fall of Superman can be revealed in great fashion.

The Protector
BAD. This foreign film has a lot of great fight scenes going for it, but sadly has been trimmed down from its Thai origins for international release. The result is a bad plot, terrible editing, & really bad subtitles & dubbing. If you can somehow get your hands on the original version, you'd probably enjoy yourself a lot more.

The Covenant
SUCKS; NOT WORTH ANYONE'S TIME.

Crank
SUCKS. Described by many as "Speed" on foot, this action/adventure flick is about a guy who has to keep his adrenaline up in order to stay alive. It sounds as silly as "Snakes on a Plane," but is nowhere near as good. It's entertaining enough, but just don't go in expecting a lot.

The Wicker Man
SUCKS. You'll be scratching your head over this one. Not because it's one of those films that make you think, but rather because you'll be wondering how something as misguided as this ever got made in the first place. You'll also be laughing at this remake, & again not because it's a comedy or intentionally funny. Quite the opposite, rather. This movie just manages to fail at every aspect & corner.

Invincible
GOOD. This movie may first come off as being simple & too authentic, but its fill of "uplifting & heartfelt" moments. This film carries a strong message with excellent sports actions, & shouldn't be missed by anyone.

How to Eat Fried Worms
BAD. This kids flick is described as "Fear Factor' for children, although this film pretty much good-natured & comes off on the tasty side for kids to enjoy. It's warm, & parents probably wont mind too much sitting through this film with their young ones. But it's pretty much just for the youngings, although one they should enjoy a lot.

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Snakes on a Plane
BAD. This is a movie about snakes that are on a plane. What more do you need to know? If this sounds like something you'd want to stay away from, then by all means stay away. But if this sounds like something you'll have an awesome time watching, then watch to your hearts content & prepare to have a blast. This movie isn't for everyone, but for those who've been waiting eagerly for this semi B-flick they'll not be disapointed. Although I listed it as "BAD," I really enjoyed the movie & the experience. The movie isn't perfect, but then again it just doesn't have to be. Why? Because it's SNAKES ON A PLANE!

Accepted
SUCKS. This movie & its characters have a lot in common. For one, they all aren't able to live up to their potential. Some parts show promise, & you think a good movie could emerge from the end result of this flick. But sadly, its inconsistent, silly, & gets annoying rather quickly. There are a few laughs to be sure, but not nearly enough to make this movie work.

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Step Up
SUCKS. Really, there isn't much to say about this piece of garbage at all. A weak teenage romance flick that's low on both plot & dancing. A movie that's supposed to be about dancing, but hardly has any at all. Avoid at all costs.

World Trade Center
GOOD. The visuals of this film are nothing but stunning & overall is a great tribute to the lives lost in the 9/11 tragedy. The movie is clearly defined, & is surprisingly politically muted. Surprising because of both the subject matter & when compared to director Oliver Stone's other movies. Many have been worried about such a tragedy being made into a type of entertainment, but this film succeeds in both quality & showing respect.

The Descent
GOOD. The directing in this horror flick is slick & shows a lot of skill to those behind the camera. Likewise, the all-female cast is equally impressive & are the reason why this film is recommended to be watched.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
GOOD. While this movie is hit or miss on, I'm happy to report that the comedy mostly hits than misses. The film features a great mix of satire, gags, & an excellent cast. Will Ferrell, as usual, is fantastic in his role. If you're looking for a funny comedy, look no further than here.

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The Ant Bully:
GOOD. While made with the kiddies in mind, this CGI flick does have its moments of wit & being inventive. It's been called a "pleasant diversion" & that seems like a perfect description of what this movie has to offer.

Miami Vice:
GOOD. This action-adventure based off the old television series is a true beauty to lay your eyes on. The shooting is perfect & captivating, which makes you not want to look away. But the main characters, on the other hand, don't come close to capturing the magic of their TV versions they base themselves off of. The story itself is also weak, which comes as a surprise considering this is from Michael Mann (Thief, Last of the Mohicans, the Insider, Manhunter, Heat, Collateral, Ali). Not one of his better works, but still good enough that it should be seen.

John Tucker Must Die:
SUCKS. Once again here comes the typical teen comedy that its target audience will probably eat up, even though they shouldn't. This film tries to be cute, but what it really needs is more of bite & punch to it. It has the potential to be better than it is, but whose to say how far even that would take it.

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Monster House:
GOOD. An animated feature that both kids & adults will be entertained by. A smart film that is truly good fun to watch.

Clerks II:
BAD. Clerks 2 stays pretty true to the original film. So whether or not you liked that feature is what truly depends on you liking this sequal or not. If you loved that, you'll this. If you hated that, you'll hate this. Full of graphic humor, but also wonderful insight. This movie isn't for everyone, but the ones it is for will love. That's really the only reason I listed it as "BAD," & I almost feel like listing it as "GOOD."

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You, Me, and Dupree
SUCKS. A very generic film in it's genre. If you're looking for a good comedy, look somewhere else. Many themes in this movie are borrowed from more succesful comedies, yet none of them work here. This movie just flat out shouldn't have even been released on the masses.

Little Man
SUCKS. First White Chicks, & now this. The Wayans Brothers bring another lousy gimmick to the big screen. As to be expected, it has plenty of obscene, lewd, & vulger scenes in it. However, nothing about it is actually funny. It compleltely fails at being a comedy, despite all the silliness in it.