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Harry Brown
Michael Caine can do virtually anything on the big screen, something his latest film reinforces - with a vengeance. He plays an old man who decides to fight the growing crime wave in his community. He may be in frail health, but he still remembers how to kill from his days in the military service. Caine is terrific, as usual, but some of the situations here are too familiar and pat. The film does present a grittier side of England than we usually see on film.
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Marmaduke
Kids will dig this big-screen adaptation of the beloved comic strip dog, but adults will find the endless array of dog puns a bore. Owen Wilson voices the title character, a laid back Great Dane who moves to Orange County with his loving family. There, he gets mixed up with the wrong crowd - a group of stuffy pedigree types who won't accept mutts as equals. Wilson gives it his all here, wringing laughs out of some pretty silly dialogue, and the doggy special effects which make the critters talk is suitably impressive. But these canine hijinks are mean mainly for young, less discriminating viewers.
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City Island
Romero may be the grandfather of the zombie film, but his latest undead epic is DOA. A Hatfields and McCoys-style feud breaks out in the middle of the zombie uprising, leaving a band of survivors torn over which side to embrace. The film lacks big scares, and instead we're left with lousy acting and tension-free sequences.
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George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead
Romero may be the grandfather of the zombie film, but his latest undead epic is DOA. A Hatfields and McCoys-style feud breaks out in the middle of the zombie uprising, leaving a band of survivors torn over which side to embrace. The film lacks big scares, and instead we're left with lousy acting and tension-free sequences.
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The City of Your Final Destination
Anthony Hopkins is the best reason to catch up with this neglected 2010 indie. The main story involves a grad student trying to write a biography of a recently deceased author. But the author's family won't give him permission, so he visits their lovely estate to change their minds. What follows is an occasionally engaging drama with a sharp performance by Hopkins and some beautiful Uruguay locales.
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Nanny McPhee
This 2005 charmer is hitting store shelves to coincide with the release of its sequel. It's not a shock to see another "McPhee," since the original film stands as that rare beast, a kiddie movie adults will enjoy as much as their wee ones. Emma Thompson plays the titular Nanny, a homely woman called in to help a widower (Colin Firth) and his seven children. The Blu-ray format is ideal for the film's gorgeous set design, a kaleidescope of colors that enhances every magical sequence.
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Date Night
Steve Carell and Tina Fey make an impressive comedy team in this intermittently inspired farce. They play a long-married couple who attempt to have an exciting dinner out in a posh Manhattan restaurant. It all goes well until an innocent case of mistaken identity puts them in the cross hairs of a pair of thugs. The early half crackles with observational humor, but the film devolves when the antic plot kicks in.
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The Joneses
Imagine the picture perfect family on your block isn't an actual family at all. They're a stealth marketing campaign meant to coax yuppies into buying the latest products. That's the premise behind this smart consumer satire, a film that didn't get much love during its theatrical run. David Duchovny is well cast as the head of this "family," while Demi Moore's icy wife wears the pants in this odd unit.
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Kick Ass
This isn't your average superhero film, not by a longshot. A nebbishy teen decides to create a superhero suit for himself and fight crime - without any super powers. After a thorough beating he teams up with a pair of fellow caped crusaders to fight a local crime boss. The film pushes plenty of boundaries in the realm of screen violence, but the visceral action sequences and perky performances will win you over.
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The Breakfast Club
Arguably John Hughes' most influential teen film finds five wildly different high schoolers stuck in Saturday morning detention. The dialogue may sound dated, but the angst portrayed here is ageless. The Blu-ray disc features a plethora of extras including several cast members reflecting on the creative process behind the film.
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Clash of the Titans
This harmless remake captures the fizz of the original while upping the ante on the special effects. Sam Worthington is a bit bland as the hero du jour, the son of a god who must protect humanity from the wrath of his pappy (Liam Neeson) and other super-beings. Forget the dialogue and the storyline - just enjoy the action sequences and the return of The Kraken.
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Repo Men
Jude Law and Forest Whitaker star in this disappointing science fiction entry. The duo play repo men who collect artificial body parts, not used cars. If you can't pay your transplant bills, you're in big trouble. The film hints at some sobering political commentary, but the ultra-bloody effects and alienating characters make it a wasted opportunity.
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Clash of the Titans
A couple thinks their home is haunted so they set up a video camera to watch them as they sleep each night. That simple premise sets up a chilling new horror film, one that scares us without copious gore or big-budget effects. The film's unknown stars make for a believable twosome which only heightens the tension as things start going bump in the night.
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Cop Out
This buddy cop parody co-starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan arrived in theaters 20 years too late, and that's the least of its problems. The plot-free film features weak ad-libbed lines and little comic chemistry between the leads. The only bright spot comes when the erstwhile Stifler, Seann William Scott, appears as a trouble-making burglar.
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Mother
South Korean director Bong Joon-ho of "The Host" fame returns with this darkly comic look at a parent's devotion to her child. The mother in question rushes to her mentally challenged son's defense when he's accused of murder. But how far will she go to prove his innocence, and could a man with her son's limited mental acument really be a killer? The film blends slapstick humor with meatier themes, making it a refreshing change from more predictable fare.
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Night at the Museum
Tolerable for the adults and catnip for the kiddies, this summer sequel will make a nice stocking stuffer this year. Ben Stiller returns to the scene of the crime - a museum with talking exhibits - in a new battle against an old enemy (Hank Azaria). The effects are first rate, and so is the adorable Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart.
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The Bounty Hunter
Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler play bickering exes in this strained rom-com. She's a journalist on the trail of a big story, and he's a bounty hunter assigned to bring her in for a petty crime. There's genuine anger on display but little romantic chemistry. The stars sure are attractive, though, and the film delivers a few nasty sequences which can't help but entertain.
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Greenberg
Ben Stiller tackles his most challenging role to date, playing a mentally disturbed man gingerly re-entering society. Along the way he meets a woman with low self esteem who tries to win his heart. The alienating characters and lack of biting humor make the movie difficult to enjoy despite Stiller's strong performance.
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Brooklyn's Finest
See it! Ethan Hawke's haunting performance is the best reason to check out this otherwise perfunctory cop saga. Hawke plays a NYC cop who can't make ends meet playing by the rules. So he starts breaking them - putting his career in jeopardy as well as the lives of his loved ones. The story also follows an undercover cop (Don Cheadle) and another office on the cusp of retirement (a miscast Richard Gere). The cop cliches weigh the story down, but Hawke's heartbreaking work makes it worth your while.
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Hot Tub Time Machine
Skip it! - The concept is so loony it just might work - four pals head back to the '80s courtesy of one seriously broken hot tub. But the nostalgia jokes aren't as sharp as you hope and the R-rated humor is more coarse than comical. Good thing John Cusack is on hand, both as an '80s touchstone and proof that the actor can lend class to virtually any project.
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