Elysium

Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga

Directed by Neill Blomkamp

Rating: B

In the distant future of 2154, Earth has been so overpopulated that the wealthy have moved off the planet to Elysium, a space station that is reachable by shuttles in nineteen minutes.

It's no secret that even today, the income gap between the rich and the poor keeps increasing (Face the Facts USA) and that the world's population today is climbing up to 7.1 billion people (US census). "Elysium" takes a real-world concern and puts a theatrical spin to it. By 2154, there is no middle class. Blomkamp's Los Angeles is a run-down city where no decent homes are left standing. On Elysium, the wealthy can live forever by using medical machines that can cure cancer in less than five minutes.

"Elysium" follows Max's (Damon) story. As a kid, he learns about Elysium and promises himself and his friend he will get them there. Grown up, Max has a criminal record (auto-theft, resisting arrest) and works at a low-level job working with machinery. When a complication arises at work, Max gets a death sentence after being exposed to a high dosage of radiation. With only five days left to live, his only hope to survive is by getting to Elysium.

Desperate, Max will do anything to keep living and that includes a dangerous job extracting important information from a billionaire's mind. This billionaire is the CEO of the company he worked for and also has the reboot information for Elysium in his head. This information was written for Delacourt (Foster), a government official with a better idea of how Elysium should be run under a new president who will give her more power.

I liked how "Elysium" had a realistic view on the future. While I'm not too sure how realistic technology will get by the year 2154 (machines that can cure cancer?), "Elysium" is a good sci-fi thriller. It's as gory as "District 9" and the camera does not shy away from exploding people. It's violent and is rated "R" for good reason, but fans of action, post-apocalyptic worlds, and Matt Damon will not be disappointed.

The World's End

Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Rosamund Pike

Directed by Edgar Wright

Rating: B

The comedic duo Pegg and Frost continue their community themed films in this pub-crawl, apocalyptic fest. 

As in "Shaun of the Dead", "Hot Fuzz" and now "The World's End", the main characters end up in a village where it's "them" against the community. Be it elderly people, or as the villains are called in the newest movie "the network", the recurring theme is a utopian community. The town has finally rid the wrongdoers and almost everyone is peaceful. The wrong are put right and there are no worries, until Pegg and Frost come along.

"The World's End" is another buddy movie with Gary King (Pegg) and Andy Knightley (Frost) who start the film at odd ends but by the end have patched up their best friendship. Gary is facing his mid-life crisis in rehab when he realizes his life never got better after one legendary night. His solution? Call up the gang to finish the golden mile pub crawl in their hometown. It takes some convincing for his grown up friends with wives and successful jobs to join him when they all hold grudges against Gary.

After the first of twelve pubs, the gang runs into mayhem in the bathroom when they discover the townspeople aren't human. They bleed blue ink when Gary pops the head off of a robot (which they insist they are not). Using Gary's own logic, it would only make sense for the group to march on to the last pub, The World's End. They just have to make it to the end without tipping off the townspeople they know their secret.

The movie sticks to the same humor as in "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz", so past fans shouldn't be disappointed in the latest product of Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg. Lines are sprinkled with pop culture references like Legoland, and Starbucks. The film also makes a statement on franchising and updating the old with the new. Their old town has modern art, the pubs look more like family restaurants, and crime has gone down.

Overall, "The World's End" does not disappoint and for those looking for a good British comedy, this is the one to spend a movie ticket on.

Take This Waltz

Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby

Directed by Sarah Polley

Rating: C+

Margot (Williams) has a  restless nature. She obviously wants something more to happen in her life than the one she is living with her tame but loving husband, Lou (Rogen). They have fun together, but five years of marriage later and Margot is bored with the relationship. Lou writes cookbooks and is constantly making some chicken recipe in the kitchen. From what we see of their relationship, they love each other but there's no passion.

Coincidence seems to happen a lot when Margot meets Daniel (Kirby) in Nova Scotia. They happen to sit next to each other on the plane ride home. They share a taxi because after getting comfortable with each other up in the air, they find out they live near one another. Daniel says he can just walk home from Margot's house, only to get out of the taxi, point across the street and say "I live there". It's only inevitable the two should meet again, and with each encounter Margot is allowing herself to develop feelings for her neighbor.

It's hard to understand what Margot says sometimes when she decides to talk in a baby voice. Her character is scared of taking chances. Daniel is a big risk to take but he encourages her flirtations and makes her feel bold enough to ask "What would you do to me now?" when they're alone together. Margot tries seducing her husband at the wrong moment, like when he's cooking, and his rejection makes her feel embarrassed. So she flees to Daniel who won't rebuff her advances.

"Take This Waltz" changes the "unhappily married woman has an affair" plot. Instead, the married woman is in love with her husband. She was happy with what she had until she met Daniel, who she couldn't stay away from. There's not enough character development to understand why Margot has these fears, and there's that feeling that Daniel could be a stalker, even if it's just coincidence how Margot and Daniel meet. There's a likability to the movie. It's nice to see Seth Rogen in a role where he's not crude, but kind of genuinely sweet.

Man of Steel

Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe

Directed by Zack Snyder

Rating: B+

Don't be fooled by the blue spandex and red cape, this Superman reboot is actually worth watching. With a little help from producer Christopher Nolan, "Man of Steel" feels like another "Dark Knight" movie but is far from it.

In this new Superman film, the audience gets a little more background on the planet Krypton, where Kal-El (aka Clark Kent) (Cavill)  is from. The movie starts out with Jor-El (Crowe) warning the higher authority of Krypton that the planet is about to be destroyed, and that he can save their race by sending his natural born son to a safe place. Jor-El's confrontation with General Zod (Shannon) is fatal, but he has at least saved his son from the same fate the planet will soon suffer.

Skipping ahead to his adulthood, Clark briefly flashbacks to important events during his childhood, mostly where his adoptive father warns Clark not to use his powers in public. The world isn't ready for someone like Clark, until danger from outside the planet threatens human existence. General Zod's appearance picks up the pace for the film, but it's not just Zod who takes the spotlight. Faora-Ul (Antje Traue) was one of Zod's soldiers trapped in a black hole as punishment for treason on Krypton. Faora is one of Zod's only soldiers to go out and kick butt. Lois Lane (Adams) is another female role that isn't primarily a damsel in distress. Lane isn't a soldier, in combat she needs saving. Her attitude isn't helpless, she goes back to the action rather than avoid it, but Lane is the one to help Clark defeat Zod.

At two-and-a-half hours, this movie is either going to drag on for some viewers or the time will fly by as fast as Superman can. It's hard to accomplish Clark Kent's background and get to the villain soon without rushing a few of the story lines. Snyder could have eased on the heavy-action packed scenes towards the end to focus more on Clark's childhood discovering his powers, or the treason committed by Zod in the first place. During Superman and Zod's up-in-the-air battle, they smash each other into city buildings and ruin the parts of Metropolis that hadn't been damaged by Zod's gravity machine.

Not quite a masterpiece, "Man of Steel" is still a better reboot compared to DC's previous try with "Superman Returns" in 2006. It's the most realistic of Superman movies. This film leads to a potential sequel either with Superman himself or the "Justice League" that isn't due for a release until 2015. It's hard to ignore the Nolan influence integrated in "Man of Steel" from Hans Zimmer's soundtrack to the stunning cinematography. Also using Zod as the main villain was the perfect set-up for a potential sequel, where Metropolis lies in ruins and Lex Luthor could be the next candidate as villain while he helps rebuild the city.

So unsure of whether to go see "Man of Steel"? Ask yourself this: if you liked the tone of Nolan's Batman trilogy, you will probably enjoy this reboot.

Like Crazy

Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Alex Kingston

Directed by Drake Doremus

Rating: B

"Like Crazy" is a love story. Boy and girl date, fall in love, enter complications here that during the course of the film, they try to work out. So what is it that attracts us to watch a movie we've seen told hundreds of different ways?

Anna (Jones) is from England, studying in Los Angeles with a student visa. Here comes Jacob (Yelchin), a local student. They fall in love. Anna's visa expires at the end of the semester, but she chooses to stay with Jacob. It's too hard to leave him. When she briefly goes home to England during the summer and comes back to Jacob in L.A. immigration officials refuse her entry because she violated her visa. The film boils down to their struggle of keeping a relationship.

We see both perspectives of Jacob and Anna. They fall in love fast, and for Anna, hard. The film is intimate, capturing the moments they fall in love, showing the first few months they're together in snapshots and indie music. When it's time for Anna to leave, we don't want her to go as much as she struggles to decide whether she should stay or not. But ultimately, they do get separated, and it's that time apart when Anna is denied entry into the U.S. that Jacob's love is quickly fading. He finds another girlfriend, played by Jennifer Lawrence. Anna tries to let go but she finds herself dialing Jacob's number after a night out with friends. She tells Jacob to come to London, and he goes willingly as soon as can.

It's undeniable that Yelchin and Jones have an on-screen chemistry together. It's needed to portray these characters well, to get across to viewers they're just two young adults fighting to keep themselves together. You want their relationship to thrive because you've invested time into seeing their relationship start. "Like Crazy" may not be the perfect love story but if you like sad romance movies, not a cheesy romantic comedy, this may be one to add to your "must-watch" list.

The Host

Saoirse Ronan, Max Irons, Jake Abel, Diane Kruger

Directed by Andrew Niccol

Based on the book by Stephanie Meyer

Faithfulness to the book: 9/10

Rating of movie: B

In Stephanie Meyer's sci-fi novel, Earth has been taken over by friendly aliens in the form of a silvery floating orb. These orbs are implanted in the spinal cord and take over human bodies. Earth no longer has wars, crime, or rude people. Sounds like Utopia, right? The humans who have managed to escape being taken over don't think so. Melanie (Ronan) fought tooth and nail not to be taken by the Seekers (humans taken over by aliens who search for those still truly human). Melanie's love for her brother and the group of survivors she hides with is what keeps her mind conscious despite having her body taken over.

Though Melanie can't speak for herself, she mentally fights the alien called "Wanderer" who has taken over her body. Wanderer helps the Seekers give up information on where Melanie's group of friends are hidden, but as Wanderer ends up finding the hidden place herself she learns these people are worth fighting to live for too. Only one Seeker (Kruger) won't give up looking and starts to show a little humanity as she grows desperate by firing a gun.

I think it might be a little generous to give "The Host" a "B" rating when the book, and movie adaptation, were both flat. One thing about Meyer's writing not just in the "Twilight" series but in "The Host" as well is that she has a way of making the worlds feel very realistic (despite vampires and aliens not being real). The group Wanderer sticks with are, for a majority of the film, in a cave. They only resort to violence against the Seekers when confronted and even that doesn't happen often. There is no real conflict, while Wanderer figures out a peaceful solution to their troubles and how to get Melanie back to her own body.

Looking at it from from a non-subjective perspective, it was a well-made movie. It leans more towards romance and is a little more mature (like "Breaking Dawn") than her usual audience is used to. I would recommend that anyone who enjoyed "Twilight" or young adult novels to watch and read "The Host". I have to admit that the movie is pretty faithful to the book which is refreshing since most adaptations are as faithful as keeping character names and setting but changing things around.

The Prestige

Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Based on the novel by Christopher Priest

Rating: A

So I might be a little biased because Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite directors, (Memento earned 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The Dark Knight earned 94 percent, Inception earned 86 percent, need I say more?) but "The Prestige" is an overlooked masterpiece that Nolan has crafted.

The movie is primarily about two magicians, each trying to outdo one another not just by their tricks but in life. Angier's (Jackman) wife, a magician's assistant, dies in an accident on stage at the hands of Angier's colleague, Borden (Bale). Ever since the incident, the two part ways to go on and create their own stage presence as magicians while at the same time trying to harm the other's reputation. The obsession to become the greatest magician takes hold over Angier and Borden and will not end until one is truly satisfied.

Nolan once again brings together an ensemble cast that works well- Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine are the glue that holds this movie together. Caine's character, Cutter, is the one who worked with Angier and Borden, the one who engineered magic tricks for Angier and understood the kind of magic Borden was coming up with. Yet no matter how much he warned Angier to let go of his obsession to beat Borden, Angier wouldn't listen and the movie ends with the bittersweet recognition that "obsession is a young man's game".

The true masterpiece Nolan puts together in this film is how much these magicians are willing to pay just to be the greatest. Each man is flawed and the film may make audiences lean toward favoring Angier after the death of his wife, but Angier's hatred for Borden takes us back on our sympathies. Just like "Black Swan"'s ending with Natalie Portman whispering "I was perfect", Angier takes his obsession to a dangerous level. Borden's true secret is revealed at the very end, after Angier has been driven mad. It also drives the audience mad with the wonder of it, and still leaves us asking the question, how can it be so?

The best part of watching this movie is Nolan has a way to make the audience part of these magician's audience. We are also watching closely, waiting to catch the secret that makes the trick work, and also being captivated by the trick itself. And like most of Nolan's films, he waits until the very end to give us the question to think about for the next few minutes, hours, however long you really want to wonder. It's said in the beginning of the film. The answer is simple. Knowing the secret takes away the illusion, and Nolan makes us forget about reality in the hopes that maybe we will find real magic in this movie. In watching closely, we allow ourselves to forget. We allow ourselves to be fooled because we want to be.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller

Directed by Stephen Chbosky

Based on the book by Stephen Chbosky

Faithfulness to the book: 8/10

Rating of movie: A

Charlie is about to start his freshman year of high school with no friends. All he has is an address and a name of someone who could have slept with that person at that party that one time but didn't. Charlie begins the school year writing to this "friend" about his life and the observations he makes.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" has slowly become a popular sensation in waves of time. As the movie premier date loomed closer in 2012, people started picking this book up to read before seeing the movie. Living on a college campus and seeing this movie at a "movies on the lawn" event, I got to hear the reactions of at least a hundred college student during the movie. There was laughter, there was gasps of shock, and at the end of the movie people picked up their blankets in the freezing night and claimed that they were either going to read the book now or for those who have read it, that the book had changed their life.

The right actors were cast to play the right roles and the author/director Stephen Chbosky got to portray the movie how he envisioned it. The important parts in the book were shown in the movie and the memorable quotes from "We accept the love we think we deserve" to "And in this moment we are infinite" were said.

Logan Lerman is a great "Charlie" and he is able to make the audience fall in love and sympathize with the character. Emma Watson stars in her second role in a movie post "Harry Potter" and while her acting as Charlie's first love "Sam" was flawed, her overall performance is forgivable. Ezra Miller took on the flamboyant role of "Patrick", Charlie's best friend and Sam's brother. Miller does everything right as Patrick should be: funny, sarcastic, sassy. Miller has the character from the book played perfect.

This movie is something that can resonate with almost anyone who has at least gone to high school. Maybe they were a "Charlie" in some ways or maybe "Sam". Charlie see's life in a unique way, he is a wallflower. He sits back and watches life pass him by and as his freshman year comes to a close, he learns to participate more.

The best part is at the end of the movie, you get to see Charlie grow.

Drive

Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks

Directed by Nicholas Winding Refn

Rating: B

Part-time Hollywood stuntman, part-time getaway driver, Ryan Gosling plays a mysterious character who's only referred to as "Driver". Though a man of few words, Gosling's character has an underlying sense of power to him.

Gosling's quiet character keeps to himself and manages to stay out of trouble until he meets the next door neighbor, Irene (Mulligan). Her car won't start and he drives her home from the garage he works at, but after a pit stop driving down to a small stream where her son can play. Irene's husband, Standard, gets released from jail and at first he is suspicious of the neighbor's intention.

Standard has some debts to pay that he can't afford and being the good guy he is, Gosling's character lends his getaway driving skills. When a robbery goes wrong, Gosling's character is left realizing he's been setup. He shows no mercy when it comes to protecting Irene and her son and goes the distance to make sure they stay out of any danger.

The first scene of "Drive" sets the pace of the movie; slow but with flashes of action. The film has an eerie sense of real life to it. It's not rushed like most action movies are today, so viewers feel time passing as slow as their own life. "Drive" is based on the novel by James Sallis, which I haven't read so I don't know if the book moves just as slow. The plot, meanwhile, was intriguing and what is worth watching for. Ryan Gosling's character is flat and viewers don't get to know much about him. He barely speaks and doesn't show much emotion, but his motivations are clear. He will protect the ones he grows attached to.

The trailer gives the whole movie away and is misleading. It leads viewers to believe it's fast paced and has lots of action when it's just the opposite. It doesn't mean that it's a bad film because it's worth watching once. It might be more of an acquired taste to fully enjoy it, like Refn's previous films; the style is somewhat similar to "Bronson", slow electro-music completes the soundtrack and a character that may be hard to like. Have caffeine at hand before sitting down to watch "Drive" and it may not be so hard to sit through.

Easy Virtue

Ben Barnes, Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas

Directed by Stephen Elliott

Rating: B

When a newly married couple go to stay at the husband's family country estate in England, the impending feud between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law is obvious from the start.

As Mrs. Whittaker (Thomas) learns that her son, John (Barnes), has abruptly married an American during his travels, she immediately finds reason to dislike her. John was promised to a neighbor's daughter that would connect the two families into one large estate. John is young and foolishly in love, but he is blind to his wife's discontent living in the country. Larita (Biel) is a city girl with a need for a faster paced life racing cars. Larita's only other ally is the estranged father of John, Mr. Whittaker (Firth).

Mrs. Whittaker and Larita go head-to-head, trying to show each other who is the alpha in this country home. John's two younger sister's don't help Larita's cause when she accidentally causes embarrassment and harm to the two. John's youngest sister contacts a relative in New York and digs up Larita's dirty past for all to hear.

"Easy Virtue" is a surprisingly enjoyable film. The mother-in-law hates daughter-in-law was predictable but the characters helped move the story along at an easy-going pace. While Mrs. Whittaker had wished for her son to marry the neighbor's daughter, she doesn't force them uncomfortably together as other predictable movies do. John and the neighbor's daughter get along fine enough but there is no blossoming romance to steal the spotlight. Being the new person in the house brings attention to Larita. She wishes that everyone will accept her since she grew up in a different lifestyle. Her fair treatment of the household staff holds her in favor over the residents themselves, who have their rules they stick to.

As a period piece, "Easy Virtue" should not scare away viewers. It's not a depressing drama nor will it bore you with subtle history lessons. There's humor and not an overly-sickening romance like "Pride & Prejudice" to scare the male viewers away. It's also one of the better roles Jessica Biel has portrayed. So if you're looking for a movie that won't puzzle your mind with a confusing story line and are looking for something different to watch, "Easy Virtue" may be the movie you should try.

Magic Mike

Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Cody Horn

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Rating: B

Despite coming out as a movie all about male strippers, "Magic Mike" has more plot to it than audiences would think. Judging from the trailer, the movie appears to be all about Mike (Tatum) and his dream of breaking out of the stripping business to having his own custom made furniture store. Instead, you get less strip scenes but enough of almost-nude moments to not be a disappointment.

The movie focuses on three central characters. Dallas (McConaughey) owns a small strip joint in Tampa, Florida where he partakes in a few of his own strip nights. Dallas dreamed of taking the business to Miami where the money would come in larger quantities and he would split the profits with Mike who's been his partner for years. When Mike brings in Adam (Pettyfer), a 19-year-old needing money, and he joins the pack and helps Dallas pull in more money, Mike's partnership gets downgraded.

Adam doesn't know what to do with his life but after bumping into Mike, he gets sucked into the world of stripping and selling drugs on the side. What brings this movie into perspective is Adam's protective older sister, Brooke (Horn), who disapproves of the party lifestyle and only wants the best for Adam. She finally gives him the boot from her apartment when she can't stand seeing how his life has gone downhill.

What "Magic Mike" manages to do is get audiences to care about the characters, which is why by the end of the movie it's no surprise that there could potentially be a "Magic Mike 2". The movie manages to pack in good amounts of comedy and drama, similar to the fashion of "Bridesmaids" and "Horrible Bosses". Before I first saw this movie, my expectations were it would be a disappointment. Instead, it proved to be worth the watch and was a personal reminder not to judge movies on their premise.

Twelve Monkeys

Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Rating: B

Time traveling, an army of 12 Monkeys, and a virus set to kill five billion people makes for a promising movie. Oh yeah, and Bruce Willis plays the lead character in this mind-twisting sci-fi thriller.

Time traveling movies may be predictable but in this one, director Terry Gilliam has viewers guessing all the way up to the last twenty minutes. It may become a bit confusing when James Cole (Willis) is sent back and forth in time to feed information to future scientists about a rebel group called the 12 Monkeys. At first Cole is sent six years earlier than his set date of 1996 and finds himself in a mental institution for beating up police officers in a post-time jump haze. Add some mumbling and an insane Brad Pitt come the next scene, viewers may be questioning why they are still watching it.

It's not until a few time jumps later and a psychiatrist once held hostage by Cole that he starts to get help trying to prevent the destruction of mankind. It's up to the two to find the 12  Monkey's and grab a sample of the virus to prevent the oncoming apocalypse.

Similar to this movie is 2012's "Looper" where events come full circle, which seems to be the pattern in time traveling movies. In both movies, Bruce Willis comes back in time to change future events and what drives him to try doing so is to get his life back. In "Twelve Monkeys" Cole is a prisoner volunteering to reduce his sentence by going on a mission to find the 12 Monkeys. It shows a serious acting skill to see Willis in a role as a man who is sane but appears to be insane. Brad Pitt is equally frightening as a mentally unstable person in this movie, who gets worked up as he goes into a spiel about life.

While it may seem slow in the beginning and a little confusing, "Twelve Monkeys" is worth sticking out to the end. Chances are if you liked "Looper", "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest", or "Children of Men", then "Twelve Monkeys" is the sci-fi thriller for you.

The Five-Year Engagement

Jason Segel, Emily Blunt

Directed by Nicholas Stoller

Rating: B-

Tom (Segel) proposes to his year-long girlfriend Violet (Blunt) but staying engaged is something that becomes too easy for them. Violet gets accepted at Michigan University to be a part of the department of psychology team, something she has been working years at. So she and Tom uproot their San Franciscan lives to move to Michigan, where talented chef Tom can only find work as a sandwich maker at a popular cafe in town. The couple finds various reasons to prolong their wedding, only to come to the important question staring them in the face: what is more important- getting ahead in Violet's career or finally tying the knot?

Just another romantic comedy of the year, "The Five-Year Engagement" is an unexplored story line of a couple who keep putting off their wedding. With some cliches and predictable drama, it's still a film with a promising tagline to reel in the viewers. Judging from the commercial, this movie appears humorous and with actors Segel and Blunt as the leads, it could be potentially worth seeing.

While Tom struggles to accept the path his life is taking, Violet gets drawn deep in her dream as she sets out to what she's been working towards. Though the couple claims to know each other better than anyone else, they have trouble talking about the obvious, Tom's downward spiral of what his life has become and the never-ending engagement. The movie takes on a realism that most romantic comedies don't. It deals with the hardships that would delay a couple getting married, like Tom's resentment of what his career has become over the potential of what it could have been.

"The Five-Year Engagement" actually feels like a five-year engagement when viewing this movie. Only at a running time of two hours, viewers go through the stages of boredom and entertained numerous times. The film opens up and introduces the characters and their excitement of getting engaged. Then as conflict after conflict keep reoccurring, it reaches a slow point. It's hard to predict the outcome when it feels like it should be ending any minute but there's actually thirty minutes left. Then finally the ending arrives, though a bit rushed it comes off as spontaneous and works out.

In the end, I would recommend waiting for "The Five-Year Engagement" to be released on DVD before spending money at the movies to see it. It depends on your movie tastes, because those who are a big fan of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "Bridesmaids" might actually enjoy this a lot then someone who is looking to be entertained but doesn't really care about the premis.

Atonement

James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan
Directed by Joe Wright

Rating: B+

"Come back, come back to me."

13-year-old Briony Tallis (Ronan) is not quite old enough to understand love and the unspoken meaning behind actions. She misinterprets a moment between her older sister Cecilia (Knightley) and a servant's son Robbie (McAvoy) that lead to a downward spiraling of events to take place. Briony is horrified by the scene in which she enters upon, finding Cecilia and Robbie in a compromising position in a study. Her image of Robbie's perfection is shattered and when a turn of events take place after a family dinner, she takes part in condemning Robbie for a crime he did not commit. It's only years later that she realizes the grave mistake she had made and goes about her way trying to make amends.

Based off of Ian McEwan's novel about the loss of love during a war, Atonement captures the harsh realism of war and how not every romance has a happy ending. Robbie chooses to go the military path instead of rotting in a jail cell, and he is taken far away from any chance of happiness. Cecilia alienates herself from her family, disgusted with how easily they could ruin an innocent life over a lie, and works with hospitals, nursing those who return from the bloody fields of war. The film shows glimpses of the rare time Robbie and Cecilia get together before he is deployed back to France. It's a heartbreaking scene when after three years they reunite, changed after all they had been through.

Atonement is a dramatic love story in which the characters all have their own sympathies from Briony's youthful naivety to Robbie's innocent love and to Cecilia's hidden feelings for someone she felt she shouldn't love. It's a movie that brings viewers to tears.

The American

Matthew Modine, Diana Rigg, Aisling O'Sullivan, Andrew Scott

Directed by Paul Unwin

Rating: D

Christopher Newman (Modine) is an American who travels to France a fresh start after the Civil War has ended in America. Many of the French refer to Newman as "The American" who is ignorant to the French customs and is searching for a wife. Newman sets his eyes on unattainable Claire Bellegarde (O'Sullivan), who's old family name prevents her from marrying just anyone. The Bellegarde's live a proud life, where everyone knows to leave them in peace.

"The American" does not give a good first impression at the start. The film is cheaply made, which may be a result of it being a product of PBS Pictures. The film is "supposed" to take place in France but none of the area in which the film takes place looks it. Everyone in the film has an accent other than France, so where are the French people of the film?

Christopher Newman, the main character, who is snobbish and because he has money, thinks he can get what he wants. He's determined to speak to Claire and gets her brother, Valentin (Scott), to help. There was nothing admirable about Newman, except maybe that he wouldn't give up on Claire when she admits she loves him.

The only reason I watched this film was for Andrew Scott, who's character is a little reckless. He's tired of living the life his family is used to and is the rebellious one in the family. This wasn't the best role Scott has played but if you're as infatuated with him as I am at the moment, then he makes it worth watching at least once in your life. I don't recommend this movie for anyone to watch unless you're trying to watch all the Andrew Scott movies. At least "The American" isn't a long movie and the ridiculous ending makes up for it.

Once

Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova

Directed by John Carney

Rating: A-

"Once" is not a true story, though it gives the appearance of one. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova aren't named in this movie besides "guy" and "girl" but these two are what make the movie worth watching. Glen Hansard is a singer/songwriter, playing guitar on the streets of Dublin while also working with his dad at a vacuum repair shop. Marketa is entranced by Glen's music and is happy to find out he can fix her broken vacuum cleaner. While the two get to know each other, Marketa mentions she learned to play the piano from her father. When the two enter a music shop, the real chemistry grows between them when they play and sing one of Glen's songs. Marketa isn't looking for a relationship, as she's raising a little two-year-old girl with her mother, and Glen is troubled between his new feelings for Marketa and going back to an old girlfriend he loved.

What I loved about "Once" is the music you hear all throughout the movie. You hear a few songs repeatedly but they find a way to stay in your head and refuse to leave. From the lyrics to the melody, these songs are in their way romantic. That's one word to describe this movie. "Once" makes you want to hear more from these two and you can. Glen and Marketa went on tour together for a little while, forming the band "The Swell Season".

I highly recommend for anyone to watch this movie, but you have to watch it twice. (Or at least listen to the soundtrack a few times to appreciate the music before watching.) The first time around is a little bit slow, mainly because you're trying to figure out if there's any plot and what kind of movie it is. After you get to listen to the songs in the movie, the second time you watch it is best because you're familiar with the songs and it means more to you than the first time. "Once" doesn't have a plot besides a musician who misses a woman who left him but it does leave you with a morose, yet satisfied feeling at the end.

Catfish

Yaniv Schulman, Angela Wesselman

Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman

Rating: C

In late 2007, Yaniv Schulman began corresponding with an eight-year-old girl, Abby, and her mother after seeing her paintings she drew based off his photographs. Yaniv made regular phone calls with the mother, Angela, and began getting involved with the family, making contact with Angela's oldest daughter, Megan, and talking on Facebook. After eight months of getting to know each other, Yaniv starts to become suspicious when a song Megan claimed she wrote sounded exactly like another artist. Yaniv decided to visit Megan, Abby, and Angela in Michigan to get the story straight.

"Catfish" is a real documentary and sheds light on how easy people can deceive you through means of Facebook and phone calls. Yaniv would call Megan fairly regularly and they had a romantic relationship through talking on the phone and texting, yet they have never met each other. Yaniv starts to put the pieces together after investigating Abby's art gallery and finds out the building is vacant.

I think in most situations, people wouldn't have handled Yaniv's situation as calmly as he did. Yaniv finds out that Angela is the one who painted the pictures and while Abby and Megan are really her daughters, Angela hadn't talked to Megan in years. It's sad and it makes you pity Angela for the life she lives and for making up such a huge story. She led Yaniv on to think Megan was really someone interested in him but it makes you pity her because she must be a desperate person to do that. Yaniv doesn't think so. He spends a few days with her, getting the story straight but never expressing anything other than sympathy.

I'm not quite sure why anyone would want to watch this documentary. It's a little slow and in the beginning there's not much of a point to watch it until you get wrapped up in the drama. I wouldn't recommend watching this unless you want to experience the drama yourself.

The Hot Chick

Rob Schneider, Anna Faris, Rachel McAdams, Matthew Lawrence

Directed by Tom Brady

Rating: B

A popular young high schooler trades bodies with an older man and learns that her popularity has cost her quite a bit with her mean comments on students. Jessica (Schneider) reveals herself to her three close friends and they help her track down the person responsible for causing the switch, along with a few tough lessons on how to be a better person.

"The Hot Chick" is the movie to watch if you grew up watching TV shows in the 90s. This movie has a range of familiar characters from Anna Faris, who is no stranger to these ridiculous comedies, to Tia and Tamara Mowry from the Disney channel show "Sister Sister", to Matthew Lawrence who played older brother to Shawn Hunter in Disney's "Boy Meets World".

"The Hot Chick" is like your typical Adam Sandler movie (who also cameo's in this film). It's slapstick humor yet if you've been a high school girl, you can sympathize with Jessica's problem. It's humorous because as a girl you can sympathize with her having to adjust to a man's body, especially one who is older than her.

Rob Schneider steals the spotlight with his comedic impressions of being a young teenage girl. He portrays a believable character of a girl stuck in a man's body. Though his performance may not be "Oscar" worthy, Schneider does a pretty good job with his role.

Overall I think the movie had some pretty funny parts, albeit some were kind of gross. It's definitely worth watching and I think it fits more with the younger generation.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Cain, Luis Guzman

Directed by Brad Peyton

Rating: B

Having to pick up your life and start it somewhere new is never easy. Sean (Hutcherson) has a new step-father he would rather not take the time to know and a mission to accomplish. Sean is looking for a new journey and when he hears an encrypted message play over the radio waves, only his step-dad, Hank (Johnson), can help him out. The message is from Sean's grandfather who has disappeared for years and Hank agrees to let Sean go find him if he can come along. Reluctantly, he agrees and the two embark on a mission in addition with a pilot and his daughter to a mysterious island where things are not as they appear.

"Journey 2" brings new adventures and a mysterious island that is on the brink of going under water. I think this sequel pulled it off well and kept the excitement alive of watching the main characters find an uncharted island. While the characters may have some cheesy lines, like Hutcherson trying to impress the pilot's daughter and Johnson making his pecks 'dance', the movie has a decent plot to keep it interesting.

It might be necessary to watch "Journey to the Center of the Earth" before watching the sequel because there are a few moments that make you wonder what you missed. Sean repeatedly mentions how the men in his family don't stick around and it's been a while since I last saw the first movie. I can't remember what happened to the father and it's mentioned that the grandfather has always been searching for an adventure rather than being there for his family.

This sequel brings along new scenery, new animals (large animals are small and small animals are large!), and a volcano that erupts gold. The characters are put in danger and take to flying bees to reach their destination. "Journey 2" is not just a movie for children, but for those who are fans of classic literature like "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" or "Gulliver's Travels". This film brings a different kind of thrill that you can't get from repeated plots such as the over-done vampire movies or action films. I would recommend giving this movie a try if you can handle some cheesy lines and enjoy lost continents (Atlantis!).

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler

Directed by Peter Jackson

Rating: A-

Frodo Baggins (Wood) is entrusted with an ancient ring, he soon finds that it takes him on a journey beyond what he could possibly dream of. The ancient ring turns out to be the ring of the dark lord Sauron, and it is agreed that the ring should be destroyed. Frodo volunteers for this dangerous journey and is joined by his three hobbit friends, Gandalf (McKellan), Legolas (Bloom), Aragorn (Mortensen), Gimli ( John Rhys-Davies), and Boromir (Sean Bean). They know it's not an easy path they take and they face many hardships along the way.

In this first installment of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, director Peter Jackson does a brilliant job bringing the story to life. This movie is perfection (though I have not read the books and don't know how readers of the series feel). So why is it perfection? The cinematography looks amazing. From the New Zealand landscapes to Mordor, it creates a believable setting for the movie to take place. The cast fit their roles and do justice to portraying their characters. You can see the fear in their eyes and the toll their burden takes on them.

While the movie is a bit lengthy, it makes for a great movie night. It's also fun to commentate on because of the faces Frodo makes and some of the lines are fun to quote. Or that could be just me who likes to do that. I definitely recommend watching this movie. It's one of those movies you have to watch before you die, even if magical action movies don't interest you. Even if you end up disliking it (not possible!) at least you can say you saw it without people scoffing at how ridiculous you are for not watching it.