GOING THE DISTANCE
Rated R
Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate
On-and-off real life Hollywood couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long team up in the new romantic comedy Going The Distance, now showing in theatres around the country.
In the movie, Garrett (Justin Long) is newly single and meets Erin (Drew Barrymore) and is charmed by her tell-it-like-it-is personality and charm. The two hit it off in a major way. Love between them blossoms over the summer, something neither one of them ever dreamed would happen so quickly.
But as the days grow shorter and the long hot New York summer winds down, the fact that the two don’t live in the same city weighs heavy on the couple’s future. Erin is from San Francisco and has to head home. Garrett is a New Yorker with a job and needs to stay for a paycheck. His drinking buddies want him back too, as he all but ignored them through the summer and spent most of his time with Erin.
Erin’s over-protective sister is a problem for her, doing just about anything she can think of to keep Erin away from Garrett, not trusting him in the least.
Can the couple survive against these odds stacked against them?
Going The Distance is rated R for sexual content, rough language, some drug use and brief nudity.
THE AMERICAN
Rated R
George Clooney, Thekla Reuten, Paolo Bonacelli, Violante Placido, Irina Björklund
Updated September 1, 2010
George Clooney is back on the big screen starring in an action spy thriller called The American, now showing in theatres nationwide.
Clooney plays an assassin named Jack, who finds himself in exotic locations around the world conducting his business, but he’s always alone, trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities and enemies that want him dead.
When a hit in Sweden goes much more difficult than anticipated, Jack decides to take some time off from his killing-for-hire ways and “disappears” in a small medieval town in the Italian countryside.
While there, even though trying to stay out of the limelight, he decides to take another assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious person. He also starts up a friendship with the local priest and has a sweltering affair with a beautiful woman named Clara (Thekla Reuten).
Can Jack and Clara’s romance blossom? Because Jack knows that the minute he steps into the spotlight away from the comfort of hiding, not only is he an instant target of his enemies, so is Clara.
The American is rated R for violence, sexual content and nudity. Running time for the movie is 1 hour and 35 minutes.
TAKERS
Rated PG-13
Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez, Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris, Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen
Usually you see stories on the news about criminals that are so dumb, laughter ensues when you hear details of their dim-witted attempts at trying to steal something. Tying a rope around an ATM machine and dragging it by pickup truck through a gas station front window only to have it get stuck comes to mind.
That is not the case with a group of criminals in the new movie Takers, is now showing in movie theatres around the country.
In the movie, a notorious group of criminals have great success at coming up with well executed plans to rob banks. Often, there is not a trace of evidence left behind after a multi-million dollar bank heist.
But one hardened detective (Matt Dillon) is about to change all that.
The group decides to pull of one final bank robbery before hanging up their lives of crime, but the detective is hell bent in putting a kink in their perfect crime careers.
Takers is rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and action, a sexual situation, partial nudity and rough language.
PIRANHA 3 D
Rated R
Jerry O’Connell, Elisabeth Shue, Adam Scott, Ving Rhames, Christopher Lloyd, Richard Dreyfuss
Updated August 20, 2010
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water comes Piranha 3 D, chewing its way in to theatres nationwide.
Piranha 3 D is a remake of the 1978 original Piranha, but this time you’ll need to wear those funny 3 D glasses to see the aggressive, teeth-as-sharp-as-razors fish wreaking havoc on Spring Breakers at Lake Victoria, the setting of the movie.
An underwater tremor hits under the lake, which is responsible for setting free thousands of prehistoric fish into the lake that has been popular with college students at Spring Break time for decades.
It is more than likely one of those movies where certain people in the theatre audience will be yelling at the screen…”whatever you do, DON’T jump in that water.” And of course, somebody will jump into the water, and we all know what happens next.
Before the body count adds up too much, the group of Spring Breakers is forced to band together to rid the lake of the hungry, human-eating fish!
Piranha 3 D is rated R for sequences of strong bloody horror violence and gore, graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use.
LOTTERY TICKET
Rated PG-13
Kevin David, Loretta Devine, Terry Crews, Shad ‘Bow Wow’ Gregory Moss, Brandon T. Jackson
We all dream about winning the lottery. Purchasing a lottery ticket for a dollar or two seems to be worth it, just for the dream of winning. It is fun to count the number of mansions around the world you could buy with your new found wealth.
Of course, the vast majority of lottery players don’t win. But for those who do, they’re all faced with a wonderful dilemma of what to do with all that cold hard cash! And more times than not, they’re faced with relatives and friends that come out of the woodwork wanting a piece of your jackpot pie.
That’s the premise of the new movie Lottery Ticket, now showing in theatres nationwide.
In the movie, a young man living in the projects of a big city wins a $370 million jackpot. However, there is one small problem. The day he wins just happens to be the night before a 3-day holiday weekend, and he won’t be able to cash in his ticket until after the holiday.
The young millionaire suddenly turns, shall we say, very popular indeed. He is amazed at the characters who begin showing up on his doorstep to get in on the winnings. Can he survive the long weekend in tact?
Lottery Ticket is rated PG-13 for sexual content, rough language, a drug reference, some violence and brief underage drinking.
THE TILLMAN STORY
Rated R
Josh Brolin narrates documentary featuring Pat Tillman’s family, friends, and fellow military members
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have had a number of unfortunate incidents over the years, but one of the saddest was the death of NFL player-turned-soldier Pat Tillman.
Tillman left a lucrative career with the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals to join the military after being motivated to do so by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He died in Afghanistan in 2004.
Eventually, it was revealed that Tillman did not die at the hands of the enemy, but in an unfortunate friendly-fire accident. Then, it was revealed that the U.S. military not only covered up the cause of his death, but wanted to manipulate the death into a propaganda tool.
Now, the Tillman family is telling its story in a new documentary The Tillman Story. The movie is now showing at a limited number of theatres around the country.
Tillman reportedly didn’t join the military for the glory, but simply to fight for his country. If he happened to die in the line of duty, he requested in writing that he did not want a military funeral…something U.S. military members tried to get family members to alter, but to no avail.
The Tillman Story is rated R for rough language. Running time is 1 hour and 34 minutes. Check local listings for theatres and showtimes.
SCOTT PILGRIM vs. THE WORLD
Rated PG-13
Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick
The world is quite a menacing task to take on, but that’s what Scott Pilgrim has to do to win the girl in the new movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, now playing in theatres nationwide. Okay, so maybe Scott doesn’t have to take on the entire world, but he does have to deal with a bunch of strange ex-boyfriends of the girl he’s trying to get.
Scott (Michael Cera) plays a young man who doesn’t have any problem attracting girlfriends. However, he has a hard time getting rid of them. They seem to want to hang around in his life for a long time.
But Scott soon becomes interested in Ramona, who rollerblades into his life, bringing with her some major baggage: a bunch of evil ex-boyfriends. They will try just about anything to derail the budding romance between Scott and Ramona.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is rated PG-13 for some violence, sexual content, rough language and a few drug references. Running time is 1 hour and 53 minutes.
EAT PRAY LOVE
Rated PG-13
Julia Roberts, James Franco, Richard Jenkins Viola Davis, Billy Crudup
It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen mega movie star Julia Roberts on the big screen, but that all changes with the release of the new movie Eat Pray Love, which is now showing in theatres nationwide.
Roberts stars as Liz Gilbert, a woman living an enviable life. It is a comfortable dream life with a beautiful house, a husband and a successful career. But just as often things appear perfect from the outside, on the inside Liz felt as if something in her life was missing.
So Liz decides to drop her seemingly perfect life and set off on a journey around the world to find herself…to see what she seems to be missing. She heads to Italy and discovers the pleasure of good food. Then she’s off to India to learn the power of prayer. Stop number three is Bali, where she finally finds true love.
Based on the bestselling book of the same name, Eat Pray Love is rated PG-13 for some strong language, some sexual references and brief nudity. Running time for the film is 2 hours and 13 minutes.
THE OTHER GUYS
Rated PG-13
Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan
A comedy duo made up of two very different kinds of actors was born onstage at the MTV Awards a few years ago. Their appearance at the podium together during the awards show displayed an unmistakable chemistry.
The actors referred to here are Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, who team up to star in The Other Guys, now showing in theatres nationwide.
Ferrell plays Detective Allen Gamble, a man with little motivation for his job as a cop. He actually enjoys the paperwork that comes with his job more than being out on the streets.
Gamble’s partner is Detective Terry Holtz (Wahlberg) is a rouge macho cop who is frustrated to be paired with Gamble. And, there’s a funny reason he ended up with the slacker: Holtz had a bizarre run-in with New York Yankees star Derek Jeter.
When the duo gets an opportunity to prove their worth to higher ranking cops on the force, things don’t exactly go as planned. It’s one funny setback after another.
The Other Guys is rated PG-13 for crude content, including sexual jokes, rough language, violence and some drug use.
DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS
Rated PG-13
Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Lucy Punch, Zach Galifianakis, Stephanie Szostak
Imagine you worked at an office where your boss would reward you if you could find the geekiest person around to bring to a monthly “dinner for idiots.”
Sounds like a not-so-nice boss and a not-so-nice dinner experience, especially for the idiot.
Well, that’s the premise in the new movie Dinner for Schmucks, now showing in theatres nationwide. Paul Rudd plays Tim, who is an up-and-coming executive and decides to decline the invitation to the monthly dinner.
That is until he meets Barry (Steve Carell), who is an IRS employee with a super bad haircut and eye glasses from the 70s. In his spare time, Barry builds elaborate taxidermy dioramas of mice! Talk about a schmuck!
Tim can’t resist in bringing Barry to the dinner for idiots and does. But soon after, Tim’s life begins to careen out of control. He loses business deals, somebody begins stalking him and his girlfriend develops eyes for another man.
Dinner for Schmucks is rated PG-13 for sequences of crude humor, sexual content, partial nudity and rough language.
CHARLIE ST. CLOUD
Rated PG-13
Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, Amanda Crew, Augustus Prew, Donal Logue, Kim Basinger
Teen heartthrob Zac Efron plays a skilled and accomplished sailor in the new movie Charlie St. Cloud. The movie is now playing in theatres across the country.
Charlie is admired greatly by his younger brother and mother Claire, partly because he has earned a scholarship to a prestigious college. At the same time, the college is located miles and miles away from his Pacific Northwest hometown, so even though his mother and brother are happy for his success, they know they won’t be seeing him very often.
However, tragedy soon strikes in the form of a terrible accident and Charlie’s bright future is completed altered. A miraculous gift comes to him. He ends up staying in his hometown. In addition, a high school classmate of his named Tess returns to town and Charlie is faced with honoring a promise he made to her in high school.
Will he stay with her and pursue a relationship or move away to school? Along the way Charlie discovers life lessons about himself.
Charlie St. Cloud is rated PG-13 for some rough language, sexual references, an intense accident scene and some sensuality. Running time is 1 hour and 49 minutes.
SALT
Rated PG-13
Angelina Jolie, Live Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Andre Braugher
The biggest female action movie star on the planet is bringing in audiences one again in a new spy thriller called Salt. The movie, starring Angelina Jolie as Evelyn Salt, is now showing in theatres nationwide.
Evelyn Salt is a CIA officer who has been gathering top-secret information and protecting her country for years. She knows how to do her job in the CIA very well.
But things are about to take a turn for the worse for Ms. Salt. She is suddenly accused of being a Russian spy by a defector. She knows she is not a spy but has a hard time convincing anyone else of that fact.
So, she goes on the run, putting her CIA spy skills to good use in staying one step ahead of her fellow colleagues in the CIA. She also has to protect her husband, who isn’t safe either.
Salt features a number of thrilling action sequences filmed in the streets of New York City and Washington DC.
The movie is rated PG-13 for numerous intense scenes of violence and action. Running time is 1 hour and 39 minutes.
INCEPTION
Rated PG-13
Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy Tom Berenger
There was a lot of speculation and anticipation about the new Leonardo DiCaprio thriller Inception, a movie that is now showing in theatres nationwide.
Warner Bros. Pictures kept the details of the plot under lock and key, even using guards to deliver scripts to actors who remained outside the door waiting for the actor to read it.
The curiosity level for the movie will likely make it a summer blockbuster. Now the what is over. Reviews seem to be mostly positive.
In Inception, Leo DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb who is a thief who specializes in the art of extraction. He steals very personal secrets from deep within the subconscious of people during a deep dream state of sleep.
But Cobb’s unique expertise has not set well with the world. It has caused him to become an outcast and an international fugitive.
But he is offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible -- inception.
Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But things aren’t so simple, as a dangerous enemy shows up that can predict his every move.
Inception is rated PG-13 for sequences of violent and action throughout.
THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE
Rated PG
Nicholas Cage, Jay Baruchel. Teresa Palmer, Alfred Molina, Peyton List
After all the recent financial troubles in Nicolas Cage’s life, it’s nice to see he has another big paycheck coming to help him get back on his feet. That paycheck is for his starring role in the new movie The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, now playing in theatres nationwide.
Cage plays Balthazar Blake, a master sorcerer who lives in modern day New York City. He is constantly fighting to defend the Big Apple against his arch-nemesis Maxim Horvath.
But Blake needs some help to fight evil, and recruits a seemingly average guy named David Stutler, who Blake believes has the potential to become a sorcerer as well.
Stutler gets a crash course in all things in the art of becoming a sorcerer, a mix of magic and science. The two become a nearly unstoppable team.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, from Walt Disney Pictures, is directed by Jon Turteltaub and is rated PG for fantasy action violence, some mild rude humor and brief rough language.
Running time is 1 hour and 51 minutes.
DESPICABLE ME
Rated PG
Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, Danny McBride
Watch out moon, somebody wants to steal you.
The moon, you ask? Yes, that big bright thing you see in the night light sky is in jeopardy of being stolen in the new animated film Despicable Me, now showing in theatres nationwide.
Steve Carell voices the main character named Gru, a man who lives under a ratted down house in a well-kept suburban neighborhood.
Along with his minions, Gru is armed with shrink rays, freeze rays and battle-ready vehicles, Gru delights in being a despicable person and treats people in the worst possible ways.
That is until he comes across 3 orphan girls, who see something in Gru they don’t have: a father.
So, one of the worst persons on the planet has met his match. Can he continue to be so nasty with such adorable, determined little girls on his case to change his ways, and become their daddy?
Despicable Me is rated PG for some rude humor and mild action sequences. The movie is playing in theatres in both 2-D and 3-D.
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE
Rated PG-13
Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Dakota Fanning
One of the summer’s most anticipated movies, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is now showing in theatres nationwide.
On the heels of the wildly successful Twilight: New Moon, the story picks up with Bella (Kristen Stewart) surrounded by danger, as Seattle experiences a rash of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge.
Bella is forced to choose between her love for Jacob (Robert Pattinson) and her friendship with Edward (Taylor Lautner) all along knowing that her decision has the potential to erupt a struggle between werewolf and vampire and turn into an epic battle.
Bella’s decision will turn out to be the most important one in her life, and it needs to come as she is about to graduate from high school.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence and some sensuality. Running time is 2 hours and 4 minutes.
GROWN UPS
Rated PG-13
Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph
In high school, we all create friendships that at the time seem like they will last forever. However, that is usually not the case. Sure, you may stay in touch with a couple high school friends here and there, or run across a few on Facebook, but for the most part, high schoolers usually drift apart as they go through adulthood.
That’s what happened to the five friends and former high school teammates in Grown Ups, a new movie that is now showing in theatres nationwide.
When a childhood basketball coach passes away, the five friends and their families decide to spend the July 4th holiday together at a lake house where they had celebrated their basketball championship years and years ago.
As is the case with many old high school friends, even though they all had not seen each other for years, they are easily able to pick up where they left off. Even though now they all have families who are getting to know each other for the first time.
Comedy is sure to ensue.
Grown Ups is rated PG-13 for some crude material and suggestive references and language. Also, there is some male rear nudity.
TOY STORY 3
Rated G
Voices of Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson
Has Hollywood lost its way on the path to creativity? Or do they realize when you make something good, make more of them, and people will come.
Probably a little bit of both.
In a summer that has brought us Shrek Forever After, Iron Man 2, Sex and the City 2, Twilight: Eclipse and remakes of The Karate Kid and The A-Team, let’s roll out the welcome mat for Woody and Buzz in Toy Story 3.
When we were kids, we all had toys that mean everything to us. But what happens when we grow up, outgrow our toys and become adults? Many of the toys get put in boxes, sold at yard sales or forgotten about.
That’s the premise of Toy Story 3, where Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen)’s owner Andy is about to go off to college, causing concern amongst the toys. What will happen to them if they have no owner?
Toy Story 3 is rated G. It is fine for all ages. The movie is now showing in theatres nationwide.
THE KARATE KID
Rated PG
Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Han Wen Wen, Yu Rong-Guang
A remake of The Karate Kid, the 1984 classic movie starring Ralph Maccio and Pat Morita, has punched and kicked its way into theaters nationwide.
The 2010 version of The Karate Kid stars 11-year-old Jaden Smith, the son of mega superstar couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. Jaden plays Dre Parker, one of the most popular kids in his school in Detroit.
But his life in Detroit is about to take a dramatic turn when his mother is suddenly offered a chance to make a major career change and advance…in Beijing, China.
Dre and his mom make the move to China, and once in school there, Dre falls for a classmate Mei Lang. Mei also has a crush on Dre. And, that doesn’t go over too well with the school bully, who begins to pick on Dre.
What better way to stand up to a bully than to learn karate. So, Dre teams up with Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) for karate lessons. Not only does Mr. Han teach Dre the art of karate and the maturity and discipline it takes to learn it, he also teaches him many life lessons, and of course, how to stand up to bullies.
The Karate Kid is rated PG for bullying, martial arts action violence, and some mild rough language.
THE A-TEAM
Rated PG-13
Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson
Over two decades after The A-Team signed off the television airwaves, a movie with the same name is now playing in theatres nationwide. But don’t go see the movie expecting to see Mr. T.
In The A-Team movie, a team of modern day movie stars are the primary cast members. They play Iraq war veterans from the U.S. military that are framed for a crime they did not commit.
So, after being released from prison, the band of Special Forces soldiers set out to clear their good names and find out who is responsible for framing them.
Rumor has it, there are a lot of plot twists in this movie, and much of it is far-fetched and over the top, including a scene where The A-Team happens upon a U.S. military medical hospital in the middle of the desolate Mexican desert.
So if you choose to see the movie, make sure you go into the theater expecting a few exploding rockets, but not rocket science.
The A-Team is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, rough language and smoking. Running time is 1 hour and 57 minutes.
GET HIM TO THE GREEK
Rated R
Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Elisabeth Moss, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Rose Byrne
Gear up for another raunchy summer comedy. Get Him to the Greek is now showing in theaters nationwide.
The movie stars Jonah Hill who plays Aaron Green, a capable and determined 24-year-old who is given an assignment of a lifetime, an assignment that could turn out to be more than he bargained for.
Aaron’s mission is to go to London and meet up with a famous, but fading rock star named Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) and accompany him back the U.S. for a concert at the Greek Theater, a legendary Los Angeles performance venue.
However, the formerly outstanding musician, who at once had gotten himself sober, is a drunken mess. Then Aldous learns his former pop star/model lover is in L.A., so he decides to head for Hollywood.
Once in America, the duo makes stops in New York City and Las Vegas before arriving in L.A. for one big party…and disaster…after another. Even so, Aaron is determined to get Alsous to the Greek.
Get Him to the Greek is rated R for strong sexual content, drug use and rough language.