The Academy Award for BEST PICTURE Went To...

Mini Review - ONCE

Some have labeled this the "little film that could" for 2007, and I am so glad to finally understand why. ONCE is on every level a pure delight! ONCE is a fusion of simplistic storytelling, wonderful characters, and music so genuine you will believe it is one of the characters. The plot is simple, a street guitarists meets a keyboardist and they decide to collaborate on some recordings. However, the journey they go on, and story that each song tells reaches beyond the surface to something much more deeper, richer, and beautiful than you ever expected. This movie doesn't wow you with computer effects or fancy camera moves, instead the greatest effect this little film can produce is to capture your heart with its music, its truthfulness, and its sincerity.

RECOMMENDATION: The film does boast some pretty harsh language so it is definately not for children.

GRADE: A-

INDY 4

LOOK AND BEHOLD!!!

It is finally HAPPENING!

Get ready for the next film from M. Night Shayamalan!

Prince Caspian - Official Trailer

With SPEED RACER, INDIANA JONES 4, IRON MAN, and PRINCE CASPIAN, May is already declaring itself the month of movies!

THE GOLDEN COMPASS - Review

NARNIA gave us a look into childlike wonder, the LORD OF THE RINGS took us into a world all to familiar where even the smallest person can change the course of the future, PANS LABYRINTH showed us how horror and cruelty can exist in a world of reality and fantasy, but THE GOLDEN COMPASS possesses none of these qualities. THE GOLDEN COMPASS is so focused on burying the truths of Philip Pullman's controversial novel that the story becomes nothing more than extravagant set design, fighting CGI polar bears, and characters that are so bone dry that you care nothing about their goals or their journey.

THE DARK KNIGHT - Poster Revealed!

THE MIST - Review

If you are looking for another light Stephen King and Frank Darabont collaboration (SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, GREEN MILE), think again. THE MIST is a dark and intense nightmare of a film that left me both emotionally drained, and utterly depressed. I should be the first to applaud Darabont for creating a film that asks such tough questions about human nature, and how fear drives us to do both unthinkable and unimaginable things to each other in times of immense intensity. Also, like other great film thrillers the film shows us that evil exists in both the threat, in this case a mysterious mist that threatens a town on the eastern seaboard, and those that are being threatened, in this case a group of townspeople trapped in a grocery story by the mist.
One of the films major faults comes in its inability to sustain the terror it presents. At first the mist is this ominous natural occurrence which people walk into, and either don't come back, or come back in pieces. It is the thought of what could be in the mist that is both horrific and terrifying. But it is when you start seeing the things lurking in the mist that you begin to lose interest. The film forgets that the human imagination can be the greatest terror of all. By revealing the thing, the terror is unfortunately reduced to cheapened CGI tricks, along with monsters and a plot that becomes more absurd then nightmarish, and main characters that become riddled with cliches and stereotypes.
In the end the films take on humanity becomes one of such cynicism that what could have been a fascinating morality tale turns into complete and utter hopelessness.

GRADE: B-

RECOMMENDATION: This film contains some horrific scenes of violence and some language. Also, if you are looking for a nightmare with a pleasant ending, I would recommend JAWS.

BEOWULF - Mini Review

Like his previous film the Polar Express, Robert Zemeckis has created a wonderland of eye popping visuals that rests more on its visual style, than in its story telling. That's not to say the story isn't good, its based on a 2000 year old epic poem about power, lust, and the continuous cycle of sin in our lives, it also presents a fascinating look into the life of a hero who is a deeply flawed man, and who knows it. However, in the end this modern telling does exist primarily to showcase the strenghs of 3D technology. The film also has its awkward moments such as Beowulf fighting in the nude in which his private parts are perfectly covered by other objects on screen, a nude Angelina Jolie who floats about as a sensual and seductive demon with a long tail, and a Grendel that is more disgusting and reviling than frightening and menacing. Go in not expecting much, and you might just be pleasantly surprised.
GRADE: B

RECOMMENDATION: This film is not for young children due to the presence of nudity, sexual innendo, blood, and gore.

WALL-E Gets A Poster!

Are you ready for...

June could not seem farther away! He reminds me so much of ET, those big eyes, and if this film has half the heart of that masterpiece, it will be worth the wait.

THE JOKER REVEALED...

Who can deny how perfect Heath Ledger looks as The Joker. Any thoughts of Jack Nickelson are already beginning to fade slowly away. I guess we will just have to wait until July to see what Leger is truly made of.

INDIANA JONES - NEW PICS!

What a sight to behold!

A young Russell Crowe advertises Avondale College

No Country for Old Men (2007) Trailer

This could very well be the best film of 2007!

NATIONAL TREASURE 2 - Poster Revealed!

Like the Mummy films, these are light-hearted, clean, and just plain fun adventure movies in the vein of INDIANA JONES. This time, Nicholas Cage unravels a conspiracy dealing with a lost journal page in John Wilkes Booth's diary, catapolting him and his friends on another adventure throug truth and history. Here is the poster...

THE MIST Gets A Poster

Frank Darabont, director of THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and THE GREEN MILE, will bring us yet another Stephen King adaptation, this time, it's not a prison drama, but an actual horror movie about a mysterious mist that unleashes itself upon a small coastal town. What exactly is in the mist is yet to be seen. Here is the poster for THE MIST coming November 21...

Mighty Praise For "THERE WILL BE BLOOD"

One of the most anticipated films of the year is getting lots of pre-buzz praise. This comes as no surprise as the film is being helmed by none other than Paul T. Anderson, director of such brilliant films as MAGNOLIA, BOOGIE NIGHTS, and PUNCH-DRUNK-LOVE. Anderson is one of greatest rising directors today, partially due to his fasination with smaller character pieces. His films are never flashy, or bogged down with non-stop action and huge effects. His brilliance is in the small stories he tells, that have huge implications to the nature of human beings, and the world we live in. This is my most anticipated film of the year, period, and here is some evidence why...


Variety:
"Certain to be rewarded with year-end accolades, Anderson's film is a true American saga - one that rivals "Giant" and "Citizen Kane" in our popular lore as origin stories about how we came to be the people we are. In "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," it's not the gold that destroys men's souls but greed; in "There Will Be Blood," the commodity that drives the greed is oil.
Daniel Day-Lewis is at his brilliant best as the story's Daniel Plainview, a man whose humanity diminishes as his fortunes increase. Never an exemplar of human kindness, Plainview becomes truly monstrous by film's end. Spanning three decades from 1898 to 1927, the approximately two hour and 40-minute film begins and ends with Plainview as a solitary figure."

CINEMATICAL States:
"...A straight-faced period piece in which the most recognizable names are Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano? This is not what we've come to expect from good ol' Paul T. Anderson! And I suppose that's what makes the director's There Will Be Blood such a stunning surprise. It's more than a "departure" for the director; it's a monumental display of "evolution" that'll wow the established fans and impress a helluva lot more new ones. This is a dark, compelling and effortlessly engrossing film, one bolstered by a lead performance that ranks among the very best of Lewis' impressive career. The film will most often be compared to Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, so I guess I can get the ball rolling on that particular crutch -- but it's also an apt comparison."

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER Claims:
"Both an epic and a miniature, Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" uses the fewest possible brush strokes, spread across a vast canvas, to paint a portrait of greed at the beginning of the American century. Built around another powerhouse performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, it's a certain awards contender and will be a strong draw for serious moviegoers."

Spielberg Finds His Mrs LINCOLN!

Newsweek is reporting that 2 time Oscar winning actress SALLY FIELD (FOREST GUMP, PLACES IN THE HEART), has been granted the role of Mary Todd, wife of President Abraham Lincoln, in Spielberg's upcoming 2009 historic drama LINCOLN. The title role of Lincoln will be played by Liam Neeson (SCHINDLER'S LIST, KINSEY). I was already busting at the seems when I first heard about this project, and the fact that Neeson and Spieberg would re-team, but now with a power house actress such as Sally Field on board, I am ecstatic!

You can read the whole article at the following link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20870247/site/newsweek/

PRINCE CASPIAN - POSTER REVEALED!!!

Disney has created a truly magnificent poster for PRINCE CASPIAN, the sequel to the 2005 smash hit THE LION THE WHITCH AND THE WARDROBE, which arrives next May!

THERE WILL BE BLOOD - Poster

One of the most anticipated films of the year finally gets a poster, and one heck of a poster it is! P. T. Anderson (MAGNOLIA, PUNCH DRUNK LOVE) directs THERE WILL BE BLOOD, starring Daniel Day Lewis (GANGS OF NEW YORK) about an early 1900's oil prospector who becomes engulfed into a business of greed that threatens his family, his life, and his future. The film will hit theater's December 26!

The Dark Knight Official Teaser Trailer

Next summer keeps getting better and better!

REVIEW: Ratatouille

What more can I say, PIXAR is nothing short of the greatest film company currently on the planet. They have produced not one, not two, but EIGHT hit films since there debut feature, the beloved TOY STORY in 1995. Since then they have had made one great film after another including A BUG’S LIFE, TOY STORY 2, MONSTER’S INC, FINDING NEMO, THE INCREDIBLES, and CARS. Their newest film, RATATOUILLE, is nothing short of a worthy addition to the PIXAR anthology.

RATATOUILLE, directed by Brad Bird (THE IRON GIANT, THE INCREDIBLES) is about a rat named Remy who dreams of being a chef in Paris France. He eventually finds himself in the kitchen of Gusteau’s, formerly one of the greatest restaurants in all of Paris until its master chef, Gusteau, suddenly dies. Since his death, the restaurant has fallen into disarray after receiving a slew of bad reviews from Paris’s top food critic, Anton Ego. After befriending a newly hired garbage boy named Linguini, Remy realizes that through his new friend, his dream of cooking is possible. As the story unfolds, their friendship will be tested as they try their best to rekindle the sumptuous tastes of gourmet cuisine that Gusteau’s once represented, and they will also face the dangers of self-discovery from the villainous chef Skinner, who has taken control of the restaurant.

The most remarkable thing about RATATOUILLE is its incredible fish-out-of-water story. In its essence, it is about a rat who wants to do the one of the most unlikely things that one would ever wish or hope for a rat to do, cook in a kitchen. In our world rats are suppose to represent the epitome of filth and disease, but not Remy. Remy would rather walk on two feet to keep his paws, which he uses to cook, from getting too dirty. He tries his hardest to get the point across to his rodent friends and family that they don’t have to just eat garbage all the time, that there is something more wonderful and delightful in this world for them to eat. Remy also realizes the potential that “Anyone can cook” which is the title of his favorite cook book, written by none other than Gustaeu himself. Through Remy, a rat, the audience is taken on an adventure through a farm house, sewers, a restaurant kitchen, allies, and the streets of Paris all the time discovering what friendship is all about, that we all have purpose in this world, that humility and service are always better than selfishness and pride, and that “Anyone can cook!”

Once again, PIXAR has elevated its technical mastery of the animated world, making it look so surreal that every moment leaves you breathless. From the glowing lights of Paris, to the vibrant colors of food, and to the lifelike movements of the swarms of rodents that perpetuate the screen. One particular scene involving a sewer is one of the most thrilling scenes in an animated scene that I have ever scene, so thrilling in fact, that at times it doesn’t even feel like your watching an animated movie, its just that amazing. Furthermore, I have yet to see fur come to life in a animated world that is this free flowing, fluffy, and as realistic when wet, it just shimmers in the light. There is no doubt that PIXAR models itself after Walt Disney himself, pouring out a sense of passion and care in every detail of their projects for the sake of pure artistry and excellence. So many animated films in the past years have had something to say, last years HAPPY FEET is the first to come to mind, where as PIXAR just tells a truthful and honest tale, and allows the audience to discover the meaning for themselves. Isn’t that what good stories are suppose to do?

I have never been so convinced then now to call Brad Bird one of the greatest filmmakers of our time. To date he has made three outstanding pictures, and I sense and hope that we will be seeing much more from him in the future. He has truly set up shop at PIXAR with the likes of John Lasseter, and Andrew Stanton, and I can’t wait to see where they go from here. One of Birds most accomplished moves in this film, is his choice of voice casting, he has a gift with it that very few have. Where other animated features pick big stars for their characters voices, purely for the chance to place their names on the poster, Bird and the PIXAR team actually pick voice talent based on the characters within their stories, based purely on who they think will give life to their characters in the most original and profound way, not simply because their currently a hot commodity in Hollywood. For Remy, Bird gives uses the voice talent of Patton Oswalt, most notably known as being a radio comic. Oswalt gives Remy a sense of such sincerity that the unthinkable happens, your bias against him as being a nothing more than a mangy rat begins to fade, and all that remains is a relatable and likable character that you can’t help but cheer for every minute he is on screen. Bird’s most brilliant casting move of all was for character of the food critic Anton Ego, voiced with perfection from the legendary Peter O. Toole. If Robin Williams can receive an Oscar nomination from his work in ALLADIN, then Peter O. Toole deserves nothing less. With his deep set voice, and eloquent speech, this stiff necked critic comes to life with a sense of cold-hearted intention, only for his hard shell to be melted away by the first bite of a peasant dish called RATATOUILLE. Every scene with Ego is memorable and remarkable, commanding your attention, something I never imagined an animated film could do. Ian Holm (Bilbo Baggins) is also perfectly cast as the villainous Skinner, the master chef who has snatched a diabolical plan to solve the riddle of just how Linguini is cooking up so many masterful dishes, and to stop him from taking over Gustaeu’s of which he is the rightful heir.

To say RATATUILLE is just a sumptuous treat is to not say enough. RATATOUILLE is the greatest film yet to be released in 2007, and it will for sure be on of the greatest films of the year. In a summer that has been filled with one disappointment after another, it is nothing short of a miracle to finally see a film where story takes center stage, where excellence and artistry are upheld from beginning to end, and where whit, charm, and entertainment finally balance themselves out to become something packed with meaning, non-stop laughs, and breathtaking visuals. This is a film that will be remembered!

GRADE: A

RECOMMENDATION: This is a film for EVERYONE!

Indiana Jones at Comic-Con 2007

INDIANA JONES CAST PHOTO!

It is barely even August yet I find myself yearning for next May already. Not only will we be getting IRONMAN starring Robert Downey Jr., THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN, but the supreme event being the release of INDIANA JONES 4. The thought of another adventure alongside Indiana sends chills down my spine, and a smile to my face. Indiana Jones is one of the greatest American icons of film history, and there is something special about the fact that he will be gracing the silver screen yet again. The following photo comes to us from Comic Con 2007 in San Diego, and could not make this INDIANA fanatic more giddy. The fact that Karen Allen is returning to her role as Marian Ravenwood only makes it that more momentous. Karen Allen will join Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone, Shia Lebouf, and of course Harrison Ford in an all-star cast (I am hoping for at least a cameo with John Rys Davis). Here is the photo to wet your appetite...

REVIEW: Transformers

Summer 2007 is becoming quite dismal at the cinema with its pop and circumstance of anticipation, and its lack-luster ability to actually turn out anything worthy of such anticipation, or the audiences $11. Director Michael Bay continues the trend of disappointing summer fair by delivering a somewhat solid summer popcorn flick with his much anticipated TRANSFORMERS.The story is somewhat simple, aliens both good (Autobots) and evil (Deceptacons) come from their desolate world to Earth in search of a galactic energy source known as the Allspark. This energy source governs power over all mechanical life in the universe and can be used to both create and destroy such life depending on whose hands it falls into. The aliens come to our planet in the form of TRANSFORMERS, larger than life robots with ultra strength and power that can morph into a variety of technical machinery such as cars, trucks, helicopters, jets, cell phones, even boom boxes. The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, and voiced perfectly by Peter Cullen, find there only hope in a young man named Sam (Shia Lebouf), who holds the secret to finding the Allspark, though he doesn’t know it. Sam’s initial introduction to the transformers is through Bumblebee, a transformer that happens to be his newly purchased used Chevy. The Autobot's mission soon becomes one desperation and survival as they search the world for the Allspark, at the same time protecting Sam from the Deceptacons who will destroy anything in their path to achieve their ultamate mission of carnage and destruction.

While I did find Bay's film fairly enjoyable, it was defiantly not without its major problems, the biggest being the director himself. I simply have never been much of a fan of his films which include ARMEGEDDON, THE ROCK, BAD BOYS, and THE ISLAND. For me, Bay simply places a higher regard for style over substance. He would rather have blistering explosions, pervasive language, non-stop action, and card board characters over a story with any real sense of meaning, inspiration, or value. Not to say that pure entertainment doesn’t have its place in American Cinema, I think the first PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN played the role of pure popcorn entertainment excellently. However, the difference being that PIRATES was not without its charm, intelligence, and comical whimsy, all while telling a fun and family-friendly tale that fit perfectly within the scope and nature of its source material, which happened to be an amusement park ride. While PIRATES brought its ride to life clearly and effectively, TRANSFORMERS takes its humble beginnings as a Japanese inspired action figure which was later picked up by Hasbro, a major action figure manufacturer, and befuddles itself with mediocre characters, an action centered plot, and the director’s trade mark egoistic flurries.

Also, the quick-cut editing in the film, which kept a lot of action scenes unclear as the viewers are thrown into countless skirmishes of Autobots fighting Deceptacons where only hunks of twisted metal can be seen thrashing around, was at times headache inducing. Throw in several moments of cheesy dialogue, and an overall lack of character development in which I found myself not really caring about the humans or the transformers, and you get muddled action with little emotional resonance. Furthermore, Bays lack of sincerity with the horrific subject matter by choosing cheap laughs over more gritty and heart warming drama only cheapens the overall sense of the characters, making them more like cardboard cut-outs then real people, and lessons the audience’s ability to invest. The transformers themselves, which should have inspired us with breathtaking awe at every on-screen appearance, seem more like politically correct pop icons then towering symbols of heroism. And did anyone sense the similarities between TRANSFORMERS and INDEPENDENCE DAY? Secret bases that the Secretary of Defense (Jon Voight) doesn’t know about, a frozen transformer that crash landed years ago, embedded codes in the transformer signals to each other, and the fact that the government is so deeply involved in the plot.

One element that is hard to miss is the overwhelming amount of product placement seen throughout the film. GM especially makes its mark in that all of the featured Autobots are GM models. I am willing to cut the filmmakers a little slack in that a movie which so adamantly involvs cars and trucks is bound to have some product placement, but it is at times embellished beyond what's reasonable.

Shia LeBouf (HOLES, DISTURBIA) does a fine job as the films central human character, but his co-star Megan Fox, in her tight miniskirt, perfectly tanned body, and skimpy outfit, doesn't quite fit Shia's more ordinary, yet dorky personality and is simply there for looks and sex appeal, another common trait of Bay’s films. I will say that the films strength does lay in that it boasts some of the best visuals yet to be seen this year, expect ILM to win the BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Oscar for this film. However, have we come to the point in cinematic history when visuals out way story? The magnificence of TITANTIC and LORD OF THE RINGS was that they boasted exhaustive visuals, but never at the expense of the story being told. But it seems that directors these days feel that pushing the limits of CGI effects, and the number of actions sequences are more important then the characters being enveloped by them, or the story being told. What has happened to story, or is it itself in danger of becoming a thing of the past. The most discouraging factor is that audiences eat it up left and right. We have become a society that purely wants to be entertained, and could care less about substance, sophistication, or excellent art.

Overall, TRANSFORMERS is a decent summer film which is lacking in many areas, but still contains a mostly enjoyable ride. Do I smell sequels or a FRANCHISE in its future? Imagine that... One thing I still ponder is what this film would have been like in the hands of Executive Producer Steven Spielberg? I guess we will just have to hope and pray for great things to come next may, when Indiana Jones 4 takes the big screen by storm.

GRADE: C+

RECOMMENDATION: See it for its sheer visual splendor, but don't expect much story.

REVIEW: Evan Almighty

In EVAN ALMIGHTY, a spin-off of 2003’s BRUCE ALMIGHTY, Steve Carrel plays Evan Baxter, a former Buffalo newscaster who has just become a newly appointed congressman. After moving his family to the D.C. suburbs, and getting settled into his new lifestyle complete with the family Hummer, a monstrous home, and a stray dog that likes to bite him in the privates, Evan gets a special visitation from God, played once again by Morgan Freeman. God tells Evan that a flood is coming, and that he must build an ark in order to save his family. Evan dismisses what God is saying until all different types of animals, in pairs, start following him around the D.C. area, from lions to lamas, and toucans to tarantulas. Birds fly into his capital hill office, sheep show up in the back seat of his car, and people in Washington are beginning to take notice. He even starts growing an unstoppable beard, and finds the ancient robe that keeps showing up in his closest quite comfortable. Evan eventually decides to build the ark with the help of his family, and in the end God will use Evan to save them from a man-made disaster, as well as national parks from being taken over by a greedy politician (John Goodman) who wishes only to suburbanize them.

Steve Carell (40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) plays an everyman Evan Baxter but never really feels completely secure in his role. His physical comedy is humorous, but at times feels forced. Carell’s strength here lies more in his restrained side which is stronger when he shares the screen with Morgan Freeman, who shines with a particular grace as the ACTUAL ALMIGHTY. Each scene between God and Baxter is done with a special sweetness and charm. You can almost sense Director Tom Shadyac’s admiration for the subject matter through the way in which he instructs Freeman to recite his lines. Lauren Graham as Joan, the wife of Evan, is both forgettable and flat, and is given no other objective than to whine and complain about Evan’s Other comic actors such as Wanda Sykes, playing Evan Baxter’s assistant, have some great bits of comedy, but are there purely to make us laugh, instead of making us laugh while moving the story along.

This movie is in essence flawed on many levels. Where is the real tension, or drama in this story? In BRUCE ALMIGHTY, Bruce (Jim Carrey) has to contend with his selfishness, his pride, and the fact that he fails at being God. In EVAN ALMIGHTY, Evan has to contend with non-stop shaving fits, building a boat, and people at work laughing at him. How is it that everyone could possibly dismiss Baxter as being crazy about his Ark ranting when exotic animals (lions, ostriches, etc) are following him around town, and when he doesn’t even bother to actually show people that his beard is instantaneously growing back? What are these EXOTIC animals really in danger from in the first palce? Why would God bring them to Washington D.C. in the first place when the flood only threatened a small area in the first place? Also, in the flood, which is not by the way, a “global” flood, wouldn’t people be drowned? The film makes not mention of the flood affecting anyone else but the main characters who are riding down it like an inner tube on the ark, though it forces its way down the streets and waterways of Washington D.C. One a theological level, how is Evan’s faith really tested when God keeps making himself known to Evan in blatantly obvious ways. Loads of building materials arrive from a mysterious company 1-800-GO-4-WOOD, acres of land suddenly become available across the street from Evan’s house, and did I already mention the hoards of animals that keep showing up at Evan’s front door. In the films final moments God tells Evan that the purpose of ARK was to spread Acts of Random Kindness which have the power to change the world. I give the film kudos for explaining how loving God is, but the filmmakers tend to skirt around the fact that God is also wrathful, jealous, and vengeful. I also understand that their intentions were to make a family-friendly movie that anyone could enjoy, and I think to some degree they achieved that. EVAN ALMIGHTY is void of the sex, violence, and language that tend to comedy films these days. It is always refreshing to see a comedy that is willing to just have a great time, yet not fall into the abyss of fart jokes, and sex humor, it is the formula that made NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM nearly $573 million at the worldwide box-office this past year, and for that, I give Shadyac major accolades.

In the end, EVAN ALMIGHTY is an over the top, ridiculous, nonsensical comedy that has instances of sweetness and sprinkles of theological truth rapped up in a warm-hearted family comedy filled to the brim with good intentions. Unfortunately, good intentions don’t always make the best movies.

GRADE: C

RECOMMENDATION: For those that don’t mind some cheap laughs, a flawed story, and some absurdities amongst some truly good-intentions.

My Blog Rating

First Pic of INDIANA JONES!

It has been almost 19 years since Harrison Ford was seen on a film set wearing one of the most recognizable costumes in film history, and today we finally get another look at him in it. Could May, 2008 come any sooner! Behold, Harrison Ford returns to the silver screen as INDIANA JONES, in the fourth installment of the beloved series which started filming last week...

3:10 to Yuma Trailer Hits!!!

Christian Bale takes on Russel Crowe in James Mangold's (Walk The Line) latest film!

American Gangster Trailer

Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington, Director Ridley Scott, and the writer of SCHINDLER'S LIST, do I smell a winner? It has a very FRENCH CONNECTION kind of feel to it, and if they pull it off it could very well be this years THE DEPARTED. It could also be a flop like Zaillan's remake of ALL THE KINGS MEN, but we will have to wait for November in order to find out. Can't wait for this one!

REVIEW: Pirates of the Carribean - At World's End

When PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL came out in 2003, no one thought that it would last one week at the box-office, let alone gross nearly 700 million dollars worldwide. Especially a cornball pop-corn action flick based on a theme park ride at Disneyland. Who could have guessed that it would soon become a phenomenon that would spawn a franchise of films, loads of merchandise, video games, and action figures? But what made our first visit to the Caribbean so enthralling was the whimsical, almost Charlie Chaplin meets slapstick western, nature of it. It had everything that an audience wanted out of a summer blockbuster: cursed pirates, high sea battles, sword fights, large set pieces, witty writing, and the foundation that held it all together, the creation of Captain Jack Sparrow played in every sense with freshness an energy by Johnny Depp. Depp brought so much to the role as to make Sparrow clearly one of the most original film characters since Indian Jones, or Han Solo, and it even earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. In PIRATES, Sparrow is a total scoundrel, but we love him anyway because underneath all of his selfishness and egoism's, he struggles to make the right decisions, and in the end he does so by helping to thwart the plans of Captain Barbossa, but never without a sense of outlandish flair. What PIRATES created was a sense of newness to high-seas adventures after a string of box-office blunders (CUTTHROAT ISLAND, WATERWORLD), and as soon as Disney saw the dollars roll in, they ordered-up two more installments to be filmed back-to-back. It was a move ala THE MATRIX trilogy of sorts, though even THE MATRIX films got the idea from the first trilogy to use this method - BACK TO THE FUTURE.

In PIRATES 2, we find ourselves surrounded again by a world of slapstick silliness, hungry cannibals, outlandish battles with a giant sea monster, more cursed pirates lead by the tyrannical and squid-faced Davy Jones, and at the core, Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp continues to ignite his performance in this installment with enough eccentric showmanship that we marvel at his ability to make meandering about as a drunken dimwit look easy, and showing just how much fun he has at playing this role. PIRATES 2 takes on a quite a darker tone than its predecessor, and the plot starts to get quite vexing and complicated, but it still remains a fantastical romp of a film from beginning to end. After all, it is a movie based on a theme part ride, can you really expect much more? The biggest fault in PIRATES 2 is that it leaves things completely open ended: Sparrow sacrifices himself to the Kraken, in which he is plunged into the metaphysical pirate purgatory known as "Davy Jones Locker"; Will Turner rallies to save his father Bootstrap-Bill Turner from his life debt to Davy Jones; Colonel Beckett, now possessing the heart of Jones as well as Jones's allegiance, wants to rid the world of pirates altogether; Elizabeth Swan wants to somehow make sense of everything that's going on, even after sentencing Sparrow to his fate; and in the end, Turner, Swan, and Sparrow's faithful shipmates set out on a voyage to save Sparrow from pirate hell, but not without the help of the recently resurrected Captain Barbosa.

And that leads us to PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END...

If you thought it was hard keeping track of all the plot lines, last minute betrayals, and twists of PIRATES 2, then you are in for an even greater treat with the latest installment of the franchise, which shows no signs of slowly down the production of future installments. That fact became almost certain when PIRATES 3 broke the worldwide opening weekend record with an estimated box-office gross of nearly $400 million, an impressive achievement. But there is only one way to truly describe PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END: an overstuffed turkey on the brink of bursting. For all its meandering, absurdities, and fatty excess, it remains no more than a pile of action sequences sewn together by unintelligible dialogue, cardboard characters, and a plot so absurd that it makes Terry Gilliam's THE BROTHER'S GRIMM a harrowing achievement of substance, heart, and meaning. The only meaning that I got out of PIRATES 3, with its constant tendency for characters to betray each other, lie, cheat, back stab, and steal, was how glorious it must have been to be a pirate, and to get away with such self-less behavior. The films tendency is to almost glamorize the act of piracy by painting a somewhat tyrannical picture of the British soldiers, and showing little sense of morality or conscience within the bub of main characters, who are suppose to represent heroism, but instead represent that which they have become, bumbling idiots. Hardly a moment passes by where characters actually have any type of moral dilemma about what they are doing, and why. They purely act out of their own self-righteous and self-loathing ideals from beginning to end, flaunting their prideful attitudes.

Another major issue I had with PIRATES 3, was its complete departure from the energy and liveliness of the first two films. Gone is the whimsical fun of the first films, and in its place is a plot that tends to revel in torment, violence, and making the audience feel utterly depressed. Throughout the whole film, I can hardly remember the moments that I actually laughed, or even smiled. Not only was this film stretched to an abhorrent length of nearly three hours, but it left me physically exhausted, and wanting nothing more than for the credits to role. It quickly lost its sense of entertainment, and became an exercise of pure endurance. The opening scene of the film involves the hanging of a slew of people, all condemned for their connection to piracy. The scene even features a young boy being hanged, his feet shown dangling in mid-air. Before the films end the audience must experience scenes of digits being snapped off, characters being impaled, a brain being licked, what many would consider an attempted rape, and what I would consider the most grotesque image, Davy Jones killing someone by shoving his tentacles down their throat. Where the first two PIRATES films left the violence between our hero's and immortal pirates comic swordplay, the third film takes it to a whole new level by making the it more realistic, more harrowing, and much more brutal.

From a filmmaker standpoint, what Director Gore Verbinski has crafted is a film of impeccable quality. His use of colors, cinematography, costumes, editing, and visual effects are impeccable. I think the only threat to PIRATES 3 winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects film to be TRANSFORMERS, which has seemed so flawless in all of the previews. Also, the production design is both haunting, beautiful, and unique, most notably for the extreme details placed into the sets featuring Singapore. But in the end, the film remains void of a memorable story, heroic characters, or without the fun and whimsical soul which the first two PIRATES films reflected so masterfully.

GRADE: C-

RECOMMENDATION: Only if you can stomach storytelling on steroids, horrible dialogue, and complete buffoonery.

THE JOKER!!!

I could not be more excited about THE DARK KNIGHT, the sequel to 2005 hit BATMAN BEGINS. Also, it seems as if the marketing campaign has already begun even though the film doesn't hit the screen until next June. The photo above is a glimpse of Heath Ledger in his full-on JOKER make-up. I absolutely love the approach the filmmakers are taking with this character. They are returning to the comic book by making JOKER less clown, and more psychotic maniac, and in the picture you can see for yourself how they will achieve this. I was not all that excited when I heard that Heath Ledger would be playing one of, if not the, greatest comic book villains in history, but this picture defiantly gives me more confidence. Christopher Nolan (MOMENTO, THE PRESTIGE) continues to give us glimpses into the male psyche and I trust that he will take us to dark places as we see what it is that makes the JOKER truly tick.

Can JUNE 2008 get here any sooner!!!

REVIEW: SPIDER-MAN 3

With the opening of SPIDER-MAN 3, SUMMER 2007 has officially arrived! Will it be the most successful summer in box-office history, who can really say? But what we do know is that having a film based on one of the most successful and beloved comic book franchises in history is not a bad way to start things off, even if the third entry in the series falls short from the previous two entries in the series. SPIDER-MAN 3 has already broken single-day, and single-week records all over the world, and it is a sure bet that Sony is already dreaming up SPIDER-MAN 4, 5, 6, and beyond. Weather or not they should make those sequels is another question altogether as Tobey McGuire, Kirsten Dunst, and director Sam Raimi have all stated that it may be time for them to step down, or at least take a break from this franchise.

The first SPIDER-MAN took us into the origins and life of an ordinary nerd named Peter Parker, a simple-minded guy with nothing too attractive about his life. He is a class clown, a dork, constantly bullied, lives with his elderly aunt and uncle, but underneath it all he is no different then any of us. He longs for a girl he is almost destined to never have, he struggles with being content for the blessings that he does have, and he never feels adequate enough, sound familiar? Then one day he is bitten by a radioactive spider and becomes SPIDER-MAN, a web-slinger that fights crime in order to ease the guilt he suffered for his role in the death of his uncle Ben Parker, the closest father figure that he ever had. We are all like Peter Parker is some way or another, and that is the core and beauty of what SPIDER-MAN represents, he is an ordinary person who is endowed with extraordinary responsibilities, and it is how he reacts to real-life challenges, and how he faces the consequences of his actions that makes his story relevant to all our lives.

In SPIDER-MAN 2, we find Peter Parker facing a lot of new problems. He is constantly late to work, he can never commit to seeing Mary Jane in her latest acting role, he can barely get the rent in on time for his shabby apartment, he is falling behind in his school work, and while juggling all these things, he is still a crime fighting web-slinger on the side. If SPIDER-MAN was about the origins of our hero and the responsibilities that having such powers bring, SPIDER-MAN 2 is about whether or not Peter Parker really wants such responsibilities to begin with. He can't juggle being a hero and leading a normal life at the same time, so he gives up the hero, and wants none of it. In the end Peter realizes that no matter the hardships that life brings, he is both Peter Parker and Spider-man, and they are one in the same.

In SPIDER-MAN 3, we find Peter Parker in a quite a different predicament. Peter's life is shaping up quite nicely as he is getting ready to propose to Mary Jane, he is at the top of his college class, and all of New York is in love with spider-man, things could not be going better for him. But when a alien symbiote crash lands on earth and attaches itself to Peter's spidey-suit, things start to get interesting. The longer that Peter wears the suit the more his aggressive and selfish tendencies come out. He is more proned to acts of deliberate mockery, lust, egoism, and anger. This then becomes the core of Peter's newest enemy, himself. Many criticisms have been made of the way in which director Sam Raimi showcases Parker's more "malicious" side as being cheesy, laughable, or just plain awkward. Personally, I found it to be not only very whimsical but also humorous, artistically satisfying, and quite entertaining. Furthermore, Tobey MacGuire is allowed to fully let loose, continuing to give us a character depiction that is filled with energy, class, and substance. If SPIDER-MAN was about dealing with new responsibilities, and SPIDER-MAN 2 was about facing the temptation to throw ones responsibilities away, then SPIDER-MAN 3 is about pride and how it corrupts and destroys everyone in its path. That story sounds simple enough but throw in a plot about Harry's continued revenge attempts for the death of his Father (The Green Goblin), a new photographer in town named Eddie Brock who wants Parker's job and later becomes the villain VENOM, an escaped conman who becomes THE SANDMAN and is the actual killer of Uncle Ben, and a new gal in Parker's life named Gwen Stacey and you get SPIDER-MAN 3, a movie with so many plots that each one would be a fitting film of its own, and you know that the audiences would gladly show up.

In the end, what suffers the most from SPIDER-MAN 3's bloated script is the character development. Thomas Haiden Church plays a masterful SAND MAN, but he might as well have been a cardboard cutout because I just didn't care about his character, or really know or understand anything about him. I do give major accolades to the special effects wizards for giving the effects of the film an almost seamless feel, especially for a scene in which the SAND-MAN is created, it is both beautiful and breathtaking to watch. You could tell how much director Sam Raimi truly loved the character of SAND-MAN, and to think if only the whole film had been centered around this deeply conflicted character, his motivation's behind uncle Ben's murder, and Peter's struggle to avenge the actual man who killed his uncle.

Another problem I had with SPIDER-MAN 3 was the many contrivances seen throughout the story. The asteroid with the black symbiote goo lands right next to the web which Peter and Mary Jane are lying on the park, is immediately attracted to Peter, latches itself onto his scooter, and manages to wind up unnoticed in his bedroom where it finally overtakes him. Other such contrivances include a scene where Harry learns the truth about his father's death from a butler that we have never before seen or been introduced too. Not that the other movies didn't have their own share of implausibilities as well, like the likelihood of spider-man being friends with the very guy whose father ends up being the GREEN GOBLIN. This is a minor quibble but I did find myself being bothered by it, which never occurred during the other two films. In the end you just have to assume that their is going to be some sense of unbelievability in a story which is founded in a comic world. However, I do think that it has a lot to do with strength of the story itself. The filmmakers obviously had so much they had to say and tell, that they had to make shortcuts in order for the storytelling to progress more quickly so that all the threads could be completed by the end, and unfortunate that led to contrivances, a bloated plot, and moments of sloppy storytelling.

When all is send and done, SPIDER-MAN 3 is still an extremely solid entry into the world of comic book film adaptations, their is only hesitation their because the first two entries into this universe were done so carefully, so wonderfully, and were so meticulous to the story being told. The themes of overcoming pride, dealing with selfishness, and asking for forgiveness or so prevalent in the film that the films climax had me in tears. Their are moments of extreme beauty, and such grand filmmaking in this film, that at moments all of my criticisms melted away, and I was just sitting their in awe with the biggest grin on my face as I watched spider-man swing with an almost perfect grace through the shimmering high rises of upper and lower Manhattan. Spider-man continues to teach us that "with great power comes great responsibility," that suffering and pain is a part of daily life, that even heroes are in need of a savior, and that we all have the choice of doing what we know is right. For that, thanks go out to the filmmakers for making a terrific set of films.

GRADE: B

RECOMMENDED: See it on the big screen!

FAVORITE FILMS OF 2007

Friday morning I will embark on a 12:01 AM viewing of SPIDER MAN 3, the film that will jump start what could potentially be the most successful summer in box-office history. But before we get into summer movie mania, it is time to finally put 2006 to bed.

2006 was a year chalked full of blockbusters that were successful yet lacked much depth or critical interest (PIRATES 2, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 3, DA VINCI CODE, SUPERMAN RETURNS, etc...), and films that challenged commonly held social beliefs towards issues such as the environment (AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH), the African diamond trade (BLOOD DIAMOND), tradition vs. modernism (THE QUEEN), even the very nature of heroism itself (FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, LETTERS FROM IWA JIMA). All in all, 2006 was a great year at the movies; a far cry from years past, but a leap forward in comparison to a dismal 2005.

It still saddens me though that Hollywood still favors objective and cynical storytelling over stories that don't beat you over the head with their blatant agendas. CHILDREN OF MEN was a powerful film about hope, yet the filmmakers kept making references to the cruelty of "Homeland Security," and how awful the (our) government really is; I even felt at times that the film was mocking the obvious allegorical reference that it made to a messianic child that would be born and ultimately change the world, even though that is what the film hinges itself upon. HAPPY FEET was an exercise in how manipulative children's movies are becoming with its fickled social commentary on how awful humans are treating the planet, and its contorted view of the dominance of religion in the world. What would we do without PIXAR?

Even though 2006 was a much better year at the movies, I still look back and find myself having not been wildly entertained by many of the films that were released. Most of the films on my top ten list I most likely will not buy on DVD because they just aren't the kind of films you really want to submit yourself too on an ongoing basis. Even though they have very powerful messages at their core, they frankly just hit too close to home, and sometimes taking a trip out of the reality of our daily lives gives us the chance to hope that somewhere out there one will find the opportunity for a greater life. In short, the reason why PIRATES 2 was the biggest blockbuster of the year is simple, it was a great time at the movies, and it doesn't hurt that every female on the planet goes bananas over Jonny Depp, that teenage guys salivate over Keira Knightley, or that Orlando Bloom is pure teen girl eye candy! Yes, some people still want to have a good time at the movies these days, and can we blame them when all they see on the news is one dreadful thing after another? Must the cinema reflect such a negative outlook on life when there are so many things to be thankful for? Frank Capra, where are you when we desperately need you?

Here are my top 10 movie picks of 2006:

#10: APOCALYPTO
Mel Gibson has proven once again that he is a fantastic director. Some continue to think that he is flat out crazy, shooting another film in a dead language about an ancient culture, with his own money, and using all no-name actors, sounds pretty crazy to me. However, the result is a wild ride that sucks you in and won't let you go until the credits role. This film was the most exhilarating movie going experience of the year, and aside from his personal life, Gibson continues to make a believer out of me.

(Caution: This film has scenes of extreme brutality.)

#9: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Will Smith gives one of the best performances of the year, and one of the best performances of his career. Also, you can't deny the magical charisma going on between real life father and son. This is a film abut persevering through the toughest trials in life, and realizing that you just can't make it on your own. It is not a perfect film, but it is a film that will touch your heart, and inspire you to discover where happiness truly lies.

#8: CARS
Can PIXAR ever go wrong? They just get it, they get story, they understand what memorable characters really are, and they are never afraid to take us to a place that we would never imagine, but that fits the mold of their characters so perfectly. On the surface this is a film about cars and a love letter to an age in which a road trip down old Route 66 couldn't be beat, but underneath it all is parable about friendship, forgiveness, selfishness, and how life isn't just about the destination, but the journey that it takes to get there.

#7: STRANGER THAN FICTION
Harold Crick may be the world's most boring person, but the moment he realizes that his life is being written by an author who he can hear in his head he finds himself, and he begins to come alive. This is a film about cherishing every moment that you have, about finding fulfillment in the smallest of things, and realizing that sometimes it takes facing death to bring out the greatest qualities in each of us.

#6: CASINO ROYALE
What, a bond that bleeds, who questions the kind of life that he should lead, who actually has a soul. Every one thought that Daniel Craig would be the worst Bond of all, with his blond hair and short resume, but in CASINO ROYALE he forever silenced all those who denied him. Daniel Craig has brought a new gravitas to the character of James Bond that makes CASINO ROYALE the most real and gritty bond of all them all. The cheesy one-liners are gone, the contrived gadgets that get bond out of every sticky situation are gone, and the ditsy seductress Bond Girl is gone, leaving a film that is riveting to behold, with a sense of charm and whimsy that leaves its viewers fulfilled, even in the face of tragedy. CASINO ROYALE just might rival GOLDENEYE and GOLDFINGER as one of the best Bond movies ever, and Daniel Craig may even rival Connery as one of the best actors to ever suit up in the famed black tux, or to drink his martini's shaken and not stirred.

#5: PANS LABYRINTH
In the vein of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, Guimero Del Toro, the director of BLADE 2 and HELLBOY has given us the best foray into the fantasy genre since LORD OF THE RINGS. PANS LABYRINTH is the story of a little girl name Ofelia who discovers a ancient labyrinth where a faun gives her three tasks to perform. Not only must Ofelia face the horrors of the fantasy world that she has stumbled into, she must also face the horrors of her tyrant stepfather who is a man of unmistakable evil. Underneath the films adult content, for this is no children's tale, there is story about facing your fears, hope for a better world, and self-sacrifice.

(CAUTION: This film contains some intense moments of brutality.)

#4 CHARLOTTES WEB
What is it about farm animal stories that is so enduring. First there was BABE and now EB White's classic tale of friendship comes to life in a vivid realism. The film follows the story of Wilbur, a runt pig that was rescued from the slaughter house by a little girl that saw something wonderful in him. Wilbur soon befriends a spider named Charlotte and the adventure begins to save the Christmas dinner fate that awaits Wilbur. Walden Media, the makers of NARNIA, BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, and HOLES, have presented themselves as the premiere producers of enduring family entertainment, and CHARLOTTE'S WEB is no detractor.

#3: LITTLE CHILDREN
Two small town stay-at-home parents find themselves trapped in an adulterous love affair they they willfully condoned. Both come from marriages that are for the most part non-existent. The title says it all, we may find that our children do childish things, but in reality adults can be just as selfish, just as feisty, and just as manipulative as "little children." In the end this is a film about how the fulfillment of lustful desires can only leave you empty, and how it can only hurt the ones that truly need you attention, your commitment, and you love.

(CAUTION: This movie contains some brief moments of intense sexuality, and some nudity.)

#2: WORLD TRADE CENTER
Two port authority police officers find themselves trapped under the debris of the collapsed World Trade Center buildings. Oliver Stone brings all the elements of his 30 year film career to showcase this story of true courage, hope, and bravery. The surprising part of this film is Oliver Stone himself. For years he has been consistently labeled as one of films most controversial directors. His Vietnam trilogy (PLATOON, BORNE ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, HEAVEN AND EARTH) gave us plenty of reasons why the Vietnam War was one of the biggest mistakes our country ever made, JFK explores the conspiracy theories behind the assassination of President Kennedy, and ANY GIVEN SUNDAY is an exploration of the power struggles that plague professional sports, specifically football. But with WOLRD TRADE CENTER, Stone has set his ego and his agenda aside to present us with a story about enduring the most horrific obstacles, and how faith, family, and hope can conquer any act done out of hate and evil. This film is nothing short of a triumph in a time when their are little triumphs to be seen.

#1: UNITED 93

When word that Hollywood would be adapting stories from 9/11 to the big screen, I thought to myself that it was just too soon to do so. We are still a nation trying to cope with the continuing pain and despair of that monumental day in history, but as it turns out, the timing could not have been better. UNITED 93 is a story about loss, pain, and terror, but it is also a story about courage, strength, hope, and ultimately self-sacrifice. How many more lives would have been lost if the folks on UNITED 93 had not banded together, risked their own lives, and given them willfully away? This is a film that is shot so real that it feels like you are actually seeing the events unfold before you, and the images still haunt my thoughts to this day. This film is not about the government, it is not about the terrorists, it is about a day when a group of strangers gave there lives in order to stop hate, in order to stop evil, and in order to stop destruction. It is a moment in history that will never be forgotten, and never should be.

NOTABLE MENTIONS (In no particular order):

• The Queen
• Blood Diamond
• The Prestige
• The Illusionist
• Letters From Iwa Jima
• Dreamgirls
• Little Miss Sunshine
• The Painted Veil
• Pirates 2
• Over The Hedge

Aronofsky's Next: NOAH

It looks like the director of such intense films as PI, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, and last years THE FOUNTAIN is currently writing the screenplay to his next feature length film, an adaptation of the Biblical account of NOAH. The details of the project are pretty vague at this point, but Aronofsky does share part of his inspiration for bringing such an adaptation to life during an interview with a paper called The Guardian. Here is a sampling from the article:

Aronofsky and Noah go way back. When the writer-director was 13, he won a United Nations competition at his school in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn; it was for his first poem, a little effort about the end of the world as seen through Noah's eyes. "That story has interested me ever since," he says, squinting through his yellow-tinted shades and pulling a striped woolly hat on to his head. We are on the decking in front of his hotel, with the snow-dusted mountains spread out before us. Henry, Aronofsky and Weisz's 10-month-old son has just been whisked off on a sightseeing trip with his nanny, and all is tranquil.
The script, Aronofsky tells me, is no conventional biblical epic. "Noah was the first person to plant vineyards and drink wine and get drunk," he says admiringly. "It's there in the Bible - it was one of the first things he did when he reached land. There was some real survivor's guilt going on there. He's a dark, complicated character."

The full article can be read at http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2065823,00.html.

SUMMER 2007 LINE-UP!!!

When 12:01 AM hits next Friday, SUMMER 2007 will officially begin, and what a summer to behold!!! Last year was full of box-office blunders (Poseidon), critical disappointments (The Da Vinci Code, X-Men 3, Fantastic Four), and plenty of folks just wondering what had happened to the real SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER. X-Men 3, Da Vinci Code, and Pirates 2 all carried away huge box-office receipts, but none completely captured the hearts of both critics and movie-goers as in past years, accept for maybe Cars, but even its reception was not as warm as past Pixar films. So what will happen when three of the highest grossing film franchises of all time (Spider-Man, Shrek, Pirates) bring out their third installments within the same month? Expect one of the biggest box-office battles in history, and don't forget that there are plenty of other films just waiting to take their share of the box-office booty that awaits. Some are already hedging their bets for this to be the most successful summer at the movies in history, and here are the films that have the potential to make it happen:

MAY 4 - SPIDER MAN 4

MAY 18 - SHREK 3

MAY 25 - PIRATES 3

JUNE 15 - RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER

JUNE 22 - EVAN ALMIGHTY

JUNE 27 - LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD

JUNE 29 - RATATOUILLE

JULY 4 - TRANSFORMERS

JULY 13 - HARRY POTTER 5

JULY 27 - THE SIMPSONS

AUGUST 3 - THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

AUGUST 10 - RUSH HOUR 3

Hopefully this will be a summer to remember, hopefully. Will Transformer's totally stink, will Pirates take box-office glory for a second year in a row, and will Evan Almighty, the MOST EXPENSIVE COMEDY EVER MADE, drown? Only time and box-office #'s will tell!!!