In this economy, if you have to choose… this isn’t the one animated family movie to pack up the kids and head to the movie theater for this year… “Monsters vs. Aliens” is a movie you should probably wait to rent.

My initial reaction when the movie ended was “that was okay”, shrugged my shoulders and started making additional notes…. but in the end, it comes back to the movie being just okay.  I’m sure that kids will like the action and the funny business, and there are jokes and references to make parents laugh, but when it comes down to deciding which movie to drop $50 at the theater to take the whole family… this isn’t the one so far this year.

 I will say that the screening I attended was in 2D, not the intended 3D, and I would guess that this movie is probably better in 3D, so add 0.5 to my rating if your seeing it in 3D.

The characters are fun with good voice talent, but the story is overly predictable, some of the comedy seems forced like there weren’t enough jokes and gags for the whole movie, so they came up with some fillers… in the end, there’s nothing really special about this movie.

As far as the funny goes… this is probably Set Rogen’s funniest role yet… the combination of the comedic character of B.O.B. (on poster, left) and not seeing Rogen makes his lines the funniest of his career.

THE BOTTOM LINE: 

This movie will keep most kids watching and laughing, but for parents, when the good jokes run out, only the references to other sci-fi movies will hold your attention, references that include ”Independence Day”, “War of the Worlds”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “E.T.”, “Spaceballs”, and even the AXEL F theme from “Beverly Hills Cop”.   But in the end, this movie is just okay, nothing special… I give it 6.0 out of 10. 

 “Monsters vs. Aliens”

(2009) (rated: PG for sci-fi action, some crude humor and mild language)
(1 hr, 34 min)

Starring the voices of: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert, Paul Rudd, Julie White, Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Poehler, Ed Helms, Renée Zellweger, John Krasinski

Directors: Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon

Genre: Animation/Sci-Fi/Action

The Plot: When a meteorite from outer space hits a young girl and turns her into a giant monster, she is taken to a secret government compound where she meets a ragtag group of monsters also rounded up over the years.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

“Monsters vs. Aliens” poster courtesy DreamWorks

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This supporting cast of folksy characters makes a mostly predictable formula better than your typical romantic comedy.
Renée Zellweger is back in a role that fits her, along with romantic interest Harry Connick Jr. and a fun cast of characters from New Ulm, Minnesota, this romantic comedy is the first true “date movie” of the year.

The movie opens with two of the quirkier characters from New Ulm in southest Minnesota – Blanche played by great character actress Siobhan Fallon (birthing coach in “Baby Mama” (2008), hostage in “The Negotiator” (1998), Edgar’s wife in “Men in Black” (1997)) and Trudy Van Uuden played by Frances Conroy – gossiping around the scrapbook table about Renée’s character coming to town.

Blanche and Trudy steal scenes back and forth until Stu the plant manager - played brilliantly by J.K. Simmons – is introduced, then the three characters shoot out one Min-uh-so-tahn one-liner after another.  Including Trudy Van Uuden telling Renée’s character Lucy how to spell her last name, saying ”thats double U, not dub-ya”.

Sure its a Minnesota stereotype… but they embrace it and all the actors fit right into this town of characters, including the waitress at the local diner, and yes, her name is “Flo”.

Renée’s character Lucy comes from Miami to the cold of southeast Minnesota and doesn’t fit in well with these well developed characters as the new President of the plant – which is the lifeblood of the town.

The premise of changes and downsizing at the plant also hits home for Michiganders in this economy with the prospects of job losses and plant closings, and the folksy characters of New Ulm not only are different from Lucy, they are leary of her arrival because it usually signals job cuts.

While she’s there, Lucy has one funny mishap after another as the “new person in town”, they range from her first introduction of cold weather at the airport to her crashing into a snowbank after her weekend flight home is cancelled.

THE BOTTOM LINE: this movie works well, and has all the makings to be a hit at the box office, at first I would give it a 7.5, but the strength of great characters makes this better… I give it 7.9 out of 10… one of the better romantic comedies I’ve seen in awhile.

 “New in Town”

(2009) (rated: PG for brief strong language)
(1 hr, 36 min)

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., Siobhan Fallon, J.K. Simmons, Mike O’Brien, Frances Conroy, Ferron Guerreiro, Bobbie Mitchell, Barbara James Smith, James Durham, Robert Small, Wayne Nicklas, Hilary Carroll, Nancy Drake

Director: Jonas Elmer

Genre: Romantic/Comedy

The Plot: A Miami businesswoman adjusts to her new life in a tiny Minnesota town.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

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“New In Town” poster courtesy Lionsgate

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 If you like Westerns, you’ll like this movie more than the average audience… and while its central theme of the friendship between the characters played by Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen will keep you interested, its lingering moments and lengthy shots may have you checking the time until this nearly two-hour long movie wraps up.

 “Appaloosa”

(2008) (rated: R for some violence and language) (1 hr, 54 min)

Starring: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Jeremy Irons, Renee Zellweger, Timothy V. Murphy, James Gammon, Timothy Spall, Tom Bower, Rex Linn, Lance Henriksen, Luce Rains, James Tarwater

Genre: Western/Drama

The Plot: Two friends hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow.

MY TAKE (spoiler free):

Please don’t get me wrong… I appreciate great landscapes and cinematography… they are a great device for putting the audience in the setting and reminding them they are still there… but where so many great movies use the device to perfection, it may be “Appaloosa”’s achilles heel.

Of course, I did go into this movie with the knowledge that the movie would have some lingering shots – since Ed Harris told us that when I talked to him  about “Appaloosa”, but I didn’t think all those long shots would add up so much!

While this movie fights to conform to the typical modern western (with the lengthy shots and limited action sequences), its is well made with great lines, some humor, really good cinematography, and good costumes and set design.

There’s more dialogue and focus on relationships (Ed and Viggo), than ”shoot ‘em up” action sequences – although I really didn’t mind that – it felt like we were following the characters along in a sort of “day in the life” of a lawman story.

Harris and Mortensen were perfect for these roles… the relationship they cultivate in this movie gives you the feeling these two guys have been enforcing the law for years together…. their relationship has a lot of depth and layers… but is woven well into the plot.

The villian glove fits Jeremy Irons (despite the british accent), … the supporting cast was solid… but Reneè didn’t fit this movie… the other women in the movie fit well, but I just wasn’t buying all of Reneè’s performance… it seemed forced or unnatural like she wasn’t comfortable with the character…. she wanted to be in the movie… but her acting just didn’t work here.

THE BOTTOM LINE: 

The version we see in the theaters could have been the Director’s cut that is re-released months after the movie is seen in theaters, but because of lingering shots, slow plot moments, and limited action… I give it 6.9 out of 10…. just short of recommending you to see it at the theater.    I wouldn’t be surprised to see an Academy Award nomination from this movie – although it may be more in the line of screenplay, costumes, set design, or cinematography.

So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

“Appaloosa” poster courtesy New Line Cinema

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