Spies & Idiots!

Three new movies hit the big screen today!

Of the three new movies only two really rise to the top. The third is actually in somewhat of a limited release. The sad thing about the movies this weekend also revolves around the fact that of the three movies, one is getting lots of promotion, while the truly funny movie of the weekend will fly under the radar as it almost seems like Hollywood is trying to make it fail. But, the pull for the movie is Steve Carell.

So, maybe Dinner for Schmucks will surprise everyone.

New On The Big Screen

Dinner for Schmucks – PG-13 on 2,911 screens
Paul Rudd’s Tim invites a dimwitted man, played by Steve Carell to dinner. It’s not a friendly gesture on Tim’s part – he’s involved in a competition among his co-workers to bring the biggest idiot he can find to the dinner.

Frame by Frame movie review of Dinner for Schmucks!

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore – PG on 3,705 screens
Cats and dogs set aside their differences to stop the evil Kitty Galore, voiced by Bette Midler, from taking over the world. Neil Patrick Harris, Christina Applegate, James Marsden, Nick Nolte and Roger Moore also lend their voice talent to the film.

Frame by Frame movie review of Cats & Dogs!

Charlie St. Cloud – PG-13 on 2,720 screens
Zac Efron is a sailor who struggles with the death of his younger brother as he pursues a romance with a former high school classmate. Kim Basinger and Ray Liotta also star.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

PG for animal action and humor.
Genre: Action, adventure, comedy, family
Running Time: 1 hour 22 minutes

It’s the age-old battle between cats and dogs, but one crazed feline is going a little too  far!

Kitty Galore, formerly an agent for the cat spy organization MEOWS, has gone rogue and hatched a diabolical plan to not only bring her canine enemies to heel, but take down her former kitty comrades and make the world her scratching post. Faced with an unprecedented threat, cats and dogs are forced to join forces for the first time in history in an unlikely alliance to save themselves – and their humans.

That of course means…it’s time for some fur to fly in…

It’s James Bond With Animals!

She’s back and she’s looking for revenge!

It’s Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore and I must admit, this movie surprised me. The trailers made it look interesting. However, at the same time, the trailers also made it look a little cheesy too. But, in the end, the most interesting part about this movie revolves around the fact that it’s pretty much a spoof on James Bond movies. The only difference, instead of humans teaming up, it’s cats and dogs working together. Even the opening credits go by like a bad James Bond flashback!

Making Cats & Dogs even more interesting when it comes to spoofing James Bond – Roger Moore voices the cat, Tab Lazenby, playing the head of the MEOW organization!

Other big names lending their voice talent to this movie include the likes of James Marsden, Nick Nolte and Bette Midler who provides the voice of none-other than Kitty Galore! For a PG rated movie, aimed at kids of course, the James Bond parallels and the voice talent make this an enjoyable experience for adults too.

Enjoyable Movie – But Not A Strong Movie

While I admit I did laugh at points throughout Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, for the most part, this is a predictable movie. At least it’s predictable for adults. But remember, adults are not the target audience here. This flick is aimed at kids who want to see cats and dogs talking and acting on the big screen. That’s why I refer to Cats & Dogs as an enjoyable movie, but not a strong movie.

Parents – Keep in Mind This Is Rated PG!

On another note, when it comes to rating – parents – remember this is not a G rated movie. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is rated PG for a reason. Just because the trailers look cute with talking animals, does not mean this is a kid-friendly movie for a really young audience. This flick is really aimed at probably the 8 and above crowd. Kids younger than 8 will simply find this movie too harsh. As a matter of fact, during the screening I attended, some parents who had young children with them, left because it’s just too edgy for a really young audience.

As for length, clocking in at slightly less than an hour and a half, is pretty much the perfect length for a movie like this. We are calling it family-friendly for the rating. But as I just mentioned above, remember, this is a PG rated movie not a G rated movie. Parents, if you’re looking for a movie to catch with your somewhat older kids, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is worth it.

For kids, it’s always fun to see animals talking. For parents, it’s enjoyable because of the voice talent and the James Bond feel to the movie.

But, if you’re kids aren’t clamoring to see the movie, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore might best be viewed from the comfort of your home when it comes out on DVD.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Dinner for Schmucks

PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content,
some partial nudity and language
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Dinner for Schmucks is the story of Tim, a guy on the verge of having it all. The only thing standing between him a total career of success is finding the perfect guest to take to his boss’ annual Dinner for Extraordinary People. It’s an event where the winner of the evening shows up with the most eccentric character as his guest.

Enter Barry…a guy with a passion for dressing mice up in tiny outfits to recreate great works of art.

A Laugh Out Loud Movie

Dinner for Schmucks stars Steve Carell as Barry and Paul Rudd as Tim. I must admit I was not really excited about the screening for this movie. However, with a PG-13 rating, I knew it was one I couldn’t avoid. So, even though the trailers were not interesting at all, I forced myself to attend the screening.

I’m very glad I went!

As I’ve said before, I’m not a movie cop, but the focus of our reviews is to point out whether or not movies are truly family-friendly or not. Many times what Hollywood calls family-friendly, are far from family-friendly. Not to sound like a broken record here, but the MPAA rating system really needs to be revisited. It is truly out of touch with what’s appropriate. All they need to do as add one more rating category – M for Mature – That, by the way, is exactly what Dinner for Schmucks needs for a rating. This is not a family-friendly movie with a rating of PG-13. The material is simply not appropriate for that age group. However, if there were a rating of M for Mature for the 17 and up crowd, then this movie is perfect!

Dinner for Schmucks is a classic example of the fact that you cannot judge a movie by its trailer.

The trailer for this movie makes it look like it will be nothing more than a rude and crude movie with little contact and little creative humor. Which of course added even more to my disinterest in screening this movie. But, off I went as a dutiful critic to screen the flick. I took our 18 year old son and another friend with me.

As we drove home our son said – “I thought I was going to go deaf because I was in between you and Skeeter and you guys laugh loud!”

In other words, we absolutely loved Dinner for Schmucks as it’s a laugh-out-loud, hilariously funny movie. What changed me mind you ask? The script writing. All too often script writers for movies like this go for the rude and crude jokes just to get a quick laugh. Of course this tactic proves to only make people feel uncomfortable. The laughter is more of a nervous laughter than a laughter of fun.

Such is not the case with Dinner for Schmucks.

The scriptwriting is creative, the jokes original and the slapstick fall down comedy style of Steve Carell is great. Then, as an added bonus, there’s even a message tucked away inside the movie too! While it’s true the comedy is edgy, it does not fall into the raunchy, rude and crude category. I like a good laugh and I like creative humor. It’s obvious that not only the scriptwriters worked hard, but all those involved in Dinner for Schmucks worked hard too.

It Will Probably Get Lost In A Sea Of Movies

Even though I absolutely loved Dinner for Schmucks, I have a feeling this latest Steve Carell movie will probably get lost in the sea of Hollywood movie offerings. Not only is the advance promotion for this movie limited, but for all intents and purposes, Dinner For Schmucks is opening in a limited release.

While it is opening on 2,500 screens, that’s a far cry from the usual 3,000+ screens that what Hollywood hopes to be blockbusters open on.

In other words, the entertainment world seems to be burying Dinner for Schmucks right out of the gate. That’s too bad. As I’ve already mentioned above, while this movie is not family-friendly and is rather edgy, it is creative and hilarious.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Dreams Beat Out Spies For #1 Box Office Spot!

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise – DiCaprio Beats Out Jolie!

Leonardo DiCaprio rubbed salt in Angelina Jolie’s wounds at the weekend box office. DiCarprio’s Inception was the #1 movie for the second weekend in a row. Since it’s release on July 16th the latest Christopher Nolan directed flick has pulled in $143.7 million!

Meanwhile, Jolie’s spy thriller Salt did well in its first three days of release opening in the #2 spot. The weekend’s other wide release debut flick, the family comedy Ramona and Beezus debuted in sixth place.

Top 10 Weekend Box Office with Estimates

1. Inception – $43.5 million
2. Salt – $36.5 million
3. Despicable Me – $24.1 million
4. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – $9.7 million
5. Toy Story 3 – $9 million
6. Ramona and Beezus – $8 million
7. Grown Ups – $7.6 million
8. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – $7 million
9. The Last Airbender – $4.2 million
10. Predators – $2.9 million

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Angelina Jolie’s Box Office Weekend Fav

Angelina Jolie hits the big screen this weekend in a role that’s a new adventure for her. The most impressive thing about Salt revolves around the fact that Jolie did her own stunts in this movie! Aside from Jolie’s spy flick there’s a new G rated movie hitting the big screen this weekend too.

By the end of the weekend will we have a new #1 box office topper? Only time will tell!

Personally, my pick for the weekend, even though it’s not a family-friendly movie, is Salt.

New On The Big Screen

Salt – PG-13 on 3,612 screens
Angelina Jolie is a CIA agent named Evelyn Salt who’s accused of being a Russian spy. While on the run, she also sets out to prove the allegations are false. Liev Schreiber also stars.

Frame by Frame review of movie Salt!

Ramona and Beezus – Rated G on 2,719 screens
Ramona, a mischievous young girl played by newcomer Joey King comes to the rescue when her family is in danger of losing their home. Selena Gomez co-stars as her older sister, Beezus, in this movie adaptation of the popular Beverly Cleary book series – which, just to be confusing, is entitled Beezus and Ramona. John Corbett, Bridget Moynahan and Ginnifer Goodwin also appear in the film.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Salt

PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action.
Genre: Action, drama, thriller
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes

In Columbia Pictures’ Salt, Angelina Jolie stars as Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer who swore an oath to duty, honor and country. When she’s accused by a defector of being a Russian sleeper spy, Salt goes on the run to clear her name and ultimately prove she is a patriot. Using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative, she must elude capture and protect her husband or the world’s most powerful forces will erase any trace of her existence.

As she works to prove her innocence the question remains…
Who is Salt?

Who Is Salt?

Wow! This is really a fast-paced spy movie which lives up to its genre classification of “action, drama and thriller”. Salt has all the right components for an edge-of-your-seat-experience as you find yourself spinning in a world of spies.

Who’s the good guy? Who’s the bad guy?
What happened to the one that was supposed to be a bad guy?

All of those questions are asked, and more in Salt. Angelina Jolie plays a CIA officer named Evelyn Salt. But, when she’s accused of being a Russian spy, her entire life is turned upside down. Of course she must prove her innocence, but in the midst of trying to prove her innocence, more doubt is cast on her motives. As the movie takes many twists and turns the truth behind her identity becomes more and more complicated.

I will say this, in light of recent real life events of Russian sleeper spies being deported out of the United States, Salt certainly makes for a timely movie. As already mentioned above, this movie has all the right components for an action spy movie. But, if you’re expecting something on the level of James Bond, you will be disappointed.

Salt is by no means the slick clean cut James Bond type spy movie.

Great Performances By All

All those involved in Salt put in amazing performances. I know I’ve pointed this out in other movies recently, but perhaps all those involved in the entertainment business have kicked things up a level. In the face of a poor economy, it is no secret that even Hollywood felt the pinch as the number of movies being produced has dramatically dropped. Maybe the Actors Guild has figured out there’s more to making a movie than just showing up.

When it comes to the performance of Angelina Jolie, she is simply spectacular. I would even go as far as saying this is perhaps her best role ever. Too often Jolie has been tossed onto the big screen as nothing more than eye candy. But in Salt not only does she go above and beyond the eye candy role, but she taps into an acting style that seems right up her alley too. Then, on top of her great performance, when you toss in the fact that Jolie did her own stunts in Salt, it brings even more of an appreciation for what’s taking place on the big screen during this movie. While she does have a stunt double listed in the credits, I have a feeling that double did little work. Jolie herself says “this is the first time I kind of got to play with dramatic scenes. But,” she goes on to say, “jumping off a moving car was fun!”

So before you ask the question, the answer is “yes”! That is indeed Angelina Jolie jumping from truck to truck and car to car.

Over all, we really enjoyed Salt. The filmmakers used an edgy type feel to the shots and with all the action, this does indeed come off more like a reality movie than a squeaky-clean James Bond movie. From the opening scene, to the closing scene just before the credits role, Salt is more than just a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s also a movie that keeps guessing and wondering who’s the good guy and who’s the bad guy.

I will say this – by the end of the movie, all is clear…
The question of – Who is Salt? – is even answered.

When it comes to rating, sadly we have to say Salt once again represents the reason the MPAA is so out of touch with reality when it comes to ratings. While the “f-bomb” is dropped only once and even then it’s hardly audible, there’s simply too much violence in this movie for a PG-13 rating. Of course that doesn’t mean it needs an R rating either, but even still, Salt is by no means family-friendly.

All in all, Salt truly is a great movie for those who love action. There’s even enough of a plot line going on here to keep things interesting too. This is by no means a “turn-your-mind-off” type of movie. You need to stay alert and keep up with the story to know what’s going on. But, when it comes to rating, the MPAA really needs to come up with an M for Mature audience as this is best viewed by those 16 years old and up.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Dream Stealer’s Take #1 Box Office Spot

Christopher Nolan New Pick Takes Top Box Office Spot

Inception, the first Christopher Nolan directed movie since the Caped Crusaders The Dark Knight grabbed the number one box office spot for it’s debut weekend on the big screen. Inception, which was the only new release for the weekend, pushed Despicable Me out of the #1 spot, moving the Steve Carell toon to the #2 spot.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, which opened last Wednesday, pulled in only $17.4 million dollars for the weekend take. The new Nicolas Cage Disney movie is struggling as it’s only pulled in $24.5 million since it’s mid-week opening.

Weekend Top 10 Box Office With Estimates

1. Inception – $60.4 million
2. Despicable Me – $32.7 million
3. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – $17.4 million
4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – $13.5 million
5. Toy Story 3 – $11.7 million
6. Grown Ups – $10 million
7. The Last Airbender – $7.5 million
8. Predators – $6.8 million
9. Knight and Day – $3.7 million
10. The Karate Kid – $2.2 million

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

It’s A Mind-Thing!

Director Christopher Nolan’s New Flick On Big Screen

Disney decided to get a jump on the weekend with the opening of their re-imagining of the old Mickey Mouse story – The Sorcerer’s Apprentice - of course keep in mind, this new twist on the old story starring Nicolas Cage will be nothing like the cartoon version.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Opened Wednesday

As for new movies opening today, there’s just one more to mention which opens in wide release. Director Christopher Nolan delivers his first movie since The Dark Knight blockbuster.

One New Movie For Friday

Inception -PG-13 on 3,792 screens
Inception is described as a sci-fi thriller starring Leonardo DiCarprio as a thief who robs people of their secrets when they’re in a dream state. His heists have made him an outcast. But, now he has a chance to turn his life around when he’s offered an assignment to plan an idea inside a man in order to tear down a corporation run by the target’s father. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Michael Caine also star in the movie.

Frame by Frame review of Inception

If you’re wondering, the Disney movie The Sorcerer’s Apprentice which debuted on Wednesday, made approximately $3.9 million for it’s opening day ticket sales.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Inception

PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout.
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Running Time: 2 Hours 28 Minutes

Warner Brothers teams up once again with acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight fame. This time around he once again directs an international cast in an original sci-fi action flick that travels around the globe and into the intimate and infinite world of dreams. Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at the most vulnerable.

Of course Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage. It’s also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved.

But now…Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption.

An Original Sci-Fi Flick

In a sea of remakes, reboots, re-imaginings and poorly done knock-offs of past blockbusters, it’s refreshing to finally see something original on the big screen.

Christopher Nolan shows his brilliance as a director and his knack for putting together a stellar cast in his latest movie Inception. First off, the cast is of international fame including Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role. But the supporting actors are incredible too and are all stellar performers in and of themselves. With such notables as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy and Michael Caine just to name a few, the chemistry and star power in Inception is amazing.

Making the movie even better, Inception has a great plot and story line that truly comes full circle to close any loops. Then, when you add in the grandiose film style of Christopher Nolan, you have what’s close to an epic movie. I come short of calling Inception an epic simply because it moves somewhat slowly. While the film technique is incredible and the scenes and backdrops are breathe-taking, there are times when the storyline moves rather slowly.

But, that’s not to say Inception should be ignored.
The style fits the movie!

While it clocks in at close to two and a half hours, and as you know I do not like long movies, I did not look at my watch during Inception. This is a fascinating excursion into the world of dreams, layer, upon layer, upon layer, upon layer, upon layer. The strong performances of all those involved and the directing style of Christopher Nolan keeps your attention and your eyes glued to the screen.

But, be forewarned. If you’re looking for lots of eye catching special effects, lots of action and huge adrenaline rushes, you will not find those in this movie.

Inception is not an adrenaline rush type movie. However, it is a movie with twists and turns. With that in mind, it’s also important to point out it’s a movie you need to pay attention to. Many clues are dropped along the way as to what’s actually taking place in the midst of what amounts layers of dreams.

The Planting Of An Idea

Webster’s dictionary defines inception as “an act, process, or instance of beginning”. The plot line of Inception revolves around the planting of an idea in a dream, with the hopes of it becoming a reality in the real world. Dom Cobb, played by DiCaprio, has been on the run as he hides a secret deep within his dream consciousness.

But, he’s still the best at what he does!

Cobb is a skilled thief at stealing information from the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is most vulnerable. In Inception Cobb is offered one last job that could give him his life back, but only if he can accomplish the impossible – inception – the planting of an idea. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his dream team of specialists have to pull off the reverse. This time their task is not to steal an idea, but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

What’s true, what’s not true? Where does reality end, and where does reality begin? In this movie, Inception, the mind is the scene of the crime.

As for the rating, PG-13 is simply not appropriate. While Inception does not need an R rating, we once again discover the need for an M for Mature rating. There’s simply too much going on here to make this family-friendly. As a result, Inception is really best aimed at an audience of say 16 and above.

Overall, we really enjoyed Inception. I’m tempted to call this a thinking persons movie, but that doesn’t best describe the feel of the movie. While it does make you think, it’s not a movie that makes you think hard. Inception is far from mindless it’s probably best described as a sci-fi psychological spin for the serious-minded action movie-goer.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

Despicable Me

PG for rude humor and mild action.
Genre: Animation, family
Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknown to the neighbors, hidden beneath the home is a vast secret hideout. In this hideout, surrounded by a small army of minions, Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, is planning the biggest heist in the history of the world!

He’s going to steal the moon!

But…the world’s greatest villain has also just met his greatest challenge…three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes.

A Spy vs. Spy Look-a-like

Not that this is a bad thing, but my suspicions were confirmed after screening Despicable Me. This new cartoon starring the voice of Steve Carell reminds me a lot of the old Spy vs. Spy from the old Mad Magazines of my childhood.

But, like I said, that’s not a bad thing.

As a matter of fact, whether it was intentional or not by the writers, the comparison of Despicable Me to Spy vs. Spy is actually a good thing. That way when adults take their kids to the movie, they can also relate and possibly re-live some of their favorite childhood memories. I know for me, as a kid, every month the first part of the Mad Magazine I always flipped to was the Spy vs. Spy section. Then when they started showing up on TV, that was even better!

In Despicable Me Gru delights in all things wicked.

Armed with his arsenal of freeze rays, battle-ready vehicles for land and air and his new found shrink ray gun, Gru believes nothing can stand in his way. But, his plan changes when he first meets up with a new villain named Vector. Next, making matters even worse, Gru then encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen…a potential Dad.

Not Rude & Crude

The scriptwriters for Despicable Me should be applauded for their attention to detail and not crossing the line of rude and crude.

While the rating says PG for rude humor, I have to admit I’ve seen worse in some G rated movies! As a matter of fact, the recent Toy Story 3 movie which carries a G rating, should be rated PG! But, with Despicable Me, I believe the opposite is true. In my opinion, while there are some hidden humor lines tossed in here and there to keep the parents in the audience laughing, it’s not over the top humor. All too often scriptwriters feel the need to stoop to the rude and crude in animated movies. I guess they figure the rude and crude is the only way to keep the interest of the adults when they take their kids to animated movies. However, rude and crude humor does not take creativity.

Good humor is hard work and I applaud the scriptwriters of Despicable Me for working hard for good humor!

I must admit the biggest laugh moment for me is the name of the Evil Bank Gru visits in hopes of getting a loan for his evil plan! I’m not telling you what it is here, but make sure you watch for it!

Aside from the good humor, there’s a good positive story line and outcome in Despicable Me too. While on the surface the evil Gru looks like an evil guy, by the end of the movie, we discover he’s really a softy. Another benefit, clocking in at just a little less than an hour and a half, it’s the perfect length for family fun.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus