CRAZEE: This remake of the 1973 George Romero original does well. It especially uses lighting and open screen spaces effectively, allowing your imagination to suspect the next wave that either doesn’t come, or comes differently (or later) than expected. It also uses sound effects and interestingly crafted shots to up the ante on tension (you may never look through a keyhole or under a door ever again). There’s humor here and there, but it’s not a horror-comedy like ZOMBIELAND; and the humor never seems to be done in such a way that it’s out of place. Yes, there are familiar themes and plot points, but they are treated in a new way that generates genuine tension.

NUTS. Yes, it’s a remake, so you’ll largely know what’s coming — even if you haven’t seen the original 1973 version, because it has many of the stereotypical bio-zombie scenes. However, as I mentioned, the makers play on those standard expectations and make them something new and powerful. The zombie/horror fan crowd might actually wish for MORE gore, though.

Movie Grade: B

MPAA: Rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, violence and brief sexuality.
Director: Breck Eisner
Writers: Scott Kosar (screenplay) and Ray Wright (screenplay), and George A. Romero (1973 motion picture “The Crazies”)

Over… This unnecessary retread of the buddy-cop flick has some funny moments (but in 107 minutes, you’d BETTER be able to come up with some); but, unfortunately for its two headlining stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, most of what few yuks there are come from perennial burnout Seann William Scott.

…and OUT. The rest of the movie is near-worthless. Willis looks like he doesn’t know why he’s there most of the time, with Morgan doing his typical shtick. The movie consists of so many stereotypical buddy-cop trappings that it doesn’t come off as homage or parody, but simply as unoriginal. I’m sure Tracy Morgan fans will think this is just HEElarious, but they should stick to 30 Rock. But if you go, at least stick around through the credits.

Movie Grade: D+

MPAA: Rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, violence and brief sexuality.
Director: Kevin Smith
Writers: Robb Cullen (written by) & Mark Cullen (written by)

SHUTTER ISLAND comes on strong while VALENTINE’S DAY takes quite a tumble. Meanwhile, AVATAR draws a respectable opening weekend… in its 10TH WEEK! In fact, AVATAR beat out PERCY JACKSON, only in its second week.

Meanwhile there are some impressive new deals on Blu-ray – check it out…

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Certified: Both Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are in fine form in this adaptation of another Dennis Lehane novel (Gone Baby Gone, Mystic River), as is the rest of a great cast. Although not a horror flick (as the trailer might suggest), with the usual surprise/shock stunts, this movie delivers intensity by allowing your imagination to fill in the gaps of what MIGHT happen around the corner or plot twist. This is a slow-boil, psychological thriller with heartfelt performances and wonderful directing that will keep you interested even if you see around the bend; it’s just so well done that it’s enjoyable even if you’ve read the novel or guess the ending.

Certifiable: The movie is on the longer side, but I did not feel unnecessary so. Again, it is more of a slow simmer, and for some of today’s audience it probably moves too slowly, especially in the beginning. However, it’s still among the best movies I’ve seen so far this year.

Movie Grade: B+

MPAA: Rated R for disturbing violent content, language and some nudity.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Writers: Laeta Kalogridis (screenplay); Dennis Lehane (novel)

I’m giving it a B- for its constant juggling of so many people and plots.

Day: Taking place in a single Valentine’s Day by a great cast with an easygoing but lousy script, Valentine’s Day is as shallow and schlocky as its namesake.

Night: There are too many people and story lines to not only follow, but to even FIT into this movie that none are given much onscreen time (in fact, when Jessica Alba appears onscreen again near the end, I thought, “Oh, that’s right — she’s in this movie, too. Where’s she been?”). What plots are interesting have been stolen from other, better movies (“Love, Actually” most easily comes to mind), and of course, the whole premise is based upon beautiful, largely successful people who are not only alone on Valentine’s Day, but are so esteem-bereft that this actually BUGS them. The only folks with a healthy relationship are the two gay guys who seem to have a problem admitting their homosexuality, and George Lopez, the dude with a face like a catcher’s mitt, comparatively. What we’re left with is watching a bunch of gorgeous people whining about their love lives; so much so that if you knew any of these people personally, you’d likely smack them, or think they were heels. In fact, Mr. True Love and Romance in the movie Reed Bennett (played by very likable Ashton Kutcher), asks his live-in girlfriend Morley Clarkson (Alba), to marry him in the morning/beginning of the movie and she accepts… only to have her dis-engage from him and move out of his apartment and his life by mid-afternoon… so that he can completely recover and hook up with life long friendgirl Julia Fitzpatrick (played by Jennifer Garner) by days’ end. Now THAT’S romance!

Not that there aren’t some laughs here and there; it’s just everything else that’s insulting to your intelligence.

Movie Grade: C-

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for some sexual material and brief partial nudity (NO, it’s not Jessica Beil, dammit!)

Director: Garry Marshall

Writers: Katherine Fugate (screenplay), Katherine Fugate (story), Abby Kohn (story) & Marc Silverstein (story); yes, it took THAT many people to write this thing.

He is also informed he has been accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt, a source of unimaginable power. And just like that young Percy is off on a quest to find the thief and bring the bolt back before the deadline.

And like all young men on a quest, Percy teams up with rag-tag group who follow him.

The film does boast some pretty cool special effects and a few jaw-dropping stunts, which by the way, save it from the average ho-hum TV movies being splatter-shot each week by the SyFy Network.

Overall “The Lightning Thief” isn’t a bad film, however it isn’t a particularly good one either. It does have all the elements of a classic quest film, yet it bogs itself down by carrying all the weight of a Greek tale.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief could have been so much better if it had developed a sense of humor along the way. Instead it drags along grumbling all the while, making the audience grumble a bit too.

I am going to give the film a B- for its creative use of special effects and sincere acting. It’s rated PG.