The Hurt Locker * * * *

"The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug."

It seems pretty strange how many films about war (or mostly the Iraq war) have to do with such messages like "War is bad" or "Peace is answer" when really filmmakers never bother to think of the actual soldiers that chose to do this, and why the do it. Katheryn Bigelow's fantastic wartime character study tackles a situation about a soldier who somehow has no problem with battle and somehow loves the idea of it, while at the same time, being brilliant at it. That is why the opening quote resembles so much of what the film is saying. Of course, it is controversial yet as Jerremy Reiner's performance persuades us, it feels very true.

The film follows an EOD team through there last month and a half in Iraq before ending their trip. I wont give away much more then that, but i will say that a lot of the plot is somewhat real and relevant to todays soldiers. The film is beautifully shot and edited along with some outstanding direction from Bigelow. We feel like we are right in the action with them and every moment feels so tense and dramatic, we could really believe it.

Actual soldiers from the US army enjoyed its authenticity yet believed that a sense of fiction was added to much of the reality. I can't really say if i agree with them or not because this film gives the same im pact as PLATOON did with that same response. I actually believe that "The Hurt Locker" is this generations PLATOON, only for the Iraq war. This is the best Iraq war movie i've ever seen and will see in a while. One of the best of the decade.

Whip It * * *

Well, it seems today that all teen movies seem to have that theme that you should follow your dreams and rebel against the idiots known as the parents. None of those films are very likable to me. Whip It whoever does something to you that makes it likable, actually very likable, if not, loved. It's a classic coming of age story about a girl who wants to leave her boring life and do something exciting. How about rollerblading? Sounds fun, yet not so amazing just yet. Her mother forces her to do beauty pageants, but she hates it and lies to her mom about her rollerblading, as she joins a team.

The acting makes the movie beautifully more interesting and smarter. It's also Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, that adds to the sheer joy of the movie. I left with an extreme liking of the films theme, that might stay with others that really need the message. If you see this movie, you wont be annoyed nor bored by it's great ideas and originality. This ones a real treat.

The Rat Pack * * *

One of the most iconic group of singers and actors to ever come together was the world famous Rat Pack. Known well in the 50's and 60's featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop, for their hit songs, but also for their many scandals with women and the great connections with future president John Kennedy. The film gives some interesting insight on how the group formed and broke apart slowly, and focuses on each of the group members lives. Well in each member of the group i mean only Frank Sinatra and Sammmy Davis Jr. and what they do that affects others.

The acting is well on target, yet for some reason, we dont believe that they are exactly who the actual people were. The only outstanding performance in all of the movie was Don Cheadle who played Sammy Davis. He brought a real deep feling to the character that showed us something new about him. While the film overall doesn't quite live up to better singers biographical movies, it has some nice, interesting facts that will please anyone hwo is a fan of the singers, just like me.

The Blind Side * * * /

Of the many inspiring family films, few seem to gain plausibility, interesting stories, or even a few real tears. Well in fact, thats all some people need to know that there movie is good; crying can only makes us think we are enjoying ourselves when really, it's all crap. The Blind Side does a great job at showing a good family film, not too heavy on the crap, and knows the importance of making us go home moved and changed after watching it.

It tells the amazing true story of how one woman managed to picks up Michael Oher from the street, and within years, add him to the family and later become a football star. There is a quality to Michael that shines off of Leigh Anne (played amazingly by Sandra Bulock), which tells her that he's not just any regular boy. With a troubled past, he manages to put it aside soon enough for the family.

The film has some flaws yet somehow works, not just of the story, but of the performances by Sandra and Quintin Aaron. Both work together as if they both met, yet it seems like they really needed each other for the other to survive. Everyone has a blind side when things sneak up in you, just so coincidentally, this film does just that.

How to Train Your Dragon * * *

I must say, coming into this movie i had no clue as to how good it would be. Dreamworks animation in the past has had some rough moments with their films ever since Kung Fu Panda and in my opinion, have not made a good movie until now. How To Train Your Dragon is a cute film about a boy who grows up a viking under his legendary dragon killing father, and finds out he's just not able to fight dragons. The town sees him as weak and they keep him away from any sort of fighting. That is until he befriends a dragon, which he calls Toothless.

The simple plot may seem to drag some, but the amazing 3D special effects and animation really make this film work. The flying sequences just pull you right in! Without that, or if i would see it in 2D, this film would have been terrible. There is just something about the films magic that makes it really likable. Dreamworks has outdone itself this time (in a good way). Although lacks greatly on plot and that it was extremly chaotic the first 15 minutes, i have too say, it all really pays off in the end. It just makes you wonder, what would i do with a pet dragon?

Up in the Air * * * *

Ryan Bingham is a man isolated and lonely due to his work up in the air. He fires people for a living, hops on a plane, and flies to fire more and more people, in order for him to save up 10 million miles in order to go more places. Nothing more the that. I guess you can say he's very lonely, but he's only surrounded by many. He suddenly meets a girl, with the same job just like him, and slowly starts to fall in love, even though his philosophy is not to settle down. And when his job is in danger of beeing taken over by videochat firings, he himself is almost getting fired. In attempt to persuade his boss for him to continue travelling he takes along an uptight manager of the videochat company with him on his many trips, to show her why he shouldn' t be grounded.

The trick of the film here is that since there is so much going on, we can only imagine what Ryan might feel. The story deals with philosophies of love and being with others and more adult politics that i am too young to understand, yet i feel that pain. Jason Reitman and his cast of George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrich all make us believe that we are seeing this dismay of life and its morals. Yet in the same way, i felt like i was staring straight into a mirror, how lonely we all sometimes get and how ourselves wish we were up in the air like Ryan. All i can say is, George, i feel for you.

Fantastic Mr. Fox * * * / (3 and a half)

Boggis and Bunce and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean
These horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were nonetheless equally mean.

It's interesting to see what filmmakers do to books, especially a children s book, yet nonetheless, one tries it's best to succeed in the same magic that the book might have, but very rarely few movies add more beauty and magic to the story. Which is why Fantastic Mr. Fox works so beautifully well and stands above the average animated film. One thing i can say is that this movie is not for young kids; it's very smart and has a well written script that some animators at Dreamworks could only dream of. It's also very adult, dealing with situations that kids wont understand.

The use of animation is among the best i have ever seen in a movie, beautifully hand made, the stop motion animated scenes work so perfectly for the characters and the actors themselves, that it seems that Rohld Daul wrote it in order for it to be presented that way. The voice acting led by the direction of Wes Anderson, is so convincing and well done by some of the greats like George Clooney and Meryl Streep. There is also a touch of maturity in the voice acting that gives some of the plot more depth.

I was a bit unimpressed by the ending, not exactly what happened, but of a very small flaw in the script that made me somewhat confused. Overrall, this is a film to see with anyone who wants to see a new approach of animated kids movies. It is not for all kids, but a bunch of little foxes might not stop them.