Reviews

A hilarious take on everything from race to corporate America to over sexualization of women Undercover Brother is a laugh riot which does not resort to the lowest common denominators to appeal. The most consistently funny parts of Undercover Brother - and there are surprisingly quite a few to choose from - involve Undercover Brother losing himself in white corporate America. The movie uses humor to make its points, but it does so gently, not stridently, and with a smile, rather than an angry grimace. Of course, Undercover Brother is more interested in getting laughs and appealing to a wide audience than in making a social statement. Consequently, it takes equal jabs at black and white culture.Undercover Brother needn't be a guilty pleasure - it's made with enough savvy to be appreciated on its own terms. There are laughs aplenty.

M Night Shyamalan's debut film sees him return to India to find his ancestry. This isn't a bad movie and although budget constraints are evident, they should be forgiven seeing as this is his very first attempt. Dev Raman (M. Night Shyamalan) is an American-born Indian sent to India as part of a college student exchange program. Dev is reluctant to go, but his mother, to whom he is devoted, insists. So, friendless and alone, halfway across the world, Dev experiences culture shock -- he may look like an Indian, but it is quickly and vividly demonstrated that looks are of little consequence, and it will take more than a glib tongue and an unwillingness to back down to earn acceptance and respect. In the midst of his initial travails, Dev's sole friend is Sunjay (Mike Muthu), his guide and mentor, upon whose advice he relies. Praying with Anger relies on too much stock material for it to warrant anything more than a passing interest.

Clint Eastwood proves ones again that he is a master filmmaker actor and even at this age he is so bloody good. This is about Walt Kowalski- a veteran of the Korean war who is of an old mindset. This movie entertains. It does so with a sly undercurrent of humor mostly from the crusty Walt. The other characters are rich and well portrayed also. Key to the story is the developing father/son relationship Walt grudgingly initiates with his teenage next door neighbor Thao. I will not spoil that as its pure golden. Walt Kolwalski is a real curmudgeon that, while vile, is so funny you gotta love him. Though we never meet his wife we know she was the absolute love of his life. He's old too and perhaps is facing an eminent decline, possibly soon as we are led to believe. Against this backdrop he faces head-on his mortality and his wishes to have done things differently...Not the least of which are his regret of not being a good father to his sons and, even more importantly, not seeking God's forgiveness. When he decides the situation he and his Asian neighbors are caught in must end he seeks a resolution within which he constructs his own brand of redemption. A must watch.

Sidney Lumet is a master director who's been in some kind of slump for some time now. However I am happy to report that with Night Falls on Manhattan the great man is back to top form. Sidney Lumet has done something that I wasn't sure was possible in this age of instant, formulaic gratification: make a riveting cop movie without a car chase and a courtroom thriller without cheap theatrics. Night Falls on Manhattan isn't about the trappings of these situations; it's about their inner workings, their underlying issues, and the men and women who keep things moving. One of the most refreshing things about this movie is the manner in which it combines genres in unexpected ways. The basic framework is familiar: corrupt cops, tainted evidence, and a big trial that will make or break the hotshot lawyer protagonist. But, if you think you've seen this story already, be prepared for more than one surprise. Not only does Lumet throw away almost every stereotype in favor of real, three-dimensional characters, but he has written a script of unexpected intelligence and perceptiveness.

Despite starring two great actors in Clint eastwood and Burt Reynolds City Heat falters all through its running time. Because the script plays on the often taciturn nature of Eastwood's performances - channelling in particular his Dirty Harry persona - there's little chance for him and Reynolds to develop much chemistry on screen. This leaves the way open for a talented supporting cast to pick up the baton, but only Madeline Kahn, in a too-small role, rises to the challenge. It's the kind of part she could play in her sleep back then, but she still enlivens every scene she's in. Sadly, one winning performance doesn't really justify sitting through the rest of this muddled mess. A one time watch, if that, only if you are a massive fan of the two leads.

A routine World War II movie, "Away All Boats" takes place aboard the "Belinda," a PA-22 U.S. Navy landing-craft transport operating in the Pacific Theater. Written by Ted Scherdeman from a novel by Kenneth M. Dodson, the film purports to trace the ship's life through a series of incidents: from a shaky shake-down cruise to Pearl Harbor, through action in Kwajelein, Saipan, and Guam, to a climactic kamikaze attack off Okinawa. Beginning with a brief aside from John McIntire, who helped construct the ship and hears it talking to him, a largely inexperienced crew stumble through mishaps, which are supposed to be comic, but seem silly and incompetent behavior during wartime. As time passes at sea, the crew grow discontent, and conflicts arise; but these too seem like petty nonsense out of "South Pacific," such as two sailors fighting over a coconut. Somehow, the esteemed captain thinks that building a sailboat with a red sail will solve ship board problems; wonder how many times that idea surfaced during the War.

Ocean's Eleven is an entertaining but unambitious endeavor that combines traditional caper rhythms with comic riffs. The movie provides an engaging two hours that develops in exactly the manner one would expect from this sort of production. The storyline, while certainly not a masterpiece of plotting (there are numerous holes, some of which are rather large), offers enough to keep audiences guessing and to inject a little tension into an otherwise harmless and lightweight enterprise. There are also sufficient moments of comedy to maintain an upbeat tone. Furthermore, all the actors are clearly having fun which adds to the appeal. This is a great fun film to watch.

Nobody quite remembers Titan A.E which is bad because this is a tidy little animated sci-fi. Titan A.E is a science fiction animation flick consisting of fantastic visuals and a good story about a young man who has to find a hidden spaceship in order to find the overlord aliens. It's a middling affair to be honest and the pacing lags but the visuals are the reason to commend the makers of this film.

Many people disregard Vanilla Sky because it is a remake(of a Spanish film) and that it is a mainstream film starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz which tones down the original's approach but they couldn't be more wrong. This is a fantastic quirky, offbeat science fiction film which is good in its own way. Cruise is really good as the rich heir and is ably supported by Cruz, Diaz and Kurt Russell who turns up as his psychiatrist. I suggest you watch this film with an open mind and you will be surprised.

30 Rock is one of the greatest shows in my opinion. Incredibly witty with some of the funniest characters ever assembled this show is about a fictional live comedy show headquartered in 30 Rockefeller. Tina Fey- the writer and main star has based the show on her experiences in Saturday Night Live and many of the crew have been assembled from the famed sketch show. Alec Baldwin is the scene stealer as the new network executive and even the normally unwatchable Tracy Morgan somehow finds his slot here. This is a must watch satire from the incredibly talented Tina Fey.