Posts for 'New kids movies' Category

Anyone with a soft spot for cheesy '70s actioners had to love the fake trailers included in "Grindhouse," the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez tongue-in-cheek double feature from three years ago. One, "Machete," seemed to have the makings of a real movie. So now we have a full-length "Machete" movie, and it turns out that, as usual, less is more.

This feature-length exploito-rific action-drama follows Machete (Danny Trejo), a tough Mexican federale whose family is slaughtered by an evil crime boss (a bloated Steven Seagal). Years later, Machete - his nickname comes from the giant blade he carries with him - is eking out an existence as an itinerant worker in Texas. An oily businessman (Jeff Fahey) in cahoots with a racist politician (Robert De Niro) hires Machete to be the patsy in an assassination attempt, but naturally, they're messing with the wrong man.

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Many lifelong memories have been made at Tulsa's historic Admiral Twin drive-in since it opened in 1951 as the Modern Aire. First dates, holiday celebrations, a way to show off a brand new car and much more took place at the landmark to leisure.

It became the Admiral Twin in 1952 when a second screen was added, and Oklahomans remember both the movies - and the fun - they had as the movies played.

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Robert Rodriguez is one of those rare filmmakers whose movies -- for better or worse -- always come alive with his sheer enjoyment of making them. In the case of Machete, that's a good thing. Unlike his corny kids' movies (Spy Kids, Shorts), Machete bleeds pure entertainment. Returning to the crank-it-up style Rodriguez brought to his half of the vastly underrated Grindhouse, Machete comes out swinging -- and usually what it's swinging includes an extremely sharp blade.

In fact, "Machete" was first glimpsed as a coming-attractions trailer between the two halves of Grindhouse. With its delicious catch-phrase, "You fucked with the wrong Mexican," it promised over-the-top action and a dizzying cast that ran the gamut from Jessica Alba to Lindsay Lohan, built around character actor Danny Trejo in the title role.

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There's a whole lot going on in the Japanese anime  fantasy "Tales From Earthsea," so why is it such a bore? It could be because this 2006 production from famed Studio Ghibli ("Princess Mononoke," the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away"), while covering dungeons and dragons, wizards, witches and the quest for eternal life, is so stiff and humorless it rarely if ever engages its audience.

And, really, who is its audience? Although being released by family-friendly Disney, "Earthsea," directed and co-written by Goro Miyazaki (son of Ghibli co-founder and veteran filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki) and based on a series of books by Ursula K.

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Witty, urbane and thoroughly entertaining, "The Kids Are All Right" is an ode to the virtues of family, in this case a surprisingly conventional one even with its two moms, two kids and one sperm donor. Whatever your politics, between peerless performances, lyrical direction and an adventurous script, this is the sort of pleasingly grown-up fare all too rare in the mainstream daze of this very dry summer.

Before delving into the layered perfection of Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, let's start by getting past any hesitations or reservations about the lesbian household premise on which "The Kids Are All Right" is based.

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I always promise myself I won’t get sucked in to ‘America’s Next Top Model’ when a new cycle is beginning. I say I won’t watch ‘Canada’s Next Top Model’, ‘Make me a Supermodel’, ‘True Beauty’ or any other modeling contests. And yet I find myself glued to the television, hopelessly addicted to all of the above, every single time.

How can I resist – Beautiful people, designer clothes, death-defying photo shoots, drama – modeling contests are the ultimate escape. I sigh with envy as girls settle in for their three-hour makeup and hair sessions, reflecting on my own daily routine of yanking my hair into a ponytail and swiping on some lip balm.

I picture myself twenty pounds lighter and twenty years younger. I imagine myself hanging from a crane in an evening gown while a photographer yells up at me that I am fabulous. These fantasies are surprisingly easy to get lost in while sitting on the couch in sweatpants eating chocolate and watching modeling contests on television.

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After his breakthrough with The Sixth Sense in 1999, M. Night Shyamalan’s career has been painful to contemplate. Hailed as the new Spielberg.

He has made five movies, ranging from the awkward-but-promising (Signs) to the ridiculous (Lady in the Water). Never content to be a conventional hack.

Shyamalan shows auteurist ambitions in his films, with themes of grief and loss of faith, when supernatural agencies intrude in ordinary lives.

The Last Airbender has been touted as a change of direction. With a hefty $150-million (U.S.) budget, it is offered as the first film in a blockbuster trilogy. The movie is adapted from Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko’s well-regarded Nickelodeon animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which draws inspiration from various Asian cultures and takes place in a world with four nations named after the elements of earth, water, air and fire.

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What do you know - a remake that actually was pretty good. This summer has been one remake or sequel after another, and most of them have been crap-ola but "The Karate Kid" broke the recent mold. The remake has some subtle differences then the original but is mostly a carbon copy.

This time the frail kid is played by Jaden Smith, whose face is a young dead ringer for his Dad (Will) while the Kung Fu master is played by Jackie Chan.

Chan of course has made a living of his comedic karate roles, but this time he leaves most of the comedy behind and shows both a serious and sensitive side.

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You want to see Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers over and over on repeat? Well the release date for the Disney Channel movie Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam will be coming to DVD and Blu-Ray on September 7th which is a few days after we get to see it on the Disney Channel September 3rd per Amazon.  Not that we do not think that it could slide a bit.

If watching them on the television is not real enough for you, remember that they are coming to a town near you.  You can also check out an unofficial track listing for the Camp Rock 2 soundtrack here and make a guess at what your favorite song will be.  It’s On is a favorite of mine so far, we will see if it holds up when the full soundtrack is out.

Another sure sign of summer is the return of the free kids' matinees, beginning June 15 at the Mayfaire 16 theaters. The complex – part of the Regal Entertainment Group – will have two free screenings each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning through Aug. 12.

Viewers will have their choice of a “G” or “PG”-rated feature, with new offerings each week. The screenings will be revivals of child-friendly releases and pop hits from the past few years. Admission is free. (The catch is, the snack bar will be open; obviously, management expects to make a profit off sales of treats, including Mayfaire's “Kid's Reel Deal” specials.) Doors open at 9 a.m., and the screenings begin at 10. Seating will be first come, first served.

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