Marvel's The Avengers (Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson) in Theatres on April 25, 2012

Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Hazel's
Rating: 4/5
Review: Though there were some boring parts (I caught my boyfriend sometimes sleeping beside me), it was a nice movie. When the earth won at the end (we always win anyway, right?), I wanted to stand up and clap. The effects were amazing! Who's my favorite Avenger? The Hulk! Who's yours? ;)
Recommendation: A definite must see on the big screen

Audience
Rating: 4.7/5
Liked the Movie: 96% (n=321,256)

Critics
Rating: 4.1/5
Liked the Movie: 93% (n=270)


Reviews

"Audiences have been eagerly anticipating this first all-hero extravaganza for years. The wait was worth it." - Claudia Puig, USA Today

"With a script that never forgets its heroes' humanity and no shortage of superpowered set pieces, The Avengers lives up to its hype -- and raises the bar for Marvel at the movies." - rottentomatoes.com

"If you are a Marvel fan, then The Avengers will feel like Christmas. Thanks to the merry doings of the director, Joss Whedon, all your favorite characters are here, as shiny and as tempting as presents under the tree." - Anthony Lane, New Yorker

"Whedon, a pop-genre magician best known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is a master of viewer manipulation - because he never gives up his own seat in the crowd." - Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle

"The banter has zip, the effects are fun, the climactic battle is decently spectacular, and if the 3-D is mostly expendable, there are a few scenes where it adds a nice kick." - Bob Mondello, NPR

"A slow start, a single star performance surrounded by indifferent acting and an onslaught of computer effects that range from seen-it-all-in-"Transformers" to a whole sky full of spectacular stuff in the midtown Manhattan climax." - Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

"Really, who cares about another battle? We know how this is going to end." - Karina Longworth, Village Voice


Movie Info

Marvel Studios presents Marvel's The Avengers-the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. -- (C) Marvel

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hr. 22 min.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Joss Whedon

Written By: Joss Whedon, Zak Penn

Distributed By: Walt Disney Pictures

Cast
Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark / Iron Man)
Chris Evans (Captain America)
Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner / The Hulk)
Chris Hemsworth (Thor)
Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)
Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton / Hawkeye)
Tom Hiddleston (Loki)
Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury)
Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts)
Paul Bettany (Jarvis)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Hunger Games (Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth) in Theatres on March 21, 2012

The Hunger Games (2012)

Hazel's
Rating: 4.5/5
Review: "What a gruesome and violent movie (Really? Teens are allowed to watch this?) but what a concept! It reminds me of arenas in ancient Greece where slaves or gladiators were watched to fight to the death, as a form of amusement. I loved the movie! Jennifer Lawrence, plus the other actors like Banks, Harrelson and Tucci were superb. What I just didn't like was the shaky handling of the camera that made me dizzy after watching the movie. Can't wait to watch the sequel "Catching Fire," and of course to read the book trilogy, since the novels are usually better than the movie =)"

Audience
Rating: 4.2/5
Liked the Movie: 86% (n=96,173)

Critics
Rating: 3.6/5
Liked the Movie: 85% (n=243)


Reviews

"This movie rules." - Dominic Corry, Flicks.co.nz

"Thrilling and superbly acted, The Hunger Games captures the dramatic violence, raw emotion, and ambitious scope of its source novel." - rottentomatoes.com

"Lawrence is terrific in the lead role and gives us someone to root for to survive this horrible ordeal. The supporting players carve out memorable characters. The musical score, costumes and makeup are the other strengths." - Keith Cohen, Entertainment Spectrum

"Lawrence is a strong role model for young girls with her character's sacrifice, courage, moral grounding in a world that's lost its own, and will to fight for what's right, even if it means sacrificing her own life or sparking a revolution." - Neil Pond, American Profile

"The film is aided immeasurably by Judianna Makovsky's costume design. Clothes are an intentional method of deciphering The Hunger Games' politics." - Chirs Laverty, CLothes on Film

"I didn't read the book. While the film is entertaining enough, I never felt drawn in to this new world." - Jeff Bayer, The Scorecard Review


Movie Info

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. -- (C) Lionsgate

Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 2 hr. 22 min.
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Directed By: Gary Ross
Written By: Suzanne Collins, Gary Ross, Billy Ray
Distributed By: Lionsgate

Cast
Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen)
Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark)
Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne)
Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy)
Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket)
Lenny Kravitz (Cinna)
Stanley Tucci (Caesar Flickerman)
Donald Sutherland (President Snow)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

We Bought A Zoo (Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson) in Theatres on January 18, 2012

We Bought a Zoo (2011)

Audience
Rating: 4/5
Liked the Movie: 82% (n=19,969)

Critics
Rating: 3.2/5
Liked the Movie: 63% (n=115)


Reviews

"This is a sweet, funny, unapologetically sentimental film." - Richard Roeper, richardroeper.com

"We Bought a Zoo is a transparently cloying effort by director Cameron Crowe, but Matt Damon makes for a sympathetic central character." - rottentomatoes.com

"Crowe is back to what he's good at: small stories populated by everyday people." - Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice

"There's a lot of fun waiting at We Bought a Zoo, but it's the feelings that run through every scene that'll make you glad you came." - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"There's a word for the strenuous, shameless plucking of an audience's emotions that this movie traffics in: cornography." - Richard Corliss, Time Magazine


Movie Info

Acclaimed filmmaker Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) directs an amazing and true story about a single dad who decides his family needs a fresh start, so he and his two children move to the most unlikely of places: a zoo. With the help of an eclectic staff, and with many misadventures along the way, the family works to return the dilapidated zoo to its former wonder and glory. -- (C) Official Site

Rated: PG

Running Time: 2 hr. 4 min.

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Directed By: Cameron Crowe

Written By: Cameron Crowe, Aline Brosh McKenna

Distributed By: 20th Century Fox

Cast
Matt Damon (Benjamin Mee)
Scarlett Johansson (Kelly Foster)
Thomas Haden Church (Duncan Mee)
Colin Ford (Dylan Mee)
Maggie Elizabeth Jones (Rosie Mee)
Angus Macfadyen (Peter MacCready)
Elle Fanning (Lily Miska)
Patrick Fugit (Robin Jones)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler) in Theatres on January 18, 2012

Coriolanus (2011)

Audience
Rating: 3.7/5
Liked the Movie: 70% (n=2,544)

Critics
Rating: 3.6/5
Liked the Movie: 91% (n=57)


Reviews

"Ralph Fiennes makes Shakespeare modern and bloody brilliant." - Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter

"Fiennes directs theater on the grand scale, burning his characters down to expose the terrible beauty of the human soul." - Kathleen Murphy, MSN Movies

"The play has been significantly but artfully trimmed by John Logan's screenplay, which preserves Shakespeare's language." - Jake Coyle, Associated Press

"Fiennes takes one of the playwright's lesser-known works, originally set in the 5th century B.C., updates it to current times and imbues it with a gritty blood-spattered fierceness." - Claudia Puig, USA Today

"In attempting to update the play to a buzzing CNN world, Ralph Fiennes proves that as a director, he makes a fine actor." - Kyle Smith, New York Post


Movie Info

Caius Martius 'Coriolanus' (Ralph Fiennes), a revered and feared Roman General is at odds with the city of Rome and his fellow citizens. Pushed by his controlling and ambitious mother Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) to seek the exalted and powerful position of Consul, he is loath to ingratiate himself with the masses whose votes he needs in order to secure the office. When the public refuses to support him, Coriolanus's anger prompts a riot that culminates in his expulsion from Rome. The banished hero then allies himself with his sworn enemy Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler) to take his revenge on the city. -- (C) Weinstein Co

Rated: R

Running Time: 2 hr. 2 min.

Genre: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

Directed By: Ralph Fiennes

Distributed By: The Weinstein Company

Cast
Ralph Fiennes (Caius Martius)
Brian Cox (Menenius)
Vanessa Redgrave (Volumnia)
Jessica Chastain (Virgilia)
Gerard Butler (Tullus Aufidius)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (Jason Lee, Justin Long, Jesse McCartney) in Theatres on January 8, 2012

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)

Audience
Rating: 3.3/5
Like the Movie: 52% (n=20,693)

Critics
Rating: 1.8/5
Like the Movie: 13% (n=68)


Reviews

"In between the cutesy musical covers (from the Go-Go's to Lady Gaga), the young rodents engage in harmless slapstick and even learn a bit about themselves." - Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic

"For kids, familiarity, silliness and Dave's unconditional love make it appealing. For adults, the best it has to offer are nostalgia and a running time under 90 minutes." - Nell Minow, Chicago Sun-Times

"Lazy, rote, and grating, Chipwrecked is lowest-common-denominator family entertainment that's strictly for the very, very, very young at heart." - rottentomatoes.com

"It's an uninspired and instantly forgettable film. But it completely succeeds by its own standards: an 87-minute rainy-day distraction that will probably make a zillion dollars." - Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle

"Maybe for the next installment, they can go off to college and find something better to do than making these silly movies." - Claudia Puig, USA Today

"Good news: The shrill CG rodents, who last infested theaters in 2009's Squeakquel, are stranded on a jungle island with little hope of survival. Bad news: They've brought us along." - Adam Markovitz, Entertainment Weekly

"Well, at least it isn't in 3D." - Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter

"Puns like these would be unforgivable coming from a human. From high-pitched rodents, they prompt calls for an exterminator." - Jake Coyle, Associated Press


Movie Info

The vacationing Chipmunks and Chipettes are turning a luxury cruise liner into their personal playground, until they become 'chipwrecked' on a remote island. As the 'Munks and Chipettes try various schemes to find their way home, they accidentally discover their new turf is not as deserted as it seems. -- (C) Official Site

Rated: G

Running Time: 1 hr. 27 min.

Genre: Animation, Kids & Family, Comedy

Directed By: Mike Mitchell

Written By: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Cast
Jason Lee (Dave Seville)
Justin Long (Alvin)
Matthew Gray Gubler (Simon)
Jesse McCartney (Theodore)
Amy Poehler (Eleanor)
Anna Faris (Jeanette)
Christina Applegate (Brittany)
David Cross (Ian)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law) in Theatres on January 8, 2012

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

Audience
Rating: 3.9/5
Like the Movie: 80% (n=73,771)

Critics
Rating: 3.1/5
Like the Movie: 59% (n=181)


Reviews

"As Johnny Depp has done so brilliantly with his devilish Jack Sparrow, Downey has made this sly sardonic Sherlock stylistically all his own. Case closed." - Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a good yarn thanks to its well-matched leading men but overall stumbles duplicating the well-oiled thrills of the original." - rottentomatoes.com

"In an act of criminal negligence, Ritchie has wasted Robert Downey Jr. in a sequel that eliminates smarts in favor of relentless headbanging." - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"I was let down by this loud and flashy but utterly empty sequel." -Richard Roeper, richardroeper.com

""What do you see?'' the gypsy girl asks him. "Everything,'' Holmes replies. "That is my curse.'' If Downey has a curse, it'll be called "Sherlock Holmes 3."" Ty Burr, Boston Globe
"The skill level in the script is elementary school, my dear Watson." - Kyle Smith, New York Post


Movie Info

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has always been the smartest man in the room... until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large - Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) - and not only is he Holmes' intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective. When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide. But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder - a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by Professor Moriarty. The cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead of Holmes as he spins a web of death and destruction - all part of a greater plan that, if he succeeds, will change the course of history. -- (C) Warner Bros

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hr. 8 min.

Genre: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure

Directed By: Guy Ritchie

Written By: Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast
Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes)
Jude Law (Dr. John Watson)
Noomi Rapace (Madam Simza Heron)
Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler)
Jared Harris (Professor James Moriarty)
Stephen Fry (Mycroft Holmes)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol (Tom Cruise) in Theatres on December 16, 2011

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011)

Hazel's
Rating: 3.5/5
Review: The gadgets were cool especially the IPAD-controlled hallway image... Breathtaking scenes during Tom Cruise's dangling outside Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building... highly action-packed and entertaining movie. Though Tom Cruise is growing old... Nooooooo! =)

Audience
Rating: 4.1/5
Like the Movie: 87% (n=64,495)

Critics
Rating: 3.8/5
Like the Movie: 93% (n=184)


Reviews

"Stylish, fast-paced, and loaded with gripping set pieces, the fourth Mission: Impossible is big-budget popcorn entertainment that really works." - rottentomatoes.com

"[Bird's] fresh touch gives breathless energy, tremendous excitement and, above all, humor to what could have been a wearying genre exercise." - Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

"There's a good chance you'll get so caught up in what they're doing, you won't even notice how stiff and inhuman the actors appear." - Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

"As usual with the series, the movie combines a plot line a toddler could understand with gadgets that would baffle an engineering Ph.D." - J.R. Jones, Chicago Reader

"The real mission is to renew a stale franchise, and here Ghost Protocol largely succeeds, on the strength of good action scenes - including an IMAX-enhanced Dubai skyscraper dangle by Cruise - and the good humour of a well-chosen cast." - Peter Howell, Toronto Star

"Ghost Protocol is a very good thrill ride and Cruise is better than he's been in a long time." - Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol was directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles), whose first stab at a live-action feature preserves the buzzy exhilaration and carefree absurdity of a cartoon." - Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle

"A largely successful attempt to reboot the moribund franchise that turns out to be probably the most entertaining installment since Brian De Palma's series opener from 15 years ago." - Lou Lumenick, New York Post

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is easily the best of the lot." - Claudia Puig, USA Today

"I'm thinking it, so I might as well say it: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is no Fast Five." - Richard Corliss, Time Magazine


Movie Info

This is not just another mission. The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in a global terrorist bombing plot. Ghost Protocol is initiated and Ethan Hunt and his rogue new team must go undercover to clear their organization's name. No help, no contact, off the grid. You have never seen a mission grittier and more intense than this. -- (C) Paramount

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hr. 13 min.

Genre: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure

Directed By: Brad Bird

Written By: Josh Applebaum, André Nemec

Distributed By: Paramount Studios

Cast
Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt)
Simon Pegg (Benji Dunn)
Jeremy Renner (William Brandt)
Ving Rhames (Luther Stickell)
Vladimir Mashkov (Anatoly Sidirov)
Paula Patton (Jane Carter)

Source: rottentomatoes.com