Understanding That He Is The Best At What He Does

Leading up to the events of X-Men, X-Men Origins: Wolverine tells the story of Wolverine's epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe.

I'm one of the few that have had the chance to see X-Men Origins : Wolverine, and I gotta say that I'm not the least bit guilty about it. It was one of those that I couldn't wait to see and even though the unfinished version has been leaked I STILL loved it! I'm also proud to say that I will definitely see the finished product when it hits theatres on May 1st. Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar – as the fierce fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, retractable claws and a primal fury. This movie is just as it claims to be--Wolverine's origin and it lives up to the expectations. The story seems a bit farfetched, especially compared to Wolverine in current times, but in the end it all fits nicely. The story is at times even touching as we see the past of James Howlett and all the losses he faces at an early age. He transforms from a privileged, weak and sick young boy to the beginnings of the feral Logan. We see how he met Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber), later to be codenamed Sabretooth, at a young age and how he travels and experiences life and death alongside his friend. After serving together in many wars they are recruited by William Stryker (Danny Huston) to serve in a special unit made up of mutants consisting of Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), Barnell Bohusk/Beak (Dominic Monaghan), John Wraith (Will.i.Am), Agent Zero (Daniel Henney), and Frederick Dukes/The Blob (Kevin Durand). After wiping out an African villiage, Logan quits the unit and goes off to live a life of peace in the Canadian Rockies with his girlfriend later to be known as the Silver Fox (Lynn Collins). Six years pass for the both of them until Stryker shows up and asks Logan to come back and be a part of a new Weapon X project. Logan refuses but Creed shows up and murders Logan's girlfriend leaving him wanting revenge against him. Logan accepts Stryker's offer to be infused with Adamantium so that he can be indestructable and go after his revenge but is double crossed by Stryker and hears him give the order to wipe his memories. Escaping before this can happen, he goes searching for Creed killing anyone who gets in his way. After reuniting with a few members of his old team, he finds out that Stryker and Creed are actually working together to kidnap mutants and keep them in confinement working on a new project, Weapon XI and that only one person knows where their new base of operations is. Remy LeBeau/Gambit (Taylor Kitsch) is the only mutant to escape this place and Logan along with John Wraith go searching for him in New Orleans. They find him in a card game where Logan tries to question him but with less than desireable results. After being blasted through a wall by Gambit, Logan sees Creed standing over the dead body of Wraith and the fight is on. Right when Logan is about to get his revenge and kill Creed, Gambit comes flying in with his staff and blows everyone apart. Creed uses this distraction to escape while Logan and Gambit go at it. After showing Gambit the light (with his claws), Gambit agrees to take Logan to Three Mile Island where the facility is hidden. Arriving at Three Mile Island by plane, Logan finds many mutant children kept prisoner by Stryker and Creed with the support of the U.S. Government. Logan confronts Stryker while he is at the finishing point of his Weapon XI project and learns the truth that Silver Fox isn't dead but was keeping and eye on him those six years and manipulating him with her mutant power of persuasion. After leaving, Fox confronts Stryker demanding the release of her sister, Emma (Tahyna Tozzi) only to be placated and told to wait. Creed comes in and Fox tries to persuade him that Stryker is only using them. Only this doesn't work and she is almost killed by Creed. Logan hears her screams and comes to her rescue almost killing Creed but being convinced by Fox that if he does that then they will be no better then Stryker. She also convinces him that she truly loves him. Fox and Logan then go to free the children (some that you may recognize). Fox leads them out of the facility while Logan goes in search of Stryker. In a firefight, Fox is wounded and sends the children on while she goes back to look for Logan. The children make it out of the facility and are met by another mutant who offers them a ride in his helicopter and protection. Stryker then activates Weapon XI and an all out battle between him and Logan insues. Logan is pretty much outmatched until Sabretooth helps out and saying "No one is allowed to kill you except me..." Together they defeat Weapon XI with Logan adding the final blow (or slice) by cutting off his head and dropping him inside a nuclear reactor. Gambit then swoops in and saves him from the falling debris and then leaves to find Stryker. Logan finds a downed Silver Fox and as he carries her toward the plane Stryker shoots him in the head with and Adamantium bullet because it's the only way to really hurt him. Gambit returns as Logan regains conciousness, but he doesn't remember who he is. From here the movie ends as Logan starts piecing his life back together. Marvel has been also known to throw in extra scenes after the credits roll, so stay for those. The special effects are gonna be awesome and the characters were really well executed. The only complaint I had was that I didn't think that there were enough Gambit scenes, but I guess I understand that they couldn't fit in everything that they (or I) wanted. So, like I said, I will definitely run to the theatre to see the finished version. I had to laugh at some scenes 'cause you can totally see Ryan Reynolds or Hugh Jackman held up by wires in some action scenes. Glad to know that you won't see any of that in the finished one. So, yes I will say it....I LOVED X-Men Origins : Wolverine! Go and see it when it comes out! I give it an Adamantium laced 4 on my "Go See" scale.     AN ADDED NOTE: There are 2 versions of Wolverine out in theatres. The finished version of the one that was leaked on the internet last month and the extended version with and alternate ending. The extended version has up to 16 minutes of added footage (mostly extended scenes) and a different scene that plays after the credits roll. 

The Origin Of Marvel's Greatest X-Man Rocks

Marvel has always been a giant in the comic book industry, now with the release of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" they are set to become just as big a giant on the silver screen. Last year saw the resurgence of several Marvel characters, Iron Man and The Hulk were part of the opening round in what the struggling studio hopes is a huge all out money collecting machine. The origins of several of the Marvel characters could be a windfall for Marvel, if this one is a success, and there is no better character to start with the Wolverine.

James Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is a young child as the movie opens, we see that he is friends with Victor Creed/Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber), the son a family caretaker. When the man James believes is his father is murdered, Logan's mutant ability is released. He has the uncanny ability to extend bone claws from between his fingers. Logan kills the man he thinks murdered his father, but when the truth is revealed, Logan and Victor run into the woods. The boys make a pact to always be by the others side. We next see the boys as they are fighting in the Civil War, World War I, World War II and Vietnam. Logan stops Victor from killing a fellow soldier, still the two are court marshaled and are going to be shot by a firing squad. Victor tells Logan to wake him when it's over. The next morning William Stryker (Danny Houston) comes into the guys cell and tells them they are going to have their heads cut off the following day, unless they are willing to join his group. The two agree and we meet the rag tag group that makes up Weapon X, Wade WIlson/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), Barnell Bohusk/Beak (Dominic Monaghan), David North/Agent Zero (Daniel Henney) John Wraith (Will I Am) and Frederick J. Dukes/The Blob (Kevin Durand).

The group travels to Nigeria and we see in a special effects laden scene the group kill a war lords army. They are looking for a fragment of a meteor that contains a new metal. When Stryker orders Victor to kill the villagers that had found the fragment, Logan tries to stop him, telling Victor this isn't what they signed up for, and that if Victor did what Stryker wanted Logan was through, Victor tells Logan that he can't just walk away from the group. Logan throws his dog tags down on the ground and walks away, the movie then jumps ahead six years and we see Logan is now living with The Silver Fox (Lynn Collins) in the Canadian Wilderness. Logan is working for a logging company when Stryker and Agent Zero visit him, Stryker tells Logan that someone is hunting down the members of their team, Logan isn't interested at all, we next see the Silver Fox driving down the road, Sabretooth is blocking the road, when she stops Sabretooth claws her car, Logan smells blood and walks over to where a wolf's head has been left, he notices claw marks on a tree, running down the hill Logan comes across the body of the woman he loves, swearing vengeance on Creed, Logan goes into town, the two meet in a small bar and fight it out, neither one can claim victory, Logan is thrown against a semi truck, but his ability to heal helps him recover quickly.

Stryker approaches Logan and tells him he has the means to help Logan get his revenge against Creed, that if Logan joins his new project, Stryker will help Logan kill Creed. Logan agrees and we next see him in a tank of water, the process of having adamantium injected into his bones. The process is painful and stops Logan's heart, of course any fan of wolverine knows that he recovers, Stryker fearing that Logan now known as Wolverine will be uncontrollable, orders his memory erased, fearing that he wont get his revenge Wolverine escapes from the facility. Running naked into the wilderness, hiding in the barn of an older couple, Agent Zero shots both of these people and Logan drives a motorcycle out into the wilderness where he is chased by a couple of Humvee's and a helicopter, using his new adamantium claws Wolverine is able to dispatch the Humvee's and the helicopter. Agent Zero is aboard the helicopter and Wolverine using Zero's headphones tells Stryker that he is going to get Creed, and that when he is done with that Stryker will be next. Then Wolverine kills Agent Zero who is trapped in the crashed helicopter. After reuniting with The Wraith and Frederick J. Dukes who is now The Blob, Logan finds out that Stryker and Creed are actually working together to kidnap mutants and keep them in confinement, Stryker is working on a new project, Weapon XI.

Of course their is one mutant who has escaped and he is the only person who knows where Stryker's new base of operations is. Remy LeBeau/Gambit (Taylor Kitsch) is in hiding in Louisiana. Logan along with John Wraith go searching for him in New Orleans. They find him in a card game where Logan tries to question him, but with less than desirable results. After being blasted through a wall by Gambit, Logan sees Creed standing over the dead body of Wraith and the fight is on. Right when Logan is about to get his revenge and kill Creed, Gambit comes flying in with his staff and blows everything apart. Creed uses this distraction to escape while Logan and Gambit go at it. After showing Gambit that he does intend to kill Creed and Stryker, Gambit agrees to take Logan to the Island where the facility is hidden. Arriving at the Island by plane, Logan finds that many mutant children are kept prisoner by Stryker and Creed with the support of the U.S. Government. One such mutant is Scott Summers/Cyclops (Tim Pocock). Logan confronts Stryker while he is at the finishing point of his Weapon XI (Scott Adkins) project and learns the truth about Silver Fox, that Stryker was using her to keep an eye on Logan during those six years Logan wasn't with the Weapon X team. She was manipulating him with her mutant power of persuasion. After leaving, Fox confronts Stryker demanding the release of her sister only to be placated and told to wait. Creed comes in and Fox tries to persuade him that Stryker is only using them. Only this doesn't work and she is almost killed by Creed. Logan hears her screams and comes to her rescue almost killing Creed, but being convinced by Fox that if he does that then they will be no better then Stryker. She also convinces him that she truly loves him.

Fox tells Logan her sister Emma Froast (Tahyna Tozzi) is being held prisoner on the island, Logan agrees to free the children, while Stryker activates Weapon XI, sending him to fight Wolverine. While the children try to escape, they are fired upon by guards, Fox is hit and Cyclops uses his mutant ability to help them escape. Fox sends the kids on and goes back to help Wolverine who is now in battle with Weapon XI. Weapon XI and Logan's fight ranges from inside a hanger to the outer top of a nuclear reactor, it appears Logan is outmatched until Creed shows up to help save him. "No one is allowed to kill you except me" Back to back they take on Weapon XI together the fight goes on, Weapon XI uses The Wraith power to appear and disappear, until Creed grabs him by the neck, stabs him in the chest and Logan decapitates him with his powerful adamantium claws. Weapon XI's head and body go falling into the reactor, his swords cut chunks out of it the whole way down. Logan tells Creed that this changes nothing and they go their separate ways.

After just getting to the ground, Logan is saved from the reactor's falling debris by Gambit. They then go their separate ways in search for Stryker, but Logan comes upon the wounded body of Fox and starts carrying her toward the plane. Stryker intercepts them and shoots Logan in the head with adamantium bullets, which he believes are the only thing that can really "kill" him. This knocks Wolverine out long enough for Stryker to go after Silver Fox, but she turns the tables by touching his ankle and telling him to "walk until you bleed, Then keep walking." Gambit comes back finding Logan regaining consciousness but without any memories. Finding the body of Silver Fox, Gambit asks if Logan knows her but he doesn't. After the two leave, there is an appearance of an "original" X-man, one who helps Cyclops save the children, if you think, it will be easy to know just which X-Man it is. The movie ends here, but stick around through the credits.

I give X-Men Origins: Wolverine a 3 and on my avoidance scale a 0, all you comic book fanboys run out and get in line now, this movie will blow your socks off. Marvel has a way of adding a little something. And here once again we aren't disappointed. Stryker is picked up by the MP's with bloody feet for the murder of a general, and Logan is last seen in an Asian bar drinking shots and trying to remember who he is. And after a website leak of an unfinished movie Marvel added a few extra scenes with another ending, the second ending showing at AMC chains has Deadpool reaching for his decapitated head and whispering shush.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is rated PG-13 for Intense Sequences of Action and Violence and some Partial Nudity

Running time is 1 hr. 47 mins.

John Cena Makes 12 Rounds Worthwhile

WWE champion John Cena is New Orleans Police Detective Danny Baxter. When Baxter stops a brilliant thief from getting away with a multi-million-dollar heist, the thief's girlfriend is accidentally killed. After escaping from prison, the criminal mastermind enacts his revenge, taunting the cop with a series of near-impossible puzzles and tasks …12 rounds…that Baxter must somehow complete to save the life of his fiancée. 

Although basically an excuse to string together a giant-sized popcorn's worth of high-octane set pieces, 12 Rounds is escapist fun that provides an effective showcase for the blue-collar charisma and bulky good looks of its hyper-athletic lead, four-time World Champion wrestler John Cena (think Matt Damon, only twice the size). The World Wrestling Entertainment star plays Danny Fisher, a conscientious New Orleans cop who becomes involved in the violent capture of international terrorist Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen), during which time the criminal's girlfriend is accidentally killed. One year later, Jackson escapes from prison ready to exact eye-for-an-eye revenge on Fisher in the form of a dozen death-defying, ticking-clock tests the police detective must unravel and pass if he wants his fiancée (Ashley Scott) to stay alive. Fisher somehow matches wits with the wickedly brilliant Jackson, wreaking massive havoc across New Orleans (hasn't it been through enough?) as he super-heroically wrestles with seemingly every kind of public transport to fulfill Jackson's checklist of near-impossible missions. Needless to say, mere mortals probably wouldn't survive past round 2. Yes, I saw this movie. Why? Because it was free. No one expects this to be a groundbreaking action movie that changes the face of the genre. I didn't even expect it to be a decent ripoff. But hey, I had a good time watching this one...it's not going to go down as epic or anything, but it's certainly not the worst product featuring a wrestler in a starring role (Doom, anyone?). This is all well and good, but they should change the title of this film to '12 Rounds of Insanity', because there's no way any of this movie is possible. That's where the chuckles will begin. The premise of this movie, pretty much 'Saw' crossed with 'Speed', is rather clever - it's the one reason I didn't hate the movie - however, this doesn't change the fact that this is one of the most ridiculous and insane movies of recent memory. I don't mean insane like...cool insane. I mean insane as in that only an insane person could see the events of the film as realistic. Is Renny Harlin still capable of directing decent action? Sure, as 12 Rounds doesn't do a bad job supplying some quality stunts and explosions, which, let's face it - is all the audience really wants from this movie. 'Die Hard 2' was a worthy entry in that series (though it may be the most forgettable), but hey, Harlin does pack the movie with enough action and thrills to make it at least somewhat entertaining. John Cena, as we know, is not an actor...I do not expect him to deliver award worthy work, therefore he does not disappoint. He does have an air of likability about him, but he doesn't have the same level of charisma as most other action stars nowadays. I don't even think he smiles in this movie. Again, is Harlin known for getting great performances? No, so you shouldn't expect anything more. What's kind of sad is that the actors in the movie, the people who actually have that as their first profession, are nothing short of laughable. Ashley Scott in particular was disappointing because of her lack of emotion. Aidan Gillen is a passable villain (though he couldn't have been cheesier if he tried), and is also the character hurt most by the ridiculous events in the script. Brian White as Cena's partner was probably my favorite character and performance in the film. In short, 12 Rounds is not a movie that should be taken seriously. It aims for an audience who expects cool explosions, a fast talking villain, and a ton of action. In that respect, this movie is alright. It's also the first action movie this year that the kids (around 9 or 10 and up) should be okay in, as there's very little language and no sex at all. If you go in with low to modest expectations (or are in the mood for exactly what it promises), 12 Rounds might just be a decent movie. For what it was, it was quite enjoyable. I give this a 3 on my "Go See" scale. If you need an escape from the norm and just want a movie full of action, this is the one to see. 

I Went 12 Rounds With John Cena And left Impressed

When a sports star makes a movie you expect lots of action, in "12 Rounds" you get lots of that, though you get little else. That's not to say this is a bad movie, it really isn't. But Hollywood has this idea that an action movie with a buff star would be more of a draw to America then an action movie with a real believable plot line.

Detective Danny Fisher (John Cena) is on duty one night when the FBI is trying to capture one of it's most wanted. A nearly untraceable international terrorist named Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen). Danny and his partner, Officer Fisher and his partner Hank Carver (Brian J. White) spot a women that looks like the girlfriend of the terrorist. He has escaped because he knew of the undercover sting from the beginning. Pulling the car over Hank goes up and talks with the woman, Erica Kessen (Taylor Cole) while Danny stands behind the car, telling Hank to have the woman open the car's trunk, hearing this Miles pops the trunk from the inside and opens fire on the two officers. Danny gives chase - on foot - and catches up to the car, Erica and Miles jump out of the car and start to run away, Erica is hit by another vehicle and is killed, Miles blames Danny for this.

Jump one year later and Danny and his girlfriend, Molly Porter (Ashley Scott) live together, Molly is a nurse and because Danny caught Miles he and his partner were promoted to detective. Miles breaks out of prison and kidnaps Molly on her way to work, calling Danny, he tells him that they are going to play twelve rounds and if Danny is still standing at the end, he will get Molly back alive. Hampered by the two FBI agents who let Miles escape in the first place, Danny finds that looking for Miles will be harder than he first thought. Special Agent George Aiken (Steve Harris) has a more personal reason for catching Miles, he was the lead Agent on an earlier case where Miles used a stinger missile to blow up an airplane. The second Agent Ray Santiago (Gonzalo Menendez) is a little more friendlier towards Danny.

Danny is first called by Miles after Molly leaves for work, Danny running outside to stop Molly is knocked to the ground when his truck explodes, seconds later his house also explodes. Miles tells Danny that he has now lost the first two rounds. Round three has Danny running to his brothers fire house. Danny is told to answer a certain cell phone when Miles calls, getting to the firehouse Danny hears a phone ring in a nearby cell store, going inside Danny answers the phone and is told that at a building that is now burning, Danny will find two safe deposit boxes, one with information the second with a bomb. Getting to the building Danny runs up the stairs and grabs the boxes, jumping into a fire truck Danny drives to a dock where he throws one of the boxes into the water where it explodes. The second box when opened contains information that leads Danny to a hotel across the city. Once Danny and the FBI arrive they find the room where Miles and Molly were. Looking at surveillance tapes Miles is seen holding a sign that says we are still here. Finding an employee walking with Miles on tape, Willie Dumaine (Peter Navy Tuiasosopo) is a security guard who tells Danny that Miles wanted to inspect the service elevator.

Willie walks with Danny to the elevator, both guys get on and Willie starts the elevator up. During the trip they find a small machine where Danny sees Molly reading a note that within sixty seconds the elevator will drop to the ground, Danny has to save himself but also try to save Willie, who by the way is a HUGE man. Danny climbs through the escape hatch but has a hard time pulling Willie up, getting him on top of the elevator takes almost all of the sixty seconds but Danny is able to grab onto a screen and holds out his hand for Willie, the cable's blow and the elevator plummets to the ground. Moving through the city Danny is told to get on a bus, Miles and Molly are also on the bus, Miles has Molly wired to blow up and tells Danny not to do anything stupid. Agent Aiken tries to set up Swat snipers to take Miles out, seeing this Danny grabs Miles just as the window explodes, Miles gets off the bus with Molly and Danny, who is so upset punches Aiken in the face. Now refusing to work with Agent Aiken, Danny and Agent Santiago go after Miles. After the bus episode Danny is given a piece of paper with five phone numbers on it, he is told to call one, if he picks the right number Danny will be given more information, if he picks the wrong one the call will set off an explosion. Danny picks one and Miles informs him that there is now a trolley heading into a small crowd with no brakes and no way to communicate this. Danny and Agent Santiago drive off to stop the trolley, just being able to stop it before it does real damage, Danny feels elated.

Danny's Partner Hank is searching for people who can help them find Miles, there were several people involved in the prison escape who are looking for Miles as well. Hank goes to the home of one man, when the man walks away from the building Hank follows him into a factory and we all know it's a trap, when Hank gets upstairs the man gets the drop on Hank but unknown to both men, Miles has rigged the building to blow up, Losing his partner now makes Danny even more eager to stop Miles. Figuring out what Miles wants takes not only Danny but both FBI agents, who are now willing to work together to stop Miles, Seeing that Molly is an important part to Miles' plan Danny figures out that he should be running to where Molly works, not to where Miles says she will be. Of course the whole days events are a precursor to a robbery, Miles knows that after Katrina new rules have been implemented and Miles has done everything to ensure that these rules will be set in motion.

I give 12 Rounds a 2 and on my avoidance scale a 0, go see this film and enjoy it, the summer blockbusters will be here soon enough. Of course the hero wins and the bad guy gets what he deserves, life can take anyone in any direction, make one mistake and your a bad guy. Although Miles makes all of his choices freely, why can't we ever feel for the bad guy? Why does the good guy always win? Can American movie goers accept the good guy falling short? Still all in all this is a very entertaining movie, John Cena may be the next IT man in Hollywood.

12 Rounds is rated PG-13 for Intense Sequences of Violence and Action

Running time is 1 hr. 48 mins.

I Had So Much Fun At Adventureland! When Are We Going Back?

It's the summer of 1987, and James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), an uptight recent college grad, can't wait to embark on his dream tour of Europe. But when his parents (Wendie Malick and Jack Gilpin) announce they can no longer subsidize his trip , James has little choice but to take a lowly job at a local amusement park, Adventureland. Forget about German beer, world-famous museums and cute French girls-James' summer will now be populated by belligerent dads, stuffed pandas, and screaming kids high on cotton candy. Lucky for James, what should have been his worst summer ever turns into quite an adventure as he discovers love in the most unlikely place with his captivating co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart), and learns to loosen up.

Sometimes gourmet mustard is enough to make freezer-burnt amusement park corndogs taste fantastic. And sometimes a sophomoric summer comedy can be dressed up with witty writing, zippy pacing and an authentic sense of nostalgia - enough so that it becomes an instant summer fling with audiences. Adventureland is a surprisingly sweet and irreverent tale of summer jobs and summer love. It reminds you how the hearts of teens and young 20-somethings flutter up and down just like the rusty deathtrap roller coasters they’re looking after. And we’ve all been on this magnificent and awful wild ride. Written and directed by Greg Mottola of “Superbad” and “Arrested Development” fame, “Adventureland” opens by introducing us to James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) and his unraveling plans in the summer of ‘87. The awkward lothario and recent Oberlin College grad was looking forward to jet-setting through Europe before settling down in NYC for grad school at Columbia. With his dad’s job being downsized, Jesse can’t count on getting stroked a check for his travel and schooling. His vocab is too big to score a gig waiting tables and his biceps are too small to get him a manual labor position, so he finally accepts a summer job at Adventureland, a third-rate amusement park run by a zany married couple – SNL’s Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. At the park, James meets his dream weaver in Em (Stewart), as well as a dorky sidekick (Martin Starr), the tight-jeaned resident tease (Margarita Levieva) and a 30-something maintenance man with a proclivity for bedding 17-year-olds (Ryan Reynolds). Along the way, love triangles and quadrilaterals emerge. Feelings are hurt, egos are made and trashed, and hormones rage. The movie is nothing like the trailer, which makes it look like an “American Pie” rip-off. We actually get to know our hero James, who had a better chance of getting to second base with a thesaurus than an actual girl until this momentous summer. (You will want to strangle, slap and eye-gouge James as he searches for his flirting mojo.) And the scripted banter is the stuff of real life arguments and shit-shooting, not the paint-b y-number dialogue you usually find cheesing up these movies. I hope Adventureland isn’t overlooked, especially if the marketing continues to push it like it’s a bad retro sitcom. It’s rare that a summer comedy can combine gratuitous raunch with candid windows into relationships that feel real, from the angst-riddled pick-up lines to the steamy make-up (and revenge) hook-ups. Adventureland could also be called "Noplotland," because it's more interested in seeing what happens when these people bump against each other. Forced together in a corndog-scented dump where none of them wants to be, they spend the summer making poor romantic choices and learning from them. Adventureland has a regretful tone, and that makes sense for a movie about a bunch of people hanging out with friends who — as in director Greg Mottola's "Superbad" — may not be their friends for much longer. Mottola, who also wrote Adventureland, doesn't have much visual style (OK, he has none), but his keen understanding of behavior makes up for it. "They don't like people like me where I'm from," says James, revealing a lot about himself in nine words. And when James tells troubled Em, "I think I see you a little differently than you see yourself," that's another subtle line that speaks volumes about the intelligence and frailties of both people. Who hasn't known someone they wanted to tell, "You're a better person than you think you are"? I liked Adventureland a lot, and I'd have loved it if it weren't for one hugely annoying thing, a thing I hesitate to specify because I'm afraid you'll obsess over it when you see the movie, just like I did. But here goes: Jesse Eisenberg needs to become aware. That he has an annoyingly consistent acting tic. Which is that he pauses for about three seconds. In the middle. Of every single line he says. It may just drive. You nuts. An hilaious 3 on my "Go See" scale. Not the best, but good for what it's worth. 

You May Want To Go Solo To See This One 'Cause You'll Shed A Tear

Goodbye Solo tells the moving story of the unlikely friendship that develops between Solo (newcomer Souléymane Sy Savané), a kindhearted Senegalese taxi driver, and his passenger, a tough old southerner (Red West) whose destination request is difficult to honor yet impossible to ignore. 

Solo (Souleymane Sy Savane), a Senegalese immigrant cab driver working in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, picks a passenger, 70-year-old William (Red West),who wants to die and gives him instructions as to how, where and when he should drive him to Blowing Rock National Park, the location where he’ll commit suicide. William seems very dejected, worn-out and reserved in his appearance. He clearly has a lot of pain and suffering bottled up inside of him that needs to escape one way or another. Solo gradually befriends William and tries to convince him not to commit suicide by learning how to embrace and appreciate life, especially his own. As he gets to know William more and more through spending time with him and inquiring about his past, William angrily lashes. What makes the drama even more engrossing and human is that Solo has issues of his own to deal with, such as a pregnant wife (Carmen Leyva) who doesn’t support his desire to become a flight attendant. She allows him to occasionally spend time with his stepdaughter (Diana Franco Galindo), who also interacts with William. The tender screenplay by writer/director Ramin Bahrani, who also wrote and directed the slice-of-life dramas Man Push Cart and Chop Shop, develops the characters of Solo and William very patiently with close attention to detail and plenty of subtlety. A lot is said and felt just by observing the characters’ facial expressions, so many of the powerful moments occur happen to be the silent ones. Bahrani has a knack for creating character that come to life onscreen without resorting to contrivances or any plot gimmicks. Each has their own unique flaws, dreams, fears, regrets and other human feelings, whether they’re trapped innately like with William or more externalized like with Solo. It’s quite moving to watch how William and Solo affect each other’s lives in different ways, so that, by the end, their friendship alone symbolizes many uplifting aspects of life, such as hope, kindness, tenderness and compassion for another human being regardless of their age, race or gender. At a running time of 91 minutes, Goodbye Solo manages to be a profoundly moving, raw, tender and gently uplifting drama that celebrates the importance of unconditional human compassion. Pairing a young, Senegalese taxi driver with a gruff, old white man as his frequent fare, co-writer/director Ramin Bahrani has fashioned an interesting character study of two lives in transition. The movie takes place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where the cabbie named Solo (Souleymane Sy Savane) sees his glass as half-full, always flashing a winning smile no matter the situation. He dreams of becoming a flight attendant so he can better support his wife and precocious step-daughter, Alex (Diana Franco Galindo). The old man is William (Richard Farnsworth look-alike Red West), whose glass is just about empty ---- so empty that early on we learn he is apparently planning to do something drastic. Solo's jubilant attitude towards everything and everybody in his life is inversely proportionate to William's disdain for everything and everybody around him, with the sole exception of Alex, of whom he appears to be quite fond. It is not clear, however, why Solo would be so attached to William, except that in the beginning of the film William hires Solo to drive him to a high peak in the mountains called Blowing Rock. We are constantly reminded of William's self-imposed deadline of October 20th, the date Solo is to drive to Blowing Rock, a tourist spot with lookout points, complete with coin-operated telescopes. The finale offers a few white knuckle moments as Solo and Alex stand atop the steep and slippery Rock, and we are only left to imagine if William has carried out his plan. As for William, he seems to have no redeeming qualities, but we are given a few clues as to his character's true essence ----- primarily in some written passages in the old man's diary. Sy Savane and West play against each other's characters perfectly, and as Jeanne mentions, their performances will have you thinking about this story long after the movie ends. This well-acted, methodical film is definitely worth your time. A touching and moving story that I assure you that you will need tissues afterwards. A 4 on my "Go See" scale.

The Originals Return To Get Fast & Furious

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed -- Fast & Furious. Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller. When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner (Walker). But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmanuever him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.

Fast & Furious, about dirtied-up car racing and badass drivers, arrives eight years after The Fast and the Furious revealed the unlikely charms of the sewer-throated, shovel-headed Vin Diesel. Back then, as Diesel's Dominic Toretto burned through L.A. streets, we gasped, Who is that walking Popeye, and why does he sound like he's in a Sylvester Stallone tribute band? Back then we also met Dom's nemesis, Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), an equally feisty driver (and, as it happened, an undercover cop) as blond and blue-eyed as Toretto was bald and swarthy. We met Dom's cute sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster), who loved Brian, and the tough-babe driver Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who loved Dom. Mostly we met hot rods driven by hot dogs — and although the movie was no Point Break, it was great to rocket along for the nitrous-injected ride. The Fast and the Furious celebrated great music, cars, and minimally clothed chicks cast as extras. Later on, Dom became a fugitive in Mexico, Brian went to Miami (in 2003's 2 Fast 2 Furious), and the F&F franchise took an invigorating global detour to Japan (2006's The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift), where Diesel's Dom showed up for a cameo. Now the original gang is reunited in L.A. for a victory lap, and they're looking pretty fly for old-timers. The music, strong on reggaeton, still pulses. The chick extras still favor bikini tops. The stars' jawlines are slightly softened, and the lived-in look suits them. (The plot, for what it's worth, is about chasing down a nefarious drug lord — who happens to be hiring guys who can drive real fast.) Fast & Furious is still no Point Break. But it's perfectly aware of its limited dramatic mission, and sturdily directed by Tokyo Drift's Justin Lin with space for a global audience to talk back to the screen. And in the jammed landscape of mass-market new releases, it offers an attractive getaway route from self-importance, snark, and chatty comedies about male bonding. Here, stick shifts do the talking. It's not called "Fast & Furious: Schindler's List". Perfect reboot if you like the genre. Big crashes, property mayhem, and sparse dialogue. The producers didn't bother with a screenwriter but did hire crash experts. The dialogue is ham-fisted but there is not much of it. And there is no discernible acting. These are things the F&F audience is not going to pay for. It could have used a screenwriter but I assume no one wanted to waste their great lines on a Vin Diesel opus. With careers stalled, Diesel (who was seduced back with a producer credit), Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster return. In keeping with their characters, Diesel, Walker and Brewster do not bother using this as an audition for other roles. The producers should have left Brewster wherever she was. I would not have missed her. On the other hand, Rodriguez is always fun to watch. The ingredients that made the original "The Fast & The Furious" a hit are here: car racing through a city and lots of crashes. Do we want sensitive scenes and tears? No! But they could have put in a hot sex scene with that hi-anorexic ball buster (Gal Gadof) who everyone feared and listened to for no good reason. Now it's about grim, grown-up consequences. Dom is wanted by the feds. Brian is a fed. And the story roils with revenge, as both men reunite to take down a Mexican crime lord. There's a high-speed race to the border. There are FBI agents, SWAT teams and helicopters. It's all so serious now. Not that there's anything wrong with that. We just note the change. And we can't help noticing Diesel turns 42 this year and Walker 36.  We also note that the guy-centric principles remain the same. The things of beauty in the "F&F" universe? Nitro-jacked speedsters that do horizontally what the Cape Canaveral program does vertically. The six-pack-abbed guys standing next to those cars. And bullet-shaped Corona beers, so men can raise them to victory or -- as one character so grandiloquently puts it -- "to the ladies we've loved and the ladies we've lost." As for the "ladies," guys love 'em, of course. But only the ones with 8 percent body fat need apply. The real love in their lives? Their rides, awesome. And their fellow gearheads. That dude-to-dude affection is unspoken, of course. Guys don't use words any more than they eat celery. But if they did, the sweet exchanges might go something like: Show me your stand-alone fuel management system and I'll show you mine. As for the death-cheating, it's still in full throttle. Take the breath-choking opener, for instance, as Dom and a team of dragsters attempt to hijack the gasoline cargo of a speeding truck. We can practically see oblivion in special-effect relief as a derailed tanker flips, pirouettes in balletic slow motion and hurtles toward Diesel. The specter looms again when Dom and Brian -- in the inevitable mano a mano street race -- screech and career through red lights at busy L.A. intersections, with nary a fender bender. What blows our lizard brains is the possibility of fiery destruction -- this subgenre's equivalent of the money shot. If that somersaulting tanker hits Diesel in his juiced-up car, the explosion's going to shoot out like a nuclear geyser. And if Dom and Brian wipe out in those crowded streets, well, boom baby boom! This is a very good action film. If all you want to is extreme car chases, explosions, and violence; then this is well worth the price of admission. Director Justin Lin does a great job cranking up a franchise on its fourth leg. He tunes down the CGI racing of the last film and brings back the bone crushing metal of street racing. Lin also ratchets up the body count. There are more gunfights and fisticuffs in this film than the first three combined. I can't help but think Vin Diesel has seen his action numbers fade and wanted to come back with a hard-hitting film. This one got my blood pumping and brought back all the action that I loved in the first one. Here's hoping that it keeps on going for a while longer. A hefty blood pumping 4 on my "Go See" scale.