3:10 To Yuma

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 6, 2007 (Russia) / September 7, 2007 (USA)

DVD Release Date: January 8, 2008

Plot 411: A former soldier joins a band of lawmen to escort an outlaw to the train that'll transport him to jail.

Review: Even if you're not particularly a fan of Westerns, you might like this one. It stars Russell Crowe as Ben Wade, the leader of a gang who steals from stagecoaches. Wade and his gang cross paths with soldier-turned-farmer Dan Evans (Christian Bale) when he steals Evans' horse in order to escape the law. Evans is desperate to save his home but is behind on payments. When he is offered money to help transport Evans to jail, he agrees. Along the way the two banter back and forth and you soon realize that the men are actually quite similar. Despite their divergent lives, the two live by a code of honor. While the set up to the movie is a bit slow, it soon picks up and becomes action packed. Gun fights and chases help liven up the movie and are interspersed with quiet moments between the two main characters. Both men try to outsmart and out think each other, and in another life may have been great friends. Also in this film are Luke Wilson, Ben Foster and Alan Tudyk.

Watch It: For a gun-toting good time.

Skip It: Perhaps in favor of the original?

Serenity

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: September 30, 2005

DVD Release Date: December 20, 2005

Plot 411: When a teen psychic knows a government secret that the government doesn't want to get out and must run for her life.

Review: This movie was a little complex to follow given that I had not watched the tv series on which it was based. However, I still found it highly entertaining despite not being a big fan of sci fi. A continuation of a science fiction show called Firefly, this movie tells the story of the crew of Serenity and their encounter with a psychic named River (Summer Glau). She has been trained by the Alliance to be used as a weapon until her brother Simon (Sean Maher) rescues her. The two join Serenity to escape, but this just leads deeper into the conspiracy. The crew, mostly petty thieves now that the war for independence is over, must step up to the challenge of uncovering the Alliance's secrets and broadcasting it to the rest of civilization. Serenity's crew includes Mal (Nathan Fillion), Wash (Alan Tudyk) and Jayne (Adam Baldwin). The space battles remind me of battles between cowboys and indians. The dialogue is humorous. The action is a little slapstick and a little Die Hard. I guess you can't ask for much more than that. For me, it broke the stereotypical sci fi model. It became less about the plot and more about the characters. I might just go back and watch some of those old Firefly episodes.

Watch It: For a western veiled in a sci-fi movie.

Skip It: If you're a stickler for accurate physics and the like.