Law Abiding Citizen

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: October 6, 2009

DVD Release Date: February 16, 2010

Plot 411: When justice doesn't prevail for a man's family, he plots to teach the justice system a lesson.

Review: Gerard Butler stars as Clyde, a man who lives while his wife and daughter die as a result of a brutal home invasion. A year later, his lawyer Nick (Jamie Foxx) takes a plea bargain deal that allows one murder to get off relatively easily. Clyde is let down by the government's justice system and spends the next 10 years plotting to right the wrong. This is an interesting look at the faults of our justice system, a system in which killers are set free given the right legal song and dance. It comments on the kinds of ethics lawyers (and people in general) may or may not possess. It points out what may be lacking in your life when status and ego begin to take precedence. It asks you to question the rights and wrongs of the characters' actions and philosophy. For me, the pace started off a bit slow even if the movie opened with a big bang. However, once it started going I found myself thoroughly engrossed in it. This is a thinking person's type of film as Clyde is a thinking man. The way he is able to stay two steps ahead of the authorities is shockingly easy. I'm not sure if that demonstrates his brilliance or the ineptitude of law enforcement. Also in this film are Colin Meaney, Bruce McGill and Leslie Bibb.

Watch It: For a good cop thriller with decent performances from both Butler and Foxx.

Skip It: If Butler's ever-changing accent gets on your nerves.

How To Train Your Dragon

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: Marhc 26, 2010

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: A young Viking doesn't fit in with the rest of his people and befriends their long-time enemy.

Review: Jay Baruchel voices Hiccup, the son of a Viking leader named Stoick (Gerard Butler). Everything about Hiccup screams the antithesis of a Viking. He is scrawny and weaker than his peers, which adds to the ridicule he receives from just about everyone in town. He just isn't able to fit into his society depsite all his best efforts. However, this attribute turns out to be his saving grace. I won't say any more because it would ruin the already quite predictable plot for you. Needless to say, this film isn't touting any new moral lessons for us, or our kids, to learn. Still, the action was really enjoyable and there were some definite funny moments. Craig Ferguson is good as Gobber, an old warrior who must teach the next generation to fight dragons. The best part for me was the animation. How do they manage to make clouds, water and fire look so real? It even looks like you can reach out and touch Hiccup's hair as the ocean breeze blows it around. These tiny details make you realize that DreamWorks is definitely the studio leading the pack. Also providing voice support in this film are America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kristen Wiig.

Watch It: Because it's definitely better than the trailers make it out to be.

Skip It: If you usually turn on the subtitles so you can understand all UKish dialects. You might want to wait for the DVD for this one.

The Ugly Truth

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: July 24, 2009

DVD Release Date: November 10, 2009

Plot 411: Opposites attract and sparks fly in the age-old battle of men vs. women.

Review: OMG, this movie was so BAD! And that's bad in a bad way, not bad in a good way. Katherine Heigl plays tv producer Abby who is a neurotic control freak of a woman. When her boss brings in chauvinistic Mike (Gerard Butler) for a new segment on her show, she is determined to hate him. However, when some of his dating tips help her snag her doctor neighbor Colin (Eric Winter), she is at least willing to hear him and his outrageously sexist remarks. First off, the CGI in this movie is absolutely horrendous. It was like watching a movie from the 1950s where the actors are in front of a moving background screen. I mean, c'mon reallhy? In 2009 they can't do any better than that? Another bad thing about this film is that it doesn't develop characters for which you actually care. Even with some of the predictable character arcs in place, I really didn't like or care for Abby or Mike. To top it off, Butler's off-and-on accent was just distracting throughout the entire film. Sometimes you could hear his Scottish brogue and other times you couldn't. Pick a team Gerry, pick a team.

Watch It: Maybe if you enjoy Heigl as Dr. Izzie Stevens from Grey's Anatomy. You might actually cut her some slack if you do.

Skip It: For 27 Dresses or P.S. I Love You if you're really feeling in the mood for a rom com.

Gamer

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 4, 2009

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: Humans become video game pieces to be controlled by others in a life or death game.

Review: In the future, technology has advanced to the point where video games are played out in real life. People control other people in games called "Society" and "Slayer." Kable (Gerard Butler) is a convict on death row who is several wins away from being set free. He is controlled by a 17-year-old teen named Simon (Logan Lerman). The creator of both games is Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall), who also invented the mind control technology used to link the gamer to the game piece. The movie is part science fiction and part reality, an interesting speculation at what the future holds for us. It shows us a world that is disconnected from reality and emotions, where money can purchase life. While techonology can be beneficial in some instances, it can also cause destruction when in the hands of egomaniacs. Even when the public is aware that real people are being killed in "Slayer," no one seems to mind. There is no humanity left in this society and no human rights to speak of. Notable supporting actors and cameos include Kyra Sedgwick, Terry Crews, John Leguizamo, Milo Ventimiglia, and Ludacris.

Watch It: For Butler in great action sequences and a look at what first-person gaming can become.

Skip It: If you are easily affected by jerky camera movements. This was worst than The Blair Witch Project because of the rapidly changing viewpoints between live action and gaming perspectives.

RocknRolla

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: October 8, 2008

DVD Release Date: January 27, 2009

Plot 411: A shady real estate dealing go bad when a Russian's lucky painting goes missing.

Review: I'm so digging on Guy Ritchie's flicks. This is the third one I've seen and while their subject matter is always the same (some convoluted screw up involving some British crooks), it's always a pleasure. His plots are cyclical in nature and the end always leads back to the beginning. For me, his films are like the British version of the western film. There are bad guys, even badder bad guys, corruption, guns, cheating and crime. Only thing missing are the horses and the wide open plains and prairies. But throughout it all, there is loyalty among friends and a thin line of morality and honor among thieves. What I like most is that the actors always seem to go with their natural accents. No faking British or American (or even Scottish) accents. It's always an international affair. Gerard Butler stars as One Two, the leader of a small-time gang. He gets involved in stealing money for an accountant (Thandie Newton), but he doesn't know she's stealing from her boss, a Russian business man without any scruples. On the outer edges of this story, but also somehow very close to its heart, is a rock and roll singer (or rocknrolla, if you prefer) who has faked his death and has gotten ten times as famous as when he was alive.

Watch It: For a kick ass movie with a plot that twists and turns as typical of Ritchie's style.

Skip It: If you think there's going to be a ton of action or violence. There's some but this isn't really a true action flick.

Trailer:

The Miracle Match / The Game Of Their Lives

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: April 22, 2005

DVD Release Date: September 12, 2006

Plot 411: The true story of the 1-0 U.S. win over England in their first match in the 1950 World Cup.

Review: As a former soccer player, I have a soft spot for films that promote the sport. But, because I used to play the game, I'm always very critical about whether or not the actors really know their stuff. This is probably the best movie I've seen that shows the audience the skill and technique needed to play the sport properly, and after some research I've discovered that many of the actors have a soccer background. Because of this, the film gets high marks right off the bat. In addition to realistic soccer action, the plot is moving. I didn't feel as emotionally caught up in it as Swimming Up Stream, but it is inspirational in a nationalistic way. The main characters are played by Gerard Butler and Wes Bentley. Other players include Louis and Costas Mandylor (who both played soccer professionally in Australia) and Zachery Ty Bryan. Surprisingly, Gavin Rossdale makes an appearance as one of the English players. That was really unexpected for me, but I suppose he's British and there probably isn't a single British kid who hasn't grown up with dreams of playing for Manchester United or one of the other pro teams.

Watch It: If soccer is your sport of choice, you have a knackering for history or just want to see Butler's athleticism. Butler really does make some impressive saves at the goal.

Skip It: If you prefer the other football in which case I'd recommend We Are Marshall or Remember The Titans.

Trailer:

Beowulf & Grendel

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 5, 2005 (Canada) / January 6, 2006 (USA)

DVD Release Date: September 26, 2006

Plot 411: A clan of Danes are terrorized by a troll who kills their people.

Review: I've read this poem throughout my school years several times and never did I remember it as portrayed in this movie. That's not to say the movie is terrible though, and I'm not really a stickler for a word-for-word translation. For those who are, you might find the film to be ruining a masterpiece. I enjoyed it for what it was, liberal poetic license and all. The landscape of Iceland, where this movie was shot, is magnificent. It's all open spaces, green mountains, stark cliffs and black sand beaches. There is also an obvious moral to the story that the director intends audiences to learn by the end of the film, which is that when people judge others before they fully understand them we all suffer. Grendel is depicted as a beautifully forlorn creature, intelligent and more human, in fact, than the rest of the characters. The audience really empathizes with him by the end of the film. Mostly, I watched this film for Gerard Butler, but somehow he didn't really come through for me in this film. His character, Beowulf, is such a tragic hero.

Watch It: For a liberal interpretation of an old classic.

Skip It: If you find accents difficult to understand as there's no subtitles to read. Even though the accents were only British, Irish and the like, some parts were hard to understand. They used slang that my American ears had trouble following at times.

Trailer: