Cop Out

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: February 26, 2010

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: Two suspended cops stumble upon a kidnapping when they try to sell a baseball card.

Review: Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan play veteran cops Jimmy and Paul, who have an interesting nine-year partnership on the force. After a drug bust goes bad, they are suspended for 30 days without pay. This throws a kink into Jimmy's plans because he needs the money to finance his daughter's (Michelle Trachtenberg) wedding. Jimmy decides to sell his prized baseball card but is robbed in the process by Dave (Seann William Scott). Tracking Dave down leads Jimmy and Paul to a Mexican drug lord, who is attempting to expand his territory, and a kidnapped woman (Ana de la Reguera). Also featured in this buddy cop comedy are Rashida Jones as Paul's wife, Adam Brody and Kevin Pollak as cops in the gang unit and Jason Lee as Jimmy's ex-wife's second husband. Willis plays the straight man to Morgan's funny man routine in this raunchy bromance. The movie probably deserves a second viewing because Morgan has some hilarious lines that get lost because you're still laughing at his last joke. He also spends a lot of time yelling, which garbles up what he's saying. Throw in Scott and the laughs keep rolling in. I'm sure there are going to be tons of outakes in the Special Features reel on the dvd. The movie took me by surprise. I thought there'd be a lot more action in it, but it was a pleasant surprise that this movie was a laughfest. It ended up being better than I thought it'd be. The plot and everything else is pretty irrelevant though. I just wanted to see more of Willis and Morgan together.

Watch It: For a surprisingly funny flick about two friends just trying to get through the day. It's their ninth anniversary after all.

Skip It: If you're offended by a bunch of swearing or are looking for more of an action thriller cop show.

Underdog

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: August 3, 2007

DVD Release Date: December 18, 2007

Plot 411: A mad scientist's experiment turns an ordinary dog into a super dog.

Review: I used to love the cartoon but didn't love the movie. While all the talking animals were cute in their own way, they couldn't save this film. A former drug-sniffing dog, Shoeshine (Jason Lee) is adopted by a night guard (Jim Belushi) and his son Jack (Alex Neuberger). Jack quickly finds out that he's no ordinary dog. Prior to his adoption, Shoeshine had a run in with a mad scientist (Peter Dinklage) that transformed him into a dog with many super powers. Jack and Shoeshine use his powers for the benefit of mankind while trying to avoid recapture by the scientist and his goons. I don't even really know what to say about this one. My favorite breed of dog is the beagle and even this wet-nosed pooch couldn't sway me. This movie also stars Amy Adams and Brad Garrett.

Watch It: If you like talking animals? Even then, there's probably something better for you to watch than this.

Skip It: If at all possible.

Rising Son: The Legend Of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: Not available

DVD Release Date: November 14, 2006

Plot 411: Documentary about the ups and downs in the life of skateboarding phenom Christian Hosoi.

Review: In this doc narrated by Dennis Hopper, we explore the fast-paced life of Christian Hosoi. In the early '80s, Hosoi shot to stardom because of his natural gift for skateboarding and his charismatic personality. He was innovative and excelled in contests. He knew how to work the media and market himself and his companies to maximum profit. However, he also had a zen-like attitude toward money and believed that it was transitory and not the main meaning of life. His lifestyle grew more and more extravagant and skating took him across the world. He partied like a rock star with rock stars and actors and all of Hollwood. He was the "it" man of the '80s. When skating trends began to change, he wasn't able to cope and fell into drugs. He was eventually incarcerated for possession of crystal meth with an intent to sell. He served part of his time, found God in the process and was released early. If you're a skate fan, this is an intriguing look into the world of one of the originators. This era follows up the Dogtown and Z-Boys generation, and it's cool to see how the sport is progressing. Hosoi had a massive influence on thousands of skaters that came after him. The doc is filled with testimonies from world-class skaters, like Tony Hawk, and even some actors like David Arquette and Jason Lee. It also shows a bit about his early family life and the influence his dad had on him. His dad is from Hawaii and met his mom in the islands while in college.

Watch It: For a bit of skating history and a look at the cost of fame.

Skip It: If you haven't seen the Dogtown and Z-Boys doc yet. Some of the same people are in this film.