It's Complicated
Starring Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, John Krasinski, and Lake Bell.Like other Nancy Meyers-directed movies (Something's Gotta Give, What Women Want, The Holiday), It's Complicated's target audience is women over 40 -- an underserved market to be sure, but one that has managed to buy up a lot of movie tickets. The Chicago Sun-Times's Roger Ebert, who suggests that It's Complicated will likely draw a big crowd from "gal pals taking a movie break after returning Christmas presents," notes that "not everybody is in a mood for Avatar." But Lou Lumenick in the New York Post suggests that the movie is really "Avatar for women of a certain age, with blond highlights replacing blue skin." Manohla Dargis in the New York Times, who has chastised Hollywood's major studios for overlooking female directors, heaps much praise on Meyers, while at the same time observing that her "vision can be maddeningly narrow and not only because her movies take place in cosseted, largely white worlds where the help is discreetly out of view."
Most of the critics reviewing It's Complicated are women and at times sound as if they're leading a cheering section. For example, Linda Barnard writes in the Toronto Star: "A rarity among Hollywood movies, where senior sex is usually either an aberration or a punchline, It's Complicated really isn't. It's just entertaining. Let's hope the studios are listening." Lisa Kennedy in the Denver Post agrees, writing, "Making us laugh in telling ways, especially in a time-worn genre like the romantic comedy, can be tough. There's a reason for the saying 'Death is easy, comedy is hard.'" Most male critics seem equally charmed. "It's Complicated isn't; it's pretty simple," writes Michael Phillips in the Chicago Tribune. "It's simply a good time, a relatively adult and easygoing conveyance for three ace performers of a certain age, working through a few comic machinations created by writer-director Nancy Meyers.
RATING: R for some drug content and sexuality.
Sherlock Holmes
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, and Kelly Reilly.Sherlock Holmes has made his reputation finding the truth at the heart of the most complex mysteries. With the aid of Dr. John Watson, his trusted ally, the renowned "consulting detective" is unequaled in his pursuit of criminals of every stripe, whether relying on his singular powers of observation, his remarkable deductive skills, or the blunt force of his fists. But now a storm is gathering over London, a threat unlike anything that Holmes has ever confronted...and just the challenge he's looking for.
RATING: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material.
Avatar
Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Peter Mensah, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi, Stephen Lang, and Matt Gerald.Jake Sully is a former Marine confined to a wheelchair. But despite his broken body, Jake is still a warrior at heart. He is recruited to travel light years to the human outpost on Pandora, where a corporate consortium is mining a rare mineral that is the key to solving Earth's energy crisis. Because Pandora's atmosphere is toxic, they have created the Avatar Program, in which human "drivers" have their consciousness linked to an avatar, a remotely-controlled biological body that can survive in the lethal air. These avatars are genetically engineered hybrids of human DNA mixed with DNA from the natives of Pandora... the Na'vi. Reborn in his avatar form, Jake can walk again. He is given a mission to infiltrate the Na'vi, who have become a major obstacle to mining the precious ore. But a beautiful Na'vi female, Neytiri, saves Jake's life, and this changes everything. Jake is taken in by her clan, and learns to become one of them, which involves many tests and adventures. As Jake's relationship with his reluctant teacher Neytiri deepens, he learns to respect the Na'vi way and finally takes his place among them. Soon he will face the ultimate test as he leads them in an epic battle that will decide the fate of an entire world.
RATING: PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
Starring Jason Lee, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate, Amy Poehler, Justin Long, and Justin Long.Before you could say, "Alvinnnnn!!!" talks began about a new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. Not content to rest on their laurels, the 'Munks are preparing yet another "first": There have been many great movie sequels. There have even been prequels. Now, get ready for the world's first Squeakquel, in which Alvin, Simon and Theodore finally meet their match - and maybe more - in the newly arrived female trio, The Chipettes.
RATING: PG for some mild rude humor.
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