After a long couple of weeks working and being away from home, there was a huge need to sneak away and get back to the theaters to check out Trouble with the Curve.

Clint Eastwood found some time to get away from humiliating himself at political conventions to star as Gus, a old, long time baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves in search of one last signing before he gets pushed out by a new way of thinking that has seemingly taken over the Braves organization.

Mickey (Amy Adams) is heading towards partnership at her law firm, and is finally ready to prove to her father that she is independent and successful on her own. When she finds out that her father is starting to lose her eye sight she decides to join him out on the road in North Carolina as together they check out the next "sure thing" who is about to enter the Major League Baseball draft.

Justin Timberlake plays Johnny, a former pitcher who since being injured has taken up scouting as a way to stay involved in the game en route to his dream of broadcasting for the Boston Red Sox. Along the way he finds out that he and Mickey may have more in common that just the link of Gus playing major roles in their lives.

Watching this movie for me must be like watching E.R. or Grey's Anatomy for a doctor. There were so many liberties taken by the film makers to make the process of finding/developing baseball players more entertaining that it took away from my enjoyment of the movie. The fact that high school baseball was still being played at the time of the MLB draft, and that an organization wouldn't have all of their scouts (including their longest tenured, and one of the GM's right hand men) in their draft "war room" were just two of the most glaring to me.

With that being said, I certainly was entertained and enjoyed this movie. It's no secret that I think Justin Timberlake is great, and Amy Adams was very good in her role as Gus' daughter/strong female character. While he clearly is a different actor than he was in decades past, Clint Eastwood was very entertaining and played the grumpy old man role perfectly.

It was the type of performance you'd want to talk to an empty chair about.

Trouble with the Curve
Directed by: Robert Lorenz
Written by: Randy Brown
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake
My Rating: 3.25 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

Another Sunday, another early morning trip to the local Cinemark to check out Hit and Run the latest comedy staring Dax Shepard, Bradley Cooper and Kristen Bell.

After becoming a key witness in the trial against his bank robbing former friends, Charles Bronson (Sheppard) is entered into the Witness Protection Program and begins his new life in a small town in California. It is here where he meets the love of his life, psychology professor Annie (Bell).

Annie is a professor at the local community college with dreams of making to a University to become one of the only experts in her field in the country. When this opportunity is afforded to her she and Charles plan a trip to the scene of his trial in Los Angeles. Along the way they find there might be a couple of bumps in the road courtesy of Annie's jealous ex, and Charles', out for revenge former best friend, Alex (Cooper).

Throughout the movie I had a hard time deciding whether or not the creative team was trying to create a comedy, or a dramatic thriller with some really cool car chases. I think because of my confusion it detracted a little from the enjoyment I would have had going into this movie. As you enter the theater the best advice I can give you is to take the movie for what it is. It's not thought provoking enough to make you think, it's not funny enough to keep you in tears from laughing so hard, and there isn't enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat for two hours.

But it is a more than adequate combination of all three.

There are cameo appearances by some big names in the comedy game, and some that will keep you entertained every time they are on the screen. They do what every guest star hopes to do in a movie or TV show, add just enough entertainment not to detract from the main characters.

There is some really great news for NBA fans from this movie. The more times you see the movie, the more you will come to enjoy it. So next spring when the NBA playoff games end on TNT at night you will have the perfect excuse to stay up until 3:00 in the morning watching this movie and enjoying it more each time.

Swish.

Hit and Run
Directed by: David Palmer and Dax Shepard
Written by: Dax Shepard
Starring: Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell and Bradley Cooper
My Rating: 3 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

Two movies in one day, and yet it still took me a week to write each review. I need to step up my game.

For my night cap last Sunday night, despite missing the exit off of I-15 for my local Cinemark, I was able to check out The Campaign, the latest comedy starring two of the biggest names in the business Will Ferrell, and Zach Galifianakis.

When long time congressman Cam Brady (Ferrell) is up for re-election, two wealthy CEO's decide it would be in their best business interest to create a bit of competition in the upcoming election. They need someone who will be able to win over the hearts of the public, yet still be willing to take direction from those who put him in a position of power. Enter loveable loser, Marty Huggins (Galifianakis).

Anytime you put two of the funniest comedians in the world together you are bound to create some laughs. It would truly be a work of Hollywood magic to not have scenes that make you laugh in 97 minutes with this cast. Throw Jason Sudeikis in and you've got yourself a comedic team worth voting for. However once you get past the primary information in this movie, you left staring at a hanging chad.

The movie feels like a lazy effort from writers Chris Henchy and Shawn Harwell. It would be like having two of the best basketball players in the world and not being able to win the world championship. Or in other words, the 2010-2011 Miami Heat. When you clearly have the capabilities to do more you frustrate your audience because they know what they should be seeing, and unfortunately what you produced resulted in one of the bigger disappointments of the summer movie season.

The Campaign
Directed by: Jay Roach
Written by: Chris Henchy and Shawn Harwell
Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis and Jason Sudeikis
My Rating: 1.75 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: No

Despite a lack of time, and decent options I do still enjoy going to the movies. I tried to get back in the swing of things last Sunday by checking out The Bourne Legacy. Even though I had the time to go to the theater and see it, I haven't had time until today to get a review written.

The fourth installment of the Bourne series introduces us to Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), an operative in a special ops group called "Operation Outcome". Much like his predecessor Jason Bourne, Cross is a one of a kind agent who is capable of dealing with the best and worst that can be thrown his way.

Despite what you will read in other reviews or from other movie related websites, this movie had no storyline. It was literally a 2-hour introduction to the character of Aaron Cross. Sure things happen and you will be on the edge of your seat for a large part of this movie, but the storyline really never goes anywhere.

The series shows a lot of promise with co-stars Edward Norton and Rachel Weisz, both who are great in their roles, but without a story to develop into it felt like a 2-hour cocktail reception while we all sit around and wait for the main course (the next installment).

With all of that being said, this movie is still plenty entertaining. If you enjoyed the first three movies that featured Matt Damon, you will enjoy installment number four. And from the looks of things, you will probably enjoy at least one or two movies in the series.

The Bourne Legacy
Directed by: Tony Gilroy
Written by: Tony Gilroy, Dan Gilroy, and Robert Ludlum
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Edward Norton and Rachel Weisz
My Rating: 3 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

After not seeing a movie during the month of July I feel like I have failed you, the loyal reader. No, the blog has not just turned into an Aaron Sorkin love fest, no it isn't only a TV review blog, and no I did not win the lottery and sail away to my own private island. Last night after work I made my triumphant return to the local Cinemark and got August off to a great start by checking out The Watch.

Starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill this movie features the trio forming a neighborhood watch program along with Richard Ayoade.

After the murder of his friend and security worker at Costco, Evan (Stiller) finds the local law enforcement to be subpar and decides he needs to take the law into his own hands. When his three new partners dive deeper into the mystery surrounding their small Ohio town, what they find not only surprises them, but it turns their world upside down.

As I sat in the theater for the first 20 minutes of the movie I couldn't help but wonder if I was going to get my money's worth for the free voucher I redeemed for admission. It was agonizingly slow. It wasn't funny, and only made me think of Vince Vaughn's performance in The Dilemma, one of the worst movies of 2011.

But then a funny thing happened. The story line became so ridiculous and unbelievable that all of the jokes became funny. For the next hour I enjoy laughing at the jokes that made me love the three stars in the first place. It was crude, vulgar, and hilarious. The perfect way to spend a Wednesday evening.

There are so many subtle lines or actions in this movie that kept me laughing, and of course seeing everyone's dream of being alone at night in a Costco helped made the movie even more enjoyable. It's not going to change your life, but it will help liven up your life for a couple of hours, and after all isn't that what you've come to expect from these leading men?

The Watch
Directed by: Akiva Schaffer
Written by: Jared Stern, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

My crazy work schedule this month has led to some out of character mid-week movie madness. Unfortunately it has also led to me not being able to post the reviews until a few days after seeing a movie. This week I was able to sneak away and check out the latest Steve Carell movie, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.

The movie focuses on Dodge (Carrell), a newly single forty something looking to reunite with his first love after news that the end of the world is imminent. His journey gets off to an interesting start as he meets his newly single neighbor, Penny (Keira Knightley), and promises to help her get to an airplane to get back across the pond to her family.

I think I may have written about this before, but I think at some point actors get bored when they are so good at a particular role that they want to take on a different approach but sadly very few can pull this off. We all know and love Steve Carell as Michael Scott on the The Office, the goofy 40-Year Old Virgin or Brick Tamland from Anchorman, and for the first half of this movie it felt like we could add another chapter to that book. Unfortunately the second half of this movie happened and Carell's character decided to become a serious actor.

The storyline felt like it couldn't decide between being a comedy, a melodrama about the world coming to an end, or a romance movie. Whichever one it decided to go with wasn't very good.

Carell had some good lines, and Knightely is entertaining, but there is absolutely nobody else in the movie worth remembering. Without looking I can't tell you who I'll list below as the third "star" from this movie, that's never a good sign.

If in fact the world is coming to an end, I recommend checking out a different movie.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Directed by: Lorene Scafaria
Written by: Lorene Scafaria
Starring: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley and Melanie Lynskey (?)
My Rating: 2 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: No

It took me nearly three weeks but I was finally able to sneak back out to the theaters last week (in the middle of the week mind you) to see Rock of Ages, the latest musical to hit the big screen.

Tom Cruise is the big name in this movie as he plays Stacee Jaxx, the lead singer of an 80's hair band who is ready to make it on his own. His appearances at a local Hollywood hot spot on the Sunset Strip are vital to the lives of Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough), and Drew Boley (Diego Boneta).

Hough plays a young mid-western girl who heads west in search of fame and fortune. Upon getting off the bus and getting mugged on the mean streets of L.A. she meets Drew and is quickly offered a job as a waitress at a local night club which is owned and operated by Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin), and his partner Lonny (Russell Brand).

This movie is the ultimate, no thinking movie. You can sit and relax in the theater with your popcorn and diet soda and not have worry about the plot line going over your head. You'll tap your toes to the 80's music, and hope for more Bon Jovi songs to be played (wait... that was just me? OK).

You aren't going to walk out of the theater and rush home to discect the story, or break down the acting skills of anyone involved (although for the first time in human history Russell Brand was actually funny), but you are going to walk out entertained, and most likely with a song stuck in your head.

Let's just hope it's a Bon Jovi song.

Rock of Ages
Directed by: Adam Shankman
Written by: Justin Theroux, Chris D'Arienzo, Allan Loeb and Chris D'Arienzo
Starring: Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, and Tom Cruise
My Rating: 3.25 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

I'm sure it won't come as a surprise to anyone who knew me as a teenager pretending that I was Will Smith that I am a Men In Black homer. When the original movie came out in the late 90's I'm pretty sure that it was the highlight of my Middle School experience. Well, either that or the time I got two Pop-Tarts to fall out of the vending machine by shaking it.

The third edition of the successful franchise finds us taking a trip back in time to the 60's as Agent J (Smith) attempts to help save the life of his long-time partner Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones & Josh Brolin). It doesn't take long for J to realize that things are a little different 40 years ago, and naturally the fate of the world depends on the outcome of his travels.

As evidenced by my previous reviews, and lack thereof on certain movies, I'm not the biggest sci-fi fan in the world. I was pleasantly surprised by the minimal amount of alienology (yeah... I made that word up) in this movie. Sure there are your specific references to the Boglodite species that you may or may not be familiar with, but it certainly does not take away from what I have come to expect from the trilogy, great special effects, hilarious one-liners and pure entertainment.

That takes me to the biggest surprise in this movie. The storyline. The second installment of the series lacked seriously in this department. It fell in with Ocean's Twelve, Rocky 2, and Back to the Future 2 as sequels in a series that could have been skipped. With that in the back of my mind I didn't have the highest expectations for Etan Cohen's script. I am more than happy to admit that I was totally wrong, and should have known that taking nearly a decade between movies would allow for plenty of time to create a big budget worthy script.

Smith's wit, and the seriousness of Tommy Lee Jones/Josh Brolin continue to work perfectly. It is hard to imagine anyone being better at playing the younger version of K than Brolin. The addition of having a storyline that keeps you not only entertained, but wondering what will happen next helps make MIB 3 the leader in the clubhouse for the best movie of the summer.

I wonder if it would be possible to borrow one of their neurolizers to help flashy thing my memory into forgetting the two duds I saw last weekend?

Men In Black 3
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
Written by: Lowell Cunningham and Etan Cohen
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

I'm not exactly sure how to say this, but America owes me one giant thank you card for taking the time out of my weekend to see two of the worst movies of the last five years. If you all want to run out out to the local pharmacy and pick one up, or maybe have your overly creative wife make one for you that will be fine. Just see if you can throw in a couple of free movie tickets to try and replace the two I wasted this weekend.

After seeing The Dictator on Saturday afternoon, I returned to my normal routine and spent my Sunday morning in the theater watching What to Expect When You're Expecting. I feel like I need to explain my reasoning for actually going to see this one.

Reason #1: The cast looked somewhat intriguing. I really like Elizabeth Banks and Anna Kendrick. They have both played major roles in a couple of very good movies. Chris Rock and Cameron Diaz have both been great in the past, I was hoping for a Kevin Garnett/Tim Duncan 2012 Playoff performance out of them. Unfortunately these two wouldn't have advanced to the post season if this were part of the qualification process. I figured that watching Jennifer Lopez try and act for two hours was part of my trade off for seeing Brooklyn Decker in a bikini on a 30 foot screen. Turns out, it wasn't worth it. Decker was "pregnant" for most of the movie.

Reason #2: I really like popcorn and diet soda.

Reason #3: I like wearing sneakers. An odd reason you might think, but wearing dress shoes to work every day doesn't leave me with a lot of opportunities to grab a pair of fresh sneakers. Going to the movies is the perfect justification for purchasing more shoes. That makes sense in my head.

Reason #4: I enjoy watching the trailers before the feature presentation begins so I know what is coming out in the near future and hope that there are movies to look forward to. FYI... the trailer for This Is 40 looks superb.

Reason #5: I'm an idiot. Seriously, my wife warned me before going to The Dictator that it wasn't going to be any good, and when she told me she didn't want to see this movie, well let's just say the warning flags should have been a little more visible.

The ensemble romantic comedies need to be stopped in Hollywood. I know on paper it sounds like a good idea to have as many "big names" as you can get in a movie, but (sticking with the NBA Playoffs theme) don't these studios know that we'd rather watch cast that has chemistry and has the time for the characters to develop (San Antonio Spurs), rather than a bunch of actors who may be great individually but together they are over rated and over hyped (Miami Heat)?

Another example of why this doesn't work? I usually list the three top stars from a movie at the bottom of my reviews as listed on IMDB.com. The third "star" listed from this movie? J. Todd Smith who plays an interpreter in one scene and has a total of three lines. Even the fine folks at the internet's largest movie website thought the big names were so bad in this movie that they didn't want to list them as "stars".

There may have been some funny lines in this movie, but I was too busy hoping it would end to notice them. The only good part about this movie is it didn't make my decision to go and see The Dictator the worst decision I would make this weekend.

What to Expect When You're Expecting
Directed by: Kirk Jones
Written by: Shauna Cross, Heather Hach and Heidi Murkoff
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks and Chase Crawford
My Rating: 0.75/5
Would Gene Pick it?: NO!

With a couple of new movies out this weekend, and more coming out next weekend that I'd like to see I decided to venture out and make a rare Saturday afternoon appearance at the movie theater. To my delight it wasn't as crowded as anticipated, unfortunately for me that meant I still had to sit through The Dictator.

Sacha Baron Cohen makes his return to the big screen in this scripted comedy as Aladeen, a middle eastern dictator who is summoned to the United States to speak to the United Nations amid the controversy of his country becoming a democracy. After running into some problems with his newly hired American security team, Aladeen is quickly replaced by his body double who will try and fool the world and change the leadership and most importantly control of the oil in his country.

Many people are familiar with Cohen's work in Borat and Bruno. Some of that unconventional, usually racist humor makes its way into The Dictator. Unfortunately so does the rest of this script. Despite my relief when the closing credits began to roll, I was shocked to find out that many of the people behind this film also were some of the head writers on the greatest TV show of all time, Seinfeld.

Director Larry Charles and co-writer/producer Alec Berg have been a major part of the creative teams behind all three of Cohen's main films. They were also a major part of the creative process behind the first five seasons of Seinfeld, and later helped out on Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

The Dictator is a waste of your money, and a waste of one my free movie tickets I had scored from work. Someone may need to check Sacha Baron Cohen's bank account and make sure to warn America the next time it is low and he puts out another movie. There is a reason that the trailer for this movie looks funny. They took all of the good parts and cut it down to two minutes. Sadly that leaves the remaining 81 minutes. My advice, eat your popcorn slowly to try and keep yourself entertained throughout the movie, also drink your diet soda quickly so you have to get up and use the restroom. It will help make the time move faster.

The Dictator
Directed by: Larry Charles
Written by: Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley
My Rating: 1.25 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: No

Oh hello there, remember me? I'm the guy that used to go to a lot of movies and would then tell you what I think of them on this blog. You may have a hard time picturing me as I have been slacking on the movies as of late, but have no fear, my refillable popcorn bucket and Diet Soda container made our triumphant return this morning to the local theaters.

While it seems that almost everyone in America went to see The Avengers this weekend, I decided to slip into the side theater and check out The Five-Year Engagement. Believe it or not, this romantic comedy features a couple who is engaged for, yup, you guessed it... five years!

Jason Segel and Emily Blunt star as Tom and Violet, a couple who becomes engaged exactly one-year after they met at a New Year's Eve costume party. Violet is hoping to fill a position that has become available in the Psychology department at Berkley, while Tom is on the verge of becoming the head chef at a San Francisco hot spot. But sometimes things don't go exactly as planned.

After learning she has been offered a position at the University of Michigan, Violet and Tom pack their lives and head east. Upon arriving in Ann Arbor Tom quickly finds out that leaving a posh job like the one he had in the Bay Area isn't exactly the easiest way to scores a new job in the small college town. Meanwhile Violet is quickly becoming the hit of the Michigan Psych Department and her new found success begins to drive a wedge into her and Tom's relationship.

Much like every other romantic comedy that has been made over the course of the two main character's fictional engagement, this is a love story that features its peaks and valleys.

I wasn't writing reviews three years ago or else you would have read me complaining about the biggest drop off from first half to second half in movie history after I saw Funny People. In what can only be good news for Adam Sandler, this movie is rapidly approaching that territory. It felt like when this script was written that they were trying to make it into a raunchy R-rated comedy to differentiate it from all of the other PG-13 rom-com's in Hollywood. However there is a reason that the PG-13 versions work. They don't try so damn hard to be funny by throwing in expletives (see what I did there). They let the cast do their jobs and showcase their skills.

Jason Segel does a decent job playing the Jonah Hill type character, however Emily Blunt takes the pole position in best female lead for this genera leaving Katherine Heigl in the dust.

I have previously declared my affection for Scarlett Johansson, and in order to avoid getting the look from a particularly beautiful woman that I married, I'll just quickly mention that Emily Blunt has rocketed towards the top of my Females in Hollywood list. Something tells me that a dinner party hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Jim Halpert could be a good time, unfortunately for me it may be a tad further than five years away.

The Five-Year Engagement
Directed by: Nicholas Stoller
Written by: Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt and Chris Pratt
My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 (that's a 5 for the first half, and a 0 for the second half)
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes - duh... Emily Blunt!

Not only has it been over a week since I last posted a review, it's now been one week since I saw my last movie. Man, I'm becoming a slacker. I'll try and pick up my game for you.

Seven days ago the wife and I reacquainted ourselves with our refillable popcorn buckets and set out to see The Hunger Games. For my bride it was her second trip through the futuristic setting, while this was my maiden voyage to what is apparently our future.

Going into the theater I was given a brief background on the movie as I have not read any of the books. I was told that there were 12 districts in this new country with the higher the number district the poorer, and further away from the capitol you are. This helped me realize what was going on when the movie opened and we met young Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she did whatever she could to help support her younger sister and her mother. As the previews showed us Katniss' younger sister, Primrose, was selected to participate in the annual Hunger Games event where 24 youngsters fight to the death in a government mandated entertainment spectacle.

Upon seeing her younger sister be selected, Katniss became the first volunteer in Hunger Games history. This leads her on an intriguing voyage with her fellow district 12 resident, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). As the two are quickly taken to the capital they begin their training for the most important "game" of their lives.

With the recent string of female aimed books being turned into movies (Twilight, Harry Potter, etc.) I was certainly skeptical about seeing this movie, but hoping to score some "good husband" points I took my wife's advice and decided to just enjoy my popcorn. Fortunately for me, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. It was entertaining, the acting was quality, and despite my hesitancy I found myself disappointed when it ended. What more can you ask for from a movie?

The good news is that this is undoubtedly the first in a trilogy (or more?) of movies based on the Hunger Games books. Which of course can only mean one thing, more of my wife reminding me that she was right and I need to listen to her more often.

Uh, oh. What have I gotten myself into?

The Hunger Games
Directed by: Gary Ross
Written by: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth
My Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

I know it's been a day or two since my last review, but you must forgive me. You know that March is a tough time to get to the movies for me, plus throw in the fact that nothing good has been in theaters in weeks and... well, you see the result. But I have good news. During my time I away set forth on an investigative mission. The results of which are within...

Having been in high school during the early 2000's you might say that I "grew up" with the American Pie franchise. I'm pretty sure that when my friends and I watched the movies in high school we all compared ourselves to characters on the big screen, (Mike you were Stifler, Nick you were the Shermanator).

Because of this I had wondered why, for the past 9 years why I hadn't seen any of the actors in anything even remotely good, as it turns out all I had to do was check out the latest installment in the series, American Reunion and be refreshed on their skills as actors.

All of our favorites from the previous three movies return as the gang heads back to East Great Falls for their 12-year (?) High School Reunion. Jim and Michelle bring their 2-year old son along with them as they get together with sportscaster and reality dancing show star Oz, house husband Kevin, world traveler/assistant manager at Staples Finch, and of course everyone's favorite former lacrosse star Stifler.

If you have seen the previous movies in the series (and let's be honest, if you are still reading this you have), you have come to realize that the plot will probably feature the gang getting back together, something going wrong (caused by Stifler), and ending happily ever after. Well, spoiler alert, the trend continues.

From problems in the bedroom for the married couple, to having an odd girlfriend who hangs out with A.C. Slater, the conundrums for the cast are plentiful. Many problems they never thought they would ever have to face again rear their ugly head over a decade after graduating from high school. Fortunately for us as viewers, we are treated to some of the classics that helped make this franchise successful when we were younger.

I may, or may not have had it already in my head that I was going to love this movie when we walked into the theater. While I'm probably not going to add it to the movie posters on the wall behind me, While the actors all proved that they have no depth beyond playing these characters, for the 2 hours I spent in the theater I was throughly entertained.

American Reunion
Directed by: Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg
Written by: Adam Herz, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg
Starring: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, and Seann William Scott
My Rating: 3 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

Who would have thought it? After spending a couple of hours staring a giant screen I have come to the conclusion that Channing Tatum is funny? Although I am convinced that his comedic stats in 21 Jump Street were inflated by the Steve Nash like skills of comedy possessed by Tatum's co-star, Jonah Hill.

I think movie fans will look back on Tatum's performance in this movie the same way basketball fans look back at the stats Shawn Marion put up in the 2005-2006 NBA season. Sure the box scores look good, or the jokes were funny, but there is no way that they could have been that successful without one of the best in the business running the show for them.

21 Jump Street is a stupid comedy that entertains you but makes you proud that you think it is a little off. Trust me when I say you don't want to walk out of the theater talking about how that movie made you think and will really reexamine the way you look at your life.

Schmidt and Jenko (Hill and Tatum respectively) are new to the police force, and after spending some time patrolling the local park they are finally given a real assignment, going undercover at the local high school to find a kingpin who is distributing a new synthetic drug to the local youth. Despite their demeanor, and behaviors they are accepted into the social scene at the high school and begin to discover that the memories of their own high school experiences are nothing like the new memories they are about to embark on.

Much like many of the other comedies that Jonah Hill has starred in the plot line in this movie isn't anything to write home (or a blog for that matter) about. His chemistry on the screen with whoever is across from him will make anything he is in watchable. That doesn't mean his movies are always worth the $9, but he will certainly keep you entertained.

I have never seen a second of the original TV series of the same name, but by the end of the movie you certainly get a chance to see what it was all about.

Also, just in case you are running little late, or the popcorn line is a little long the first 10 minutes of this movie are perfectly summed up in its official trailer. That is because 97.4% of the trailer features scenes from this segment of the movie. My advice... get the popcorn, and a diet soda and then enjoy the show.

21 Jump Street
Directed by: Phil Lord, and Chris Miller
Written by: Michael Bacall, Jonah Hill, Patrick Hasburgh, and Stephen J. Cannell
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and Ice Cube
My Rating. 3 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

You would think that this is a stressful time of year for me, and I need to go to the movies to watch something that doesn't make me think with the recent string of movies I've been too. Despite the fact that I'm not stressed, I decided to continue my streak of not thinking for 2 hours every Sunday by checking out Project X earlier this morning.

This movie (and by the way... this is the epitome of a movie versus a film) stars Thomas Mann as a high school senior celebrating his birthday with his friends Costa (Oliver Cooper), and JB (Jonathan Daniel Brown) by throwing the most epic party their high school has ever seen.

When Thomas' parents go out of town to celebrate their anniversary, Costa convinces his friends to take full advantage of having an empty house to try and make an name for themselves. Despite Thomas' worries that nobody will show up, Costa is confident in his abilities to get their classmates to the party. It turns out he is correct, to the tune of nearly 1500 people, a "little person", a dude with a flame thrower, and that guy who dances in the Footloose remake.

As you can imagine things don't exactly go as planned.

If you have taken the two and half minutes to watch the trailer for Project X on YouTube, you can probably save your money and skip going to the theaters. This movie is a minor league version of Superbad, or The Hangover. The plot is non-existent but instead of having actors that you have heard of that keep you entertained throughout the movie, you get to experience two hours of three guys you never even knew existed.

There certainly are some funny parts during the movie, most of which are courtesy of Costa, but the majority of the movie is childish, and just plain unfunny. Throw in the prominent nudity throughout the movie of what are supposed to be 17-year olds and you get an awkward combination. Perhaps my biggest complaint, and one that is never answered during the movie, is how Costa is 18 1/2 years old (as he explains to the police), and yet is still a senior in High School? I have a hard time picturing his character not explaining something that possibly could have happened in Queens, because apparently that is the greatest place on earth.

Do yourself a favor watch the trailer and save the $8 you would have spent at the theaters on this one. If you enjoy the trailer just pop in your DVD of The Hangover, or one of the American Pie movies, the storyline is identical but you will actually enjoy the humor in one of those two classics.

Project X
Directed by: Nima Nourizadeh
Written by: Matt Drake, and Michael Bacall
Starring: Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper, and Jonathan Daniel Brown
My Rating: 2 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: No

After fighting the flu for about 10 days (and failing miserably) it felt great to finally be back in the theater this past weekend. A lazy Sunday provided the perfect opportunity to check out the latest romantic comedy, Wanderlust.

Starring Jennifer Aniston, and Paul Rudd, Wanderlust is the story of two city dwellers forced to take a look at making some changes in their lives when George (Rudd) loses his job in New York City. On their way to his brother's in Atlanta the couple decides to make a stop at a rural community where living an alternative lifestyle and free love is the way of life.

After giving working with his brother a shot George and Linda (Aniston) decide that their heart is not in the city, but in the middle of nowhere with their newfound friends.

There is plenty of hilarity as the couple becomes adjusted to their new lifestyle. They quickly find out that there may be some trouble on the horizon for their new friends and begin to help them out only to find out that it might not be the place for them.

Jennifer Aniston does a great job in the quirky, sarcastic role, and Paul Rudd continues to do what he has done for the past few years in Hollywood. He is perfect in his role as George, and only benefits from playing off of veteran actor Alan Alda.

Wanderlust is the perfect way to spend 2 hours, you will be entertained, you won't have to think and you get to laugh at some truly stupid humor. What could be better?

Wanderlust
Directed by: David Wain
Written by: David Wain and Ken Marino
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, and Malin Akerman
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

You want to know how I know Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds are movie stars? When I go to my local Cinemark on a Sunday morning and instead of being two, of six or seven people in the theater, my wife and I have to fight to make sure we good seats. The theater was packed this morning. Not the easiest thing to do in Utah County on a Sunday morning!

Safe House is the story of Tobin Frost (Washington), a former rogue CIA agent who is captured and brought into a safe house in South Africa which is managed by rookie agent Matt Weston (Reynolds). In the midst of an interrogation of Frost the safe house is compromised by a gang of thugs who will stop at nothing short of capturing Frost, and gaining possession of a file that contains secrets that will severely compromise the CIA, and numerous other government agencies around the world.

When things settle down at the now compromised safe house, Weston finds himself alone with Frost, and under strict orders to get him to another safe house. When those plans are spoiled we are led on an intense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat for an action packed two hours.

Not unlike most thrillers, there are parts of the storyline that are a little far fetched. Certain genre's of movies rely a tad heavier on your temporary suspension of disbelief. This move is no different. Watching Denzel and Ryan Reynolds run through the streets and villages of South Africa like they are Olympic athletes is just beyond my expectations of their actual athletic skills. But at no point during the movie did my unintentional comedy sensor go off. The director toed the line a couple of times but never quite crossed it.

Vera Farmiga, and Brendan Gleeson are great in their respective roles as CIA supervisors in Langley. While both characters could have used a little more screen time to develop their roles, they both do a great job supporting the stars and moving the story forward.

This movie is exactly what you expect it to be. Another CIA thriller that entertains throughout. Denzel is Denzel, he plays the bad ass better than anyone in Hollywood. Ryan Reynolds surprised me with his role. Stepping out of the rom-com genre, he shows that he has another side to his acting repertoire. But just in case those skills didn't come through those behind the camera made sure that a couple of shirtless scenes were still thrown in there to make my wife happy.

Safe House
Directed by: Daniel Espinosa
Written by: David Guggenheim
Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, and Brendan Gleeson
My Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

It's mid-week movie madness! An abundance of movies that I want to see, coupled with the Sundance Film Festival and an upcoming vacation resulted in a Wednesday night trip to see Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

The film "stars" Tom Hanks, and Sandra Bullock as a married couple living in New York City with their 9-year old son, Oskar played by Thomas Horn.

Not much thought is put into a Tuesday morning meeting for Thomas Schell (Hanks) at the World Trade Center. He neglects to tell his wife, or his son that he will be downtown rather than at his jewelry shop, and after the first plane hits the North Tower, the Schell family would never be the same.

9-year old Oskar is not your typical 4th grader. His parents never spoke to him like a child, and his constant need for everything to be explained has made him wise beyond his years. A year after his father is killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks he begins to go through his father's belongings and finds a key. Always the explorer, and always needing an answer to why, Oskar sets out on a journey to find what the key opens.

Through the first third of the film I have to admit that I really disliked the character Oskar. He was a bratty, know it all, who was never hesitant to spout off to his mother, or other adults in his life. As the film progressed, the talents of the young Horn shined through and make you realize just how great of a job he does in this film. The relationship that he forges with his grandma's roommate brings out the best in two characters.

Max von Sydow, and Horn steal the show from the two Oscar winners listed as starring in this film. Despite not being able to speak von Sydow's character plays a vital role in the development of the story. Without his fatherly influence you have to wonder if Oskar will even continue on his journey. Both actors are well deserving of any honors that are bestowed upon them this award season.

There are some terrific minimal supporting roles in this film, Viola Davis, John Goodman, and Zoe Caldwell are relied upon in a big way to deliver the emotion of this film. All three of them deliver in a big way with small parts.

I am a sucker for most things related to 9/11. While the emotion of this film is drawn from that fateful day, it is not a story about America coming together, or America fighting back. It is a story about the coming together of a family among the most difficult circumstances any of us could imagine.

Despite what critics will say this film is absolutely deserving of being nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture. It won't win (and probably shouldn't), but it is clearly one of the top 9 films of the past year. I just hope the Academy doesn't take offense to the misspelling of the main character's name.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Written by: Eric Roth, and Jonathan Safran Foer
Starring: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, and Sandra Bullock
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

After taking a week away from the mainstream movies to check out some films at Sundance it was nice to get back into the local Cinemark with my refillable popcorn and diet soda mugs to enjoy a commercially viable movie.

My Super Bowl pre-game festivities took me to see Man on a Ledge, the suspense filled drama starring Sam Worthington, and Elizabeth Banks.

Nick Cassidy (Worthington) is an escaped convict who believes he was wrongfully accused of stealing a $40 million diamond from New York City businessman, David Englander (Ed Harris). After enlisting the help of his brother and girlfriend, Cassidy unleashes a plan to unveil the truth. His idea brings him to the ledge on the 21st floor of a New York City hotel, and more importantly across the street from Englander's offices and vault. While distracting what seems like the entire NYPD force his plan springs into action right in front of their eyes.

While on the ledge Cassidy insists on only speaking with one member of the police force, Lydia Mercer (Banks). Her failed history of keeping suicidal people from jumping doesn't exactly excite the higher ranks of the NYPD. But as is the case in most movies, our main character has done his research.

There are plenty of reasons why I enjoy going to the movies. The popcorn and diet soda not withstanding, I love the emotion that is brought out of you while watching a movie. Whether you are laughing in a comedy, crying in a drama, or screaming from a horror flick, there is emotion in your cinematic experience. Watching Man on a Ledge will not make you think you are seeing a contender for any awards, in fact the acting in this movie is downright bad. Jamie Bell, and Genesis Rodriguez give two of the worst performances in predominant roles that I have seen in some time (the director makes it crystal clear that Rodriguez biggest contribution to this movie is her looks, by showcasing her in her bra and panties for a scene). These two will not be in leading roles anytime soon.

However even with the train wreck given to you by the Screen Actors Guild, the cinematography of Worthington's character hanging over the ledge of a 21st floor hotel room will make your palms sweat. It brings out a suspenseful emotion that the actors couldn't. And for that alone this movie is worth your time.

Man on a Ledge
Directed by: Asger Leth
Written by: Pablo F. Fenjves
Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, and Jamie Bell
My Rating: 3.25 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes

Anytime that I go and see multiple movies in one day I prefer to have the nightcap be a comedy, or something light that I don't have to put much thought into. Fortunately for my wife and I, our final selection of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, and final selection of the day took us to For a Good Time, Call....

This movie is about Lauren and Katie, two mid-20's girls living in New York City who share a mutual friend that connects them when money is short and both are in need of a roommate. Despite a checkered past these two must find ways to get along if they want to continue living in a beautiful apartment in the most expensive city in the country.

Lauren (Lauren Miller) is an aspiring editor who has recently found herself without a job, and without "her person". Katie (Ari Graynor) is a not so aspiring nail technician working at a local beauty salon. Her grandmother left her with a huge, rent controlled apartment with spacious hallways and lovely views of the park. However when it no longer is rent stabilized she needs to come up with some additional income to pay her landlord.

With Lauren's background as an analytical, rational person, and Katie's background of talking dirty, the two decide to start their own phone sex hotline and reap the benefits of outrageous per minute fees, and lonely men all around the country. What ensues is a hilarious look at the completely opposite sexual backgrounds of two single women in the big city.

Categorizing this movie as one that doesn't make you think is understating it. The humor comes fast and furious, and doesn't require your utmost attention at all times. A cameo by Lauren Miller's husband (some random comedian named Seth Rogen) steals the show. With Justin Long being the biggest "name" on the poster, it doesn't hurt to have someone with Rogen's notoriety jump on board for a scene. Having it deliver the most hilarious scene in the movie is the cherry on top of the sundae.

I haven't been able to locate a wide release date for this movie. If in fact it does hit the local theaters, do yourself a favor and go laugh for 90 minutes. I promise it will be a good time.

For a Good Time, Call...
Directed by: Jamie Travis
Written by: Lauren Miller, and Katie Anne Naylon
Starring: Lauren Miller, Ari Graynor, and Justin Long
My Rating: 3.75 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: Yes