Old Dogs

Dear Viewer,

Dan (Robin Williams) and Charles (John Travolta) have been life-long friends and business partners. With a big business deal around the corner their lives couldn't be further from perfect. They have the bachelor pads, the women and the cars. Only Dan seems  to think there might be more to life...

Throw in a long-lost love and a couple of kids and you've got yourself an adventure, my friends!

Old Dogs is a cookie-cutter family flick. The surprise plot is predictable. The problems are expected and the solutions seem too easy. If you were expecting a deep and moving dramatic piece...What were you smoking? This is simply not that kind of movie.

Safe, warm and simple as a blanket, Old Dogs will entertain for sure. There's nothing like watching a grown man being cradled by a gorilla or Robin Williams tripping on drugs to give you a fit of the giggles. Your kids are sure to love the slapstick and potty humor - even if you don't. And the ending, as satisfying as it is corny, reminds us that even if old dogs can't learn new tricks...people certainly can.

Besides with fewer options for the crowd stuck between watching the Lion King and Twilight, Old Dogs should be top of the list for any family movie night.

-Sylvia

P.S. This movie is a popcorn combo!

Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian

Are you still a Stiller fan?

Then buckle up and get ready for a wild ride! The second movie in the Night at the Museum series makes its way to DVD December 2009! (Okay, so I'm a little late. Even the professionals let one slip every once in a while.)

Having stopped the theft of the golden tablet and rescued the living exhibits, Larry leaves his post at the Museum of Natural History to pursue his dreams of inventing. From the un-losable keys to the glow-in-the-dark flashlight, Larry gives the late Billy Mays a run for his money.

But with success comes sacrifice, and he looses touch with his friends.

Distracted by an upcoming corporate mergers and sales projections, Larry swings by the museum to find everyone is prepped and packed, ready for transport to the National Archives in Washington D.C.!

With ANOTHER bad guy trying to steal the golden tablet and even cornier jokes, this movie is at best watchable. Unlike the first movie, Battle of the Smithsonian has no plot and no familiarity. Even the whole "exhibits coming to life" bit seems old hat.

Night at the Museum 1, like a number of my favorites (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, and Home Alone 2), was a movie about New Yahwk.

It was about the museum we remember visiting as kids, and intending to visit as adults. The exhibits that are duplicated a million times on Facebook. (EVERYONE thinking they've got the best shot of the hanging whale or the fossils.)

All things considered Night at the Museum 2 does not live up to expectations. The effects were neat and Hank Azaria's lisp will make you giggle, but you will probably be able to live without wasting the time.

I deem this a.......Box of Candy!

-S

G-Force, GO! (Seriously...)

If you're in the mood for an action-packed, espionage featuring small rodents, G-Force is the movie to see!

Perfect for families this movie has a little bit of something for everyone.This Disney flick received a very warm welcome July 09, the latest in a series of somewhat experimental 3-D films, G-Force often feels like a theme park ride. With extended chase scenes and large explosions, viewers are sure to be entertained even if the 88 minutes of one-liners fall flat.

The movie follows the story of the leader of the team, Darwin (voiced by Sam Rockwell), as he struggles to prove the validity of using animals as FBI agents. Darwin is accompanied by a Hispanic guinea pig, Juarez (Penelope Cruz) and a painfully Black rodent, Blaster (Tracy Morgan). After having their funding pulled by the FBI, the team crawls their way to the top, facing every danger known to rodent kind, from pet stores to stray cats. There is little depth to the characters, as most of the screen-time is taken dumbing down an already simple plot for pint-sized audiences. But remember there will be explosions! (And a couple of chase scenes that are sure to tweak your interest)

There is of course, a neat Disney bow on the ending, with the mission's success and closure for each character.

I found G-Force vaguely reminiscent of Small Soldiers (1998) and The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1986). The CGI was pretty cool, the micro-technology was surprisingly believable, but the movie lacked the substance and heart of a true classic.

So, expect a few laughs, a guffaw or two, but don't get your hopes up.

And remember...

"We are the Commando Elite. Everything else is just a toy!" (Chip Hazard, Small Soldiers)