NEW MOVIE OUT THIS WEEK

Superman Returns

** Stars

Superman is back after nineteen years, five directors, and a chunk load of change. The real question: Can he still fly?

Nope.

You can guarantee that the latest Superman flick will top box offices all over the place. But still, after all the hype, Superman Returns, like X-Men: The Last Stand, fails to deliver the goods needed to make a comic book come alive. Director Bryan Singer should have kept his mind on the X-Men franchise.

The Ridiculous Plot: Superman returns to Earth to stop the dangerous and ruthless acts of Lex Luthor, who has been sprung from prison with the specific intent of using Superman's technological secrets for his own personal gain and glory.

Lois Lane, star reporter for the Daily Planet and the love of Superman's life, has moved on since Superman left without a word. She has even won a Pulitzer Prize for her essay, "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." She is also engaged to the editor's nephew and has a young son to look after.

The special effects are dazzling. The first battle of the movie is a jaw dropping spectacle. But at 154 minutes, the Man of Steel begins to rust. Brandon Routh, who plays the Man of Steel, is as bad as you feared, Kate Bosworth plays Louis Lane as a wicked bitch, and Kevin Spacey is miscast (but he is tolerable) as Lex Luthor, Superman's nemesis. The script however is surprisingly sub par. We never truly see why Superman came back or how his absence has affected his mind. We are seeing the middle of a story with neither an introduction nor satisfactory conclusion. Superman Returns then outstays its welcome. Let's pray Spiderman 3 can deliver where many comic book adaptations lately have failed.

Click

**1/2 Stars

Adam Sandler has grown up. Sandler, who is pushing forty, is too old to play a cocky punk he once represented. In "Click", he refreshes his image as a more mature man who is ready for some serious roles. And we just saw Adam Sandler in Mike Binder's drama Reign Over Me. He can do dramatic movies.

Wait, Click is a drama? From my view, I believe it is. It has the same exact plot as It's a Wonderful Life. Seriously, it's almost the same thing; and while I took that to heart and found it offensive, I admired the film's good intentions.

Sandler plays Workaholic architect Mike Newman. He's an ass to his kid and wife in order to sustain a career. But for any jerk to his kids, there is always a creepy guy with a remote at Bed, Bath, and Beyond to show you a glimpse of your future by using a magical remote. This remote can fast-foward over crappy moments in day, and soon it starts to create its own memory leaving Mike helpless and alone in the future.

In reality, this is a two-star movie. It has nothing new nor inventive and you will be rolling your eyes. But as a Sandler fan, it's nice to see Sandler trying to grow up. Here, he mildly delivers.

Nacho Libre

*1/2
The half star goes to Jack Black for trying his best. But unfortunately, I had to walk out.

Cars

***1/2 Stars

"Cars" is a delight from start to finish. It's skillfully executed scenes of racing and humor is more than just a technical achievement.

Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is rookie bad-ass in training. On the way to the Piston Cup Championship, his truck drives him off course and finds himself detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. McQueen gets to know the cars of the town and he begins to realize that life can be more than just who crosses the finish line first.

"Cars" is a terrific way to celebrate Pixar's 20th anniversary. All the cars in Radiator Springs reminds me of something Charles Fourier would write. For cars, it feels like a Utopia. It may lack the steam of Finding Nemo and the Toy Story's, but it doesn't cease to amaze. It's a bold contender.

The Omen

1/2 Stars

This frame by frame remake of the 1976 original is a dud- a disappointment from start to finish. I would rather take a trip to the dentist, do the cleaning myself then give my clean teeth to a dog to play with.

An American diplomat named Robert Thorn endures devastating news when his newborn son dies. Although, he doesn't tell his wife Katherine...(um, what?). I guess Thorn knows the news will devastate who had suffered two previous miscarriages. So like any other father, a priest convinces him to take another child born that night and call it his own. They call him Damien, who coincidently is the Anti-Christ. I guess the film needed a reason for it to be scary. And it is scary, the fact that a husband would do this to his wife. If the child gave that dog his teeth to play with (in the picture above), that would have been an interesting premise.

The Break Up

*** Stars

The Break Up is a depressing, frustrating, and painfully realistic. Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn act like they know what there doing. With a $38.1 million dollar opening, these two are on their way to becoming Hollywood's top bankable actors.

Coming Soon...

"The Critics" with Casey LaMarca and Mike Stay

on CTV-20

for more information call

603-548-7935

X-Men: The Last Stand

**1/2 Stars
It could've been great...