Movieline Online

THE HANGOVER – The ‘80s were full of ensemble comedies built around funny situations rather than a funny leading man. But the rise of comedians like Jim Carrey and Will Ferrel changed all that, putting the onus on superstar funnymen who carried all the film’s laughs on their shoulders. The Hangover is an anomaly of sorts, the closest we’ve gotten to the classic National Lampoon tradition in the last 20 years. Waking up in their Vegas suite with a crying baby, Mike Tyson’s pet tiger, and no memory of what happened the night before, three guys on a bachelor party getaway must retrace their footsteps to find their missing buddy...who’s due at the altar in 24 hours. Here, the concept is king, turning director Todd Phillips’ movie into a road trip that doesn’t leave the city limits. There are flashes of the current wave of general raunchiness (it is Vegas, after all) but the overall feel skews more towards the “bro-mance” genre as the three guys (well-played by Bradley Cooper, The Office’s ...

G-FORCE: The idea of genetically engineered guinea pigs employed as superspies might seem like a crass rip-off of another recent rodent films’ success (“Aaaalll-viiiiiin!”), but if you lived through Disney’s live-action output in the ‘70s, it’s really not that out of line. There was The Cat from Outer Space, The Shaggy D.A., even Gus the football-kicking mule. All I’m saying is there’s a precedent for this sort of cutesy anthropomorphism. You don’t have to like it, but chances are your kids will. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, no expense was spared in creating all sort of hi-tech gadgets, weaponry and transportation to throw at the screen with the same level of quality as a National Treasure flick. The rodents themselves (voiced by Sam Rockwell, Penelope Cruz and Tracy Morgan) take offense to the “cute” label, staging a breakout from a local pet store after their first espionage operation goes bad. The one-liners are predictably awful, but the action is well-choreographed and sure to w...

PUBLIC ENEMIES - Michael Mann’s Heat was the culmination of many a cinema buffs dream, finally pairing two legendary actors in the same frame for the first time. The fact that Pacino and DeNiro only shared about 2-minutes together didn’t seem to matter much. And Mann follows the same formula here, managing to cherry-pick two of the best actors working today (Johnny Deep and Christian Bale), casting them as dramatic rivals (bank robber John Dillinger and federal agent Melvin Purvis respectively), and only allowing them to interact for a fleeting moment. That may have been how the real story behind John Dillinger’s capture, escape, and eventual comeuppance went down, but it doesn’t make for very dramatic filmmaking. Depp, sporting the long-awaited return of his 21 Jumpstreet hairstyle, mumbles through his role. And Bale doesn’t fare much better, recycling his pent-up Batman rage for yet another tight-lipped performance. Public Enemies feels very much like Miami Vice as a period piece, mi...

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN - While the first film was critically derided as a loud, obnoxious money-making calculation, the sequel was largely dismissed altogether despite co-starring Amy Adams, who was up for an Oscar the same year. No one is pretending anything here is award worthy, but the constant barrage of cute creatures and famous exhibits – all brought to life courtesy of that same troublesome Egyptian tablet – is like an irresistible type of “kid-nip” that’s even more effective this time around. Ben Stiller doesn’t bring his “A”-game (in fact, he’s probably the least lifelike character in the film) but a parade of guest stars, including Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Bill Hader, Christopher Guest and Hank Azaria, more than make-up for his overly familiar neuroses. Still, despite all the special effects and high-profile talent on the pay roll, it’s Adams who does the most to earn her paycheck, providing some spunk and sex appeal to a movie that’s far beneath h...