The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

This satirical comedy delves into the lives of a friendship between two magicians, Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carrell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi). They grew up together outcasts in their lives and became wildly successful in Las Vegas making millions of dollars and living richly. However when rival street stuntist/magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) challenges the magical pair with daring tricks and new ideas, Burt and Anton must come up with a new trick to save their show. After failing the magical pair split up forcing Burt to continue the show alone. Eventually he ends up with no show and forcing himself to do menial shows at stores, birthday parties, and elderly homes.
This comedy is very cliched and predictable. It offers plenty of laughs and is watchable at least. Expect the over the top comedy that Jim Carrey and Steve Carrell have to offer.

Rotten Tomato Meter: 38%
Audience:                    63%
Me:                             60%

Identity Thief

Identity Thief is the first successful comedy to hit theaters in 2013. Starring Jason Bateman as Sandy Patterson who becomes a victim to identity theft to Melissa McCarthy's character who calls herself Diana. Sandy Patterson, in an attempt to save his name and his job, goes on a trip to Florida to confront Diana and ends up dealing with criminals that he was not prepared with dealing with and in the process gets sucked into Diana's criminal activity to get back at his boss. It's a very funny film if you want to rent or get off Netflix when it comes out. It's not an inventive or clever comedy, it's just a fun 90 minute adventure. I caught it before I went to work. I look forward to seeing what Melissa McCarthy in The Heat later this year.

Rotten Tomato Meter: 22%
Audience:                    62%
Me:                             70%

Snitch

Snitch is a thriller based on real events starring Dwayne Johnson as John Matthews, a man who is trying to rescue his son from being put in prison. His son had been involved with a drug cartel and was simply holding drugs for a friend. John Matthews started working with a prosecutor to uncover the drug cartel and the levels of how deep it went. This is more of an emotional thriller rather than a movie with lots of explosions and bullets because explores the lengths a parent will go to to protect their child. This is probably Dwayne Johnson's best performance in a movie yet and in 2013 he will be starring in many more movies just this summer so it seems as if his career is starting out well. This film may not win an oscar but it still is an insightful look into the war of drugs.

Stars Dwayne Johnson as John Matthews, Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead) as Daniel Cruz, and Melina Kanakeredes (CSI NY) as Sylvie.

Rotten Tomato Meter: 56%
Audience:                    71%

Me:                            74%

Jack the Giant Slayer

2013 has started with several twists on classic tales in the movie industry. It started with Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, then followed with Jack the Giant Slayer, and finally the latest installment with The Great and Powerful Oz. We've taken a look at what The Great and Powerful Oz had to offer. Jack the Giant Slayer came from director Bryan Singer who rethought how to tell the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. Farmer boy Jack grew up on a tale of a land above his own filled with monstrous giants with beanstalks as a bridge between the worlds. The King Erik long ago defeated the giants and severed ties between the worlds becoming king over the giants. He his the beans with him in his grave when he died to be forgotten forever and pass into legend and myth. When Jack falls in love with the princess who was betrothed to an older man, an adventure arose. Isabelle, the princess, runs away to find adventure when she runs into Jack. When a beanstalk grows in the middle of Jack's house and the princess is lost to the world above it becomes Jack's mission to save her. 

This movie is a fun movie and enjoyable to watch but the story at times feels cliched and a little impersonal. The visuals are bland even in 3D, but still it is amazing what technology has done for cinema in the past eighty years. The acting was well done by a great cast with Nicholas Hoult as Jack, Eleanor Tomlinson as Isabelle, Ewan McGregor as Elmont, and Stanley Tucci as the villainous Roderick. 

Rotten Tomato meter: 51%
Audience:                     62%
Me:                                70%

The Great and Powerful Oz

The Great and Powerful Oz is a movie directed by Sam Raimi who was the director of the Spider-Man trilogy. He brought together an inventive twist on the classic story "The Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum. The movie opens up with the main character Oscar Diggs (James Franco) who plays a magician that calls himself Oz trying to make a living performing at carnivals. He feels afraid that he will never live up to anything great when all of a sudden a tornado hits transporting Oz into a magical world filled with strange awe and mystery. Without giving anything away, I will say that this film is fun for adults who are familiar with the story of "The Wizard of Oz". The movie's visuals are excellent when viewed in the IMAX 3D (unless 3D hurts your eyes). Even though it isn't the best story it still offers plenty to people of all ages and is a great family film. Parents should be aware there are some frightening element especially with the flying monkeys and the transformation of Theodora into The Wicked Witch of the West. This film features James Franco as "Oz", Mila Kunis as Theodora and The Wicked Witch of the West, Rachel Weisz as Evanora, Michelle Williams as Annie/Glinda, and Zach Braff as Frank and Finley the monkey.

Rotten Tomato Meter: 61%
Audience:                    69%
Me:                             80%