"Scooby-Doo" is okay. It's not that great of a film and it's not that bad. As much as I despise him, I have to say that Matthew Lillard does an excellent job as Shaggy. He's the best character in this flick. Linda Cardellini is good as Velma, but she has a couple of lines(ex. "Let's get jinky with it") that are just atrocious. Freddie Prinze, Jr. wasn't necessarily miscast as Fred, but the character was portrayed in a way that doesn't really reflect the character from the original show. Sarah Michelle Gellar was annoying as Daphne. Nevermind the fact that she pulled out the old kung-fu ala "Buffy," she's just not convincing enough in this role. The CGI Scooby was just that, a CGI Scooby. He looks fake, but dogs can't talk either, so I'm okay with that. His character is actually pretty good.

The best part of this film is the opening scene with the Luna ghost. It looked as if it were straight out of the old series. Everything heads south from there. The characters, excepting Shaggy and Scooby, are weightless. The nasties are just plain silly and the jokes resort to sophomoric humor. I'm sure every thirteen year-old boy in the crowd got a laugh from the farting contest between Shaggy and Scooby. A few cuss words were thrown around, and Daphne puts a whipping on a wrestler-type baddie.

Overall, this film works well with kids between the ages of eleven and sixteen. Younger kids MIGHT get scared by the bad guys, and the language can get a little rough for the really young'uns. For us older folks who grew up with the series, it's nice to see Scooby and the gang in a live-action format. However, I feel that this movie tries too hard to make itself appeal to all age groups. I also think that the director should have decided on whether he was making a nostalgic flick, a spoof, or an updated version using potty humor.

It's watchable and somewhat funny, but you might want to rent this one before laying any money down for it.

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" pulls off something that only "The Empire Strikes Back" has done. It's better than the first film! Not only is the story more interesting(though the first was tops as well), it's packed with even more wonder and imagination than the first as well. The castmembers of the first flick return, as well as Kenneth Branagh in a superb performance as Lockhart, the bumbling, vain writer of "Magical Me."

I'm sure the naysayers had a wonderful time bashing this sequel for its evil undertones. Students get "petrified" and the basilisk takes shots at Harry, but all in all, Harry prevails. He makes the right choices, does the good deeds and fights a good fight. How dare he promote such horrible values!

Please folks, I used up a lot of space harping on how kids need to have fun in my review of the first film. The same applies to this movie as well. Don't worry about your kid becoming a warlock or praying to Satan, just let them have a little fun. If you raise them right, you won't have to worry about any of that anyway.

The "Potter" books encourage kids to read and use their imagination. That's a good thing in my book. The movies encourage kids to use their imaginations as well.

You've just got to love something that promotes so many good things. We need more heroes like Harry. He's a good character to let your kids read about and watch on the big screen. He's caring to others, takes his studies reasonably serious(you might want to promote Hermione's study habits to your kids, though) and he always tries to do the right thing.

Overall this movie is fun and enjoyable for the whole family. Some of the scenes might scare the little ones, but this movie is worth explaining those scenes in order to get the message across.

Watch this one and have a ton of fun. It's great for everybody. Highly recommended.

Naysayer after naysayer tries to write off this film, and those which followed, as well as the books, as fluff for kids. Others went as far to say that this franchise had satanic or evil qualities about it. I say that's a bunch of bull. These movies and books do something for kids(and adults) that hasn't been done since films like "The Neverending Story" and the original "Star Wars" trilogy came along. It allows kids to use their imagination. It gives them hope that there is something magical and wonderful in this world. Regardless if you believe in witchcraft or anything of that sort, let kids have some FUN!. Sorry to be preachy, but for the last fifteen or so years, kids have been hammered with "suggestions" from professionals, preachers and the ACLU as to what they should be watching and doing. Well guess what folks, kids need to have fun. Granted, they do need to learn right from wrong and good from evil, but they have to live a little as well.

"Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone" gives kids a chance to laugh, scream in fear and be awed all at the same time. Who in their right mind didn't pretend to be a wizard, witch, knight, cowboy, football star, etc. when they were growing up. Today's kids have been robbed of that privilege by overprotective parents and worry-wart professionals.

So just sit back, relax and watch a pretty cool kid do some pretty cool things. Harry is a wonderful role-model for kids. He is respectful of others, minds most of the rules(the ones he breaks are broken with the best intentions), and fights for what's right. He doesn't whine about being in a rough situation. He makes decisions that would make any parent proud. Oh, and by the way, he doesn't use his powers for evil purposes. He actually fights evil.

Please don't let the whackos scare you away from this movie or anything related to it. I'm a Catholic convert, and if you know anything about Catholic converts, you know that we're pretty holy-roly. I don't see anything evil or satanic about Harry or any of his friends. I'm not afraid that I'll find my daughter doing incantations sometime in the future trying to conjure up some evil spirit. Instead, she'll be using her imagination, much like all of the kids that I grew up with, and pretending to be a warrior or a crimefighter or even a witch! Who cares? Just let the kiddies have some fun and quit strangling their childhood.

Sorry for going off, but in today's world, somebody has to say something. God bless you J.K. Rowling, for bringing wonder and imagination back to life in a time where so many are trying to destroy it.

Highly recommended film, highly recommended book. I enjoyed this as much(if not more) than my daughter.

Absolutely not! "Miracle" takes a simple hockey game(a sport deemed regional to this day), and shows viewers how it not only captivated a nation, but also how a game can come to represent change.

This is a highly motivational film, full of subplots involving many of the characters and political undertones. When you boil down to it, though, this is a movie about Americans being Americans. Unlike most films, this one shows the Soviets as the arrogant, unstoppable force. Soviet hockey was exactly that at the time. Americans are shown to be average folks just trying to get by, many giving up money for one shot at Olympic glory.

Overall, the film is amazingly accurate. From dekes and wristers to hairdos and hope, this movie stays true to formula. The extras are knockout as well.

I highly recommend this movie. The language isn't too bad(a cuss word here or there), and it has a great message of hope to it. Don't blow this off as another "hockey movie." "Slapshot" this ain't.

"Master And Commander" is a masterpiece of a film. It shows an accurate description of Napoleonic-era nautical warfare, as well as the bonds shared between a group of men on the sea. Russell Crowe plays Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey, leader of the HMS Surprise. Paul Bettany plays the ship's doctor/Aubrey's confidant. The entire cast does an outstanding job.

The story begins with an attack on the Surprise by the Acheron, a French warship that Aubrey is hunting. The rest of the film plays out with Aubrey setting out on a quest to outwit and defeat the Acheron, a ship that is armed with more guns, more men, and a captain that even Aubrey is respectful of. Along the way, we see Aubrey's softer side, his human side, that usually isn't portrayed in a character of his magnitude and position. We are shown the bonds of brotherhood that keep the crew together through good times and bad. We also see how life on a warship can swiftly change from boredom to life-and-death situations, as well as discipline carried out by ranking officials.

Overall, I've yet to see a film that reveals so much action, so many emotions, and so much reality into two-and-a-half hour production. Highly recommended.

I definitely enjoy Jamie Cullum's "Twentysomething." Many people have blasted it for being too unoriginal, too boring, too "pop" sounding, etc., but the fact remains that this music is fun to listen to. I'd much rather listen to Mr. Cullum's music than Norah Jones or Diana Krall. Cullum runs through standards and originals as if both were his own. He takes songs by artists such as Radiohead and the legendary Jimi Hendrix and puts a spin on them that others wouldn't dare dream of doing. He takes a "no fear" approach to music. Perhaps that is why I enjoy this album so much. While other artists have become media darlings by pawning themselves to the public, Cullum seems to be content with doing his own thing. By being himself, he's captured the attention of millions. He's even played for the Queen.

Of the songs contained herein, "Twentysomething" is definitely my favorite. I enjoy "Singin' In The Rain" and "All At Sea." There isn't a bad track on this disc. Many have compared Cullum's sound to Billy Joel, and I can see that comparison, but Cullum is in a league all his own. He's fun to listen to and extremely talented. I highly recommend this one.

"Open Range" may be a fictional story, but the events that occurred within it were brutally honest depictions of what happened in the 1880's.

The story moves along at a somewhat slow pace, but you have to remember that the pace is used to develop the characters and the storyline. It also helps to enhance the believability of the story, e.g. the waiting for the killers, moving the herd across the plains, etc. Costner's depiction of a violent man trying to shake off his past is perfect. Once he slips his old skin back on, however, the cold-blooded intent with which he seeks out his enemies is played to perfection. He becomes a killer. Duvall's tough-as-nails "Boss" character is memorable as the older, wiser leader of the free-grazing group. He becomes the level that keeps Costner from losing all control throughout the film. The rest of the cast does a superb job. Annette Bening deserves praise for the sheer looks of terror that cross her face in this film. She surprised me in this one.

As it was with the characters, so it is with the action of the movie. It's a very accurate depiction of a gunfight in the Old West. When people shoot, they miss...often. Even the heroes of the film miss their shots frequently. In the late 1800's, guns still weren't up to par with today's standards. Shooting at and missing someone from close proximity was the norm. When a bullet did hit its mark, the target didn't always die instantly. This is shown throughout the fight sequences in this film. At times they are disturbing, which I believe is the whole point of such scenes in this movie. You don't know if you should cheer for the good guys or have pity on the bad ones because of how violent the deaths in this film are.

Many people have called this a traditional Western. If you mean traditional in the sense that it's just like a lot of other Western movies, you're partially right. There are a lot of Westerns that depict the violent and psychological struggles of the late 1800's with precision, but there are many more that glamorize that time in our history. Also, many of the stories we've heard are often based on the dimestore novels and "half-truths" that grew from that time. This movie isn't like that. It's as close to actuality as I've seen in a long time.

In closing, this movie is brutally honest. Don't watch it if you want to see one of those "good guys in white hats" dimestore movies. Watch it if you want an honest, accurate depiction of events that could have happened in one of the most violent times in American history. I higly recommend this film.

"New Jersey" is a good album, but not groundbreaking or earthshattering as some seem to view it. It might have been more successful than "Slippery When Wet," but that's probably due in large to the fact that "Slippery" did so well before it was released. In essence, "New Jersey" is one part "Slippery When Wet" and one part "Keep The Faith."

If you listen to the album, you'll notice that many of the songs echo or repeat songs from "Slippery." "Bad Medicine" hearkens back to "You Give Love A Bad Name." "Lay Your Hands On Me" is played in the same vein as "Let It Rock." "I'll Be There For You" simply grabs on to the success of "Never Say Goodbye." Bon Jovi merely took the old formula, rehashed it, and created a good rock album that continues what "Slippery" started. I'm not knocking the album for that because "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, a little more originality and, perhaps, a little risk might have made this album better than it is.

Other songs on the album, notably "Living In Sin" and "Wild Is The Wind," show us the softer leanings of Bon Jovi found on every single album put out after "New Jersey." "New Jersey" is pivotal in that aspect, but it doesn't deserve as much respect as "Slippery When Wet."

As far as the songs are concerned as a whole, there are a few good ones here. "Bad Medicine" is the best song on this album. It stands out more than anything else found here. "99 In The Shade," "Love For Sale," and "Lay Your Hands On Me" are good as well. Once again, these songs have that retread feel to them, but they are worth listening to. "I'll Be There For You" is considered by many to be THE ballad when it comes to Bon Jovi, but I think that "Never Say Goodbye" is ten times better.

In closing, buy this album if you really like the new Bon Jovi, or a weird concoction of the old and new. It contains the last remaining pieces of a rock band that "popped" on the hard rockers that liked it and the softer touch that many felt betrayed by in later albums. If you love the old Bon Jovi, however, just snag one of the old singles of "Bad Medicine."

Thanks for reading and "rock on."

Let me start by saying that I don't like giving bad reviews, but I'll make an exception for this clunker. "Starship Troopers 2-Hero of the Federation" is one of the most boring films I've ever watched. First of all, it attempts to imitate the original flick with its slick advertisements for the Federation. They were fun in the first film, and scattered apart just enough to keep you interested. In this sequel, you get one at the beginning and one at the end, and neither is fun to watch. The entire film is dark, and it's really hard to watch a movie when you're squinting eighty-five percent of the time. Fortunately, the darkness helps hide many of the shortcomings special effects-wise. The new little bugs are fake looking and don't match up to any of the bugs in the first flick. It's sort of like "Tremors" in that the original creatures are so good that it's hard to top them, no matter how outrageous the new creatures become.

The poorly-lit sets might hide the subpar FX, but nothing can hide the agonizingly slow pace of the film. It's just downright boring. The acting is what you'd expect from a cast chock full of relative newcomers. Richard Burgi does an excellent job as Dax, but he isn't enough. He and Ed Lauter were the only characters that I really liked. Lauter is good as the the stereotypical, pain-in-the-rear, gung-ho general. His character is similar to Michael Ironsides' character in the first flick, but with a little more R. Lee Armey thrown in. Other than those two guys, however, no one else gave any memorable performances. I was also disappointed that this flick was directed by Phil Tippett, who is one of the best FX guys who ever walked this earth. You'd think that for a directorial debut, he'd have picked something with a little more splash to it.

The language and violence is consistent with the original movie, so don't let your little ones watch this. There's also some nudity involving one character, but nothing compared to the shower room scene from the first film. Overall, it definitely deserved its "R" rating.

In closing, only buy this if you are a hardcore "Starship Troopers" fan. Other than that, you'll be wasting your money. I've seen better movies produced by the SciFi channel.

"The Very Best...and Beyond" is exactly that. It's full of popular radio hits from Foreigner and it includes a few new songs that aren't too shabby as well. Good rockers like "Hot Blooded," "Cold As Ice," and "Head Games" are all found here. You'll also here melodic rockers like "Waiting For A Girl Like You" and "Say You Will." Other popular tunes included are "Urgent," "Double Vision," and "I Don't Want To Live Without You." Every song on here, including the new ones, deserves the right to be called the very best.

What's so unique about Foreigner is that at one turn they'll make a really rockin' song like "Jukebox Hero," and then come up with a soulful number like "I Want To Know What Love Is." They constantly manage to dance that fine line between pop princes and arena rockers. They are similar to Styx in that fashion, although they didn't stray into theatrics like Styx did. They have a mass appeal that gives blue-collar rockers and the born romantic something in common. Perhaps that is why they were such a successful group.

No matter, if you like straight-up rock n' roll, ballads, or fun songs(like "Dirty White Boy"), this album has a little something for everyone.