At the current moment the United States is drawing closer to the June 30th date in which we will transfer governmental power of Iraq over to the Iraqi people, though it is expected that our troops will remain there for quite some time in order to maintain stability in the region until the new Iraqi government has gained enough experience to do things for themselves. It has been over one year since the war in Iraq began and the controversy and debate over whether we were right in our decision to take action against Saddam Hussein still looms over the minds of numerous Americans amidst the slowly increasing death toll and the sudden, if not over-blown, prison abuse scandal. Though President George W. Bush is taking increasing pressure from presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry for improperly handling the war effort, the Democratic Party has set it sights more recently on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in his handling of the prison abuse scandal as well as execution of the Iraq War. So much animosity for the man has grown amongst the party that many have called for him to resign, which he and the president have refused to allow. Such hostility for the Secretary of Defense has not been seen since Robert McNamara took heat for the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, which has led to his discussion of the events of his life in the latest documentary from Errol Morris entitled, The Fog of War.

The documentary centers on the discussion with the former Secretary of Defense under both President John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson on the significant events, namely the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War, which occurred during his time in office prior to his resignation in 1967. Robert McNamara, who was born in the early 1900s around the time U.S. involvement in World War I (what Woodrow Wilson coined, "The War to end all Wars") was coming to a close, was lucky enough to attend the University of Berkley in the midst of the Great Depression and went on to Harvard. In his time at the Ivy League school, World War II broke out and the U.S. Air Force set up a recruitment station, in which McNamara was involved in coordinating. From there he went on to work for the Ford Motor Company and, in time, assumed the role of president, only to quit the position five weeks later in order to serve as Secretary of Defense under the Kennedy administration. Within the course of his time in office, Robert McNamara oversaw operations ranging from the Cuban Missile Crisis (1963) to the early stages of direct U.S. military involvement in the region of Vietnam and took intense scrutiny not only from the Republicans at the time but also from people within the Johnson administration as well. After his resignation from the position of Secretary of Defense in 1967, McNamara went on to serve as the president of the World Bank from 1968 to 1981 and continues to offer assistance to the federal government in numerous areas today. The documentary The Fog of War offers a view on the concepts of warfare from a man many may have misjudged all these years. Though several of McNamara's life lessons are reasonable and easy to apply to one's own life, there are some, namely lesson five on the proportionality of war, that are incongruous in the modern age of warfare or in any time of war. This is not to say a nation should be able to fire-bomb another nation in the midst of war without facing limits but the basis of what he is proposing doesn't make sense in the purpose of warfare. Another prominent problem was Morris' editing style which was overly choppy; leading to many to wonder what he was leaving out and for what reason he was doing so.

Overall, The Fog of War offers some clever insights into both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations but fails in its efforts to clearly express a unified message in spite of wonderfully crafted conversations from former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. McNamara's conversations will either leave you, depending on your political stance and prior knowledge of history, hollering at the screen or erupting in applause. He never sticks in one fine area of politics, which, in a way, makes him all the more interesting to listen to just for the shake of his unpredictability. Unfortunately, in light of that fact, the whole documentary feels uneven as McNamara starts in one time period (1963) jumping to his childhood in 1918 back to World War II then to Vietnam then back to WWII only to return to Vietnam once again, which may leave a few viewers unfamiliar with historical dates confused. The audience also gets the feeling that McNamara may have gone a little too easy on certain individuals, namely John F. Kennedy, with whom he seemed to have been pretty close to, no more notably then in the discussion of Kennedy's funeral plot at Arlington Cemetery. He fails to focus on Kennedy's failure at the Bay of Pigs which results in the Cuban Missile Crisis, which he called a victory (if only in his mind), as well as his failure to adequately end any conflict in Vietnam by ordering an invasion of the North prior to the Viet Cong's infiltration of the South. Though certain individuals are quick to assume that in light of the Iraq War that this film should reflect significantly on the decisions made thus far by the Bush administration, this documentary is to be required viewing more for the Democrats then the Republicans if only to show that their party's past candidates did far worse then what they accuse the Bush administration of doing in the midst of the War on Terror. It should noted that those going into this film should have some prior knowledge of the historical events that take place within the context of the documentary in order to full assess and judge statements made by Robert McNamara.

Does anyone truly remember the golden age of cinema anymore? It was the era when the screen was lit up with lavish epic-dramas set against ancient backdrops such as Greece or Rome, where the likes of Kirk Douglas and Charlton Heston fully controlled the attention of movie-going audiences across the country for three-plus hours, and when going to the movies cost you under a dollar (and that was including popcorn and soda-pop). Well it seems the studio executives in Hollywood are becoming quite nostalgic as they are willing to take a risk and return motion pictures back to the genre that many thought was dead long ago. And it was Gladiator, a film that contained what many thought was a washed-up director and no-name leading man, that resurrected the "ancient" genre thanks to its nearly $200 million domestic haul, massive DVD release, and its five Academy Awards wins including Best Picture. Now Hollywood is going all out in, what they hope will be, the new golden age of cinema complete with lavish three hour epic-dramas, gladiatorial and militant battle sequences, and overly-oiled up leading men ... if only they could be convinced to bring back old ticket prices, only then would we be truly satisfied but perhaps that is asking too much too soon.

The story center on a man who was once in the service of a vast ancient empire commanding troops in grand feats of battle but now serves merely as entertainment in the gladiatorial events fighting for his life. Maximus Decimus Meridius was one of the greatest generals the Roman Empire had ever seen in that he courageously fought in battle, won the field when he was commanded to do so, and retained the loyalty and devotion of his troops. Here was a man truly a rare sight in the area of leadership, one that could, if given the opportunity to, lead Rome back to its former glory as a republic and not an empire. That is what the current emperor, Marcus Aurelius, sees in him and why he choose Maximus over his son Commodus to take control of Rome when he dies. Unfortunately Commodus suffocates his father before the announcement can be made public and orders Maximus to be secretly done away with. After escaping from his captors and returning home to find his wife and son crucified, he is taken by slave traders and made into a gladiator meant to kill other slaves for the enjoyment of the veracious crowds. When he is entered in the gladiatorial games in Rome, he sets out to enact his revenge on Commudus, either in this life or the next, all the in the effort of seeking retribution for the deaths of his innocent family. The story for Gladiator, though marred with numerous historical inaccuracies, is quite honestly one of the most entertaining and visually engaging epic-dramas in years. Though it is not the most original story line one could come up with (it borrows heavily from Hamlet and other Shakespearian plays), the plot does manage to keep the audience's attention even against a lengthy two hour and forty minute running time.

Gladiator is one of the rare shining example for the rest of Hollywood ... a $100 million budgeted epic does not need tremendously famous leading men and women to be successful as long as the cast members that are used in the film are suited to their roles and work cohesively well together on screen, which this film demonstrates in spades. The role of Maximus Decimus Meridius is quite possibly Russell Crowe's most commanding performance to date, with the only exception being his role as Captain Jack Aubrey in the naval drama, Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World. He successfully transitions his character from a dynamic general in the beginning of the film to a barbaric gladiator by the mid-way point of the film, and yet at the same time he maintains some of those leadership qualities that made the character so enduring to begin with. Another relatively unknown, at the time of this film's release, actor who manages to light up the screen was Joaquin Phoenix with his exuberant and often disturbing performance as the Emperor Commodus. The character is so overly emotional, viciously conniving, and eerily mysterious that one can't help but have extreme hatred for him from the moment you first see on screen. Phoenix does a tremendous job at emotionally setting a character that you are meant to hate, which only fuels already fervent enthusiasm for Maximus as he progresses through the film. Possibly the only slightly famous name on the list of cast members belongs to the late veteran actor, Richard Harris, though the only people who may have really recognized his name would have been film enthusiasts and fans of his work. Harris presents a character that, although he is the emperor of a vast empire, is frail and grandfather-like in manner and actions, which makes his death scene all the more excruciating to watch. And praise must also be given to Connie Nielsen, the only woman of the cast, who showcases a strong and caring woman trapped between the wishes of her dead father, the brutality of her powerful brother, and her enduring love for Maximus. It is not till the final sequence of the film till we see her fully come into her own and present it a way that is eloquent and yet commanding at the same time.

Overall, Gladiator successfully resurrects the once dead epic genre albeit more sanguineous, vicious and gut-wrenching then its golden age predecessors. Visually, and emotionally, this film is nearly perfect with Ridley Scott's direction taking the ancient world of Rome and presenting to the movie-going audience that is neither overwhelming nor is it trivial to their view of the story at hand in this film. The only major complaint that can be made about this film is its constant lack of respect, or reverence, to historical events and characters involved in the plot of the film. One can say that this is an action-drama that is not meant to be played out for historical purposes but the fact that it deliberately takes historical figures and twists their lives to make them more interesting for the overall plot of the film should be disturbing to many educators, though, it must be clearly noted, that this is hardly the first, nor last, time Hollywood is guilty of such a crime. But taking the film, despite all of that, for what it is, Gladiator is one of the most enthralling and emotionally compelling dramas of 2000, though not at quite the level of being the best picture of the year.

Do you feel you are missing films thanks to your local Cineplex, which only features the most high-profile projects, and therefore excludes independent features? Or do you ever feel that by taking a weekend or so off from the movies that you missing some great films? And then you hear you friends chatting about them, it makes the already bad situation even worse? Many can lay claim to being in that very situation, missing out on noting-worthy independent and less commercial films that eventually found their way to be acknowledged by the Motion Picture Academy at the 76th Annual Academy Awards in February 2004, while others weren't quite so lucky. Such note-worthy features that failed to receive recognition include Bad Santa, Phone Booth and The Singing Detective. This isn't to say that nominated projects such as Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World, Mystic River, Cold Mountain, and Lost in Translation aren't worthy of acknowledgment, far from it. It is to say this one thing in Hollywood has yet to change: The bigger the studio, the bigger the trophy case will be.

The story is based on the tenth novel, "The Far Side of the World" in the "Master and Commander" series by Patrick O'Brian, who wrote twenty installments of the high-seas adventure series until his death in January 2000. The feature starts off in 1806 - Napoleon has proclaimed himself emperor of France after a failed attempt on his life and from there wages a military campaign which conquers Italy, Genoa, Vienna, and most of Austria and Germany. The Third Coalition, which consisted of Great Britain, Austria, Russia, and Sweden, has all but been decimated by severe defeats on land, thus leaving Britain and its advanced naval sea power as the only thing standing in the way of Napoleon and total victory over Europe. One of Britain's most impressive ships is the HMS Surprise, captained by the ambitious and commanding Jack Aubrey, who travels the world with his friend Stephen Maturin, who is also the ship's doctor. Along the Eastern coast of South America, Aubrey and his crew are ambushed by the French frigate, the Acheron. Though they escape in relatively one piece, the ship is deeply weakened and there is talk of turning back home to England. Faced with the fate of his crew and his country in his hand, Jack Aubrey must show true leadership by putting everything on the line and making quick decisions, no matter the cost. The story for Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World is one of the few films out there that embroils itself deeply in a certain time period of history but doesn't require its audience to have such extensive knowledge of events that it alienates certain demographics. Though the film doesn't demand background knowledge of the Napoleonic Wars, it certainly wouldn't hurt if you go in with at least some idea of the events that the story surrounds itself with.

Though Master & Commander contains a rather large cast, few have actually made a name for themselves that they are easily recognizable by a majority of the movie-going audience but that doesn't matter so much in that only one person requires the audience's full attention, that being Russell Crowe. Crowe, who won an Academy Award for his performance in Gladiator and was nominated for A Beautiful Mind, was certainly worthy of at least a nomination with his commanding performance as Captain Jack Aubrey, in which he combines slight humor, enduring emotions, and dignified atmosphere that envelops the audience and keeps them focused with the actions on screen. Unfortunately, despite the film itself receiving ten nominations, the academy failed to recognize Crowe's amazing performance but that is easily forgettable as long as the audiences that watch this film get their money's worth of the film, thanks mostly to Crowe's engaging Jack Aubrey. And it's not just Crowe but the character's actions within the film itself ... the fact that he darts across the deck of the ship in an attempt to be almost everywhere at once, his ability to be charming and eloquent while playing his violin while being forceful and compelling in battle, and sticking to his guns despite certain opposition and small consequences that occur because of that decision.

Overall, Leadership, patriotism, and a true sense of responsibility and duty, all of which are desperately needed amongst a certain portion of the American people today, take center stage even away from Crowe's most commanding role to date. The most astonishing thing Peter Weir and his follow filmmakers have been able to do, besides elegantly and tastefully poking fun at the French, is to create a story that is slow and lumbering at times but not so much so that it results in a boring and lusterless feature, in fact Master & Commander is quite the opposite. It successfully keeps the audience members at the edge of their seats not only for the action occurring on screen but by keeping them in utter anticipation of events yet to unfold in the film as well. A beautifully mastered musical score, created by Christopher Gordon, Iva Davies and Richard Tognetti, keeps the historical time period in the context of the occurring actions in slower portions of the film while still engaging the audience with a rousing complement to the battle sequences. But the film's most powerful quality is its message of enduring leadership and dedication to one's country despite nearly impossible odds and the cost of friendship and life appearing to be worth more then the end result. The United States faces that exact challenge today but as the Jack Aubrey discovers, there is no more important value in life then a devotion to one's country and the commanding leadership that drives not only the crew but the heart and soul of one's country as well.

What would you do if you knew that tomorrow the world was going to come to an end? Who would you talk to? What would you accomplish or attempt to accomplish before the end was to come? Where would you place yourself as you waited for that fateful moment to arrive? These are the questions that are constantly ignored within disasters films throughout the history of cinema and most recently in the latest surge of disaster flicks that have ranged from erupting volcanoes to catastrophic natural disasters to world-ending cosmic forces such as asteroids and comets colliding with Earth, thus ending all life on this planet. 1998 was a classic year in which two disaster films faced off against each other within a two month time span dealing with the same basic plot line (space-rock colliding with Earth while a space team tries to prevent such a disaster from occurring) but selling each one in a decidedly different style and audience base. The first was Deep Impact (Dreamworks) which rushed out of the gate with $40 million in its opening weekend but failed to show legs by ending its run with $140 million. Less then two months later, Jerry Bruckheimer set to conquer space with his action-drama, Armageddon, and show how these disasters flicks are to be done correctly.

The story centers around the rag-tag team of "astronauts" that are sent into space to divert a space rock from colliding with Earth, which, in result, would end most life on the planet, if not all. It seems like any other day in New York City ... That is before large explosions occur throughout the city destroying office buildings and towering structures and resulting in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals. The United States Government, believing this to be an attack of terrorism, asks NASA to discover the source of the problem but when they do, they get a decisively different answer then they had ever anticipated. What caused the explosions in New York weren't missiles ... they were small meteorites (about the size of basketballs) that trailed off the enormous asteroid (about the size of Texas) that is on a direct collision course with Earth. With only about two weeks until the asteroid is estimated to hit, NASA brings aboard Harry Stamper, the best deep core driller on the planet, to train astronauts to drill into the asteroid, drop a nuclear device, blow apart the asteroid, and divert the two pieces from colliding with Earth. Claiming he is only the best because he works with the best, Harry forces NASA to recruit his rag-tag team of drillers to fly into space and save the world. But that is easier said then done as they not only face difficulties in the training program but unforeseen tricks that the asteroid throws at the "astronauts" in their attempt to accomplish the task at hand. The story for Armageddon, as outlandish and over-the-top as it may be, works exceedingly well in presenting a combination of fast-paced action sequences, sarcastic and, at times, irreverent humor, and dialed in emotions, even if they may be over played in several moments within the course of the film.

One of the great things that Jerry Bruckheimer films are known for, outside of the well-choreographed explosive action sequences, are his talented group of actors that are brilliantly cast in their roles. And Armageddon once again proves the truth of that statement, despite a few performances here and there that apply to the contrary. Bruce Willis, in the same genre that basically defined him as a key actor in Hollywood, takes center stage in almost every action sequence he's featured in and fills the screen with his sarcastic-toned humor and gritty, rock-solid attitude that works extraordinarily well with his character. Despite this being one of his few major release performances, Billy Bob Thornton still manages to give an excellent performance as the director of NASA who coordinates the mission to save the planet. Though his character isn't featured as much as the others, Thornton still realizes he is a centralized character and the emotions he expresses in his scenes will be needed to reflect the actions that are occurring or will occur later in the feature. Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler are perfect together as the film's romantic couple, though at times Affleck's performance was a tad on the wooden side, of which his acting ability has often been described by critics, but this time that being so only when he was asked to cry and near the end of the film when everyone, not just Affleck, seemed to wind down as the feature wrapped up. And another note ... Never let Affleck sing in a film ever again. Singing is definitely not his strongest talent and he proves that so in this film. And the most notable and worthy highlight of the cast has to be the marvelous, facetious and humorous performance given by Steve Buscemi, who has yet to portray a role that doesn't work for him in the least.

Overall, whatever quips you have with Jerry Bruckheimer, Michael Bay or the disaster genre in general, Armageddon is decisively one of the best action flicks in years and raises the bar for all others like to follow in its footsteps. Though his films are famous for their outlandish action sequences, the combative scenes in this film go beyond the normal expectation ten-times in that their choreography and set up transcend the amazing special effects that are used to execute the sequence. Though there are many things to compliment the filmmakers on in this film, the feature is far from perfect but not so much so that it is an utterly unbearable disaster (no pun intended). At times the situations involved are too unbelievable and far-fetched, though it to be suggested that they may not have been intended to taken seriously in the first place, that it takes away some of the film's credibility. It would have been better if the situations were more down-to-earth (once again, no pun intended) for the audience to take the plot of the film more seriously. And, yes, several moments in the feature are over-drawn and clichéd but with the overall tone of the film being quite entertaining, one can forgive the filmmakers for such mistakes. Clearly if you don't enjoy action films or can bother leaving your head at the door (not entirely but for portions of the film) then Armageddon isn't for you but Bruckheimer flicks have the weird effect of making the most unlikely people fans of his work, so give it a shot before passing judgment.

December 7th, 1941 ... It was, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt so bluntly put it, a day that would live in infamy. The attack on Pearl Harbor over sixty years ago was less of an attack on the American people themselves as it was an attack on our military defense, an area we once thought was invincible and something our enemies would never attempt to provoke. But on that fateful morning, the unthinkable happened and from then on things changed but as time went on Americans returned to the isolationistic attitude that had gotten us in trouble in the first place ... It has been said, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. That happened on September 11th, 2001, where 3,000 American lives were lost. But the American people are not an intimidatable bunch and we rose to the challenge, just like we did after the event at Pearl Harbor, to root out evil and wreak havoc on those who dared to try and terrorize us. No better moral support could be spoken better then what was said by President Bush, who stated, "We have known freedom's price. We have shown freedom's power. And in this great conflict, my fellow Americans, we will see freedom's victory".

The story centers around a love triangle between two men who fall in love with the same nurse and their struggle to win her heart, all set against the tragic attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Rafe McCawley is a hot-shot flying ace in the United States Arms Air Corp. but it wasn't easy, as it required a young U.S. Navy nurse named Evelyn Stewart to pass him despite the fact that reading ability was slightly below average. From that moment on they fall deeply in love with each other but the time they spend together is short-lived as Rafe has been accepted to a program that sends American air pilots over to Britain to help fight off the German Blitzkrieg, one that he applied to himself. While he is overseas fighting in the war, Rafe asks his best friend Danny Walker to watch after Evelyn but when word came about that Rafe's plane came down over the ocean - basically declaring him dead - things change quickly between Danny and Evelyn from friendship to a full-fledge infatuation. Then suddenly Rafe returns alive and just as a full confrontation between the two friend is about to erupt - catastrophe hits as the Japanese sneak attack Pearl Harbor and throw the United States head first into World War II. The story for Pearl Harbor, as hard as it attempted to stick with historical accuracies, lacks severely and doesn't feel as though the filmmakers were taking this seriously, even by Jerry Bruckheimer standards. Praise must be given to Bay and Bruckheimer for attempting to create a patriotically charged feature but next time they should view The Patriot and see how it is done correctly.

Once again Bruckheimer chooses a great group of talented veteran actors and fresh newcomers to head this project but despite several promising, and even surprising, performances, the script is too bland and dull for any one person to really step above the rest. Ben Affleck's performances have often been described as flat and though that can be disputed, that statement would be true for his role in this film. If there is one thing Affleck needs to improve on from this role is how to cry ... He just sounds absolutely ridiculous when he does cry and any emotional quality that was to be retained in those scenes is slightly lost. Despite a fairly handicapped performance, Affleck does manage to work well with newcomers Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale, who both give decent performances with the weak material they are given. Though the script does tend to hinder many of the main performers in this feature, several actors do manage to transcend beyond that to give excellent performances. Cuba Gooding Jr.'s role as Dorie Miller is one of those performance and is based on an actual historical figure that fought bravely against the Japanese Kamikazes at Pearl Harbor. It would have been nice to note that his character went on to fight in World War II after the event and died in combat aboard a submarine but that could be taken as a bit of downer at this film, which was obviously something the filmmakers didn't want. And the biggest surprise out of all the performances was the one given by Dan Aykroyd, who is best known for his comedic performances and often stays away from dramatic performances. But despite the lack of experience in this genre, Aykroyd gives a convincing performance that works well early on but for some reason the character ends up just dropping off around the mid-way point, which wasn't too big of a problem, just a slight issue.

Overall, Pearl Harbor gives the Walt Disney Company their Titanic but the film ends up more like the ship rather then the movie in that its enormous extravagance results in its demise. Despite not receiving the same box office success its inspiration received, Pearl Harbor finds similarity to Titanic in that both features suffer from numerous clichés, a flat and unintentionally humorous script, and a time length that feels excruciating as the feature begins to wrap-up at the end. If one were to find even a few compliments for this film it would definitely to be its absolutely astonishing battle sequences that are presented in such vivid detail that it is almost heart-wrenching, though the filmmakers didn't go to quite the level that Steven Spielberg did with Saving Private Ryan. Another worthy aspect of the film was its musical score, which was created by brilliant composer Hans Zimmer who also wrote scores for The Lion King and The Last Samurai. But the breathe-taking visuals and the brilliant musical score aren't enough to save this feature from being nothing more then a poor attempt to cash in on the success of Titanic, as well as the American military men and women who died at Pearl Harbor. Want true patriotism on the big screen? Rent The Patriot.

Here we are once again! It's the usual time of the year when the holiday themed feature films are out in full force, flooding multiplexes across the country for the Thanksgiving holiday and going into December. And it seems work as usual for the Walt Disney Company with their release of The Santa Clause, but what makes this project unique is the concept it uses, one that has never fully been developed on the big screen before. The feature is also unique in that it stars Tim Allen, who is best known for his hit television show, Home Improvement, on ABC. Does that mean an automatic is lying in the waiting to flock to theaters for Allen's flick? Not necessarily. Granted there are people who are die hard fans who will love the actor/actress for whatever work they do but for others, they are pretty critical of television stars who believe they can easily make the jump to the big screen. Can Allen pull it off? Only the holiday box office will tell.

The story centers around a man who goes from being divorced, self-centered business man to possibly the most care-free, charitable man on the planet, Santa Claus. Scott Calvin works for a toy company, has recently divorced from his wife, and is stuck on Christmas Eve with his son, who is just as excited as his father is being together for the holidays. Once he tucks his kid into bed for the night, Scott hears a noise on the roof and goes to investigate. When he tries to confront the man on the roof, he falls off and when Scott encounters him, the mystery man is dressed like Santa Claus. He and his son enter the sleigh and the puts on the Santa suit, all thanks to the urging of his son. When the sleigh returns to the North Pole after a long Christmas Eve, Scott discovers that he is the new Santa, thanks to the Santa Clause, which is a contract stating who ever puts on the suit becomes the new Santa Claus. He notices physical changes like the color of his hair and his weight but soon he notices that he feels more and more like Santa on the inside. The story for The Santa Clause is quite possibly one of the most original holiday films in years, which is surprising considering the concept is such a simple one that it is hard to believe that it has never fully been attempted before. The feature does a wonderful job at mixing comedic elements with emotional values, which is hard to do at times. The Santa Clause defies that and presents how it can be done right.

The film revolves mostly around Tim Allen's character and generally that is all that really matters for the film but at the same time the character can be ruined if he doesn't interact with supporting cast members. Fortunately this doesn't happen here or at least not very often. Allen is marvelous in his role as Scott Calvin aka Santa Claus. He successfully translates the comedic magic he had on his television show and amplified it ten times. There is also a lot of emotion behind scenes that he has with his son, Charlie. David Krumholtz, who plays Bernard the head elf at Santa's workshop, is quite possibly the most enjoyable highlight of the film. He work extremely well with Allen as the two are able to play off each other in several moments within the film, that if they had been performed by anybody else would have been flat. The character of Charlie, Scott's son, is moderately played out by Eric Lloyd. Lloyd begins to get pretty annoying and whiny as the film progresses but then again what can you expect from a cute little kid?

Overall, The Santa Clause, just like the big man himself, spreads holiday magic to every boy and girl, nobody how young or old they are. It is such an original concept, one that hasn't been seen and may never be seen again for many years. Though there is much to praise the film on, there are also slight things to pick at. The messages that the film tries to convey, though meaningful and expressive, came off as being too forced. It would have been better if the filmmakers had slowly sunk the ideas in the heads of movie-goers rather then what they ended up doing. And, as was stated earlier, Eric Lloyd came as being too cute and annoying at times in the film but this is something that doesn't necessarily mean anything major, just a small squabble. Make sure to avoid the tacky holiday films like the remake of Miracle on 34th Street and make it your duty to catch The Santa Clause instead, which is sure to become a new holiday classic for the entire family.

Third time's a charm? Three's a crowd? These must have been the question plaguing the filmmakers and studio executives behind one of the greatest adventure series in movie history. But the lure of the charm, excitement, and most notably the rather large box office coin, of the previous two features could hold anybody down from this project. In the time since Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom, the three main men of the series had had a mixed bag of results away from the adventurous archeologist. Steven Spielberg was coming into his own amongst the critical elite with highly acclaimed, and multi nominated, features The Color of Purple and Tears of the Sun. George Lucas, with his predominantly acclaimed Star Wars series behind him for the time being, spent his time executively producing such under-appreciated features as Labyrinth and Willow. And Indiana Jones himself, Harrison Ford, had success in Witness and Working Girl but nothing for his own work. So was there any doubt that a third was demanded amongst not only two out of the three main men but the studio executives at Paramount as well? Whether that was the case or not, Indiana Jones was on his way once again to the big screen, possibly for the last time.

The story takes place nearly two years after the original feature film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and three years after the Temple of Doom and places our hero, Indiana Jones, once again against the nefarious Nazi empire. Barely able to catch his breathe after another perilous mission for an ancient artifact; Indiana is whisked off, this time by multi-millionaire Walter Donovan to find an object not only important to the field of archeology but to the world itself. For over forty years, Indy's own father spent tireless hours researching and recording the many secrets that would lead to the discovery of the Holy Grail, the cup that Christians believed was used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper and was also used to catch his blood at the time of his death. It is also believed that the Grail would bring immortal life to whoever drank from it, which has certainly gained the attention of Adolf Hitler, who dreams of a superior master race to rule the world, and he will do anything to achieve that dream. That is why it is important that Indiana get to the Grail first before the Nazis do but first he must find the man who was once in charge of the operation but has mysteriously disappeared, his own father. The story for Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade is probably one of the most noble adventure films in the genre and though this deals mainly with Christianity, Spielberg manages to keep the focus generally on universal beliefs and the concept of faith itself rather then the individual denominations. He guides the audience through several complex theories and beliefs but directs it out in such a way that even the most clueless of filmgoers will get a general idea of what is behind many of the main actions of the film.

As was said about the Temple of Doom in that the Indiana Jones series isn't afraid to switch supporting characters up and that it usually works well depending on their interaction with Ford remains true for this film. Not all work though, but the mass majority pick up the slack of the less potent additions to the cast. Harrison Ford dons the famous hat and whip once again and gives possibly the best performance in the series, if not on par with Raiders of the Lost Ark. This is all thanks to his absolutely amazing chemistry with Sean Connery, who is best known for his role as James Bond. The two talented performers play off each other so well that you would believe they were actually related. Sean Connery still shows that he has what it takes to be a commanding actor despite his old age. Though the feature contains a decent amount of humor within the material itself, additional comic relief comes in the form of Denholm Elliott as Dr. Marcus Brody and John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, who reprise their fantastic roles from the original. The only cast member that just doesn't seem quite right for the series is Alison Doody as Dr. Elsa Schneider, whose lines seem so drulled out and the performance on the whole being quite tacky. Whether that was the intention of the filmmakers or not may not be known but in either case it felt over-the-top and not in the good way that it could have been. It could have been Doody's performance or the role itself but whatever it was it didn't work at all.

Overall, if this is Indiana Jones' last go-around then it is marvelous one at that, mixing everything that made the series so enduring all into one consolidating effort. Historical background, religious content, and memorable characters all come together in a triumphant achievement from the brilliant duo of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. There is little to complain about with this film but if anything was out of place, beside Alison Doody's performance, it had to be focus taken too much away from the meaning behind the Grail itself. Granted, praise must be given to Spielberg for the film's intention on keeping the audience centered on universal beliefs, but considering you are dealing with serious Christian content, it would have been nice to keep the focus on that but no big foul called for not doing that. Outside of a small dispute, Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade is an absolute must see and the wonderful thing about it is that there is no need to watch the previous two features in order to appreciate the magnificence of Spielberg's vision.

It is just absolutely amazing to see how suddenly Jack Black has emerged into the public eye despite a relatively lengthy career in films. It was his hysterical performance opposite Colin Hanks, Tom Hank's son, in Orange County that brought him fully into the mainstream spectrum but amazingly his feature film hasn't been confined to the comedy genre. Since his first appearance on screen in 1992, Black has appeared in such solemn features such as Waterworld, Dead Man Walking, and Enemy of the State. Hollywood soon became aware of the inspiring comedian when starred in the Farrelly Brothers comedy, Shallow Hal, and then the irreverent comedy, Saving Silverman. Now Jack Black's future is bigger and better then ever before with superior roles in three films in 2004: Envy, Shark Tale, and Anchorman. Not only that but Black's metal parody band, Tenacious D, has the potential to be another successful vehicle for the rising star, as his leading role in The School of Rock shows he has the enthusiasm and the look of a real rocker.

The story follows an out of work rocker who takes a substitute teacher position at a preppy grade school to get back at his former band members who dumped him from the band. Dewey Finn knows everything there is to know about the history of rock n' roll. He knows every band, every instrument, and every chord ... Rock n' roll is in his blood. The only thing he doesn't know is when to act mature. During a major band performance, Dewey goes off on a twenty guitar solo and acts in a way that not only embarrasses the band but himself as well. Dewey's fellow band members are fed up and, without any other choice, decide to vote him out of the band. With the pressure of his buddy's girlfriend to pay his share of the rent, the fledgling rocker impersonates a substitute teacher and takes a position at an uptight private school. Upon discovering the musical talents of the fourth graders he is placed to educate, Dewey decides to enter the group into a battle of the bands contest that pits the youngsters against his former band mates. Through his senseless antics and irreverent attitude, the children soon learn to break out of their shells and be who they want to be. The story for the School of Rock is decently played out but for the most part the plot is pretty predictable which takes away some of the emotional feelings you might have for the situation and/or the characters. In a film that preaches the message of breaking away from the conventional, School of Rock contradicts itself pretty easily.

The cast is pretty minuscule but that doesn't matter too much as the feature relies solely on the energetic performance of Jack Black, which is all that truly matters for this film. If you are not a fan of the work of Jack Black then you are going to have a hard time tolerating this film but even if you are non-partisan in the matter, you aren't exactly going to be rolling in the aisles laughing either. It's not that Black's performance isn't funny, it is, in parts, but for the most part his crazy antics come off as being more annoying then anything else. Joan Cusack is greatly under used in this film and it was rather disappointing to see the filmmakers not exploring the relationship more between her character and Black's.

Overall, The School of Rock reforms the school of thought on the conventional family film but not so much so that it will spark a new trend in Hollywood. It's not that the feature isn't entertaining, it is. The problem is that it is nothing more then that. The feeling this film leaves you with is hard to describe, so here's the best way one can put it: If you are at a buddy's house for a night with your best friends and the School of Rock is the film of choice, you won't exactly try to weasel everyone out of watching it but you wouldn't exactly be jumping for joy either. Despite a decent performance from Black, delightful performances from the children, and a rockin' song selection, the entire feature film, in the end, just feels flat. The message of the film also seems a bit lost as it preaches a break away from the conventional but at the same advocates children to fight against "the man" or authority, which is definitely a wrong message to send to the young children of America. There are enough problems out there with children disrespecting their parents, school administrators, etc. without this film sermonizing the message of deviance of authority. This may not be the exact way the filmmakers may have intended but it does come off that way. Bottom-line is that School of Rock will do as an entertaining diversion but nothing you essentially need to see before more worthy features like Lost in Translation or Matchstick Men.

Theatrical adaptations of famous comic books are becoming the new trend these days in Hollywood. The major studios are digging out every comic book superhero imaginable even the lesser known ones and so far the films have been successful. So it isn't surprising that 20th Century is stepping up to the plate for the third time this year. Daredevil was a moderate success garnering $100 million against a $75 million budget and X2: X-Men United kicked off the summer season with a bang gathering $210 million against a $100 million budget. Fox is hoping that The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen will be just as successful but it will be a hard sell. The League is a much lesser known comic book mini-series then big profiles superheroes like Spider-Man or X-Men, so there won't be as big of a fan base to rely on. Another problem for the film is the down trend the comic book adaptations are looking to take. Though The Hulk set a new opening weekend for the month of June, the film dropped seventy percent from its opening weekend and was poorly received by both critics and the public. Rumors of fights breaking out between Sean Connery and director Stephen Norrington helped generate bad buzz for the film. The lackluster trailer and television ads have not been helping stop the bad press going against the film. But can The League fight against the odds and rule the box office or will the gentlemen be less then extraordinary?

The story centers on the formation of a team of extraordinary individuals that must fight an evil man who has plans for the world. During the year 1899, an evil individual by the name of The Fanthom has gone around the world capturing scientists and causes major catastrophes in order to have the European countries blame each other. This, he hopes, will cause the countries to create a world war and with his advanced military weapons, the European countries will have to buy from him creating a huge profit for himself. The British Empire, determined to avert a world war, calls upon a man named "M" to assemble The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Allan Quartermain, the hero of such tales as King Solomon's Mines, is chosen to lead the team. Other members of the team include Rodney Skinner (The Invisible Man), Mina Harker (Vampire), Captain Nemo, Dr. Jekyll, and Dorian Grey, each of which holds a special ability unique to the team. Joining along for the ride is Agent Sawyer (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) from the United States. Each individual seems to have a hidden secret and don't get along with each other but they must put their scrabbles aside in order to save the world from the brink of war. The story for The League starts off well enough but slows down in the middle before picking up once again in the end. The dialogue is pretty serious for the most par but most of it seems too comical at times, which hurts the overall effect. Backgrounds on several characters are missing which would have been helpful to connect better with certain individuals but with most being famous literary characters, the film makers probably figure the audience knows who they are already.

The cast that makes of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a mixed bag at best. Sean Connery, who takes the role of Allan Quartermain, is great as usually as he seems to really to get into the role. Despite rumors of fights between Norrington and himself, Connery does a fabulous job with the character showing that Quartermain is beginning to show his age but desire to go out fighting. Connery can still kick butt like his young co-stars as his fight scenes show. Tony Curran, who plays the role of The Invisible Man, does as best of a job as he can but this character has its share of problems. The Invisible Man seems to be nothing more then a comedic special effects diversion and seems to just plain disappear for a good portion of the movie with little explanation or care. Jason Flemying does his best with the role of Dr. Jekyll, which is pretty good for the most part, but his character is also a special effect diversion when he becomes Mr. Hyde. Shane West is great as Agent Sawyer, though the film could have done a better job explaining how this care free boy from Mississippi came to be in the secret service but that is a minor squabble. Peta Wilson, from La Femme Nikita fame, does a pretty good job as Mina Harker but there really isn't much presented to the character. What is the deal with her and Dorian Grey? That is never really explained and causes confusion for the audience. Speaking of Dorian, Stuart Townsend is moderate as the character though most of the problems with him involve the background of the character rather then the acting.

Overall, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a good film but is really more for fans of the comic book mini-series or those who seriously know their literary figures. Too much background information on many of the characters is missing for most of the main stream to truly understand on where these characters are coming from what and what is going on based on their actions. The specials effects for the films, which seem to be focused on in several scenes in the film, are moderate at best. If you want superior special effects then go see Pirates of the Caribbean or even The Hulk, though with The Hulk you have to endure a very slow story. In that case, just stick with Pirates. The CGI work, especially with the Nautilus is some of the worst that has been seen this summer. The timing for the film seems perfect though the story itself slows down in the middle. The action sequences keeps the audience entertained and that should be sufficient enough for at least one showing. If you really want a film that can be seen numerous times then pick Pirates over The League. But if you just want to see something different for one night then stick with The League. It may not be fantastic but it is worth the price of admission. For a matinee at least.

Here's a real brain teaser for you: The Scorpion King is the prequel to the sequel to the remake of The Mummy. Confused yet? Let's hope not but if so then let's break it down for you. The Scorpion King is the new star vehicle for former WWE star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The Rock played a small role in The Mummy Returns, which was a sequel to The Mummy. The Mummy was a remake of the original mummy movie series from the 1950's. Got it? With that cleared up, a new question of why they would make a spin-off to The Rock's character emerges. The Rock has become a very popular "actor" in recent years, coming a far way from his early years in the wrestling ring, and Universal Pictures believe a good mint could be made off that popularity. If Dwayne Johnson plays his cards correctly, he could be the next Bruce Willis, Sly Stallone, or even Arnold Schwarzenegger of action films.

The story centers on a leader of a band of assassins, who is hired to kill an important royal figure but gets more in this job then anybody bargained for. Mathayus, the last of a fleeting group of assassins, is hired by the leaders of rebel tribes to kill a sorcerer they believe their enemy is using to help him conquer the lands of Egypt. He accepts the job and arrives in the city of Gomorrah but when he realizes that the sorcerer is a beautiful woman, plans change quickly. He chooses to kidnap her instead of an assassination thus forcing the evil tyrant to bring everything he's got into a final confrontation between the remaining rebel tribes and ruling forces. Stephen Sommer was the director of the previous Mummy films but choose not to direct this spin-off feature and the pacing of this film showcases that. Though critics hammered The Mummy films for being hookie and cheesy, they never said once that they were not consistent. This is a problem that The Scorpion King never seems to solve as moments of romance and hilarity seem forced compared to the non-stop action sequences that work so well.

The relatively small cast for The Scorpion King can only be described at meeting some expectations but not exceeding them if they some members even get to that level. This is the first major leading role for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and surely won't be his last, at least based on the action sequences. The role of Mathayus (aka The Scorpion King) seems specifically designed for the former wrestler as he fits extremely well into the character though there aren't many well designed sequences to showcase his true acting chops. But then again, do you really expect those kinds of sequences in action flicks? Kelly Hu, who plays Cassandra, seems, at times, too confined into the typical woman role in action films but does get involved in some of the fight sequences, which is a welcomed change in Hollywood today. The remainder of the cast worked well together but not great.

Overall, The Scorpion King, with its flashes of skin and heavy metal music, will no doubt satisfy the hardcore action freaks but will leave others starving. Unlike the previous Mummy films, The Scorpion King suffers in the story department as the story seems too caught up with the action sequences to makes the rest of the film as consistent. The film will no doubt bring out fans of action flicks as well as fans of The Rock and they will get everything they are looking for. But women and those who care more about the story then the action may find it on the bland side of things. If you are looking for a decent feature to start off your summer then hold your money for Spider-Man.