New This Week

This Means War

Directed by McG
Written by Timothy Dowling, Simon Kinberg, Marcus Gautesen
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Chelsea Handler

Summary: Two CIA operatives find out they are dating the same woman (Witherspoon). Rather than dump her, they decide to let wait it out and see who she picks, which leads them to use all kinds of spy tactics against each other.

Rotten Tomatoes: 26% (bad)

My Thoughts: It would seem that “This Means War” has the right talents in place to make for a moderately successful run. Hardy and Pine are still just faces to this point and Witherspoon, who used to command one of the highest salaries in Hollywood, has lost a little of her mojo with “Water for Elephants” being a moderate success and “How Do You Know?” a total bomb. Still, “War” could end up one of the more popular films of the month if it can avoid bad word of mouth.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Written by Scott M. Gimple and Seth Hoffman, David S. Goyer
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Idris Elba, Violante Placido, Ciarán Hinds

Summary: Johnny Blaze a.k.a “The Ghost Rider” (Cage) has a chance to rid himself of his curse by saving a young boy being targeted for the Devil’s (Hinds) new physical form.

Rotten Tomatoes: N/A

My Thoughts: Having purged the original from my memory as much as possible, I feel better about the direction of Neveldine and Taylor. Although they won’t elevate this franchise to the level of the mainstream Marvel superheroes, they should be able to deliver an action-packed good time or at least an apology for the 2007 original. Early word, however, ain’t looking good.

The Secret World of Arrietty

Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Gary Rydstrom (English)
Written by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, Karey Kirkpatrick (English), Marty Norton (book “The Borrowers”)
Starring: (voices) Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Carol Burnett

Summary: Arrietty Clock lives secretly in a house with the other members of her family … who are also 4 in. tall. They borrow only what they need to survive, but soon a young (normal-sized) boy discovers Arrietty.

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (excellent)

My Thoughts:  “Arrietty” represents Studio Ghibli’s best chance at making a splash in the West. I won’t even speak to quality, because these folks don’t let you down. “The Borrowers” is a beloved story and the time of year couldn’t be better to sneak in something less mainstream from a box-office perspective. I really want to believe that parents won’t be less inclined to take their kids to a film just because it’s not done in CGI. The receipts will never be as high as for a Pixar or DreamWorks offering, but it should be the biggest success the Japanese studio has had in the States.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Directed by Brad Peyton
Written by Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, Richard Outten, Jules Verne (novel)
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Caine

Summary: A young man (Hutcherson) convinces his mother’s boyfriend (Johnson) to take him in search of a mythical island that his grandfather always talked about.

Rotten Tomatoes: 42% (mixed)

My Thoughts: The original “Journey” somehow scrounged up $100 million domestically, but this is February and Jules Verne is very distantly connected to this one. The tiny elephants and giant bees will probably scare kids more than excite them, yet with a PG rating that’s exactly who Warner Bros. is going for. The lack of kid adventures in the winter gives this film its best chance to make money, but I wouldn’t expect any quality.

Safe House

Directed by Daniel Espinosa
Written by David Guggenheim
Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson

Summary: At a CIA safe house in Cape Town, aspiring CIA field agent Matt Weston (Reynolds) is charged with looking after Tobin Frost (Washington), a former operative that went violently rogue. But when the safe house is compromised, Weston finds himself in the mix of a possible mole situation.

Rotten Tomatoes: 52% (mixed)

My Thoughts: The trailer paints this one as reliable action/thriller material with a surefire twist, the kind of stuff that moviegoers crave in these less-than-dependable winter months. Yet moviegoers have been very patronizing of winter films so far, so will this one do any better? I think a solid take is in order.

The Vow

Directed by Michael Sucsy
Written by Jason Katims, Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein, Michael Sucsy
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Jessica Lange, Scott Speedman

Summary: A married couple is forced to start all over when a car accident causes the wife (McAdams) to lose all memory of her husband (Tatum).

Rotten Tomatoes: 30% (not good)

My Thoughts:  I love McAdams, and I don’t think Tatum gets enough credit, but here’s a story that looks a bit too cookie-cutter to be taken seriously as a romance. Those talents will do their best to move the audience to tears and I suspect they’ll succeed because of previous romance successes, but let’s not confuse emotion for quality.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D

Written and Directed by George Lucas
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Jake Lloyd, Natalie Portman

Summary: In the first of “Star Wars” prequel trilogy, we meet Anakin Skywalker — the future Darth Vader — as a young boy. Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn (Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) discover him and try to convince Yoda and the Jedi Council that he is the “one who will bring balance to the force” as political unrest builds in the Galactic Republic.

Rotten Tomatoes: 59% (mixed)

My Thoughts: As someone who fell in love with “Star Wars” as a kid thanks to the first wave of re-releases, I can’t condemn the notion here, even if the prequels are inferior and the 3D likely to do nothing to enhance the film. Lucas can do whatever he wants to tamper with these films; you won’t see me on the front lines of the verbal hatred or in line period to see this in theaters again.

Chronicle

Directed by Josh Trank
Written by Max Landis and Josh Trank
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Alex Russell

Summary: After a startling discovery, three teenagers develop powers: telekinesis, invincibility and flight. They use them for harmless pranks at first, but as their abilities grow stronger, one of them begins to lose self-control and things get out of hand.

Rotten Tomatoes: 85% (great)

My Thoughts: I have to say that I really admire the concept, as this is probably the most lifelike look we’ve had at teenagers coming across superpowers (no offense, Stan Lee). I’m not sure I’m sold on the found footage element, but it allows for that fun low-budget “this might actually be what would happen in real life” feel that made “Cloverfield” an excellent winter season flick (and one of the very best box office-wise, in fact). It sounds like it stays very grounded in the possible, which makes it a gripping diversion. Rarely do you see these kinds of films getting such love, but dorks can rejoice.

The Woman in Black

Directed by James Watkins
Written by Jane Goldman, Susan Hill (novel)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer, Ciarán Hinds

Summary: A young lawyer visits a remote country town in England where he’s tasked with selling an old house. Turns out it was once home to a woman whose ghost currently terrorizes the locals.

Rotten Tomatoes: 64% (good)

My Thoughts: I like the writer and I like the cast, so perhaps we’re looking at one of the better horror offerings of 2012. Rarely does the genre ever boast any level of talent, and when it does you either get films like last year’s flop “Dream House” or the acclaimed “Insidious.” Looks like we are leaning more towards the latter with this one, so good for Radcliffe and good for horror fans, who also have Ti West’s “The Innkeepers” in very limited release this weekend.

Big Miracle

Directed by Ken Kwapis
Written by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, Thomas Rose (book “Freeing the Whales”)
Starring: Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen Bell

Summary: A news reporter in Alaska convinces and his ex-girlfriend, a Greenpeace volunteer, try to save a family of whales who are trapped in rapidly forming ice in arctic. Together they rally for government support to help carve a path through the ice to the ocean.

Rotten Tomatoes: 72% (very good)

My Thoughts:  I don’t doubt that this movie will be good. I also don’t doubt that this movie won’t be just like every movie you’ve ever seen involving overcoming the odds. The trailer also seems to give away just about every major turning point, but hey, it’s not like you wouldn’t have seen them coming anyway and it doesn’t mean they won’t cut to your emotional core.

The Grey

Directed by Joe Carnahan
Written by Joe Carnahan, Ian Mackenzie Jeffers (screenplay and short story)
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo, James Badge Dale

Summary: A plane full of oil drillers crash lands in the Alaskan wilderness. Under the leadership of a trained wilderness bodyguard, they must struggle to survive against the elements — and a pack of angry wolves.

Rotten Tomatoes: 77% (very good)

My Thoughts: Neeson makes anything better. He’s like the extra butter in every baking recipe. He’ll be hard at work in “The Grey,” trying to turn a story of survival into something exciting and original. The early buzz for the vet suggests this is an ironic warm spot on the winter calendar.

Man on a Ledge

Directed by Asger Leth
Written by Pablo F. Fenjves
Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris

Summary: An escaped convict (Worthington) accused of stealing a diamond sets out to prove his innocence by climbing out onto the ledge of a Manhattan hotel. While a cop (Banks) tries to talk him down, his brother (Bell) is busy trying to get revenge on the man (Harris) who he says framed him.

Rotten Tomatoes: 32% (not good)

My Thoughts: Never mind the literal title, the marketing is in full force and looks to have people’s attention like a … man on a ledge … actually would. The star power is there unlike many January thrillers, but films like this can build up some serious anticipation of an awesome twist. If “Ledge” doesn’t deliver in this capacity, it won’t find many fans, and critics have already called it out on its believability issues.

One for the Money

Directed by Julie Anne Robinson
Written by Stacy Sherman and Karen Ray, Liz Brixius, Janet Evanovich (novel)
Starring: Katherine Heigl, Jason O’Mara, Debbie Reynolds, Sherri Sheppard

Summary: When lingerie saleswoman Stephanie Plum (Heigl) finds herself without a job, she turns to her cousin, a bail-bondsperson, who gives her a job as a bounty hunter, essentially. Turns out her first assignment involves bringing in a former lover who dumped her some time ago.

Rotten Tomatoes: 2% (not worth one of any money)

My Thoughts:  Why Heigl won’t try her hand at something better blows my mind. She obviously doesn’t know a good script, or maybe just doesn’t read them. Perhaps “Knocked Up” was really an anomaly and not indicative of her potential as an actress. She did decently last time she opened a film in January (2008′s “27 Dresses”), but this one is more similar in premise to “Killers,” her biggest dud. Without being screened for critics, Lionsgate will rely heavily on book fans and a demographic that hasn’t been catered to since “New Year’s Eve.”

The Descendants

Directed by Alexander Payne
Written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, Kaui Hart Hemmings (novel)
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller

Summary: After his wife ends up in the hospital on life support, Hawaiian land baron Matt King must take care of his two daughters, but when he learns that his wife had been cheating on him before the accident, he takes the girls on a trip to confront the man she had an affair with.

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% (excellent)

My Thoughts: I wasn’t all that excited about this one at first, but it quickly became my favorite film of the year. It’s not an easy film, but Clooney gives one of if not his best performance and everything from the setting to the acting works to tell one story. It’s a beautiful film, but completely different from its more lighthearted Best Picture counterparts. Read my review.

Underworld: Awakening

Directed by Måns Mårlind, Björn Stein
Written by Len Wiseman, John Hlavin
Starring Kate Beckinsale, Michael Ealy, India Eisley, Theo James

Summary: Vampire Death Dealer Selene (Beckinsale) awakens in the future to find humans have discovered the existence of vampires and lycans. She leads the battle against the human race, which seeks to eradicate both species.

Rotten Tomatoes: 29% (bad)

My Thoughts: I lost interest in the franchise after the first sequel, “Underworld: Evolution.” At first we weren’t being inundated with vampire and werewolf films — obviously things have changed. Glossy action, 3D and Beckinsale in skin-tight clothing might be enough to entertain the series’ devoted fans (see the “Resident Evil” franchise), but it will be hard to claim new ones, especially in a weekend full of action releases.

Red Tails

Directed by Anthony Hemingway
Written by John Ridley and Aaron McGruder
Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, David Oyelowo, Bryan Cranston

Summary: Based on the true story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a team of U.S. Air Force fighter pilots kept grounded due to segregation and prejudice, who rise to the challenge when given the chance to escort bombers to and back from targets.

Rotten Tomatoes: 36% (not good)

My Thoughts: Based on the marketing, Lucasfilm and Fox want this historical action epic to appeal to a younger audience who might be less inclined to see a film about Civil Rights and more inclined to watch visually stunning aerial dogfights. With Industrial Light & Magic behind the VFX, expect that part to at least be worth the admission. The originality of the storytelling, however, might be another story.

Haywire

Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Written by Lem Dobbs
Starring: Gina Carano, Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas

Summary: Covert operative Mallory Kane is hired for government dirty work, but when she’s double-crossed, she must escape an international hunt for her head, return to the U.S. and exact her revenge.

Rotten Tomatoes: 80% (great)

My Thoughts:  Revenge films have become a motif for the winter months, and with so much talent behind it, one has to think if any film has a chance of being a rare January gem, it’s “Haywire.” Originality might be lacking, but the delivery could well be pristine. The breadth of talent compares equally to the depth with proven vets such as Douglas and Banderas to rising stars such as Fassbender and Tatum.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Directed by Stephen Daldry
Written by Eric Roth, Jonathan Safran Foer (novel)
Starring: Thomas Horn, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Max von Sydow

Summary: A single father decides he and his kids need a change, so they move away and end up buying a home with a zoo attached to it, but the zoo needs upkeep or they risk losing the animals.

Rotten Tomatoes: 46% (mixed)

My Thoughts: I’m still in utter disbelief that this has gotten such a mixed reception and has not been an awards contender this year. At the same time, Warner Bros. has promoted it exceptionally well and it could indeed make some cash. From browsing Rotten Tomatoes, it would seem that some people will take well to the way it goes straight for the heartstrings, and others will find that off-putting.

The Artist

Written and Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Beho, John Goodman, James Cromwell

Summary: In 1927 Hollywood, silent film star George Valentin confronts the realization that talking pictures might put an end to his career, just as he hits it off with an emerging young dancer named Peppy Miller.

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% (excellent)

My Thoughts: In a year for feel-good films, “The Artist” ranks among the best. Hazanavicius reminds us of some of the simple powerful truths of movie-making and storytelling in this overall solid film. Read my review.

Contraband

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur
Written by Aaron Guzikowski, Arnaldur Indriðason and Óskar Jónasson (film “Rekjavik-Rotterdam”)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster

Summary: A former drug smuggler agrees to one last job against his will in order to help his brother-in-law: smuggling counterfeit bills from Panama. But the job puts his wife and kid in harm’s way

Rotten Tomatoes: 48% (mixed)

My Thoughts: Marky Mark makes for a great protagonist, so despite being a story we’ve seen hundreds of times, the talent suggests something that could pass for entertaining. Each of these stars has made a bad film, so they’re not expert script scouts, but it’s January and the bar is low.

Joyful Noise

Written and Directed by Todd Graff
Starring: Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, Jeremy Jordan

Summary: After inheriting a struggling church choir, Vi Rose Hill (Latifah) must play nice with the boisterous G.G. Sparrow (Parton). Meanwhile, Sparrow’s grandson (Jordan) shakes things up in the choir including getting the attention of Vi Rose’s daughter (Palmer)

Rotten Tomatoes: 36% (not good)

My Thoughts: Seems like everyone’s finding their voice these days. How are we ever going to live in a censored dystopian society? Anyway, you can thank “Glee” for Hollywood’s perceived increase in demand for music-filled movies such as “Joyful Noise.”Expect at least a decent soundtrack from this movie, but it will take a lot more than Parton’s self-deprecating plastic surgery humor for this small-town comedy/drama to connect with an urban audience.

Beauty and the Beast 3D

Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
Written by Linda Woolverton and 11 others
Starring: (voices) Paige O’Hara, Robbie Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach

Summary: Small-town beauty Belle wants to get swept off her feet, but gets more than she bargained for when a mishap with her father leads her to the castle of a prince cursed by an old witch to look like a beast.

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (excellent)

My Thoughts:  Nothing screams cash grab like this 3D re-release campaign, but that’s because as someone who grew up with these films there’s no need to spend money on inflated ticket prices. It’s great for young parents though, as they can ensure their kids won’t be seeing something crappy.

The Iron Lady

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Written by Abi Morgan
Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant

Summary: A biopic about former British Prime Minister Maggie Thatcher, who had to contend with issues related to being a female prime minister as well as make some divisive decisions that marred her reputation.

Rotten Tomatoes: 55% (mixed)

My Thoughts:  No question that Streep is the alpha and omega when it comes to this film. With that being the case,  you have to hope it isn’t one of those “Streep stands out amongst a (negative word) script” like recent disappointment “J. Edgar.” The buzz has been exactly that for this film, even though I have pretty unshakable faith in the quality of British-made biopics.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Written by Peter Straughan, Bridget O’Connor, John le Carré (novel)
Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt

Summary: A Cold War era thriller about a former British Intelligence agent named George Smiley who is asked to come out of retirement to investigate the likely possibility of a Russian mole at the top of the Circus.

Rotten Tomatoes: 84% (great)

My Thoughts: Shockingly, I can’t recommend it to anyone except fans of le Carré as it does not move or behave like your typical thriller. It’s incredibly slow and definitely takes a certain mood, though to its credit it’s masterfully directed and acted. Just very difficult to sit through. Read my review.

We Bought A Zoo

Directed by Cameron Crowe
Written by Aline Brosh McKenna and Cameron Crowe, Benjamin Mee (book)
Starring: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Elle Fanning, Thomas Haden Church

Summary: A single father decides he and his kids need a change, so they move away and end up buying a home with a zoo attached to it, but the zoo needs upkeep or they risk losing the animals.

Rotten Tomatoes: 63% (g00d)

My Thoughts: Crowe and Damon are two names not to take lightly, but looks more and more to me as just your run-of-the-mill feel-good Holiday movie — with animals. There’s definitely a place for that in this season of all seasons, but a lot of movies are trying to sell the same goods. I guess none of them have nearly as many animals. Sorry “War Horse” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks.”

Recommendation: For families looking for a movie free of commercial Hollywood.

The Adventures of Tintin

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, Hergé (comics)
Starring: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost

Summary: Investigative reporter Tintin (Bell) buys a little model of the ship The Unicorn, and soon finds that the sinister Ivanovich Sakharine (Craig) is strangely willing to do just about anything including kidnap Tintin in order to have it himself. To get answers, Tintin and his faithful pup, Snowy, embark on a journey aboard a cargo ship that entangles them with the drunken Captain Haddock, whose family history sheds some light on the secret of The Unicorn.

Rotten Tomatoes: 74% (very good)

My Thoughts: Although its success won’t be dictated by American box-office receipts, “Tintin” should have some appeal here and without any animated films slated to come after it for quite some time, it could do well in January too. With Jackson and Spielberg behind it, it’s a must-see to some degree, and the mo-cap looks stunning.

Recommendation: For adventure in the purest sense of the word. This movie offers the most fun families can have this Christmas outside of “Arthur Christmas.”

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Directed by David Fincher
Written by Steve Zaillian, Stieg Larsson (novel)
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Stellan Skarsgård, Christopher Plummer

Summary: Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomqvist gets recruited by a wealthy Swedish businessman who wants him to investigate the 40-year-old mystery of his niece’s disappearance. He teams up with expert hacker Lisbeth Salander to solve the case.

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% (great)

My Thoughts: Honestly, the cold case story of what happened to Harriet Vanger could not be in better hands than with Fincher. With a best-selling story at his disposal, it makes “Dragon Tattoo” a must-see this season provided you can stomach it. Read my review

Recommendation: Fans of the books or fans of the genre should enjoy this a lot.

War Horse 

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis, Michael Morpurgo (novel)
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Tom Hiddleston, David Thewlis

Summary: A young man’s close companion in the form of a horse named Joey is sold to the British cavalry in World War I to “serve” in the trenches. Devastated and fearing the worst, he journeys to save him.

Rotten Tomatoes: 77% (very good)

My Thoughts: It’s nice to have ’90s Spielberg back, the man who brought us “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan.” Nothing he’s done in the past 10 years has quite the same vibe, and while I love his sci-fi and adventure catalog, the through-line has always been the heart and that’s what this one looks to be serving up.

Recommendation: Not exactly the most appealing movie, but one of the surest bets for a moving experience.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Directed by Brad Bird
Written by Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec, Bruce Geller (TV series)
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg

Summary: The IMF is shut down after it’s implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin and Ethan Hunt and his team must essentially go rogue in order to prove their innocence.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% (excellent)

My Thoughts: The most fun/pure entertainment the movies offered in 2011. See it in IMAX if you can as that’s how it was intended. I don’t remember enjoying the franchise’s other entries quite like this one. Read my review.

Recommendation: A yes of immense proportions.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

Directed by Mike Mitchell
Written by Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Starring: Jason Lee, (voices) Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate

Summary: Dave and his chipmunk children and their lady counterparts, the Chipettes, go on a cruise vacation, but they accidentally abandon ship and find themselves trying to survive (while singing and dancing).

Rotten Tomatoes: 13% (very bad)

My Thoughts: I guess I must finally admit that despite consistently negative reviews, this series flourishes thanks to cute little fuzzy creatures wailing in high-pitched voices and singing and dancing to Top 40 hits. There’s a definitive appeal in that, especially for little kids. Nevertheless, I wish this franchise would just jump off a boat in the figurative sense of the phrase.

Recommendation: For children who loved the previous two and the adults responsible for them.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Directed by Guy Ritchie
Written by Michele and Kieran Mulroney, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (characters)
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris

Summary: Holmes is steeped in his most complex case yet, which will have him tracking down his notorious arch nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

Rotten Tomatoes: 61% (good)

My Thoughts: The original was an entertaining diversion for sure, and while nothing about it screamed a sequel, it seems by virtue of a bigger budget that this one could out-entertain its predecessor. The introduction of a more formidable villain (who likely relies less on the supernatural) in Moriarty could also help to make this surprisingly better, provided the “mysterious” story is equally improved.

Recommendation: Action and hopefully witty banter is much needed right now. Even casual fans of the first should enjoy.

Hugo

Directed by Martin Scorsese
Written by John Logan, Brian Selznick (book)
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baren Cohen

Summary: A 12-year-old orphan in 1930s Paris has lost his brother and his uncle’s gone missing, so he comes to live in a train station where he becomes preoccupied with finding the parts to make his father’s invention, a robot of sorts, work again. He eventually meets a girl his age who has the key to making it work.

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (excellent)

My Thoughts: I didn’t doubt that Scorsese would make fabulous use of 3D (he’s had good things to say about the medium since wrapping this one) and a visually arresting film, but I wasn’t so sure about his skills in terms of making a feel-good family adventure. Put any of your similar doubts aside. This is a great film. Read my review