WEEKEND PIC - Aug 22 - 24 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. WALL-E (sci-fi adventure with voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, & Sigourney Weaver) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): If you liked The Incredibles and Finding Nemo, you will like WALL-E, a robot that will capture your heart and imagination in a world deserted by humankind. (Reviewed below)



2. PENELOPE (romantic drama with Christina Ricci, James McAvoy (pictured), Catherine O'Hara and Reese Witherspoon) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This modern-day love story with a fairytale touch (like Ugly Duckling meets Cinderella) reminds me of the Cyrano de Bergerac movie. It is predictable, cute and gets many things right, thanks to Ricci and McAvoy.

3. STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (animated sci-fi with voices of Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This animated flick is a pilot for the new TV series and it is actually 'Star Wars 2.5' in terms of chronology. Should prove a nice fix for Star Wars addicts. (Reviewed below).

4. MIRRORS (horror with Keifer Sutherland, Paula Patton and Cameron Boyce) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): At last, here's a horror flick that can be really scary and weird. The second half may disappoint but then if you want to be jolted out of your wits, this is it.

5. YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (comedy with Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Nick Swardson) Rating * * (2 stars): Over-exaggerated comedy about Mossad agent Zohan 'hiding' out in New York is messy by itself. Don't mess with it unless you are starved for some Sandler schtick. (Reviewed below)

6. 21 (Black Jack drama with Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts and Laurence Fishburne) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This movie about card-counting students trying to hit Vegas casinos is formulaic and so by-the-book. A see-and-forget film. (Reviewed below)

7. DEATH RACE (action thriller with John Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson and Natalie Martinez) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): Quite like the videogame Twisted Metal, this is a brainless actioner badly written to keep the viewers' adrenalin pumping. Martinez helps with the eye candy part.