WEEKEND PIC - June 12 - 14, 2009

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK:

a) STATE OF PLAY (mystery drama with Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright Penn and Helen Mirren) Rated: * * * (3 out of 4 stars): Adapted from a BBC series, this American version is a well-made film with compelling performances. (Reviewed below) (Pic above: Crowe and McAdams)

b) DRAG ME TO HELL (suspense thriller with Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao and David Paymer) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars) This Sam Raimi thriller recalls his Evil Dead days but it is more yucky than scary with lots of gooey stuff being stuffed into Lohman's mouth. (Reviewed below).

c) BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE (fantasy thriller with Gianna Jeon Ji-Hyun, Allison Miller, Liam Cunningham, Michael Byrne and Koyuki) Rated * * (2 stars): There are lots of slicing and slashing with 'Sassy Girl' Jeon playing the title character. But this gets boring very quickly and the triller feels anaemic and derivative. (Reviewed below).

STILL GOING STRONG:

1) TERMINATOR SALVATION (sci-fi thriller with Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood and Common) Rated * * * (3stars): This mix of Transformers and Mad Max will please action fans but Terminator dudes may feel shortchanged. (Reviewed below).

2) MONSTERS Vs ALIENS (animated thriller with voices of Reese Witherspoon, Will Arnett, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Rainn Wilson, Kiefer Sutherland, and Stephen Colbert) Rated * * * (3 stars): It's action-packed fun for the family even if it does not quite match up to The Incredibles and WALL-E. (Reviewed below).

3) HANNAH MONTANA THE MOVIE (Musical with Miley Cyrus, Mitchel Musso, Jason Earles, Billy Ray Cyrus and Emily Osment) Rating * * * (3 stars out of 4): A fun outing for the family with Miley in hip-hop and country mode.

4) THE BROTHERS BLOOM (comedy adventure with Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Nora Zehetner and Robbie Coltrane) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A 'lazy' con men caper about two brothers trying to fleece an heiress. The movie is upstaged by Weisz. (Reviewed below).

5) 17 AGAIN (fantasy comedy with Zac Efron, Leslie Mann (pictured), Thomas Lennon, Michelle Trachtenberg, Matthew Perry and Melora Hardin) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Yeah, Efron rocks in this body-switch vehicle about getting a second chance at life. Jokes are mostly on character quirks, though. (Reviewed below).

6) FIGHTING (drama with Channing Tatum, Terrence Howard, Zulay Henao, Brian J. White and Luis Guzmán) Rated * * (2 stars): A rather tame and sometimes lame story about an Alabama lad seeking his fortune in the underground fights circle of New York City. (Reviewed below).