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Two young leading men duke it out over an Oscar winning actress in a romantic action comedy  that may have you saying, what was that ?
Chris Pine and Tom Hardy play CIA operatives, and best friends, who suddenly find out that they are after the same girl, Reese Witherspoon, in THIS MEANS WAR.

Pine plays CIA Operative FDR and Tom Hardy plays his CIA counterpart, Tuck, in this movie that is more of a bromine than anything else.  The two buddies become quick enemies as they fight for the heart of Reese Witherspoon, who plays Lauren Scott in this movie. Using all the latest spy equipment at their disposal they do what they can to sabotage the other’s chances. That, in a nutshell, is the movie.

Witherspoon, an Oscar winning actress,  doesn’t do much for her career in this film. In fact, it may just hurt it to some extent. Pine and Hardy play an unlikely duo as buddies on this mindless mission of love that may self destruct in three, two….

I’m not going to sugar coat this folks. Its not funny and there is very little romance. So much for it being a Romantic Comedy, right ? The flick-o-meter gives This Means War a two out of five. The only reason it gets that high of a mark is because of the star power of Witherspoon, Pine, and Hardy. There are a few cameos from some other stars but really, it doesn’t matter. Its not  fault of the actors, I think most of the blame has to be shouldered by McG, the director. He’s taken the Charlie’s Angles action he is known for and attempted to make a romantic comedy. McG, your mission has failed.
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A good old-fashioned action adventure film opens in theaters this week and it should be a hit with the entire family.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson joins a supporting cast of characters in a sequel to the 2008 ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ film. This one, once again,  has more action and adventure than you can handle in 3D in, ‘Journey 2 : The Mysterious Island’.

Josh Hutcherson reprises his role as Sean. With Brendan Fraser out in this film Dwayne Johnson fills the void as Hank, the step dad. Luis Guzman plays a helicopter pilot name Gabato and his feisty daughter, Kailani, is played by Vanessa Hudgens. Michael Caine chimes in as the Grandfather in a film that is filled with laughs and slap stick throughout.

The premise of the film is pretty basic. Young Sean intercepts a distress signal in south pacific. They head there where they encounter a rainbow-filled world where evolutionary animals have gone crazy. All in 3D there is a good chance that everyone in your home will enjoy this movie. This film is based on a lesser known story by the great Jules Verne. The science-flavored style of Verne works well with a film like this. Honestly thought, the film is rarely funny and it did seem like the actors were sort of sleepwalking through their roles. I don’t think Jules Verne, if he were alive today, would care much about what they did with his story.

So the flick-o-meter gives ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ a three out of five. You could enjoy the film just as much without any sound. The 3D and other technologies make this film is first rate on that level. The acting, not so much. Do you have a question or comment. I’m online, on FaceBook. Type in TheBrettside, click like, and be a part of the conversation.

The actor known as Harry Potter scares up some new material in a good old fashioned Haunted House movie.

Daniel Radcliffe plays a single parent who settles in for several nights of terror in The Woman in Black.

Radcliffe plays Victorian Solicitor Arthur Kipps, a widower who’s wife died during the birth of his son four years earlier. Despite warnings from the terrified locals, he takes up residence in a creepy old house to handle the affairs of the now deceased owner. When night falls the supernatural world comes out…complete with wind-up toys, total darkness, and spooky images of a ghost.

Radcliffe is suited for this kind of film. The Harry Potter franchise has made him an expert in the art of looking frightened…and this is one scary house.

The Woman in Black is a creepy movie. Leaving you wondering what is just beyond the camera framing. The pale makeup and creepy old-fashioned clothing only add to the suspense and the horror . The only problem I had was, well, Radcliffe. When he is not looking frightened he still seems too puppyish to convince me that he is a parent.
So the flick-o-meter gives The Woman in Black at decent 3 out of five. 
Its hard for me to see Radcliffe in anything other than Harry Potter but he is committed to the character and he does a good job in his first post-Potter role. It is pretty scary.
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Liam Neeson and a bunch of rough neck oil riggers go down in a plane crash in the frozen Alaska wilderness in The Grey. Neeson plays John Ottway, a loner and the alpha dog, of sorts, among the surviving men of the crash. They are forced to stay together to battle the elements and a pack of wolves, set on making them the next meal. A supporting cast includes Dallas Roberts as the smart sensitive guy, Dermot Mulroney as the sad dad missing his kid, and Frank Grillo as the Latino Hothead.They face Frostbite, Wolf bite, Drowning, and Falling from great heights. Harsh outcomes for both man and beast. In the middle of this life and death situation there’s time for conversation among the men. We get to know their back story and learn that they are not simply a group of victims. Neeson’s “Ottway” character is of course the most complex. On the brink of suicide just before the crash he now clings fiercely to it. The Grey is a delightful surprise. Director Joe Carnahan does a good job of not tipping his hand about who’s living and who’s dying. The wolves were, at times, a bit over the top with the CGI look, but, overall not a bad film. So the flick-o-meter gives The Grey 3 out of five. Its a decent adventure tale. It seemed to me to be a bit too digitally enhanced. A cgi snowstorm is o but giant hulking cgi wolves ? Not so much. Hey, we’re social here on the show. Head to my fanpage on Facebook…its THEBRETTSIDE…go there and click like.

The next action hero is easy on the eyes but don’t let her fool you, she’ll knock you out !

Gina Carano makes her Hollywood debut as a butt kicking, no nonsense having special ops contractor, caught in a web of betrayal in HAYWIRE.
Carano, who has a mixed martial arts background, plays Mallory Cain. A killing machine who is on the run trying to piece together a puzzle. Michael Douglas plays the intelligence chief, Ewan McGregor plays her boss and her EX, Channing Tatum plays a fellow operator, and Antonio Banderas plays Puss and Boots…oops, her Spanish connection. Michael Fassbender rounds out the cast as a British MI-6 agent posing as Mallory’s lover.
The film is really all about the globetrotting visuals with flashbacks and long extended fight scenes, its hard at times to get a hold of the plot. Director Steven Soderberg, however, puts together a great musical score while using of a variety of cinematic styles creating, remarkably, an entertaining film. 
HAYWIRE is a whole bunch of fun. I have to admit, I loved watching Carano beat up all those guys. I was truly impressed with her skills. I just wonder if she really hurt anyone. Dark laughs and a short run time of 93 minutes has me giving HAYWIRE a four out of five on the flick-o-meter.
Sure the new girl, Carano, is a bit choppy with her speaking lines but she is solid with the action sequences. Strong performances from the other well known actors help her out as well. You will see a lot more of Gina Carano, bet on it.
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Brace yourself for another exorcism movie but this one is pretty scary.

A young woman sets out to uncover the truth about her mother, who, decades earlier, murdered two priests and a nun while they conducted and exorcism on her in…THE DEVIL INSIDE.

The movie, shot in a documentary-style, follows Isabella (played by Fernanda Andrade) as she travels to Italy to meet up with her mother Maria (Suzan Crowley). Maria is in the hospital for the criminally insane and when mother and daughter meet all hell breaks loose, literally.

Can demons seize control over humans, or is it just mental illness ? No matter what you believe we can all agree that some things just cannot be explained. The Devil Inside tackles these questions and more while delivering some genuine scary moments.

While not perfect, and certainly paling in comparison to The Exorcism, this tale of possession hits way more than it misses. Following in the in the footsteps of the Paranormal Activity franchise. The movie has moments that will shock, scare, disturb, and leave you gasping. So the flick-o-meter gives The Devil Inside 4 out of five. I’m a big fan of scary movies and this is one that will scare you, no doubt. It’s a trip to the dark side that is, well, worth taking. So no matter what you believe in … say your prayers before seeing this one.
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We have an Oscar alert ! Meryl Streep portrays one of the most influential figures of the 20th century and nails it.

There is no question that Meryl Streep is the best actress of her generation and now she raises the bar as she transforms herself into former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in…The Iron Lady.

Most of the film has Thatcher as she is now, an elderly women looking back on her life. Confused, sometimes delusional, she carries on conversations with her deceased husband Denis, played by Jim Broadbent. Alexandra Roach does a fine job portraying Thatcher as a young woman, but its Streep’s performance that is so powerful, its definitely going to be an Oscar contender.

There are some great scenes exploring some of the pivotal moments in the prime ministers controversial 11 year reign in the 1980′s. The film is flawed, however, when it circles back to a frail old lady back at home, leaving you wanting more from an historical point. Fortunately Streep is so fantastic that you may just overlook it in light of a spectacular performance.

Its amazing what really good prosthetics can do in the hands of a world-class pro like Streep. The filmmakers though, seem hesitant to explore Thatchers less favorable moments in depth. The story of such a giant figure of 20th century politics should have been more engrossing, so the flick-o-meter gives The Iron Lady four out of five. Streep is so good you get the feeling she could have been cast in the lead role of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and pulled it off. The filmmakers, in my opinion dropped the ball because they didn’t really focus on the key decade of her life. Deciding instead to be less interesting by having Thatcher as an elderly woman, wandering about the house telling her dead husband to wear a scarf because there is a chill in the air.

Michelle Williams has an Oscar worthy performance as Marilyn Monroe in “My Week with Marilyn”. Based on true events, the movie is about the summer of 1956, in which Monroe went to London to shoot “The Prince and the Showgirl” with British actor, Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh). From the start, nothing goes well. Monroe is hopped up on pills, she messes up her lines, she’s always late on the set, and she lacks self confidence. No one likes her, except for Dame Sybil Thorndike (played by Dame Judi Dench) and messenger boy Colin Clark (played by Eddie Redmayne). Its through his eyes, that the movie is told. For all “Potter” fans out there Emma Watson (Hermione) has a small role in this film as Colin’s on again off again girlfriend Lucy.

Colin is immediately smitten with Marilyn and he sees her for what she is — a fragile human being, who is used by everyone around her.Williams does a superb job as Monroe, blending her innocence and seduction she was well known for, perfectly. This is an Oscar performance.

The movie is solid, the story is good, the acting is superb, and Michelle Williams does a fantastic job. She takes on a character of an iconic figure and nails it.The flick-o-meter gives “My week with Marilyn” a five out of five. This is Michelle William’s movie as she exudes Marilyn, transforming herself into the performance of a lifetime. It’s hard to imagine a better acting job by a female lead at this point. Michelle Williams will be one of the five best actress candidates for this year’s Oscars.

Its the most anticipated wedding in years ( minus of course the one with Will and Kate, and that Kardashian mess). 
Get ready for part one in the epic franchise finale called Twilight.

Its been three years since the last movie, and fans, or “twihards”, have waited long enough.
Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) tie the knot in the highly anticipated film
“Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1″

If you are one of the only people on the planet who doesn’t know about this series, here is all you need to know. Edward Cullen is a vampire and Bella Swan is a human, and a virgin I might add. Their getting hitched is not going to make Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) very happy. You see he likes Bella. Whenever he gets mad he rips off his shirt and goes all wolf on everyone. Its the fourth film in this supernatural soap opera that has already brought in nearly 2 billion dollars.

There are really no spoilers here. Your teenage daughter can tell you exactly what happens. Edward and Bella get married, two weeks later she gets pregnant, then, after almost dying, Bella gives birth. Parents, don’t worry, there is nothing to see in the honeymoon sequence. The birth scene, however, is pushing to PG-13 rating to the edge. That all being said, teenage girls all over the country should squeal with delight.

Now it may come as a shock but I am not a big Twilight fan, but the kids ? They love this stuff. It may look like a long drawn out series about one young woman’s attempt to retain her virginity but, for the faithful, this is all cinema magic.
The flick-o-meter gives “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1″ a three out of five. The dialogue is laughable and the movie could have easily been just a half hour. FYI, its two hours long. So with Edward and Bella married and with a baby, what’s next ? You’ll have to wait to find that out in Part two of this series, that comes out a year from now. Are you team Edward or team Jacob ? Let me know on Facebook. Type in “TheBrettSide” and click LIKE. 

He ruled the Federal Bureau of Investigation for decades, nosing around in the private lives of his enemies and friends. Leonardo DiCaprio stars in a Clint Eastwood directed film about the secret life of one of the most powerful men in the United States in the last century in, J. Edgar.

The film focuses on those closest to J. Edgar Hoover; His mother Annie Hoover (Judi Dench); his secretary, Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts); and FBI associate director and Hoover companion Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer).

DiCaprio as an aging Hoover was a stretch at times. I had a hard time buying the 37 year old DiCaprio as the old J. Edgar. That aside, the movie does a great job of revealing the top cop’s obsession with commies and radicals. J. Edgar Hoover popularized fingerprinting, thus leading the way for the CSI folks of today. Director Clint Eastwood points out though, Hoover never missed an opportunity to pat himself on the back. Always searching for the spotlight, while having many secrets of his own.

The best thing about this film is the relationship that revolved between Hoover and his longtime companion Clyde Tolson. Their relationship has historically never been really clear. The film’s version sticks with the fact. The two were never married, worked side by side for decades, and never missed a meal together…and don’t you miss this movie. It will certainly be an Oscar contender on so many levels. DiCaprio…oscar ? Don’t know about that.
The Flick-o-Meter gives J.Edgar four out of five. Solid film about troubled man with too much power. J. Edgar Hoover was a complex guy, full of contradictions. Was he a good guy or a bad guy ? Eastwood is remarkably neutral on this but I don’t know how its going to play out with the viewing audience.
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