G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

A movie that feels like a video game that you have no control over. It made me wonder why I clamored for G. I. Joe toys when growing up. Sigh... childhood.

Rating: * +

Smart People

Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) is a widowed curmudgeon of a professor universally hated by most people in his life. His life nose dives when he finds himself unable to drive a car thanks to a medical technicality. Magically his unemployed adopted brother (Thomas Haden Church) appears, whom he dislikes, and offers to be his chauffeur. At the same time his love buds start to tingle with the appearance of Dr. Hartigan (Sarah Jessica Parker). Coupled with interactions between his children and his brother the film turns into a bewildering laugh riot. The combination of Church's sardonic wit and Ellen Page's (who play Lawrence's daughter) overachieving smugness just adds froth to the bubbling frolic. The only weak link is Parker who still forgets that she is not on Sex in the City.

Rating: * * *