The Green Hornet

Special Effects Good; Rogen Saved by Costar

From Freaks and Geeks to Knocked Up, from Observe and Report to Funny People, Seth Rogen has played a dazed and confused teenager, a complete loser who manages to get lucky in love through bad judgement, a down on his luck mall cop and a wannabe comedian, but this is the first time he's ever played a superhero...oh wait, he's not a superhero. He does just about nothing in this movie.

Roger stars as Britt Reid, the son of a wealthy Los Angeles newspaper tycoon who's content to let his life go nowhere. Apart from the money, the character is similar to the one he portrayed in "Knocked Up" years ago. When his father dies, however, he meets Cato, a brilliant young martial experts who also happens to be a wizard with building and technology. Tired of feeling like a loser, Reid gets Cato to deck out one of his father's cars and the two become an undercover crime fighting duo. Their heroics usually include Reid trying to be a hero but completely messing things up in the face of danger, and Cato having to come to his defense. Reid then turns to his late father's newspaper, which he has been left control of, to make his new alter ego "The Green Hornet" as big as possible. The public comes to have mixed feelings about this masked murad...er...poser who attempts to take down the city's top crime lord on almost a regular bases, but his attempts never quite go as planned. He also leaves business cards after every "bust." That's right, business cards! This isn't your average super hero flick, and it sometimes feels like a spoof. It's not horrible, but if your looking for a decent superhero action this is not a good choice. If your just looking to laugh though, Green Hornet might not be so bad.

3 Stars

Meatballs

Most Underrated Comedy Of the Millennium

Blast from the past! In honor of summer vacation starting I thought I'd review one of my all time summer favorites. This grossly underrated comedy was not only Bill Murry's first leading role, its also the original 'slobs vs. snobs' flick that laid the ground for many others.

Bill Murry stars as Tripper Harrison, the laid back thirty something womanizing head counselor at the slightly run down Camp North Star. He normally devotes his summer to cracking jokes, chasing female staffers, and leading the teenage CIT's in pranking the nerdy camp director. However, when Rudy, a shy middle schooler comes to camp, Tripper takes him under his wing, determined to give him the summer of his life. Along the way he woos the woman of his dreams, helps some socially awkward CITs win over their dream girls, continually pranks the nerdy camp director Morty (i.e, sets him adrift on the lake in his sleep, among other things), and shows one boy what it truly means to be a winner. Murry steals the show, but this movie is very well acted and doesn't have a bad line of dialogue in it. The Only downside? You'll be singing the theme song "Are You Ready For the Summer?" for weeks after you hear it, as well as the parting campfire song "We Are the North Star CITs." Anyone looking for a good time this summer should check out this heartwarming summer flick. It truly has something for everyone, be it lively middle schoolers, bored teenagers, or even their parents. Are you ready for the summer?

Gulliver's Travels

Cute Movie, But Nothing New from Jack Black

Jack Black has yet to make an unentertaining movie, but he'll need better writing next time if he wants people to keep taking him seriously. The works of Jonathan Swift just don't seem to have been written to be performed by someone like him. The story is more or less the same, Black playing the title character Gulliver, a lonely mail room clerk who talks big but knows his life isn't going anywhere. When he scores a travel writing job taking him to the Bermuda triangle, he doesn't plan on being sucked through a giant whrilpool into Liliput, a world of tiny people. They people are frightened and take to calling him "The Beast" but when he saves the king's palace from a fire by peeing on it, things start to look up. Jason Seegle costars as his pint sized wing man Horracio. This is a good family movie, and even features Jack Black singing "War, What is it Good For?" with a chorus of tiny people providing backup. Don't go looking for any moral substance, but if you and/or your kids are just looking for a good time, Gulliver's travels isn't a bad choice at all. It's bound to please children who enjoyed the book and even one's who didn't.

3 Stars