Short Version: There are already so many great adaptions of the classic Dickens story – this one adds nothing but CGI and gimmicky 3D effects.

Screen Rant reviews A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol is one of my all time favorite Christmas stories. Maybe because most of the year I feel like a somewhat cranky Ebenezer Scrooge but once Thanksgiving is over my mood lightens over the spirit of the upcoming holiday. It seems that every few years someone feels the need to do an update on the classic tale, and sometimes it works. Heck there have certainly been a lot of versions over the years (over two dozen on TV and in movies according to IMDB), and I’ve enjoyed many of those myself.

Short Version: IF you let it draw you in with its factual approach, The Fourth Kind will creep you out more than Paranormal Activity.

Screen Rant reviews The Fourth Kind

After the extreme split in opinions on Paranormal Activity (I liked it), I was curious to see The Fourth Kind to see which side of the fence I fell on. I can understand how you can either love or hate the former, and I have a feeling something similar will happen with this film: Either you buy into the whole premise and let it suck you in, or you stand back and call B.S. on the whole thing.

Short Version: Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is an entertaining “alternative” vampire movie that should appeal to teens – but it’s NOT for younger kids.

Screen Rant reviews Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant

I haven’t read the books this movie is based on (from what I understand, the first three books of a 12 book series – a lot to cram into one film) and I didn’t have any preconceived notions about it good or bad going in. Based on trailers and commercials I really didn’t know what to expect, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised… in most part due to John C. Reilly’s performance as Larten Crepsley, mentor to our burgeoning hero Darren Shan (played by Chris Massoglia).

Short version: Ong Bak 2: The Beginning isn’t for everyone, but for action junkies, it provides exactly what you’d expect.

Screen Rant’s Ross Miller reviews Ong Bak 2

The first Ong Bak (subtitled Muay Thai Warrior) I found to be quite entertaining, with some seriously kick-ass fight sequences, consisting of some often jaw-dropping choreography and stunts. Unfortunately, there were also some not-so-great aspects, notably the poor acting and thin storyline. But overall there was enough there to make it worthwhile, and it was pretty much inevitable that another movie would follow.

It’s no surprise to find that Ong Bak 2, or Ong Bak 2: The Beginning, is practically more of the same, but it manages to get rid of (or at least better mask) the bad elements, while subsequently improving on the fight sequences (if you can believe it).

Short version: Despite its flaws, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus still offers some jaw-dropping visuals, fine performances and showcases a fantastically creative imagination that make it worth seeing.

Screen Rant’s Ross Miller Reviews The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

There are a handful of directors out there – including Quentin Tarantino, David Lynch and The Coen brothers – whose new films are always considered to be cinematic events. Amongst that list of directors (for me) is Terry Gilliam, who I think is one of the most imaginative and creative filmmakers out there when it comes to the ideas and subsequent visuals that come the wild imagination he possesses.

Even when he’s at his weakest, Gilliam always offers something worth watching in my books, whether it be ambitious sci-fi (Twelve Monkeys) or almost self-indulgent fantasy (Tideland). So does his latest fantasy-laden film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus deliver yet again on that Gilliam charm? Thankfully yes, even if the film is not exactly perfect.

Short Version: While some may view it as spoofing-by-the-numbers, Black Dynamite is still a worthy send-up of the blaxploitation genre.

Screen Rant guest review of 'Black Dynamite'

Black Dynamite, directed by Scott Sanders, is a glorious mash-up spoof of 1970s grind house and blaxploitation movies.  It stars Michael Jai White, most recently seen as Gambol in The Dark Knight.

The “story” centers on Black Dynamite avenging the death of his bother, who was apparently dealing drugs. Of course the brother wasn’t really dealing dope, but was instead being framed by “The Man.” If you can’t tell yet the plot is classic blaxploitation and the semi-familiar players all admirably fill their rolls, toting names such as “Cream Corn,” “Tasty Freeze” and “Chicago Wind.”  For you fans of The Best D*mn Sports Show Period, John Salley even makes a guest appearance as a hood named “Kotex.”

Short Version: Law Abiding Citizen is a satisfying (and at times funny) revenge movie that unfortunately loses its way in the last 20 minutes.

Screen Rant reviews Law Abiding Citizen

It seems like Law Abiding Citizen is one in a series of husband/father avenges the death/mistreatment of his family movies spawned by the success of Taken (next in line is the Mel Gibson-starring Edge of Darkness).

In this one we have Gerard Butler as Clyde Shelton, loving father and husband (established quite effectively in just the first couple of minutes of the film) up against Jamie Foxx as prosecutor Nick Rice in a game of psychological cat and mouse.

Short version: While far from perfect, Whiteout does manage to keep you guessing until the end and ultimately doesn’t leave you feeling ripped off.

Screen Rant’s Paul Young reviews Whiteout

A while back, Kate Beckinsale was asked about her involvement with the next Underworld movie and she explained that she was done wearing tight leather outfits. I thought she might be serious, but man, she didn’t have to go overboard on the next film by walking around 95% of the time wearing a parka! But I’ve got to give credit to whoever wrote the opening scene for Whiteout, Oscar-worthy material my friend – in a scene that was obviously written to appeal to the young male audience, Beckinsale walks through the snow into her room and promptly removes most (read: not enough) of her clothing in order to take a shower.

Short Version: Much like Mila Kunis’ character in the film, Extract teases – and while it’s an enjoyable journey, there’s no big payoff and it leaves us wanting more.

Screen Rant reviews Extract

Extract comes to us from Mike Judge, the same guy who brought us Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill, Idiocracy and Office Space. B&B notwithstanding, Judge’s writing generally delivers low-key (subtle might be the wrong word) humor – the kind that may not cause you to fall out of your chair with laughter, but tickles the back of your brain and sits with you for a spell. Sometimes it takes a while to sink in how really funny it was.

Maybe I forgot that going in – and on the heels of such “laff-riot” comedy as delivered in The Hangover I was hoping for more belly laughs here. While Extract was funny, it left me feeling like I’d been teased by some hot babe. While enjoyable as I sat through it – I yearned for more of a satisfactory, um, conclusion.

Short Version: G.I. Joe is a summer popcorn action movie done right.

Screen Rant reviews G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

I’ll start right off by saying that G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra is what the Transformers franchise should be.

Following months of trailers and clips that frankly, made this movie look like it was going to be awful, imagine my surprise when I actually ended up enjoying it. I don’t recall ever seeing a marketing campaign that so made me NOT want to see a movie that turned out to be decent.

Short Version: A Perfect Getaway isn’t perfect, but Timothy Olyphant makes it entertaining.

Screen Rant reviews A Perfect Getaway

A Perfect Getaway was written and directed by David Twohy, the gentleman who brought us the Vin Diesel vehicles Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick. Here he brings us a very different type of movie: The story of a newlywed couple on their honeymoon in Hawaii, trying to figure out if any of the couples around them are murderers.

Now I have a fairly strict “no spoiler” policy in my reviews, but there is no way to properly review this film without talking about the fact that there is a “twist” in the story. I won’t say what that twist is but there is one.

Short version: While Michael Mann’s Public Enemies is very good, it’s missing the spark that could have pushed it to “great.”

Screen Rant reviews Public Enemies

If you’re looking for a low key alternative to the summer blockbuster movie season, then you’ll welcome the Michael Mann-directed Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard. Having said that, don’t expect to be blown away by this surprisingly low-key film.

Short version: Blood: The Last Vampire is a fun (if forgettable) film with some extremely well choreographed fight sequences. It’s really only for the action fans out there – anyone else may want to skip it.

Screen Rant Reviews 'Blood: The Last Vampire'

Blood: The Last Vampire is one of those action movies whose faults can be overlooked in favor of some entertaining action. There are plenty of problems to be found here: From cheesy dialogue and acting to the sometimes fake-looking CGI. But when the movie is in full-on action mode – that is, a young woman in a schoolgirl outfit hacking up vampires – it’s a lot of fun. And the fact that it stands at a tidy 90 minutes will means it’s easily re-watchable.

Short version: If you’re a fan of Travolta and Denzel you’ll probably like The Taking of Pelham 123.

Screen Rant reviews The Taking of Pelham 123

The Taking of Pelham 123 is a remake of the highly regarded 1974 film The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, which starred old-school actors Walter Matthau, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizando and Earl Hindman. I will confess that it’s probably been at least 20 years since I’ve seen it and don’t remember much about it – but I plan on renting it very soon to watch it again.

Short version: Angels & Demons is better than The Da Vinci Code and if you’re a fan of the books you’ll probably enjoy it – otherwise… I suppose there are worse ways to kill a couple of hours.

Screen Rant reviews Angels and Demons

I was not a fan of The Da Vinci Code.

Just thought I should get that out there right of the bat. I found that film incredibly boring and dull, and Tom Hanks just didn’t work for me in the role.

Having said that, Angels & Demons is an improvement over the previous film.

Short version: While not exactly great, Wolverine is better than X-Men 3 and is a decent start to the 2009 Summer movie season.

Screen Rant reviews X-Men Origins: Wolverine

So it’s finally here… The next X-Men movie, Wolverine. There’s been MUCH controversy surrounding this film (at least to fans of the comic book titles) – certain characters injected into the film that shouldn’t be there (a young Cyclops, for example), the height difference between Wolverine and Sabretooth (silly, in my opinion), whether Gambit would have an appropriate Cajun accent, and the biggie: The depiction of “Deadpool” (played by Ryan Reynolds).

Short version: Knowing starts out strong, but despite some impressive (and very intense) visual effects, unravels as it goes on.

Screen Rant reviews Knowing

I went into Knowing very neutral – I hadn’t heard much about it and the premise and trailer looked pretty promising. I realize Nicolas Cage hasn’t exactly been hitting it out of the park lately, but call me crazy: I like the guy despite the crazy hair and eccentric acting.

Short version: The International starts out with a strong espionage vibe but is weakened when it strays into “action movie” territory.

Screen Rant reviews The International

I really wanted to walk out of The International having loved it, but the best I can manage is that overall I liked it a lot.

It’s the story of Louis Salinger (Clive Owen), and INTERPOL agent working in France and his attempt to implicate a mega-banking firm in arms dealing. I loved how the film opens – the very first frame puts you right into the film with no preamble. Louis and his partner are trying to “turn” a bank executive and get him to provide evidence of the bank’s misdeeds. Things do not go well within a few short minutes.

Short version: This fresh take on the original Friday the 13th actually works.

Screen Rant reviews Friday the 13th

This review of Friday the 13th is for people who are fans of the 1980s style of slasher horror movies.

If you are not into movies whose sole purpose is to display gore, a variety of ways to kill people (who you probably wouldn’t mind seeing come to a grisly end), sex and nudity via thinly developed characters, then move along folks – nothing to see here.

If however you’re looking for an R-rated horror thrill on the big screen, read on.

Short Version: While Valkyrie offers a few thrills, the rest is just OK.

Screen Rant reviews Valkyrie

Valkyrie is director Bryan Singer’s WWII true-life ensemble film about a cabal of Nazi officers who conspired  to kill Adolf Hitler during the later days of the war. Overshadowing all of that is, of course, Tom Cruise, who stars as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, the German officer who hatches the plan to overthrow Hitler, codenamed Valkyrie.

Short version: Hey, it’s a Will Smith movie so you’ll WANT to like it – but despite a moving ending, Seven Pounds overstays its welcome.

Screen Rant reviews Seven Pounds

OK, I get what they were trying to do in Will Smith’s latest film Seven Pounds… I really do. And it’s not a bad concept at all – in fact I thought it was very interesting. The problem is that over the course of two hours I felt like I had been beaten to a pulp by the idea.

Short version: Twilight really is strictly for fans of the book – while not terrible, it’s far from great.

Screen Rant reviews Twilight

So it’s finally here.

Twilight, at least for a select group of ladies, has been THE most anticipated movie of 2008 – and their wait is finally over. The question is: Was it worth it?

For them, yes.

For the rest of us? Eh, not so much.

Short version: While more for the art-house crowd than mainstream audiences, JCVD shines a favorable light on both the man behind the image and the amazing actor we never knew Van Damme had in him.

Screen Rant’s Kofi Outlaw reviews JCVD

JCVD, the Jean-Claude Van Damme meta-movie from French filmmaker Mabrouk El Mechri, was one of two  films to make it into the prestigious final round of Screen Rant’s list of this year’s hot International Picks. (You can read a review of Screen Rant’s other international pick, Let The Right One In, here.)

Having now seen JCVD, I can congratulate myself for picking two very enjoyable movies. And JCVD is indeed a very enjoyable film–provided that you know what you’re getting into. I advise that you approach this film with the understanding that it is going to be more Being John Malkovich than it is Bloodsport, with a dash of Pulp Fiction thrown in for good measure.

Short version: Eagle Eye starts out strong as an exciting action/suspense movie but eventually the implausibilities of the story catch up with it.

Screen Rant reviews Eagle Eye

I hate reviewing movies like this one because you just can’t win. Eagle Eye is one of those films that you can review three different ways from Sunday. You could say it’s “a gripping thrill ride,” “a ridiculous action film with delusions of grandeur,” or “a middle of the road action movie” all depending on your particular point of view or even the mood you’re in when you sit down in the theater.

This review has minor spoilers, but does not give away the ending. If you plan on seeing this I really encourage you to stay away from anything that might give it away including spoilerish reviews, radio talk show hosts, etc., if you don’t want the movie ruined for yourself!

Short Version: Don’t ask for more than what’s being offered and you will enjoy it.

Screen Rant reviews Death Race: Fast cars, big guns, hot chicks. As promised.

If there is one thing that can be said about Jason Statham, it’s that the man is an action star you can tell is hungry for success, willing to put life and limb on the line for your entertainment. And that effort usually shows in the finished product.

Death Race is no exception.

Short version: The best that can be said about this X-Files film is that it’s good to see Mulder and Scully on screen once again.

 As Screen Rant’s resident X-Files fan It came down to me to deliver a review for The X-Files: I Want To Believe. As I’m UK-based it took me a week to catch up with the film as it’s only just opened here.

Firstly the film has got some pretty bad reviews, and the opening weekend’s box office was only $10 million – a third of what X-Files: Fight The Future took 10 years ago.

So is the film any good?

Yes and no.

Short version: Hancock is not the light and fluffy comedy you may think it is – it’s dark and coarse, but well worth checking out.

Screen Rant’s Hancock review

Here’s what you need to know about Hancock:

1. Everything you’ve seen in trailers and TV commercials (well, up until this week) takes place in the first 10 minutes of the movie.

2. This is one coarse, crass movie – so much so that I don’t know how it garnered a PG-13 rating with all the foul language in it.

3. If you like Will Smith, and want to see an unconventional superhero movie – go see it. Just leave the kids at home.

Short version: While it definitely had its moments and plenty of nods to the fans, there was also more ridiculousness than we’ve ever seen in an Indiana Jones film.

Ok, I’d really like an easy movie to review for a change…

Reviewing the first Indiana Jones movie to be released in 20 years and directed by Steven Spielberg is not something I take lightly. It’s no secret that I haven’t exactly been fired up for this film or a big cheerleader for it (our writer Niall has taken that upon himself here at Screen Rant), but I truly hoped it would be great even if I didn’t think it would be.

So was it awful? Of course not. But was it great? Unfortunately, no.

What it was is pretty ridiculous in more than a couple of places – but oh, how it tried to be awesome… (BTW, I tried to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.)

Short version: Speed Racer is strictly for kids, big time nostalgia-feeling fans of the original series and perhaps video game addicts.

Considering all I’d heard about and seen via trailers and clips about Speed Racer, I was almost concerned about what it would be like to watch it on a gigantic IMAX screen. I thought perhaps it would give me a huge headache or perhaps induce some psychotic state in me, or worse – my daughter.

Ah, but 11 year olds brains are hardwired for this kind of stuff, so not to worry – she’s fine.

By Vic Holtreman

Short version: While The Ruins has virtually no plot, the characters aren’t cardboard cutouts and if you’re looking for a cringe-inducing horror movie you may actually enjoy it.

Yes, folks, you read that rating correctly: The Ruins is better than 10,000 B.C.

No, it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible for this sort of movie. The saving grace here is a combination of the actors’ performances and the direction they were given by writer/director of the film Scott Smith.

I’m not saying they were Oscar-worthy, but I actually felt like they were people and not just stereotypical cannon fodder. By the time the bad stuff starts happening you can at least feel some sort of connection to them, as opposed to say, the disposable characters in Aliens vs Predator: Requiem.

Plot? One short sentence: A group of young, cornered American tourists try to survive man-eating plants.