AVATAR (PG-13)
Avatar is a technically stunning new film about a futuristic military operation on an exotic planet inhabited by tall blue indigenous people with tails called the Na'vi. The soldiers plan their invasion using a handful of genetically-grown Avatars, created in a lab, and sent in to influence the locals. The focus of the film is the Avatar played well by Sam Worthington.
Avatar is an elaborate message-movie that is much too obvious. You might call this Dances With Wolves in outer space; but you can't deny the fact that director James Cameron has vision, and his movie is both serious and beautiful. The acting under the animation is brilliant, especially the performance by Zoe Saldana as Neytiri.
Eventually all things lead to confrontation and the battle scenes are exotic and impressive in 3-D. The payoff is in Cameron's attention to detail, both on Pandora and in the armaments of combat.
Avatar is rated PG-13 and runs just under three hours. Sci-fi fans have been waiting about as long as Cameron has been working on his project, and yes, it's a good film bordering on great. The derivative story line is the only thing keeping Avatar from being the best film of the year.
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? (PG-13)
Did You Hear About The Morgans?, is simply a dreadful movie starring Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker as dim-witted New York adults on the verge of divorce. After witnessing a murder in Manhattan, they are sent to Wyoming to hide in the witness-relocation program. Gee, do you think the call of the wild will help them heal their messy marriage?
Writer-director Marc Lawrence has created the ultimate comedy cliche. In this film, he's written dialogue that's more annoying than funny, and turns two of the most likeable actors on the planet into selfish buffoons. Did You Hear About The Morgans? is one of the worst films of 2009.
THE YOUNG VICTORIA (PG)
Run to the theater to see The Young Victoria. It's a sumptuous new film starring Emily Blunt as the newly appointed teenaged Queen of England and her eventual marriage to Prince Albert.
The images are sometimes stunning in this entertaining period film and the performance by Miss Blunt is Oscar-caliber.
The Young Victoria is produced by Martin Scorsese, Tim Headington and Sarah Ferguson - that's right, The Duchess of York.
As historical fact it's all over the map but you can't treat this enjoyable film as a documentary. Despite its inaccuracies, The Young Victoria features some wonderful moments on screen.
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