Bolt (voice of Travolta) is a celebrity dog and the star of a hit TV show where his amazing feats and powers draw big ratings. But when a mail-room mix-up finds him roaming free on the streets of New York City, the wonder dog will have to learn to rely on his actual strengths -- as well as his new friends, an abandoned housecat and a starry-eyed hamster -- in order to find his way back home to his owner and co-star, Penny (voice of Cyrus).
Buzz:
Disney's latest morality tale sort of sounds heaps better than, say, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but way less interesting as the Monsters Vs. Aliens teaser trailer that popped up online earlier this week. Hmm, what else to say? Well, Travolta is nowhere near as creepy to look at here than he was in Wild Hogs and Hairspray. Good luck to Ms. Miley Cyrus in her voice-role debut; she might be barely audible among the presence of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" standout Sussie Essman -- listen for her to steal as many scenes as she's in, though she'll have to keep her language family-friendly here.
In her new town of Forks, Washington, misfit teenager Bella Swan (Stewart) falls for her alluring and mysterious classmate, Edward Cullen (Pattinson). As it turns out, Edward belongs to a lineage of vampires, although he doesn't fit the typical vampire mold. As their passion reaches dizzying heights, can Edward resist his natural urges, and will he be able to defend Bella from his family members who have come for her?
Buzz:
In terms of movies, 2008 will be remembered as the year superheroes went truly mainstream and, separately, the industry realized that female and gay male audiences are a neglected demographic. But what about the younger generation -- more specifically, teenage girls? Has any studio been able to figure out what they want, aside from Hannah Montana? Enter Catherine Hardwicke's adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's first novel, a project that first captured our interest very early this year when Kristen Stewart (Bella), Robert Pattinson (Edward), and a handful of their castmates took over our STARmeter chart, well in advance of any available footage from the production. The hype reached its first apex at Comic-Con, when the movie's panel earned Beatlemania comparisons from aging journalists who covered their ears as the teen girls and their "Twilight Moms" made the event more of a freak-out and less of a presentation. It's always tricky to predict if Internet buzz will turn into box-office gold (or, in this case, crimson) but I will say this: If the mother-daughter duos turn out for opening weekend (which was pushed up from mid-December to pre-Thanksgiving once Harry Potter decided to hide until 2009), Twilight could trump some higher-profile holiday movies, powered by repeat audiences, and send competing studios rushing off to optioned like-minded novels. Stephenie Meyer is keeping a blog on the movie's progress, so you might want to bookmark it as your destination for all things vamp as the release date draws near.
Metermaid Les Franken (Rapaport) has an unexpected reaction to the anti-depressant he's taking as part of a clinical trial; suddenly convinced he's a superhero, he embraces his new powers, dons a homemade costume, and hits the streets to protect the citizens of his city. the corporation behind the pill, fearing bad publicity about their drug, set out to bring down our hero, who in turn hones his abilities to fight off his new arch-nemeses.
Buzz:
This one has been around since '06, but Magnet Films has saved it from DVD obscurity as part of their Six Shooter Film Series. You can bank on an ace performance from go-to character actor Michael Rappaport (who is sadly un-super-famous), but reviewers say prepare for a tonal shift that steers the story away from its comedic beginning and into murky, paranoid territory. Is that a good or bad thing? Either way: It sounds better than Hancock to me.
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The Aviator (DVD) Review
Nominated for 6 Golden Globes and 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, The Aviator wows audiences with its breadth of scenery and vivid realism. Director Martin Scorsese, known for a host of excellent films such as Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), and Gangs Of New York (2002) - not to mention the highly controversial The Last Temptation Of Christ (1988) - by no doubt turns out his best work since Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) sought to become a made man. The Aviator springs to life with nostalgic settings and a lavish tapestry of color and form, evoking all the enthusiasm indicative of Howard Hughes' unique lust for life. John Logan, known for such films as The Last Samurai (2003) and Gladiator (2000), presents a screenplay that provides some insight into the enigmatic Hughes and captures the mannerisms of those who shared that life with him. In short, the film is a masterpiece of visual imagery and first-rate cinematography few movie lovers can afford to miss?
The Aviator focuses on the early life (1930-1947) of America's most eccentric and bewildering billionaire playboy, Howard Hughes. Know for his seemingly erratic business dealings and fearless sense of adventure, Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) turned a small inherited fortune into an enormous corporate empire. And along the way, he captured the imagination of those around him with an attitude that embraced risk and life itself. Inheriting a majority interest in the Hughes Tool Company (founded by his father), Hughes embarks on a career in Hollywood where he produces a number of notable films including Hell's Angels, The Front Page, and Scarface. Hughes' obsessive dedication to perfection makes his stock rise in Hollywood and even helps launch the career of Jean Harlow?
But Howard Hughes is not just a one-trick pony, and his interest soon turns to the flourishing aviation industry where he becomes an integral part of TWA and pilots his own planes on a regular basis. His driving energy would lead Hughes to enter the defense industry, the electronics industry, Las Vegas casinos, and numerous other activities in the years ahead. But along the way, he deals with a cast of characters colorful in their own right. Romances with Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale) and Katherine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) provide insight into Hughes' personal life, while Noah Dietrich (John C. Reilly), Hughes' assistant and right-hand man, sacrifices much in his own life to enable Hughes to live out his latest visions and inspirations. When Hughes makes the bold move of constructing the Spruce Goose - the largest airplane ever built (and able to land on water no less) - Senator Ralph Owen Brewster (Alan Alda) accuses the billionaire of war-profiteering. Hughes takes on the Senator full-force and with all the zest that marked his previous ventures. Vowing that the Spruce Goose will fly, in the face of highly publicized claims that it will not, Hughes proves his critics wrong, and the Spruce Goose rises to the occasion?
Despite its loss to Million Dollar Baby at the Oscars, The Aviator can take pride in being nominated as one of the best films of the year (along with Finding Neverland, Ray, and Sideways). And the film is certainly deserving of that high honor. Few films better illustrate the beauty of America, or more importantly, the mountains that can be moved when a single individual lives his life with ambition, drive, inspiration, and a naked enthusiasm for all that life has to offer. Overall, The Aviator is among the best films of the past several years, and movie aficionados would be well-advised to watch every last minute with same enthusiasm of a young Howard Hughes?
Britt Gillette is author of <a href="http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com">The DVD Report</a>, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of <a href="http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/aviator-dvd.html">The Aviator (DVD)</a>. Read more at:http://www.ArticlePros.com/arts_and_entertainment/movie_reviews/article-19834.html.