Bedtime Stories (2008)

This is one of those lesser know Disney movies; at least, before tonight, I had never heard of it. In the movie, Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) agrees to babysit his niece and nephew, Bobbi and Patrick, while his sister, the children's mother, is job searching. In subsequent days, strange events begin to occur which oddly coincide with events in the bedtime stories that Skeeter has been telling the children each night. Skeeter, concluding that whatever stories he tells to the children will come true, attempts to use his new found talent for personal gain. However, there is one slight error in his theory: it is not his stories, but rather the stories that the children invent for themselves that end up coming true. This is a fun and light-hearted movie. If you're looking for some laughs and a good time for an hour and forty minutes, give it a try.

MPAA: Rated PG for some mild rude humor and mild language.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

If you're going to watch this movie, watch it for the special effects. After all, who doesn't want to watch giant transforming robots battling each other to the death over the fate of planet Earth? In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen we get to see just that. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) has graduated from High School and moved on to college. However, before he can even get through one day of class, his life is interrupted by his Autobot friends as they once more enlist his help in battling the Decepticons. Overall, this movie is entertaining and fun to watch. There are lots of explosions and destruction, even if there is really not much depth to the characters or plot.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, language, some crude and sexual material, and brief drug material.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978)

Famously, marvelously bad! Despite losing the title of "Worst Vegetable Movie" to Attack of the Mushroom People in Harry and Michael Medved's Golden Turkey Awards, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes deserves a mention. This film, a product of the late 1970s, is a spoof on B-Movies. The plot, as the title indicates, is about a ravenous horde of killer tomatoes that terrorize the population of the United States. While it is unclear exactly how the tomatoes kill (the deaths are never shown on-screen) it is apparent that the small red vegetables (technically fruits) are quite deadly. The President and the Army, unsure of what course of action to take, decide to bring in a team of specialists to combat the "growing tomato menace." This team, led by protagonist Mason Dixon, sets out immediately to deal with the problem at hand. They are tailed by young and intrepid reporter Lois Fairchild, who is seeking to cover the tomato story. Chaos predictably ensues and, just when victory is out of sight, Dixon discovers a way to defeat the tomatoes. Oh, happy day!

Rated PG

1408 (2007)

Based on a short story by Stephen King, this film is predictably chilling. The namesake of the film is a supposedly haunted room in the Dolphin Hotel in New York City. Mike Enslin (John Cusack), the protagonist of the film, is a writer who documents such spooky locales as a living. He sets out to both disprove the 1408 haunting legend and to collect material for his next book in one fell swoop. However, in accordance with the classic horror movie formula, our hero ends up biting off more than he can chew and becomes eyewitness to more bone-chilling events than he could ever have wished for. The Room, 1408, takes Enslin on a journey of self discovery while doing a pretty good job of scaring the living crap out of him at the same time.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for thematic material including disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

When I first heard about this film I was, I must admit, a bit nervous. After all, adapting the essence of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's immortal stories into a single, feature-length film would be a daunting task for even a seasoned filmmaker. In spite of this, however, director Guy Ritchie has done just this and has delivered the goods in spades. Ritchie's film, simply titled Sherlock Holmes, just feels right. With a healthy smattering of secret societies, black magic, and mysterious murders, not to mention plenty of London fog, black umbrellas, and dimly glowing street lamps, the film creates the perfect atmosphere for the hero of the story, the indomitable Holmes, to exist in. Holmes himself is wonderfully portrayed by Robert Downy Jr. (Iron Man). Downy's performance brings an exiting new vigor and quirkiness to the Holmes character. In addition, Dr. John Watson and Irene Adler are played equally well by Jude Law and Rachel McAdams, respectively. The entire film is masterfully scored by Hans Zimmer. This movie is both entertaining and intriguing at the same time and I would highly recommend it to any Sherlock Holmes fan.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material.