Kevin Smith's cop movie spoof has a few laughs, but never quite lives up to its potential.

Cop Out
review by Brent Sweeting

2 1/2 out of 4 stars

Even though this is the first film directed by Kevin Smith that he didn't write as well, his fingerprints are all over the movie. This will be a welcome surprise for hardcore Smith fans that were afraid he had gone "studio", but for people not familiar with Kevin's work, the large amount of crass dialogue and locker room humor will likely come as an unwelcome surprise. Unlike traditional cop buddy movies like "Lethal Weapon" or "Beverly Hills Cop", "Cop Out" is a comedy first, cop movie second, and it never really succeeds at either.

"The Crazies" title may just refer to the folks that green-lit this zombie catastrophe.

The Crazies
review by Brent Sweeting

1 1/2 out of 4 stars

If a few scares, and some blood and guts is all you expect from a zombie flick, then you might enjoy "The Crazies"...right up until the last 10 minutes when it goes from average B movie, to flat-out ridiculous. I wont spoil the ending for you, just in case you insist on throwing your Friday night away, but I will tell you that the audience I saw this with got up and started walking out early.

"Avatar" could stand to learn a lot from "Shutter Island".

Shutter Island
review by Brent Sweeting

3 1/2 out of 4 stars

All during the first half of "Shutter Island", I kept thinking to myself, "I hope James Cameron is taking notes." "Avatar" will continue to get a lot of press this year about how visually impressive it is. But while the colors and imagery in "Avatar" all felt like they were put in the movie specifically to impress us, "Shutter Island" is one of the most visually stimulating movies I have ever seen and it is all put in place as an additional means of telling us the story.

Universal says "Happy Valentines Day" to classic monster movie fans with remake of The Wolfman.

The Wolfman
review by Brent Sweeting

3 out of 4 stars

The Wolfman is not a terrifying, "scared to walk to your car after the movie", fright fest. What it is, is an unabashed love letter to the classic Universal horror films. With that goal, it succeeds splendidly.


The plot begins echoing the classic 1941 "The Wolf Man". Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) returns home to his father's estate after many years abroad in America. Shortly after he arrives, a werewolf attacks him, and he begins to change. He eventually comes to grips with what is happening, but of course everyone thinks he is delusional and in need of psychiatric help. Anthony Hopkins plays his father Sir John Talbot, and Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) plays the fiancée of Lawrence's recently murdered brother. Lawrence hunts down the creature that has killed his brother for most of the movie, and slowly begins unraveling more than he planned. Hugo Weaving (Lord of the Rings,) rounds out the cast as Detective Abberline who doesn't believe in werewolves, but does believe Lawrence is guilty of the recent murders occurring in the town.

Dora the explorer + Clash of the Titans + (insert teen comedy here) =

Percy Jackson and the Olympians:
The Lightning Thief
review by Brent Sweeting

1 1/2 out of 4 stars

Let me start by saying that when I was 10, I would have loved this movie. As a matter of fact my brothers and I would probably have watched it over and over on VHS. That said, I am not 10 anymore, and unless you are, I suggest you steer clear of this insulting take on Greek mythology.