Kick Ass (R; violence, sexual content, crudeness, language):  Dave, the main character, finds that the world is desperately in need of a hero.  The only problem is, is that he has no super powers.  Not only that but he is soon way in over his head.  But he finds some help from some very unlikely friends. Review:  This is a wildly irreverent movie with some questionable moral issues.  One of the characters Hit Girl is 11 and curses like a sailor and knifes a lot of people.  I thought the hilarious , I also liked the little anime references scattered about.  I just loved and would go see it again in theaters, it is a must see.  *****

2012: (Pg-13):  This movie is a bout and guy, played by John Cusick, who will stop at nothing to save his family from being wiped out by world wide cataclysm.  Review:  This is a classic doomsday movie.  With stunning special affects, psycho guy, and heroism, and jerks.......yaaawwwnnn.  When you've seen one you've seen them all.  *****

N

Ninja Assassin (R; violence):  The main character has been taken from the streets as an orphan to be reared in the ways of ninja to be an assassin.  The training is rigorous and abusive.  When he sees his peers being brutally killed for trying to escape he tries to end the organization.  Review:  Ninja Assassin is visually, kind of cool, the story had potential, almost like they had to make a choice and the script an afterthought and the actors were under paid.  I would have liked for the movie to be higher budget it could have been a really good movie.  I really like assassin movies and I was very disappointed.
*****

My Sister's Keeper (PG):  This movie is about a families journey through the life of their oldest daughter and her struggle with cancer.  The youngest daughter Anna was genetically engineered to be a perfect match to save her life.  Review:  Although the movie had a slightly interesting twist that set it apart from other movies of it's kind it really was the same story of a child dieing of cancer.  It is a good choice if you want to bawl your eyes out.  
*****

The Bothers Bloom (pg 13):   Stephen and Bloom are two orphaned brothers that find their way through the world scamming people.  One finds true love in an eccentric girl, the "mark" while the other tries to offer truth.  Review:  I found this movie to be quirky, rich in symbolism, and the characters hilarious, especially, Bang Bang.  Although, I found the ending confusing I wouldn't mind watching it a few more times to work it out a little more and because it is just fun.  *****

How to Train Your Dragon (PG):  Hiccup, the main character is a young boy with a mind and purpose all his own.  When he captures and befriends a dragon he finds that he has a new friend and they share the same wild heart.  Review:  This is a delightful sweet tale that my kids just want to see over and over.  It is a must see in 3D though so hurry before it's gone from theaters.  *****

Otaku Angle: One of the better animated movies to come out of Dream Works. It skips on the harshness of Shrek and channels instead the fun factor of Kung Fu Panda. The visuals are amazing, not surprising given that the producers brought in a live action consultant to work on the visuals. The story is predictably upbeat, but not annoying. Overall, the movie is just plain fun and a good ride. I will say that the end of the movies features something happening to Hiccup that I never would have expected to find in a kid's movie, and that it was a welcome surprise.

Alice in Wonderland (PG): 

Otaku Angle: This movie was good, but I couldn't shake the sense that it was a little forced. Now it is a Tim Burton movie, and a mediocre Tim Burton film is still above average, but on the whole it did not live up to my expectations. Alice in Wonderland is fun, colorful, and occasionally funny, just don't set your expectations very high.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (G):   The main character, Flint is an inventor who develops a machine to impress his father and save the town.  Everything seems to be going his way until the machine goes haywire.  Review: This movie is based on a childrens book with the same title.  It is greatly expounded on a doesn't really resemble the book at all.  I found the movie to be lacking in decent character development, the humor to be silly, and the premise of the movie to be shallow.  My 3 and 5 year old wouldn't watch it and my 8 year old was confused and disappointed.   However, the dad in the movie was mildly entertaining.  *****

Coraline (PG; intense scenes):  This movie is about a girl and her relationship with her parents.  She is constantly brushed aside by her parents because they are busy with work.  She is a strong willed spirited child that wishes her parents and her life were better.   Coraline is a cautionary tale to children, "Be careful what you wish for."  Review:   The movie has a very strong Tim Burton vibe but is actually done by Henry Selick, and was reminiscent of Alice through the looking glass.  Aside from that, I think the movie is very good the stop action animation is wonderful, it is beatiful to watch, and wildly imaginative.  I was completely drawn in and at times a nail biter for me.  Having said that, I would not suggest it for children under the age of 12, it is a bit intense for younger children.  *****

9  (PG):  A group of rag doll robots are hiding out from the dangerous machines.  Robot, 9, is awakened and joins the group and encourages them to stand up against the violent ones.  Review:  I really liked the plot and I thought the characters endearing.  *****

From The Otaku Angle:  I found this film to be enjoyable overall. However, I kept feeling like I was watching the unholy child Wall-E and the Matrix. The characters are mildly interesting, though they do seem rather one-dimensional. Even the big reveal of the film did not mitigate my disappointment in the shallowness of the main characters.

The Celebration (R; subject matter, nudity, sexuality):  It's Helge's 60th birthday and some unpleasant family truth's are revealed.  This a Danish film done in 1998.  This film is done with a hand held camera and no special affects what so ever.  The directer felt that too many movies done in Hollywood were fakey and decided to do a movie that was with out frills.  All of the props were from the shooting location.  Review:   Although, the subject matter is dark it is such a wonderful movie and actually gripping at times.  Plus, it is kinda nice to see the bad guy get his come unpins.(Danish with English subtitles)  *****

From The Otaku Angle: Don't let the use of a hand-held camera fool you, this film uses complex shots and editing to give an intimate and immediate feeling. This Dogma95 film really showcases the strength of a good narrative and great acting. I can't think of any superfluous aspects of the film. Even the sex scene is integral to the development of characters--a rarity in any film. 

The Time Travelers Wife (pg 13; bare buns):    The movie is about the struggles every couple goes through but ramped up because the male lead, Henry has a genetic anomaly that causes him to travel through time.  Review: This movie is, based on a book, a book that I have read.  I thought the movie was better than the book in many ways for example I liked the way the movie ended far better than the book.  However, just as in other movies made from books, a lot is lost in translation.   *****

Precious (R;  subject matter, graphic, language):  This movie is about a sixteen year old girl that lives in the Bronx. Her home life is abusive and she is illiterate. However, when she goes to another school her life begins to turn around. Review:  This movie is based on a book by Sapphire, I have not read the book.  In many ways I am glad that I have not read the book I am not sure I could have finished it.  I did find this movie to be interesting but very hard to watch. I never felt a sense of moving forward and this girl getting a break until the end. However, when it did get there I found it to be gratifying. The main character Precious had a gentle soul and a will of iron.  The movie Precious made me feel like doing something to change the world.   *****