Rated PG-13
2 hours 15 minutes

Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana

Aging Trekkers will be happy to know a young Captain Kirk and his cool crew aboard the Star ship
Enterprise invigorate “Star Trek Into Darkness”.

The not so friendly skies of the future host a not very Imaginative adventure story. But It’s got a rich helping of nostalgia. The chemistry between Chris Pine’s Kirk and Zachary Quinto’s Spock is “Star Trek’s” ageless ingredient.

Director J.J. Abrams just couldn’t resist spicing up the Enterprise crew to keep Kirk and Spock honest. The villain’s a familiar nemesis, Khan. Benedict Cumberbatch injects enough venom into his character to really annoy the usually unflappable Captain Kirk.

Scenes of imminent danger and mass destruction justify the cost of producing this epic adventure. Character recognition will carry a long running franchise only so far.

But at the end of the day, the mutual concern between Kirk and Spock is what carries “Star Trek Into Darkness” toward the light at the end of the tunnel.

We’re talking about an ageless “Star Trek” adventure series that still has enough fuel in it’s tank to keep going at warp speed.

Certainly enough for Becker to beam up a glittering three stars. “Star Trek Into Darkness” will have fans turning back the clock.

Rated PG-13
1 hour 45 minutes

Chris O ‘ Dowd

I must tell you, every once in a while we’re treated to a lovable, sweet-natured celebration of life,
that just happens to be based on a true story. “The Sapphires” is that movie.

The wonderful Chris O’Dowd mentors the singing careers of four Australian sisters during the 1960s.

O’Dowd lovingly guides the Aboriginal quartet during the amusing and heartfelt transformation  into Motown Soul Sisters. What’s amazing is how well O’Dowd understands and instills in them the essence of soul music.

Their ambitions take on a harder edge when they get to live their dream of entertaining the troops during the Vietnam war.

“The Sapphires” is never anything less than inspiring and deeply touching. It’s as crowd pleasing an independent drama as you’ll find along the art house circuit with a cast of mostly unknowns giving memorable performances.

“The Sapphires” is an absolute gem of a tug at your heartstrings drama. You will be captivated by its warmth and charm. You’ll understand right away “The Sapphires” is one of the few films this year that deserves to be rewarded with four stars.

Just ask anyone whose had the pleasure of seeing “The Sapphires”.

Rated-PG-13
2 hours 20 minutes

Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire

I wish Hollywood would stop wasting our time with trying to make a decent version of “The Great Gatsby”.

It’s not going to happen. The roaring ’20s love life of mysterious millionaire playboy Jay Gatsby is strictly superficial and altogether artificial. Tobey Maguire plays the F. Scott Fitzgerald like character who finds the elusive Gatsby so fascinating.

When Leonardo DiCaprio’s not throwing lavishly decadent parties at his Newport mansion, He’s seducing Daisy, Carey Mulligan, the former love of his life.The same way Australian Director Baz Luhrmann’s trying to seduce us with his stunning cinematography.

You’ll forgive Daisy’s husband Joe Edgerton for feeling a bit slighted about having Daisy in the thrall of the dapper Fitzgerald hero.

How does a literary classic translate so poorly to the silver screen without any substance?

Believe me, the two earlier versions in 1949 and again in 1974 were equally empty. And not even the great DiCaprio can coax a performance out of his shallow character.

“The Great Gatsby” repeats all of its past mistakes as literature that doesn’t translate well into a movie.

The not so great Gatsby will have to party on with two stars. You have no Idea how close Gatsby came to getting only one star.

Rated R
1 hour 55 minutes

In a season usually made up exclusively of bubble headed blockbusters, comes a sobering chiller about the evils of the internet. “Disconnect” is designed to make your furious about what’s happening to us in Cyberspace.

This lean and mean commentary tells how supplicated technology, such as Cyber Bullying and Identity Theft can easily victimize the innocent and uninformed.

Art Imitates the terrible life experience of losing everything you own to the ruthless among us, who know how to manipulate a computer better than we do. This happens every day, but It’s no less powerful watching the suffering unfold on the big screen.

Then there are the vulnerable victims of Cyber Bullying and what they do to themselves when the pain becomes unbearable. When Technology is misplaced into the hands of the cruel and Immature.

If “Disconnect” tells us everything that we already know about, then how come the experience of seeing “Disconnect” is so unnerving?

You’ve got to give the writers credit for having the guts to depict anonymous texting as a weapon against the weak. “Disconnect” is the kind of provocative, controversial drama that I’m inclined to reward with three stars.

Considering how much this film has to say, “Disconnect” is well worth seeing more than once.

Rated PG-13
2 hours 10 minutes

Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle

“Iron Man” fans will be happy to know that Robert Downey Junior makes it through the second sequel without a trace of rust.

The shiny new adventure captures the combination of Tony Stark’s snappy repartee along with lots of imaginative high playing excitement. “Iron Man’s” got a new nemesis and of course Downey challenges him in style.

“Iron Man’s” resourceful derring do knows no bounds in what easily could have been the original, instead of the third in the series when the franchise usually starts going downhill.

The always gracious billionaire playboy would never allow planning to save the world, interfere with giving adoring young fans his autograph.

But dazzling the crowd with super spectacular visual effects take top priority. This is what being a top flight summer season popcorn adventure is really all about. All with a sly sense of humor.

And It doesn’t hurt having Robert Downey Junior playing the most charming, charismatic and animated of all the Marvel comics super heroes in or out of costume.

No, “Iron Man 3″ isn’t quite ready for the scrapheap yet with 3 stars.

I’ll let you in on a secret. “Iron Man” is my kind of super hero.

Rated PG-132 hours 5 minutes

Mattew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard

What do you say to a dark, brooding coming of age thriller, set along the Mississippi river?

“Mud” may strike you as a moody, modern day version of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” with the way the lives of two boys intersect with a mysterious fugitive by the name of “Mud”.

The roving camera deepens the atmosphere of this strange tale of father and son bonding.

Matthew McConoughey heads the strong cast of colorful characters that deliver powerful performances.

McConoughey may be a father figure to the impressionable children, but to his own Father, Sam Shepard, he’s a dismal disappointment.

The children serve as the go-between, linking “Mud” with his soul-mate, Reese Witherspoon.

Witherspoon probably jumped at the chance to play this small but effecting role. It’s one of the best parts she has had in years.

“Mud” is an edgy thriller that will play exceptionally well with serious moviegoers.

Any film this well made is bound to stir up enough accolades for a crowd pleasing three stars.

The big difference between the Independently made “Mud” and some predictable studio production, “Mud” will constantly keep you off-balance.

Rated R
2 hours 5 minutes

Robert Redford, Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon

Robert Redford never makes a movie unless he’s got something important to say. Redford directed and stars in “The Company You Keep”.

It’s a sentimental political thriller about aging anti-war radicals still on the FBI’s most wanted list. Redford’s avoided the law for so long why should he worry about crusading reporter Shia LaBeouf? Who according to Redford is such a smart young man, he probably would have been involved with the movement thirty years ago.

When fellow radical Susan Sarandon surrenders to the FBI, Redford goes on a journey of self-discovery. What motivated him to distance himself from his fellow political extremists of long ago?

The hot shot reporter is also trying to uncover the truth about these unrepentant radicals from a bygone era.

Since “The Company You Keep” is more thoughtful than fast moving, this deeply involving film falls into the category sure to alienate the action crowd.

But how can you go wrong with a memorable cast that includes the legendary Julie Christie as the long ago love of Redford’s life?

You owe it to yourself to see “The Company You Keep” just to be in Robert Redford’s company. This masterful film  is worth nothing short of four stars.

And trust me, you won’t find a better movie out there right now.

Rated R

Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Ed Harris

It’s been a long time since we enjoyed a dark crime comedy that had us cringing and laughing at the same time.

“Pain & Gain” go together like dumb and desperate, describing three bodybuilding buffoons who kidnap their way into the American dream.

A motivational con man sets Mark Wahlberg off on his grand scheme to get rich quick. Since Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie also have bigger biceps than brains, they’re the ideal accomplices in a lunatic scheme to kidnap millionaire businessman Tony Shalhoub.

Their outrageous, free wheeling misadventures are all at once hilarious, tasteless and generally highly entertaining.

To top it all off, the film is based on a true story. Director Michael Bay pours all of his inventive enthusiasm into this zany satire about losers too dumb to recognize their ambitions are way out of their league.

For guys who never started out as actors, Mark Wahlberg and Dwyane Johnson are naturals.
And Tony Shalhoub steals the picture.

You’re in for a delightfully engaging dark comedy that’s as funny as it is offensive. Let’s compliment “Pain & Gain” with three stars.

“Pain & Gain” is worth getting your work out at a theater near you.

Rated PG-13

Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo

We should all know by now that when the studio releases a Tom Cruise movie in April, instead of during the peak Summer blockbuster season, the movie probably isn’t very good.

And “Oblivion” is just where this lame Science Fiction adventure will wind up.

Tom Cruise spends the picture bemoaning his memory problems from a past life. He just might want to forget this futuristic end of the world epic.

While he ponders the condition of the earthly remnants in the year 2077, Cruise and his playmate enjoy life in their posh intergalactic penthouse which looks strangely out of place amid all the desolation.

Morgan Freeman has little more than a bit role as an unexpected survivor.

However, even Freeman can’t inject any excitement into this slow moving futuristic adventure.

While Cruise copes with his memory problems, you’ll have no trouble recalling how many times we’ve seen all of this before.

The writers even sneak a romantic triangle into the drab plotline but nothing separates this film from its stupor. “Oblivion” is an exercise in artificial uplift that goes no higher than 2 stars.

I’m sure the Tom Cruise charisma will keep the picture in orbit for at least two weeks, but after that, word of mouth will send the film crashing into “Oblivion”.

Rated R

James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel

Imagine stealing a priceless painting and then under hypnosis, forgetting where you put it, It’s all in the mind-bending thriller “Trance”.
A stylishly gruesome thriller that might be too confusing for its own good. But then baffling plots have always gotten the best of me.
What is James McAvoy’s state of mind when he steals that priceless work of art right out from under the auctioneer’s nose? And then for the life of him, he can’t muster enough total recall to remember what he did with it.
Which puts him at a serious disadvantage with art thief mastermind Vincent Cassel.
Master manipulator Rosario Dawson, who If she doesn’t have McAvoy hypnotized in the palm of her hand, has him at the foot of her bed.
I promise you quite a run for your powers of deduction. That brilliant British Director, Danny Boyle, intensely orchestrates this twisty plot to perfection.
My advice before entering the theater, put your brain in overdrive. This film keeps you guessing right up until the devilishly clever conclusion. It’s enough to earn “Trance” 3 stars.
I guarantee, that you’ll give this thriller a lot of thought.