This is probably the sexiest movie I’ve seen in a while. Jamie Foxx (Ray, Jarhead) and Colin Farrell (Phone Booth, Alexander) star as the infamous Crockett and Tubbs, two undercover vice detectives originally played by Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in the 80’s tv series. Director Michael Mann (Collateral) was responsible for the series, so I guess it was only natural for him to direct the movie. The tv show became popular for its hot locale and even hotter storylines. I was a kid back then, but even I knew about Miami Vice.

Having said all that, I’m sure the move has a built-in fan base of late thirty and early forty-somethings who remember firsthand the decade of excess and indulgence that was the 1980’s. The big screen adaptation of the series is very dark, both literally and figuratively. Filmed in high-definition, the movie is gritty and realistic. As a viewer, you feel like you are watching video footage of events that actually happened. The city of Miami is a character in and of itself, and frankly it is breathtaking. Deep blue water, purple and pink skies, and lush palm trees serve as a backdrop, but not in a cheesy commercialized way. It looks authentic and will make you want to book a plane ticket tomorrow.

The movie throws us right in the mix: there are no opening credits, no corny theme music, nothing but Crockett and Tubbs immediately. These are two cops who immerse themselves in the underworld. There are no laughs and jokes, no witty banter a la Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in Bad Boys. Shit’s real in the field of Miami and Crockett and Tubbs don’t crack a smile once. The storyline intially involves the pair going undercover (of course) to find out about a gang of white supremacists, but ends up touching on Miami’s drug world (of course again). From what I understand, drugs were a recurring theme of the original tv series. Foxx and Farrell are compelling and completely believable in their roles. They are cooler than a polar bear’s toenails. There’s one part where Crockett drives a speedboat to Havana for mojitos as if he’s hopping in the car to run to the grocery store for orange juice. Sick. My only complaint with the movie is that there was NO character development. It was just like BAM, here’s the movie. Here’s a day in the life of Crockett and Tubbs. It was like a two hour episode of the tv show with an ‘R’ rating. That may or may not be a problem for some people, but it’s just my opinion/observation. At two hours and twenty-five minutes, it’s also a wee bit long. Once again, I was accompanied by a date who dozed off and started to snore. Where do I find these guys? I digress. Bottom line: Miami Vice is a cool way to spend a hot summer night. Meow.

I think everyone can enjoy this movie, despite its decidedly female slant. I’m sure that women are the intended audience, but there were plenty of men in the theater, and their laughs rang out the loudest.

The incomparable Meryl Streep (The Manchurian Candidate) stars as type-A super-bitch Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of a popular fashion magazine. She changes personal assistants like she changes clothes, because no one has the heart to tolerate such a demanding job. Enter Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries) as Andy, a wide-eyed journalist hoping to get her feet wet at the magazine. The only problem is that Andy has no clue about fashion. Her status as fashion victim is a major hindrance in her professional development and a source of resentment from the other chicks at the office. After a makeover, Andy goes from dud to diva and her confidence soars. Now she embraces the fashion world that she used to frown upon as meaningless and superficial. Unfortunately, Andy begins to change internally as well, nearly losing her friends and boyfriend (Adrian Grenier of Entourage) in the process. The Devil Wears Prada is a charming little movie that everyone can enjoy. Now ladies, all you have to do is drag your man to the theater. Just tell him he’ll get to look at Giselle Bundchen (Victoria’s Secret supermodel). If the men in my theater were any indication, he’ll enjoy this movie — even if he won’t admit it!

Newcomer Brandon Routh makes his debut in Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects) and co-starring Kate Bosworth (Blue Crush). Routh is fetching in the role, and fills out those famous tights quite nicely. Physical attributes aside, he brings a quiet, contemplative quality to the role. Superman has always been a corny superhero, and there’s only so much that a writer can do to change that perception without completely abandoning character loyalty. Despite the aforementioned constraint, Superman Returns is well-written, and the corny one-liners are kept to a much-appreciated minimum. Kevin Spacey (American Beauty) is featured as our hero’s nemesis, Lex Luthor. Spacey is wonderfully nasty as Luthor, and this movie marks a reunion with Bryan Singer, who directed him in The Usual Suspects. Of course, the action is superb. I especially enjoyed watching Superman stop bullets – even a bullet fired straight into his eyeball crumples like a piece of paper. There’s also a great plot revelation that sets up the inevitable sequel. This movie reminded me that while other superheroes like Batman or Spiderman are a bit cooler than Superman, he’s still the freakin’ man of steel. Superhuman strength tops spider webs and Batman’s utility belt any day. In sum, fine performances + good writing = a very entertaining day at the movies.

Ok, y’all know that when a movie sucks, I don’t mince words, I get right to it. Chocolate boy wonder (Tyrese Gibson, Four Brothers) cannot save this poorly-written ridiculous movie about a father trying to rescue his kidnapped son. We’ve seen countless variations of this hackneyed plot before, but I was willing to go along for the ride. Soon, I found myself waist deep in the biggest pile of crap to hit the screen since When A Stranger Calls.

Co-starring with Tyrese is Meagan Good (You Got Served, Biker Boyz) as Coco, a wrong-place, wrong-time witness to the kidnapping. Remember Martin Lawrence’s t.v. show? Well, Tyrese actually plays a security guard named Otis…nevermind. This movie was so stupid that I’m actually going to do something I never do, which is reveal a big part of the movie. I have to do this to prove a point to demonstrate the suckage of this movie. If you don’t want me to give anything away, stop reading now. Do you remember Thelma & Louise, when Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon drive off the cliff, committing suicide in order to evade the police? Ok, now imagine that they reappear, unscratched and alive. That’s what the hell Tyrese does in this movie. The absurdity of it all made me laugh out loud. The numbskulls in the theater actually applauded at the end!! WTF? The only clapping I would’ve done would have been as a show of gratitude that it was finally over. Eye candy be damned, please do not get waist deep in this garbage. As a matter of fact, the only good thing about my movie-going experience was that I got to see the trailer for Outkast’s movie Idlewild. Check it out here: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/idlewild.html

This was not quite what I expected. I don’t expect to shed tears at an Adam Sandler movie. Maybe my hormones were in overdrive, but Click was surprisingly sweet.

Adam Sandler (The Longest Yard) plays Michael, an overworked but well-meaning architect who routinely neglects his wife and two small children in favor of his career. The title refers to Michael’s use of a “universal” remote that actually controls his universe. He discovers the remote in the “Beyond” section of Bed, Bath and Beyond, courtesy of Christopher Walken (Suicide Kings) as a quirky employee named Morty. Soon Michael can fast forward through arguments with his wife Donna (Kate Beckinsdale of Underworld), annoying family dinners, and even through sex, although I’m not quite sure why he wants to do that. Michael’s initial discovery and use of the remote allows for some cool special effects, as he can view any moment from his life, even conception. In this respect, Click is like one part Bruce Almighty, one part Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

The remote has a “memory” feature, and it begins to fast forward through entire chunks of time. Michael realizes that it’s the little moments in life that really matter — not the big promotion and accompanying salary. Click is very funny, because its premise allows for many easy jokes, i.e. slow-mo shots of the female neighbor jogging in a sports bra, and Michael using the pause button to smack around his defenseless boss (David Hasselhoff, Baywatch). We know it’s going to be funny, but I was pleasantly surprised at how touching this move was. There are some truly heartfelt scenes that show Michael’s life slipping away as his children’s lives become a blur. So yes, I can admit that I cried at an Adam Sandler movie. It had something for everyone. All in all, Click was a very good movie in what has thus far been a disappointing summer movie season (I expect Superman Returns to change that). For an example of a movie to avoid like the bird flu, look no further than the review below.

After much fanfare, negative publicity, and overall inundation with all things Cruise, M:I3 hits theaters. This latest installment in the franchise is directed by J.J. Abrams, the man responsible for the television tales of super-spy Sydney Bristow on Alias.

Abrams reportedly wanted to focus more on character development and less on stunts and gadgetry in this one. Mission: Accomplished. In MI:3 Tom Cruise (War of the Worlds, Collateral) returns as Ethan Hunt, only now he is semi-retired from the covert IMF agency. Hunt has a pretty fiancee’ Julia and anticipates a low-key future and normal existence. Of course it’s never that easy in the movies. Hunt is sucked into a recovery mission involving a former protege Agent Lindsey Ferris, played by Keri Russell (Felicity). When Ferris is compromised the stage is set for Hunt and his team (Ving Rhames of Baby Boy, Jonathan Rhys Meyers of Match Point, and newcomer Maggie Q) to take action against the requisite villain Owen Davian, played by the fabulous Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The 25th Hour, Capote). Davian is part of some nefarious scheme involving a mysterious “rabbit’s foot,” which is apparently some chemical component to a nuclear weapon or whatever. Basically it’s just some bad $hit. What it is exactly doesn’t matter, but Hunt must get the rabbit’s foot to stop Davian.

Despite Tom Cruise’s recent reputation as a nutjob, I will still go see his movies, if they look good. I’ve been a fan since Top Gun, and I actually think he is underrated as an actor. Having said that, I will admit that he is not the same guy I liked so much in the past. Watching him on the screen I was reminded that this is “Crazy Cruise,” and I found myself thinking of Katie Holmes and Scientology. These are the thoughts that will keep some people out of the theater, but at the end of the day it is what it is: Tom Cruise doing his thing. You get what you expect and you get what you pay for: lots of action and a pretty good storyline. Corny one-liners aside, it was a good flick and hopefully a preview of Hollywood’s summer blockbusters to come.

Michael Douglas (The Game, A Perfect Murder) returns to the silver screen alongside Kiefer Sutherland (most recently of 24), Kim Basinger (L.A. Confidential), and Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) in her big screen debut. This political thriller is set in D.C., offering a glimpse inside the elite world of the Secret Service.

Douglas is Pete Garrison, a seasoned agent assigned to protect the First Family. Kiefer Sutherland plays David Breckenridge, a former protege of Garrison, and Longoria is the rookie who was trained by Garrison and now works under Breckenridge. There is an inside plot to assassinate the President and Garrison is being framed. He must save the Prez, find the mole, and clear his name while eluding the Agency. One part cat and mouse, one part political intrigue, The Sentinel, is entertaining and suspenseful. The early part of the movie offers an interesting look at the intricacies of protecting the President on a daily basis. The President and First Lady (Basinger) have their every move shadowed and their schedules are meticulously planned. The agents seem to possess the unyielding loyalty required to sacrifice their lives without a moment’s hesitation, and it’s kinda cool to get a behind the scenes look at the whole thing, although I’m not sure the depiction is totally accurate.

Without revealing too much, I’ll say that this is vintage Michael Douglas. The man has a knack for playing the guy who always gets in trouble behind a woman. See Disclosure, Fatal Attraction, and Basic Instinct for evidence of him letting his johnson get him in hot water.

The one crticism I have of The Sentinel is that the identity of the mole is not quite as mysterious as it could have been. There have been some outstanding political thrillers set in D.C. over the years like the classic No Way Out (Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman) and Suspect (Dennis Quaid, Cher). The Sentinel is not on the same level as these two, but it’s a pretty solid movie and worth a look.

Hell yeah. This is my kinda movie. Slick, cool, and complicated with a twist. Fast-paced and violent, Lucky Number Slevin features clever dialogue (sans one offensive religious reference) and a charismatic ensemble cast. The rundown: Josh Hartnett (Hollywood Homicide, O) is our wrong place, wrong time title character Slevin. This guy is anything BUT lucky. Bruce Willis (Sin City) is an emotionless assassin. Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) is “The Boss.” Ben Kingsley (Sexy Beast) is “the Rabbi.” Lucy Liu (Domino) is sweet on Slevin. Let me set it up real quick for ya. Slevin is going through a shitty little phase of his life, so he goes to visit his buddy Nick for some R&R. When he arrives at Nick’s place he discovers he’s not there. The next thing he knows two goons show up to collect on a debt that Nick owes. They think that Slevin is Nick (since he’s in Nick’s apartment) and cannot be convinced otherwise. Slevin would show them some ID if he had it, but he was mugged shortly after arriving in the city and doesn’t have his wallet. Didn’t I tell you this guy was unlucky? Slevin finds himself up shit’s creek with a boat and no paddle after The Boss proposes a most unappealing way to settle the debt that Nick owes. Confused? Good. It may seem like I’ve told you too much about the movie, but trust: I did not spoil it for you. This movie twists and turns like you wouldn’t believe.

Lucky Number Slevin has the coolness of a Tarantino flick mixed with the pacing of a Guy Ritchie (Snatch) film. I was about a half-step behind the entire time, but I figured out most of the twists right before they happened. The commercials depict Slevin as slick and funny, and it is– but it is also darkly violent. The transition of Hartnett’s character is something to behold. I imagine that the critics may not like how the movie switches gears, but I thought it was great. One minute I think it’s clever and funny, the next minute they go and get all Usual Suspects on me. Shit was ill, check it out.

I need to release my inner teenager, the one that urges me go see movies like ATL and You Got Served. I entered the theater feeling slightly embarrassed that I was probably one of the oldest people there, at the ripe age of 26. Oh well, at least I didn’t go alone, I drug two other old souls with me.

Loosely based on the adolescent experiences of music producer Dallas Austin, ATL tells the story of four high school friends and the ups and downs they endure as they prepare to enter adulthood. Rapper T.I. stars as Rashad, leader of the pack and level-headed mentor to a cute knucklehead little brother Anton, played by Diana Ross’ youngest son, Evan Ross Naess. “Brooklyn” can’t keep a job, “Esquire” is the college-bound member of the crew, and Teddy (Jason Weaver of Drumline) is a perpetual senior whose true age is a mystery. Rounding out the cast is Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump, Waiting to Exhale) as Rashad and Anton’s uncle and caregiver, “New New,” the sassy object of Rashad’s affection, and Big Boi (one half of Outkast) as Marcus, flossy drug dealer. The city of Atlanta is practically a character as well, because first time director Chris Robinson captures its culture and residents so vividly.

ATL is a difficult movie to critique…I think it should be credited for a somewhat positive depiction of black life, despite the fact that Anton’s character is tempted by the criminal lifestyle. The negative aspects of the movie are tempered by Rashad’s integrity and sense of responsibility to his brother, and also by the light-heartedness we see in the boys’ interaction with each other. At times the movie treads on clichéd ground with familiar themes of remaining true to oneself and the conflict between Rashad and New New, but I enjoyed it despite these shortcomings.

Every rapper thinks he can act nowadays, but T.I. and Big Boi are decent enough. T.I. actually brings a certain endearing sincerity to his role. However, there is room enough for only one toothpick in my life, and Pharrell already has that spot, sorry T.I. Pardon me for getting off track for a second, but T.I. is so skinny this dude actually manages to make a wife beater look baggy. It looked like a friggin’ basketball jersey on him!

I’ll try to help you make up your mind about going to see this one. Did you see Roll Bounce? What about You Got Served? If so, chances are you’ll like ATL. If the thought of either of these movies made you throw up in your mouth a little, then maybe you should take a pass. ATL has more substance than Roll Bounce if you can get past the surface comparisons, but that’s hard to do if you aren’t inclined to see it in the first place. Give it a shot.