• 1/02 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (C+)
• 1/06 Valkyrie (B)
• 1/23 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (C)
• 1/27 Slumdog Millionaire (A+)
• 1/31 My Bloody Valentine (C-)
• 2/05 Taken (A-)
• 2/06 He's Just Not That Into You (C)
• 2/12 Push__(C+)__
• 2/13 Coraline__(A-)__
• 2/16 The International (C+)
• 2/16 Friday the 13th {2009} (D+)
• 2/19 Gran Torino (B+)
• 2/24 Fired Up (C+)
• 3/02 The Uninvited (C+)
• 3/06 The Watchmen (C-)
• 3/14 The Last House on the Left (D-)
• 3/22 Knowing (C-)
• 3/26 Race to Witch Mountain (C+)

REVIEWS:

• 2/19/09 Gran Torino (TO...BT)

Emotionally satisfying, with plenty of laughs and touching moments, but weakened by the stereotypic gang dialogue and mediocre acting... at least from those under 78 years of age. (B+)

• 2/16/09 Friday The 13th (TO...BT)

What a disappointment. Everybody knows what they're going to get from this movie; that's why slasher-movie fans will go. But if we already know the basic plot and how it's going to end, at least do something original and/or creative. No such luck with this remake. (D+)

• 2/16/09 The International (TO...BT)

Another in the series of co-ed investigative duos denying sexual energy to solve a crime and catch a bad guy. No, not Cruise-Moore, Washington-Benning, or Clooney-Kidman... this time, it's Team Owen-Watts. Some tense shoot-em-up sequences save this movie from a formula backstory and some pretty poorly-delivered dialogue... but just barely. (C+)

• 2/13/09 Coraline (TO...BT)

Love Tim Burton, and this was classic Burton. A great movie for 3D because it complimented the overall "down-the-rabbit-hole" feel of the movie. Awesome animation also takes full advantage of the 3D to transport you to a very different world. (A-)

• 2/12/09 Push (TO...BT)

Not great; not horrible...probably pretty forgettable. Nonetheless, a fairly original concept with somewhat dream-like action and editing. Just wish the acting and dialogue were better. (C+)

• 2/06/09 He's Just Not That Into You (TO...BT)

A couple funny scenes in this otherwise average set of stories pretty weakly intertwined. Some were so de-emphasized at times that when the characters returned, I thought, "Oh, yeah, I forgot about this story." Should have been titled "Love, Actually NOT". (C)

• 2/05/09 Taken (TO...ASO)

Formula action thriller about an ex-intelligence operative aiming to recover his kidnapped daughter. Knew the formula, the basic plot structure, the obvious ending; but still found it to be suspenseful and perfectly paced. (A-)

• 1/31/09 My Bloody Valentine 3D (TO...AH)

Typical slasher movie- sometimes funny, sometimes nerve-wracking; always gross. Didn't make the most of its 3D effects and often repeated the same ones over and over; but did have me jumping at times. (C-)

• 1/27/09 Slumdog Millionaire (TO...BT)

As close to a perfect film as I can remember seeing. Loved everything about it... the casting, the script, the story, the acting, the cinematography, the editing, the style, the emotional content, the soundtrack. A must see! (A+)

• 1/23/09 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (TO...BT)

Tried to be the Gladiator of vampire movies, but really more like the "Xena" of vampire movies; some special effects straight out of the 80's. Still, liked the cinematography and the action sequences. (C)

• 1/06/09 Valkyrie (TO...BT)

Once I got used to German officers speaking English in a variety of native accents, I thought it was a compelling movie. Underrated, I think, because it's fashionable these days to play the anti-Cruise. (B)

• 1/02/09 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (TO...BT)

I just never really cared about the characters or their stories that much; thought it was a pretty mediocre attempt to tell a lifelong epic a la Forrest Gump. (C+)