This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr dresses up in his Jedi robes and grabs his lightsaber, heading to the theater to see the 3D re-release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. While there, he faces a sea of estrogen as ladies of all type swarm into the multiplex to see Channing Tatum’s abs multiflex. After using his lightsaber to break through the wall of pre-Valentine’s Day ladies, he faces more obstacles with twentysomething dudes heading out to see Safe House and obnoxious families to see Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Fortunately for Kevin, he is able to dispatch everyone with his Rock-inspired “pec pop of love.” It was an early Valentine’s Day massacre.

Want to hear what Kevin has to say on the Fat Guys at the Movies podcast? Click here to listen as Kevin is joined by Drive-In Horrorshowdirector Michael Neel to chat about this week’s big releases.

STAR WARS: EPISODE I – THE PHANTOM MENACE 3D
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Rated: PG for sci-fi action/violence

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd and Ian McDiarmid

Directed by: George Lucas

What it’s about: Whether you consider him “man” or “devil” (to paraphrase Edgar Allan Poe), George Lucas retrofits his first Star Wars prequel with a 3D treatment. Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi are dispatched to settle a trade dispute and end up rescuing the Queen of Naboo and picking up the Force prodigy Anakin Skywalker along the way.

What makes the grade: Let me preface this by confessing that I am an unabashed Star Wars fan, to the point that I even like all three sequels. I know there’s tons of foibles in this movie in particular, but for someone who grew up with the movies and appreciated as both a child and adult, I am quite forgiving.

Still, looking past its flaws, there are some awesome moments in The Phantom Menace, particularly the action sequences, including the dive through Naboo’s core, the pod race and the final climactic battle sequence that remains one of the greatest three-ways ever committed to film or video.

The 3D conversion looks great here, pulling depth out of even relatively flat shots. Considering Lucas couldn’t go back and shoot the movie in 3D, this is one hell of a treatment, matching the expertise put into Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II. And damn, if that pod race doesn’t look even better in 3D.

What fails: Let’s face it, people. This is 99% the same movie that came out thirteen years ago. So aside from replacing the weird-looking 1999 Yoda puppet, everything else is there, for better or for worse. Jar Jar Binks is still annoying (though my kids loved him), Jake Lloyd still can’t act in three dimensions, the dialogue is cringe-worthy and the plot never quite finds a good momentum. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the hell out of the film again.

Who is gonna like this movie: Anyone who wants to see The Phantom Menace again, which contrary to what you might believe from the rants on the blogosphere, is quite a few people.

THE VOW
Studio: Screen Gems

Rated: PG-13 for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Sam Neill, Scott Speedman and Jessica Lange

Directed by: Michael Sucsy

What it’s about: Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum play a Paige and Leo, a young, married couple who are in a terrible car crash. Paige suffers brain damage, and when she wakes up, she cannot remember her husband at all. He spends the next months helping her fall back in love with him and to remember why she made significant changes in her life before.

What makes the grade: Rachel McAdams is about the only decent thing in this movie. She’s beautiful and charismatic. Her charm helps guys like me stomach movies like The Notebook. Too bad she’s paired up with Channing Tatum in this film.

On a side note, the film’s background is quite interesting as it is inspired by a true story. All the dramatic nonsense we see isn’t part of the inspiration, but there was indeed a couple who suffered a similar injury with similar amnesia issues. Look up the story, which is more inspirational than this film even attempts to be.

What fails: The Vow demonstrates how vain Hollywood is, in the sense that it presents an inspiring story but has to slather on cliches because the industry thinks that will make it better. Here, it just gets in the way.

As if not remembering your husband isn’t enough, The Vow shoe-horns in the fact that Paige had a falling out with her family, was basically a different person (a more shallow and dreadful person, I might add) and still was carrying a torch for her asshole boyfriend. This all-too-convenient storyline is nearly impossible to swallow.

Add to this the fact that Channing Tatum may be a good-looking man, but he’s a blithering idiot of an actor on-screen. Anything meatier than G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra leaves him with this embarrassing deer-in-the-headlights look. Even with a script, he’s unable to articulate himself and remind his co-star’s character that she changed for a reason. I really couldn’t care less whether this couple got back together or not.

Who is gonna like this movie: Ladies, and guys who are dragged to the movie (who will probably hate it but lie about it just to get laid).

SAFE HOUSE
Studio: Universal

Rated: R for strong violence throughout and some language

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson and Sam Shephard

Directed by: Daniel Espinosa

What it’s about: Denzel Washington plays Tobin Frost, an ex-CIA agent who is an expert at psychological manipulation. Since leaving the CIA, he’s gone rogue and sold many American secrets. After a botched job in South Africa, he lands in a CIA safe house where Ryan Reynold’s character must try to keep him under control and bring him in for questioning.

What makes the grade: Yeah, Denzel Washington is a badass even at his age. He plays the stoic gray character well, and he manages his own in the action sequences. Even Ryan Reynolds is able to look competent as a CIA agent. If you’re a fan of one or both of these guys and don’t mind the many problems with the film (see below), you can enjoy yourself with a Saturday viewing.

What fails: The most noticeable problem with this film is the overdone, grainy and palsied camerawork, even during otherwise steady scenes. This makes the movie a nauseating view on the big screen, but probably preserving its longevity on cable and home video.

But in the end, the plot is convoluted yet entirely predictable. With the action impossible to focus on, that leaves us with the characters. Unfortunately, there’s no real depth to them, and when we finally break through the hard-ass exterior of each, the revelations we get are confusing and boring. It’s a film of all flash and no substance.

Who is gonna like this movie: Fans of Denzel and people who want to see a flashy, gritty action movie that is on the par with last month’s Contraband.

JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
Studio: New Line Cinema

Rated: PG for some mild adventure action, and brief mild language

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens and Kristin Davis

Directed by: Brad Peyton

What it’s about: Josh Hutcherson returns as Sean, a “Vernian,” which is someone who believes that the subjects of Jules Verne’s books were real places. Along with his step-father (Dwayne Johnson), he embarks on a journey to find the Mysterious Island where his grandfather has been living.

What makes the grade: I’ll be honest with you… this movie is dumb, stupid and ridiculous. The characters are barely two-dimensional, the dialogue is worse than what we have in The Phantom Menace and the story makes very little sense. However, the film moves fast enough through the set-up that we get to the island before you really have a chance to question all this.

When we finally get to the island, this becomes a wacky family adventure with wild, oversized animals and references to fun elements like an erupting volcano of gold and a search for Captain Nemo’s submarine. There’s not a shred of science in this movie, but the film doesn’t make the pretense that it’s trying to do that.

Instead, this movie brought back feelings of what it was like to watch old Saturday morning shows like The Land of the Lost and Danger Island, only with much better special effects. Once I got to that place, mentally and emotionally, I enjoyed the hell out of this movie. And it helped that I brought my kids with me to enjoy it.

What fails: While for the most part the visual effects work, there’s still a few moments that rip off other movies (including several Avatar-esque moments and even a line stolen from High School Musical that is dropped by none other than Vanessa Hudgens). It’s full of plot and character holes, often making giant leaps of logic and continuity.

Still, I enjoyed the Saturday morning adventure feel of it.

Who is gonna like this movie: Kids – particularly boys – and their families.

Sometimes, choosing the right movie for the weekly DVD drinking game is a tough decision. Other times, it comes as naturally as breathing. This week, we breathe in the Christmas goodness of the latest Harold & Kumar movie and enjoy its raunchy silliness. Yeah, we know Christmas was a couple months ago, but who says you need to have tinsel on your tree to watch this movie?

These guys may not be known for following the rules, but here’s a slate of rules you’ll enjoy following while you watch the film. Just don’t try anything too strong, or you might end up like Thomas Lennon’s on-screen child. And no one wants that, do they?

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and please slow down if you discover you’ve become claymated.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• Someone smokes or drinks
• A new Christmas song plays
• Someone is hit with something
• Someone speaks in a foreign language

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• Drugs
• The WaffleBot
• A 3D gimmick shot
• A fantasy sequence

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “tree”
• “Christmas”
• “Harold” or “Kumar”
• a swear word

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• NPH makes his glorious return to the series

Click here for more Drinking Games

With the weekend here and most DVD and Blu-rays hitting the shelves on Tuesday, you might have already checked out our weekly drinking game for The Thing. If you want another chance – or another excuse – to drink a little this weekend, try out this bonus drinking game based on the killer thriller Texas Killing Fields.

If you liked the teaming up of current “It” stars Jessica Chastain and Sam Worthington, both of whom have been in about six dozen movies in the last couple years, you could watch this film…or The Debt. But if you watch The Debt, this drinking game won’t work very well.

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and don’t give Sam Worthington any more headlining roles.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• It rains
• Someone is questioned by the police
• One character yells at another character
• People have a conversation on the phone or walkie-talkie

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• A map
• A dead body
• A crime scene
• A person’s picture

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “Texas”
• “officer”
• “detective”
• A nickname or (fake or real) term of endearment

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• There is a shoot-out

Click here for more Drinking Games

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr heads out to the drab English countryside to settle a woman’s estate only to find the place haunted. Fortunately, Kevin had already crawled down a mysterious hole and gained super powers, so he’s able to fend off the evil spirits. For a fleeting moment, he considers using his new powers for good, like to save a family of gray whales trapped under the ice in Barrow, Alaska. However, his fear of the 30 Days of Night vampires keep him at home. He then decides to use his new powers to read the subtitles of The Hidden Face so he can enjoy the copious amounts of pretty Colombian breasts.

Want to hear what Kevin has to say on the Fat Guys at the Movies podcast? Click here to listen as Kevin is joined by Fozzie Bare to celebrate 250 episodes of what should be everyone’s favorite podcast (or at least somewhere in the top 10).

THE WOMAN IN BLACK
Studio: CBS Films

Rated: PG-13 for thematic material and violence/disturbing images

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer, David Burke and Shaun Dooley

Directed by: James Watkins

What it’s about: Daniel Radcliffe plays a lawyer in the late 1800s who takes a job settling the estate of a dead woman. However, once he visits the estate, he realizes that the woman is still lurking about as a vengeful ghost.

What makes the grade: Like last year’s Insidious, The Woman in Black relies heavily on atmosphere and creepiness to work. And it does to a large extent. The set design and cinematography captures the eerieness you’d expect from a Hammer movie, and the film takes its time to draw out the rather sparse story in order to build suspense and throw in plenty of jump-scares.

Radcliffe does a fine job being someone other than Harry Potter, and he carries the film well with a modicum of dialogue. It’s a slow burn of a film and quite a diversion from the recent yet tired popular trends in horror, like found footage and torture porn.

What fails: The biggest downfall of this movie is going to be the audience you see it with. With plenty of slower, quieter moments, you’re gonna find the standard bored American audience texting, tweeting and talking with little regard for those around them. This can make an otherwise decent (though not great) film a chore to sit through. And that might lead to this being a better rental than anything else.

Who is gonna like this movie: Anyone who can appreciate a basic but effectively creepy film.

BIG MIRACLE
Studio: Universal Pictures

Rated: PG for language

Starring: Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen Bell, Tim Blake Nelson and Mark Ivanir

Directed by: Ken Kwapis

What it’s about: Back in the late 80s, three gray whales became trapped under the ice in Barrow, Alaska. In an attempt to bring them safely to the sea, an unlikely partnership among a whaling village, media outlets, Greenpeace, an oil company, the Federal government and a Russian icebreaker develops. This is the (mostly) true story of these events.

What makes the grade: Like last year’s Dolphin Tale, Big Miracle is a very cheesy button-pusher about people trying to save the adorable animals. It works as a family film and offers something different than farting CGI rodents and overblown cartoons. It’s really hard to go wrong with the family crowd when making a movie about saving marine life. Big Miracle means well, and that helps it along quite a bit.

Oh, and Dermot Mulroney plays a helicopter pilot from Kenai in this movie, which gave me flashbacks to The Grey from last week. That guy’s starting a career as the go-to Alaska hero.

What fails: As cute as the story is, it lays things on pretty thick, so your cheese tolerance level needs to be high. Also, like anything Hollywood does, it glorifies its own efforts over those of others (and if you don’t believe me, read the Wikipedia page for “Operation Breakthrough” to see how the media may not have been the heroes portrayed in this film). The characters are nothing great though not too annoying or problematic that they will bore the audience.

Who is gonna like this movie: Children and families, especially on Super Bowl Sunday.

CHRONICLE
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Rated: PG-13 for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Dane DeHaan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw and Anna Wood

Directed by: Josh Trank

What it’s about: Three high school assholes get super powers and become super assholes.

What makes the grade: I’d say the idea was sound for this film, but it’s nothing more than your basic superhero origin story in which someone gets super powers, learns how to use them and then fights a bad guy.

The last 15 minutes of this film might have passed for an okay super villain origin story if the kids didn’t channel the acting of Hayden Christians.

What fails: First, I’m done with found footage movies. They are no longer original, interesting or innovative. And putting crappy digital effects into them doesn’t save them either. Second, speaking of the effects, these have the quality of a poor television program on basic cable. I could see the harnesses when the kids flew, and there was a green screen moment that approached the quality of the roof sequence in The Room.

But all the technical warts aside, Chronicle fails because it doesn’t put a damn interesting thin on screen. The main characters are shallow, stupid, insipid people, which may be realistic to a sense in that many teenagers can be accused of this. However, I don’t get into movies with those kinds of characters.

At least five or six times throughout the film, the audience is reminded why they have to keep filming. Didn’t that technique fall out of favor with The Blair Witch Project? And many of these excuses – including a second and utterly pointless character who films everything she sees – make very little sense.

Full of logic flaws, bad effects and some of the most dreadful characters I’ve seen on screen in months, Chronicle is an exercise in teenage narcissism. Sigh… when Peter Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider, he becomes Spider-Man. When these a-holes get super powers, they play pranks on people at a Toys R Us. That’s not a compelling film, there.

Who is gonna like this movie: Probably a lot of teenagers who think they are the center of the universe.

LA CARA OCULTA (THE HIDDEN FACE)
Studio: Fox International

Rated: R for some strong sexual content, graphic nudity and language

Starring: Clara Lago, Martina Garcia and Quim Gutiérrez

Directed by: Andrés Baiz

What it’s about: A young woman begins a relationship with an attractive but brooding maestro. Soon, she learns that there’s a secret in his house, explaining the mystery of his last girlfriend who has gone missing.

What makes the grade: The Hidden Face is a relatively simple movie, but it manages to make a relatively simple story mighty complex. It deals with trust issues in relationships and the unpleasant emotions that emerge during these relationships. From the emotional angle, some scenes are more cutting than you would imagine if you were just told about them, and if you let yourself think about it, they can be pretty raw.

The secret behind the film is also pretty inventive, and it’s not something I’ve seen a million times before. Once revealed, it doesn’t necessarily keep you guessing, but it will add deeper meaning to many of the scenes you’ve already seen.

Oh, and the two female leads in the movie are simply adorable… and naked at least once. (And you thought I was getting respectable there for a moment.)

What fails: There are some points in the movie where its own pretentious subject matter gets the best of it, particularly when examining the romance of music. Also, the beginning of the film appears to be a more humdrum relationship drama, but if you stick with it, you’ll get something more.

Who is gonna like this movie: Fans of international cinema who enjoy a unique thriller.

The rumored-about, questioned and criticized prequel to John Carpenter’s classic 1982 horror flick The Thing has come and gone. Now, it’s coming again, this week to DVD and Blu-ray. The flick tells the story behind the Norwegian outpost in Antarctica, chronicling the first people to dig the Thing out of the ice.

Fans of the Carpenter classic will complain about the overuse of CGI and the pointlessness of the new film, but they may also find some likeable moments if they look hard enough. If not, they can always play this game and knock back a few glasses of Ringnes beer or whatever else they drink in Norway.

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and don’t dig up any mysterious aliens.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• The Thing transforms
• Something explodes or is set on fire
• Someone is introduced to someone else
• The dialogue changes from Norwegian to English or English to Norwegian

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• A dog
• Dental fillings
• A call-back to the 1982 film
• The remains of a victim of the Thing

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “Kate”
• “helicopter”
• “Thing” or “Things”
• “Norway” or “Norwegian”

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• The Thing first wakes up

Click here for more Drinking Games

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr tapes some alcohol bottles to his knuckles and gets ready to brawl with wolves. Unfortunately, he first drinks all the booze in the bottles and ends up passing out in the snow. When he wakes up, he brushes himself off and heads downtown to climb on the ledge of a tall building. The police are called to try and save him, but Kevin ends up jumping when he learns that Katherine Heigl is brought in to talk him down. Fortunately, Kevin survives the fall and stumbles to the local multiplex to check out this week’s new movies.

Want to hear what Kevin has to say on the Fat Guys at the Movies podcast? Click here to listen as Kevin is joined by FSR’s own Editor of Something Rob Hunter to chat about the new movies of the week.

THE GREY
Studio: Open Road Films

Rated: R for violence/disturbing content including bloody images, and for pervasive language

Starring: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, James Badge Dale, Joe Anderson and Frank Grillo

Directed by: Joe Carnahan

What it’s about: On a trip from the Arctic Circle back to Anchorage, Alaska, a plane crashes with a crew of oil refinery workers. The survivors find themselves in the middle of the frozen wilderness, surrounded by wolves who think their hunting territory is being threatened. The men embark on a quest to find shelter, protection and rescue, while trying to avoid become dinner for the wolves.

What makes the grade: While The Grey doesn’t necessarily tread fresh ground, it’s an extremely well-made movie. Your basic man-versus-nature film, The Grey puts its characters in an impossible yet utterly realistic situation, leaving them to their own devices to survive. There are several bloody, intense scenes, and the film works as much as an actioner as it does a drama.

But with all of this danger content, the film has a heart… and I’m not just talking about the hearts that get ripped out by the wolves. Star Liam Neeson is the key to this, and he raises the level of quality of The Grey from a basic thriller to a touching drama.

Also, having traveled to Alaska, I appreciated the beauty of the land and the surrounding. But as beautiful as nature is, it is also exceedingly dangerous at times. Director Joe Carnahan doesn’t shy away from the uglier side of the natural world, and The Grey becomes a demonstration on how Alaska can kill you a thousand different ways.

What fails: Like any film that features a group of characters facing a non-human threat, the focus on the characters’ humanity can be a bit much. The film has some heart, yes, but sometimes that heart is laid on a bit thick. Case in point, before the plane crash, Neeson’s character writes a letter to his wife, and he spends at least three or four scenes pondering it. This just gets tedious at times. I know what Carnahan is trying to do with it, but he doesn’t quite know when to stop it.

Finally, while I enjoyed the film, it’s a bit silly for Carnahan to now be demanding a re-release in October for next year’s award consideration. It’s a good movie, but it’ll be forgotten in award season next year regardless. It’s not that good. Carnahan is a good filmmaker, but he’s also an egomaniac (like many other of his colleagues, I suppose).

Who is gonna like this movie: People who want to see an intense man-versus-nature drama.

MAN ON A LEDGE
Studio: Summit Entertainment

Rated: PG-13 for violence and brief strong language

Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie and Ed Burns

Directed by: Asger Leth

What it’s about: Sam Worthington plays an escaped convict who climbs out onto the ledge of the Roosevelt Hotel and threatens to jump. The police send in a team to try to talk him down, and soon it becomes apparent that there is something going on besides a suicidal jumper.

What makes the grade: Man on a Ledge reminds me of the film Cellular, which starred Chris Evans and Kim Basinger back in 2004. It’s an entertaining movie that has some good thrills. It employs some nice action sequences in it and has enough things going on in the plot to justify its running time.

It’s also competently acted, and yes, I’m including the typically dull Sam Worthington in this mix. The cast seems to know they’re making a basic crime thriller, so they don’t throw down Oscar clip moments that make the movie look silly. In short, there are all the elements in this film to make it not a waste of time to watch on a lazy Saturday.

What fails: However, Man on a Ledge is nothing more than a film that isn’t a waste of time to watch on a lazy Saturday. As inoffensive and attractive as Sam Worthington is, I don’t know of anyone (besides James Cameron, maybe) that he really lights a fire under. He may be the “it guy” in movies now, but he just can’t carry a film without giant blue Na’vi surrounding him or fighting a computer generated Kraken.

For as enjoyable and entertaining as Man on a Ledge is, it offers nothing new. It is predictable down to the last frame, exemplifying the height of minimalist storytelling, at least from an original idea perspective.

Who is gonna like this movie: Someone who wants a distraction that will be forgotten in mere minutes.

ONE FOR THE MONEY
Studio: Lionsgate

Rated: PG-13 for violence, sexual references and language, some drug material and partial nudity

Starring: Katherine Heigl, John Leguizamo, Daniel Sunjata, Jason O’Mara and Patrick Fischler

Directed by: Julie Anne Robinson

What it’s about: Katherine Heigl stars as Stephanie Plum, the lead character in Janet Evanovich’s best-selling book series. Plum is fired from her job at Macy’s and must take a job as a bounty hunter to make ends meet. When she tries to collar an old boyfriend who skipped bail, she finds herself in the midst of a dangerous murder mystery.

What makes the grade: One for the Money reminds me a bit of last fall’s What’s Your Number? That movie wasn’t that good, but its stars Anna Faris and Chris Evans were so charming in it, they helped elevate it to a watchable level. If Anna Faris was the star of One for the Money, we might have had the same effect. Unfortunately, the star is the irritating and arrogant Katherine Heigl.

I can respect the original source material, even though I haven’t read it myself. But from what I gathered from the film, it has some punchy characters and an entertaining story. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a mid-90s piece of pop literature that a housewife might read on vacation. This type of story is a fun, light read that deserves a strong audience.

But it has no place being a major motion picture.

What fails: At best – and that’s if you don’t find Katherine Heigl an annoyance of epic proportions – One for the Money is a mildly entertaining Lifetime TV movie. The script is rocky, jumping around from plot element to plot element sometimes with very little sense, and containing godawful dialogue like, “You’re ancient history. Like the pyramids.” Yeah, they use that little ditty twice in the film, actually.

But the fatal error in this film is its reliance on Katherine Heigl, who doesn’t have a shred of believability as a hard-nosed, smart-talking girl from New Jersey. She might be doing that accent okay, but her acting (as it is often) is so disingenuous that it’s hard to sit still through the film.

I suppose if you are okay with Heigl as an actor, this movie isn’t terrible… but she’s only slightly less annoying than Jennifer Lopez, who is only slightly less annoying than waterboarding.

Who is gonna like this movie: Fans of Evanovich’s books and people who don’t mind Katherine Heigl.

When a boxing robot movie was first rumored about, a lot of people rolled their eyes and shook their heads. It’s bad enough that we’ve got adaptations of the board games Monopoly and Battleship coming down the pike, but a Rock’em Sock’em Robots movie just seemed ridiculous.

The result was Real Steel, which is a pretty cool flick, believe it or not. It’s not going to win any awards (except maybe Best Visual Effects, thanks to an Oscar nomination this week), but it’s still an entertaining action film about a father and son and a robot beating the bolts out of other robots. And like any good sporting event, it is more fun to drink while watching it.

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and don’t bet on robot boxing unless you have the money to cover it.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• A robot dances
• A round of fighting begins
• A robot is completely destroyed
• A robot is powered up or powered down

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• A soda can
• A new robot
• Charlie driving
• A robot’s control screen

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “Max”
• “robot”
• “Charlie”
• A number

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• The final fight is over

Click here for more Drinking Games

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr dresses up in his favorite Jedi robe, grabs his lightsaber and heads out to see the latest George Lucas movie…and boy does he look stupid. After realizing that Red Tails has nothing to do with the color of creatures’ backsides in the Tattooine cantina, he then dresses in his favorite “Team Jacob” tee shirt to see the latest vampire/werewolf movie. Again, he looks ridiculous. Finally, he sulks into a movie theater showing the new Steven Soderbergh film, falls in love with new action star Gina Carano and is happy.

Want to hear what Kevin has to say on the Fat Guys at the Movies podcast? Click here to listen as Kevin is joined by Emily Intravia from DeadlyDollsHouse.com and Gleekast to chat about the new movies of the week.

HAYWIRE
Studio: Relativity Media

Rated: R for some violence

Starring: Gina Carano, Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas and Michael Fassbender

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

What it’s about: MMA fighter Gina Carano takes on her first starring role as Mallory, an ex-Marine who works as a mercenary for a private company. When she’s betrayed in the field and almost killed, she goes rogue to seek revenge and to clear her name.

What makes the grade: With Haywire, Soderbergh does for the rogue agent action film what he did for the heist movie with Oceans Eleven. While the genre itself has been overdone in the past decade or so, Soderbergh offers a unique twist on it.

There’s nothing terribly unique about Haywire aside from its delivery, which has a distinctive Soderbergh vibe to it – from the pacing and editing to the cinematography and music selection. This gives the film a fresh feeling while treading some worn paths.

Soderbergh relies on Carano to carry the film, but he wisely doesn’t heap heavy emotion and acting moments on her. Instead, he lets her deliver lines with a deadpan feel and almost emotionless quality that works for the role. Unlike Taylor Lautner drowning in his own bad acting in a movie like Abduction, Carano isn’t overtaxed and is just allowed to do what she does best – kick a whole lotta ass and look hot as hell doing it.

What fails: The biggest hurdle that Haywire has is rising above itself. There’s very little new in the story, and we’ve seen a lot of these techniques before. Allowing Carano to change her adorable outfits too often gives the film an unbelievable quality to it, but this is a small problem to have with the movie.

Who is gonna like this movie: People who want a new approach to a rogue agent movie.

RED TAILS
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Rated: PG-13 for some sequences of war violence

Starring: Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., Bryan Cranston, Daniela Ruah and Michael B. Jordan

Directed by: Anthony Hemingway

What it’s about: George Lucas executive produces this historical war film about the Tuskegee Airmen who make a name for themselves as reliable pilots during World War II.

What makes the grade: Really, the only reason to see Red Tails is for the dogfight sequences. It’s quite a brilliant movie when the pilots are in their planes, shooting down German fighters. The set-up and delivery of these scenes show where Lucas drew inspiration for the massive battle sequences in the Star Wars films, and as long as the planes are flying, it’s a great adventure.

What fails: Unfortunately, the planes don’t fly during the bulk of the film. Instead, we’re left with a dull, uninspired plot with alarmingly racist characters (including one who plays the guitar and talks like a cartoon character, a mechanic with a goofy hat always yelling at the pilots about repairs and a young pilot constantly praying to “black Jesus”) and no real direction.

The real shame of Red Tails is that it uses every old war movie cliche, borrowing heavily from the plot of the World War I fighter pilot movie Flyboys and even last summer’s Captain America. There is no real star of the film, which is confusing since the above-the-line stars (Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard) share about fifteen minutes of screen time total.

It’s not a terrible movie, but the two-hour-plus running time drags as we follow characters we don’t really care about, leaving the audience to check their watches and wonder when the next dogfight battle will take place.

Who is gonna like this movie: Anyone who really wants to see a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen, even if it’s not that good.

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING
Studio: Screen Gems

Rated: R for strong violence and gore, and for some language

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, India Eisley, Charles Dance and Michael Ealy

Directed by: Måns Mårlind

What it’s about: After the vampires and lycans are discovered to exist, the humans start a cleansing of the races. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is captured and held in stasis for twelve years during this time. When she wakes up, she finds herself on the run with her hybrid daughter (India Eisley), discovering a new lycan threat that could wipe out all surviving vampires forever.

What makes the grade: By this time, you should know what is appealing about these Underworld movies. They feature lots of fighting, lots of bullets, many shots of Kate Beckinsale’s skinny ass in a leather cat suit, plenty of steely glares and not a shred of humor. If that’s what you look for in a movie, you’ll think this is the greatest movie of the year. I suppose it delivers the bloody R-rated action well enough, even if the story behind it really makes no sense. The best thing I can say about the movie considering this point is that at least Chuck Norris wasn’t involved.

What fails: It’s not like the Underworld movies have been brilliantly crafted and developed films. They’ve been standard action-horror films that took themselves way too seriously for the better part of a decade. Sure, Beckinsale’s back, but her character is as flat and as boring as ever. No prospect of vampire motherhood makes her any more interesting.

The film suffers from what made the other movies laughable. No one runs, but rather swaggers with their leather dusters flapping in the wind. People (and vampires and lycans) are slaughtered often for no other reason than they’re in the way, and often in a spray of CGI blood. The plot barely makes sense from scene to scene, relying on stuffy line delivery and nonsensical action sequences to propel the movie.

But if you can’t wait for the next Resident Evil movie to deliver the same thing, this will do in a pinch.

Who is gonna like this movie: Anyone who has spent time on a message board defending the other Underworld movies.

I dare you! I dare you to make it through the worst reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes in 2011 (currently rocking a 0% with 35 reviews). I dare you to suffer from titles to credits the movie which brought in only an average of 212 people per screen during its entire nationwide two-week run. I dare you to face the horror of the movie that wasn’t screened for critics, even though the same studio still screened Jack and Jill later in the year.

The only way to actually make it through the first ten minutes of Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star, let alone the entire film, is to have a beer or glass of wine in hand, and plenty of it in reserve. One can only speculate that the people making the film had plenty of alcohol on the set, or they would have noticed the travesty they were making

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and don’t ever let Don Johnson direct you in a porno movie.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• Someone yells at Bucky
• Bucky’s “brain sparkles”
• Someone insults Bucky’s teeth
• Kathy carries a tray of food or drink

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• Nudity
• The word “Bucky”
• A clip from a fake porn movie
• An actor from other Happy-Madison movies

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “star”
• “porn”
• “Bucky”
• A person’s porn name

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• Bucky manages to have sex with someone other than himself

Click here for more Drinking Games

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr recovers from his colossal failure in getting any of his votes in the Critic’s Choice Movie Awards to count (except for A Separation for best foreign film, but who didn’t think that would win?) by engaging in therapy via multiplex. Unfortunately, it’s January, and his only choices were Marky Mark and the Smuggling Bunch or Queen Latifah going mano-y-mano with the robot Dolly Parton. He opts for the action film, but he may have also fallen asleep during it. How soon until good movies are released again?

Want to hear what Kevin has to say on the Fat Guys at the Movies podcast? Click here to listen as Kevin is joined by Tim Buel from The Golden Briefcase to chat about the new movies of the week and what films should get a 3D conversion.

CONTRABAND
Studio: Universal

Rated: R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug use

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi and Diego Luna

Directed by: Baltasar Kormákur

What it’s about: Mark Wahlberg plays Chris Farraday, a smuggler who has gone legit and is getting his life in order. However, his brother-in-law is still smuggling and ends up dumping a shipment of cocaine when the Coast Guard gets too close. The drug dealers demand payment and threaten Chris’s family, so he plans one final job to pay the debt.

What makes the grade: Had Contraband shown up as a DVD or Blu-ray to review buried among other straight-to-video releases, it might have been somewhat impressive. There is a certain level of production value and casting that help it rise above a standard direct-to-DVD movie. Unfortunately, this was released in theaters, so it’s left to compete with the big boys.

In the film’s defense, it has some decent action elements, including guns blazing and vehicles blowing up. But then again, so did Colombiana, and that was a real stinker of a film.

What fails: Even though Contraband rises above your standard direct-to-DVD action release, it doesn’t do so by much. Part of the problem is that the hero is stuck on a ship for half the film, limiting what little action we can actually see. At times – especially as we near the end of the movie – it tries to present itself as a gritty smuggling version of Oceans Eleven. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the cast or the charisma to pull that off.

Part of the film is the suspense that is supposed to be felt as you watch Farraday’s wife (phoned in by Kate Beckinsale) and kids in danger from the local drug dealers. However, we are never really given any reason to like the wife aside from the fact that she’s pretty (it is Kate Beckinsale, after all) and she likes to make out with her husband during other people’s weddings. Sadly, she’s a weak-willed, unprepared idiot of a character who can’t put anything together to figure out what’s really going on. And her kids are brats, too.

In the end, Contraband isn’t terrible, rather utterly forgettable. And there really wasn’t much potential there anyway. We’ve seen all this before, though often executed better.

Who is gonna like this movie: Action junkies looking for a quick fix before the winter shoot-em-ups start.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D
Studio: Disney

Rated: G

Starring: Paige O’Hara, Richard White, Robby Benson, Jerry Orbach and David Ogden Stiers

Directed by: Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

What it’s about: Disney’s classic animated film about a young woman held prisoner in a castle by a beast with whom she falls in love comes back to theaters for a limited time, presented in 3D.

What makes the grade: Quite simply, this is my favorite ink-and-paint animated film from the Disney vault. It also earned the distinction of being the only animated film to be nominated for Best Picture when there were only five nominees (which also pre-dated the Best Animated Film category). Made in the middle of Disney’s 90s Renaissance, which also included The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and The Lion King, this is a fantastic film no matter what format it’s presented in – theatrical, 3D, VHS, DVD or Blu-ray.

The music is perfect for the film, composed and written by the powerhouse team of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman before the latter died too young. The voice cast is also perfect, before it became popular for well-known celebrities to lend their voices to these productions. Instead of being saddled with too many recognizable names, the characters were cast for their voice acting abilities and appropriate fit.

But beyond all the technical brilliance, beautiful animation and other aforementioned elements, Beauty and the Beast works because its story and characters are smoothly crafted and presented with care. It’s a story that people of any age can relate to, whether its the aspects of love and honor or the fear of being trapped. One of the greatest love stories Disney has committed to screen, Beauty and the Beast is a wonderful movie that transcends generations.

What fails: There’s really nothing that bothers me about the production itself. However, I do question the need for a theatrical 3D release. As much as I love the 3D format, it seems silly to put this in theaters when the 3D Blu-ray has been available since the beginning of October. This seems more of a cash grab for the Mouse House after The Lion King 3D tore up the box office in September.

A friend of mine once said to never underestimate Disney’s ability to cash in on something, but we shall see if audience will pay the money to see the 3D version with the only added bonus being a new short with the characters from Tangled.

Who is gonna like this movie: Pretty much everyone.

One big action release on DVD and Blu-ray this week features Jason Statham, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen and Clive Owen’s mustache. The film Killer Elite is based on a true story about a secret agency that arranged assassinations in the early 80s. It also features a lot of 80s porno-era facial hair, which should be a treat for everyone.

While the film misses the chance to have Jason Statham and Clive Owen have a street race to see whether the Transporter or BMW’s The Driver is better behind the wheel, but at least it gives “tough guy” movie fans a chance to see some icons together on the same screen. For everyone else, it offers a great chance to participate in a drinking game.

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and mess with Clive Owen or his ‘stache.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• A car is damaged
• Someone is killed
• There’s a flashback
• People have a secret meeting

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• An explosion
• A photograph
• A title on the screen
• A close-up on a cigarette or a close shot of someone smoking

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “SAS”
• “kiddo”
• “sheikh”
• The name of a city or country

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• Someone is hit by a car or truck

Click here for more Drinking Games

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr looks at his list of New Year’s resolutions. However, since he was a little drunk when he wrote them and his handwriting is sloppy, he thinks it reads to “exorcise more” instead of “exercise more.” So, he hops a plane to Rome and sneaks out to the theater late at night to check out the latest first-of-the-year release, The Devil Inside. After waking up from a quick nap in the theater as a result, Kevin heads back to the states to catch some last-minute award films in limited release.

Want to hear what Kevin has to say on the Fat Guys at the Movies podcast? Click here to listen as Kevin is joined by Rudie Obias from The AuteurCast and ShockYa to bemoan the January release.

THE DEVIL INSIDE
Studio: Paramount Insurge

Rated: R for disturbing violent content and grisly images, and for language including some sexual references

Starring: Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth, Ionut Grama and Suzan Crowley

Directed by: William Brent Bell

What it’s about: In 1989, a woman killed three members of the Catholic clergy who were giving her an exorcism. Years later, she was taken to Rome to be institutionalized. In 2009, her daughter tries to determine if she is in fact possessed and needs another exorcism.

What makes the grade: Not much. In situations like this, I often say, “Well, at least it was in focus.” Unfortunately, this movie isn’t. I like a good exorcism movie (like the original The Exorcist) now and then. Heck, I like a lame exorcism movie (like last year’s January release The Rite) now and then. But I never like a bad exorcism movie (like this one).

What fails: It’s clear that Paramount is trying to recreate the lightning in a bottle that resulted from the Parnormal Activity franchise with this new found footage film. Not only is this genre getting tedious and overwrought, The Devil Inside doesn’t even strive for any sort of cinéma vérité realism.

The bulk of the film takes place in Rome, but few people actually speak Italian, rather they use bad Italian accents and speak English. There’s a scene where a teenage girl has been possessed for some time, contorting and writhing under the demon’s influence, yet she has immaculately shaved arm pits. The priests involved tend to be real exorcists, but they just stand around the body screaming and pressing religious objects to her head.

Then there’s the filmmaking style, which is supposedly shot by an experience documentary filmmaker. However, even though he has a steady rig set up, the picture wobbles more than behind-the-scenes footage shot by Disney Channel stars with a FlipCam. Making things even more nauseating, the camera zooms in and out constantly, going in and out of focus every few seconds.

Finally, there’s the ending, which is quickly become notorious for being booed by audiences around the country, not because it’s offensive or upsetting but because it’s so weak. I won’t spoil anything for you masochists out there who want to experience it for themselves, but it’s a stinker, let me tell you.

Who is gonna like this movie: People who never have seen a good exorcism movie and don’t mind a terrible ending.

THE IRON LADY
Studio: The Weinstein Company

Rated: PG-13 for some violent images and brief nudity

Starring: Meryl Streep, Harry Lloyd, Richard E. Grant, Jim Broadbent and Anthony Head

Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd

What it’s about: Meryl Streep really wants an Oscar, so she plays Margaret Thatcher in this new biopic about her life from a young politician to a fallen British leader.

What makes the grade: Each award season, there’s a rash of films that serve little purpose beyond being an acting spotlight for a star. The best example from recent years that comes to mind is A Single Man, which wasn’t a bad flick but clearly made so Colin Firth would have a chance at winning an Oscar.

Similarly, The Iron Lady exists to get some awards and accolades for Meryl Streep. As expected, her performance as Margaret Thatcher is quite good, and she manages the difficult task of not making her a caricature. So kudos to Streep for playing the role well. I suppose those interested in Thatcher’s life will enjoy this film quite a bit.

What fails: However, the rest of the film seems rather pointless to me. Considering the fact that the BBC recently aired The Rise and Fall of Margaret Thatcher which examines this lady’s life in greater detail and more cohesion, the movie seems unnecessary.

Anyone unfamiliar with the day-to-day working of British government or the historical context behind Thatcher’s reign might find much of the film obtuse and hard to follow. Additionally, a certain amount of pre-knowledge is needed to know who is who in the Thatcher family. So big, dumb Americans like myself might be a little lost or bored.

Oh, and it also inspired a political ad for Michele Bachmann in the Republican primaries. That can’t be good.

Who is gonna like this movie: Fans of Meryl Streep and those who know the historical context.

PARIAH
Studio: Focus Features

Rated: R for sexual content and language

Starring: Kim Wayans, Stephanie Andujar, Nina Daniels, Aasha Davis and Charles Parnell

Directed by: Dee Rees

What it’s about: Alike is a high school girl in Brooklyn struggling with the understanding that she is a lesbian. Facing discrimination at school, casual sexual encounters and reject from her parents, she has to come to terms with her own identity.

What makes the grade: A forgotten little film that got buried during the award season push, Pariah is a honest and frank portrayal of identity and sexuality. It does not fetishize lesbians (which is often the case in Hollywood), but rather shows how someone comes to terms with herself.

Not being a woman, lesbian or poor African American living in Brooklyn, there was little that I can relate to in this movie, but its triumph is getting someone like me to find a certain connection the with character. It’s not a perfect film, but it opens up some issues that are otherwise ignored by an industry that thinks it’s so progressive but is really quite stuffy and hung up.

What fails: The biggest hurdle Pariah has is the aforementioned problem it has at times connecting completely with an audience. It’s made about and for a very narrow segment of society, which will limit is exposure, I’m sure. That’s not necessarily a complaint about the film but rather an observation about why you haven’t heard much about this movie before now.

Also, I question certain aspects of this movie, particularly how easy it is to find lesbians trolling around the Fort Green area of Brooklyn. After all, while Alike has consistent trouble finding anyone to relate to in her neighborhood, she runs into lesbians all over the place. Correct me if I’m wrong on this one. Like I said before, I’m not a woman, lesbian or poor African American living in Brooklyn.

Finally, as realistic and heartbreaking it is to see the outright rejection from the family, Pariah does lay things on a bit thick, threatening at times to become a caricature of itself.

Who is gonna like this movie: Fans of the micro-budget, urban character study.

Watching Contagion on Blu-ray or DVD gives you a sense of security because you won’t be terrified every time someone in the movie theater coughs. And that sense of security can be helped by knocking back a few beers or glasses of wine while watching the movie. Just get your flu shot first.

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and don’t have sex with Gwyneth Paltrow, whether she’s been on an international trip or not.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• Someone dies
• Someone coughs
• Someone touches his or her face
• The plot is furthered by general narration

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• Mucous
• A title on screen
• A biohazard symbol
• A disease transfer point

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “forsythia”
• A disease name
• A country’s name
• “virus,” “vaccine” or “vaccinate”

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• You learn the origin of MEV-1

Click here for more Drinking Games

Forget in-depth characters and brilliant acting. Final Destination 5 delivers on some creative kills and one hell of a disaster sequence in the beginning. If you like the series, there are some good things in there to toast…much more than the last film, at least.

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and don’t try to cheat death.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• Someone dies
• The lights dim as “death” arrives
• There’s a call-back to one of the previous four films
• You think you know how someone is going to die, but they end up dying differently

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• A cell phone
• Foreshadowing
• Blood on a finger
• The “Presage” logo

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “death”
• “bridge”
• A swear word
• A person’s name

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• The bridge collapses

Click here for more Drinking Games

Want to hear what Kevin has to say on the Fat Guys at the Movies podcast? Click here to listen as Kevin is joined by Mel Valentin from eFilmCritic and SFStation.com to talk about the multitude of movies.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
Studio: Paramount

Rated: PG for adventure action violence, some drunkeness and brief smoking

Starring: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

What it’s about: This adaptation of the classic Belgian comic book sees a young reporter named Tintin stumble across a clue to a lost treasure in a model ship. Along with his trusty dog Snowy, Tintin helps a drunken sea captain find a link to his past to solve the mystery.

What makes the grade: Growing up in the 70s and 80s, Steven Spielberg’s adventure films were just as influential on me as the Star Wars saga was. A movie like The Adventures of Tintin is a throwback to classic Spielberg, featuring a sweeping story that crosses oceans and deserts. Offering a feeling of a young Indiana Jones, this movie tapped into the joy I felt as a child watching Spielberg’s films.

This is also a first step for the director into motion capture, full CGI animation and 3D. For the most part, the imagery of the film is solid, crawling out of that uncanny valley that Robert Zemeckis was always stuck in. Watching master directors like Spielberg (and Scorsese a month ago with Hugo) tackle the 3D world is great as well, giving some hope for the stagnating process.

It’s not a terribly complex story, and the characters are rather simple (since they are based on comics from the 20s, after all), but The Adventures of Tintin is easy family fun.

What fails: Although the film doesn’t last too long and doesn’t quite overstay its welcome, it’s keystone action sequence falls near the end rather than at the end. I know Spielberg was saddled with the original story from the Tintin comics, but the finale of the film seems just a bit anticlimactic.

Who is gonna like this movie: Kids and family, and anyone who enjoys classic Spielberg adventures.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Studio:20the Century Fox

Rated: R for brutal violent content including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, and language

Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Robin Wright and Stellan Skarsgård

Directed by: David Fincher

What it’s about: Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is embroiled in a scandal at his paper, so he takes a freelance assignment to investigate a murder mystery from half a century ago. Looking into the rich and smarmy family of a girl who went missing in the 60s, Blomkvist utilizes the help of Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), who is an expert hacker with a sordid and dangerous past.

What makes the grade: I never read the original Swedish book, but like any good film buff, I did check out the 2009 Swedish-language film. From what I can tell, the story and presentation is pretty much the same, though there are some clear liberties taken at times. But director David Fincher kicks his game up a notch from what I considered his lesser recent films of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Social Network.

Like Fincher’s Zodiac and Se7en, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is expertly made on all levels. It’s got gorgeous cinematography and excellent production design. The acting is fantastic, with Rooney Mara giving a daring and worthy take on the title character.

Edgy and raw, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a gripping, unflinching adaptation that hits the audience hard and rarely lets up on the suspense.

What fails: While this didn’t bother me, I suppose some folks will be deterred by the two-and-a-half hour running time. The mystery gets wrapped up long before the final credits, and the dénouement (which I understand is taken more directly from the book than its Swedish counterpart) runs a bit long. I enjoyed it, though, because it delves into a darker place with the characters, delivering on the advertising promise for a real feel-bad movie this Christmas season.

Who is gonna like this movie: Fincher fans and people who like dark mysteries.

WAR HORSE
Studio: DreamWorks

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence

Starring: Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup and Tom Hiddleston

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

What it’s about: On the eve of World War I in England, a young boy working on a farm gets a horse for work, and he bonds with the animal. However, when war breaks out, the horse is taken to serve Great Britain. Over the next several years, we follow the horse against the backdrop of World War I.

What makes the grade: Just as The Adventures of Tintin is very typical of Steven Spielberg’s adventure films, War Horse is very typical of Spielberg’s sweeping dramatic epics. If you’re not into this sort of thing, you’ll get fiercely annoyed at all the buttons it pushes during its two-and-a-half hour running time.

However, if you’re game for that sort of thing, War Horse is a fantastic film. Don’t be fooled by the soft trailers. While they’re not inaccurate to the flavor of the film, they don’t give the depth of emotion and scope that the movie has.

The cinematography is downright gorgeous, and the epic feel of the film is inspiring and heartwarming, which is quite a feat for what amounts to a standard war picture. It’s a crowd-pleaser and a button pusher, and it’s no big surprise that it’s gobbling up nominations. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb to say while it may not be the best movie of 2011, it’s the one to beat for the Best Picture Oscar come February.

What fails: When I saw the trailers and the running time, I though this film would be a bore, but it was surprisingly well paced. However, if you’re not into the Spielberg button-pushers, you’ll end up hating the film by the end credits. In a strange way, War Horse may be one of the most divisive films for movie fans in 2011 simply because (like DreamWorks’ other award contender The Help), it is quite shameless in emotionally manipulating the audience.

Who is gonna like this movie: Anyone who likes the sweeping war epic.

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
Studio: Warner Bros.

Rated: PG-13 for emotional thematic material, some disturbing images, and language

Starring: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, John Goodman and Max von Sydow

Directed by: Stephen Daldry

What it’s about: A unique child tries to make sense of the death of his father, who was in the World Trade Center when it collapsed. When he discovers a key in his father’s closet, he begins a search through New York City for what he hopes is a message for him.

What makes the grade: Like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I’ve not read the original book for this movie, but I hear it’s a well-written book that would be almost impossible to adapt. Knowing that as I watched the film, I was a bit more forgiving. I definitely got where the film was going and what it was trying to accomplish, and in this sense, it does present the grief, emotion and confusion that the entire country felt on 9/11.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is as much a button pusher as any of the other films releasing this week. It relies (wildly unrealistically, I might add) on the joy of the human spirit and the general beauty of life. The pacing of the film works surprisingly well for how disjointed it is as a story. If you get wrapped up in the emotional empathy with on-screen characters, it’ll really work for you.

What fails: My biggest hurdle to get over with Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is its tired and cliched use of a child with Asperger’s Syndrome. This has become a crutch of writers to approach a story from a different angle, and we see it all over the place now, especially in television series (see shows like Parenthood, Flash Forward, Community, Alphas and even a bit part in Grey’s Anatomy). Get a new plot device, writers, ‘cause it’s getting old.

With that said, the film has some flow problems and gets too literal at times with the child’s narration, telling the audience what they should be thinking rather than letting them draw their own conclusions.

Finally, as emotionally manipulative as the film is, the coincidences presented in the picture were too much for me, leaving me rolling my eyes rather than dabbing them with tissues.

Who is gonna like this movie: People who get wrapped up in the raw emotion of a film.

ALBERT NOBBS
Studio: Roadside Attractions

Rated: R for some sexuality, brief nudity and language

Starring: Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Brendan Gleeson

Directed by: Rodrigo García

What it’s about: Glenn Close plays a woman who has been masquerading as a man for thirty years in order to remain employed in Ireland at the end of the 19th century. She slowly comes to a realization that she is not fully happy and hopes to change things.

What makes the grade: There were aspects of this film that I really did enjoy. It was different enough to transcend the standard BBC-style drama, giving it an Upstairs, Downstairs, Wuuuuuut? feel to it. It’s well acted in an underplayed way, and Close does manage to pull some empathy from the audience.

The first half is stronger, as we discover Nobbs’ true identity and his motivations are discovered. It also shows a sad look at employment in turn-of-the-century Ireland, which strangely mirrors some struggles people go through today.

What fails: While Close’s acting is solid, the make-up and presentation of Albert Nobbs strangely puts her in the uncanny valley even though there’s no computer-generated characters. At least Close pulls off mannish far better than her co-star Janet McTeer, who looks more like an uncomfortably-dressed woman than the older female characters in the movie.

The second half of the film meanders a bit, story-wise. It attempts some interesting things, but the payoff is understated and flat, making it a better starter than finisher.

Who is gonna like this movie: Anyone looking for that award season acting spotlight.

THE ARTIST
Studio: The Weinstein Company

Rated: PG-13 for a disturbing image and a crude gesture

Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, James Cromwell, Missi Pyle and John Goodman

Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius

What it’s about: The era of silent Hollywood is celebrated in this film about a movie star threatened by the onset of the “talkies.” When a young ingenue that he discovers becomes a new movie star for the sound era, he struggles to find a place in the new Hollywood.

What makes the grade: By now, everyone’s heard of this darling silent French film shot in black-and-white. It’s a wildly unlikely entry into award season, but it’s definitely worthy of the accolades it’s getting.

The Artist isn’t trying to break down barriers or send a deep message. It’s ultimately a charming, loveable film that is fun to watch. Using crisp cinematography that emulates early Hollywood pictures, The Artist manages to look and feel very much like a movie made during this time.

Like Hugo, this film gives a very narcissistic industry a chance to fawn over itself, which is the best thing it’s got going for it as we move deeper into award season.

What fails: The movie goes off the rails a bit in the third act, and it stoops to some silliness, though this can be forgivable considering the era it is exploring. The film also runs a tad long, especially since the movies of this time tended to run about 70 minutes, which shows the film’s modern hand a bit too much.

Who is gonna like this movie: Fans of silent cinema.

So to get into the Christmas spirit in the last couple days before the fat guy in the red suit comes barreling down your chimney, let’s look at a classic. If you recorded A Charlie Brown Christmas a few weeks back, or if you have the copy of the DVD or Blu-ray, here’s a chance to toast that bald kid whom nobody likes.

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and don’t kiss a dog lest you get dog germs.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• Singing starts
• Lucy makes a fist
• The kids – or Snoopy – dances
• Someone leans his or her head back and yells

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• Snoopy’s dog house
• A green Christmas tree
• A new Peanuts character
• A cloud of dust erupt from Pig Pen

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “Christmas”
• “Charlie Brown”
• “commercial” or “commercialism”
• “phobia” or anything that ends in “-obia”

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• Linus tells us the true meaning of Christmas

Click here for more Drinking Games

The holidays are a time for families, gift-giving, and general peace on Earth. Unfortunately, it’s also a time of high crime rates, robberies, and evil-doers who take advantage of the innocent. With all the money being spent at the malls, and how often people leave their own homes during the holidays, these safe havens are often a target for prowlers. Just ask the Wet Bandits, who ran a mostly-successful crime spree in Chicago in the early 1990s, before they were thwarted by eight-year-old Kevin McCallister.

However, times are tough, and the economy still isn’t what it should be. Not everyone can afford a new-fangled security system…or even an old-fangled security system that the McCallisters should have had on their home in 1990. There are still plenty of ways to protect your home from prowlers this year, using found items, and a dose of cleverness.

1. Take precautions

Just because someone shows up at your house wearing a policeman’s uniform does not mean that guy is a real policeman. So much can be prevented by not disclosing your entire vacation schedule and home security system to this potential robber…especially if your plan to protect your home is to keep the lights on a timer and simply lock the doors. Oh, and be extra-cautious if the cop has a gold tooth because Hollywood teaches us that only bad guys and pirates have those.

2. Exercise your second amendment right

Even if you live in a town where firearms are forbidden, it always helps to keep a pump-action BB gun lying around as your first line of defense against robbers, action figures and spatulas.

3. Stock up on firecrackers and old gangster films

If the BB gun fails, bring out the big guns…or at least the appearance of big guns. Get your grubby paws on an old copy of the classic gangster film Angels with Filthy Souls and play the assassination sequences on a loop. Add a dose of realism to the event by setting off firecrackers in a soup pan so would-be intruders will think they’re actually being shot at.

4. Fight fire with fire…and ice

Any military expert will tell you the best way to protect a fortress is to establish a perimeter and defend it. Prevent crooks from breaching your perimeter by icing the stairs and heating the doorknobs. If they manage to get past these, a well-placed blowtorch aimed at head-level should send them running…if they’re smart.

5. Lay traps with sharp objects

The average suburban home is an arsenal of dangerous objects. You don’t need knives, blades, and saws (though those can help in a pinch as well). Simple things like glass Christmas ornaments under the window or heavy-duty nails poking out of the stairs will do the trick. Of course, this only works if you can convince the intruders to take off their shoes first, so coat the first four or five stairs in your cellar with tar. This will cause both shoes and socks to stick fast, leaving the intruder barefoot and vulnerable.

6. Deploy heavy objects

If the intruders manage to breach your perimeter and make it into the house, it’s time to bring the blunt pain. Heavy objects like steam irons and paint cans make ideal projectiles to crack a few skulls.

7. Utilize nature

Some folks keep a family dog as both a pet and a security system, and that will work. But if you don’t want to deal with midnight walks and puddles on the carpet, invest in some creepy crawly creatures to tap into the phobias of your enemy. Kevin McCallister used a tarantula, but snakes, rats. and Madagascar hissing cockroaches are always other options.

8. Engage in psychological warfare

No military objective is entirely successful without undermining the morale of your enemy. Psychological warfare is an essential element in battle, and it can be employed in the protection of your house during the holidays. Whether this involves tarring and feathering any intruders or laying out some toy cars so they fall on their asses, you can reduce them to a deep state of emotional distress.

9. Always have an exit strategy

Any good horror movie demonstrates what a terrible idea it is to always run upstairs for safety. As advantageous as the higher ground can be on a battlefield, it can leave you trapped and exposed in a house or other building. So, if you retreat to the attic or the roof, always have an escape route planned, such as a zip line made of braided rope and old bicycle handlebars. This is particularly effective because once you escape, you can scorch the route by cutting the line, preferably when your enemy is trying to use it to catch you.

Gird your loins and learn more violent holiday tactics with the rest of the entries in our 2011 Holiday Survival Guide.

Want to hear what Kevin has to say on the Fat Guys at the Movies podcast? Click here to listen as Kevin gets chip-faced with Grae Drake from CNN, Movies.com and the Popcorn Mafia.

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS
Studio: Warner Bros.

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong and Eddie Marsan

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

What it’s about: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson return in this sequel to the 2009 hit. Again directed by Guy Ritchie, this film sees Holmes and Watson trying to solve a mystery that involves the notorious Dr. Moriarty trying to take over a portion of the European economy.

What makes the grade: It’s not too common to find a movie that has been made in the same tone and spirit of the original film. And while Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows doesn’t quite take itself as seriously as the first film, it pretty much delivers the same kind of movie. And the lighter tone makes it a little more fun.

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have fantastic chemistry, and they play around a little more with this movie. It’s thoroughly enjoyable if you like the sort of pop action delivery that Ritchie is known for. There are some fantastic action sequences, including a brisk bullet-time chase in the woods.

What fails: While all the same elements that made the first film fun are in this new movie, all of the pitfalls are as well. This includes the fact that the plot becomes needlessly convoluted at times, especially considering how simple the story really is. And, of course, fans of the original Sherlock Holmes books will still turn their noses up at the more goofy and obnoxious version in these films.

Finally, as awesome as it is to see Moriarty in this film, we don’t get the payoff as quickly as I’d like. There are a couple good tete-a-tetes with Moriarty and Holmes, but they come rather late in the game.

Who is gonna like this movie: Anyone who thoroughly enjoyed the first film.

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED
Studio:20the Century Fox

Rated: G

Starring: Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, Justin Long and Matthew Gray Gubler

Directed by: Mike Mitchell

What it’s about: Dave Saville takes the Chipmunks and the Chipettes on a tropical cruise for a vacation. However, bickering and mischief cause them to fly overboard on a kite, with Dave trying to catch them in a hang glider. All of them are then stranded on a desert island which they have to escape before a volcano explodes and destroys everything above water.

What makes the grade: Anyone who knows me knows that I have a certain affinity to the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies. Sure, they’re just kids movies, but as a parent, I enjoy watching them with the family and enjoying their reactions. This sequel includes a lot of the cuteness that worked in the first two films. Plus, the chipmunked songs on the soundtrack are pretty cute.

This movie is proudly G rated, aiming for the kiddies in the audience and offering a merciful 85-minute running time for the grown ups.

What fails: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked reeks of an excuse to have a sequel. The first act is nothing more than an unabashed advertising campaign for Carnival Cruise Lines, offering very little plot of logic. Between Chipette dance offs and Alvin trying to pick up ladies at the craps table, it’s a mess of a film.

The second act isn’t much better, featuring nonsensical plot twists and far too many Castaway jokes (which were excruciatingly old when that Super Bowl commercial aired four or five years after the movie came out). The ending of the film comes together better than the beginning, but it is too little too late.

Who is gonna like this movie: Kids who still like going to G-rated movies.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL
Studio: Paramount

Rated: PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence

Starring: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton and Josh Holloway

Directed by: Brad Bird

What it’s about: Pixar director Brad Bird takes a stab at live-action thrills in the fourth Mission: Impossible movie. Ethan Hunt and his team are disavowed after a bombing at the Kremlin, and they must go rogue to uncover a plot to start a nuclear holocaust.

What makes the grade: Not only was Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol a surprisingly fun movie, it is easily the best action movie of 2011. Forget Fast Five and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. This movie makes more sense, has more non-stop action and features more than just fast cars and robots blowing shit up.

The story is really pretty simple, giving us a throwback to the 80s Cold War thrillers. It’s never hard to follow (unlike some of those aforementioned action films or its main competition at the box office this weekend), and the cast works well together. There’s enough humor, but it’s also riddled with amazing action moments that hit hard and fast.

This week, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is in an exclusive IMAX run, paired up with the IMAX prologue to The Dark Knight Rises. Like The Dark Knight, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol has gorgeous IMAX footage that makes it worth the extra scratch on the ticket price. If you wait until next week and see it in a standard screen, you’re missing out.

What fails: Nothing. This is a near-perfect action movie.

Who is gonna like this movie: Hopefully everyone.

YOUNG ADULT
Studio: Paramount

Rated: R for language and some sexual content

Starring: Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Patton Oswalt and Elizabeth Reaser

Directed by: Jason Reitman

What it’s about: Charlize Theron stars as a writer of teen literature who decides to head back to her home town to try and land her high school sweetheart, who just had a daughter.

What makes the grade: I’ll admit that there are some laughable moments in this movie, though I would hardly call it a comedy (even if the studio and the filmmakers would). Patton Oswalt steals much of his scenes from Theron, playing the voice of reason to her insanities. The film isn’t terrible, but it didn’t leave much of an impact on me either way, really.

What fails: The wretchedness of Theron’s character is point of this movie, and I’m okay with wretched characters. However, there has to be something for me to connect with emotionally. Theron’s character isn’t the only awful person in the mix. This film is populated with horrible people, or at the very least stupid people who make horrible decisions.

There are several points in this film where it could have really gone dark, but it pulls its punches. And there’s no growth in the character… only acceptance of her own wretchedness. I didn’t hate Young Adult, but I couldn’t connect with it, no matter how hard I tried. It was the quintessential “meh” movie for me, and that’s worse than being a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad film.

Who is gonna like this movie: People who like to see wretched characters making awful decisions.

CARNAGE
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Rated: R for language

Starring: Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly

Directed by: Roman Polanski

What it’s about: Two married couples meet to reconcile a fight between their sons, which left one of them seriously injured. As they try to remain civil, tempers flare, and more fighting results.

What makes the grade: As a parent in the modern age, I am constantly faced with people who try to be overly civilized. There is a time for mediation and calm approaches, but the pop psychology garbage of talking everything out can be a little silly sometimes.

Carnage shows, albeit in a somewhat contrived fashion, where civility can break down when honesty comes into play. It’s also a very funny movie, presenting some hilariously real reactions among the parents in the room. Add the fact that the actors doing this little dance of crumbling civility are top-notch and deliver at every level.

What fails: This is based on a play, and like most films that are based strictly from one-room plays, the dialogue can seem rather stilted. It also tries to bite off more than it can chew trying to justify its already scant 79-minute running time. I suppose were this a 40-minute movie, it would have been absolutely brilliant.

Who is gonna like this movie: People who like dark comedy and get annoyed with the over-intellectualization of parenting.

In honor of its 20th anniversary, Disney has released the film for the first time on Blu-ray. Fans of The Rocketeer will recognize the fact that the rocket pack is powered by alcohol. What a coincidence… so is this column. Take a few drinks from your own rocket pack and enjoy this classic adventure in high definition.

And now, to cover our butts… This game is only for people over the age of 21. Please drink responsibly, and don’t try flying a rocket pack without a helmet and chewing gum.

TAKE A DRINK WHEN…

• Someone is hit
• Someone gets shot
• The rocket pack ignites
• A plane takes off or lands

TAKE A DRINK WHEN YOU SEE…

• A swastika
• An explosion
• Chewing gum
• A picture of Jenny

TAKE A DRINK WHEN SOMEONE SAYS…

• “feds”
• “Jenny”
• “Peevy” or “Peev”
• “rocket” or “Rocketeer”

CHUG YOUR DRINK WHEN…

• You watch an evil cartoon

Click here for more Drinking Games

You’ve seen Michael Shannon before. Many times before. Similar to screen veterans Chris Cooper or Dylan Baker, Shannon is one of those actors who has had an extended career in front of the camera long before anyone really took notice of him. Even though he has been in films since the early 90s, he gained a strong national presence in 2009 with an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Revolutionary Road.

Shannon is getting more attention now with the independent hit Take Shelter, playing a man named Curtis who starts having apocalyptic visions, leading him to build an underground shelter to protect his family. With Take Shelter in limited release and acting award buzz building, Shannon took part of his lunch break from his “super” schedule to chat with Film School Rejects about his career and what he hopes will happen with this stand-out independent film.

We’ll jump right in. First question: Is this going to be the year of Michael Shannon?

Shannon: Oh geez. Which year? 2011?

It spills over into 2012. There’s a lot of good buzz for Take Shelter. What do you think?

Well, I have to be honest. I love my film Take Shelter. It means a lot to me. I really just hope and pray that as many people as possible go to see it. As much as any of this can help, that’s what I’m shooting for.

After you made this, your co-star Jessica Chastain’s career blew up. Did you see this coming, and do you have any bets going as to who will get more nominations?

Oh, gee. Well, we knew that Jessica was going to have a big year with all her films coming out. She was very excited about it. But we’re both kinda bashful about that kind of thing, I think. When we were making the film, it was a real nuts and bolts kind of affair. It was a very low budget film. There weren’t any fancy trailers or anything. We were just showing up and doing our job, doing the best we could. Yeah, I don’t think it’s in either one of our natures to toot our own horns. We just like to work.

Do you prefer small independent productions like this, or the big explosive ones? I mean, do you like those big, fancy trailers, or do you like sleeping in a motel?

They’re all different. I’m working on something right now that’s very big, and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it. I think the way that we shot Take Shelter, the budget that we had, really suited the film. If we would have had a bigger budget, it may not have benefited us necessarily. There’s something about how fast we had to work and how hard we had to work that I really feel brought the film to a different level.

Does it bother you that a film in limited release doesn’t get seen by as wide of an audience, as opposed to when Man of Steel comes out, it will be all over the world at the same time? Or do you like that slow burn of a limited release over several weeks?

I think Sony Pictures Classics was very smart about how they’ve done it. For me, as long as the film’s playing in a theater, people can go see it. It doesn’t need to be in 50 theaters because there’s no screening that’s totally sold out. There’s always a seat for anybody who wants to go see it. I don’t think people are getting turned away. It’s just more a matter of people taking a chance on something that is not guaranteed instant gratification or instant entertainment. Take Shelter’s obviously a difficult film. It raises a lot of serious questions and issues. I just hope people have the courage to go and check it out.

How strong of a role does religion play in Take Shelter?

I think it plays on so many different levels. I definitely think there’s a spiritual level to the story. Although it’s interesting though because Curtis doesn’t go to church and avoids that. But I think that he is looking for something spiritually. Because the reaction that he’s having to nature is very understandable if you believe that there’s no one in charge of it.

If you don’t believe in a god or any sort of organizing principle, then nature becomes a very arbitrary thing. These storms that are happening, they’re not evil or ill-intentioned. They’re just a manifestation of something that nobody is really looking after. They become very random, and so I think that’s one of the main reasons that religion exists, to help people deal with how random life is and how random nature can be.

You’ve done a wide variety of emotional characters – including Bug, The Runaways, Take Shelter and even Machine Gun Preacher – all of which go to some pretty tricky psychological places. How do you find your comfort zone to bare yourself like that?

Well, I never really focus on being crazy or being emotional or any of these things. I really focus on what a character wants or what a character’s trying to accomplish. Something like Take Shelter, Curtis is a very practical man. He’s not an overly emotional man at the start of the film. He’s fairly normal, and then he’s confronted with this situation that he doesn’t know how to cope with. But he tries everything that he knows of to do.

For me, I never show up on set thinking, “Oh, this is the day where I’m supposed to be emotional.” I show up and see what I’m trying to do and what’s happening to me, and focus on it from that. Just like people do in your life, you get side-swiped by things, you hit certain challenges and certain obstacles, and you do your best to overcome them. I look at it from that context, really.

Do you carry that emotional burden home with you? Can you detach from it?

Well, I think if you’ve accomplished your objective, there’s been a certain release of energy. I think if you’re going home with the energy still inside of you, then that’s a mistake because that was meant for the camera. It wasn’t meant for you to be sitting at home by yourself experiencing something. So you have to release it. You have to let it go, hopefully while someone’s filming you, and then the rest of the world can see it.

With your long career, in a couple years, people are going to be flipping through cable, run across something like Hellcab and say, “Hey! There’s General Zod!” Does that give you a sense of accomplishment as an actor?

Well, yeah. It’s funny you mentioned Hellcab because somebody brought that up to me the other day. I shot that when I was still in my teens or maybe my early 20s. It certainly gives you a sense of being on a long journey and yet you can never really prop yourself up on your past credits because nobody ever really cares when you’re at work. They want to see what you can do today, not what you did ten years ago. It’s a combination of having some appreciation for what you’ve accomplished, but also wanting to accomplish even more. I don’t feel like I’m anywhere near as good as I can be. I’m always trying to get better.

What do you want to do next after Take Shelter, Man of Steel and beyond?

Oh, gee. Well, it’s hard to know. I like to be surprised by what I’m offered and the opportunities that I receive. Right now, I’m looking forward to doing some theater next year, getting back and hitting the boards a little bit. But something like Take Shelter, even though it’s a very volatile story, it shows that I’m capable of being a father and a husband on screen. I don’t always have to be a loner. It’s hard for me to say because I just appreciate continuing to get any sort of opportunity. It’s hard to be picky about it because you never know when things might change.

Take Shelter, starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, is currently in release in selected markets.