Movie Reviews

Frank Masi/Universal Pictures

Review in a Hurry: With a roster of hotties—Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgård, and Rihanna—versus ginormous space crafts, Battleship is an alien invasion flick with too earnest dialogue and ear-splitting explosions. Yet, everything works: the special effects, the performances, the breakneck pace.

Score! A direct hit!

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Lionsgate/Melissa Moseley

Review in a Hurry: Inspired by Heidi Murkoff's mega-selling manual, uneven What to Expect profiles five couples whose lives are upended by pregnancy. What to expect when you're watching: attractive actors playing unrealistic characters, sitcom-y storylines with predictable outcomes and a heavy-handed family-values message. In other words, warmed-over baby formula.

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Paramount Pictures

Review in a Hurry: After months of Sacha Baron Cohen showing up as the character he plays in The Dictator—even ash-bombing Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet—the actual movie is here. The comedian's mix of politics and gross-out humor is funny, but the story is predictable and lacks bite. Did we ever need to see a Baron Cohen flick with a romance, even one with the always adorable Anna Faris?

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Warner Bros. Entertainment

Review in a Hurry: After 200 years in a casket, vampire Barnabas Collins awakens to the swinging 1970s. Unfortunately, the witch who cursed (and buried) him is also still around. Through Tim Burton and his go-to guy Johnny Depp, Dark Shadows is funny, atmospheric and filled with a terrific supporting cast, most notably Michelle Pfeiffer teaming up with Burton for the first time since she slipped into that skintight Catwoman suit.

While the script is a mess and the finale underwhelms, if you still dig the Depp/Burton combo does it really matter? What if you're a fan of the original ABC television show?

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Marvel/Disney Enterprises

Review in a Hurry: The Avengers surpasses huge expectations built up by the recent series of pretty great Marvel superhero movies. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and (best of all) The Hulk are recruited to save our tiny blue planet, and the ensuing action is, in a word, incredible.

With snappy writing and a full roster of fleshed-out characters, the whole thing is a smash, from start to finish.

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Relativity Media

Review in a Hurry:  Nevermore? Try never mind. The Raven does feature handsome production design and a promising premise—a 19th-century serial killer commits murders inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's stories (it's like Se7en for the literati crowd). But without narrative guts, this not-so-thrilling thriller proves a bloody disappointment.  

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Glen Wilson/Universal Studios

Review in a Hurry: Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are a pair of lovebirds whose journey to 'I do' lasts more than a couple of years—five to be exact. Segel's brand of unhinged mania is still funny. Rival couple Chris Pratt and Alison Brie are even funnier. And the dramatic stuff rings true. Still, from producer Judd Apatow (Bridesmaids), this is another overstuffed comedy that at nearly two hours can sometimes feel like all five of those years.

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Sony Pictures

Review in a Hurry: If you crave an animated adventure that isn't dumbed down, this is for you—a pirate adventure in the spirit of Wallace and Gromit.

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John Baer/Lionsgate

Review in a Hurry: It's safe to say Safe star Jason Statham kicks butt—what's new, right? This formulaic but entertaining action flick, about an ex-cop who guards an orphaned girl from gangsters, packs a punch with high-adrenaline stunts and shoot-'em-ups. But try to dodge the silly plot. 

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Warner Bros.

Review in a Hurry: Zac Efron has fallen in love with Taylor Schilling before he's even met her! When they do finally meet in this adaptation of yet another best-selling Nicholas Sparks' novel, sparks fly. Too bad the story lets the young stars down, relying way too much on the villainy of a small-town bully and enough miscommunication for a whole season of Three's Company.

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