Movies This Week (7/13)

Another week where I have to write two weeks worth since I didn't get a chance to write last week. In this edition I cover Ratatouille (5/5), Live Free or Die Hard (4/5), Final Destination 3 (2.5/5), Transformers (4/5), The Sentinel (3.5/5), Ordinary People (3/5).

Ratatouille (Theater) - For me, this is the best movie from Pixar to date. Nearly flawless in execution, the film is a bit long for a children's movie and only feels awkward in a few scenes that last only a couple minutes. The rest of it is probably one of the best foodie movies ever made. Read my full review on Cooking For Engineers. (5/5)

Live Free or Die Hard (Theater) - The fourth Die Hard movie is a real treat for people who love action movies and crazy stunts. Bruce Willis reprises his role as John McClane, the wise cracking cop that always finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and slips easily into the role after a twelve year break. Die Hard 4 is fun to watch and lives up to the expectations of a summer action spectacle but comes up slightly short when compared to Die Hard With a Vengeance (Die Hard 3). In any case, it's a welcome beginning to the action movie season. (4/5)

Final Destination 3 (HD Cable) - This horror movie starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead (who plays McClane's daughter in Die Hard 4) has the same plot as it's prequels. Seven students manage to avoid an untimely death (this time because of a faulty roller coaster) but find themselves being killed of (rather spectacularly) in the order that they would have died on the coaster. The students who realize this try to prevent their deaths, but Death is pretty persistent. (2.5/5)

Transformers (Theater) - A really funny live-action adaptation of the beloved cartoon series. Shia LaBeouf is exceptional as Sam Witwicky (the movie's version of Spike Witwicky) who pretty much carries the film with his well executed lines of humor and physical acting. Megan Fox is exceptionally hot as eye candy for both Shia and the audience as she accompanies Shia as he discovers the Autobots and helps save the world from the Decepticons. The action is pretty much standard Michael Bay (think: a mix of the style of The Rock, Bad Boys, and Armageddon) and the plot is full of holes. But that's not why you go to see a movie like Transformers; it's all about the special effects, action, and Transformers. (4/5)

The Sentinel (HD Cable) - Two Secret Service agents with a dislike of each other (Michael Douglas and Keifer Sutherland) have to save the U.S. President from an assassination attempt. The twist? One of them may be the mole inside the Secret Service. If you haven't seen the trailer for this movie, it's pretty decent. (3.5/5)

Ordinary People (DVD) - Robert Redford's Academy Award winning (4 awards in fact) about the disintegration of a family after the loss of one son to a boating accident and the attempted suicide of the other son who is consumed by guilt. The movie follows the surviving son (played by Timothy Hutton) as he tries to continue with his life. The performances are solid and the movie is fairly emotional. I found the movie a bit too melancholy for my taste. (3.5/5)