When the prospect of creating a 21st century remake of Alice in Wonderland to compliment the 1951 classic arose in Tinseltown, it’s doubtful anyone had to consult a sagacious blue caterpillar before unanimously agreeing upon Tim Burton to stand at the helm. With such titles as Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Big Fish under his ever-extending belt, it’s little wonder “Wonderland” would be fertile ground into which Burton could sow seeds of outlandish whimsy and quirky, often grim, imaginations. But lest you think you’ve seen all of Burton’s tantalizing tricks, follow him down the rabbit hole into a breathtaking world of masterful design, beauty, and innovation that gets “curiouser and curiouser” in the very best of ways. READ MORE

If Love, Actually is the Godiva chocolate of ensemble romantic comedies, Valentine’s Day is the big, bland, yet desirable candy heart proclaiming an uninspired hot pink message. Ridden with storylines as predictable as a “Roses are Red” poem, covered in syrupy clichés and filled with enough cleverly cast actors to stuff a bright red bear, this movie could easily have its heart broken at the box office. Lucky for the filmmakers and actors alike, Valentine’s Day audiences, in the mood for love and laughs and on the verge of a sugar coma, will likely forgive the flaws and focus on the positives – as all respectable lovers do. READ MORE

Who would have guessed all it took to slay box office's dragon (Avatar) would be a "Dear John" letter? Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum's Dear John–based on the Nicholas Sparks' novel–earned $32.4 million, knocking Avatar to No. 2 with $23.6 million. READ MORE

When buying a ticket to a movie with “Paris” in its title, filmgoers typically expect to see one of the most exquisite cities in the world captured by the most expensive cameras under the Hollywood sign. We expect grand aerial views of the Champs Elysees, the Louvre bathed in afternoon sunshine and the Eiffel Tower looming brilliantly in the night. This ironically named film takes a been there, done that approach to conveying the intoxicating beauty of Paris, and instead replaces the beloved cliché of Parisian romance with automatic weapons and the allure of lights along the Seine with automotive explosions. While this film is neither a tourist’s brochure for France’s capital nor a specimen for film historians to extol in years to come,  From Paris With Love is well worth your francs.

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Despite Hollywood’s recent attempts to inject the rom-com genre with a dose of pizzazz by showing off exotic locations, i.e., Alaska (The Proposal), Ireland (Leap Year), and now Rome, the flare of foreign places is simply not sufficient enough to keep the films afloat. All of the necessary ingredients for a foolproof, frothily fun romance are present in When in Rome: attractive couple, wacky, less attractive friends and sidekicks, and stubborn roadblocks in the way of a fairytale ending. However, the best recipes require time and attention, two components this film neglected to mix in – or even sprinkle on.

Kristin Bell is Beth, a hardworking curator at the Guggenheim Museum who, you guessed it, is disillusioned with love. When in Rome for her younger sister’s wedding, she is bewitched by a Prince Charming of a best man, Nick, played effortlessly by Josh Duhamel. The sparks bouncing between them just minutes into the movie may make one wonder what could possibly go wrong, but with three acts left to fill, a little magic is all it will take to muck things up for the pretty pair. READ MORE

Though very much a challenge of humanity’s understanding of God, Legion is a good action film. Starring Paul Bettany (A Knight’s Tale) in a brilliant performance as the angel Michael. With Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Charles Dutton and Lucas Black as mostly supporting cast members, Legion manages to both thrill and challenge while never really reaching its promise.

Paul Bettany is the Archangel Michael, instructed by God to destroy the unborn child destined to lead the world out of darkness, a darkness so profound that even God has lost faith. Michael refuses and takes up arms; his only purpose to find the child and defend him against the armies of heaven. Oddly, the armies of heaven consist of hordes of malformed demon-like angels, think George Romero only more attractive, and the angels are easily destroyed by heavy weaponry. READ MORE

Based approximately 30 years in the future, The Book of Eli envisions a world destroyed by a holy war. As a result, humans rid the world of all evidence of God, including each of the holy books. Only one is left in the possession of an anointed guardian played by Denzel Washington. That book is called The Book of Eli and Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the leader of a small surviving community, is desperately looking for it. His goal: to use the holy words to manipulate his followers. Eli must pass through the evil man’s territory in his journey to the west coast, a task he was assigned to by God, at least so he says.

In The Book of Eli, the Hughes brothers manage to mix the practical with the spiritual to make the film puzzling and yet strangely challenging. There’s a clever combination of gritty apocalypse and hope for a bright future in the film, but more: the sense that something great must be involved. READ MORE

The cardinal rule of “show, don’t tell,” when writing or moviemaking is unfortunately the one Peter Jackson decided to boldly break while directing this much-anticipated film. The Lovely Bones, based on Alice Sebold’s bestselling novel, was more of a disconnected smorgasbord of genres, themes and tones jumbled together within a monstrous montage than a movie. Perhaps Ms. Sebold will find it flattering that the writers tried desperately to not merely adapt the novel, but transfer it onto the big screen; audiences, however, will find it overwhelming.

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