Fast Five

86.2 MILLION. That's all that needs to be said about this movie. In this economy, if that many people pay that much to go see a movie in the first four days of it's release, it's a pretty good bet that it's worth the money. And, in this case, the masses are absolutely right.

The squad is back! (Well, not completely, they picked up a few new characters from the last few installments along with some new faces but, I digress) After breaking Dom (Vin Diesel) out of incarceration with a daring daylight bus rescue, the crew go into hiding in Rio De Janeiro. Soon enough, however, it dawns on them that they have no money and their faces are everywhere. So, they have no choice but to get back into the game, accepting a dangerous job. They fail to succeed with their heist but it does include some really cool high speed train antics and a very long fall down a cliff. (That poor car) They barely escape after being set up and nearly killed.

Unfortunately, that job was backed by the biggest drug dealer in all of Rio. That dealer, Reyes, is pissed. So, naturally, they decide to kill two birds with one stone: get revenge, and score a lot of get-away cash. One last job. At the same time, a plane lands carrying agent Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) and his squad, who will stop at nothing to bring them in. Hobbs and Dom chase each other across rooftops and through crowded streets, finally clashing one on one in a fight scene that, I admit, caused a slight raise of my body temp.

As much as I loathed the idea of yet ANOTHER Fast & Furious sequel, or any sequel for that matter, I must admit I do have a weakness for loud cars and well-built men. This was by far the best version since the original. All of the characteristics that made the franchise a success are present, along with an injection of a little "Oceans Eleven"-ish clever capering. A two hour kick-ass thrill ride with the cast giving their best, and coming out in force for one last race. Wonderful. Oh, hey Vin, you used to look like a big guy. Next to "the Rock"... not so much.

Insidious

I know many people who don't care for scary movies. You probably know a few yourself. These are the people who spend the entire film with their eyes closed, or hands covering their ears, screaming like a teenage girl at a Justin Beiber concert. Try to avoid bringing those people with you to see this movie. Or, bring a blunt object with you to knock them out so you can enjoy the flick.

From the people who brought us "Saw" and "Paranormal Activity" comes "Insidious". Josh (Patrick Wilson - "Watchmen" & "The A-Team") and Renai (Rose Byrne - "Troy" & "28 Weeks Later") Lambert have the poster board life. Three beautiful kids, a brand new house, a happy marriage. But when their eldest son falls into a mysterious coma, the new house takes on a life of it's own. Alone with the baby during the day, Renai begins hearing and seeing things. A horrific voice over the baby monitor, people appearing and disappearing, loud noises in the night. Countless moments that will have you testing the cushion in your chair. In order to please his now desperate wife, Josh moves the family into a new home. Unfortunately, the activity follows them, forcing them to take drastic action to save not only their son, but their family.

With a budget of only $1 million dollars, the movie has already grossed $36 million. Not a bad profit margin. Though there are times when you can see where they had to make budget cuts, the film proves that a huge budget does not necessarily guarantee success.

I LOVE scary movies. There's nothing better than sitting in the dark, clenching your chair, adrenaline pumping, never knowing where the next jump is gonna come from. Just for the record, I do not classify an hour and a half of blood and guts as scary. I have found that true fear in film is generated not buy what you can see, but what you can't see. Praying upon our basic fears is what makes a movie truly, memorably, scary. That's what "Insidious" does, and that is why it is the scariest movie I have seen in years. I highly recommend it to all who love a good scare. I CAN'T WAIT to by the DVD.

The Eagle

No movie can ever reach the roman era excellence of "Gladiator". Recent attempts have failed miserably. (Ya, I'm talking about you "Centurion" - just awful) Audiences are genuinely interested in the time period, which is evident not only in the timeless classics like "Cleopatra" and "Ben-Hur", but also through the success of more modern films such as "Troy", "Alexander", "Clash of the Titans", "300", not to mention hit t.v. series like "Rome" and "Spartacus". Sometimes, however, in the rush to give the viewers what they want, movie makers have a tendency to cut corners.

Casting Channing Tatum in the lead role seemed to be the first mistake made in "The Eagle". Surprisingly, the actor previously known for shirtless scenes and dancing moves, did a good job. Marcus Aquila, (Tatum) takes up his new post as commander of a regiment stationed at literally, the end of the world. Twenty years previously, the mysterious disappearance of an entire legion under the command of his father, prompted the building of a wall, sealing out the enemies and marking the edge of Rome in Britain. Marcus quickly earns the respect of his men, but his family's honor is what he desires most.

Taking with him only a slave / interpreter (Jamie Bell) who's life he saved in the arena, Marcus leaves his uncle's villa (played by Donald Sutherland) and crosses the border into unexplored territory, seeking the lost golden eagle standard. This movie certainly wasn't on the same level as the greats, but it was entertaining just the same. Though I was a little disappointed he never took his shirt off, Tatum really brought his character to life, and I hope to see him in similar roles soon. The fight scenes weren't outstanding, but they weren't cheesy either. All in all, director Kevin Macdonald now has a film he can be known for.

Paul

Before I begin this movie's critique, allow me to say that I love Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. I believe they are the best comedic duo since David Spade and Chris Farley. Their previous works, "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz" were laugh out loud funny and brilliantly written. If you haven't seen at least one of the films beforehand, you may not fully understand the capability of these actors, or, for that matter, director / writer Edgar Wright.

In the two previous movies, the opening weekend profits started small, then gained more and more success as the weeks went on, both bringing in more than double their production budgets, (along with impressive DVD sales) and creating a large fan base both in America and the UK. After "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hott Fuzz", Pegg split off from his partner Frost, appearing solo in "Run FatBoy Run" and the mega-hit "Star Trek" remake. (Look for him to play Scotty again in 2012) Four years later, the two have reunited in "Paul".

From director Greg Mottola - "Superbad" and "Adventureland", "Paul" is the story of two English born comic book creators, who have come to the U.S. on the ultimate vacation for sci-fi nerds. They attend comicon, and renting an r.v., embark on a road trip to visit the countries famous UFO hot spots. Just outside of Roswell, after witnessing a car crash, they stumble upon a little gray man - named Paul.

For the next hour and a half, we follow the three as they try to hide the joint smoking, cussing, bird eating and sometimes invisible alien and get him back to his ship's landing site. Along the way, they pick up a one-eyed girl who learns the joys of Darwinism, and they try to avoid the usual bumblings of the FBI who will stop at nothing to retrieve their alien.

Though I did enjoy Seth Rogens' voice as Paul, and the occasional quotes that were stolen - I mean taken from our favorite sci-fi films that are sprinkled throughout the film, "Paul" doesn't even come close to the excellence of Pegg and Frost's previous works. I wonder what is missing?.... Oh, that's right Edgar Wright. It was cute and all but, I wouldn't recommend paying to see it - I'm glad I didn't have to. Spell it with me: N-E-T-F-L-I-X