A Few Quick Reviews

PAUL- Get out and see this movie stat because it is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a while. Much better than I thought it would be, and I love Simon Pegg and Nick Frost who co-wrote the screenplay together, this film is non stop funny. Two British sci-fi geeks tour the American countryside where they come face to face with rednecks, bible thumpers, the FBI and the coolest alien ever. It's nice to see a different spin on the whole alien comes to earth story where for once the things aren't trying to take over the world or eat your face.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are hilarious long before the plot even kicks in, but when Paul shows up, voiced perfectly by Seth Rogan, the movie flies into the stratosphere. This film is literally non stop funny and that is a rare thing nowadays.

Kristen Wiig is at her best as a reformed religious nut who's so insane at first that her bulls#@t religious beliefs are wrong even by wingnut standards. But after realizing her beliefs are way off when Paul mind melds her, she becomes a very sweet, engaging character. This could have been played very broadly for laughs but Wiig dials it down and gives a tremendous performance.

Other actors like Jason Bateman, John Carroll Lynch, Bill Hader, and David Kroeger steal the show when they pop up on screen along with a few cameos that I won't ruin here. Best of all, the movie has a huge plot twist near the end that no one will see coming. This is a fantastic film. Go see it. NOW!

5 stars out of 5.

MY SOUL TO TAKE- Should have been called MY HOUR AND FORTY FIVE MINUTES TO TAKE AND NEVER GIVE BACK. What the hell happened to Wes Craven to release this piece of nonsense? It starts of iffy and goes way downhill fast. I swear, after the prologue, the film takes forever to get going with teens talking. And talking. And talking. My Dinner With Andre this wasn't. One of the year's worst. Miss at all costs. We can only hope that Scream 4 won't be this bad.

no stars.

THE FIGHTER- Well deserved Oscar piece that was filmed right here in Lowell MA. Christian Bale nails it as Dicky, the former boxer turned drug addict. His younger brother, played by Mark Wahlberg, is the true talent and has to tread lightly between his well meaning but drug addled brother, his domineering Mom and sisters and a new girlfriend, engagingly played by Amy Adams. A must see even if your not a boxing fan.

4 and a half stars out of five.