OUT THIS WEEK
DVDs
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
PG-13
Numbers: The Complete Fifth Season
Not rated
MUSIC
Celebration (SINGLE REMIXES)
Madonna
Late Night Tales
Snow Patrol
GAMES
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010
THQ Wii, PS3, Xbox360, Nintendo DS, PSP, PS2
FIFA Soccer 10
Electronic Arts Wii, PS3, Xbox360, Nintendo DS, PSP, PS2
IN THEATERS THIS WEEK
‘Amelia’ (PG)
Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor
‘Cirque Du Freak:
The Vampire’s Assistant’ (PG-13)
John C. Reilly, Salma Hayek
‘Saw VI’ (R)
Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith
‘Astro Boy’ (PG)
Voices of Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell
‘Law Abiding Citizen’
Rated R, 108 minutes
Life’s good for Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) until the day two criminals invade his home. He’s left helpless as his wife and daughter are murdered.
Both villains are eventually caught, but the man who committed the crime pins it on his partner, who goes to death row, while he gets five years in prison.
Shelton is mad at an up-and-coming prosecutor (Jamie Foxx) for not giving the murderer a harsher sentence. But it turns out that Shelton is actually a super-spy who decides to get revenge on the criminals and on the justice system.
This is an edge-of-your-seat thriller. The deadly plans executed here are on par with the Joker’s in “The Dark Knight.”
Foxx’s character is a family man who wants to stop a crazed maniac, but his philosophy as a prosecutor is “some justice is better than none,” which makes him seem inhuman.
Meanwhile, Butler can hold his own with Foxx on screen.
I suggest you be careful about which characters you get attached to. Chances are, they aren’t safe from Shelton’s wrath.
— Alex Perez, Schurz
‘New Moon’ soundtrack
Various artists
The latest addition to the “Twilight” obsession arrived last week with the release of the much-anticipated “New Moon” soundtrack.
For someone like me, who has not been sucked into the “Twilight” craze, I expected only gushy love songs, but I was wrong. I’m just not sure if that made the soundtrack better or worse than what I expected.
The entire soundtrack has a gloomy feel, but I’ve heard from fans that it fits the story. A few upbeat songs — such as Band of Skulls’ “My Friends” and Hurricane Bells’ “Monsters” — break up the slow-paced album. Yet those singles don’t change the album’s overall feel.
“Satellite Heart” by Anya Marina, released before the soundtrack, is catchy and has interesting lyrics. The Killers, OK Go and other popular acts are here, too, but if you’re looking for a CD that will lift your spirits, this is not a wise choice.
My recommendation: Unless you are a die-hard “Twilight” fan, save your money and just buy a few of your favorite songs — not the entire soundtrack.
— Jimmy Loomos, Maine South
‘Where the Wild Things Are’
Rated PG, 94 minutes
After all the hype, Spike Jonze’s “Where the Wild Things Are” comes with a whirl of emotions and leaves the audience in a tearful mood. The dark film, based on the classic children’s book, is by no means a traditional happy children’s movie.
The first 20 minutes of the film are wonderful and capture the essence of childhood. But once main character Max runs away from home to an imaginary world of wild things, the movie becomes inconsistent and drags on.
There are a number of irritating, fragmented, over-dramatic scenes. Yet there are also a number of extremely enjoyable moments, like when Max talks to one of the wild things while hiding inside her stomach, and the scene where one of the wild things’ arm falls off.
Overall, the film had amazing cinematography and visual effects, and the soundtrack by Karen O. and the Kids delightfully blends with the magical visuals of the film.
The story itself falls short and never truly lets “the wild rumpus start.”
— Margarita Popova, Oak Park and River Forest
