When we first heard about Megamind, Dreamworks Animation’s latest film, we thought it would just be ANOTHER superhero movie. Actually, It turned out that we all really liked it.

Megamind (Will Ferrell) is an evil supervillain who fights hero Metroman (Brad Pitt) throughout his life. Of course, it’s the cliché stuff, villain does evil stuff, blah blah blah, good guy wins. Then, one day, he doesn’t. Megamind wins, and the city is his. Hooray! Until he gets bored.

To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for this film, judging by Dreamworks Animation’s more recent titles. For instance, Monsters vs. Aliens and Kung Fu Panda were spoof movies, funny, but too much cliché action. How to Train Your Dragon is absolutely NOTHING like it’s book. Even Shrek 4 (It’s official name changed until I had no idea what the heck it was. Shrek: The Final Chapter? Shrek Forever After? Shrek Goes Fourth? How about we pick a title and stay with it, people!) lacked the same heart and appeal as it’s predecessers. To say the least, could this next movie break the chain?

Megamind is doing splendedly in the box office, ranking higher than adult comedy Due Date. However, being a kid’s movie, they do all the things they think kids want in a superhero film. I think there were some gothic moments, and maybe “Bad to the Bone” played once too often. Yet they do this while retaining the uniqueness for the more mature to enjoy it.

Age Reccomendation: Really, all ages can watch this. When I say that, I actually mean that I leave it to the parents. Maybe your kid will have nightmares, maybe not. The way I see it, if your kid is old enough to say, “Mom/Dad, may I see that?”, then he/she should be able to.

Final Verdict: 8/10. Megamind (maybe) has brought heart back to Dreamworks Animation.

Check out the pictures from the blue carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of Megamind.

Get the Back To The Future trilogy on Blu-Ray and DVD from Amazon.com

Robert Zemeckis’ “Back to the Future” movies are basically THE classic Time Traveling thrillers. And with the recent Blu-Ray release of the 25th Anniversary Collection, I just had to do a tributary review.

Back to the Future – Part I

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is a teenage boy living in Hill Valley in 1985. He is close friends with a genius inventor, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), who creates a time machine in the form of a DeLorean car. However, when something goes terribly wrong, Marty ends up trapped in 1955. If that seems bad, Marty also accidentally stops his parents from meeting, and his own mother falls for HIM!

The film is an intriguing idea, and there is no sex or violence here, big whoop! The worst part of this movie is the swearing, really, and come on… The thing parents can’t seem to wrap around their heads is that a little swearing never hurt anyone…

Back to the Future – Part II

Marty travels to the future to fix a problem with his kids, but while they’re there, someone else uses the time machine, screwing up the past. Now, Marty must fix the problem before it’s too late!

The first film mainly just told a story, explaining the details, and didn’t leave you thinking too hard about paradoxes. This sequel brought that into play, and STILL didn’t leave the viewers thinking too hard. Now that’s hard to pull off, and since the movies follow two separate themes, they’re equally fine in my eyes.

Back to the Future – Part III

Continuing from a cliffhanger in Part 2, Marty ends up chasing after Doc into 1885, the Wild Western Era. Marty now must protect the Doc and himself from a ruthless killer and figure out a way back to get back to 1985!

Next to the other films, this one didn’t thrill me as much. I mean, the other films carried interesting perspectives, and this one was really more “Marty and Doc Travel to a Random Time Period”. Still, the series needed a conclusion, and the characters also were developed pretty well in this one.

Age Recommendation: 8+. The movies really aren’t that bad.

Final Verdict: This would be a perfect 10, but the concluding film brings it to 9/10.

By the way, did you know that Telltale Games, Inc. is making a BTTF game? It takes place after Part III, so the series isn’t over yet…

Click to buy Groundhog Day at Amazon.com

Groundhog Day is about a TV weatherman named Phil (Bill Murray), who is… kind of a b*****d. He is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the Groundhog Day festival. After having a terrible Groundhog Day, a ticked off Phil goes to bed — and wakes up on Groundhog day. Phil finds himself to be in a “time loop” — forced to repeat the same day over and over again.

Let me start by saying that this film is one of my favorite films of all times. First, it’s hilarious. Second, it’s imaginative. Third, it’s hilarious. Did I mention it’s hilarious? Honestly, nothing turns me – I mean draws me to turn the TV on – more than a good comedy.

As for if it’s age appropriateness, sure. Phil seduces lots of women with his amazing situation, but nothing is graphic. Phil attempts suicide a ton of times. The language is very mild. Really, the film is more focused on the message than profanity or sex.

Age Recommendation: 7+. Really.

Final Verdict: A hard 10/10. One of my all time favorites.

First of all, sorry for the lack of updates lately, as school has started and I’m trying to juggle my homework, social activities, and hobbies. I promise to write far more reviews here on, especially in the next week or so.

Today’s review is very special, as it is my first book review. John Grisham is an established writer, famous for his bestselling legal stories. I recently read one of his works, titled The Client.

The Client follows the story of 11 year-old Mark, who witnesses the suicide of a lawyer. But not before the lawyer tells Mark some crucial information on his murder case — where the body of Boyd Boyette lies.

Mark is pressured by the police to tell them the lawyer’s last words, but he knows that if he does he will almost surely be killed by the Mafia. So he hires his own attorney, Reggie Love, to help him.

This thrilling page turner will keep your balance ready for twists and turns. You need to be smart enough to keep track of all the different perspectives that the book follows (at least seven), so if you have a sharp mind you should take a stab at it. I’m sorry for all the jokes, as this book was just too much pun to read. (Yes, that one is overused.) Most of the legal things usually are explained in the book, so they are easy to understand.

The book may be a little advanced for kids, being a courthouse story, but they’ll leave with a greater knowledge of the subject. There are some perilous situations that Mark is in, but of course, being in a book, they aren’t graphic as a movie would be.

Age Recommendation: 10+. The book contains murderous themes, but mature kids can handle it.

Final Verdict: This book was spot-on. I highly recommend it to kids and adults alike. 10/10

Life as We Know It is a comedy about two people, Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) and Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel), who are set up on a date by their best friends Peter & Alison Novak (Hayes MacArthur & Christina Hendricks). The date goes horribly wrong in less than ten minutes.

However, about three years later, Holly and Eric agree to be godparents to the Novaks’ baby daughter. Shortly after, the Novaks are both killed in a car accident and Holly and Eric find that they are named in the will to look after their friends’ one year old baby!

This is a pretty fun film to see, and, I think, was well put together. The story was well written, and the acting was well done. Being a parenthood comedy, there are lots of poop and sex jokes. Still, it’s funny, and worth seeing. However, it is quite predictable, and if you’re thinking of seeing it, for goodness’ sake, DON’T WATCH THE TRAILER!!! It gives away the whole story. The parts you didn’t already expect, anyway.

This film can be entertaining, but not really a movie to take your under 13 kids to. I mean, as I said previously, there are lots of poop and sex jokes, not to mention brownies laced with marijuana.

Age Recommendation: 13+. Maybe even higher.

Final Verdict: 6/10.