Monster-In-Law
Sahara
The adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D
Monster-In-Law
This comedy hasn't got enough balls to be as nasty as the set-up promises, and thus it becomes tediously run-of-the-mill. In one or two scenes the satire almost works, but the unoriginal jokes and the overall flatness of the material deny us any real laughs. While there is no chemistry between Jennifer Lopez's character and the guy she is marrying, there is some between Lopez and Jane Fonda - her horrible mother-in-law to be. And when the catfight gets going, things become a tad interesting. Though she has endlessly little to work with, Fonda manages to squeeze some charisma into her part. She steals the movie right from under Lopez's pretty nose, which with Lopez's dreadfully one-note performance, isn't difficult.
1/2 ( Julie Vinten )
Without rhyme or reason this facetious bit of excretion has sniveled its way into movie theaters throughout the Baltics. Unfortunately, "Monster-in-Law" is a wretchedly tedious assault on the senses. Charlie (Jennifer Lopez) is happy "never to live the same day twice." Uh – duh – Charlie is an airhead to boot. Along comes the Dr. Surgeon (Michael Vartan), also as vacuous as Charlie; naturally, they relate and fall-in-love. World-famous TV journalist Viola (Jane Fonda), Doctor-guy's overbearing mother, is determined to stop her son from marrying. After a 15-year hiatus, you'd think that Henry's gifted offspring would deserve a fabulous script. However, Fonda's return to the silver screen gets buried under a monotony of cliches. Don't get me wrong; yours truly thinks Fonda is brilliant. But Director Robert Luketic has failed to harness her vivacious talent.
( Laimons Juris G )
Sahara
"Sahara" is a somewhat dumb, but good-natured and entertaining enough action-adventure flick. It works as a buddy-movie - the character interaction between Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn is the best part of the feature. Action is the movie's weak spot - the director doesn't seem confident in his style, and the action sequences are generally less exciting than they should be and are sometimes even boring. The plot doesn't make sense, but it isn't supposed to. This is a far-out modern fairytale where anything can, and does, happen. Lately filmmakers have tried to make the "Indiana Jones" of the 21st century, and though this movie doesn't really succeed, at least it gives it a fair shot. Leave your brain at home and you should have an entertaining evening with "Sahara."
3/4 ( Julie Vinten )
From a baffling beginning to a gripping conclusion, this blatantly old-fashioned adventure gets you wound up and ready for another sequel (or two). Underwater treasure hunter Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) is obsessed with finding a Confederate Army ironclad that disappeared 140 years ago. Dr. Eva Rojas (Penelope Cruz) is tracking down a mysterious plague in deep Africa. Dirk and Eva meet and it's love-at-first-sight in the middle of a picturesque desert. Steve Zahn plays the goofy sidekick. Relying entirely on his wide white-toothed smile and his overworked but tanned abs, McConaughey was created for this role. Film critic Eugene Novikov says that Cruz "consistently exhibits the emotional range of a coconut" - in this flick it works, while Zahn is Zahn. Despite this unlikely trio, preposterous "Sahara" survives as persuasive entertainment.
( Laimons Juris G )
The adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D
This movie is imaginative, fast-paced nonsense for toddlers. It's a sugary-sweet piece of cotton candy. The story is told – despite some grown-up moralizing – the way a little kid would tell a story: "And then he grew a shark fin on his back! And then they sailed on a giant cookie!" The narrative is fragmented to put it mildly, and the 3-D is useless to put it straight. But director Robert Rodriguez couldn't care less what we think. While he makes movies like "Desperado" and "Sin City" for himself, he creates stuff like "Spy Kids" and "Sharkboy and Lavagirl" (based on the ideas of his small son) to make his kids happy. This movie should have enough freezing, burning, diving, spinning, flying, running and jumping to please most small kids.
1/2 ( Julie Vinten )
Robert Rodriguez never ceases to amaze. When his 7-year-old son, Racer Max, had an idea for a film, director-dad made "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D". This movie will delight toddlers, but adults will be ready to tear off their 3-D glasses and bolt for the door. It's awful enough to make you forget how excellent "Sin City" was. But you can't blame the actors – they do an incredible job. Don't blame the production or technical teams or the cinematography – it's all just great. So, what exactly does this film lack? While the "Spy Kids" series were colorful and creative, this particular film is dull and uninspired. Many of Rodriguez's concoctions are cult favorites, but this is simply a bad home movie.
3/4( Laimons Juris G )
