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Idres Elba, Gabrielle Union, Avant, Louis Gossett Jr. Comedy/romance. Written & directed by Tyler Perry.

FILM SYNOPSIS: A single, hard-working, blue-collar father of three is suddenly faced with losing the girls to his drug-dealing ex-wife. With the aid of a pretty lawyer, he battles for custody as romance blooms.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Certainly not a film that delves into custody situations with much realism, but the film is involving and often funny. My one hesitation concerns Mr. Perry’s sexual depictions. While he suggests old-fashioned ideals concerning how we regard one another, and though he brings faith and church-going to the forefront, he is very lenient about pre-marital sex. Whatever your interpretation of the Bible’s teaching regarding this matter, casual sex (meaning sex before you’ve really gotten to know the person) has consequences most filmmakers do not deal with.

That said, there are many fine messages dealt with, with a positive example of a father who sacrifices his dreams for those of his children. He is also a man who turns to God when in need. Further, he is seen worshipping his Creator. (How often do you see that in a film?) As you know, Mr. Perry brings church and faith into his all his productions. He is one of the few filmmakers who acknowledges the spiritual makeup and needs of people.

Nice performances by all and Gabrielle Union, oh my, that’s a pretty woman.

Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Danny Huston. Psychological thriller. Written by Fernley Philips. Directed by Joel Schumacher.

FILM SYNOPSIS: A man’s life begins to unravel after he comes into contact with an obscure book titled The Number 23. As he reads the book, he becomes increasingly convinced that it is based on his own life. His obsession with the number 23 starts to consume him, and he begins to realize the book forecasts grave consequences that may destroy his family.

PREVIEW REVIEW: It’s always a dark, spooky place we have to go to when viewing a person so obsessed with himself that everything else loses importance. We may be seeing that happening to pop princess Brittany Spears. That’s why I hate hearing jokes at her expense by Letterman, Leno and the rest. And that’s why I dislike dramatic thrillers such as The Shining with Jack Nicholson or The Number 23 with funnyman Jim Carrey. Both these examples star actors who frolic in plagued playgrounds too often and far too easily. Someone once said that there is a fine line between genius and madness. Now, I’m not going to say that these two thespians are nuts, but they sure do play lots of nuts. And nobody does nuts better than Nicholson, except for Carrey.

While there are some positive messages including a man displaying love for his wife and son, and doing the right thing despite the cost, the depiction of suicides (several of them) and other explorations inside the darker side of man’s nature left this viewer heavy-hearted. That’s not a feeling I like feeling after seeing a movie.

Still, any theme can be handled with style and finesse. If a movie buff wants to view a film dealing with obsession, my I suggest this video alternative: Vertigo. This complex Hitchcock romantic thriller concerns an ex-cop hired to follow a woman whom he soon falls in love with. The director’s powerful imagery and James Stewart’s remarkable performance focus on obsession and hidden fears. But where the muddled Number 23 becomes grungy and progressively unsatisfying, Vertigo’s dreamlike quality lulls you while its haunting mystery finds resolution.

Distributor: New Line

Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Robert Patrick, Zooey Deschanel. Fantasy/Adventure. Written by Jeff Stockwell. Directed by Gabor Csupo.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Based on the popular Newbery Award-winning novel by Katerine Paterson, Bridge To Terabithia is a fantasy/adventure story of friendship, family and the power of imagination from the producers of The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. Jess Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is an outsider at school and even in his own family. Eleven-year-old Jess has trained all summer to become the fastest kid in his middle school class but his goal is unexpectedly thwarted by the new girl in school, Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb) who competes in the "boys only" race and wins.

Despite their awkward introduction, the two outsiders quickly become best friends. Leslie loves to tell stories of fantasy and magic. Jess loves to draw, but until he met Leslie it was something he kept to himself. Leslie opens a new world of imagination for Jess. Together they create the secret kingdom of Terabithia, a magical place only accessible by swinging on an old rope over a stream in the woods near their homes. There, the friends rule the kingdom, fight the Dark Master and his creatures and plot against the school bullies.

PREVIEW REVIEW: The first great film of 2007, Bridge To Terabithia is a creative parable for young and old. Once again, Disney Studios and Walden Media have combined their talents to offer a motion picture that entertains while reestablishing the lost art of parable telling.

Director Gabor Csupo (Rugrats Go Wild, The Wild Thornberrys – the Movie) keeps the pacing lively and involving while addressing subjects that range from preteen angst to appreciating what and who you have. Young Josh Hutcherson is introspective and sincere, while AnnaSophia Robb, also effective in Because of Winn-Dixie, lights up the screen with her smile and visionary nature. As for the special effects, they serve the story rather than domineer it. We get caught up in the action without being diverted by its technical magic.

Like most films that address mature precepts, Bridge To Terabithia should not be mistaken for a giddy kiddie matinee. It receives the PG rating because of thematic elements that include bullying, a parent unable to show affection, feelings of being overshadowed and unloved, and the death of a friend. The film contains some spooky imagery and the narrative jolts us with the discovery that a main character has suddenly died. On the surface, these subjects may seem dark, but these truisms concerning fears and death may help young audience members cope with similar concerns, while reminding us older moviegoers to not let a good word go unsaid, a good deed go undone.

At one point, Robb’s character, unfamiliar with church going, can’t grasp the concept that God would send a soul to Hell. Her young companions clumsily attempt to explain the religious notion, while she simply sees God as too busy creating and sharing the wonders of nature to ever dwell on mankind’s disobedience. I’m sure the scene will raise the eyebrow of many a church deacon, but I thought the scene was wisely handled in that it reminds us to teach little ones about God’s love. The concept of the Creator’s justice confuses even biblical scholars and probably should be shared with one’s progeny when they’re a little nearer the accountable age. After all, who would want their six-year-old to say to a fatherless friend, “Your daddy went to Hell because he didn’t know Jesus”?

There are some scary imaginary forest creatures the leads see as real, but these hostile beings serve as symbolic metaphors that represent misconceptions and unknowns. That may sound high-minded, but I believe kids will associate these monsters with their own fears and frustrations. That said, Mom or Dad should be in attendance in order to reassure.

You’ll hurt over the loss of the film’s important character, but you’ll be uplifted by the lead’s journey of discovery. These mature elements may not sit well with very little children, but I expect the themes will draw out a robust discussion between parent and older child during the drive home. And isn’t it fun when a film does that?

Distributor: Buena Vista

Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Brad Garrett, Kristen Johnston, Campbell Scott. Romantic Comedy. Written & directed by Marc Lawrence.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is a washed-up ‘80s pop star who’s been reduced to working the nostalgia circuit at county fairs and amusement parks. The charismatic and talented musician gets a chance at a comeback when reigning diva Cora Corman invites him to write and record a duet with her, but there’s a problem – Alex hasn’t written a song in years, he’s never written lyrics, and he has to come up with a hit in a matter of days. Enter Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), Alex’s quirky plant lady, whose flair for words strikes a chord with the struggling songwriter. On the rebound from a bad relationship, Sophie is reluctant to collaborate with anyone, especially commitment-phobe Alex. As their chemistry heats up at the piano and under it, Alex and Sophie will have to face their fears – and the music – if they want to find the love and success they both deserve. The film co-stars newcomer Haley Bennett as the young pop-princess Cora Corman.

PREVIEW REVIEW: A pleasant piffle, it comes close to being urbane, like an old Cary Grant/Irene Dunne movie, only without the inspired direction of Leo McCary (The Awful Truth). In other words, it’s a romantic screwball comedy that could have been more romantic and more screwball. Still, if you can get past fornication handled as casually as filling up the gas tank, then you may find it amusing and somewhat charming.

Distributor: Castle Rock Entertainment / Village Roadshow Pictures

Louise Fletcher, Henry Thomas, Liana Liberato, Soren Fulton, A.J. Buckley, Stewart Finley-McLennan, Peter Wingfield, Elizabeth Lackey, Thea Rose, Kim Myers. Written by Michael Landon, Jr., Brian Bird. Directed by Michael Landon, Jr.

FILM SYNOPSIS: During the late 18th and early 19th centuries Welsh immigrants coming to America brought with them an ancient Celtic ritual practiced for hundreds of years. The ritual was known as the Sin Eater and it took place at funerals. In this story, a young girl, guilty over the cause of her sister’s death, is seeking the Sin Eater in order to ask for this burden to be removed. During her adventure, she discovers the one who can truly take sins away.

PREVIEW REVIEW: I wouldn’t call this a great movie, but Michael Landon, Jr. (Love’s Abiding Joy, The Redemption of Sarah Cain) proves he’s got the same stuff as his old man. He’s a sensitive storyteller, one bent on enlightening while entertaining. What’s more, he’s a Hollywood filmmaker with the guts not only to incorporate spiritual themes, but to go so far as to proclaim Jesus as the Christ, the one and only “sin eater.”

The story concept is fresh and little Liana Liberato, the film’s lead, is engaging as she seeks forgiveness for her “sins.” The technical aspects are what you’d expect from the son of Landon, effective and expertly done. Mr. Landon grows as a filmmaker with each production. I can’t wait for his next effort. Until then, The Last Sin Eater is original and touching.

Distributor: Fox Faith

Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Eddie Griffin, Terry Crews, Clifton Powell, Katt Williams, Lester “Rasta” Speight and Cuba Gooding, Jr. Written by Eddie Murphy & Charles Murphy and Jay Scherick & David Ronn. Directed by Brian Robbins.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Norbit (Eddie Murphy) has never had it easy. As a baby, he was abandoned on the steps of a Chinese restaurant/orphanage and raised by Mr. Wong (Eddie Murphy). Things get worse when he’s forced into marriage by the mean, zaftig Rasputia (also Eddie Murphy). Just when Norbit’s hanging by his last thread, his childhood sweetheart, Kate (Thandie Newton), movies back to town. Will this nice guy finally finish first?

PREVIEW REVIEW: Now for those of you wondering if there will be any crudity in Eddie Murphy’s latest, what universe have you been living in? Even the studio’s synopsis calls it “ribald” comedy. In this era, that’s another word for vulgar, crass and gross-out. Still, I have to admit, I was excited to see it. After all, it is Eddie Murphy. And nobody does fat-suit as good as Eddie Murphy. He’s a funny man. No getting around that. And this past year he has proved to be an excellent actor. He may win the Best Supporting Oscar for his work in Dreamgirls. Known for his gregarious style, it may be difficult to think of Mr. Murphy in a dramatic sense. Like Woody Allen, Eddie causes audiences to laugh the moment we see him. We are anticipating something funny and sure enough, he delivers. But Eddie delivers so much more than gewgaws. In Dreamgirls, there’s a depth to his performance, a depth that accentuates the tragedy his character undergoes.

But that’s another film. This one doesn’t quite aspire to award-worthiness. This film’s only objective is to make you laugh. And the filmmakers do that the most assured way possible – with crude sight gags and “ribald” dialog.

Right or wrong, I can enjoy a bit of raucous or rowdy humor such as found in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Perhaps that’s because the small doses of earthiness found in that film are handled with style and imagination. Uncouth is something else. That I can't tolerate. But it is obvious by the overwhelming support of last year’s crudity-fueled Borat that I am among the minority. While crudity may be acceptable for some, how can a movie be defended that not only profanes God’s name ten times, but does it even during scenes taking place in a church? If we aren’t supposed to profane His name, how do you think God feels about attending movies that do?

I realize that abstaining from entertainment that misuse God’s name eliminates most of our choices, but what would Hollywood do if the 80% of Americans who profess to be believers in the Almighty would stop attending movies that showed irreverence to the Creator? Hmmm.

I’ll still be rooting for Eddie Murphy during the Oscar telecast, but before you decide to attend Norbit, please read the content section.

Video alternative: Bill Cosby – Himself. Bill’s insights on marriage and children highlight this very funny standup routine. Perhaps the funniest bit is his take on a visit to the dentist. I rank this routine right up there with Abbott & Costello’s Who’s On First. I wish today’s comedians would watch this film and pay attention. Mr. Cosby proves that observations on life can be related without bombarding the senses with obscenity and crudity.

Distributor: Paramount

Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Lauren Graham, Piper Perabo. Comedy. Written by Karen Leigh Hopkins (Stepmom) and Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam). Directed by Michael Lehmann (The Truth About Cats & Dogs, 40 Days and 40 Nights, Heathers).

FILM SYNOPSIS: Diane Keaton stars as Daphne Wilder, a mother whose love knows no bounds or boundaries. She is the proud mom of three daughters: stable Maggie (Graham), irreverent Mae (Perabo) and insecure Milly (Moore)—who, when it comes to men, is like psychotic flypaper.

In order to prevent her youngest from making the same mistakes she did, Daphne decides to set Milly up with the perfect man. Little does Milly know, however, that her mom placed an ad in the online personals to find him. Daphne continues to do the wrong thing for the right reasons...all in the name of love.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Occasionally, I am completely stupefied as to the whys and hows a movie came into being. Once it’s made, the studio has to release it, no matter how bad it is. What else can they do with it? But in the case of the Technicolor yawn Because I Said So, I have a suggestion. Rather than release it on an unsuspecting movie-going audience, the studio should donate each print to film schools as an example of how to not write, produce, cast, light, edit or film a motion picture.

The preparation of food is a central element in this movie, and like the preparation of a fine meal, there are so many elements necessary in making a movie just right. With comedy, it takes a light touch, kind of like the adding of spices to a dish. Sadly, no one, and I mean no one, involved in this production adds with a light touch.

I was looking forward to the film. Diane Keaton has given us several interesting performances, Mandy Moore showed promise in A Walk To Remember and Piper Parabo (Coyote Ugly), well, I just like to look at her. But if the Academy views this high school production, they may request the return of Ms. Keaton’s Oscar. Mandy needs to stop preening and posing and decide if she wants to be an actress or just an MTV pop-celebrity with nice cheeks. And poor Piper Parabo, a limited actress who has stayed viable to producers due to a cultivated sensuality, may have doomed her career with this performance here.

Where was the director? Was Michael Lehmann even on the set? There seemed to be no one in control. The comedy is heavy-handed, the drama unconvincing, and the message of letting go of your grown offspring is overshadowed by hammy acting and clumsy slapstick. There are several montages, as the women folk go shopping, go restauranting, or just gab around the hearth about sex, men, sex, letting go, and sex. The cornball soundtrack grates while the characters come across as self-centered and petulant.

Ouch, I know. I’m usually a bit gentler when dissecting the efforts of others. But sitting through this film is I surmise much like experiencing the Chinese water torture. There’s even that old stand-by movie bonding gimmick where the family sings together – attempting harmony – not once, but twice. Oh, it was sweet, alright. My teeth began to ache.

There’s so much faux-literate verbiage, with the four actresses speaking at the same time through scene after scene, thinking they are far more amusing than they really are. It’s a thin script, allowing cast members to improvise dialogue, a practice that should be avoided by movie stars. (Ever hear one give an acceptance speech? I rest my case.)

And then there are the technical aspects. When a film features four attractive women, lighting and makeup are essential. Even the most beautiful screen goddesses need a little help in order to radiate that inner glow. Unbelievably, the makeup and lighting look as if they were applied by Earl Scheib. In a couple of scenes poor Piper wears a red lipstick reminiscent of the goop used as blood in those early 1960s Hammer horror films. The result; she looks as if she’s auditing for the part of the new Ronald McDonald. And there is one shot in the movie where Mandy is seen in a pose – well, she’s always posing, but this one is lit with a golden firelight. It stands out as it is the only time such effort went into the lighting process. She looked lovely. The rest of the time the film looks as if fluorescent tubes lit the way.

Oh, I could go on, but this film doesn’t deserve my time or your bucks. Let me close with one other observation. In keeping with the culture’s moral torpor, premarital sex is not only accepted, it’s discussed between mother and daughters with all the sanctity of a Bush’s Baked Beans commercial. The double entendres – and there are many of them – are presented with the subtlety of a cannon blast. Men are portrayed as caricatures like those found in a Lifetime for Women movie, and the female characters do not serve the I-Am-Woman-Hear-Me-Roar movement, as they are presented as deceitful, permissive and stupid.

Want a good “chick” flick? See Miss Potter, now playing in theaters. Want a funny, poignant film about a parent struggling to let his children go? Rent Eat, Drink Man Woman. Want to waste your time? Go to Because I Said So.

Distributor: Universal

FILM SYNOPSIS: An HBO exclusive, this documentary focuses attention on a portion of the estimated 50 to 80 million evangelical Christians living in America. Evangelicals have become a group the political Left views as a formidable force that threatens culture and democracy. But the evangelical movement is a big tent. To try and get a better understanding of the range and diversity of this community, filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi hit the road to meet some evangelicals and learn about what their influence may mean for the future of the country.

Pelosi ventures out over a year-long period for up-close encounters with some influential members of the evangelical community who embody a wide range of evangelical experiences. Among them are Joel Osteen, the most-watched TV minister in America; pastor Ron Luce, the founder of “Battle Cry,” a concert tour that has drawn more than two million young people to its events nationwide; Pastor Ted Haggard, who recently stepped down as president of the 30-million strong National Association of Evangelicals – the largest evangelical group in the U.S.; and Rev. Jerry Falwell, leader of the Moral Majority. Friends of God premiered Thursday, January 25th on HBO, and will air other days throughout February.

PREVIEW REVIEW: “Hoisted on their own petard” seems to be the intent of this 60-minute cable special. By showcasing wrestlers for Christ, an amusement park with a biblical theme, and a drive-through church where a stranger asks for prayer requests before sending the driver on his merry way, an entire religious movement comes across as silly. One guy drives around in a pickup truck decorated with scripture and warns that you’re a loser if you don’t have Christ, while another disciple builds huge crosses around the South at a personal cost of thousands of dollars.

Alexandra Pelosi (whose previous HBO credits include 2000’s Emmy®-winning Journeys with George) has sought out representatives, including children who seem brainwashed, who represent Christianity as culturally destructive rather than morally cultivating. Her professional efforts succeed at giving viewers a lively, entertaining, yet somewhat jaundiced view of those who believe the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God. Those dismissive of church-going will enjoy the apparent silliness of attending mega churches, some held in areas where the night before they could have attended a football game. Others who believe Jesus is the Son of God will scratch their heads, wondering why their more reverent denomination goes overlooked. But even they might find the glib presentation involving.

Truth is, a documentarian can portray any subject matter to look concerned, thoughtful and redemptive. Or, he can demonize that same topic. In the 1930s, Leni Riefenstahl made Hitler look like the savior of a nation in Triumph of the Will. Years later, director Davis Guggenheim made Al Gore seem like the lone statesman concerned with the world’s future in An Inconvenient Truth. Depending on your views of global warming, you’ll either find the ex-VP qualified and factual, or find the film merely a project bent on retooling a political dead fish. Nearly everyone can be a martyr or a saint, depending on the filmmaker’s approach and the audience’s receptiveness.

Traditionalists, those who are still uplifted by the hymns of Fanny Crosby or meditate without bouncing, will not find their congregation represented in this documentary. Still, while I prefer not to bounce when I praise, I realize that there are sincere ministries that appear absurd but manage to reach those who cannot relate to a staid church service, amid those wearing suits and ties. As I viewed a group of Christian wrestlers in this film, I first shook my head. A packed stadium like you’d see turn out for the World Federation of Wrestling enjoyed the antics of pudgy combatants with scripture written across their bottoms. But as the head of the group indicated that around 10% of each attending audience made a decision for Christ by the end of their presentation, I remembered the axiom, “God works in mysterious ways.”

There has been a rash of recent docudramas that dwell on the shortcomings of the Christian hierarchy, or view with apprehension and/or disdain the Religious Right’s input in the political arena. One cannot help but surmise that these artists believe that every group or minority has an obligation to get involved in politics, except Christians. A confused perception of the separation of church and state becomes a mandate these dwellers of Tinseltown cling to in order to remove religious conservative values from the moral makeup of our country’s laws, education and entertainment.

Is there any group that could be portrayed in a documentary without feeling nervous about their future well-being? Snide and covert, this effort only lacks the drawings of its characters with horns and a tail. That said, it’s worth viewing in order to get a view of the media concerning outreaches that just seem out-there.

Distributor: HBO

George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire. Written by Paul Attanasio. Directed by Steven Sodergergh.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Berlin, 1945. U.S. war correspondent Jake Geismer has just arrived to cover the upcoming Potsdam Peace Conference, where Allied leaders will meet to determine the fate of a vanquished Germany and a newly liberated Europe. It doesn’t take him long to become ensnared in political intrigue. And while there he meets his former love, although somehow, now, not quite the person he once knew. She has been irrevocably changed by the war, the hardship of life in this ruined city and the burden of her own secrets. To survive, she has turned to prostitution – and other things.

PREVIEW REVIEW: When a film contains a great deal of exposition, all that talk has to be delicately handled. Bogart in The Big Sleep does it affectively, Clooney in The Good German, does not. Indeed, Mr. Clooney is the least effective element in the production. Say what you will about his politics (because he sure does) Clooney is a real movie star. He even upstages Brad Pitt in Oceans 11 with panache and style. But here, he seems awkward with dramatic moments. Could it be that he is actually a limited actor? Or did he just feel uncomfortable with the strained dialogue and clumsy direction?

Another problem I had with the production has to do with the inclusion of the obscene language. Nowadays, moviegoers are used to hearing the f-word in their movie choices. But writer Paul Attanasio and director Steven Sodergergh go to great lengths to offer up a ‘50s-ish film noir, complete with static old Warner Bros.’ B & W photography, an atmospheric score reminiscent of Bernard Hermann, and even a THE END at the end. So to incorporate 28 uses of the f-word jolts you out of the mood meant for what I assume was supposed to be a salute to the filmmaking process of an earlier more judicious period. Were people that graphic with the f-word in mixed company during that period? Of course, some were, but not in the movies.

It’s not a bad film, it’s just not very good. The end scenes are an homage to Casablanca. Not a good choice, because we can’t help but compare the two films. Comparing a great film with an adequate film just makes the adequate film look inadequate. What’s more, here we are shocked at how badly people are supposed to have behaved during war, whereas Casablanca showed the triumph of the will. Which character trait would you rather view?

Video Alternatives: Judgment at Nuremberg. A U.S. judge presides over wartime criminal trials. Outstanding all-star cast includes Spencer Tracy, Maximillian Schell, Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland (surprisingly moving performance) and Montgomery Cliff. Well crafted by Stanley Kramer.

Or, Casablanca. A great love affair set during the beginning of WWII. Honor and faithfulness prevail. Memorable dialogue and without the assistance of the f-word.

Or, You could watch a film about the Berlin air lift where America and its allies faced off the Russians to land in Russian-blocked Berlin at the end of the war. The people who had just been our enemies were being starved by the vicious people in control of the Red army. America and England’s air force risked their own lives to aid those suffering. Oh, I forgot, that story hasn’t been brought to film for the past fifty years. Strange how that incident never seems to be retold. I guess it paints American in a good light. We wouldn’t want that now.

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Peter O’Toole, Leslie Phillips, Jodie Whittaker, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Griffiths. Written by Hanif Kureishi. Directed by Roger Michell.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Venus tells the story of Maurice and Ian, a pair of veteran actors (Peter O’Toole and Leslie Phillips respectively), whose comfortable daily routine is disrupted by the arrival of Ian’s grand-niece, Jessie (newcomer Jodie Whittaker). Maurice takes the teenager under his wing, but is surprised to discover how very little he actually knows now that his own life is drawing to a close.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Venus is an interesting, if often worldly look at an elderly man infatuated with a headstrong young woman. We’re given a solid performance by Mr. O’Toole, but I couldn’t help think that this portrait was of a man consumed with self and possessing a humanistic outlook on life. Ultimately, it was unsatisfying. What’s more, those seeking spiritual fulfillment will more than likely be frustrated with the carnal behavior of all the characters. Though one assumes the filmmaker meant for there to be a few high-minded themes, (searching for the meaning of life and respecting oneself), but any message perceived is overshadowed by the crude behavior of this foul-mouthed bunch.

Distributor: Miramax