Dan's Papers - April 4, 2008 - Tiffany Razzano's Mini-Movie Reviews

Based on a true story, Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), an MIT student, is struggling to pay his tuition. His problem is solved when he is recruited by his math professor (Kevin Spacey) to join a group of students who are trained in the art of card counting, then take Las Vegas casinos for millions.

Based on a 1971 true-life robbery of a bank on Baker Street in London, two crooks (Jason Statham and Saffron Burrows) get away with a safety deposit box worth millions in cash and jewelry. However, the box also contains secrets that intertwine the duo with Britain's criminal underworld, the government and Royal Family.

Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson), a supposed martial arts master who is really homeless, is hired by three high school students to protect them from a bully. Wilson goes undercover at their school as a substitute teacher.

This horror remake, starring Naomi Watts, offers a mundane family getting slowly tortured - abused by sophisticated freaks, both psychologically and physically. Don't take the kids.

A lushly animated and extended version of the Dr. Seuss classic: the jovial elephant named Horton (Jim Carrey) hears a sound emanating from a grain on a flower, in which lives a tiny town named Whoville. It quickly becomes a race against sour kangaroos and greasy vultures to save this lint-sized discovery from annihilation. Wonderful!

Starring Colin Farrell, two British hit men are holed up in Bruges, Belgium after a botched job. With witty, fast-paced dialogue, the pair grapples with life and death as they await their fates.

Dodge Connolly (George Clooney), a hero in America's pro-football league in 1925, is determined to saved his team and the fledgling league from demise. After bringing in college football star Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski), Connolly finds himself competing with the young player for the affections of reporter Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) who is trying to uncover the real scoop on Rutherford.

Set in the 1940s, Harry (Chris Cooper) decides he must kill his wife Pat (Patricia Clarkson) because he loves her too much to hurt her when he leaves her. Meanwhile, as Harry plots his wife's death, he finds his best friend Richard (Pierce Brosnan) competing with him for the affections of his much younger girlfriend Kay (Rachel McAdams).

Abigail Breslin portrays Nim, a young girl who lives on an island with her scientist father (Gerard Butler). When the island she loves becomes threatened, she reaches out to the author (Jodi Foster) of her favorite adventure book series for help.

Alex (Gabe Nevins), a young skateboarder, begins to unravel after he is involved in the accidental death of a security guard. Directed by Gus Van Sant and based on a novel by Blake Nelson.

Based on a novel, a group of friends (including Jena Malone) vacationing in Mexico decide to visit one of their brothers, who is working at an archaeological dig at the ruins of a Mayan temple nearby. As they search for him, they discover something evil is lurking in the ruins.

Five years after leaving his pregnant fiancée, Libby, at the altar, Dennis (Simon Pegg) decides he wants to try to win her back. In order to prove to Libby he's changed, Dennis decides to train for a marathon, all while battling with another man (Hank Azaria) for her affections.

A remake of the 2004 Thai thriller, a photographer (Joshua Jackson) and wife are involved in a tragic auto accident. Afterwards, they begin to notice ghostly figures showing up in the backgrounds of their pictures.

James (Nick Stahl) is left to care for his 11-year-old niece Tara after his older sister Jolene (Charlize Theron) abandons them both. Overcoming obstacles along the way, James struggles to become the father figure Tara never had.

Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillipe) returns to his small hometown in Texas after his tour of duty in Iraq. As he settles back in to the life he left behind, the Army orders him back to Iraq, testing everything he believes in.

A parody of superhero movies, from Batman Begins to Fantastic Four, borrowing most heavily from the Spiderman movies. Starring Drake Bell and Leslie Nielsen.