I loved “Duplicity,” because it’s like a throwback to all of those great film noir flicks of the 1940’s, 50s and 60s, with the sexual tension and rat-a-tat banter between Clive Owen and Julia Roberts.
The story is all about corporate intrigue, spies and secrets, but it’s more light-hearted than you might think at first glance. Instead of missiles and terrorists, we’re dealing with something more benign, along the lines of body lotion, hair gel and pizza crust. The great Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti also star in this fun caper, written and directed by Tony Gilroy.
Read my …read more

I’ve heard people say that the timing of “Confessions of a Shopaholic” isn’t great, what with all of our personal and national economics woes. But as Val Kilmer said in “Tombstone,” I beg to diffah.
“Confessions” is the perfect movie right now, because a lot of us … ahem, not me, of course … are shopaholics, but this movie shows that you can overcome it and learn to curb your spending. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.
Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” says the movie is perfect for our current times.
“It’s a tale of redemption,” he says. “It’s a …read more

Movie: Confessions of a Shopaholic * Trailer * Official Site * BuyIt
In Theaters: Feb. 13, 2009; On DVD & Blu-ray: June 23, 2009

Runtime: 112 minutes
Directed by: P. J. Hogan

MPAA Rating: PG for some mild language and thematic elements
Gecko Rating:

I’m a huge fan of all the Sophie Kinsella books, and "Confessions of a Shopaholic" is based on her book by the same name. It’s about a woman named Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher – pronounced "I-la")) who LOVES to shop.
There are more books in the series, including "Shopaholic Ties the Knot," "Shopaholic & Sister," "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan," and "Shopaholic & …read more

My friend Vera Marie Badertscher, who blogs at A Traveler’s Library, sent me a link to her review of "My Life in Ruins," a romantic comedy starring Nia Vardalos as a Greek tour guide.
I’m glad for the review, because I haven’t had a chance to see it yet. And maybe I won’t! Vera doesn’t give the movie high marks, calling it "an absolute stinker" with "incredibly lame" dialogue that you should wait to see when it comes out on DVD. Ok, then, Vera!
But she does have a few good things to say about it, too; namely, Richard …read more

Movie: Revolutionary Road * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: Dec. 26, 2008; On  DVD: June 2, 2009

Runtime: 119 minutes
Directed by: Sam Mendes

MPAA Rating: R for language and some sexual content/nudity
Gecko Rating:

As a rule, I generally don’t like movies that revolve around couples arguing. But as you can see above, I gave "Revolutionary Road" 5 out of 5 Geckos, and the reason is simple: Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.
As I was watching this movie, I kept thinking, here’s a couple who really work well together. It’s like they’re hardly acting, because they’re so natural with each other, their …read more

Movie: 17 Again * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: April 17, 2009

Runtime: 102 minutes
Directed by: Burr Steers 

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, some sexual material and teen partying
Gecko Rating:

I predict that Zac Efron is headed for mega-stardom, if he doesn’t implode from all the fame and fortune and paparazzi, that is. In "17 Again," he carries the movie admirably, and does so with sweetness, heart and humor. He’s only 21, but already has the "High School Musical" franchise, mega-hit "Hairspray," and a long list of TV roles on his IMDB page, dating back to a small role in "Firefly" …read more

Movie: Fast & Furious * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: April 3, 2009

Runtime: 107 minutes
Directed by: Justin Lin

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexual content, language and drug references
Gecko Rating:

 
After watching the opening scene of "Fast & Furious," my 14-year-old son and I both proclaimed it the Best.Opening.Scene.Ever!
The stunts are ridiculously awesome: The crew is stealing fuel from a tanker semi-truck hurling down the highway. They pull up behind the semi, turn their vehicle around so they’re driving backwards, unhook the trailer full of fuel and hook it to their own vehicle – all …read more

Movie: Monsters vs. Aliens * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: March 27, 2009

Runtime: 94 minutes
Directed by: Rob Letterman / Conrad Vernon

MPAA Rating: PG for sci-fi action, some crude humor, and mild language
Gecko Rating:

There’s really only so much you can do with a kids’ movie these days. There’s usually an evil guy, a main character with issues, some kooky supporting characters, and a big crisis that needs to be stopped.
"Monsters vs. Aliens" has all of these elements, but what puts it a notch above most kids’ movies is the animation. The movie is offered in both 3D and …read more

Movie: Duplicity * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: March 20, 2009

Runtime: 125 minutes
Directed by: Tony Gilroy

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language and some sexual content
Gecko Rating:

I’ve been excited to see “Duplicity” since I first heard about it. Not only does it pair Julia Roberts and Clive Owen in a movie with lots of snappy banter and intrigue (they did “Closer” together in 2004), but it also teams them with Tony Gilroy.
Gilroy earned a place in my heart with films like “Michael Clayton,” which he wrote and directed, and the “Bourne” movies, for which he wrote the screenplay. He also wrote …read more

Movie: Coraline in 3D * Trailer * Official Site
In Theaters: Feb. 6, 2009

Runtime: 100 minutes
Directed by: Henry Selick

MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor
Gecko Rating:

"Coraline" is one of those movies that’s probably a great piece of filmmaking, but it’s not really appropriate for kids. The stop-motion animation, the cinematography, and the storyline are all beautifully done. But it’s just too darn scary for little kids. Even though it’s rated PG, I don’t recommend it for kids younger than 12, which, in my mind, means it should have been rated PG-13.
The story follows …read more