Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D: I loved the original film as a kid as a fun fantasy action picture (despite Pat Boone), so was eager to see how they would do it with 3D effects.  The plotline ties in the Jules Verne novel and works as a refreshed version, but that's mainly due to the good-natured action sequences heightened by 3D.  There's nothing like having a T-Rex drool right on you or to have fish with humungous teeth fly into your face to wake you up at the show.  Brendan Fraser knows how to emote in front of a green screen and anchors the small cast, but frankly the star is the 3D.  I can recommend this for the family, though smaller kids may find the T-Rex pretty scary.  The theater was packed and I heard many kids saying how cool it was as we left, so that's a good sign of a winner (just wonder if the DVD will be 3D??) Seen 7/11/08

JOY RIDE: A lame joke played on a trucker who's handle is "Rusty Nail", goes awry when he comes after the two brothers for vengeance.  It's an "E" ticket ride as everything time they think they're ok, he's back!  Real edge of your seat movie with comic moments from Steve Zahn.  movie seen 10/6/01    RECOMMEND: The Terminator is the grand daddy of the never-stopping chase movies. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the mechanical being who was sent into the past to terminate the mother (Linda Hamilton) of the leader of the human rebellion of the future.  Keeps your heart pumping right to the climatic ending.

Jumper: I must admit that I loved the concept, if not the execution of this flick.  A young man finds that he can move himself by wishing alone to another location and eventually uses it to rob banks and live his version of the jet set life.  However, there is a group who wants to eliminate the "jumpers" and he finds himself chased and threatened.  The little tidbits of storyline indicate that this is meant to be a series, since many issues were left unsolved at the end.  Honestly, I think this could be a fun TV series (sort of on the lines of "Journeyman"), but honestly, I don't know why they keep hiring Hayden Christensen for movies as he has zero charisma or acting ability.  But, despite his limp performance and the many lose ends of the plotlines, I still enjoyed the spirit and action of the movie, so a limited recommend.  Seen 2/15/08

Jurassic Park III: Idiot humans discover that they are only a lite snack.  Yeah, I know, been there, done that, but it did sucker me in one more time.  There is no magic and frankly the reptiles are better actors than the humans, but the action scenes are ok and I did jump a couple times.  (And without giving away the plot, they missed the better storyline of a survivor of the island.)  movie seen 7/18/01    RECOMMEND: The Naked Prey is Cornel Wilde's tour de force, as a man who literally runs for his life from African natives.  He is set out naked into the bush and goes from prey to hunter to save himself.

Just Like Heaven: Is a pleasant little movie that begins very funny with a very driven young doctor and how she comes into contact with a mopy young man.  She is the sparky young actress Reese Witherspoon and he is the cuddly Mark Ruffalo and they are hilarious together in the first half of the movie and they manage to annoy each other.  The second half of the movie gets more serious, but ends sweetly.  It is an OK date/chick flick that does work in the end.   PS: Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynomite) is very cute in a supporting role.   seen 9/16/05  RECOMMEND: Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands is a terrific sexy little 1970's comedy from Brazil that has the lovely Sonya Braga as a wife who remarried after the death of her first husband, who is now haunting and taunting her.  He was quite a lover, which her current husband isn't.  AND he hilariously haunts her in the nude.  Sadly this charmer isn't out on DVD yet.

Just My Luck: This is one of the movies with a cute plot idea that is poorly executed by a limp script and leaden cast.  A girl with a lifetime of good luck kisses a sweet loser and gives him her good fortune.  She suffers, he prospers, and the jokes are either old as the hills (honestly another bubbled over washing machine) and pretty groady.  Sadly, Lindsay has lost the spark and just looks sickly throughout the film - I suggest you avoid unless you need a couple hours sleep.   seen 5/18/06  RECOMMEND: Mr. Destiny is a nice little picture about a loser who gets the magical chance to see what his life would be like if he got to do everything he wanted to.  Jim Belushi is very sweet as the guy who learns that having every wish may not be what he really wants.  Michael Caine is charming as the guardian angel who grants his wish and Linda Hamilton adds warm support as the girl he loves.