Black Christmas (F)

This remake of a 1970’s slasher flick has absolutely nothing going for it – expect for unintentional humor. Several familiar faces – including Andrea Martin and Michelle Trachtenberg – get sliced up, but not before collecting a paycheck that should leave them embarrassed.

Blood Diamond (B+)

Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou star in this effective drama set against the backdrop of the African civil war in the late 1980’s.

The film is full of some intense action sequences, but manages to deliver a powerful message as well.

Casino Royale (B)

The James Bond series returns to its roots with &#8220Casino Royale,” the first Ian Fleming novel that introduced the popular British super spy, and it couldn’t come at a more appropriate time.

&#8220Royale” doesn’t just serve to introduce the latest Bond (Daniel Craig), but it also gives the series a chance to reinvent itself into a sleeker, hard-edged type of franchise.

Charlotte’s Web (B)

A fun for the family live action adaptation of the popular E.B. White novel – featuring Dakota Fanning and the voice talents of Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi and Oprah Winfrey.

Children of Men (B)

Alfonso Cuaron’s futuristic tale of a world ravaged by infertility is a solid action film with some thought provoking moments as well. Starring the always reliable Clive Owen and Julianne Moore.

Code Name: The Cleaner (D)

Cedric the Entertainer stumbles his way through this alleged comedy about a janitor who thinks he is a secret agent. To its credit the film does manage to squeeze one or two laughs out of its rather padded 85 minute running time, but none come from its hefty lead.

Dreamgirls (A)

This adaptation of the Broadway musical loosely based on Diana Ross and the Supremes features an enjoyable soundtrack and a star-making performance from Jennifer Hudson.

The former &#8220American Idol” contestant is on such a different stratosphere in her role as Effie, that she manages to upstage a cast that includes Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Danny Glover, and Beyonce.

Eragon (C-)

An utterly silly adventure film that is clearly looking to cash in on the success of superior movies like &#8220Lord of the Rings” and &#8220Star Wars.” I’m sure there is an audience out there for &#8220Eragon,” but I can’t take a film seriously that features a dragon voiced by Rachel Weisz.

Freedom Writers (B)

Based on a true story, Hilary Swank stars as a young teacher who inspires her inner-city students to bigger and better things in this surprisingly effective teen drama. &#8220Freedom” is full of cluttered subplots, but the film really takes off during its classroom sequences.

The Good Shepherd (B)

Robert DeNiro’s sweeping epic about the early days of the CIA features good work by Matt Damon, but a script that tends to overstay its welcome. The result is a good film that misses out on its chance to be a great one.

Happily N’ever After (C-)

Another &#8220Shrek”-like retelling of fairy tales – without the charm, imagination, and sheer entertainment. This lame animated feature makes last year’s mediocre &#8220Hoodwinked” look clever.

Happy Feet (B-)

Great visual and some snappy musical numbers are enough to overcome a film that feels too preachy at times. Robin Williams, Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Jackman are among the slew of Hollywood elite who lend their voice talents to the film.

The Holiday (B)

Some people might accuse writer/ director Nancy Meyers of sleepwalking in her latest film &#8220The Holiday,” but it still worked for me – thanks to a likable cast and some rather smart dialogue.

Sure this film relies heavily on parts of better films and there are some deep problems overall, but I still found myself giving in and enjoying myself in spite of its limitations.

Night at the Museum (B-)

This family-friendly, &#8220Jumanji”-like adventure features some nice comic set pieces with some great visual effects (that are really neat in the IMAX version I saw with my family). The film is so visually appealing, it’s a credit to &#8220Museum,” despite the fact the movie has a flimsy plot full of hokey clichés and contrived plot advancements.

The Pursuit of Happyness (C-)

Will Smith goes for the Oscar in this sappy drama based on the true story of a homeless father who turned his life around after winning an internship with a prestigious stock brockerage firm.

&#8220Happyness” never takes off because it opts to spend too much time on the Lifetime channel plot involving the father and his young son, and not enough time showing how the character became a successful stock broker.

Rocky Balboa (B)

Hey Yo! Sylvester Stallone dips into the time machine and delivers a nostalgic crowd pleaser that proves to be a worthy final chapter to the &#8220Rocky” franchise.

&#8220Rocky Balboa” is entertaining and poignant – evoking memories of the first two films in the series.

Thr3e (C+)

The adaptation of a popular novel by Ted Dekker has an intriguing premise and a plot twist that I found compelling (even if it was somewhat implausible), but also unfortunately appears as if it’s trying to cash in on existing films.

We are Marshall (B-)

This tale of the 1970 plane crash that killed most of the Marshall football team is carried by such raw emotion that even director McG ( a questionable choice to helm the project) can’t screw up.

There are better sports films out there (&#8220Invincible” and &#8220Glory Road” are recent releases that come to mind), but &#8220Marshall” deserves praise simply for the fact that it is a story of tragedy that still resonates in the small West Virginia town – and every other small town that’s ever experienced any sort of tragedy.