1408 (B-)

This horror film based on a Stephen King short story gets off to a rousing start before nearly grinding to a halt in the final 15 minutes.

Still, &#82201408” works much better than recent films in the same genre – thanks to a nice performance by John Cusack.

Captivity (D)

The latest splatter-fest from After Dark Films plays its hand way too early (probably because the twist is so predictable) and plods to a conclusion that is more of a relief than anything else.

About the biggest shock in &#8220Captivity” is the fact that it is directed by Roland Joffe (the man behind &#8220The Killing Fields” and &#8220The Mission”) – who has obviously fallen a long way from his once impressive pedigree.

Evan Almighty (D+)

The summer of sequels may have finally hit its low point with “Evan Almighty” – an absolutely unnecessary follow-up to the surprise hit (but very mediocre) “Bruce Almighty.”

The biggest problem is the script, which feels like something that would get rejected by the ABC Family Channel. The message is about as subtle as a mallet to the skull and the comedy is thin at best. Then again what else would you expect from Tom Shadyac, the guy responsible for &#8220Patch Adams.”

Evening (C)

Despite a stellar cast (including Claire Danes, Toni Collette and Meryl Streep), this weeper about a dying woman reflecting on the love of her life is full of rather superficial characters that make the material hard to digest.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (C+)

After four magical cinematic chapters the franchise finally hits a bump in the road with &#8220Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” which is full of plot detail and short of all the magic and charm that made this such a successful series.

The biggest problem with &#8220Phoenix” is that, for all its substance, nothing really happens. Watching &#8220Phoenix” is kind of like watching the episodes in a season of &#822024” that serve as nothing more than a bridge to get to the next big thing. Sure it serves a purpose, but when it happens in a feature-length film that clocks in at 138 minutes, it only proves to be frustrating.

Knocked Up (B)

Writer/director Judd Apatow’s follow-up to &#8220The 40-Year-Old Virgin” works thanks in large part to a strong cast and Apatow’s ability to stretch a seemingly razor-thin premise into a well-developed (OK, maybe too developed) final product.

License to Wed (D)

A sad romantic comedy that stretches its razor-thin premise – Robin Williams as an unorthodox reverend who puts a young couple (Mandy Moore and John Krasinski) through a marriage preparation course before he agrees to marry them – to unimaginably painful new heights.

Live Free or Die Hard (B)

Bruce Willis returns as John McClane in this fourth installment of the popular franchise.

The action sequences are well-staged and the film proves to be a lot of fun – with Willis and Justin Long, as a computer hacker who teams up with McClane, delivering plenty of one-liners that add to the enjoyment.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (B-)

A satisfying conclusion to the enormously successful Disney trilogy falls somewhere between the likable No. 2 and the somewhat overrated original.

This is certainly the most ambitious film in the &#8220Pirates” franchise, with a large cast, more exotic locations and several impressive effects-heavy action sequences.

For the most part the effort is rewarded, with a film that manages to deliver most of the time (even if nothing quite lives up to the waterwheel fight in &#8220Dead Man’s Chest”).

Ratatouille (A-)

Pixar’s latest – about a rat who lives in a fancy Parisian restaurant – is full of wonderful visuals and great characters, making it one of the animated studios best films in recent years.

Sicko (B+)

Political watchdog Michael Moore is back with his latest documentary, &#8220Sicko,” a take-no-prisoners look at the American health care system that is sure to entertain and enlighten fans of Moore’s previous work.

Transformers (B+)

In a summer overloaded with way too many disappointing sequels, here is an original (OK, it is based on an ’80’s TV series) where the &#8220wow” factor is pretty much achieved at every turn.

Director Michael Bay (&#8220The Rock” and &#8220Armageddon”) proves to be the perfect director for this testosterone-filled cocktail, expertly balancing the film’s impressive special effects with the occasional injection of humor.