Abraham Lincoln Movie, President Vs. Zombies

Introduction

Karl T. Hirsch and J. Lauren Proctor have come up with a story titled Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies and the movie is directed by a very talented director - Richard Schenkman. An American civil war is going on and suddenly there is an outburst of the zombies and the president has to save the nation from these very dangerous undead creatures.

Plot

The very first scene of the movie is that Abraham Lincoln, a 10 year old lad is watching his father commit suicide because there has been an outbreak of the undead creatures and his father could not handle the situation.Abraham then joins the others in his community to protect the country and get rid of the zombies. This is just a small outbreak of the zombies and the people along with Abraham manage to destroy them all and save the country from further crisis.

The story is then fast forwarded to where Abraham Lincoln is the president and is informed of an outbreak of the undead in a place which is across the enemy lines. In his early days he had seen his parents succumb to these undead creatures, and has an idea what to expect and how to tackle them. He immediately gives orders to the army to go and destroy these furious undead creatures before it's too late.
This is what the Abraham Lincoln movie is all about. The bigger question is that will he be able to survive the siege and bring peace to the country and will he succeed in killing the zombies or will become a prey for them?

Cast

- Bill Oberst Jr. - Abraham Lincoln
- Jason Hughley - Wilson Brown
- Don McGraw - General Stonewall Jackson
- Brennen Harper - the young Lincoln
- Baby Norman - Mary Owens
- Raed Ali - Henry Lee Barton
- Jason Vail - John Wilkinson
- Bernie Ask - Edwin Stanton
- Amy Brice - Blonde Zombie
- Kennedy Brice - Little Zombie girl

Reception

The Abraham Lincoln movie has been made with a nominal budget of $150,000. The film being distributed by The Asylum was released on 29th May, 2012. This is the best Lincoln movie so far. The studio has made similar kind of movies previously also, but this film has raised the bar.

Review

The Asylum is back again with a 90 minutes Abraham Lincoln movie, the so called 'mockbuster'. The last half dozen Asylum films were quite bad and were disastrous at the box office too. The latest Abraham Lincoln movie vs. the Zombies will save and bring back the reputation of the Asylum as it is one of the best Asylum movies so far. We have all seen the previous Lincoln movies and have been disappointed a lot of times but with the release of Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies your opinion towards Asylum movies will change forever.

The movie looks fantastic and the sound effects are amazing. Director Richard Schenkman has done a great job and everyone has acted quite well. For the first time there are some recognizable actors in the film.
Conclusion - If you like the zombie films and can tolerate gore then you will definitely love this one. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Big Film Posters of 2012

Films are getting bigger and bigger. Prequels, sequels. Remakes and more. 2012 is a big year for films, and in turn, film posters. The designers and teams behind films have probably, quite a lot on their plate. You'd be forgiven to thinking that they could just chuck then design to an intern.

"You boy! Intern! The one with the beard! Take a screen shot and put some reviews on it. Make it snappy. 8 million prints. In the next hour. "

However, it's worth bearing in mind that this is the studio's main route to press and excitement over their latest creation, so plenty of time and effort goes into making these posters the best they can be.

So the top film posters of 2012 for the bestsellers were as follows:

The Avengers

The Avengers posters showed the full cast of the avengers assembled (see what we did there?) with some shots of individual members, and a clear focus on the date as well as the 'A' for avengers and the studio Marvel. The brand is well established and needed little explanation, and the use of the variety of characters on their own and together added diversity and interest for fans of the individual films (e.g. Thor, Hulk, Iron Man.)

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games posters were a mix of the full cast in a shadowy side profile, as well as the arena shot with the strap line 'the world will be watching'. For those who hadn't read the hunger games books, this unusual setting certainly gave an air of mystery to the film, with the poster giving actually little away to the genre and plot of the Hunger Games. The continuity of brand imagery, the searing orange and blacks meant that the hunger games posters were soon a noticeable fixture across the country.

Titanic 3D

Titanic 3D's posters featured jack and rose looking wet and a little harrowed (wonder why?) with the strap line 'experience it like never before'. The push here is all on 3D, and Titanic 3D, although not reinventing the wheel, was always going to be a big hitter on the anniversary of the sinking of the ship.

Wrath of the Titans

The Wrath of the Titans posters featured spearing of two headed beasts, a hunky male lead in full view of the shot, as well as the aforementioned beast breathing fire on said hunky male lead. The theme of wrath of the titan's poster was definitely 'Action!!' and gave a real indication of 'what you see is what you'll get.' It worked, grossing $298,004,440 worldwide.

So, we're not even through 2012 and we are already seeing some amazing film posters and movies hitting worldwide. The year of the blockbuster, the movie poster themes continue to push 3D, Imax and Real, and we can expect to see some great images for the upcoming Batman: The Dark Knight Rises posters and the new Spiderman posters. Keep your eyes peeled! Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

The Story Behind Bollywood

With a world population of 182 million speakers of Hindi and a thriving cultural industry, we investigate the story behind Bollywood in translation - the focal point of traditional India cinema enjoyed the world over. However, there are lots of misconceptions about this worldwide phenomenon. Although it is commonly interpreted as a wide spanning term for Indian cinema, it is actually a smaller part of it. Bollywood is only part of the Indian film industry, which produces films in regional language. Known formally as Hindi cinema, it also has an increasingly common feature of incorporating Indian English in songs and dialogue (Hinglish in translation).

So where did the word come from? It's a portmanteau of Bombay (former name of Mumbai) and the multimillion-dollar film industry of Hollywood. However, the similarity ends here as it's not an actual physical place, although it does reside in pride of place in the Oxford English Dictionary. The name has also been contested over its original coinage - from the scholar Amit Kannar to journalist Bevinda Collaco.

The story behind Indian cinema began with the screening of six silent films at the Watson Hotel in Bombay from the Lumiere Brothers. Having watched a screening in 1910, Dadasaheb Phalke decided to make his own screening, with the silent film Raja Harishchanda in 1913.

To reflect the times socially, culturally and historically, Indian cinema and Bollywood cinema underwent many trends in subject matter. During the 30s and 40s alongside social upheavals and the partitioning of India, more lighthearted subjects came from a wave of directors who used this political backdrop and freedom movement to flavour their scripts, dissecting many various issues and bringing them to life.

Following the 1940s and 50s, the independence of India heralded the Golden Age of Hindi cinema. These covered a wide range of issues, including social themes dealing with urban life in the famous films of critical acclaim such as the Raj Kapoor films Awaara and Shree 420. Black and white films were still prevalent until the 1960s, although the 1950s heralded in the new age of colour films. The plots now gravitated to romance and dramatic themes with famous actors such as Raj Kapoor and Meena Kumari and then eventually action.

So here is a snapshot of the famous industry, with now such famous stars as Rani Mukeraji and Aishwarya Rai. Hopefully we've helped to shed some more light in translation of Bollywood and the influence it has had over history!

Read up on Hindi interpreting services for more information on the relationship between English and Hindi. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Movie Review: Rock of Ages (2012)

Rock god Stacee Jaxx vents that he's a slave to rock 'n' roll. His lament parallels the problems at the core of Rock of Ages; the story and characters are swallowed whole by the music - and when the pounding beat ebbs, there's little left to attract us to what's underneath. This won't be a problem for many as the creative use of classic rock songs as a form of narration has its own substantial appeal. The clever juxtaposition of recognizable tunes and the extravagantly choreographed dance sequences are also entertaining, but they don't provide the stability of a stronger plot and more intricately developed characters. When the guitars roar and the singing starts though, it can be easy to forgive the faults and submerse yourself in the pulsing music and fervent performances.

With high hopes of becoming a singer, young Oklahoma girl Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) heads to Hollywood. Once there, a chance encounter lands her a job at the Bourbon Room, a famous nightclub run by Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin) that has played host to countless rock icons, including the wildly unhinged Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise). Falling in love with the Bourbon's busboy Drew (Diego Boneta), Sherrie thinks she's found happiness, but a grave misunderstanding finds the lovers parting ways; as each one drifts further away from their dreams, tragedy also strikes the Bourbon in the form of a bitter mayor's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), intent on shutting them down. But with a little luck and a lot of love, the power of rock 'n' roll might just save them all.

Fleeting cleverness works its way into a story of shattered dreams, lost and found love, personal redemption, and all that is '80s rock (including oodles of sweat, skin, pyrotechnics, girls, booze, and mischievous pet monkeys). With laughs from sexually deviant setups, suggestive comedic arrangements, and lascivious routines, and awkwardness from the stereotypical insanities of out-of-control musicians, the lack of a plot is intermittently forgotten. The infectious, nonstop soundtrack is also, fortunately, so intoxicating that it hides the deficiency in scripting. Generic characters and expected revelations messily fill in the gaps for a thrillingly assembled composition of catchy tunes and innovative duets, further augmented by an impressive cast (considering the success of the stage play, notable actors were probably easily attracted to the theatrical adaptation).

An abundance of energy similarly makes up for the unconvincing lip-syncing and spontaneous song-and-dance that isn't as smoothly integrated into character actions as other modern musicals. The flow and transitions are somewhat abrasive at the start, but after a few montages that seem to exist in their own indeterminate time frame, it's difficult not to get caught up in Cruise's silliness (embellished with an unwarranted sense of entitlement and extreme decadence), Giamatti's go-to sleazy linguist role, and Baldwin's uncharacteristic visual styling. Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bryan Cranston, and Malin Akerman conflictingly add nothing but recognizable names and missed potential. Despite the foibles and faults, however, the music really makes it work.

- The Massie Twins (GoneWithTheTwins.com) Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Home Vs Commercial Use Inflatable Movie Screens, Difference In Quality

Since the invention of the first inflatable movie screen by AIRSCREEN of Germany in 1994, many different styles of blowup movie screens have come on the market. While all of the same purpose which is to be a portable means for showing movies outdoors, there are some notable differences in a home use and commercial use outdoor screen system.

HOME USE INFLATABLE MOVIE SCREENS
Home use inflatable screens are usually small in size and are meant for a group showing of 10-15 people which is ideal for a backyard movie night. The quality of materials used on a home use screen is similar to that of a blow up snowman decorations sold in big box stores. To keep the cost down for the personal use market, the manufactures use light-weight thin materials. Light-weight materials also allow for the projection screen to easy to manage and store in small places. Equipped with thin tether ropes, small push stakes, and a fan, the blow screen system is easy to install in minutes in a grassy area of a home yard.

Since the home use portable projection screens have small fans (not blowers) with lightweight materials, the screen frame is not able to stay firm which will case the white projection surface to wrinkle which will affect the picture quality. Starting at a price point of $199, home use inflatable movie screens are affordable for the do-it-your homeowner who desires to host a backyard movie themselves.

COMMERCIAL USE
Consumers looking to buy a screen for home use may find that some manufactures are offering larger sized "commercial screens." Don't be fooled by these larger screens that the manufactures are trying to advertise as commercial. These screens are a lot lower quality than normal commercial screens made of cheaper, thinner materials that may start to have leaks after a short period of time. Typically manufactures selling these screen also sell products such as holiday decorations, and don't have the experience creating a stable, quality commercial movie screen.

One way to tell a true commercial screen is to look for a screen that is made of a heavier weight material such as reinforced PVC. The stronger material with welded or double stitched seams will result in a stronger frame which will be aesthetically wrinkle free as well as be able to withstand wind because of its more solid, stiffer structure. The thicker material and stronger seams also increase the longevity of use of the screen where as after a few uses with a home quality screen you will start to notice leaks which will progressively get worse with every use.

Another area that a commercial screen focuses on is safety. The larger the screen surface, the more impact wind can have on the screen. Similar to a giant sail on a boat, the screen will want to take flight with a strong enough gust of wind. To keep the screen from flying away and potentially injuring the crowd, you will find a minimum of six tether straps with 24? or longer tent stakes on a high quality commercial screen system.

Third a true commercial grade inflatable outdoor movie screen should have a theatrical grade or highly reflective screen surface similar to an indoor movie theater screen. A theatrical grade screen when paired with the correct projection system will produce a vibrant, crisp and colorful picture.

There are many clear, noticeable differences between the quality of a home screen system versus a high quality commercial grade screen system. Although home screens can be alright for using once or twice in a backyard, a commercial screen system will offer an outdoor cinema experience that just can't be matched by a home screen system. From a elegant, highly reflective screen surface, to a safety system that can withhold moderate to strong winds, hiring a professional outdoor movie company will be the correct decision for an unforgettable outdoor movie experience. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Home Vs Commercial Use Inflatable Movie Screens, Difference In Quality

Since the invention of the first inflatable movie screen by AIRSCREEN of Germany in 1994, many different styles of blowup movie screens have come on the market. While all of the same purpose which is to be a portable means for showing movies outdoors, there are some notable differences in a home use and commercial use outdoor screen system.

HOME USE INFLATABLE MOVIE SCREENS
Home use inflatable screens are usually small in size and are meant for a group showing of 10-15 people which is ideal for a backyard movie night. The quality of materials used on a home use screen is similar to that of a blow up snowman decorations sold in big box stores. To keep the cost down for the personal use market, the manufactures use light-weight thin materials. Light-weight materials also allow for the projection screen to easy to manage and store in small places. Equipped with thin tether ropes, small push stakes, and a fan, the blow screen system is easy to install in minutes in a grassy area of a home yard.

Since the home use portable projection screens have small fans (not blowers) with lightweight materials, the screen frame is not able to stay firm which will case the white projection surface to wrinkle which will affect the picture quality. Starting at a price point of $199, home use inflatable movie screens are affordable for the do-it-your homeowner who desires to host a backyard movie themselves.

COMMERCIAL USE
Consumers looking to buy a screen for home use may find that some manufactures are offering larger sized "commercial screens." Don't be fooled by these larger screens that the manufactures are trying to advertise as commercial. These screens are a lot lower quality than normal commercial screens made of cheaper, thinner materials that may start to have leaks after a short period of time. Typically manufactures selling these screen also sell products such as holiday decorations, and don't have the experience creating a stable, quality commercial movie screen.

One way to tell a true commercial screen is to look for a screen that is made of a heavier weight material such as reinforced PVC. The stronger material with welded or double stitched seams will result in a stronger frame which will be aesthetically wrinkle free as well as be able to withstand wind because of its more solid, stiffer structure. The thicker material and stronger seams also increase the longevity of use of the screen where as after a few uses with a home quality screen you will start to notice leaks which will progressively get worse with every use.

Another area that a commercial screen focuses on is safety. The larger the screen surface, the more impact wind can have on the screen. Similar to a giant sail on a boat, the screen will want to take flight with a strong enough gust of wind. To keep the screen from flying away and potentially injuring the crowd, you will find a minimum of six tether straps with 24? or longer tent stakes on a high quality commercial screen system.

Third a true commercial grade inflatable outdoor movie screen should have a theatrical grade or highly reflective screen surface similar to an indoor movie theater screen. A theatrical grade screen when paired with the correct projection system will produce a vibrant, crisp and colorful picture.

There are many clear, noticeable differences between the quality of a home screen system versus a high quality commercial grade screen system. Although home screens can be alright for using once or twice in a backyard, a commercial screen system will offer an outdoor cinema experience that just can't be matched by a home screen system. From a elegant, highly reflective screen surface, to a safety system that can withhold moderate to strong winds, hiring a professional outdoor movie company will be the correct decision for an unforgettable outdoor movie experience. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Abraham Lincoln Movie, President Vs. Zombies

Introduction

Karl T. Hirsch and J. Lauren Proctor have come up with a story titled Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies and the movie is directed by a very talented director - Richard Schenkman. An American civil war is going on and suddenly there is an outburst of the zombies and the president has to save the nation from these very dangerous undead creatures.

Plot

The very first scene of the movie is that Abraham Lincoln, a 10 year old lad is watching his father commit suicide because there has been an outbreak of the undead creatures and his father could not handle the situation.Abraham then joins the others in his community to protect the country and get rid of the zombies. This is just a small outbreak of the zombies and the people along with Abraham manage to destroy them all and save the country from further crisis.

The story is then fast forwarded to where Abraham Lincoln is the president and is informed of an outbreak of the undead in a place which is across the enemy lines. In his early days he had seen his parents succumb to these undead creatures, and has an idea what to expect and how to tackle them. He immediately gives orders to the army to go and destroy these furious undead creatures before it's too late.
This is what the Abraham Lincoln movie is all about. The bigger question is that will he be able to survive the siege and bring peace to the country and will he succeed in killing the zombies or will become a prey for them?

Cast

- Bill Oberst Jr. - Abraham Lincoln
- Jason Hughley - Wilson Brown
- Don McGraw - General Stonewall Jackson
- Brennen Harper - the young Lincoln
- Baby Norman - Mary Owens
- Raed Ali - Henry Lee Barton
- Jason Vail - John Wilkinson
- Bernie Ask - Edwin Stanton
- Amy Brice - Blonde Zombie
- Kennedy Brice - Little Zombie girl

Reception

The Abraham Lincoln movie has been made with a nominal budget of $150,000. The film being distributed by The Asylum was released on 29th May, 2012. This is the best Lincoln movie so far. The studio has made similar kind of movies previously also, but this film has raised the bar.

Review

The Asylum is back again with a 90 minutes Abraham Lincoln movie, the so called 'mockbuster'. The last half dozen Asylum films were quite bad and were disastrous at the box office too. The latest Abraham Lincoln movie vs. the Zombies will save and bring back the reputation of the Asylum as it is one of the best Asylum movies so far. We have all seen the previous Lincoln movies and have been disappointed a lot of times but with the release of Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies your opinion towards Asylum movies will change forever.

The movie looks fantastic and the sound effects are amazing. Director Richard Schenkman has done a great job and everyone has acted quite well. For the first time there are some recognizable actors in the film.
Conclusion - If you like the zombie films and can tolerate gore then you will definitely love this one. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

The Story Behind Bollywood

With a world population of 182 million speakers of Hindi and a thriving cultural industry, we investigate the story behind Bollywood in translation - the focal point of traditional India cinema enjoyed the world over. However, there are lots of misconceptions about this worldwide phenomenon. Although it is commonly interpreted as a wide spanning term for Indian cinema, it is actually a smaller part of it. Bollywood is only part of the Indian film industry, which produces films in regional language. Known formally as Hindi cinema, it also has an increasingly common feature of incorporating Indian English in songs and dialogue (Hinglish in translation).

So where did the word come from? It's a portmanteau of Bombay (former name of Mumbai) and the multimillion-dollar film industry of Hollywood. However, the similarity ends here as it's not an actual physical place, although it does reside in pride of place in the Oxford English Dictionary. The name has also been contested over its original coinage - from the scholar Amit Kannar to journalist Bevinda Collaco.

The story behind Indian cinema began with the screening of six silent films at the Watson Hotel in Bombay from the Lumiere Brothers. Having watched a screening in 1910, Dadasaheb Phalke decided to make his own screening, with the silent film Raja Harishchanda in 1913.

To reflect the times socially, culturally and historically, Indian cinema and Bollywood cinema underwent many trends in subject matter. During the 30s and 40s alongside social upheavals and the partitioning of India, more lighthearted subjects came from a wave of directors who used this political backdrop and freedom movement to flavour their scripts, dissecting many various issues and bringing them to life.

Following the 1940s and 50s, the independence of India heralded the Golden Age of Hindi cinema. These covered a wide range of issues, including social themes dealing with urban life in the famous films of critical acclaim such as the Raj Kapoor films Awaara and Shree 420. Black and white films were still prevalent until the 1960s, although the 1950s heralded in the new age of colour films. The plots now gravitated to romance and dramatic themes with famous actors such as Raj Kapoor and Meena Kumari and then eventually action.

So here is a snapshot of the famous industry, with now such famous stars as Rani Mukeraji and Aishwarya Rai. Hopefully we've helped to shed some more light in translation of Bollywood and the influence it has had over history!

Read up on Hindi interpreting services for more information on the relationship between English and Hindi. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Big Film Posters of 2012

Films are getting bigger and bigger. Prequels, sequels. Remakes and more. 2012 is a big year for films, and in turn, film posters. The designers and teams behind films have probably, quite a lot on their plate. You'd be forgiven to thinking that they could just chuck then design to an intern.

"You boy! Intern! The one with the beard! Take a screen shot and put some reviews on it. Make it snappy. 8 million prints. In the next hour. "

However, it's worth bearing in mind that this is the studio's main route to press and excitement over their latest creation, so plenty of time and effort goes into making these posters the best they can be.

So the top film posters of 2012 for the bestsellers were as follows:

The Avengers

The Avengers posters showed the full cast of the avengers assembled (see what we did there?) with some shots of individual members, and a clear focus on the date as well as the 'A' for avengers and the studio Marvel. The brand is well established and needed little explanation, and the use of the variety of characters on their own and together added diversity and interest for fans of the individual films (e.g. Thor, Hulk, Iron Man.)

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games posters were a mix of the full cast in a shadowy side profile, as well as the arena shot with the strap line 'the world will be watching'. For those who hadn't read the hunger games books, this unusual setting certainly gave an air of mystery to the film, with the poster giving actually little away to the genre and plot of the Hunger Games. The continuity of brand imagery, the searing orange and blacks meant that the hunger games posters were soon a noticeable fixture across the country.

Titanic 3D

Titanic 3D's posters featured jack and rose looking wet and a little harrowed (wonder why?) with the strap line 'experience it like never before'. The push here is all on 3D, and Titanic 3D, although not reinventing the wheel, was always going to be a big hitter on the anniversary of the sinking of the ship.

Wrath of the Titans

The Wrath of the Titans posters featured spearing of two headed beasts, a hunky male lead in full view of the shot, as well as the aforementioned beast breathing fire on said hunky male lead. The theme of wrath of the titan's poster was definitely 'Action!!' and gave a real indication of 'what you see is what you'll get.' It worked, grossing $298,004,440 worldwide.

So, we're not even through 2012 and we are already seeing some amazing film posters and movies hitting worldwide. The year of the blockbuster, the movie poster themes continue to push 3D, Imax and Real, and we can expect to see some great images for the upcoming Batman: The Dark Knight Rises posters and the new Spiderman posters. Keep your eyes peeled! Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Movie Review: Rock of Ages (2012)

Rock god Stacee Jaxx vents that he's a slave to rock 'n' roll. His lament parallels the problems at the core of Rock of Ages; the story and characters are swallowed whole by the music - and when the pounding beat ebbs, there's little left to attract us to what's underneath. This won't be a problem for many as the creative use of classic rock songs as a form of narration has its own substantial appeal. The clever juxtaposition of recognizable tunes and the extravagantly choreographed dance sequences are also entertaining, but they don't provide the stability of a stronger plot and more intricately developed characters. When the guitars roar and the singing starts though, it can be easy to forgive the faults and submerse yourself in the pulsing music and fervent performances.

With high hopes of becoming a singer, young Oklahoma girl Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) heads to Hollywood. Once there, a chance encounter lands her a job at the Bourbon Room, a famous nightclub run by Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin) that has played host to countless rock icons, including the wildly unhinged Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise). Falling in love with the Bourbon's busboy Drew (Diego Boneta), Sherrie thinks she's found happiness, but a grave misunderstanding finds the lovers parting ways; as each one drifts further away from their dreams, tragedy also strikes the Bourbon in the form of a bitter mayor's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), intent on shutting them down. But with a little luck and a lot of love, the power of rock 'n' roll might just save them all.

Fleeting cleverness works its way into a story of shattered dreams, lost and found love, personal redemption, and all that is '80s rock (including oodles of sweat, skin, pyrotechnics, girls, booze, and mischievous pet monkeys). With laughs from sexually deviant setups, suggestive comedic arrangements, and lascivious routines, and awkwardness from the stereotypical insanities of out-of-control musicians, the lack of a plot is intermittently forgotten. The infectious, nonstop soundtrack is also, fortunately, so intoxicating that it hides the deficiency in scripting. Generic characters and expected revelations messily fill in the gaps for a thrillingly assembled composition of catchy tunes and innovative duets, further augmented by an impressive cast (considering the success of the stage play, notable actors were probably easily attracted to the theatrical adaptation).

An abundance of energy similarly makes up for the unconvincing lip-syncing and spontaneous song-and-dance that isn't as smoothly integrated into character actions as other modern musicals. The flow and transitions are somewhat abrasive at the start, but after a few montages that seem to exist in their own indeterminate time frame, it's difficult not to get caught up in Cruise's silliness (embellished with an unwarranted sense of entitlement and extreme decadence), Giamatti's go-to sleazy linguist role, and Baldwin's uncharacteristic visual styling. Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bryan Cranston, and Malin Akerman conflictingly add nothing but recognizable names and missed potential. Despite the foibles and faults, however, the music really makes it work.

- The Massie Twins (GoneWithTheTwins.com) Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.