BTM December 2011 133 dvds The Change-Up This body-swap formula comedy stars Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds as two buddies. Secretly they envy each other’s lives, and one stormy night weird karmic forces switch their identities. Typical! There are a few tired laughs to be had, but it is mostly predictable. Larry Crowne This is an inside-out movie, acceptable around the edges but hollow and shockingly unconvincing at its core. When that core is two of the biggest movie stars around — Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts — it’s an especially dispiriting situation. Cars 2 RATING: DIRECTED BY: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis STARRING: Owen Wilson, Michael Caine THE PLOT: Star race car Lightning McQueen (Wilson) and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Cars 2 takes the studio into unexpected new territory by bringing its familiar characters to a spy thriller complete with secret weapons, sinister villains and clandestine agents calling frantically for backup. WORTH WATCHING? More than visiting metropolises, the movie does what Pixar calls “car-ifying”. It recreates these places in a remarkably detailed way, as if cars were the people who built and lived in these cities. It also makes entertaining and inventive use of the 3D technology. With a plot that includes life-and-death action sequences, thrilling auto races and panoramic scenic vistas, the opportunities for enhanced perspective are considerable. DVD OF THE MONTH VERDICT: It’s cute. The kids will love it. You might too.
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