Arthur was good, but failed in comparison to the original.

Arhur
2/5 stars

Arthur was a seemingly pointless remake that turned out less enjoyable than the original. That is not to say that you wont enjoy it, but being a remake, it is pretty much the same exact story with a few minor inconsistencies. The only major difference between the two films is the 1981 version was funnier. So why not just rent the original?

Arthur (Russell Brand) is a spoiled adult living off of his mother Vivienne's (Geraldine James) wealth. After Arthur has repeatedly embarrassed the Vivienne's company in the press with his endless escapades she decides to give him an ultimatum: Grow up and marry Susan Johnson (Jennifer Garner) or be cut off from the money. Arthur grudgingly agrees, but as the wedding is being planed he falls for Naomi (Greta Gerwig). Now Arthur is forced to make a choice: give up his wealth and be with the one he truly loves, or continue living a luxurious life in an unhappy marriage.

Despite the dry humor this movie did have a few things going for it. Changing Arthur's male butler from the original into a female nanny, Hobson (Helen Mirren), was genius. The chemistry between Brand and Gerwig was beautiful. Witty one liners, similar to those in the original, were exchanged back and forth between the characters. Also, Luis Guzman was an excellent choice for Bitterman, Arthur's driver, and really added an extra bit of flavor to the mix of character's in the film.

But none of this changes the fact that there was absolutely no reason to raise this film from its grave other than the fact that Jason Winer wants your money. You could willingly hand it over to him, or, you could be a better person and rent the original! It's up to you.

2/5 stars

"Your Highness" met high expectations.

Your Highness
4/5

"Your Highness" is like a hilarious D&D session with your drunk friends. It's filled with the same crude humor that you would expect from one of David Gordon Green's comedies, but with more blood and gore. Plus, there's a nice shot of Natalie Portman's backside.

Thadeus (Danny McBride) is a spoiled prince who lives in the shadows of his brother Fabious (James Franco) who has returned from a long quest with his rescued maiden, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel). Belladonna is swiftly stolen back by Leezar (Justin Theroux) an evil wizard with a perverted mind. Thadeus now reluctantly follows his brother on his quest to save the maiden once again after his father threatened to cut him off from his luxurious life. They are later joined by the fierce warrior Isabel (Portman) who hopes to avenge her dead brothers. Together they embark on an amusing quest filled with twists and turns.

There is a clever blend of present day slang and old English speech in this movie that adds to its comedic value. Modern day cultural assumptions are similarly blended with mythological situations resulting in sidesplitting laughter throughout the whole movie.

Green did a wonderful job of choosing the cast. Portman was an obvious choice for this part. McBride and Franco were a great pair and McBride in particular did an excellent job of portraying both a lovable goof and hesitant hero. And it was delightful to see Deschanel in something slightly different than we're used to.

One thing you should keep in mind if you decide to see this movie however, is it caters to a fairly specific audience: D&D nerds, fantasy fans, mythological junkies, and... adolescent men. I happen to be all of those things at heart which is why I give it: 4/5 stars.

If you liked Monty Python's "Quest of the Holy Grail" and Mel Brooks' "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" than you'll love this movie. If not, steer clear.

Although adorable "Born To Be Wild" came up short.

Born To Be Wild
Rating: 3/5

"Born To Be Wild" is a movie with a lot of appeal. But lets face it, the major appeal to this movie is the cute animals. The 3D Imax experience took us right in the middle of the jungle as orangutans leaped from tree to tree and elephants stampeded through savannas. Morgan Freeman's soothing voice had us captivated by the lovable animals on screen.

Director David Lickley does an excellent job of transitioning between two stories. One story deals with Orangutans in Borneo. The other, elephants in Kenya. Each are endangered. The movie follows primatologist Dr. Birute Galdikas and conservationist Dame Daphne Sheldrick and their teams as they strive to save the animals they love.

Overall it was an adorable experience, but it could have been a bit longer for the price. Either twenty more minutes of animals or a couple bucks less for the tickets would have added an extra star to this rating. With that being said however, it's understandable why this movie was done only in 3D. Had it been shot any other way the movie would not have made it to the big screen. It would have been a special on Discovery instead.

3/5 stars