Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

Rated PG13 for action violence, mild language, sexuality

Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibbons, John Turturro

Picking up two years after the original film, The Transformers are now working with a top secret government group called NEST, headed up by Major Lennox (Duhamel), in order to track down and disassemble Decepticons throughout Earth. Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) and Mikaela (Fox) are preparing for Sam's first semester away at college across country.

Little do they know, Sam still has a sliver of the Allspark that when he touched it, filled his mind with Cybortron hieroglyphics and now he can't help but go crazy, writing them everywhere, trying to figure out what they mean. Meanwhile, the Decepticons devise a plan to break into a government building, steal the Allspark, and then ressurect Megatron. Megatron wants the information Sam now has in his head, as it contains information as to the location of The Matrix of Leadership, which is needed to activate a Sun Harvester device on Earth which will take out our sun and turn our planet dark and cold forever. The race to the Matrix of Leadership and to the destroy the Sun Harvester leads us to Egypt and the middle East.

The first time around, this movie was entertaining, however the more you watch, the more you catch simple flaws and holes in the film that a simple editing job of the script could have prevented. This film is pure mindless entertainment, with very little depth to it. Like a typical Michael Bay movie, Transformers 2 focuses heavily on explosions, chase scenes, more explosions and extended action sequences which make you wonder if you really did just spend the last 20 minutes watching characters run through the desert through constant explosions.

Up!

Rated G

Starring Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson, and Jordan Nagai

Everyone wonders why Carl Fredrickson is a grouchy old man. Not many know that he lost his wife, who was the love of his life.

Ellie and Carl met when they were just kids. They shared a love for adventure and exploration and both want to growup and explore the world like the famous explorer Charles Muntz. They made a pact to someday move their clubhouse (an abandoned home in their neighborhood) to Paradise Falls, a mysterious place in South America where Muntz is rumored to live. Carl and Ellie get married and they moved into the old abandoned home, making it theirs for good. As the years go by, they try to save for their trip to Paradise Falls, but different financial hardships come to them. On the eve of presenting Ellie with their travel tickets, she gets sick and passes, leaving Carl alone.

Years go by and the city begins to grow up around Carl and the house. After getting into a fight with a nearby construction worker, Carl is required to move into Shady Oaks Retirement Home. But he has other plans for himself and his house. Just as the orderlies are about to take him to the rest home, Carl launches thousands of balloons out his chimney and the house takes off into the air towards Paradise Falls, in an attempt to keep his promise to Ellie. Only Carl didn't plan on the neighbor Wilderness Explorer, Russell, to be hiding out on his front porch when the house took off!

On a course for getting the house to the perfect location in Paradise Falls before all the balloons pop, Carl and Russell encounter a "talking" dog named Dug, a colorful tropical bird Russell names Kevin, and Charles Muntz himself. However Carl learns various life lessons on their short journey and realizes that sometimes the people you idolize may not always be who you think they are.

Disney and Pixar have done it again, with their 10th film together, creating another heartwarming story that both kids and adults can enjoy. Adults will be moved by Carl's undying devotion to Ellie and his promise to her, while kids will love Russell, Dug and Kevin.