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On the progress of using genotyping methods to identify cause of diseases, a new research revealed 71 new genes associated with diseases that affect the colon like Crohn’s disease, IDB or irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis. The said research has been done by researchers from US, Canada, and Europe. It was also funded by the IBD Genetics Consortium of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). It was further published and released at the November 1 issue of the Journal National. The study was said to have started by gathering datasets of people having IBD. They have scanned and discovered that 71 new strains of genes associated with disease in the intestinal system. From samples of DNA from 15 different countries, these discovered genes have evolved and had resisted mycobacterial infections which have caused diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis. IDB cause is still unknown though researchers have suspected an unknown agent to be trigger of the disease. This disease runs on families and is diagnosed in young adults. The newly discovered genes associated with disease added to a total of 163 genes in which 110 of them are associated with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, 23 are only associated to ulcerative colitis, and 30 are on Crohn’s.

In coming to be a flourishing person, first is to know your forms, essential marks, blood classification, and your whole being. obviously you might as well see a medical practitioner to know the essential things in health. Health is riches, which is the maxim that conveys the key for a person to follow a best health condition, again it is your fortune! You might as well begin the day with no less than 2 glass of water to fuel your body. Slumbering accuses your assortment of water so it is exceptionally paramount to take the glasses of water before sleep, recall 8 to 10 glasses a day, this will tune you up for the day and this gives you a positive charge as you do your actions. Those can enhance your health. In the event that for the day you start up, coffee is a grave hobbit, researchers identify that coffee can make you down. Don’t dodge your breakfast, we realize that the imperative dish of the day is the breakfast; this will begin your day with force and great demeanor to the actions you need to accomplish for the day. Don’t skip dinners, this will decrease form fats. Maintain a strategic distance from fatty foods and salty foods. Junk foods jeopardized your figure with countless entanglements that will endanger your health and your pocket. So treasure health as you treasure riches.

Want to avoid larger risks of early death due to cigarette smoking? Avoiding smoke early can be the key, experts say. According to a recent research in UK, women who quit smoking as early as 30 years old can almost completely avoid threatening risks of acquiring death from tobacco-related diseases. Lifelong smokers die a decade earlier than those who haven’t smoked their whole life, research added. But if smokers stopped at 30, a month of life is saved. If stopped at 40, they’ll die a year younger. But this doesn’t mean youngsters now have a license to smoke. On the study they have observed women who have been smoking during the 50s and 60s. According to Richard Peto of the Oxford University, women who smoke and continued doing it will more likely die because of tobacco. Peto further added that stopping smoking work wonders. Avoiding smoke early can help us avoid the harsh consequences. The earlier you stop the better. Peto also mentioned that high health risks from smoking are not determined by the amount, but rather the time.

Love sodas and other sweet drinks? Well you better watch out for the number of cans you drink because to a study in Japan, drinking too much of these thirst quenching sweets may lead to a kind of stroke in women. Though results of the study did not show a direct cause of stroke from these drinks, there are results linking too much sugar intake and blocked arteries, according to Dr. Adam Bernstein a researcher at Cleveland Clinic. He also added that the results from the study appear that increased sugar intake leads to disease like ischemic stroke. This kind of stroke is caused by plaque buildup. The results also shared the same resolution on other studies pertaining to diseases from high intake of sweet beverages like diabetes, obesity, and heart attack. On the study, Dr. Hiroyasu Iso and his team at Osaka University have surveyed people to answer different health and lifestyle questions pertaining to softdrink or sweet drink intake. Subjects are then divided into groups by the level of sugar intake: everyday soda/fruit drink intake, every week, and those who rarely take sodas and fruit drinks. Sugar drinks, juices, and sodas that were considered in the study were the sugar sweetened ones. Diet sodas and 100 percent fruit juices were not included. After they have tracked the subjects, 3% of every day sugar drinkers had ischemic stroke. On the other hand, 1% of those who rarely drink these sweet beverages had developed stroke. There were no such links of sugar intake leads to disease on men.

One of the hormonal diseases associated with calcium deficit is PHPT or Primary Hyperparathyroidism. This disorder is described as the over secretion of parathyroid hormones to the body. This commonly affects post-menopausal women. On a study conducted, women were asked to answer questions as to how much calcium intake that they had. Study has been monitored for years and had recorded almost 300 cases of PHPT. From those cases, patients were also divided into groups as to the calcium intake, age, body mass, and other factors. From the results gathered, women who participated in the study with high calcium intake had less risk of developing the disease as compared to those with calcium deficit. Also associated to calcium deficit are bone fractures and kidney diseases. To avoid these diseases, it is important that we eat and drink more dairy products, fish, as well as nuts and other sources of calcium. According to study, increase of intake of calcium –dietary or supplementary reduces risks of women getting PHPT. But don’t take these too much as these may cause you diarrhea. So the next time, you drop by the grocery, get lots of milk, cheese, fish and other dairy and serve yourself with the right amounts of calcium for a stronger, healthier body.

Guava contains approximately (All calculations in grams) according to 100 grams of guava Calories 75, Dietary Fiber 5gms, Protein 4 g , Fat 1 g , Carbohydrates 15g, and Calcium Phosphorus, Iron, Potassium, Copper, Vitamin A, B Vitamins , Vitamin C, Folic acid etc. Some people believe it to give better results than apple for its minerals contents. Guava with its cell damage protection ability having antioxidants in plenty and helps keep skin from aging process and other related diseases. Guava leaves are very helpful as anti-worms, ant constipation and removing cough from the system. Guava is very helpful for keeping blood pressure, Cholesterol and resistance power under control. Guava is known very effective for dental problems also. The guava leaves with medical benefits commonly available easily and almost in every season.

Apple contains many essential nutrients and can be eaten fresh, cooked, baked or converted to juice. Consuming apple seeds should be avoided as they are bitter and slightly poisonous. Fuji, Gala, Rome beauty, Baldwin, Jonagold, Criterion and Pink Lady are some of the names of more than 7500 varieties of apples. There are immense health benefits of apple. Here are some of them: Apple contains phenolic compounds which are known prevent cancer. Apple is known to reduce the risk of cancers of colon, prostate, breast, liver and lungs. Apple contains a flavanoid called phloridzin which protects women from post-menopausal osteoporosis. It also improves bone density. Apple contains a mineral called boron which promotes healthy development of bones. Apple is rich in phytonutrients - flavonoids (epicatechin, quercetin and procyanidin B2) and polyphenols. Apple contains tartaric acid, which prevents damage to human body from free radicals. Tartaric acid and malic acid are good for the liver. Apple is good for people suffering from anaemia. Regular consumption of apple improves dental health. It cleans teeth and gums. It prevents cavities. Apple contains vitamin C which is an antioxidant. Vitamin C prevents internal infections. Apple prevents heart related diseases and stroke.

Crazy, Stupid, Love is crazy fun, not at all stupid, and a film that deserves a lot of love from adult audiences. It's smart, doesn't play down to its audience, and has some of the best chemistry among its lead actors we've seen displayed onscreen this year. Crazy, Stupid, Love is such a refreshingly funny film with a strong ensemble cast and a sharp, witty script (by Tangled writer Dan Fogelman) that it could wind up being one of the best comedies to hit theaters this year. The pacing's perfect, the supporting characters are all worthy of their own storylines, and the dialogue is - brace yourself for a real shocker - believable. It's not your typical romantic comedy, delivering a couple of surprising plot twists that will catch you off-guard and characters that don't behave in line with rom-com norms. Fogelman's script deftly balances the multiple storylines and gives each character its due, with romance, love and/or lust propelling each of the arcs forward to satisfying and not entirely predictable conclusions. And last but not least, one of Cal's first conquests in his new life as a single dad on the prowl is a woman (Marisa Tomei) he soon regrets ever having laid not just his eyes on. Incredibly, none of these stories are shortchanged as writer Fogelman and directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa found the perfect blend of all these components. And, while doing this amazing juggling act with the multiple storylines, they never once drop the ball by not supplying some sort of ending to each person's quest for happiness with the opposite sex. As for the acting, kudos to the filmmakers for putting the unlikely team of Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling together as new best friends on the prowl. Carell's got the attitude and sincerity needed to portray this man who doesn't want to be on the loose again after so many years of married life and isn't even sure what went so horribly wrong in his marriage. Gosling normally makes his home in more dramatic fare, and Crazy, Stupid, Love allows him to show off a softer, sexier side than is normally exposed in his usual choice of projects. Emma Stone and Julianne Moore portray two women at very different moments in their lives, with Stone's character ready for a relationship while Moore's is feeling the affects of a long-term marriage that has lost its passion. Both actresses portray these women beautifully, with Stone in particular showing why she's become one of the most sought-after actresses of her generation. And in supporting roles, Analeigh Tipton as the babysitter embarrassed beyond belief by the kid she's looking after, Jonah Bobo as the kid experiencing his first big crush, Marisa Tomei as...well...that woman, and John Carroll Lynch as the babysitter's father who finds out the hard way about his daughter's inappropriate crush on Cal all deliver terrific performances. Crazy, Stupid, Love is a refreshingly adult comedy about people you would actually want to meet and be friends with in real life. It's the type of love story we don't get to see often enough in films, and one that plays equally well to both sexes. You'd be crazy to pass up on it in theaters.

In a nutshell, the story follows Oscar nominee James Franco (127 Hours) as a decent, dedicated San Francisco-based genetic scientist named Will Rodman. His father (John Lithgow) suffers from Alzheimer's and Will's research is focused on finding a cure for that debilitating disease. After five years of working on it, Will believes he's come up with a revolutionary new drug which will repair brain tissue and thus restore the cognitive thought process of Alzheimer's patients. Testing the drug out involves the use of chimps, and when one displays significant intellectual improvements, the company believes Will has created a miracle drug. However, when the chimp - nicknamed Bright Eyes due to the new green streaks which appear in her irises after the drug's been injected - is in the process of being prepared to be introduced to the company's financial backers, she goes...well...ape, lashing out at whoever gets in her way, breaking through glass, until ultimately a security guard is forced to shoot her. Will's boss calls for the immediate cessation of the experiments and for all the remaining chimps to be euthanized. While going about that heartbreaking task, the animal's chief handler at the drug company, Robert (Tyler Labine), discovers Bright Eyes was not in fact acting out of rage but was simply trying to protect her new baby which she'd hidden under a bench in her cage. Robert's had enough of putting chimps to sleep and leaves the baby in Will's care to either euthanize or take home.Will chooses to take Caesar home, at first believing this is a temporary situation. But as he and his father bond with the baby chimp, Caesar shows signs of extraordinary intelligence - and has those same green streaks in this eyes as did his now-deceased mother. In the years that follow, Will teaches Caesar how to communicate through sign language, and with each passing year, Caesar's level of intelligence dramatically increases. But after a disturbing episode involving one of Will's neighbors, Caesar's forced out of the only home he's ever known and into an ape sanctuary run by cruel humans (Brian Cox and Tom Felton) and populated by apes who recognize his difference and mistreat him because of it. However, Caesar's not down for the count long as he uses his astonishing brain power to devise a plan to unite his fellow apes in a revolt against their human captors.

Only the basics of Unknown will be discussed so as not to give away key elements of the plot twist** Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) and his wife, Elizabeth (January Jones), arrive in Berlin for a biotech conference at which Dr. Harris is a featured speaker. Upon pulling up to their luxurious hotel in a cab, Martin discovers his briefcase has been left behind at the airport. In a panic, he hails another cab and heads back to retrieve his briefcase, which contains his research and money for the trip along with his wallet and passport. Martin's second taxi ride of the business trip ends in a horrible accident that sends the cab flying off a bridge and into an icy river. Gina the cab driver (Diane Kruger) manages to free him from the sinking cab and hauls him to the shore. Once there, emergency workers take over and Gina takes off. Martin comes to four days later in a Berlin hospital with a foggy memory and no ID. He knows his name, and is immediately alarmed by the fact his wife isn't there at his bedside. Disobeying his doctor's orders, Martin hurries back to the hotel to find his wife. The hotel staff is leery of letting him into the biotech conference, however he insists his wife will be able to verify his identity. It's a total shock then when Liz not only fails to recognize him but he discovers another man is claiming to be Dr. Martin Harris (Aidan Quinn). Liz backs up the second Dr. Harris' story which leaves the still-confused Martin Harris either convinced Liz is being held hostage and forced to respond in such a bizarre manner or that he's suffering from some form of amnesia. Martin pursues answers to the baffling question of why people are insisting he's not who he says he is, enlisting the help of an ex-Stasi officer-turned-private-investigator (Bruno Ganz) and an extremely hesitant Gina who's got issues of her own to deal with and doesn't want any unnecessary attention.

Em (played by Anne Hathaway) is shy, Dex (played by Jim Sturgess) is outgoing. Em is not sexually active while Dex has a different girl in his bed every night. Dex's time in college was spent partying while Em spent her time with her nose in the books (this is obvious because she wears glasses and must, therefore, be both smart and studious). Still, on their last night before leaving college for good, the two somehow wind up together. From there sprouts a friendship which lasts for decades, even though they only see each other once a year on July 15th. They grow up, grow apart, grow together, hate each other, love each other, and generally make each other alternately miserable and happy, until finally we reach the end of the film after what feels like an eternity of July 15ths that all meld together into one blobby mess. Jim Sturgess, on the other hand, is right for Dex. Had Nicholls' script done justice to his book, Sturgess as Dex would have been absolutely the right choice. There are moments - albeit brief in duration - in which Sturgess nails Dex. If the script had had more depth, those moments provide us with a glimpse at how good Sturgess could have been in the role. Much of what made the book such an entertaining read had to do with the letters exchanged between Dex and Em over the years. They poured their hearts out to each other, revealing their weaknesses and admitting their flaws. Basically, through those letters Dex and Em became real. The film has barely a mention of the letters, which would be okay if there was anything substituted in to fill out the backstory, to make these two beautifully written characters spring to life on the big screen. But there's not, and because of that nothing about their friendship throughout the years as adults means anything to the audience. We don't know these people and worse, we are never given any reason to care about their relationship or to understand their motivations (other than on the most superficial level). Instead, all I could think of during the screening was, "Get together, don't get together, I don't care. Just get it over with." And that's not the book I know and love. GRADE: D

Secretariat is the star of the film, however Rich and Wallace didn't simply choose to tell his story. Instead, Secretariat emphasizes the relationship between housewife Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) and the thoroughbred she bet the farm on - literally. Penny stepped up to take over her ailing father's thoroughbred racing operation and horse breeding business in Virginia, something unheard of for a woman to do back in the early 1970s. Horse racing was a man's sport, but that didn't deter Penny. She battled sexism, fought to keep her horse when the funds were dwindling, and kept the faith when very few people believed in her. And in Diane Lane's capable hands, this strong, determined woman emerges as just as much of a champion as her record-breaking horse. Happily married, mother of three Denver housewife Penny Chenery Tweedy has her life turned upside when she's needed back at her family's Meadow Stables in Virginia to take over the operations from her ailing father (played by Scott Glenn). One of her first orders of business is to attend a coin toss to see which of two colts will belong to Meadow Stables. In a stroke of luck, she loses the coin toss and gets the colt she actually wanted. Nicknamed Big Red, this colt springs to his feet faster than groom Eddie Sweat (Nelsan Ellis) and trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) have ever seen a newborn do before, foreshadowing great things to come from the leggy colt. Penny believes she's got something special on her hands and does everything in her power to make sure the horse is allowed to fulfill his destiny. A woman no one had heard of took a horse no one thought could win and together they rode into the history books, captivating a nation while shattering records.

Inception is so spectacularly entertaining you'll want to see it twice, and so mind-bendingly original you'll need to see it more than once to get all the intricacies of the story. Writer/director Christopher Nolan cements his place as one of our top living filmmakers with this trippy sci-fi action thriller/romance that more than lives up to its hype. Inception is all about a new form of corporate espionage: the ability to steal ideas while the owner's dreaming. This is done by means of an 'extraction' team. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) heads up the most successful such team, with Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as the point man who helps set up the scheme. They'll be joined for their riskiest mission by Ariadne as the architect (Ellen Page) who creates the perfect dreamscape, and Eames (Tom Hardy) as a forger/master of disguise. Yusuf (Dileep Rao) is in charge of administering the drugs used to keep the team and its target in the dream state and who ultimately makes sure they all exit the dream safely. When we first are introduced to Cobb, a conflicted man who cannot return to his family in the States for a reason that's left unexplained for much of the film, he's in the middle of trying to extract a secret from a powerful businessman named Saito (Ken Watanabe). The mission doesn't go as planned, but it does lead to a job offer Cobb can't refuse. In exchange for planting an idea in someone's head, Saito offers Cobb the opportunity to return to the US to be reunited with his family. That offer's impossible for Cobb to resist as he desperately misses his two small children, although planting an idea means the team will be entering uncharted territory.

Easily the best film of the batch, Eclipse takes a balanced approach to moving the storyline forward. The third film does what it needs to do in order to set up the conclusion of the saga with Breaking Dawn. Bella (Kristen Stewart) has matured and come into her own, Edward (Robert Pattinson) knows he can not be separated from his love, and Jacob (Taylor Lautner) is still determined to win over Bella before she can be changed into a vampire. Bella's ready to give up living and breathing for an eternity with Edward, Edward's still not convinced Bella's making the right decision, and Jacob's positive Bella's not thinking straight as the action of Eclipse kicks off. And while all teen vampire/werewolf/human love triangle stuff is keeping the threesome occupied in Forks, nearby Seattle's been hit by what appears to be a ruthless serial killer. But we know, and the Cullens shortly figure out, that it's actually an army of newborn vampires on the prowl. Who created them and for what purpose - those are the important questions the Cullens need to figure out. It doesn't take them long to determine vampires are behind all the dead people turning up in Seattle. They can't just sit back and let innocent people die - and let the Seattle killings draw the Volturi close to Forks - so they plan a roadtrip to the city to see if they can take care of the situation.However, a roadtrip becomes unnecessary when Alice peers into the future and sees the newborns will be coming to Forks in just a few days time. The short notice worries the vegetarian vampires, as does the sheer size of the newborn army, but an unlikely ally turns up in the form of the wolf pack. Jacob offers up the wolves' help and while this isn't something Edward particularly wants - why give Jacob another reason to hang out with Bella? - it's the only logical solution. After all, if you were forced into battle against out-of-control crazy new vampires with superhero strength and your only chance of coming out of the fight without losing a few members of your sparkly vampire family, wouldn't you turn to the neighborhood werewolves for help? Despite the wolves and a few other minor issues, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is easily the best of the Twilight pack thus far. It's got just the right mix of action, drama, humor (something completely lacking from the first two films), and romance, it's beautifully shot, swiftly paced, and proves the old adage that the third time is indeed the charm.

In the 2010 version of The Crazies, the small town of Ogden Marsh is experiencing a weird upsurge in uncharacteristic, psychotic behavior by its inhabitants. First, the town's recovered alcoholic comes to a baseball game with a rifle and has to be shot dead by Sheriff David Dutten (Timothy Olyphant) before he can do harm to any of the high school players. Then a woman brings her hubby to the sheriff's wife, Dr Judy Dutten (Radha Mitchell), because he's been spacing out, but Judy can't find anything physically wrong with the man and sends him home. Later that night, he calmly locks his wife and young son in a closet and sets fire to the house. Yes, there's definitely something rotten in the town of Ogden Marsh, and as David quickly deduces, it all has to do with the water supply. Along with his trusty deputy, Russell (Joe Anderson), David tries to protect the town from further contamination to no avail. The townspeople are out of control, and before David has a chance to figure out a plan, the military moves in to quarantine the infected and evacuate the others to a safe location just outside of town. Unfortunately, Judy's misdiagnosed as one of the crazies and locked up in a secure facility. There's no way David's going to leave his healthy, pregnant wife locked up like a lab rat, so he and Russell have to figure out a way to break themselves out of lockdown and then to sneak back into town to rescue Judy. They do so, saving Becca (Danielle Panabaker) at the same time. And now the foursome has to make their way past the crazies and through blockades, while staying one step ahead of the military and other government agents who aren't afraid to use lethal force to keep the Ogden Marsh folks in line.I really think Timothy Olyphant is under-appreciated, and this role showcases just what he can do. Sheriff Dutten's a stand-up guy, respectful of others yet totally in charge, and Olyphant plays him with just the right attitude. Mitchell's terrific as his pregnant wife who's in no way, shape or form the typical female usually seen in these genre movies. The same can be said of Panabaker. She's young and pretty, but she's doesn't run around screaming and flashing her breasts or whatever.

is pretty funny...for the first 20 minutes. After that, it totally disintegrates into a generic buddy movie that could have had any two actors in the lead and gotten the same results. Cop Out fizzles out once the action scenes kick in. In fact, it might have been a better film had the action scenes been booted in favor of more time spent concentrating on the human elements. It also might have worked better had the two leads, Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, had even the tiniest bit of chemistry. They don't, and the film suffers for it. Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan play NY police officers who've been partners for nine years. Jimmy (Willis) is the more sedate, level-headed one while Paul (Morgan) is more emotional, sentimental, and easily riled up. These are the comic book versions of cops, which is fine since Cop Out isn't trying to be Training Day. Suspended following the latest in an apparently lengthy list of bad decisions, Jimmy and Paul are forced into action in an unofficial capacity after Jimmy's prized baseball card is stolen while he's trying to sell it to pay for his only child's wedding.If he can recover the card, he can save his pride. If not, then his ex-wife's wealthy hubby (played by Jason Lee) will foot the bill for the $50,000 wedding. Jimmy doesn't want that to happen and is willing to go to pretty much any length, including making a deal with one of the major players in the local drug trade, in order to get his rare card back still in pristine condition. Jimmy and Paul have to find a stolen Mercedes and in exchange baseball collector/drug dealer Poh Boy (Guillermo Diaz) will return the card. After a pint-sized, underage trash-talking car thief points them in the right direction, Jimmy and Paul set off to retrieve the Mercedes. What follows is a series of misadventures involving car chases, a gorgeous mistress of a major Mexican drug lord who doesn't speak English, Seann William Scott (the funniest actor in the film) as a thief who practices Parkour, a teddy bear nanny cam, and other assorted silliness that serves no purpose other than to fill out the 100 minute running time.

There's not much to the plot - Paul is buried, he doesn't know who captured him, why he was the one kidnapped after his convoy was ambushed and his co-workers were killed, or how to get out of his terrifying predicament. All he has at his disposal is a cell phone (not his) with a battery that will get lower with every use, a small flask of whiskey, and a lighter. He knows he's in a coffin, that much is obvious even with the small amount of light his cell phone and lighter give off, but what's the point? After composing himself, Paul reaches out via the cell phone to anyone who can help. He calls his wife, but she's not around. He calls his company back in the States, and they're more worried about any potential liability they have if he dies than in getting him to safety. He calls the State Department. And in between all these calls, his kidnapper calls him. He believes Paul's a soldier and demands he come up with millions in order to be set free. Paul knows that will never happen, but he's not willing to give up. As his limited supplies run out, he continues to cling to the hope that a rescue is possible, if he can keep calm and not waste his resources or energy.

Real Steel gets a little too sappy, is just a little too corny, and has way too much of the dreaded precocious kid element in it which wastes the intriguing set-up. In the near future humans have been replaced in the ring by robot boxers which, when you consider the sport's brutality, isn't such a bad idea. Washed up ex-fighter Charlie (Jackman) is a small fish in a big pond in the robot boxing world, carting around his late model robot and stopping in small towns to take on all sorts of opponents (including a bull). He's irresponsible, runs out on all his debts, and is so hard up for cash that when he finds out his ex-girlfriend has died leaving him with custody of the son (played by Dakota Goyo) he never visited, he's willing to sell away his parental rights for $100,000 to his ex's rich sister's husband without her knowing. He's a cad, a low-life, a real loser, but because Jackman's playing him, we cut him a little slack and are supposed to laugh off his rascally ways. Agreeing to keep the kid, Max, for the summer - for $50,000 - so that the boy's aunt and uncle can go on vacation, Charlie winds up saddled with a youngster who's 11 going on 30. He's more intelligent than his dad, has better powers of deductive reasoning, and although he's only been around the world of running robot boxing for a day, he's ready to enter the big leagues. Because, you know, he's one of those movie kids who's got life all figured out and will have no problem explaining it to the adults in order to move the film's plot forward. After salvaging a rusted, old school robot from a junkyard, Max and Charlie get back out on the road, leaving behind Charlie's best friend in the world (actually, his only friend in the world), Bailey Tallet (played by Evangeline Lilly). Bailey inherited the gym where Charlie used to train as a young whippersnapper, and the affection she feels for her deceased dad's favorite student hasn't waned - despite the fact she's nearly going bankrupt and Charlie refuses to pay his bill. But Bailey's not in this story to actually be a strong female character; she's involved only to repair the relationship between father and son while helping the audience see that Charlie hasn't always been such a bad guy. And as the father and son travel around the boxing circuit meeting colorful human and metal characters, the gap between them begins to close, thanks to the bond formed by training their robot boxer together. Oh, and Max even gets to teach his robot some hip-hop dance moves which, after the first little musical num

The Muppets are back! The Muppets are back! Disney's brought the Muppet gang back to the big screen for the first feature film in a dozen years with the PG-rated The Muppets. And while some of the Muppets movie outings in the past have been less than memorable, this goofy, sweet, totally silly production perfectly captures the tone of the best of the Muppets movies as well as the old The Muppet Show TV series. Which, I'm reminded while watching The Muppets, was a more entertaining program than 90% of what we're now served up on primetime on a daily basis. Of course, not all of the old Muppet voices are back with this 2011 feature film and although their replacements do a fine job, it's still just a little sad that the voices aren't exactly the same. As for the human stars, Segel has said this is the film he's most proud of and you can see his affection for the Muppets written all over his face the entire film. He's in heaven playing opposite Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang, and so even though we could have used with a little less Segel and a little more Kermit and Miss Piggy, we'll cut him some slack. His script, co-written with fellow Muppet lover Nicholas Stoller, oozes with love for all things Muppets. From the lavish, outlandish musical numbers celebrating each person's uniqueness to the inclusion of all sorts of celebrity cameos sprinkled throughout, The Muppets revives the hibernating franchise with a fresh, fun story that pays tribute to the past while providing a jolt of energy to Jim Henson's creation and bringing it forward into 2011. There's a little something for every age group in The Muppets, although more for the adults who are familiar with the franchise than for the kids. Still, younger audience members should quickly catch on to what The Muppets is all about. And for those of us who have been - like Segel - lifelong Muppets fans, watching The Muppets is like getting a big, warm hug from friends who've been away far too long. Now if only they could have cut out Chris Cooper's rap number...

We're first introduced to a young Britt Reid when he's being admonished by his father (Tom Wilkinson), setting up the fact right away this father/son relationship is a troubled one. Flash forward years later and the older Britt has turned into a slacker who loves to party, loves the ladies, and lives a life of leisure. He and his father don't get along any better now that Britt's in his 20s than they did when Britt was a kid. If anything, their relationship has become even more dysfunctional. So when the senior Reid suddenly dies as the result of a bee sting, Britt's far from broken up about it. Sure, he's sad, but he's also angry at the man who never showed him any respect or much love. Shortly after his dad's death, Britt and his dad's mechanic, Kato (Jay Chou), form an unlikely friendship. Most new BFFs would be out partying in night clubs and having fun spending some of Britt's inheritance. But these two bond over their mutual desire to fight crime, something they cooked up while drinking and sharing stories about Britt's dad in the back seat of the Black Beauty (a gorgeous souped-up car equipped with every weapon imaginable). It's a crazy idea, but for some reason they decide it is the absolute best use of their time, talents, and Britt's money. Kato can build any manner of equipment (including a complex coffee machine from which spouts the best-tasting coffee on the planet) and weapons, and he can knock out multiple bad dudes in a matter of minutes. He's a better fighter than Britt will ever be and so when he's relegated to the position of sidekick, he takes offense at that label. Kato's the brawn and the brains of this crime fighting duo, and he doesn't let Britt forget it - even getting into an incredibly brutal knock-down-drag-out fight with his boss to prove his point. Together, Britt and Kato cook up a scheme to masquerade as villains in order to take down the biggest, baddest crime boss of them all, Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). After having lots of his henchmen taken out by the Green Hornet and having a crimp put in his operations, Chudnofsky comes gunning for the masked crime fighters. Rogen's Reid is a goofy kid stuck in an adult body surrounded by million dollar toys. When he and Kato concoct the scheme to dress up in green and play crime fighters, it is just that - Britt handles it like they're playing dress up. It's a dumb idea, but as a kid Britt played with superhero toys and as an adult he hasn't grown out of loving that fantasy world. And because Rogen's made a living playing big, friendly goofballs, this version of Britt Reid/Green Hornet fits him to a T. Rogen's never been better than he is in The Green Hornet. It's as if all the work he's done up to this point in films was just laying the groundwork so audiences could accept him as The Green Hornet. He fits into the film, which he co-wrote, as if playing the masked superhero who doesn't have any special powers was always the natural next step in his career. Just as Rogen's the perfect fit for this version of The Green Hornet, Jay Chou's the perfect fit for this Kato. Chou struggled with English during the film, but his delivery doesn't suffer one iota from his unfamiliarity with the language. Rogen and Chou worked closely on the dialogue, changing things up as needed throughout the production until both were comfortable with their characters' exchanges. And Chou, who doesn't have a martial arts background, sells the action scenes as though he's been doing stunts for years rather than the just the few months he had to prepare.

Director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan) chose the perfect new Ren in Kenny Wormald and the perfect new Ariel in Julianne Hough. Both are extremely talented dancers, and the dance sequences are some of the best we've seen in a contemporary dance movie. Stepping into the shoes once occupied by Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer, Wormald and Hough both bring something fresh to the characters that sets them apart from the original actors, effectively making these characters their own even while saying nearly identical lines while wearing nearly identical costumes. Neither actor is well known for feature film roles (Hough's claim to fame is Dancing With the Stars while Wormald has danced in music videos and smaller-budgeted feature films), yet both actors succeed in capturing the emotional turmoil and need to rebel these characters are going through in the film. Remakes are really risky, and there will of course be fans of the original who will not even give this 2011 version a chance. And, I admit, I had very little hope this Footloose would be anything other than a rip-off of a well-known and well-liked '80s movie. But this Footloose is a solid dance film that should find a new, appreciative audience with a younger generation that doesn't hold the '84 film in as high esteem as audiences over 40. Footloose stays true to the original in tone and intent, and even features some of the catchy tunes from the '80s (including Blake Shelton's take on Kenny Loggins' "Footloose"). But it is its own movie, one that's entertaining and, yes, as cheesy as it sounds, will make you want to cut loose and do a little dancing in your seat.

Fast Five has a ludicrous story, some of the worst dialogue of the Fast and the Furious franchise, and the acting's not all that impressive either. But what saves this fifth installment of the F&F series are its incredibly intense, totally wild action scenes. Fast Five's final chase sequence involving a stolen vault is, hands down, the best action sequence of the entire franchise. Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker), and Mia (Jordana Brewster) are in Rio because they're wanted in the U.S. Dom's an escaped convict and Mia and Brian are the ones responsible for breaking him out. They get by by pulling illegal odd jobs, including the first massive action set piece of the film: the robbery of a speeding train with three U.S. Marshals on board. The bounty they're after isn't stowed away in a safe. No, they're after...surprise!...a few very fast, very expensive cars. It's nice how cars can always be worked into the storyline, isn't it? Now, why go to all the trouble of pulling off a complicated heist that requires special equipment and puts them all at risk of losing all of their limbs and/or their lives just for a couple of hot cars? Well, because if they didn't, then there would be no Fast Five. See, the badder bad guys (our F&F gang are only semi-bad) want something that's hidden in one of the cars, something that's worth $100 million (say it like Austin Powers - it's much more entertaining that way). But our guys don't know about this hidden 'thing' which we won't disclose because one) it would probably be considered by someone to be a spoiler, and two) even saying what it is wouldn't make any sense without the whole plot spelled out and, let's face it, who really cares about the plot of a Fast and Furious or Fast and the Furious, or Faster and Furiouser or whatever F&F tag they want to give to any film associated with this action franchise? I can all but guarantee that after seeing the film, you'll care not one iota about the plot. It makes zero sense, the dialogue - with the exception of Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris' lines - is only there as a way for the audience to catch its collective breath before another fight scene or chase, or to give the audience a cue it's okay to get up and get some popcorn or a soda. Fast Five's story requires no analysis whatsoever. The film's basically an excuse to get past F&F players back together, to add in The Rock so that Vin Diesel can go mano-a-mano with one of the biggest action studs around, and to zoom around in fast cars and destroy things. But Fast Five does separate itself from other Fast films by featuring more foot chase scenes, more gun fights, and a Ocean's 11-type heist. Rumor has it the sixth Fast movie will actually be a full-on heist film, and Fast Five does its job of turning the corner on the franchise and heading that new direction. Director Justin Lin's tackling his third Fast film with Fast Five, and he's got the recipe down pat. Same with the main cast of Fast players - Vin Diesel as Dom, Paul Walker as Brian, and Jordana Brewster as Mia. Rejoining them are past Fast cast members Tyrese Gibson as Roman, Matt Schulze as Vince, Sung Kang as Han, Gal Gadot as Gisele, Tego Calderon as Leo, and Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges as Tej. Not much is demanded of any of the actors, other than to look good and occasionally give each other a hard time so that we know that despite the fact they're all running from the law, and they're preparing to take down an evil drug lord, really, it's just all about having fun.

Let me preface this review by stating I have neither read Stieg Larsson's novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, nor have I watched the original Swedish film directed by Niels Arden Oplev and starring Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist. I do, however, have every intention of reading Larsson's bestselling series, especially now after having watched the English language version directed by David Fincher. I've been clued into what I've been missing and now can't wait to read the next book of the 'Millennium' trilogy. So, obviously, I can't tell you whether Noomi Rapace is a better Lisbeth Salander than Rooney Mara or how Daniel Craig stacks up against Michael Nyqvist. I can tell you that as a virgin to the story, this 2011 version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo completely drew me into Larsson's beautifully constructed, terrifying world. After kicking things off with Bond-inspired opening credits, the action picks up with investigative reporter Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) at the center of a scandal following a libel suit brought on after publishing an expose on a Swedish tycoon. Forced to leave the magazine he works for as well as his boss/lover behind, Mikael is immediately contacted by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), a wealthy industrialist who hires the now out-of-work reporter to investigate the disappearance and probable murder 40 years earlier of his great-niece, Harriet. When Henrik warns Mikael he'll be dealing with the most devious people he'll ever come across, he's not far off. Visiting the Vanger's enclave full of Nazis, drunks, and liars makes walking into a den of hungry lions seem like awealthy industrialist who hires the now out-of-work reporter to investigate the disappearance and probable murder 40 years earlier of his great-niece, Harriet. When Henrik warns Mikael he'll be dealing with the most devious people he'll ever come across, he's not far off. Visiting the Vanger's enclave full of Nazis, drunks, and liars makes walking into a den of hungry lions seem like a quiet walk in the park in comparison. Mikael is assisted in his pursuit of the truth by Lisbeth Salander (Mara), a pierced and tattooed rebel with a tongue as sharp as her Mohawk, a damaged young woman with the ability to hack into any computer system. Lisbeth's a genius with the computer, and she's utterly uncompromising and dogged in her pursuit of the truth at all costs once she commits to an investigation. And being able to track down a killer of women is something Lisbeth can absolutely sink her teeth into. There's no trace of Bond in Daniel Craig's Blomkvist as he turns inward to tackle the part of this investigative reporter who sets out to solve a disappearance only to stumble onto the trail of a sadistic serial killer. Craig's great in the part, but completely disappears in any scene with Mara. Mara, best known prior to this role for playing Mark Zuckerberg's ex-girlfriend in the opening scenes of The Social Network (also directed by Fincher), is brilliant as the damaged, unstable Lisbeth. With every furtive glance, every carefully controlled movement of her body, Mara portrays Lisbeth's pain and rage. And during the film's disturbing, graphic rape scene (unfortunately, a necessary part of the plot that couldn't be removed), Mara breaks our hearts. Mara and Craig are surrounded by a terrific supporting cast that includes Christopher Plummer as the billionaire ex-CEO of Vanger Industries, Robin Wright as Mikael's married boss who he's carrying on an affair with, and scene-stealing Stellan Skarsgard as the dangerous Martin Vanger.

The main player is a character simply known as Driver. That's not his name, it's his occupation. Driver works for a garage owner, Shannon (played by Bryan Cranston), who dreams of being a successful race car owner. In order to finance his dreams, Shannon turns to local mobsters Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Perlman), with Driver's skill behind the wheel selling them on the investment. Driver not only fixes cars for Shannon, he also works with him handling dangerous car stunts on movie sets. Also, for reasons left up to the viewer's imagination, he moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. He lives in a tiny, barely furnished apartment and has no noticeable vices, so why he needs to earn extra cash apparently has nothing to do with the fact he's financially strapped. Interesting... Driver doesn't want to know anything about the criminals he's working for, nor does he want to know any of the particulars about the actual crime being committed. He's hired to do one job and one job only: get his client away from the scene of the crime as quickly as possible without being detained by the police. He'll show up on time and deliver his clients to their ultimate destination, but he wants no discussion whatsoever about anything other than where Point A and Point B are. He's calm, cool, and collected to the extreme, even with a police helicopter's spotlight just feet from where his car is tucked away. His disengagement from others isn't reserved only for getaway jobs. Driver simply doesn't talk unless it's absolutely necessary. However, his shell partially crumbles when he meets his helpless neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan), a woman who all but screams out for a champion to come to her rescue. And that's why Driver finally feels a connection to a stranger - he is a hero in waiting, at least in his own mind. Irene has a husband in jail and a young son who could use a male influence in his life, and Driver - acting out of character - becomes involved in their small family unit. Unfortunately, Irene's husband (Oscar Isaac) gets paroled early and his reappearance sets into motion a chain of bloody, violent events that earn the film its hard R rating. Gosling channels his inner action hero, transforming into a crazed, caged tiger at one point when stuck in an elevator with one of the bad guys. Refn absolutely doesn't skimp on the gore or pull back on the violence, and instead puts the pedal to the metal to deliver some gut-wrenching, gut-spattering action in Drive. The further into the film it gets, the more over-the-top the violence becomes. Drive's a dark, violent fairy tale filled with psychologically damaged characters, with Driver first in line in the damaged category. Gosling summed up Drive well when he described the film as "a violent John Hughes movie meets a guy who’s confusing his own life for a movie." Driver exists in his own imaginary world, and when he dips his toes in the real one, bad things can - and do - happen. Director Refn and screenwriter Hossein Amini cut the extraneous dialogue and just let Gosling be Driver. Surrounded by an outstanding cast of supporting players (Mulligan, Perlman, Brooks, and Cranston), Gosling delivers a powerful performance in one of the most mesmerizing, unforgettable, and unique films of 2011.

Annie (Kristen Wiig) is leading a very unsatisfactory life. She's been forced into a low-paying job she hates after her cake shop goes out of business. She's living with a creepy pair of siblings who rifle through her personal items while she's out. And, she's having sex with a handsome man (Jon Hamm, playfully playing against type) whose idea of celebrating post-coital bliss is to kick her out of the bed - and his house - as quickly as possible after they're finished. But it's not as though she feels incomplete because she's not in a relationship, it's just that Annie is at that stage where nothing seems to be going her way. At the opposite end of the happiness scale is Lillian (Maya Rudolph). Lillian's just become engaged to a successful businessman and she wants Annie, her BFF, to be her maid of honor. Annie immediately says yes, because there's no way she wants to disappoint her lifelong friend. However, Lillian's new friends - in particular Helen (Rose Byrne), the scheming wife of her future husband's business partner - expect more than Annie and her limited budget and limited organizing abilities can deliver. Helen is everything Annie isn't and doesn't mind throwing that fact in Annie's face at every opportunity. She's beautiful, rich, and extremely catty, and she wants to take over Annie's spot as not only the party organizer but Lillian's best friend. The competition for Lillian's attention produces some hilarious results, including a seemingly never-ending toast in which Annie and Helen try to one-up each other that's squirm-worthy uncomfortable. And as the wedding date draws closer and Annie messes up over and over again, her friendship with Lillian is strained to the point of snapping. Bridesmaids gives us flawed real world characters unlike the females of Sex and the City - the only other recent female-based R-rated comedy. I don't know a Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, or Samantha but I do know an Annie and a Lillian. Wiig and Mumolo, and director Paul Feig, have put together Bridesmaids following the assumption women want to see female characters they can relate to in situations that don't involve hunting for men or dressing to impress, and they want to see those women as the leads in a comedy that doesn't need a handsome male lead to come in and deliver the funny lines while the women stand around as second class citizens or, even worse, pretty window dressing. Their assumption is correct, and they've succeeded in delivering the goods. Universal deserves credit here for taking a chance and gambling on Bridesmaids. Hopefully it will pay off well enough that other films of its kind will be greenlit.