The Princess and the Frog

The Princess and the Frog (2009) – Disney’s much-ballyhooed return to hand-drawn animation is a somewhat charming but mostly unclever hodge-podge of retread story elements, forgettable songs, and Disney’s trademark saccharine, vague, “feel-good” Oprah-style magic/religion; it’s no Pocahontas, but this one isn’t getting a sniff of the Disney pantheon either. 5

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland (2010) – It’s an uninspired muddle of too many other familiar fantasy films (think Wizard of Oz meets Lord of the Rings); the total reliance on green screen doesn’t help ground it any, and at times it feels like a Burtonized Avatar; ultimately, though, it’s just boring, in large part because it makes no real effort at its source material’s legendary cleverness. 5

Black Dynamite

Black Dynamite (2009) – It’s a near-perfect, very funny send-up of seventies blaxploitation films, and Michael Jai White is great; it’s nice to see Arsenio is still alive. 7

Food, Inc.

Food, Inc. (2008) – It gives both barrels to the food industry, Monsanto, corporate irresponsibility, and government corruption and inaction; that a documentary can be this scathing without being factually manipulative (although it does go after your emotions and it’s a little soft on people who make bad diet choices) is a testament to the horrific state of the food industry. 7

Mother

Mother (2009) – The old lady does a nice job, but the story is uncompelling and convenient. 5

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 (2010) – It’s good looking, poignant and well-written with great character development, although it isn’t as funny (or maybe as good, overall) as Toy Story 2; even so, it’s a satisfactory conclusion to an exceptional trilogy; 3-D doesn’t do much for it. 7

Bamboozled

Bamboozled (2000) – Like most films from Spike Lee, it’s socially relevant but rambling; Damon Wayans’ performance is downright bizarre. 5

Disco Godfather

Disco Godfather (1979) – It’s kind of mind-boggling that anybody ever took this kind of thing seriously; it’s got bad acting and editing, out-and-out flubs, and ludicrous fight scenes; “attack the wack,” “wack the attack,” whatever – don’t do angel dust – you might end up making a movie like this one (although it is fascinatingly entertaining, and it does have some interesting visuals). 5

Missionary Man

Missionary Man (2007) – Dolph Lundgren actually isn’t a bad director (except, ironically, for fight scenes), but this modern take on the western isn’t all that interesting (we’ve seen nearly all of this before, most of it involving Clint Eastwood), and it leaves a lot of loose ends untied; the reading-the-Bible-while-drinking-tequila beat-’em-up shtick isn’t nearly as cool as it wants to be. 5

Rasputin: The Mad Monk

Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966) – It’s an oversimplified, fictitious account in which Rasputin simply hypnotizes his way to the top; it’s worthwhile solely for Christopher Lee’s intense performance. 5