Django Unchained
By Luke Dowker
Django Unchained is the kind of film only Quentin Tarantino is capable of making. It’s a spaghetti Western about a freed slave, played by Jamie Foxx, who picks up a job as a bounty hunter in pre-Civil War America. It includes original music by Rick Ross and John Legend and features characters whose names are literally “Calvin Candie” and “Broomhilda Von Shaft.” And while any viewer who has seen Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill will find the dialogue familiar, the remainder of the movie is unprecedented territory for the esteemed director: the personalities are more exaggerated, the cinematography is more mature, and the director’s trademarked violence is more stylized than ever before. Foxx delivers a stellar, swaggering performance, one of the best in Tarantino’s filmography, as the titular protagonist, and Christoph Waltz plays the charming yet scheming Dr. King Schultz with ferocity. Clocking in at 165 minutes, this is Tarantino’s longest work yet, but the phase “nonstop thrill ride” has never fit a movie quite this well. From the midnight rendezvous that opens the film to the indulgent shootout that closes it, every minute of Django is wildly entertaining, tightly scripted, and deserving of nearly accolade it receives.

The Hobbit
By Tom Varney
While this movie does not obtain Return of the King levels of quality, it is still by far one of the best movies made in quite some time. Whereas many films jump straight into meaningless action or romance with little to no emotional context, The Hobbit spends ample time – almost a half hour – explaining why the viewer should care, through breathtaking scenery and intriguing fantasy. And while the film is decidedly similar to The Fellowship of the Ring in its Forrest Gump-like trek across Middle Earth, it is dissimilar in that the tedium of the constant travelling is broken up by well implemented humor. The biggest faults to be found lie in the lack of action on a large scale and the heavy slant on some dwarves over the others: some never shut up while others have no lines whatsoever. But despite these nitpicks, The Hobbit deserves to take its place along with The Lord of the Rings in the pantheon of amazing fantasy films.

Playing for Keeps
By Helaina Cozza
Playing for Keeps is a romantic comedy about George (Gerard Butler), a former soccer star who tries to reconnect with his family and former love, Stacie (Jessica Biel). While the movie is cute, it failed to fulfill its potential in the romantic comedy genre. It had its funny moments, but overall it was not very comical. It did not have many romantic moments either. Rather, it was about George attempting to win back Stacie, who was engaged to another man. Romantic moments between the two do not occur until toward the end of the movie. Most of the movie follows George reconnecting with his son, whom he abandoned when he left his family. Though they have their struggles, they are able to build back a good relationship. The ending of the movie was typical of most, because everything seemed to work out somehow. The movie left no surprises and no lasting impressions. On a positive note, it was well cast. Playing for Keeps is a decent movie for people looking for something to do, but it was certainly not a stand out.

Parental Guidance
By Kelli Rojtas
It is nearly impossible to find a movie that appeals to all ages of the family, but Parental Guidance masters the challenge. This heartfelt yet comedic plot line connects all generations of the family, from grandparents to small children.
Artie and Diane (Billy Crystal and Bette Midler) agree to babysit their three grandchildren while their parents go away for business. This becomes a problem when the children’s 21st century behavior, their parents’ strict and type A rules, and their grandparents old-school parenting style collide. Through many arguments and a lot of compromise, the family forms a closer bond than ever.
While this movie teaches an important lesson, it will also keep viewers laughing from beginning to end.