Zookeeper (Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Adam Sandler) in Theatres on September 21, 2011

Zookeeper (2011)

Audience
Rating: 3/5
Like the Movie: 45% (n=30,539)

Critics
Rating: 1.7/5
Like the Movie: 14% (n=117)


Reviews

"Did we mention that things just go better with Kevin James? Well-trodden comedy hooks become strangely more amusing. Goofball physical shtick elicits broader smiles. The bumblingly stupid is made endearing." - Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

"Casting carries "Zookeeper" over its roughest patches. The vocal guest stars are inspired." - Sean O'Connell, Washington Post

"Zookeeper smothers Kevin James with a sodden script and a surfeit of jokes inappropriate for the young viewers who would be intrigued by its juvenile storyline." - rottentomatoes.com

"A children's comedy about talking animals that feels as if it were written by children or, perhaps, by talking animals." - Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

"Little kids - hence the G rating - and those who think poop-tossing is funny will be amused by Zookeeper. The rest of us are better off not feeding the animals." - Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

"There's little to recommend about Zookeeper, a movie that's flat, lacking in surprises and very dull." - Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News


Movie Info

In Zookeeper, the animals at the Franklin Park Zoo love their kindhearted caretaker, Griffin Keyes (Kevin James). Finding himself more comfortable with a lion than a lady, Griffin decides the only way to get a girl in his life is to leave the zoo and find a more glamorous job. The animals, in a panic, decide to break their time-honored code of silence and reveal their biggest secret: they can talk! To keep Griffin from leaving, they decide to teach him the rules of courtship - animal style. -- (C) Sony Pictures Publicity

Rated: PG

Running Time: 1 hr. 41 min.

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Directed By: Frank Coraci

Written By: Jay Scherick, David Ronn

Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Cast
Kevin James (Griffin Keyes)
Rosario Dawson (Kate)
Leslie Bibb (Stephanie)
Ken Jeong (Venom)
Donnie Wahlberg (Shane)
Adam Sandler (Donald the Monkey)
Cher (Janet the Lioness)
Jon Favreau (Jerome the Bear)
Sylvester Stallone (Joe the Lion)
Nick Nolte (Bernie the Gorilla)

Source: rottetomatoes.com

Burlesque (Cher, Christina Aguilera) in Theatres on February 2, 2011

Burlesque

Hazel's
Rating: 3/5
Review: Awesome vocals by Christina Aguilera and nice routines but the story is cliche and predictable. Kristen Bell portrayed a weak rival in the movie. The songs are just okay, nothing spectacular.

Audience
Average Rating: 3.8/5
Like the Movie: 71% (n=46,411)

Critics
Average Rating: 2.4/5
Like the Movie: 37% (n=140)


Reviews

"It's more hallucination than story, but hey, If you think of it as a slightly deranged long music video divathon it can be a lot of fun." - Nell Minow, Chicago Sun Times

"Burlesque is a preposterous and intermittently entertaining lesson in how to make a movie musical with a little brains and a lot of talent." - Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Campy and clichéd, Burlesque wastes its talented cast (including a better-than-expected Christina Aguilera) on a movie that wavers uncertainly between "bad" and "so bad it's good." - rottentomatoes.com

"The rest of Burlesque plays like an extended version of the "Lady Marmalade" video, with a few contrivances to provide vague conflict." - Christy Lemire, Associated Press

"Instead of leading with what Aguilera does best -- belting, vamping, spotlight hogging -- the movie shoehorns her into a rehashed backstage musical conceit." - Karina Longworth, Village Voice

"Burlesque manages what seemed impossible: It is filled with half-naked dancing girls, yet it's still boring." - Rafer Guzman, Newsday


Movie Info

Genre: Drama, Romance, Musical & Performing Arts

Synopsis: Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a small-town girl with a big voice who escapes hardship and an uncertain future to follow her dreams to LA. After stumbling upon The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theater that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the club's proprietor and headliner. Burlesque's outrageous costumes and bold choreography enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day. Soon enough, Ali builds a friendship with a featured dancer (Julianne Hough), finds an enemy in a troubled, jealous performer (Kristen Bell), and garners the affection of Jack (Cam Gigandet), a bartender and fellow musician. With the help of a sharp-witted stage manager (Stanley Tucci) and gender-bending host (Alan Cumming), Ali makes her way from the bar to the stage. Her spectacular voice restores The Burlesque Lounge to its former glory, though not before a charismatic entrepreneur (Eric Dane) arrives with an enticing proposal...

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content including several suggestive dance routines, partial nudity, language and some thematic material

Running Time: 1 hr. 40 min.

Distributor: Sony Pictures/Screen Gems

Directed By: Steve Antin

Cast
Cher (Tess)
Christina Aguilera (Ali)
Cam Gigandet (Jack)
Stanley Tucci (Sean)
Kristen Bell (Nikki)
Alan Cumming (Alexis)
Eric Dane (Marcus)
Peter Gallagher (Vince)
Julianne Hough (Georgia)

Source: rottentomatoes.com