Doesn't Fly, But Swims Along Nicely: Mr. Popper's Penguins Movie Trailer Official (HD)

It must be tough being Jim Carrey. His last three major releases collectively and individually underwhelmed, and now he has to share billing with a bunch of flightless birds.

In fact, its not as horrible a gig as it might seem and in fact, given his early screen incarnation as "Ace Ventura Pet Detective" it's actually right up his comedic alley.

Tom Popper Jr. sells maaad real estate, the kind that ends up on HGTV and Bloomberg magazine. He's handsomely rewarded for his feats, but its cost him his marriage and essentially his happiness, but he charges on. Two announcements set this engagingly goofy family comedy in motion; first, his superiors at the Manhattan firm want him to close the "mother" of all deals - acquire the city's legendary Tavern on the Green (which in actual fact ceased restaurant operations in 2009, becoming a public visitors center and gift shop run by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation), and then, his dad, a peripatetic explorer who kept in touch with his son via ham radio has died and has left him an unspecified inheritance.

Unspecified, that is, until two large wooden crates arrive at the door of his swank apartment. Freed from their specialty shipping containers, the penguins (one at first, the others arrive in short order) quickly run amok in his pet-prohibited complex, disrupting his well-laid plans for partnership. There is of course, an unforeseen upside to his newest acquisitions: the penguins are a hit with his own son and daughter( Dylan Marshall and Madeline Clark respectively) and this in turn turns a critical lever to a potential reconciliation with his ex (Carla Gugino), even as he tries, with the help of his trusty assistant (Brit Ophelia Lovibond) to woo the taciturn owner of the Tavern (played like a pro by Angela Lansbury).

The action shifts from Popper's high-rise to the Guggenheim Museum, Central Park, the City Zoo (and the Tavern, of course) in quicksilver fashion, director ("Mean Girls", "Freaky Friday") making good use of his star's madcap tendencies even as he smartly reins in the excess. The overall results provide both laughs and sweetness without either element going overboard or coming off forced. And what can we say of the birds? They're more than ready for their close-ups.

So, is "Mr Popper's Penguins" the family movie that parents and kids and enjoy in equal measure without compromise? In the words of Tom Popper, "Yabsolutely!"
  

Men In Hats: 'The Adjustment Bureau' Trailer HD

"Hooray for 'Dick!' - as in Phillip K Dick.

That's certainly what Hollywood types must now be saying of the late sci-fi master, having now adapted at least seven of his works for the big screen (Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report and others).

In this case, Dick's short story, the Adjustment Team, about a shadowy confederacy (complete with trench coats and fedoras) who direct the lives of mere mortals with the help of "magic DayRunners" starts of as a kind of 'Caucasian Obama fantasy'.

A wonder-boy politician (Damon) heads to the men's room of the Plaza Hotel in the aftermath of a stunning loss (people were already touting him for President) in the New York Senate race - owing, we are to believe, to the publication of an unflattering photo in - wait for it- The New York Post.

There he is surprised by aspiring dancer hiding from security after 'successfully' crashing a wedding. Its love at first sight, and ironically, its this fairly old-fashioned romance that sustains credibility as the movie twists and morphs through a couple of other sub-genres: conspiracy theory, Inception knock-off, and meditation on God and the seeming conflict of pre-destination and free will.

This multi-stop trip swings and careens engagingly through Manhattan, with Damon's character initially at the mercy of the "adjusters" then finding his footing and rushing headlong toward his goal. He's aided and abetted in this quest by a turncoat "adjuster" (seamlessly played by Anthony Mackie) and has to confront and outwit a higher-up (the always welcome Terence Stamp).

Truly though its Blunt who takes this movie. he combination of devil-may care sensuality personal ambition and  - increasingly as the film progresses - vulnerability and submission lift the film above the ever-present cesspool of cliches. Director George Noolfi, who graduates from screenwriter on the 'Bourne' series to director on this outing gives Damon plenty of latitude even as they recreate several of the frenetic chase scenes that typified the action-espionage franchise.

The Adjustment Bureau starts off with some degree of pretensions toward "seriousness" as in , Oscar-contender. It doesn't live up to those, but in shedding those those aspirations it actually becomes - as indeed many of the 'Dickian' adaptations are - a more than tolerable piece of entertainment - solid escapism that poses just enough of the right questions that you don't leave feeling totally empty