The Middle Kid's saga Continues: Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules Movie Trailer Official (HD)

It would have been all too easy to dismiss this tidy little sequel to the 2010 hit about the classic "middle kid" syndrome. Zachary Gordon plays Greg, a tween beset on both sides- his toddler brother manages to make him get the blame for his pre-school peccadillos, while his teen brother just plain picks on him,b ut then what would one expect from a tousled haired, board-thin boy who's building a rock band dubbed "Loded Diper".

But, in checking one's expectations at the door yields a few notable, if transitory pleasures. he interplay between the brothers, which peaks during a late-evening run to a local shopping mall, is unforced and engaging, as are the exchanges between Greg and his friends. Less effective is the budding romance between himself and the "new girl" and Steve Zahn is pretty much wasted as the Dad.

In essence, Diary of  Wimpy Kid 2 is an extended sitcom with multiple plot lines of varying length and heft. Unlike most others in this genre, it very rarely feels stretched or artificial. Greg's pre-teen angst and his desire for a "normal" and "cool" life are palpable and relatable.

So even if you won't get "masterpiece cinema" at least with this movie, you won't feel like you got taken for a ride.

It's Been 25 Years Already?

http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2011/03/29/tracing-pixars-history-from-toy-story-to-ratatouille/

Yes, that desk lamp's been shining for 25 years now. The wall Street Journal traces the history and highlights of the animation titan.

Pixar gets "Brave"

In many ways, Pixar’s 13th feature-length movie Brave (out June 22, 2012) ventures into new territory for the animation studio: The Scotland-set adventure film will be Pixar’s first fairy tale, its first picture starring a female protagonist, and its first film co-directed by a woman. EW.com has the first look at some of the concept art for the project, and we can also confirm that Reese Witherspoon will no longer voice the movie’s heroine, a tomboyish princess named Merida, due to scheduling issues. Instead, the character will be played by the (appropriately) Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men, Boardwalk Empire).

Image Credit: Disney-Pixar

Brave is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Merida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters) and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Merida’s quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom’s three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), the surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).