The Plot – David Starsky is an overzealous cop who sees crime in terms of black & white. Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson is a laid back detective more concerned about getting ahead in the quickest way possible. Slapped together by circumstance their investigation of a “floater” sends them tracking a high rolling drug dealer who’s looking to change the rules in Bay City.

The Review – Starsky & Hutch is a tongue-in-cheek rendition of the 70’s TV show of the same name. While the movie sometimes feels like a drawn out Saturday Night Live skit it does have some entertaining moments. There appears to be an ongoing theme in Hollywood simply entitled “How Many Buddy Flicks Can Owen Wilson Star In?” We’ve seen Owen star as a laid back train robber with Jackie Chan, then he was the laid back FBI agent with Eddie Murphy and now Mr. Wilson teams up with Ben Stiller for a Zoolander follow up. Don’t get me wrong, we’re in a jobless recovery and even actors need a steady paycheck.

Fans of the TV series will appreciate the authentic 70’s styling of the movie. The film is sheer entertainment fodder and works more on the speed at which it delivers each comedic bit then any sort of plot. Snoop Dogg keeps it real as Huggy Bear and Will Ferrell delivers another scene stealing performance. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson play well off each other as was proven in Zoolander. Fans of Old School will probably love this movie while fans of the original TV series may be somewhat disappointed.

While not the most memorable film of the year it is certainly worthy of a Blockbuster rental.

Grade: B-

Alright, after a heavy post we need something light.

In a few months the Scarborough Faire will be in town. I’m hoping my renaissance festival favorite Ded Bob will make an appearance. He’s to die for… ugh, I can’t believe I just typed that.

The Plot – It isn’t the blackouts that worry Evan’s mother, but a fear that he may share the same illness that has kept his father institutionalized since Evan’s birth. After an incident at school a specialist recommends Evan keep a daily journal of his activities. Years pass and whenever Evan experiences something traumatic he blacks out. Eventually his mother moves him away from his childhood companions, too late to save any of them from the horrors they’ve shared.

Seemingly together in his new life, a college-age Evan is caught up in the study of human memory. A brilliant student, he is the talk of the department and more importantly he’s been blackout free for seven years. That is until Evan takes a moment to read one of his old journals. As he reads about one of the more traumatic moments in his life the room shakes and suddenly he finds himself reliving the exact instant where he once blacked out. Upon further investigation Evan discovers he has the ability to travel back through time and alter the history of those around him. The only question is can he alter things for the better?

The Review – I read a lot of bad press about The Butterfly Effect before seeing it last night. I really was more interested in the storyline than Ashton Kutcher’s thespian skills which helped tone down my expectations. Can Ashton Kutcher act? I can’t say his performance was so cardboard that it distracted from the film. Is the movie plausible? The story moves along at a good clip and requires a lot of faith from the viewing audience. As a strict sci-fi tale you could poke holes in the physics of it all, but I was more intrigued by the tale. Unlike the happy-go-lucky feel of Back To The Future, Evan’s attempts to correct the traumas of his life and those around him only spins more chaos. I found myself thinking in terms of my own life and what would have been lost or gained if I had zigged instead of zagged. Perhaps it was the “What if?” aspect of the movie that kept me intrigued. Mind you the story is loosely held together, the acting is mediocre, but still I found the film entertaining. As expected, the film wraps itself up neatly, but not so Scooby that I wanted to puke.

Grade: B-/C+ (this is one of those love it or hate it films)

“…audiences will have to wait a little longer for the bloody conclusion to Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill.” Variety reports that Miramax has bumped “Vol. 2″ from Feb. 20 to April 16. No word on why it was moved.”

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!