Who can resist a good disaster movie?  Well…2012 is a prime example of how little story matters if the special effects are eye-popping enough.  Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) fashions a tale about a global catastrophe that prompts the end of the world.  Clearly this is a theme the filmmaker loves.  If you’re expecting smart dialogue, however, suck it up ’cause you’re not going to get it.  Actually, 2012 is little more than a series of multiple explosions and devastation over the course of nearly two-and-a-half long - and I do mean long - hours.

Farmers hate him, poultry does too, but, The Fantastic Mr. Fox is one savvy food chaser.  He’s about to embark one last ditch raid from three of the meanest farmers around.  The movie is based on the Roald Dahl children’s book.  The animated film, which is visually stunning in the hands of director Wes Anderson, is clearly not just for kids.  The Fantastic Mr. Fox features the voice talents of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray.

Set in the ’60s, Pirate Radio is a comedy about an illegal radio station in the North Sea.  The DJs are a group of guys who bring the music that defined that generation to the masses the only way they can, from a boat in the open ocean.  Love the cast (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost and Kenneth Branagh); not a fan of the sophomoric, unfunny execution.

Two soldiers (Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster) have the thankless assignment of telling families that their loved ones have fallen in battle in The Messenger.  It’s a tough subject and an in-depth look at the fallout of war without pounding the point home.  However, these types of modern war flicks so far have had trouble finding an audience (i.e. Grace is Gone).

Dare follows the sometimes sticky, complicated and intimate relationship triangle between three high school students; an actress wannabe, her gay buddy, who’s a bit of a nerd and a rich loner.  Teen angst and coming-of-age wrapped up neatly in a sensitive bow.  The movie stars, Emmy Rossum, Ashley Springer, Zack Gilford.