Margaret Tate ( Sandra Bullock ) is the book editor from Hell in a large publishing firm. She enjoys weilding her power to fire her enemies and lean heavilyon her staff, like jer administrative asistant, would-be author Andrew Paxton ( Ryan Reynolds ) whose life is a nightmare because of Tate. he puts up with it only for a promised promotion ad the publication of his manuscript.  One day, lightning strikes when Tate's superior, the Chairman of the firm, Mr. Bergman, informs her that she is being deported to her native Canada because her visa is expiring and a just-fired underling will get her job. Swift as an arrow, she informs the copmany that she is marrying Paton and confesses to a clandestine love afafir for the last three years. Paxton is also swift on his feet and confirms the affair, adding the promotion and publication of his book as items in the 'deal'. Infact, he asks for time off for the both of them to go to his home in Alaska of al places to break the news to his family. Surprises abound for Ms. Tate when she discovers that the schlub she has been brow-beating for th elast three years is the son of the wealthiest famiy in the country - the literal ''Kennedy's of Alaska''.  They own all the businesses and a huge mansion where she meets mom and dad ( Mary Steenburgen and Craig T.Nelson ) and 90 year old granny (Betty White ) who wants an immediate wedding on her 90th birthday and great grandchildren in a year. Tate is overwelmed and floored.  Slowly, the bitch of book publishing who has been on her own since she was 16 when her parents were killed in an accident, comes to re-discovered what a family is and what it is like to be loved and cared for. handlingthis is a very emotionally stressing thing for her - includingthe realization that maybe she and Andrew are really in love. Yes, there are more complications, a feud between Andrew and his dad and some other surprises you will have to witness for yourself. This is the 'don't miss film' of the month/

The Filmmakers:
Directed by Anen Fletcher
Screenplay by Peter Chiarelli
Released by Touchstone Pictures

Year One

In year 1, Zed (Jack Black) and his friend, Oh (Michael Cera), are two inept cavemen just trying to survive. Zed is a lazy hunter with no skills, and Oh is a gatherer of nuts and berries. Zed is banished from the village after he eats the forbidden fruit. Oh decides to go with Zed on his epic journey to the end of the earth. Instead, they both find a new world outside of their prehistoric village. They soon find themselves wandering in Biblical times in Bible country. They met Cain ( Daviud Cross ) and Abraham ( Harold Ramis ) tending to their herd, and for the first time in their lives they get to ride at a high rate of speed in Abrahams one cow cart. Zed and Oh meet many people in their travels, and along the way, they are sold into slavery along with their girlfriends Eema ( Juno Tempel ) and Maya ( June Diane Raphael ) and their archenemy form their village Sargon ( Vionnie Jones ) and end up in Sodom where they have some adult adventures and find political intrigue in the court of the king ( Xander Berkely ). This is the usual silly, semi-adult humor that Jack Black is noted for but it's saved from total stupidity by SCTV-founder Ramis.

The Players: Jack Blackm, Harold Ramis, June Diane Raphael, Juno Tempel, Xander Berkely, Vinnie Jones, Michael Cera, David Cross and Oliver Platt

The Filmmakers:
Directed by harold Ramis
Screenplay by Gene Stupnitsky
Released by Columbia Pictures

Dead Snow       Reviewed by CJ Henderson

You know, just when you think you’ve seen it all, someone comes along and just hits you over the head with a big ol’ 2x4. Now, right up front, I am not the biggest fan of zombie movies around. Outside of the work of George Romero, who never seems to disappoint, most living dead films leave me fairly disappointed. For years they were all retreads of the same tired plotline.  Then, wit entered the scene. Instant classics like "Sean of the Dead" and "Fido" redefined the genre for jaded types like myself. Well, now comes a new film from Tommy Wirkola, the big hot ticket from Norway, and believe it or not, the niche market of comedy zombie cinema may never be the same again.  This is the fellow who made the big splash back in 2007 with his parody film, "Kill Buljo: the Movie." That was enough to get him the director’s seat on the upcoming Will Farrell-produced adaptation of "Hansel and Gretel." So, don’t let the fact that "Dead Snow" is not only a Norwegian zombie film (who would have thought such a thing was possible, eh?), but one where you’re going to have to read sub-titles. The folks in IFCFilms’ publicity department are calling this one "a feel-good-Nazi-zombie-splatter-comedy," and you know, they just might be right.  The story: Like many a zombie film you’ve seen before, this one starts with a group of young, likeable, over-sexed males and females heading out of cell-phone range for a weekend of beer and fun. Two cars carrying four guys and three gals make their way along the winding back country roads, towing a single snowmobile. When they run out of road, the snowmobile is used to carry all their luggage and supplies to their cabin while everyone else walks. These kids are into their privacy, you see.  They’re expecting a fourth girl, Sara, the owner of their rustic retreat who prefers to cross-country ski in to her home away from home. Sara, of course, is not going to make it. We see her get slaughtered in the first few moments of the film, just to let us know that we are indeed in for some good, old-fashioned zombie action.

After their first day of frolicking in the snow, the gang settles down for an evening of fun when they receive an unexpected visitor. An older man shows up at their door, asking for a cup of coffee. He comes in, insults their java, and then tells them a story from the good old days of the Nazi occupation of the area. Seems the Germans were pretty nasty guys, and they paid for their terrorizing of the countryside by being slaughtered in their sleep. The old guy warns the kids that strange things have happened in the area ever since, and then leaves.

 I’m certain you have an idea of what happens after that. As usual, I’m not one to spoil an audience’s good time, so I’ll leave out any further details. But, I have to say, this is one of the wildest blends of unrelenting gore, and obsidian-black humor ever produced. It takes a while for the comedy you’ve been promised to kick in, but when it does, it is unrelenting. The jokes are incredibly sick, and the violence is wildly over the top, but unbelievably, it works.
 One of the things that helps is Wirkola’s incredible directorial vision. The story-telling is boldly confident. The cinematography is often sweepingly majestic. The cast is made up of unknowns to most Americas, but they know their craft and get the job done. Then again, they’ve got excellent material with which to work.

 "Dead Snow" is extremely well written. The story moves quickly, establishes its rules clearly, sets the audience up nicely with several clever bits of misdirection, and basically keeps the action moving about as quickly as anyone could want.
 Now, is this a film for everyone? Not on your life. Although the on-screen sex is minor, the language is not that of which grandma will approve. And, as for the blood, it starts flowing fairly early and once it does, it does not stop. And, the really unexpected thing about the film is, the bloodier it gets, the funnier it gets.

 I’m not certain what’s going on in ol’ Scandinavia. First they send us "Let the Right One In," the best new look at the vampire legend in decades, and now this completely original slant on the zombie genre. Bollywood might be the new home of musicals, but if this keeps up, it looks like the new home for horror is going to be north of the Arctic Circle.  What can I say? If you only see one feel-good-Nazi-zombie-splatter-comedy this year, this is the one to see.
 Our final word: 5 stars out of 5.

The Filmmakers:
Directed by Tommy Wirkola
Screenplay by Stig Frode Henriksen  and Tommy Wirkola
Released by IFC