"Mr. Popper’s Penguins" packs a peppy punch, proffering people a package that’s positive and perfectly pleasant, yet also preposterous and predictable.   Say that five times fast. Seriously though, “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” is a serviceable selection for summer on the silver screen. Wait, I’m doing it with “S” now. Hm. OK, let’s just say...state...DECLARE that your kids will love it, and as an adult it is more than tolerable, although I couldn’t shake the feeling that we’ve all seen this movie before. Probably because we have. It’s called “Liar, Liar.” Also, “The Santa Clause.” And “Mrs. …

In many people’s eyes, J.J. Abrams, co-creator of the epically popular “Lost” series, can do no wrong. I’ve never seen “Lost,” but I knew enough about Abrams to be excited by “Super 8.” Add producer Steven Spielberg to the project, and you have a guaranteed blockbuster. And blockbuster it is, raking in $35 million its opening weekend. And yet the movie itself suffers a bit from all the hype. I went in expecting revolutionary. What I got was “E.T.” meets “Stand By Me.” Everything about the film felt like something we’ve seen before: the carefree boys causing trouble; the beautiful girl from …

I feel bad. I’ve been ragging on actors a lot lately. I don’t want to sound whiney, but I’m going to complain some more. Sorry 'bout that.  Like the rest of the world, I loved “Water for Elephants,” a beautifully written, poignant novel by Sara Gruen. The book chronicles the early life of Jacob Jankowski, an orphaned Cornell veterinary student who joins a traveling circus during the Great Depression. Adapting novels for the big screen is always a risk. How do you capture all those important, subtle details while still keeping the pacing up and the action exciting for those new to the story? …

“Sucker Punch” is every teenage boy’s fantasy, because it features a band of half-naked women in thigh-highs, midriffs exposed, boobs bouncing, running in slow motion through video-game-like terrains, swords slashing and guns ablaze. Is it something anyone else will want to sit through? Perhaps. Let’s dissect. This epic action-fantasy adventure, helmed by “300” and “Watchmen” director Zack Snyder, does have its redeeming qualities, despite its questionably misogynistic plot and costume/character choices. The film starts off strong, with a sequence that is very archetypal super-hero. A young …