Toy Story 3 (2010)

Easily the best of the bunch. Great story, true to the original. Great animation. One forgets is a "cartoon". Great voices - talk about an all-star cast.

Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return as the voices of Woody and Buzz Lightyear. Joan Cusack is back as Jessie. Don Rickles and Estelle Harris as the Potato Heads. Wallace Shawn and John Ratzenberger Rex and Hamm. All the staples of of series.

We are treated however to some new fun surprises. Micheal Keaton and Jodi Benson as Ken and Barbie. Fabulous! And Ned Beatty as the strawberry scented Lotso. If you have not seen it yet, you don't know what you are missing.

John Morris returns as guy who has been the voice of Andy all these years.

You may know what you think is going to happen next, but you will not guess how. You may know what you think is going to happen in the end, but you are still surprised and pleased. At least I was, and I love when that happens.

Watch this with someone who has donated their favorite toys to a worthy new owner.

Angels & Demons

Zealotry redefined. Ron Howard delivers another fun, exciting, nail-biter. Not exactly a sequel to DaVinci Code, but not totally unrelated either. Tom Hanks returns as Dr. Langdon, the professor who defies labeling.

Ayelet Zurer plays the female lead who stops short at becoming a love interest of the good doctor. Ewan McGregor plays the youngest of Vatican leadership. Stellan Skarsgård, one of the best-known Swedes in Hollywood (Bootstrap Bill) plays the head of the Vatican's Swiss Guard. Armin Mueller-Stahl plays a senior cardinal and the stage is set.

Who killed the Pope and hired an assassin, played well by Nikolaj Lie Kaas, to kill the favorites to replace him? Who are the Illuminati and where are they hiding?

With a little help from Galileo and a lady bio-physicist, Dr. Langdon comes to the rescue again, this time at the request of the Vatican.

This great international cast give the movie a very authentic feel. There are so many wonderful accents and looks and voices. The soundtrack adds big-time to the feel of the movie.

Watch this with someone who believes in both science and religion.

Charlie Wilson's War

Where were you for the 10 years between 1979 and 1989. Do you remember what was going on in the world? Do you remember Iran-Contra and Oliver North? Do you remember that the Soviet army invaded Afghanistan? Do you remember what the United States did about that invasion?

This movie will only answer the last question. It brings to light what was known in only a few small circles during that period of time. And, rather than a typical history lesson, this movie teaches without letting you know a lesson is going on. That is high craft indeed.

Director Mike Nichols who has been the brains behind such varied greats as The Graduate, Catch-22, Working Girl, and The Birdcage, brings what I believe is another classic story to cinema.

It helps that he had such a powerful cast. Tom Hanks is his usual brilliant self. Julia Roberts shows that she really can act. And Philip Seymour Hoffman shows us again what playing a role is supposed to look like.

What is this movie about? It's about how a hand full of people brought about the beginning of the downfall of the old Soviet Union. And a less likely bunch is hard to conceive. Fact truly is stranger than fiction.

Watch this movie with someone who "gets" how things happen despite themselves in DC.

The Terminal

This is almost a story about nothing. But if you have patience, and if you allow yourself to become part of this story, it becomes much more. It is a very personal, very real, story of integrity, loyalty, and faith.

If you have ever been stuck in an airport in a foreign country, alone, with nothing to do but wait for your next flight, you should be able to relate to the main character of this story. His wait was only a year-long struggle for survival and battle of wits against the airport administrator.

Director Steven Spielberg does a commendable job here in not over-telling the story. There are no special effects. There are no Hollywood moments. There are only good actors doing their job and making it very fun for us to watch.

Tom Hanks plays a man who's country falls into chaos just as he flies to New York to lovingly comply with a Father's wish. When he lands, customs and airport security cannot accept his visa and passport from a country that no longer exists. So he must wait in the terminal until the wheels of bureaucracy turn. While there, he learns to eek out a living in various ways, all of them creative and entertaining. World travelers take note, and take pity.

Stanley Tucci (Big Night, Lucky Number Sleven, and The Devil Wears Prada) very acutely sums up the airport administrator. We learn yet again that Tucci is much better at comedy than he is at being a bad guy. But, when he is both, it's pure magic.

Catherine Zeta-Jones (Mask of Zorro, Entrapment, and the film version of Chicago) plays a Flight Attendant for whom our stranded tourist has a hankering. His overtures to her are both clumsy and magnificent. The mosaic is my personal favorite.

It appears the people either love or hate this movie. I loved it. Call it a Litmus test to see how close you movie tastes are with mine. The music is top notch and it does not hurt that the sub plot is totally about Jazz greats of the 1950's. If you skipped this movie back in 2004 for whatever reason, please give it a second chance.

Watch it with someone who loves their father.