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Get taken ‘Up’ and away

Erika Perez – Insider editorAnother great Disney Pixar movie to add to your list of family activities, “Up” opens May 29. Like many other animated pictures from Pixar, this movie is extremely anticipated for its innovative production and quality story.

Carl Frederickson, a grouchy senior citizen living in a small town, is on the move to adventure instead of a nursing home. When Carl is approached about selling his home, he decides to leave and take his home with him in search of the adventure he has always dreamed of. His plan, involving thousands of balloons tied to his home through his chimney, is successful and he flies off to follow his dreams. Unknown to Carl, Russell, a 9-year-old junior wilderness explorer persistently in search of his “assisting the elderly” badge, stows away on his front porch by accident. This odd couple travel to a world long lost to society in a mysterious wilderness. In this wilderness they encounter a strange bird, Kevin, who tags along their adventure and befriend Dug, a “talking” dog, who is part of a pack in search of the rare bird.

Peter Docter, of Monster’s Inc., writes and directs “Up,” the first Disney Pixar digital 3D animated film. The breathtaking scenes, including 90 degree cliffs one mile above the jungle, rock formations and plants rarely seen outside of this location, were inspired by actual South American landscapes. They inspire a sense of reality and add to the film a promise of adventure for every viewer.

‘Brad Pitt is a basterd’

Phillip Levin – Staff writerDirector Quentin Tarantino spent more than 10 years writing the script for “Inglorious Basterds,” but he finally finished it, and it’s coming to the silver screen this summer.

“Inglorious Basterds,” despite its name, is not a sequel to or a remake of the 1978 Enzo G. Castellari film “Inglorious Bastards.”

The film is set in Nazi-occupied France during World War II and follows two separate storylines that eventually come together.

Shosanna Dreyfus’s (Mélanie Laurent) family has been murdered by Nazis and she escapes to Paris. She’s taken in by a sympathetic theater owner and eventually takes over the woman’s theater after she passes away. Soon German war hero Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Brühl) convinces the theater to show “Nation’s Pride” — a Nazi propaganda film.

Then there are the Jewish-American soldiers known as The Basterds, led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). The group is known for its brutal methods of killing Nazis and collecting “Nazi scalps.”

Like other Tarantino films, “Inglorious Basterds” isn’t afraid of violence and gore, there will be plenty of both. However, Tarantino said that the movie has some of the most dialogue of any of his films, so it won’t be limited to just gratuitous violence.

“Inglorious Basterds” hits theaters August 20.

Potter takes on the “Prince”

Sandra Diaz – Inscape editorHarry Potter fans rejoice!

Finally, the much awaited sequel Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince will be coming to theaters this summer.

Once again Harry, his friends and the entire wizarding world for that matter are in danger of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort. Refusing to accept Voldemort’s return, The Ministry of Magic begins a smear campaign to tarnish the once thought admirable Harry to try and keep things quiet. The sixth installment of the Harry Potter series grows ever more sinister as it seems that someone is trying to kill Harry (yet again).

Undeterred from his mission, Harry sets out with his mentor Dumbledore to learn everything he can about Voldemort’s past (when he was Tom Riddle) and defeat Voldemort once and for all.

After an eight month delay, the film will be released July 15.

Sequel back for ‘REVENGE’

Phillip Levin – Staff writerMichael Bay’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” is set to be the summer’s most action-packed movie. The film is the sequel to 2007’s “Transformers,” the first live-action iteration of the popular series.

Sam Witwhicky (Shia LaBeouf) is going off to college and he’s bought his girlfriend Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) a webcam so that the two can keep their long-distance relationship alive. Too bad they probably won’t get to use it much because, like the first “Transformers,” “Revenge of the Fallen” looks to be filled with explosions and destruction, leaving little time for those romantic webcam sessions.

In “Revenge of the Fallen,” Witwhicky discovers new information about the history of the Transformers, including their origin. This is all thanks to the remaining piece of the Allspark, a device that breathes life into inanimate electronic and mechanical objects.

The Decepticons are after Witwhicky, but Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots won’t give him up easily. The film takes place across a variety of countries, the most iconic of which is Egypt. Bridges will be destroyed, buildings leveled and the giant robots will brawl in the Giza pyramid complex.

Look for “Revenge of the Fallen” June 19.