‘Hairspray’ includes lessons about life

All Tracy Turnblad wants to do is dance.

‘Act of Valor’ is no act

You’d think “Act of Valor” was a Navy training film or a documentary like Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight” series from World War II. In a way it is.

  • ‘Ghost Rider’ rides again

    Sequels rarely are better than the original, but if you’re looking for straight-out action the new comic-book movie “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” in 3D surpasses the original.

  • 'Safe House' is dangerous game

    Watch your real estate values if you live next door to a safe house – one of those secret locales where government agents hide spies, witnesses and people perceived as being in danger.

  • Neeson howls In ‘The Grey’

    Neeson howls In ‘The Grey’ We all have animal instints. That’s what Liam Neeson discovers in “The Grey.

  • 'One for the Money': A new mystery franchise?

    ‘One for the Money’: A new mystery franchise?

  • ‘Underworld’ rises again

    All right, I confess. I like movies featuring sexy butt-kicking females – “Salt” with Angelina Jolie, “Columbiana” with Zoe Saldana, “Haywire” with Gina Carano.

‘Twisted Metal’ stuck in gridlock

I work in Washington, which has some of the worst traffic in the United States.

  • ‘The Darkness II’ fades to black

    When the demonic first-person game “The Darkness” was released in 2007, it was a twisted breath of fresh air among all the war simulators and space-marine romps.

  • Square Enix puts ‘Final Fantasy’ on track

    The “Final Fantasy” franchise, now in its 25th year, has one of the most enthusiastic fan bases in all of video games.

  • Fresh stories propel ‘Old Republic’

    How do you make that familiar galaxy far, far away fresh again? Take it back to an even longer time ago. Way back.

  • 'W.E.L.D.E.R.' leads parade of iPad games

    So you just got an iPad for Christmas. You already have all the essentials loaded – Facebook, Twitter, iBooks, whatever news app you prefer.

  • ‘Rocksmith’ rocks out with real guitars

    If “Guitar Hero” was the spunky teenager who made music gaming fun, “Rocksmith” is his older, cooler brother in a distressed leather jacket.