See it at the Movies

Joyce and Don Fowler
Posted 4/4/13

ADMISSION

+* * ½

(Dull romantic comedy)

I guess you would classify “Admission” as a romantic comedy. The problem is that there is little romance and less comedy.

Tina Fey plays …

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See it at the Movies

Posted

ADMISSION

+* * ½

(Dull romantic comedy)

I guess you would classify “Admission” as a romantic comedy. The problem is that there is little romance and less comedy.

Tina Fey plays Portia, a Princeton University Admissions Officer, who is overworked and vying for the top job when her boss (Wallace Shawn) retires. She travels to Quest, an alternative school in the country, where John, a teacher (Paul Rudd) is promoting the acceptance of his star pupil. The two immediately dislike each other, so you know how this one is going to end up.

We learn that Portia gave up a baby for adoption when she was a teenager. Could this bright kid be her son?

Portia also has a love/hate relationship with her feminist/environmentalist mother (Lily Tomlin).

That’s about it. Will the kid get into Princeton? Will John and Portia get together? Will this dull movie ever end?

While the movie does poke fun and probably at times comes close to the truth related to college admission policies, it just isn’t very interesting.

Rated PG-13 with some sexual references.

OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN

* * *

(Violent, action-packed thriller)

There are so many bad movies out this month that “Olympus Has Fallen” actually looks better than it is. However, if you like action, you’ll get your fill in this action-packed, violent thriller.

The movie opens with the president of the United States (Aaron Eckhart) leaving Camp David with his wife in a motorcade on a snowy winter evening. Tragedy occurs and Banning, the Secret Service guy in charge (Gerard Butler), takes the rap and ends up in a desk job.

Eighteen months later the president is hosting a delegation from North Korea when what seems like the entire Korean army storms the White House, securing the president and most of his top cabinet members in the basement bunker.

With the current situation with North Korea, the movie becomes even tenser than it is, as the Koreans make tough demands and kill half of Washington, D C. The plot thickens as we discover who these nasty people really are and what they are up to.

But wait, Banning has made his way into the White House and serves as a one-man army determined to rescue the president and save the world. Of course, it comes down to that computer that has only seconds before it goes off, pus the final battle between Banning and the terrorist leader (a very sinister Rick Yune). We are even treated to a big patriotic speech at the end.

In spite of all the clichés, “Olympus Has Fallen” will grab you and hold on tight, with some exciting and over-violent action. Butler is very good as Banning. Rated a big R.

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