Jean Reno

CHICAGO – A cinematic lifetime ago, Morgan Freeman injected a bit of class and style into the role of Alex Cross in the adaptations of James Patterson’s “Along Came a Spider” and “Kiss the Girls.” Seventeen years later, director Tyler Perry steps into the shoes of the detective doctor with all the answers in the narcoleptic, horrendous “Alex Cross,” a misfire that makes the Freeman movies look like “The Silence of the Lambs” by comparison.

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 40 pairs of movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of “Alex Cross” from the author of “Kiss the Girls” and “Along Came a Spider”!

CHICAGO – The passion of adolescence, so driven by the emerging intellect merged with fierce hormonal obligations, is a subject tailor made for the movies. The drama and distinction in “Margaret” is the nearly perfect portrayal of the main character played by Anna Paquin, against the backdrop of New York City.

CHICAGO – The basic moral message of “Armored” is simple: Don’t get partnered with sociopathic lunatics especially when they’re given guns and armored cars as a part of their job. This defiantly old-fashioned B-movie wasn’t screened for critics and was dismissed by audiences around the last holiday season but more than gets the job done as an entertaining rental on its own terms.

CHICAGO – It seems ironic that “Couples Retreat,” a film about a group of friends who think they’re going on a peaceful vacation but get hoodwinked into couples counseling, is itself a bait-and-switch, advertising a sexy comedy and delivering a dull trip. Avoid this awful excuse for a comedy.

CHICAGO – Meeting with Columbus Short is encountering a true force of nature. Focused, intent and with a varied perspective, this up-and-coming young actor and performer has the centerpiece role in the new film, “Armored.”

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Director Peter Billingsley, Actress Malin Akerman, and Vince Vaughn pose together on the red carpet at the Chicago Premiere of their film Couples Retreat on Tuesday, Oct. 6th, 2009.

CHICAGO – This 3-image slideshow contains our ace photographer Joe Arce’s shots from the red carpet for the Chicago premiere of “Couples Retreat” on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009. Stars Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman and director Peter Billingsley walked the red carpet for the film that also stars Jason Bateman, Kristin Bell, Kristin Davis, Kali Hawk, Faizon Love, Jon Favreau, and Jean Reno. It opens on Friday, October 9th, 2009.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – One of the biggest movies of the summer is sure to be Ron Howard’s “Angels & Demons,” the sequel to 2006’s massively successful “The Da Vinci Code,” a Tom Hanks film that left most critics cold but ended up making a stunning quarter-of-a-billion dollars worldwide by the time its theatrical run ended. Before you talk to the “Angels & Demons,” catch up on your mythology with “The Da Vinci Code: 2-Disc Extended Cut” on Blu-Ray.

CHICAGO – Still trying to get over an Oscar hangover? There’s no better way to deflate the pomposity of awards season than with a wicked car chase. Of course, one of the best of all time hit Blu-Ray this week in the controversial Blu-Ray release of “The French Connection,” but the same studio also released another pair of movies dedicated to automobile aficionados and an animated sci-fi comedy when all the metal destruction gets too much to take.

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Steve Martin stars in MGM Pictures and Columbia Pictures comedy The Pink Panther 2.

CHICAGO – This 26-image slideshow contains the official press images for “Pink Panther 2,” which was directed by Harald Zwart and features Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Alfred Molina, Emily Mortimer, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Andy Garcia, Lily Tomlin, and John Cleese. The Sony Pictures release opens on Friday, February 6th, 2009.