BeyondTheTV

The only thing slightly mollifying my hatred for Star Wars: The Clone Wars is that it's meant for kids, not adults. It's shallow, cheap, and silly, just like a Saturday-morning cartoon -- which is what it's supposed to be. The Clone Wars will launch as an animated series on Cartoon Network and TNT in October, and this movie serves as a sort of pilot episode.

Which means dumping it in theaters is outrageously greedy and cynical, a move designed solely to make money off die-hard Star Wars fans who…

Woody Allen's career is experiencing a renaissance, or so we're told as filmgoers. The hit-and-miss days of the '90s and early millennium are gone thanks to his decision to start making movies overseas. This theory, unfortunately, only holds up if you ignore two of the four movies Allen has made during his so-called renaissance -- the abysmally bad Scoop and the only dull Cassandra's Dream. His latest, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, easily joins Match Point as one of his best from the past two…

Is the Catholic Church making movies? I don't think I got the bulletin. Hmm ... but then I haven't been to mass in a while, in about a decade. A communion wafer lightly dusted in comedy and drenched in melodrama; Henry Poole Is Here certainly seems like a film cooked in a Christian kitchen.

You see, something's not quite right with Mr. Poole (Luke Wilson). He just plunked down a few hundred grand for a sad little house that's falling apart at its stucco seams. The only thing sadder than the…

A failed drummer (Rainn Wilson) gets a second chance at fame when he joins his young nephew's band.

A Playboy bunny (Anna Faris) teaches socially awkward sorority sisters about the opposite sex.

Framed for murder, a convict (Jason Statham) must compete in a brutal auto race to win his freedom.

A poor Illinois town rallies behind their Pop Warner team's female quarterback (Keke Palmer).

A failed actor-turned-drama teacher stages a politically incorrect musical sequel.