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John (John C. Reilly) is a miserable freelance editor, stuck in a rut, needing love in his life but unwilling to make an effort to welcome it into his heart; that is until he meets Molly (Marisa Tomei). Molly seems like an almost perfect catch, wild, fun, able to pull John out of his shell, but there’s something amiss in her life. When John finds out that Molly is still harboring her 20 something son Cyrus (Jonah Hill) at home, relationships on all fronts are challenged.
Shot in a documentary-esque style and largely improvised by the actors, directors Jay and Mark Duplass achieve what feels like a very “real” film that also works out to be a dramatic comedy. Awkward at times, blunt at others, the film plays out like a genuine look into the lives of several semi-ordinary but interesting people, revealing the truth in comedy. And, given the stylistics of the Duplass brothers, despite the fact that this film actually had a budget, the feel of the film is still independent and raw which will no doubt keep the art house film crowd satisfied yet still pull in a more mainstream audience. A great option for those looking for a smart dramatic comedy this weekend. Cyrus is rated R.

In a mystical land where cultures follow spirit guides and have the abilities to control the four elements of nature, earth, air, water, and fire, what was once peaceful now appears to be out of balance. In a struggle for power the Fire Nation wrought with technology is searching for a way to conquer the other nations and destroy the spirits of the old world. Now Aang (Noah Ringer), an Avatar and the last descendant of the Air Nation, and his friends Katara (Nicola Peltz) and Sokka (Jackson Rathbone) of the Water Nation must team up to restore balance to the world. But what of Prince Zuko (Dev Patel) and his father the evil fire lord Ozai (Cliff Curtis), will they actually be swayed to give in on their hunger for power and honor? Based on the wildly popular kids anime cartoon, there’s good news and bad news on this one. Unfortunately both sides of the news boil down to M. Night Shyamalan who has taken the honors of writing and directing this latest adaptation. In short I’m sorry to report Shyamalan has been diagnosed with the tragic disorder known as George Lucas Syndrome; a creative disorder that renders one incapable of writing a screenplay worth two cents. There is however an upside to this malady, it leaves a director still capable of producing a very impressive and pretty looking film. Sadly pretty pictures can’t overpower the disastrously poor writing and half baked direction of the child actors in this otherwise potentially great concept of a film. Bottom line, if you have young-ish kids that follow the cartoon, this might be okay, but anyone over 12 will probably walk away feeling a little cheated. The Last Airbender is rated PG.