Synopsis: In the world of violent, high-speed racing, brothers Rex and Speed Racer become rivals as powerful racer Mondragan manipulates their careers in order to kill them both during the world championships, but the brothers learn its all just an act of vengeance against Pops Racer, who caused the death of Mondragan’s father in a race long ago.

Review: Filled with revved engines and vroom! visuals, Speed Racer is the perfect movie for video-gaming kids – but for others it may just cause migraines.

Story: The big-screen, live-action adaptation mostly captures the look and feel of the ‘60s cartoon many of us grew up watching. It could have used a few more occurrences of our favorite line, “Look out, Speed! AH!” but oh well. As it goes, Speed (Emile Hirsch) has grown up with motor oil pumping through his veins, helping his Pops (John Goodman) make racecars and idolizing his older brother Rex (Scott Porter), a top-notch driver. Then tragedy strikes when Rex is seemingly killed in an accident. Heartbroken, Speed is determined to take his place, showing some serious skills on the track. His girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci) thinks he’s the bomb, as do his mom (Susan Sarandon), younger brother Spritle (Paulie Litt) and pet chimpanzee Chim-Chim. But Speed is soon in for a rude awakening when he is introduced to the corrupt world of auto racing, forcing him to team up with the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) to make it right again. Go, Speed, go!

Acting: The usually somber Hirsch – who is best known for his indie work in films such as Alpha Dog and Into the Wild – seems, at first, an odd choice to play Speed. But his seriousness works well against the campiness surrounding him, especially in the more emotional moments. Same goes for Fox as the stoic Racer X. Still, one can’t help but think of him as his “Lost” alter ego in dark glasses and a mask. The rest of the cast just has way too much fun, including Ricci as the cute-as-a-button-but-full-of-moxie Trixie, Goodman as the blowhard Pops and especially young Litt as Spritle. Out of all Speed’s animated characters re-envisioned, Litt does the best job, capturing Spritle’s cartoon mischievousness. The monkey ain’t bad, either. Chim-Chim, AH!

Direction: Oh, those Wachowski brothers (Andy and Larry). They sure do like to come up with as many inventive ways to visually stimulate you as they can, don’t they? Their Matrix series set CGI on fire – and now Speed Racer, which quite literally takes you inside a video game the Wii or Xbox could only dream of ever creating. The film is virtual eye candy from start to finish – a mixture of Tim Burton-esque colorful sets, wild adrenaline-filled special effects and constant camera movements. They may actually need to post a warning for those who suffer from motion sickness. However, Speed’s main problem, which is the same problem the Matrix franchise suffered from, is its tendency to overanalyze the plot. The Wachowskis love to preach, turning a scene about the racing world’s corrupt beginning into a 15-minute diatribe. They try to combine the campiness of the animated TV series with serious undertones, but it only weighs the film down. You can feel the kids in the audience tapping their feet, waiting for more action. So, let’s just give the kids what they want: fast-paced excitement, wrapped up in a colorful package.

Bottom Line: Hollywood.com rating: 2 1/2 stars.

Synopsis: Set in Sin City, the story revolves around two people who discover they’ve gotten married following a night of debauchery, with one of them winning a huge jackpot after playing the other’s quarter. The unhappy pair try to undermine each other and get their hands on the money – falling in love along the way.

Review: Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher are riotously funny together in one of the rare romantic comedies guys are gonna love as much as their dates. When was the last time THAT happened?

Story: This Vegas is an absolute sure bet for big laughs. A classic comic battle of the sexes romantic comedies have been doing successfully for years, from Tracy and Hepburn to Hudson and Day – and now Diaz and Kutcher. Jack Fuller (Kutcher) is a slacker carpenter just fired by his ungrateful father (Treat Williams). Joy McNally (Diaz) is a commodities trader who lives her life by the numbers – both professionally and personally – and has just been dumped by her fiancée (Jason Sudeikis). At the urging of their respective best friends Hater (Rob Corddry) and Tipper (Lake Bell), they head to Vegas for the weekend, designed to help them forget their big city woes. As in all films of this ilk, Jack and Joy “meet cute” when both sets of friends are accidentally booked into the same hotel room. Once that mess is sorted out, they all set off on a wild drunken party spree which ends with a blitzed Jack and Joy’s nuptials at a quickie wedding chapel. As reality strikes along with the light of morning, the now-battling couple plan an annulment which becomes complicated when Jack hits a $3 million dollar slot jackpot with Joy’s quarter. Both claim the cash but in order to get the money, a New York judge (Dennis Miller) determines they must prove they are serious about the marriage and gives them six months to become a real couple.

Acting: As with all the legions of “opposites attract” comedies Hollywood has dished out over the years, these confections live or die on the chemistry of the star – luckily for What Happens In Vegas, Diaz and Kutcher are well matched in every way. Of course, Diaz is no stranger to “party girl” scenarios, so the early scenes fit her like a glove. Kutcher counters her nicely as a slacker dude caught up in circumstances beyond his control. An early sequence in which they check into the same room is played at such high-pitched hysteria – followed by a Vegas spree that seems so MTV-quick cut style – you worry the film will not come back down to earth. But thanks to its stars and a generally fine supporting cast, the rest of the picture recovers in style and is played for laughs grounded in reality. Although this is essentially a Cameron/Ashton showcase, there are still some great wisecracks from the actors cast as their friends, particularly Bell (Over Her Dead Body) who aces her timing and delivery. Corddry also scores as Jack’s loser friend and novice lawyer. In another era, it’s the type of role Tony Randall would have played, and Corddry is inspired casting here. Comedian Miller is cast against type as the judge, and Williams has little to do as Dad. For some reason, Queen Latifah, with no billing except on the end credits, accepted a bland role as a marriage counselor Jack and Joy are forced to see.

Direction: With his little-seen gem last year, Starter for Ten starring James McAvoy, newcomer Tom Vaughan showed considerable skill directing character comedy. His first big studio outing is much broader but again confirms his talent for getting the best out of his stars. Vegas isn’t loaded with style or signature shots, but it keeps us engaged for 98 minutes and sports a light tone that lets the audience have as much fun as the actors seem to be having. Early scenes in Las Vegas (only about 15 minutes of the entire film actually “happens” there, the rest in New York) are a bit too frenetic for their own good, but thankfully Vaughan gains his stride and the laughs come more smoothly once the story heads back to New York. The screenplay by Dana Fox smartly centers her clever story (with its inevitable conclusion) around the gradual attraction of the two leads who prove what happens in Vegas is only the beginning of the real fun.

Bottom Line: Hollywood.com rating: 3 stars.