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 The Golden Compass is another one of fantasy-action movie that tries to get your kids excited with flashy visuals and fantastical creatures. The movie tells the first story in Philip Pullman’s first story in the His Dark Materials trilogy.

Story stars Lyra Belacqua, a 12-year-old girl who sets out to rescue her friend who was kidnapped by the mysterious Gobblers, and to reunite with her uncle who is in the North trying to mount an expedition to the other parallel worlds by using Dust. This parallel Earth is ruled by the Magisterium, a powerful organization bent on controlling all actions and thoughts, not unlike a totalitarian government or, say, the Catholic Church.

The books and the movies have been labeled anti-Christian, and thankfully it has been toned down in the movie for a commercial success. Unfortunately, the creative force behind the movie forgot a few key things to make it better than just mediocre.

The world is rich, and the visuals are powerful, mostly. It takes awhile to explain all the concepts (such as daemons, shape-shifting animals containing the child’s soul, creativity and conscience. They are directly linked so injuring them will injure the linked children as well). Magisterium seeks to sever the link between the daemon and the child to destroy the child’s sense of identity and independence. If this material is too dense, just imagine what a child would think when you layer on the anti-establishment and anti-religion message.

Another important aspect of the movie is that it ends abruptly, apparently designed to provide a happy ending to movie watchers, except it doesn’t resolve anything and hardly explains anything (for part of the cut ending, watch this video). The Golden Compass is best enjoyed on a high-definition Blu-Ray disk as you marvel at the scenes, and just not focus on the plot, character development or coherence.

Rating: 55%

Teeth is a puzzling movie that doesn’t know what it is supposed to be: it tries to be too many things at the same time and ends up becoming a mess not worth seeing. The topic of "vagina dentata" (basically vagina with teeth) seems to suggest it is a horror movie as this monster lurks beneath and strikes unsuspecting male victims with very graphic castrations. On the other hand, it is also a female empowerment movie as the main character learns to control her teeth down below to punish those who try to take advantage of her, including her stepbrother.

The movie tries to make an environmental point - and blames the "vagina dentata" on a radiation from nearby nuclear power plant. But the problem is the movie doesn’t have a focus and becomes a parade of male mutilations until the end. It tries hard to be a dark comedy, without any comedic payoff, and it becomes increasingly hard to root for a heroine who turns her mutation into a weapon of revenge.

In the end, this movie will be known for its shock value, and the performance of Jess Weixler that won her a special jury prize at Sundance Film Festival in 2007. The problem with shock value is, after the first scene of severed male genitalia with blood pumping out, the rest becomes gratuitous.

Rating: 15%

The Mist is pretty formulaic if you drill it down to its core elements. It’s the story of a bunch of diverse characters stuck together in a confined space in order to seek refuge from monsters that want to eat them. What sets it apart from countless mediocre horror movies is the exploration of what happens when people become irrational and start following a fanatic.

David Drayton (played by Thomas Jane) and his son Billy go to the local supermarket after a night of storms in order to gather emergency supplies when thick fog-like mist rolls into town. Soon they discover there’s something in the mist that’s killing people. As a few dozen local folks are stuck inside the supermarket, wondering what’s going on outside and devising ways to escape, two factions are formed: one, led by David, composed of mainly sane people seeking realistic answers, and the other led by local fanatic Mrs. Carmody who convinces people that this is God’s wrath and that everyone is going to die. You do get to see the monsters (such as big tentacles, big bugs and big towering… things), but the real scare comes from what people are capable of doing.

Adapted from Stephen King’s novella, the ending is modified for the movie, actually for the better. The movie is bleak from start to finish, and the revised ending has a Twilight Zone quality to it. Acting is pretty solid, and Marcia Gay Harden plays her role convincingly.

Rating: 70%

Transformers is as big as it gets when it comes to summer blockbusters. Featuring plenty of destructions, explosions and gigantic robots, you can’t help but enjoy the visually and audibly loud action sequences. The movie tells the story of Autobots and Decepticons, two alien opposing factions of robots that can transform who are bent on finding the AllSpark, which gives life to lifeless technological things. Decepticons seek it in order to use it to turn Earth’s technology into robots and take over our world (we actually see the AllSpark in action when it transforms a Nokia cell phone, Xbox 360 and Mountain Dew vending machine into robots).

Caught in the middle is the human race led by Sam Witwicky who ends up purchasing an old beat-up Camaro and discovers it’s actually a robot in disguise. The other subplots (such as the whole Section 7 business, army units…) do not add much to the storyline. But then again you’re not here for a great story. You’re here to watch robots transform, and destroy each other. Transformation sequences are truly a marvel to behold, and definitely not possible without our advanced CGI capabilities. Director Michael Bay knows it and the movie is peppered with up-close shots of cars, airplanes and tanks transform into giant robots.

If all you need from your movie is great action sequences, then Transformers will give you pretty good value for 2 hours. I’m hoping that the sequel (due out next year) will be less about exposition, and more about intense battle sequences.

Rating: 75%

Transformers

Director Michael Bay was perhaps the best choice for this special effects extravaganza as Transformers franchise gets updated for our times. The movie showcases exactly what the fans want: lots of robots, and big explosions. Unfortunately there are some bad attempts at human character developments, but they can be mostly tolerated as the action sequences deliver and exceed your expectations. This movie is best enjoyed in high-definition.

Sweetney Todd

Johnny Depp has a knack for playing odd characters, and the latest entry to his resume is a cannibalistic barber… With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler, Tim Burton manages to create a film that both musical and horror fans can enjoy, and that is no easy feat. All-star cast includes Alan Rickman, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter.

Up next: Best Sci-Fi Movie of 2007

Knocked Up

Judd Apatow’s The 40 Year-old Virgin was a success that not too many people could have predicted. Proving to everyone that he is not an one-hit wonder, he returned this year with Knocked Up. Starring Seth Rogan and Grey’s Anatomy’s Katherine Heigl, this romantic comedy proved the odd-couple shtick can work in a smart movie without resorting to gross-out gags. Not that the movie is light on dirty scenes…

Up next: Best Musical Movie of 2007

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The Bourne Ultimatum

The last movie in the Bourne trilogy delivers everything from incredible action sequences, superb car chases and engrossing storyline. Most action movies aren’t able to deliver all that in a single movie and the director Paul Greengrass superbly manages it. Jason Bourne’s final trip back home is easily the best in the franchise. Here’s to hoping that this fantastic filmmaking won’t get lost in his next project.

Up next: Best Comedy Movie of 2007