So, what’s playing this weekend?

Salvation Boulevard

When you save the best for last, it makes sense to save the worst for first.

The 'Salvation Boulevard' Trailer Compels/Confuses You

Best Review
Salvation Boulevard isn’t groundbreaking or even consistently funny, but it is mildly inventive and the absurdities of its characters are tender and recognizably human. Best of all, we’re encouraged to laugh with them rather than at them.

Mark Holcomb – Village Voice

Worst Review
It’s a stupid farrago of aborted ideas, misguided actors, lame direction, submental writing and follow-the-dots plotting that never comes anywhere within a 10-mile radius of what I used to call coherent filmmaking.

Rex Reed – The New York Observer

Our Recommendation
The fact that Rex Reed hates a film usually means it’s at least watchable. But unfortunately, this time it looks like he’s part of the general consensus. Despite it’s more than respectable cast, Salvation Boulevard is falling flat, leaving 90% of critics unimpressed. Don’t be a hero. Go see Harry Potter with everyone else.

Winnie the Pooh

This classic children’s tale is back in an all new Disney animated film.

But how does Pooh hold up in the age of Pixar?

Best Review
In a time of shock-value 3-D animation and special effects, the look of the film is gentle and pleasing.

Roger Ebert – Chicago Sun-Times

Worst Review
Disney doesn’t offer much here that it hasn’t done as well before.

Liam Lacey – Globe and Mail

Our Recommendation
Clearly, Liam Lacey has no soul. With 90% of film critics agreeing that Pooh is a pleasing children’s film, fans young and old should not hesitate to give it a look. It’s a shame that it’s coming out the same weekend as Harry Potter. Hopefully it will get some spill over when Deathly Hallows sells out.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

It’s the end of an era for Harry Potter films.

New Clip And Photos From ‘Deathly Hallows Pt. 2: The One Where Something Finally Happens’

Best Review
A movie with no beginning and no middle but two-plus hours of thundering, momentous ending…

Andrew O’Hehir – Salon.com

Worst Review
Now that the Harry Potter series is over, maybe the truth can be realized: This has been the dullest franchise in the history of movie franchises.

Armond White – New York Press

Our Recommendation
With a staggering 97% of critics in agreement that Deathly Hallows: Part II is worth checking out, who am I to disagree? Unless your opinions are normally in line with Armond White, you’ll probably find this film to be a satisfying conclusion.

Burny Mattinson, who almost makes me wish I was an old man so I’d have a name like “Burny,” is the supervising story artist for the lovingly hand drawn new Winnie The Pooh movie. He worked on the 60′s Pooh cartoons, which are referred to at Disney as “Pooh Classic.” Mattison’s now working on a new pitch:

I am working on just an idea of my own which is basically a Mickey, Donald, Goofy feature film idea. We have to present it first to the bosses to get the green light.

This project will probably excite our younger readers, who’ll be thrilled that those funny anthropomorphic animals from Kingdom Hearts are getting a movie. However, I doubt 75 year old Mattison’s writing big parts for Sora and Riku. (Did kids play Epic Mickey? I found it very, very frustrating.) But I like the idea of a Mickey film in general. If it’s anywhere near as awesome as A Goofy Movie, which you may not think is awesome but it actually is, I’m in. (Bleeding Cool)