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This film of Eragon could be subtitled "Attack of the Lousy Screenplay." Christopher Paolini has got to be really steamed at what's happened to the marvelous first book of the Inheritance Trilogy. For those of you who haven't read it, the novel is full of mystery and intrigue with most of the characters holding little secrets that add up to several "ah-ha!" moments when reading the book. However, instead of "ah-ha," this screenplay gives us lots of "HAY! Hey you! Did you notice this?!" Nearly every bit of mystery and revelation has been pounded out of the story. You know you're in trouble in the first 10 seconds of the film as a rather clumsy prologue gives away information that shouldn't be revealed until one-forth of the way through the film. In essence, everything that Paolini is good at is missing from the movie.

However the movie isn't a total loss. Ed Speelers is quite good in the title role. He's quite solid and, considering this is his first acting work, will likely grow into a really fine performer for the upcoming movies in the trilogy. And, of course, there is Jeremy Irons, who is easily the best casting in the film. He gives a terrific, albeit far too brief, performance as Brom. Opposite the two is Robert Carlyle as the Shade Durza. Carlyle is just plain creepy and brings a really nice balance to his foes. There are a few other strong performances in smaller roles, but mostly the cast comes across as rather bland, more likely a reflection on Stefen Fangmeier's direction than their abilities.

Fangmeier races through the story, groping for the next battle. Battles are great and all, especially when they're led by a big blue dragon, but they aren't as effective if you don't know what the characters are fighting for. The sense of "home" is stripped away from the book. All of Paolini's great descriptions of Eragon's relationship with the townsfolk of Carvahall are gone. In fact, there are virtually no cities in this film...odd since there are at least four rather important cities in the book. Obviously you can't keep everything from the novel, but a lot of very important (and helpful) material was simply ejected. If the film was pushing 3 hours, I could understand, but Eragon barely breaks 1 1/2 hours. I never thought I'd say this about an epic not directed by Peter Jackson, but the movie could have used about 35 more minutes of good material. They've proved that faster is not always better.

The good news is that Fangmeier's background is in Visual Effects. As a result, Saphira is spectacular! She HAD to work for this movie to happen, and she does. See this movie in the theater for her alone! Overall, not a bad trip to the movies, but considering the quality of the novel, it's a bit disappointing. Go see it anyway, just send notes to Fox asking them to find a better screenwriter for the sequel.

When I heard that John Stamos was going to be playing a gay man in a new A&E movie, I was a bit perplexed. Stamos normally plays the macho alpha male...could he play a convincing gay man. Yes...why yes he can! His performance as Shel, a party planner, is some of his best work, ever. He's sexy and vulnerable, funny and earnest all at once. It would be really easy for this movie to teeter over the line from slightly campy to really silly, but Stamos helps keep things in balance.

Opposite Stamos is Eric Dane as Shel's brother, Ben. Ben is a rather uptight campaign manager for Maine's fictional Governor, Conrad Welling (played masterfully by James Brolin). Ben also happens to be engaged to the Governor's daughter, Maggie (played by Bonnie Somerville). While planning Ben and Maggie's wedding, he discovers that Ben wrote the Governor's speech in favor of constitutionally banning same-sex marriage. The resulting battle mirrors the real-life battles being waged over this issue, but is a lot funnier. It's cliché to say that this movie has a lot of "heart," but that's exactly what it has. A lot of that heart is provided by Sean Maher as Shel's boyfriend Ted, who isn't quite sure how he feels about the whole situation.

Without belittling the issue of same-sex marriage, Wedding Wars is able to take a complex and controversial subject and looks at it with humor and warmth. Don't miss it!

I just saw the film and I am thrilled! If you are a fan of the book you will not at all be disappointed. I've noticed some criticism of the Harry Potter Films because of changes to the story. We mustn't forget that for a film like The Goblet of Fire, a 734 page book had to be compressed into a screenplay with slightly over 100 pages. Give them a break! Luckily for the screenwriters of Narnia, this book is infinitely shorter. As a result, hardly a moment from the book is missed. A few adjustments in the timing of events adds to the drama and shapes the film, otherwise, there are few things to be missed from the book. If you are not familiar with the book, don't worry. Everything that you need to know is there and that which you aren't meant to know until reading or seeing the other books is not there. Just enjoy the movie and stop asking your friends who've read the books about the lamp post. They know why it's there. Go pick up "The Magician's Nephew" if you REALLY want to know! The cast is spectacular. First, WETA Digital has triumphed again! I won't say they outdid themselves, because topping their amazing work for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy would be incredible. However, they have created a world of creatures that are believable and wonderful. Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson) is powerful and beautiful simultaneously. The four children are well-cast and bring life, energy and a "realness to their characters that is rare in young performers. Tilda Swinton is simply fierce in every meaning of the word. Her portrayal of the White Witch is powerful, beautiful, and terrifying all the same. Watch for her fighting style. Every attack is a killing blow. She doesn't attempt to disarm, she means to kill with every stroke...a very interesting, and scary detail. Another stand-out performance is James McAvoy as Mr. Tumnus. He's as lovable as you could ever hope for.

That's all I can say for now...enjoy the rest for yourself! It is sure to become a classic film.