“Big Miracle” is the story of three whales trapped in the ice in Northern Alaska and become the media darlings of the world.

Basically based on true events, the film takes a lot of liberties with the original story to become more of a political agenda film, than a family adventure.

Drew Barrymoore is cast as the Green Peace representative who is so empathetic to the whale’s plight, she basically gives up everything else to come to her aid.

Her zeal begins to spill over to the visiting press corps, the oil guys (always mean and money grubbing), the local Eskimo people and the military who are there to make the US President look good.

The big problem with “Big Miracle” is the film makes everyone but animal activists look heartless. Which is a bit unfair if not untrue.

Ok that being said, on the upside the film is an audience pleaser and will no-doubt be a favorite with families. It has a strong cast which includes (along with Barrymoore) John Krasinsky, Ted Danson, Kristen Bell and Tim Blake Nelson.

“Big Miracle” needed to be a bit more unbiased and objective in its storytelling but the film is still worth seeing.

I’m giving it a B

I love a good ghost story. And the Woman in Black is a good one.

The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as a young turn-of-the-century lawyer who is battling depression after losing his wife. His law firm is giving him one last chance to redeem himself to the company by sending him off to a secluded village to close out an estate.

While he’s there he begins to see and hear some pretty strange things.

Like any ghost story, part of the fun is the buildup and anticipation of where the next “boo” is coming from. And “The Woman in Black” has no problem in delivering on this at all.

I will point out the film is produced by Hammer, which any good student of horror will tell you, set the standard for schlock horror in the 50 and 60’s.

Look, this isn’t anything new, but it is a really nice throw back to movies I remember as a kid.

“The Woman in Black” gets a B and is rated PG-13

Chronicle is the tale of three high school students who mysteriously gain super powers. After which their lives begin to fall apart.

The old saying “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” is the moral of this story.

However the film does take its time in getting this point across.

“Chronicle” has the feel of a big budget student film, with characters straight out of the creative writing class. There’s the over achiever, the brooding athlete who yearns for more and the geeky introvert who daily must face and fend off his aggressors.

I’m not saying “Chronicle” is a bad film, but it is a bit too familiar in places. The film borrows from other stories like “Superman” and “Spider-Man” a bit too much. In fact the big fight scene toward the end of the film is pretty much out of “Superman II.”

Over all, I think the film speaks to this generation’s angst but it only a brief conversation at best.

The film deserves a C and is rated PG-13

“Underworld: Awakening” is the 4th “Underworld” film, and the 3rd one to star Kate Beckensale as the vampire-warrior “Selene.”

In this sequel, the vampires and the werewolves are pitted against the humans.

The film is unintentionally funny at times and seems to have taken a giant leap backward in the special effects department.

But, Kate is back in her all-leather outfit and that’s worth a point.

“Underworld: Awakening” gets a C- and is rated R

“Red Tails” is an overly simplified and “easy to swallow” look at how the American Air Force treated it’s black pilots during WWII.

“Red Tails” biggest problem is the film never really digs deep enough nor are the characters fully developed for the audience to empathize with. In fact there’s more genuine emotion in an episode of “Hogan’s Heroes” than in most of this film.

The main characters are one-dimensional and bordering on the stereotypical (check out the evil Nazi squadron leader), while the plot is mostly derivative of those feel-good “propaganda” war films from the 1940′s.

On the up side, the aerial sequences were very well done. In fact the film really takes off (pun intended) every time the airmen hit the sky.

These effects were worth a full grade up.

But the film’s lack of character development and conflict is too much to overcome.

“Red Tails” gets a C+ and is rated PG-13.

Kind of a “Bourne Identity” with a woman as the main character.

The action sequences and fights are good but the plot is all too familiar.

Mixed Martial Arts champ Gina Carano is a bit too stiff in her leading role but is buoyed by a lot of top-named talent including Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas and Michael Douglas.

It gets a B and is rated R

However, the constant squabbling and bickering between the film’s two leading ladies, played by Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton, begin to fray on the nerves. Latifah’s character is a no-nonsense woman who has had a seemingly life-long argument with Dolly Parton’s character, a wiser-than-she-looks, down-home country gal, who just happens to be the benefactor of the church choir the women are both in.

The story revolves around the choir as they battle for 1st place in the “Joyful Noise” competition.

The film is like an episode of “Glee” except we’ve seen all these plot points on the actual “Glee” TV show.

Honestly, the best thing about the film is the soundtrack, for which I gave the film a full grade up.

“Joyful Noise” gets a B- and is rated PG-13.

“War Horse” seems like a modern epic. Filmed with the same sweeping camera shots as “Lawrence of Arabia” or “Ryan’s Daughter,” the movie boasts some of the best cinematography seen all year.

And I’ll admit the film does take your breath away. But that being said, “War Horse” is a bit overindulgent and extravagant when it doesn’t need to be.

I think this is the film’s biggest fault.

Despite that, director Steven Spielberg manages to capture the essence of the stage play, on which the film is based, and delivers a wonderfully rich and rewarding cinematic experience.

“War Horse” deserves a B and is rated PG-13

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” is a journey to find one’s self. In this case it’s 9 year old Oskar Schell, played by Thomas Horn. Oskar had a special relationship with his dad, who was lost in the World Trade Center tragedy. Now Oskar begins a journey to re-discover his father.

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” is an annoying film at times and yet, at times, it is a story full of hope as young Oskar weaves a tapestry which ultimately reveals a pattern of how everyone’s lives can intersect.

“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” rates a B- and is rated PG-13.

“We Bought a Zoo” is above average family entertainment about establishing and re-establishing connections.

Most of the characters in the film are damaged in some way, and through their interpersonal relationships, they are healed.

But this is nothing we haven’t seen before.

The film, although overly formulaic, does work and is a perfect movie to see during the Christmas break with grandma and grandpa in tow.

“We Bought a Zoo” gets a C+