New 'Nightmare' begs the question 'Why?'

By Abby Callaghan

Synopsis: A group of suburban teenagers share one common bond: They are all being stalked by Freddy Krueger, a serial killer who hunts them in their dreams. As long as they stay awake, they can protect one another, but when they sleep, there is no escape.

Cast: Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Thomas Dekker, Katie Cassidy and Kellan Lutz.

Written by: Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer. Directed by: Samuel Bayer

Thoughts: So, when I heard they were remaking one of my favorite horror movies ever, “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” I was a little iffy, but then I heard it was being produced by Michael Bay (“Transformers”) and I got excited. I had very high hopes for this film and I was let down. Hard. It’s not that the movie itself was bad, because it wasn’t, it’s just, we’ve already seen this movie, when it was made in 1984. And the original was so much better. Also, the acting in this movie was just not very good, especially Rooney Mara who had absolutely no emotion at all. Kyle Gallner was the only actor pulling his weight in this movie, so, two thumbs up to him. Replacing Robert Englund with Jackie Earle Haley was something I had trouble dealing with, but in the end, that’s the least of this movie’s problems. Haley is a very creepy man and brought out a different side in Freddy, but his lines were so cheesy and his voice sounded too much like Christian Bale’s “Batman.” It was very distracting. In its defense, however, the new “Nightmare” had me jumping every once in a while but there was no horror. When I first saw the original, I could barely sleep that night and a few nights after. Most of the scary parts in the remake had me laughing, and I slept just fine that very same night. I’m not going to say that they ruined this movie for me because they didn’t. My advice to anyone who still feels the need to go see this movie is this: Go in and pretend that the original movie was never made. This movie is just like every other teen horror movie that comes out these days, so you’ll know what to expect. But to anyone who wants to watch a good Freddy Krueger movie, I’d say keep your money and go watch the original.

Rated R for strong bloody horror violence, disturbing images, terror and language.

'Iron Man 2' as good as original

By Abby Callaghan

Synopsis: The world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark is the armored Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. In the sequel to 2008’s “Iron Man,” Stark is pitted against his Russian nemesis, Whiplash, and corporate rival Justin Hammer.

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg and Jon Favreau.

Written by: Justin Theroux and Stan Lee. Directed by: Jon Favreau

Thoughts: Do you remember the first “Iron Man” and how awesome it was? I know I do. And I remember hearing about the second one and praying that it would be just as awesome. Now, “Iron Man 2” is out and it is incredible. I didn’t think anything could top the first one but they’ve certainly done it. This movie was epic. I was never bored and I never wanted it to end. Robert Downey Jr. takes the cake with his role as Tony Stark and blows everyone else out of the water. With that, I will say that this cast was well-chosen and everyone did a great job, especially Sam Rockwell who made you laugh while you were hating him. I will admit that at certain points, the plot was a little messy and some things seemed rushed (mainly a plot involving Tony, his father and a new element) and some of the characters were a little underdeveloped, mainly just Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson, but, oh well. Everyone knows they are there to set up for their roles in the next one. (Scarlett as the Black Widow, anyone?) The action scenes in this movie are very well-done and the cinematography is more noticeably beautiful in this one. I loved this movie so much that I can’t believe more people didn’t like it. I want everyone to go see this movie and enjoy it for what it is: a truly entertaining and top-notch blockbuster film.

PS: Make sure you look out for Captain America’s shield and stay for the credits!

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language.

Derby Day still brings out fans of the Sport of Kings

Although not as popular as it once was, horse racing still draws a big crowd the first Saturday in May when Churchill Downs is home to the Kentucky Derby.

The Run for the Roses is American racing’s premier event. The race draws thousands to the track. The men wear suits. The women wear fancy dresses and derby bonnets. Everyone drinks mint juleps. Some people win a bundle, most walk away losers.

This year’s 136th running is no exception. The local OTB at Stoney Point Grill in Mokena is planning a big party complete with a tent for the bettors who don’t want to shell out $35 for a seat inside the restaurant. Charley Horse restaurants in Tinley Park, New Lenox and Munster, Ind., are offering free meals to ladies who wear derby bonnets into the eateries from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The race starts at 5:24 p.m. CST.

Big crowds are also expected at Balmoral in Crete and Hawthorne in Cicero. Both tracks will simulcast the race on big screen TVs.

Horse racing may not be the sport it once was, when thousands would pack the grandstands at famous tracks such as Santa Anita in California, Hialeah in Florida and Saratoga in New York. Local venues including Sportsman’s Park in Cicero and Washington Park in Homewood would also pack them in.

Hollywood has had an affinity for racing movies. Films were made about real-life champion horses such as “Phar Lap” about a champion horse from Australia and “Dreamer” about Breeder’s Cup winner Sonador. “Casey’s Shadow” is about a reel-life champion.

“Champions” is about British steeple chase jockey Bob Champion and his battle with cancer.

Tracks have been the setting in movies such as “Little Miss Marker” and “My Brother Talks to Horses.”

“Guys & Dolls” is a musical about New York gangsters dabbling in horseracing among other ventures.

Here are six movies available on video and DVD that look at the Sport of Kings, in one way or another.

“Let It Ride” (1989) – Richard Dreyfuss gets wind of a fixed race and wins a bundle. He then has in his words “a very good day” at the track. Along the way we get to see a variety of characters ranging from his wife (Teri Garr), unlucky best friend (David Johansen) and an oversexed mistress (Jennifer Tilly).

“Seabiscuit” (2003) – Tobey Maguire is the broken-down jockey, Chris Cooper is the discredited trainer and Jeff Bridges is the misguided owner who all believe in the special powers of an undersized, hurt horse named Seabiscuit who captivated Depression-era America.

“A Day at the Races” (1937) – Groucho, Chico and Harpo run amok at a racetrack while trying to win enough money to save a sanitarium run by a friend of theirs in this classic Marx Brothers comedy. Other stars include Maureen O’Sullivan and Margaret Dumont.

“Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair” (1952) – Pa (Percy Kilbride) buys a broken-down trotter hoping to win the race at the county fair so he can send one of his daughters to college in this entry in the “Ma and Pa Kettle” series of comedies. Other stars include Marjorie Main as Ma, Lori Nelson and James Best.

“The Derby Stallion” (2005) – An alcoholic former trainer (Bill Cobbs) sobers up long enough to help a 15-year-old boy (Zac Efron) pursue his dream of turning his horse into a champion. Also stars William R. Moses.

“The Great Dan Patch” (1949) – This is the biopic of legendary trotter Dan Patch and the man who might have loved him more than his wife and girlfriend. Stars include Dennis O’Keefe, Gail Russell, Henry Hull and Ruth Warrick.

Lest we forget: Movies about America's veterans

Three of my best friends in high school enlisted in the service within a couple of years of graduating.

John joined the Army and wound up in West Germany. Carl and Mike joined the Navy on the buddy system. Mike got out after two years but wound up re-enlisting and I lost touch with him. Carl was a lifer from the beginning. Over the next 20 years, he bounced around the globe. He spent time in Iceland, Scotland, Hawaii, Southern California and on a speck of dirt in the Indian Ocean called Diego Garcia. Vietnam was about over so none of them went there.

A few years ago, one of my nieces married a member of the Tennessee National Guard. He's been to Iraq twice.

College and neighborhood friends had kids that joined up. A couple of them joined the Marines. One of them was an Army tank driver. All of them wound up in Iraq. All of them came home in one piece.

I always think of them around Veterans Day, which is next Wednesday. I thank God they all came home safe and sound.

Hundreds of movies have been made about the military. Some of them were about great generals, such as "Patton." Some were about war heroes, such as "To Hell and Back" about World War II soldier Audie Murphy. Some were about famous battles or attacks, such as the Japanese sneak attack on Hawaii in "Pearl Harbor."

Movies have been made about every war the United States was involved in from the Revolution against Great Britain (Mel Gibson's "The Patriot") to Iraq ("Courage Under Fire"), and that includes the Indian wars as well as our war with Mexico.

Not as well known are the movies that take place after the troops come home.

World War II inspired some such as "Some Came Running" about a vet returning to his hometown and "The Men" about paralyzed vets trying to adjust.

There were a lot of movies about Vietnam veterans who came home disabled. "Coming Home" is about a paralyzed soldier falling in love with an officer's wife. "Taxi Driver" is about a vet who has anger issues. "First Blood" is about a vet who is lost in America.

Many movies have a character's wartime experiences in the background. Al Pacino's Michael Corleone is a war hero in "The Godfather," Denzel Washington's  detective Easy Rawlins is a World War II veteran in "Devil in a Blue Dress," and Jack Nicholson's detective Jake Gittes knows what to do with a hand grenade in "The Two Jakes."

As we get ready to pay tribute to the men and women who served, here are six movies that focus on veterans after they have returned from the battlefield. All are available on video and DVD. Lest we forget.

"The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946) -- Three veterans (Dana Andrews, Harold Russell and Fredric March, pictured above) meet on a plane carrying them home after the end of World War II and become fast friends. Then they find their lives will never be the same again. Other stars include Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Hoagy Carmichael.

"Home of the Brave" (2006) -- Four soldiers caught in a bloody ambush just days before leaving Iraq find it hard adjusting after returning from the Middle East. Stars include Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel (pictured at left), 50 Cent and Brian Presley.

"Born on the 4th of July" (1989) -- Tom Cruise stars as paralyzed Vietnam vet Ron Kovic who becomes an anti-war activist because he thinks his country has betrayed him in this Oliver Stone bio-pic. Other stars include Tom Berenger, Frank Whaley and Stephen Baldwin.

"The Manchurian Candidate" (1962) -- A Korean War veteran (Frank Sinatra) discovers a fellow POW (Laurence Harvey) has been brainwashed into becoming an assassin in this thriller. Other stars include Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury and James Gregory. Avoid the remake, which takes place after the first Iraq war.

"The Razor's Edge" (1984) -- Bill Murray is outstanding as a World War I veteran who embarks on a quest to find the meaning of life. Other stars include Theresa Russell, Catherine Hicks and Denholm Elliott.

"Jacknife" (1989) -- Robert De Niro stars as a Vietnam vet who has managed to make peace with his demons and tries to help Army buddy Ed Harris do the same while romancing Harris' sister (Kathy Baker).  Tom Isbell co-stars as the buddy that didn't make it home.