‘Transformers 2’: Thin on Plot, Cool on Visual Effects

Autobot Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) and the military, headed by Major Lennox (Josh Duhamel) have been successfully working side by side to defend Earth from enemy attacks from the Decepticons for years. But there are once again sinister stirrings from Decepticon forces, headed by The Fallen, who aren’t about to give up their infiltration and destruction of Earth. And now one government official is trying to rid the planet of Autobot defenses just at the time when those Autobot forces will be needed most.

Now the Decepticons are after college-bound Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), who happens to possess the remaining sliver of the cube, the ultimate object of robotic power force.  

‘The Taking of Pelham 123’: A Train Car Called Conspire

In this Columbia Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer update to the 1974 cheesy cult classic starring Robert Shaw and Walter Matthau, director Tony Scott teams up for a fourth time with talented leading man Denzel Washington. (The pair previously worked together on suspense thrillers Déjà Vu, Man on Fire, and Crimson Tide.)

Washington plays New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, who is given exactly one hour to deliver a million-dollar ransom to a crazed subway train hijacker called Ryder (the tattoo-branded John Travolta) before the madman blows his stack and claims the lives of 17 innocent hostages trapped on train car Pelham 123.