AnnaSophia Robb

CHICAGO – It’s all about timing. Great teen dramedies find a very specific rhythm. It’s in the non-stop, often rapid-fire dialogue between characters overflowing with hormones, social drama, and parental problems.

CHICAGO – In the pantheon of modern girl surfer movies there is “Blue Crush” and…”Blue Crush 2.” “Soul Surfer” is different, it is based on a true story of a tremendous physical loss for a competitive surfer, and her family’s strength in dealing with the crisis. With so much drama, in fact, its surprising that the film is as flavorless as dry toast.

CHICAGO – In our latest true-story edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 35 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new film “Soul Surfer” with AnnaSophia Robb, Carrie Underwood, Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt!

CHICAGO – “Race to Witch Mountain,” now on Blu-Ray and DVD, is a head-scratcher, a movie with more than enough individual elements that should work but proof that a film is not just the sum of its parts.

CHICAGO – When done improperly, there’s nothing more embarrassing than actors playing against their type or social class. There is a subtlety to channeling the lower middle or the working class beyond dressing down or developing a bad hairstyle. “Sleepwalking” is the type of film that gets it wrong and just gets worse as it tries harder.

CHICAGO – Los Angeles on Thursday rolled out a star-studded red carpet for the cast of the new film “Sleepwalking”. Charlize Theron took center stage along with Nick Stahl (from TV’s “Carnivàle” and “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”) and AnnaSophia Robb (from “Bridge to Terabithia” and Violet Beauregarde in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”).