Ice Cube

CHICAGO – What a year Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill have had. Tatum has starred in three $100-million-plus films — “The Vow,” “21 Jump Street,” and “Magic Mike” — along with another film directed by the great Steven Soderbergh (“Haywire”). He’s had one of the best years for a young actor in recent memory. And so has his “Jump” co-star who earned an Oscar nomination for his work in “Moneyball” and is set to appear in next year’s “The Watch.” These are likable, talented guys and they carry “21 Jump Street,” an inconsistent but often very funny comedy.

CHICAGO – There are various opinions about TV-to-movie remakes, mostly negative. That is why “21 Jump Street,” based on a 1980s TV show, manages some grudging respect. Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Rob Riggle, Nick Offerman and Ellie Kemper create some goofy laughs in this farce.

CHICAGO – A good comedy film lives and breathes through the right casting of character roles. In the new film “21 Jump Street,” Ice Cube is the angry police captain who guides his undercover recruits Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as they infiltrate high school. Rob Riggle pitches in as a wacky high school coach.

CHICAGO – Combining comedy and action is always a delicate balance, and Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum do it right in the upcoming movie remake of “21 Jump Street.” Goofing on the concept of two police officers undercover in high school, the story has fun with its two back-to-school characters.

CHICAGO – The “thin blue line” is a police term. It represents the designation between the protection the police provides and the anarchy that is on the other side of that protection. The cop that Woody Harrelson portrays in “Rampart” crosses that line repeatably, formulating his own retribution.

CHICAGO – The comedy “Lottery Ticket,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, is so forgettable that it seems almost mean to pile on top of the negative reviews that greeted it in theaters. It’s not a horrible film, mostly because of the charms of its three leads, but there’s just not much nice to say about it either. It’s bearable and mildly-diverting, but with so many other great released on the market this month, don’t you want more than that faint praise?

CHICAGO – Several major summer 2010 films have been released on Blu-ray recently which could have easily allowed minor titles to go unnoticed if not for HollywoodChicago.com’s beloved Blu-Ray Round-Up. Here are a few of the smaller October HD releases worth a look.

CHICAGO – Very loosely based on the Ice Cube movie (and featuring occasional cameos by the Executive Producer himself), TBS’s “Are We There Yet?” feels more like a product of the recently-passed era of generic family sitcoms like “According to Jim” or “My Wife and Kids.”

CHICAGO – In our latest TV edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: TV, we have 25 admit-two passes up for grabs to the VIP Chicago party for the new TBS comedy “Are We There Yet?” from executive producer Ice Cube!