Zoe Saldana

CHICAGO – The ensemble cast is decent, the story fits the action/adventure essence of the heist film and one of the hottest music stars of the moment, Tip “T.I.” Harris, has a prominent role. Then why is the new film “Takers” such a seen-it-all-before exercise in action blandness?

CHICAGO – Tip “T.I.” Harris has conquered the charts and the music business as a performer, producer and entrepreneur. He was recently in Chicago at a red carpet premiere for his film “Takers,” on which he serves as executive producer and co-stars with Matt Dillon, Hayden Christensen and Zoe Salanda.

CHICAGO – “The Losers” tries so hard to be edgy, cool, and action-packed that it thinks it will be effective merely by numbing the viewer’s senses into oblivion. The film either defies all critical analysis by being so ridiculous that it doesn’t really need it or it just sucks. It’s up to you to decide but this critic is going with the latter.

CHICAGO – When “Avatar” played in theaters, many viewers wondered how it would look at home without the benefit of 3D or IMAX to help propel the awe of the experience. The recently-released Blu-ray should settle any arguments.

CHICAGO – In our latest action/adventure edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of “The Losers” starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”), Zoe Saldana (“Star Trek,” “Avatar”) and Chris Evans (“Fantastic Four”)!

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Zac Efron

CHICAGO – This 30-image slideshow contains a selection of the arrivals at The 82nd Annual Academy Awards. Want to know what people were wearing?

CHICAGO – We’re riding the critically acclaimed wave of the just-released “Star Trek” film from J.J. Abrams starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, Anton Yelchin, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross and Winona Ryder with an extremely exciting edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film!

CHICAGO – It will be a stunning surprise if the summer of 2009 produces another slice of movie entertainment as satisfying and well-made as J.J. Abrams rollicking “Star Trek” reboot, a film that not only delivers on high expectations but shatters them by clicking on every single level.

CHICAGO – Before you go see “Star Trek” this weekend, check out this great clip courtesy of Paramount.

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James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, left) and Spock (Zachary Quinto, right) quickly form an adversarial relationship.

CHICAGO – This 22-image slideshow contains the official press images for “Star Trek” starring John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, with Eric Bana and Leonard Nimoy. The film, written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman and directed by J.J. Abrams, opens on May 8th, 2009.