This weeks new movie releases pit family comedy against action thriller

This Friday brings two contrasting films to the screen, both with appeals in different genres that have proven successful in recent past. Both bring well-known stars with them, which should prove interesting results in this weekend’s box office winner. Hopefully it will not be as ‘interesting’ as last weekend’s (see my previous post).

Imagine That (Paramount/Nickelodeon – PG) Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Yara Shahidi, Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox, Martin Sheen. The words "Eddie Murphy family comedy" are enough to make me be suspect of this release. Between "Meet Dave," ''The Haunted Mansion" and "Daddy Day Care" Eddie doesn't exactly have a good history in this genre, at least in terms of quality. However, "Imagine That" is quite a pleasant surprise. Based on a clever premise the movie makes good use of Murphy's comedic talents - singing, dancing, voices and personalities - without letting him get too obnoxious. Its feel-good story is a bit predictable; however it offers an irresistible young co-star in newcomer Yara Shahidi, who very much holds her own as Murphy's daughter without being too over the top ‘Rudy Huckstable-ish’. Murphy stars as a successful financial executive who has more time for his blackberry than his seven-year-old daughter. When he has a crisis of confidence and his career starts going down the drain, however, he finds the solution to all his problems in his daughter's imaginary world. A feel good family flick that has a bit of a sappy ending, this offering should prove an entertaining outing for kids and adults alike. My rating – 4 stars.

The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3 (Columbia/Sony – R) Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman, Michael Rispoli, James Gandolfini. Loosely based on the Joseph Sargent 1975 classic of the same name, the film is just as much a remake as an observation into how radically the way movies are made and have changed over the decades. While the story, characters, history and intensity once ruled on screen, now it's all about how flashy the production values can be. And The Taking Of Pelham 123 would simply be all that and nothing more, were it not for the powerhouse cast struggling for some dramatic elbow room in between, including Denzel Washington, John Travolta, Luis Guzman and John Turturro. Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape? If going to the movies to get stuck in a subway for two hours doesn’t sound like a great evening out, The Taking Of Pelham 123 probably won’t change your mind here. My rating – 3 ½ stars.