“The Taking of Pelham 123” (Drama/Action: 1 hour, 45 minutes); Starring: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, Luis Guzmán, John Turturro, and James Gandolfini; Director: Tony Scott; Rated: R (Profanity, sexual innuendo and violence)

Movie Review: Walter Garber (Washington), a subway dispatcher chief for New York City, is having a great day until a person known as only Ryder (Travolta) radios to tell Garber he has commandeered subway train Pelham 123. Ryder tells Garber he wants $10 million and one cent in one hour, or he starts killing the 19 passengers one at a time until New York City pays the ransom. The police, the media, and even the city’s mayor (Gandolfini) are involved in trying to save the passengers of Pelham 123.

This high suspense piece works — thanks to the nice repartee between Washington and Travolta. As the two have dialogue over a CB radio, the plot becomes more interesting, making this a nice remake of the 1974 “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” (Director Joseph Sargent, starring Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw).

Travolta plays villains very nicely because the roles allow him range and versatility he lacks elsewhere. He is at his nastiest here, but it is Washington who becomes the more believable character, playing a disgraced bureaucrat. The men give audiences an exciting rollercoaster ride of intense measures. Also, Gandolfini plays a disgruntled mayor with zing. 

The end is lackluster and lacks the intelligence of the film’s beginning. If viewers pay close attention, a distinct prop goof involving weaponry is evident. Still, Director Scott, who teamed up with Washington for three other big films: “Deja Vu” (2006), “Man on Fire” (2004) and “Crimson Tide” (1995), gives audiences great entertainment via snappy dialogue. 

Grade: B (All aboard!)

“Imagine That” (Comedy/Adventure: 1 hour, 47minutes); Starring: Eddie Murphy, Yara Shahidi, and Thomas Haden Church; Director: Karey Kirkpatrick; Rated: PG-13 (Mild language and crude behavior)

Movie Review: Evan (Murphy) is a financial executive. His career is not the best now. Within his company’s firm, he is constantly outmaneuvered by financial rival Whitefeather (played energetically by Church), who claims to be Native American and uses nature to help decide financial investments. Evan is not a good father. However, he becomes very attentive to his daughter, Olivia (Shahidi, in her film debut), after he realizes her imaginary friends are correctly providing tips about financial markets and corporate ventures.

The premise of this movie appears farfetched, but it works as a family film. While Murphy makes faces and dances around in familiar ways, he provides a unique presentation. His relationship with Shahidi is contagiously entrancing. At the center of this comedy is a competition between two men. Yet at the heart, a nice parent-offspring relationship exists.   

Grade: B- (Imagine family fun)

“The Proposal” (Romance: 1 hour, 48 minutes); Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson and Betty White; Director: Anne Fletcher; Rated: PG-13 (Sexual innuendo, nudity and mild language)

Movie Review: Margaret Tate (Bullock) is the top editor of a publishing firm. Just as she is at the top of her game, the U.S. government informs her of her expired Visa status, so she faces deportation to Canada. To stop her return to Canada, Tate desperately blackmails her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Reynolds), into marrying her. The newly engaged couple — although no one appears to ask to see the ring— heads to Alaska to for the birthday of Paxton’s Grandmother Annie (humorously played White).  

Usually these contrite, formulaic films are a nuisance because screenplay writers do not try something new with modern romances. So, comedy is the means to make many modern romance films work, and the comedy is better than the romance. “The Proposal” sets itself up as a comedy, leaving the romance to circumstance, even if still formulaic.