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This energetic adaptation of the Broadway musical based on the John Waters film bounces off the screen with lively performances, sly wit and catchy tunes. Making her big screen debut, lead Nikki Blonsky has an amazingly expressive face, which draws us in and wins us over. She is supported by great work from many of her fellow cast members, but she is truly the star of the show even when in scenes with A-listers like John Travolta and Christopher Walken.

Tracy Turnbald (Blonsky), a bubbly overweight teen, is a devoted fan of the local Baltimore ’60s dance show hosted by Corny Collins (James Marsden, THE NOTEBOOK). When one of the regular girls must take a leave of absence for nine months, Tracy drags her best friend Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes, SHE’S THE MAN) down to the studio to audition. But station manager Velma von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer, STARDUST) won’t let any plump freaks dance near her reining Miss Hairspray daughter Amber (Brittany Snow, JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE). Disappointed Tracy gets no support from her mother Edna (Travolta), who is ashamed of her own size and hasn’t left the house in a decade. Her father Wilbur (Walken) on the other hand wants her to keep reaching for the stars, so when she learns some new steps from Seaweed (Elijah Kelley, 28 DAYS), whose mother Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah, CHICAGO) hosts “Negro Day” on the Corny Collins Show, Tracy shows up at a hop and knocks the socks off Corny Collins, as well as Amber’s boyfriend Link Larkin (Zac Efron, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL). Now with Tracy on the show, Velma plots to stop Turnbald mania, which begins to take over Baltimore.

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Director Werner Herzog has been so inspired by the story of pilot Dieter Dengler that he has made two films about the true story — the 1997 documentary LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY and now this dramatization starring Christian Bale as Dieter. The new film is a simple story of perseverance and survival. Lt. Dieter Dengler was German born and immigrated to the U.S. for the sole purpose of being able to fly jets. He never lost sight of that when his plane was shot down over Laos, was taken prisoner and struggled to survive in the jungle.

Bale plays Denglar with a matter of fact optimism, as if there were no other alternative. After enduring torture, the man still thinks first of escaping the jungle-based prison he is taken to. There he meets other soldiers whose hope has vanished after being incarcerated, starved and abused for more than a year. Duane Martin (Steve Zahn, HAPPY, TEXAS) is one of those soldiers, who only wishes to keep his head down and endure. The slight crazed Gene McBroom (Jeremy Davies, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN) is vehemently convinced that a full-fledged war will not break out and that they will be let go soon. However, with the bombings of Laos still classified as top secret, there are not rescue parties coming.

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If this film were not part of the OCEAN’S franchise, it would be just an average, plot-heavy, slightly absurd heist comedy. With great stars and some of the familiar wit of the first two installments, the film does entertain, but it’s a franchise that’s truly showing its age. The motivation for the caper was promising, but it never hits home, because the details of the fantastic caper take up way too much time. With the screenplay taking up minute after minute explaining just how high tech the new casino is and how difficult it will be to pull off the job, all those details are just smoke and mirrors to obscure the same old tricks from before.

Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould, THE LONG GOODBYE) has gotten into business with heavy hitter hotel entrepreneur Willie Bank (Al Pacino, HEAT). Once Bank gets what he needs from Tishoff, he cuts him out of the deal, leaving the old-timer penniless and bed ridden due to a heart attack. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) hears of the tragedy and calls the old crew back together to avenge their friend. They set out to rig it so the casino’s games pay out big on opening night, thus bankrupting Bank. But when problems arise, they ask for help from their old adversary Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia, THE MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS), who demands that they also steal Bank’s prized diamond necklaces, which are extremely well protected. The new wrinkle needs someone to get close to Bank’s right hand Abigail Sponder (Ellen Barkin, THE BIG EASY) and Linus (Matt Damon, THE BOURNE IDENTITY) takes on the mission of a love con. Meanwhile, the crew’s opponent from the second film, Francois Toulour (Vincent Cassel, EASTERN PROMISES), keeps popping up around town.

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Because I don’t get a chance to see all the films I want in theaters, I get a treat when some of the better films in a year arrive on DVD. So I decided to circle back and highlight some of my recent discoveries on DVD, which I feel represent some of the best films of 2007. Due to the hectic holidays, I’m behind in several reviews, so I picked the five films that are out on DVD that I have already reviewed and gave three-and-a-half to four stars to. Keep an eye out for my upcoming reviews of RESCUE DAWN and HAIRSPRAY, which also could have made the cut. Three of the films are very good, but probably won’t make my top 25 when the year comes to a close. The other two films are likely to make my top 10. So you’re in for a treat.

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