Everyone probably remembers playing with their toys when they were younger, whether it was Barbie dolls or action figures. As we all grow older, we have to face the heartbreaking reality of giving away our old toys. This is the dilemma that Andy has to face with Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys in the final Toy Story film.

Buzz and the gang accidentally get donated to the Sunny Side Daycare when Andy is packing up for college. Ultimately, Woody has to save all of his old friends from the terrifying death trap known as Sunny Side. The only problem is that the toys think that Andy does not want them anymore. Therefore, they see no point in returning themselves back to Andy.

While at Sunny Side, Andy’s toys have to battle with the head toy, Lots-o’-Huggin’Bear (Lotso), who seems sweet at first, but is actually a deranged mastermind teddy bear. There were some new toys introduced into this movie such as Lotso, Baby, and Ken.

Overall, Toy Story 3 closed the final chapters on the Toy Story trilogy by showing what a family really is and how people have to hold onto the things they love in life.

If you thought that the James Bond movies were fantastic with all of the fancy cars, cool gadgets, and action-packed fight scenes, Angelina Jolie’s new action packed film is the movie for you. The movie Salt brings out the versatility of Angelina Jolie’s light and dark side, when she plays an uncover Russian spy.  She brings a lot of energy, effort, and enthusiasm to this part.

Evelyn Salt, played by (Jolie), is a CIA officer who has sworn an oath to honor and protect her country.  In the beginning part of the film, Salt was in North Korea being tortured to death.  She yelled to her torturers, “I am not a spy.” She repeated this after every gruesome blow that she had to endure and even after gasoline was forced down her throat.

Salt is quite devious to some people until the day a Russian defector arrives and accuses her of being Russian spy in the interrogation room.  Ted Winter, Salt’s fellow agent, played by Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Hamlet) and Peabody, Salt’s righteous, persistent tracker, played by (Chiwetel Ejiofor), go berserk and question Salt’s judgment. They send out a police force to kill her and end the threat.

What the viewer does understand is that Salt was once part of a Russian experiment in which children were trained to become spies and wage war on the world to bring back the diminished power of Russia.  However, she fell in love with Mike Krause played by (August Diehl, Inglourious Basterds), who later becomes her husband. Being very interested in spiders, Krause had created his own spider venom.

Salt’s co-workers do not take kind to Salt’s actions of trying to assassinate both the Russian President and the President of the United States, in a short amount of time.  The Russian president, Matveyev, played by (Olek Krupa) is only paralyzed by the spider venom she inserted into his body.  Once that was over, Salt goes back to Russia and eliminates all of the Russian KA Agents, later heading back to the United States to find out that there was another mole in the agency.

The ugly fistfight and shooting battle between Jolie and Schreiber was a smashing success in the film.  Ted Winter was a Russian KA Agent all along and responsible for the launch of Day X, a reenactment of the Cold War.  Winter assassinates the U.S. President Lewis, played by Hunt Block, who meets his own death in the control room.  Winter was trying to transport missiles from Siberia to the United States to bring the U.S. down and have it beg for mercy.  This was the defining moment for Salt.  The question was whether she would help out the Russians and realize their dream by making the United States a marked territory, or would she put an end to the Russian’s roots of evil by eliminating her former friend/second lover?

Philip Noyce, the director of Salt (Rabbit-Proof Fence, Clear and Present Danger) made the viewers rattle their brains by trying to figure out who Salt was exactly? If you enjoy spy movies with tons of suspense and bloodshed, then, Salt is right up your alley.

“We also stole the Eiffel Tower! [cheers] … the small one… from Vegas…” This summer, everyone’s favorite Office star, Michael, (Steve Carell) goes big as a cartoon super villain with a weakness for the moon and three little surprises.

The poster for Steve Carell's hit movie, Despicable Me.

Steve Carell did it big in the box office this summer with two huge comedies: Dinner for Schmucks and Despicable Me. Carell made it big in film through his roles in Bruce Almighty and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Today, he is an actor in television and film, a screenwriter, a frequent guest star on daily shows, and a producer. Since his 2005 film, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Carell has set a precedent for his other upcoming comedies because that film grossed $109 million in box office sales and won the MTV Movie Award for best Comedic Performance and an WGA Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay with co-writer Judd Apatow. Despicable Me is Carell’s second film of 2010, following April’s comedy Date Night with leading actress Tina Fey (star of television show 30 Rock). Carell is currently working on a sequel (Get Smart 2) of his 2009 film Get Smart, based on the old television show, a remake of Peter Sellers’ 1967 film The Boho, commercials, and other television work.

In the third cartoon of his career, Despicable Me, Carell is the voice of Gru, an evil super villain – quite possibly the world’s greatest super villain – or is he? In a wonderful white picket fence and rose bush neighborhood, there sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, Gru is planning the biggest heist in the history of the world to “out-villain” new generation villains. His master plan: he is going to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!).

Delighting in all things wicked, he is armed with his band of minions and his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air. However, part of his plan becomes too much for the world’s greatest super villain to handle – three little girls. Jason Segel, Russell Brand, and Julie Andrews are among the star-studded voice cast.

As the first 3D animation from Universal Picture “Despicable” opened, it topped the box office its first weekend with an estimated $60.1 million. This is an extraordinary gain for the company, which was only expecting half as much from the film in its first week as it was a great risk as the first 3D film targeted for both children and adult audiences (Source: Nikki Rocco, Universal Pictures Head of Distribution to Associated Press) But of course, the studio’s marketing campaign with the little yellow minions helped! Although up against many franchise films this summer, (Toy Story 3 – the highest grossing film of the year- and Twilight), the movie performed well at test screenings and critics were solidly behind it, with 80% of critics on RottenTomatoes.com recommending the film. This past weekend of August 13th, the film was still ranking at #6 on the Top 10 Movies in the Box Office, with only one other children’s film on the charts making $7 million that weekend, totaling $222.2 million for its total run.

Carell’s second film of the summer, Dinner for Schmucks, also did well in the box office. Schmucks stars Paul Rudd as Tim, a rising executive who must “succeed” in finding the perfect guest – IRS employee Barry (Carell) – for his boss’s monthly event, a so-called ‘the dinner for idiots,” which offers certain advantages to the executive who shows up with the biggest buffoon.

By Rebecca Kollmann, Contributing Writer

Now that spring weekend is behind us, the next exciting thing to look forward to is all the summer movies once we go home and fear eternal boredom until we return to UNH!  So in the meantime, here are the upcoming summer movies to carry us over until then.

Eclipse: (Twilight saga) Most of you Twilight junkies know the back story to the series, but in this next movie installment of the books, Bella must decide between Jacob and Edward.

Iron Man 2: This is the typical American superhero film based on the Marvel comics. It’s the sequel to 2008′s Iron Man and the second film in a planned trilogy. Directed by Jon Favreau, the movie revolves around Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who has revealed his identity as Iron Man and resists calls by the U.S. government to hand over the technology.

Letters to Juliet:  For those looking for a good old love story, look no further. This is a tale of encountering new flings and rekindling old flames.  When Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), an American adolescent, travels to Verona, Italy (where Romeo first met Juliet) she meets a group of people who respond to letters written to Juliet seeking love advice.  Sophie responds to a letter that has been lost for over 50 years, and is stunned when its author comes to Italy with her handsome but overprotective grandson (Christopher Egan) to find the fiancé she left decades before. Intrigued by Claire’s pursuit, Sophie joins them on an adventure through the beautiful hills of Tuscany searching for Claire’s long lost Lorenzo. The journey will change their lives forever, and they discover that true love does exist.

Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D: In a world devastated by a viral infection, converting its victims into the Undead, Alice (Milla Jovovich), pursues her journey to find survivors and rescue them. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some surprising help from an old companion. A new guide joins them that promises a safe haven from the Undead directs them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is infested by thousands of Undead. Alice and her comrades encounter a deadly trap in this thrilling potential blockbuster.

Toy Story 3: For those of you that are still kids at heart, check out this 3rd installment of the childhood favorite of many. Andy is now headed off to college, and his toys, including favorites Woody and Buzz Lightyear, are being sent to storage. Before his toys can be moved to the attic, they are unintentionally thrown away and are taken away by the garbage men.

The toys end up at a local day-care center where they must try to survive preschool children.

The A-Team: This summer movie tells the tale of the electrifying and daring misuse of Hannibal Smith and his vivid team of former Special Forces soldiers who were blamed for a crime they didn’t commit. By going “rogue” they use their unique abilities (and eccentricities) to attempt to clear their names and find the true perpetrator.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan protecting the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). Balthazar can’t do it single-handedly, so he utilizes Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly ordinary guy who exhibits hidden potential, as his unwilling protégé. The sorcerer gives his reluctant accomplice a heads up in the art and science of magic. Together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It’ll take all the audacity Dave can muster to survive training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Make sure to check out     all the fantastic movies coming to you this summer and look for reviews at the beginning of next semester in The Charger Bulletin. Happy movie-going!

The Losers begins in a Bolivian jungle, where a special ops team is on a search and destroy mission to eliminate terrorist activity. A tale of double crossing and revenge, the team consisting of Clay (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Jensen (Chris Evans), Pooch (Columbus Scott), and Cougar (Oscar Jaenada) make themselves a target of lethal betrayal by a powerful enemy known as Max (Jason Patric). The group plans to even the score with the mysterious Aisha (Zoe Saldana), a beautiful operative who joins the team and agrees to put an end to Max’s plans. He is a heavily guarded, ruthless man who is bent on destroying the world with his evil high-tech machinery.

In this film publicity image released by Warner Bros., Jeffrey Dean Morgan, right, and Zoe Saldana are shown in a scene from, "The Losers." (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures)

In the film Wade (Holt McCallany), Max’s right-hand man, is a clueless villain who carries out Max’s evil plans and attempts to put a stop to team-Clay. It almost reminds me a little of Pinky and the Brain; Max is incredibly smart and Wade is rather silly. Wade seems more like a bulky henchman than an actual helpful counterpart.

Director, Sylvain White showed in the film that war and terrorism can also have amusing moments, whether to the tune of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” or with repeated catch phrases such as “anyone else would be dead now.”

The Losers showed the audience that movies can have gore and death without being overly serious. If you enjoy movies that have funny war-based moments, then go out and see The Losers. I give it 4 out of 5 stars because the movie focused on comedy more than anything else, but it was definitely still enjoyable.

Jennifer Lopez’s new film The Back-Up Plan was merely a splash in the movie world this past weekend with Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon expecting to raise more in the box office than Lopez this weekend. The movie pulled in a 24% rating on www.RottenTomatoes.com. Jenny from the Block’s plan B doesn’t seem to be looking for a top spot this season.

The Back-up Plan is an adult comedy exploring family, dating, love, and marriage – in that order.  After years of dating, Zoe (Lopez) has given up on finding the right man and has decided to start a family on her own. Via her Plan B, she’s inseminated. Much to Zoe’s dismay, she meets a guy almost immediately who could be Mr. Right (Alex O’Loughlin).

Testing Stan and his Mr. Right capabilities while trying to hide the early signs of pregnancy proves to be a comedy of errors for Zoe. After sending him constant mixed signals, Zoe reveals her secret and Stan, unaware of the upcoming tests and unprepared for the trials of fatherhood, fully commits.

Although filled with enough wit and laughter, from 3-way nights with a pregnancy pillow to date nights at a stranger’s birthing, the chaos in the film will stray future movie goers away!

The raging hormones and baby-to-be cold feet, means wait to rent it – don’t buy it.

LOS ANGELES – Shoppers can boldly go where no man has gone before when Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s collection of personal effects and show memorabilia go up for auction.

Hand-annotated scripts, costumes from the show and Roddenberry’s own studio pass are among the items available at the June 27 auction at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, administered by Julien’s Auctions.

Proceeds will benefit the Roddenberry Foundation, which makes grants to support children, education and the environment.

The original Capt. Kirk, William Shatner, is also getting in on the auction, selling his custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle, his Golden Globe nomination certificate and the plaque he was presented when he got a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 1983.

Shatner plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, which helps handicapped children.

The 79-year-old actor said he doesn’t mind parting with his mementos and would do just about anything to benefit his chosen charities.

“I had the great fortune of doing the same thing with a kidney stone,” Shatner said. “I passed a kidney stone, and a company offered me … $75,000 for my kidney stone.”

Shatner donated the money to Habitat for Humanity.

“I handed the motorcycle over and it was a part of my heart, but that’s only figuratively speaking,” he said.

Highlights from the Star Trek auction will be exhibited beginning Friday at Ponte 16 in Macau, China, and Jun. 14-24 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Bids will be accepted in person, online and by phone.

The collection will be “very meaningful” to “Trek” fans, said Shatner, who cites the show’s optimistic themes as the reason it has endured for decades.

“It suggests that 300 years from now, mankind is still around,” he said. “It’s on a note of hope that not only will we be around, but we will flourish and be out there among the stars, colonizing.”

LOS ANGELES – Avatar is maintaining its popularity in the move from box office to home video, with sales of 6.7 million DVDs and Blu-ray disks in the first four days.

FILE - In this undated file film publicity image originally released by 20th Century Fox, the character Neytiri, voiced by Zoe Saldana, right, and the character Jake, voiced by Sam Worthington are shown in a scene from, "Avatar." Twentieth Century Fox on Sunday, April 25, 2010 announced that James Cameron's sci-fi epic has sold 2.7 million Blu-rays and 4 million DVDs since April 22. (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, File)

Twentieth Century Fox announced Sunday that James Cameron’s sci-fi epic has sold 2.7 million Blu-rays and 4 million DVDs since April 22.

The combined sales brought in $130 million.

The studio says Avatar has become the fastest-selling Blu-ray of all time.

No announcement has been made regarding a 3-D release, but a Fox spokesman said one can be expected in the future.

Ever dream about being invisible to girls and being scared to ask out the girl of your dreams? Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) wanted to know what it would be like to be a superhero and be the boyfriend of Katie Deauxma (Lyndsy Fonseca). Johnson was tired of being a reject and couldn’t stand being picked on by bullies anymore. Unlike most young teenagers, Johnson took a different approach to his lofty dreams: he created the superhero and dual identity Kick-Ass.

FILE - In this April 13, 2010 file photo, Nicolas Cage, left, and Aaron Johnson pose together at the premiere of the film "Kick-Ass" in Los Angeles. It's another photo finish at the weekend box office, with the No. 1 spot too close to call between the animated adventure "How to Train Your Dragon" and the superhero comedy "Kick-Ass." Distributor Paramount reported Sunday that DreamWorks Animation's "How to Train Your Dragon" took in $20 million, while "Kick-Ass" distributor Lionsgate reported its movie debuting just behind at $19.75 million. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

In the film, Kick-Ass runs into two more superheroes: Hit-girl (Chloe Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage); modern day versions of Batman and Batgirl. Both were on a mission to stop the Russian Mafia from killing innocent people. The leader of the Russian Mafia Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong) wanted to expose Kick-Ass and Big Daddy. Check out Kick-Ass for the surprise ending showdown between the superheroes and their arch nemesis.

Another wannabe hero in Kick-Ass was the son of Frank D’Amico, Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz Plasse), known as Red Mist. Red Mist, just like Kick-Ass wanted attention from his father and his classmates at high school. The two join forces to bring down the Russian mafia throughout the film.

Matthew Vaughn, Director of Kick-Ass, also directed Stardust and Layer Cake. Vaughn showed in this film that you don’t have to be a superhero with powers to make a difference: change comes from within the heart of an individual. Vaughn showed the audience that anyone can make a difference in life and heroism is not created by flashy costumes and nicknames.

However, the movie could be considered inappropriate, as it showcases young children with hand guns killing members of the Russian Mafia. I thought it also ripped off Batman and Spiderman; Kick-Ass was a little too carbon-copy of other superhero movies.

If you’re looking for another violent superhero movie to see and perhaps you want to become your own superhero, then I suggest you see the movie Kick-Ass. I give the movie 3 out of 5 stars because it was gruesome and a pure copy cat of much better superhero films. This was a movie without superhero powers, but still relatively enjoyable to the typical movie-goer. Kick-Ass wasn’t so kick ass, so wait for it to come out on DVD!

NEW YORK – Since the success of Slumdog Millionaire, composer A.R. Rahman not only has a larger profile, but he says he’s got a confidence boost, too.

FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2009 file photo, Indian composer and Oscar winner AR Rahman arrives at the Oscar After Party for Fox Searchlight's "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Wrestler" in West Hollywood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)

“The main thing is self-confidence which is there,” Rahman said in a phone interview Monday morning before a press conference.

Rahman adds: “Coming from South India, you’re always very timid, you’re within your shell … we always think that, you know, maybe I don’t fit here, that kind of uncomfortableness.”

Rahman will be able to show off his new self on his upcoming U.S. tour, which kicks off Jun. 12 in New York.

He won two Grammy Awards and two Oscars for his work on “Slumdog Millionaire” and plans to release his own CD in the near future.

Photo credits to AP/Chris Pizzello.