'JUMPER'

2 1/2 stars = Average
Ratings explained

There's a great story somewhere in the minds of the makers of "Jumper," but they only tell a portion of it in this movie that obviously sets the stage for future adventures.

A compact, 88-minute action-adventure based on a young-adult novel of the same name, it's the story of David (Hayden Christensen), a so-called "jumper" who can teleport himself anywhere in the world. It's all fun and games until a representative (Samuel L. Jackson) of a secret organization begins to hunt David down and tries to kill him. Along the way there's a romantic subplot (Rachel Bilson of "The O.C." is his love interest) and David meets another, more interesting Jumper, played by Jamie Bell.

Extras include commentary track, a 35-minute behind-the-scenes documentary that largely features Bell, an explanation of how producers arrived at the film's visual depiction of teleportation and the subtle tweaks that make it look better.

In "Jumping From Novel to Screen, Past, Present and Future," producers discuss the backstory they've constructed and their hope to tell the whole story over the course of three films. Nothing wrong with planning ahead, but I wish they hadn't dangled so many loose ends in this first installment.

-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor

'THE BUCKET LIST'

2 1/2 stars = Average
Ratings explained

It must have sounded inspired during the studio pitch: a movie about an unlikely friendship between a billionaire hedonist and a blue-collar family man traveling the world before terminal cancer takes both their lives. With the clock ticking, the two men scratch off a list of things they want to accomplish before "kicking the bucket" -- thus, the title of the film.

Now, cast the film with two of the most popular actors in Hollywood. Jack Nicholson is the billionaire. Morgan Freeman is the brainy auto mechanic who shares his hospital room. After an initial spate of mutual suspicion, the men from vastly different backgrounds become good friends, united in their desire to squeeze as much fun out of life as they can before their disease takes them. "The Bucket List" is a heartwarming film, if a bit contrived and overly sentimental at times. The performances are appealing, though far from top shelf for actors of this caliber.

Directed with empathy, if not a whole lot of ambition by Rob Reiner, "The Bucket List" never wanders too far from the high concept that got it green lit in the first place. We see the newly minted buddies jumping out of planes, visiting the Taj Mahal, debating mortality at an Egyptian pyramid and racing classic cars. Along the way, the characters do everything they would do in the typical movie-of-the-week. The DVD includes a short feature about writer Justin Zackham's reasons for writing the film and Reiner's reasons for directing. There's also a John Mayer music video.

While none of the extras are anything to write home about, even curmudgeons will choke up during the film's last 10 minutes. Keep your expectations in line and you'll enjoy it, too.

-- Tony Norman, Post-Gazette staff writer