White House Down

What happens when two new releases that look like sure-things smash into the unstoppable wall that is a Pixar movie? Well, you get one second place hit and one severe disappointment. 'The Heat' still looks good next to the continued success of 'Monsters University,' but it made 'White House Down' stumbling at the starting line look all the more horrible.

We have another comedy/action pairing of flicks hitting theaters this weekend. The first is a reunion of sorts between the director and co-star of the summer 2011 hit 'Bridesmaids,' and the second should sound oddly familiar to anyone who caught 'Olympus Has Fallen' back in March.

'White House Down' has the disadvantage of being the second 'Die Hard'-in-the-White-House movie of 2013 after 'Olympus Has Fallen,' and the advantage of being superior to its predecessor in every conceivable way. It's better directed, better written, and better acted. The action is better, with more impressive special effects; the production design is better, with a much more convincing replica of

When the White House is under attack, a Secret Service hopeful must get the President to safety before the terrorists find him.