Principal Shelley Conner said she’ll miss camaraderie the most at St. John Bosco in Ahwatukee.

“The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” starts off with a recipe for grade-A comedy. The cast includes names such as Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Alan Arkin, James Gandolfini, and Jim Carrey. The director is Don Scardino of “30 Rock” while Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis of “Horrible Bosses” penned the screenplay. The premise regarding rivaling magicians offers endless comedic possibilities. So how is it that the final product is just mediocre?

‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” starts off with a recipe for grade-A comedy. The cast includes names such as Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Alan Arkin, James Gandolfini and Jim Carrey. The director is Don Scardino of “30 Rock,” while Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis of “Horrible Bosses” penned the screenplay. The premise regarding rivaling magicians offers endless comedic possibilities. So how is it that the final product is just mediocre? It’s probably because the audience has to be constantly caught off guard in order for a magic show or comedy to succeed. In “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” the audience can pretty much predict everything that’s going to happen. This subtracts the elements of surprise and humor from the equation.

From “Snow White and the Huntsmen,” to “Mirror Mirror,” to “Hansel and Gretle: Witch Hunters,” to “Red Riding Hood,” the film industry has really been banking on adult-oriented fairytales as of late. Television has additionally gotten in on this fairytale fad with ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” NBC’s “Grimm,” and, to a lesser extent, the CW’s “Beauty and Beast.” So what’s been causing this recent outbreak of fairytale reinterpretations aimed at grown-up audiences? Perhaps it can be attributed to the concept of nostalgia. Since fairytales are typically the first stories ever introduced to us, everybody identifies with them. By giving these timeless tales a PG-13 spin, they can appeal to our inner child while also satisfying our desire for something more mature. “Jack the Giant Slayer” comes close to working as a fun fantasy adventure for childish adults and sophisticated kids. If only the familiar story had more of a twist to it.

"Snitch” is a movie that knows what it wants to say, but fails to get its message across in a non conventional fashion. The film is loosely based on a “Frontline” documentary about Joey Settembrino, an 18-year-old who was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison for selling LSD. The government offered Settembrino a reduced sentence in exchange for the names of drug dealers high up on the totem pole.

If you had told me a month ago that my Oscar predictions would look anything like this, I probably would have advised you to go do a little more research. “Argo” poised for the Best Picture win sans a Best Director nod? Unthinkable. Emmanuelle Riva and Naomi Watts as viable Best Actress contenders against youthful powerhouses like Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain? You’re pulling my leg.

The Kyrene School District Governing Board focused on results of a recent district-wide Gallup Poll of its schools during its monthly meeting Tuesday evening.

Ahwatukee Foothills residents John King and Moses Sanchez were recently sworn in as board members for the Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts as the first governing board meetings of the year got under way this week.

In the eight years I’ve taken on the regular duty of reviewing movies, 2012 just might have been the best. It wasn’t easy compiling a top 30 list for a 12-month period of so many diverse, outstanding films. I found myself having to make some absolutely painful snubs, including “Flight,” “The Sessions,” “The Hobbit: An Expected Journey,” and a little cinematic masterpiece by the name of “21 Jump Street.” In the end though, I managed to narrow the list down to the 20 titles that best encompass 2012 in all its glory. If you’re still behind on the movies of yesteryear, consider this your ultimate movie guide to 2012.

After a year that tested the strength of both the general and school community in Ahwatukee Foothills, even greater challenges could be ahead in 2013.

If the Ahwatukee Foothills community knows one thing, it’s how to stand in resilience and maintain hope.

Area football players were snubbed on the All-Arizona team voted on by the football coaches association.

Here are The Associated Press’ reviews of selected holiday albums:

Seeking gift ideas for that music lover this holiday season, check out the following box set reviews from The Associated Press:

December will soon be descending upon us. For a lot of people this month will entail building snowmen, sledding down hills of snow, making snow angles and getting tongues stuck to icy poles. Of course those stuck in Ahwatukee won’t be able to appreciate any of these traditional winter activities. But who needs snow when you can spend your Christmas break in a cozy movie theater. Here are several films to look out for this holiday season.

Results from Tuesday’s election have named new local school district governing board members as well as an approval of the well-known bond initiative for Tempe Union High School District.

Results from last night’s election have named new local school district governing board members as well as an approval of the well-known bond initiative for Tempe Union High School District.

‘Wreck-It Ralph’

Desert Vista built a 31-0 halftime cushion and then emptied its bench in the second half in a 54-17 victory over Mesquite on Friday night.

Age: 64

This year, four candidates for the Kyrene School District Governing Board each face tight rivalry, as they compete for three available seats on the board.

As Election Day nears, the four governing board candidates for the Kyrene School District met in Tempe for a community forum on Monday.