The Dark Knight Rises - 2012 - Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordan-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine
My Rating: 9.0 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's
finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has
branded him an enemy.
My Review: Wow. I don't even know where to begin. I knew very, very little about this movie before I went to see it and that definitely worked to my advantage. One thing I did know, is Anne Hathaway was taking on the role of Catwoman and that is not something that excited me. However, the minute Bruce Wayne caught her stealing his mother's pearl necklace, Hathaway had completely won me over and she continued to impress me throughout the movie. That's what was so absolutely great about this movie - the casting. Bale is of course a perfect, tortured Bruce Wayne. Hardy manages to be a creepy, murderous villain despite the fact that you can't see most of his face for the entire movie. Hathaway was a beautiful, dangerous Catwoman. JGL, oh my word, JGL. That guy can absolutely do nothing wrong and I can't even begin to describe the absolute magic that happens at the end of the movie with his character. (I'm not spoiling anything!) Marion Cotillard was a surprise casting for me since I knew almost nothing about the movie - and she. is. amazing. One of my favorite parts of this movie are the few cameos by Cillian Murphy! Genius. Go see this movie and ignore anyone who tells you it's too long - good movies provide background, setup, and character development exactly like Dark Knight.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Summer 2012
I left Japan in June with a pretty hefty "Summer Movies To See" list - almost 20 movies. In Japan, going to the movie theater is EXPENSIVE plus, not all the movies end up in the theater there. This means that I hadn't been in a movie theater for TEN MONTHS. If you know me at all, then you know going to the theater is one of my most absolute favorite things to do. So, without further ado, here are reviews of some of the movies I've seen so far this summer... some in the theater, some Redbox'ed, some on the list, some not on the list...
Mirror Mirror - 2012 - Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.
My Review: This is one of the movies that was not on my list of "must see." I saw the trailer, wasn't overly thrilled with yet ANOTHER fairy tale adaptation, and was especially not overly thrilled with Julia Roberts - I'm just sick of her. So imagine my surprise when I realized I actually LIKED this movie? Apart from the random queen-rises-from-the-water-to-ask "Who's the fairest of them all?" that was weird... this movie was full of scene stealing moments from the seven dwarfs and Nathan Lane's character, Brighton. Never mind that the dwarfs start out as bandits - Snow White shows them what it's like to be good. The hunky Prince Alcott even shows up for a few laughs of his own. This is one fairy tale adaptation to keep. Except the musical montage at the end... I hated that. Just make sure you leave the theater as soon as the credits start to roll. Save yourself.
Bottom Line: $2 at the cheap theater well spent.
Gone - 2012 - Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer Carpenter, Wes Bentley
My Rating: 5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A woman is convinced her kidnapper has returned when her sister goes missing.
My Review: When I looked at my list of movies that I had already seen and saw Gone written on it, it took me a while to realize what this movie had been about. So that should tell you something. Overall, Seyfried tries real hard to convince us that she's totally past her Mean Girls days. What I remember not liking about this movie is that she seems totally crazy throughout the whole thing and it's only as the movie progresses that we get little pieces for why. The pieces don't come soon enough for my taste.
Bottom Line: I'm glad I Redbox'ed this for $1.20.
The Avengers - 2012 - Robert Downey Jr., Christ Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson
My Rating: 9 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army.
My Review: You can think I'm jumping on the bandwagon or whatever you want - this movie was AMAZING. I would give it a 9.5 out of 10 if Cobie Smulders hadn't been so poorly miscast. Go back to Ted, Robin, you don't belong here. I would be hard pressed to find anything else wrong with this movie. The best scenes are not when the Avengers are working together to fight the enemy, it's when they're fighting each other - with words (hilarious!) or with weapons (badass!). Some might say the beginning of this movie starts out too slow and there isn't enough action - I'd say they are dead wrong. Dead wrong. This is a movie that doesn't insult the audience by assuming that all they want are things to go crash and boom. This is a movie that cares about developing their characters and cares about an actual storyline. Sure, they're all superheros, but they're all also human. Don't worry though, there's still plenty of action to go around and each of the characters in this movie pulls his (and her!) own weight. My only piece of advice is to first see Captain America, Iron Man (at least the first), and Thor. Especially Thor since the entire premise of this movie is based on Thor's brother Loki - Tom Hiddleston is RIDICULOUSLY amazing in this movie. Avengers does a good job of catching you up to speed if you haven't seen these other movies (or read the comic books, which I admittedly haven't) but I would still recommend seeing them.
Bottom Line: If I had the money, I'd be paying to see this movie in the theater every day I'm in the States.
Prometheus - 2012 - Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
My Review: I actually had already heard a lot about this movie before I saw it and knew a lot of people didn't like it and were upset about the ending. Honestly, I don't know what all the fuss was about with the ending - they just set it up for a second movie like any good, money-grubbing Hollywood producer would. What confused me about the movie was Fassbender's character, who is a robot mind you. His intentions seemed to waver between which side he was on and it was never really explained. Even still, I very much enjoyed this movie especially since it was spearheaded by a kick-ass female who gives herself an alien baby abortion (in a squirm inducing scene) and then proceeds to keep kicking ass. I look forward to the next installment and only hope that it includes some flashback scenes for Guy Pearce.
Bottom Line: I'm glad I paid $10 to see this one. Well, I think I went to an early showing and only paid $4.50 but you get my point.
Jeff Who Lives at Home - 2011 - Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer
My Rating: 3 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Dispatched from his basement room on an errand for his mother, slacker Jeff might discover his destiny (finally) when he spends the day with his brother as he tracks his possibly adulterous wife.
My Review: Honestly, I fell asleep and didn't even see most of this movie. But from what I did see, I don't care that I missed it.
Bottom Line: I want my $1.20 back from Redbox.
Wanderlust - 2012 - Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Malin Akerman
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Rattled by sudden unemployment, a Manhattan couple surveys alternative living options, ultimately deciding to experiment with living on a rural commune where free love rules.
My Review: How can you not love a movie with Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston? Well, I guess I didn't love this movie but I did really like it, which surprised me. I wasn't expecting much and I guess that's the attitude I needed to enjoy it. Actually, I started watching this movie online and had to stop it part of the way through (to go see Prometheus) and was sad to do so. Sure, it ends exactly the way you know it will from the beginning but there are plenty of surprises and laughs along the way to keep you entertained. So hit up a Redbox near you and crack open a beer and enjoy this movie.
Bottom Line: If I hadn't watched it online for free, I would have paid $2 at the cheap theater.
Rock of Ages - 2012 - Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise
My Rating: 7 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A small town girl and a city boy meet on the Sunset Strip, while pursuing their Hollywood dreams.
My Review: This movie is the most campy, silly fun you will have at the theater all summer - and that's a compliment to this movie! It's a nostalgic homage to some of the great 80's rock. One of my only complaints is Diego Boneta - I didn't like him and his face ass is distracting. (Another complaint is there was no Meat Loaf in this movie, come on!) But on the other side of the coin is Stacee Jaxx, aka Tom Cruise, who is fantastic. Cruise plays the washed up rocker role looking for a comeback to near perfection and looks good doing it. If you think the 80's were a great time for music, see this movie. Oh and here is a link to just a small piece of my favorite musical number: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBnXLVNB278 If this doesn't make you want to see the movie, nothing will.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater for this one.
The Five Year Engagement - 2012 - Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: One year after meeting, Tom proposes to his girlfriend, Violet, but unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.
My Review: My biggest complaint about this movie is that they do not mark the time well. In the beginning when the couple first moves to Michigan, it's unclear if it's been a week, months, or years. Only when Blunt's sister shows up with her kid that we get any sense of how much time is passing. There are laughs scattered throughout the movie and Segel and Blunt have amazing chemistry, but none of that overshadows the fact that this movie is a half hour too long. Okay, the ending ALmost makes up for it.
Bottom Line: I'm glad I paid $2 at the cheap theater for this one. Wait, I think my mom did... even better :-)
What to Expect When You're Expecting - 2012 - Cameron Diaz, Matthew Morrison, J. Todd Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Ben Falcone, Anna Kendrick, and so many more
My Rating: 7 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A look at love through the eyes of five interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn't always deliver what's expected.
My Review: I'm not sure why this movie didn't do well and people didn't like it. There were some seriously funny scenes! Sure there were the obvious crass jokes but there were also some less in-your-face ones also. The dudes who walk with their kids in the park were hilarious and Rebel Wilson steals absolutely EVERY scene she is in. That girl cracks me up. Sure, Cameron Diaz is still horrible (she couldn't act her way out of a paper bag) but I love everyone else in this movie - even if Dennis Quaid and Brooklyn Decker are a bit over the top. It's funny but it also has a lot of heart. Do yourself a favor and stop listening to what the critics are saying - go see this movie.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 to see this in the theater.
Savages - 2012 - Aaron Johnson, Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Salma Hayek, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
My Review: Whew, I'm not sure where to begin with this movie. Let's start with my favorite things about it. Benicio Del Toro - oh wow, he is a venomous, slimy snake in this movie. Incredible. Salma Hayek - perfect as her equal parts beautiful but ruthless leader of a Mexican drug cartel. Now for the things I didn't care for so much. Too much gore, sex, gore, sex, gore, sex. Not needed. What also is interesting is that the minute I walked out of the theater I forgot what the movie was about. In the end it turns out to be a movie not so different from other movies even though it tries real hard to be something more.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater.
Okay, now let's move to something different. Below are links to trailers for movies I seriously can't wait to see.
Argo - fall 2012 - Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman
Summary from IMDB: As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador.
You had me at, "Ben Affleck directing and starring in."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w918Eh3fij0
If that trailer doesn't give you goosebumps, see your doctor because something is wrong with you.
Looper - 28 September 2012 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt
Summary from IMDB: In 2072, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self.
I can't wait to see JGL step in to the (very big) shoes of Bruce Willis. I also can't wait to see Emily Blunt wield a gun. Plus it's sci-fi. Count me IN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI3ju17W070
Mirror Mirror - 2012 - Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.
My Review: This is one of the movies that was not on my list of "must see." I saw the trailer, wasn't overly thrilled with yet ANOTHER fairy tale adaptation, and was especially not overly thrilled with Julia Roberts - I'm just sick of her. So imagine my surprise when I realized I actually LIKED this movie? Apart from the random queen-rises-from-the-water-to-ask "Who's the fairest of them all?" that was weird... this movie was full of scene stealing moments from the seven dwarfs and Nathan Lane's character, Brighton. Never mind that the dwarfs start out as bandits - Snow White shows them what it's like to be good. The hunky Prince Alcott even shows up for a few laughs of his own. This is one fairy tale adaptation to keep. Except the musical montage at the end... I hated that. Just make sure you leave the theater as soon as the credits start to roll. Save yourself.
Bottom Line: $2 at the cheap theater well spent.
Gone - 2012 - Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer Carpenter, Wes Bentley
My Rating: 5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A woman is convinced her kidnapper has returned when her sister goes missing.
My Review: When I looked at my list of movies that I had already seen and saw Gone written on it, it took me a while to realize what this movie had been about. So that should tell you something. Overall, Seyfried tries real hard to convince us that she's totally past her Mean Girls days. What I remember not liking about this movie is that she seems totally crazy throughout the whole thing and it's only as the movie progresses that we get little pieces for why. The pieces don't come soon enough for my taste.
Bottom Line: I'm glad I Redbox'ed this for $1.20.
The Avengers - 2012 - Robert Downey Jr., Christ Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson
My Rating: 9 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army.
My Review: You can think I'm jumping on the bandwagon or whatever you want - this movie was AMAZING. I would give it a 9.5 out of 10 if Cobie Smulders hadn't been so poorly miscast. Go back to Ted, Robin, you don't belong here. I would be hard pressed to find anything else wrong with this movie. The best scenes are not when the Avengers are working together to fight the enemy, it's when they're fighting each other - with words (hilarious!) or with weapons (badass!). Some might say the beginning of this movie starts out too slow and there isn't enough action - I'd say they are dead wrong. Dead wrong. This is a movie that doesn't insult the audience by assuming that all they want are things to go crash and boom. This is a movie that cares about developing their characters and cares about an actual storyline. Sure, they're all superheros, but they're all also human. Don't worry though, there's still plenty of action to go around and each of the characters in this movie pulls his (and her!) own weight. My only piece of advice is to first see Captain America, Iron Man (at least the first), and Thor. Especially Thor since the entire premise of this movie is based on Thor's brother Loki - Tom Hiddleston is RIDICULOUSLY amazing in this movie. Avengers does a good job of catching you up to speed if you haven't seen these other movies (or read the comic books, which I admittedly haven't) but I would still recommend seeing them.
Bottom Line: If I had the money, I'd be paying to see this movie in the theater every day I'm in the States.
Prometheus - 2012 - Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
My Review: I actually had already heard a lot about this movie before I saw it and knew a lot of people didn't like it and were upset about the ending. Honestly, I don't know what all the fuss was about with the ending - they just set it up for a second movie like any good, money-grubbing Hollywood producer would. What confused me about the movie was Fassbender's character, who is a robot mind you. His intentions seemed to waver between which side he was on and it was never really explained. Even still, I very much enjoyed this movie especially since it was spearheaded by a kick-ass female who gives herself an alien baby abortion (in a squirm inducing scene) and then proceeds to keep kicking ass. I look forward to the next installment and only hope that it includes some flashback scenes for Guy Pearce.
Bottom Line: I'm glad I paid $10 to see this one. Well, I think I went to an early showing and only paid $4.50 but you get my point.
Jeff Who Lives at Home - 2011 - Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer
My Rating: 3 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Dispatched from his basement room on an errand for his mother, slacker Jeff might discover his destiny (finally) when he spends the day with his brother as he tracks his possibly adulterous wife.
My Review: Honestly, I fell asleep and didn't even see most of this movie. But from what I did see, I don't care that I missed it.
Bottom Line: I want my $1.20 back from Redbox.
Wanderlust - 2012 - Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Malin Akerman
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Rattled by sudden unemployment, a Manhattan couple surveys alternative living options, ultimately deciding to experiment with living on a rural commune where free love rules.
My Review: How can you not love a movie with Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston? Well, I guess I didn't love this movie but I did really like it, which surprised me. I wasn't expecting much and I guess that's the attitude I needed to enjoy it. Actually, I started watching this movie online and had to stop it part of the way through (to go see Prometheus) and was sad to do so. Sure, it ends exactly the way you know it will from the beginning but there are plenty of surprises and laughs along the way to keep you entertained. So hit up a Redbox near you and crack open a beer and enjoy this movie.
Bottom Line: If I hadn't watched it online for free, I would have paid $2 at the cheap theater.
Rock of Ages - 2012 - Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise
My Rating: 7 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A small town girl and a city boy meet on the Sunset Strip, while pursuing their Hollywood dreams.
My Review: This movie is the most campy, silly fun you will have at the theater all summer - and that's a compliment to this movie! It's a nostalgic homage to some of the great 80's rock. One of my only complaints is Diego Boneta - I didn't like him and his face ass is distracting. (Another complaint is there was no Meat Loaf in this movie, come on!) But on the other side of the coin is Stacee Jaxx, aka Tom Cruise, who is fantastic. Cruise plays the washed up rocker role looking for a comeback to near perfection and looks good doing it. If you think the 80's were a great time for music, see this movie. Oh and here is a link to just a small piece of my favorite musical number: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBnXLVNB278 If this doesn't make you want to see the movie, nothing will.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater for this one.
The Five Year Engagement - 2012 - Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: One year after meeting, Tom proposes to his girlfriend, Violet, but unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.
My Review: My biggest complaint about this movie is that they do not mark the time well. In the beginning when the couple first moves to Michigan, it's unclear if it's been a week, months, or years. Only when Blunt's sister shows up with her kid that we get any sense of how much time is passing. There are laughs scattered throughout the movie and Segel and Blunt have amazing chemistry, but none of that overshadows the fact that this movie is a half hour too long. Okay, the ending ALmost makes up for it.
Bottom Line: I'm glad I paid $2 at the cheap theater for this one. Wait, I think my mom did... even better :-)
What to Expect When You're Expecting - 2012 - Cameron Diaz, Matthew Morrison, J. Todd Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Ben Falcone, Anna Kendrick, and so many more
My Rating: 7 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A look at love through the eyes of five interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn't always deliver what's expected.
My Review: I'm not sure why this movie didn't do well and people didn't like it. There were some seriously funny scenes! Sure there were the obvious crass jokes but there were also some less in-your-face ones also. The dudes who walk with their kids in the park were hilarious and Rebel Wilson steals absolutely EVERY scene she is in. That girl cracks me up. Sure, Cameron Diaz is still horrible (she couldn't act her way out of a paper bag) but I love everyone else in this movie - even if Dennis Quaid and Brooklyn Decker are a bit over the top. It's funny but it also has a lot of heart. Do yourself a favor and stop listening to what the critics are saying - go see this movie.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 to see this in the theater.
Savages - 2012 - Aaron Johnson, Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Salma Hayek, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
My Review: Whew, I'm not sure where to begin with this movie. Let's start with my favorite things about it. Benicio Del Toro - oh wow, he is a venomous, slimy snake in this movie. Incredible. Salma Hayek - perfect as her equal parts beautiful but ruthless leader of a Mexican drug cartel. Now for the things I didn't care for so much. Too much gore, sex, gore, sex, gore, sex. Not needed. What also is interesting is that the minute I walked out of the theater I forgot what the movie was about. In the end it turns out to be a movie not so different from other movies even though it tries real hard to be something more.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater.
Okay, now let's move to something different. Below are links to trailers for movies I seriously can't wait to see.
Argo - fall 2012 - Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman
Summary from IMDB: As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador.
You had me at, "Ben Affleck directing and starring in."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w918Eh3fij0
If that trailer doesn't give you goosebumps, see your doctor because something is wrong with you.
Looper - 28 September 2012 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt
Summary from IMDB: In 2072, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self.
I can't wait to see JGL step in to the (very big) shoes of Bruce Willis. I also can't wait to see Emily Blunt wield a gun. Plus it's sci-fi. Count me IN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI3ju17W070
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Puncture - 2011 - Chris Evans, Mark Kassen, Vanessa Shaw
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A David and Goliath law drama about a drug-addicted lawyer who takes on a health supply corporation while battling his own personal demons.
My Review: Okay, I started writing this review giving the movie a 7 out of 10 and then as I was typing, revised down the rating as I remembered things from the movie that didn't sit well with me. But overall, this one surprised me. Chris Evans as an action hero? Yes, and his biceps dare you to say otherwise. Chris Evans as a lawyer? Well, it wouldn't be my first idea as a career for him should acting fall through BUT this move surprised me with how well it played out. Granted the story line would have probably been better suited for an episode of Law & Order but Evans gave a convincing performance as a drug-addicted-but-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-at-work lawyer. I believed him and believed in him and the cause for which he was fighting. What annoyed me about the movie was the scene with his wife leaving him... what, he was married? Then *spoiler alert* suddenly he ends up dead at the end of the movie. I guess it is shocking when someone dies suddenly but the way it was done in this movie was very anti-climatic and honestly, I don't remember how they wrapped it up after that. At the very least, see this movie for Evan's shirtless scenes. SceneS. Plural.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater.
Carnage - 2011 - Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Tells the story of two sets of parents who decide to have a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a schoolyard brawl.
My Review: When a movie is able to keep my interest while the entirety of it takes place in one apartment and with only four characters, you know they're doing something very right. How can you go wrong with Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet? Answer: you can't. These four actors work amazingly together and you feel every moment of uncomfortable as these two sets of parents attempt to work out what happened between their sons. Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet are perfect as the high-strung parents who work too much while Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly are perfect as the perfect parents. Reilly also injects most of the humor into this film but the biggest laugh actually comes from Winslet when she makes a mess of Foster's perfect table setup. It's awkward, it's funny, it's uncomfortable - it's a good time.
Bottom Line: I would pay $10 at the theater to see this one.
Hereafter - 2010 - Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard
My Rating: 2 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A drama centered on three people -- a blue-collar American, a French journalist and a London school boy -- who are touched by death in different ways.
My Review: Zzzzzzzzzzzzz... huh, what? Oh, I'm supposed to be writi... zzzzzzzz... ng a review? Sorry, thinking about this movie again puts me to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. You can do better Matt Damon.
Bottom Line: I'm sorry to have payed 100 yen ($1.26) to see this movie.
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A David and Goliath law drama about a drug-addicted lawyer who takes on a health supply corporation while battling his own personal demons.
My Review: Okay, I started writing this review giving the movie a 7 out of 10 and then as I was typing, revised down the rating as I remembered things from the movie that didn't sit well with me. But overall, this one surprised me. Chris Evans as an action hero? Yes, and his biceps dare you to say otherwise. Chris Evans as a lawyer? Well, it wouldn't be my first idea as a career for him should acting fall through BUT this move surprised me with how well it played out. Granted the story line would have probably been better suited for an episode of Law & Order but Evans gave a convincing performance as a drug-addicted-but-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-at-work lawyer. I believed him and believed in him and the cause for which he was fighting. What annoyed me about the movie was the scene with his wife leaving him... what, he was married? Then *spoiler alert* suddenly he ends up dead at the end of the movie. I guess it is shocking when someone dies suddenly but the way it was done in this movie was very anti-climatic and honestly, I don't remember how they wrapped it up after that. At the very least, see this movie for Evan's shirtless scenes. SceneS. Plural.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater.
Carnage - 2011 - Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Tells the story of two sets of parents who decide to have a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a schoolyard brawl.
My Review: When a movie is able to keep my interest while the entirety of it takes place in one apartment and with only four characters, you know they're doing something very right. How can you go wrong with Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet? Answer: you can't. These four actors work amazingly together and you feel every moment of uncomfortable as these two sets of parents attempt to work out what happened between their sons. Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet are perfect as the high-strung parents who work too much while Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly are perfect as the perfect parents. Reilly also injects most of the humor into this film but the biggest laugh actually comes from Winslet when she makes a mess of Foster's perfect table setup. It's awkward, it's funny, it's uncomfortable - it's a good time.
Bottom Line: I would pay $10 at the theater to see this one.
Hereafter - 2010 - Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard
My Rating: 2 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A drama centered on three people -- a blue-collar American, a French journalist and a London school boy -- who are touched by death in different ways.
My Review: Zzzzzzzzzzzzz... huh, what? Oh, I'm supposed to be writi... zzzzzzzz... ng a review? Sorry, thinking about this movie again puts me to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. You can do better Matt Damon.
Bottom Line: I'm sorry to have payed 100 yen ($1.26) to see this movie.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Summer Movies: Part Two
Okay here we go... Let's first start with the movie that's not actually a 2011 Summer movie but one I just saw recently... Well, recently when I started this post over a month ago...
Knight and Day - 2010 - Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard
My Rating: 1.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A story of a girl who gets mixed up with a spy trying to clear his name.
My Review: What was Peter Sarsgaard thinking??? Was he hoping this would be his jaunt into the mainstream? Oh boy. Please be a little more discerning next time Peter - you're far better than this abysmal excuse for a movie. Special effects? Laughable. Plot? ..... I'm sorry, what? You mean the plot line that's been done and done and done and done MUCH better in other movies? Acting? Again, laughable. You already know I'm not a fan of Diaz's and this movie does nothing to help. Yeah... that's all I got.
Bottom Line: I can't believe people got paid to make this movie and I'm so glad I watched it on my grandparents TV - for free.
Now - to the 2011 summer movies! It's been a while since I've seen these so pardon the short reviews. Then again, if it's short it's probably because there wasn't much worth remembering!
Horrible Bosses - 2011 - Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey
My Rating: 5.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.
My Review: I didn't have very high hopes for this movie, which turned out to be a good thing. It started off slow and never really picked up enough speed to compensate for the ridiculous number of times they said, "F**k." Aniston's character was much too far outside the realm of possibility to warrant any genuine laughs but then again, so were the other two bosses as well. That said, the trio of Bateman, Day, and Sudeikis worked well together and had their moments of amusement... too bad they were just too few and far between.
Bottom line: I'd pay the $2 at the cheap theater.
Water for Elephants - 2011 - Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A veterinary student abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet.
My Review: My only problem with this movie was Pattinson. This guy has one look and it's plastered all over the internet as Edward Cullen. Separating the vampire from the veterinarian was a chore and I was pretty unsuccessful. However, I did very much enjoy the movie and no I have not yet read the book. Reese Witherspoon is so gorgeous it's easy to watch her in anything and Waltz, who plays her husband, is absolutely diabolical and perfect in his role.
Bottom line: I'd pay the $2 at the cheap theater.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 2011 - Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tyrese Gibson
My Rating: 7 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets.
My Review: I'll admit it - I loved this movie. It was a ridiculously fun summer movie. No, it's not going to win any Oscars and it's not an example of anything new... But it sure was fun ride. The campy-ness of the second Transformers movie was gone and replaced with the hilarity of the first movie. Also gone were the campy and over done mini-transformers of the second movie. I do have to say that I missed Megan Fox a bit. Don't get me wrong - she's not a good actor in any sense of the word but she was a smidge better than Huntington-Whiteley whose "to do" list for the movie only included a spray tan and several thousand trips to the gym, I'm sure.
Bottom Line: I'm happy to have paid $10 at the theater to see this one.
Bridesmaids - 2011 - Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne
My Rating: 8 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Picked as her best friend's maid of honor, lovelorn and broke Annie looks to bluff her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals with an oddball group of bridesmaids.
My Review: Here you have it folks - the first 8! I actually just re-watched this movie this weekend and it is absolutely hilarious. It's one of the VERY few movies during which I laugh out loud. While watching by myself. With the exception of the first few minutes of this movie, it's a powerhouse of female driven comedy and each of the women in this movie have pitch perfect comedic timing with their dry and effortless humor that you can imagine overhearing in the conversation of the much cooler women sitting next to you while out on a Friday night. Melissa McCarthy is almost unrecognizable as a bizarre bridesmaid who steals almost every scene she's in and not enough can be said for how disgusting but laugh-out-loud funny Wiig's character's British roommates are. Have I mentioned Wiig's love interest? Could he be any more sweet and perfect? I could go on and on about this movie! You should just go watch it and see for yourself.
Bottom Line: I'm happy to have paid $10 at the theater to see this one and I'll definitely buy it on DVD.
Midnight in Paris - 2011 - Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.
My Review: Calling this movie a "romantic comedy" is a bit of a stretch - I'd say dramedy, if anything. Because this movie was written and directed by Woody Allen and I'm not usually the pretentious movie-loving type, I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked this movie. Then again, it could have mostly been because I understood a lot of the French that was spoken and I knew or at least recognized all the names dropped in the movie. Oops, maybe I am a bit pretentious? In any case, who hasn't wished at some point to live in another time period? Watching Owen Wilson be able to step back in time to experience his idea of the perfect time to be alive made me jealous and wish I could do the same. Any movie that can successfully suspend reality to the extent that I wished I was there is a good one in my book.
Bottom line: I'd pay the $2 at the cheap theater.
Jumping the Broom - 2011 - Paula Patton, Laz Alonso, Angela Bassett
My Rating: 3 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Two very different families converge on Martha's Vineyard one weekend for a wedding.
My Review: Ugh. Okay, granted, I don't exactly fall in to their target audience for this one but it was just boring. Paula Patton is a terrible actress and Alonso was not much better. There were too many last ditch efforts in the plot to make this one interesting and I definitely was looking at my watch for more of the time than I was looking at the screen for at least the last hour.
Bottom line: I wouldn't even stop my channel surfing if it was on TV.
Thanks for reading if you're still here! Summer movie reviews still to come:
Country Strong
Cowboys & Aliens
Crazy, Stupid, Love
True Grit
The Help
The Change-Up
Knight and Day - 2010 - Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard
My Rating: 1.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A story of a girl who gets mixed up with a spy trying to clear his name.
My Review: What was Peter Sarsgaard thinking??? Was he hoping this would be his jaunt into the mainstream? Oh boy. Please be a little more discerning next time Peter - you're far better than this abysmal excuse for a movie. Special effects? Laughable. Plot? ..... I'm sorry, what? You mean the plot line that's been done and done and done and done MUCH better in other movies? Acting? Again, laughable. You already know I'm not a fan of Diaz's and this movie does nothing to help. Yeah... that's all I got.
Bottom Line: I can't believe people got paid to make this movie and I'm so glad I watched it on my grandparents TV - for free.
Now - to the 2011 summer movies! It's been a while since I've seen these so pardon the short reviews. Then again, if it's short it's probably because there wasn't much worth remembering!
Horrible Bosses - 2011 - Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey
My Rating: 5.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.
My Review: I didn't have very high hopes for this movie, which turned out to be a good thing. It started off slow and never really picked up enough speed to compensate for the ridiculous number of times they said, "F**k." Aniston's character was much too far outside the realm of possibility to warrant any genuine laughs but then again, so were the other two bosses as well. That said, the trio of Bateman, Day, and Sudeikis worked well together and had their moments of amusement... too bad they were just too few and far between.
Bottom line: I'd pay the $2 at the cheap theater.
Water for Elephants - 2011 - Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A veterinary student abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet.
My Review: My only problem with this movie was Pattinson. This guy has one look and it's plastered all over the internet as Edward Cullen. Separating the vampire from the veterinarian was a chore and I was pretty unsuccessful. However, I did very much enjoy the movie and no I have not yet read the book. Reese Witherspoon is so gorgeous it's easy to watch her in anything and Waltz, who plays her husband, is absolutely diabolical and perfect in his role.
Bottom line: I'd pay the $2 at the cheap theater.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 2011 - Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tyrese Gibson
My Rating: 7 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets.
My Review: I'll admit it - I loved this movie. It was a ridiculously fun summer movie. No, it's not going to win any Oscars and it's not an example of anything new... But it sure was fun ride. The campy-ness of the second Transformers movie was gone and replaced with the hilarity of the first movie. Also gone were the campy and over done mini-transformers of the second movie. I do have to say that I missed Megan Fox a bit. Don't get me wrong - she's not a good actor in any sense of the word but she was a smidge better than Huntington-Whiteley whose "to do" list for the movie only included a spray tan and several thousand trips to the gym, I'm sure.
Bottom Line: I'm happy to have paid $10 at the theater to see this one.
Bridesmaids - 2011 - Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne
My Rating: 8 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Picked as her best friend's maid of honor, lovelorn and broke Annie looks to bluff her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals with an oddball group of bridesmaids.
My Review: Here you have it folks - the first 8! I actually just re-watched this movie this weekend and it is absolutely hilarious. It's one of the VERY few movies during which I laugh out loud. While watching by myself. With the exception of the first few minutes of this movie, it's a powerhouse of female driven comedy and each of the women in this movie have pitch perfect comedic timing with their dry and effortless humor that you can imagine overhearing in the conversation of the much cooler women sitting next to you while out on a Friday night. Melissa McCarthy is almost unrecognizable as a bizarre bridesmaid who steals almost every scene she's in and not enough can be said for how disgusting but laugh-out-loud funny Wiig's character's British roommates are. Have I mentioned Wiig's love interest? Could he be any more sweet and perfect? I could go on and on about this movie! You should just go watch it and see for yourself.
Bottom Line: I'm happy to have paid $10 at the theater to see this one and I'll definitely buy it on DVD.
Midnight in Paris - 2011 - Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.
My Review: Calling this movie a "romantic comedy" is a bit of a stretch - I'd say dramedy, if anything. Because this movie was written and directed by Woody Allen and I'm not usually the pretentious movie-loving type, I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked this movie. Then again, it could have mostly been because I understood a lot of the French that was spoken and I knew or at least recognized all the names dropped in the movie. Oops, maybe I am a bit pretentious? In any case, who hasn't wished at some point to live in another time period? Watching Owen Wilson be able to step back in time to experience his idea of the perfect time to be alive made me jealous and wish I could do the same. Any movie that can successfully suspend reality to the extent that I wished I was there is a good one in my book.
Bottom line: I'd pay the $2 at the cheap theater.
Jumping the Broom - 2011 - Paula Patton, Laz Alonso, Angela Bassett
My Rating: 3 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Two very different families converge on Martha's Vineyard one weekend for a wedding.
My Review: Ugh. Okay, granted, I don't exactly fall in to their target audience for this one but it was just boring. Paula Patton is a terrible actress and Alonso was not much better. There were too many last ditch efforts in the plot to make this one interesting and I definitely was looking at my watch for more of the time than I was looking at the screen for at least the last hour.
Bottom line: I wouldn't even stop my channel surfing if it was on TV.
Thanks for reading if you're still here! Summer movie reviews still to come:
Country Strong
Cowboys & Aliens
Crazy, Stupid, Love
True Grit
The Help
The Change-Up
Friday, July 8, 2011
Summer Movies
So far this summer I've just seen 6 movies... Because I've delayed writing the reviews for so long, these will be pretty short and just written about what I remember. But let's be honest - if I don't remember much it's probably because there isn't much great to remember.
Super 8 - Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka, Kyle Chandler - 2011
My Rating: 5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.
My Review: I remember thinking during this movie that it was as if J. J. Abrams couldn't decide which type of movie he wanted this to be: sci-fi monster movie, government conspiracy movie, character development between the kids movie... ? Then apparently he decided to go with an uneven conglomeration of all three. After the scenes with the train crash and the kids decide to never talk about it again... they don't. The movie forgets about the "monster" that crawls out of the train for a good chunk of time - I even forgot what the movie was supposed to be doing. The movie failed to elicit any kind of real suspense or building of the story line and only succeeded in making me jump a few times with cheap "BOO!" moments. Watching the relationships among the young characters is what makes this movie worth it - these young actors are outstanding. Unfortunately, just as I was hoping would not happen when I wrote my previous "looking forward to" review, Abrams decides to show you way too much of the alien in the end. Plus, it's not even an original looking alien with far too many resemblances to 1987's Predator. I get that part of the reason they give you good long looks at the alien at the end is so that you can begin to feel some empathy and understand his position and understand that you don't have to be scared anymore... but the change of perspective wasn't good enough.
Bottom Line: I wish I hadn't paid $9 for this one but I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater.
The Lincoln Lawyer - Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe - 2011
My Rating: 4.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A lawyer conducts business from the back of his Lincoln town car while representing a high-profile client in Beverly Hills.
My Review: I didn't go in to this movie with high hopes - McConaughey as a lawyer? Come on. But I gave it a shot anyway and really only wish I hadn't seen the matinee showing with the three retirement communities that apparently decided to see the same movie at the same time. There isn't much I remember or need to say about this movie except it would have been better as an episode of Law and Order. Yawn.
Bottom Line: I'd watch it on TV if I didn't have anything else to do.
Soul Surfer - AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack.
My Review: This was a great movie about the courage of a young girl. It was a little syrupy for me but I hope that this girl and her family were exactly as portrayed: a strong Christian family that got through (and might have been better for) a horrible accident.
Bottom Line: I'm glad I (well, my mom) payed $2 at the cheap theater for this one.
Still to come: Water for Elephants, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and Bridesmaids
Super 8 - Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka, Kyle Chandler - 2011
My Rating: 5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.
My Review: I remember thinking during this movie that it was as if J. J. Abrams couldn't decide which type of movie he wanted this to be: sci-fi monster movie, government conspiracy movie, character development between the kids movie... ? Then apparently he decided to go with an uneven conglomeration of all three. After the scenes with the train crash and the kids decide to never talk about it again... they don't. The movie forgets about the "monster" that crawls out of the train for a good chunk of time - I even forgot what the movie was supposed to be doing. The movie failed to elicit any kind of real suspense or building of the story line and only succeeded in making me jump a few times with cheap "BOO!" moments. Watching the relationships among the young characters is what makes this movie worth it - these young actors are outstanding. Unfortunately, just as I was hoping would not happen when I wrote my previous "looking forward to" review, Abrams decides to show you way too much of the alien in the end. Plus, it's not even an original looking alien with far too many resemblances to 1987's Predator. I get that part of the reason they give you good long looks at the alien at the end is so that you can begin to feel some empathy and understand his position and understand that you don't have to be scared anymore... but the change of perspective wasn't good enough.
Bottom Line: I wish I hadn't paid $9 for this one but I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater.
The Lincoln Lawyer - Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe - 2011
My Rating: 4.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A lawyer conducts business from the back of his Lincoln town car while representing a high-profile client in Beverly Hills.
My Review: I didn't go in to this movie with high hopes - McConaughey as a lawyer? Come on. But I gave it a shot anyway and really only wish I hadn't seen the matinee showing with the three retirement communities that apparently decided to see the same movie at the same time. There isn't much I remember or need to say about this movie except it would have been better as an episode of Law and Order. Yawn.
Bottom Line: I'd watch it on TV if I didn't have anything else to do.
Soul Surfer - AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack.
My Review: This was a great movie about the courage of a young girl. It was a little syrupy for me but I hope that this girl and her family were exactly as portrayed: a strong Christian family that got through (and might have been better for) a horrible accident.
Bottom Line: I'm glad I (well, my mom) payed $2 at the cheap theater for this one.
Still to come: Water for Elephants, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and Bridesmaids
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Vow
Okay, this movie The Vow doesn't come out until Valentine's Day 2012 so it's beyond me why they are releasing a trailer SO early - but the sap inside me can't wait to absolutely love this movie.
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3048381465/
Watch the trailer.
I love watching Rachel McAdams and crying through The Notebook. I love watching Channing Tatum and crying through Dear John. Hopefully this movie will be the best of both those movies put together.
Finally a reason to look forward to Valentine's Day!
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3048381465/
Watch the trailer.
I love watching Rachel McAdams and crying through The Notebook. I love watching Channing Tatum and crying through Dear John. Hopefully this movie will be the best of both those movies put together.
Finally a reason to look forward to Valentine's Day!
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class - 2011 - James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: In 1962, Charles Xavier starts up a school and later a team, for humans with superhuman abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr, his best friend... and future archenemy.
My Review: Great, great summer movie. With each new installment in this franchise, I feel like the movies are getting less campy and much smarter (with the exception of the flying stripper in this movie - more on her later). I remember watching the first X-Men movies and thinking, "Yep, I'm watching a movie about a comic book." Then with Wolverine and First Class, these are human stories and the humans just happen to be mutants with super-human abilities. I love that the extra abilities remain (obviously) a very prominent fixture in the movie but also manage to not overshadow the underlying storyline. Granted, I know very, very little about the Cuban missile crisis but you don't need to be a history buff to follow what happens in this movie - plus, I'm sure they've taken several artistic liberties and I'd rather not know the history they messed with. Nevertheless, this movie is better because it ensconces itself within a real framework. James McAvoy is wonderful to watch as a young Xavier as he mixes the right amount of superhero with encouraging and leading teacher for the younger mutants. (Even if I did find myself briefly distracted thinking, "Whoa, he's short.") Lawrence was less impressive as a young Mystique but the brief cameo by Rebecca Romijn was excellent. Speaking of cameos - Hugh Jackman has a great one as well. One other negative note is the stripper turned flying, fireball spitting, butterfly. She was ridiculous - edit her character out please. Throw in January Jones' character for good measure - I didn't care for her either. But in addition to the surprise cameos, somehow I missed the fact that Kevin Bacon is in this movie - ridiculously amazing surprise! I loved watching him in this kind of, summer blockbuster role - he was perfect. All in all, I love where this franchise is going and I hope to see much more of it in the future.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater to see this one. And I will when I get back to the States!
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: In 1962, Charles Xavier starts up a school and later a team, for humans with superhuman abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr, his best friend... and future archenemy.
My Review: Great, great summer movie. With each new installment in this franchise, I feel like the movies are getting less campy and much smarter (with the exception of the flying stripper in this movie - more on her later). I remember watching the first X-Men movies and thinking, "Yep, I'm watching a movie about a comic book." Then with Wolverine and First Class, these are human stories and the humans just happen to be mutants with super-human abilities. I love that the extra abilities remain (obviously) a very prominent fixture in the movie but also manage to not overshadow the underlying storyline. Granted, I know very, very little about the Cuban missile crisis but you don't need to be a history buff to follow what happens in this movie - plus, I'm sure they've taken several artistic liberties and I'd rather not know the history they messed with. Nevertheless, this movie is better because it ensconces itself within a real framework. James McAvoy is wonderful to watch as a young Xavier as he mixes the right amount of superhero with encouraging and leading teacher for the younger mutants. (Even if I did find myself briefly distracted thinking, "Whoa, he's short.") Lawrence was less impressive as a young Mystique but the brief cameo by Rebecca Romijn was excellent. Speaking of cameos - Hugh Jackman has a great one as well. One other negative note is the stripper turned flying, fireball spitting, butterfly. She was ridiculous - edit her character out please. Throw in January Jones' character for good measure - I didn't care for her either. But in addition to the surprise cameos, somehow I missed the fact that Kevin Bacon is in this movie - ridiculously amazing surprise! I loved watching him in this kind of, summer blockbuster role - he was perfect. All in all, I love where this franchise is going and I hope to see much more of it in the future.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater to see this one. And I will when I get back to the States!
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