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.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
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!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Summer Movies
Excited to see:
Crazy, Stupid, Love - released 29 July
Let's be honest, this one had me with, "Starring Ryan Gosling." But this movie looks like a bit of a departure for him from the brooding serious type he usually plays. Although, playing the seriously sexy, gets-any-woman-he-wants can't be too much of a stretch. Really though, the rest of the cast is incredible as well: Steve Carell (looking a little toned down from normal, thankfully), Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon (love!), Marisa Tomei (really love!), and Emma Stone. From the trailer, this movie looks hilarious and like there could be an amazing heartfelt and sweet undertone with Carell and Moore's relationship. I'm sure this will be a movie where you know exactly what's going to happen before it happens - but I'm excited for the ride.
Would rather have bamboo shoots pushed under my nails than see:
Bad Teacher - released 24 June
Ridiculous. This movie is just going to be one big over-acted, disgusting, peep show for Cameron Diaz. I'm so sick of her lately and honestly think she's a terrible actress. Granted, "In Her Shoes" is one of my favorite movies and "What Happens in Vegas" always makes me laugh, but those movies are good because of the other cast members - rarely Diaz. So I'm biased in the first place against this movie. Also, why make a mockery of education? Again, I'm biased. But seriously - students and parents who haven't taught before already have zero (ZERO) comprehension of what it takes to be a teacher and are already mocked and criticized at every turn. Why would I want to go and see a movie that encourages the mockery? In any case, it just looks stupid. Although, I have to admit that Jason Segel might be the one bright light in this movie - he's a funny dude even if I didn't care for "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
Guilty pleasure of the summer will be:
Cowboys & Aliens - released 29 July
Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. James Bond and Indiana Jones. Cowboys vs Aliens. What's NOT good about this movie??? It will be epic. The only problem will be in deciding between this movie and "Crazy, Stupid, Love" on 29 July.
A movie I can't wait to love:
Another Earth - released 20 July
This movie has all the makings to be a science fiction movie that makes you question things about yourself and examine the life you're living. I so much hope that this movie lives up to everything the trailer made me feel and that the "second earth" merely serves as a backdrop to tell a different story.
Crazy, Stupid, Love - released 29 July
Let's be honest, this one had me with, "Starring Ryan Gosling." But this movie looks like a bit of a departure for him from the brooding serious type he usually plays. Although, playing the seriously sexy, gets-any-woman-he-wants can't be too much of a stretch. Really though, the rest of the cast is incredible as well: Steve Carell (looking a little toned down from normal, thankfully), Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon (love!), Marisa Tomei (really love!), and Emma Stone. From the trailer, this movie looks hilarious and like there could be an amazing heartfelt and sweet undertone with Carell and Moore's relationship. I'm sure this will be a movie where you know exactly what's going to happen before it happens - but I'm excited for the ride.
Would rather have bamboo shoots pushed under my nails than see:
Bad Teacher - released 24 June
Ridiculous. This movie is just going to be one big over-acted, disgusting, peep show for Cameron Diaz. I'm so sick of her lately and honestly think she's a terrible actress. Granted, "In Her Shoes" is one of my favorite movies and "What Happens in Vegas" always makes me laugh, but those movies are good because of the other cast members - rarely Diaz. So I'm biased in the first place against this movie. Also, why make a mockery of education? Again, I'm biased. But seriously - students and parents who haven't taught before already have zero (ZERO) comprehension of what it takes to be a teacher and are already mocked and criticized at every turn. Why would I want to go and see a movie that encourages the mockery? In any case, it just looks stupid. Although, I have to admit that Jason Segel might be the one bright light in this movie - he's a funny dude even if I didn't care for "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."
Guilty pleasure of the summer will be:
Cowboys & Aliens - released 29 July
Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. James Bond and Indiana Jones. Cowboys vs Aliens. What's NOT good about this movie??? It will be epic. The only problem will be in deciding between this movie and "Crazy, Stupid, Love" on 29 July.
A movie I can't wait to love:
Another Earth - released 20 July
This movie has all the makings to be a science fiction movie that makes you question things about yourself and examine the life you're living. I so much hope that this movie lives up to everything the trailer made me feel and that the "second earth" merely serves as a backdrop to tell a different story.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Upcoming Movies
So, I'm on IMDB.com almost everyday checking out new movies that are coming out soon. Here are a few I'm excited about and why... Okay, so I did have the trailers posted for you to watch here BUT then I got all (probably needlessly) paranoid about copyright laws, so I'm posting links to where you can watch the trailers instead.
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi778083609/
This is the trailer I just watched today for a movie called "Super 8," which comes out on 10 June. They give you hardly any information in any of the three different trailers I watched, which I'm going to assume is a good sign. What little information I did gather is: it's about aliens or some type of weird creature(s) that attack when their train derails that is taking them to a "secure facility in Ohio." From the trailer, this movie has potential to be really good. Case and point: produce Steven Spielberg and director J. J. Abrams. Pretty much everything these guys touch is great and does well. As long as Abrams learned from Shyamalan's mistake in "Signs" and doesn't show us what is actually so scary, this movie could be good. "Signs" was MUCH scarier when we didn't know what we were afraid of. But honestly, I'm mostly behind this movie solely because of J. J. Abrams. LOST is a great show and Fringe is even better - two TV series I love that J. J. Abrams created.
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi168926489/
The above trailer is for "X-Men First Class." Yeah, X-Men movies rock. Plus I'm pretty excited to see James McAvoy in this type of role. I never saw "Wanted" so this will be my first time watching him in an action type role. What's also great - I'll be in the States soon after this movie comes out, which means I'll be able to see this one on the big screen as it's meant to be seen!
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1864932633/
A trailer for the movie "Submarine" that comes out on 3 June. This movie looks cute, sweet, and quirky. My life could benefit from more of all those things.
Okay, I don't have a trailer for the last movie - because they haven't made one yet. The movie is called "Drive" that comes out in September and you can read about it here... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/ Pretty much all I need to know about this movie is that it stars Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. I've seen Gosling in several movies - three of which I've rated on this site - so you already know of my love for Gosling. I first saw Carey Mulligan in "An Education," which is an off-beat movie I recommend. For the record, I'd give it a 7 out of 10 and Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater to see that one. So, I'm pumped to see Gosling and Mulligan in action roles.
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi778083609/
This is the trailer I just watched today for a movie called "Super 8," which comes out on 10 June. They give you hardly any information in any of the three different trailers I watched, which I'm going to assume is a good sign. What little information I did gather is: it's about aliens or some type of weird creature(s) that attack when their train derails that is taking them to a "secure facility in Ohio." From the trailer, this movie has potential to be really good. Case and point: produce Steven Spielberg and director J. J. Abrams. Pretty much everything these guys touch is great and does well. As long as Abrams learned from Shyamalan's mistake in "Signs" and doesn't show us what is actually so scary, this movie could be good. "Signs" was MUCH scarier when we didn't know what we were afraid of. But honestly, I'm mostly behind this movie solely because of J. J. Abrams. LOST is a great show and Fringe is even better - two TV series I love that J. J. Abrams created.
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi168926489/
The above trailer is for "X-Men First Class." Yeah, X-Men movies rock. Plus I'm pretty excited to see James McAvoy in this type of role. I never saw "Wanted" so this will be my first time watching him in an action type role. What's also great - I'll be in the States soon after this movie comes out, which means I'll be able to see this one on the big screen as it's meant to be seen!
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1864932633/
A trailer for the movie "Submarine" that comes out on 3 June. This movie looks cute, sweet, and quirky. My life could benefit from more of all those things.
Okay, I don't have a trailer for the last movie - because they haven't made one yet. The movie is called "Drive" that comes out in September and you can read about it here... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504/ Pretty much all I need to know about this movie is that it stars Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. I've seen Gosling in several movies - three of which I've rated on this site - so you already know of my love for Gosling. I first saw Carey Mulligan in "An Education," which is an off-beat movie I recommend. For the record, I'd give it a 7 out of 10 and Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater to see that one. So, I'm pumped to see Gosling and Mulligan in action roles.
Monday, May 9, 2011
All Good Things - 2010 - Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst
My Rating: 3 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A love story and murder mystery based on the most notorious unsolved murder case in New York history...
My Review: Yawn. I watched this movie a couple days ago and really can't remember that much about it - that's how bad it was. It pains me to give this movie a bad review because I think Ryan Gosling is just about the best actor out there - but this movie is bor. ing. You watch the trailers, you read the summaries, you read the descriptions and they all make this movie out to be a thriller about the "most notorious unsolved murder case," which sounds like a darn good movie. Let me tell you that the last fourth of the movie is the only part which has anything to do with a murder case or like it could be leading up to a murder. Also, you're not even rewarded for staying awake during the whole thing by getting any answers at the end of the movie. You spend 75% of the movie watching Gosling and Dunst fall in love, get married, have problems and then after a few awkward scenes - not even tense or scary or in any way explaining why he might kill her - she's missing. His descent into some kind of psychosis is so abrupt and unexplained that I didn't believe it.
Bottom line: I wouldn't even stop my channel surfing if it was on TV.
My Rating: 3 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A love story and murder mystery based on the most notorious unsolved murder case in New York history...
My Review: Yawn. I watched this movie a couple days ago and really can't remember that much about it - that's how bad it was. It pains me to give this movie a bad review because I think Ryan Gosling is just about the best actor out there - but this movie is bor. ing. You watch the trailers, you read the summaries, you read the descriptions and they all make this movie out to be a thriller about the "most notorious unsolved murder case," which sounds like a darn good movie. Let me tell you that the last fourth of the movie is the only part which has anything to do with a murder case or like it could be leading up to a murder. Also, you're not even rewarded for staying awake during the whole thing by getting any answers at the end of the movie. You spend 75% of the movie watching Gosling and Dunst fall in love, get married, have problems and then after a few awkward scenes - not even tense or scary or in any way explaining why he might kill her - she's missing. His descent into some kind of psychosis is so abrupt and unexplained that I didn't believe it.
Bottom line: I wouldn't even stop my channel surfing if it was on TV.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Source Code - 2011 - Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.
My Review: I'd hesitate to use the word "thriller" as part of the summary of this movie. That said, it is a decent attempt at mainstreaming science fiction - and casting Gyllenhaal as the lead is sure to bring this movie to more people than it would have otherwise. As someone who loves almost anything science fiction, the premise of this movie is very interesting. The "source code" has been created so that Gyllenhaal can inhabit another man's body, sort-of go back in time and figure out where the bomb is and who planted it - in eight minutes. But the catch is that the bomb has already exploded and everyone is already dead. Small revelations throughout the movie keep you just interested enough to get to the end and keep from feeling bored as Gyllenhaal repeatedly goes back to try and figure everything out. The problem with this movie is that Hollywood doesn't understand that science fiction doesn't need the fluffy, mushy endings. The climax of the movie felt silly and anti-climactic. Just when you think the movie is over and Hollywood has their perfect ending they make it even more Hollywood instead of just letting it be. Overall, a good science fiction-lite movie with an easy-on-the-eyes cast.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater for this one.
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.
My Review: I'd hesitate to use the word "thriller" as part of the summary of this movie. That said, it is a decent attempt at mainstreaming science fiction - and casting Gyllenhaal as the lead is sure to bring this movie to more people than it would have otherwise. As someone who loves almost anything science fiction, the premise of this movie is very interesting. The "source code" has been created so that Gyllenhaal can inhabit another man's body, sort-of go back in time and figure out where the bomb is and who planted it - in eight minutes. But the catch is that the bomb has already exploded and everyone is already dead. Small revelations throughout the movie keep you just interested enough to get to the end and keep from feeling bored as Gyllenhaal repeatedly goes back to try and figure everything out. The problem with this movie is that Hollywood doesn't understand that science fiction doesn't need the fluffy, mushy endings. The climax of the movie felt silly and anti-climactic. Just when you think the movie is over and Hollywood has their perfect ending they make it even more Hollywood instead of just letting it be. Overall, a good science fiction-lite movie with an easy-on-the-eyes cast.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater for this one.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Scream 4 - 2011 - Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott, who has put herself back together thanks in part to her writing, is visited by the Ghostface Killer.
My Review: This movie works. It just works. From the three beginnings (one of them a great cameo with Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin) to the 1, 2, 3... something endings - it's a horror movie that isn't really a horror movie and isn't afraid to make fun of itself along the way while still managing to take itself seriously. What makes this movie so solid is that it never strays from the original 1996 Scream premise and the original cast members - what would Scream be without Gale, Sidney, and Dewey? The ones who have been through it all and mock the new crowd for their inexperience. They all see everything coming but manage to get there just a bit too late. Of course this movie is almost entirely predictable but it's supposed to be. Trust me, it doesn't ruin the twist ending that I really didn't see coming. Pretentious movie snobs will tell you, "Of course I saw it coming!" But what's the fun in figuring out the ending before it happens? No one is impressed you know-it-all. Watch, enjoy, be surprised. It's a sequel, so the rules have changed - but have they? One thing Sidney is sure of, "You don't f--- with the original." And this movie doesn't. Classic Scream.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater to see this one.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott, who has put herself back together thanks in part to her writing, is visited by the Ghostface Killer.
My Review: This movie works. It just works. From the three beginnings (one of them a great cameo with Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin) to the 1, 2, 3... something endings - it's a horror movie that isn't really a horror movie and isn't afraid to make fun of itself along the way while still managing to take itself seriously. What makes this movie so solid is that it never strays from the original 1996 Scream premise and the original cast members - what would Scream be without Gale, Sidney, and Dewey? The ones who have been through it all and mock the new crowd for their inexperience. They all see everything coming but manage to get there just a bit too late. Of course this movie is almost entirely predictable but it's supposed to be. Trust me, it doesn't ruin the twist ending that I really didn't see coming. Pretentious movie snobs will tell you, "Of course I saw it coming!" But what's the fun in figuring out the ending before it happens? No one is impressed you know-it-all. Watch, enjoy, be surprised. It's a sequel, so the rules have changed - but have they? One thing Sidney is sure of, "You don't f--- with the original." And this movie doesn't. Classic Scream.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater to see this one.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Lars and Buried
Lars and the Real Girl - Ryan Gosling - 2007
My rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A delusional young guy strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he finds on the Internet.
My review: This movie is definitely not for everyone. I feel like this is one of those movies where people either love it or hate it - there really won't be any in-between. It was equal parts sad and sweet. Your insides twist and turn for this guy who is just not comfortable in his own skin and has no idea how to relate to people. I squirmed in my seat feeling just as awkward as Lars. No matter how delusional Lars was there was always something completely relatable about him - who hasn't wished at some point that they could create and live in their own world? Watching Lars learn how to talk and interact with people through the relationship delusion he created was an incredibly sweet transformation. I just hope that if someday this ever happens to me, I'm living in a town where everyone is as accepting as the town in which Lars lived.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater to see this one.
Buried - Ryan Reynolds - 2010
My rating: 5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Paul is a U.S. contractor working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap.
My review: This movie is every claustrophobic's worst nightmare. Ryan Reynolds is the only person you ever see on camera in this movie and it takes place solely inside a coffin buried underground. What was great about this movie is that it never tried to be something else and it stuck to the premise for the entire movie. I felt like I was in the coffin with him and I felt every emotion he had - frustrated, desperate, terrified... I'm struggling to find a reason for only a 5 out of 10 rating and I'm having trouble thinking of something. It's just not one of those movies you want to watch over and over again - once was enough.
Bottom line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater for this one.
My rating: 7.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A delusional young guy strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he finds on the Internet.
My review: This movie is definitely not for everyone. I feel like this is one of those movies where people either love it or hate it - there really won't be any in-between. It was equal parts sad and sweet. Your insides twist and turn for this guy who is just not comfortable in his own skin and has no idea how to relate to people. I squirmed in my seat feeling just as awkward as Lars. No matter how delusional Lars was there was always something completely relatable about him - who hasn't wished at some point that they could create and live in their own world? Watching Lars learn how to talk and interact with people through the relationship delusion he created was an incredibly sweet transformation. I just hope that if someday this ever happens to me, I'm living in a town where everyone is as accepting as the town in which Lars lived.
Bottom Line: I'd pay $10 at the theater to see this one.
Buried - Ryan Reynolds - 2010
My rating: 5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Paul is a U.S. contractor working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap.
My review: This movie is every claustrophobic's worst nightmare. Ryan Reynolds is the only person you ever see on camera in this movie and it takes place solely inside a coffin buried underground. What was great about this movie is that it never tried to be something else and it stuck to the premise for the entire movie. I felt like I was in the coffin with him and I felt every emotion he had - frustrated, desperate, terrified... I'm struggling to find a reason for only a 5 out of 10 rating and I'm having trouble thinking of something. It's just not one of those movies you want to watch over and over again - once was enough.
Bottom line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater for this one.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The first six
Unknown - Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger - 2011
My rating: 4.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A man (Neeson) awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman (Kruger), he sets out to prove who he is.
My review: Moments of slight suspense broken up by intense deja vu. Sure there were fight scenes and a car chase and lots of, "Wait, what's going on?" meant to elicit intrigue - but for far too long I was left with no idea as to what was happening and I found myself not really caring either. Diane Kruger's performance was flat and Liam Neeson was his usual squinty eyed man-on-a-mission. Before I was keyed in to what was actually going on, all I could think about was Sandra Bullock's 1995 movie, The Net. Since the moment I was finally clued in to what the real story was, I've been plagued by the idea that I've seen this exact story line before but I can't for the life of me remember if it was another movie, a TV show, or even a book I read once. All in all, I felt like I'd seen the whole thing before and the weak twist at the end wasn't enough.
Bottom line: I'd watch it if I didn't have anything else to do and it was on TV.
Paul - Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen (voice) - 2011
My rating: 7 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Two British comic-book geeks traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51.
My review: The foul-mouthed Paul the alien was a wonderful breath of fresh air after watching movie after movie of boy meets girl, boy and girl have lots of sex, boy and girl get into a fight, boy and girl make up and live happily ever after. It was ridiculously refreshing to watch a movie with NO love story at all. I've read a few reviews saying that this movie will only appeal to the nerdy crowd - maybe I'm part of that crowd and just don't know it but I've never been to Comic-Con and I still thought it was hilarious. The computer generated Paul was so well done that sometimes I forgot I wasn't watching a real alien. And the scene where Paul eats the bird... "Well, I'm not gonna eat a dead bird am I?!" Priceless. So if I liked the movie so much why doesn't it have a higher rating? Well, it seems like the only people you can make fun of in this world anymore are Christians and I don't really appreciate that. Watching the character Ruth learn how to swear was admittedly, pretty darn funny. But the characters of Ruth and her father were so exaggerated as to be offensive.
Bottom line: I'd pay $10 to see this in the theater.
Love and Other Drugs - Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway - 2010
My rating: 2.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Maggie (Hathaway) is an alluring free spirit who won't let anyone - or anything - tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie (Gyllenhaal), whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie's evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love.
My review: Yawn. You don't even need to see the movie to know exactly how this one is going to go. To make it even more sappy and formulaic? *Spoiler alert* Maggie is sick - tear - and Jamie has to decide if he's up for the challenge. Can you guess what he chooses in the end? Sigh. There is nothing new in this movie. My guess is that the producers decided it didn't matter what the storyline was as long as the two gorgeous leads were naked and having sex as much as possible - which they were. From the 16,130 people who rated this movie on IMDB.com, the movie gets a 6.6 out of 10. Well, I guess what they say is true, sex sells.
Bottom line: I wouldn't even stop my channel surfing if it was on TV.
Blue Valentine - Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams - 2010
My rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: The film centers on a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods.
My review: I wish I could give this movie a higher rating - I really do. Gosling and Williams have ridiculous chemistry and give pitch perfect performances. The entire movie I rooted for this couple and pleaded with them to find some common ground and fix their problems - that's how good Gosling and Williams were together. It really cannot be overstated how incredible these two were in this movie. The storyline itself was good - a beautiful start to a relationship with all the promise and hope with which every relationship starts that eventually turns in to a twisted mess from which neither seems to be able to escape. It was dark and real. The only reason for the lower-than-I-would-like-to-give-it rating is because of the raunchy sex scenes. Over the top. I don't need or want to see that.
Bottom line: I'd pay the $2 at the cheap theater.
Limitless - Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, and Abbie Cornish - 2011
My rating: 5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A writer (Cooper) discovers a top-secret drug which bestows him with super human abilities.
My review: While this movie is totally relevant to the world today I think Bradley Cooper was miscast. I get that he's trying to break away from his other raunchy comedy roles like in The Hangover and Wedding Crashers, but I felt like he floundered a bit in this movie. Sure he's got leading-man good looks but those along with your "serious face" can only take a movie so far. The premise is just enough of a leap in the pharmaceutical world so as to make it movie-worthy but not so big that it seems outside the realm of possibility, which is what drew me to the movie in the first place. Ultimately though, watching a man use his new abilities for nothing other than himself was trying. Plus watching Cooper drink a guys' blood took things too far. Too far.
Bottom line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater.
Morning Glory - Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams, and Diane Keaton - 2010
My rating: 3.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: An upstart television producer (McAdams) accepts the challenge of reviving a struggling morning show program with warring co-hosts.
My review: Sigh. I had high hopes for this one and sadly every one of them was dashed. Of course McAdams is the perky new hire with man problems but who is darn tootin' ready to turn this morning show around - if only she can get the stereotypical grumpy old man in line. Really, Harrison Ford? Sigh. And of course, on her first day at her new job she meets a gorgeous coworker with whom she inexplicably begins a relationship - really, so little time is given to the development of this relationship that when their time to "dtr" (define the relationship) came, I was confused. Anyway, this is another one where you know exactly where it's all heading and where it will all end even after she gets the big offer from the Today Show - yeah, of course.
Bottom line: I wouldn't even stop my channel surfing if it was on TV.
Happy movie watching :-)
My rating: 4.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A man (Neeson) awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman (Kruger), he sets out to prove who he is.
My review: Moments of slight suspense broken up by intense deja vu. Sure there were fight scenes and a car chase and lots of, "Wait, what's going on?" meant to elicit intrigue - but for far too long I was left with no idea as to what was happening and I found myself not really caring either. Diane Kruger's performance was flat and Liam Neeson was his usual squinty eyed man-on-a-mission. Before I was keyed in to what was actually going on, all I could think about was Sandra Bullock's 1995 movie, The Net. Since the moment I was finally clued in to what the real story was, I've been plagued by the idea that I've seen this exact story line before but I can't for the life of me remember if it was another movie, a TV show, or even a book I read once. All in all, I felt like I'd seen the whole thing before and the weak twist at the end wasn't enough.
Bottom line: I'd watch it if I didn't have anything else to do and it was on TV.
Paul - Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen (voice) - 2011
My rating: 7 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Two British comic-book geeks traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51.
My review: The foul-mouthed Paul the alien was a wonderful breath of fresh air after watching movie after movie of boy meets girl, boy and girl have lots of sex, boy and girl get into a fight, boy and girl make up and live happily ever after. It was ridiculously refreshing to watch a movie with NO love story at all. I've read a few reviews saying that this movie will only appeal to the nerdy crowd - maybe I'm part of that crowd and just don't know it but I've never been to Comic-Con and I still thought it was hilarious. The computer generated Paul was so well done that sometimes I forgot I wasn't watching a real alien. And the scene where Paul eats the bird... "Well, I'm not gonna eat a dead bird am I?!" Priceless. So if I liked the movie so much why doesn't it have a higher rating? Well, it seems like the only people you can make fun of in this world anymore are Christians and I don't really appreciate that. Watching the character Ruth learn how to swear was admittedly, pretty darn funny. But the characters of Ruth and her father were so exaggerated as to be offensive.
Bottom line: I'd pay $10 to see this in the theater.
Love and Other Drugs - Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway - 2010
My rating: 2.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: Maggie (Hathaway) is an alluring free spirit who won't let anyone - or anything - tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie (Gyllenhaal), whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie's evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love.
My review: Yawn. You don't even need to see the movie to know exactly how this one is going to go. To make it even more sappy and formulaic? *Spoiler alert* Maggie is sick - tear - and Jamie has to decide if he's up for the challenge. Can you guess what he chooses in the end? Sigh. There is nothing new in this movie. My guess is that the producers decided it didn't matter what the storyline was as long as the two gorgeous leads were naked and having sex as much as possible - which they were. From the 16,130 people who rated this movie on IMDB.com, the movie gets a 6.6 out of 10. Well, I guess what they say is true, sex sells.
Bottom line: I wouldn't even stop my channel surfing if it was on TV.
Blue Valentine - Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams - 2010
My rating: 6 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: The film centers on a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods.
My review: I wish I could give this movie a higher rating - I really do. Gosling and Williams have ridiculous chemistry and give pitch perfect performances. The entire movie I rooted for this couple and pleaded with them to find some common ground and fix their problems - that's how good Gosling and Williams were together. It really cannot be overstated how incredible these two were in this movie. The storyline itself was good - a beautiful start to a relationship with all the promise and hope with which every relationship starts that eventually turns in to a twisted mess from which neither seems to be able to escape. It was dark and real. The only reason for the lower-than-I-would-like-to-give-it rating is because of the raunchy sex scenes. Over the top. I don't need or want to see that.
Bottom line: I'd pay the $2 at the cheap theater.
Limitless - Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, and Abbie Cornish - 2011
My rating: 5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: A writer (Cooper) discovers a top-secret drug which bestows him with super human abilities.
My review: While this movie is totally relevant to the world today I think Bradley Cooper was miscast. I get that he's trying to break away from his other raunchy comedy roles like in The Hangover and Wedding Crashers, but I felt like he floundered a bit in this movie. Sure he's got leading-man good looks but those along with your "serious face" can only take a movie so far. The premise is just enough of a leap in the pharmaceutical world so as to make it movie-worthy but not so big that it seems outside the realm of possibility, which is what drew me to the movie in the first place. Ultimately though, watching a man use his new abilities for nothing other than himself was trying. Plus watching Cooper drink a guys' blood took things too far. Too far.
Bottom line: I'd pay $2 at the cheap theater.
Morning Glory - Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams, and Diane Keaton - 2010
My rating: 3.5 out of 10
Summary from IMDB: An upstart television producer (McAdams) accepts the challenge of reviving a struggling morning show program with warring co-hosts.
My review: Sigh. I had high hopes for this one and sadly every one of them was dashed. Of course McAdams is the perky new hire with man problems but who is darn tootin' ready to turn this morning show around - if only she can get the stereotypical grumpy old man in line. Really, Harrison Ford? Sigh. And of course, on her first day at her new job she meets a gorgeous coworker with whom she inexplicably begins a relationship - really, so little time is given to the development of this relationship that when their time to "dtr" (define the relationship) came, I was confused. Anyway, this is another one where you know exactly where it's all heading and where it will all end even after she gets the big offer from the Today Show - yeah, of course.
Bottom line: I wouldn't even stop my channel surfing if it was on TV.
Happy movie watching :-)
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