Connie's Movie Reviews - Now Featuring Reviews by Josh

Hangover Part II

2011-05-31T12:43:00.001-07:00

The entire "wolfpack" is back in Hanover Part II but only this time they are off to Thailand so that Stu can marry the girl of his dreams. Only for this group nothing can be that easy and they wake up in Bangkok with no idea how they got there and a whole lot of other questions. Add in a crazy monkey, a strange missing finger, and a tattoo and you know you will be laughing. I actually liked # 2 as well as the first and if you saw the first one you won't be shocked by the language an crude humor.

Bridesmaids

2011-05-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is a movie that has been called the female version of the Hangover and I can tell you it is just as raunchy and just as funny. Kristen Wiig is hilarious in her role as the best friend of the bride trying hard to be the perfect maid of honor and having trouble doing anything right. When you pair her with a bunch of other bridesmaids, especially Melissa McCarthy you are bound to see a roller coaster of calamities that will make you laugh until you cry.

Kung Fu Panda 2

2011-05-31T12:27:00.000-07:00

Jack Black is back as Po The Dragon Warrior whose mission in this second Kung Fu Panda is to save Kung Fu against the evil Lord Shen. In order to be successful he must first achieve the next level of his training and find inner peace. Once again the animation is superb and all the main characters return making this a great sequel enjoyable for the whole family.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

2011-05-31T12:18:00.001-07:00

This fourth installment of the Pirates movies puts Captain Jack Sparrow and a lot of the other villains on the quest for the Fountain of Youth. Along the way there are of course various treacherous obstacles to overcome and only one person will actually be able to drink from the fountain so the battle is to see who that person will be. I don't know if I am just getting tired of the series or what but I found myself much more interested in what was happening with the mermaid and Philip than I was the Pirates...maybe I just missed Orlando and Kiera.

Thor

2011-05-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I am kind of a sucker for any type of "super hero" movie and this one surprisingly did not disappoint. The special effects were much better than I anticipated and Chris Hemsworth was the perfect choice for the hammer wielding hero. Anthony Hopkins and Tom Hiddleston were also great in their roles of Thor's father and brother. I would have loved to see this film in 3D, but still enjoyed it immensely.

Something Borrowed

2011-05-31T11:46:00.000-07:00

This is your typical plot about the "nice girl" (Ginnifer Goodwin) who is used to coming in second to her beautiful blond best friend (Kate Hudson) and is in love with said friend's fiancee and throughout the movie is sadly helping plan the wedding as she secretly pines for the fiancee. I have to admit that this is one of those movies that I was really excited to see but by the end I wasn't sure if I really like any of the characters except the guy best friend played by John Krasinksi...so I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it.

The Fighter

2011-05-31T11:35:00.000-07:00

Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale stare in this movie based on the true story of Micky Ward's fight to get out of the shadow of his big brother's boxing career, and more recently his addiction to crack and make a name for himself in the ring. Christian Bale steals the limelight doing an amazing job of portraying the drug addicted older brother who still lives in his past glory days. Overall an enjoyable movie to watch.

Black Swan

2011-05-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

Natalie Portman was amazing in this complicated picture about a sweet, hardworking ballerina who is striving for the lead role in Swan Lake but whose director is not quite sure she can handle the role of the "black swan". She must find a way to reach a completely different side of herself to achieve the role, but without losing herself in the process. An intriguing movie, with a few controversial scenes that make this a movie for a more mature audience.

127 Hours

2011-05-31T11:09:00.001-07:00

You do not have to watch this movie for very long before it is obvious why James Franco was nominated for so many awards for his role in this remarkable true story about a guy hiking in the canyons of Utah who falls and is pinned by a boulder that has smashed his hand between the boulder and the canyon wall. With very little food, water, and resources at his disposal it is amazing to see one man's fight for survival.

Burlesque

2011-05-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

I love nothing more than a good musical and this movie is no exception. Christina Aguilera's amazing voice overshadows any acting flaws she has and the wonderful choreography is a joy to watch. Add in the gorgeous Cam Gigandet and Eric Dane along with the amazing acting ability of Stanley Tucci (who has great on screen chemistry with Cher) and you have a fun chick flick from start to finish.

I am Number Four

2011-04-21T11:49:00.001-07:00

Another year, another generic fantasy movie trying to build a huge film franchise on the heels of Harry Potter and Twilight. I am Number four feels like a male version of Twilight: shallow, pretty, and ultimately forgettable as soon as you leave the theater. There's action and it's flashy, but poorly done and not shot very well. There's good looking people, but with little character and bad acting. There's a story, but it jumps around too much and isn't fully explained or engaging. I really don't have many positives to talk about in this movie other than Timothy Olyphant is always fun to watch. Skip this one.

Sucker Punch

2011-04-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Zack Synder's (300, Watchmen) latest is a visually stimulating, but emotionally hollow and ultimately shallow film with no merits beyond its looks and popcorn entertainment value. The films story makes very little sense and jumps around from different realities far too often for someone to be able to keep up. This is a movie completely made for the teenage male crowd. Gorgeous women in little clothing, video game style fights and editing with ridiculous characters (samurai's with guns...), and little to no story so they don't have to think. Just sit back, watch and enjoy the show. You know just from reading that and looking at the trailers if it is your type of movie or not. I'm indifferent.

Scream 4

2011-04-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

Wes Craven returns to the movie series that made fun of and embraced horror movie conventions in the 90's with mixed results. The original trilogy went out with a whimper (Scream 3 was not well liked by critics or fans of the series) after starting with a bang (Scream is probably one of the best horror movies of the 90's as well as its sequel) and Scream 4 is somewhere in the middle of that spectrum: not terrible, but not that great. I give the actors credits for reprises their roles after 11 years like it was just yesterday, but everything about this movie is repetitive and reeks of a desperate attempt to regain fans through familiarity instead of trying to do something new and intriguing. Even when it looks like it might do something bold, it goes out of its way to take steps back into its normal shell. After 11 years you would think they would come up with something better. It's not as funny as it could be, never scary (biggest complaint I've heard, and I agree), and sometimes a little boring or stale. It has moments where it can recall the good times from the first two, and isn't something that will make you cringe when watching (it's at least competently acted and directed), but it could have been so much more than it turned out to be.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

2010-12-23T12:31:00.000-08:00

Comes straight off the fantasy cliche assembly line. Nothing is exciting or new in this movie. It's all been done before and much better in the past, but especially in recent years. The story is incredibly simple stuff and doesn't even try to put emotion into the picture. The special effects are pretty good, but there's way too much showing off in the movie and it gives it sort of an artificial feeling. Look to the Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings franchises to see how to use special effects the right way in a fantasy film. I will say that Nic Cage and Alfred Molia give pretty entertaining performances, but Jay Baruchel seemed miscast to me. He was a little too nerdy and the romance between him and Teresa Palmer wasn't believable whatsoever. This is just one of those undemanding family films that tries to cash in on a current fashion with no heart or soul. It's just childish and cheesy.

The Kids Are All Right

2010-12-23T12:30:00.002-08:00

A wonderful cast displays the value of family and the importance of them in a smart and sophisticated dramedy. I'm sure there will be plenty of rewards recognition for this film and even though I don't think it was absolutely amazing, I can see why people would love it to death. It's heartfelt, has a great message, displays a happily married gay couple and doesn't condescend or screw it up, and has great writing. Definitely recommended if you want something off the beaten path a little, even if it gives in to convention a little too often by the end.

The Last Airbender

2010-12-23T12:30:00.001-08:00

Despite a run time of 103 minutes, the film never truly finds its footing. The pacing is all over the place, as is the storytelling, with characters having to constantly explain their motivations as well as the story in first person narration instead of showing it and acting it out. It doesn't work and neither does anything else in the movie. From the wooden acting to the surprisingly lackluster special effects for a wannabe blockbuster film, this is a disappointment on every level and proves M.Night Shyamalan has lost whatever talent he had on display in his successful and enjoyable films from early in his career. The only thing this had going for it was that I wasn't bored, but that's just because of the ridiculousness of it all.

Winter's Bone

2010-12-23T12:28:00.000-08:00

Quite a performance from Jennifer Lawrence. This is not a happy movie and it has some unsettling and scary moments. Honestly some of it will have you on the edge of your seat because there's not much known about the plot or characters. It feels like an old school thriller before action and special effects were all that people put effort into. This one is very much dialogue and character driven, with excellent performances from the cast. It's going under the radar because it's an independent film, but if you get the chance watch it. You won't be disappointed.

The Girl Who Played With Fire (Foreign)

2010-12-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

Only one movie left in the series and so far these have been the best thing about the 2010 movie year in my opinion. Noomi Rapace continues her role as Lisbeth Salander and does an excellent job. She better be getting an Oscar nomination next year. Michael Nyqvist is quite good too. This one isn't quite a jaw dropping as Dragon Tattoo was, but since the story revolves around the main characters this time rather than a rich family and their missing person case it is definitely more interesting and gripping in terms of story. We get to see more of Lisbeth's past and that's the most entertaining and interesting aspect for me. Bring on the final chapter!

Mary and Max

2010-12-23T12:25:00.000-08:00

A unique and strangely funny film with some of the weirdest & quirkiest characters I've seen in animation, but it adds plenty of charm to a heartbreaking story. This one flew under the radar for quite awhile and deserves an audience bigger than it will likely get. The voices are well matched to the characters and almost unrecognizable despite big names. The animation is definitely one of the reasons why this probably didn't get a major release in my opinion since animation largely appeals to younger audiences and this is most a more mature style and themed animated movie. It deserves an audience though, and I'm trying to do my part.

Solitary Man

2010-12-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

A fantastic, honest, and emotional film with a great performance from Michael Douglas. He plays these sleazy womanizing characters in his sleep, but he imbues this character with heartbreaking honesty and even though his characters ending is left in question by the end, you feel for the guy even though he honestly isn't trying hard enough to get his life back on track. It helps that the writing is witty and biting. It has a great supporting cast including Jenna Fischer as his daughter who is constantly nagging at him to better himself, Susan Sarandon as his ex-wife whom he loved but cheated on, Jesse Eisenburg as a college student he meets at the college he attended whom he tries to mentor and fails, Mary-Louise Parker as his girlfriend with huge connections thanks to her dad, and Imogen Poots as his girlfriend's daughter whom he sleeps with while on her college visitation and starts a chain of events that ruin him. This is not a happy film, but one that will stick with me longer than many others because of its honesty.

How to Train Your Dragon

2010-12-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

Dreamworks Animation's best movie? Quite possibly. It is a wonderfully simple and well told story with endearing characters who grow and learn from their experiences in the film. You feel for the characters and their plea, and that's something Dreamworks has failed to do on numerous accounts until now. It isn't as emotionally stirring as a Pixar movie, but what it lacks in that category it more than makes up for with fantastic action set pieces and dragon flying sequences that show off some of the best animation I've seen. Toothless is such a great character too. I absolutely loved him to death. I know kids will too. The film teaches important lessons about being yourself and not giving in to peer pressure just because everyone else does it. I'm quite surprised I liked this movie as much as I did. The previews did nothing for me and I expected it to be another mediocre Dreamworks movie, but I'm perfectly fine with being wrong. Dare I say it, this is up there with Toy Story 3 as one of the best movies this year (animated or not).

The Karate Kid

2010-12-23T12:21:00.002-08:00

A completely relaxed and heartwarming film that is surprisingly enjoyable despite being utterly predictable the whole way through. Jaden is incredibly likable in this movie, unlike some of his past performances (The Day The Earth Stood Still comes to mind). Jackie Chan is as well, showing he can play a dramatic part as well as all the kung fu craziness he's done in the past. I haven't seen the original in a very long time so I can't really compare them, but I liked this movie quite a bit. It's sweet and endearing.

The Square

2010-12-23T12:21:00.001-08:00

A dark and gloomy thriller with little hope for its characters and yet still gripping from start to finish thanks to strong performances and a tense screenplay. This is far from a happy movie, and the characters take beating after beating until succumbing to fate. Those who don't like movies where nothing good comes of what they do will not take to it, but for those that like their thriller with affairs, betrayal, and blood will eat this up. A very fine Australian import worth some attention.

Predators

2010-12-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

Very much a B macho movie with little character development and plenty of guns a blazing, but it wasn't as fun and entertaining as I thought it would be. The story is predictable and the movie plays out like typical horror movies (guess which order each character dies in). It certainly has some stylish action sequences and isn't completely worthless, but I expected better and Predator deserves better. It's still not the sequel people have been hoping for, but it isn't a complete failure either.

Splice

2010-10-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

A chilling, thoughtful horror thriller where the science fiction aspects sort of get pushed to the side for the horror to take it in different directions. The leads give convincing performances and keep the train rolling even when things go a little wacky. The most enthralling aspect of the story for me was Dren's relationship with the two main characters. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the movie because you can see how deadly Dren is, but lovable all the same. Is she going to embrace them, or destroy them? It was compelling and made the movie for me. The special effects aren't as good as they could be, but they aren't terrible. Creature designs are still quite good and production as a whole is solid. I loved the lighting in the labs. I know a bunch of people who didn't like the horror aspects of this film and were hoping for more out of the science fiction side, but I thought they matched them well and I was satisfied.

Jonah Hex

2010-10-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

Jonah Hex is instantly forgettable and over before it begins. It's messy, undeveloped plot and cheesy CGI make me believe that something went wrong in the editing department. It's only 82 minutes long (minus credits, so actually about 75-80) which isn't much time to get things accomplished. Josh Brolin doesn't have much to work with, but he's still the best part of the movie by far. This is definitely one of the worth comic book/graphic novel movies I've ever seen. It isn't the least bit fun and rushes through the motions of a movie based on a popular graphic novel. Don't waste your time thinking it will be a guilty pleasure or one of those movies that's so bad it's good. It's just bad.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

2010-10-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Shallow, lightweight entertainment, but sometimes that's all something aims for and Prince of Persia's aspirations are certainly to entertain more than anything else. For me, it succeeded. This was a fast watch that flew by with almost 2 hours feeling like minutes. Jake Gyllenhaal does a nice job as the charming prince with funny one liners sprinkled throughout, most aimed at the princess played by Gemma Arterton. They have nice rapport among them and have enough chemistry to make you believe they fall in love by the end. The story is certainly all over the place and people have complained about that, but if you are familiar with the source material at all it's easily understandable. There's plenty of enjoyable actors playing smaller parts too, from Ben Kingsley to Alfred Molina. If all you want to do is watch good looking people bounce around in an admittedly preposterous film, there's certainly much worse things you could watch than Prince of Persia. It's a fun little movie and I look forward to a hopeful sequel to quench my next shallow entertainment craving.

Robin Hood

2010-10-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

A simplistic, but well rounded action epic full of great battles and wonderful scenery to make up for the lack of character development and drama. It still has some good performances and the characters are worth rooting for, making it an entertaining watch. It's 2 and a half hours long, but it didn't feel like it at all. I usually don't like movies that long because they seem to drag, but this one kept my attention the entire time. It's a little rushed story wise at points, but that's ok. We all know how it ends anyway (if you are familiar with Robin Hood, anyway). Those looking for an entertaining action epic with great production values and strong performances can pick this one up for sure.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

2010-10-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

Not being a massive fan of the original (I still think it's a good film, but far from amazing) I was fine with a remake having another actor getting the chance to play a horror icon. Jackie Earle Haley is fine in the movie (although his voice isn't scary at all in this, a shame), but everything around him is the problem. The visual effects department decided Freddy needed to look more realistic and used CGI and it just doesn't look scary like it used to. Freddy's physical appearance was part of the scares of the original, but it just looks off in this movie. The visual effects other than that are quite good and Samuel Bayer clearly spent time getting everything right in regards to that, but he doesn't do anything else noteworthy. Story is retread material instead of a re-imagining including several sequences lifted straight from the original. Never a good way to do a remake, in my opinion. The premise is still genuinely terrifying, but Craven took it further and did better things with it than Bayer did in this one.

The Haunted Airman

2010-10-08T10:34:00.001-07:00

An amateurishly made film with bland performances. It is most definitely a slow burner that likes to think its slow pace makes it look somewhat poetic in nature, but all it does is wear the viewer down until they give up and turn it off or just stop paying attention. This happened to me numerous times. There's not really any horror in the movie nor any compelling drama, just tiresome cliches about the psychology of a war veteran and the toll it takes on them. Don't be fooled into thinking this is worthy of your time just because known actors are in it. It most certainly is not, and even at a slim 70 minutes the movie is still too long. This would have been an alright 30 minute tv movie to show on Halloween, but stretched beyond all measure it simply doesn't make the cut

Batman: Under the Red Hood

2010-10-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

Following in the footsteps of the superb Nolan films, Under the Red Hood is a mature and sophisticated animated film with plenty of exciting moments packed into its slim 75 minute runtime. The voice cast isn't quite as good as The Batman Animated Series (I haven't kept up on who's been doing these voices, but Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill were almost perfect and reprised their roles in the video game Arkham Asylum last year, which means they are still interested in the franchise and willing to do it), but the cast is decent and does a respectable job filling in. John Di Maggio has the biggest shoes to fill since Hamill's Joker is almost legendary. Di Maggio has the laugh down, although he doesn't have as many quirks as Hamill did with the character. I missed Hamill, but at the same time I wasn't constantly thinking about it. The story is more in line with the comics than the films, with Ra's Al Ghuul being immortal and all the somewhat silly stuff thrown in. I prefer the more realistic approach seeing as Ra's plays an integral part of the story, as well as his way of staying immortal. Minor complaint though, as this was definitely one of the best Batman stories I've seen so far. It would have been a good live action film too, and that is saying something. Hopefully WB keeps the quality of the animated movies this good. I'd be thrilled.

Date Night

2010-10-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

Tina Fey and Steve Carell lift up material that doesn't give them the quality of writing and directing they deserve. There really isn't anything more to be said about the movie. It's too long for the material and gets incredibly repetitive but coasts along just barely on the charms of the lead performers. This easily would have been a direct to DVD release had it not featured so many stars with box office power. I'm not saying it doesn't have a few enjoyable moments sprinkled in, but there's so much mediocre writing/ gags that they drag down the movie. I'm sort of getting sick of all these action romantic comedies that Hollywood keeps throwing out. They are of consistently mediocre quality

The Ghost Writer

2010-10-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

A deliberately paced and well rounded political thriller with strong performances and gorgeous cinematography. I found myself staring into the background and taking in the scenery quite a bit during the scenes. This isn't one of those thrillers were someone is on the run the whole time, though. Ewan McGregor is a newly hired ghost writer for a former British Prime Minister who took the place of the last one that was really close to the family when he showed up on the shore of the beach dead. Everyone thought it was just an accident, but was it? As he continues to dig into the past and present of the former British Prime Minister, he discovers shocking secrets that threaten his and the entire nations safety. The Ghost Writer does a good job of keeping things hidden and revealing them little by little to keep your interest during many scenes consisting of nothing but two characters interacting through dialogue. The writing is very good, which helps. There's a few spots where it drags, but nothing bad and it still managed to hold interest throughout. If you are one of those people who likes your thrillers with a little less adrenaline and a healthy does of dialogue and political intrigue, this one is right up your alley.

Death at a Funeral

2010-08-23T11:49:00.001-07:00

I haven't seen the original so no comparisons, but I thought this was quite funny and enjoyable. It has plenty of absurd situations that aren't particularly in good taste, but as long as it is funny I don't mind. And it was. It dives right in from the get go and doesn't let up. James Marsden got on my nerves a little with his over the top performance, but Zoe Saldana makes up for it. I'm becoming a fan of Columbus Short as well, who carried "Armored" all the way through and has the chops for comedy as well. Martin Lawrence and Tracy Morgan do their typical shtick while Chris Rock is dialed down mostly, which worked. Danny Glover was a little annoying too, but his character isn't in it much. It's worth the 90 minute investment if you like this sort of comedy or the cast. I liked both, for the most part.

Kick Ass

2010-08-23T11:44:00.001-07:00

A slightly disappointing film for me just because of the excessively optimistic word of mouth. I'm not saying it is bad in any way, I'm just saying I was expecting my socks to get blown off and it didn't happen. I'm a fan of Matthew Vaughn's previous movies (Layer Cake, Stardust) so I was very excited about this one. It's nice to have a tongue in cheek superhero movie that doesn't take itself seriously for once, but it kind of abandons it as soon as Red Mist comes into play. I did still enjoy all of the characters (especially Nic Cage as Big Daddy and Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl, who easily steals the show as soon as she hits the screen). Mark Strong is typecast as the villain (he's been doing that quite a bit lately), but he's still decent. There's plenty of great action sequences, lots of hardcore laughs, and even a little romance mixed in. It makes you care for the characters and their circumstances by the end too, which is nice. Like I said before, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't anything extraordinary nor did it do anything to elevate the superhero genre.

Brooklyn's Finest

2010-08-23T11:42:00.001-07:00

I loved Training Day so I gave this one a shot despite bad word of mouth and after watching it I don't quite understand the hate. The gritty and realistic tone reminds me of Training Day and it fits well with these cop movies that Fuqua comes up with. The cast is excellent and every single one of them gives a standout performance. It's a great ensemble. The 3 stories don't come together at the end in a meaningful way like I thought they would, but that's one of my only complaints. Each story is interesting individually and that kept me involved throughout the somewhat long running time. I guess these cop movies must just be my thing, but for what it's worth I enjoyed Brooklyn's Finest quite a bit.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

2010-08-23T11:41:00.001-07:00

A cliche, predictable, but not entirely despicable movie. It does have a charming cast and nice message for the little ones who this is targeted towards. I must say it was pretty entertaining, but not something I would probably want to watch again. It was so much like every other movie that has teenagers and school involved. It has nice pacing and a couple of cutely funny moments, but no moments of biting satire or edge to it. Seems like it might have been watered down a little bit in the translation from book to screen, but I haven't read the book to confirm this. Just speculation. Either way you put it though, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is good for a boring afternoon to occupy the kids or revel in some school nostalgia, but you'll likely forget about it soon after.

The Runaways

2010-08-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

Not as good as it could have been, but in its superficial and entertaining way it succeeds, largely thanks to the cast and their performances. Dakota Fanning is the standout, giving a raw and mature performance unlike anything I've seen from her before. Kristen Stewart is solid, although this isn't anything outside her range and nothing she hasn't done before. Michael Shannon is very good too in an off the wall wacky performance too. The movie has pacing problems here and there ( especially at the end), but thanks to the music and atmosphere it overcomes it. It's an entertaining look at how The Runaways rose to fame, but it doesn't delve into the characters like a biopic. As long as you don't mind that, it's a good time.

The Losers

2010-08-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

A relentlessly paced action movie with a good cast elevating the material to likable status among cheap action flicks. The movie looks good, has decent chemistry among the cast, has quite a few funny moments, and even manages to lampoon the cliches of action movies while simultaneously embracing them without failing. I enjoyed myself, despite the story being all over the place and not making much sense at times. It's a preposterous movie, but one that makes it a compliment rather than a complaint. In other words, its brainless, but when it looks and sounds this good, I'm willing to accept it. It might be shallow, but occasionally that works.

Repo Men

2010-08-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

Starts out as a gleefully over the top science fiction movie with a cool premise and a few witty scenes spiced with some dark humor, but ends up being too serious and over indulgent by the end. Jude Law does a fine job in the action lead role and has decent chemistry with his co-stars, but the movie can't decide if it wants to be over the top funny or dead serious with a ton of gory visuals. I like to think I have a high tolerance for blood and gore (I got through The Human Centipede and other grotesque movies fine), but Repo Men actually had a few scenes where I was looking through my fingers it was so bad. There's a few cool action sequences, but the movie gets repetitive by the end and takes far too long to get to its conclusion because of all the running around and shooting. The ending was also sort of frustrating and manipulative. I sound like I hated this movie really, but I'm more just annoyed that it could have been better made with a little more care. It's not boring and has its moments, they are just outweighed by everything else I mentioned.

Chloe

2010-08-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

Chloe is an undeniably enjoyable and evocative movie for the first 2/3 before it transforms into something I didn't see coming... and in this case the surprise in store throws everything off the deep end. The performances are pretty good, but the actors deserved a better ending to this movie. The screenplay is way too ridiculous by the end. It just feels like a cheap way for everything to be resolved without having to deal with the issues it presented. It really irritates me that the first 2/3 was so good because this movie was turning into a solidly enjoyable little thriller, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Foreign)

2010-08-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

An enthralling thriller with fantastically unique and intriguing characters whom grow on you throughout the film. The main plot is your standard murder mystery that isn't anything special, but because the characters and actors are so good it sparks your interest more than it should thanks to your involvement with the them. It has plenty of graphic and intense violence/nudity that some won't be able to take, but for me that just made it all the more memorable. Some of the scenes will be burned in my memory forever. Some have complained about the length of this film considering the plot doesn't do much, but because I liked the characters so much the time flew by and I didn't even realize it had been 2 and a half hours. If you aren't involved with the characters, I can see it being a chore to sit through. Fortunately, I'm the former of those two and easily champion this as one of my favorites of the year. I can't wait to watch "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and continue to learn new things about Lisbeth. Her past is haunted, tragic, and painful, but yet I still feel like we barely scratched the surface here.

Cop Out

2010-08-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

A mildly entertaining mess of a movie with a thinly drawn plot and a general lack of fresh ideas for the genre. It has an occasionally funny line or gag, but for every successful one there is probably 4-5 failures to cringe at. The direction from Kevin Smith isn't much beyond letting the scenes drag out longer than they need too. The cast looks like it is having a lot of fun making the movie, but it doesn't rub off on the viewer much when everything is so uninspired. The major villain is also laughably cartoonish and not at all menacing. After it was over I felt like I kind of enjoyed myself despite all the flaws. Looking back on it after a day though, I have no idea how I thought this.

Youth in Revolt

2010-08-23T11:31:00.001-07:00

Youth In Revolt was a frustrating movie because it felt, much like the multiple personalities of its title character, that it was multiple movies and ideas being shoehorned into one chaotic jumble. The romance between the teenagers feels forced, unnatural, and at times unbelievable. The other half was the better half with Michael Cera doing all sorts of crazy things as Francois, which generates the only real laughter in the movie. The movie doesn't successfully go back and forth between the two and makes the movie feel uneven as a result. Portia Doubleday is the highlight, but she isn't enough to get me to recommend this. It's not horrible, but it's no riot either.

She's Out of My League

2010-08-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

There's something to be said about a purely enjoyable romantic comedy that doesn't induce anger and frustration in me at this point. I've seen so many mediocre and forgettable ones that even a competently well made one can give me a smile. This film is just that. Nothing really outstanding, but it develops the characters nicely, I enjoyed the couple and rooted for them, and the film actually didn't feel forced. The comedy is a little raunchy, but nothing like an Apatow film (with the exception of a scene or two, but there's still much less of it than in those films). It has a sweet core to it that doesn't get pushed to the side. She's out of my League is definitely worth giving a shot if you enjoy a well made romantic comedy.

Green Zone

2010-08-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

This movie bored me quite extensively, to the point where I almost fell asleep. It's so simple-minded and there's really nothing that engaged me like there was in similar movies (like Body of Lies, a movie I enjoyed quite a bit more). There's nothing wrong with the acting or direction, the movie just lacked surprises and the action was surprisingly little for all of the hoopla about it being directed by Paul Greengrass. I'm disappointed and can now see why the movie did fairly little business at the box office. Maybe I'm spoiled after watching The Hurt Locker earlier this year, but this movie felt out of date.

Hot Tub Time Machine

2010-08-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

I don't know what to think of this movie. On one hand, I was entertained, but on the other hand I was turned off by the ridiculous amount of over the top moments and gags. This could have been a smart and deceptive comedy, but they took it the complete opposite way and made it dumb. If all you want to do is turn your brain off and watch stupid characters do stupid things, this is for you. It's just as smart as the title implies.

Remember Me

2010-07-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

A surprisingly heartfelt and intense drama that is a little too heavy handed, but nevertheless is effective at getting you involved in the characters and their predicaments. The cast is uniformly good, which is a surprise to me more than anything else. Much has been said about the ending, which I don't want to spoil (although it is telegraphed quite extensively), but I will say that it didn't bother me much at all. I think people are fussing over it a little too much. Some won't be able to like the movie just because of it, but if you like well done melodrama with a hint of darkness, this is a solid choice well worth 2 hours.

From Paris with Love

2010-06-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

A fun 90 minute action movie with little to recommend beyond the adrenaline rush it provides. It is relentlessly paced to the point that it can actually become a little exhausting. It also has a somewhat confusing story, although it isn't the focus of the movie and therefore it doesn't suffer a whole lot from it. Travolta is chewing on the scenery and loving it, providing the biggest joy the movie has to offer. Rhys-Meyers doesn't really do much beyond act surprised at what Travolta is doing, but they have an effective buddy relationship by the end of the film. From Paris with Love is nothing to get all that excited about, but if all you are looking for is 90 minutes of non-stop action that doesn't tax the brain and provides a few fun moments then this is for you.

When in Rome

2010-06-21T13:07:00.001-07:00

Beth (Kristen Bell) is ready for love and what better place to find it than Rome? During her sister's wedding she comes across a fountain of love and decides she is going to take some coins from it. When all sorts of men unexpectedly start falling in love with her at the same time she begins a budding new romance she has to question... is it real or is it the fountain? I found this light romantic comedy pretty funny and enjoyed the chemistry between Bell and Josh Duhamel.

Leap Year

2010-06-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

Amy Adams stars in this romantic comedy about a girl who is sick of waiting for her boyfriend to propose so decides it is time to take matters into her own hands. She decides to surprise her boyfriend in Ireland and follow the local tradition than a woman can propose to a man during leap year day. Of course the journey does not go as planned and she has to enlist the help of Declan (Matthew Goode) who makes her start questioning how she wants the journey to end. A corny but enjoyable chick flick taking place in gorgeous Ireland.

Letters to Juliet

2010-06-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

I have to admit if you watched the previews for this movie than you pretty much know the whole story. A fairly common storyline where girl is engaged to the wrong guy meets Mr. Wonderful, and of course they fall in love and live happily ever after. I have to admit that I was much more interested in the Grandmother's love story than the young kids, but of course how can you not be when it involves Vanessa Redgrave. Overall a romantic-comedy that is extremely predictable but enjoyable. I am a sucker for a cheesy love story with a happy ending and now of course I would love to visit Verona, Italy.

Edge of Darkness

2010-06-15T15:56:00.001-07:00

An incomprehensible story with a few strings of action attached to lots of dialogue. I was expecting more action than what I got. The movie is more of a conspiracy thriller (and I use the term "thriller" loosely). It works well enough when focusing on the revenge aspect of the story (and there's some pretty good action sequences), but as soon as the conspiracy theories and buckets of dialogue come in things grind to a halt. It should have went one way or the other, but instead we have a hybrid that doesn't work like it could have. Mel Gibson does fine in the role and shows he can still highlight a movie effectively, while the supporting cast is small, but decent. Ray Winstone's character is just shadowy enough that you never know whose side he is on and that's probably the most compelling thing about the movie. If you wanted an action thriller, you aren't getting it here. If you don't mind lots of dialogue in between your action, it's a decent, but unspectacular movie.

Valentine's Day

2010-06-15T15:55:00.001-07:00

Despite being utterly predictable and cliche, the charm factor of Valentine's Day was enough to carry me through to the end with a smile on my face. It isn't a very good movie, but that's not always what matters. Sometimes you just want to be entertained and this film does the job. It is about 20-30 minutes to long and some of the plots get tiresome and too similar, but those are the only complaints I have. Taylor Swift was absolutely awful in this movie as well, but I have a feeling it was intentional and I thought it was hilarious how bad she was. The rest of the cast is competent. Valentine's Day is carried just enough by the charm of its cast to get by, although it's no "Love, Actually".

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

2010-06-15T15:54:00.001-07:00

A visually wondrous movie with a story that's all over the place and doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I'm sure Ledger dying in the middle altered the story somewhat, but I still think this is what Gilliam had in mind when he started. I really couldn't recall the story to anyone other than the absolute basics even after watching the movie 5 minutes ago, but I can recall how imaginative and creative Gilliam's film was. It has great production values with some decent performances. You watch it for the visual spectacle and to see Ledger's final performance. There's nothing else really to the film, but that's fine by me. It was 2 hours well spent.

The Road

2010-06-04T12:18:00.001-07:00

A bleak, unsettling movie that might be too dark for some and doesn't have the emotional pull it thinks it does, but nonetheless provides 2 solid hours of material that will stick with you long after the credits roll. There isn't much story to speak of and they never go into the specifics of how Earth was annihilated. Instead it focuses on the bond between father and son and how far people are willing to go to survive, no matter the cost to our humanity. Strong performances from Mortensen and Mcphee help the movie coast along on the weight of their characters, before it ultimately unravels from the final 15 minutes where things just don't seem in place and don't make much sense in retrospect. Until then though, the movie does just enough to get a slight recommendation. It could have been better, but what's there is still quality cinema.

The Messenger

2010-06-04T12:17:00.001-07:00

When it focuses on the job of these 2 men and the emotional trauma caused by it, I thought it was a compelling and thought-provoking film and I loved the first hour to death. Then it got more into the brotherly love with the 2 characters and how they go off the deep end and I wasn't as interested. It doesn't fall apart, but I thought the second hour was incredibly weak when compared to the first. The acting by Foster and Harrelson is superb, though. They carry the film on their shoulders well. That first hour is great enough that I'm still giving this a solid recommendation. You might like the second part more than me, but I like my movies more emotional than others do as long as it is handled well, which it was in this film.

The Young Victoria

2010-05-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

It's initially hard to wrap your head around all the names and faces since they throw them at you pretty fast, but once things settle in its an interesting bio-pic stuffed full of lush production design and costumes. Emily Blunt is luminous in the title role and the supporting cast is very good. The musical score is also rousing, highlighting the grand moments while making everything feel like we were there, watching Victoria herself take the crown. I very much enjoyed this movie, maybe because I'm a sucker for period pieces, but I feel it's well constructed and acted enough to make the flaws seem inconsequential. It is slow at parts, but I was never bored. It isn't quite one of my favorites of 2009, but it is darn close.

Nine

2010-05-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

An entertaining musical with a great cast. It does have problems of consistency when going from drama to music & dance, but it is still effective in capturing the mood of the story. The movie does lack heft in some of the scenes that don't involve music, although Daniel Day-Lewis is very good in the role. Marion Cotillard and Penelope Cruz also impress because we care for their characters despite the limited amount of time they get on screen. The musical numbers aren't fantastic, but they are decent and nicely staged. They do feel like an add-on to the movie though. I was more interested in Guido and his rise and fall relationship with cinema than I was with his struggles pertaining to lots of women. I feel as though the parts about cinema are stronger than the others. The movie is a little bit too long, mainly because I felt the musical numbers were forgettable even while still being entertaining, but Nine is worth your time if you want to watch attractive actors & actresses strut around in musical number for 2 hours. The tone of the movie is quite depressing though, so it sucks some of the fun out of it.

Legion

2010-05-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

A cheesy B movie with lackluster special effects, hokey dialogue, and mediocre action sequences. The premise is initially intriguing, but they way it is handled squanders any potential the film had. The acting is also pretty much a joke except for Paul Bettany, who brings credibility to most roles. It is, however, a pretty darn entertaining movie for all of its missteps. It has a rushed climax and the movie feels constrained and small in scope compared to where the story is trying to go, but it does have some B movie charm. It won't be everyone's style and it will probably be hard for quite a few to appreciate, but its a decent time if you know what you are in for. It is not a good movie, though.

The Descent Part 2

2010-05-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

A disappointing sequel where all the ideas and intriguing aspects of the original are scrapped in favor of more gore, more action, and pointless character cameos that ruin the story of the first movie. It's a pointless sequel that kind of ruins my fond memories of the first one. Everything that was beautiful and haunting about the first movie has been turned into murky, disgusting cinema and cheap looking special effects. I guess the only good things I have to say about this movie are that I wasn't bored while watching it and it was competently acted.

Five Minutes of Heaven

2010-05-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

A movie worth the 90 minutes invested, even when the movie starts to get slow towards the end and builds to a conclusion that doesn't satisfy in all regards. The acting is great and we understand the pain both of these characters have gone through since the killing occurred. For those that don't know, the movies about the meeting of 2 individuals, one whom killed the others older brother in Northern Ireland when the Catholics and Ulster Volunteer Force were fighting and riots were everywhere and everyday.

The movie takes place 30 years later when they are both grown men (Liam Neeson plays the killer, who was 17 at the time, and James Nesbitt plays the victim, who was 11 at the time). James Nesbitt's character witnessed the whole thing and looked the killer straight in the eyes when it happened. The killer didn't know it was the brother, or he says he probably would have killed him too (this is said by Liam Neeson during a monologue). The mom blames the little kid for not stopping the killer, even though there was nothing he could really do. This is what hurts him the most. They are to meet on a television program and hopefully reconcile in front of everyone.

There's a very good build up to this point, and what happens may surprise you a little bit. The movie loses steam a little towards the end when it gets really talky, but it is great until then. The roles are even reversed, with Liam Neeson playing the torn character hoping to be set free of his guilt, while James Nesbitt just wants to kill him for revenge, no matter what it cost him. The movie also does a great job of getting you to sympathize with both characters at once, since they aren't in the same scene together (or room for that matter). It isn't a must see movie, but one I can definitely recommend.

It's Complicated

2010-05-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

Not wholly unenjoyable, but nothing to write home about either. It'll pass the time, but you'll likely forget about it in a week. It's got a few funny moments, but it's fairly predictable in that area and in its plot and focus. The performances are solid though and enliven the predictability. John Krasinski was probably the funniest. It's easy to see why this movie got decently popular. It's comes out of the Nancy Meyer factory. Her movies are like bibles for middle-aged loners trying to find their way through life, which apparently people find funny (I don't). Whether or not that appeals to you is uncertain, but nonetheless have at it if you are interested. It's Complicated is far from a bad movie, I just found it too predictable and a little boring. Romantic comedies are truly in a rut (500 Days of Summer being the exception).

Iron Man 2

2010-05-08T21:02:00.001-07:00

A movie that fails to live up to the hype. There's been a few recent superhero/comic book sequels to surpass an already excellent original (Spider-Man 2 and The Dark Knight come to mind), but Iron Man 2 is not among them. Not only is it worse than the original, it just wasn't all that much fun. Everything awesome about the first Iron Man movie is gone except for Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark (who is great again). The villain sucks and his motivations are uninteresting (never a good sign for this kind of movie) and there is a surprisingly large amount of exposition and dialogue (the one-liners can only take it so far). The action scenes are decent, but nothing spectacular and I felt the special effects were worse than the first movie. The plot also features far too much Avengers and not enough Iron Man. They didn't focus on what they needed to, leaving an unsatisfying feeling. I don't know if there will be an Iron Man 3 before the Avengers, but I kind of hope they get this back on track before then. There's lots of potential still left on the floor.

The Lovely Bones

2010-05-06T23:01:00.000-07:00

The first 30-45 minutes I enjoyed greatly and was ready to crown this movie one of my favorites of the year, but alas there was still over an hour left in the movie, and that's where things went ugly. As soon as Susie dies and we start getting otherworldly scenes, the movie comes to a grinding halt and I just started having wandering thoughts instead of paying attention. There really was no need for them. I don't feel like anything was gained in terms of plot or character by having them in there. The movie was much more interesting and entertaining when focusing on the killer or the family trauma and the performance given by Stanley Tucci as the killer is chilling and a little mesmerizing. Every time his character was on screen I was riveted. The rest of the cast is solid, if unspectacular. It's really too bad the movie has such tone shifts from family drama, to suspenseful thriller, to outright boringness. There was potential here for greatness, and despite the technical excellence of everything it just doesn't completely satisfy.

The Collector

2010-04-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

An incredibly gory horror movie that puts Saw to shame in that particular category. I never flinched while watching those films, but this one got to me several times. It has a cool premise (guy breaks into a house to steal something to pay off loan sharks and finds that someone has booby trapped it and locked everything) and plenty of suspenseful moments, but they could have held back at least some on the copious amounts of gore that will turn off all but the most ardent of horror fans. They will lose certain audience members just from that. I will say that it engaged me the entire running length and the protagonist is easy to root for, even though we know he was trying to steal from the family. It has some a few slight twists too, but the ending is a little on the rough side for anyone who likes a happy ending. You don't get it here, that's for sure. Far from awful, but not quite good, The Collector is a solid rental as long as you like horror movies with more gore than brains.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

2010-04-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

A mad, off the wall police movie with Nicolas Cage giving a solid performance. There's plenty of "bad" cop movies, but this is certainly the most ridiculous one I have seen so far. If you are a fan of over-the-top sequences, this movie has them in spades. It's a fairly engaging and interesting movie and Nicolas Cage's descent into madness is effectively done by both his performance and the screenplay/script. There's a few things that didn't work for me, like the drug-induced hallucinations (iguana's and whatnot) and the ending, which was a little too safe, but it is entertaining for its entire running length and worth a visit.

Brothers

2010-04-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

A gripping and compelling drama featuring three great performances. There wasn't a single dull moment in the entire film. The characters are well fleshed out and the script/screenplay make them feel like real human beings instead of pawns being manipulated by a story. I have not seen the original movie this is based off of, but I feel like this movie can't be much better than it already is. It is one of the best films I have seen about the toll war can take on people when they get back home. Tobey Maguire's character ends the movie with the perfect line to sum up the film: "I don't know who said 'only the dead have seen the end of war'. I have seen the end of war. The question is: can I live again?" The movie is definitely not a feel good movie, but it at least ends with a glimmer of light.

An Education

2010-04-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

An Education is a smart film that shows just how important independence and education can be to success. Would you rather take a shortcut straight to a life of freedom and enjoyability, but have to rely on someone else for everything, or would you rather earn it all yourself that way when the going gets tough you can get through it? These are interesting questions that many people would give different answers to. The film is a little predictable the further you get into it, but it overcomes this with an exuberant performance from Carey Mulligan and a stellar supporting cast. Mulligan carries the film on her shoulders and I can't wait to see more of her work. The film looks great too. It has a very Victorian flavor to it and the beautiful locations only add to it. The ending is quite as good as the movie itself mainly because I felt it was rushed and could have explored a little more deeply the relationship between the two title characters, but it's a small complaint about an otherwise good movie.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

2010-04-04T15:05:00.001-07:00

Wastes a talented cast in a stupid, unfunny, and sometimes boring comedy. It is rather harmless though. It won't offend anyone I wouldn't think, but there is almost no story to speak of here and the jokes fall flat most of the time. The targets were obvious and the movie rambles quite a bit. Everyone outside of Clooney and McGregor is given little screen time and probably shouldn't be given much of a billing, but they had to get people to watch it. Unless you are looking for a completely un-serious glimpse of men at war that doesn't do much, skip this.

Clash of the Titans

2010-04-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

A superior film to the infuriatingly boring and bland original, but not much underneath the visual effects and big action sequences. The movie is more serious than the original (although there is still some cheese for sure), but not any smarter. Despite a huge budget and plenty of expensive visual effects, there is never a sustained feeling of awe except for the few minutes the Kracken is on screen (which was shown in previews already). The story is basically the same as the original, although a few of the details have been changed. This material certainly could be made into a great film, but the reliance on keeping the spirit of the original holds it back (after all, most of their gross will come from fans of the original). This version of Clash of the Titans is certainly more entertaining and action-packed when compared to the original and I can't see people fond of the 1981 version not liking it, but if you are in the same group as me that didn't understand the cult classic status of the original, it probably won't do much other than be a mild diversion for 2 hours.

Cold Souls

2010-03-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

An occasionally clever and funny comedy that has a great premise, but dodgy execution. I don't think the film had enough material for 90+ minutes. It drags at times when it's trying to wring drama out of the situation and the material that comes up later in the movie is more conventional than I thought it would be. Paul Giamatti does a good job of playing a character based on himself and runs fearlessly through this crazy material while the rest of the cast is underused. Is Cold Souls a waste of time? Definitely not. It's unique and offers a few laughs, for what that is worth, but I can't quite recommend it completely.

The Fourth Kind

2010-03-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

A hokey movie that tries to convince you it is of real footage when it actually isn't. All it takes is a click of a mouse to figure it out and you'll hate the filmmakers for trying to convince you otherwise. There are some interesting parts in here and a few chilling moments, but it is too contrived at points and the directors decision to use fake "real" footage alongside the "dramatization" of his fake footage doesn't work and only pulls you out of the experience rather than the other way around. It doesn't feel like a real movie, but it also doesn't feel like a documentary either. It's in that middle ground of nothingness. That's not a good thing. Despite all its failings, The Fourth Kind is at least an interesting failure, but one that most people will be infuriated by because of the filmmakers choices.

Armored

2010-03-22T22:57:00.001-07:00

An incredibly fun, if flawed, heist movie featuring a good cast and plenty of thrills. The plot is basic and the characters are stock, but the actors do a good job with what they are given. The movie has good pacing and kept me engaged for the entire running length. There's also some pretty tense moments that are well directed by Nimrod Antal. It's a pretty short movie at 88 minutes (less if you don't count credits) which means it goes by very quickly. It's a little contrived at points and you might scoff at some of the plot elements, but if you have enough suspension of disbelief this is a wild ride that entertains accordingly. It's 88 minutes of unabashed entertainment. It may not be something you'll think about come tomorrow, but you'll have a good time anyway.

The Crazies

2010-03-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

A slick and well made entry into the horror genre and one of the rare Hollywood remakes that is actually worth anything. The movie presents likable characters in a familiar scenario, but because it is so well done you don't mind that you have seen most of this before. The film has plenty of great set pieces that quicken the pulse and intensify the experience. This is definitely a faster paced horror movie than most. There's plenty of boo! moments and things go boom! really well, all making for one of the best horror movies in recent memory and the best one of the current year so far. If you are a horror aficionado and don't mind a few cliches in your B movies, give The Crazies a shot. It's crazily enjoyable.

Invictus

2010-03-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

Clint Eastwood does another amazing job directing this movie based on the true story of the events in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was elected President shortly after getting out of jail. When an entire country is in such a precarious place who knew that a soccer team could have such an amazing impact on such a radically divided country. Morgan Freeman does a wonderful job portraying such an important person in South African history and Matt Damon is a fantastic counterpart.

The Blind Side

2010-03-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

What else do you say about this movie other than it was just all around outstanding. The fact that it is based on the true story of professional football player Michael Oher is just icing on the cake. Sandra Bullock was wonderful as Leigh Anne Tuohy and Tim McGraw did surprisingly well as her husband. Add in Kathy Bates who is usually great and you have a wonderful movie that eveyone should see. Bullock's Oscar for best actress was rightfully given.

Did You Hear About the Morgans?

2010-03-17T16:06:00.000-07:00

Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker star in this movie which reminded me of a less funny version of Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley's For Richer or Poorer. Their marriage is on the rocks, but when they accidently witness a murder they are sent together into the witness protection program. What follows is a very typical and "been there done that" rest of the story. Not a horrible movie, and as someone who is a huge fan of Hugh Grant and Sam Elliott I was still moderately entertained.

Amelia

2010-03-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hilary Swank does it again in this re-telling of the very interesting life of Amelia Earhart, and Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor round out the cast as the two main men in her life. Not only does Swank do a good job of portraying Earhart and all that she accomplished before her disappearance, but does it in a way that even though it is not the best movie she had made, makes you want to keep watching. An enjoyable movie that is worth the watch.

Old Dogs

2010-03-17T15:42:00.000-07:00

Old Dogs turned out to be a very disappointing movie for such a wonderful cast. The plot had potential but somewhere along the way someone really screwed up in the way they wrote the characters. Both main characters played by John Travolta and Robin Williams were more annoying than anything and you can tell that they even had a hard time getting into the role. The best thing about the movie was the co-stars who had much smaller roles (Seth Green, Matt Dillon, and Bernie Mac). I'm sure some folks will still enjoy the movie, but I had trouble not shutting it off.

The Princess and the Frog

2010-03-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

This is the story of when hard-working waitress Tiana meets spoiled Prince Naveen (who has been turned into a frog) and their journey to break the voodoo spell that has been cast on him. Along the way they meet some wonderful new friends and of course get into all sorts of trouble. Disney does an amazing job with their first film to have an African-American star. The wonderful visual effects and amazing music along with a ton of comedy thrown in makes this movie a great family film that everyone will love.

The Brothers Bloom

2010-03-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

A pleasant and surprising movie that is as entertaining as it is cerebral. It is always hard to tell whether what is happening is a part of the con, real, or a con within con that the characters don't know about. This unpredictability made it more enjoyable for me because I love thinking about this sort of stuff. It helps that the characters are colorful and played strongly by the excellent cast. The movie is breezy and the ending makes me want to go re-watch the movie instantly. The pacing does go back and forth a little bit, and is one of the only things that bothered me, but this is a solid heist caper and one I look forward to revisiting again.

The Informant!

2010-03-16T22:15:00.001-07:00

I went into this movie expecting a breezy, funny, lightweight comedy that doesn't take itself remotely seriously, but I was completely wrong. This film really isn't that funny and it was much darker than I was expecting. Matt Damon gives a great performance and is pretty much unrecognizable as Mark Whitacre, but I really didn't enjoy this movie all that much. It jumps around too much and I was losing interest a little over half way through when new revelations just kept popping up to throw the characters around in the tornado some more. I think my expectations got the best of me. It isn't awful, and it has a few chuckle worth moments sprinkled in there, but I probably wouldn't want to watch it again.

The Box

2010-03-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

Sure to have a mixed reaction among those that watch it, but put me firmly in the positive category. It's incredibly interesting and intriguing for the majority of its running length and I was fully engaged in the narrative because of this. It certainly has flaws, like the coherence not quite being there (much like Kelly's other films) and weak special effects, but I disregarded those because I was actually involved with the characters and their fate in this matter. This is a freaky and disturbing film about morality and its ramifications. The plot is preposterous sure, but it wasn't preposterous enough to break the barrier, at least for me. For those that like surreal experiences with the unknown and sometimes wonder about stuff outside of "the box", I heartily recommend this film.

Up in the Air

2010-03-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

A smart film that blends elements of romantic comedies and satires with emotion that rings true and sticks with you. All three lead performers are outstanding and deserved their Oscar nominations. George Clooney has been on fire in his career recently and definitely becoming a favorite of mine. Vera Farmiga has the smarts and the looks to pull off her role while Anna Kendrick is a nice surprise with her spunky performance as Natalie. The script is incredibly sharp and sensitive with its characters, who grow on you throughout the movie. These might be the most likeable bunch of people that fire others for a living you could possibly get on screen. It has quite a few things going on beside just the economic repercussions. There's plenty of talk among the characters about what it means to be committed to a partner and spend your life with them rather than being single and not having any "baggage" like George Clooney's character has been living his whole life. He finally falls for someone after all this time, due to convincing by Natalie and helping his family member for the first time, but he gets the rug pulled under him towards the very end. I felt incredibly sorry for him. The ending is depressing, but it fits the style and mood of the movie perfectly. This is one of my favorites of 2009.

Where the Wild Things Are

2010-03-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

A film that lacks a tight focus and meanders along for 90+ minutes and just doesn't properly gel. It's a gorgeous movie and it has a decent central performance from Max Records, but I was underwhelmed. The movie has uneven pacing and drags in the middle with its uneventful moments. There's not really an emotional center to grab onto and that was the biggest deal breaker for me. It isn't boring per se, but I wasn't sitting there jumping for joy at every moment. The special effects for the creatures are simply outstanding as is the voice work from the cast, but it wasn't quite enough for me to recommend the movie. I can definitely see it going completely over a child's head, not that it mattered to me. This might be one of those movies I appreciate more on a second viewing, but for now I'm sticking to my guns.

A Serious Man

2010-03-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

A Serious Man is a constantly bleak and depressing movie that some will inevitable dislike just for its outlook on humanity and its condition in this world, but for those who are looking for a thought provoking and unique cinematic experience, it will surely hit the spot. For me, I'm right in the middle between loving it and disliking it. It was at times funny, other times sad, and even shocking with some turns I did not expect. The movie does become rather absurd at times, but it only mildly annoyed me. Michael Stuhlbarg gives a standout performance as the main character whose life is unraveling before him without him (or us) understanding why and searching for an answer that just doesn't come. The ending has been controversial and my stance on it is that it fits the material well, even if it was a little confusing at first. Would I have liked a tidier ending? Maybe, but I wouldn't expect anything of the sort from the Coen Bros.

Law Abiding Citizen

2010-03-04T10:06:00.001-08:00

Law Abiding Citizen is an efficient and well made thriller, but one so preposterous and illogical that it takes away from the fun of the proceedings. It's entertaining, its gruesome, and its thought-provoking, but it is also way too hard to take the movie seriously with everything that happens throughout the course of the film. This is the exact kind of movie Hitchcock would call a "fridge" movie, or one that you think about after it is over and realize just how preposterous everything was, even more-so than when you were watching it and shaking your head in disbelief. I won't say I didn't enjoy the movie on visceral terms, but it still needed a few drafts before the more cerebral could enjoy it without yelling at the screen.

Halloween II

2010-03-02T15:04:00.000-08:00

If all of the characters from the first movie (which was a mediocre remake of the classic) weren't in this film, you wouldn't even know this is a Halloween movie. It's as far from the roots of the series as any film has ever been. There's no theme music, Michael has his mask off half the time and looks like a hillbilly with a large jacket, he grunts while killing people, and even speaks a word of dialog towards the end. Why? I have no clue, but it certainly makes him less scary...

With all this said, this is a brutal and depressingly dark movie that will take some time to get out of my brain. It's images are definitely at times sadistic and there's too much violence, even for a slasher film, but I was never really bored watching it. It's at least interesting from start to finish, even if its pacing & tone aren't consistent. I do think this would have been a better movie if Rob Zombie had decided to take his "vision" and do an original horror movie rather than butcher classic characters, but the almighty dollar was calling. There's certainly material here that I think would work if someone else besides him was directing too. I hate how he always puts in the white trash talk that is an instant turn off. I just don't think it fits with the source material and it is becoming a cliche in his body of work. Zombie also doesn't have a steady hand on the story which doesn't completely gel, and having two completely different versions of the movie that don't resemble each other that much doesn't help (for the record I watched the "directors cut"). Final thoughts: It wasn't horrible, but it certainly could have been much more.

Julie & Julia

2010-02-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

To celebrate one of the most famous food icons of all time and based on the book, Julie & Julia is a cute and funny movie about 2 very different ladies from two different times who both use their love of food to try and make meaning of their life. Meryl Streep is once again fantastic as Julia Child and Amy Adams does a great job as her counterpart. One of the best parts of the movie is seeing the amazing relationship Julia Child had with her husband (played by Stanley Tucci). An enjoyable movie worth the watch!

All About Steve

2010-02-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

This is a film about a geeky crossword writer desperate to find love. When one day Mary (Sandra Bullock) gets set up on a blind date with an incredibly attractive news cameraman (Bradley Cooper) she is determined not to let him go. She pretty much turns into a stalker and even though the goal was to make the crazy things she does for love funny it really comes off pathetic. The plot was choppy and even a great cast cannot save this film. Probably the worst Sandra Bullock movie I have seen.

Shutter Island

2010-02-19T20:53:00.000-08:00

A mesmerizing mind bender of a thriller with quite possibly Leonardo DiCaprio's best performance to date. Its all star cast of supporting actors & actresses do very well also. Shutter Island is atmospheric and conventional in all the ways traditional horror can be, but its gripping story and characters pull you in from the get go and don't let you go until the credits roll. It isn't really scary all that much, but it didn't need to be. It's always impossible to tell the real images from the fake ones, leaving you guessing and exhilarated the entire time. The movie has gorgeous visuals as well. I really can't say much more about it without giving anything away, but Shutter Island is my favorite movie of the year so far and anyone with my taste in movies absolutely must see it.

Couples Retreat

2010-02-18T22:23:00.000-08:00

Couples Retreat tries to mix laughs with melodrama and it isn't always successful, but the added weight of the message it has makes the monotony of its tired and unfunny gags less crappy and rises it slightly above the crap masquerading as comedy these days. There's a few chuckles in there, but most of the funny stuff was given away during the trailers and ad campaigns much like most movies of its type. That's too bad really, because coming with fresh eyes might make this a better experience. The movie is too long, coming in at almost 2 hours, but it is light entertainment and moderately enjoyable. Just don't expect anything out of it and you won't be as disappointed by it.

Whip It

2010-02-16T23:22:00.001-08:00

Drew Barrymore successfully marries the coming of age tale with a sports movies into an entertaining and likable movie, despite its shortcomings. Whip It is definitely cliched and predictable, as per the usual sports movies, but it comes out intact thanks to an a smarter than average screenplay that allows the characters room to grow over the story. Ellen Page is believable as the nerdy, but pretty girl searching to get out of the shadow of her moms former life. There's also some strong support from Kristen Wiig, Daniel Stern, Marcia Gay Harden, and Alia Shawkat. The movie does have its fair share of quirky moments that kind of broke the barrier for me, but it has a few chuckles along the way to keep things lighthearted and fun, even when the emotions start to carry the film towards the end. Whip it isn't exactly what you would call a "great" movie, but a good one it certainly is. It's also a good time at the movies.

The Time Traveler's Wife

2010-02-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

A fairly complex and moving narrative with good acting and directing. Most directors would have gotten much sappier with some of the moments than Robert Schwentke did. I commend him for his restraint. The movie has some great visuals that highlight just what a tragedy the story really is. The time traveling aspect will definitely go over some peoples heads if they try to think about it more than they need too, but I enjoyed the challenge. It doesn't explain everything and it seemed like at times they were sort of cheating when it came to the time traveling destinations, but I enjoyed this movie a lot. I was attached to the characters, and that is better than most of these kind of movies accomplish for me.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

2010-02-14T16:32:00.000-08:00

A low rent fantasy adventure with bland casting, uninspired direction, humor that falls flat, a lack of fun, and no "magic" to speak of. I haven't read the novel, but I think this would have been an insult if I had. My friend that read the novel was disappointed. I was hoping for an exciting adventure from director Chris Columbus, who did a solid if unremarkable job on the first two Harry Potter films before they got taken to the next level by more inspiring directors. I now know that the reason the first two HP films were at least enjoyable was because of the incredible crew they had surrounding Columbus. He just doesn't do anything here in Percy Jackson that I really thought stood out. The special effects are decent and kids might enjoy it, but anyone older than 12 or so probably won't get a kick out of this kiddie adventure/Harry Potter wannabe.

New York, I Love You

2010-02-10T08:38:00.001-08:00

There's a few cute moments and the movie isn't boring, but it fails to connect on any emotional level and there's too much happening. There's so many characters that none of them get the right amount of screen time to flesh out each story. You get about 5-10 minutes, then it is on to the next story. They go back to a few of them a couple of times, but my favorite ones were the ones they didn't go into more than once (go figure). I happen to be a huge fan of Love, Actually, a movie similar in a bunch of ways, but it was better acted, had an emotional core, and dedicated just enough time to get you involved with each story and their characters. I was hoping for something similar here, and New York, I Love You has a few moments that I liked, but it was a little disappointing. It also does not do a very good job of highlighting the city in which it is based, and I think that was the point of the movie.

Whiteout

2010-02-09T19:19:00.000-08:00

It's not even close to one of the worst movies I've ever seen, despite being one of the most trashed films since I started watching movies frequently. It's somewhat entertaining thanks to better than expected performances from Kate Beckinsale and Tom Skerritt. Beckinsale's introduction is ridiculous and didn't belong in the movie, though (shot of her getting in the shower just to raise the pulse of every guy watching). It's your standard thriller, albeit it with a unique flavor thanks to its setting. The problem is that the setting hampers the film rather than enhancing it because it can be very hard at times to figure out what is happening, especially during the fighting sequences that take place outside. It is just an average movie from almost every angle you take it.

Saw VI

2010-02-05T13:35:00.001-08:00

I never thought I would be able to say that I liked another Saw installment outside of the first one, especially after witnessing the horribleness of the fourth and fifth installment. The series was getting incredibly stale and convoluted to the point that I didn't care anymore. I haven't liked the series since the third installment decided to take it into confusion, but this one is the best one I've seen outside of the original. There's still plenty of gore and torture going on, but they tackle the health system effectively and the movie is infinitely more entertaining than the last three installments of the series. The only downside to this movie is the fact that you have to watch the crappy installments for it to make sense. I never thought I would say this, but despite torturing myself to watch those out of some crazy hope that another installment would be good, I finally got the pay off I have been waiting for. The series really could end right here because the ending pretty much wraps everything up. We know it won't be, but the next installment more than likely won't matter and I'll be able to skip it without and worries. Whether I will or not is uncertain, but I will say that I enjoyed this installment enough to recommend it to those who have stuck with it this long. If you haven't, I don't know that it is worth watching the others to see if this one pays off for you or not, but take solace in knowing that it did for me.

Pandorum

2010-02-04T13:04:00.000-08:00

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. You can basically call it "The Descent" in space because it has a bunch of similarities with that movie, but it has also plenty of satisfying science fiction to go with it. This is a sometimes thrilling and intense movie with an intriguing set-up and interesting ideas. It had a few twists and turns I wasn't expecting and kept me guessing most of the way. It explores the mental stability of someone who is stranded in space and doesn't have any help. I know I wouldn't want to be in their situation, but just watching it through this movie was a satisfying experience that I recommend to anyone with an interest in this sort of movie.