Some Good, Some Okay

Kung Fu Panda 2
I just saw "Kung Fu Panda 2" today. HYSTERICAL! I can't decide if I liked it better than the first one or not. One good thing about Kung Fu Panda and other shows like it, is the extra comments you get from the kids in the theatre with you. Once, at a very tense part, a little kid burped. Courtney and I laughed our heads off (I even snorted). Still, even without our propensity to laugh at everything, Kung Fu Panda 2 is very funny. (Other people in the theatre laughed). It's not just for little kids either. The whole family will love it.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot but the thing I liked about the first one was the life lesson learned, the justice in the end and, of course, the hilarity along the way. This one has a great life lesson, awesome justice and even more hilarity. You should go see it now. Also- our theatre has started showing 2D and 3D so we have a choice now. We saw it in 2D and I hope never to shell out the extra cash for 3D again!!!

Pirates of the Carribbean on Stranger Tides

I know this has been a big hit with the critics but I was not as impressed as I expected to be. The thing I like about Jack Sparrow (Captain) is his cleverness and decency, despite being a pirate. He does have that in spades here but I kind of expected Penelope Cruz to be similar and she's really not. I liked the mermaids but I thought the end kind of leaves you hanging with them. And, I'm sorry but the King of England just made me nauseous. I mean, I'm sure he was fat and maybe not all too bright in real life but the guy in the movie was just disgusting! Even if the King WAS disgusting, I just don't need to see that!!
The other Pirates had many more redeeming values than this one. Which, I'm sure, is closer to the reality of piracy, but I like a little more fantasy with my movies. This one is probably best seen on the big screen but certainly don't waste your money seeing it in 3D and if you're on the fence, feel free to wait for it.

Something Borrowed

This is based on Emily Griffin's book of the same name so I know there will be a sequel and I hope it's soon. This one kind of left me hanging. (Although, a Lifetime Movie would be plenty). I LOVE Ginnifer Goodwin and John Krasinski but I was not all that thrilled with Colin Egglesfield. Kate Hudson proves that she is actually an actress because usually I like her and I hated her character in this movie. Ginnifer Goodwin is beautiful in this movie. I've always thought of her as a little young but she looks grown-up and great. I love the courage and compassion that she shows.
The big and happy suprise in this movie is John Krasinski! He totally makes the movie. I haven't read the book but my gut says that it would probably be a little better than the movie. I'm going to go ahead and read the sequels though because I think John Krasinski's character (Ethan) is at the center of the next one (Something Blue) and I REALLY want to find out what happens to him! This is a great movie for girls' night out or in a few months for girls' night in. I don't think people are going to see it as all that memorable though. Kind of meh (if you know what I mean).

Happy movie going to you!

Thor

I have to tell you that I was super excited for this movie to come out and it didn't disappoint. I've been a Chris Hemsworth fan ever since he played Kirk's father in Star Trek (2009). He was amazing as Thor - an arrogant but impressive warrior and then a believably gentle and noble as time went on. (It doesn't hurt that he is really good looking either).

I wasn't sure that Natalie Portman could pull off being a physicist but she does a pretty good job. She is funny and determined and you can immediately see her connection to Thor.

My favorite (after Christ Hemsworth) is Kat Dennings as the grad student helping Natalie Portman. Her "ipod" line and "political science" line (among others) are sooo funny!

I hated Tom Hiddleston as Loki and yet I felt sorry for him - which is what we are supposed to do so it must mean he is a really good actor. The incomparable Anthony Hawkins is a marvelous Odin and it is good to see Rene Russo back as Freya his wife.

I also hated Clark Gregg as the leader of SHIELD (don't ask me what it stands for) and I think you will too.

I have seen several reviews from people who hated this movie but I think they are probably big fans of the comic books - speaking of, Stan Lee does his usual cameo and he is great. The comic book fans have certain pictures in their heads of what everyone should look like and I think the real life people probably don't measure up to that. I, however, haven't read any Thor comic books and I'm SUPER excited for Thor II to come out. Two thumbs up on this one too!

Super Summer Movies

Fast and Furious Five

I saw this one with my daughter and we both liked it. I've seen Fast and Furious 4 which helped explain a few things - you may want to see a few of the first "Fast and Furious" movies before you see this one. This movie has some of the best stunts I've ever seen. Of course, ever since XXX, I've come to expect spectaculat stunts whenever Vin Diesel is around. And speaking of Vin Diesel, I've never been one to be impressed by big muscles but I'll just say his voice sends shivers down my spine!

I also like Dwayne Johnson who adds more big muscles to the movie. He is the leader of an elite task force sent to apprehend Diesel and his crew. Unlike the character played by Tommy Lee Jones in "The Fugitive," Dwayne has a heart and some common sense which allows justice to win, even if the law is a little crumpled.

Jordana Brewster is as beautiful as ever (which makes it a little bit hard to believe that she is Diesel's sister) and Paul Walker as her boyfriend and former government agent plays his role perfectly.

The crew that joins them in Brazil makes the movie really fun. There is Sung Kang as the gorgeous Han Lue and Gal Gadot as the even more gorgeous former Mossad agent (you probably remember her from "Date Night" where she plays Mark Wahlberg's girlfriend). Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris deserve special mention - they are hilarious but can be serious and skilled when they need to be. Tego Calderon and his sidekick Don Omar are the same way - with a little more hilariosity thrown in.

Because of the incredible stunts, the "good over evil" plot and the satisfying ending, I give this one two thumbs up!

Rio

Speaking of Brazil - Rio (in 3D) is also out. I did not expect to like this one but I laughed out loud in several parts and it wasn't just me - the rest of the audience was laughing as well. As you know, I'm not a big fan of 3D and this movie certainly didn't need it (but we'll overlook that for now)

The songs were very well done and fit with the movie but the birds flying and the carnival scenes were spectacular! I would see it again just to see those two parts. Of course, it is also a feel good movie with love in the air. The birds that Blue meets along his way (George Lopez as "Rafael" a smooth-talking toucan, Jamie Foxx as Nico and Wil.i.am as Pedro) are hysterical. Tracy Morgan as a dog is not as annoying as I usually find him.

Jesse Eisenberg does a spectacular job as Blu, making him sound cool, nerdy, whiney and confident in turns. Anne Hathaway, likewise, makes the perfect Jewel - the only other blue macaw in existance.

My guess is that the makers of this movie want to cut down on the smuggling of exotic birds but I never felt that they were preaching. I'm going to give this one two suprised thumbs up!

Three in Two Days

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules

I saw the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid and loved it. It was funny and heartwarming and had great lessons in it for all of us. My kids saw "Roderick Rules" before I did and they told me it was really funny so I expected the same thing from this second movie (based on the books by Jeff Kinney). It does end up to be funny and heartwarming with great lessons but first you have to wade through some of the most embarrassing, gut-wrenching, and awful times of young Greg's life. (Don't even get me started on the character of "Fregley"!)

I didn't particularly like the character of Roderick in the first movie and he is even more obnoxious in this one. In fact, he goes beyond obnoxious to pure evil. I can't believe some of the "pranks" he pulls on his little brother. And his advice on how to get along in the world is horrible. (Unfortunately, it seems that many kids in America follow it). There were so many times that my face was flaming and I was squirming in my seat for poor Greg that I almost left the movie.

I stuck it out, however, and the last half hour or so turned out to be really funny and heart warming. I will say that the audience was about 75% children and they LOVED this movie. They hardly stopped laughing. Also, Rachael Harris and Steve Zahn as the parents are great. Rachael Harris in particular is hysterical. If you are past puberty, and have any kind of empathetic bone in your body, you will want to wait for this to come out on video (if you see it at all). But if you are under the age of 15 or so, you should go see this ASAP.

Limitless

I was undecided about this movie. I really like Bradley Cooper though and he did not fail me in this movie. It kept me guessing and hoping for the whole movie. I'm sure you know the premise of the movie - slacker guy gets pill that makes him rich and famous. There were more twists and turns than I expected and I loved the ending. There was one kind of disturbing scene where he drinks someone's blood (ewww!) but it was for a good reason and the guy was a bad guy so it didn't bother me as much as it would have (maybe I've just seen too many vampire shows lately... just pretend it's chocolate syrup and you'll be okay).

For some reason I didn't realize that Abbie Cornish (Sucker Punch) was in this movie. She plays Bradley Cooper's girlfriend and she is really good. I'm very surprised that she is not more well known. I think she will become more of a household name after these two movies. Of course, Robert De Niro is wonderful as usual. You should see this just to see his face at the end.

This one gets two thumbs up from me. You should see if it you haven't already.

Source Code

Wow! I have to say that I haven't been a huge fan of Jake Gyllenhaal because of Brokeback Mountain (just yuck) but I really liked him in Prince of Persia and I have become a huge fan after seeing Source Code. I really hope that he continues to do action hero movies. It was awesome! He plays an Air Force captain who is sent back in time (sort of) to find the person who bombed a train in Chicago, killing everyone aboard.

He wakes up completely confused, sitting across from a lovely Michelle Monaghan who seems to know him, gets blown up, and wakes up back in some kind of capsule with a calm voice asking him to "acknowledge." From this confusing beginning, Gyllenhaal's character is continually thrown into this Groundhog Day-like dilemma. The action is engrossing, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat exciting and you are pulling for him all the way.

Vera Farmiga does an outstanding job as the calm voice of reason and compassion. (You may remember her as George Clooney's love interest in "Up in the Air" for which she received an Academy award nomination).

I left the theatre feeling pumped and happy. (And my husband liked it too!) If that's what you're looking for, you should see this one. Two thumbs up!

Sucker Punch

I'm going to say right off that I liked this movie. I even cried at the end. I think you will like it if you like anime (Japanese "cartoons"). There are even elements of "Inception" in it (dreams within a dream). However, I'm guessing that it's not for everyone. It was a little confusing in parts and definitely had a foreign film feel to it. If you have a hard time suspending your disbelief (getting into movies), you should skip it.

I liked the girls that are in it. The star, Emily Browning, is haunting with her big eyes and fierce in her action scenes. In fact, you can wait for it to come out on video, but you really should see her first fight scene against HUGE Japanese warriors. It shows her as a tiny little thing across from the giant and then she just goes after it. Totally empowering.

Vanessa Hudgens (who has been a very busy girl lately!) sometimes bugs me but she does a great job in this and I was also impressed with Jamie Chung as "Amber." Both are beautiful girls and really tough in this movie. My favorites were Abbie Cornish as "Sweet Pea" and Jena Malone as "Rocket." They are sisters who will do anything for each other. Their relationship is a big part of why I liked this movie.

The way the girls work together despite their issues and the sacrifices they make are inspiring. And the ending is really uplifting - there are angels looking out for us. I predict this will become a cult classic. There are some adult themes - prostitution, brothels, rape and a lobotomy that would be difficult to explain to younger kids so be aware of that before you let younger kids see it. The PG-13 rating is a good one. I saw it with my 18 year old daughter and I wasn't embarassed though (like some PG-13s I've seen). I'm giving this movie one & a half thumbs up!

Red Riding Hood

I have to say the visuals in this movie are stunning. The villiage, the forest, and the houses are all beautiful and haunting and just like a fairytale. And the red cloak is beautiful whenever it shows up. I want one just like it.

After the opening scenes showing the forest and narrowing in on the little villiage where our tale takes place, I have to say, I was really disappointed in the first third of the movie. Several of the villiagers were REALLY bad actors - WAY over the top. Even when they were supposed to be in the background they were over-acting! And I am pretty sure that "dirty dancing" was not part of usual medieval societies - even fairytale ones and a little girl who has no problem cutting a sweet bunny rabbit's throat? It was a little bit too much to swallow.

I think Red Riding Hood (who we learn is really named Valerie) chooses the wrong boy too. You may disagree with me but I think Henry is much better looking and nicer than Peter (not to mention richer). But, I was pleased with the ending all in all.

There are a few really disturbing scenes - one where a boy who is not right in the head is tortured while his sister bargains with her body for his release (no nudity, though), the gentle priest is run through and killed for a very flimsy reason, and a couple of limbs are cut off and shown close-up. Unfortunately, there were small children in the theatre when I watched this movie. I guess their parents thought, "Oh, this is a fairy tale - great for kids." (Or they just don't care what their kids watch).

I hated Gary Oldham in this one - which I guess means he's a pretty good actor and I was super pleased to see Julie Christie! She was fabulous! However, other than some thought-provoking questions about choices, honor, secrets and family, I think this is one that you can safely wait for to come out on video - which I'm sure it will soon.

The Adjustment Bureau

Usually I tell you that movies I like are "great" or "awesome." I really liked this movie but it's more "impactful" and "thought-provoking." Matt Damon is wonderful (as usual) as a young Congressman running for the Senate. I don't think I've ever seen a Matt Damon movie that I didn't like him in (not that I've seen them all).

Emily Blunt is perfect as the free-spirited dancer. In fact, I don't know if she had a dancer double or not but the dance scenes are absolutely inspiring! I wish there had been more of them - but that's not really the focus of the movie. Emily Blunt, for those who are not as familiar with her, is married to John Krasinski ("The Office") and was in "The Devil Wears Prada" and "The Young Victoria" (see favorite DVD list). She was also the voice for Juliet in "Gnomeo & Juliet." After seeing "The Devil Wears Prada," I hated Emily Blunt but after seeing "The Young Victoria," I loved her. I guess that means she's a pretty good actress.

A happy little surprise is Anthony Mackie who plays Harry. I would have thought that I hadn't seen him before but he has played sort of semi-background characters for quite awhile. He is a graduate of Juilliard and has appeared in "Million Dollar Baby," "Eagle Eye," and "We Are Marshall" (another DVD I recommend). I'm really pleased that he has a more prominant role in this film and I hope to see more of him.

I'm giving this one two thumbs up. It's just much more impressive and impactful on the big screen.

Beastly

I saw Beastly with Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens this afternoon. I really liked it. Alex Pettyfer is better than anyone (except possibly Orlando Bloom) at looking at a woman as if he really cherishes her.

As Vanessa's character (Lindy) says, everyone knows the story of Beauty and the Beast. I think they've done a wonderful job of updating the story to modern day. Lindy's dad is in believeable trouble which makes him hand Lindy off to "the Beast." Alex (Kyle) is adorable as the nervous beast, trying to get Lindy to love him. Mary-Kate Olsen is fabulous as the witch. I really was a little scared of her. My very favorite, however, is Neil Patrick Harris. I would see the movie just for his character alone.

This is a classic, timeless tale with lots of lessons to learn and things to think about. I'm giving it two thumbs up. Enjoy!

Unknown

I'm sure you've already seen this movie. It's been the number one in the box office since it came out. I finally saw it and while I liked it, there were a few holes in it. I was a little suprised to find out it was based on a book "Out of My Head" by Didier van Cauwelaert. I think the few holes can maybe be explained by the fact that the book was first written in French, translated into English and then turned into this film.

I thought it was a great rush and I totally identified with Liam Neeson's character in his confusion. I didn't figure out what was going on until the very end (when I was told, lol). I think my husband figured it out way before that (he usually does). So, if you like to figure out what is happening, there are clues along the way. But if you are talented at suspending your disbelief, you won't even notice the little inconsistencies.

I thought Diane Krueger (from National Treasure) did a fabulous job and so did Liam Neeson. I usually love Aiden Quinn but his character bugged me and I cheered a little bit inside when I saw what happened to January Jones' character. Let me know if you feel the same way! So, I'm going to give this one and a half thumbs. If you like to go to movies, you should see this in the theater. If you are not big on movies, there is no problem waiting for this to come to video.

I added some new videos to my list for anyone who is looking for something for the weekend. I'm looking forward to The Adjustment Bureau!

I am Number Four

Wow! I LOVED this movie. (I've seen it twice so far - I think it's important to support non-3-D movies - plus I loved it). It has everything - romance, action, explosions, aliens - everything! Alex Pettyfer (from "Alex Ryder: Operation Stormbreaker" and "Wild Child" with Emma Roberts) and Diana Agron (from "Glee" of course, and she was also in "Burlesque") are fantastic. I think they should win "Best Kiss" on the People's Choice awards.

I'm not going to give away any of the plot but one suprise that won't hurt anything is to look for Teresa Palmer ("The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "Bedtime Stories"). She is using her native Austrailian accent in this one and she is fabulous. Also, Timothy Olyphant was driving me crazy because I knew I had seen him but I couldn't remember where. He plays the evil mastermind in "Live Free or Die Hard" and he was also in "Deadwood" (on TV) - so that you don't have to suffer like I did. lol.

There are a couple of swear words and, like I said, explosions and stuff but I would definitely take my boys to see this (if they wanted to go) and I think my husband might even like it.

The Eagle

I'm not sure why this movie isn't more well known. Most people, when I say, "Hey, I saw The Eagle last night..." say, "I've never heard of it." Maybe it's just that I am a book nerd. When I saw the poster go up, I got very excited because I was hoping it was based on a wonderful book I read several years ago. And it is!

The book is called The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff (who unfortunately died in 1992) and it is the first of a trilogy. It is available on http://www.amazon.com/ for $8.99 though there are some used ones for cheaper. I'm sure it's in your local library too. I recommend anything Rosemary Sutcliff wrote (which is not enough!) All of her books were written for young adults and the movie stays true to the "non-graphic" nature of the book.

It takes place during the Roman occupation of Britain - about 124 A.D. The back-story for the movie is that several years earlier, 5000 Roman soldiers (the Ninth Legion) marched into northern Britain following the golden eagle - symbol of their power and glory - and never came back. The Romans were so shaken by this apparent defeat that they built a wall across Britain (named for the Emperor at the time - Hadrian) and never ventured beyond it again. You can still see parts of Hadrian's wall in Great Britain although many of the stones were taken by local people over the years to make their own walls.

The main character, Marcus' father was with the ninth when they disappeared and the movie is about his efforts to restore his family's honor. His eventual friendship with a British slave, Esca, is another main theme of the movie. I really liked the movie and recommend it. I came out of it thinking about honor and loyalty and other good charater traits. (Also, it's not in 3-D which is a plus).

One caveat - there is a scene where a young boy is killed by his father. It doesn't show the actual killing, just before and after but the idea of a father killing his son may stick with you for longer than you want it to. I don't remember that happening in the book but it could be that seeing it actually acted out is just more impactful.

However, if you are going to see the movie, DO NOT read the book first. I think it will ruin the movie for you. Fortunately, I read the book so long ago that I have forgotten much of it. I haven't forgotten the feeling it gave me and I don't think I ever will. The movie gave me a similar feeling but nowhere near as strong. I'm planning to read the book again soon.

Just Go With It and Gnomeo & Juliet

As usual, Adam Sandler takes sexual crudeness right over the line. Of course, it's not HIM being crude - it's his friends from SNL. I'm planning to write him a letter to explain that the crudeness that he allows in his movies really detracts from the sweet and funny romance.

There were some HYSTERICAL parts of this movie. Some highlights: what Jennifer Anniston's kids say when they need to use the bathroom, saving the dying sheep and the hula contest (especially the tie-breaker). Adam Sandler does a riff on "Piano Man" that was hilarious too.

The romance of the movie is also great. Sandler is really good at being a sweet, good guy. I don't know if I would give this two thumbs up (is that copyrighted or anything?) and I'm definitely not letting my kids see this but if you're willing to overlook a few crude innuendos and one or two outright "Oh MY!" references to sex, go see it. On the other hand, it will be just as good if you wait for it to come out on video and probably even better if you wait for it to be edited for TV.

Speaking of editing, I hope you all know about cleanplaydvd.com. They take all the movies that look good (except for the swearing and the sex and the violence) and edit them so that you are not embarrassed to watch them with your kids. I recently got "Inglorious Basterds" from them and while I could tell where the original movie probably had sickening or crude scenes, I wasn't bothered by them and could concentrate on the story. I highly recommend them.


Gnomeo and Juliet is rated G so I took all my kids to see it for a little family entertainment. It's also in 3-D (completely un-necessarily as usual). I do hope that frequenting G rated movies will encourage studios to make more of them.


I really wasn't looking forward to seeing this movie (but see above for a good reason to do so). I thought the previews looked ridiculous and I hate garden gnomes. HOWEVER, this was really cute. I laughed, I cried, I groaned and cheered. It was really entertaining (which is what I look for in a movie) but it also had some universal themes that you could discuss with your kids or just think about on your own.

I don't want to ruin it for you but it doesn't exactly follow Shakespeare's classic "Romeo and Juliet." It does, however, have several very clever references to many of Shakespeare's plays. (Look for Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Moving Company, a "Tempest" in a teapot, 2B or not 2B and several others). I think it is a much better ending than the classic play (and so do they).

Most of you have already seen True Grit but for those of you who are still wondering if it is for you. It is. Even if you don't usually like Westerns, this is a great movie.

I admit, I didn't really want to see it. I don't like John Wayne and I thought that a movie made popular by him would be annoying. I was wrong and I might even get the John Wayne version just to see what it's like.

It's unfortunate that Hailee Steinfeld doesn't get top billing because she does an outstanding job. She is stubborn, very determined and speaks her mind, all while talking in the more formal language used at the time. I even had to leave the theatre at the climactic part because I was so worried for her (it was too real).

Matt Damon is great as a Texas Ranger. He adds just the right amount of levity when it's called for and his being along made me less anxious for the young girl alone with the grizzled, tough, US Marshall Cogburn.

Jeff Bridges takes it to a whole new level. Sometimes I like him in movies and sometimes I think he's just playing himself. But in this movie, he IS Rooster Cogburn. There were times that I didn't understand his accent so I'll probably get it on DVD and watch it again but it wasn't really necessary. I could understand the story.

There are so many good parts that I hesitate to name my favorite but the very end when the girl has become a woman and goes to see Mr. Cogburn. . .I cried (of course, I hid it from Kiki who went with me so don't tell her).

Quickies

Green Hornet - go see it. Go see it again. It's that good. Jay Chou is one of my new favorite actors Also, check out the original on SyFy - suprisingly good for "Batman era" superhero antics. The only thing wrong with this movie is that it's in 3D. Hate that.

Yogi Bear - I did not especially want to see this but I took my youngest daughter because no one else would and she wanted to see it. And SUPRISE! I REALLY liked it! It's waaay more funny than I expected and Dan Akroyd and Justin Timberlake do a great job with Yogi and Boo boo's voices. Also in 3D - why?! Two paws up!

Season of the Witch - I know most of you probably didn't want to see this one but I really liked it. Ron Perlman and Nicholas Cage are honorable, funny, and kick butt all through the Middle Ages. You can wait for it to come out on DVD if you want but the big screen experience is a plus. Also - this one is NOT in 3D which is a BIG plus in my book. Unless there is an actual reason for having something in 3D (like you are at Disneyworld and you want to be able to grab for Donald Duck as he goes floating through Philharmagic), I think they should get rid of 3D. Or at least not be quite so enamoured with it.

The Dilemma

The Dilemma starring Kevin James and Vince Vaughn was a big disappointment to me. It's billed as a comedy and I will admit that there are a couple of funny lines (most notably the one you've already seen from the trailer where Vince Vaughn falls into poisonous plants. The doctor tells him that, among other things, it may make urination "challenging." When he cries out from the bathroom, his girl friend (the beautiful Jennifer Conelly) asks him if he's okay and he replies that he is just a little "challenged." LOL).

Unfortunately, the subject matter was far from funny and many of the supposedly humorous scenes were just uncomfortable or pathetic (Vaughn spying on Winona Ryder & Channing Tatum - super uncomfortable, Kevin James at the massage parlor - pathetic, the "intervention" - super uncomfortable and pathetic).

In fact, when a crazed Channing Tatum attacks Vaughn's lovingly restored car, I almost cried. I really expected WAAAAY more from Ron Howard, not to mention the "all-star cast." If I were you, I wouldn't even bother to rent this when it comes out on video and definitely don't go see it on the big screen.

I love to go to the movies but I've noticed that most critics don't mention the things that I want to know about the movies. Like...is it entertaining? does it accomplish what it sets out to do? would I want to buy it?

I started this blog so that I could "criticize" movies the way that I would like them to be critiqued. I don't want to know that the latest James Bond movie is never going to get an Oscar. I already know that.

I will keep you up to date on whether a movie is worth shelling out your hard earned money or not, if all of the funny parts are shown in the preview, and if you should just wait for it to come out on video.

The first movie I want to critique is "The Dilemma."