The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

December 2012

4 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  Theatre

The gist:  The prequel to the LOTR trilogy, this is the story of Bilbo Baggins and his journey to help a group of Dwarves reclaim their home.  His adventure starts with a visit from the wizard Gandalph the Grey who convinces Bilbo to join their quest.  During his journey he meets the creature Gollum and gains possession of a “precious” ring of great power.

My take:

I saw this movie in 3D which I normally do not like, however, this is one movie that really shines in that medium!  As a LOTR fan I was nervous about Bilbo’s character and if I would grow to love him as much as Frodo.  I did not need to worry at all, not only was Bilbo completely unassuming and lovable but all the characters were wonderful. 

I enjoyed the very beginning of the movie and the interactions between Bilbo Baggins and Frodo.  Within about 20 minutes of that time I began to lose interest as the dwarves descended on Bilbo’s house and things got VERY cheesy and childish VERY quickly.  Just as I was starting to get annoyed the dwarves got serious and so did the movie (thank gawd!!)  The scenery was beautiful and breathtaking as the travelers began their journey and throughout the entire movie. 

The meeting of Bilbo Baggins and Gollum was definitely a powerful moment.  As they began interacting I was literally getting chills because of all the history of Gollum’s character and watching Bilbo gain courage was truly one of the most commanding moments in the entire film.  I began to get annoyed again as their conversation went on and on and on and on.  That interaction in my opinion needed to be about half as long.

There were many parts of the film that reminded me of watching a video game.  This was confusing and in my opinion added very little to the movie.  (for example the scene where the dwarves are being chased through the mountainous caverns by the orcs)

I did like this movie, but thought it was WAY too long.  That definitely affected my opinion of this film.  As I left the theatre I kept trying to figure out how much I liked the movie.  Because of my love for the LOTR trilogy I think I was able to love this movie more than I think most people would.  It was great in parts and not great in others.

Killing Them Softly

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Killing Them Softly

December 2012

2 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

2.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  DVD

The gist:  This film is set in New Orleans during the financial crisis and 2008 presidential election where the economy is bad, even for criminals.  When a mob protected card game gets robbed by a couple of amateurs a professional hit man (Brad Pitt) is hired to take them out.    

My take:

I was not happy with this movie at all.  It was like the film was trying too hard and it just missed the mark completely.  The 3 most notable actors in the film were all playing characters I had seen before.  Brad Pitt was a grungy version of his character from Fight Club, James Gandolfini was a Tony Soprano-esque hit man and Ray Liotta plays an older version of Henry Hill from Goodfellows.  The acting is fine, but come on, you’ve got to give us a little more here!  I do appreciate all three of these actors and their craft, it just didn’t work here.

One of things that really bothered me about the film was the amount of drawn out, LONG conversations between the characters.  A few were clever, but most were overkill.  I can see what they were trying to accomplish here but it didn’t work at all.  The dialogue has to be interesting if it is going to go on over 5 minutes.

Also, the whole premise of the film is “killing them softly” which Pitt’s character explains as not getting too close to his targets and taking them out somewhat gently.  He then proceeds to completely ignore his own rule and becomes friendly with his final victim while shooting him at point blank range.  Not sure how that is “killing them softly”?  Actually, all of the killings are very brutal including the scene where Ray Liotta’s character is beaten.  Nothing “soft” about that either!!

There are a few redeeming qualities in this film.  For one, the setting in New Orleans was perfect and the constant debate telecasts in the background between Obama and McCain added nicely to setting the scene for the hard times the world was going through. 

I was surprised by the good reviews this film has been getting….those people must have seen something that I clearly missed.  

Silver Linings Handbook

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Silver Linings Playbook

December 2, 2012

4 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  Theatre or DVD

The gist:  Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) moves back in with his parents after spending time in a mental institution.  He is determined to reunite with his wife by staying positive and showing that he has rebuilding his life.  Along this journey he meets a woman named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who has mental issues of her own.   What follows is an interesting relationship between the two.  Pat’s father , Pat Sr. desperately want him to focus on himself and their family obsession (Philadelphia Eagles football). 

My take:

I loved this movie.  One of the reasons is because everyone in this movie was an INTERESTING character and it poked fun at the fact that all of us are a little bit crazy.   In order to make a subject matter as real as this work, there has to be an element of comedy relief.  There were many laugh out loud moments mostly provided by Cooper and his strange conversations with Lawrence, DeNiro and Tucker. 

In my opinion the acting was very solid, both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence gave good performances and brought a lot of depth to their characters.  Chris Tucker plays Danny, another institutioned patient and friend of Pat’s and he is absolutely hilarious.  The shining star of the movie was Robert DeNiro in his role as Pat Sr.  He gave a very real and heart felt performance of a father who doesn’t know how to bond or even talk to his troubled son.  You can’t decide whether you love his character or hate it until you realize he is just doing the best he can.

This movie put a real smile to my face and it also warmed my heart.  It is a must see for this Oscar season.  I am not sure about the actors nominations except that DeNiro should definitely be considered but I wouldn’t put it past TWC to pull off another win this year for best movie.  We’ll have to see how the cards fall.

Lincoln

Lincoln

November 23, 2012

4 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

3.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  DVD

The gist:  This is the story of President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.  He is caught between trying to negotiate a peace agreement to end the war and trying to pass a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery.  He is torn between the two as he knows it is an impossibility to have both. 

My take:

I want to start off talking about my favorite part of this film and that was the acting.  I am guessing there will be at least 3 Oscar nominations for Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field who were all incredible.  Daniel Day-Lewis portrays Abraham Lincoln as a shrewd leader full of charisma.  I enjoyed his performance a lot but not as much as I enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones portrayal of Thaddeus Stevens.  I found myself smiling every time Jones’ character was on screen.  He embodies grumpy old man and it really works.  Sally Field was inspired as Mary Lincoln and her performance brought a real truthfulness to the movie.  There were several other notable performances including:  David Strathairn as William Seward and Joseph Gordon Levitt as Robert Lincoln and Gulliver McGrath as Tad Lincoln.  All gave great performances.

I enjoyed the character building in the first half of the film, we really got to know all the main players and their loyalties.  I was enjoying the performances so much but then something happened about an hour and a half into the film, it started to drag on and on.  Okay we get it, Lincoln is witty and full of personality and stories.  He is a genuinely good person with a true passion for the country.  We didn’t need 150 minutes to figure that out.  I love Stephen Spielberg, but what is it with the 2 ½ hour movies??  The movie centers around the civil war, but we didn’t see any war.  In my opinion a little action may have saved this film.  If you are someone who enjoys action movies, this film may not be for you.  If you like long, drawn out period pieces…..go for it!  In my opinion the acting was superb but the film was lacking something important.   

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

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The Twilight Saga:  Breaking Dawn Part 2

November 18, 2012

2.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

3.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  DVD

The gist:  Bella begins exploring her new world as a mother to Renesmee and as a vampire.  She enjoys her new family and new powers, but when it becomes threatened by the Volturi she must take action to save her daughter.  The Cullen’s began rallying their vampire allies to convince the Volturi that Renesmee is part human and part vampire and therefore not a threat to their power.  Jacob, who imprints on Renesmee, also rallies the wolves to fight to protect her.

My take:

I will start off by saying I am a HUGE Twilight fan; I have read all the books and seen all the movies.  Some of the books I liked more than others and that is also the case with the movies.  This movie was alright.  I really enjoyed the first half hour of this film and the last half hour but the rest was a jumbled mess.  The beginning when Bella is learning about being a vampire and bonding with her daughter was great.  The ending scenes with the battle with the Volturi is great too, l love the twist they added.  At the very end of the film they played a recap of the past films and Bella and Edward’s love story which was also wonderful.  The sucky part was the middle (which unfortunately takes up most of the movie).  Once the Cullen’s discover the threat posed by the Volturi they began rallying their vampire friends together to stand with them.  There is a mish mosh of vampires who come from all different countries.  The problem is we don’t get to know or care about any of them deeply and after a while it becomes a parade of new vampires that gets boring.  I realize this was all building up to the final battle but it was uninteresting.  There also wasn’t much in the movie about the wolves and I found that I missed Jacob’s presence throughout the film.

The acting was as it always is, although I thought that Kristen Stewart did a great job as the confident, beautiful, vampire Bella.  Robert Pattinson was great and gorgeous!  The rest of the cast is pretty forgettable as far as acting is concerned.

I am not sure the general public will like this film as much as I did and like I said, I thought it was just alright.  I would watch the last half hour again if given the chance, but wouldn’t want to sit through the rest of the film to get to the good stuff.

Skyfall

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Skyfall

November 17, 2012

4.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  Theatre

The gist:  Bond is back and this time his mission comes close to costing him the ultimate price, his life.  When his associate takes a shot at their enemy and hits Bond instead he is believed dead.  When M16 and M herself are attacked Bond feels obliged to return to the job to help save the agency and M’s life.  Through his search to find the attacker he meets the villain, Silva, an ex-agent with a personal vendetta against M.  Things become personal and Bond goes on a one man mission to save M’s life before it is too late.

My take:

I absolutely loved this film; it was one of the best Bond movies I have ever seen.  It was on the same level as Casino Royale with the fast paced story line and it also played homage to the older Bond flicks.  My favorite part of the movie was the villain, Silva, he was truly evil!  The acting was wonderful and Daniel Craig outdid himself as the tough, no nonsense 007.  Javier Bardem who plays Silva is incredible.  He is scary and a MONSTER.  There is no one better to play a mad man then him.  I enjoyed the new Q who is played by the young Ben Whishaw and Ralph Fiennes has a great role and I have a feeling we will be seeing more of him in the future Bond films.  The new Bond girls were great, but the true female star of the show was of course Judi Dench.  She brings a hardness to her character that few others could deliver.

There were many tongue in cheek references to vintage Bond films which I enjoyed thoroughly.  (think shaken not stirred, Bond…..James Bond and Astin Martin’s) The car he drives in the last part of the movie is amazing as is Skyfall (don’t want to give too much away so I won’t say exactly what that is.) 

My only complaint about the film is that it was just TOO LONG!!  I love a great action flick but why do so many of them have to be 2 ½ hours long.  There were several scenes that could have been cut to bring the film to the 2 hour mark.  It is a must see for Bond fans and action junkies alike.

Flight

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Flight

November 4, 2012

My Opinion:

4.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  Theatre or DVD

The gist:   When an airplane flight begins to go terribly wrong, but is miraculously landed by pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) he is quickly regarded as a hero.  The investigation into the crash unveils alcohol in Washington’s blood and he goes from a hero to potentially being accused of manslaughter.   With the hearing looming Washington goes on a downward spiral as he tries to maintain his innocence and weaves a web of lies to protect himself.

My take:

This movie was very different from what I was expecting.  I am not saying that in a bad way, it was just not what I had imagined.  From the previews I envisioned Denzel Washington as a heroic pilot who had made an error in judgment, which lead to his accusations surrounding the plane crash.  BOY was I wrong!  This movie is about addiction and the lies one weaves to cover it up.  As the movie progresses you feel sorry for Washington’s character and also angry.

I have to mention that the plane crash scene was one of the most scary I have ever seen.  I found myself gripping the chair rails next to me and dreading the flight I have to take this coming Friday.  There were a few moments that I had to look away and I was grateful to have a friend there with me.

The cast is wonderful.  Denzel Washington is on the top of his game and comes across with just enough magnetism that you can’t help but kind of like the guy.  He also has a heavy dose of self-loathing which adds to his characters depth.  He is one of the best actors of this generation and it was amazing to see him shine in this role.  John Goodman plays Washington’s best friend, Harling and he adds the perfect amount of hippie, druggie, and humorous moments to keep his character very interesting.  Kelly Reilly who plays the character Nicole gives the performance of a life time.  She is raw and edgy and has us wanting to give her a BIG hug and tell her everything is going to be okay. 

I think that audiences on the whole will definitely love this movie.  The reason I rated it a 4 for myself is that I found the whole thing to be a little too depressing and that wasn’t what I wanted from the movie.  I still highly recommend this movie and wouldn’t be surprised if Washington is up for an Oscar for his amazing performance.   

Argo

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Argo

October 28, 2012

My Opinion:

4.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  A must for the theatre

The gist:  After the US Embassy in Iran is raided, 6 American diplomats manage to escape to the Canadian Ambassador’s residence.  CIA Agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is tasked with extracting the hostages and returning them safely to US soil.  He devises an intricate plan to pose as an Associate Producer for a fake movie and gives the 6 Americans false identities as his Canadian film crew.  This movie is based on a true story.

My take:

I usually start out discussing the cast, but in this case I have to start with the movie itself.  I was so excited when I read about this movie and put it on my MUST SEE list.  I was even more excited as the positive reviews began flowing in.  This movie is so intense and my heart was pounding the entire second half of the film.  Most Americans already know the story, or part of the story and we know that the operation is a success and the American’s escape Iran alive.  I thought that would partially ruin the film for me, because I already knew the ending, but it just made the process of the extraction all that more interesting.  The pace of the movie gets going and it builds to the final moments at the airport, which to me was one of the best, most intense scenes I have ever seen in a movie. 

The acting was superb.  Ben Affleck plays a rough around the edges, CIA agent who is completely dedicated to his mission.  He will do anything it takes to get these people out alive.  Ben is sporting a beard and mustache and longer hair to fit in with the era of the film.  He still looks quite good to me!  I was impressed with his very real and honest portrayal of the character and I could almost feel his anguish as things began to unravel on his mission.  To me there were two other stand outs in the film and that way John Goodman and Alan Arkin.  Both played Hollywood type’s trying to help Tony Mendez succeed in his plan to make a fake movie.   They both had some great one liners and they made the movie very enjoyable and gave some laughable moments.  Bryan Cranston was great too.  (just like he is in all his roles)

I highly recommend this movie and think it should be seen in the theatre.  My only complaint about the film (and this is minor) is that there were some elements that were not needed.  The audience was already captivated and anticipating the planes take off enough, we didn’t need the chase down the runway with the military militia.  Like I said, a very minor thing, but just a little too far over the edge.

Alex Cross

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Alex Cross

October 21, 2012

My Opinion:

3 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

3.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  dvd

The gist:  Alex Cross, a detective (played by Tyler Perry) is trying to track down a psychopathic killer on a meticulous killing spree in Detroit.  The killer, called the Butcher (played by Matthew Fox) brings torture and pain to a new level for his victims.  When the chase becomes personal, Alex Cross is pushed to his limits to bring the Butcher to justice.

My take:

I am a huge James Patterson fan and have read, and loved every Alex Cross novel.  When I saw the previews for the movie I was so excited because I loved the two prior film adaptations (Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider).  My excitement quickly faded when I saw that Tyler Perry had been cast in the role of Alex Cross.  I just couldn’t picture it.  Morgan Freeman is an amazing actor and even he didn’t live up to my expectations for Alex Cross in the previous movies.  (guess I might have had my sights set too high)!  I went into it with an open mind and I am so glad that I did.

First, I want to discuss the cast.  Tyler Perry was actually quite good as Alex Cross.  He brought a sensitivity and edge to the character that was unexpected.  He managed to make Alex Cross a bad-ass and highly intelligent detective which was great for the movie.  Matthew Fox was absolutely incredible as the psychopath the Butcher of Sligo.  He was beyond believable as a sadistic and brutal killing machine.  I say machine because there were moments in the film that he didn’t seem at all human.  He was also lean, chiseled and tattooed up! He completely stole the show from Perry.  Edward Burns plays Alex’s life-long friend and partner Tommy.  He was fine in the role and very likable.

The film started off at a fast pace, then slowed down for about a half hour, then picked back up and didn’t back off until the end.  As with all the books, the end is never what you think and this movie doesn’t disappoint in that respect.  There were a few parts that were a bit too graphic for my taste but I can see why those parts were there to give the film a raw and brutal feeling.  One of my favorite parts was that Alex Cross actually makes a horrible mistake that costs his team dearly.  This is very reminiscent of the books where he is portrayed as a witty detective who is still human.

The reason that I didn’t give this movie 5 buckets of popcorn is two-fold.  First off, if you aren’t a huge Alex Cross and James Patterson fan most of the movie comes off as your typical cop chases bad guy flick.  There are some gasp-worthy moments but most are due to the brutality of the killer.  The second reason is strictly personal.  Because I am such a fan of the books I wanted things to be a little more like the books.  I understand that changes need to be made to adapt the novel to a movie but some things are golden and should not be messed with such as: 1)  I wish the location would have been in DC instead of Detroit (although there is a nice reference to Alex joining the FBI and moving to DC so that made me happy).  2)  I really missed John Sampson (Cross’ partner in the books)  3)  I wish he would have been driving his old, beat up Porsche.

This is an action paced and enjoyable movie, but with all the other great movies out right now I personally think it would be a great rental.

First Part of Summer Movies

So I have been a major slacker as far as writing reviews, but I have done a great job seeing a ton of movies.  I am sad about this because there were so many movies that I have LOVED!  I am going to do a quick list to get myself caught back up on everything.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel = 4 Buckets of Popcorn
Dark Shadows = 3 Buckets of Popcorn
What to Expect When You're Expecting = 3.5 Buckets of Popcorn
Men in Black 3 = 4 Buckets of Popcorn
Moonrise Kingdom = 4.5 Buckets of Popcorn
Snow White and the Huntsman = 4 Buckets of Popcorn
Rock of Ages = 5 Buckets of Popcorn
Magic Mike = 4.5 Buckets of Popcorn
The Amazing Spiderman = 4.5 Buckets of Popcorn

Basically I loved just about everything I have seen with the exception of Dark Shadows and What to Expect When You're Expecting.  I am still hoping to catch Abe Lincoln:Vampire Hunter, Savages, The Dark Knight Rises, Neighborhood Watch, The Bourne Legacy, Total Recall, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, and Lawless.  Looks like it will be a busy last half of summer at the movies for me too!!

The Avengers

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The Avengers

May 13, 2012

A perfect Mother’s Day movie if you are into super hero movies!

My Opinion:

4.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my own personal entertainment

My Suggestion:  See it in the theatre on the biggest, fanciest screen possible

The gist:  The evil Loki (Thor’s adopted brother) has threatened the world’s safety.  A band of super heroes including:  The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye are brought together by the peace keeping agency SHIELD to fight to save the world from disaster.

My take:

This movie is all about the cast and they are phenomenal. I want to start off by talking about Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk.  I was very unhappy with this casting choice initially; I just couldn’t see him in this role.  After he completely stole the first few scenes he was in, I changed my mind completely.  He was so believable as the nice, down to earth doctor who has a VERY dark side.  The other stand outs were Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man.  He is just perfect in this role and has perfected it with each new movie.  Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, they were all brilliant and beautiful!  I am loving Jeremy Renner’s new acting persona as an action star. 

I am not a huge comic book fan and aside from super hero movies I don’t really know much about this genera, but I could tell that the director and producers certainly did.  All the characters had ties to one another in some form and they were all touched on in the film.  My only complaint was that I wished I could have found out more about each characters back story, however, I realize then the film would have been 4 hours long and that just wouldn’t have worked. 

I think the most exciting plot line of the movie was waiting for Bruce Banner to lose control and turn into The Incredible Hulk.  Let me tell you, this scene did not disappoint.  When he changed my heart was pounding and as he turned to look at Black Widow I was actually scared.  That scene made the movie.

Another thing I liked was that as the movie unfolded all the super hero’s had their own way of doing things and by the final scenes I was excited for them to all come together to fight in the war as a team.  There is nothing better than dark, scary super hero’s working together to save the planet and showing their human sides by forming bonds with one another.   I highly recommend this movie.  It was SUPER entertaining!

The Cabin in the Woods

ATTENTION: MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED!!

The Cabin in the Woods

April 15 2012

I am not a horror film buff by any means, but I really wanted to check this movie out given all the hype that it received.

My opinion:

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

3 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: If you love horror and pithy dialogue then head to the theatre, if not, wait for the DVD

The gist: A group of 5 young, attractive college kids head out of town to a cabin for some R&R. They step right into a classic horror film or so they think, until one of them begins to unravel the secrets behind “the cabin in the woods.”

My Take: Let me start out by saying I didn’t LOVE this movie, but I certainly didn’t hate it either. Horror is not my preferred movie genera so I was pretty skeptical about the film from the beginning. As the film got started I could tell I was going to like it a lot more than a regular blood and guts type of film. First off, the film doesn’t try to make you believe it is something it’s not. There is no spooky music or plethora of lead in scary moments. You basically understand that something strange is going on at this cabin and most of these beautiful young adults are going to wind up with their blood and guts all over the place.

What I did enjoy about this movie was the twist. I don’t want to give too much away, but this was very different than your Freddy Kruger or Jason type horror films. As far as dialogue goes, it reminded me more of Scream than Friday the 13^th or Halloween or anything on that line.

The reason for my lower rating for personal entertainment is this: I think the movie was good but for me this just isn’t really my cup of tea. I enjoy Joss Whedon’s stuff so that is why I went. The actors/actresses in the movie are fine. They get the job done and that is the important part in a horror film.

Wrath of the Titans

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Wrath of the Titans

April 4 2012

I needed to get out of the house for a mid-week movie and I wasn’t sure what to see so I picked out this one.

My opinion:

2 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

2 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Skip it or if you LOVE special effects then see it in the theatre

The gist: Half-Man Half-Gold Perseus sets out to rescue his father, Zeus, who has been captured by his brother Hades and son, Ares. He must venture to the underworld to help free his father and prevent the Titans from being unleashed upon the world.

My Take: So I am going to have to disagree with my movie buddy who said “Liam Neeson” is always in good movies. Usually that is the case, but not this time. I feel like they just made this movie to make money off the Clash of the Titans success. I didn’t really understand why this movie was made. I enjoyed the Clash of the Titans very much, but this was honestly just a waste. I happened to see it in 3-D which I don’t particularly like, but there were some very good special effects while they were in the labyrinth of the underworld. That part I thought was pretty cool.

Sam Worthington was good. I like him as Perseus and he is a handsome fellow to boot. I am glad that he ends up with Andromeda in the end, just like the original Clash of the Titans.

There was a trailer for The Hobbit which previewed before the movie and that was one of the best moments of the whole movie. I was underwhelmed to say the least by the movie but it was still nice to get out of the house.

21 Jump Steet

ATTENTION: MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED!!

21 Jump Street

April 1 2012

My opinion:

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Theatre or DVD

The gist: A pair of screw-up cops: Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are assigned to an undercover division at 21 Jump Street. Their assignment is to go back to high school, posing as student, to help bring down a drug ring.

My Take: This is a fun movie. We all know the story line and I loved that there was a cameo by the original 21 Jump Street boys – gotta love Johnny Depp.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are a great duo and very funny together. There were many laugh out loud moments. My favorite character in this movie was played by Ice Cube. He plays a rough, swearing, mean ‘ole commander who doesn’t take any bull.

You know it’s going to be a great movie when the opening song is Eminem’s My Name Is and Jonah Hill gets off the school bus dressed like an Eminem wanna be. Too funny! My other favorite moment was the name of their high school’s prom – One Night in Tijuana. Now that’s class!!

I got a kick out of this movie and think others would like it too. It was entertaining without being overly done. It is what it is….a funny, dumb comedy. Which is exactly what is should be!

The Hunger Games

ATTENTION: MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED!!

The Hunger Games

March 24 2012

I have been WAITING with excitement to see this movie! I got to see it with my husband on the BIG screen at the theatre. It was packed but we got great seats.

My opinion:

4.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: This is a MUST see in the theatre

The gist: The Hunger Games is set in a futuristic world where the capital chooses one boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts to compete in a fight to the death. The movie focuses on Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who volunteers to take her younger sisters place as tribute from District 12. She is joined by a young boy named Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).

My Take: I gave this movie 5 stars for my own personal entertainment. My first 5 star movie rating and I will stand by it no matter what everyone else thinks. I read all 3 books and LOVED the first book the best of all of them. I think it is important to have read the book before the movie as I don’t think it would be as enjoyable if you didn’t have some basis for what was going on. This movie was perfection.

Jennifer Lawrence was perfect as Katniss Everdeen. I had my reservations about her when I heard she had been cast, but after seeing the movie I am thrilled with her. She is a true star. There was one moment specifically in the movie before she is lifted up into the arena when you can feel her fear about what is to come. I liked that she had both a hard and soft side to her.

Josh Hutcherson who played Peeta was excellent as well. I was also hesitant about him when I heard he had been cast, but was very happy with his performance.

The movie followed the book really well, although they did leave out a few parts but that is always to be expected when converting a book to a movie. I think the movie really captured the grittiness and the rawness of The Hunger Games and how brutal it was for all the tributes, even the ones that were trained and wanted to go in. Still when it gets down to it it’s an awful and hard thing to do, killing off other kids. They did have to keep the movie PG 13 so it was missing some of the goriness of the book.

I loved it, and would love to see it again. I think the second movie will be just as amazing and I cannot wait until it come out.

Remember Me

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Remember Me

March 23 2012

I knew nothing about this movie and my husband had it recommended to him by a co-worker so we decided to give it a try.

My opinion:

3 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

3 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: DVD

The gist: Remember Me is the story of two new lovers; Tyler (Robert Pattinson) and Ally (Emilie de Ravin). Each of them are struggling with two very traumatic experiences from their past which play a huge part in their behaviors and relationship. Tyler’s parents are separated, his father (Pierce Brosnon) plays a successful, emotionless business man and his little sister (Ruby Jerins) is struggling to earn their father’s love and attention. Ally’s mother was murdered on the subway platform in front of her and her father (Chris Cooper) is tormented over losing his wife.

My Take: This movie was very interesting. It took about a half an hour to get into it, you figure out they are in New York and it appears to be before 9/11. I loved the intricacies of the characters, but that being said I feel like the main character, Ally I didn’t really get to know well at all. She was cute and likeable but I didn’t feel like I got an understanding for her like I did the rest of the characters.

Robert Pattinson was fine (looks and acting). I say fine because he basically plays the same awkward character he normally plays with a few other details added in. The two best performances in the movie in my opinion were by Ruby Jerins – she plays Tyler’s littler sister who is dealing with school bullying and there is actually a moment where something unpleasant happens to her in the movie and it made me gasp at the cruelty. My heart absolutely broke for this young girl.

I think this movie was designed as a real thinker, but my husband and I both guessed the ending and that kind of ruined the rest of it. There was so much build up to what should have been a very dynamic ending, and probably would have been if you hadn’t have already guessed what was going to happen. I must admit I did still think about the movie for several days afterwards trying to figure out if I liked it or not, so that is something.

Friends with Kids

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Friends With Kids

March 18 2012

It felt like it had been months since my last movie, which in reality it had only been a few weeks.

My opinion:

4 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Good in the theatre or at home

The gist: After watching their friends having children, two best friends decide to have a child together while they stay “just” friends. They are trying to avoid the pitfalls that having children can take on a romantic relationship. Things start out just fine, but after a few months feelings begin to change and things begin to take a turn for the worst.

I freaking loved this movie and I loved the cast too! I have recently read some bad reviews and I guess I don’t get it. Sure the ending was a little lame and the plot lines were pretty used up, but I loved their portrayal of parenthood. I didn’t go into this movie looking for a laugh out loud comedy, because for those of us with kids, we know that it is not always laugh out loud. It is hard to get it on with your spouse when you have kids hanging on you all day and sleeping in your bed. When the friends were all sitting around at the table and one couple announced they were pregnant, but that nothing was going to change, that is when I knew this was my kind of movie. As we all know, everything changes!

I loved the characters; each was unique in their own way and added positively to the film. Jon Hamm plays the best asshole in movies doesn’t he!! You can’t help but love to hate that guy! The rest of the cast was really good. No they weren’t hilarious like in Bridesmaids, but they all held their own and managed to bring a sense of reality to their characters.

Gone

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Gone

March 3 2012

I was really ready to see a movie after a week off!!

My opinion:

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Would be a good rental but if you LOVE Portland it would be good to see in the theatre for the scenery alone

The gist: Jill (Amanda Seyfried) is a young woman living in Portland Oregon with her sister. When her sister disappears mysteriously, Jill is convinced that the kidnapper is the same man who abducted her two years ago. Jill sets out on a race against time to find the killer and rescue her sister before it’s too late.

I was skeptical about this movie, but I ended up loving it. Sure the ending could have been a little better but my heart was literally pounding during the entire movie. She runs into so many creepy characters on her search for the killer that I could hardly keep up. Amanda Seyfried completely carried this movie. She was excellent. There was a small bit part by Jennifer Carpenter (who I love from Dexter) but it was really nothing special.

If you are from Portland you will love this movie even more. I thought they did an excellent job of showing the city off in the movie. It is a beautiful place to live, with quite a few strange characters so that part kind of made senseJ

Overall, this is my kind of movie, very fast paced and a mystery up until the very end.

The Vow

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The Vow

February 22 2012

It is rare I get to go to the movie theatre on a Wednesday night so when my friend suggested it I was stoked!

My opinion:

4 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Would be a good rental or a great date night movie in the theatre

The gist: Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) are a married couple deeply in love with one another. When a car accident leaves Paige with severe memory loss Leo must try to make her fall in love with him again. Her last memory is before she met him and when she was a very different person from who she is today.

I had no idea what to expect from this movie. Honestly, I wasn’t all that excited to see if after seeing the trailers. It seemed like another Nicholas Sparks –type movie which aren’t my favorite. Plus I am a little over Rachel McAdams. I can admit that I WAS WRONG! In this case, the trailers did not do it justice….not even close. The story line is nothing too complicated, Paige loses her memory and Leo who is deeply in love with Paige has to convince her that they are meant to be together. Add Paige’s family, which hasn’t been a part of her life and has never even met Leo and you have a whole different kind of story. Then add in an ex-fiancé’ still clearly in love with Pagie. Trying to figure out what drove her and her family apart and why she changed her life around was the best part of the movie.

Sure the love story was pretty good too. Channing Tatum is extremely good looking…okay he a real hottie and I kept wondering why she wasn’t falling head over heels for him. He does everything to try and win her heart back, but it just ends up confusing her more. As she begins to finally start to feel something for him the ex-fiance and the family get in the way. I won’t give too much more away, but I will say it had the right ending.

This Means War

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This Means War

February 18 2012

Now that Valentine’s Day is over, it’s time for a little rom-com! I adore Reese Witherspoon and love her movies so I was looking forward to seeing this one. It got some unfavorable reviews, but I like to make up my own mind about a movie so I decided to give it a shot! I don’t always agree with the reviewers…..I know big shock!

My opinion:

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Would be a good rental or a great date night movie in the theatre

The gist: Two best friends and CIA agents, FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy) unintentionally start dating the same woman, Lauren (Reese Witherspoon). Once they discover this they wage an all-out war against one another to win Lauren’s love. What follows is a full scale operation to sabotage the others chances with Lauren.

I really liked this movie. Sure it was a little cheesy and the plot line was beyond simple but that is what was so enjoyable about the film. If I could have one complaint it would be this…..please don’t show us 90% of the comical scenes in the previews!! Chris Pine and Tom Hardy are great together. They start out as best friends almost like brothers and end up as rivals and full on enemies as they try to get Lauren to choose one over the other. Just when you think they have gone too far, the other steps in to up the ante.

Reese Witherspoon started out as adorable and cutesy (like most of her roles) and then quickly turned into a fast talking, sexy, no nonsense kinda woman. I have to admit, I really loved her in this role. She is one hot babe! Her trash talking, best friend, Trish (Chelsea Handler) added some truly laugh out loud moments and the movie wouldn’t have been the same without her!

Another thing I really liked about this movie is that Lauren does finally end up choosing one of the guys over the other (I won’t spoil it by saying who) but it wasn’t who I thought she would pick.

I didn’t realize until the end of the movie that it was directed by McG. I absolutely adored The OC so enough said there!

Overall, I think most people would like this movie. It does what many other movies out today fail at and that is simply to entertain the audience. If you like Reese Witherspoon and the guys you will be happy and thoroughly entertained!

Safe House

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Safe House

February 11 2012

I was ready for a good action flick after taking 2 weeks off from movies! It was not intentional, I just didn’t have a chance to get to the theatre.

My opinion:

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Go to the theatre, won’t be the same at home

The gist: A young CIA rookie played by Ryan Reynolds runs a safe house in Cape Town, South Africa. There is very little activity in this safe house until one night a rogue CIA agent, played by Denzel Washington is brought in. The safe house is attacked and Ryan Reynolds character is forced to follow protocol and get Denzel Washington’s character to a safe location. What follows is a constant chase plotline and questions about who attacked the safe house and why.

There are very few actors that can convey a look of sheer intimidation as well as Denzel Washington. He is definitely the smartest person in the room and you know it within the first 2 minutes of him being brought into the safe house. All I can say is…..this is the type of role I love for him!! Ryan Reynolds is good, not the greatest actor in the world, but beautiful to look at and he is great in this role as a newbie agent trying to follow protocol at every turn. There was an underlying intelligence to his character that makes for some very pithy dialogue between him and Washington’s character.

This movie has some very predictable plot lines (you can basically guess who the real bad guy is going to be at the beginning of the movie). There were some great action scenes, a lot of gunfire and car chases, along with some very realistic fight scenes. Another very predictable story line is that Denzel Washington basically blurs the lines between good guy/bad guy. This movie is VERY entertaining and enjoyable. It was well worth going to the theatre to see.

Margin Call

ATTENTION: MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED!!

Margin Call

January 29 2012

It is a rare treat that I get to see two movies in one weekend. This movie I watched on DVD with my hubby.

My opinion:

2.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

3 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Watch on DVD

The gist: Margin Call is a movie about an investment bank that is downsizing. One of the people fired was working on a risk assessment of the firm’s current financial situation . He hands his work off to his young college who spends all night crunching numbers only to find out that the firm is headed for serious financial disaster. Late in to the night, the upper management team is called in and then finally the board of directors. What follows is a plan to get the company out of this disaster using whatever means necessary. Long into the night, the board of directors decides to save the companies skin, no matter what ethical boundaries they cross.

I had incredibly high hopes for this movie for a few reasons: 1) because of the amazing cast and 2) because of my interest in the subject matter (I love movies about the stock market and financial crisis). I thought one of the problems with this movie was that the story line kept going and going and going and seemed to be missing cohesiveness to it. There were so many characters in the movie to keep track of, but I didn’t feel like I really got to know any of them. And because the depth of the characters was so poor, I just didn’t really care what happened to them.

There were, however, some very memorable performances specifically by Kevin Spacy and Stanley Tucci. Both amazing actors and perfect in their roles. These were two of the characters that were built up in the movie which was definitely one of the highlights.

At the end of the day (to use a banking term) the story line fell flat and I was disappointed because there were so many other interesting directions they could have taken the film but they didn’t!! Too bad!

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

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Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

January 28 2012

This movie was nominated for 2 Oscars including best picture so I was very excited to see it. I try to see as many of the nominated movies before awards season.

My opinion:

4.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: try to get to the theatre

The gist: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is a movie about a young boy, Oskar, and his relationship with his father. His father dies suddenly during the 9/11 attacks and Oskar is left in a very confusing and heart wrenching state of grief over his death. Oskar accidentally finds a key in a blue vase in his father’s closet exactly one year after his passing and decides it is a clue left intentionally by his father. Oskar embarks on a detailed search to find the lock the key belongs to and in turn he hopes to feel closer to his father by completing his final treasure hunt. In the meantime, his Mom is trying to cope with her own grief, while being there for her son. There is a strange older man living across the street with Oskar’s Grandmother who becomes Oskar’s confidant. Although, Oskar doesn’t find exactly what he is looking for at the end of his journey, he realizes how incredible the journey was and reconnects with his mother.

I absolutely LOVED this movie. It was the perfect mix of tears mixed with humor. The young boy who played Oskar, Thomas Horn is wonderful in the role. From the beginning you can see that Oskar is not your typical child (it appears that he has some form of autism) and that his Dad is really the only one who can communicate with Oskar on a level that he can understand. When Oskar’s father is killed during the 9/11 attacks it is one of the most heart wrenching moments in the film. What makes it even more so is that Oskar takes on the burden of keeping a secret from everyone about the day his father was killed.

Oskar is also close with his Grandmother who lives in the building across the street and he notices that there is a strange older man living there. As the story unfolds, Oskar meets this man, played flawlessly by Max von Sydow. He is a mute who writes out all his thoughts and responses on paper. Oskar begins to confide in this older man and they become unlikely allies and friends.

This movie will touch your heart and soul and make you grateful for your family. I went home immediately and hugged my husband after this movie. If you don’t have time to see this in the theatre, it is a definite must for a DVD movie night.

Haywire

ATTENTION: MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED!!

Haywire

January 21 2012

Another perfect day for an action flick!

My opinion:

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

3.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Wait for the DVD

The gist: This movie is about an assassin for hire, Mallory, who gets double crossed by…..well…….basically everyone. She is an ex-marine with fearsome combat skills. She is contracted along with 3 other team members to rescue a hostage. The person she works for soon contracts her again and things start to unravel as the hostage she helped to rescue ends up dead and she has been framed for murder. She kicks some major butt and gets her revenge on those who betrayed her.

I wanted to love this film as I have been waiting for a good woman kicking butt movie since The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I did really enjoy it, but I just didn’t LOVE it. First off, I will say that the star, Gina Carano, was absolutely amazing. She is beautiful in some scenes (reminded me a little of Rachel Bilson) and is also plain in some scenes which helped turn her into a TOTAL bad ass!

Cheers to Steven Soderberg for going outside the box and making a different type of movie then he normally does. This is no Ocean’s Eleven! The fight scenes were all shot in a very raw setting without music or fillers. As a viewer you could tell you were seeing some real ass kicking action! I also loved the super-hero-ish type music playing while she is being chased by the bad guys.

It was great to have Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor and Antonio Banderas in this flick. I really enjoy all of them as actors and they were spot on in their roles. I also enjoyed Channing Tatum….YUMMMMMM! Bill Paxton had a small role as Mallory’s father and he very good as well.

The reason for my lower opinion on the film is because it is a little short and it takes a while to get going and the character building falls flat. If you are going to have all those amazing actors in a film, I would like to get to know at least a few of them before the movie ends. On a positive note, throughout the movie you can’t seem to peel your eyes away from Mallory!

Contraband

ATTENTION: MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED!! DON’T READ THIS IF YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO THE THEATRE TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

Contraband

January 14 2012

Today was COLD and rainy so it was the perfect time to take in an action flick and drool over Mark Wahlberg. The previews before the movie started were awesome. There was a new trailer that I had never seen for The Hunger Games and a great Haywire trailer too…..can’t wait to see both of those.

My opinion:

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

4 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Go to the theatre it won’t be the same on DVD

The gist: This movie is about an ex-smuggler, Chris Farraday, played by Mark Wahlberg. Chris has gone legit and is self-employed installing home security systems. Although he has been out of the smuggling game for a while he gets sucked back in when a deal his brother in law is involved in goes very wrong. After this his brother in law’s life is in danger unless he can pay back the fearsome Tim Briggs (played by Giovanni Ribisi). Chris strikes a deal with Briggs to smuggle in some funny money and fully pay him back to get his brother in law’s name cleared. He sets sail on a ship to Panama where he uses his influence to procure a crew and uses his knowledge of the game to get out of some life threatening situations. Meanwhile, back home his wife and kids lives are threatened by Briggs and she seeks shelter with Chris’ best friend who is also an ex-smuggler. This movie is full of fast paced fighting, a double cross, a wife in danger and everything that makes a great action flick!

I really enjoyed this movie. There was so much to love, the gorgeous Mark Wahlberg for one and the always creepy Giovanni Ribisi for another. These two were perfect in their roles. No one plays a better bad boy turned good then Mark Wahlberg. He has really kept in shape in his middle age! Giovanni Ribisi has certainly found his calling as a threatening bully of a criminal. He is just ruthless enough to make us believe he is a little bat shit crazy. I also cannot overlook Ben Foster. He is also one of those actors that can send chills down your spine as kind of a creepy character. (see him in Alpha Dog and you will see what I mean!) He plays Chris Farraday’s best friend and ex-smuggling buddy. It is clear from the beginning that they are as close as brothers. His transformation from good guy to not so good guy is totally predictable, but he made the conflicting emotions just believable enough which saved the whole plot line. While we are on the subject of the cast, Kate Beckinsale played Chris’ wife and she was just okay. I think she is beautiful and I don’t prefer her in roles where she has to be somewhat gritty. I like the Pearl Harbor Kate better!

I love a good action flick and this one certainly delivered. There was a HUGE car chase/shoot out in Panama along with a crashing boat. Although the plot is pretty predictable it still had enough interesting elements to make it enjoyable and set it apart from every other action movie out there right now. The end of the movie is great, just the right amount of revenge and good luck to make you smile!

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

ATTENTION: MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED!! DON’T READ THIS IF YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO THE THEATRE TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

January 7 2012

My first movie of the New Year!

My opinion:

3.5 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

3.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Wait for the DVD

The gist: This movie takes place in the early 1970’s during the cold war. Control, the alias for the head of the British Intelligence, resigns following an operation to expose a mole in his agency that goes very wrong. The agent he assigned to the mission is shot and taken as prisoner in Budapest. Smiley, a top agent (Gary Oldman) is also forced into retirement but he begins to investigate the story of a possible mole in the agency. As he digs deeper using information he obtains covertly he finds the missing agent that was shot in Budapest and begins to unravel a plot involving 4 of the top men in the agency. One of them is the mole and Smiley sets up a brilliant trap to catch the mole in the act. In the end, Smiley is reappointed as head of the agency, and the mole gets what he deserves.

The best part of this movie is the casting. All the characters are perfectly cast and Gary Oldman absolutely steals the show. His performance is incredible!! I love the way this movie was filmed, you really felt like you are being transported back to the 1970’s. The haircuts and clothing are RAD!! The name of the movie, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, also plays into the plot very well.

The first 45 minutes of the movie is VERY slow and intense. It gets much more interesting once you start finding out more details surrounding the mole and the agent that was taken prisoner in Budapest. I see tons of movies and consider myself very skilled at reading plot lines and finding the hidden details in a film, but this one was a bit of a head scratcher for me. There were so many characters to keep track of and after a time they all begin to blend together. I also lost track of the good guys and the bad guys and even now I am sure I got them all right. The meticulous information surrounding the search for the mole is somewhat exhausting.

What pissed me off about this movie is you literally sit through over an hour and a half of vital plot information and the introduction of character after character only to lead you to an underwhelming conclusion. The mole ends up being exactly who you thought it was going to be and there is no side plot. That is it. You find the mole the mystery is solved. There is one problem with this, however, we as movie goers today expect a little more than an ending that we guessed half way through the film. I am all fine and good with guessing an ending of a film, as long as I didn’t have to endure over an hour of material leading up to the conclusion. I wish there would have been more of a surprise at the ending and that is why I suggested the wait for DVD on this. If you like Gary Oldman, then I would definitely go to the theatre……if you are one of his fans; his performance alone is worth the price of admission.

Movie - The Descendants

ATTENTION: MOVIE SPOILERS INCLUDED!! DON’T READ THIS IF YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO THE THEATRE TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

The Descendants

December 31 2011

My last movie of 2011! Well unless I somehow talk my hubby into watching another one tonight, but even I am not that good.

My opinion:

3 out of 5 bags of popcorn for the overall movie

2.5 out of 5 boxes of milk duds for my personal entertainment

My suggestion: Wait for the DVD

The gist: This is a story about a seemingly workaholic out of touch Dad (played by George Clooney) trying to build relationships with his 17 and 10 year old daughters after his wife is in an accident that leaves her in a coma. He is tasked with trying to break the news to his children and holding his family together. No small feat. The oldest daughter is a rebel, and quite cynical and the youngest daughter is a confused girl trying to find her way. As the story unfolds, he is confronted with the fact that his wife was having an affair with a sleazy, married, real estate agent. His oldest daughter knew all about this which made for an interesting spin on their relationship and her relationship with her Mom. He struggles with the decision to confront the other man and out him to his wife. To make his life even more hectic, he is also in the middle of a very important land sale deal which will affect his HUGE Hawaiian family.

My thoughts: I am floored that this movie was nominated for 5 golden globes including best picture. That blew me away given all the wonderful movies that were out this year. This is not a feel good movie; it is sad 95% of the time with a couple of comedic additions. That doesn’t mean it can’t be great, it just wasn’t. The best part of the story, in my opinion, was the plot involving chasing after the man the dying wife was having an affair with, his name was Brian Speer. Even I hated Brian Speer by the time we met him. He was played by Matthew Lillard the guy from Scream (that is how I know him best) He plays a jerk really well! I also enjoyed the part about the selling of the land on Kauai, but you knew about halfway through the movie what was going to happen with that. The scenery was spectacular, how could it not be, it was Hawaii!

I definitely think that the best performance of this movie was given by Shailene Woodley (she plays 17 year old Alexandra King). I absolutely loved her. My take on her is that she is a bit Mischa Barton-esque…..meaning she is absolutely gorgeous and kinda awkward. She was right on cue with her entire performance. George Clooney was good…..nothing spectacular in my opinion but he did bring a real life feel to his character. Another highlight was Nick Krause (he plays Sid one of Alexandra’s friends) and also Amara Miller (she plays Scottie King). Basically I am saying the casting was awesome, but to me the movie fell flat.

I guess the morale of the movie is supposed to be that we don’t know what we’ve got ‘till it’s gone. In the end it seems everyone learns to forgive and a little revenge is sometimes good. All good things, I just didn’t enjoy the way they were portrayed.

Usually I am a fan of George Clooney movies and certainly of movies nominated for 5 Golden Globes. Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to see this movie, or maybe I just disagree with the critics on this one. Let me know what you think, or take my advice and wait for the DVD.