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Paranormal Activity 3

2012-02-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

The third film is being envisioned as an origin story set in the 1980s that will detail how the "activity" began.

I'm a huge fan of these movies. The first two scared the hell out of me and I was shocked at how good the continuity was from the first to the second and that it wasn't just another ghost story but instead an evolving story. Now comes this third one that is a prequel of what happened to the sister from 1 and the sister from 2 when they were kids that led to those two movies. This movie was not as creepy and psychological as the first two. The first two legitimately made me lose sleep. This one was by far the scariest of the three though. There were a LOT more scenes that make you jump. As opposed to the first two where it was just tension build up to the last holy $hit 10-15 minutes, this one had moments like that throughout and then the crazy holy $hit last 15 minutes. The use of a rotating camera by hooking it up to an oscillating fan made those scenes beyond unnerving to watch. And once again the overall story evolving was great.

I loved this movie. I have loved all three of them. I am extremely grateful though that this one had more of a less psychological fear installation because I was able to sleep last night. Scary as hell but not as scarring.

The Rum Diary

2012-02-11T08:10:00.001-08:00

Based on the debut novel by Hunter S. Thompson, The Rum Diary tells the increasingly unhinged story of itinerant journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp). Tiring of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, Kemp travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local newspaper, The San Juan Star, run by downtrodden editor Lotterman (Richard Jenkins). Adopting the rum-soaked life of the island, Paul soon becomes obsessed with Chenault (Amber Heard), the wildly attractive Connecticut-born fiancée of Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart). Sanderson, a businessman involved in shady property development deals, is one of a growing number of American entrepreneurs who are determined to convert Puerto Rico into a capitalist paradise in service of the wealthy. When Kemp is recruited by Sanderson to write favorably about his latest unsavory scheme, the journalist is presented with a choice: to use his words for the corrupt businessmen's financial benefit, or use them to take the bastards down.

This was an up and down movie and honestly if it wasn't for Johnny Depp, I probably would have pulled the plug due to total loss of interest. The movie would drag for a while and then pick up in both laughs and tempo and then go back to blah. It did this like 3 or 4 times and it wasn't nearly as trippy (a la Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas) as I had expected. Regardless, I will pretty much watch anything with Johnny Depp and his facial expressions/delivery. That held up this movie for me but I was honestly kind of disappointed.

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this one out. It's not a must see and those just wanting to see Depp will be bored by the story while those who are going for the story will probably leave having expected more.

Breaking Dawn - Part 1

2012-02-09T04:51:00.000-08:00

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.

They don't even bother giving these movies legit plot summaries anymore. Basically, there isn't one. This is literally a "you read the book so you are going to see the movie" franchise. This one was really nothing more than a three scene set up for the second part. They get married. They go on a honeymoon. She has a baby. That's it. Seriously. I was pretty bored by this one. Definitely more so than the previous three installments. But none of that matters because if you love the story - you love the movie. If you don't - then you don't.

Like I said - my recommendation really doesn't matter whatsoever. You either live for this "story" or you have no interest whatsoever. I felt like it was just a set up but Part 2 really won't make much sense without this three scened movie.

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas

2012-02-05T05:13:00.000-08:00

The new Harold & Kumar comedy picks up six years after the duo's last adventure. After years of growing apart, Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrives at Kumar's door on Christmas Eve, his attempt to redirect it to Harold's house ends with the "high grade" content and Harold's father-in-law's prize Christmas tree going up in smoke. With his in-laws out of the house for the day, Harold decides to cover his tracks, rather than come clean. Reluctantly embarking on another ill-advised journey with Kumar through New York City, their search for the perfect replacement tree almost blows Christmas Eve sky high.

I tried. I did. I had zero interest in seeing this movie. How is this a franchise at this point? It was a couple of laughs one trick pony that got a sequel that was garbage. Now there is a third one that on top of the one trick pony joke of getting high - it wants to be a spoof on 3D now too. I made it literally 15 minutes in and just couldn't be bothered anymore. There are so many other things I could do with my time.

I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting their time with this. Not even the 15 minutes I did. This is just plain lame.

The Big Year

2012-01-30T17:38:00.000-08:00

Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson are at a crossroads -- one is experiencing a mid-life crisis, another a late-life crisis, and the third, a far from ordinary no-life crisis. From David Frankel, the director of "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Marley & Me," comes a sophisticated comedy about three friendly rivals who, tired of being ruled by obligations and responsibilities, dedicate a year of their lives to following their dreams. Their big year takes them on a cross-country journey of wild and life-changing adventures.

It's a decent watch considering I really didn't care much and was all about birds (a huge fear of mine). The three actors played well off each other. The problem is that the movie wasn't really a comedy or drama. Don't know if that makes sense but it pretty much held the movie back big time.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone taking the time to watch that. It's one of those to watch if you are laying around doing nothing and there is nothing else on.

In Time

2012-01-28T19:45:00.001-08:00

In a future where time is literally money, and aging stops at 25, the only way to stay alive is to earn, steal, or inherit more time. Will Salas lives life a minute at a time, until a windfall of time gives him access to the world of the wealthy, where he teams up with a beautiful young heiress to destroy the corrupt system.

Rules of a great sci-fi movie . . . . . 1 - Make believe that the alternate world could be true. Check. 2 - Have a philosophical theme that could be applied to our actual world. Check. 3 - Have characters that are developed enough that I care about them and/or root for them. Check. I loved this movie because of the above three factors. It was a great ride. It was a smart ride. And even though it was a sci-fi movie the underlying philosophy of the rich being more important than the expendable poor was a great kick to the face of those of us watching whether you be rich or poor. And I really hate to admit this but I guess that I now like Justin Timberlake. I really didn't want to. Damn him. But he plays a great "hero" in this movie about hope and living each day like it's your last.

I strongly recommend everyone checking this out. It's a fun, fast, sci-fi movie and one of my favorites of the year.

The Thing

2012-01-28T19:44:00.002-08:00

Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. But it is about to wake up.When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew's pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish.

I still am not sure if I liked this or didn't. It was just kind of there. Crazy gore and creepy sci-fi alien effects throughout but I didn't care at all about the characters or where the story was going. It was basically like a serial killer movie but it was an alien.

I guess I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone outside of fanboys of Fangoria magazine. That's really all it ended up being - gore effects.

Dream House

2012-01-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

Successful publisher Will Atenton (Craig) quit a job in New York City to relocate his wife, Libby (Weisz), and two girls to a quaint New England town. But as they settle into their new life, they discover their perfect home was the murder scene of a mother and her children. And the entire city believes it was at the hands of the husband who survived.When Will investigates the tragedy, his only lead comes from Ann Paterson (Watts), a neighbor who was close to the family that died. As Will and Ann piece together the disturbing puzzle, they discover that the story of the last man to leave Will's dream house will be just as horrifying to the one who came next.

I cannot for the life of me remember the last time that a trailer for a movie ruined a movie more than this one. In the trailer - they blatantly tell you that the guy's family is really dead and he is imagining seeing them. So, please explain to me why the movie is on for about 50 minutes before they reveal this? I was so bored out of my mind for 50 minutes because of the big twist that was revealed two months ago when I first saw the trailer making everything I was seeing completely obsolete. And then the rest of the movie was pretty much just a cheesy Lifetime movie with how it played out and what not. Total waste of time.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this big turd. It's a total waste of time and you can just watch the trailer instead.

Drive

2012-01-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

Drive is the story of a Hollywood stunt driver by day (Ryan Gosling), a loner by nature, who moonlights as a top-notch getaway driver-for-hire in the criminal underworld. He finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan). When the job goes dangerously awry, the only way he can keep Irene and her son alive is to do what he does best—Drive!

What a big turd. This movie is the definition of those movies that could be really good if the director didn't have the need to make it artsy. Seriously. I was ready to pull the plug on this movie long before any of the action started happening. And when it did - it was way over the top gore. The score to this movie is easily one of the most annoying things I've ever had to listen to while watching a movie. So disappointing.

Hell no, I wouldn't recommend people watching this. It's a total waste of 90 minutes that I can never get back now.

Real Steel

2012-01-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

Real Steel stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.

Let me just say for the record that if you are looking for a movie of quality - this is a big giant turd. Anyone who didn't think that already is an idiot. That being said - I still was able to enjoy it for what it was. It was a heartstring pulling, action, popcorn movie. I turned off my brain for two hours and laughed at the jokes, cared about the characters (even the robots) and was rooting for them all along.

Would I recommend it? Depends on what you are looking for. You want to see a quality movie. Then no. You want to see a souped up, badass action movie. Still no then. You want to see a fun, family film that is entertaining to the kids and the adults that take them - then yes.

50/50

2012-01-22T11:11:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a true story, 50/50 is an original story about friendship, love, survival and finding humor in unlikely places. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen star as best friends whose lives are changed by a cancer diagnosis. 50/50 is the story of a guy's transformative and, yes, sometimes funny journey to health - drawing its emotional core from Will Reiser's own experience with cancer and reminding us that friendship and love, no matter what bizarre turns they take, are the greatest healers.

I really enjoyed this movie. I was afraid that it would be sappy and heartstring pulling, but it wasn't at all. It seemed pretty genuine with the different emotions and people's reactions to the events. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was especially strong and I'm surprised he didn't get more recognition for this in such a down year for movies. I am not a really big fan of Seth Rogen, but he didn't even really annoy me too much in this movie. That's pretty impressive.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. It's a good watch and definitely worth your time.

The Ides Of March

2012-01-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

The Ides of March takes place during the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, when an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate's shot at the presidency.

This movie was a pretty decent watch. I honestly found it to be pretty pointless though because there really wasn't much of an effort put in to any sort of an emotional hook in to the characters. To have these great actors and leave the audience not really caring about what is happening to them or where the story is going is a shame.

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this movie out. It's not a must see by any means but it's not a bad movie.

Abduction

2012-01-14T13:10:00.001-08:00

For as long as he can remember, Nathan Harper (Taylor Lautner) has had the uneasy feeling that he's living someone else's life. When he stumbles upon an image of himself as a little boy on a missing persons website, all of Nathan's darkest fears come true: he realizes his parents are not his own and his life is a lie, carefully fabricated to hide something more mysterious and dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Just as he begins to piece together his true identity, Nathan is targeted by a team of trained killers, forcing him on the run with the only person he can trust, his neighbor, Karen (Lily Collins). Every second counts as Nathan and Karen race to evade an army of assassins and federal operatives. But as his opponents close in, Nathan realizes that the only way he'll survive – and solve the mystery of his elusive biological father – is to stop running and take matters into his own hands.
This movie is exactly what the trailer showed you. Formula in every way. No suspense at all. Pretty much just an excuse to have Jacob from Twilight (why even bother giving him a real name mention - that's all the kid is ever going to be) run around and what not. There was no hook. I couldn't have cared less about any characters and I could have wrote this same review from watching the 2 minute trailer.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this. It's a pretty big waste of time.

Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star

2012-01-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star is a new comedy starring Nick Swardson, Christina Ricci, Don Johnson, and Stephen Dorff. Bucky (Swardson) is a small town grocery bagger, going nowhere in life until he discovers that his conservative parents were once adult film stars! Armed with the belief that he has found his destiny, Bucky packs up and heads out to LA, hoping to follow in his parents' footsteps.

This movie sucks. Absolutely sucks. There really is nothing more to say. I made it 13 minutes in and that was possibly some of the most painful minutes I've ever spent watching a movie.

Never see this. Never.

Moneyball

2012-01-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

Based on a true story, Moneyball is a movie for anybody who has ever dreamed of taking on the system. Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's and the guy who assembles the team, who has an epiphany: all of baseball's conventional wisdom is wrong. Forced to reinvent his team on a tight budget, Beane will have to outsmart the richer clubs. The onetime jock teams with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) in an unlikely partnership, recruiting bargain players that the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games. It's more than baseball, it's a revolution – one that challenges old school traditions and puts Beane in the crosshairs of those who say he's tearing out the heart and soul of the game.

I enjoyed this movie alot. However, I was completely familiar with the whole story and am a huge baseball fan. I honestly don't see how a non-baseball/sports fan can really enjoy/understand this movie. It was advertised as a fell goodish sports movie - a la The Blind Side, but anyone could truly enjoy that movie. This one - not so much. It's very heavy in to the operation of a baseball franchise and how the philosophy was changed by Billy Beane when dealt a really crappy hand regarding team payroll in a small market.

Again - I really liked this movie and I would definitely recommend that any big sports/baseball fans check this out. If you are not too familiar with all of that - you won't really enjoy this nearly as much.

Killer Elite

2012-01-08T10:09:00.001-08:00

Based on a true story, Killer Elite races across the globe from Australia to Paris, London and the Middle East in the action-packed account of an ex-special ops agent (Jason Statham) who is lured out of retirement to rescue his mentor (Robert De Niro). To make the rescue, he must complete a near-impossible mission of killing three tough-as-nails assassins with a cunning leader (Clive Owen).

You can throw the based on a true story and add legit actors in to this, but it's still pretty much just another Jason Statham movie. If you like his movies - you will like this one. If you don't - you won't. Pretty much that simple. It had a basic story but kind of made it complicatingly annoying with a lot of back and forth in the past/present. The action was there and enjoyable as always (since I'm one that finds his type of movies entertaining). Bottom line - it's was watchable. I wasn't fully invested in every thing going on but enjoyed it enough to not turn it off.

I would lukewarmly reccomend it to Jason Statham fans. That's really about it though.

What's Your Number?

2012-01-08T10:08:00.000-08:00

Ally Darling embarks on a quest to find the best "ex" of her life, by any means necessary, when she reads a magazine article warning that people who have had 20 or more relationships have missed their chance at true love.

This is one of those silly romantic comedies where everyone and their mother knows how it's going to play out just by watching the trailer. That being said, movies like this are either made or broken by the level of chemistry between the leads. I thought that there was really good chemistry between Anna Farris and Chris Evans and there were more than enough laughs to keep my attention throughout the movie.

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this one out. It's not a must see by any means but was enjoyable enough and had enough laughs that I wasn't looking at my watch and wondering how much time was left in the movie.

Contagion

2012-01-01T14:23:00.001-08:00

When Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns to Minneapolis from business in Hong Kong, what she thought was jet lag takes a virulent turn. Two days later, she's dead in the ER and the doctors tell her shocked and grieving husband (Matt Damon) they have no idea why.Soon, others exhibit the same mysterious symptoms: hacking coughs and fever, followed by seizure, brain hemorrhage...and ultimately, death. In Minneapolis, Chicago, London, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong, the numbers quickly multiply: one case becomes four, then sixteen, then hundreds, thousands, as the contagion sweeps across all borders, fueled by the countless human interactions that make up the course of an average day. A global pandemic explodes.

I really enjoyed this movie. Movies like this about mass panic, if done right, are always entertaining and make you wonder what if. This was more of an artistic and political look at a global epidemic. It included doubting what the government says, questioning the integrity of the internet and how debilitating red tape can be in regards to simply doing what is right or what is necessary. The characters were all well developed and the whole thing seemed very realistic. The only knock that I would make against this movie would be that it ended more artistic with the life will go on line of thinking in a pretty mushy way instead of a pretty little bow. Then they actually showed you just how simply the whole thing started. That to me was more terrifying than anything.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. Again, don't have your expectations too high because it's not the pretty little package that you would expect. I really liked it though.

Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark

2012-01-01T14:22:00.001-08:00

Based on the 1973 telefilm that Guillermo del Toro believes is the scariest TV production ever made, the story follows Sally (Madison), a young girl who moves to Rhode Island to live with her father (Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Holmes) in the 19th-century mansion they are restoring. While exploring the house, Sally starts to hear voices coming from creatures in the basement whose hidden agenda is to claim her as one of their own.

This was one of the better creepy/scary movies that has hit theaters. I wish that they would make more like this instead of the gorefests and lame remakes. I wouldn't say that it was jump out of your seat scary but it was creepy as hell. There is always something about kids being the target of the "monsters" that rachets up the fear factor tremendously. As for the monsters - they are pretty much the most original looking ones I've seen in the longest time. The movie was fast paced, well told in terms of the story development and character developments and they even managed to make Katie Holmes not one of the most painful actressed to watch.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. It's a creepy, tight story that horror/scary movie fans should love.

Shark Night

2012-01-01T14:21:00.001-08:00

Arriving by boat at her family's Louisiana lake island cabin, Sara (Sara Paxton) and her friends quickly strip down to their swimsuits for a weekend of fun in the sun. But when star football player Malik (Sinqua Walls) stumbles from the salt-water lake with his arm torn off, the party mood quickly evaporates. Assuming the injury was caused by a freak wake-boarding accident, the group realizes they have to get Malik to a hospital on the other side of the lake, and fast.But as they set out in a tiny speedboat, the college friends discover the lake has been stocked with hundreds of massive, flesh-eating sharks! As they face one grisly death after another, Sara and the others struggle desperately to fend off the sharks, get help and stay alive long enough to reach the safety of dry land.

Exhibit A of why going to the movies in September sucks. I expected a schlocky, possibly guilty pleasure type movie of people getting attacked by sharks. Instead, they actually tried to give this movie some kind of an absurd story and wasted precious minutes of my life trying to develop the characters. I was rooting for all of them to die in crazy shark scenes. Ended up getting only two good ones. Total poop.

Hell no I wouldn't recommend anyone seeing this. It's total garbage and opened up in September for a reason.

I Don't Know How She Does It

2012-01-01T14:20:00.000-08:00

Kate Reddy (Parker) devotes her days to her job with a Boston-based financial management firm. At night she goes home to her adoring, recently-downsized architect husband Richard (Kinnear) and their two young children. It's a non-stop balancing act, the same one that Kate's acerbic best friend and fellow working mother Allison (Christina Hendricks) performs on a daily basis, and that Kate's super-brainy, child-phobic young junior associate Momo (Olivia Munn) fully intends to avoid. When Kate gets handed a major new account that will require frequent trips to New York, Richard also wins the new job he's been hoping for and both will be spreading themselves even thinner. Complicating matters is Kate's charming new business associate Jack Abelhammer (Brosnan), who begins to prove an unexpected source of temptation.

This movie was beyond formula from beginning to end and I find Sara Jessica Parker to be one of the most annoying and unattractive actresses in Hollywood. Yet somehow I found this movie marginally watchable. I was kind of surprised. I'm not remotely saying that anyone should rush and see this but I will admit that I was able to watch it all the way through.

It's a decent movie and is not totally a waste of time if you like fluffy/formula movies. I would only recommend it because I thought it was going to be so much worse and it wasn't.

Final Destination 5

2011-12-17T06:12:00.000-08:00

In Final Destination 5, Death is just as omnipresent as ever, and is unleashed after one man's premonition saves a group of coworkers from a terrifying suspension bridge collapse. But this group of unsuspecting souls was never supposed to survive, and, in a terrifying race against time, the ill-fated group frantically tries to discover a way to escape Death's sinister agenda.

Do I even have to bother reviewing this? Did you like the first four? Do you like these types of shocking death movies? Then this is an entertaining watch. Do you not like them? Then don't touch this with a ten foot pole. It's a bunch more crazy deaths put on the screen including the big bridge going down (WHY MUST YOU TORTURE ME WITH THESE VISIONS!?!) that starts it all. Lots of gore. Lots of build up suspense and then blatant over the top nastiness. I could have done without the cheating death plot twist they factored in towards the end. Just kill the people off and we'll be good at this point. No need to switch it up and what not. There is also one of those clever little karate chops at the viewer's brain towards the end.

Like I said - I would recommend this to anyone liking the others. I'm sure you will like this one just as much. If not - don't start watching it now.

Apollo 18

2011-12-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

Officially, Apollo 17, launched December 17th, 1972 was the last manned mission to the moon. But in December of 1974, two American astronauts were sent on a secret mission to the moon funded by the US Department of Defense. What you are about to see is the actual footage which the astronauts captured on that mission. While NASA denies its authenticity, others say it's the real reason we've never gone back to the moon.

Exhibit B of why going to the movies in September sucks. This movie has been bounced back for over a year and half at this point and there is definitely a reason why. It is a complete and total waste of 90 minutes of your life. It is set up as old 8mm camera footage so that gets old and annoying about 2 minutes in to the movie. It takes like 7 years to get to the creepy part and then once it gets there it's really not that creepy anymore. This movie was basically an attempt at doing Paranormal Activity in space and it failed miserably.

Hell no I wouldn't recommend anyone seeing this. The audience was collectively bitching about the movie out loud at the end of it because it was so lame.

Straw Dogs

2011-12-17T06:10:00.000-08:00

David and Amy Sumner (James Marsden and Kate Bosworth), a Hollywood screenwriter and his actress wife, return to her small hometown in the deep South to prepare the family home for sale after her father's death. Once there, tensions build in their marriage and old conflicts re-emerge with the locals, including Amy's ex-boyfriend Charlie (Alexander Skarsgard), leading to a violent confrontation.

This movie was lame, lame, lame. There was like 90 minutes of build up for a 15 minute culmination which is everything that you saw in the trailer. They dynamic between the wife and husband was retarded and the whole story was just way too forced.

I wouldn't bother anyone checking this movie out. It's a total snooze fest except for two scenes. One scene is incredibly disturbing and should have totally altered the course of the movie and didn't and the other one comes at the end where you are too bored to really care anymore.

Warrior

2011-12-17T06:08:00.000-08:00

Haunted by a tragic past, Marine Tommy Conlon (Hardy) returns home for the first time in fourteen years to enlist the help of his father (Nick Nolte) to train for Sparta, the biggest winner-takes-all event in mixed martial arts history. A former wrestling prodigy, Tommy blazes a path toward the championship while his brother, Brendan (Edgerton), an ex-fighter-turned teacher, returns to the ring in a desperate bid to save his family from financial ruin. But when Brendan's unlikely, underdog rise sets him on a collision course with the unstoppable Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront each other and the forces that pulled them apart.

Holy $hit!!! At no point did I expect to walk out a movie about MMA fighting released in the movie going wasteland that is September feeling like I just witnessed greatness much less announcing the following statement . . . . . WARRIOR IS THE BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR! Seriously. This is not a joke. I'm not some MMA fanboy who is biased. Honestly, I've never even watched it. This movie is hands down one of the best sports movies and family character dramas at the same time I've ever seen. Every character had so many levels and were all so well developed. The tension was unbelievable and just kept going as the fight tournament built towards it's conclusion. I've never been so torn with how I wanted a story to turn out. I was equal parts cheering and crying inside for the two main characters and their quests. Hell, I was cheering out loud and got totally choked up at the same time.

This movie is an absolute must see for all. The movie is simply that phenomenal in story, direction and acting. As of right now - my pick for best movie of the year.

Dolphin Tale

2011-12-17T06:07:00.000-08:00

Dolphin Tale is inspired by the amazing true story of a brave dolphin and the compassionate strangers who banded together to save her life. Swimming free, a young dolphin is caught in a crab trap, severely damaging her tail. She is rescued and transported to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, where she is named Winter. But her fight for survival has just begun. Without a tail, Winter's prognosis is dire. It will take the expertise of a dedicated marine biologist, the ingenuity of a brilliant prosthetics doctor, and the unwavering devotion of a young boy to bring about a groundbreaking miracle—a miracle that might not only save Winter but could also help scores of people around the world. The real Winter, who plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," today serves as a symbol of courage, perseverance and hope to millions of people—both able and disabled—who have been touched by her remarkable story of recovery and rehabilitation.

This is one of the biggest heartstring movies to come out in a long time. They pulled absolutely no punches to make you cry. It was textbook. You also pretty much saw the movie by seeing the commercial. I mean honestly - anyone think that the dolphin is not going to be okay in the end? Am I spoiling that for anyone? Come on now. The movie is somewhat watchable but ended up just kind of being there because I wasn't really hooked.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes weepy feel good movies. It's a great family movie if you have younger children. Sadly, Stinka has gotten to an age where she doesn't really have interest in this anymore. Beginning of the end, people. Beginning of the end.

Glee 3D: The Concert Movie

2011-12-17T06:06:00.000-08:00

The multi-generational phenomenon that has inspired millions to embrace their inner-Gleek will soon bring them together to experience Glee a whole new way.

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this movie. I had taken Stinka to see the concert with our friends and really enjoyed how it was more of a production than just a concert. Still, I figured the movie would just be the same as the concert. Instead I found myself enjoying the production part of the whole thing just as entertaining and they had these great little vignettes from a couple of Gleeks throughout showing how the show and it's characters/messages had touched them.

I would definitely recommend this movie just like the show and the concert. It's got great characters, great performances and all these kids have a whole lot of talent.

Colombiana

2011-12-17T06:05:00.000-08:00

In Colombiana, Zoe Saldana plays Cataleya, a young woman who has grown up to be an assassin after witnessing the murder of her parents as a child. Turning herself into a professional killer and working for her uncle, she remains focused on her ultimate goal: to hunt down and get revenge on the mobster responsible for her parents’ deaths.

This is one of your textbook August/September adrenaline movies. Honestly, this was basically a Jason Statham movie with the girl from Avatar in it instead of him. Cool action, badass characters, simple revenge story . . . . . with a girl.

I'd lukewarmly recommend people checking this bad boy out. It's not a must see by any means but if you like action/espionage type movies, this is definitely watchable.

Midnight In Paris

2011-12-17T06:04:00.000-08:00

Midnight in Paris is a romantic comedy that follows a family travelling to the city for business. The party includes a young engaged couple that has their lives transformed throughout the journey. The film celebrates a young man's great love for Paris, and simultaneously explores the illusion people have that a life different from their own is better.

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this movie. Most of Woody Allen's recent movies have disappointed. I'm not familiar at all with the city of Paris - which I was told was like a character in this movie. And the thought of Owen Wilson as the lead in it seemed like a bad joke. However, I really enjoyed this movie with the back and forth between past and present and how the story progressed.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. Its a quality, entertaining movie that doesn't disappoint.

Kung Fu Panda 2

2011-12-11T08:40:00.001-08:00

Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five - Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. But Po's new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. But how can Po stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

It's official - May 2011 will go down as the greatest looking month of movies on paper where every movie ended up being entertaining but were also disappointing at the same time because they could have been better. Just like the previous 4 entries, don't get me wrong . . . . . . I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda 2. The action animation was awesome. I like that they developed other characters a little bit and introduced new ones but didn't overdo it. I liked that they bothered with a story instead of just throwing characters up there we are familiar with and taking our money. The laughs were still there and the movie was a perfect length. It's just not a movie that I'm going to watch over and over again like the original and it took about 20-25 minutes to get going. It seemed kind of stuck in neutral for a little too long. Just like everything else this month - it could have been better.

I would still definitely recommend people checking this out. Its a good family movie and worth your time and money. Just don't have your expectations too high I guess.

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

2011-12-11T08:39:00.001-08:00

A single act of both compassion and arrogance leads to a war unlike any other -- and to the "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." The Oscar-winning visual effects team that brought to life the worlds of "Avatar" and "Lord of the Rings" is breaking new ground, creating a CGI ape that delivers a dramatic performance of unprecedented emotion and intelligence, and epic battles on which rest the upended destinies of man and primate.

This movie was very well done. It didn't waste time with too much bla-bla build up. The characters were very well developed - especially considering that at least 3/4 of them were monkeys. The effects were awesome and I found myself gawking at the heavily ape featured scenes. The only knock I can make on this is that it's a straight up remake and you know every step this movie is going to make. There is not a single twist or variation you don't see coming. Regardless, it's still entertaining as hell.

I would definitely recommend this movie because it's a great watch. Not remotely original but done so well you find yourself legitimately rooting/caring for the monkeys.

Fright Night

2011-12-11T08:38:00.001-08:00

Senior Charlie Brewster (Anton Yelchin) finally has it all going on: he's running with the popular crowd and dating the most coveted girl in his high school. In fact, he's so cool he's even dissing his best friend. But trouble arrives when Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door. He seems like a great guy at first, but there's something not quite right-but everyone, including Charlie's mom (Toni Collette), doesn't notice. After observing some very strange activity, Charlie comes to an unmistakable conclusion: Jerry is a vampire preying on the neighborhood. Unable to convince anyone, Charlie has to find a way to get rid of the monster himself in this Craig Gillespie-helmed revamp of the comedy-horror classic.

The movie started off great. It was creepy and campy. It felt like that movie Disturbia from a couple of years ago but with a vampire instead. I was looking forward to the cat and mouse type game of seeing if the guy really was a vampire. Unfortunately, they sped that up way too much and he was an acknowledged vampire with the whole second half of the movie left. At that point, the movie pretty much went right into the crapper, dragged like a slug and ended up stinking.

I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone. It is a lot of fun for 45 minutes but is total garbage for the other 45 minutes.

The Debt

2011-12-11T08:37:00.001-08:00

The espionage thriller begins in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Ciarán Hinds). All three have been venerated for decades by their country because of the mission that they undertook back in 1966, when the trio (portrayed, respectively, by Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam Worthington tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Jesper Christensen) in East Berlin. At great risk, and at considerable personal cost, the team's mission was accomplished - or was it? The suspense builds in and across two different time periods, with startling action and surprising revelations.

This movie was a decent watch. The suspense wasn't all that suspenseful, but the story playing out was more than intriguing enough to keep my attention throughout. You care about the characters and the back and forth between the present and the past was well put together.

I would lukewarmly recommend this movie. It's not a must see by any means whatsoever, but there are many worse things out there.

The Hangover Part II

2011-12-06T04:06:00.001-08:00

In the follow-up to the record-breaking hit comedy "The Hangover," Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don't always go as planned. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can't even be imagined.

It's now official. This is definitely going to be one of those summer where all the movies are equally entertaining and disappointing. This is the fourth straight week where the main movie was fun to watch, but could have been so much better and therefore didn't meet expectations. This one is literally a carbon copy of the first movie . . . . . . which makes it less funny. Don't get me wrong. I still laughed and I love the characters. It wasn't a total waste of my time. It just could have been better and honestly, I probably would have laughed much harder if I would have just watched the original at home.

I would still recommend people checking this out. It's a fun watch. Just don't have high expectations and you might be able to enjoy it for what it is . . . . . . . "Hangover 1 with Asians".

The Help

2011-12-06T04:04:00.001-08:00

Based on one of the most talked about books in years and a #1 New York Times best-selling phenomenon, The Help stars Emma Stone ("Easy A") as Skeeter, Viola Davis ("Doubt") as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny—three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi during the 1960s, who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed—even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times.

This movie was awesome. I keep debating back and forth over whether or not Super 8 or X-Men: First Class are my best movie of the year on a "favorite" scale. This movie is technically the best movie of the year in terms of year end awards. This was an excellent story and I could see the entire Best Supporting Actress field being filled from this movie alone, as well as a Best Actress nomination for Viola Davis. And I'm not even counting Emma Stone who has completely solidifed herself as the best young up and coming actress in Hollywood.

I absolutely recommend this movie. It's easily one of the best movies of the year and a must see.

Cowboys & Aliens

2011-12-06T04:03:00.001-08:00

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.

I really enjoyed this movie. This is a straight up summertime popcorn movie. With all the reboots and origins and sequels and remakes that have truly destroyed any sense of creativity, this one was equal parts creative and simple. Take a western and throw aliens in there. Enjoy the ride. Different and simple and fun as hell. They develop all the characters enough so that you care and the action looked really good. This movie was straight up fun. The only warning is that alot of the alien stuff was too scary for younger ones. WW jumped numerous times.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. It's definitely one of the better movies of the summer on an entertainment level.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

2011-12-06T04:02:00.001-08:00

In this family comedy, Jim Carrey is Mr. Popper, a driven businessman who is clueless when it comes to the important things in life – until he inherits six penguins. Popper's penguins turn his swank New York apartment into a snowy winter wonderland – and the rest of his life upside-down.

This movie is formula in every way. If you have seen the trailer, you have pretty much seen the movie. It pulls on every heartstring it possibly can. That being said - it's still an enjoyable family comedy. There are laughs. Not the usual amount associated with Jim Carrey, but they are definitely there. The penguins are cute as is the father trying to connect with his kids and dealing with his own daddy issues. It really is a movie for kids or families.

I would recommend those that fit the above bill check this movie out. It's not a horrible watch but it's definitely family geared as opposed to straight up comedy.

The Smurfs

2011-12-01T04:56:00.001-08:00

Audiences everywhere are in for a Smurfy good time as the Smurfs make their first 3D trip to the big screen. When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours – in fact, smack dab in the middle of Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down.

I'll be honest. I was a little excited about this just because of how much I used to like The Smurfs when I was a kid. I knew I had to temper that because spade a spade this is a movie for kids. I was hoping it was more Alvin & The Chipmunks than Yogi Bear and that was exactly what I got. You see the trailer and you see the movie. Tons of overacting, but I did find Hank Azaria pretty stupid funny as Gargamel.

I would recommend this movie for anyone with kids. It's not the best watch for the parents but I've seen much worse.

Friends With Benefits

2011-12-01T04:55:00.001-08:00

Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) think it's going to be easy to add the simple act of sex to their friendship, despite what Hollywood romantic comedies would have them believe. They soon discover however that getting physical really does always lead to complications.

I really liked this movie. It's easily the best romantic comedy of the summer - although it's definitely a rated R movie. It has more than enough laughs. Most importantly, the chemistry between Timberlake and Kunis was awesome and they played off of each other so well. They were both flawed and you totally understand why and root for both of them because they are perfect for each other.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out. Again - it's a legit rated R but it is a great romantic comedy for adults.

30 Minutes Or Less

2011-11-20T08:14:00.001-08:00

In the action-comedy 30 Minutes or Less, Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) is a small town pizza delivery guy whose mundane life collides with the big plans of two wanna-be criminal masterminds (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson). The volatile duo kidnaps Nick and forces him to rob a bank. With mere hours to pull off the impossible task, Nick enlists the help of his ex-best friend, Chet (Aziz Ansari). As the clock ticks, the two must deal with the police, hired assassins, flamethrowers, and their own tumultuous relationship.

This movie was pretty much poop. There were a couple of laughs in there but they were mostly cheap and forced. The movie was barely over an hour long and still felt like a big fat waste of time. Jesse Eisenberg needs to pretty much fire his agent. How does one go from The Social Network and an oscar nomination to this?

I would absolutely not recommend anyone else bothering to waste their time with this. It's one of those end of summer duds that are going to be flooding theaters over the next couple of weeks.

One Day

2011-11-20T08:13:00.001-08:00

Adapted from the bestselling novel, One Day charts an extraordinary relationship. Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) meet on the night of their college graduation – July 15th, 1988. She is a working-class girl of principle and ambition who dreams of making the world a better place. He is a wealthy charmer who dreams that the world will be his playground. For the next two decades, every July 15th reveals to us how "Em" and "Dex" are faring, as their friendship ebbs and flows with the passing of the years. Through love and loss, heartbreak and success, hopes fulfilled and dreams shattered, they experience the grandeur of life. Somewhere along their journey, these two people realize that what they are searching and hoping for has been there for them all along.

To be fair - I left this movie after 30 minutes because we had Stinka with us and this is not the simple/easy romantic comedy that was advertised. It was alot more about hooking up and what not and after seeing the third and fourth bare asses at a nude beach scene we ran like hell. However, I had seen more than enough to know that I will probably never bother watching the rest of it. It's about as textbook as you can get and there was pretty much no chemistry between Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess and it all felt really forced, which is pretty sad because I really like both of them.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this . . . . . at least I think not based on my 30 minutes of viewing.

Our Idiot Brother

2011-11-20T08:12:00.001-08:00

Every family has one: the sibling who is always just a little bit behind the curve when it comes to getting his life together. For sisters Liz (Emily Mortimer), Miranda (Elizabeth Banks) and Natalie (Zooey Deschanel), that person is their perennially upbeat brother Ned (Paul Rudd), an erstwhile organic farmer whose willingness to rely on the honesty of mankind is a less-than-optimum strategy for a tidy, trouble-free existence. Ned may be utterly lacking in common sense, but he is their brother and so, after his girlfriend dumps him and boots him off the farm, his sisters once again come to his rescue. As Liz, Emily and Natalie each take a turn at housing Ned, their brother's unfailing commitment to honesty creates more than a few messes in their comfortable routines. But as each of their lives begins to unravel, Ned's family comes to realize that maybe, in believing and trusting the people around him, Ned isn't such an idiot after all.

Overall - this movie was about as pointless as you can get. There was a simple moral of love your family but there was nothing outside of that. That being said, I really enjoyed it simply because the characters were funny and I have always liked Paul Rudd. His delivery is just as good in this movie as it always is and all his sisters played off of him very well.

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this out. It's not a must see by any stretch of the imagination but it is one of the better movies by default right now simply because of the amount of garbage that is in theaters right now.

Super 8

2011-11-20T08:09:00.001-08:00

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

Of all the big summer movie blockbusters, this was one of the movies that I was the most excited to see for a couple of reasons. A - the trailer made this look amazing. It didn't tell you everything but left you with that "holy $hit - I want to see that" feeling. The more commercials/trailers that showed up for it made it look like a throwback to the kinds of movies I loved growing up in the 80s, which leads me to . . . . . . . B - Steven Spielberg provided most of my most favorite movie going memories growing up (along with the late John Hughes). As he has matured, he has tended to do smarter and more noteworthy movies instead of the rollercoaster adventure types. Seeing his name attached to this kind of a movie again got me beyond exctied. JJ Abrams apparantly felt the same way growing up as I did and said that this movie was an omage to the aforementioned movies. After seeing this, I will gladly accept Spielberg passing the baton on to him because this movie was as awesome as I hoped it would be. I felt like I was a young teenager again going to the movies with my dad with how glued to the screen I was as this well done in every way story played out with a bunch of unknown kids completely holding their own in terms of fear, love, laughs, and heroism. The only small knock that I would make against this movie is that the alien (that takes forever to actually be seen) is a little too scary/violent). Younger kids will be terrified by a movie that with that changed would be appropriate for all ages.

I absolutely recommend this movie to everyone. It's easily one of the top two or three movies of the year so far and will probably be on my top 10 list at the end of it.

Conan The Barbarian

2011-11-20T08:08:00.001-08:00

A quest that begins as a personal vendetta for the fierce Cimmerian warrior soon turns into an epic battle against hulking rivals, horrific monsters, and impossible odds, as Conan realizes he is the only hope of saving the great nations of Hyboria from an encroaching reign of supernatural evil.

This movie is exactly what you would think it is. Barbarian action with some modern day gore added in. Horrible overacting throughout. A couple of decent fight scenes. And that is about it. Pretty much the straight up poop that the trailer made it look like. The only thing the movie accomplished is making me wish the guy that played conan was still going to be on Game Of Thrones moving forward.

No, I would definitely not reccomend anyone wasting 90 minutes of there life watching this. It just a whole lot of noise.

Spy Kids: All The Time In The World

2011-11-20T08:07:00.001-08:00

On the surface, Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) has it all...married to a famous spy hunting television reporter, a new baby and intelligent twin step kids. But in reality, trying to mother Rebecca (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (Mason Cook), who clearly don't want her around, is her toughest challenge yet. Also, her husband, Wilbur (Joel McHale), wouldn't know a spy if he lived with one which is exactly the case - Marissa’s a retired secret agent. Marissa's world is turned upside down when the maniacal Timekeeper (Jeremy Piven) threatens to take over the planet and she's called back into action by the head of OSS, home of the greatest spies and where the now-defunct Spy Kids division was created. With Armageddon quickly approaching, Rebecca and Cecil are thrust into action when they learn their boring stepmom was once a top agent and now the world's most competitive ten year olds are forced to put their bickering aside and rely on their wits. With a little help from a couple of very familiar Spy Kids, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara), and some mind-blowing gadgets, they just may be able to save the world and possibly bring their family together while they're at it.

Oh My God!!! This is seriously one of the most god awful kid/family movies of all time. Even with rock bottom expectations, this was sooooooooooooooo much worse than that. I was a big fan of the first one and the 2nd and 3rd ones were watchable sequels. More for kids, but not outright painful. This is beyond horrible. I don't even know that kids would like this. It's like a bad episode of a Saturday morning live action kids show that aren't on the air anymore for a reason.

I would never recommend this movie to anyone regardless of how young they are. This is a lock for my Bottom 10 of the year. It's downright brutal.

Beginners

2011-11-13T19:06:00.001-08:00

When it comes to relationships, we're all beginners. From writer/director Mike Mills comes a comedy/drama about how deeply funny and transformative life can be, even at its most serious moments. Beginners imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion, and surprises of love through the evolving consciousness of Oliver (Ewan McGregor). Oliver meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna (Melanie Laurent) only months after his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) has passed away. This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father, who, following the death of his wife of 45 years, came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life. The upheavals of Hal's new honesty, by turns funny and moving, brought father and son closer than they'd ever been able to be. Now Oliver endeavors to love Anna with all the bravery, humor, and hope that his father taught him. At once deeply personal and universal, the film was inspired by Mike Mills' own father and is meant in turn to inspire everyone weighing their chances and choices in life and love.

This is one of those artsy character dramas. Unfortunately, I felt no emotional attachment to any of the characters or really anything that was going on. I was half watching by 20 minutes in and pretty much pulled the plug by halfway through.

I obviously wouldn't recommend the movie because I turned it off. If you are into character dramas that are extremely artsty you might like this. Me - not at all.

Larry Crowne

2011-11-13T19:03:00.001-08:00

Until he was downsized, affable, amiable Larry Crowne (Hanks) was a superstar team leader at the big-box company where he's worked since his time in the Navy. Underwater on his mortgage and unclear on what to do with his suddenly free days, Larry heads to his local college to start over. There he becomes part of a colorful community of outcasts, also-rans and the overlooked all trying to find a better future for themselves...often moving around town in a herd of scooters. In his public-speaking class, Larry develops an unexpected crush on his teacher Mercedes Tainot (Roberts), who has lost as much passion for teaching as she has for her husband. The simple guy who has every reason to think his life has stalled will come to learn an unexpected lesson: when you think everything worth having has passed you by, you just might discover your reason to live.

This is a kind of tough to review movie. I enjoyed it while watching it but the movie is really just kind of there. There isn't any real point. I can't see myself raving about what a great movie it was, but I did enjoy it for the 100 minutes or so that I was watching it. I liked the characters. It was funny and touching and pretty accurate with today's job market. But once it was over, it is one of those forgotten type of movies.

Like I said, I don't know that I could blatantly recommend people seeing this. It's not a bad movie, but it's not a must see by any means. It's just kind of there and I enjoyed it while watching it probably never to think of it again once I post this.

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows - Part 2

2011-11-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

In Part 2 of the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the Wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

This was an amazing send off to the most consistently excellent franchise ever. Seriously, eight movies in and all of them great and entertaining movies. You could make the compared to the books knocks just like all of the others, but the movies are always top ten list worthy. This one is no different. I've spent the last 12 years with these characters so this movie had an intensity about it right from the beginning and didn't let up throughout. This was definitely the best paced one and played much more like an action movie. The only major knock against it is . . . . . . What now?

Would I recommend this movie? Does it matter? If you are a fan - you have probably already seen it. If you are not, you are not going to start watching now. I loved it and have been a big fan from the beginning. It has been one of the most entertaining rides ever.

The Change-Up

2011-11-05T08:23:00.001-07:00

Growing up together, Mitch (Reynolds) and Dave (Bateman) were inseparable best friends, but as the years have passed they've slowly drifted apart. While Dave is an overworked lawyer, husband and father of three, Mitch has remained a single, quasi-employed man-child who has never met a responsibility he liked. To Mitch, Dave has it all: beautiful wife Jamie (Leslie Mann), kids who adore him and a high-paying job at a prestigious law firm. To Dave, living Mitch's stress free life without obligation or consequence would be a dream come true. Following a drunken night out together, Mitch and Dave's worlds are turned upside down when they wake up in each other's bodies and proceed to freak the &*#@ out. Despite the freedom from their normal routines and habits, the guys soon discover that each other's lives are nowhere near as rosy as they once seemed. Further complicating matters are Dave's sexy legal associate, Sabrina (Olivia Wilde), and Mitch's estranged father (Alan Arkin). With time not on their side, Mitch and Dave comically struggle to avoid completely destroying each other's lives before they can find a way to get their old ones back.

This movie is pretty much the same act as Vice Versa, Like Father Like Son and Freaky Friday. The only difference - and it's a pretty big one - is this movie is a very rated R version of the switching bodies story. It was very funny throughout and still managed to be touching at parts when it wanted to be. The only disappointment was that Ryan Reynolds seemed to be holding back. He was lesser in both roles compared to Jason Bateman. Bateman was hilarious in both roles - especially as the single guy and really carried the movie.

I would definitely recommend this movie to people looking for a laugh. It's definitely rated R and it's the same old body switching story but still very funny.

Cars 2

2011-11-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in "Cars 2" when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world's fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

This is yet another one of those movies that your feelings about it will be dependent on how you are watching it. If you are watching it excited for another Pixar movie than it is garbage. Pixar movies have always landed in my Top Ten movies of the year and in most cases have been worthy of Best Picture consideration. They are well written with amazing messages and are often just as enjoyable (if not more) for the adults as they are for the kids. This movie had none of that. I felt like I was watching a Saturday morning cartoon or a 2 hour ad campaign for a bunch of cool new playsets available at a toy store near you. This is essentially Pixar's first mailing it in movie. This was simply put out there to make alot of money. The creativity that is usually their trademark simply wasn't there. Even the short before the movie - Toy Story Hawaiin Vacation - was mailing it in. Don't get me wrong. I loved it, but the shorts are usually creative and artistic and this one was just more marketing. All of that being said - the movie is watchable . . . . . . . as long as you accept that this is not the normal annual Pixar entry that I've grown accustomed to seeing. This one is pretty much just a James Bond movie with the characters from Cars in it.

I would recommend people seeing it as long as they have read this and are aware to put a different kind of glasses on when watching it. As a kids movie - watchable. As a Pixar entry - saddened greatly. It's easily the bottom of their list to date.

Crazy Stupid Love

2011-11-01T04:04:00.000-07:00

At fortysomething, straight-laced Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is living the dream--good job, nice house, great kids and marriage to his high school sweetheart. But when Cal learns that his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), has cheated on him and wants a divorce, his "perfect" life quickly unravels. Worse, in today's single world, Cal, who hasn't dated in decades, stands out as the epitome of un-smooth. Now spending his free evenings sulking alone at a local bar, the hapless Cal is taken on as wingman and protege to handsome, thirtysomething player Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling). In an effort to help Cal get over his wife and start living his life, Jacob opens Cal's eyes to the many options before him: flirty women, manly drinks and a sense of style that can't be found at Supercuts or The Gap. Cal and Emily aren't the only ones looking for love in what might be all the wrong places: Cal's 13-year-old son, Robbie, is crazy about his 17-year-old babysitter, Jessica, who harbors a crush on Cal. And despite Cal's makeover and his many new conquests, the one thing that can't be made over is his heart, which seems to keep leading him back to where he began.

This was not really the straight up comedy it was advertised to be. At least not at first. It was more of an artsy character driven comedy. There were a couple of different stories going on. It started out good but kind of hit the where is this going wall about an 1/2 way through. However, all the stories came together with absolute hilarity for about 10 minutes. That ten minutes completely made the movie. I didn't realize how hooked I was by all the characters until that point. The rest of the movie was great after that and Steve Carrell was great as always. God, I'm going to miss him on The Office.

I would recommend people checking this out. Just be warned that it rides that artsy vibe for awhile but is completely worth it in the end.

Water For Elephants

2011-11-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

During the Great Depression, Jacob, a penniless and recently-orphaned veterinary school student, parlays his expertise with animals into a job with a second-rate traveling circus. He falls in love with Marlena, one of the show's star performers, but their romance is complicated by Marlena's husband, the charismatic but unbalanced circus boss.

I've heard for a while now how great the book is that this movie was based on. Don't know if reading the book would have made this better or worse, but it was a MAJOR snooze fest. I was pretty much bored right from the start. I didnt't feel emotionally hooked by any of the characters or the story. By the halfway point, the movie was nothing more than background noise while I played games on my phone.

I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting their time or money on this movie. Unless you need a nap inducing movie.

Captain America: The First Avenger

2011-10-13T04:31:00.001-07:00

Captain America: The First Avenger will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America. As Captain America, Rogers joins forces with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) to wage war on the evil HYDRA organization, led by the villainous Red Skull (Hugo Weaving.)

This is a tough one. I really wanted to like this movie. However, I expected it to be not so good. I was not a fan of casting Chris Evans as Captain America. The trailer gave me a pretty big "eh" feeling, but I always loved Captain America growing up. Like I said, I really wanted to like it. The movie ended up being kind of middle of the road for me. Chris Evans wasn't that bad although I still can't for the life of me see him "leading" The Avengers. It was entertaining, but I definitely feel like they kind of mailed it in overall. You can say that it was because of them trying to make it all 1940s nostalgia-like but it still looked really cheesy, especially the effects. So sick of saying this, but . . . . It could have been better.

I would lukewarmly reccomend this movie. It's watchable and entertaining, but is easily the weakest of The Avengers lead-ins. It felt alot more like Green Lantern than the Marvel series of films.

Winnie The Pooh

2011-10-13T04:30:00.001-07:00

Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the Hundred Acre Wood with Winnie the Pooh. Featuring the timeless charm, wit and whimsy of the original featurettes, this all-new movie reunites audiences with the philosophical "bear of very little brain" and friends Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo—and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore, who has lost his tail. "Ever have one of those days where you just can't win, Eeyore?" asks Pooh. Owl sends the whole gang on a wild quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit. It turns out to be a very busy day for a bear who simply set out to find some honey.

To someone looking for something different - this is not. It is basically just another Winnie The Pooh movie. However, I have always liked Winnie The Pooh and I really enjoyed this movie . . . . . . especially since Eeyore gets his due. This is still as far as I'm concerned the greatest thing for young children ever. Screw all the purple Dinosaurs and the Gabba Dabbas and whatever other crap comes up the pipeline to keep kids entertained while burnt out moms and dads try to get some stuff done. This is the one. It will always be the one and I really enjoyed it. This is a wonderful first time to the movies for kids. Granted, it's only about an hour long so maybe not worth the prices to watch it, but the music is great, the characters are great and the story is as cute as always.

I would definitely recommend any Winnie The Pooh fan checking this out. It's another great chapter to one of the cutest group of characters ever.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

2011-10-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penelope Cruz), he's not sure if it's love—or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the "Queen Anne's Revenge," the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past.

This is yet another one of the movies so far this summer that is entertaining . . . . . . . but could have been better. Movies like this frustrate the hell out of me because I enjoy watching them but feel unsatisfied. If you liked the other Pirates movies, you will like this one as well. It just could have been better . . . . . . and shorter. Take out the priest guy and the mermaid having to be substitute Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightly and this movie could have easily been 30 minutes shorter. And the change in directors totally shows in the lack of "crispness" in the action scenes. In the first three movies the action was way over the top but it was fast moving so you suspend your disbelief about Jack always working his way out of situations. In this one, the action was just as over the top but it was moving so slow that I found myself wondering how in the hell the soldiers weren't up to him yet. There was one scene where he escaped the king of England and I felt like he was running around on a table forever with everyone just standing around waiting for him to be gone. In the first three you would blink and the awesome action scene would be over.

Even with all the negative ranting, I would still recommend people checking this out. The Jack Sparrow character is still great, the story is still twisty-turvy and intriguing, and there are still plenty of laughs. It just could have easily been much better and tighter.

Bad Teacher

2011-10-13T04:28:00.000-07:00

Some teachers just don't give an F. For example, there's Elizabeth (Cameron Diaz). She's foul-mouthed, ruthless, and inappropriate. She drinks, she gets high, and she can't wait to marry her meal ticket and get out of her bogus day job. When she's dumped by her fiancé, she sets her plan in motion to win over a rich, handsome substitute (Justin Timberlake) – competing for his affections with an overly energetic colleague, Amy (Lucy Punch). When Elizabeth also finds herself fighting off the advances of a sarcastic, irreverent gym teacher (Jason Segel), the consequences of her wild and outrageous schemes give her students, her coworkers, and even herself an education like no other.

I enjoyed this movie alot. The bluntness of Cameron Diaz was hilarious. And I am a huge fan of Jason Segel. The one that really stole the movie though was Lucy Punch. I only know her name because it's listed in the synopsis above. I know her as the crazy girl from Dinner For Schmucks. She pretty much plays the same character in this one and I couldn't help but laugh at how over the top she was and it played very well off of Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz's straight faced characters. The movie still could have been funnier though and Justin Timberlake was kind of wasted in this. They definitely could have tweaked his character for bigger laughs. The other two actors (Phyllis from The Office and the camp director from Fired Up) provided a ton of laughs too. The only knock I would really make against this movie is that they should have decided to either make the movie a straight up R comedy or a walking the line PG-13 movie. It was rated R but pulled up on a lot of the jokes. If they would have really committed one way or the other, this movie could have been even funnier.

I would definitely recommend this movie for people looking for some laughs.

Monte Carlo

2011-10-13T04:27:00.000-07:00

Monte Carlo tells the story of a girl and her best friend who travel to Paris, accompanied by her future, uptight stepsister. When one of the girls is mistaken for a spoiled British heiress, they are caught up in a whirlwind of attention and find themselves going on a dream vacation to Monte Carlo.

This movie is literally Lizzie McGuire with Selena Gomez in it. Same side characters. Same story line. Same laughs. I took Stinka to see The Lizzie McGuire movie years ago and ended up liking it for it's light, silly playing out of the story and I felt the same way about this one.

If you are a girl, I would definitely recommend checking this out. If you are a guy, I wouldn't bother unless you are taking your daughter. Thank God I have that excuse, huh?

Green Lantern

2011-10-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds). Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax...he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

This is a tough one to review because it really depends on how you are looking at the movie. It's a dictionary definition of expectations deciding how you feel about the movie. I went in to it expecting at best a Fantastic Four type of feeling and I actually ended up liking it more than that movie. Again - it's how you are looking at it. If you are looking at this movie in the same light of amazing all around movies that the comic book genre has been raised to recently with The Dark Knight, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Spider Man 1 & 2, X-Men and X-Men: First Class - then the Green Lantern is fluffy crap. If you are looking at this movie as a starting tentpole to a Justice League Of America (DC's version of The Avengers) - then you will be disappointed. It's just not of that kind of quality. If you are looking at it as a cartoonish super hero movie - it is a fun and enjoyable watch. I went in to it expecting it to fail even that and was pleasantly surprised.

I would recommend people checking it out . . . . . . as long as you have the same expectation level that I had. You should be able to enjoy it then. Don't expect more than that though.

Zookeeper

2011-10-08T08:31:00.001-07:00

In Zookeeper, the animals at the Franklin Park Zoo love their kindhearted caretaker, Griffin Keyes (Kevin James). Finding himself more comfortable with a lion than a lady, Griffin decides the only way to get a girl in his life is to leave the zoo and find a more glamorous job. The animals, in a panic, decide to break their time-honored code of silence and reveal their biggest secret: they can talk! To keep Griffin from leaving, they decide to teach him the rules of courtship - animal style.

This movie is exactly what you would expect from the trailer. It's part Paul Blart, part Doctor Dolittle, and part Night At The Museum. Kevin James is Kevin James. If you like him - you will like this movie. The animals were all funny, especially the monkey voiced by Adam Sandler. There isn't any part of the story that you don't see coming from a mile away but there are enough laughs thoughout to make it watchable enough for adults. Kids will love it.

I would recommend people checking this out if they like these kinds of movies. Again, you won't be disappointed because it is exactly what you would expect the movie to be.

Horrible Bosses

2011-10-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

For Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day), the only thing that would make the daily grind more tolerable would be to grind their intolerable bosses (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston) into dust. Quitting is not an option, so, with the benefit of a few-too-many drinks and some dubious advice from a hustling ex-con (Jamie Foxx), the three friends devise a convoluted and seemingly foolproof plan to rid themselves of their respective employers...permanently. There's only one problem: even the best laid plans are only as foolproof as the brains behind them.

Finally!!!! Although the other highly anticipated summer comedies have failed for the most part to live up the laugh expectations based on the trailers, this one definitely comes through the most. The trio of guys are very funny - especially Charlie Day. I pray to god that this guy will get recognized for his level of comedy after this one. The scene where he is singing "That's Not My Name" in the car had me peeing my pants. They all played so phenomenally well off of each other. Then, the three bosses were all great (can it be that I have actually enjoyed Jennifer Aniston in 2 straight movies!?!) and so was Jamie Foxx. His character's name alone might be my favorite part of this movie. And it's not like the premise of the movie is not something that all of us can identify with on a certain level. That alone makes it funny but the performances and banter make it hilarious.

I definitely recommend this movie. It's a very funny comedy and definitely the one I've been waiting for all summer.

Judy Moody And The NOT Bummer Summer

2011-10-08T08:29:00.001-07:00

The film chronicles Judy Moody's (Jordana Beatty) adventures in which she sets out to have the most thrilling summer of her life with the help of her little brother Stink (Parris Mosteller) and fun-loving Aunt Opal (Heather Graham).

This movie is exactly what you would think it is. It's a slightly more silly/goofy version of Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. It has the same poor me middle schooler and the same narration and simple kid wanting something better storyline. It's watchable and enjoyable as long as you are still able to remember what it was like for you when you were in middle school. Kids are guaranteed to like it because of how spot on it probably is for them.

I would definitely recommend people taking their kids to see this. As for the adults that take them - it's really not that painful at all to sit through.

The Tree Of Life

2011-10-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

From Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life is the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950's. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Malick's signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life.

O.K. It's official now. I hate Terrence Malick. There are few movies that are more painful to sit through than his artistic poop fests. Why in the blue hell do all critics worship this guy and his turd films? Seriously. It's like 2 hours of watching blades of grass blow back and forth. This was just as crappy as The New World (how do you ruin the story of Pocohontas?) and The Thin Red Line (how do you make a boring movie about war?).

Hell no - nobody should see this. Go watch your own lawn up close blow back and forth.

Fast Five

2011-10-01T03:48:00.000-07:00

Since Brian (Walker) and Mia Toretto (Brewster) broke Dom (Diesel) out of custody, they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he's not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can't separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey... before someone else runs them down first.

Before reviewing the movie, I need to get my rant about the franchise off my chest. This is the first numbered movie of the five - not counting 2 Fast 2 Furious. I find it really strage that they now want to use numbers for a franchise in which the main character wasn't in 2 out of the 3, neither him nor the second main character was in the 3rd movie. Hell, the 3rd movie didn't even have anything to do with the overall storyline. It was like Karate Kid in a car race. It's like how Halloween 3 didn't have Michael Myers in it and is randomly about an evil Halloween mask making company. In Fast Five, one of the characters that comes back died in the third one if my memory is correct. So now we should realize that the third one took place after the rest of the franchise's storyline takes place!?! The only solace is that towards the end of Fast Five - they mock the existence of said third movie. Still though - What the hell???

Now that I have gotten the gripes about the franchise structure and film naming out of the way - let me make it perfectly clear that I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!! This movie was easily the best one out of the franchise and the kind of pure bada$$ adrenaline that makes popcorn movies so much fun. This is the kind of movie that makes a whole crowd cheer at points and clap when certain lines are delivered. I have always thought Vin Diesel was the man. I didn't think anything could make him more awesome . . . . . . . until he was in a movie doing battle with The Rock. This movie had me geeking out pretty much from start to finish. It was pure fun at the movies and the type of movie that made me first develop my movie going addiction.

I would totally recommend this movie. It was a textbook popcorn movie, lots of fun, and actually had a pretty developed story which they haven't really bothered with up until this point. P.S. - Stay through the credits.

Scream 4

2011-10-01T03:46:00.000-07:00

Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), now the author of a self-help book, returns home to Woodsboro on the last stop of her book tour. There she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courteney Cox), who are now married, as well as her cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) and her Aunt Kate (Mary McDonnell). Unfortunately, Sidney's appearance also brings about the return of Ghostface, putting Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, along with Jill, her friends, and the whole town of Woodsboro in danger.

This was a surprisingly enjoyable reboot of one of the best horror movies ever made. The original Scream is a classic for me. Equal parts scare inducing and equal parts laughs. They mocked themselves and the genre the whole time and pretty much changed the game of horror movie watching. Unfortunately, they were never really able to recapture that magic. Scream 2 was only good for the first half and then tanked and I still remember how pissed off I was after watching a 1am screening of Scream 3. I was kind of excited about this just because of the loyalty I still have for the original but still tried to keep my expectations pretty low. Not sure if it was directly because of that or not, but I enjoyed this one. I would say it's definitely my second favorite in the franchise. Its nowhere near the level of the first - nothing probably ever will be - but I liked it much more than 2 or 3.

I would definitely recommend horror fans checking this out. Pretty sure it doesn't matter though because I'm sure you have all seen it already or will be very soon.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

2011-09-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

Shia LaBeouf returns as Sam Witwicky in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. When a mysterious event from Earth's past erupts into the present day it threatens to bring a war to Earth so big that the Transformers alone will not be able to save us.

I know that sequels for the most part are never as good as the original. But do they have to be this crappy? The first Transformers is one of my favorite movies. It felt like an event movie. The effects were great. The story was cool. They had the perfect amounts of comedy/sarcasm and side characters - including the Transformers themselves. Shia LaBeouf was on track to become Will Smith/Tom Hanks-ish. The second one was too much . . . . . of everything. Too much Megan Fox. Too much of the slapstick comedy and side characters. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many robots. Too much story crammed in there. Shia was still good though. So they got rid of Megan Fox. Thank God. They limited the side characters. Thanks again. The story was actually really strong and they even factored it in to past American history. Thank you. All in all - this one was definitely a better movie than the second one. HOWEVER . . . . . . that is pretty much the only good thing that can be said about this movie. No. I'm sorry. There are two more things. Shia is still great. I really love this kid. His delivery of sarcasm and comedic fear are awesome. And for once, I have to admit that the 3D effects mattered. Normally, I'm just annoyed to be wearing the glasses and don't care at all about the effects. This movie definitely made it worth having to wear the glasses. That being said - the bad . . . . . They replaced Megan Fox with some random model who - I never thought I would say this - was worse than her. The movie was like seven years long. I went to a 7pm showing and felt like it was 3am when it was over. The action was still way too much. The ending of the movie with the crazy destruction of Chicago was insane. It was just non-stop and became annoying overall.

Would I recommend this movie? No. Hell no. I wish that they could go back in time and not make this one or the second one and leave Transformers as a stand alone movie with all of its awesomeness intact. Sequels like this ruin the original. It's like the Star Wars prequel dampening Star Wars or that Crystal Skull garbage tainting Indiana Jones. Just stop already.

Bridesmaids

2011-09-01T14:44:00.001-07:00

Annie's life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian's maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she'll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you'll go for someone you love.

The laughs in this movie were HUGE. There are two or three scenes that had me howling. There are great characters included in the bridal party. Unfortunately, I feel that waaaaaaaaaaaay too much time was wasted on Kristen Wiig playing the poor me violin. I wanted more of the rest of the bridal party and much less of the poor me and the butting heads with Rose Byrne. Again - the movie was very funny, but it could have been so much funnier.

You should still absolutely see this movie. It's worth it and again - the laughs are HUGE. It's just unfortunate that it could have been non-stop laughs and it seems like they chose to pass on it for some unnecessary waa-waa.

Thor

2011-09-01T14:43:00.001-07:00

Thor spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It's while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Thor was one of the few comic books that I just never got in to. I was just never a fan of the whole god from Asgard thing. I also thought that this would be the toughest movie of them all to pull off and then they cast basically a no-name as the lead since there is only so much payroll that they can afford for the acting cast of The Avengers. Just like my doubts with Iron Man, I was pleasantly wrong and surprised by how good the casting turned out to be and how well they pulled the movie off. I'm not saying that this movie is in the original Iron Man's league. Hell no. It's still a very entertaining movie. The effects are good. The characters are well developed and you connect with them. Even the Asgard stuff (which I still think looks like its right out of The Chronicles Of Riddick) was entertaining. I feel as if they spent too much time there and I definitely liked the movie more when they were on Earth, but it wasn't painful to watch or anything like I had expected. In the end, this really is just another piece in the eventual machine that is The Avengers.

I would definitely recommend this movie to people. It's a great and entertaining summer blockbuster. Just be warned that it is very heavy on the mythology and lore.

X-Men: First Class

2011-09-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

X-Men: First Class charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to prevent nuclear Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.

FINALLY!!!!! A summer blockbuster this year that not only meets expectations of greatness but exceeds them (this is not counting Fast Five because it opened in April). I left this movie beyond satisfied. It's also one of those comic books movies that is more than just a comic book movie. Ok - the comparisons to The Dark Knight are absurd. They should simply never do that. Putting that aside, this movie was phenomenally done. It's easily the best "prequel" ever. This movie is everything that the Star Wars prequel should have been. You know how it is going to end. Erik is going to become Magneto. Charles is going to end up in a wheelchair. Mystique is going to end up with Magneto yet it is so well put together that you are still thrown back when it happens. They developed the perfect amount of supporting characters/mutants. The effects were "simple" compared to over the top stuff you see nowadays but perfect. The way that the movie was weaved in to actual U.S. history was a hugely added bonus and the 1960s look that stayed consistent throughout the movie was great. I can't say enough good things about this movie. It was excellently done across the board and is easily the best movie of the year at this point.

I couldn't possibly recommend people checking out this movie more. Even those of you who are not usually in to the comic book thing - the US history aspect of this movie will make in entertaining for you as well and the story is so tight and well done from beginning to end.

Hanna

2011-09-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

Raised by her father (Eric Bana of "Star Trek"), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland, Hanna's upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own (Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity.

This was a very weird watch. It would go from artsy - you can hear a pin drop quiet - to pscyho crazy fight scene with blaring techno music and then right back again. I really don't know how to even explain it. Imagine watching one of those Oscar favorite movies where you are afraid to chew popcorn because it might disturb the others in there and then the movie just goes total kick ass. This is one of those movies that should be used in a film studies class on the importance of sound and sound editing. The movie's oddly intriguing flow was completely dictated by that.

I would kind of recommend this movie to people . . . . . if they understand what I just wrote. This is not by any means a mainstream movie. I liked it though.

Madea's Big Happy Family

2011-08-14T13:32:00.001-07:00

Madea, everyone's favorite wise-cracking, take-no-prisoners grandma, jumps into action when her niece, Shirley, receives distressing news about her health. All Shirley wants is to gather her three adult children around her and share the news as a family. But Tammy, Kimberly and Byron are too distracted by their own problems: Tammy can't manage her unruly children or her broken marriage; Kimberly is gripped with anger and takes it out on her husband; and Byron, after spending two years in jail, is under pressure to deal drugs again. It's up to Madea, with the help of the equally rambunctious Aunt Bam, to gather the clan together and make things right the only way she knows how: with a lot of tough love, laughter...and the revelation of a long-buried family secret.

This was actually one of Tyler Perry's better movies. Yes - its just another one and they might as well just call them Tyler Perry 9, 10, etc. I love the character of Madea and usually tolerate the sappy heart string pulling that comes along with this comedy. However, this one had much more comedy from other people besides Madea and made the heart string pulling much less painful. I laughed at this one probably more than any of his other films besides Diary Of A Mad Black Woman and I actually cared about the drama portion of it which is pretty much the first time that's happened with any of them.

I would definitely recommend this one. Those of you that are Madea fans have probably already seen it. Those of you that aren't or haven't seen any of them - you would actually laugh alot at this one.

Prom

2011-08-14T13:31:00.001-07:00

At Prom, every couple has a story and no two are exactly alike. Several intersecting stories unfold at one high school as the big dance approaches; Prom portrays the precarious passage from high school to independence as some relationships unravel and others ignite. For Nova Prescott (Aimee Teegarden), it's a battle of wills as she finds herself drawn to the guy (Thomas McDonell) who gets in the way of her perfect prom. Fellow seniors Mei (Yin Chang) and Tyler (De'Vaughn Nixon) harbor secrets, while others face all the insecurity and anticipation that surrounds one of high school's most seminal events. There are hundreds of nights in high school, but there's only one Prom.

I really only saw like the last 20-30 minutes of this movie. Stinka went with friends and I met up with them. I have no interest in ever really seeing the rest of the movie simply because those 20-30 weren't interesting enough for me to have any desire to do so. Its a movie for teenage girls, Stinka liked it, and I didn't have to suffer through the whole thing. Works for me.

Pretty much goes without saying that I wouldn't bother recommending anyone see this unless you are female and a teenager.

Win Win

2011-08-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Tom McCarthy explores the allegiances and bonds between unlikely characters with a lighter touch in his new film. Struggling attorney Mike Flaherty (Paul Giamatti), who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach, becomes legal guardian of an elderly client in an attempt to help keep his practice afloat. When the client's teenage grandson runs away from home and shows up on his grandfather's doorstep, Mike's family life and his wrestling team are turned upside down. Mike's win-win proposition turns into something much more complicated than he ever bargained for. McCarthy's deft touch balancing drama and comedy, broken hearts and poignant humanity is at play in Win Win.

This was one of those really good independent character dramas. Paul Giamatti can never miss in these. Honestly, he kind of sucks in anything outside of these but is amazing in these types of movies. If you are reading, stick with these, Paul. This movie had good characters, a quality story and was paced well enough that I didn't lose my interest.

I would recommend people checking this out. It's not a must see, but is worth the home viewing.

The Beaver

2011-08-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression. No matter what he tries, Walter can't seem to get himself back on track... until a beaver hand puppet enters his life.

This movie actually started out weird but enjoyable. The whole beaver puppet thing was a little bit out there, but I was actually buying in to it. The family reacting to it and the changes and what not were kind of hooking. Then it kind of fell completely off the tracks, got pretty dark/weird at one point and never really recovered.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie. I expected something a lot better with Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson involved.

Something Borrowed

2011-08-10T14:31:00.000-07:00

Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a talented attorney at a top New York law firm, a generous and loyal friend and, unhappily, still single...as her engaged best friend Darcy (Kate Hudson) is constantly reminding her. But after one drink too many at her 30th birthday party, perpetual good girl Rachel unexpectedly ends up in bed with the guy she's had a crush on since law school, Dex (Colin Egglesfield), who just happens to be Darcy's fiancé. When Rachel and Darcy's lifelong friendship collides with true love, it leads to unexpected complications and potentially explosive romantic revelations. Meanwhile, Ethan (John Krasinski), who has been Rachel's constant confidante and sometimes conscience, has been harboring a secret of his own, and Marcus (Steve Howey), an irrepressible womanizer, can't keep his mind out of the gutter or his hands off any girl within reach.

This was a very enjoyable romantic comedy. I know that it got slaughtered by critics and stuff, but I don't see why. In terms of your basic staples - it had very entertaining supporting characters, main characters that you root for, and a fast enough pace that doesn't make you start looking at your watch. It's completely textbook and formula in every way but there are plenty of laughs that make it a pretty good watch.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. Its funny and you can relate to the realistic people.

Priest

2011-08-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

Priest, a western-fused post-apocalyptic thriller, is set in an alternate world -- one ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampires. The story revolves around a legendary Warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) from the last Vampire War who now lives in obscurity among the other downtrodden human inhabitants in walled-in dystopian cities ruled by the Church. When his niece (Lily Collins) is abducted by a murderous pack of vampires, Priest breaks his sacred vows to venture out on an obsessive quest to find her before they turn her into one of them. He is joined on his crusade by his niece's boyfriend (Cam Gigandet), a trigger-fingered young wasteland sheriff, and a former Warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) who possesses otherworldly fighting skills.

This is pretty much poop. I expected poop. I got poop. The only decent part of it was the post-apocalypse scenery and some of the action scenes. Outside of that, the dialogue was garbage and the story was beyond not caring. And this is all from a less than 90 minute movie. This is pretty much this year's Jonah Hex. I actually thought I was watching that again with the opening credits/cartoon update to "how we got here".

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this. Seriously - total waste of time and money.

Hoodwinked Too: Hood Vs Evil

2011-08-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

The sequel finds our heroine, Red (Hayden Panettiere), training with a mysterious covert group called the Sisters of the Hood. But Red is forced to cut her training short when she gets an urgent call from Nicky Flippers (David Ogden Stiers), who returns as head of the super-secret Happily Ever After Agency, aka the HEA. A wicked witch (Joan Cusack) has abducted two innocent children, Hansel (Bill Hader) and Gretel (Amy Poehler), and Nicky needs Red for the search-and-rescue mission. Hood vs. Evil" in 3D takes viewers on a rollicking rollercoaster ride combining edge-of-the-seat adventure with classic, zany cartoon antics.

Why was this movie made? How are so many great voices in it and it still is this lame? Why did I sit through the 80 minutes of it? I can't even pretend to say that I fully watched the movie. We were literally the only ones there and were talking pretty much the whole time. There were some funny lines but it's like what should have been a 13 minute cartoon on Nickelodeon put on to the big screen. And to make it 3d and milk even more money out of parents trying to do something with their kids is just plain criminal.

I would absolutely not recommend anyone seeing this. It is a complete and total waste of time.

Jane Eyre

2011-08-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Mia Wasikowska ("Alice in Wonderland") and Michael Fassbender ("Inglourious Basterds") star in the romantic drama based on Charlotte Brontë's classic novel, from acclaimed director Cary Fukunaga ("Sin Nombre"). In the story, Jane Eyre flees Thornfield House, where she works as a governess for wealthy Edward Rochester. As she reflects upon the people and emotions that have defined her, it is clear that the isolated and imposing residence – and Mr. Rochester's coldness – have sorely tested the young woman's resilience, forged years earlier when she was orphaned. She must now act decisively to secure her own future and come to terms with the past that haunts her – and the terrible secret that Mr. Rochester is hiding and that she has uncovered...

How many times is this movie going to be remade? I feel like there have been 50 Jane Eyres'. Don't get me wrong, Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender put in great performances and I think both of them have incredibly bright futures. And those performances definitely made the movie watchable, but if you know the story - there is no need for the movie.

I would recommend this movie only on the performances, especially Michael Fassbender. The dude is going to be huge. Technically, it's really nothing more than yet another period English piece.

The Conspirator

2011-08-10T14:19:00.000-07:00

The Conspirator is a period drama based on true events following the assassination of President Lincoln. Wright Penn will play Mary Surratt, the only woman among a group charged with conspiring to kill the president. McAvoy will play Frederick Aiken, an idealistic young war hero who reluctantly defends Surratt and in the process comes to believe she is innocent.

This movie was one of those historical snoozers. I tried really hard to care but couldn't and pretty much stopped paying attention about 1/2 way through because it was just a bunch of people huffing and puffing in a courtroom for what seemed like forever.

I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting their time with this unless they are die hard history buffs and know all the blowhard bla blas that I found boring as hell.

Mars Needs Moms

2011-08-07T05:23:00.000-07:00

Take out the trash, eat your broccoli—who needs moms, anyway? Nine-year-old Milo (Seth Green) finds out just how much he needs his mom (Joan Cusack) when she's nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own young.

I'm not sure how to fairly review this movie. I liked it while watching it. It was great visually. It was paced super fast and had a simple enough storyline. That being said, it kind of wazhed away from my mind after watching it. Enjoyable but forgettable? Weird, right?

I would lukewarmly reccomend this movie. Its not that it was bad. Its just not good enough to stick on the senses enough to really matter.

Jumping The Broom

2011-08-07T05:22:00.000-07:00

Jumping the Broom focuses on a weekend wedding in Martha's Vineyard where two families from divergent socioeconomic backgrounds clash during their first meeting before the big event.

I never thought that I would miss "Tyler Perry's" in the title of a movie until now. Seriously, this is basically a Tyler Perry movie . . . . . . without Madea. All the blah blah blah melodrama, all the actors and actresses from his movies, but none of the hilarity that comes with the comedic Tyler Perry characters. The movie ends up just kind of being there.

I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting their time with this one. You see the trailer - you have seen the movie.

Paul

2011-08-07T05:21:00.000-07:00

For the past 60 years, an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has been hanging out at a top-secret military base. For reasons unknown, the space-traveling smart ass decides to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town -- a rented RV containing Earthlings Graeme Willy (Simon Pegg) and Clive Collings (Nick Frost). Chased by federal agents and the fanatical father of a young woman that they accidentally kidnap, Graeme and Clive hatch a fumbling escape plan to return Paul to his mother ship. And as two nerds struggle to help, one little green man might just take his fellow outcasts from misfits to intergalactic heroes.

These guys are hilarious. Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz were awesome. This one isn't as good as those two but still zany enough and more than enough laughs to enjoy throughout. I even found a way that Seth Rogen isn't annoying. He's much more tolerable when he's just doing voices.

I would recommend people checking this bad boy out. Its not a must see by any means, but pretty good especially if you enjoy the team's previous fare.

Your Highness

2011-08-07T05:17:00.000-07:00

Thadeous (McBride) has spent his life watching his perfect older brother Fabious (Franco) embark upon valiant journeys and win the hearts of his people. Tired of being passed over for adventure, adoration and the throne, he's settled for a life of wizard's weed, hard booze and easy maidens. But when Fabious' bride-to-be, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), gets kidnapped by the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux), the king gives his deadbeat son an ultimatum: Man up and help rescue her or get cut off. Half-assedly embarking upon his first quest, Thadeous joins Fabious to trek across the perilous outlands and free the princess. Joined by Isabel (Natalie Portman)-an elusive warrior with a dangerous agenda of her own-the brothers must vanquish horrific creatures and traitorous knights before they can reach Belladonna. If Thadeous can find his inner hero, he can help his brother prevent the destruction of his land. Stay a slacker, and not only does he die a coward, he gets front row seats to the dawn of an all-new Dark Ages.

This movie was completely unfunny garbage. I was so bored out of my mind and annoyed by the lack of any laughs that I pulled the plug after about 30 minutes. I just kind of stared at the screen waiting to laugh. It was really painful.

No - I would absolutely not recommend this movie for anyone. Ever. It was a steaming pile of cow dung.

Rio

2011-08-01T03:35:00.000-07:00

Rio is an animation feature from the makers of the Ice Age films. Set in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro and the lush rainforest of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centers on Blu, a rare macaw who thinks he is the last of his kind. When Blu discovers there's another — and that she's a she — he leaves the comforts of his cage in small town Minnesota and heads to Rio. But it's far from love at first sight between the domesticated and flight-challenged Blu and the fiercely independent, high-flying female, Jewel. Unexpectedly thrown together, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime, where they learn about friendship, love, courage, and being open to life's many wonders. Rio brings together a menagerie of vivid characters, a heart-warming story, colorful backdrops, energizing Latin and contemporary music, and family-friendly song and dance.

This was a VERY cute and enjoyable movie. Great voices . . . . . . Great characters . . . . . . Great laughs . . . . . . well paced story. One of my biggest fears are birds so there was an awful lot of reasons for me to not like this but I did. I also thought that the animation looked a lot better from prior Blue Sky animation movies (Ice Age franchise). It looks more pixar like and the 3d features weren't as annoying with all of the bird activity.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out - especially the families. Its's definitely worth your time.

Soul Surfer

2011-08-01T03:33:00.000-07:00

Soul Surfer is the inspiring true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again, through her sheer determination and unwavering faith.In the wake of this life-changing event that took her arm and nearly her life, Bethany's feisty determination and steadfast beliefs spur her toward an adventurous comeback that gives her the grit to turn her loss into a gift for others.

This was a decent movie for what it is. It's an amazing true story that deserved feature film recognition. The performances of the family members and the rest of Bethany's support network were endearing. The only thing is that I wasn't fully hooked. It could have been that I was exhausted or it could have been that I wasn't a teenage girl. The bottom line is Stinka loved it. She was the reason I went and her enjoyment made it worth it.

I would definitely recommend this movie for teenage girls obviously. They will love it. And I know that it was a decent overall movie but I just wasn't that in to it.

Source Code

2011-07-06T14:19:00.001-07:00

When decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man, he discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. In an assignment unlike any he's ever known, he learns he's part of a government experiment called the "Source Code," a program that enables him to cross over into another man's identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. With a second, much larger target threatening to kill millions in downtown Chicago, Colter re-lives the incident over and over again, gathering clues each time, until he can solve the mystery of who is behind the bombs and prevent the next attack.

This was a very enjoyable suspense movie. There were equal parts drama, action, sci-fi, romance and they didn't take away from each other. It was short, smartly written and keeps your attention from beginning to end. As the story evolves you find yourself rooting for teh characters and that is always the main hook I'm looking for in a movie.

I would definitely recommend people checking this bad boy out. It's a fun, short, smart watch that is worth your time.

Dylan Dog: Dead Of Night

2011-07-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night is a new horror/comedy film based on one of the world's most popular comics (60 million copies worldwide). Brandon Routh stars as Dylan Dog, world famous private investigator specializing in affairs of the undead. His PI business card reads "No Pulse? No Problem." Armed with an edgy wit and carrying an arsenal of silver and wood-tipped bullets, Dylan must track down a dangerous artifact before a war ensues between his werewolf, vampire and zombie clients living undercover in the monster infested backstreets of New Orleans.

This movie is garbage. The dude was Superman and this is all he's got after that!?! I won't even waste time going on about how crappy this was.

Hell to the no I wouldn't recommed this garbage. How does money get spent on something like this?

Limitless

2011-07-06T14:17:00.001-07:00

Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro star in Limitless, a paranoia-fueled action thriller about an unsuccessful writer whose life is transformed by a top-secret smart drug that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life.

This movie had a great premise and a good start . . . . . even if it was annoying as hell looking at Bradley Cooper's strung out appearance. Unfortunately, I really lost interest about an hour in and the movie just kind of slowly starting circling the drain. It was still watchable overall but the sluggish pace kind of ruined the movie. I was more interested in seeing the credits start than actually seeing what happened in order to wrap up the movie.

I would lukewarmly recommend this movie to people. Or maybe I should just say to lower your expectations because mine were probably higher than they should have been ruining the movie for me.

Take Me Home Tonight

2011-07-06T14:16:00.001-07:00

As the summer of 1988 winds down, three friends on the verge of adulthood attend an out-of-control party in celebration of their last night of unbridled youth. Starring Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Dan Fogler and Teresa Palmer, Take Me Home Tonight is a raunchy, romantic and ultimately touching blast from the past set to an awesome soundtrack of timeless rock and hip-hop hits. Recent MIT grad Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) should be working for a Fortune 500 company and starting his upward climb to full-fledged yuppie-hood. Instead, the directionless 23-year-old confounds family and friends by taking a part-time job behind the counter of a video store at the Sherman Oaks Galleria. But Matt's silent protest against maturity comes to a screeching halt once his unrequited high school crush, Tori Frederking (Teresa Palmer), walks into the store. When she invites him to an epic, end-of-summer party, Matt thinks he finally might have a chance with the girl of his dreams. With his cynical twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris) and best friend Barry (Dan Fogler), Matt embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime evening. From stealing a car to a marriage proposal to an indescribable, no-holds-barred dance-off, these friends share experiences that will change the course of their lives on one unforgettable night in the Go-Go '80s.

I enjoyed this movie but can honestly say its because I grew up through this time. This is a fun movie for anyone who went through this era. If you didn't - this movie is totally pointless and you won't get at least 1/2 of the jokes. For me . . . . . The music is great. The laughs are pretty good. Unfortunately, they don't carry throughout the movie as it tries a little too hard to become John Hughes-ish. I still found myself able to not think I wasted my time.

I would lukewarmly recommend this movie. It is not a must see by any means of the imagination but is a fun watch for those of us that lived through stuff like this.

Rango

2011-07-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

A chameleon that aspires to be a swashbuckling hero finds himself in a Western town plagued by bandits and is forced to literally play the role in order to protect it.

I enjoyed this movie. I liked how quirky it was. I liked how random many of the scenes and lines were. I enjoyed the different characters and the old western setting. That being said, I could see this movie not being enjoyed by everyone. A lot of the script is high brow humor that will get lost on most of the audience. Also, this movie is so NOT for kids. It has a cast made of lizards and snakes. Younger kids are going to run out of the theater crying and have nightmares for days. The movie is also waaaaaaaay too long. This one came in at 2 hours. For an animated movie!?! That's just plain silly.

I would lukewarmly recommend this movie I guess. The comedy wasn't really mainstream and it's too long but I did still really enjoy it.

Arthur

2011-07-06T14:14:00.002-07:00

Irresponsible charmer Arthur Bach (Russell Brand) has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and the good sense of lifelong nanny Hobson (Helen Mirren) to keep him out of trouble. Now he faces his biggest challenge--choosing between an arranged marriage that will ensure his lavish lifestyle or an uncertain future with the one thing money can't buy, Naomi (Greta Gerwig), the only woman he has ever loved. With Naomi's inspiration and some unconventional help from Hobson, Arthur will take the most expensive risk of his life and finally learn what it means to become a man.

This movie was just there. It is the definition of a movie that is just there. I've seen much worse than this movie. I've seen much better than this movie. There were a few light laughs here and there. Outside of that, it was about as entertaining as watching paint dry. It was essentially just on the screen in a dark theater while I played Words With Friends on my phone.

I would really recommend anyone bothering with this. Unless you literally have absolutely NOTHING to do for two hours and have seen most other movies out in theaters.

Insidious

2011-07-06T14:14:00.001-07:00

The writer-director team behind Saw and the filmmakers of Paranormal Activity redefine the haunted house genre in Insidious. This horror film is the terrifying story of a family who shortly after moving discover that dark spirits have possessed their home and that their son has inexplicably fallen into a coma. Trying to escape the haunting and save their son, they move again only to discover that it was not their house that was haunted.
This movie terrified me. Completely terrified me. I wouldn't look at the screen for massive portions of the movie. I wish that they would make more scary movies like this. No gore. No crazy psycho killers. Just straight up creepy ghosts, music and sudden sight scares. I thought that it was going to fall flat towards the end because it started to go in to that ghost hunters/spirits from the beyond type stuff that if you aren't into it seems like the most hokey bs around. However, it pulled through and stayed creeptastic from start to finish. I will probably not be sleeping too well tonight.
I completely recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys scary movies. Its legit scary and an awesome watch.

The Lincoln Lawyer

2011-07-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

In the The Lincoln Lawyer, Matthew McConaughey stars as Michael "Mick" Haller, a slick, charismatic Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back of his Lincoln Continental sedan. Having spent most of his career defending petty, gutter-variety criminals, Mick unexpectedly lands the case of a lifetime: defending a rich Beverly Hills playboy (Ryan Phillippe) who is accused of attempted murder. However, what initially appears to be a straightforward case with a big money pay-off swiftly develops into a deadly match between two masters of manipulation and a crisis of conscience for Haller.

This movie was a lot better than I thought it would be. I think Matthew McConaughey should stick to playing southern lawyers because this was probably his best acting performance since A Time To Kill. His usual ineptitude wasn't on display in this movie. There was also a pretty good staff around him. The story had so many twists and turns that it kept you interested. I'm not saying this is a must see awesome movie. Its more like one of the much better episodes of a television procedural like CSI or Law & Order: SVU.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. Again, it's not remotely a must see but it's definitely a good enough watch for your time.

Sucker Punch

2011-06-18T08:18:00.001-07:00

Sucker Punch is an action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures blur the lines between what's real and what is imaginary.

This is one of the biggest train wrecks I've ever sat through from beginning to end. Seriously. I saw this with WW and one of my best friends (that's right - I said it, guy) and we were about 30 minutes in where we all turned to each other and said "what the hell is going on". From that point on we did nothing but laugh at the absurdity of this movie. Apprantly, Baby Doll has magical dancing powers that when she dances it puts everyone in a trance and her and her overly makeup faced, tight clothes wearing posse can go to battle in some weird ass worlds to obtain the things necessary to escape. Following me? It gets better. To get advice from Scott Glenn (who I never noticed how much he looks like a short haired David Carradine) on how to get out she had to do battle with three Kung Fu Pandas in Pinnochio formIn order to get the map, they have to battle a squad of zombie nazis led by Freddy Krueger. In order to get fire they had to battle the orcs from Lord Of The Rings. I'm pretty sure I saw Legolas and Gimli in there. Seriously. This all happened. It was great visually like all of Zack Snyder's movies are, but that was really about it. Correction, I have to admit I was enjoying the covers of a bunch of songs throughout the movie. But now that's really it.

I would definitely not recommend people checking this out. Again, I would have bailed if it wasn't for the three of us laughing so hard at the movie. Its just a bunch of brain farts thrown up on the screen for 14 year old boys. No substance at all.

Beastly

2011-06-18T08:17:00.001-07:00

Kyle Kingson (Alex Pettyfer) has it all - looks, intelligence, wealth and opportunity - and a wicked cruel streak. Prone to mocking and humiliating "aggressively unattractive" classmates, he zeroes in on Goth classmate Kendra, inviting her to the school's extravagant environmental bash. Kendra accepts, and, true to form, Kyle blows her off in a particularly savage fashion. She retaliates by casting a spell that physically transforms him into everything he despises. Enraged by his horrible and unrecognizable appearance he confronts Kendra and learns that the only solution to the curse is to find someone that will love him as he is - a task he considers impossible. Repulsed by his appearance, Kyle's callous father banishes him to Brooklyn with a sympathetic housekeeper and blind tutor. As Kyle ponders how to overcome the curse and get his old life back, he chances upon a drug addict in the act of killing a threatening dealer. Seizing the opportunity, Kyle promises the addict freedom and safety for his daughter, Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) if she will consent to live in Kyle's Brooklyn home.

This is really lame retelling of Beauty & The Beast. The acting is just as atrocious as you would expect. Whoever took the time to actually "write" this should be shot. The movie is super short but feels long as hell. The only reason I was remotely able to enjoy this is how hard we were all laughing at how bad the movie was.

I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting their time with this. It's not worth your time at all . . . . . unless you and a group of friends get the same level of enjoyment out of laughing at garbage like we did.

Season Of The Witch

2011-06-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman star in this supernatural action adventure about a heroic Crusader and his closest friend who return home after decades of fierce fighting, only to find their world destroyed by the Plague. The church elders, convinced that a girl accused of being a witch is responsible for the devastation, command the two to transport the strange girl to a remote monastery where monks will perform an ancient ritual to rid the land of her curse. They embark on a harrowing, action-filled journey that will test their strength and courage as they discover the girl's dark secret and find themselves battling a terrifyingly powerful force that will determine the fate of the world.

Bla bla bla goes the plot bio of this movie. This movie is a textbook January release. Its release has been pushed back numerous times. It has one little hook of medieval times/witchcraft. It stars Nicolas Cage. Seriously, this guy's movies are made for either January or September. I expected very little going in to this movie and I got exactly that. I figured it would be garbage and it pretty much was.

I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting their time with this. The action is lame. The story is fast forwarded and forced. The acting is par level with the rest of Nicolas Cage movies. You were warned.

The Warrior's Way

2011-06-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Warrior's Way is a modern martial arts western starring Korean actor Dong-gun Jang who plays an Asian warrior assassin forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands.

I have always been a big fan of Kung Fu movies. Usually I don't care about the story. I just want to see some bad a$$ fights and I'll be good. I accept them for what they are and manage to enjoy them. That being said, I have no clue what the hell this giant piece of garbage was. There are actual actors in this giant turd. It was sooooooooooooooo bad. The only good part was that there was a midget somehow involved but at the risk of spoiling a movie that nobody cares about - they kill the f'n midget!!! That's right up there with harming animals in movies for me. That's just not necessary!!!

I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Ever. I have not the slightest clue why crap like this gets made . . . . . . . or released.

The Adjustment Bureau

2011-06-14T16:08:00.001-07:00

On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt)--a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart. David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself--the men of The Adjustment Bureau--who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path...or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.

I really liked this movie. It's more of a love story than the conspiracy/action stuff they advertised, but the love story has a big enough hook to keep you interested. The actual adjustment bureau part of the story is great and the thought of us all being watched so we stay on the right track is beyond intriguing. Really makes you think . . . . . . and kind of makes me want to kick the guy's ass that has been pulling my strings for the the last year or so.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out. Again - don't expect a whole lot of action and what not. It really does end up being a love story with faith undertones.

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

2011-06-14T16:07:00.001-07:00

In this sequel to 2010's surprise hit, Greg Heffley, the kid who made "wimpy" cool is back in an all-new family comedy based on the best-selling follow-up novel by Jeff Kinney. As he begins seventh grade, Greg and his older brother - and chief tormentor - Rodrick must deal with their parents' misguided attempts to have them bond.

I loved this movie just as much as the first one and all of the books. This is a throwback to those awesome fun family movies from back in the day. Very simple lesson (get along with your siblings) . . . . . very funny situations . . . . . . enjoyable side characters . . . . . . . morals . . . . . . I really wish that there were more of these kinds of movies instead of millions of awkward moments with your kid sitting next to you at a "family" film. This is just basic enjoyment on a very simple level and I look forward to the rest of the books being turned in to movies.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. Its short, simple, fun, and awesome for all families.

The Eagle

2011-06-14T16:06:00.001-07:00

In 140 AD, two men - master and slave - venture beyond the edge of the known world on a dangerous and obsessive quest that will push them beyond the boundaries of loyalty and betrayal, friendship and hatred, deceit and heroism. 20 years earlier, Rome's 5,000-strong Ninth Legion, under the command of Flavius Aquila, marched north carrying their treasured golden Eagle emblem. They never returned; Legion and Eagle simply vanished into the mists. Hearing a rumor that the Eagle has been seen in a tribal temple in the far north, Flavius' son Marcus (Tatum), determined to restore the tarnished reputation of his father, is galvanized into action. Accompanied only by his slave Esca (Bell), Marcus sets out into the vast and dangerous highlands of Scotland - to confront its savage tribes, make peace with his father's memory, and retrieve the hallowed Eagle.

See now from that plot description, you would expect a pretty good Roman empire type of movie. And for the record - this movie could have actually been really bada$$. However, they decided to target an audience of 17 year old girls by casting Channing Tatum. I actually could have possibly accepted him in this role. However, since they were targeting teenage girls, they had to make it rated PG-13. So this led to a whole bunch of awesome fights where nothing was ever shown. And a whole bunch of dialogue that was right out of Twilight instead of ancient Rome. Therefore, unless you are a teenage girl with a big crush on Channing Tatum - this movie that could have been awesome is basically poop.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering to see this except for the aforementioned teenage girls. Its pretty painful to be honest.

Cedar Rapids

2011-06-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

To call insurance agent Tim Lippe (Ed Helms), "naive" is a gross understatement. He's never left his small hometown. He's never stayed at a hotel. And he's never experienced anything like Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Sent to represent his company at the annual insurance convention, Tim is soon distracted by three convention veterans (John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Whitlock Jr.) who will show him the ropes and push his boundaries. For a guy who plays everything by the book, this convention will be anything but conventional.

This is one of those artsy comedies. Overall, it's completely pointless, but there are some one liners and scenes that do make you laugh. John C Reilly is his usual self and I'm a big fan of Ed Helms but was kind of put off by how straight laced he was. Isiah Whitlock Jr completely stole the show honestly.

I would lukewarmly recommend people checking this out. Its not a must see by any means. Its super short and there are some good laughs.