30 Minutes Or Less

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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.