Comfy Brown Couch

Watched a Cool Mashup of This Year's Movies

2011-12-15T09:48:00.001-08:00

Funny Girl

2011-12-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

I watched Funny Girl a few weeks ago, and I really liked it! The songs were great, and they moved the story along well. Barbra was beautiful too.

Courtesy djabonillojr.2008's Flickr Photostream

It was interesting to look up the real story of Fanny Brice afterward and find out that the filmmakers had to change the facts to make Nick Arnstein look more sympathetic because one of the producers was related to Ms. Brice.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Watching Movies with Family

2011-12-06T08:50:00.000-08:00

I'm getting behind on my movie posts! We watched a few movies while we were up in Manteca visiting my family for Thanksgiving. And, oddly, both of the movies I watched had the same problem!

***Warning: Spoilers abound.

X-Men: First Class - I liked this movie, but not as much as the original trilogy. I thought that the characterization of both Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Eric Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) was great. These two felt believable. However, the characterization of all of the other characters, and especially both Angel and Mystique, was lacking. Specifically, when switched sides, I didn't buy it. Angel hears ONE negative comment and goes with Shaw? Not likely. And Magneto says ONE nice thing to Mystique and she hops in his bed? I'm sorry, but no. After years of counting on Charles, she goes with Eric? After he's proven that he's fine w/ killing hundreds of people? Nope. Sorry.

IMDb rating: 6/10

Thor had a similar problem. I really enjoyed all of the storyline and characters in Asgard, including their interactions with the frost giant, and especially their interactions with Heimdall (who was basically the coolest character in the whole movie). I'm serious, Idris Elba stole the show!

My problem with the film is that they tried to cram too much into an hour and 45 minutes. I think they should have spent an extra fifteen minutes with Thor (Christ Hemsworth) in New Mexico. It wasn't believable that Thor spends one evening with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and becomes a nice guy. It just doesn't happen that way. And I'm supposed to believe they fell in love in that evening? Sorry, but I don't. An extra fifteen minutes would have given the filmmakers enough time to flesh out these aspects of the story.

My only other problem was Loki, who was all over the place! One minute he's a manipulator who essentially talks Thor into starting a fight with the frost giants, the next he's trying to talk him out of it. When the king goes into a coma, Loki goes and lies to Thor about his father's fate so that he can remain king, and the next he's let the frost giants into Asgard. But wait, he only let them in so he could kill them in front of his dad and finally get the approval he's always wanted. It was simply too hard to follow Loki's motivation throughout the film.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Lastly, Adam and I watched Limitless - It looked good, but it wasn't as exciting as it looked. Also, one particularly disgusting scene ruined it for me. Did he have to drink blood? Really? Gross!

IMDb rating: 6/10

Thoughts on New TV Shows I've Watched So Far

2011-10-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

As you all know, I created an exhaustive list of the new TV shows I was interested in watching this season. Since that list is so long, I'm going to provide a much shorter list of reactions to said shows (at least the ones I've watched so far).

Up All Night - I didn't relate to it at all. It fell flat for me.

2 Broke Girls - Relied to much on sexual jokes. Can't writers be more creative?

Unforgettable - Too bland to stand out from the glut of crime shows already on TV.

Person of Interest - I haven't gotten around to watching that yet. This is probably a bad sign.

A Gifted Man - I missed the pilot of this and, when they didn't encore it, I scratched the show off my list.

Pan Am - I love it! The characters are interesting and attractive. The whole feel of the show is glamorous and vintage, which I like. In fact, I want a Pan Am bag for Christmas. Take note, folks.

Terra Nova - My other favorite new show (which, thank goodness, has yet to cause me nightmares). The best word for this show is EXCITING!

Suburgatory - Passable. I'm giving it another episode to win me over or lose me altogether.

How to Be a Gentleman - I didn't end up watching this. I figured that watching seven other new shows was enough.

Ringer - Adam and I both really like this one. Score CW!

Guide to New Fall Shows

2011-09-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Before I begin, I'd like to say that I don't watch a heck of a lot of TV. That is, I don't watch a lot of TV when it's actually on air. Right now I'm watching the original Star Trek (William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley), Bones Season 2 (because it's on Netflix Instant), Arrested Development Season 3 (also on Netflix Instant), CSI: Miami Season 1, CSI: NY Season 5, and 3rd Rock from the Sun Season 1 (Netflix Instant). Like I said, I don't watch much TV as it airs.

This season, the only shows that Adam and I are planning to watch are The Office and The Big Bang Theory. So, I've taken it upon myself to go through the exhaustive list of new shows for this season and select pilots that I think are worth a look. Here are my findings, organized by shows that have a pilot air date and shows that aren't yet scheduled to air. There are a lot of shows on this list. I've done this on purpose because most of these shows won't make it and I want to have a good chance of adding a show or two to my TV viewing schedule. Also, I've managed to pick shows that aren't in conflict with one another. Amazing!

Shows with a Pilot Air Date:

Up All Night - Starring Will Arnett and Christina Applegate, with Maya Rudolph.
Summary from IMDb - "Determined not to compromise her career or cool reputation to the clichés of motherhood, Reagan Brinkley adjusts to life with a baby and returns to work with the support of her stay-at-home husband, Chris. As Reagan and Chris figure out their new life, self-doubt, sleep deprivation and the pressure of today's parenting protocols rattle their confidence. What's more, the endless needs of Reagan's boss, ambitious but vulnerable talk-show host Ava, threaten to throw Reagan off balance."
Why I'll Watch - This sounds funny. Also, it's the stage of life my friends are beginning to enter. Mostly, I'm curious to see how Will Arnett will act in a show in which his name isn't George Oscar Bluth (Gob).
Airs - Tonight at 10 pm on NBC. Am I nervous that it airs at 10? Yes, because it might be more racy than a prime time comedy. We'll see.

2 Broke Girls - Starring Halston Autumn McMurray and Kat Dennings.
Summary as I understand it - Two girls with no money work in a diner to save up money to open a bakery.
Why I'll Watch - I want to watch at least one comedy that's centered on females rather than males. It's a male dominated landscape, apparently.
Airs - September 19 at 9:30 pm on CBS.

Unforgettable - Starring Poppy Montgomery, Dylan Walsh, and Michael J. Burg
Summary from IMDb - "She can do anything but forget." Basically, Poppy has a perfect memory, which she uses to help the police solve crimes. She hopes to solve the murder of her sister along the way.
Why I'll Watch - I like crime shows, and the memory angle sounds interesting.
Airs - September 20 at 10 pm on CBS.

Person of Interest - Starring Jim Caviezel! and Michael Emerson.
Summary from IMDb - "Centers on ex-CIA hitman and a scientist who team up to prevent crimes before they happen."
Why I'll Watch - Jim Caviezel! Crime! Go!
Airs - September 22 at 9 pm on CBS.

A Gifted Man - Starring Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Ehle, Shirley Roeca, and Susie Abromeit.
Summary from IMDb - "Centers on an ultra-competitive surgeon whose life changed is forever when his ex-wife dies and begins teaching him what life is all about from the here-after.
Why I'll Watch - A show about redemption from selfishness? Sounds good to me.
Airs - September 23 at 8 pm on CBS.

Pan Am - Starring Christina Ricci, Kelli Garner, and Margot Robbie.
Summary from IMDb - "Period drama about the pilots and flight attendants who made Pan Am the most glamorous way to fly."
Why I'll Watch - I like the cast, and I need a drama to replace One Tree Hill in my life. There you go.
Airs - September 25 at 10 pm on ABC.

Terra Nova - Starring Jason O'Mara and a bunch of people I've never heard of.
Summary from IMDb - "Centers on the Shannons, an ordinary family from 2149 when the planet is dying who are transported back 85 million years to prehistoric Earth where they join Terra Nova, a colony of humans with a second chance to build a civilization.
Why I'll Watch - I have two words for you: Time Travel. These two words are a guarantee that I will watch whatever it is that you are pitching to me. I can't help myself. I love this concept! As long as it's not too much like Jurassic Park, I will keep watching.
Airs - September 26 at 8 pm on Fox.

Suburgatory - Starring Carly Chaikin, Allie Grant, and Rex Lee.
Summary from IMDb - "A teenage girl moves from the city to the suburbs" mostly because her father wants her to have a more simple upbringing.
Why I'll Watch - The adjustment period might be interesting. After that, we'll see.
Airs - September 28 at 8:30 pm on ABC.

How to Be a Gentleman - Starring Kevin Dillon, Rhys Darby, and Dave Foley.
Summary as I understand it - A prudish columnist is threatened with unemployment if he doesn't make his column for interesting. So, he hires rough-around-the-edges Kevin Dillon to give him "dude" lessons.
Why I'll Watch - It airs after Big Bang Theory and before The Office. It's a "void" show. This is presumably why the powers that be are putting the show at 8:30 pm.
Airs - September 29 at 8:30 pm on CBS.

Grimm - Starring David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, and Bitsie Tulloch.
Tagline from NBC - "Remember the fairy tales your parents used to tell you before bedtime? Well, those weren't stories, they were warnings." The show is about a homicide detective who begins to see strange, unexplainable things.
Why I'll Watch - Crime and fairy tales. I'm in!
Airs - October 21 at 9 pm on NBC.

Once Upon a Time - Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, and Josh Dallas.
Summary from IMDb - "Centers on a woman with a troubled past who is drawn into a small town in Maine where the magic and mystery of Fairy Tales just may be real."
Why I'll Watch - Ginnifer Goodwin and fairy tales. I might've mentioned that I like those.
Airs - October 23 at 8 pm on ABC. So, this show will replace other new shows that tanked within the first 3-4 episodes.

Shows That I Will Watch If I Feel Like It When They Do Air:

Awake -Starring Jason Isaacs.
Summary from IMDb - "After a car accident takes the life of a family member, a police detective lives two alternating parallel lives, one with his wife and one with his son. Is one of his "realities" merely a dream?
Why I'll Watch - Jason Isaacs and parallel realities. And Adam might like it.

Touch - Starring Kiefer Sutherland and Danny Glover.
Summary from IMDb - "Centers on a father who discovers his autistic, mute son can actually predict evens before they happen."
Why I'll Watch - Kiefer Sutherland and Danny Glover. And working against time/fate to prevent bad things from happening. Adam Loves Kiefer Sutherland.

The 2-2 - Starring a bunch of random people and Leelee Sobieski.
Summary as I understand it - Rookie cops in Manhattan.
Why I'll Watch - Leelee Sobieski and crime. I told you I liked crime shows.

Scandal - Starring Kerry Washington.
Summary from IMDb - "Olivia Price is a professional 'fixer' who makes problems go away before anyone even knows they exist. For the moneyed, the powerful and even the President, Olivia is a legend in her field. Her spectacular success is mostly due to her unbreakable rule of always trust your gut. No matter how careful you are, when you do damage control for a living, you're bound to cause some damage to your own life. She and her crew eat, sleep, live and breathe crisis. Each week, as the team races against the clock to defuse intriguing new problems before they become full-blown disasters, they also have to deal with their own personal issues."
Why I'll Watch - The premise sounds interesting, but I'm not sure this won't be to salacious for my liking.

Missing - Starring Ashley Judd and Sean Bean.
Summary as I understand it - It's Taken with a female lead!
Why I'll Watch - Adam might like this one.

Love Happens

2011-09-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

They say that great stories are those that begin on a day that is extraordinary. A great story is about the day a boy meets that special girl, the day family dysfunction becomes unbearable, or the day the alien ship appears.

This is also true of the film Love Happens. Love Happens is not about an ordinary day. It is about an up and coming self-help guru who (surprise surprise) is not following his own advice. Burke Ryan may put on a smiling face in front of others, but he is anything but happy. He breaks his own rules regularly, including using alcohol to numb himself from emotional pain. Burke hasn't spoken to his in laws since his wife died in the car accident that inspired him to write the book, A-Okay.

But one day Burke's agent books a seminar in Seattle, even though Burke never wanted to return to the city that housed so many painful memories for him. He meets a man named Walter who is running from his pain, just as Burke is doing. His father-in-law shows up at the seminar and says some hurtful words. Burke's facade begins to unravel. Then, Burke meets Eloise. Eloise helps Burke take steps to begin the healing process.

Love Happens didn't do very well at the box office or with critics, and I'm not surprised. There are some silly plot elements that left me scratching my head (Cockatoos cannot survive alone in forests, people), but overall I enjoyed the story of grief and healing.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Vulture's 50 Most Anticipated Films of the Fall

2011-09-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

Vulture has just released their list of Fall films that look promising. What a list! Standouts for me include:

- Martha Marcy May Marlene - A movie about a girl who is readjusting to life after living in a cult? Sounds interesting!
- Wanderlust - Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston move into a commune? Alright.
- We Bought a Zoo - Matt Damon and ScarJo rehab a zoo. I like Damon, and seeing ScarJo shovel animal poo might just be worth it. (No, I don't know for sure if ScarJo will actually shovel animal poo.)
- My Week with Marilyn - Marilyn Monroe. Enough said.
- Hugo - What can I say? I like children's movies.
- Melancholia - I like Kirsten Dunst, and the trailer for this film looks intriguing.
- Carnage - Two sets of parents decide to have a meeting after their children get into a fight at school.
- In Time - OK, so I like Sci-Fi and Justin Timberlake.
- New Year's Eve - I also like ensemble movies, such as He's Just Not That Into You, Valentine's Day, etc. This one seems right up my alley.

What films are you looking forward to this Fall?

Pay It Forward

2011-08-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

Pay it forward. It's a simple concept. One person does three big favors for three other people. Those three people each do big favors for three other people, and so on. Soon, everyone is doing big favors for everyone else and the world is a better place. Does this concept work? Trevor McKinney thinks it might.

Courtesy Amazon.com

First, Trevor helps a homeless druggie named Jerry get a job and a place to stay. Unfortunately, Jerry disappears. Strike one for Trevor.

Second, Trevor decides to help his burn-scarred social studies teacher find love w/ Trevor's mother. They break up multiple times. Strike two.

Third, Trevor determines to help his friend Adam avoid the gang member wannabes at their junior high. But when it comes time to put his own hide on the line, Trevor stands by and watches the boys beat Adam and throw him in a dumpster. Strike three.

What Trevor doesn't know is that hundreds of miles away in Los Angeles, a wealthy man does a big favor for a down and out reporter by giving him a brand new Jaguar. His curiosity peaked, the journalist follows this altruistic path across the country, searching for the creator of the idea "pay it forward", which has sparked a chain of good deeds among unlikely people.

I really liked this movie. I liked it until about ten minutes before the film was over. It looked like everyone was going to get that happy ending, so I decided to look up the movie on IMDb (as I always do right after I watch). I'm a message board addict. I admit it. Halfway down the page for this particular movie, there was a thread with a spoiler-filled title that, if true, would ruin the entire movie in one fell swoop. I shook my head in disbelief. The movie can't end like that, can it?

It does. It ends horribly. It felt as if the filmmakers wanted to manipulate the public even more by tacking on an inconsistent, illogical ending. This was like "Bruce Willis is dead" only mind bogglingly bad instead of brilliant.

Oy with the poodles already!

IMDb rating: 7/10

You Again

2011-08-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, this post is about the slapstick comedy starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, and Odette Annable.

The only other movie I've seen Kristen Bell in is When in Rome, which I thought was mostly lame. But I decided to give Miss Bell another chance because the premise of You Again sounded promising. Unfortunately for me, this movie was mostly lame too.

Kristen Bell's acting style reminds me a lot of Amanda Bynes - cute but slapstick and a bit too silly. I am learning that I am not a fan of slapstick comedy (unless it's done by Lucille Ball) and since this is mostly what Kristen Bell seems to do, I guess I'm not a fan of hers either. Both this film and WiR scored 6/10 on my scale. Oh well. Not all romantic comedies can be winners.

P.S. Am I the only one who doesn't find Betty White funny? I'm tired of seeing her everywhere. Geez.

The Legend of 1900

2011-08-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, Adam surprises me and puts a movie in our Netflix queue that I've never heard of. Due to the fact that I am an IMDb addict and he is not, this does not happen very often. The Legend of 1900 is a result of one of those times. I had absolutely no clue what this movie was about, and the movie poster wasn't much help. I bowed to Adam's wishes and didn't research before we watched the film. It turned out to be pretty good, up until the ending, which I despised and hated and didn't fully comprehend.

The Legend of 1900 follows the story of a baby that is found aboard the SS Virginian. A coal shoveler named Danny Boodmann (Bill Nunn), who lives in the bowels of the ship, finds the baby and determines to raise him. Danny names the baby Danny Boodmann T.D. Lemon Nineteen Hundred (Tim Roth) after himself, the name on the box in which the baby was found, and the year in which the baby was born. Thereafter, everyone simply calls the baby "1900".

1900 spends his entire childhood on the ship. He never sets foot on solid ground. Somehow, 1900 becomes an amazing piano player during his boyhood. The captain allows him to stay on the ship and work as a musician and entertainer. 1900 plays for the ships passengers, no matter their social class. He is challenged by a famous jazz pianist to a duel, and wins. 1900 also falls in love with a 14-15 year old girl (which I found creepy), but he won't step off the ship even for her.

The crux of the story is that 1900's good friend Max (Pruitt Taylor Vince) returns to port and discovers that the SS Virginian is about to be blown up because it's no longer sea worthy. Max panics. "Is 1900 still on the SS Virginian?" he wonders. Max convinces the port manager to let him explore the ship, so explore he does.

I won't spoil the ending for you except to say that I hated it! It ruined a perfectly good fantasy for me. In fact, I wish I had stopped the movie ten minutes before the end and imagined my own ending. For that, I'm only giving the movie 6/10 on IMDb. Take that, 1900!

IMDb rating: 6/10

Spoilers?

2011-08-14T15:48:00.001-07:00

Adam and I have differing ideas of how best to enjoy movies and television shows. I like to know what I'm getting into: actors, plot, spoilers (if applicable), and so forth. Adam, on the other hand, doesn't like being spoiled. In fact, if he is looking forward to watching a specific movie or TV show with me, he also forbids me from doing research prior to viewing said movie or show. But, it turns out that knowing spoilers may actually cause people to enjoy the story more than if they hadn't known the spoilers!

Check out the full article here.

Ah, vindication!

Coming Soon: Main Street

2011-07-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

Orlando Bloom and Colin Firth with southern accents? Sign me up!

Nell

2011-07-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

I watched Nell yesterday. The movie is about a woman, Nell, who is discovered living alone in the woods by a general practice physician, Jerry Lovell (Liam Neeson). Dr. Lovell and a researcher, Paula Olsen (Natasha Richardson), are sent to monitor Nell in order to decide whether or not she should be institutionalized.

Jerry and Paula discover that Nell has been kept in the woods in isolation because her mother was raped and became afraid of all men. Nell has a grasp of cooking, cleaning, hygiene, and the Bible, but is afraid to go out in the daylight and cannot speak proper English. Nell's mother suffered from a stroke and, as a result, had a speech impediment. Since Nell's speech is patterned after her mother's, Nell's English is almost unrecognizable. Nell has also made up words that she integrates seamlessly into her speech. Her movements are unnatural.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. It wasn't amazing, but it was worth a watch. Jodie Foster did an amazing job as Nell. She was fully engrossed in the role, as were Neeson and Richardson. The only thing I didn't enjoy about the nudity was the unnecessary nudity on Foster's part. I understand that the filmmakers were trying to show that Nell was innocent and sheltered, but they could have done that in another way.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

2011-07-15T20:42:00.000-07:00

At 8 am this morning Adam and I were third and fourth in line to see the final installment in the Harry Potter series. I was very excited and a bit sad at the same time. Today was the last time I would see a new Harry Potter movie (at least until some schmuck decides to remake the films). In fact, I almost (almost) didn't want to go today, just to prolong my enjoyment of the franchise. But, go we did. We had prepared by watching each of the other seven films over the past week, so I was ready to see the end of the story on the big screen.

I won't go into the story because, at this point, everyone who cares is familiar with the storyline of the Potter films. I can't even list favorite scenes because the seventh book is my favorite, and I loved almost everything about this film. I will say that I absolutely loved the music in this film. There were moments during the film in which I thought specifically that the music completed the scene. Most of the time I don't notice the music in a film that much, but I did today. In fact, this is the first time I'm considering purchasing the soundtrack for a Potter film.

Also, I loved the screen time given to not only the trio, but to many supporting characters like Bill Weasley, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, McGonagall, and Flitwick. And, of course, Neville. I enjoyed seeing much of the cast over the years together in this film. It felt much bigger to me than if the film had excluded many of the supporting characters.

In our house, a film doesn't receive a 9 unless, upon finishing it, we are ready to watch it again immediately. This film received a 9 from myself and from Adam. This is one of very few films (perhaps none) that have done that. In fact, I tried to convince Adam to go see it again w/ me this evening, but he didn't feel up to braving the crowds. Perhaps Sunday...

IMDb rating: 9/10

On a mostly related note, there is a blogger who has almost zero knowledge of the Potter universe and is watching all 8 movies five days. Of course, he's writing about each movie as he finishes. I find his opinions amusing in that they differ wildly from popular opinion on some points. I also find it interesting listening to the thoughts of a self-proclaimed "Potter virgin".

The Social Network

2011-07-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

Adam and I watched The Social Network last night. It was a really interesting-if not altogether accurate, depending on who you ask-look at the origins of Facebook. Ultimately, it's a study of the characters involved and the choices they make. I think it's for that reason that my strongest impressions of the movie are my feelings regarding the characters.

As I watched the film, I truly felt that Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) did steal the Winklevoss's idea and make it his own. Despite this, he isn't an entirely unsympathetic character. During the last half of the film, it seemed to me that he allowed Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) to affect his actions even though it meant turning his back on his former partner and best friend. Of all of the characters, I felt that Sean Parker came off the worst throughout the film. He seemed ingenuine, moochy, inexperienced, immature, and paranoid. It was as if he placed much more value on his business prowess than he should have, and it ruined him.

To me, the only wholly sympathetic character in the film is Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). His only fault was leaving Mark in California with the manipulative Parker.

Overall, I really enjoyed the film. All of the actors did really well. I gave it 8/10 on IMDb.

Coming Soon: The End of Harry Potter

2011-06-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Warner Brothers released the second trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, and it's epic. There is some new footage, for which I am grateful. I can't wait until the movie comes out in 28 days. I'm not going to lie - I teared up during the trailer. Yes I know that I am a huge nerd.

Coming Soon: The Vow

2011-06-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

I just saw the most adorable trailer, but the movie isn't coming out until next February! What???

Coming Soon: Once Upon a Time?

2011-06-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Hollywood has stormed the gates of the world of fantasy. Different production companies are preparing to release their takes on Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, and The Little Mermaid. Read an article about the various fairy tale projects over at Vulture. I hope that all of these films aren't too dark, because some of them sound really interesting.

S1m0ne

2011-06-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to watch S1m0ne since it came out nine years ago. The idea that a man could create a digital actress and get away with it was so intriguing to me. I just never got around to watching the movie until a few days ago. Just as I thought, the unlikely events that lead Viktor Taransky (Al Pacino) to create Simone are interesting, if a bit far fetched. In fact, the whole film feels a bit silly. The idea that a man could trick the entire world into believing that Simone is a real woman rather than a digital creation is crazy. However, being as the film is a satire on how celebrities are made and perceived, it works in the film.

Courtesy traileraddict.com

In the film, the people are captivated by Simone - both her acting and her extremely private "life". This rings true to life. Like many people, I do not actually buy tabloid papers and magazines that deal primary with the lives of celebrities. Yet, I do read their covers as I shuffle past in the check out aisle at the grocery store. Why is it that people are so interested in celebrities? These people are just individuals like ourselves, albeit with slightly more noticeable careers. This question ran through my mind as I watched S1m0ne, and I can't help but think that the filmmakers wanted their viewers to have that reaction. I do have to state, though, that the ending ruined this for me. I won't give it away here, but it felt as if the characters didn't get the message the viewers, myself included, perceived.

IMDb rating: 6/10

Summing Up the Past Ten Years... In One Word

2011-05-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not going to try to do that, but the cast members of the Harry Potter films did while they were being photographed for the upcoming piece in Empire Magazine. Check out the video of their answers here. It's super cute.

The Next Three Days

2011-05-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Ultimately, The Next Three Days is about one's choice to live in reality or to create one's own alternate reality. John Brennan (Russell Crowe) and his wife are happily married and living with their young son. Unfortunately, Lara Brennan's (Elizabeth Banks) somewhat combative behavior is their undoing. She is arrested for killing her boss in the evening, after everyone in her office has seen the two of them in a nasty fight.

Courtesy filmofilia.com

Despite the evidence against his wife, John refuses to believe that she is guilt of murder. Instead, he chooses to reject the reality of their situation by hatching a plan to help Lara escape from jail and create a new life with him in a foreign country. To begin, John seeks out Damon Pennington, who escaped from prison seven times. During his conversation with Pennington, the question becomes, does John, who is a college professor, have what it takes to create and execute a workable plan?

"Before you do anything, you have to ask yourself if you can do it. Can you forget about ever seeing your parents again? Can you kill a guard? Leave your kid at a gas station? Push some nice old lady to the ground just because she gets between you and the door? Because to do this thing, that's who you have to become. And if you can't, don't start, 'cause you'll just get someone killed." ~ Damon Pennington (Liam Neeson)

The Next Three Days is an interesting film, but it suffers from a slow first half. I found myself a bit bored with all of the build up and lack of action during that portion of the film, to be honest. Thankfully, the last half of the film is much more interesting.

IMDb rating: 7/10

The Others

2011-05-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

We watched The Others last week with Adam's family. It was not scary in the traditional sense, for which I was relieved. As you probably know or have guessed by the lack of scary movies I've discussed on this blog, I don't do scary movies well.

I thought that Nicole Kidman did a great job in her part, but I'm not surprised about this because she was nominated for an Golden Globe for her work in the film. She went back and forth from mostly normal to flat out crazy in a believable way. Unfortunately, I figured out the twist at the end of the film before the reveal at the end, so I was a bit disappointed.

IMDb rating: 6/10

Smallville Series Finale

2011-05-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

I started watching Smallville with a roommate in college. We watched through the DVDs until we had caught up with the current episodes and began watching season 5 or 6 on television. This means that I've been watching Smallville since 2004 or 2005. Wow, that's a long time!

Over the course of that time, I have greatly enjoyed the show and been bored by it, depending on the season (season 9 being the absolute worst). Last night was the series finale of the 10th and final season of the show, and overall I think it was a pretty good series finale. The storyline was strong and tied up most of the loose ends that needed to be addressed. And, the special effects were pretty good for a television show. Also, the return of Lex lines up nicely with the traditional Superman story. Lastly, I enjoyed seeing a bit of the future lives of some of the characters in the epilogue to the episode, that is set seven years in the future.

Courtesy withfriendship.com

I only have three small gripes with the finale, and one big one. One, the final showdown with Darkseid was a bit anti-climactic. However, this is tolerable because in the comics Superman doesn't meet Darkseid until later in his career anyway.

Second, Martha and Jonathan keep going on about holding onto the past while Clark is trying to let it go in order to embrace his destiny and the future. In one scene, Martha kept whining about the past and I wasn't sure why she was so upset. It seemed random and over the top.

Third, Darkseid was really hard to understand when he spoke. I understand the producers wanting to make him sound evil and inhuman, but did they have to go so far that he was almost unintelligible?

Fourth, the episode ended with a time jump into the future. In this flash forward, it has been 7 years since Lois and Clark's interrupted wedding and the defeat of Darkseid, and Lois and Clark are still unmarried! What the heck is that? Their wedding is interrupted once and they don't try again for seven years? That was crazy and it made me pretty angry. In fact, after the fake Jimmy fiasco, it's the thing I hate most about the show.

It's a Western. It's Science-Fiction. It's Firefly!

2011-05-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

A couple from church lent Adam and I their Blu-ray copy of the entire series of Firefly, and I really enjoyed it. In fact, I think it's my favorite new TV show (not favorite of all time - that honor still belongs to L&C) and I'm putting it on my Amazon Wish List.

Courtesy Amazon.com

I liked that it was a western set in space. How cool is that? Besides, it's perfectly plausible that in a future world any outer-lying planets would resort to an anarchical governmental structure due to the lack of presence of any government officials on said planets. Right?

Courtesy Amazon.com

Anyway, the characters are the best part about this TV show because, sadly, it was cancelled after only 14 episodes so most of the long-term plot lines were not sufficiently resolved until the movie sequel Serenity came out. Lucky for me, I didn't have to wait years in agony between the end of the TV show and the release of the movie.

Serenity is a bit more action-oriented than the TV show, but since Joss Whedon (yes the creator of Buffy) had to fit several seasons' worth of plot lines into two hours, I don't blame him for the faster pace. In fact, I'm glad he fit in as much as he did (even though he didn't tie up my favorite Firefly couple to my satisfaction).

Firefly IMDb rating: 8/10
Serenity IMDb rating: 8/10

The Namesake

2011-05-10T17:08:00.000-07:00

The Namesake is the second Mira Nair film I have seen, and I liked this one more than the other one (although the other film was also good). This film begins with Ashoke and Ashima, who have returned to New York after spending only a few weeks of life as newlyweds in India. Ashoke is familiar with New York and its ways because he has been living and studying in the city for several years. Ashima, on the other hand, has never been away from her family and has never left India.

Courtesy Plantbollywood.com

The Namesake is about their life as a married couple and their challenges in raising two children in New York while trying to instill in them their Indian heritage. Their lives are full of happiness, struggle, change, and tragedy.

I really enjoyed this film because I felt it was realistic in its portrayal of a family that is torn between new traditions and old ones. Having been born and raised in California by two parents who were also raised here, I haven't felt this myself and appreciate learning something about another way of life as I watched the film.

In particular, Tabu, who plays the matriarch of the family, does an excellent job of showing the struggle and tensions in her family. I enjoyed watching her evolve from a young bride to a middle aged woman with two grown children of her own.

The only negative about this film is that it does start out a bit slow. Overall, it's worth a watch.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Coming Soon: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

2011-05-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have ever been more excited for a movie than I am for this, the final movie in the Harry Potter series. I admit, I've watched this trailer a few times, and the movie looks epic. In fact, I think the trailer itself is epic.

When I label this post as "coming soon", I do so loosely because, frankly, July 15 does not feel very soon to me as I type this.

Patience.

Anyway, here's the trailer for your repeated enjoyment:

USA Release Date: July 15, 2011

Coming Soon: One Day

2011-05-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

I came across a trailer for a new Anne Hathaway/Jim Sturgess movie that looks really good. I like both of those actors, which is probably why this appeals to me.

The premise is that Emma (Hathaway) and Dexter (Sturgess) meet on the day of their graduation from college, and the film revisits each of them on that same day for the next twenty years. Sometimes Emma and Dexter are together on that day, and sometimes they aren't. It sounds interesting, right? I think so!

Here's the trailer in case you're curious:

USA Release Date: August 19, 2011

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

2011-05-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

My sister and I recently revisited a childhood fascination - E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial. I admit, I didn't remember a heck of a lot about this movie, except that I thought it was a bit long when I was little. This time around I appreciated it much more. This truly is an excellent film. The dynamics between Elliot and his siblings are excellent, as are the harried yet loving feelings one gets from their mother, Mary. I also enjoyed the almost immediate connection Elliot and ET have; a connection I didn't fully pick up on as a child. The prison the family's home becomes at the end is a bit creepy, even though the doctors and scientists seem more well-intentioned than I remember them being. And, of course, the escape to the forest is as thrilling as ever. Who wouldn't want to fly through the air on a bicycle?

Courtesy allmoviephoto.com

As my sister and I watched the film, we could tell that some CGI had been used to update ET's facial features/expressions, but these subtle changes weren't distracting or detrimental to the film. We didn't know that Spielberg released a retouched copy (including aforementioned CGI) in 2002 until after the credits rolled and I began my routine post-film IMDb trivia perusal.

Overall, I gave the film a 9/10 because it really is that great.

IMDb rating: 9/10

Howl's Moving Castle and "Why Doesn't IMDb Let Me Give Half Stars?"

2011-04-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

Adam and I watched Howl's Moving Castle this weekend. It was great, as usual for our friend Miyazaki. I think this flick is my new favorite of the Studio Ghibli films we have seen. The story was great. I loved all of the characters. And the animation was stellar, as always. Yet again I was amazed at how creative the animators are when they draw the characters, scenery, and, in the case of this film, the castle itself.

Courtesy boxofficeprophets.com

I decided to give Howl's Moving Castle an 8, but then I realized that I gave Ponyo and Spirited Away that same rating, so now I am conflicted. You see, I liked Howl more than the other two films, but not enough to give it a 9 rating on IMDb. This leads me to ask, why can't I give half star ratings? If that were an option, I would give Howl an 8.5 to differentiate it from the movies that I have rated 8 and 9. As I think about it, I think most of the movies I rate would have a half star of some sort. I don't know how many times I have told Adam I wanted to rate a movie 7.5 stars after watching. Unfortunately, IMDb isn't aware of and/or doesn't care about my frustration with their ratings system.

Since I can't give half star ratings, I will rank the Studio Ghibli movies I've seen so far in order to satisfy my need for differentiation.

Here they are, from most favorite to least:

1. Howl's Moving Castle

2. Ponyo

3. Spirited Away
4. My Neighbor Totoro

And way down here...

57. Princess Mononoke

Why do I rank Mononoke as number 57, you ask, even though there aren't 57 Studio Ghibli films that I have seen (or 57 total, for that matter)? Why do I rank it so low, when most people who have seen it consider it to be possibly one of the best films ever made? Because I hated it. I hated the story, the main character's lack of motivation, the unnecessary blood/gore, all of the other characters, and basically the entire movie.

So there you have it, my thoughts on the Studio Ghibli movies I've seen so far, as well as my criticism of IMDb's movie ratings system.

The Adjustment Bureau

2011-04-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

There is an over-arching plan for your life, and for how your choices affect the world. If you make choices that lead you away from the plan, the caseworkers at the adjustment bureau will use events to adjust the plan and to get you back on the right path. These events can be as small as spilled coffee or as large as near fatal car accidents. If you do not respond correctly to these events, the caseworkers will catch you, explain that you are not following the plan, and encourage you to get back on track. If you still do not follow the plan, these caseworkers will hunt you down and reset your brain.

Courtesy peexa.com

For Senatorial candidate David Norris (Matt Damon), a charming young woman named Elise (Emily Blunt) is NOT part of the plan. What does Norris do? He tracks her down anyway.

The Adjustment Bureau is an interesting take on the theory that each person lives his or her life according to a plan, and if a person gets off the plan, the ripple effect can cause untold damage to the entire world. It's interesting to watch the filmmakers' views on this, even if I do disagree on some points. But, that is for another discussion.

The film tells its story effectively. Damon and Blunt have great chemistry in their few scenes together. I actually believed that they loved each other and would feasibly make choices based on those feelings. In addition, I also enjoyed the cinematography and the score. The only negative about this movie is the ending. It's anticlimactic, to say the least. It's as if the scriptwriter just decided to stop writing, and this is how it comes across. I found some information about an original ending, and while I understand why the filmmakers ultimately decided to go with the alternate ending shown in the film, I can't help but wonder if the original ending would have been a more satisfying payoff.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Flipped

2011-04-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

My cousin, Rachel, and I watched the movie Flipped this weekend. It was OK. The two leads were cute, but other than that I feel rather blasé about the whole thing.

Here is the trailer in case you don't know which film I'm talking about:

IMDb rating: 6/10

How Do You Know

2011-04-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

How Do You Know is about finding your way when life is hard or when you don't understand why something is happening to you.

Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) is cut from the USA women's softball team. She's based her entire life around the game and doesn't know what step to take next.

Matty (Owen Wilson) is in the process of trading his free-wheeling ways to keep Lisa in his life. It's a hard change for a man who keeps extra women's clothes and tooth brushes in his bathroom for the anonymous women who visit his apartment each night.

George (Paul Rudd) is being indicted by the government on charges of stock fraud, which causes him to lose his job at his father's company. George is innocent of the crime but doesn't know how to climb out of the hole he has fallen into.

Annie (Kathryn Hahn), George's assistant, is pregnant and struggling with how to provide for her child while her uncommitted boyfriend is unemployed. She also struggles with whether or not to tell George what is going on at the company even though she is legally bound by a gag order.

Charles (Jack Nicholson) is George's father and acts as George's bearer of bad news. He also tries to manipulate George once George finds out the truth behind the stock fraud problem.

The characters in How Do You Know are flawed and quirky, but likable. In addition, the awkwardness in the characters' interactions adds to the charm of the movie. If you'd like something that is a bit more complex than regular romantic comedies but still a bit too light to be labeled drama, pop in How Do You Know.

IMDb rating: 8/10

The Astronaut Farmer

2011-04-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

Charles Farmer is a rancher, but his real dream is to be an astronaut. Farmer has been chasing this dream his whole life. Sadly, Farmer had to leave NASA's program when his father died, in order to take care of his family. And NASA won't give him another chance. So, Farmer decides to do the next best thing - build a rocket in his barn.

The Astronaut Farmer suffers from a wildly uneven tone. The film goes from lighthearted family fantasy to serious character drama and back again. It is this unevenness that lessens the impact of the film and makes finding an audience difficult. The middle portion of the film, in which Farmer struggles with his obsession with space, is not suitable for children. However, the remainder of the film is perhaps a bit silly for adults.

I couldn't be completely happy for Farmer when he finally realized his goal because he spent the middle part of the film making poor decisions that jeapordized the safety and unity of his family.

IMDb rating: 6/10

Turtles Trilogy

2011-04-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

This week I revisited a trilogy of movies that I loved as a child - the Teenate Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy.

When I was little, the second and third movies were my favorites due to their campy nature, over-the-top goofiness, and general lack of what I deemed were "slow parts". Today, I feel exactly the opposite.

The first film of the three is by far the best in terms of storyline, empathetic characters, good acting, and a general tone that is far more adult-oriented than is offered by the film's successors. The costumesin the first film, and particularly those of the turtles, are much more believable than those in the second and third films.

TMNT 1 Rating: 7/10
TMNT 2 Rating: 6/10
TMNT 3 Rating: 5/10

Date Night

2011-03-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

I don't watch most comedies these days because they are usually way too raunchy for my rather conservative comedic tastes. However, I had heard that Date Night was worth watching, so Adam and I gave it a chance last night. I have to say, despite a couple of gags that I thought were unnecessary or taken a bit too far, the movie wasn't that bad. In fact, it was actually pretty good.

Courtesy movies.nytimes.com

It was refreshing to see a movie about a married couple who are trying to remain invested in each other rather than giving up and getting out when the routine gets a bit boring. Phil and Claire Foster care about each other so much that they both take steps to break out of the routine and make their married life exciting again. Unfortunately for them, this involves being kidnapped, shot at, involved in a car chase, and generally running for their lives.

I say kudos to Tina Fey and Steve Carell (never thought I'd say that!) for making a movie that puts a positive spin on working together to improve a marriage, without adding way too many sex/fart/vomit/poop jokes for discerning individuals to tolerate.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Tangled

2011-03-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

I watched Tangled with some friends last night, and I thought it was just OK. Instead of writing a review, I'm just going to list the things I liked and didn't like about the movie.

Likes:

- Basic story - I like the basic story of Rapunzel, and it was fun to watch it unfold.
- Animation - The characters and scenery were great.
- Pascal the chameleon - The chameleon is perhaps the second best sidekick in the history of Disney animation
- Floating lanterns - The lanterns are so cool I want to float some myself.

Dislikes:

- Stupid beyond belief "dream" song in the Snugly Duckling - That is perhaps my least favorite song in the history of Disney movies. It was terribly annoying and way too long. I will undoubtedly fast forward through that scene if I ever watch this movie again.
- Recurring cameos by the old man/pseudo cupid character - This was not funny or cute.
- Rapunzel's horrible haircut at the hands of Flynn - I get his motivation for doing it. I don't mind that he cut her hair. But did he have to cut it so short? No! That poor girl is going to have that choppy haircut for the rest of her life, unless she decides to cut it even shorter. Remember, it won't grow back!
- Rapunzel's cringe-worthy kneeling hug with her parents and Flynn at the end of the movie - Who does that? Seriously.
- The dog-like aspects of the horse Maximus - Stupid
- Lazy writing - For example, how did Mother Goethel know the song to trigger the flower's power? Why was there only one of these flowers in the whole kingdom? Why did Goethel tell Rapunzel her true birthday and thereby leave herself open to questions regarding the lanterns?

In conclusion, Tangled was just OK. There were too many cringe-worthy moments in the film for my taste. Nice try Disney, but no cigar.

IMDb rating: 6/10

Moon

2011-03-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

What if mankind found a way to harvest He3 from the far side of the moon and to use it for almost all of our energy needs? What if someone had to remain in the station on said far side of the moon in order to monitor equipment and send shipments of He3 back to Earth? The film Moon explores those questions.

Courtesy NYmag.com

Sam Bell (played by Sam Rockwell) has been stationed at the base on the moon for almost three years. In fact, in two weeks his 3 year contract will be over and he will be welcomed home into the arms of his lovely wife Tess and his daughter Eve. Only, Sam has begun seeing hallucinations, and he doesn't feel very well. One day, while Sam is driving across the surface of the moon to check one of the large, He3 harvesting machines, he sees the dark haired girl again. Is there really a girl standing outside on the moon? He wonders. Who is she? Then Sam crashes into the harvester, and things get a little weird from there.

I won't say anymore about the plot, because if I do it will spoil the movie for you. So, suffice it to say that Sam Rockwell does an amazing job in a movie in which he is, by and large, the only character on screen (much like Castaway). Although the movie's plot unravels slowly after Sam's crash, it is never boring. It asks the viewer to wrestle with large questions once the movie is finished. If you're in the mood to think as you watch, Moon is a great choice.

IMDb rating: 8/10

The Young Victoria

2011-03-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

I just watched The Young Victoria, which covers Queen Victoria's life from childhood until several years into her reign and her marriage to Prince Albert. I didn't know anything about Queen Victoria or her reign before I watched the film, and though there are historical inaccuracies in this film, I still found it enjoyable and somewhat informative. I must say that the politics in the film are rather hard to follow if you know nothing about them beforehand.

Courtesy dailymail.co.uk

Emily Blunt does an excellent job as Victoria. Her performance is nuanced, and she comes across as insecure, confident, proud, humble, intelligent, and compassionate at different times in the film. It was also nice to watch Jim Broadbent for his few minutes of screen time. But I have to admit that my favorite actor in The Young Victoria was Rupert Friend, as Prince Albert. He comes across as charming, intelligent, caring, gentle, and willing to work hard. In short, he acted as the prince he was supposed to be.

The best parts of the film are those that revolve around Albert and Victoria's romance. Both Blunt and Friend played their parts wonderfully in this plot thread. I believed that Albert and Victoria were falling in love. Friend, especially, did an excellent job in his scenes with Ms. Blunt.

If you're interested in period pieces about Britain and/or its monarchy, this film is a great one. Just keep in mind that the filmmakers did take some liberties when it came to historical accuracy.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Coming Soon: Larry Crowne

2011-03-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

I just saw a trailer for a movie that looks super cute-Larry Crowne. Check it out:

USA Release Date: July 1, 2011

Five Children and It

2011-03-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

I loved the book Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit. It was original and enchanting. Unfortunately, the 2004 movie of the same nam e starring Freddie Highmore and Kenneth Branagh, was horrible in comparison. It was completely different from the book in almost every way, and suffers as a result. I suppose that someone who has not read the book might enjoy watching this with his or her children, but anyone who has read the book will probably not enjoy this.


Courtesy Thecia.com.au

IMDb rating: 5/10

My Neighbor Totoro

2011-03-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

Our fourth foray into Studio Ghibli films is My Neighbor Totoro. It's a film about the joy and wonder of childhood, whether that be exploring a new house and yard, the surrounding forest, or making amazing new friends with the forest spirits.

Satsuki and her younger sister Mei (voiced in this new Disney dub by the Fanning sisters) have moved into a country home with their father, in order to be near their mother, who is recuperating in a hospital from an unmentioned illness. One day while Satsuki is at school, 4-year-old Mei follows a white rabbit-like into a small tunnel through the trees in the forest, falls down a hole amidst some tree trunks, and lands on the stomach of a sleeping forest spirit, which she names Totoro (it means troll). Back at home, the girls' father tells them that the spirits are only visible when they want to be seen. Several days later, Satsuki sees Totoro when she and Mei are waiting at the bus stop for their dad. The girls embark on a fanciful friendship with the forest spirits, which comes in handy later in the story for a reason I won't mention here.

My Neighbor Totoro, unlike Ponyo and Spirited Away, is a bit less fanciful in that it could conceivably take place in our world. It is a great children's story, but I must say that I still prefer Ponyo as my favorite of the Studio Ghibli films we've seen so far.

Here is the trailer, if you're interested:

IMDb rating: 7/10

Heartbreaker

2011-03-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

Heartbreaker is a French film about a man named Alex, who makes his living breaking up unhappy couples with the help of his sister, Melanie, and brother-in-law, Marc. Unfortunately, this job isn't very lucrative, and Alex owes 30,000 to a loan shark. Enter Mr. Van Der Becq, who wants the trio to break up his daughter's wedding to an English businessman. The catch? Juliette Van Der Becq and her groom-to-be Jonathan Alcott seem perfectly happy together. Even though Alex normally refuses jobs involving happy couples, he takes this one in order to repay his debt before the loan shark sends his giant Serbian lackey to take his money out of Alex's hide.

Heartbreaker was fun to watch. All of the actors were comedic and genuine at the same time, a quality which I greatly enjoyed. The references to American pop culture were a bit jarring at first, but once I got used to them they added a quirky, relatable quality to the film. It was also nice to hear the French language and pick out words here and there (most of what I knew when I studied French in school has since left me).

Check out the trailer:

*Note: The movie is not as cheesy as the trailer makes it out to be.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Coming Soon: The Lincoln Lawyer

2011-03-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

I saw a billboard for this movie the other day and decided to look it up on IMDb. I don't know a heck of a lot about it, except that Matthew McConaughey plays a lawyer who works out of his Lincoln town car. I've seen Mr. McConaughey play a lawyer in the past, and I'm curious to see how he does it here. Also, it looks like something Adam will like, which is always good.

USA Release Date: March 18, 2011

Here On Earth

2011-03-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

*Warning: Spoilers below.

Courtesy Allmoviephoto.com

Here On Earth can be summed up as follows: Rich boy hates poor boy. Poor boy hates rich boy. Both boys race their cars and end up destroying the local hangout. Rich boy and poor boy are sentenced to help rebuild the local hangout. Rich boy meets and steals poor boy's girlfriend. Girlfriend dies. The end.

Perhaps the best thing about this movie is the scenery. It's rural, green, soft, and beautiful. The rest of the movie was underwhelming, from the lack lustre acting to the somewhat predictable plot and dialogue. Oh well.

IMDb rating: 6/10

Coming Soon: There Be Dragons

2011-01-26T14:02:00.000-08:00

I came across the trailer for the movie There Be Dragons on IMDb today. I hadn't heard anything about it, but the title caught my eye (yes, I tend to like dragon movies) so I watched it. The movie has nothing to do with actual dragons-it's set during the Spanish Civil War. Despite that, it looks pretty interesting from the trailer. I'm adding this to my "I want to see this in the movie theaters" list for the year. So far the only other movie on that list is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, but we'll see how this year goes.

Here is the trailer for your viewing pleasure:

USA Release Date: May 6, 2011

Jump Tomorrow

2011-01-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

Jump Tomorrow is about a young man who is on his way to Niagara falls to be married, only he is marrying a woman whom he has not spent time with in 3 years. The marriage is arranged by his aunt and uncle and her parents. On the way, he runs into a heartbroken, addicted-to-love Frenchman and an intriguing Latina. You know what happens next.

Jump Tomorrow was just OK. It had some quirky charm, and all of the actors looked like normal people, which I appreciated. However, it was also a bit predictable and not wholly engaging.

IMDb rating: 6/10

Pregnancy Faint

2011-01-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

I've been mulling over another theory of mine: the pregnancy faint. Often, if TV or movie writers want to add drama centering around a female character, they make her faint. But this faint is not due to a recent scare or a particularly gruesome scene. No, it is because she is pregnant and doesn't know it. A particularly obvious example that comes to mind is when Chloe fainted in the season 6 finale of 24. As soon as she fainted, I knew she was pregnant, because there was no other explanation for it in that particular scene.

The fact that fainting due to pregnancy is rare does not matter to the entertainers who write today's shows and movies. It is a dramatic device, so they use it. TVtropes.org has a fascinating list of times pregnancy fainting has been used, although I'm sure it isn't all inclusive.

The next time you are watching a show or movie and the heroin faints for no apparent reason, keep in mind that she is probably pregnant.

Management

2011-01-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

Management is a quirky little flick about a guy (Steve Zahn) who impulsively falls in love with a woman (Jennifer Aniston) who checks into his parents' motel in Arizona, and pursues her from Maryland to Washington and back.

Steve Zahn's character, Mike, is both ridiculous and sweet. On the one hand, his actions are abnormal, but on the other, they are heartfelt and extraordinary. Aniston also does a great job with her character, Sue. Sue's desperation and loneliness come across clearly in all of her interactions with Mike, a man she continues to spend time with even though his actions scare her and shake up her sense of normalcy.

A common thread that comes out in many of the characters in the film is the search for a life's calling; a search for something that fulfills and provides a sense of purpose. Mike, Sue, and Mike's father are searching for purpose and, thankfully, they find it by the end of the film.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Inception

2010-12-29T22:18:00.000-08:00

Adam and I finally got around to watching Inception. He has been trying to get me to watch it for months, but I was never in the mood. It's too bad, because this would have been great in theaters.

I really enjoyed Inception. The plot was new and interesting, the characters were engaging, and the visuals were amazing (of course)! Additionally, the movie has led to much speculation among members at IMDb. regarding various theories, and I really enjoy reading about theories that address a movie's content (e.g., was the entire movie a dream Cobb had while on a flight home from a business trip?)

The only bad thing I can think to say about the movie is that I felt it was fifteen or so minutes too long. Toward the end, I kept looking at the counter on the DVD player and wondering when they were going to wrap it up. I have a feeling that, upon subsequent viewings, that will no longer be an issue. Great movie Mr. Nolan.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Princess Mononoke

2010-12-29T22:09:00.000-08:00

Having enjoyed Ponyo and Spirited Away, Adam and I were excited to watch Princess Mononoke this past week. This is the first time I have been disappointed by a Studio Ghibli film

Princess Mononoke suffered from a disjointed and too lengthy storyline, a main character with unclear motivations for his actions, and way too much gore and grotesque animation. When I watch an animated film, I do not want to see pools of blood, guts, worm-like demons, and humans losing limbs and heads in battle scenes. I could watch Saving Private Ryan if I wanted to be grossed out. Studio Ghibli, you fail this time.

IMDb rating: 5/10

Monsoon Wedding

2010-12-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding is not just about the topics stated in the title. It is also about longing, love, making mistakes, honesty, starting fresh, family ties, the give and take between family friends and blood relatives, and much more. Each of the characters in Ms. Nair's film feels like a real person, many of whom have struggles to overcome by the film's end. Indeed, the acting is strong all around.

When I put this movie in my Netflix queue, I expected a fun, light-hearted Bollywood movie. This film is not that at all. There are many light-hearted moments, but there are equally as many dramatic moments in the film. One particular scene near the film's end was particularly moving, satisfying, and possibly a bit frustrating at the same time (for various reasons that I will not give away). If you are interested in watching movies about Indian life and real people in India, this is one for you. Unlike par-for-the-course Bollywood fare (which I love), this flick has very little cheese.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Adam

2010-11-30T10:45:00.000-08:00

Adam is a film about a man who has Asperger's Syndrome. Throughout the film, he learns about social interaction, empathy, and social cues through a relationship with Beth, a woman who moves into the building where Adam lives.

The film is well done in that Adam's syndrome seems natural rather than contrived or heavy handed. Hugh Dancy does a great job of getting into the character. During the movie, I saw Adam, not Hugh. Rose Byrne is interesting as Beth, a woman who is interested in Adam despite the extra work it takes to communicate with him in a way that he understands. At times I wondered how she would react to something Adam said or did, and it was always interesting to watch.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Ondine

2010-11-29T22:30:00.000-08:00

The film Ondine, which is set in Ireland, is about a fisherman named Syracuse (Colin Farrell) who pulls up a woman (Alicja Bachleda) in his fishing net. Her curious nature, evasiveness, and affinity for water make Syracuse and his young daughter, Annie (Alison Barry), suspect that Ondine is, indeed, a Selkie.

Each of the actors does a great job. Colin Farrell, of course, is a stand-out performer here. But, Alicja Bachleda and Alison Barry also pull out great performances. In addition, I enjoyed the mystery and the soft, fairy tale-like feel of the film.

The only complaint I have regarding this film is that there weren't any English subtitles. I found the Irish accents, and especially Mr. Farrell's accent, to be difficult to understand at times. If you watch the film on DVD, I'd suggest watching it with subtitles.

IMDb rating 8/10

The Break-Up Artist

2010-11-29T21:19:00.000-08:00

I watched The Break-Up Artist on Netflix last night. It was predictable but not horrible. The worst thing about it was that the entire film felt very amateurish. The cinematography, acting, script, etc. all felt like they were the efforts of amateurs. Don't bother with this one.

IMDb rating: 5/10

What if So-and-So Was Cast as Lord Voldemort?

2010-11-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

I was surfing the net today and found a hilarious post over at nextmovie.com about alternate actors who could play the Dark Lord himself. Knowledge of Photoshop® and a little creativity go a long way. Who is my favorite alternate Voldemort?

Jude Law

Courtesy Nextmovie.com

Dinner for Shmucks

2010-11-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

Recently, Adam and I went on a trip to India. I watched all kinds of things during the 40+ hours we spent on planes. Dinner for Shmucks was one such thing. Or, rather, it was something I tried to watch.

Let me begin by saying that there are very few movies and television shows that I do not or cannot see through to the end. This is partly because I don't like to quit and partly because I've gotten good at selecting movies and television shows that I will enjoy watching. Well, I was wrong about this movie. The premise of Dinner for Shmucks sounded funny. It sounded like something I would enjoy. Nope. This movie was so bad, so unfunny, that I only got about 40 minutes through it before I had to turn it off. I was compelled to stop watching due to the sheer awfulness of this movie. Wow, it was bad. None of the characters were relatable or sympathetic. One character in particular made me cringe every moment she was on screen. Yes, I'm talking about Darla (played by Lucy Punch). Her character was painful to watch because of her insane personality, the crude jokes associated with her character, and the disjointedness she added to the film. Why they chose to include this character in the first place is beyond me. In fact, it was my hatred for this character that made me turn off the movie when she reappeared half way through.

Another reason I hated what I saw of this film was that it isn't about the actual dinner at all, and that is what I most wanted to see. The film was mostly about getting the characters to the dinner, which I found entirely ~~uninteresting~~ repulsive.

I should have known that I wouldn't like this film, as I have found that most modern comedies aren't for me. They're juvenile, crude, and generally not funny.

IMDb rating: 2/10

The Duchess

2010-10-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

I watched The Duchess earlier today. It's quite a depressing movie, but both the leads do it justice.

Kiera Knightley is charming as Duchess Georgiana of Devonshire. She is intelligent, fashionable, and passionate about improving her society. It is said that her husband, the Duke, is the only man in England not in love with the Duchess Georgina. Kiera, for her part, also does surprisingly well in the dramatic aspect of the role. Whether it be screaming offscreen or breaking down when she loses one of her children near the end of the film, she embodies the emotions Georgina is feeling. The latter scene is truly heartbreaking.

Ralph Fiennes does a fantastic job as the duke as well. He manages to remain a human character instead of a charicature, despite the awful things he does to Georgina. In society, he is bound to act according to certain rules, such as bearing a male heir and being polite and social (mores that he does not always live by even so). In private, he would rather spend time with his dogs than with his wife or his children.

The Duchess is not for those who are looking for a lighthearted movie. It is depressing and tragic all the way through, but it also contains some great acting from Mr. Fiennes and Ms. Knightley. If you are in the mood for a period piece that is not at all happy, pop this one into your DVD player.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Milo & Otis

2010-10-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

I'm watching Milo & Otis. It's pretty funny listening to one man narrate the entire film while trying to give a different voice to each animal character. This most certainly isn't a movie for adults, but it's a great one for kids.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Wrock

2010-10-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

Today I stumbled on something - a new genre of music actually. This genre is called Wizard Rock or Wrock for short. According to Wizardrock.org,

"Wizard rock is rock music that evolved after the famous Harry Potter movies starting in 2002. The Genre is known for bands performing humorous songs about the mega famous Harry Potter movie series."

I find it hilarious that people are so into Harry Potter that they created a new genre of music and write songs all about the characters in the world Jo Rowling created. It's just astounding.

How did I discover this new genre you ask? I was pointed to a video on Youtube about Ron and Hermione and, since I think they're cute together, I watched it. The video was set to a song called "Accio Love" by a band called the Ministry of Magic. That's right. Ministry of Magic. It's a wrock band.

Here's the video in case you're curious:

Arranged

2010-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

Arranged is a film about two women: Rochel (an Orthodox Jew) and Nasira (a Muslim) and the friendship they find after meeting as new teachers at a school in Brooklyn. At first, the two women do not speak much, but, upon learning that their students think that Jews and Muslims hate each other, the two women band together to teach them the importance of accepting others who are different. This theme carries throughout the movie in the encounters Rochel and Nasira have with their families, students, friends, and even the school principal.

Another theme in the film is that of arranged marriages and how the girls handle the rules by which their families live. Rochel, in particular, finds it difficult to count on a matchmaker to find a suitable husband, especially after the first 9 men turn out to be duds. In fact, Rochel becomes so confused about the values of her family's traditions that she attends a party with her cousin who has left the faith.

There are other layers in the film that I won't go into here because doing so would make this post quite long. Instead, I will finish up by saying that the film was enjoyable and interesting to watch. If you are looking for a little-known film with an interesting premise and layers of plot, this one is a good pick.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Brick

2010-09-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

Blow - to leave

Brick - a pound or kilogram of a drug

Burg - town

Clam - to stop talking

Duck soup - easy pickings

Gum - to mess things up

Pick - a ride in a car

Scape - scapegoat

These are some of the slang words that Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his friends and acquaintances use in the film Brick. In fact, the entire film is laced with slang terms that hearken back to the days when noir films were more common. It's a refreshing, if fast-paced, change of vocabulary from today's films, which often overuse certain four-letter words in lieu of displaying a wider grasp of the English language.

The film opens as Brendan squats hunched over in a drainage ditch, looking at the body of a dead girl, then flashes back to two-days prior, when Brendan's foray into the underground of his town begins. It turns out that the dead girl is Brendan's ex-girlfriend Emily (Emilie de Ravin), and Brendan is determined to discover the identity of her killer. To do this he must dodge his high school principal, to whom he squealed in the past, get information out of his former fling Kara, who is nothing more than a manipulator, make friends with the Pin, the town's premier mover of heroin, and avoid getting on the bad side of Tugger, the Pin's unmanageable hired muscle.

Although the dialogue in Brick is fast-paced, the scenes play out slowly, and it is only in the final scene that Brendan shows all his cards. But watching Brendan work his way into the tangle that killed Emily is worth the 109 minute run time.

IMDb rating: 7/10

Ponyo

2010-09-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Adam and I just watched Ponyo on Netflix Instant Play. Like all of the Studio Ghibli films, the animation in this film is fantastic. The storyline is a bit more childish than Spirited Away, but it is no less a great film.

Courtesy unrealitymag.com

The two main characters, Sosuke and Ponyo, are delightful to watch together as Ponyo learns how to be a little girl (she was previously a goldfish - not the kind you're thinking of, mind you) and as Sosuke bravely sets out in search of his mother while keeping his promise to protect Ponyo.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Timer

2010-09-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just watched Timer on Netflix Instant Play and I'm amazed! It's the first movie in a few months that made me actually think.

Timer is set in a world in which a person can have a stopwatch installed on his or her wrist. Once installed, the device counts down to the day during which said person will meet his or her soul mate. When the person and his/her mate meet, their timers go off simultaneously.

The movie asks the questions:

- "Does each person truly have one soulmate or are there multiple people with whom one could be happy?"

- "Are our lives directed by fate or choice?"

- "Is life all about a destination or the path we take to get there (including detours)?"

IMDb rating: 8/10

The Switch

2010-08-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

In The Switch, Kassie Larson, who is tired of waiting for Mr. Right to come along, decides to take matters into her own hands and have a child - by finding a man who is willing to donate so that she can conceive. Her best friend, Wally, who finds this a bit unorthodox, stands by her even so. Unfortunately for him, too many drinks at Kassie's conception party lead to a spilled donation of Roland's donation and a hasty replacement from Wally. The next day begins with Wally hung over and unaware of what transpired the night before, due to his drunken state at the time. In the mean time, Kassie becomes pregnant and decides to move away from New York to raise her child in a more ideal atmosphere.

Courtesy Filmofilia.com

Seven years later, Kassie and her son, Sebastian, move back to the city. When Wally spends some time with Sebastian, he finds the child to be as neurotic as he is. Slowly, Wally remembers the events that transpired the night of Kassie's conception party seven years ago and realizes that Sebastian is not Donor Roland's son, but is, in fact, Wally's own son. Just as slowly, he comes to realize that the place he belongs is with Kassie and their son. But Wally worries what will happen when he finally plucks up the courage to tell Kassie the truth - that he is Sebastian's father and that he loves Kassie.

On its surface, The Switch is about a woman, her best guy friend, a cup of male you-know-what, and the resulting son. If looked at more closely, The Switch is about finding happiness. and fulfillment in one's relationships with others, particularly family. It is a refreshing and uplifting film that is definitely worth the relatively short 100 minute run time.

IMDb rating: 8/10

Sandra Bullock Double Header

2010-08-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

The Proposal

In The Proposal, Margaret (Sandra) a Canadian Editor who is working in a publishing house in New York, finds that she is facing deportation because she didn't file her visa papers on time. What does she do? Bribe her assistant, Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), to pretend that the two are engaged, of course.

I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. It was fun watching Margaret and Andrew soften toward each other when they discover each others' heart. Andrew learns about why Margaret presents such a tough exterior, and Margaret sees Andrew as a person who, in addition to his commendable work ethic, wishes he had more time to spend with his loving family back home in Alaska.

IMDb rating: 7/10

All About Steve

In All About Steve, Sandra takes a turn as Mary Horowitz, a cruciverbalist who marches to the beat of her own drum. Steve is a well-meaning guy who inadvertently invites Mary to travel with him around the country covering incidents for the news station for which Steve works. And the chase is on.

This film doesn't hit its stride until Mary gets herself in a big predicament toward the end of the film. At once, it becomes clear that the film is not truly a romantic comedy. No, it is a quirky, offbeat film that conveys the message that wearing red boots is better than wearing less eye-catching footwear (or that being oneself is better than fitting in).

IMDb rating: 7/10

Crash

2010-07-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

Wow. Adam and I just watched Crash. Crash is an unflinching look at stereotypes, racism, and how we feed into them by our actions instead of trying to stop them. It is also an intense and convicting film about the gray areas in people.

Crash is easily the most convicting film I have seen in years. My strongest reaction is to pray to God that I am not prejudiced against anyone, even though I know I am as guilty as everyone else.

Father, forgive me.

IMDb: 8/10

35 Movies in 1 Minute

2010-07-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

Head over to Cinematical to see an animated video of 35 movies in 1 minute. The animation for each movie is pretty clever. See how many you can guess and compare your list to the one from the folks over at Cinematical. Let me tell you, it's not easy.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

2010-07-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

The trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out recently and it looks amazing, exciting, and, most importantly, like they're putting in all of the stuff I loved about the book. I know some people think that the decision to make the final book into two movies is just a move designed to make more money, but I disagree. I think it's brilliant because the filmmakers can put in significantly more material, and I get two more movies instead of one! I'm so excited about this film, I'm almost sad I'm going to be out of the country when it comes out.

Check out the trailer:

Toy Story 3

2010-06-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Hi! Last night, Adam and I went to the movies with some of his high school friends to see Toy Story 3. I have to admit, I was excited about it even though I didn't like the second installment in the trilogy. This third film more than made up for it.

Courtesy joyhog.com

In this flick, Woody and his friends must adjust to a new life when their kid, Andy, prepares to go off to college. Soon they find themselves at Sunnyside Day Care, but is it really the happy answer to their problem? The film includes plenty of fun, but some intense moments too. I would reference my favorite scene, but I don't want to give anything away! Go see it for yourself.

This was the first time I've ever watched a movie in 3D in the theater! It was fun, but it was way too expensive. I don't think I'll opt to see a movie in 3D again anytime soon.

Check out the trailer here: Toy Story 3 Trailer

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2010-06-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

What would you do if the well being of your family and friends depended on you? Steal all of the food and drink you could possibly need, of course. That is, if you are Mr. Fox.

Although he previously promised his wife, Felicity (voiced by Meryl Streep) that he would give up his wild ways in order to raise a family, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) moves his family into a tree across the field from the three meanest, ugliest farmers in the country - Boggis, Bunce, and Bean - and decides to pull one final, great heist. Unfortunately, the wild animals lose their homes in the process. Thence begins a struggle for survival that engages the talents of each animal in turn. It's a simple story.

By far, the greatest aspect of this movie is the animation. Forgive me, but it is, indeed, fantastic. Every scene is full of eye-catching detail and movement. Each of the characters has distinct mannerisms and facial expressions that make them come alive on screen. Indeed, the emphasis on being "different" is refreshing in that it is talked about and demonstrated by the characters throughout the film.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a film that can and should be watched at least twice. First, absorb the story and the overall feel of the animation. Enjoy the detail in subsequent viewings. So, if you are in an observant mood, pop in this flick.

100 Cheesiest Movie Quotes

2010-05-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

Another funny video.

Get Out of There

2010-05-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

I came across this video in the blogosphere today and had to share it with you. I find it hilarious.

Warning: Some adult language.

Deja Vu

2010-04-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love time travel movies! I think the reason for this is that I find it so intriguing that one action, if changed, can theoretically have a huge effect on events after that point.

With that in mind...

Last night Adam and I watched Deja Vu, starring Denzel Washington. Denzel plays his usual character - a likeable, smart officer (a federal agent in this case). I'm OK with that because he does it so well. And we all know he can play a baddie if he wants to (for reference see Training Day).

In the film, Doug Carlin (Washington) is called upon to investigate the bombing of a ferry boat. Agent Paul Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) asks Carlin to join a special investigative team to find the bomber. Soon, Carlin discovers that the "surveillance footage" the team is watching is really a portal into the past. The team uses this information to catch the bomber, but Carlin is upset that Claire, the warm and inviting woman they've been watching in the footage, is still dead. Carlin makes a tough choice - risk his life to go back in time to save Claire. Oh and try to stop the bomber while he's at it.

The problem with time travel movies, such as this one, is that they usually have plot holes. I think that since time travel isn't possible, we have to cut filmmakers a little slack. They are trying to make an unbelievable phenomenon believable. I found a really detailed (wow someone really thought this out) timeline on Wikipedia. You have to zoom in to read it, but I've decided to share it with you because, let's face it, most of us wouldn't take the time to write this down, and it's fascinating.

And here is the trailer if you're interested:

Imdb rating: 8/10

2010-03-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

I watched Peggy Sue Got Married for the second time last night. I first saw it a few years ago and wasn't sure how I felt about it. This time, I loved it! Especially Nick Cage's quirky, nerdy voice. It really brought forward the awkwardness of high school . Mostly I like his portrayal of Charlie because it was nice to watch a movie about high schoolers who don't all look like models and super athletes (ahem, every other teen movie/television show).

That, and Kathleen Turner nailed the part of Peggy Sue. My favorite scene is when teenaged Peggy (physically, anyway) answers the phone when and hears her grandmother's voice. For Peggy Sue, her grandmother has been dead for years. Her sudden panic and frailty are right on.

Imdb rating: 8/10

Dr. Dolittle

2010-03-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

In 1967, Rex Harrison became Doctor Dolittle. His confusion around people, his love for animals, his somewhat dry humor, and his willingness to help any animal, regardless of how big or small, make this Doctor completely charming. His ambition to find the Great Pink Sea Snail is the thread that leads him, and his three companions, throughout the film.

Doctor Dolittle is lively, colorful, and catchy. Clearly, much effort was put into the sets, costumes, and songs. The film is simply beautiful to watch. The only caveat about this film is its length - it's almost three hours long.

Watch a clip here.

Imdb rating: 8/10

Magnificent Obsession

2010-02-28T20:50:00.001-08:00

Before Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, and Robert Redford there was Rock Hudson. In Magnificent Obsession, which came out in 1854, Hudson's character Bob Merrick transforms from a lowly drunkard to a brilliant surgeon and philanthropist. Even if you aren't a fan of old movies, this one is worth watching because they literally don't make movies like this anymore.

The director, Douglas Sirk, doesn't waste any time setting up the story or the characters. When the film begins, we join the characters in the middle of an event - the death of a husband, father, and beloved doctor. Throughout the film, Sirk uses dialogue to clue the viewers in to the characters' histories. This works well in this case; it keeps the viewers informed without having to waste valuable screen time setting up the story. And another thing that works well is the chilling scene in which Helen Phillips (played gracefully by Jane Wyman) contemplates ending her life. The music, lighting, and pace of this scene are just perfect.

Check out the trailer here:

The Hurricane

2010-02-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

Based on a true story, the Hurricane stars Denzel Washington as Rubin Carter, an up-and-coming boxer who is sent to prison for a murderous crime he didn't commit. While in jail, Carter chronicles his life in an autobiographical book, which Lesra Martin (Vicellous Reon Shannon), a young student, picks up and reads years later. Lesra and Carter become pen pals, and Lesra's three teachers (played by Deborah Kara Unger, Liev Schrieber, and John Hannah) soon become involved in Carter's endless appeals. The three teachers, and their pupil, ban together with Carter's lawyers to free Carter once and for all - by appealing to the Supreme Court.

Courtesy www.amazon.co.uk

The Hurricane weaves Carter's story by flashing back to scenes in his past, from childhood forward. Although the filmmakers took liberties with events in Carter's life, the film is engaging and interesting. As with most of Denzel Washington's films, this one is worth watching at least once.

Imdb rating: 8/10

Watching Television

2010-02-14T14:56:00.000-08:00

When people ask, I tell them I don't watch much television. It doesn't feel like that much, anyway. Most of the shows I watch are on DVD. This week I've been thinking about how much television I really do watch, albeit on DVD (mostly). So, I decided to tally up the seasons of TV shows that I am absolutely sure I've seen in their entirety.

Here it goes:

Alias - 2-5
The New Adventures of Superman: Lois and Clark - 1-4 (3)
Gilmore Girls - 1-5 (2), 6-7
One Tree Hill - 1-2, 4-6+
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman - 1
The Office - 1-5+
Smallville 1-8+
America's Next Top Model - 1-12 (not proud of this one)
Friends - 1-3
Seinfeld - 1-8
Quantum Leap - 1
Heroes - 1-2
Survivor 2-4
24 - 1-7
Boy Meets World - 1-5

*Note: A number in parenthesis means that I have watched the seasons that many times. A + means I am watching the current season as it airs and am up to date.

As I write this, I'm sure there are more that I haven't thought of, and I know there are other television shows that I've watched most episodes. Now that I see this list, I realize it is quite a lot of television. Is this really how I want to spend my time? No, no it isn't.

Spirited Away

2010-02-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

A friend at work loaned me a copy of Spirited Away, and I wasn't sure I wanted to watch it. However, Adam said he was sure we'd like it since we normally like Foreign films, so we popped it into the DVD player and began our journey.

Courtesy Ultimatedisney.com

Spirited Away feels like a dream. It's imaginative, colorful, and completely different from American animated movies. It's a story of Chihiro and her parents, who are moving to a new town. In the beginning of the film, Chihiro is languishing in the back seat, angry and afraid that she must begin life anew. Her dad and mom, although they recognize her reticence, do not fully understand it. Dad stops the car suddenly on a side road when they come upon an abandoned building. The trio make their way through the building to discover a mostly deserted theme park. One restaurant remains open, although the workers are nowhere to be found. Dad and Mom chow down on the food, which ends up turning them into two gorged pigs. Chihiro runs into a little boy who tells her she must escape across the river before dark. Unfortunately for Chihiro, by the time she reaches the river it has become a vast sea.

From there the film takes us through Chihiro's adventure through the boiler room, into the spa for the spirits, and into the hearts of all of the staff members, except for the exacting witch Yubaba who owns the spa. Through everything we see a little girl named Chihiro discover her courage and inner strength as she tries to cope with being in the spirit world and apart from her parents. Significantly, it is only because she remembers her name and the true identities of her parents that Chihiro is able to overcome the spirit world and return to her own.

Highlights of the film: The expansive variety of characters that are presented.
Lowlights: The voice of the little girl who dubbed Chihiro yells when she's trying to emote.

Imdb rating: 8/10

Everything is Illuminated

2010-01-27T16:54:00.000-08:00

Everything is Illuminated is a quirky movie. Elijah Wood plays Jonathan Safran Foer, a young Jewish man who seemingly compulsively takes objects relating to his family members, puts them in small ziplock baggies, and pins them to the wall in his room. Just before his grandmother dies, she gives him a photograph of his grandfather and a young woman. This photo is Jonathan's connection to the small village in Ukraine that his ancestors inhabited before World War II. Jonathan decides to travel to Ukraine to find the young woman who saved his grandfather from being savagely killed by the Nazis.

Jonathan's driver and tour guide, Grandfather, is a small, white haired old man who wears sunglasses because he thinks he is blind. Grandfather's deranged seeing eye dog goes along for the ride, and ends up in the back seat of the car with Jonathan who, by the way, has a phobia of dogs. Jonathan's grandson, Alex, rides along as Jonathan's translator.

Courtesy allmoviephoto.com

After a few wrong turns and lots of aimless driving, the three travelers meet a lone woman who is the only living remnant of Trachimbrod, the small village Jonathan's grandfather, Safran Foer, left so many years ago. Once there, Jonathan and Alex learn much about their ancestors, and Grandfather revisits some things he had forgotten about himself. It is here that Jonathan shares the reason he puts objects in plastic bags: because sometimes he is afraid he will forget.

Imdb rating: 7/10

Good Will Hunting

2010-01-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

Adam and I watched Good Will Hunting for the first time last night. Well, it was my first time watching it and his second, although he didn't remember much about it. I'm still not sure what I think, which means that I wasn't really impressed. The acting was great, but I felt that the movie kind of meandered on it's way in a not-so-clear direction. Perhaps it's because I wasn't really in the mood.

One thing that bothered me about the movie was the fact that Will (Matt Damon) almost beats a guy to death just because this guy bullied him in kindergarten. Will is supposed to be almost 21 and he's still holding a grudge against a guy he knew fifteen years ago? Watch this scene:

*Warning: Adult language.

The movie doesn't really address the reason Will is so violent when he gets going. It shows Will arguing his case in court, but because he's a math genius a professor at MIT makes a deal with the judge and Will gets off easy. All he has to do is spend time studying math with the professor and attend meetings with a psychiatrist once a week. What? Why is Will so violent? Why is this scene in slow motion? I know he is supposed to have issues but really? I worried for Skylar's (Minnie Driver) safety. I didn't want them to end up together in the end. Will should have spent time in jail if you ask me.

Want to take a whack at explaining it to me?

Thank you in advance.

Imdb rating: 6/10

Body Theory

2010-01-08T16:51:00.000-08:00

Allow me to let you in on a secret that the film industry does not want you to know. If a character dies off screen and no body is shown, nine times out of ten that character is not actually dead. Supposedly killing a character off screen is a favorite trick that directors use to dupe their audience. I call it the Body Theory.

Lucky for me, I know this secret. It saves me a lot of emotional trauma when my beloved characters supposedly die. I don’t care if a character has been shot, stabbed, run over, blown up, dropped off a cliff, or drowned. If there is no body, I am not convinced that person is dead. Sometimes, the credits roll without the reappearance of the allegedly dead character. When that happens, I feel that I have been cheated out of closure. Occasionally, the person is not dead even if his or her body is shown. This is rare so I tend to ignore this possibility. Most often, the Body Theory holds true. Most of the time, the allegedly dead character reappears, to the shock of those who do not know the Body Theory.

Lucky for you, you have just been informed.

Papillon

2009-12-30T21:48:00.000-08:00

When Adam and I were home for Christmas, we sat down as a family and watched Papillon. Even so, it wasn't a family film. It's a prison movie. This particular one stars Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman in a film that shows their acting savvy. Having said that, here are ten words that describe Papillon:

Raw

Cringeworthy

Brilliant

Persistent

Long

Intense

Violent

Confusing

Gritty

Dramatic

So it's a boy movie, but it's intelligent, unlike many of the movies made today that are targeted toward the male gender.

Here's the trailer in case you're interested:

Watch it here.

Imdb rating: 7/10

Dear Frankie

2009-12-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

Adam and I just watched Dear Frankie. It's the story of a relationship between a mother and her son, and the letters he receives from his mariner father.

This movie is understated and just right. Each of the actors does an outstanding job, from Emily Mortimer to Jack McElhone to Gerard Butler. After watching it I am sad that it isn't more widely known because it should be. Here's the trailer so you can see for yourself:

Trailer for Dear Frankie

Imdb rating: 8/10

Shattered Glass

2009-12-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

Shattered Glass is the story of a journalist who fabricates his stories. Eventually, the world he has created is called into question when another writer cannot find any record of one of the companies Glass mentions in a story.

The movie is a character study of Glass, the editor in chief of The New Republic (Chuck Lane), and several of Glass's co-workers. Hayden Christensen, Peter Saarsgard, and Chloe Sevigny all give strong performances.

Here's the trailer:

Imdb: 7/10

Superman: The Movie

2009-12-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

America began a fascination with superheros on the big screen in 1978, when a red and blue wearing Superman flew across screens all over the United States. Christopher Reeve stars as the alien turned super citizen who lives under the alias of Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter. Reeve is powerful as superman - he combines the strength of muscle and character with gentleness and intelligence. Don't expect to see much of his alter ego, Clark Kent, though.

Courtesy themoviedb.org

Margot Kidder plays Lois Lane, the reporter who can't spell. Although she isn't as drop dead gorgeous as other, more recent Lois Lanes who have graced the silver screen and the boob tube, she nails the shock and giddiness that embody her character in her first outing with the man of steel.

For 1978, some of the special effects are pretty darn good, especially in the first half of the film. The scenes on Krypton, including the giant dome that covers the center of the city, and the glowing white and red accents are fantastic to watch. However, the obvious use of models during the earthquake in California (it's always California!) provoked a chuckle from this movie watcher.

If you're in the mood for a movie that features tights, pop this one in and enjoy a classic that movie lovers will probably be watching for many Fridays to come.

Imdb rating: 8/10

Funny Clip from Spiderman 2

2009-12-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I just found a hilarious clip from Spiderman 2. I wish they'd left it in because it's brilliant and really short.

Whatdya think?

Penelope

2009-11-29T21:12:00.000-08:00

Adam and I just finished watching Penelope for the second time. Penelope is the story of a girl (Christina Ricci) who is born under a curse that causes her to have a pig nose and pig ears. The only way to break the curse is to find someone of their own kind to accept Penelope rather than running from her. As Penelope grows up her parents (the Wilherns), mostly her mother (Catherine O'Hara), keep her locked away in the house to protect her from the prying, negative eyes of the public by faking her death.

Then one day the Wilherns, decide that it is time to find a blue-blooded boy to marry Penelope and break the curse. It is at this point that the film opens. Only, all of the young men who arrive at the mansion to meet Penelope run when they see her unique face. Penelope wonders, will there ever be a man who does not run from her?

The film is full of graceful, slow shots that allow the story to unfold whimsically. The costumes and settings only add to the timeless, magical quality of the film. I especially love the image of the city once Penelope finally breaks free and strikes out on her own.

And the music. It's perfect. It's subtle for the most part and gorgeous and moving the rest. I especially like the integration of piano into the score.

And the actors. Every person was cast perfectly, from petite Christina Ricci, to James McAvoy (a suitor named Max Campian), to Simon Woods (another suitor). As a special treat, Peter Dinklage plays a reporter who gave his eye, and much of his credibility as a reporter, in an attempt to get the real story (and a photo) of Penelope.

Check it out:

Imdb rating: 8/10

One Tree Hill

2009-11-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

I have been watching One Tree Hill lately. I worked my way through seasons 4-6 and have watched the first 5 episodes of season 7. Why did I start with season 4? Well, I started watching it with my cousin Rachel, who always manages to get me on a new show when I visit her, and she had just begun season 4. Hence, my starting point.

I have to say that Quinn is an entirely unappealing character so far. She left her husband because he is not the same person she married. News flash: people change. People are not static throughout their lifetimes. Circumstances, age, and myriad other factors shape people continually. It’s part of what makes life interesting. Quinn seems unwilling to accept this fact. Furthermore, she doesn’t give her husband, David, a fighting change at improving their marriage. She doesn’t want to put any work into it. Quinn goes so far as to allow David to believe she slept with another man so that he will leave her alone. She seems entirely selfish to me.

She also exemplifies a trend that I think is all too common today. When people get married, they expect that it will always be fun and easy to love their spouse. But as soon as a rough patch hits, they get out of there as fast as they can. They seem to assume that if it’s hard, they have married the wrong person. The right person would make them happy 100% of the time, right? Wrong. Even the best people have bad days.

This trend makes me sad, especially since there are so many resources available to hurting couples today. We have books, psychiatrists, psychologists, religious figures, parents, friends, and more and we still think that marriage isn’t worth the work. Quinn, go back to David and work it out. I promise, it’s worth the effort.

Favorite Scenes From Gilmore Girls

2009-11-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

Adam and I are watching our way through Gilmore Girls. It's his first time through and my second. One of my favorite episodes from the entire series is "You Jump, I Jump Jack". I love the whole idea of a secret society that goes out and has fabulous parties with costumes, themes, and even the daring stunt. It looks amazingly fun.

Here is my favorite scene from the episode:

Would you jump? I would!

Also, we watched "But Not As Cute As Pushkin" and I'm not sure how but I missed this episode the first time I watched the show (on DVD). It was hilarious and I wish I had known about it sooner! I watched this scene over again it was so funny:

So, what are your favorite scenes from Gilmore Girls?

Phone Booth

2009-11-03T16:44:00.000-08:00

Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell) is a small time PR agent who makes himself feel important by hiring a kiss-up intern. He goes into a phone booth and takes his wedding ring off to call one of his clients, the cute and naive Pamela (Katie Holmes), in order to flirt. Then one day a pizza delivery guy comes to the booth to deliver a pizza to him. Stu yells at the guy to go away. He didn't order a pizza and he doesn't want it. Then, the phone rings. He answers the phone. The caller claims to be one of Stu's old clients. Oh, and he has a sniper rifle trained on Stu. Don't even think about leaving this phone booth.

Soon, several scantily clad, buxom prostitutes who need to use the phone start pestering him. When Stu won't get off the phone, they call their pimp over to rough up Stu. But when the caller with the rifle kills the pimp at Stu's request and the effusive ladies blame Stu, things get a bit more complicated. Soon the police, Pamela, Stu's wife Kelly (Radha Mitchell), and his intern are on the street trying to figure out why Stu won't leave the phone booth.

Colin Farrell does really well as Stu. His facial features and tone of voice convey the conflicting emotions Stu feels throughout the film. For a guy in a phone booth, he is interesting to watch.

If you don't mind a few (more than 100) f words, pop in Phone Booth one day. OH, and don't be surprised if next time a phone booth near you rings, you don't want to answer it.

Coming Soon: Brothers

2009-10-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting trailer today. It's for the film Brothers, starring Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Tobey Maguire.

It sure takes a turn doesn't it?

I haven't decided whether or not I want to see the movie yet. It could be a really interesting look at how a family moves on after the loss of a loved one, only to be required to readjust when the loved one shows up very much alive. Or it could be way too over dramatic.

Considering that Natalie Portman is in it, I will probably find it boring. Sorry Natalie, but I am not a fan.

What are your thoughts on the trailer?

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-10-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it. I went to the movies alone. It was actually pretty fun. I felt independent, brave, and relaxed that I didn't have to wait for whomever I would normally be meeting to arrive. The weirdest thing about it all was watching a movie in a theater full of little kids and their parents. It was a new sensation but, seeing as how the movie I was watching is a "kids" movie, I can understand why it happened.

And now, my thoughts on the movie...

Max just needs some attention. His older sister ignores him so he engages her friends in a snowball fight. Max has a merry time until one of his sister's friends smashes his snow fort, with him in it. Max's mom spends a little time with him when she gets home from work, but then her boyfriend arrives and she ignores Max. In retaliation, Max stands on the counter in the kitchen and demands, "Woman, feed me." In the ensuing struggle, Max accidentally on purpose bites his mother. When she yells at him for it, he runs out of the house and into a neighboring wood. From there, he sails through a very large body of water in a tiny boat and arrives on an island.

Max climbs the cliffs toward a fire and sees the wild things. One of them is smashing small spherical structures that we later find out are their homes. This wild thing, named Carol, is upset that another wild thing, KW, has left the group. The wild things threaten to eat Max, but quickly make him their king when he tells them that he has magical powers. He promises to help them build a world in which they are all always happy, where there is no fighting and, especially, no loneliness.

At first, everything goes well. Mostly. Max and the wild things have a great old time running through the forest, uprooting trees, and sleeping all together in a huge pile. Carol shows Max a secret cave in which Carol has created a miniature of a world in which everything he wants happens. Max enjoys having the monsters look to him for advice and orders. He feels a sense of belonging and control that he doesn't have at home with his mom and sister. And, he gets to do lots of howling.

Unfortunately for Max, that is an impossible feat. As the film demonstrates, people and their emotions are complex. There are no simple solutions. Eventually, Max realizes this and returns home to his mom. He realizes that she loves him and that she is doing his best for him, as Max tried to do for the wild things. He realizes that emotions are complex and part of life. And he's OK with that.

I went to see Where the Wild Things Are partly because I enjoyed the book as a child (who didn't) and partly because the scenery in the film looked breathtaking. I was not disappointed. Every scene in the film, particularly the ones that include the wild things, takes place in a beautiful area. The filmmakers employ water, forests, deserts, and caves with great effect. The scenes in the desert in particular were gorgeous.

Also, the music in the movie is used to mirror Max's emotions. Fear, excitement, anger, anxiousness, and many more are all filtered into the viewers' ears. It amazed me how well the music is incorporated here.

On a final note, Where the Wild Things Are is based on a widely read children's book, but the film is not simply for children. In fact, children may find it too complex to fully understand because they, like Max, do not yet know how to identify and handle emotions. They will, however, love the more raucous scenes. The children in the theater I was in loved a dirt clod war scene in particular.

When you go to the theater to see Where the Wild Things Are, don't be surprised if you leave the theater a bit melancholy. I sure did. Go ahead. Howl.

Imdb rating: 8/10

Going to a Movie... By Myself

2009-10-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

When I was in college a friend of mine told me she enjoys going to the movies alone. I hadn't ever thought of doing that, nor was I sure I wanted to. However, this week has been so long and stressful and full of people, I think it sounds like a pretty good idea. Therefore, I am going to see Where the Wild Things Are.

Here's the trailer. Doesn't it look beautiful?

Have you ever gone to a movie by yourself?

Frequency

2009-10-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

In case you don't remember, I mentioned quite a while ago that I love movies involving time travel or time bending. I love them.

Frequency is one of those. Basically, it's about a guy name John (Jim Caviezel) who is living in 1999. John lost his father thirty years ago and has a totally messed up life as a result. One night John finds his dad's old ham radio, sets it up, and tries to talk to someone on it. Anyone. He ends up talking to a man who, unbeknownst to John, is his father Frank (Dennis Quaid), circa 1969. John has a chance to save his father's life. But when he succeeds, the time space continuum is screwed (thank you Dr. Brown) and another thing goes wrong. This sets off a chain of events that John and Frank have to fight to fix so that they, and Frank's wife Julia, can have the lifelong experiences that come with a loving family.

I won't go into much detail because I don't want to ruin all of the twists and turns in the film. Just don't think that Frequency is too much like this or that movie. Because it isn't.

Imdb rating: 8/10

I Can Do Bad All By Myself

2009-10-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

My husband is a fan of Tyler Perry movies. Heck, I enjoy them too despite the recycled storylines. Going into I Can Do Bad All By Myself I expected an entertaining film that would have some cinematographic problems and a familiar storyline. That's about what I got.

April (Taraji P. Henson) is a singer in a local club. She's really good too. She sings hits like "Rock Steady" (by Aretha Franklin) in shimmering gowns. Then she gets drunk and goes home, where she shares her bed with Randy, who is married and paying his share of child support checks each month.

One night, her niece and two nephews are caught burglarizing Medea's home. They haven't seen their grandmother, with whom they live, in four days. Medea takes them directly over to their aunt April's house. April doesn't want them around. She doesn't want anyone around.

In walks Sandino (Adam Rodriguez), a handyman Christian from Columbia. The pastor of the church April's mother attends takes Sandino to April's. He convinces her to let Sandino stay with her in exchange for fixing some things around the house. April reluctantly agrees.

From there the film plays out in a familiar manner, as with all Tyler Perry movies. April and Sandino fall in love. Randy is proven to be a complete jerk when he tries to rape April's niece Jennifer. Jennifer proves that she's all heart beneath her sassy exterior. And Byron, the nephew who doesn't speak, utters words of enthusiasm when he receives a bed of his own. By the close of the film April and Sandino are happily married and sharing the home with April's niece and nephews. They've become one big happy family.

Sure there are shortcomings in the film. The plot is a bit tired. At several points in the film the viewer is forced to watch the unfolding scene over the heads and hands of extras who block half the screen. There are a couple shots that I wish had been not quite so close in on the faces of the characters. Finally, the romance between April and Sandino isn't developed well. I'm OK with that, though, because Perry spends the time developing other aspects of the plot and characters.

On the other hand, there are lots of great qualities as well. I loved April's entrance. The camera zooms in on an afro from directly above and follows it as the person underneath walks across the club to the stage. It then zooms out to show April, who is ready to sing her heart out.

My favorite scene in the movie is Mary J. Blige's performance of "I Can Do Bad All By Myself." Mary J., who plays bartender Tanya in the film, wrote and recorded the song specifically for the movie. It was the most powerful scene in the movie. The song is beautiful and gripping. You can watch a video for the song here. It had better become available on iTunes. That's all I've gotta say.

In addition, it's nice to watch a movie that shows the struggles and triumphs of good Christian people. Wilma (played by Gladys Knight) comes to mind. Here is a woman who is loved by the community because she isn't overbearing or preachy, but is always ready to share the story of her life with anyone who asks.

That is my favorite thing about Tyler Perry movies. For their flaws, he's not afraid to show faithful people learning and growing. They aren't perfect, but they're trying hard. And so is Tyler Perry.

Imdb rating: 7/10

Breach

2009-10-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

Robert Hanssen's request, "Pray for me," in the final moment of the film, is chilling. Especially when one looks at his red rimmed, darkened eyes. But let's start at the beginning.

Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is an FBI analyst who wants to be an agent. In fact, he spent hours and hours compiling and organizing a report to disseminate to his superiors in the office only to be ignored. One day he receives a call from Kate Burroughs. He's being transferred. Ms. Burroughs tells him that his new assignment is to keep an eye on his boss, Robert Hanssen. Hanssen is an agent who has served the Bureau for 25 years. He is a sexual deviant, Burroughs says. And with that, Eric takes on his new assignment.

Eric quickly discovers that Hanssen hates the current system the Bureau uses and has been trying to convince them to change it for years. Hanssen is also a devout Catholic. And a bit of a brute. Hanssen tells Eric that if he ever catches Eric in his office again, snooping, he'll make him piss purple for a week.

After a while, Eric begins to doubt that his new assignment means anything. After all, Robert Hanssen seems like a respectable, admirable even, man. Robert scolds Eric for admitting to enjoying a scotch when it's against the rules. Agents are always on duty, Hanssen says. When Eric baits Hanssen by asking about the attractiveness of a female co-worker, Hanssen reprimands him for looking at other women when he has a lovely wife at home. And he tells Eric that he should pray more and invite his wife to church.

As the film progresses, though, we begin to see that Robert Hanssen does not always live with the piety that he chides Eric for lacking. Robert has a strange obsession with Catherine Zeta-Jones and her film Entrapment, which he watches in the dark in his office during work hours. He shows up outside Eric's apartment drunk. He sends steamy videos of himself and his wife (unbeknownst to her) to an unknown recipient. Oh, and he's been selling secrets to the Soviets for years.

As the movie unfolds, the two aspects of Robert Hanssen's character unfold as well. There is the devout Catholic family man, and the liar who has made millions selling secrets to enemies of the United States. Chris Cooper is calculatingly intelligent as Robert. He is completely convincing in his every second on screen. A true portrayal of a multifaceted human being.

Throughout the film Eric struggles with his own intelligence. Robert calls him an idiot, stupid, dumb. Eric wonders if he is indeed stupid. I wondered a bit myself as he does come off less than average in comparison to Cooper's flawless portrayal of Hanssen. In the end, though, with the help of Kate Burroughs and others, he cracks Hanssen's solid exterior and helps the Bureau finally get some solid evidence on Hanssen.

As Hanssen is arrested, Eric sees him between two soldiers. Hanssen, whose face is tilted down and partially in darkness, asks Eric "Pray for me". These three words capture the wounded soul of a man who betrayed his country coldly and yet struggles with the moral consequences of his actions. Eric agrees because, perhaps, he has come to pity the man who seems so full and is yet so empty.

Imdb rating: 8/10

Coming Soon: The Princess and the Frog

2009-10-08T16:42:00.001-07:00

Disney's latest animated movie, The Princess and the Frog, comes out December 11, 2009. I've been waiting anxiously for this movie because I hope it brings a return of 2D animation. Don't get me wrong, 3D is cool, but it isn't as magical as 2D is for me. I was excited when I got home today and found out that Disney has released the first five minutes of the film. Some of it is unfinished, but already it looks like it's going to be a great film with a touching, well worn (like a favorite pair of slippers), follow your heart to realize your dreams message.

You can see the first five minutes here: The Princess and the Frog

I do wonder, though, how long Tiana's parents will last, considering Disney's dismal record at including two loving parents in its films. I guess I'll have to watch and see.

Far and Away

2009-10-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching Far and Away for probably the third time now. It's a good film. I don't understand why so many people hate it. Sure there are historical goofs and I've heard the accents are inaccurate, but it's what it is: entertainment.

Tom Cruise is good as Joseph Donnelly. He effectively moves his character from poor, revenge driven boy to servant to pent up prize boxer to lost railroad worker and back to the young man who wants only land of his own. Each phase in Joseph's growth is believable and sympathetic. The boxing scenes are brutal though, so if you squirm when people lose teeth, look away. His final phase, that of a young man searching for a place to call his own, resonated with me. Being in a phase in which I want land of my own makes me understand Joseph more completely.

Courtesy of Rolling Stone

Oh Nicole... In recent years she has dyed her hair a blond color that makes her look washed out, but in Far and Away Nicole looks natural and beautiful. She's spunky as Shannon Christie, a rich snob who yearns for a far less stuffy life. She gets it too, when her money (in the form of silver spoons) is stolen from her the moment she sets foot in America. Watching her shriek in terror and run toward the house, not because a man with gun is in her barn, but because she has just impaled him with a pitchfork is worth a good laugh or two.

Thomas Gibb is sufficiently slimy as the film's main antagonist, Stephen Chase. He is fairly one dimensional though. I wondered why he loved Shannon because she doesn't love him. It would have been more interesting had the filmmakers fleshed out Stephen's motivations a bit more.

Finally, the land race. What a thrilling event. Can you imagine getting free land as long as you can drive your stake into it without being shot, run over by a horse, or losing all your belongings when your wagon topples? The cinematography during this portion of the film is fascinating to watch. It amazes me that there were so many extras, horses, and wagons being filmed simultaneously for this scene. What I would do to have seen that being filmed.

Sometime when you're wishing for an adventure, freedom, or even just two hours of staring at two good looking people with good chemistry, go Far and Away.

Imdb rating: 7/10

Hercules

2009-10-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

If you know me well, you know that I occasionally have cravings that do not stop until they are fed. When I have a craving I am very one track minded. It doesn't matter what I am craving - Chinese food, a particular pair of shoes, ice cream, a particular movie - I have to have it and I have to have it as soon as is humanly possible, if not this very minute.

Once while I was in college I had a craving for Disney's Hercules. I asked friends in the dorm if they had it - nope. I asked the Resident Assistant at the desk if the dorm had it - nope. I looked in the library - nope. I posted on the school's electronic bulletin board system (BUBBS) - nope. I went to five or six Blockbuster stores looking for it. The sad thing is I don't remember whether I got to watch it or not. That does not bode well for a movie because I do not forget when I've watched a movie. I didn't think about that fact when I decided to subject Adam to Hercules (my latest craving) this week, courtesy of Netflix.

I enjoy Greek mythology. In fact, if anyone can recommend a book stories about the gods and their escapades I'd be much obliged. Hercules, however, is not something I really enjoyed this time around. The art is fantastic, as always, but the characters aren't engaging. I blame it on the five muses who burst into song frequently throughout the movie. I know they are meant to imitate the chorus that appears in Greek plays but I found them annoying at best. Why couldn't the filmmakers just let the characters sing their own songs? The interruptions the muses provided took me out of the story and away from the emotion the characters are supposed to invoke. I found myself rolling my eyes when new songs begun because I knew what was coming.

Next time I have a craving for Hercules I'm going to reread this review and pop the Lion King into the DVD player instead.

Imdb rating: 6/10