Sci-fi, Western
5 stars
Awesome and so cool! The title says it all: space aliens invade the Old West. It was so cool to watch the humans fight the aliens and spaceships with Old West weaponry. You can’t lose with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, plus I love the diversity of Sam Rockwell (Iron Man 2, Conviction). It’s much better than your average Western film. I’m not going to give away any of it, it’s best to just go and see it for yourself. Loved it!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Captain America
Action
3 stars
Very slow to start. I was looking forward to Chris Evans’s transformation from a geeky, skinny kid to a super soldier who kicks butt in WWII. Unfortunately the film wastes a lot of time before that happens. I am all for a good, solid background story, but I was bored at the start of this film with evil Nazis and a creepy scientist acquiring the magical element that can give people super strength. When Chris Evans is finally transformed into a super soldier, they waste even more time with the WWII US Treasury Bond Drive. I understand the chain of events was necessary to give him the patriotic costume and title of Captain America, but I think it could have been done better (Robert Downey Jr.’s transformation into Iron Man was so much better). Then there is the evil nemesis, whose cartoony face immediately reminded me of a red version of Jim Carrey’s character in The Mask. The film was OK. I’m sure some people would love it, but it just wasn’t my thing. I am hoping the inevitable Captain America 2 will be better.
3 stars
Very slow to start. I was looking forward to Chris Evans’s transformation from a geeky, skinny kid to a super soldier who kicks butt in WWII. Unfortunately the film wastes a lot of time before that happens. I am all for a good, solid background story, but I was bored at the start of this film with evil Nazis and a creepy scientist acquiring the magical element that can give people super strength. When Chris Evans is finally transformed into a super soldier, they waste even more time with the WWII US Treasury Bond Drive. I understand the chain of events was necessary to give him the patriotic costume and title of Captain America, but I think it could have been done better (Robert Downey Jr.’s transformation into Iron Man was so much better). Then there is the evil nemesis, whose cartoony face immediately reminded me of a red version of Jim Carrey’s character in The Mask. The film was OK. I’m sure some people would love it, but it just wasn’t my thing. I am hoping the inevitable Captain America 2 will be better.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friends With Benefits
Comedy
4 stars
Funny, witty and charming; much better than I expected. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis (Black Swan) attempt to take the emotion out of a relationship and just be sex-buddies. The plot is stolen from No Strings Attached, but is put together much better - plus I like the actors better in this film. Excellent supporting cast includes the magnificent Richard Jenkins as JT’s Dad, the talented Patricia Clarkson as Kunis’s Mom, as well as Jenna Elfman, that little kid from “Modern Family” plus “The Flying Tomato”: Olympian Shaun White. Very good.
4 stars
Funny, witty and charming; much better than I expected. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis (Black Swan) attempt to take the emotion out of a relationship and just be sex-buddies. The plot is stolen from No Strings Attached, but is put together much better - plus I like the actors better in this film. Excellent supporting cast includes the magnificent Richard Jenkins as JT’s Dad, the talented Patricia Clarkson as Kunis’s Mom, as well as Jenna Elfman, that little kid from “Modern Family” plus “The Flying Tomato”: Olympian Shaun White. Very good.
A Better Life
Indie, Drama
4 stars
Very good story about an illegal Mexican immigrant living in East LA doing everything he can to make a better life for his teenage son, who his tempted by the gang life. Demian Bichir (TV’s “Weeds”) stars as the Dad who works as a landscaper whose truck and tools are stolen and does whatever it takes to get them back. A great story of perseverance and a father’s love for his son. Very well done.
4 stars
Very good story about an illegal Mexican immigrant living in East LA doing everything he can to make a better life for his teenage son, who his tempted by the gang life. Demian Bichir (TV’s “Weeds”) stars as the Dad who works as a landscaper whose truck and tools are stolen and does whatever it takes to get them back. A great story of perseverance and a father’s love for his son. Very well done.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Fantasy
4 stars
Very good! So much better than the slow moving Part 1. This is the conclusion and probably the darkest of the Potter series where Harry finally faces down the evil Lord Voldemort and learns the truth about Professor Snape (Daniel Radcliff, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman). Both exciting and sentimental, I was in theater full of mostly adults who cheered and clapped at a few exalting scenes and even applauded at the ending where one theater-goer proclaimed “Mischief Managed!”. I wish I had prepped and watched the previous episodes again since I have a failing memory (I had mostly forgotten the details about Dumbledore’s family), but from what I can recall the film stayed true to the book as all the others did. It makes me want to read the final book again. Good movie.
4 stars
Very good! So much better than the slow moving Part 1. This is the conclusion and probably the darkest of the Potter series where Harry finally faces down the evil Lord Voldemort and learns the truth about Professor Snape (Daniel Radcliff, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman). Both exciting and sentimental, I was in theater full of mostly adults who cheered and clapped at a few exalting scenes and even applauded at the ending where one theater-goer proclaimed “Mischief Managed!”. I wish I had prepped and watched the previous episodes again since I have a failing memory (I had mostly forgotten the details about Dumbledore’s family), but from what I can recall the film stayed true to the book as all the others did. It makes me want to read the final book again. Good movie.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Horrible Bosses
Comedy
3.5 stars
Good for a few laughs. Three buddies make a pact to kill off each other’s bad bosses so their lives will be less stressful. Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis star as the buddies, and Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell play the horrible bosses. Much of this film was unfortunately given away already in the previews. Most guys will probably just be happy to see Aniston wearing almost nothing and talking dirty. It’s not as funny as Hangover 2 or Bridesmaids, but it’s good for a few raunchy laughs.
3.5 stars
Good for a few laughs. Three buddies make a pact to kill off each other’s bad bosses so their lives will be less stressful. Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis star as the buddies, and Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell play the horrible bosses. Much of this film was unfortunately given away already in the previews. Most guys will probably just be happy to see Aniston wearing almost nothing and talking dirty. It’s not as funny as Hangover 2 or Bridesmaids, but it’s good for a few raunchy laughs.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon (3D)
Sci-Fi, Action
3 stars
Mindless action film + a hot chick = Guy Movie. I never saw the first two Transformers films and only saw this one because they tore up my local neighborhood in Chicago for four months last summer filming so I wanted see to the end result. A giant robot found on the moon is brought back because he possesses some pillar thingies that were supposed to save his and the other “Autobots” planet (even though their planet was already destroyed by the bad robots, so that doesn’t make much sense to me, but then I was kinda bored and not really paying attention). Oh yeah, something to do with time-travel and bringing some badass through. Whatever. The beginning was interesting with the whole conspiracy theory behind the US putting the first people on the moon (Buzz Aldrin has a small role). Then, it was just lots of robots shooting at each other, and people who should have easily been squashed like bugs, joining in the fight. I knew the colored robots were good guys, but I couldn’t tell apart all the silver ones. Shia Labeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Patrick Dempsey. Jim liked it. I didn’t. It was really, really, long (157 minutes)!
3 stars
Mindless action film + a hot chick = Guy Movie. I never saw the first two Transformers films and only saw this one because they tore up my local neighborhood in Chicago for four months last summer filming so I wanted see to the end result. A giant robot found on the moon is brought back because he possesses some pillar thingies that were supposed to save his and the other “Autobots” planet (even though their planet was already destroyed by the bad robots, so that doesn’t make much sense to me, but then I was kinda bored and not really paying attention). Oh yeah, something to do with time-travel and bringing some badass through. Whatever. The beginning was interesting with the whole conspiracy theory behind the US putting the first people on the moon (Buzz Aldrin has a small role). Then, it was just lots of robots shooting at each other, and people who should have easily been squashed like bugs, joining in the fight. I knew the colored robots were good guys, but I couldn’t tell apart all the silver ones. Shia Labeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Patrick Dempsey. Jim liked it. I didn’t. It was really, really, long (157 minutes)!
Larry Crowne
Comedy
3.5 stars
Better than I expected. Tom Hanks stars as a hard worker who is laid off who goes back to school and falls for cranky, alcoholic Julia Roberts. I liked that there were lots of other characters, with other storylines making the film more interesting. Mostly, I liked that although the characters’ circumstances are sad and relevant to today’s economy, the film’s tone is very positive and upbeat. A good date movie.
3.5 stars
Better than I expected. Tom Hanks stars as a hard worker who is laid off who goes back to school and falls for cranky, alcoholic Julia Roberts. I liked that there were lots of other characters, with other storylines making the film more interesting. Mostly, I liked that although the characters’ circumstances are sad and relevant to today’s economy, the film’s tone is very positive and upbeat. A good date movie.
Summer/Beach Movies on DVD
I really, REALLY, miss my summer vacations on Cape Cod. Renting beachy films is my substitute. I'm looking for films with wistful moments on the beach.
Please offer any good suggestions – no war movies!
December Boys
Daniel Radcliff
Summertime coming of age on the beaches of Australia.
Dirty Dancing
Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze
A summer resort on a lake. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!"
Jaws
Richard Dreyfus
Killer shark hits Martha's Vinyard during summer season
Mama Mia
Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep
A musical on the sandy beaches of a Greek Island
Summertime
Katherine Hepburn
Hepburn spends the summer in Venice and finds romance
The Love Letter
Tom Selleck, Kate Capshaw
An unsigned love letter spurs imagination among the folks of coastal Rockport, MA
Lake Placid
Betty White, Oliver Platt, Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda
Something is killing the beachgoers in a tranquil lake in this comedy/thriller.
Summer of '42
Jennifer O'Neill, Gary Grimes
Bittersweet romance between a young woman & teenage boy.
A Month By the Lake
Vanessa Redgrave, Uma Thurman
A snooty woman spends every April on Lake Como and competes for a man's affections with Uma Thurman. A little dry and slow, but good.
Something Borrowed
Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin
Hudson plans her wedding with Goodwin's crush as they spend weekends on the Hamptons
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs
Romance on a Jamaican Resort
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday
Peter Gallagher, Michelle Pfieffer
A greiving husband holds a weekend party in honor of his dead wife at his Nantucket beach home.
Masquerade
Rob Lowe, Meg Tilly
An heiress in East Hampton has folks conniving for her millions.
Something's Gotta Give
Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton
A playboy & his young girlfriend's Mom contend with each other at her beach house.
Corny, But still like them:
Summer Rental
John Candy
Corny, but I still love it. Candy's family make the most of a crappy Florida beach rental.
Fools Gold
Kate Hudson, Mathew McConaughey
Dumb, but fun treasure hunt on a tropical island.
50 First Dates
Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore
Really Dumb, but I always cry at the end. Hawaiian romance with a girl who has no memory beyond 24 hours.
Sappy Nicholas Sparks love stories only for die-hard chick-flick lovers:
Nights in Rodanthe
Diane Lane, Richard Gere
Romance in a beach B&B on the Outer Banks
The Last Song
Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear
Teen romance on the beach, surprisingly the best of these 3
Dear John
Amanda Seyfried, Channing Tatum
Sappy teen romance by the beach - even too sappy for me
Corny 60's Musicals:
Beach Blanket Bingo Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello
Bikini Beach Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello
Blue Hawaii Elvis
Really dumb movies I do not recommend:
One Crazy Summer
John Cusack, Demi Moore
It was so bad I forgot what it was about.
Weekend at Bernie’s
Andrew McCarthy
I enjoyed this in the 80’s, then cringed when I saw again it recently. 2 office workers are invited to the boss’s home on the Hamptons only to learn the boss is dead and they may be next.
QUESTIONS:
Beaches
Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey
Can't remember this at all! Hopefully there are beaches in it? Is it depressing or happy?
A Summer Place
Sandra Dee, Troy Donahue
Never saw this one - Any good?
Please offer any good suggestions – no war movies!
December Boys
Daniel Radcliff
Summertime coming of age on the beaches of Australia.
Dirty Dancing
Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze
A summer resort on a lake. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!"
Jaws
Richard Dreyfus
Killer shark hits Martha's Vinyard during summer season
Mama Mia
Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep
A musical on the sandy beaches of a Greek Island
Summertime
Katherine Hepburn
Hepburn spends the summer in Venice and finds romance
The Love Letter
Tom Selleck, Kate Capshaw
An unsigned love letter spurs imagination among the folks of coastal Rockport, MA
Lake Placid
Betty White, Oliver Platt, Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda
Something is killing the beachgoers in a tranquil lake in this comedy/thriller.
Summer of '42
Jennifer O'Neill, Gary Grimes
Bittersweet romance between a young woman & teenage boy.
A Month By the Lake
Vanessa Redgrave, Uma Thurman
A snooty woman spends every April on Lake Como and competes for a man's affections with Uma Thurman. A little dry and slow, but good.
Something Borrowed
Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin
Hudson plans her wedding with Goodwin's crush as they spend weekends on the Hamptons
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs
Romance on a Jamaican Resort
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday
Peter Gallagher, Michelle Pfieffer
A greiving husband holds a weekend party in honor of his dead wife at his Nantucket beach home.
Masquerade
Rob Lowe, Meg Tilly
An heiress in East Hampton has folks conniving for her millions.
Something's Gotta Give
Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton
A playboy & his young girlfriend's Mom contend with each other at her beach house.
Corny, But still like them:
Summer Rental
John Candy
Corny, but I still love it. Candy's family make the most of a crappy Florida beach rental.
Fools Gold
Kate Hudson, Mathew McConaughey
Dumb, but fun treasure hunt on a tropical island.
50 First Dates
Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore
Really Dumb, but I always cry at the end. Hawaiian romance with a girl who has no memory beyond 24 hours.
Sappy Nicholas Sparks love stories only for die-hard chick-flick lovers:
Nights in Rodanthe
Diane Lane, Richard Gere
Romance in a beach B&B on the Outer Banks
The Last Song
Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear
Teen romance on the beach, surprisingly the best of these 3
Dear John
Amanda Seyfried, Channing Tatum
Sappy teen romance by the beach - even too sappy for me
Corny 60's Musicals:
Beach Blanket Bingo Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello
Bikini Beach Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello
Blue Hawaii Elvis
Really dumb movies I do not recommend:
One Crazy Summer
John Cusack, Demi Moore
It was so bad I forgot what it was about.
Weekend at Bernie’s
Andrew McCarthy
I enjoyed this in the 80’s, then cringed when I saw again it recently. 2 office workers are invited to the boss’s home on the Hamptons only to learn the boss is dead and they may be next.
QUESTIONS:
Beaches
Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey
Can't remember this at all! Hopefully there are beaches in it? Is it depressing or happy?
A Summer Place
Sandra Dee, Troy Donahue
Never saw this one - Any good?
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