Nothing like a good Jane Austen adaptation.

Sense and Sensibility.

I love Jane Austen. People watch the Hills or soap operas but you just do not get much better than a good Jane jumble. Sense and Sensibility may just be my favorite of her tales because of the wonderful complexity and layers for all of the characters involved. Plus I mean you have all of the classics: Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, and Emma Thompson. Cannot get much better than that. Plus keep an eye out for Hugh Laurie who makes a delicious appearance that is just soooooooo the highlight of the middle chunk of this drama. Ang Lee makes this a beautifully shot and nature central piece and the cast just brings it to life and more. Absolutely excellent. By far my favorite of all the adaptations I have seen.

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Simon Pegg is my British Comedian <3

Run Fatboy Run.

Well I had to start negative and work up to the positives. This was the least original and most predictable of all of Pegg's movies. Still it was nice to see a more sweet side of him. And the story and the comedy was still there so of course I still loved it. The concept was predictable but the comedy was still British brilliance, the sidekick kicked ass and there was all sorts of smiles and laughs throughout! Lots of love for Pegg and can't wait for him to keep making me laugh.

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What are you writing in your little Pirate Pad?

Penelope.

Now THIS was a neat take on a fairytale. Setting the lead character as a little older and making a nice mix of modern/fantasy elements this was a very sweet and comical movie. Even my father said it was not that bad. . .a little predictable but it also had the right amount of surprise and intrigue. The typical components of the fairytale, beauty cursed, meets prince charming, obstacles, love prevails all were in place but some unique elements are thrown into the mix which I really just loved. Plus the patch-eyed little person just stole the show. I may be stereotyping or whatever but if you put a little person in your movie it just automatically makes it way better. Really liked this one even when James McAvoy was trying to sing.

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The Title Says Enough

Get Smart.

Now I thought this would be okay but the last full length Carrell flick I had seen was Bruce Almighty and well that sucked big time so I was skeptical. Get Smart was just wonderful. It got back an epic Carrell formula. . .a perfect mix of screwball comedy, wit and heart. The storyline for the actual movie was good, the supporting cast was good, the mix of action to comedy and pacing for the movie was good as well. Overall an enjoyable flick and a nice surprise overall.

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Everyone loves a courtroom Drama.

Heavens Fall.

Another thing noticed while snowed in and enjoying a plethora of older DVD's is that I also have an affinity for based-on-a-true-story stories. Depicting a more somber, serious true story the whole north/south/black/white/true/false concept is not one new to the cinema or anything for that matter. Yet this piece was not predictable and while a little slower moving than a Hollywood hyped piece it was very well done. The acting was suitable, the plot was unique and the opening scene was one of the most interesting I have seen done in an extended period of time.
Overall well done drama with some interesting information about the real life happenings at the end.

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Shia Labeouf is Disney's lucky charm

The Greatest Game Ever Played.

I will be honest. I was not excited to see this movie. It has quite a long title and its about golf BUT my mom had rented it and it had Shia Labeouf who can make even a crappy movie (um Eagle Eye) watchable.

Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when the film started rolling. The way it was shot, the interesting double and back stories made this a wonderful film. Shia was great in this movie showing the Disney appeal that made him such a megastar he is now. This movie did many things: helped establish Shia, made golf not boring and bordering on exciting, had a great inspirational/based on a true story message and was a all around excellent family film.

Totally worth checking out for all ages.

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Everyone loves a ghetto dance flick. . .full of white people.

Step Up 2: The Streets

So okay its no secret that I have a weakness for dance/art/musical movies in general. So I did like this one but only because I like these things. Actually I would even venture to argue that it was more interesting than the first one and that there certainly was more interesting dancing going on. THAT being said. . .in these cultured hip-hop dramas why is it always that the two lead characters are predominantly Caucasian with only the cultural folks only in the back drop?!?!?!? Anyways that is my rant that and the immature acting made it kinda dull in some sections. . . but the dance sequences and the higher ratio of dance to freshman acting made this actually a decent flick. Pretty good if you have an affinity for dance movies or pre-teen dramas with some light comedy thrown in.

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John Travolta was being punished for poor hairstyling

The Punisher.

The ONLY and I repeat ONLY good things about this movie:
1. When John Travolta's character was being dragged through the street with his crotch on fire
2. When it was over

Horrible.
Yuck and John Travolta has greasy hair.
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A Violent(?) Vince Vaughn

Domestic Disturbance.

Every now and again my comedic love, Vince Vaughn, does a more serious role. Whether as Norman Bates in the so-so Psycho remake or his fabulous turn in Into the Wild. Then sometimes those serious turns are kind of mediocre.
Now I don't think its totally the fault of the actors here I mean you have John Travolta, Teri Polo and the ever delightful Steve Buchemi so I think it was more the oddly paced and uneven storyline. It was slow slow slow starting out. Which I think did help you build suspense but when the AH-Ha moments came for each character about the true nature of the step-dad it was kind of blah. It was a decent attempt but there wasn't any interesting moments. Maybe if Rick had actually like hit the kid or the whole evil background was revealed would have been more suspenseful.
Plus the ending was L-A-M-E.

Eh. If you want to or you are a super fan of VV like me and wanted to see ALL of his movies then go for it but if not then feeeeel freeee to skip right over it.

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Who knew suicide was so profitable?!?!?

Drillbit Taylor.

So this is supposedly the movie Owen Wilson made just before (or was it after?!?!?) he attempted suicide. It didn't get an overly positive reception from Hollywood so I put it off. But after watching it I'm not exactly sure why because it was surprisingly funny!!!!!!!!!! Sure the overall underdogs eventually overcome the bullies was kind of predictable there were so many unique little twists and pop culture references that it was super worthwhile to check out!!!!!!!! Plus Owen Wilson was super hot and in good form especially for being on his own without anyone else from the frat pack.

Worth checking out esp for a good teen - pre - teen family night. Laughs cheap but still very worth it and not overly raunchy.

Tom Cruise is still funny in a non-psychotic way....only when he wants to be.

Tropic Thunder.
I was as some would say, overly excited for this movie. I would like to counter that I was not disappointed so shut your mouth. Not what I expected but soooo much better! This movie works on so many different levels, first there is just the blockbuster appeal of Stiller, Downey Jr., Black etc. Then there are the juicy surprises like Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey. There was the physical obvious comedy, awesome explosions and action sequences and an incredibly well done satirical undertow about the movie industry and those who play a part in it. Plus there is just a killer dance sequence at the end by Tom Cruises character.
It wasn't gut busting every second but every element played into the laughs making them better when they actually came about. I really think Ben Stiller has come into his own and if he can stay writing and directing instead of just acting he will continue to be respected.

And can we give proper respect to Robert Downey Jr. for being such an insane chameleon and character actor?!?!?! Playing a southern rooted black man AND an Australian in the same movie. A genius laugh factory.

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God Damn Global Warming

The Happening.

Okay first and foremost this movie is SO much better if you have seen Andy Samberg's SNL sketch "Mark Wahlberg talks to Animals" and all of the responses from Mark Wahlberg it got. I honestly think that is the only reason this movie was enjoyable for me.
Other reasons to watch The Happening include:
Mark Wahlberg as a sexy science school teacher.
The first quarter maybe half of the movie is pretty suspenseful. Until you start realizing the plants are angry theory is probably true its quite interesting with the whole what the hell is happening??? thing going on (what happening...get it get it?!?!?)
Zooey Deschanel's eyes. Those things are mesmerizing, seriously.
Mark Wahlberg talking to a plastic plant
Mark Wahlberg going "Oh No" when he realizes what is going on. Priceless.

Other than that this movie still proves that M.Night Shamalan peaked with his first major success, the sixth sense. While he has give some decent stories and some good scares since then nothing has or will ever be as clever as that movie for him. Its just sad to realize that he doesn't realize it.

Check these out:
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/mark-wahlberg-talks-to-animals/727504/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOSioIQhszk

John Cusack has been my imaginary boyfriend since about middle school

The Contract.

A decent change for Cusack who hasn't done many action/dramas lately. As he ages he seems to be filling the role of father-figure in the movies normally. In that same vein though he is also making his typecast character attitude all the more obvious. Even across genres it felt like the same character.

Still Morgan Freeman is always excellent and this movie was no exception.
A nice little detour from the mainstream circuit but nothing to write home about.
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Must Love Dogs.

Oh older people love movies.

Now in reality this is a more typical time in people's lives to find "the one" so it seems appropriate. Yet in Hollywood times its a little weird to watch. Cusack and Lane play they parts nicely but there seems to be too much going on here.

Honestly if they had stuck with the title and put more dogs throughout the piece maybe it would have been a bit more interesting. Worth a watch though when you get sick of all the teenage love affairs that usually plaster the cinema.

I love early 90's Johnny Depp

Benny & Joon.
There is this mystical time in cinema called approximately 1990-1994 where anything that came out no matter how (whatever adjective you wanted to connect to it) was you just thought it was brilliant and would always think it was perfect on subsequent viewings. Benny & Joon proves it. Grappling with things like illiteracy, mental illness, orphans etc. could easily make it all after school special or just plain depressing. Yet there is just this lightheartedness that makes it honest and real. Perhaps it is Depp (who by the way just seems so much more open in his early movies, so much more pure) who is just pitch perfect as the quiet but soulful Sam. Perhaps it was just the nineties with all its mullets, flannel and bad women's shoes. I fell in love with this movie and I think its hard to resist no matter when you get around to watching it.

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DO I LOOK LIKE I'M NEGOTIATING?

Michael Clayton.
George Clooney in a suit is the only kind of George Clooney that makes me swoon period so I was already psyched. The fact he was finally in a role that didn't just play up his natural boyish charm but that had some real meat to it, magnificent.
Tom Wilkinson is just one of those actors who is always known as great but really isn't recognized as much as he should be for how many films he is in but how he manages to just be pitch perfect in every single one. The man is a genius and this role for him was just dynamite. Tilda Swinton surprised me, she is usually decent but she was a step above normal this time. I still don't see though how she got an Oscar over the Cloonster. He was just all sorts of excellent in this movie. He was tortured without making it look pretty, he yelled and I actually took it serious and he made me for perhaps one of the first times in our career together think he was actually an actor. Not only an actor but a damn good actor. If only he took more serious flicks like that. There are all the obvious highlights of him in the flick that if you watch you will just know you will just be drop jaw in awe of the plot line but then of the seamless way you feel like you are there. I was most taken by the closing image of him riding away in the taxi after delivering just a fabulous end of the movie speech. As the credits role you just watch him and in the silence you see it, that he is so in character you see Clayton's thoughts you feel what he feels and its just mesmerizing.
So surpassed my expectation.

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Across my Patience

Across the Universe.
Now I have heard for too long "Oh my god I can't believe you haven't seen Across the Universe it is SOOOOOO amazing" so in an effort to put of my ongoing fight with my term papers I rented it. My reluctance was dead on. While there is no disputing that artistically and visually this is a masterpiece and that its quite impressive there managed to be THAT many Beatles songs, I did not think as a whole work it was satisfying or as an awesome musical. First off holy hell I like the Beatles as much as the next person but lets be serious did there need to be ALL of those songs? Obviously all recognizable favorites and other worthwhile classics are paid homage too but some of the middle portion I was just like Oh my is it over yet? Not that I don't like the songs, not that the acting was horrible or the visuals were boring it just didn't really seem to mesh as an actual story at points. "Hold your hand" one of my personal favorites but wtf it only introduced Prudence who as an actual character had not good story line or purpose other than to reappear for songs like "Dear Prudence". Shockingly unoriginal and could have saved like 10-15 minutes out of the movie. I'm just saying. I loved the ending, loved the art, love the Beatles but could not just LOVE this movie. But its a cult movie so I guess I'll just pass on joining the ATU cult.
Worth watching but doesn't live up to the hype.

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Saving Christian Dramas from total obscurity

Saving Sarah Cain.
With the recent buzz over Kirk Cameron's Christian film phenom Fireproof I read up a bit on other more mainstream flicks of the JC persuasion. Then I stumbled upon SSC as the next most current flick and I saw it on the new release rack at my favorite local video store I couldn't resist. Like a good after school special it did not disappoint. Full of Christian undercurrents, Amish children living in the 21st century drama and lots of tears at the end it was a warm hearted flick. While it was certainly better suited for Lifetime than the big screen it was not horrible and pleasantly enjoyable. Its overly emotional, certainly Christian and at times slightly corny so knowingly disliking any of those types of films would suggest avoiding them but if you are curious it is worth checking out.

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Misdirection at the most artistic level.

The Life Before Her Eyes.
At first this one was confusing. All the flowers. All the artsy shorts. The flash-back-flash-forward-dream like cuts. The parallels and question marks. Oh my so suspenseful! And then just when you thought the ending was going to be super predictable it totally slaps you in the face. Maybe its just me not having seen such a good surprising drama in forever or maybe its just that good but I haven't been so happy with a climatic twist in forever. Also check out the alternative end on the DVD cut, I still am deciding but I'm leaning towards that I like it better than the original cut. Uma is dynamite and Rachel Wood actually made me forget how much I like her in the tabloids. Absolutely wonderful I was pleasantly surprised at how much it all actually made sense and worked in the end.

So these 7 dorks walked into a vortex. . .

Sydney White.
Okay this was perhaps the most obvious modern twist on a classic tale but for some reason Amanda Bynes always makes me not hate it. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs meets a modern college campus. With last names like Witchburn, Prince and White it is not difficult to see where this piece is going from the very beginning. Overly predictable sometimes to a frustrating level the charm and humor of the dorks and of Bynes actual manages to make this one not thoroughly nauseating. There are some genuine laughs, some good enough obvious chuckles and a typical but still enjoyable dorks beat the beauties ending. Especially good for Bynes fans, dork fans, and pre-teen/teen chick flick lovers. Cutesy.

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Eye was bored

Eagle Eye
Now it is no secret that I L-O-V-E Shia Labeouf so I was very excited to get out the theatre to catch his latest action flick (especially after renting Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull the weekend before.....so terrible I can't even review it). However, Eagle Eye was such a tease. First of all you have this hot cast, Shia, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson (who actually showed us some serious acting chops) and Billy Bob Thorton. Second you start off with this completely paranoid action flick, Who is calling? Why? Why those people etc. . . I was really hooked immediately. I thought even in the beginning the action sequences were a little to harry carry for my tastes and left a lot to be desired but they were trying to be innovative. And then about half way or so through it just completely lets you down. You can't wait to find out who "it" is calling and why and everything else and then when they show you the big government secret you instantly are able to figure out the rest. Even when they try to throw in some other surprises towards the end you just don't even care because the buildup was way better than what was in truth behind it. I was horribly disappointed.
Eagle Eye was like the dating scene for me. It looks good, it sounds good in the sound bytes and previews but when you get seated and start getting to really know each other you have seen it all before and are just so disappointed.
I still will give Shia 2 of this movies 3 stars because I still adore him and he was still fabulous despite the flat lined plot line. Half a star for the buildup/action sequences, not my favorite but I do like to give credit for effort. The final half star awarded to Billy Bob Thorton for making his way back onto the big screen in a pretty decent role (I just think he never bounced back from Angie, poor guy) he was the comic relief and if given more plot to work on could have really knocked it out of the park.

Skip it while you can in theatres, rent it if you have to.

Ironic Titles

Smart People.
This movie was nice. It was a little slow even for someone who loves intellectual character heavy pieces like this was supposed to be, like myself. I always adore SJP and she did not disappoint me this time showing her range and reserve. Dennis Quaid surprised me and I enjoyed his arrogant bildungsroman. Thomas Hayden Church and Ellen Paige provided some incredibly awkward moments with Church stealing just about every scene he was in and adding some, often much needed, comic relief. Overall it was a smart choice for those individuals who crave having films that just honestly portray the truth of life situations.

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P.S. I'm bored

P.S. I love you.
Okay it was cheesy and sort of romantic if you could get past all the death, creepers and depression. Harry Conick Jr. was cute at first but that storyline drug out too long to end so creepily. I didn't feel like there was enough good stuff for us to really believe that Holly and Jerry were such soul mates til like halfway through and by then I just didn't really care much anymore. Plus how weird that the guy she slept with who might have had a chance to be her next kinda love but then his dad liked her mom and well it all got weird again. . .

but i did love love loveeeeee all of her shoes.
i'm just saying....I didn't really like it.

Never Forgetting the Funny

Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
What a wonderfully surprising movie. There were some cheap laughs as to be expected but it had some great surprises throughout too! Jason Segal is just so adorable I just wanted to cuddle him the whole time. All of the male nudity! At first it was a little whoa but then it was like....about time!!! I'm so sick of breasts in movies it was great to see some dick on the big screen. Russell Brand was nauseating as always but in a way that was sleazy but silly so you could enjoy it! I could not get enough of this movie, the Dracula skit at the end, the Hawaiian flava, mila kunis making her major breakout. It was fabulous. Goes down in my list of classic comedies with huge heart. Love Love LOVED it!

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