Movie Reviews
I love movies–not all of them and certainly not all types. You won’t see me making comments on horror, slashers, or really stupid movies.
A movie can earn up to 4 Golden Eggs 
, meaning, drop everything and get your ticket (or DVD)!
Below are many of the movies that I’ve seen over the past year with the latest at the top. Here’s a start … I’ll regularly add to the list.
Sort list by: title | rating | view date ↓
June, 2009
-
2009-06-17 19:39
Angels and Demons
Angels and Demons is the latest Dan Brown blockbuster book to hit the big screen. Tom Hanks is back as Professor Robert Langdon, symbologist, from The Da Vinci Code, this time joining him in the search for all things awful is Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vertra, the brainy (but beautiful) scientist who is part of a team that created antimatter—dangerous stuff that looks like a small nuclear bomb. The dangerous stuff is stolen, leaving a trail of bodies as the culprit escapes with the dreaded antimatter canister. Langdon is recruited by the Vatican after the death (which, of course, is murder) of the Pope and the kidnapping of the four top cardinals candidates to be the next Pope. The Illuminati appears to be at the root of all things going wrong and has told the Vatican that all will explode in 24 hours. The Carmerlengo, played by Ewan McGregor, runs the Vatican until a new Pope is elected—performance is good and he’s a key player as the mystery gets solved. The big race is on… the Professor has to get to Rome—that’s a few hours from Harvard—there’s plenty of speeding cars, villains, story twists, scary music woven with the ongoing debate of the Catholic Church’s war with the men of science and science itself. I personally liked the movie—I wish Hanks would let his sense of humor (or would that be director Ron Howard letting him) to come out and play a la Harrison Ford and Indiana Jones—after all, this is a kind of “B” movie. You know that the Professor is brilliant in symbology (you are told that)—would have been more fun, and interesting, if the viewer is let in on some of the mysteries of the Church.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-06-17 19:39The Proposal
This will be this summer’s comedy hit—tons of laughs—Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock (and yes, I could tell there was at least a 10 year age difference!) work well together. Meet Margaret Tate—she’s the stern, pissy boss who’s a high powered executive NY book editor. The instant messages that flow through the office as she enters, or makes a move, are a hoot. Reynolds is Andrew Paxton, her right hand and aspiring editor to be. All hell breaks loose when Margaret is hours away from being deported and forces Andrew to declare to all that he is her fiancée. The fun kicks in when he takes her to his home base to get the emigration authorizes off of her (and now his) back—Sitka, Alaska—where Betty White (terrific), Mary Steenburgen and Craig Nelson are Gammy, Mom and Dad. I was fearful that this was going to be one of those flicks that the trailers were the best part. They are just the warm up act. Go see, worth the full price of a movie ticket.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-06-11 17:15Away We Go
If you like quirky, this just may be your movie. John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph play Burt and Veronica—a couple expecting a baby who are insecure and almost misplaced in this thing called life. When Burt’s parents decide to pull up roots and head to their dream destination to live in Europe (a hoot by Jeff Daniels, Catherine O’Hara), Burt and Veronica decide that they need to find a new home. Visiting old friends, co-workers, Veronica’s sister and Burt’s brother, they finally get it that they, and no one else, have to define what home is all about … and where it will be. Laughs, a little sadness and misadventure along the way.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-06-11 13:40The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (DVD)
One of the top pics for foreign films in 2008 starring Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend and David Hayma. You will find that this is a haunting story of a young German boy who befriends a forbidden Jewish boy as the Nazis take over Europe. At an impressionable 8 years of age, Bruno witnesses several displays of hate toward what he believes are kind people. He begins to question the doings of his once hero father. Bruno brings his new friend food, they talk about life and when Schmuel reveals that he has a family problem, Bruno offers to help his friend. Based on the story by John Boyne, you won’t forget this one.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. May, 2009
-
2009-05-30 12:12Star Trek
Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine debut as Spock and Captain Kirk the youngers along with new versions of Scotty, Dr. McCoy, Lt. Uhura, Sulo and a cameo from old Spock, Leonard Nimoy. The bad guy is quite bad, the evil Romulan Captain Nero played by Eric Bana. What is a clear launching pad for a whole new series, Star Trek is a romping space opera and worth a bag of popcorn. It’s got action, a hint of romance, friendships and plenty of travel shenanigans and special effects. Scotty is a hoot.
0.3
Who Should See It? Mature kids and up. -
2009-05-30 12:12X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Hugh Jackman is the Wolverine. The storyline begins with Logan (aka Wolverine) as a kid who discovers that his family isn’t what is considered “normal.” When he learns who his father is, he escapes, along with his older brother—a nasty character all his own. Logan is a mutant… he just doesn’t know that there are other mutants, including his brother. Years later, and all grown up, he’s recruited into a special force unit for the military—all mutants and all under an experimental umbrella. Eventually, Logan wants out… he quits, becomes a logger, but the military seeks him out, destroying his lady-love in the process. Logan goes through another transformational “experiment” and now becomes a super mutant—indestructible. Has a nice twist at the end. Jackman is hot.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:11Quantum of Solace
The latest to the Bond saga, Daniel Craig and Ola Kurylenko have Bond doing the usual global seek and destroy of the bad guys. Still stinging from the loss of his beloved, Bond has sought to uncover the truth of who and what Vesper is. Along the way, he connects with Camille who leads him to the latest Bond villain, Dominic Greene. As usual, you’ve got to pay attention to Craig—his Bond character is far more complex than those played by his predecessors. You may have to see it twice to appreciate all the nuances…contrary to rumor, there is plenty of humor, just not the sex as in the previous flicks. Dame Judith Dench returns as M—helping and hindering. I liked it better the second time I saw it.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:11Bolt
The voices of John Travolta and Miley Cyrus headline Bolt. Animated Bolt is a super-dog that really thinks he’s a super-dog until he discovers the bolt on his side for the cameras is merely painted. Meanwhile, he begins a cross-country adventure trying to reunite with Penny, his mistress in the movies. Bolt meets up with Mittens, the rejected housecat now alley cat and Rhino—a hoot of a hamster who just happens to idolize the TV series Bolt was ejected from. Bolt eventually finds Penny and learns that heroes don’t need superpowers.
0.3
Who Should See It? Kids and up…teens will take a pass. -
2009-05-30 12:10Slumdog Millionaire
Sweeping the Oscars, Slumdog presents a diversified cast with Danny Boyle, Dev Patel and Anil Kapoor. With India as the backdrop, you are introduced to the horrendous slums, housing millions and wondering, how can people live/survive like this. When their mother is murdered, the two brothers escape, are taken in by men who send them out in the streets to beg and steal. Befriending a young girl, their lives are woven and tangled. Fast forward … the kids grow up and Jamal (Danny Boyle), the slum orphan, ends up on the Indian equivalent of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Jamal becomes a folk hero—the question is … does he get his childhood sweetheart?
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:09Bride Wars
Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson are Emma and Liv, childhood best friends who dreamed as little girls that they would get married at New York’s Plaza Hotel. The respective boyfriends pop the question and the plans are put into high gear. That is until there’s a date mix up—the wedding planner’s secretary has mixed up dates and books them both on the same day, same place—the Wars begin. There are some laughs, but it’s fairly predictable. Not worth $7 bucks, rent it and pop your own popcorn.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:09The International
Clive Owen and Naomi Watts are the headliners for what could have been a thriller about the banking system in today’s world of financial chaos. Instead, you wonder what in the heck is Naomi Watts character about—yeah, she’s tracking the bad guys with Clive, but not really necessary to move it forward. Clive is on the trail of a group of international bankers who are underwriting global gun running operations. There’s action, there’s the shoot-ups and there’s the destination visuals. Color me disappointed.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:09Taken
Liam Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a former CIA operative who retires and moves to be closer to his now teenage daughter … to get to know her and make up for the all the years he was not present. Mom has remarried, surrounded by wealth and dad is having a bit of a time competing. Daughter Kim is played by Maggie Grace and hoodwinks him in allowing her to go to Europe. Sounds good, until the naïve Miss Kim is kidnapped by the nasty Marko, to be sold into white slavery. Meanwhile, Dad kicks into high gear and shows his true self and stuff. Who knew that Liam had this secret, kick-butt side?!
0.3
Who Should See It? Mature teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:08Race to Witch Mountain
It’s been a long time since a Witch Mountain movie has surfaced. This time, Dwayne Johnson plays a kindly taxi driver who finds two teens in his back seat with plenty of money to get them to their desert destination. The teens’ powers have evolved since they were first discovered—their quest is to get to Witch Mountain and claim their heritage. That is if they can stay out of the target range of foes—both domestic and alien. The scenes from the Las Vegas Sci-Fi convention are a kick.
0.3
Who Should See It? Kids and families. -
2009-05-30 12:08Monsters vs. Aliens
Get your 3-D glasses out, the old times are back. With a voice cast consisting of Kiefer Sutherland, Hugh Laurie, Reese Witherspoon and Stephen Colbert—the venture begins when a woman becomes a giant after a meteor shower. She ends up being recruited by a secret agency of other super-freaks to take on giant aliens. It’s fun, my 3 and 5 year-old grandkids had a great time.
0.3
Who Should See It? Kids and families. -
2009-05-30 12:07Bedtime Stories
Adam Sandler is a bit gippy-goo for me in most of his movies. Bedtime Stories wraps around the wild and impromptu stories he tells his niece and nephew when he babysits—the kids enhance the stories and the movieland takes over—night time turns into daytime and what comes out of his mouth as make believe turns into reality and chaos. Some fun, but it’s not deep.
0.3
Who Should See It? Kids and families. -
2009-05-30 12:07The Day the Earth Stood Still
Keanu Reeves and Jennifer offer their twist in the remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic. Klaatu travels across time and the universe to warn Earth that it’s in deep doo-doo. As in all things alien, the military swoops in to seek and destroy, Klaatu is taken under the wing of scientist Dr. Helen Benson who believes that he is who he is and sets out to convince him that Earth is worth saving. There’s some neat visuals—suggest you rent the 1951 and do a comparison—liked some of this one, but it missed out when Klaatu #1 stopped the Earth.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:06The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett deliver remarkable performances in what became one of my favorite movies last year. It’s a love story, pure and simple. Based on a F. Scott Fitzgerald story about a man who is born 80 years old and as he ages, he becomes younger. Abandoned by his father shortly after his mother dies in childbirth, Benjamin is taken in by Queenie, a black women who takes care of old people in a nursing home—the perfect, safe place for Benjamin to root in. Opening with Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, an elderly woman asks her daughter to read from the diary she has kept that was written by Benjamin Button. Recounting his life, it’s a classic example of a book opening and falling in. In this case, the movie starts, and with patience, you allow it to envelope you. Special effects, make-up are amazing.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:05Marley & Me
Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson are newlyweds and journalists located in Florida. Alan Arkin and Kathleen Turner add to the mayhem that evolves as the couple brings Marley the pooch into their family—3 kids follow later. Marley is incredibility destructive—there is plenty of humor … but gads, how much chaos can one really take? Are there life lessons? Sure—columnist John Grogan made his living on the antics of Marley—so it was a good thing for him and it is about commitment, not giving up and love. But, and I say this strongly, this is not a movie for young kids.
0.3
Who Should See It? Teens and up. -
2009-05-30 12:03Wall-E
Disney/Pixar’s fabulous WALL-E is a keeper for all. WALL-E does what he is supposed to do everyday … he collects junk on Earth, after it has been deserted because it could no longer support life because of the level of trash. WALL-E is fascinated by the trinkets and trivia of Earth and becomes a packrat. When Eve shows up—another robot—it’s love at first sight. And the fun begins. This is an Oscar winner and deserves to be part of your home library.
0.3
Who Should See It? Kids and up. July, 2007
-
2007-07-25 13:47Wild Hogs
with John Travolta, William Macy, Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence is a stretch. Four pals decide that they need a guy’s week out. Their normal routine is to suit up each week in their leathers, hit their bikes and head into town for a beer. Travolta thinks they need more…not telling them that he’s basically out of luck, marriage is falling apart, etc., and he needs to escape from his problems. He ropes his pals into his venture and true to form, they run into a series of mishaps, including the nasty Del Fuego gang that has been terrorizing a coastal town for years. Not to worry, our boys to the rescue. Here’s a flick, loaded with incredible talent and it just is limp in too many areas. There are some genuinely funny scenes—I love William Macy, but with this talent bank, I wanted to laugh myself silly and have a great time… it was just OK. This film could have been so much more. Who Should See It?—Teens and up, Gramma might get a kick out of it.
0.3 -
2007-07-25 13:46Primeval
is based on the true story of an African killer crocodile that killed over 300 people. Dominic Purcell plays a disgraced TV reported who is going to try and rebuild his career by snagging the 20 foot croc that has terrorized the locals. Not for the light of heart, you’ve got to like the spook and scary parts that these “grab” you movies offer. It’s brutal, some violence. Who Should See It? No young kids, teens and up. Definitely not Gramma.
0.3 -
2007-07-25 13:46You Kill Me
YOU KILL ME with Ben Kingsley and Téa Leoni as Frank and Laura, one of the most unlikely movie couple pairings in a long time. Frank is a hit man with a booze problem in Buffalo. His uncle sends him West to dry out after he bungles a key job. There he gets a job in a mortuary as a prepper for bodies to be displayed to the family/friends (actually, a good fit for a hit man, death isn’t an issue!). He joins, reluctantly, AA, meets Ms. Laura, is befriended by his AA sponsor played by Luke Wilson. There’s a great scene where he says, Hi, I’m Frank and I’m a killer….” Oh well, the AA group accepts him as he is. He’s called back to Buffalo and …. Who Should See It? It’s a dark comedy, I liked it. Mature Teens and Up. Gramma will get a kick out of Kingsley.
0.3 -
2007-07-25 13:45The Queen
with Dame Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth and Michael Sheen as newly elected Tony Blair is the primo movie from last year, deserving every award earned by the actors and film. Focusing on a brief period of time beginning with the death of Princess Diana—a real glimpse into the relationships of the royal family—both the insiders and outsiders. Belongs in your DVD library. Who Should See It? Teens and up, definitely Gramma.
0.3 -
2007-07-25 13:45Venus
with Peter O’Toole as Maurice, an aging actor and Jodie Whittaker as Jessie, the pain in the butt grand-niece of his best friend. O’Toole was nominated for a best actor award … I think it’s more of a swan song nomination. Maurice drools over the arrival of Jessie who is supposed to be looking for a job and quasi caring for his aging best friend. She can’t cook—although she can open a bag of chips and talk cheeky to the “adults”. For whatever reason, Maurice is attracted to her (maybe the young, unwrinkled body), taking her under his wing to the theater and art galleries. I got tired of it. Who Should See It? Teens won’t like it; maybe O’Toole fans.
0.3 -
2007-07-25 13:44Roving Mars
is a documentary of the creation of the two ambulatory robots (named Opportunity and Spirit) that landed on the Red Planet. The movie ends there. It begins with the involvement of 4000 plus scientists. Most of the film is set on Earth (tis only 40 plus minutes) centering around the two main labs, Pasadena’s California Institute of Technology and Kennedy Space Center. Where Mars was the final birthing site, these two were the embryo, creating the robots and the mechanisms to get them into Space. It’s an amazing story of ideas, dreams, hinges and gears and just what the creative mindset can do. The visuals are incredible. After landing, when Spirit unfolds her solar panels, you want to cheer. I did, then teared up. Who Should See It? Mature kids and up.
0.3
