Movie Time #7

It's been ages since my last "Movie Time", try 7 months, oops!  As I mentioned in my last post, I love a good action romance book or movie, and a month or so ago, I found one!  47 Ronin

In order to appreciate it, you have to enjoy martial art movies.  I've been a big fan of this genre since I was a kid watching all of Jean-Claude Van Damme's films!  It takes an old story and adds fantasy, and of course Hollywood money & actors.  Here's the unusual part, the lead is Keanu Reeves.  Stop laughing, he actually did a good job!!!  (I know you're all picturing Tom Cruise and The Last Samurai!)  The movie has you rooting for his character, Kai, the entire time, even until the bitter end.  (Wow, everything I've wanted to write will give away too much.)  I feel the movie has something to offer everyone... action, romance, acceptable CGI, interesting characters, great costumes, and of course decent acting.  Not wanting to spoil the movie, all I can say is, give it a chance.  (And if you want a hint, imagine Jet Li's The Forbidden Kingdom mixed with Memoirs of a Geisha.)

Bye! Dag! Adios! Namaste!

:) Danica

Movie Time #6

This past weekend The Butler finally premiered here in The Netherlands.  When my mother-in-law suggested seeing it, I agreed, even though long dramas aren't really my type of movies.  And you know, I am so glad I went.  What a great movie!  Within 10 minutes I was ready to cry, and by the end I was sobbing.

Being an American from Florida (The South) I know first hand about racism, unfortunately it still exists.  (It's obviously changed over time, something the movie captures quite well.)  Of course we all know the stories of the slaves all the way to the Black Panthers, but to see it in one place, told from that family's point of view really tugged at my heart.  What they went through to get equal rights, and what they are still going through, is amazing.  It's almost hard to believe people can be so cruel, we're all human, we all bleed, and we all have feelings.  Luckily, I was born way after the civil rights movement, I can't imagine dealing with that first hand.  And I am so glad that Obama is president, it shows just how far Americans have come... and I can't comprehend how much it must mean to African-Americans.

It was strange experiencing this film in Europe, knowing that most of the people in the theater don't actually understand the race issue in America.  It was odd walking out of the theater in tears when no one around me was crying (at least that I noticed).  My mother-in-law said that if we were in America she would have expected applause in the theater at the end.  But when I spoke to my mother in Florida, she said their local newspaper actually gave it a poor review.  Wow, not sure what to think about that.  Did any of you see The Butler?  Were any of you as moved as I was? 

Bye! Dag! Adios! Namaste!

:) Danica

Movie Time #5

I have a very unsuccessful series of posts titled Movie Time... since the readers aren't interested in my general opinion about the many movies I watch, I am going to switch it up.  Here are a list of movies I either turned off or just bared to sit through over the past few months :

 

(Am I being judgmental, did I miss something, or are these just crap movies?)

TURNED IT OFF :


The Romantics

Bored stiff from the beginning, sorry Katie










Hansel & Gretel - Witch Hunters

I could have dealt with the poor story line if the witches weren't so gross










BARED THROUGH IT :


Twilight - Breaking Dawn Part 2

Actually laughed out loud because some parts were so bad










Monte Carlo

This movie is not for adults, can't believe I sat through it

Movie Time #4

Here's another quick movie review... it's actually been a while since I watched some of these movies but I wanted to send this portion of the list out since it's continually getting longer with each movie we watch!

The Campaign
This movie isn't going to win any awards but it's worth watching for the laughs.  I absolutely love Zach Galifianakis & Will Ferrell is also one of my all-time favorite comedic actors.  As usual Zach plays the underdog surrounded by people that just don't understand him.  You'll have to watch to see
if he beats out Will's character to win the campaign.


Hick
I had no idea what I was getting into when I decided to watch this movie but it turned out to be quite good and I'll probably watch it again.  Chloe Moritz was good (she's always good), Blake Lively surprisingly not bad or too cheesy, and the story intriguing and keeps you hooked.  So much happens in this movie that you'd never wish upon anyone's child, a hard way to grow up fast.


Here Comes the Boom
What movie with Kevin James isn't funny?  I guess it takes a certain sense of humor to like this movie because of the MMA fighting.  I had no problem with the fight scenes or the intensity of the arenas but I did find it should have a higher rating than just PG, I sure would let my kid watch them bloody each other up.  But the idea of saving the music dept through MMA wins was meant well.


Taken 2
The movie was still watchable despite the fact it was way too similar to the first one.  They really didn't need to make a sequel but I guess the first one was so popular they didn't have a choice.  No matter what it's awesome that Liam Neeson has become an action hero in his 60's, when does that ever happen?  I like him in the action role, just would like to see him in a different film!


This is 40
The movie was o.k. and it was a funny idea to follow up Knocked Up but I probably wouldn't watch it again.  Sure there were some laughs, it wouldn't be good if there weren't ways you could make comparisons to your own life.  Love watching Paul Rudd & Leslie Mann back together again, they have great on screen chemistry, plus they're hilarious!  Glad the movie was about their characters.


10 Years
To be honest I was disappointed with this movie.  They had a great cast, a good story idea, and yet it was a let down.  Not really sure what they could have done to help, maybe the characters shouldn't have come across desperate or weak, but maybe that was the point. 10 yrs after high school isn't that long and a lot of people haven't found themselves yet.  I will not be watching it again though.

Hope you liked my quick movie reviews and there will be more in the future.  (And if you liked these check out my last movie review post!)

Movie Time #3

It's been just over a month and I have more movie reviews (done my way) in store for you!  Please let me know what you thought of these movies and if you have any recommendations.

The Outsiders

I don't usually watch old movies, but somehow I stumbled upon this one and curiosity made me watch.  It has a huge cast of famous stars and it was interesting to see them all so young and in one movie.  Despite the fact the movie is 30yrs old, and times seemed more innocent, there are still common themes challenging kids today... exclusion, labeling, bad home situations, etc.  And by the way Mandy Moore is the spitting image of a young Diane Lane, it was kind of creepy!  Is it worth watching twice?  I'll probably never watch it again, but I was glad I gave it shot.

The Lake House

I tend to watch newer films because I've seen most of the old ones, but some how this flick from 2006 managed to slip passed me.  Anyone my age loved seeing Keanu Reeves & Sandra Bullock together in Speed, and with this movie you get to see them again!  It starts out slow, but then definitely gets your attention, so please bare through the beginning.  At points in the moving I found myself hoping they would find a way to be together, it really sucked me into their ups and downs.  At times you feel you know how it's going to end but they do their best to keep you guessing.  It was an interesting romance, mostly because their situation is impossible and yet made sense.  Will I watch it again?  Sure, it's a great chick flick for once every few years.

Green Lantern

Wow, wish I had something nice to say about this movie.  I love sci-fi and movies based on comics book characters.  I like watching movies with real couples or when real-life couples fall in love.  But this movie couldn't hold my attention.  I tried, gave it an hour or so - even played a game on the iPad in the background - but I just couldn't get into it.  Maybe the character itself is flawed (hopefully no comic book fanatics are reading this), because the movie tried, they brought in Ryan Reynolds, pumped a lot of money into the graphics and costumes, but no amount of Hollywood power could save this movie.  I guess I should have listened when warned about how crappy it was.  Will I watch it again?  No way, I didn't even make it through the first round!

Dark Shadows

Apparently this movie is based on an old tv show... I never saw the show so I can't make any comparisons.  To me, it was new.  It is packed with a great quirky cast, most of them can do no wrong in my eyes.  Johnny Depp was a perfect choice for the lead.  The colors, costumes, and sets were great, and the story entertaining.  There were a few good laughs along the way, especially because he is trying to adjust to the 70's and it's confusing for all of them.  Growing up I loved The Addams Family and this definitely had that kind of feel.  Will I watch it again?  I'm sure it'll eventually end up on our tv again.

The Dictator

To enjoy this movie you have to appreciate Sacha Baron Cohen's humor.  You also had to have liked the previous movies, Borat & Bruno.  He's great at creating funny characters and really giving them his all.  Whether it's staged or not I love watching people's reactions to these over-the-top characters.  I laughed so hard during the helicopter scene of this movie, if you've seen it you will not forget the count down.  His extreme humor also makes you think about how crazy real life situations are, it's deeper than you think!  Will I watch it again?  I personally will not turn it on but if happens to be on tv, sure. 
 

Rock of Ages

I should have done my research before watching this movie, I had no idea it was a musical, completely caught me off guard!  I actually turned it on to get a good laugh, seeing Tom Cruise pretend to be a rock star should have been funny.  But there was little I enjoyed about this movie, and there was definitely no laughing.  I fast forwarded through most of it and didn't even bother to watch the end.  Kind of a shame because I think Julianne Hough has potential.  I loved Grease, why can't I get into modern day musicals?  Will I watch it again?  Not a chance!
 

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

I eventually really enjoyed watching this unlikely pair, Steve Carell & Kiera Knightley.  At first I considered turning the movie off but I'm glad I refrained because it turned out to be o.k.  Despite being a little slow it was an interesting role for Carell, not his usual comedy flicks.  And I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so you might want to stop reading now, but the movie actually followed through with it's title which really surprised me.  I kept waiting for things to turn around but they didn't.  Will I watch this movie again?  There's a good chance on a night with nothing better to do I could end up watching it again.

I already have another list of watched movies waiting to be posted, still not quite sure where I squeeze all of these movies into my schedule! 

Movie Time #2

I'm not exactly sure how I find the time to do it, but I watch a lot of movies.  I've been a movie fan since my grandpa bought me a VHS series of Disney Classics when I was around 8yrs old.  I watch all types of movies, sci-fi, drama, romance, action, etc. etc.  (But no horror flicks for me!)  I've previously blogged about movies, giving my oh so desired opinion, ha-ha!  You can see those reviews here : Chick Flicks & Movie Time #1.  And here's the next round, just a portion of the movies I've watched over the past two months. 

The Dark Knight Rises
My husband is a huge fan of the new series.  I enjoyed the older more colorful Batman series, Val Kilmer/George Clooney days.  But I have to admit the latest installment wasn't so bad.  Anne Hathaway isn't one of my favorites, in my mind she's still just the awkward girl from The Princess Diaries.  But Tom Hardy made up for that, even though he gained weight and they covered his face.  No matter what the bad guys in the "darker" series are well done and keep the movies interesting.  And I'm definitely curious about JGL's role in the next film.  Would I watch the movie again?  I already have and will again in the future.

Total Recall
Since I never watched the original with Arnold Schwarzenegger I didn't have much to compare it to, which made it obviously more enjoyable.  Some people I've talked to thought the women weren't good choices, but I think Kate & Jessica did just fine.  I enjoyed the movie from beginning to end, whether predictable or not.  I liked the action and the hint of love, and I really enjoyed the futuristic feel to it.  I haven't seen many movies with Colin Farrell, but he did well and was believable.  I feel they could have done more with the movie, but possibly conformed to keep it similar to the original.  Will I watch it again?  Yes, definitely.

G.I. Joe - The Rise of Cobra
I love this movie.  Action movies are one of my favorites, and this one adds futuristic technology, a little romance, and some humor.  I've always enjoyed a movie that kicks ass, this goes back to the days I watched endless JCVD movies as a preteen.  Plus I like it when they develop movies based on things I remember from my childhood, still waiting on a He-Man & She-Ra movie though.  I'm thoroughly looking forward to the 2nd one, which comes out in 2013.  Again JGL is in it, who ever knew he'd turn to action flicks after 3rd Rock From The Sun.  Have I watched this movie repeatedly?  More times than I can remember.

Lawless
This doesn't exactly fit into the usual movie's I watch, it's on the slow boring side.  I actually thought my husband would enjoy it, but he refused to watch it with me.  I have to admit, I fast forwarded through parts of the movie, this might have contributed to my disappointment in the end.  I waited and waited for it to get interesting, then they killed off the only character worth anything.  Obviously the point of the movie was about the younger brother moving up and developing himself but I just couldn't get into it.  I also expected something to happen romantically between two of the characters and it never quite panned out.  Will I watch it again?  No.

Prometheus
I haven't watched a true sci-fi flick in a while.  My husband doesn't enjoy alien movies so I have to watch them in my own time.  (I did get him to sit through Attack the Block, though).  I tried everything to convince him this film had nothing to do with the movie Alien (which I never saw) but he knew better.  I didn't find it to be too scary, but I did look away on occasions.  The cast did o.k., but I do wish they had brought in more big names like Charlize Theron.  The robot did well, and turned out to be the most interesting character.  There were things I didn't pick up on but I'm sure a quick look at IMDB would clear that up.  Do I plan on watching it again?  Probably not.

The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey
As expected, the movie was top notch.  The money they put in to it is obvious.  I heard complaints about it being in 3D but we had no issues.  I don't feel it needed to be in 3D but it didn't take away from the movie either.  The detail was amazing, the storyline interesting, the characters well chosen, I can't complain.  And even though the movie was 3hrs, I could have watched more... I actually expected about 30 minutes more.  We had great seats, front row of the balcony!  Will I watch this one again?  Maybe.  Will I watch the next one?  Definitely.  Do I wonder why they make so many and drag the series out?  Yes, but money is the answer.

Hope you enjoyed my quick reviews, done my own way.  I also hope you check out at least half of the movies I mentioned!  And keep an eye out for more reviews in the future.

Movie Time

Well, it's that time again, to tell you what I think about some of the movies I have watched recently.  It's been a few months since I wrote the Chick Flick post... this time around the movies are bit more action packed. 

I'll get right to it and start with my favorite movie of the past few months, The Bourne Legacy.  Usually I don't jump into a series part of the way through, I prefer to watch the movies in sequence so I have a clue as to what is going on.  But since they changed the lead in the Bourne series, I thought I'd give it a shot (plus Jeremy Renner usually does well in movies except for his lame role in The Avengers).  Never once did I feel lost while watching the movie, sure I might have understood the back story better if I had seen the first 3 but from beginning to end it held my attention.  I highly recommend you also give it a chance, if you like butt-kicking, high speed action, save the girl, kind of movies.  I also felt Rachel Weisz did a great job, and I look forward to the next Bourne movie.  Because the way it ended, there's bound to be a 5th movie.  Will I watch it?  Of course and at the theater!

Then of course there's The Hunger Games.  Don't hate me but I don't get all of the hype.  Sure it was good, interesting concept, I especially liked the costumes.  But great, no... this series is being compared to Harry Potter & Twilight, I'm just not seeing it.  Maybe it's because the male lead, Josh Hutcherson, just didn't cut it for me.  To be honest, I actually paused the movie halfway through and watched the rest a couple days later (not a good sign).  I guess if I had read the book I might understand why he was cast but for me he didn't add anything extra to the movie.  Now, Jennifer Lawrence, she has a bright future ahead of her (which reminds me, I should probably get around to watching X-Men: First Class, considering I've seen the rest of the series).  Do I plan on watching Catching Fire when it comes out next year?  Sure, but I might wait until it comes out on DVD.

Then there was the surprise, Disney's John Carter.  I didn't get the 3D IMAX experience, but it was still captivating.  You definitely have to like sci-fi and be able to handle monstrous beasts to get into the movie; luckily it played into many things I enjoy in a movie, even romance.  I was bit shocked it was a Disney movie, when I think of Disney I immediately envision the movies I watch with my toddler (mostly animated) so for them to put this out, I was happy (I'm a big Disney fan, from the theme parks to the cartoons).  I had never heard of the actor and actress playing lead, Taylor Kitsch & Lynn Collins but they did well.  It's not easy playing a martian princess or a civil war captain on Mars and also be taken seriously!  Sure the end is left open (like every other movie these days), but I don't really see a follow up movie happening.  Would I watch this movie again?  Probably!

Besides the above featured movie's I've seen my fair share over the summer.  Like ted, which was hilarious but you have to appreciate Seth MacFarlane's humor to enjoy it.  Often I found myself questioning things Ted was doing, then I had to remind myself, it's a talking bear anything goes.  And the must see movie for women this past summer, Magic Mike!  Did it have a great story line, will it win awards, no, was it worth seeing, yes.  There either needed to be more stripping & dancing and less story or vice-versa, but that didn't stop me from hooting & hollering in the theater!  Let's see what else, oh yeah, The 5 Year Engagement, boring, turned it off!  And last, Lockout.  Like so often most of the movie is shown in the trailer, what a shame.  And then there was the unexpected romance brewing in the movie, but it almost didn't seem appropriate, I wanted crazy inmates locked away in a prison suspended in space in 2079, not flirtatious banter.  Well, that's it for now, in a few more months I'll give you another movie update!