No Time and No Computer

Sorry about the long break between postings. I've been pretty busy between class, my old job, and then my new job. About the time things finally slowed down enough to start watching movies again, my laptop died.
It has been a while, but now I'm back with a "new to me" laptop, a little spare time for movies, and I really want to get started on doing this again. I don't think I will be pushing them out as fast as I was, but I will be back, and I will be watching and writing.

Gone

PG-13 (2012)
(Violence and terror, some sexual material, brief language and drug references)

Two years after her own kidnapping, Jill's sister goes missing in the middle of the night. Jill is convinced that the same man who she escaped from has come back for her and taken her sister instead. When the police don't believe her, she begins the search on her own.

4 out of 5

When I first saw Amanda Seyfried, I would never have imagined the career she has made for herself. Her role in mean girls was funny, but small and not all that flattering. Only a few years later she was absolutely amazing me in Mamma Mia. She's done ditsy, dorky, shy, scary, determined and in love, all of them done well.
Gone was no exception. A tense, on the edge of your seat movie. Well written, well filmed, and very well acted.

50/50

R (2011)
(For language, sexual content, and drug use)
Inspired by a true story, a 27 year old man learns he has cancer. This is the story of his fight to survive... and live.

5 out of 5
 The language (read: Seth Rogen) was probably the most disturbing thing in this movie. To me the drug use (medicinal marijuana) was situational and therefore appropriate.

Wow... just wow. I'm not going to lie, this movie hit close to home. It made me realize that I need to rethink a few things in my life. I've watched cancer from the outside, I think this movie brought me a little closer to seeing it from the inside. With most movies I have opinions on something in the movie other than just the storyline (actors, plot holes, cinematography, etc.), I didn't even notice those things.
I'm sure that 50/50 earned its R rating, but in some cases I think that the rating system doesn't actually determine the "worth" or "worthiness" of a movie. To me this is definitely one of those movies.

Box Office Rules

Over the past few weeks there has been HUGE buzz over the box office totals. First The Hunger Games and then The Avengers (mostly The Avengers) have taken the box office by storm.
The Avengers has completely blown away all former box office records. I doubt it will be in the running for many Academy Awards (except, of course, Special Effects, there it has a shot) but sales like this are unheard of.

One thing many of the articles I have read have brought up, is that these two movies are killing ticket sales for any other movies that are out. Normally when one movie does really well, it gets people out to the theaters, and as a result ticket sales are up across the board. So while coming out the same week as a Harry Potter or a Twilight might mean you never hit #1 for the week, it will bolster ticket sales... perhaps increasing the income of a lower performer. This is not happening now. The Avengers and, to a lesser extent, the Hunger Games are blowing the competition away. Ticket sales on most of the other movies out right now are ridiculously low. Critics are blaming these two blockbusters.... but I don't think they are to blame.

The economy is still such that, while people are more willing to spend, we are careful where our money goes. I know that I, for one, have had it in my budget for months to see those two movies in theaters... I may spring for one more this summer, but that will be it. I can't justify spending between $6 and $15 (depending on geography and the theater) on a single ticket for a one time viewing, when I can wait 6-10 months, buy it on DVD for $17 to $20 (Blu-ray for $25-$35) and watch it all I want with all my friends. Very few movies have the drawing power to get me out and to the movie theater. I think many Americans, and Earthlings for that matter, feel the same way I do.
I also think that if either of these movies came out against another anticipated movie it wouldn't be as drastic. Put them up against each other, a Harry Potter, a Twilight movie, even a new animated Disney movie, and there would not be as big a gap. But with movies based on board games (I'm looking at you Battleship), Sacha Baron Cohen playing the same role yet again (The Dictator), and a movie based on a fairly unknown 1960s TV shows (Dark Shadows), and what do we really expect? (And yes, those are #s 2, 3, and 4 this week in box office.)

Within the next few weeks movies are coming out that I think will easily turn the box office tide. While none will measure up to The Avengers in overall ticket sales, one of them should be able to knock it out of the #1 spot for the week. Men in Black III (Will Smith) comes out this next week, and will be followed in the next few weeks by both Snow White and the Huntsman (Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, and Chris Hemsworth of Thor and The Avengers) and Prometheus (Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Guy Pearce). Given the movies for the rest of the summer, I think we will still see dominance by a few movies more than a spread in sales.

The Avengers

PG-13 (2012)
Intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference.

Nick Fury finally gets what he wants when he uses all of his S.H.I.E.L.D. resources to bring together the team he has been dreaming of. When Loki brings his feud with Thor to Earth, there is nothing that can stop him and his friends, except The Avengers... that is, if they can ever get their act together.
 
5 out of 5

This movie easily takes the best of each of it's predecessors... and makes them look like boring snooze fests.
There are three ways to see this movie. Without seeing any of the other movies, having seen some of the other movies, and having seen all of the other movies. As I stated in a previous blog, I made an effort to see the movies I hadn't before getting to the theater. Although this movie would have been amazing under any circumstances, I think having seen the other movies really helped understand the characters and where they are coming from. Iron Man, Thor and Captain America are all must see movies, whether before or after seeing The Avengers. They make it a better movie. (Personally I think Edward Norton's The Incredible Hulk is miss-able. If you need background on the character I would suggest the slightly, and I do mean slightly, better 2003 Hulk, with Eric Bana, instead.)
The special effects were top shelf. (I do need to say I did not see this movie in 3D. I am not a fan of 3D movies, and while I may need to just try it again, I haven't liked one since Disneyland got rid of Captain Eo.) From the somewhat smaller scale special effects used for characters such as Hawkeye, Captain America, and Black Widow, to the all out CG used for The Hulk and... well I can't give everything away. But seriously, the special effects were amazing, they fit seamlessly into the live action filming.  
When it comes down to it, the interactions between these very unique characters are what really made the movie. Captain America from the 1940s and Thor from Asgard have to find a way to communicate. Bruce Banner has to find a way to control The Hulk while dealing with Tony Stark, but bring him out to help Iron Man. Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury, and Phil...
See the movie already!!!

Thor

PG-13 (2011)
Intense sci-fi action and violence
 
On Asgard, Thor, son of Odin, is arrogant and foolhardy. On the day he is to be made King, Asgard is invaded. Thor leads a counter attack even after being commanded not to. For this, he is cast down to Earth and stripped of his powers. Not until he is worthy will he regain what he has lost.

4 out of 5

I have absolutely no prior knowledge of the comic book lore related to Thor, and only a minimal knowledge of the mythology. As such I went into this movie with a clean slate.
The bleached eyebrows were a bit much for me, but on the whole I really liked this movie.
Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, and of course, Stan Lee, were all great additions to the movie.

*I need to watch this movie a second time, I waited to long to finish my review and can't remember the details.  I do plan on updating this entry again later, but I wanted to get this posted.*

The Incredible Hulk

PG-13 (2008)
Intense action violence, some frightening sci-fi images, and brief suggestive content

Bruce Banner is hiding from the government in the slums of South America. Thinking he may have found someone who can help him find a cure, he exposes himself. Meanwhile the officer after him tries to duplicate the experiment that created The Hulk, and creates something much, much worse.
 
2.5 out of 5

Edward Norton may be a great actor, but he is not a great (or even good) Bruce Banner. I have never, in any version of "The Hulk" know Bruce to not be a sweet guy (lets face it, the whole Jekyll and Hyde style dichotomy is based on the fact that they are polar opposites) and Norton just doesn't quite pull of the boy next door.
Now I will admit that not all of the fault of this movie being crap was lies with Norton. Writers, director, Liv Tyler.... yeah... bad news. When you have a Banner who transforms in The Hulk based on heart rate rather than anger it changes the game completely, and not in a good way. Now not only can he not get angry or be afraid, he can't go for a run, can't enjoy anticipation, and can't, well, get excited...
Overall, this is my least favorite of the movies in the Avengers Saga, and not really a good movie at all.

Captain America: The First Avenger

PG-13 (2012)
Intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence
 
In the middle of World War II, Steve Rogers is desperate to join the war effort and do his part for his country. He tries to enlist multiple times with no luck. Too small, frail and sickly for active duty, he is recruited by a scientist for the supersoldier program that will turn him into Captain America.

4.5 out of 5

Captain America is probably my favorite superhero after seeing this movie. Steve Rogers is a hero in his heart long before he has the physicality to be heroic. Better than that though, is that even after the experiment, he was willing to do what was needed, rather than do what he wanted to be doing.
After seeing the movie I was really curious what method was used for the shots of "skimpy" Steve, so I looked around to find out. From IMDB "The filmmakers had originally planned to hire a body double and superimpose Evans' face onto the double's body, but ultimately scrapped the idea since director Joe Johnston claimed that Evans moved in a unique way and that no body double could replicate his movements." I think this was definitely the best possible choice regardless of the actor chosen because they didn't have to try and train a body double to copy his style of movement.
Overall I found this to be a great movie. Good clean fun. While there is violence, it should be expected (and is often necessary) in a superhero movie.

Iron Man 2

PG-13 (2010)
Sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language

Iron man is fast becoming a national icon, Stark Enterprises is successful as ever, and Tony Stark is never wrong (just ask him). However the government believes that for the sake of national security the Iron Man Suit and all of the research involved must be turned over to the military. Then a new enemy arrives and changes everything.

4 out of 5



Robert Downey Jr. has won his way onto my favorites list with his recent string of movies. His characters of Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes have displayed a quirky sense of humor in his acting, if not in himself, that I find delightful. Tony Stark/Iron Man in particular is a fun guy to watch on the big screen or small.
While I felt that most of the "good guys" were well thought out and multidimensional characters, both Justin Hammer and Ivan Vanko were predictable. Vanko at least had some brains to go with all that brawn, but was still very much a comic book villain. That lack of a strong villain (story-wise... not physically) causes things to not mesh as well as in the first film.

Making the run on The Avengers

As part of a plan (yes, I do make plans based on viewing movies) to prepare for going to see The Avengers this past Monday, I did a mini marathon of the movies that lead up to it. So over the past week I have watched Captain America, Thor, Iron Man 2 (I haven't come across a copy of the first yet) and The Incredible Hulk. I had already seen both Iron Man movies, but it was a first watching for me on all of the others. Within the next couple days (hopefully) I will have all of the reviews up for your reading pleasure.

The Hunger Games

PG-13 (2012)
Intense violence and thematic material - all involving teens.
 
In a post war distopian future, 24 teenagers are chosen to fight to the death in the annual Hunger Games.

4.5 out of 5
(In this instance I think that it is very important to read the book before seeing the movie. There are elements involved in the storyline that aren't as fully developed in the movie, and are important to understanding what is really going on.)

I already had the intention of reading the Hunger Games books, but as the release of the movie began to loom over me, I new I was running out of time. I was lucky enough to receive the books for Christmas, and finished them in about a day each.

The movie was both more than I expected and less than I had hoped. When I go into a movie already knowing the storyline and attached to the characters as I interpret them it is harder to enjoy another person's interpretation of the same story. However the film stayed very true to the book, only departing from it when it wasn't practical to follow the book. A few of the less important characters have been cut and some of the scenes and exposition removed for obvious length and flow reasons.
I loved the casting choice made for Katniss. I don't think there is any other young actress out right now who would have fit my mold better than Jennifer Lawrence.  However I was somewhat leery of a few of the other casting choices, Peeta in particular. Now having seen the movie I don't think they made a single wrong choice.

The Lincoln Lawyer

R (2011)
Some violence, sexual content and language

Defense lawyer Mick Haller thinks he has it made when he is asked to represent a the heir to a real estate company. His client claims he is being framed by a woman who is only trying to get rich off of the civil suit that will surely follow this trial. But the further he gets into the case, the more things just don't add up to Haller.

4.5 out of 5

Twists and turns, ups and downs. Just when you think you know which way this movie is going, it isn't. While it isn't the most surprising movie ever (not by a long shot) there were still a couple of things I just didn't quite see coming. Matthew McConaughey was great in a role that felt real, and it was good to see him in more serious role after the string of romantic comedies and comedies he had done just before this movie (don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of most of the aforementioned movies).

From Prada to Nada

PG-13 (2011)
Brief drug use and a sexual situation

In the newest adaptation of Jane Austin's Sense and Sensibility, two sisters raised in the lap of luxury are in for a rude awakening when their father's death is swiftly followed by the revelation that their father was bankrupt. Now the only place left for them to go is to live with their aunt, in the poor part of town.

4.5 out of 5
(Marijuana use and one scene that implies sex has happened, should be safe for most teenagers)

Camilla Belle has long been one of my favorite actresses and I would be lying if I said that I chose to watch this movie for any other reason. When I realized that what I was watching was actually Sense and Sensibility (about thirty seconds into the opening titles when it told me so) I got pretty excited.
This particular modern take was well done. It was updated enough that any changes were appropriate. At the same time it hit all the major points and followed the book so well that no one in this household was disappointed (and in this Jane Austin loving home that is saying something).

Julie & Julia

PG-13 (2009)
Brief strong language and some sensuality

The stories of Julia Child and Julie Powell are intertwined in this dual memoir of the two women. Julie is an unsatisfied cubical worker who challenges herself to cook every recipe in Julia Child's recipe book in 365 days and shares her experiences in her blog.

5 out of 5
(Fairly safe movie for any audience)

To be finished later...


Random movie fact #2:  The film has Judith Jones stand Julie Powell up due to bad weather. Jones told the Boston Globe in August 2009 that, in fact, she had wanted to meet Julie "because I wasn't sure how you put a blog together and I also wanted to talk about recipe rights", but canceled because "Julia Child looked at her blog and didn't think Julie was a serious cook. There were all these four-letter words - that isn't how you describe food if you care and if you're a good writer. Julia thought we shouldn't have anything to do with it." (Info care of IMDB)

The Darjeeling Limited

R (2007)
Language
 
A year after their father's death three brothers go on a trip to India together.

1 out of 5
(The rating for this movie only mentions language, but there was also an implied sex scene and the short movie, Hotel Chevalier, which is on the DVD with The Darjeeling Limited, has a fairly racy sex scene)


Um... yeah. I did not get this movie at all. There was just enough of a storyline, and what I thought might be potential, to keep me watching (plus the obligation I have to you to watch even the crappy movies). I hoped Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody would make for a good movie, but I was wrong.
I read a couple of favorable reviews of the movie after watching it, and they all seemed to say that it was about the journey. To me, it was all about making it to the credits awake and alive.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

PG-13 (2011)
Sequences of intense action and violence
 
IMF is shut down after they are blamed for a bombing at the Kremlin. Now the team must work together, without backup, to stop the real bomber and clear the organization of the blame.

4.5 out of 5

After all the reboots that have come out over the past few years, I was a little hesitant to see this movie. That's probably why someone else had to pay for me to see it.
Well, you know what, I went right out and blew $1.20 at Redbox so that I could show it to someone else.
Great movie. Bombing the Kremlin was an interesting decision to make, but then again it's been so long since anyone went there it was actually kind of refreshing to avoid the middle east completely.
Perhaps my favorite thing about his movie is that not everything went perfectly. Impossible stunts, yes, but the fact that some of them almost went very wrong was fun to watch.

The Three Musketeers

PG-13 (2011)
Sequences of adventure action violence
 
The age old story is back in this new twist on the tale.
D'Artagnan travels from Gascony to Paris with his father's sword to become a Musketeer. His first day in Paris he manages to set up duels with the three best swordsmen in all of France, former Musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis. When Cardinal Richelieu's guard show up to arrest them for illegal dueling they work together to defeat the guards. 
Now they must work together to defeat Buckingham and Cardinal Richelieu before two manage to start war between England and France.

3 out of 5

I had a hard time with this movie. I am a HUGE fan of the 1948 movie by the same name and that made the storyline changes hard for me to reconcile.
Things I liked about this movie:

• The swordfights... uh-maz-ing.
• Casting choices: all three Musketeers where good choices, as where Richelieu, Rochefort and Milady.
• Cinematography: this movie was very well filmed. Good sweeping views, smooth transitions, and none of the shaky, vomit inducing Blaire Witch camera crap. 

Things I didn't like about this movie:

• Storyline! Not only is this a story everyone already knows, but it is based in history. There are things that can be tweaked, and there are things that cannot. They went to far.
• D'Artagnan. That is all.
• Costuming.
• Airships?!?! Seriously. No, seriously.

Ok, I know I just complained a lot about this movie, and I really do have some major problems with it, but I didn't hate it. I even kind of liked it.
I watched it a second time on purpose, hoping that if I knew what to expect I would be able to see the good in it. I did enjoy it more the second time through, but some I was still really turned off by inaccuracies and inconsistencies.
If you have never seen one of the older versions (I don't think the 1993 will affect anything here, it had it's own issues) I think that this is a movie you can really enjoy. Action movie fans may even be thrilled by the update.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

PG (1985)

Janie is the new girl in town. She and her new best friend Lynne are obsessed with Dance TV. When they find out that there are going to be tryouts, they do everything they can to make it on the show.

4.5 out of 5

I don't remember exactly how I first came in contact with this movie, but I am pretty dang sure that I had no idea what it was about. It was the chance to see the three actresses on the cover in a 80's teen flick together that made me watch it the first time. It is now one of my stand-by background movies (I am always happy to watch it, but I have seen it often enough I can still do other tasks while it is on).
The storyline is familiar, and the characters aren't too terribly fleshed out... but Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt dancing, how could it not be fun to watch? (Despite the fact that she appears on the movie cover, Shannen Doherty actually plays a smallish, though amusing, supporting role.)
All in all Girls Just Want to Have Fun is a clean, wholesome movie you can feel good about watching with all of your family, including Grandma... she will wonder why you are making her watch such a silly movie though.



Edit: Just noticed, Netflix lists this under the category "Movies for ages 11 to 12"... Guess we just learned something about my maturity level.

Also - as I have just given away, I am often to lazy too walk all the way around the couch to my own movie collection... so I use Netflix to watch movies I own.

Gran Torino

R (2008)
Language and violence

Korean war veteran Walt Kowalski is as bigoted and hateful as it gets, until his Hmong neighbor tries to steal his Gran Torino as a gang initiation.

4 out of 5

A friend loaned me this movie, told me it was really good, and I ignored them. I'm not a Clint Eastwood fan, though I have enjoyed a few of his more recent movies (most of which he has also directed), this one didn't appeal to me. Finally, under pressure to return it, I put it in the player. I'm so glad I did. I'm not going to lie, there was a LOT of language, most of it racial slurs, but it was real... it was the character, not just gratuitous use of words.
It isn't often a movie touches me the way this one did. What starts out as trying to keep gang members off of his property grows into teaching his young neighbor how to be a real man. But the real changes are those that are happening to Walt.

My Movies

Generally when I go through my 'fix the movies' phase, I hop on the computer, fire up my Movie List Excel file, and start plugging in my new movies. When I run out of new movies I add new information to the older movies. This time around I couldn't do that, the computer that has my most current movie list also only has an expired trial version of Excel.

So I did what any smart-phone owner would do in my situation. I looked for an App. After a little searching, and trial and error, I found one I really like. My Movies for iPhone. I can scan in my collection by barcode or type in the name. It has almost all of the information I like to keep track of, and I can filter the list by almost any of that information. One of my favorite features is the "shake to open random". Shake the phone and a movie from your list pops up. I use it to pick movies when I don't know what I am in the mood for.

For the next little while it might also be how I pick the movie to post about. So far all of my ratings  for movies have been on the high end. At first I thought I just liked all movies and I was being to kind in my ratings. Then I realized, I've been writing about the movies I've been watching. I generally only watch the movies I like the most. So for you, dear reader, I will watch the crap again (I might skip a few... some of my movies are really dumb...).

And to really look out for your interests, I might even have to go see a few theater new releases (I hope, but ticket prices are so stinking high).

Two Weeks With Love

Approved (1950)
(I couldn't have said it better myself)

The Robinson family goes on a family vacation to the Catskills.
Hilarity ensues.
Their oldest daughter, Patti, wants to be treated like an adult but her parents just aren't ready for their little girl to grow up. Things only get worse for Patti when she falls for Demi Armendez, who is also being chased by her friend Valarie

5 out of 5

In my world, just the fact that this movie has both Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds is enough reason to make it a classic.
This movie is a great movie to watch with the whole family. Parents will commiserate with the parents in the movie, and kids of all ages will enjoy the funny situations that the Robinsons keep getting into.
The movie doesn't play like a "typical" musical where folks just break into random song and dance routines, every song actually fits into the flow of the movie. Most songs are in performances or talent shows, with a daydream or two thrown in for good measure.
If you can find this movie, watch it. You will not regret it. (Ok, maybe if you hate singing and dancing... but even then.)

Ratatouille

G (2007)

Remy loves food and has a gift for cooking. Problem is he is a rat.

Linguini has a job in the kitchen of a famous Parisian restaurant. Problem is he can't cook.

But if they work together...

5 out of 5

Anyone can cook! But more importantly, follow your dreams and don't give up.

This is my favorite Pixar movie. The interactions between Remy and Linguini are sweet and funny. And while the premise of the movie is totally unrealistic, isn't that true of every great Disney movie?

Whip It

PG-13 (2009)
Sexual content including crude dialogue, language and drug material

Bliss Cavendar is a teenager who feels trapped in the world of beauty pageants. When she comes across a flyer for the roller derby in nearby Austin she decides to check it out.

5 out of 5
(I would call this one okay for most older teenagers, but please screen for your kids if you just aren't sure)

The movie is littered with great one liners and is all about girl power. Need I say more?
I bought this movie when I found out that it was Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. While I am not a fan of all of her movies (with a career that started in 1978 and covers most genres you can't make everyone happy all the time) I have liked almost everything she has done since the turn of the century. I wasn't disappointed. My expectations were met and exceeded.
I'm a total sap for coming of age movies, and this one, with its strong female characters, was a total winner. Ellen Page does a great job as a teenager torn between what her mother wants for her and what she wants for herself. You cheer for her when things go her way, and hurt for her when she gets her heart broken.



Random movie fact #1: Drew Barrymore comes from a long line of stars. Her grandfather John Barrymore was in both silent films and "talkies", her great-uncle was stage and film actor Lionel Barrymore, and her great-aunt was stage actor Ethel Barrymore of Singing in the Rain fame ("Well if it isn't Ethel Barrymore!").

The Help

PG-13 (2011)
Thematic material

An aspiring writer gets an idea to explore the lives of the serving women in Mississippi. Set during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, it is a social commentary on the time.

5 out of 5
(Anyone can and should watch this one)

I loved this movie. I would give it a 6 out of 5, but that would be cheating.
The women were real. I laughed, I cried (yeah, that's right... I cried). I wanted to punch a lot of people right in the face. They hit on a lot of subjects that are still touchy almost 50 years later, and I am SO glad they did.

Daybreakers

R (2009)
Strong bloody violence, language and brief nudity

Ethan Hawke is a vampire researcher looking for a synthetic blood supply. After a run in with a group of humans he is introduced to Willem Dafoe, a human who was once a vampire. There is a cure, and now he is going to find it.

3.5 out of 5
(I would go so far as to call this a gory movie, the blood is totally overdone)

Not the normal vampire movie (and not in a Twilight kinda way). Good balance of suspense and action. But really... a lot of blood. I think it lowered the overall quality of the film because it was more than was needed or realistic.

Scream 4

R (2011)
Strong bloody violence, language and some teen drinking

Fourth installment of the 90's slasher "trilogy". It has been ten years since the last attack on Sydney Prescott. A new book, a new life, and everything is great. But her book tour lands in her home town Woodsboro on the anniversary of the original murders. We all know what happens next...

4 out of 5
(Bloody, not kidding, and violent... did you miss the part where it is a horror movie?)

I've been wanting to see this movie since it was in theaters, it just never happened. I'm a big fan of the original three, and this one did not disappoint. Sydney, Gale, and Dewey are all back as main characters, and the young blood (no pun intended) really gives the story the new life. I will not lie, I pride myself in knowing what is going to happen in a movie before it happens, and I didn't catch this one.
If you like the first three I'm pretty sure (as in positive) you will enjoy this one.

In Time

PG-13 (2011)
Violence, some sexualty and partial nudity, and strong language

Humans have been genetically engineered to stop aging at 25. Extra time must be earned, and that time is the currency as well as life. In the poor areas people literally live day to day, minute to minute. In the rich areas men are well over 100 years old, and have thousands of years in reserve.

4.5 out of 5
(I would wait until about 16 before letting my imaginary kids watch this one, before that all they will see is the violence, they will miss the point of the movie)

I stumbled across this movie on VUDU (which, by the way, is probably not a good thing for my movie addiction). I had seen posters for it, but hadn't seen a preview or read anything about it.
I watched this movie expecting mediocre, and then Justin Timberlake blew me away. I know he has been in movies for a while now, but this is the first time I have seen him carry a movie. He was real, raw, and touching. The chemistry between him and Amanda Seyfried was believable. The action was intense.
Some elements of the movie are a little overdone (i.e. spoiled rich girl goes for angry slum boy), but it was good enough it didn't matter. And more than that, it was true enough that it didn't matter.
So, odds are, if you are reading this... you can and should watch it.

Why this blog?

I have spent a LOT of time watching movies over the last... well... forever. Not only that but I have opinions about most of them, opinions I would like to share. I'll be using this blog to write reviews on movies, both new and old, in the hopes that I can share some of my favorite movies, and save you from seeing some of those you probably don't want to.
I will be sharing with you as I watch, and re-watch, movies.


BTW: If there is a movie you want watched and reviewed, just let me know!