Rating: PG-13 Running time: 105min
Tomatometer: 81%
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
I was surprised by this film. I expected another lame remake attempt (see Planet of the Apes) with better CG effects. It was more of a total reboot with a new story line and interesting characters. I really enjoyed the emotional performances and the action sequences. For those who are fans of the original films, prepare for homages to a few iconic scenes and dialogue. While I don't think I will ever see CG animals that are as good as the real thing, this movie is the best I've ever seen. They used motion capture (you know, the same technique used for Avatar--it's even the same company). Andy Serkis plays the main ape and is absolutely brilliant. Whatever the Academy needs to do to make a category for Best Motion Capture Performance, they should. First with Smeagol, now with Caesar---the guy is a genius. The only one I was even close to disappointed in was Franco--his character felt flat or maybe just one note, but that could be attributed more to the story of his character than his performance. A warning to my fellow animal lovers: there are a couple of scenes that made me very uncomfortable, but they don't last long. Overall, for those who enjoy science fiction, action, or apocalyptic movies, I highly recommend Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 118min
Tomatometer: 75%
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I was prepared for a total cliché RomCom when I walked into this movie. If you haven’t noticed, the basic formula for a romantic comedy is: boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back. This movie is more like: boy loses girl, boy finds himself, will boy want girl in the end? I won’t spoil it, but I will say that the trailer for this movie doesn’t come close to including its best parts—as so many do nowadays. Steve Carell is wonderful as always--these parts (Dan in Real Life, Date Night)) really suit him. He brings honesty to his characters along with the comedy that everyone has come to expect from him. His character in this film is a sad, dated, stick-in-the-mud… and yet you can’t help but find him absolutely adorable. Kind of like a lost puppy, actually. Ryan Gosling helps this ‘lost puppy’ and I’m so glad he does. I never put him on my personal list of incredibly magnetic guys… but he is now, believe me. He is somehow perfect in this role of a completely self-absorbed, unbelievably sexy man slut. *Don’t worry, you do end up loving the guy.* He’s right up there with the rest of the actors in his category (Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Matthew McConaughey, Jude Law, etc). I don't really want to say anymore about the movie for fear of giving things away... except that this one did get one over on me--a surprise I didn't see coming. And that's saying something. To sum it up, Crazy, Stupid, Love. is a romantic comedy with a brain, heart, and soul--the whole package. I highly suggest it as a cure to the average chick flick.
Three extraordinary women in Mississippi build an unlikely friendship during the 1960s. Skeeter (Emma Stone) begins a secret writing project about the stories of the maids and nannies of Jackson--starting with Aibileen (Viola Davis) and Minny (Octavia Spencer). From this improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, giving them the courage to cross the lines that define them--even if it means bringing their town face-to-face with the changing times.
Rating: PG Running time: 137min
Tomatometer: 73%
My Rating: 5/5
I must preface this review by saying that I LOVED THIS BOOK. In the words of a close friend, "It's the best book I've ever read. Ever." Therefore, it goes without saying that the movie had a lot to live up to. It is a classic Hollywood standard--the movie is never as good as the book. As with most rules, there are a few exceptions: Psycho, The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, and Jaws (bet you didn't even know those were based on previous works, huh?) to name a few. And while The Help might not be absolutely better than the book, it comes damn close. I was concerned that the chapter style of the book that is so integral to the momentum of the story (and makes the reader stay awake for hours just to turn the page) would be lost in a movie adaptation. I needn't have worried. I was so pleased that the filmmakers found a way to tell this story in a fluid, coherent way without losing the subtle mystery and suspense of the original work. The performances by the main actresses are top notch--you really get to loving all of them... even the ones you hate. *Sidenote: for my fellow True Blood fans, look out for Sarah Newlin and Lafayette!* This film is honest, engaging, and truly inspired. If you're in the mood for a movie, or a book, that will make you laugh, cry, and take a second look at the world, definitely check out The Help.
Rating: R Running Time: 83min
RottenTomatoes Rating: 41%
My Rating: 2.5/5
This movie falls somewhere between Zombieland or Pineapple Express and Your Highness. It does have some truly funny moments but lacks the conviction of those other movies--so it will most likely be soon forgotten. Your Highness is a terrible film that is crass, lewd, and is just bottom of the barrel humor--but it has its audience. Zombieland and Pineapple Express have intelligence, wit, and charm as well as being very funny overall. 30 Minutes or Less lacks all of these things, that's why it won't be remembered a year from now (or even 3 months from now when the DVD releases). Jesse Eisenberg is very good, however. He's probably the movie's most redeeming feature. He is charming and quite hilarious in some parts. Aziz Ansari... not so much. When there was silence in the theater, it was usually after one of his jokes. I might be being a little hard on this film--it's not terrible, it just doesn't quite make the cut by not committing to a humor style. Its much better than the aforementioned Your Highness, but I won't be adding it to my collection.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1hr 47min
RottenTomatoes: 34%
My Rating: 1/5
I found this movie incredibly frustrating. I really wanted to enjoy it--but when the main characters are more irritating than any other chick flick I've seen in recent years, it's hard to ignore. Jim Sturgess' character is a complete jerk, lowlife, and utter douche bag. And the fact that Anne Hathaway is completely in love with him just makes it all the worse. Even the moments where he is caring for his ailing mother or with his young daughter, this character still doesn't evoke any kind of sympathy from the audience. The ridiculousness of the relationship is the only thing I latched onto as the film jumped from one day to the next in a silly way. The story spans 20 years, taking 5 minutes on average per year on just one day. This does not give enough time to go into the relationship between these characters--it just leaves time for a bunch of exposition about what has happened over the past year. Not a good way to tell a story on film. I can see how it might work on paper and why it was tempting to turn it into a movie. I'll leave you with three, simple declarative sentences: It failed. One of the worst romantic dramas I've seen. Don't waste your time.
A young woman (Zoe Saldana)grows up to be a stone-cold assassin after witnessing her parents' murder as a child in Bogota. She works for her uncle as a hitman by day, but her personal time is spent engaging in vigilante murders that she hopes will lead her to her ultimate target - the mobster responsible for her parents' death.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1hr 47min
RottenTomatoes: 36%
My Rating: 3
I only saw the trailer for this movie 2 weeks ago (usually I get wind of movies I want to check out 6 months in advance) and my interest was piqued. I mean, really--a girl who kicks ass? That's my kind of flick. I wasn't disappointed either. Zoe Saldana did a great job in this role, and considering I was a little skeptical of the blue alien, outer space girl being able to shoot machine guns without blinking an eye... she did the job. I was impressed by how she handled the action scenes and was still able to show the vulnerability of this girl who had been through a terrible trauma. I was sucked into her performance in those moments--she totally had me. In terms of the action, some of the sequences were a bit farfetched, but I had never seen them before, so that was my first thought. Within the first 15 mins of the movie, there was a cool break-in that unfolded and I couldn't predict exactly what was going to happen, so I think that was quite a feat. I didn't even mind that it wasn't wrapped up neatly in the end and that usually drives me crazy. Watching this movie completely made up for the other stuff I saw (check out next 2 reviews). This movie is a fun, action packed ride that should satisfy any need for such a film--check it out.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 106min
RottenTomatoes Rating: 82%
Projected video release: Jan. 2012
My Rating: 3.5/5
Within the first 30mins of this movie, there is a scene depicting a CDC lab and I was quickly reminded of one of my favorite films, Outbreak. While this picture doesn't follow the Hollywood formula that the former does, it still has elements of gripping tension and drama that keep the viewer entertained. Even though this movie doesn't have an ending that ties everything up in a neat little bow, I was surprised to find that I still liked it. It doesn't end in a cliffhanger, it's not open-ended for a sequel, it doesn't have a hero-saves-the-day climax, and yet... I was satisfied. (And I'll be honest, I like typical Hollywood endings, so sue me.) The movie feels as true-to-life as any other blockbuster type movie I've seen. The story goes into the characters' lives just enough so you're invested, but doesn't stick to one story line too long for it to feel so focused on the people. Rather, the main character in this movie is the disease--the virus, how fast it's spreading, and what's being done to contain it. I think that's where this movie really succeeds in sucking the viewer in. It probably doesn't hurt that the Swine Flu and H1N1 received such hype over the past several years, and this movie takes advantage of a person's subconscious--after the movie was over, I said to my friend, "I don't want to touch anything." The movie stuck with me after I left the theater. I would say that this film was just suspenseful enough, just gross enough, and just real enough to make it worth a watch, for sure.
Rating: R Runing Time: 1hr 40min
Estimated Video Release: Jan 2012
RottenTomatoes Rating: 93%
My Rating: 4.5/5
I actually saw this one over a week ago, but I needed time to really reflect on what I watched. At first, I really didn't know what to think about this one. It is one of those movies that you go in expecting one thing, and you get something completely different. I mean, completely different. If I was going to use one word to describe this one, "artistic" would be what I would choose. Not really the impression you get from the trailers, the posters, or just the fact that it got a wide theatrical release. Typically, movies like these are played on one screen in one theater in town--not on multiple screens in nearly every establishment.I debated for a long time how much to say about this movie in my review. It's not that there's a big surprise in the end, or some hidden fact to give away, but I'm just not sure how much of the overall reaction to the movie is tied to the fact that you go in to the theater and are blindsided so many times... I'll say this: Drive is one of the most graphic, gory movies I've seen. Not for quantity of those scenes, since there only about 4 or so, but for the quality. It creeps up behind you, smacks you over the head, then runs away before you know what the hell just happened. As long as you can stomach such things for very brief periods, I do believe it is worth a watch. It has a very unique story rhythm and is wonderfully acted. For those who aren't used to very understated romance in movies, you will probably get frustrated with the scenes between Gosling and Mulligan. Just give it a chance, though--because when you think about it, they feel more real than regular Hollywood characters. I did give it a 4.5 for a reason, and I actually agree with the big critics--this one will probably be on the Oscar ballot.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 2hr 13min
Projected Video Release: Jan 2012
RottenTomatoes: 95%
My Rating: 5/5
There are hundreds of movies that are focused around sports but most of the good ones are really about something bigger. Remember the Titans: a football movie about civil rights and equality. Bend it Like Beckham: a soccer movie about a girl's struggle to fight for her what she wants. Field of Dreams: a baseball movie about a family's faith in each other. Moneyball: a baseball movie about… baseball. That's it, there's nothing more to this movie. And surprisingly, I'm glad. This film is engaging without having to make the story about 'something more.' It's an underdog story without feeling too hokey and it's a true story without feeling too melodramatic. The plot of the film focuses on how Billy Beane rebuilt the Oakland A's without having the outlandish budget of a team like the Yankees. How he does it? Math. Straight, boring, math. The writing and the acting by Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill is so well done that a baseball non-fan can find how all that works actually interesting--I think that's pretty impressive. I never felt that there was too much exposition, or that there was a lag in between plot points. Forget that it's a good baseball movie, it's a just good movie, period. Moneyball provides a real life story with a bit of drama, humor, and joy--a very satisfying movie-going experience, whether you're a fan of America's past time or not so much.
Rating: R Running Time: 2hr 3min
Projected Video Release: Feb 2012
RottenTomatoes: 23%
My Rating: 2.5/5
I had high hopes for this film. When I read that this is based on the life of the real Sam Childers and starred Gerard Butler, I was very excited to see it. However, even a great acting job by a leading man can't solve substantial plot problems. Butler delivers a complex performance that is gritty, emotional, violent and very compelling. Sadly, the story feels unfinished, which may be attributed to the fact that what is happening in Africa is still ongoing, so there isn't a clear resolution to the movie. However, if the movie focused more on the development of Sam it could've felt more like a complete story. As it is, the plot bounces back and forth between the brutality of Africa and Sam's family drama back stateside. The audience isn't allowed to see how or why Sam is changed by his experiences. This isn't a terrible movie by any means, it simply could've been better. I do appreciate the level of devotion some people can find within themselves to commit to a cause such as this. The Childers family is absolutely remarkable and what is happening in Africa and elsewhere is atrocious... I just wish this movie succeeded at a higher level so more people could be exposed to it.
Rating: R Running Time: 1hr 40min
Projected Video Release: Jan 2012
RottenTomatoes: 93%
My Rating: 4.5/5
A comedy about cancer. When I first heard about the story months ago, I thought that it sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. I mean, to take a topic like cancer and build a comedy around it with the likes of Seth Rogen? I was sure that this movie was going to be ripped apart for lack of tact and being generally distasteful. Then I saw that the writer (Will Reiser) of the movie used his own experience with cancer as the inspiration for the story, and I softened to the idea. When I watched the trailers and saw the movie posters, I became excited to see it. While I can't say for sure that people who have lived through cancer treatments would enjoy it, I believe they would. I should've known--Joseph Gordon-Levitt has made some good choices for himself lately. This film uses light humor sprinkled throughout the seriousness of a young guy's battle with cancer; it has none of the gutter level humor that comes from the Judd Apatow crowd (which is actually just Rogen in this movie--but one tends to expect a certain kind of movie from him nowadays). Rogen and Levitt are fantastic and absolutely believable as these best friends who are just living their lives. Rogen plays a generally toned-down version of his usual character (and with a lot more heart) and Levitt is wonderful as the guy trying to rebuild his ripped-apart life. Their humor allows the story to not feel depressing, but more like real life. It's inspiring and funny and one of the best films I've seen this year.
Rating: R Running Time: 1hr 46min
Projected Video Release: Jan 2012
RottenTomatoes: 23%
My Rating: 1.5/5
My review of this movie is simple. Do not waste your time. The only real reason I gave this movie an extra .5 on my scale is due to its willingness for the main characters to show some skin. To really talk about the movie, though... it is just bland. The comedy here feels forced almost the entire time. The funniest person is Chris Evans who isn't even a comedic actor. The majority of the overdone sex jokes (really, they redid the same joke at least 3 times) fall completely flat. You are either bored, uncomfortable, or waiting for Kristen Wiig to pop up and show Farris how its done. Don't misunderstand me, I don't mind Farris. I think that there is a definite audience for this kind of humor (that's one of the reasons why the Scary Movie franchise has done well) and I even find The House Bunny entertaining. This time, it just didn't work. What I think is truly unfortunate, besides that someone even decided to make this film, is that if they made a PG-13 version of this movie, I think it could have succeeded. Leave out the crude humor, have your actors put some clothes on, and you probably have a decent RomCom. It would have been predictable of course, but it also would have been watchable. Unless you have a hankering to see Chris Evans wearing nothing but a hand towel (well, who doesn't really), I recommend spending the 2 hours detailing your car instead of sitting through this.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 2hr 6min
Projected Video Release: Feb 2012
RottenTomatoes: 61%
My Rating: 3.5/5
A movie about boxing robots? Real Steel for a title? Come on, this movie was fighting multiple negative assumptions from the very start. But you know what is so surprising? It's actually a good movie. The terrible title notwithstanding, Real Steel is a well-made blockbuster. It has action, thrills, heart, and good character development that I found to be completely unexpected. I'm not alone in this feeling, either. This movie has a 61% on RT--that's better than any of the Transformers movies, i, Robot, or the third Matrix installment. Hugh Jackman is pretty fantastic as a deadbeat antihero who grows a conscience and heart and the kid, Dakota Goyo, is very surprising in his first central film role. He manages to be a very precocious child while avoiding the usual irritating feeling that many kid characters evoke. The two make a great team--and their chemistry? Completely believable, no doubt. Even though this movie is a Dreamworks production, distributed by Disney, and just happens to be influenced by Rock'em Sock'em Robots and Rocky, it doesn’t feel overly childlike or groan worthy--it is a fairly well-rounded, fully realized movie. While I still feel quite passionate that the creative team should have come up with a better title, it is still very appealing and one of my favorite scifi flicks of the year.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1hr 53min
Projected Video Release: Feb 2012
RottenTomatoes: 72%
My Rating: 3.5/5
If you are a fan of the original Footloose and its fun, melodramatic cheese-fest (as I am), you are in for quite a treat, as this remake trounces the original by simply being a better movie. The characters are more developed and the plot is more engaging; overall a decent movie experience. What I found quite impressive is that there are so many scene-for-scene copies here (even with the same songs that have an updated country flair), yet the movie still feels current and not held back by the very dated original. The story is more believable than the original, as are the characters. To top it off, this Footloose out-dances the Bacon film. It’s supposed to be a movie about dancing, but there isn't a whole lot of that in the 1984 version, while the Womald/Hough remake is a dance-fest instead of a cheese-fest. This could possibly be attributed to the fact that both of these main actors were dancers before they were actors--but why would anyone think that would be a good idea for a dancing movie, anyway? Speaking of dancing movies, this Footloose out does any other dance film of the past several years... possibly the decade. For those who either aren't fans of the Bacon classic, or just haven't seen it, you don't need to in order to appreciate and enjoy this movie. Footloose 2011 is a fun, energetic ride that will make you go, well, footloose!
Rating: R Running Time: 1hr 24min
Estimated Video Release: Feb 2012
RottenTomatoes: 70%
My Rating: 3.5/5
As true horror films go, the Paranormal Activity franchise has proven to be top notch. I put these movies in a different category than most 'horror' movies--they're not slasher films like Scream , or 'there's never too much gore' movies like the Saw franchise, or sex-then-scare flicks like Piranha 3D , and they're not even monster movies even though they deal with ghosts/demons. PA1 , 2 , and now 3 are true horror films that deal out the fright just for the fun of it (most like The Ring or something similar). Now, if you don't enjoy these kinds of movies, then you obviously won't be entertained. If, however, you do like spending an hour and a half white knuckled to your chair, reminding yourself to breathe, and swearing every 15 minutes because a jump scene totally got you (like I do), then you will have a great time. One of the interesting things about this movie is not that they are scary in the usual sense. Typically something that scares you is something you see--a scary face, or blood everywhere, that sort of thing. With these movies, it's what you don't see that is so freaky. You're watching the movie and you just know that something is going to happen, but you have no idea exactly what because you can't see the damn thing, then BAM! Something drops from the ceiling, or something crashes in the next room. It's brilliant. PA 3 is one of the rare sequels that manages to hold onto the intensity of the very first film and also develop the story to give the audience a bit of explanation for the two preceding movies. I say they are all well done. If they continue to make more of these movies, they might need to switch to a different family since they pretty much wrapped up the story in this one, but who knows. What I do know is that the first time you watch any of these movies, you can't help but jump out of your skin... and that is a successful horror movie.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1hr 49min
Estimated Video Release: Feb 2012
RottenTomatoes: 36%
My Rating: 3/5
Now, you might think that a rating of 3 on my system is a bit high for this movie if you go see it in theaters. However, it is definitely better than 30 Minutes or Less, Machine Gun Preacher, What's Your Number and absolutely better than the atrocity that is One Day (see my reviews!). Therefore, it deserves a 3. In Time is an inventive movie that strives to be like the Inceptions and Matrixes of the film world. While it doesn't get to that height, it certainly makes a good effort. The intro lets the audience know that it doesn't matter how far into the future we are, or how we got there--it just matters what's going on now. I found this future world to be interesting and not fully blown out into the realm of ridiculousness. The concept feels new and entertaining, while having a real base in two classic story concepts: Bonnie & Clyde and Robin Hood. The story's two main characters are well acted, if not totally well thought out at all times. There is only one point in the story when you are reminded of Will's pain, and Silvia has a jumpy character evolution that has a few contradictions. However, Timberlake and Seyfried manage to make their relationship interesting and powerful--you believe that they would die for each other even if it meant the other would get just one more minute of life--not bad if I do say so myself. I can't say that this movie is a must-see in the theater... but if scifi movies that don't always take themselves too seriously are your thing, I would give this one a try when it comes out to rent.
Rating: R Running Time: 1hr 59min
Estimated Video Release: Feb 2012
RottenTomatoes: 51%
My Rating: 1.5/5
I love Johhny Depp as much as the next person, but this movie is boring. I don't even remember the last 20 minutes because I nearly fell asleep--something I've never done in a movie before. I thought that it might just be the first 10-15 minutes that were running a bit slow and it would pick up. Then 20 minutes went by, then 30, and then an hour and I was just done. Every time I thought the story would gain some traction, it would just die down again. There's even a car chase where Depp is spitting fire out of the top of a car and that even felt tired. The description of this movie is far more interesting than it actually is and the trailer for this film is, too--it has all the best parts of the movie wrapped up into a concise minute-30 package (I'm surprised they found enough good footage to even make a trailer). *sigh* I hate to criticize Johhny, but don't waste your time with this one, folks.
Rating: PG Running Time: 1hr 30min
Estimated Video Release: Feb 2012
RottenTomatoes: 81%
My Rating: 4/5
If you, like most people that saw Shrek 2, fell in love with the character of Puss in Boots, this is the perfect movie for you. In keeping withKung Fu Panda, Despicable Me, and How to Train Your Dragon, this 'kids' movie has just enough adult humor to keep the rest of us thoroughly entertained. Is it groundbreaking? Will it change the face of cinema forever? Of course not, but Puss in Boots will make you laugh-out-loud and smile all the way through. The story is original, while still keeping with the fairy tale theme of the Shrek universe. Even though it is predictable, it feels like the filmmakers knew it would be, so they let you in on the secret a little early. That way the 'surprise' doesn't feel overly dramatic or kitschy. The many, many jokes playing up the fact that Puss is really just a cat were truly hilarious. Every single one made me giggle, chuckle and straight bust up laughing. If they decide to continue on with Puss in Boots in his own set of movies, I will be right there in the theaters. I loved it. I would say this is one of the best animated films of the year, nearly surpassingKung Fu Panda 2... nearly.
Josh Kovacs (Stiller) has managed one of the most luxurious and well-secured residences in New York City for more than a decade. In this building, a Wall Street titan is under house arrest for stealing two billion from his investors--and the pensions of the tower staffers. Josh’s crew turns to petty crook Slide (Murphy) to plan a nearly impossible heist--steal money from inside the guarded condo.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1hr 39min
Estimated Video Release: Mar 2012
RottenTomatoes: 68%
My Rating: 3.5/5
The big picture? Tower Heist is a fun caper movie that provides good laughs and brings new (if outlandish) ideas to the heist genre. I found the movie to be an entertaining bit of fluff that seems to be a vehicle to slowly bring Eddie Murphy back into the adult comedy spotlight. Not to say that he returns to his raunchy roots (this is a PG-13 film after all), but it feels that Murphy has moved away from the family or gross-out comedies he's been doing the past decade (The Nutty Professor, Dr. Doolittle, Pluto Nash, I Spy, Daddy Day Care, The Haunted Mansion, Norbit *on average, these films and their sequels get a whopping 26% on RT*). He was dry, his timing was perfect, and there wasn't one fart joke throughout the whole film. Alongside Murphy there is, of course, Ben Stiller--who I would call the center of the movie. His character connects all the others and is the mastermind behind the crime. His comedy in this movie is more on the side ofNight at the Museumthan anything else he's done recently, which I really enjoyed. Other surprise players are Gabourey Sidibe (of Precious fame), Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Michael Peña, and Téa Leoni--all of whom are great additions to the understated comedy team. Even though there are some big pot holes and unanswered questions during the resolution, I didn't care so much since I enjoyed the ride. This movie isn't as great as some other great heist movies of the past, but I don't recall one that was also this funny, so I say this movie is worth the time.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1hr 57min
Estimated Video Release: Apr 2012
RottenTomatoes: 7%
My Rating: 1.5/5
New Year's Eve is not a movie to waste your time on. It is 2 hours of romantic comedy fluff that doesn't measure up to the mediocre Valentine's Day. Yet again, even with some major star power, the movie just doesn't impress. It might be a movie that you could play in the background while you wash dishes... or vacuum since you really don't need to hear the movie to tell that it's simply not worth a dedicated watch. If you are at all interested in this movie, wait a few weeks until it comes out to rent.Probably my shortest review to date... but it really wasn't worth much more.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 2hr 8min
Estimated Video Release: May 2012
RottenTomatoes: 59%
My Rating: 2.5/5
When you compare the Sherlock Holmes sequel to the original, it doesn't come close. I was thinking throughout this movie that they tried very hard to recreate the intellectual mystery and action suspense of the first... and when you are thinking of the filmmaker's intent instead of the actual movie, you can't really call it successful. Not to say that Game of Shadows isn't a fun movie, it is. It's just not up to par with its predecessor. If you like Downey and enjoyed the first Holmes movie, you will probably like this movie enough to see it at least once--but you can just wait for the DVD.
Rating: R Running Time: 2hr 37min
Estimated Video Release: Apr 2012
RottenTomatoes: 86%
My Rating: 5/5
You do not need to see the original Tattoo to enjoy this film--nor will having seen it diminish this film's enjoyability. Like many people, I was confused as to the reason why an English version of Tattoo was being made (It would be like remaking Pan's Labyrinth just to make it in English) since the Swedish version was so damn good. I've never sat through a foreign language film and been so engrossed as I was with the original tattoo, so I didn't hold out much hope for this version. However, I was surprised to find that this version is just as gritty, has the same sense of realism, and is overall extremely enjoyable. The pacing of David Fincher's version is a bit different--it starts off a bit slower, but ends with more momentum. It also feels that this movie is truer to the novel (not having read it myself, but there are added scenes which build on the overall story). In almost every review, you'll see the extreme praise for Rooney Mara. I found her Lisbeth to be even more grounded than Noomi Rapace's. She is dark, very complex, and absolutely mysterious. Yet, somehow, she seems real--like you could actually meet this girl on the street. I say, without reservation, that David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo is absolutely one of the best films of the year.
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 2hr 13min
Estimated Video Release: May 2012
RottenTomatoes: 93%
My Rating: 4.5/5
I will be honest from the getgo--I have never before seen a Mission Impossible movie in its entirety. I know, this is heresy, for the Mission Impossible movies have become a staple of 90s and 00s pop culture. However, I never made the effort to watch the first Ethan Hunt flick, so it always seemed pointless to watch further installments. Why did I see this one, you ask? Great question--two reasons, really: Jeremy Renner and rave reviews. This is the best reviewed Tom Cruise movie since... ever (not countingRisky Business which I will never understand, so I simply act as if it doesn't exist). And I'm just in love with Renner, so I got an expensive IMAX ticket and sat down with about 200 other people and waited to be underwhelmed. I was blown away. Not by the great special effects, or the above-par delivery by the actors, but by the script and the directing. This movie is exciting, engaging, and really funny--not something I expected. Granted, when I saw this movie is directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille), I should've known better. Again, since I haven't seen the previous films, I was a bit concerned that I would get lost with certain references or characters. This wasn't the case. Since so much of the original movie has become pop knowledge, I was able to catch on and stay immersed in the movie without being distracted. Will this movie win any Oscars? Probably not. But if they ever split the Best Pictures into categories, I think this one would win for Best Action Film... and at least be nominated for Best Sequel. Have a go at this one, even if you have no clue what IMF is or don't even recognize the MI theme song. In the very least, you'll have a good time.
2011 Oscar Predictions
Hello! It's been quite some time since I posted my last review here--needed to take a break. I will return with movie reviews very soon.
I was about to sit down to watch the Academy Awards when I realized I hadn't posted my predictions. I'm not going to post all the awards, just the big ones and the other categories I find interesting. I have bolded my prediction on who/what I think will win. Now, for what I would like to happen... that's a whole other thing. Here we go!
Best Picture
The Artist--The Descendants--Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close--The Help--Hugo--Midnight in Paris--Moneyball--The Tree of Life--War Horse
Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir--George Clooney--Jean Dujardin--Gary Oldman--Brad Pitt
Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close--Viola Davis--Rooney Mara--Meryl Streep--Michelle Williams
Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh--Jonah Hill--Nick Nolte--Christopher Plummer--Max von Sydow
Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo--Jessica Chastain--Melissa McCarthy--Janet McTeer--Octavia Spencer
Animated Feature Film
A Cat in Paris--Chico & Rita--Kung Fu Panda 2--Puss in Boots--Rango
Costume Design
Anonymous--The Artist--Hugo--Jane Eyre--W.E.
Directing
The Artist--The Descendants--Hugo--Midnight in Paris--The Tree of Life
Makeup
Albert Nobbs--Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II--The Iron Lady
Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II--Hugo--Real Steel--Rise of the Planet of the Apes--Transformers: Dark of the Moon
There we are. Who knows what will happen, maybe I'll be wrong on a few and what I actually want to win actually will! Have fun watching!
2011 Oscar Winners
Ok, so one of my favorite movies of the year walked away without a golden statue, but there were some very pleasing results. Here's my recap of the night with where I went wrong and where I got it dead on.
Visual Effects
My pick: Hugo 
Oscar goes to: Hugo
Makeup
My pick: The Iron Lady
Oscar goes to: The Iron Lady
Costume Design
My pick: The Artist
Oscar goes to: The Artist
Animated Feature Film
My pick: Kung Fu Panda 2 
Oscar goes to: Rango
Actress in a Supporting Role
My pick: Octavia Spencer
Oscar goes to: Octavia Spencer
Actor in a Supporting Role
My pick: Kenneth Branagh
Oscar goes to: Christopher Plummer
Actress in a Leading Role
My pick: Viola Davis
Oscar goes to: Meryl Streep
(I let my personal feelings get in the way on this one. Meryl was a guaranteed win.)
(I let my personal feelings get in the way on this one. Meryl was a guaranteed win.)
Actor in a Leading Role
My pick: Jean Dujardin
Oscar goes to: Jean Dujardin
Directing
My pick: Hugo
Oscar goes to: The Artist
Best Picture
My pick: Hugo
And the big winner of the night is....
The Artist
So, my scorecard is 50/50 for the categories I picked. Not too shabby. I figured Hugo was a shoo-in for nearly everything, but it only picked up 5 out of the 11 it was nominated for. The Artist won 5 out of its 10 noms (beating Hugo for Music, Costumes, Directing and Best Picture). I'm very happy that The Help's Octavia Spencer was honored for her role, and that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo picked up a statue for Film Editing, but disappointed that Moneyball was shut-out.
There were also a few milestones at this year's Oscars. This marked Billy Crystal's 9th time hosting the awards--this ties him with Bob Hope (if you don't count times Bob Hope was a co-host... then his tally jumps to 19. Yeah, 19.) Meryl Streep added her 3rd Oscar (only surpassed by Katharine Hepburn's 4) and 17th nomination--for which she holds the record. Christopher Plummer is the oldest actor to win an Oscar at 82 years old. And, Hugo joined Titanic and Master and Commander: Far Side of the World as the only films to be nominated for every technical award (Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects).
That's everything. I will return soon for my first reviews of 2012--I have more than a couple to write up!
Happy watching.
