The Italian Job

2003 - 4.2/5

It had been a while since I saw this movie, so everything seemed new to me watching it the second time. The first 20 minutes of this movie truly set the tone for what followed. It had a good pace, and there wasn’t any unnecessary filler. There were some great transitions between shots and pretty good cinematography as well (particularly in Italy). I did like the scene in which the bullets were going through the water (at the beginning) even though I read that that could never actually happen – either way, it looked good. Throughout the entire movie the music pumped the viewer up. It was very well incorporated into whatever was on screen.

This movie already has 2 things going for it in my books: Edward Norton and Mark Walberg. Charlize Theron was a good addition as well as Jason Statham, Seth Green and Mos Def. I find that in heist movies, there’s always a group of people, each with their own specialties. I think each actor/actress fit their character very well and they were all very believable. It was a perfect team and each ‘specialty’ was well thought out. I wouldn’t say that any of the character traits were exaggerated like you’d see in some movies.

I think this movie had it all. A high-speed boat chase through the narrow water canals of Italy, high-speed car chases, and some very cool helicopter scenes. Overall, great acting, a good plot and a good script.

If any movie needs to have a sequel it’s this one! I’ve heard that the sequel is supposed to be The Brazilian Job, but I know I shouldn’t hold my breath.

Oh, by the way, didn’t this movie make you want a Pepsi? Product placement much?

***SPOILER ALERT***
Right off the bat I got a feeling that there was something fishy about Steve…probably had something to do with that mustache. Edward Norton always portrays a villain, which is fine because he always does a good job.

Although I didn’t remember that Charlie (Walberg) and Bridger (Sutherland) cracked the safe underwater, I didn’t believe that the safe fell into the boat without damaging it.

One thing that I didn’t really get was that it seemed as if Steve ended up with the whole $35 million. The group ended up stealing back $27 million; so $7 million was gone. My issue (if you can call it that) is: wouldn't Steve have had to pay the people that helped him steal the money? I'm sure they got a cut, but wouldn't they have known what it was, and more importantly, how much it was worth? Clearly Steve had spent some of the money himself. I guess it wasn't mentioned how it was split between Steve and his crew, but obviously a good chunk of it needed to remain in Steve's possession in order for it to be worth it for Charlie's team to steal it back - although it was never about the money.

Bad Santa

2003 – 3.6/5

FINALLY, a Christmas movie for adults! The movie starts out with Willie (Billy Bob Thorton) narrating how shitty his life has been up until this point. From this point on, hilarity ensues.

He’s a run-down guy who has nothing going for him 11 months out of the year; however, when December rolls around, that’s his time to shine (well, I’m using the word ‘shine’ very loosely here). Willie is the Santa Clause at a mall and Marcus (Tony Cox) is his Elf. Nothing unusual here – except the fact that they steal money by breaking into safes on Christmas Eve.

This movie is about a sex-craved Santa who is rude, drinks, smokes, swears, pisses himself, breaks into house, and steals. And who better to play a drunken slob, but Billy Bob Thorton. His portrayal as this character was spot on. I read on IMDB that 3 other people were considered for this role, but had to turn it down due to other commitments. I’m glad they did because Thorton did an amazing job with this role.

Oh the Kid, the Kid, the Kid! We don’t even get to know his name until just after an hour; and even when we find out his name is Thurman Merman, he’s still referred to as ‘The Kid’. He is naïve and adorable! It’s rare when young kids are actually really good, so props to Brett Kelly for pulling it off! It’s also pretty cool that he’s a Canuck too!

The plot was original, and like I said earlier, it is nice to watch a Christmas movie that isn’t rated G or PG. The acting was really good and the screenplay was well written too.

Best & Worst : 2011

I made a video about the movies I've seen that were released in 2011.

I came up with 8 categories:
1. Favorite movie
2. Worst movie
3. Movies I still want to see
4. Movies I want to avoid
5. Pleasantly surprised with
6. Expected more from
7. Honorable mentions
8. Dishonorable mentions

Big Daddy

1999 – 3.1/5

One day, a 5-year-old kid shows up at the door of Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler). The kid actually belongs to his roommate who just happened to leave the country on a business trip. Although Sonny has graduated from law school, he doesn’t seem to care about the responsibilities that come with adult life. In an attempt to show his now ex.girlfriend he is responsible, he decides to keep the kid, Julian (Cole & Dylan Sprouse).

To some extent this movie is along the same lines as Happy Gilmore, Billy Maddison, The Waterboy, ect; it has the typical Adam Sandler flavour to it, but I would say that this movie has a slightly different twist.

I thought that this was a very original plot and it was pieced together well. The supporting actors/ actresses were pretty good with their roles as well. I got a few good laughs out of it and it was the first movie I ever watched that I ended up with tears in my eyes.

Stranger Than Fiction

2006 - 4/5

I recently saw the short video The Landlord, so I felt like watching a Will Ferrell movie. This movie then reminded me about the painting The Son of Man, so I’ll probably blog about that soon!

I didn’t know what to expect going into this movie other than knowing it wasn’t going to be anything like Will Ferrell’s usual movies. I was okay with that because I don’t really find his particular type of comedy that funny or entertaining, but I did know I wanted to see it. I remember seeing this movie with my cousin at Tinseltown cinema. I also remember calling in sick to work to do so. It was worth it.

I want to start this review by saying that the only things in life that are certain are, Death and Taxes.

Two minutes in and the reference to my favourite painting had been made – The Son of Man (1964) by René Magritte. I think that it was pretty clever to play it into the movie and I feel that it added more behind the scenes meaning. I also wanted to mention that during one part of the movie in which Harold was sitting on a couch, it seemed as if the clouds that were painted on the wall behind him were moving; anybody else catch that?

I do understand why some people do not like this movie. I feel as if people may not have liked this movie because it wasn’t the typical Ferrell movie or they didn’t catch the reference to the painting. But to be fair, I can’t assume that everyone knows what The Son of Man is, but like I said earlier, knowing about the painting helped me recognize and appreciate the symbolism.

Some of the lines I liked:

Harold: No it’s not schizophrenia. It’s a voice in my head.

Professor JH: The only way to find out what story you’re in is to determine what stories you’re not in.

Harold: Thank you for forcing me to eat them.

Harold: I’m married to her brother. Not in this state, the one over.

My absolute favourite line had to be:
Harold: I brought you flours.

It started off quickly and everything meshed together seamlessly. It was a pretty level movie in the sense that there were really no high highs or low lows. Lets face it; obviously I’m going to like a movie whose main character has OCD. And how awesome is it that the picture on the DVD disc is a green apple? LOVES IT!

Overall, the plot was good, the script was good, the acting was really good, and the symbolism was perfectly incorporated. This movie really does deserve a solid 4 out of 5. I would highly recommend this movie – to a particular audience because it’s not a movie for everyone.

Lastly, I wanted to add something I read on IMDB that’s worth adding into my review:
Near the beginning, Ms. Eifel [narrates] "When asked by a co-worker for the product of 67 and 453, Harold drew a blank. He quickly answered 30,351 despite the answer really being 31,305." The product of 67 and 453 actually is 30,351. This was meant to get viewers to question who was dictating Harold's life. Was it the narrator or Harold himself? It wouldn't be a coincidence that the "incorrect" number given by Harold would in fact be the correct answer.

Zack & Miri Make A Porno

2008 – 3.7/5

To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Kevin Smith movies but I do appreciate what he does. This was a movie like no other. The storyline was very unique: 2 lifelong friends, Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) decide to make a porno movie to make money in order to make ends meet. Their relationship has always been platonic, so it’s obvious that there will be a certain level of awkwardness. There are several times in this movie that gets really raunchy and vulgar, but it was tasteful.

It was a funny movie and Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks make a good pair; they were defiantly my favourite characters. Every one else held their own as well. Each character had their own persona and dialogue that suited them. I thought the screenplay was solid.

Brandon Long had a good cameo, and his part was very funny – 2 of my favourite lines came from the high school reunion scene (Miri: No, don’t just thank me, fuck me! / Zach: They fight just like real people).

The Ant Bully

2006 - 1/5

I didn’t mind the message behind this movie, but the movie as a whole it was just ‘eh’. I know I’ll never watch it again, and I’m not sure I’d recommend it to anyone. Just to be clear, I’m not saying it was a horrible movie, it just wasn’t repeat-worthy. There was zero entertainment value and I’m glad I didn’t pay money to see this movie.

I didn’t laugh, chuckle, or even snicker during any point of this movie. It was basically one-tone throughout the entire movie. And to some extent I was waiting for something to happen, but on the other hand, it was very predictable and you knew what was going to happen.

It seemed as if the voiceover actors were trying to be that character and it just didn’t work. I felt they were trying to change their voices a bit, or emphasize it from time to time. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it seemed forced and not natural. For the most part, I find that when there’s a big name behind the voice, the majority of the time, it’s never that great.

Yes it was an animated movie and these types of movies typically go beyond realistic boundaries, but there still needs to be some form of realism and believability and I think this movie strayed too far away – my example being the kids strength, climbing ability and the fact that he never really got hurt even though he was thrown around several times.

I know I can keep rambling about how I didn't like the kid, the ants, or any of the other characters, but I'll put the brakes on here.

I’ll admit that I have a biased opinion, but the way I see it, Disney Pixar far exceeds other animated movies with regards to animation, storyline, script, voiceovers, ect. And even if it wasn't an animated movie, Disney still wins with Honey I Shrunk the Kids.

James & the Giant Peach

1996 - 2.1/5

I mainly liked the animated parts. I think the live action at the beginning didn’t need to be 20 minutes long.

I liked the kid that did the voice for James.

I LOVED the claymation!

My favourite lines:

Centipede: I did live between two pages of The National Geographic. Very informative magazine, the National Geographic. Lots of nice pictures.

Grasshopper: He’s committed pesticide.

Let Me In

2010 - 3.2/5

The movie itself gets a 3 out of 5, but the ‘.2’ was added because of the rubik’s cube!

I think this is the first vampire movie I have ever seen. Knowing what other types of vampire movies are popular nowadays, I’ve been trying to avoid them. Although I remember being told when this movie first came out, it was a vampire movie, I actually forgot. With that being said, a friend had highly recommended this movie, so I knew it probably wasn’t like the other vampire movies.

Let me start this review by saying, holly mother of creepfest! I cannot tell you how many times I got the chills watching this movie! For a movie that didn’t have a whole lot happen, it was pretty entertaining. Those parts that nothing was really happening was building up to the parts that did; and boy, did those parts deliver! This movie wasn’t just about killing and gory deaths, emotion and relationships were added in with different characters.

This movie is a remake, and I haven’t seen the original, but I’ve read several reviews on IMDB that said that this movie does the original justice.

Acting:
The kid that played Owen was so good! His looks fit the role, his voice fit the role, and overall, Kodi Smit-McPhee WAS Owen.

I had no idea that the police officer in this movie was Casey Jones from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! I also didn’t know that Elias Koteas was still acting and I’m happy he is because he is a good actor. And yay that he’s Canadian!

A couple minutes after Abby was introduced, I had to stop the movie and find out who she was because she looked so familiar. I had no idea it was the Hit Girl from Kick-Ass! I did not like her character in that movie, although I think she did an okay job with the role. But Chloe Moretz was a perfect fit with Abby. She was a solid actress, and at no point in this movie did her acting seemed forced.

Richard Jenkins. Need I say more? This guy is amazing! He is such a versatile actor; he is able to play practically any role given to him and he was great with this role as Abby’s father. This character, like many others, was creepy, and Jenkins was awesome – business as usual for him.

Cinematography:
The director defiantly paid attention to the camera angles and ended up with some good shots. One that stands out was the scene that Owen was looking through his telescope into the neighbours houses and we see the light shine through the telescope and onto his eye. Another part worth mentioning was the camera angle before and during a car crash – it gave the viewer a great perspective. The whole fire part in the hospital was kind of meh, but it was necessary to add it in (I won’t elaborate any further because I feel as if I might say too much and give something away; although it is obvious that most scenes take place at night).

Never Say Never

2011

The kid had rhythm.
The kid has musical* talent.
The kid can dance.
The kid earned it.
The kid is an entertainer.

As long as he stays humble, I got no beef with him.

*just to clarify, I mean that he can play instruments.

Scream 4

2011 - 1/5

Plot:
The 4th installment of the Scream series takes place 10 years after the third one, and the promise here is “New decade, new rules”. That sounded intriguing, but other than references to today’s society (ie, social networking, other movies), not much had been added to the overall storyline; which I was okay with considering I liked the first one, and the second and third were okay.

Right off the bat, the first 10 minutes were funny and the dialogue was pretty clever.

Some parts of the movie were predictable, and you knew what was going to happen. I have to admit that I didn’t figure out who the killers were, but I knew there would be 2. After about an hour, the movie got worse and worse, and once it was revealed who the killers were, the reasoning also came out. This was the biggest let down of the entire movie. I guess one can try to make an argument that it’s making a statement about today’s society and what we value, but I think that’s complete and utter bullshit. It was just the worst reason ever!

Acting:
I felt as if they added too many new characters, but then again, you knew it was because the majority of them would die. I was somewhat surprised that the actors/actresses in this movie kind of looked like high school kids (compared to other movies).

Other than the 3 characters from the original movie, I only knew of Hayden P, McCauly Culkin’s little brother, and the 2 guy cops (speaking of which, I couldn’t help but notice that it didn’t seem as if they were wearing bullet proof vests underneath their shirts; although I get that they got stabbed and not shot, I still think that was a bit off).

The acting was mediocre at best. Pretty much what I was expecting from a scary movie.

Script:
Like I said earlier, the first 10 minutes of the movie did have a good script; the rest was okay.

The only line I really liked throughout the entire movie was the following, and I do think Wes Craven should have taken this advice.
Sidney: You forgot the first rule of remakes – don’t fuck with the original.

Overall:
I would not recommend this to anyone. I felt as if after the 1-hour mark, the storyline started to erode, and by the end, nothing was salvageable.

Scary Movie - Scary Movie 2 - Scary Movie 3 - Scary Movie 4

When it comes to the Scary Movie’s you know what to expect – either you’re going to like them, or you’re not.
I'll say right now that my favourite part of every movie was the script. I feel as if I can probably post several lines or conversations for each movie, however, I've decided to limit it to my absolute favourite from each.

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Scary Movie
2000 – 2.7/5

I really don’t think any other spoof movie has been as good as any of the Scary Movies. It has a lot of adult humor. Not only does it make fun of other movies, it incorporates current events.
There was a good mix of characters. It’s obvious that they’re supposed to be stupid otherwise it wouldn’t be a spoof.
I think that the best part of all the Scary Movie’s was the script; it was funny and very clever.

Buffy: Oh my god, we hit a boot.
Greg: Where’s the foot?

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Scary Movie 2
2001 - 2.9/5

I have to say that I like this one more than the first. I liked the storyline more, and like the first, the script was solid. It had the same set of characters as the first one, and again, they all did a good job. The butler (Hanson) was creepy; his hand was even creepier!

Hanson: My germs!

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Scary Movie 3
2003 - 3.1/5

Out of all the Scary Movie’s this one is my favourite. Up until 50 minutes, it was REALLY good, but once the President was introduced, it wasn’t as funny.
I feel as if these movies hold nothing back; they will practically say anything! There were a few times in which I thought "did they really just go there?".
I absolutely LOVED the very first scene with Becca and Kate (Pam Anderson and Jenny McCarthy).

George: I gotta dream.
Tom: What is your dream.
George: To have a dream.

George: Would, could, should, 'hood.

Brenda: I just got a weird feeling something bad is headed my way; like when you see an Asian person behind the wheel of a car.

Brenda: Cindy, the TV is leaking.

George: Now everybody in the 202, throw your hands in the air 'cause Fat Joe is through / Now everybody in the 202, throw 'em up! Check it out / I'm a white boy, but my neck is red / I put Miracle Whip on my Wonder Bread / My face is pale, nah, I've never been in jail / Me and Buffy spend every winter at Vail / How many bitches have I slapped? Zero. Unh! / And Martha Stewart happens to be my hero / I grew up on a farm and I was born with no rhythm / Dr. Phil's my uncle and I like to hang with him / I can't dance / I wear khaki pants / My middle name's Lance / My Grandma's from France / So maybe I'm wack / 'Cause my skin ain't black / But you can't talk smack / 'Cause whitey just struck back.

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Scary Movie 4
2006 - 2.6/5

I thought it was pretty good, but once the spoof of War of Worlds started, it went downhill from there.
The conversation between the Japanese Ghost Boy and Cindy was hilarious! Cindy speaks “Japanese” very well.

Cindy: Hello?
Cindy: "Harro?" ---Hello
Cindy: "Hibachi, Benihana, Teriyaki" ---Do You Live Here?
Ghost Boy: "Nagasaki, Okinawa, Hokkaido, Yokohama" --- Your Japanese is Awful. It dishonors my ears
Cindy: "Karate, Judo, Sumo, Samurai" --- Are You a Ghost?
Ghost Boy: "Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru" ---Yes. I was Killed and my soul walks the earth!
Cindy: "Hari-kiri, Tsunami, Kamikaze, Banzai" --- How Sad. My Life is also Tragic.
Ghost Boy: "Yamaha, Nikon, Casio, Aiwa" --- You Mistake me For Someone who gives a Shit.
Ghost Boy: "Minolta, Hitachi, Seiko, Toshiba" --- I Know the secret of defeating the aliens.
Cindy: "Buddha! Shitake Kimono!" --- My God! Tell Me!
Ghost Boy: "Tempura, Shushi, Sashimi!" --- The Answer is within my father's heart! Follow the blood!

Bridesmaids

2011 - 4/5

Thank you to SFU Surrey Student Life for the free movie and popcorn!

I never got a chance to see this movie while it was in theaters. I knew I had to watch it when I realized I hadn’t heard a single bad review from any of my friends. I finally got around to watching it a week or so after the DVD release and literally, there were non-stop laughs right from the first minute to the last! There were SO many moments in which I was wide-eyed and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing!

Annie (Kristin Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph) were a perfect pair. It really seemed as if they’ve been friends for a very long time. Annie is Lillian’s maid of honor, and there are 4 other bridesmaids (2 of them which aren’t that important). The 2 bridesmaids that did have bigger roles were, Helen (Rose Bryne) and Megan (Melissa McCarthy). Helen could be considered Annie’s competition and Megan was just hilarious! Defiantly a good group of bridesmaids, each with their own quirks.

The screenplay for this movie was solid. Practically anything that came out of anyone’s mouth was funny. It was quite raunchy at times. I guess you can classify this movie as a ‘chick-flick’ with regards to the plot, but while watching it, I wouldn’t label it as one. Just for the record, it was just as funny the second time around.

New York Minute

2004 – 2.6/5

Let me start out by saying that I realize the intended audience is probably girls that are under 12 years old, but sometimes it’s fun to watch a movie that you can turn your brain off. I figured this one couldn’t be horrible and that I’d get a few laughs or chuckles out of it.

I do like the Olsen twins and I do think their previous movies were fun to watch. I do think they can both act, and they’ve always stayed on the same path in terms of types of movies, so ‘teeny bopper’ does (did) suit them.

I have never liked Eugene Levy (Max Lomax), so I found him annoying; do ‘truancy cops’ actually exists? As for Andy Ritcher (as Bennie Bang), he too was super annoying, but you don’t go to see this movie for either of these characters.

There really wasn’t much to the script, however, I really did like this conversation between Jane/Roxy and Bennie.

Bennie: You took my chip.
Jane: Roxy, did you eat this man’s chips?
Roxy: No
Jane: You sure?
Roxy: I didn’t eat his chips. (to Bennie:) I didn’t eat your chips.
Jane: She didn’t eat your chips
Bennie Bang: No not chips, my microchip

Rio

2011 - 3.3/5

My natural instinct told me to watch this movie, however, I was skeptical and put it off because I thought it was a Dreamworks movie. I decided to watch it and I found out that it wasn’t Dreamworks; it was 20th Century Fox! That was a good start. The movie it set in Rio, so that was a bonus too! I also liked the fact that Linda owned a bookstore.

The first time I saw this trailer I did want to see the movie, but, as mentioned earlier, the only thing holding me back was that it was Dreamworks. I had no idea that 20th Century Fox did any animated movies. After some investigating I found out that the Ice Age movies were also 20th Century Fox; again, I had thought they were Dreamworks. Now I might give those movies a shot!

First off, the animation right from the get-go was amazing! Way better than Dreamworks, but not as phenomenal as Pixar (It’s a biased opinion, I know). The colours were amazing, the birds looked great, and the scenery (the city, ocean, sky) were beautiful! I had always wanted to go to Rio, Brazil, and this movie makes me want to go even more!

Plot:
The storyline was simple and easy to follow, although it never explained how Tulio knew that Blu existed and where he was (“Tinysota”). Aside from that, for a kids/family movie, I think everything flowed. I also liked the amount of singing in the movie. It was added in at the right times and the songs were well done and I did like the different genres added.

Characters / Voice-Over:
There were a variety of characters and the voice-overs were done so well. There were only 2 characters that I recognized the voice (Linda and Raphael), otherwise, I had no idea who everyone was until I looked it up. Eisenberg’s voice fit Blu’s character very well, and I think he did a great job! Blu was defiantly my favourite character and everyone else did a good job as well.

Script:
My absolute favourite thing about this movie was the script. I thought it was so funny and clever! Here are some of the lines I think are worth mentioning:

(I forget who said this): Don’t forget to floss.

Pedro: I ain’t your princess, leave my alone.

Blu: This is the coolest place I've ever seen! You know, despite the obvious health code violations!

Blu: Oh, how I wish I was back in my own cage, with my mirror and my swing and my little bell! Oh, how I miss my bell.

Jewel: Now, uh... just come on! We need to find a safe place to spend the night.
Blu: Safe? Safe? We are in the jungle! You know when people say 'it's a jungle out there', well I'm pretty sure they don't mean it as a good thing.

Blu: [as Blu reaches the top of the tree house] You see? Who needs flying?
Jewel: Birds. Birds need flying. Flying is... it's freedom and... and not having to rely on anyone. Don't you want that?

Blu: Mmm, I don't know. Sounds a little lonely.
Jewel: Get some sleep.
Blu: Uh, I-I-I'm probably gonna be up for a little while. Well, cause I'm... I'm still on Minnesota time.

My favourite conversation:
Raphael: Pssst! Blu, down here. Just tell her, 'You have beautiful eyes'.
Blu: That's good. Great idea!
[he turns to Jewel]
Blu: I have beautiful eyes.
Jewel: Aah... yeah. Okay, Sure. They're... they're nice.
Rafael: [flying low, whispers to Blu] No! Her eyes! Her eyes!
Blu: Oh, right! Yeah!
[turns to Jewel]
Blu: Your eyes. Your eyes are great. Not mine. I mean, you know, mine are okay. But yours, I-I bet you can see right through them.

Overall:
It’s worth seeing for the script alone, but you also get to enjoy the animation and all the fun characters. Overall, it was a fun movie to watch. Lastly, although I didn’t notice it myself, it stated in the Triva section on IMDB that during one of the scenes in which Nigel is talking to the monkeys you can see that one monkey has his hands over his eyes, another over his ears, and another over his mouth: See, Hear, Speak No Evil.

Thor

2011 - 3/5

Although I never planned on watching this movie, I’m glad I did. I thought it was going to be the exact type of action movie that I typically don’t like. It was a good mix of action, drama and comedy. After watching this movie, I could say that I actually enjoyed it. It was at times predictable. I was surprised by the amount of humor added into the script. I liked all the actors and characters; Portman and Hopkins were great, and Hemsworth fit the role of Thor perfectly! I liked his performance.

My favourite line:
Jane: I did exactly what you told me not to.

Princess Mononoke

1997 - 2.4/5

I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I rented this movie. I had never seen a Hayao Miyazaki movie before. I heard that his movies were really good, and because Disney’s name was attached to it, I’ve always wanted to see them.

I thought the storyline was interesting, but a lot of parts could have been cut out to make it shorter. The voiceover’s were okay, and the animation was okay too.

I think I went in expecting way to much, and I’m a little disappointed, however, that doesn’t mean I will not watch another one of Miyazaki’s movies again.

The Help

2011 - 4.2/5

Once I saw the trailer for this movie, I knew it was one I had to see with my mom…she enjoyed it as much as I did! What a great movie!

Plot: A
This movie is an adaptation of the book The Help. It follows Emma Stone’s character Skeeter, who aspires to be a writer. She decides to attempt something that has never been attempted before: write stories from the point of view of black women who are considered ‘the help’ to white families.

Script: A
I truly loved the screenplay. I had texted myself some of the quotes I liked during the movie, but for some reason they’ve been delete. Thanks to IMDB, I found 2 I really liked.

Aibileen Clark: You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

Aibileen Clark: I ain't never had no white person in my house before.

Acting: A+
Instead of naming EVERY cast member, I’ll just have to say EVERYONE was PHENOMENAL! Each and every character was SO convincing in their role. I realized that when you really hate a character, that the actor playing that role has done such an awesome job – case in point: Hilly Holbrook (aka Bryce Dallas Howard). Everyone played their part to a T.

Overall: A
The plot was great, the script was good, and the acting was amazing! A movie I really want to buy it and watch it again!

Heat

1995 - 2.7/5

I was unaware that this movie was almost 3 hours long. But unlike the movie itself, I’ll try to keep the review short.

Neil McCauley (DeNiro) is a thief and he is really good. Along with Chris Shiherlis (Kilmer) and Michael Cheritto (Sizemore) they decide to go after one last big score at a bank. Vincent Hanna (Pacino) is a detective who wants to take McCauley down.

I found that it started off at a good pace, but slowed down at the half way mark; although I don’t necessarily think the movie dragged at any point, I do think it was longer than it needed to be. It did have some good action scenes, but some were over-the-top.

DeNiro and Pacino are a great pair, and this movie highlights that. I wasn’t really drawn into one character or another. I found that I didn’t really care about the characters and what happens to them, although, near the end when Hanna was chasing McCauley I couldn’t decide who I wanted to prevail.

The script was okay, but I didn’t think there was anything that was really compelling. I did like McCauley’s line “I’m alone, I am not lonely”.

Overall, I did like it, but it was longer than it should have been. I doubt I’ll ever watch it again, but it’s worth the one viewing.

The Stoning of Soraya

2008 - 3.2/5

From the day this movie came out on DVD I had always wanted to watch it. It’s unfortunate that it took so long, but nevertheless I decided to rent it. On a sunny Sunday afternoon I sat down to watch this movie with my cup of tea. Judging by the title, I wasn’t expecting it to be as bright as the weather. Although it was evident what was to be expected, this movie depicted Soraya’s situation that lead up to her inevitable fate.

Right away the music really helps set a somber tone and atmosphere. The story of Soraya’s unjust death is told to Freidoune Sahebjam, a French-Iranian journalist whose car broke down in the remote town that the stoning occurred. Zahra is the one telling Freidoune what had happened only a day prior.

Zahra was a powerful person and the only one that spoke out against her niece’s helpless situation. I would say that my favourite line was when she said (to the journalist), “The voices of women do not matter here. I want you to take my voice with you”. Shohreh Aghdashloo does an amazing job and she is a great actress. Mozhan Marno was great in her role as Soraya M. Considering I’ve never heard of her before, she did a phenomenal job with this role. I defiantly want to give big props to Jim Caviezel who learned to speak Farsi in 2 weeks for his role as Freidoune. I was also very impressed with all the other cast members: the husband Ali, the mullah, the mayor Ebrahim, Hashem, ect.

The only negative thing about this film would be that it’s based on a true story – meaning that these injustices actually take place in Iran and other countries. This is not a feel-good movie, but one that everyone should see.

Cellular

2004 - 3/5

Let me start off by saying that you cannot go into this movie thinking you’re about to see a masterpiece – it is far from it. BUT, if you want to be entertained, then I think it’s worth your time. I will say that there are several plot holes, but they can be overlooked. When I first saw this I thought it was going to be very similar to Phonebooth, but its not – this movie is good, whereas Phonebooth sucked!

Plot: B-
Not even 5 minutes in and the action begin! The movie starts with Kim Basinger’s character Jessica getting kidnapped from her own home. She is driven to a different location and locked in an attic. She has no idea where she is and why she has been taken. The only (very old school) phone in the room had been smashed to pieces by one of her captures, but she soon realizes the phone still has a dial tone. After clicking some wires together (cough*bullshit*cough), she gets through to an immature young guy named Ryan (Chris Evans). She pleads for help while Ryan thinks it’s a big joke. After overhearing a confrontation, Ryan soon realizes this isn’t a joke. Basically, the rest of the movie is about Ryan running around trying to help/find Jessica.

Acting: B-
For what they had to work with, I think that Kim Basinger and Chris Evans did a great job portraying their roles. I think this was the first movie I’ve ever seen Jason Statham in; he’s always type-casted in action roles and he did a good job as the bad guy. William H Macy did a good job as well with his Policemen role, but it was a relatively small role.

Overall: B-
For what it was and what I expected, it delivered. It was very suspenseful and it had good flow. It’s not a movie in which the viewer can guess why Jessica was kidnapped, and I think that that made it more entertaining. Stay with the pace of the movie, don’t over-think it, and it will be worth the watch.

True Romance

1993 - 3/5

To the best of my knowledge, the only Tarantino movies I’ve seen are Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Death Proof (Grindhouse) and Inglourious Basterds. I own them all, and about 4 years ago, I bought True Romance because I like Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Walken. I didn’t really know what it was about prior to watching it. I liked all the actors (Slater, Arquette, Hopper, Oldman, Rapaport, Pitt, Kilmer); I liked the plot, it was simple. The script was typical Tarantino, but there wasn’t any part of the dialogue that really stood out. There was a lot of violence, but would it really be a Tarantino movie if there wasn’t? Although I did enjoy watching this movie, I don’t see myself watching it again.

Bad Teacher

2011 – 2.9/5

***SPOILER ALERT***

Plot: C
Starts off with Elizabeth Hasley (Cameron Diaz) getting dumped by her rich fiancé (and his mother), so she could no longer be a gold digger, which meant she had to go back to teaching. She decides to get breast implants to impress the new (rich) substitute teacher Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake).

The plot was a bit shaky and there were a few times in which something was brought up, but never to be mentioned again (the ‘tutoring’ she offered), or it was unnecessary completely (the car wash because she didn’t take the money). Was the dry humping really necessary to move the plot forward? How that actually came to be wasn’t explained as well. So Scott is okay with cheating on his girlfriend only because she’s not there? Other than the voicemail that Amy Squirrel (Elizabeth’s rival and Scott’s girlfriend) got which made her more frantic, there was no point.

At first it was funny that she was showing school-related movies in her class, then it quickly became redundant. Throwing balls at students because they got the wrong answer was funny in theory, but in reality it was pretty brutal.

I had no idea this movie was rated R. It was more vulgar than I expected, but for pure entertainment value it was funny. With that being said, it was highly unrealistic; I would sure hope that there aren’t teachers that swear, drink, smoke marijuana, and practically abuse the students. I can’t understand how Elizabeth became a teacher in the first place.

Script: B-
Although I did enjoy the script, I think it was written to appeal to a certain audience. Here are some of the conversations/lines I really liked:

Elizabeth Halsey: Okay, fine! I’ll sign the pre-nup.
Mark: It’s over, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Halsey: Mark, I'm pregnant!
Mark: No, you’re not.
Mrs. Pubich: Bullshit!
Elizabeth Halsey: Okay, fine. I'm not actually pregnant.

Elizabeth: I really love helping bums.

Shawn: LeBron is a better rebounder and passer.
Russell: LeBron will never beat Jordan. Call me when LeBron has six championships.
Shawn: That's your only argument?
Russell: It's the only argument I need Shawn!

Elizabeth: Want to get a bite to eat?
Lynn: Ya, my treat.
Elizabeth: No. Last time you got it. We’ll split it!

Acting: A-
I would like to start off by saying that if Justin Timberlake wasn’t in this movie, my rating for this category would have been higher. His ‘acting’ seems to be going downhill fast! I just don’t think he can play the role of a ‘geek’ (even his role in Friends With Benefits was a bit on the nerdy side, and he just can’t pull it off). I was wondering how long the school needed a substitute teacher for anyways. Cameron Diaz is a great actress and I think she played her role very well. Her character isn’t one I’d ‘root for’ considering she has zero morals, but she played the part well. Jason Segel is a great actor. I think acting comes naturally to him, especially in comedies. He played his gym teacher character (Russell Gettis) very well.

I really liked Phyllis Smith’s character Lynn Davis; I thought her character was funny and that she deserved more screen time. Her awkwardness was so funny to watch and she said her lines perfectly. Elizabeth’s roommate Kirk was pretty funny too. I loved his scene in which he confronted Carl Halabi with the pictures (with ‘Carl Halabi’ written on his left hand and ‘invelope’ written on this right). However, when Carl had to make a statement in front of Elizabeth, Amy, the principal and the superintendent, the only thought going through my mind was ‘how convenient’ rather than ‘how clever’ in regards to the pictures being used to blackmail him.

Overall: B-
After reading several reviews on IMDB I do agree that this movie has many faults. I did find it funny, but I don’t think it was timeless funny. There was a lot of crude humor, at times funny, others, not so much. I cannot justify giving it a higher rating.

Friends With Benefits

2011 - 1.7/5

***SPOILER ALERT***

Plot: C
This movie is a romantic comedy, so lets face it, the plot is typical and predictable, but I thought I’d give it a shot. I thought that poking fun at other romantic comedies was kind of hypocritical. The first half was funnier and more entertaining than the second half. I didn’t notice during the trailer that it was set in New York, so it was nice seeing Grand Central Station, Central Park and Time Square.

The movie starts out with Jamie (Mila Kunis) and Dylan (Justin Timberlake) characters going through a break up (which I thought was pretty funny). Jamie becomes ‘emotionally damaged’ and Dylan becomes ‘emotionally unavailable’. It wasn’t really explained very much beyond the break ups.

Here’s the exact plot if you didn’t already figure it out:
Jamie meets Dylan. They decide to be friends with benefits (on the iPad Bible App). Things are going great. Hurtful things are said. There’s a falling out. They make up in a cliché way.

I would have to say that my favourite part was when Jamie was at the airport about to pick Dylan up; when she was on the luggage carousel trying to grab her makeshift sign written in lipstick. I thought it was funny and fresh.

The storyline had good flow, but when something new was being introduced, it was a bit jumpy. Situations that came up (for example: Dylan’s stutters, fear of heights, the fathers Alzheimer, ect.) were underwritten and not well incorporated.

Lastly, the flash mob bit at the very end in GCS was SO predictable. It was foreshadowed when we saw it the first time in Time Square.

I thought it was funny that they created a romantic comedy within this movie that included Jason Segel and Rashida Jones.

Script: B
The dialogue was very modern. It was more entertaining in the first half when Jamie and Dylan were actually friends with benefits, compared to the second half in which they did start having feelings for each other. The screenplay was the best part of this movie, but there wasn’t a particular line of conversation that really stood out.

Acting: C+
Mila’s acting was good, but she really didn’t have much to work with.

Justin seems out of place at times and some parts seemed very forced. He was okay, but I thought his best role to date was The Social Network. The character itself was all over the place: he was a nerdy (a Harry Potter fan), a bit feminine (people thinking he’s gay), smart (an up-and-coming blogger), and good looking.

Woody Harrelson as Tommy was good. I think he is a solid actor. I wish he had more screen time.

Jamie’s mom, Lorna (Patricia Clarkson) played her role very well, but the character was annoying.

I really didn’t see any point of having Shaun White in the movie.

Richard Jenkins as Dylan’s dad was great in his role, but I though that this character was kind of useless and it could have been cut out entirely. It seemed as if they only added this character to add a bit of emotion to the plot and so he could say something like “don’t ever let the one you love get away” and to ‘teach’ Dylan to be more accepting of his dads Alzheimer (the pants).

Jenna Elfman did a good job with her role as Annie, Dylan’s sister. Their sibling relationship did seem genuine, and I liked how Dylan called her ‘Annie Bananie’.

I really hope that I wasn’t the only person that thought that all the scenes with Dylan’s nephew Sam were boring as hell and unnecessary. The mishaps with his magic tricks (fire and coffee leak) weren’t even funny.

Overall: C
An IMDB reviewer stated, “Friends with benefit has nothing new or better to offer”. I defiantly agree; it’s defiantly not laugh out loud funny, barley got a few chuckles; for the most part, I had a grin on my face. I liked how it had a contemporary setting and used lingo and slang that we hear today. Mila and Justin were a good pair, the rest of the cast was good too; the actual characters though were a bit dull. The plot was average, and the subplots weren’t well developed.

Winnie the Pooh

2011 - 3.8/5

Plot: B

I thought the storyline with the ‘Backson’ was funny, but the plot in its entirety was a bit scattered. Still entertaining. Little disappointment that it was so short.

Speaking of short, I did enjoy the Loch Ness monster short as well!

Script: A

The script was my favourite aspect of the movie.

Owl: First, ISSUE a reward.

Tigger: If you’re gonna pounce, you’ve got to have some bounce.

Piglet: I can not knot.

Rabbit: Not knot?

Pooh: Who’s there?

Characters:

Although I never really watched Winnie the Pooh on TV, I always thought that each of the characters have their own mental disorder. Eeyore has depression; Piglet has anxiety; Tigger has ADHD; Rabbit has OCD; Pooh has an eating disorder (and addiction*); Owl is narcissistic; Kanga and Roo are co-dependent; Christopher has schizophrenia.

(*just to be politically correct, I don’t consider addiction as a mental disorder)

I didn’t realize that Pooh bossed Piglet around so much. Every character had a similar amount of screen time, expect for Kanga and Roo.

Voice Over Acting:

As mentioned earlier, I never really watched the TV show when I was younger, but it seemed as if Pooh and Tigger’s voices sounded different than I remembered, but then again, its not like I’m the best person to judge that.

Animation:

Thankfully it wasn’t computer animated – it was hand drawn. And I’m happy it wasn’t 3D.

Overall: 
I really didn’t know what to expect going into this, except that Christopher Robin was missing. I loved all the songs, and they were all at a good length. I also liked how some parts took place in the storybook, and the characters would jump to the other pages. The chalk drawings when the ‘Backson’ was being introduced was fun to watch.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I saw the trailer for Puss In Boots (2011), and although I don't plan on watching it, I did want to mention that I did like the following line:

Humpty Alexander Dumpty: You know what they do to eggs in prison? I'll tell you this: it ain't over-easy!

Requiem For A Dream

2000 – 5/5

JUICE BY TAPPY, JUICE BY TAPPY, WEEEEEEEEE GOTTA WINNER!!!

Plot: A+
The storyline for this movie is pretty simple. There are 4 people and each is consumed with their own drug addiction. This movie highlights the terrifying reality of drug addiction and how it can destroy people’s lives in different ways.

Script: A+

This movie was very well written. Probably one of my favorite screenplays! Some lines I really liked:

Marion: Anybody wanna waste some time?

Tyrone: All I’m saying is we should take a little taste so we know how much to cut. It’s business!

Doctor: I see you’re a little over weight.
Sara Goldfarb: A little? I have 50 pounds I’m willing to donate.

Sara Goldfarb: Purple in the morning, blue in the afternoon, orange in the evening and green at night. Just like that. One, two, three, four.

Harry: Well, uh, I’m sort of a distributor like for a big importer.

Harry: Hey ma, you on uppers?
Sara Goldfarb: I told you I’m going to a doctor.
Harry: What does he give you? Does he give you pills?
Sara Goldfarb: Course he gives me pills. He’s a doctor.

Sara Goldfarb: How come you know more about medicine than a doctor?

Acting: A+
Harry (Jared Leto) is a junky, as is his friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans), his girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly), and eventually his mother Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn). As the movie goes on, each one of them becomes more dependent on drugs, which leads them to their inevitable fates (amputation, prison, prostitution, and insanity).

I really enjoyed everyone’s acting and more so the characters themselves. My favorite character in this movie was Sara Goldfarb and Ellen Burstyn did an amazing job portraying this naïve and vulnerable lady who thinks she’s taking ‘diet pills’ that were prescribed by her doctor. I also really liked Christopher McDonald’s character Tappy Tibbons; JUICE BY TAPPY!

Random:
The cinematography in this movie was amazing and the editing was probably the most noticeable part of this movie! I read on IMDB that this movie had more than 2,000 cuts, while most movies have 600-700 cuts. I liked the split screens, close ups, fast-forwards and the variety of camera angles. To some extent I think the subject matter of this movie deserved a highly stylized form of editing; it portrays how frantic and chaotic an addiction can be.

The music (score/ soundtrack/ sound effects) was SO good! It was perfectly paired with whatever was on screen and it added the right amount of tension and intensity to the overall mood.

The makeup, hair and outfits were very well done. Each actor looked the part and they were all believable in their roles.

Overall: A+
I want to mention is that although it was the most disturbing movie I’ve ever seen, I could not look away. With that being said, it is not a movie I can watch over and over again – perhaps once every couple of years…oh, and I’m scared shitless of my fridge now! I think this movie will leave a lasting impression on the viewer, but I don’t think this movie is for everyone.

Life Is Beautiful

1997 – 5/5
aka La Vita è bella

This is a foreign film therefore it is subtitled; however that should not deter you from seeing it. I recommend watching it in Italian with English subtitles rather than watching it dubbed – trust me! Also, keep in mind that this movie isn’t supposed to be historically accurate. Lastly, be prepared to laugh and cry.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Plot: A+
“This is a simple story. But not an easy one to tell” – Giosué Orefice (narrating as an adult).

This story takes place in the late 1930s with WWII looming in the near future. Guido, a charming Italian Jew makes his way into a city his uncle lives with hopes of opening a bookstore. His first day there he bumps into a lady named Dora whom he calls ‘Principessa’. Their paths cross a few more times and they eventually get married. The story fast-forwards 5 years later when they have a very cute son named Giosué and they’re living in the midst of WWII.

Because Guido and Giosué are Jews, they are put on a train by the Nazi’s and are sent to a concentration camp along with Guido’s uncle Eliseo. Dora gets wind of this and she demands to be put on the train as well. Guido tries to shield Giosué from the harsh reality of what’s really going on. To keep Giosué’s spirits up, he comes up with a clever explanation that they’re taking a trip and they’re going to be participating in a game in which the players need to earn 1000 points to get the 1st place prize: a real tank (Giosué’s favorite toy). This is the most heartbreaking movie ever and it has a great blend of tragedy and comedy.

Script: A
The dialogue is funny and heartwarming. Some lines I liked (which will make sense if you’ve seen the movie) are:

Guido: I wonder if we’ll ever bump into each other standing up.

Guido: I can only hear out of this ear.

Giosué Orefice: It’s raining. I’ll come down with a terrible fever.

Guido (pretending to translate): The game starts now. You have to score one thousand points. If you do that, you take home a tank with a big gun. Each day we will announce the scores from that loudspeaker. The one who has the fewest points will have to wear a sign that says "Jackass" on his back. There are three ways to lose points. One, turning into a big crybaby. Two, telling us you want to see your mommy. Three, saying you’re hungry and want something to eat.

And my absolute favorite:
Guido: Buongiorno, Principessa!

Acting: A
I thought the kid that played Giosué was adorable, and he did a great job! He may not have been the best child actor out there, but I’d rather have an actual 5 year old playing the part, rather than an older kid trying to pass off as a younger kid any day.

Roberto Benigni did an amazing job with his role. His goofy look added to Guido’s humorous personality. Nicoletta Braschi (as Dora) was really good too!

Overall: A
The first half is a light-hearted and pleasant comedy while the second half is about the hardships Guido faces to protect his son in the concentration camp. It’s a tragically beautiful movie and by the end, you will agree that life truly is beautiful.

Airborne

1993 – 5/5

This movie is defiantly one of my all-time favorites, so by default, it gets a perfect score. Although I am giving this 5 out of 5, I do realize that this movie doesn’t necessarily have the best plot, script or acting, which is why each topic isn’t getting a ‘higher grade’.

Watching this movie is the equivalent of comfort food for me. It came out when I was 8 and to this day, I still LOVE it. Rollerblading was the craze back in the 1990s and this movie was a perfect fit then. If you plan on watching this movie, I suggest that you watch with the mind-set that it’s 1993. You need to be in a 1993 frame-of-mind to truly appreciate how awesome this movie is – otherwise you will probably think it’s silly and cheesy.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Plot: B
Mitchell Goosen is a laid back surfer/rollerblader from California. His parents get a grant to conduct a study in Australia, but because Mitchell can’t miss 6 months of school, he gets to stay in Cincinnati with his quirky uncle and aunt and his unpopular cousin Wiley. He quickly makes enemies with the school tough-guy Jack and his friends that don’t take kindly to Mitchell’s ‘pretty boy surfer’ persona. If that wasn’t bad enough, he also manages to get on Blaine and the ‘preps’ (Jack’s rival) bad side too! As much as Mitchell tries to avoid any confrontations, its always just around the corner. It’s nice to see a movie that emphasizes that fighting isn’t a solution. Mitchell goes through a few ups and downs with Wiley, Nikki (the girl he likes), Jack and Blaine. Eventually all the disputes between Mitchell, Jack and Blaine are to be settled by a dangerous skating race down a series of hills called ‘The Devils Backbone’ in which the rules are: “there are no rules; anything goes”.

Script: B
The dialogue wasn’t the strongest point of this movie, however, there were several different lines that were meaningful or funny. Some worth mentioning are:

Mitchell: C’mon Wiley, you hockey man, you hockey warrior.
Wiley: Hockey Nintendo!

Mitchell: You get so busy fighting over waves, that you never get a chance to enjoy the ocean.

Snake: I think California here could use a shot.
Jack: All right. Gear up surfer.

Gloria: I don’t know teachers that are that boring.

Mitchell: You don’t have to fight the shark to fight for the wave.

Acting: B+
I think the acting was good, but the majority of characters weren’t well developed, but then again, for a movie like this, I really didn’t think it was necessary. This movie showcased a young Seth Green and Jack Black when they hadn’t really established their acting careers.

Shane McDermott, the main character (Mitchell Goosen) did a good job with the role – he walked the walk and talked the talk. It was pretty obvious there was a body double for the surfing scenes but it seemed as if he did his own rollerblading stunts.

Seth Green as Wiley was where most of the comedy in this movie came from. His fashion show was really funny and the song choice Too Sexy was a great fit!

This was Jack Black’s film debut and up until now, every role he’s had hasn’t really changed from the character he plays in this movie. He too had a good comedic performance – “Did he just call you a piece of underwear?”.

Aside from the actors already mentioned, it was pretty cool to see the movie that launched several acting/film careers: Chris Conrad, Jacob Vargas, Britney Powell, ect.

Overall: B
One of my favorite old school movies. There were a few cracks and flaws in the storyline, but it’s easy to overlook them in lieu of being entertained. I thought it had a good soundtrack that suited each scene! The sound effects during the final race fit really well and I enjoyed it :P

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet which is a very noteworthy point is the skating itself! AMAZING!!! All the stunts were done really well: jumping off ramps, going down stairs, the half pipe, going up a wall, more stairs and the awesome street race at the end (dodging cars, the steep and winding roads)! The camera angles were really well done during the final race too!

An IMDB reviewer sums everything up by saying “Like a million movies before it, Airborne does nothing special, or even original. But it does have fun along the way, and the actors do pretty well with what limited story they had. It also sends a positive message that restraint can be cool. And that maybe fighting is not always the answer”.

The Hangover Part II

2011 - 3/5

Plot: B-
It was pretty much an exact remake of the first one, just set in Bangkok, Thailand. I think they added a lot of random stuff that was unnecessary – more parts were added for shock value and it was beyond over the top.

(***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***)
I thought the addition of the monk in place of the baby (in the first one) was a bit odd.
I didn’t really understand what fueled Alan hatred of the bride-to-be’s brother.
I thought the smoking monkey was kind of stupid.
Using the kids in place of adults was a neat idea during some scenes and they didn’t overdo it.

Script: C+
Not as memorable as the first. Nothing repeat worthy.

Acting: B
Bradley, Zach and Ed are all really good in both Hangovers. The Wolfpack makes a good trio. They all fit their characters really well, but Stu was still a bit on the whinny side, Alan was more annoying, and Phil didn’t really have a huge role.

Overall: B
I knew what to expect walking into this movie and as I expected, it was funny, but it wasn’t as good as the first. I didn’t expect it to be more vulgar than the first (‘BangCock’, if you will).

8 MM

1999 - 1/5

Plot: C
Script: C-
Acting: B
Overall: C-
I didn't get it... it's not my cup of tea.

Kick Ass

2010 – 3/5

Plot: C+
This movie had a pretty unique and entertaining storyline: Teen wants to be a superhero, but he has no super powers. I read a review on IMDB that said that this movie was a mash-up of Batman, Léon, Matrix, Kill Bill and Sin City; I defiantly agree, but I would also add that it was a high school-teenage version of it (it reminded me of Shoot ‘Em Up).
Not sure why a ‘love story’ was added. It was VERY cliché; it seemed unnecessary and didn’t really add anything to the movie (*SPOILER ALERT* especially the part about Dave being gay).

Script: C
It had some good one-liners, but nothing that really went beyond that. Most of the ‘comedy’ that came from Hit Girl and Big Daddy was super cheesy, so I wasn’t really a fan of their dialogue.
Some of the lines I liked were:
“Like most people my age, I just existed”
“The only epiphany I had was that life just goes on”
“I was back and running Kick Ass Version 2.0”

Acting: B-
Pretty good acting from Aaron Johnson as Kick-Ass. He probably got the part because neither Michael Cera or Jesse Eisenberg wanted it.
I was weary about Nick Cage’s performance because he hasn’t really done anything that great for a while. His character was an odd one to begin with, but he did do a good job. I think the girl who played Hit Girl did an okay job, but the character itself was over done.
I’m a fan of Christopher Mintz-Plasse, so I’m bias when I say that he did a great job. I didn’t really like the acting of the mafia characters.

Costumes: B
I liked the costumes. I wasn’t a huge fan of Big Daddy’s costume (too Batman-like for my taste). The other 2 costumes (Kick Ass and Red Mist) were also pretty cool looking. I didn’t really care for Hit Girl’s costume.

Overall: C+ 

The plot was ok, and the screenplay (albeit cheesy at times) fit the characters. The violence was way over the top, especially when it was regarding Hit Girl. I liked the movie, but the ending was a bit off (*SPOILER ALERT*: the torture scene).

Fast Five

2011 - 3.7/5

Plot: B
For a movie that is based around nice cars, there weren’t a lot of car chases, however, I felt that it could be overlooked because there was a lot of other action that kept me interested.

*SPOILER ALERT*
I have NO idea why Mia’s character needed to be pregnant. The moment when Brian saw her walk by with the baby, it was obvious were this was going – however, it wasn’t obvious why. Totally unnecessary! This is the conversation I believe took place regarding Mia’s character/the pregnancy:
“Well, lets make it so she’s pregnant because there really isn’t anything we can have her do other than sit behind a monitor (which wasn’t even necessary), and to push the idea of ‘family’ so they’d stay together. Any other ideas? No? Okay, we’ll stick with that”

Script: C
The script was okay. There were some lines that I found funny:

Roman Pearce: You know, I think I make a better special agent than you ever did.
Brian O'Conner: I guess that depends on how you define 'special'.

Tego Leo: Why you gotta be so negative, man?
Rico Santos: I'm not negative. I'm just positive you're gonna mess it up.

Acting: B
Paul Walker is hot. Dwayne Johnson was a great addition (there was a definite need for the FBI person to be bigger than Vin Diesel’s character). The girl cop did a good job with her role as well! Everyone else was fine, nothing more than that needs to be said.

Cinematography: A-
Brazil was beautiful!

Overall: B
I thought it was a good movie. There was enough action overall that made up for the lack of car races/chases. For the most part, I have enjoyed most of the movies in this series.

The Fast & the Furious (2001)

Fast & Furious (2009)
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

Finding Nemo

2003 - 5/5

Plot: A+
Very original; great story!

Script: A+
LOVED the script!
finding 'cheko', 'bingo'...haha, but ya, i can speak whale!!!

Voice Over Acting: A+
VERY well done. Loved all the voices.

Animation: A+
Disney Pixar.  Enough said.

Overall: A+


POSSIBLE REVIEW PENDING

Water For Elephants

2011 - 2.2/5

Plot: C+
I'm not sure why, but I found that when watching this movie, it reminded me of the book Of Mice and Men.

Script: C
I can't remember any particular lines or any part of the dialogue, but I do remember thinking that it wasn't anything special.

Acting: B
Reese Witherspoon was good as always.  This was the first role I've ever seen Robert Pattinson in, and I think he did an okay job.  Christoph Waltz was pretty solid and he is a pleasure to watch on screen (wasn't as great as his role in Inglorious Bastards though).

Overall: C
Guess I could have waited for it to come out on DVD.

The Rite

2011 - 0.7/5

Plot: D
Made to seem more scary than it really was. Not that engaging.

Script: D
Can't say that any of the dialogue had any sort of impact, but one line I did like was:
Michael Kovak: Gets complicated when no proof of the devil is somehow proof of the devil.

Acting: C
Anthony Hopkins suits these roles, so he did a good job and Colin O'Donoghue fit his role too.

Overall: D

Kind of dull. Not as scary as I expected, but then again, I'm not sure what I was expecting.

Easy A

2010 - 2.9/5

I never really planned on watching this, but my friends kept saying it was pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised.

Plot: B
The storyline was pretty interesting and original. Suited the high school setting.
I agree with several of IMDB reviewers that stated that the portrayal of Christians was very stereotypical and exaggerated – even for my taste. For example, the following review:
“Why is it okay to play Evangelicals as one-dimensional, cardboard buffoons? … I just love Hollywood's consistency about being "tolerant" and "inclusive" when it comes to people's beliefs”

Script: B+
I remember thinking that the dialogue was witty, clever and funny; mainly what Olive said.

Acting: B
I had never really seen Emma Stone as the major star of a movie, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I thought she fit the character very well and she played the role very well. She’s defiantly making a name for herself these days.

Overall: B
Worth the watch. The plot was a little different than I had expected, but it was good.

Soul Surfer

2011 - 2.9/5

Plot: B
It was based on a true story so it was unique.

Script: C
Nothing that really stood out.

Acting: C+
Pretty good considering I didn't know who most of them were.

Cinematography: B+
Great shots of the ocean and the landscape.

Overall: B
My favourite part would have been when Bethany was coming home from the hospital and there were news reporters in front of her house and her dad drove through the front lawn to get to the backyard.

Tangled

2011 - 3.1/5

Plot: C+

Script: B

Voice Over Acting: C+
Done well.

Animation: B
Not Disney Pixar that's for sure, but it was still very good.

Overall: B


POSSIBLE REVIEW PENDING

North Country

2005 - 2.3/5

Plot: C+
Based on a true story.

Script: C
It was okay.

Acting: B+
Good cast, so the portrayal of each character was well done.

Overall: C+
Worth the watch once (although this was my second viewing, but I didn't have a choice).

The Social Network

2010 - 2.8/5

I just realized that this is the third movie in a row that I’ve seen that has been based on a true story!

The only reason I saw this movie was because I’ve heard several good things about it, and because it had a few Oscar nominations; otherwise, I never really cared for the Facebook story.

Plot: B-
I didn’t find it overly engaging; it seemed as if the heart thumping music/score was added only to make it seems more suspenseful than it really was. This movie is based on the book/true story of Mark Zuckerberg and how Facebook came to be.

I liked how the story was in past tense being explained through the 2 lawsuits against MZ; it had a good flow between past and present; it moved at a good pace, but some parts did seems to drag a bit.

Script: B+
Had witty dialogue and it was very quick paced (must have been 100 words a minute!). I do think it deserved the Writing (Adapted Screenplay) Academy Award.

My favourite conversation: ***SPOILER ALERT***

Gage: Mr. Zuckerberg, do I have your full attention?
Mark Zuckerberg: [stares out the window] No.
Gage: Do you think I deserve it?
Mark Zuckerberg: [looks at Gage] What?
Gage: Do you think I deserve your full attention?
Mark Zuckerberg: I had to swear an oath before we began this deposition, and I don't want to perjure myself, so I have a legal obligation to say no.
Gage: Okay - no. You don't think I deserve your attention.
Mark Zuckerberg: I think if your clients want to sit on my shoulders and call themselves tall, they have the right to give it a try - but there's no requirement that I enjoy sitting here listening to people lie. You have part of my attention - you have the minimum amount. The rest of my attention is back at the offices of Facebook, where my colleagues and I are doing things that no one in this room, including and especially your clients, are intellectually or creatively capable of doing.
[pauses]
Mark Zuckerberg: Did I adequately answer your condescending question?

Acting: B+
Jesse Eisenberg: it was a serious role and he did a good job. There was a LOT of dialogue and he was spot on (who knows how many takes it really took!).

Andrew Garfield: I think I liked this character (Eduardo Saverin) the most, and I thought AG was a great supporting actor! This role seemed natural to him – it didn’t seem as if he was acting.

Justin Timberlake: I thought he would be the weakest link, but he actually did a good job, defiantly better than his role in Alpha Dog (2007)! His character appeared half way into the movie, and I wasn’t too sure what to expect from JT, but I think he pulled it off.

Overall: B
I think it was well directed and it was put together very well. It did have bad lighting at times, but that never took away from what was on screen.

As much as I want to say that I would have enjoyed a documentary with the actual people involved being interviewed, I think the movie did a good job presenting the story, but it did seem as if the story had been fabricated.