Enchanted My rating: C+. I really can’t remember why I watched this movie, and I honestly don’t remember a whole lot about it, but I remember it being somewhat funny and cute. I love James Marsden and Patrick Dempsey, so that helped. I also absoutely adore Idina Menzel. I might have to watch this again, because I really don’t even remember enough to fairly critique this movie.
Shutter Island My rating: A. I absolutely loved this movie. Huge mind-trick/twist, and it worked really well. I have part of the ending figured out about halfway through, but it definitely didn’t ruin it for me one bit. I was enthralled from start to finish and I will definitely be purchasing this once I have enough money for the Blu-Ray version [$$$]. I am still majorly debating with myself about the ending [I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet]. If you haven’t seen this yet, please do yourself a favor and watch it.
Date Night My rating: C-. I was pretty disappointed in this movie. I think Steve Carell and Fey are hilarious, so I though I would really enough it–wrong. I chuckled a few times, but it definitely wasn’t as funny as I thought it was going to be, at all. The film had its funny moments, but overall it wouldn’t be my “go-to” movie to laugh. Maybe if I watch it again when I am in a “comedy” mood I will react to it differently, who knows.
The Bounty Hunter My rating: D. Again, super disappointed. I love Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler, but I actually fell asleep on numerous occasions during the course of the movie. It had its “funny moments”, “cute moments” and “serious moments”, but overall I wasn’t impressed and I probably won’t give it a second shot. I think I am slowly easing out of the “lame rom-com” phase of my life.
Inception My rating: A/A+. I swear to James Franco, this movie is simply fantastic. I finally saw it on June 25th for $1 due to a great Fandango deal, but I would have happily paid full price to see it. I don’t think I can fully explain what I like about the movie without giving too much away, but my gosh, if you haven’t seen it, go see it now! Don’t watch it illegally online, it’s too good for that. Pay the $8-$12 and go see it, now. The effects were amazing, the acting was exquisite, and the casting was superb. I definitely laughed a few times, I was confused, I was upset, I was on the edge of my seat, and I was in love. I will definitely be purchasing this the day it hits shelves. I’ve been reading around online and it seems there are quite a few people who didn’t like the movie at all, which makes no sense. I think when people rant about how terrible movies like Inception or Shutter Island are, they’re solidifying that the film went over their heads.
Wall-E My rating: A-. Absolutely loved this film as well. Pixar has never failed to amaze me. I laughed, I gasped, I shed tears, and I felt like I was connected to the movie in numerous ways. I thought it was a definite “realization” as far as the future state of Earth is concerned. Hopefully people took mental notes and changed their lifestyles to save our beautiful planet. I thought Wall-E was the most adorable robot ever, and I loved how all the characters interacted with each other, and I loved how real it felt. It was definitely an adorable, funny, serious, and endearing film.
Whip it My rating: B+. I totally dug this movie. It was bad-ass without being over-the-top. Landon Pigg is absolutely adorable, and I will marry him eventually. I thought was movie was fun, serious, relatable on some levels, and entertaining overall. I would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a movie to watch. I think it was cast pretty darn well, and all the actors did wonderful in their roles. Granted, I haven’t read the book so I cannot vouch for how well it depicted the novel, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Youth In Revolt My rating: C. I was rather disappointed after watching this. I am secretly over Michael Cera playing roles where his characters whole goal of the film is to get laid, it’s getting old. There were some funny parts, and overall it was cast very well. I enjoyed all the characters, and it was definitely entertaining for the most part, but I thought I was going to like it a lot more than I did. As with lame rom-coms, I think I am leaving my “trying to be a funny/dark indie film” phase.
Say Anything… My rating: A-. I am a sucker for 80′s “teen” movies like The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty In Pink, and this was definitely no exception. Anymore, I’m a little tired of the same old “happy ending” with movies, but this was a bit different. The film depicted a rather normal relationship, with it’s good times, bad times, and everything in between. I really liked the chemistry between Lloyd and Diane, it was realistic without losing the appeal. I don’t know why I waited so long to watch this movie, but it was definitely worth it.
Rush Hour 3 My rating: D. I started watching the movie because my brother was watching it and I had nothing to do. It was entertaining, at least. Chris Tucker is pretty funny, but overall the movie didn’t impress me, but I wasn’t expecting much. I haven’t seen #1 or #2, so I cannot vouch for how this compared, but I probably won’t be watching it again. It had it’s funny moments, but that’s about it.
In Her Shoes My rating: B+. I really enjoyed this film. It was another one of those “I’m bored, let’s watch this” movies, but I’m glad I did. I think the whole story-line could be very relatable for many viewers, or at least many people can see a bit of themselves in the film. I love the chemistry between Toni and Cameron, they played great sisters [again, who were relatable, real, and fantastic]. I laughed during the movie, and probably came close to tears. Nothing was too over-the-top in terms of believability, which I think is so key in movies other than, say, Avatar and Inception. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and would definitely watch it again!
The Crazies My rating: C.
I didn’t hate this movie, but I also didn’t love it. It didn’t really do much of anything for me. I was expecting to be really scared, but I ended up dozing off a couple times instead. I may have to watch it again, but I probably won’t. Honestly, I don’t remember much of anything about the movie aside from there is a mysterious gas that is taking over the town and turning everyone crazy? I think.
She’s Out Of My League My rating: C.
Again, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. It definitely had its funny moments, mostly due to T.J. Miller who played the ever-so-funny Marmaduke on the short-lived comedy “Carpoolers”. It was surprisingly believable most of the time, and I laughed quite often. But, it was just another romantic-comedy that lacked a whole lot of originality.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year My rating: B-.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the High School Musical movies, and I wasn’t disappointed with this one. I think this was a great way to end the saga, and my eyes may have even became a bit teary at the end. I think the transition to small screen to big screen was done flawlessly, and I really enjoyed the “theatricality” of it all. Of course, it had all the cheese of the first two, but I still really enjoyed it.
Stranger Than Fiction My rating: B+/A-. I really liked this film. I love the whole cast, and I think they worked great together. The film was a wonderful story about the writing process and human nature, and the two meshed flawlessly together. I don’t think there is a whole lot I can say about this film expect that you should watch it. Now.
I can’t believe it’s already March. This year is going by so fast!
Anyways, here are my ratings/mini-reviews of the movies I watched in February!
The Hurt Locker My rating: B/B-. I really don’t think that this movie was as awesome as it was made out to be. It was up for a lot/won a few awards, and I heard raving reviews about it. It had its moments of good-ness, but I don’t think I’ll be watching it again anytime soon. Maybe it’s because I’m not a fan of war, at all, but I really felt uncomfortable watching it most of the time. SSG William James drove me nuts most of the time. I don’t know, I’m just not a huge fan of it. It was well made, so props for that.
The Invention of Lying My rating: C+. I don’t think it was as funny as it was made out to be, but I think it portrayed humans pretty well. I don’t really know how to explain it, but people really are that rude and superficial, they just don’t say what they’re thinking.
The Visitor My rating: B+. I really enjoyed this movie. It was fairly slow in the beginning, but it didn’t take away from the movie at all. I think the story was a perfect mix of friendship and the issue of immigration. My heart wrenched during many points, the emotions were so raw and believable.
The Time Traveler’s Wife My rating:B+. So. good. I haven’t read the book yet, but my mother said that it did the book justice, so I’ll believe her. I thought I was going to be super confused, but I surprisingly wasn’t that confused! I absolutely adore Rachel McAdams and I thought she played the part very well. I was on the brink of tears numerous times, and it was overall a great romantic story with the mystery and allure of time-travel.
Odeon, a British cinema, is refusing to show Tim Burton’sAlice In Wonderland once it releases on March 5th.
The reason is based on the release date of the DVD.
Supposedly the normal screen-to-DVD time is about 17 weeks, but Walt Disney Pictures is shortening this time frame to 12 weeks for Alice In Wonderland in Britain, Ireland, and Italy. The reason for the change is to try and deter piracy of the movie.
Just so you know, Odeon has about 110 theaters between Britain, Ireland, and Italy.
I know that it’s a big investment to set up the projection equipment to show 3-D movies, but I think boycotting the movie is a bit ridiculous. The 12-week showing window will probably only boost ticket sales because movie-goers have less time to go and see the movie, which will only benefit the theaters.
Plus, I don’t think the change will deter piracy. If people want something bad enough, they’ll find a way.
Not too sure when these came out, but I’m just getting around to looking at them.
Worst Picture
All About Steve
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Land of The Lost
Old Dogs
Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen
My pick: Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen.
Probably will win [lose]: Land of The Lost.
Worst Actress
Beyonce. Obsessed
Sandra Bullock. All About Steve
Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana: The Movie
Megan Fox, Jennifer’s Body And Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Sarah Jessica Parker, Did You Hear About The Morgans?
My pick: Megan Fox.
Probably will win [lose]: Miley Cyrus or Megan Fox.
I’ll only post a few categories, and who I think should win for each.
Best Picture: Avatar
The Blindside
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.
A Serious Man
Up
Up In The Air
My pick: Honestly, I’ve only seen District 9, but I doubt it was the “best” out of all these. Probably will win: I’m betting that either Avatar, Precious, or Up In The Air will win.
Actor In A Supporting Role: Matt Damon
Woody Harrelson
Christopher Plummer
Stanley Tucci
Christoph Waltz
My pick: Stanley Tucci. He did a beyond-fabulous job in The Lovely Bones. Probably will win: Christoph Waltz for his role in Inglorious Basterds.
You can see the whole list of nominations here.
The Oscars will air on ABC on March 7th.
I think I am going to start listing/reviewing the movies I see. I won’t be including movies I have seen before, rather I’ll focus on those I’ve seen for the first time. I think breaking it down by month will be the easiest way to go about this. All the movies may not necessarily be “new” movies, but I have a huge list of “old” movies I have yet to see.
District 9 My rating: A-. I really, really, really liked this movie. I thought it did a wonderful job of portraying the world and how we as humans tend to segregate those that are “different” from us. It really makes you think about how we function in society, which is why I enjoyed it so much. Plus, it was pretty funny at points.
Invictus My rating: B. I honestly can’t remember a whole lot about this movie, but I know I enjoyed it. It’s really well made, and the rugby scenes are to die for. I think I ended up crying at one point, but that didn’t shock me. Morgan Freeman was amazing.
Where The Wild Things Are My rating: A. I absolutely adored this movie. I grew up reading the book, and the movie was equally amazing. It was a rather powerful movie, and the way in which it was film was interesting and different.I cried, I laughed, I hurt at numerous times in the film, and it’s definitely one that I’ll be purchasing once it’s out on DVD.
The Lovely Bones My rating: B. I’m a HUGE fan of the book by Alice Sebold, but I think the movie kind of missed the mark. I mean, it was good for what it was, but it didn’t stay true enough to the book as I would’ve liked. It was made to be more of a murder-mystery than a focus-on-the-family. I think, as viewers, we missed out on a lot of the family tension and problems that were developed oh-so well in the book.
Pulp Fiction My rating: B. I went into this movie knowing that it’s ridiculously popular. I’m not about to say that it’s my favorite movie, but it was pretty good. Funny, random, and unique. I honestly don’t really quite understand what’s so “amazing” about it, but maybe I need to watch it again?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Rating: A. Absolutely loved this movie. It was nice to see Jim Carrey in a more “serious” (but still entertaining) role. Kate Winslet was fabulous as usual. It may just be the psychology-obsessed side of me, but I thought the premise of the film was absolutely genius. Perfect example of “you don’t know what you have until you lose it”.
Closer My rating: A. Yet another fabulous movie. I loved the fact that is was totally not PC, and it worked wonderfully. The acting was superb, almost to the point where I had to tell myself I was watching a movie and not someone’s actual life. I think Clive Owen was perfectly cast as an arrogant-cheater. I could go on, but I’ll spare you. Everything worked perfectly.
(500) Days of Summer My rating: A/A+. Seriously, hands down, probably one of my favorite movies ever. Aside from my love for Zooey Deschanel, it was fabulous. It was refreshing to see a “love story” that wasn’t like the typical “boy meets girl, they fall in love, they live happily ever after” scenario. Tom’s sister cracked me up, and I think everyone was perfectly cast for their roles. I also loved the non-chronological format, it made you pay attention, and also strung you along at points.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry My rating: D+. Definitely not as funny as it was made out to be. I don’t understand the “gay-humor” that seems to be all the rage now-a-days. It’s annoying, and down-right rude most of the time. It had it’s moments, but I didn’t enjoy it enough to watch it again.
Avatar has officially beat out Titanic for highest grossing movie of all time.
It has grossed $1.292 billion as of Sunday, beating Titanic by $50.1 million.
I’m sure we could have all called this one–Megan Fox was voted the worst actress of 2009.
She’s even too full of herself to take criticism: “I’ve done one movie. And it’s not a movie I want to stand on as far as acting ability goes. I mean, I’m not going to win an Oscar anytime soon. I’m not Meryl Streep.”
–Courtesy of GQ Magazine.
Honestly, I don’t even think she’s that good-looking, but since she is supposedly ‘the hottest woman alive’, she’ll continue to stay on the radar.
Boo, world, boo.
Alright, I just got back from seeing Invictus [which, by the way, was really good] and I saw a couple previews for movies that look pretty interesting. So, I decided to make a post about the movies I am looking forward to most in 2010.
Valentine’s Day [Out February 12th]
This reminds me a lot of He’s Just Not That Into You, which is good. The cast list is ridiculous. Excited.
Alice In Wonderland [Out March 5th]
This is pretty self-explanatory. Tim Burton= genius.
The Lovely Bones [Out January15th]
This book was so good. I really anxious to see how it translates to film.
The Book of Eli[Out January 15th]
I don’t know what is so darn appealing about these ‘end of the world’ movies, but they’re interesting.
Remember Me [Out March 12th]
I’m excited to see Robert Pattinson actually act. I’m sure this will do well in the box-office right off the bat due to the insane Rob-love, but it actually looks like a legitimately good film.
The Last Song [Out April 2nd]
As you all probably know by now, I can’t stand Miley Cyrus, but I have faith that this movie is going to be amazing.
Alright, I don’t want to bombard you with videos, so the other videos I’m looking forward to in 2010 are: Sex and the City 2 [May 28th]
A Nightmare on Elm Street [April 30th]
Due Date [November 5th]