Movies in Review: "Puss in Boots"

Oh Antonio Banderas you even make a feline sexy. I honestly could not get enough of his voice as the character Puss....aaaahhhhhhh. I thought this was a very cute spin off from the Shrek films, and Puss definitely showed that he can hold a movie on his own...Kudos.

I enjoyed it, and thought it had that same fun and humor as the Shrek films, although I thought Puss was alot more provocative, so it may not be suitable for kids under 5yr. All the characters were great. The film was colorful and fun. I however would hold off on seeing it in 3D, from what I could tell, it wasn't worth the extra fee. I liked this 1st installment, and I look forward to a few more movies with Puss...A-

Movies in Review: "The Rum Diary"

Ok so this movie was a bit of a hot drunken mess...smh. It seemed like an adventure that served no real purpose, and at the end of the day everyone just went their own separate ways...smh. You will see that there is alot going on, but by the end of the movie you will be asking yourself "what the heck was that all about". It is based on the novel of the same name, but I hope the book plays out better than the movie.

I love Johnny Depp as an actor, and there isn't a character I have yet to dislike. Although this film wasn't great, Depp did his thing as always. Giovanni Ribisi is also another actor that is at the top of my list, and who definitely deserves more lead roles (I think he may have been a better replacement for Justin for the movie "In Time")...I'm just sayin. I say all of this to say that I had no qualms with the acting, but the writing and direction are a little questionable. There was alot going on, a newspaper that is in the dumps, a beautiful women, an island for sale...oh and I can't forget the drinking. I swear the day after I watched this film I somehow had a disgust for alcohol, and I promised myself that I would stop drinking...seriously...lol.

There is hardly a dull moment in the film, but somehow it still felt dull. I guess the viewing audience is on board with this because Rum Diary did not do well at all it's opening weekend, and that's unfortunate, because it was alot better than "In Time"...C

Movies in Review: "Like Crazy"

This was honestly my favorite movie this weekend. And let me just state that alot of that may have to do with the fact that I am a female, and stories like these usually touch me the most. Now this is not to say that men won't like it, but it's definitely a chick flick...men you have been warned...

The way the movie opened was annoying the hell out of me at first. It felt like a documentary, and therefore was unscripted. It was like fragmented shots and words spoken here and there. It opens with the characters Jacob and Anna first flirting. You remember how that was when you were young and in lust/love...the looks, the smile, the approach, the 1st call, the 1st date, the awkwardness, that warm tingly feeling...I could go on, but you get my point. It only took a minute for me to appreciate what tone the director was trying to create, and it worked wonderfully for the rest of the film. My favorite scene was after Anna and Jacob's first date, and them saying goodbye...awwwweeee. You can't tell me if you see this movie you won't find yourself remembering when you had those same feelings and emotions. It took me back...

The story starts to get serious when Anna and Jacob try to maintain a long distance relationship...hmmmmm...I'm sure we have all been there, and we know how that story goes. I enjoyed how this movie touches on many of the difficulties of such a relationship. I think this film was very beautifully played, even to the end. Ladies make it and evening with your girls, and men, take the lady in which the words "I love you" have already been spoken, and enjoy yourselves...A-

Movies in Review: "In Time"

I was very shocked to see that this movie ranked #3 in tickets sales this weekend. Out of the four movies I had the chance to review, this was by far the worst one. Honestly, "In Time" was a waste of time...my apologies for sounding cliche.

Uuuuugggghhhh!!!...Justin Timberlake please return to making music, something your actually great at. I honestly use to be a fan of him as an actor, especially after seeing him in "Alpha Dog", "Friends With Benefits", and also his crazy stints on SNL. However the more roles he seems to be able to obtain that are less like the person he is in real life, the less appealing he gets. For the life of me I can't understand why a casting agent would think Timberlake would be the person of choice for this role...smh. I'm sure if a more seasoned actor had taken this position no one would have noticed how lame the premise of this story was. Seriously? We don't age past the age of 25...yawn...what are the benefits of that? And the resolve for over population is that after 25yrs you have 360 days before your time runs out and you die...come on! There are time keepers, and a section of the population with very little time that live in the "ghetto"...(insert screw face). As the movie played along, it became very predictable and horribly unbelievable, and even less thrilling...smh.

My advice to Justin is that he not take on roles that are beyond his capabilities. He acts like a robot, and his emotions were stiff, and sub par...all the crying scenes, even the kissing scenes were mechanical. I'm guessing he didn't like Seyfried as much as Kunis because I thought he seemed more comfortable in his "Friends With Benefits" role. And that could be because he was playing a character alot like himself. It is obvious he had to step out of the box to play Will Salas, and he wasn't ready...oh well.

I think that you will find yourself rolling your eyes throughout this movie more than anything, so it might be best to stay away from it in the theatres. If you like Justin and want to see him in action, catch it on netflix, or wait until it's showing on TV. We know they cut parts out to fit TV slots, but don't worry, you're not missing anything important...D :/

Movies in Review: "The Three Muskateers"

Oh how we tire of remakes...when will producers ever get the picture. It cost 90million to make this movie, and this film fell quite short of that it's opening weekend, coming in 4th. And they had the nerve to release it in 3D...smh...definitely not worth that at all.

There were a few things that should have been replaced. One of them is casting Milla Jovovich as Mi Lady...boooooo! She didn't fit this character in so many ways. Is Mi Lady suppose to be sexy? This is something Milla could not portray. There was nothing sexy or provocative about her at all. All her scenes were overdone, and her acting was making my stomach turn. I'm sure they could have found someone else more suitable for this role in my opinion...smh. I also thought the storyline with D'Artagnan took away from the best part of the film which involved Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. They were the best part of the movie to me, and if the focus had been geared towards them, it may have made for a better movie. I also enjoyed the action scenes. I thought they were choreographed well. The story was decent for the most part, but some of the scenes are a bit unbelievable...really unbelievable. All the action scenes that included the flying ships should have been revamped...seriously. This movie had the potential to be so much better. I was a tad bit disappointed...

All in all though, I do believe the teenagers will like it. I think the family would enjoy it for sure. You may want to wait until it comes out on DVD perhaps...C

Movies in Review: "Johnny English Reborn"

I will be the 1st to say that I am not a Johnny English fan. This is actually the 1st movie I have seen from this franchise. I am not a fan of parody films, but there was something about the trailer that got me into the theatre. Within the 1st 15min I wanted my money back, but that soon changed.

Johnny English is one parody I think I can tolerate. I found the humor to be quite entertaining, and it was actually funny. My favorite scene was the first chase scene. I loved how the music played such an important role in the way the viewing audience saw it. The whole scene to the end was hilarious. Johnny and Agent Tucker partnered perfectly. Agent Tucker held his own, and did not fall in the shadow of English. I liked the story for the most part, except for the old Asian woman. That part of the story played out fairly quickly, and was no longer funny after the 2nd meeting.

Overall it was cool. The teenagers in the audience loved it, but I think adults will find it funny too. If you need a laugh you may not feel bad for seeing this at a matinee...B

Movies in Review: "Margin Call"

This film is packed with some of the most gifted actors and actresses in Hollywood...exciting. If that alone isn't enough to get you to the theatre to see, add to the fact that the film is a drama that focuses on a financial institutions 24hr period of the financial crisis started in 2007...even more excited. Well I'm not the only person who found all of these factors to be intriguing. It is an independent film, so it is not playing in a huge market. But every theatre that was showing it, was selling out!

Ummmmmm...well...we were all in for a big surprise when this movie turned out to be such a bore...yawn. It was so blah. I guess that had alot to do with the fact that everything that happens in the movie takes place the 1st 24hrs of the crisis. It may have made for a more exciting story if they took it beyond that. So within those 24hrs you get to listen to a bunch of numbers talk, that quite honestly was a little over my head. But I got the point. We all are living though this financial crisis, some people losing almost everything. This film is enough to make the average person a little jaded. The meat and potatoes of the film was good, but you will still be left feeling like there should have been more. The opening scene was one of my favorite parts, and all the scenes following with Stanley Tucci in it. Paul Bettany is on my least favorite actors list, but I somehow thought he would come through in this film...he didn't. I think he was lost. His accent kept changing. The first scene he was speaking like a tough NYer, which didn't really work for him. Later he falls into his normal accent and remains there...he's horrible. But the worst part is the way this film ends...enough said.

The material itself is interesting enough, just not interesting enough to keep your attention for 2hrs. If its not playing in your area you can count this as no big deal. For all others its not a bad watch from the comfort of your own home, and you have nothing else better to do...lol...B-

Movies in Review: "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

If the title alone isn't enough to have you shaking your head, then the film will...smh. It is a thriller that I have to admit was somewhat thrilling. The thing that bothered me was that I was waiting in anticipation for "something" for the whole entire movie, but sadly enough, I never got it. This film will give you that feeling, but it feels like you've been cheated when there is no gratification at the end.

I didn't think the film was horrible for the most part. It was a bit fragmented though, which made it a little annoying to watch. The scenes kept switching from her in her present day life, to her in her cult living situation. It is clear that the abuse she faced within the cult has made it hard for her to function in regular society. The way some of the scenes were directed just made for dead space. It got to a point where it was like "ok we get it, she's crazy...now what". You think your "now what" will be answered, but when the credits roll you may actually find yourself sitting there for a few minutes thinking that that there was more to it that they forgot to show you...smh...Uuuuuugggghhhh!

This film however has been receiving great reviews, and all the critics seem to agree that they love it. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 86% Fresh. Maybe this is the reason why I feel so rotten that I can't say that I agree with all the positive hype around this film. I thought Elizabeth Olsen was great, and I look forward to seeing more of her work. Unfortunately the way that this story played out on the big screen felt a bit unfinished. You ever walk into a theatre with utter anticipation, 2 hrs later, walk out with the screw face :/. Its nothing you want to waste your money in the theatre to see, because no one wants to hear you screaming "WTF" throughout...lol. It was just ok to me. Here's your fair warning though...get ready to be left hanging...C

Movies in Review: "The Skin I Live In"

This film was the best movie I had a chance to see this weekend. And to think that I had no interest in seeing it from what I viewed in the trailer. Its a great thing I came across some positive reviews, or I would have missed out, just because I am not a huge fan of subtitles. But subtitles or not, this movie was astounding.

It quite obvious that Pedro Almodovar has quite a following. This was the first movie I have seen of his, the rest of the viewing audience were definitely fans of his work, and I can see why.I advise that you read a short synopsis of this movie. I thought I knew the idea and story of this film after reading up on it, but after viewing it, I had no clue. I love it when a movie turns you all around and inside out. This movie has an Alfred Hitchcock feel and will have you feel like you just lost your mind...in a sense. The production is not great, but you will be so enthralled in the story, that I don't think you will notice. I know many people are not fans of subtitles, like myself, but this movie is one still worth catching...A+

I went to see this movie after work on it's opening night. I was happy about this decison especially when my whole viewing audience received a special treat. Elena Anaya, the actress who plays "Vera" stopped in for a quick Q&A with the audience...Sweet! I was seated near the back. Excuse the clarity of the pic but I turned my flash off, just because I thought it would be rude to have my camera flashing in her face while she was speaking. But this is Elena, she's a very beautiful lady.

Movies in Review: "The Thing"

If you've seen one movie like this you've seen them all. Put everyone in an excluded area with an unknown species...well...you know the rest. The scenes were gory enough to keep the men happy, but the story was lame enough to make anyone pissed. One by one everyone is getting eliminated, except for that 1 person who seems to be immune to what everyone else is not.

You get to a point where it seems that the writers didn't know how to exactly end this mess that they created. This point happens when they are at the aliens ship at the end...wth. Why would you end the movie there? The ship was freaking huge! That whole sequence made absolutely no sense to me, and the fact that there really seemed to be no way to actually kill this alien was all a waste of time. If you go to see this movie, its because you are more interested in blood and guts, instead of a decent movie. It's your choice...D

Movies in Review: "The Big Year"

Was a Big Bore. This movie was less about comedy, and more about Birding. You know what, quite honestly I should have known better. Im not a fan of either Jack Black or Owen Wilson when it comes to comedy movies, except when they are animated. I do however love Steve Martin, and I guess I was thinking that he would make up for what the other two didn't have. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. I hardly laughed...correction...I didn't laugh, but chuckled once...smh. As bad as I am making this movie sound, there were a few things that I did like about it.

I loved Steve Martin's character and the relationship he shared with his wife. I enjoyed Black's character's passion. And I appreciated the story of Wilson's character who sacrificed it all for his own agenda. These made for a decent movie, just not a funny one. If your fan of either of these actors, this movie is still nothing to rush and see...lol...C-

Movies in Review: "The Texas Killing Fields"

Not much buzz about this movie. I came across it in my friday paper, and seeing that Sam Worthington was in it, I was all in. This crime film based on true events about a serial killer in Texas was a bit all over the place. It was hard to follow, and annoying to watch really. This movie would have been better suited as an hour long episode on Criminal Minds instead of this huge movie production. The story definitely wasn't worth it, and I think the people behind Criminal Minds would have done a better job with it.

This was the first time that I thought Sam Worthington was laying it on thick, which has me thinking the direction was to cause for this mess of a film. There was really nothing that I enjoyed about it, and I think the audience viewing it with me agreed. Its never a good sign when the credits start rolling and people start sucking their teeth because they wasted their money and time...this is that type of film. So in my opinion, pass on this one and try an episode of Criminal Minds instead...D

Movies in Review: "The Way"

I was looking forward to see this film which starred Martin Sheen and his son Emilio, which the film was also directed. The trailer looked interesting enough, and I am a fan of the Sheen family. Unfortunately this film did not meet my expectations. I was expecting a bit more drama, but instead the movie was just filled with walking and bickering between the characters in the film. Yes the walking should have been expected since the premise of the movie is centered around the pilgrimage to Carmen De Santiago. However I just thought the film was to long in this regard. I think they could have spent a little more time developing a true understanding of Tom and Daniel's broken father and son relationship.

The Way wasn't all bad though. I did find the characters on the pilgrimage with Tom to be quite amusing, especially Joost. But the movie was over 2hrs long, and I wanted a little more than just walking and bickering. The mood of the film was very enlightening though. It actually had me interested in the pilgrimage myself. Each character had their own reason for taking the walk, and it was a great feeling when they all finally reached the end. This film was ok, but you may want to pass on the theatre experience, and instead experience from your nice comfy couch at home. My guess is that within the 1st 45min you will fall asleep. It's not all bad though if you are able to stay awake to watch it...B-

Movies in Review: "Real Steel"

Wow! I haven't been this excited after seeing a movie since "Karate Kid"...the one with Jaden Smith. This movie was TOTALLY AWESOME!!! Now don't get me wrong, its not the greatest film ever, but it had all the right elements to keep you engaged and totally entertained...I love it when a movie does that.

I thought that Hugh Jackman's character Charlie was just ok. He was only made better when is son Max, played by Dakota Goyo came into the picture. I honestly don't believe they could have picked a better young actor to play Max...he was perfect. The back and forth between these two was the most entertaining, outside of the robots...who were also amazing. What I enjoyed most about this film is that they kept the robots in their lane. They were robots that were controlled by humans, and they kept them that way. The robot Atom was special, but he was not unbelievably special. He still only moved when commanded, but somehow the director was still able to give him life. The relationship between Atom and Max will have you fall in love with the twosome. Oh and let me not get started with the dance routine! Loved it!

The movie is a bit long, but I can't honestly say what you could have cut without losing the story. This movie is great for the kids...of all ages. Kids and parents together were cheering in the theatre I went to. This is a must see for the family...A-!

Movies in Review: "The Ides of March"

This is the film all movie critics were giving high marks for this weekend. And from the trailer there was no doubt in my mind that it had to be good...and you know what....it was. But honestly how can you go wrong with a cast like the one in this film. I think it would be damn near impossible to mess this up. So my view on the film as a whole is that the cast made it what it was, and it damn sure was a pretty interesting film to see.

This movie will definitely have you shaking your head politics, and political positions as a whole. Its all a manipulating game, and the one screwing the intern will always lose...smh. This is George Clooney's 3rd directorial debut, and he cant count this one as a winner. Although I didn't really like everything about this movie. I thought Clooney was weak as a politician, and I did not believe him as a Democratic Presidential Candidate. He was nowhere near as convincing as Matt Damon in the "Adjustment Bureau". But with powerhouse actors such as Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ryan Gosling, you will hardly even notice Clooney's weak political portrayal. His campaign was quite entertaining. If you have seen this movie, were there not alot of things similar to President Obama's presidential campaign, from the posters, even to some of the words in his speeches...funny.

I loved the story line written between Gosling, Hoffman, and Paul Giamatti's characters. But the story that caused the turn of events was just ho-hum, and I thought it could have been written a little better. But again, with the acting power on set, you won't even notice. Glad to see Tomei still getting great roles and pulling them off :). And props to Jeffrey Wright, this man always shows up. So my view is yes, you should see this...A+!

Movies in Review: "Dirty Girl"

Wow the reviews for this movie are in the can. To be very honest, the trailer didn't spark my interest whatsoever, but I somehow made it into the theatre to see this film anyway...me and about 5 other people...lol. Dirty Girl did not do well at the box offices at all! SMH...but for some reason I'm not completely sure if I thought it deserved to be defunked the way that it was.

Quite honestly there were alot of things that I enjoyed about this movie. This is a coming of age comedy mainly about 2 teenage kids in the 80's. However let me be the first to warn you that this movie is not for kids. It has alot of sexual content that would not be suitable for anyone under the age of 16 (in my opinion). I thought the movie did a great job of portraying the 80's. There is nothing about this film that won't make you feel that you are really in this time period. I also like the fact that it is a comedy that hit the mark on its humor. The characters Danielle and Clarke played by Juno Temple and Jeremy Dozier were a perfect pair. There bickering and fighting, which grows into a really strong friendship was a joy to watch. The best comic relief to me was the sack of flour (if you see the movie you will See what I'm talking about).

I believed the storyline for the most part. I'm referring to the homophobic dad and his gay son, and also the abandoned daughter searching for her father. I'm sure some young teen has dealt with something that happened in this movie, if not, it may still remind you of someone you know. All in all, I enjoyed it. The majority of critics are giving this one a thumbs down, as I did when I saw the trailer. But after watching it, it wasn't so bad at all...B+

Movies in Review: "50/50"

This was my favorite movie this weekend, and I was surprised that many more people did not come out to see it. It ranked #4 its opening weekend, but only brought in 8.8million in ticket sales. I definitely think it deserved to do better than that, but maybe the subject matter did not appeal to everyone as a dramedy. I'm sure many people may not be able to see the "comedy" in cancer.

But be that as it may, this film was still humorous, heartfelt, and I thought they did an excellent job of portraying all the emotions that one diagnosed with cancer would go through, as well as the reactions of everyone around him. Seth Rogen can sometimes be a bit over the top for me, so I was having a hard time actually seeing him in this role. I'm happy to say that he didn't ruin it for me. He provided the right amount of humor, without overdoing it. I loved the interaction between Gorden-Levitt and Kendrick. I was engaged throughout the whole movie and my stomach was in a ball of knots, and it was an emotional ride. This movie may hit home for alot of people, and may not be for everyone dealing with this subject matter personally. Just to let you know I laughed, but I also cried. If you can stand what is presented, I think this is a must see...A!

Movies in Review: "Dream House"

In it's opening weekend this movie ranked #6 with tickets sales at 8.2million. Not great considering that it took 50million to make this film :(.

It was meant to be a thriller, but it was however, less thrilling than I expected. The story seemed to me to be alot like the idea of "Shutter Island", which I found to be amazing. But this movie just kind of dragged along at the beginning, and seemed to be a bit all over the place, especially the opening scene. I did not find the directing of this film to be that great, and in my opinion was to blame for such a so so thriller. Some of the actions happening just didn't seem to make sense, but the core of the story was not all that bad. The bar scene with the cops didn't make much sense to me, as well as the whole set-up with the killer for hire (it should have been obvious that he was at the wrong house). This movie had such great potential to be mind boggling, but instead fell flat at the end and left me personally unsatisfied. This movie is good enough for a rental, paying anything more may just have you pissed...C+

Movies in Review: "What's You Number"

It was a very sad showing at the movie box offices this weekend. The top movie only brought in 14.2million. This really isn't bad considering that it was "Dolphin Tale" and had been released last weekend. Unfortunately the movies that opened this weekend did not fair well at all...smh.

First up we have the romantic comedy starring Anna Farris and Chris Evans. This movie ranked 8th in its weekend opener, and only brought in a dismal 5.6million...yikes! I guess its fair to say that people are kind of tired of seeing this story being redone over and over and over and over...you get my point. And indeed it was kinda the same predictable story, and cliche ending for this movie unfortunately. I have to admit that I still thought it was still cute. But that could have alot to do with the fact that I am female, and I enjoy stories like these for the most part. It did play out a little differently than the others, with its quirky and fun storyline. I'm usually not a fan of Anna Farris's angle of comedy, but I enjoyed her in this role. I also thought her and Chris Evans made an adorable pair, and I could not get enough of Evan's smile :). The idea of the # of sex partners correlating with finding "the one" was cute. And quite honestly I'm sure alot of females will find themselves making a list of past partners after watching this movie...lol...I know I did...and my # was............Ha! wouldn't you like to know!

This movie isn't a must see, but for the females who enjoy movies like these, like myself, I don't think you will be mad spending your money on a matinee. Men however would want to stay away from attending this movie with a female they are newly dating or have been dating for a few months. This movie will only cause you and your partner to get into an argument, or bring cause for "the conversation"...you now what I'm talking about. Anyway, not a bad movie especially for a rental...B-