V: We checked this out in the library only to find that my parents own, and love, this movie. Rene Zellweger is an actress who I always think I don't want to see, only to find that she always does a really good job. This is a fun movie based on the life of Beatrix Potter. Who, come to find out, is owed a huge debt of gratitude from those who like some land preserved and not turned into heavy residential or industrial sludge. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Sweet story. The only thing I didn't really love was the way Miss Potter spoke to her "friends", that is, her illustrations. It was more childish than charming for me. I understand the imagination bit, the whimsy, and the loneliness. Maybe I'm a humbug - but Miss Potter seemed to think they were a little too real. It made her look crazy, OK? BUT - that aside, I really liked this movie. 3 1/2 stars.
M: *SPOILER ALERT* I agree with V that, in the beginning of this movie, the use of cartoons is distracting and annoying and probably filled with artistic license (unless Beatrix Potter was schizophrenic). Having said that, the sweetness of the Ms. Potter character, as well as the character played by Ewan McGregor, won me over in the end. My hat's off to McGregor and Zellweger. It was fun to read about Ms. Potter on Wikipedia afterwards and learn that she is the person responsible for the preservation of the lakes district in Lancashire, England. It was weird to learn that she was married, and the love of her life was not the man portrayed as such in the movie. The movie really gives the impression that she didn't marry (it is called Miss Potter - oops spoiler). Anyway, good show, worth seeing, just get past the weird animation bits. 3 stars
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Amazing Grace
M: A touching story about one man's continuing fight for the abolition of the slave trade in England. An interesting story, and I learned a lot. I enjoyed getting a peek at the inner workings of the Parliament of the time, and I imagine that much of the dialogue comes directly from actual argument made and recorded during the slavery debates. I did, however, feel that the movie was a bit over-the-top. I know it is an emotional subject, but at times the movie laid it on a bit thick for me. Aside from a tendency toward the overly dramatic, which can be forgiven given the subject matter, I think it is a movie worth seeing. 3 stars.
V: We watched this over a two-day period. It's not that long, just was hard to find the time. (You always like a movie better when you watch it all at once.) I still really liked it. It's worth your time, if only to hear (watch) the story. Some people are called to do things they themselves don't think they can or want to do. But they've been given a gift and if they accept their call, they can do great things. You should see this movie. It's well done, good story, very clean. And that guy sure looks like Alan Rickman (aka Snape)! But it's not him. 3 1/2 stars.
V: We watched this over a two-day period. It's not that long, just was hard to find the time. (You always like a movie better when you watch it all at once.) I still really liked it. It's worth your time, if only to hear (watch) the story. Some people are called to do things they themselves don't think they can or want to do. But they've been given a gift and if they accept their call, they can do great things. You should see this movie. It's well done, good story, very clean. And that guy sure looks like Alan Rickman (aka Snape)! But it's not him. 3 1/2 stars.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Twilight
M: Well, we finally saw Twilight. Where to start, where to start. Ok, first, I think you have to take what I say with a grain of salt. I picked up the book a little less than a year ago to see what all the hubbub was about, and, although I moaned and complained and made fun of the book the whole time, I kept reading, and eventually finished the third book before I was finally mad enough to vow to never read more (and yet . . .) It is like a grisly car crash that you can't take your eyes away from. You might say of me, "thou protesteth too much." And maybe I do . . . but
Seriously?
First of all, there were times in this movie when I laughed hysterically, and I am sure that is not what they were going for. I certainly wasn't laughing "with" the movie. The movie, like the books, is so painfully cheesy.
My friend, a twilighter (and I think on the Edward team), told me that she thought maybe I didn't like the books because I just didn't understand the kind of love Bella and Edward shared. Admittedly, I don't. I love V, more each day. She is the single most important and best thing in my life, hands down. And what Twilight passes off as love, well, I don't buy it. Bella and Edward have known each other for a week, their conversations have not progressed beyond "I am bad for you, we shouldn't be friends" and "I'm not scared," and their interactions have been limited to Edward holding his perfect chiseled nose and clenching his statue-like fists and Bella trying not to impale herself on the nearest sport apparatus, even for a moment. Yet they are both convinced that they would literally off themselves if they couldn't be together. OK, fine. But in the next chapter along comes Jacob and, well, maybe Belle has this same intense crazy love for him too. I mean, after all, he built her a motorcycle (which she uses to try to kill herself when she thinks she can't be with Edward). Ok, now I am just making myself upset again. But you see my point, right?
Plus, I have daughters, and this movie, and the books, are my worst nightmare. So this guy tells you, "I am no good for you," "I might hurt you," and "I am the bad guy." This same guy likes to sneak into your bedroom and watch you sleep. Oh, and you have no time or thought for your other friends or family because they just don't understand your love, so you exclude them from your life completely and devote yourself entirely to the guy. In the real world, this spells stalker, and that is the best case scenario.
And these are just things that bug me as a guy. Here is an article I saw this morning on MSN with a feminist view.
The movie looked pretty good visually. When Edward threw his little "spider monkey" on his back and ran her through the forests, it was just ridiculous. And the slow motion music video thing got pretty annoying. Otherwise, I loved it. 1 1/2 stars
V: The movie was a pretty good adaptation of the book. That's bad. That's very bad. I actually kinda looked forward to seeing the movie. I thought maybe it could offer something more, something better than the book. But what I found I was really hoping for was something different than the book. Like a movie made from a different book. Because, surely, they wouldn't include this and they wouldn't include that. Right? They would come up with something else, right? I was actually surprised when I saw that the movie had included so much from the book - because I thought it was too ridiculous. It was good for an occasional (unintended) laugh, many rolls of the eyes, and many, many groans of exasperation. The music bugged me so much. I liked the lighting. I thought the main characters were accurately represented by the actors. That's bad. Anyway, we're honestly not just trying to be contrary to popular opinion, here. (After all, we're big Harry Potter fans.) Just didn't like it. 1 1/2 stars.
Seriously?
First of all, there were times in this movie when I laughed hysterically, and I am sure that is not what they were going for. I certainly wasn't laughing "with" the movie. The movie, like the books, is so painfully cheesy.
My friend, a twilighter (and I think on the Edward team), told me that she thought maybe I didn't like the books because I just didn't understand the kind of love Bella and Edward shared. Admittedly, I don't. I love V, more each day. She is the single most important and best thing in my life, hands down. And what Twilight passes off as love, well, I don't buy it. Bella and Edward have known each other for a week, their conversations have not progressed beyond "I am bad for you, we shouldn't be friends" and "I'm not scared," and their interactions have been limited to Edward holding his perfect chiseled nose and clenching his statue-like fists and Bella trying not to impale herself on the nearest sport apparatus, even for a moment. Yet they are both convinced that they would literally off themselves if they couldn't be together. OK, fine. But in the next chapter along comes Jacob and, well, maybe Belle has this same intense crazy love for him too. I mean, after all, he built her a motorcycle (which she uses to try to kill herself when she thinks she can't be with Edward). Ok, now I am just making myself upset again. But you see my point, right?
Plus, I have daughters, and this movie, and the books, are my worst nightmare. So this guy tells you, "I am no good for you," "I might hurt you," and "I am the bad guy." This same guy likes to sneak into your bedroom and watch you sleep. Oh, and you have no time or thought for your other friends or family because they just don't understand your love, so you exclude them from your life completely and devote yourself entirely to the guy. In the real world, this spells stalker, and that is the best case scenario.
And these are just things that bug me as a guy. Here is an article I saw this morning on MSN with a feminist view.
The movie looked pretty good visually. When Edward threw his little "spider monkey" on his back and ran her through the forests, it was just ridiculous. And the slow motion music video thing got pretty annoying. Otherwise, I loved it. 1 1/2 stars
V: The movie was a pretty good adaptation of the book. That's bad. That's very bad. I actually kinda looked forward to seeing the movie. I thought maybe it could offer something more, something better than the book. But what I found I was really hoping for was something different than the book. Like a movie made from a different book. Because, surely, they wouldn't include this and they wouldn't include that. Right? They would come up with something else, right? I was actually surprised when I saw that the movie had included so much from the book - because I thought it was too ridiculous. It was good for an occasional (unintended) laugh, many rolls of the eyes, and many, many groans of exasperation. The music bugged me so much. I liked the lighting. I thought the main characters were accurately represented by the actors. That's bad. Anyway, we're honestly not just trying to be contrary to popular opinion, here. (After all, we're big Harry Potter fans.) Just didn't like it. 1 1/2 stars.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Up
V: I think the only thing I didn't love about this movie is the title. But maybe it was hard to come with something that didn't sound cheesy - and I really had very little idea what was going to happen in this movie after the old man went "up." So I guess that added to the fun. This movie was very funny and very sweet. I almost cried twice. But I held it together. (And you can't prove otherwise because the theater was dark.) The montage of the man and his wife was one of the greatest things I've seen - so sweet. This movie is full of heart, so I don't recommend it to ornery curmudgeons. The rest of you will love it. 4 stars.
M. I agree with V, that the montage and the movie were very-very touching, and up to the point when they took flight, the movie was absolutely fantastic. From there, it got a little silly for me. I didn't care for the bad guy and all his dogs. Maybe I got too much hype going into this one, and had unrealistic expectations. Don't get me wrong, this is a very well done movie, and I loved the idea, and the first half-hour. I just wasn't blown away by where the movie went from there. So, it could definitely be higher, and I am on the fence, but I have to give it, 3 stars.
M. I agree with V, that the montage and the movie were very-very touching, and up to the point when they took flight, the movie was absolutely fantastic. From there, it got a little silly for me. I didn't care for the bad guy and all his dogs. Maybe I got too much hype going into this one, and had unrealistic expectations. Don't get me wrong, this is a very well done movie, and I loved the idea, and the first half-hour. I just wasn't blown away by where the movie went from there. So, it could definitely be higher, and I am on the fence, but I have to give it, 3 stars.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Forever Strong
M: While watching this movie, my sister-in-law made the comment that sports movies are way more sappy than "Chic Flicks." In this case, its true. This movie heaps on the sap and the cheese without any sense of shame. Not since August Rush have I murmured and shaken my head so much watching a movie. The best part of the show was its giggling and snide comments opportunities. Was the Highland rugby team really so darn nice, and was the team from Arizona really so *$#@ evil. I mean the transitioning from the scenes of one team talking about their brothers who played before, while changing old ladies' tires and visiting children in the hospital, to the other team spitting beer on their friend who wouldn't drink and framing him with drug charges because he wasn't cool anymore. Seriously? Don't get me wrong, I love a sports movie. Hoosiers is classic, and is not itself cheese free. But come on, there has to be a limit. This movie made "The Notebook" look like a documentary about life in the country. Unacceptable. 1 1/2 stars.
V: I didn't see the whole thing, so I won't give a rating. I did pop my head in to watch a couple of minutes in the middle, and had to leave it. I suggest you do the same.
M: You know, some people really love this show, so maybe I am missing something. But is was so overdone. And I am from Utah, home of Highland, and where the movie was made and supposedly took place, and I have never met a goofy Russian with Rastafarian hair like the one portrayed in the movie. We don't have many folks like that here. Not to say it isn't possible, but I have a feeling that was artistic license and comic relief at work. Some cool scenes around familiar places in Salt Lake, maybe that should give the movie a bump in the rating. Mmmm, Maybe.
V: I didn't see the whole thing, so I won't give a rating. I did pop my head in to watch a couple of minutes in the middle, and had to leave it. I suggest you do the same.
M: You know, some people really love this show, so maybe I am missing something. But is was so overdone. And I am from Utah, home of Highland, and where the movie was made and supposedly took place, and I have never met a goofy Russian with Rastafarian hair like the one portrayed in the movie. We don't have many folks like that here. Not to say it isn't possible, but I have a feeling that was artistic license and comic relief at work. Some cool scenes around familiar places in Salt Lake, maybe that should give the movie a bump in the rating. Mmmm, Maybe.
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