Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Blind Side 5 stars.

SO I expected this movie to be good... It was AMAZING! I loved it so much! I sat through it and cried and laughed. Michael Oher's story is so cool! I thought Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron did so good! This movie was inspiring! I highly recommend it to EVERYONE! even if you aren't a fan of sports, you will love it!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Transformers: Rise of the Fallen 3.5 Stars

This movie was the first this year that felt like a true summer blockbuster! Isaac and I went to see this at the midnight showing (all of the midnight shows at the theatre sold out) and if we had stayed we could have sat in the front row to watch it. We opted to turn our tickets back in and watch it the next day. This time when we went to the theatre we were able to find seats in the 4th row which is way too close for my taste but I could not wait any longer so we stayed and we were rewarded for the slight discomfort! This movie was better than the 1st as Optimus and the rest of the Autobots are back to save the day from those pesky Decepticons. I have not seen so much excitement for a movie since the Dark Knight and the $200 + million it made in the first 5 days proved it (a feat accomplished only by the Dark Knight prior to this). The movie is on the long side with a 2 and 1/2 hr run time so those with children beware. Also it does push the envelope a bit trying to be an "edgier" PG-13 movie with a few parts that could have been left out and not hurt the plot at all. Still I say Star Trek was a better quality but Transformers is the 1st summer blockbuster. Lots of fun, go watch it!

Year One: 2.5 Stars

I am usually a fan of Jack Black but he can be a bit "hit or miss". This was a miss for me. It is about 2 social outcasts in a tribe of hunters and gatherers. They are banished from the tribe and end up on a path that can lead to their redemption and a place back in the tribe. There are a lot of biblical stories that the movie pokes fun at which I had the most problem with. There are some funny parts, but to be honest if I don't see it for many years I wont feel too bad. Die hard fans of Jack Black will probably still enjoy this film.

The Hangover: 4 Stars...sort of

Disclaimer:This movie is rated R and takes full use of that rating.

Ok I have to be honest and tell you this movie was hilarious! I would say this movie is similar to Superbad or Knocked Up other R rated comedies. This movie is about 4 guys who go to Vegas for their friend's bachelor party. Unfortunately for them the next morning they have lost their friend who is getting married and they all have the mother of all hangovers and cannot remember any of their activities from the night before. They try to piece together the night before and find their missing friend. Including a cameo from Mike Tyson, there are a ton of surprises that will keep you laughing hysterically throughout the movie...that is if you like this sort of movie.

Taking of Pelham 123: 3 stars

Denzel could read the Phone Book and I'd show up to watch it. I mean the guy is seriously one of the best actors of our generation. Name a movie that he was in where he didn't deliver an amazing performance and I will name you ten outstanding movies he's been in. In the Taking of Pelham, Denzel's character is manning the dispatch of the train station while John Travolta's character has taken hostages on train 123. I really enjoyed the movie and thought it was well done with a few interesting twists. Catch this one on a matinee show and it will be well worth it!

Up 4 stars!!!

I had no desire to see this movie when I first saw the trailers. I was WRONG! This movie is great for kids and adults alike. It is a great story that has a moral that can be learned from. I don't want to say much about it for fear of ruining it so just go watch it already!!!

Disney/Pixar: Up... 4.5 Stars

Ok... I really don't know how high I am allowed to rate movies, but, UP was ...wait for it... A-mazing!!!! I loved it! We went to see it while we were in Baltimore. The movie exceeded my expectations. The trailer piqued my interest and ofcourse we all expect great things from Disney, but I really was in the dark about the plot. I loved it! I laughed out loud while watching it and I laugh out loud just thinking of many of the parts in the film. If you haven't seen it... GO!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Angels and Demons: Surprising 3.5 Stars

Ron Howard and Tom Hanks team up again for the prequel to Da Vinci Code. I was surprised how much I liked this movie (this is the first Summer movie that I waited to see). I would describe it as a more adult version of National Treasure with the puzzle-solving and such but more violent and some graphic images. I read the book years ago and still enjoyed the movie; however my brother who recently finished the book did not appreciate the movie as much. The movie does deviate from the book significantly but the story is still along the same lines. If you have not read the book, I think you will enjoy the movie more as you won't have to debate the two. The plot is very interesting and I believe that this movie was better done than the Da Vinci Code. People who expected more from Da Vinci should give this one a chance. Angels & Demons delivers and continues the streak of a nice list of Summer movies.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Terminator Salvation: 3.5 stars

I feel like Stephanie on her rating of The Soloist. I think it was 3.5 stars but it could have been a little better or a little worse. This movie was my most anticipated of the Entire Summer! SO needless to say, expectations were high. As Isaac and I sat in the emptying theatre we were left talking about why it fell short of expectations. I asked him what they could have done better but we were having a hard time coming up with why the Dark Knight couldn't carry Terminator. Maybe its because he can't lift as much as Arnold?? But seriously I think there were a couple reasons... 1. The biggest reason is the trailer gives away too much. If you have not seen it and plan to watch the movie, avoid the trailer. It would have been better if some of that content was left as a surprise. 2. Throughout the franchise I was lead to believe that John Connor was humanity's hope and was the leader of the resistance. He is not the focus of the movie in my opinion and I was sad to see he was not the HNIC I had always thought him to be. This being said, I thought it was a solid movie but definitely tailored for true fans of the franchise. The PG-13 rating was a smart move as it leaves the movie accessible to a larger audience while still keeping it a high-action movie. It made me think of the Die Hard franchise coming out with the 4th installment PG-13 leaving the R rating to appeal to a larger audience. So to sum it up, I liked it better than Wolverine but much less than Star Trek (my early pick for best movie of the Summer). If you are a fan of Terminator don't miss this movie. If you are not, you may want to wait for it to come out on dvd. To be honest I am actually very excited to see it again next week hoping the second time is better than the first. You still wanna watch it right Darryl?!?

Friday, May 15, 2009

The Soloist: 3 Stars

I really enjoyed this movie. I thought that it had a good message and Jamie Foxx and Downey Jr. are both great actors. The movie felt familiar and the closest thing I could come up with was it reminded me a little of A Beautiful Mind. It was a good blend of humor and drama throughout the film. I thought it was cool that this was based on a true story. It made me realize how truly amazing the difference a good friend can make.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

The Soloist 3.5...I think.

OK... So this movie was good. I think that both Jaime Foxx and Robert Downey Jr did a really good job! They both really fit the character they played. I loved it. It was sad but hopeful! The music is beautiful and It left me feeling really good about life and about others. It's a motivational movie! OK... I have to stop talking because I don't want to give anything away! Go see it!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Bride Wars... 2.5 Stars.

Bride Wars is a cute flick.
I enjoyed watching it, but... I'm not sure if I liked the movie or just the time watching it with my sisters? It was extremely predictable if you have seen more than 2 typical chick flicks. I would watch it again.. if I just wanted a thoughtless, cute movie that I could do a project while watching. I liked it... just didn't love it.

Singles 2nd Ward: Is negative stars allowed?

I lasted about 5 minutes with this one...don't waste as much time as I did. Avoid at all costs!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Star Trek

Ok, so let me start off my blog by saying...this one time, Israel is right. I did rate Wolverine a bit high. I'm dropping my rating of Wolverine to 3.5 stars. For those of you who don't like me changing my mind, well too bad. I'm the one writing the review here, not you. Moving on...



So I thought this movie was done extremely well. I liked the cast a lot more than I thought I would. I did have my reservations about William Shatner not being cast as Captain Kirk (bloated body and all) but those doubts were quickly forgotten when the movie started. This film doesn't waste time to grab your attention, and it manages to keep it throughout the entire showing. I was never really a fan of the original Star Trek series following the "Next Generation" series more, but fan or not there is no denying this is a fantastic movie. It's filled with amazing action sequences, drama, comedy, and much more. You're crazy if you don't go watch this movie! 4 STARS!!

Stark Trek: 4 Stars!!!

J.J. Abrams did a masterful job of resurrecting one of the most well-known and very popular franchises of all time. Trekkies and casual fans alike will love this movie. It is the best movie of the summer (very early I know) so far and maybe will be the best when all is said and done. The plot is very cool as it picks up on the life of Jim Kirk and his crew at a very young age leaving definite room for a sequel or two which I wouldn't mind by the way. The actors cast did a great job even throwing in some vintage Star Trek isms you're sure to pick up on. Star Trek will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first minute through the remaining 2 hrs and 5 minutes. The action and space scenes are beautifully shot which is a must for a scifi film. With no sex scenes and very little language, this is a movie suitable for the whole family (kids over age of 10). If you are wondering which movie to watch this summer and have to pick just 1, see this movie but go to the bathroom before it starts, because you wont want to miss a thing!

Monday, May 4, 2009

The Quiet American: 3 Stars



Based on a novel by Graham Greene this movie is set in Vietnam during the French Indochina War. Plot is very interesting and I found myself enjoying the movie more than I had expected. That is until Stephanie decided to spoil the movie for me! They had been discussing it in one of her classes and the professor told them they should watch this movie and gave away the twist when he told them about it. So when Stephanie told me she actually didn't know what she had done. Don't worry I wont spoil the movie for you! It made me laugh in a way because as I was leaving the theatre after watching Wolverine, there was a long line of people waiting to see it and I thought it would be funny to casually and loudly spoil the movie similar to an episode of the Simpsons where Homer (in a flashback) is leaving Star Wars and talking to someone as he passes the long line of people waiting to see the movie says "Who would have thought that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father?" Ok so I digress. The Quiet American is quite enjoyable. It is a murder mystery that has a love triangle woven into the story. The love triangle seemed to be a metaphor for the political situation going on in Vietnam. There are a few disturbing images due to war violence so those of you who are a bit squeamish may want to turn your head during those two scenes. Probably the best part of the movie would be Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser's performances. Michael Caine is an amazing actor which is no surprise but after watching the film I found myself saying "That Brendan Fraser can really act when he's not shooting at mummies or swinging through trees!" It was an added bonus to the already enjoyable movie. Very worthwhile hour and a half.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Wolverine: 3.5 stars

X-Men Origins: Wolverine starts a month full of potential amazing blockbusters including: the new Star Trek, Angels and Demons and Terminator! So back to Wolverine...definitely geared towards the fanboy but able to woo casual fans of the franchise. Its quality is closer to the first two installments of the X Men Franchise than the third (which is a good thing if you're wondering!). I loved the characters they introduced along with a detailed look at Wolverine's past (yay for Friday Night Light's fans!!!). Very cool look to the movie, special effects are spot on, and a decent plot was an added plus. I wish it would have dealt more with some other aspects of Wolverine's past but I can see the benefit of the way it went. I am a fan of prequels and this did a good job of tying in with the first X-Men movie. Make sure and stick around after the credits to catch a clip at the end. Summed up, if you are an action movie, Wolverine, or just a Hugh Jackman fan then this is a must see! 

X-Men Origins: Wolverine




I went and saw this movie on Friday when it came out. This is definitely a 4 star movie, I thought it was great. It really did a good job of living up to the name of the movie. It goes through explaining the development of "Wolverine". If you are a fan of the Wolverine character you'll like this movie. Initially, after the movie, I found myself saying "I really wish they would have shown more of the other characters" but then I remembered, that the movie is called Wolverine and if they would have shown more of the other mutants it would have just been another X-men movie. I think they did a good job of balancing it. Go watch this movie if you are an X-men fan...actually, go watch it even if you're not. You'll like it!

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Lakeview Terrace

I did like the movie. I could really relate to the main character and what he was going through. I felt like Samuel L. Jackson really drew the viewer in, and made you really understand what it's like to be a police officer. SLJ put this film on his back and carried it across the finish line. He gets three stars, and I give the movie two. You'll know why if you watch the movie...I would watch it. I own it!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Lakeview Terrace: 2.5 Stars

I watched this movie a couple nights ago with Isaac and actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. An interracial married couple who have bought their first home get lucky enough to move in next door to a cop. What could be better than that? Hmmm...I would say moving in next door to a cop that actually likes you! Needless to say, Samuel L doesn't care too much for his new neighbors and goes out of his way to "persuade" them to find somewhere else to live. Like I said, it is a pretty enjoyable movie if you know what you are getting going into it. Is it going to win an Oscar? No, but if you are a Samuel L. Jackson fan or in the mood for a real easy plot to follow check it out.

What to expect

I love movies so much that years ago I learned html (when it was still done long-hand) and created a website with Isaac doing movie reviews. We called it "Two Fat Critics: Homer & Barney (an homage to the Simpsons) and gave movies a rating using cans of duff. haha. This was before I could drive, so when I showed my parents my website they were pretty impressed. Then I sprang it on them!!! I needed rides (and $$$) from them to the theatre so that I would have movies to write reviews about.

You know when you watch a movie on t.v. and it has a "star" rating? Well the rating is on a 5 star system meaning that if a movie gets 4 it is pretty amazing. I jokingly told Isaac once that any movie with a 4 star rating I would watch regardless of the subject matter or my personal interest in seeing it. This is the reason for the name of my blog.

So I hope that this will be a fun forum where you can see my opinion on a movie, debate with me (even though you are most likely wrong if your opinion differs from mine), or even give me a review of yours to post. I will be reviewing movies as I see them whether at home or on the big screen.

Stay tuned because May is going to be a great month at the movies!

p.s. Although I have a hard time taking my own advice, I don't recommend starting a blog during finals week