December 2009 (week 4)

First things first...

I hope you all had a fun, family filled time!

I know I sure have!
That is exactly why I haven't seen a movie in quite some time (yes, a week is a long time for me haha)
Planning, preparing and attending 3 back to back Christmases is hard work! The only time I've even thought about movies is the 1 day I've been to work lately... Christmas day.
That was a little slice of insanity that I am quite grateful to only have experienced a few hours of.
This last week we had....


Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel {Rated PG for some mild rude humor.}
It's Complicated {Rated R for some drug content and sexuality.}


Nine {Rated PG-13 for sexual content and smoking.}
Sherlock Holmes {Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material.}


Up in the Air {Rated R for language and some sexual content.}




BUT I did get a movie for Christmas!
One of my favorites (I am shocked to say that I did not already own this) ANCHORMAN! {Rated R in 2004 but has since been edited and re-rated PG13 for sexual humor, language and comic violence.}

*this is definitely not for the young ones

December 2009 (week 3) movie watching!

Classes and finals are finally over!
I don't even know how to begin telling you all how thrilled I am. Being bored is my ideal state. If it weren't for work and Christmas madness all I would do is sit around in my pj's or sleep.
This last week there were 5 movies that came to my area

The Road {Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language.}
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire {Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.}


The Hurt Locker {Rated R for war violence and language.}
Did You Hear About the Morgans? {Rated PG-13 for some sexual references and momentary violence.}


Avatar {Rated PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking.}




I started my weekend off by watching Did You Hear About the Morgans?

Did You Hear About the Morgans?
Rated PG-13 for some sexual references and momentary violence.
Directed by Marc Lawrence
Starring Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen
In New York City, an estranged couple who witness a murder are relocated to small-town Wyoming as part of a witness-protection program.
In general, I'm a fan of Hugh Grant and just about every movie he's in so it made this movie easy to watch. Other than that I don't really think there is a lot to say about this one. It was good but not great. Pretty funny during some parts but I thought the start was a little too slow. And although the marriage/relationship advice was interesting, I was disappointed that it wasn't better.

December 2009 (week 2) movie watching!

Ahhh! It's finals week insanity!
I shouldn't even have a blog this week... but I couldn't stay away haha.
There were 3 new movies and at least 2 limited releases... well at least that I know of

The Princess and the Frog {Rated G}

Invictus {Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.}
Larger Than Life in 3D: (Dave Matthews Band concert) {Rated PG for some mild language.}



BUT unfortunately... these are only limited releases.

Up in the Air {Rated R for language and some sexual content.}
The Lovely Bones {Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving disturbing violent content and images, and some language.}


**The advertisments lied!
But don't you worry, The Lovely Bones will available everywhere Christmas


Tonight a friend and I needed a feel good movie and ended up seeing Disney's The Princess and the Frog :)


The Princess and the Frog
Rated G
Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker
Starring: Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos
A modern day retelling of the classic story The Frog Prince. The Princess and the Frog finds the lives of arrogant, carefree Prince Naveen and hardworking waitress Tiana crossing paths. Prince Naveen is transformed into a frog by a conniving voodoo magician and Tiana, following suit, upon kissing the amphibian royalty. With the help of a trumpet-playing alligator, a Cajun firefly, and an old blind lady who lives in a boat in a tree, Naveen and Tiana must race to break the spell and fulfill their dreams.
Like most other people I went into this movie being a bit skeptical of a new princess movie. Although I may be a bit biased haha. To me, the best princess movies have already been made. (aka Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc)
But I thought it was pretty good. Cute, funny and full of Disney's trademark message of 'dreams can come true.' It encourages a good balance of hard work and fulfilling relationships with family and friends. And I don't really understand the whole scandal behind it but I really enjoyed it.
**For parents I think it's important to note that, "Some younger children may be frightened by the appearance of Dr. Facilier (Shadow Man) and his 'Friends from the Other Side," so I would take precautions when considering taking small children.

There are some pretty cute lines in the movie too.
"...women like a man with a big back porch"

December 2009 (week 1 continued) movie watching!

Last night I went with one of my best friends to see New Moon... must have been the only person who hasn't seen it (that wanted to) haha
Since neither of us wanted to go home afterwards we decided to switch gears completely and see...

Ninja Assassin!

Rated R for strong bloody stylized violence throughout, and language.
Directed by James McTeigue
Starring Rain, Naomie Harris, Ben Miles, Rick Yune
Ninja Assassin follows Raizo (Rain), one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Taken from the streets as a child, he was transformed into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. But haunted by the merciless execution of his friend by the Clan, Raizo breaks free from them and vanishes. Now he waits, preparing to exact his revenge.
In Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) has stumbled upon a money trail linking several political murders to an underground network of untraceable assassins from the Far East. Defying the orders of her superior, Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles), Mika digs into top secret agency files to learn the truth behind the murders. Her investigation makes her a target, and the Ozunu Clan sends a team of killers, led by the lethal Takeshi (Rick Yune), to silence her forever. Raizo saves Mika from her attackers, but he knows that the Clan will not rest until they are both eliminated. Now, entangled in a deadly game of cat and mouse through the streets of Europe, Raizo and Mika must trust one another if they hope to survive and finally bring down the elusive Ozunu Clan.

First and foremost, I do not recommend this movie if you are squeamish (like myself haha), there is a lot of blood!! It is sooo violent and nothing is left out.
But oh do I love a good ninja, martial arts movie!

The fight scenes were fantastic and just about every ninja skill was on display. It made me want to give up my boring life as a struggling student to move to Japan and find a dojo.
But beyond the well choreographed action sequences I thought it had a good storyline. History, government conspiracies, life lessons, Asian architecture with just enough room for a love story.

It was a good reminder that ninjas will always be better than pirates.

Haha yeah I went there!

December 2009 (week 1) movie watching!

Well... the weekend hasn't quite started but I've already seen a new movie!

This weekend there were 4 movies that came out... (at least to my area)

Transylmania {Rated R for crude and sexual content, nudity, drug use, language and some violence.}
Armored {Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense violence, some disturbing images and brief strong language.}


Everybody's Fine {Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief strong language.}
Brothers {Rated R for language and some disturbing violent content.}




Haha and out of all the movies to see, I ended up seeing...

Transylmania
Rated R for crude and sexual content, nudity, drug use, language and some violence.
Directed by David Hillenbrand, Scott Hillenbrand
Starring: Patrick Cavanaugh, James DeBello, Tony Denman, Paul H. Kim, Jennifer Lyons, Oren Skoog
Spoof horror in which a group of college kids do a semester abroad in Romania and realise that if the partying doesn't kill them, the vampires just might!Wow... I don't even know where to begin with this movie. It was so random and weird haha. And definitely rated R! It's a good spoof on the recent vampire craze and an entertaining B movie if you enjoy laughing at 'dumb humor'

November 2009 (week 4) movie watching!

I know that it's a bit late but... I hope everyone had a


The theatre has been crazy this weekend and most of my time has been spent working... so the rest of you can watch some movies and decide for yourselves what you think of them :)
But I did manage to see a couple movies early in the week, and that's what I'm here to tell you about!

One of the big movies this weekend is still The Twilight Saga: New Moon... but there were a couple of new releases Wednesday.


Old Dogs {Rated PG for some mild rude humor.}
Fantastic Mr Fox {Rated PG for action, smoking and slang humor.}















Ninja Assassin {Rated R for strong bloody stylized violence throughout, and language.}



I've been slacking a bit so I forgot to mention the other movies that came out last weekend (besides New Moon).


The Blind Side {Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references.}
Planet 51 {Rated PG for mild sci-fi action and some suggestive humor.}



But I did manage to see...


Old Dogs
Rated PG for some mild rude humor.
Directed by Walt Becker
Starring John Travolta and Robin Williams
Two best friends - one unlucky divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun loving bachelor (John Travolta) - have their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged with two 7 year old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins, and leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what's really important in life.
I thought this was a really cute movie. Of course, it's Disney so what else would you expect. Even got a few good laughs out of it.
Definitely a good kids movie.

The Blind Side
Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references.
Directed by John Lee Hancock
The Blind Side" depicts the story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle.
This movie was great! I loved it. It's an inspiring, feel good movie that helps remind us that there are still good people out there. It gave me hope for humanity.
I didn't realize until the end credits that this was a true story and it made it all the more uplifting. If you need a reminder that it pays to work hard, here's the good place to get it :)

To be released December 11, 2009

The Lovely Bones
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving disturbing violent content and images, and some language.
Directed by Peter Jackson
Based on the best selling book by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones is the story of a 14-year-old girl from suburban Pennsylvania who is murdered by her neighbor. She tells the story from Heaven, showing the lives of the people around her and how they have changed all while attempting to get someone to find her lost body.

**couldn't get the trailer on my blog BUT you can check it out on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUWKi0W5_g

Wow...
I just finished reading the book and I cannot wait to see it.
The book is phenomenal. Full of so many emotions that taking a full box of kleenex seems like the perfect suggestion (whether you're a crier or not).

November 2009 (week 3) movie watching!

Yesss! I did it. Don't be jealous.
I saw New Moon last night :) and it is fantastic! ... although I may be biased because I'm a fan of the entire Twilight series.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Rated PG-13 for some violence and action.
Directed by: Chris Weitz
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner
The second installment of Stephenie Meyers phenomenally successful Twilight series, the romance between mortafeefl and vampire soars to a new level as Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural world she yearns to become part of only to find herself in greater peril than ever before.
Following Bellas ill-fated 18th birthday party, Edwarn Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and his family abandon the town of Forks, Washington, in an effort to protect her from the dangers inherent in their world. As the heartbroken Bella sleepwalks through her senior year of high school, numb and alone, she discovers Edwards image comes to her whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. Her desire to be with him at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks.
With the help of her childhood friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), Bella refurbishes an old motorbike to carry her on her adventures. Bellas frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob, a member of the mysterious Quileute tribe, who has a supernatural secret of his own.
When a chance encounter brings Bella face to face with a former nemesis, only the intervention of a pack of supernaturally large wolves saves her from a grisly fate, and the encounter makes it frighteningly clear that Bella is still in grave danger. In a race against the clock, Bella learns the secret of the Quileutes and Edwards true motivation for leaving her. She also faces the prospect of a potentially deadly reunion with her beloved that is a far cry from the one she'd hoped for. With more of the passion, action and suspense that made TWILIGHT a worldwide phenomenon, The Twilight Saga: New Moon is a spellbinding follow-up to the box office hit.
*** from imdb.com



While I'll admit that I'm a fan, but I'm no fanatic. I don't have a t-shirt, I'm not any team (i.e. Team Edward or Team Jacob... if you read the series you may understand why picking a team doesn't really make any sense). I don't even own all of the books. I borrowed them to read and have it as 'books on tape' BUT I do have to admit that I have a couple AMC collectors cups, thats it!
Overall I think the story is really cute. I'd describe it as a hopeless romantics wildest dream, haha or maybe just mine...
I don't want to ruin the story for those of you who haven't read it so I'll keep my review brief.

This time around they got a different director and it's made a world of a difference! With Twilight I felt like the movie had wandered too off track, like those viewers unfamiliar with the book missed out.
I had a friend who had only read Twilight and I almost feel like it isn't necessary for her to read it. **I am NOT recommending people replace the book with the movie... I only said that because she can't wait to see what happens next
It stuck with the book and I love how it turned out :)

I hope that you (fans and skeptics) all love it just as much as I did!
I'm positive that I'll see it again, and again.

November 2009 (week 2) at home movie watching!

Well I didn't go to the movies this weekend, so nothing new to report but I can give some scoop.

This weekend the big movie was...

2012 {Rated PG-13 for intense disaster sequences and some language.}


AND...

Pirate Radio aka The Boat That Rocked {Rated R for language, and some sexual content including brief nudity.}
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day {Rated R for bloody violence, language and some nudity.}



I'm not interested in seeing 2012 but I probably will end up seeing it eventually.
I don't really understand the hype with all the end of the world movies. Everyone will die eventually and I don't see why anyone would want to watch the destruction of everything! Another strike against it, it's a 3 hour movie :\
Pirate Radio sounds entertaining and I'm looking forward to seeing it. Yeah for civil disobedience! Haha
I never saw the first Boondock Saints (yes... I know, please don't judge) so I'd like to see that before I see the 2nd. At least so I'll understand what is going on.

--------

Earlier this week I watched House Bunny at home with some friends.

House Bunny (2008)
Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor, partial nudity and brief strong language.
Summary: Finding family. Shelley Darlingson was raised in an orphanage, finally happy when she blossoms into a fox and moves into the Playboy Mansion. Unfortunately, she's summarily expelled on her 27th birthday(she's now too old). In desperation she takes a job as house mother for a sorority of misfits losing their house for lack of members. They have but a few months to find 30 pledges, or a sorority of mean girls will take over their place. Shelley figures that girls will pledge a house that boys find interesting, so she sets out to make the Zetas alluring, not act too smart, and host great parties. Can she succeed, and what about her own makeover? Sabotage is everywhere, plus it's hard to be one's self.
*** from imdb.com

I love this movie!
It's so cute and funny that it's one of those 'can always watch anytime' movies :) always makes me feel good.
I'm definitely going to add it to my top!
There are so many hilarious lines that I don't even know where to start...


"Kindness is just love with its work boots on"

"Do you guys know where the crapper is? I have to do a *very mysterious* thing in there...[whispers] drop some timber."

"So, are you a Zeta?"
"Oh! I wish."
"Yeah. I do too 'cause Zeta would be my favorite hizzity hang."
"Well, she is not a Zeta because she's our new hizzity house mother. She'll be hizzy-tizzy - - She'll be here all the time."

For starters...

So here's how it's going to go down.

I'll recount the movies and what I thought of them but I'll do it in a somewhat orderly fashion.

I'll start with the name, rating, director and cast.
Next I'll post the imdb (Internet Movie Data Base) www.imdb.com synopsis and lastly I'll put my thoughts and recommendations.

I'm not big on ruining movies for everyone so I won't be posting endings or anything like that. If you wanna know, just ask me privately.

I hope you enjoy it!
Jeena

November 2009 (week 1) movie watching!

So this weekend I saw 3 movies... busy busy!

The Box
Directed by Richard Kelly.
Starring James Marsden, Gillian Jacobs, Cameron Diaz
Synopsis: Norma and Arthur Lewis, a suburban couple with a young child, receive a simple wooden box as a gift, which bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. A mysterious stranger, delivers the message that the box promises to bestow upon its owner $1 million with the press of a button. But, pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world; someone they don't know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the cross-hairs of a startling moral dilemma and must face the true nature of their humanity...

Where to start... I don't think I say this a lot but this movie was terrible. I saw the previews on TV a couple weeks before and I had no idea what I'd just watched. Thats pretty much what I'd say about about the entire movie, it didn't really make much sense. It was like they were trying to make a 'new' War of the Worlds but couldn't quite get it together. I wasn't sure if it was aliens, a government conspiracy or just a random psychopath on the loose. Watching the trailer will pretty much cover you for the entire movie and you can save your money for something better.

Men Who Stare at Goats
Directed by Grant Heslov
Starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey
Synopsis: A reporter, trying to lose himself in the romance of war after his marriage fails, gets more than he bargains for when he meets a special forces agent who reveals the existence of a secret, psychic military unit whose goal is to end war as we know it. The founder of the unit has gone missing and the trail leads to another psychic soldier who has distorted the mission to serve his own ends...

If you saw the previews, this movie is definitely as odd as it looked. But I liked it, thought it was actually pretty funny. It was a 'what would happen if hippies ran the army.' It was random, ridiculous and nicely poked fun of 'supernatural abilities' and those that defend them. While it was a bit of a stretch of the imagination I think I enjoyed it more because I'm always teasing my mom about being an old hippie. Some of the jokes were better than anything I could ever come up with.

A Christmas Carol
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Starring Jim Carey
Synopsis: Charles Dickens' timeless tale of an old miser who must face Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-to-Come, as they help to bring kindness to his otherwise cold heart. The Ghosts remind him of the man he used to be, the hard truth of what the world is today, and what will happen if he does not strive to be a better man. Set around Christmas, the most joyous day of the year, Scrooge realizes the sharp contrast of his own personality...

First off... this is NOT a movie for small children! While the story is a classic piece of literature this version is darker than I remember from my childhood. The very first scene was Jacob Marley in a coffin at the morgue. And that's not even the worst of it. It's creepy and most my time during the movie was spent trying to decide if this was a Christmas or Halloween movie. Any kid would have nightmares watching that but I do have to give Disney/Pixar some credit.
I saw it in 3D and the graphics were astounding. I'm really impressed with how far animation has come in such a short amount of time. It was almost scary how lifelike the characters were.