The Expendables was one of the summer's biggest action blockbusters. That should tell us two things: 1) people have been wanting to see action stars duke it out for a long time, and 2) there weren't a lot of great movies this summer.
Plot Summary
I'm not so sure there really was a plot to this one. This movie is all about explosions, fight scenes and seeing a bunch of old action start act like it is still 1987. Seriously though, I'm not sure what the plot was about. The Expendables is a group of mercenaries who do various jobs around the world. One of them somehow gains a conscience and tries to do the right thing... whatever that was supposed to be.
Review
I didn't expect a lot from this movie, and that's exactly what I got. I wanted to see some cool fight scenes, a lot of explosions and maybe get a few laughs. That about sums it up for this movie. The dialogue is ridiculous. The "plot" is just an excuse to get these guys together. Realistically, all in all, it's not that good of a movie.
Recommendation
If you like what you've read (i.e. explosions, fights, a few laughs), then go see it. Don't expect much and you'll enjoy it. I'm pretty sure that it's not out in theaters any more, but don't worry, you didn't miss that much by paying $8 to see it.
Best Part
Jet Li is a pretty funny guy. At one point, he is arguing that he should get a greater share of the payment because he's smaller. He has to travel farther... because he's smaller. It's pretty funny.
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Movie Tour: The Other Guys
I know that it has been quite a while since I've had anything besides a sermon up on here. I was thinking about that today when I looked at my edit list, and realized that I had three... that's right THREE blog posts that I had started and hadn't finished. So, I'm going to get those up in the next couple of days! Yippee!!! I know, I know, you're both thrilled.
First off, let's get back to the Movie Tour! I haven't seen nearly as many movies this year as I would have liked. However, a while back, I did manage to pull a double feature, and the first of those movies was The Other Guys with Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell.
Plot Summary
The Other Guys is about two cops who people always looked past. You always see movies about the superstar cops. Well, this movie isn't about them. It's about the guys who are... well... the other guys. Officer Allen Gamble (played by Ferrell) and his partner Terry Hoitz (aka, the Yankee Clipper) follow a few seemingly innocuous leads and track down something much, much larger. What follows is a gem of chemistry that rivals Tango & Cash.
Review
I thought The Other Guys was pretty funny. Of course, as is always a risk with any Will Ferrell movie, there are some pretty inappropriate parts, and other parts that make you say, "What in the world just happened?!?" I thought Wahlberg played a fantastic straight guy, and Ferrell played his usual goofy self. Throw in Michael Keaton's finest performance since Multiplicity, and you have an idea of just how low my standards are when it comes to movies.
Recommendation
If you don't mind some of the lewdness, I would definitely recommend it. It made me laugh almost all the way through. Don't expect much, and you'll be pretty happy with it.
Best Part
In a flashback that helps explain why Terry got busted down to where he was with Allen as his partner, we find out that Terry was working security at Yankee Stadium when a person wouldn't heed his warning to stop walking down a dark tunnel. He pulled his gun and shot the person in the leg. The person turned out to be Derek Jeter. Now maybe it's not right that I enjoy seeing a Yankee get popped in the leg, but... that was funny.
First off, let's get back to the Movie Tour! I haven't seen nearly as many movies this year as I would have liked. However, a while back, I did manage to pull a double feature, and the first of those movies was The Other Guys with Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell.
Plot Summary
The Other Guys is about two cops who people always looked past. You always see movies about the superstar cops. Well, this movie isn't about them. It's about the guys who are... well... the other guys. Officer Allen Gamble (played by Ferrell) and his partner Terry Hoitz (aka, the Yankee Clipper) follow a few seemingly innocuous leads and track down something much, much larger. What follows is a gem of chemistry that rivals Tango & Cash.
Review
I thought The Other Guys was pretty funny. Of course, as is always a risk with any Will Ferrell movie, there are some pretty inappropriate parts, and other parts that make you say, "What in the world just happened?!?" I thought Wahlberg played a fantastic straight guy, and Ferrell played his usual goofy self. Throw in Michael Keaton's finest performance since Multiplicity, and you have an idea of just how low my standards are when it comes to movies.
Recommendation
If you don't mind some of the lewdness, I would definitely recommend it. It made me laugh almost all the way through. Don't expect much, and you'll be pretty happy with it.
Best Part
In a flashback that helps explain why Terry got busted down to where he was with Allen as his partner, we find out that Terry was working security at Yankee Stadium when a person wouldn't heed his warning to stop walking down a dark tunnel. He pulled his gun and shot the person in the leg. The person turned out to be Derek Jeter. Now maybe it's not right that I enjoy seeing a Yankee get popped in the leg, but... that was funny.
Movie Tour: Dinner with Schmucks
We had our annual Tayla Day to celebrate our oldest niece's 14th (yikes!) birthday. We had a great lunch at Logan's Roadhouse, and went to see Dinner with Schmucks with Steve Carell and Paul Rudd.
Plot Summary
Dinner with Schmucks is about a guy who is working to get a promotion, and to play the corporate game (so to speak), he has to find a total moron to take to a dinner that is hosted by his boss. Initially, he was going to have no part of it, but, as fate would have it, he happens to run into a guy who fits the description perfectly. What I found most interesting is that while the movie is entitled "Dinner with Schmucks" and most of what you see in the trailers is the dinner, the dinner itself is not really a focal point of the movie. It is all the events in the 24 hours leading up to the dinner that take center stage.
Review
This movie was a lot like Year One for me. I found myself laughing through a lot of the movie, even though several parts of it were horribly inappropriate. It was slightly more recognizable to me because my 14 year old niece was sitting right next to me. There are parts of the movie that are so outrageously uncomfortable that I wanted to get up and go to the bathroom just so I would get a break.
Recommendation
Ehhh.... I'm not sure. If you aren't easily offended, you may like this movie. The uncomfortable parts are really, really uncomfortable. The sexual humor is laid on pretty thick as well. I would not highly recommend it, but if you like movies like American Pie, Year One, etc., you'll probably like this one as well.
Best Part
Steve Carell plays his role perfectly. He plays a total moron, but you don't get the sense that he's going "full retard" as Tropic Thunder puts it. Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords is also in this movie, and he is absolutely hilarious.
Plot Summary
Dinner with Schmucks is about a guy who is working to get a promotion, and to play the corporate game (so to speak), he has to find a total moron to take to a dinner that is hosted by his boss. Initially, he was going to have no part of it, but, as fate would have it, he happens to run into a guy who fits the description perfectly. What I found most interesting is that while the movie is entitled "Dinner with Schmucks" and most of what you see in the trailers is the dinner, the dinner itself is not really a focal point of the movie. It is all the events in the 24 hours leading up to the dinner that take center stage.
Review
This movie was a lot like Year One for me. I found myself laughing through a lot of the movie, even though several parts of it were horribly inappropriate. It was slightly more recognizable to me because my 14 year old niece was sitting right next to me. There are parts of the movie that are so outrageously uncomfortable that I wanted to get up and go to the bathroom just so I would get a break.
Recommendation
Ehhh.... I'm not sure. If you aren't easily offended, you may like this movie. The uncomfortable parts are really, really uncomfortable. The sexual humor is laid on pretty thick as well. I would not highly recommend it, but if you like movies like American Pie, Year One, etc., you'll probably like this one as well.
Best Part
Steve Carell plays his role perfectly. He plays a total moron, but you don't get the sense that he's going "full retard" as Tropic Thunder puts it. Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords is also in this movie, and he is absolutely hilarious.
Movie Tour: Toy Story 3
What better way to follow up a movie like Predators than with Toy Story 3? I can't think of a more perfect follow-up.
Plot Summary
The final (?) installment of the Toy Story series picks up just as Andy is about to head off to college. The toys desperately want to be played with again, but Andy has outgrown them for the most part. Through a series of events, they end up at a day care, and before long, it turns into an animated version of The Great Escape.
Review
It appears as though this is going to be the final installment for the Toy Story series, and I can't imagine a better way to close it out. It is funny, interesting, engaging, and even a little heart-warming. I have heard where a lot of people have teared up near the end... wimps. The story is great, and, as always when it comes to Pixar, the animation is spectacular.
Recommendation
Go see it. If you liked the first two Toy Story movies, you'll definitely want to see this one. In fact, if you're a fan of the series at all, you've probably already seen it. Go see it again. Yup, it's that good.
Best Part
I think the ending of the movie was perfect. I won't give anything away, but it was a great way to end the movie, as well as the series.
Plot Summary
The final (?) installment of the Toy Story series picks up just as Andy is about to head off to college. The toys desperately want to be played with again, but Andy has outgrown them for the most part. Through a series of events, they end up at a day care, and before long, it turns into an animated version of The Great Escape.
Review
It appears as though this is going to be the final installment for the Toy Story series, and I can't imagine a better way to close it out. It is funny, interesting, engaging, and even a little heart-warming. I have heard where a lot of people have teared up near the end... wimps. The story is great, and, as always when it comes to Pixar, the animation is spectacular.
Recommendation
Go see it. If you liked the first two Toy Story movies, you'll definitely want to see this one. In fact, if you're a fan of the series at all, you've probably already seen it. Go see it again. Yup, it's that good.
Best Part
I think the ending of the movie was perfect. I won't give anything away, but it was a great way to end the movie, as well as the series.
Movie Tour: Predators
I know I've been on a bit of a blogging break on this particular blog lately. Part of it has been because I've been spending a lot of time working on a different project (Bases Loaded Balk, check it out when you have the time), but part of it has been that I just haven't felt like writing a whole lot this summer. Here to make my point is the Movie Tour review of Predators... a movie I saw nearly a month ago.
Plot Summary
When it comes to movies involving the Predators, the plot summary is easy. Here are all these people who are getting hunted by a warrior-alien race. They will try to survive, but most of them are probably going to die a gruesome death. This movie wasn't all that different. It starts off with one of the main characters in a free fall, he wakes up and discovers that he is falling, and then a parachute automatically opens as he gets closer to the ground. He then finds other people who had a similar experience, and they start their journey. It's not long before they realize that they are no longer on Earth, but have been abducted and are now part of a game preserve... as the game.
Review
I've seen Predator, Predator 2, Alien v. Predator, and Aliens v. Predator: Requiem. That's right, I'm a fan of the movies. In all honesty, this is the best one since the original. It gets closer to the roots of the series, which is bad-a** aliens hunting bad-a** people, and seeing who wins out.
Recommendation
Obviously, there are violence and language issues, but that is to be expected. If that kind of stuff bothers you, don't see it. If you are a fan of the original Predator (which gets a bit of a wink in this one), you'll enjoy this movie. Don't go in expecting to see an Oscar-worthy film or award-winning performances because you'll be disappointed. Go in expecting to have a good, mindless time and you will be well-rewarded.
Best Part
Laurence Fishburne makes a brief appearance in this movie. He is a guy who has managed to survive on the planet for a while, but he is also starting to lose it. He's pretty entertaining, but he's not in it for very long... and I bet you can imagine why.
Plot Summary
When it comes to movies involving the Predators, the plot summary is easy. Here are all these people who are getting hunted by a warrior-alien race. They will try to survive, but most of them are probably going to die a gruesome death. This movie wasn't all that different. It starts off with one of the main characters in a free fall, he wakes up and discovers that he is falling, and then a parachute automatically opens as he gets closer to the ground. He then finds other people who had a similar experience, and they start their journey. It's not long before they realize that they are no longer on Earth, but have been abducted and are now part of a game preserve... as the game.
Review
I've seen Predator, Predator 2, Alien v. Predator, and Aliens v. Predator: Requiem. That's right, I'm a fan of the movies. In all honesty, this is the best one since the original. It gets closer to the roots of the series, which is bad-a** aliens hunting bad-a** people, and seeing who wins out.
Recommendation
Obviously, there are violence and language issues, but that is to be expected. If that kind of stuff bothers you, don't see it. If you are a fan of the original Predator (which gets a bit of a wink in this one), you'll enjoy this movie. Don't go in expecting to see an Oscar-worthy film or award-winning performances because you'll be disappointed. Go in expecting to have a good, mindless time and you will be well-rewarded.
Best Part
Laurence Fishburne makes a brief appearance in this movie. He is a guy who has managed to survive on the planet for a while, but he is also starting to lose it. He's pretty entertaining, but he's not in it for very long... and I bet you can imagine why.
Movie Tour: Shrek Forever After
One of the things that we like to do with our niece and nephew is take them to a dinner and a movie for their birthday. Our nephew Damon had his birthday at the end of April, and the movie he wanted to see was Shrek Forever After. We were so excited to be able to spend this time with him.
Plot Summary
Shrek 4 picks up nearly a year after the previous chapter in the series left off. Shrek & Fiona are getting ready to celebrate their triplet's first birthday, and you can see that Shrek is feel e-ogre-culated from the routine of being a father and being well-liked and popular. Both of which are not typical for an ogre. Shrek makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to have one day where he could be a care-free, feared ogre again. But the plot thickens...
Review
As with all of the Shrek movies, this one is done very well. It is smart and funny, enjoyable for all ages. If you are a fan of the previous three Shrek movies, you won't be disappointed by this one. It puts some nice closure on the series.
Recommendation
Take the time to see it. We saw it in IMAX 3D, which was incredible, but kind of pricey. You definitely don't have to see it in 3D or at the IMAX to enjoy this one.
Best Part
The moral of the story, if you will, is that you need to be happy with your life the way it is because too often we don't realize just how good we really have it. Hands down, the best lesson that we can learn from this movie, and the best part of the movie.
Plot Summary
Shrek 4 picks up nearly a year after the previous chapter in the series left off. Shrek & Fiona are getting ready to celebrate their triplet's first birthday, and you can see that Shrek is feel e-ogre-culated from the routine of being a father and being well-liked and popular. Both of which are not typical for an ogre. Shrek makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to have one day where he could be a care-free, feared ogre again. But the plot thickens...
Review
As with all of the Shrek movies, this one is done very well. It is smart and funny, enjoyable for all ages. If you are a fan of the previous three Shrek movies, you won't be disappointed by this one. It puts some nice closure on the series.
Recommendation
Take the time to see it. We saw it in IMAX 3D, which was incredible, but kind of pricey. You definitely don't have to see it in 3D or at the IMAX to enjoy this one.
Best Part
The moral of the story, if you will, is that you need to be happy with your life the way it is because too often we don't realize just how good we really have it. Hands down, the best lesson that we can learn from this movie, and the best part of the movie.
Movie Tour: The A-Team
I was recently able to break my non-movie viewing slump, and the first movie that I saw to kick of the summer: The A-Team. To tell you the truth, I barely remember watching the television series, so I wasn't really sure what to expect for this movie. From the previews, I could tell that there would be a lot of action, which is always a plus in my book.
Plot Summary
The A-Team is based on the '80's television series of the same name. A collection of highly-trained military personnel are wrongfully accused of a crime and set out to clear their name. The series itself is about how they helped people with problems. The movie is more about how they got into that situation in the first place.
Review
I loved it. As you know, I'm always a fan of movies with a lot of action and a lot of explosions. Check and double-check. It was pretty clear from the opening sequence that this movie was going to be different from the television series. The opening of the movie shows how the team came together, and sets it in modern times. In the series, they are a team that worked together in Vietnam. The changes from series to movie were worthwhile, and I didn't feel like they took away from the movie at all.
Recommendation
Definitely go see it. I know it wasn't the first summer blockbuster to come out this year, but it was the first one that I was able to go see, and it was well worth it. Even paying full price on a Saturday night, I would go see this one again.
Best Part
The opening sequence had me rolling. Sharlto Copley, who played Wikus van der Merwe in my favorite movie from 2009 District 9, plays Murdock, and his sanity is definitely questionable. He is introduced as a pilot in the mental ward at the beginning of the movie and very quickly is asked to fly a helicopter for the team, and what ensues is pure hilarity.
Plot Summary
The A-Team is based on the '80's television series of the same name. A collection of highly-trained military personnel are wrongfully accused of a crime and set out to clear their name. The series itself is about how they helped people with problems. The movie is more about how they got into that situation in the first place.
Review
I loved it. As you know, I'm always a fan of movies with a lot of action and a lot of explosions. Check and double-check. It was pretty clear from the opening sequence that this movie was going to be different from the television series. The opening of the movie shows how the team came together, and sets it in modern times. In the series, they are a team that worked together in Vietnam. The changes from series to movie were worthwhile, and I didn't feel like they took away from the movie at all.
Recommendation
Definitely go see it. I know it wasn't the first summer blockbuster to come out this year, but it was the first one that I was able to go see, and it was well worth it. Even paying full price on a Saturday night, I would go see this one again.
Best Part
The opening sequence had me rolling. Sharlto Copley, who played Wikus van der Merwe in my favorite movie from 2009 District 9, plays Murdock, and his sanity is definitely questionable. He is introduced as a pilot in the mental ward at the beginning of the movie and very quickly is asked to fly a helicopter for the team, and what ensues is pure hilarity.
Top Grossing Movies of All Time
For some reason, my dive into the top movies of 1981 got me wondering what the top grossing movies off all time were. So, I looked it up, and some of the things that came out of this exploration were quite interesting.
First off, here's your Top 10 with the year and worldwide box office dollars.
1. Avatar (2009) $2,727,946,415
2. Titanic (1997) $1,835,300,000
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $1,129,219,252
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) $1,060,332,628
5. The Dark Knight (2008) $1,001,921,825
6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) $ 968,657,891
7. Alice in Wonderland (2010) $ 960,357,949
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) $ 958,404,152
9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) $ 937,000,866
10. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) $ 933,956,980
As you can see, Avatar is far and away the top grossing movie of all time in strict dollars. Some would probably want to adjust for inflation and actual number of tickets sold. Quite frankly, I don't care about that. What I find really interesting is that on this list, only 3 movies are sequel-less (so far): Avatar, Titanic and Alice in Wonderland. All of the rest of the movies are either sequels, or spawned a sequel. It got me thinking, what if we expanded the list?
In the Top 50, only 17 of the movies are not sequels or did not spawn sequels. In the Top 100, that number expands to 41. In other words 59% of the Top 100 movies of all time are either sequels or spawned a sequel, and 12 of those 41 are cartoons put out by Disney/Pixar.
So, basically, what does this tell us about society today?
1) Movies are important in today's society. Yes, people make more money now than they did in the 1940's, and it is more expensive to go to the movies today than it was back then, but movies play an important part in our culture. They always have, and I do not foresee a time when they will stop becoming relevant.
Lesson - Be connected to what is going on in society. If a movie is popular, it tells you something about society. Learn from it. I'm not suggesting that we watch whatever comes out, we have to be able to discern what is worth watching and what is not, but keep tabs on what is going on in culture because you never know how you may connect to people.
2) Originality is not the most important thing. We like sequels. If something is successful, we stick with the formula. If something is a box office bomb (a la The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Battlefield Earth, Gigli), we don't see a sequel because there will not be one.
Lesson - Don't be too concerned about being original. Be true to yourself, even if that means doing something that has been done before. Sometimes people aren't true to themselves because they are afraid of being cliche. I'd rather be a cliche than irrelevant.
3) We like stories. In the same vein as the above, we like movies that show a progression in the characters. We like movies that tell a compelling story, and we don't necessarily mind having to wait in order to get the next chapter in the story.
Lesson - Do you have a compelling story to tell? Do you show progress in your life? As a pastor, I'm all about stories. I love stories; I love epic journeys. In life we are all on a journey, and if we aren't moving forward (and I define that by growth as a disciple of Jesus Christ), then we aren't going anywhere.
4) Children & youth make important financial decisions. With so many of these movies being animated features (16 of the Top 100), and so many more being appropriate for the under 18 crowd, it shouldn't surprise anybody that children and youth have more say than we think they do in today's society. Listen to the younger generation, they are telling you what they want. Of course, as anybody with kids will tell you, what they want and what they need are sometimes two different things.
Lesson - Teach your children how to make good decisions, not just in the financial realm, but in all aspects of life because they are already making them, whether we like it or not.
Top Movies of 1981
Out of curiosity, I decided to look up the top movies of the year I was born.... and, yes, it really was 1981. I'm a young buck, or an old man, I guess that depends on your point of view.
Top 5 Grossing Films of 1981
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. On Golden Pond
3. Superman 2
4. Arthur
5. Stripes
Of the movies on the list that I've actually seen: Raiders of the Lost Ark, On Golden Pond (don't judge me!), Superman 2. And a little further down: Stripes, For Your Eyes Only, Clash of the Titans.
What probably strikes me the most here is that the biggest budget on any of these films was Superman 2 at a whopping $54 million. Minuscule by today's standards.
Movie Tour: Clash of the Titans
It's been a while since I've been to the theater to see a movie (Book of Eli in January was the last one). So, after a productive week, I decided to take Thursday afternoon off and head over to Crawfordsville to see one of the first major movies of 2010 - Clash of the Titans.
Plot Summary
Clash of the Titans tells the story of Perseus, a man who is found and raised by a fisherman. One day his family is killed by Hades, the god of the underworld, and Perseus seeks revenge. Perseus is taken to Argos, where he queen makes the claim that her daughter is more beautiful than Aphrodite herself, which causes Hades to inform the city that unless Andromeda is sacrificed, the city of Argos will be destroyed in 10 days. The story then follows Perseus and a group of soldiers from Argos as they embark on a quest to find a way to defeat the gods & the Kraken that will destroy Argos for their affront to the gods.
Review
The special effects in this movie far surpassed the effects of the original 1981 classic, which, of course, is no surprise. The monsters that were created were amazing in scale and detail. I never expect great acting in movies like this, but it was certainly tolerable, not overly dramatic, which is often the case. The storyline is rather simple - man's family is killed, man seeks revenge, man has to find a way to defeat a giant, sea monster to save a beautiful woman. Typical.
Recommendation
I really enjoyed this movie. I almost always like movies with a lot of action in them, but this one was pretty good. Apart from the violence, which isn't even all that bad, there isn't a lot about it that's objectionable. It's a good story, and it provokes some good thoughts/conversations (one of which I'll post in a few days). I'd definitely see it again, and I'd say it's worth seeing at the theater. It's not life-changing, so if this isn't your kind of movie, wait for it to come to the dollar theater, but it's definitely worth seeing.
Best Part
The special effects are amazing. The weakest of the f/x was probably Medusa, but everything from the giant scorpions to the Kraken is done really well.
Movie Tour, DVD-style: Away We Go
And thank you, Netflix. The other night, Katie and I watched Away We Go starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski.
Plot Summary
Away We Go is about a couple trying to find a place to call home. Burt and Verona are a couple who are expecting a baby. At six months in the pregnancy, they discover that Burt's parents are going to move to Europe for two years just a month before their baby is born. They see this as an opportunity to move wherever they want, and embark on a journey to find the perfect place to raise their child.
Review
I didn't know what to expect for this movie. Obviously, I love John Krasinski. He is hilarious in just about every role that I have ever seen him in. However, I hadn't heard a lot about this movie, so I was a little hesitant. All in all, I'd have to say that I liked it. There are some language issues throughout, and there is a lot of frank and very open sexual dialog. If that kind of stuff bothers you, then don't watch it. It was interesting to me to see the idea of a road trip movie being taken to a new level. This wasn't your typical road trip. It is more of a cross between a road trip movie and a finding oneself movie. It is done really well. There are a lot of laughs, and a lot of things to think about. The cameos in the movie are also pretty funny.
Recommendation
It is worth seeing if you don't mind the language and sexual dialog. If you don't like that kind of stuff, then I definitely would recommend staying away from it. If you have Netflix, put it in your queue. If not, don't be in a rush to see it, but do pick it up when you come across it.
Best Part
The soundtrack. It is probably the best chill-out soundtrack that I have heard in a long time. It was so good, I looked up the artist (Alexi Murdoch) on Last.fm and created a station. There are also a lot of funny parts courtesy of John Krasinski that had me laughing quite a bit.
Movie Tour: The Book of Eli
I had a couple hours to steal away the other day and took advantage of them to see a movie that I knew Katie didn't want to see. As you can probably guess from the title, it was The Book of Eli.
Plot Summary
The Book of Eli takes place 30 years after "the big flash," as the characters refer to it. From the landscape, some dialog and the bleak feel of the movie, "the big flash" is a part of a nuclear war. Most of the younger people in the world cannot read as books are at a premium, and literacy is not a priority; survival is. Eli is a man who travels the road, which is a dangerous place to be; full of gangs that will kill you for any of the littlest things that you might be carrying around. Eli carries something that is beyond rare in the world - a Bible. After the big flash, people blamed religion, and all the Bibles in the world were burned, except this one, which Eli claims he found by following the instructions of a voice in his head. Eli travels to a town ruled be a man named Carnegie, who desperately desires what Eli has for very different reasons.
Review
I really liked this movie. It is a rare movie that puts such an emphasis on the importance of the Bible and does so in a very un-hokey way. On the flip side, The Book of Eli is very violent at points and the language is less than savory; however, these add to the feel of the post-apocalyptic world, rather than detract from the movie. The importance of Eli's devotional life is a crucial lesson, one that sticks out to the reader as the movie comes to a close.
Recommendation
Language and violence make this a movie with less appeal to the masses, but I still think it is a worthwhile use of your time if you are even slightly interested in it. It is probably one of the best movies of this young year, but it won't get widespread appeal because of the much-deserved R rating. It is one that I would watch again.
Best Part
The closing of the movie. The way everything comes together in the end is pretty unexpected. At one point, Eli has a choice between the life of a person and maintaining his course. And we get to see the true meaning of Scripture in the decision that he makes.
Movie Tour, DVD-style: Public Enemies
Here's another movie that came out this summer that I didn't get around to seeing until recently.
Plot Summary
Public Enemies follows the stories of John Dillinger, 1930's gangster, and Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent in charge of bringing down Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson who were major players in the crime sprees of the '30's.
Review
This was a good movie. It is a shame that it got lost in all the blockbusters that came out this summer. Depp and Bale play the lead characters very well, and their stories come together in an incredible way. Dillinger is almost portrayed as a local hero, and even when he does the bank robberies, there is an emphasis on the fact that he's not there to rob the people, just the bank. It does have some violence, which is not unexpected in a gangster movie, but it is not entirely over the top. I don't remember the language being all that bad either.
Recommendation
It's worth the purchase. It's not one that I'm going to want to watch all the time, but I think I'll probably watch it every few months just to let it soak in a little more.
Best Part
The final scene prior to Dillinger's death (that's not a spoiler, if you don't know that Dillinger gets shot, then you don't know this era of history... and you've never watched High Fidelity). He is watching a movie that, in some sense, echoes what is going on in his life, and he realizes that there is only one way that this thing is going to end. You can see it in his eyes that he accepts, no, embraces this fate.
Movie Tour, DVD-style: Julie and Julia
Another one of the movies that we didn't get out to see this summer, but were so certain that we'd like it that we went ahead and bought it. And it didn't disappoint.
Plot Summary
Julie and Julia follows the story of two women: Julia Child cooking professional and Julie Powell blogger. Julie is a writer who can't seem to write and is stuck in a 9-5 job that consumes her energy. She decides that what she is going to do is cook her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year, and blog about it as she embarks on the journey. Meanwhile, there are flashbacks to Julia Child's attempts to find something to do with her time, which then leads her to write and publish the book while she is overseas with her husband in the U.S. Ambassador's office.
Review
I thought they did a very good job of blending the two stories together. It is a bit of a "chick flick," if you will, but the focus is on food, which I like immensely. Seriously though, the stories fit together very well, and it is an inspiring story on the power of perseverance in the face of all obstacles, even the ones that we put in our own way.
Recommendation
It is worth a purchase, even at full price. It is a good movie to sit down and watch, maybe after dinner, instead of before.
Best Part
The food. I've never been so interested in working on a movie set before watching all the magnificent food that was made on this one. I'm drooling just thinking about it.
Finally! A Twilight Movie I'll Watch!
I came across this video in one of the blogs that I follow. I'm super pumped for this movie!
Movie Tour, DVD-style: Paul Blart Mall Cop
I've been trying to catch up on some of the movies that I missed over the summer, and expanding my reviews to some DVDs as well. I have a couple that will be rolling out over the next few days that I want to review, but first of all, I'd like to start with Kevin James in Paul Blart Mall Cop
Plot Summary
Paul Blart (just say the name, it's funny enough) is an overweight security guard (or officer, there's some debate in the industry, maybe you've heard about it) at a local mall, who ends up getting in way over his head when the mall is taken over by a group of thugs on Black Friday, the busiest day of the year. In spite of what everyone thinks about him, and in spite of how he appears, Paul Blart is not a man to be taken lightly.
Review
I loved this movie for one reason: Kevin James is a master of physical comedy. He is absolutely hilarious throughout the entire movie. There's a lot of feel-good, hokey stuff in the movie, but that didn't bother me too much because Kevin James is awesome. In all fairness, there is a time or two when it seems like the plot severely slows, but you can get past that just to see Kevin James rolling around the floor of the mall.
Recommendation
If you find it in the $5 bin at Wal-Mart, but it. In fact, I'd even say that it's worth buying at $10. It's not a deep movie, it's not a movie that will make you think or stir your emotions, but it will make you laugh.
Best Part
Kevin James. I've said it already, but I'll say it again. He is a modern-day master of physical comedy. He's like Chris Farley without all the screaming. He is, simply put, hilarious, and I'll watch just about anything that he puts out there.
Movie Tour: It's Complicated
Katie and I were getting a little stir crazy after several days of not leaving the house due to the snow, so we took Saturday afternoon and crossed the time zone to see a movie in Danville. I picked Avatar for our last movie, so it was her turn, and I'll let you guess what she picked.
Plot Summary
The story revolves around two people who have been divorced for ten years. One of their children graduates from college, and after an evening of dinner, conversation, dancing, and a whole lot of alcohol, they end up sleeping together, even though Jake (the ex-husband) is currently married to the woman for whom he left Jane (the ex-wife). This begins an affair between the two, and life begins to become very complicated for the former spouses.
Review
My parents went to see this a week or so ago, and they both thought that it was pretty funny. Because of that, I was looking forward to seeing it. And, all in all, it didn't disappoint. I found myself laughing quite a bit. In fact, there were a couple of times that the entire theater was laughing and I missed a line or two. However, that being said, I would say that there are a lot of objectionable parts to the movie. It's definitely not one for the kids.
Afterwards, I told Katie that it was kind of a mix between Golden Girls (and if you want to know how I feel about Golden Girls... well, just don't ask...) and American Pie, but a lot more high-brow humor than the latter. It was a lot more raunchy than I expected, even though there really isn't any nudity (save for one scene which was pretty funny). I don't remember the language being all that bad, apart from all the sex related dialog.
Recommendation
This is kind of hard. There were a lot of parts that really were funny. There were also a lot of parts that were quite uncomfortable. I don't really talk about sex with my parents, and this movie is basically about people my parents' age having sex. It is definitely not for the less mature audience (which, of course, is why it is rated R in the first place!). I would say wait for it to come to your local Redbox. That way, you can see it, but you don't run the risk of being seen watching it in public (that last part is a joke, insert laughter now..... I'll wait..... okay, done? Good, moving on.)
Best Part
There's really two parts of this movie that are really great. First, John Krasinski (aka Jim from The Office) is hilarious throughout. He plays the same type of guy in almost all his parts, but he is so good in those parts and pretty funny. Second, there is a scene when Jake sneaks into Jane's room while she is in the bathroom, takes off all his clothes and lays in the bed waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. The laptop is strategically placed, but unbeknown to Jake, Jane is talking to a friend that she just started dating (Adam, played by Steve Martin) via webcam. Needless to say, I won't be able to look at Jack Donaghy the same way again (30 Rock reference for those not in the loop on one of television's funniest shows).
Movie Tour: Avatar
One of the most talked about movies of the year came out a couple weeks ago. It is James Cameron's first feature film since Titanic, which as you may or may not know, is the highest grossing film of all time. How do you follow up something like that? Well, with something like this.
Plot Summary
Jake Sully, a paraplegic Marine, takes an assignment to the distant world of Pandora to take the place of his deceased brother for a special program. The natives of Pandora are a race of humanoids called the Na'vi, and the project is to breed figures that look like Na'vi, but use the consciousness of the human operator. The avatar is the Na'vi representation of the human. We quickly learn that the Na'vi are hostile to the humans, but it is not without reason. There is a particular element found on Pandora, and the richest source of it is located right where one of the Na'vi clans live. The inevitable conflict between the humans and the Na'vi is completely over this particular resource.
Review
Wow. It's not often that a movie this big lives up to the hype, but I felt as though Avatar certainly did. The world of Pandora is incredible. It is a beautiful location and the world is unlike anything I could have ever imagined. The storyline, to use Katie's line, is a modern-day cowboys and Indians. And realistically, the connections between what happened in America when the settlers drove out the Native Americans, and what happens in this movie is startling. Some of the actions of the Na'vi and the humans will bring it into focus. The worst part about the movie is the language, but even that is not horrible.
Recommendation
Go see it. I don't care if you see it in 3D (like we did), IMAX, or just on a regular screen, this movie is incredible. Perhaps the worst part about it is the fact that it makes you stop and take a look at our own heritage as Americans. It is ironic that Katie and I were talking about what happened to the Native Americans not even a week ago, and then we see this movie that is a metaphor for those very events.
Best Part
There is so much to like about this movie that I'm not sure I can narrow it down to just one part. The scenery is astounding. Yes, I realize that it is almost entirely CG, but that doesn't matter. If that's the case, then it's the best animated movie that I have seen in my entire life. The storyline is thought-provoking, and even the acting is not horrible (which is sometimes the case in effects-driven movies). Now that I've said that, though, I think the best part is seeing the main character develop over the course of the film. It begins as a mission and ends as a way of life.
Best Movies of 2009
...according to Entertainment Weekly.
List #1 by Owen Gleiberman
10. Adventureland
9. The Hurt Locker
8. The Girlfriend Experience
7. Fantastic Mr. Fox
6. (500) Days of Summer
5. Food, Inc.
4. I Love You, Man
3. Precious
2. Inglorious Basterds
1. Up in the Air
List #2 by Lisa Schwarzbaum
10. Everlasting Moments
9. District 9
8. Big Fan
7. A Serious Man
6. Fantastic Mr. Fox
5. Where the Wild Things Are
4. Up in the Air
3. Coraline
2. Up
1. The Hurt Locker
And here's my Top 5 movies for this year as of right now (keeping in mind that I currently want to see Avatar and The Road, if it ever comes out to wide release):
5. The Proposal
It's surprising, you may think, that I put this movie on my list, considering that I probably would not have watched it, if my lovely wife hadn't picked it out. However, I found it to be pretty funny. Reynolds and Bullock work out very well together. Betty White is pretty funny as well, and as somebody who hates Golden Girls with a passion that burns with the fire of a thousand suns, that's saying a lot.
4. Star Trek
What is so great about this movie is that you don't have to be a Trekkie to love it. It was certainly one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and unlike another sci-fi, much-anticipated blockbuster (*cough* Transformers *cough**cough*), it didn't disappoint. It's a good story filled with some great action.
I loved this movie. It was the only movie that I saw in the theaters twice this year, and I would probably go see it again. It is certainly a screwball comedy of sorts. The interesting thing is that I can't pick out a single scene that encapsulates the entire movie for me. I found myself laughing at the random hilarity all throughout the movie. It's one that I could watch over and over again.
It may seem strange to see this one listed as my #2 movie for the year, but the more that I thought about it, the more I really enjoyed this movie. It is one of two that really had me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the movie. It is intense, and I loved it. Ironic considering I don't even really like the original Terminator, but I have liked all of the sequels.
1. District 9
I didn't really know what to expect when I went to see this movie. I was making it a double-feature Sunday because G.I. Joe was playing right after it. I had seen a couple of the previews, and thought it looked interesting, but I didn't know what to expect. What I got was amazing. It is very violent and there is a lot of cussing, but I really feel like this was the best movie that I've seen all year long.
EW's 10 Best Movies of the Decade
Inevitably, during this time of the year, you'll come across some "Best of" lists. This being the last of the '00's (or the 'aughts'), I'm starting to see some best of the decade lists. Below is the best movies of the decade, according to Entertainment Weekly.
10. Almost Famous
9. Lost in Translation
8. The 40 Year-Old Virgin
7. Children of Men
6. Moulin Rouge!
5. Wall-E
4. The Dark Knight
3. Gladiator
2. Brokeback Mountain
1. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
With the exception of #2, I've seen all these movies, and even own half of them. I certainly don't disagree with #'s 1, 3 or 4; in fact, I'd say that those are in my top 10 movies of all time. What about the rest of the list. What do you think?