Side Effects 9/10 - It's done very well and the previews are done just right so you get to enjoy the movie. I'd give it a 10 if it didn't borrow so many elements from another great drama thriller, but you can't be 100% original nowadays. Don't click the spoiler if you're going to see the movie, because this is basically what it is with different characters and different circumstances, but the plot and reveal elements are all the same: Spoiler Wild Things
Robot and Frank - 6.5, would have rated it much higher but the end just left me unsatisfied. The whole issue of robots, technology, and how that affects society was damn interesting. I wish it had focused more on that. Great cast Here Comes the Boom - 5, feel good movie that I wanted to like but it was just totally not believable in any way, liked the characters except for Kevin James who I didn't care for Taken 2 - 6, little different from Taken but I love Famke Janssen so gave it a bump, can't believe she's 48 years old, damn Perks of Being a Wallflower - 6.5, teen angst movie, not bad but I just got he feeling I've see this wanna be Breakfast Club movie many times before, good cast of young actors, should have been a much better movie Alex Cross - 6.5, nothing really new here, don't think I'd seen any Tyler Perry movie before, it was entertaining but nothing new
did anybody else get a kick out of the look of horror rooney mara got on her face when tatum told her they may be moving to Houston? cracked me up. would love to have a gif of that.
I give it a 8/10 brah. It's an original story, plus it has Mr. Frodo in it. And Kate Winslet is pretty.
Searching for Sugar Man - 9/10, One of the best documentaries I've ever seen. It's right here wih Hoop Dreams.
ParaNorman: 8/10 Taken 2: 6.5/10. Wasn't the flaming disaster I expected after checking the Tomatometer. The ending surprised me a bit also. Spoiler I thought for sure his wife was going to be killed.
Zero Dark 30 - 9/10 Great movie. Really well acted, really well put together, and tense as hell. Really liked it a lot.
Oscar Preview Zero Dark 30- 8 out of 10 - Really well done. Mostly cerebral, like a CIA procedural with a satisfying action finish. Silver Linings Playbook-6 out of 10- One of the most predictable movies I have seen in a long time. Excellent acting redeems it somewhat. Lincoln-9 out of 10- The Tommy Lee Jones performance is even better than the Day-Lewis one. And a Clunker Beautiful Creatures 2 out of 10- How can anything with Jeremy Irons, Emma Thompson, Viola Davis and Emmy Rossum be THIS bad. Alden Whoshisface in the male lead turns in a 2 hour long young Jack Nicholson impression.... The only excitement in the whole movie was wondering if Emma Thompson's "girls" were going to escape their fetters in her last scene and since Emma is past 50 (but still attractive)...that probably isn't worth 8 bucks for most people. Especially since they stayed (barely) confined.
Hansel and Gretel Watchable . . but that was about it Alot of room for improvement. 5/10 Rocket River
Silver Linings Playbook - 8/10 - Terrific movie and I think it handled the subject matter better than most movies. And not only is Jennifer Lawrence talented but she is fine!!
Ben Hur-- 7.5 Yes, the Charlton Heston version. Its saving grace are a few very cool iconic film moments with the famous chariot race being the best one. Otherwise, just a slightly above average story that's about an hour too long. You can tell this was an attempt to duplicate the success of The Ten Commandments. Still, I'm glad I watched it if only to say I finally have. North by Northwest -- 9 GREAT old film. Came out the exact same year Ben Hur did (1959) and a Hitchcock film through and through. Has somewhat of an awkward slow first 15-20 minutes, but really takes off after that. A good movie with plenty of plot twists and a satisfying ending. But most importantly of all....Eva Marie Saint. WOW. Even by 2013 standards she is absolutely stunning eye candy and played a great character for the movie as well. Highly recommended.
I watched the original Planet of the Apes yesterday and the 1st 30 minutes was very slow. I could not help thinking . . no way this could survive in the todays movie world Took them 15 ~ 20 minutes before they say another human and another 10 before your 1st ape sighting Rocket River Pacing of old movies was great but the modern person might be a bit impatient with it.
Saw it with a friend and her teenage sister. I don't know about liking it more than they did, but it was pretty good -- better than I expected. 7/10
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - 8 out of 10. Quiet, almost ponderous romantic comedy, and romantic comedies are among my least favorites. But a great film to watch as date movie. Great casting with Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt (one of my favorite actresses), and Kristin Scott Thomas eating up scenery as an over-the-top govt PR person. Yet the best performance was Amyr Waked playing the part of the Yemen sheikh.
