Couples Retreat

Hud and I watched this last night while wrapping presents (clarification: while *I* was wrapping presents) and it actually wasn't too bad. It was kind of funny and not too stupid. The characters were a little stereotypical, but heck, stereotypes are funny.

It also made me roll my eyes to see that, out of the four couples, all of the women were smokin' hot and all of the men were fat slobs. But I laughed (if not constantly or uproariously--though this is not to say there were not corny moments) and so did Hud, and the movie stayed light and fun and sweet. (I will never forgive White Men Can't Jump for veering off into depressing drama territory, but this one didn't do that.)

Did anyone else wonder if maybe they used the set from Gilligan's Island during the search for Eden East?

The Expendables

Gunfire, mercenaries, predictability, blah blah blah. Hud picked it. I'm mostly just posting about it so I'll remember I shouldn't bother watching it again.

I think this was Hud's revenge for some of the movies I've made him sit through.

Fight Club

I'd seen this movie years ago, so I already knew the story; but I read the book a few weeks ago, which gave me a craving to see Brad Pitt's muscles and hear the cool Pixies soundtrack again.

Here's something I don't remember noticing the other time I watched it: the Tyler Durden subliminal messages. He flickers into the picture for just a few frames every now and then (including perhaps one specific part of him at the end).

The movie ends a little bit differently from the book. I guess the book's ending is just a little bit more rational or realistic, but I'm not sure which ending I prefer.

But I can tell you that in general I prefer the movie, because man, that Brad Pitt sure is hot stuff.

Legend

Back when I first heard about this movie I thought I would really like it. (Tom Cruise! Unicorns!) But in the intervening years, my interest has dwindled. Tom Cruise turned out to be short and weird, and unicorns are just too much trouble. But apparently my interest has not dwindled enough to keep me from forcing myself to sit through this movie.

So. It was not as bad as I expected, but I did find myself wishing I'd watched it when I was 12. I think I would have LOVED it back then. Now . . . I found I didn't pay too much attention to it. And, while Mia Sara looks absolutely perfect as a fairytale princess, I couldn't get past the idea that Tom Cruise looked like a frat boy in a tunic. But I did get lots of ironing done.

Ladder 49

I'm not sure why I force myself to watch movies that I don't really care to see, but this movie was recommended to me by Billy the Fireman. I kind of felt obligated to watch it. But I've had it out from netflix for a month now, if that tells you anything.

And now I know why it took me so long to bother with it. It's just not my thing. It's like a Lifetime Original Movie with a crappy, Disneyfied soundtrack. I believe Billy when he says this movie is pretty realistic, and he's still my hero and all, but I think I may be a little bit skeptical of his next movie recommendation.

Ramona and Beezus

Would you believe I watched this movie without my kids? I really kind of do have an excuse. They watched it while I was at work this weekend, and it's due back at the library tomorrow (um, make that today) and Beverly Cleary's Ramona books were among my favorites when I was little, so I just couldn't pass it up.

The movie was really cute, but I do have one complaint. Can they not find an actor to play a dad in this sort of movie who is in any way believable? The whole way through, Mr. Quimby (John Corbett) acted like it was the first time he'd ever met his family. At least Ramona (Joey King) and Beezus (Selena Gomez) were absolutely perfect. Once again I've been impressed by Selena Gomez. She's great!

Splice

Genetic experimentation gone wrong brings a whole new meaning to the phrase
"getting some tail."