Catching up with mini-reviews

I have come to the conclusion that I will never, ever manage to blog about all of the movies I've watched over the past eight months (even though there haven't been that many), and in order to get past this backlog and get back on the blogging train I need to publish a composite post and be done with it. So here ya go:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two

My son first said it was too loud and there were too many explosions. Just a few weeks later (without re-watching it!) his opinion had changed and it had become the Best Movie Ever. I think I must have liked it, but it was also kind of just obligatory for a Harry Potter fan.

Breaking Dawn Part One

I'm really only watching (and buying!) these movies out of a sense of duty at this point--I've got to finish what I started. This one was about what I expected. That is neither praise nor condemnation.

Source Code

THIS was a good movie. I was afraid it was going to be Groundhog Day, sci-fi style, but it was WAY better than that. It's good! Watch it! I will watch it with you!

The Help 

Excellent book, excellent movie. They captured Minny Jackson to a T. She was my favorite, and she was hilarious. Just as in the book, Hilly Holbrook is the only character without a good side to balance out the bad; but Opie's daughter did a bang-up job in bringing her character to the screen.

Babe: Pig in the City

I do not recommend this movie, whether for adults (it's depressing!) or for kids (they found it boring). I know, I know, it's a sequel and I should have written it off for that fact alone. You definitely need to watch the original, though. It's fantastic.

All Good Things

I honestly don't remember if I even finished watching this movie, and I honestly don't care. But it must have come to an end because, well, you know what they say about all good things. (Hey! Stop throwing your popcorn at me.) Anyway, I remember that some guy (probably, more than likely) maybe kills his wife. I don't remember much more than that. It is based on a true story, though.

Gnomeo and Juliet

The kids liked it. Sorry, that's all I've got.

Chapter 27

An interesting look at John Lennon's last few days through the eyes of his killer, Mark David Chapman (who, by the way, is still alive--did you know that?). The movie's title is in reference to the fact that the book The Catcher in the Rye has only 26 chapters.




Ahhh, I feel much better now.

Sliding Doors

I'd seen this one before, but it has been a sufficient number of years since my first viewing to allow me to forget most of the plot. Thus, it was almost like watching a brand new movie.

Of course I don't remember what I thought of it the first time around, but my opinion the second time is that it wasn't half bad. It's not a movie I would watch on endless loop, but for a romantic comedy it was actually pretty intriguing. It's a story of what-ifs, portraying the two different paths Helen's life would have taken merely based on either catching a train or arriving on the platform just after the doors slide closed (hence the title). Thanks to two totally different hairstyles (see the picture?), it is fairly easy to follow the movie's jumps from path to path, and (is this a spoiler? not really, since I'm not giving you any details) it's great the way the split lives are woven back together at the end. I think that says something interesting about Fate, which I'm not sure I believe in but I'm sure I would like to.

A fun diversion, even watched across three evenings (the way I did it). But if you find Gwyneth Paltrow annoying I'm not sure how you'll handle it, especially if English-accented-Gwyneth is more annoying than the usual.

Old Favorite: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

They simply don't make movies like this (or Sixteen Candles, or The Breakfast Club) anymore. No kidding, when was the last time they made a good clean high school movie that wasn't full of Serious Issues or raunchiness fit to rival Howard Stern? (If you know of some, this is where you should tell me what they are!)

Actually, I know what my problem is. I just sorely miss John Hughes (although perhaps not where the Beethoven or Home Alone movies are concerned). Mix that with a small dose of nostalgia, and there you have my love for Ferris Bueller.

Here's to stopping and looking around.

Morning Glory

After years as a netflix subscriber, I'm celebrating a new development: I can finally watch netflix movies on my TV! So what do I do? I impulsively watch a movie that wasn't even in my queue.

And what did I find? A stereotypical and saccharine romantic comedy with no surprises, wrapped up in a package that can only be described as  "heartwarming".

But Harrison Ford was in it!! I thought surely that had to count for something. Even if he was channeling the gruff-voiced and serious-faced Clint Eastwood instead of the dashing young Han Solo. But I thought wrong.

OK, it wasn't horrible. But it was formulaic and conventional and unexceptional and I should have gone to bed two hours ago instead.

I'm wondering if it was intentional that the network call sign was ibs? After watching this movie I feel I may be suffering from a bit of that myself. Or, more likely, a diabetic coma. This movie is not a fiber donut.

Abre los ojos (Open Your Eyes)

I have had this movie out from Netflix since last MAY. I can't remember when I started watching it (July? August?) but I do know I watched about half of it, then never got around to watching the rest until tonight.

That's not to say it's a bad movie. It's just that it is SO similar to the American remake (Vanilla Sky), and there's really nothing that marks it as superior. This Spanish version was done first, but not (in my eyes) done better.

Very interesting to see Penelope Cruz play the character of Sofia in both the original and the remake. I love her for being so pretty!

Vanilla Sky (rewatch)

I first watched this movie several years ago (can't remember exactly when) and, as time passed, I felt like I hardly remembered much beyond the fact that it was really good. I watched it again this past June and jotted down a few notes about it, but then never got around to making it into an official blog post.

Tonight I've just finished watching the Spanish original version, so I figured it was about time I posted what I wrote last June. Of course in the past four months I've not thought of anything to add; if anything, I've forgotten more than I remember. But here's what I wrote when it was fresh on my mind:

This movie was better the first time around, because as I watched it I found I actually remembered more than I'd thought. So the surprise of WTF was going on was dampened quite a bit. But I still enjoyed the re-watch. On the other hand, I'm thinking two watchings is about enough for this movie. Or maybe I should limit myself to watching it once a decade, anyway.

Notice the soundtrack when you watch this one! It's pretty decent.

I might add a little synopsis for you now: Pretty rich boy David Aames (Tom Cruise) has had everything in life handed to him on a platter, including Sofia (Penelope Cruz), the beautiful woman his best friend has just met. But when the golden boy's face is disfigured in a horrifying car wreck, his formerly charmed life crumbles. Or does it?

Bridesmaids

Tonight, for a change, I watched a movie. With friends! (Because, you know, That's What Friends Are For.) And for an even bigger change, I'm actually going to blog about it. Who knows if I'll ever get around to telling you about Vanilla Sky, Source Code, The Help, or Harry Potter 7b, but you're going to hear about Bridesmaids whether you want to or not.

I'd been told Bridesmaids was Really Really Funny. I'd heard it was The Hangover for women. (Sorry, I had to say it. EVERYONE ELSE says it.) So, my opinion? Yeah, it made me laugh, and I like laughing. I still think There's Something About Mary is more funny, maybe just because Bridesmaids veers off into depressing territory (not when Annie hits what her mom thinks is rock bottom, but when Annie actually hits rock bottom). But at least things are looking up for Annie at the end.

Too bad I didn't watch this movie when it first came out. Where was Gil when I needed a note on my door that said "Do not come into my room and read my diary and wear my clothes"? At least now I'll know for next time.

Before I go, I just need to tell you this: You're more beautiful than Cinderella, you smell like pine needles and your face is like sunshine. Every girl needs to hear that at least once in her life.