Movie Review: Tangled

As this movie is about to hit DVD, many of you have probably already seen it. But if you're reading my movie reviews, you definitely aren't after reviews of what's currently in the theaters. The fam went to go see this movie at the second run theater as a send-off to Daddy leaving for Texas. Howdy grumbled, "Do we HAFTA see 'Tangled'?" to which I cheerfully replied, "Yes! And you're going to like it!"

Thankfully, I was right, although, you won't get him to admit it. The closest you'll get is that it wasn't "too bad". While this is a Disney movie, it should be clarified that this is a movie with John Lasseter as executive producer. He's the man behind all the Pixar movies. If you're going to a Pixar movie, you know without a doubt that you are seeing a movie with heart, soul, and humor that is safe for all ages. Such is the case with "Tangled".

Mandy Moore is the voice of Rapunzel, the girl who has spent her life locked in a tower in an effort to keep the world away from her magical hair. Zachary Levi plays Flynn Rider, the rakishly charming thief who inadvertently jumpstarts Rapunzel's foray into the real world, much to the consternation of the woman who has kept Rapunzel hidden all her life and passes herself off as the sweet girl's mother.

Rapunzel is all green-eyed wonder as she discovers life outside of her tower. Everything is new, everything is an adventure. And even the toughest of rogues can't help but fall for her sweetness. Flynn tries hard to ditch the girl as she is keeping him from escaping with his stolen treasure but eventually, even he falls under her charm. And no movie would be complete without a plucky sidekick for comic relief. "Tangled" has two--a horse named Maximus, who is set on bringing down Flynn, and a chameleon named Pascal, who shows his emotions by changing colors. (I wouldn't be surprised if there's been a spike in chameleon sales since this movie came out.)

This is the most expensive animated movie made to date ("Avatar" not included), but it was worth every penny. Several times during the movie I found myself caught up in the look of it all. I was just in awe at far they've come since the days of "Toy Story". The detail is just amazing. You can see every strand of Rapunzel's golden hair as it moves. In a close up of Flynn, you can see his stubble. But I'm not talking just a hazy shadow, I'm talking individual whiskers of differing length. It's a gorgeous movie on top of being so fun.

The songs are great, of course. Mandy Moore has a voice that's just perfect for Disney and I was pleasantly surprised at how well Zachary Levi can sing. When Donna Murphy belts out her song, "Mother Knows Best", I pictured a very Jewish Queen Latifah singing her song from "Chicago"--"If You Be Good to Mama, Mama's Good to You." And that is a compliment.

If you haven't seen it, go out and rent it. Better yet, buy it on DVD. It'll be worth the investment as you'll want to watch it over and over. (*****)

Movie Review: Too Many to Count

So many movies, so little blog time. With the craft shows over for now and Christmas behind us, we've had a lot of free time to catch up on our movie watching. We've seen some really good ones lately so I thought I would give you the condensed version of my movie reviews.

Calendar Girls stars Helen Mirren (love her!) and Julie Waters as lifelong friends who are members of a stuffy ladies' society. When Waters' husband dies of cancer, they get the idea to create a calendar to raise money to buy a new sofa (or "settee" in Brit speak)for the waiting room at the hospital. The twist is that they will appear nude on the calendar with only strategically placed pastries or watering cans to cover their bits. It's based on a true story and it's sweet, sad, hilarious and touching. (****)

Repo Men Rated R for good reason, this one stars Jude Law and Forrest Whitaker as the titular repo men--only these men don't repo cars or tvs, they repo organs and other transplants. In the future, if you have a bum knee or a weak heart, it can be replaced with an artificial one--as long as you keep up with the payments. Law is one of the best at his job until an accident forces him to get an artificial heart. Life falls apart around him at this point until he can no longer make those payments. There's plenty of blood and fighting before and after Law goes on the run to avoid being reclaimed. I'm not usually one for sci-fi but it was interesting. The twist ending, however, left me disappointed. (***)

The Back Up Plan stars Jennifer Lopez as a woman who gives up on finding Mr. Right and goes through artificial insemination---just before she meets the man of her dreams, played by Alex O'Loughlin. This guy could be THE ONE, but how does she explain to him that she's pregnant? Predictable, funny, sweet---everything a good rom com should be. (***)

Despicable Me: Steve Carrell is Gru, supervillain. In an attempt to steal the moon and one-up an annoying new villain named Vector, Gru adopts 3 little girls to aid in his evil plan. He, of course, is not fit to be a father while the 3 little orphans can't help being anything but adorable. Needless to say, there will be some Grinch-ish redemption before all is said and done. I loved this movie--so cute, so funny and Carrell is great as Gru, reluctant father. (****)

Toy Story 3: These movies just keep getting better and better. In this final(?) installment, Andy has grown up and it's off to college for him, where childhood toys are not welcome. What will happen to the Woody, Buzz and the gang? I can't give anything away except to say that it won't just tug at your heartstrings, it will give them a mighty good yank until you're weeping at the sight of a stuffed cowboy doll and a plastic spaceman. (*****)

Movie Review: Prince of Persia

A period action movie that has an interesting plot and a hunky guy with chiseled abs? What's not to like?

Okay, so that's not really a review. Let me start again. Jake Gyllenhaal takes a break from brooding, independent films to try his hand at the action genre and he does a decent job. He's Dastan,the adopted son of the Persian king. Raised on the streets until being noticed by the king, he grows up continuing that street tough persona--fighting dirty, lax in his responsibilities, smirking at everyone he looks at. When he helps his brothers invade a holy city (against his better judgment), he comes into possession of a mystical dagger that holds within it the sands of time and can be used to turn back time. Gemma Arteton (from "Lost in Austen" and "Clash of the Titans") plays Tamina, guardian of the dagger.

After being framed for his father's murder, Dastan must go on the run--with Tamina and the dagger, of course--until he can figure out who set him up and who is after the dagger. Is it his brother who inherited their father's crown? Is it their uncle who is a trusted advisor to them all? Along the way, they run into plenty of action in the way of ancient assassins, desert thugs and even ostrich races. Alfred Molina appears to be having a great time with some comic relief and Ben Kingsley looks suitably questionable with his black eyeliner-rimmed eyes.

There's a lot of action, a lot of killing of bad guys (but surprisingly little blood). If you really try hard, I'm sure you can come up with a lesson here. Something along the lines of trust your heart and trust your family, I suppose. But really, the movie is just junk food for your brain, why spoil the fun? (***)

Movie Review: When In Rome

Another predictable chick flick, but what can I say? I'm addicted. This one stars Kristen Bell as Beth, an art curator who, with a father who's been married multiple times and a boyfriend who recently dumped her, isn't sure she even believes in love. When her sister's wedding takes her to Rome, she meets Nick, played by Josh Duhamel, and they hit it off. Unfortunately, it looks like he's already taken and was just playing her. Beth gets a little drunk and wades in the Fountain of Love. Local lore states that if you drop a coin in the fountain, you will find love. While in the midst of her drunken rant, Beth decides to save a few of the coins from their miserable fate and in doing so she puts a spell on the original owners of the coins so that they fall in love with her.

Back home in NY, Beth starts being stalked by a weird mix of crazies and losers (played by Dax Shepherd, Danny DeVito, Jon Heder and Will Arnett) as well as Nick. Again she really hits it off with Nick until she discovers that all these men are under a spell due to the coins...and one of the coins may belong to Nick. Of course she doesn't want the loonies chasing after her but can she live with herself if Nick is only with her because of a spell? Cue inner soul searching and a mad dash across town to release Nick from the spell, thereby setting him free.

Do we know how everything will end in the first 5 minutes of the movie? Yes. Are we supposed to care that the coins she grabbed all happened to belong to men? No. (Seriously, do that many men really toss coins in a fountain hoping for love? And especially THESE men?) Are we supposed to care that all these men just HAPPEN to live in NY (with the exception of the artist who moved there just for her)? No. But that's the thing about rom coms--you need to keep an eye on the big picture and not fret the details or you lose the fun.

I enjoyed the movie and would watch it again but it won't make it next to my worn out copies of "Ever After" or "You've Got Mail". (***)

Movie Review: The Book of Eli

Thanks to my friends at Netflix, Hubby and I watched this one last night. Before I get to the review I think I should note that any DVD that doesn't include extras should get an automatic star deduction. Extras are almost as fun as the movie itself--if they're done right.

The Book of Eli is an apocolyptic drama starring Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis and Gary Oldman. Denzel plays Eli, a man who has been wandering the country for 30 years carrying a prized book--which are rare to begin with in these post-war days and even rarer is that it's the lone copy of the Bible. His sole purpose is to literally wander. He figures some day he'll know when he can stop but in 30 years it hasn't happened yet. Along the way he picks up Mila, who tags along initially to escape her life and then because it's the only way she'll survive in such a brutal world. Gary Oldman is a baddy who wants to keep the Bible from being discovered as it might undermine his plans for local (if not farther reaching) control.

Like all post-WWIII movies, this one is filled with stark landscapes, abandoned vehicles, and rag tag survivors dressed in layer upon layer of muted clothing, despite the fact that they all look like they are living in desert conditions. (Think Mad Max, The Road, or even Waterworld.)

In an attempt to distract you from the barely there plot that takes its time revealing itself, the director throws out plenty of gory scenes of violence where appendages are lost while Denzel slices his way through crowds of bad guys, without injury to himself of course. And if that isn't enough to keep your attention, it's a beautifully shot movie. Yes, the colors are muted in that now familiar way that suggests poverty and tragedy, but the shots are impressive.

Even as a big Denzel Washington fan, I wasn't bowled over by this one. It was just too slow for me, nothing much to invest in. For all the good reviews I read about it, I was disappointed. (**)

Autism Awareness

Today is World Autism Awareness Day and April is Autism Awareness Month. It was just a coincidence that last night I watched a movie called "Adam", about a woman who starts to fall for a man who has Asperger's. It came from Netflix and it's been sitting here for more than a week but I finally watched it last night.

Take my advice and watch this movie. It's just beautiful. Hugh Dancy plays Adam and he does a wonderful job. Rose Byrne is Beth, the woman who moves next door and finds herself drawn to him in spite of his quirks and oddities. It's a story of friendship, of love, of learning to adapt, of living in a world where you don't quite fit in. It's a great story.

Honestly, it didn't matter to me what the story line was, I had to watch it to see how well they portrayed Asperger's. I was very impressed. Hugh did a wonderful job of conveying the social awkwardness, the lack of empathy, the halting, stuttering way of talking and moving, the singular focus on one subject, the fear of change, the incapability of eye contact. He was just lovely as a man who is still a man despite not fitting in with those around him.

I have to be honest and tell you this movie made me cry. It does have some sad moments but I know the reason it made me cry was that I was seeing my son on screen. Not the son that I have now, and not the son who was first diagnosed, but my son just a few years ago. Bubba is not the typical Autistic child. While he may have regressed into a non-verbal, screaming machine with no eye contact and little regard for danger or people around him, he has made amazing strides to become a social, talkative boy who has--for the most part--learned to cope with transitions.


When Bubba was little, I never in my wildest dreams thought he would be where he is today. In my most secret dreams, the ones I didn't want to speak out loud for fear of jinxing them, I prayed that one day he would grow up to be as high functioning as Adam. I prayed that he would be able to hold a job, make a friend or two, maybe even be able to live on his own with some assistance. In all your dreams for your children, you just want them to live a happy, normal life. "Normal" takes on a whole different meaning when you are living with Autism.

Watching the movie last night, I cried. Okay, I sobbed until I thought my heart was going to break and I'm crying now. I cried because I recognized Adam. I cried because I recognize the frustration--of both Adam and the people who are trying to understand him. I cried because I know how painful it is for someone with Autism to be faced with change. I cried because I was familiar with his movements, his way of speaking, his bluntness, all the unspoken social nuances that went right over his head. I cried because he found a friend. I cried because he found someone to love him just as he was. I cried because he had to deal with a world that is harsh. I cried because he managed to make his way in that world, carving out a niche that suited him and his differences. I cried because I'm grateful that Bubba has progressed beyond what I ever dreamed possible. I cried because most Autistic children aren't like that. I cried because I have learned more from my son than he's learned from me. I cried because God has entrusted me with the care and upbringing of such a special soul.

Living with Autism is not an easy task. It drains the mothers. It's hard on the fathers. It wears on siblings. I have days where I have to convince my other children that they do love their brother no matter how difficult he makes life sometimes. There is nothing more heart wrenching than to hear your child say they wish they didn't have a brother. That's a knife to the heart with a wicked twist for good measure.

No one chooses this for their life, but it's my life. He's MY son. I love him 'til it hurts. I pray every single day that he will grow up to find someone who will love him just as much.

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes

I must confess that I have been a Robert Downey, Jr. fan since I was in high school. Maybe it's just that bad boy factor, but I've always enjoyed watching him and I always rooted for him to overcome his addiction problems. He was the only reason I ever watched "Ally McBeal" and I was sad when his personal life caused him to have to leave the show.

Throw together a big budget action movie with one of my favorite actors and you have a movie I couldn't wait to see. I was more than a little surprised to find out that Guy Ritchie directed this movie. He's known for British, independent oddball movies like "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels". This is quite a step up for him and he definitely rose to the challenge.

Robert Downey, Jr. is the titular Holmes while Jude Law is his long-suffering Watson. The chemistry between the two is great. They play off each other in a relaxed, well-versed way that would be natural of two men who've spent years living and working together to solve the world's toughest crimes.

Watson is leaving, having just wrapped up his last case with Holmes, to get married and settle down. But as we all know, there can never really be a last case. He gets pulled back in when Mark Strong as Lord Blackwell apparently comes back from the dead with evil intentions.

I love the action, the look, the gadgets, the way we hear Holmes' brain work. I love the banter between Holmes and Watson. It's a highly entertaining movie. Of course, they left it open for the possibility of a sequel. And while sequels are rarely as good as the original, I will be one of the first in line if they have a "Sherlock Holmes 2". (*****)

Movie Review: The Invention of Lying

Within the first ten minutes or so of this movie, there is a conversation between Jennifer Garner and Ricky Gervais that I'm sure will turn off many people I know to the point they won't want to watch the movie. That makes me sad because this movie is one of the funniest ones I've seen in a long time.

"The Invention of Lying" takes place in a world where lies don't exist. They've never heard the word and can't even comprehend the concept. This is a brutally honest world. When I say "brutally", I'm not kidding. It's not just that they can't lie, it's that they are compelled to say what they are thinking and let me tell you, the truth hurts. There are no lies of omission, no skating around the truth. If someone thinks you're fat and ugly, they flat out tell you that you're fat and ugly. I know, I know, it's highly inappropriate and people's feelings get hurt. I think it was the outrageousness of the idea that I found so amusing. Watching this movie I became aware of how many ways we avoid the honest truth to spare those hurt feelings or misunderstandings. It's a kindness to others that we don't reveal what we're thinking every moment.

The story goes like this: Ricky Gervais is crushing on Jennifer Garner but she is in no way attracted to him because he's a "chubby, snub-nosed loser". Then one day, at the end of his rope after the worst day ever, Gervais' brain snaps and he tells a lie. He doesn't understand how it happened but he soon realizes he can take advantage of his new power. He gets his apartment and job back, gains wealth, succeeds at work and gets the attention of Garner. Life is good. Until he tells lies that gain the attention of the whole world. Everyone wants to know how he knows the things that he does and they want answers. Obviously he's telling the truth because no one lies. There's no way to explain what's going on without getting himself into trouble so he has to concoct more lies. It's a bitter cycle that starts to wear him down.

Besides being funny, this movie is a sweet portrait of a man who just wants to be happy and in his world, he would never have a chance by telling the truth. But you can see the endless circle that one gets caught up when lying. There is no way out but through more lies or telling the truth. In the end, he has to make a choice--lie and have the woman he loves, or tell the truth and most likely lose her.

This is a sweet movie. You completely feel for Gervais' character when you know that the deck has been stacked against him for reasons he can't control. But it's also sobering to see how easy it is to slide down that steep hill of lies. (****)

Movie Review: Couples' Retreat

Here's another offering from Vince Vaughn and crew. In this one, Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell are a couple who are considering divorce and decide to go on a couples' retreat in order to decide if their marriage is worth saving. They recruit 3 other couples to go with them so they can get a discounted rate. While the other couples are hoping for a nice, relaxing weekend, what they end up with is 6am New Age marriage strengthening exercises and questionable counseling sessions. The couples who were only there for a vacation end up confronting the problems they have but try to ignore. There were a few funny moments, but then, it doesn't take much to amuse me. Overall, I was very disappointed. There are certain expectations that come along with a Vince Vaughn movie and one of them is that it will be funny. This one? Not so much.

Of course, everything works out in the end. We don't watch Vince Vaughn movies to be reminded of bad things like divorce, we watch them to be completely glazed over and spoon fed happily ever after. I don't mind the spoon feeding as long as it's entertaining. This movie is not. Skip it. (**)

Movie Review: Love Happens

I've fallen behind on my movie reviews so don't be surprised at the sudden deluge of reviews.

"Love Happens" is another predictable chick flick. This one stars Aaron Eckhart as a self-help guru who is touring the country to promote his newest improvement program, this one to help people get over the death of a loved one. His own wife died 3 years ago but it seems that he just hasn't been able to make peace with himself. He can help everyone but himself. Jennifer Aniston comes along as a quirky florist who stirs up interest in Eckhart's character. (Just an aside: What is it about Aniston that makes directors think she would be perfect in "quirky" roles? She's best when she's just an every day woman. Quirky just comes across as awkward on her.) You can pretty much chart this plot from the get go. Being around Aniston and his in-laws forces Eckhart to come to terms with truths and pain that he's been avoiding for 3 years. The self-help master has to find a way to apply his lessons to his own life. As I've said before, I enjoy chick flicks even though they rarely bring anything new. The best part of this movie was that it was filmed in Seattle and I found myself shouting, "I've been there! I know exactly where that's at!"

This is a nice addition to the genre but it won't be remembered in a year. (Does anyone even remember it now?) (***)

Movie Review: Observe and Report

I told myself that I wasn't even going to post a review for this movie. After spending an hour and a half watching it, I figured I'd already wasted enough of my life on it, why waste more? But then I decided if I could save just one person from the painful experience of having to sit through it then it would be worth it.

Seth Rogan--with his Rolf the Dog laugh and schlubby, idiot persona--has grown on me and I usually enjoy his movies which is why I checked this movie out from the library. He plays a security guard at a mall where he crushes on Anna Faris. This came out around the same time as Paul Blart:Mall Cop, which I found funny. This movie is not. There is nothing likeable about Seth's character. He is rude, delusional and quite possibly psychotic. He dreams of being a cop so he can wield a gun and kill people. When the real police get in the way of his solving the case of a mall flasher, he goes after them with his flashlight as a weapon and, after beating several officers, ends up sitting in jail as a bloodied punching bag. He's in love with Anna Faris' character who is a mean, stuck up, drug abusing shrew who throws up on him and treats him like garbage. Seth, meanwhile, is condescending and dismissive to the only nice person in the whole mall, a girl who gives him free coffee and obviously likes him (which would only happen in movie land).

The movie is twisted but not in a fun, dark comedy kind of way. You can't root for Seth's character because the thought of him actually becoming a cop is pretty scary. Instead, you find yourself thinking over and over again, "Somebody actually wrote this? Somebody thought it was good enough to greenlight? And somebody paid money to put this movie together?" That producer should be made to watch this movie on an endless stream for 24 hours. Maybe then he'll learn his lesson. (*)

Movie Review: Bedtime Stories

Here is something you don't see very often--an Adam Sandler movie you can watch with your kids. Adam plays "Skeeter", a guy who works at a hotel his father started and has always dreamed of running someday. He agrees to watch his niece and nephew while his sister goes out of town for a job interview. In an effort to entertain the kids, Skeeter starts telling them bedtime stories the way his father always did. The kids, of course, have to add their 2 cents worth and the stories are played out on screen. The next day, events from the stories start really happening. Skeeter, of course, tries to find a way to manipulate the stories so he can eventually win the girl and his dream hotel.

Guy Pearce and Lucy Lawless are Skeeter's foils--Guy is Skeeter's competition for control of the hotel and Lucy is a mean hotel employee who is helping Guy. Lucy will always be Xena, warrior princess to me so it was odd seeing her in a concierge uniform. And seeing Guy Pearce, all I could think of was, "it's been a really long time since L.A. Confidential and Memento". If you've seen other Adam Sandler movies, you'll see some of the usual faces as well as Courtney Cox as his sis and Keri Russell as the other babysitter for the week.

Over the course of the week, Skeeter gets to know his niece and nephew and discovers he really enjoys them (How could he not? They're all on the same maturity level.), and he becomes friends with Keri Russell's character. Things work out pretty much as you expect them to but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This is a fun movie that I was able to watch with all 3 of my kids without any embarrassment. That's getting harder and harder to find. (****)

Movie Review: 17 Again

This is one of those movies that I knew would see at some point but was in no hurry to run to the theater. It's another in a long line of "do over" movies, which, with the exception of "Big" and "13 Going on 30", if you've seen one, you've seen them all. Of course, the same could be said about most rom coms too but I still keep watching those.

Matthew Perry is the bitter grown up who is convinced that if he could go back to one fateful day in high school and do it differently, his life would be so much better. He gets that chance of course, thanks to a magical janitor. Zac Efron plays the high school version of him. I'm too old to have jumped on the Zac Efron/"High School Musical" bandwagon and I haven't seen him in anything. I was pleasantly surprised, however, with his performance. He's a sweet kid and I could see the "adult" version of him trying to come through at times. He had a few mannerisms and way of carrying himself that you just don't see in teens.

He reverts to being a teen but in the present. As a teen, he hangs out with his son and daughter and gets to overhear his wife talking about their impending divorce. What he has to figure out is, is he there to change his life or his children's?

This movie is rated PG-13 because of frisky teenage themes. There is a teenage pregnancy, talk of birth control as the school hands out condoms, teens making out. The language isn't bad though so it was a nice change of pace. It was a good, sweet movie that you could watch with your teenage kids. (****)

Movie Review: The Hangover

As I've said before, the older I get, the lower my IQ goes. That's the only explanation for the things I find funny anymore. Needless to say, I found "The Hangover" hysterical. 4 men(?) head off to Vegas for a bachelor party 2 nights before the intended wedding. They wake up the next morning with their $4500/night suite completely trashed, a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet and the groom is missing. Oh, did I mention the chicken? And the missing tooth?

The whole movie is them trying to find the groom while piecing together what happened the night before as no one can remember a thing. This involves a stolen police car, a stripper (this is, after all Vegas), and a gay Chinese kingpin...for starters. Is this movie crude? Yes. Is there a lot of foul language? YES, way too much. Is it funny? To my rotted brain and twisted sense of humor, yes.

If you avoid R rated movies, do not go see this one. If you want some junk food for your brain, entertainment with nothing to offer but a couple of cheap laughs? Try this one.

Movie Review: Gamer

Confession: I generally hate sci-fi/futuristic movies. Actually I usually steer clear of sci-fi and horror. But I made an exception for this movie for one reason and one reason only--Gerard Butler. *sigh* He's my current choice for movie eye candy. That's why this movie showed up in my mailbox last week.

It's a well used plot--criminals from the future can earn their freedom by participating in televised fighting. You survive, you go home. There's a twist to this one, though. The criminals are controlled by regular citizens. They are real life avatars playing in a real life Call of Duty. They use real weapons and lose real limbs. Blood, death and dismemberment abound. Gerard Butler is the most successful so far, having won 28 of the required 30 games to earn freedom. Of course, he's been wrongly convicted and he's got a wife and daughter on the outside to keep him motivated.

There is NOTHING redeeming about this movie, not even the sight of my favorite Scot could save it. Besides the "slayers", as the convicts are called, there are other people acting as avatars in the "Society". Imagine an R-rated version of the Sims and you're getting close to the idea. Fat, lazy, freaky people control these avatars and make them do everything they've ever fantasized about doing. Let me put extra emphasis on the fact that these people are FREAKY. Let's just say dress codes are a good thing and leave it at that.

Take it from me, you do NOT want to go see this movie. You will thank me for it. (*)

Movie Review: Duplicity

This movie seems to have everything. A-list stars? Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Good plot? Two spies who are in love with each other but can't figure out if the other one is playing them or not. It sounds good on paper but really it was a big flop on screen. As I said, they are both spies--Julia for the CIA and Clive for MI6--who quit so they can be together. They plan the scam to top all scams so that they can run away with the money and live happily ever after.

The problem is, the movie keeps jumping back and forth between various past meets and the present without being real clear as to when you're back in the present. I pretty much kept up with the gist of the story but unfortunately the story was incredibly boring. There was a lot of "can she trust him" and "is she or isn't she playing him" that I think was supposed to keep you guessing but I found myself getting sick of the constant back and forth. All I came away with was, "Wow, he needs to find a new girlfriend."

Unless you're just a rabid fan of either one of the actors, I would say skip this one altogether. (**)

Movie Review: The Wolfman

Anytime I can actually see a movie in a theater, I'm excited. But a creature feature on the big screen? Now that's a good time.

Casting Benicio Del Toro as the titular Wolfman was brilliant. He just looks like he has a beast inside of him, waiting to claw its way out. Emily Blunt co-stars as Gwen, his recently deceased brother's fiance, and Anthony Hopkins is perfectly cast as his father.

This movie was good but I felt like it should've been so much better. Del Toro's character, Lawrence, has been living in America and has a mostly Americanized, bland accent. I so wanted to hear him speak with more of a hint of his real accent. I know, it's just a little thing but hearing him speak kept distracting me. I felt like he was a watered down version of what he could have been.

If you're going to see this movie, the plot isn't all that important, but here it is. In trying to find out what happened to his brother, Lawrence encounters the beast that's been terrifying the town and gets bit in the process, turning him into a werewolf. Can Gwen save his soul or is he doomed to be a monster forever?

Got it. Now, let's talk special effects. There was definitely not a shortage of budget when it came to karo syrup blood and fake intestines. Limbs are ripped off with abandon and bodies are used as chew toys. Even knowing what the movie was about, I was a little surprised at the level of gore for pure entertainment's sake. This is NOT a movie for children, despite the disturbing attendance of a five or six year old little girl at the theater.

I have mixed feelings about the actual werewolves. For the most part, they were great. When Lawrence first experienced the change, I thought to myself, "boy, they've come a long way since 'Teen Wolf". But whenever I saw his face, I just kept thinking of the old black and white version with Bela Lugosi. He was almost too...cuddly.

Yes, I'm probably being a bit too particular. I want my creatures to either be very impressive or "B" quality cheese. I don't want them somewhere in the middle. But overall, "The Wolfman" was an entertaining ride, worth seeing on the big screen

Movie Review: Funny People

I am a fan of Adam Sandler. I've been following him since his days on SNL where he was one of my favorites. His movies, however, are hit or miss. Sometimes he's great, sometimes he's a little too crude and infantile for me.

When I got "Funny People", I knew this wasn't a typical Adam Sandler movie. I knew this was one of his attempts at "serious" acting. It co-stars Seth Rogan, Leslie Mann and Jonah Hill so I had high hopes. I wasn't disappointed.

The movie is about Adam Sandler's character, George, who is a famous comedian living the high life (big stretch there). Then he finds out he has a rare disease; he's dying. The problem is, George is not a likable person. He sleeps with every woman he can, he's rude, his comedy is crude. He has no one in his life. The love of his life, played by Leslie Mann, left when he cheated on her. He's all alone with his money and mansion and fame.

He sees Seth Rogan's character, Ira, and hires him to write jokes and be his assistant. He's mean to Ira and treats him poorly for the most part but Ira manages to help George have a life again, even as he's dying.

Don't get me wrong, this is no redemption movie. George starts out as unlikable and ends up as slightly less unlikable. But I enjoyed watching Adam Sandler deal with adult situations in a real and honest way. He actually appears grown up. Yes, this movie has comedy but it doesn't hide behind it. It deals with George's life in a way that's so believable for his character. He's just not the type of guy who would pull a Scrooge and turn his whole life around just to have a happy ending.

If you're looking for an Adam Sandler comedy, this isn't it. If you're looking for a grown up movie about honest, sometimes uncomfortable situations, there are worse ways to spend an evening.

Movie Review: Passengers

"Passengers" stars Anne Hathaway as a therapist called in to help survivors of a plane crash deal with what happened. The survivors all have varying reports of what really happened and the airline investigators are not too forthcoming with information. This movie wants to be a tense thriller with its missing passengers, creepy men who keep appearing in the shadows, and annoying barking dog. The problem is it just doesn't make sense. Which I guess is the whole point. They're trying to keep you guessing.

My husband guessed a major plot point way before I did (he has an annoying habit of doing that) but it took me awhile to catch on. When the final twist was revealed and I finally discovered what's really been going on the whole time, I believe my precise reaction was, "Huh." It was a major let down after all this build up of suspense. I'm a big fan of Anne Hathaway but I don't think this movie is worth the price of a rental. I picked it up on loan from the library and free is definitely the only way to watch it. (**)

Movie Review: Coraline

If you haven't seen this movie yet, don't. I don't know what I was thinking. Libby picked it out from the library. I had reservations since A) it was from Tim Burton and B) the commercials had seemed a bit creepy. Well, it turns out I was right about the creepy.

The story is about a girl named Coraline who discovers a secret door in her new house that leads to a world where her parents, friends and life are all perfect, not like real life where she's often neglected and doesn't get her way. She likes this new world better than the old one of course.

The problem is that "New Mother" is one scary chick. She's evil and wants to suck out Coraline's soul. I watched this with my kids. I know, big mistake. What possessed me to do that and why didn't I reach over and hit the "stop" button on the remote? I have no idea, but I paid for it when both the boys woke up with nightmares.

This is definately NOT a children's movie despite what the marketing campaign may say. Not only do we have to deal with frightening other mothers, haunted ghost children and missing parents, we also have a neighbor with a size EEE chest who appears in pasties and bikini bottoms. Try explaining that one.

So unless you want to permanently scar your children and even your own psyche, skip this movie. (*)