Kody's Recent Movie Reviews

When in Rome

2010-06-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

The funnest romantic comedy since Confessions of a Shopaholic, When in Rome surprised me to make me laugh for most of the movie. Maybe it is because I haven't seen the trailers beforehand, but we all really liked this movie. From the director of Daredevil and Ghost Rider, (yes, I just said Daredevil and Ghost Rider), the story is magical enough to be really fun, silly, and crazy at the same time, yet romantic. I would buy this movie for $5 at Hollywoodvideo.com. Enough said. 8/10.
PS>Favorite quote and part from the movie, "Are you smelling me?!?"

Blood Diamond

2010-06-07T07:46:00.001-07:00

I did not have any problems with Blood Diamond in particular and I felt it was a bit more infotainment than entertainment, but I did not have a good time in the depths of African heck thinking about American shortcomings and feeling terrible! The story itself has a very fulfilling core where the objectives of the two main characters are divided between what they feel is the most valuable item in their life (family vs. freedom/power) but there were just too many innocent people being killed to feel good during this movie. That was probably the intent of the movie to move the audience to action to not buy conflict diamonds. I liked it as a whole but I did not like watching the tragedy of war. Good, but sad. A lot like Slumdog Millionaire and City of God but directly affects the commerce of the American people. 7/10
PS>Ok, I never once believed that Leonardo Dicaprio was from Africa

Leap Year

2010-06-07T07:41:00.001-07:00

Leap Year is an okay movie with an okay plot and little to no chemistry between the love interests. It repeats many chick flick themes that I have seen before and tries to just be a pleasant chick flick, but fails. Its an okay movie to watch on a lazy Sunday but not anything to really get excited about. Even Tiffany didn't really think much of it...but it tries. 5/10

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2010-05-27T02:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some reasons to see Fantastic Mr. Fox right now:
1. It is fun, quirky, and family oriented.
2. It is a Wes Anderson film with all of his usuals.
3. It is a stop motion animation film NOT made by Tim Burton (meaning the clouds are white and there are sunny days)
4. Fun for kids (Tiego loved it. He wanted to watch it again and laughed a lot during it).
5. I would buy this movie right now for $15.
6. It's relatable to everyone. From the father, mother, to the son, to the badger, it all fits with everyone.
7. IT IS CUSSING AWESOME!
9/10
PS>I just bought this movie!

The Lovely Bones

2010-05-27T02:15:00.001-07:00

You know how sometimes a kid messes their diaper and you cannot believe that that large amount of poo came out of that small child? Well, I cannot believe that this crap came from Peter Jackson. Maybe the book was better but this movie is an hour too long and tries to keep your interest by looking through the eyes of a pedophile! Scary in many aspects because of how easily this could happen, The Lovely Bones is a movie to just be avoided. 3/10
PS>Tiffany quote right after the movie: I just wasted 2 hours of my life!

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

2010-05-27T02:07:00.000-07:00

Weird. Fun. and everything you come to expect from Terry Gilliam. At points, it just felt like a long animation from Monty Python's Flying Circus. At other points it was a Tim Burton movie. I was most curious to see how they covered the death of Heath Ledger and they did it SEAMLESSLY. If you did not know, you would not even guess that he didn't finish the film. Kudos for that. On a thought provoking level, the Imaginarium is pretty high but you have to sift through all of the weirdness to catch it. Not a movie for the light of heart, but a very artful look at the choices we make. Pretty good. 6/10
PS>Tiffany hated it and she watched 30 minutes of the ending.

Rushmore

2010-05-27T01:53:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson (see Fantastic Mr. Fox right now!). I equally love Bill Murray. I knew this was one of Wes' first movies and like his film style so I thought I would give it a chance. I did not like it as much as Fantastic Mr. Fox or The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, I thought it went right along with The Royal Tenenbaums (which I liked and was the first Anderson film I saw). Quirky is the word that defines his films and Rushmore has a strange but funny way of coming across. First of all, the movie is smart and works together well with a lot of imagination. Second of all it is childish. Combining these two is where Rushmore really works. Bottle Rocket is next on my queue. Lets see if Wes can go 5 for 5. 7/10

Three Kings

2010-05-27T01:45:00.000-07:00

This movie has no genre at all but works its place into every genre there is (other than family and romance). Part comedy, part heist, part thriller, part action, part war movie, Three Kings very surprisingly was a good movie all around. I like Mark Wahlberg for his "so bad its good" acting and this movie didn't disappoint (see the "Mark Wahlberg talks to the animals" SNL skit on hulu). It has been a long time since I have seen a movie with this many aspects that work all together and I liked it so much that I had a hard time sleeping shortly thereafter (I had to google Spike Jonze and Catherine Hardwicke who were a part of this movie...and I guess went on to direct some pretty big movies). Excellent though. Excellent. 8/10

Gentlemen Broncos

2010-05-27T01:32:00.000-07:00

Although I am not a huge fan of Napoleon Dynamite or Nacho LIbre (I do own Nacho Libre though), I AM a fan of Jared Hess (the director). Why? Because of his story and how it relates to me. BYU film school. Mormon. Spanish speaking mission. Because I like to see what someone like him can make, I was going to give Gentlemen Broncos a try despite bad reviews. I am writing this shortly thereafter because of how horrible it was. Not only does it take Jared Hess's same humor over the entire body of the movie, but it does not offer anything else. Snake's pooping. Kissing a boy after he vomits. I do not think I cracked a smile during this whole movie. Also, part of the movie is about a local film being made (which is RIGHT up my alley) and it just made the movie longer! Gentlemen Broncos missed on all fires and actually reminds me metaphorically of a video of a man getting hit in the crotch. On funniest home videos it is just HILARIOUS because we know he doesn't even see it coming. That same video just is NOT funny at all if we know that it was done on purpose. Gentlemen Broncos is a man getting hit in the privates on purpose. The awkwardness, the dry humor, and the crappy filmmaking just do not work because they were actually done on purpose. Sorry Jared, you lost my faith in you. Can't say that I am a fan anymore (and feel the need to step up and be a director myself).
3/10

Crazy Heart

2010-05-22T02:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen "Tender Mercies"? Yeah. Same movie. It even has Robert Duvall still in it. Some of the songs can be catchy but this movie was just once again the same story of fame, music, love, and drugs. How long can they keep doing this? 3/10

My Life in Ruins

2010-02-03T08:44:00.001-08:00

I knew little about this movie going into it so I didn't expect much, but when I finished it, I really felt happy, like I really liked this movie! With a "I know people like that" feel and something funny pretty often, it pokes enough fun at tourists and relationships to make it an enjoyable rom com. I definitely want to watch it again! 7/10
PS>Okay, it was probably the presence of "Rocketman" Harland Williams that I liked so much.
PSS>Quote of the movie: "I wonder if Jesus played here."

Adaptation

2010-02-03T08:37:00.001-08:00

This movie boldly breaks the 4th wall in a way I have never seen before, or could even imagine. It's been a week since I saw it and I still am freaking out about how it was done. It's twists are deeper than a Sixth Sense movie but it's story is more engaging. Adaptation, a filet minion, makes movies like Sixth Sense or Fight Club feel like a hamburger. It is just a smart, deep, BOLD movie that still has me rambling on. I don't think there will ever be another movie like this. 9/10
PS>The twist is subtle, so you can't watch this movie in passing.

Funny People

2010-02-03T08:24:00.001-08:00

Everytime I heard about this movie, all I heard was "it's not a funny movie". And it isn't. It's got serious themes like divorce, depression, loneliness, and death throughout but the part that I didn't get is it TRIES to be a funny movie. Amid all of these serious themes there is a sad attempt at humor that revolves around jokes about male genitalia. I wouldn't expect much more from Judd Apatow, but this dirty humor engulfs the movie and becomes the only thing you remember afterward. I was amused by 40-year-old virgin, I liked Knocked Up, but Funny People is Apatow's worst movie to date. Failing to be funny, romantic, dramatic, or bromantic, Funny People ends up just being confused. We get no where. 4/10
PS>Sandler is PERFECT for this part because of his silly history, but he would never NOT have friends.
PSS>The best part of the movie is with Eminem and Ray Romano. Laughed my head off.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

2010-01-17T04:24:00.000-08:00

First off, I love Hot Rod so the voice of Bill Hader as Flint Lockwood was awesome to me. Second of all, this is a freaking fun and funny movie (FFFM). Watch it once and you probably won't catch everything the first time. Watch it again with subtitles and you should catch a lot more. It's funny from beginning to end and even captures a special moment for a son on his birthday. A perfect family movie, this one caught me by surprise just like Horton Hears a Who or Happy Feet. I want to watch it again! 8/10
PS>Line of the movie - "We have some Diem to Carpe!"
PSS>Tiego really liked it, too! He laughed the whole time! I love that kid's laugh!

The Hurt Locker

2010-01-14T17:48:00.001-08:00

I noticed this movie on a lot of "best movie of 2009" lists so I thought I would give it a try. I reminded me a lot of "Black Hawk Down" where it is constantly intense, but where Black Hawk Down is about one particular incident, The Hurt Locker successfully shows it during the whole course of the last two months of a OED's rotation. This is where the movie really touched me was where day in and day out, these men had do deal with a fear of dying that I personally could not deal with. It is touching, it is interesting, and it is real. It is done in the same shaky camera way as Fame, but where Fame (which I saw the night before) is Friday Night Lights, The Hurt Locker is more like United 93 (which I liked). There is a reason for it so be so real, because you are the fourth person on the team. The Best of 2009 lists were right to have these on their list. This was a powerful film. 7/10
PS>Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes make a big impact on this movie. I really liked what they did to the movie!

Fame

2010-01-14T17:37:00.001-08:00

I have never seen the original Fame and I only watched this movie because some friends brought it over. I always like a good dance movie but this movie was about one thing. DRAMA. Young, growing, DRAMA. It actually reminded me a lot of "Friday Night Lights" where the whole point is to make a documnetary-like movie about growing up that just misses with its characters and interestingness. In Fame, the camera is shaky the whole time (for no reason), kids sing like a musical but it's still shaky camera style, and halfway through the movie I only knew one character's name. Very unengageing story about a few kids growing up at performing arts high school and defying their parents wishes for them to be a classical _______ (insert artistic career here). Waste of 2 hours. 4/10

Food, Inc

2010-01-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

In the same "open your eyes" type documentary style as "Walmart: The High Cost of Low Prices", "The Corporation", and "An Inconvenient Truth", Food, Inc hits a little closer to home. It seems as revealing as if you were adopted because food is such a personal part of everyday life. This movie scared me, but I still ate during it. The only problem I had with the movie is it paints a dark picture of the food industry but does not really offer ways to avoid it, other than read labels and buy organic. Other than that, Food, Inc works on many levels. Better treatment for the animals. Better treatment for the farmers. Less subsidies to build big business, and the one that was biggest to me, healthier food for our kids. Food, Inc is a movie everyone should see although it doesn't "entertain" in the traditional sense. 7/10

District 9

2010-01-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Ever since I saw this trailer, I have wanted to watch this film. Done by first time director Neill Blomkamp, it is an alien movie set in South Africa and unlike anything I have ever seen. After Avatar, movies have tasted a little bland, but District 9 revived my belief in movies, and it was only made with $30 million! Now compare this movie with $27 million to make Twilight and you'll realize that Twilight was just wasting its money.

District 9 is gritty and real. The lead character is hilarious and dramatic. The story is interesting and action packed. This isn't a Hollywood movie at all. It combines the cultures of a movie like City of God/Slumdog Millionaire with science fiction. Deep down, District 9 could be considered too much of a video game movie, but it is just too real. It touches on real issues and is felt more than a video game ever could. 8/10.
PS>8 of 10 for too many exploding heads and F-bombs.

Avatar

2010-01-08T02:44:00.000-08:00

Beautiful. Absolutely stunning. There are so many things I could say about Avatar that I want to keep it short and hopefully by the end of this review, if you haven't seen the movie, you will run out and see it in 3D.

This movie changes cinema in a few ways. The first is it brings back to life the EVENT of movies. Where movies on opening weekends can become events (Star Wars, The Dark Knight, etc), Avatar is an event on a weekday at any given time. It doesn't matter who you are with, but this movie takes you places you have never been. After about 45 minutes into the movie, I began forget about the 3D and felt completely immersed into a planet and culture that I did not know. It changes cinema the way surround sound changed it. I remember watching a movie at home for the first time in surround sound and being able to hear the bullets whiz by my head (Saving Private Ryan). I was so amazed that I didn't want to watch movies without surround sound. Avatar does that visually. You get to watch bullets whiz by your head and frankly, I want to watch EVERY movie in 3D like this.

There is so much to say about the film. I literally felt transported in this film. Unlike any movie I have ever seen, I felt it was my mission to tell everyone to see it. And I haven't met anyone that has been disappointed yet. Go see it now in 3D!
10/10

Monty Python Almost the Truth

2009-12-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

It is a 5 hour documentary about Monty Python. I repeat, it's a 5 hour documentary about Monty Python! It's a long special feature about Flying Circus, Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and Meaning of Life. I am a HUGE Monty Python fan (even though Tiffany hates me for it) and this was right up my alley. It's fun to hear the stories of the members of how they made it. It's fun to relive the movies and shows again (even though they make it a point to show all of the offensive stuff). Monty Python are the Beatles of comedy and this is the equivalent of Beatles Rock Band. Okay, Spamalot would be like Beatles Rock Band, this would be more like the special features to Beatles cds. Holy cow, I HAVE GOT TO SEE SPAMALOT! 7/10
PS>My favorite flying circus sketch is Strangers in the Night. Here it is:

Monty Python's Strangers in the Night | Viral/Other | SPIKE.com

PSS>It's probably because I love Michael Palin. Right-O!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-12-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

Going into this movie, I loved the book but had been told this movie is slow. I had a lower expectation for this Harry Potter so I didn't see it in theaters but decided to buy it the first day it came out on blu ray. This was my second blind buy, and my first blind mistake.
For those few who haven't read the book, the movie is quite slow and missteps over important areas of the book. Ok, let's just talk about the movie.

SPOILER ALERT! (go see the movie before reading this review)

This is my second favorite book next to the Goblet of Fire but the movie seemed to be confused on what it was telling. It took 2 hours to flash 2 flashbacks of Voldemort's life, get Draco in place to do his job, and tell a whole lot of snogging story that just doesn't go anywhere. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of Twilight where they are telling a whole lot of love but miss the connections between the characters. You tell me that Harry and Ginny is told so that she can share one kiss in the Room of Requirement? Hermione and Ron aren't even together at the end of the movie and they spend TOO much time on them. And my biggest problem with it is it never feels like magic. It feels like a an average teenage whiney drama. I am okay with the teen love, but the story is not ABOUT that, it is a subplot in the book, but made mainstream plot in the movie. It makes it slow and directionless.

The story is about Draco and Voldemort. Of course we follow Harry around as he discovers the truth about both of them, but revealing only 2 memories of Tom Riddle leads us to believe that Harry really knows NOTHING about where the Horcruxes are, only that they exist. Where Harry was taking a whole semester of the history of Voldemort with Dumbledore, we get to see 2 glimpses. I pity Draco in the book. I'm glad they kept it that way in the movie, but missed his character struggle. So big problems were too much Lavender and not enough Voldemort.

I can get past that. I think I feel that way only because I read the book, but my biggest problem with the film is the battle at Hogwarts (or lack of) at the end. There is a perfect opportunity to make a great piece of cinema if you just follow what was written. There is no excuse for it, especially since they made us wait an extra 9 months for the movie. The cave and inferi were well done, but when they get back to Hogwarts and everything seems nice and calm. Dumbledore doesn't freeze Harry under the invisibility cloak?!? Snape greets Harry before heading upstairs to kill him?!? Snape and company escape Hogwarts swiftly and calmly?!? NO FREAKING WAY! This actually made me so angry that I couldn't get to sleep very well afterward. How could they completely skip the epic battle inside Hogwarts? The lucky potion that keeps Hermione, Ron, and Ginny safe? There was no reason to omit it. It still makes me angry.

In this movie, Harry Potter has lost his magic. After 2 hours of character development (which isn't really needed because we've known these characters for 5 movies now) and snogging , we finally get a quick run of the wizarding world but it is just not epic. I want to read the book again to compensate, but does anyone want to buy a Harry Potter 6 blu ray/dvd combo? I can't watch a movie that makes me angry. 4/10
PS>I know this movie will have the Breaking Dawn effect where it just gets worse the more I think about it.
PSS>My biggest problem with reading the book before is I have a good idea of how it should be directed. I was probably too harsh because of this.
PSSS>I just read that David Yates is directing both parts of the 7th movie. I am no longer excited. How did he get this gig?
PSSSS>I wouldn't be surprised if he took out the escape from Grimgotts (because I love it so much)
PSSSSS>This is my second least favorite Harry Potter movie (with the 3rd being the worst)

Four Christmases

2009-12-04T03:30:00.001-08:00

To get the Christmas mood, Jamie brought over this blu ray and I was pleasantly surprised. It makes itself out to be Meet the Parents times 4 but with funny and quotable lines, it surprised me how much I enjoyed it...even though it is not a very good movie. First of all, the families aren't even that weird (okay, well, I guess maybe it's because I'm a Newton). Second of all, the arc of the characters is predictable from the beginning. Third of all, even though family is the main point of the movie, marriage isn't and that erked me. Even though it is a very shallow film, it still had things to think about afterward (how scared people don't want to have kids. How love is know vulnerabilities, etc). Like I said, not the best movie of the year but served as an enjoyable night. Thanks Jamie! 6/10
PS>Few quotes from the movie:
"You can't spell families without the word lies."
"Woman, you get over here and swaddle this baby!"
PSS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 6/10
Violence: 4/10
Profanity: 4/10

Astroboy

2009-12-04T03:27:00.001-08:00

I took Tiego to see this movie with DJ Grubb, Alex, and Colvin. I didn't think much about it other than it is a kids movie, but it turned out NOT surprising me, because that's what it was...a kids movie. Astroboy has a lot going for it, but the story is cliche and the action is mediocre. Tiego loved it though and asked me many times after if he could be Astroboy. Worth a rent for the kids but not if you are watching it alone. 5/10
PS>Kids in Mind Meter
Sex/Nudity: 1/10
Violence: 4/10
Profanity: 1/10

Star Trek

2009-11-20T02:52:00.000-08:00

Lens flares and camera shakes. Is that all we needed to reboot this franchise? Shaking the camera is a good trick with reboots (see Batman Begins and Casino Royale) but this movie has a few other tricks under its sleeve. Those tricks are FUN and STORY. I am not a Star Trek fan but I LOVE sci-fi adventure films and although this movie wasn't as good as 2005's Serenity, it brought me to the same place. The journey of space, unknown territories, and friendships made along the way make this movie fun for everyone, not just Trekkies. And although it is a prequel, it has a certain twist that gives the franchise and I hope that there will be more movies like this. I would love to see a sequel, if done right again. Love it. Bought it first day out on blu ray and the special features are a lot of fun, too! Lots of movie tricks put into this movie to make budget. 9/10
PS>If you haven't seen Serenity, go see it.
PSS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 5
Violence: 6
Profanity: 4

Waking Ned Devine

2009-11-16T01:06:00.000-08:00

I LOVE old man humor. There's something about The Bucket List and Grumpy Old Men that is just different than other movies I usually see. It's a grandpa's humor. It's an innocent humor. It brings back memories of my Dad laughing at movies. Waking Ned Devine is an old man comedy, set in a small village in Ireland (I think). The premise carries the movie forward from the beginning and it is a fun movie that gets you out of America for a bit. I raise my glass and toast Ned Devine! 7/10
PS>The only "dirty" thing to happen in the movie is old man bum nudity. It is actually a humorous scene though.
PSS>Quote:
Priest asks, "Do you think you'll be working for the church Maurice?"
Child answers, "No. I don't think I want to work for someone I've never met and doesn't pay me."
PSSS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 4
Violence: 2
Profanity: 1

Across the Universe

2009-11-15T22:59:00.001-08:00

Here are a few old reviews that I wanted to share:
An artistic array of Beatles song put to the destruction and tension of the 60's. The closest thing I have to compare this movie to is Moulin Rouge, and that isn't fair to Across the Universe.
I'll first say that I was VERY excited for this movie because Moulin Rouge is my favorite movie ever and this is the closest thing that has come to it ever since. I knew most of the Beatles songs and had the soundtrack before I watched the movie and loved it (I love Jim Sturgess' voice). So enough about how much I loved the movie before I even saw it, here's what I thought:
The first act (first hour) was a 10. I loved the songs, I loved how they were sang and how they were told. The songs that really stuck out were "Fallin'" and "Let it Be". They were very effective and something that I would want to watch and listen to over and over again. The interpretations of the songs and how they work in the movie really is where the genius lies. But more on that in a second.
The second act (next 30 minutes) is where the movie goes on an acid trip. There's no real connection to the music and the story and it leads away from where the movie should be going. There is a string of 3 songs that I just suggest skipping over ("I Am the Walrus" and "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite") because each song just seems like music videos completely separate from the movie. Julie Taymor says that it is supposed to be a "musical, mystical tour of life" where it really just comes off as an acid trip. Don't let these songs turn you off, because it does get better. Let the reader also know that during this part, there is a lot of nude swimming and shortly after, you see Lucy's nipple (Titanic style). I don't see myself watching this middle part too many times again, and when you watch it, they are summed up perfectly as "deleted scenes". Skip over them. My vote: a 5 for the 2nd act.
The 3rd act is another 10. There are songs like "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Across the Universe" and "Hey Jude" that really hit the story home. The climaxing song I will not reveal because it's better if you don't know. I loved the first and last parts of this movie, but the middle keep it from being a masterpiece. There are a couple of things that I noticed that maybe you won't...The sound and music are perfect together. The windshield wipers set the beat to the music. Sirens lead a song in tune. Listen to the subtle atmospheric sounds that are part of the music. The genius of this movie comes from how the way the Beatles sang the songs and how they are interpreted by Julie Taymor. "Let it Be" is a gospel song. During "Hey Jude" they sing "Hey Judey, Judey, Judey..." and that is when Max sees him from afar. The timing of the lyrics and what they could mean really pulls this movie together. Replay value, music and dancing, this really is a great movie, with a crappy 3 song streak in the middle.
This movie really proves how unique Moulin Rouge is. Where Across the Universe revolves its story around the songs (they lead their characters to fall into place of the songs), Moulin Rouge revolves its songs around the stories. The songs are used to accent the characters inspirations and really fit (Christian sings his poems and thus has a direct effect on you) where Jade sings his thoughts and has more of a traditional musical effect. Moulin Rouge has more of a love story also, where at the end of Across the Universe, you wish there was more of a reason for Jade and Lucy to love each other. But, it's awesome. You will be dissecting the artistic value of this movie for years. You will be singing the songs for a long time after. You will be thanking me for telling you so see this movie and skip the 3 songs in the middle. If the first act was a 10, the second act a 5, and the third act was a 10, the average is 8. 8/10
PS>I noticed during this movie that I wanted to reach over and hold my wife's hand. It made me love her more and I think that it really what counts.
PSS>I bought the blu ray :)
PSSS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 7/10
Violence: 5/10
Profanity: 5/10

Once

2009-11-15T22:55:00.000-08:00

Simply brilliant and brilliantly simple. This is a documentary style musical that speaks to the music in all of us. On the surface it seems like the creation of a friendship between a guy and a girl while creating a Coldplay album, but it really evolves to be more than that. This is a modern-day musical that touched me...and that is what the movie is all about. It's about how you can affect and touch unlikely people. It hits home with spousal relationships, friendships, service relationships all to a wonderful soundtrack that will make you wanting to go back for more. I have yet to see a movie like this one and it really got me excited. All I have to say is SEE IT and let it touch you. You'll be out buying the soundtrack soon after. 9/10
PS>There is a lot of F words but it fits because they're in Ireland. Otherwise, it's a very clean movie though. I'm talking rated G or PG.
PSS>Watch the commentary! It's definitely worth it and it explains a lot about the movie and how it was made.
PSSS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 2/10
Violence: 1/10
Profanity: 7/10

Defending Your Life

2009-11-15T22:51:00.000-08:00

Can you get a funnier, more spiritual, more family oriented film than this? The great part is it's not for kids at all, but it's clever and interesting and funny and clean. I compared this movie to Groundhog Day in that it has a great plot and story that it capitalizes on in a lot of ways. Everyone should see this movie, and I doubt that anyone would regret it. I loved it, loved it, loved it. I just bought it, too. 9/10

Up

2009-11-10T23:06:00.000-08:00

Up is a very special movie. Along with Finding Nemo and Incredibles, Up is one of my favorite Pixar movies yet. It is a movie that has everything. It is a movie about love, friendship, loneliness, life, death, compassion, closure, marriage, comedy, memories, and above all, ADVENTURE. Like the balloons that hold up the house that Carl cherishes so much, our emotions become attached to Carl, Ellie, Russel, Dug, and Kevin from the beginning. And as it progresses, the real magic of the movie comes when those strings of emotion are cut. I watched this movie with Bryan and Brennen in 3D and had to try and hide my tears many times (which isn't easy with the glasses on). I haven't cried this much during a movie since...The Land Before Time, I think. And it wasn't a mood thing, it was just INEVITABLE. I am passionate about love and marriage. I am passionate about friendship and loneliness. I am extremely passionate about adventure and Up was just a perfect storm for me.
Carl and Ellie encompasses the power of marriage and love. Marriage is an ADVENTURE and you can see the contrast of adventure from Charles Muntz (who is alone) and Carl and Ellie. It was extremely endearing to me that Carl went on his adventure with Ellie and how much strength he got from her. He was on that journey because of her. Charles' adventure began to not matter because he was alone. He only cared about his ego because that was the only way he felt loved.
Carl and Russell (and the music) is very similar to a boy and an old man who watch movies together in an Italian film called "Cine Paradiso". The Carl/Russell relationship is very comical at times because they really have nothing in common between them both, yet have to make things work. This relationship encompasses friendship, assistance (service), and parenthood as things that are important in life. I love that the little memories are what define our relationships is represented in this film.
I could write for days about how much I loved this movie but in short, Pixar does it again. It made me cry, it made me laugh. It's a spiritual experience, a romantic experience. It's a comedy and an adventure. After the credits are over and you sigh at the experience that you have just had, remind yourself that this is an ANIMATED movie. Up is a very special movie. 10/10
PS>Quote of the movie:
"When we are done, you are gonna be so assisted!"
PSS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 1/10
Violence: 3/10
Profanity: 0/10

Air Guitar Nation

2009-11-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

I first heard about this documentary on a movie news site and thought I would give it a try. I LOVE documentaries and this one falls under the discovery of a world that I didn't know kind of documentary. King of Kong is sort of like this, in that it captures the world when something interesting actually happens and not just explains the world within. The difference though is the connection to the characters (Where King of Kong's characters are very loveable and hateable) and I actually GET the Donkey Kong world. I had a hard time really relating to the Air Guitar world because of the lack of official rules/judging and the way it seems you have to be drunk to do it. On the other aspect, there seemed to be an art to it. Whether it is an art of comedy or an art of "feeling the music", I thought the artistic side of air guitar was well represented (if there is such a thing). All in all, I still love documentaries and Air Guitar Nation seemed very info-tainment-ful. As a documentary that is funny because a very silly thing is important to people, it works well but before this movie, go see "Confessions of a Superhero" on hulu.com. 7/10.
PS>The movie is rated R because of about 10 F-words and a few quick clips of a European man air guitaring naked. I would have posted the kids-in-mind meter but they didn't have it reviewed.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

2009-11-04T10:42:00.000-08:00

This movie is awesome! This was my first "blind" blu ray buy where I did not see it beforehand, and I regret nothing! It's Transformers meets Iron Man meets Speed Racer. Actually, it reminds me a lot of Speed Racer because it was dissed by critics and had a lot of CGI and I loved it. Here are a few reasons why I loved it so much:

Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. It's been a long time since I have been that excited about characters
Strong women action roles (The Baroness is arguably the MAIN villain in the movie, which makes it good)
Non-stop action. It just doesn't stop. Not at all.
It's much better than Transformers 2 (i.e. no hint at humping dogs or robots)
Deep down it is a buddy comedy, which I always love
Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow
It's fun. Although Duke tries to be serious the whole time, most of the movie is pure fun. Non-stop fun.
It's clean, except for some violence. No sexual references. Not much language. Just a few people getting their heads blown off and eyes stabbed. That's it. 9/10

PS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 3/10
Violence: 7/10
Profanity: 4/10

Transporter 2

2009-10-22T19:22:00.000-07:00

This movie IS better than Transporter 1 but suffers from the Keanu Reeves effect (especially in the Matrix) where even though the lead character kicks a lot of bum, you just don't care about his character at all. If he died, would I have cared? I really don't think so. The action is decent (what else am I watching this for?) and the story is acceptable. Most of it felt like i had seen before (think James Bond) but it does it's job decently. I want to see Transporter 3 now. 6/10
PS>Do you know what would make this movie interesting? If they had Frank (Jason Statham) smile, or show any emotion at all.

Land of the Lost

2009-10-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

This is a confused movie. At a glance, it looks like it wants to be a family movie (which it should have been) but it was not. Many jokes were sexual including an ongoing joke where a monkey boy touches the humans private parts. So it wasn't a family movie. It also wants to be a college guy movie (i.e. Will Ferrel movie, Danny McBride movie) but the story is about childish stuff and is not rated R, so it doesn't quite fall under that category. Maybe it was just for the fans of the TV show or old Saturday morning family show fans. Nope. I believe they needed to make the movie for someone because it's not good for anyone. It's Journey to the Center of the Earth meets Step Brothers. I would have liked it as a family movie because there are a lot of funny parts in it, but the sexual comedy just was not funny and gave me a bad taste in my mouth. Thinking that Will Ferrel and Danny McBride being in it made it a bad movie isn't necessarily true. This was a dirty movie before they were even there. In addition, if you want to watch the special features, they have worse language than the movie. All in all, if you are a Will Ferrel fan and HAVE to see it, do it without your kids. If you aren't, avoid it. 4/10.
PS>Couple quotes:
Kid asking question, "If you shot a ton of pot at the sun, would it burn up and get everybody high?"
"If you don't make it, it's your own (dang) vault" (with a picture of a pole vaulter)
Rick says, "I love show tunes. They really tell the story of the human condition." she says, "It's a bit gay." He says, "It IS great."
PSS>Kids In Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 6/10
Violence: 5/10
Profanity: 5/10

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

2009-10-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

Wes Anderson is fun to me because he is unique and unique and sometimes a little bit unique. Not in an everyday way (if all movies were like this it would get old) but he captures movies in a way that have to be understood to be good. But I get them. Bill Murray is a funny jerk, Owen Wilson is funny without trying (it's nice to have him NOT try), and the story is right up my alley. It's about a sailing film crew that makes documentaries about their adventures in the sea. After years of doing this, Steve Zissou is getting old and his movies have not been very good in the last year. While shooting a documentary, his partner is eaten by a "jaguar shark". Steve vows to seek revenge on this endangered shark but doesn't have the funding to continue the movie. Like I said, right up my alley as weird as it may seem. All in all, I liked this movie a lot (although I don't know if everyone will). There was no reason for it to be rated R, so negative points for that, but I definitely want to watch it again. My favorite Wes Anderson so far. 7/10.
PS>My favorite quote:
Steve Zissou: "We were both bad husbands."
Alistair Hennessey: "I have an excuse, I'm part gay."
Steve Zissou: "Supposedly we all are."
PSS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Profanity: 6/10
Violence: 5/10
Profanity: 7/10

Pineapple Express

2009-10-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

I don't know how it happened. It doesn't add up in all accounts, but Pineapple Express, a weed smoking buddy action/comedy from the raunchy comedy producers was one of the funniest movies I have seen all year!!! Yes, it fetishises pot smoking but the movie isn't about pot. It carries on as a process server witnesses a murder and has to run with his friend. The pot just makes them make bad decisions which, in turn, makes the story pretty funny. The best part of the humor in the movie is it is SO natural and everything seems to fit into place with the story. Nothing is forced as a "gag". James Franco isn't James Franco, he's Saul the drug dealer. It really says something about a movie when I finish it and I want to watch it again right there. I really wish I watched it with someone though. Thinking about it, this is the funniest movie I have seen since Semi-Pro (I found it a bit funnier than The Hangover). 8/10.
PS>Couple quotes from the movie.
"How do you think he could track us?" "Heat seeking missiles. Bloodhounds. Foxes. Barracudas."
Running from the house, "We need to grab supplies. Snacks. Fruit Roll-Ups."
PSS>Kids in Mind Meter:
Sex/Nudity: 5/10
Violence: 7/10
Profanity: 10/10
Be warned.

The Proposal

2009-10-16T11:31:00.000-07:00

There isn't much to say about The Proposal that you won't already know. It's cute, fun, predictable, and the best parts are completely ruined by the trailer. So, it's a normal chick flick. In the department of "getting together for the wrong reasons but have experiences that lead to more" movies, I prefer How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days but this is pretty fun also. As for Ryan Reynolds, I also prefer Definitely, Maybe but still, The Proposal was cute. It was pretty comparable to Two Weeks Notice now that I think about it. But, yeah, I liked it. 6/10.
PS> would have been 7/10 if I hadn't seen the trailer
PSS>Honestly I expected more because it made so much in the box office and got good reviews. But that's stupid because Mamma Mia did good in the box office, too...

Hoop Reality

2009-10-13T02:56:00.001-07:00

Playing at a Redbox near you is the sequel to Hoop Dreams, Hoop Reality. Yes, Hoop Dreams, my favorite documentary ever and #5 on my list of favorite movies. I had to watch this.
The good:
It's a documentary and I love documentaries. It's a low budget documentary. Even better. It's only an hour and a half. It makes me want to play basketball.
The bad:
Simply put, this is a documentary I could have made. Even the DVD seemed like one I could make. At times the story feels forced and the drama/suspense is very absent in the basketball games. They are highlight videos. I didn't FEEL for any of these characters (even Arthur, which was WAY different in Hoop Dreams). I watched the whole movie and I don't feel like I knew Patrick Beverly at all. Also, the coach seemed UN-inspirational with the way he talks to his players, and the whole movie seems like a ploy for Arthur to get his clothing line seen. Where Hoop Dreams is so good because of the time and effort they put in to capture and tell the story, Hoop Reality fails to capture, but tries to create. With Hoop Dreams, The Heart of the Game, and even Through the Fire (on ESPN), Hoop Reality falls way short. 4/10.

Drillbit Taylor

2009-10-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

I saw this movie for the third time today and realized I didn't write a review about it. Anyway, in a world that doesn't have many good comedies lately (except Hot Rod, Semi-Pro, and Anchorman), I rented this movie because it wasn't about Owen Wilson, it was about 3 kids who get bullied. I know Owen is a main character, but the kids make the film. The story is actually pretty fun and there are a lot of laughs in this movie. There really isn't much that would make it an Apatow movie other than the language, but I liked this movie so much that I had to rent it again. 8/10.

PS>I miss comedies
PSS>Couple quotes to remember:
"This fight is over. Abierto. Done."
"So why are these bullies beating you up?" "Well, because he's fat, he's a dork, and I'm awesome."

Imagine That

2009-10-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Imagine That is exactly what you think it is...cute, family-oriented, and sweet. Some fun things about it is it's set in Denver so it hits a little closer to home, it has a nice rendition of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun", and it's predictable so if you have to go to the bathroom, you don't have to pause it because you already knew what was going to happen. It could have been a lot funnier, but it seems like Eddie Murphy is growing up and becoming a better father as a character is important to him. I like Daddy Day Care more, but this movie is worth a rental with the family. In fact, it actually made me feel bad I was sitting down watching a movie instead of playing with my kids. And now I feel bad that I am writing this review instead of playing with them. 6/10.
PS>Couple good quotes:
"If I have 8 hours to chop down a tree, I spend the first 6 hours sharpening my axe."
"You have two jobs and one of those is being a father."

Year One

2009-10-07T19:44:00.001-07:00

Sodom and Gomorrah. This is really what this movie is about. With as much story as a SNL skit, it depends itself on Jack Black and Michael Cera being funny. Really, it felt like a parody movie about the Bible. A few funny moments (including Cain calling Abel a "suck") but most of the movie tries to make fun of the Bible as much as possible (for example: Abraham's ongoing joke is how he is excited to circumcise everyone). THIS IS BY THE SAME DIRECTOR AS GROUNDHOG DAY?!?! I do not know how these movies get made but I think this movie would only be good if you were 1. drunk 2. high 3. in it 4. Watching it in a small picture in picture window while playing Rockband: Beatles on the big screen. Avoid this movie otherwise. 4/10
PS>A couple quotes from the movie:
"I'm peeing on my face right now, you know, inside."
"You know what you are? A suck!"

Dhoom 2

2009-10-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

Bollywood movies have it all. Exotic places, action, romance, great music, dancing, partial English phrases, and pretty people. Dhoom 2 is no exception. I have never seen Dhoom 1 (I probably should) but it didn't matter. Sure, it is cheesy. Sure it is long. But I love these films. I don't think I could watch one every week but once in a while is great. Hrithik Roshan is by far my favorite Indian actor and I first saw him in my favorite Bollywood flick "Krrish" (highly recommend it). Dhoom 2 is the Indian equivalent of Mission Impossible 2 where the two main characters fight on motorcycles and everything seems to be slow motion, but it just works better in this movie. Plus, the absence of CGI as such a refreshing thing now-a-days. When he is being pulled by a train and snwoboarding/wakeboarding on the sand behind, I have to give them credit for doing it for real (even though it still looks kind of goofy). Check this one out if you want to laugh, and laugh, and laugh and watch some snowboarding on sand! 7/10

PS>Indian hunks should not play basketball on film.

I Heart Huckabees

2009-10-01T01:17:00.000-07:00

Wow! What? This movie was everything and nothing. Meaning and nonmeaning. Interconnections and randomness. Going into this movie, I had no idea what it was about (I am generally thinking it is about philosophy, but it's more than that) so that helped when it impressed me that it was funny, deep, thought provoking, funny, spiritual, philosophical, and funny. This movie used so many big words that I shouldn't have been able to understand it, but I DID! Movies like this don't come around very often. Even the theories in the storytelling made sense and was told in a way that it was entertaining. For a unique, quirky movie about existentialism, I highly recommend it. It's as much fun as a ball to the face! 8/10

PS>This is easily my favorite performance of Mark Wahlberg

Superman Batman Public Enemies

2009-09-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

Is DC Universe Animated movies the new Pixar? So far, their track record has seemed so. Of course they are different but I am talking about consistency. Superman Doomsday was phenomenal. Justice League New Frontier was unique and very well done. I am not counting Batman Gotham Knight (anime Batman). Green Lantern First Flight was non-stop action. I have yet to see Wonder Woman, but Superman Batman is another in a line of great animated movies. These could easily slip into the Saturday morning cartoon kinds of movies (see TMNT and Battle for Terra) but they just turn out to be EPIC. In this movie, it is Superman and Batman against the whole DC Universe (well, not the Justice League) and it doesn't stop. There is a great story here and from beginning to end it is a great movie. I wish I could say that for Superman Returns. Let's see how long DC can keep this up, but in the meantime, I'm glad I have 4 solid animated movies that I love. 8/10

PS>Why couldn't Lex Luthor be like this in Superman Returns?
PSS>Batman says to Superman, "You're late."
"I honestly don't think you understand" says Superman.
"Lois?" questions Batman.
Superman nods.
"You're right." says Batman.

American Teen

2009-09-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

I opened a Blockbuster Online account just to rent this movie. Needless to say, I expected a lot. First, I love documentaries but I love documentaries that capture and not documentaries that are scripted (Michael Moore). This movie CAPTURES and the magic of this movie is it covers a wide range of teens. You can see yourself as one of them separately or you can identify with something in all of them. You can relate to all of them. This movie captures a high school that I knew (except for the text messaging). Each relationship in the movie seems really big (like in high school), college seems really big, and it really portrays how big of a step your senior year can be. I was incredibly touched by one teen's story of when he stopped feeling confident in himself. He was eating lunch one day and chili was spilled onto his lap. He had to get up and ask the supervisor if he could go home and change his pants. One kid yelled out, "Hey Jake, what happened? Did you get your first period?" Since that point, says Jake, he was never the same. He became shy and scared. It changed him for life. The movie is well paced, not too long, and is engaging the whole time. I guess you could say it was worth opening a Blockbuster Online account. 8/10

PS>This movie really proves that girls are evil.
PSS>Notice the music. It freaking opens with "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend to Dance with You" by Black Kids and ends with "Kids" by MGMT. Awesome.

Fargo

2009-09-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

I like the Coen brothers so I was pretty excited for this movie. Simply, Frances McDormand MAKES this movie. Sad part is, it takes about 40 minutes for her to get in. I can see why people think this is a disturbingly funny movie, but it wasn't that funny to me. Sure, the way that they talk is funny, but death doesn't ever come across as funny to me. The same thing happened in "Burn After Reading". Once someone died, it wasn't funny anymore. This happens a lot in Coen films. There is a lot of confusing story that the audience understands but when the characters try and figure it out, it's utter chaos. It works pretty well, but when they do it many times, it gets old. If I would have seen Fargo before Raising Arizona or Burn After Reading it would have been different. It was good, but not great. 6/10

The Heart of the Game

2009-09-28T10:30:00.001-07:00

I love documentaries. I love basketball. I do not love girls basketball. But simply put, this movie is the GREATEST thing I have ever seen from girls basketball. Following a girls high school basketball team for 7 years (yes, I thought Hoop Dreams was long with 4), the director was able to capture an amazing story. It inspires me on so many different levels. You don't even have to like basketball, but this movie is one of the best of the year! 9/10

The Dark Knight

2009-09-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

This is an old review:
3 years, 1 month, and 3 days. That is how long I have been waiting for this movie expecting it be the best movie in the world...and it was. If you haven't seen it yet, go see it now and come back and finish this review. I have to speak about the movie as if you have seen it so SPOILER ALERT. This is not only the best superhero movie ever made, but the best villain movie ever made also. Let me start by saying that Heath Ledger as the Joker is the best performance in movie history. I know it had to do a lot with the writing and story, but he was dead on and encompassed all of the psychology that he is about. The video camera scenes of his victims chill me and thrill me all at the same time. Everything he had to say was the exact opposite of fluff. It was golden. I don't care if he wins an Oscar, he's the winner in my book. With a performance like that, the other actors have to portray their characters perfectly also (especially the psychological side) which they did. They really took advantage of the all star cast and hit it out of the park. Everyone but Maggie Gyllenhaal. She was the one imperfection in this movie. Her smiling performance had nothing to do with Rachel, but ended up just being a ditzy girl that doesn’t really act seriously. It distracts from the film the second time you watch it, but it doesn’t ruin the movie….just makes it imperfect. I want Katie Holmes back. While people have been saying that the film is a masterpiece, it’s the story that is the real masterpiece. Sure we get to see Batman beat up the bad guys and jump off of buildings, but the story is what keeps you on the edge of your seat. I felt emotionally drained after this movie and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to cry or laugh or scream. From the time Dent says he is Batman, it is one long roller coaster of emotion and action. If the story is king in movies, then The Dark Knight is a God. Christopher Nolan’s movies all have to do with audience participation. In Memento we watch it backwards like Lenny sees life. In Batman Begins, fear drove the audience to understand what Batman was trying to do. In the Prestige, the whole movie was a magic trick with the climax actually being the prestige. The Dark Knight is no different. First of all, the movie is about CHOICE and how our decisions define us. Every single character had to make a difficult choice (Batman - whether to kill or not, Harvey Dent - whether to trust people or seek revenge, Lucius Fox – to spy on everyone to help Batman or not, Alfred – whether to give Bruce Rachel’s letter or not) and the Joker cut through the film and lead everyone to have to make impossible choices. Where do you put your limits? This is an ideal that I could talk forever on, but what choice did we have to make. Our participation in the film is with choice also. We have to choice whether we like the Joker or not. He’s evil, he’s mean, he’s menacing, he’s killing people, but do we like him? Where is our limit? This is where the movie becomes genius to me. The impossible choice of the characters becomes a choice of our own. I, sadly, loved the Joker. Did I make the right choice? This is a movie that could be analyzed for years after and everyone will have a different answer but it really come down to your personal limits and how you choose to define yourself. It’s a genius story, with a genius character, and a genius film. I saw it twice on the first day and loved it even more the second time. It’s better than Batman Begins (which was my second favorite movie ever) and it cements Christopher Nolan as the best director on the earth today. He has 3 movies in my top five, and this movie, a movie that I’m sure I will be talking about for years after, is now my 2nd favorite movie ever. Thank you Chris and Jonah Nolan. My vote: 10/10

PS>I’m going to have to get a new signed poster of this movie…dang it, that’ll be expensive.

A Scanner Darkly

2009-09-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

I think I expected something else, but this movie was boring, long, and stupid. The animation drags the movie along and expects itself to be interesting because of it, but all the movie is is dialogue and there is absolutely no reason for the animation. In addition, the animation keeps you from connecting with any characters. Terrible script, acting, and just a bad movie. Don't touch with a 10 foot pole. 2/10

Battle for Terra

2009-09-26T19:45:00.001-07:00

Tiego was bored, I was bored, and it felt like a Saturday morning cartoon. 4/10

Duplicity

2009-09-26T19:43:00.002-07:00

Wow, this movie really was a perfect, fun date movie. The storytelling is well crafted and I LOVED the parts where they "questioned" each other. Rent it today. 8/10

Sunshine Cleaning

2009-09-26T19:43:00.001-07:00

More of a life drama than a comedy, it was still different. The job is a HUGE character and I have never seen that before. Worth a watch, but nothing compared to "Little Miss Sunshine". 6/10

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

2009-09-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

A surprisingly fun movie, even though I felt like I knew the movie before I even started it. 6/10

The Royal Tenenbaums

2009-09-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

A quirky life comedy. These kinds of movies are refreshing to watch every now and then. 7/10

Amelie

2009-09-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

I was amazed at how much I loved this movie. One of the best foriegn films I have ever seen. 9/10

PS>Amelie reminded me of Karen Hales :)