Movie Review: The LEGO Movie

I'm going to be honest here. When I saw the trailer for this movie, I was just 'meh' about it. I had no desire to see it. Even when my 5 year old daughter asked, I told her we'd just wait for the DVD. Yeah, I'm a mean mom.
Then it was released, and everyone and their dog went to see it. And everyone I know absolutely raved about it. One person that I hold in very high esteem literally couldn't stop tweeting about its brilliance. Well, that made me curious, and so my daughter and I made a date to see it this weekend.

You guys...oh my God, you guys, everything makes sense now. I get it. I understand the raving. I understand the reviews. I understand the 'best movie of the year' talk, even thought it's only February and there are still a butt-ton of movies to be released.
This movie was perfect. It was fun and touching and hilarious and magical.

My 5 year old loved it, although it was slightly beyond her understanding. It was a bit too complicated for her to follow, but with the bazillion actions scenes, that she didn't seem to care what else was going on.
Just a small warning-- This might be too much for busy or over-excitable kids. Like I said, there's a TON of action. This movie is non-stop, and that may cause many wiggles and over-stimulation in some kids. Also, there were one or two scenes that were difficult for my daughter to watch. More sensitive kids may cry or be sad. It helped when I reminded her that it wasn't real, but there were still a few tears.
Those parts are over quickly, and little brains are also able to move on. My daughter did want to discuss one certain tough part after the movie, but the movie handles the storyline well, and that particular sad part doesn't stay sad for long.

I'm really, really glad that I was able to experience such a wonderful movie with my daughter. She's been watching the 'blooper' video (see below) and the trailer since we got home, and she won't stop talking about it.

EVERYONE should see this movie, and, yes, everything IS awesome!

Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises

Let me go on record as saying this trilogy will be remembered as one of the BEST ever made. It's right up there with LOTR, in my opinion!

The Dark Knight Rises takes place 8 years after the events in The Dark Knight. With the help of a few handy flashbacks, you'll catch up quickly if you don't recall the last movie.

It's a bit more quiet than the second movie, but no less powerful. Sadly, Heath Ledger IS missed, but Tom Hardy does an unbelievably amazing job as Bane...Although in many scenes you have to listen VERY closely or you might miss what he says. His voice is very odd and slightly muffled. I found myself straining to hear every time he spoke.

Michael Caine is BRILLIANT. Alfred has a bigger role in this film, and Caine just shines. If he doesn't get an Oscar nod, I'll riot! Or....something!

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also just fabulous in his role. I loved his character. That kid is going places. He's amazing.


Anne Hathaway was good. Yes, just 'good'. She didn't wow me, and she was really pretty generic. They could have brought anyone in to be Catwoman as well as Hathaway played her.
Don't get me wrong--I LOVE this Catwoman. She's written very well and in a completely different way than both Berry and Pfeiffer were...I just don't think Hathaway brought her A-game to the role.

In a full theater during an action movie, you'd expect to hear people whispering, the sound of crunching, the rustle of candy bags...
Nope. Not this time. About halfway through, right after a particularly difficult scene to watch, I looked around to find a silent theater. Every eye was riveted to the screen. Hands were still. No one said a word.
That was when I realized that Christopher Nolan had done it again...and this was even better than the last.

The Dark Knight Rises is a DARK film, full of amazing twists and turns that will leave you utterly flabbergasted.
Two tips--Look for some really great guest stars and cameos and HAVE TISSUES.

And the end. Oh, the end. Okay, look, no spoilers, right? But it's PERFECT. Perfect and touching and emotional and PERFECT.

The Dark Knight Rises ties the trilogy together, and it's a strong, wonderful finale to Nolan's Batman films.

I'm positive it'll get a best picture nod, and it'll be a long, LONG time before we see another Batman movie as good as these were.

Well done, Mr. Nolan. And thank you.

Movie Review-- The Amazing Spider-Man

It's really tough to review a reboot. Especially when the original movie is only a few years old.
So, I've decided that I'm not going to compare the Raimi to the Webb.
I honestly can't say which I liked better, and the only thing I'll say about the two is that they're very, VERY different movies.
Now, lets get the original out of our minds and think of The Amazing Spider-Man as a completely fresh, new movie--because that's how I viewed it.

Andrew Garfield is adorable. And charming. And sweet. And endearing. And...Oh, I'm gushing, aren't I? Sorry about that.

I'll admit that I was worried. I mean, he's a BRITISH actor. With an accent and everything! How could HE pull of Peter Parker??
But, oh he did. And he did it beautifully.
I can honestly say that before this movie, I thought Spider-Man was cool and fun and all....but after this movie? I get why he's a favourite and you can now count me as one of those that absolutely LOVES Spider-Man.
I get it now.
He's funny and vulnerable and smart and witty and innocent and sweet and brave and...whoops. Gushing. Er, right. Lets move on, shall we? ;)

If you've read my Avengers review, you'll remember that I'm not a comic book reader, so I pretty much know nothing about Peter Parker's parents (say that three times fast!). ;)
Hearing the story of their disappearance and how he came to live with Aunt Mae and Uncle Ben definitely added to my sympathy and helped me connect with the character.
Speaking of Uncle Ben, Martin Sheen was absolutely wonderful in the role.

As you'd expect, The Amazing Spider-Man was full of humour and funny bits. There were many laugh-out-loud moments, and without spoilers, I'll say that the Stan Lee cameo is one of the best I've seen of him yet. ;)

The romance between Gwen and Peter isn't too much, if you know what I mean. I'm not a huge shipper and I prefer my romance on the light side when it comes to superhero movies. The Amazing Spider-Man keeps it light, but sweet, if that makes sense.
Although--and I'm probably going to lose followers for this!--I'm not a fan of Emma Stone. At all.
Sorry, sorry!
She just WASN'T believable as a 17 year old and I don't like her in romance roles! (She was great in The Help, though!)

The directing and cinematography were superb--and I don't say that lightly.
I loved the web-slinging scenes where we're gliding through the air with Spidey.
The New York night scenes were amazing, and the CGI in some of the battle scenes was out of this world.

Of course, I can't write a review without writing about my favourite bits, right?
And, GUESS WHAT?!
Yeah. I cried. As usual. ;)
But there's something very special about this cry! Seriously!

You see, almost 30 years ago, a movie made me cry for the very first time. To be specific, a character in a movie made me cry for the very first time.
The movie was The Outsiders, and that character was Ponyboy Curtis, played by C. Thomas Howell.
Since that day, Tommy Howell has always held a special place in my heart.
So you can imagine my surprise and excitement when I saw him in the trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man!

Little did I know that the part he plays in this movie would, 29 years after that first time, make me cry AGAIN.
Damn you, Tommy, for making me cry TWICE in my lifetime! (But you were seriously amazing once again, my friend!)

"Who ARE you?"
"I'm Spider-Man."
LOVED!! (There's more to it, but....SPOILERS!) ;)

At 2 hours and 17 minutes long, this movie seriously flies by. I didn't look at the time once, I didn't get bored, and there were pretty much NO slow parts.

I highly recommend The Amazing Spider-Man to all Spidey fans, to all comic fans and to all geeks. ;)
Just try to go into it without comparing it like I did and you'll be okay.

Let me know if you DO see it! I'd love to talk comparisons with you!
And also, Andrew Garfield! ;)

Movie Review- Tree Of Life

I honestly have no idea what to say about this movie. It literally left me speechless....in a very, very not-good way.

Basically? This movie was pompous and confusing. I get symbolism. I get imagery. But this? This was tripe. 40 minutes of muddled, fractured images that do nothing but make the viewer throw up their hands in frustration is one thing, but it you can even get through the first of those, the story that follows is also rubbish.

The official summary is this-

"The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith."


But I didn't see that AT ALL. Was I watching the same movie?
What I saw was a horrible, abusive father, a completely screwed up, mean, potential-serial killer kid and a mom who was pretty much loony tunes and living in some fantasy world either fighting one another or hugging and kissing each other for no apparent reason at all.

If this movie wins the Oscar, I will lose all faith in humanity and I may just drown myself in a bathtub full of chocolate.

In closing, DON'T SEE TREE OF LIFE! It's 2 hours and 18 minutes of your life you'll never get back!!

Movie Review- Moneyball

I'm going to begin this review by confessing that I'm actually NOT a baseball fan. I do understand baseball, and I AM a sports fan, so I do feel that I'm qualified to write a review about a sports movie. ;)

Moneyball is about Billy Beane, the General Manager of the struggling Oakland A's. After losing his three top players, Beane, with the help of Ivy league graduate Peter Brand, develops a completely new way to build a ball team.

Brad Pitt is great in the role of Beane, and his performance made the whole movie.
Jonah Hill as Brand is another story.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a big Jonah fan. It just seems like he plays every part the same way. That slightly awkward, self-conscious sidekick way.
With the Oscar nod for this part, I was really hoping he'd done something differently.

The movie itself was good. As a non-baseball fan, I did find my mind wandering during the slower parts.
I think they could have told the same story just as well in less time.
To be honest, I don't think folks who aren't sports fans will like this film. Even Brad Pitt as eye candy for the ladies won't help.

It's chalk full of moments that will give you the warm-fuzzies, and even a few that might actually bring tears to your eyes.

The science of the way Brand finds underrated players is interesting, especially after you read that the Red Sox went on to win their first series in decades using the same formula.

The end...Well, the end is sad. I'm not going to worry about spoilers here because any baseball fan would know this, but Billy Beane turned down an offer that would have made him the highest paid GM in baseball history, to stay with the A's. That offer was made by those same Red Sox...who two years later went on to win that World Series.
And Billy? Well, Billy is still the GM of the Oakland A's....and he's also still looking for that World Series win.

Billy's story, which was a side-plot in Moneyball, was, in my opinion, much more interesting than the main plot!
Now there's a story I'd like to see told!
Drafted out of high school by the Mets, he turned down a full scholarship to Stanford to play pro ball...and tanked.

The real Billy Beane

If you're an A's fan, you'll LOVE this movie. If you're a baseball fan, you'll enjoy it, too. 

Myself? Well....I'll stick to Hoosiers. ;)

Movie Review--The Grey

All I knew about The Grey going in was that it starred Liam Neeson and there were wolves in it.
I didn't expect much, and I'm so glad I didn't know anymore than that.

This movie was GREAT! It's gritty and dark and depressing and graphic. I hope I don't offend anyone when I say this is the perfect guy movie.
That's NOT to say women won't enjoy it...I mean, I'M a woman and I liked it!...But it's definitely NOT something most women would like.


The Grey is about a bunch of oil riggers who's plane goes down in the Alaskan wilderness. And I'm not exaggerating when I say that anything that can go wrong, DOES go wrong.

These poor guys battle freezing temperatures, lack of food, injuries, blizzards...Oh, and those pesky HUGE monster wolves I mentioned above.

The trailers make The Grey look like an action movie. It's not.
This is movie with heart and courage and it's about the ultimate survival test.

Liam Neeson is great in the part of Ottway, showing the despair and courage the poor guy goes through.
The rest of the cast is also fabulous, and you'll definitely feel for all of them.

And the end...Argh, I wish I could say more without spoiling it, but the end is BRILLIANT.
Absolutely perfect....although from what I've read, people either love it or hate it.
This is just MY opinion, of course, but I really think that those who hate it just didn't 'get' what the movie is really about.
Oh, and make sure you watch to the very end...after the credits. ;)

Have you seen The Grey? I would LOVE to discuss that ending with you! What did you think of the movie?

Hugo-My Thoughts

I knew very little about Hugo before watching the film.
I thought it was about a boy who lived in a train station after being orphaned who was trying to fix an automaton.
Well, that's not really what it's about at all

Directed by the brilliant Martin Scorsese, this is NOT your typical Scorsese film! The cinematography is stunning, the acting is wonderful and the end makes the movie.

It's the parts before that that I had a problem with. I wanted to love this film. I really, really did. And maybe I should have watched it BEFORE The Artist so I wouldn't compare all other Oscar nominated films to that one.

It took me a good hour to finally get into Hugo. I found that first hour slow-moving and my mind wandered often.
But after that, the story came alive.

Asa Butterfield (who plays Mordred in Merlin!) is wonderful as young Hugo Cabret, the young orphan who steals your heart.
Chloe Grace Moretz shines as Hugo's friend, Isabelle.
Ben Kingsley (who can do no wrong in my eyes) is brilliant as 'Papa' George Melies and Sasha Baron Cohen (who I'm not usually a fan of at all.) was hilarious in the role of the 'evil' station inspector.

In the end, this is a tale of wonder and adventure about a boy who transforms the lives of everyone around him as he attempts to unravel the mystery left to him by his father.
The end will leave you with a lump in your throat, warmth in your heart and a smile on your face.

I'll be very surprised if this wins the Oscar against The Artist...but I can absolutely see why it was nominated.

Have you seen Hugo? Id love to hear your thoughts! Comments are always welcome!

The Artist-My Thoughts

You've heard the buzz, you've watched it win the Golden Globe and now it's been nominated for an Oscar.
But have you actually SEEN the movie?

Not many people that I know have, and that's a huge tragedy in my eyes!

The Artist stars french actor Jean Dujardin as George Valentin, a silent movie star in a time where talkies are starting to dominate theaters.

The story that follows is magic.
Let me be the first to admit that I wasn't sure I would like this film. "What? It's a SILENT movie? How can a 2 hour movie hold my attention without ANY dialogue?!"
Oh, how wrong I was. The time FLEW by and after the first 5 minutes or so, you don't even realize no one is speaking.

Dujardin is flawless in this role and Berenice Bejo, who plays Peppy Miller, sucks you right into her world with just a few bats of her eyelashes.

This movie will tear at your heartstrings, make you laugh, and make you weep,and I can guarantee that when it's all over and you leave the theater, you'll understand exactly WHY this wonderful movie will win the best picture Oscar this year.

In closing, GO SEE THE ARTIST! ;)

I would love to hear your thoughts when you do! Comments are always welcome!