127 HOURS

WARNING: this review is full of spoilers. If you know nothing about this movie, just scroll to the bottom for the letter grade.

127 hours lived up to my expectations. I was a little worried that it would fall flat because of the nature of the beast. You know the story. You know about the infamous cutting off of the arm scene. And you know how it ends. Usually this is a recipe for an underwhelming movie.

Not in this case.

Danny Boyle, who directed Slumdog Millionaire, did a fantastic job of keeping the movie flowing. With his use of split screens and unique camera views, you never got bored. The musical selection was just right. Not too over the top and not too somber. The acting by James Franco was engaging. He kept you interested in watching this man, stuck in a cave, for 127 hours. He made you feel his pain, his hope, and his desperation.

The aforementioned arm scene wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. The bloodiness of it was no worse than a clip from ER or Grey’s Anatomy. It’s the emotionalism and mentality of it that makes people squirm. Franco and the story have you so involved with the character that when the time comes to cut his arm, you wonder if you could do the same if stuck in that situation. You wonder how it would feel and how far gone you would have to be to actually do it. That’s why you squirm or in some cases, faint.  To most, it is just inconceivable.

The movie is well told, well directed and well acted. It is not for everyone but it is way more interesting than most of the movies that are currently out.

Grade: A

Fair Game

Fair Game is a political drama. I think they wanted it to be more of a political thriller but it wasn’t thrilling. Interesting, yes. Thrilling, not so much.

What I liked:

• Naomi Watts was excellent. S
• ean Penn wasn’t bad either. 
•  There were a lot of familiar TV faces playing supporting characters: Susan from Friends, Phil from Modern Family, Roy from The Office, Dr, Hahn from Grey’s Anatomy, etc. Wish there was more of Phil…
• The story is based on true events and it was interesting to see how it all unfolded.

What I didn’t like:

•  It started slow, sped up a little, and then slowed back down again. 
•  The movie never got quick enough to call itself a thriller. 
•  You wanted to find out how it all turned out but you were not at the edge of your seat waiting.

Grade: B

Burlesque

What I liked: Christina Aguilera can sing and dance and those were the best parts of the movie. I really hope she is in Vegas in twenty years doing a gig like Celine and Cher did. She’s at her best when she is in full costume and belting out those big numbers.

What I didn’t like: Everything else. The story was cheesy to say the least. The acting wasn’t much better. Aguilera was fine when she was acting like a sexy burlesque dancer but looked uncomfortable when she had to act like an innocent Iowa farm girl. Stanley Tucci basically played the L.A. version of his character from The Devil Wears Prada. Alan Cumming was underutilized. Peter Gallagher, Kristen Bell and Julianne Hough were forgettable. Eric Dane looked like a creepy old guy next to Aguilera. The directing and editing were choppy.

Cher was Cher.

If you want to see sexy costumes, Cher and Christina in multiple wigs, and hear a powerful voice, then you will like this movie. If you are looking for Chicago, you will be disappointed.

Grade: C+ for storyline and acting; A- for singing

The Next Three Days

This movie is a decent and suspenseful film that I think many of you will enjoy. The first half is a little slow but it picks up and it has a strong finish. The storyline was interesting and had lots of twists and turns. The acting was quality. I was very worried that when I saw Elizabeth Banks that I would only be able to see her as a comedic actress (see Avery Jessup, 30 Rock) but she did a great job at convincing me that she could pull of a dramatic role. The hair color change and lack of makeup also helped immensely. Russell Crowe did a nice job and had an interesting supporting cast which included Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Brian Dennehy, and Daniel Stern.
Grade: B+

Zooey Deschanel Rumored To Join Spider-Man Reboot

http://screenrant.com/spiderman-reboot-zooey-deschanel-sandy-87191

I don't think that I have ever been more excited for a super hero movie.  Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Zooey Deschanel?!  BEST CAST EVER!

Morning Glory

This is not a romantic comedy. I wouldn’t even consider this a comedy. Maybe dramedy? I really didn’t laugh until about ¾ of the way in. I also found myself thinking that this was the longest movie ever (even though it was only about 1 hour 35 minutes long).

What I liked:

• The music was good. 
•  Patrick Wilson was nice eye candy. 
•  Ty Burrell
•  Jeff Goldblum
•  Diane Keaton stole every scene that she was in.

The Killer Inside Me

What I liked: Great acting. Casey Affleck is terrifyingly creepy. Very interesting storyline with lots of twists. What I didn't like: Affleck sometimes mumbles and is hard to understand. Not sure if it was part of the character or just how he talks. The movie does have some graphic scenes which could be difficult to watch. Grade: A-
Look for it on DVD.

Tangled

What I liked:  

• Mandy Moore has the perfect voice for a Disney Princess.  
• Rapunzel had green eyes and blond hair.  
• The animal sidekicks didn't talk but were still very expressive.  
• And last but not least, I was happy with their explanation of how they lived happily ever after.  Spoiler Alert: They don't marry the 18 year old girl off!  

What I didn't like: 

• The 3D effects were not that great.  If you have an option not to see it in 3D, take it and save some money.  
• They storyline could be a little confusing to little kids.  You may need to explain that it is ok for a kid to disobey their parent if their parent turns out to be an evil old lady.  

Grade: B+

Megamind

Megamind was my first 3D film.  The 3D effects were decent although I did expect a little more.  They story line was your typical good vs evil but it did have one surprise twist (at least it wasn't typical for an animated movie).  I think most of the jokes would go over little kids' heads...not sure what age group this movie is targeting.  Grade: B-

Due Date

Due Date was ok.  It had some funny parts, of which, you can see in the trailer. I didn't like that Zach Galifianakis played the same guy that he plays in most comedies.  It really could have been The Hangover 2, if they had hangovers.  I did like RDJ and his parts with Jamie Foxx were funny.  Overall, I would give it a C+.