Movies that entertained me in 2011

In no particular order...

Hugo
Midnight in Paris
50/50
The Way
Beginners
Super 8
The Ides of March
Warrior
Friends with Benefits
Hanna
Win Win
Margin Call
Attack the Block
The Muppets
Being Elmo
J. Edgar
My Week With Marilyn
Thor
Bridesmaids
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

What I liked:

• Watch The Social Network to see Rooney Mara as the girl next store.  Then watch this to see the transformation from that to total bad ass.  She was fantastic in this role.
• The entire cast was top notch: Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Robin Wright, Joely Richardson, and Geraldine James.
• Yorick van Wageningen was great but prefer him in this film.
• Fascinating mystery shrouded in layers with twists and turns.
• The score was rocking.  Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross know what they are doing.
• Enya's "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)"
• The opening credits are visually stunning.
• It's Lost's Charles Widmore!

DVD Day

New to DVD

Midnight in Paris - Grade A
Read full review here
Midnight in Paris [Blu-ray]

Warrior - Grade A-
Read full review here

Dolphin Tale - Grade B+
Read full review here

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

What I liked:

• The animation was excellent; life like at times.
• The story was interesting.  The audience seemed to laugh a lot.
• Written by Steven Moffat (Coupling!), Edgar Wright, and Joe Cornish.  It is based on the comic book series by Hergé.
• I love Capt. Haddock's anchor sweater.
  

Joyful Noise

What I liked:

• Keke Palmer and Jeremy Jordan can sing!  They would be a great addition to Glee.
• The music was good.
• Queen Latifah never looked better.  Dolly on the other hand...

Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol

What I liked:

• Got to love a movie that opens with Josh Holloway.  Oh Sawyer, how I have missed you.
• Screen time was divided up pretty good so you don't get an overload on one person.
• Paula Patton looks amazing.  I want to know what her workout routine is.
• Simon Pegg brings humor to the group.
• Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner have great chemistry together. 
• Slumdog Millionaire sighting!  It's Anil Kapoor!
• Midnight in Paris sighting! It's Léa Seydoux!
• Tom Wilkinson, Ving Rhames, and Michelle Monaghan.
• The special effects were amazing.  You should really see it at an IMAX theater if you can.
• Was that a picture of Daniel Roebuck aka Arzt from Lost during the train station scene?!

The Golden Globe Nominations 2011

Initial thougths to the Golden Globe nominations:

• No love for Melissa McCarthy?!
• Ryan Gossling for Crazy Stupid Love?
• Ides of March and 50/50 getting some love!
• A nomination for Joseph Gordon-Levitt!
• Kelsey Grammer for Boss?
• American Horror Story, Boss, Homeland, Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire for best Television Drama?  Network television must be mad!
• Rango was nominated for Best Animated Film?!  Someone needs to explain this to me.
• Zooey Deschanel and New Girl get nominations!
• The Wire reunion with Dominic West and Idris Elba!

SAG Award Nominations

Here's my first reaction to the SAG Nominations:

• Super excited that Armie Hammer was nominated for his supporting role in J. Edgar.
• Surprised by Nick Nolte's nomination for Warrior.
• Happy for Jessica Chastain and Melissa McCarthy's supporting role nominations.
• Very excited that Midnight in Paris recieved an Outstanding Cast nomination.
• The TV nominations for the Drama category have a lot of new faces.

Full list of nomination can be found here.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

What I liked:

• Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have great chemistry and I enjoy watching them banter back and forth.
• Rachel McAdams!  
• I love how Guy Ritchie directs these films.  The slow motion and the quick shots make it fun to watch.
• The clues and twists in the movie make it interesting.

The Sitter

What I liked:

• It's only 81 minutes long.
• Jonah Hill was pretty funny.
• The kids are annoying in the beginning but grow on you.
• Landry Bender was pretty cute.  I would like to see her play a younger version of Emma Stone or the little sister of Emma Stone in a movie.
• If Max Records looks familiar, you probably remember him from Where the Wild Things Are.
• J.B. Smoove!
• Cheese from The Wire aka Method Man!
• Susan from Friends aka Jessica Hecht!
• I liked that Hill's character tells the kids how it is.
• Pretty great soundtrack, especially "Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes!
  

War Horse

What I liked:

• Loki!  F.Scott Fitzgerald!  Tom Hiddleston!
• Jeremy Irvine did an excellent job for his first film.
• The story was kind of interesting in that it had layers that kept on building.
• Beautiful scenery.
• The horses did a great job acting.

New Year's Eve

What I liked:

• It's not a good sign when my favorite parts happen in the credits, so if you do see this movie, stay until the end!
• The cast that is not on the poster is more interesting than the ones on the poster.  Keep your eyes open for Cary Elwes, Alyssa Milano, Common, Penny Marshall, Sarah Paulson, Carla Gugino, James Belushi, Joey McIntyre, Jack McGee, Yeardley Smith, Amare Stoudemire, Cherry Jones,  and Matthew Broderick!

DVD Day

New to DVD

The Help - Grade B+
Read full review here

Cowboys & Aliens - Grade B+
Read full review here

The Hangover 2 - Grade C+
Read full review here

The Debt - Grade B
Read full review here


Mr. Popper's Penguins - Grade B-
Read full review here

DVD Day

New to DVD

Friends with Benefits - Grade A-
Read full review here

Young Adult

What I liked:

• The characters were real.  You will recognize a piece of someone that you know in these characters.  You may even see yourself.  There is something to be said for characters that you can relate to.
• Solid acting by the cast: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, and Elizabeth Reaser.

National Board of Review Awards

The NBR Awards are out and I am surpised by some of the winners.

• Best Animated Feature - Rango?!  Really?!
• Best Film - Hugo!  One of my favorites of the year!
• Best Original Screenplay - 50/50.  Another favorite!
• Best Supporting Actress - Shailene Woodley.  I just don't see it.
• I saw 8 out of the 10 Top Independent films and agree with their choices.
• I think Midnight in Paris is missing from their Top Films list.

For all the list of winners check out http://www.nbrmp.org/awards/

We Bought a Zoo

What I liked:

• Matt Damon was fantastic.  He was funny, cute, serious, emotional, and real.
• Colin Ford nailed the teenage angst and it doesn't hurt that he looks like a young Damon.
• Could Maggie Elizabeth Jones be any cuter?!
• Almost Famous alum, Patrick Fugit!
• Elle Fanning is fabulous in everything that she does.  
• For Curb Your Enthusiasm fans...Leon Black (J.B. Smoove)!
• Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, John Michael Higgins, Stephanie Szostak, and Angus Macfadyen round out the rest of the cast.
• The story is based on a true events.

Award Season Starts!

The Gotham Awards and Independent Spirit Awards have announced their nominees for the 2011.  The full lists can be found here:

http://gotham.ifp.org/
http://www.spiritawards.com/

A few of the films that are nominated are listed below.  These are not big budget blockbuster films, rather they are the smaller, independent ones with incredible acting and emotional stories.  Be sure to check them out on DVD or at a theater near you.

Beginners
The Descendants
Take Shelter
Margin Call
Martha Marcy May Marlene
50/50 (Still would have like to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt get nominated)
Win Win
The Artist
Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
A Better Life

DVD Day

New to DVD

30 Minutes or Less - Grade B
Read full review here

Our Idiot Brother - Grade D+
Read full review here

The Art of Getting By - Grade C+
Read full review here

One Day - Grade B
Read full review here

The Descendants

What I liked:

• George Clooney did well playing a regular guy as opposed to a super spy or the head of a casino heist.
• Shailene Woodley wasn't annoying like she is on The Secret Life of the American Teenager.  Having said that, I don't get what all the Oscar buzz is about.
• Beau Bridges, Rob Huebel, Laird Hamilton, Matthew Lillard, and Judy Greer!
• The beautiful backdrop of Hawaii.

Hugo

"...film had the power to capture dreams."


What I liked:

• A delightful and imaginative story that was adapted from the 2007 children's novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.
• There is a fascinating hidden history lesson on Georges Mélies that includes actual footage of his films.  You can see A Trip the the Moon below. (Thanks Matt!)
• Asa Butterfield was a wonderful Hugo Cabret.
• The supporting cast was excellent: Chloe Grace Moretz, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Christopher Lee, Helen McCory, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emily Mortimer, and Jude Law.
• Martin Scorses did a great job directing.  I loved how the camera moved with the characters instead of being stationary all of the time.
• Lots of great quotes.
• The set design and props were beautiful and full of details.
• Lovely lighting.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Super 8 - Grade A  
Read full review here

Being Elmo - A Puppeteer's Journey

What I liked:

• It's a magical and inspiring story.
• A great behind the scenes look at being a puppeteer.
• A wonderful homage to Jim Henson.
• Whoopi!

The Muppets

What I liked:

• Obviously, all of The Muppets!
• All of the cameos!  No spoilers here!
• Great message in the story.
• Fantastic soundtrack.
• Very colorful and fun!
• Kudos to Jason Segel for making all of this happen.
• A rapping Chris Cooper.

My Week With Marilyn

What I liked:

• I think this is one of Michelle Williams' best performances.  When she smiled and acted like the bubbly Marilyn, she really seemed to capture Monroe's essence.  Having said that, when she played the sad, depressed Marilyn, I saw less Monroe and more Williams. 
• Eddie Redmayne was wonderful as Colin.
• Kenneth Branagh was fantastic as Laurence Olivier.
• The supporting cast of Dougray Scott, Dominic Cooper, Emma Watson, Julia Ormond, and Judi Dench were equally great.
• I loved the lighting in this movie.
• The story was very interesting.  You get a behind the scenes look at everything from how a movie was made back then to Marilyn's personal life.
• Beautiful soundtrack.  I was impressed that Williams sung all of her own songs.

Like Crazy

What I liked:

• It was well acted by Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Oliver Muirhead, and Alex Kingston.
• Anna Scorpio (Finola Hughes)!
• It does a fine job depicting the feelings of a first date, the beginning of a relationship, the frustration of the end, and the break up.

The Rum Diary

What I liked:

• Puerto Rico makes for a beautiful backdrop.
• The 60's fashion was fun.
• Amber Heard is just gorgeous.
• Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli, Richard Jenkins, Giovanni Ribisi, and Heard all acted well.
• There were some funny moments.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Beginners - Grade A-
Read full review here

Larry Crowne - Grade F
Read full review here

Dolphin Tale

What I liked:

• There is a great message to the story.
• It's a nice family movie.
• Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson, Nathan Gamble, Cozie Zuehlsdorff, and Austin Stowell all gave good performances.
• Rufus steals every scene that he is in.

Happy Feet Two

What I liked:

• Super cute penguins!
• Fantastic animation.
• There is a good moral to the story.
• Excellent music.
• Robin Williams, Elijah Woods, Pink, Common, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Sofia Vergara, and Hank Azaria all give great vocal performances.

Martha Marcy May Marlene

What I liked:

• Not only is Elizabeth Olsen beautiful but she can act too.  Her performance felt very real and not overdone.  It is quite and accomplishment considering this is her first major movie role as a leading actress.
• John Hawkes was fantastic at Patrick.  You can't take your eyes off of him when he is on screen because you want to see every move that he makes.
• Sarah Paulson gives dept to her character.  She shows just the right amount of concern, guilt, and acceptance.
• Hugh Dancy is lovely.
• The story was interesting and I didn't mind how it moved back and forth between the past and present.

J. Edgar

What I liked:

• Leonardo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer had great chemistry together.
• Hammer was the highlight of the film and deserved a nomination for best supporting actor.
• Great supporting cast with silver screen stars - Naomi Watts, Judi Dench, Dermot Mulroney, and Josh Lucas as well as small screen stars - Ed Westwick, Jordan Bridges, Josh Stamberg, Michael Rady, Ken Howard, Geoff Stults, Jeffrey Donovan, Denis O'Hare, Stephen Root, Michael Gladis, Amanda Schull, and Lea Thompson.
• It was written by Dustin Lance Black and I liked his take on Hoover's personal life.
• It was directed and produced by Clint Eastwood.

Jack And Jill

What I liked:

• Elodie Tougne and Rohan Chand were super cute as Sandler's kids.
• The cameos were fun.  Spoiler Alert: Be on the lookout for David Spade, Norm MacDonald, Dana Carvey, Regis Philbin, Shaq, Drew Care, John McEnroe, Christie Brinkley, Bruce Jenner, and Johnny Depp (?!)
• I am not the biggest fan of Katie Holmes but she was alright in this.

Take Shelter

What I liked:

• Michael Shannon is an amazing actor and gives a riveting performance.
• Jessica Chastain is also amazing.  She has owned 2011 (see The Help, The Debt, and Tree of Life).
• It's a Boardwalk Empire reunion with Elias (Shea Whigham) and Agent Neslon Van Alden (Shannon).
• Not only does it take place in Ohio but it was also partially shot here.
• Kathy Baker!
• Katy Mixon can steal a scene with just a look.
• It is a very interesting story that keeps you guessing until the end.

Happy Birthday YHG!

The Young Hollywood Guide is one year old! 
Thanks to everyone for their support!  Please continue to comment, share and send me your suggestions!

DVD Day

New to DVD

The Change Up - Grade B-
Read full review here

Tower Heist

A poor man's Ocean's 11...

What I liked:

• It has a great cast: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Matthew Broderick, Judd Hirsch, Téa Leoni, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, and Nina Arianda.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Cars 2 - Grade C+
Read full review here

Crazy, Stupid, Love - Grade C+
Read full review here

Water for Elephants - Grade B-
Read full review here

In Time

What I liked:

• Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried are easy on the eyes.
• Cillian Murphy, Johnny Galecki, Matt Bomer, Olivia Wilde and Alex Pettyfer make for an interesting supporting cast.
• Vincent Kartheiser always plays a great slime ball.
• Interesting concept for a story.

Anonymous

What I liked:

• Very well acted by Rhys Ifans and Vanessa Redgrave.  The supporting cast was also very good: Joely Richardson, Sebastian Armesto, Rafe Spall, David Thewlis, Edward Hogg, Sam Reid, Xavier Samuel and Jamie Campbell Bower.  And if you are wondering where you have seen the actress who played Anna De Vere, it is Helen Baxendale, aka Emily from Friends.
• The story was interesting.  What if Shakespeare didn't write what we know to be as Shakespeare?  There are many conspiracy theories out there.  This is just one of them.
• The costumes are exquisite.

Margin Call

What I liked:

• Outstanding ensemble cast: Kevin Space, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, Demi Moore, Paul Bettany, Zachary Quinto, Simon Baker, Penn Badgley, Mary McDonnell, Aasif Mandvi, and Ashley Williams.
• Tucci gives an insane monologue of numbers.  Love him.
• The storyline is fascinating and intriguing.  Even if you don't understand the financial market, you are aware of of the implications that this event is creating.
• I liked the way that the music was used and not used.  Sometimes the silence enhanced the scenes.

Puss in Boots

What I liked:

• The animation was wonderful.
• Antonio Banderas brings so much life to Puss.
• Salma Hayek was a nice compliment to Banderas as Kitty Softpaws.
• Zach Galifianakis played a great Humpty Dumpty.
• The dance number in the beginning was enjoyable.
• The moral of the story was nice but may be too subtle for kids to grasp.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Attack the Block - Grade B+
Read full review here

Captain America - Grade B+
Read full review here

The Three Musketeers

What I liked:

• Matthew Macfadyen and Luke Evans were fine.
• Orlando Bloom as a bad guy.

Marvel's The Avengers- Trailer (OFFICIAL)

Cleveland never looked so good!

The Big Year

"The bird is the word."

What I liked:

• It has a diverse cast - Steve Marin, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston, Rashida Jones, Joel McHale, Jim Parsons, Rosamund Pike, Kevin Pollak, JoBeth Williams, Paul Campbell, Dianne Wiest, Brian Dennehy, Anthony Anderson, Steven Weber and Corbin Bernsen.
• The concept of a Big Year is kind of interesting although I can't imagine that it would rely solely on the honor system.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Horrible Bosses - Grade B-
Read full review here

The Ides of March

What I liked:

• Could this cast get any better?  George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, and Max Minghella?!  All gave solid performances.
• Clooney did a fine job directing.
• The story was interesting and smart.
• The dialogue was fantastic.
• The score was complimentary to what was on the screen.

Machine Gun Preacher

What I liked:

• This film sheds light on the despicable tragedy that is happening in southern Sudan.
• Gerard Butler did ok in this dramatic role but I felt like he was acting like Sam Childers instead of being Childers.
• Michelle Monaghan and Kathy Baker were fine in their supporting roles.
• Michael Shannon brought a sort of sympathy to his character.
• The child actors in Africa were all amazing.

Footloose

What I liked:

• I liked this version more than the original.  The updates gave it a better flow.
• Kenny Wormald did a great job in his first major role.  Granted, you will always think about Kevin Bacon when you think of Footloose, but Kenny brought his own something, something to the role.
• Loved Miles Teller as Willard.  He brought so much more life to the character than the original had.  He was my favorite part of the whole film!
• The preacher had a much smaller role this time around, so Dennis Quaid did not have to compete with John Lithgow.
• The modern dancing and the contemporary music was fun and energetic.
• Ray McKinnon!

The Way

What I liked:

• A heartfelt story of hope, faith, and acceptance.
• Exceptionally well casted.
• Martin Sheen does a wonderful job taking you on this journey with him by knowing when to be emotional, when to be cynical, and when to be accepting.  He never looks forced to "act" in a scene, it all comes out naturally.

50/50

What I liked:

• Joseph Gordon - Levitt is just wonderful.  He always plays each of his roles with such honesty!  If Oscar nominations came out tomorrow, his name could easily be under Best Actor for this role.
• Seth Rogen was great as the best friend.  He seemed comfortable in the supporting role and added just enough laughs without being insensitive.
• Angelica Houston looks fantastic and gives a lovely performance.  She should really act more.  The film industry could use more talent like hers.
• Anna Kendrick gives a hearwarming performance. 
• Bryce Dallas Howard is becoming a master at playing a heartless bitch. (See The Help.)
• Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer were perfect as Adam's cancer buddies.
• The story was great and full of emotion.
• Excellent soundtrack.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Bridesmaids - Grade B+
Read full review here

Live Blogging the 2011 Emmy Awards

• Pretty stage.
• Spock!
• Ari! Dancing!
• Jane Lynch would be a great addition to The Big Bang Theory!
• Jane and Peggy!  Love the Mad Men skit!
• Not loving Jane Lynch's dress.  Too shiny for TV.
• A Katie Holmes/Tom Cruise joke?  Yawn.
• Emmytones?!  Too early to judge.

Live Blogging the Red Carpet for The Emmy Awards

Watching E! Live on the Red Carpet...

• Love the color of Cobie Smulders dress.
• The Modern Family girls have arrived.  I like Sarah Hyland's dress but not Ariel Winter's.  Not age appropriate, IMO.
• How tall is Cat Deeley?  Or how short is Ryan Seacrest?
• Julie Stiles looks lovely.
• Lea Michele  - not loving those shoulder pads but the back of it looks nice.
• Don't like the ruffles on Jayma Mays' dress.
• Lots of red dresses early on.
• Jane Lynch is the best.  She will be great tonight.

I Don't Know How She Does It

What I liked:

• It was nice to see Greg Kinnear.
• Christina Hendricks is lovely.
• Busy Philipps is always great.
• Kelsey Grammer was used sparingly.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Thor - Grade B+
Read full review here

The Swell Season Documentary

Not at all what you expect...
What I liked:

• As a fan of The Swell Season and the movie Once, it is always cool to get a behind the scenes look.
• I learned a lot of new things about Markéta Irglova and Glen Hansard. 
• Besides hearing music by The Swell Season there is also The Frames and Band of Horses.
• I love that it was filmed in black and white.
• The cinematography was beautiful.

Warrior

The Fighter + Brothers + Cinderella Man = Warrior

What I liked:

• Tom Hardy is a beast.  He looked and acted like a fighter and did a great job adding depth to his character.
• By the marketing campaign, you would think that Hardy is the main character but you could easily argue that it was Joel Edgerton.  He too, did a fine job acting and giving depth to his character.
• Nick Nolte!
• It was great that Jennifer Morrison's character was a strong woman, loving wife, and devoted mom.  They could have easily made her into a nagging, annoying character.
• Kevin Dunn and Bryan Callen provided much needed laughs.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Hanna - Grade A-
Read full review here 

Everything Must Go - Grade B-
Read full review here

Moneyball

When a nerd meets a jock...
What I liked:

• Brad Pitt was enjoyable to watch as Billy Beane.
• Jonah Hill was a great supporting actor, playing the character of Peter Brand.
• Philip Seymour Hoffman was almost unrecognizable.  
• Chris Pratt was great.  I just wish that he had more screen time.
• The Cleveland Indians are talked about a lot.
• The film is based on a true story and a book.   
• The story line is interesting. It's about business as much as it is about baseball.
• I loved seeing the old footage of the games and players.

The Debt

What I liked:

• The cast is fantastic especially Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington, and Marton Csokas.
• The story was interesting and moved quickly.  

Attack The Block

What I liked:

• I liked the premis of the movie: a group of kid gang members have to save their block from aliens.
• I liked the look of the aliens.  I think it left more to the imagination.
• The acting was quite good for a group of kids, especially Moses.
• There were many underlining layers to the film - a look at underpriviledge kids, gangs in the urban city, race relations, and politics.
• They type of music used is not my cup of tea but I liked how they used it.
• It appears to be a low budget film so they were wise in how they used their money by picking which scenes to use special effects in.  There were a few scenes where things happened behind closed doors (maybe partly to save money and/or partly to let your imaginiation run wild) but it didn't hinder the story at all.
• It was nice to see that aliens attack outside of the US.

Our Idiot Brother

What do you call a movie that is not a comedy but also not a drama?

What I liked:

• I adore the cast, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Kathryn Hahn, Hugh Dancy, Steve Coogan, and T.J. Miller but...just not in this movie

DVD Day

New to DVD

Win Win - Grade A-  
Read full review here

One Day

What I liked:

• Jim Sturgess, where have you been all my life?
• Anne Hathaway is always enjoyable to watch.
• Lovely scenery.
• Round of applause to hair and makeup for making Sturgess and Hathaway age 20 years.
• Decent soundtrack with blasts from the past.

DVD Day

New to DVD

The Conspirator - Grade B+
Read full review here

Something Borrowed - Grade C
Read full review here

Hoodwinked 2 - Grade B-
Read full review here

Pictures from the set of The Avengers

What's the NYPD doing in Cleveland?

One Fall

Not a major motion picture.  More like a made for TV movie for Lifetime or ABC Family...

What I liked:

• Lots of love for Ohio!
• Funny conversations about super heroes.
• A Doogie Howser ringtone!

The Help

What I liked:

• Outstanding cast 
• Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Allison Janney,  and Chris Lowell were all fantastic.
• Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, and Octavia Spencer were fabulous scene stealers.
• Cicely Tyson!
• Smart and sassy dialogue.
• An interesting story based on the book by the same name.

30 Minutes or Less

A quick and fun crime scene...
What I liked:

• Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson, and Michael Pena all acted well although I did feel like I have seen these characters before.
• It was a quick paced film, just enough time to tell the story without dragging it out.
• Fun soundtrack
• It's somewhat predictable but still funny.
• "That's what she said."

DVD Day

New to DVD

Your Highness - Grade B-
Read full review here

Jumping the Broom - Grade D+
Read full review here

The Change-Up

What I liked:

• Leslie Mann is the best!
• It was fun to see Jason Bateman be crude.
• They made Ryan Reynolds do some pretty funny things.  Not sure how he kept a straight face.
• There were some gross out gags that I can't say that I have seen before.
• Alan Arkin!
• Craig Bierko!

Sometimes it is the small things...

Burns is in Cleveland for the upcoming film, I, Alex Cross.

DVD Day

New to DVD:

Soul Surfer - Grade B
Read full review here

Captain America: The First Avenger

What I liked:

• The special effects were pretty cool.  Tiny Steve looked as real as big Steve.
• Chris Evans played the all American super hero with conviction.
• Stanley Tucci!
• Tommy Lee Jones was entertaining as always.
• Hugo Weaving was good as the villain.
• The only female character was played by Hayley Atwell and she held her own against the guys.
• Dominic Cooper was a good choice to play Howard Stark.
• It was nice to see some familiar faces like Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, Toby Jones, and Sebastian Stan.
• The action and story line were entertaining.
• Stay through the credits to see clips from next year's Avenger movie.

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

What I liked:

• Ryan Gosling was charming.
• Emma Stone was lovely.
• Josh Groban!
• Jonah Bobo was excellent
• Relative new comer, Analeigh Tipton played her part well.
• It had some good songs in it.
• It had a few twists that I didn't see coming.
• It had some really great moments.

Cowboys & Aliens

Giddy up!
What I liked:

• Daniel Craig was a bad ass cowboy.
• Harrison Ford was enjoyable to watch as a mean old man.
• Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Clancy Brown, Paul Dano, Adam Beach, and Keith Carradine made for a great supporting cast.
• Noah Ringer was impressive for a child actor.
• I liked the concept of the movie and the storyline was interesting.
• The special effects were decent.

DVD Day

New to DVD

Source Code - Grade B
Read full review here

DVD Day

New to DVD

Take Me Home Tonight - Grade B-
Read full review here

A Better Life

No closure on a growing issue...

What I liked:

• Demian Bichir was fantastic.  He really brought the character to life, playing a wide range of emotions.
• Hopefully you will feel a deep sense of gratitude for what you have after seeing this film.
• It definitely makes you think about the immigration laws and reform that this country has or doesn't have.

The Trip

A modern day buddy comedy...

What I liked:

• Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon had chemistry, witty banter, and fabulous impressions!
• It's funny and charming.
• I liked how the food and resturants kind of served as a third character.

Emmy Nominations

My thoughts:

• Congratulations to all the new nominees!
• Timothy Olyphant
• Martha Plimpton
• Melissa McCarthy
• Johnny Galecki
• The entire adult cast of Modern Family
• Friday Night Lights
• Game of Thrones & Peter Dinklage
• Glee's Dot-Marie Jones!
• Julia Stiles
• Congrats to Justin Timberlake on his nomination for Guest Actor for Hosting SNL!
• Congrats to Kristin Chenoweth for her role on Glee!
• Things that surprised me:
• No nomination for Sean Bean
• Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki are both up for Best Actor
• Matt LeBlanc for Episodes?
• Nominations for The Killing
• No love for Mildred Pierce's Morgan Turner?
• No love for Neil Patrick Harris?
• No love for Community?

The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards will air live on Sunday, September 18th at 8pm EST on Fox and will be hosted by Jane Lynch.

For the full list of nominees go to http://www.emmys.com/

Friends With Benefits

A modern day romantic comedy...

What I liked:

• Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis had great chemistry together.
• Yes, the story is predictable but they still made it fresh and enjoyable to watch.
• The supporting cast rocked: Emma Stone, Andy Samberg, Rashida Jones, Bryan Greenberg, Patricia Clarkson, Richard Jenkins, Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Nolan Gould, Shaun White, and Masi Oka!
• The soundtrack was pretty great.  Besides for Semisonic and Kris Kross there is also Death Cab for Cutie, Foster the People, and G. Love and Special Sauce, just to name a few.
• It was the small details that made this movie special:
• Making a crack at Katherine Heigl and The Ugly Truth
• A pretty funny bit at John Mayer's expense
• Graffiti art
• Flash Mobs
• Mila's necklace 
• The Third Eye Blind/Semisonic debate
• Stay through the end of the credits to see some deleted scenes from the movie.

DVD Day

New to DVD

The Lincoln Lawyer - Grade B+
Read full review here

Arthur - Grade C
Read full review here

Rango - Grade D
Read full review here

Horrible Bosses

Crosses the line but you can't help but laugh.

What I liked:

• Charlie Day!  Charlie Day!  Charlie Day!
• Great job on casting.
• I liked that Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell stepped away from their usual roles to play these characters.  Wish they had more screen time.
• Kevin Spacey was his usual self.
• Justin Bateman and Jason Sudeikis were good.
• A nice reference to Good Will Hunting.  

Larry Crowne

May not be appropriate for ages 18-35.  Slightly amusing for everyone else.
What I liked:

• George Takei

DVD Day

New to DVD

Beastly - Grade D+
Read full review here

Sucker Punch - Grade D+
Read full review here

Transformers 3 : Dark of the Moon

Robots + Thor + Titanic + King Kong = T3.
What I liked:

• How could you not love John Malkovich?
• Alan Tudyk, Ken Jeong, Frances McDormand, and John Turturro were all entertaining.
• The special effects were pretty cool except for when it came to the Presidents.
  

Beginners

A lovely little movie that may make you wonder if you choose your life or if life chooses you...

What I liked:

• Wonderful acting by Christopher Plumber, Ewan McGregor, and Mélanie Laurent.
• A beautiful and heartbreaking story.
• An interesting use of clips and images.

Bad Teacher

I hope you aren't thinking that Bad Teacher is a Romantic Comedy...
What I liked:

• The supporting cast was great.
• Phyllis Smith, aka Phyllis from The Office, was awesome.
• There's a funny Twilight joke.
  

DVD Day

New to DVD:

The Adjustment Bureau - Grade B+
Read full review here

Cedar Rapids - Grade C+
Read full review here

Unknown - Grade B
Read full review here

Cars 2

Do kids just like bright colors and fast cars?

What I liked:

• I liked Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer as spy cars.
• The animation was incredible. So much detail went into designing the cities.  Excellent work.

Green Lantern

Top Gun + Superman + Megamind = Green Lantern
What I liked:

• Ryan Reynolds is easy on the eyes.
• Peter Sarsgaard is a perfect mad scientist.
• There's a nice shout out to my peeps from Cincinnati  ;)

The Art of Getting By

I'll keep this short, just like the movie...
What I liked:

• Freddie Highmore is the best thing about this film.  He portrays his character's transformation so well and quite often, without even speaking at all.
• It has a rocking soundtrack.
• Alicia Silverstone!
  

Mr. Poppers Penguins

Entertaining for kids and not horrible for adults...

What I liked:

• Jim Carey is enjoyable.
• The kid actors and penguins are cute.
• All the penguin poop jokes made the kids in the audience giggle with glee.
• Angela Lansbury
• Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby!

Midnight in Paris

Brush up on your 1920's art and literature before seeing this whimsical film.

What I liked:

• Paris in the 1920's is a beautiful thing.  I only wish that I knew more of the key players.
• I am not an Owen Wilson fan but I liked him in this role.
• Marion Cotillard is just stunning.
• While some of the content went over my head, I could still appreciate the concept and enjoyed the story immensely.
• The set design and costumes were beautiful.
• Adrian Brody!
• Loki!

DVD Day

New to DVD:

Red Riding Hood - Grade C
Read full review here

Hall Pass - Grade B-
Read full review here

Kill The Irishman - Grade B+
Read full review here

Super 8

What I liked:

• The acting in this film is top notch.  Especially given that most of these kids have little to no acting experience.
• Joel Courtney was perfect as Joe Lamb.  His big brown eyes showed so much emotion without him having to say a word.
• Elle Fanning is just as good as her sister, if not better.
• The story is rich with creativity, emotion, comedy, romance, and adventure.
• The special effects are outstanding.

DVD Day

New to DVD:

True Grit - Grade A
Read full review here

Just Go With It - Grade B+
Read full review here

The Company Men - Grade B+
Read full review here

X-Men: First Class

What I liked:

• About a Boy boy, Nicholas Hoult plays a wonderfully geeky scientist/mutant.
• Oscar nominee, Jennifer Lawrence is a great Mystic.
• James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender give charming and emotional performances.
• I enjoyed Rose Byrne as a CIA agent.
• Oliver Platt!
• Holy Top Gun!  Michael Ironside!
• Kevin Bacon was good in the begining of the movie.
• Each scene is action packed. 
• Interesting background stories for Professor X and Magneto.
• Appealing cameos.
• Relatively unknown actors for Banshee, Darwin, and Havok make for a more believable characters.
• Most of the special effects were outstanding and realistic looking

2011 MTV Movie Awards

Check out my initial reaction to the nominees here.

• A Hangover spoof?  Isn't that what Hangover II was?
• Nice to see Justin Bartha working.
• Nice to see a woman get "Hungover"
• Team Jacob or Team Jacob?  Can't wait for this to be over!
• Nice Brittney joke.
• How many Arnold jokes are there going to be?
• I like that last Ashton joke.
• Robert Pattinson, Best Actor?  Blerg.
• What is Ryan Gosling wearing?  Navy blue pants, shiny black letter jacket, red socks?
• Another Twilight win.
• Foo Fighters!  Love Walk!
• Jim Carey has an interesting suit on.
• Best jaw dropping moment - Justin Bieber?!  What was so jaw dropping?  What is with his outfit?  The 80's called, they want that jacket back.
• The best thing about Teen Wolf: Tyler Hoechlin.
• Andrew Garfield!

Everything Must Go

What I liked:

• I like Will Ferrell as a dramatic actor.
• Rebecca Hall and Christopher Jordan Wallace had great supporting roles.
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Dennis!
• Laura Dern!
  

The Hangover Part II

The Hangover Part II is pretty much the same as The Hangover.  Since you have alredy seen H1, H2 isn't as funny or as interesting.  There is not a lot to like or dislike about this movie.  It is what it is. 

Some of the things that are the same:

• Bachelor Party gone awry
• Someone goes missing before the wedding
• Very little of Doug
• Gun fight
• Strippers
• Car chase
• Mix up
• Previous night's events show up on a camera
• They have cell phones that never die
• Bradley Cooper wears a button down shirt and aviators
• Zach Galifianakis wears a weird/funny t-shirt
• Tyson cameo
• Mr. Chow

DVD Day

New to DVD:

I Am Number Four - Grade B-
Read full review here

DVD Day

New to DVD:

Blue Valentine - Grade A-

Read full review here

No Strings Attached - Grade A-

Read full review here 

Exit Through The Gift Shop

What I liked:

• Interesting subject matter.  What is art?  What is street art vs graffiti?  Would you pay $18,000 for a painting from a relatively unknown artist?
• Fascinating story.  What started as an obsessive compulsive habit turned into an Oscar nominated documentary.
• Intriguing characters.  Bansky.  Mr. Brainwash.  Shepard Fairey. Space Invader.  Need I say more?
• Real raw footage with celebrity cameos galore.  
• Risk, mystery, and suspense.

What I didn't like:

       ....

http://www.banksyfilm.com

Look for it on DVD.

Grade: A 

Art or animal cruelty?

Something Borrowed

There is no way around it, SPOILERS ahead!

What I liked:

• John Krasinski was the best part of the movie.  His character said everything that I was thinking and was the comedic relief.  I only wish that his storyline at the end was different.
• There was a 90's cover band!

MTV Movie Award Nominations

The 2011 MTV Movie Award Nominations are out.  Here are my initial thoughts:

• No nominations for Oscar Winner The King's Speech
• The Social Network now has a chance at winning Best Picture but will Black Swan steal it away?
• Burried got a nomination!?  Someone else watched that besides me?
• Best Breakout Star is a tough category.  Chloe Moretz should win but Andrew Garfield and Hailee Steinfeld are close runner ups.
• Zac Effron is nominated for Best Male Performance for Charlie St. Cloud?!  MTV, did you watch that movie?
• Best Kiss: Really, does anyone have a chance at beating Natalie and Mila?

http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/2011

DVD Day

New to DVD:

The Green Hornet- Grade B
Read full review here

The Dilemma - Grade D
Read full review here

Thor

What I liked:

• Chris Hemsworth is a glorious man to look at for 2 hours.  Welcome to the big leagues, Chris. Looking forward to seeing you in The Avengers.
• Anthony Hopkins was great casting to play Thor's father.
• The CG effects were fantastic.
• I found the story to be entertaining.
• There is a good lesson to be learned in Thor's actions.
• Natalie Portman was good but could have used more of her.
• Tom Hiddleston played a great Loki.
• Clark Gregg!
• Jeremy Renner!
• Foo Fighters - "Walk"
• Stay until the end of the credits for a sneak peak at The Avengers.

Jumping the Broom

What I liked:

• Bruno Mars - "Marry You"
• Blythe and the Chef
• Paula Patton is beautiful.
• Angela Bassett still looks good.
• I kept thinking that Fred Armisen was Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Hoodwinked 2

I never saw the first Hoodwinked movie so this was all new to me.

What I liked:

• Loved Bill Hader and Amy Poehler as Hansel and Gretel.
• Cheech and Chong!
• There was a funny joke about the Food Network.
• The story moved along.  Lots of action.  The kids in the audience seem to like it.

Water for Elephants

What I liked:

• Robert Pattinson looks much better with a tan and a proper haircut.
• Hal Holbrook generated a lot emotion for his 5 minutes of screen time.
• Christoph Waltz was perfect as usual.
• The costume design was lovely.
• The cinematography was beautiful.

The Conspirator

What I liked:

• Fantastic cast: James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson, and Alexis Bledel.
• An interesting courtroom drama.  
• Justin Long in a somewhat serious role.
• Directed by Robert Redford.

Bridesmaids

What I liked:

• Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph have great chemistry together.
• A comedic Jon Hamm!  
• Melissa McCarthy stole every scene that she was in.  She was no Molly or Sookie and that is a good thing!
• 5 appearances of people from The Office.  Can you find them all?
• I hate the character of Helen so much thanks to Rose Byrne's perfect portrayal.
• Chris O'Dowd played a lovable guy next door.
• The late, great Jill Clayburgh.
• It was funny and smartly written.  
• I liked that this was about 30 something year old women and not 20 year olds.  It gave the story a certain edge.

DVD Day

New to DVD:

The King's Speech - Grade A+
Read full review here
Academy Award winner for Best Film
Academy Award winner for Best Actor - Colin Firth


Rabbit Hole - Grade A-
Read full review here

Gulliver's Travels - Grade F
Read full review here

Soul Surfer

What I liked:

• Bethany is a great role model for kids.
• Great casting.  Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid were the perfect parents.
• AnnaSophia Robb did a great job.
• The special effects were pretty good.  Only a few surfing shots looked fake.  The arm or lack there of looked real.
• Helen Hunt's wardrobe was surfer chic.
• Blast from the past: Kevin Sorbo, David Chokachi, and Branscombe Richmond.
• Hawaii makes a beautiful backdrop.

Hanna

What I liked:

• Her name might be hard to say and spell but you will remember Saoirse Ronan.   She is such a fantastic actress for her age.  She played the perfect balance between trained killer and innocent child.
• So far, the best opening scene of a film for 2011.
• Fascinating storyline.  A great modern day thriller.
• Just enough of Eric Bana.
• Cate Blanchett was cold and calculating in a good way.  I could have done without the accent but her acting is top notch.
• The score was perfect.  Kudos to The Chemical Brothers.

Arthur

What I liked:

• Ben Gibbard (from Death Cab for Cutie) had two new songs in it.
• I liked Greta Gerwig in this movie.  (I was not a fan of her in Greenberg.)
• Russell Brand plays a good man child.
• Dermot Mulroney is on the soundtrack?!

Your Highness

What I liked:

• Natalie Portman looked fabulous and kicked ass.  
• James Franco looked like he had a blast making this movie.  There was always a huge grin on his face.
• There were a lot of creative characters.
• It was entertaining but probably appreciated best by 18-24 year old males or those who think like them.
• Zooey Deschanel!

The Adjustment Bureau

What I liked:

• Matt Damon is a charming politician.
• Once you buy into "The Adjustment Bureau", it's an interesting story.
• Anthony Mackie is an engaging actor.  He has a unique presence about him on screen.
• Roger Sterling (John Slattery) oh how I have missed you!  This will do until Mad Men returns.
• The men in "The Adjustment Bureau" have the best wardrobe.  The hats, coats, jackets, tie, shirts, sweaters, vests...all coordinated so well.  Mackie's character was especially dapper.  
• Michael Kelly's character has great chemistry with Damon's character.
• Jon Stewart!

Source Code

What I liked:

• Jake Gyllenhaal is always easy on the eyes.  His acting was pretty good too.
• I find Vera Farmiga to be charming.
• The story was interesting if you can buy into the source code theory.
• The special effects were cool.

DVD Day

New to DVD:

Black Swan - Grade A
Read full review here
Academy Award® winner for Best Actress - Natalie Portman

Fair Game - Grade B
Read full review here

Tangled - Grade B+
Read full review here

Win Win

What I liked:

• Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan were great.  They played characters that could actually be found in the real world.
• Bobby Cannavale brought just the right amount of humor to his scenes.
• Alex Shaffer did very well in his first role.
• The story felt like it could happen in real life.
• There is a good mix of heartbreak and happiness.

Sucker Punch

What I liked:

• It was a creative storyline.
• The girls are cute.
• Vanessa Hudgens didn't have many lines.
• Don Draper!
• Some of the special effects are cool.
• The music video that runs through the credits is hilarious, although I don't think that it is meant to be.