Movies that Entertained Me in 2010

In no particular order...
The Social Network
Inception
Kick Ass
Going the Distance
Love and Other Drugs
It's Kind of a Funny Story
The Kids are All Right
Winter's Bone
The Killer Inside Me
Scott Pilgrim vs the World
127 Hours
True Grit
Black Swan
The Town
The Fighter
Toy Story 3
Easy A
The King's Speech

The Town

What I liked: Ben Affleck is a triple threat. Not only did he act in it, but he also wrote and directed it. Rebecca Hall did a wonderful job although I didn't agree with her character (see more below). Jeremy Renner and Chris Cooper were great as usual, just wished that they had bigger roles. Jon Hamm was not Don Drapper like. Titus Welliver, aka the Man in Black!

The story was interesting and was a fun ride to be on.

What I didn't like: I didn't understand Rebecca Hall's character. She made some weird choices for a person who went through what she went through. I also didn't care for Blake Lively. Say what you will, but I don't think that this girl can act.

Grade: A-

Look for it on DVD.

http://thetownmovie.warnerbros.com/dvd/

The Fighter

What I liked: The cast was excellent. I read somewhere that Mark Wahlberg trained for years before filming and it shows. He looked like a boxer instead of an ex-underwear model. Christian Bale may have done his best work ever (although he was pretty good in Newsies). The supporting actor award should be his. Melissa Leo and Amy Adams were also great and could compete with each other in the supporting actress race. I also enjoyed the subplots. It's just not about Wahlberg's character...Bale, Leo, and Adams all had interesting story lines and strong character development.

Bonus: Conan O'Brien's sister!

What I didn't like: ...

Grade: A

The Green Hornet

FYI- I knew nothing about The Green Hornet before seeing this movie. Apparently it started off on radio, went to film, then television, then became a comic book before this movie was created.


What I liked:

• It was entertaining and funny. 
•  The character of Kato is very interesting. 
•  Christoph Waltz was great. 
•  A cameo by James Franco!

What I didn’t like:

•  Seth Rogen can get annoying after awhile. 
•  I don’t think that Cameron Diaz was a good choice for her part. 
•  Some of the action sequences were a little over the top.

Grade: B

Gulliver's Travels

I didn't think it could get worse then this...but it did.

What I liked:  ...


What I didn't like: 1^st I saw this in 3D.  There is no reason to see it in 3D.  I don't recall one single 3D special effect.  2^nd I do not need to see Jack Black's bare butt or chest.  3^rd It is rated PG and is marketed towards kids but the jokes are pretty adult and I didn't hear a lot of laughter coming from the kids in the audience.  4^th The acting was just bad.  5^th The story was just as bad as the acting.

Grade: F

How Do You Know

What I liked:

• Paul Rudd and Reece Witherspoon have very pretty eyes. 
• Larry Appleton from Perfect Strangers! 
•  Kathryn Hahn, as always, was enjoyable to watch.

Black Swan

I had to ponder this one for a little bit. It’s not that I didn’t like the movie; it’s just that it takes you to a deep, dark place and I needed a little time to process it all. This is not a movie for everyone. It may confuse you. It may scare you. It may make you uncomfortable. It may blow your mind.

What I liked:

• Natalie Portman was amazing. She played this issue ridden character so well that she is my top choice for an Oscar for Best Actress. 
•  The way that the story was told was very creative. 
• Darren Aronofsky did a wonderful job directing. 
•  Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder all played fantastic supporting roles. 
•  The special effects were very cool.

True Grit

I wasn’t expecting much from this film. The fact that there was this little girl, as a main character in a western film, was enough to peak my interest.

What I liked: Everything. It was cleverly written. It was funny. Not in a haha way but in a smart way. The acting was great. Hailee Steinfeld is a natural. Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon gave solid performances. The makeup and costume designs were fantastic.

What I didn’t like: How does Josh Brolin get top billing over Barry Pepper? Is it because he is an Oscar nominee? So what. I think Pepper had the same amount of screen time if not more and deserves to be recognized.

I know that this is a remake of the 1969 movie, so is that why it got snubbed from the Golden Globe Awards?  (for more on the Awards click here) I think that it could have done well in the Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical category. It was ten times better then this and this. And Steinfeld could have easily taken Angelina Jolie’s nomination.

Also, I find it funny that this is rated PG-13.  There were some pretty violent moments.  How many deaths does it take to get an R rating?  This is just one of many examples that make me question the Motion Picture Association of America...but that's another blog for another time.

Grade: A

The Golden Globe Nominations

My initial reaction to the Golden Globe nominations…

Yeah!!  Really?!

What I liked:  All the nominations for Best Motion Picture – Drama.  All of the new (and young) nominees:  Jennifer Lawrence for Winter’s Bone, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis for Black Swan, Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine, Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield for The Social Network, James Franco for 127 Hours,  Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhall for Love and Other Drugs, and Emma Stone for Easy A.  As for the television nominations…most were well deserve even if they were predictable.

What I didn’t like: Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical nominees.  Burlesque and The Tourist?!  Really?!  I am even a little iffy on Red.  Did the Hollywood Foreign Press really have nothing else to choose from?  Angelina Jolie for Best Actress for The Tourist?!  Johnny Depp for Best Actor for The Tourist?!  Really?!  How about Toy Story 3 instead?!  
Switching to Television: Piper Perabo for Best Actress for Covert Affairs?!  Scott Caan for Hawaii Five-O?!

Also nothing for True Grit.  I plan on seeing that tonight so we will see if I agree that it should have been shut out or not. {Saw it.  It should not have been shut out.  You can read my review here}

Full list of nominations can be found here: http://www.goldenglobes.org/blog/2010/12/the-68th-annual-golden-globe-awards-nominations

Winter's Bone

Winter's Bone is a tale of a 17 year old girl and what she has to do to keep her life as is. It has won numerous awards including Best Picture at the Sundance Film Festival.

What I liked: Ree, played brilliantly by Jennifer Lawrence, is engaging. You feel for her and want to follow her on this journey. Lawrence is a beautiful young actress who I expect to see a lot more from. The story was interesting and well told and even though at times it moved a little slow, it did not bore you.

What I didn't like: Sometimes the dialogue was a little hard to follow. It's like this small town had it's own vocabulary.

Grade: A-

Look for it on DVD.

The Tourist

I don’t get the allure of Angelina Jolie and I don’t swoon over Johnny Depp. However, even if this movie had two of my favorite actors in it, I still wouldn’t find the appeal in it.

What I liked: The supporting actors all did well. Angelia’s wardrobe was nice.

What I didn’t like: 1st The storyline was just ok. The trailer makes this looked action packed but it’s not. 2nd Every time the camera was on Angelina, it felt like she was trying to say “Look at me. I am the most beautiful woman in the world.” 3rd The chemistry between Angelina and Johnny was nonexistent. They just seemed to be fighting over who was the prettier one in the scene. 4th The special effects were horrible. Most of the nighttime scenes in the water seemed like the borrowed the water tank from Baywatch.

Don’t get me wrong, I like spy/fun capper type movies. Ocean’s 11 is great. The Tourist just never comes together for me.

Grade: D

Love and Other Drugs

I am not posting the trailer for this movie because it will give you a false impression of what this movie is like.  The trailer is full of fluff and laughs and the movie is much more then that.  It’s dark, thought provoking, and romantic.   

Earlier reviews said that it was a downer, and while there are sad and depressing parts, the overall messages in the movie are very interesting.  Hopefully after watching this movie, you will think about all that you have in your life and be grateful for it all.

What I liked:

Two beautiful and talented actors.  The chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway is so very natural.  I hope they work together again.  I also enjoyed the main plot and all of the interesting sub-plots.  This movie will get you thinking about prescription drugs, the heath care system, priorities, love, dedication, and hope.

What I didn’t like: The brother’s story didn’t make sense to me.  That character could have been developed better. Also, the movie is just shy of two hours but there were a few spots that seem to drag on forever.

Grade: B+

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+.