More movie reviews

So, I'm a little weird, probably.  When I get really really stressed, a perfect way for me to wind down is to sit in front of a movie.  It doesn't have to be a great movie. . .  just something to get my brain distracted from the insanity that it is usually dealing with.

So I've watched more movies lately than you would think, considering my schedule has been hectic.  Some were great get away movies.  Some were too annoying to enjoy much. . .

Backup Plan

Oh, this movie was bad.  Really really bad.  It's not the acting, though the actors really didn't do much for me. . .  it's the script.  the really REALLY bad writing.  Add this to my list of CRAP chick movies released in the past 18 months.

 

Last Song

I have to admit, I actually liked this a little more than I expected to.  I would never have expected to care what happened to Miley Cyrus. . .  and it wasn't that I REALLY cared. . .  but it was better than I thought.  Her little brother is awesome.  Greg Kinear is good.  And while it was ALL Nicholas Sparks. . . it was still mildly entertaining.  And clean.  So that was good.

Brideshead Revisited

This had all the markings of a movie that we were really going to enjoy.  British drama.  Emma Thompson.  Hello!  But it was bad.  drawn out, boring, too much nakedness. . .  and I didn't care about a single ONE of the characters.  It was a real downer. 

Men Who Stare At Goats

This wasn't my favorite movie of all time.  Not even close. . .  but it was interesting.  If it hadn't had such a great cast, I probably would have stopped it a half hour in.  But it had a FABULOUS cast, so it was fun to watch.  It's weird.  REALLY weird.  But if you're OK with weird, you'll probably dig it.

 Letters To Juliet

 This is the ONE AND ONLY chick movie I've seen in the last 6 months that I actually liked.  I was very pleasantly surprised by this one.  I actually didn't LOVE the dialogue.  It was a little too casual for me. . .  but the characters are good.  The story is fun and mildly sappy.  & Vanessa Redgrave is, as usual, amazing.  Her real life husband plays the man she's looking for, and apparently this story somewhat mirrors their real life. . . 

Up In The Air

This movie is not cheerful.  It's rather sad.  It's fascinating too, though.  It's character driven and well written, which I really liked.  It's incredibly well acted.  And having sat on the other side of the "downsizing" table, I felt like the nailed the experience. . .  It's definitely not a feel good movie, but it's worth watching for sure.

Robin Hood

I am a sucker for the movie Gladiator.  I should say that at the outset.  I was predestined to enjoy this movie.  The fact that Russel Crowe and Cate Blanchett are in it just sealed the deal.  It's got battle scenes, yes.  But it's mostly about the characters, so I got sucked in.  I'm also a fan of origin stories, and you should know going in, this is a premovie to any other Robin Hood stories.  It ends where the story usually begins.  And I really liked that.

Killers

Oh the humanity!  I don't even know what happened here.  Both Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl have the potential to be really charming on screen.  This was actually a pretty OK idea, in theory.  It was just SO poorly executed.  In every possible way.  Just avoid it.  Rent Mr. & Mrs. Smith instead.

Pirate Radio

This movie, cast full of wonderful actors, was just so-so.  Really, it was the time period that was sort of uninteresting about it.  And there were too many characters too broadly written to ever really get to know any of them.  But it was fun to watch great actors have fun. . .  so it wasn't a total waste of time.

Time Travelers Wife

This movie was completely harmless.  I admit that I cried at the end, though I'm not sure why.  I can absolutely see why this was better as a book (though I haven't read it).  there is just TOO MUCH that has to happen.  And it's all basically centered on 2 people. . .  it's kind of difficult to follow. . .  but I like Rachel & Eric. . .  and it was pretty. . .  so I cried.

LOTR

Ben and I made an arrangement.  We got all three extended editions of LOTR for our wedding.  Ben hadn't seen the extended ones.  I had never made it through ANY LOTR movie without falling asleep for a chunk of it.  We made a trade.  I would watch all 12 (13?) hours of LOTR and he, in return, would watch Jane Austen with me.  

I have to admit, having made it through them all with only a 5 minute nap in the first movie, that I didn't hate them.  I even liked them.  My problems with them:  Orcs and battle scenes.  the characters are great.  the story is interesting.  the direction and art direction are beautiful.  But the orcs gross me right out.  Like, SERIOUSLY.  I KNOW it's just makeup.  I can probably even tell you how they did most of it.  But I cannot stomach watching them.

Also, epic battle scenes bore me to death.