Change Your Image
Sweetivylyn
Reviews
The Proposal (2009)
The Proposal! Bullock and Reynolds Bring Back Romantic Comedy!
Went to the 11:10AM show at AMC in Port Chester, N.Y. yesterday and came out feeling extremely uplifted! The theatre was "packed" for a 1st show on the Friday morning of opening day; primarily women and teenage girls, but a few guys were there as well. Initially I thought it was going to be a movie of little substance, but just about 10 minutes into it I could tell that this movie was going to be a pleasant surprise! Sandra Bullock plays a high level Publishing exec. and Ryan Reynolds, her assistant. Think of Sigourney Weaver in "Working Girl"; She is obviously a "witch" and totally self absorbed. When it's discovered her Canadian work Visa hasn't been extended because of an out of country trip she took without "permission" by the U.S. Government, she's about to be deported and won't be able to work for any US company, even from Canada, for at least a year.
Non-stop comedy, with some tears along the way, ensues from that point on!
The entire cast was brilliant, especially Betty White as Grandma, who apparently is part Eskimo and new age Shaman? The scene with Bullock getting lost in the woods and stumbling upon White doing a tribal dance is so funny the entire audience was belly laughing full throttle!
There's so much more here, but know this...if you don't laugh and cry and laugh at this film then you better get some counseling because this movie is as good as it's gotten in a long time! Very Fulfilling and worth every cent...a woman directed this! YEAAAAA
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
A Night at the Museum...Good for the Kids!
Adults will find it mildly amusing, get most of the jokes, but squirm in their seats from start to finish. Ben Stiller didn't seem to have the spirit or desire to make this film...you can always tell by the eyes and the delivery of the lines-tired, lackluster, boring. Hank Azaria playing the evil Egyptian brother of the "N.Y" Pharaoh (most of this film takes place at the Smithsonian in D.C.) is confusing to say the least. His talents at creating voices is evident since he tends to speak with a lisp one second, a bit of "Stewie" from Family Guy, to a high falutin' British Monarch the next. It's not meant to be funny-it's painfully clear that he doesn't really know who his character is. Don't get me wrong, he has his moments, and you do chuckle...just chuckle... Amy Adams was pretty damn good as Amelia Earnhardt...spunky, gung-ho, adventuresome. Personally, besides the 2 monkeys, I thought she gave it the best "College" try. OK, now the kids...kids under/around a certain age will love this film; the oldest I noticed in the theatre was around 6 and I heard little laughs or "oohhs" every now and then. Adults will have a few smiles and move around in their seats a lot.
Mystic Voices: The Story of the Pequot War (2004)
Mystic Voices-An Enlightening Documentary!
A wonderfully written Documentary that brings tears to your eyes. The effort it took to make this is abundantly clear; The research alone must have been a Herculean task, and having all the characters speak in the colloquialisms of that era was amazing! Reflecting on some of my ancestors and the parts they must've played in order to establish their dominance over Native Americans makes me sick to my stomach... There should be more stories like this! I would love to see an in-depth study done on the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island. Oh, and what's up with "Underhill"? He seems to have had a change of heart after "his" massacre. Why? What made him sorry? So much history needs to be clarified...
Friday the 13th (2009)
Friday the 13th-Amusing with Bits of Comedy!
Just saw the 12:01AM show at the local AMC; expected to see a huge crowd, so arrived early (11:20PM) in order to get a good seat; had already purchased my ticket earlier in the day; I was the first one there and took this as a sign; however, by show time, there was approximately 100 people in a 400 seat theatre all anxiously awaiting the newest remake; It actually started out with a surprise twist involving Jason's mother; then moved up to the usual teens in the wood camping out for the night before going on a hunt for an elusive crop of Cannabis Sativa aka pot; of course 1 of them stumbles into the field while looking for a place to pee; Why do they always wander into the woods in the middle of the night...anyway, one by one, everyone "gets it" some way or another, except for 1, a girl, whose brother starts searching for her after missing her mother's funeral; long story short, the brother hooks up with some rich kids from the city and Jason once again starts taking people out, 1 by 1; I have to say, although you basically know what's going to happen, there were still some decent fx and a few times where I did squirm in my seat; not bad for a thriller/horror film; I wouldn't pay 10 bucks to see it again, but would rent it when it comes out if nothing else then to learn a few tricks from a few masters of the genre. Go! Take your significant other and enjoy!
Across the Universe (2007)
Baby Boomers Will Love This Film!
and teenagers and kids...hey, that's everyone, isn't it? I put off seeing this for a few weeks because I usually despise films that have inappropriate singing in it and thought because I hadn't seen any TV promo for it that it was one of those films that movie companies release under the wire hoping enough people will see it in order to break even financially; I couldn't have been more wrong! This film broke through all my cynical barriers and actually made my week! Intelligent, transparent merger between the spoken word and song, great acting (I didn't recognize any of the actors, but that's probably just me), and a fantastic script! The special effects weren't overworked even though they were used often, you didn't feel barraged by them. I actually cried during a few scenes... Ironically, this movie somehow applies in some surrealistic way to the war in Iraq that we're fighting presently; Hopefully, it will inspire our youth and boomers to unite as one in an effort to put an end to what's happening to those fighting in the Middle East (and other locations). I will see it again...this movie is the sleeper hit of the year!
Shadowboxer (2005)
Never Heard of This Movie Before...
but liked it! I don't understand why all the negative comments; Frankly, I found the movie so absorbing I didn't do any channel surfing at all while watching it on Showtime; It was raw and gritty, keeping me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire film. Helen Mirren was fantastic as the "displaced" Doctor who had come to America years before in order to "help the poor"; Somehow she became all twisted around and joined a group of killers that killed people who needed killing; she would still be with them if they somehow hadn't all died (I think she said they were all blown up); she's hooked up with her stepson/lover (Cuba Gooding,Jr.) and they both make a lot of dough carrying out hits for the local psycho/club owner; Basically, Mirren and Gooding are making a mint from this guy! But when he hires them to kill his girlfriend, Mirren can't go through with it because of an Epiphany she's had concerning her own immortality, so they whisk the girlfriend away instead of killing her right after she gives birth and they all live together for several years as a happy little family; one thing leads to another after Mirren dies and the psycho finds his ex gal pal, son and Gooding living together; there's tons more going on, but you really have to just sit down and get into it! I'm surprised it didn't win more awards...maybe because of the sex aspect...If you saw it once and didn't think much about it, I'd see it again and give it another shot!
Freedom Writers (2007)
Freedom Writers Made Me Feel Good!
Went today during the first show and was really surprised to see about 20 people there...very unusual! I didn't really know much about the movie except Hilary Swank was starring and it was based on a true story about integration and gang problems at a Long Beach, Ca. High School. Before too long, I was completely drawn into the story and was pleased to find that a supporting cast of relative "unknowns" were doing such a good job of acting that they were able to keep my curiosity flowing throughout the entire film; Found myself crying at several parts during the film but walked away feeling satisfied that I'd chosen a decent film to watch; I wouldn't be surprised if Swank receives an Oscar for her portrayal of the inspirational teacher who wouldn't quit on her students and helped turn them into proud, young adults! I think I'll see it again.
Apocalypto (2006)
Damn You Gibson!!!
You made me love you again, you crazy bastard! Apocalypto...where do I start? I didn't see " The Passion of the Christ"; not because I thought it was going to be a bad movie, but rather, because I felt as though I already knew the story and why put myself through the misery of the Crucifixion; not because of subtitles or it being done completely in an "dead" language. That being said, I did see Apocalypto BECAUSE of those last two items, plus the story of the Mayans has always intrigued me and I wanted to see how Mel pulled this one off... For those of you who aren't used to reading subtitles and following a movie at the same time, this movie may initially seem like more of a chore then a pleasure. Since I ALWAYS have the subtitles on my TV, I'm used to it and wasn't hindered by that aspect at all; From the start, it is graphic, but also moves along nicely so if your eyes forget to read, you can definitely "get" what's going on; Basically, native people are brutally raped, killed, kidnapped; After the surprise, early morning attack on the remote village, the men and women that are still alive are forced to walk through the jungle and dangerous rivers ending up at their final destination: The Mayan Empire! The big Kahuna's are doing lots of be-headings and pulling hearts out of bodies in order to appease their gods; There's much going on: one of the warriors hid his pregnant wife and young son before he was taken...and he's on a mission to get back home; along the way, he's really p'd off one of the Mayan warriors and this lends itself to an interesting subplot (the are many of them!). Just as they're about to be sacrificed on top of a huge Pyramid with heads and hearts and bodies already rolling down hundreds of steps, there is a solar eclipse which stops the slaughter because apparently their god is now pleased; so what to do with the "extra" male slaves? It's decided by the warriors that they'll use them for "target" practice; some live, some die before the one that really counts (Jaguar Paw)is injured but manages to kill the son of the head warrior and all hell breaks loose (again!); I'm going to stop there because there were just so many things going on that I could probably do a 30 page dissertation. Just know this: The photography, acting, makeup, plot...all fits like a kid glove! OK, Mel, you're about to win countless awards from the Academy this year and they're richly deserved. You've redeemed yourself from your digression...at least for me; I'll probably see it again...this time with my son and a few of his buddies...They should see how real movies should be made! A richly deserved ***10*** from someone who never gives the ultimate high score...
Turistas (2006)
Oh No, Say Not So For TURISTAS!!!!!!
All I ask for in a "Movie Theatre" Film is a few simple things: 1) That it be better then a movie of the week 2) That my popcorn and soda is finished by the time the movie's over( Meaning that it's hopefully at least 2 hours long.) 3) If it's suppose to be Horror/Terror, then scare the living daylights out of me 4) The film isn't done in such a dark way (lighting wise), that I can't see what the heck is going on 5) That I'd like to see it again or perhaps buy it on DVD
That's it...a few simple things to desire; The first 15 minutes started with a bang, then went down hill from there; An exciting bus trip lands a bunch of white European/American tourists at a bar on a beautiful beach with nothing else in sight except for a few locals; music and dancing and drugging of the "poor souls" ensues; to cut to the chase, 3 guys and 3 girls end up in a remote mountain house hours from the nearest town(population maybe 40) after a young man they'd met the night before helps them high tail it out of the local cesspool because the tourists saw some possessions that were stolen from them on various locals and started to confront them; Let's just say, bad Doctor who likes body parts for his hospital in Rio and 1 pretty gruesome operation at the house; a few get killed here and there and finally the brother and sister survive...blah, blah, blah; I felt like I was watching a high school film project...Don't waste your time!
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
My son saw this last night with one of his buddies and they both said it was the scariest thing they'd seen since the Exorcist (the 1st one); Since he and I share similar tastes in the Horror genre, I was anticipating being scared to death...mind you, I was about 18 when the 1st one came out and was absolutely scared out of mind! My brother's girl friend actually had to leave the theatre; Saw the remake a few years back, and actually thought they did a decent job; But this...this was just rehashed trash! Why do people think that the point of a good horror story is measured by the amount of blood and guts displayed? Sure, there's plenty here, but, (heavy sigh), it's all been done before. Maybe it's just me, but in order to truly enjoy a horror film, there has to be a good plot and decent acting...there's none of that here. Hostel, Saw 1, The Devil's Rejects all had a decent plot and the psychological terror combined with the torture worked! Don't waste your time/money...I'm not even going to go into details because it's just too tedious...
The Illusionist (2006)
Not The Movie I Thought!!!
I went with two friends expecting to see another movie (I thought it was the other film with the magician, set in about the same time frame), so imagine my surprise when an almost packed audience started turning to each other and at least half saying the same thing:"This isn't the movie I thought it was." But never mind that! To say that I was enchanted from the first 15 minutes is an understatement; An intelligent, thought provoking film with excellent acting on everyone's part; A fast moving, connected, script with an actual cohesive, surprisingly, original plot! Can't say too much more without giving it away, but there are many twists and "illusions" that somehow brought out the "inner child"; Very gratifying; hope it wins some "Best" something awards at the Oscars!
Hollywoodland (2006)
A "Super" Disappointment!
I've been waiting a long time for someone to finally make a movie about George Reeves and his apparent "suicide"; I was very young when this happened and as I matured, couldn't help but wonder if it had actually been a suicide or murder; The first hour or so seemed fine, but the way the film started taking various turns,left me with no concrete answers and ultimately feeling kind of "ripped off"; I wish they had edited it differently and given it a more modern day approach to it; something along the lines of a present day Detective going over the old case, using modern DNA/Forensics testing. I don't know; I feel cheated and unfulfilled; almost everything I already knew about the case was a re-hash; No real spoiler info, just wanted to "add" a check just in case.
World Trade Center (2006)
The World Trade Center
Having had an entire American Express office of co-workers and local "town" friends killed during 9/11, I was hesitant to see this movie (did NOT see United 93); However, I bucked up and went to an early afternoon show where there was approximately 50-60 people in the theater(unusual for this time of day); At various points throughout the movie, several people "left", only to be heard sobbing at the side by the entrance to the screening area...they all came back eventually and instead of going back to their original seats, sat in the front row instead(where I was sitting as well); I was very surprised to see that Oliver Stone actually handled the making of the movie with uncustomary restraint and respect! It basically follows the day of 2 MTA officers who were on the scene by the time the 2nd plane had crashed; I won't go into anymore detail other then to say that the 2 primary characters were numbers 18 and 19 pulled alive out of 20 total and how their individual families/friends dealt with the goings on throughout the day; I wouldn't be surprised if some Academy Awards are contemplated for what I felt was an unusually "reverent" handling of a very touchy subject...I give it 9 out of 10 stars and will see it again!
Batman Begins (2005)
Batman Begins
I was hesitant to see this movie because I didn't want to be "sucked in" by the hype; The 1st Batman with Michael Keaton was pretty good but the "others" were (in my opinion) crap! What a pleasant surprise to be caught up in a movie for almost 2 1/2 hours and enjoying almost every second of it! Thankyou All who were involved in the making of this film for finally supplying us, the movie goers, with an intelligent, thoughtful film without resorting to the usual nonsense and disgusting, comical characters that make me cringe (with embarrassment for the actors playing those character....sorry Danny Devito-I love you, but not as The Penguin); My 17 year old son took me to this movie for my birthday! Thanks, Lee! You did good....
War of the Worlds (2005)
AHHHH....some yes, some no with War of the Worlds!
OK,to start...for the most part the special effects were pretty awesome, though there appeared to be some "re-use" of some effects from past Spielberg movie's; liked the different "type" of "ground alien/soldier"; liked the "blood veins/roots"; liked the initial "hurry up" and "let's get this movie started", beginning; didn't like the "indoors" scenes too much with Tim Robbins-too long/40-50 percent boring; didn't like Dakota Fanning screaming so much(they should have given her more lines/alien encounter scenes instead- this role was a waste of her potential, I think); A little re-editing might make this movie more quickly paced and "in your face"!