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Reviews
The Best of Me (2014)
"For the people who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing they'll like"
Okay, I have to say that as a fairly grounded and realistic 54-year- old, I'm not all that into romantic movies, but my 14-year-old daughter wanted to see it. Nice eye candy in the actors, the houses and interiors are beautiful, but I found the movie pretty predictable throughout. Plus there were a lot of holes (ar, ar, no pun intended) so I kept wondering things like, shouldn't he have closed the window after he broke into the garage when it was raining? and if this is Louisiana, where are all the water bugs? (Not to mention, where are all the African-American people?)
On the other hand, my daughter was a sobbing mess when it was over, so it worked for her.
Choose accordingly.
Atlas Shrugged: Part III (2014)
And I had such high hopes...
omg that was horrible.
I had really high hopes for this one, after seeing the other two, but basically they just kept in the Dagny and John Galt romance and everything else was reduced to voice-over over stock footage, or dropped completely, while instead political stuff was added (including shots of people you'll recognize).
John's speech was about three minutes long -- but lots of long shots of his pretty-boy face in the process.
Lots of film of driving around Galt's Gulch -- mountains, trees.
Francisco looks old enough to be her father.
Hank gets about two minutes, mostly voice-over.
The entire movie wasn't much more than 90 minutes long all told.
I did learn some things about Free Men, though.
Free Men drink. On the other hand, so do Looters. Everyone drinks.
Free Men don't smoke. At all. Not even Mulligan's dollar-sign cigarettes. Looters smoke cigars.
Free Men don't wear seat belts, but they do register their cars and have license plates even when they're living in secret communities.
Free Men and Women are all slender and beautiful.Looters are ugly.
Free Men call a quarter of an entire chocolate cake a serving. Okay, I could get behind that one.
Free Men have figured out how to grow oranges in Colorado.
Free Men have figured out how to make Colorado look like Northern California, sequoia and all.
Free Men all know how to fly planes and helicopters.
Free Men drink milk straight from the bottle even when they're sharing a house with someone. Ugh.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Groundhog Day Meets Starship Troopers
The antagonists in this movie, as well as the soldiers' powered suits, are *very* derivative of the bad guys in Heinlein's Starship Troopers, but the story is told well and the characters are good. In particular, I really like the way they treat the women; while this movie doesn't pass the Bechdel Test, the women in it are strong and treated as equals by the men. It does get somewhat predictable, especially near the end. On the other hand, it's told pretty interestingly and there's some neat aspects of time and story compression. You'd have to have some of that -- obviously you don't want to see *every* repeated day in toto -- but it does it in an interesting way.
Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike (2012)
Like a Reader's Digest Condensed Book version
I will preface this by saying I love the book and have read it multiple times. I always saw it less of a government vs. business screed and more of a story of competence winning out over incompetence. Plus I loved the idea of a strong female business person as a protagonist. I saw part I and was somewhat disappointed but wanted to see what they did with part II.
I agree with the others who say I'm not sure that people would be able to follow this movie if they weren't already familiar with the book. Mostly the story was updated decently though some of the additions ($40 gas, the 99% demonstrators) seemed pretty ham-handed and in-your-face political.
Considering how cheap most of the movie was in terms of actors and special effects, it seemed odd that the set design was so sumptuous. Everyone had gorgeous buildings and furniture.
I didn't have a problem with the new actors. Wesley Mouch is played by the doctor who got disarmed and then beheaded by a helicopter on ER, and who was the gay kid in the movie Fame. He's about the only actor I recognized.
Finally, I'm surprised by how little publicity this has gotten. I didn't even know it had opened till I happened to be looking for a movie to see this weekend, and apparently it opened last weekend. It wasn't even on the marquee of the theater. Plus it was in the smallest theater and I think there were just six of us in the theater (granted, a late matinée, but still).
Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
Good for what it is, and there's worse role models for girls
Just got back from seeing this with my nine-year-old daughter (who loved it). I'm actually not familiar with the TV show other than the basic concept. Yes, there's a lot of the standard sitcom plot twists, but the overall story and message is a good one, and there's lots of nice music and wholesome family stuff. Miley has genuine musical talent and has been a role model for my daughter learning to play the guitar and sing. Believe me, there's a lot worse role models for young girls out there; I'm glad there's someone like Miley Cyrus who shows her strong family relationship and that you have to work hard to get where you want to go.
I saw it in a theater full of teenage girls who swooned every time Travis smiled. There's one brief scene where he has his shirt off and I thought they were going to have a hemorrhage.
The Wrecking Crew! (2008)
what's behind the soundtrack of my youth
Have to agree with the other commenter; this is really a fantastic movie. It's funny, I hadn't even heard of it, and then a few weeks back I was listening to a radio show called Acoustic Cafe and they had Glen Campbell as a guest. Well, I'd loved Glen Campbell as a child, and he mentioned this movie. Then fortunately the Idaho International Film Festival had it.
I grew up during the sixties so I knew and loved all these songs (including the Monkees) and I'd had no idea they were all played by the same people and that they weren't the people on the records.
My former husband told me early on that he'd been trained by Carol Kaye and I went who? so I was really happy to see so much emphasis placed on her.
Humboldt County (2008)
beautiful but predictable
Saw this at the Idaho International Film Festival in Boise last night. Your standard fish-out-of-water-among-the-druggies movie; pretty predictable from the beginning. However, the characters were great and the setting beautiful.
Seemed pretty obvious from the get-to that a) they'd get busted b) med student would stay c) Drugs are Bad. There was a lot to like about the lifestyle in general -- those trees, the fog, the sky -- though it reminded me of how annoying I always found stoners. :) I sort of expected one of the dads to get shot defending one or both of the sons.
The dad reminded me of the dad in Dirty Dancing. Wonder how long he sat at that table waiting for the son to come back?
Captains and the Kings (1976)
well, it has the same name as the book....
but it's very, very different from the book.
the sister an older girl? named Mary, not Moira? blonde, not brunette? they jump overboard? they end up in Winfield from the get-go? he says "that will not be buying any potatoes" without learning it from the Sister? working in a coal mine? Martinique? Friends with Katherine Hennessey? Mrs. Hennessey having a miscarriage? Wanting to adopt the boy first, rather than the girl? Joe almost getting robbed? Joe's actually driving a hot wagon? he returns to Mr. Squibs? and borrows money from him? Joe reveals his name to Ed Healey? A big huge virginity-losing scene? No anti-Irish sentiment by the military guy? Hamlet and not Chopin? the military guy is the one who gets shot? and doesn't get left behind? Healey has a daughter? Miss Emmy has a thing for Harry? Harry doesn't end up being in love with Liza? a big fight with Healey? Harry is in love with Emmy? Elizabeth makes a pass at Joseph? Healey dying after finding out about his nonexistent daughter's child? Bernadette being such a nice person? a big confrontation with Hennessey?
Enchanted (2007)
Best. Movie. Ever.
If you've got a little girl and have spent years of your life watching all the princess movies over and over, you are going to *love* this. Disney does a really admirable job poking fun at itself; the first few minutes of animation are exactly like a Disney movie, but more so. The songs are the catchiest Disney pieces in years. It's just so over the top without going too far, and it's both a great movie for kids and a delightful romantic comedy as well. I'd find myself laughing and crying at the same time (like the little girl asking, "Is this what shopping with your mom is like?") I don't know about Oscar nominations for the actors, but the makeup and costume people definitely deserve them
The Barbie Diaries (2006)
oh,my God, this is appalling
As another poster said, the Barbie fairytale movies are pretty good. Yes, she typically ends up with a guy, but it's not the be all and end all of her life.
This is like Barbie Hills 90210. She's a sophomore in high school (yet somehow can drive) and is totally absorbed with being Popular and getting a guy to Like her and completely ignoring her regular friends and the nice guy who likes her, and she gets dissed for doing well on a test and wrecking the curve, and her friends suggest she throw a test so she can be more popular (oh, they're kidding, but still).
My daughter's only six. She'll be having to deal with this soon enough. I don't want her having to deal with it now.