Change Your Image
jwidner76
Reviews
300 (2006)
Lots of effects, but that's about it
300 tells you a little about Spartans and how they are selected and trained as warriors. King Leonidas takes 300 of the best warriors to fight the Persians supposedly against the wishes of the Oracle.
There is no character arc and little story at all. It's war with lots of visual and sound effects of slicing, dicing, and blood splatter. There were some scenes that I found disturbingly weird like the Persian king's harem tent.
If you're into movies for special effects, you might like it. If you like movies for the characters and storyline, you probably won't. I personally would not recommend this to my friends.
Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (2011)
Not worth it (warning, spoiler)
Jessica Alba plays a spy turned mom who is so sneaky no one in her family knows. WARNING:SPOILER Of course, by the end of the movie her husband and all the kids are involved, including the baby and the original Spykids are reunited.
My family enjoyed the first three Spykids movies so of course we had to see the fourth. They shouldn't have bothered making the fourth. There is too much bathroom humor including poopy diaper and vomit bag ammo. It wasn't even funny.
In fact, I didn't even think it was worth my time to post a review, but my older daughter said I should warn everyone. So this isn't just an adults opinion. My kids didn't like it either.
Red Tails (2012)
Reminds me of the war movies I used to watch with my dad
It's 1944 and Blacks in the military is an experiment. They are kept in their own unit in Italy and not given any important missions so they can't really succeed. One black colonel and one white colonel believe in the 532nd and are in the states to convince those in charge that this black unit is capable of serving.
Though it has the typical language of a war movie, the blood is less than I expected. It is a bit more lighthearted than most war movies, though I suspect this is to expand the viewing audience for more people to learn of the Red Tails story.
I enjoyed it and would recommend anyone high school and up to see it.
Just Like Heaven (2005)
Just a fun movie
Elizabeth is a workaholic doctor trying to get an attending position at a hospital in San Francisco. She loves helping people but sacrifices her social life and sleep. On one late night she is in a car accident.
David is a landscape architect who has withdrawn from society out of depression and ends up renting Elizabeth's apartment. Her spirit keeps hanging around but he is the only one who can see her.
This is a funny romantic comedy not a scary ghost story. There is a good twist part way through, though it is a bit predictable. I'm usually not into chick flicks, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.
Hope Floats (1998)
Sink or Float
Birdie learns on a TV talk show that her husband has been sleeping with her best friend. She packs up her car and drives to her mother's home in Texas. Her mother still lives in the same house as Birdie grew up. She talks to many people from her past as she tries to figure out her future.
This is a story of how some people will do anything to make other happy, when all it does is make everyone miserable. While it does show the dangers of being a people pleaser and trying to be someone you're not; some will find it hard to see this message past the character of Justin attempting to date a married woman.
Safe (2012)
Great character depth
Luke used to be a cop until he discovered the corruption around him. He left the force to pursue cage-fighting. But then a fixed fight went horribly wrong landing his opponent in ICU. Luke became a marked man.
He rushed home to whisk his wife away, but the Russian mob got to her first. They warned him that anyone he talked to were also marked. Depressed, he contemplates suicide on the edge of the subway until he sees a scared little girl out of the corner of his eye.
Mei has a knack for numbers. She is discovered by the Triads and used to memorize a code. The Russian mob tries to kidnap her but Mei manages to escape everyone and tries to disappear into the subway.
Safe has a great storyline with good twists and well developed characters. I think they did an especially good job of showing the contrast between how Luke interacted with the dirty cops and mobsters and how he interacted with Mei.
Chronicle (2012)
Less than I expected
Andrew's mom is sick. His dad was a firefighter, now he's a drunk. Andrew is considered a bit of a geek at school which is compounded when he decides to carry a video camera everywhere and film everything.
His cousin Matt talks him into going to a rave. Then Matt and his friend Steve stumble on a strange hole. They talk Andrew into filming as they explore the hole, cave and what it contains. What is in the cave can't be explained, yet gives them strange powers and brings out their dark side.
Most of the movie is filmed from Andrew's viewpoint—literally—as though he is filming the movie himself. As a result the story is raw and gritty. This filming style is not my taste and I found it rather boring. However, it is a pretty good illustration of the pent up anger kids can have if they face verbal and/or physical abuse at home and/or school. Especially if no one takes the time or energy to truly care.
Man on a Ledge (2012)
I wasn't expecting it to be so good
A police psychologist is called on to talk a jumped down off the ledge of a hotel building. She doesn't want to do it as she is drinking away the memory of a failed case. Curiously, the would-be-jumper has asked for her by name.
Nick Cassidy was a cop until he was accused of a robbery. During his time behind bars he formulated an elaborate plan to clear his name. This plan includes a risky scheme to steal the attention of all New York while he stands precariously on the ledge of a hotel building while his brother sneaks around behind everyone's back.
This movie has some great twists, great acting, and a great storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Brave (2012)
An "anti-princess"
Fairy tales are traditional and nobody messes with tradition, right? Price Charming wins the hand of the fair princess and they live happily ever after. But Merida is a tomboy at heart with red unruly hair who loves riding horseback through the woods mastering an archery course. And the princes from the neighboring clans are far from charming. So of course Merida seeks out a spell to change tradition and of course the spell goes all wrong. In the end, the real question isn't will they live happily ever after but who will learn from the experience.
I am so glad Disney has created another "anti-princess" like Mulan. Not all girls have to love pink and fancy dresses. Some can wield swords or bows and fight for what's right.
There are a couple intense scenes that some may be sensitive too.
Killer Elite (2011)
A good action movie with a romantic subplot
Assassins. Hired Killers. Some live on the rush. But Danny and Hunter were tired. They saw killing as just a job, not an identity, and they were ready for a career change. Unfortunately the man in charge wasn't accepting their resignation—at least not until they did one more job. What they discovered wasn't one last assignment, but a suicide mission. High-risk, high-profile, low success.
There are a lot more people and organizations involved than they originally thought—organizations that aren't supposed to exist. I enjoyed this movie and would recommend it to others, though some may not care for the romantic subplot. (No, Statham and DeNiro do not get together).
The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
I wouldn't classify it as sci-fi
The Adjustment Bureau works behind the scenes arranging people's fate. But David Norriss wants to control his own fate. He manages to catch the Bureau in the act of "adjusting" his fate and is threatened to never speak of it and to stay away from a woman he has just met. The Bureau attempts to enforce this separation but Norriss avoids them and foils their varied efforts.
I was expecting a sci-fi thriller, but instead found romantic and religious mush. Was it a stab at the Greek gods, God, a debate personified, or the visual musings of the existence of any supreme being. It really wasn't worth my time or money.
The Expendables 2 (2012)
"I'm Back"
If you're looking for an exciting action movie, look elsewhere. If you are a fan of comic book movies and have fond memories of 80's action flicks, you will be entertained.
I'm glad Norris got his camera time, but I wouldn't be disappointed if he was not in the next one. It would have been nice for Li's character to have more time as his fight scenes are always entertaining. Statham and Van-Damm showed off their skills. Stallone, Willis, and Schwarzenegger were entertaining yet showing their age. I think Couture is doing pretty good crossing over from fighting to acting.
Some of the blood effects were a little over the top for my taste, but other than that I really liked the movie.