In Time Movie Review

In time is a film with a very cool concept. See, in the film, time is currency,and you just live out your life day by day. The concept of this film is so cool, actually, that I expected a great film. I did not get that, unfortunately. However, I did get a pretty good film. Justin Timberlake proves he can be an action star. He has previously proven he can be a good actor, and he also proved on Saturday Night Live he can do comedy. Now, he does prove himself an action star, even if he is no Jackie Chan, or hell, Steven Seagal. Timberlake isn't fantastic in this film, like in Black Snake Moan, but if you had never seen him before, you would be able to see he's a very talented guy. My main complaint with the film is Amanda Seyfried, who played the damsel in distress role with a very slight presence. By this I mean she doesn't really try, and you barely notice she's there. Considering she is the second biggest star in the film and is in most of the scenes, she brings the movie down. With that being said, Cillian Murphy makes an excellent bad guy. He is thoroughly creeoy and fun. In Time isn't one of the  better films this year, but it is fun, even if Seyfried does bring it down a couple notches.

The Muppets Movie Review

The Muppets follows Gary (Jason Segel) and his brother Walter, a muppet, and Gary's girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams). They all take a trip to the Muppet studios, where they get to meet the Muppets. They start to help the Muppets when they find out an evil oil baron named Tex Richman (played by the great Chris Cooper) wants to drill for oil under the Muppet studio. Without further ado, I will give my opinion of this film. This is not a perfect or dazzling film, but it is a really really good film. My main complaint with the film both does and doesn't involve the story line. My main complaint is that while the film has a lot of great celebrity cameos, about 75% of the cameos are just walk on walk off cameos. By this I mean a lot of the cameos don't allow the actors doing the cameos to say much or do much. Now, as for the story, it's actually pretty damn good. Jason Segel wrote this film for the most part, and you can definitely see he has a lot of Muppet love in him, and all the talking to the camera tricks and puns work wonders. The Muppets is also a semi-musical with a lot of good musical numbers. The whole cast is terrific as well, and even if you've never heard of the Muppets before, you'll thoroughly enjoy this film. 

The Sitter Movie Review

The Sitter is a film starring the late, great fat version of Jonah Hill as Noah, a  guy who has gone absolutely nowhere in life. Noah is a guy who sits on the couch all day and makes his mom, the only person who treats him right, do everything for him. One night, his mom needs to go out, but his mom's friend's babysitter cancelled last minute, which forces Noah to be the replacement. Thus begins a serious of wacky adventures and misunderstandings as Noah desperately tries to get to a party to see his girlfriend. Now, I feel like I may be in the minority here, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of The Sitter. It's a film that will ultimately be off putting to a lot of people, but I found it both hilarious and very touching. Very touching, you may ask? Just take a scene in which Jonah Hill talks to one of the kids about something potentially in very poor taste. I'm not saying anything else about that scene because it will give away a pretty major plot point. However, the potentially tasteless thing they're talking about actually turns into a sweet conversation. The Sitter should not have been as good as it is, with its recycled plot and potentially mean spirited lines, but Jonah Hill and the kid actors deliver their lines perfectly, and make it a very funny and touching film. 

Arthur Christmas Movie Review

I'm a sucker for Christmas movies. I take that back..I'm an extreme sucker for Christmas movies. They're actually my favorite type of film..whether it be a horror Christmas film, a drama Christmas film, or a comedy Christmas film, I love them. I also loved the premise of Arthur Christmas..taking the Santa's doing all the work premise and lying it flat on its face. See, in Arthur Christmas, Santa sits back while all the elves do the work. However, Arthur Christmas is an incredibly dull film. I feel, as this is a family Christmas film, that I will be in the minority here. With the Christmas season starting to be in full swing, I wanted to feel in the spirit while watching this film,and I just didn't. The film follows Santa's son, Arthur and his journey to get a little girl named Gwen her present. However, to me, nothing much in this film happens. It's a one note film that never picks up speed. Here's the film in one scenario: a back and forth between Arthur & his grandpa, Grandsanta, and an elf named Bryony trying to deliver Gwen's present and Arthur's brother, Steve trying to become the next Santa. These two things happen, over and over, but nothing else happens. The first two minutes of this film admittedly had me laughing, but the film stops at a dead end in the third minute. Also, when I'm shelling out four extra dollars for 3D, you better believe I want some good effects. With that in mind, this film was in 3D, and as I watched it in 3D, I not only got no 3D effects, but it actually hurt my eyes. Arthur Christmas is not a completely horrible film, it's just a sitting duck of a film. If you want to get into the Christmas spirit, stay at home, sit on your couch, and watch The Santa Clause, Elf, It's A Wonderful Life, ETC. 

J. Edgar Movie Review

J Edgar is a film about who else but J Edgar Hoover. He was an infamous political figure who never became president, much to the relief of many people. He was a scary man, and a man whose story I will not tell the rest of because I really really really want you to see J Edgar. It's one of the best films of the year so far. Leonardo DiCaprio is absolutely brilliant in this film. DiCaprio plays both the old and young J Edgar, and it is pretty fantastic how he switches back and froth. Also, the film, for people who have not read up on J Edgar Hoover is an interesting history lesson. Actually, for people who have read up on J Edgar Hoover, this is also an interesting history lesson. J Edgar is also a film that, despite being over 2 hours long, flies by fast. This film is not one of those movies I wished was longer, however, but the running time is pretty perfect, making the film go by fast but also entertaining us and letting plenty happen in the story. J Edgar would have been a perfect film had it not been for just 1 or 2 scenes that just dragged a bit, but it is an excellent film, and one I think you should go check out. 

My Week With Marilyn Movie Review

My Week With Marilyn is based on the life story of Colin Clark, this time played by Eddie Redmayne and  his week  with who else but Marilyn Monroe.  Marilyn Monroe is played by Michelle Williams, one of the better modern day actresses. Is it coincidental that one of the best actress of modern day is playing one of, if not the best actress of olden day? Well, I guess it ain't one after all. It isn't one because you need someone great to play someone great. With this in mind, Williams is phenomenal here, as is the rest of the cast. Kenneth Branagh plays Laurence Olivier (yes, that Laurence Olivier.) Branagh is absolutely hilarious here but also gives one of the most accurate performances in years. Dominic Cooper, who had one of my favorite roles this year as a terrorist and the guy pretending to be his twin in The Devil's Double is pretty great here, as well. Now, back to Williams. Williams here portrays Monroe with such realism and emotion as to give the audience complete sympathy for the character. Also, Eddie Redmayne isn't bad here. Sure, he's not as good as the other three people mentioned here, but he's pretty good in the role. My Week With Marilyn is also very entertaining and witty, much to my surprise. Basically, what I'm trying to say here is go see My Week With Marilyn because you might just come out of the theater as surprised as I was. 

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Review

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is the funniest film of the year so far. It is a film that had me laughing throughout. Every minute and every second of this film is hysterical. When I walked out of this film, I applauded the it for reminding me of why I missed Harold & Kumar so much. Although probably not possible, I would just love there to be a never ending series of Harold & Kumar movies. Even Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay was hilarious, and I consider that the worst one. Now, onto something that this film surprisingly needed..the 3D. The 3D in this film, a raunchy comedy about stoner buddies is better than the 3D in the typical CGI or animated 3D film. The 3D was half of the joke, and you'd be doing yourself a disservice to not see it in 3D. The chemistry between Harold & Kumar in this film is the best chemistry of all the films if I do say so myself. Also, Neil Patrick Harris has an all too short scene that had me rolling in the aisles. This film is absolutely hilarious, and despite being very raunchy, is actually touching at the end. This is one of the best films of the year so far. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is worth seeing if not for anything but to see America's favorite stoner buddies back together. 

Warrior Movie Review

Warrior is the best film of 2011 so far..hands down. It is a likely contender to stay the best film of the year. An amazing film like this needs to be seen to be believed, which is why even as I'm typing write now, I am having an extremely hard time describing what I saw. Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy play brothers in an emotional war. They were both, for lack of a better term, screwed over by their dad (Nick Nolte), and now have turned against each other. While they are turned against each other, they both decide to become MMA fighters. Everything here, from the performances to the script override what is primarily a cliche plot. The first time I watched the trailer, I admitted it looked like a rip off of a great film, The Fighter. That being said, Warrior is so much more than that. It is an even better film than The Fighter, and I loved The Fighter. Warrior is at its best when two characters interact with each other through both of their emotional issues. For example, there is a scene in which Nick Nolte and Joel Edgerton are standing outside and one won't let the other into his house because of trust issues. This is one of the most powerful and sad scenes I think I've ever seen in a movie. Warrior is a film that can gets very emotional and actually quite touching in and of itself, but it never and I mean never gets the least bit sappy. Nolte, Edgeton, and Hardy should all get Oscar nominations for their terrific performances. That's not to say they all will, but if the academy doesn't nominate at least one of them, then I've lost all respect for the academy. Warrior is not only a terrific film, but a magical one. By the end of this film, try not to be crying your eyes out and applauding the fantastic film making that went into making this film. 

Jack And Jill Movie Review

Jack & Jill is a film about nothing. It doesn't have a consistent plot. It is just an assortment of stupid jokes revolving around Adam Sandler getting annoyed with Adam Sandler in drag. They said the apocalypse was coming..and perhaps it is. Why do I say that? I kind of want you, the reader to watch Jack & Jill so you can see why I'm just rambling on and saying the apocalypse is coming. It is a film that has to be seen to be believed, and an unshakable experience. Neither of these things are meant in a good way. As someone who goes to a couple hundred films a year, it is, personally, the closest I have been to walking out of a theater in at least two years. Al Pacino, an Oscar winner and Michael Corleone is in this. Pacino is the best part of the film, and he's terrible in it for crying out loud. Pacino, one of the greatest actors of all time is in Jack & Jill. You thought De Niro in Little Fockers was bad? Wait until you see Pacino in this. I really wish I could like this film, or at least not consider it one of the worst films ever made. Sandler's actually a really funny guy when he wants to be. Don't believe me, watch Happy Gilmore. Sandler is also a pretty good dramatic actor. Don't believe me, watch Punch Drunk Love. With this in mind, this film involves Sandler screaming and talking in a weird lispy voice that's his interpretation of a woman. Jack & Jill is the worst film of 2011 so far. It is more dreadful than you could ever imagine. In other words, Jack & Jill doesn't go up a hill, but rather goes down one right when it starts.

Happy Feet Two Movie Review

Admittedly, I did not like the first Happy Feet. Now, there's Happy Feet Two, with more dancing penguins and another story involving one of the penguins. I'm not even going to go into the plot because I run the risk of sounding childish or cliché. I will, however, say that this is one of the most puerile films of the year so far. Nothing in Happy Feet Two works, and I mean nothing. The story is not only childish, but it's also all over the place. The voice actors, led by a very questionably talented cast are awful. Also, just like with my Puss In Boots review, I saw this at a legit I max 3D theater, and the I max added nothing to the film, and the 3D just made the film look worse. This is not to blame the theater for, but the film for. The fact that this is a film about dancing, singing penguins, I guess I should have expected not to have an awesome I max experience, but I at least expected a little something to be added. With all this hate I seem to have for Happy Feet Two, you would think I thought this was a terrible film. With this being said, it's not. Happy Feet Two will certainly amuse its target audience-kids, but it's the parents who'll have to take them to it I'm worried about. No one will accuse Happy Feet Two of being one of the worst films of the year, but even more so, they won't accuse Happy Feet Two of being one of the best films of the year.