The Strangers

MY RATING: 9

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 30 May 2008

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Writer and Director: Bryan Bertino
Running Time: 86 Minutes

Staring: Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler

Rating? R

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

A young couple staying in an isolated vacation home are terrorized by three unknown assailants.

MY REVIEW

I truly appreciated the horror of this movie. Yes, this is a MAJOR spoiler in the first few sentences, but I LOVE it when the bad guy wins. I mean seriously, life is not all about the good overpowering the bad. It's messy and complicated and sometimes, the bad guys win. I love a good scary movie, but most are built on the idea of things that I don't believe in such as ghost and monsters. THIS movie is the epitome of what we should be afraid of.. the other humans on the planet. Man's inhumanity to man. The most dangerous game.

DIRECTION-
CINEMATOGRAPHY-
WRITING-
EDITING-
COSTUME DESIGN-
SET DESIGN-
SCORE/SOUNDTRACK-

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• X
• X
• X

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• X
• X
• X

What QUESTIONS do I now have?

• X

On a more personal note..... 

XX

So we have Kristen {Liv Tyler} and James {Scott 
Speedman}who are having some sort of couple issue and decide to go to this summer house in the middle of nowhere to work on it. That's where this goes all psychologically disturbing for me. The Strangers delivered a strong punch in the gut for the messed up pieces inside each of us who are always wondering what's the worst that could happen.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Cat and mouse game at it's finest. I absolutely love the subtlety of the scares that the main characters don't see!
• I love movies where the scenes are basically told through non-verbal emotions and settings. This was done quite well. 
• Sound, design, cinematography and just overall direction of this movie were well accomplished!
• Awkward moments in the first 20 minutes or so with Kristen and James are realistic and amazing.
• In this day where anything can happen, "Because you were home" was the best line of the movie.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Some of the unrealistic spots. Just kinda left the door open for plot holes!

On a more personal note.....   These guys! Teddy (Grey Maine Coon) and Spotty Joe were pretty ridiculous;y adorable today!

Iron Man

MY RATING: 7

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 2 May 2008

Genre: Ation, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: Jon Favreau
Writer:Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby
Running Time: 126 Minutes

Staring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

Tony Stark. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Son of legendary inventor and weapons contractor Howard Stark. When Tony Stark is assigned to give a weapons presentation to an Iraqi unit led by Lt. Col. James Rhodes, he's given a ride on enemy lines. That ride ends badly when Stark's Humvee that he's riding in is attacked by enemy combatants. He survives - barely - with a chest full of shrapnel and a car battery attached to his heart. In order to survive he comes up with a way to miniaturize the battery and figures out that the battery can power something else. Thus Iron Man is born. He uses the primitive device to escape from the cave in Iraq. Once back home, he then begins work on perfecting the Iron Man suit. But the man who was put in charge of Stark Industries has plans of his own to take over Tony's technology for other matters.

MY REVIEW

I know this is supposed to be a "How did Iron Man become Iron Man" movie, but it was less superhero and more suits. Overall though this is a well crafted superhero movie that is a good blend of realistic and sci-fi that fits right into a comic book universe. It's a shame the next sequel won't be as good. But looking forward to "The Avengers" movie which is hinted at the end of the credits. This movie ended in a very good note as well and will leave the audiences excited.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• This was NOT a superhero movie that you will typically see, however, it is well crafted and entertaining.
• RDJ! I was hesitant, but Robert Downey Jr, carried this movie as Tony Stark. He seemed to me to BE Tony Stark, not just playing the role.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• The main flaw that I saw with this movie is Iron Man itself.  The suit did't make enough appearances for me.

On a more personal note..... ... Hanging out with my little boys today! Teddy is an 11 year old Maine Coon Cat. He loves to sit on the couch like a person and watch tv with me! Spotty is an 8 year old domestic short hair. He's pretty special!