Paranormal Activity 3

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 21 Oct 2011
Running Time: 83 Minutes
Staring:  Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown, Christopher Smith
Rating? R
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 5.9 of 10
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 68% Audience: 51%
MY RATING: 7

MY REVIEW:
If you liked the first two, you'll like this one. This one goes back to 1988 to see young Katie and her sister Kristi, their mom, Julie and Julie's boyfriend Dennis finding strange things beginning to happen in their home. Katie begins to hear her imaginary friend, Toby, and most everyone just things that it's kid stuff and moves along.

Weird stuff begins to happen and the camera go up. Again, I like the use of the multiple cameras so you get a really good view of the entire house. This movie is filled with obsession to find out what's going on as well as the origin story beginning to be understood. It definitely leaves some unanswered questions, but that my friends, is how we know that there will be another one!

Munger Road

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 30 Sept 2011
Running Time: 86 Minutes
Staring:  Bruce Davidson, Randall Batinkoff, Trevor Morgan
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 4.5 of 10
MY RATING: 3 of 10. 

Watch Drunk

MY REVIEW:
I am a horror fan, so I am likely to be a little harsh with my review. I mean, I did give it a 3, so it wasn't the worst thing of all time.

Here are my major issues with this movie.

1. When you are trying to hide from a killer, it might behoove you to at least be quiet. Don't scream. Hold your mouth shut. Seriously. Be still and quiet if you want to live!
2. When running from said killer, don't choose the place that looks dark and deserted. Go to the place that looks like there might be power and some people and maybe a phone to call for help!
3. If you're a sheriff in a semi-large town, have more than two people working the night shift!
4. When you write a movie, HAVE AN ENDING!

**I found out after that this was SUPPOSED to have a sequel but the funding didn't come through so that's why it ends without an ending. Still not a good reason, but at least it's a reason.

Moneyball

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 23 Sep 2011
Running Time: 133 Minutes
Staring:  Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? Not Really

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.6 of 10
MY RATING: 8

MY REVIEW:
I have to sat this was a really good movie.  For a sports biography, I have to say, I was surprised.

Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane with superior acting ability. The bio pic was well written and interesting. Before this movie, I had really little understanding of this aspect of the baseball game. This was new to me and I found it to be quite intriguing.

I think this movie will even appeal to the non-sports fans. It's more about ones personal fight inside themselves and his struggle to maintain his life and family.

Straw Dogs

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 16 Sept 2011
Running Time: 110 Minutes
Staring:  James Marsden, Kate Bosworth
Rating? R
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 5.8 of 10
MY RATING: 6

STORYLINE
LA Screenwriter David Sumner relocates with his wife to her hometown in the deep South. There, while tensions build between them, a brewing conflict with locals becomes a threat to them both.

MY REVIEW:
I was pretty indifferent. It was okay, just okay.

I saw the "crazy hillbilly locals" plot coming a mile away. The overall message seems more about a competition for masculinity and standing up to bullies. It was overdone and excessive. The plot was watered down and could have been better. The acting was pretty good.  The serious nature of this movie was pretty intense. But Aleksander Skarsgard was perfect!!

Grave Encounters

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 9 Sept 2011
Running Time: 92 Minutes
Staring:  Ben Wilkinson, Sean Rogerson, Ashleigh Gryzko
Rating? NOT RATED
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.1 of 10
MY RATING: 4

STORYLINE
For their ghost hunting reality tv show, a production crew locks themselves into an abandoned metal hospital that's supposedly haunted - and they might prove it to be true.

MY REVIEW:
Mediocre might be an overstatement with this movie. I wanted to like it, but let's be serious, a scary movie that's UNRATED. It was written well, but with sub-par acting and shitty direction, it was pretty revolting.

I never felt even a twinge of anticipation, no jumps, no big scares. The atmosphere was pretty good. Set design was well done, but the ghosts and the effects were the downfall of it all!

Creepy, but otherwise un-noteworthy.

Contagion

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 9 Sept 2011
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Staring:  Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lawrence Fishburne
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.7 of 10
MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE
Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of  a worldwide epidemic as the CDC works for a cure.

MY REVIEW:
I appreciated this movie for what it was supposed to be. A pandemic movie that is pretty realistic with little overt action sequences and fully dialogue-driven scenes without a real hero to put your faith in.

I enjoyed the multi-faceted views from a lot of different angels so that the true pieces can be sewn together.

It's a movie that I really don't need to see again, and I really don't have any plans to... it made sense and it was a good reminder of what could happen at the beginning of each day.

Apollo 18

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 2 September 2011
Running Time: 86 Minutes
Staring:  Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, Ryan Robbins
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 5.2 of 10
MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE
Decades old found footage from NASA's abandoned Apollo 18 Mission, where two American astronauts were sent on a secret expedition, reveals the reason the US has never returned to the moon.

MY REVIEW:
For a found-footage movie, this was pretty decent. I appreciated the movie in spite of the found footage style of which I am not a huge fan!

There was something interesting about the concept and the story. I appreciated the sense of dread that was one of the pieces that made this a success.

You're Next

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 23 August 2011
Running Time: 95 Minutes
Staring:  Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen
Rating? R
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.5 of 10
MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE
When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers leads that one of the victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.

MY REVIEW:
It's a sweet family reunion flick with the Davison family. Not really, it's a typical slasher film with some decent twists.

Dad was in the marketing department for a huge defense contractor and he's loaded!! Erin {Sharni Vinson} is his son's new girlfriend. And then a gang of masked murderers begin to attack the family.

One of the problems that I have with this movie is it takes entirely too long for the movie to get started. Aside from the murderers killing people the first hour is just two or three characters at a time becoming less and less interesting to me. The actors were a little distracting and over the top.

There is a pretty decent twist and I give them credit for me not figuring it out!

Fright Night

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 19 Aug 2011
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Staring:  Colin Farrell, Dave Franco, Anton Yelchin, David Tennant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Rating? R
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.4 of 10
MY RATING: 7

MY REVIEW:
I'm a late 80's girl and I remember the original Fright Night with all of the other things that I feel were nostalgically my youth! I spent a while convincing myself that I COULD actually give this remake a chance. Admittedly, it did take some convincing.

I was pleasantly surprised. There was a pretty delicate balance between paying homage to the classic and giving it a new twist. I feel that they were successful in that endeavor.

I think the casting choices did give it the dignity that I feel it was deserving. Colin Farrell is cast as the Vampire-Next-Door, Jerry. I found his portrayal delightfully entertaining. He was a choice that after watching him play this part, I feel was the only choice to make!

Playing the role of Charley Brewster, the somewhat delicate youth who discovers the sinister vampire preying on his peers, is Anton Yelchin. He was in the Star Trek remake in 2009, so that makes sense... he likes remakes. Christopher Mintz-Plasse plays his buddy Ed, perfectly I might add. Toni Collette is his mom.. Imogen Poots is Amy.

I mean, it's not a new idea for a movie, it's not anything out of the ordinary, but it's a pretty decent movie. I enjoyed it. Sparkly vampires and all!

Captain America: The First Avenger

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 22 July 2011
Running Time: 124 Minutes
Staring:  Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.8 of 10
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 79% Audience: 74%
MY RATING: 5 of 10

MY REVIEW:
This was an okay movie. Not horrible, but not great.

There seemed to be no real plot development or character development made to make you care about who you were watching. No emotional attachment with the people at all. Seemed flat. I did like the little bits of humor found throughout, but that was nowhere near enough to keep me satisfied that I just paid $5.65 for an ICEE that I could have gotten at 7-11 for less than $2.

A few acting lessons would not have been a bad investment. Sometimes it was over the top cheese-tactic and other times it was just not enough to make me believe that it wasn't the first read through.

Captain America fights the Nazis. Just a bit too cliche. It's a kids movie. Pure and simple.

Horrible Bosses

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 8 July 2011
Running Time: 98 Minutes
Staring:  Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell
Rating? R
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.9 of 10
MY RATING: 4

MY REVIEW:
This was not a horrible movie. This was not a great movie either.  I liked the first act. It was set up pretty well. I mean, they made the bosses totally "those" kind of people whom you really want to hate from the word go. Good job with that.

After about an hour, my attention went to other things like what I was going to make for breakfast tomorrow and when would this movie end?

At some point, there was just a lack of empathy for the workers and I just started taking the side of the horrible bosses! They became almost at bad as the bosses. It felt like there was just no end tho this movie. There was no point to the entire thing!

Forgettable.

Super 8

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 10 June 2011
Running Time: 112 Minutes
Staring:  Elle Fanning is really the only one who matters.
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.1 of 10
MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE
During the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.

MY REVIEW:
For a PG-13 movie to was not bad. I actually really enjoyed the story and the direction. The casting was interesting and it was somewhat unexpected. The kids in this movie were really pretty amazing. I loved them! {And I am not a big fan of kids}

Some of it was a little over the top, but in the grand scheme of things, this was an enjoyable movie.

The Ledge

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 25 May 2011
Running Time: 101 Minutes
Staring:  Charlie Hunnam, Terrence Howard, Patrick Wilson, Liv Tyler
Rating? R
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.6 of 10
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 14% Audience: 48%
MY RATING: 7 of 10

MY REVIEW:
This was a movie that was recommended to me and I gave it a shot.  It was actually pretty good. Decent.

So, the premise is that Gavin, played by Charlie Hunnam has an affair with a neighbors wife Shana, played by Liv Tyler. Shana is married to Joe, played by Patrick Wilson. Joe is a Christian and Gavin is an atheist. This plays a significant part in the movie. Basically, Joe finds out and forces Gavin on a ledge of a building and gives him an hour to choose between the one he loves or himself. Without faith or an afterlife to effect the decision, the movie draws on this christianity versus atheism.

I am an atheist so this film took on a fairly normal conversation that I have on a consistent basis. What makes you do good things?

The movie is good and will keep you guessing until the very end.
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Bridesmaids

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 13 May 2011
Running Time: 125 Minutes
Staring:  Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne
Rating? R
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.8 of 10
MY RATING: 3 ot 10

STORYLINE
Competition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride's best friend, threatens to upend the line of an out of work pastry chef.

MY REVIEW:
I wanted this movie to be funny. I really did. I love Kristen Wiig and I so wanted to like this movie, but it left me disappointed and a little over the senseless over the top disgusting jokes. This was the supposed female equivalent to the Hangover. No thanks!

There were some genuine funny moments but the story line seemed one-dimensional and over-done. I didn't connect with any of the characters. So, basically, I was not amused most of the time.

Thor

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 6 May 2011
Running Time: 115 Minutes
Staring:  Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.0 of 10
MY RATING: 7

MY REVIEW:
I actually enjoyed this version of the classic Thor mythology. I mean, some of the ideas of Norse mythology are present and I really had to set aside what I've read to let this story really play out.

Standard superhero movie. Standard end with the standard fight sequence in epic battle. Romantic cliches abound. It's fun and a pretty decent movie.
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Source Code

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 1 April 2011
Running Time: 93 Minutes
Staring:  Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, and Vera Farminga.
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.5 of 10
MY RATING: 5

STORYLINE
A soldier wakes up in someone else's body and discovers he's part of an experimental government program to find the bomber of a commuter train. A mission he has only 8 minutes to complete.

MY REVIEW:
It was a stretch for me from the beginning. It wasn't that horrible. It had some strengths and just as many weaknesses. The ending was the WORST part for me. It's like the writers threw a bunch of plots up in the air and let then  fall onto a sheet of paper and that's what they went with. Good but not great.

Insidious

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 1 April 2011
Running Time: 103 Minutes
Staring:  Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.8 of 10
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 66% Audience: 62%
MY RATING: 6

MY REVIEW:
It was PG-13, so I knew it wouldn't be "that kind of scary movie." That being said, it was actually scary. There are some really good intense scenes that absolutely had be jumping in my seat. The red-faced dude specifically was absolutely unnerving! Although its not just a series of scenes that make you jump, they are scattered enough and the story is there to keep you interested.

I think the plot and the story are fairly well done. It felt new in a way that I don't think that I have really seen before. It's truly frightening to not know whats exactly waiting for you in the dark.

Limitless

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 18 March 2011
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Staring:  Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Robert DeNiro
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.4 of 10
MY RATING: 8

MY REVIEW:
Let me preface this review with my undying love for Bradley Cooper. I all fairness, I think it got two extra points just for having him in this movie!

I think he did amazing in this movie. He was a strong lead and really held up to carrying this movie!

Cooper plays an aspiring writer who has some silly writers block. {As a writer, I can defintely understand  that feeling 100%!} His former bro-in-law gives him this new drug that helps him function better. Yes, so it is not exactly logic all of the time and some of it really just doesn't make any sense. But the trippy camera shots and the entertaining nature of the idea.  Soft 8.

Red Riding Hood

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 11 March 2011
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Staring:  Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman,
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 5.4 of 10
MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE
Set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl falls for an orphaned woodcutter, much to her family's displeasure.

MY REVIEW:
I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. I didn't expect to like it and what do you know, I actually did!

I liked the twists that this movie took from the original story. Werewolf instead of an actual wolf. Very clever!

Sets, camera work, costuming, music.. all of it worked in a way that could have brought the whole things crumbling down. I actually got lost in the story, it actually drew me in.

The only costuming issue that I had with this movie was the length of the Red Riding Hood that seemed to change from long to short, to medium and back to long again. Not a smart move.

Well worth checking out this movie!

The Adjustment Bureau

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 4 March 2011
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Staring:  Matt Damon, Emily Blunt,  etc
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7.1 of 10
MY RATING: 7

STORYLINE
The affair between a politician and a ballerina is effected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart.

MY REVIEW:
I actually enjoyed the fun and farcical romp about the ideal of love in a uncontrollable world. I rather liked the idea of the Bureau that watches over the humans on the planet to guide their lives. As an atheist, this still doesn't make sense, but at least there were no angels in white!

In the middle of all of this is David Norris {Matt Damon} who encounters a kind of slip. Helping him along the way is a girl he meets by accident, twice. Elise. {Emily Blunt} What was confusing were the supposed rules that get explained a few times, but still just don't make sense to me. The Bureau, which may I point out are ONLY MEN seem to have unlimited powers.

It did take a little extra for me to suspend disbelief and go with the flow.  This movie does make you think about the idea of possibilities for your own life. Great on-screen chemistry with Damon and Blunt.

Sanctum

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 4 Feb 2011
Running Time: 108 Minutes
Staring:  Rhys Wakefield, Allison Cratchley, Ioan Gruffudd, Richard Roxburgh
Rating? R
SPOILERS? No

REVIEWS
IMDB: 5.9 of 10
MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE
An underwater cave diving team experiences a life-threatening crisis during an expedition to the unexplored and least accessible cave system in the world.

MY REVIEW:
You know, I wasn't thinking this would be a great movie, I expected a mediocre film with pretty sets. I was surprised. Yeah, the acting was not the best, but the sets were out of this world!

My MOST favorite part of the movie is the lead, Frank, played by Australian actor Richard Roxburgh, and his repetition of one of my favorite poems in the whole world. Kuala Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge....

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure-dome decree:

Where Alph, the sacred river, ran

Through caverns measureless to man

Down to the sunless sea.

It was likely chosen because of the whole caverns phrase.. but it was perfect and I enjoyed hearing it on screen. {Insert happy face}

I really enjoy the story and the perilous feeling that this movie gave. If you get a chance to see it in 3D, all the better.

The Green Hornet

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 14 Jan 2011
Running Time: 119 Minutes
Staring:  Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, etc.
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS
IMDB: 5.9 of 10
MY RATING: 4

MY REVIEW:
It's not a horrible movie. It's campy and a little over the top. It's entertaining. It did a great job of paying homage to the old TV Show.

This movie is mediocre at best, but it did bring back a feeling from the old show. It was visually interesting and I loved the character development. Solid 4.