Sisters

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 18 December 2015
Running Time: 118 Minutes
Staring:  Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, etc.
Rating? R
SPOILERS? YEP

REVIEWS
IMDB: 6.3 of 10
MY RATING: 3

STORYLINE

Two sisters decide to throw one last house party before their parents sell their family home.

MY REVIEW:
Wow is really all I have to say about this movie, and not wow in a good way. What went wrong? What happened to the story? Why did they feel this movie needed to be made?

This was just painful. Nothing happened. It's basically a gender-swapped Step Brothers. It's people, on the verge of 50, acting like children. In Step Brothers, it was hilarious because it showed the baffled reactions of everyone around the two main characters as they acted like buffoons. In this movie, nobody seems to react to how ridiculous these two are. In fact, everyone around them is equally immature. All these over-the-top characters kept popping up. Maya Rudolph plays a bitter "mean" girl, John Leguizamo plays a STD ridden sex freak, and Bobby Moynihan plays the former class clown that nobody thought was funny. Moynihan actually, quite barely, saves this movie from being absolutely unbearable, because his character was basically a walking non-sequitur (ala Brick Tamland, Ralph Wiggum).

It's just an odd set of really, unfunny jokes. That's it. Gags that don't set up and lead to nowhere. The only shred of a story that exists is hastily established and wrapped up within the final 20 minutes of the movie. They just weren't thinking while making this.

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This girl!! Jenni and I were lucky this morning at at work to be the recipients of Mimosa Friday! I mean, where else can you have a cocktail at 10 am!?!?!

Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 18 December 2015
Running Time: 136 Minutes
Staring:  Daisy Ridley, John Bodega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and many more!
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO
REVIEWS
IMDB: 8.3 of 10
MY RATING: 10

STORYLINE
30 years after the defeat of Darth Vader and the Empire, Rey, a scavenger from the planet Jakku, finds a BB-8 droid that knows the whereabouts of the long lost Luke Skywalker. Rey, as well as a rogue stormtrooper and two smugglers, are thrown into the middle of a battle between the Resistance and the daunting legions of the First Order.

MY REVIEW:
I guess I should begin this by saying that I am EXTREMELY BIASED towards Star Wars. I  know that any review that I write of this movie will be ruined by that fact.

I have read a ton of reviews that say this was a bad copy of the original and Disney messed it all up. More reviews that call it a bad reboot. Although the IDEA is not foreign to me and in some of it has rings of truth. I do disagree. I am happy that JJ Abrams took the time to put his efforts into giving the Star Wars fans a great ride.

This movie hit all of the emotions that I knew  I would have in the Star Wars universe. It was dark and emotional and funny and moments that transcended all of those.  The new characters introduced were pretty interesting. Adam Driver as Kylo Ren. He played the tormented tortured soul as easily as it could have been! Daisy Ridley as Rey was surprisingly great for a new actor. And finally Finn played by John Boyega was awesome. He was funny and serious and played his part so well.  Returning to the role as Han Solo, Harrison Fold and the awesome Princess Leia played by Carrie Fisher brought great joy. And yet another amazing score by John Williams.

I loved this movie.

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Also, I was the FIRST IN LINE to see it tonight! I think I rocked the first spot in the line pretty hard with my small Coke Zero and bag of raisinettes.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 20 Nov 2015
Running Time: 2 Hours and 17 Minutes
Staring:  Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Jena Malone, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci and Many Many More.
Rating? PG-13
SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS
IMDB: 7 of 10
MY RATING: 9

STORYLINE
As the war of Panem escalates to the destruction of other districts, Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant leader of the rebellion, must bring together an army against President Snow, while all she holds dear hangs in the balance.

MY REVIEW:
This movie picks up just where the last installment left us with Katniss still coping with her role and dealing with Peetas continued destruction under President Snow.

It's dark, intense and scary. It's definitely a shocking jolt that shows the true consequences of war, yet still remains true to the 'Hunger Games' theme. This being that the Capitol ultimately becomes the arena. Mockingjay Part 2 is without a doubt the most emotional of the series as some of the most adored characters are killed off in very brutal ways. You also get to see Katniss struggling mentally and emotionally, yet being brave and courageous. This is why I believe she inspires so many people. Jennifer Lawrence is absolutely magnificent and really brings out Katniss' emotions. I strongly believe that she is the right person to play Katniss and I couldn't imagine anybody else playing her.

Overall, this film is an on edge; intense thrill ride filled with emotion, action and tells a story that should inspire a generation. This film ticks most of the boxes that anyone would want to see in a blockbuster to be entertained. The whole Hunger Games Franchise is without a doubt the best YA series, and Mockingjay Part 2 gives fans a satisfying and thrilling end to a journey, which should be remembered for decades.

The Ouija Experiment

GENERAL INFORMATION
Release Info: 2011 (Actually watched November 2015)
Running Time: 92 Minutes
Staring:  Horror
Rating? N/A
SPOILERS? Yep

REVIEWS
IMDB: 3.4 of 10
MY RATING: 3

STORYLINE
Five friends decide to videotape their experimental sessions with an Ouija board in an attempt to create a viral video that is sure to make them famous. Personal drama causes members of the group to forget to maintain focus on the game's important rules and soon fall prey to the evil entities that occupy the board.

MY REVIEW:
There are a few problems that I have with this movie as general all-encompassing notes:

Me watching this on the couch in my Delta Zeta hoodie.
Can you see the disappointment in my face?!?

1. The mispronunciation of the word Ouija. It's NOT WEE-JEE. The name is derived from the French and German words for Yes; Oui and Ja.
2. Camera work in general was a disgrace. My 12 year old niece could have done a better job with a camcorder and some general instructions.
3. The characters are so one-dimensional that it's laughable. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I prefer developed well-rounded characters who can bring a little je ne sais quoi to the screen. 
4. (Spoiler) WHY on earth did they have to drive all over town when they knew that they had to burn the damn thing! I am certain that it was JUST to kill off a character. Although, the dude that got his head chopped off was one of the worst actors in history, and deserved it, it was not really a good plot point.
5. (Spoiler) If you are going to have a flashback scene, it's useless to have it be that long! Cut that shit out!

That being said, I KNOW better than to watch un-rated horror movies on Netflix thinking that I would be impressed. Don't get me wrong, on occasion, I am amused, but this was not the case. IT was NOT the worst movie I have ever seen, and some people may actually like it! 

La Boheme

GENERAL INFORMATION

View Date and Location:  10 November 2015

Premiere Date: Turin Italy on 1 Feb 1896 at the Regio Theater.
Language: Italian
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Director: Kyle Lang

REVIEWS

MY RATING: 9

STORYLINE

The opera tells the story of a love affair between a poor poet and an equally poor seamstress in 19th century Paris. The opera is based on a book by Henri Murger called Scenes from Bohemian Life (French: Scènes de la vie de bohème).

MY REVIEW

This was a touching story. Mimi and Rodolfo were perfect. This compelling and tragic romance is one that was doomed from the beginning but still needed to be told.

This is everything that an opera should be in one single event. Its emotional. It's musically romantic. It's just perfect. I think the Virginia Opera did an amazing job with the two leads that we cast to play Mimi and Rodolfo. Soprano Elaine Alvarez bring a superb performance with her smooth rustic voice and a sad love for Rodolfo, played by tenor Jason Slaydon who epitomized the clumsy love-lorn poet. Watching his heartbreak on the stage was almost surreal. I actually found myself shedding a few tears at some points. That was the true piece for me when I realized how MUCH I was feeling this story.

I am a true believe in the work of Puccini.