Country Strong 2010

This movie is Rated PG-13. A drama centered on a rising country-music songwriter (Hedlund) who sparks with a fallen star (Paltrow). Together, they mount his ascent and her comeback, which leads to romantic complications involving her husband/manager (McGraw) and a beauty queen-turned-singer (Meester).

I watched this movie last night and I cried through most of it. It was frustrating and sad. I would never want my kids to watch this one even if they were 13. This should only be shown in rehab facilities to show what would happen if you leave before your healed.

I gave this movie 2 stars.

Slumdog Millionaire

I watched this movie yesterday for the first time. When it came out they kept showing previews of these kids dancing next to trains, so I thought oh great it's a Bali version of high school musical. I immediately wrote it on my do not want to watch list.

Yesterday it was on TV and I just happened to see it. NOTHING like they advertised. It is not a FEEL-GOOD movie. In fact I think I cried through most of it. It is a movie about all the crap this kid went through and how it just happened to be that because of his life experiences he was able to answer most of the questions on Who Wants to be a Millionaire show. Then when he is doing really good they beat him because they think he is cheating. During the entire movie he is searching for the love of his life that he met when he was like 6 yrs old. Every time he finds her something bad happens. It was a good movie about the perspective other countries have on game shows.

Salt - Day X Exists

So we were sitting the theater this weekend waiting to see Iron Man 2 and the previews came up for SALT. I turned to the kids and asked "hasn't that movie come out yet?" I have seen this movie advertised for so long that I thought it had come out and i just missed it. So in the preview that they flashed they advertised a new game they launched called SALT - Day X Exists. So I went and checked it out. It kinda seems like another way to draw out the advertising until the actual opening.

You log in and watch a clip then you interact with the computer and play a mini game giving you a score depending on how you play and how fast you play you are given a score. Then you are suppose to read the closing report and find the clue codes. There are also bonus codes that you find in the trailer. I think it's cool but the Movie is suppose to come out July 23rd 2010. You will be given a new mission to complete every week for 9 weeks which just happens to get you all the way to the week of the movie opening. If you want to check it out go to www.dayxexists.com

The Lovely Bones (2009)

The Lovely Bones is the story of a 14-year-old girl from suburban Pennsylvania who is murdered by her neighbor. She tells the story from Heaven, showing the lives of the people around her and how they have changed all while attempting to get someone to find her lost body.

I have a problem with this movie. As a person that grew up in the 70's and that was almost abducted when I was 3 even then I knew better than to walk off with a stranger. The hole movie is one of those stranger danger moments. You don't walk off with a stranger. You don't climb down a hole a stranger dug. You don't go into a guys house that you think killed your sister.

I would have liked the movie more if she wasn't in the void. If she was an actual ghost and was able to interact with her family and help the police find all of the girls he had killed it would have been way better.

I give this movie 2.5 Stars.

The Blind Side (2009)

First let me just say you will need a box of tisues to watch this movie. It is a moving story that will effect anyone that watches it. Great Story! Great Ending! 4Stars

"The Blind Side" depicts the story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle

It's Complicated (2009)

The movie It's Complicated was a really good real life movie. I think that everyone who has gotten divorced at one point thinks what if. In some situations you can actually act on that and most people that do come to the realization that ex's are ex's for a reason. I would have thought this was the perfect movie if at the end the guy (Alec Baldwin) had said he was going to get his own place and learn to enjoy the quiet.
To often men bounce back and forth from one relationship to other because they are afraid to be alone, or it's the opposite. Men are so afraid of commitment that they will be alone until they die.
This guy obviously needs a wake up call. He leaves his wife for the younger woman, who leaves him for some Cuban. Then she gets pregnant and goes back to him and he takes her back then when she wants to have a baby with him. He wants his ex back.
Only because of the ending I give this movie 3.5 stars.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

I finally got to see Sherlock Holmes this weekend. All my friends had gone to see it already and told me how great it was. I thought it was a good movie, but the parts where they would play it in slow motion and tell you what he was thinking while he was doing it that was ok, was it nessisary for them to replay it after - NO! Thank heavens it was only a couple of times in the beginning. Other than that the movie was good. I don't think the story line was as clear as it could have been and the relationship between watson and his girl was a bit much. They made it seem as though the guy had never gotten laid. The overall movie felt like a part 2 - like we should have already known what was going on and the relationship between Holmes and Watson before we saw it.

In previous movies and shows about Sherlock Holmes and Watson Watson has always been protrayed as a large man that knows less. A side kick that listens more than he speaks and is learning along with us. In this movie we was the smart one, the one that kept a clear head, and the one that kept Holmes out of trouble.

I liked the old inventions and historical references overall I would give this movie 3 Stars.

Avatar Movie

When his brother is killed in battle, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully decides to take his place in a mission on the distant world of Pandora. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge's intentions of driving off the native humanoid "Na'vi" in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers intel for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch, while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na'vi people with the use of an "avatar" identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful alien Neytiri, the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics, forcing the soldier to take a stand - and fight back in an epic battle for the fate of Pandora.

This movie was amazing. I have never experienced a movie that was so full of color and detailed imagination. You can't help but get sucked into the story and feel what the characters are feeling. By the end you want this world to exist so that you can escape there to.

X-Men Origins - Wolverine

I rented X-Men Orgins - Wolverine, mostly because my kids begged me to. I didn't want to see it because in the first x-men movie they had already gone through his story. After watching this I relized they didn't go through it all. We actually learn way more about him, where he comes from, his family, how he was born with it, and we learn more about the other x-men and some of what happens to them in the beginning. I was really glad the kids made me watch it.

In 1845 Canada, young James Howlett sees his father killed by groundskeeper Thomas Logan. The trauma activates the boy's mutation: bone claws protrude from James' hands, and he kills Logan. With his dying breath, Logan tells James that he is James' real father. James flees with Victor Creed, the abused son of Thomas Logan who is thus James' brother. The two spend the next century as soldiers, putting their violent urges and skills to use by fighting as US soldiers in the American Civil War, both World Wars and the Vietnam War. In Vietnam, James kills a superior officer after he comes to stop Victor from raping a local villager. Despite his clear objections to Victor's actions, James defends his brother, and the two are sentenced to execution by firing squad, which they survive. Major William Stryker approaches the two men, now in military custody, and offers them membership in Team X, a group of mutants including marksman Agent Zero, mercenary Wade Wilson, teleporter John Wraith, invincible Fred Dukes and electrokinetic Chris Bradley. They join the team, but the group's questionable actions and disregard for human life cause James to leave.
Six years later, James — now going by the name Logan — is living in Canada with his girlfriend, Kayla Silverfox. Meanwhile in Ohio, Bradley is seen working at a carnival, performing a rigged carnival game with his powers, when Victor appears and kills him. Colonel Stryker locates Logan and warns him that someone is killing members of the team, as both Wilson and Bradley are dead. Shortly afterward, Victor murders Kayla and brutally beats Logan. Stryker offers Logan a way to beat Victor. Logan undergoes an operation to reinforce his skeleton with adamantium, a virtually indestructible metal. Before the procedure, Logan asks for new dog tags inscribed with "Wolverine"-- based on a story that Kayla told him. Once the procedure is successfully completed, Stryker orders Logan's memory to be erased, but Logan overhears thanks to his supernatural hearing and fights his way out, with former team member Zero tracking him. Logan takes refuge in the barn of an elderly couple who take him in for the night. Early the next day Zero murders the couple and attacks Logan with two humvees and a helicopter. Logan fights back and kills Zero and his soldiers.
Logan locates Wraith and Dukes and asks them about the location of Stryker's new laboratory, referred to as "The Island." Dukes, now severely obese, explains that Stryker is performing experiments on mutants, and that Victor is aiding him in capturing new subjects. One of them, Remy LeBeau ("Gambit"), escaped and hence knows the location of The Island. Wraith and Logan locate Gambit in New Orleans, and ask for the Island's location, but Gambit suspects Logan was sent to recapture him and attacks him. Meanwhile, Victor kills Wraith, after revealing he had already killed Dukes, and takes a sample of his blood for Stryker. Upon being thrown out of the building by Gambit and discovering the murder scene, Logan attacks Victor and, with his enhanced strength, almost kills him. However, Gambit interrupts the fight, allowing Victor to escape. After being convinced of Logan's intentions, Gambit takes him to Stryker's facility on Three Mile Island. There, Logan learns that Kayla is still alive and was conspiring with Stryker the whole time in exchange for her abducted sister's safety, but did not yet know that she still genuinely loved him. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Logan leaves, enraging Victor at being denied the chance to fight Logan that he wanted. When Victor demands the adamantium bonding promised for his service, Stryker refuses on the basis that he will not survive the procedure. A berserk Victor attempts to kill Kayla when she tries to persuade him Stryker has betrayed them both, but Logan hears her screams and returns. Logan easily defeats Victor and nearly kills him but stops when Kayla reminds him of his humanity. Logan then agrees to help Kayla free the imprisoned mutants.
Stryker activates his Weapon XI, a "mutant killer" super-soldier with the abilities of other mutants. Logan holds Weapon XI off while the escaped mutants flee. The mutants escape through the facility's tunnels, guided by a young blinded Scott Summers who is following a voice in his head. The party is greeted by Professor Charles Xavier, who offers them shelter at his school. Kayla, mortally wounded in the escape, decides to stay. Logan lures Weapon XI to fight on top of one of the plant's cooling towers, where he is almost killed until Victor arrives. Together, they battle Weapon XI and manage to decapitate him. Victor then departs, vowing to one day finish what they have started, and Logan is saved from the collapsing tower by Gambit. As Logan carries Kayla to safety, Stryker shoots Logan in the forehead with adamantium bullets, rendering him unconscious. He points the gun at Kayla but Kayla tells him by using her power of persuasion to walk until his feet bleed and then keep walking, refusing to order him to kill himself as that would make them no better than him, before dying from her injuries. Gambit returns, but the brain damage causes Logan not to remember anything. As the police and ambulances arrive, Gambit tries to convince Logan to come with him, but he declines, wanting to go his own way. Gambit and Logan run opposite ways as the emergency vehicles respond to the devastated cooling tower.

Where the Wild Things Are

We also saw this movie this last weekend. We were so disapointed by this movie. By the end of the movie we were all just stairing at the screen in devastation. I have included the Plot below, which should definatly be read before you see the movie because if you just watch it you will be confused. The movie had more to do with the costumes looking more like  the book then anything else. Anyone who has read the book will not like the movie but they may get a few more parts of the movie. By itself the movie does not make sence, points the director was trying to get across get left in the displacment of it all.

Max (Max Records) is a lonely boy with an active fantasy life. When his sister Claire's (Pepita Emmerichs) friends carelessly crush his snow fort in a snowball fight, and she doesn't do anything about it, he goes into a rage and makes a mess of her bedroom. When his mother Connie (Catherine Keener) invites her boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo) to dinner, Max throws a tantrum in which he bites her, and runs out of the house, still in the wolf costume he likes to wear. At the nearby seashore, he finds an abandoned sailboat, and sets out in it.
He eventually reaches an island, where he finds several large talking wild things, vaguely humanoid in shape with features resembling those of various animals:
Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini) - the most outspoken of the wild things

Ira and Judith (voiced by Forest Whitaker and Catherine O'Hara) - a couple

Alexander (voiced by Paul Dano) - a smaller goat-like thing who craves attention

Douglas (voiced by Chris Cooper) - Carol's birdlike sidekick

The Bull (voiced by Michael Berry, Jr.) - a quiet and intimidating beast who mostly keeps to himself

Carol is in the middle of a tantrum over the departure of K.W. (Lauren Ambrose) to be with other friends. Not understanding what's going on, Max tries to join in on the mayhem, but soon finds himself facing the suspicious anger of the entire tribe. Bluffing his way out, he convinces them that he is a great king with magical powers capable of bringing harmony to the group. They promptly crown him as their new king. K.W. returns, and Max declares a "wild rumpus", in which the wild things smash trees and tackle each other, ending with them all piling on one another, then going to sleep, with Max at the center of the pile.
Carol takes Max on a tour of his new kingdom, ending at a model Carol has built, of what he wishes the island looked like. Inspired by this, Max orders the construction of an enormous and fanastical fort, with Carol in charge of the construction. However, when K.W. brings her owl friends Bob and Terry to the fort, another argument arises, as Carol doesn't like them. Max's answer is to divide the tribe into "good guys" and "bad guys" for a dirt-clod fight as a distraction. But this only serves to increase tension between the wild things, and Alexander is physically hurt; K.W. leaves the group again.
Eventually, Max admits to Alexander that he is neither a king nor does he have magical powers. Alexander had suspected it all along, and warns Max to never let Carol know. But Max's secret is exposed to the whole group, and Carol goes wild, accidentally ripping Douglas' arm off, then chasing Max into the forest. Max is saved by K.W., who hides him from Carol in her stomach, then explains to him that their lives are already difficult, with Carol's tantrums only making it worse. Hearing this, Max finally understands what his mother is going through, and decides that it is time to leave the island. He looks for Carol, but only finds the model island, which Carol has destroyed, so Max leaves a token of affection for the wild thing to find. The other wild things escort Max to his boat, and he sets off for home. Carol arrives just in time to join his friends on the shore, and they all share one last group howl.
Max returns home, apparently just a short time after he left. He is embraced by his distraught mother, who happily watches and smiles as he hungrily eats dinner, before she falls fast asleep.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meetballs

I took the kids to see this movie last weekend, we loved it. We got to see it at the IMAX theater in 3D, which made it even better. It has a great story and lovable caracters.

Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) always wanted to invent something awesome. He grew up with his first invention being (Spray-on Shoes), which unfortunately imprisoned his feet for life, which led to people already making fun of him at a young age. As he grows, the rest of his experiments seem to have a downside to them as well, such as "The Flying Car", a television with legs, and "ratbirds." Flint believes he is a failure, but his mother Fran Lockwood (Lauren Graham) always believed he can succeed. However, she passed away later, leaving him with his father, Tim Lockwood (James Caan). Flint lives in a small island town called Swallow Falls, which is famous for sardines. However, when the town’s economy fell, it left the town in hard times, leaving sardines as the only food in Swallow Falls. Flint finally comes up with an invention that converts water into food called the Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator (FLDSMDFR for short), but he doesn’t have enough electricity to get it working. Tim discovers Flint's new failure and suggests he should quit working on experiments to work with him in his fishing shop. However, the next day Flint and his pet monkey, Steve (Neil Patrick Harris), who communicates with a thought translator, try to charge up the machine using the power station. Meanwhile, Mayor Shelbourne (Bruce Campbell) along with ‘Baby’ Brent (Andy Samberg), the towns' sardine celebrity mascot and Flint’s school bully, opens a new theme park called Sardine Land, in hopes it will make him largely recognized. Sam Sparks (Anna Faris), a weather intern from New York City has her big break reporting these events with her cameraman Manny (Benjamin Bratt). When Flint powers up the machine, the machine flies through the theme park and up into the air, causing maximum damage to Sardine Land right as it opens.
Humiliated, Flint flees to the docks where he meets Sam, while the sky starts to rain cheeseburgers from giant purple clouds all over the island. Flint finds it is the FLDSMDFR, which is still in the sky and takes Sam to his lab. He keeps her occupied by having her watch a video of a kitten and ducklings singing “Fight the Power” as he builds a communication device that allows him to send orders of food to the FLDSMDFR. People begin to praise Flint's invention and ask him for requests of food to rain down, like ice cream for the town’s cop, Earl’s, (Mr. T) son, Cal’s, (Bobb'e J. Thompson) birthday, and a giant Jell-O mold for Sam while on a date with her (of which Flint has a horrible time trying to ask her out on). He also builds a device that launches the leftovers on the ground behind a "nearly indestructible" dam, Mount Leftovers. The town is then renamed Chewandswallow and the mayor plans a grand re-opening of the town hoping the food weather will attract plenty of tourists, which will make him more recognizable than ever before.
While on a date with Sam, Flint discovers a lot about her, like her allergic reaction to peanuts, but more importantly that she was once a “nerd”. She was a “nerd” for the weather, and she wore her hair back and large glasses. She changed her look later in life, but Flint likes her the way she was, and Sam agrees to go out in public with the look. Right before leaving, Flint nervously (and awkwardly) tries to kiss Sam but gets interrupted by a phone call. The call is from Mayor Shelbourne, asking Flint to cut the ribbon at the town's grand re-opening. Afterwards, Flint runs into problems with his father, who can’t admit that he is proud of his son, and Flint storms off angry and disappointed. He then comes across giant hot dogs, realizing that the food is starting to rain in large quantities. Noting that the food molecules are mutating, Flint goes to turn off the FLDSMDFR, but the Mayor (who is now morbidly obese from all the food he ate) deceives him and says he shouldn’t and no one would like him anymore if he did. Flint, realizing this is the only time people weren't scolding him for a mishap, orders spaghetti for the next day’s menu for the tourist’s arrival to town at the grand re-opening.
The next day at the town's grand re-opening however, the spaghetti forms a twister, which proves that the food is starting to mutate. Flint goes to turn off the FLDSMDFR, but the Mayor is seen ordering a Vegas-style buffet, and accidentally destroys the communication device. Sam, using her weather computer tries warn the world through the news that a life threatening food storm will strike, but they disconnect her off the air at first for her "nerdy" appearance. Luckily she gets re-aired and warns everyone about the events that could destroy the world. Flint gives up believing he truly is a failure, but his father finally talks to him and encourages him to save the town. Flint puts a kill code in a USB Drive then builds “The Flying Car 2 with wings” and Steve, Sam, Manny, and ‘Baby’ Brent (Brent going along trying to find a new "self image" since his old one was destroyed after Flint became famous) give a chase to the FLDSMDFR, while the citizens and tourists build sandwich boats to escape to the sea.
The FLDSMDFR has formed a giant meatball around itself and Flint, Sam and Brent enter the meatball while Manny and Steve stay behind in the car. Flint loses the USB Drive on the way and calls his father to send the kill code to his cellular phone. Tim hesitantly enters Flint’s lab, and has trouble following through with what Flint told him. While finally sending him the kill code, Mount Leftovers collapses and covers the town with massive amounts of food, and it seems that Tim had been crushed, but he successfully pulls himself out and sends the kill code to Flint’s phone. Flint, Brent, and Sam then uncover sentient food which has gone under large mutations for it to be able to protect the FLDSMDFR on their own, and fight their way through giant man eating baked chickens. Brent is seemingly eaten by one, but is able to control the chicken and fight the rest off alone as his new self, 'Chicken' Brent. Flint and Sam then head off alone but Sam must leave Flint after having an allergic reaction to peanut brittle. Now alone, Flint encounters the FLDSMDFR, while Sam and Brent escape with Manny and Steve. Flint jams the phone into the machine to release the code, however it appears that Tim sent him the wrong document, the video of the kitten and ducklings singing “Fight the Power”. The FLDSMDFR fights back physically, but Flint covers the food extraction hole with his Spray-on Shoes spray. The FLDSMDFR and the meatball explode, and the purple clouds around the world disappear. At the town, which is covered by giant food, Sam, Steve, and Brent arrive unharmed. Seeing Flint is not with them, Tim and the other citizens mourn to Flint whom they believe is dead, but Flint returns unharmed, saved by the ratbirds he created.. His father finally admits his proud feelings and love to his son, and Flint and Sam finally kiss.
During the end credits sequence, Flint and everyone else enjoy their new life in a food paradise, renamed Chewandswallow 2. Tim and Flint open up a new business that uses Flint’s Spray-on Shoes spray to repair roofs, and the Mayor is arrested and jailed by Earl and Cal for his greedy behavior.

This one is great for the whole family!

The Proposal

I had been dieing to see this movie, all of my friends and family had seen it, so finally when it came out on DVD I rented it. I love this movie, it was funny and unpredictable, with a cute twist.

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is the executive editor-in-chief of a book publishing company, Colden Books. All of her workers, including her assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), hate her. She fires a senior editor, Bob Spaulding (Aasif Mandvi) because he is unable to get an author named Frank interviewed by Oprah. After learning she is being deported to Canada, she forces Andrew to marry her, as his future is tied to hers. When the government investigates, Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O'Hare) informs them that they will undergo rigorous testing to prove that the marriage is not fraudulent, after being notified by Bob Spaulding that this marriage might be a sham. Andrew grudgingly accepts the preposition of marrying Margaret, under the condition that he is promoted to the position of editor and his manuscript be published. He also forces Margaret to propose nicely to him on her knees in the streets of New York, and to allow him to tell his parents they are getting married.


The two are forced to spend the weekend with his parents in Sitka, Alaska in order to sell the lie, where they will be attending the 90th birthday party of Andrew's grandmother (Gammy) (Betty White). Margaret is very unreceptive of Alaska, and is furthermore shocked to learn that Andrew's family owns most of the business in Sitka. They attend a surprise party for them, where Andrew catches up with his ex-girlfriend, Gertrude "Gert" (Malin Akerman). After he is humiliated by his father, Joe Paxton (Craig T. Nelson), Andrew announces that he and Margaret are getting married. They are forced to kiss, and do so passionately, showing the first signs of respect for one another. Andrew's parents then show them their room, and Gammy gives them a special blanket (called baby-maker, which they avoid). Andrew and Margaret sleep separately - Andrew on the floor and Margaret in the bed.
The next morning, Margaret wakes to hear her phone ringing. After waking Andrew with her loud conversation, she goes outside to continue the conversation with Frank; however, the family dog, Kevin (a Samoyed puppy), follows her out of the house and is swooped up by an eagle. She gets Kevin back, but the eagle instead snatches her phone away. Andrew, after seeing the commotion, informs her that his mother Grace, herself and Gammy are going shopping and sightseeing; the shopping actually proves to be a male strip show by Ramone.
Margaret talks with Gert about Andrew, who tells her that they dated through college, and when Andrew asked her to elope with him, she didn't want to leave her home, and said no.
Meanwhile, Andrew confronts his father after he apologizes and asks him to take up the family business, telling him he's happy in New York. Margaret comes home and see Andrew venting his anger (after the conversation between him and his Father) by hitting an old wooden canoe agitatedly. She takes a shower, but finds no towels in the bathroom; when she tries to get one from the open wardrobe, she is stopped by Kevin. Andrew goes to the balcony of their room, stripping naked, to take a bath. Margaret, also naked, goes for a towel after distracting Kevin, only to bump into Andrew after slipping while shutting the door close so that Kevin would not escape from the bathroom. He sees her tattoo on her back before going to take a shower. That night, Andrew and Margaret reveal to each other a little about their past, and find out they like the same band. It was revealed here that Margaret was an orphan, and had no siblings.
Next morning, Joe and Grace knock at the door with breakfast. Andrew and Margaret hurriedly get into bed together, and the family suggest they could marry the same weekend, and they reluctantly accept. Andrew is stressed because the marriage is actually a sham, and Margaret tries to comfort and convince him, finding herself genuinely caring for him. To sort out her emotions, she goes for a bike ride into the woods, where she finds Gammy "giving thanks". Gammy invites her to join her, and they end up dancing to "Get Low", while Andrew watches.
Andrew takes her into Sitka to get Margaret's new phone, and she tries to contact New York. However, Gammy and Grace arrive and take Margaret to be fitted into a dress that Gammy's great grandmother made, and a necklace that's been in the Paxton family for generations. Margaret, who was now very touched, decided that she can't do this to Andrew, and she hijacks a boat and tries to explain, but she falls off after he takes the steering wheel (and she cannot swim and almost drowns, but manage to cling onto a floating buoy). Andrew goes back for her, and they return to his house. Once there, they find out Mr. Gilbertson has arrived to check on the couple, after Joe suspected that the marriage was a scam, and that Joe had came down to a deal with Mr. Gilbertson, who persuades them to admit the sham. Andrew vehemently denies and rushes out.
During the wedding ceremony, Margaret decides she cannot do this to Andrew and confesses the business arrangement in front of everyone - including Mr. Gilbertson - who informs her she has twenty four hours to get back to Canada. She returns to New York to pack her things. Andrew rushes to their room only to find she has already left leaving his manuscript with a note of praise from her on the bed. As he rushes out of the house to confront Margaret, another argument arises between Joe and Andrew. Gammy has a heart attack while trying to stop them and while being airlifted to the hospital. She convinced Joe and Andrew to quit arguing before she "passes away". Once they agree, Gammy reveals she had faked it, just so they would stop fighting and try to make it to the plane, to stop Margaret from going back to New York. Andrew attempts to stop Margaret's flight, but cannot do so in time. However, Andrew rushes to New York and shows up at the office before he confesses his love for Margaret in front of the entire office staff, proposing marriage all over again as he "wants to date Margaret". They go to Mr. Gilbertson once more to get engaged, this time "for real".
During the end credits, everyone including Andrew's family and Ramone is being interviewed by Mr. Gilbertson. And it's hinted that Ramone is an illegal immigrant, while Kevin, the dog, still has not got used to Margaret's presence.

Fast & Furious 2009

So what is this Fast & Furious 4 I think. There was Fast & Furious 1 that was cool, I think we all loved that one. Then 2 Fast - 2 Furious, that one was OK it all about the racing. Then Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift didn't like it. Now we got our peeps back and we are good.

I loved that all of the original people came back together for this one. It was a good movie with a good story line and good driving.

When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Connor. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.

I was both excited and saddened by the ending of this movie. (Dominic is tried for his crimes and, though Brian appealed to the courts on his behalf, is sentenced to "25 years to life without the possibility of early parole." The movie concludes with Brian, Mia, Tego, and Rico racing towards the prison bus transporting Dom to the Lompoc Penitentiary.) I was excited because I wanted them to get him out, but saddened because if they make yet another Fast and Furious Movie will they be able to bring back Dom, Mia, and Brian? Or are they going to fill it in with more BS?

Twilight The Movie 2008

TWILIGHT tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward, a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together... even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires. Their unorthodox romance puts her in physical danger when Edward's nemesis comes to town and sets his sights on Bella.
At first I didn't want to see this movie - just because I don't like following trends. Watching it is a very well thought out story and I can tell why all of the teenagers are drawn to the story. Who wouldn't be, a cute guy is obsessed with a girl he followers her around and saves her over and over again. They can't have the boring teenage relationship that is all about making out and getting hot and bothered. There is only real passion and the more they want each other the more they need to stay away from each other. Who wouldn't want that much less be able to watch it on the big screen?
Stephenie Meyer is my hero. Her writing style is so exquisite; it leaves you longing for the next moment. I love how she was able to come up with the phenomena we now call Twilight. This is her story: Stephenie Meyer's life changed dramatically on June 2, 2003. The stay-at-home mother of three young sons woke up from a dream featuring seemingly real characters that she could not get out of her head.
"Though I had a million things to do, I stayed in bed, thinking about the dream. Unwillingly, I eventually got up and did the immediate necessities, and then put everything that I possibly could on the back burner and sat down at the computer to write something I hadn't done in so long that I wondered why I was bothering."

Meyer invented the plot during the day through swim lessons and potty training, and wrote it out late at night when the house was quiet. Three months later she finished her first novel, Twilight. With encouragement from her older sister (the only other person who knew she had written a book), Meyer submitted her manuscript to various literary agencies. Twilight was picked out of a slush pile at Writer's House and eventually made its way to the publishing company Little, Brown where everyone fell immediately in love with the gripping, star-crossed lovers.
I as a writer could only hope for the same miracle. Just imagine waking up from a dream and writing it down and then that turning into a hit serious of books and movies. It obviously has happened to JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling and now Stephanie Meyers, if only I could be next. : )

Coraline The Movie 2009

So we rented Coraline this weekend and decided to watch the 3D side. I had talked about 3D movies a couple of months ago (or weeks) ago. So it turns out there are 2 different kinds. There is 3D - the one we are used to. The boring kind where you have to wear the cardboard glasses with 2 different colored eyes. Then there's RealD 3D - Which is the new really cool 3D like in the G-Force Movie. So of course this was 3D, well we only have RealD 3D glasses. They don't work on 3D movies, FYI. We were too lazy to get up and turn the DVD back over so we watched the fuzzy movie.

The movie is about a young girl who walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life - only much better. But when her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents (including Other Mother) try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home - and save her family.

The movie was ok, I loved the graphics, liked the cat, and the neighbors. What I couldn't stand was the girl’s attitude. She was a spoiled brat. I wish there had been a clearer lesson learned. I also think this movie would have been way better in RealD 3D, they should have waited.

 

District 9

So we went to the movies on Saturday. Since we had seen a little kid movie last weekend then I told the older kids I would take them to see a scary movie this weekend. They wanted to see District 9. From the previews it didn't look that bad so I bought the tickets.

The previews showed before the movie were all scary and things that I definitely would not want to go see. 'The Final Destination' ('Final Destination: Death Trip 3D') (2009) Why would you want to see a lot of teenagers stupidly trying to avoid death IN 3D, it's just to much. 'Saw VI' (2009) After the first 1 you've pretty much seen them all. I guess the first thing I should have told you was that I'm not a scary movie watcher. I'm a screamer, and a jumper, 2 things not good in movie theaters. Even at home it can be dangerous. My kids love to watch scary movies then trick me into watching certain parts as I pass through just so they can see me scream and jump. They think it's hilarious.

And Now Back To The Movie.....
So the movie starts and it begins with interviews of people with English accents. They are talking about a space ship that landed. Taking an obvious metaphor for apartheid as a mere jumping-off point, District 9 is set in Blomkamp's hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa, where 20 years earlier a spaceship appeared above the city and mysteriously stopped. Humans "rescued" the starving alien creatures inside it and rounded them up in an area called District 9, which quickly morphed into a slum where Nigerian gangsters prey off the aliens, given the derogatory but accurate nickname "prawns."

The time has finally come for the government agency/weapons manufacturer MNU to relocate District 9 further from the city, and put in charge of the operation is bureaucratic dweeb Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a guy who married the boss's daughter and has spent the rest of his life happily pushing pencils in a larger-than-average cubicle. As he serves eviction notices to the prawns who live in the assorted shacks, Wikus takes delight in firebombing alien eggs and wielding his authority like a particularly obnoxious weapon. With lots of alien weapons that only work with Alien DNA. But when he comes afoul of a mysterious substance cooked up by an alien named, for some reason, Christopher Johnson, Wikus almost immediately begins a transformation into the world's first human-alien hybrid. After the government initially tries to slice him up for research and weapons development, Wikus escapes and takes refuge in the only hiding place he has left: District 9.

Not only do the "Aliens" look and act like cockroaches, but they talk by clicking. Somehow humans have learned their language and they have learned some English. The part that I didn't get the most was how do alien beings from another planet build a ginormous space ship and travel across space if they are dumber than humans?

This was definitely a guy movie. If I hadn't gotten the tickets for free I would have definitely wanted my money back.

G-Force

So we finally got to go to the movies it seems like it's been forever. Buying a house can really take up all your time and money.

They are playing G-Force down at the Edwards Theater in 3D. Wow have they come along way with 3D since the last movie I've seen. All of the previews were in 3D the entire G-Force movie was done in 3D, it was really cool.

The movie was very action packed. I loved the way they made all of the animals look so real even really close up. Tapped for the G-Force are guinea pigs Darwin (voice of Sam Rockwell), the squad leader determined to succeed at all costs; Blaster (voice of Tracy Morgan), an outrageous weapons expert with tons of attitude and a love for all things extreme; and Juarez (voice of Penelope Cruz) a sexy martial arts pro; plus the literal fly-on-the-wall reconnaissance expert, Mooch, and a star-nosed mole, Speckles (voice of Nicolas Cage), the computer and information specialist. Along the way, the G-Force encounters myriad other members of the animal kingdom, including pet shop layabout Hurley (voice of Jon Favreau) and the rabidly territorial hamster Bucky (voice of Steve Buscemi). My favorite guinea pig was the girl, Agent Juarez. She kicked butt.

I can't wait for all of the other 3D movies to come out.
They are re-releasing Toy Story 1 & 2 in 3D, coming out October, 2009.
There will be a new movie called Astroboy in 3D coming out October 2009.
Planet 51 in 3D (looks like it will be a cute kids movie) will be coming out in time for the Thanksgiving weekend this year.
Avatar 3D coming out the beginning of December.
They did a remake of A Christmas Carol in 3D animation that looks soo good, coming out in November, 2009. Jim Carrey is going to be the voice of Scrooge and the past, present, future ghosts. It's one of those stories that some people need to learn over and over again. Everyone knows at least one scrooge each Christmas.

Failure to Launch

Now I love any movie with Matthew McConaughey in it (Especially if he has his shirt off.)
This movie has a great point there are way too many men still living at home.

I was kicked out when I was 18 and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. My brother on the other hand lived at home till he was 28 and still can’t handle living alone, or his finances. My ex husband the minute his girlfriend threw him out he moved back in with his parents and still lives with them today along with his brother. Why are parents putting up with this crap? I could see if it was a single Mom and the son was helping out with the bills, but most of the time these guys don’t even have jobs. If they do have jobs then there hording there money and still living off there parents.

So the movie says that they have self esteem issues. I think that’s bull crap; I think that they are taking the easy way out and not dealing with life. Life is paying the bills and finding shelter (ie. House, Apt, Roommate) feeding our selves. I have a friend that the minute he got divorced moved back in with his Mom and says he can’t help with any of the bills because all his money goes to child support he’s 47 years old. Then there’s the old oh he’s saving up to move out. Give me a break to move into an apartment it takes $400 – it doesn’t take 10 years to save $400.

I love that they had the movie end happily, hopefully the era of men being idiot losers will end well too.

Escape to Witch Mountain (1975 vs. 2009)

The original movie escape to witch mountain that came out in 1975 was a very good movie for the time. It had a great story line and a really cool adventure. You have two little kids who are trying to figure out where they came from. While they are learning that society doesn’t except that they have powers. Then running from a rich guy who is obsessed with knowing the future; who wants to lock them up so they never leave him. They are lucky enough to run into a grumpy awesome guy who wants to help them get home.

In the 2009 version of escape to witch mountain wow they totally redid the story line. Now we have 2 aliens that talk funny (like there robots) you have a fierce alien killer hunting the teens to kill them. They happen to run into a funny cab driver who is sucked into helping them.

The only reason that I didn’t walk out of the movie theater was because of the Rock (Also I just don’t walk out of a movie that I had to pay $38 to see.) If it wasn’t for his character then the entire movie would have sucked. My 13 yr old was not impressed either. My 7 yr old actually loved the 1975 version.

If I had to pick a favorite then I would defiantly pick the original. If they wanted to make a perfect Escape from witch mountain 2 then they would have the rock find and bring home the rest of the kids that had been missing in the first one.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

A great movie. At first I didn't want to watch it because I thought it would be another one of those movies that is totally unbelievable and is set so far back that you just can't grasp the era.

I was wrong about the believable and right about the era. The movie actually made you believe it was possible for a man to be born old and grow young. It was set in the perfect small town, with great believable characters. I admit I cried at the beginning because it was sad I oh'd in the middle because I was excited and I cried at the end because it was so beautiful the way the story turned around. The part I didn't care for was the storm going on in the hospital while the daughter was reading the story to her dieing mother. It just didn't make since.

The era thing was right. This should have been a time right after or during slavery. So the plot of a black woman running a senior center was a little off. Where they got the money to keep the house up was never mentioned. I know that in the 50's having children out of wedlock was forbidden so all of those people running around back then and not married was a little hard to swallow also.

All in All it was a great movie - I would recommend it.