Phantom (Exclusive interview with myself)

How did you like the movie?

It started out a little cheesy, but it turned into a decent movie.  It was good, but I feel something was missing.  I think it needed a little more suspense.

I hear it was based on an actual event.  Is that true?

It was a good fictional story was sparked by the finding of a missing submarine.  I think this is how rumors spread.  I always love these types of movies.  (Except for Moth Man Prophecies, it still gives me nightmares).

What did you know about the movie before you watched it?

That it was about a submarine and Ed Harris was haunted by demons from his past.  Enough so I knew it wasn't a horror movie.  You never know with a name like Phantom.  What would have been good to know was that this was a Russian sub.

You didn't know the story was about a Russian sub and crew?

No.

Couldn't you tell by their uniforms?

No.  I just thought they were an old style from 1968.  I don't have a military background. Also it didn't help that Ed Harris and everyone else acted and spoke like Americans.   A little accent or singing of a Russian song at the beginning would be a good clue. 

How long until you figured it out?

About a quarter way through the movie I got suspicious when they were saying how vodka was a more patriotic drink. 

Overall would you recommend this movie to others?

Yes.  If you are a history buff or love war/naval movies this one is for you.  

Movie Review - Safe Haven

If you like romantic comedies that’s not enough to save this one.  Went to see this with Anne, Maryellen (2 romantic comedy fans), Marie and TJ.  The best moments of the movie was hearing Anne and Maryellen’s comments to each other. 

The premise of this movie: a girl runs away from someone (you don’t know who exactly at first and I’m not going to spoil this awesome plot).  She lands in a small town, her safe haven.  She meets a man, Josh Duhmel, and falls in love.  Of course her past catches up to her and it becomes the not so safe haven, with Josh Duhmel promising he will keep her safe.  It’s every romantic comedy lover’s dream….except it didn’t deliver.

Could it be TJ’s observation that Josh Duhmel looked about 20 years older than Julianne Hough, or was it just because it was boring?  I think Maryellen put it best: What kind of movie was that supposed to be, anyway? Romance from her developing relationship?  Feel good for her making a family brought down whole again? Thriller because of her potential getaway/chase? Supernatural/sci-fi? [you have to watch it to understand that last part]. 

Now what were the best parts of the movie? 

1.   Anne and Maryellen’s continuous comments about her hair transformations, which lead to a 20 minute discussion after the movie.  I mean it was impossible for her to leave, change her hair from black to blond with perfect highlights and cut perfectly and then get on a bus. 

2.   Anne freaking out each time the man chasing her was getting near.  I wanted to turn to her and say, if he doesn’t get there this movie is going to be super boring. 

3.   The junior mints I had as a snack during the movie. 

All in all, skip the movie, you can get junior mints at Walgreens.  

Movie Review - 21 and Over

Did you like The Hangovers, project X, Harold and Kumar, well then you will like this one.  Let's see if we can find some similarities.  This one is set in college.  (Very original setting there, hasn’t been done).  2 guys surprise their best friend from high school, Jeff Chang, for his 21st birthday.  They walk in on Jeff Chang and his dad, who hates the boys. His dad warns them that Jeff has a very important med school interview tomorrow (just like Harold). 

Of course the guys go out and get drunk (all of the above movies).  Jeff Chang passes out and the guys don't remember where he lives.  They then find themselves traveling around campus getting into different funny and awkward situations (The Hangover and Harold and Kumar).  At one point they lose Jeff Chang (The Hangover) and everything keeps escalating to get him back to his house on time (all of the above movies).  These are just a few of the similarities; I'll let you find the rest.

All in all this was a laugh out loud and overall fun movie.  I was laughing hysterically at times, while trying not to throw up at others.  If you are in the mood for this type of movie, you won't be disappointed.  

Bullet to the Head

Ok, I'm going to keep this one short.  A good subtitle for this movie would be Captain Obvious.  If you like everything you see on screen, and the conclusions in the plot that you reached easily on your own, spoken out loud to you, then you will like this movie.  And if you want to guess how almost everyone dies...yep, they were shot in the head.     

Now some of you will go see this movie despite my warning. I mean it does promise a Stallone action movie.  It does have a few funny spots now and then.   Like when they cycle through Stallone's mug shots and they're pictures of him from his younger years.  See if you can pick out the one from Rocky.  Christian Slaytor's (yes he's in this movie) interrogation was entertaining.  It may even lead to a new drinking game...take a shot when someone gets shot in the head.

Skip this one.

Jack Reacher

So I learned in line for this movie that the character Jack Reacher in the books is around 6'5" and 260 lbs, so naturally you would cast Tom Cruise.  Despite the physical description discrepancy he was a really good choice.   

Going into this movie all I knew is that Tom Cruise kicks some ass, and that he did.  Jack Reacher is ex-army and he finds himself investigating a mass murder.  The movie had just the right mix of action and comedy, with a few cheesy dramatic close-ups of Tom Cruise thrown in.  Oh and Tom Cruise is hot in this movie, someone went to the gym.

I saw this movie with Maryellen and Jack (no relation to the main character).  They are not the biggest Tom Cruise fans, but they liked this movie.  It was very enjoyable.  One of my favorite parts was the car chase.  (Really, an action movie had a car chase, unbelievable).  What was different about this chase is it wasn't your James Bond, Bourne Identity perfect chase scene.  When you drive a rear wheeled car in a chase scene it should fishtail.  If you or I got into a car chase this is what it could look like (well maybe not me, I don't often drive that fast).  

A Late Quartet

This movie, beautifully done by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener and Daniel Lerner, tells the story of a quartet who is entering its 25th season on tour.  The wonderful cast gives you a behind the scenes look at the music, their craft and their lives.

 I think that this movie touched me a little more than I originally thought it would, because my mom is a musician and she has her own string quartet/trio.  Though her work is mainly for weddings and events and not traveling on tour, I understood the music world the characters lived in. When the first violin case opened I could smell the wood, bow and rosin even though I haven't been by an actual violin in years.  

I kept thinking my mom should see this movie, in fact this came at the most opportune time - right before her birthday.  I know she would point out how some detail in the playing is off, because that is what she does.  I think she will appreciate how they have conversations about how the music should be played, when to use an up bow or the moment of selecting a new violin.  

As TJ says it was a nice picture of how life moves and transcends and how one event effects those who surround you.  TJ wasn't fully satisfied with the movie, because the ending wasn't clearly defined.  It left a little up to your imagination, and in TJs world there was not enough closure for him.  

Chasing Mavericks

Oh I hope this one is going to be marketed as a kids movie.  It's supposed to be that inspirational movie similar to Dolphin Tale that you get goosebumps at the end if it.  Unfortunately that was lost in cheesiness.  Many times I started laughing, but not funny laughing.  More of that oh how embarrassing for you laughter.  

It's a shame, because it is a good story.  You have a kid who learns how to surf.  He cares for his mother who has struggled through life.  Then you have a boy-father type figure relationship that develops from learning how to ride an insanely large wave.  It's one of those stories that you want to succeed.  Go in with low expectations and enjoy the surfing scenes.  

Overall lessons learned-if u are a daredevil, you might not make it out alive.