Movie Reviews

Watched a film titled the Illusionist.  This is set in late 19th century Vienna.  According to the Netflix blub. The Illusionist with his eye on a beautiful aristocrat, a gifted illusionist uses his powers to win her away from her betrothed, a cruel prince.  But the magician's scheme soon creates tumult within the monarchy and stirs suspicion of a dogged inspector.  

Well crafted very talented but not a well known cast.  If you magic acts this is a great movie.

Surf's Up was a cute and clever animated movie. It was done in the style of a documentary...about surfing penguins!

    

Just finished watching Today's Special. This is an indie film for lack of a better term and the blub on the dust jacket from Netflix doesn't do it justice. Here's the plot according to the dust jacket. After he is passed over for promotion, haute cusine sou chef Omar? quits his job to pursue his dream of cooking in Paris. A family emergency forces him to take over his family's shabby Indian restaurant in Queens.

There is more to the movie than that. A little romance, little magic and he comes to find out that everything you truly desire is in your own backyard, you just have to remember your roots.      

An American Tail is a touching and beautiful movie and Fievel is one of the most adorable main characters ever in a movie.

     

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West had a better villian but it got a bit too silly at times. Guns are also very out of place in G rated movies.

   

Finally saw the Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug.......it was good but it ended on a cliffhanger! AARRGGHH!!!

Well there milking that thing for all it's worth. It was a short novel for pity's sake.

Just finished watching Mark of Zorro. With Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone. Love the old movies. The photograph was fabulous and the color was just astounding. The best part about is that it didn't depend on special effects to drive it, some great stunt work but basically everything was done on a sound stage. It took me a while to recognize Rathbone. Did not look like Sherlock Holmes.      

Ernest & Celestine was a very cute animated movie from France. I watched the English dub. It looked like a watercolor painting and had a very sweet story about a friendship between a mouse and a bear.


  

Just finished watching Despicable Me. I think it had a plot I'm not sure but it was clever and good fun for a Monday night when there is nothing worth watching on T.V. The animation was excellent. I first saw this on t.v and thought it worth a revisit. Glad I did.      

Saw the Robocop remake on Saturday......it was good!  Better than the original, more believable.  I hope they can make a sequel as long as they had a decent storyline.  
I'm giving it         Not only were the effects very good, lots of action (as to be expected with this kind of movie) but the story itself was good. The actors did a great job IMHO.

Not exactly movies, but I spent last evening watching several two-reel silent shorts on TCM. They often have silent films on Sunday evenings. For the first time in YEARS I saw Two Tars with Laurel & Hardy - HYSTERICAL! Followed by a Harold Lloyd "thrill comedy" which was quite thrilling - that guy did some wild stunts, that's for sure! Lastly, I watched a Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle short with Buster Keaton. Very funny indeed! I got a little tired of the silent genre after an hour and a half, and didn't watch the two Charlie Chaplin shorts that followed. I had seen one, The Gold Rush, many times before. It was a fun diversion from the norm.

I love watching Harold Lloyd at times. I have a lot of his stuff on vhs off TCM when they had a marathon a few years back.

Have two movies to watch over the weekend: Gravity and Old Boy. Will have to let you know what we think.

Over The Hedge is a cute and funny movie. I am so glad they did not turn it into a franchise. I have not seen it since I saw it in the movies.

     

I've seen that. Actually I watched it twice. One was when they ran it on tv and didn't like it. Then my next neighbor commented that she thought it was cute. So I gave it a second chance and it was four popcorns.

DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp packed a lot of fun and adventure in its short running time. It predates Aladdin by two years and that is the superior magic lamp movie by far.

    

Just finished the Book Thief. The blurb from Netflix doesn't do it justice and the only two names I recognized was Emily Watson and John Williams, who composed the soundtrack. I highly recommend this film. I can't describe how powerful it was.

Saw Thor: the Dark World over the weekend at Brads. Pretty good movie but a surprise twist at the very end. Made us go "what the h*ll".....

I watched Malifecent over the weekend. I enjoyed it very much. The evil fairy is not so evil after all. How could she be, she's Aaaaaaangelina Jolie LOL

I'll put that one on my list.

Anyone here ever see Blankman? My mom has it in her collection so we watched that for our Saturday night movie night at Brads. Funny! Kinda a spoof of superhero movies. Brad gives it

Just finished watching 12 Years a Slave. All I can is it will rock you you in all sorts of ways. Great cast, Brad Pitt is in along with the guy who did Khan in the most recent Star Trek. Incredible film with a powerful sound track.

I put this in the wrong section before!

I have been wanting to see the animated version of The Return of the King for many years. I found out they finally re-relased it on DVD two months ago. I ordered it from the library. I am glad I got to see it for free--it wasn't that good. Aragorn-the King of the title-was barely even in it and they made Pippin look like a monkey!

Watched Mists of Avalon, this ran as a mini series several years ago and I caught it piece meal. I recommend it if one you like the Arthurian Legend and two sword and sorcery. The two go hand in hand. The three leads were Anjelica Huston, she was Viviane, the Lady of the Lake. Julianna Margulies, was Morgaine and Joan Allen was Morguese. It's the Arthurian legend from the woman's point of view. Great supporting British cast, production values and a not to shabby sound track.

I want to change my rating for An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. I gave it three popcorn but I am changing  it to 

Duma is a wonderful family movie. I saw it once before. A boy goes on a journey to return his pet cheetah to the wild.

I agree.