The Nanny Diaries tells the story of the emotional and humorous journey of Annie Braddock (Scarlett Johansson), a young woman from a working-class neighborhood in New Jersey, struggling to understand her place in the world. Fresh out of college, she gets tremendous pressure from her nurse mother to find a respectable position in the business world although Annie would prefer to trade in her blackberry for an anthropologist's field diary. Through a serendipitous meeting, Annie ends up in the elite and ritualistic culture of Manhattan's Upper East Side -- as remote from Annie's suburban New Jersey upbringing as life in an Amazon tribal village. Choosing to duck out of real life, Annie accepts the position as a nanny for a wealthy family, referred to as simply "the X's." She quickly learns that life is not very rosy on the other side of the tax bracket, as she must cater to the every whim of Mrs. X (Laura Linney) and her precocious son Grayer, while attempting to avoid the formidable Mr. X (Paul Giamatti). Life becomes even more complicated when Annie falls for a Park Avenue guy (Chris Evans), and she's forced to explore her identity as never before.
I had read the book for this movie and had really liked it due to my experience working in day care. It really captures that whole absent parent thing incredibly well. This movie was basically Devil Wears Prada meets day care. At one point, I even noticed one of the extras reading a copy of Devil Wears Prada. Weird. Anywho - I enjoyed this movie. I loved the narration throughout the movie and the way that they were comparing society to exhibits in a museum was great. Laura Linney is awesome as always and this was one of Johansson's better roles I think.
I would recommend checking this movie out. As the summer winds down, this will probably be one of the more enjoyable movies out there as the studios bombard us with a bunch of rancid turds.
Mr. Bean's Holiday
In his latest misadventure, Mr. Bean goes on holiday to the French Riviera and becomes ensnared in a European adventure of cinematic proportions. Tired of the dreary, wet London weather, Bean packs up his suitcase and camcorder to head to Cannes for some sun on the beach. But his trip doesn't go as smoothly as he had hoped when the bumbling Bean falls face first into a series of mishaps and fortunate coincidences, far-fetched enough to make his own avant-garde film. Wrongly thought to be both kidnapper and acclaimed filmmaker, he has some serious explaining to do after wreaking havoc across the French countryside and arriving at his vacation spot with a Romanian filmmaker's precocious son and an aspiring actress in tow.
I was always a big fan of the Mr. Bean show. Rowan Atkinson's physical humor is priceless. This movie was like a big, drawn out episode show. There were a couple of really big belly laughs, but also moments of total blahness. WW and I still enjoyed it and the future steppie and "niece" seemed to like it even more than we did. I guess that would count as a vote for kids liking it.
I'd half-heartedly recommend this movie. If you liked the show - you'll like the movie, but there are some pretty cruddy dead spots throughout the movie. It would probably serve better as a rental.
I was always a big fan of the Mr. Bean show. Rowan Atkinson's physical humor is priceless. This movie was like a big, drawn out episode show. There were a couple of really big belly laughs, but also moments of total blahness. WW and I still enjoyed it and the future steppie and "niece" seemed to like it even more than we did. I guess that would count as a vote for kids liking it.
I'd half-heartedly recommend this movie. If you liked the show - you'll like the movie, but there are some pretty cruddy dead spots throughout the movie. It would probably serve better as a rental.
The Invasion
The mysterious crash of the space shuttle leads to the terrifying discovery that there is something alien within the wreckage. Those who come in contact with it are changing in ominous and inexplicable ways. Soon Washington, DC psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) and her friend, Dr. Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig), learn the shocking truth about the growing extraterrestrial epidemic: it attacks its victims while they sleep, leaving them physically unchanged but strangely unfeeling and inhuman. As the infection spreads, more and more people are altered and it becomes impossible to know who can be trusted. Now Carol's only hope is to stay awake long enough to find her young son, who may hold the key to stopping the devastating invasion.
This movie was basically a remake of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. It was also one of those movies that was just kind of there. It wasn't horrible. It wasn't great. It was watchable even though at no point did you not totally know what was going to happen next. One would also wonder why Nicole Kidman would bother with this movie because its not like it mattered or not that she was in it or that she brought anything special to the movie in any way. It could have been a nobody playing the role and the movie would have been just as watchable.
I wouldn't ravingly recommend this movie to anyone. If this kind of movie is your cup o' tea, then go check it out. If not - don't.
This movie was basically a remake of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. It was also one of those movies that was just kind of there. It wasn't horrible. It wasn't great. It was watchable even though at no point did you not totally know what was going to happen next. One would also wonder why Nicole Kidman would bother with this movie because its not like it mattered or not that she was in it or that she brought anything special to the movie in any way. It could have been a nobody playing the role and the movie would have been just as watchable.
I wouldn't ravingly recommend this movie to anyone. If this kind of movie is your cup o' tea, then go check it out. If not - don't.
Rush Hour 3
Rush Hour 3 sees the beloved action comedy duo of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan reprising their roles as LAPD Detective James Carter and Chinese Chief Inspector Lee respectively. This time around, the two must travel to Paris to battle a wing of the Chinese organized crime family, the Triads.
Every once and a while a sequel comes out where the movie studio basically decided that nothing really matters production or script wise and that they can just throw the characters that we like up on the screen for an hour and a half and we will all go plunk our money down and watch whatever the characters we know will do and say while they make hundreds of millions of dollars. Think Men In Black 2. Well, Rush Hour 3 is totally one of those sequels. I don't even think that they had a script for this movie. I think that they just filmed Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan doing whatever they wanted knowing that we would all pay to watch regardless. This was not a "good" movie by any means. However, I happen to think that Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are absolutely hilarious! I am also a HUGE fan of any movie that shows you the bloopers during the end credits and few things have ever made me laugh harder than the bloopers on all three Rush Hour movies.
If you find Tucker and Chan funny like I do, you will like this movie and I recommend it even though this really isn't a well done movie. If you don't - stay far, far away because you will think it is some of the worst money you've ever spent.
Every once and a while a sequel comes out where the movie studio basically decided that nothing really matters production or script wise and that they can just throw the characters that we like up on the screen for an hour and a half and we will all go plunk our money down and watch whatever the characters we know will do and say while they make hundreds of millions of dollars. Think Men In Black 2. Well, Rush Hour 3 is totally one of those sequels. I don't even think that they had a script for this movie. I think that they just filmed Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan doing whatever they wanted knowing that we would all pay to watch regardless. This was not a "good" movie by any means. However, I happen to think that Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are absolutely hilarious! I am also a HUGE fan of any movie that shows you the bloopers during the end credits and few things have ever made me laugh harder than the bloopers on all three Rush Hour movies.
If you find Tucker and Chan funny like I do, you will like this movie and I recommend it even though this really isn't a well done movie. If you don't - stay far, far away because you will think it is some of the worst money you've ever spent.
Stardust
Stardust takes audiences on an adventure that begins in a village in England and ends up in places that exist in an imaginary world. A young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) tries to win the heart of Victoria (Sienna Miller) by going on a quest to retrieve a fallen star. His journey takes him to a mysterious and forbidden land beyond the walls of his village. On his odyssey, Tristan finds the star, which has transformed into a striking girl named Yvaine (Claire Danes). However, Tristan is not the only one seeking the star. A king's (Peter O'Toole) four living sons – not to mention the ghosts of their three dead brothers – all need the star as they vie for the throne. Tristan must also overcome the evil witch, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), who needs the star to make her young again. As Tristan battles to survive these threats, encountering a pirate named Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) and a shady trader named Ferdy the Fence (Ricky Gervais) along the way, his quest changes. He must now win the heart of the star for himself as he discovers the meaning of true love.
This was a really great fantasy movie. I've always been a big fan of movies like The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, and The Dark Crystal. This was a movie like those. It had some really funny moments, great fight scenes, and very well developed central characters. The only knock that I can really make against it is that it drags a bit at the beginning and that it may be tough for kids to keep their attention through that part (the future steppies ended up bailing to go watch The Simpsons movie because of this). However, once Tristan meets up with the star and they start travelling, the movie is great, fun entertainment.
I very strongly recommend everyone checking this one out. Those of you with children, be sure to remember that it is a little tedious for the first half hour or so.
This was a really great fantasy movie. I've always been a big fan of movies like The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, and The Dark Crystal. This was a movie like those. It had some really funny moments, great fight scenes, and very well developed central characters. The only knock that I can really make against it is that it drags a bit at the beginning and that it may be tough for kids to keep their attention through that part (the future steppies ended up bailing to go watch The Simpsons movie because of this). However, once Tristan meets up with the star and they start travelling, the movie is great, fun entertainment.
I very strongly recommend everyone checking this one out. Those of you with children, be sure to remember that it is a little tedious for the first half hour or so.
The Bourne Ultimatum
All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne is now hunted by the people who made him what he is. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, he is undeterred by the barrage of bullets and a new generation of highly-trained killers. Bourne has only one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. Now, in the new chapter of this espionage series, Bourne will hunt down his past in order to find a future. He must travel from Moscow, Paris, Madrid and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to find the real Jason Bourne--all the while trying to outmaneuver the scores of cops, federal officers and Interpol agents with him in their crosshairs.
I love the Bourne movies. They are those types of amazing stuntwork action movies. There's no heavy duty special effects. Its just straight up tension from start to finish with some of the slickest looking fight and chase scenes. This one is just like the previous two except I found myself enjoying it more because I already knew who the characters were and they didn't have to spend all the character development time that would usually be necessary. This movie was very smart, tight, and action packed. The way that it was filmed made you feel all tense and what not even when the characters were just having conversations. It was a great summer movie.
I fully recommend everyone checking this movie out. It is well worth the price of admission and worth the trip.
I love the Bourne movies. They are those types of amazing stuntwork action movies. There's no heavy duty special effects. Its just straight up tension from start to finish with some of the slickest looking fight and chase scenes. This one is just like the previous two except I found myself enjoying it more because I already knew who the characters were and they didn't have to spend all the character development time that would usually be necessary. This movie was very smart, tight, and action packed. The way that it was filmed made you feel all tense and what not even when the characters were just having conversations. It was a great summer movie.
I fully recommend everyone checking this movie out. It is well worth the price of admission and worth the trip.
Hot Rod
Self-proclaimed stuntman Rod Taylor is preparing for the jump of his life. Rod plans to clear fifteen buses in an attempt to raise money for his abusive stepfather Frank's life-saving heart operation. He'll land the jump, get Frank better, and then fight him, hard.
This might have honestly been one of the stupidest movies I've ever seen. That being said - I found myself laughing my a$$ off at numerous points throughout it. This movie reminded me a lot of Napolean Dynamite. It was by no means a good movie or even a straight forward comedy, but you can't help laughing at how silly and stupid the things are that are going on up there on the screen. There was one scene in the movie where Rod had to go to his quiet place and they did a spoof on Kevin Bacon having to "dance it out" from Footloose. I thought I was going to wet my pants.
I really don't know how to recommend this movie. Its not a good movie. Its actually a complete waste of time watching something this stupid. However, you might end up totally loving wasting your time. Its simply one of those movies in the mold of Napolean Dynamite, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, The Last Dragon, etc. You all know that you've watched them and enjoyed them and have no idea why. Don't make that face at the computer!
This might have honestly been one of the stupidest movies I've ever seen. That being said - I found myself laughing my a$$ off at numerous points throughout it. This movie reminded me a lot of Napolean Dynamite. It was by no means a good movie or even a straight forward comedy, but you can't help laughing at how silly and stupid the things are that are going on up there on the screen. There was one scene in the movie where Rod had to go to his quiet place and they did a spoof on Kevin Bacon having to "dance it out" from Footloose. I thought I was going to wet my pants.
I really don't know how to recommend this movie. Its not a good movie. Its actually a complete waste of time watching something this stupid. However, you might end up totally loving wasting your time. Its simply one of those movies in the mold of Napolean Dynamite, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, The Last Dragon, etc. You all know that you've watched them and enjoyed them and have no idea why. Don't make that face at the computer!
Underdog
After an accident in the mysterious lab of maniacal scientist Dr. Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage), an ordinary beagle unexpectedly finds himself with unimaginable powers and the ability to speak. Armed with a fetching superhero costume, Underdog (voiced by comedian Jason Lee) vows to protect the beleaguered citizens of Capitol City and, in particular, one beautiful spaniel named Polly Purebread. When a sinister plot by Barsinister and his overgrown henchman Cad (Patrick Warburton) threatens to destroy Capitol City only Underdog can save the day.
This was a great movie for kids. Big laughs for them and not a really complicated story or anything. The parents taking the kids might not enjoy it quite as much though. The only thing that I really loved about this movie was the voice of Jason Lee as Underdog. I think that he's hilarious and has awesome punchline delivery. Anyone who isn't watching My Name Is Earl on a weekly basis really should go out of their way to fit it in. Peter Dinklage (the small person author from Elf) was pretty good . . . . . you really can't go wrong with flying midgets - Cinco likey mucho! . . . . . as was Patrick Warburton. Unfortunately for the adults though, this movie was cornified a little too much and is targeted directly for the kids.
I would strongly recommend anyone who has kids checking this bad boy out. You adults will have a few chuckles. However, if you don't have kids and want to see it just because of how you were an old school Underdog fan - keep your expectations low, peoples.
This was a great movie for kids. Big laughs for them and not a really complicated story or anything. The parents taking the kids might not enjoy it quite as much though. The only thing that I really loved about this movie was the voice of Jason Lee as Underdog. I think that he's hilarious and has awesome punchline delivery. Anyone who isn't watching My Name Is Earl on a weekly basis really should go out of their way to fit it in. Peter Dinklage (the small person author from Elf) was pretty good . . . . . you really can't go wrong with flying midgets - Cinco likey mucho! . . . . . as was Patrick Warburton. Unfortunately for the adults though, this movie was cornified a little too much and is targeted directly for the kids.
I would strongly recommend anyone who has kids checking this bad boy out. You adults will have a few chuckles. However, if you don't have kids and want to see it just because of how you were an old school Underdog fan - keep your expectations low, peoples.
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