My Sister's Keeper

Sara and Brian Fitzgerald's life with their young son and their two-year-old daughter, Kate, is forever altered when they learn that Kate has leukemia. The parents' only hope is to conceive another child, specifically intended to save Kate's life. For some, such genetic engineering would raise both moral and ethical questions; for the Fitzgeralds, Sara in particular, there is no choice but to do whatever it takes to keep Kate alive. And what it takes is Anna.Kate (Sofia Vassilieva) and Anna (Abigail Breslin) share a bond closer than most sisters: though Kate is older, she relies on her little sister--in fact, her life depends on Anna.Throughout their young lives, the sisters endure various medical procedures and hospital stays--just another part of their close-knit family's otherwise normal life. Sara (Cameron Diaz), a loving wife and mother who left her career as an attorney to care for her daughter, is sometimes lost inside the single-minded caregiver she has become in her efforts to save Kate. Her strong, supportive husband, Brian (Jason Patric), is often rendered powerless and passive by his wife's strength and determination. And their only son, Jesse (Evan Ellingson), drifts, at times all but forgotten as Kate and Anna take center stage.Until Anna, now 11, says "no." Seeking medical emancipation, she hires her own lawyer (Alec Baldwin), initiating a court case that divides the family and that could leave Kate's rapidly failing body in the hands of fate.

I watched about 20 - 30 minutes of this movie while at work the last two shifts. From what I saw, the performances all seemed pretty solid and it showed all the different fractures that a family can make when going through things like what is shown in the movie. I'm sure that overall its a pretty good movie. I just don't for the life of me understand how anyone can watch it. It was possibly the saddest 20 - 30 minutes of my life. It was just downright gut wrenching. This is just an all out assault on your heart and tear ducts. The only good thing that came from watching the brief parts of this movie emotionally was that I realized that things could be so much worse.

So I guess that if you are down in the dumps about your life you should go check this one out. It will definitely help you get your head out of your ass. Outside of that - its really just two hours of your life spent crying.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) again joins with the Autobots against their sworn enemies, the Decepticons.


Instead of Transformers 2 this will forever be referred to by me as Transfomers 2 Much. Holy crap! Why couldn't they just make a simple sequel. Instead they crammed in too much action. There were numerous points where there was so much happening that I had no clue what was going on. Too much robots. What was wrong with the ones we had already been introduced to? What in the blue hell was the need for the robot that somehow turned in a human? Especially, since it was basically for one part of the movie never to return? Too much blah blah story. The autobots work with the government . . . . but the government wants them out? Sam goes to college. I got that in the preview. Why did we need a 30 minute build up of that. Too much time on Sam and the girlfriend. As well as they played off of each other in the first one - at no point have I ever actually given two craps about whether or not they love each other. Too much of the parents. They were the funniest part of the first one. Why couldn't we just leave it alone with them being in the beginning? They really need to end up being part of the big battle and what not? Too much annoying complimentary characters. Including the aforementioned parents - the complimentary characters were great in the first one. This one consisted of the overexposed parents, John Turturo in the most stupid way to possibly be written in, the most annoying college roommate ever, and two sidekick autobots that made me want to scream every time they were on screen. Seriously. They made Jar Jar Binks seem awesome. Too much forced humor. What made the first movie so enjoyable besides the effects was the sarcastic humor running throughout. This one was filled with stupid humor. The two Jar Jar robots talking ghetto? The bad ass Devastator robot having wrecking balls for testicles? Even with all of my ranting this is a watchable movie . . . . . as long as your expectations are really low. The first movie was one of my favorite movies of all time. Needless to say - I had pretty high expectations for this movie.


I don't really think it matters whether or not I recommend this movie. Everyone will be seeing it at some point regardless. Just be sure to have low expecations because this is nowhere near as good as the first one. Its essentially a massively overdone sequel in every way possible.

Away We Go

Away We Go is a film follows the journey of an expectant couple (John Krasinski from The Office and Maya Rudolph from Saturday Night Live), as they travel the U.S. in search of the perfect place to put down roots and raise their family. Along the way, they have misadventures and find fresh connections with an assortment of relatives and old friends who just might help them discover "home" on their own terms for the first time.

I really liked this movie. The couple played amazingly well off of each other and were completely believable. The cast of characters that they meet along the way on their journey are totally off the wall and hysterical. Its not your run of the mill straight up comedy, but its smart funny. A lot of humor is in the reactions to what the people are saying and the two main characters delivered perfectly with this. It also did a really good job of displaying the emotions that couples go through when starting a family.

I totally recommend that everyone check this out if they have the chance to do so. I'm not sure how wide it is opening but it is a fun and touching comedy about life and relationships.

Year One

When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers (Jack Black and Michael Cera) are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world in Columbia Pictures' comedy Year One.

I thought for sure that Land Of The Lost was a lock for worst movie of the year. There was no way that it could be topped. Then I went to see Year One. How in the blue hell could a movie with the actors in this and directed by Harold Ramis be this horrible. I couldn't even watch the whole thing. I left about half way through when Michael Cera had to rub oil on an overly fat/hairy Oliver Platt's chest. Why is it so hard to make a quality comedy!?! The Hangover is completely hysterical. Its simple and its balls out funny. This (preceeded by Land Of The Lost) is one of the most unfunny movies I've ever seen. The really insulting thing is that it could have been funny . . . . . if it went with high brow smart writing. Instead, there would be a one liner or a scene that could have been funny (like the cavemen experiencing the wheel for the first time) but the scene goes way too long and then falls in to juvenile fart humor.

I wouldn't recommend anyone seeing this ever. I couldn't even finish it. I'm not sure if its the worst movie of the year over Land Of The Lost yet because I think I expected more out of that one but if its not number one this is a lock for number 2.

The Proposal

When high-powered book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she's actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), who she's tormented for years. He agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few conditions of his own. The unlikely couple heads to Alaska to meet his quirky family (Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White) and the always-in-control city girl finds herself in one comedic fish-out-of-water situation after another. With an impromptu wedding in the works and an immigration official on their tails, Margaret and Andrew reluctantly vow to stick to the plan despite the precarious consequences.

This movie is beyond predictable. You have pretty much seen the movie just by watching the 2 minute trailer. There are no swerves or surprises. The characters are beyond cliche. However, I found myself laughing out loud a lot more than I expected. Even though the whole movie is completely textbook, Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock played off of each other incredibly well. Ryan Reynolds plays the same role he always does and his line delivery was as perfect as always. Sandra Bullock returns to the kind of role that made her big in the first place and is definitely back where she belongs. Her going back and forth between being completely stoic, fighting off tears of sadness, and then being completely over the top silly was great.

I never thought I would say this going in, but I would definitely recommend this movie. Even though it is beyond formula it is a fun watch and a great date movie.

The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker is a suspenseful portrait of the courage under fire of the military's unrecognized heroes: the technicians of a bomb squad who volunteer to challenge the odds and save lives doing one of the world's most dangerous jobs. Three members of the Army's elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad battle insurgents and one another as they search for and disarm a wave of roadside bombs on the streets of Baghdad—in order to try and make the city a safer place for Iraqis and Americans alike. Their mission is clear—protect and save—but it's anything but easy, as the margin of error when defusing a war-zone bomb is zero. This thrilling and heart-pounding look at the psychology of bomb technicians and the effects of risk and danger on the human psyche is a fictional tale inspired by real events by journalist and screenwriter Mark Boal, who was embedded with a special bomb unit in Iraq. In Iraq, it is soldier vernacular to speak of explosions as sending you to "the hurt locker."


This was a great movie. Unfortunately, we will probably never get the chance to see it in theaters since its opening very limited. The movie really took you there with the soldiers. It reminded me a lot of a tv series on FX a few years back called Over There. The characters were well acted and real. The bomb diffusing scenes had you sitting on the edge of your seat. This is one of those movies that made me feel like I was actually seeing what its like over there instead of the mindless drivel that the news pushes on us.


I'd recommend people checking this one out if they have the chance. If not, be sure to rent it when it comes out.

Imagine That

In Imagine That, Eddie Murphy stars as a successful financial executive who has more time for his blackberry than his seven-year-old daughter (Yara Shahidi). When he has a crisis of confidence and his career starts going down the drain, however, he finds the solution to all his problems in his daughter's imaginary world.

This is another one of those movies that is just kind of there. I can't believe how many of the summer releases this year have been like this. I only found it cute because the moments where he is playing with his daugher remind me of playing with Stinka. Eddie Murphy plays the same role he has played a thousand times before and the movie couldn't be more predictable if it tried.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone rushing out to see this. Its watchable and kids would enjoy it but you could easily wait for rental or cable with this one.

The Taking Of Pelham 123

In The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages.

This is one of those great summer popcorn movies. There are good guys that you root for. There are bad guys that you love to hate. There is some good chases/action. The tension is tight enough to keep your eyes stuck to the screen. Its movies like these that make going to the movies in the summer so fun. John Travolta as the bad guy was completely worth the price of admission alone. Denzel Washington could have brought more to the movie, but the character was written pretty lame and restricted.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out. Its a really fun watch and a nice break from reality for two hours.

My Life In Ruins

In My Life in Ruins, Georgia (Nia Vardalos) has lost her kefi (Greek for "mojo"). Discouraged by her lack of direction in life, she works as a travel guide, leading a rag-tag group of tourists as she tries to show them the beauty of her native Greece while waiting to land her dream job. Opening their eyes to an exotic foreign land, she too begins to see things in new ways—finding her kefi and possibly love in the process.

This was actually a pretty cute movie. It was also pretty much just a variation on My Big Fat Greek Wedding with much less laughs. It was enjoyable but was mostly just kind of there. Its one of those movies that there really is no reason to get out there and see it, but down the road if you catch it in passing isn't a total waste of your time. You pretty much know the whole movie before it even starts, but doesn't make you start listing other things that you could be doing.

I'd recommend people check this one out on rental or definitely on cable. Its a decent watch but there is no urgency towards seeing it necessary whatsoever.

Land Of The Lost

Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world - a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the Land of the Lost.Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist (Danny McBride) named Will. Chased by T-Rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally - a primate called Chaka (Jorma Taccone) to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they’re heroes. Get stuck, and they'll be permanent refugees in the Land of the Lost.

This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I stared at the screen for an hour and a half with a disgusted look on my face that I couldn't get off for another hour and a half of mumbling how horrible it was. And I have always been a big fan of Will Ferrell. I love Danny McBride too. I liked the tv show. This was just plain atrocious. It was so bad I don't even want to rant about it. I don't want to spend one iota of time referring to this piece of garbage.

Don't see this movie. Ever. Seriously. Its a lock for worst movie of the year and might make my top 10 of all time turds.

The Hangover

Two days before his wedding, Doug and his three buddies drive to Vegas for a blow-out night they'll never forget. But when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning with pounding headaches, they can't remember a thing. Their posh hotel suite is beyond trashed and the groom is nowhere to be found. With no clue of what happened and little time to spare, the trio must attempt to retrace their bad decisions from the night before in order to figure out where things went wrong and hopefully get Doug back to L.A. in time for his wedding. However, the more they begin to uncover, the more they realize just how much trouble they're really in.

This movie is hysterical. I didn't think it would be able to match the laughs of the trailers (probably some of the best comedy trailers I've ever seen) but it did. The trio was perfectly written and cast and played so awesomely well off of each other. The ties ins of the baby, the tiger, Mike Tyson, etc were great. The movie was a little bit cruder than it had to be but because of the writing and performances it was a lot more tolerable than in other movies. As if the movie isn't funny enough, the picture slide show during the credits is one of the funniest things I've ever seen and one of the best non-blooper endings to a comedy movie ever.

I very strongly recommend people checking this movie out. It is soooooooooooooooo not for kids. Not even younger teenagers. The adults will have ridiculously huge laughs though.

Drag Me To Hell

Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, professor Clay Dalton (Justin Long). Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr. Jacks (David Paymer), and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home. In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a skeptical boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: how far will she go to break free of the curse?

This is pretty much the most "fun" horror movie I have seen in a long, long time. Its rated PG-13 so there is no excessive gore or unnecessary nudity. However, it isn't totally lame like the Japanese remakes that we seem to get treated to once a month at the local theater. This movie makes you jump right out of you seat and then laugh your ass off at yourself for jumping out of your seat. The movie is really campy and you find yourself cracking up at the silliness and nasty sight gags during most of the "attack scenes". Its not a good movie in terms of being well made but it is a completely enjoyable thrill ride.

I would strongly recommend everyone checking this movie out. Its guaranteed to make you jump out of your seat numerous times and laugh out loud even more often.