The King's Speech

Based on the true story of the Queen of England's father and his remarkable friendship with maverick Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue. The King's Speech stars Colin Firth as King George VI, who unexpectedly becomes King when his brother Edward abdicates the throne. Geoffrey Rush stars as Logue, the man who helps the King find a voice with which to lead the nation into war.

I fully expected this to be the movie for this year that everyone raves about and I feel as if its a well made movie but just kind of there. I saw the trailer and couldn't for the life of me see how enthralling a movie about a guy getting his stutter straightened out could be. I was very very wrong. I loved this movie. The performances were amazing. The friendship was beyond genuine and entertaining to watch. Never did I imagine that build up to making a speech could hook me this much. This movie will absolutely be nominated for Best Picture and numerous acting nods and it should be.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out. These kinds of movies are usually never up my alley of interest but this one was a great watch.

True Grit

Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross's (Hailee Steinfeld) father has been shot in cold blood by the coward Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), and she is determined to bring him to justice. Enlisting the help of a trigger-happy, drunken U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), she sets out with him -- over his objections -- to hunt down Chaney. Her father's blood demands that she pursue the criminal into Indian territory and find him before a Texas Ranger named LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) catches him and brings him back to Texas for the murder of another man.

This was yet another of those movies where I loved the performances but wasn't nearly as thrilled with the movie as a whole. There have been so many of them this year. Jeff Bridges was awesome and the Hailee Steinfeld kid was amazing. It was a little bit rough at first because to be honest, I don't really speak "Western". It was kind of a foreign language for a while there before they got off on their mission. The story dragged at parts and was just kind of there at others, but the performances made me really like the movie. Not sure if that makes sense because I'm kind of baffled by it myself.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out simply for the acting. I don't think it's nearly as good of a complete movie as everyone has made it out to be but the acting was great across the board.

Gulliver's Travels

In a contemporary re–imagining of the classic tale, Jack Black stars as Gulliver, a big–talking mailroom clerk who, after he's mistakenly assigned a travel piece on the Bermuda Triangle, suddenly finds himself a giant among men when he washes ashore on the hidden island of Lilliput, home to a population of very tiny people. At first enslaved by the diminutive and industrious Liliputians, and later declared their hero, Gulliver comes to learn that it’s how big you are on the inside that counts.

This movie is exactly as bad as you would think it would be based on the trailers. I expected garbage. I got garbage. I went to see it for the children and because I'm a movieaholic. I had no hope of seeing anything worthwhile and I didn't. This movie is easily the biggest turd of the worst holiday season at the movies of all time.

I wouldn't ever recommend anyone watching this. It's a blatant waste of time across the board.

Little Fockers

It has taken 10 years, two little Fockers with wife Pam (Polo) and countless hurdles for Greg to finally get "in" with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack. After the cash-strapped dad takes a job moonlighting for a drug company, however, Jack's suspicions about his favorite male nurse come roaring back.When Greg and Pam's entire clan -- including Pam's lovelorn ex, Kevin (Owen Wilson) -- descends for the twins' birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he's fully capable as the man of the house. But with all the misunderstandings, spying and covert missions, will Greg pass Jack's final test and become the family's next patriarch... or will the circle of trust be broken for good?

Wow. This might be on par with Men In Black II as one of the most forced sequels ever. They really didn't bother with a story at all (or at least a new story). I would have thought that this could have been a lot funnier with the dynamic that was already established and adding kids to the mix. Unfortunately, it wasn't. And why in the blue hell is Owen Wilson in this? At least it was short.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this. It's nothing more than a lame effort that was made with the sole purpose of taking money out of people's wallets.

The Fighter

The Fighter is a drama about boxer Micky Ward (Wahlberg) and his unlikely path to become world lightweight champion. Bale plays Dicky Eklund, Micky's half-brother and a talented fighter who once went the distance with Sugar Ray Leonard in a title fight but then turned to crime and landed in prison. Then he turned his life around and helped his underperforming brother find the spark for a remarkable run that led to the world title.

This was a really entertaining movie. I wouldn't go putting it on my top ten list or throwing Oscar buzz out there for the movie though. The performances yes. The movie no. Christian Bale should probably be a lock for Best Supporting Actor. Melissa Leo also could easily be nominated. Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams were also good but didn't have to bring as much to their characters as the other two. You really get hooked in to the crazy family dynamics in this movie and root for Mark Wahlberg's character to make it and for Christian Bale to make a turnaround.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out. It is one of the few movies out there for the holiday season that are actually worth the time and money.

Somewhere

Somewhere is a look into the orbit of actor Johnny Marco (played by Stephen Dorff). You have probably seen him in the tabloids; Johnny is living at the legendary Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood. He has a Ferrari to drive around in, and a constant stream of girls and pills to stay in with. Comfortably numbed, Johnny drifts along. Then, his 11-year-old daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) from his failed marriage arrives unexpectedly at the Chateau. Their encounters encourage Johnny to face up to where he is in life and confront the question that we all must: which path in life will you take?

Every time I see a movie that Sofia Coppola is involved in. I hate her that much more. I just don't see what the critics see. Her movies suck. This one is no different. It's only 90 minutes long and I couldn't make it past 30. I was so bored out of my mind that I didn't even want it on as background noise while I got other stuff done. It ironically doesn't go . . . . . somewhere. They should have named it Nowhere.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bother wasting their time with this snooze fest. It is beyond pointless and Sofia Coppola is the queen of $hit fingers. She touches it . . . . . . it's $hit.

Yogi Bear

Jellystone Park has been losing business, so greedy Mayor Brown decides to shut it down and sell the land. That means families will no longer be able to experience the natural beauty of the outdoors -- and, even worse, Yogi and Boo Boo will be tossed out of the only home they've ever known. Faced with his biggest challenge ever, Yogi must prove that he really is "smarter than the average bear" as he and Boo Boo join forces with their old nemesis Ranger Smith to find a way to save Jellystone Park from closing forever.


This was a rough one. I pretty much expected it to be just like Alvin & The Chipmunks, but it was worse. Why do they insist on taking things that I liked from my childhood and killing them? Don't get me wrong. Young kids will probably love this. Unfortunately, there is next to nothing there for older kids or teh adults that take them. It was very forced, you want to kill the actual "actors" in the movie and I probably would have outright left if it wasn't for the one or two laughs from Boo-Boo.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out. Again, what did I expect? Not much. Kind of got less though. Sad.

Tron: Legacy

Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a man once known as the world's leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn's Arcade—a signal that could only come from his father—he finds himself pulled into a digital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe—a universe created by Kevin himself that has become far more advanced with never-before imagined vehicles, weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape.


I loved this movie . . . . . . . . for the first 45 minutes. The start up was great. I enjoyed the "filling the gap" of what had happened since the first one up to now. I liked the set up of the angry son looking for the dad. He got in to the digital world and was thrown right in to fighting . . . . . easily the best part of the movie. Visually it was pretty good. Let's be honest here. That's all they were really banking on. The girl comes in to save the guy, they leave the grid and then . . . . . . . total poop from that point. The "young" Jeff Bridges just looked super creepy (kind of like those Polar Express people). The old Jeff Bridges seemed to still be playing the rold of The Big Lebowski. The story, which is essentially just told to you in ridiculously long conversations, got waaaaaaaaaay too thick and was more boring than watching paint dry. The train ride scene felt like it was 20 hours long and really made me want to pull the plug. I found myself for the second part of this movie laughing at the thought of my friend seeing this and whispering "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnndddd" over and over again.

As cool as it did look and as enjoyable as it was at first, I really wouldn't recommend anyone checking this out. Although, if you are okay with buying a ticket and watching up until the girl busts him out of the grid and then leaving. It would be a pretty bad ass movie watching it that way.

Rabbit Hole

Becca and Howie Corbett (Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart) are returning to their everyday existence in the wake of a shocking, sudden loss. Just eight months ago, they were a happy suburban family with everything they wanted. Now, they are caught in a maze of memory, longing, guilt, recrimination, sarcasm and tightly controlled rage from which they cannot escape. While Becca finds pain in the familiar, Howie finds comfort. The shifts come in abrupt, unforeseen moments. Becca hesitantly opens up to her opinionated, loving mother (Dianne Wiest) and secretly reaches out to the teenager involved in the accident that changed everything (Miles Teller); while Howie lashes out and imagines solace with another woman (Sandra Oh). Yet, as off track as they are, the couple keeps trying to find their way back to a life that still holds the potential for beauty, laughter and happiness. The resulting journey is an intimate glimpse into two people learning to re-engage with each other and a world that has been tilted off its axis.

You can totally understand all the critical acclaim that this movie has been getting. The acting performances by Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart and Dianne Wiest as they deal with loss on all different levels is nothing short of phenomenal. Unfortunately, this movie is just that. Its three amazing performances. There isn't a beginning to end story with it building towards something. They are just three people trying to deal with a traumatic loss.

I would recommend people checking this out for the performances . . . . . . and because the movie is super short. Just be warned that there isn't much substance to it besides the powerful acting jobs.

Black Swan

Black Swan follows the story of Nina (Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter's professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

This was an incredibly well done movie on many different levels. The way it was filmed and the use of cameras kept you very involved in the story as it developed. The sound that would creep up whenever something weird was going to happen to Portman was as exciting as the smoke monster noise on Lost. The parallel of the ballet performances story being the same thing happening to Portman's character was so well written. All of this doesn't come close to being the best part of the movie though. That would be the constantly unnerving psychological suspense that keeps you hanging on to every scene dying to know how its all going to play out. There are just random what the hell moments throughout the movie that keep you on the edge of your seat. Its great to see Portman back to the great acting that she is capable of. She never should have let George Lucas direct her through romantc dialogue scene. Both her and the movies should be up for a lot of year end awards.

I absolutely loved this movie but can't really recommend it to everyone. It is totally not a mainstream movie. Its very artsy and is a complete mindscrew at times, but this type of movie would have to be your cup o tea to enjoy it like I did.

The Tourist

The Tourist revolves around Frank (Depp), an American tourist visiting Italy to mend a broken heart. Elise (Jolie) is an extraordinary woman who deliberately crosses his path. Against the breathtaking backdrop of Venice, Frank pursues a potential romance but soon finds himself the pursued as he and Elise are caught in a whirlwind of intrigue and danger.

This movie was fun. But not the type of fun you would expect. It's really not too actiony at all. And at times I definitely felt as though I should be bored - but I wasn't because a good amount of tension and intrigue was there without being able to "see" it taking place. Not sure if that makes any sense. The chemistry between Depp and Jolie was very believable. There was good laughs sprinkled in with the witty script and it was nice to see Depp playing a "normal" guy for once. No makeup. No crazy costumes. Just him. I feel like you would have to go back to 21 Jump Street at this point to find that.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out. It's a nice, light watch that you can just kind of sit back and enjoy for a little less than two hours.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

This time around – Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb – find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world. Joining forces once again with their royal friend Prince Caspian and the warrior mouse Reepicheep, they are whisked away on a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands, and beyond. On this bewitching voyage that will test their hearts and spirits, the trio will face magical Dufflepuds, sinister slave traders, roaring dragons and enchanted merfolk. Only an entirely uncharted journey to Aslan's Country – a voyage of destiny and transformation for each of those aboard the Dawn Treader – can save Narnia, and all the astonishing creatures in it, from an unfathomable fate.

It was pretty much obvious to me that once Disney decided to throw in the towel on this franchise that this movie would be more or less mailing it in. Disney doesn't pass on easy money. That being said, this movie was exactly what I expected . . . . . . . . a tired attempt at continuing a franchise that should really just be left alone. The kids have gotten too old so the cuteness factor isn't there anymore. I was never invested enough in the kids to care about them dealing with their insecurties and what not. The two older kids aren't even really in it. They've been replaced by a cousin who is so annoying you want to throw things at the screen. The part that makes it the worst though is that there really is no hook and you simply don't care what is going on. It's watchable because of the visuals and what not but barely.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out. I loved the first one and was one of the people that actually really liked the second one. However, this one ends up being just kind of there and not worth the time or money.

The Warrior's Way

The Warrior's Way is a modern martial arts western starring Korean actor Dong-gun Jang who plays an Asian warrior assassin forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands.

I have always been a big fan of Kung Fu movies. Usually I don't care about the story. I just want to see some bad a$$ fights and I'll be good. I accept them for what they are and manage to enjoy them. That being said, I have no clue what the hell this giant piece of garbage was. There are actual actors in this giant turd. It was sooooooooooooooo bad. The only good part was that there was a midget somehow involved but at the risk of spoiling a movie that nobody cares about - they kill the f'n midget!!! That's right up there with harming animals in movies for me. That's just not necessary!!!

I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Ever. I have not the slightest clue why crap like this gets made . . . . . . . or released.

All Good Things

Inspired by the most notorious missing person's case in New York history, All Good Things is a love story and murder mystery set against the backdrop of a New York real estate dynasty in the 1980s. The drama portrayed in Jarecki's film was inspired by the story of Robert Durst, scion of the wealthy Durst family. Mr. Durst was suspected but never tried for killing his wife Kathie who disappeared in 1982 and was never found.

The trailer made this movie look like a really good/creepy suspense movie. Unfortunately, it totally wasn't. First, it took waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long to actually go anywhere. Then it got really good for a bit in the middle with the two main characters fighting and the tension really started to build and then I don't know what the hell happened. I suddenly felt like I was watching a different movie and lost all interest in how it turned out. This would have been a much better made for tv half a movie.

I wouldn't recommend anyone checking this one out. It disappointingly ends up just kind of being there.

Faster

After 10 years in prison, Driver (Dwayne Johnson) has a singular focus - to avenge the murder of his brother during the botched bank robbery that led to his imprisonment. Now a free man with a deadly to-do list in hand, he's finally on his mission...but with two men on his trail - a veteran cop (Billy Bob Thornton) just days from retirement, and a young egocentric hitman (Oliver Jackson-­Cohen) with a flair for the art of killing and a newfound worthy opponent. The hunter is also the hunted. It's a do or die race to the list's finish as the mystery surrounding his brother's murder deepens, and new details emerge along the way hinting that Driver's list may be incomplete.

This movie is exactly what you expect. They waste no time building up a story and just kind of throw it to you inbetween The Rock (you can try calling him Dwayne Johnson all you want - I ain't buying) knocking people off his payback list. Is it good? I wouldn't go that far. I'd be willing to say it's O.K. There definitely could have been A LOT more action than they had here and the big swerve towards the end could not have been less surprising if they tried. I really think that what holds this movie up is The Rock. This guy is just fun to watch. He always has been.

I wouldn't really recommend that people check this out. It's not really worth the trip to theaters or the money. I would wait for dvd or cable.

Love And Other Drugs

Hathaway portrays Maggie, an alluring free spirit who won’t let anyone - or anything - tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie (Gyllenhaal), whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie’s evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love.

This movie should have been called Sex & Other Stuff. Good lord. I can't remember the last time I saw this much casual nudity is a non-college sex comedy. Seriously. Anne Hathaway really wants to shed here Princess Diaries image apparantly. Anywho, this ended up being a pretty good "date" movie with two really screwed up people slowly but surely falling in love with each other. I bought the characters and their outlooks on lives and the curve balls that you get thrown. I enjoyed the movie.

I would recommend people checking this out. It's not a great movie but is a good watch.

Burlesque

Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a small-town girl with a big voice who escapes hardship and an uncertain future to follow her dreams to LA. After stumbling upon The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theater that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the club's proprietor and headliner. Burlesque's outrageous costumes and bold choreography enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day. Soon enough, Ali builds a friendship with a featured dancer (Julianne Hough), finds an enemy in a troubled, jealous performer (Kristen Bell), and garners the affection of Jack (Cam Gigandet), a bartender and fellow musician. With the help of a sharp-witted stage manager (Stanley Tucci) and gender-bending host (Alan Cumming), Ali makes her way from the bar to the stage. Her spectacular voice restores The Burlesque Lounge to its former glory, though not before a charismatic entrepreneur (Eric Dane) arrives with an enticing proposal...

This movie features some of the lamest acting ever. Christina Aguilera is a phenomenal singer/dancer but no acting ability. Cher . . . . . . . . . is like a billboard for botox and has to be 704 years old at this point. The only good performance on an acting level - as always with him - was Stanley Tucci. That all being said, I for some reason really enjoyed this movie. I liked the performances. I liked the flow of the really simple story. I'm sure it helped that I had really low expectations for it.

I would strangely recommend people checking this out. Its nowhere near up to the level of recent musicals greatness (excluding Nine), but I still enjoyed it. Keep your expectations low. As for the PG-13 rating, this is easily as close to nudity throughout a movie I've seen with a PG-13 rating so be warned if you were interested in taking older children.

I Love You Phillip Morris

I Love You Phillip Morris is the improbable but true story of a conman's journey from small-town businessman to flamboyant white-collar criminal, who repeatedly finds himself in trouble with the law and on the lam, brilliantly escaping from the Texas prison system on four separate occasions - all in the name of love. Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) leads a seemingly average life - an organ player in the local church, happily married to Debbie (Leslie Mann), and a member of the local police force. That is until he has a severe car accident that leads him to the ultimate epiphany: he's gay and he's going to live life to the fullest - even if he has to break the law to do it. Taking on an extravagant lifestyle, Steven turns to cons and fraud to make ends meet and is eventually sent to the State Penitentiary where he meets the love of his life, a sensitive, soft-spoken man named Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). His devotion to freeing Phillip from jail and building the perfect life together prompts him to attempt (and often succeed at) one impossible con after another.

I saw this movie almost a year ago because it ended up online since it was tied up forever in legal battles before finally being released very limitedly now. From what I can remember, I enjoyed the movie but it is a very dark comedy. The guy is such a pathological liar that it just keeps getting worse and worse and you feel guilty laughing but it's Jim Carrey. How can you not? It's short so it doesn't drag on and you find yourself feeling bad for the characters even though the logical part of you doesn't want to.

I'd lukewarmly recommend people seeing this movie. It is not a must see by any means and you really won't have the chance until it's on dvd anyway, but it is a pretty decent dark comedy.