Sex and the City

Who: Alina
What: Sex and the City
Where: Altamonte 18 Movie Theatre
Why: Religiously watched the show during it's first run and now in syndication (if I'm up that late!)

I enjoyed this movie immensely! I was a little wary b/c I am a HUGE fan of the show and I had heard mixed reviews. You don't have to be a fan of the show to understand the movie but you probably should have watched a few episodes here and there to kind of get how the personality of the girls work. Knowing what happened in the series finale might be helpful too. They do give you a quick synopsis of the personalities of the each of the girls and what has happened to them from the last season of the show to the past 3 or 4 years in the opening credits so you won't be totally lost. I can't say too much of the plot without giving the movie away but it's basically picks up after 4 years. Carrie is still with Big, Charlotte is still married to Harry, Miranda is still married to Steve and still lives in Brooklyn, and Samantha is still with Smith.

I'm not going to give any spoilers away but I cried (didn't think I would) and I laughed a lot. Samantha lives in LA with Smith but she is in a lot of the movie so Samantha fans don't need to worry, she's still Samantha! There is an interesting plot twist with Miranda that surprised me. Charlotte was the comedic relief. Carrie's storyline was heartwrenching (grab the tissues) and heart warming. All four of the stars were great in their roles. They reverted back to Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha like they had never left and gone on to other things. Jennifer Hudson was a great addition to the cast too.

This movie was nothing like I thought it would be. It was so much better! Yes, there was some talk of fashion. Yes, there was talk of love. Yes, there was a lot of nudity and sex (they even show a penis for a split second!). Yes, it is a supreme chick flick but it was great! Some people may not like how the girls ended up where they did at the conclusion of the movie, but I don't think it could have ended any better. It was very true to their characters and the show. Viva Sex and the City!

edit:  I brought this movie review back up to the front because I finally saw it!  And it was great!!!  I'm still annoyed how these women throw money all over the place, and why does Carrie need an assistant?  I haven't seen her do a lick of work.  Regardless, it was great, and I recommend it to all.

Wall-E

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  Wall-E
Where:  AMC Pleasure Island
Why:  It's Disney/Pixar!

I have seen a million previews for this movie (at work), so I still didn't really know what the story was going to be about.  Turns out it was really cute!  Who knew a robot love story would be so touching.

I kept hearing that there would not be any dialog (except for Wall-E's limited robot speak) for the first 30 minutes of the movie, and I was expecting to be bored - but surprisingly, I was not bored!

Questions I have for the writer:

1.  How did the humans go to the bathroom?

2.  Where did the babies on the spaceship come from?

3.  How was that plant live in the fridge?

4.  How did the plant live in outterspace?

But who cares about the answers to these questions!  The movie was great!  Normally after I see a Pixar movie, I start to compose a list of best Pixar movies (in order).  I can't decide where to rank this one.  I think I need to see it again.

And the Pixar short before the movie was REALLY funny.  I've been a little disappointed with the recent batch of shorts.

See No Evil

Who:  Amber
What:  See No Evil
Where: @ home - recorded off Showtime (about 4 months ago)
Why:  It had Kane (a WWE wrestler) in it

This was a darn good horror movie!  I figured it would really lame, with the main star being a WWE wrestler and all.  I mean, it's not going to win any awards or anything, but it has everything I enjoy in a horror movie

1.  Start the horror right away.  Don't make we wait until the movie is half over.  1 person had already died before the opening credits.  Jackpot!

2.  I want it to be graphic, but not too graphic.  I was a little squeemish during some parts.  The basis of the movie is a guy is killing people and ripping out their eyes.  I have a thing for eyes.  They creep me out.  So to see an eye getting pulled out of a socket is pretty gross to me.  (Side note:  same thing with that eye ball scene in Hostel - you know what I'm talking about)

3.  Explain why the bad guy is killing people.  I don't like when there is a maniac for no reason!  This movie kind-of explained why he's a freak - his mom raised him to be a freak.  It was kind-of a lame excuse to be a freak, but I'll take it.

If you like horror - I recommend this movie!

The Simpsons Movie

Who: Amber (& Jonathan)
What: The Simpsons Movie
Where: at home - I own this movie
Why: It's the freaking Simpsons!!! I've only been watching their TV show since the beginning (I remember seeing the first episode at a friend's house; I was in 8th grade).

After watching over 1,200+ previews for the movie, I was surprised that the whole Spider Pig scene was still hilarious. 

I am a HUGE fan of the TV show, and this movie literally made me pee my pants. I 'think' it would be hilarious even if you have never seen the TV show. When I saw it in theaters, I was with a couple non-TV show fans. We were all cracking up. And I mean, we were honest to goodness laughing out loud. I'll use computer speak, "We were honest to goodness LOL!" I recommend this movie to all! Clap for Alaska!

Con-Air

Who: Amber & Jonathan
What: Con-Air
Where: at home - on cable
Why: One of the greatest movies ever!

"This is your BBQ Syrus, and it tastes good."

"But the bunny back in the box."

I could watch Con-Air every single day, and never grow tired of it. I think it's the ultimate action movie! You've got your overtaking of the plane, fighting the bad guys at the airfield, and a plane crash in Las Vegas. Wait - it's not over yet, now we have a car chase in LA. And finally the bag guys are all taken care of ... or are they?!?

I really wish Nicholas Cage didn't have his ridiculous (southern?) accent, but he was sure ripped for this movie! And the rest of the cast was spectacular! One of the prisoners (Johnny 23) was an actual prisoner for 11 years, before he cleaned himself up and discovered acting. John Malkovich as the super smart ring leader is hilarious. And Steve Bushemi is just creepy. I think he gets uglier and uglier. I can't stop stairing at his crooked teeth.

Con-Air, and another Nicholas Cage gem - The Rock, should be required viewing for all!

Just Friends

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  Just Friends
Where:  at home - on cable
Why:  Jonathan likes Amy Smart

This movie was cute.  Very cheesy - but cute.  Ryan Renyolds was a fat guy in high school (in NJ), and he was best friends with the very hot Amy Smart.  He has a major crush on her, never tells her, and they remain awesome friends.

Fast forward 10 years, Ryan Renyolds is now very hot, very successful and living in LA.  Amy Smart is still cute, substitute teaching, and still lives with her parents.  Ryan ends up in NJ over the holidays, runs into Amy Smart, and tries to get out of the "friend zone".  Of course he blows it, un-blows it, blows it again, etc ...  I'm sure you can guess what happens ... or can you?  (yeah, you can).

What was hilarious about the movie was Ryan's relationship with his mom (Julie Haggarty from Airplane - she is so adorable!) and his younger brother.  They kept fighting, very realisticly, like siblings.  Go find this movie on cable!

Futurama: Bender's Big Score

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  Futurama:  Bender's Big Score
Where:  @ home - Jonathan owns it
Why:  Futurama rules!

Did anybody know that Futurama made a movie?  Well they did, and it's pretty darn funny.  Unfortunatly, we bought it right away, then they played it on TV like 3 months later.  But we still own it, so we can watch it again and again.

The beginning is the best.  Prof. Farnsworth tells the crew, "bad news everyone - you're fired!  In fact, you were fired 2 years ago!"  (When the show was cancelled.)

Then, a bunch of other stuff happens, including going back in time, there are crazy naked pink aliens, etc.  All the oringial cast is back, including Barbados Slim, Hedonism Bot and Nibbler.  All the original voices are back, and it's the same hilarious comedy style as the TV show - just 3x as longer.

The Love Guru

Who: Jaclyn
What: The Love Guru
Where: AMC Pleasure Island
Why: Hello, there's hockey in it! Who needs another reason?

Ok, here's the deal: Go into it with an open mind, don't expect Oscar winning performances and revert back to being 15 and this is a great movie!

It's very slow at first but starts to pick up quickly. Mike Myers plays Guru Pitka, who's hired by the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs (Jessica Alba) to help get their star player, Darren Roanoke back on track after he "breaks up" with his wife, who is now coincidentally sleeping with Jacques "Le Coq" Grande (Justin Timberlake) who plays for the Los Angeles Kings.

Guru Pitka must help Darren through many personal hurdles so that he can get back together with his wife and win the Stanley Cup. It's just all around hilarity in my opinion. The jokes are sometimes right there and sometimes subtle. There is a fantastic Wayne's World reference as well.

There were many cameos in this movie and they're all equally funny. I definitely recommend this movie for laughs!

Last Holiday

Who: Amber
What: Last Holiday
Where: at home - free Showtime!
Why: I really had nothing else to watch

I remember seeing this preview and thinking, "Oooooo - there goes Queen Latifa. She's on a wild vacation and she's snowboarding, but she doesn't know how to snowboard. Oh man - you go you crazy, crazy girl!" 

I mean, look at the movie poster - she looks like "I'm loud and annoying and I'm on vacation." But this movie is nothing like that. 

Queen Latifah plays a quiet, very shy, reserved, normal, who finds out she has a terminal illness. She decides to finally live a little, and flys off to (I can't remember - Prague? France?) The entire movie is very sweet, and I really, really enjoyed it! I can't recommend it enough!

The Bucket List

Who: Terry & John
What: The Bucket List
Where: In our RV
Why: Bought it when our dish was out, needed something to watch.

Although these movies are pretty predictable, I enjoyed it a lot. I love Morgan Freeman, and although Jack Nicholson isnt one of my favorite people, he was perfect for this roll. I loved seeing the bond the two men formed during a crisis time in each of their lives. I think it made you think about how you would want to spend your final days and shows you what is most important in your life. Although most people would be spending their final days with family, their method is quite appealing!!! It's a fun watch and the last scene is cute and touching.

RV

Who: Bill and Melanie
What: RV
Where: Watched it on TBS
Why: It stars Robin Williams

RV (aka Runaway Vacation) is a surprisingly good comedy-- and that’s because critics rated it poorly upon its release in 2006. So when we saw that it was airing recently on TBS, we didn’t have high expectations but wanted to see it anyway. After all, it features Robin Williams, so there had be at least a few good laughs. Certainly the premise and the comedic situations are silly at best, but then no one likely set out to make this a thought-provoking movie anyway!


Beverage company executive Bob Munro (Williams) convinces his somewhat dysfunctional family that rather than vacation in Hawaii as planned, they would be better off renting a motor home and travel to the Colorado Rockies. What he doesn’t tell them is that he is expected to be in Colorado to help with an important business presentation. From the moment the Munro’s leave their driveway, its one mishap after another as Bob races to make it to the presentation in time-- again, all without telling his family. Along the way, the Munro’s meet up with another camping family, the Gornicke’s, whom they initially dislike, but eventually bond as friends. At the same time, the Munro family itself make amends among themselves. The comedy comes from what they go through to get to that point.

While RV is never likely to be considered a comedic masterpiece, it does boast some impressive talent in addition to Williams. Cheryl Hines plays Jaime Hines, Jeff Daniels is Travis Gornicke and Kristen Chenowith is Mary Jo Gornicke. The movie was directed by Barry Sonnenfield, who also co-produced Disney’s Enchanted.

RV is one of those movies that is sure to become a cable TV mainstay on weekend afternoons and evenings, and is worth catching for two hours of fun with Robin Williams.

Sabrina (1954)

Who: Monica
What: Sabrina (the 1954 version)
Where: Home
Why: B/C I needed a great movie that I hadn't seen in awhile while also reading a book.

How much do you love Audrey Hepburn? Then when you put her together with Humphrey Bogart, you are sure to have a fantastic movie on your hands. I love old movies, Audrey Hepburn and this is a fabulous one.

Sabrina is the chauffeur's daughter and grows up watching the big parties of the Larrabees. She is fascinated by the youngest Larrabee brother, David. She's so young that no one pays her any attention. She goes off to cooking school in France and returns a beautiful woman. The boys, both, then notice her for sure. She gets to know them both better and then there is a choice to be made. For awhile, we're not sure who gets to make the choice though. The brothers seem to think they can make it for her. Twists and turns, love prevails.

I like the remake a lot too I must say-

Indecent Proposal

Who: Monica
What: Indecent Proposal
Where: Home
Why: B/C it was on TV and I needed something to do while crocheting.

How great is this movie? Robert Redford, Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson .. a GREAT line up! I can't believe it's 15 years old, wow time flies. Diane and David are a fantastic couple on a trip to Vegas. They win a ton, then they loose it all!! They're devastated and then they are offered a million dollars for Diane to spend 1 night with the rich John Gage. (Robert Redford) Will they take the offer? Will they be able to live with it if they do? What a great story, I love this movie!!!

Meet the Fockers

Who: Monica & Andy
What: Meet the Fockers
Where: At Home
Why: I bought it for $2 and we knew it was hilarious!

This sequel is just as good as the first, if not better. With your cast of "Fockers", how can it not be? Pam & Greg are ready to get married and finally, it's time for the parents to meet. Robert DeNiro, Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman all in the line up, you know it's going to be great. I love the character Barbara Streisand plays, so funny and great for her.

There's a baby involved and one on the way. There's a son without a Dad, but who does he belong to? There's bathroom humor, a baby who learns a cuss word, fake woman parts and hilarious moments throughout the entire thing. The story of families coming together, don't we all relate?!

Shrek 3

Who: Monica with friend Misty & her 3 kids (ages: 6, 8, 14)
What: Shrek 3
Where: Hiram 278 FREE movie
Why: B/C it was FREE and I hadn't seen it

I am not big on animated sequels, most of the time I skip them. This one was super cute though. I was glad that there were the same characters and still story left to be told. I didn't feel like they were stretching and stretching for material for a 3rd.

I adore that Julie Andrews plays the Queen, who else would have a fantastic Queen voice like that? The King absolutely cracks me up. Every single scene with him is a hoot!! The Merlin character is great as well, love his "knobby knees"! The girlfriend gang to Fionna is priceless, love it!!!

I don't want to talk about the plot because it's hard to even mention what's happening without giving away spoilers. I'm guessing everyone that has interest has already saw it, but you never know. It's a great fairy tale and worth seeing!!

Yours, Mine and Ours (2005)

Who: Bill and Melanie
What: Yours, Mine and Ours
Where: Watched it on TBS
Why: Saw the original movie and wanted to see the remake

Widower Frank Beardsley (Dennis Quaid) is a strict Coast Guard Admiral trying his best to raise eight children. Widower Helen North (Rene Russo) is an easy-going fashion designer trying her best to raise ten children (four of her own and six adopted). When these former high school sweethearts re-connect and decide to marry, they combine their respective households. The kids immediately don’t like it and scheme to break up their new family, so you know hilarity will ensue, right?

Yours, Mine and Ours is a remake of a 1968 comedy starring Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball, which itself was based on a true story. The 2005 version doesn’t fare too well against the original which is considered a classic. On its own though, Yours, Mine and Ours isn’t a bad movie and is at best mildly amusing resulting in occasional mild chuckles. Other positives is that it isn’t too lengthy, is suitable for the whole family to enjoy, and boasts solid performances from Quaid and Russo. The youngest viewers will also enjoy seeing Nickelodeon regulars Drake Bell, Miranda Cosgrove, Lil’ JJ, Miki Ishikawa, and from Disney’s 2005 movie Sky High, Danielle Panabaker.

If you're looking for a decent movie for your family to watch, Yours, Mine and Ours is a good choice.

Bucket List

Who: Amber
What: Bucket List
Where: on a flight from Houston to Honolulu AND a flight from Houston to Orlando (thank for the variety Continental Airlines - not!)
Why: Nothing else on

I really surprised myself by liking this movie (heck, I watched it on 2 separate flights). It was interesting because you clearly know the ending from watching the previews (both guys are dying - hence the "kick the BUCKET LIST"), but it's still enjoyable and a little suspensful to see how it all plays out.

The beginning of the movie shows Jack Nicholson (a big jerk) and Morgan Freeman (family guy) sharing a room in the hospital - the hospital that Jack Nicholson pretty much owns. It shows them avoiding each other, then making casual conversation, then playing cards, then conversing as friends, then it shows some nasty effects of the chemotherapy ... then it shows Morgan Freeman making his bucket list. Jack steals it off the floor, and says, "we should do this!" Jack is totally loaded (has a private jet) and funds the entire trip.

And interesting twist is how Morgan Freeman explains to his family that he's taking a trip with Jack Nicholson, even though he will be dying soon. I kind-of felt bad for his family b/c they couldn't spend a lot of time with their dying husband/dad/grandpa.

I won't spoil it with who dies first, and who dies second, but it's very sweet as the last remaining friend completes the bucket list. The 2 friends are buried at a very special place along with their list.

Batman Begins

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  Batman Begins
Where:  at home on cable
Why:  Everybody else has seen it

I'm not really into the Batman Movies at all, but I was really enjoying this movie.  Maybe it is my yearning to always know the back story when I meet a movie character I like.  Or maybe it is because Christian Bale is super hot.  Either way, I liked it, and it makes me want to see Dark Knight (I had no desire to see it previously).

This movie shows how Christian Bale learns his arse-kicking movies.  It shows where the bat suit comes, and even why he is called "Bat" man in the first place.  Morgan Freeman makes him all kind of crazy stuff in his lab.

The villian Scarecrow was pretty creepy too.  I have no clue about the backstory about Batman, Scarecrow, or even the girl (she was unforgettable - I don't even remember her name), but that didn't really matter.

The ending 'battle' was a little far fetched, but it was exciting non the less.  On to the Dark Knight!

The Ant Bully

Who:  Amber
What:  The Ant Bully
Where:  flight from Houston to Honolulu
Why:  Nothing else on

This movie was pretty blah, and unrealistic.  I like my movies realistic - even if they aren't supposed to be realistic, I like them to have a sense of realism.

Well, there is a little nerdy kid who gets bullied around at school.  He comes home bummed all the time (from all the bullying), and he kind-of takes it out on the ants and the ant hills (w/ a magnifying glass and a water hose).

The ants manage to shrink the boy into the size of an ant (magic!), to show him how hard it is to be an ant.  Of course there is one nice lady ant who takes care of him, most of the man ants are annoyed by the boy.  The boy learns life lessons.  They all band together to fight the big bad exterminator (who to the boy called a couple days prior).

Typical un-Pixar kids movie.  This movie really didn't have anything to offer to the adult crowd, just cute little ants that would appeal to kids.

Definitely, Maybe

Who:  Amber
What:  Definitely, Maybe
Where:  flight from Honolulu to Houston
Why:  It looked cute

Maybe I was a little motion sick, but I was totally confused at the beginning of this movie - and it wasn't supposed to be hard to follow.

It starts out with Ryan Reynolds picking up his daughter from school.  He is divorced from her mom, and he picks her up twice a week.  The daughter (Abigail Breslin) is WAY too grown up for my taste (I don't like it when movie kids are too adult); she's asking all kind-of "tell me about when you were dating mom" questions.  The rest of the movie Ryan and Abigail sit up all night in bed talking.

Turns out Ryan Reynolds had 3 serious girlfriends - Rachel Weise, Amy Adams and Elizabeth Banks.  He tells of how he dated #1 and was friends with #2 and #3.  #1 breaks up with him, and he dates #2, all while still being friends with #3.  #3 and him aren't friends anymore, and he breaks up with #2, but they are still friends.  #1 comes back into his life, etc, etc, etc ...

Abigail Breslin is very curious about which girl #1, #2 or #3 does he end up marrying (when he tells the story, he doesn't use the women's real names).  See how confusing it is!  (Ok - I'm just lame).

We eventually find out who he married, and got a divorce from.  Does he still have feelings for one of the other women?!?  Watch and find out.

You Don't Mess With the Zohan

Who: Jaclyn
What: You Don't Mess With the Zohan
Where: AMC Pleasure Island
Why: I love Adam Sandler!

I have been waiting for a new movie by Adam Sandler to come out for a while, one that was actually a comedy. So imagine my delight when this movie popped into previews a few months ago. Sadly, I was very disappointed. I laughed a few times, fell asleep a few times. By far, not his best.

The funniest parts of the movie have already been shown in the previews. The two things worth mentioning are his unholy lust for hummus and Rob Schneider trying to call the Middle East.

Thank God it was only $6...and I even had a gift card!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Who: Alina
What: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Where: At home on Fuse
Why: One of my favorite movies as a kid

If you like dance movies this a good one. It's about a talented military brat, Janie, who always wanted to go to Chicago because her favorite show, Dance TV, was there. Dance TV is looking for a new couple to be regulars on the show so she auditions, against her father's wishes, and gets picked to be one of the finalist. They pair her up with her complete opposite, Jeff, and they automatically clash. Of course, they get close and challenge the obstacles that are in their way. Janie has a really strict father causing her to sneak out for rehersals. A rival's rich father threatens to fire Jeff's dad if he doesn't throw the competition and others typical stuff. It's a feel good movie so its totally predictable, totally cheesy, totally 80's, and totally fun!

You'll recognize some familiar faces such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt, and a preteen Shannon Doherty. SJP's Janie is a far cry from Carrie Bradshaw but endearing none the less. Hunt is funny as her outrageous best friend. I don't know what is up with the guys in this movie since they seemed to have vanished the last couple of years but they were great too. The rest of the cast is good.

You won't find any hip-hop, electric boogaloo stuff here. This is straight up dancing with a sprinkling of gymnastics thrown in! Todays dance films are impressive with their dancing but it's too much rump shaking and dependant on stunts. The dancing here is great, technical, and old school. The choreography is awesome and it was a nice change of pace to see dancers actually perform routines in a tradtional style rather than hip hop. As a dancer in my younger years I was totally enthralled with this movie.

It's great rainy day movie! It's a great filler movie since there is absolutely nothing on TV now that it's Summer. You'll come away with a smile. At the very least get a chuckle out of the 80's styles we all know and love!

Mad Money

Who: Amber
What: Mad Money
Where: On a flight from Houston to Honolulu
Why: Nothing else to do!

Blah! I wasn't very impressed with this movie. It turned me off right away when Diane Keeton was surprised that her and her husband were $200K in debt - even though they have a huge house, she wears all designer clothes and he was laid off 1 year ago. Wake up morons!!!

So Diane Keeton takes the only job she can find, a janitor in a Fort Knox style bank. She figures out how to steal money, old money that was going to be shreaded. She gets Katie Holmes and Queen Latifa to help her and they steal boat loads of money. I'm still not sold on Katie Holmes as an actress. I just keep seeing little Joey Potter from Dawson's Creek.

The stealing money scenes were kind-of cool, and the ending was a little different. All and all, this was kind-of a waste of my time.

Bee Movie

Who: Bill & Melanie
What: Bee Movie
Where: Pay-Per-View
Why:Just wanted to see it.

There was plenty of “buzz” (sorry!) surrounding the computer animated Bee Movie, released in 2007 by DreamWorks Animation. Much of the attention was due to it being Jerry Seinfeld’s first major film project since Seinfeld ended in 1998. Was the over-hype worth it? Probably not.

However, Bee Movie is a cute, entertaining story about Barry B. Benson. When he temporarily leaves the hive to explore the human world, he encounters a series of near fatal accidents. However, Barry is bee-friended (ha!) by a human female named Vanessa Bloom, who owns a flower shop. While on a visit with Vanessa to a supermarket, Barry is horrified to learn that humans have been stealing and eating the bee’s honey for centuries. So what does Barry intend to do? Sue the humans, of course. You could say he becomes a “sue bee” (yes, another bad pun!). As for what happens next, you’ll just have to see. But I’ll take some of the sting away (boo!) and let you know that there is ultimately a happy ending for the bees AND the humans.

An all-star cast joins Seinfeld. Just some of the familiar voices heard are Renee Zellweger (Vanessa), Matthew Broderick (Barry’s best friend Adam), Chris Rock (Mooseblood the Mosquito), John Goodman (attorney L.T. Montgomery), Oprah Winfrey (Judge Bumbleden), Michael Richards (Bud Ditchwater), Patrick Warburton (Ken) and as themselves: Sting (yes, really), Ray Liotta, and Larry King as a bee version of himself.

Bee Movie is fun, though not necessarily full of outright laughs. The story is decent and the vocal talent is impressive. All in all, I’d say it fully lives up to its name as a Grade B---maybe a B- movie. Do as I did, and watch Bee Movie with your own honey.