Bewitched (2005)

Who: Bill and Melanie
What: Bewitched
Where: Aired on ABC
Why: We wanted to see it.

The 2005 comedy Bewitched takes a unique approach. Rather than a straight adaptation of the classic sitcom, the movie is about the attempts to make a new TV version of the old series. In another twist, the woman chosen to play the new Samantha is actually a witch just like her character.

Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell) is a conceited jerk of an actor whose movie career is fading. He turns to television and conceives of a revived version of Bewitched where as Darin Stephens, he will be the actual star. Searching for an unknown actress to play wife Samantha--and stay in the background, he meets an attractive young woman named Isabel Bigelow (Nicole Kidman) and hires her. Unknown to Jack, Isabel really is a witch and trying to live a normal life. However, her magic powers prove too tempting and uses them in the filming of the series, to the delight of the studio audience and the chagrin of Jack. But as Jack continues to be upstaged, he becomes more attracted to Isabel. Will that change when he finds out she is a witch just like her character and will he be willing share the spotlight?

Bewitched the movie boasts a top notch cast including Shirley MacLaine as the actress playing Endora in the TV show, Michael Caine as Isabel’s father Nigel Bigelow, David Alan Grier as Jim Fields, Kristen Chenowith as Maria Kelly, and Steve Carell in a scene-stealing cameo as Uncle Arthur (originated in the series by Paul Lynde). All in all, Bewitched is really not a bad movie, boasting many funny moments. Where it comes up short is in the awkward pairing of Ferrell and Kidman. It’s hard to pinpoint, but they simply don’t make a great screen couple. As a whole though, the movie is good as escapist fare and may put you in the mood to enjoy an episode or more of Bewitched the series. And let’s face it: no one can twitch their nose quite like the original--and best--Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) could!

Not coincidentally, Bewitched was recently presented on ABC, the network that originally aired the show from 1964 to 1972. The series has been released on DVD and reruns can currently be seen just about every day on WGN America.

Judge Dredd

Who:  Amber
What:  Judge Dredd
Where:  @ home - off cable
Why:  Why not?

Diane Lane in an action cop movie?  Who knew!

This movie is set in the future.  Cops are now called "Judges".  They catch you committing a crime, they try you on the spot and sentence you.  The future is not a fun place to be.  There is crime everywhere, and the Judges are pretty cool people.

The coolest judge of all is Sly Stalone, or Judge Joseph Dredd.  He's a spandex wearing bad boy!  And by "bad", I mean really good.  He loves the law (almost a little too much), and loves upholding it.

Too bad his clone of a brother (seriously!) is a bad boy.  And by "bad", I mean really evil!  He commits a crime, and convinces everybody that Dredd is guilty.  Dredd and Rob Schnider (seriously!) are sent to jail.  Jail involved flying on a plane to some awful place.  A pack of crazy religious brothers shoot the plane down.  Dredd kicks some butt, and he and Rob Scheider escape.

Meantime, in the horrible future city, Diane Lane and the other Judges are being attacked by the clone brother.  The clone brother is trying to make more evil clones ...  Dredd comes in to save the day!

Did I mention the horrible graphics?

This movie wasn't all bad.  It was a bunch of cheesy lines and random action, but I enjoy random action!

Grandma's Boy

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  Grandma's Boy
Where:  @ home on cable
Why:  Nick Swardson is in it

(Back story - Jonathan and I saw comedian Nick Swardson in concert about a month ago)

This movie was really funny!  I remember seeing previews and thinking "LAME!"  But it was really good.  I would see it again.  It's a "Happy Madison" movie, so you'll see all the usual suspects from all of Adam Sandler's movies

The main guy (crap - I already forgot his name!) lives with a buddy.  They both enjoy smoking pot.  Of course they get evicted.  Main guy (I'm going to call him Bob) ends up crashing with his grandma and her 2 old lady roommates.  His grandma is really, really cool!  She cooks for him all the time.  He helps out by doing chores.

Bob is a video game tester.  He works at a cool office and plays video games all day long.  So even though he's a pot smoking guy living with his grandma, he's still a responsible guy.  He's bragging around to work that his 3 women roommates are running him raged with orgies and porn all the time.  In reality, the 3 old ladys have worn him out with basic chores.

I'm finding this movie hard to write about.  What I've just written sounds in credibly lame.  

But, just trust me, this movie is FUNNY!  Kevin Nealon as the video game boss is great.  Skinny guy from Dodgeball is the video game genius - he's great.  Nick Swardson as the kind-of nerd/kind-of cool guy (who lives with his "roommates" or "parents") steals the whole movie!  Search for this movie on your DVR!

Dan in Real Life

Who:  Jonathan and Amber
What:  Dan in Real Life
Where:  @ home - free Starz weekend
Why:  Jonathan really likes this movie

Jonathan and I first saw this movie onboard the Disney Cruise Line (during our 1 year anniversary trip - awww).

This movie stars Dan (Steve Carrel) in an unfunny roll.  He's really good.  Dan is a widower with 3 daughters.  He write a column for the newspaper giving advice.  He's a good Dad, with great advice, but he's a little dimwitted sometimes.

The family is going away for the weekend to Grandma & Grandpa's cabin by the lake.  All the brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins will be there.  It's a huge group of people.  It's so cute seeing this normal family have a cross word puzzle tournament and put on a play.  I wanted to be a part of this family!

On the way to the cabin, Dan stops at a bookstore and meets a girl.  Meeting a girl to Dan is a big deal!  They talk for hours, until she gets a phone call and has to run.  Dan speeds to the cabin to tell everybody about this new girl.  Unfortunatly, the girl is already at the cabin.  It's  his brother's (Dane Cook - another funny man playing an unfunny role) new girlfriend.  Dan and the new girl pretend to just meet, and the rest of the weekend is very awkward.  It was love at first sight for both of them at the book store, but now they have to pretend to be strangers.

There are a ton of side stories involving Dan's 17 year old (he won't let her drive), Dan's 14 year old (she's in love too!) and Dane Cook.

It's not an action packed movie by any means, but it's got a lot of heart, it's cute, it's funny at times, and the ending is really sweet.  I highly recommend it.

Psycho

Who:  Amber
What:  Psycho
Where:  @ home - I own it on DVD
Why:  I enjoy it!

I think I am the ONLY person who likes this movie.  No, I'm not talking about Alfred Hitchcock's famous Psycho ... I'm taking about the stupid FRAME BY FRAME remake somebody made in the 90's.  It's the exact same movie, only with different actors.  It's the same dialog, the same scenes - everything is the same.  Lame I know, but I love it!

Maybe I'm a big jerk, but I just don't like black and white movies, so I really enjoy this version of Psycho in color.  Plus, this time Anne Heche is the damsel in distress.  Say what you want about her, but she's great in this movie.  And Vince Vaughn runs the hotel.  Great stuff.

I think we all know the premise of Psycho - but if you are also not a fan of black and white horror movies, here we go:  Anne Heche is running away (with a bunch of money) and stays in a rinky dink hotel run by Vince Vaughn.  Vince Vaughn's crazy mother stabs her to death in the shower (I think we've all seen this scene).  The police and Anne Heche's sister come looking for her ... they confront the crazy mother ... and this is where I leave you hanging ...

Cold Comfort Farm

Who: Jaclyn
What: Cold Comfort Farm (the 1995 version)
Where: At home
Why: Giving it another shot

"I saw something nasty in the woodshed!"

My friend made me watch this movie when it came out 13 years ago. I hated it. I didn't understand why she thought this movie was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

So, as I was going through Netflix, looking for new victims, I saw this one and figured I'd give it another try. After all, I am older now, maybe it would make more sense.

Set in 1930's England, the premise of this movie is that the main character, Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale) ends up having to live with relatives who live on Cold Comfort Farm. Her cousins are crazy, her aunt refers to her only as "Robert Poste's child" and her great-aunt keeps ranting about seeing "something nasty in the woodshed" when she was little.

The whole family is fit for the loony bin. But, with Flora's help, they start to find their callings,(and a bathtub).

I can't say that 13 years later, the clouds opened up and the world made sense by seeing this movie again, but it was more enjoyable than it had originally been.

Death At a Funeral

Who: Jaclyn
What: Death At a Funeral
Where: At home - Pay-per-view (I was bored).
Why: British comedies are usually quite twisted.

I had a lot of time on my hands and this movie was one of the options for Pay-per-view. I gave it a whirl and was not disappointed. At first, it was a bit slow, but it didn't take long for the humor to begin. The characters all have their own drama going on and they intertwine in a comedic way. Everyone is gathered for the death of the main character's father and Peter (Peter Dinklage) shows up to throw a wrench into this family's already nutso lives. Side note - another good Peter Dinklage movie is The Station Agent. However, my favorite character had to be Simon (Alan Tudyk) he is drugged throughout most of this movie (not by his own doing), and the drugs that keep on giving make more people "suffer" before the end of the movie. I know this isn't a fabulous blog, but it is my first (be kind) and I didn't want to give too much away about the movie. But it really is worth a watch!

Nanny McPhee

Who: Amber (& Jonathan)
What: Nanny McPhee
Where: at home - free HBO weekend
Why: Jonathan wanted to watch it


I normally cannot stand movies with bratty kids, and I can barely understand English/British accents (very pathetic - I know), so I was not leaping out of my skin to see an English nanny-to-seven-bratty-kids movie. However, I really, REALLY enjoyed this one! Nanny McPhee is a sweet hard ass (as opposed to a complete hard ass), and the kids are more cute, than bratty. Plus all the wild colors in an 1900's Victorian style house made it fun to watch. I highly recommend it!

The Break-Up

Who: Amber (& Jonathan)
What: The Break-Up
Where: home - TiVO'ed off free HBO weekend
Why: I love Vince Vaughn!

As a girl I really liked this movie. My husband ... not so much. I enjoyed it because it was (semi) realistic. Granted, Jennifer Aniston kept playing stupid games instead of actually talking to Vince Vaugh about her feelings, but I really liked watching 2 'realistic' people live their lives. And, not to spoil the ending, but it's very unexpected.

And the opening credits full of photographs - genius! I felt like I knew the couple and was so happy for them. I could've watched 2 full hours of opening credits. I think all men should be required to watch this movie as an educational tool. Plus, Vince Vaughn is his hilarious, fast talking self.