Monday, May 26, 2014

Horrible Movie Giveaway Winner

And the winner is .....

Terra.

Let me know what pop (or other drink) you would prefer in your package and I'll get it sent out ASAP.

Thanks for those who played and let's hope no more horrible movies in the near future!!



Thursday, May 22, 2014

Horrible Movie Giveaway

Ok, since we have had a small rash of horrible movies with only a few good ones thrown in, we are going to do a Horrible Movie Giveaway.  Hopefully this giveaway will bring us good luck and better movies to get our summer off to a great start.  So, this is a simple one...tell us the most horrible movie you ever saw.  You can comment here on the blog or on facebook..either one gets you an entry into the Horrible Movie Giveaway.  Here's the prize

Movie Snacks:
Peanut M&M's (Deb's favorite)
Junior Mints (Tiff's favorite)
Popcorn (both equally enjoy)
Starbursts
Sweet Tarts
Soda (your choice)

Money for a movie:
$20--Cold, hard cash for a movie out or a movie in...or maybe just more snacks.   But hopefully it won't be Horrible. (and just as a head's up, Alexandar and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is coming soon...maybe you could go see that!!)

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

2014: Week 20: Moms' Night Out

Moms' Night Out

Genre: Comedy

Main Players: Sarah Drew, Sean Austin, Patricia Heaton, Logan White


General Gist:  Three moms attempt to enjoy a much needed night out.



Deb's Take:  

I have really been wanting to see a good comedy.  I was so disappointed last week with Neighbors that I didn't think I could go wrong this week. Well, this movie was not as stupid, but it was pretty boring.  I liked the premise, and as a mom thought for sure the humor would be relatable.  It wasn't AT ALL.  I think where the movie went all wrong for me, was it's discombobulation of scenes.  The beginning made me think of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" with screen pop ups and self narration, then it jumped to a scene from "Footloose" with the church mom's meeting, and finally "Adventures in Babysitting" with a mad dash around the city looking for people and places and everything just falling apart.  The whole story was pretty unbelievable, and more importantly I wasn't really sold on the message that was sent.  YES, I am a mother and know that my kids are wonderful, are the best thing that could have ever happened to me, and I love them to death...but a night out is a good thing, and deciding to have a night out will not be a mess OR place you in the category of loser mom. 

As far as the acting, mediocre at best.  I wasn't impressed with anyone, and I was quite bored at one point.  So bored I got up and went to the bathroom just to "step out" for a few minutes.  Now that is sad, because I never step out of a movie unless I am on the verge of bladder overload and explosion. I think the most exciting part of the movie was the little battle going on between the audience members over some unnecessary noise levels.  Pretty sad movie night...

Deb's Rate: Rent it leaning on Don't bother

Tiff's Take:
Ugh!  This movie was just awful.  I thought Neighbors was bad but this one totally beat it out.  In the worst possible way.  It was supposed to be a comedy but I literally didn't laugh at any of it.  I mean at all.  Other than being completely boring, it had a horrible message.  At least in my eyes, and I guess Deb's too.  So is the message really supposed to be that if you're frustrated with motherhood and try to get a one night break you'll be punished by not only having a bad time where everything goes wrong but that you'll realize you should have never stepped outside your house away from your kids?  Really?  I was almost offended by it.  And I'm never offended by anything.

Aside from the awful writing, the characters were oddly mixed and had no chemistry in any way.  Really bad choice all around.      

Tiff's Rate: A big Don't Bother for me.
Preview: Hopefully something worth watching!

2014: Week 19: Neighbors

Neighbors

Genre: Comedy

Main Players: Zac Efron, Seth Rogan, Rose Byrne


General Gist:  A frat house goes up in a residential neighborhood and the neighbors work to keep things under control.



Deb's Take:  
This movie felt like it was tailored for a 18 to 23 year old crowd. At first I thought maybe I was just getting old, but then I talked to Tiff...she thought maybe she was getting old, then we decided we aren't old, this was just young, stupid, mildly disturbing, comedy.  I actually don't think even as an 18 to 23 year old I would have liked it.  The idea seemed like it could have been funny, but it wasn't.  I was disappointed because I like Seth Rogan and Zac Efron most of the time.  The humor just seemed more stupid than funny.  I suppose there was a few places that made me laugh, I'm not THAT old, but I just didn't get the hype from this one.  Not a lot of substance.  I wouldn't even bother with this one.


Deb's Rate: Don't bother

Tiff's Take:
Yeah, like Deb said, I thought maybe I've reached that age where young, crude humor is lost on me.  Does it happen in your mid 30's?  Man, I hope not.  This movie sort of reminded me of an updated version of Old School.  Do you remember that one?  With Will Ferrell?  That was funny.  This was not.  It just didn't work at all.  I didn't think any of it was overly funny and some of the story just didn't make sense.  Seth Rogan wasn't very funny and Zac Efron seemed sort of creepy.  My husband really wanted to see this one (I think hoping it would be like Old School) but I don't think even he would have liked it.  I'd be curious to know what a younger crowd thought.  Who knows.  Maybe I am just getting too old.   

Tiff's Rate: Rent It
Preview: Moms' Night Out (Hint: Not much better than this one.  Maybe worse.)

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

2014: Week 18: Draft Day

Draft Day

Genre:  Drama, Sports

Main Players:  Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Patrick St. Esprit, Chadwick Boseman


General Gist:  A NFL general manager, on Draft Day, must make several decisions to rebuild his team, while taking into consideration several outside influences.

Tiff's Take:
I feel really bad that I went to this movie without Russ.  He really wanted to see it and I know he would have liked it.  And he would have appreciated and understood it a lot better than me.  I think a lot of the little details of the actual draft day were lost on me.  Obviously.  

So even though I'm a football idiot and basically know nothing about what goes on behind the scenes (or in front of my face) I still really enjoyed this movie.  It was fascinating.  It almost made me want to watch the draft.  Ha!  Okay, not really but it made me appreciate the process.  

Kevin Costner was really good in this.  I didn't quite believe the relationship between him and Jennifer though.  I really liked her in this but the relationship aspect seemed a little forced and could have almost been left out of the story altogether.  But other than that this was a great date movie that your man is sure to enjoy.


Tiff's Rate: Friday Night

Deb's Take:  
Brian went to this movie with us, and I was happy he was sitting next to me, because like Tiff, I didn't know the details of an actual draft day, and Brian was so kind as to answer my questions during the movie.  Which is HUGE, because I am a big believer in not talking during a movie but I broke my own rule so I could follow the whole process with more knowledge.  I enjoyed the movie much more knowing what was going on.  It's really not too suprising that I like the movie, because it's a sports movie and I can't think of a sports movie I haven't enjoyed.  I am with Tiff on this one..the love story side could have just been left off the table.  Maybe the writer's were trying to cater some to the female audience with that storyline, but really it was unnecessary.  I liked the idea of his personal assistant having so much knowledge about football, but wish there would have just been a "female in the male world" spin and no romance at all.  I absolutely loved Kevin Costner in this.  Although, like sports movies, I have a hard time thinking of a Kevin Costner movie I didn't like.  He is still so good at his job!  Yep, this one was a winner for Friday night.   


Deb's Rate: Friday Night




Preview: Neighbors

Monday, May 12, 2014

2014: Week 17: The Other Woman

The Other Woman

Genre:  Romantic Comedy

Main Players:  Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

General Gist:  A wife finds that her husband is having an affair and soon befriends his lover, only to find there is another lover.  The three woman plot to beat him at his own game.

Deb's Take:   
I like Leslie Mann a lot.  She's quirky, and odd and funny to me.  She makes me laugh and I enjoy watching her act.  I tend to not be a fan of Cameron Diaz.  I'm not sure why, but she just has never been impressive to me.  That being said, this movie was just okay for me.  I thought it was funny, in parts, but I think the story was weak.  The movie didn't have a lot of deep connections, the friendships were surface, at best, and the whole "must get revenge" was sort of out there.  By the end of the movie I think the writer was grasping for straws. I think it sort of fell apart and was just thrown together for closure.  Also, the movie wasn't really what I would call a "romantic" comedy.  It made me laugh, but didn't hold a lot of substance.   It wasn't awful, but I think watching it at home with a glass of wine and your BFF would be fine.

Deb's Rate:  Rent it 

Tiff's Take: 

I guess I'm just a tad bit more forgiving with this one then Deb.  Although not by much.  I like Leslie Mann too.  She's really funny and she made me laugh a lot in this movie.  I generally do like Cameron Diaz but in this she was just okay.  I haven't seen her in a movie in a while it seems.  She seems more harsh in her features than she used to be.  I guess that's not necessarily bad but she seems a little different as an actress.  Not sure it makes me like her better though.  So back to the movie.  There were some really funny parts but it was a little out there.  And yes, it seemed to lose track along the way.  But generally the chemistry between the actresses were good.  I have to say though I wasn't very impressed at all with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.  Especially with the funnier parts.  He didn't work well for me at all.

So just okay.  Some funny parts but not quite all there.
Tiff's Rate: Matinee


Preview:  Draft Day

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

2014: Week 16: Heaven Is for Real

Heaven is for Real

Genre: Drama

Main Players:  Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Connor Corum

General Gist:  The story of a 4 year old who goes to Heaven as told by his father.  Based on a true story.

Tiff's Take: 
So, I didn't read this book.  To be honest it just didn't seem like my cup of tea.  I'm very open minded about spiritual experiences and such but for some reason I wasn't horribly interested in reading this book.  I thought the movie would give me a good snippet about what the hype was all about and I could call it a day.

Well, I think I would have been better off just reading the book and calling it a day.  I'm sure the movie did not do the book justice in the least.  I wasn't invested in this story at all.  I didn't really feel the emotions that some people might get from watching this.  There was a decent amount of people who clapped when this movie was over.  It obviously moved some people.  Not this girl.  I was actually bored towards the end.  I believe this was an amazing story for the people involved.  But the movie just left me feeling uninspired.  

Tiff's Rate: Don't Bother


Deb's Take:  
Hmm.. This movie was disappointing to me.  I was expecting big, Big, BIG things from this.  I am a very spiritual person.  I believe in the power of miracles, visions, Angels, a greater being and spiritual experiences.  I enjoy hearing people's encounters with things not normal.  I expected whole heartedly to come out of this movie with a sense of peace, and connection.  I did not.  I felt like half of this movie was a sermon.  I felt some sort of lesson was trying to be pushed through the cracks, but in the end got stuck.  Spiritual encounters are meant to be powerful, life changing and awesome.  I believe that this story is all of those things, but the movie deflated the experience.   I felt the acting was good, but the writing and directing was not.  Connor Corum did great!  I also liked Greg Kinnear.  Kelly Reilly was lacking, and sort of annoying, as were many of the supporting roles. The story is amazing, but stick to the book because I feel like the movie ruined it. 

Deb's Rate:  Don't bother, just read the book.


Preview: Pre-screening of  "The Other Woman"

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

2014: Week 15: Non-Stop

Non-Stop

Genre: Action

Main Players: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery, Lupita Nyong'o

General Gist: A flight is hijacked by an unknown passenger by texting an air marshall demanding $150 million be sent to their account.

Tiff's Take: 
This was just sort of your classic, action movie.  I felt like I was decently tensed up the whole time but there wasn't anything that left an impression on me.  Liam Neeson just hasn't been super convincing to me in these action roles he's had lately.  He seems a little old for what he's doing and not overly impressive.  Or maybe it's that the movies are overly impressive and he's not adding a lot of value.  The other actors were okay too but I think the movie was just a bit average to think anyone was exceptional.  I don't know.  This was okay.  Not bad, not great.  Not an action movie I would ever need to see again but didn't hate it.

Tiff's Rate: Matinee


Deb's Take:  
I'm noticing that Liam Neeson seems to be doing the same kind of movies lately.  The action, save the day, race against time kind of movie.    His roles are becoming pretty predictable.  Then of course, lots of action movies are pretty predictable in general.  That makes me wonder what makes this movie better or worse than any other.  Well, it was better in that even though the whole movie pretty much took place on a plane, there was still enough scene changes to keep my interest.  It was better because I didn't figure out who the bad guy was until revealed( something  I usually figure out quickly) and the actors were decent.  The movie was worse in that there was a predictability about it that made it less exciting, also,  there's only so much that can happen on a plane.  I still can say it was better than some but not exceptional.  Kind of a no brainer, but better on the big screen I'm sure!

Deb's Rate: Matinee

Preview:  Heaven is for Real review.  Have you seen it?