2012: Week 8: Chronicle

Chronicle

Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama

Main Players: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan

General Gist: Three high school friends find this underground "thing" that gives them the power to move things with their minds. As their powers increase things start getting out of hand.

Tiff's Take:
We went out on a limb this week and decided to see something we normally wouldn't. Truth be told, since we went to the movies on a Wednesday we didn't have the option to see one of the new ones coming out this weekend. So this is what we decided on.

First I want to say that I don't think we fit the demographics that this movie was targeting. You might remember my review from 30 Minutes or Less. Same concept here. In the beginning of the movie the boys were using this new found power to do just stupid teenage boy things. Like move someones car to a different spot in a parking lot to mess with them. The other handful of people that were in the theater with us (who seemed to be teenage boys) thought these kind of pranks were hilarious. I mean hilarious. I get that I'm in my 30's now but really?

Anyway, so there was this whole sci-fi aspect with the special powers but then there was this boy who's sort of dorky trying to get by in a school with kids who are mean to him but then he makes them pay later kind of thing going on. You know, that classic story. And on top of it, it was suppose to seem like it was shot through the kids own handheld camera. Which may have given a little more interesting aspect of the movie but didn't quite get there.

So what I'm saying is this movie was just plain bizarre. I left the theater feeling weird.

Tiff's Rate: Don't Bother

Deb's Take:

I have to take the wrap for this movie. I picked it...and it wasn't a good choice. I totally agree with Tiff on this one. I think this type of movie must be somewhat of a new age, older teen/early 20 crowd kind of movie. I don't even really have much to say about it because it was that bad.

The concept may have made a good movie, it was sort of a super power type of movie, but turned into a kid gone mad who is out to ruin the world. The sad part is I think the movie was trying to make some sort of point about kids who get bullied and their vengence on the world. I felt like it supported a huge problem in our society of kids taking their anger into their own hands and turning on all their enemies. Maybe I just feel this way because I am a mother of children in their teen/tween ages. The whole thing just made me sad, and then eventually just went over the edge of reality and became stupid. Bad choice!

Deb's Rate: Don't bother

Preview: Prescreening of "21 Jump Street". Yes, we love free movies. Notice the picture on our facebook page.

Rating System

We've been thinking about doing some sort of rating system with our reviews for a while now but haven't been able to come up with much.  Well, we finally found one that we liked.  Deb often says in her reviews that this movie would be a good rental (meaning not a great one) and so on.  It got me thinking, that would be a great way to rate the movies we see.

So, we'll have five categories to our rating system.  Here goes.

Don't Bother

(This is for awful movies that you should never see.)

Rent It

(These movies aren't good enough to pay to see them in a theater.)

Matinee

(An okay movie but probably not worth paying full price.)

Friday Night

(Great movie.  Worth paying for a prime ticket.)

Opening Day

(This is the best a movie can get!  One you would wait in a long line for.)

What do you think?  Beings that I'm not the most creative person in the world I thought this was pretty good.  Watch for these ratings on our upcoming reviews!

2012: Week 7: The Vow

The Vow

Genre: Romance, Drama

Main Players: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum

General Gist: A woman is injured in a car accident and has a traumatic brain injury that leaves her without a memory of her last 5 years of life. She doesn't remember her husband, or their marriage. He works to rekindle their love.

Deb's Take:
I was really thinking that this movie was going to capture my heart and put me into my romance oblivion that my favorite romance movies and books often do. I was sort-of disappointed. I have to say that the acting was actually pretty good, I like Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum a lot. I feel like they had good chemistry, but I was looking for "The Notebook" or "Titanic" kind of romance. The drama, the conflict and the eventual coming back around to the ultimate love, and I never really felt that. I wanted intense, but it fell a little short of that. It wasn't a bad movie by any means, I just didn't find myself longing for more. All in all, you will get the romance, but don't expect the heartfelt story of some previous movies.

Tiff's Take:
Again, I totally agree with Deb.  Two weeks in a row!  We're starting to get back on the same wavelength.

I really wanted to just LOVE this movie.  I love Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum so no issues there.  They do have great chemistry so they were a good match.  Another plus.  And the story line seemed like it would make a wonderfully, heartbreaking, want to die in your seat kind of movie.  But the truth is, it only sort of did.  For the most part I ended up feeling really bad for Tatum's character the whole time without truly getting great closure in the end.  I just wanted more.  Although, I will say I've thought a lot about the movie since I've seen it.  Usually that's a good sign for me. But that might also have something to do with the fact that I let my imagination run wild about the "what ifs" in life. 

So I'd say it was a decent movie and if you're thinking about going to it you would probably like it but don't count on loving it.  As Deb said, it's no Titanic. 

Preview: Something a little different than our normal: "Chronicle"

2012: Week 6: This Means War

This Means War

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Action

Main Players: Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy, Chris Pine, Chelsea Handler

General Gist: Two best friends who are CIA partners fall for the same girl and decide to make it a competition to see who will win her over.

Deb's Take:
LOVED IT! This movie had everything, (almost).... Romance, Action, Comedy, Hot men, Hot Woman (so my husband says), and was extremely enjoyable. The theatre was filled with people who laughed a lot. I loved that it was funny, had great action and still had the romance I enjoy so much. It's rated PG-13, but a little more like PG-15 to me. (my new rating scale). Chris Pine and Tom Hardy did great. They played best friends so well. Reese Witherspoon did not disappoint either, she was great. Most enjoyable was Chelsea Handler. I loved her in this movie. She made me laugh out loud quite a bit! This movie comes out on Valentines day, and I will say, I think it is a great movie for a couple to go see. My husband really enjoyed it just as much as I did. Houston, we have a winner!

Tiff's Take:
I couldn't agree more with Deb.  (Finally, one in the new year that we completely agree on!)  This was such a fun movie.  All the actors did great.  Reese Witherspoon was lovely and likable as expected.  Chris Pine and Tom Hardy were perfect eye candy. (I must admit Tom Hardy was a little higher up on my hottie scale though.  Crooked teeth and all.)  Chelsea Handler was crude and witty making a great sidekick. 

This movie actually comes out next week but we were lucky enough to go to a prescreening.  So if you're thinking of going to a movie to celebrate Valentine's day next weekend this would be a great one.  Most romantic comedies are really just chick flicks.  But this one I think would be just as enjoyable for a guy as it would for a girl.  And like Deb said, it was really funny.  There were many laugh out loud moments.  Actually a few times the whole audience was roaring.  You can't beat that.  Make this one a date night!  

Preview: "The Vow"....we hope!

2012: Week 5: The Grey

The Grey

Genre: Action, Drama

Main Players: Liam Neeson, Dallas Roberts, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Nonso Anozie, Joe Anderson

General Gist: A plane crashes in the Alaskan wild leaving only a handful of survivors. They try to make their way to safety at the same time being a target to a pack of wolves.

Tiff's Take:
I want to start out by saying this movie was very intense. I mean, a plane crash and attacking wolves all in the same movie? Totally leaves you on the edge of your seat through the whole entire thing. Aside from being intense it was really just plain scary. It reminded me of a horror film where you're always expecting someone to jump out at you. Except instead of a creepy bad guy it's a ferocious wolf.

Liam Neeson plays the main character who is struggling with his inner demons then finds himself fighting for his life as the "leader" of this group of plane crash survivors. I think he does an okay job. Nothing spectacular. In fact I might say he was a little boring. And to be honest with you, if you take out the intensity, the movie itself was a little boring. I'm not sure if it's possible to be intense and boring at the same time but that's what I'm sticking with. And the bond between the men was just okay. I didn't feel a big connection.

It was interesting how there was the comparisons between a pack of wolves and a group of men. They almost became two equals fighting against each other. But I won't tell you who wins. Apart from that, nothing else really drew me in. I wouldn't say that this is one I would pick if I had a choice nor would I recommend it. It just wasn't my thing.

Deb's Take:
I picked the movie this week. I don't know why I just thought this one would be a good one. I am becoming more and more of a Liam Neeson fan (which I am actually amazed how many movies of his are coming out soon) so thought...hey, why not? Well, I really liked it! I haven't read Tiff's take yet, but do see her last line and am guessing we don't agree.

I do hate plane crash movies..they freak me out, so that scene was very unenjoyable for me. However, after getting over the initial shock of that, I was able to sit back and sort of relax, or so I thought. I don't do scary-suspense movies well. I tend to watch them with one eye open and one eye squinted to the point of barely being able to see. Why? I don't know, it just makes me feel better. This movie was a one-eye-squinter for me. Usually in movies the music will give it away for me, or more often the lack of music (extreme silence) will give it away. This movie got me a couple times, I think I jumped twice where I had to laugh at myself for losing my cool. It wasn't horror scary, just jumpy, and gorey.

I think what I really liked most was that the movie was a journey. Granted a tough and either you live or die traumatically and horribly, kind of journey, but a journey none the less, and I like journey movies. I liked the emotional side (shocker..right?). Usually gorey movies kind of creep me out, but for what ever reason this one didn't. I think the wolves were a little "fake" for me, so I was able to separate myself from fact and fiction..sort of made up my mind it was SCI-FI instead of real life.

I was surprised that two kids about 9 or 10 were sitting behind me with their parents. Let me tell you, my kids wouldn't consider walking in any sort of forest, mountain or nature type of activity ever again if they saw this movie. Rated R for a reason folks.

What I am saying, I enjoyed the acting, I liked the suspense for a change, was a little grossed out at times, but was glad I picked this movie.

Preview:
"This means War"-Free screening tonight (Wednesday) YEAH, gotta love free

Giveaway Winner

Thanks for everyone who entered our contest!  It was fun reading all the oxymorons that you came up with. 

And the winner of the first three books in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich and two movie tickets to go see One for the Money is...

Amanda Horrevoets Wasilko

Congrats!  I hope you enjoy the books as much as I do and have fun going to the movie. 

If you could email us at dbschaefer@sbcglobal.net and give us your mailing address we'll get these prizes out to you.

Thanks for playing everyone!

2012: Week 4: One for the Money

One for the Money

Genre: Action, Comedy

Main Players: Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, Sherri Shepherd, Debbie Reynolds, John Leguizamo

General Gist: Story of a woman who is down on her luck, lack of job and money, so she goes to work for her cousin as a bounty hunter. No, she knows nothing about the job and has no experience. This is the first movie from a series of 18 books.

Deb's Take:

I will say, I love these books. Although I am currently behind by 2 books. I had to sit down and really think about the first book a little bit, after watching the movie. I mildly recall my mom and sister really being excited about this series and after reading the first one I thought is was okay, but didn't know what all they hype was about. I think it was about book 3 that I was totally hooked. So, I think this movie left me feeling sort of the same way, but it makes sense. The movie is sort of a "set-up" movie for more to come. The movie was short (took me back to the days of movies being MAYBE 90 minutes.) I was prepared to be underwhelmed with the acting because I am very sold on the book characters. I was bummed when I heard Katherine Heigl was playing Stephanie Plum. I was pleasantly surprised, she did well. Really all the characters did good, they fell into their parts pretty decently. I think my only true disappointment was Ranger. I just feel Ranger is a super "bad ass" kind of guy and Daniel Sunjata didn't make me feel that way. He was too "cute" with his dimple and he talked too much. I know, it sounds sort of weird, but read the books and you'll understand..I think. Overall, the movie was a good set-up movie, but I really am looking forward to what else they are going to do with the movies in the future. You have got to see Lula in her true light, and feel the Morelli, Ranger, Stephanie sexual tension. Read the books! (you may win them if you entered our give away) I guarantee you will be hooked with the books, the movie...the verdict is still out on that.

Tiff's Take:
I would say my thought of this movie was pretty similar to Deb.  The books are really easy, fun reads and I can totally see them being a movie or TV series.  (Actually TV more than movie but that's just my opinion)  So I wasn't too surprised to see this one come out. 

Like Deb, I was disappointed in the casting.  I really didn't think Katherine Heigl could pull it off.  And I totally had Morelli and Ranger's characters different in my head.  (Stephanie more Jersey, Morelli better looking, Ranger more muscular and Grandma Mazur a lot older) But I thought all of them did a pretty darn good job.

Don't get me wrong.  This was no award winning movie but it was a fun, thinkless type of movie.  It did a lot of setting up the characters but the books the same way too.  If they decide to do more movies (and I'm not convinced they will) I think they will get better with each one. 

Preview:

We'll be posting the winner to the giveaway next!