Bonus Review: Week 27.5

The Amazing Spider-Man

Genre: Action, Adventure

Main Players: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Sally Field, Martin Sheen

General Gist: Pretty sure everyone knows the general gist.....

Deb's Take:   My son really wanted to see this movie, so my husband and I were able to take him for a “middle child” date.  (My husband was looking forward to it as well).  I hadn’t planned on going initially, but getting to spend time with the family and going to a movie go hand in hand. 

It seems like I have seen so many “super hero” movies in the last two years  I wasn’t really sure how this one could be any different than the last 30.  Actually, it really wasn’t in my eyes.  Same story, different actors, different scenes, better graphics, stunts etc….So, I will take a look at the actors..I do like Emma Stone.  She is just a sort of down to earth, “real” person kind of actress.  She made the chemistry of the romance work.  Andrew Garfield was so-so.  He did fit the whole broken teenager role of Spidey, but I wasn’t sold on his macho attitude and romance abilities.  I think who I liked the most was Sally Field, and not because this role was amazing, but because I just love her!  I was shocked to see her and Martin Sheen in this remake, who would have guessed.

All in all, the movie was…Spiderman, nothing too special for me.  I will tell you that my son liked it “better than any other Spider Man movie because it actually followed the true storyline of the comics.” My husband agreed.  Again, lost on me, but oh well, still a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with my boys.

Deb's Rate: Matinee

Preview: The sisters reunite after 3 weeks of vacation!

2012: Week 25: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Main Players: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley

General Gist:  The journey of two people during their last days as an asteroid is set to hit earth.

Tiff's Take:

Deb's on vacation and apparently doesn't have good movie choices in our little hometown so you just get me this week.  And I'll tell you right now I won't suggest that Deb goes to this some other time.  Not worth it.  Even if it's free.

I had highish hopes for this movie.  It didn't get a lot of press but I though it had potential to be a good one.  With Steve Carell I thought it would have some good comedy and with the story line I thought it would have a good serious side as well.  Boy was I wrong.  There were practically no funny parts and the movie just kept dragging on and on.  It was brutal.  I don't usually dislike a movie quite so much even if it's a little boring but there was absolutely nothing about this one that worked for me.

Steve Carell's character didn't really have any funny parts and his serious nature got old real quick.  Keira Knightley was okay if not slightly annoying.  Together they had zero chemistry.  It seemed like an odd match.  To top everything off, this was the movie I chose to take my not so movie going husband to.  I'm never going to live this one down. 

If I was the type of person to walk out of a movie this one would have made me do it.       
      
Tiff's Rate: Don't Bother.  Seriously just don't bother.

Preview:  Magic Mike.  Bring on the men!

Week 44: The Way

Last weekend we saw The Way.  Never heard of it you say?  Well, neither had I until I was browsing through our options.  Let me tell ya, it's been a duddy couple weeks in movies and this was the only one that seemed worth going to.  This was released first in Spain then at the Toronto International Film Festival last year.  It came out a couple other places internationally before it hit here this October.  So this isn't your average American blockbuster.  And what a nice change of pace. 

Emilio Estevez wrote and directed this with a minor role in the movie.  The main character was Martin Sheen.  Everyone else was pretty much no namers. Martin Sheen played Tom, a guy who travels to Europe to retrieve the body of his son (played by Estevez) who died in an accident while embarking on a pilgrimage from France to Spain.  As he's there he decides to finish what his son started and take the pilgrimage himself.  (With his son's ashes in tow.)  On his journey he meets up with three other people who are making the trek for their own specific reasons. 

What I loved about this movie is it was so simple and honest.  There wasn't a lot of drama or unnecessary dialog.  Martin Sheen was really perfect in this role.  He was understated and believable.  The other characters were equally as good.  It was a thought provoking movie and to top it off there was some humor thrown in as well.  Really well done.

If you're looking for something off the beaten path this is the movie for you.  It might even make you want to drop everything and go "find" yourself in the European countryside. 

To Sum it up: Touching, funny, and inspires you to be a better person.  

Week 44: "The Way"

This movie was such an inspiration. The best way I can think to describe it in a few words is to say "this movie reminded me of reading the book "Eat Pray Love"...I felt so happy and inspired, I felt like I wanted to go on a Pilgramage"

So you may not have heard much about this movie, I actually hadn't heard anything about it before going, I didn't know it existed. I am sure glad we discovered it. I looked up some information online about the movie to get a better idea of the whole background story, and found a good description that I will just quote here..I took this from Wikipedia

"The Way is a 2010 American drama film. It is a collaboration between Martin Sheen and his real life son Emilio Estevez, to honour the Camino de Santiago and promote pilgrimage. Not wanting to appeal to one demographic, Emilio Estevez called the film "pro people, pro life — not anti — anything."

The main actors in the movie, Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez (although not in the movie much as he is the dead son) Deborah Ungar, James Nesbitt and Yorick van Wageningen all just fit together so well. I sort of felt like I was just watching a documentary of 4 people making this wonderful journey. The movie wasn't necessarily fasted paced, but for some reason I was totally engrossed the whole time. I loved the scenery, I enjoyed the light humor and I appreciated the deep content and reflection. I want to walk the Camino de Santagio. Maybe someday....

I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a little inspiration, who loves to travel and who enjoys the journey of life.

See you next week! (or later this week :)