2014: Week 8: Endless Love

Endless Love

Genre: Drama, Romance

Main Players: Alex Pettyfer, Gabriella Wilde, Bruce Greenwood, Joely Richardson

General Gist: The love story of a girl and boy who fall in love the summer after high school, and a father who doesn't believe in their romance.

Deb's Take: 
All I could think about while watching this movies was.."This is like a Taylor Swift song put into a 2 hour production".  That being said, I guess it depends on your opinion of Taylor Swift and her songs.  This movie was definitely a high school, "Footloose", "Dirty Dancing" for this generation type of movie.  Although, it won't be iconic like those movies from the 80's. 

This movie is all about young love.  I did get the feel of that desperate, young, first love.  The storyline was pretty black and white, two young lovers, a father who thinks the boy isn't good enough for his daughter, a mother who fights to make the father realize young love is real, etc. etc...You know, like a Taylor Swift song.  Now don't get me wrong, I am a Taylor Swift song lover.  I like young love, I love the emotion, the passion, the newness.  This movie didn't really do it for me though.  All the main characters played their parts well.  It's just that it played too much like an after school special (am I dating myself there?).  I think it was trying to be like "Footloose" or "Dirty Dancing", but it missed the mark by a long shot.   I guess all I can say is it was sweet, but lacking.

Deb's Rate: Rent it

Tiff's Take:
We saw Winter's Tale right before this movie and that was sort of disappointing as far as love stories go.  So I was hoping that this one would be a little better although to be honest I didn't really have any high hopes.  But I think it exceeded my expectations (however low they may have started).

This movie was completely predictable and we've seen a variation of it a hundred times.  There were also things about it that just didn't seem likely.  However, the chemistry that was lacking from last week's movie was not lacking in this one.  I felt the emotions a lot more.  And I was more drawn into this relationship.  Sure it seemed a little immature but I'm a sucker for young love.

By no means did I think this movie was fantastic but I also didn't hate it.  But I do love Taylor Swift songs so there you go.    
           
Tiff's Rate: Matinee

Preview: Bonus review for The Lego Movie.

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.

Week 8: Just Go With It

This week we saw Just Go With It with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler.  I'll be honest, this movie didn't leave much of a lasting impression on me.  Both Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler were good and they seemed to have good chemistry with their bantering back and forth but they didn't really do it for me as far as a romantic couple.  Brooklyn Decker (aka Andy Roddick's real life model wife) also did okay.  I don't think I've seen her in an acting role before and I think she did fine.  Nothing spectacular.  Nicole Kidman was in it with a small role which I was surprised.  None of the previews showed her at all.  Her husband in the movie was Dave Matthews which I thought was funny.  And at the end of the movie (spoiler alert if you really care at all) Brooklyn Decker's character ends up with Andy Roddick playing himself.  I thought that was funny too but really that was about it for the movie.

Most of Adam Sandler's movies seem to be to an extreme as far as dumb comedy goes.  At least his earlier ones.  And I'll be honest, I usually like those.  This one was a little different because it seemed like it was more of a romantic comedy but not quite.  There were funny parts that weren't quite funny and serious parts that weren't quite serious.  It didn't really work for me at all.  The whole story line was outlandish and unbelievable.  I mean who meets someone and then within a week or so takes a whole dysfunctional family vacation to Hawaii?  There were just way to many holes in the story.  I know it was suppose to be sort of carefree and fun but it just didn't do it for me. 

I'm not sure I would really recommend this movie to anyone.  If you're in the mood for a good Adam Sandler comedy this is definitely not it.  And if you're in the mood for a good Jennifer Aniston romantic comedy this isn't it either. 

To Sum it up: Not that funny, not that believable and not sure if it's worth it.