Movie Review: Hancock

Hancock - starring Will Smith

Everyone loves a superhero. But when that superhero causes more damage than the bad guys, people can get pretty annoyed.

Hancock leaves destruction everywhere he goes. Sure, he catches the bad guys, but the citizens of Los Angeles have had enough! They begin to boo his efforts and tell him to go away. Then, one day, he saves the life of PR Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) who decides to help Hancock turn his tarnished image around.

I found it a bit refreshing to see a superhero without a silly costume, whose identity everyone knew and most of all, who was not glorified. I enjoyed the special effects and the humorous moments. And of course, you can't go wrong with Will Smith. Certainly worth watching.

Movie Review: Definitely, Maybe

Definitely, Maybe - Starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Rachel Wiesz

Will (Ryan Reynolds) tells his daughter the story about how he met her mother. In doing so, he recounts the complicated path that his love life took and the women who helped pave that path. The story starts in 1992 through to present day.

There is not a whole lot that can be said about this movie without telling the entire story, so I'll leave it at that. I will say, however, that it does have some humorous moments, and some emotional moments.

And if nothing else, there's Ryan Reynolds to look at, which, of course, makes my day. (I think it's well known that I have a teeny tiny crush on him haha!)

Movie Review: Seven Pounds

Seven Pounds - starring Will Smith.

If Will Smith is in a movie, you know it's going to be worth watching. I heard so many people talk about this movie and say what a great movie it is, even though it's a tear jerker. I have to say that no one was wrong about that.

It is one of those movies that you can't really talk about without giving away the story. All I can really say is that this is a story about a man who sets out to change the lives of several people.

If at first you find this movie confusing and all over the place, don't worry. It all comes together later on and it will make sense. Don't give up watching it. It's worth the wait.

As always, I remain a huge fan of Will Smith, and I recommend this movie for sure. But keep your tissues handy!

Movie Review: The Bucket List

The Bucket List - starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

Two complete opposite men find themselves in the same hospital room fighting for their lives. An unlikely friendship develops between the two after they are each told they have not much time left to live.

They develop a list of things they want to do before they 'kick the bucket' aptly named "The Bucket List".

When they leave the hospital, they decide to go on a trip around the world in attempt to cross the items off their list.

This movie was full of both humorous and touching scenes. I found myself both laughing-out-loud and being moved by this movie. It causes one to think of their own mortality and the list of things they wish to do before they die.

No one can do it quite like Nicholson and Freeman. I certainly recommend this movie to all.

(note: review originally written in March 2009)

Movie Review: Brian's Song

Brian's Song - Starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams

I first heard of this movie after my husband died when my friend introduced me to the theme song from this movie. You can hear the song in this post.

I immediately looked up the song on zip.ca and put it on my Zip List. It finally came this week.

Brian's Song was a made-for-tv movie based on the story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, two players for the Chicago Bears. They develop a unique friendship as rookies. When Sayers injures his knee, it is Piccolo who encourages him not to give up. Later, Piccolo is diagnosed with cancer which only deepens their friendship.

The movie was short, only 74 minutes long, but a very nice, if sad, movie.

It started with a quote that I would like to share:

"Ernest Hemingway said every true story ends in death. Well, this is a true story."

Such a simple quote, yet, speaks volumes, doesn't it? No happy ever after.

We played Brian's Song at the funeral, and it's nice to know the story behind the song. I'm glad I got a chance to watch the movie, even though the hospital scenes bring back memories for me.

Recommended.

Movie Review: Reign Over Me

Reign Over Me - Starring Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle.

Charlie Fineman (Sandler), a 9/11 widow, has retreated from the rest of the world. One day, he runs into Alan (Cheadle), his former college roommate. They soon begin to re-kindle their friendship, and so begins Charlie's healing process.

While this movie had some slow parts, I think it was necessary for the story's ultimate lesson. You can not force someone to "get better" until they are ready. Charlie retreated because people were pushing on him to seek professional help after losing his wife, daughters and dog in the 9/11 attacks. This only made things worse for him.

I enjoyed seeing Adam Sandler in this movie because it shows that he is not just a goof and can be taken more seriously as an actor. I hope he will make more movies like this in the future. The friendship between Charlie and Alan was interesting, yet realistic.

I certainly would recommend this movie, especially if you're looking for a feel-good movie, or if you like to see unique friendships stories.

Speaking of Earth Day....

... I really want to see this movie!

Movie Review: The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect - starring Ashton Kutchner

"It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world - Chaos Theory"

And so begins The Butterfly Effect.

As a young boy, Evan begins to black out and is unable to recall events that have just occurred. His mother takes him to see a psychiatrist who suggests that Evan begin a journal and write things down as they occur to get an idea of how much he is blacking out. As a college student, Evan struggles with not knowing what happened during these blackouts and begins searching for answers. In his search, he learns a way to travel back in time to change the events that have shaped his life and the life of those around him. However, he soon learns that changing these events come with dire consequences.

Despite not-so-favorable reviews of this movie, I found this movie to actually be quite good. However it was somewhat emotionally difficult to watch. Ashton Kutchner does a good job at stepping out of his usual Kelso-ness for this role. Overall, I would say it was worth watching.

Conclusion: If you are a fan of paranormal, mind-spinning movies, then this movie is for you. It may be emotionally upsetting for some people (in particular, bereaved parents), and I would not recommend it for the under-18 audience.

Movie Review: Evening

Evening - starring Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Vanessa Redgrave

As she lays dying, Ann recalls a life changing event many years ago.

While she drifts in and out of consciousness, her daughters try to make sense of the tidbits of information she mumbles. The movie goes back and forth between current time and an evening many years ago.

While this was not a bad movie, I can't say I really enjoyed it that much. It started off okay but even the life changing event did not play a very big role in the movie. The movie continued on as if something else was to happen, but nothing ever did. There were no explanations as to what really transpired after, yet given the amount of time left in the movie, you would think there would have been more to it.

I would not necessarily recommend this movie. It was OK. Not great. Not horrible. Just...ok.

Movie Review: Take the Lead

Take the Lead - starring Antonio Banderas

Based on a true story, Antonio Banderas stars as Pierre Dulaine, a professional ballroom dancer who volunteers to teach a group of misfits how to dance. His hope is that they will also learn good manners and respect for others and themselves, thus leading to making better choices in their lives.

When Dulaine arrives at the school, the students think he is a joke, and try to laugh it off. After a while, they come to realize they don't really have a choice so they begin to take his instruction a little more serious. Before they know it, they find themselves quite enjoying the art of ballroom dancing.

This movie, while predictable, was still worth watching. It is heartwarming to see young people realize that they do not have to follow the footsteps of their parents, and that just because you grow up on the wrong side of the tracks doesn't mean you have to stay there. If nothing else, it was worth it just to see Antonio Banderas because, admit it, he's easy to look at!

Movie Review: Lars and the Real Girl

Lars and the Real Girl - starring Ryan Gosling

I first heard about this movie when I read about it on Amber's blog. Several people recommended it to me when I was asking for movie ideas.

Lars is a very shy guy, so when he informs his brother and sister-in-law that he is bringing a girl home to visit, they are shocked. They are even more shocked when they meet Bianca, for Bianca is actually a life size doll.

I was expecting the movie to be more of a comedy, however, it was more of a drama. It had its humorous parts, of course, but for the most part, I would not say it was as funny as some people claimed it to be.

However, I did find it to be a good movie, and in fact, it pulled on my heartstrings a few times. Ryan Gosling is unrecognizable in this movie, and has again proven his acting skills are beyond the silly immature characters he played in his earlier acting career.

I would certainly recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a nice movie to watch, but if you're looking for a laugh-til-your-sides-hurt movie, this is not it.

Movie Review: Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain - staring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger.

Ennis (Ledger) and Jack (Gyllenhaal) are two cowboys who meet on Brokeback Mountain while herding sheep one summer in the 1960's.

One cold night, while trying to stay warm, they are surprised to find their relationship turning physical.

When the season ends, they part ways, figuring they will not see each other again. They soon begin to realize that their feelings for each other are not purely physical, nor a result of isolation, and they begin an affair that spans over two decades.

This movie focuses on the love story between Ennis and Jack, and how they are kept apart by society's view of homosexuality in the 1960's.

If you like love stories, or cowboys, then this movie is for you.

Movie Review: Say Anything.

Say Anything - Starring John Cusack

Hard to believe, but I had not seen the movie Say Anything until just now.

Say Anything stars John Cusack as Lloyd Dobler who surprises himself by asking out Diane Court, the girl he's been pining. He is even more surprised when she agrees to go on a date with him.

The date leads to another date, and soon they realize that there is love between them. However, Diane's overprotective father and a scholarship to a university in England potentially dooms this first love.

Honestly, I thought this movie was more about Lloyd trying to convince Diane to go out with him. But even though my assumptions for the movie were wrong, I still found it to be a good movie and am glad I finally had a chance to see it.

As always, with John Cusack, you can't go wrong.

Movie Review: Must Love Dogs

Must Love Dogs stars Diane Lane and John Cusack as two divorcees who are re-entering the dating world. They meet on an internet dating site and their first date begins a series of mishaps that had me chuckling throughout the movie.

What's not to like about this movie? It has a bunch of adorable dogs, and John Cusack. What a combination!

I would definitely recommend this movie for anyone who is looking to spend a little time curled up on the couch on a snowy, blowy day like today.

What Movies Do You Recommend?

I was given a gift code for zip.ca but I can't decide which movies to rent!! Which movies would you recommend?

I mostly watch action, drama, suspense and comedy. I am not much into horror or sci-fi.

Thanks in advance!

The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Movie

The movie is based on Mitch Albom's book of the same title. Starring Jon Voight, Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Daniels. You can see my review of the book here.

I was impressed at how closely the movie followed the book. There was not a lot missing or added to the story as is the case in many book-to-movie transformations. Jon Voight was believable as Eddie the Maintenance Man.

Anyone who enjoyed the book will enjoy the movie too. Go out and rent it today.

P.S. I Love You - The Book Vs The Movie

(note: book review was written several weeks prior to movie review)

P.S. I Love You - Cecelia Ahern (The Book)

Gerry and Holly were childhood sweethearts looking forward to the rest of their lives when Gerry is diagnosed with a brain tumor.

After his death, Holly is thrilled to discover that he has left behind letters for her to read. But according to his instructions she can only read one letter a month. Each letter gives her a task that Gerry asks her to do and she finds herself anxiously anticipating the next letter. It is as if Gerry is still with her.

As she completes the tasks, she finds herself living life again. This causes a wide range of emotions in Holly. How could she possibly live without her soul mate?

P.S. I Love You was different than I had anticipated as I thought it would be more about the letters that Gerry had written. However, I was not disappointed in the book at all.

There were moments where I laughed out loud and there were moments I felt tears filling up my eyes. To me, a sign of a good book is one that brings out real emotions to the reader. Therefore, this was a good book. I am looking forward to comparing it with the movie.

P.S. I Love You - The Movie

The worst part about watching a movie when I have read the book is that I find myself constantly comparing the two. The movie version of P.S. I Love You was not a bad movie, I enjoyed it. However, some parts were not true to the book. Some parts were smushed together to make one part of the movie. Holly and Gerry were not childhood sweethearts but instead meet when she was in college.

That being said, I would still recommend the movie. The Eye Candy (Gerard Butler, Jeffrey Dean Morgan) alone make it worthwhile. However, as any true bookworm would say, the book is always the better option.

Marley & Me, The Movie

A while ago I did a book review on the book Marley & Me by John Grogan. The book has now been made into a movie starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. You can see the movie trailer here!

Looking forward to seeing the movie version of this book!

Next - Movie

Next - Staring Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore & Jessica Biel



Nicolas Cage plays a magician in a Vegas act who has the ability to foresee the future two minutes in advance. Because of his unique gift, he finds himself in a situation where he comes out looking like the bad guy and ends up on the run from the FBI. Julianne Moore is the FBI agent who is tracking down Cage's character and Jessica Biel plays the girl he has been foreseeing in his mind.



Right from the get-go, I found myself thrilled with this movie. I loved the anticipation, the special effects and the believable characters. The only thing that didn't sit right with me is that I thought Jessica Biel's character was a little too young for Nicolas Cage's character!



I certainly would recommend this movie to those who like a little action with a little paranormal.

Finder's Fee - Movie

Finder's Fee - Starring Eric Palladino, Matthew Lillard, Ryan Reynolds & James Earl Jones. Directed by Jeff Probst.

When Tepper finds a wallet on the sidewalk, he discovers a winning lottery ticket in it. Soon he and his poker buddies find themselves playing for the lottery ticket with the owner of the wallet.

I love Ryan Reynolds, who doesn't? After all, that is a big reason why I picked up this movie. That, and the fact the movie's description sounded like it would be half decent.

However, I must say, I was quite disappointed with this movie. I found myself bored. And there wasn't enough Ryan Reynolds screen time to make up for my boredom.

While the idea of the movie was good, it was not written nor executed quite so well. Probst should stick to hosting Survivor.