Fairy Tales Can Come True... "Ever After: A Cinderella Story"

Once upon a time...

The Story:

The true story of Cinderella is recounted to the Brothers Grimm by a relative generations removed from the event.  In it Danielle (Drew Barrymore) loses her father just after he marries Rodmilla (Anjelica Huston) and she is now trapped with her 2 step sisters (Megan Dodds and Melanie Lynskey).  Slowly, Rodmilla is draining any bit of wealth that Danielle had left in her family.  Then one day a chance encounter with Prince Henry (Dougray Scott) puts the two on a course of mistaken identity and true love.  Perhaps with the sage advice of Leonard Da Vinci (Patrick Godfrey) this fairytale romance will have a happy ending?

This is a wonderful twist on the classic fairy tale by trying to present the "real story" that inspired the legend.  Directed and co-written by the underrated Andy Tennant (who also directed tomorrow's movie...how about that??!!) this movie is a literal charmer from start to finish.

The entire cast is perfectly suited to their roles, and Drew Barrymore shines as Danielle.  This is one of my three favorite roles for her, and yes, I can watch this movie anytime, anyplace.   I'll let you try and figure out the other two movies.  :)

The best part?  This is one of those movies that while I enjoy it, so too does my favorite date!  Those movies make the time together watching them even better.

It probably has a little to do with not having to hear what a stupid movie I picked for the next 90 minutes of my life... ;)

But yes, when I find a movie that she likes, and bonus points, it's one the kids can watch, and they like too, these are the movies that are pretty much perfect.

The whole family able to sit down and watch a movie together, those make for the best films in the library.  This isn't quite on the same level as The Princess Bride, but it's along those lines.

So here's my choice for the best adaptation of Cinderella ever made.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Own it. Love it.  Watched at least once a year.  Enjoy it every time.

While I Can't Guarantee You've Never Heard of "Love Birds"... It's Probably Unlikely

That's a duck, not a kiwi...

The Story:

Doug (Rhys Darby) has just been dumped by his girlfriend (Faye Smythe).  It's a crushing blow for Doug, and then he finds an injured duck on his roof.  He takes it to the zoo where Holly, the vet (Sally Hawkins) refuses to take it in.  After talking to another vet (Bryan Brown), he decides to nurse the duck back to health himself.  Doug and his duck bond, and Doug's life begins to change on the romantic front.  Maybe this duck is actually a love bird...

Welcome to a cute little romantic comedy from down under, Down Under.  From New Zealand to be precise, and if memory serves, this is only the 2nd film from that country I have seen.

And it's their best.

Plus the best part, you can watch a foreign film...

Without Subtitles!!

:)

Rhys Darby is charming in the lead role.  Apparently he is a comedian in New Zealand.  Throughout the film, I thought he looked a lot like a less-defined Hugh Jackman. 

Perhaps there's something in the water down there?

Nevertheless, he pulls off leading man duties with ease, and he's rather fun with the absurdity of having a duck invade his life.

It's a fun little film with Doug taking the duck literally everywhere with him, and people not even batting an eye as he rolls the duck through a grocery store inside of the shopping cart.  Probably in New Zealand you actually could get away with that.  In America, it would be dinner...

Naturally, the course for love with Doug and Holly has complications from the get-go as she is a single mother, and then Doug's girlfriend decides that maybe she wants him back.

Oh, and one final thing I failed to mention, Doug is a huge fan of Queen.  If you enjoy the group, you'll love the soundtrack.  A lot of hits, sprinkled with one or two non-radio smashes (at least in America...)

Charming little romantic comedy that should make for a cuddly little date night.


Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could definitely watch this one again.  It's a cute little charmer with a likeable lead, and an adorable duck.  My daughter walked in while I had this on and she got all kinds of excited.  "Duck! Duck!"  Adorable.

Dead or Alive, You're Coming With "RoboCop"

I'd buy that for a dollar!

The Story:

In the future, Detroit is pretty much on its last legs as a drug filled haven for criminals.  The cops are gunned down frequently, and corporations are looking to be the future of law enforcement.  It is here that Officer Murphy (Peter Weller) gets gunned down, and is transformed into RoboCop.  From there, it's a question of a bit of Murphy's humanity remaining in the machine as he tracks down the bad guys that killed him, and leads him to the big reveal of who really is behind the crime...

Big Corporations!

Wait, this is the future?  I'm pretty sure that could sum up America, especially Detroit, right now.

: )

My back to back love reviews for the great city of Detroit looks back at the 80s masterpiece: RoboCop!

Paul Verhoeven's first American film remains his greatest work.  Ultra-violent, ultra-funny, it takes swipes at Americas capitalism and other issues that were prevalent in the 80s and still carry some weight today.

The satirical news and commercial spots that interrupt the film are as good today as they were over 25 years ago.

Weller does great as the stoic cop.  His performance is nearly robotic, even before he undergoes the operation. :)

 His lack of presence is made up for with scenery chewing bad guys, among them, Ronny Cox and Kurtwood Smith.

Yep, I have to say it, Robocop is a science fiction/action classic in the genre.

I fear that the retread/reboot of the franchise is going to stall out as badly as the Total Recall did.  Nobody is clamoring for a remake, and when you take a cult classic and try and update it, you have to throw out all the stops and make the remake stand on its own two feet.

We will see.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't own this one, just never have gotten around to getting it, and I think this is only the 3rd time I've seen it since the first time I rented it back in the day... but it's still pretty darn awesome.

How Far Would You Go To Get To "Detroit Rock City" ?

Time to take a ride in the wayback machine!

The Story:

4 teens (Giuseppe Andrews, James DeBello, Edward Furlong and Sam Huntington) have their own band, and they worship (not literally) KISS.  They've got tickets to the big show in Detroit, 1978...
And then it all hits the fan when the ultra-conservative mom (Lin Shaye) finds and burns the tickets.  Fate seems to shine on the boys one more time though when they win a radio contest for 4 tickets, and then all bets are off as they risk everything to make it to the show on time.  However, where KISS is concerned, nothing is that easy...

It's almost like an unofficial autobiography of how great KISS was at the height of their fame in '78.

The actors are all convincing as high school slackers who like nothing more than to rock and roll all night, and party every day.

Yeah, you see what I just did there.

: )

The biggest problem with this movie may lie in the rating.  It might have found more of an audience with the younger set had they toned the language way, way back.  I mean seriously, if you have to have your characters dropping f'bombs in every sentence, that's just lazy writing.  Most people don't actually talk like that, and if they do, odds are they don't have that many friends in real life.

Or, they are probably in the military... : /

My guess, whoever wrote this film grew up listening to Eddie Murphy's Raw, and figured the best way to humor was to just inundate it with so much profanity, you would just double-over with laughter.

Or maybe I'm wrong, which is why I've only seen this movie twice in its 15 year existence.

That said, the movie has a killer soundtrack, even if not ever song was released prior to 1978.  I will forgive those mistakes as the music is pretty awesome and holds up 35+ years and counting.

Come on, any movie that includes the Greatest Hit of David Naughton isn't all bad.

: )

Naturally, the film culminates with a performance by KISS, led by Gene Simmons who doesn't look a day older thanks to the makeup and a special cameo from his wife.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, can't purchase it.  Too many little ears around my house.  When Bruce Willis is spouting obscenities in Die Hard, it makes sense to the film.  When it comes out literally in every character's dialogue for the entire movie...shock and awe... and I come away disappointed.  Maybe I'll check it out again in 8-10 years.

It's Fascinating to Learn the "Secrets of the Dead: Churchill's Deadly Decision"

Don't mess with Winston!

The Story:

Winston Churchill gets elected as Prime Minister...just in time for World War II to effectively kick off and all of Europe falls like dominoes except Britain and France.  Then literally, within the month that Churchill is in power, France gives up the fight, and so it's Great Britain, alone, to face the Axis Powers, who are about to get their hands on the 2nd largest naval fleet in Europe.  The United States will not honor Churchill's request for aid, fearing Britain will fold as quickly as France has, so Churchill makes a fateful decision.

This is that story.

Wow!

Just when you think you know everything about World War II, it's nice to find documentaries like this that focus on specific events or times that bring clarity to some decisions instead of the overarching "we won, they lost" perspective of the war.

Why does France giving up elicit jokes to this day?  Watching how fast the Nazis stormed in, and the timeline for their surrender makes it abundantly clear now.  It is amazing how fast it all happened, and seems inconceivable that one country could literally swarm over Europe that quickly and decisively.

Scary.

Meanwhile, all of this is happening as Churchill is learning the ropes and trying to keep Britain out of Nazi hands, as he watches government after government fall before Hitler.

Then, Roosevelt is not even close to offering aid to the Brits, and Churchill gets desperate.

The French Admiral claims that if they fall to the Nazis, he vows that not a single ship will be taken by the Germans.

What do you do in Churchill's position?  Here's a government that signed a treaty with Great Britain that said neither country could surrender without approval by the other party.

We give up!  Sonuva...

Needless to say, some French are still bitter about what Churchill did.

But at the end of the day, the ships did not fall into Nazi hands and could not be used against the British (or America) and because he showed the true backbone of the British, Roosevelt sent ships to bolster the British navy.

Fascinating stuff, and great also because they actually have a lot of footage from events...not reenactments, and also managed to interview several survivors, both French and British.

Highly recommended, and available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing!

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Hard to say, once you see it, you've seen it.  Let some time go by, and yes, it would probably be just as impressive on repeated viewings.  Plus, I always love WWII history!

"Zero Dark Thirty" Is My Usual Wake Up Time... :/

A story over a decade in the making...

The Story:

Starting with the events of September 11th, 2001, this film chronicles the decade that followed as American forces tried to find Osama Bin Laden.  The central character is Maya (Jessica Chastain) who doggedly pursues this mission even in the escalating fear and loss that comes her way professionally over the decade.

This movie is probably as polarizing to audiences as the Presidents who have been in office during the decade the movie takes place are to the nation.

You are either going to love it, or hate it.

Don't like the scenes of torture that take place... think there is a better way to get information from people...

You're probably right.

But in the 21st Century, war has taken an ugly turn.  No longer are nations at war, it's terrorist groups that attack and target anyone, and everyone.

Don't like that a captive is waterboarded to hopefully gain intelligence?

Well, I don't like that a bus full of innocents was blown up in London for no reason whatsoever.

Yet both happened.

It's a cruel world since 2001.

America has had to get down in the mud to fight a foe that doesn't play by the rules.

So be it.


The soapbox review! :)

The movie is othewise well-made, and very pro-CIAmerica, which is probably a given.

In the end, we got the guy we were looking for, so apparently the ends did justify the means.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Once was plenty, like most dramas.  I've lived the decade the movie takes place in, so I don't need to do it again.  At 2 1/2 hours, it's also pretty lengthy.

There Are Worse Things To Be Than "A Little Bit Zombie"

What's more terrifying? Getting married, or becoming a zombie?


Some might claim that one leads to the other...


: /

The Story:

Days before their wedding, Steve (Kristopher Turner) and Tina (Crystal Lowe) head to a remote cabin in the woods for some last minute preparations bringing along best man (Shawn Roberts) and his wife (Kristen Hager) who is also Steve's sister.  Meanwhile a pair of zombie hunters (Stephen McHattie and Emilie Ullerup) are nearby doing what they do best.  However, when a pesky mosquito bites a zombie...and then flies away and bites Steve...

The plans for the weekend are about to change.

Oh my goodness.  The great horror/humor movies continue to be cranked out.  I think this movie was shot on about a $75 dollar budget, but it works, and it works great.

The idea for how the virus gets transferred was pretty darn funny as well. 

The only actor I'd ever seen before was McHattie, but all of them do a tremendous job.  The pacing is crisp and the dialogue is rapid-fire and amusing throughout.

You will not get bored.

Steve you see is resistant to the change that is occurring in his body.  He is fighting his zombie urges, and so you see how far family is willing to go to help the poor guy out.

And, in typical family fashion, some of the choices they make are not exactly for the best.

I won't give away anything else.  This is a little indie movie that you need to see to appreciate.

If you like horror. If you like humor.  If you like humorous horror movies.

You'll like this film.

Streaming instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't get to rewatch too many scary movies, and since this one grabbed an R rating, that makes it less likely than Warm Bodies of getting replay value at my house.  I would add it to the collection if given the right opportunity though.  : )

PBS Does History Better Than The History Channel... "Nova: 3D Spies of World War II"

Nova...You couldn't get me to watch this show growing up...

:)

The Story:

In the early stages of WWII, only Britain remained in Europe to stop Hitler's advance.  The British (and Americans) turned to the Spitfire, armed it with cameras, and had them fly over Hitler's Germany to gather intelligence.

Putting those films under stereoscope, the Allies gathered 3 dimensional information about what the Nazis were up to, and were better able to coordinate their attacks to do the most damage with the least amount of effort.

When sites are discovered and shelved due to not understanding what they have seen, the Allies will discover with great horror when they go back and check the film again that the Nazis have been working on the V-Series of rockets:  The first weapons of mass destruction that can be, and ultimately were,  launched at Great Britain.

Great information, much of it only recently declassified in the last few years, and a chance to once again marvel at the technology that the Allies and the Axis were using for their time, and how something so innocuous as photographs helped change the course of the war and curb the Nazi advance across Europe.

Highly recommended for... just about anyone, really.  This is some fascinating stuff.  A bit of the information is repetitive as the show plays, but it's an amazing hour of knowledge worth viewing.

Available to stream as of this writing on Netflix.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'll keep this one in the queue and bring it up the next time we do history...or photography...or...  : )

Was it Over When the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor? "National Lampoon's Animal House"

Toga! Toga! Toga!

The Story:

The Fraternity that everyone wanted to be a part of, Delta House.  The students, and I use that term loosely, are bent on having a good time.  As they initiate their newest pledges, Larry (Tom Hulce) and Kent (Stephen Furst) the Deltas, led by Boone, Eric and Bluto  (Peter Riegert, Tim Matheson and John Belushi) are going to show them everything not to do in college, in comparison to the uptight fraternity nearby, including the likes of Neidermeyer (Mark Metcalf) and Greg (James Daughton).  Little do the Deltas know they are on double-secret probation from Dean Wormer (John Vernon) and he is out to expel the whole lot of them.

The results ensure that people will attend college for generations, just in the hopes that any part of this movie is real.

: )

So where do you begin?  Harold Ramis' first movie that he wrote.  Check.

John Belushi's first big screen role? Check.

John Landis' first big-budget feature film? Check.

First or early appearances for most of the cast? Check.

The name National Lampoon actually meant something? Check.

Welcome to lightning in a bottle.  It doesn't happen with every movie, but when it does, it's often magical.

Don't believe me?

Consider that this movie is now...drumroll.... 35 years old.

And it's still as awesome as when it first came out.

Perhaps it's that perfect synergy of all those new people working  and not knowing what they could and couldn't do, so they threw it all out there and hoped it would find an audience.

It did.

And it continues to find a new audience with every passing generation.

It's crude. It's crass.

It's a classic.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own a copy, and it doesn't see much replay in the house because much of it is not intended for the demographic in my household. ; )  I'll probably have to show it to the older kids someday to warn them how NOT to do college.  : )

The Older You Get, The More Juvenile You Become... "21 and Over"

Party Time!

The Story:

Miller (Miles Teller) and Casey (Skylar Astin) come to celebrate the 21st birthday of their pal Jeff Chang (Justin Chon).  The only  problem, Jeff Chang has a very important medical interview in the morning that Jeff Chang's dad (Francois Chau) is in town to ensure Jeff Chang does not miss this important meeting.  The pals promise Jeff Chang that they'll take good care of him... what could possibly go wrong?

Famous. Last. Words.

First, Jeff Chang is the only character with a first and last name in the film.  In fact, he is referred to as Jeff Chang throughout the entire movie, never just Jeff, so I feel the need to continue the reference in the review.

This movie is brought to you by the guys that wrote The Hangover, and they are striking out on their own as directors.

For a first effort, it's not that bad.  You've seen these gags before, sometimes executed better, sometimes worse.  We've got The Hangover, Weekend with Bernie, Animal House...heck you name it, there's probably nothing new. 

Unless you count what they do with that stuffed animal... : /

The movie takes place during the longest night of the year apparently, as these guys pack more into a 12 hour span than anyone else in the world ever could.

It's not nearly as raunchy as it could be, which again, sometimes it's a nice dial back when you don't go to total extremes in a film like this.

The cast is extremely likeable and they have a lot of fun with the movie.

It's silly. It's stupid.  But I'll admit, I laughed...several times. : )  If you like this type of movie, you'll probably enjoy watching this one at least once.

Final Grade: C+...B- area.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Low in my house. : )

What Could Have Been... "Ticker"

That. Was. Awesome.

That was also sarcasm, in case you are using an old browser to read this post... ;)

The Story:

Detective Ray Nettles (Tom Sizemore) is investigating some domestic terrorist activity led by Alex Swan (Dennis Hopper).  Swan kills his partner, but Nettles nabs the female accomplice (Jaime Pressly).  Nettles turns to the head of the San Francisco Bomb Squad (Steven Seagal) for assistance as they attempt to take Swan down before he can kill again!

Sound riveting?

Yeah, I thought not.

But you never know what  you're going to get when you queue up a Steven Seagal movie.

I mean, do you remember when Seagal and Sizemore were at the top of their game, commanding the big screen with their presence?

Yeah, me neither.  But apparently 2001 was definitely not the year.  Looks like '96 was the swan song for Seagal.

This movie has budget written all over it.  Low budget at that.

The dialogue is stiff and wooden, the direction is movie of the week, heck, maybe not even that good.

The special effects are laughable.

Dennis Hopper attempts to channel his scenery chewing turn as a mad bomber in Speed by donning a ridiculous accent and collecting a paycheck.

Hey, how can you begrudge someone from making a living?

I'll be kind...

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It's not an unwatchable mess, just some good actors who cannot rise out of the material they are given.

A Man Who Lived Up to His Nickname: "American Masters: Johnny Carson - The King of Late Night"

Oh no... not a PBS show!

:)

The Story:

From the American Masters series, this is a look at the life and career of the Johnny Carson, the King of Late Night.

This documentary chronicles Carson's life as a boy in Nebraska who came to love magic, and then realized that he loved getting laughs when he performed on stage.  From there, the idea to entertain was locked into his mind, and the rest is history.

They take a look at all of the shows Carson wrote or hosted leading up to his getting the gig of the Tonight Show.

Comedians recount their tales of how honored they were to get their start on the Tonight Show, and how it propelled them to bigger careers than they ever dreamed of.

Included are Letterman, Leno, Seinfeld, Joan Rivers and with perhaps the most touching story, Drew Carey who cannot help but choke up when he relays the story of his appearance with Carson.

Archival interviews with Ed McMahon and others who had passed help fill in the gaps of this very private man, who was perhaps also the most public man ever, coming into our homes every night for 30 years.

Also, his second wife is very forthcoming with a lot of information, and helps fill in the personal details of Johnny's life, but never in a mean/salacious way.

Highly recommended if you grew up watching any bit of Carson during his 30 year tenure or want to see what we used to enjoy before Leno took over...

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade:  A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  Enjoyable, but I think I would prefer a greatest hits of the Tonight Show instead.

It May Not Live Up to the Adjective, But "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" is Far From a Dud

Abracadabra!

The Story:

Popular Vegas Magicians Burt (Stevel Carell) and his partner Anton (Steve Buscemi) have enjoyed a decade at the top working for Doug Munny (James Gandolfini).  But they haven't changed their act in years, and a popular new street magician (Jim Carrey) is usurping Burt's popularity.  Soon, Burt finds himself dirt poor and alone.  However, getting back to his magic roots with a chance meeting with his idol (Alan Arkin) may give Burt a new lease on life.

The best thing about movies that bomb at the box office, is the reviews are so scathingly bad, you can't help but have the bar lowered when you watch it, that more times than not, the movie is going to way overachieve in every conceivable way.

Want proof?
Look no further than this film.

Is it as funny as the last time Carell and Carrey teamed up (Bruce Almighty)? Nope.  This one isn't as well written, but there are plenty of amusing gags sprinkled throughout the film.

The magic tricks are actually pretty cool, but then I've always been a fan of sleight of hand.

I also like that Burt and Anton performed the old-fashioned tricks, while Carrey tackled the edgy tricks that have become popular.  I know which one I prefer to see, and it works for this film as well.

Burt even gets a love interest, Jane (Olivia Wilde) which plays up the usual comic romance of boy meets girl, girl can't stand the guy, the two end up together eventually.

So no, it's not as bad as you may have feared.

It's a perfect background movie for our house... something you can play in the background that's agreeable, but doesn't demand your attention if you're working on a project of have the need to leave the room for food or a bathroom break.


And no, it doesn't even come close to being one of the worst movies of the year.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd watch it again, sure.  If the price is right, I'd add it to the library.

We Must Avenge Channing Tatum! "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" !

Get a piece of the Rock!

The Story:

Since the last movie, apparently all of the cool Joes are now gone, leaving only Duke (Channing Tatum) and Snake Eyes (Ray Park) as the only members still around.  They lead a new crew featuring Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki), Flint (D.J. Cotrona) and Roadblock (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson).  When all of the Joes are assembled to keep a nuclear warhead from falling into enemy hands, the President (Johnathan Pryce) orders them killed.  Remember, he's actually Zartan in disguise!  All of the Joes are killed except our new trio (and Snake Eyes...) and together they must discover who brought them down and why... before it's too late!

First, the lingering question of "Where did all the other Joes go?"... lingers.  I don't believe it was ever explained to satisfaction.  I think there was a throwaway line about after the nanomite incident... but that doesn't explain how your entire team disappears.  I was pretty sure everyone was still around when the last film ended.  If it was mentioned other than that, I missed it.

Second, the rumors of the movie being reshot to include more Channing Tatum (because every movie needs more Channing Tatum!!) proved false.  Yay!

If I spoiled that little factoid that Duke doesn't survive the film... well, sorry.  I gathered that piece of information from the trailer without even seeing the movie. :)

Sure, I was sad to see Duke killed, but it's a plot device, and if Scarlett, Duke and the rest are fodder, hasta la vista Duke.  When you think about it, every Joe is expendable at the end of the day, except Snake Eyes.

And apparently now, Roadblock.

Once again it is Dwayne Johnson to the rescue of a franchise.  He brought respectability to the Mysterious Island, and he proved to be an equal as the new guy in Fast Five, and helped propel Fast Six to even bigger box office heights.

Throw the guy into the G.I. Joe mix, and the guy owns the franchise from the minute you see him onscreen.

There is also the glorified cameo from Bruce Willis as the original G.I. Joe from which the unit was named.

A lot of fun, and as expected, even better than the original. 

And yes, I suppose the easiest explanation for the smaller cast, is you can tell a better story when you are only concentrating on a trio of heroes vs. over a dozen.

Plus, it's probably a lot cheaper. ;)

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't own it yet, but I'm hoping that situation works itself out in the future. : )

A Real American Hero..."G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra"

If knowing is half the battle, what exactly is the other half?

The Story:

The G.I. Joe team recruits Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) into their ranks.  It seems that the nefarious COBRA organization has some nanomite technology in their hands, and they plan to take over the world!  Can the Joes save the day?  Or are they doomed to failure?

You know what, I don't get all the hate towards this film.

Going back and watching the 80s cartoon...yeah, it's not as great as we might seem to remember it being.

:)

Plus, I never bothered with the action figures.

No, instead, this movie came out, yet another Hasbro toy property brought to the big screen.  2 years removed from the blockbuster success of The Transformers (a movie that blows by the way! : )  )The trailer premiered, and they promised me an action movie, and the movie delivers.  Some great effects and stuntwork and some killer action set-pieces, I have absolutely no complaints with what the finished product wound up being.

The majority of the characters are all here, with a pretty impressive cast filling in all of the roles.  An argument could be made that perhaps it was all too much...too soon and it could have been spread out over a franchise instead of cramming everything and the kitchen sink into one movie.

But come on, it was cool to see Snake Eyes (Ray Park) up on the big screen.

At the end, the Joes save the day, imprison Cobra Commander and Destro, but Zartan has taken the place of the President.

I smell sequel!

: )

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and I've watched it 2 times since the first time I've seen it.  Still enjoy it each time.

She'll Raise the Kids and They are "Raising Helen"

The life you need is not always the life you have...

The Story:

Helen (Kate Hudson) is a young star on the rise, working as an agent in the modeling world of New York.  Her work is a dream, and her life is a party.  Then one night, she gets a phone call that her sister, Lindsay (Felicity Huffman) and her husband were both killed in a car accident.  Stranger still, Helen has been granted custody of Lindsay's three children (Hayden Panettiere, Spencer Breslin and Abigail Breslin) instead of oldest sister Jenny (Joan Cusack) who is already a responsible mom.  As Helen has to completely reorganize her life, she begins to realize that she is not cut out for being a mom.  Plus, there's the local Pastor (John Corbett) who thinks Helen is pretty cute and would love to date her.  The deeper over her head she gets trying to care for the kids, the more she realizes that she wasn't cut out for this life, and Jenny would be the better caretaker.  Helen's going to have to make a choice, very soon, for the sake of the kids.

What a sad, yet sweet movie.

Another breezy film by Garry Marshall, they try and make the grief as painless as possible, this is supposed to be somewhat romantic comedy after all.

And yet...

The loss of the parents is never far from the surface, and the reasons why Lindsay selects Helen over Jenny are finally revealed in the final act, though it's fairly easy to piece it together as the movie goes along and the characters fully develop.

All of the actors do a great job, and it's a great time capsule in their careers almost a decade ago.

Kate Hudson looks great, very reminiscent of her mom.

This film provides cinematic proof that finding a good guardian to raise your children is the hardest decision any parents will ever have to make, and hopefully one they will never have to utilize.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: This is the second time in 10 years I've seen it.  I keep meaning to add it to the collection but forget.  Maybe around its 15th anniversary? :)

If "Opportunity Knocks", Will You Answer the Door?

Isn't that special?

The Story:

Eddie (Dana Carvey) is a con man on the run.  He hides out overnight in a gorgeous house, and wakes to learn that the owner is out of town for a month or two, and the housesitter will be unable to watch the place since he got a new job.  What a perfect setup... at least until the parents drop by and mistake Eddie for the best friend.  Since his assumed identity is that of a whiz in business, Milt (Robert Loggia) gets chummy and the two begin to bond.  When Eddie starts to fall for Milt's daughter (Julia Campbell), can Eddie turn over a new leaf, or is he going to pull the biggest con of his life?

Nearing 25 years old, this movie still holds up as a lightweight comedic vehicle for Dana Carvey to strut his comedic skills and impressions throughout the film.

Really, the weight of the movie is carried on his shoulders, and he does a good job. 

His impression of President Bush is the oft-cited highlight of the movie, and it doesn't disappoint.

I was also a fan of Robert Loggia, and their scenes together are fun, as you see how much Milt cares for Eddie.  You can see both the anger and happiness when he realizes that Eddie may have conned him, but Eddie refused to take the thing that meant the most to Milt.  That's some pretty good acting for just a facial reaction in a scene.

Disappointed that Dana Carvey has not found the mainstream movie success of many of the SNL stars that have gone on to the movies.

I'd say that perhaps if Carvey were allowed to write his own material, people might like it more, but then you have the backlash against Master of Disguise, which I also enjoyed...

But that's another movie for another review.

: )

This one is not a bad unwinding on a late night or weekend film that's good, harmless fun that the whole family can enjoy.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch this one again, it had been much too long since I saw it.  I may have to add it the woefully small section of Dana Carvey films in my library.

This "Charade" Seems An Awful Lot Like Hitchcock to Me...

 Who do you trust?


The Story:

Regina Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) is on vacation.  She is contemplating leaving her husband, and she bumps into a handsome stranger named Peter Joshua (Cary Grant).  She returns to Paris, to find her apartment empty, everything they owned is gone!  The police come calling, and inform her that her husband is dead!  At the funeral, several strange men (including James Coburn and George Kennedy) come by, just to make sure that he's dead.  When the CIA agent (Walter Matthau) informs Regina that her husband stole $250,000 from these men, and they want it back, Regina doesn't know what to do or who to trust.  Then when she finds out that Peter Joshua may not be who he claims to be, things begin to become even more confusing.

This movie is often mentioned as the greatest Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made.

I'd have to say, that's a pretty close argument.

It follows very much in line with what Hitchcock was doing at the time.  You've got action, suspense, plot twists, mistaken identity and a little romance.

Throw in Cary Grant in one of his final roles just a few years removed from his turn in North by Northwest, and you can see the similarities are very striking between this and other Hitchcockian fare of the time period.

However, this film was directed by Stanley Donen, probably better known for his musicals (Singin' in the Rain) than for something more Hitchcockian in nature, but he does a fine job.  In fact, looking at his credits, the man made a ton of movies, yet to be fair, probably is completely under the radar as far as "Best Directors" in Hollywood.

The movie holds up rather nicely for being a 50 year old film, and I'm glad I finally got around to seeing it after owning it for probably over a decade, unwatched!
Who can you trust?


For those that don't own a copy, it is available for streamable viewing on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'm sure I'll see it again in the future... just not sure when. ;)

Brad Pitt "Killing Them Softly" Will Make You Die of Boredom

They don't actually use the song in the movie.

How disappointing.

The Story:

Markie (Ray Liotta) runs a local gambling establishment for the mob.  One time he robs his own place to get some money, no harm, no foul.  Except when he admits it months later.  So when he is robbed by three locals later, Markie is the prime suspect.  The mob calls in a hired gun, Jackie (Brad Pitt) to take care of Markie.  When he tells his go-between (Richard Jenkins) that Markie is innocent, the mob really doesn't care, they want to make an example.  Before too long, Jackie is going to have a lot of blood on his hands to get things in order.

Meh.

That's my overall reaction to this movie.

It's not bad.  It's not great.

It's a low-budget gangster film, and Ray Liotta does his part as a small time hood.

It was sad to see James Gandolfini for a brief and thankless role in this movie that made no sense whatsoever, and was really a waste of time, and his talents.

Heck, Richard Jenkins as the Driver was probably the best character in the movie, and he was seen all too briefly as well.

But really, the information flows too easily, too often for this heist to make any sense as Jackie mops up all of the loose ends.

They try and tie how the mob works alongside how politics works as this movie takes place during the end of Bush's tenure in office and the rise of Obama.

Well, that's a nifty card to play, but it doesn't help make the movie any better.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: There was absolutely nothing of interest to make me want or need to see this again.

Is "Movie 43" the Worst Movie of the Year? Not So Fast...

Get ready for the worst movie of all time...

No.

Not really.

The Story:

Charlie Wessler (Dennis Quaid) is pitching a movie idea to studio exec Griffin Schraeder (Greg Kinnear).  Each story pushes the envelope of sense and good taste.

What in the name of Kentucky Fried Movie is going on here?

First, this movie isn't that bad as people make it sound.  It's not the worst movie ever made.  It's not the unfunniest comedy ever filmed.

This movie won't even make my final list of Turkeys of the Year.

Strange, but true.

Is this movie a laugh riot from start to finish?  Nope, not even close.

What you have instead are a bunch of short skits or commercial parodies stretched over 90 minutes.  Yes, an episode of Saturday Night Live without censors.

Some jokes are hysterical, many fall flat.  The actors and actresses give a straightforward performance, ignoring the silliness of their particular scene and playing it as if they were in a drama.  That naturally makes the movie all the more absurd.

I did vow to watch the entire movie, ignoring my own 20 minute rule, just to see if there were any redeeming skits within the movie.  From start to finish, not really any that you must see, the best overall skit was probably the end of the movie with Terence Howard as the basketball coach, and you already know how that plays out if you saw the trailer. 

Honorable mention goes to the waterproof tampon commercial.  Genius.

The worst skit to make the film starts after the credits begin rolling, and is directed and stars Elizabeth Banks.  They would have been wiser to leave that out completely.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Thanks, but no thanks.  Again, not a great movie, but not the stinker people make it out to be. 

What Kind of Movie Title is "Dorfman in Love" ?

It's never too late to realize your dreams...

The Story:

Deb Dorfman (Sara Rue) is an accountant in her brother's (Johnathan Chase) firm.  Basically, she's the glue that holds the place together while he has all the fun.  Poor Deb has a huge crush on Jay (Johann Urb), a blogger who covers the plight of the world in the hopes of getting an anchor job someday.  He gets a short-notice assignment after just moving into a new apartment.  Deb offers to watch his place and his cat so he can go.  It's there that she meets the neighbor, Cookie (Haaz Sleiman) and he begins to make her question some truths that she has about her life.  Slowly Deb begins to break from the mold that everyone associates with her, especially her father (Elliot Gould).  Will Deb finally stand up for herself and go after Jay?  Or will she remain quiet about her true feelings?

Okay, first things first, it's a terrible title for a movie.  I'll give you that, right out of the gate.

Other than that though...

It's a quiet, engaging little movie starring a whole lot of people that you (most definitely me) may not have seen or heard of before.

In fact, remove Elliot Gould from the mix, and I dare you to know anyone in this film.

However, that's how some of today's stars are created.  You've got to start in something before you can go on to something else.

Sara Rue is a cross between Amy Adams and Nia Vardalos, at least in my eyes.  She does a good job of carrying almost the entire movie with her interactions with the rest of the cast.

It's encouraging to watch her slowly realize that she not only can stand up for herself and what she needs and wants, but that when she does, good things happen to her, and she feels better about herself.

Plus she learns some valuable lessons about herself and her friends along the way, and that's always a good thing.

Enjoyed it...

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: While I'm not rushing out to buy it, if it were to come on cable while flipping channels, I could sit through it again.

Concert Review: Under the Sun Tour 2013

It's like my iPod started playing live hits last night...

Come with me as we journey back to an interesting decade in music history... the 90s!

For me, a child of the 80s, I was moving through my twenties and heading towards my thirties.  Married, starting a family, but there was some great music to be had on the radio.  Many tunes are still played on the Adult Contemporary stations to this day.

Last year, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray started this tour, and in 2013 he changed the lineup a bit, filled out the roster, and brings to town a 4 hour rock concert filled with great bands and great songs.

The night started with McGrath and Robin Wilson, lead singer of the Gin Blossoms coming out to welcome the crowd and introduce Fastball.

Fastball came out and got the crowd pumped with a short 30 minute set the culminated with their two biggest radio hits.  The amusing thing, like I said, as a child of the 80s, I didn't know every song I was going to hear tonight, so there were some pleasant surprises and walks down memory lane that I had forgotten about.  While everyone knew "The Way" was coming, I completely forgot that "Was I Out of My Head" was a Fastball song.

Then with a quick stage switcheroo, Vertical Horizon was brought onstage for a rousing set where they started and ended their set with their 2 biggest hits.  They kept the crowd on their feet the entire time with a rousing 30 minute session that was over too quickly.  The good news, they've got a new album coming out this fall, and for fans, they said head over to their website and download the first single... free.  How cool is that?

An hour down, and then the Gin Blossoms came out on stage and took over for the second hour of the concert.  Hit after hit poured off the stage, while beach balls started flying through the audience during their rousing set.  Hats off to all of the bands who provided backup to each other throughout the night.  Pretty cool experience.  All of their hits were played, and again, some of their songs that don't get played as much on the radio like "Allison Road" were a nice walk down memory lane.  Plus, I don't think you'll get a bigger stage cheerleader than Robin Wilson who was keeping the crowd going all night long.

Only 2 hours left, and it was time for McGrath to take the stage with Sugar Ray.  I'll make no secret that I'm a huge Sugar Ray fan, always have been, always will be.  Last night simply confirmed that fact.  Filled with energy, the band tore the place up with several of Sugar Ray's biggest hits.  The biggest surprise was when Rodney Sheppard, lead guitarist, began the intro to "Blister in the Sun".  Not expecting that one at all, but the crowd was ecstatic, and much like "Abracadbra", McGrath and company took a good song, and made it even better.  When the song ended, Sheppard hurled his guitar pick into the crowd...

Where it clacked on the seats we were in and my oldest daughter who was born in the 90s picked it up and was excited beyond belief! :)

I've checked the website for the bass player's name, as he hails from Australia.  The equipment on stage was marked "Serg" so I don't know if we share the same spelling, but the guy has the coolest name ever. : )

After their set was over, the people in front of us went to get beer, and I looked on the floor and there was one of the bass players picks.  I showed it to my youngest teen who was with me, and she promptly leaped over the seats, and we scored 2 Sugar Ray guitar picks from the concert.

Thanks guys, you rocked!!!

One final stage change, and then Smash Mouth came out to culminate the festivities.  They hit us fast, furious... and loud.

Almost too loud.  More on that in a second.

The radio hits poured out, and they even threw in a cover of The Kinks/Van Halen's "You Really Got Me" that was a huge singalong favorite.  The evening concluded with the return of Wilson onstage to help send us home with "All Star".  I don't believe there wasn't anyone in the crowd not singing.

Which could sum up the whole night.

As I mentioned in my review of Coldplay's concert film, it seems like as a musician and band, they do really like the fact that the fans know the words and sing along.  I always assumed it would be the opposite, "hey, that's my song, let me sing, that's why you paid to see me in concert!"

But an event like the Under the Sun Tour seems to make the atmosphere more of a bonding reunion between the bands and the fans.  They want us to participate as much as they want to entertain us.

So for over 3 hours, we had a blast.  We could have walked out after Sugar Ray performed, and it would have been a perfect concert.

Smash Mouth was a bit of a let down.  The songs were great... but again, acoustically, the set seemed louder than the rest had been, the music almost drowning out the vocals.

Still cool to see them.

Mark McGrath promised that if we came back next year, so would he.

I'm in.

If he's up for suggestions, I'd recommend allowing another song or two from the other bands, expanding his set a bit, and you could leave Smash Mouth off the card completely.  Sugar Ray is the perfect ending to a great 90s concert...

But if that would hurt ticket sales... don't do it!

I just know that I can leave about 45 minutes earlier and it will be okay.

: )

Final Grade:  A

Would I Do It Again:  Give Charleston a shot next year, and I'll be bringing the teens back for more!

When "Monsters" Put You To Sleep, The Movie Just Isn't Any Good...

Where's Will Smith when we need him?

The Story:

Aliens have invaded!  They have taken up residence in the lands between Mexico and the United States.  However a journalist (Scoot McNairy) agrees to bring the daughter (Whitney Able) of someone fairly important back to America by traveling through the infected area.

What could possibly go wrong?

ZzzzzzzzZzzzzzZZZzzzzzz.

Welcome to the most boring monster movie you'll ever endure.

I watched the first 20 minutes before invoking the 20 minute rule, and pulled the plug.  Well okay, technically I just walked out of the room and the movie kept plodding along.

Slow, plodding, meandering.  Much like the actors involved.

It kept playing and I periodically checked in on the movie, and from the looks, it never really got any better.

The film is available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

A very uneven week of movies this time around.  Hopefully next week will be more consistent.

Final Grade: D

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No chance for either.

The Movie is "Bulletproof", But is it Critic Proof?

 
Is there a better word to describe Adam Sandler's movie career? : )

The Story:

Two criminals, Keats (Damon Wayans) and Moses (Adam Sandler) are working for drug lord Frank Coltan (James Caan).  However, Keats is an undercover cop, and Moses accidentally shoots him in the head during a shoot out.  Keats survives and gets a metal plate in his head.  He can neither forgive or forget, and imagine how happy he is when he learns that he must protect Moses when Coltan orders a hit on him.  Can Keats get him to safety, or will he wind up dead this time?

I'd seen about 10 total minutes from this film over the last 17 years.

Coming out in 1996, this is probably the forgotten movie in Sandler's career.

Possibly because he was just a co-star, versus the star of the film.

Or maybe because compared to the movies that surrounded it:  Billy Madison before, Happy Gilmore at the same time, the Wedding Singer afterward, it's easy to get lost in that shuffle.

There's nothing wrong with this movie though, it's just one that definitely doesn't fit the mold of what Sandler was putting out at the time, though much of his schtick comes through during the film.

Instead, he is given the buddy cop formula to play in, and he does his part rather well.

Oddly, these movies normally work best when you have a straight man as the partner, not another comedian.  Wayans has to reel himself in for the role, and it's probably to the detriment of the movie that he isn't allowed to be as funny since he is the cop.

It's a minor quibble, but there you have it.

Otherwise, pretty enjoyable film that was worth finally seeing the whole thing.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability Purchase Factor: While I own a lot of Sandler's films, I don't know that this one is in any hurry to be added to the library.

Is There Anything More Romantic Than "Midnight in Paris" ?

Life was so much better back then...

The Story:

Gil (Owen Wilson) is a successful Hollywood writer, but he very much wants to try his hand at writing a novel.  He travels to Paris on a vacation with his girlfriend Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy).  Gil loves Paris and wants to ditch Hollywood and move to Paris, but Inez is dead-set against it.  They bump into Paul (Michael Sheen), an old acquaintance of Inez, and he wants them to hang out with him and tour Paris.  Gil isn't interested, and finds an excuse to ditch the party.  He wanders through Paris and at midnight, a car pulls up and he is asked to come along for a ride.  The next thing Gil realizes is that he is hanging out with Cole Porter (Yves Heck) and the Fitzgeralds (Alison Pill and Tom Hiddleston).  Maybe he's drunk, but Gil is finding life in the Roaring 20s everything he thought it would be.  How long will this time travel experience last?

Well, I have to admit, this may be one of the first Woody Allen movies that I've actually watched.  Looking over his prolific career, the man makes about a movie a year, normally as writer/director, or at least director.

I think I was turned off by Woody Allen by his performance in Scenes From a Mall.  It wasn't that funny, therefore it's easier to just chuck his career and move on.

Now that I see he didn't write or direct that movie, I may have to rethink my position on Mr. Allen's career.

Eventually.

: )

Now, back to the movie at hand.

This movie was very charming, if not a directly a paint-by-the-numbers formula.  You can tell immediately just by their reactions that Gil and Inez are not meant to be together.

That said, there's nothing wrong with following a formula, provided you do it effectively, and this movie does so.

The real question is, how will Gil figure this out?  Will he stay in the 20s and live out his life, retroactively?  Or will he learn that the only true golden age is the one he lives in right now?

It is fun to watch Gil put the pompous Paul in his place with facts about Paris that he is gathering first-hand on a nightly basis by hanging out with the actual players.

Good fun all around.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: A definite yes to rewatchability, and yes if the price is right.  I've got a million other movies to purchase, so prices and titles have to be aligned perfectly. : )

Fee Fi Fo Fum...This Movie Doesn't Smell Bad at All! "Jack the Giant Slayer"

This is the stuff of legend...

The Story:

Jack (Nicholas Hoult) comes into the possession of some magic beans, and naturally there is a beanstalk involved.  The princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) is whisked away to the clouds, and the King's men, including the captain of the guard (Ewan McGregor) and Sir Roderick (Stanley Tucci), her betrothed are on a mission to rescue her.  Feeling it was his responsibility, Jack goes along as well.  When they arrive, they must find the princess and escape the Giants, led by General Fallon (Bill Nighy).  Ah, but fairy tales are never that simple...

First, I intentionally made the synopsis much shorter than normal.

I would hate to give away everything that is charming about this retelling of the classic fairy tale.

I must admit that the opening of the story is very charming how it flashes between Jack and Isabelle growing up and learning the stories of the Giants.  It sets up the entire story in just a few short moment, introducing all of the players and the backstory of the giants and how they can possibly be defeated.

Then we immediately move to the present when the two are much older, and they bump into one another in the market while Jack is on his quest to sell the horse.

Fate naturally intervenes, and Jack gets the magic beans of legend, but again, like the rest of this story, even the beans have been fully fleshed out with how and why they exist, and like everything else, much thought and care was put into the entire backstory.

The scenery and special effects in the movie are absolutely beautiful to behold.  The actors are all really good in their roles.  While Jack and Isabelle were newcomers to me, Ewan McGregor seemed to be having a blast playing a supporting character and having a good time with it.  Plus, the always great Stanley Tucci is on hand to add a layer of slime to his performance as the bad guy who isn't a giant.

I enjoyed this one quite a bit, and I think the kids did too.  They didn't walk out anyway... ; )

Final Grade: B... maybe even B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I actually own a copy of this film, thanks to winning a contest!  That was pretty cool.  Makes me even more pleased that we liked it. : )

Zooming To The Top of the List of Worst Movies I've Watched..."Spring Breakers"

Uncle Walt would be spinning in his grave...

The Story:

4 college girls (Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and two other irrelevant actresses) want to go on spring break, but they don't have enough money.  So they rob a place to get the money...

And I turned the movie off.

ZzzzZZZzzzzZZzzzzz

9 minutes... I went fast forward from about the 2 minute mark wondering if any semblance of plot or characterization would develop.

Then there was the stylish direction where shots were continually weaving in and out of focus...

Nope.  Just girls frolicking in bikinis, getting high at every conceivable opportunity.  It seems like the director's voyeuristic fantasy, and it just felt creepy.

Apparently Hudgens and Gomez wanted to break free of their Disney image, because yes, why be grateful towards a company that made you a bit of cash in your lifetime and turned you into a star?

I hear people say that James Franco was amazing in his role.

Congratulations James Franco, you're apparently the best part of a movie I couldn't stand to watch.


Yes, I think MacGruber has been saved from being the worst movie I've seen so far this year.

Final Grade: F

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  To quote Vince McMahon "No Chance in Hell!"

This is My Boomstick...Perfect For Fighting an "Army of Darkness"

Groovy!

The Story:

Ash (Bruce Campbell) is transported back in time to 1300 A.D.  Seen as their savior, Ash is sent on a quest to recover the Necronomicon, the Book of the Dead.  With that, the kingdom can stop their enemies and they can send Ash back to the future where he belongs...  as long as Ash remembers just 3 little words...

The big question:

Do you need to have seen Evil Dead or Evil Dead 2 first?

No.

No you do not.  In fact, you will likely be better off just jumping in with this film, and going from there.

Blasphemy from some fans, I'm sure, but I don't care.

That's what I did!

In fact, I am not sure if I saw either of the first 2, or if I saw part of one and didn't really care for it.  Or saw both, and thought they were the same movie.

But Army of Darkness is a whole different story.

In fact, Army of Darkness is a great story.  It's horror...drama...comedy...period piece...science fiction, all in one.

It's also director Sam Raimi's best film, period.  Yep, I've just checked his credits, and I stand by that assessment!

It's also the role that cemented Bruce Campbell forever as one of the truly greatest cinematic characters of all time.  The guy has been coasting on this character for 21 years.

I have no problem with that at all.

Now, I've never been able to break the kids into the horror genre.  That whole "overprotective mom" trumps me at every turn, but if I could pull one off, I think this could be the movie that could do it.'
:)

We'll see.

And don't let her know I called her an overprotective mom, or I'll be in big trouble!

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Amazingly I do not own a copy of this film, even though there are about 817 different versions out there.  I may have to finally rectify that problem!  I wonder if they have it at S-Mart?

High School is Full of "Mean Girls"

Sharpen your claws...

The Story:

Cady (Lindsay Lohan) is the new girl in school.  Here she meets the clique, "The Plastics": Regina (Rachel McAdams), Gretchen (Lacey Chabert) and Karen (Amanda Seyfried) the prettiest and most popular girls in school.  Also the bitchiest.  Hatching a plan with outsiders Janis (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian (Daniel Franzese) Cady is to infiltrate the Plastics and spy on them from within.  However, once Cady gets involved with the Plastics, how long can she maintain her innocence before she goes to the dark side?

Yep, another teen chick flick.

Thank heavens for little girls, otherwise I would miss out on a ton of funny movies.  But as a dad, it's my job to dutifully watch the animated movies with them when they are young, and then endure the genres with them as they grow older.

Luckily, I've seen much better films by their sides than I've seen terrible flicks.  Oh, and the kids have a cross between my movie taste and their mom's, so that means we usually see only the best of the bunch.

And this is  a great one!

Adapted for the screen, and also starring Tina Fey, the movie is a probably more accurate look at high school life for girls than people want to admit.

The cast is exceptional, from top to bottom.  It was Amanda Seyfried's first movie role, though she wouldn't become a superstar until Mamma Mia a few years later.

Rachel McAdams is in top form as the bad girl in her 2nd big screen role.  Naturally, she would go supernova with the release of the Notebook the same year.

Then there was Tina Fey who exploded upon a national audience with this film, where fans of her work on Saturday Night Live were already familiar with her skills, now the world was aware, and things have been looking up for her ever since.

Conversely... there is Lindsay Lohan, the star of the film.  Well... this was the last good movie she made, to be quite honest.  She was actually on a bit of a role with this capping off the terrific remake of Freaky Friday, the okay Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and she capped off the trifecta with this film.

And then life happened, she lost her mind, and has been a complete train wreck during the intervening decade.

Sad.

Thankfully, we've got this gem to remember the good times before she lost her mind.

: )

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Already own... watched it quite a bit... hilarious every time.  A special shout out to the underrated abilities of Tim Meadows who kills as the principal in his few scenes. : )