Movie Review: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

The Twilight movies are very divisive.  They have a passionate following, and yet there are many Twihards who love the books and don’t feel the films do them justice.  So full disclosure, I haven’t read the books.  In fact, I tried to read the first one and found it awful.  But, I loved the first movie.  The second one was “meh.”

I was really looking forward to checking out The Twilight Saga:  Eclipse to see if I wanted to continue following the story.  Saw the movie, Monday night, and the answer is, I do.  I sort of thought this film would pick up where the second one left off, (spoiler) with Bella answering Edward’s proposal.  It did not, but the question is still on the table.  And, all the same threats to Bella are in play.  But, this time, Edward is going to stick around, which is great, because I like to look at him.  I like to listen to him speak.  And, I love the easy way Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have of capturing that awkward, yet intense, devotion of new love.  I’m not ashamed to say I got tear-y and swooned a little again, with Edward’s old school romanticism.  Jacob and his abs are back, of course.  And, what I love about this installment in the Twilight Saga is that we learn the vampire origins of two of the Cullens.  Billy Burke is still terrific as Charlie Swan.  Ashley Greene is adorable as Alice Cullen.  And, despite the freaky eyes, I have a growing attachment to Jackson Rathbone, given more to do here, as Jasper Hale.  There are old threats and new threats and alliances made and broken, but the centerpiece of Eclipse is the intensifying triangle of Edward and Bella and Jacob.  Whichever Team you’re on, as long as you’re playing along, I think you’ll enjoy more Twilight saga.  I give Eclipse an 8 out of 10.

New to See on DVD!

Some good summer movie fun new out on DVD, this week!

I still recommend Percy Jackson & the Olympians:  The Lightning Thief for the family.

Hot Tub Time Machine – Silliest movie title ever, but with John Cusack, Craig Robinson and even Crispin Glover… come on!!  Four guy friends are bored with their adult lives and end up traveling back to the 80s thanks to a time-bending hot tub.

The Crazies – Critics loved this horror flick, about folks in a small Iowa town who suddenly go crazy after a mysterious toxin contaminates their water supply.  Timothy Olyphant graces the screen.

Creation – Real life husband and wife, Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany, play Charles Darwin and wife.  The naturalist struggles to find a balance between his revolutionary theories on evolution and his wife’s religious beliefs.

The Warlords – From China, the story of three blood brothers and their struggle in war and political upheaval.  It is based on a Qing Dynasty story about the killing of general Ma Xinyi.

The White Ribbon – Strange events in a small village in the north of Germany during the years just before World War I.  It’s supposed to be quite haunting.  Just the images of the suppressed children freak me out.

Rush:  Beyond the Lighted Stage – A documentary about Canadian rock band Rush, with lots of their music, from their beginnings in progressive rock to today’s heavy rock style.

When You’re Strange: A Film About the Doors – A documentary about… tadahhh!… the Doors!  This look at the late ’60s and early ’70s band is reported to include rare exclusive footage.

The Leopard – 1963 film starring Burt Lancaster gets the Criterion Collection treatment.  The Prince of Salina is a noble aristocrat who tries to preserve his family and class amid the social upheavals of 1860’s Sicily.

Night Train to Munich – Margaret Lockwood and Rex Harrison star in the 1940 that is getting Criterion Collection treatment, this week.  It’s about an armour-plating inventor who flees to England, when the Germans invade Prague.  He and his daughter are brought back to Germany, and a spy must pretend to try to woo her to the German cause.
 

New TV on DVD:
 
’13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo’ – The The Complete Series
‘Ben 10: Alien Force’ – Volume 7
‘Closer, The’ – The Complete 5th Season
‘The Dive from Clausen’s Pier’ – TV Movie
‘Earth: Final Conflict’ – Season 1
‘Eureka’ – Season 3.5
‘Hoarders’ – The Complete Season 1
‘How the Earth Made Us’ – Two Piece Set
‘How the Earth Changed History‘ – Blu-ray
‘How the Earth Was Made’ – The Complete Season 2
‘Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill’ – Mini Series
‘Leave It to Beaver’ – The Complete Series
‘Mad About You’ – The Complete 4th Season
‘Paranormal Cops’ – The Complete Season 1 ]
‘The Plain Truth’ – TV Movie
‘Real McCoys, The’ – The Complete 4th Season
‘Warehouse 13’ – Season 1
‘Wycliffe’ – Series 3

New in Theaters

For the most part, you don’t go to the movies in the summer to be enlightened or brought down.  Most of the movies are just fun!

So, I don’t really know why so many critics are so down on Knight and Day, though I suspect it has more to do with Tom Cruise than the actual movie.  I don’t know, maybe I’m not giving critics enough credit, but some do seem bent on bringing Tom down.  Anyway, in Knight and Day, Tom seems to be having fun as a maverick kind of secret agent.  Cameron Diaz plays a normal girl who gets mixed up in his craziness.  Knight and Day is rated PG-13 for sequences of action violence throughout, and brief strong language.

Grown Ups stars some loveable lumps as good friends and former teammates who get together after their high school basketball coach passes away.  Adam Sandler co-wrote and stars, along with Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Space and Rob Schneider.  Things get silly, and probably gross, too.  Grown Ups is rated PG-13 for crude material including suggestive references, language and some male rear nudity.

If you’re looking for something a little more heavy, how about Solitary Man?  Michael Douglas stars as a rich older dude who watches his personal and professional life hit the skids, because of business and romantic indiscretions.  Mary Louise Parker, Danny DeVito and Susan Sarandon star.  Solitary Man is rated R for language and some sexual content.  It makes me uncomfortable just thinking about it!


Also in limited release this weekend, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.  Love her or hate her (and I am NOT a fan), you have to give it up for Joan Rivers.  She succeeded in the man’s realm of stand up comedy WAAAAAY before women’s lib.  And, she finds way to stay relevant.  This documentary shows you why.  She works… hard!  Cosmetic surgery aside, can you believe she’s 75 years old??  Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work is rated R for language and sexual humor.

New to See on DVD!

This is the perfect time of year to escape the heat and watch a movie at home on DVD.  And, there are some good films that you probably didn’t see in theaters, that are new out this week!

Green Zone – This is my recommendation for you, this week.  Matt Damon stars as a U.S. Army officer who goes rogue, because he’s frustrated at the miscommunication, as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq.  It’s directed by one of my favorites, Paul Greengrass.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief – In the quest to find the next Harry Potter series, Chris Columbus directs this adaptation of Rick Riordan’s first book in a series about Percy, who discovers he’s the descendant of a Greek god.  The teenager sets out on an adventure to settle an on-going battle between the gods.  Logan Lerman stars.

Remember Me – If you can’t wait until Twilight Eclipse opens to get a glimpse of Robert Pattinson, here, he’s a guy whose parents have split in the wake of his brother’s suicide.  Emilie de Ravin is the girl who lives each day to the fullest since witnessing her mother’s murder.

The Last Station – Great cast, nominated for two Oscars.  Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer star.  Drama illustrates Russian author Leo Tolstoy’s struggle to balance fame and wealth with his commitment to a life devoid of material things.

The Good Guy – Alexis Bledel plays an ambitious girl in New York City who wants a good job, good friends, and a good guy to share the city with.  Scott Porter, Bryan Greenberg and Andrew McCarthy co-star.

Rock Slyde: Private Eye – Patrick Warburton stars as a down and out private detective who has a turf war going with a religious cult.  Andy Dick is in this film.  You have been warned.

She’s Out of My League – Jay Baruchel plays an average Joe who meets the perfect woman, but his lack of confidence and the influence of his friends and family begin to pick away at the relationship.

Straight Outta LA – This would be my second recommendation, but only if you find the topic interesting.  Ice Cube directed this documentary for ESPN Films, part of the 30 for 30 series.  It’s about how the Los Angeles Raiders impacted gang culture in the 80s and 90s.

Fuel – Documentary by Josh Tickell, who went on an 11 year journey around the world to find solutions to America’s addiction to oil.

London Calling: Live in Hyde Park – I would have thought this was a concert from The Clash, but it’s Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band from recent concerts in London.

Stones in Exile – Documentary about the creation and impact of the 1972 Rolling Stones album, Exile on Main St.

Red Desert – The 1964 Italian masterpiece by Michelangelo Antonioni gets the Criterion Collection treatment.  Guiliana is a housewife, suffering from mental illness, but hiding it from her husband, who is the manager of the big factory in town.   
 

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ – The Complete Book 1 (Collector’s Edition)
‘Checkmate’- The Complete Series
‘Emily of New Moon’ – Season 3 (CAN)
‘Entourage’ – The Complete 6th Season (Blu-ray)
‘Hung’ – Season 1 (Blu-ray)
‘Riverworld’ – Mini-series
‘Tom and Jerry’ – Deluxe Anniversary Collection

Movie Review: Jonah Hex

I love being pleasantly surprised by a movie!  I’m not sure why I wanted to go to the preview screening of Jonah Hex, because I didn’t have very high hopes for the film, but I’m glad I did.  I enjoyed it!

Here are some things that will help you decide whether you want to go:  the comic book genesis of the movie is very prevalent, to the point that they tell some of Jonah Hex’ story with comic book frames; Jonah Hex is an anti-hero, meaning you’re asked to root for a guy who has done some very bad things in his life; the movie is dark and intense, with a bit of a supernatural element to the evil side.  If you’re still with me, you might want to go.  Josh Brolin is perfectly brooding, as the growling and disfigured Jonah Hex.  He fought in the Civil War for the confederate side and went afoul of some even worse men who took away the things he held precious.  That sets him on a course of vengeance and bounty hunting.  Much is made of Megan Fox in the film, but she does what any pretty girl in a western/action film does.  She tries to make the most of her minutes, and she looks good in her corset.  Can she act?  Probably not.  But, no actress wants to take that part in this movie, so I don’t have a problem with it.  My only criticism is about a later scene, where she’s out of the bordello, and I think, at that time, such a gal would have her hair up and act more ladylike, but it’s a COMIC BOOK MOVIE, right?  John Malkovich does his thing as the bad guy.  My son, as always, liked the psycho sidekick, played by Michael Fassbender.  I enjoyed solid cameos from Lance Reddick and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.  It was blissfully short, because it’s very dark and violent, at just 80 minutes.  And, they preserve a PG-13 rating by cutting away from a lot of the more gruesome acts.  For summer action, I’d rather watch this again than see the last Transformers movie.  Then again, that’s not saying a lot.  I give Jonah Hex a 7 out of 10.

Movie Review: How to Train Your Dragon

I love movies.  I love seeing them in theaters.  I love kids movies, when they’re good.  Huge Disney fan.  So, when the boy became too old to want to see them with me any more, I was bummed, and I missed a few.  But now, I’m back!!  The baby can now handle himself in theaters!  And, I had high hopes for How to Train Your Dragon.

I love the look of the dragons, and really everything about this movie from Dreamworks.  We did not see the 3-D version, mainly because it’s costly, and I wasn’t sure the baby would behave himself.  He’s MY dragon.  🙂  Still, the movie is gorgeous.  It’s set in Viking times.  Hiccup is a hapless young man, living in a village where you make a name for yourself by hunting dragons.  Instead, he ends up befriending one and learning to like them, instead of fear them.  It’s a nice message, with elements of Avatar and Harry Potter and Mulan.  I wanted to LOVE it.  Instead, I just liked it.  It’s okay.  I’m not dying to go out and buy it, as soon as it comes out on DVD, like I was for Kung Fu Panda.  I can’t really put my finger on it, it just didn’t seem as warm to me as other movies I really like.  I give How to Train Your Dragon a 7 out of 10.

You Have to Laugh!

When I was in that awkward, before training bra, stage, I used to get mistaken for a boy all the time.  My hair was long, but, I’ve never been one to wear girly clothes much.  From junior high on, I was okay.  Still, I remember how much it bugged me when people made an assumption and got it wrong.

 
TMZ reports Maryland police got a call that 16 year old pop superstar Justin Bieber was drinking at a bar.  Cops stormed the place and attempted to arrest the 27 year old WOMAN on the left.  Apparently, she gets mistaken for the Bieb all the time, but since she hasn’t bothered to change her bowl cut, I’m guessing it doesn’t bother her much.

New in Theaters!

Every weekend is a great weekend to see a movie in theaters, when it’s summertime.  There are so many different, cool shows to choose from, and this is the weekend that Toy Story 3 dukes it out with Shrek and The Karate Kid.


I can’t imagine anything but Toy Story 3 being number one at the box office, this weekend.  The critics say it’s fantastic.  I loved the first one, the second one was okay, for me.  But, the baby likes the second one better.  For some reason, he and his brother loved the Prospector character and that Buzz gets a girlfriend!  Fast forward a few years, Andy is headed to college (SNIFF! Just like the boy!), and Woody, Buzz, and the gang take up new residence at a day-care center.  Toy Story 3 is rated G.

Jonah Hex is a second tier summer action movie popcorn buster.  What I mean by that is, it’s not up there with Iron Man 2, it’s more of a Robin Hood.  There will be fans of the comic book who seek it out.  I saw it with the boy this week, and I will have a full review posted this weekend.  Josh Brolin plays Jonah Hex, a Civil War veteran turned disfigured bounty hunter.  It’s the old story of an anti-hero who has done bad things, because he lost the good in his life to someone evil.  Think Braveheart and Gladiator.  There’s a definite comic influence and a bit of the supernatural thrown in.  It’s dark and intense, but it’s short.  And, Jonah Hex is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, disturbing images and sexual content.  I will say, they cut away from a lot of the violence they could have shown to preserve the PG-13.  An interesting decision.


In limited release this week, Please Give stars Catherine Keener and Amanda Peet.  It’s written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, about a New York City couple that butts head with the granddaughters of an elderly woman who lives in an apartment the couple owns.  It sounds very Woody Allen-esque, and I hear the characters are really negative.  This played at Sundance.  Please Give is rated R for language, some sexual content and nudity.


Exit Through the Gift Shop is one of those maddeningly vague films, where you think you’re watching a documentary, but then you’re not sure.  I’m even more suspicious, because it’s directed by Banksy, the cage-y street artist.  Shepard Fairey is also in the film, but so are actors, like Rhys Ifans.  Still, I hear it’s brilliant.  The film claims to be the incredible true story of how the world’s greatest Street Art movie was never made.  See what I mean?  Confusing!  Exit Through the Gift Shop is rated R for some language.

I Want One, but I Don't!

Couldn’t believe these pictures, when I saw them on the Today Show.  I tried to just embed the video here, but our site just doesn’t like NBC videos, for some reason.  Anyway, can you imagine?  These are dogs from China, where apparently, people like to dye their pets to resemble wild animals.  Just click on the tiger, errrrr, dog to watch the video.

I’m totally with the Today Show team.  I mean, it’s appalling.  And yet…  look at that.  Who hasn’t wanted to have their own panda??  I just can’t imagine my dog sitting still for a dye job!!!

I Want One, but I Don’t!

Couldn’t believe these pictures, when I saw them on the Today Show.  I tried to just embed the video here, but our site just doesn’t like NBC videos, for some reason.  Anyway, can you imagine?  These are dogs from China, where apparently, people like to dye their pets to resemble wild animals.  Just click on the tiger, errrrr, dog to watch the video.

I’m totally with the Today Show team.  I mean, it’s appalling.  And yet…  look at that.  Who hasn’t wanted to have their own panda??  I just can’t imagine my dog sitting still for a dye job!!!