The Big Year

This is something of an odd movie.  Well, maybe it's just an odd topic.  Evidently there is a bird watching competition.  Birders (bird watchers) try to see and identify as many different specie of bird in a single year. Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson) owns the world record, 730 some.  He's a little neurotic about it, fearful that someone will beat his record and decides he needs to go follow the birds to make sure no one is close to breaking his record.  His wife would prefer he stay around and help start a family.  Stu (Steve Martin) is a wealthy, retired executive, or at least he's trying to retire, who has always wanted to do a "Big Year" and finally decides to go for it, with the total support of his loving family. Brad (Jack Black) is a bumbling computer geek who has always loved birding and decides he must to a Big Year, with the support of his mother, moral and financial.  Dad isn't so supportive and thinks he is a loser.  So the story is about these three guys and what they'll do, and won't do to be the Birder of the Year.  A whole new world I never knew about.  It was okay, I give it a two.  It's perfect for a good, clean family movie.

Footloose

I enjoyed this one.  Of course, it's my kind of movie, a little sappy, but really, all the characters were very lovable.  I knew Julianne Hough could dance, so the question was, could she act.  I thought she did terrific!  It was hard to believe it was her first big movie.  She did great.  Kenny Wormald, who played the "Kevin Bacon" part, can really dance as well.  Great dancing, good acting, fun all around.  Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell played Julianne's parents.  It makes me feel old to see stars of  "my day" relegated to playing the parents, but it was good to see them both.  Go see this to have fun.  It's a must see if you're a Dancing with the Stars fan!

Dream House

I liked this one. It was pretty suspenseful and had a nice twist. It reminded me of another movie with a similar plot but the ending was completely different, so I forgive it for the "sameness". The story is of a family (Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig) that moves into a house and then find out that the mother and two young girls of the last family that lived there was murdered in the house.  And so they try to learn more about the past and what really happened in the house.  There are some surprises!  I give it a 2 and 1/2, I think you should see it, if you don't mind some violence and a lot of suspense.

What's Your Number?

This is not a must see.  It's not great but would be okay to rent, for something light and sort of funny.  It's about a girl, Ally Darling (Anna Faris) who realizes she's "been around" a lot.  She's read a magazine article that says the average woman has had 12 1/2 sexual partners (yes, I wonder about that 1/2 too!).  She's had way more than that.  She doesn't want her number to go higher, so she comes up with the great idea to hunt down her ex-boyfriends to see if one of them could have been "the one".  She cute neighbor (Chris Evans) offers to help her out.  It's silly at times, there are a lot of crude sex references.  Nothing real gross.  I give it 1 1/2 stars.

50/50

I liked this movie a lot. It's about a guy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who finds out he has cancer.  His best friend, Seth Rogen, tries to help him during his battle to fight the disease.  I love both these guys.  Anna Kendrick is a young therapist just starting out who is his therapist.  It's a funny heart warming story of these two relationships.  It's a must see, very well done.  I give it three stars!

Columbiana

This is not a must see, but it'd be a good one to rent some weekend.  But beware, there is a lot of violence.  It's about a young girl who sees her parents killed by the local drug lords men.  She gets away, and goes to America to stay with her uncle.  As she grows up, (played by Zoe Saldana - I like her) she prepares herself to be a killer so she can seek revenge for her parents killings.  There is a lot of action, and I think they did an okay job develop her character.  I give it 2 stars.

One Day

This movie is a lot like Same Time Next Year with Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn.  This version stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.  It's about two college kids who meet and have a relationship that is told by showing us one day, the same day, each year, for 20 years.  It's an interesting concept and story, but it was a little depressing to me, to see someone making a mess of their life.  I don't like movies about sad, stupid people.  I give this one 2 stars, mostly cuz I like these two actors.

The Help

I liked this, but I wasn't as in love with it as everyone else seemed to be.  It's a good story, about a young woman, Skeeter (played by Emma Stone) in the 1960's.  She's trying to get a start as a writer but isn't taken too seriously.  She starts to notice the world of the black maid, who is usually closer to the children of the white woman than the mother herself.  She builds a friendship with two of the women and starts to record their story.  Not everyone wants the story to be told!  The acting was good and the story was good, but there wasn't anything that made me think, "Wow, this is a great movie."  I give it 2 1/2 stars.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

I thought this was pretty good.  James Franco plays a scientist who is working on a drug that he hopes will cure his father's Alzheimer.  John Lithgow plays the father.  They all think it is not working, but then James realizes it worked on this chimp that he's adopted.  (The monkey was supposed to be killed after the project was closed down, but a friend couldn't kill this little one.)  


The apes were awesome.  I ended up rooting for them!  There's a few villains, and some heroes.  The story is engaging and the acting is good.  I liked it.  I give it two and a half stars.  I debated with giving it three.  It's a must see if not just to see the effects of the apes.  I guess it could be sort of creepy, but I liked it!

Our Idiot Brother

I liked this!  It might not be a must see for everyone, but I thought it was cute.  The story of a family with 3 women and 1 guy, who just trusts people too much.  He has a tendancy to be too truthful; inadvertently spilling the beans too often.  Which makes him not very popular with his family.  I think he's lovable though.  I also like Paul Rudd, and he fits this character pretty well.  If you want a fun, carefree movie, without a lot of deep thinking, this is the one.  And if you're a Paul Rudd fan, well of course, it's a must see.  I give it 2 1/2 stars.

The Debt

This is a must see!  I loved it.  It was very suspenseful.  There is violence, but not too much.  It's the story of three secret agents who tracked down a Nazi war criminal in 1966.  The setting is 1997 and a book has just been released about their experience, when two of them find out their partner has just committed suicide.  They then flash back to 1966 to show us how the events unfolded, and some twists are revealed.  Acting is fantastic and the story is gripping.  I give it 3 1/2 stars out of 4.  Go see it!

Captain America: The First Avenger

Stay for the credits, there's a scene of the next movie you don't want to miss.  I was so excited seeing it.  You'll have to guess why!  Yes, I loved this movie.  It was cool to see the back story this way.  I always like how they tie all the stories together.

The story is Chris Evans plays Steve Rogers, a really small guy trying to enlist to go off to war (WWII), but he keeps getting rejected.  Finally a doctor (Stanley Tucci - love him) notices and suggests Steve Rogers for an experiment to create an elite super-soldier unit.  Rogers turns super big and strong, but the formula is lost, so he's the only one.  He then becomes a symbol of strength and good for the American citizens.  This movie had some good action and I thought the acting was good.  The first scenes trying to make Chris Evans seem puny were a bit distracting, but not too off-putting.  This is a must see, I give it 3 stars!

Crazy, Stupid Love

This movie was crazy, stupid funny!  I loved it!  Steve Carroll really does clean up nice!!!  I liked Ryan Gosling's character and there were some very good twists and turns.  And one VERY funny scene, that alone makes this a must see movie!  I give it three stars!

Cowboys and Aliens

It's strange, but I don't understand why aliens visiting us in the era of the cowboy seems so much stranger then when they come to modern man?  It's just seems weird, like it's more unbelievable, but why???  So this movie made me think!  It wasn't too bad.  I had low expectations and did enjoy it a bit.  The acting didn't seem all that great, but special effects were ok and it kept my interest, for some reason.  Not a must see to me, but I did like it ok.  Good one to rent.

Horrible Bosses

This movie is horribly funny!  There were parts where I was choking on my drink it was so funny.  There are three horrible bosses, with Kevin Spacey taking the award for the worse, in my book.  He was great at being the worse by the way.  Then there are three employees who are tired of dealing with these horrible people.  They're the funniest part of the movie, and the stupid things they do once they decide they have to "take action".  I'd say this is a must see, if just for a few minutes in the middle, where it cracked up the whole theater!  I give it 3 stars.

Friends with Benefits

This is not a must see, but I did enjoy it.  The story is Mila Kunis is a headhunter in NYC and Justin Timberlake is someone she's recruiting for a position with her client.  They've both come out of relationships, badly, and are not looking for another anytime soon.  So they become good friends, and then decide they can have sex without ruining their friendship.  It's similar to No Strings Attached, but what they do better here is the sex is funnier.  It's not emotional, it's somewhat clinical, with each giving the other "directions".  They seem to make it work.  But yes, it is predictable.  It's cute, not great.  The chemistry between Justin and Mila is pretty good.  It's not a must see, but it'd be a good rental.  I give it 2 stars.

Winnie the Pooh

I had to go see this, Winnie the Pooh is one of my most favorite childhood characters!  And I really liked this movie!  I thought they were very cleaver how they incorporated the book character with the movie.  The story is that Eeyore has lost his "tael" and the whole gang is out looking for a replacement.  I laughed, there were parts where it was funny, and cute, and cleaver!  Yes, I liked this movie.  It's one of the better children's movie out in awhile.  If you have children, this is a must see.  If not, find a kid to borrow and go see it.  I give it 3 stars (out of four).

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

I LOVED this movie!  Of course, the book is much better, they can do so much more in a book, and JK Rowling did a superb job, but this movie did her justice.  I still cried towards the end, they conveyed the courage  of Harry well.  I wished they would have done a little more with Harry and Jenny's budding relationship, but I guess they didn't have enough time.  I found myself forgetting to breathe, the suspense was done well!  You HAVE to see this if you've seen any of the others or read any of the books or you've heard the name Harry Potter.  Though I wish they would have done some parts differently, it's only cuz of the books, so I'm giving it 4 stars!!!  (My first I think!)  That may be partly because of sentiment, but hey, it's my blog.

Zookeeper

Typical Kevin James movie, predictable, kind of cute, and hard to believe this guy has all these gorgeous girls falling in love with him.  Not a must see, but the animal characters are kind of funny.  I enjoyed it, but it'd be a good movie to rent.  I give it 1 1/2 stars.

Larry Crowne

Hanks and Roberts make this movie worth seeing, barely.  It's a cute romance, but has some cheesy parts.  The romance doesn't even get started until well into the movie.  There are some fun side characters that help make the movie more believable, though some parts, such as the scooter brigade just don't sell well.  I love Tom Hanks and I like Julia Roberts, but as a romantic couple, they don't work well.  I say it's not a must see and a 1 1/2 stars out of 4.

Bad Teacher

This was ok.  The story of a gold digging woman who is only teaching until she can find a rich guy to take care of her.  She wants to save money to get a boob job, cuz she thinks that will help her land a rich guy, when she finds out that the teacher with the class with best test scores gets $5734 bonus (or some silly odd number).  Cameron Diaz does a good bored and lazy teacher.  I really like Jason Segal, as the lovable, well meaning gym teacher, who's "not good enough (rich) for Cameron's character.  And Amy Punch is hilarious as the "good teacher" who is the 3 time reigning winner of the bonus.  There are some good laughs and lots of silly jokes.  I liked it, but it's not a must see.  I give it 2 stars.

Transformers: Dark of The Moon

In a word this movie is "big"; big explosions, big "monsters", big fights, big lips, etc.  It's a must see, because of the robots and affects.  This one starts off with Sam lamenting that most people aren't aware that he saved their world, not once but twice!  And what does he have to show for it?  There's comic relief when his parents visit, love that part, especially the matching warm up outfits.  I also liked how they revisited history and the first moonwalk.  The battles are spectacular, especially the foot work.  It does make one have to suspend reality a bit, I mean come on, you can't run around like that in those high heels!  I give it a 3.5.  Biggest movie of the summer, so far anyway.

The Art of Getting By

The critics didn't like this movie, and it's not the best, but it's a sweet story.  It's the story of a high school guy who doesn't see the point of life, so therefore why do school work.  He doesn't have much going on for him, and he develops this odd friendship with a cute girl, Emma Roberts.  She has her own hang ups, and they help each other get through each day.  Freddie Highmore is the depressed boy, and he does a great job.  I'd give it a 2 out of 4 stars, not a must see.

Midnight in Paris

Loved this movie!  You need to see it if you love Paris.  You need to see it if you love literature.  You need to see it if you love movies.  It was very fun, about a engaged couple going to Paris with her parents.  The couple have a lot of different ideas about life and their combined life.  He's a successful screen writer, who feels a little like he "gave in" to commercialism when he went away from "serious writing".  He's trying to sort out what he wants and he goes on a little adventure, at midnight, in Paris.  Hence the name.  I don't know a lot about literature and many of our famous authors, but this movie made me want to read up a bit on all that.  I saw it's a must see, especially if you like Paris ...  I give it 3.5 stars.

X-Men:First Class

I loved this!  I think it was the best of all the XMen.  It's the beginning of the story, and now I have to watch all the others!  It's set in the 60s, cold war era.  It's a must see.  And if you haven't seen the others (what have you been doing?) that's fine.  Start here and then see the others.  Enjoyed it a lot!!! 3.5 stars out of 4!

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Not a must see for sure, but I enjoyed it.  You should go if you love Tavern on the Green.  The restaurant is part of the story line, a very cute part.  The story is about a divorced dad, Jim Carrey, whose Dad neglected him when he was child, because he was always off on adventures.  As an adult, Jim seems to care more about his career and work then family (hence the "divorced dad").  But then he receives a last gift from his Dad, penguins. The predictable story ensues, but it is cute!  I give it two stars, and I think some would think me generous, but it was a fun little movie.

Green Lantern

The story of a young boy who loses his dad and grows up to be a daredevil pilot, who is chosen by The Guardians, an ancient immortal group whose mission is to protect the universe from evil, to be the first human to join the group. His super power is very cool, he can make whatever he can imagine come to life.  It's a cute film, not a must see, but there are some good lines, some corny acting, but an interesting story.  If you're liking the movie, what until the middle of the credits, there's a sneak peak for the sequel.  Not the best super hero movie lately (Thor!) but enjoyable.  I give it 2 stars (out of 4); not a must see.

Hangover 2

Yes, this isn't as good as the first one, but I liked it.  It's funny, has some good jokes, some bad ones thrown in, but overall it was enjoyable.  It is a bit hard to believe they did it again, but the explanation works; a stretch but it works.  Same guys, with a new one here or there.  Ed Helms character is getting married this time, and he doesn't want a big bachelor party.  But he agrees to "one drink" with the boys down on the beach, and that's where it all starts again.  Don't have high expectations thinking it's going to be as good as the first one, and I think you'll enjoy it.  I give it 2.5 stars.

Super 8

Great movie, makes me think of Goonies.  It's about some kids making a movie and capturing a unbelievable train wreck.  The train was carrying some top secret government cargo, that escapes after the wreck and is unleashed into the small town.  But the government won't own up to it.  There are some elements of ET here also.  I loved it.  The kid actors are great, the lead kid is a cutie.  The train wreck is amazing.  The "thing" that escapes is ok, and the ending could be better (my nephew Dustin "hated" it, but I think he had really high expectations, that I didn't).  There's some humor thrown into a lot of intense scenes.  I say it's a must see and give it 3.5 out of 4 stars.  Almost forgot, wait until the credits, they show the kids finished film.

Jane Eyre

I liked it.  It moved at a good pace, wasn't slow or boring.  I don't remember the book that well (may need to read again), but it didn't seem as dark as I thought the book was supposed to be.  The actress who played Jane, Mia Wasikowka, did a great job.  This is a must see, I give it 3 stars.

Pirates of the Caribbean

I can't remember the other ones that well, but I think I liked this one the best.  I remember being a bit bored during the last one, and this one kept my attention.  They're off to find the Fountain of Youth, but there are several different groups trying to get there first.  Johnny again does a fantastic job, and Penelope adds a nice touch.  Ian McShane is Blackbeard, a good villain. It's a must see, especially if you've seen the others, why would you miss this one?  A good start to the summer blockbusters, I give it 3 stars.

Something Borrowed

I loved this movie.  It might be a chick flick, but I think it's got universal appeal.  I loved the book so I was all set to like it so I might be biased.  I think the casting was great.  It's the story of two girls who are life-long friends, and how they navigate love and friendship.  I sometimes want to scream at Rachel, grow a pair girl!  It's a must see and I can't wait for the sequel. I give it 3 out of 4 stars.

Priest

I wasn't sure if this would be very good, but I went to see it because Paul Bettany was in it and I like him.  I was surprised that it wasn't too bad.  Not a must see, but it was an interesting concept.  About vampires (what movie isn't nowadays) and Paul Bettany is a priest.  He's not your normal priest.  He's one of a group that have special powers and training specifically to hunt and kill vampires.  The "Church" tells everyone that the vampires have all been killed and everyone's safe and the priests are all "retired".  But a few people don't believe the vampires are all gone.  The vampires go after the Priest's niece, he comes out of retirement, and so the adventure begins.  There's some twists, and it's not all that bad, but a little dark and dreary.  One thing, how come there are so many actors who've played vampires in this movie, fighting the undead? Weird.  I'd give it 2 stars.

Thor

I really liked this.  And not just cuz Chris Hemsworth is god-like, wow, but there's a lot of intrigue and action.  The story is god of Thunder Thor is next in-line to the throne.  But he is a bad boy, with a little help from his weasel, jealous brother, so his father strips him of his awesome powers, and banishes him to Earth, where he needs to learn humility and gain wisdom if he wants to return to the heavens.  He meets a human, Natalie Portman (no, not all earthlings look like that).  The battles on Earth and in the heavens are "big", like Thor's muscles.  And I like watching both of them very much.  There are some surprising cute spots of humor.  It's a must see.  I give it 3 out of 4 stars.  Lots of fun. (I don't think the poster does him justice.)  And stay until the very end of the credits for a sneak preview scene of  the next movie.

Bridesmaids

Hilarious!  Kristen Wiig is great.  I liked the dialog best when it was her character and the cop.  It was heart warming and charming.  A few of the jokes went on a bit long, to where they were uncomfortable, but all in all it's a great story of two best friends and how things change as one of them becomes engaged and starts a "new life" with her soon-to-be husband.  It's a must see for me.  I give it 3 stars.  And it's not a chick flick.  It's just really funny, sort of a female Hangover, but a little more civilized.

Jumping the Broom

The story of a working-class guy making good, meeting a beautiful rich girl and they become engage.  Lots of laughs with the families finally meeting, and the differences in their backgrounds making waves for the wedding planning.  There are some tender moments as well.  The cast is great, well-acted for the most part.  Not a must see, but if you want a fun, relaxing movie, this is a good one.  I give it 2.5 stars out of 4.

African Cats

Another DisneyNature movie, this one about a lioness and her cub and a cheetah and her cubs.  It shows the struggles they meet trying to survive in the African savanna.  It's beautiful, many endearing shots and the harsh realities.  Samuel Jackson narrates.  I liked it and for me it's a must see, but it's not my favorite of these DisneyNature movies.  I give it 2 stars.

Fast Five

I've seen the previous "Fast" movies, and I do like this one more.  It follows the same kind of plot, a group of bad guys want to steal some cars and someone will be chasing.  There is a lot of action; sooooo many cars are destroyed.  Someone complained to me about it being so "violent" and it's funny, I didn't see it like that.  Not too many people get whacked, there's not that much blood and guts, it's mostly cars that get it.  There are some chase scenes (lots of chase scenes) where I doesn't seem very realistic, but then if these movies were realistic, the main characters would have to spend too much time in the doctor's office and hospitals.  I didn't like some of the story line and dialogue with the law enforcement characters, but overall this was fun with lots of action.  I give it 2 1/2 stars.

Arthur

This is a fun, silly movie.  And Russell Brand is really growing on me.  The first time I saw him in a movie I thought "What the hell!"  But no, he's so cute and endearing, if he's in it, I'll go see it.  But he's no Dudley Moore.  Same story line, poor, rich drunk who needs someone to make his life worth living.  Helen Mirren is his "nanny". This kind of humor Helen and Russell pull off well, for me.  It's not a must see, but it's light hearted and relaxing.  I give it 2 stars.

Water for Elephants

I loved this movie.  It didn't get great reviews from the critics, but all my friends who've seen it love it.  It's a story about a college student back during the depression, runs off to the circus.  Well, sort of, circumstances place him in the circus.  And his adventures with the circus and falling in love.  It's also about how getting old sometimes can take away your dignity, if you let it.  I liked all the actors, felt they did a great job.  I give it 3 stars.  

PS - I've started reading the book.  The beginning of the book is quite different from the movie ending.  At least, one big point is quite different.  Interesting.

Scream 4

If you've seen the other ones, you should go see this one.  If you liked the other ones, you'll like this one.  I thought it was better than the last couple.  The survivors from the past Screams return, Sydney's written a self-help book and comes back for a book signing, and it all begins again, but with some new twists, and updating for the new technology.  I like the beginning and the ending the best.  Fun, bloody fun.  I give it 2 1/2 stars out of four.  

The Conspirator

Great movie.  It's about the trial of Mary Surratt, one of nine people, the only female, accused of conspiracy in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.  She owned the boarding house where the conspirators met.  Her son was part of the group, which included John Wilkes Booth.  It's a great story of the need by many for revenge after the assassination.  I loved it.  James McAvoy plays the young attorney assigned to defend Mary, not a popular job.  Justin Long has a small part as one of James's friends.  It was nice seeing him in something other than a romantic comedy.  But his mustache is a little comical, just saying.  I did not realize it was Directed and Produced by Robert Redford until the credits.  No wonder I loved it.  Another must see for me. 

Rio

This is a great animated movie.  It's about the last blue macaws and the idea to get them together to keep the species going, but the smugglers have another idea in mind.  It's situated in Rio, during Carnivale.  It's a very beautiful movie, with lots of vibrant colors, fun music and songs, and a great cast!  It's one of the better animated movies lately, a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.  Must see, 3 stars out of 4.

Hanna

This is a must see.  It's the story of a young girl who is raised in the forest by her father (Eric Bana, whom I love), a rouge agent who is training his daughter to be an assassin; his target is Cate Blanchet.  The reason and their history is revealed slowly throughout the movie.  Cate does a great job playing the villain.  The young girl is played by Saoirse Ronan who is fantastic.  She's only known the forest and their very primitive cabin, and she's beginning to be curious about the rest of the world.  Her father finally sends her out on her mission.  I thought there were some very cute, humorous moments as she meets other kids.  The ending was a little confusing, but it didn't ruin it for me.  I give it 3 1/2 stars (out of 4).  Forgot to mention, the music was amazing.  It was like another character in the movie.  Really added to the suspense, and not by being loud.  Loved it!

Your Highness

This is one of those comedies with lots of sexual innuendos, and some outright naughty jokes, that get bigger laughs because of the actors delivering them.  James Franco does a great job as the serious-minded "favored prince" while Natalie Portman plays a daring female warrior.  It's interesting to see her in this kind of a role, and I thought she carried it off pretty well.  This is one of those movies where you have to be in the mood for some somewhat juvenile humor.  I liked it overall.  I'd give it 2.5 stars.

Insidious

Is it a haunted house story, a child possessed story, or a sci-fi story?  It's a little bit of all of them.  I'm not into horror movies too much, but this one wasn't bad.  It's not a gore-fest, but more of a spooky monsters show, which I liked.  It was a fun horror movie that gets you spooked a bit without grossing you out.  If you don't see it in the theater, it'd be a good rental.  I give it 2 stars.

Soul Surfer

I rate this movie 4+ kleenex.  I really could have used a few more.  There were some happy tears too.  The movie is based on the real-life story of the young, up-and-coming surfer, Bethany Hamilton, who had her arm bitten off by a shark.  The story carries the movie.  This sounds crazy, but I really liked how they did the shark attack.  They didn't try to build it up over a long time, it was kind of sudden, and the focus wasn't on the shark (not all gorey), but on the amazing, take-action reaction of Bethany and her friends, which is what saved her life.  There is a lot on how her faith helped her heal, and Carrie Underwood did a passable job as Bethany's youth group's leader.  There were a few parts where I felt the script was lame, especially the teenage friendly interaction shots.  But other than that, I liked it.  If you go, you MUST stay for the credits, I loved them, they show home movies of the real Bethany.  I give it 2 stars.

The Lincoln Lawyer

You had me with Matthew McConaughey.  This reminds me of one of his first movies, A Time to Kill, in which he also was a lawyer.  I think this is one of his best movies since that one.  I like seeing him in one where he can really act, because he is more than a pretty face.  This movie has it's twist and turns, which I loved, about a lawyer who is working out of the back of his limousine (I guess it's a Lincoln), with lots of sleazy clients, with the sleaziest of them all being Ryan Phillipe's character.  He makes the others look lovable.  It's one of those who can "out smart the other" duals between the two of them.  The supporting characters all add to this movie and I'd give it 3 stars.  I think I'll have to read the book.

Source Code

This was awesome!  I loved it.  It's a bit sci-fi, bit romance, quite a bit thriller; very suspenseful.  I loved Jake Gyllenhaal's portrayal of a US soldier on a special mission, to discover who blew up a commuter train in order to stop them from blowing up the entire city of Chicago.  In places there are unexpected splashes of humor in an otherwise intense movie.  It's a very surreal premise, but I loved it.  And I was surprised I needed the kleenex.  If you're a parent of a child in the US service, you might need a box full.  It's a definite must see, I think I'll go back and take my hubby.  I'd give it my first 4 star rating of the year!

Sucker Punch

This is like watching a video game, developed by a bunch of teenage boys.  Yay, not a must see.  I was surprised by how bad it was.  It’s inconceivable that a young woman whose mother just died and whose abusive step father, who just killed her little sister and is trying to pin it on her, and is having her committed to a mental institution, would try to escape her reality by fantasizing she’s enslaved in a brothel.  And all the women in the brothel are wearing provocative, sex kitten outfits.  The hair styles and make up are extreme, and for the women too.  Vanessa Hudgen’s character provided some comic relief for me, but only because with her hair, make up and outfit, she was reminding me of Snookie!   The script didn’t seem very original; the Wise Man character reminded me of Columbo; every speech ending with “Oh, one last thing…”.  The first fantasy within the fantasy was like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.   Everything seemed based on some classic movie or character.  I’ll be generous and give this 1 star.  If I liked shoot ‘em up video games it might be a 2. Oh, I forgot, the big "Sucker Punch", not so much.