Nationwide Releases
What is up with the lack of nationwide releases this week? No one wanted to compete with Jessica Alba?
Awake
Directed: Joby Harold
Starring: Jessica Alba, Hayden Christensen
Trailer
Synopsis: A man is awake even with anesthesia for an open heart surgery. That’s not the worst of it since he can hear his surgeons making plans to kill him and collect millions.
My Take: The beginning part of the premise sounds intriguing, but the second half sounds tacked on so they could make an actual movie out of the subject.
RT Score: 13%
Continue reading “Movies Opening Nov 30″
Tags: anna faris, awake, badlands, budda's lost children, diane keaton, diving bell and the butterfly, eliza dushku, hayden christensen, jeff daniels, jess weixler, jessica alba, john hensley, jon heder, justin long, kelly hu, laura linney, macaulay culkin, mama's boy, oswald's ghost, philip symour hoffman, protagonist, sasquatch gang, savages, sex and breakfast, teeth, undoing
Amazing Race
Let’s Name Our Chicken Phil
One thing I wished with this show was that the teams would spend more time in one general area so there isn’t that much time spent in airports. The airport drama bores me since it hasn’t really changed since the first season. I love watching everything else that happens with the teams during the detours and road blocks. I loved this episode since they stayed in Africa.
After spending the night outside of Bingo, the teams found out they needed to walk to a nearby village to find a tribal chief. Once they were there, they received their next clue and a bag where they had to put in a chicken. They were required to take the chicken along the entire leg. If they didn’t have it at the pit stop, they couldn’t check in.
Continue reading “TAR: Crazy Dancing”
Tags: africa, amazing race, bouda peletanga
Nationwide Releases
Enchanted
Directed: Kevin Lima
Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden
Trailer
Synopsis: A fairy princess and her prince come out of the cartoon fairytale world to land in real-life New York by an evil queen.
My Take: It sounds goofy, but I find myself laughing at the trailer each time I see it. The things it takes from old-school fairy tales and has them play out in New York is just amusing.
RT Score: 93%
RT Consensus: A smart re-imagining of fairy tale tropes, Enchanted features witty dialogue, sharp animation, and a star turn by Amy Adams.
Continue reading “Movies Opening Nov 23″
Tags: amy adams, august rush, cate blanchett, christian bale, delroy lindo, dougray scott, enchanted, frank darabont, frank langella, freddie highmore, heath ledger, hitman, i'm not there, idris elba, james marsden, jonathan rhys meyers, keri russell, lauren ambrose, lili taylor, marcia gay harden, midnight eagle, nina's heavenly delights, patrick dempsey, richard gere, robin williams, starting out in the evening, stephen king, the mist, this christmas, thomas jane, timothy olyphant, todd haynes
Amazing Race
Please, Lord, Give Me Milk
Lorena and Jason started off in first place when they found out they needed to fly over 3,000 miles to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in West Africa. There was the usual drama at the airport, but after so many seasons of that, there isn’t anything new there. Nate and Jen were the one team that had an earlier flight, and everyone else was on a flight that was delayed. If they missed their connection in Paris, eight teams would be 24 hours behind Nate & Jen, since there was only one flight a day from Paris to West Africa. It was all a big brouhaha over nothing, since everyone made it onto the plane in Paris and they all arrived in Africa at the same time.
Continue reading “TAR: Crying Over Spilled Milk”
Tags: amazing race, bingo, west africa
Nationwide Releases
Beowulf
Directed: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Ray Winstone, Crispin Glover, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins
Trailer
Synopsis: The latest motion-motion capture about the epic poem Beowulf, where he fights the demon Grendel.
My Take: I actually enjoyed the story when I read it in high school. Motion-capture does scare me, but it doesn’t look as creepy as The Polar Express.
RT Score: 72%
RT Consensus: Beowulf’s groundbreaking animation, stunning visuals, and talented cast make for an extremely entertaining time at the movies.
Continue reading “Movies Opening Nov 16″
Tags: angelina jolie, anthony hopkins, benjamin bratt, beowulf, brian de palma, crispin glover, donnie darko, dustin hoffman, dwayne johnson, gabriel garcia marquez, grendel, jack black, jason bateman, javier bardem, jennifer jason leigh, love in the time of cholera, margot at the wedding, mr. magorium's wonder emporium, natalie portman, nicole kidman, ray winstone, redacted, richard kelly, sarah michelle geller, seann william scott, southland tales, what would jesus buy, zemeckis
The Break-Up
Directed: Peyton Reed
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn
Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaugh decide to break up after being together for two years, but neither one wants to give up the condo.
Why did I watch this movie? It was more out of curiosity, but I had to force myself to finish watching it. I TiVo’d it off of cable and I think it took me over two weeks to get through it. I was watch bits and pieces here and there, but had to turn it off after a few minutes from it being so annoying. I finally forced myself to just watch the last half in one sitting to get through it.
Continue reading “The Break Up”
Tags: break-up, jennifer aniston, vince vaughn
Amazing Race
I’ve Become the Archie Bunker of the Home
Everyone took off from Ireland to head to Amsterdam. The goths said they love playing in the dark since it is their “favorite place to dwell.” The blondes talked about the hardships of not having a manicure or a facial. It’s only the second leg! The ministers said the smartest thing that I have heard on the race ever. They have no illusions that God cares if they win the Amazing Race.
Continue reading “Amazing Race: Shut Up Dad!”
Tags: amazing race, cbs
The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Directed: Tim Story
Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans, Julian McMahon
The Fantastic Four must battle the Silver Surfer before Earth dies.
I have no idea why there was a need to make a sequel after the horrible first movie, but here we are with the silver surfer guy. What I complained about in the first movie is what I’ll complain about in this movie. Everyone is way too serious and I think the movie franchise would improve if they were campy. The human torch is the only one playing with the cheese of the entire thing, but everyone is completely serious cat the entire movie. I also complained about the lack of chemistry between Ioan Gruffudd and Jessica Alba, and it is still not there. I rolled my eyes at their scenes. The Thing and his girlfriend had more chemistry. Once again there was a naked scene with Jessica Alba, but can you really expect these kind of improvements in this movie series? I guess not.
Continue reading “The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”
Tags: chris evans, fantastic four, ioan gruffudd, jessica alba, julian mcmahon, michael chiklis
Idiocracy
Directed: Mike Judge
Starring: Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph
Mike Judge directs his follow-up to Office Space where Luke Wilson plays a dumb fighter pilot that volunteers for an experiment that sends him 1000 years in the future. He finds out that society has become stupider and he’s the smartest man alive.
I’m so sad. I love Mike Judge. Why does this movie suck so much? It tries to be a satire about how society is dumbing down, but its jokes aren’t satirical. They are jokes that even Beavis and Butthead would be ashamed to laugh at since they are on the level of first graders. I found myself grimacing most of the movie and I didn’t even want to finish watching it, since I just didn’t care. We did finish watching it, but it didn’t get any better. I could talk about the plot, but why bother? Just don’t bother watching it ever.
Rating: D
Tags: idiocracy, luke wilson, maya rudolph, mike judge
Returning Shows
Project Runway
Channel: Bravo
Time: 10/9c
Premieres: November 14
Trailer
This Season: They are starting off the new season by letting the designers make whatever they want instead of the first, usual challenge of making something out of trash.
My Take: Even though the show wins raves from critics, I’m just not that into fashion design to watch it.
October Road
Channel: ABC
Time: 10/9c
Premieres: November 22
Trailer
Last Season: An author wrote a book based on characters of his hometown, and when he returns home after 10 years, it isn’t the most welcoming greeting, including the girl he left behind.
This Season: Hannah realizes her feelings for Nick and finally comes clean about her kid. Kevin Weisman will be playing a professor at the same school Nick teaches.
My Take: I couldn’t make it through the entire pilot episode last season. It was so horrible. I have no idea why it is coming back.
Sources: TV Guide , Futon Critic
Tags: abc, bravo, october road, project runway
