Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part ll (2011)

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Plot: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is the second of two full-length parts. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here. — (C) Warner Bros

Rating: PG 13 (some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images)

Genre: Family/Action Adventure

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Gambon

Director: David Yates

Running time: 2:10

Kate says – 4 stars “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2″ is the grand finale we’ve all been waiting for with both a sense of anticipation and of dread. Anticipation, because we finally get to see the big conclusion and get closure on characters that we’ve come to love (or hate, depending on the character) over the last ten years. Dread, because with each scene we watch, we know that we are nearing the end of our time in the Potter world. We know these characters and we have a whole cache of remembered stories that factor in to how we feel when we watch this movie.  Visually, the film is gorgeous with each scene framed as if it were a photograph, with painstaking attention paid to every element and detail. What a perfect combination of  cinematography,  lighting, set design, sound (there’s a surprising amount of silence), and nuances in the expressions of the characters. The film takes its time and never rushes towards the finish, but with each scene we feel the urgency that the end is near. By the conclusion of the two hour movie, all questions are answered, and loose ends are tied up with a pretty maroon and gold striped bow. My favorite line (other than when Bellatrix Lestrange gets called the ‘B’ word) is spoken by Dumbledore from beyond the grave, “Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic.” Indeed they are J.K. Rowling, indeed they are.”

Ebert says – 3 1/2 stars “After seven earlier films reaching back a decade, the Harry Potter saga comes to a solid and satisfying conclusion in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.” The finale conjures up enough awe and solemnity to serve as an appropriate finale and a dramatic contrast to the lighthearted (relative) innocence of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” all those magical years ago.” (read full review)

USA Today (Claudia Puig) says – 3 1/2 stars “As masterfully directed by David Yates and superbly written by Steve Kloves, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, the final adaptation of J.K. Rowling‘s incandescent, absorbing novels, is the ideal culmination of a fantasy series that has artfully blended excitement, adventure and terror with humor, kinship and love.” (read full review)

Rolling Stone (Peter Travers) says – 3 1/2 stars “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 puts a triumphant capper on a decade of Pottermania…I dare you not to choke up, especially at the epilogue that takes us 19 years into Harry’s future. That’s the true power of the finale. These characters are ours now. What an exhilarating gift to watch Harry and Company go out in a blaze of glory and amazing grace. Note to Academy muggles: Get busy coming up with that Best Picture nomination you’ve denied all the other Potter films. Oscar attention must be paid.” (read full review)

Box Office Magazine (Pete Hammond) says – 5 (of 5) stars “After the underwhelming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I, a penultimate segment too dark and convoluted to entertain, Part II gets everything right to send off Harry on a cinematic high…Already a must-see for fans (after seven films, why stop now?), the film’s real feat is that it manages to stand on its own against the sky-high expectations of its base. With director David Yates’ eye-popping visual effects launching one brilliant set piece after another, this thrilling finale should add, oh say, another billion to the most successful franchise in movie history, one already worth more than $6 billion. But who’s counting?” (read full review)

Associated Press (Christy Lemire) says 3 1/2 stars “Oh, it’s dramatic, to be sure: gorgeous, somber and startling as the young wizard faces his destiny and fights the evil Lord Voldemort. But the end of this staggeringly successful movie franchise, an epic fantasy saga spanning eight films over the past decade, provides a necessary emotional catharsis for Harry and for us. Even those who aren’t ardent Potterphiles — who aren’t waiting in a line around the theater with their homemade wands and hand-drawn lightning scars — might find themselves getting unexpectedly choked up a couple of times.” (read full review)

Richard Roeper says – ‘A+’ ‘This is a masterful and worthy final chapter in one of the best franchises ever put to film.” (watch full review)

Other movie reviews by Kate

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Thor (2011) – movie review by Kate

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Plot: The epic adventure THOR spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the mystical realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, Thor is banished to Earth where he is forced to live among humans. When the most dangerous villain of his world sends its darkest forces to invade Earth, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero.– (C) Paramount Pictures

Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence)

Genre: Action/Adventure

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Stellan Scarsgard, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Kat Dennings

Running time: 1:55

Kate says – 3 1/2 stars (3 stars for the actual movie and the extra 1/2 star because I may have a teeny weeny little crush on the not so teeny weeny Thor star, Chris Hemsworth) So allow me to be totally unprofessional here for just a bit. I should just get this out of the way right here at the beginning of this review…

Holy cow this guy is gorgeous!

No joke, during this scene towards the beginning of the movie when Thor is cast down to Earth to live as a mortal, I could hear a collective female/male/gay/straight/young/old gasp reverberate throughout the theater. I think it would be safe to say that Thor, God of Thunder, left us all thunderstruck.

And those eyes…

hmmmm…uh, where was I? Oh right, a review.

It was actually really good. I did not have high hopes or expectations for this comic book-superhero adaptation, the first in a seemingly endless string of movies of this genre set to explode onto the screens this summer. I’m not really a big fan, in general. Thor, however, was fun, entertaining, lighthearted, fast-paced, funny, and visually impressive. The director, Kenneth Branagh, is more used to adapting the works of Shakespeare (Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, Love’s Labour’s Lost, As You Like It) than the works of Marvel comics. This experience works to his advantage , giving Thor a kind of Shakespearean intelligence and feel. Don’t let that mislead you, though.  Branagh balances the mix of action movie-love story-comic book superhero flick-smart drama with ease. It’s just as interesting for a 10 year old boy as it is for a 30 year old man or 40 year old woman. And this Chris Hemsworth guy, he’s not just delicious to look at,  he’s actually really quite impressive playing the part of Thor. The ‘real’ critics seem to agree with me on this one. They like him, too. Go see this movie!  I think you’re gonna like it!

And some ‘real’ reviews…

Peter Travers (Rolling Stone) says – 3 stars “Hemsworth, an Aussie actor with a vocal command to match his heaving brawn, doesn’t just play the role, he owns it. I’m expecting both sexes will feel his impact.” (read full review)

Richard Roeper says – “A“ “Thor” is the most entertaining superhero debut since the original Spiderman.” (watch full review)

Roger Moore (Orlando Sentinel) says – 3 stars “Thor,” the first summer comic book blockbuster out of the gate, has a lot of that winking wit we’ve come to expect from our post-’Spider  Man” Marvel movies. It has a hunky, self-mocking young star, solid support from a couple of Oscar winners and the slick sheen that state-of-the-art effects can give you.” (read full review)

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~Kate

The Green Hornet (2011)

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Plot: Driven by the murder of a close friend and the realization that his media empire is infested with ruthless heroin smugglers, Britt Reid, aka the Green Hornet and his human weapon Kato jump into action on a heart-pounding quest to rid the city of this mob once and for all.

Rating: PG-13  for sequences of violent action, language, sensuality and drug content

Genre: Action/Adventure

Starring: Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz

Director: Michel Gondry

Running time: 1:48

Kate says – Well, folks, I’m on vacation at Disneyland at the moment so I haven’t screened The Green Hornet yet. I’ve collected a variety of reviews to help you decide whether this one is worth your while.

Ebert says – 1 star “The Green Hornet” is an almost unendurable demonstration of a movie with nothing to be about. Although it follows the rough storyline of previous versions of the title, it neglects the construction of a plot engine to pull us through. There are pointless dialogue scenes going nowhere much too slowly, and then pointless action scenes going everywhere much too quickly.” (read full review)

Pete Hammond (Box Office Magazine) says – 3 of 5 stars ” (The Green Hornet) is bright and loaded with pop culture references and moments to showcase Rogen as superhero-as-buffoon. Surprisingly it often works, and we can credit the irreverent tone set right in the opening sequence…Rogen isn’t the obvious choice for a comic book icon but he forces his personality onto this material with an ingratiating ease.” (read full review)

Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune) says – 2 stars “In the wake of last weekend’s massacre in Tucson it’s suddenly, temporarily a little harder to laugh off scene after scene of obsessive gun fetishization and mass slaughter in a superhero vigilante lark…The script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, tailored for Rogen in the title role, rides a streak of blase raunch and overscaled action smack into a series of walls, each spray-painted with phrases beginning with “Too.” Too much. Too numbing. Too coy. And ultimately too violent. This is a PG-13 picture very close to R territory.” (read full review)

Rene Rodriguez  (Miami Herald) says – 3 stars “This Hornet is a big, boisterous action-comedy — a funny, exciting and intentionally goofy summer movie that just happens to arrive in the middle of January. (Rogen) is perfect as the unlikely, mostly hapless hero — and Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind), an equally unexpected choice to direct such pulpy material, latches onto Rogen’s sense of humor. The Green Hornet strikes a deft balance of comedy and comic-book shenanigans that never wavers. The characters take what is happening seriously, but the movie doesn’t.” (read full review)

The King’s Speech

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Plot: After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle. Based on the true story of King George VI, THE KING’S SPEECH follows the Royal Monarch’s quest to find his voice. ~The Weinstein Company

Rating: R for some language (There is one scene of over the top, ridiculously funny swearing which is part of Bertie’s speech therapy. Without this scene, I think it would have gotten a PG rating.)

Genre: Drama

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall, Derek Jacobi

Director: Tom Hooper

Running Time: 1:58

Kate says – 4 stars I’ll just start off by telling you that The King’s Speech is hands down the best movie I’ve seen in a very, very long time. I’ll also tell you that if you have to go out of your way to get to this movie if it is not playing anywhere near you, do it. It will be well worth your effort. This film is witty, charming, elegant, inspirational, intelligent, subtle, and above all poignant. In fact, I could use all of the flowery adjectives at my disposal in the online thesaurus, and I still wouldn’t be able to adequately describe the wonderfulness of  this movie. The King’s Speech will certainly garner a whole gaggle of Oscar nominations, and I predict Firth will finally get his long deserved best actor win this year.

I think Marshall Fine’(of Hollywood and Fine) best sums up the acting of Firth, Rush and Bonham Carter.

Firth is perfect here, his eyes almost bleeding with the terror he feels at any moment of potential embarrassment. As he waits to speak to a crowd, Firth perfectly captures the look of a man facing the gallows or otherwise feeling doomed. Yet he also finds Bertie’s temper and his spine, his compassion and his seriousness. And he has the stammer down expertly so that it feels like an organic and unwanted intrusion every time he speaks.

Yet Rush has the more difficult role and handles it expertly. He delivers Logue’s sly one-liners with expert timing and just the right bite. But Logue must spend more of the film simply reacting and thinking, calculating and calibrating. It’s a study in the ability to listen and be interesting at the same time.

Bonham Carter makes this a triangle – a sounding board and support for her husband, a brake on Logue’s excesses, always without raising her voice or anything more than an eyebrow, really. It is a controlled and effective performance, creating a character who both lives within and feels constricted by the demands of having married into royalty.

Restraint, in fact, is what makes “The King’s Speech” so moving. Here is a film about people who rarely get to express their feelings (not that they get to have emotional outbursts here). Yet they convey both the sense of repressed feeling and, ultimately, the sense of freedom and release portrayed by the relationships in this film.

Which means that “The King’s Speech” will make you laugh more than you imagine – and touch you more deeply than you expect.

Ebert says -4 stars “If the British monarchy is good for nothing else, it’s superb at producing the subjects of films. Director Tom Hooper makes an interesting decision with his sets and visuals. The movie is largely shot in interiors, and most of those spaces are long and narrow. That’s unusual in historical dramas, which emphasize sweep and majesty and so on. Here we have long corridors, a deep and narrow master control room for the BBC, rooms that seem peculiarly oblong. I suspect he may be evoking the narrow, constricting walls of Albert’s throat as he struggles to get words out.” (read full review)

Peter Travers (Rolling Stone) says 3 1/2 stars “It could have been a bunch of pip-pip, stiff-upper-lip Brit blather about a stuttering king who learns to stop worrying and love the microphone. Instead, The King’s Speech — a crowning achievement powered by a dream cast — digs vibrant human drama out of the dry dust of history.” (read full review)

Roger Moore (Orlando Sentinel) says – 4 stars “One of the best films of 2010 captures the funny, touching and inspiring relationship between the man who will become King George VI (Colin Firth) and the brash Aussie (Geoffrey Rush) who tries to figure out why he stutters, and to help him over it so that the free world won’t despair every time the stammering, stuttering George opens his mouth.” (read full review)

Claudia Puig (USA Today) says – 4 stars “Let’s say it without equivocation: Colin Firth deserves an Oscar for his lead role in The King’s Speech as the stammering King George VI. Even though we know how the movie will conclude, it’s the getting there that counts. It’s rare to feel sympathy for someone so privileged. Bertie comes off strikingly human, as close to an Everyman as someone of his status can be. There’s nothing particularly regal or admirable in his frustration and despairing tendency to want to quit.” (read full review)

Eric Snider (Snide Remarks) says – “A-” “The King’s Speech” is an enormously entertaining picture that proves you can make an enormously entertaining picture out of familiar elements. It’s the very definition of a movie with widespread grown-up appeal, perfect for snotty movie critics and regular people alike. The scenes between Firth and Rush — which I’m happy to say occupy most of the film — are nuggets of delight.” (read full review)

(Images from The Weinstein Company)

The American (2010)

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Plot: Academy Award winner George Clooney stars in the title role of this suspense thriller. As an assassin, Jack (played by Mr. Clooney) is constantly on the move and always alone. After a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, Jack retreats to the Italian countryside. He relishes being away from death for a spell as he holes up in a small medieval town. While there, Jack takes an assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious contact, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten). Savoring the peaceful quietude he finds in the mountains of Abruzzo, Jack accepts the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues a torrid liaison with a beautiful woman, Clara (Violante Placido). Jack and Clara’s time together evolves into a romance, one seemingly free of danger. But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.–© Focus

Rating: R for violence, sexual content and nudity

Genre: Action/Adventure, drama

Starring: George Clooney, Paolo Bonacelli, Thekla Reuten, Violante Placido

Director: Anton Corbijn

Runing time: 1:45

Kate says – 3 1/2 stars “This is definitely one of those times where it’s good for the average movie-goer to know a little bit about what to expect from a film BEFORE heading into the theater. The previews would have you believe The American is an action/suspense/thriller. I’ll just tell you right now that there is very little action in this movie…plenty of suspense, plenty of thrill, just no action. The story line is as simple as it can get. Clooney plays a bad guy who is tired of being a bad guy so he wants to get out of the bad guy business, but other bad guys keep trying to kill him so he goes away and hides out. But then he falls for a beautiful prostitute with a heart of gold, and well I won’t tell you the ending, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out well before the credits roll. This is one time the story is actually not the highlight of the movie. The film’s strength lies in it’s unbelievably beautiful cinematography. Every shot looks like a beautifully lit and framed photograph.  It’s not only the breathtaking shots of Sweden and Italy, but also the more mundane business of Clooney assembling a made to order gun, that are equally stunning to the eye.  I see the film as more of a character study than an action flick. Clooney gives a subdued and captivating performance as Jack, with a subtle flicker of a facial expression, or the set of his shoulders, often being the only clue to the inner workings of his character. Perhaps, the most noticeable departure from the typical suspense film formula, is the quietness and stillness of the movie. A good portion of the 1:45 running time is spent in complete silence, without even a note of a background score. It’s so quiet you’ll feel conspicuous even chewing your popcorn. It’s unnerving and uncomfortable, but only serves to add to the slow sustained tension that builds throughout the film. The American is about the least American feeling movie I’ve seen in quite some time. This is European filmmaking all the way. You will either love this one, or think it’s an utter waste of your money and time, but at least you can now make an educated guess as to which side of the border you’ll be sitting on.”

Ebert says – 4 stars - “The director is a Dutchman named Anton Corbijn… Here he paints an idyllic Italian countryside as lyrical as his dialogue is taciturn. There is not a wrong shot. Every performance is tightly controlled. Clooney is in complete command of his effect The entire drama of this film rests on two words, “Mr. Butterfly.” We must be vigilant to realize that once, and only once, they are spoken by the wrong person. They cause the entire film and all of its relationships to rotate. I felt exaltation at this detail. It is so rare to see a film this carefully crafted, this patiently assembled like a weapon, that when the word comes it strikes like a clap of thunder. A lesser film would have underscored it with a shock chord, punctuated it with a sudden zoom, or cut to a shocked close up. “The American” is too cool to do that. Too Zen, if you will.” (read full review)

Claudia Puig (USA Today) says – 3 stars “The film has a contemplative allure, unfolding at a deliberate pace. There is no pressure to inject the requisite jolts and chases of American thrillers. There is only one chase scene, no explosions and a limited exchange of gunfire, considering that Jack is a weapons expert. Clooney plays the enigmatic title character with mature confidence. In a climactic scene, he communicates volumes with his eyes and tense facial expression. The film, with its vague, rambling plot, works best as a study of a loner seeking to escape his past. Despite its rugged individualism, The American feels distinctly and lyrically European.” (read full review)

Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune) says – 2 1/2 stars “The new George Clooney film “The American” is pretty. It’s also pretty dour, even with all the luscious Italian Abruzzo mountain scenery, used here as a backdrop to the tale of an old school, one-at-a-time weapons manufacturer trying to get out of the business he’s in, by way of One Last Score…Audiences who have been heavily Bourned and Salted by their thrillers lately might find “The American” a mite … ruminative for their tastes. The movie is a paradox. It’s ostentatiously restrained.” (read full review)

Owen Gleiberman (Entertainment Weekly) says – “C” “In the opening sequence of The American, George Clooney is in the middle of a hookup in snowy Sweden when he bumps off the two men who’ve been hired to kill him and shoots the woman he was sleeping with in the back. (She’s innocent, but he can leave no witnesses.) That’s a promising moment… But The American, directed by Anton Corbijn (Control), turns out to be a draggy, rather morose art thriller. The American ends the summer not with a bang but an existential whimper.” (read full review)

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Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

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Plot: Everything is totally sweet. Scott Pilgrim’s life is so awesome. He’s 23 years old, in a rock band, “between jobs,” and dating a cute high school girl. Everything’s fantastic until a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, roller blading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. But the path to Ms. Flowers isn’t covered in rose petals. Ramona’s seven evil exes stand between Scott and true happiness. Can Scott defeat all seven of the bad guys and get the girl without turning his precious little life upside-down, before the game is over? (IMDb)

Rating: PG-13 for stylized violence, sexual content, language and drug references

Genre: Action & Adventure, Romance, Comedy

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans

Director: Edgar Wright

Running time: 1:53

Kate says – 3 1/2 stars ” Does my rating shock you as much as it does me?  By all rights, I should not be a fan of this movie…I’m too old, I’m female, I don’t love video games, last time I checked I don’t have ADD, I’m not a computer geek, and I’m not a fan of the graphic novel genre.  And yet I have to say this is one of the most enjoyable and entertaining movie experiences I’ve had in a long time. It’s wild, fast-paced, in your face, bright,  fresh, funny, creative and ridiculous! It’s full of comic-book style word bubbles and video game logic (which is to say there is no logic).  Either you’ll “get it” and love this movie, or you’ll think this it’s one of the worst movies of the year. The sheer cleverness and inventiveness of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World served as a nice, albeit surprising reminder of why I love movies.”

Roger Moore (Orlando Sentinel) says – 3 1/2 stars ” Of all the sweet-wimpy-guy-chases-the-hot-girl  Michael Cera movies, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the Michael Cera-iest. Of all the gonzo-goofy comic book adaptations that embrace video gaming  sensibilities, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is the gonzo-goofiest…Scott Pilgrim is so much fun, so dazzling in its style and manic energy, that it amounts to a definitive statement.” (read full review)

Peter Travers (Rolling Stone) says – 3 1/2 stars “Scott Pilgrim is a breathless rush of a movie that jumps off the screen, spins your head around and then stealthily works its way into your heart. Don’t worry too much about hugging and learning and stuff. Just revel in those clutter-free last moments when two people finally get enough of a grip on who they are to make an honest, human connection. It’s a game-changer.” (read full review)

Owen Gleiberman (Entertainment Weekly) says – “B+” “The movie, with its charming visual tropes (phones that literally go ”Ring,” a wheel of fortune that offers Scott two possible responses, one of which he takes), is a romantic comedy that moves at the speed of texting…I dug the freshness of Scott Pilgrim, but I wish that it had a little less kick-a**. Still, it’s a true original.” (read full review)

Claudia Puig (USA Today) says – 3 stars “Scott Pilgrim, a lovelorn musician, is an appealing fusion of nerdy, cheeky and vulnerable. So, who better to play him than Michael Cera? Cera has made a career playing doe-eyed, high-voiced, wisecracking characters. He seems to be dodging the inevitability of age and maturation. Cera’s unwavering youth works well for the title character in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, an inventive and whimsical action-comedy/love story. The film fuses an indie/punk rock sensibility with comic-book violence and video game energy, mixed with quirky humor and sassy pop culture references.” (read full review)

Eric Snider (Film.com) says – “B+” “If a movie that looked and sounded like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World had come out 40 years ago, people would have burned the director at the stake for witchcraft. Even by 2010 standards, the way it’s written, performed, shot, and edited is supremely unusual, an exuberant mixture of comic books, video games, and hipster romance by way of John Hughes. It uses an impressive number of unconventional filmmaking devices, most of which have been done before, but probably not all in the same movie. I bet 10 years from now this will be the norm. For now, it’s almost revolutionary.” (read full review)

Other movie reviews by Kate

Dinner for Schmucks 2010

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Plot – Tim (Rudd) is a rising executive who succeeds in finding the “perfect” guest, IRS employee Barry (Carell), for his boss’s monthly event, a so called “dinner for idiots,” which offers certain advantages to the exec who shows up with the biggest buffoon. (dinner for schmucks.com)

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity and

Genre: Comedy

Starring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Stephanie Szostak, Zach Galifianakis

Director: Jay Roach

Running time: 1:50

Kate says: “I am away on an adventure to my high school reunion and am unable to attend my advance screenings for the next few weeks. Hopefully I can catch this one over the weekend because this one looks funny and I am in the mood for a good laugh. Anyone headed to a 30 year reunion needs a good laugh, don’t you think? Heehee! I’ll add my 2 cents worth when I see it, but in the mean time, check out what some of my most trusted reviewers have to say.”

Ebert says – 3 stars “The truly goofy comes shrouded in innocence. If a man is trying to be goofy, it’s just an act that quickly grows old. But if he lacks the slightest notion of his peculiarity, there’s the secret. The blissful ignorance of Barry Speck is beyond pitiful and ascends to a kind of nobility. He’s one of those who truly doesn’t have a clue…The genius of this version depends on the performance by Steve Carell, who plays Barry Speck as a man impervious to insult and utterly at peace with himself. He’s truly a transcendent idiot.” (read full review)

Eric Snider says – “B-” ” The reason Hollywood tends to mess up farce is that Hollywood is inclined to water things down, to soften the blow, to make movies as appealing to as many people as possible. That’s the business. Given the choice between making a film that thousands of people love and one that millions of people like, studios will usually choose the second one…it’s why “Dinner for Schmucks” isn’t nearly as good as it ought to be. It’s a farce that can’t resist trying to make its characters lovable and sympathetic. It wants to have its cake and eat it, too, then get some of the icing all over its face in a comical fashion, and then make you reflect on the foibles of mankind while everybody hugs.” (read full review)

Peter Travers (Rolling Stone) – 2 1/2 stars “When Hollywood decides to remake French farce by Francis Veber, the result can be a champagne cocktail (La Cage Aux Folles spawning The Birdcage) or pâté de merde (Les Compères degenerating into Father’s Day). Dinner for Schmucks, adapted from Veber’s Le Dîner De Cons, falls somewhere in the middle. What makes the soufflé rise is the actors. Steve Carell is a comic wonder as the film’s No. 1 schmuck.” (read full review)

Lisa Schwarzbaum (Entertainment Weekly) says – “C” “No schmucks were harmed in the making of Dinner for Schmucks. That’s the problem. The promising crudeness of the title, along with the combined talents of stars Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, suggests that at some point, surely, someone will rise to the occasion and behave with unrepentant obnoxiousness. But in a rare tonal misfire, director Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Meet the Parents) delivers a bland, summer-sloppy comedy that never risks actually swimming with schmucks and letting characters bruise themselves on outcroppings of mean fun. Instead, he has decided to sand away all the sharp edges. What’s left is a nice, safe comedy of tolerance and repentance — a subpar Carell-and-Rudd odd-couple buddy movie (read full review)

Other movie reviews by Kate

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Knight and Day

Movie reviews by Kate

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Rating: PG-13 for sequences of action violence throughout, and brief strong language.

Genre: Comedy/Action/Romance

Starring: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Viola Davis

Director: James Mangold

Plot: A fugitive couple (Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz) wages a war between truth and trust while speeding across the globe in an attempt to avoid capture by a determined federal agent (Peter Sarsgaard). Paul Dano, Viola Davis, Olivier Martinez, Maggie Grace, and Marc Blucas co-star.

Running time: 1:44

Kate says – 3 stars ” Knight and Day gives us a good dose of breezy summer action movie fun. I’ll just tell you right up front, that the plot is ridiculous, but I’ll also tell you that it doesn’t really matter. The reason the whole movie works is that it seems everyone involved in the movie, including the actors and director, also realize the absurdity of it all, embrace that fact, and take us along for the ride…we’re all one big happy summer action romance movie loving family. Cruise reminds us why we loved him from way back in the day, before he went a little nutso. He plays a crazy Roy Miller with a deadpan tongue-in-cheek delivery and devil-may-care attitude, all topped of with a twinkle in his eye that will make you wonder if he really is crazy. Cruise and Diaz make a gorgeous, sparkly smiled couple with believable on-screen chemistry. This movie is fast-paced ridiculous fun, full of witty banter, beautiful locales, pretty people and the return of the charismatic star quality of Cruise.”

Ebert says – 3 stars “The wonder is that Cruise and Diaz are effective enough in their roles that they’re not overwhelmed by all the commotion surrounding them. They make the movie work because they cheerfully project that they know it’s utter nonsense and pitch in to enjoy the fun. The plot makes splendid use of a MacGuffin, the device which explains everything by explaining nothing. Roy Miller, the Cruise character, has something, and there are bad guys who want it. I could tell you what it is, but what difference does it make? That’s the whole point of a MacGuffin.” (read full review)

Kenneth Turan (LA Times) says – 4 (of 5 stars) “If you doubt Cruise’s skills in the star department, “Knight and Day” should make you a believer. It’s hardly a perfect film, not even close, but it is the most entertaining made-for-adults studio movie of the summer, and one of the reasons it works at all is the great skill and commitment Cruise brings to the starring role. “Knight and Day” is inevitably light on plausibility but, with Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Viola Davis and Paul Dano joining Cruise, it is strong in the acting department. Cruise’s charming facility with Miller’s deadpan spy-side manner is this film’s secret weapon.” (read full review)

Lou Lumenick (NY Post) says – 1 1/2 stars “Knight and Day,” though, is one of those movies that requires you to accept that every single time a character is presented with a choice, he or she will make the worst and most inexplicable one. This would possibly be more forgivable if the stars were given actual characters to play, rather than being forced to coast on screen personas (he’s cocky, she’s ditzy) that seem increasingly dated for Cruise, who will turn 48 next month, and Diaz, who will be 38 the following month. It would also help if they were given some dialogue that was actually funny.” (read full review)

Kurt Loder (MTV) says -  “Anyone who’s ever been trapped on a plane flight from Hell — squashed by sprawling seatmates, battered by passing backpacks, besieged by squalling brats — will appreciate the elegant simplicity of Tom Cruise’s solution to similar problems: He kills everybody. Literally. But then they were trying to kill him. Even the pilots. Which is why they’re dead, too.”Knight and Day” isn’t the sort of rote action exercise that will leave you missing the money you paid to see it. Cruise and Diaz bring it a big-star charge, and there are some smart comic performances tucked in around the edges of the action.” (read full review)

Eric Snider (Snide Remarks) says – “B” “The thing about Tom Cruise is that even though he’s kind of a nutjob in real life, put him in a movie that plays to his strengths and he’ll dazzle you the way he did 20 years ago. “Knight and Day” is a reminder that he still has his movie-star appeal, and maybe even more so than we realized. For while his career has mostly focused on action-hero and dramatic roles, here he handles comedy and secret-agent stuff with equal agility. June’s character is quite a bit less well written, though performed cheerfully — and non-gratingly — by Diaz. June talks to herself an awful lot, usually for the audience’s benefit (a sign of lazy writing), and flits randomly from one state of mind to another. One minute she’s panicking over the panic-worthy circumstances surrounding her; the next she’s taking it all in stride, as if to the manner born. One minute she thinks Roy is awful for basically kidnapping her; the next minute — and I mean literally one minute later — she’s melting in his arms, poised for a make-out session. So it’s more comedy than action, which is fine, because the comedy is zesty and not overly quirky, and mostly pretty funny. More of this, Mr. Cruise! More of this.” (read full review)

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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 2010 movie reviews by Kate

Reel reviews for real people

Rating: PG-13  for intense sequences of violence and action

Genre: Action/Adventure

Staring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley

Director: Mike Newell

Plot: Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films present “Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time,” an epic action-adventure set in the mystical lands of Persia. A rogue prince named Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time—a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world. Directed by Mike Newell (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) with a cast that includes Sir Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina, and a screenplay by Boaz Yakin and Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard from a screen story by Jordan Mechner, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” hits theaters Memorial Day weekend 2010. –© Walt Disney

Running time: 1:54

Kate says - 3 stars “If you go into this movie expecting a fast paced-swashbuckling-action-adventure-summer-popcorn-blockbuster-epic type movie, you won’t be in the least bit disappointed. If you go into Prince of Persia expecting Oscar worthy performances, a deep message and meaningful dialogue…well you will find the movie lacking. But if that’s what you were expecting, then you haven’t been paying attention to the previews and the hype. It’s a Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean ring a bell?) film based on a video game, after all, and it delivers exactly what you’d expect it to deliver. It’s a good old fashioned feeling action adventure, so just sit back and enjoy it for what it is. Let the summer begin!”

Ebert says -2 stars “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is a children’s story beefed up to appeal to young teens. It’s based on a video game, but don’t make me play it…The two leads are not inspired. Jake Gyllenhaal could make the cover of a muscle mag, but he plays Dastan as if harboring Spider-Man’s doubts and insecurities. I recall Gemma Arterton as resembling a gorgeous still photo in a cosmetics ad. If the two actors had found more energy and wit in their roles.” (read full review)

Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune) says – 2 1/2 stars “Prince of Persia” combines the mythic bombast of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” outings with the peppy brainlessness of the “National Treasure” films. Working with a credible lower-class-British dialect, that great Persian actor Jake Gyllenhaal stars as the grown-up street urchin adopted by the king… It’s sort of fun, certainly more so than the “National Treasure” pictures, as well as less manic (a little less) than the recent “Mummy” films.” (read full review)

Betsy Sharkey (Los Angeles Times) says – 3 1/2 stars (of 5) “With apologies to Ben Franklin, the only things certain in life are death, taxes and that a Jerry Bruckheimer film will do its bombastic best to pummel, pound and, now, parkour you into submission. “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is all that — deaths by the thousands and the sort of spectacular spectacle possible with a rumored budget of $150 million and change…There’s just a frothiness to Gyllenhaal that he can’t seem to suppress — it even lurks behind Dastan’s sneer — and it never fails to take the edge off. Too bad. That leaves us with a prince in need, when what we really need is prince indeed.” (read full review)

Lisa Schwarzbaum (Entertainment Weekly) says – B “As sword-and-sandal fantasy movies based on videogames and starring a buffed-up Jake Gyllenhaal go, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time goes pretty well. To the credit of director Mike Newell (drawing on his Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire wrangling skills), a conclave of screenwriters who keep the dialogue on the sharp side, and the life’s-a-game instincts of producer Jerry Bruckheimer, all that Arabian Nights-like stuff unfolds at a brisk, well-paced clip.” (read full review)

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The Joneses – movie reviews by Kate

Reel reviews for real people

Rating: R

Genre: Comedy

Plot: If ever there was a film that was perfectly attuned to the current Zeitgeist, it would be THE JONESES. First-time writer/director Derrick Borte imbues a serious core theme– the wobbly undercurrents of a frenetic consumer culture–with humor, warmth and shots of clever, zesty fun.

Borte begins the film by showing us ourselves – or at least who we often aspire to be. We meet Steve Jones (David Duchovny), his wife Kate (Demi Moore) and their children Jenn (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth) as they move into their monster home in an affluent suburb of a city somewhere in America. Friendly, confident and very good-looking, they are also loaded with the coolest, newest stuff.

The Joneses are much more than just the new neighbors. Within days, all four family members have insinuated their way into the community. Their most dedicated fans are their next-door neighbors Larry (Gary Cole) and Summer (Glenne Headly), a couple devoted to each other yet prone to keeping secrets as well. Despite the Joneses’ success integrating into the community, it’s not long before the fissures in their family begin to spew. But it’s not until an outright catastrophe occurs next door that they are forced to make choices about their priorities.

Borte convincingly makes the case that as a society we have an almost unshakable thirst to shop for the latest and the biggest everything, and he demonstrates how our possessions fill up the emotional hole where our self-worth should be. Given the events of the last year, there’s no doubt that we need to figure out who we want to be, not what we want to buy. –© Roadside Attractions

Starring: Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard, Glenne Headly

Director: Derrick Borte

Running time: 1:36

Kate says – 3 stars “What an inventive and intriguing premise for a movie – a “family” made from paid salesmen/actors whose sole job is to infiltrate wealthy  neighborhoods and “sell” their lifestyle. The first 3/4 of the movie is completely entertaining as a social commentary about consumerism and greed and appearances. The ending leaves much to be desired, however, as the movie tries to give us the sappy love story ending that just doesn’t seam to fit with the rest of the movie. All in all, though, I’d say the movie’s cleverness outweighs the predictable ending.”

Ebert says – 2 stars “The Joneses” was directed and co-written by Derrick Borte, an advertising man, and contains a good deal of dark cynicism. It also hopes to entertain, and those two goals don’t fit together easily. Either this is a tragic family or a satirical one, and the film seems uncertain which way to jump.” (read full review)

Rex Reed (New York Observer) says – 3 stars “The Joneses is a cross between alternate-universe dynamics and a reality TV show, with relevant things to say—about the vulgarity of possessions filling the hole where self-value should be, especially in a recession—and compelling performances to say them with. Surprising, inventive and crisply, merrily written and directed by Derrick Borte, The Joneses is a brisk, captivating entertainment. Think Ozzie and Harriet on speed.” (read full review)

Other movie reviews by Kate