Unknown

While in Regina I braved the cold to go see Unknown. It was worth it. I enjoyed Taken, and if you liked Taken, you will like this movie. Liam Neeson is the 'star' in both and he definitely is wonderful in these kinds of roles (think A-Men).  It has wonderful car chases, in fact perhaps one to many car chases, but they are worth watching. The premise of a man who awakens after a four day coma following a car accident to discover his wife doesn't recognize him and another man is him.
The unravelling of this dilemma is what the movie is about, the twists and turns as you attempt to figure out what is actually going on is part of the fun of this movie. In the middle you are given a clue. A brief second on the screen and my mind went to almost (not quite) what was going on. The issue was a little different than I thought (and I'm good at figuring out plots). I can't let you know, because if you go see it you want to see it not knowing what it is all about. If you want to spend a couple of hours being entertained with car chases, unknown aspects, good acting by all characters and some twists and turns, then this is a movie for you to see.  Enjoy.  4 out of 5.  (Lost points for the one to many car chases).

Just Go With It

I was pleasantly surprised with the movie Just Go With In.  I enjoyed it!  I'm not a huge Jennifer Aniston fan and some of Adam Sandler's movies I have found just plain stupid. But this one was one of his 'good' ones. I laughed a lot. In fact I was often the only person person laughing (my sense of humor). I truly believe everyone who was in the theatre with me (it was a Sunday night) left having enjoyed it. Even though the premise was not one which appeals, a man pretending to be married in order to get girls, but the situations were funny, hilarious sometimes. The children were great in their roles, and the support players, including Nicole Kidman acted their parts wonderfully. The chemistry between Jennifer and Adam was really good, the timing was good. It did not take too long to realise how the ending would be and we were all waiting for it and felt happy when he finally 'woke up' to the fact who he truly loved.
I'm not sure who directed and edited it, but they did a great job. I would give this movie 3 1/2 based on the fact you get a wonderful time of laughter.  

The Kings Speech

This evening I took my 93 year old sister-in-law's Mum to see the Kings Speech. She had said she wanted to see it, so I said "so do I, lets go". She is so spry it gives me hope for when I'm that old. Again the seats were wonderful - armchairs (read the last entry for the Fighter regarding the theatres here in New Zealand).
The Kings Speech is phenomenal. I don't think I have anything really to say except .... wow .... what a movie. This movie is wonderfully cast. Colin Firth, who is cleaning up on the award circuit so far is brilliant. Geoffrey Rush is wonderful and my big surprise truly is Helen Bohnam Carter, who to me does all sorts of crazy roles and here she is making the perfect Queen Mum. No wonder they got the ensemble award at the SAG awards the other night.
If you see one movie this year, this one is worth seeing. Based on the true story of King George VI you see behind the scenes on a time period when the world was in a bit of disarray with King Edward abdicating and the Second World War brewing. The story of how the King (the second son and all that means in royal households - think Prince Andrew and Prince Harry) who stammers had to overcome it all to speak on the radio and bring his people together. Brilliant. Triumph over adversity.
In all honesty I have to give this movie 5 out of 5, and hope the Oscars do give it to them, but who knows it is not an 'American' film. Although I do think Colin Firth will win it - hopefully.

The Fighter - movie review

Here I am in New Zealand and managed to see two movies today. First of all I must explain about the movie experience. I twice went to see this movie The Fighter at home and each time did not get to see it. I think I did not want to see people fighting. Anyway, today I had some time to spend and the Fighter was on. So into this theatre I went. Well first when you buy your ticket you also are at the concession stand so you can buy right there whatever you want to eat. Not that I had anything, but liked the idea of all in one. Then the lady who is selling me the ticket, turns the terminal around and picks a seat for me. So before I go in I know what seat I'm sitting in. Revolutionary! But, the big surprise came once I was in the theatre. Beautiful armchair chairs to sit in. Wow, what comfort. So here I am in a comfortable seat ready to watch the movie, which twice before I was going to go see and didn't. Third time lucky I guess.

The movie was way beyond my expectations. It really is a story of two brothers and this large family of nine, two boys and seven girls and the youngest boy in relationship with his crack head brother, who had been a boxer with promise. Now its the younger ones turn and how that works out.
I thought this movie was interesting. I look to see what emotions I feel during a movie. I laughed a couple of times, I definitely cried and I felt sad often. So the movie did its job. It took me through a range of feelings, it was very well acted and directed. Amy Adams shows a different character for her wonderfully well, foul mouth and all. Not enough can be said of the acting of my favorite batman. He had the character down perfectly. Mind you he is a phenomenal actor. When you see the clip at the end of the actual brothers you really appreciate how well he has acted the part. No wonder he is getting awards.  Walburg, also the producer did his part too. The quieter, younger brother who worshipped his older brother. You realize what he has to do in order to move ahead. 
I did not like the fight scenes, but they were mostly at the end of the movie wrapping up the story and I blanched a few times, but again well done.  This is a story of overcoming, overcoming family, overcoming beliefs and overcoming ones own doubts. Worth seeing -- it will no doubt get a couple of Oscars.  41/2 stars out of 5.

Green Hornet

I decided to go see The Green Hornet on Saturday night, over The Fighter. Although The Fighter won a couple of Golden Globes and had several nominations, I decided I wanted to see something funny, rather than serious and see people hit each other. Well, I did laugh a few times in The Green Hornet, but there was a lot of people hitting each other, but somehow it was not the same. Actually when I left the theatre I was quite peaceful. Surprisingly, since the movie itself it not something you want to recommend a person go see, in fact a friend had emailed not to bother go seeing it. I read that this am, two days after I went to see it.
I don't know anything about the Green Hornet, I don't know remember the TV show, or anything else around it. I had heard it was based on a comic book, and there had been a TV show.  Seth Rogan played the spoiled, neglected child/man frustratingly well. You just wanted him to disappear with his attitude. On retrospect, he did his job, you did not like him, and in the end he saw the error of his attitude.
The hero, the person who holds it all together is Kato his nameless sidekick. He was fantastic. Funny, great fighting skills, and all produced with an amount of humor. Yes, the movie could have been funnier, yes, the movie could have had 'more'. But I did not regret going. I did laugh, I did enjoy it even with getting frustrated with Seth Rogan's character. I'm not going to say run out the door to see it, but I'm glad I went.
Three stars out of five.

Pillars of the Earth - a DVD set

I recently rented the three disk set of Pillars of the Earth on DVD. Eight hours of absolutely wonderful movie making. This is what movies are about. If you want to watch the ultimate in movie making, then make an effort to rent these DVD's or catch it on TV. If you can watch it like I did in one long run then do so. I began watching one night, and ended up watching until around 1am. Then I was back up at 7am to complete watching all the episodes before clients began arriving. But even going one disk at time is worth it.
As a person who is 'critical' of movie making, I could not find one thing wrong. Every person seemed the greatest for the role. Every scene was super well done. I was so impressed with everything I even took the time to watch all the extras at the end of each Disk.
The only thing is you must keep going on each disk. There are two or three sections on each disk, but what wonderful creative work. If you are not familiar with Ken Follet's book Pillars of the Earth, this DVD set will have you become aware. I have read the book twice (maybe three times) over the years since it came out. Its a spectacular story of intrique and weaving many different story lines together as it explores the politics and peoples of the times it is set in.
Great sets, great direction. Loved the director, who did all eight hours of this, plus the editing. Magnificent. Want to give yourself a treat going back in time. Then this is the DVD set to do it with.

Gulliver's Travels

I'm a Jack Black fan, so when my plans got changed I decided to drive north and see Jack Black's new film Gulliver's Travels. It is hard to describe what this movie is - of course it relates to the well known Gulliver's Travels, visiting the land of little people where he is a giant and then the land of giants where he is little. But, is this a children's film, an adult film a comedy or what? Somehow I felt it did not fall into any category completely. Its all of the above, yet not totally one of each. But it is a Jack Black film and I enjoyed it. I came away feeling contented and quite happy I had driven north. It is entertaining, funny in places, forced in others, but on the whole quite enjoyable. Want to spend some enjoyable time, then go see Gulliver's Travels. But don't look too hard for anything else but an enjoyable time.
I give this 3 1/2 out of 5.