Snitch - Movie Review

I'm a bit late getting my movie review of Snitch typed up.  Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson plays the lead of a father who goes into the 'drug' business in order to stop his son going to prison for 10 years. The story is based on an actual story. A young man does his friend a favor and then his friend turns on him and he is found with drugs. The mandatory jail term is 10 years. (more than first time rape and other serious crimes).  Dwayne as the Dad, remarried with another child, running a successful trucking business, gets one of his employees to put him in contact with a drug dealer, stating he can 'ship' drugs (in his trucks). By stating he needs money in this down turned economy, they go on trial run and then the fun really begins.

Dwayne has set up a 'deal' with the District Attorney, played by Susan Saradan, if he can get the main people behind the drug deals his son could go free.  Once Dwayne is in, the truck, the gangs and money, lots of money, come to play the deal gets changed a bit. Benjamin Pratt plays the big drug lord who sets up Dwayne to go across the line into Mexico with millions of dollars. Dwayne, not being stupid, knows if he goes over there he will be killed, so in one of the best big truck driving scenes I've seen (I don't think I took a breath for several seconds at one point) he wins the day.  Not without some nervous moments though and then at the end the son is released and they are all going into protective custody. (Of course you don't see what happens with that story, although I'm sure there is one - protective custody can't be much fun after running a successful business, but then again putting that against your child being in prison for 10 years - no contest).

I enjoyed this movie, fast paced, had a motive, and again the good guys won in the end. The stunts were great, and looked natural, like they could happen. Yes, Snitch was worth seeing.  3 out of 5.

Oz: The Great & Powerful

First of all, if you are planning to take any small children to see this movie - DON'T!!  Even in my adult age I screamed, closed my eyes and was slightly terrified - but then it doesn't take too much for me to do that.  But this is not a movie for little kids.

Now in saying that, if you want color, you want enjoyment, laughter (at times) and just plain entertainment then as an adult go see this movie. It begins the same way as the original movie in black and white and then James Franco, a marvellous Oz: The Great & Powerful, gets carried away to the magical land of Oz. Here the 3D color comes in. I was mesmerized by the colors portrayed in this movie. Sometimes to the point of watching the flowers or the jewels unfolding before me and not the actors. James Franco is great in this role. His devilish grin, yet somehow pure heart shows through. Rachel Weisz and Mila Kuntis as the wicked witches do a wonderful job, especially when Mila is all green and nasty. Michelle Williams as Glenda the good witch is her usual 'nice' self.  I totally loved the china doll and the flying monkey. The flying monkey gives the comic relief to what sometimes gets quite tense. 

We all know the story of Oz, how the wicked witch has to be done in, and although it has been years since I've since Dorothy and her red shoes, the story is different although basically the same. Oz makes a wonderful fairy tale come true before your eyes.  Good over evil, isn't that we all want. The bad guy made good, the good witch getting the kingdom (and the man). What more could one want. Oh yes, the gold and jewels. Everyone's fantasy made real in 3D.  Was it worth seeing. Oh yes....even if only to enjoy the wonderful colors.
3 1/2 out of 5.

Identity Thief Movie Review

If you like going to a movie and laughing whether you want to or not, then this is the movie to go see. The title Identity Thief tells it all. Especially today, when identity thieving is commonplace. Here though you just can't help laughing and falling in love with Jason Bateman and especially Melissa McCarthy, who sees nothing wrong in taking people's identities and spending their money.
The chemistry between Jason and Melissa went along way to making this a funny movie. For some reason their energies clicked. Him playing the uptight, concerned man, yet moves more and more into being a stronger personality, while she goes from being the brash red haired into being more caring. The situations these two get into as Jason's character brings Melissa's character back to his home town to set him free of charges and keep his job is just one big foul up after another. Yet somehow you follow it all the way with laughter and for me some embarrassment.  Luckily mostly laughter.
Want a good laugh, yet learn about human behavior and redemption, then go see this movie.
4 out of 5 for laughs.

Safe Haven Movie Review

I'm not a huge fan anymore of Nicholas Spark's books anymore. I found I would often be left upset, because someone either died or the ending was unsure. So for many years I have not read them and have not gone to see his movies of them.  I must admit The Notebook was good, but I have never watched it again due to the fact I cried so much. Now in saying that, I have watched the odd movie of his on T.V. when it has come on and most of them have been enjoyable.
After all that, when my movie going friend Trish said she really wanted to see Safe Haven I could not say no and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the surprise ending (of course he always does something different with the endings) and I was left happy instead of upset. I think after I saw Message in a Bottle, I could not get over his endings.
Both Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough did a great job. I also loved how they slowly introduced the background of Katie (Julianne's character) as you are not sure what exactly has gone on that she needed this Safe Haven. Josh played his role with sensitivity, and no overacting, (the director must be given accolades for this). As a Julianne Hough fan from Dancing with the Stars she did a great job, vulnerable yet spunky. I'm sure she will show up in more movies to come.
If you want a nice, pleasant, with some tension and an interesting ending, then see this movie. Its a great date movie with some conversation points afterwards. I'm glad I went.
3 out of 5.

Movie Review A Good Day to Die Hard

I have always enjoyed the Die Hard series, so as soon as it was opening I went to see it with my fellow movie goer Trish. I was not disappointed. In fact, I really liked this one a lot. Lots of action, and John McLean's (Bruce Willis)'s son played by Jai Courtney definitely made it worth watching.
If Bruce ever decides that John McLean needs to retire, Jai can certainly carry on with the family tradition. He even looks enough like Willis to be his son, plus he's taller.
The whole father / son theme where Willis stops his CIA son from performing his mission and then helps him reminds me of the last Die Hard and Live Free (which I tremendously enjoyed with Jason Long - I loved the humor especially in that one).  But, he did make it up with his daughter, who shows up in the beginning and end of this movie.
There is very little humor here. Only hard hitting stunts. The opening car chase I'm sure will go down in history, in fact someone asked us afterwards if they really had done that with cars or was it computer generated. I did not care, it was spellbinding. I had heard governments were making tanks to fit in streets (apparently for anticipated civil unrest) and there it was smashing and crashing into anything which stood in its way.  Of course the McLean's (of yes the son's name is John, but is called Jack) can take anything and survive.  But that is why the Die Hard series lasts so long and we wait impatiently for the next one.
If you like the Die Hard movies, or if you like action (pretty well non stop) you will LOVE this movie. 
4 out of 5.

This is 40

I had not gone to see This is 40 for a few reasons, one being Judd Apatow's Bridesmaids was not one of my favorite movies (I know I'm one of the only ones who did not like it) so when Trish and I who had just seen The Guilt Trip was in the movie house and This is 40 was showing, we decided why not so we saw that too. I'm so glad I did. I laughed more in it than I did in the Guilt Trip. I loved the by play between the husband and wife. I remember being 40 and already been in a marriage over 20 years.  (Yes, I got married young).
Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann (Judd Apatow's real life wife) did well as they entered the mid life crisis period, where one can get bogged down with similarity. Judd and Leslie's two children Maude and Iris were also in it and did an admirable job of being a teenager and preteen. Jason Segal as the fitness guru, Albert Brooks as Paul's money taking Dad who had young triplets) and Megan Fox as the young, georgeous woman.  All these actors made the movie adorable. It is funny, and so relatable.
Yes, I enjoyed This is 40.  I wonder what This is 50 will be like.
For a good laugh, if you have not seen it yet, go do so. I'm sure you will enjoy it and be able to relate to some, if not all, of the situations which arise.
3 1/2 out of 5.

The Guilt Trip

I kept waiting for the movie The Guilt Trip to come to our local theatre. It didn't. So I set forth one evening with my friend Trish and we drove north to see it. It was worth the trip. Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't say you have to see this movie, but I found myself having enough laughs with Seth Rogen (his laugh alone makes me laugh) and Barbra Streisand, who I always think of being immaculate, and here she was as a regular, obsessive mother. That made me laugh too. I just loved the scene where she was eating this ginormous steak dinner. No one would have gotten through that I'm sure,, but they made it fun and believable....I also loved the mother/son talk as they travelled across the U.S.
It was not a movie which taxed your brain, or had some big hidden agenda. It was a simple movie which told a story of mother and son and how they started out on opposite sides of most things and ended up being understanding of each other.  I enjoyed it. For simple entertainment.  3 out of 5.