Alice in Wonderland 3D (2010) - 4 Stars

Wow, when I was reading some of the critics reviews, they were pretty hard on poor Alice saying it's been done before. I have to admit, I've never seen any Alice in Wonderland movies even as a little girl. Maybe my parents kept me away from Alice with her strange friends like the tripy blue hash smoking caterpillar. I did know the story and I think Tim Burton did a great job bringing it to 3D life. I absolutely adored the Red Queen, Helena Bonham Carter, and Johny Depp made a great Mad Hatter. Mia Wasikowska made a lovely very believable Alice and I enjoyed the movie very much, especially in 3D.

A 19 year old Alice (Mia Wasikowska), chases TMC Twist the White Rabbit (voice Michael Sheen), through the woods until she falls into a large hole. Ending up in Underland , she knew as Wonderland as a little girl shes visited before. This time as she's being chased by the ferocious Bandersnatch, she can't pinch herself to wake up like she did as a child. Along the way she meets her old friends Tweedledee and Tweedledum (voice Matt Lucas), Mallymkun the Dormouse (voice Barbara Windsor), the blue Caterpillar Absolem (voice Alan Rickman), Chessur the Cheshire Cat (voice Stephen Fry), and of course, has tea with the March Hare (voice Paul Whitehouse), and the Mad Hatter, (Johnny Depp). But this Wonderland is control ed by the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), and her ruthless army run by Ilosovic Stayne, The Knave of Hearts (Crispin Glover). Before Alice can leave, she must defeat the Red Queen giving power back to the beautiful White Queen (Anne Hathaway).



Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Distribution
Director: Tim Burton
Writer: Linda Woolverton
Producers: Jennifer Todd, Joe Roth, Richard D. Zanuck

I viewed 3/10

2012 (2009) PG13 - 3½ Stars

While 2012, was a fun epic disaster movie, I was little disappointed in it's visual effects. I liked the volcano eruptions at Yellow Stone but the ground giving way while a limo hangs to the road as it unfold behind it, that part was a little far fetched to me. Though I have to admit it has good action and makes you hang on the edge of your seat a few times. But I'm wondering was this is the only family from that city that was able to get out in time? A perfect role for Woody Harrelson as I love him playing dim witted yet intelligent roles.

Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), is now a single dad competing with his ex wife's Kate's (Amanda Peet), new husband in the eyes of his children. Only seeing his children Noah (Liam James), and Lillie (Morgan Lily), on occasional weekends, has caused bitterness with his young son who simply adores his new step father Gordon (Tom McCarthy). On Jackson's weekend trip with his kids to Yellowstone, they stumble across a strange man Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson), who's broadcasting through his RV radio that the world is coming to an end. Even when Jackson finds the ideal spot he and Kate used to camp in, the small lake is dry and no one seems to be having a good time. The kids want to go home and see Gordon and their mom so the camping trip is cut short.

But as Jackson drops the children back home, he starts thinking about what Charlie Frost was broadcasting over his radio and as the ground starts to shift around him, he heads back to Kate's house to retrieve everyone and get them to safety. The household unloads into Jackson's limo and they all race away barely avoiding the street that is breaking in two behind them. But where do they go from here? Charlie had mentioned he had a map to a secret place that large Arks were being built in order to survive the massive floods and turmoil the entire earth is about to go through. Now, they're only question is can they make it in time.

Centropolis Entertainment, Mark Gordon Company, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Director: Roland Emmerich
Writers: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser
Producers: Larry Franco, Mark Gordon, Harald Kloser

I viewed 3/10

The Informant! (2009) R - 3 Stars

Based on the true story of Mark Whitacre, the highest-ranking corporate whistle blower in U.S. history, who worked for agri-industry giants, ADM. While it eventually became an interesting movie to me, the beginning seemed to feel like it takes place in the 70's. The style of font used on title pages, the musical accompaniment, even the style of the FBI agents with their primitive looking wire taping, all led to the impression of a different time period than it actually was. That constantly threw me off relating it to the 1990's. I also wonder if this is an accurate depiction of the mind of Mark Whitacre, as Matt Damon does a good job playing the role of this preoccupied compulsive liar.

Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon), is a rising star of the agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). When he becomes aware of price fixing at his company, he imagines himself becoming a hero in the eyes of his fellow men, and getting a hefty promotion with the company, for exposing these grredy owners with their price fixing. As a matter of fact he's so set on bringing these men down while taking himself to the top, his brain works overtime. Constantly inventing new stories, he manages to throw everyone off their track, while thinking he's coming out smelling like a rose. FBI Special Agent Brian Shepard (Scott Bakula), and Bob Herndon (Joel McHale), are eager to make their case work and stick it out with Whitacre to obtain information. Whitacre offers to wear a wire and keep tape recorders in his briefcase, showing his cooperation with the FBI. But the FBI soon becomes leery of Whitacre's ever constant changes and start to do a little investigating of their own. Whitacre's greed for recognition, causes the hire ups at ADM to uncover enough damaging evidence on Whitacre, to send him to prison.

Jaffe/Braunstein Films, Groundswell Productions, Participant Media, Section Eight, Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Scott Z. Burns
Producers: Greg Jacobs, Kurt Eichenwald, Michael Jaffe

I viewed 3/10

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) PG13 - 3½ Stars

At first this movie was a little confusing to me with the traveling husband, now you see him now you don't, but the more the movie evolves, the better it gets. Rachel McAdams plays the type of wife you want to find your way back to. Her girl next door image with her soft spoken smile gives Bana the reason to try and stay with her as much as he can. A good romantic journey though the beginning seems a little strange as a little girl gives her blanket to a naked adult man, hiding in the bushes. I would hope most little girls would run immediately home to tell their parents.

When Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdms), was just a little girl, she used to go out to the fields to play by herself. It is here that she first encounters Henry (Eric Bana), a man who appears out of no where, naked in the woods. At first she is shocked by his presence but is convinced to give her blanket to him so he can talk to her and explain he is from another era, traveling through time. Henry returns to the field many times while Clare is growing up, eventually forming a strong bond between them.

As Clare grows up, she waits for the moments that Henry will appear as she has been in love with him since the day she first laid eyes on him. Henry has a rare genetic anomaly that causes him to time travel through different periods of his life. But he is determined to stay as long as he can and Clare desperately tries to build a life with the man she's loved her entire life.

New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Director: Robert Schwentke
Writers: Bruce Joel Rubin, Jeremy Leven
Producers: Brad Pitt, Nick Wechsler, Dede Gardner

I viewed 3/10

Public Enemies (2009) R - 3½ Stars

Based on the book by Bryan Burrough's - Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI from 1933-34. The movie has some great action and portrays the glamorous side of the mob. From their arrogant thinking they can have what they want, their confidence that nothing can touch them, and their chic style of dress as they hold up banks in broad daylight. The acting is great and you believe you have lost yourself in another era. It was nice to see Depp in this serious role after all the comedies he's done lately. I think he makes a good Dillinger and the casting was great all around with good action and entertainment.

In the height of his career, John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), was unstoppable. Even if he was caught, there wasn't a jail around that could hold him for very long. J. Edgar Hoover's (Billy Crudup) FBI was just starting to form mainly because of gangsters like Dillinger. It was a perfect opportunity to practice their techniques because if they could stop Dillinger, it enforced their credibility. The cops felt helpless in stopping Dillinger or members of his gang like Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham), and Alvin Karpis (Giovanni Ribisi). Always charming, he was noted as America's first Public Enemy Number One. People looked up to Dillinger, almost pegging him as a hero, as he robbed the banks that many felt responsible for causing the Great Depression.

FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), is dead set on bringing Dillinger to gas chamber. But constantly being outsmarted by Dillinger, he enlists the help of many Western ex-lawmen making them deputies so he can cover all angles and even uses acts of betrayal with Dillinger's girlfriend Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), to close in.

Universal Pictures
Director: Michael Mann
Writers: Michael Mann, Ann Biderman, Mark St. Germain
Producers: Kevin Misher, Michael Mann, Jane Rosenthal

I viewed 12/09

House of 9 (2005) R - 2 Stas

At first, I was going to say what is Dennis Hopper doing in this film? After thinking about it for a moment, of course he's in this bizarre mystery film. This is a movie where you suffer with bad acting and a ridiculous story line, up until the very end of the movie which is the best part, also you cheer because it's over. Maybe the main problem is, these nine people, randomly kidnapped and thrown in a locked mansion together , have nothing to do with each other making it impossible for you to give two cents about any of them. Other than the dancer, the others are all people you yourself would hate to be locked up with. Maybe that's the point. Perhaps it was trying to be a game like "Saw," or "The Cube," but it never shows you anything about the owner of the game and seems so pointless. I did liked the DVD cover, which enticed me to watch the flick but the ending leads one to believe there could be a sequel, ugh, as I hope they avoid this.

Nine Strangers, a priest Father Duffy (Dennis Hopper), the dance Lea (Kelly Brook), the cop Jay (Raffaello Degruttola), husband Francis (Hippolyte Girardot) and wife Cynthia (Julienne Davis), drug addict Shona (Morven Christie), pro tennis player Claire Leevy (Susie Amy), and Max Roy (Peter Capaldi), are kidnapped and all awaken in a small mansion type setting with bricked in windows and steal locked doors. An announcers voice comes over a PA system explaining the nine are in a game of survival where there can be only one winner. The doors will not open until there is one survivor, who can walk through the door with their prize of 5 million dollars.

Bauer Martinez Studios, Deffender Film Fund Production
Director: Steven R. Monroe
Writer: Philippe Vidal
Producers: Philippe Martinez, Alan Latham, Karen Hamilton (II)

I viewed 2/10

Couples Retreat (2009) - 3 Stars

I dunno, but lately these comedies just aren't doing it for me. While there are some funny parts, I never made a connection with any of characters where I wanted to root for them or see them succeed. Four couples embark upon a journey to paradise in order to have fun in the sun, relax, party and oh yeah, rekindle their relationships with their lovers. Cheesy, but happy ending, the yoga session was the funniest to me.

When a couple having marital problems, makes a power point presentation to their friends enticing them with a group vacation in paradise to help save their marriages, it's hard for the others to say no. Jason (Jason Bateman). Joey (Joey ), Cynthia (Kristen Bell), Trudy (Kali Hawk), Dave (Vince Vaughn), Shane (Faizon Love), Ronnie (Malin Akerman) and Lucy (Kristin Davis), set out for the trip of a life time to a far away secluded island, Eden, entering "Paradise West" filled with anything their hearts desire in relaxation and entertainment.

Marcel (Jean Reno), runs a tight ship on his island to create an environment that bring couples closer together. Along with early morning counseling and yoga meets with instructor Salvadore (Carlos Ponce), their main goal is to keep the couples engaged through therapy and retreat. But when Trudy goes missing, the group cuts across the bay to the singles island "Paradise East," guaranteed to change all of their relationships for good.

Universal Pictures
Director: Peter Billingsley
Writers: Dana Fox, Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau
Producers: Vince Vaughn, Scott Stuber

I viewed 2/10

Inside Out (2005) - 3 Stars

The story line behind this movie was good about a wise Doctor playing mind games with the new neighbors by giving them just enough rope to hang themselves. But it just wasn't as powerful as it could have been. I almost became annoyed with Norman more than the doctor.

Norman (Steven Weber) is an airline pilot who lives with his wife in a nice quiet culdesac. The house next door has just been purchased and the new owners move in the middle of the night causing suspicion. The more Norman tries to be friends with the new neighbor, Dr. People's (Eriq La Salle), the stranger their relationship becomes. When Dr. Peoples starts firing up his lawn mower in the middle of the night to do his lawns, he just plain starts obsessively creeping Norman out especially when Norman thinks he sees, Dr. Peoples putting a body into his car in the middle of the night. Norman suspects it might be Dr. People's wife and brings in some of the other neighbors to form a vigilant watch against the doctor. Norman, and his pretend band of detectives, put People's home under surveillance, trying to get to the bottom of this; even breaking in when he leaves the house. But instead Dr. People's, specializing in psychology, is playing a mind game of his own making it look like the neighbors are the guilty ones.

Shoreline Entertainment, Inside Out Cinema, Humble Journey Films
Director: David Ogden
Writer: David Ogden
Producer: Timothy Linh Bui

I viewed 11/09

A Serious Man (2009) R - 2½ Stars

Man, some movies are so hard to write a review for and this is one of them. After seeing the entire movie, I'm wondering if they really needed the beginning scene or not? I think the point of it was to show why the family is cursed but seriously, I stopped my DVD player and ejected the disc to make sure I was watching the right movie. I don't think it ended much better. Talk about dark humor, possibly understanding Hebrew might make more sense of it's Yiddish correlation with Torah's tale of Job. But, there were other parts I thought were funny, like the Rabbi telling the long story of the Goys teeth, the young son preparing for his Bar Mitzva, and the Asian student trying to bribe a higher grade. To me, it gets funnier after Sy's death but I don't think everyone will enjoy this movie. Trust me, its confusing at times but if you can stay with it, it's definitely original. Great sound track of Jefferson Airplane and even Jimi Hendrix but it seems so out of place with the rest of the movie.

It's 1967 and Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), his wife Judith (Sari Lennick), daughter Sarah (Jessica McManus), son Danny (Aaron Wolff), and Uncle Arthur (Richard Kind), all starting their typical morning. Sarah's complaining Uncle Arthur is the the bathroom too long draining his cyst so she can't wash her hair to get ready to attend the "Hole," Danny is complaining to dad about F-Troop not coming in clearly, and the neighbor is mowing his lawn over the boundary of Larry's property.

Larry is a professor teaching the science of mathematics awaiting the news of his tenure. But Larry's "normal life" is all about to change. It starts with a student Clive Park (David Kang), who's failing his class, trying to convince Larry to allow him to take another mid term exam. Larry turns him down but notices a mysterious package of money on his desk when Clive leaves. Perplexed on how to handle the situation more strange events begin to occur for Larry. Once home and grading papers, Judith casually brings up the subject of divorce. And of all people, she's been seeing one of their close old friends of 15 years, Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed). Unsure of how to handle such a request, Larry turns to his Rabbi for the answers.

Nominated for 2 Oscars, Awards include:

2009 - Boston Society of Film Critics - Best Screenplay
2009 - Independent Spirit Awards - Robert Altman Award
2009 - National Board of Review - Best Original Screenplay
2009 - National Society of Film Critics - Best Screenplay

Focus Features
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Producers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

I viewed 2/10

And the 2010 Academdy Award Winners Are...

BEST PICTURE - HURT LOCKER
I couldn't disagree more and view the movie's win at as a political statement by the academy in an almost justified approval of the war we shouldn't even be involved in. I've seen both movies and while Hurt Locker is an excellent movie, for me it doesn't compare to the complete visual entertainment and much bigger universal message in the outstanding movie Avatar. I thought the "best movies" were supposed to be the ones most entertaining for their audience. I'm wondering if the Academy even saw Avatar. I'm not trying to take the importance of what these soldiers that risk theirs lives encounter diffusing bombs. Hurt Locker is a very realistic tribute to their bravery. But all of my other major picks were correct, even Kathryn Bigelow for director and I just feel Hollywood didn't get Avatar's message and/or was not ready for people who look differently.


BEST ACTOR - JEFF BRIDGES

BEST ACTRESS - SANDRA BULLOCK

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - CHRISTOPH WALTZ

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - MO'NIQUE

BEST DIRECTOR - KATHRYN BIGELOW

BEST DOCUMENTARY - THE COVE

BEST ANIMATION FILM - UP

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - AVATAR

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - AVATAR

you can see all the winners here.

Up (2009) PG - 3½ Stars

The best thing about this new animated comedy is the bond between the grumpy old man and the determination of the young boy to befriend him. It also helps teach children to be respectful to their elders and all animal types, the importance of keeping your promises, loyalty, and friendship. It's very sad at the beginning but I hope maybe gives children the perspective of not forgetting the elderly. Your kids probably won't get this powerful message but there 's plenty of laughs and action for the entire family to keep everyone entertained. The 2D animation is so good in depth perception that a few times when they got close to the edge, it gave me the chills.

Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner), has always dreamed of being a great explorer of the world living life to it's fullest just like his idol Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer). His wife, the love of his life, had the same ambitions and vowed to somday have their home perched high atop Paradise Falls in South America. When she passes away, Carl, now 78, is faced with Construction Foreman Tom (John Ratzenberger), telling him he has to vacate his home as he is impeding s the progress of growth in his neighborhood.

Appearing as just another irritation to Carl, a young rambunctious 8 year old Junior Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai), is determined to gain his senior citizen badge by helping Carl with anything he needs. Becoming all too annoying for Carl and with his determination to fulfill his lifelong wish, he invents a way to relocate his home to South America without ever leaving it. But when he finds Russell clutching to his front porch as an uninvited stowaway, he must find the strength to keep the young boy safe.

The house touches down in the land of an abnormalities where the two meet an odd looking bird, Kevin, and mans best friend Dug (Bob Peterson), a talking dog, obsessed with squirrels. Carl and Russell's friendship grows as they meet, and must outwit, a ferocious pack of dogs, led by Alpha (Bob Peterson), and Beta (Delroy Lindo), and Gamma (Jérôme Ranft).

Nominated for 5 Oscar's - Awards Include:

2009 - Detroit Film Critics Society - Best Picture
2009 - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Original Score
2010 - Academy Award Winner - Best Animated Film
2010 - Academy Award Winner - Best Original Score

Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Directors: Pete Docter
Writers: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Producer: Jonas Rivera

I viewed 3/10