Since I really enjoyed Nanny McPhee when it came out a few years ago, I was interested in seeing the sequel, Nanny McPhee Returns.
The plot for Nanny McPhee Returns is a lot like the plot of the first movie. Things don’t seem as original, but the movie is still entertaining overall. I do think it is worth watching. Even with the similarities to the first movie, there are differences, so it isn’t like this movie is a carbon copy of the first one. There is another single parent having to deal with children that are a bit out of control and Nanny McPhee shows up to help. The situations that the characters get into are a bit different.
The humor is more gross and crude in Nanny McPhee Returns, something I could have done without. Children will probably like that type of humor. I did think the movie was funny overall, though some of what happens is more silly. There is a bit of magic to what is going on, something else that I enjoyed. The movie is set during a war, and things do get a bit darker for a while. A few serious things are dealt with, though the movie is more light hearted overall.
The characters of the children are harder to like for a while because of how they are acting. They do become a little more likable as the movie progresses. Nanny McPhee is the best character and I love Emma Thompson in the part.
Nanny McPhee Returns was released in the spring of 2010 in England as Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. I have read that Thompson, who wrote the screenplays for both movies, plans a third movie with the character.
Nanny McPhee Returns isn’t quite as good as the first movie, but it is still entertaining overall and is worth seeing.
I did post a longer review on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.
Nanny McPhee Returns
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Veronica Mars - The Complete Second Season
I first heard about the television series Veronica Mars several years ago when it was still airing. I didn’t pay much attention to what I heard about the show at that point and I didn’t watch at that time. Since then, I’ve read and heard more about the show and I decided to pick up the DVD sets when I found them on sale. I recently finished watching Veronica Mars - The Complete Second Season.
The second season of Veronica Mars picks up a little while after the end of the first one. Some things from the first season do carry over into this season, so it is best to watch the episodes in order.
Once again, Veronica deals with several mysteries in these episodes. Some are rather simple and easy for her to resolve and others are more complex. Just about all of them are entertaining in some way. There is one that runs through the entire season and is dealt with in some way in several of the episodes. That is resolved by the last episode in the set.
The same main group of characters in back. The characters are more complex and all of them have flaws. That makes them more believable, but it is also harder to like some of them at times, including Veronica. I continue to think that Kristen Bell does a good job with the part.
There are only a few extras on the DVD set. Despite that, I still think the set is worth getting, especially for fans of the show. The second season is very entertaining and definitely worth watching for people who liked the first season.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Veronica Mars - The Complete Second Season
The second season of Veronica Mars picks up a little while after the end of the first one. Some things from the first season do carry over into this season, so it is best to watch the episodes in order.
Once again, Veronica deals with several mysteries in these episodes. Some are rather simple and easy for her to resolve and others are more complex. Just about all of them are entertaining in some way. There is one that runs through the entire season and is dealt with in some way in several of the episodes. That is resolved by the last episode in the set.
The same main group of characters in back. The characters are more complex and all of them have flaws. That makes them more believable, but it is also harder to like some of them at times, including Veronica. I continue to think that Kristen Bell does a good job with the part.
There are only a few extras on the DVD set. Despite that, I still think the set is worth getting, especially for fans of the show. The second season is very entertaining and definitely worth watching for people who liked the first season.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Veronica Mars - The Complete Second Season
The American
I like George Clooney, so I’m usually willing to give his movies a chance. I’ve seen many of them and have enjoyed most of them. I decided that I wanted to see The American, mostly because Clooney is in it.
I did enjoy the movie and think it works as a thriller, it is different from what I expected based on the trailers. Once again, the trailers for the movie made it seem like a completely different movie. Even though it was different from what I expected, I still enjoyed it and think it is a well done movie worth seeing. It probably won’t appeal to some people though, especially people expecting a movie with more action.
Things progress slowly through most of the movie. That allows some tension to build, and while it works, some won’t like the slower approach. There is a bit of action in some scenes, but the movie is far from action packed, something else that could disappoint some viewers. The plot is fairly simple, but it is interesting and entertaining. George Clooney ends up with the most to do since his character is in almost every scene. This is one of his better performances. The other cast members do well with their parts too.
The American is based on a book called A Very Private Gentleman. I haven't read the book, so I have no clue what has been changed for the movie.
Overall, I really enjoyed The American and think it is worth seeing, especially for George Clooney fans. People just need to be prepared for the fact that isn’t an action packed movie.
I did get a review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.
The American
I did enjoy the movie and think it works as a thriller, it is different from what I expected based on the trailers. Once again, the trailers for the movie made it seem like a completely different movie. Even though it was different from what I expected, I still enjoyed it and think it is a well done movie worth seeing. It probably won’t appeal to some people though, especially people expecting a movie with more action.
Things progress slowly through most of the movie. That allows some tension to build, and while it works, some won’t like the slower approach. There is a bit of action in some scenes, but the movie is far from action packed, something else that could disappoint some viewers. The plot is fairly simple, but it is interesting and entertaining. George Clooney ends up with the most to do since his character is in almost every scene. This is one of his better performances. The other cast members do well with their parts too.
The American is based on a book called A Very Private Gentleman. I haven't read the book, so I have no clue what has been changed for the movie.
Overall, I really enjoyed The American and think it is worth seeing, especially for George Clooney fans. People just need to be prepared for the fact that isn’t an action packed movie.
I did get a review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.
The American
Summer Movies 2010 - July and August
I am continuing to talk briefly about the movies I saw in the theater during the summer of 2010. This post is about the movies released in July and August that I saw in the theater.
The Last Airbender is based on an animated series that I’ve never seen. Things do develop a bit slowly, though a lot of what happens is setting up things for more movies. I enjoyed this one enough to see more of them, though I have no idea if they will made or not since this one didn’t do that great at the box office. The character development isn’t that great, something that is disappointing. There are interesting action scenes and some cool looking effects.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is a really fun movie that I loved. Unfortunately, it didn’t do that good at the box office. The plot is very entertaining and interesting, and I do think things are left open for a potential sequel..or even a movie franchise. I have no idea if that will happen though. I loved all the magic stuff and think the effects are done well, with several of them looking cool. The characters are interesting even though they could have been developed a bit more. This is one I definitely plan to add to my movie collection.
Inception is the most original movie I have seen in ages. It is different, and while I think that is part of what makes it such a wonderful movie, some people aren’t going to like it. The plot seems simple at first, but things get more complex and things are left in a way that allows the audience to decide for themselves something very important. The cast is wonderful and the characters are complex and highly interesting. There are some amazing visuals in the movie, but the movie is dependent on special effects. Christopher Nolan is an amazing director. The man is a genius and definitely one of the best directors working.
Salt is a decent action movie staring Angelina Jolie. The plot is interesting and developed enough, though there are a few things that don’t work as well. The action scenes are done really well, but a few things go over the top and make things less believable. The characters are interesting, though there isn’t enough development for most of them. Fans of Jolie should give this one a chance.
I wasn’t sure about seeing Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, but I’m glad I did. The best thing about it for me is that there was a new Loony Tunes cartoon before the movie. I love Loony Tunes, so that made it worth seeing the movie for me. I saw the first Cats & Dogs and liked it ok, though it wasn’t a favorite. With this one, there is more focus on the animals and humans don’t do much. Most of what happens is silly, but the movie ends up being pretty entertaining overall.
The Other Guys looked like it would be funny, so I wanted to see it even though Will Ferrell can be annoying sometimes. He was more restrained in this one, though he still has a few annoying moments. Overall the movie is really funny and definitely worth seeing. The plot is fairly simple, but it works. Mark Wahlberg does a great job and show that he can do comedy.
The Expendables is a very entertaining action movie. Sylvester Stallone is getting a little old for this type of movie, but he still manages to make it work. The plot isn’t overly complicated and it makes an entertaining movie. The action is intense at times, especially later in the movie. Some of it is over the top, but it is cool to see. The cast works really well together too.
The Last Airbender is based on an animated series that I’ve never seen. Things do develop a bit slowly, though a lot of what happens is setting up things for more movies. I enjoyed this one enough to see more of them, though I have no idea if they will made or not since this one didn’t do that great at the box office. The character development isn’t that great, something that is disappointing. There are interesting action scenes and some cool looking effects.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is a really fun movie that I loved. Unfortunately, it didn’t do that good at the box office. The plot is very entertaining and interesting, and I do think things are left open for a potential sequel..or even a movie franchise. I have no idea if that will happen though. I loved all the magic stuff and think the effects are done well, with several of them looking cool. The characters are interesting even though they could have been developed a bit more. This is one I definitely plan to add to my movie collection.
Inception is the most original movie I have seen in ages. It is different, and while I think that is part of what makes it such a wonderful movie, some people aren’t going to like it. The plot seems simple at first, but things get more complex and things are left in a way that allows the audience to decide for themselves something very important. The cast is wonderful and the characters are complex and highly interesting. There are some amazing visuals in the movie, but the movie is dependent on special effects. Christopher Nolan is an amazing director. The man is a genius and definitely one of the best directors working.
Salt is a decent action movie staring Angelina Jolie. The plot is interesting and developed enough, though there are a few things that don’t work as well. The action scenes are done really well, but a few things go over the top and make things less believable. The characters are interesting, though there isn’t enough development for most of them. Fans of Jolie should give this one a chance.
I wasn’t sure about seeing Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, but I’m glad I did. The best thing about it for me is that there was a new Loony Tunes cartoon before the movie. I love Loony Tunes, so that made it worth seeing the movie for me. I saw the first Cats & Dogs and liked it ok, though it wasn’t a favorite. With this one, there is more focus on the animals and humans don’t do much. Most of what happens is silly, but the movie ends up being pretty entertaining overall.
The Other Guys looked like it would be funny, so I wanted to see it even though Will Ferrell can be annoying sometimes. He was more restrained in this one, though he still has a few annoying moments. Overall the movie is really funny and definitely worth seeing. The plot is fairly simple, but it works. Mark Wahlberg does a great job and show that he can do comedy.
The Expendables is a very entertaining action movie. Sylvester Stallone is getting a little old for this type of movie, but he still manages to make it work. The plot isn’t overly complicated and it makes an entertaining movie. The action is intense at times, especially later in the movie. Some of it is over the top, but it is cool to see. The cast works really well together too.
Summer Movies 2010 - June
I am continuing to discuss the movies I saw over the summer of 2010 briefly. This post will cover the movies that were released in June.
Killers is a bit different from what I expected, but I managed to enjoy it overall. I was hesitant about seeing it because of Katherine Heigl - I just don’t like her that much. I decided to see it anyway. I was entertained overall, but the movie does have issues with the plot and characters. Fans of Heigl or Ashton Kutcher may find something to like about it.
The A-Team is based on the popular television show that aired in the 1980s. I watched the show all the time. The show was over the top, but it worked was entertaining. I was a little surprised that this movie didn’t do better. I loved it. It was a fun action comedy type of movie. The cast is great in their parts and the plot is entertaining while also serving as basically a origin story, telling how the group came to do what they were doing. I would definitely go see another movie, though I don’t know that one will be made.
Toy Story 3 is one of the rare sequels that Pixar has made. It is also a third movie that is just as good as the first - something that is incredibly rare. It was one of the most anticipated movies of the summer and ended up being one of the biggest. The plot continues the story that began in the first movie and the characters have new adventures. I think the movie stays true to the first movies and what has been established about the characters really well. The animation is absolutely amazing and the 3D effects work to enhance things in a subtle way. The movie is fun, touching, and highly emotional. Animated plastic toys have more heart and produce more emotion than most human characters. Yes, the movie made me cry. The movie is absolutely wonderful and definitely one of the best of the year. The animated short, Day & Night, that plays before the movie is one of the most creative that Pixar has done.
Marmaduke is another of the movies featuring real animals made to look like they are talking. This one really wasn’t one I was that interested in seeing, but I saw it anyway. There are a few cute moments, but it isn’t that great and I don’t think I would have missed much if I had skipped the movie. There is some humor, but most of it didn’t work for me. Children will probably enjoy the movie more than I did.
The Karate Kid is sort of a remake, though several things about the story are different from the earlier version. The name doesn’t exactly fit since kung fu is used instead of karate. The story, while not overly original, is very entertaining. There is a decent amount of action to what is happening. Jaden Smith does a really good job in the movie and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he has a long acting career. I haven’t seen all of Jackie Chan’s movies, but this is probably the best acting I’ve seen from him. The movie is definitely worth seeing.
Knight and Day looked better from the previews than it ultimately ended up being. It is an entertaining movie, but it could have been a lot better. The plot is interesting and mostly fun, though it didn’t seem to be as developed as it could have been. The action scenes are entertaining, though some of them go way over the top. This one was only ok for me.
Killers is a bit different from what I expected, but I managed to enjoy it overall. I was hesitant about seeing it because of Katherine Heigl - I just don’t like her that much. I decided to see it anyway. I was entertained overall, but the movie does have issues with the plot and characters. Fans of Heigl or Ashton Kutcher may find something to like about it.
The A-Team is based on the popular television show that aired in the 1980s. I watched the show all the time. The show was over the top, but it worked was entertaining. I was a little surprised that this movie didn’t do better. I loved it. It was a fun action comedy type of movie. The cast is great in their parts and the plot is entertaining while also serving as basically a origin story, telling how the group came to do what they were doing. I would definitely go see another movie, though I don’t know that one will be made.
Toy Story 3 is one of the rare sequels that Pixar has made. It is also a third movie that is just as good as the first - something that is incredibly rare. It was one of the most anticipated movies of the summer and ended up being one of the biggest. The plot continues the story that began in the first movie and the characters have new adventures. I think the movie stays true to the first movies and what has been established about the characters really well. The animation is absolutely amazing and the 3D effects work to enhance things in a subtle way. The movie is fun, touching, and highly emotional. Animated plastic toys have more heart and produce more emotion than most human characters. Yes, the movie made me cry. The movie is absolutely wonderful and definitely one of the best of the year. The animated short, Day & Night, that plays before the movie is one of the most creative that Pixar has done.
Marmaduke is another of the movies featuring real animals made to look like they are talking. This one really wasn’t one I was that interested in seeing, but I saw it anyway. There are a few cute moments, but it isn’t that great and I don’t think I would have missed much if I had skipped the movie. There is some humor, but most of it didn’t work for me. Children will probably enjoy the movie more than I did.
The Karate Kid is sort of a remake, though several things about the story are different from the earlier version. The name doesn’t exactly fit since kung fu is used instead of karate. The story, while not overly original, is very entertaining. There is a decent amount of action to what is happening. Jaden Smith does a really good job in the movie and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he has a long acting career. I haven’t seen all of Jackie Chan’s movies, but this is probably the best acting I’ve seen from him. The movie is definitely worth seeing.
Knight and Day looked better from the previews than it ultimately ended up being. It is an entertaining movie, but it could have been a lot better. The plot is interesting and mostly fun, though it didn’t seem to be as developed as it could have been. The action scenes are entertaining, though some of them go way over the top. This one was only ok for me.
Summer Movies 2010 - May
Summer tends to be packed with a lot of movie releases, including several that the studios hope will make buckets of money. At times, there are too many movies being released at the same time to have any chance of keeping up with, and summer seems to be the worst for this. The summer of 2010 wasn’t any different. There were a lot of big movies released. Some of them lived up to expectations or even passed them while others didn’t do as well.
At any given time there are usually a few movies out that I’m interested in seeing. The summer has had more movies that I’ve been interested in the last few years. I managed to see several of the summer movies I was interested in, though there are some that I’ll have to wait for DVD to see.
I have decided to share a little bit about the movies of summer 2010, starting with May, that I was able to see in the theater. I have posted longer reviews for these movies at Epinions and I will include the links.
Iron Man 2 came out the first Friday in May and it was expected to be one of the big movies. I loved Iron Man and had been looking forward to the sequel for a while. This one isn’t quite as good as the first movie, but it is still very entertaining and definitely worth seeing. The movie also continues to add to the foundation that Marvel is laying for future movies.
The Losers is based on a graphic novel series that I had never heard of. I was interested when I first saw a trailer and ended up going to see it. The movie is very entertaining and I think I will probably add it to my movie collection at some point. The plot and character development could have been a bit better, but it is still very entertaining and worth watching for a fun action movie. I do think it is sort of like The A-Team, so it isn’t the most original.
The Backup Plan is a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez, which is probably enough to turn a lot of people off. The plot is a little different, with a woman falling in love after deciding to have a baby through artificial insemination. The movie is very predictable and silly overall, though it is fairly funny at times. Some of what happens is gross and didn’t need to be included. The movie is entertaining, though not a must see.
Shrek Forever After is the fourth movie in the Shrek series. While I have enjoyed the previous movies, I didn’t think they were as great as a lot of other people. I do think this one was better than the third one, though the plot was far from original. Several things were very much like what happened in the earlier movies. I did see this one in 3D. An early image was really well done, and one of the best uses of 3D I’ve seen. The movie is cute and entertaining overall and I’ll probably add it to my movie collection.
Robin Hood (2010) is very different from every other version of the story I’ve seen, including the animated Disney version. A few elements are still the same, but a lot is different. The movie is entertaining, but with all the differences, it seems odd to call it Robin Hood.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is another movie based on a video game. I’ve never played any of the Prince of Persia game. I’m not even sure how many there are, though I have heard of them. I think the movie works as a fun, entertaining action movie. The plot works well and helps to make things entertaining. I could have done without the snakes that kept popping up though.
At any given time there are usually a few movies out that I’m interested in seeing. The summer has had more movies that I’ve been interested in the last few years. I managed to see several of the summer movies I was interested in, though there are some that I’ll have to wait for DVD to see.
I have decided to share a little bit about the movies of summer 2010, starting with May, that I was able to see in the theater. I have posted longer reviews for these movies at Epinions and I will include the links.
Iron Man 2 came out the first Friday in May and it was expected to be one of the big movies. I loved Iron Man and had been looking forward to the sequel for a while. This one isn’t quite as good as the first movie, but it is still very entertaining and definitely worth seeing. The movie also continues to add to the foundation that Marvel is laying for future movies.
The Losers is based on a graphic novel series that I had never heard of. I was interested when I first saw a trailer and ended up going to see it. The movie is very entertaining and I think I will probably add it to my movie collection at some point. The plot and character development could have been a bit better, but it is still very entertaining and worth watching for a fun action movie. I do think it is sort of like The A-Team, so it isn’t the most original.
The Backup Plan is a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez, which is probably enough to turn a lot of people off. The plot is a little different, with a woman falling in love after deciding to have a baby through artificial insemination. The movie is very predictable and silly overall, though it is fairly funny at times. Some of what happens is gross and didn’t need to be included. The movie is entertaining, though not a must see.
Shrek Forever After is the fourth movie in the Shrek series. While I have enjoyed the previous movies, I didn’t think they were as great as a lot of other people. I do think this one was better than the third one, though the plot was far from original. Several things were very much like what happened in the earlier movies. I did see this one in 3D. An early image was really well done, and one of the best uses of 3D I’ve seen. The movie is cute and entertaining overall and I’ll probably add it to my movie collection.
Robin Hood (2010) is very different from every other version of the story I’ve seen, including the animated Disney version. A few elements are still the same, but a lot is different. The movie is entertaining, but with all the differences, it seems odd to call it Robin Hood.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is another movie based on a video game. I’ve never played any of the Prince of Persia game. I’m not even sure how many there are, though I have heard of them. I think the movie works as a fun, entertaining action movie. The plot works well and helps to make things entertaining. I could have done without the snakes that kept popping up though.
I've Gone High Def
I watch a lot of stuff on television and also watch a lot of movies on DVD. I don’t know a lot about the newer televisions, but I did know that I eventually wanted one, especially after my mother and step-father got an LCD television a few years ago and I had the chance to watch things on it.
I started looking at the televisions more in the spring of this year. Even though I didn’t know - and still don’t know - a lot about the televisions, I knew that I wanted to get a 1080p one if I was going to spend the money on one. I kept looking and I ended up getting a Vizio 32 inch LCD television. I didn’t need a new television, but since I had the extra money at the time, I decided to splurge. I also decided to get a Blu-ray player, something else I didn’t really need, but I had been wanting.
I’ve had the new television and Blu-ray player for several months and I’m very happy with them. Everything looks wonderful on the television. I’m still amazed at times how good things look. I do watch DVDs with the Blu-ray player, but I have started getting some Blu-rays. Some older DVDs that I’ve watched look better played on the Blu-ray player. I have picked up a few movies on Blu-ray that I already had on DVD, and so far, I’ve been happy with the ones I’ve doubled dipped on. North by Northwest is absolutely amazing on Blu-ray. That is a must own Blu-ray for fans of the movie.
I do think getting a high definition television and Blu-ray player is well worth it for people who love movies.
I started looking at the televisions more in the spring of this year. Even though I didn’t know - and still don’t know - a lot about the televisions, I knew that I wanted to get a 1080p one if I was going to spend the money on one. I kept looking and I ended up getting a Vizio 32 inch LCD television. I didn’t need a new television, but since I had the extra money at the time, I decided to splurge. I also decided to get a Blu-ray player, something else I didn’t really need, but I had been wanting.
I’ve had the new television and Blu-ray player for several months and I’m very happy with them. Everything looks wonderful on the television. I’m still amazed at times how good things look. I do watch DVDs with the Blu-ray player, but I have started getting some Blu-rays. Some older DVDs that I’ve watched look better played on the Blu-ray player. I have picked up a few movies on Blu-ray that I already had on DVD, and so far, I’ve been happy with the ones I’ve doubled dipped on. North by Northwest is absolutely amazing on Blu-ray. That is a must own Blu-ray for fans of the movie.
I do think getting a high definition television and Blu-ray player is well worth it for people who love movies.
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