I don’t know much about boxing, but I decided to see The Fighter, a movie about real life boxers Micky Ward and Dickie Eklund. The movie is really well done and entertaining, though a few scenes are more difficult to watch.
I am not familiar with Micky or Dickie, so I have no idea how accurate The Fighter is. The movie only covers a specific time period in the lives of the brothers. For me, since I didn’t know anything about the real men, it was hard for me to know for sure how much time passed over the course of the movie. It does seem like some things receive more attention than others.
Much of The Fighter is focused on Micky’s training. That does add some violence to the movie. A few scenes are more graphic than others, though the movie isn’t overly gory. The plot does sort of follow a formula, but it is done well and ends up being entertaining. Some of what happens is predictable, but that didn’t bother me. Some complications are added, mostly through how the family deals with each other. That family - at least the movie version of them - has a lot of issues.
A lot of time in The Fighter shows things tied to Dickie and how his life has spiraled out of control. He once fought Sugar Ray Leonard, and he is still living off that former glory. After that fight, nothing much happened with his boxing career. By the time the movie is set, he is a drug addict with delusions of staging a comeback. Their mother ignores the problems that Dickie has, while praising him and not really supporting Micky.
The acting in The Fighter is wonderful. Mark Wahlberg does a really good job as Micky. He spent several years training for the part, even before he knew for sure it was going to be made. Christian Bale is the real stand out as Dickie. Bale lost a lot of weight for the part. That does give him a more realistic drug addict look, but he’s also creepy looking. Bale just doesn’t look good that thin. The freaky, creepy look works for the character. Amy Adams turns up as Charlene, Micky’s girlfriend. It is a different sort of role for Adams, but I think she does well with it.
The Fighter is a very good movie and definitely worth watching. The cast is outstanding and I can see why they have been receiving award nominations. Fans of the cast should give it a chance.
I did get a review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.
The Fighter
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Tourist
Johnny Depp is one of my favorite actors. I will usually make an effort to see his new movies. I have also liked several movies that I’ve seen Angelina Jolie in. When I saw the trailers for The Tourist, the first movie they’ve made together, I thought the movie looked interesting.
The Tourist hasn’t made a lot of money, and I know that some people have said it is a really bad movie. I don’t agree with that. It isn’t exactly what I expected from the trailers, but I do think that the movie is entertaining and worth watching. I really enjoyed it.
The plot for The Tourist is interesting, though it could have been a bit more original. I do think there are a few surprises to what happens. Things are slightly more complicated than they seem at first. After seeing the movie, I discovered that it was based on a book. I have no idea what has been changed for the movie.
I’ve read that some people have felt that the pacing is too slow in The Tourist. I didn’t feel that way at all. The movie has been promoted as a thriller and I can see some thriller elements in it even though the movie isn’t that suspenseful overall. For some reason, the movie has been nominated in the comedy/musical category for the Golden Globes. While there are some funny lines and moments, the movie is far from being a comedy and it definitely isn’t a musical. There is some action in a few scenes, though the movie really isn’t action packed.
There are only three main characters in The Tourist. Frank, a math teacher on vacation, probably receives a bit more attention than the others. He ends up in a somewhat odd situation that he manages to deal with fairly well. I think Johnny Depp did a very good job with the part. Elise is a mysterious woman who pulls Frank into the mess he ends up in. She looks elegant and refined, but it is quickly clear that she can take care of herself. Inspector Acheson is the last character that receives much attention. He is a detective with Scotland Yard and he’s investigating something that is tied to Elise and Frank. Paul Bettany does fine with the part. Timothy Dalton has a small part as Acheson’s boss.
I really enjoyed The Tourist and think it is better than a lot of people have said. Fans of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie may find something to like about the movie.
I did get a review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.
The Tourist
The Tourist hasn’t made a lot of money, and I know that some people have said it is a really bad movie. I don’t agree with that. It isn’t exactly what I expected from the trailers, but I do think that the movie is entertaining and worth watching. I really enjoyed it.
The plot for The Tourist is interesting, though it could have been a bit more original. I do think there are a few surprises to what happens. Things are slightly more complicated than they seem at first. After seeing the movie, I discovered that it was based on a book. I have no idea what has been changed for the movie.
I’ve read that some people have felt that the pacing is too slow in The Tourist. I didn’t feel that way at all. The movie has been promoted as a thriller and I can see some thriller elements in it even though the movie isn’t that suspenseful overall. For some reason, the movie has been nominated in the comedy/musical category for the Golden Globes. While there are some funny lines and moments, the movie is far from being a comedy and it definitely isn’t a musical. There is some action in a few scenes, though the movie really isn’t action packed.
There are only three main characters in The Tourist. Frank, a math teacher on vacation, probably receives a bit more attention than the others. He ends up in a somewhat odd situation that he manages to deal with fairly well. I think Johnny Depp did a very good job with the part. Elise is a mysterious woman who pulls Frank into the mess he ends up in. She looks elegant and refined, but it is quickly clear that she can take care of herself. Inspector Acheson is the last character that receives much attention. He is a detective with Scotland Yard and he’s investigating something that is tied to Elise and Frank. Paul Bettany does fine with the part. Timothy Dalton has a small part as Acheson’s boss.
I really enjoyed The Tourist and think it is better than a lot of people have said. Fans of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie may find something to like about the movie.
I did get a review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.
The Tourist
Burlesque
I’ve been interested in seeing Burlesque for a long time. It did take me longer than I originally intended to see the movie.
The plot for Burlesque, dealing with a young woman from a tiny town in the middle of nowhere going to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming famous, isn’t the most original. Despite that, the movie is still very entertaining and I think it is worth watching. Things are a little different since Ali, the woman with dreams of being famous, is happy performing in The Burlesque Lounge. She isn’t trying to break into movies or anything like that, though she is determined to get on stage though. Her determination ends up helping later in the movie as well.
Ali, played by Christina Aguilera, has a beautiful and powerful singing voice. It makes sense that she would become a popular performer at the club. Burlesque is a musical, with all the songs being numbers performed at the club. Characters don’t just break out into song like happens in a lot of other musicals. The songs are done well and help to make the move more entertaining. The women do wear some revealing outfits while performing, though they are never naked. I loved all the singing, but some people may not care for that aspect of the movie. People who don’t care for musicals may want to pick a different movie.
Most of what happens in Burlesque is tied to the club in some way. There is an attempt to add one or two complications. The movie isn’t exactly serious, but it really isn’t a comedy either even though there is humor in the movie. Romance turns up as well without being the main focus.
The characters in Burlesque are interesting, though many of them are rather flat. Ali receives the most attention. She is likable and Christina Aguilera does a very good job in the part. Tess is the woman who owns the club. She acts tough at times, but she has a nicer side as well. She is protective of the women who work at the club. Cher does really well with the part and she also performs a few new songs. Most of the other characters are the other performers. Nikki stands out the most because of her attitude, but Kristen Bell is kind of wasted in the part.
Overall I really enjoyed Burlesque and think it is worth watching. Cher and Christina Aguilera are wonderful in their parts and there are some great songs in it.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Burlesque
The plot for Burlesque, dealing with a young woman from a tiny town in the middle of nowhere going to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming famous, isn’t the most original. Despite that, the movie is still very entertaining and I think it is worth watching. Things are a little different since Ali, the woman with dreams of being famous, is happy performing in The Burlesque Lounge. She isn’t trying to break into movies or anything like that, though she is determined to get on stage though. Her determination ends up helping later in the movie as well.
Ali, played by Christina Aguilera, has a beautiful and powerful singing voice. It makes sense that she would become a popular performer at the club. Burlesque is a musical, with all the songs being numbers performed at the club. Characters don’t just break out into song like happens in a lot of other musicals. The songs are done well and help to make the move more entertaining. The women do wear some revealing outfits while performing, though they are never naked. I loved all the singing, but some people may not care for that aspect of the movie. People who don’t care for musicals may want to pick a different movie.
Most of what happens in Burlesque is tied to the club in some way. There is an attempt to add one or two complications. The movie isn’t exactly serious, but it really isn’t a comedy either even though there is humor in the movie. Romance turns up as well without being the main focus.
The characters in Burlesque are interesting, though many of them are rather flat. Ali receives the most attention. She is likable and Christina Aguilera does a very good job in the part. Tess is the woman who owns the club. She acts tough at times, but she has a nicer side as well. She is protective of the women who work at the club. Cher does really well with the part and she also performs a few new songs. Most of the other characters are the other performers. Nikki stands out the most because of her attitude, but Kristen Bell is kind of wasted in the part.
Overall I really enjoyed Burlesque and think it is worth watching. Cher and Christina Aguilera are wonderful in their parts and there are some great songs in it.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Burlesque
Tangled
I still love animated movies and many of the Disney animated movies I saw when I was younger are still among my favorites. I have been interested in seeing Tangled since I first saw a trailer for the movie.
Tangled adds Rapunzel to the line of Disney princesses. I’ve thought that Disney should do a Rapunzel movie for years, so I was happy when I found out they were making out. The title was changed and I have read that it was in an attempt to attract more boys to watch the movie. I don’t know if that is why or not. The main male character, Flynn Rider, receives more attention than the male characters have in many of the other Disney princess movies. That does make it a little different. In other ways, it is more like the earlier Disney princess movies. The characters are interesting and the voices fit them all very well.
It has been years since I last heard or read the Rapunzel fairytale and I had forgotten most of it before seeing the movie. Really all I could remember was that she had really long hair and was stuck in a tower for some reason. After seeing the movie, I did look some things up and know what was changed for this version of the story. The main story is pretty much the same, though some of the details are different. I really like this version of the story and think it works very well to make an entertaining movie.
Tangled is in 3D in some theaters. I did end up seeing the 3D version, mostly because of the timing. The 3D effects are well done, though mostly subtle. The effect is done amazingly well in a later sequence involving floating items. The movie has a beautiful look for the settings. Rapunzel’s hair is very impressive. She utilizes it in some unique ways that help make the movie more entertaining.
The plot for Tangled is interesting and entertaining even though it is somewhat simple. I was surprised by a few things that happened. I may not have been surprised by those few things if I remembered more from the original story. I do think there is a good amount of humor in the movie, much of which is provided by Rapunzel’s pet chameleon Pascal and Maximus, a horse who acts like a dog. In addition to the humor, there are a few more serious moments in the movie as well. There are songs, and while they are done well, none of them are as strong as ones from earlier Disney movies. A bit of romance turns up without it being the driving force of the movie.
Tangled is another wonderful Disney animated movie. It is one of the better animated movies I’ve seen in a while. It is definitely worth seeing. I know I’ll be adding it to my movie collection.
I did get a review posted on Epinions.
Tangled
Tangled adds Rapunzel to the line of Disney princesses. I’ve thought that Disney should do a Rapunzel movie for years, so I was happy when I found out they were making out. The title was changed and I have read that it was in an attempt to attract more boys to watch the movie. I don’t know if that is why or not. The main male character, Flynn Rider, receives more attention than the male characters have in many of the other Disney princess movies. That does make it a little different. In other ways, it is more like the earlier Disney princess movies. The characters are interesting and the voices fit them all very well.
It has been years since I last heard or read the Rapunzel fairytale and I had forgotten most of it before seeing the movie. Really all I could remember was that she had really long hair and was stuck in a tower for some reason. After seeing the movie, I did look some things up and know what was changed for this version of the story. The main story is pretty much the same, though some of the details are different. I really like this version of the story and think it works very well to make an entertaining movie.
Tangled is in 3D in some theaters. I did end up seeing the 3D version, mostly because of the timing. The 3D effects are well done, though mostly subtle. The effect is done amazingly well in a later sequence involving floating items. The movie has a beautiful look for the settings. Rapunzel’s hair is very impressive. She utilizes it in some unique ways that help make the movie more entertaining.
The plot for Tangled is interesting and entertaining even though it is somewhat simple. I was surprised by a few things that happened. I may not have been surprised by those few things if I remembered more from the original story. I do think there is a good amount of humor in the movie, much of which is provided by Rapunzel’s pet chameleon Pascal and Maximus, a horse who acts like a dog. In addition to the humor, there are a few more serious moments in the movie as well. There are songs, and while they are done well, none of them are as strong as ones from earlier Disney movies. A bit of romance turns up without it being the driving force of the movie.
Tangled is another wonderful Disney animated movie. It is one of the better animated movies I’ve seen in a while. It is definitely worth seeing. I know I’ll be adding it to my movie collection.
I did get a review posted on Epinions.
Tangled
Faster
Since I usually like Dwayne Johnson movies, I decided to see Faster. Based on the previews, I wasn’t expecting a lot from the movie, but I was entertained.
A man gets out of prison and starts killing the people involved with the murder of his brother. The police investigate the murders and someone hires a hitman to go after the killer. That is really it for the plot. The name of the main character and one of the cops is used during the movie, but they are only identified as Driver and Cop in the credits and the hitman is listed as Killer.
The plot for Faster is very, very simple and thin, even for a revenge type movie. The motivation is shared for why Driver is killing. He kills several people, but since he is only targeting certain people, I don’t really think of it as a killing spree. I was entertained by the movie, but it would have been nice if there had been a little more substance to the plot. A few attempts to add complications by sharing some information about Killer and a bit of backstory for Cop just don’t work that well. One development was probably intended to be a surprise, but I saw it coming way in advance.
There really isn’t any mystery or suspense to what is going on in Faster, but there is a lot of violence. It doesn’t take long for Driver to start killing. The deaths he is responsible for are violent and bloody. At one point, there is a flashback that shows the murder of his brother, another scene that is violent. Things aren’t that gory, but they are probably too graphic for some viewers.
Faster has minimal character development, one of the things that makes the story weaker overall. A little bit of background is shared about Driver, Cop, and Killer, and that is really it. Most of the characters are rather flat, and not as interesting as they could have been. The acting is fine, but nothing special. Dwayne Johnson doesn’t even have that many lines. He just goes from place to place killing with a ticked off look on his face.
Overall, Faster is a fairly simple movie that does manage to be entertaining. It isn’t a favorite, but I have seen worse.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Faster
A man gets out of prison and starts killing the people involved with the murder of his brother. The police investigate the murders and someone hires a hitman to go after the killer. That is really it for the plot. The name of the main character and one of the cops is used during the movie, but they are only identified as Driver and Cop in the credits and the hitman is listed as Killer.
The plot for Faster is very, very simple and thin, even for a revenge type movie. The motivation is shared for why Driver is killing. He kills several people, but since he is only targeting certain people, I don’t really think of it as a killing spree. I was entertained by the movie, but it would have been nice if there had been a little more substance to the plot. A few attempts to add complications by sharing some information about Killer and a bit of backstory for Cop just don’t work that well. One development was probably intended to be a surprise, but I saw it coming way in advance.
There really isn’t any mystery or suspense to what is going on in Faster, but there is a lot of violence. It doesn’t take long for Driver to start killing. The deaths he is responsible for are violent and bloody. At one point, there is a flashback that shows the murder of his brother, another scene that is violent. Things aren’t that gory, but they are probably too graphic for some viewers.
Faster has minimal character development, one of the things that makes the story weaker overall. A little bit of background is shared about Driver, Cop, and Killer, and that is really it. Most of the characters are rather flat, and not as interesting as they could have been. The acting is fine, but nothing special. Dwayne Johnson doesn’t even have that many lines. He just goes from place to place killing with a ticked off look on his face.
Overall, Faster is a fairly simple movie that does manage to be entertaining. It isn’t a favorite, but I have seen worse.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Faster
Megamind
I was interested in seeing Megamind after I first saw the trailers for the movie. It is a fun entertaining animated movie. Some theaters did show the movie in 3D. I did see that version, mainly because that is the one that was showing when I was able to go see the movie.
Megamind lands on Earth when he is sent away from his home planet by his parents when he is eight days old. The planet is being destroyed. Another baby leaves a near by planet. The other baby has a good life and becomes Metro Man when he is older. Megamind grows up in a prison and it basically Metro Man’s enemy. After years of facing Metro Man and failing, Megamind comes out on top. He is happy for a while, but he ends up deciding that he needs someone to face off against and comes up with the idea to create a new hero to battle. While doing that, he also starts spending time with reporter Roxanne while disguised.
Megamind is a fun, entertaining animated movie that I do think is worth seeing. The plot is interesting enough, though it isn’t the most original. There are definite similarities to Superman. While it would have been nice if the story was more original, the movie is still very entertaining. Children may end up enjoying the movie more than adults, though there are a few things tossed in for adults to enjoy as well. The biggest is probably the music. There is a good amount of humor to what is going on. Much of the humor comes from how Megamind’s various plots go wrong.
Megamind is an interesting and entertaining character. It seems like he is intelligent, but he doesn’t manage to accomplish anything with his intelligence. Things keep going wrong for him. Even though he is a super villain, he does have a good side and isn’t all bad. Will Ferrell does fine with the voice of the character. Metro Man isn’t around as much, so Brad Pitt doesn’t get as much to do. Roxanne is also an interesting character and Tina Fey’s voice works well for her.
The animation is done well and looks good, though it isn’t as good as what Pixar does.
It would have been nice if Megamind had a more original plot, but the movie is still very fun and entertaining. I do think it is worth watching and I’ll more than likely add it to my movie collection.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions after I saw the movie.
Megamind
Megamind lands on Earth when he is sent away from his home planet by his parents when he is eight days old. The planet is being destroyed. Another baby leaves a near by planet. The other baby has a good life and becomes Metro Man when he is older. Megamind grows up in a prison and it basically Metro Man’s enemy. After years of facing Metro Man and failing, Megamind comes out on top. He is happy for a while, but he ends up deciding that he needs someone to face off against and comes up with the idea to create a new hero to battle. While doing that, he also starts spending time with reporter Roxanne while disguised.
Megamind is a fun, entertaining animated movie that I do think is worth seeing. The plot is interesting enough, though it isn’t the most original. There are definite similarities to Superman. While it would have been nice if the story was more original, the movie is still very entertaining. Children may end up enjoying the movie more than adults, though there are a few things tossed in for adults to enjoy as well. The biggest is probably the music. There is a good amount of humor to what is going on. Much of the humor comes from how Megamind’s various plots go wrong.
Megamind is an interesting and entertaining character. It seems like he is intelligent, but he doesn’t manage to accomplish anything with his intelligence. Things keep going wrong for him. Even though he is a super villain, he does have a good side and isn’t all bad. Will Ferrell does fine with the voice of the character. Metro Man isn’t around as much, so Brad Pitt doesn’t get as much to do. Roxanne is also an interesting character and Tina Fey’s voice works well for her.
The animation is done well and looks good, though it isn’t as good as what Pixar does.
It would have been nice if Megamind had a more original plot, but the movie is still very fun and entertaining. I do think it is worth watching and I’ll more than likely add it to my movie collection.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions after I saw the movie.
Megamind
Harry Potter Film Wizardry
I love the Harry Potter books and movies. I also enjoy books that are about the making of movies. I have been watching for one about the Harry Potter movies for years. When I found Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley, I quickly got it.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry is a little different form other books. It is the only book I’ve ever bought that was come wrapped in shrink wrap. Something else that makes the book different is the fact that it includes replicas of different props from the Harry Potter movies. It does have a higher list price, but I was able to get it for about half off by ordering it online, so I do suggest comparing prices.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry shares information about the making of the Harry Potter movies up through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as well as sharing a little general information about the plots of the movies. The last few pages have pictures of a few things from the last movie without any details being shared. There aren’t technically plot summaries in the book, though certain things are mentioned that will be spoilers for people who haven’t seen the movies or read the books. The information is shared mostly in order, though a few things are briefly mentioned out of order. The organization could have been slightly better, but the book is still very entertaining and worth picking up for fans of the series.
There are several replicas of various props in Harry Potter Film Wizardry. I have several books tied to the making of movies, but this is the only one that has props. I love the prop replicas. They are included in the book where the object is being discussed. The replicas look like the different things from the movie. Most of them are in a sort of clear envelope that protects them. Some of the items include the letter that Harry receives about going to Hogwarts in the first movie, some of the educational decrees, a flyer from the Quidditch World Cup, and a sales flyer from the store that Fred and George open. Some of the items were only briefly seen in the various movies, but they are incredibly detailed. I love the prop replicas.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry has all sorts of information about the movies. The book is really aimed at people who are fans of the movies. There are sections for each of the movies, which helps the organization. A few items aren’t brought up until later for some reason. There are illustrations throughout the book tied to different things as well as pictures taken during filming and pictures that look like they were pulled from the movies.
Overall Harry Potter Film Wizardry is a wonderful book for fans of Harry Potter. It is definitely worth getting for fans Potter fans.
I did get a review posted at Epinions.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry
Harry Potter Film Wizardry is a little different form other books. It is the only book I’ve ever bought that was come wrapped in shrink wrap. Something else that makes the book different is the fact that it includes replicas of different props from the Harry Potter movies. It does have a higher list price, but I was able to get it for about half off by ordering it online, so I do suggest comparing prices.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry shares information about the making of the Harry Potter movies up through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as well as sharing a little general information about the plots of the movies. The last few pages have pictures of a few things from the last movie without any details being shared. There aren’t technically plot summaries in the book, though certain things are mentioned that will be spoilers for people who haven’t seen the movies or read the books. The information is shared mostly in order, though a few things are briefly mentioned out of order. The organization could have been slightly better, but the book is still very entertaining and worth picking up for fans of the series.
There are several replicas of various props in Harry Potter Film Wizardry. I have several books tied to the making of movies, but this is the only one that has props. I love the prop replicas. They are included in the book where the object is being discussed. The replicas look like the different things from the movie. Most of them are in a sort of clear envelope that protects them. Some of the items include the letter that Harry receives about going to Hogwarts in the first movie, some of the educational decrees, a flyer from the Quidditch World Cup, and a sales flyer from the store that Fred and George open. Some of the items were only briefly seen in the various movies, but they are incredibly detailed. I love the prop replicas.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry has all sorts of information about the movies. The book is really aimed at people who are fans of the movies. There are sections for each of the movies, which helps the organization. A few items aren’t brought up until later for some reason. There are illustrations throughout the book tied to different things as well as pictures taken during filming and pictures that look like they were pulled from the movies.
Overall Harry Potter Film Wizardry is a wonderful book for fans of Harry Potter. It is definitely worth getting for fans Potter fans.
I did get a review posted at Epinions.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry
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