Movie Review Report

I wanted to see this movie as soon as it came out, mostly because I loved James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland and wanted to see him in another movie. But also, because the previews looked really good. I ended up not going to see it in the theaters but rented it when it came out on DVD… I am so glad I did not waste $10 as originally planned.

Plot synopsis from All Movie Guide:

The year is 1935, and as the summer heat takes hold, 13-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis watches her older sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), get undressed and go frolicking in the garden fountain on her family’s country estate. The housekeeper’s son, Robbie (James McAvoy), a childhood friend and recent Cambridge graduate, also witnesses the innocent act. When Robbie and Cecilia subsequently cross a particularly sensitive boundary and the scheming Briony accuses Robbie of an unspeakable transgression for which the boy is wholly innocent, the repercussions of her unfounded claim threaten to affect all three for decades to come.

My first mistake with this movie was not reading the plot outline and just going by what the previews led me to believe. From the preview I figured it would be kind of an epic war time romance type movie… I was very wrong (in my defense that’s what they were marketing it as, I was just stupid enough to believe it).
The movie was not a love story. Yes, there was a subplot of romance I suppose, but overall it was not the main plot of the movie. It was more about what the 13-year-old girl did and the consequences of her actions. Which would have been OK I guess, but the movie was just so twisted, it kept jumping all around with no notice and the style just didn’t fit the story. I don’t really know how to explain it but it didn’t work.
On top of all this, the movie was really really boring. It was only 2 hours long and it easily felt like it was at least 45 minutes longer than it was.
I did not care about any of the characters, I didn’t care what was happening or what was going to happen. It just wasn’t entertaining. The movie was well made and all, but I’m looking for entertainment in a movie; I don’t care about all the technical crap.

This is the second movie I’ve seen that was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture that did not deserve it at all. (The first one being Michael Clayton which was also not entertaining)
And yet again I am disgusted that American Gangster was completely over looked.

My Rating:

Didn’t Like it

Atonement, Atonement movie review, James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Michael Clayton, American Gangster, Academy Awards, movie review

Well, I’ve been in a little bit of a Mark Wahlberg phase so I’ve been watching a lot of his movies lately. I actually wanted to see Shooter when it came out in theaters but none of my friends wanted to see it with me. But that’s OK, I prefer watching movies alone anyways so I’m sure I enjoyed it more this way.

Plot summary from All Movie Guide:

A top Marine sniper who previously abandoned the military after a routine mission gave way to tragedy is double-crossed by the government after reluctantly being pressured back into service. There was a time when Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) was the best trigger-man in the military, but after growing disillusioned with the system, he disappeared without a trace. After being located at his remote mountain retreat by high-profile government officials following an extensive search, Swagger is coerced back into service in order to stop a determined assassin from taking out the President of the United States. In the process of carrying out his mission, however, Swagger suddenly realizes that he has been betrayed when he becomes the subject of a nationwide manhunt. Now wounded and desperate to reveal the culprits behind the conspiracy before it’s too late, Swagger sets into motion a revenge plan that will send shockwaves rippling to some of the most powerful and corrupt leaders in the free world.

So, I know this movie got some pretty mixed reviews but I really liked it; it was right up my alley. I’m a bit of a conspiracy buff so I loved the thriller/ conspiracy angle of the movie. Plus, it’s Mark Wahlberg in a great role giving yet another great performance. It’s a little different than some of his usual roles, but it was still Marky Mark doing what he does best; kicking ass.
Danny Glover also starred in the movie but not as the lovable father figure you’re used to seeing. He was a bad guy! Danny Glover as a bad guy? I didn’t like it. I’m not saying he didn’t do a good job but I just don’t like seeing him as the bad guy; it doesn’t fit.

This screams ‘guy movie’ but I’ve been known to enjoy a good ‘guy movie’ with the rest of them. If you haven’t seen it, would definitely say, ignore any bad reviews and sit down and watch a very entertaining action/thriller movie. It’s definitely worth watching.
And ladies, if you don’t like explosions, violence and car chases, you can at least enjoy watching Mark Wahlberg for two hours… let’s be honest here.

My Rating:

Really Liked It

Review:The Departed
Review: We Own the Night

Shooter, Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena, Danny Glover, conspiracy, movie review

I wanted to see this movie when it came out on DVD because I’m a big fan of Mark Wahlberg and it looked like the kind of movie I usually enjoy, but I ended up having mixed feeling about it.

Plot summary from imdb.com:

Brooklyn, 1988. Crime is rife, especially drugs and drug violence. A Russian thug is building his heroin trade, while everyone laughs at the cops. Brothers have chosen different paths: Joe (Mark Wahlberg) has followed his father Bert (Robert Duvall) into New York’s Finest; he’s a rising star. Bobby (Joaquin Phoenix), who uses his mother’s maiden name, manages a club. Bobby too is on the rise: he has a new girlfriend (Eva Mendez) and a green-light to develop a Manhattan club. Joe and Bert ask him to help with intelligence gathering; he declines. Then, Joe raids Bobby’s club to arrest the Russian. From there, things spiral out of control: the Russian puts out a hit on Joe, personal losses mount, and Bobby’s loyalties face the test.

Can I just start out by saying that I’ve always hated Joaquin Phoenix for some reason; I’m not really sure what it is. But I hated him much less in this movie than I normally do (I’m not saying I liked him, I’m just saying I hated him less). Same with Eva Mendez actually, she wasn’t as annoying in this movie as she normally is. But on the opposite side, I have always loved Mark Wahlberg and in this movie it was no different. He did an awesome job and I just love him.

The movie wasn’t as good as I thought it was going to be. I love this type of movie: crime, drug busts, cops, yadda, yadda, yadda, but for some reason when it was over I was just like, eh.
I thought the overall ideas of the movie were kind of a mix between The Departed and American Gangster but nowhere NEAR as good as those two movies which are two of my all-time favorites. That’s why I was a little surprised that I didn’t like it more… it had the potential to be a very good movie but for some reason it just missed the mark. It was actually kind of boring in parts which was surprising considering the subject material.
I would say that it’s worth checking out but don’t expect too much from it. Some of the performances, especially Mark Wahlberg’s, will make it worth the time.

My Rating:

It was OK

Review: American Gangster
Review: The Departed

We Own The Night, Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendez, The Departed, American Gangster, movie review

I went to see this movie because of all the Oscar hoopla and other hype it was receiving. As usual, it didn’t live up to the expectations that were set for it.

The fact that this movie was nominated for an Oscar for best picture and American Gangster wasn’t, really disgusts me.

Plot summary from imdb.com:

Michael Clayton is an in-house fixer at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach, & Ledeen’s dirtiest work at the behest of the firm’s co-founder, Marty Bach. Though burned out and hardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business venture, and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. At U/North, meanwhile, the career of litigator Karen Crowder rests on the multi-million dollar settlement of a class-action suit that Clayton’s firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. But when Kenner Bach’s brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens sabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life.

OK, this movie was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, so clearly there’s something I just don’t see. This was one of the most boring movies I’ve seen in a long time. I understand what they were trying to achieve, but for me it just didn’t work. I didn’t care about any of the characters and I was completely uninterested in the story from the beginning. I wanted it to get better, I really did, but that just never happened. The last half hour or so was tolerable because it was the climax, but other than that I was bored to tears. There were so many things going on that had nothing to do with the story and a bunch of pointless characters. I don’t know, maybe I’m not enough of a movie snob to enjoy this movie but I like movies because they’re entertaining; and this one just wasn’t.
I went to see it with a friend and she actually liked it, which I was confused about, so I know other people have different opinions about this movie. But since this is my review I suppose I’m allowed to be honest; and honestly, I would say… don’t waste your time.

My Rating:

Didn’t Like it

Michael Clayton, George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, American Gangster, Academy Awards, Oscars, movie review