Plot summary from Netflix:

Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway star as Emma and Liv, best friends who become worst enemies when they schedule their respective weddings on the same day. Competing for guests, venues and staff, these two bridezillas go on a ruthless rampage toward matrimony.

I was actually very entertained by this movie for some reason. It wasn’t particularly great in any way, shape or form, but for some reason I thought it was very sweet. And the relationship between the best friends (played by Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson) was very touching and I even found myself getting very emotional at some parts… (I must have been having a bad week because that’s very unlike me LOL).

But as soon as I saw Kate Hudson on screen I was like ‘What the hell happened to her face?!’ She’s not that old so I can’t believe she got a face lift but that’s really what is looked like. Her face looked very strange… it was kinda scary.

I was so happy to see Steve Howey in this movie because I love him on Reba! He is absolutely hilarious on that show. His character wasn’t really funny in the movie but I hope to see more of him soon.

Overall, I would say it is worth watching, especially if you normally like chick flicks. Not great, but entertaining in my opinion and it definitely had its moments.

My Rating:

Liked it

Review: Made of Honor
Review: 27 Dresses

Bride Wars, movie review, Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson, Steve Howey, Reba

Plot summary from Netflix:

Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the unluckiest man in Las Vegas. Looking to knock out their highest rollers, one of the last mob-run casinos in town uses Bernie as a “cooler” to defuse lucky streaks. The scheme goes along just fine until Bernie falls in love with a cocktail waitress, Natalie, (Maria Bello) who becomes his “lady luck,” much to the chagrin of the casino’s crooked director (Alec Baldwin).

Unlike the last movie I reviewed, Pride and Glory, this movie had great characters and was well executed. Bernie, played by William H. Macy, was such an interesting character. Everyone can relate to the kind of character who has everything go wrong and it makes you really feel for them. And the acting was great too, especially Alec Baldwin and William H. Macy. It had an interesting story, it was entertaining to watch. I really liked this movie.

I was very surprised to see my middle school crush, Joey Fatone from *NSYNC was in the movie! Haha! He played a lounge singer and I couldn’t believe he was in it. My teen heart was a-flutter when I saw him on screen… ahh the memories.

Anyways, back to the movie, there was something very special about the relationship between Bernie and Natalie that was very touching. It should have been a completely unrealistic match, but for some reason it worked so well and they really had a lot of chemistry. I really enjoyed watching this movie and I’m glad I finally decided to give it a chance. It’s worth watching if only to see William H. Macy, he is such a captivating actor.

My Rating:

Really Like it

The Cooler, Alec Baldwin, William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Joey Fatone, movie review

Plot summary from Netflix:

A corruption scandal fractures a family of New York City cops in this generational drama about homicide detective Ray Tierney (Edward Norton), who’s tasked with investigating a precinct run by his brother (Noah Emmerich). As if that weren’t enough, Ray’s fellow officer and best friend (Colin Farrell) may turn out to be dirty.

The movie was just OK, but it should have been great. The storyline had great potential but for some reason it was just not properly executed.

First of all, I did not connect with any of the characters and that is a biggie for me. I love when movies have great character development so you really feel for them and this movie had absolutely none. I didn’t even know who some of the main characters were and how they were all related until half way through the movie which is ridiculous.

I thought it had some pretty good acting but I did not like Edward Norton for the character he played… that was a strange casting choice. He doesn’t scream “rough street cop” to me, he seems too small and scrawny. I don’t know.

In the end I’m glad I watched it but it reminded me a lot of We Own the Night. They had a lot of similarities and they both should have been a great cop movies and they both fell short. I can’t exactly pinpoint what was wrong with this movie but the biggest thing that sticks out is the lack of character development which led to me not really caring about what was going on as much as I could have.

My Rating:

Just So-So

Review: We Own the Night

Pride and Glory, movie review, Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, cop drama

Plot summary from Netflix:

Newly stationed in Jordan, idealistic CIA agent Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) teams up with veteran operative Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the head of Jordanian intelligence (Mark Strong) to infiltrate an underground network of terrorists and locate a criminal mastermind. Based on the best-selling novel by David Ignatius and directed by Ridley Scott, this suspenseful spy thriller features top-rate performances and explosive action sequences.

I usually don’t like movies that take place in the Middle East and have to do with terrorism because that’s what you hear about so much in the news the last thing you wanna do it go to the movies when you want to relax and hear about it again. Plus, usually I find them to be boring, confusing, too political and just… blah. But I ended up liking this movie and I felt it had a strong plot to keep my interest throughout the whole movie and entertain me even though it was such an involved and sometimes confusing storyline. (At least to me, I try not to think too much during movies if I don’t have to, but this time I didn’t mind thinking so much because it was interesting and suspenseful.)

Needless to say, the acting was great. With Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio you are rarely disappointed in their performances. Although since I have seen every single movie both of them have ever been in I can tell you there have been a few duds between them. Wow, that sounds very pathetic that I’ve stalked them like that but… that’s what obsession will do to you and they have both been victims of my obsessions at some point.

My Rating:

I Liked it

Body of Lies, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio, movie review

Plot summary from Netflix:

Mark Wahlberg stars as the title character of this gritty crime thriller, centered on an undercover New York City DEA agent who teams up with a female assassin (Mila Kunis) to avenge the murder of his family. With supporting performances by Beau Bridges, Ludacris, Chris O’Donnell and Donal Logue.

I guess I should start off by saying I do not play video games. I’ve heard this movie is based on a video game but I’ve never heard of the game or seen the game so I’m sure hardcore gamers will have a very different and more passionate review for this movie. But, I’m just gonna pretend it’s not based on a video game because… I can.

I have to say, this was one of the weirdest movies I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t know why, I just walked out of the theater thinking ‘Holy crap that was weird’. It had a very unique, strange feel to the whole movie.

Saying all that though, I did like the movie. There were some really awesome slow motion action scenes that were so cool to see. I thought it had a very original (albeit strange) plot line and the special effects were pretty cool.

Mila Kunis was kind of a weird casting choice but I didn’t hate her. Marky Mark did an awesome job as usual. And hopefully he is sticking to these types of characters once and for all. Please?

I would say it’s definitely worth the watch. I went with my Dad and he liked it too. It was kind of a man movie I guess.

My Rating:

Liked it

Review: Shooter
Review: We Own the Night

Max Payne, movie review, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Ludacris, Beau Bridges, Chris O’Donnell

Plot summary from Netflix:

This dramatic thriller from director Neil LaBute follows Chris and Lisa Mattson (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) as they settle into their Los Angeles dream house — only to be harassed by their off-kilter cop neighbor, officer Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson). Turner disapproves of the couple’s interracial relationship and is determined to drive them away, but as the harassment turns violent, the newlyweds have no choice but to fight back.

OK, I did not like this movie. My friend that I went with really liked it so, who knows? I guess that’s why everyone’s entitled to their own opinion… whatever.

The plot of the movie was eh, OK. Samuel L. Jackson was mildly entertaining and the only actor in the movie that wasn’t completely worthless. He definitely played the role of the neighbor from hell!

My number one complaint about this movie… I don’t know who Kerry Washington is but she is THE WORST actress I have ever seen in my life. She was just terrible. It distracted me so much from the movie because I was just waiting for her next crappy line. Speaking of crappy lines, the dialogue was horrible too. It was so forced and unrealistic I wanted to slap people.

The main actors that played the interracial couple had absolutely no chemistry whatsoever. I want to think that the main guy, Patrick Wilson, could be a good actor but his “wife” was so bad it brought him down… I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt.
And then there was all this weird racial tension… it was all too much for me.

But hey, what do I know because as I was walking out of the theater in disgust, my friend said (and I quote) “That was a really good movie”. So again, who am I to judge? Oh wait, this is my blog so my opinion is the only one that matters here.

My Rating:

Didn’t Like it

Review: Righteous Kill
Review: Boomtown: Season One

Lakeview Terrace, movie review, Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington, Patrick Wilson

Plot summary from Netflix:

Academy Award winners Robert De Niro and Al Pacino star in this taut thriller as a pair of New York City detectives tasked with investigating a rash of vigilante killings linked to a case years ago, suggesting they may have put an innocent man behind bars. John Leguizamo, Carla Gugino, Brian Dennehy, Donnie Wahlberg and rapper-turned-actor 50 Cent also star in this crime drama directed by Jon Avnet.

I was a little worried that De Niro and Pacino were too old and I was curious to see if they still had “it”. I realized that De Niro is pretty much the same as always he just looks older but Pacino, I’m afraid he’s done. He was actually one the things I did not like about this movie. After seeing 88 Minutes and then Righteous Kill, I’ve officially decided that Al Pacino should retire. It’s not that he was terrible, it’s just that he’s done. I can’t explain it, but I’m pretty sure his crazy hair is a part of the reason.

Of course, my man Donnie Wahlberg was great as always as well as his partner John Leguizamo. Donnie is always great as a detective, but I hope in the future we get to see him in a different role because he really is a great actor! As opposed to 50 Cent who is not a good actor… he was not very impressive.

I thought the story was good. I was definitely entertained but it wasn’t the greatest movie in the world. There was a big twist at the end but it was kinda predictable. I personally like to just watch the movie and not think about it so I can be surprised, but I can see how someone would have figured it out pretty easily.

But, saying all that, I think it’s definitely worth watching. I enjoyed it, I always love a good cop movie. If there’s a badge and a gun, I’m there! And of course, Donnie Wahlberg is amazing.

My Rating:

I Liked it

Review: Boomtown: Season One
Review: 88 Minutes

Righteous Kill, movie review, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Donnie Wahlberg, John Leguizamo, Carla Gugino, 50 Cent

Plot Summary from Netflix:

Jack Gramm (Al Pacino), college professor and occasional forensic shrink for the FBI, in a race against time. When Gramm receives a mysterious phone call telling him he has exactly 88 minutes left to live, can he track down his would-be killer before the clock runs out?

I have mixed thoughts about this movie. In some ways it was an enjoyable thriller (although nothing special). But other things really bothered me about it. I’ll start with the good. First of all, I was pleasantly surprised to see Neal McDonough in it (who plays David McNorris in my favorite TV show ever: Boomtown) and I thought he did a great job. He’s good at being creepy.
But, the other actors in it were strangely cast, in my opinion. Al Pacino did a good job I guess but there was nothing special about it at all. And Leelee Sobieski was just bad. I always had mixed thoughts about whether I liked her or not, well, now I realized I don’t like her; especially in this movie. She was just really irritating to me.

The movie also seemed really choatic to me… and not in a good way. I can’t really explain it but the movie just did not flow properly to me. I’m glad that I finally watched it, but now I see why people gave it a bad review. Although it wasn’t as bad as they said, when you see Al Pacino, you expect more than they gave you.

My Review:

Just So-So

88 Minutes, Al Pacino, Neal McDonough, Leelee Sobieski, movie review, Boomtown

Plot Summary from Netflix:

With chaos tearing her marriage and family apart, Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) takes a weekend caretaker job at her friend’s coastal North Carolina inn. When a storm hits, stranding the inn’s only guest, Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere), Adrienne’s life changes forever. As the storm rages outside, Adrienne connects with Flanner, who came to the Rodanthe retreat to escape his own personal crisis. James Franco co-stars in this romantic drama.

Like, I said, I read the book a couple years ago and it was one of my least favorite Nicholas Sparks books. And yes, I have read all of his books… they’re addicting. So right off the bat I was VERY surprised when I heard they were making Nights in Rodanthe into a movie. Why not The Guardian? Why not The Rescue? Why not A Bend in the Road at least!?
Anyways, nobody called me and asked me my opinion on the matter so Nights in Rodanthe it was.

I thought the movie was a little more lame and boring than the book. Overall, I guess they did a good adaptation of the book but it just isn’t that interesting of a story (at least in my mind).

I will say one good thing about the movie: they did a good job casting the main roles. I thought Diane Lane and Richard Gere were a pretty accurate depiction for how I pictured the characters in the book. Also the scenery was really gorgeous, that inn was unbelievable.

So my overall opinion, it was kinda slow and boring, VERY sappy and dramatic, and even a bit corny and contrived. But if you read the book I suppose it’s worth a watch… but wait until it comes out on DVD. Let’s get one thing perfectly clear here: Don’t expect it to be as good as The Notebook!

My Rating:

Didn’t Like it

Review: Made of Honor
Review: 27 Dresses

Nights in Rodanthe, movie review, Diane Lane, Richard Gere, James Franco, Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook, The Rescue, The Guardian, A Bend in the Road

Plot summary from Netflix:

It’s Election Day, and the eyes of the nation have fallen on one beer-swigging couch potato named Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner), who, through no fault of his own, finds himself in the position of being able to single-handedly choose the next American president. Kelsey Grammer, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez and Dennis Hopper also star in this political satire.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad movie… but it wasn’t great. I will say Kevin Costner used to be quite the hottie in his day. Now, eventhough age is catching up with him, he still has some good lookin left in him. There’s just something about him that is so likeable. So for me, he really made me like his character. Stanley Tucci was awesome, as usual. I’ve never seen him in a role where I didn’t love him. And the girl who played Kevin Costner’s daughter, I thought, did a good job.

I thought the movie was enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. The thing I really liked about the movie is that is was not slanted right wing or left wing; it was very fair (in my opinion). It would have made for a really awkward and uncomfortable movie if they had chosen sides because we all know that politics is a touchy subject. So, I thought they did a really good job of staying neutral.

Overall, it was a cute movie to see, especially now during all the hoopla going on around election time. It was funny in parts, emotional and sad in parts, and a non-offensive, light-hearted look at the political process in America.

My Rating:

It was OK

Swing Vote, movie review, Kevin Costner, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nathan Lane, George Lopez, Dennis Hopper