I love going to movies. But I don't like to see most movies twice and I don't like to see movies I'm not interested in. So I am a picky but fervent movie goer. I've seen some movies lately. It's pretty much all I like to do anymore on ye olde date night. I don't know why I used old English just now. It had nothing to do with anything.
First of all, I don't generally like animation. I'm sick of sitting through kids' movies set in the tropic or arctic or at the zoo or with animals of any kind. Been there done that, as they say. Most of the animated kids' movies are worthless and pointless. Right now I'm living in a window of opportunity after toddlers but before grandchildren where I don't have to see those movies if I don't want to. But I did go to Cars 2 because my life insurance company gave us free tickets and full-size candy bars to attend.
Cars 2 is not good, but you can see it with your kids if you like. Let me warn you, however, that it's mostly about Mater. I didn't like Ernest, I don't like Jeff Foxworthy, and I hate Mater. Mater is dumb, embarrassing, and uninteresting. I wouldn't feel guilty or disloyal at all about blowing him off. But maybe I'm just a jerk. Also, I don't care about cars. I take that back. I like those neurotic Chevron cars who are alternately obsessive about the quality of their gas and pleasing their owners. I like those cars. I also usually like Pixar. Yes to Cars 1. YES to Toy Story 1, 2, and 3. No to Cars 2 and here's a prediction: NO to Smurfs. Want to give me a migraine? Put me in a room with Mater, Smurfette, and Katy Perry. Want to give me a seizure? Let Smurfette = Katy Perry. Oh my smurfin' frack. Who were the ad wizards who came up with that? (And I am asking as a former Kelly Temp who actually worked for a week with The Ad Wizards of Pleasant Grove, UT. )
Limitless is good. But I think I'm less objective since I found out Bradley Cooper speaks french. See it at the dollar movie with low expectations and you'll be pleasantly surprised. I was. Plus, it contains one of the sickest things I've ever seen at the end. I think Bradley Cooper can carry a whole movie. I mean, I totally love him as Voldemort.
X-Men: First Class is really great. You know I love comic book movies and even mediocre comic book movies i.e. X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Sometimes I enjoy movies that I know are not "good." But this new X-Men movie is just a great movie. It's really, really good, interesting, and well-done. Michael Fassbender. (Yes--that's a complete sentence. Don't question me--I'm a former English teacher.) I find it so curious that James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender (Dr. X and Magneto) have both played fauns. McAvoy is, of course, Mr. Tumnus and Fassbender turns into a faun in the Blind Pilot video for The Cooper Temple Clause. It's pretty rare to play a faun in the first place but to both be fauns and then to both be the X-Men patriarchs? I just think it's weird that no one is discussing what it means. What does it mean?
Of course I saw Harry Potter 7.2. I should really write a whole post about it but for now suffice it to say that it's a great movie. They did a good job with the movies and it ended well. I'm sad it's over but I like how things turned out. I recommend. Of course I recommend. Some how my life insurance company (who brought me Cars 2) got me into The Deathly Hallows Part 2 a day early and for free. I don't know where this new trend in customer service and life insurance is headed but I like it. I saw HP7.2 again the next day. Still good.
Crazy, Stupid, Love is also very good. You should know that Dan in Real Life is one of my favorite movies. Steve Carrell at his Dan-in-Real-Life best is really something to see. So is Ryan Gosling. I didn't know he was so great. I thought he was just like Ryan Reynolds--who I make negative assumptions about. Crazy, Stupid, Love is heartwarming, moving, funny, and good. Everyone is in love with the wrong person! Wackiness ensues. It reminds me of a John Hughes movie but with more grown ups. It's really good.
I still haven't seen Captain America or Cowboys and Aliens. Prediction: I will like them.
Preview preview: Batman! Sherlock Holmes sequel! Gwyneth Paltrow turns gray and dies in Contagion! Planet of the Apes! These all excite me. I love the idea of a Footloose remake but, sadly, the preview looks dumb. Also dumb but well meaning: Gary Marshall's New Year's Eve. If I wanted to see Zac Efron dance again (and I DO) I would reboot Footloose and cast him as Ren McCormack. I would normally be excited about Abduction but I can't watch a movie staring Taylor Lautner. Sorry Team Jacob, he's too cro magnum to take seriously or care about in any role in any movie at any time. But maybe I'm just a jerk.
Movies are fun.
The End. I mean, To Be Continued.
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Of all the movies you cited, I've only seen Harry Potter and Toy Story 1, 2, 3. All of which I liked. It may be a result of age, but I seem to forget movies as soon as I see them. I will get something on NetFlix and realize I've not only seen it, but we own it!! So I sort of hate to spend significant sums of money - which first run movies require. Once they are no longer first run, I can't remember that I want to see them.
ReplyDeleteIt's a problem.
Ok, just so you can brace yourself for some disappointment with Captain America; his shied is said to be made out of vibranium, not the much more sensible steel-vibranuim alloy that I have explained in a previous comment. Otherwise great movie, you'll love his origin.
ReplyDeleteWe finally saw Harry Potter yesterday and while I thought it was a great, satisfying ending to the films, I was disappointed that some elements weren't in the film. (spoiler alert!)
ReplyDeleteI wish they would have:
* shown that parts of Slytherin house joined the battle against Voldemort
* made some reference to how Snape wasn't as terrible a headmaster as he could have been (sending kids into the Forbidden Forest for punishment, for example)
* let Neville be more of a hero
* shown more of the battle sequence instead of mostly just its aftermath
* had Harry use the wand to fix his own (or at least Hogwarts) before he breaks it in half.
But still, it was a very satisfying ride.
I haven't seen any other movies. We just aren't movie-goers usually. I did hear Cars 2 was a major disappointment, especially coming from Pixar.
Glad to know about Crazy Stupid Love. I liked Captain America very much. I think you will, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm with you. So glad I don't have to go to dumb kids movies for awhile. A long while. Yeah!
Aw, now I can't watch Cars 2 since you gave it away. Bummer on that Mater spoiler. But I have a lot of catching up to do anyway. I still haven't gotten to Scott Pilgrim yet. Are you like in this time warp where you're both a speed reader and a speed watcher? For every 27 books you read, I read 1. And for every 16 new movies you watch, I see 1. I'm the person they made the disclaimer "If you see only one movie this summer" for.
ReplyDeleteBradley Cooper as Voldemort - huh?
ReplyDeleteWhat is this Limitless thing you speak of? I'm intrigued.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Midnight in Paris? I really liked that one.
I pretty much approve of every single word in this post.
True story: Zac was signed up for Footloose then backed out. What a sad missed opportunity Zac! Middle aged ladies everywhere would like to see you in a dancey movie. I speak for us all!
ReplyDeleteOkay, so much to say. I had to open another instance of your blog so I could comment effectively.
ReplyDeleteI hate Mater too. He is an embarrassing dummy. I never saw the first Cars movie and now I'm glad.
Smurfs looks like throw up to me.
Are you sure about Crazy, Stupid Love? Because I love Dan in Real Life, but it doesn't look like it will be as good as that. I have Ruthie Pigface Draper on my iTunes.
Batman, Sherlock, and Apes all look like my favorite movie.
I'm worried about the next few months of movies, if all the good ones are out so close together. November's going to be rough.
That is all.
If you haven't already, see 'Lars and the Real Girl.' You will see the genius of Ryan Gosling.
ReplyDeleteI have a weird thing for Ryan Reynolds.
ReplyDeleteHandsfull--I agree especially that they should have shown Slytherin House choosing sides.
ReplyDeleteRusty--Sorry I ruined Cars 2 for you. Oh wait. That was Pixar. Not me.
Anonymous--I have a private joke with myself where I pretend Bradley Cooper is Voldemort because he looks like Ralph Fiennes. It's really funny.
I wish Lars and the Real Girl were on Netflix Instantplay. But it's not.
And to everyone, Crazy Stupid Love is not AS good as Dan in Real life but it is similar and very good. And just slightly more trashy, which is why I compared it to John Hughes.
I approve of all messages in this post.
ReplyDelete(I like that you have clearly listed the "perfect storm" of elements in creating a migraine. Doctors should use this list to diagnose.)
Mater is kinda like the Jar Jar Binks of Cars 1 or 2. Is that too mean?
ReplyDeleteI feel embarrassed that I really liked the 4th Pirates of the Caribbean movie. It wasn’t a “good” movie, but I enjoyed the heck out of it. See? Embarrassing.
I also enjoy Bradley Cooper. And Ryan Reynolds. I'm not really embarrassed about admitting that.
It was so lovely to catch up with you last night, and now I've caught up on your blog as well. Inspiring AS ALWAYS.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we'll go see a movie this week...
Ooops. This isn't Justin Hackworth, and neither was that previous comment. It's me, his lovely wife, Amy.
ReplyDeleteLoved Crazy, Stupid Love. I went to it because of your review and LOVED it.
ReplyDeleteI was with you until Crazy Stupid Love, which had some good moments but left a bad aftertaste. Trashy, yes. Pretty people but inconsistent tone. What bugged me most was the way it presented completely inappropriate behavior as though it were quirky and charming. And to top it off, the naked photos that the supposedly nice girl takes of herself, based on the slutty girls' advice (REALLY?!) are given to an adolescent boy "to get him through high school." Seriously?!!
ReplyDeleteWas this the movie you went to after Captain America? I'm thinking you were on a high from the double dose of theater escapism. And/or the Route 44s.
But I love Dan In Real Life.
Oops -- couldn't have been that night, since this predates it. Still surprised you liked CrazyStupidLove so much.
ReplyDeleteWell, I certainly don't condone the babysitter's gift to the little boy. The movie doesn't mirror my values exactly but I did like it a lot.
ReplyDeleteI like that Steve Carrell values his marriage. I think he's a great guy.