Charming and Romantic

After watching two bad movies in a row, it was refreshing to watch Anjaana Anjaani (Male Stranger, Female Stranger), a Bollywood movie starring Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. The film has been written and directed by Siddharth Anand, whose directorial ventures include Salaam Namaste, Ta Ra Rum Pum, and Bachna Ae Haseeno. The plot revolves around Aakash (Kapoor) and Kiara (Chopra), who meet when both of them are attempting to commit suicide. After several failed suicide attempts, they decide to live life to the fullest for 20 more days. Why do they want to commit suicide so desperately? Will they be successful in their attempt to commit suicide together again after 20 days or will they find a reason to live? Watch and find out.



I really enjoyed the film as it was charming and romantic. The plot was fresh and interesting and the screenplay was well-written. The soundtrack by Vishal-Shekhar was also fun and melodious. Kapoor and Chopra had great onscreen chemistry and performed their roles well. I highly recommend this movie to all Bollywood movie lovers; go check it out on DVD.

Unusual Romantic Comedy

Written, directed, and produced by James L. Brooks, How Do You Know revolves around a softball player, Lisa Jorgenson (Reese Witherspoon), who gets kicked off her team as she crosses the age of 30. Her boyfriend is a baseball player, Matty Reynolds (Owen Wilson), who is a peculiar man. She befriends a corporate executive, George Madison (Paul Rudd), who is being indicted for fraudulent financial reporting to the SEC and finds himself falling in love with her. Will George be able to save himself from the criminal charges? Will he be able to win Lisa's heart? Watch and find out.



I appreciated that this film was not a stereotypical romantic comedy. The movie did not have the typical romantic dialogues - the romance was shown more with actions than words, which was refreshing. But I didn't like it as much because the plot was unusual and it seemed to be missing something. I would have liked to see more romance between the leading characters. I don't know if it was Owen Wilson himself or his character that was annoying - I am just so tired of seeing him doing the same type of roles again and again. On the other hand, Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon were charming as usual.

I wouldn't recommend wasting $12 on this movie. Just wait for the DVD or skip the film all together; believe me you won't be missing much.

Extremely Disappointing!

Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts is based on Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir titled "Eat Pray Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia." This is the story of Gilbert, who had everything a woman dreams of: a house, a husband, and a successful career but was lost and confused, causing her to be unhappy, and therefore, decided to get divorced. After her divorce, she developed a relationship with an actor, but was still searching to find herself and therefore, ended that relationship as well. In order to find herself, she decided to travel for a year to eat fine foods in Italy, to pray and get in touch with her spiritual side in India, and to find inner peace and love in Bali.



I have not read the memoir so I am not sure how close the movie is to the book. Nonetheless, director Ryan Murphy delivered an extremely disappointing, slow, and boring film that fails to captivate the audience. I am so glad I didn't waste $12 on this one by watching it in the theater. If you haven't seen it yet in the theater or on DVD, don't bother as it is a sheer waste of time.

Yet Another One Based on a Book!

Based on Ben Sherwood's fictional novel, The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud, the romantic drama film Charlie St. Cloud stars Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, and Amanda Crew as the leading cast. Directed by Burr Steers, this film tells the moving story of Charlie St. Cloud, who has to choose between keeping a promise to his dead brother or to go after the woman he loves. Watch and find out what choice he ends up making.

This movie is not only about grief and dealing with the loss of someone you love but also about second chances. Even though Charlie's brother dies in the car  accident, he survives and gets a second chance at life. It takes him a long time to realize why he was given a second chance at life. Watch and find out why.



Not at all depressing, this is a touching and well made film about the strong bond of love between two brothers. Efron did a really good job of portraying the lead role of Charlie St. Cloud. I highly recommend this movie for those of you who didn't see it in the theaters. Go check out the DVD.

Dark and Creepy

Black Swan is a psychological thriller about a ballerina, Nina, who is selected to play the lead roles of the innocent White Swan and the seductive Black Swan in the ballet production of Swan Lake. The undue pressure and stress to perfect the portrayal of these roles lead her to get in touch with her dark side and to hallucinate, which proves to be quite dangerous and self destructive for her.



Except for Natalie Portman's commendable and award-worthy performance in the lead role of Nina, this film is just as dark and creepy as it appears to be in the trailer. I would not recommend wasting $12 on this one, just wait for the DVD to come out or avoid it completely unless you like watching disturbing sexual content. Director Darren Aronofsky, I want my money back!

Formulaic But Charming

Why is every other movie releasing these days based on a book? Are screenwriters in Hollywood running out of original ideas?

The latest flick based on a non-fiction novel, Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman written by Jamie Reidy, is Love and Other Drugs directed by Edward Zwick, who also directed Legends of the Fall and The Last Samurai. The plot revolves around Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Maggie Murdock (Anne Hathaway). Jamie is a pharmaceutical salesman, who works for the pharmaceutical compnay, Pfizer. His professional life takes a boost when Pfizer develops Viagra and his love life takes a boost when he meets Maggie at a doctor's office. However, how will any romantic comedy be complete without conflict between the two main characters?

Every rom-com has the same formulaic plot whereby boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, a conflict between boy and girl causes drama, boy and girl resolve conflict and live happily ever after. So what conflict will cause drama in Jamie and Maggie's love life? Will they be able to resolve this conflict and live happily ever after? Watch and find out.



Gyllenhaal is extremely sexy and adorable in the movie and shares great onscreen chemistry with Hathaway, who gives a remarkable performance. Josh Gad, who plays the role of Jamie's brother, Josh Randall, is extremely funny.

Apart for the nudity, which was a little too much for my taste, I enjoyed the film because it was charming, funny, and romantic as every rom-com should rightfully be. I recommend it for all rom-com lovers. So don't wait for the DVD to come out, go spend $9 or $12 and watch it.

Different Yet Uninteresting

Based on Aron Ralston's autobiography, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Danny Boyle's latest directorial venture, 127 hours depicts the real-life incident in 2003 in which Ralston, while on a hiking trip, got trapped in Blue John Canyon in Utah for five days because his right arm was pinned against the canyon wall by a rock. As those of you familiar with the incident may know, he eventually had to cut his arm off in order to survive and get out of the canyon.



The only reason to watch this movie is James Franco's remarkable performance as Ralston. Other than that, I don't think the film has much to offer. It is no doubt different than usual cliche and formulaic plots but that's only because it's based on an unusual real life incident and just because it's "different" doesn't mean it's interesting. Watching a guy struggle to free his arm that is pinned by a rock is not exactly my idea of a "fun" movie night. Some may find this film inspirational as it is about survival in the toughest of times; others may be discouraged to ever go hiking or mountain climbing again. The moral of the story is: don't go on a dangerous adventure without telling someone close your whereabouts.

If you don't watch this film, I don't think you will be missing much. However, since professional critics seemed to be raving about it as it is "different", I think it might get nominated for Oscars. So if you wish to watch a potential Oscar nominated film, watch it on DVD or spend $9 on a matinee show. It's definitely not worth spending $12 on.

Strong Lead Performance Fails to Overcome Stale Plot

Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks star in The Next Three Days, a thriller directed by Paul Haggis and a remake of the 2007 French film, Pour Elle (Anything for Her). Professor John Brennan's (Crowe) life is turned upside down when his wife, Lara Brennan (Banks) is convicted of murder. All his appeals are denied and the chances of his wife being set free seem bleak. So he takes matters into his own hands and devises a plan to help his wife escape prison. Will John be successful in reuniting his family or will he and his wife get caught during their escape? Watch and find out.



I was intrigued when I saw the trailer. However, I feel like most of the movie was shown in the trailer and there was not much new in the film except the ending. I am not a huge fan of Russell Crowe but he is no doubt a brilliant actor as he once again proves in this film.

Overall, the movie was not as good as I had expected it to be because it didn't seem fresh and had nothing new or exciting to offer. But it does make one think: what kind of message is this film trying to convey? That it is ok to break the law? Or that our legal system is flawed because innocent people are convicted of crimes, which forces people like John Brennan to take matters into their own hands?

Just wait for the DVD to come out; this film is not worth spending $12 on.

You better check yourself before you wreck yourself!

Todd Phillips, the director of the brilliant 2009 comedy The Hangover that won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, is back with his latest directorial venture, Due Date, starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The story revolves around Peter Highman (Downey) who has to reach LA so he can be present at the birth of his first child with his wife, Sarah (Michelle Monaghan). However, due to an argument with Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis), they are both kicked off the plane and end up taking a road trip together to LA. The plot progresses with the various mishaps the duo experiences during the trip caused by Ethan's unusual and annoying behavior. Will Peter be able to reach LA in time for the childbirth? Watch and find out.



This film has its funny moments but it's no Hangover. I expected a much funnier film from Phillips after the comedic genius he brought to us in 2009. The main highlight of the film is the pairing of Downey and Galifiankis, who have perfect comedic timing. Downey is quite believable as the headstrong and short-tempered architect and so is Galifiankis as the weird struggling actor. I think the first half of the film is strong but the second half especially the ending is disappointing due to a weak script.

I recommend that you wait for this movie to come out on DVD. But if you are really eager to see it, go watch a matinee show and don't spend $12.

One Word: Sexy!

Christina Aguilera seems to have faded in the background with the rise of musical stars like Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Rihanna, and Katy Perry. But ladies and gentleman, Aguilera is surely back with a bang! In her first feature film Burlesque, Aguilera plays the role of Ali Rose, a small town girl who moves to LA to fulfill her dreams of becoming a musical performer. Due to her persistence and determination, she lands a waitress job at a club called Burlesque, owned by Tess (Cher), which is in financial trouble. Keen to become a stage performer at the club, Ali convinces Tess to give her a chance and soon becomes the lead performer due to her amazing voice. Will Ali as the new voice of Burlesque be able to save the club from its financial doom? Watch and find out.



The storyline may not be fresh but this musical is still very captivating mainly because of the sexy musical performances and amazing choreography. Cher and Aguilera's strong lead performances are well complemented by the supporting cast including Stanley Tucci as Sean, Tess's confidante and stage manager, Eric Dane as Marcus, a charming businessman who wants to buy the club, Kristen Bell as Nikki, the lead performer at Burlesque before her jealousy causes her downfall, and Cam Gigandet as Jack, a handsome waiter at the club and Ali's love interest. Hats off to Steve Antin for writing and directing such a sexy film!

I usually don't like English musicals but I was intrigued by the trailer and it was $9 surely well-spent. I highly recommend that you watch this charming musical and make your holiday weekend even more fun!

A Visual Treat

The much awaited Part I in the seventh and final saga of the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is finally here. Unlike the last movie based on the sixth installment in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which was very disappointing, this movie will be quite a treat for all the HP series fans. Directed by David Yates, who also directed the fifth (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and sixth film, this film is visually excellent with impeccable special effects.



I have not read the books (only seen the movies) but I hear from those who have read the series that this film is very close the book, which I am sure will make the fans very happy. The movie was really captivating and therefore, I didn't even notice that it was two and half hours long and wanted to see more. For a moment I forgot that it was only Part I and was quite sad when the closing credits rolled because now I have to wait seven and half months to watch how the series ends.

The only disappointing part for me in the film was that Hermoine and Ron have yet to profess their so-obvious love for each other and kiss. I hope I will not be disappointed yet again in Part II, which releases on July 15, 2011.

The Facebook Obsession

After seeing the movie, The Social Network, I was inspired to read the book behind the movie, The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal written by Ben Mezrich. Then a friend recommended The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World written by David Kirkpatrick as it is claimed to be a truer account of how Facebook was founded.

After having read The Accidental Billionaires, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I was intrigued to read The Facebook Effect, just to see how the two books and accounts of the founding of this social phenomenon were different. I think the main difference between the two accounts is that The Accidental Billionaires is mainly from the point of view of Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook, because Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, declined to speak to Mezrich for his book. However, The Facebook Effect is from the point of view of Zuckerberg and other co-founders, employees, and individuals involved with Facebook as Kirkpatrick was able to interview these people for his book. There are some similarities but also some differences in Saverin vs. Zuckerberg's points of view. For example, The Accidental Billionaires implies that Zuckerberg did not invest any of his own money into the founding of Facebook, whereas The Facebook Effect implies that he did invest his own and his parents' money into this startup.

At first, I thought I wouldn't enjoy reading Kirkpatrick's book because it was written in an expository style, whereas I prefer the narrative style which Mezrich used. However, I got more and more fascinated as I read The Facebook Effect because it not only informs the readers how Facebook was founded but also goes into more detail, unlike The Accidental Billionaires, about how all the features of this social networking site came about and how this small internet startup became a huge private company. Kirkpatrick also talks about how this site created by a few students at Harvard has impacted the ways of communication and how it continues to have a profound global impact.

I was fascinated immensely by both books because I live and breathe Facebook every day. As I am sure most of you are too, I am obsessed with Facebook and check it multiple times a day, especially now that it is so easy to get connected with my smart phone. Why are we so obsessed with Facebook? Why is there such a need to stay connected at all times? It is kind of sad but people hardly talk on the phone anymore; the main forms of communication today are either texting or using Facebook. Today, hardly anyone individually informs you if they have something important to share such as finding a new boyfriend, getting married, becoming pregnant, buying a house, or getting a new job. They just "update" their Facebook status or "update" their relationship status on Facebook to announce the news to their friends instantaneously. It has become quite a trend to "stalk" your friends on Facebook to keep up with what's happening in their lives. I actually get most of my news such as which celebrity passed away or which celebrity couple got married through Facebook rather than actually reading it on a website or a newspaper.

Since Facebook has become such an important of our daily lives, I highly recommend both books for all users. I hope you enjoy both of them as much as I did. Happy reading!

Funny and Refreshing

Morning Glory is the story of Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams), an executive producer, who gets a job at the television network, ibs, and is given the formidable task to increase the ratings of their failing morning show, Daybreak. Will she be able to save the show? Watch and find out.



Directed by Roger Michell, the movie was fresh and captivating. McAdams looked beautiful as always and was quite convincing as Fuller, whose life revolves around her job. Harrison Ford was also quite convincing as the stubborn and arrogant anchor, Mike Pomeroy. Diane Keaton as Pomeroy's co-anchor, Colleen Peck, and Patrick Wilson, as Fuller's love interest, Adam Bennett, were also quite charming.

I really enjoyed the movie because it was funny, different, and refreshing because of the well-written script by Aline Brosh McKenna. It's worth spending $12 bucks on, so don't wait for the DVD and go watch it in the theaters.

Yet Another Disappointing Romantic Comedy

In the recent DVD release, Just Wright, Queen Latifah plays the role of a physical therapist, Leslie Wright, who has an unexpected encounter with Scott McKnight (Common), the star player for the NJ basketball team, The Nets. Soon after the encounter, he develops a romantic relationship with her friend, Morgan (Paula Patton), who has always wanted to be a NBA trophy wife. When Scott's basketball career is threatened due to a severe knee injury, Morgan leaves him. Meanwhile, Leslie helps him recover and get back into the game. During this time, romantic sparks fly between Leslie and Scott; however, Morgan returns.



Will Leslie and Scott be together or will Scott leave Leslie high and dry for the manipulative Morgan?  You can probably guess the answer if you are familiar with the pattern of a romantic comedy. If you can't guess, knowing the answer is not even worth it because this film was such a disappointment mainly due to Common's weak acting skills and the lack of onscreen chemistry between him and Queen Latifah. The trailer pretty much gives the story away and the actual movie doesn't really add too much else.

I am glad I didn't waste $12 on this film and hope you didn't either. If you added it on your Netflix queue, do yourself a favor and remove it.

ONLY CHICK FLICK LOVERS ALLOWED

Life As We Know It is the new Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel flick directed by Greg Berlanti, the writer and producer of the TV series, Dawson's Creek, Everwood and Brothers & Sisters. The plot revolves around Holly Berenson (Heigl) and Eric Messer (Duhamel), who cannot stand each other but have to live in the same house while taking care of their goddaughter, Sophie, whose parents died in a car accident and named them her guardians in their will. Will they be able to take care of Sophie without driving each other nuts? How will their lives change when they take on the responsibility of parenting Sophie? Watch and find out.



According to Rotten Tomatoes, this film has a "formulaic plot and poorly written script." I agree that the movie had a "formulaic plot" but then again most romantic comedies do - girl and boy don't like each each other but eventually fall in love after spending time with each other. With romantic comedies, you have to keep your expectations really low and then you will not be disappointed. So I didn't mind the "formulaic plot" and liked the twist with the introduction of a baby into the mix.

This light-hearted fun film was a pleasant to watch because of  the lead actors, who gave good performances and had great on-screen chemistry. Duhamel looked extremely HOT in the movie and Heigl looked really pretty. I don't think the script was poorly written, it actually painted quite a true picture of how one's life changes with the presence of a baby. I think families especially couples who recently had babies will be able to relate to the film.

I recommend this movie to all chick flick lovers.

"You are not an asshole, you are just trying so hard to be one."

A story idea, whether original or an adaptation, could turn into a crappy movie if it is not executed well. That was certainly not the case with The Social Network, the recently released film about the founding of Facebook based on the non-fictional novel, "The Accidental Billionaires," written by Ben Mezrich. 

A well-adapted screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and the genius of director David Fincher surely made this movie a pleasure to watch. Editing is such a crucial part of the film-making process - it could make or break a movie. The technique of switching between the past and the present has been used before but it was executed so well by editors, Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, by going back and forth between the law suits and the events that led to the law suits against Mark Zuckerburg, the Harvard student who founded Facebook. 

The supporting cast includes the good looking Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and Zuckerberg's best friend and the hot Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, the founder of Napster and Zuckerberg's mentor, in addition to Armie Hammer as Cameron Winklevoss/ Tyler Winklevoss and Max Minghella as Divya Narendra, the three Harvard students, who claimed that Zuckerberg stole their idea by inventing Facebook. All of these actors gave excellent performances but Jesse Eisenberg no doubt stole the show as the socially awkward but brilliant programmer, Zuckerberg, who invented this social phenomenon to become a somebody rather than remain a nobody all his life. 

If you are not Facebook by now, I must ask - which rock have you been hiding under!? However, regardless of whether you are on Facebook or not, go check out this impeccable movie and find out why you should never piss off computer geeks! It will surely be $12 well-spent. 

This film has some fictional aspects as outlined in the article at http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/10/04/the-social-network-fact-vs-fiction.  

Another interesting fact about the movie that I suspected: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Armie-Hammer-Didn-t-Play-Both-Winklevoss-Twins-In-The-Social-Network-20994.html

Boring and Overly Complicated

I was really looking forward to watching Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps because I am a huge Shia LaBeouf fan. I have watched him grow into quite a handsome young man since his days as the star of Disney Channel's Even Stevens. However, the sequel unfortunately did not measure up to my expectations. It was really disappointing as compared to the original 1987 film.

With the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis, the story mainly revolves around Jacob Moore, a young Wall Street trader, who is engaged to Gordon Gekko's daughter, Winnie, and seeks help from Gekko to avenge the suicide of his mentor from the villain, Bretton James, in exchange for helping him reconcile things with his estranged daughter.



Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf decently portrayed the roles of Gordon Gekko and Jacob Moore. Carey Mulligan failed to change her British accent into an American accent for the role of Winnie Gekko as there were still traces of her British accent throughout the movie. The highlight of the movie was Josh Brolin, who played the role of Bretton James.

This sequel is not even worth watching on DVD, let alone wasting $12 in the theater due to a weak, boring, and overcomplicated plot.

Fresh and Riveting

Not having seen a good movie since Inception, it was refreshing to watch Easy A, a fun and entertaining high school romantic comedy directed by Will Gluck. This film was fresh and loosely inspired by the novel, The Scarlett Letter. The well-written script by Bert V. Royal tells the story of a high school girl, Olive Penderghast, who pretends to be promiscuous, when a lie about losing her virginity turns into a rumor that spreads like wildfire. Will Olive ever gain her reputation back? Watch and find out.



Except for the unrealistic and unusual behavior of Olive's parents, this movie was quite riveting and painted quite a realistic picture of the high school world. Emma Stone portrayed the main character in a remarkable fashion. I highly recommend watching this light-hearted comedy in the theater.

Critically Acclaimed Movie Fails to Impress

The latest bank robbery flick, The Town, co-written and directed by Ben Affleck, is based on Chuck Hogan's novel, Prince of Thieves. The story revolves around Doug MacRay, played by Affleck, and James Coughlin, played by Jeremy Renner, who rob banks with two other friends. During one of their robberies, they take the bank manager, Claire Keesey, played by Rebecca Hall, hostage. After the robbery, Doug, intending to keep an eye on Claire, so she wouldn't expose them to the FBI, starts dating her. Will Claire ever find out Doug's true identity? Will the FBI ever catch the robbers? This forms the main crux of the movie.



This film was not as good as it was hyped up to be as it was unnecessarily long. Affleck's direction was commendable; however, the overall film failed to impress due to a poorly written script. There were some parts of the movie that did not make any sense. For example, how did Claire not recognize Doug's voice, and realize that he was one of the robbers?

Except for good action sequences, there was nothing fresh about this flick. Renner and Jon Hamm, who played the role of an FBI agent, gave the most impressive performances in the movie. However, don't waste $12; wait for the DVD to come out.

The Most Unexpected Comedy Ever Conceived

Yes, that's right because The Switch is NOT a comedy!!! Talk about false advertising! This latest Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman flick is more depressing than funny.

I think the concept of the movie was interesting, whereby a woman wants to get pregnant through artifical insemination and her best friend who is in love switches the donor's semen with his own. However, the script was poorly written and the story was not told in a very interesting fashion.



Bateman's character was depressing and it just seemed that Aniston's heart was not in the movie. There was absolutely no onscreen chemistry between them. Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, and Juliette Lewis, who played the donor, Bateman's friend, and Aniston's friend, respectively, were just plain annoying.

So if you have already watched this movie, I feel bad for your waste of money. And if you haven't watched, I suggest waiting for the DVD to come out. Just don't expect to laugh as the slogan implies.

Not a "WOW" movie!

Salt never interested me because I am not a fan of Angelina Jolie. Why you ask? Do I really need to answer that question? Why do you think? Yes, because I am a loyal Jennifer Aniston fan, that’s why! But when you get a chance to watch something for free and then write about it, why would you say No?

So the movie is a typical action/ spy thriller. The story revolves around Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent, who is accused of being a Russian spy. Is she innocent or is she an actual spy? This question forms the main crux of the story.



The story has interesting twists but nothing out of the ordinary. The ending was abrupt but could just be an indication of a sequel.

The film has good action sequences and Jolie does some impressive stunts. The editing by Stuart Baird and John Gilroy is also good – I like how they show flashbacks in between to help the viewers better understand the story.

Overall, the movie is entertaining but it is definitely not a “WOW” film like Inception and that is why Inception is still #1 at the box office.

Was that a Dream or Reality?

That's what you will be saying when you walk out the theater after watching the latest Leo DiCaprio flick, Inception. This was my most-anticipated movie of the month and it definitely exceeded my expectations. After a streak of bad and disappointing movies, it was refreshing to see one of the most amazing films I have ever seen. 

The story of Inception mainly revolves around Cobb, played by DiCaprio, and Arthur, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who are able to enter into people's dreams through a technological device and steal secrets from their dreams. Cobb and Arthur are hired by Saito, played by Ken Watanbe, to perform "inception" - the act of planting an idea or thought into a person's mind by making it seem that the idea or thought came from the person's own subconscious. The target for inception is Robert Fischer, Jr., played by Cilian Murphy, the son of Saito's corporate rival. In order to perform this task, Cobb hires Eames (Tom Hardy), who can transform his identity in a dream, Ariadne (Ellen Page), an architect to construct the dream world, and Yusuf (Dileep Rao), a chemist who develops compounds to help them enter into the dream state that would help achieve the goal of the mission. What idea does Saito wish to plant into Fischer's mind? How does Cobb and his team perform the inception? Are they successful in their mission? Watch the film to find out. 

I absolutely loved this movie because the concept of the story was original and unique and the execution of the film was impeccable. Hats off to Director Christopher Nolan, who also directed Dark Knight and Prestige, for coming up with such an interesting concept and transforming it into such a well-written script. The special effects in the film are astounding and each dream sequence seems so real. Editing and cinematography are so crucial and can make or break a movie. Therefore, it is no surprise that the editing by Lee Smith and cinematography by Wally Pfister is remarkable. The main cast of this motion picture especially DiCaprio, Page, Gordon-Levitt, and Hardy deserve an applause because each actor did an amazing job and was quite well-suited for each role. 

The only disappointing part of the film was it's similarity with DiCaprio's last flick, Shutter Island. In Shutter Island, DiCaprio's character is haunted by his dead wife's ghost because he killed her. Similarly, in Inception, Cobb is haunted by the visions of his dead wife, Mal, played by Marion Cotillard, while he is in a dream world because he feels guilty and responsible for her death. How does she die? Is he really responsible for her death? Will he ever be able to get over the guilt or will he continue to be haunted by her visions? Go watch the movie to find out this important aspect of the story. 

Do NOT wait for the DVD to come out. Go spend $12 as this film is a must-watch! Believe me, you will not regret it. It is sad that such good films are few and far between. I wish such movies that really make you think were made more often! 

Copy Cats!

And Bollywood does it again - copy a Hollywood movie and do such a bad job of it! I mean if you are going to do such a bad job, why even bother? Why ruin the original movie for the those who loved it?

Director Satish Kaushik totally ruined Serendipity, which is one of my all time favorite Hollywood movies, by making a really bad Bollywood version of it in the form of Milenge Milenge (We Will Meet) starring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor.

As is obvious, the movie was shot a long time ago because Kareena and Shahid look completely different now. According to Wikipedia, the cast began shooting the film in 2004 but due to financial and casting issues, the release of the film was delayed until 2010. 

I can't even begin to explain how bad the movie was! Shahid and Kareena had such good on-screen chemistry in Jab We Met but unfortunately in this new venture, they had absolutely none. Their romantic interactions seemed forced. The film was poorly scripted even though it was inspired by such a well-written and well-made 2001 Hollywood romantic comedy. The makeup, hair styles, and costumes were awful. Bad acting and bad direction lead to a box office disaster and that is why even on a Saturday night, the theater was completely empty. The music by Himesh Reshammiya was terrible especially the song, Kuch Tu Baake Hai (Something remains), he sings himself in his nasal voice. 

In conclusion, this film is an utter waste of time and money. Producer Boney Kapoor, I want my money back! 

Only Twi-Hards Allowed!

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third installment in the Twilight series, finally comes to the big screen for the impatiently waiting Twi-hards. For those of you who don't know, each of the Twilight movies were directed by different directors: Twilight was directed by Catherine Hardwicke, New Moon was directed by Chris Weitz, and Eclipse was directed by David Slade. The fourth installment - Breaking Dawn will be split into two parts to be released in 2011 and 2012, both of which will be directed by Bill Condon.  

Of the three released so far, New Moon was by far the best. I don't think Hardwicke did justice to the book in Twilight and the look of the movie was dark and depressing. New Moon, on the other hand, was bright, vibrant, refreshing, and very true to the book. It was fast-paced unlike Eclipse, which was quite slow. Eclipse was quite true to the book and the fight sequences were good. However, the look of the film was once again gloomy. Eclipse was just not as exciting as I had expected it to be inspite of the fight sequences between vampires and werewolves. So needless to say, I was disappointed. But for all the members of Team Jacob, he takes his shirt off so I'm sure that's reason enough for you to watch the film. I hate to disappoint the members of Team Edward but the dreamy Rob Patz and the rest of the Cullen clan looked pastier than usual.



Whether you should go watch the film in the theater or wait for the DVD to come out, I leave that up to you because if you are a true Twi-hard, you have probably either already watched it or will watch it inspite of this review. Even though the film was disappointing, I don't regret spending $12 on it so perhaps you won't either.

Blah, Blah, Blah

If I had to choose one word to describe the latest Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz flick, Knight and Day, it would be BLAND. How can I enjoy a movie when there is no chemistry whatsoever between the leading characters? What was Director James Mangold thinking by pairing Cruise and Diaz together? The fact that the two leading characters had strong romantic feelings for each other was completely unbelievable because it felt like Cruise and Diaz were just being polite to each other throughout the movie. Both of them are good actors; however, I think it was the lack of chemistry between them that made the film so unexciting to watch.

When I go see an action flick, I want to see a complete package - an interesting story AND good action sequences. The action sequences in the movie were good but unfortunately, the story line was uninteresting and predictable. Wanna know the story? Just watch the trailer - it is much better than the film itself.



So in conclusion, $12 were yet again wasted. Perhaps I should have watched Grown Ups instead.

The 3D Obsession

It seems like every animated or CGI movie that has come out after Avatar is in 3D. What is this obsession with 3D? And if you are going to make a film in 3D, why not use the right technology and make it like Avatar? Why rip off the viewers by not showing the movie in real 3D? Case in point: Alice in Wonderland and from what I hear, also Shrek Forever After and Toy Story 3. All three movies sucked in 3D! As it is, now theaters charge $12 for a movie. So on top of that, if I am going to pay $3 more, I want to have an amazing experience like I did with Avatar. But unfortunately, none of the 3D movies that have come out after Avatar have been able to give the viewers that kind of experience. And yes, 3D may be where's the technological world is heading towards, but don't show me fake 3D, show me the real thing!!! So folks, save your $3 and go watch movies in 2D and you'll definitely have a far better movie experience.

Better Late than Never!

After getting a lot of heat about not having watched Shrek Forever After yet, I finally gave in. And I can't believe that I didn't watch it when it first came out. What was I thinking? Well, since I don't get paid to watch movies like professional critics do and given that movies have become so expensive, I have to be selective in what I watch. Whom am I kidding? I love movies too much to be able to do that. Anyway, going back to this DreamWorks film - even though it appeared to be funny in the trailers, I guess I just wasn't too convinced because I am not a die-hard fan of the series. I know I am going to get a lot of heat about that too but hey, it's hard to watch green ogres kiss on the big screen but then again I didn't mind watching blue people in Avatar so I guess that's not a very good argument.

Anyhow, I'm glad I watched it because I really enjoyed this animated movie. It was really funny and the voice-overs were impeccable especially by Walt Dohrn, who did the voice-over for the main antagonist, Rumpelstiltskin. And it's still hard for me to believe that Mike Meyers does the voice-over for Shrek because he sounds completely different unlike Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Kathy Griffin, and Craig Robinson, who sound like themselves in the film.

The well-written script makes the story line interesting, whereby Shrek is tired of his daily routine as a married ogre and a father and wants to go back to being a regular ogre for one day. But his wish leads to him losing the most valuable things in his life - the love of his life and his friends. So will he be able to get them back? Watch and find out. The moral of the story is - be careful what you wish for and that we usually tend to take things for granted and don't realize the value of the most important people in our life until we lose them.





So those of you who are skeptical and still haven't watched it, I highly recommend it as it is indeed an entertaining film. No need to spend extra bucks on 3D though - the regular mode would be just fine.

I guess now I should go watch Toy Story 3 before I get heat about that. Who's with me?

$12 Well-Spent

That is what you will be saying as you walk out of the theater after watching The A-Team. This action flick based on the TV series with the same name is a complete package: interesting plot, witty dialogues, excellent action sequences, and a little bit of romance. It is by far one of the best action flicks I have ever seen. It reminded me of the Mission Impossible films, which I absolutely loved.

The roles of Hannibal, Face, B.A., and Murdock, the four Army officials that make up the A-Team, are very well-portrayed by Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, and Sharlto Copley. I became a Neeson fan after watching him in the 2008 thriller, Taken (if you have not seen it yet, go rent the DVD). His portrayal of Hannibal is no exception to his exemplary acting skills. Cooper looks as HOT as ever and has remarkable on-screen chemistry with Jessica Biel, who plays the role of Captain Charisa Sosa and Face's love interest. You will not even hate the main villain, CIA Agent Lynch, because Patrick Wilson is just so good-looking AND a fine actor.

Hats off to Director Joe Carnahan for making an outstanding film. The screenplay was very well-written by Joe Carnahan, Brian Bloom (who also plays one of the villains - Pike in the film), and Skip Woods.

Girls, go watch the film for Bradley Cooper - do you need any other reason? Guys will wanna watch it for Jessica Biel. If you don't like either of them (what is wrong with you!?), I still highly recommend this excellent action flick as you will not regret it. WARNING: For those who start feeling dizzy due to too much simulation, some of the camera movements are shaky but hopefully you will still be able to enjoy the movie.

Do NOT wait for the DVD to come out. Go spend $12 as every penny spent is worth it. Wanna know the story - watch the trailer or even better, go watch the movie!

First Guest Blog

As promised, here is the guest blog regarding SATC 2, written by my friend and mentor, Aliah Wright. 
    
    As a former entertainment editor and sometime music and film critic, I'm honored to be guest blogging about a movie I found absolutely, positively fabulous!
   OK, so if you're a SATC fan then you'll have no complaints - or maybe just a few. I love the girls. Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and that other one - the one with the babies, what's her name? Oh, Charlotte. (Show's you how much SHE means to me). Anyway, the interesting thing about DEUX is how UNREALISTIC Carrie's view of marriage is. But let me not get ahead of myself.
   As our sequel opens we're treated to an over-the-top wedding - Carrie's gay best friend, Stanford, and Charlotte's gay best friend, Anthony, are getting hitched. And who better to sing at a gay wedding (and officiate apparently) than Liza Minnelli! But people please, did 64-year-old Liza HAVE to sing Beyonce's "Single Ladies Put a Ring on It?" I thought she was going to keel over - especially from those high heels and tight showgirl outfit! (Breathe, Liza, Breathe)! 
   BIG tells Carrie he thinks they should take 'mini-breaks' from each other (much to her horror); Charlotte has a crisis of faith in her parenting/marital abilities after Samantha points out how unbelievable hot her Irish nanny is; 53-year-old Samantha begins swearing by the many pills she's taking to stave off the ravishing effects of age; and Miranda, well, Miranda's just still snarky Miranda.
  Smith Jared, Samantha's impossibly hot ex (who is not in the movie long enough in my opinion), invites Sam and Carrie to his movie premiere, shot on location in Abu Dhabi (where all the girls wind up a third of the way into the movie thanks to a hookup Samantha gets). At the premiere, which Carrie has to drag BIG to, she discovers that marriage isn't all wine and roses and partying until you drop. (Note to Carrie: Dating is MUCH more fun and THIS is why writers don't marry people until the END of the story because NO ONE likes to see Prince Charming and Cinderella sitting on the couch eating takeout! But reality check: THAT IS what marriage IS - once you walk down the aisle the chase is over! The cow's in the barn! The cow doesn't come out of the barn, put on Jimmy Choos and dance all over New York City! Get a grip!) It is her unrealistic expectation that Happily Ever After means 'Party Over Here' every single night once the noose, er, I mean ring, is on your finger!
  So Carrie and the girls head to Abu Dhabi, where Charlotte and Miranda bond over how hard it is to parent ("I don't know HOW stay-at-home moms WITHOUT Nannies do it!" Charlotte cries); Samantha proves that you can't have Sex in Every City without consequences, and Carrie runs into Aidan - who is now married with three kids (Wait, how did THAT Happen? Wasn't he supposed to be in Limbo waiting for Carrie to come to her senses and come back to him???) But I digress. 
  SPOILER ALERT!!! Carrie kisses Aidan, has a crisis of faith in her love for BIG, who DARED to buy the mistress- of-shoes a flat screen in the bedroom as an anniversary gift, (guess he missed the memo on NOT giving your woman anything shiny and electronic as a present)! And he responds by forgiving her for that kiss (after all, it was JUST a kiss) and giving her a rock big enough to choke on and promising her they won't wind up on the couch watching TV (like every other boring married couple on the planet- yeah, we'll see how long THAT lasts). 
  Seriously, though, the movie was phenomenal. The girls still have lots of sex; the clothes and shoes are to die for (even during the 80's flashback when Miranda had on sneakers with her too tight power suit); and the City, well, it never looked better!

Why Did I Waste $12?

That is what you will be saying if you watch Killers. This latest directorial venture of Robert Luketic, whose resume includes excellent movies like 21, The Ugly Truth, and Legally Blonde, is disappointing to say the least. The movie is supposed to be an action comedy but it is mostly an action film because it is not very funny. 

Don't be deceived by the trailer - the plot may seem interesting but it does not come together very well on the big screen due to the poorly written screenplay by Bob DeRosa and Ted Griffin. The story is flawed and the ending is stupid. The leading cast may consist of the gorgeous Ashton Kutcher and the charming Katherine Heigl but unfortunately, they do not have good on-screen chemistry. 

Overall, the movie falls short of expectations. Save your $12 and go have a nice meal instead. Don't even bother watching it on DVD as it is not worth wasting your time. 

Two Thumbs Up!

Just like the show Friends, no matter how many times I watch an episode of Sex and the City, it never gets old. So I was obviously thrilled when I heard that a movie based on the show was coming out and absolutely loved it! I was a little skeptical about the sequel because I felt the first film ended on a perfect note and I couldn't imagine how the story could be prolonged any further. However, Michael Patrick King, who directed, produced, and wrote the screenplay, did not disappoint me in Sex and the City 2. Even after two and half hours, which is the length of the movie, I wanted to see more of Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha!

Yes, the first one was better; nonetheless, the sequel was funny and entertaining. Yet again, I'm sure a lot of women will be able to relate to the lives of the four best friends; whether it's Carrie's fear of becoming an old and boring married couple, Miranda's career issues caused by her gender, Charlotte's challenges as the mother of two kids, or Samantha's aging woes.



In addition to the stunning dresses, the highlight of the movie was an insight into the culture of Abu Dhabi and the depiction of the clash between American culture vs. Middle Eastern culture. I was definitely awed by the beautiful scenic view of Abu Dhabi; however, it was sad to see that the Muslim male population in the city can be so hypocritical. On one hand, they don't let the women come out without covering themselves, even their faces and on the other hand, they serve alcohol, which is also forbidden in Islam.

Anyhow, the only disappointing part of the sequel was that besides Mr. Big, the other male leads did not have prominent roles as they did in the first film.

I'm sure the question on everybody's mind is whether something happens between Carrie and Aidan or not. Well, you will just have to watch the sequel and find out!

NOTE: Since I'm sure you can't get enough of Sex and the City 2, look out for a Guest Blog regarding the sequel coming up soon!

Bollywood Formula, Hollywood Look

Most Bollywood movies have the same formula: a love story with a villain who does not want the lovers to be together. The new Hrithik Roshan flick, Kites, has the same formula with a Mexican twist, the heroine being Mexican rather than Indian. However, the film has a Hollywood look due to the amazing cinematography, which makes it a very pleasant visual experience. The songs do not pop up for no reason; all of them are background songs, which is a refreshing change.

Hrithik is extremely handsome, an amazing dancer, and a talented actor. And he definitely does not disappoint his fans in this movie! He has great on-screen chemistry with Mexican actress, Barbara Mori, the female lead who looks beautiful in the movie. 

I recommend this movie especially for Bollywood movie fans as this will be a refreshing change for them.

Thought-provoking Film

The 2010 Oscar-winning Best Film, The Hurt Locker, is a fictional story that follows the journey of three soldiers in the United States Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team responsible for disarming improvised explosive devices (IED) during a 39-day period during the Iraq war. This character-based story about a series of events was inspired by real life experiences that the Oscar-winning writer, Mark Boal, had while spending time with a US bomb squad as a free-lance journalist in 2004 in Iraq.

The three main roles, each of a different nature, were well-portrayed by Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty. Renner plays the role of Sergaent First Class William James, who is a risk-taker and gets adrenaline rush through combat. Mackie plays the role of Sergaent JT Sanborn, who likes to follow rules and is not much of a risk-taker. Geraghty plays the role of Specialist Owen Eldridge, who is scared to die during his missions.



Boal's well-written screenplay makes you realize how soldiers especially those in the EOD units risk their lives every day and for them each day is a near-death experience, which some survive and others do not. The cinematography and the special effects of this documentary-style movie were amazing. Oscar-winning Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow, no doubt made a very thought provoking film, which makes the audience experience what US soldiers had to go through during the Iraq war. It really surprised me that this film was directed by a female because there are hardly any women in it and this is more of a guy movie because it is about the military and the Iraq war. I think that just shows the genius of Bigelow and proves that she truly deserved to be the first female to win an Oscar for Best Director.

Even if you don't usually enjoy films of such serious nature, I recommend that you watch this one.

Successful Directorial Debut

Badmaash Company, the latest Shahid Kapoor flick and Yash Raj Films production, marks the directorial debut of Parmeet Sethi, the actor who played the role of the villain in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. This film is about four friends who con people to become rich fast. Just like the four friends find loopholes in the system, the story itself had loopholes but it was interesting nonetheless. The movie had a lesson that there are no short cuts in life and if you use your intelligence towards the right rather than wrong reasons, you will be successful.

The well-portrayed roles by the cast that included Anushka Sharma (from Rab Ne Bana De Jodi fame), Vir Das, Meiyang Chang, and Anupam Kher in addition to Kapoor, and a well-written screenplay by Sethi made the movie an enjoyable and entertaining experience. I recommend it especially for Kapoor fans and I look forward to future projects directed by Sethi.

Best Movie of the Summer!

I was skeptical about Iron Man 2 because sometimes sequels such as Miss Congeniality 2 and Speed 2: Cruise Control are not as good as the first film. However, I was completely blown away by Iron Man 2 because it was actually better than the first one. It had a much more interesting story. The action sequences were excellent. The screenplay by Justin Theroux was well-written and funny. All the roles were very well-portrayed by the amazing cast that included Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, and director Jon Favreau. Scarlett Johansson, however, has the same style of acting in every movie and is not a very good actress but looks beautiful in the film. Kudos to Jon Favreau for making a stunning movie! Robert Downey Jr. deserves a special mention - he was definitely the most suitable actor to play Iron Man as nobody could have done a better job than him. He looks great in the movie and has amazing chemistry with Gwyneth Paltrow, who looks beautiful in the film. Whether you liked Iron Man or not, this is a must-watch for you! I want to watch it again!

Better than the Original

A Nightmare on Elm Street, a remake of the 1984 horror flick with the same name, brings Freddy Krueger back to the big screen. Having watched the 1984 horror flick, I must say that the 2010 version of this movie is much better. The main characters remain the same, some of the scenes were the same, and the main plot remained the same. The plot revolves around four high school friends, who have nightmares about this burnt guy named Freddy Krueger, who wants to kill them in their sleep. However, the reason he is after these four kids is different in the remake and is much more believable. The special effects in the remake are also much better as expected.



Overall, I liked the remake because it was jumpier, hence scarier, more plausible, and had much better acting than the original. I recommend it to those who like horror flicks. Whether you have seen the original or not, I think you will still enjoy the movie. Can't wait to see the sequel!

Consider Yourself Warned!

The Back Up Plan, the new Jennifer Lopez flick that released this weekend, was disappointing to say the least. It was not as good as I had expected it to be. The concept of the story was indeed interesting - a woman can't find a man but wants to have a baby so she takes matters into her hands and executes her back up plan - getting artificially inseminated. Then she meets a loving, caring, and attentive man and falls in love. Will this man accept her now that she is pregnant? Most men in real life would run from such a situation so will JLo's leading man played by Alex O'Loughlin eventually run too? If you have seen enough romantic comedies, you can probably guess how the movie ends, keeping in mind that this is a movie and not real life.

Except for Alex O'Loughlin's good looks, Jennifer Lopez's decent acting skills (better than her singing skills), and a few good laughs, this predictable film does not have much to offer. The entire story is pretty much told in the trailer below - whatever is missing is not worth wasting $11 on. So if you really want to watch it, wait for the DVD to come out. Even if you don't watch it, you are not missing much. Sorry to disappoint all the chick-flick lovers out there but consider yourself warned!

Kick-Ass Definitely Kicked Some Ass!

Kick-Ass, directed by Matthew Vaughn and based on a comic book with the same name, is a film about an ordinary teenager, Dave Lizewski, who sets out to become a superhero so he can make a difference in the world. On his quest to become a superhero called Kick-Ass, he meets a father-daughter duo called Big Daddy and Hit Girl, who also don't have any special powers like Kick-Ass but are better trained superheroes than him. They then form a team to bring down the evil drug lord, Frank D'Amico. Why do they want to bring down the drug lord? Will they succeed in their mission? Watch and find out.



This action-packed comedy will keep you on the edge of your seats till the end. It has some great action sequences, especially by Hit Girl, played by 13-year-old Chloe Moretz, who does a remarkable job and is most definitely the highlight of the movie. Aaron Johnson as Kick-Ass, Nicholas Cage as Big Daddy, and Mark Strong as Frank D'Amico also deserve a special mention for their well-portrayed roles. The screenplay by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn was excellent. Even though the story has been told before, the twist to the story was funny and interesting.

This movie is by far one of the best comic book movies ever made! It was much better than I anticipated. I highly recommend it as it is worth every penny spent! Don't wait for the DVD to come out, go watch it in your nearest theater.

I Want My Money Back!

Yes Noah Baumbach, I want my time and money back because Greenberg, the film that you wrote and directed outright sucked!

This low-budget, pointless, slow, and depressing film with an abrupt ending is about an angry 40-year-old man, Roger Greenberg, played by Ben Stiller. Roger's misplaced anger comes from his youth when he turned down a record deal and destroyed not only his career but also the music career of his band members. And even though he is in his 40's now, he has not been able to fully move on with his life like his band members and find a purpose in life. He has turned into this cynical, bitter, aimless man who has OCD. He meets Florence, his brother's assistant, while he is house sitting his brother's house in LA. Florence is a young, insecure woman, who has a weird sense of style. Even though Roger insists on treating her badly, she is still drawn to this weird man. Soon he realizes that he has also developed feelings for her.

Greta Gerwig, who plays Florence, was awful in the movie. And why does Ben Stiller insist on doing weird movies like this one and The Heartbreak Kid is beyond me!

Don't even bother watching this awful movie on DVD as it is a complete and utter waste of time and money.

Extremely Funny!

It was refreshing to see such impeccable comedic timing between Tina Fey and Steve Carrell in Date Night after the disastrous Hot Tub Time Machine. This action-packed romantic comedy tells the story of a "boring married couple from New Jersey" and their adventures caused by mistaken identity on their date night.




Steve Carrell's leading ladies in his prior movies such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Evan Almighty, Dan in Real Life, and Get Smart have been disappointing because they did not really seem to have good on-screen chemistry with him. However, Tina Fey had great on-screen chemistry with him. I was a little skeptical about the pairing of these two comedic geniuses because I was afraid that putting two comedians together in a romantic comedy might turn out to be disastrous. But the casting director was right on the mark by choosing them as the leading pair for this movie. I really hope they both do more movies together because Steve Carrell has finally met his perfect on-screen match!


Kudos to Shawn Levy for directing such an excellent movie and to Josh Klausner for writing such a funny and interesting script. I highly recommend this movie. Don't wait till it comes out on DVD, spend $11, and go watch it NOW! And be ready to laugh your pants off! 

Not That Funny!

Hot Tub Time Machine is a movie with typical non-sensical guy-humor. But it definitely was not as funny as classic guy-humor movies like American Pie or The Hangover. I think it was over-hyped and not as funny as some viewers made it sound.

This film stars John Cusack, Craig Robinson (from The Office), Rob Corddry, and Clark Duke as the four main characters the story revolves around. It's sad to say but John Cusack is losing his charm because he looks really old and should really be playing roles more suitable for his age. How did Craig Robinson gain so much weight? I don't think his role demanded him to gain so much weight. Rob Corddry always plays the douchebag, it's kinda getting old and therefore, he was just annoying in the movie. His wig in the end was bizarre and ugly. Clark Duke did a fairly decent job. But how he accepted his father in the end was a little unclear. Was he just happy that he finally found out who his father was?

The story was quite predictable and the script was weak especially the ending. It felt like an unsuccessful attempt to make a funnier version of the classic Back to the Future. Overall, the movie had some funny moments but not worth spending $11 on. Wait for the DVD to come out.

A Funny, Romantic, and Thrilling Ride

The Bounty Hunter has all the elements you can ask for in a good movie - an interesting, thrilling, funny, and romantic story; good acting; beautiful visuals; and great on-screen chemistry between the lead actors. This film is not only a romantic comedy but also a murder mystery and an action-packed thriller.

After watching The Ugly Truth and A Law Abiding Citizen, I became a Gerard Butler fan. He is not only good looking and handsome but also a really talented actor. Even though his character in this movie is somewhat similar to The Ugly Truth, I still enjoyed watching him and I think he did a great job. I am a loyal fan of Jen Aniston and she did not disappoint me.

I think this is a very well-made movie by Director Andrew Tennant, who gave us great romantic comedies like Hitch and Fools Rush In (one of my all-time favorite movies). The locations were beautiful. It made me want to visit Atlantic City again. I think all rom-com lovers will enjoy this movie as much as I did.

A Story That Had to be Told

Sexual and physical abuse maybe a taboo topic but it is prevalent in our society and many 
young girls can relate to it. Therefore, the story of Precious had to be told. And I am glad that 
Sapphire wrote it in the form of the novel, Push, and Director Lee Daniels adapted the novel 
into the movie, Precious. This Oscar-nominated movie had a very strong message, a 
message of hope, hope for young girls who are sexually molested by their fathers or 
physically abused by their parents. I think many young girls and boys will be able to relate to 
this movie at some level. Abuse doesn't have to be physical or sexual, abuse can also be 
mental and emotional. In our competitive society with so many pressures, there are many 
young boys and girls who are made to feel worthless or self-conscious if not by their parents, 
by their peers or by the general public, whether it be because of their height, weight or 
because they are different in some way. This movie is for all those boys and girls.





I appreciated the message of the movie. However, the editing of the film was choppy. The 
scenes didn't transition smoothly from one to the next. 

Monique did an excellent job as the abusive mother and her Oscar was truly well-deserved. 
She was truly the highlight of the movie because she looked completely different than ever 
portrayed before. I appreciate that she took on this role, even though it was risky, and 
brought the character of Mary, Precious's mother, to life on the big screen. In most scenes, 
Gabourey Sidibe, who portrayed the role of Precious, was expressionless - I'm not sure if it 
was deliberate but therefore, I felt Monique's performance was much stronger than hers. The 
biggest surprise of all was Mariah Carey in the role of the social worker, Miss Weiss. She 
also looked completely different. However, she was also mostly expressionless; therefore, 
she needs to brush up her acting skills a bit. Paula Patton was also good as Miss Blu Rain, 
Precious's teacher, who turned out to be her guardian angel.

Even though the execution of the film appears to be sloppy, I highly recommend this film 
as it portrays a very strong social message, which needs to be reached to everyone, 
irrespective of age, race, and culture.