This week in DVD - December 11th

Music puts me in a good mood, so you have to deal with it.  Here's some acoustic Manic Monday from the Bangles.





I'm sorry, Susanna Hoffs the frakking hotness!  Okay crush off...




The Debt

Original review.

This was a nice little surprise for me in early September.  It's actually one of the best movies I've seen this year and recommend it to anyone that's in the mood for a well-acted, moral thriller.  I'm serious, I really loved this movie!

I give this four Death Stars!  Rent it!


Cowboys & Aliens

Previous Blah!

I was a little disappointed in this.  It kind of broke my heart because I liked everyone in it.  Plus, Jon Favreau was so enthusiastic abvout it at WonderCon, it was hard not to be similarly enthused.  I'm interested to watch the extended version.though.  I want to see if anything was removed that might hvae helped.  As much as Favreau said otherwise, studios can eff' up a movie, so it would surprise me if the extended cut was better.
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Three Death Stars!  It's still a worth a rental, so do it and enjoy it!


The Hangover: Part II

A less funny clone of the first film.  Here's my review!  It had some laughs, but don't believe the hype.  It's not awful, but just disappointing.  This was one my earliest 'serious' reviews, so please pick it apart if you want.:)

I give it two and a half Death Stars...


Monte Carlo

Ugh, I really didn't like this.  The characters seem to openly dislike each other, but I don't recall any of them saying why.  Nothing is explained and there's no backstory.  Then, they just go off to Paris together on one of the most forced stories I've seen.

They go on a terrible Paris tour and they even call the 'lead girl' out on picking a bad tour, which made me wonder if she'd bother checking any reviews on the interwebs.  Information like that isn't that hard to find these days.

I read somewhere that this was originally intended to be about three teachers on a trip to Paris, but the studio decided to retool this as a movie aimed at teens.  That was clearly a misguided idea and shows you how movie studios don't know f'all about what people want to see these days.  The movie did seem like it was supposed to be something else throughout the flick.

It's ends up being a totally unrealistic wish fulfillment movie for teens.  Unless you're a teenage girl, I'd advise you to skip it.  Even if you have teenage girls, I would advise you to skip it.

This is valued at one and half Death Stars.  Alderaan would be doomed if it was up to this movie!


Snow Flower and The Secret Fan

It's a nice looking movie, but just so uninteresting.  I felt nothing when watching it.  I'd talk about it more, but then I'd have to look stuff up on Wikipedia.  I don't feel like doing homework right now.  Plus, when the movie isn't worth watching, it really seems pointless.

Oh here's a weird thing about it...two-thirds of the way through movie, Hugh Jackman shows up out of nowhere as a Aussie lounge singer (who also sings in Mandarin)!  What the hell?  Why is Hugh Jackman in this, you'll say?  When the credits roll, he's like 3/4's of the way down, so it's odd.  He didn't produce it either.  Maybe he owed someone a favor?  It was just very unusual and totally took me out of the movie.  The sad part is that his appearance was the only part of the movie I found watchable.

It's a shitty movie though, and I didn't like it.  This is worth one and a half Death Stars!  I'm giving it one because Hugh Jackman and the other half is because it looked nice.


Mr. Poppers Penguins

This can only be deemed a silly, kids film.  Jim Carrey has really fallen from where he was just a few years ago.

It's a shame to see Agent Coulson in a movie like this.  I found out that if  you speed his voice up a bit, he sounds exactly like Rob Lowe on Parks & Recreation.  That's about the only thing I got out of this.

I say skip it as it's not a good movie, but it's harmless.

I give this one and a half Death Stars!


The Help

I'm going to end on a good note, but a short one!

This is one of the few movies this summer I never got around to seeing.  Its a shame, too, because it's a really good movie. I nearly lost it at the end of it.  I really need to find out which Stormtrooper is sneaking soy protein into my nutritional supplements!  I'm going to choke him out with my mind powers!.

I give this four Death Stars!  Rent it!  I challenge you to tell me it doesn't make you tear up at the end!