Youth in Revolt Movie Review

Saw Youth in Revolt last night and it was pretty good. Well, the movie would have been so much better if I hadn't seen all the funny parts in the various commercials already. But I don't think of this movie as a comedy like 'Superbad' or 'The Hangover'; those movies blow this one out of the water in terms of comedy. This movie was good though because Michael Cera really got to expand his usual quirky awkwardness into quirky awkwardness with a French accent. He did it well though- I liked him as a badass. The dialogue was a little outlandish because there is no way 16 year old kids talk the way they did in the movie.

Overall, this movie is worth a viewing. Don't forget that Zach Galifianakis and Justin Long are in this movie and they both have great supporting roles.
We saw it as part of the $5 Club which I guess is the new $1 movies but with inflation. Jesse and I agree that the movie is a solid B or 4 Virgins Out of 5.
MellyButton Approved!

Daybreakers : Movie Reviews

Jesse and I saw Daybreakers today and it was alright. It wasn't as scary as I was hoping but there are some creepy looking vampire creatures in the film.
What I didn't really like was that the movie worked in the all the usual vampire myths and they didn't need to. No reflections, stake through the heart...blah, blah, blah. It just didn't make sense for them to be there. The movie also had some cliche moments and standard plot devices. These are the reasons why I am giving the movie a C+ or 3 cloves of garlic out of 5.

Jesse actually liked it more than I did. And I think if you like vampire movies or sci-fi then it is worth a viewing.

Tarantino

How come this picture of Quentin and Uma looks like it is from the 70's? This is from 1994. By the way, Inglorious Basterds was awesome- even though Bastards is spelled Basterds, and that annoys me. If I look past that, then the movie is great. Brad Pitt was awesome. The story is fantastical. Melly Button approved, this one is.

Change

Yes.
BTW, the movie would have been good with editing. The racist autobots are a disgrace to CGI. Did anyone else see this movie and think the same thing? I don't know if JarJar was worse or the Twins were worse...

Twilight, 2 Virginal Vampires out of 5

Well, first I would like to preface this review by saying that I did read the Twilight book series (except for the last book). I really enjoyed the first book in the series, the one the film is based on. That said, the movie is not nearly as enjoyable as the book was. If you had to choose between either the movie or the book, please pick the book. I actually encourage all the 3 of the RMB blog readers to read the first book in the series.
OK, now onto the movie review.
It started off good, faithful to the book and then somewhere the train derailed horribly. The supporting actors in this movie couldn’t act their way out of a paper bag. It was quite sad actually and for a good part of the movie the audience was laughing (and not because this was a comedy). I really, really wanted to like this movie. And I thought that the trailer conveyed that the film was well done. But, the trailer tricked to me. The screenplay was poorly adapted and a lot of the dialogue was unforgivable. An example; at one point Edward, our main hero- the brooding, handsome vampire, takes Bella (the female lead) and tosses her on his back as he prepares to fly out of the window- but before he does, he turns around and says “You better hang on you little spider monkey”- WHAT THE FU… no really, What The Eff- where did that come from? I sure as hell don't remember that line from the book, and if you don't think it seems corny, then I implore you to watch that scene of the film and not laugh.
Edward, played by Robert Pattinson, did an OK job. At times I thought his line delivery was wooden and uncomfortable, but I do give him an A for effort. He is quite dreamy so I might be going too easy on him. Bella, played by Kristen Stewart, does a much better job. She was more like the way I imagined the Bella character to be.
Everyone else pretty much sucked. Well, the kid who played Jacob (the annoying soon-to-be werewolf) was actually alright. I thought I would hate him (because I did in the book) but he did a good job in the movie.
Anyhow, if you did not read the book, then do not see this movie- save your money. If you did read the book, then take a chance and see the movie- if only to compare and contrast the characters from the book. If you are a teenage girl, then go see this movie right away- did I mention that Edward takes his shirt off in the film?!?
This picture is for you Brandie- I will admit that Robert Pattinson is really hot, especially for being so damned pale.
OK- ridiculous supporting Actor number One- The blonde guy, that is Peter Facinelli, he is actually 34 years old, but he looks like he is 23. Anyhow, he plays Dr. Cullen in the film and he is supposed to be Edward's (and the rest of the vampire clan) adoptive father! I know Dr. Cullen is young in the book, but I pictured someone more like Patrick Dempsey- where he is still good looking and young, but not so young that it would be weird for him to have a 17 year old son!
Here is an example of Bella being a Spider Monkey...
Ridiculous supporting actor number 2- this guy! I don't know his name, but i do know that if Justin Timberlake and Edward Scissorhands had a baby, it would be this kid. Oh, and his acting is atrocious, just really, really horrible. Most of the laughter in the audience came when he was on the screen. The chick kinda looks like a young Sandra Bullock...
And, here is a still from the Prom scene in the movie. Can Edward resist the tempation to bite Bella? Read the book and find out! (but dont find out from the movie)

Eagle Eye movie review, 2.5 out of 5

Jesse and I saw Eagle Eye on Saturday night. It was pretty good but I felt like the plot was predictable and for the most part, the movie had been done before. There wasn't really anything original about it. I did like all of the characters and acting- so that was all good. I was surprised to see Rosario Dawson in the movie because I had no idea she was in it- you would think they would have advertised that a bit more- and also Billy Bob was in it... although I am not sure that is something worth advertising! (The Bad News Bears (remake) was one of the worst movies I have ever seen in my life!)

I really like Shia LaBeouf and he does a good job in the film but like I said earlier, the movie is just alright, nothing to write home about. My opinion is to wait for this one to come out on DVD (or Blu-Ray for the Blu-Ray snobs in the house).

2.5 Military Spy Cams out of 5

Retro Movie Review, Scarface

Wow. If I have ever learned a message from a movie then I surely learned one from Scarface.
1. Do not do mountains of cocaine.
2. Do not cross a drug lord in another country. (you might get a way with it if the drug lord is local)
3. Italians look just like Cubans.

I can see how Scarface is an iconic film. At the time I bet this movie blew people away. Now, eh... the movie isn't so relevant. Maybe it kinda is since drugs are still around and I presume drug trafficking, but my favorite drug trafficking movie is Traffic. Wow, if you haven't seen Traffic then this is one to see. Wait... is it weird that I actually have a 'favorite' drug trafficking movie??? Anyways, that's beside the point.
Scarface was alright but it got really slow at some points. I had to watch some scenes in FF. I did enjoy the classic, "Say Hello to my little friend" scene. The downside to watching the movie is now Jesse is talking like Tony Montana around the house. Yeah, that's not annoying...
Overall, I would give Scarface 2.5 Quaaludes out of 5.

Tropic Thunder, 4 VietcongS out of 5

It took me a while to see Tropic Thunder because I have been busy these past two weekends. I had intended on seeing the movie when it first came out so, I finally made it to the theater this weekend. The movie was awesome. It was funny and it delivered constant comedy throughout with a couple of slow/lame moments. That's pretty good for a comedy since a lot only have sporadic moments of truly funny scenes. Tropic Thunder really packed a punch and Robert Downey Jr. stole the movie. RDJ was so awesomely funny that I hope to see him in another comedy. Jack Black and Ben Stiller may be the actual 'comedians' but RDJ outshone the 2 of them. (Outshone sounds weird, is that a word?)
Anyhow, I highly recommend seeing this one. Leave the kids at home and get ready to laugh. Also, get to the movie early so you don't miss the previews. The previews were great.

Pineapple Express, 3.5 Bong Hits out of 5

I was pleased with Pineapple Express. I thought it was very funny and a couple of moments were laugh out loud funny. However, when I compare the flick to other Seth Rogen/ Judd Apatow flicks, it doesn't quite measure up. This movie is not the quintessential stoner movie but it does deserve a spot in the top ten. My favorite stoner films are Friday, Up in Smoke, the first Whitecastle movie and Dazed & Confused.
The hardest part about watching Pineapple Express was to see James Franco look like a dirty pot-smoking hippie instead of his usual good looking self! But that aside, this movie does have Mellybutton approval and is a great Saturday afternoon flick. Bring your refillable popcorn bucket in case you get the munchies :P

Retro Movie Review, Conspiracy Theory

Starring Mel Gibson & Julia Roberts

I haven’t been much of a Mel Gibson fan since he was exposed as an anti-Semitic misogynistic racist. So, I had low expectations for the film just because I personally do not like MG. But, since I had never seen this movie it was recommended to me. I have to say I actually liked it. JR and MG are both pretty good in this. There is one scene (the bitten off nose scene) that was probably the weirdest, most trippy scene I have ever seen in a movie. That scene was so disturbing…
I liked that MG was a crazy conspiracy theorist (the combination locks on the food in the fridge were awesome!) but he had a reason to be so paranoid. I say this movie would make a good rental if you are in the mood for a twisty thriller/mystery.

3 Unibombers out of 5!

The Dark Knight, 4.75 Jokers out of 5!

This movie completely and utterly kicks ass. It met all of my expectations and I am excited to confirm that it lives up to all of the hype. First all the good stuff.
Heath Ledger stole the show. He is insanely amazing as the Joker. He completely yields himself to the Joker and it shows in his performance. I know this isn't the usual type of movie that fosters Oscar nods but he must get one because he deserves it. I haven't seen a movie this year that matches his performance. That being said, it makes me very sad to think that he is not able to see the audience and critic response to his role. I truly am saddened at the tragic loss. And that's all I will say about that.
Christian Bale was awesome (and so, so hot). He was fabulous in Batman Begins and the transition to Dark Knight was seamless. Luckily I saw Batman Begins the night before I saw Dark Knight so I feel like it made me more cognizant to Bruce Wayne's history and character.

I really loved the story- every twist and turn, they were all one fun trip! I liked the Scarecrow cameo at the beginning (Cillian Murphy is a creepy Mofo, but he is no Joker) especially since I saw Batman Begins so recently. I also really liked the cameos by Nestor Carbonell (that's Richard Alpert to you Losties) and Anthony Michael Hall. They were unexpected and pleasant surprises.

You might be wondering how this movie didn't get a 5 Jokers out of 5, so I will tell you. This is the bad part of the review. OMFG I hate Maggie Gyllenhaal!! She was horrible as Rachel Dawes. Look, Katie Holmes does not deliver Academy award winning performances, that's fine. For her role as Rachel Dawes she doesn't have to be a character that involves too much passion. This is what we need, a pretty girl who looks sophisticated and who acts like they have a good moral character. Someone believable as Bruce Wayne's childhood sweetheart. I think Katie pulled this off just fine. She wasn't awesome but she was believable. Now, Maggie Gyllenhaal.... oh where do I start. OK first, she looks like a middle aged turtle. She looks like a character from Star Wars, the one alien guy with giant flapped cheeks- look, I don't know the characters name, but that is what she looks like to me. An old, giant flap cheeked alien turtle. She was so not believable as Rachel because she is not pretty. Bruce Wayne is an attractive billionaire and that is who is in love with?? I don't think so. So, because I didn't like Rachel Dawes I took off .25 Jokers. The film would have been perfect if she wasn't in it. I would have even preferred a no name actress that was at least pretty. Like I said earlier, the actress doesn't need to have superb acting skills- she just has to be pretty enough and act well enough.

I don't want to end my review on a negative note since I loved this film. So, I highly encourage all 3 of my readers to see this movie. Run don't walk. Please see Heath Ledger as the Joker and be in awe of his performance. This movie is MellyButton approved!

Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D

2.5 T-Rexes out of 5 for grown-ups; 4 T-Rexes out 5 for kids
This movie was fun- mostly because of the 3D effects and silly gags. As far as content or even a plot there isn't really one. But, this movie was fun enough to watch especially if you have kids. I think they would get a kick out of this movie. It's not too scary although there are a handful of times when you jump due to unexpected 3D gags.
This isn't as good as the last 3D movie I saw, which was Beowulf, but that wasn't really for kids. I think Journey was made for kids and I think it would be a big hit for them.

Wall-E, 4.5 Robots out of 5

Well people, you can believe the hype about Wall-E! This was a wonderful animated film and I enjoyed every minute of it. There are so many extra layers to the story of Wall-E. The most obvious message is about pollution and humans destroying our planet with needless consumerism. As someone who helped initiate the recycling program where I work, this is a message I endorse whole-heartedly. I am no saint though, I shop as much as anyone else, but I really think that mandatory recycling is something that should be implemented in large cities throughout the US. But, I am not here to preach about recycling- I am here to tell you all to go out and see Wall-E! The characters, even though non-human, showed more emotion and character than the humans in the film. This movie will not make you laugh out loud as many times as Shrek will, but you will leave the theater feeling satisfied that you just saw a really good movie. The animation is beautiful and often it's hard to believe that what you are watching is animated and not real.What I am not so sure about is how a kid will feel about this movie. When I saw Wall-E there were mostly adults in the theater and only 2 kids. One of the kids wasn't paying attention at all and was running around the entire time- now I don't know if this is because the film couldn't hold the attention of the kid or if the kid has ADD. But, as a semi-grown up I really liked this movie and I will assume that kids will like it too, but maybe not as much as Kung-Fu Panda.
Bottom line though, go and see Wall-E, you won't regret it.Beautiful scenes like this make the movie fun to watch.
I think I might start tearing up.... this movie is so sweet!
Above is an example of the realistic animation. Pixar movies are top notch!

Hellboy II: The Golden Army, 3 out of 5 stars

Jesse had high expectations for this movie. Partially because Guillermo del Toro, director of Pan's Labyrinth, also directed Hellboy II (he did Hellboy I as well). The movie has many moments that showcase del Toro's impact on the film and these moments are very cool. The film is fun to watch but it was also kind of a let down just because we both went in with such high expectations. Where the film fell flat were the scenes with 'forced' comedy. I say forced comedy because you can tell that the scene wants to be funny but it just isn't. Actually, some of you might think those scenes are funny, like the row of fan-boys that laughed riotously while the rest of the theater sat in silence. These scenes are what scarred an otherwise great popcorn, summer movie. Also, Jesse didn't think there were enough action scenes. There was one action scene and about 3 other smaller ones; I guess he was hoping for more non-stop action like Wanted produced.
Overall Hellboy II is a fun movie to see, especially to see the creatures and monsters from del Toro's mind. However, if you have not seen Pan's Labyrinth then I highly recommend seeing that instead. That film will give you a peek into del Toro's mind and leave you fulfilled with a wonderfully imaginative and emotional movie. On the Mellybutton scale, Pan's Labyrinth would get 5 out 5 stars.
In this picture you can see how scary some of the creatures & monsters are. This guy, who I think is the Angel of Death, looks very similar to the types of monsters seen in Pan's Labyrinth. And, as a bit of trivia, the guy who plays this monster also plays Abe Sapien in Hellboy and the Faun in Pan's Labyrinth. He played the Silver Surfer in the Fantastic Four and is rumored to be starring in a Silver Surfer solo film.

The Fall, 1 star out of 5

Well, The Fall directed by Tarsem Singh (The Cell), fell short of my expectations. I really wanted to like this movie because I did like The Cell. I thought The Cell was beautiful and imaginative despite the plot being so-so. This film was not as beautiful as The Cell because the horrible execution of the story detracted from the locations, scenery and costumes. The only redeeming quality of the movie was the young star Cantica Untaru (she is adorable in the movie). I know what the director was going for, it's like having a rough draft of a script and filming from that instead of the final draft. I felt like there wasn't any follow through in the story. From the screen shots you can see how similar the feel of The Fall is to The Cell, but unfortunately The Fall just didn't captivate me and at times I felt my mind wandering from the movie and started thinking about other things (even grocery shopping after the movie) I wouldn't even waste my time renting this one, rent The Cell instead if you haven't seen it. You get the wonderful imagery and a better story.

Plot Synopsis (spoiler free)- In a hospital on the outskirts of 1920s Los Angeles, an injured stuntman (Pace) begins to tell a fellow patient, a little girl with a broken arm (Untaru), a fantastical story about 5 mythical heroes. Thanks to his fractured state of mind and her vivid imagination, the line between fiction and reality starts to blur as the tale advances. Click here for the Trailer on IMDB.
Very Jennifer Lopez from The Cell, right?
This looks cooler in the picture than it was in the film due to poor execution of the story.

Wanted, 4.5 Bullets out of 5!

Jesse, Jackie and I saw Wanted on Friday night in Savoy. We got there about 15 minutes before the 9:25 show and when we got there it was sold out already. So we opted for the 9:55 showing. WOW, the Savoy theater was jumping. I don't think I have ever seen that many people there, but what else is there to do in this town anyways? Anyhow, thankfully the 9:55 was not sold-out so we had an appropriate buffer zone between us nerds and the other dorks there to see Angelina Jolie get wicked with it.

First, let me say that Wanted is based on a graphic novel of the same name. That is important because it help viewers understand some of the 'far-out' scenes in the film. I read one review where the reviewer did not like the movie because "it could never happen", so I wasn't sure if that guy had done his homework and realized that the film is based on a comic. Another thing the critics didn't seem to like is the violence in the movie. To that I have nothing to say really... I mean if you don't like violent movies then I don't think it is fair of you to judge an action film. I don't run around writing reviews about country music. Anyhow, that is all off topic.
What I really want to say is that Wanted is a fun and exciting action movie. It has elements of the Matrix, Bourne Identity and a little Gone in 60 Seconds. Compared to other films in the same genre this movie totally kicks ass. If you are looking for a life altering, My Left Foot type of film go elsewhere. Now, if you are looking for an exciting adrenaline filled summer flick, then go see Wanted. You won't be disappointed!
Angelina Jolie was great, Morgan Freeman was pretty good and James McAvoy was awesome.

The Incredible Hulk, 3 Smashes out of 5

Don't make me Angry!!I saw this with Jesse on Sunday and it was pretty good. A lot better than I had anticipated. I love Edward Norton so I might be biased a bit though... He did a great job in the movie. He added depth and emotion to a character that I knew little about; so Norton's performance really sold me on Bruce Banner's character. For those 2 hours I was hooked right in to the story of Bruce Banner and his quest to find a Gamma radiation cure. Now, the parts I didn't like so much were the actual "Hulk" scenes. I thought the graphics were unrealistic . I am completely capable of suspending reality in order to enjoy a film, I do it all the time (ie, crying at cartoons) but when the CGI is so bad it is all I can focus on... well, I lose interest pretty quick. I thought Liv Tyler did a good job but Tim Roth looked more like a strung out junkie than an overly decorated soldier. Call me a girl, but my favorite parts of the movie were the drama and action scenes involving Norton and Tyler or an un-hulked Norton.

Get Smart, 3 Shoephones out of 5

I saw Get Smart this weekend and it was really funny. I really like Steve Carell, I think he is one of the funniest people on TV and in movies. (although I need to watch The Office on Netflix because I have only seen a couple of episodes) The only thing I didn't really like was Anne Hathaway. I don't think she was cast well as Agent 99. She is too young to be paired up with Steve Carell, it just didn't jive for me. I also would like to have seen more Masi Oka (my favorite Hero, Hiro!). His role in the film could have been smarter and had a bigger presence. Other than those two things I thought the movie was great. The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, was really good in the film. I surprisingly liked his character and thought he was very well cast as Agent 23. If you are in the market for a fresh, family friendly film, then go see Get Smart!

On a kinda unrelated note, Steve Carrell was on the Daily Show and I thought this clip was really funny.

Kung Fu Panda- Two Paws Up!

Kung Fu Panda was so rad! If you have not seen this then go see it now- right now, get in your car and drive to the movie theater and wait for the next show time. Jesse and I went to see this last night at the midnight showing. This was strategical on our part. 1. It's been out for a couple weeks so there are less people.
2. We went to the midnight show, so that means no crying, talking, or whining from those little people midgets aka children.
The movie gets you right from the beginning with the humor. It was consistently funny and at times sad; my perfect combo for an animated film- that way when I feel retarded for crying at a cartoon character something funny happens soon after and I can play off the tears for laughing tears instead of sad tears. (I've got to keep up this bad-girl image)
If you have rugrats then I recommend taking them to see Kung Fu Panda. If you don't have kids, then you get to watch Kung Fu Panda tonight at the late show.
SKADOOSH!

By the way, Kudos to Ian McShane who voiced an awesome villain. Finally a real bad guy to be afraid of! Ian McShane played Al Swearengen on one of my favorite (and prematurely canceled) shows on HBO, Deadwood.

Don't Mess with the Zohan... Literally

I like stupid movies... within reason. I like Judd Apatow pics (Knocked Up, Superbad) and when I found out he co-wrote this with Adam Sandler I was shocked because this movie blows!! Don't waste your time on this film. If you want a funny comedy this summer then see Kung Fu Panda, Forgetting Sarah Marshall or wait for Tropic Thunder to come out. Speaking of Tropic Thunder, here is a link to a high definition Red Band Trailer of the film. This link contains material not suitable for work.... not that any of you are reading this at work!