Thursday, September 24, 2009

Funny People

4/10

Man, was this movie PAINFUL at times. I didn't do much reading up on it which is my fault. For some reason, I thought it would be funny. You know, considering it has "Funny People" in the title and all.

Boy, was I wrong.

You know, I can't even recall much about the movie at all. It dragged on and on and on and on. And on. And on. And on. This depressing movie was 2 hours and 26 minutes long. Ugghh.

I saw this with my friend Kari, who had never been to a drive-in before. Watched it at The Docks - review below. I was looking more forward to the movie afterward "Public Enemies".....but they changed this at the last minute to "The Hangover", which I had already seen.

The Docks Drive-In

Waited in a car-line for about 20 minutes, ingesting the gas fumes from the go-kart track beside us. They asked me to pop my trunk to see if I had any alcohol in the trunk. Meanwhile, I could have had it under my seat or in my backseat or in my ass crack - but they never checked those places. That was a little disappointing. .....considering my date didn't put out. The atmosphere is very city-like. You listen to 18-wheelers carting cargo in and out of Cherry Street - crossing a metal bridge that makes a ton of noise when something that heavy drives over it. You smell the fishy water. It was kind of a waste of $13. Not a cheap outing, for one movie that blew and one movie that I had seen before. They make you buy these cheesy water-bottle-type drinking glasses for their pop, which holds about 3 ounces of Coke for about $6. If you don't want to use this at home, you end up wasting this bottle, which I did. Actually, I put it in a city recycling box, but I am unsure as to whether it can actually be recycled. Oh well, it's the city's problem now. If they throw it out, they are going to hell, not me.

The company was nice and any night out is better than a night at home, so a good time was had by all.


Wednesday, July 08, 2009

The Hangover

7/10

Location: Oakville 5 Drive-In

A good follow up to The Proposal. These two movies made the drive-in worthwhile.

I don't really know what to say about this movie. Thinking back, not a lot sticks out in my mind. Two actors that I really liked from the TV show Fat Actress starred in this movie - I was happy to see that they are still working -they did a fine job in this.

It was fun to watch. Nothing too magnificent, but fun.

My favourite part was this:

When I mention my friend Black Shelley, people get all weirded out. It's as though I am a racist by referring to her like that. Back in university, there were 3 Shelleys on our floor. Black Shelley, White Shelley and Big Shelley. Now, you would think that being referred to as BIG would be more insulting than the other two, but really, both White and Black were under 5 feet tall. Big Shelley was about 6 feet. I guess we should have called her Tall Shelley, looking back.

Anyhooo.

*spoiler*

In this movie, there was a section where this guy named Doug gets kidnapped. When they actually make the transaction to get him back, the bag comes off his head and they realize it's not Doug. This dude is black and Doug is white. It turns out they are both named Doug. For the rest of the movie, they refer to both of them as White Doug and Black Doug.

I HOWLED.

So funny. Anyone that lived in Huntington (residence) will be laughing when they see this movie, as it will hit home.

I'd probably watch it again.

Not bad, overall.


*by the way, I have tried to drop the "Black" from Shelley's name, but when I do, people will ask: "Which one? White or Black?" So it's a lost cause at this point.

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

The Proposal

7/10

Location: Oakville 5 Drive-In

The evening started out as a total bust. Karen and I had decided to hit the drive-in days in advance. I picked her up, and we were on our way out to Oakville when the sky opened up and poured on us. The rain continued for about 30 minutes...and I turned into bitchy girl. I was pissed, as there was no rain in the forecast, which I had watched an hour earlier.

We pulled in and noticed that no one seemed to care that it was raining - the cars were streaming in as though it was the norm. So, we decided to chance it. $15 per carload on Thursday nights. Good price.

SECONDS before the movies began, it stopped. There couldn't have been better timing! We missed the first few minutes of the film though because as soon as the rain stopped, everyone jumped out of their cars and made a beeline to the snack bar. It was all good because I got my popcorn, my slushie and some candy floss. If they sold funnel cakes, I could have died there and then, because I would have been happier than a pig in poo.


And now to the movie:

Did I ever
mention how much I like Ryan Reynolds? Did I ever mention that I think he is perfection?

I actually like Sandra Bullock too. How can you not like her? I bet you she's really cool in real life too as she seems really down to earth. The two of them had good chemistry. I had read that there were nude shots for both of them, but it was simply half nude shots, with private parts hidden. What a shame.

The movie was okay. A light romantic comedy, but not too silly. Okay, yes, silly. But I like the two main actors so it was bearable.


Obsessed

1/10

Location: North York Drive-In, Newmarket Area

Second movie of the evening - the other choices were just as grim.

Nothing much to say about this movie other than it was the biggest piece of garbage I have seen in a long time.

Predictable.
Bad acting.
Predictable.

Oh and please. He SO would have cheated on her. Please.

Did I mention that it was predictable?

Man, can someone come up with a new storyline for suspense movies? I saw this movie when it was called "Fear" and "Single White Female".

Pssshhhhhh.

Night at the Museum - Smithsonian Something or Other...

6.5/10

Location: North York Drive-In, Newmarket Area

I don't usually sit through movies like this, but I decided to keep an open mind considering that the other choices sucked too.

I learned a little about history, which I am ashamed to admit I didn't already know. There were a few conversations between Ben Stiller and Hank Azaria that put me in stitches. The comedic timing was brilliant.

Other than that, just a light film, that wasn't draggy at all. It was okay. I didn't hate it, which I usually say for any type of movie that can't be real. Such as fantasy, science-fiction, comic bookish, etc.

Not bad.

Mind you, I didn't see the first one, so maybe I would have liked that one too?

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Sunshine Cleaning

9/10

Ever since I saw the trailers for this movie, I wanted to see it. Timing never seemed to work out with friends, so I went alone on my day off.

I loved everything about this movie. This is EXACTLY the type of movie I like to watch. Less known actors, average storyline, normal- yet- interesting characters.

The sisterly relationship was believable. One second they were fine, one second they were pissy. The father was a bit of a mess up but he was lovely. The little boy was a doll. I really, really felt for the friend of Emily Blunt....who sorta had the wool pulled over her eyes...I don't want to give it away. My favourite character was the dude who ran the cleaning supply store. I loved him! He was so normal and so amazingly accepting of the weirdness that surrounded him.

All of these characters had issues but they were all so wonderful to watch.

Loved this movie.

I just read about the writer...Megan Holley - this was her first writing credit. Bravo!

The Class

6.5/10

What a weird movie!

I mean, I have seen documentaries, and I have seen dramas...mockumentaries....you name it.

I don't know what to compare this movie to. Did you ever see Kids? That is the closest style that I can think of.

I went to see this with Karen at the Fox Theatre. I love older theatres. If I could change one thing about this one though, I would put the washrooms in another section of the building. As it stands, they are right at the back of the theatre - you don't need to leave the room to pee. Which means....that because my sense of smell is so strong....the wafting smell of pee/poo/air freshener wafts down into the seats from the back. We managed to sit near the front, which was cool, since the smell was kept at bay. Okay, it wasn't that bad, but again, I am a hound.

The popcorn had an odd smell too. I don't even want to get into that.

Oh yes, the movie.

An hour in, Karen turned to me and said...and I quote:

"What the fuck are we watching?"

I had to agree, because it was devoid of a storyline. It was as though you were just watching a class go about their day.

It was one of those movies that makes you wonder what they are trying to accomplish throughout....and then you leave the theatre and things start to make sense. Once you get home and start thinking about it, you realize what the actual point of the movie may have been. In this case, I think they were just trying to show you the dynamics of a regular classroom. The shit disturbers, the smart kids, the kids on welfare, the kids that slip through the cracks and get pushed ahead although they should have failed grades along the way, etc. This movie shows you that teachers make mistakes too.

I was impressed with the length of scenes/takes...I don't think there could have possibly been a script for this movie. It was too naturally done.

An interesting movie, but draggy in many,many, many areas.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

One Week

9/10

It's been
one week since you looked at me, cocked your head to the side and said I'm angry....
Chickity China the Chinese chicken you have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin watchin x-files with no lights on, we're dans la maison I hope the smoking mans in this one like Harrison Ford I'm getting frantic......

Just had to sing that song...every time I hear the title of that movie, I start to sing it in my head.

Anyhow, back to the movie.

L-O-V-E-D I-T!

Well you know I am a complete fan of Canadian movies....and this was no different. Although the actual story was kind of simple, I just enjoyed the conversations he had with people along the way. After getting the news that you are going to die, he did what most people WOULD do. He escaped reality for a while. He did something for himself. His fiance/family kept cutting him down for being selfish, but HELLO - he's going to die. Let the boy enjoy himself for a fucking week before he has to face reality again.

His journey brought back so many memories for me. He stopped at all of the same towns I did when I drove out west. He visited all of the roadside attractions - Terry Fox's statue in Thunder Bay was successful in making me cry a second time. I could barely read the engraving on the side of his statue when I stopped there. Watching it again was very moving. The enormity of what Terry did.....indescribable. That boy ran a marathon every single day. EVERY SINGLE DAY. Most people run a marathon or two a year. This man did it every single day for 143 days. Unbelievable. He's truly Canada's hero. Anyhoo, the movie brought back so many memories for me that I was engrossed in every second of it. The music was perfect for the movie as well.

Between Karen and myself, we were in tears for about a full hour, off and on.

There were a few cameos - Gord Downie from The Tragically Hip and Emm Gryner - added to the Canadian quotient.

I have been reading reviews about this movie and most of them hate it. Which is okay - because these same people probably loved Slumdog.

I guess it just boils down to the fact that you like what you like. If something speaks to you, it's okay to go against the grain and just accept it as it is.

Slumdog Millionaire

4.5/10

Okay...... I don't know what the hell the fuss is about with this movie.

The story was weak. The main character had no personality and there was no character building in any way, shape or form. It was 2 hours of this:

Torture scene, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire scene, explanation scene.
Torture scene, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire scene, explanation scene.
Torture scene, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire scene, explanation scene.

Fuuuuuuuucking painful.

There were too many 'coincidences'. The love story was ridiculous.

I could go on and on. I thought this movie was shit, plain and simple.

Saving grace - having seen the trials and tribulations of what a "slumdog" experiences on a daily basis in India. This is their life. Mind you, take a trip to any third world country and you'll witness the same horrible conditions.

I have one friend that has shared in my dislike for this movie. Everyone else thought it was amazing.

Oh well, what can you do???

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Confessions of a Shopoholic

1/10

I know, I know. This doesn't seem like something I would choose. That's because it's not. It was my friend Karen's birthday and she chose this flick. I can take one for the team every once in a while.......

Halfway through this movie, I pulled out my notepad and started to write my "to do" list.

Seriously.

I'd look up at the screen, look down and write "dye hair". Look up at the screen, look down and write "vacuum."


Swear.

A truly, truly bad movie. Not even worth renting. Or watching... if it comes on television...which will probably be next week.

Save your precious 90 minutes for something constructive, like...say......napping.

He's Just Not That Into You

4/10

Took the day off work to help a friend with a biopsy conundrum. The event ended early so we decided to take in a light movie. Both she and I are single, and man, it seems like we will remain this forever after watching this piece of shit.

This movie teaches you that unless a man is trying to spend every waking moment with you, and calling you all the time, he's not that into you.

It teaches you that all communication between men and women doesn't actually reflect the words that come out of someone's mouth. For example..."call me" means "don't call me."

By the time the end of this movie rolled around, I was void of all hope, romanticism and desire to enter into any type of relationship. Both my friend and I have had just about enough of the dating scene, due to all of the jerks we have met. This movie was the last nail in the coffin, so to speak.

Whatever happened to saying what you mean and meaning what you say?

For more info on my jaded dating views, please visit this entry.

Doubt

7/10

Nothing in this story was original.

I mean, we've all seen it before:

Priest is accused of diddling kids that belong to the parish or attend the boarding school.


*snore*

I didn't hate the movie - in fact, parts of it were very good. It just didn't surprise me at any point.

At the end, you are forced to wonder if he actually did it.

Of course he did, please.

My friend Karen and I took out our friend Alison for her birthday and this is the movie she chose. It could have been worse, so I am not complaining.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

5/10

Why?

Why do I ever go against my better judgment and see a movie that never really interested me from the beginning? I must assume that the opinions of those around me HAVE to be decent. Yet, I get into the theatre and halfway through the movies, I start to think...


WHY?

Is it that they really don't know what a good movie is? Is it that they are unable to notice the mediocrity of the movie? Is it that they are so happy to be away from their screaming kids, that they could be watching a blank screen and that would make them happy? Is it that I have seen so many movies, that I am forced to pick them apart?

Take my mother for example. She could watch any cheesy movie you put in front of her and she will like it. She gets angry at me for being so picky with what I like.

Anyhow, back to the movie.

Story - meh.
Performances - meh.
Length - too long

Saving grace - Benjamin narrated most of the movie, and at the end of each life stage, he would complete that stage with a very thought-provoking statement.

For example;


"Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss. "

I was impressed by Kate Blanchett's dancing abilities, although she didn't do the long spins/twirls herself. What a kick-ass body!

One of my favourite parts of this movie, was the character that was hit by lightning 7 times. Yes, it was a bit of comedic relief, but I still wonder what the point of his character was? If you notice, Benjamin never answers this man when he tells him each of the seven stories. He just looks at him, and walks away. Is it that he treats everyone with dignity by allowing them the chance to be heard? Or is it something deeper? Can anyone shed some light here?

An okay movie. I should have saved my money for something Canadian made. I'm never disappointed in Cdn films.

I learned that I should never ignore my gut feeling.

Gran Torino

3/10

I have an idea.

Let's take the world's shittiest actors, put them in a movie with a shitty script, add some shitty humour, and have the main character voice every single inappropriate racial slur without being called on it...because he's "Clint."

Wow, what a bad movie.

I miss the days back in Calgary, when my friend Bob and I would see shitty movies together. They never seemed half as shitty though, with him at my side. We would gorge on popcorn and slushies, and laugh at the exact same times, because we could see the absurdity of the movie. Sometimes the movies were so bad, but ended up being such a good time, because we "got" each other.

There were times in this movie where I BURST out laughing, since it was utter ridiculousness, and yet no one else was laughing. At the end, I couldn't figure out if it was meant to be campy or serious. It HAD to be campy.

Not sure who did the casting for this movie, but I have serious doubts if any of the actors ever worked before this job. The level of overacting was sickening.

And again, the racial slurs that Clint used? Unforgivable. How does he get away with that shit?

He also had a habit of growling through this movie. I have argued with many people about his acting abilities. I think he's downright dreadful. The growling just made me roll my eyes. Get a grip, Clint.

Granted, I was on a date, with a guy that ended up being a fucking liar. Did I say that out loud? He liked the movie. I should have known then and there that we weren't a match.

Revolutionary Road

5/10

No idea why this movie was getting such amazing reviews....

Depressing, depressing, depressing.

Yes, the performances were decent...mind you, I thought Kate's was just okay. Leo's was top notch, but the really excellent performance came from Michael Shannon. Although he was considered the one with the mental health problems, he seemed like the one with the most realistic opinions, and had a knack of reading people's minds. He just didn't know when to shut up.

Did I mention that this movie is depressing?

Oh, and by the way.

Depressing.

Didn't see the ending coming. Assumed it would be something just as bad, but not as bad....if that makes any sense. I would have rathered the ending in my head over the one they chose.

Happy Go Lucky

6.5/10

I have a friend that reminds me of the girl in this movie. They are both so upbeat ALL THE TIME that you want to smash their faces in at times. That is, until you spend enough time with them...and you start to notice that they aren't so one dimensional after all.

It's unfortunate that sometimes really happy, bubbly people are misunderstood as being ditsy.

In this case, the main character, Poppy, is always cracking jokes and making ridiculous small talk, that you refuse to believe she has ANY substance to her. That is until...every so often, WHAM, she hits someone with amazingly deep insight. This insight usually stops them in mid step, and they have no idea what hit them. Those were my favourite moments of this movie.

The movie is light. Most of it is concentrated on Poppy and her PSYCHO driving teacher. He deserves an Oscar for his role in this movie. He plays such an ass. WOW. Excellent performance.

There were a few times when you could see frustration on Poppy's face but for the most part, she teaches you that life shouldn't be so dismal and frustrating.

She could teach us a thousand lessons, yet I doubt any of us would put them to good use.

Rachel Getting Married

8/10

I know there are a lot of Anne Hathaway haters out there, and truthfully I have no idea why.

I think this girl has major talent.

Her performance in this movie was excellent. At one point, she makes a toast at her sister's rehearsal dinner. You want to squirm in your seat. She manages to make the audience feel so awkward and uncomfortable with this toast...which illustrates the breadth of her talent.

This movie was quite good. I love movies where it's hard to tell if there is a script, or whether you are spying on a normal life. For an example of this, see Kids.

If I ever get married, I want a wedding like these two. Every single culture was jammed into this evening - looked like the best party ever. I'd want a wedding like this one, or the one that Toni Collette had in "In Her Shoes".

But seriously, who wants to get married.

I digress.

I had a MAJOR problem with her husband's glasses though. I know there are people out there trying to bring back the MASSIVE glasses trend, but I hope that is kiboshed. STAT.


Seriously - look at them.

How embarrassing! At least wear some fucking contacts for your WEDDING. It's your W-E-D-D-I-N-G day!!!!!

You will be in pictures for the rest of your life with these horrific glasses. Shame, shame, shame.

On another note, who is this Mather Zickel character? I've never seen him before and he's absolutely adorable.


Not a bad movie overall. Performances are good, plot is decent.

Saw this at the Bloor Cinema for the double bill. Remind me not to sit in the single seats on the balcony again. My fat ass barely squeezes into them.

I've Loved You So Long

7/10

Saw this movie at the double bill at the Bloor Cinema. If you've never been there, check it out. Movies are cheap, and the theatre has more character than any other theatre in Toronto. Support the little guys! You know, the ones that actually appreciate the movies that they play.

I kept mixing up this movie and the one below this (Tell No One). Although they are nothing alike, it's probably because Kristin Scott Thomas is in both of them. I actually never realized she spoke french or acted in french-speaking movies....but seriously...why should I? Are we best friends?

That aside, this was a decent movie as well. The plot was different than anything I have seen, and you want to hate the character for having done what she's done...but one part of you wants to understand who she is and why she did it.

Thomas does an amazing job playing the aloof, indifferent sister who just got out of jail. The relationship between her and her sister was completely believable. It goes to show you that family love (the common theme in both Thomas movies) is impermeable.

A very interesting ending as well.

Decent movie.

Tell No One

9/10

Finally a suspenseful, interesting, wonderfully acted movie!

It takes a great movie to keep my interest throughout...especially if it was designed to be a mystery/suspense. I find that most movies like this start out strong and end off weak.

As well, sometimes a lot is lost in the translation..but in this case the acting was so amazing, and the emotions so powerful that you start to forget that you are watching a movie in another language.

A great tale of true romantic love, and the power of family loyalty.

WELL WELL WELL worth renting.

Four Christmases

5/10

Typical crappy movie chock-full of big names and an unimaginative storyline.

What pissed me off the most about this movie is how it takes a whole lifetime to formulate the reasons you shouldn't have children or get married, and yet it only takes 2 hours to kibosh that decision, in order to keep the person you MAY lose if you don't give in.

Cheesy cheesy cheesy.