The Hunger Games (2012)

Disclaimer: Must read these books! This movie was even better watching it for the second time in my living room! Granted I read all three books in less than 3 weeks time, I fell in love. If your looking for a love story, stop. This isn't some teeny bopper twilight ridiculous love type of saga. This is a story about a post apocalyptic "America" where the government controls all, (oh wait that's happening now, ok so we can all relate!), and a teenage girl just happens to get wrapped up in the middle becoming a symbol of freedom and rebellion. There are a few things left out of the movie, but understandable. Katniss Everdeen, our heroine, played by Jennifer Lawrence is amazing!! (Again fell in love!) She really nailed the emotions of what it would be like to be picked to fight to the death. The supporting characters are not as interesting by a long shot. The CG could have been better which gives me hope for a bigger budgeted follow up. (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) I just loved the whole thing, the book concept and the relation from print to screen. Above all the fact the this could happen, it's a great sci-fi make-you-think type of movie! "May the odds be ever in your favor".

Albert Nobbs (2011)

I was a little disappointed in this one, I think. Glen Close as Albert Nobbs was offbeat and strange, but good! The makeup job was fantastic! I thought it a little funny that Janet McTeer who plays Hubert (another woman posing as a man) was clearly to me a woman, whereas Albert Nobbs was strange enough that "he" appeared male. The film was rather slow, no climatic piece, kind of blah. Except for some reason I really enjoyed the scenes where the snow was falling....I don't know.......on to the next!

New Years Eve (2011)

All star cast alert! Maybe too many big names in this one. It's like I want to say it was your typical holiday movie, but it was more disappointing than that even. I think the movie should have been based on the Zac Efron/Michelle Pfeiffer scenario where she decides to quit her job and has a list of New Years resolutions that was she wants to complete by midnight. That would have been a great movie! Just saying. Not much else to say about this one, you all know how these movies start and end too.

21 Jump Street (2012)

Well I hate to say or do I....I should have passed on this one. Jonah Hill was the only decent part of this movie. Ice Cube ruined every scene he was in, not funny, and too much! Lame characters all around. Dumb and cheesy. Even the cameo at the end by Johnny Depp was awful! What a horrible way to end that! Done.

Jeff Who Lives At Home (2011)

I thought this movie was good. I have a thing for sad-realism type movies. The movie is about a 30 year old (Jason Segal) who lives in the basement of his mothers house. The movie opens with Segal in deep thought talking about how signs are everywhere only to pan out to find him sitting on the toilet. This is the part where you question if this character is a nut job or quite intelligent. I really enjoyed Segal's performance, then again I pretty much have liked him in all of his movies. This one is by far his most serious and you can really see the sadness resonating in his eyes true to his character. A scene that really stood out to me was the scene where his mother played by Susan Sarandon is in her office when the fire alarm goes off and the sprinklers turn on. Instead of running out with the rest of her coworkers she sits in her chair and leans back as if it were rain falling upon her face. Loved that scene! Made me feel what she was feeling and what she wanted from life. To sum it up, it's about signs being everywhere and it's just how you interpret them. Deep, serious, and awkward.

Big Miracle (2012)

This is sweet film for the whole family about 3 whales trapped beneath the icy surface of Alaska. Now when I think of Alaska two words come to mind for some reason, Sarah....Palin, ha ha wait for it. Anyhow anyone who has a soft spot for animals will like this movie. Plus it's based on a true story, which means just that BASED, not all truth, but we all need some Hollywood spin on truth right. No outstanding performances, although I always enjoy Drew Barrymore as well as Kristen Bell. You have to watch it all the way through just to get to the end to see the real 80's news footage, which features, none other than Sarah Palin! It's more like a cameo and I'm still trying to figure out why they even showed her, but none the less her 80's hair style is pretty awesome. Political Ploy?

John Carter (2012)

Interesting concept. Of course it originally comes from a series of books written by Edgar Rice Burroughs  from 1912 to 1943. (This is an ELE-VEN volume series) This film is supposed to capture the main characters first experience on the planet Barsoom or as we like to call it, Mars. I love that when these stories were written it was in a time when our planet was suffering from mass hysteria of alien attacks from Mars. (Thank you Orson Wells ha ha) So I can kind of get the idea as to why there would be a river, much less a whole-nother human race inhabiting the red planet. A little hard to follow at first the movie may lose your interest. BUT by the middle of it I kind of liked it. There were a few things that reminded me of Star Wars, as you will see. Needed more of a back story. I felt as though it also needed more depth to be taken seriously. It was a quick summary of the first book and there were some cheesy lines here and there, but nothing to roll your eyes at. There is also a great Haboob scene that made me feel right at home. (What's up Arizona!!) I did really enjoy the fat, cute, little alien dog like thing too. The "humans" of Mars not so much, boring characters everywhere! So by the time it's over it makes you kind of hope for a sequel?

Intruders (2011)

Uhhh hmmmm. Not sure I agree with the title at all. This one is about a faceless being whom they call "Hollowface". That would have been a better name for the movie. Just saying. The opening sequence is really choppy and dull. The CG in this movie is almost childlike but that could be perhaps when it is CG it's during a scene with a child. Maybe that's the connection, I don't know and I don't believe this movie deserves that much thought. This is NOT I repeat NOT a scary movie. And Clive Owen is seemingly less attractive in this movie. He almost looks "doofy". He can do much better than this. No other big name actors in this one, just as well. The concept could have been better and taken in another direction. Just an overall disappointment. Where have all the great "horror" films gone?? Booooo!

The Next Three Days (2010)

Well if you like Russell Crowe as just an actor not a super human gladiator then you might like this film. Playing the husband of an accused murderer ( Elizabeth Banks, who let's face it, we all like her) Crowe's character finds a way to break her out of prison. It has suspense, but just enough to keep the audience interested. A slightly interesting story, which does in fact wrap up at the end. What I did like about this movie was the character breakdown of Crowe's character John. He was shaky and nervous at times which I thought was more realistic than some macho action flik where the dude just busts in and saves his girl and they ride away in the sunset. Not much else to say, I wouldn't watch it again, but it was worth the free watch (on Netflix). (and that's me plugging netflix AGAIN)