In the theater

We Bought a Zoo

January 15, 2012
By

 
Overall:★½☆☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★☆☆☆ 
Storytelling:½☆☆☆☆ 

Horribly clunky dialogue. All stuff you’ve seen before, but set in a zoo. An example: Know how you can tell the teenage boy is upset at his mom’s death? His drawings are violent and dark! (And it’s Hollywood, so his drawings are in this fancy leather journal, of course.) Also, the little girl is cute, but it’s Hollywood, so dad interacts with her as if she is an adult, asking for parenting advice.  Was wishing for Chipwrecked.

Guest Review from Your Movie Monkey’s 12-year-old daughter, Drama

I didn’t know what to expect from this movie.  From the commercial, the theme seems to be “a touching and inspiring family movie”, but it is packed with cussing.  The story was good but got side tracked.  Overall, my favorite part was the sets.  I liked how it ended, but the beginning was slow.  It was worth seeing.

The Immortals

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★★★☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★½☆ 
Storytelling:★★★☆☆ 

Basically, 300 lite.  But entertaining if you like this type of movie.

50/50

January 15, 2012
By

 
Overall:★★★★☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★★☆ 
Storytelling:★★★★☆ 

An excellent movie, even though it has Seth Rogen. (For the life of me, I don’t get why he is so popular.) Best performance by an actor I’ve seen in a long, long time. (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Of course there is some ridiculous crassness because of Seth Rogan, Gordon-Levitt conveys so much with just his face. Along with Wit, another great movie detailing the pain of facing cancer essentially alone. Not for kids, of course.

Cars 2

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★½☆☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★☆☆ 
Storytelling:☆☆☆☆☆ 

If Your Movie Monkey never hears Larry the Cable Guy again, it will be too soon.

Win Win

January 15, 2012
By

 
Overall:★★★☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★☆☆ 
Storytelling:★★★☆☆ 

It is unbelievable that this movie had a 91% positive on rotten tomatoes. Very, very well acted. Funny in places, and moving. But it’s predictable as they come. Your Movie Monkey outlined the plot in his head in the first 5 minutes. And it’s definitely slow in places. Bobby Cannavale is phenomenal as Paul Giamatti’s buddy Terry, and Jeffery Tambor is great as usual. It’s just slow. Not There Will Be Blood slow, but slow. Oh yes, and fans of the Office will enjoy seeing Amy Ryan in a serious turn.

The Conspirator

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★★★½☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★½☆ 
Storytelling:★★★½☆ 

An interesting movie, perhaps a little slow in spots. Well acted for sure, nice scenery. Made Your Movie Monkey curious whether Mary Seurat was an innocent bystander as the movie portrays.

Captain America

January 15, 2012
By
 
Overall:★★½☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★☆☆ 
Storytelling:★★☆☆☆ 

Standard superhero fare.  Big budget, yet somehow charisma-free.

Thor

January 15, 2012
By

 
Overall:★★★★☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★★☆ 
Storytelling:★★★★☆ 

Really fun summer action movie. Chris Hemmerline does action and comedy both well, Natalie Portman is great. Anthony Hopkins is even decent (occasionally Sir Anthony can be a little hammy). The only thing Your Movie Monkey found a little funny was that the realm (planet) of bad guys was called Yodenheim (or Jodenheim or something). Every time Your Movie Monkey heard this, he thought it sounded like a mid-sized town that Borscht Belt comics knew well. (Oy, when you work Jodenheim, be sure to stop at Bubbie’s for a knisch!)

Your Movie Monkey was surprised it’s rated PG-13. He thinks the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was rated PG, and it was more violent. Alice in Wonderland was PG and it was way, way more violent. Very little language, and that was mild. No “adult situation”. Just a fun movie.  Your Movie Monkey took his 9 year old and had no issues with it.

Soul Surfer

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★★★★☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★★☆ 
Storytelling:★★★★☆ 

So, I knew critics wouldn’t like this because it presents a family that actually likes each other and doesn’t swear. They will claim unrealistic, of course, but this movie (based on a true story) was inspirational. Sure, maybe a few times that the dialogue feels a little stiff, but my guess is that they had a much smaller budget than other big Hollywood movies. A moving story, for sure.

Hanna

January 15, 2012
By
 
Overall:★★★☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★☆☆ 
Storytelling:★★★☆☆ 

The pitch: “OK, let’s remake the Bourne Supremacy/Conspiracy/Oligopoly or whatever but with a 14 year old girl in the Matt Damon part and Eric Bana as her dad who jogs and swims and does calisthenics for no apparent reason. What, don’t care for Bana? He’s cheaper than any other action star… maybe we could give him an ‘accent’ and folks won’t notice who it is?” Actually, it’s decently acted, and the girl playing Hanna is great, but the story is like the Eragon of action/suspsense thrillers… you’ve clearly seen every last bit of it before in other movies. And most plot elements, many times. The movie also could have used some serious editing. The most useful thing about the movie is this… if you ever find a critic who uses the word “taut” or “crisp” (or any other word to mean “moves along at a decent pace without a lot of filler”) to describe it, definitely be skeptical of this critic in the future. It’s anything but! Nothing painful, but nothing new.

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