All YMM Reviews

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

February 13, 2012
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Overall:★★½☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★☆☆ 
Storytelling:★½☆☆☆ 

So, your kids should really like this one.  It isn’t terrible for adults, but then again, it isn’t all that great.

The plot is: For some reason a kid (Josh Hutcherson) and The Rock (insert 2 minutes of standard blended family boy trying to find himself shooting death eyes at stepdad) go traipsing off to somewhere near the filming of the latest season of Survivor, find a helicopter pilot from the Comic Relief Agency (25% surcharge for pilot bringing his cute daughter from High School Musical, additional 10% if she is not allowed to sing), and fly through some kind of whirlpool vortex thing straight into an updated Land of the Lost.  You know, elephants are small, dragonflies are big, stuff is dangerous, those-aren’t-rocks-they’re-eggs (gasp!), that kind of deal.  And the island is sinking and it’s really Atlantis and Michael Caine stars as long-lost-grandpa dressed up like Barbie’s Adventure Ken.  And somehow Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson cooked it all up years ago.

That is to say, the story is pretty ridiculous, and doesn’t flow… it feels like one set up scene after another.

For the positive stuff, Dwayne Johnson is, as always, very good as a comedic and physical actor.  Josh Hutcherson plays his role well (looking forward to him as Peeta in Hunger Games), and Michael Caine is enjoyably hammy.  And some (but not all) of the special effects are fun.  It’s just that the script is, well, nuts.

So, go for the kids.  There is no bad language, or it is very minimal.  The Rock is funny.  The adventure is decent, if predictable and/or stupid.  But if it’s date night, pick something else.

We Bought a Zoo

January 15, 2012
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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.

Three Idiots

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

Wow, that was a good movie. Recommended by friends at work, and they were right. If you like movies from India, you’ll like this one a lot.

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.

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