Deja Vu

I wasn't disappointed in this sci-fi action flick, but there are holes in the story. Of course, that is to be expected in movies that involve time travel. I thought the plot was decent with the bomb and the murders, and it was interesting to see how agent Carlin actually caused things that he tried to prevent from happening to happen with his time travel related stunts. The end result was the same in most of the situations he tried to change. This reminded me of the book Heather and I read for September, The Time Traveler's Wife, and how Henry, the main character, said that he could go back in time but wouldn't do anything to try and change the future because what was going to happen would happen regardless of what he did or didn't do. That book and this movie both suggest that there are predestined events set in place in life, and the future can't really be altered because things are constantly already happening in the now to lead to the same ultimate end result even before it has happened. Man, that is confusing. Time travel is tricky.

I said in most of the situations the end result was the same in the movie, but the ending is where things somehow miraculously do change so the future does finally alter...for the better, of course.

Overall, I was satisfied with this movie, but I think it could have used a better supporting cast and more of a mad, mad villain. Jim Caviezel delivers a villain who appears to be just quietly crazy in my opinion, and I think that brings the intensity of the movie down a notch.

Recommended for Denzel fans and for anyone who wants to try to wrap their head around the folding time/space thing.

Then She Found Me

A few laughs, a few tears and alot of heart. This movie is about half sad and half happy. It's definitely more of a chick flick, but I think single fathers might appreciate this, too. I rented it because I absolutely love Colin Firth, and I loved him in this movie...he did a very realistic portrayal of a single father on the edge of breaking while caring for two children all on his own. Helen Hunt was wonderful as the main character, April (and as director). She delivered her lines and paced her reactions so well. I am not at the baby fever stage yet of my life, but Hunt really drew me into her character's baby drama. I felt for her and cried when she cried. This is a very touching story. The ending was so sweet and not what I predicted.

Random note - Helen Hunt wasn't that believeable to me as being only 39 years old. I couldn't get over her droopy eyes and cheeks. I still think she's pretty, though, and she has kept her figure up very well...you'll see much of it in this movie if you decide to watch.

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas - DVD

I rented this because it looked like a good old fashioned romantic love story, and I love Christina Applegate. Also, Johnathan Schaech is pretty hot in the smoldering sense. It was completely romantic and chick-flicky, and I really liked it. It's all about letting go of the past and letting yourself heal to move on in life and love.

The whole movie has kind of an overcast sadness but not in a really depressing way, and that's what made me want to watch till the end because I was sure it had to get better. It was light and humorous in several places...seeing the romance bloom between Suzanne and Matt was nice and sweet. I got attached to them as a couple.

I had a hard time accepting Matt's new love interest because of Matt and Suzanne's relationship, but in the last scene she redeems herself with the last line of the movie which was perfect, "It'll keep." That was the best choice of words for her in that scene. I haven't read the book so I don't know if that was what was said in the book, but it was the perfect ending. I do think the ending was kind of rushed, but it did suit the story.

Recommended for romantics everywhere, and if you read the book then see the movie. I've read reviews that say it's a pretty good version of the story brought to life. I'm going to read the book soon so I can compare.

Happy Birthday to you, Heather!!!

Enjoy your cake!

Love, Angel

1408

I rented this to watch for Halloween. I figured I couldn't miss with a Stephen King thriller. The movie started off strong, and I was really feeling the whole evil hotel room vibe, but halfway through there was the whole fake out escape...I think it lasted too long to get me in the evil hotel room vibe once again when Mike is brought back to the room. And after the room ordeal was all over, the ending just left me shaking my head in disappointment. I really thought there would be a twist and he'd be back in the room for more endless messed up insanity trips. That would have been a good ending.

The freakiest thing about the movie = the weird dude in the green jacket with the messed up hair and the tool. That person was a seriously jacked up character that made me jump repeatedly. Oh, and the crusty dude in the air shaft was pretty scary, too.

John Cusack's acting was really good in this, and I liked seeing him in this more sensitive, vulnerable role. He's also aging well. Samuel L. Jackson - he is good at being bad and mysterious, but ever since Snakes on a Plane I can't help but laugh and remember that famous line he belted out. You know the one. If not, see my Snakes on a Plane post from 10/22/08. Ahahaha!

Grandma's Boy

An incredible waste of time. There might have been two funny jokes in this movie, but I don't remember what they are, and I don't really care either. I suppose this would be funny to people who get high all the time. That's the last time I let a Blockbuster boy pick out my free rewards rental. Yeah, it was a free pick, but I like to take advantage of the free thing and not waste it on crap like this movie. I should have known better.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Classic Indy Jones flick. You can really see Harrison Ford's age come out in this role, but he did an outstanding job anyway. I didn't expect his adventures to become alien-related, but anything's possible. I liked this one a whole lot, but Last Crusade is still my favorite. Shia LaBeouf is hot, but I didn't like his hair in this movie. It'd be neat if he got to carry on the Indiana Jones legend. Definitely a must see for Indiana Jones fans.

Nights in Rodanthe

I loved the book a whole lot more, but the movie is good on its own, too. The story was changed too much for my taste for it to be a good representation of the book.

I enjoyed seeing Diane Lane and Richard Gere together on screen. This is a very emotional film, and it starts out slow but builds quickly. Definitely a chick film, and I recommend this to any of you who like a good tragic love story.

I wish James Franco had a bigger role in the movie...that's my one real complaint.

Playing for Pizza - John Grisham

Excellent book! Good pick, Angel. Actually made me want to watch football, and I kept wishing there was a movie version so I could see the plays. Is there a movie version? I liked all the characters and the story itself. I could have done without all the food descriptions. Those seemed to take up alot of space in the book, but I suppose he was just trying to get across the idea that food is very important in Italy. I might pass this book on to my football loving guy friend who doesn't read much. He'd probably like it.

What's our book for November??

Mama's Boy

Great movie! I love that guy from Napoleon Dynamite. He's so funny to me. This movie is really cute, and Diane Keaton plays the best worried mom. I like the girl he's in love with, too. It's fun to see her in something other than a scary movie spoof. This is one of those movie's no one has heard of, but it's perfect to watch when everything else is checked out. A hidden gem is what they'd call it (or at least a hidden nickle or something).

The Jane Austen Book Club

This book is not at all what I expected it would be. I don't know what I was hoping for, but this wasn't quite it. Maybe I need to read more Jane Austen to really understand its meaning. All the ladies seem so snooty about only reading Austen or not moving on to something else after they've read Austen. I imagine that's how they're supposed to be though. I'll have to rent the movie and see how it is.

There was one quote that made me stop and reread. And here it is...Page 228 in my version. "And you know, if it were the other way, if something had happened to Allegra, I wouldn't have to remind myself to be unhappy. I'd be unhappy the rest of my life. Why should unhappiness be so much more powerful than happiness?" There's a question for you. And for that matter, why should worrying be so much stronger than faith or hope.

Snakes on a Plane

My curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to see what it was all about. It was a cheesy start then insane and hilarious to the finish. The acting could have been way better, but I guess the gross factor was supposed to make up for that...well that and the nudity factor combined. The movie wasn't a flop, but I wouldn't give it more than three stars on Amazon...barely that. The thing that makes me not actually hate this movie or feel like I completely wasted my time is my favorite line which is probably everybody's favorite - when Samuel L. Jackson finally declares with his usual badass attitude, "Enough is enough! I have had it with these mother fu**in snakes on this mother fu**in plane!" You gotta see it to believe it...I laughed so hard at that part! That will crack me up for days!

Sex and the City - The Movie

The girls are back! I love Sex and the City! And I love the movie, too! Carrie and Big finally decide to tie the knot, but you know they can't get hitched without something "big" going down.

It was better than I expected it to be. The love, the sex, the laughs, the clothes, the shoes, the bags, the drama, the friendships, the men! It's all so fantastic!

I watched some of the movie with the commentary on after I watched it without, and it really makes you look at the show and the movie in a different way. It's a lot deeper than some people think. It's not just about material things and sex, it's about love and these four great women, how they grow as individuals and as friends. It's about what they mean to each other and to themselves. And it's not always glamorous. But it's oh so fabulous!

Oh, oh, oh! I have to add that the way Big proposed was absolutely perfect! So fitting! It's a total chick flick! See it and love it!

Will & Grace - Season 8

No other show makes me laugh as much. I love this whole season, and the live episodes are so fun to watch. I love seeing the actors crack themselves up and try their hardest not to laugh or smile at the jokes. It's great! I miss this series being on TV. Too bad it went off the air, but thank goodness I can still enjoy the show over and over on DVD. I highly recommend this show, but if you haven't seen it ever then start from the beginning with season one, of course. It only gets better with each season!


My favortie episodes from this season:
Alive and Schticking (Live. The kiss shocked me and put me in stiches!)
Von Trapped (so many great lines in this one)
The Hole Truth
Love is in the Airplane
Bathroom Humor (Live. The gags are fantastic!)
Whatever Happened to Baby Gin? (Josh Lucas guest stars! Woohoo!)

Frasier - The Complete Final Season

I miss Frasier, but it was time for the show to go. They were running out of things to make happen. I'm so glad some of the original writers came back to this show for the last season. The jokes are outstanding and the comedic timing is always perfect. I love the whole cast, and I was sad when the show ended. It's like saying good-bye to a close bunch of friends. I almost have all the seasons now! I've seen them all, but I don't own them all. I love this show and could watch it over and over every day, it's that good!

My favorite episodes this season:

I'm Listening

Guns N' Neuroses (love the way they cover the damage)

High Holidays (so great to see Marty get loose)

The Ann Who Came to Dinner (annoyingly funny)

Boo! (The scares are hilarious!)

Coots and Ladders (good old-fashioned Frasier and Niles adventure)

And Frasier Makes Three

Crock Tales (a look back that could have been done better I think)

Goodnight, Seattle, Part 2

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Hi-freakin-larious! I love Peter. He is such a good guy and didn't deserve to get dumped by Sarah Marshall. But it's a good thing he did or he wouldn't have become himself in the end. I really liked this movie, and I was surprised by that because I usually don't like movies like this. There were one too many penis shots, but that just added to the humor...as funny as seeing a penis can be I guess. It was nice to see Mila Kunis in a different type of role from the character she plays on That 70s show.

Anyway, this was a sweet romantic comedy...a very funny comedy. I loved the setting in Hawaii. I want to go there. It looks so inviting.

Oh, and I liked the little Dracula puppet opera even though I think it would have been better if the cast who held the puppets had worn black masks to cover their faces more so they couldn't be seen.

I recommend.

Rendition

Extradition - the official process by which one nation or state requests and obtains from another nation or state the surrender of a suspected or convicted criminal. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties. Between sub-national regions (for example, the individual states of the U.S.), where extradition is required by law it is more accurately known as rendition. - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extradition]

This film was upsetting. An innocent man is basically imprisoned and tortured for info he doesn't possess all because of his name. He's not allowed to call his pregnant wife, and she has no clue what's happened to her husband. The guy would have to be mentally abused beyond repair after that in my opinion. This movie is a real eye opener to how our government abuses its power over people even when they know nothing may come of their little experiments and investigations. They try to squeeze juice out of a nut and then act like they don't know anything when nothing comes of it.

I thought Reese Witherspoon was very good in this film. She definitely does drama well. I'd like to see her in more dramatic roles. And Jake Gyllenhaal...well he's hot, of course, but he wasn't convincing to me as the new CIA kid on the block. He seemed a little out of place. I still enjoyed his performance, though.

The little love tragedy involving the Egyptian teens that was folded into this was so-so. It added a little more drama and suspense on another level, but I didn't really care for that whole story line.

Mainly a dramatic political thriller.

Baby Mama

Hilarious! I got this for my birthday (thanks, Summer!), and I love it. Tina Fey is a gem, and Amy Poehler is equally amusing. I love the two together. And the rest of the cast was perfect, too. Steve Martin is in this, and who doesn't love Steve Martin's comedy?! He's great! I love the part where he rewards Tina Fey's character by giving her five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact. Too weirdly funny!

The premise for this film is bittersweet, and the big twist makes the movie's ending so much better. I figured out what was going to happen in the end (too many predictable movies these days), but it was still so wonderful to watch the ending come together. Baby Mama drama has never been so entertaining! Two thumbs up from me!

Definitely, Maybe

Definitely a keeper. I bought this romantic comedy on a whim, and I'm glad I did. It's told from a man's point of view which is a nice change of pace for a chick-type flick. I didn't think Ryan Reynolds would be able to pull off the dad role, but he did it with charm and actually very well. Out of the three leading ladies, I'm glad he chose the one he did. Enjoyable for a date night or just to chillax on your own.

What Happens In Vegas

This was funnier than I thought it would be. I liked the whole cast, especially Ashton Kutcher...of course. I liked his apartment in NY, too. It was made to look like a bachelor pad, but it was kind of homey and had a lot of character. I can't help that I notice things like that. Aside from his apartment, the story was just fun and cute, and, even though you know what will happen after Vegas, it's still a good movie. My favorite part was the running for the appointment montage. And the afterthoughts during the credits were hilarious...seeing them get married and seeing Jason Sudeikis get his lights punched out.

Sydney White

Predictable typical college teen flick. You can tell this was done on a low budget. I didn't like the whole "I'm a dork" thing at the end. That was just annoying. I do like Amanda Bynes, but her acting is the same in most films. That is kind of getting old and on my nerves. I want to see her in something more serious.

Road House 2

I don't know why I even watched this. Just a modern version of the first movie, but this one sucked. Don't waste your time.

Penelope

A good story about learning to love yourself for who you are and not putting faith in suspicion and curses. I really liked this movie, and I love that James McAvoy is in this. His character was super sweet and very nice to look at as usual!

This would be a fun fairytale for the family to watch.

Silk

This was an interesting love story. It was bittersweet.

I love Keira Knightley even though she sticks out her chin a bit too much in my opinion. Michael Pitt was a nice surprise, and he brings eroticism to the whole movie in a good way. I didn't like him at first, but his look kind of grew on me. He was just cute at first but then morphed into sexy, and seeing him in that big sauna barrel tub was pretty damn hot. That was a steamy scene...literally.

Moving on...it was sad, but in a good way - like I said, bittersweet. It's sad that he didn't realize the love he waited and wanted for most of his life was with him the whole time, but he was too blind to see it. Random note - I love the big garden they have featured in this film.

For some this movie might not be a winner, but if you are a sappy romantic like me, you will enjoy it.

The Time Traveler's Wife - By Audrey Niffenegger

Wow. Just finished this book. Our book of the month for September. It was pretty good. There were very exciting parts and parts that got a little slow. I liked how the time traveling made everything connect. You would read one part of the book that didn't make sense and then watch for it to make sense later as they got farther along in time. I felt bad for Clare. Waiting. Worried. Henry knew so much more than she did about their life, but at the same time so did she.

Parts were confusing. Time travel books/movies always are I suppose.

I could also have done without all the strange sex scenes. They always seemed to be kind of forced and weird. Almost made you feel dirty for reading them. I guess they were realistic, but it was just weird.

I liked the book best when she was a little girl or after they had their little girl Alba. Happy to have read it but probably wouldn't pick it up again.

This is a HUGE book for someone's first novel. Kudos to Audrey N. for taking something like this on for her first book.