Review: Shooter

Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) is a former sniper framed for an assassination attempt on the President.

I survived this movie after spending 13.5 hours moving. Suffice it to say I was rather tired but went anyway because I drag my husband to all sorts of movies. The only good thing I have to say about it was that the explosions were cool. Danny Glover as a bad guy didn't work for me. I kept thinking about Angels in the Outfield. So, yeah, the explosions were cool.

My favorite things about the movie:

hmm, let me think, the explosions were cool
oh wait, I also liked the crazy gun expert

2 out of 5 stars.

Pirates

The Pirate player doesn't fit on this blog for some reason. Please find it on my other blog here.

Review: 300

300 Spartans led by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) battle with the massive Persian army. Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel.

Visually stunning, great soundtrack, lots of decapitations. Would have been fine with less nudity, but, whatever, it's not my movie. I enjoyed how the story not only focused on the battle but also the fight back home by the Queen to have the Spartan council send more troops.

Is it bizarre that I wanted to see this movie but my husband did not? I mean it's a "guy" movie with war and blood, etc. I went and saw it with my brother so I wasn't some freak girl who went alone. ;)

My favorite parts of the movie:

the battle sequences
the soundtrack
the Queen fighting at Sparta

4 out of 5 stars.

Maybe Baby (2001)

I just watched this movie. It is British and wasn't widely released in the U.S. I enjoyed it though. A comedy about infertility, hard to pull off. Great British actors though, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson, Matthew MacFayden, Tom Hollander, Dawn French (I love the Vicar), Jennifer Saunders, etc. Three actors in this movie are in Pride and Prejudice, my all time favorite romantic movie.

I think what really set it off for me though was Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) playing the gynecologist. Wow.

Trailer: Shrek the Third

Trailer: Simpsons Movie

Upcoming Movies

Becoming Jane (August 2007): Jane Austen's life before becoming a famous novelist, starring Anne Hathaway.

Star Trek XI (2008): J.J. Abrams, creator of lost, tackles the next Star Trek film rumoured to be about Kirk and Spock as young officers.

Bizzare TV and Movie Trivia

Ok, ok, some more of my crazy connections expanding some of my favorites.

Roxann Dawson (B'Lanna Torres from Star Trek: Voyager) directed an episode of Lost,"The Long Con" from Season One with flashbacks about Sawyer (Josh Holloway).

Nathan Fillion (Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly) plays Kate's (Evangeline Lily) husband on Lost.

Evangeline Lily and Dominic Monaghan, both in Lost, plan on marrying this summer.

Dominic Monaghan (Charlie from Lost, Merry in Lord of the Rings) starred with Brad Dourif (Wormtongue from Lord of the Rings, Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager).

Gina Torres (Zoe Washburn from Firefly) is married to Laurence Fisburne (Morpheus from The Matrix) which also starred Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith, Elrond in Lord of the Rings).

Ron Glass (Shepard Book from Firefly) plays Ross Geller's (David Schwimmer) divorce lawyer on Friends.

Courtney Cox (Monica Geller on Friends) stars with Robert Duncan McNeil (Tom Paris on Star Trek: Voyager) in Masters of the Universe (ok, not one of my favorites).

And to kind of bring this all back to the beginning in a odd sort of way (believe me, I could keep going): Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeil) and B'lanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) get married on Star Trek: Voyager.

Upcoming Movies

Fanboys (August 2007): Four extreme "Star Wars" fans and childhood friends from the Midwest drive across America to Skywalker Ranch in order to sneak a peak at the yet unreleased "Episode 1: Phantom Menace" as one last hoorah for their dying friend. Along the way they run afoul at a Star Trek convention and have it out with the Trekkies.

OK, can this movie be anything but perfect? ;) Score, I just found the trailer as I was writing this. I seriously cried during it, because it's funny not because it's sad. Well, maybe it's a little sad.

Review: Children of Men

In a bleak future where humans are infertile, Theo (Clive Owen) finds hope in a pregnant girl as he tries to lead her safely to The Human Project, an almost mythical gathering of scientists trying to solve the mystery of humans' inability to reproduce.

A stunning, albeit dark and twisted view of the future by Alfonso Cuaron. The awesome performances, intriguing story, and wonderful cinematography make this a great movie. The scenery and dialogue add to the dark grittiness. I am always a fan of movies set in the future. Even movies that seem slightly awkward and staggering.

My favorite parts of the movie:

the future
characters referring to themselves in the third person
coughing strawberry weed
the story

4 out of 5 stars.

Spiderman 3

Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy in Spiderman 3. Isn't she cute? She dies in the comic book so don't hold your breath. Three villains, two girls, one crazy suit. What will Spiderman do? ;)

Bizarre Movie Quiz

Name the 2004 movie in which Chronicles of Narnia's Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy) character's father was played by Lord of the Rings' King Theoden (Bernard Hill).

Update: Wimbledon starring Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany.

Trailer: Ocean's Thirteen

I enjoyed the first one immensely, the second one somewhat less, the third one... we'll see.

Tom Hanks is James Bond

This is great!

Upcoming Movies: There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!

Upcoming Movies

Blades of Glory (March 2007) Will Ferrell and Jon Heder star as competing Olympic ice skaters. When they are banned from skating they find a loophole which allows them to compete as a pairs team.

Oh my, Will Ferrell and Jon Heder, watch out.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets (December 2007) Nicholas Cage is back as Benjamin Franklin Gates, treasure hunter/archeologist, who is searching for the truth behind Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

I loved the original, hope this one can stand up to it.

Bizzare Movie Quiz

Name the movie where Kate Winslet (Miss Titanic, largest grossing movie ever made) and Daniel Craig (Mr. James Bond) were love interests.

Update: A Kid in King Arthur's Court

Trailer: The Last Mimzy

Review: A Night at the Museum

Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) takes a night guard position at the Museum of Natural History where after sunset, the exhibits come to life.

Just a fun movie with a lot of laughs and a cute story. I absolutely love the whole premise of this movie, things coming to life at night. The cavemen want fire, the huns are attacking, the lions want to eat you, the small dioramas are trying to invade each other. Enter Jedidiah (Owen Wilson), the cowboy who's at odds with Octavius (Steve Coogan), the Roman. Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney are great as the old night guards, and of course Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt is always wonderful. Be sure to catch Brad Garrett as the voice of the Easter Island head.

My favorite parts of the movie:

what comes to life
old night guards
Rexy
Jedidiah and Octavius

5 out of 5 stars.

Review: We are Marshall

Marshall University's football team's journey to recover after losing most of its players and coaches to a tragic plane crash in 1970.

Excellent movie about real life adversity. Wow, all these true stories are hard to write about. I thought Matthew McConaughy and Matthew Fox who played coaches, Jack Lengyel and Red Dawson, were great. I have heard some critics call it cheesy with all the football cliches, but frankly it was more about the people's struggle than about the football. Plus, what fun would the football scenes be without a little slow-motion tension.

My favorite parts of the movie:

characters
storytelling

4 out of 5 stars.