movie reviews

Guess since there is nothing new to report from camp, and wont be for a while, guess I will go to something else. Movie reviews. Here are some reviews of movies, old and new, that we have watched over the last week and a half.

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0914798/) : Some would say that this is a holocaust film while others would say that it is more of a family drama that just happened to be set in the area of the holocaust. I would say that it was a 'coming of age' story of a young boy growing up in a time of confusion from the other side of the fence from what I have learned to expect from the age. Basically it is about a young boy whose father is in charge of one of the 'work camps' during the world war. The family is shielded from the real job that the father has and the boy goes exploring and comes across the camp and befriends a boy on the other side of the fence in striped 'pajamas' and spend their time talking through the fence. It was a rather powerful movie which I enjoyed a lot. Even though the boy actor really didnt have that many powerful lines or emotions, his eyes said all that needed to be said in most of his scenes. We got this one on DVD from the library and I do highly recommend it as a moving movie to see.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1356380/ ): This is more a TV series than it is a movie but since it was on DVD that we watched it from the library, and it was soooo good, I thought I would mention it. It is about a divorced woman in Africa who starts up a detective agency and makes friends in the 'big city' that she is now living in. The acting is really good, the story (taken from a book series by Alexander McCall Smith) has been well preserved from the book to show, and the casting is really amazing keeping the personality of the characters in the bodies of the people. So many times I read a book and picture the people in my mind and then when it goes to a movie the dumpy and friendly motor mechanic is now being playing by Brad Pitt and you just look and go "WHAT???" This is not one of those books to shows. I hope that it comes to a 2nd or 3rd season but I agree with others assessment that it probably won't see any more seasons since it has no nudity, no swearing, no gun shots/blood/gore or even sex scandals or other things that are on TV today. This is a good and wholesomely pure show that has more intellect than skin.

Weird Science (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090305/ ): an oldie but a goodie. Two nerds create a woman by using their computer and, with her help and some magic, discover their inner selves. Yes yes, I know, a total cliche and total 80's flick but still a good one. Many good laughs in it.

Paranormal Activity (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179904/): This had to be one of the most disappointing films that I have seen. I had it confused going in to it by the Mrs thinking that some of it would be actual footage of a haunting. Turns out that it was all faked. It is sort of like a Blair Witch Project meets Ghost Hunters. Story line goes that a girlfriend is living with her boyfriend and she has had sort of strange sightings and feelings all her life. The usual things like shadows in her room at night, strange footsteps and breathing, noises and things moving when she is out of the room. Her boyfriend brings in a video camera to document the whole thing as they sort of antagonize the 'spirit' into showing itself. Turns out the thing is a demon and many strange things are caught on tape that had the characters (as well as a few really skittish ladies in the audience) freaking out. Turns out the group that I went to the movie with saw this movie to be really boring and annoying to watch. About the only thing of amusment we got from the movie was that apparently the main male character sounded a lot like me in many cases. Like when they have heard footsteps, walls being hit, keys moving, doors opening and closing and finally footsteps appearing by an invisible walker through baby powder on the floor he exclaims many times to the camera and his girlfriend "I have everything under control". Personally, I disagree with this statement with the defence that if I had all that happen to me and actually see footprints appear in baby powder on the floor out of thin air, I don't care who is in the house, if they are there and don't want to leave they are on their own cause I got no control. But since I don't believe in ghosts/hauntings/spirits, that ain't gonna happen. If I could say that if you are going to watch one movie in the next few months, make sure this is NOT even close to the list that you are considering.

The Invention Of Lying (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1058017/ ): Here is another one that I obviously missed the intention of. Most people I talked to seemed to think that this was an amazingly refreshing and funny show. Personally, I found it annoying, boring and just plain stupid. A world where everyone tells the plain out simple truth, which apparently has made them lose their sense of feeling hurt or angry, suddenly gets one citizen that can actually tell a..well...a...there is not a word for it but he can tell "what isn't". While the idea of living in a world of total honesty would be time saving (definitly know whether or not to ask a woman out when the first thing they say to you in a bar is "I am definitly not attracted to you in any way but will go out with you for a free dinner and drinks") and know where you stand (hearing from someone you think is your friend "I hate you but you have a car that I need to get to work so will be friendly to you") it is just annoying to watch. After all, I can see living in a world where you speak the truth but only when you are asked. Why would anyone willingly want to blurt out exactly what they are thinking at every single moment in their life? I am obviously missing the point of this movie cause I found the story to be blah, the acting to be cardboard and 2 dimensional and the whole idea to be something of total stupidity.

Law Abiding Citizen (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1197624/ ): Man loses his family in a home invasion and the DA makes a deal with one of the accused, saving him from the death penalty, because the DA doesn't want to risk going to trial and losing his 97% conviction rate. 10 years later the husband emerges and starts an execution of his own on all the officials in the justice system he feels wronged him and his dead wife and child. The build up in this movie is great, Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler are great in their roles and the plot/story line to this film are both brilliant. The only complaint about this film is that the ending is really weak. While I can see the reason why they went with the ending, I definitly walked out of there going "but but but..." and wanting more of an ending. A movie with enough twists and turns to make you ask why he did this or that but still is easy enough for you to realize that the puzzle pieces are there for you to solve what is happening.

Whip It (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1172233/ ): A directorial debut of Drew Barrymore about a beauty pagent girl in a small town who chooses to go in to the roller derby scene behind her parents back. I found this film to be a really enjoyable and watchable film. It is almost strange since for some reason the acting is sort of blandish in parts and there were multiple flaws that make me scratch my head and go "WTH???!?!", for example, the 17 year old girl joins the roller derby by telling the coach she is 22, but she doesnt seem to have to produce any documentation or anything to the coach or roller derby league to prove her claim. Nice to know that the underground roller derby league is so trusting that you don't have to actually prove anything but they take tattooed, toothless people at their words. I was able to look past this and just enjoy the movie and the personal characters that were invovled. I think that for her first time in the director chair, Drew Barrymore did a really good job.

So yeah, there are a few movies that we have watched in the last few days. Luckily we had a deal with a 2 for 1 deal and using the cheap coupons from AMA really helped as well. Not to mention buying the popcorn combo with the free refills and keep going back for more refills.