In this article I will review the 9 films that have been nominated for Best Picture of the year, in no particular order and with spoilers.
1. The Artist- I had read a lot of good reviews of the film before I saw it in the movie theaters and to be honest I really wasn’t sure what to think about the film before I sat down and watched the film. I t was the year 2011 and I was going to watch a new silent film. (I had seen old silent films in the past and wasn’t sure how it would work in the present time.) The idea of the film is simple enough, a boy on the way down the film industry meets a girl that is on her way up and it is all because of a new invention in the movies, a film with sound. What I really like about the film was the dog, Uggie, the Jack Russell terrier, who plays the male’s lead dog in this film. In every scene that the dog is in, the dog becomes the comedy of the film. After watching the film, I was thinking that I had just seen an idea of a film that might not translate to the modern audience. If you like silent films then I think that you’ll love this one, if the idea of a silent film is new to you then please see this if it plays in the Korean theaters. I loved it because it told a great story and I never really knew what was coming next and by the end of the film, I was happy that I had seen a great film that need to be seen. Grade: A

2. The Descendants Now with George Clooney either I have loved his films (Up in the Air, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Ocean 11-13, O Brother, Where Art Thou?)Or I have really hated them (The American, The Ides of March, Letherheads, Michael Clayton, The Good German) I have very rarely had him in the middle. SO going into this film I knew that it had great word-of-mouth and that the film was directed by Alexander Payne. I loved his film “Sideways” and was looking forward to seeing this film. It is basically about 2 paths that Matt King (George Clooney)has to take. We are shown that his wife is now in a coma and will not recover and that the machine keeping her alive will be turned off. It is discovered that she had an affair and that Matt knew nothing about it.
The 2nd part of the film is that Matt is the sole trustee of sole trustee of 25,000 acres of untouched land on the island of Kaua’i, passed down from his ancestors. The trust will expire in seven years, and the family has decided to sell the land and Matt has to decide who to sell the land to.The rest of the story I will leave unspoiled for you.
What I really liked about this film was the way that George kept dealing with these 2 main issues and how it is affecting his 2 daughters in this film. I really believed that this was his family and that he was trying to keep it all together and he really was not sure how to do it. The more I watched the film, the more I believed what I was seeing.
The magic that was in the film “Sideways” was also in this one and when it was over I was really glad that I had watched this film and I understood why George is getting serious Oscar talk for his role in this film. Grade: A

3. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close- When I first saw the preview of this film the trailer screen had the words, “This is not a film about September 11th, it’s a film about the days after.” I had no idea if I even wanted to see this film because of all of the anger that I still feel for almost 3,000 people killed on that day. I then decided that the film had a shot of getting the best picture nomination and that well. Why not see the film? After I watched the film, I was glad that I watched it. The film is a simple one, it is about a child who has no idea why his dad died on that day and how he has to live with it. The film never states it but it is implied that the son has some special needs and it was his father that truly understood how to deal with him while his mother at first is shown that she doesn’t know how to handle him. The child finds a key in his father’s belongings a year after the event and decides that this is there last adventure together and that he must find the mystery of this key. The journey of this key is what makes this film from a good one into a great one. You see a child trying to make logical sense of insanity and you see that he really isn’t doing a good job with it so he must go on this last treasure hunt that he thinks that his father set up for him. Along the way he meets a man only called the “Renter”, it is the scenes with him and the voice messages from his father on September 11th that left the audience with a hit that they did not see coming. The film ends with the adventure complete and the boy tries to go on without his father. Please see it when you get the chance. Grade A

4. The Help- Now I had heard that this was a small film that had made a lot of money by the time I got around to watching t and I hadn’t read the book about the film and I knew it was about the 1960’s in The Sothern part of the USA. I knew the history of that era so I really wasn’t sure what I was going to see but after I saw it I am sure glad that I did because it was a great film about stupidity and injustice. The idea of the film is very simple, a College Graduate returns home and want to write a book about the maids in the 1960’s but instead of one story she gets many and when the book becomes a huge best seller, then the film really takes off. I kinda had the feeling about how the film was going to end and when it ended in that manor; to me it was the only way the film could truly end. It made the film from a good one into a great one. If you are unfamiliar about the USA history of this time then this film will definitely educate you to what was going on in that part of the world. Please see it when you get the chance. Grade A

5. Hugo- Sad to say once again a lot of people saw something in this film and I sure wasn’t one of them. I found the film to be a complete waste of viewing and it just never clicked for me. If you like the director’s prior films then this one will be a surprise, I guess I was just expecting a better story that what this film delivered. Grade F

6. Midnight in Paris- Now with being a critic for many years I have come to realize that there are directors that I like and there are some that I just do not like and sad to say Woody Allen has always been one who’s films I have never understood why so many critics seen to like. So when I heard that this was his most popular film in years I decided that I was going to get a copy of this film and watch it to see if I would like this one. Well sad to say, to me it was the same old reason that I hate his film, a plot that went nowhere, too many stories trying to mix together and once again a smug director thinking that he is actually clever by some of his little trademark trick that I saw throughout this film. If you like his film I think that you are going to like this one, if you are like me and you don’t, then this film really won’t change your mind about him. The only time I smiled thought this film is when it was over and the credits rolled. Please pass on this film. Grade C-

7. Moneyball-Since my favorite sport in the world is baseball, knew he story of Billy Bean before I went into this film and I knew what the Oakland A’s had achieved since he became the General Manager of them. I knew the term “ Moneyball” and what it meant. So when I went to watch the film, I really wasn’t expecting that much. This soon became clear to me that I was wrong about my first thought about this film because the more it watched this film, the better it got. I must admit that I though the casting of Jonah Hill was a huge mistake but while I was watching the film it became real clear to me very fast that he was exactly what the film needed. The scenes where he and Brad Pitt work together to make “Moneyball” work were great and I can’t believe that Hill could actually act. So I wasn’t that much surprised when Hill was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The film is a great look at the attempt of a few men to try and change how players are scouted. Please see it when you can. Grade A

8. The Tree of Life- As I said earlier there are directors that I like and some that I hate and then there are some who I just don’t quite understand and sad to say The director of this film, Terrence Malick has always been one of them. I really had no idea what to think about this film before I saw it and after I saw it, I still had the same idea, I really never could grasp what the director was attempting in this film. After I watched it and wanted to get more opinions about this film and when I read that one of the actors in this film, Sean Penn, had the exact same questions that I had about this film, I knew that I want the only one. I have heard rumors that there was a 6 hour cut of this film and maybe this film need to be one day restored back into that cut because I really did not get where this film was ever going. I hope that his next film will be better because I can see no reason why this film was nominated for Best Picture. Please pass on this film at all cost. Grade F

War Horse- As I kept watching the many previews for this film, I couldn’t help but wonder would I actually like this film? After his last 2 films, Tin Tin and Indy 4, I was wondering had the director, Steven Spielberg, lost his way. I am happy to report that the director not only made a good film, he made a great one. As this reviewer has stated in the past that he is a history major and a former US Army soldier, I take a very hard look at historical films and look for their accuracy. Sometimes the lack of accuracy doesn’t bother me (Gladiator) or the total lack of the truth (Braveheart) will really turn me off on a film. I kept thinking about that before I went in to see the film and wondering what I would see in this film. I can say that I saw a film that I, historically, that I actually could believe in. The idea of the film is very simple, a boy learns to train and love a horse. World War one has started and the British need all horses for the war effort and his horse is sold and the horse goes to war. For the rest of the film I was reminded of this fact, of the million horses that were sent abroad from the UK, only 62,000 returned, the rest dying in the war or slaughtered in France for meat. World War 1 had a massive and indelible impact on the male population of the UK: 886,000 men died one in eight of those who went to war, and 2% of the entire country’s population. The film is shown through the Horses reaction and to what happened to him. The bells scenes made that fact very clear to me in the film. My favorite part of the film is when the horse is trapped in barbed wire and a German and British Soldier both work together to free the horse. The sheer lunacy of this moment in the War made me believe in the film more, the film then takes you where usually dramas will take you, so you won’t be surprised by it but you might actually like it. The ending was pretty easy to see coming but after the adventure of this film, this is the way that this film had to end. After the film was over, I realized that I would want to add this film to my collection and to show it to people who need to see that great films are still being made in 2011. Please see it when it plays in South Korea. Grade A+

And if I had my vote it would be for “The Descendants’ based on these 9 films. Please try to see all of these films on DVD, VOD, or at the local CGV.

The film is based on the novel The 13 Women of Nanjing by Geling Yan, and has been selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.

As I have said in many prior reviews that I am a History teacher and I have a very bad habit of looking at these type of “Historical Dramas” and either really loving them or just flat out dismissing them due to the historical half-truths and lies that are shown in the film.

I knew that I was going to have a heck of a time with this film because it was made about an event that I have studied from many different sides and that is the 1937 Nanking Massacre.

(Now I am going to ask if you have no idea about what happened back with the historical story before you go see this film then please read this link. I never want to hear another story like I heard after I saw Titanic, when a 18 year old girl stated to her friends, ‘I didn’t know that the Titanic sank!”

For the rest of the review I will assume that you now know about this event.

With a cost of about US$ 94 Million, this will be the most expensive Chinese film ever made and the fact that it was directed by Zhang Yimou (2002 Hero, 2004 House of the Flying Dagger and 2006 Curse of the Golden Flower, were 3 of his previous films that I really loved), I was looking forward to seeing this film. (Please remember about the dialogue of the film, it was shot about 40% in English and the rest in Mandarin Chinese, So when it comes to Korea you might have a heck of a time trying to follow the film without English subtitles.)

I was ok with the film for about the first 8 minutes and then I saw a clear sign of the Chinese Propaganda start to enter this film with the Heroic Chinese soldier stand against the Japanese and I felt that every time the film went to him, I should have stood up and heard the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) National Anthem. I felt that this really hurt the film and took away from the story.

(Now to clarify a point here in the film, Prior to the outbreak of the war, Germany and China had close economic and military cooperation, with Germany helping China modernize its industry and military in exchange for raw materials. More than half of the German arms exports during its rearmament period were to China. Nevertheless the proposed 30 new divisions equipped and trained with German assistance did not materialize when Germany withdrew its support in 1938, because Adolf Hitler wanted to form an alliance with Japan against the Soviet Union. Link to why Chinese Troops are dressed like Nazi soldiers in this film. (I did notice a few reviews of this film confused about this point and I wanted to give a reason why they were dressed in this way.)

To me, the film could have been the next step of China’s entry into the world cinema stage but fails on a few reasons that I let other peoples voices speak.

From Twitch

In the end I am left conflicted by THE FLOWERS OF WAR. On the one hand it is an impressively staged war drama and a frequently exhilarating experience, from which I honestly feel many viewers can get quite a lot. On the other hand, it is a blinkered, unbalanced and frustrating portrayal of the Japanese that makes no attempt to explain, question or even understand their behavior. Because of the film’s narrow perspective on this particularly troubling chapter of history, it is very difficult to recommend, despite its many strengths. What can be said with some certainty is that THE FLOWERS OF WAR will reach a wider audience than many of China’s other recent militaristic dramas, but it is unlikely to win the Chinese Film Industry many more supporters in the long run.

From Leo in Canada

This movie stumbles upon a extremely sensitive topic in Chinese history, and should be treated seriously.

My great Grandmother’s village during wartime was ransacked by the Japanese army with her barely escaping. Being a Chinese Canadian, I almost walked out of the theatre half way through the movie the moment I saw prolonged rape scenes of children.

Yes, during the Nanking massacre, Chinese children and even infants were raped and slaughtered like animals. Yes, Chinese women were raped repeatedly and bayoneted between the legs. Yes, it was a dark and inhumane time in Chinese history. But that does not justify the over exaggerated yet artistic camera work on prolonged rape and murder scenes of children and Chinese Women.

It seems the director was trying to evoke a certain emotional reaction by referencing random scenes from fiction films like “Grindhouse”, yet falls flat with plot holes such as when Chinese soldiers lined up to be killed in a row, or the ludicrous storyline for 2 women to be wandering outside the church, then gang raped and killed by the Japanese soldiers.

I’m unsure if the director even have a clue as to why events of Nanking took place. Before the Japanese even arrived in Nanking, The KMT pulled out of Nanking with soldiers looting, killing and beheading other Chinese believed to be CCP officers, leaving locals (or what’s left of them) to fend for themselves, yet in the film, they’re branded glorious heroes. The CCP during this time were hiding in caves and could only use guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. When the Japanese surrendered, Chairman Mao refused payment from the Japanese for war crimes (hence no proof of what happened in Nanking), and he even thanked them for weakening the KMT in order for the CCP to rise in power.

All in all, what I felt after walking out of the theatre was disgust for the director’s lack of sympathy and respect for real history, while capitalizing on utilization of high end camera work for scenes of rape, pedophilia and brutality.

In a nutshell, these 2 voices state why this film should have been a great one but ultimately fails in the end of it.

The actual historical event was horrific enough but to make it into a fictional story with obvious PRC or CCP tie-ins to make the Army look more heroic that it actually was, to me is an insult to the victims and actual survivors. The director had an excellent chance to tell a story that needs to be told and sad to say, this film will will not satisfy anyone’s search for the real story of Nanking.

Readers, it is my recommendation that you pass on this film and find other films about this subject that go more into the detail of “Hell on Earth” back in 1937.

Grade. C-

As I kept watching the many previews for this film, I couldn’t help but wonder would I actually like this film? After his last 2 films, Tin Tin and Indy 4, I was wondering had the director, Steven Spielberg, lost his way. I am happy to report that the director not only made a good film, he made a great one.

As this reviewer has stated in the past that he is a history major and a former US Army soldier, I take a very hard look at historical films and look for their accuracy. Sometimes the lack of accuracy doesn’t bother me (Gladiator) or the total lack of the truth (Braveheart) will really turn me off on a film. I kept thinking about that before I went in to see the film and wondering what I would see in this film.

I can say that I saw a film that I, historically, that I actually could believe in. The idea of the film is very simple, a boy learns to train and love a horse. World War one has started and the British need all horses for the war effort and his horse is sold and the horse goes to war.

For the rest of the film I was reminded of this fact, of the million horses that were sent abroad from the UK, only 62,000 returned, the rest dying in the war or slaughtered in France for meat. World War 1 had a massive and indelible impact on the male population of the UK: 886,000 men died, one in eight of those who went to war, and 2% of the entire country’s population. The film is shown through the Horses reaction and to what happened to him. The bells scenes made that fact very clear to me in the film.

My favorite part of the film is when the horse is trapped in barbed wire and a German and British Soldier both work together to free the horse. The sheer lunacy of this moment in the War made me believe in the film more, the film then takes you where usually dramas will take you, so you won’t be surprised by it but you might actually like it. The ending was pretty easy to see coming but after the adventure of this film, this is the way that this film had to end.

After the film was over, I realized that I would want to add this film to my collection and to show it to people who need to see that great films are still being made in 2011. Please see it when it plays in South Korea.

Grade A+

We Bought a Zoo

Now when I saw that Cameron Crowe had directed this film, I knew that I had to see it. I have no idea why, but I have either really liked his films or really hated them in the past with there never being any middle ground on his films. I had seen the preview and knew that the film would have some awesome music but could the rest of the film work and make this review like what he had seen and thus recommend the film to you, the reader?

The film starts off sad when you see that it is a single father trying to raise 2 kids after his wife has died. He tells his brother that he needs a new start because everywhere he goes in this town, he had memories of her. In this thinking he decides to purchase a nice house that has 1 little problem, A zoo comes with the house, and here is where the film takes off.

What I liked about the film was the story of the old tiger in the zoo and how this tiger becomes the lynchpin of the film and when you see it you’ll understand why the tiger hold a very vital part in this film. What I also liked was the young love story of, the son, Dylan and 13-year-old Lily Miska, who also works at the zoo, start a youthful romance, although Dylan is shy and uneasy initially like most 13 year old boys are at this stage of their life.

The movie is based on the story of a real zoo. The zoo in the film is called Rosemoor Wildlife Park and is based in California. The real zoo is named Dartmoor Zoological Park which is located in Devon, England. However, the fictional Rosemoor Wildlife Park is closely based on Dartmoor Zoological Park. The original story was adapted for an American audience and the changes met with the approval of the author, Benjamin Mee.

I thought the film told a good story that could have used a tighter editing but I think that the majority of the readers will like this film when it plays in Korea. Please see it when you get the chance.

Grade. B

Well, the first film on the review list is the one that I wanted to see the most and it was not because of the actor, it was because this was the first live action film for the director, Brad Bird. (If the name sounds familiar, he is known for his work in Pixar films, The Incredibles and Ratatouille. I wanted to see if he could try and make the film at least watchable after the total mess of the last film in this series and I must confess that, I actually liked this film.

The idea of the film was simple enough about the destruction of the Kremlin and its aftermath and how the team was set up. The rest of the film is how the team tries to clear their name and get things right in the world.

I was lucky and got to see this film in the IMAX format and this film really needs to be seen in the format to be able to show you all of the tricks that this film will have in it. The film was an action film that the audience and me really seemed to like and after the film was over, the audience left happy and they really seemed to enjoy it.

The film needs to be seen spoiler-free and I have made this review that way. The one thing I will say about it was that I did like the Pixar nod to A113 in the film and I was laughing when I heard it.

Please see the film in the IMAX format if you can at CGV in Korea.
Grade B+

The Sitter
Now, if you are looking for an adult comedy then this one should do the trick when or if it ever plays in South Korea.

The idea of this film is a simple one, Noah Griffith (Jonah Hill) has dropped out of college and has become a stay at home son with no future. His mom has a chance at a date with a nice Dr and he decides that his mom needs a night out and he will be the baby sitter at the last minute.

The film then introduces you to the 3 children that become the center of the film. Slater, the pill popping child who is at the state of uber over-medication, Blithe, no-nonsense wild child, who has seen one too many shows of “The Kardashians” and wants to go to the hottest clubs and wear the most expensive make up but knows what is going on around her. The last child’s name is Rodrigo, who is a pyromaniac exchange student who likes to destroy bathrooms. The rest of the film is his night of babysitting these 3 kids and what happens when his frigid girl friend want to have sex tonight while he is babysitting these children.

The film will offer nothing new and you will have seen of many of the plots in this film before and that could make a lot of viewers turn off on this film. If you want a simple film that you will laugh at then please see the film. If you are looking for anything else then you might want to give this film a pass.
Grade C –

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Now, I had no real feel for the film before I went into the theater and afterwards I still wasn’t sure of the film. I could see a good film here but with a lot of the mistakes made in the film, I started to notice the errors and quit watching the plot of the film.

If you know the back story then this film is very simple, it’s Holmes against his main rival Professor James Moriarty. For a modern look, think Batman vs. Joker.

The idea of the film is simple enough it’s the 1890’s and Moriarty wants to let Europe start a war, as long as he can supply both sides with the weapons of war and Holmes wants to try and stop him. Now what you see is a nice game of cat and mouse between the 2 foes in this film and if you just focus on that, I think you’re going to really like this film. My fault is that I was catching a lot of the small errors made in the film and it started to bother me. In the past reviews when this has happened then, I really haven’t enjoyed the film that much.

The film is a good film that could have been great if they had kept a better pace and eliminated all of the mistakes. Either you are going to like this film or really hate it and try and see it spoiler free like I have tried to do in this film.
Grade B-
Alvin and the Chipmunks [3]: Chipwrecked

Now, I knew that I was the wrong person to see this film, I had seen the other 2 and decided, oh heck, it can’t be that bad..I was wrong..it was much worse than the other 2 put together.

I knew that when I hated the Scrat carton in front of the film that this could be a bad time watching a movie. The film just started out lame and it just kept getting worse with every bad remake or attempt at humor being based of past songs or films. The “Cast Away” plot was old after the first 10 seconds but to see it for 80+ minutes was way too much for the majority of the audience I went to see it with.

After the film was over I saw a few kids tell their parents not to take them to any more Alvin films and if this was their core audience then this maybe the film that kills this franchise for a few years.

Please pass on this film at all cost, even if your child tries to drag you to this..Do not see this film.

Grade F

Movie Reviews: Arthur Christmas, The Adventures of Tintin & J. Edgar

There are days that I really enjoying to the movies, I really thought a day of these 3 films would be a great day, by the time the 3rd film was over, I couldn’t believe that I had wasted about 6-7 on these 3 films.

Arthur Christmas

Now I had seen a preview of the film and it really left me flat and sad to say the film never really got better for me or for the audience that saw the film with me.

The film was shot with British English and I realize that I might have missed a lot of the jokes in the film but when the audience I was with wasn’t laughing at this film either, I realized that it just wasn’t me. Nobody was laughing at this film. When the little kids in the audience were not laughing at this film, I knew that this film just wasn’t clicking with this audience.

This film should have been a nice Christmas hit but for some reason it just didn’t work for me. The film just left me flat and wondering why the company that made the awesome “Wallace and Gromit” made this bad of a film.

Please pass on this film at all cost

Grade: D

The Adventures of Tintin

Now I had no idea about this film. I knew who the character Tin Tin was and I had seen his cartons in the past. The problem is that I am not a fan of the character and the film did nothing to change that.

In my simple opinion, if you like the character TinTin, then you are going to love this film based on the world wide reaction to this film so far. if you have no idea or are not really keen on this character, then you might want to pass on this film because it brings nothing new to the table for liking or hating this film.

Please remember in Korea it will be released in 3D IMAX and the people who have seen this film in this format and loved this character, have praised this film.

If you like the character then see the film. If not and your like me and you are not a fan of this series, you might want to give a pass on this film.

Grade C-

J. Edgar

Of all of the films this day, I was looking towards this one the most because my favorite director, Clint Eastwood had directed it and when the film was over I could not believe the mis-step this film was.

To me, the film was a collection of greatest hits of J Edgar Hoover but that the film just seemed never in the right mood, the film just never really synched for me. I thought that the writing was horrible and some of the acting just seemed lazy and never made me believed in what I was watching on the screen.

I really thought that Leonardo DiCaprio could pull of this role of this historically complex man, but in the end he never really made me believe that he was Hoover.

It was a noble attempt to make a film about this man but in the end it just never worked for me and should not be watched when, or if, it ever comes to the Korean Theaters.

Grade: C-

There are days that I actually dread going to the movies because I know that I am going to see a “crap” film and that I will actually try and write a review telling you how bad the film was that I had just watched. Today was a rare day, I did not see 2 good films back to back, I saw 2 great films today that I want to add to my Blu-Ray collection ASAP!

I had heard good things about these 2 films and was surprised that both films had done great business by word-of-mouth. I was able to both of these films in AMC’s new Dine-in theater experience.

This film opens up with a man (Tom)trying live his life and he has missed a call from his son. We are then taken to the screen where the father learns that his son has died in France and that he has to go there to retrieve his body. However, in a combination of grief and homage to his son, the father decides to walk the same ancient spiritual trail, “The Walk of St. James”, where his son died in order to try and understand his son better.

What we are soon introduced to is the rest of the people that the father meets along the way. He kind of falls in with three other pilgrims in particular. Joost is a large overweight Dutchman from Amsterdam who says he is walking the route to lose weight to get ready for his brother’s third wedding and so that his wife will want to have sex with him again. He is a warm, extrovert who is the first to start walking with Tom and is marked by an unfailing kindness to all he meets. Sarah is a Canadian divorcee who has fled an abusive marriage and the resulting loss of a child through abortion, who she stills see and talks to, who says she is walking the pilgrimage to quit smoking. She is the second to join Tom and belittles him as a defense mechanism and calls him “Boomer” due to him being a baby-boomer. “Jack from Ireland” is a travel writer from Ireland who when younger had desires to be the next Yeats or Joyce but grew accustomed to the lucrative field of travel writing. He states that the great writes died broke and he didn’t want to do that. He is the last to join the quartet and has been suffering from writer’s block.

What I really liked was the path that all 4 of these people take and how they interact with the different people that they met along the way. I kept thinking that, if I was healthy, this would be a great summer trip and one heck of a walk between France and Spain. I was also thinking how many Ex-Pats would love to take this trip.

The story of the Spanish Gypsies and its results was the highlight of this film for me. The film at times pace is very slow but if you can look past that, you are in store to see a great film. I have no idea if this film will ever see the light of day in Korea. If it plays there, it might just be at the small independent cinema’s that are in the major Korean cities. This one might have to be a DVD Screener viewing in Korea. Please watch this film when the opportunity presents itself. I am leaving the ending of the film spoiler free because that the way it needs to be for this film.

Please see this film when you get the chance

Grade: A+

The Descendants

Now with George Clooney either I have loved his films (Up in the Air, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Ocean 11-13, O Brother, Where Art Thou?)Or I have really hated them (The American, The Ides of March, Letherheads, Michael Clayton, The Good German) I have very rarely had him in the middle. SO going into this film I knew that it had great word-of-mouth and that the film was directed by Alexander Payne. I loved his film “Sideways” and was looking forward to seeing this film.

This film is basically about 2 paths that Matt King (George Clooney)has to take. We are shown that his wife is now in a coma and will not recover and that the machine keeping her alive will be turned off. It is discovered that she had an affair and that Matt knew nothing about it.

The 2nd part of the film is that Matt is the sole trustee of sole trustee of 25,000 acres of untouched land on the island of Kaua’i, passed down from his ancestors. The trust will expire in seven years, and the family has decided to sell the land and Matt has to decide who to sell the land to.

The rest of the story I will leave unspoiled for you.

What I really liked about this film was the way that George kept dealing with these 2 main issues and how it is affecting his 2 daughters in this film. I really believed that this was his family and that he was trying to keep it all together and he really was not sure how to do it. The more I watched the film, the more I believed what I was seeing.

The magic that was in the film “Sideways” was also in this one and when it was over I was really glad that I had watched this film and I understood why George is getting serious Oscar talk for his role in this film.

Grade: A

Now for the AMC dine-in experience. I saw that these 2 films were both shown in this type of theater. I had no idea what to think about it. I had a film worker come to my seat and explain to me how it worked. You could order food, drinks and beer at this screen and all you had to do was push a service button and this person would come and take my order. What I really liked was that the seat was awesome and I felt very comfortable in it and for me and my size to say that, it was something. When you come back to the USA or to a visit, please check out this type and I think that you will enjoy it. I know that some CGV’s in Seoul offer a similar experience and the food’s menu I know is different.

Daejeon DaeHeung Baptist Church Christmas Eve Dinner Saturday, December 24th 6:00 pm Anyone welcome!

Turkey to Gingerbread men, Yummy food, Beautiful music, Celebrating Jesus: the Reason for the Season

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Well, the big film for the week was the new “Twilight” and I was all ready to write a review, in which, I hated the film. Only thing was that I actually liked the film.

For those who have followed this site, you have read of my utter disgust of the first 3 films in this series and I went into this film with no real high hopes in this film.

But, in this case, the film wasn’t that actually surprised me and I think I know why.

In the first 3 films we have seen the choice between Team Edward and Team Jacob and in this film there wasn’t that conflict. The choice was made and there wasn’t any of the teen drama or any of the whining that the 3 films seemed to have in an abundance.

If you have read the books then you know this story and I could not believe it when the film was over that I had actually liked it. It had a good story, good plot and one heck of a cliffhanger. Now wait 2 minutes into the credits and you see the little extra scene that will blend very nicely into the next one.

Now there are some moments of this film in which, the male audience groaned out loud and we couldn’t believe what was being shown at my theater was 75% female and 25% male. After the film was over the majority of the females that I heard talking about the film wanted to see it again, while the majority of the males that I heard speak wanted never to see this film again.

The female audience will love this film and want to see it more than one. The male audience will want to pass on this film at all cost. If you’re a fan of the books then beware,they left a lot out of this and I have no idea if it will be included in a future special edition of this film.

Grade: B

Happy Feet 2

Now if you remember the my first review of the first film http://socius.or.kr/2006/11/25/movie-review-happy-feet/ you might remember that I really liked the first one and I so wanted to like this one, but after the film was over, the film was missing something…A heart.

In the first film we saw a great love story between Mumbles’ parents Memphis and Norma Jean and after I watched this film, that when I realized why i didn’t like this one as much, the mail love story wasn’t there and no explanation was given why they weren’t in this one.

Now if you are looking for comedy in this one then please watch all of the scenes with Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon). They voice 2 krill’s in the film that venture outside of their swarm. The majority of the audience laughed when these two were featured in the film.

I also liked the songs that were used in this film and so did the majority of the audience Is aw the film with. The children really liked the film in the 3D but it wasn’t really worth the extra cost of the film.

I should have really liked this film, The story was about the climate change and how it is hurting the penguins. The film had some great songs and some great comedy but it was missing the heart and that is why the film failed for me.

The film was released with a Looney Tunes short called ‘I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat.’ The majority of the audience seemed to like this short than they did the film that followed it.

If you have little ones, they will love this film. For the rest, you might want to pass on this one.

Grade: C-

The Muppets (2011)

Now if you are a fan of “The Flight of the Conchords” a lot of the original songs in this film have that “vibe” and it is because Bret McKenzie was the film’s music supervisor. I liked the original songs because they just were different and not like a normal films’ music. The Chris Cooper Rap was the hit of the film.

As a child I was a huge fan of the tv’s “The Muppet Show” and I was hoping to see some of the same magic in this film. The film is great in parts but all together it just wasn’t that bad of a film but it wasn’t that great of a film. It just left me flat and I was definitely in the minority at the showing I went to.

The little kids seemed to love the music and the majority of the parents seemed to like the film. I heard a few comment that they loved them back then and now, they could share this with there children.

The film plot was simple and in the end were are shown 2 love stories and maybe a part 2 is in the future. The children seemed to love the Ms. Piggy and Kermit plot line the best.

After the film was over, all of the little children had smiles on their faces and the parents were happy that the kids enjoyed it. The film was preceded by a short “Toy Story” cartoon and it was a great short cartoon.

Overall, the film will be a huge hit with the children but may leave the adults a little flat

Grade: B-

Have you ever had one of those feelings that when you walk into a movie theater that you are going to see a crap film but you can’t take your eyes off of it? Welcome to these 2 films that I watched back to back.

I kept seeing the previews of this film called “Immortals” and it just looked so bad and I couldn’t believe that people were saying that this was going to be a great film. I never believed the hype and after the film was over, I could not believe that the 3D in this film was that bad and that the 3D in Harold and Kumar was so much better. They sold this as a “300″ type of film and after this film was over, I couldn’t believe that this was a huge miss of a film.

This film fails for the basic reasons, bad acting, bad plot and such an open ended finale of the film that I just left the film with total disgust for everyone involved in this turkey of a film.

Please pass on this film at all cost

Grade: F-

Jack and Jill

Now I have no idea if this film will be a total flop or a huge hit in South Korea due to the main actor wearing female clothing. As we have seen on Korean TV and Movies, the more popular comedians dress in ladies clothing and the Korean audience seems to love it.

The idea of this film is simple enough, Adam Sandler plays both the role of twins Jack and Jill. The main plot is Jack has to try and hire Al Pacino for a Dunkin Doughnuts commercial or his company could go bankrupt. Now Al hates Jack but falls in love with Jill and then the film begins.

What really surprised me about the audience of this film was that every child who was under the age of 13 was laughing at this film and that the majority of the audience that was over 13 left this film with a look that they had wasted their money with this film. When the final payoff of this film was over the kids were laughing and the adults really couldn’t believe what they had just seen.

I usually like Adam Sandler’s film because they make me laugh. In this film, I didn’t laugh much and really felt that this film was ill acted and not written very well for a comedy.

If you have kids then take them to see this film. If you don’t, wait until it comes on Catch On or Catch On +, this way you won’t have wasted your money on this sub-par comedy.

Grade:D+

Well, I really didn’t know what to think about this single film of the “Shrek” series about Puss in Boots. The previews kinda left me with a flat taste in my mouth and after watching this film, the flat taste did not leave me.

To me, they tried to set this film up as a stand alone prequel to the Shrek series and that’s where the film lost me. Whatever magic Shrek, Donkey or Puss had in the original films, never came across in this film. We are shown Puss’s childhood but with all of the new characters in this film, it just never really felt right. We are shown his past story but never really given a real reason why we should care about him or it.

The film is great for kids with seeing the film for one time only, after that, I really can not see any reason a child would want to see it again for a 2nd time and as for this parent, I really never want to see this film, purchase or rent it ever again. It just left a very bad taste in my mouth. Please pass on this film at all cost and see it in 2d if you’re dragged to it by your children.

Puss in Boots Grade: D-

Tower Heist

Now on this one, the previews had made me laugh and I was wondering could this be a bad version of the “Ocean 11″ series or would it come across as its own stand alone film. After watching this film, I really wouldn’t mind seeing a part 2 to this story.

This film shouldn’t work with the partnership of Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller but these 2 actually convinced me and the audience that I saw the film with, that they could actually pull off this revenge film.

The plot of this film is simple here, Ben Stiller plays an apartment manager who has invested his employees 401k money with A respected man firm but soon finds out that all of the $ has disappeared via a Ponzi scam. He soon recruits a cast to see if they can get the $ back to the wronged employees.

The film then turns into a very smart cat and mouse film in which you think you know whats going on but the twist were well played and very believable. The audience that I saw the film with were really into it and when the film was over, the majority left with smiles on their faces.

This film could have failed and some people will think its a bad copy of the heist films of the past but I liked it because the film never insulted my intelligence and made me cheer for the bad guys.

Please see the film when you get the chance.

Tower Heist Grade: B+

Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas

Now I have no idea if this film will ever be shown in South Korea due to the use of marijuana and other various drug usage all over this film, but if they do then this is a film that you should watch without the kids.

One of the things that I liked about this film was the use of classic Christmas songs into this drug world fantasy and as for me and the audience, this really produced some heavy laughter. Now mix in the 3D twist and you really begin to see some strange and very different looks at life in to 2010′s.

Now hopefully, you will have some thick skin when you see this film because it takes pot shorts at a lot of different people and ideals. When you see some of it, the audience instead of complaining were laughing at it even louder.

As a critic, there are certain films that I like and this series has been one. I really can not explain why but these 2 main actors have great chemistry together and when the drugs get mixed in, it just works for me.

If you’re a fan of this series then you will love this film. If you haven’t seen the first 2 films yet, then some of these jokes in the film you will miss out on. I should have really hated this film due to the blatant use of illegal drugs but by the end of this film, I wanted to see it again and I definitely want to see a part 4 to this story.

Just please be ready to laugh and to be offended by this film and you should have a nice viewing of it and please see it in the 3D format. The jokes work so much better because of it. I am leaving this film spoiler free because you really have to see this film without it to enjoy the simple nods to the past films and the laughs that you’re about to see in this film.

Please see it, if it ever play in Korea.

Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas Grade: A-