G-Force

Let me tell you about the greatness of the dollar theater. Melissa and I took Dakota and Cadence to the movie theater to go see G-Force. On 50 cent Tuesday, we paid $2 to get in, and almost $6 for the popcorn. How often can you take a family of four out to see a movie for almost $8? Granted we brought our own drinks and candy, but that's beside the point! Of course, when going to see a Disney film, you get stuck with the kid previews before the movie. Just once, I'd like to see a trailer for Saw 16 right before Cinderella. Anyway, as we all got settled in, the movie began.

I really wanted to pan this movie! I thought I'd be bored with it, and that I would be rolling my eyes for every cheesy one-liner. Instead, I actually enjoyed the movie. Granted guinea pigs were top secret agents, and that alone would be enough for me to pass judgement on the movie, the story was pretty good! Both kids really enjoyed the movie, and in all honesty, that's who should love this movie, your kids! If you're a parent with kids and you need to get out of the house, go see this movie. While you at it, take advantage of the dollar theater, it will be worth it!

Halloween (2007)

A few months back, I was in my truck, listening to the Stern show. His guest was heavy metal singer turned director Rob Zombie and his wife. They were promoting the sequel to the reboot of the classic horror movie, Halloween. Having never seen the original Halloween movie, I really had no interest seeing the newest version. However, as Rob Zombie was going into detail with Stern about his vision of the series, I became more intrigued. After watching the reboot of Friday the 13th, I was a little skeptical/ Two nights after Halloween, Netflix sends us the first Halloween movie of the Rob Zombie series.

This movie was great! Having never known the origin of Michael Myers, it was interesting to see how tormented he was as a child. With his stepfather being an out of work loser and his mother working as a stripper, he was in white-trash hell! It didn't help that he was picked on in school, and his older sister could care less about his needs. I also liked how they explained why he hid in masks. When the janitor tells him to live inside his own head, he takes it to heart and creates all sorts of masks. I thought Malcolm McDowell was excellent as the child psychiatrist who tries to treat Michael Myers.

Melissa mentioned this to me and I'm starting to agree. The art of horror movies isn't about the movie being scary anymore. I don't know if it's because the directors can't get the audience to jump, or that we've seen real scary moments in our lives that scary music and an unpredible death just isn't enough for us. Either way, I loved the story. I can't wait to see the sequel, even though I already glanced at the plot on wikipedia.org.

American Pie: The Naked Mile

I remember this one time, in American Pie, when Jason Biggs' character heard that the inside of a women was as warm as sweet apple pie. So Jason's character, Jim, took it upon himself to have sex with an actual apple pie, to only be caught by his father. I remember this one time, in American Pie 2, when Jim, Stifler, and Finch were in some lesbians apartment and were forced to play a truth or dare game with the girls, granted it was more dare than truth. I remember this one time, in American Wedding, when Jim shaved his pubic hair and tried to throw it out the window, to only go all over his wedding cake and future in-laws. I remember this one time, before the American Pie franchise started, when no one heard of Sean William Scott and Eugene Levy was just a bit player in Steve Martin movies. Case in point, the American Pie franchise gave us many laughs over the last ten years. Then came the spin off years.

I don't really remember much about AP: Boot Camp. I never saw AP: Beta House. With the beauty of Netflix, we got to see AP; The Naked Mile. Let me just say this, it's time to close this franchise up. After the first five minutes of the movie, the funny moments were few and far between. My biggest problem with this movie was that they would keep with a scene about five minutes too long. The midget football game was a funny sight gag, but ten minutes of it was too much. Correct me if I'm wrong, but was Steve Stifler (Sean William Scott) a master cocksman in high school. If I remember correctly, he was the one who could throw the parties where OTHER people got laid, not him. Since when did the Stifler name meant that girls would fall all over you.

Imagine watching Lethal Weapon without Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. Imagine watching the Ocean 11 movies without Clooney, Pitt, and company. Imagine going to see a superhero movie and not ever seeing the superhero. That's what this movie is, the American Pie name, no substance to follow.

Milk

When the Oscars took place this past year, I was a little miffed that Mickey Rourke got looked over for Best Actor to Sean Penn for his protrayal of Harvey Milk. After watching Milk last night, Sean Penn was the obvious winner!

This movie was correctly casted! You don't realize that until you see the ending of the film! I thought Sean Penn did a wonderful job as Gay Activist Harvey Milk. Having never heard the story of Harvey Milk, I wasn't aware of how he died, with the exception that I knew he was assassinated. It was interesting to see what the chain of events were that led to his death. As a side note, earlier in the day, TBS was running the first Airplane movie and we hear Leslie Neilson make reference to Anita Bryant. Little did I know that Anita Bryant played a major part as oppostion to Harvey Milk. I will say that in the beginning of the movie, I was bored! As the film progress, I got more into it.

This movie is very topical in todays world. I found that while we have grown to accept the gay community, although there are people out there who still feel threaten by it. While the talk of gay marriage, gays adopting kids, and religious groups who picket funerals of gay people, this will always be a hot button for the world to grasp. Harvey Milk was one of those figures in American history who tried to break down the barriers for the gay community. Sean Penn did a wonderful job in this film!

Marley & Me

For our second straight Jennifer Aniston movie, we checked out Marley & Me. For those who don't know, this is a film based on a book. A book that Howard Stern himself has claimed that made him cry. After a few months of Dakota having "dog issues", we decided to make it an evening movie for the family, granted Cadence bailed out after the first hour of the movie.

The beginning kinda dragged for me a bit, but picked up nicely after the dog got older. The movie picked up some speed as the kids were born and Marley got sicker. The movie had a few funny parts, but nothing that made us laugh out loud. Of course, everyone, including me, cried at the end of the movie!

Kids might have a problem watching this film do to the sex talk between Aniston and Wilson. Plus, some kids might not be able to handle the ending of the movie. I don't know how this movie compares to the book, but this movie was alright to watch. If you get a chance, check out this film.

Management

Every review I've read says that this movie sucks! I am here to tell them that they were wrong! This movie surprised me! First off, it's hard to see Jennifer Aniston and not see Rachel from Friends. In the beginning, that was a problem for me. As the movie progressed and as you felt bad for Steve Zahn, who was head over heels for Jennifer Aniston, the Rachel character seemed to disappear. Steve Zahn, who I don't think had that great of range as an actor, pulled this one off! He was a creepy, albeit sad individual who follows his heart to chase after the girl of his dreams, or at least the first girl that put out for him. Woody Harrelson is in the movie as Jennifer's on again-off again boyfriend. Woody has come a long way since his days of tending bar at Cheers. All in all, this movie blew me away. It was a sweet story, mixed in with a little creepiness. The laughs were all in the right spots and the story didn't bore me. After you find a Blockbuster that hadn't closed yet, give this movie a shot!

Almost Famous

After owning this movie for over eight years and never watching it, Melissa and I decided to give it a shot. I remember back in 2000, this movie was the buzz around Hollywood. Goldie Hawn's daughter, Kate Hudson, was given "the role of a lifetime". Anytime I hear "the role of lifetime", I'm reminded of Robin Williams getting the same hype for The Fisher King, and that movie sucked! As far as the movie itself, it's bark was bigger than it's bite.

Let me state first that the movie is alright. The story moved along nicely. There were moments in the movie that made me laugh. Here is where I had a problem with this movie. The "role of a lifetime" by Kate Hudson wasn't what I would consider a break out performance. Her story had nothing to do with the movie itself, yet her face is all over the movie poster. Another complaint I have about this critically acclaimed film is the ending. After watching one hour and fifty eight minutes of this movie, the last two minutes of the film almost killed the movie for me. I just feel that it left an emptiness in the movie.

Like I said earlier, this movie doesn't suck, but it didn't live up to the hype for me. The heartbreaking part about all of this is that I might only get $2 for it at Movie Trading Company.