Let's Go To The Movies - Movie Reviews

**Hoppscotch** · 06-15-2004, 02:15 PM

Michelle, had a post here on what is the last movie you saw, and sadly, most of you hadnt seen much lately.
I on the other hand we are always at the movies almost everyweekend.
Last year we saw every movie nominated for an Academy Award, ... thats alot of movies!
So I thought I'd start a new post.

We dont see many kiddy movies though, so for those of you with kiddies who do go to see some, post you reviews here, so we know which to see and which to pass on. Especially if you are taking a couple of kids the movies can be an expensive treat!

My husband works half days on Fridays.
So Fridays are date days for us!
Of course this is easy for us as my kids are grown.
We go to the movies on Friday afternoons while all the kids are still in school, and the movies are empty.
And then go to an early dinner.
We stop during the summer and resume when the weather gets cold in the Fall.
Although we did miss a bunch this winter due to my surgery.
But I am catching up on video.

Lets see last week we saw:
Chronicles of Riddick - very good
In past weeks we saw:
The Day After Tomorrow - just ok - wait till it goes video
The Passion - excellent - Buy the Video - when it comes out
Troy - excellent - and Brad wasnt bad to look at either!
Van Helsing - action packed fun ride!

Not sure what we will see this week, maybe Stepford Wives and there are so many good summer flix coming out that we will probably continue during the summer anyway

**Hoppscotch** · 06-15-2004, 02:51 PM

Chronicles of Riddick
119 min.
PG-13

A good idea for a Fathers Day treat for him!
A good one for the guys and fans of action movies
Starring Vin Diesel

This is the sequel to Pitch Black, although you dont need to have seen the 1st movie to understand this one, it stands alone.

It is a fun, fast action packed 2 hour, futureistic, scifi thriller, which will leave you wanting to see the next edition.

We both liked it and give it:

4 out of 5 thumbs up

Link to the Official Site:

http://www.thechroniclesofriddick.com/

**Hoppscotch** · 06-15-2004, 03:13 PM

The Day after Tomorrow
124 min.
PG-13 (I think this was because it might scare younger kids seeing a tidal wave hit NYC, MAYBE! ) (there was no cursing I recall and was tame)

Starring: Dennis Quaid & Jake Gyllenhaal

So the premiss is we are on the brink of an Ice Age due to global warming. Okay!

But to think that all the signs will occur in a 24hr time frame and not over a large time frame like decades is a bit of a stretch of the immagination.
But anyway, its a movie, relax and just enjoy the ride is what I say!
The special effects are good and there are some funny lines!
Like when held up in the NY Public Library, trying to keep warm, you start a fire in the fireplace. (Old estate, I think Andrew Carnegie)
But what to burn .... books of course.
Books, you say, how can you burn books????
As one charecter said "Hey theres a whole stacks of tax law books here"
The audience errupted into laughter!!
Need I say more

It entertained, if a bit unbelievable, although I am not sure what all the controversey was about.
If deciding to see this above all the other good options, Id wait and catch the video.

Anyway for the ride I give it:

3 of 5 thumbs up

Link to the Official Site:

http://www.thedayaftertomorrow.com/

**Hoppscotch** · 06-15-2004, 03:48 PM

TROY
162 min
R

Starring: Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Peter O'Toole and whole bunch of other charecter actors you will recognize from other flix.
Check out Julie Christy (Lara in Dr Zhivago) in a cameo as Achilles' mother, Thetis

The story -- Helen of Troy, (the face that launched a thousand ships), Spartans & Tojans, The trojan Horse, Achilles and his Heel.

This was a great movie, almost 3 hours, but you wont feel like it was!
Brad Pitt wasnt hard on the eyes either.

Great battle scenes! Packed with action!
And lets not forget Love!
Cant have a movie with love in mythic proportions!
If ya read this in high school: Homers Iliad, and thought it was boring............
FORGET ALL THAT!
Boring it wasnt!
Gives a new insight to all that Ancient (its Greek to me!) History.

This was a great epic movie, fun for all, get a large coke and supersized popcorn, you wont want to leave your seat once it starts!

:pocorn:

This was definetly worth the trip!
A fun ride for all!!

5 out of 5

Do ya think I liked this one??

Link to the Official Site:

http://troymovie.warnerbros.com/

**Robadob** · 06-16-2004, 09:39 AM

DH and I saw the Chronicles of Riddick last night.

Let's just say that he owes me 2 CHICK FLICKS!

I thought the story was really thin. The action was good. I had a hard time with all the flashing lights and the way they messed with the speed of the action. It hurt my eyes and brain. For a few of the action sequences I closed my eyes and I still "knew" what was going on.

DH is a huge SciFi fan and he thought the story was lacking too.

Not the worst movie I've ever seen, but we definitely could have waited for DVD.

**Hoppscotch** · 06-21-2004, 03:32 PM

The Terminal
129 min.
PG-13
Drama/Romance

Starring: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones & Stanley Tucci

This was just the cutest and nicest movie. If you liked Sleepless in Seattle or Forrest Gump or just Tom Hanks, you wil love this movie!

Bad enough when you get delayed for any reason at the airport, but for 9 months!!!!

Victor Navorski (Tom Hanks) arrives at JFK unaware that while in flight, insurgents have staged a coup in his homeland of the ficticious Krakovia, somewhere in the Ukraine.

When the U.S. does not recognize the new goverment, Victor's passport and money are "unacceptable". As a result, he can't gain entrance into the US and there are no flights to his war torn country, so an unsympathic chief of Customs and Immigration officer, Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci) tells him “wait in the international lounge.” To Dixon's surprise, Victor does!

As the time wears on, Victor is befriended by the many people who work in the terminal, janitors, food court personal, food service, baggage, immigration officers, construction crews and a stewardess.

Meanwhile Dixon, in an effort to be rid of Victor tries to thwart his every effort.

This was a great film, with so many messages!
He at first appears to be a poor bumbling foreigner due to his clothing and inability to speak English.
It also addresses the homeless issue, people who have fallen between the cracks, due to unfortunate circumstances and are left to the mercy of the system.

Victor follows a moral high road, he follows the rules, and finds compassion from most of the people who make the effort to get to know him. While Dixon, a tyrant who lives by the rules, allows them instead of compassion be the rule.

The story, which is actually loosley based on a true story of a man who has lived at a terminal at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, is inspiring but not preachy and heartwarming without being sentimental.

I really liked it!
Although my husband liked it, he felt this was definetly a "Chick Flick" I didn't think so, but then I am a chick! Whatever!

So take your sister or mother or friend!
And he can watch the kids!! Ha Ha!

5 out of 5

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 06-26-2004, 01:16 AM

We went to the new Harry Potter movie last Saturday. I enjoyed it almost as much as the others. I did NOT like the new Dumbledore as much as the old one, but since the original actor has passed away, I will get used to the new one.

**AmyMCGS** · 06-26-2004, 09:15 AM

We saw The Terminal on Wednesday~ our first movie alone since DD was born last year!

We both really liked it, but felt that it was stretched out too long. They could have told the same story in less time without losing any of the messages.

**emily1067** · 06-30-2004, 01:34 PM

Spiderman Two

We went to the midnight showing last night! You have to see it. If you didn't see the first one rent it first and then go see the new one. It's full of action and adventure...and a little romance along the way!

I jumped several times and was on the edge of my seat the whole movie!

Some moments are a little cheesy...but in a funny way!

**mustang80** · 06-30-2004, 02:09 PM

*sigh* Guess I'm the only one who saw "Dodgeball" lol

If you like Ben Stiller, it's a good flick. If you saw the Disney Movie "Heavyweights" he plays almost the same type of character. There are some crude moments/language and it took about a half hour for it to actually get moving, but it was enjoyable.

Now "The Village"....that's my kind of movie! Can't wait for it!

I give it 3 out of 5 stars/thumbs up!

**paelthom** · 07-08-2004, 10:22 AM

We saw Welcome to Moosepoint this weekend and I thought it was good and funny.

**gkp1031** · 07-08-2004, 12:40 PM

We went to see Spiderman 2 this weekend--it was Mike's choice. Let's say Mike owe's me big time for making me sit thru this 2 hour flick. I'm not much into comic books and didn't find this the least bit interesting. He's lucky he bought me a BIG bag of popcorn!! But, on the other hand, he enjoyed it and the theater was packed with people of all ages.

**Hoppscotch** · 07-10-2004, 12:24 AM

King Arthur
130 min.
PG-13

Needless to say I like action films.
I am also a major King Arthur/Camelot/Knights of the Round Table fan since I wasa kid.
So I have read and seen just about anything on film and print about the legends.

I was really looking forward to this movie, and realized this was going to have a different view. I liked the fact that Guinevere was a warrior and not a damsel in distress in this version. The war scenes were well done. But I was disappointed in the outcome of the story.

What can I say, I am a bit of a purist and dont want my heros tampered with or the romance or legend distroyed.
My husband on the other hand who has very little, except what I have dragged him to over the years info on the lore & legend, enjoyed it.

So for those who like war and period pieces like this you may lijke it.

If your like me like your legends untampered with, wait for the video.

But in all fairness, I like to go to the movies, so I enjoy going no matter.

So I give it

3 out of 5

**Hoppscotch** · 07-10-2004, 12:33 AM

Spiderman - 2
127 min
PG-13

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina, James Franco

The gang is back!
If you saw Spidey 1 and liked it ... you will love Spidey 2.
And although the movie does stand alone, if you plan to see it rent the 1st., you'll enjoy and understand somethings better.

It was even better than the first movie!
The effects were better, there were a bunch of surprises which I will not reveal, cause I wont ruin it for you.

All I will say is:
If there is so far this summer, just one movie you can go see, See Spiderman 2.
It was great!

I give it:

5 out of 5

BTW: DH really liked it too!