Where the Wild Things Are (8.5 out of 10)

"Let the wild rumpus start!"

Amber's selection this week was Where the Wild Things Are, which I actually ended up really enjoying (just don't tell her that!). The movie is based on the book which Amber read when she was a little girl. Since I went to Roseville Public Schools I had never heard of the book.

Where the Wild Things was originally a children's story by Maurice Sendak. Max is a disobedient little boy bites his mother and runs out of the house into the night howling like a wolf. While hiding in a park he creates his own world - an island of ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their king.


Other then Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) being a voice of one of the main characters and the weak ending, (he just goes home and the movie is over), I really liked the movie.

Eric

Where the Wild Things Are (9 out of 10)

Happiness isn't always the best way to be happy.

Based off the Maurice Sendak children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are is about Max, a little boy who is always making mischief of one kind and another in his wolf suit. After a particularly bad fight with his mother, he creates an imaginary land inhabited by wild things and becomes their king.

This was one of my favorite books as a kid (second only to Goodnight Moon). And the movie did not disappoint! I was a little unsure of how a 48 page children’s book was going to adapt into a full length film, but Spike Jonze pulled it off well.

I don’t know if younger audiences would fully appreciate the movie, it might be a little too dark for some kids, but anyone who read the book as a child will love it. After all, there is a little bit of a wild thing in all of us.

The Hangover (10 out of 10)

"Not at the table, Carlos!", "Tigers love pepper... they hate cinnamon.", "I always wondered why they were called roofies, 'cause you're more likely to end up on the floor than the roof. They should call 'em floories...Or rapies." Those are just some of the many great quotes from the movie.

This week was my turn again and I chose The Hangover. Yes, Amber and I saw it in the theaters but I have been dying to watch it again. It's even funnier the second time.

The Hangover, starring Bradley Cooper (who I think looks better with the long hair) and Zach Galifianakis, is a tremendously funny film about a group of friends who go to Vegas for a bachelor party. After a long night of partying their buddy Doug is missing, there room is trashed and they find a baby. No one remembers a thing and they spend the rest of the film back tracking trying to make sense of what happened. This was one of the funniest movies I have seen in a while.

Eric

The Hangover (9.75 out of 10)

This week a new Movie Night rule was made: The movie must not be something we have both already seen. Eric picked The Hangover, which we saw together in the theater. However, it’s a great movie so the rule is in affect as of next week.

Starring Bradley Cooper and some other less attractive guys, The Hangover is about the three groomsmen trying to figure out what the hell happened last night and where is the groom? The guys wake up to a trashed hotel room and among the chaos they find a chicken, a baby, and Mike Tyson’s tigers. But no where in the mess is Doug, the man who is supposed to be married tomorrow.

The journey to piece together what happened in Vegas and find their best friend turns out to be just as crazy and even more hilarious the night before. I rank this movie among the best comedies I’ve seen in a long time. I don’t think I’ve laughed as much during a movie since The 40 Year Old Virgin. Awesome.

xoxo,
Amber

Law Abiding Citizen (5 out of 10)

"I'm gonna pull the whole thing down. I'm gonna bring the whole fuckin' diseased, corrupt temple down on your head. It's gonna be biblical."

This week was Amber's turn to select the movie. Her chose was Law Abiding Citizen, staring Gerard Bulter and Jamie Foxx. This movie was biblically bad!! It had enough explosions and killings to hold my attention throughout the film but over all I was disappointed.

Jamie Foxx plays Nick Rice, a Philly DA who makes deals with murders, and Gerard Bulter plays Clyde Shelton a man who takes justice into his own hands after his wife and daughter were tortured and murdered. Clyde spends the next 10 years planning an elaborate payback, against Nick and the entire justice system. "You're the one who makes deals with murders, yea? Well I've come to make mine. Release me or I kill everyone! "

Even behind bars hes still a killing machine. How he was still killing from prison was lame and the ending to the film was even worse. I suggest drinking before u see this movie, that might make it a little better.

Eric

Law Abiding Citizen (4.5 out of 10)

I’m sad to say, but my first movie pick was pretty lame. I’m not sure why, but this week I chose Law Abiding Citizen with Gerard Butler. I’m not a huge fan of action movies and since seeing the awful and disappointing Gamer, I haven’t been a huge fan of Gerard either. But let this be a lesson to us all, just because Blockbuster has ten shelves dedicated to a movie it DOES NOT mean the movie is worth renting. Anyhow…

Having watched his wife and daughter brutally murdered, Clyde Shelton (Butler) is devastated to hear that one of the murderers will be let off easy for providing evidence against his partner, because the district attorney (played by Jamie Foxx) would rather win the case than risk losing it by prosecuting both suspects. After ten years of plotting and preparing Shelton sets out to seek his revenge against the killers, the attorney, the judge, and basically everyone in the legal system involved with the case who didn’t serve justice. Everyone knows he is responsible, however, no one can figure out how he is committing the crimes – especially after they have him in prison.

Here is where the movie becomes so unrealistic, I couldn’t even handle it. I know movies are not real life and most movie plots are pretty unrealistic, but the twist in Law Abiding Citizen is so impossible that I spent twenty minutes shouting, “No way!” and “Bullshit!” at my television. (I’m having flashbacks of watching Iron Man when Eric had to repeatedly explain to me how the arc reactor keeps Tony Stark alive.)

The acting was mediocre throughout and the ending was a real suckfest. Don’t waste your time on this one.

-Amber!

Whatever Works (7.5 out of 10)

"This is not the feel good movie of the year. So if you're one of those idiots who needs to feel good, go get yourself a foot massage."


Whatever works is vintage Woody. Larry David is hilarious playing Boris, a self proclaimed genius who hates people. Me being the genius I am could relate to the film because just like Boris I to can see the whole picture. :)

Boris' world turns upside down after his wife leaves him, a failed suicide attempt, and befriending a young dumb southern bell named Melody played by Evan Rachel Wood. Despite their age and intellectual differences he grows fond of her. Boris' merciless insults, rants, and tirades are what makes "Whatever Works" works for me.

Eric

Whatever Works (6.75 out of 10)

This week our movie was Eric’s pick. Torn between the animated Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Woody Allen’s Whatever Works, we did the old close-your-eyes-and-pick-a-hand trick. I must admit I wasn’t entirely enthused about either choice but there hasn’t been a Woody Allen movie that I haven’t like, so we popped in Whatever Works and our first weekly Movie Review Night was underway!

Larry David stars as Boris Yelnikoff, an unlikable physicist who has given up hope on all mankind. After a failed suicide attempt, Boris spends his days hopelessly trying to teach chess to children and discussing all the reasons he hates humanity. Convinced that life is worthless and for nothing, Boris feels that you should do whatever works to get pleasure from any joy you can obtain in life (as long as you aren’t hurting anybody else!). Boris soon encounters Melody, a sweet southern runaway, played by Evan Rachel Wood, when she shows up hungry at his doorstep and begging for food. Though Boris finds Melody incredibly naïve, stupid, and simple, he lets her stay with him and the two begin to find unusual happiness in each others company.

I normally find Evan Rachel Wood to be an awful actress, but I really enjoyed watching Melody’s character – though she was an idiot she was still endearing and charming. Larry David was hilarious, not far from his Curb Your Enthusiasm character, but he plays the type well. I wouldn’t say it was one of Wood Allen’s best movies, but it definitely had enough laugh out loud moments to keep me interested.

I’ll leave you with a few words of advice on life from Boris, “I can’t say enough times - whatever love you can get and give, whatever happiness you can filch or provide, every temporary measure of grace, whatever works.”

xoxo,
Amber