Dear movies, I can explain! So I'm sure people have noticed the lack of movies posted lately. I have not decided to mend my addicted movie ways. I have just been watching the last 3 seasons of big bang theory.. I have to say I love that show. It makes me giggle often and the added guest appearance of wil wheaton only adds more good things to each episode. Plus for those of you that some how live under a rock and don't know about firefly, this would make no sense to you but I love the random firefly references. So in closing, watch firefly or die a boring life then watch big bang theory it is also enjoyable

Remains of the Day

So Remains of the Day came out back in 93, but I hadn't gotten the chance to watch it until this past weekend. I was warned ahead of time that it is an extremely sad stories. It is the story of a Butler (Anthony Hopkins) that sacrifices everything in service, pre and post world war 2 and realizes to late all that he has missed.
While the story is sad, it is extremely well done. Of course I did already mention Anthony Hopkins, so it is bound to be good ( I plan to over look that whole Wolfman movie, it didn't happen, he can't be blamed). His Character Mr. Stevens was endearing while being completely stressful to watch because I felt he wasn't socially able to interact properly with people around him. Actually he could be endearing because he reminds me of an ex-boyfriend.
Also in the film was Emma Thompson who played the housekeeper. She plays opposite Hopkins well and i enjoyed their interaction. **Spoiler alert*** There is no happy ending, which is why I probably enjoyed it so much. I recommend it for a nice quiet evening, not one where you are looking for warm fuzzy feelings.

Leatherheads

This post might end up looking a little off and it won't have super cool
pictures because I'm actually posting from my phone. So lets cross our
fingers that it turns out ok.
Leatherheads is the story of a 'pro football' player Dodge trying to keep his team from going broke and dispersing like many of the other teams. He attempts to do this with an WWI vet that is a bit of a legend and a 'keep you on your toes' reporter that is playing both sides a bit.
On to Leatherheads. For someone that hates watching sports, I have often
found myself enjoying sport themed movies. George Clooney is usually a
fun actor to watch and in this movie I felt myself torn between laughter
and feeling bad for the guy. I enjoyed it, we laughed many times all
through the film. There is even a great fight scene that I greatly
enjoyed that ranked right up there with my favorite fight scenes from
Bridgette Jones Diaries. Over all its a fun for the family little film,
plus who doesn't like the 20's and 30's?

Frantic

We watched this movie New Year's Eve, not that that information is important, just saying. Anyways Frantic is an earlier Harrison Ford film where he plays a Doctor that has traveled for Paris with his wife for some conference he is to lecture in. His wife goes missing, no one believes him that she has been abducted and he doesn't speak a word of french. As you can guess he finds help with a less than honest smuggler and he starts to unravel the mystery of why his wife was taken. Mild spoiler here, Harrison Ford does flash all his junk to the camera while trying to hide behind a tiny teddy bear. Yes it is as disturbing as you might imagine, also do try not to imagine it.
At first i was concerned that the plot of a Dr traveling to overseas with his wife, having her turn up missing and him wandering around trying to find out what is happening sounded a little too familiar, like the trailer for Unknown with Liam Neeson coming out Feb 18. Don't worry guys I looked into and I think for once a new movie coming out is Not a remake of an earlier film.
Over all the film wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. If it is on tv and your bored go for it, but if not your not really missing much.

A New Year, A New Goal and Queen Victoria

With the new year comes new resolutions. I'm not normally into making resolutions, because let us be truly honest resolutions are rarely ever kept anyways. I at the least am going to make a real effort into posting once a week and if not once a week at the least having 4 posts a month. That is the goal any way.
On to today's Movie, Queen Victoria. I have recently been into books and movies on Queens, so I decided to re watch this movie because I remember enjoying it in the theatre. I think Emily Blunt makes a rather stunning Victoria and that is always a good image for a queen. I must admit I have only read one actual book on Victoria that was written in the early 19oo's so I can't say much on how well the movie kept to actual events. Being a movie though we have to allow for some dramatic effect. I found the whole movie to good. I enjoyed the dialogue and the letters that Albert and Victoria sent to each other. Plus for that time period it is rather amazing that they had 9 living children together. I think my favorite part of the movie was the ending when it is talking about their lives together after the movie takes place, since as the movie title implies it is only about Victoria's early reign . Great movie i recommend it for all ages.

The End of the Year

So I can't believe that 2010 is almost over. I always have a few movies that I enjoy ending the year with. For some reason besides Hugh Grant, I really like to watch Love Actually. I like the different dynamics of the group and how the people's lives intertwine. My Favorite is probably the Dorky Best Friend Artist that is in love with his friend's wife and Colin Firth's character. While yes, I fully admit that John and Judy being pretty much porn stand ins was just unnecessary I do like them if you just pretend they have some sort of clothing. Plus we all know I love Hugh Grant, my favorite part does involve him dancing. Its a fun little movie, just don't watch it with the kids.
Next up, My New Years Eve Movie. I Love When Harry Met Sally! It isn't technically a holiday movie but It does wrap up on New Years, so i call it a win. I really love the social interaction of Harry and Sally and how their characters develop together over time. I will agree that the deli scene with the sandwich is very over played, but there are so many great scenes. I think my favorite parts involve them talking on the phone at night when they are depressed over break ups. Thats what friendship is. I'm sure i've mentioned this before but this is one of my favorite movies. It even ranks up there with Cary Grant and you can't get better than Cary Grant.
On a side note, there will probably in the semi near future be a discussion of the Narnia movies. I've been getting in touch with my childhood and watching the Narnia movies from the 80's again. So consider yourself warned

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (aka. Super Fail)

As everyone knows it has been a long journey from the beginning to now the close of our hero's journey. Like many books that are turned into movies in the beginning the movies stay close to the books, but as the series continues the movies fall more and more away from the books, see Lord of the Rings. Overall people Deathly Hallows was a let down. Even though i was expecting them to leave out things, it was still disappointing and left many things unanswered that were answered in the book.
I remember going to the Order of the Phoenix midnight release and being throw down mad for days for all the things left out from the movie while they still added worthless crap that never happened in the books. Deathly Hallows by far is the worst movie at this. Admittedly Half Blood Prince didn't help line up for the new movie. At the start of the Deathly Hallows Movie none of the memories have been shown that help explain Voldemort's decisions and the keys to defeat him.


** Now for the Spoiler Alert! Don't Read any farther unless you have seen the new movie and or don't care if I ruin the movie**
I'm going to just list all the reason's why Deathly Hallows was a huge disappointment.
1. The great battle in the end of the half blood prince was absent in the last movie. So the whole reason why Bill Weasley's face was slashed up only made for a short mention.
2. The Dursley's pack up and leave.. yeah thats all that happens we never heard the letter to the Aunt and the reason why she took Harry in. Also I felt this was important Dudley never protest leaving Harry. He acknowledged Harry saving his life and was concerned about what would happen to Harry.
3. So battle to get Harry to safety, wow disappointing! Harry got out of there right away and we never saw the others getting attacked. I had big problems with the reason the death eaters knew which one was harry because his stupid Owl tried to protect him. Um no actually harry was set apart from the others because he refused to try to kill people under curse to attack him, yeah thats right he went around stunning people.
4. Harry is being searched for by everyone and they take him to the Weasley house right off the bat and he is never disguised. No people that would be stupid, which is why in the book they took precautions to disguise Harry. This is also the case when he goes out traveling through the entire movie, he's famous anyone could have recognized him
5. Never in the movie did they explain why death eaters were able to find the kids when they escaped from the wedding. Or How the death eaters got to the Lovegood house so quickly. Um yeah thats because of the trace on you know who's name to get anyone that would use his name.
6. Kreacher! They completely left out everything about him. This is when we are supose to find out that he's not completely horrible and neither was Sirius's brother.
7. Getting into the Ministry after it has fallen. In the book this took planning and they saved alot of 'mudbloods' escaping. Yeah none of this happened either it was done all spur of the moment.
8. Very Important for the next book, Harry disarms Draco and they also take Bellatrix's wand. Not in the movie he just kind of snatches the wand, not really much of a battle at all. Makes me wonder how death eaters ever get anywhere they look really easy to defeat.
9. Ron leaving and coming back. When he left Hermione cried all the time in the book. She seemed fine in the movie. Coming back, there was also some creepy vision of a nude harry and hermione going at at it. Totally un needed, oh and eww.
10. they left out the twins radio station, shell cottage, Tonks parents, Ron and Hermione's careful planning to protect their families, Lupin offering to leave his wife to protect Harry, also why did Mundungus look like a pimp? and why was his part in the previous books left out?

I could go on but I hope by now you get the point. I will give credit where credit is due, Nagini coming out of ms Bagshot was Awesome! It went right along with the book and looked really well done. With that said though, Read the book people it is so much better than the movie and the character development is so much better.