Movie Review: Babies

Babies 2010 movie posterBabies are fascinating and Babies is mesmerizing. For an hour and nineteen minutes you’ll find yourself enthralled. Documentary filmmaker Thomas Balmes (Damages) follows the lives of four children from birth until they are able to walk. The first baby is Ponijao of Namibia, Africa. Next we have Bayar of Mongolia. Then, we have Hattie of San Francisco. And lastly, we have Mari of Tokyo, Japan.

It is so interesting watching the contrast between how these babies are brought up. We see them play, interact with animals, fight with other children and witness them being nurtured and educated by their parents. It is a wonderful thing to see. We have more things in common than we realize.


There is no narrative in this film, nor is there very much dialogue. It is pure observation, much like watching a nature documentary. The beauty in this film is the photography and the masterly way it was edited. I’m sure that finding the pace and the unspoken narrative was the most difficult part. They’ve done an excellent job though and Babies keeps your attention throughout. You’ll find yourself charmed, entertained and filled with affirmation. This really is a lovely film.



Melanie Wilson
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Movie Trailer: Marmaduke

Marmaduke, the world’s most lovable Great Dane, leaps from comic strip fame (appearing in 600 newspapers in over 20 countries) to big screen stardom. In this family comedy, the super-sized dog who never fit in, finally finds a place where it’s okay to stand out.   Now living large in Orange County, California, Marmaduke is helping his family make the big transition from the Midwest to The O.C.  But he’s also discovering that fitting in with his new four-legged friends isn’t always easy for a 200-pound teenage dog.

Lucky for Marmaduke, he doesn’t have to go it alone because he always has his “step-bro” and best pal, Carlos, a Russian Blue Cat, watching his back.   

Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers, Meet the Parents) is the voice of Marmaduke and George Lopez (Valentine's Day) voices Carlos in MARMADUKE. Wilson, a gifted comic actor, counts among his recent box-office hits the 2008 holiday treat Marley &  Me, in which he played the owner of a mischievous pooch.

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Movie Review: Grown Ups

Grown Ups movie poster with Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris RockAdam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider and David Spade are friends, and it is their camaraderie that makes GROWN UPS work. It is not the funniest movie that I have ever seen, but it is sweet, amusing and has plenty of laughs. It is amazing that the film works at all when you consider the balancing act that director Dennis Dugan (Don’t Mess with the Zohan) had to pull off to blend all of these comics together. The film is uneven, but each star gets a chance to shine at least once. And when you add in the wives and the supporting players, that’s a pretty big talent pool.

Fan Movie Reviews

In the film, the grown ups are five men who have been reunited to bury their beloved coach. At age twelve, Coach Buzzer, Blake Clark, led them to a championship victory in basketball and inspired them to take their winning attitude into adulthood. Some have been more successful than others and now thirty years later, they are together again. They fall right back into their childish ways, mocking each other, teasing and cutting each other down. It is a bond of friendship that can never be broken and being back home in the midst of their triumph, the coach’s words ring in their ears. They are retrospective, pensive and wondering if they have let their coach down. Each man is left to examine his own life, but the navel-gazing doesn’t last long. Humor is one fart joke away and the introspection is just a device to fuel the comedy.

If you like prat falls, gassy old ladies, wedgies, cute kids and lots of booby jokes, you are going to like this film. If you require witty dialogue and clever send ups, this film is a little too shallow. But there is enough here to make you laugh and the movie is family friendly. You can take the kids without being bored out of your mind and if the comedy is not your cup of tea you can play the game, Spot the Comedian. This film is full of character actors and comedians from the past. Just scan the crowds and you’ll find the likes of Steve Buscemi, Tim Meadows, Norm MacDonald and many more. The wives alone contain the talents of Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph, and Joyce Van Patton. This film is like a shotgun of comedy, it fires both barrels and at least one bullet will hit its mark. It’s comedy with a message, Adam Sandler style. If you are a fan, you are going to love this film.


Melanie Wilson 
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com

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Movie Review: Twilght Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga Eclipse movie poster Let's just preface this review with no matter what is said about ECLIPSE, millions will still flock to theaters with their respective "Team Edward or Jacob" tees and make me eat my words. But, I'm happy to report that despite all the uber hype, ECLIPSE, starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner, manages to serve up enough drama, romance and supernatural action to satiate most Twihards.

INTERVIEW: Kristen Stewart On Marriage & Her Vote For Best Kiss

Ironically, it is David Slade, an indie director who delivered the most mainstream installment and in my humble opinion, the best movie of the three films! Don't get me wrong, there are some minor issues with it and Twilight purists might have a few words for Summit. The film is broken down into three universal themes, one being the love triangle between Bella, Edward and Jacob; the second theme is vengeance, which is a test of everyone's loyalty, and the last theme is Good vs. Evil, which culminates in an epic battle at the end.

Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg condensed the best moments of the book. Jasper and Rosalie's background stories were revealed. The Quileute creation story explains how shapeshifters called Spirit Warriors, were the original werewolves. Some character tweaks can be forgiven like giving Academy Award nominee, Anna Kendrick more face time. Victoria's lackey, Riley was given an expanded role.  Unfortunately Ashley Green's Alice was so diminished that it didn't seem as though she and Bella are actually close. It's a shame because freaky Alice is one of the strongest characters of the saga.

Watch 3 Scenes From ECLIPSE 

SPOILER ALERT 

But seriously, it was all about Edward and Bella's romance and trust me, there's plenty of it. What I like about Eclipse is that there are finally conclusions to open storylines. Victoria's bloody vengeance comes to an end. Bella makes her final decision to become a vampire after weighing all the consequences. The love triangle comes to a conclusion; Bella chooses Edward, but was there ever really a contest between Edward and Jake? I say no. Taylor Lautner's Jacob (looking hot!) however, was more mature than book Jacob, keeping his obnoxious behavior in check. The much anticipated tent scene lives up to expectation. Jacob has arguably the best line in the movie. When Edward asked him why he was getting into Bella's sleeping bag, he replies "I am hotter than you!" it sent the audience into fits!

 TWILIGHT BREAKING DAWN News 

There's something for everyone so if interactions of the amorous kind aren't exactly your thing, then there's plenty of vampire-on-werewolf- blood-sucking-jaw-gnashing action too!!! One area that needed improvement was the dead vampires looking like broken marble statues. They were kinda weird and bordering on the cheese.  Even still, Twilighters will be out in droves to show love and adoration for their favorite Forks crew. So here are my final words: Eclipse, I'm in!!!

 TWILIGHT PHOTOS

 

Kasey Murphy 

Visit Her Blog at Celebrity Beehive

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Movie Review: Knight and Day

Knight and Day movie posterTom Cruise (Mission Impossible) is funny! At this stage in his career I think it is his most endearing quality. We already know that Cameron Diaz (Charlie’s Angels) can mix action with comedy. The two of them together are delightful. This is a fun, crazy, manic film! I found myself smiling throughout.

Fan Reviews And Video Clip: Knight and Day

NIGHT AND DAY is a clever mix of everything we love about action films with an amusing blend of sight gags and character driven comedy. I love the over the top absurdity of this film which bordered on the line of satire. It thrilled and tickled you at the same time. Thinking back now on some of the visuals still has me chuckling. What should have been menacing becomes ridiculous by the pure improbability of it. I thought that some of the sight gags were brilliant.

Cameron Diaz plays a classic car mechanic who is unwittingly used as a mule by super spy Tom Cruise to get a top secret device past airport security. At first she falls for his charm and is flattered by his attention, but when she discovers his true purpose and the danger she is in, she becomes hysterical and he drugs her to shut her up. She wakes up in her own bed, and for a moment thinks it’s a dream. But when he leaves little notes around her house and she is visited by the FBI, she knows she is in the middle of something big.
I really got a kick out of the running gag which had her constantly being drugged and then waking up in a strange place. It reminded me of when I was a kid traveling across country in a camper. I would wake up and have to look out the window to see what state I was in. But in this film she wakes up in Spain, Austria, South America and other exotic locations. It is a very funny bit that is put to good use.

For villainy we have Peter Sarsgaard (An Education) as a rogue agent, and Jordi Molla (Che: Part Two) as a Spanish arms dealer. Viola Davis (Doubt) portrays FBI Director George, who backs the wrong agent, and Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) plays a young genius who invents a brilliant new technology. He is the one that Cruise is protecting, and it is his invention that everyone is trying to steal.

Besides great car chases, explosions, and hand to hand combat, Knight and Day also takes us all over the world. It is fun, adventurous, charming and cool. What a great summer romp and date movie. Both the guys and the girls will love this one.


 

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Movie Review: Love Ranch starring Helen Mirren

Love Ranch movie posterGrace Botempo, Helen Mirren (The Queen) is standing at the overlook of Donner Pass. She is explaining to Armando Bruza, Sergio Peris-Menche (Al salir de clase) that when the Donner Party was trapped here in 1847 that they actually started eating each other in order to survive. Neither of them flinches at the idea of cannibalism. Both of them know what it is to live off the flesh of others.

LOVE RANCH is not a horror film, or a zombie movie; rather it is the fictional re-telling of the story of Joe and Sally Conforte, owners of the famous Mustang Ranch of Nevada. Opened in 1971 as the first legalized brothel, it became notorious for its prostitutes and party time environment. In 1976 Joe Conforte tried to expand his business empire by buying the contract of boxer Oscar Bonavena. Joe wanted Oscar to train at the ranch in order to draw attention to his thriving business. Unfortunately, the close proximity had an unforeseen result. Oscar ended up having an affair with Joe’s wife Sally and it got him killed.

The Love Ranch is an interesting character study of a couple that seems to have it all. But running a whorehouse has its drawbacks. In this story Grace is the glue holding it all together. She seldom leaves the place, watching diligently over the girls that live on the premises. Charlie, Joe Pesci (Goodfellas) is more of the front man, flashy, brash and glad-handing the public. He is the visionary. Grace is the nuts and bolts.

When Taylor Hackford (Ray) cast Joe Pesci as Charlie opposite his wife Helen Mirren, at first the idea seemed odd. Its hard to imagine the gangster playing opposite of the queen. But in this film, it really works. They have an strange chemistry that compliments each other. They are two sides of the same coin. As business partners they are a formidable team and you can really see the affection that they have for each other. But for me the biggest revelation in this film came in the form of Spanish actor Sergio Peris-Mencheta. He easily holds his own with Pesci and Mirren and he brings a nice vulnerability to his hulking boxer. At first he’s all about the hustle, flashing the smile, exuding the charm, but when he lets his guard down, Grace knocks him out with a sucker punch.

Taylor Hackford goes to great lengths to recapture the look of the seventies. He also gives us a view of the unglamorous side of prostitution. It’s like turning up the lights in a dingy bar. Some things just look better in poor light. For me, I had a problem with the clinical nature of the film. This is a story about sex and passion, but when played against the day-to-day operations of a brothel, a lot of the heat was dissipated. I would have liked to see a more dramatic change in Grace. Grace is a woman who has been a madam since she was twenty years old. It would take a lot to get past that armor.

At the Love Ranch, Charlie and Grace take sex and marginalize it into a business transaction. For them, nothing is personal. Yet, in their own lives they truly care for each other. They are husband and wife. Some how in all of the business of selling other people’s bodies, they lost site of each other and things got screwed up. I wish I could have seen more of the passion that got them together. The back-story of the politics of prostitution didn’t interest me at all. For me it’s all about what draws people together and what rips them apart. The Love Ranch touches on this, but I wish it had gone deeper.

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New on DVD: 17 AGAIN Movie Reviews and Clip

17 Again On DVD August 11th

What would you do if you got a second shot at life?  Class of 1989, Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting.

Almost 20 years later, Mike is given another chance when he is miraculously transformed back to the age of 17. Unfortunately, Mike may look 17 again, but his thirtysomething outlook is totally uncool in the class of 2009. And in trying to recapture his best years, Mike could lose the best things that ever happened to him.

In this movie clip from 17 AGAIN, the young Mike played by Zac Efron returns to high school with outdated ideas of cool. 

 
Studio:    New Line Cinema
Genres:    Comedy And Teen
MPAA Rating:    PG
Starring:    Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Matthew Perry, Michelle Trachtenberg, Melora Hardin
Directed By:    Burr Steers
Produced By:    Jason Barrett, Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot
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Movie Reviews and Clip: Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself

When Madea (Tyler Perry), America's favorite pistol-packing grandma, catches sixteen-year-old Jennifer and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt April (Taraji P. Henson).

A heavy-drinking nightclub singer who lives off of Raymond, her married boyfriend, April wants nothing to do with the kids. But her attitude begins to change when Sandino (Adam Rodriguez), a handsome Mexican immigrant looking for work, moves into April's basement room. Making amends for his own troubled past, Sandino challenges April to open her heart. And April soon realizes she must make the biggest choice of her life: between her old ways with Raymond and the new possibilities of family, faith... and even true love.

In this scene (Aunt April) from Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself, we meet Aunt April who refuses to help her niece and nephew after Madea catches them stealing in her house.

(Lionsgate)

Release: 09/11/2009

 

Genres: Comedy, Drama And Adaptation
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material involving a sexual assault on a minor, violence, drug references and smoking.
Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Adam Rodriguez, Brian J. White, Hope Olaide Wilson , Mary J. Blige
Directed By: Tyler Perry
Produced By: Michael Paseornek, Tyler Perry, Reuben Cannon
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Movie Reviews and Clip: Inglourious Basterds

German-occupied France, Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa. Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as "The Basterds," Raine's squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich.

Interview with Quentin Tarantino:  'I've Topped Myself'

Watch Brad Pitt and his Basterds team interrogate a Nazi officer in a clip from Quentin Tarantino's INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.

Inglourious Basterds (Weinstein Co.)

>Release: 08/21/2009

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama And War
Starring: Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, Mike Myers, Michael Fassbenderr, Diane Kruger, Daniel Bruhl, Til Schweiger, Melanie Laurent, B.J. Novak and Samm Levine
Directed By: Quentin Tarantino
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