"Your Sister's Sister" (2011); "Buffering" (2011); "The Money Pit" (1986); "Brave" (2012); "Aggar" (2007); "Chasing Butterflies" (2009); "Tucker & Dale vs Evil" (2010); "Pure Luck" (1991); "El Secreto de sus Ojos" (2009)

Your Sister's Sister (2011)

Director:

Lynn Shelton

Writer:

Lynn Shelton (screenplay)

Stars:

Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt | See full cast and crew

I love Emily Blunt so I had to give this film a look-see. I liked it. It was a little dramatic, but not overly so. I could definitely see this as a stage play, if it wasn't already. Ah, never mind; a look at the trivia page lets me know that "The movie was shot in 12 days and it was largely improvised." I thought the characters looked down-to-earth enough to be real people. Often times, movies are less believable due to the fabricated appearances and styles of the actors, which only reminds you that they are playing a role. These actors helped the audience feel at ease with more realistic appearances. There were moments that were slightly 'emo', but it worked out mostly alright. If you want more of an emotional story rather than action, this is a good flick to catch. Oh, and I love that Emily Blunt gets to keep her accent and her sister doesn't have an accent, and it's worked into the storyline pretty seamlessly. Rather than with Five Year Engagement where Alison Brie overdoes a British accent to play Blunt's sister. Sorry, Brie, I still love you.

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Buffering (2011)

Directors:

Darren Flaxstone, Christian Martin

Writers:

Darren Flaxstone, Christian Martin

Stars:

Alex Anthony, Conner Mckenzy and Jessica Matthews | See full cast and crew

THIS is the kind of movie that would make conservatives think that gay people have a 'gay agenda'. This movie is of the soft-core variety and is not very believable nor comfortable. Apparently, if you are a good friend, you'll go along with a three way, and if you're a good friend, you won't demand your friend do the three way after all. It's raunchy and very pigeon-holed and stereotyping. It doesn't do justice to the wide array of personalities and lifestyles of non hetero-people. I liked the accents, but that didn't do enough for me. I understand sexuality is a big part of humanity, but I want to see more depth in 'gay' movies. I have seen some that do a good job of it, and this was not one of them. The characters were more caricatures than actual people. There were a lot of unrealistic situations and the movie was not one I'd see again. I consider myself an ally for sure, but not to this movie. Sorry, filmmakers.

I'm actually not going to post a trailer of it this time. Google at your own risk! ;)

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The Money Pit (1986)

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writer:

David Giler

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Shelley Long and Alexander Godunov | See full cast and crew

If you like camp and reminders of actors when they were young, this movie is fun. Slapstick is present in this movie to a fun degree. If you haven't seen it in a long time, you'll still laugh at the gags and if you haven't seen it (and aren't completely jaded), you'll laugh at the gags as well. It's a fun movie and anyone who has had to do home repairs will probably relate and cringe a little bit. Or maybe a lot ;)

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Brave (2012)

Directors:

Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, and 1 more credit »

Writers:

Brenda Chapman (story), Mark Andrews (screenplay), and 3 more credits »

Stars:

Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson | See full cast and crew

This was a very sweet movie. I love movies that let me practice accents and this was good practice for that. It even poked fun of itself in the accents area. It was very much a mother-daughter movie and I had the pleasure of watching it with my own mother (and my 'work-mother') so it was all the more touching. During the film, I really related with the main character and it made me think on the reality of how many millions of women throughout history were forced into marriages against their wishes. In our society and current day, 'traditional marriage' is very much misrepresented, as marriage is only recently used as a result of 'love'. As we see in this movie, marriage is very much a political contract. So I find it interesting on a societal level and on the fact that we take so many things for granted. Soapbox aside, I LOVED seeing a strong female character that was headstrong and physically strong as well. There was nothing she couldn't do and that is a great idol for our young girls. Especially since she is against marriage and all things expected of her and wants to blaze her own path. That is highly admirable and we need more female roles for our young women. AND for our young men so they can realize the strength that we have, not just what roles we should be designated. I really love the characters and the movie was tops in my book. Good for children, but with a few scary moments. I don't think it has to be labeled mother/daughter film either, because any headstrong parent and child can relate to this film.

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 Aggar (2007)

Director:

Anant Mahadevan

Writers:

S. Farhan, Sayeed Qadri (lyrics)

Stars:

Tusshar Kapoor, Udita Goswami and Shreyas Talpade | See full cast and crew

This Hindi movie is definitely NOT your average Bollywood movie. It has a few musical sequences but it is much more suspenseful and unpredictable than the movies the B-wood system churns out. I felt like it kept me on my toes and threw me for a few loops, although maybe if I would have been more attentive, I could have had a better idea of what to expect. I wasn't too happy with the last twenty seconds of the film, and it did have the same 'far-fetched' idea that B-wood movies are famous for. But I did enjoy the ride and that's what counts.

WATCH FULL MOVIE ONLINE BELOW

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Chasing Butterflies (2009)

Director:

Rod Bingaman

Writer:

Rod Bingaman

Stars:

Amy Brienes, María Cellario and Gabriel Vaughan | See full cast and crew

This was painful to watch. It's another "Sorry, filmmakers" type of movie. It was very much one of those independent movies that no one told the writer/director "Hey, you need to do a few more revisions. And maybe you shouldn't direct it yourself." I had a hard time not turning it off in the first few minutes. The actors weren't completely rotten, it's just that the script was so poorly written/revised that it hurt to watch the actors deliver the ill-constructed dialogue. It was a poor execution of a campy film. There's good camp and there's bad camp. This falls into the latter. There are some people who write a script and immediately want to film it and no one tells them no because they are able to get the funding. This seems like one of those. The characters weren't real, they were caricatures, something I mentioned in another movie review above. I want to really connect with the characters, even in a campy movie, and I couldn't do that with any of the characters here. Everything was so on the nose. I regret watching this movie. Not recommendable. Sorry, filmmakers.

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Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)

Director:

Eli Craig

Writers:

Eli Craig, Morgan Jurgenson

Stars:

Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk and Katrina Bowden | See full cast and crew

Now THIS was a campy film that was very well executed. I'm not into horror movies very much, but this was a great homage to AND a saucy wink at the horror film genre. I had no idea what I was getting into because I thought the movie was going to be something else completely, but it was fantastic. I really enjoyed this film on all levels. It looked great, the special effects were 'to die for' and the characters were spot-on. Yes, on this movie, all the way!

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 Pure Luck (1991)

Director:

Nadia Tass

Writers:

Francis Veber (film La Chevre), Herschel Weingrod (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Martin Short, Danny Glover and Sheila Kelley | See full cast and crew

The first time I saw this movie was taped off tv. I had to obtain the DVD copy, and it was only by way of a 4-pack that I could. Plenty of slapstick humor and gags to keep you laughing, 20 years later. I love both the leads and they play so well off each other. This movie is, IMO (in my opinion) a must-see. Especially if you've been having a rotten day. This movie will make you feel lucky to be you! ;)

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The Secret in Their Eyes/ El Secreto de sus ojos (2009)

Director:

Juan José Campanella

Writers:

Eduardo Sacheri, Juan José Campanella, and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil and Pablo Rago | See full cast and crew

This film came highly recommended to me by a friend and I finally got a copy to watch, thanks to my library. I really liked this movie. It was suspenseful and intriguing. Due to the interplay of time and characters, you were always second guessing the outcome. I liked the feel of the film, especially when we got to see the characters in 70's garb and behavior. The movie was very well done for sure and highly recommendable. Thanks, B, for the awesome suggestion. Sorry it took me so long to get around to it! But it was worth the wait!

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Fun Fact: I watched the last five movies in one day. That may have been a new record for even me. ;)

"It's Kind of a Funny Story" (2010); "Mrs. Winterbourne" (1996); "Sabrina" (1995); "The Five-Year Engagement (2012); "The Colors of the Mountain/Los Colores de la Montaña" (2010); "L.A. Story" (1991); "Mother" (2009)

It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

Directors:

Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Writers:

Ryan Fleck (screenplay), Anna Boden (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis and Emma Roberts

I heard from a friend that psych wards are not like their portrayal in this movie and that doesn't surprise me. A lot of liberties are often taken when trying to tell a story. Sometimes it's believable, other times not. This movie was cute enough. The storyline was predictable to a degree with the love interest stuff. The characters were likeable and the situations were fun. I think it's worth a watch if you like life to be a bit odd, and I do ;)

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Mrs. Winterbourne (1996)

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers:

Cornell Woolrich (novel), Phoef Sutton (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Shirley MacLaine, Ricki Lake and Brendan Fraser

I'd like to thank whatever station put this on for giving me such a treasure. Haha. I caught the show mid-way through, but they played it again after the next movie... which I also watched and will next review. The movie is kind of hokey when watched present day. Or maybe, it was back then too. The pairing of the stars was ... interesting, maybe knowing now what we know of Ricki Lake not really having much of an acting career. If you want to watch something goofy, this would be your movie. I would like to point out that the baby in this movie apparently requires very little work and doesn't keep his mother up at all hours of the night. How unrealistic, right? I realized later that I missed a few scenes of the movie while flipping channels, but I saw enough of it.

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Sabrina (1995)

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

Samuel A. Taylor (play), Billy Wilder (earlier screenplay), and 4 more credits »

Stars:

Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear

Shame on me for not having had seen this earlier OR the Billy Wilder version from 1954. The movie followed the previous movie on tv, so of course I had to watch it. ;) It was an odd movie only for the age of the male leads. Or maybe they just seem so much older now in my head? I had a chuckle at the premise that "I found myself in Paris". It reminds me of when I tell people I went to India and they asked if I had a spiritual awakening. HA! But that's what happens when a city or country has an image to uphold. Because every woman that experiences Paris must be worldly and demure, non? The movie was very stylish though, but the styles don't always hold up, as in some movies, so it was a bit dated. Harrison Ford was a bit dry. I understand that's his character and some people really are that boring, but it would have been nice to have a bit more to go from. I guess mainly I was concerned about the age difference of the characters/actors. But c'est la vie, non? 

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The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

Director:

Nicholas Stoller

Writers:

Jason Segel (screenplay), Nicholas Stoller (screenplay)

Stars:

Jason Segel, Emily Blunt and Chris Pratt

I really enjoyed it. It was 2 hours long, which made it feel like we really did suffer through five years, but I suppose that helps to drive the point home. It definitely was not your average romantic comedy and I happen to adore Emily Blunt. I was a bit critical of Alison Brie's accent, only because I'm too aware of my accent when I attempt it. I'm not saying it was a bad accents, I'm just saying I was hyper-aware that she was doing an accent. Anywho, I found this movie long but enjoyable because it was a fresh set of characters and events. I liked seeing what happens when things don't go according to plan. 

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The Colors of the Mountain (2010) Los colores de la montaña (original title)

Director:

Carlos César Arbeláez

Stars:

Hernán Mauricio Ocampo, Nolberto Sánchez and Genaro Aristizábal

This is another movie that should challenge the United States citizens who are resistant to immigrants to learn what situations some of them are trying to escape. Life isn't always as easy as 'learn my language and be legal and stop taking our jobs'. This movie was gut-wrenching at times and was an eye-opener to how easy life can be and how we take it for granted. I liked the characters but was a little confused as to the politics of the movie, as in what groups were what, for example. Since the U.S. doesn't deal much with guerilla warfare, it's a little harder to relate, even knowing what I know about Latin America. But I suppose that makes sense because the p.o.v. is primarily from the child, who would not be aware. The film is an award winner and very much worth a watch. 

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L.A. Story (1991)

Director:

Mick Jackson

Writer:

Steve Martin

Stars:

Steve Martin, Victoria Tennant and Richard E. Grant

I had to watch this movie to counteract the depressing nature of the previous movie. Steve Martin is always good for a laugh. The movie was goofy and a bit surreal, as he was taking advice from a street sign. But I loved seeing him poke fun at L.A., even though or maybe because I've never been there, but have heard stories. I mean, there's a reason they call it La-la land, right? Or is that just something we say around my house? Anyway, it's a cheeky story and doesn't take itself too seriously, so be sure you don't either. Sarah Jessica Parker's character was a tad annoying with all the twirling she did. Anyway, if you're looking for something screwy, I guess this could work. P.S. There are a couple things in the trailer I don't remember in the movie.

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Mother (2009)

Director:

Joon-ho Bong

Writers:

Joon-ho Bong (story), Eun-kyo Park (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Hye-ja Kim, Bin Won and Ku Jin | See full cast and crew

I loved/own the director's other movie The Host (2006) so knew I had to give this one a try. It's completely different but still very well done. It is a frightening realization at how far a mother will go to protect her child. I highly recommend this movie. I'm not sure what else to say, except that it makes you constantly question where your sympathies should lie. It's humorous at times and intriguing and pretty captivating. Do yourself a favor and watch this and The Host. Awesome movies!

"What's Your Number?" (2011); "Bridesmaids" (2011); "We Bought a Zoo" (2011); "The Sitter" (2011); "Midnight in Paris" (2011); "Mars Attacks!" (1996); "All My Friends Are Funeral Singers" (2010); "The Skin I Live In" (2011)

What's Your Number? (2011)

Director:

Mark Mylod

Writers:

Gabrielle Allan (screenplay), Jennifer Crittenden (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Anna Faris, Chris Evans and Ari Graynor | See full cast and crew

This movie was cute. As one of my friends mentioned, they really like Anna Faris, maybe not despite her unflattering roles, but because of them. The characters she plays are not always cutesy but more nitty-gritty, real woman type characters. This story was fun because it showed a woman who slept around like a man, which goes against society's double standard. Sure, she was following an obscure note from a magazine and could have eschewed that altogether and owned up to her sexuality, but for the means of providing us with a cute, albeit formulaic, but still fun plot, I guess it works. The concept was fun and I had a good time with this movie. Of course it was more or less predictable, but it did tackle society/men's perception of a woman who sleeps around as much as a man. I found the topic refreshing and realistic.

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Bridesmaids (2011)

Director:

Paul Feig

Writers:

Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo

Stars:

Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Rose Byrne | See full cast and crew

This movie was definitely not what I expected, which is probably a good thing because it had more plot and character depth than I expected from the trailers and hype. I thought it was simply going to be loud and obnoxious potty humor, and it had plenty of that, but it was also a pretty decent story. I love that there was such a strong female cast because women in the cinema is such a big issue for me. I'm probably one of the few people that took this long to see the movie. I look forward to watching it again.

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We Bought a Zoo (2011)

Director:

Cameron Crowe

Writers:

Aline Brosh McKenna (screenplay), Cameron Crowe (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and Thomas Haden Church | See full cast and crew

This is another movie that wasn't exactly what I expected and that wasn't necessarily the best thing. The movie was okay, but it was more people driven than animal driven. As a family member said, their nature-loving son was sad because it was a dead-mommy movie and there weren't as many animals as he expected. It seems there was a formula of showing every animal in a three second shot and featuring a tiger or something as part of the storyline. That seemed to be it. The little girl was adorable.I think the zoo would be a fun place to live for sure, but the movie left me wanting more animals and less people. 

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The Sitter (2011)

Director:

David Gordon Green

Writers:

Brian Gatewood, Alessandro Tanaka

Stars:

Jonah Hill, Ari Graynor and Sam Rockwell | See full cast and crew

I had secretly wanted to see this movie since I saw the trailer. I like stupid flicks. This was the right one. It was very much like  A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas in that children got taken on a wild ride involving drugs and such. It was a fun enough brain-free movie. There wasn't tons in the way of character development, but yeah, the character kind of underwent some change in his relationship with the kids. 

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Midnight in Paris (2011)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates | See full cast and crew

As a friend said, Owen Wilson played a better Woody Allen than Woody Allen does. Wilson played a very whiny guy, reminiscent of Allen's characters in all his movies, but it was less jarring coming from someone who looks like Owen. That might be unfair to say, but it's true. I liked the concept of the movie quite a lot, but at the turn of the movie at the end, it was very on the nose. By that I mean, they beat you over the head with the message of the movie. Otherwise, it was cinematic-ally very beautiful and a great concept that I wouldn't have minded being a part of were that possible in real life. Although it didn't touch on the effects of time travel. But I think it was meant to be more musing than scientific.

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Mars Attacks! (1996)

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Len Brown (trading card series), Woody Gelman (trading card series), and 5 more credits »

Stars:

Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan and Sarah Jessica Parker | See full cast and crew

Whew, I broke my 2011 streak! The previous 5 movies I just listed were all from 2011. Now, this film I've seen before but it was sooooo long ago that it was such a surprise for me to watch it again! The cast is star-studeed to say the least and it's definitely Tim Burton. This movie is campy and fun and should definitely be re-watched if it's been a while for you too. Don't miss out on some great laughs with some old friends. Ak! Ak ak ak!

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All My Friends Are Funeral Singers (2010)

Director:

Tim Rutili

Writer:

Tim Rutili

Stars:

Angela Bettis, Joe Adamik and Joseph Adamik | See full cast and crew

This film was very interesting. It was definitely highly linked to music and the portrayal of the spirit world was very interesting. You can check out the film's website here as there is little information to be found on the imdb page. I liked the film, the concept and was left wanting more. 

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The Skin I Live In/La Piel Que Habito (2011)

Director:

Pedro Almodóvar

Writers:

Pedro Almodóvar (screenplay), Agustín Almodóvar (collaboration), and 1 more credit »

Stars:

Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya and Jan Cornet | See full cast and crew

For any of you who follow Almodóvar's films, this is completely in line with his norm. It's creepy and hauntingly captivating in a style that only Almodóvar can do. You're never sure who you should be supporting or why and as the truth unfolds, you question everyone until the last moment. Chilling movie. Be warned, the trailer does the film little justice at all!!