There were a couple odd editing moments that threw me off. It did have a very theater feel to it, but the actors did well to elicit the emotions. It didn't go exactly as I thought, but it was nice.
Oh and apparently Geraldine Page won an Oscar for her performance. :)
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Side note: Apparently I went three weeks from watching the above movie before I watched the next and then watched 5 movies in the past 4 days! (Long Vacation weekend)
This movie was a pretty typical Korean comedy with a bit of self-effacing humor. Not everything the actress did was perfect so you could laugh (although the main man was more serious... one wasn't really supposed to laugh at him, I guess.) The fat suit wasn't very believable, but the actress was pretty great with her expressions. Except she cried a lot, which is very like the genre. It was interesting in that it looks at plastic surgery and both condemns and accepts it. Instead of a 'fat acceptance' movie, we are given many ideas... that only beautiful women get attention, but fat people are worthless, but those who undergo the knife are 'monsters' or 'lack confidence'. And there is a lot to say about male/female relations in that movie too. The woman is basically okay with some crazy street guy taking video of her... And the main guy is a super toughy who supposedly takes care of her, but doesn't seem to be polite when he wants something... Not a thinking movie. Ruffled a few of my feathers, but I still did tear up at it, b/c it's a Korean film and they are wonderful about eliciting a few tears. ;)
This is the Hindi version of Jane Austen's "Emma" novel. Cute, fun, predictable. It's kind of hard to like Aisha because she's rich and spoiled, but somehow we kind of have to. Oh, and I love the actress of Pinky's deep voice! (Ira Dubey)
This is one of those movies where you have to say "it has heart" because there are other things clearly wrong with it. The writer/director/actor had his heart in the right place for sure, but it can be difficult to don all three hats and pull off a successful piece. The viewer can tell this was a team effort that people really believed in. There were some top-notch actresses (Pooja Kumar aka Miss India USA 1995 and Lillete Dubey who is a deep-voiced beauty and the real-life mother of the deep-voiced beauty I raved about in the prior film AND a lot of other movies!), but there were also not-so-good acting abilities, contrived dialogue and scenes, split storylines that don't give us ONE person on which to focus. You can tell it was done pretty low budget, but I still enjoyed it. It may not have been perfect, but major kudos to Mehul Shah for getting his script off the ground and on the screen. It makes it easier to overlook some of the flaws when you know it's coming from someone who clearly worked hard on it. I've been involved in projects like that too, so I get it. Congrats! (Oh, and I love that Shah worked on Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives! I have yet to see it but I know of some of the drag queens in it.)
This is one of those movies where we don't see the main characters grow or change, but just get into trouble and all sorts of antics. There are funny moments when it nods at itself with Strangers on a Train/Throw Momma From the Train references and with Jamie Foxx's character. Kudos on making Colin Farrell a slimeball. I had to do a doubletake with that nasty combover. It was an enjoyable romp. Some funny lines, but nothing very groundbreaking. And SPOILER: they didn't make it out okay thanks to themselves, but sheer dumb luck, so don't bother rooting for them.
Cute movie, good-looking leads, a bit of character development. The similarity to Bollywood staple movie DDLJ and Salman Khan's shameless, needless appearance both made me laugh. Akshay Oberoi is my age and a hottie, but sadly for me, he is already married. Le sigh. That's okay. Oh, and the mother looked too young to play the mother and confused me. And the lady that may have been the grandmother? The father was a little young, but okay I guess. Just the ages of the actors didn't really work all that well and some of the relationships were hard to figure out (Is that the brother or the servant??). Anyway, fun for a feel-good romp. Oh and it's based on the characters performing Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Watch movie online here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/264066
I got this movie as part of a 2 pack from the Dollar Tree. Fifty cents well spent. It was a nice nod to the slapstick comedy of the 30s and I enjoyed seeing Jerry Lewis in more straight-laced role. It's kind of off-beat but I liked it. The old comedy was the best as were seeing some of the acts that auditioned.
I found this on Hulu. It was hilarious to see SJP and Helen Hunt in these roles. The movie was predictable and very similar to Hairspray (either version: 1988 or 2007). Girls want to join dance tv show. Mean girl stands in way. Cute boy. If you want to time travel, this movie will do. Watch full movie online on Hulu.
This movie cut me to the quick. Age has little to do with it. If you have friends for whom you care dearly, this movie will hit home. If you've lost a lifetime partner, this will also do the trick. This was the other half of the DVD pack I bought that came with 'Funny Bones'. This movie was heartfelt and I was sobbing by the end and had to put in a comedy immediately to recuperate. WATCH TRAILER: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkd7g7_the-cemetery-club-trailer_shortfilms#.UYBXrMq4-es
This movie was more or less predictable. The characters were very rigid and felt more like devices than actual people. The characters were a little eh and the movie felt pretty forced over-all. I liked seeing the beautiful palace in India, but that was also unrealistic (not every Indian has an old family palace on standby). This was the movie I watched to make feel better after the aforementioned tearjerker (which is labeled as a comedy, strangely enough). If you want fluff and a bit of color and culture, check it out.
This was a fun movie. A little bizarre with unique characters. I really liked the representation of the corporate world b/c that seemed spot on. No one was perfect and that worked out pretty nicely. Made us feel things about the characters. (And I'm kind of making this up b/c it's been a few weeks since I watched it.) WATCH ON HULU: http://www.hulu.com/watch/61163
I loved the first one. I loved this one. And I'll love the 3rd one if/when it comes out. If you like seeing Rupert Everett in drag, you'll love this. If you like Colin Firth or David Tennant, yes, watch. If you like movies of girl power. YES. LOVE. No unbiased info here. Sorry.
I'm okay with Woody Allen's movies, but it can be tiring to sit through his narration plot device. At least this time it wasn't his voice. ;) I like that his movies, such as this, explain what is happening and a little bit of what character is thinking, but don't really tell you how to feel about the characters or who to root for. In fact, it shows what nasty characters people CAN be sometimes, and how there really isn't anyone to root for. Every one is imperfect but that helps act as a mirror too. I found some of the dialogue really awkward and unnatural. More like a stage play than real life.
This movie had very slow and controlled pace. There weren't a lot of close up's, the action just played out with the beautiful scenery in the background. It was a nice film. If you aren't patient and don't like subtitles, pass on it. But if you like watching children play and remember your childhood tuffs fondly, check it out.
I thought this was an interesting look into a field we don't often see. The birding was presented in a humorous and informative light. I kept wondering how the movie got green-lit (base on topic), but I think the cast was great and I enjoyed it. Very nice film and I learned a bit too. :) Recommend it.
Here are the feature-length films I watched as part of the 8th Annual Omaha Film Festival. View previous entry to see the films from the Festival I got to watch before the Festival. Perk of being a volunteer!
I was so happy to see this film. Great soundtrack, AMAZING voices, and based on a true story about the writer's mother. CRAZY awesome. I really want to look into their story further. Of course the script was a tad formulaic, but the ride was very enjoyable. It was sometimes overwhelming how talented these women are. Several males that watched it said they were surprised how much they enjoyed it. They also commented how nice it was to see a story of Vietnam that wasn't from an American perspective. This film is most definitely recommendable!
I really enjoyed this movie because it was character-driven and featured, to a degree, my love of Indian movies. I got to meet the writer/director and that's always a special opportunity. What is interesting to note is that the inspiration came from watching an arrogant singer and imagining what his character was like. So that explains why the characters are the most intriguing part to this film. It was written to be a very contained piece. Only a couple of locations, mainly the house. It wasn't a film with a lot of action, and the emotion wasn't dramatic in a way that you are annoyed, which is sometimes hard for some films to pull off. I recommend this film for anyone who enjoys character-driven stories, or who has any familiarity with Indian movies. Very nice film.
This was a very touching documentary that brings to light the efforts of those who try to help the youth on the streets in Guatemala City. It focuses on the unfortunate situations which propel children to leave their homes for the streets and how one man was an inspiration. Clown by day, caretaker to the youth at night, Italo was a true inspiration. After his untimely death, others stepped up to honor and thank him. This film was truly touching, as I've said before. It's hard not to feel for the people we see and to be inspired by someone we'll never know. The director's original intent was to feature Italo, but the story took an unexpected turn before it could get off the ground. I recommend this film to everyone who needs a new perspective... which is all of us.
Since it took me WAY too long last time to update on the 18 movies I had seen, and since I know I'll be seeing more than a few movies at this week's Film Festival, I'll do a quick update with the 4 movies I saw this week.
First of all, I watched Paul again. That movie is TONS of fun. But I've reviewed it before. So you should just watch it. I'm not counting that here.
Most of us have the luxury of access to clean drinking water without little thought. But it took an entire community and a lot of fundraising to make that a possibility for a rural community in Haiti. Narrated by Don Cheadle, this film is humorous, uplifting, and makes you rethink your station in life. This film will be showing at the Omaha Film Festival this upcoming week and I highly recommend it!
Completely predictable. A different take on Freaky Friday movies. But if you want a really dumb rom-com to watch with good-looking characters, it's on Hulu for your viewing pleasure. Oh and Sharon Osbourne has a role in it too, which is kinda fun.
Donald Glover is one of my favorites and I had heard of this movie. Finally got around to watching it on Hulu tonight. Quirky, low budget but good-looking comedy. Pokes fun at all the kid-detective movies. Lot of gross-out humor but a lot of cameos from people you know.
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Well, there you have it folks. I watched 4 movies in a week. I'm back to my old self! ;) Next week... lots of movies.
Okay, it's been over two months since I wrote an update. I'm not sure how many movies I've watched since then, since I've been busy writing short screenplays and traveling and such. But here we go. I will probably also include movies I may have reviewed before (to boost my numbers... ha!)
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When I was searching around on Hulu and read the synopsis for this movie, I knew it was made for me. I am not sure that marriage is for me and am very much so the woman who is always (happily) single. I once created another Facebook account for myself so I could list myself as married to myself. (I've often been listed as married or engaged to girl-friends on Facebook and am 'engaged' now, so am subject to annoying ads! Curses!) As far as this film went, it was what I expected from a Lifetime movie. Cute, with the necessary complications. I don't have anything to prove, so I don't believe I'll be going through with this. Since *SPOILER ALERT* she ended up marrying the guy anyway, it was kind of lame. It could been bold and shown that a woman CAN live a happy life alone, but that would be anti-Lifetime. In that regard, or with the complication in general, the movie is a contradiction to itself. *END SPOILER ALERT* I thought it was a cute film for anyone who likes to challenge the status-quo, but don't hold your breath.
I was trying to introduce a couple friends to Bollywood and this seemed like a good place to start. SRK is one of my favorites. Some people think he is a little odd-looking, but honestly, if you've seen him play the hero as many times as I (and my good friend) have, it's impossible to not swoon when he appears. He represents every romantic hero you love to love. When watching this film, you will be surprised to see it was filmed in the 90s, when it looks like an 80s film. The appearance of these films often seem to be a decade behind, but that's half the fun. This film is dramatic and of course long. It's a staple in Bollywood history and a lot of movies reference it, so if you are looking to get into Hindi films, this is a great place to start. The soundtrack is quite popular still. Something to note: many Bollywood movies create songs FOR movies instead of the Hollywood norm of adding already popular songs to movies. This means when you hear a song, you instantly think of the movie and the actors. Great marketing, I think. This film has been out for 18 years and SRK and Kajol have had great careers. It spans London and India and you get to experience some of the Indian customs and celebrations, so it's a great chance to learn a bit more about a culture, which is always nice. Until recently, most Indian movies have not shown kissing or implied sex because it was considered very taboo. In modern movies, this sensitivity has been dismissed. (You can search for shortened name DDLJ if you want to look up the movie.)
Ever since we taped it off tv (cough cough), this has been one of my favorite holiday movies. I can be a bit of a Scrooge myself (I prefer Festivus for the Rest of Us), but I LOVE Bill Murray and this movie will always get me feeling great. I love the new twist on the old tale while it pays homage to the original. It's a clever movie and has a lot of fun actors in it. It's a 'yes', all the way. P.S. The Goonies theme song is playing in the trailer??
This was the next movie I played to get my friends educated on Bollywood. It was more recent, yet still a decade behind. It was ONE of the first movies I saw and I love it. There are a LOT of cameos in this one, but you'd have to be better-versed than I in Indian Cinema to know them. I remember when friends and I were getting ready to perform a dance routine at an Indian event at our college and the Indians near our table were impressed and delighted when the title song came on and we started freaking out and singing and dancing to it. It's hard not to. Okay, so this film is long and dramatic and requires suspension of disbelief. It's a fun watch and again the songs hold sway. I believe it is actually a remake of another movie, but again, SRK makes me swoon. The trailer doesn't much tell you about it, but if you have a few hours to kill and a need to dance and be taken in by the drama and fun... try it out.
I first watched and reviewed this in June 2011 and really enjoyed it. This time I got to watch it with friends before New Year's and it was even more fun. The theme song is catchy and I love the girl power of it all. I really need to watch the second one. Here's what I had to say last time: While just looking this up on IMDB, I saw there is a sequel!!! Hooray!!
This movie was a lot of campy kitsch and I had a blast! The characters
were so wild and out there. AND Rupert Everett
played a pair of siblings... a brother and sister! I love him and I
love drag, so I was sold when I read the DVD cover at the library. Yes,
finding this at the public library threw me for a loop! This movie was
tons of fun and I even wasn't so put off by Russell Brand as
I usually am! ;) This really was an ensemble cast, apparently based off
of a cartoon series. I love the movies that are bizarre-o comedies and
this one is a new cult fave of mine! :) Highly recommendable for anyone
who likes the goofy, larger-than-reality films!
This movie was 'special'. It's definitely a kid-friendly movie and I'm a little amazed that Billy Zane agreed to be in it. Seems kind of tame for him. Just now, reading up on it, I find that the guy who plays the heavy in the film is also the writer and director and it seems like he has a really crazy life history. It's a movie that has heart and is educational. It's not perfect by any means, but if you like mermaids or Greece, or your children do, it's an okay movie. Thanks, Hulu, for the find.
I'll be honest and say I did want to see this film and was glad when my nephews agreed to go with me. It wasn't as terrible or hokey as I thought it would be. It had heart and the characters were fun. It made me want to get in better shape and learn how to defend myself. I didn't think Kevin James' character was as nice to Henry Winkler's character as he should have been and Winkler didn't get to shine, as much as I love him. Charice has a role and she is a great singer. Check out her bio. I enjoyed this movie and when it finally gets to be $5 at Target, I'll buy it :)
This film was more experimental in nature, more poetic than just a narrative. It was easy to see it was a low-budget flick but it really had a lot of heart. The sense of culture came across pretty well and there were some powerful songs, prose, and poetry. There were times when the events weren't quite clear because of some the techniques employed, but it was a film for thinking, and should be watched. Definitely not as story driven as the next film I'll discuss (that also preceded this film).
I've seen this film before and it was just as much fun to watch it again. If you like Native humor and well-rounded characters and story-telling, you should definitely purchase this film from Amazon for $5. It's on my list. The actress who was the face and voice of Pocahontas is in the film too. This was a very fun film based on Sherman Alexie's novel. It was very well-done, professionally shot and a very important film in getting Natives and Native stories out in the forefront. Won a lot of awards and nominations. Love this movie. "Hey, Victor!"
Yes, the name is silly, but that's what studios do sometimes to get repeat viewers. I happen to know the director (and he didn't love the name change, either!). I was a P.A. on a film he edited in my hometown [For Love of Amy (2009)]. I'm not usually into scary movies because I have an overactive imagination, but I took some friends with me and we saw Tom's premiere. It was actually a really nicely done horror film. No gratuitous nudity, no weak female characters waiting for a man to save them. And actually based on a real story. You get to see the actual family members at the end of the film, which is neat. Everything about the film was well-done. The actors, the look, the effects, the scares. I'm glad I went out of my normal comfort zone because it was worth it. It leaves me interested in exploring more of the true story. Good job, Tom! I look forward to seeing more!
I've loved this movie for a long time now. I showed it to my oldest two nephews and they seemed to enjoy it. It's one of those enduring, easily-relatable stories. I have the book and the soundtrack as well. I love the soundtrack. I know all the songs. The film is a safe film for families, but you'll have to explain racism a little bit, for the historical part of the movie. The actors are awesome. Great cast and story.
I've seen this film before in 2007, but got to watch it with my brother, his wife and their three sons (my awesome nephews). Silly movie for sure. If you didn't like Napoleon Dynamite (2004) then you probably should pass on this. I enjoyed both films and Jack Black. And my nephews finally understand the luchador masks I brought them from Mexico this summer :)
When I first saw this trailer, I wanted to cry, so I held off on seeing it in the theater. When I did actually see it, I kept my composure, except for a few sniffles at the end. It was a dynamite film. Did a great job of telling a story and giving us lively, unforgettable, unique characters. The young actress did an amazing job! It was a very unique story and it made me think of times when I'd been around chaotic people that were in a world all their own. Very good film. Check it out (with subtitles) and "put your pants on, man!" ;)
I'd heard a lot about the movie from people and it was pretty good once I got around to watching it. There were goofy parts to it, and it was pretty predictable, but it was a fun romp with some crazy characters. There was definitely a point in there in which I could hear my screenwriting mentor in my head saying "go for the extremes and they'll pull you back if they need to". Let me just say "making angels". Those of you who have seen it will get it. I guess my problem is there wasn't a lot of diversity in the film, and that's always kind of lame. But there were a lot of roles for females which is nice. It's fun enough to watch if you want to feel like a teenager again. Just watched the trailer again and forgot a bunch of the funny stuff. I love how Anna Camp plays a college student here and then a mom on The Mindy Project (2012) TV show :)
I got to see this documentary as a preview before it plays at my local Film Festival. I'll admit I was a sobbing mess for almost the entire movie. I had a bag full of used kleenex when I was done. It hit all the right chords on my heartstrings to get me bawling. My grandfathers were/are WWII vets and many people are probably able to relate to that in this country. I'm a pacifist, but can't help but be grateful for the sacrifices of these men. This film is definitely worth watching, if only to pay your respects. Note: I just watched this trailer. There were a couple things not in the actual documentary itself, but I've teared up and my nose is running. See this film and go talk to your vets to thank them and listen to what they have to say.
I couldn't find a poster for the film, so this screenshot is all I could find. This film wasn't what I expected and I wasn't quite wanting to watch it, but I really found myself enjoying it. It was a suspenseful thriller for sure. Built on characters and situation, this is a film to watch! I got to watch it as a sneak peak to when it plays at my local film festival. I expect great things from these people! If you're at the festival, check this one out!
Okay, this is the third film I saw as a sneak peak to the Festival. Also the third I'd recommend. It's a documentary that deals with spirituality and ecological responsibility. It was such an intriguing film. I thought the format was very nice. 700 people follow a Buddhist monk 400 miles through the Himalayas to pick up trash and educate the rural population on the dangers of plastic and disconnecting with nature. Don't dismiss this as some green mumbo-jumbo; it's a very intriguing film that helps you understand culture and other lifestyles. I'll probably never join them on a Pad Yatra, but just watching this helped me re-examine my own habits with plastic and with water conservation the very next day. Every step makes a difference. This film is a great reminder of that. The monks and nuns are quite delightful characters/people and it was great to hear of the story told as a narrative by one of the participants. It's quite a breath-taking film, and I do recommend it to everyone, green-minded or not. (Also had a cameo by one of my Bollywood actors Aamir Khan!)
Why does 2005 seem like just yesterday? This movie was a Hulu find: watch here. It was pretty stinking adorable and funny. Expect some shocks. I loved the characters. Craig Chester is freaking adorable! It was a fun, kitschy movie with some great names. I totally recommend it, if you can handle 'this type' of movie. Don't watch with kids around... or weak stomachs (just in the first 10 minutes). I had a lot of fun with this one. Laugh out loud.
