Dear John

So I have decided to try and bring back the blog… It has been a while. I have seen a bunch of movies as of late, but I just saw one that really spoke to me and I highly recommend. Dear John based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks starring Channing Tatum (from Step Up and She’s The Man) and Amanda Seyfried (from Mamma Mia and Big Love). John (played by Tatum) is a young Army Soldier in Special Forces home on leave for two weeks when he un- expectantly meets Savannah a college student home for spring break. Sparks immediately fly and they experience a love like no other. John has just one year left in the service, and heads back to Germany. They keep in touch through letters for the next year and grow closer and stronger than before.


When 9/11 happens, John is left with no choice but to re enlist in the services where he is needed. He is able to take a 48 hour leave, just long enough to fly from Germany to Charlotte for 18 hours and back. Through life changes and time, everything happens, some for the best and some for the worst. In previewing this film, I couldn’t help but look at this film in my brother perspectives and put myself in his shoes. My brother being a two tour in Iraq Army person can relate to this film in so many aspects, and it really makes me think that I need to try to do better! I forget living in a city with everything I need at my finger tips, food, shelter, family when you are in need, a stable 9-5 job, and not having to fight for my life every day that there is more to life. That even a small and simple letter, a phone call, or even a package can make the biggest difference.

Anyways, the previews looked good, but going into this screening I couldn’t help but think that ALL Nicholas Sparks books are predictable and you can already figure out the ending, but I was surprised with this film. Granite, I am not a tearful person, but I would defiantly recommend tissues for this film and bucket of popcorn with butter, you will need it! Go see it, think about those soldiers that have given so much to us for our freedom, and as the film says it best, “I am coin that has been pressed and stamped, rigged on the edges and sealed with approval.”

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

TRANSFORMERS- what an amazing film! It ranks up there with summer blockbusters like Star Trek for me! I will be honest, I have never seen the first one (thanks to my best friend, they let me borrow it tonight), but I want to now! It was on the edge of your seat, action, comedy, and drama all rolled into one. The 2 1/2 hours past by so quick! I would definitely pay to go see this (even IMAX) and buy popcorn and a drink! It is well worth the price! *on a side note, there are some sexual comments that over time seem to be too much. There is no nudity, however a lot of skimpy outfits and rear end shots!

My Sister's Keeper

MY SISTER'S KEEPER- I wil be honest, I was excited to go see this film, but it was kind of a let down. The film dragged on for what seemed like forever since it moved really slowly. Abigail Bresslin plays an 11 year old girl who wants to be medically dependant from her parents. She was born by envitro, to save the life of her older sister who is dying of lukemia. She feels like her mother does not love her, and she is sick of the multiple surgery's that she has gone through, and does not want to loose a kidney. Cameron Diaz plays a selfish mother (mind you I do not have children, and I cannot relate, but I do know if my child has been dying for over 10 years and she wants it to be over I would honor that wish and make the best of what's left) who will not give up on her daughter and seems to use her youngest child like a medical experiment.

Of course this film is one you need your tissues for, but there where issues that really offended me after a while. There is certain things I would not condone from a 14 year old nor do I wish to see partial nudity, sex, or heavy drinking. I personally would save your money and wait for the lifetime special...

SUNSHINE CLEANING

SUNSHINE CLEANING- I thoroughly enjoyed this film! It was nothing what I was expecting it to be! Amy Adams plays a mid twenties single mother of a little boy (around 8 or 9) who is trying her hardest to go to school for Real Estate and be able to support herself and child. Her son listens far too much to his Aunt, and is constantly getting into trouble at school, in the newest case; liking the walls, desk and even teachers legs! They want to try to medicate him and send him to a “special needs” class, even though he is a very bright young child. Adams then decides to try to put him into private school, but finding the money is no easy task.

The boys father is her old fling from high school (she was lead cheerleader and he was quarterback on the football team, match made in heaven) who is also a police officer of some sorts. He gives her a lead of cleaning up crime scenes, and making a lot more money. She decides to take his advice and recruit her unreliable sister who is played by Emily Blunt. The two of them go into business, and really find a way to somehow touch each others lives, and the lives of those who have lost loved ones. Their crazy adventures also help them overcome a life of troubles and memories of their own mother, who left the world by her choice.

I felt this movie was a very touching story and I would gladly go see it again. Adam’s son at one point in the film sneaks out to the van that they had purchased for the film and tries to talk to God and his Grandmother. He says something that I have been thinking about for a few days now, “If you are already in Heaven, where do you go when you die?”

Knowing, Duplicity, Monsters VS Aliens

It’s been too long! I am sorry if I have let anyone down! I have seen tree films in the last week Knowing, Duplicity and Monsters Vs Aliens.

KNOWING- Please save yourself and do not waste your time on this film! I don’t know if anyone out there feels the same way, but it seems like Nicholas Cage is constantly revisiting the same roles. Here Nicolas Cage plays a widower and a father to a young child I would guess about 9 years old. He also is a professor at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) specializes in the solar system. I will say the first half was really good, kept you on the edge of your seat and special effects and sound was amazing! Then it just goes downhill, over dramatized and I hate to give anything away but once the Aliens show up it’s over. I can say that I am still laughing about the final scene! In my perspective, from a religious aspect I would say that this film was developed by some type of Scientology perspective. If you do want a good laugh waste your money on this film, but I say save your money and wait for a TV special or something!


DUPLICITY- I loved this film! What a great way for Julia Roberts to make a comeback! This film reminded me somewhat of the Ocean’s 11 series, with the flashbacks and the show all at the end. Tony Gilroy directed and wrote this, along with the Bourne Identity Trilogy. It kept my mind trying to figure it out and was very entertaining.

The film starts out in honestly one of the best openings I have seen for awhile with Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti both walking out of their own private jets and onto the tarmac. They have a silent by visual confrontation and fighting breaks out all the time with just facial expressions and no words, just back round music. Clive Owen and Julia Roberts both play secret spies who reunite to help try to take down a leading pharmaceutical company by giving out their “secret” new invention. Between the flashbacks the comedic action and secrecy I would completely recommend this film, I even bought popcorn for this one!

MONSTERS VS ALIENS- What a heartwarming cute film! This film was from the maker’s of Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, and they hit another one out of the ballpark! With an all-star cast of giving amazing comedic talents and great voice over’s, I would gladly see this again, and in 3-D. When Susan Murphy (voice of Reese Witherspoon) is about the get married to Derek (Voice of Paul Rudd), she is struck by a meteorite and grows to extreme size. She is captured and sent to “monster prison” where she meets Dr. Cockroach PhD (voice of Hugh Laurie), The Missing Link (Voice of Will Arnett) and my favorite B.O.B (voice of Seth Rogan). When the Alien Gallaxhar (voice of Rainn Wilson) finds that Susan contains the coveted chemical that will make all of his dreams come true he send robotic alien to capture her. The meeting of the Alien is greeted by President Hathaway (voice of Stephan Colbert) it turns into a mini Axel-F concert and the realization that they cannot take down this alien without the help of the “monsters”.

The graphics alone on this film was amazing, a new touch from the other recent films produced by DreamWorks as well as Pixar. My favorite scenes in this film was with B.O.B. he added great comedic relief and left you wanted more! His lines was something you will remember for a long time to come and my favorite was him falling in love with the Jell-O! Take your kids to go see this and enjoy the time to forget abut everything else going on in the world!

I LOVE YOU, MAN

Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) Decides to pop the question to his girlfriend Zooey (Played by Rashida Jones, most known for her role of Karen off the hit show The Office) of 8 months Some say its too soon, but for Peter he thinks it was long enough! They share a special relationship of him being the caring, considerate, ladies friend, and not having any real guy friends. When Peter comes home early and walks in on his Fiancé’s girls night and over hears her friends saying that it would be strange not having any groomsmen in the wedding party, Peter starts to stress out and goes on a series of “man dates” to find the perfect best man!

From Peter’s Mother (Jane Curtin) to his younger gay brother Robbie (Andy Samburg) trying to set him up with other guys, Peter has some very interesting encounters. After a series disastrous encounters, Peter meets Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) at an open house for Lou Ferrigno (as himself). Peter was overcome by Sydney’s honesty and how well he is able to read people, and exchanges contact information. Once they finally get to hang out, Peter realizes how much they really have in common, and how honest he can be with someone else.

This film is hilarious with laughter from start all the way to the end of the credits! I would gladly go see this again, and pay the full price. This film is rated R, however I surprised to an extent to see that. There is no nudity, yes they have a few slip ups with some language, but all in all it was put together very well. There are a few indiscrete jokes her and there, so it might not be for everyone.

7 Pounds

SEVEN POUNDS- I normally boycott Will Smith films, and have not see his last three films. I had the joys of going Saturday night with some friends to go see this film. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. There where issues at the theatre about the focusing, but I was able to still follow it and enjoyed every second of it. In the opening, Will Smith is on the phone with a call center for a meat order that went weary. The gentleman on the other end of the phone, was Woody Harrelson who portrayed a blind man. Smith in turn harasses him and makes crude comments about Harrelson’s disability, and ends up having a breakdown and screams the name of seven individuals. I felt sick inside, and want to get up and leave, but I am glad I stuck through it.

Through flashbacks and everything else going on, you come to find out that Smith got in a horrific car accident due to him emailing on his Blackberry while driving and kills the love of his life along with a van full of 6 other people. Smith is torn up about this, and tries to do good for the world. In his quest to save the lives of others that are battling terminal illnesses, he steals his brothers IRS badge and finds people that are being audited for not paying their taxes, and tries to find out what type of person they really are. Some of them are not very nice, and one person in particular runs a nursing home and doesn’t treat the elderly with much respect.

This film was heart whelming, and inspiring. I know that I saw it in the dollar theatre, but I would recommend it to everyone, and knowing how good it was I would have paid for at least a matinee price.