Movie review - Shoot' Em Up

I was kind of expecting my good friend Nomade Moderne to do a review of "Shoot 'Em Up" (he has a great sense of humor and would probably have written a very witty description of the movie) but I know for a fact he's up to his eyeballs in work, so you'll have to do with my review.

If you have seen anything with Clive Owen, Monica Belucci or Paul Giamatti in it, you know that they're pretty serious actors. So when you see a movie where a British hit-man, all-around assassin becomes the unlikely nanny to a cute baby (whose destiny is to become a bone-marrow donor for an ailing politician), you know that you're in for a laugh.

Said British nanny (played by Owen) is trying to save the baby from Giamatti's thugs, and in the process, making extensive and very creative use of carrots (you have to see the movie). Since he is incapable of feeding the baby by himself, he seeks a working woman to help him out (Belucci). The rest of the movie is so over the top that we couldn't stop laughing.

Why would these actors choose to do this movie? I don't know. But I can tell you that the Wikipedia summary doesn't do it justice. You *have* to watch it to really get it.

And while we are at it, you should really check the most recent post of Nomade Moderne, where he published some of his photography (he recently purchased a Digital SLR, so he's making good use of it).

And here is the YouTube trailer for the movie:

Movie review - Definitely, maybe

Last week, I scored free passes to the advance screening of "Definitely, Maybe" thanks to LaineyGossip.com, so I invited my good friend HZ to join me (this could potentially be seen as a Valentine's Day movie, or a chick flick, but he didn't mind the movie, even though it was fairly cheesy).

First of all, for the Ryan Reynolds lovers out there (ladies and gentlemen alike) - he does NOT show his abs in this movie. He does NOT take his shirt once. Not ONCE. So, if that was something you were hoping to see, you're watching the wrong movie (see Blade: Trinity, Buy the Cow, or The Amityville Horror if you're looking for Ryan showing skin).

However, he does what he does best: make people laugh. The basic premise of the movie is a single father who tells a story to his daughter about the three women he loved: the girl's mom, a journalist who ends up being a lover and a free-spirited young woman. While I won't spoil the ending for you, I sort of expected this movie to be a bit more Hollywood-esque.

Don't forget that you're reading my review - I'm a fan of Ryan Reynolds, have been for a long while. So, I have to admit that I did like the movie. It made me laugh considerably, and it had some moments where it demanded a bit more range from Ryan. That being said, as HZ rightfully pointed out, I should watch "Smoking Aces" if I want to see Ryan in a totally different light.

If you have a chance to go see it, leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it.

Movie review - P.S. I Love You

Perhaps the best movie of the year (and yes, admittedly it is only February 14th), this is one of the nicest films I've seen in a long time. While I admit that Hilary Swank is not one of my favorite actresses (not because I don't believe in her acting ability - she has two Oscars, after all!), she has had some excellent work (particularly her 'Boys Don't Cry' which gave her the first of her two Oscars).

This is, by and large, the best performance I've seen of an ensemble cast in a romantic comedy. With actors of the caliber of Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Gina Gershon, Lisa Kudrow, James Marsters, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Harry Connick Jr., I wonder how much pressure the director felt. Often times, it feels as though there is a risk that the movie will place too much emphasis on just one character and leave the rest underdeveloped. That's definitely not the case in "P.S. I Love You".

One word of warning before I continue with my rave review (yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie) ... I wouldn't recommend seeing this movie if you've gone through a recent breakup or if you've lost a loved one (as the film deals with how Swank's Holly Kennedy deals with the death of her beloved husband, Gerry Kennedy, played by Gerard Butler).

The movie traces the evolution of Holly's coping, mourning and moving on with her life after her husband Gerry dies of a brain tumor, a short ten years after getting married. The ultimate slacker, Gerry is a happy-go-lucky, free-spirited man (in contrast to Holly's uptight, all-around planner personality). However, in a movingly sweet display of maturity and love, he plans (and writes) a series of letters to Holly. Each letter is supposed to help Holly inch forward towards moving on and accepting Gerry's death. And guess what... without giving away the ending, I can assure you that she ends up being alright, although in a non-Hollywood kind of way.

Admittedly, "P.S. I Love You" can be categorized as a chick flick. I have read some rather negative reviews (one even coming from The Globe and Mail). But the truth is that I spent half of the movie with tears in my eyes. And I can assure you that I wasn't the only one in the theater who had that reaction.

I found many positive aspects to the movie, some of which I discussed with JT. One of the best elements of the script is that each letter actually does push Holly forward. Holly does not have emotional ups-and-downs during the grieving process (which truthfully may be a little bit of a stretch). Maybe it's just because I believe in the power of self-awareness. Holly finds out more and more about herself and about the immense love that Gerry had for her. And in the process, she learns to let go of her deceased husband.

Swank delivers a very nice performance, as does Butler. The rest of the cast is phenomenal, and Kathy Bates steals many scenes as the overbearing, possessive yet absolutely adoring and loving mother of Holly. In one of the main scenes, where Swank's character lashes back at humanity and destiny for having had her husband taken away from her, Bates does an absolutely amazing job of comforting her and explaining that fate isn't fair.

Of course, some of the climactic moments are associated with the title of the movie. After imparting wisdom, offering reflections on their life together and on how the future should shape for Holly, or simply suggest that she takes the time to go out on the town and enjoy herself with her two best friends (impeccably played by Gershon and Kudrow), he always signs each letter... "P.S. I love you". I couldn't help but get goosebumps and shed a few tears every time he read out loud these words.

It is a good movie, despite whatever negative comments some reviewers have. Honestly, I don't know if the people who wrote the reviews are just jaded or what, but I for one, absolutely loved the movie, particularly because I saw myself reflected in many instances. This movie reminded me that, once in my lifetime, I was entirely, unabashedly, totally and fully in love. For an amazing year, my former partner's first words every morning used to be "Good morning. How can I make you happy today?". No wonder why this movie struck a chord with me. I have previously indicated, Amado Nervo was right about me in his poem. Truthfully, yes, "I loved, I was loved, the sun graced my face. Life, you owe me nothing. Life, we are in peace".

"P.S. I Love You" is a great Valentine's movie and I couldn't have asked for a better movie to see on Valentine's Day. My evening was simply perfect. I hope yours was too.

Trailer courtesy of YouTube.

Definitely, Maybe - Well, I'm definitely lucky!

I *never* win anything. Other than tournaments, of course, when I play a sport competitively. What I mean is that I never win raffles or any kind of contests. Well, recently, the Vancouver-based gossip doyenne Lainey (from LaineyGossip) held a contest for advanced passes to the movie "Definitely, Maybe"

Everyone and their mother know that I really like Ryan Reynolds. Not only he is from Vancouver, he is funny and good looking and has some really cool movies. This one is a pretty sweet one, so I'm quite excited about the prospect of seeing 'Definitely, Maybe'. Well, lo-and-behold, I ended up winning some sweet swag from LaineyGossip, so I am headed to an advance screening on Monday. I can't tell you how happy I am!!! If only Ryan was at the advance screening, hehehe... just kidding!

I'll do a movie review after I've seen it. In the meantime, thanks so much to Lainey for the swag, and keep up the great work with the celebrity gossip site!

Focus on Vancouver: Cold Squad and Canadian actors

I had previously written about Canadian content policy (Cancon) and how the fact that Cancon had been implemented as a national policy. In particular, I think that it has allowed me to gain a better understanding of Canada as a multicultural nation. Sure, we do see Canadian actors in American television, but I really enjoy watching Canadian actors in Canadian TV shows.

One of my favorite shows was (and still is) Cold Squad, even though it's been cancelled. The show's premise revolved around the Vancouver PD Homicide Squad, tasked with solving cold cases. The main character, Ali McCormick, is played by actress Julie Stewart. It was a good show, with a smart premise, excellent writing and great filming. But the best part is that it showcased Vancouver.

In many episodes you could easily recognize landmarks or elements of Vancouver (such as Commercial Drive, or the Downtown Eastside, Cordova Street, or the bus 20 Victoria). I feel such warm fuzzies about Intelligence as well, DaVinci's Inquest, and Robson Arms, all shows that depict the day-to-day life of Vancouverites as we know them.

Of course, I'd like the depiction to be realistic yet not so grim. The fantastic movie Mount Pleasant (which I reviewed here a couple of years ago) does have a lot of location work done around the area near Fraser and Kingsway, but it still paints a sketchy neighbourhood, which is getting better and nicer through time.

Perhaps one idea for a new show would be to film something on Mount Pleasant or South Main. Trust me, there's enough action and day-to-day drama to fill a new soap opera!

Movie review - 27 Dresses

Before I begin, one disclaimer. Well, actually two. First, I *love* Katherine Heigl and James Marsden. They are two of my favourite actors, so anything with both of them will probably fly with me. Second, I am a romantic at heart, so chick flicks and I are very good friends ;)

Ok, on to the review. This review involves also some degree of personal insight into my own life which I thought I'd blog about at the same time. That element is perhaps worth a completely separate blog entry, but I'll see how the writing comes along and then if I need, I'll expand.

The movie 27 Dresses revolves around Jane (Heigl), who works for an eco-tourism tycoon (Edward Burns) who in addition to being handsome, is filthy rich. Jane fell in love with weddings. Since she was very young, she proved a phenomenal wedding planner (who doesn't actually do that for a living, but is always there for her girlfriends who get married). Hence, she is always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

Jane is the perfect bridesmaid (and sometimes maid of honor). She keeps being there for her bride friends, in hopes that one day all of them will be there for her. But that special day has never arrived, and now the number of dresses she has accumulated amounts to 27. Actually it's pretty cool to see all the different weddings she's been to (a goth wedding, cowboy-themed, under-water, a Californian wedding, a wedding in Japan, an Indian wedding, etc.)

She is hopelessly in love with her boss, who falls for her baby sister. As you can (predictably) surmise, issues ensue. The great thing about 27 Dresses is that there is an entire side plot around Jane and her (predictably hot) suitor, the cynical Kevin (Marsden), dumped by his wife on the wedding day which makes him obviously sour to the whole idea of marriage.

I have to say that I absolutely loved this movie. There are so many clever and witty phrases in the dialogues that I actually would love to use at some point, it's a really funny and heartwarming movie. Here is the trailer - worth watching. Go see the movie. With a loved one. Now.

Trailer available from YouTube.

More Canadian content in the 2008 Oscars nominations

I haven't had a chance to go and see Juno in theatres (and I should, to be quite honest, because everyone thinks it's very funny). It was filmed in Vancouver and stars Ellen Page and Jennifer Garner, two of my favourite actresses. So, there are a number of reasons why I should go and see it. And with the Oscars nominations just announced, Canadians are doing really well.

I am glad that Ellen Page got her nomination. She has taken on some pretty daring and rough roles (such as Sylvia Likens in An American Crime and Hayley Stark in Hard Candy). She has proven she's a very talented actress. And Sarah Polley... well, I loved Sarah Polley since her appearance in "The Sweet Hereafter". I was most impressed with her work in "My Life Without Me".

Polley is up for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Away From Her", a movie that has earned Julie Christie both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. Despite the fact that I love Ellen Page, this time, I want Julie Christie to win.

There are many other Canadians who are doing well in the nominations, so go on to the Oscars webpage and check them out (or read a few of the summaries available on the internet).

Movie review - Flicka

I went to Mexico City today to meet my good friend ML who is visiting Mexico for the first time. We both live in Vancouver and she's here to spend a couple of weeks travelling. Since I didn't feel all too well (post-Christmas hangover) I decided to take the bus. Normally, my iPod would be fully charged and I would listen to music all five hours (yeah, it's a five hour bus ride each way).

Anyhow, since I knew that I might not have enough battery in my iPod, I decided to watch the movie (in between naps) shown on the bus. Starring Maria Bello, Tim McGraw, Alison Lohman and Ryan Kwanten, Flicka shows a young girl who tried to prove her father wrong about her (apparent) inability to manage the family ranch (when the time comes for that).

I generally don't like this type of movies, not because they're showing a Western rural family and I can't relate to the topic of the movie, but because these movies tend to be rather slow. As it was the case with Flicka, these movies ARE generally slow. I managed to have a nap right in the middle of the movie and I still caught the ending (quite predictable).

But it's a feel-good movie, and quite uplifting. If you want something that bad, you can really accomplish it with hard work. Nothing is given to this young girl (Katy). She works hard to gain her father's approval and demonstrate to him that she is capable of domesticating her mustang.

Snippets found below courtesy of YouTube posters.

Movie review - Enchanted

I am well known for being way too sweet and a tad too mushy for a guy. I'll add one more thing... I love Disney movies. Enchanted is a great production. Starring Amy Adams, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon, this is a wonderful and uplifting movie. Combining special effects, animation and great music, Enchanted is a fairy tale that oozes sweetness and "feel good", warm fuzzies.

You can read Wikipedia's description of the movie, but if you want to get a general feeling for how good the movie is, listen to "That's How You Know" (the main musical performance in a park, of all places). Do yourselves a favor and treat yourself to a viewing of Enchanted. Preferably with someone you love a lot.

Movie review - Because I Said So

I won't do a long review because honestly speaking, "Because I Said So" was the worst use of my time and 1 hour and 45 minutes of my life that I will never get back since I attended a public lecture by a renowned urban sociologist (which was as well another 1.75 hrs I'll never get back). This movie sucks so bad it's not even funny. I am sad that Gabriel Macht, Lauren Graham, Tom Everett Scott and Piper Perabo (actors that I had some degree of respect for) chose to do this movie. The only good thing is that I discovered that Mandy Moore sings, indeed. She has a powerful and strong voice. But the movie is terrible. See for yourselves if you want.

Movie review - 2 Days in Paris

Since we hadn't hung out in a while, J, B and I decided to stick to our Wednesday movie nights and go out to Fifth Avenue Cinemas, one of the Festival Cinemas (on Burrard and 5th Avenue) to see 2 Days in Paris. I rarely come down to this movie theatre since I moved to East Vancouver, but last night I almost fainted and realized why I don't come here. $12 for a movie ticket! WOWZA.

I am sorry, when I can see movies at the Hollywood Theatre for $3-$5 and at other theatres such as the Rio on Broadway and Dunbar for $8 (and that's full price), I get discouraged when I get charged 12 bucks. That being said, I did get a discount ;) so I am not going to rant that much. Plus it's always so nice to hang out with B and J.

Anyhow, if you have not visited Paris, don't know French culture or have a dislike for strange movies (this one does remind me from Woody Allen's style), don't go see it. You *do* need to understand French culture to some extent.

The movie is both co-produced and directed by Julie Delpy, who in my mind is one of the best contemporary French actresses. Marion (Delpy) has been living in New York and dating Jack (Adam Goldberg), although it would seem from the start that they are so opposite there is no reason why they should be dating.

On the way back from an unsuccessful vacation in Venice, they decide to stop in Marion's hometown, Paris, for a couple of days. Obviously they have to deal with Marion's crazy mother and father and the endless list of former flings that she had in the past (before meeting Jack, apparently). He quickly grows jealous and disaster (and hilarity) ensues. You have to watch it to understand it. While crazy funny, it is also poignant and touching at times.

Another reason why I loved this movie is because it is set in Paris. I missed a chance to see "Paris, Je t'aime" and I wish I hadn't, so I wasn't about to give up another chance to see Paris in film. I am in love with the city, have spent a substantial part of my life there and I think I would like to move there at some point. For now, Vancouver is my home. Nevertheless, Paris is always in my heart. Great movie, "2 Days in Paris". You should go see it.

Movie review - The Picture of Dorian Grey

As an avid reader since I was able to first recognize printed characters, I always had a soft spot for Oscar Wilde. So when I heard that the Vancouver Queer Film Festival was showing a re-invention of Wilde's famous novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray", I jumped at the opportunity. My friend Nomade Moderne was kind enough to join me (even though we had to do the Hope Line and cross our fingers that we were going to be able to get tickets, as it was sold out).

This reinvention has the charming and endearing David Gallagher (from 7th Heaven fame) portraying Dorian Gray. Gallagher did an amazing job at portraying the new-era Dorian Gray, and I strongly believe he tested his own limits during this movie. He really seemed to have grasped the character of Dorian Gray. Directed by Duncan Roy, the movie is challenging in many ways.

The movie asks the viewer to understand the motives beneath Dorian's cruel actions and to see the world through his eyes. The cinematic techniques in this movie (including flashbacks, intertwined stories, story-telling) are complex and this wouldn't be by any measure a chick flick. But I think it's beautifully realized and I commend both Roy for doing such a fine job with the screenplay and the direction and Gallagher for his amazing job as Dorian Gray.

I wasn't able to find a clip of the actual movie, but you can see an interview with Duncan Roy and David Gallagher at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (courtesy of YouTube and dgresource).

More movie reviews

My friend Nomade Moderne has reviewed four excellent movies he recently saw (a couple of them have been reviewed here too, but a couple were not and he's done an excellent job of summarizing the plots and providing great video links). Mosey over to his blog to check these reviews.

Movie review - Hot Fuzz

Having dinner and a movie at B & C's is always a pleasure. J always manages to make us laugh with his sense of humor (which is very much aligned with B&C's and mine). So he brought along the movie Hot Fuzz on DVD. I should say that I absolutely love this movie. If you liked Shaun of the Dead (also starring Simon Pegg) you will adore Hot Fuzz.

Long story made short: overachieving police officer in big, ol' London is banned to small, Stepford-wives kinda town Sandford. The perfect town for everyone. Except that, beneath the surface of an apparently calm and agreeable society, lurks a not-so-perfect secret society that is bent on disappearing anyone (namely Nicholas Angel, our super-cop) who meddles with their business. Disaster (and hilarity) ensues.

I would strongly recommend this movie if you enjoy British humor. Having lived in England long enough to enjoy it, I had a great time. Plus it didn't hurt that B prepared a wonderful dinner and we had amazing company to go with it!

Following my good friend Nomade Moderne's lead, I'm posting the movie trailer. I think that from now on, I might insert a few clips to accompany my movie reviews. Yay or nay?

Movie review - Super Amigos

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival is on, and I went to see Super Amigos with my good friend J, who bought tickets for this show. Super Amigos is a Canadian-Mexican co-production directed by Arturo Perez-Torres, and produced by

From the website, we learn that:

Super Amigos is a feature-length documentary that follows 5 modern-day superheroes in Mexico City as they fight for social justice and human rights.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, although I can understand if Canadians (or any other foreigner) would have a hard time understanding a few parts. In the director's effort to intertwine each superhero's history, sometimes pieces of the plot could have been missed.

The sub-titles were definitely spot-on, except for very, very few English-language grammar errors. That's actually something the translators should be congratulated for. Particularly because they were able to capture the meaning of many Mexican phrases that nobody would have understood if a traditional translator had done the job.

These human, non-super-powered individuals are wrestlers by night and social justice seekers by day. That's what makes them so unique. I bumped into another colleague at the movie (which was very nice because we had a chance to talk about the movie for a bit). I was making a comment about the fact that Super Barrio has been studied as a phenomenon of collective identity building. Every Mexican who is in need of justice is Super Barrio. Because his face is masked, he can be anyone. He can survive for generations! This is actually an excellent topic for social movement theory research (collective identity and framing theory, as well as resource mobilization).

So these are the five super-heroes:

• Super Animal - Protecting animal rights and fighting against bull-fighting.
• Ecologista Universal - Protecting the environment and fighting against natural christmas trees.
• Super Gay - Protecting queer rights and fighting homophobia, in order to have a national Pride Day Parade.
• Fray Tormenta - Protecting homeless children, this is a priest-turned-wrestler.
  
• Super Barrio - Protecting the right to a decent livelihood, and fighting against illegal evictions.

I would like to believe that in Vancouver we wouldn't need these superheroes, but I would think that maybe Super Barrio and Fray Tormenta should pay us a visit. We certainly could be doing better in regards to homelessness and illegal evictions.

You can watch the trailer below (courtesy of YouTube)

Movie review - The Bourne Ultimatum

Ok, so I am a fan of Matt Damon, I'll confess. I like the guy. He is a good actor, and he's done great work. But I am not 100% sure I am in love with The Bourne Ultimatum. I really had a great time hanging out with B, J, H, K, M, B and J (how funny - two of the couples within my group of friends have the same initials -- hehehe I just clued in). We went to Sodas for dinner and then the Dunbar Theatre to watch a late show of The Bourne Ultimatum. Now, pointer in case you want to do dinner and a movie. If you show your ticket stub from the Dunbar Theatre at Sodas you can get 10% discount on your bill, which is pretty damn cool. This particular group of friends is really fun to hang out with.

Anyhow, basically The Bourne Ultimatum is the story of how Jason Bourne finds out what happened to him and how he became a trained assassin. Lots of action (IMHO not enough, I wanted to see more ultimate-killer type of martial arts ) and fairly good acting on the part of Joan Allen, Matt Damon and Julia Stiles. Would recent viewers say that the plot lines get resolved? I don't think so, personally.

Movie review - Wedding Wars

I normally avoid movies that depict gay and lesbian issues in ways that perpetuate long-standing clichés (such as the idea that all hair stylists and florists are gay) like the plague. Nevertheless, this is an excellent and heart-warming movie that, while using some stereotypes, still tries to bring across an important message: everyone (regardless of sexual orientation) has the same rights.

In Wedding Wars, John Stamos portrays the gay brother of Eric Dane. Stamos' character (Shel) is planning Ben's wedding to the daughter of a Conservative governor (this movie is set in the US). So when Shel finds out that Ben is opposed to gay marriage (as is Ben's future father-in-law) he goes on strike. His efforts soon gather national support and thus frustrate his brother's impending nuptials. You can rent it at pretty much any video store, worth watching. It's heart-warming and makes the point quite well.

While we are on the subject, the Vancouver Queer & Video Film Festival [Out on Screen] is on from August 16th to 28th, 2007. Shows sell fast, so you might want to run and get your tickets now. "The Picture of Dorian Grey" with David Gallagher [of Seventh Heaven fame] looks worth seeing. A Mexican-Canadian production, Super Amigos, is also on the roster.

Tearjerker movies? Missing on the list are...

After finding out that, as Miss604 predicted, I am technically now part of the Vancouver blogging community (I found myself in the Urban Vancouver news aggregator, which is actually quite an honour) and recognizing that there are other better known bloggers in Vancouver, I checked out Darren Barefoot's blog. From there I backtracked to Meg Fowler's blog and found that she talked about Entertainment Weekly's list of the top 50 tearjerker movies.

I consider myself a movie fiend, and thus I was quite disappointed to see that they had missed a few films that have caused my eyes to well (or fully weep, as the case may be). They did hit the nail in the head with most of them, but they also left a few that I thought were worthy of a nomination. Interestingly, they did ask "what did we miss?". This is my response, and I would like to ask you my dear readers to provide your own responses in the comments section.

So without further ado, here is my list of "I Don't Understand How You Could Have Omitted This Tearjerker Film" movies that should have made EW's list and did not.

One True Thing: Admittedly, there are personal reasons why this movie makes me cry nonstop (I lost someone I loved very much to lung cancer). Nevertheless, Meryl Streep's performance was Oscar-worthy (yet she was denied that year, despite having been nominated). If you rent it, I would recommend watching it with a close friend or someone you love, as you'll probably need some emotional support.

Lorenzo's Oil: The true story of a mom and dad who are desperately trying to find a cure to their son's incurable (and degenerative) disease. In addition to the fact that Sarandon and Nolte's performances are top-notch, this movie reminds me of my parents and their never-ending support and encouragement.

Stepmom: There is something about Susan Sarandon (nominated for an Oscar I think five times and winner once) that just makes this movie totally worth watching. But I think Julia Roberts' performance brought her to a new level. The story of a dying Mom who helps her ex-husband's girlfriend through the transition to becoming the stepmom to her children, this film is guaranteed to give you lots of opportunities to make use of your tissues.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Even though there's lots of martial arts in this movie, I can guarantee you that you won't be able to keep your eyes dry towards the end of the movie. This movie is a gem.

Awakenings: Proving that he can be a leading drama actor, Robin Williams breaks our hearts as a doctor who attempts an experimental treatment on a group of catatonic people. He is able to wake them up but just for a short period of time. Bring lots of tissue when watching this movie and cuddle up with your loved one. Robert DeNiro was nominated for an Oscar for his phenomenal performance in this movie.

What Dreams May Come: Again, another phenomenal performance by Robin Williams, who loses his children. Further in the movie, he also dies (can it get any sadder? yes it can!). Anabella Sciorra made me cry, as did Williams, with their performances.

Movie review - The Simpsons Movie

I am not sure how other bloggers are doing it, but in my case, I am getting inspiration pretty much from very recent experiences (time spent together with friends, activities I've undertaken, my Mom's visit, etc.)... This post will not be the exception. I recently went with a very good friend of mine (J) to watch The Simpsons Movie. Now, full disclaimer: I had no idea about the Simpsons until he loaned me Season 1. I was perhaps one of the very few people in North America who didn't understand references to the Simpsons (M used to tell me "thank you, come again" with an Apu-like voice and I wouldn't get what she was referring to).

Anyhow, J wanted to watch it and I wasn't about to say no (he's sort of a die-hard fan and it was nice to share the movie together). Anyhow, I loved it. I laughed like I had not laughed in years, and at one point I couldn't stop until tears welled my eyes. It is a really funny movie. Granted, it has an environmental theme and given that environmental affairs are issues that are near and dear to my heart, I was particularly pleased that these topics were touched upon.

Of course, it would really help if you actually had watched The Simpsons before going into the movie, but in my case, I was a neophyte and I still could understand everything that was said in the movie, so no complaints here.

On opening night, the Rio Theatre (on Broadway near Commercial) had organized a movie launch party, so I am guessing you can still see it there. Other venues include the Scotiabank Theatre (Smithe and Burrard). I'd seriously recommend the movie. And "thank you, come again".

Movie review - Spiderman 3

Fair warning: I have enabled the moderation of comments for this specific posting.

Well, as a superhero fan, I could hardly wait to see Spiderman 3. I wouldn't want to either spoil you or bother you with details, but the movie is packed with action sequences, some romance, some broken relationships (friendships and almost-engagements) and an ending that may seem underwhelming to some, but if it had to be that way, I am glad Sam Raimi was the director. He brought the movie to a close with relative ease, and left us craving more Spidey movies.

I have to say that I've read several reviews of the movie, with a varied spectrum of responses. Some people have hailed it as brilliant and others seem to hate it. There is one actor that really stands out throughout the movie: James Franco. He manages to look broody and vengeful at the beginning, then sweet, warm and caring later and then hateful and insane (and that's as much as I'm going to tell you because the movie is very well worth watching). I had never seen Franco display this broad range of emotions and he made some of the movie's best scenes.

If you are a hard-core Spidey fan, beware: there are some substantive changes to the Spiderman storyline that you should forgive. But the movie is really easy to watch.