Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs [2009] — 10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844471/

I really don’t remember when it was that I started liking kid’s movies, but it’s something I think that I will always love from now on. There is just something about them that appeal to me in a way that’s hard to explain. This movie is no exception.

I had a feeling that this movie was going to fail. I did some research on it before it came to theatres and saw that the movie was going to be based on the beloved children’s book. BASED! That means they are changing things! I was not happy, even after seeing the trailer for it I was a little angry. However after watching it, I take back my comment and continue on. It was good, REALLY good.

I expected a few funny parts and a whole bunch of crazy food stuff to happen. But I didn’t expect a lot of things that happened in this movie. For instance, the amazing voice cast that they had. Seriously, just check out the IMDB page and see for yourself. My favorites though have to be Bruce Campbell, NPH and of course Mr. T. I cannot believe that these guys are in the film. I nearly crapped myself when I figured it out.

The story is basically that there’s a kid who invents things. They live in a town where the only thing they have to eat is sardines. So he wants to create a device that turns water into food. When he powers it up, it shuts down the power on his block, so he needs to find a way to get more power to it. So he goes to the power plant, and hooks it up. Well the things goes crazy like a rocket and gets launched into the atmosphere, and the next thing you know is that it’s raining cheeseburgers. I won’t give anymore away than that. But it’s AWESOME!

There were so many times in this movie that I was nearly on the floor from laughing that I was sitting most of the movie with my eyes bugged out on the edge of my chair waiting for what was going to happen next. I don’t think I have been this excited about a kid’s movie since the last Pixar film.

All in all this movie will appeal to everyone. Unless you have an undying hatred for kids films. I loved the ever living crap out of this movie and if someone asked me if I wanted to watch it again I would not let them finish the sentence and have it playing before they stopped. I would be that quick to put it in.

Base Score = 8
+1 for scientist kid (I was the same way as a child)
+3 for Bruce Campbell
+1 for NPH
+1 for Mr. T
+1 for having me laughing at the edge of seat for most of the movie
=15/10

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang [2005] — 6

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/

I have no idea what made me watch this movie. I never heard anything about it, never saw a trailer for it, did not know who acted in it, did not know who directed it, nothing. I went in absolutely blind.

And you know what? I almost turned it off about 3 times. The first half of the movie is so incredibly slow and boring that I paused it three times and pondered if I should turn it off. But there were only 2 things keeping me watching it.

1. Robert Downey Jr.
2. Val Kilmer playing a gay man, no joke.

If it was not for these 2 facts I would have shut off the film after about 20 minutes. But you know what? After the first half of the movie it actually gets good. Like REALLY good. It just had one of the slowest, if not the slowest beginning I have ever seen in a movie. I am actually glad that I did not turn it off.

Basically it’s the story of a thief who turned into an actor (awesome how it actually happened) who went to LA and somehow got himself stuck in the midst of murder after murder and he if let to solve it with the help of his agent, Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan to try and figure it out on their own.

Well the best/funny thing is that as they try to figure it out, bodies that they dispose of keep on coming back, and others start poping up. I actually lost count of how many bodies were actually in the film. Fantastic.

There is also a subplot with Downey and Monaghan. See they were childhood friends, but to Downey’s character that was the one who got away. So he is trying to express his love to her in the midst of this insanity and most of the time it just bounces off. But it actually goes together with the killing more than you would think so.

Plus there is a scene where Kilmer and Downey kiss to avoid the attention of the cops, so that weird out moment was awkward to say the least, but Kilmer played such a good gay guy it makes me wonder.

All in all it was the slowest beginning I have ever seen in my life. If you can sit through that than it is well worth the payoff.

Base Score = 5
+1 for Robert Downey Jr.
+1 for Val Kilmer playing an incredibly believable gay guy
-2 for being the slowest beginning that I almost turned off the movie 3 times
+1 for tons of dead bodies
=6/10

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Toki o kakeru shôjo) [2006] — 7

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808506/

This came from a different friend who had recommended a bunch of anime to me. And fortunately this one peeked my interest from the get go. I had heard of it before, but I was never able to find it. Fortunately he leant me his copy and I have now finally watched it.

Right off the bat, from the title alone you already know that this has to do with time travel, yes? Alright my biggest problem with any time travel movie is why do they have to drag on to the part where a person obtains the ability to travel through time? It takes so long that it’s kind of boring having to wait for it to happen. However sometimes it is needed to see the different things that happen as a result of time travel. This is the second case. It actually goes back into the same events and changes their outcome to see what happens differently.

Now it never really explains why all of the sudden the main character all of the sudden gains the ability to “jump” though time. (She literally has to run and the jump to time travel) It’s all mind boggling, but you are figuring it out with the main character at the same time that she is.

Now when you actually find out it’s going to either be a “That’s Awesome!” or a “Seriously? They went there? /sigh” we had both in my house when we watched. But either way it’s not bad. It’s actually rather cute.

All in all if you like time travel and anime, then this film is defiantly for you. If not then this movie is still enjoyable, but you may not be completely immersed it in.

Base Score = 6
+1 for time travel
+1 for an unexpected ending
-1 for having a slow beginning
=7/10

(500) Days of Summer [2009] — 10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1022603/

Now I had heard a lot about this movie before I went to go see it. But the only thing that I was positive of when I went in was that Zooey Deschanel was in it. I love Zooey like you could not imagine. This movie took my love of her one step further and I never thought that was possible.

The movie starts off by clearly stating that this is not a love story and you think it’s a lie, but you keep on watching anyways. It’s really about an over-obsessive guy and a girl who doesn’t want attachments. I found it hard to believe that it was not a love story the whole way through, but the ending proved that it was right; it was not a love story.

But here’s the thing. What if you went to school to be an architect and ended up writing greeting cards? That would suck, right? I know I would hate it, but then again so does the main character Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He hates it so much that at one point during the movie I expected him to stand on his boss’s desk and piss in his mouth, no joke. It never happened but that’s the feel I got.

Really the story is told over the course of 500 days, and Zooeys character is named Summer (the title, hint hint.) but it plays the events all out of order but in a good way, not like you have to put together the pieces of the puzzle, it’s just interesting, but there’s no secret. It’s not a murder mystery; it’s just enjoyable to watch.

Now there was one scene where something amazing happened to Tom and as he was walking to work it turned into a song and dance. Literally it was a musical for all of about 5 minutes, the entire time I was laughing it was so awesome. There was even a point in that where he checked his reflection on the glass and saw Hans Solo looking back at him. I lost it right there. My hat is off to the man who thought of that. Seriously 5 million kudos to that man.

But like all good movies, there is always both sides of emotions that need to be played for a film to work, and this had its ups just as much as it had its downs. An extremely well balanced flik that kept me interested from start to finish. I can’t wait to watch it again.

All in all no matter who you are this is a film worth seeing, if not for the song and dance scene alone.

Base Score = 8
+1 for Zooey Deschanel
+1 for making me like Zooey Deschanel even more
-1 for not being a love story, but making me think it was while making me think it wasn’t while knowing that it was but was proven wrong at the very last minute.
+1 for an ending that makes you grin from ear to ear
=10/10

My Sister’s Keeper [2009] — 7

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1078588/

I really have no idea what made me want to see this movie, but I wanted to. I knew that it would be a sad story, and I knew that I would more than likely cry, yet I still had a desire to see it.

Needless to say I did all of the above. And it was still a really good film. But on the level on never wanting to ever see it again, in the fashion of Requiem for a Dream. It was good but I don’t think that I could stomach another viewing of it.

The movie was sad from the beginning, but this was never supposed to be a comedy or an action film. It just caught me off guard that they went straight into the sadness before anything else hit. It was a start that was harsh, but then again so was the movie. The entire feel of the movie was harsh. It was reality, it felt like this was a story that could happen, and actually did happen on a regular basis.

The only thing that threw me off was the plot about the youngest daughter suing her parents for the rights to her own body. I know, it sounds bizarre, but basically she just didn’t want to go her whole life missing a part of her own body for a case that was clearly going downhill and was not going to get better.

Really the entire movie was nothing but an emotional roller coaster. As long as you are in the mood for a movie like this it is a very good movie, but prepare to cry a few times and know that it will not end pretty. The ending actually left a smile on my face even through all of the events that happened to this movie.

I will say that this was one of the best roles I have ever seen Cameron Diaz play. It was so convincing that I never once questioned the fact that she was actually going through this. Her acting was so good that it makes me wonder if something like this has ever happened to her.

All in all I would only say watch this movie if you are in the mood to cry, or just watch a movie that lets you explore your emotions. Its not for everyone, but it was a god movie.

Base Score = 7
+1 for making me cry
-1 for such a sad story
-1 for a weird plot (with the youngest girl wanting her own body)
+1 for a great job by Cameron Diaz
=7/10

5 Centimeters Per Second (Byôsoku 5 senchimêtoru) [2007] — 1

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0983213/

This was yet another anime that a friend had recently told me about, and with how good the last one was I was looking forward to this one. It turns out that I was dead wrong.

This is basically a story told over the course of 3 episodes (the movie was presented that way) about high school Japanese students and their love lifes, or lack thereof. I never really got into it because it was boring as crap. Literally there was nothing entertaining that happened the whole time.

To start off, it’s the story of how one guy got separated from the one girl he loved in middle school or some such thing and had to take a train to go and see her before he moved so far away that they could never see each other again. Turns out that it was about 25 minutes of him taking trains. No joke. Literally 25 minutes of film time went to this guy navigating trains. And they call this director visionary. I call that boring as fuck.

The second story was about a girl who wanted to get with a guy who always had his head in the clouds and she would wait till he walked to the parking lot and then they would ride home together. I don’t remember much more than that because I turned it off.

That’s right, it was so boring I stopped watching it. And the movie is only 63 minutes. I’m not even sure if you can classify it as a movie being that short. But I was bored to tears from about 5 minutes in.

I will say that it was some of the most beautiful artwork and animation that I have ever seen in an anime, but it was wasted on a boring film. It would be like when George Lucas developed the (at the time) blue screen and someone used it to put a plant in front of it and a sunny background. Totally stupid use of the technology.

All in all I would avoid this like the plague. Don’t waste your time, your money or your life. Take my lead and just turn it off.

Base Score = 1
+0 I turned it off
=1/10

Iron Man [2008] — 10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371746/

So I am not a hardcore comic book fan, but I grew up with them and I still remember most of the comics that I owned back when I was a kid. I loved them growing up and if I still had the money today I would still be buying them. But I had to move on with my life. As it turns out that Hollywood realized that there were a bunch of kids like me and that we all would love live-action renditions of our famed comic book heroes.

I LOVE THIS MOVIE! It is hands down one of the best comic books to film translations I have ever seen. There was never a dull moment, there was excitement the whole way through and honestly I cannot give this movie higher praise than I already have.

So they story is basically a weapons dealer Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., goes to some mid-east country and displays his new weapon, but on that journey his convoy gets attacked and he gets kidnapped and the people who kidnapped him want him to build a weapon for them. Well he tricks them by making them think that he is making a weapon, but really he is making an armored suit to get the hell out of there. And it only gets better from there. But by this point in the movie I don’t know anyone who could just get up and leave, and this all happens in about the first 40 minutes of the movie.

The bad guy is actually quite genius, Obadiah Stane, played by Jeff Bridges aka The Dude, is Tony Starks business partner and once he finds out about the suit he wants to steal the technology from him and go off on his own. I won’t ruin more than that because this story is epic and worth seeing.

Now the music in this film was f’ing amazing! It was never background noise, but rather you always heard it, but it fit the feel of the movie like almost no music ever does in film. It was one of the few soundtracks that I ever bought.

The other thing that really stood out to me was the massive and insanely detailed graphics. They were beyond impressive and they will stand the test of time. They are so detailed that it actually looks real. And I know that a lot of people never really paid much attention to the HUD(heads up display) but my god that thing gives out so much info on it, it’s insane. The only other movie that passes this one in a sense of graphics is Avatar.

I give straight up props to the director, Jon Favreau. I never knew that he had the ability to direct and I always nailed him as the massive sports fan, fuck comic books kinds guy. But it turns out that he is also a comic book nerd and was doing his best to land this directors spot.

All in all, SEE THIS MOVIE!

Base Score = 10
+1 for Robert Downey Jr.
+1 for a comic book movie
+2 for amazing music
+1 for Amazing graphics
+1 for Jon Favreau
=16/10

Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem [2003] — 8

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368667/

I had a friend highly recommend this to me. I really wish I would have researched it a bit though.

Heres the thing, do you like, or love Daft Punk? Then you will love the ever living crap out of this movie.

It is basically nothing but a huge music video. There is absolutely no dialog in the entire movie except what is in the songs, which is genius, except for the fact that I hate techno, and I hate Daft Punk even more.

It was still intriguing for the first 30 minutes. I couldn’t take me eyes off of the screen and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. But after about the halfway mark I was bored beyond tears, the story went from amazing, intriguing and I wanted to know “What happens next?”, to “holy crap, how much longer until this is over?” It was one of the biggest turn arounds in a movie I have ever experienced. And that’s also about the point that I realized that the entire soundtrack was done by one artist and also that it was techno. Then I started putting 2 and 2 together and found out that it was Daft Punk and immediately searched for the gun that I don’t own so that I could end my own life.

But then it got better again and I went to put away my gun. Then the ending was what really got me. I nearly dropped my jaw when I saw the ending. One of the best twists I have ever seen in a movie. Really.

All in all this movie was great, boring, exciting, hateful, well really my whole range of emotions was in it. And the ending more than made up for the slow part. I would recommend this to anyone as long as they know its techno first.

Base Score = 6
+1 for no dialog
-1 for Daft Punk
+1 for a huge range of emotions
+1 for an extremely unexpected ending.
=8/10

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince [2009] — 6

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417741/

Now since this is the first Harry Potter movie I am reviewing, let me clear up some things before I get bombarded with questions.

Yes I have read the books. The first 2 books. All I have to say about that is I might as well have just watched the movies they followed the books so closely. So I gave up reading after the second book.

Secondly I am not a hardcore fan. I cannot name all four of the houses, I just know that there are 4. And I am a fan of the movies, but I am not an insane hardcore follower that I actually own a cape, a snitch, a broomstick, etc.

Now that that’s out of the way, lets procede.

This is the 6th installment of the movies. The first few were excellent, but as they progress they seem to get more and bleaker as the story goes on. Either that or I am just getting used to the magic side and am starting to get bored with it.

I did like the entire part about how Harry obtained an old book and in it was the correct way on how to prepare potions. I was really intrigued up until he had to get rid of the book, after that it all seemed to flow downhill.

There really was no good redeaming quality in this film. You learn a bunch about Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort. And what he has done to himself and how he has survived. It is interesting, but dull. It doesn’t even impact you at all, its just kind of like a professor who has a boring lecture to teach told you. you just accept it and move on, there was no “OMG! ARE YOU SERIOUS!” moment, it was just here you go, move along, move along.

I was also not shocked to see that Snape was bad. I thought it was extremely obvious from the first movie, but none of my friends thought so except me. Especially with what he did (I won’t ruin that part). It was a little bit of a shock, but it was just like when you found out what Moldyvort did to himself. It was just another move along moment.

This director sucked. End of story. The most important parts of the film he just kind of didn’t care to convey any type of emotion of anything. It’s like he used to be a police officer or a lawyer. Just here are the facts. Now get on with your life.

All in all it was tolerable, but I am not looking forward to the next movie. I will still go see it, but I am by no means excited to see it like I was almost every movie up to this one.

Base Score = 6
+1 for Harry Potter
+1 for getting that awesome old potion book
-1 for not having good director
-1 for not feeling anything on the most critical moments of the film
=6/10

The Hangover [2009] — 10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1119646/

So I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I sat down. I knew there would be some funny parts, I never expected to walk out with my sides splitting and still laughing through all the pain that was inflicted upon me from laughter alone.

Heres the plot. A dudes getting married so he wants to spend the night in Vegas and have fun. Well they have a party, but no one remembers what happens, they just wake up in their room with things like chickens, tigers, benches hanging from the ceiling, a bowling alley made out of Champaign bottles and a baby. There is literally so much detail here it’s not even funny. But they wake up to find the guy who’s supposed to get married not there. Now they have to find him within 2 days because that’s when the weddings being held.

Its insane. Especially when you find out where he was. That is literally the best part in the movie. I would never have thought to look there for him, it was insane! I don’t know quite how to put it or where to start in this film. It’s pure genius!

From the crazy soon-to-be-brother-in-law to the crazy Chinese guy, to Mike Tyson, to the tiger, to a masterbating baby to oh god, its insane I cannot mention everything that happened in this movie. GO SEE IT!

That’s my final word SEE THIS MOVIE!

Base Score = 10
+2 for making me hurt from laughing so hard
+1 for the soon-to-be-brother-in-law
+1 for where the groom was
+1 for great acting all around
-1 for some really strange choices in music
=14/10