It's Complicated [M]

She was his wife and then they broke up. Now he's re-married and not so happy, she has become "the other woman". It's divorce with benefits.

I first saw this movie in a tiny little almost antique theatre in Roseville. My parents and I went on a Sunday afternoon and we were the youngest people in the cinema. Doesn't that sound lovely? A Sunday afternoon out with the parents in a quaint little cinema watching a quaint little romantic comedy. I have to admit that it was rather nice. I recommend that everyone should try it at least once in their lives.

This is the second time that I have sat down and watched It's Complicated. I remember laughing and thinking that it was funny in that tiny little cinema and, upon sitting through it a second time, I do think that it is a cute little romantic comedy that does have its moments.

Jane and Jake have been divorced for about 10 years. Jane has raised the kids, all of whom have grown up and left the nest, and she has never re-entered the world of dating and sex. Jake married a woman who is about half his age, but things have not turned out as well as he'd planned. Upon bumping into each other in New York, Jane and Jake get a little brave after a few drinks and begin an affair. Jake believes this is just a natural and a wonderful step for them, but Jane's not so sure. It's right, it's wrong, it's weird, it's natural... it's complicated.

Meryl Streep is Jane. Now I absolutely love Meryl. She is one of the very few actresses who I actually really like. But in this movie, she annoyed me to some extent. She's quite a bit like her character Donna in Mamma Mia, only a little more... I don't know, just a little more. I mean, this was the character and she played it wonderfully, but the character annoyed me. So there.

Alec Baldwin is Jake and he's just awful or hysterical, it depends which way you look at it. I personally think that he and Steve Martin are the best things in this movie, aside from the amazingly awesome house that Meryl lives in. For Alec, there are just so many moments in the movie when you're cringing and going "oh god please don't." But it's those moments that make the movie funny and keep it moving so that's a bonus for Alec. I can't help but admit that there a little too much of him with his shirt off for my liking, but it is good to see actors with healthy appetites. Seriously, let's not turn to food, because I won't stop talking.

So, food, houses, and shirtless Alec Baldwin aside, It's Complicated was a refreshing little romantic comedy that had a real simplicity to it that I really liked. The scenery, the script and the occasional scenes where you hit the floor crying from mortification and laughter makes It's Complicated a lovely little movie that's definitely worth watching.

Nicholas Nickleby [M]

To the harsh streets of London comes a family who have lost their loving father, husband, and head of the household. Now it's up to young Nicholas Nickleby to protect and support his mother and sister.

I'd never even heard of this film before. They way I came across it was by attempting to sort and alphabetise our Drama section at work. I had a quick glance at the cover, saw all these familiar names and faces and thought "this might be a good flick to watch over the weekend." So this is exactly what I did.

Nicholas Nickleby is a young man who has recently lost his father. He comes from a poor family, which consists of himself, his mother and his sister. After his father dies, it falls on Nicholas to support his family and they go to London to seek help from their very rich, but very harsh uncle. Whilst his is set to work in a dressmaker's shop, Nicholas is given employment at a boys' boarding school. When he arrives, he is horrified to find that the poor boys are incredibly mistreated by their sadistic headmaster and headmistress. Being a man of passion and morals, Nicholas leaves the school after giving the headmaster a taste of his own medicine. Taking with him, a poor and unbelievably abused crippled boy, Nicholas arrives to find that the headmaster has sent a letter to his uncle embellishing the circumstances of Nicholas's leaving his employment. His uncle, being a heartless and cold man, then makes it his highest priority to strike down poor Nicholas until he can be "struck no more." Now it's up to Nicholas to protect his family from his enraged uncle, but just how far will he go to do this?

Based on the book by Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby is a beautifully filmed drama that is perfectly balanced between the confronting and abusive scenes/themes and the scenes where it the audience is reminded that not everything ends in tragedy, this is happiness and goodness in the world.

The performance from Charlie Hunnam who plays Nicholas is absolutely amazing. From the beginning of the film to the end, I was completely enthralled, sharing every single one of Nicholas's emotions whether it be anger, happiness, doubt or sadness. I had tears well up during numerous scenes.

As I mentioned before, this film has an abundance of familiar names and faces, which is what led me to hire it. Throughout the film, you will recognise...

Nathan Lane

Anne Hathaway

Jim Broadbent

Juliet Stevenson

Jamie Bell

Timothy Spall

Dame Edna Everage

Barry Humphries

Alan Cummings

And Christopher Plummer as Nicholas's unfeeling uncle.

This was a truly beautiful film, filled with drama, sinister plotting, the abuse of young boys, beautiful young ladies, love, humour, and the making of new friends and family. Very lovely indeed.

Sleepy Hollow [MA]

In the small town of Sleepy Hollow, there is terror. Murders are being committed and the townsfolk live in fear. A detective is sent to help. But as he delves deeper into these mysterious murders, heads will roll.

From director Tim Burton (my favourite director) comes a beautifully crafted horror that wraps up the audience in a dreamy and bloody nightmare. A horror filled with great beauty, this film won the Academy Award for Art Direction in 1999.

I don't usually watch horror movies, I tend to get scared very easily. As I've said to customers when they ask about horror films, "I'm fragile." Believe me, I am trying to get into horror films now (I mean, I'll kind of have to in order to review them.)

So for those of you who are, like me, a little anxious about watching horrors, but would like to start, Sleepy Hollow is probably the best one to start with.

In the town of Sleepy Hollow there have been 3 murders, each victim's corpse found decapitated. Constable Ichabod Crane has been sent from New york to investigate these murders and bring the culprit to justice. Constable Crane believes that the case can be cracked scientifically and that one of the villagers is the culprit, however the townsfolk believe that the murderer is a hellish creature not of this world. As Constable Crane delves deeper into the mystery, he discovers that, to take a supernatural view on the case, may be his only hope of solving it once and for all.

Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane. A modern detective who is stuck in the dark ages of justice, is there any role that Johnny can't play? In this film Johnny is a very interesting character. He is intellectual, romantic and very excitable, yet he is not as brave or strong-stomached as all this suggests. I'm sure Tim Burton simply loved having Johnny's face constantly covered in fake blood, it seems at every possible opportunity, blood is spewing from some opening into poor Johnny's face. And yet he still continues to work with Tim. That's loyalty right there people.

Christina Ricci is Katrina Van Tassle and she is too beautiful. Any girl would watch this film and immediately by intimidated by Christina's grace and charm, not to mention her enchanting performance. In a film where grey seems to the be dominating shade, Christina brings a balanced helping of colour and light onto the screen. She is completely and utterly bewitching.

Joining Johnny and Christina in the quest to solve the mystery of Sleepy Hollow is Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Michael Gough, Jeffrey Jones, Richard Griffiths, Casper Van Dien, Christopher Lee, Martin Landau, Ian McDiarmid, Lisa Marie, and Christopher Walken.

With the beautiful costume designs by Colleen Atwood and the hauntingly enchanting score by Danny Elfman, Sleepy Hollow is a wonderful movie balanced with humour, suspense, action, and just the right amount of gore.

A truly beautiful horror movie, Sleepy Hollow is the perfect flick for first-time horror-watchers and is a film that I could watch again and again and again.

Mystery Men [PG]

They've got the costumes. They've got the motive. They've got the enemy. All they need is the super powers.

This has to be one of the greatest superhero comedies ever! It's one of those flicks that you've never heard of and yet it has everyone in it.

Thanks to the their superhero, Captain Amazing, Champion City is now crime free. But what's good for the people is not so good for the Captain. Having put all the major and ingenious villains behind bars, Captain Amazing is now reduced to ridding old folk's homes of mediocre bandits, which is way below his lofty standards. After much thought, the Captain concocts a plan to have one of the city's most feared villains granted parole just so he can relive the glory days of superhero battle. However, things do not go quite according to plan. Now the Captain is missing and it's up to a rag-tag team of wannabe superheroes to save the day.

Now, let's meet our heroes...

Ben Stiller is Mr. Furious whose power comes from his boundless rage. Constantly on the verge of screaming and punching anything that moves, Ben really makes his presence known in this movie.

Hank Azaria is The Blue Raja, master of silverware. Yes he doesn't wear much blue and he speaks in a British accent, but if you know your history it really does make perfect sense. Specialising in fork-flinging, Hank serves up a wonderful comedic performance.

William H Macy is The Shoveler. He shovels well, he shovels very well. Providing the team with moral support and inspirational pep-talks, there would be no wannabe superhero team without him.

Janeane Garofalo is The Bowler. Daughter of the famous Carmine the Bowler who is suspected of being murdered years before, Daddy's little girl is all grown up and looking for a little revenge. With her father's skull fitted into her bowling ball, she is the deadliest woman on earth once she's on a roll.

Paul Reubens is The Spleen. A man who was cursed by a gypsy woman when he was a teen. Whilst walking with friends one day, he accidently "cut the cheese" and in his adolescent awkwardness he blamed it on an old gypsy lady who was passing by. "BIG MISTAKE!" The gypsy decreed that because he was the one who smelt it, he would, forevermore be he who dealt it. Whatever you do, don't pull his finger!

Kel Mitchell is the Invisible Boy who is only invisible when no one's looking. After years of being overlooked, with his superhero friends he finds that he is actually seen.

Wes Studi is The Sphinx. Famous for being greatly mysterious, he provides the team with aged wisdom and advice, though sometimes what he says can be somewhat contrary. "If you want to push something down, you first must pull it up." Very funny.

Tom Waits is Doc Heller, weapons designer. He supplies the team with firepower, and the greatest thing is all his weapons are 100% effective and 100% non-lethal. Stuff like the Canned Tornado and the Blame Thrower are just some of the great inventions he has in his cupboard.

And let's not forget Captain Amazing played brilliantly by Greg Kinnear. The arrogant superhero who refuses to relent to the words "has been" and "used to."

But of course, no superhero comedy would be complete without paying some attention to the super villains...

Geoffrey Rush is Casanova Frankenstein. Having been locked up in an insane asylum for many years, Casanova has had heaps of time to create a weapon that will have Champion City in a hugely strong grip of terror.

Eddie Izzard is Tony P, leader of the Disco Boys and Casanova's right hand man. Jazzing the film up with styled hair, fur coats, and platform shoes, Eddie could point hold me hostage any day.

A sensationally original and funny story with a fantastic script and effects, Mystery Men is a timeless classic superhero comedy that will save you from the death grip of boredom time and time again.

Drop Dead Fred [PG]

What would you do if your imaginary friend didn't just stay imaginary? Rik Mayall is Drop Dead Fred, an imaginary friend of truly manic proportions.

I started watching this flick last night and literally just finished watching it. I actually can't believe that I went through my entire childhood having not seen Drop Dead Fred. I remember friends talking about it primary school, but I never actually got to sit down and watch it until now. Still, better late than never right?

Lizzie is a woman with everything against her it seems. Her husband of 3 years is having an affair and wants to move out, her car has recently been stolen, and her job has been terminated. On top of all this, her commanding mother has decided that she should come back and live at home. As though all this is not enough for poor Lizzie, her imaginary friend from her childhood is right where she left him. In between all the mayhem and chaos that Drop Dead Fred causes, Lizzie desperately attempts to win back her husband, but she soon realises that this is easier said than done.

Rik Mayall is Drop Dead Fred, absolutely hysterical. With his green suit and crazy hair, you know you're in for a fun time as soon as Rik appears on the screen. With a number of physical and slap stick gags as well as a very funny script to back him up, Rik doesn't overplay the character, which would be a very easy thing to do. He knows just how far to push it to make it funny, but at the same time show when the situation is getting serious.

Cleaning up after Drop Dead Fred is a great little line-up including Phoebe Cates, Carrie Fisher, Ron Eldard, Marsha Manson and Tim Matheson.

With a very funny script, lots of slap stick and physical comedy, and the occasional "aww" scene, Drop Dead Fred is a timeless classic about imaginary friends gone insane. Guaranteed to get a laugh.

Nanny McPhee [PG]

7 naughty children. 1 completely frazzled father. Serious help is needed! Emma Thompson is Nanny McPhee, here to set everything straight.

So here I am, tissue in hand, after watching Nanny McPhee, possibly the greatest nanny-fairytale since Mary Poppins.

Mr Brown has 7 children "who are all very bright, but very very naughty". Being a widower, Mr Brown has had the assistance of a rich in-law in supporting his large family, but now the line has been drawn. He must re-marry within the month or his monthly allowance will stop. His children however, are causing him constant grief, having gotten rid of 17 nannies in the past month.

They say great answers arise in the most desperate hour, and out of nowhere, an unusual nanny with very unique methods appears on Mr Brown's doorstep to help straighten things out.

Emma Thompson is Nanny McPhee and she is simply beautiful, not physically though. Throughout the film she had to suffer warts, frizzed hair, a pronounced nose and an even more pronounce front tooth, but as we've all been told, it's not the outside, but the inside that counts. Emma is simply wonderful. With severe stares, the occasional "hmm" and a little bit of magic, it's not only the children who change in this movie.

Colin Firth stars as the frazzled Mr Brown. I must admit he plays the 'in-over-his-head' father part rather well. There is much head banging, screaming and the occasional falling down the stairs, but he ploughs through the whole thing with a gentleman's dignity. I personally do think that Colin Firth is a gentleman, I simply love him.

Behind Emma and Colin is a string of greats including Celia Imrie, Kelly Macdonald, Imelda Staunton and Angela Lansbury who try to balance out the mayhem.

And we can't forget Thomas Sangster, Eliza Bennett, Raphael Coleman, Jennifer Rae Daykin, Samuel Honywood, and Holly Gibbs who make up the mayhem of the movie.

The screenplay is actually written by Emma Thompson and with a lovely little script, the occasional practical joke and very colourful costumes, Nanny McPhee is a wonderful family fantasy movie that will have you smiling the whole way through.

Dogma [MA]

Get 'touched' by an angel. Two renegade angels who have been stuck on Earth since the plagues, have found a loophole in church law that will allow them re-enter Heaven. But if they do, they will unmake all existence. From writer/director Kevin Smith comes the sinfully funny Dogma.

WARNING: This film contains content that may be offensive to people who follow some sort of religion, in particular Catholicism.
I would advise any religious followers to abstain from reading this review or watching this movie, unless you can take the jokes.

This would has to be the most awesome almost atheist movie ever. It attacks organised religion from all possible angles...
- The Bible is gender-biased.
- There were actually 13 apostles, one of which was left out of the Bible because he was black.
- Jesus had many brothers and sisters.
- There's a Church conspiracy that covers up "the truth about Christ."
- God is in fact a woman.
Hell, man, they even compare organised religion to the poem The Walrus And The Carpenter from Alice In Wonderland!

Loki and Bartleby are two fallen angels who, after getting on the wrong side of God, were banished to Wisconsin for the entire span of human history and when the worlds ends they are doomed to sit outside the gates of Heaven for all eternity. They are desperately looking for a way out of this everlasting exile and believe they have found the perfect "return to paradise" plan: a loophole in church dogma that will allow them to re-enter Heaven if they pass under the blessed arch of a New Jersey cathedral. There's only one major drawback. If they succeed they will unmake the world. Now it's up to Bethany, a simple mortal woman who works in an abortion clinic to stop the angels by any means necessary. Joined by two stoned Prophets, the 13th Apostle, and occasionally the Voice of God, Bethany sets out on this mission from God on a wing and a prayer.

From writer/director Kevin Smith, who brought us other comedy classics such as Clerks, Mallrats, and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back, comes the sinfully hysterical Dogma.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star as the two fallen angels and they are brilliant. They have such a camaraderie, I don't think I could imagine anyone playing the rolls aside from them. Loki (Matt Damon) is the former Angel of Death and he's actually really cute and naive. To him, this is all just a plan to go home. Bartelby being a former Watcher used to like humans, but after spending years with them on earth, they've fallen down a considerable number of notches in his book.
Teaming up behind Matt and Ben is a great cast line-up...
Linda Fiorentino is Bethany the mortal woman who is charged by God with a holy mission.
Alan Rickman is Magatron also known as the Voice of God. Hilarious. I love love love Alan Rickman in anything!
Jason Lee is Azrael. A former muse, now demon after getting the wrong side of God.
Jason Mewes is Jay, the more talkative of the stoned Prophets.
Kevin Smith is Silent Bob.
Chris Rock is Rufus the 13th Apostle left out of the Bible due to the colour of his skin.
Salma Hayek is Serendipity, a muse.
I have the say that the whole thing was a fantastic idea. The script is sensational. Modern, but filled with religious references. Packed with action, epiphanies, good vs evil and heaps more, Dogma is an outstanding comedy that will have you laughing, gasping and thinking. Seriously people, this is not a movie you see everyday. Unless you're a real follower of the faith, you have to see this flick at least once.

Muppet Treasure Island [G]

The classic tale of friendship and pirates. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, taken to new and more chaotic heights as only the Muppets can do!

I was in a very very very bad mood all through the day at work today, so I was hell-bent on watching something tonight that was guaranteed to put a smile of my face. I needed funny, I needed romance, I needed swash-buckling, I needed musical. I am glad to say that I found the perfect cure to bad-moodiness. And that cure was Muppet Treasure Island!
I absolutely love love love the Muppets. I mean how can you not? From Miss Piggy to the Swedish Chef, each character is hilarious and so easy to fall in love with. For over 50 years, the Muppets have been making a name for themselves through their own TV show and the movies that they've done. I would have to say that, although the earlier Muppet films are terrific, Muppet Treasure Island would have to be my absolute favourite.

Based on the book Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, the Muppets take this classic story and make it their own.
Young Jim Hawkins is a lad who works in an inn, but has his mind on other things. He and his mates Gonzo and Rizzo long for adventure on the high seas...
"Sailing the world on a five-year mission. Going boldly where no man has gone before. Say, that's catchy."
Their opportunity arrises when a customer of the inn is given the Black Spot, which acts as a pirate's death sentence, and he bequeaths a treasure map to Jim and his friends. Now Jim has the chance to make his dreams a reality, but will not be without danger.

Starring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, the Great Gonzo, Rizzo the Rat, Fozzy Bear, Sam the Eagle, Jennifer Saunders, Billy Connolly, Tim Curry, and introducing Kevin Bishop as Jim Hawkins, Muppet Treasure Island is a fantastic movie filled with swash-buckling sword fights, heart-lifting romance, incredible mayhem, strong friendships and characters that are just beyond lovable.
Backed up by a hilarious script, wonderful sets and props, and a hand-clapping musical score, Muppet Treasure Island is a delightfully manic movie what will have even the stoniest faces break into a smile.

Star Wars Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi [PG]

The final battle between the Rebel Alliance and the evil Galactic Empire. Who will win?

Following on from last night...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...
Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet of Tatooine in an attempt to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Little does Luke know that the Galactic Empire has secretly begun construction on a new armored space station even more powerful than the first dreaded Death Star. When completed, this ultimate weapon will spell certain doom for the small band of rebels struggling to restore freedom to the galaxy...

It's thrilling watching those briefs roll up your screen with that dramatic music behind them. It's no wonder that these films have become epics. When we started watching A New Hope the other night, my dad said that he'd never forget how awestruck he was when the intro to the flick had run up and the screen and then the huge Imperial Star Destroyer flew overhead from out of the screen's frame. Literally like an aeroplane flying low overhead. But even now, that beginning gets me. See, these films have no expiration date.
Return Of The Jedi is the final chapter in the Star Wars saga. The final battle. The final showdown. It all comes down to this movie. Can you feel the anticipation? I'd have to say that this film is my favourite of the three, not only because everything seems to be against our heroes, not only because we get to see all our favourite characters again, but because we get the meet the Ewoks. For those who don't know, Ewoks are these adorable little primitive bears that can be very feisty and stubborn when they set their mind to it. When I was little I wanted an Ewok so bad.
As I mentioned before, all our favourite characters are back once more for this final battle between good and evil, the Rebellion and the Galactic Empire. We join Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams and Frank Oz on their last great attempt to restore peace and freedom to the galaxy.
I will, at this point, draw special attention to the fact that the Star Wars DVDs you can rent or buy at the moment are remastered movies. So you will notice that scenes have been added, modern computer-generated characters creep into the mix (and stick out like a sore thumb), AND, and this really annoys me whenever I watch this particular movie, Hayden Christensen makes a cameo years before he's even in public awareness!
Anyway, low points and ranting aside, Return Of The Jedi has to be my favourite of the Star Wars movies because it is filled with epic battles, cute little bears, brilliant sword fights, a knock-out script and a whole heap of cliffhangers. I'm always on the edge of my seat whenever I watch this movie.

"The force is strong in this one."

Bedtime Stories [G]

There has always been power in story-telling, but not quite like this. What would you do if you discovered that every bedtime story you told became a reality?

I'm going to defend myself by saying that I honestly don't know why this film made it into our collection. Both me and my brother find it amusing for some strange reason. Maybe it's because Russell Brand is in it. I have a bit of a thing for him, I must admit. He's got presence. You always know when he's in the room.
Anyway, back to Bedtime Stories...

Skeeter Bronson gets roped into babysitting his nephew and niece for a short time and whilst he has them under his care, his imagination runs wild as he tells them these elaborate bedtime stories. The kids also chime in with their opinions on what should happen in the stories, all in harmless fun right? Maybe not. After the first story, Skeeter begins to see that the ideas the kids have for the stories somehow happen to him in reality, which then leads him on his very own adventure to find his happily-ever-after.

Adam Sander stars as Uncle Skeeter. I going to come clean and say that I'm not a real Adam fan. I don't mind him, but in very small doses. In this flick, some of the lines he comes out with are funny and he has got good timing and vocal delivery that does manage to get the occasional giggle out of me.
Alongside Adam is a string of great actors including Russell Brand, Guy Pearce, Richard Griffiths, Keri Russell, Courtney Cox, Lucy Lawless, Teresa Palmer and Jonathan Pryce.
With a cute story, a sometimes silly script, and a guinea pig whose eyes are too big for his face, Bedtime Stories is a cute and funny little movie that will have kids and the tragically young-at-heart giggling the way through.

Star Wars Episode V -The Empire Strikes Back [PG]

We've met the characters and we've seen their victory, but now the situation becomes a little more dangerous. The Empire is not giving up without a fight!

And the adventure continues.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...
It is a dark time for the rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the galaxy. Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighter led by Luke Skywalker has established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth. The evil Lord Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space...

I'm going to come clean and say that me and my family are the type of people who can watch a movie over and over again until we know the script off by heart. Not only that, but we have a habit of watching films one after the other, especially if they're part of a trilogy or saga. We literally have done weekends where we watch trilogies and sagas back to back, one movie straight after the other. I think it's safe to say that it's about time we saw a doctor or something.
But anyway, back to the main event. Star Wars V, the second movie in the saga and the only movie out of all six where we don't end up on Tatooine, Luke's home planet. I'm not kidding, you watch them. In every film apart from this one, we spend some time on Tatooine, the planet that is "farthest from the bright centre of the universe."
After the rebels destroyed the evil Galactic Empire's ultimate weapon, the armored space station commonly known as the Death Star, the Empire is determined to bounce back. Hence the title of the episode.
All our favourite actors revisit their roles. Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Billy Dee William, Anthony Daniels and Frank Oz as the little green Jedi master himself.
This movie is infinitely more action-packed then the first and, at times, a bit more distressing. With more drama, suspense, battles, romance, and technology getting blown up, Star Wars V keeps you glued to your seat for the entire film and, ending on a cliffhanger, you'll be dying to know what happens next!

Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope [PG]

The galaxy is ruled by an evil Empire, these are dark times. But there are those who will stand up and fight for their rights. The Rebel Alliance seeks to restore peace to the galaxy. Will it happen?

Brace yourself people, we're heading into epics territory. I'm talking light sabers, I'm talking hyperspace, I'm talking 70s, I'm talking Darth Vader. That's right everyone, I'm talking Star Wars.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy...

This is the first episode of the Star Wars saga, made in the 70s, but never becomes tiresome or out-of-date.
For those of you who have never had a particular interest in the whole Star Wars phenomenon, allow me to fill you in on a couple of key points. There are six episodes in the saga. Because George Lucas was so with us numerically, the order of the episodes goes 4, 5, 6 and then 1, 2, 3. The first three episodes are about the civil war between the evil Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance. The second lot of episodes are about the creation of the Galactic Empire and the fall of the Republic.
Being brought up on the original Star Wars, I have to admit that I think the older movies are the better ones. You know what I think it is? I think it's the fact that everything in the original movies had a realism. With the newer movies, I do feel that there is a lot of effort and attention placed on special effects and as with anything that gets overdone, you lose something important from it. In the first three movies there were garbage bins that had tubes attached to them that passed off as droids. There was actually a guy who was, like, 7 feet tall wearing a mass of fur to play the part of the wookie Chewbacca. And there was really a man inside the gold tin suit that spent his time trying to educate everyone else.
Not only was there an actual sense of realism to the flicks, they placed more emphasis on the characters and not on the big battles. It was all very balanced with the right amount of action and ships being blown to pieces and then the right amount of characters sitting down and actually explaining what was going on. You don't see many movies where there are regular interludes where the characters do a recap on what is happening for those members of the audience who haven't been able to follow. Not to mention that in the older ones you had the classic characters like Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C3P0 and R2D2, Princess Leia and of course Darth Vader, one of my absolute favourite villains of all time.
With a wonderful script, amazing battle sequences, romance, weapons, and Princess Leia's outrageous hairdos, Star Wars IV is a timeless science fiction classic that appeals to all ages and has no expiration date. A truly epic adventure that has me on the edge of my seat and quoting word for word every single time!
To quote one of my personal heroes...

"The force is strong in this one."

Igor [PG]

Behind the hunch is a brain that is smarter than the evil scientist. But even the most brilliant plans don't come without flaws. After something goes wrong during the experiment, Igor is left with a monster of a problem.

We've all seen those movies with the mad scientists creating life and everything. And we all think we've seen the poor hunchbacked henchmen who do the dirty work, grave-robbing and so on. But have we actually seen them? Do we know what their angle is? Do we actually know what Igor is like? Well in this clever little animated movie, we get to find out.

In the land of Malaria, all the brilliant and somewhat insane minds compete against each other to see who is the greatest evil scientist of them all. Behind every one of these mad inventors is a mistreated Igor. Born with a hunch on their back, Igors only live to serve their master scientists. That's their lot in life. It's not a lot, but it's their life. However one Igor is about to change the way Malaria looks on his kind.
After an evil experiment goes somewhat hugely awry leaving him without a master to serve, Igor sets out to prove that he is more than he appears to be. For the first time ever it is Igor who creates life. With his creation, Igor plans to enter the win the Evil Science Fair and make Malaria see that the hunch on his back does not define what he can do. However whilst in the process of creation, something goes wrong and Igor's monster is born without an evil bone in her body, and in a land where evil is the driving force that supports everything, that's a monster of a problem.

This is a cute little film with a very clever script, cute and funny characters, and a whimsical and fresh take on the whole Good vs Evil thing.
With the voice talents of John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, Arsenio Hall, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno, Holly Shannon and Christian Slater, Igor is a refreshing little animated feature that will have you giggling the whole way through.

Mrs. Doubtfire [PG]

It's not in a child's best interest to deprive them of a loving father, but how far would you go to be able to see your children?

Ok, it seems like we're playing the men-playing-women card. First it was John Travolta playing Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, and now Robin Williams as the lovable and charming Euphegenia Doubtfire.

Daniel Hillard is a actor who can't seem to hold down a job. After leaving an acting gig for reasons of conscience, Daniel throws a party for his 12-year-old son, filling their home with screaming children and a barnyard petting zoo. His hard-working wife comes home early with a cake a couple of gifts to find the house in shambles. After a heated argument with Daniel, Miranda delivers a line that brings Daniel's world crashing down.
"I want a divorce."
During the court trial, the judge awards sole custody to Miranda. Daniel has three months to find and keep a job and create a home that his kids can be raised in. He gets visitation rights every Saturday, but it's simply not enough for him. Upon learning that his wife is hell-bent on hiring a housekeeper, Daniel concocts a plan that will guarantee he sees his children everyday.

This is a classic film of charades and keeping up appearances. Whist pretending to be someone else, the hero not only changes himself, but also the people around him. One of those rare comedies where you don't come away just giddy from laughing, but enlightened as well.
The script is hilarious and Robin being Robin does quite a bit of improvisation which just moves everything up a notch. There's a wonderful scene where he's playing with toy dinosaurs and some of the lines he comes out with are just side-splitting. Lines such as this:

"James Brontosaurus. I eat wood. It tastes good. No meat. Big feet. I eat wood. Ow. Oh I can't go on, I can't go on. I'm going extinct."
Maybe it's just because I'm so easily amused, but that scene gets me every time. Needless to say, Robin Williams is simply genius in this movie! Simply genius.
Teaming up with Robin are Sally Fields, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein and Robert Prosky in a timeless classic comedy that will have you laughing, crying and sometimes even yelling at the TV in anger, Mrs. Doubtfire is a movie that never ages.

Hairspray (2007) [PG]

From the screen to the stage to the screen again comes this larger-than life musical about equality, change, and following your dreams. You know, that old chestnut.

"Hey Mama welcome to the 60s. Oh oh oh oh ooh. Oh Mama welcome to the 60s. Oh oh oh oh oh ooh. Go Mama go go go."

This had to be one of most fun and musical movies of 2007. Originally a dance movie by John Waters, Hairspray was then taken from the screen and make into a hit Broadway musical. And now it comes back onto the screen as a fantastic and very colourful musical film.

It's 1962 and change is blowing in the wind in Baltimore. Tracy Turnblad, a girl with big hair and big dreams to match, has one mission in life: to dance on the Corny Collins Show. When her chance finally arrives, she grooves her way into instant stardom, but the manager of the show makes it clear that there is no room for Tracy's dreams for Baltimore's future. Now Tracy will have to choose between was she wants and what she believes is right.

Using the songs from the Broadway show, Hairspray is a film about equality and standing up for what you believe in. It's a about ignoring adversity and overcoming barriers. These messages comes across very strongly in the film. Although it is a very message-oriented movie, it is not completely dominated by them. The toe-tapping songs and dazzling dance routines set the pace and provide balance and occasional relief for the audience.

Introducing Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad. A beautiful girl with an incredible voice, she is guaranteed to make a name for herself.

Although technically the film is about Tracy, I think it belongs to John Travolta and Christopher Walken. John plays Edna Turnblad, yes I know it's a man playing a woman. I'll have you all know that this gag was in the original movie. Divine played Tracy's mum. So understand that this film is in keeping with the original classic. Christopher Walken plays Wilbur Turnblad and the chemistry between him and John is sensational. At first glance, they seem like such an unlikely couple, but as you get further into the movie, particularly when you get to their duet, you just sigh, coo, and go with it.

It's a real chorus line of greats in this flick. Joining John and Christopher are Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelly and Allison Janney. Not to mention the clever cameos of some of the cast of the original movie. Ricki Lake who was the original Tracy makes an appearance. Jerry Stiller who was the first Wilbur appears in the mix. There's even a quick glimpse of the genius behind it all, John Waters.

Filled with funky costumes, awesome dance routines, songs that get stuck in your head, and outrageous hairdos, Hairspray is a fun little musical comedy that will have you singing and dancing around your living room like a mad person. Well it does with me anyway.

Boytown [M]

Boytown where the original by band of the 80s, but their light did not shine for long. Now, as middle-aged men, they want to reform the band and take the world by storm... again. Come and "tap the river of gold" that is Boytown. Classic Aussie comedy!

"Oh whoa whoa. Whoa Boytown. We're Boytown, population 5. After each gig we go home to our wives. We're Boytown and we're older and wiser. We're the only boy band who has a Volvo driver. We're Boytown because we do chores and girl we'll be here when you hit menopause. Oh whoa whoa. Whoa Boytown. Oh whoa whoa. Whoa Boytown. Boytown!"

Mum and I decided to have a girl's afternoon so whilst enjoying a nice cup of tea, we whacked on the Aussie comedy genius piece that is Boytown.

Cleverly taking the piss out of popular music, Boytown is about a group of middle-aged friends who, back in the 80s, were the biggest and the most successful boy band. Unfortunately their success was short-lived and the now these 5 has-been hearthrobs are just your average joes. After hearing one of their songs being covered by a modern boy band, Boytown decides to reform and conquer the charts once again. But is the world ready for a mature-age boy band?

This is a very clever little film. This is a little patriotism coming out, but I think that Aussie comedy is the second best comedy in the world. Admittedly the British take the cake when it comes to clever comedy, but we're not that far behind.

The script is devilishly clever and the songs are simply hysterical. After discovering that the cheesy 80s love songs about boys crying and being in love don't really work with the contemporary crowd, the band comes out with songs that appeal to women their own age. Classic songs like Picking The Kids up From School, Parent Teacher Night and Special Time Of The Month. Seriously I haven't laughed at songs like since This Is Spinal Tap.

Now let's meet the band:

Glenn Robbins is Benny G. The man who comes up with the idea to get the band back together. Although happily married with a 14-year-old daughter, Benny still revels in the glory days and is thoroughly convinced of the band's musical genius.

Mick Malloy is Tommy Boy. Well-fed and living on his grandmother's couch, Tommy is very reluctant to re-join the band after the unpleasantness of the 80s. You have to watch the film find out the gossip and scandals.

Bob Franklin is Bobby Mac. I literary professor who, being the "renown wordsmith" that he is was responsible for Boytown's more cultural and poetic hits.

Wayne Hope is Carl. The only member of Boytown to be suspected of being gay. Carl is a construction worker. A very manly and macho guy if ever there was one. You go Carl!

Gary Eck is Corey. Now a radio DJ for a pretty much non-existent town, so you know you're in good hands when Corey is at the mixing board with all the knobs.

Behind the boys is a line of other familiar faces such as Sally Phillips, Tony Martin and Lachy Hulme.

A very clever comedy filled with singing, dancing, 80s hair, pendulums, treadmills on stage, gold records, and a never-expected-that ending, Boytown is a fantastic Aussie comedy that will have you laughing, gasping, singing, and dancing 80s style over and over again.

"Oh whoa whoa. Whoa Boytown. Oh whoa whoa. Whoa Boytown. We're Boytown population 5. After each gig, we go home to our wives. We're Boytown and we're older and wiser. We're the only boy band who has a Volvo driver."

The Mask [PG]

Mothers lock up your daughters becomes the love-crazy Mask is on the loose. In this side-splitting comedy, Jim Carrey goes from zero to hero.

"It's party time! P-A-R-T... Y? Cos I gotta! Ooh somebody stop me!"

I don't want to stereotype or type-cast the brilliant Jim Carrey because he is not just a comic actor, he has done many thrilling and beautiful dramas and thrillers too, but I am going to say that I think he is at his finest in this movie. I grew up watching this movie and it's one of those classics that stays with you. Seriously, you'll find yourself quoting Jim randomly in practically any situation and immediately you'll go "man I feel like watching that now." It's one of those movies. Genius.

Stanley Ipkiss is a well-mannered bank clerk and a hopeless romantic who discovers an ancient mask that has the power to bring his innermost desires to, literally, screaming life. At first it's all a novelty until things get serious when Stanley crosses paths with the "mafia" of Edge City. It's the truth universally acknowledged that you should be careful what you wish for, and as Stanley develops a strong liking for the freedom the mask promises, he learns that that freedom will come with a price.

Jim Carrey as the green-faced, love-crazy, crime-fighting, wild man of the mask is phenomenal. No matter how many times I watch this movie, I always end up doubled-over, my sides splitting from laughing too hard. Not to mention the sensational script! Dead-set, this is one the scripts that my family and I are often quoting in usual conversation. In the middle of asking about how our day went, we'll find a place to add in a little "sssmmokin'!"

Along with Peter Riegert, Peter Greene, Amy Yasbeck, Richard Jeni and introducing Cameron Diaz, The Mask is a timeless classic comedy that will have you in stitches every time you watch it.

"Ssssmokin!"

Howl's Moving Castle [PG]

Wizards, witches, spells. What would you face to save the person you love?

We are now wading into the warm waters of anime movies people. I don't own very many, I do plan to collect more in the future, but because this happened to be the film of choice last night, reviewed it shall be.

Howl's Moving Castle is about a plain girl named Sophie who puts on a brave face, but is really not content with her lot. After a quick encounter with a wizard named Howl, Sophie's plain-Jane life takes a dramatic turn when a witch puts a spell on her and transforms her into an old lady. Running away from home so as not to worry her family, Sophie soon finds herself in the world of witches and wizards as she poses as a cleaning lady to earn her keep in Howl's home. Whilst there she learns that she is not the only person with a curse to break. Howl's life is not so charmed as she would believe. Now it's up to Sophie to put all the wrongs to rights.

Howl's Moving Castle is brought to us by film director Hayao Miyazaki, the genius who brought us other anime classics such as Spirited Away and Ponyo. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2005.

With the voice talents of Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, Billy Crystal, Lauren Bacall and Emily Mortimer, Howl's Moving Castle is a classic anime movie filled with suspense, drama, comedy, romance and magic. This is a movie that has me laughing one minute and crying the next. I think the first time I saw it, tears actually came to my eyes, and I don't cry in movies.
The animation is simply stunning and the visual creations of the castle and the witch's henchmen are wholly original and simply beautiful.

A beautiful story about the healing power of love and how appearances can be deceiving, Howl's Moving Castle is a flick I can watch time and time again.

The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus [PG]

The choice is yours. What would you prove if you had all eternity? Enter the imaginarium, be seduced by its pleasures, make the choice, and see Heath Ledger in his final role.

A true Australian citizen would have to watch this movie simply for the fact that it was the last film the legendary Heath Ledger worked on. R.I.P Heath.

You may or may not remember that this film was announced ages and ages and ages before it was finally released on the big screen. Sadly, the reason for this is that Heath passed away halfway through filming and in order for the movie to make it to cinemas, there had to be some tweaking and tampering. That is why there are three different actors who play Heath's part when he's inside the imaginarium. Basically what they did was write it so that the imaginarium changed the look of your face and fitted it accordingly depending on the visions and alternate reality you were experiencing in the imaginarium. Yes people, it's one of those movies.

Doctor Parnassus has been making wagers with the Devil for a while, gaining immortality in the process. However, his immortality has come at a price. As soon as his daughter, Valentina, turns 16, she will belong to the Devil. Ah, but the Prince of Darkness has come up with another wager so all hope is not lost. If Parnassus can persuade 5 souls to lose themselves in his imaginarium, then Valentina can be free.

I will be honest and say that this is one of those movies that you sort of don't mind the first time you watch it. I saw it in cinemas and I didn't mind it. The only reason I bought it was because it was Heath Ledger's last role and it had such an amazing cast of eccentrics, that it would go against my character to NOT have it in the collection. In order to understand its true genius, the film needs to be watched over and over again. It's made up of many layers and every time you watch it, you discover a new layer and gain a new appreciation for the whole thing.

Christopher Plummer plays Parnassus. You can tell that immortality is a curse by the amount he drinks in this movie. Here's a lesson kids, NEVER wish to live forever.

Musician Tom Waits plays St Nick or the Devil Himself. I love Tom Waits. His theatrical style of music makes him a perfect candidate for this flick. He just looks so at home amongst the theatrical costumes and the eccentric characters.

Joining the Christopher and Tom are:

Lily Cole as Valentina. Feisty and romantic. Possibly the most beautiful woman on screen.

Verne Troyer as Percy. A bossy man of small-stature who keeps Parnassus' wages in check.

Andrew Garfield as Anton. A clever magician with a strong love for Valentina.

And of course, Heath Ledger as Tony. A charming man who seems to be marked for death. He spends the better part of the movie trying to regain his memory.

Johnny Depp plays Tony when he first enters the imaginarium.

Jude Law plays Tony upon his second entry into the imaginarium

And Colin Farrell plays Tony whilst in the imaginarium for the third time.

The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus is a unique film. Visually pleasing, and definitely something you will want to have seen at least once. However, despite the PG rating, I would not recommend this film for children younger than 14. There is a surprisingly fair amount of language in it, including the words sh** and f***. I say this because I have had customers who are quite cautious about what sort of language gets used around their children.

Aside from that, I enjoyed The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus, it had the right amount of suspense, drama, comedy, and romance to please anyone.

The Birdcage [M]

All they want to do is have their son's fiancé's parents to dinner. Is that really so much to ask? But everything that can go wrong will go wrong... and more.

Here we go people. We're getting into personal top 5 favourites. I just finished watching The Birdcage, which I haven't seen for quite some time, but I've recently had certain scenes from it going through my mind as though on a continuous loop.

Based on the stage play La Cage Aux Folles, this movie is a classic comedy where everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

Val, a 20-year-old college student has decided that he wants to get married. After getting the blessings of his parents, Val then tells them that his fiance and her parents will be joining them for dinner so everyone can get to know one another. Sounds fine doesn't it? The only problem is that her parents are right-wing conservatives and Val's parents are a gay couple who own a drag club. Can they play it straight and keep their secret for the entire dinner? You'll have to watch the movie to find out.

Robin Williams stars as Armand Goldman, Val's father. Possibly one the most gorgeous performances I've seen from him. I notice in many films, Robin tends to be a little larger than life. Albeit very very funny, sometimes he can get a little tiring. Not in this flick. He plays a calm and stylish lover. He's not overly flamboyant or too camp, which is something many people become when they play gay or slightly eccentric characters. He was truly the star of the movie. Robin, I salute you.

Nathan Lane plays Val's mother and Robin's partner in life and love. Absolutely hysterical. He brought a healthy balance to the relationship by contrasting Robin's sedateness. He doesn't over-do it though. Nathan knows exactly how far to push it in this movie and he pushes it gloriously. Between the bouts of shrieking and sobbing, he keeps us all sane with a little heartfelt chatter and he has such chemistry with Robin, it would almost bring a tear to your eye.

Gene Hackman plays Senator Keeley, Barbra's father. Sensational. A stubborn and severe right-wing conservative, who can be quite dense when he sets his mind to it. Gene plays the part perfectly. I guess he's the character you love to hate. Because while you're completely in love with Nathan and Robin's characters, you do understand and even laugh at Gene's character's lack of perspective. He was brilliant.

Dianne Wiest plays Barbra's mother and she's lovely. Almost as conservative as her husband, she makes her way through the movie making uplifting and dramatised speeches about pretty much anything...

"Love and optimism versus cynicism and sex. It would be an affirmation."

You do hear a lot of long words coming out of her mouth, but you wouldn't have it any other way.

Featuring other familiar faces such as Hank Azaria, Christine Baranski, Calista Flockhart and Dan Futterman, The Birdcage is a classic comedy that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next, and everything else in between. A simple and classic story where the characters try to plan a simple event, but everything that could possibly go wrong does go wrong. It gets me every time. Definitely has a spot in my top 5 favourite films!

Be Cool [M]

Following on from Get Shorty, join Chili Palmer in his venture to change jobs... again. When facing angry gangsters and the even angrier Russian Mafia, you have to Be Cool.

This is one of our family default movies. If ever we're in doubt about what to watch on a saturday night at home, and that tends to happen quite often what with so many movies to choose from, Be Cool somehow always ends up being the movie of unanimous choice.

It's actually been a while since I sat down and watched this movie. I was going through the selection in my room when my eyes fell on this cover and I figured may as well. So glad that I did. I had almost forgotten how much I love this flick.

A follow-on to Get Shorty, in Be Cool we catch up with smooth operator Chili Palmer, a shylock turned movie producer, who is now starting to get bored with the movie business. The film begins with Chili having a drink with his mate Tommy, a music producer who wants to have a movie made about him. However, Tommy's dream is somewhat short-lived (you have to watch the movie to find out why). Upon meeting a young talented beauty named Linda Moon, Chili decides that he wants to be in the music business and he plans to elevate Linda straight to the top where she belongs. However, once in the music-biz mix, Chili realises that his plan is easier said than done.

John Travolta revisits his role of Chili Palmer and he's gorgeous. I absolutely love John Travolta. In this movie he is smooth, calm, quick-witted, stylish, and has an amazing amount of know-how. When it comes to Chili Palmer, it's not what you know, but who you know. Well, what I know is that John is just lovely in this flick and I would watch him over and over and over again, if I didn't have to get up in the morning and go to work.

Teaming up with John is Uma Thurman as Tommy's wife and Chili's music partner. She is a real beauty. A little sultry, a little snaky, but in general very bubbly and very sexy. Playing a feisty producer with an Aerosmith tattoo, rock on!, Uma really makes her presence known on screen.

Alongside John and Uma is a whole parade of awesome names such as Christina Milian, Vince Vaughn, Dwayne Johnson, Harvey Keitel, Robert Pastorelli, Cedric the Entertainer, Andre Benjamin, Danny DeVito and Steven Tyler. Not to mention the amount of cameos!

Jam-packed with gangster rappers, the Russian mafia, police investigations, irony and a Bring It On monologue, Be Cool is a hand-clapping comedy that really packs a punch. Hugely entertaining!

To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar [PG]

Their car breaks down. The part they need won't arrive until Monday. They're are 3 drag queens stuck in a small country town. Could this be the longest weekend of their lives?

I first watched this movie about six months ago. And about halfway through it, I had decided that it simply had to be a part of my collection. So here we go.

Be warned here people, we're heading into gender-bending territory...

Too Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar, for the sake of simplicity we'll call it Too Wong Foo is pretty much an American version of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, only not as good.

The film is about two drag queens, Miss Vida Boheme and Noxeema Jackson, who have both been crowned Drag Queen Of The Year and who have been given the opportunity to strut their stuff in Hollywood and receive a real crown. Before riding off into the shimmering sunrise, Vida and Noxeema pick up a feisty up-and-coming drag queen called Chi Chi whom they soon adopt as their protege and promise to take her with them and teach her all that they know. Being the sophisticated ladies they are, they decide to drive to California, but the road trip takes a turn when a local cop mistakes them for real ladies and attempts to have his way with Miss Vida. After making an escape unharmed, their car breaks down near a tiny, almost unpopulated country town and they are stuck there for the weekend. Possibly the longest weekend of their life?!

Patrick Swayze stars as Miss Vida Boheme, and I must confess that I like him better as a girl than a guy. He's very pretty and has such glamour and sophistication. Whilst he looks like something straight out of The Stepford Wives, very gorgeous and glittery, at some point in the movie you're going "please stop talking about starlight and stop using the word fabulous!". He really was a little bit of a ham in this. But you can't begrudge him anything. Someone needed to be the emotional glue and Patrick made a gorgeous adhesive.

Wesley Snipes plays Noxeema and seriously, the movie is all about him. He just steals every scene he's in. Whether he's competing in women's basketball or teaching southern roughnecks some manners, he always has the final word. You go... girl?

John Leguizamo plays young Chi Chi. Very pretty, but very arrogant. Chi Chi never misses an opportunity to strut her stuff, and hell knows there's plenty to strut. It's absolutely gorgeous watching her on screen. Whether she's playing coy with a local gentleman or ranting til the cows come home, there's no denying that Chi Chi was the driving force in the movie.

Alongside these three queens are other names such as Stockard Channing, Blythe Daner, Robin Williams, Arliss Howard, and Chris Penn.

Now I know cross-dressing movies don't appeal to everyone. I happen to love them. If you're not into that type of thing, don't bother with this movie. But if you like the clever and the outrageous world of gender-bending, give this flick a go. A cute little comedy with a very powerful message, To Wong Foo is a lovely little cross-dressing comedy that will have you laughing no matter how bad a mood you're in.

He's Just Not That Into You [M]

If he's not calling you... If he's not marrying you... If he's sleeping with someone else... He's just NOT that into you.

Hmmm, I seem to be going on a bit of a theme here... Last night I reviewed Valentine's Day and tonight the film of choice is He's Just Not That Into You.... I see a pattern!

... Oh my god, and this a is total coincidence, both flicks have Bradley Cooper in them! *Hums creepy sci-fi music*

Anyway, review time. He's Just Not That Into You.

Similar to Valentine's Day, this movie is a whole lot of different little relationship stories that cross paths in some way or another. You know what it is? It's America attempting to have its own Love Actually. In this movie we see the variety. Long-term couples who haven't married. Women who can't seem to find the right guy. Women who fall for guys that are married. Married men becoming attached to other women. Friends who are thinking of becoming more than friends. Set-ups. Break-ups. Slip-ups. This movie seems to have all the relationship nitty gritty that you can think of.

The main reason I like this movie so much is because it actually is quite clever when you think about it. All the heroines who are having relationship problems or troubles are told stories by their friends. You know, that whole "my friend had a friend whose boyfriend cheated on her at the beginning, but now he's totally changed and they're crazy in love." It was really clever because practically all the characters in the film are friends of friends and, in a way, they all indirectly know each other. I just found that quite cute and clever and amusing. The script is a real asset as well. In between the main character's stories, who have these brief interviews with people voicing their opinion about reading signs and caller ID and what it means if people aren't sleeping with you. And don't worry, women aren't the main focus here. Probably one of the most insightful people in the movie is male. So fair play to you. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was a battle-of-the-sexes movie, but it does look at and compare the different perspectives of both genders on the subject of relationships. It's sort of nifty to know that a sign can be totally misinterpreted by the opposite sex. It's actually quite funny.

Not to mention the names that this flick is jam-packed with. Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Giniffer Goodwin, Scarett Johansson, Justin Long, and Kris Kristofferson. That's a pretty good line-up, you have to admit.

So He's Just Not That Into You is a clever little romantic comedy that will have you giggling, groaning, awwing and who knows what else, time and time again.

Valentine's Day [M]

One of the most celebrated days of the year. Millions of gestures of love are made on this day. Here are some we prepared earlier.

Aww. Alright, so I literally just finished watching the newest edition to the collection and I'm swooning and cooing and crying and sighing and I'm all over the place.

This is the third time I've seen this movie. I actually saw it twice in the cinemas, and it's one of those movies that grows on you. Every time you watch it, you find something different to laugh at or swoon at.

It's Valentine's Day and there are a hundred different love stories to be told. This movie only tells a handful of them. There's a proposal. There are flowers that don't arrive for the intended. There's a family reunion. There's a surprise visit. There are friendly strangers. There's truth-telling. There are secrets. There's teenage romance.

There's planned perfection. All mixed in with little heartbreaks, lessons learned, and lots of laughs.

With a very charming and quite clever little script, Valentine's Day is a romantic comedy that will have you laughing, crying, swooning and sighing until your head begins to spin.

Not to mention the amazing cast line-up:

Anne Hathaway

Patrick Dempsey

Julia Roberts

Jessica Alba

Jamie Foxx

Taylor Swift

Taylor Lautner

Jessica Biel

Ashton Kutcher

Bradley Cooper

Jennifer Garner

Topher Grace

Queen Latifah

Emma Roberts

Shirley Maclaine

Hector Elizondo

Eric Dane

George Lopez

Kathy Bates

How can you NOT want to watch the flick after that line-up? From the director of Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries comes Valentine's Day a gorgeous little romantic comedy that will have you swooning over and over time and time again.

New Moon [M]

Bella is in love with a vampire, but there are so many things that could destroy her relationship. Can she muster the strength and courage to pull through it all?

Yes yes I know, but I watched the first one a while ago and it just so happens that the second one was the movie I chose to watch last night.

So here we go... the Twilight saga...

The first movie was simply an introduction to the characters and the romance between Edward and Bella. Now we get into the nitty gritty and emotional conflict. Bella cannot even think of a life without Edward. And she knows that he cannot protect her forever.

Bella - "At some point, something's going to seperate us. It'll be an accident or illness or old age."

Whilst at a celebration for her birthday, Bella gets a paper cut and Edward's brother Jasper who hasn't been away from human blood as long as the other Cullens have, cannot stop himself. He attacks. After a close call, Edward realises that he cannot protect Bella forever, but he refuses to turn her into a vampire despite her constant hints. He decides to give Bella a chance at a normal life without any interference from him and his family. However this does not agree with Bella.

It seems Bella has some sort of monster fetish or something because halfway through the film we learn that Jacob Black, who you will remember from the first movie, and with whom Bella soon begins hanging around is actually a werewolf. Hmmm, interesting choice. Mind you, my life depended on picking between Team Edward and Team Jacob, Jake would have my vote. There's something about the whole tribal band of brothers thing that I really like.

I do have to say that I like this movie so much better than the first, but that was the case with the books as well. I somehow managed to force myself through the first book and then onto the second, and about halfway through, I think that's when I got sucked into the whole thing. I like this movie because there is more emotional conflict as Bella soon develops a strong attachment to Jacob, but with the memory of Edward still with her, she doesn't really know how she can go about the whole thing. There is more action and more colour in this film than the first and the music isn't as bleak either. The film just seems a little lighter and not as serious as the first. That's what I like.

As I have mentioned before, the whole Twilight phenomenon is something you either like or you don't. New Moon is the second in the series and I think that it is much better than the first film, but as I said, Twilight is a two-way stretch. So you're either positive or negative. If you're curious, you may as well sit down and watch the films, but if you have no interest, you're not really missing much.

The Men Who Stare At Goats [M]

There is an experimental unit in the U.S military. They can burst clouds with their mind. They can become invisible. They can walk through walls. They can manipulate their enemies' minds. They are the Men Who Stare At Goats.

Oh my god...

Alright so all four of us, my mum, dad, brother, and myself just finished watching The Men Who Stare At Goats. Possibly the most ingenious and quirky movie ever!

Based on true events, The Men Who Stare At Goats is about Bob, a reporter who is looking for a story, but what he finds is much much more. Whilst in Iraq amidst the warfare, Bob meets a mysterious man called Lyn Cassidy who claims to be part of an experimental U.S military unit that was training a race of super-soldiers who could read enemy thoughts, become invisible, walk through walls, and even stop the heart of a goat. Intrigued, Bob follows Lyn on his wild mission to find the New Earth Army's missing founder Bill Django. What started out as an experience to write about soon becomes an adventure that changes Bob's whole perspective on life.

George Clooney stars as Lyn Cassidy. I must admit that I'm not the biggest George Clooney fan. I think that many of the roles he plays tend to be the rather alike in some way or another. But in this movie, he has definitely moved up a couple of notches in my book. He obviously enjoyed making this movie. You can tell by the way he plays the scenes where he's practicing the arts of the New Earth Army. You can almost feel the rise in blood pressure and the throbbing of his pulse in those scenes. Very intense.

Ewan McGregor plays Bob. I absolutely love Ewan McGregor. He has to be one of my favourite actors. He is just so versatile. In this movie he plays a character that goes through so many different emotional stages that it's very difficult to keep up with him. One moment he's fascinated, the next he's repulsed, and the entire time, you can hear the little man in his head saying "what the f*** are you doing?" Absolutely brilliant!

Teaming up with George and Ewan are Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey, both of whom play their characters very very well. You can't help, but smile whenever you see Jeff with his plait and his flowers and Kevin can be quite the d*** when he sets his mind to it.

Backed up by a hilarious script, a herd of live goats, a good dose of Boston, and numerous Star Wars references, The Men Who Stare At Goats is a timeless classic comedy that will have you confused, intrigued, irritated, singing, and laughing the whole way through.

I mean come on, the cover says starring "George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and Goat" how can that NOT make you at least curious to see this movie?

No goats. No glory.

The Producers [M]

From film to Broadway smash hit musical to hilarious musical comedy. Join the two most famous producers turned con-men on their hair-brained scheme to put the worst play ever written on Broadway.

"Springtime for Hitler and Germany. Watch out Europe, we're going on tour."

I confess, I love musicals and I'm glad glad glad that I love musicals, because if I didn't, I would never have bothered to sit down and watch wonderful movies such as The Producers. This one in my collection is the remake from 2005, and it's always my choice when I'm feeling a bit down or, in the spirit of the movie ..."Very very very very very very very unhappy." No matter how upset or angry I am, this movie always manages to put a big smile on my face.

After turning his first motion picture into a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Mel Brookes now brings his story of the two would-be theatre moguls turned con-men to the screen as a hilarious and fun musical comedy.

Max Bialystock is a down on his luck Broadway producer whose golden days seem to be behind him. Leopold Bloom is his accountant. Upon going through Max's books, Leo discovers that, with the help of a little creative accounting, a producer could in fact make more money with a flop than he could with a hit. Together, the pair concoct a plan to find the worst play ever written, put it on Broadway and watch it fail, making over a million dollars in the process. The two con-men find their lifeboat in a play entitled Springtime For Hitler, written by a neo-Nazi pigeon fancier. The plan it faultless, but can they pull it off?

Nathan Lane plays the role of Max Bialystock and I just burst into huge fits of giggles whenever he comes onto the screen. He is absolutely amazing. He can go from cranky madman to sobbing desperate man in the blink of an eye. With mood swings this extravagant, it's a wonder he hasn't done himself an injury.

Matthew Broderick plays Leopold Bloom and he's just as insane as Nathan, only not as obvious. I am a fan of Matthew, I have to confess. I find him adorable in anything he does. The scene is this flick where we first see him go completely out of his mind enough to scare Nathan is hands down the funniest scene in the whole movie.

In actual fact, all the characters in this movie are eccentric and insane. I don't think I could ever pick a favourite. It's a classic mix:

A grouchy and desperate Broadway producer.

A screaming and neurotic accountant.

A pigeon-fancying Nazi.

A sexy Swedish secretary/receptionist.

A flamboyant director.

What more could you want?

Be warned, this is no modest musical. Each musical sequence is dazzling and grandiose with lights, showgirls, over-the-top costumes, dance routines and the songs... you cannot help but sing along.

Packed to bursting with names such as Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell, Eileen Essell, Jon Lovitz, Roger Bart, and Gary Beach, The Producers is a timeless classic musical that will have you clutching your sides and gasping for breath.