It's rare for any two people to really agree on what is a great romantic movie, though some favorites come to mind: The Notebook, Casa Blanca, Titanic and Gone With the Wind.
If I'm honest, I don't remember feeling the romance of Casa Blanca or Gone With the Wind. Maybe I was too young when I saw those films. I may need to see them again. But honestly I just don't think they resonated with me.
However, I have a soft place in my heart for The Notebook. Love that one. Titanic isn't bad, either. And I can't forget the Franco Zeffirelli version of Romeo & Juliet. Swoon worthy! My husband says I should add West Side Story, but it's just OK to me.
I also love snuggling up to Fools Rush In, Ghost, The Princess Bride or When Harry Met Sally. Guess I like some laughs with my romance. I also found myself really liking Nights in Rodanthe, with Richard Gere and Diane Lane, and Moulin Rouge, with Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Even Can't Buy Me Love, with Patrick Dempsey, would do on Valentine's Day. This isn't the most romantic, but does remind me of young love. Pretty in Pink does that, too.
Guess I've had romance on the brain. I'm been on a kick picking up movies with romantic themes. Recent movies include Pride & Prejudice, with Keira Knightley, and The Lake House, with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Neither made me swoon.
I hoped The Vow, in theaters now, would fill my heart with love. It didn't. It was OK, just not so great when you hear the real story that inspired the movie. As for recent movies, I did like Crazy, Stupid, Love. Can't think of another.
I just picked up Love Actually. I've never seen it, but many have it on their top romantic movies list. I'm hoping it will be good enough to watch again with my hubby, a glass of champagne and some strawberries, when we decide to celebrate Valentine's Day on Saturday. Yep, not Tuesday.
Cheers.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
"The Vow" disappoints; true story more inspiring
I wanted to love "The Vow." Part of me thinks it's because Valentine's Day is around the corner, and I love stories that make my heart flutter. And part of it is because it's based on a true story.
I read a few articles about the couple, Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, who were the inspiration for the movie "The Vow." These articles, including one in the Los Angeles Times, had me thinking the movie could be another "The Notebook"-style tearjerker filled with romance and deep love for another. It's not. Far from it. It's a mediocre Hollywood-altered love story. I did like Rachel McAdams, but it was just OK. I'm sure some will love it. However, I'm thinking they'll love it more for checking out Channing Tatum's fit body — butt shot included — and the idea that there's still romance somewhere.
In the movie, Paige and Leo (the Hollywood names) are newly married and happy. Then their car is struck and she can't remember the past five years of her life. She reconnects with her estranged family and becomes increasingly distant from the man she married. But Leo won't give up on their love despite complications.
Sounds good. But watching it, I never felt chemistry between the characters. Maybe it's Tatum that never convinced me of his character's undying love. Also, the Hollywood story seemed way too sensationalized. It all kept me from enjoying the movie. The true story of a man who essentially lost his new wife in a car wreck and then made her fall in love with him again exudes romance. His story of faith even when she couldn't remember their lives together made my heart open up to their story. I wanted that story, but I didn't get it.
My grade: C-.
"The Vow" is rated PG-13, for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language. If you take kids, you should know that the car wreck and hospital scene may be a little graphic even if there isn't much blood. It's a love story, so there is sexual innuendo and sexy scenes, including a man's posterior and a woman in her underwear. There's discussion of an affair that happened in the past and a married character attempts to ignite a love connection from the past.
I read a few articles about the couple, Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, who were the inspiration for the movie "The Vow." These articles, including one in the Los Angeles Times, had me thinking the movie could be another "The Notebook"-style tearjerker filled with romance and deep love for another. It's not. Far from it. It's a mediocre Hollywood-altered love story. I did like Rachel McAdams, but it was just OK. I'm sure some will love it. However, I'm thinking they'll love it more for checking out Channing Tatum's fit body — butt shot included — and the idea that there's still romance somewhere.
In the movie, Paige and Leo (the Hollywood names) are newly married and happy. Then their car is struck and she can't remember the past five years of her life. She reconnects with her estranged family and becomes increasingly distant from the man she married. But Leo won't give up on their love despite complications.
Sounds good. But watching it, I never felt chemistry between the characters. Maybe it's Tatum that never convinced me of his character's undying love. Also, the Hollywood story seemed way too sensationalized. It all kept me from enjoying the movie. The true story of a man who essentially lost his new wife in a car wreck and then made her fall in love with him again exudes romance. His story of faith even when she couldn't remember their lives together made my heart open up to their story. I wanted that story, but I didn't get it.
My grade: C-.
"The Vow" is rated PG-13, for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language. If you take kids, you should know that the car wreck and hospital scene may be a little graphic even if there isn't much blood. It's a love story, so there is sexual innuendo and sexy scenes, including a man's posterior and a woman in her underwear. There's discussion of an affair that happened in the past and a married character attempts to ignite a love connection from the past.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" offers silly family adventure
I'm not crazy about sequels. They generally aren't that great. This one is just OK, but I don't think most kids will be as discerning. In fact, I'll be surprised if they care what reviewers think. They'll just want to go and see the 3D-optional kid friendly action adventure.
"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" picks up a few years after "Journey to the Center of the Earth" without mention of previous star, Brendan Fraser. This adventure focuses on Sean, played again by Josh Hutcherson (soon to be Peeta in "The Hunger Games") and his stepfather Hank (Dwayne Johnson). It starts with Sean in trouble for breaking into a lab, but it's only so he can locate his "lost" grandfather Alexander (Michael Caine). His grandfather, like Sean's dad and uncle, is an adventurer who happens to stumble upon the mysterious island referenced in Jules Vernes books. Hank happens to help Sean crack the code for finding Alexander. This leads to Sean insisting on heading to Palau. Why not? Hank obviously figures the adventure could help the two bond, and maybe that will lead Sean to better decisions. Of course nothing goes as planned. Much of the plot can be seen in the trailers.
I really think this film ends up being somewhat likeable because of Johnson, well know in his wrestling days as The Rock. With anyone else, I think you'd be rolling your eyes the entire film. The "pec pop of love" still made me laugh even though I'd seen it in commercials plenty. Guess Mr. Johnson has a way of making you smile in these family friendly adventure flick he's starred in (Race to Witch Mountain and Tooth Fairy). Otherwise, it's too easy dissecting the movie into one big unbelievable mess.
I think the movie is fine for most elementary school-aged kids. It's rated PG for adventure action and mild language. You should know the main characters are put in perilous situations a few times: helicopter crashes in crazy storm; attacked by birds, an electric eel and a giant lizard; nearly drowning as island floods. A main character gets into a chase with law enforcement where he crashes into a pool and nearly is hit by train. There's also some mild flirting between the teen characters.
My grade: C; my kids' grade: B+.
"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" picks up a few years after "Journey to the Center of the Earth" without mention of previous star, Brendan Fraser. This adventure focuses on Sean, played again by Josh Hutcherson (soon to be Peeta in "The Hunger Games") and his stepfather Hank (Dwayne Johnson). It starts with Sean in trouble for breaking into a lab, but it's only so he can locate his "lost" grandfather Alexander (Michael Caine). His grandfather, like Sean's dad and uncle, is an adventurer who happens to stumble upon the mysterious island referenced in Jules Vernes books. Hank happens to help Sean crack the code for finding Alexander. This leads to Sean insisting on heading to Palau. Why not? Hank obviously figures the adventure could help the two bond, and maybe that will lead Sean to better decisions. Of course nothing goes as planned. Much of the plot can be seen in the trailers.
I really think this film ends up being somewhat likeable because of Johnson, well know in his wrestling days as The Rock. With anyone else, I think you'd be rolling your eyes the entire film. The "pec pop of love" still made me laugh even though I'd seen it in commercials plenty. Guess Mr. Johnson has a way of making you smile in these family friendly adventure flick he's starred in (Race to Witch Mountain and Tooth Fairy). Otherwise, it's too easy dissecting the movie into one big unbelievable mess.
I think the movie is fine for most elementary school-aged kids. It's rated PG for adventure action and mild language. You should know the main characters are put in perilous situations a few times: helicopter crashes in crazy storm; attacked by birds, an electric eel and a giant lizard; nearly drowning as island floods. A main character gets into a chase with law enforcement where he crashes into a pool and nearly is hit by train. There's also some mild flirting between the teen characters.
My grade: C; my kids' grade: B+.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Is my child ready for scary movie "The Woman in Black"?
I so wish at this moment that I could find the blog I wrote three or four years ago with tips from a local family counselor on determining when your child is ready for scary movies.
I remember part of it went something like, you know what they can handle. Yes, but I want don't want to accidentally push too much and find my child having nightmares, feeling anxiety or crawling into my bed. Don't want to scar them. I also like having room in my bed to toss and turn, and maybe elbow my husband a time or two.
So now I search for web articles, seeking help with my decision. Nothing I've come across has been much help. At least I found the original list of 10 kid friendly Halloween movies that a former colleague and I did for azcentral.com. Sadly, mine have graduated from these flicks.
Now my daughter, 11 going on 16, really WANTS to see "The Woman in Black." I know it's totally because Harry Potter himself - that is, Daniel Radcliffe - is in it. And this is one of the movies that I didn't get to pre-screen for this blog. Ugh!
The rating is PG-13 for thematic material and violence/disturbing images. But just how violent and disturbing? I thought she'd be disturbed by images in "Super 8" - another PG-13 movie. And she laughed when I thought she'd think it was too intense. Yet, she's really not seen anything that would be considered horror or a ghost story. About the most intense movie I recall her seeing is "Beetlejuice," and seriously, that's funnier than scary. Maybe it's a little creepy for the under 10 crowd. She didn't think anything of it when we first saw this a few years ago. She laughed.
Maybe I'm being too much of a Mama Bear. Maybe I should just let her watch and then talk about what we just saw. What makes a movie scary? Why do we sometimes like feeling scared? Do camera angles and music influence how you feel? My daughter is game, claiming she won't climb into my bed or have nightmares. Like anyone can really promise that. I still get a little scared when watching creepy movies.
Maybe I should first try out another scary movie at home, like "Poltergeist." I remember seeing that one around her age. And I was scared. If she does well, we go.
Or maybe I should just see it first to make myself feel better.
I remember part of it went something like, you know what they can handle. Yes, but I want don't want to accidentally push too much and find my child having nightmares, feeling anxiety or crawling into my bed. Don't want to scar them. I also like having room in my bed to toss and turn, and maybe elbow my husband a time or two.
So now I search for web articles, seeking help with my decision. Nothing I've come across has been much help. At least I found the original list of 10 kid friendly Halloween movies that a former colleague and I did for azcentral.com. Sadly, mine have graduated from these flicks.
Now my daughter, 11 going on 16, really WANTS to see "The Woman in Black." I know it's totally because Harry Potter himself - that is, Daniel Radcliffe - is in it. And this is one of the movies that I didn't get to pre-screen for this blog. Ugh!
The rating is PG-13 for thematic material and violence/disturbing images. But just how violent and disturbing? I thought she'd be disturbed by images in "Super 8" - another PG-13 movie. And she laughed when I thought she'd think it was too intense. Yet, she's really not seen anything that would be considered horror or a ghost story. About the most intense movie I recall her seeing is "Beetlejuice," and seriously, that's funnier than scary. Maybe it's a little creepy for the under 10 crowd. She didn't think anything of it when we first saw this a few years ago. She laughed.
Maybe I'm being too much of a Mama Bear. Maybe I should just let her watch and then talk about what we just saw. What makes a movie scary? Why do we sometimes like feeling scared? Do camera angles and music influence how you feel? My daughter is game, claiming she won't climb into my bed or have nightmares. Like anyone can really promise that. I still get a little scared when watching creepy movies.
Maybe I should first try out another scary movie at home, like "Poltergeist." I remember seeing that one around her age. And I was scared. If she does well, we go.
Or maybe I should just see it first to make myself feel better.
Pre-Valentine's Day date night movie screening: THIS MEANS WAR
Mom friends, I will be hosting a screening of THIS MEANS WAR, starring Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy and Chris Pine at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13 at Tempe Marketplace. In the film, Pine and Hardy portray CIA operatives and best friends. That is, until they fall for the same woman (Witherspoon). Once a team that helped bring down enemy nations, they are now employing their skills and high-tech gadgetry against each other - all for love?
Yes, screening is the day before Valentine's Day. Think of this as a bonus date, and it's free. Best of all, for him, there's gonna be plenty of action.
Pull down passes by clicking here.
Make sure to follow the rules on the passes. These things tend to overbook, so do arrive early for best available seats.
The trailer looks pretty cool (yes, I like action flicks):
I'll post my review later on this blog. Chat with me about it on Twitter @timestarvedmom. The official Twitter for the movie is @thismeanswarmov. Please use the hashtag #thismeanswar if you post about it.
Yes, screening is the day before Valentine's Day. Think of this as a bonus date, and it's free. Best of all, for him, there's gonna be plenty of action.
Pull down passes by clicking here.
Make sure to follow the rules on the passes. These things tend to overbook, so do arrive early for best available seats.
The trailer looks pretty cool (yes, I like action flicks):
I'll post my review later on this blog. Chat with me about it on Twitter @timestarvedmom. The official Twitter for the movie is @thismeanswarmov. Please use the hashtag #thismeanswar if you post about it.
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