Like Crazy

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  An American boy (Anton Yelchin) falls in love with a British student (Felicity Jones), and before they know it they become star-crossed by immigration problems, when she can't get back into the country.  Stuck in a long distance relationship that can only exist on her side of the pond, they must now decide if it is worth it or not to give up on the love of their lives.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlie Bewley, Alex Kingston, Oliver Muirhead, Finola Hughes, Ben York Jones, Chris Messina, Jamie Thomas King, Amanda Carlin

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Proceed with Caution.  I am torn between my respect for the art that they attempted to create and my feeling that the end result is rather trite.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  The entire movie is improvised.  It turns out that the word "improv" isn't always followed by "comedy."

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  It's been so long since I was in love with anybody, that I can't personally relate to these emotions. Maybe you could be the judge and get back to me.  Thanks!

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  So far it has won every award it's been nominated for, which includes 2 prizes each for the lead actors, Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones, as well as the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, which only re-iterates how little I understand about what that high mountains altitude can do to your taste in movies.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Improvisation always makes the actors look good.  How can you not be in the moment when you don't have to memorize other people's words and say them back as if they are your own?  When you improvise, the words are your own.  So all you're doing is having a made up conversation, like when you were 4.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  The directing is intimate and interesting, but the credit clearly belongs as much to the cinematographer and the editor in this case, as it does to the director, because when it's all improvised, the camera guy has to figure it all out on the fly, and the editor has to take those 70 hours of footage and turn them into something cohesive... Kind of like on a reality show.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  The couple meets when she leaves a four page love letter on his car windshield, which we never get to read or hear.  Their love develops through a series of shots of them writing silly notes to each other, which we never get to see.  Many other standard moments are left out, too, like their first kiss, and any clue as to why they like each other.  Apparently the script was a 50 page detailed outline, with character back-stories, emotions, and beginnings, middles,  and ends to each scene, but no dialogue whatsoever.  Again, I am torn between my respect for the risks the filmmakers took in doing it this way, and my feelings for how the story turned out.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Like Crazy Trailer

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The Romantics

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A girl (Katie Holmes) is asked to be the maid of honor as the love of her life (Josh Duhamel) marries her best friend (Anna Paquin).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Katie Holmes, Josh Duhamel, Anna Paquin, Malin Akerman, Adam Brody, Dianna Agron, Jeremy Strong, Rebecca Lawrence, Candice Bergen, Elijah Wood

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! I was all set to moderately like this movie until the ending, which was like when a guy is torn between the woman he's marrying and the woman he loves, and then it rains... Oops, spoiler alert.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes, it's like Rachel Getting Married, but with jokes.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It might have if you got to find out what happened.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'd like to give an Irony Award to the Casting Director, who placed 5'8'' Katie Holmes next to hobbit Elijah Wood in scene after scene, and picked Anna Paquin for a character that is continually referred to as "enviably gorgeous," when she's clearly the least attractive woman in the movie. Even Candice Bergen at 64 is sexier.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Once I got over the fact that Katie Holmes is fake-married to Tom Cruise, I began to enjoy her performance. But Malin Akerman (as always) and Adam Brody were the ones with the chemistry.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Several shots are visibly grainy as if they had to push the exposure in post-production.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Galt Niederhoffer has way too much experience to think it's okay to tell a story without an ending.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-romantics/10024556/trailers

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Step Up 3D

(Featuring Contributions by Guest Reviewer Valerie)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A lot of people think that the most important thing in the world is winning a dance battle that no one else even knows exists.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Rick Malambri, Adam G. Sevani, Sharni Vinson, Alyson Stoner, Keith Stallworth, Joe Slaughter, Martin Lombard, Facundo Lombard, Daniel 'Cloud' Campos, Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, Oren 'Flearock' Michaeli, and literally every person in the world who has ever had or wanted a career in dance.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! Let's face it, no one goes to Step Up for the the plot, they go for the dancing. So why would they ruin the magic of the mad skills involved in this level of dancing by doing it in 3D, which makes it look like special effects instead of human genius?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Laugh with or laugh at?

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: You might cry about the extra $4 you are forced to spend on 3D, only so you can leave the theater thinking, "I can't wait for this to come out in 2D."

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Choreography.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Adam G. Sevani is angling for Michael Cera's sloppy seconds. Meanwhile, Sharni Vinson, as the love interest, seems to be angling for the unemployment line. And she's a terrible kisser.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: If I had a nickel for every useless 3D effect the director uses, I'd have enough money to remake this movie in 2D.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There's dancing, betrayal, horrible dialogue, and star-crossed lovers from opposite sides of the tracks. Basically, what I'm saying is they dug up the scripts for Step Up and Step Up 2: the Streets, and changed a few names and places.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: Just a couple more major problems: the soundtrack is not nearly as blood-pumping as it was for Step Up 2, and 4 times out of 5 our heroes' winning dance routines are definitively not as good as the competitors' losing routines.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/step-up-3d/51894/trailers

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Dear John

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A soldier (Channing Tatum) falls in love with a girl (Amanda Seyfried) on his two week leave from the Army, and promises to come back for her in a year, when his service is up. But then 9/11 happens and he feels pressured to stay loyal to his troop and re-up, forcing his love to do what she has to do.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Richard Jenkins, Henry Thomas, D.J. Cotrona, Scott Cullen, Keith Robinson, Braeden Reed

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If it's romance you want, you'll definitely get what you're looking for. Just try not to imagine what these two people will have in common once they're no longer young, beautiful, hard bodied kids who only need to smile at each other to feel everything the Earth offers to excite your insides.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The first monologue might have you laughing from its cheesiness, but it ends up having a nice twist to it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Actually, the above mentioned twist could make you cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Aside from the early-year timing of the release, I wouldn't be surprised if Richard Jenkins got some recognition in the Best Supporting Actor category.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: This is nothing against their acting, but Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried sure are easy on the eyes.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Lasse Holstrom is known for these kinds of schmaltzy romances (see Chocolat and Cider House Rules), but sometimes there's a time to pull back on the musical montages. Like, for example I could have done without the 7 minute interlude of letters being shown and opened but not read to the audience. The whole sequence only ends up making the film feel a lot longer than it is.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There is more than one surprise twist in this story, which makes you feel like the writer knows what he's doing, but the dialogue-- especially whatever it is that's supposed to convince us that these two people have enough in common to fall in love for forever-- is lacking. And by "lacking," I mean, there's not enough of it. I have no idea what these people talk about together.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: Did you know that Amanda Seyfried can sing? Yeah, that's a little tidbit I learned from watching this movie, and you can, too!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/dear-john/37012/trailers

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The Time Traveler's Wife

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A romance about a little girl who falls in love with a time traveling man (Eric Bana), and grows up to marry him, despite all the complications of building a life with a man who comes and goes at random. You know, put that way, it's not that different from a lot of regular marriages out there.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Ron Livingston, Hailey McCann, Tatum McCann, Michelle Nolden, Arliss Howard, Jane McLean, Brooklynn Proulx, Stephen Tobolowsky, Philip Craig

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Thinking about what you would and wouldn't know about the past, present and future is engaging, but the pace is often too slow, the tone too melodramatic, and you can tell from watching the movie that the book is more romantic.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Some say melodrama is a less subtle form of comedy, so you might laugh at all the intense stares, but I don't think they mean for you to.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Because we know the future, we are never caught off guard by the sad things that happen, but there is a moment or two that could induce tears in those of you who are emotionally unstable to begin with.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'm giving it the award for the Most Predictable Studio Note of the Year. There is a moment so inauthentic and obvious, that even without reading the book, I could tell it was 100% pure Hollywood concoction. And without giving anything important away, I will tell you that it has to do with the Lottery, and the fact that any movie with time travel has to do this beat, even though we've all seen it a million times before... To quote my ex-boyfriend, misquoting Jay-Z, "So unnecessary."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Rachel McAdams is as talented and beautiful as she always is, but I don't yet get why Eric Bana, was plucked off the streets of Australia to become the next big Hollywood star. He does nothing particularly wrong, but he's not super great looking, and I have yet to see him do any acting that answers the question "Why him?"

Q: How is the Directing?

A: From the first frame I was bored by both the music and the tone. Thankfully there were scenes that exceeded my low-set expectations, but still, this movie is more proof that first impressions can taint your whole experience.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are too many times when the young versions of Rachel McAdams say to the time traveling man, "You've never said that before." This is used to telegraph the rules of time travel to the audience, and it works, but it's way too on the nose. It's also a pretty good example of the level of finesse the rest of the script displays.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-time-travelers-wife/28722/trailers

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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

(Guest Review by Kacy)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In this sequel, the 4 girls from the first film have grown up into young adulthood, which means this time they’re getting over heartaches, fixing family dramas, dealing with pregnancy scares, and generally learning to let go of their childhoods.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Rachel Nichols, Tom Wisdom, Rachel Ticotin, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Leonardo Nam, Michael Rady, Blythe Danner, Jesse Williams, Lucy Hale, Kyle MacLachlan

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Much like its predecessor, this movie is a real treat if you see it as a rental or on a plane. After appropriately seeing the first one as a rental, seeing the sequel on the big screen was a mistake. Not the worst film I have seen this summer (I saw X-Files), but it’s up there.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you’re under 20.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: They want you to, but I didn't.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: If only MTV had an award for "Hottest bodies," the many beautiful, shirtless, men in the film might have collected the recognition they so rightly deserved!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: All of the young actresses in this franchise have blown up since the first movie, so it seems they took advantage of their new-found success to phone-in their performances on this contractually-obligated sequel.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Stale and inconsistent. Except for the beautiful scenery of Greece, it’s mostly boring.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It’s a difficult franchise structure because the 4 main characters are hardly ever on screen together. Thematically, I guess that makes sense, because it depicts what happens to childhood friends when they grow up. But with four separate stories, it’s hard for the film not to feel a bit long.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: Maybe I’m too old and cranky to enjoy such frivolities, or maybe my expectations were too high, because I really enjoyed the first one (in my youth of 3 years ago)… But the girlfriend I saw it with really liked it.

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