We Bought a Zoo

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After the death of his wife, Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) feels the need to move himself and his kids out of town to escape all the memories of her, but the house he falls in love with happens to also be a zoo.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford, Maggie Elizabeth, Jones, Angus Macfadyen, Elle Fanning, Patrick Fugit, John Michael Higgins, Carla Gallo, J.B. Smoove, Stephanie Szostak, Kym Whitley

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This is the "family film" version of The Descendants, and between you and me, it's a lot more pleasant to watch.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: More than The Descendants.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: More than The Descendants.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Less than The Descendants, but that wouldn't be the case if I were the boss of all things buzz.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Matt Damon is always good-- if we don't count that moment when he smiles a little too hard at Scarlett Johansson, who is usually bad, but bucks that trend in this one-- if we don't count that moment when she stares a little too hard at Matt Damon. But the true breakouts here are the kids, Colin Ford, who shows some real acting chops at the ripe young age of 14, and Maggie Elizabeth Jones who may actually be as cute as Drew Barrymore was as a kid.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: My only gripe about the directing is actually about the acting. Both John Michael Higgins and Angus Macfadyen seems to be in a much broader and over the top movie than the rest of the cast, who played it real. I would let it slide with a lesser director, but Cameron Crowe, you're better than that.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Nothing in the script is particularly brilliant, but you still let the occasional cheesy or improbable line of dialogue slide because the story is so damn sweet.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: We Bought a Zoo Trailer

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Mr. Popper's Penguins

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A high-powered, low-emotioned real estate tycoon (Jim Carrey) inherits 6 penguins from his now dead absentee dad, and right when he figures out how to get rid of them, his kids fall in love with them, forcing him to keep them in his exclusive Manhattan apartment.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino,Ophelia Lovibond, Madeline Carroll, Maxwell Perry Cotton, Clark Gregg, Angela Lansbury, Jeffrey Tambor, David Krumholtz, Philip Baker Hall, James Tupper, Dominic Chianese, William C. Mitchell

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The penguins are cute, but the adult love story is uninteresting to adults because it's obvious, and uninteresting to kids because it's an adult love story.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are laughs for all ages... Although most ages won't remember any of them long enough to quote them to their friends later.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're a kid, yabsolutely! Especially when you ask your parents to turn your living room into an ice rink and they say no. Your cry will probably go something like this, "But Mr. Popper got to do it!" To which your parents will say, "That was a movie. Mr. Popper isn't real." To which you will reply, "Sure it wasn't real. Next you'll probably try to convince me that Santa Claus doesn't exist!"

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most winter-y movie to come out right in time for the 4th of July! Good job marketing team!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jim Carrey doesn't annoy his audience with his usual wacky shtick... Then again, when you take away his shtick, you're left without a reason to cast Jim Carrey. Catch 22.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Mark Waters has consistently made me happy with movies like Mean Girls and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Despite its triteness, this movie maintains that dreamy look, that makes you wanna buy into what's happening, no matter how preposterous.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Particularly peculiar, but pointing to proficient penning, the personage of Pippi, pontificates primarily in "p" words, which is pleasant, playful, and praiseworthy.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Mr. Popper's Penguins Trailer

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Biutiful

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A black-market-goods ringleader (Javier Bardem), who also has the ability to talk to the dead, finds out that he's dying of cancer, and has to figure out what to do about his 2 kids, who he doesn't want to leave to his crazy, bipolar, slut of an ex-wife.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Javier Bardem, Maricel Alvarez, Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella, Eduard Fernandez, Cheikh Ndiaye, Diaryatou Daff, Taisheng Cheng, Luo Jin

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. As I left the theater, I heard everyone saying the same thing, "That movie was very long!" And then there was that guy who said, "I feel like I just got punched in the gut."

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The main actress decided it would be an enjoyable character trait for us if she made herself a snorter when she laughs...

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: ...And when she cries. Which between her manic states and her depressive states, ends up being most of the time she talks. It gets pretty gross. Then again, it's one of the least gross things in the film.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's up for the Best Foreign Film Oscar. And after all my bashing of it, you're probably starting to wonder why. Well, despite being incredibly long and bleak, it's actually a very beautiful film that examines sides of life, death, and the guys selling illegal merchandise in the streets, that you may not have given much deep thought to before.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Javier Bardem is also up for an Oscar for his performance. It's a good performance because he's Javier Bardem, but he wouldn't have gotten the nomination for this if he weren't Javier Bardem. Maricel Alvarez (the snorter), is also pretty amazing, especially when you consider that she has tears in her eyes for almost every scene. But her character is pretty despicable.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu chooses interesting and unpredictable views from where to depict the actors' emotions. But it's also his fault that the majority of the audience left complaining about the length of the film , instead of the emotional impact it had on them. (2 1/2 hours + previews = sitting on your ass for almost 3 hours-- this is why directors need to study math in school.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Right when things start to get really bad, everything gets worse.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Biutiful Trailer

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