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

Back To Top

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Two American girls, best-friends Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), go to Barcelona for the summer, where they are seduced by and fall for the same Latin Lover (Javier Bardem).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Patricia Clarkson, Kevin Dunn, Chris Messina, Christopher Evan Welch, Pablo Schreiber, Zak Orth, Carrie Preston

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! With the Dollar so low, and the Euro so high, this may be the only affordable way to visit Spain anymore. But economics notwithstanding, the film also has going for it that it's a passionate exploration of how relationships are ultimately nothing more-- or less-- than a choose your own adventure story.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Woody's still got a few tricks up his sleeve.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it could get your sexy juices flowing.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Penelope Cruz, Penelope Cruz, everyone's talking about Penelope Cruz. I spent the first half of the movie wondering if she was even in this film... But boy was she ever! Without seeing any of the other performances to come, I'm going to go big, and put in my prediction now: she will win (yes, I said "win") the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Rebecca Hall is incredible in the "Woody Allen role," which leads me to wonder, does he give them stuttering, hemming, and hawing lessons on set? Or do they just instinctively know that when you work with Woody Allen, every word should come from your most neurotic place?

Also, after only having seen him play a psychopath, an invalid, and a gay revolutionary, I was surprised to see how much sexiness and charisma Javier Bardem was able to bring to what may be the closest he's yet come to playing an average guy. Okay, so a Spanish master of seduction isn't that average-- but still, compared to his previous roles, this is just a regular guy. And he still comes off like an acting genius.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I've always thought of Woody Allen as a simple director, who doesn't do much more than the bare minimum to tell the story. After all, he's known for letting his scripts do the talking. But in this film, his camera is dynamic, constantly moving, and often at a faster pace than I would associate with his work. For once, his directing actually stands out, and it turns out, he's quite talented.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Woody Allen has written and directed a movie a year for as long as I can remember, so sometimes the quality gets compromised in the rush. That is not the case with Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Back To Top