Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: If you haven’t figured what this series is about by part 8 out of 8, you obviously don’t get to the movies that much- so why are you reading this blog? (Note from Monique: Don't answer that. I don't care about your reasons. Just read, read away!)

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The same little kids from the first 7 movies- only 10 years less cute-looking now.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Even if you have not seen all the rest of them, they have plenty of recap dialogue to catch you up, and this one is a fine way to end it! That said, you may want still want to (re)visit the last one on Blu Ray, because it's fun!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are a couple of forced moments with Filch (The Hogwarts Caretaker), but it's mainly just an action movie.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it should have. Again, they missed the emotional mark with this series– at least in comparison to the books.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: As usual, the tech credits are all top notch. People have started talking about the Academy finally recognizing the series, but really, it's no Lord of the Rings in terms of overall storytelling and creative excellence.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The best thing about the series is the casting. They really got lucky with those kids!

Q: How is the Directing?

A: David Yates provides plenty of exciting sequences and the movie starts even before you see the WB logo – so get ready, because it's action packed from the moment it fades in. (BTW, I saw this in 2D because all the others were that way – and I was already feeling dizzy that night. But my sister saw it in 3D and says that the added dimension actually makes some of the epic battle scenes easier to follow.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The book was great. This movie, like most of its predecessors, feels like Cliff’s Notes. But because this film only covers one third of the last book, it is not nearly as bad off as many of the previous films. In fact, between you and me, the only other HP movie that really worked for me was Order of the Phoenix. Too often, these movies have failed to capture the emotional power of the books. Thankfully, this is one of the good ones.

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

A: This is the final chapter in the Harry Potter saga… For some of you out there, this brings a sigh of relief. You never have to hear of HP again. For the rest of us, who have loved the books and wished they never ended, this is like a death in the family. We will miss them dearly, but we must be grateful for the joy our loved ones brought us while they were relevant to pop culture.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Trailer

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Thor

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A sibling rivalry for the throne of the realm of Asgard causes Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to be banished to Earth, where he wreaks havoc as a mortal until he is mature enough to wield powers.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, Josh Dallas, Jaimie Alexander, Rene Russo

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you're not up on the mythology, it becomes very difficult to follow what they're talking about and what they're doing at a certain point. Unfortunately, that certain point is the climax of the film, where it would've been really nice to know why the choices being made were supposed to be good ones.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: All the funny parts are in the trailer below.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Sadly, the ending is an unsatisfying cliffhanger. So, no, you won't cry. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure that saving your conclusion for the sequel, or for that matter, The Avengers, is an arrogant move, because it presupposed that I'm going to pay another $16 to see your next movie in obligatory 3D. This is especially ironic when you consider that the lesson of the film is "don't be arrogant." So it ends up not only being poor storytelling, but it also proves that the filmmakers don't even believe in the moral they're pushing.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Asgard is almost as beautiful a place as Pandora, with a name that sounds like some kind of chastity belt for your butt.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: That Chris Hemsworth is going places. He has an amazing presence in movie, although I'm not sure if it's from acting, or the fact that he's been c.g.i.netically enhanced to look like he's towering over everybody he stands next to that's not an Ice Giant.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Most impressive is the lighting which gives three distinct looks between Asgard, Jotunheim, and Earth.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's a strange mix of fantasy and reality, that only slightly works thanks to an off the cuff mention of Tony Stark, by Iron Man's own crossover-casting S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg).

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

A: If you can stand to sit through 7 long minutes of credits accompanied by boring Foo Foo Fighters music, you will get to see yet another teaser leading up to The Avengers... Which is building up to be the most anticipated blockbuster of all time.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Thor Trailer

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Your Highness

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Two princes, one noble (James Franco) and one a slacker (Danny McBride), go on a quest to save a fair maiden (Zooey Deschanel) from an evil wizard (Justin Theroux), who plans to take over the world with the power he will gain by de-virginizing/raping her when the two moons meet.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Danny McBride, James Franco, Rasmus Hardiker, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Toby Jones, Damian Lewis, Charles Dance

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! I read a speculative headline today that asked, "Did Your Highness' box office suffer because James Franco bombed at the Oscars?" The writer of this article obviously has not seen this movie, or he would know that the reason this movie suffers is because it's very ill. By which I mean sick. By which I mean awful. But it may actually be so bad that it's good.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not at first, but after a while, when you get past the shock and denial of how terrible all of it is, you may start to giggle that this is actually happening. You are actually watching this. You actually spent money on the ticket. And they actually just said that.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: "Disturb" is a more accurate description of the emotion it elicits.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: They get the I Beat the MPAA Award. How they avoided an NC17 rating with the extended full frontal shots of a Minotaur's boner, is beyond me.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Natalie Portman's presence in this film reminds me of that time when Sandra Bullock won the Oscar and the Razzie in the same day. Only difference is Natalie is so good in this atrocity that it really makes you wonder if when she signed up to be in it, she wasn't convinced that anyone was actually going to like Black Swan.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: If you want to think David Gordon Green is a good director, you should see Pineapple Express. If you want to think he's a crappy director, you should see this.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This is one of the scripts where you know it was hatched because a bunch of guys were sitting around, probably getting loaded, and throwing out hilarious "What ifs." The conversation most likely went something like this: "What if you were on a quest, and when you got to the wise man he was a freaky looking alien?" "Yeah! And what if he were a perv, too, who makes you blow him for information." "That's hilarious! And what if he had molested you, when you were young, but you don't realize it, cuz when kids get molested, they don't know that there's anything wrong with it." Crickets.... "That's really weird... We should definitely put that in!" The thing is, some what ifs make good movies and some what ifs make funny conversations that you should never admit to having been a part of.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Your Highness Trailer

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Red Riding Hood

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Very loosely based on the fairy tale of the same name, this story of werewolves living amongst us seems to exist almost solely for the purpose of capitalizing on the Twilight phenomenon.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Virginia Madsen, Lukas Haas, Julie Christie, Shauna Kain, Michael Hogan, Adrian Holmes, Cole Heppell, Christine Willes, Michael Shanks, Kacey Rohl

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. What the imitators of Twilight never seem to be able to capture is the one thing that makes the little girls scream: the squirm-inducing sexual tension between the heroes that comes from the fact that they can't have each other, and being teenagers with raging hormones, this means that they will absolutely die if they can't have what they want.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The part where she says, "Grandmother, what big eyes you have" is kind of funny, but not intentionally.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: A lot of people die, so-- no.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Red Riding Hood gets the award for being the first of a slew of lame fairy-tale re-tellings aimed at adults that have become the latest trend in Hollywood. Here's how Hollywood thinks, "What can we make into a movie that has a built in brand, that we don't have to spend money on?" And that's why there is now a Jack in the Beanstalk project in the works, two competing Snow White projects coming your way, and three Peter Pan movies racing to get to the big screen first. And all of them are action adventure films aimed at grown ups, because everyone knows that's who the fairy-tale brand speaks to the loudest... Think about it, Hollywood!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Shiloh Fernandez is a pleasure to look at, but he lacks the charisma of a Robert Pattinson. I want to give director Hardwicke props for casting her own Twilight discovery, Billy Burke, thus expanding his career, but unfortunately, Burke suffers from the same problem as Fernandez in this piece. Amanda Seyfried, though, pops off the screen effortlessly.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Catherine Hardwicke comes from a background as a set designer, so it comes as no surprise that the art direction in this film is beautiful. She also directed the first Twilight, so it comes as a great surprise that one of the shots in the film looks like it was literally poached from her vampire flick. I know I've seen that shot before, and while it's pretty, I'm not sure you're allowed to reuse your old shots from other movies unless it's part of an inside joke-- which this is clearly not. But, recycled shots or not, the look of this film is definitely its most compelling aspect.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: All of the interesting choices for who the werewolf might turn out to be are too obvious, so the writers are left with the choice to pick someone obvious, or pick someone more random, and either way we're going to be a little disappointed.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Red Riding Hood Trailer

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TRON: Legacy 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A fearless rebel (Garrett Hedlund) enters a dangerous video game to try to find his father (Jeff Bridges), who disappeared when he was a boy.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, James Frain, Beau Garrett, Cillian Murphy

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. From the Benjamin Buttons effect to the live action video game play, the special effects are impressive. Everything else about the movie is painful.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: You know, making even a single attempt at humor might've been a good idea. You don't get to make a silly movie about being a live player running around a video game AND take yourself seriously.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's a sad story about childhood abandonment by a father trapped in a gilded cage, but I didn't cry. Maybe because I was so busy wondering what I was doing at a movie that could only appeal to 10-year-old boys. No, that's not it. It's because the writing sucked.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I hope the visual effects get a nomination, because otherwise, this the biggest waste of $300 million I've ever seen.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Garrett Hedlund had me thinking, "Why this guy?" I have to imagine they picked him because he was cheap, and they needed a nobody to counteract the high cost of special effects. But still, there are so many nobodies running around L.A. looking for a job like this one, so, "Why this guy?" Jeff Bridges, on the other hand, had me thinking, "I know why this guy!" He plays two versions of himself, and so convincingly that you sometimes forget he's talking to himself. Separately, I should mention that it's great to see Michael Sheen playing a character that's not Tony Blair.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Okay, so the guy can do special effects. But truth be told, as they were playing their death-games with their little disks, I rarely had any idea who was winning, how they were winning, what the rules were, why somebody died or disintegrated while somebody else didn't, or even who was playing to begin with. And my inability to follow the action is directly related to how the action is directed.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Father and son stories easily lend themselves to heartfelt, universal emotions, but when you bring dialogue like "The Creator" and "His Son" into it, you patronize the Christian audience you're trying to pretend this was made for, and you alienate everybody else. Not to mention that the sci-tech talk is incomprehensible, and the emotional talk is trite. But, yeah, go see it for the special effects, everybody! I know how important those are to you.

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

A: Daft Punk is getting a lot of notoriety for doing the techno-score, but musically, the thing that impressed me the most was the use of Journey to harken the 1980s, when Tron was born... Although I beg you not to do the math on that, because if Sam's dad disappeared when old- fashioned video games and arcades were still hot, Sam should be a lot closer to 37 than 27-- which is the age that he says he is... Then again, based on the city they live in and the technological advances, the movie takes place some time in the future, so realistically, he's probably closer to 127.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: TRON: Legacy Trailer
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Black Swan

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A ballerina (Natalie Portman) gets cast as the lead in Swan Lake and struggles with her inner demons, as her stardom alienates her, makes her paranoid, and generally drives her insane.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Benjamin Millepied, Ksenia Solo, Kristina Anapau, Janet Montgomery, Sebastian Stan, Toby Hemingway

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. As you can tell from my late review, I didn't really want to see this film because it looked creepy. And it is. The members of my audience couldn't wait to get the hell out of the theater when the movie ended. But there's no denying that the filmmaking is at expert level.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Darren Aronofsky lives in a world of depressing self-importance. If there was ever any humor in this script, I'm sure he did away with it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's not necessary. Just-- if you're considering becoming a ballerina, don't.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: According to all sources, Natalie Portman is going to win an Academy Award this year.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Believe the hype.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: While I'm rarely interested in any of the stories or subject matters that Darren Aronofsky is compelled to put to celluloid, visually, he is one of my absolute favorite directors working today.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: In the vein of Fight Club, the story deliberately confuses reality with the inner workings of a nutsoid person's mind. It is interpretable, though, and while I don't enjoy guessing what the storytellers want me to believe, I did enjoy the way the story of the film perfectly parallels the story of the ballet. Which brings me to my next question: why do the dudes who wrote and directed this know or care so much about this ballet?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Black Swan Trailer

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Hereafter

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man in America (Matt Damon) struggles with his gift for talking to the dead, while a woman in France (Cecile de France) struggles with the aftermath of a near-death experience, while a boy in England (Frankie McLaren/George McLaren) struggles with the sudden loss of his twin brother.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matt Damon, Cecile de France, Jay Mohr, Frankie McLaren, George McLaren, Thierry Neuvic, Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Kind, Lyndsey Marshal, Rebekah Staton, Declan Conlon, Steven R. Schirripa, Jean-Yves Berteloot, Niamh Cusack, George Costigan, Jenifer Lewis, Marthe Keller, Derek Jacobi

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! I was so into it, that I couldn't stop thinking it was a true story. It's not... But I still think the basic principles of it are.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Clint Eastwood wouldn't know humor if it landed on his head and farted ... Okay, I may just be saying that to get a rise out of the idiot commentators who threatened to rape and kill me when I compared Clint Eastwood's performance in Gran Torino to Will Ferrell. I've erased the comments because they were so incredibly graphic and offensive, but I still wanted to take this occasion to say F-U!

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: As I learned from the aforementioned commentators, death is a very sensitive subject, especially when it's threatened on you. But the answer to this question would have been yes anyway. You will cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I kind of hope so, even though this is the kind of "Hollywood" movie that will have all the die hard cineastes up in arms if itwins. It's got a similar vibe to Crash.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The young boys and their heroin-addicted mother (Lyndsey Marshal) are the surprise break out performances. And Cecile De France has a charm that's reminiscent of Meg Ryan in her prime-- with a cute little French accent to boot.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Anyone who shoots a movie that takes place in not one, but both of my favorite cities in the world, is all right with me. Go ahead, take a guess. Hint: they're the two cities I grew up flying back and forth between. If you've been reading my reviews, you should be able to answer this one by now.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Let me tell you why Peter Morgan is a great writer: even as I'm predicting what's going to happen next, I'm not feeling like I'm watching anything formulaic. Try to figure that one out.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/hereafter/1421819/trailers

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Alice in Wonderland

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Now almost 20 years old, Alice returns to her reoccurring "dream" of Wonderland, but this time, it may not be a dream.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Leo Bill, Mairi Ella Challen, and the voices of Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman, Barbara Windsor, Paul Whitehouse, Timothy Spall,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. I can't figure out if I have fond memories of this story because the first time I was introduced to it I was a young child, or because it was the 1970s, a time when we expected all forms of media to make about as much sense as an acid trip.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Tweedledee and Tweedledum are still cute... and still only humorous to people with underdeveloped brains, like the Red Queen and small children.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're one of those rigid parents who believes that any movie with smoking in it should be rated R, you will be gravely disappointed to find out that the caterpillar still smokes a hookah pipe, and you may have to fake tears when your kids reveal to your husband that you took them to a movie with a drug smoking insect in it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It definitely deserves awards for Art Decoration, Costume Design, and Makeup Design. I want to do my eyes like Johnny Depp's!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Anne Hathaway has been getting a bad rap for this performance, but I quite enjoyed her ethereal choices. Helena Bonham Carter, who I generally love, goes to far too much trouble to make her Red Queen different than those that came before her, but I just wanted to hear "Off with her Head!" said in the same old, comfort-food way. And Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter isn't nearly as annoying as the preview makes it look... He's actually kind of sweet and logical for a guy who's totally mad.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: For once Tim Burton's style is more beautiful in its fantastical nature than scary. He creates a world that you might actually want to visit. But I'm over 3D. It's rarely worth the extra charge, and I recently read an article that if you watch too much of it, it will ruin your depth perception-- which is why I'm deathly afraid of the 3D TVs that are being released on the market in the next few weeks. I mean a movie here and there, your eyes might survive, but I guarantee that if people start watching all their TV in 3D, we're gonna have a lot more car accidents.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's been done before. Literally. Over 20 times.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeWsZ2b_pK4

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Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightnight Thief

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) discovers that he is the Demi-God son of Poseidon, and that it is up to him to find Zeus' lightning bolt and save his mother from Hades' clutches before the Gods go to war and destroy the Earth for good.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Rosario Dawson, Melina Kanakaredes, Kevin McKidd, Joe Pantoliano, Uma Thurman

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Come on, just from the description you can tell this film has it all: adventure, battle, and a really cute new teenage leading man!... boy.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I think it's funny that I went to see a movie aimed at 10 year old boys and liked it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I'm not confessing to anything... but to be fair, it's not my fault, it used the same trick that got me choked up in Valentine's Day, and that trick gets me every time, because it's so easy, it's practically like cheating! Plus, I was already feeling vulnerable from all the scary creatures that had me jumping out of my seat on a regular basis.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It could probably get a Kid's Choice Award on Nickelodeon. But if not this time, then I imagine the sequel will... No, they haven't made it yet, I'm just assuming that was the point.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: No one does anything all that incredible, but I'm always impressed when people under 18 can do anything at all.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There are a lot of beautiful special effects made out of the elements: The skies, the water, the fire, and the debris floating in the air of the Underworld.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Everything is set up in exceedingly obvious ways that a 10 year old could see coming, but at least it always pays off. And the adventure genuinely gets you wondering how they're going to get out of some of the precarious situations they get into.

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

A: NSFW: When Pierce Brosnan reveals himself to be a centaur and his bottom half becomes that of a horse, it looks like he has a gigantic package where his human parts would have been. Did I just say that out loud?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/percy-jackson-and-the-olympians-the/32797/trailers

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Tooth Fairy

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A failed hockey player they call "The Tooth Fairy" (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), who no longer believes that dreams can come true, gets sentenced to spend time as the real Tooth Fairy. That'll teach him to dream small!

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Ashley Judd, Stephen Merchant, Julie Andrews, Billy Crystal, Ryan Sheckler, Chase Ellison, Destiny Grace Whitlock, Seth MacFarlane, Brandon T. Jackson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The Rock makes another perfectly sweet, perfectly enjoyable, perfectly innocuous movie for kids.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you don't associate the name Stephen Merchant with funny, then you probably don't realize that he's Ricky Gervais' side-kick/writing partner/producer, and therefore hilarious... and that's without even getting to the fact that he's almost as tall as a doorway.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you've ever had a dream, and someone told you that you couldn't have that dream, this movie might-- you know, maybe they just said that because they had failed at their own dream, or maybe they said it because you really suck at the thing you dream of being great at... but nonetheless, your dream was crushed, by someone, for some reason and-- still no, this movie still won't make you cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Dressed on the Red Carpet! And I'm of course talking about Rock in a pink tutu... Who are we kidding, with his giant pecks hanging out all over the place, it's actually deeply disturbing. I'd rather see Bjork in a swan dress.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I'm so glad to see Stephen Merchant doing his own thing, and Julie Andrews doing anything, and I'd really rather see Ashley Judd doing nothing-- but that's just me. She's a fine actress, in that perfectly innocuous way that works so well for a movie starring The Rock.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I really enjoyed the colorful special effects and the dreamlike fantasy look of Fairyland... Which reminds me of one of my favorite things a friend of mine ever posted on Facebook.

If you've ever been to Stockton, California, you know exactly how true this is.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Ah, the script... Well it has 5 writers and a separate "story by" credit, so probably it was one of those scripts where they liked the concept, then they got The Rock attached, then they realized he only had the month of March available to shoot anything for the next 3 years, so they quickly hired some people who are known for getting the story beats as simple as can be, then they hired some more people to rewrite those people on the outside chance of adding a teeny-tiny bit of complexity, and then, at the last minute, right before they lost their window with The Rock and the whole deal fell apart, they hired Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel to throw in some jokes and some people falling down on their faces. And that, Junior, is how scripts are born.

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

A: It has nothing to do with this movie, but it has finally happened! This blog has finally won an award. So I'd like to thank Reel Whore for nominating me for The Kreativ Blogger Award!

I don't normally participate in this kind of thing, but since I truly appreciate Reel Whole for gracing me with this honor, I'm gonna go ahead and do all the things I'm supposed to do-- which are:


1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

The 7 Blogs I would like to nominate are:
Razzball-- for getting me into this blogging racket, and being the only person I know in real life who gets about 10,000 hits a week on his site- even in the off season.
Film-Book dot Com-- for being my best blogger friend. (Film-Book is probably thinking that's very sad for me, since we hardly ever-- almost never-- talk... on any of the social networks we're "friends" on... And obviously we've never met.)
Nikki Finke's Deadeline Hollywood-- I admire her partly for her ability to scoop everyone, partly for her consistently intelligent insight into the business side of Hollywood, but mostly for her ability to openly be honest in a town most famous for lying. Her boldness scares me a little bit.
Heat Vision & the live feed-- I like that when the staff at Hollywood Reporter gets lazy, they just link all their headlines to these two blogs and let Borys Kit (movies) and James Hibberd (TV) do all the work for them. I should really be giving this award to the THR Editor for finding such a brilliant management idea as handing off the work of most and putting it on the backs of two-- Whoo-hoo! more vacation days for everybody else!
The Business of Show Institute-- Marvin Acuna has literally the best advice I have ever seen given to aspiring screenwriters trying to break into the business. He regularly comes up with outside the box gems that you may not have thought of yourself, no matter how long you've been in the business. And he gathers other experts (from fields covering internet opportunities to legal advice) to contribute to his incredibly informative weekly newsletter, which he'll send to you, just for signing up.
Notes from a School Psychologist-- This is for actually doing something for the betterment of society. Becki Branstetter's blog is both funny and informative for anyone who wants their kids to make it in the American school system, is in the American school system, or wants to help improve the American school system... in other words, it's for everyone.

And finally, the 7 things about me you might not know. (I'm hoping you've stopped reading by now.)
1. Though I'm not a very private person, I am a very private blogger.
2. I am probably the least technically competent person on the internet to have a blog. (This explains why I'm still on a blogspot platform, rather than a fancier version of a website.)
3. While I am snarky and complain a lot on my blog, in my real life I am one of the happiest most fulfilled people I know... But I'm still pretty snarky. It's fun. You should try it.
4. I am learning about the power of healing myself with my mind because I have lost faith in my ability to receive reliable healthcare service through the traditional means. I know, that's not funny, it's just sad.
5. I love my family more than the amount of hours I spend with them. And you can quote me on that.
6. I have been full grown for a while now, and I have still not decided if I believe in marriage or children. I'm starting to think my biological clock may be broken, cuz it probably should've started ticking some time ago.
7. I am highly superstitious about seeing the clock at 11:11, and I feel deeply disappointed when I just miss it. 11:12 is a very difficult time for me.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Yes, we're back to talking about Tooth Fairy now. http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-tooth-fairy/34807/video/tooth-fairy-trailer-no-1/44593788001

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An ethereal battle between good and evil, which takes place in each character's imagination, as interpreted by the old mystic, Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Christopher Plummer, Heath Ledger, Lily Cole, Andrew Garfield, Tom Waits, Verne Troyer, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you've ever seen a Terry Gilliam film, you know what you're in for: a lot of style and theory, with very strange substance. This film is as visually beautiful and imaginative as the storyline is surreal.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: That depends on if you have a subscription to Bizzaro magazine or not. If you do, this humor will fall right in line with your sensibilities. Also if you do, you are the proud owner of a magazine that I just made up.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're an aspiring actor, you'll cry when you realize that Mini-me has a legitimate acting career and you don't.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I might give this movie an award for premonition, because it seems as if they knew Heath Ledger was going to drop out (read: die) mid-filming. They managed to have him in all the "real-life" scenes, where his presence is necessary, and the way they use Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell to replace him in the imaginings actually makes a lot of sense for the "logic" of this story.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Tom Waits, as the devil, gets applause just for showing up... Or at least that's what the people in my theater seemed to think.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Lavish and riddled with over-the-top, fun-loving, and sometimes campy special effects-- which begs the question: how does this guy continue to get these giant budgets to make esoteric comedies that nobody is going to see? I guess his financiers are still hoping he'll accidentally churn out another Monty Python film, despite the lack of any Monty Python players.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Terry Gilliam is like a fun and upbeat version of David Lynch. In both cases, it's easier to call them genius, than to admit that you have no idea what they're talking about... But what really makes them genius, is I'm pretty sure that they have no idea what they're talking about either.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-imaginarium-of-doctor-parnassus/33122/trailers

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The Twilight Saga: New Moon

(Guest Review by Kacy)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Vampires, Werewolves and teen angst. Oh my God-- can you believe Edward actually dumps Bella?! I mean his reasons are good, but still! And then her only choice is to fall into the loving arms of Jacob-- who's a werewolf-- which is totally, like, an enemy of a vampire!

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Anna Kendrick, Jackson Rathbone, Cam Gigandet, Michael Sheen, Peter Facinelli, Rachelle Lefevre, Elizabeth Reaser, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, Dakota Fanning, Chaske Spencer, Billy Burke, Jamie Campbell-Bower, Graham Greene, Edi Gathegi, Cameron Bright, Christopher Heyerdahl, Charlie Bewley, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon, Christian Serratos, Gil Birmingham, Tinsel Korey, Tyson Houseman

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you are a teenager, definitely. Or, of course, if you are a Cougar who likes looking at young men with their shirts off. And really, who isn't?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: In true Twilight form, most of the laughs come from the cheesy special effects.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Only if you wanted to see more of Edward because he’s hardly in this film
(nor was he in the book much).

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's got the Teen Choice awards in the bag... but we knew that before the film even came out.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Nothing spectacular, but no one is going to worry about what's coming out of those mens' mouths, because they're too busy staring at their shirtless werewolf bods.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Better than the first film. However, in the book, Bella just heard Edward's voice in her head, whereas in the film, the director made the bad choice of showing him as a floating vision.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Fairly true to the book. But I found it frustrating that this story
portrays a weak female who gives up on life when her boyfriend breaks up
with her. And she pines over the bad boy who left her, instead of giving
the nice boy a shot. Finally there are times when the story feels like a
classic case of domestic violence. The women (Bella and Sam’s wife) are
hurt by their “monster” men, but love and stay with them despite this. If I
had a daughter, I wouldn’t be thrilled that this kind of story and
characters is one that teenagers love and value. It’s a sad statement on
our society.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-twilight-saga-new-moon/36045/trailers

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Imagine That

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A financial adviser (Eddie Murphy), who is estranged from his young daughter (Yara Shahidi), finds out that her security blanket can take him to a magical world that can predict the stock market. Get it? It's a securities blanket.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Eddie Murphy, Yara Shahidi, Thomas Haden Church, Ronny Cox, Martin Sheen, Bobbe'e J. Thompson, Nicole Ari Parker, James Patrick Stuart, DeRay Davis, Vanessa Williams, Timm Sharp, Talen Ruth Riley, Stephen Root

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's very cute, but if you don't have a family to bring, you'll find yourself wondering why you're there.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are some laughs. And a couple of them aren't even totally immature.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Maybe if you're on your period... Yes, some girls get it when they're still young enough to be in the demographic for this movie! And don't say, "Eiw," it's a fact of life, it's where babies come from, and you should have a little more compassion for those poor young girls who are already having to deal with it, even though they're only 9 or 10 years old.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Adorable Disney Movie to come out of Nickelodeon this year.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Yara Shahidi has a mug you could look at for hours. She is beautiful from all angles, in all hairdos, and in all emotions-- each of which she plays like a real child, but without any of the bad acting that usually comes with having to let a child play the part. It's amazing to think that she's never done a movie before.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Run of the mill, but inoffensive.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I can't help but wonder whose idea it was to make a children's movie so heavily centered around stock trading. It's hard to imagine that even if there were an imaginary world in which 3 invisible Princesses and a Queen can communicate with a little girl through her blanky, that they would talk to her about which companies' values were going to rise or plummet on the market, the next day. While it's a good device to help the little girl relate better to her dad, kids don't want to see a movie about that, and imaginary royalty certainly wouldn't care about it either.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/imagine-that/28965/trailers

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Up

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After losing the love of his life, an old man (Ed Asner) decides to fulfill the dreams of adventure that he'd always promised his wife. And no, he doesn't bring her ashes.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, Elie Docter

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. I'm going to be the first to say it: the emperor has no clothes on. Just because something has the name Pixar on it, does not automatically mean it's a masterpiece, and if somebody doesn't speak up, our general ability to discern quality from mediocrity could be destroyed forever. But the first 15 minutes are very good.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not nearly enough. Not to mention that the best laugh in the movie comes from someone in the Walla* group.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Boy do they think they're going to. But even though I knew the boyscout had daddy issues from the first time he mentioned "all the dads" coming to the award ceremony, I can honestly say that after watching the whole movie, I have no idea if his dad is supposed to be absentee or just dead. It makes a big difference in regards to what the movie is trying to say. And trust me, it is trying to say something.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Yes, it will win the Academy Award for Best Animated Picture. Not because it's the best, just because it's Pixar.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The dog is good. And I suppose the rest of it would be acceptable to you if you were a small child.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There is so much that's confusing in this movie, that it comes to no surprise that the lighting, weather, and mood of a scene or location can change within seconds from gloomy to sunny and bright or vice versa. Frankly, the whole movie is heavy handed about what it wants you to feel, and the result is that you feel manipulated and empty.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Sure there are some parts of the story that are cute, clever, and colorful, but there are also parts that are boring, illogical, and completely unexplained.

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

A: *Walla is the group of people who go into the studio during post-production and improvise and record all the voices of the people you see in crowd scenes. In the case of this movie, the "people" consist primarily of talking dogs.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/up/30386/trailers

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Where did Wolverine come from? How did he get to be the way he is? You will find out, but he won't.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Will.i.am, Lynn Collins, Kevin Durand, Dominic Monaghan, Taylor Kitsch, Daniel Henney, Ryan Reynolds

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. After resisting seeing this movie, I have to say, it's not nearly as bad as you think it's going to be. I'd even go so far as to admit that it's a lot of fun-- so long as you don't require any elements that you've never seen before in a film.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are several efforts made, but none of them are successful.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I hope you don't mind fingernails on a chalkboard, because in a movie featuring so many characters with remarkable nails, you're bound to get a lot of them scratching up things... and the flesh is almost easier to take than the metal.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: How great is Weapon XI? Best bad guy ever! Talk about having it all!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: As good of an actor as Hugh Jackman is, I sometimes have a hard time getting past his total thespianism. His posture in the the way he walks, and stands, and glares is so actor-y to me, that I don't always see a tough guy-killer, but rather a sweet, family man, who likes to take on interesting roles. And I love Danny Huston, but the mere fact that he's cast in a role, gives away who the bad guy is going to be. He needs to play some nice guys soon, to bring back that element of surprise.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing is fast-paced and move-y. So much so, that it inspired me to make up a word... only to realize that the word already exists, and it's spelled, "movie." But, yeah, I thought the directing was great.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The fights, the superpowers, the special effects, are all there. And the story is absolutely adequate, too. They kind of had it easy though, since we already know that Wolverine doesn't remember his past, from the X-Men movies we've already seen. So the writers could basically do anything, because they have to erase his memory by the end, for continuity, so this story is ultimately irrelevant to the rest of the lore.

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

A: Do not stay for the little scene after the credits. It's not nearly interesting enough to justify sitting through approximately 17 minutes of visual effects credits.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/x-men-origins-wolverine/30722/trailers

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Watchmen

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Adapted from Alan Moore's landmark comic book series, Watchmen is a story set in an alternative 1985, where the world is ticking closer to the brink of nuclear war, and a plot to eliminate a band of ex-crime fighters is instigated, but why? and by whom? It is up to two of those ex-crime fighters to investigate the plot, before the plot exterminates them.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! For all but the die hard fans of the graphic novel, this movie will not live up to expectations or the hype. It is not your typical Superhero movie, in that (much like in the novel) there aren't that many fight scenes or action scenes. Just a lot of standing around and talking– which is very heady when you're trying to enjoy your popcorn. Plus, if you have not read the book, you will most likely be lost a good portion of the time, since some of the key back story is left out. Concurrently, if you did read the book, and didn’t like it, you won’t feel any differently about this incredibly faithful movie adaptation.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not intentionally. I did hear a few laughs during the screening– but they had that air of confusion, as if to say, "What is going on?" Having read the graphic novel, I could tell from what they weren't getting, that those laughing had not.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: At 2hrs40, my eyes were filled with tears from the large Coke I had to drink to get through it– I was running for relief when it ended.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Maybe Visual Effects, if somebody wants to throw it a bone.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Malin Ackerman, who plays Silk Spectre 2 (one of the major characters), falls flat most of the time. But the rest of the cast does well, and the standout performance by Jackie Earle Haley, as Rorschach, made me want to see a movie based solely on him.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It is extremely faithful to the graphic novel– even framing most shots to replicate the novel’s visuals. While not requiring the imagination that made Lord of the Rings transcend its source material, Zach Snyder does a good job with this movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The problem with the movie is its source material, which holds this movie back from mass appeal. The Watchmen is a challenging deconstruction of the Superhero. This is something that works on the page in a way that can't possibly be translated to the screen. On top of that, some scenes come off campy, using word for word dialogue taken from the novel-- this is especially true of the final confrontation.

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

A: I don't know why Warner Brothers thought that Joe Blow in Idaho would like this story. And it begs the question whether the guy at Fox who thought the script was unreadable and passed on the project had ever read the graphic novel. My guess is that he only read the coverage.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/watchmen/26998/trailers
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Coraline

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An animated girl, named Coraline, discovers a secret passageway in her new house that leads to an evil woman, posing as a better version of her mom, in a better version of her life. But when Coraline gets wise to her Other Mom's evil ways, the Other Mom won't let her leave.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgeman, Robert Bailey Jr., Ian McShane

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The colors, animation, and 3D effects are spectacular, but who is the audience for this movie? It's not clever enough for adults, it's too dark for little girls, and it's got too much of a female protagonist for little boys.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you find giant, naked, old lady boobies funny, then sure. I think they can be funny, too... But not in a kids' movie. And by the way, when I say "giant," I guarantee that what you're picturing in your mind right now is only half the size of what they actually drew. And wearing nothing but pasties. I couldn't be more serious.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but the imitation Enya music will put you in a trance and make you very, very sleepy.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Least attractive animated humans ever drawn. Come on, they're animated, there's no excuse for them not to be cute!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I'm a huge Dakota Fanning fan, but the animators didn't do this character any favors with the facial expressions they created. Coraline is not particularly likeable, she's not nearly as cute as Dakota Fanning, and Dakota is much better at using her eyes to look sweet and innocent when she's saying something bratty-- that's how she gets away with all the bratty things she says in live action movies. Teri Hatcher, as the Other Mom, has the opposite effect. Thanks to the animation, her textured vocal tones are, for once, matched by an expressive physicality. What I'm saying is, her performance had a complete lack of Botox!... I actually thought she was fantastic in this.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Aside from the slow pace at the beginning, the directing is quite obviously the star of this film. The animation is vivacious, and with 3D glasses, it even comes right into your seat.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It seems to have been made into a movie about one draft too soon. The beats of a story are there, but it's devoid of those clever, "Why didn't I think of that?" moments. Once we know what the story is going to be, everything is laid out too easily for the protagonist to succeed.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/coraline/26304/trailers

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Bolt 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In this animated movie, a dog named, Bolt, who lives confined to a sound stage in a Truman Show like world, is led to believe that he has actual superpowers and defends the world from the Green-Eyed Man's evil plan. So when his owner, Penny, gets kidnapped, he goes to her rescue, and ends up in the real world, only to discover that he doesn't have superpowers and he is simply the star of a TV series.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton, Greg Germann, Diedrich Bader, Nick Swardson, J.P. Manoux, Dan Fogelman

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! The premise of a dog who needs to believe he's a real superhero in order to give a convincing performance to an audience of humans is totally ridiculous, and possibly the best reason to see this movie. Other good reasons are: because you are a child, because you have a child, because you wish you were or had a child, and because you like things that are totally cute, sweet, witty and adorable. And let's face it, delusional talking animals on cross-country road trips to save little girls are even more awesome in 3D!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you hate cats, like most well-balanced people, you will appreciate all the laughs at their expense. If you love cats, you should really rethink that, but you will still feel vindicated as they are best characters in the film, and they get all the funny lines that weren't already given to the pigeons. Yes, I am talking about humorous cats and pigeons. I can see you running to buy your ticket now.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There are some moving moments which are especially relatable to domesticated animals that have been abandoned, put in the pound, and released into the wild of the big city to fend for themselves.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: They already got Miley Cyrus, the biggest tween star in the world, to make this her first feature film starring role, so let's spread the good fortune around, by giving the awards to someone else. Nothing whatsoever against this movie, I'm just being a Socialist... er, I mean, "fair."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Even though he doesn't realize he's just an actor, when he's put to the test, Bolt proves to be a natural talent at it, in a fun sequence where Mr. Mittens, the female cat, has to teach him natural dog tricks like how to act cute so that humans will give you their food. And honorable mention goes to the pigeons who are weirdly wonderful in all their disgustingness, with their quirky neck moves and awkward waddling. I'm pretty sure they must be method actors.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Part road movie, some of these animals must travel from New York to Hollywood, and every city they hit is lit and colored to match real life perfectly. In Vegas they capture the exact color and dryness of the desert, in New York they capture the feeling that dirt and grime is covering every surface, and in Los Angeles they master the classic view of the city, as seen through a layer of muddy smog. And did I mention how cool 3D is?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Every necessary beat is hit, and hit with humor. The only reason not to enjoy this story is because you're pretentious.

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