Big Miracle
Man on a Ledge
Haywire
A Better Life
The Iron Lady
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Joyful Noise
Top Ten Big-Screen Pet Names of 2011
Albert Nobbs
Young Adult
A Dangerous Method
Mainstream Chick’s Year in Review
War Horse
We Bought a Zoo
The Adventures of Tintin
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
The Skin I Live In
New Year’s Eve
The Sitter
Like Crazy
Melancholia

Currently browsing the "Adventurous Chick" category.

Big Miracle

Big Miracle is a harmless family film. If you’re looking for a nice, wholesome movie to take the kids to this weekend, this is a fine choice. But if you don’t have kids clamoring to go see something, there’s no reason to pay for this one. It’s “inspired by” the true story of three gray whales that got trapped beneath rapidly forming arctic ice in Northern Alaska in 1988 and the international effort to save them. And it’s a good thing it’s based on actual events, otherwise this whale tale would be way too far-fetched. It just goes to show you sometimes truth is stranger (or cheesier) than fiction.

Young Adult

Young Adult has been out for a little while now, but it’s definitely worth seeing if it’s still in a theater near you or renting when it becomes available. Just be forewarned it is a dark comedy, emphasis on dark. Seriously, from the trailers, I expected this movie to be funnier. They’re totally marketing this one as a comedy. But it’s much deeper and more cynical than the trailer suggests. Not that it’s a bad thing. It just wasn’t what I thought I was going to see.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is one of those movies to which close attention must be paid. It is a dense story full of twists, turns and quiet intrigue. There are no car chases, explosions, or running gun battles. It’s a cerebral and still spy thriller; a nice change of pace from what so often falls into the “thriller” genre these days.

Like Crazy

I wasn’t crazy for Like Crazy like a lot of people seem to be. Don’t get me wrong. I liked it. I just didn’t love it. Maybe it’s because I’m old(ish) and jaded and have always been more of a realist than a romantic, but this movie just didn’t resonate with me. Yes, the performances are excellent from both Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones, who won a best actress award at Sundance for her role. And the director, Drake Doremus, does a good job of conveying how all consuming first love can be with a lot of tight close-ups of the young couple’s adoring, besotted glances, and then of letting the relationship unfold at a languid pace as they try to figure out how to and whether they should stay together. Too bad I didn’t really care if they did or not.

The Muppets

It’s time to play the music. It’s time to light the lights… Oh, nostalgia take me away! I grew up with the Muppets and have fond memories of them. So when I heard there was a new Muppet movie coming out after all of these years I was excited to relive a little bit of my childhood. But I was also worried that it wouldn’t live up to my Muppet memories. Let’s face it, most things from our childhoods rarely do. But I am happy to report that The Muppets are just as fun now as they were back then.

Puss in Boots

Like a lot of people in the northeast, I got shut out of going to the movies Halloween weekend because of a freak October snowstorm. So what did I go to see this past weekend? Puss In Boots! That’s right, the cartoon cat seduced me, and I obviously wasn’t alone. Puss won the box office for the second week in a row even though Tower Heist was expected to take the top spot.

Martha Marcy May Marlene

You may not be able to remember the title, but you certainly won’t forget the movie. Martha Marcy May Marlene is one of those films that you find yourself still thinking about days later. It’s been getting a lot of buzz because of the performance by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s little sister, Elizabeth, and I have to say the buzz is not wrong. Her performance is outstanding.

Real Steel

Real Steel is essentially Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots (those of you of a certain age know what I’m talking about) with Hugh Jackman. And you know what? I’m okay with that. I can see why this movie is number one at the box office for the second week in a row. It’s a fun movie that’s got heart.

Killer Elite

We’re late to the party on Killer Elite. But it’s certainly not a chick flick and frankly, it will probably be out of theaters faster than Jason Statham could kick your a$$. From this chick’s perspective, Statham is one of the two things this movie has going for it. The other is Clive Owen. Beyond that, it’s pretty much a mess. Supposedly it’s based on a true story. Um, okay if they say so. What that story is, I’m not sure and I didn’t really care enough to Google it and find out.

Cars 2

Cars 2 has plenty of action and adventure. What it doesn’t have enough of is heart. Unlike the first Cars movie where we got to know all of the residents of Radiator Springs, this one is all about Mater. And while the wisecracking tow truck was great as a supporting character, he just doesn’t cut it as a lead car.