G.I. Joe
The latest ‘big budget’ movie from director Stephen Sommers, the creator of ‘The Mummy’ (1999), is a whole load of nonsense. But, it’s great nonsense! A group of American soldiers, including Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, and, briefly, Brendan Fraser, form an elite unit to combat International Terrorism. Set slightly into the future, in their debut in this movie, the G.I. Joes are to curtail the activities of an Evil Scottish Arms Dealer, who has World Domination in mind. The special effects, and futuristic weaponry, are amazing. I tell you, if I was an Evil Scottish Arms Dealer, with World Domination in mind, I would think twice before taking on the G.I. Joes!
FAQ About Time Travel
A trio of English lads, played by Chris O’Dowd, Marc Wootton and Dean Lennox Kelly, are spending a pleasant evening in their local pub, but, when they go to the Men’s Room, they inadvertently step into a time vortex. There, they meet the luscious Anna Faris, a girl from the future, whose job it is to fix up ‘time leaks’, and to keep an eye out for ‘time editors’, people from the future who enjoy playing around with the past. This unusual comedy is lots of fun, as it plays with your concepts of time, and, although it doesn’t really answer any ‘Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel’, it sure does bring up lots of interesting queries about Parallel Universes!
My One and Only
Renee Zellweger stars in this entertaining ‘family’ comedy. When Renee discovers that her bandleader husband is having an affair with the singer, she grabs her two teenage sons and starts out on an extended road trip from New York to Los Angeles. Being the 1950s, Renee is of the opinion that a woman can only achieve security in marriage, and her road trip turns into an exhaustive search for a new husband. However, what is really annoying about the movie is that all of the male characters in it refer to Renee as “the most beautiful woman they have ever seen”. This is simply not true! Renee is overweight, puffy, and pouty throughout the whole show, and, she is specifically dressed and groomed to evoke a middle-aged Lana Turner. Come to think about it, a middle-aged Lana Turner would have been good in the movie, if the script had been available for her back in the 1950s or 60s.
American Violet
Based on a real life story, and set against the American Presidential Elections of 2000, this powerful movie investigates another form of electoral miss-registration and vote tampering. In the Texas city of Melody, the local DA raids the ‘black’ projects, and falsely arrests a number of African-Americans for drug trafficking. Offered a plea bargain of a suspended sentence, or 25 years in jail, most wisely accept the deal. However, now as convicted felons, they are no longer able to receive Social Security or vote in the upcoming elections. A brave woman decides to fight the status quo, and sets about suing the District Attorney for racial discrimination. The movie is convincingly directed by Tim Disney, and brilliantly acted by Nicole Beharie, Will Patton and Alfre Woodard.
G-Force
I have no idea what the cute rodents in this charming Walt Disney movie are actually. I don’t know if they are computer-animations, animal-robotics, or a combination of both. But, what ever they are, they are absolutely adorable! These electronically altered, and specially trained Guinea Pigs, undertake delicate and sensitive missions for a Top Secret American government agency. More mature members of the audience will enjoy the wacky espionage story, while the kiddies will go totally bonkers over the Pigs!
My Sister’s Keeper
When a very young girl is diagnosed with leukemia, her parents, in collusion with their doctor, genetically engineer another baby who can provide her sister with all the blood transfusions, bone marrow, and replacement organs which the older sister will need to stay alive. Almost from her birth, the younger sibling is put through one harrowing medical procedure after another, until, at the age of eleven, she decides to sue her parents for medical emancipation and the rights to her own body. This is a very interesting premise, for the movie, however, that is all it remains. A premise. The movie becomes so bogged down with unbearable cloying sentimentality that it becomes almost impossible to watch. Cameron Diaz elicits no sympathy whatsoever as the obsessive mother, determined to place the interests of her older daughter over those of the rest of her family.
The Ugly Truth
In this so called ‘comedy’, Katherine Heigl plays a producer of a TV Current Affairs chat show. When she is forced to place a popular and blatant Male Chauvinist Pig onto her line up of onscreen personalities, she is confronted by sexual discrimination for the very first time. Hard to believe. Anyway, Katherine decides to become liberated herself. Her form of emancipation takes the form of matching her foul mouthed Chauvinist reporter word for word, with equally vulgar and profane ‘four letter words’ language. Eventually, it becomes extremely embarrassing to watch an actress with so much beauty and talent, perform in such a demeaning and humiliating role.
Every Little Step
If a documentary about the audition processes of a revival of the successful Broadway show ‘A Chorus Line’ is your sort of thing, then just go for it!
