Salt (2010)

"Salt" is an action film about a CIA operative (Angelina Jolie) who is accused of being a Russian spy.  The movie is full of stunts, car chases, and action.  There are many twists and turns throughout the movie that keep you guessing about Jolie's real side.  Liev Schrieber also appears in this film as a fellow CIA agent.  Some parts of the film were better executed than others.  The story was interesting, but it lost track several times.  I would recommend it as a fun film if you like spy thrillers or action films.  The violence was not very graphic, which was to my liking.  I give the film 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Cyrus (2010)

I was really looking forward to finally watching "Cyrus."  I remember it being touted as one of the funniest films of the year and reading about all the critical acclaim.  I was a little let down when I watched this movie.  John C. Reilly plays a divorced man who is a little too attached to his ex-wife.  He meets Marisa Tomei, a single mother who is a little too attached to her twenty-something son.  The two hit it off and start a romance, but Cyrus, the spoiled and strange son gets in the way.  He sabotages the relationship from day one.  There were some funny moments, but most of the time, I just found Cyrus creepy.  I love Marisa Tomei, but she isn't in too many great films.  Because of the let-down and the more creepy than funny feel of this film, I have to give it only 3 out of 5 stars.

Invictus (2009)

How can you go wrong in a film where Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela?  Clint Eastwood's "Invictus" is based on the true story about the rugby team of South Africa in the time when Mandela first came into power.  Even though the premise of the film seems to be centered around sports, there are not too many sports scenes in the film.  The story really centers around how Mandela reached out to the head of South Africa's rugby team (played by Matt Damon) to unite the country during a time when there was still much racism.  It's an emotional story that makes you feel good.

I feel like this movie can be watched by men and women alike.  You'll feel uplifted after watching this film.  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Big Trouble (2002)

I remember watching "Big Trouble" in college and got to rewatch it again recently.  I forgot just how funny this movie was!  It is based on Dave Barry's novel and has a well-known cast including Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Johnny Knoxville, Janeane Garofalo, Zooey Deschanel, Omar Epps, Jason Lee, and Sofia Vergara.  The whole movie is based on a mishap involving a water gun and teenagers at the home of a crooked businessman in Miami.  While the teen is there to soak the daughter, a real hitman is there to kill the crooked businessman.  The inept cops get involved in the situation, and there are funny moments throughout the movie, including a scene where goats end up on the freeway.  This film gets 4 out of 5 stars.  You will definitely laugh if you like Dave Barry's humor.

 

Chaos Theory (2007)

"Chaos Theory" is a lesser-known film starring Ryan Reynolds.  Reynolds plays a professional speaker who lectures on time management.  His wife set the alarm clock back one day and he missed the ferry to get to his lecture on time.  Everything that followed as a result of his being late to his lecture on time management led to total chaos in his life.  Some things that ensure are a bar fight, mistaken paternity, and second-guessing the way he lives his life.  The film was so refreshing, had many interesting moments, and had a great ending.  Overall, I loved this film and saw a different side of Reynolds.  This film gets 4 out of 5 stars.  I highly recommend watching this film.  It is a feel-good movie.

Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler star in the psychological thriller "Law Abiding Citizen."  In this film, Butler plays a man whose wife and daughter were taken from him, and Foxx plays the lawyer who made a deal with the murderer.  After the murderer is released after only a few years in prison, Butler takes matters into his own hands.  He uses his extensive experience with inventions and his new knowledge of law to take Foxx on a ride while he seeks his revenge against the justice system.

The film was intelligent and always kept you guessing.  However, some of the violence in the film was too much for my taste and I had to look away at times.  Had the graphic violence been toned down, I would have rated this film better.  It gets 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Bella (2006)

"Bella" is an international film that has an interesting story.  It takes a while for all the pieces of the story to come together, and some questions never get answered by the end of the film.  The story is about a former professional soccer player who quit his career and ended up working as a chef in his brother's kitchen.  When his brother fires a pregnant waitress, the chef takes off and accompanies her around the city for the day.  I wouldn't want to give away too much of the story because that is really the interesting part of the film.

The film would have scored higher in my book if the relationship between the two main characters was developed more.  It did have an uplifting ending, but some portions of the film dragged or seemed unnecessary.  It gets 3 out of 5 stars.

Going the Distance (2010)

"Going the Distance" is another film that had so much potential, but essentially fell flat.  It's a film about a long distance romance, and while there were several funny moments, most of it was dull.  Drew Barrymore and Justin Long spent way too much time in the film making out and sitting around various locations in New York City.  I also felt that Long's character was selfish in demanding that his partner relocate while not spending much time considering the opposite.  Christina Applegate played Barrymore's sister and Jim Gaffigan played her brother-in-law.  They definitely were the comedic relief in the film and deserved much more of the spotlight.

Again, I'd pass on this film in the future.  I'd recommend Barrymore and Long in "He's Just Not That Into You" instead.  This gets 2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

  

Little Fockers (2010)

When Ben Stiller first sparred with Robert De Niro in "Meet the Parents" it was an instant comedy classic.  However, the next two films, "Meet the Fockers" and "Little Fockers" just weren't as good.  In "Little Fockers," Jack comes to town to visit Greg's family which includes a son and a daughter.  The usual tension is there which provides some laughs, but not too many.  Jessica Alba made a random appearance in this film as a young drug rep who gets Greg to promote a male enhancement pill.  Barbra Streisand was funny as a televised sex therapist and Greg's mom.

Overall, I recommend sticking with the original if you're looking for a good comedy.  This one fell flat and gets 2 ½ out of 5 stars.

The Good Guy (2009)

"The Good Guy" was a real disappointment.  I would almost go so far as to say that I did not enjoy most of the film.  It's one of those films that starts with the last scene as the beginning of the movie.  There were a couple twists and turns, but overall I felt unfulfilled by the movie.  It follows a couple's romance in New York City, and then all sorts of lies appear and other potential suitors come into the mix.  I wouldn't recommend watching this film.  Alexis Bledel needs to find better films in the future.  It gets 2 ½ stars out of 5.

City Lights (1931)

Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" was a silent film released after the introduction of sound to movies.  This classic has a beautiful musical score, which I got to hear live at the symphony.  This is rated as one of the top films of all time by the American Film Institute (AFI).  The movie is a romantic comedy, but it has so many funny moments in it.  I laughed out loud many times while watching this film even though a word was never spoken.

In this film, Chaplin plays the usual tramp who falls in love with a blind girl.  The blind girl thinks he is wealthy, which is in part due to his unusual friendship with a millionaire.  The drunken escapades of Chaplin and the millionaire in the film are hilarious.  The opening scene was one of my favorite scenes in the film, and the choreography during some of the scenes was outstanding.

I highly recommend taking the time to watch this movie.  Yes, it is in black and white, and it is a silent film, but the story is funnier than most of the best comedies produced today.  It gets 4 ½ out of 5 stars.