Eat Pray Love (2010)

This film is based on the book written by Elizabeth Gilbert based on a trip that she took after her messy divorce in which she decided to spend a whole year traveling to three countries. Four months in Italy to eat and enjoy, four months in India trying to discover her spirituality and four months on Bali where she found love.

Liz (Julia Roberts) is unhappy in her marriage and is tired of pretending. She files for divorce from her husband Stephen (Billy Crudup) who does not take this lying down and makes things very hard for her. She eventually decides to just give him whatever he wants so that he will just go away. Soon after she is writing and article on Yoga vacations and goes to Bali where she meets a very old medicine man who says that she will lose all of her money (but make it back again) and that she will come back to Bali one day.

She soon embarks on her trip to Italy, India and Bali. In Italy she meets some fun people and puts on some pounds. In India she lives and works at an Ashram where she meets Richard from Texas (Richard Jenkins) who becomes her good friend and confidante. She moves on to Bali where she meets up with the medicine man again, makes some good friends and finds love with Felipe (Javier Bardiem) a Brazilian business owner.

I was not a huge fan of this movie. I had read the book and wasn't thrilled about that either. When I worked at the bookstore, people came in droves to buy this book which was on the bestseller list for 187 weeks. I finally read it but was one of the few people that weren't completely enamored of it. Sometimes another customer would come in and whisper that they didn't think it was great either, hilarious. I think when so many people think that something is great (ie "The Secret" secret what? Secret way to get you to spend your money needlessly) they feel like they have to say they like it too. I just found it kind of boring. I felt the same way about the movie. Julie Roberts looked wonderful as always and the bright spot here was Richard Jenkins who is awesome! The scenery in Italy and Bali was gorgeous.

133 minutes. Rated PG-13. I GIVE THIS MOVIE TWO AND A HALF STARS.

Inception (2010)

Inception is a very complex film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, an "extractor". Dom enters the dreams of others and extracts information from them that those that he works for could not otherwise obtain.

Dom is unable to return to the U.S. or his children as he ran after being accused of killing his wife. His wife Mal (Marion Cotillard) often shows up in his dreams, and those of the people whose dreams that he is in, and tries to get him to stay. The only way that he can return home is to do a job for a man called Saito (Ken Watanabe)that would require him to enter the dreams of the son of one of Saito's rivals and instead of extracting information, plant it. The victim, Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy) is the son of the Saito's newly deceased rival. Dom must implant the idea that Robert's father would want him to break apart his fathers company so that Saito would have the upper hand. In return, Saito would arrange for Dom to be able to return to the U.S. Does he accomplish is goal? I'll never tell!

I won't get into the how this feat is attempted, I will just say that it kept me interested. This is a complicated film that you must pay attention to understand. Don't nap, don't go to the bathroom, don't get that refill of super sized popcorn with extra fake butter. The photography is excellent and there is a fight scene that has Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character rolling around on the walls and ceilings. This film also includes Ellen Page as a "dream architect" and Michael Caine as Dom's father.

Overall I would say that this is a good movie, it made you concentrate. If you are looking for "summer fluff", this isn't it.

148 Minutes. Rated PG-13. I GIVE THIS MOVIE THREE AND THREE QUARTER STARS.

Salt (2010)

The film begins as Evelyn Salt (Jolie), a CIA agent, is being exchanged with another political prisoner. She is accompanied by her friend and colleague Ted Winter (Liev Schrieber). The reason that she ended up in prison is never explained.

Back at the office, Salt is brought in to interrogate a Russian spy named Orlov (Daniel Olbrycski) that wants to defect. While talking to him, he says that a Russian spy named Evelyn Salt is to assassinate the Russian president when he arrives to attend the funeral of the vice-president of the United States. Salt of course denies this and, worried about her husband, tries to call him without success. When She tries to leave, she is barred by her employer and escapes the facility as does Orlov. Now the CIA really believes that Salt is indeed a Russian sleeper spy. Salt runs home to find that her husband is missing and it looks like he was taken against his will and fast. Salt goes to New York City and infiltrates the Cathedral, shoots the Russian president, and gets away.

We see flashbacks to when she was a child in Russia and Orlov teaching the children to obey him and how to infiltrate the American government and respond on "Day X" when he would command them to do his bidding. After shooting the president, Salt goes to Orlov's boat where her husband is killed in front of her. She acts as though it doesn't matter as the marriage would have been part of her cover. Orlov, now convinced of her loyalty, tells Salt that the second part of Day X is to take the U.S. stock of Nuclear weapons. Salt then kills all aboard the ship and goes to meat up with a mole in the government that Orlov told her about.

The mole and Salt (in disguise as a man) get inside the White House. The mole sets off a bomb and the president is rushed to a bunker where he is convinced by Ted Winter that the Russians are preparing a nuclear strike. The President begins to transmit the codes into the computer right before Winter shoots everyone except the President who he knocks out cold. Winter explains to Salt that this was Orlov's plan all along and tries to start the sequence for launching missiles at the Middle East.

This movie wasn't bad. It definitely had a lot of action, albeit action that there is no way that a woman who weighs 95 pounds soaking wet could ever accomplish in real life. However, this is the movies and I have to keep that in mind. Her arms are so skinny it doesn't look like they could even hold up a gun. There are several twists which always keeps it interesting. they also left it wide open for a sequel... what a surprise! Overall I liked "Wanted" better although I hate a movie where Morgan Freeman plays a bad guy.

Rated PG-13. 99 Minutes. I GIVE THIS MOVIE THREE STARS OUT OF FIVE.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

This film is adapted from the book of the same name written by children's author Ronald Dahl. He is also the author of another famous book, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

This animated film (stop motion) begins as Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney), a newspaper columnist, has decided that he is going to start chasing chickens again. He had promised his wife (voiced by Meryl Streep) a long time ago that he would not do that any more. The three farmers that he steals from decide to band together and get rid of him once and for all. They try to kill him, but only succeed in shooting his tail off. They then decide to dig him out which forces his family to dig further into the ground.

After a few days of no food, he decides to tunnel into one of the farmers homes and steals more chickens among other things. Mr. Fox runs into other animals that are suffering from starvation because of the farmers digging. Mr. Fox feels bad and they decide to make a city underground where they will be safe.

Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Willem Dafoe also voice characters in this movie.
While the movie is mostly aimed at adults, kids would like it also.

87 Minutes. Rated PG. I GIVE THIS FILM THREE AND ONE HALF STARS.

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell (2009)

This film, very loosely based on the book of the same name by Tucker Max, is pretty bad.

I had read the book several years ago and despite the sophomoric and fraternal debauchery, I found myself laughing. This book is not for the faint of heart. Tucker Max is a complete, self described, jerk. He uses women (although it seemed that quite often they were using him as well) and treats them pretty bad. It is full of drinking, insults and his sexual exploits. I would not recommend this book for 98% of the population...the guys at work, maybe. In the book, Tucker catalogs most of his "adventures" with the dates that they occurred and when they were recorded. The film seems to center on one event.

Tucker (Matt Czuchry) decides to take his friend Dan (Geoff Stults) away for his pre-wedding get together. Their friend Drew (Jesse Bradford), a woman hater whose girlfriend recently left him for a rapper, goes along for the ride. Tucker lies to Dan's fiance about where they are going (a strip club, original). The usual strip club stuff occurs with a few other things thrown in. Dan gets so mad after certain events happen that he uninvites Tucker from his wedding and Tucker must redeem himself.

The real Tucker Max was actually going to be a lawyer when he discovered his talent for writing. He actually worked at one of the firms in Palo Alto for part of a summer before being fired (of course) because of his behavior. I had read that when asked why he didn't play himself in the movie that he stated that the "movie would have sucked if he had played himself". Sorry Tucker, it still sucked!

You might know Matt Czuchry from the T.V. show "Gilmore Girls" as Rory's boyfriend Logan.

105 Minutes. Rated R. I give this "film" ONE AND ONE HALF STARS.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

The toys are back. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Mr. and Mrs. Potato head, Barbie and Rex are joined by their friends for some new adventures.

Andy is getting ready to leave for college and the toys are afraid of what will happen to them. Afraid that they may be thrown away, they sneak into a box of toys that Andy's Mom is taking to the Sunnyside Day Car Center for donation. The toys are excited because they are looking forward to being played with again.

When the toys get to Sunnyside, they are welcomed by the toys that live at the Center. The existing toys are led by a pink bear named "Lots-O-Huggin Bear". Other prominent toys include the fashionable Ken doll who refuses to acknowledge that he is a girl's toy and a very creepy doll called "Big Baby". The new toys are sent to the "Caterpillar" room where they are abused by the very young children. The toys can see through the window that the "Butterfly" room toys are treated much better by the older children and send Buzz to the other room to request a transfer.

Buzz is captured and turned into his old serious ranger self by the Sunnyside toys and turns against his friends. Woody decides that he has to escape and hides in a little girl's (Bonnie) backpack and goes home with her. He finds out from her other toys the real story about the Sunnyside toys, especially Lotso.

Woody goes back to the day care center to try and help his friends leave, but find that Lotso basically runs a prison like atmosphere and that leaving will be tough as they have a really scary cymbal monkey that watches their every move on camera. The toys manage to corral Buzz and try to turn him back to his old self and instead push his language button which makes him speak Spanish. The toys almost get out of the center when they are caught by Lotso. Lotso and Woody end up in a dumpster and the toys must follow them to save Woody. All works out in the end.

The toys find their way back to Andy's house and Woody writes a note to Andy suggesting that he give his toys to Bonnie.

The voices of the characters are still the same, including Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and John Ratzenberger as Hammy. Michael Keaton is also in this installment as Ken.

This movie was great! I even paid full price to see it which I never do. I would definitely recommend this movie to everyone, even Brian liked it. Pixar also included one of their movie shorts just before the start of the movie. Beware, I got choked up in a couple of parts, but not in a bad way.

109 Minutes. Rated G. I give this movie FOUR AND ONE HALF STARS.

The A-Team (2010)

This film is a remake of the original t.v. show starring George Peppard as "Hannibal" , Dirk Benedict as "Face" and Mr. T as B.A. (Bad Attitude) Baracus.

Colonel Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson) and "Faceman" aka "Face" Peck are in Mexico and are finding themselves in trouble with a very corrupt General. He manages to free himself and along with B.A (Quinton "Rampage" Jackson) whom he meets on a road in the middle of nowhere, manages to rescue Face who has gotten himself into trouble by sleeping with the wife of of said corrupt General. They get out of their situation and find themselves at a hospital and needing to find a way out. Enter their pilot, H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Sharlto Copley), a certifiable nut case that they find kept as a patient at the hospital.

They get themselves back to the states and proceed complete many missions for the government over the next few years. They are approached while in Iraq by an agent that wants them to recover some money plates that are going to be used to manufacture counterfeit currency. Their superior officer General Morrison (Gerald McRaney) advises against this covert operation, but they do it anyway. They find that they have competition in this quest by a security company called "Black Forest" which is a Blackwater type of operation led by Brock Pike (Brian Bloom). The members of the A-Team are framed and are given a military trial where they are given dishonorable discharges and sent to prison.

They break out of their separate prisons so that they can redeem themselves and prove their innocence.

This is your typical action flick. It had funny parts, action and a lot of things being blown up. It was pretty good as long as your expectations weren't too high. Pure entertainment value. Jessica Biel's character wasn't even needed here and was obviously just to have a good looking girl in the film.

The characters were basically the same as the t.v. show down to the fact that B.A. is afraid to fly. I pity the fool!!! Hannibal still loves it "when a plan comes together". If you were a big A-Team fan, stick around after the credits (the most credits that I have ever seen) for some cute footage that includes cameo's from the original Face and Murdock.

117 Minutes. Rated PG-13. I give this film THREE STARS.