Movies

Johnny Depp is at it once again, this time as playwright Sir James Matthew Barrie. Finding Neverland is based upon actual events leading to the creation of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie.

If you have any ounce of imagination, I implore you to see this movie. If you have ever had a relationship in your life that you have considered special, one that has touched you in anyway, I feel it is in your best interest to see Finding Neverland. To say that I was moved by this movie would certainly be an understatement. But do not take my word for it, your Neverland is not my Neverland. Find out for yourself.

The bond formed between Depp and the four boys he meets in this film is truly magical. He teaches four children who are forced to grow up through a series of unfortunate events in their life that it is ok to be a kid. His message is simple, yet profound: all one needs to do is believe. To students of life, both young and old, that is an attainable lesson.

Be young at heart, hold on to your dreams, find your Neverland.

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I always have a relatively high level of anticipation for the new Dreamworks and Pixar movies. The Incredibles from Pixar was no exception.

This movie was good...when you consider the following: you will not fall out of your seat with laughter, you will not be blown away with plot line, you will not walk out of the theater thinking this was the best movie you've ever seen.

Was this a wake up call for movie goers? Are Pixar creations no longer synonymous with cute kids movies that'll make you giggle? The Incredibles had some cute moments, it had some humor, though not in the supply one might expect. There seemed to be no appeal for children in this movie aside from the fact that it was a) animated and b) about super heroes. There were more adult themes and language used in this movie.

In talking to a friend (Doug) the other night, he told me this movie "was no Nemo." I told him that I long for the day when that is no longer an estimate of enjoyment in a Pixar film. Can't a movie be good or bad in it's own right? Why do they all need to be compared to Finding Nemo? Will we see one that good again from Pixar?

The Incredibles was good in it's own right. I will not deny that fact. I enjoyed it, though I did not love it. And no, it was no Nemo.

Each Pixar film is prefaced with a short film. The highlight of my movie going experience today was Boundin', not The Incredibles.

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Directed by Mike Hodges, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead is a psychological crime-drama that features an all-star cast including Clive Owen, Charlotte Rampling, and Malcolm McDowell and asks the question: what is the price of vengeance?

Ex-gangster Will Graham (Owen) thought he had gained back his soul by leaving the hard-boiled life of the criminal underworld behind him and taking on the life of a drifter. When he learns that his younger brother is found dead of a gruesome suicide, Will comes back to town and discovers that his death was motivated by a shocking event involving a local car dealer with a violent habit.

To get vengeance against the man responsible, Will must deal with the unfinished business of his old life which includes a feud with the local crime boss and lingering feelings for an old flame.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead reunites Clive Owen with Director Mike Hodges. The two worked together on a film that I like a lot: Croupier. Both movies employ a narrative overlay from Owen that gives depth beyond the action.

This movie has the feel of many different genres, though never really settles into one category. All I can tell you is that if you like Clive Owen, independent movies, and/or intellectual thrillers you might want to make time for I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.

Buy I'll Sleep When I'm Dead $22.49

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Went to see I Heart Huckabees last night and encountered technical difficulties so we had to opt for a different movie. After some deliberation we decided upon Saw (Cary Elwes, Danny Glover).

Scary movies are very difficult to pull off, in my opinion. To make a truly scary movie it takes more than sudden cut scenes and loud sounds during quiet moments. A good scary movie is one where you can lose yourself in your imagination; one where you can become engulfed in the movie.

I can say that when I got home last night, I was looking over my shoulder. That is the main thing I look for in a scary movie.

When we left the theater last night after the movie and tried to talk about the movie, I was unable to say whether or not I would recommend Saw. It wasn't until this morning that I was able to realize that I would. If you are a fan of scary movies and do not mind a little blood and gore in a film, then I think you should check out Saw. I will say that there was one point towards the end when it appeared that they were basically just going to end the movie and I was furious. I had questions and had no answers. This was going to be the weakest ending to a movie I had ever experienced. Ultimately I did get my answers, so this crisis was narrowly averted.

My only hang up with the film is one brought up by the friend I saw the movie with last night. It truly is sick that someone was able to come up with a story like that. That may have been the scariest part of the movie.

(Also, the more and more I think about it, there seems to be a significant relation to the movie Seven, starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, and Kevin Spacey.)

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From the first preview I saw for The Polar Express I have been on the fence over whether or not I wanted to see it. Regardless of what I had decided, I saw it today.

There is not much to report about this movie. That is neither a good thing nor a bad thing, I feel. The message of the movie was very good. It was an important one: belief in the Christmas spirit is what counts most. And that belief can be expanded beyond the holidays. The main character, a young boy, is a subscriber to the "seeing is believing" philosophy. His voyage on the Polar Express is to attempt to show him that sometimes you do not need to see to believe.

So there is the message. I do not feel as though I am divulging confidential material reserved for the few who've seen the movie.

What I did not like is that I felt as though there was too much built into the story to kill time. I like the idea behind the movie, I like the message they were trying to get across, I just think they used too much filler to get from start to finish.

I enjoy Christmas movies. It's always nice to see one to get you first into the holiday spirit. I am now into the holiday spirit thanks to The Polar Express. It is a good movie. I recommend you check it out.

Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, The Barbarian Invasions is a provocative look at the many ties that bind a group of friends and lovers! It's not easy for a narrow-minded professor to reconcile with his equally stubborn son. But soon, father and son find themselves gathering with their wide and colorful circle of family and friends to confront their differences, confess their secrets and celebrate life! Winner of the Best Actress and Best Screenplay awards at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, this outstanding motion pictures has been hailed by critics everywhere as one of the year's best!

Since hearing about this film even prior to the Academy Awards, I have greatly anticipated seeing it. To no one's fault but my own, I let an incredible amount of time lapse before I finally got around to see The Barbarian Invasions.

Let me begin by telling you that whatever expectations you have going into this movie re: plot will be misleading. This is a very unique plot line that mixes a variety of stories with which we are familiar. The movie I would most equate it to is The Big Chill, though it didn't have nearly as good of a soundtrack.

This movie is truly an invasion on the comfort we take in blissful ignorance to many harsh realities of life with which we rarely come in contact. That complicated sentence could be explained in the following way: There are many tragedies in life that we do not deal with on a day to day basis. The Barbarian Invasions tells us not to forget that these situations arise.

An incredibly moving film that tugs hard at the strings we've hung in our hearts for family and friends. I challenge you to not take a moment and think of how lucky you are to have whomever is close in your life.

This was not the movie I had expected. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Regardless, The Barbarian Invasions was a very good movie. I gladly recommend it.

Buy The Barbarian Invasions $23.99
Buy The Big Chill $7.99
Buy The Big Chill Soundtrack $13.98

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The next big screen installment from Matt Stone and Trey Parker (those who bring you South Park) is Team America: World Police. This movie, acted entirely by marionette puppets, satires the current political system in the United States and offers somewhat of a perspective on how we are viewed by the rest of the world.

If you are going to see this movie, and I recommend that you do, please please please understand that it is all in fun. This is a comedy. These are jokes. Do not get offended. Also, understand that if you are going to take your child(ren) to this movie, be sure you check with your wife. There was a man, woman, and little girl (probably around 14) who got up and left the theater some 30 minutes into the movie.

That out of the way, this movie was hilarious. I do not want to ruin anything for those of you who have not seen the movie yet or take my site above a PG rating, so I'll not go into any great depth. I will however tell you that the plot is weak, the "action" is terrible and the writing was absolute comedy gold. I was not expecting to see the next Pianist, so I was not offended by the explicit language/actions in the movie.

I laughed. I laughed a lot. You will laugh, too.