I just got done watching the G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra DVD last night. And, it was really quite good!

With the way that everyone kind of put down this movie when it came out, I was a little hesitant to watch it. Even I to caught up in the critical aspect of the movie after watching one of the movie trailers. So, I wasn’t ready to really enjoy G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Is Fun And Full Of Unorganized Chaos

From the beginning of the movie, I started to realize that this was going to be a lot of fun watching. It was chaotic, but it was unorganized chaos. Not the orchestral action that is seen in a lot of different, big-budget, Hollywood blockbusters. And it worked.

Tasked with the job of keeping track of some warheads with nano technology build into them, the Joe’s are assaulted, beat up, and bettered in several instances. But, like all “the good guys win” movies, the Joe’s come victorious by the skin of their teeth.

However, the great part of the movie is how they got there.

Not Great Acting – But, Very Good Action Sequences

The strength of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobrais definitely not found in the acting. While I will say that some of it was alright, it wasn’t stellar. At points, it was a little dry and without any kind of feeling or passion. But, even that didn’t have enough to keep the movie from being good.

Action carries action movies. It has to. The only reason that most people go to movies like G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is for the action. This is good because Channing Tatum, who plays Duke, was rather dull. I was also hoping for more from Dennis Quaid as General Hawk, but is just was not to be. The only real bright spot, as far as the acting is concerned, is in the from of the faceless Snake Eyes. His enigmatic presence, and awesome fight scenes, actually made the movie. The rest of the cast, Marlan Wayons, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Ray Park, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje were good enough to make their characters fun to watch.

What About The Super Suits?

While I am not going to spoil this for you, I would be remiss not to mention the suits that we see in the trailer. The ones that make you run faster, jump hither, withstand hard hits, and give you more strength. Again, without giving anything away, I will just say this. Do not expect much. Did that just give it away? If so, then I apologize if that was the only reason you wanted to see G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

A Few Twists

One of the cool things that I did really like about G.I. Joe was that it had a few things that I didn’t expect. There are a few twists to the movie that actually were pretty cool and did set things up for another G.I. Joe movie. That might not be the horrible idea it was first thought to be.

Well Worth Watching

In the end, the only thing that matter is whether or not G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobrais worth watching.

It is.

If you want to have a good time watching a movie, see some cool effects, and even some great martial arts fighting scenes – the Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow scenes are well worth watching the movie – then you are going to enjoy G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Movie Trailer

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Movie Clip – Super Suits in Action

In a movie world that is full of comedic actors that make their living with raunchy exploits, and relying on vintage music and one liners, Jack Black stands quite near the top. In his latest DVD release, Year One, Black gives us a raunchy romp through the first year of the Earth. Using Biblical characters like Cain and Abel, as well as places such as Soddom and the Garden of Eden, Year One can get a few chuckles out of you.

Every since I first saw Jack Black in The Cable Guy as ‘Rick’, I knew that this was someone that I would have to watch. Lending his comedic funnyman antics to several more movies over the year, I was pretty excited to watch a movie where he could once again take the lead. I loved Shallow Hal and School of Rock. They showed what Black can do when he is at his best. Some of the others like Nacho Libre and Tropic Thunder showed him at his worst. One thing is certain. When you do see a Jack Black movie you will get a little chuckle, even when you don’t want to. Year One is one of those movies. I found myself watching it and laughing to myself, quite a few times, at some of the rude antics that Zed (Black) and Oh (Michael Cera) develop through the movie.

What I Liked About Year One

First of all it was funny. When a movie it being promoted as being a funny comedy, I want to laugh. Year One delivers in this department. There are several instances when the lines, the action, and both combined delivered either a light chuckle or out loud laugh.

I also liked the flow of the movie. For me, this is an important part of any movie. It must flow and keep the action moving. For a comedy, and a Harold Ramis film, it isn’t choppy or dead in a lot of spots. It just smoothly moves along to the next scene or antic.

The performances of some of the actors was also very good. For those who really like Jack Black, this is vintage Black. This is probably the best we’ve seen him in a long time. I appreciated that. I didn’t want to be let down again. He came back down to earth and gave a great performance. Oliver Platt also did a great job as the High Priest (or Priestess if you so prefer). Also included in this list should be Olivia Wilde (House), and even David Cross as Cain.

What I Didn’t Like

While there were some great performances in this movie, I have to say that there were those that were equally bad. I must say, at the front of this, that I am not a Mike Cera fan. He just doesn’t do a lot for anything I’ve seen him in. His characters are always dull and I just want to reach into the screen and smash him with a sledgehammer. So, you can guess where I am going with this in regards to him playing Oh in Year One. It was sadly phathetic.

They also had to stick in a small appearance by Paul Rudd. Any movie that needs to do this is acting desperate in my opinion to try and stick in cameos. Not being a big fan of his in anyway, it kind of ruined it for me. Although seeing him get bashed with a rock made it a little better.

Year One Movie Trailer

Year One Is Great For A Few Laughs

For the most part, the movie is pretty good. It is a typical Jack Black comedy so do not expect a whole lot in the way of storyline, plot, or dramatic moments. You are going to get adult type comedy coupled with overt sexuality. However, the bottom line of Year One is that you will laugh.

Year One Movie Clip

There has been a lot of different opinions about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I think most of the strong opinions is a mixture the high profile of the movie and people just wanting to stir up emotions. I don’t have a problem with it either. As I mentioned in a previous post about Transformers reviews I really don’t care about the plethora of reviews.

When I first saw the Transformers movie I was not all that excited to see it. I was not a Transformer fan and never read the comics, watched the TV shows, or even collected the die cast cars. I just wasn’t into it. So, when the first movie came out I was not that excited to see it. I didn’t get caught up in the hype. After I saw it, however, I was completely blown away. Not by the Transformers themselves (although Bumble Bee is freakin awesome!), but by the movie itself.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen – The Most Anticipated Movie Ever

At least for me anyway. I can’t remember waiting so excitedly, and anxiously, about a movie. I don’t remember anticipating any of the Star Wars sequels, Friday the 13th movies, or even Terminator movies as much as I did this new Transformers movie.

Because of the way that people would write about it, seek information about it, watch the trailers for it, and contemplate on it, I knew that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was incredibly anticipated. Which is one of the reasons so many different opinions about the movie came out.

What I Liked About It

Getting into my review I will this; no matter what anyone else says, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is BY FAR my favorite movie ever made. Saying that, I will say that there were some things that could have been left out and it wouldn’t have taken away from the overall movie.

But, this is about the things I did like.

The overall movie, when taken as a whole, was simply amazing. I could go on an on with superlatives and adjectives galore. But, the bottom line is that it was amazing. I do think that no matter what people say, you can not get away from the sheer magnitude of the scope of the movie. I remember sitting in the movie theater the first time I saw it and the time flew by. I literally couldn’t believe this movie was over 2 hours in length. It flew by!

I loved the reality of the movie. What I mean by that is nothing looked fake. The robots were lifelike, and the action scenes were so well done you thought it was actual footage. When my wife says that she liked an action movie with robots that transform from cars, that is saying something. The biggest reasons was because it was so real.

The humor was funny. A lot of action movies have a lot of corny lines that try too hard to be funny too. As great as Terminator was, it had some awkward scenes that tried to be funny. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has a lot of genuinely funny scenes. And contrary to opinions, it doesn’t take away from the movie. For example, there is a part in the movie where the kitchen appliances are transformed and attack Sam and his family.

Transformers 2 – When Appliances Attack!

Throughout the movie there are these little clips, little anecdotes, smart alec replies, and situations that are just hilarious. Again, even my wife had fits of laughter.

I loved the action! The only reason to watch a movie like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is for the action. The robots, fight scenes, explosions, car chases, and all the other chaotic situations make the Transformers movie what they are. Amazing experiences of action sequences. The action in this one far surpasses the first. It was non stop. You don’t have a chance to breathe or even get up to use the bathroom.

And, for the last bit that I loved about the movie is that I thought the acting was rather great for an action movie. Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, and newcomer Ramon Rodriguez were simply great in their roles. Each had a different type of part to play in the film, and I feel they acted the roles out perfectly.

My favorite in the film is John Turturro who plays Agent Simmons. His character is pure gold. However, Leo Spitz (played by Rodriguez) was a great fresh face that added a lot to the movie.

What I Did Not Like

While this movie is my all time favorite, there was some things that I wish made the cutting room floor. When I went to watch the movie for the first time at the movie theater I took my nine year old son with me. Halfway through I had wished I hadn’t.

The sexuality in this movie was much higher than the first. It felt like they were trying to make Megan Fox the reason to see it. The increased use of foul language was not something that I was happy for. Not that there were any F-Bombs, but there was just some things I don’t want my nine year old to hear.

Other than that, I am very happy with the movie.

Stupid Complaints

To me, a lot of the complaints of the movie were just a little stupid. One complaint that I heard from a lot of people was that they wanted to see more Autobots. Well, in a movie that is labeled as the Revenge of the Fallen, it would seem there would be a lot more Decepticons than Autobots. But, at least that is what I thought.

Another weird complaint was that the fight scenes were too chaotic and over the top. What?!!! It’s a Michael Bay film. It’s going to be over the top. That’s the reason so many people rejoiced that he signed on for it. Dude, I would have been severely disappointed if there wasn’t as much action associated with this movie.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Is On DVD

If you haven’t seen it yet, you need to get this DVD. It’s funny that my teen daughter and I actually argued about who was going to buy it first; me or her. I won.

For me, this movie is an epic experience. It is the standard that I now judge other movies by. I can’t help it. Now, when I see a movie that I have been waiting for, I compare it to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone. Although you might want to use some parental guidance when you have young children.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Trailer

Transformers 2 Movie Clip “Shanghai”

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There are incredible horror movies that scare the crap out of you and then there are those that will bore you. In the middle of that spectrum are the ones that can cause seconds of jumpiness, while still dragging along. Drag Me To Hell is one of those movies. What made it worse is that I was really looking forward to this movie.

Sam Raimi’s attempt at horror again was not something that I was expecting. I was really expecting Drag Me To Hell to be, well… a lot more.

A lot more scarier. A lot more sick. A lot more something.

What Is Drag Me To Hell?

Without giving away any spoiler or how things turned out, Drag Me To Hell is the story of Christine Brown, who is played by Alison Lohman. Christine is a banker who works in the mortgage department and really, really wants to get a promotion to assistant manager of the branch she is in. In fact, she wants it so badly that she does not help some nasty looking old lady with her foreclosure problem. After that, things just sort of go pretty bad for Christine. Her boyfriend, played by Justin Long, is starting to think his girlfriend is starting to go a little crazy. She starts to see things, hear things, and pretty much be put through hell.

That I Did Like About Drag Me To Hell

From the time that I first heard about this movie, I couldn’t wait to see it. I loved the entire concept of it. The thought of some demon pulling people through the crust of the earth kicking and screaming sounded like a great scare.

I am also alright with how the actors played their parts. Even Justin Long, who had the annoying boyfriend part (a part that he is very good at), was not completely horrid. But, after that it pretty much wasn’t what I was expecting.

What I Didn’t Like

If I were to make a list, I would be writing for hours. But, here are a few of the main points.

It was slow. I don’t mind a story that takes a few minutes to get going as long as it is setting up some background, highlighting some important pieces, or have gratuitous action. But, this movie just took forever to get going.

It did not live up to the hype. I think that if I wasn’t expecting to see this movie so much I would have been a little happier with the outcome. It just didn’t live up to the hypes surrounding it.

It was too fake. A lot of the effects were just too lame. It wasn’t realistic at all. Yes, I know it is a movie, but even when you can make robots look lifelike, then I think you should be able to do the same thing with blood. It just didn’t.

Watch It, But Make Sure You Have Nothing Else To Do

If you start watching Drag Me To Hell and you have some things that you need to get done (even if you have months to do them) you’ll start thinking about it and probably turn it off to go do them. However, if you want to watch it, I would say go ahead. It is not a total waste of time, but you will not be left satisfied.

The biggest day of the year is quickly approaching us!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallenis coming out on DVD on Oct. 20th! I know I’ve already pre-ordered mine so that I will not be waiting in any lines. In fact, I will probably have it in my hands on the 20th without even leaving my house.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

You might notice that I never did a review of the movie when I saw it back at the beginning of the summer. There was a reason for that… I was speechless. In the scope of movies, there has never been anything that has riveted me to the screen like this movie. Nothing! Never!

I literally sat in my theater seat and never moved from the start to finish. Yes, I understand all the critics that said they didn’t like it. I even understand why diehard fans didn’t like some parts of the movie. There were parts of the movie I could have done with out too, but… this movie is simply the best movie I have ever seen. And now it is coming to Blu Ray and DVD.

Have you pre-ordered yours? Or are you waiting?

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Trailer

If you are looking for a great comedy that will leave you laughing and going over timeless quotes, then look elsewhere. I Love You, Man is not one of those movies.

Director John Hamburg’s romantic comedy, I Love You, Man is not the hilarious romp that the TV spots alluded to. Sure, it is punctuated with some moments of slight chuckles, there isn’t really any laugh out loud moments that truly make a movie memorable.

I Love You, Man is the prolonged story of a man who doesn’t have any male friends. Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is getting married to the woman of his dreams, Zooey (Rashida Jones). During a rather awkward dinner with his parents he realizes that he does not have any male friends he can have as a Best Man. Thus, the search for a man begins. As Peter goes out on several man dates to find his soul mate in friends, he has several bad dates all leading to a chance encounter with Sydney Fife (Jason Segel).

At the beginning I thought this could turn into a rather funner plot, but it just gets more awkward as the movie progresses. As Peter continues to get closer to Sydney than his fiancee the movie begins to just fall apart.

I Love You, Man Is A Little Too Weird

Maybe it is just me, but I was getting a little weirded out by the continued allusions to Peter “cheating” on his fiancee with his new best friend. Or the fact that the story line kept trying to compare a friendship with a boy/girl relationship. I don’t think it added any kind of humor to the story. In fact, it took away from it.

There could have been many different areas where the scenes could have been incredibly funny, but they just fell flat. It just felt a little too weird.

Paul Rudd is an alright comedy actor, but I felt he did a much better job in Role Models. Maybe is was the chemistry between him and Sean William Scott, or because it was just a little bit funner. The only high point to the entire flick was Jon Favreau who played the incredibly mean spirited Barry who is married to one of Zooey’s friends played by Jamie Pressly. He added a great flavor and should have been focused on more instead of the whole Sydney Fife deal.

I Love You, Man Movie Trailer

I Love You, Man, while definitely not a top recommendation is something that Paul Rudd fans might enjoy. If you have nothing else to do, then you can catch it online or DVD“>pick up the DVD.

Over the weekend I got a chance to catch Journey To The Center Of The Earth, with Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, and Anita Briem on DVD. I wasn’t really expecting much because of the bad reviews I had seen of the movie. But, I really enjoyed the Mummy series of movies and was hoping that Journey To The Center Of The Earth would be similar.

I was right.

Journey to the Center of the Earth is a fun and entertaining movie. I sat down with my family for our weekly movie time and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Journey To The Center Of The Earth is one of those movies that became an instant favorite for our family about half way through. We enjoyed several episodes of out loud laughing and even a few times where we had to stop, rewind, and re-view the scene again. The kids have watched it at least four times since Sunday.

My expectations of the movie were completely wrong. I was expecting a flop and got an enjoyable experience. Even what I perceived was going to be the plot of the film was wrong. I was expecting another remake of the original 1959 classic. I believe this is what threw a lot of the people who said they didn’t like the movie. They thought the same thing. However, the movie turned out to be an entirely different plot. Yes, it was a journey to the center of the earth. But, it was not a remake, nor did it try to follow the book. In fact, the book is referenced to within the movie!

This version of Journey to the Center of the Earth is about a professor, Dr. Trevor Anderson (Fraser) who goes on a journey with his nephew, Sean, (Hutcherson) to Iceland in order to get some clues about the disappearance of Sean’s father, Max Anderson. So, right off the bat it’s not suppose to be like the original or be a remake. It’s suppose to be a movie that stands on it’s own merits.

Once at Iceland, they meet up with their mountain guide, Hannah (Briem). These three then set off to get some data from a data collector on a mountain only to find themselves trapped in some caves that lead them on a journey much longer than they expected.

If you are fan of the Indian Jones, The Mummy, or even National Treasure movies then you’re going to like Journey To The Center Of The Earth. It’s a fun-filled action movie that has some pretty funny jokes and lines spread throughout family friendly action.

The action, once trapped within the caves, was pretty cool. The effects were pretty good and mostly real looking. There were a few little things, but overall pretty nicely done.

The acting was better than good. While Fraser didn’t put in a performance on par with his Mummy character, he still does pretty good with this role. I feel this is the perfect role for him, although he isn’t really that intimidating to make a true action star. Josh Hutcherson also does a good job as Fraser’s on screen nephew.

Journey To The Center Of The Earth isn’t suppose to be a major movie production with stellar special effects. It is suppose to be a great family movie that delivers great entertainment, humorous scenes, and a little suspense. It does that just fine.

My family and I really enjoyed this one. If you’re looking or a good movie to watch with you family, then I do recommend Journey to the Center of the Earth.

It’s that time again. New DVD’s and Blu-ray’s are being released! Here’s a quick rundown of the newest releases.

Down these mean streets a man must come. A hero born, murdered, and born again. When a Rookie cop named Denny Colt returns from the beyond as The Spirit, a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces from the shadows of Central City. The Octopus who kills anyone unfortunate enough to see his face who has other plans. He’s going to wipe out the entire city. The Spirit tracks this cold hearted killer from the city’s rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill the masked crusader. Get it on DVD or Blu-ray.

What is the nature of guilt–and how can the human spirit survive when confronted with deep and horrifying truths? The Reader, a hushed and haunting meditation on these knotty questions, is sorrowful and shocking, yet leavened by a deep love story that is its heart. In postwar Germany, young schoolboy Michael (German actor David Cross) meets and begins a tender romance with the older, mysterious Hanna (Kate Winslet, whose performance is a revelation). The two make love hungrily in Hanna’s shabby apartment, yet their true intimacy comes as Michael reads aloud to Hanna in bed, from his school assignments, textbooks, even comic books. Hanna delights in the readings, and Michael delights in Hanna.

Years later, the two cross paths again, and Michael (played as an adult by Ralph Fiennes) learns, slowly, horrifyingly, of acts that Hanna may have been involved in during the war. There is a war crimes trial, and the accused at one point asks the panel of prosecutors: “Well, what would you have done?” It is that question–as one German professor says later: “How can the next generation of Germans come to terms with the Holocaust?”–that is both heartbreaking and unanswerable. Winslet plays every shade of gray in her portrayal of Hanna, and Fiennes is riveting as the man who must rewrite history–his own and his country’s–as he learns daily, hourly, of deeds that defy categorization, and morality. “No matter how much washing and scrubbing,” one character says matter of factly, “some sins don’t wash away.” The Reader (with nods to similar films like Sophie’s Choice and The English Patient dares to present that unnerving premise, without offering an easy solution. –A.T. Hurley Get this movie on DVD or Blu-ray.

Loosely inspired by the true story of Gang Lu, a Chinese physics student, but with substantial differences in plot and character motivation, the film stars Liu Xing (Liu Ye), as a humble, but brilliant, Chinese student, who arrives at Valley State University and makes a bumpy transition into American life with the help of Joanna Silver (Meryl Streep), a wealthy university patron who takes a liking to the young student. Xing joins a select cosmology group under the direction of his hero, the famous cosmologist Professor Jacob Reiser (Aidan Quinn). The group is working to create a model of the origins of the universe, based on Reiser’s theory. Xing’s enormous talent leads him quickly to become Reiser’s protégé, and it seems that only hard work stands between him and a bright future in science. But Xing is obsessed with the study of dark matter, an unseen substance that he believes shapes the universe, and a theory that conflicts with the Reiser model. When Xing begins to make scientific breakthroughs of his own, he begins to encounter unexpected obstacles. You can get Dark Matter on DVD.

It took hundreds of millions of years for petroleum to form on Earth. It took just 150 years for human beings to bleed the planet of roughly half of this oil.

Arresting in its honesty and erudition, CRUDE IMPACT examines the catastrophic prospect of ”world peak oil” – or the point in time when the quantity of petroleum extracted from the earth begins to irreversibly decline. The film illuminates a vicious cycle of escalating dependency and need, as well as the behaviors and patterns fueling this cycle, such as consumer fetishism and the myth of endless supply, the tremendous rise in population, and the demands of many more quickly-industrializing nations. It also surveys the devastating and far-reaching effects of the rampant pursuit of oil, including increasingly aggressive political turmoil, irreparable ecological damage, economic turbulence, and gross human rights violations.

Elegantly weaving together an alarmingly accelerating pattern of consumption and depletion, the award-winning CRUDE IMPACT reveals a frighteningly dark future that can only be averted by becoming informed, spreading awareness, and revolutionizing the way we think and live.

DVD Features: Over an hour of additional interviews on globalization, 9/11, alternative fuels and more. You can pick it up on DVD.

It’s that time again. New DVD Releases! I love the beginning of each week to see what’s coming available on DVD.

New to DVD

Doubt is a mesmerizing, suspense-filled drama with four riveting performances from Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis that will have you pinned to the edge of your seat. Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Streep), the rigid and fear-inspiring principal of the Saint Nicholas Church School, suffers an extreme dislike for the progressive and popular parish priest Father Flynn (Hoffman). Looking for wrongdoing in every corner, Sister Aloysius believes she’s uncovered the ultimate sin when she hears Father Flynn has taken a special interest in a troubled boy. But without proof, the only thing certain is doubt. Get it on DVD or Blu-Ray.

The Tale of Despereaux looks a little like Shrek. The storytelling and animation draw on everything from Ratatouille and classic fairytales to Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Indiana Jones, and, in its action sequences, even Bourne and Bond. But this movie stands on its own; too dark and violent for very young children, perhaps, but for the most part it’s exciting and funny, and it delivers a message about bravery and forgiveness that is relevant to us all. Voiced by Matthew Broderick, the title character is a little guy, even by mouse standards, with enormous ears and an imagination to match; much to the dismay of his elders, he “never cowers, won’t scurry, and refuses to be taught to be scared” (he’d much rather read a book than eat it, a pursuit that fills his head with visions of valiant knights, damsels in distress, and a life defined by “courage, honor, and decency”). That leads to his being banished from Mouseworld to the realm of the rats, where, it is presumed, he will be eaten. But no. Ratworld–a dark, chaotic, genuinely scary place–happens to be the current residence of one Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman), a peaceful sort whose shenanigans in the human world have accidentally led to the death of the Queen, the imprisonment of the Princess (Emma Watson), and, worst of all, the banning of Soup Day (no small deal) and the end of soup itself! Roscuro and Despereaux join forces, inadvertently helped out by a homely but soft-hearted farm girl named Miggery Sow (Tracey Ullman), and, well, you can imagine how it all turns out. Directors Sam Fell and Robert Stevenhagen and scriptwriter Gary Ross (adapting Kate DiCamillo’s book) have concocted some vivid and interesting worlds for their film; the look is unusual, often washed out, muted, and bathed in hazy light; and the voice acting is excellent (others include William H. Macy, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, and Frank Langella). All in all, despite a conclusion that’s confusing even while it’s predictable, The Tale of Despereaux is a worthy addition to the crowded animation field. Get it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Marty Bronson (Jonathan Pryce) who raises his son and daughter on his own has to sell his homey motel to clever Barry Nottingham (Richard Griffiths) who promises to make Marty’s son manager, when he’s grown up and has proven himself. Nottingham pulls down the motel to raise a pricey hotel. Although grown up, Marty’s son Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) works as a janitor and general servant, but unlikely as it seems, he still dreams of becoming the manager. When Nottingham announces a brand-new gigantic hotel project, he makes his future son-in-law, base Kendall (Guy Pierce), manager, shattering Skeeter’s dream. At the same time Skeeter’s sister Wendy (Courtney Cox) has to leave town for a job interview and asks him to alternate looking after her two children Patrick (Jonathan Morgan Heit) and Bobbi (Laura Ann Kesling) with Wendy’s responsible-minded colleague Jill (Keri Russell). He doesn’t get along with either Jill or the children, but his easy-goingness loosens them all up and once he starts telling his bedtime stories, the children grow fond of him and begin to bring in their ideas about how the stories should go. When the stories turn out to become true in real life, Skeeter tries to maneuver the stories into a direction which will make his dream come true, too. Get it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Jim Carrey does wonders with a slight premise that finds his reserved, emotionally-distant character, Carl Allen, a banker who routinely turns down loan applications, accepting a challenge to open up to life by saying “yes” to everything. A man who constantly disappoints friends by weasling out of opportunities for bonding and happiness, Carl radically changes into a creature of complete spontaneity. By never saying no anymore, he gets into situations with unpredictable outcomes, such as driving a homeless stranger to a scary-looking park at night. But for the most part, whatever Carl says yes to becomes a road to worthwhile experiences, even receiving a promotion at work for approving hundreds of micro-loans against all policy. Zooey Deschanel, who often plays appealing kooks, is very good as Carl’s girlfriend, a free spirit who takes to his positivity about everything–for awhile, anyway. Director Peyton Reed (Down with Love) makes the most out of the gimmicky comedy, as does Carrey, who does wonders with scenes that are often left open-ended just to see what the brilliant comic will do with them. Get it on DVD or Blu-ray.

After years of disagreeing on what true happiness, success, and love really are, Dave and Clarice Johnson have finally reached a breaking point in their marriage. When Clarice is hurt in a car accident, the obvious truth that more than just her injuries need immediate attention is exposed. Their odds of making it worsen as Clarice begins to see a physical therapist, and Dave develops a friendship with Julie and her teenage son Bryson. The acceptance and comfort he finds in them stirs his longing for a family and a passionate partner. As temptation tugs at Dave and Clarice pulls farther away, they must confront whether their vows are or are NOT EASILY BROKEN. Get it on DVD or Blu-ray.

After meeting at a nightclub in a Mediterranean resort, seven young adults decide to continue partying aboard a luxury yacht in the middle of the ocean. But when one of them dies in a freak accident, the others argue about what to do, which leads to a ruthless fight for survival. Get in on DVD.

Animated movies are not my favorite type of movies. I enjoy them, when they are well done, but lately they have been just a little on the flat side for my taste. So, it goes without saying that I wasn’t really all that thrilled to sit down with Bolt.

My family has been waiting to see this movie and when we finally got the DVD, they couldn’t wait to tear into it and have a “family movie night”. I figured this would be a good time for a nap.

Bolt is an animated feature film from Disney Studios that delivers pure entertainment, fun, and hilarious moments that can’t help but brighten you day. I found myself completely engaged in the events of the “superdog” Bolt and his band of “sidekicks” as they journey across the country in hopes of finding Penny, his human.

Accidentally shipped to New York, Bolt endures a life changing journey back to Hollywood. Along the way he meets up with some friends he brings along and the hilarity ensues. Living life in a television studio, trained to think that he is actually a superdog, with super hero abilities, he believes he is battling evil in order to say his human Penny (voiced by Miley Cyrus). However, after the studio makes some abrupt decisions about the show, Bolt is separated from Penny when she is “kidnapped” by the Green Eyed Man.

Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) then goes on a cross country tour in hopes to save Penny. However, along the way he finds out some rather startling things about himself.

This movie completely blew me away. I wasn’t ready for how much I was going to enjoy it. As I stated above, there wasn’t all that much enthusiasm on my part to see it. However, from the very beginning I was hooked into Bolt.

The gravity at which the characters pull you into the movie is really the part that makes Bolt irresistible. Bolt is fun and lovable. Mittens is sassy and delightful. Rhino is hilarious and adorable. And the pigeons are completely hysterical. Even though the movie is about Bolt, I do have to say that Rhino completely stole every scene he is in. Here’s a little sampling;

He had my family and I in fits of laughter that produced tears, choking on popcorn and a few soda fountains. We even had to watch a few scenes over again.

As fun as the journey across the country was, and seeing Bolt go through some transitions in life, the ending was absolute brilliance as far as animated movies go. It was like Disney didn’t want you to just laugh. They wanted you to cry too.

Not a sad cry, but an overwhelming sense of joy that is often reserved to live action movies.

Bolt is definitely a must see family movie. It’s fun. It’s entertaining. It’s well worth having as a staple in your home DVD library.