This Means War

This Means War

Rating 7.5 out of 10

This is a movie you go to just to have a good time.  Don't set the bar too high and expect too much.  Just basic entertainment with three good looking lead actors.

Chris Pine and Tom Hardy play CIA agents along the lines of 007 James Bond.  They are also best of friends.  Very competitive.  When they accidentally fall for the same woman ( Reese Witherspoon- who just keeps getting better looking with age) it becomes a bit of a competition yet they do care for her.  They begin to use their CIA gadgets and connections to increase their chances with her and thwart the other guys dates.  Our tax dollars at work!

She also likes both men after being in a bad relationship.  She shares her problems with her best friend Trish (the funny Chelsea Handler).  Trying to decide which guy to go after.

Again if you don't set the bar too high I think you'll be entertained. I laughed a good bit.  There are a some good action scenes with the side plot of the evil terrorist out for revenge when his brother was killed in an Op.  Mostly it's entertaining due to the three stars.

I liked it.

Royce's Oscar Pics 2012

The 84th Academy Awards

I tried not to sound angry.  Cassie said it did not work.  I am not happy with this years nominations at all...

Royce’s Oscar Picks

Anyone that knows me knows I don’t care for the Oscars or awards shows in general.  The Oscar voters are snobs that seem to think a movie that is successful in the box office is not worthy.  This years crop of movies is all the proof you need to see.  Out of nine movies nominated (why nine?)  there is only one that grossed over $100 Million. That would be the Help.  Not that box office is the only measure of a good movie.  I think the voters think they are smarter than we are and any movie that sells tickets can’t be that good. Here are my predictions.

The Artist-  I just can’t bring myself to pay money to see a silent movie.  A black and white silent movie at that.  Maybe I’ll rent it some day.

The Descendants-  I have a friend that loved this movie.  I did not.  I thought it was nothing like the trailers made it out to be.  Very depressing.  I’m over with the teen angst movies too.  The rude teenager hates everyone and treats dad like crap until she see’s the light and now loves everyone.  Not my cup of tea.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close-  Maybe I’ll rent this some day.  Besides having Tom Hanks in it I saw nothing that made me want to see it.

The Help- I waited to rent this movie and admit it was better than I thought it would be.  The nominations were well deserved.  I think it’s a shame Emma Stone did not get nominated.  The fact that this was a big box office hit may kill any chance of it winning.

Hugo-  What a long, boring waste of film stock.  This is like sitting through a two and half hour history lesson on silent movies. It was so dull you can’t even fall asleep.

Midnight in Paris-  I have never be a Woody Allen fan.  Any other director that somehow gets A-list actors yet gross’s less than $50 million would be a huge failure.  Somehow he keeps working.  It’s not for me.

Moneyball-  I would call this the best movie of the bunch.  Is it a movie deserving an Oscar?  Not even close.  It’s a fun, likable and entertaining  movie about a baseball team.  It’s good, but not award worthy.

The Tree of Life-  I don’t even remember this being in the theaters. I don’t think a movie only 27 people saw should be nominated.  I rented the dvd and seriously thought someone had mixed up the scenes.  It was very strange and started to give me a headache. 

War Horse-  This is the typical epic movie that generally gets an Oscar nomination.  It was a good movie. Not  great.  Kinda longer than it needs to be and has that feel that they are just trying too hard. 

Who I think should win-  Honestly,  I don’t think any of these should win. 

Who I think will win: I’m guessing The Help since they have so many other nominations and it seems like they are on a roll. 

Best Actor

Demian Bichir-  I have seen MANY movies and have never heard of this guy or the movie A Better Life

George Clooney-  He does a good job mostly in this movie.  At times I felt he flashed back to being the goofy guy from O Brother, Where Art Thou?  I think he has been better in other movies.

Jean Dujardin-  Did not see the silent movie.  Have seen him on some talk shows and found him to be likable and funny.

Gary Oldman-  He is a good actor.  Did not see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.  Heard it was not very good.

Brad Pitt-  Pretty boy does a good job.  Without Brad Moneyball is not made.   Not award winning good, but good.

Who I think should win-   Out of this bunch I’d say Brad Pitt although he was much better in Benjamin Buttons.

Who I think will win: - I’m guessing George Clooney. 

Best Actress

Glenn Close- I’m betting no one reading this has seen the movie Albert Nobbs.  I have not seen a movie I liked where one sex plays the other since Tootsie.  No desire to see this one.

Viola Davis- She does a good job in the Help.  I think Emma Stone should have got the nod instead.  Viola is a fine actress.  Just not the best one here.

Rooney Mara-  She wouldn’t even win Best Actress to play a tattooed girl.  Noomi Repace in the Swiss version is much better

Meryl Streep- Almost no one has seen The Iron Lady.  I have not.  I think Ms. Streep has a contract with someone that says she has to be nominated for every movie she makes.

Michelle Williams-  I am not a fan.  She keeps making movies that no one seems yet somehow get’s nominations.  I think she’s a bit of a weirdo and not a very good actress.

Who I think should win-   This is a tough one.  I only saw two of the five movies. 

Who I think should win-   I’m guessing Glenn Close but that is just a shot in the dark.

Best Supporting Actor-

Kenneth Branagh-  I did not see My Week With Marilyn.

Jonah Hill-  I don’t usually find him funny but he is very good in Moneyball. 

Nick Nolte- A classic performance in Warrior.  If he does not win I’ll never watch the Oscars again.  Oh yeah I don’t watch now.

Christopher Plumber- Never even heard of the movie Beginners.  It grossed a whole $5.2 million box office. 

Max von Sydow-  Did not see Extremely Loud & Extremely Close

Who I think should win-   Nick Nolte hands down. 

Who I think will win:  Nick may have a shot but I’m guessing Christopher Plummer.  The snobs in the academy will think this will get the Beginners a few ticket sales.

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo-  As I have said I have not seen the Artist but was under the impression Bejo was the star of the movie.  Not sure who she supports.

Jessica Chastain- I like Jessica.  Think she is purty.  Her character was pretty goofy  in the Help.  She was in seven movies in 2011.  Maybe nomination was for a mix of them all?

Melissa McCarthy- She was very funny in a role type not usually nominated.  I like her a lot.

Janet McTeer-  I have never heard of her nor seen the movie Albert Nobbs.

Octavia Spencer- I think she was born to play this role in The Help.  With her bug eyes and sass she makes the movie. 

Who I think should win-   Octavia Spencer

Who I think will win:  Octavia Spencer

Kill Shot by Vince Flynn- Book

Kill Shot: An American Assassin Thriller

I am very glad to say my favorite super spy is back!  For anyone that has not read Vince Flynn's series with lead character Mitch Rapp you are in for a treat.  If you liked the tv show 24 with Jack Bauer you will like this series.  In fact Flynn wrote for the 24 series for a while.  Mitch Rapp is the same type of no nonsense man as Jack.  Tough as nails.  If there are only 6-8 bad guys in his way he doesn't bother calling for backup. Here is a link to the series of books if you want to take the audible route.

Kill Shot is the second prequel to the earlier books.  Young Rapp is making a name for himself with the good guys and also bad guys by the way he takes out the terrorists.  When a job in Paris goes bad and five men with machine guys bust in during a hit he barely escapes with a bullet in the shoulder.  He knows it was a trap but does not know if it's the bad guys or possibly someone back in the CIA.

Rapp hides out in Paris from the terrorists trying to track him down, local police and other CIA agents sent in to find out what happened to them.  The CIA guys are not Rapp's biggest fans.  They are jealous of his success and are happy to see him fail.

Lots of action.  Plenty of politics within the Paris police and also back home in the US.  This book like all of the other Mitch Rapp books flies along.  You just can't wait for the next section to come.

Good book I clearly can't recommend enough.

The Vow- by Cassie

I wanted to post a review on The Vow but didn't want to actually see it.  The wife went so I didn't have to.  What a good wife!  She did a review for our pleasure.










Ok so you asked for  it - here ya go...

"The Vow"

Hubby out of town, rainy, cold day. Just finished an hour and half at the gym, and the only thing waiting on me at home is more laundry. So I decided to do something TOTALLY out of character  and go by myself to the movies.  I went to see "The Vow".  I like Rachel McAdams, and REALLY like Channing Tatum. Reminds me of my handsome hubby. :)  

The movie is based on a true story, about a married couple very much in love. They were both injured in a car accident. He recovered rather quickly, but she had brain damage and ended up in drug induced coma for a period of time. When she did wake up, her memory of him, their marriage and all time together totally wiped out. However, her childhood memories, and pretty much all other memories up until they met - she knew every detail.

The movie was just about exactly as I expected it to be, a little sappy and sad - but good!  Definitely a chick flick in my opinion.  I enjoyed it - and I admit the extended naked "butt shot" of Channing certainly helped. In fact, there were several nude upper body shots of him that I certainly enjoyed as well. (Im married, not blind HAH)

Go see it ladies.

Safe House

Safe House

Rating 6.5 out of 10

There are two things that set this movie above an average rogue spy thriller that we have seen many times before.  Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds.    Denzel is one of the few actors working now that can automatically raise the standard of any movie he is in.  He does that here.

Reynolds plays a young CIA agent stuck in a boring job in South Africa.  He watches over a safe house in the city.  He is there just in case a safe house is needed by any of the agents.  The most excitement he has had in a year is sit in a room and bounce a tennis ball off the walls. He begs for more.  In a better watch what you wish for moment the biggest rogue agent in the history of the CIA (Washington) is brought in to his safe house.  In less than an hour the house is attacked by bad guys meaning to kill the agent.

Reynolds slips out the back with Denzel and goes on the run with bad guys attacking from all sides.  His goal is to bring the bad guy in whether he want's to or not.  He does not want to.

As I said I found the story very average.  I thought it was way too easy early on to see who the bad guys are.  If I were the type that picked movies like this apart (not me!) I could find plenty to pick.

Still the above average cast makes this a watchable movie.  Not one that will make a top ten list.  Six months from now you'll probably see the dvd cover and try to remember if you saw this movie or not.  I was hoping for more but did enjoy the movie.

Royce's Top Ten Movies of 2002

Top Ten

1-        My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Came out of nowhere to be a movie I saw four times and would go again tonight.  Good acting, great characters and witty writing.

2-        Spider Man

Much better than I expected.  Very well made and just alot of fun to watch.

3-        Panic Room

I was on the edge of my seat most of this movie.  Don’t normally like Jodie Foster but she was great here. 

4-        The Rookie

A feel good movie that is based on a true story. Dennis Quaid really brings the story to life.

5-        Sweet Home Alabama

Definitely not high art, but I loved this movie.  Very funny and they didn’t make the Southerners look like a complete bunch of yahoos.

6-        Signs

Not really a scary movie but one that sends chills up your spine.  Well made and how can you go wrong with Mel Gibson finding religion?

7-        Twin Towers-Lord of the Rings

Visually the best movie in years.  If I could keep all the names and places straight it would probably be number one.

8-        The Ring

Scariest movie I have seen in a long time. Story is a little weak but you dont care. 

9-        The Minority Report

After Vanillia Sky last year i swore I’d not see another Crusie movie.  Glad I changed my mind.  This is a good movie.

10-      Count of Monte Cristo

Not big budget or witih big stars but still a movie that needs to be seen.  I liked it alot.

Honorable Mention

1-        Red Dragon                         Much better than Hanibal!

2-        We Were Soldiers              Very touching and sad war movie.

3-        Scorpion King                     Good harmless action movie. Rockys favorite

4-        Reign of Fire                        Good movie should have done better at box office

5-        Maid in Manhattan                        Good movie that followed the tested formula too much.

Guilty Camp Pleasure-  Eight Legged Freaks

My Worst Ten Movies of 2002

Worst Ten

1-        Rollerball

One of the worst in recent memory.  Poorly directed.  Poorly filmed.  Edited like a confusing MTV video.  Even the actors didnt seem to know what was going on. Was absolutely nothing like the original.

2-        The Tuxedo

I cant believe Jackie Chan would be involved in a movie this idiotic.  Jennifer Love Hewitt acts like she were in a bad Fox Sitcom. She wishes.  Even the action sceens were poor.

3-        Mr. Deeds

I’m guessing this is something Adam Sandler wrote on the back of a napkin. If he dosent start picking better movies and quit putting his same buddies in every movie he makes he will be old news. 

4-        I Spy

It had about three funny parts and they were in the commercials. Eddie Murphy, please quit taking every movie based on what they pay you. You have money, pick better movies.

5-        Moonlight Mile

Commercials led you to believe it was one kind of movie, yet was completely different.  Great cast but about as much fun as watching paint dry. VERY SLOOOW.

6-        Men in Black II

Should have stopped at MIB I.  You would think after so many years after the original they could have come up with a better storyline.

7-        Insominia

I felt like I had stayed awake several days after coming out of the theater.  Good acting but not worth watching.

8-        Harts War

Another movie advertised as one thing and turns out to be completely different.  I went to see an action war movie.  Instead I got an internal war crimes racist trial and acting that reminded me of old Hogans Heros reruns.

9-        I Am Sam

They tried with this one, but there just wasnt enough of a story.  So they kept going over and over with the same thing. Mentally challanged dad wants to keep his daughter.  Social workers made to be the bad guy but the man really was not able to take care of her.

10-      Collateral Damage

Arnold, if you are going to make movies like this please quit and run for Govenor or something. I liked big Arnie trying to blend with the locals at caribian country by putting on a hat.  Dont waste time with this one.

Should have been better

1-        The Imposter                      This is not terrible but should have been much better

2-        Monsters Ball                     Grossly overrated. Terrible people.  Slow movie.

3-        Trapped                                Parts of this are so poorly done it’s comical

4-        Windtalkers                          The movie was about N. Cage, little about Windtalkers

5-        Two Weeks Notice            Not a bad movie but should have been so much better.