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Reviews
The Tomorrow War (2021)
Enjoyable action flick
I agree with a lot of the reviews I've seen here. It's a decent movie and entertaining enough. I'm a huge fan of Chris Pratt, and JK Simmons is always a treasure, AND there is a neat little reveal towards the end that I won't spoil here - all of which take what I would rank a solid 6 or 7 out of 10 and up it to 8/10.
If you like Chris Pratt and sci-fi monster flicks, it is worth your time to watch.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Better than last JW movie
I thought the story, the writing, the acting, and the action were all better in this movie than the previous one. Fun to watch on the big screen!
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
Worse than I imagined...
My 14 year old son coaxed me into letting him watch this on Netflix. Luckily, I stayed in the room to watch it too since I have been a big John Cusack fan of a long time. After about the first 15 minutes, I shut the movie off. I swear, every other line of dialog contained the f-word, and on top of that, it wasn't even funny. It was absolutely one of the unfunniest things I have ever seen. It's like they didn't really have any funny material, so they have to insert copious amounts of swearing to compensate. Skip this loser of a movie! One star is too generous! Whatever possessed Cusack to participate in this bomb is a mystery to me. Rob Courdray's character is one of the crudest, most foul characters I have ever seen on the screen. It is beyond redemption. I am not a prude, and I am not really offended by profanity, but this was a non-stop cuss-festival with no real purpose.
Underdog (2007)
I Found It Surprisingly Enjoyable
You know, the old Underdog cartoons were a favorite of mine when I was little. I much preferred them to its counterparts in Rocky & Bulwinkle, Dudley Doright, and Fractured Fairy Tales. I really had forgotten what it was that I had loved so much about those old, cheaply animated cartoons.
Then I saw this movie, and it actually reminded me about what I had liked so much -- the rhyming couplets of Underdog's speech, the inability for Polly Purebred to recognize that Shoeshine is Underdog, and one other thing which I will leave as a surprise (it's a bit of dialogue at the end of the film).
Obviously, I disagree with many other reviewers here. Clearly, this has been marketed to kids, with the hope that nostalgic parents will be willing to cart the kids to the theater to see it. Four adults went with three children in my group, and all of us enjoyed the movie.
First, let me say that it is rare to find a great movie for all ages. It's hard to find any sort of action/superhero genre movie that is not peppered with profanity, sexual innuendo, or potty humor. Underdog is almost nil on all those counts. What exists in this movie is far from the usual garbage that attempts to pass as humor. All of us felt comfortable with our children (age ranges 4 - 10) seeing this.
I didn't mind the fact that the movie is not animated. The CGI stuff that animates the dogs' mouths does not trouble me. I mean, does anyone expect that this is going to be nominated for any Oscars? Sometimes movies exist just for escapist entertainment.
For me, the movie hearkened back to the original cartoon as much as it could without looking stupid. Obviously, Underdog's alter-ego is not literally a clothed dog working as a shoeshine boy. But I think that what the writers and director did was fine. As a fan of the original series, I was not disappointed.
I also liked Jason Lee's voice for Underdog. The script was humorous without being gross, and it clearly was geared for children. Simon Barsinister is an adequate villain, but rather upstaged by Patrick Warburton as the witless Cad.
Like I said, others may disagree with me, but I think this is one that I'd buy on DVD to have in my child's library of movies. It's nice to know that there is something that kids can watch without having to be subjected to profanity or sexuality in everything that comes across the screen.
It seems to me that most of the other reviewers have expected way too much or else have turned a too-critical eye on this pleasantly distracting bit of entertainment. As I said before, it evoked a lot of memories for me of the original, and I even liked the new spin on the theme song.
Guys, every movie does not have to be Schindler's List, Lord of the Rings, Titantic, or some such other movie with critical acclaim.
Happy Feet (2006)
Sheer happiness!
This movie really surprised me. I was expecting it to be good, but instead, I found it to be great.
It incorporates so much music from several eras of popular music, and it features gorgeous animation. Top that off with a story and characters that are endearing without being buffoonish or sappy, and you have Happy Feet.
I don't want to give away any plot elements, for the story is simple yet effective.
The music element sort of reminded me of Shark Tale -- remember that animated movie with Will Smith as the voice of one of the fish? The differences, however, are many. I thought that the Shark Tale movie was a little ridiculous with characters that were not sympathetic or endearing in the least. The story was also a bit stupid, in my opinion.
Happy Feet is a totally different kind of movie. Yes, the plot vehicle is not wholly original, but the execution is flawless, and the voices are perfectly suited to each character.
This movie is ideal for any family member old enough to sit through a feature-length film. One of the best I've seen this entire year! Go see Happy Feet. You will not be disappointed.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Some funny parts, but not his best
I saw it last night, and I did not think it was terrible, but by all means was not the best Will Ferrell movie that I've seen. There are quite a few glimpses of the crazy Ferrell from his SNL days, and it is clear that he is having a very good time making this movie. There are some funny parts, but a lot of the humor plays on really old devices, e.g. his kids being foul-mouthed, disrespectful hooligans (you know -- it's funny to hear kids use profanity, right?). The movie is fairly predictable, but let's face it -- we're not going for an Academy Award winner here. Yes, there are entertaining parts, but I would say that Anchorman was a funnier movie with more unexpected bits of humor.
My nine-year-old wanted to see it because of the many previews he'd seen on TV and at the theater. I am glad that I did not take him because there's a fairly good bit of mild-to-moderate profanity and more sexual humor than I care to have to explain to him at this point.
Bottom line -- was it worth it? Yes, because I went with good friends and it was a packed house. But, minus the atmosphere, I would have waited to see it in a second-run theater or on DVD.
Cars (2006)
Another Pixar Masterpiece!
I had to admit, I wasn't sure that I'd like this movie. The whole race car thing is just not for me, but I took my son and his friend. Boy, was I ever surprised! The movie is exciting in the right places and heartwarming as well. There is a part of the film that really reminds me of the scene in Toy Story II when Jessie sings the song about kids growing up and forgetting about their toys (who DIDN'T get a little choked up in that scene?). The writers and animators have done another fine job.
So, to sum up, take the whole family. There's something for everyone to enjoy. If you want me to compare it to other Pixar features, I'd rate it better than Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles, about as charming as Finding Nemo, but still not as awesome as the ultimate (to me, anyway): Toy Story (I and II).