Norma Jean The Acting Queen

My Week With Marilyn: The year is 1956 and Marilyn Monroe is the biggest star in the world. She has the beauty and sex appeal every girl would kill to have and she's the woman every guy would kill to be with. The movie revolves around her life during the production of "The Sleeping Prince" with Sir Laurence Olivier. One of the assistant directors, Colin Clark, reaches his dream of working in the film industry when he meets with Sir Laurence at his studio offices and becomes close personal friends with Miss Monroe. Truths about the Marilyn Monroe we've all come to know and love and the Marilyn Monroe that was kept a secret at the time really give the audience a feel for the life of just a pretty face that was thrust into the spotlight and surrounded by folks who will do nothing but please. My Week With Marilyn is a great example of how your true self can come out when tested to the right degree and is a reminder to keep your friends close because that's who will matter in the end. Michelle Williams (has the looks pretty much down pat as the title role), Kenneth Branagh, and Eddie Redmayne head up the cast list in this picture followed by a nice appearance by Emma Watson breaking out of her magical passed roles. This movie is an eye-opener for those who are unaware of the troubled life of one of the most famous faces of the 20th century and a true American icon. Grade: B

The Most Powerful Man

J. Edgar: The Federal Bureau of Investigation needs a director to keep everything and everyone in line, who do you choose? Leonardo DiCaprio of course. Playing the corrupt and straight-laced former director of the FBI, DiCaprio gives a performance that will be remembered for ages as this movie's namesake. The 1930s and 40s were times of economic heartache and advances in technology for investigating. J. Edgar Hoover works his way up to the top of the ladder with the strength and support of his mother who makes sure her son is in line. The film spans throughout nearly all of Hoover's professional life and focuses on very personal matters with his right hand man and private secretary as well during his reign of power. Another appealing asset is how director Clint Eastwood constructed this biopic to be an older version of Hoover recollecting on the high points of his career and how he came such a long way; numerous flashbacks and random time changes happen keeping the audience constantly engaged. Other celebrities of the era such as Charles Lindbergh, Robert Kennedy, and Shirley Temple make appearances and show just how many people actually recognized the name "J. Edgar". Much Oscar buzz will be happening around this movie and I expect to see DiCaprio as a front runner among the nominees. Not much more can be said besides that you have to see it yourself. Grade: A-

The Political Game.

The Ides of March: To those who dream of becoming president to make this country and the world a better place, watch this movie first for a reality check. The world of politics has been described as 'brutal' by many politicians and this movie is nothing but. Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, and Philip Seymour Hoffman head up this somewhat of an all star cast and take you for a real ride. The candidate for president (Clooney) has a great staff backing him including his senior and junior advisors (Hoffman and Gosling) as well as some others that seem to get in the way. Should you let corruption effect your job? Do morals matter in politics? What really is the right path to take? Very much a roller coaster ride in this political thriller filled with suspense and heavy drama and just when you think you have all the answers another detail complicates things. It kept me on edge throughout but when you go see it, you have to remember to abide by the rules in the game of politics. Grade: B+

Hit The Gas.

Drive: One of Ryan Gosling's numerous films that are sweeping the nation and every female American; let's hope the other movies are kicked into a higher gear. Intense, gripping driving scenes. Shady foul play. And more latex skin and fake blood than you would ever expect in a Gosling film. Playing a kid mechanic/free-lance driver, Ryan Gosling is very quiet and reserved, or is he? A rather upbeat beginning, bland middle (with the exception of crazy fight scenes), and strange ending; Drive gets your heart going then puts it on cruise control for the rest of the movie. On a higher note, it does give a new and interesting spin on a Fast and Furious-like flick that really surprised me. Is it worth seeing? I guess, just be ready for a lot thrown at you. And if you're into typical Gosling-heartthrob films you may be in for a rude awakening. Grade: C

It's Only A Game

Summer has passed and now it is time to kickoff the Fall 2011 movie season!

Moneyball: America's past-time is not all that meets the eye. There's coaches, players, scores, home runs, and saving the best for last, money. Lots of it. What happens with all the profits a baseball team has? Why are some franchises wealthier than others and why must we focus so much on the almighty dollar just to play a sport? All this and more with Brad Pitt heading up this cast as Oakland A's general manager, Billy Beane, who is looking to change a game in more ways than one. Supporting here is Jonah Hill (Superbad) as Beane's right hand man and Philip Seymour Hoffman. This film is very well done in taking us back a decade and reliving all the twists and turns the Oakland A's take in a majorly rebuilding and groundbreaking baseball season. A dramatic movie with perfect comic relief and Pitt hits a home run in a role one doesn't normally see him play. Highly recommended for any baseball fan; even if you aren't a pro the journey of Beane's Oakland A's does not disappoint. Grade: A

E.T.: The Paranormal

Hello. With me being a huge fan of the Space program and a once wannabe astronaut, it was pretty much a given that I was going to see the newest movie with my old dream as the focus. Hope you like it!

Apollo 18: Paranormal Activity + Apollo 13 + Signs + Alien + Hollywood = Apollo 18. Are there aliens on the moon? Was there an 18th Apollo Space Shuttle mission? Does the government keep secrets from us? (haha) This film answers them all. The year's 1974 and we are briefed with small background checks on our three stars but the rest is left to the imagination and screams of the girl sitting behind you. Giving the audience a one-on-one look at what it is really like to walk on the moon, the astronauts set up motion sensor cameras on the surface and inside the module to make the suspense grow more for what awaits them. This film had some very spine-chilling moments with its extraterrestrial visitors and caught myself off guard here and there. One thing I did take note of was how it took the paranormal and moon movies from before and "Hollywood-ed" things up; the face-huggers from Alien in particular and some minor "cuts and bruises" here and there. Overall it was creepy and unsettling at times but gives one the uncomfortable sense of being stranded and not in control. Great for a first date. Grade: B- 

Summer 2011: An Overview

The summer is pretty much over now and so I saw it fit to compile a list of the best movies I saw in theaters throughout this summer starting in late May until late August (#1 being the best and so on). Your thoughts! Enjoy!

1. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows Part 2
2. Super 8
3. Larry Crowne
4. Transformers 3 Dark of the Moon
5. The Hangover Part 2
6. Cowboys and Aliens
7. Source Code
8. Friends With Benefits
9. Rise of The Planet of the Apes
10.Horrible Bosses
11. Fright Night
12. Captain America
13. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
14. Bad Teacher


That's a Wrap! Thanks for reading and as always I'll keep you posted!

Note: This list is going to be based on what I liked the most and least; not what other critics said or the general population and does not go by how I originally graded them.

Vampire Movie #1000

Fright Night: This was the first time I ever spent money on a ticket to see a "vampire flick". To my surprise it was not a complete disappointment. Starring Anton Yelchin (Alpha Dog) and Colin Farrell as two neighbors that lock horns when Yelchin is suspicious of Farrell's strange manner. Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad) and Toni Collette were pretty entertaining as a worried best friend and free-loving single mother too. While this movie did have it's share of scary and gory parts, it was 'creepily funny' as well with a few one-liners and some british humor thrown in by David Tennant (Harry Potter 4). Fright Night sure does have its ups and downs but is worth a watch. Don't expect Bella or Edward to be making a cameo appearance. Grade: C+

Planet of the...Apes?

Rise of the Planet of the Apes: This was a movie that I let the commercials for it really get to me. After first seeing one before a movie a coupe months ago I was not impressed at all so as you can imagine my hopes were not high walking into the theater tonight. James Franco is a scientist finding the cure for Alzheimer's while doing periodic tests on different chimpanzees. One chimp is different (smarter) from the others being raised by Franco himself and becoming more of a human than an animal. There's the plot and the movie just takes off from there. The supporting cast was headed up by John Lithgow and Tom Felton ( aka Draco Malfoy). Throughout the movie I took note of how modern this movie is for being a prequel of a franchise that was started 40 years ago. The whole movie-making technique of "taking a concept that cannot happen, making it seem plausible, then convincing the audience that it could happen" could have been executed better by this production team and I felt some of the special effect of making the primates were too human-like. But nevertheless the ending did come in strong and was not what I, or anyone else possibly, was expecting. Grade: C

The First Avenger

Captain America: Here we have Spider-man on steroids. Literally. This is simply of turning the common man into super-man. Starring Chris Evans as Steven Rogers, our hero, and Tommy Lee Jones as Rogers' hard-nosed commanding officer during WWII. Going into this movie I was never much of an Avengers fan but it was cool how they incorporated Tony Stark's (Ironman) father as a weapons designer and big helper to Captain America himself. Since I grew up as a DC Comics reader I do not know how accurate the movie was to the original comic book but it was entertaining for the most part and could have used a better ending but I guess that's why he's only the FIRST Avenger. Grade: C+

The Wild Wild Universe.

Hey. How's it goin'? Figured I keep you updated with one of the most anticipated movies of the summer. Enjoy!

Cowboys and Aliens: There's a mixture you don't hear of everyday. Daniel Craig is in the middle of the desert with a strange bracelet on with no recollection of anything. How'd he get it? How come he doesn't even know his own name? Craig, along with Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde, are great in this wild wild west version of Close Encounters of The Third Kind. Directed by Jon Favreau with Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard producing it is hard to go wrong especially with such an imaginative plot. This film is packed with action and jumps out at the audience a few times always making you guess what will happen next. This universe ain't big enough for the two of us. Grade: B

Friends Have Benefits!

So in this post I only have one new movie that's in theaters so I decided to add a couple older movies that I've seen quite recently. Don't like it, deal with it! Only joking... hope you like it!

Friends With Benefits: Can boy and girl be "just friends"? Is there such thing as love with no strings attached? See this movie and you will have the answers. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis light it up as the  two friends/lovers/coworkers that take on the challenge of sex with "no consequences" in this very romantic comedy. Reminding the viewer a lot of Kutcher and Portman, Timberlake and Kunis take this on-screen relationship to another level with laughs that don't stop and some really tense moments with Shaun White. The chemistry is great between the two stars and sparks fly all through this film. Grade: B+


Bobby: I'm a little late in seeing this with it being 5 years old but it doesn't make it any less awesome. Taking place the day Sen. Bobby Kennedy is assassinated this movie revolves around a large group of people who have no clue who the other is and how they live their lives with the visitation of Kennedy to the Ambassador Hotel on that fateful night. The all-star cast with every one from Anthony Hopkins to Demi Moore is amazing and perfect for making such a historical movie. "Bobby" is a great adaptation to what happened in June 1968 with its Forrest Gump-esque feel and really wins for any history buff. Grade: A-


Donnie Darko: After hearing so much about this movie that's already a decade old I just had to see it and find out all the fuss. Jake Gyllenhaal plays a very troubled young man who has an imaginary friend that takes timing to a new level. Drew Barrymore and Maggie Gyllenhaal lead up the supporting cast in this psychological thriller and the twist ending is phenomenal. Grade: B

A Farewell To The Boy Who Lived.

Hello and welcome back! In the past 48 hours I had the pleasure of going to the movies 3 different times (and yes, I still manage to have a life). Here's my spin on what's out now...

Horrible Bosses: Jason Sudeikis may have not been a great host of the MTV Movie Awards but along with Charlie Day and Jason Bateman in 'Horrible Bosses' he really redeemed himself. Making a movie about three guys who are all planning on killing their bosses doesn't sound complicated at all. This film takes turn no one expects and even has a few surprisingly suspenseful scenes. Kevin Spacey is a real piece of work as makes Bateman's life hell, Jennifer Aniston doesn't know the meaning of keeping work and pleasure separate, and Colin Ferrell may be the worst of them all with his ego bigger thank his salary. This movie is a solid comedy filled with hilarious one liners. Grade: B


Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows Part 2: I have no idea where to even begin. David Yates really nails it again in the final chapter of the Harry Potter phenomenon the world has come to know and love. All the regular cast returns to bid farewell with an outstanding job in this performance. Picking up right where Part 1 leaves off, the movie never has a dull moment and ties every single detail together. Being nearly three hours you will want it to go three more hours with all of the magical elements of this film. I was at a loss for words when the screen faded and the credits began, this truly is a masterpiece and perfect ending. Grade: A+


Transformers 3 Dark of the Moon: Alright, I finally saw it and it was just as good as everyone has been telling you! If you imagine the most action packed movie you've ever seen, kick it up 2 notches and you have this film. Michael Bay stuns us once again with incredible special effects and fight scenes between the Autobots and Decepticons. Taking it back to the early 60s with President Kennedy vowing to put a man on the moon before 1970, this movie takes us to the Apollo 11 moon landing with historical footage and added features. After coming across the alien robot spacecraft on the dark side of the moon, it's a roller coaster ride from there. I hate roller coasters. But I'll ride this any time of the day. Shia Lebeouf returns as Sam Witwicky and puts on a great show with his new, beautiful costar, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. From start to finish you will be on the edge of your seat. Grade: A


Well, looks like it was a successful week at the movies! Get on out there and help the box office sales soar!

Half-Way-Through-Summer Movies

Alright well I figured I can kick off my first official post by looking back at the movies I have seen so far this summer and starting there! Hope you like it, let me hear your thoughts on my reviews!...

Source Code: This movie is a real roller coaster ride as Jake Gyllenhaal is in a government operation of finding the bomber on a train. There's not much more to tell before seeing this movie because it takes so many different turns the audience will be wondering what's going on. It all comes together in the end but the ride is a good one! Vera Farmiga is Gyllenhaal's guide throughout the movie and both display superb acting. Being able to make something that cannot happen so realistic in a movie is what we see a lot nowadays but this movie takes it to a new level with its Inception quality graphics and action. A real mind bender! Grade: B+

The Hangover Part 2: One word: Insane. No one can walk out of that movie and say they hated it. The Fab Four brought their A game again and came prepared to party. Zach Galifianakis stole the show, of course, with his childish and immature remarks about everything but Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper did not disappoint either. The thing everyone commented on was how the first movie was better and this one was too much like it. Yes and No. I DID like the first movie better. This one was NOT too much like the first. It did have the same set up but I feel that this one was a lot crazier and detailed than the first. But you can't remake a classic like the first one and that is where I think everyone says it fell short. Grade: B+

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: I don't have as much to say about this movie because I didn't like it much. Johnny Depp is one of my favorite actors and an icon and I feel he came up short as Captain Jack Sparrow in the fourth installment of the Pirates saga. It was entertaining here and there with Geoffrey Rush and Penelope Cruz heading up the supporting cast. The movie is based around finding the Fountain of Youth. Honestly, my favorite part of the movie was meaningless to the plot; Keith Richards portrays Jack Sparrow's weathered father and I wish he could've been in it more. Grade: C

Super 8: My opinion: best movie of 2011 so far. Super 8 kept my attention the entire time and even if you somehow manage to get distracted, the "thriller side" of this action-thriller will change that quickly. J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg should be a part of the Dream Team with the special effects and casting in this film. The movie takes place in Ohio, 1979 with a group of close friends who get caught in the train crash of the millennium. Seeing this crash first hand gives them information the kids, let alone any civilian, cannot know. With insane action sequences and some crazy surprises, you'll just be waiting to see what comes next. Perfect summer movie. Grade: A

Bad Teacher: Cameron Diaz is hot, and should have never been given a teaching license. If you have ever had a terrible teaching experience multiply it by 5 and you get Cameron Diaz. This movie had some funny parts (that can mostly be seen in the commercials) and insanely crude (but funny) remarks...but the director forgot to add a PLOT. Or a good one at least. Walking out of the theater I kept thinking how I just saw nothing but Cameron Diaz with skimpy clothing (not complaining), Justin Timberlake acting innocent, and an awesome car wash. But that's all. Bittersweet haha. Grade: C+

Larry Crowne: Putting this movie into one word: Fun. I didn't want the movie to end. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are a match made in heaven in this movie about a middle aged retail worker going back to college. With such a simple (but great) plot, it really was not what I was expecting when walking in. It took some quirky turns but in the words of the 50-somethings that was in the theater, "it was a delight." Don't expect explosions, or debauchery, or even an overload of romance. Larry Crowne is king. Grade: A-

That's all I have so far, thanks for reading. Now get to the movies!

Gotta start somewhere!

      Now that I am full swing into the blogging world I should probably tell you all a little bit about why I choose to love movies. This is an easy one, everything that has to do with life in all forms has been immortalized on the silver screen one way or the other (Thus the blog title!). I don't need to go off on a tangent now because that's what blog posts are for and I'm sure you'll learn enough while reading! Shout out to my buddy Colin for getting me started on blogging and you should all follow his blog "There's Always Next Year!".
     This blog's main purpose is to put out my opinion on movies that are currently in theaters and throw in some classics here and there. I love talking about movies, actors and Hollywood in general and this is good place for that! It was great meeting you and I hope you enjoy what I have to say!