Coming in December 2011.  Looking soooo forward to this one!

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

(fun coming of age movie)

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We watched this on VUDU and really enjoyed it.  If I would have known how good this movie was when we went to see the awful “Rango”, we would have seen this movie instead.

It’s 1988, and recent MIT engineering graduate, Topher Grace (as Matt Franklin) is working at a video store while he tries to find himself.

One day, his high school “crush”  (Teresa Palmer, as Tori Frederking) visits the store and Franklin lies about his employment to impress her.  They agree to meet later that night at a party.

Franklin, his twin sister Anna Faris (as Wendy Franklin) and friend Dan Fogler (as Barry Nathan) head off to the party looking for Frederking and getting into trouble.

During the course of the party (actually, parties)….they learn about life and what is important to them.  Very cool.

Rent it!

“Take Me Home Tonight” not for kids.  One really nice boob scene, some sexual references, and lots of  f-words.  It is rated R.

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

 (tense, frightening, realistic)

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James Franco (as Will Rodman) is a brilliant scientist testing the effects of a drug he has developed to, hopefully, cure Alzheimer’s.   The mission is personal since his father (the brilliant John Lithgow as Charles Rodman) has that disease.

Franco’s latest breakthru is a chimp named “Bright Eyes”.  But something goes horribly wrong and Bright Eyes is lost.  In her cage, the researchers find an infant that Franco takes home to raise and care for.  His Dad names him Caesar (a digital chimp played, at least in part, by Andy Serkis (“my preeeecious…”).

Caesar is VERY smart as a result of the drug Franco injected into his mother.

Unfortunate circumstances force Caesar to be moved into a primate center where he is bullied by Draco Malfoy….err, Tom Felton (as Dodge Landon) while Franco develops a stronger drug to counteract certain limitations of the original drug.

The problem with this new drug, while resulting in extreme intelligence gains in the chimps (and other primates), is that it is deadly to humans. Oops.

Gripping, tense, realistic digital effects, great story, and acting make “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” a truly wonderful movie.  Go see it!   Don’t get up and leave when the credits start..it ain’t over for a few more minutes.

It is a bit intense, in my opinion, for younger kids (the youngest of which will probably be just bored).  But tweens and above should love it (it is PG-13, so be a bit careful). No f-words (unless I missed one), but, intense situations and some violence.

Time to watch the old “Planet of the Apes” movies that Lori loved (Roddy McDowall rocks!)

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Drive Safe!  Never Forget.

“Crazy Stupid Love” Movie Review

 (terrific, funny, surprising twists)

We have seen a number of great movies lately.  When you are swept away in a world of fantasy for 2 hours while the cares of the real world drift away…that is a great movie.

This is a great movie, complete with the most surprising twists I have seen, and the funniest 7 or 8 minutes EVER where the entire cast is brought together and you are rolling on the floor.  At the end, the audience (mostly teens by the way) clapped!

The beautiful Julianne Moore (Emily) tells Steve Carrell (Cal) over dinner that she wants a divorce.  Devastated, Cal sets off on his own spending a good deal of time in a bar talking to himself.  That is where he meets Ryan Gosling (Jacob) a smooth womanizer who leaves with a different woman every night.

Jacob decides to help Cal by teaching him how to be, well, Jacob.  Soon Cal is his own smooth operator eventually bedding 9 women.  But he is still sad, and still loves Emily.

Emma Stone (Hannah) and Analeigh Tipton (Jessica) round out the major players who are ALL tremendous.  Marisa Tomei (Kate) is wild and super sexy…OMG.

One totally appropriate F-word uttered by Emma Stone as Gosling removes his shirt (and the girls / women /some of the guys in the audience gasp).  Yes, he looks Photoshopped….damn.

Small kids will not understand the sexual references, but, since it is PG-13 I would leave the little ones home (with a babysitter like Jessica!).

The TWISTS are so surprising…..they take your breath away!  And as the surprises are unfolding, you will experience the funniest 7 or 8 minutes ever put in a movie!  (Did I say that already?)

A must see….leave the action behind for a week and go see a romantic comedy that will blow you away.

PS:  I thought Gibbs offed Liza Lapira (Liz)…it is very nice to see she is alive and well and hot as ever.  :-)

Drive Safe!  Never Forget.