Blog Archives
“Dark Shadows” Movie Review
(Campy fun, vintage Tim Burton ending)
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Lori watched the original TV show religiously, I watched it occasionally. Going to the movies to see “Dark Shadows” was a no brainer for us.
Johnny Depp (as vampire Barnabas Collins) teams up with Tim Burton once again….and what you expect, is what you get: A somewhat restrained 
Tim Burton for most of the movie, then vintage, weird, scary, Tim Burton for the last 20 minutes (or so).
Wow!
Jilted lover, Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), works for the Collins family, and practices dark magic. She is a witch. When she gets mad at someone, they die…or worse. Her anger towards Barnabas Collins for not loving her ends up with him turned into a vampire and placed in a coffin for 200 years, until a construction crew unearths the coffin.
The mistake the construction crew made was opening the casket. They all died as a very thirsty Collins quenched his thirst with their blood.
A blood drenched Baranbas rejoins the nearly broke Collins family at Collinwood and vows to return them to the wealth they once enjoyed.
“Dark Shadows” is not for kids. Very disturbing scenes of vampire violence, fighting, and wild sex (that looks like fighting) are comic book fine for teens, but, could give the little ones nightmares. There are no f-words, but, there are two s-words.
If you like Tim Burton you will like Dark Shadows.
Go to IMDb for more information. We watched it at the Tracy, CA CineMark theater where our poster is STILL UP! :-)
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Drive Safe! Never Forget.
“21 Jump Street” Movie Review
(Average “raunchy” comedy / drama)
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In high school, cool, physically gifted (but dumb), Jenko (Channing Tatum) harassed nerdly, physically weak, Schmidt (Jonah Hill).
Fast forward 7 years, and both are in the same Police Academy class where they form a team to help each other get through. Schmidt tutors Jenko, and Jenko helps Schmidt get through the physical aspects.
A perfect team. Well….not really.
After blowing their first potential bust (“You have the right to be an attorney…”), the two still youngish looking cops are sent to a special law enforcement unit at “21 Jump Street” to help bust a drug ring in a local high school.
At the high school, the roles are reversed from 7 years ago. Schmidt is now the cool one, and Jenko hangs out with the nerds. My how times have changed! :-)
The two are still somewhat incompetent cops, and the movie deals with the trials and tribulations (and stupidity) of them trying to find the source of the drugs.
“21 Jump Street” starts out interesting and funny, but, when the high school hi-jinks start, the movie becomes confusing and cluttered. Some very funny moments, some very shocking moments, but, overall…..average.
Not for kids! True to it’s R rating, the f-words fly, the raunchy activity flows, and the gore, at the end, is yucky (yeah…a technical term 
).
You will love a cameo by a huge star!
Go to IMDb for more information. We watched this at the Tracy, CA CineMark where our poster is STILL UP! Look UP as you exit! :-))))
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Drive Safe! Never Forget.
“The Rum Diary” Movie Review
(Johnny Depp plays a great drunk)
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Johnny Depp (as Paul Kemp) starts work at a run down newspaper in Puerto Rico. His first 
day starts out well (sic)….in a near coma from a massive alcohol binge the night before. But, no matter, he is hired, and, even though he spends most of his days in an alcohol related haze, he shines as a reporter and writer.
He moves in with photographer, Michael Rispoli (as Sala), and the fantastic Giovanni Ribisi (as the totally, wonderfully acted, whacked out Moburg).
He gets involved with a “crook” and then, luckily, falls out of favor with him, but, via a very nice twist of fate, ends up with the crooks girlfriend (super hot Amber Heard, as Chenault).
Not for kids. Lots of f-words. Parts of the movie were sooooooo funny I could not stop laughing. The trailer above shows Depp and Rispoli driving the car together….OMG, that is hilarious!
Depp plays drunk really well. ”The Rum Diary” will not win any box office awards, but, it definitely worth going to see in the movies (if only for Giovanni Ribisi’s acting), or renting when it comes out on DVD or Internet. I want to buy it…
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Drive Safe! Never Forget.
