Harry Potter London Premiere - Get Ready for US Media Blitz

Instead of boring old US news, here's BBC story on London Premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Fun fact: If this upcoming movie does as well as expected (and it should), it will overtake the James Bond franchise as the most successful franchise of all time.

And why can't American stars their age, sound half way intelligent.

Reminder: Regal Cinemas Free Family Festival

Just a reminder that Regal has Free Family Festival starting this week. 

Click here for details in an earlier post. 

Imagine That - Pedestrian and Predictable

If it weren't for the rain,  I would have gladly chosen the park or cleaning my kitchen cabinets over seeing this boring movie. I will agree that it is a family friendly movie in which you will occasionally laugh or maybe chuckle and it will definitely hold your child's attention. That said, there was nothing original about this movie we haven't seen before.

Plotline in a nutshell. Divorced parent absorbed with work,  ignores/doesn't understand child, parent stuck with child for extended period of time,  child helps parent find child - like inner self, parent realizes his child is more important than work. Happy ending. Been there, done that. See The Game Plan with the Rock aka Dwayne Johnson.

Eddie Murphy was cute and still funny but where did his career go? With the exception of Dreamgirls, he has been mired in so many bad family comedy movies, it's hard to remember that he was ever one of the greatest comedians of this generation. The daughter, Olivia (Yara Shahidi) was cute and adorable but her character did not make sense. Seriously, if a second grader came to school and could not separate from her go gaa (blanket) and sat in the playground talking to imaginary friends, the school would have recommended therapy. The parents did not seem to think this was an issue??? And why was it that the father had no idea the daughter had imaginary friends. Did he only see her once a year? 

If you have kids, go see it, otherwise skip it. 

"Up" is a depressing movie for single moms

All you have heard and read about Up, the movie is correct. It is touching, charming, and funny, an enjoyable movie for both children and adults. The graphics were amazing and a truly wondrous movie to see on the big screen. All things you expect from a Pixar movie. Although, I did think the 3D version was overrated and not worth the extra $3.00.

But from a single mom's perspective, I found the entire sequence between Carl Fredricksen and his wife Ellie simply depressing. I realize the writers needed a plot mechanism to explain how and why Carl turned out to be cantankerous, scary and lonely old man but the montage was just too perfect.

The montage shows how they met as children, Ellie being the more exuberant and adventurous one, Carl the shy and reticent boy, planning for a baby, losing the baby, not being able to conceive, unexpected occurrences that kept them from being able to achieve their dream of going to South America, happily growing old together, and finally death.

Yes, it's sentimental, beautifully photographed in its silence and you just want to hug and befriend Carl but as a single mom, I just felt like wow, my love life will never be like this movie (not that it should). It left me somewhat hopeless and sad that I will never have the loving and caring relationship that Carl and Ellie had.

I just love Ryan Reynolds but is it enough to go see "The Proposal"

I have grown to love Ryan Reynolds. Not the Van Wilder,  Ryan Reynolds but the underrated Definitely, Maybe and Deadpool character from X-Men Origins: Wolverine Ryan Reynolds.

I know that this movie is just another absurd chick flick,  romantic comedy but I am wavering if he is worth it. 

And let's face it seeing his six pack abs are probably worth shelling out $12.50. 

Alex went to her first New York International Children's Film Festival

What I love about living in New York City is the opportunity to participate in activities that are unique. We went to New York  International Children's Film Festival to see a collection of short films from around the world. What I loved about all the shorts was that it showed the true creative nature and the possibilities when some big studio is not involved. The part I liked best is that Alex can see that there is so much more than Disney and Nickolodeon. The films made her really think about each of the films. 

Next year, I can't wait to see whats on the schedule next year. Alex will be 1 year older and we will be able to see more mature films. 

Aston's Stones (Sweden) was our favorite. 

The plot was so cute and unusual. The little dog, Aston picks up a rock on the way home one day, puts a hat on it and treats it like a baby.  Eventually, he picks up so many rocks that the house is covered with rocks. The rocks looked so cute covered in knitted caps. The doggy parents realize that something must be done and suggest to Aston that rocks should go on a vacation to the beach. Little Aston agrees that the rocks would be "happy" living at the beach fulltime. But as they begin to walk away, Ashton comes up to his parent with a twig and says he felt so sorry for the twig and it must be lonely.  Cute, no.

Pink Panther 2 - Not worth the $$$

What can I say, with the exception of Coraline, there were no other children's movies out. As desperately, as I wanted to see Coraline, I knew that my daughter was too young to see it and would be afraid of all those 3-D button eyes flying at her. I only envisioned pleas to leave and my frustration of having  just spent $20 to see a movie so off to the Pink Panther 2 we went.

What can I say than, seriously, it took 3 people including Steve Martin to write that drivel. Alfred Molina, Lily Tomlin, Andy Garcia, Emily Mortimer, John Cleese, and Jeremy Irons were all in this movie. This group of actors is soo talented and all been in hit movies. Did they not read the script? Or did they to  fund a beach house somewhere. It's the only explanation I can fathom why they would have done this movie. 

Only a five year could have enjoyed that nonsense.  The plot was absurd (I am not waisting time to explain it) Also the script was blatantly sexist and racist. I have no idea why they would write the character in that way. Just odd. I think I laughed maybe 2x. 

When I see movies like this, it does not surprise me why the movie industry is doing so poorly. And you can ramble on about prices, the internet, cable... that are hurting ticket sales but if there is good movie out, people will get off their butts and pay the money to see it.

If I  had not promised to take her to a movie, I would have just passed on this. 

P.S. I would have paid to see Paul Blart, Mall Cop over this. Kevin James is by far funnier than Steve Martin. 

The Reader

I had the chance to see "The Reader" tonight. Someone asked me if I liked it. Did I? I guess so. I I did not hate.  Would I recommend it? Not to pay $12.50. Definitely a rental. 

Quick synopsis: 15 year old boy gets sick in apartment vestibule,  meets older woman who helps him. He returns months later to say thank you after being in bed with scarlet fever. They begin affair (lots of nude scenes, full frontal male nudity, shots of Kate's natural breasts). He reads to her before lovemaking. She ends affair and moves away with no forwarding address. Years later, boy is now in law school attending a trial of nazi guards, finds out ex lover was a nazi guard. Lots of crying, soul searching..... She goes to prison... He is forever haunted by not coming forward with information that could help her case..... He can not connect with family, lovers, children.... They connect 20 years later.. There's more but it would ruin the ending

I don't know why but I just did not care or get some sort of something, something from this movie. I know I was supposed to be moved or cried but I just did not. 

Yes, the acting was exceptional from all the main characters. I can see why Kate Winslet was nominated for an Oscar but I wonder if there was some underlying WWII Nazi Concentration camp would this movie have the same buzz. If she were a brutal prison guard in English prison would we be talking about this. Ralph Fiennes did his tortured, soul bit. From the way this was shot, it looks like he's spent his whole never smiling. At some point in his life, he must have funny and charming because he obviously is able to seduce attractive woman as evidenced by the one scene. 

The one person who I think should have been nominated and is getting no recognition is the young actor, David Kross who plays the young Michael Berg as a teenager and college student. He was quite good for someone to play the awkward teenager in love and the thoughtful law student.

When I see movies like this I can see why the movie business is in trouble. Not that I want to see Mall Cop but really...