The Hills Have Eyes 2 - Movie Review

An isolated desert research camp has been mysteriously abandoned, and now it's up to an elite unit of soldiers to uncover the truth about the scientists who vanished without a trace. Their attention soon diverted by a distress signal emitting from a distant mountain range, the squadron quickly regroups and sets out to investigate. Unbeknownst to the soldiers, however, is the fact that these are the very same hills where the Carter family recently fell prey to a flesh-eating pack of hideously deformed mutants. As the ranks of the cavalry unit steadily begin to dwindle, it soon becomes obvious that their guns provide little defense from an evil driven by hunger to commit the ultimate crime against humanity.

This film is very similar to the first The Hills Have Eyes. There's a bunch of people who get killed in a number of ways and it's not just the hill people doing the killing. The death scenes are particularly gruesome with eyes being gouged out, arms being cut off and heads being beaten to a pulp. There's nothing terribly original in this movie especially since the first film was very similar. The ending left it open for another film in the series, but I'm not that excited about watching another one. There was some suspense and a few surprises, but it was mostly just a straightforward plot with vicious slayings thrown in. If you liked the first one, you'll like this one as well.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Michael McMillian, Jessica Stroup

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Robots - Movie Review

Rodney Copperbottom is an idealistic robot who wants to convince his electronic brethren to come together and work toward making the world a better place. As the story unfolds, Rodney faces opposition from an evil corporation headed by Big Weld and finds some unlikely allies in the form of a ragtag group of misfit robots called the Rusties.

This was a fun and clever animated film. The entire world that was created was very imaginative and pretty impressive, especially the beginning sequence when Rodney traveled to Robot City. Throughout the film, they made use of many childhood toys and made reference to lots of pop culture which was fun to see and provided many, "Oh, look at that" moments. Not only was it an entertaining film that would be good for kids, it had an underlying message of perseverance through tough times and helping others that are good life lessons.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Voices of Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, Drew Carey, Amanda Bynes

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Premonition - Movie Review

Linda Hanson was an average housewife with a loving family, but when a policeman comes knocking on her door with news that her husband, Jim, was involved in a fatal car accident, Linda's world slowly begins to unravel. While her grief is at first overwhelming, Linda assumes that the whole thing was nothing more than a vivid dream when she wakes to find her family still very much intact. With each passing day, however, Linda's reality shifts and her circumstances grow increasingly surreal; one day Jim is dead and the next he is right there by her side. As her investigation leaves her convinced that her husband's death wasn't a dream and that her picture-perfect life may not have been quite as flawless as she thought, Linda embarks on a mind-bending journey to prevent her grim premonition from becoming a reality. Now, in order to save the man she loves, Linda will have to piece together a perplexing mystery that seems to span two separate planes of reality.

This was a pretty good psychological thriller. In the beginning, you'll have a lot of questions and as the film progresses, you'll have even more questions. It's not until the final 15 minutes where the answers start to flow, but it stops short of spelling everything out for you. I'll admit that the overall concept is a bit of a stretch and relies on the viewer to accept what they see, but it's entertaining enough to not have to be completely realistic. It's not a great film, but certainly one of the better ones I had never heard of (either I was MIA when this came out in the theater or there wasn't much buzz).

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

A Prairie Home Companion - Movie Review

As if the result of some strange mass-media fluke, the popular radio program "A Prairie Home Companion" somehow managed to survive the television age to entertain its audience every Saturday night from the stage of the historic Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN. Week after week, hangdog host Garrison Keillor serves as unflappable emcee to an amiable hodgepodge of radio-friendly acts that include the likes of popular country duo Yolanda and Rhonda Johnson and singing cowboys the Old Trailhands. This is one show where the under-the-line antics are nearly as entertaining as the program itself, though, and in between the efforts of down-on-his-luck private dick and backstage doorkeeper Guy Noir to discover the true identity of a mysterious blond and aspiring teen singer Lola to find her true voice before a live audience, there's still plenty of fun and mystery to be had at the old Fitzgerald before the final curtain falls on "A Prairie Home Companion."

Wow, talk about a boring film... Everything was so subdued, it seemed like there was no action whatsoever. I did like the look of the film as a throwback to a time long past, but that's about the only thing I liked. The plot was uninteresting and didn't appear to have a point. There were a ton of famous actors that starred in the film and proved once again that it's tough to make a good film when there's so many big names in the room for some reason. There's not much else to say other than there's nothing blatantly bad about the movie except for the fact it was boring, so I guess the acting was fine, but the writing was the problem.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Garrison Keillor, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Kline, Lindsay Lohan, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Tommy Lee Jones

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The Messengers - Movie Review

Roy and Denise Solomon have decided to give up life in Chicago and relocate their family to a secluded North Dakota sunflower farm. While the tranquil sway of the lush yellow fields at first offers a welcomed reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the big city, the family soon begins to suspect that they are not alone on the farm when teenage daughter Jess and her three-year-old brother, Ben, begin to see a series of menacing apparitions that are apparently invisible to adult eyes. As Jess and Ben's encounters with the malevolent spirits grow increasingly violent, the parents of the tormented teen soon begin to question their daughter's sanity. Soon, the dark history of the family that once lived in the remote farm and the troubled past of the frightened Jess begin to merge as she struggles to warn her parents about the terrifying confrontation with the supernatural that is about to unfold.

This is a pretty straightforward horror film. The first half of the movie sets everything up and the second half provides all the action and thrills. The twist at the end was good and surprising, but overall, the movie was just too simplistic. By contrast, "The Ring" was very complex, intense and scary. This film seemed to copy the creepy movements of the creatures from "The Ring," but that's where the similarities end. I think the fact that it's less than 90 minutes long speaks volumes about just how shallow this film is - there's no time to really develop the characters and tell a good story. It seemed rushed and I didn't care enough about the characters to be concerned about their well-being, which takes away from the scare factor. Overall, this movie missed the mark of a good horror film.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Dylan McDermott, Penelope Ann Miller

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Apocalypto - Movie Review

The Mayan kingdom is at the absolute height of opulence and power, but leaders are convinced that unless more temples are constructed and more human sacrifices made, the crops, and ultimately the people, will suffer. Jaguar Paw is a peaceful hunter from a remote forest tribe whose life is about to be changed forever. When Jaguar Paw's village is raided and he is prepared as a sacrifice that the Mayan deities have demanded, the brave young hunter is forced to navigate a horrific new world of fear and oppression. Fearlessly determined to escape his captors and save his family from a harrowing demise, Jaguar Paw prepares to risk it all in one final, desperate attempt to preserve his dying way of life. However, few who have seen the sacrificial alter of the Mayans have managed to live to see another day. Now, in order to rescue his pregnant wife and young son, Jaguar Paw will have to elude the most powerful warriors of the Mayan kingdom while using his vast knowledge of the forest to turn the tables on those who would rather see him dead than set free.

I've heard mixed review on this film, so I wasn't sure what to expect especially after viewing Mel Gibson's other film "The Passion of the Christ." While that film was just a bloody mess, this one was actually very interesting and engaging. There was a bit of gore (beheadings and spears through the chest), but it was essential for the story. Apparently, Gibson collaborated with a Mayan culture expert to ensure the film was historically accurate - not that it needed to be (or that most people would know). That was just an extra bonus for a movie that was intense and packed with action. The fact that it was entirely in the Mayan language with English sub-titles was a non-issue since there wasn't a whole lot of talk anyway. The actors were great and the sets and costumes were awesome. Everything came together to make the 2+ hour movie go by very quickly. I'd recommend this film to action & adventure fans and don't let the fact that Mel Gibson wrote and directed it dissuade you from checking it out.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernandez

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

The Last Time - Movie Review

The Bindview Company is a firm comfortably nestled in a corporate park that specializes in a highly profitable product. Ted is a former Northwestern University literature professor who has since found his calling in sales. When fresh-faced Ohio native Jamie arrives at Bindview eager to acclimate to life in the big city, cynical Ted greets the cub salesman with a palpable sense of scorn. Though Jamie is currently engaged to be married to the pretty Belisa, the bride-to-be is beginning to view her prospective spouse as something of a loser, and soon sets her sights on his reluctant mentor Ted.

Not good, but not horrible. From the beginning, it's pretty obvious that everything isn't what it seems. At least, I was hoping there was something more to the story since the chemistry between the characters seemed forced and a bit strange. Even though the film was only about 90 minutes, that was stretching the limits of what they could get away with before it became boring. The twist at the end was pretty good, but it wasn't good enough to necessitate sitting through the rest of the film. It seemed that just when it was starting to get really interesting, it ended.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Michael Keaton, Brendan Fraser, Amber Valletta

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

School for Scoundrels - Movie Review

Roger, a beleaguered New York City meter maid, is plagued by anxiety and low self-esteem. In order to overcome his feelings of inadequacy, Roger enrolls in a top-secret confidence-building class taught by the suavely underhanded Dr. P. Aided by his assistant, Lesher, Dr. P uses unorthodox, often dangerous methods, but he guarantees results: Employ his techniques and you will unleash your inner lion. Surrounded by a band of misfit classmates, Roger's confidence grows and he makes his way to the head of the class, even finding the courage to ask out his longtime crush, Amanda. But Roger quickly discovers that star students have a way of catapulting Dr. P's competitive side into high gear. Soon enough, the teacher sets out to infiltrate and destroy Roger's personal and professional life. Nothing is off limits for Dr. P, not even the object of Roger's affection. In order to show Amanda Dr. P's true colors, Roger must rally his new friends and find a way to beat the master at his own game.

Yes, I thought this movie was going to be completely ridiculous and dumb. Yes, I still watched it. However, it really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Sure, it was silly (what else would you expect from a movie starring Napoleon Dynamite), but was also pretty entertaining. It was a remake of a movie from 1960, so it wasn't exactly original, but that didn't make much difference to me. I thought it was well done for its intended objective - to amuse. I'm not a big fan of the main characters, but Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Heder weren't as annoying as I find them in their other work. The whole cast seemed to work well together and play off each other. I'm sure they had a blast filming this movie and it showed. Don't expect a classic, but I wouldn't skip over this one based on your initial perceptions - you might be pleasantly surprised.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Heder, Jacinda Barrett, Michael Clarke Duncan, Luis Guzman, Ben Stiller

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Letters from Iwo Jima - Movie Review

In 1945, World War II was in its last stages, and U.S. forces were planning to take on the Japanese on a small island known as Iwo Jima. While the island was mostly rock and volcanoes, it was of key strategic value and Japan's leaders saw the island as the final opportunity to prevent an Allied invasion. Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi was put in charge of the forces on Iwo Jima; Kuribayashi had spent time in the United States and was not eager to take on the American army, but he also understood his opponents in a way his superiors did not, and devised an unusual strategy of digging tunnels and deep foxholes that allowed his troops a tactical advantage over the invading soldiers. While Kuribayashi's strategy alienated some older officers, it impressed Baron Nishi, the son of a wealthy family who had also studied America firsthand as an athlete at the 1932 Olympics. As Kuribayashi and his men dig in for a battle they are not certain they can win - and most have been told they will not survive - their story is told both by watching their actions and through the letters they write home to their loved ones, letters that in many cases would not be delivered until long after they were dead.

After seeing Flags of our Fathers, I was really looking forward to seeing this film. Both were directed by Clint Eastwood and produced by Steven Spielberg with each film focusing on one side of the American/Japanese conflict during the end of World War II. Therefore, having loved Flags of our Fathers I thought it would be interesting to see the Japanese side of the war. However, I was disappointed that it wasn't as good of a film and was actually pretty boring. I think the idea of the film was better than the execution. A lot of the film seemed to focus on the planning of the attack rather than the actual fighting which meant there was a lot of talk, not action - which is significant for a film in Japanese with English subtitles (lots of reading). There's only so much talk about digging holes in the ground a person can handle and I found my limit. Also, I thought there would be some great special features since it was a 2 disc set, but there was just the status quo. Maybe I built it up too much in my mind, but I was just left with a disappointing feeling after the movie was over.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Catch and Release - Movie Review

Gray was a beautiful woman who found the man of her dreams in Grady Douglas, and was looking forward to spending the rest of her life with him until he suddenly died only a few days before they were to be married. With her wedding turned into an impromptu funeral, Grey is emotionally devastated but has to deal with the practicalities of her new life alone, including moving out of the house she shared with Grady. Short on cash and in need of emotional support, Grey moves in with two longtime friends, sloppy but philosophical Sam and well-meaning but tightly wound Dennis. Grey also finds herself often chatting with Fritz, Grady's best friend, through she's always regarded him as a sleazeball. As time passes, Grey discovers that Grady had a secret life he never shared with her - including a young son from a previous relationship - and as she tries to come to terms with the past of her former fiance, she struggles to put her new life on track, and finds herself reevaluating her long-held feelings about Fritz.

I don't know how this film can be categorized as a romantic comedy. Any movie that starts off with the death of someone about to get married doesn't strike me as romantic or funny. To say this film was odd would be an understatement. Of course, any movie where Kevin Smith makes an appearance is destined to be a little offbeat and this was no exception. Like I said, a woman's fiance dies to start the movie, then a couple of his friends make a pass at the mourning female and the story progresses from there. If it was funny, it was certainly a dark comedy, but I didn't find myself laughing much. Mostly, it was dark and a little depressing to watch a distraught widow go on the rebound. The acting was fine and I think it was really the plot I didn't like - slow and boring.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Sam Jaeger, Kevin Smith

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

American Dreamz - Movie Review

To President Staton, the world is a fairly black-and-white place, but a glance at the daily headlines on the eve of his reelection leaves the most powerful man in the free world shaken to the very core. Now determined to read as much as possible in order to best assess the opinions of the general public, President Staton locks himself away and obsessively begins taking in as much information as humanly possible. With concern about the President's mental health soon taking precedence over all other issues in the White House, his nervous Chief of Staff attempts to get the Commander in Chief back in the public eye by booking him as a guest judge on television's top-rated talent show, "American Dreamz." A weekly ratings juggernaut hosted by self-loathing celebrity Martin Tweed, "American Dreamz" cashes in on the dominant culture of celebrity by affording everyday Americans the opportunity to be catapulted into stardom. As "American Dreamz" hopefuls Sally and Omer progress to the final round and the President takes his seat on the panel, an unexpected revelation about one of the finalists promises to make this season finale the biggest ratings grabber in television history.

This film is only 1 year old, but I had never heard of it. After watching it, I now know why. From start to finish, it's completely ridiculous and a waste of space. Obviously, the filmmakers were trying to capitalize on the success of American Idol, but judging by the lack of buzz surrounding this film, I think people were smart enough to stay away from the theater (assuming it even was released in the theater). The acting was over the top and the writing was cheezy and dumb. Definitely one to skip.

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore, Willem Dafoe, Chris Klein

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Dead Silence - Movie Review

In the quiet town of Ravens Fair, children taunt one another with spooky stories about a ventriloquist whose mind was ravaged by insanity. Mary Shaw was a popular entertainer until she was accused of murdering a young boy. Subsequently hunted and captured by the vengeful townspeople, Mary's tongue was cut out before she was mercilessly killed and committed to the earth in the company of her handmade collection of vaudeville dolls. In the years that followed, the town seemed to be haunted by those ghastly puppets. After mysteriously disappearing from Mary's grave, the menacing figurines would sometimes be glimpsed by the damned in the dead of night - their appearance consistently foreshadowing the death of whoever laid eyes upon them. Entire families were found slaughtered, their tongues brutally torn from their mouths in a sickening scene that eerily recalled the execution of the elderly ventriloquist. Newlyweds Jamie and Lisa Ashen both grew up in Ravens Fair. Now, following Lisa's inexplicable death, Paul has returned to the pair's hometown in order to say his final goodbyes and find out the truth about his wife's enigmatic demise. After being reunited with his ailing father and the aging man's pretty young bride, the grieving widower will finally uncover the shocking truth behind the curse that has plagued Ravens Fair for as far back as he can remember.

The creators of Saw tried to recreate their success with this film, but they missed this time. Fans of Saw will be able to clearly see the signature style of James Wan and Leigh Whannell, but that's not enough to make a hit. The story was weak and lacked depth, which made it seem like they stretched what little plot they had into a 90 minute movie where it could have been a 30 minute short. The acting was average and the ventriloquist dummy was a total ripoff of the Saw Jigsaw Puppet. I can't blame them from trying to cash in on their prior achievement, but this was a poor effort. It's one thing to make sequels of a hit film, but to steal ideas from a film and try to pass it off as something new and original is not cool.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, Donnie Wahlberg

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.

Kaitlyn Belle Cutforth was born July 1, 2007

Kaitlyn Belle Cutforth
Born: July 1, 2007
Time: 3:42pm
Weight: 7lbs 7oz
Length: 20.25in

Check Baby Hooey for the latest details on our new baby girl.