Surf's Up - ACE Train Movie Review

Cody Maverick may be a relative amateur when it comes to hanging ten, but he's sure he has what it takes to surf his way to superstardom. With a little help from his cantankerous King Penguin mentor, ex-surfing legend Big Z, and a little encouragement from star Pen Gu Island lifeguard Lani, there may be hope for this tuxedo-clad wave twister after all.

This is a kids movie through and through. There's very little here for adults, so if you're not watching it with kids, don't bother. I was a little bored at times, but could see that kids would enjoy the nutty characters and might feel empowered by the message that anything is possible if you keep trying and work hard to persevere. Overall, the penguins were cute and the underlying message was good, but the story was dull (at least it's less than 90 minutes long).

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Jon Heder

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

Blades of Glory - Movie Review

Their medals stripped after getting into a highly publicized fight at the World Championships, star figure skaters Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy are barred from ever competing in the sport again. Upon discovering a loophole that will allow them to perform together in the pairs figure skating category, the two athletes determine to put their differences aside in order to pursue their gold medal aspirations.

This is exactly the type of movie you have to expect from Will Ferrell and Jon Heder. If you expect anything other than awkward and random humor, you'll be disappointed. It had some very funny moments and some cringingly embarrassing moments. Of course, it was over the top and completely ridiculous, but they made it work and it was pretty entertaining. If you're in a silly mood, enter the world of Chazz Michael Michaels.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, Amy Poehler

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

Evan Almighty - Movie Review

Shortly after television anchorman-turned-U.S. congressman Evan Baxter relocates his family from Buffalo to Northern Virginia, God reveals to him that a devastating flood is coming and the planet is about to be cleansed once again. Later, when Baxter accepts the responsibility of building a great ark and his rapidly changing physical appearance begins to draw media attention, his skeptical family attempts to discern if his actions are driven by delusion or divine intervention.

For being the most expensive comedy film ever produced, this one did not live up expectations. It wasn't very funny. I don't think it was Steve Carell's fault that it wasn't funny, but the writers. The plot was so-so and the characters weren't engaging. Overall, it was just a strange piece of work and not one you should waste your time on.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham

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

Knocked Up - ACE Train Movie Review

Twenty-four-year-old entertainment journalist Allison Scott is on the fast track to the big time, but an alcohol-fueled hookup with responsibility-shirking slacker Ben Stone finds her professional priorities taking a back seat to having a baby. Now, as overgrown kid Ben attempts to assume the responsibilities of fatherhood, he makes the brave decision to stand by Alison. In order to make things work between the pair, however, there's going to have to be some compromise, and when Allison and Ben decide to take a shot at love, they quickly find that building a relationship from scratch isn't nearly as easy as making a baby.

These types of movies are typically really silly and dumb without much of a plot beyond the usual adventures of stoned and drunk losers. However, this film breaks that mold. Yes, there is plenty of idiotic behavior, but it centers around an actual plot. Not just any plot, but a really deep and complicated one. There's a delicate balance between silliness and real content that this movie navigates perfectly. I certainly laughed a lot and could really relate to all the drama surrounding the pregnancy and birth of the child. Maybe that's why I liked it so much, but it's definitely one to see (even though it is over 2 hours long).

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd

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

Fracture - Movie Review

Ted Crawford is an engineer who lives with his wife Jennifer in the couple's lavish Southern California home. One day, after carefully planning out the details to ensure that there is no way he can be convicted of murder, Ted shoots his wife in a blatant attempt to murder the woman. When head hostage negotiator Rob Nunnaly arrives on the scene to speak with Ted, he is shocked to find that the victim of the shooting is in fact his longtime lover. Though Jennifer survives the trauma of being shot in the head at close range, she hovers comatose between life and death as star prosecutor Willy Beachum reluctantly accepts the case while preparing to leave the Los Angeles criminal court system behind for a more promising career at a posh private law firm. Though the D.A. vehemently resents Beachum's lofty plan for departure, the hotshot young lawyer remains convinced that he can expedite the apparently open-and-shut case and be on his way to greener pastures in one week's time at the very most.

This was a pretty good mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. It's unique in that you know who committed the crime from the very beginning. However, that's not the mystery. The biggest question is what happened to the murder weapon since it appears the prosecutor can't make a case without it. The answer turned out to be very surprising and ingenious. While I was surprised and impressed at the ending, I thought the film focused too much on the missing weapon and didn't have enough other twists and turns to be great. Anthony Hopkins did a good job, but I kept seeing similarities between his character and Hannibal Lecter - murdering sociopath. Overall, though, it's certainly worth a look and provides a good payoff in the end.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, Billy Burke

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

Harry Potter Series - Book Review

The story opens with the conspicuous celebration of a normally secretive wizarding world. For many years, it had been terrorised by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort. The previous night, Voldemort discovered the Potter family's hidden refuge, killing Lily and James Potter. However, when he attempted to murder their infant son, Harry, the killing curse he cast rebounded upon him. Voldemort's body was destroyed, but his spirit survived: he was neither dead nor alive. Harry, meanwhile, was left with a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, the only physical sign of Voldemort's curse. Harry is the only known survivor of the killing curse, and Voldemort's mysterious defeat causes the wizarding community to dub Harry, "The Boy Who Lived."

Harry is brought to his only living relatives, the cruel and non-magical Dursleys, consisting of Uncle Vernon, a bad-tempered uncle with hardly any neck; Aunt Petunia, a long-necked woman who appears to absolutely loathe Harry; and Dudley, their spoiled, overweight son. They attempt in vain to rid him of his magical powers, hide his magical heritage, and severely punish him after any strange occurrences.

However, as his eleventh birthday approaches, Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he receives letters from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which are delivered by owls. However, his uncle intercepts the letters. On his birthday, Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper, appears and informs Harry that he is a wizard and has been invited to attend the school. Each book chronicles one year in Harry's life, which is mostly spent at Hogwarts. There he learns to use magic and brew potions. Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social, and emotional obstacles as he struggles through his adolescence, Voldemort's second rise to power, and the Ministry of Magic's corruption and incompetence. After facing many obstacles, making countless friends, and losing loved ones, Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord for the last time.

This is an amazing set of books and are completely worthy of all the attention they have received over the years. J.K. Rowling has an unbelievable imagination and attention to detail. She created a whole new world complete with it's own language, customs, animals, games, etc. It was so convincing that it seemed real and was easy to get lost in the books and lose track of time. I waited until the final book was released before I read any of them and I read all of them to/from work on the train over the span of a couple months. I actually looked forward to the train ride knowing that I would find out a bit more about the world of Harry Potter.

These books are responsible for getting kids excited about reading, but they certainly are worthy of adult eyes as well. They cover many different topics and issues with underlying messages that are mature in nature. I'm sure kids and adults will get something different out of the books and that's the beauty of the way they are written - everyone will read them with a unique perspective and interpret them differently. These books are a must read for anyone looking for some entertainment and adventure. Don't just watch the movies - read the books so your mind can create the complex world that Harry Potter inhabits. You might be surprised at how addictive the written word can be.


Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Would I read them again: Yes

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone (June 1997, 309 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets (July 1998, 341 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban (July 1999, 435 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire (July 2000, 734 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (June 2003, 870 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince (July 2005, 652 pgs)
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows (July 2007, 784 pgs)