The A-Team

For those of you that remember the action packed TV Series staring Mr. T, George Peppard, Dwight Schultz and Dirk Bennedict, you will find this movie to be EVERYTHING you remember and more.  Even those of you who never grew up with the A-Team will find this to be an entertaining summer movie.. filled with great action sequences and roller coaster plot twists.  The A-Team definitely is what it is.. a movie based on an old T.V. series.. but that being said, it is about the best example I have seen of this.   WAY better than Charlie's Angels and for sure better than the abysmal Dukes Of Hazard.  The choice of using Liam Neeson as Hannible Smith was at first (in my mind) a bit weird... but he does a credible job portraying the Colonel who loves it when a plan comes together.   If any of you have seen District 9 you will recognize the actor who played Wikis as Howling Mad Murdock.  Once again he also does a great job in his part.   The actors protraying B.A. Baracus and the Face man Peck also do a good job.   The action sequences and cinematography are decent if not memorable.  The story line is a bit outlandish but so was the original series.   Could go either way on this one for watching at the theater.   I think it will be equally entertaining at either the big screen.. or in front of your T.V.  when it comes to DVD.  (4.0/6.0)

Oh what the heck... :-)

Oh what the heck.. who needs a spoon. I am going for the gusto. Why is mommy rolling on the floor laughing... weird.

MMMMM Chocolate

You know getting the LAST dredging of the chocolaty goodness at the bottom of the bowl is the hardest part. Mommy tells me that I am wearing more of the ice cream than I am getting in me. That may be true.. but it SURE is fun scraping the last of the choclate from the bowl.

Chocolate Ice Cream

You know being a good girl definitely has its benefits... sometimes.... I suppose.  Like now, when mommie gives me TWO of the best things in the whole world. Ice Cream AND Chocolate. At the SAME TIME. Whoever invented that has GOT to be genius, in my opinion.

The Karate Kid

So I went into this movie not really knowing what to expect.   I had heard from people who had seen it that it wasn't bad and so I was cautiously optimistic.  Happily, I wasn't disappointed and I found myself actually enjoying this remake of the successful 1980's movie.   First off, as many have noted, as the movie is set in China, they characters aren't actually learning Karate (the Japanese martial art form) but Kung Fu.   This is explained during the movie when the bullies picking on Jayden Smith's character, tease him by calling him the karate kid when he tries to defend himself.  I know... it seems like kind of a hack way of allowing them to use the same title... "The Karate Kid"  and I agree..   I don't know why they couldn't have called the movie "The Kung-Fu Kid" instead... but that's Hollywood for you.   It seems they wanted to cash in on the previous movie... and didn't trust the audience to be smart enough to make the connection between the two movies without that tie-in.  The cinematography in this movie was pretty spectacular and some of the shots of China, Beijing, the great wall, the country side, etc where phenominal.  I loved seeing the mix of the modern and the ancient parts of the city.   Jayden Smith played a decent part and makes a convincing student to Jackie Chan's character who steps in for Patrick Moriarty as the teacher.  Actually, I must say that Chan steals the show in this movie, in my opinion.  Delivering a credible performance as the forlorn maintenance man/teacher.   The movie is a bit long but I struggle to think where they could have cut scenes without taking away from showing China.    If there is one flaw in the movie, it was that they left the story TOO similar to the older 1980's movie.  I wished the writers might have changed some of the story while keeping the under lying plot line.   Still... all in all...  this is a decent summer movie worth seeing at the theater if you can.   (4.0/6.0)  

Mao's Last Dancer

Mao's Last Dancer is a FANTASTIC movie what was first screened in Canada during last years TIFF.  It is now currently showing in a limited release at a few select theater's around the city and country.  After seeing it, I would highly recommend seeing it if you get a chance.   The whole movie is a heart lifting look into the life of a boy/man who goes from the depths of poverty to critical acclaim on the ballet circuit.  It show's perseverance through adversity and the love and support of friends/family through thick and thin.  Based on the the autobiography of Li Cunxin, the storyline has a depth and background that you don't normally get from completely made up stories.    It was great to see Kyle Maclachlan and Joan Chen in the movie but there were many great performances by the less known actors as well.  The small boy that they got to play the young Li was especially inspiring. The cinematography was decent, although I would have liked to have seen more scene's set in China.  On the whole, its too bad that this movie is not being given a full release.   I think alot of people would be surprised how well they liked it if they got a chance to see it.  (5.0/6.0)

Killers

Have you ever gone to a movie and liked it, in spite of the fact that when you think about it.. it wasn't really that good?   This is what I thought of this movie.  The plot line wasn't bad, but at the same time I have seen it a few times before, Mr. And Mrs. Smith comes to mind.   The acting by Katherine Heigl and Aston Kutcher wasn't bad for the material they were given.. but nothing to stand out.. and the filming was again mediocre at best.   That being said...  like I alluded to above.  I liked this movie and found myself either chuckling or laughing out loud a couple of times throughout the movie and upon leaving the theater and thinking about it...  I can't say I was disappointed in going.  (3.5/6.0)

Micmacs

Okay... I know you are going to say it.  Dave it's another foreign language film.  French this time.. don't you ever watch movies in your own tongue anymore.  LOL  What can I say... sub-titles really don't bother me.  Especially when they are tagged onto great movies like Micmacs.  From the same director of the movie Amelie we are treated to another whimsical look at life from a slightly skewed perspective.   Micmacs tells the story of Bazil...  who has a double tragedy, as first his father is killed by a land mine and then he himself is shot in the head (he lives) during a failed robbery.  Getting out of the hospital with no money, no place to live and no prospects, he soon ends up on the street begging for money.  Bazil is fortunate enough to run into a "family" of eccentric misfits (The Micmacs) living on the money they can make from salvaging every day items.   This is the start of his new life, as they show their love for him.   The Micmacs, you see, stick together through thick and thin, and so when Bazil decides to get some justice, from the arms dealers who ruined his life... they of course are all in to help...    This is where the comedy ensues...   The whole movies style is similar to Amelie.. with rich colours and dreamy atmospheres.   The acting was excellent, with the characters drawing you in...  even with me having to read the sub-titles.   I truly enjoyed this movies eccentricities... (4.5/6.0)