Entertainment To Me!

So, the other day I was watching the 2004 disaster movie, The Day After Tomorrow, and I realized a couple of things.

While I do like Dennis Quaid–that movie was pretty bad. I don’t like Jake Gyllenhaal at all, but he was just as good in the film, I guess, as the others. The movie is one I enjoy because it’s got a cool theme, and entertains me.  The Entertainment factor comes from the fact that while the graphics are not that great–you’re dealing with end of the age as we know it themes here!!–I loved the concept of global warming making the ice caps melt suddenly, so rapidly, that everything would freeze over in the top half of the world, and create a new Ice Age.

Mainly I think I watch it thinking–man, it’d be cool to be the kids in that library! I love the cold, and think trying to survive would be awesome! But of course, if truth be told–it’s not THAT entertaining, because in real life, if something ever happened that fast–no one would’ve survived. Which brings me to another aspect of why the movie is bad…

Goofing That Badly…

If you look at this link, HERE, you’ll be able to see a great list of mistakes in the movie that are not really all that hidden. In fact, I love looking at messups, and finding glitches in movies. But these are doozys. I think when you’re dealing with a disaster movie, if you make such blatant errors of any sort of judgement–the film is bound to fail.

The Internet Movie Database is where the list comes from, and I had a ball reading the messups–most of which I was able to find myself. I mean–when you hear that it’s so freezing, the oil in a helicopter pipeline froze instantly, then someone opens the door of the helicopter, and does NOT freeze (or, rather, is not already frozen!!)–you wonder!

There were a slew of disaster movies that all came out around the same time–this one just failed to check its facts, methinks. I enjoy the movie every once in a while, cause I still think it’d be cool to base-camp in the NYC Library…but sadly, I think I’d end up dead–just cause of real life.

Last night I just watched the 2008 movie adaptation of the novel The Secret Life of Bees . I must read the novel of this story, now, and see how well the movie matched up with the book.

The Secret Life of Bees stars Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo. It takes place in S.C. in 1964, and centers around a young girl, Lily–wonderfully played by Dakota–who is struggling with crushed and cofused memories of her mother, and who is living with her good-for-nothing dad, who treats her less than lovingly. Her father always told her her Mother was a loser who left her, and takes very little  notice of the girl, except to berate and punish her. So one day, after witnessing her friend Rosaleen–played by Hudson–getting beaten by some white trash, she decides to go seek info on her Mom in a town in S.Carolina. She carries a picture of a black Virgin Mary, which her Mother left her, and which carries the name of the town on the back in S.C. that she heads to.

So Lily and Rosaleen take to the road, eventually ending up at a pink house in S.C., which is the home of May, June, and August Boatwright–played respectively by Sophie, Alicia, and Queen Latifah, who is awesome, heh. Queen L. is a master honey gatherer, and owns hives (hence the bee theme). She makes the best honey in town, and on each bottle is a picture of the black Virgin Mother, the same as Lily’s Mom carried with her.

Lily and Rosaleen stay with August and her sisters, bonding with them, learning from them, suffering with them, as tragedy strikes. Lily is convinced she is unlovable, and it’s all her fault. But things aren’t always what they seem.

The end of the movie is touching and great, and the story is wound together well, with all of the lead actresses shining, while not out-shining each other. I thought Alicia Keys did a great job, and I think Dakota Fanning is one of the most amazing actresses out there today, even running against the older gals. She has a great skill for one her age, and can play just about any part, I’m sure!

The Secret Life of Bees is a great movie to watch with gal pals, without being a “chick flick” type. It’s drama, but not gushy, or overdramatic. The underlaying theme of the times (blacks were just getting to vote, and still were segregated in the South like crazy-glue) is tastefully, yet powerfully done.

The movie also has a great theme about friendship and family, and even about the Blessed Mother (which, as a Catholic, I appreciated!).

I thought The Secret Life of Bees was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a LONG time, and certainly of 2008.

Over Thanxgiving holiday, lots of family and lots of food abounded. And lots of movie watching. Oldest sis and hubby came down to PA from Long Island, and as usual, at holiday time, we all–with our respective others/friends–went to see a movie in our local Cinemark theatre.

BOLT–Everyone else went to see the new comedy, “Four Christmases,”, while my husband and myself opted to see “Bolt,” the new computer animated movie starring the voice talents of John Travolta and singer/actress Miley Cyrus. Movie started at 5:35pm, and after credits, and all was said and done–was ended at about  7:25pm. Of course there were about 4 previews (all for computer animated coming attractions), and so on and so forth, but the movie was still long for a computer animated one. But all the time was used wonderfully!

I loved “Bolt”, and would most definitely see it again! In fact, it was one of the best, if not the, computer cartoon I’ve ever seen! I loved it!! While it wasn’t totally as funny as say, “Finding Nemo”–Disney did a great job with this one. John Travolta plays the little white dog who thinks he has superpowers, perfectly. And Miley Cyrus, while she’s not an outstanding character in the movie, added to its memorability with her addition of the ending song (which she and John T. sing together).

The secondary characters–the cat named Mittens and a fat hampster named Rhino–are great. The hampster made my husband laugh like crazy, and me too. Bolt is a beautiful dog, and the hampster is adorable as comedic relief. Mittens is really thin and odd looking, but she’s a cool cat, so it’s all good.

“Bolt” is beautiful, the animation is amazing, the characters are FUNNY (especially the first set of NY pigeons!!LOL), the backrounds are well done, and it is overall a great adventure for family, friends, and everyone of any age. Highly recommended!

HANCOCK–Will Smith is great, really and truly. I usually enjoy watching him. Even “I Am Legend”–which wasn’t the greatest movie, was made better by him. But when I finally sat down to watch “Hancock” this holiday season, on DVD, I was glad I hadn’t paid money to see it in the theatre. The preview people had seen a zillion times tells nothing of Charlize Theron’s pointless sister-superhero-type-character, or of the fact that the movie isn’t funny at all, it’s merely a drama about a drunk, and a guy who tries to be a good man in a crappy world. It was an alright movie, if you have time, and don’t bore easily. Don’t get me wrong, Will is still a great actor, but this movie wasn’t really worth the time. It had nothing extra special. And they took a great super hero theme and screwed it up pretty bad, making a drama. Oy vey.

TROPIC THUNDER (unrated version)–Ok, this movie, starring Jack Black, Ben Stiller, and Robert Downy Jr., was extremely funny. Made so by Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise sub-characters, especially! Tom Cruise has a scene where he is just swearing like crazy, and everyone is looking at him like he’s crazy, which his character is–and it’s worth cracking up over.

Jack Black isn’t as funny or prominent, but Ben Stiller and Robert Downy Jr. are great hysterics, and the character R.D. Jr. plays is impressive.

We watched the unrated version, which has tonz of cursing, and lots of perverted humor, which I could’ve done without, but other than that stuff, it would’ve been a GREAT comedy. So it’s good, but be careful if you’ve got kids around. It was fun to watch with the guys and hubby.