Cast: Ryan Reynolds (Michael "Mr. D" D'Angelo), Andrew Robb (Dylan Warner), David Paymer (Matt Warner), John Astin (Stormin' Norman Warner), Kate Vernon (Ellie Warner)
For complete info, see IMDb's School of Life page.
I watched School of Life on Netflix instant and probably wouldn't have seen it any other way. I'd never heard of it, but I like Ryan Reynolds and figured it was worth watching. I was very pleasantly surprised. Apparently, School of Life was released in theatres in Canada. I don't think it would have done well in the US in a theatre, but it is a cute movie. The story of a new teacher being instantly popular and helping other kids get along is amusing and the cast is great.
If you missed this one, it's worth renting or watching on Netflix instant.
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, Andrew Robb, comedy, drama, family, John Astin, Ryan Reynolds, sports
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:45 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Tobin Bell (Jigsaw), Shawnee Smith (Amanda), Donnie Wahlberg (Erid Matthews), Erik Knudsen (Daniel Matthews)
For complete info, see IMDb's Saw II page.
I liked the same thing about this Saw movie that I liked about the original - the mind games aspect of it. I would still prefer that aspect without all the gore, but I know that's pretty rare in a movie. I think Saw II was well done and if you can appreciate the first, the second is almost as good and worth renting.
Grade: B-
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:20 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Vincent Cassel (LaRoche), Clive Owen (Charles Schine), Jennifer Aniston (Lucinda Harris), Addison Timlin (Amy Schine), Melissa George (Deanna Schine)
For complete info, see IMDb's Derailed page.
This movie about adultery and dealing with a blackmailer is very clever. I can't say too much about it without ruining the plot, but I highly recommend renting Derailed if you missed it in the theatre. The movie kept me interested until the very end. It's very well written, acted, & directed. The music sets the mood well. It's a lot like Match Point in many ways. A movie that's not simple seems rare at times. Derailed was definitely a lot more complex.
Grade: A-
Labels: 2005, Clive Owen, drama, Jennifer Aniston, movie, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:40 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Aaron Eckhart (Nick Naylor), Maria Bello (Polly Bailey), Cameron Bright (Joey Naylor), Adam Brody (Jack), Sam Elliott (Lorne Lutch), Katie Holmes (Heather Holloway)
For complete info for this film, see IMDb's Thank You for Smoking page.
Thank You for Smoking really surprised me. I expected it to be more out there and as a non-smoker who's really allergic to smoke (puffy & watery eyes, breathing problems, etc.), I would have never imagined rooting for a character supporting the tobaco industry. The movie was very entertaining and I was shocked to find that the main character reminded me a lot of my dad.
My dad's never smoked, but he did teach me how to argue my way out of many situations I've encountered in life. The relationship between Nick Naylor and his son Joey was wonderfully portrayed.
If you missed Thank You for Smoking in theatres, I definitely recommend renting it. It's a very well done movie.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2005, Aaron Eckhart, comedy, Katie Holmes, Maria Bello, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Steve Martin (Tom Baker), Bonnie Hunt (Kate Baker), Eugene Levy (Jimmy Murtaugh), Hilary Duff (Lorraine Baker), Piper Perabo (Nora Baker-McNulty)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Cheaper by the Dozen 2 page.
If a friend hadn't recommended this one, I doubt I would have rented it. The first movie was okay, but I generally assume that the sequels will be worse, and since the first one didn't impress me too much (in spite of the cast), I wouldn't have bothered with this one.
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 was very entertaining. I think I enjoyed it more than I did the first movie. The entire cast is back, though Tom Welling is barely in this movie, which was great to see. The story is cute and the addition of Eugene Levy as Tom Baker's competition when the family visits the lake was wonderful! Any time you add Eugene Levy to a cast, you've improved it, in my opinion. I definitely recommend taking the time to rent this if you missed it in theatres, too.
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, adventure, Bonnie Hunt, comedy, family, movie, Steve Martin
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Pierce Brosnan (Julian Noble), Greg Kinnear (Danny Wright), Hope Davis (Carolyn 'Bean' Wright)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's The Matador page.
I definitely didn't expect much from The Matador and I'm glad we didn't see it in theatres, but I do think it was worth renting. Perhaps I enjoyed it because I wasn't expecting it to be very good, but The Matador was a lot funnier than I anticipated and the cast showed that they shine even in a movie that's got a pretty thin plot.
This dark comedy has a great cast that works really well together. I think I rented it mostly because I like the cast and that's a good enough reason for this movie. If you like dark comedies or the cast, it's worth your time to watch it.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2005, comedy, crime, drama, Greg Kinnear, Julianne Moore, movie, Pierce Brosnan, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Johnny Knoxville (Luke Duke), Seann William Scott (Bo Duke), Jessica Simpson (Daisy Duke)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's The Dukes of Hazzard page.
This one was just about what you'd expect when they try to take a TV comedy that was really funny and take totally different people and writers and try to create the same magic. I'm one of the few who think it worked well for Charlie's Angels, but I can't say the same for The Dukes of Hazzard. The most disappointing thing to me initially was that they used the doors in the General Lee. Fortunately, they remedied that later and started using the windows.
Boss Hog was way too thin and Burt Reynolds was just the worst casting idea anyone had for the movie. The boys weren't that great, either, though Seann William Scott was okay as Bo. Surprisingly, Jessica Simpson was probably one of the best casting choices in the movie as Daisy Duke. She was a much better Daisy than I imagined. Not the best plot, but worth renting on Netflix or taking the time to watch it in a month or so when it ends up on the movie channels.
Grade: C
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:04 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Robert Downey Jr. (Harry Lockhart), Val Kilmer (Gay Perry), Michelle Monaghan (Harmony Faith Lane), Corbin Bernsen (Harlan Dexter)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang page.
I'm not sure what I expected of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang exactly, but I guess I didn't expect it to be as good as it is. This is a very entertaining movie. Harry's narrating and commenting on the events that happen (typical movie ploys, plot devices, etc.) was hilarious! It's nice to see a movie that's different. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's very entertaining!
The cast is wonderful, the script is hilarious, and the overall package is fun to watch. It was unusual and fresh. Any movie that starts out by a thief getting out of a tight spot by auditioning for a movie where the character is going through what he just went through in real life, it's going to be a great ride and that's how this one starts.
I definitely recommend renting Kiss Kiss Bang Bang!
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, action, comedy, movie, mystery, Robert Downey Jr., thriller, Val Kilmer
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Kurt Russell (Ben Crane), Dakota Fanning (Cale Crane), Kris Kristofferson (Pop Crane), Elisabeth Shue (Lily), David Morse (Palmer), Freddy Rodriguez (Manolin)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story page.
This is my cousin Amy's daughter Kally's favorite movie and I can see why. It's a beautiful movie about a horse that's inspired by a true story. When I was about her age (7), Black Beauty was one of my favorite movies. What young girl doesn't love horse movies? I haven't known many.
Fortunately, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story isn't just for children. My husband and I both really enjoyed this movie. The name's way too long, but don't let that keep you from renting this well-done movie with an amazing cast and beautiful horses. The movie has good messages for everyone, not just children. It shows a father becoming involved in his daughter's life again.
I found it very interesting to find that this was originally written for a boy to play the character of Cale Crane and they changed it for Dakota Fanning. I'd imagine a lot of people would be willing to do that, since she's such a great actress and definitely the golden girl of Hollywood at the moment. I also think it's good to have a strong young female character for girls to relate to in theatres. There can never really be enough of those.
I highly recommend renting Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story - especially if you have children! It's well done, is very inspirational, and has some great messages about life.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2005, Dakota Fanning, drama, Elisabeth Shue, family, movie, sports
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Shia LaBeouf (Francis Ouimet), Stephen Dillane (Harry Vardon), Elias Koteas (Arthur Ouimet), Peyton List (Sarah Wallis), Josh Flitter (Eddie Lowery)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's The Greatest Game Ever Played page.
Still can't see any golf game as the greatest game ever played, but The Greatest Game Ever Played is still a very good movie. It's a movie about a working class boy who dares to dream and the friendship he finds while trying to achieve it. His father can't understand a boy who dreams, and as a man in the working class of the early 1900's in America?
The Greatest Game Ever Played is based on the true story of Francis Ouimet who dared to dream and defeated reigning champion Harry Vardon in the 1913 US Open. Whether you believe it's the greatest game or not, the movie is well worth renting. The acting is all very good, but Josh Flitter does stand out as the pint-sized caddy and ultimately best friend of Francis Ouimet. He impressed me in "Stephen's Life" (one of the two sit-coms worked on in the show "Situation Comedy" - which was surprisingly entertaining for a "reality" show) and he's wonderful in this movie.
I definitely recommend renting this movie.
Grade: B
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: George Clooney (Bob Barnes), Kayvan Novak (Arash), Amr Waked (Mohammed Sheik Agiza), Christopher Plummer (Dean Whiting)
For complete info, see IMDb's Syriana page.
The cast is amazing. I'm not sure I understand why this got the awards it did, since the screenplay is a bit dull in points, but George Clooney definitely did a great job. Of course, the best way to win a best actor award is to gain or lose a ton of weight and hope no one else did it that year.
The story of Syriana is very interesting, though parts of it definitely seem to drag on. I think it could have been an amazing 1 hr. 40 min. movie, but at over 2 hours it was a bit long.
I still recommend the movie, since it was very interesting and some of the lines in it about government profitting from corruption (thriving on it, actually) are priceless. This is a movie I highly recommend if you're interested in the way our government deals with oil trade and other foreign matters. If you're not at all interested in that, you should probably skip this in spite of the amazing cast.
Grade: B-
Labels: 2005, drama, George Clooney, movie, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:50 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Piper Perabo (Rachel), Lena Headey (Luce), Matthew Goode (Heck), Celia Imrie (Tessa), Anthony Head (Ned)
For complete cast, see IMDb's Imagine Me & You
This story about love at first sight between a woman on her wedding day and her florist for her wedding is wonderful. This is definitely not your typical romantic comedy, since it's between a woman who is married (for most of the movie) and another woman, but don't let that keep you from this great movie. The story and the music are great.
I've never been in the situation Rachel's husband was put in when she fell in love with another woman, but I think that everything he went through in the movie seemed very realistic. Parts of the movie (like the bride meeting the florist on her wedding day and not before) are definitely a bit of a stretch, but Imagine Me & You is very sweet and the cast is amazing! Give them the benefit of the doubt that the dramatic scenes could really happen this way and enjoy the movie! I missed it in theatres, since it didn't seem to be out very long and there were so many movies that needed to be seen on the big screen, but I definitely recommend renting it!
Grade: B+
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Julianne Moore (Evelyn Ryan), Woody Harrelson (Kelly Ryan), Laura Dern (Dortha Schaefer), Trevor Morgan (Bruce Ryan at 16 yrs), Ellary Porterfield (Tuff Ryan at 13, 16, & 18 yrs)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio page.
This is a very interesting movie. The Ryans have a strange relationship and my husband said many times throughout the movie that they were a strange family. He was right, but that's part of what made the movie interesting. The way Evelyn managed to feed a household by winning prize contests is truly amazing - especially since it's based on a true story.
There are a lot of points in The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio that are very unpleasant, so if you're interested in a fun movie, this isn't it. However, the overall story is very uplifting and it's well done. The acting is great, the story is amazing, and it's well worth renting.
Grade: B-
Labels: 2005, drama, Julianne Moore, movie, Woody Harrelson
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Elizabeth Banks (Nancy Pecket), Maria Bello (Marcia Prior Glass), Erika Christensen (Irene Prior), Mary Stuart Masterson (Olga Prior), Alessandro Nivola (Andrew Prior)
For complete info, see IMDb's The Sisters page.
I think they did a good job taking this to the big screen. Though I didn't see it in a theatre, I enjoyed seeing this amazing cast perform a new version of Chekov's The Three Sisters. Although the minimal scene changes and extra long speeches make it clear (even to those who don't know the play) that this movie was originally a play, I think they made the transition well.
Even my husband, who has not seen or read the play, really enjoyed The Sisters. The only thing he didn't like was the ending, since it wasn't completely spelled out for him. He wanted to know how everyone did, but I think that's part of the beauty of the play, it's not neatly tied up at the end, you're left to make your own conclusions about how things work out. If you need a movie to end up tied in a bow with no questions, avoid this one. If you can handle a bit of complexity, this is a very good movie.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2005, drama, Maria Bello, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Alex Michaeletos (Xan), Campbell Scott (Peter), Hope Davis (Kristin)
Duma was played by Anthony, Azaro, Nikita, Sasha, & Savannah and Sheba played Young Duma.
For complete info, see IMDb's Duma page.
This story about an orphaned cheetah and the boy who adopts him is wonderful and heart-warming. The fact that this movie is based on a true story makes it even more incredible. I can't wait to read the book!
The South African boy who adopts Duma raises him on his farm. When Duma grows up, Xan's father wants to return him to the wild, but before he can do that, circumstances force the family to move into the city. (Not sure why they can't wait a couple days for the people from the reserve to pick up Duma, but Xan doesn't want Duma on a reserve anyway...) Xan wants what his father wanted - to return Duma to the wild.
Of course, with Xan at school in the city, Duma gets out, finds Xan at school, and causes all sorts of chaos. They run off to the wild to try to return Duma to his natural habitat so that he can live happily ever after. Can't tell you whether that works out or not, you have to watch the movie for yourself.
Duma and Xan encounter a lot of drama along the way and Duma is a very interesting adventure about a boy trying to do what is right for his best friend, who just happens to be a cheetah. The story is very touching.
If you liked Two Brothers, like animals, or like Africa, this is a must see movie! The scenery is amazing, the cast is wonderful, and the story is beautiful! I highly recommend this movie!
Grade: A
Labels: 2005, adventure, drama, family, Kristin Davis, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Jim Carrey (Dick Harper), Tea Leoni (Jane Harper), Alec Baldwin (Jack McCallister)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Fun with Dick and Jane page.
Definitely glad we rented this, rather than seeing it in the theatres. It's a typical Jim Carrey flick. Very funny, but nothing that special about it. I recommend it as a rental (or you can wait till it makes it to HBO, which shouldn't be too long now).
It's a funny story about how a couple learns to steal when they're beyond desperate and then ends up managing to get the guy who caused then managed to take money from the man who caused the whole disaster in the first place. Amusing enough to hold my interest through the whole movie, but not Jim Carrey's best.
Grade: B-
Labels: 2005, Alec Baldwin, comedy, crime, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Heather Graham (Pippa McGee), David Sutcliffe (Ian), Taye Diggs (Hemingway Jones), Sandra Oh (Lulu)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Cake page.
With such a wonderful cast, how could it not be worth renting or recording on Tivo? That was my thought, and I still feel that way after having seen it. Cake is a very cute romantic comedy with an amazing cast.
The story of a travel writer who's not used to be tied down to one place and is very against love and marriage taking over her dad's bridal magazine when he gets sick is very sweet. Initially, she fights with everyone on the magazine's staff, wanting to make the magazine edgy and anti-marriage (not the best for any bridal magazine's sales). In the end, everything works out perfectly, it is a romantic comedy, after all.
Sure Cake is predictable, but it's a cute story that's well done, so it's definitely worth your time.
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, comedy, Heather Graham, movie, romance, Sandra Oh, Taye Diggs
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Eric Bana (Avner), Daniel Craig (Steve), Ciaran Hinds (Carl), Mathieu Kassovitz (Robert), Hanns Zischler (Hans)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Munich page.
Do I think Munich deserved to be nominated for best picture? Nope, but it was better than Good Night, and Good Luck., so I guess I can see why it was. Also, Steven Spielberg said he thought it was better than Schindler's List (which I strongly disagree with, but they are his movies...), so how could the academy not nominate Munich for best picture when a film Spielberg thought wasn't as good in his library of films won best picture? I can see how it happened. I'm very glad that the academy seems to agree with me that Schindler's List is the better picture, since Munich didn't win any Oscars.
Munich was a very good movie, but it definitely dragged in parts. We had it from Netflix for over a week before watching it, since neither of us ever seemed to be in the mood for a movie we knew was going to be very sad. This is the same reason I didn't get to see it before the awards this year. Of course, unlike many years, I was no where close to seeing all the nominiees this year, so it wasn't as big of a deal. Hopefully, I'm doing better with the 2006 nominees. Now that movies come out on DVD so quickly, it's getting easier and easier to be up to date in time for the Oscars.
I think Munich is worth renting, but I'm glad we didn't see it in a theatre.
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, Daniel Craig, drama, Eric Bana, history, movie, thriller, war
Reviewed by Kat at the 3:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Naomi Watts (Ann Darrow), Jack Black (Carl Denham), Adrien Brody (Jack Driscoll)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's King Kong page.
Seemed like the longest movie I've ever seen. I'm SOOO glad we didn't see this in a movie theater. If we had, I would have fallen asleep and wanted my money back for the time I wasted.
The first two hours were wasted with a ridiculous (and sometimes almost non-existant) plot and many scenes that were long and drawn out.
How in the world would they get King Kong into the theatre without anyone knowing so that he could break out and run through NYC? Granted, I didn't see the original, so perhaps this is direct from the original script, but either way it goes way beyond a little suspension of disbelief.
Grade: D
Labels: 2005, action, adventure, drama, Jack Black, movie, mystery, Naomi Watts
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Heath Ledger (Casanova), Sienna Miller (Francesca Bruni), Jeremy Irons (Pucci), Oliver Platt (Paprizzio)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Casanova page.
Considering what I had heard from those I know who saw Casanova I was surprised that David and I weren't more impressed with it. Although I enjoyed the movie, I'm glad we didn't bother seeing it in a movie theater. The movies we chose to see were definitely better. Again, I say, "Thank goodness for Netflix!" I'd say that Casanova is worth the rental, but I wouldn't suggest putting it at the top of your list.
The cast was great, but the story could have been put together better. The previews made the movie look more interesting than it turned out to be.
Grade: B-
Labels: 2005, adventure, comedy, drama, Heath Ledger, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams