Cast: Amanda Peet (Phoenix) & Dermot Mulroney (Griffin)
For complete info, see IMDb's Griffin & Phoenix page.
I liked the actors playing the two main characters and figured I couldn't go wrong renting Griffin & Phoenix. I was right. It's not the typical romantic comedy, since the two main characters are both facing their deaths due to terminal illness and don't tell each other about their situations. That definitely puts a slightly different spin on the typical romantic comedy (even counting the ones with one terminally ill character). There are a lot of hilarious moments in this movie and (clearly) a quite a few times when those who get emotionally involved might tear up a bit.
I highly recommend renting Griffin & Phoenix if you didn't see it in a theatre.
Grade: B
Labels: 2006, Amanda Peet, comedy, Dermot Mulroney, drama, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:15 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Robin Williams (Gabriel Noone), Toni Collette (Donna D. Logand), Rory Culkin (Pete D. Logand), Sandra Oh (Anna), Bobby Cannavale (Jess)
For complete info, see IMDb's The Night Listener page.
The Night Listener was an interesting movie. Definitely not up there with the best of Robin Williams, Toni Collette, or Sandra Oh's movies, but it was worth recording. I like watching movies based on real stories and the ones where the mystery involved hasn't been solved are always more entertaining, though they're a bit frustrating.
I recommend renting The Night Listener if you haven't seen it yet or waiting for it to show up on one of the movie channels again.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2006, movie, Robin Williams, Rory Culkin, Sandra Oh, Toni Collette
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, James Belushi, Eddie Izzard, Janeane Garofalo, William Shatner, Richard Kind, Greg Cipes
For complete info, see IMDb's The Wild page.
This movie was really cute and definitely worth renting if you have kids or like animated movies (or, if you love Kiefer Sutherland's voice). It was entertaining and had a good cast and a decent story line. I can't really explain why I liked it more than Madagascar, but I definitely thought The Wild was more entertaining.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2006, adventure, animated, comedy, family, Kiefer Sutherland, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Kirsten Dunst (Marie Antoinette), Jason Schwartzman (Louis XVI), Judy Davis (Comtesse de Noailles)
For complete info, see IMDb's Marie Antoinette page.
Marie Antoinette would have been very disappointing (from the ads I'd seen, the expectations of Kirsten Dunst, etc.) if I hadn't had so many people tell me it was horrible. I think one even described it as painful. Although the movie was definitely too long and dragged in many points, I didn't think it was horrible. Worth watching on a movie channel (which is what I did) or renting it. Not worth devoting all your time and attention to it (I was doing other things while watching the movie and that worked out well), but I did finish watching the movie. It was okay.
The cast is great, the costumes were very interesting, the scenic design is well done, ... Definitely a lot of positives about this movie. I'd say it's worth renting or watching now that it's on TV, but nothing you have to put at the top of your list.
Grade: C
Labels: 2006, biography, drama, history, Kirsten Dunst, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Renee Zellweger (Beatrix Potter), Ewan McGregor (Norman Warne)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Miss Potter page.
This movie about Beatrix Potter's life was good, but didn't go into the writing of the stories as much as I expected. I expected a bit more from the animation of her characters, due to the advertising I'd seen. It seems like it's time to stop watching previews again. I think I would have enjoyed the movie more if I'd had no real expectations of great animation, etc.
I know that my best friend loved this movie, so it was probably better than it came across to me, due to what I thought it would be.
Grade: B-
Labels: 2006, biography, drama, Ewan McGregor, movie, Renee Zellweger
Reviewed by Kat at the 4:47 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Jay Baruchel (Reed Fish), Alexis Bledel (Kate Peterson), Schuyler Fisk (Jill Cavanaugh)
For complete info, see IMDb's I'm Reed Fish page.
I really enjoyed the aspects of I'm Reed Fish that set it apart from the typical romantic comedy/drama. I mostly rented the movie, since I like Alexis Bledel as an actress, but I really enjoyed the fresh take on romantic stories. I can't really explain what is unique about the movie, since I was happy to find it a surprise when watching the movie and think I'm Reed Fish wouldn't be as interesting if you know what is coming before watching it, but I do recommend renting the movie.
Grade: B
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Al Gore
This is a very well done documentary about global warming. It's not really new information, but it's presented in a unique way and is very well done. I didn't realize how much Al Gore had been doing to try to raise awareness about global warming until watching this DVD. Hearing about it on the news doesn't compare to actual clips of him presenting the information to audiences.
Definitely worth renting.
Grade: B
Labels: 2006, documentary, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:45 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Paulo Costanzo (Ryan), Steph Song (Ming), JR Bourne (Bryce)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Everything's Gone Green page.
I really enjoy Paulo Costanzo in movies, but this one definitely fell a bit short. The cast is very good and the story was interesting enough to keep me from turning it off, but definitely not good enough to suggest moving it to the top of your Netflix queue. I'd say it belongs closer to the bottom, definitely not as good as I expected.
Grade: C-
Labels: 2006, comedy, movie, Paulo Costanzo
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast Rob Reiner (Screwie), William H. Macy (Lefty Maginnis), Brian Dennehy (Babe Ruth)
For complete info, see IMDb's Everyone's Hero page.
This was a cute movie about returning Babe Ruth's stolen bat (which talks, of course). Not the best animation or story line, but it's still a cute movie. Good for kids, but not the best cross-over movie for adults. This is definitely no Pixar. Worth renting for kids, but if you don't have kids, skip it.
Grade: C-
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:45 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Jesse Metcalfe (John Tucker), Brittany Snow (Kate), Ashanti (Heather), Sophia Bush (Beth), Arielle Kebbel (Carrie)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's John Tucker Must Die page.
I can't explain why I like the teen romantic comedies appeal to me so much, but it's one of my guilty pleasures. They're good popcorn movies. Totally fluff, but entertaining. John Tucker Must Die didn't get nominated for any awards and didn't deserve any. It was exactly what it was advertised to be, though. An entertaining movie with a ridiculous story line.
Everyone has encountered someone like John Tucker in their lives. We haven't all dated a guy like him, but we've all seen them. The idea of a group of girls from different cliques working together with a common goal of getting back at a guy who treated them poorly is great. Everyone's schools had cliques, so we can all relate to how unlikely it is that girls from different groups would band together, even with this common goal.
John Tucker Must Die was much more enjoyable than I expected. It's definitely worth the rental.
Grade: B
Labels: 2006, Brittany Snow, comedy, Jesse Metcalfe, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Ivana Baquero (Ofelia), Sergi Lopez (Captain Vidal), Maribel Verdu (Mercedes), Doug Jones (Pan/Pale Man)
For complete info, see IMDb's Pan's Labyrinth page.
Perhaps this movie was too dark for me. Or maybe I just wasn't in the right mood to watch it, but I don't think the movie got interesting until the last 5 minutes or so (and David never got to the point where he thought it started).
I know everyone else seems to love this movie, but I thought it was horrible. I'm still not sure why I bothered to finish watching it, other than the fact that it was good to work on my Spanish by not reading the subtitles.
Grade: D
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:15 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Judi Dench (Barbara Covett), Cate Blanchett (Sheba Hart)
For complete info, see IMDb's Notes on a Scandal page.
This movie about affairs and deception was very well done. It's far from the best movie I've seen this year, but Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, and the rest of the cast are amazing. I haven't read the novel, but the movie was good. The movie includes more scandal than I expected from the previews I had seen and was very well constructed.
Definitely worth renting if you missed it in theatres.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, Cate Blanchett, drama, Judi Dench, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 9:15 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Uma Thurman (Jenny Johnson/G-Girl), Luke Wilson (Matt Saunders), Anna Faris (Hannah Lewis), Rainn Wilson (Vaughn Haige)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's My Super Ex-Girlfriend page.
I have to admit that in spite of the cast, I had very low expectations for My Super Ex-Girlfriend. It's far from the best comedy I've seen, but I enjoyed the movie a lot more than I expected. Parts of My Super Ex-Girlfriend were beyond absurd and it went a little too far, but the idea of having a super ex who is really unhinged and upset with you is funny and they did a good job with the idea.
Definitely glad I didn't bother to see this in a theatre, but it's worth the rental.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2006, comedy, Luke Wilson, movie, romance, sci-fi, Uma Thurman
Reviewed by Kat at the 10:48 AM show | 0 screams
Cast: Jude Law (Will Francis), Juliette Binoche (Amira), Robin Wright Penn (Liv), Martin Freeman (Sandy)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Breaking and Entering page.
This was definitely an odd movie. Breaking and Entering is a movie about people struggling to hold it together. Whether it's a marriage that's falling apart or dealing with other problems in their lives.
The cast is amazing, but the plot left me wanting more. At the end of the movie, all I could think was that the movie had been strange. Parts of it are very good, but for portions of it I was wondering why I was bothering. I suppose it's because I never got fully invested in the characters. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this movie at the time, but I think it's one that can be skipped in spite of the amazing cast.
Grade: C
Labels: 2006, drama, Jude Law, Juliette Binoche, movie, Robin Wright Penn, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:15 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Danny Archer), Djimon Hounsou (Solomon Vandy), Jennifer Connelly (Maddy Bowen)
For complete info, see IMDb's Blood Diamond page.
Blood Diamond is definitely not your typical action/adventure movie. The story behind the movie is very moving. The conflict in Africa is depicted very well. The acting is amazing and the story is very well done. Blood Diamond is definitely not a movie for anyone who's looking for an uplifting or light movie. You have to be in the mood for a serious movie with depressing themes when you watch this film.
DiCaprio's accent slipped at a couple points, which bothered me. He shouldn't have been nominated for best actor for his role in Blood Diamond. He did much better in The Departed.
If you missed Blood Diamond in theatres, it's definitely worth renting when you're ready for a serious movie.
Grade: B
Labels: 2006, action, adventure, drama, Jennifer Connelly, Leonardo DiCaprio, movie, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Helen Mirren (The Queen), James Cromwell (Prince Philip), Alex Jennings (Prince Charles), Roger Allam (Robin Janvrin), Michael Sheen (Tony Blair)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's The Queen page.
I'm so glad Helen Mirren won the Academy Award for best actress now that I've seen The Queen. This movie was very well written and has a great cast. It was so well done, that at times it seemed like it was more a documentary than a typical film. They did a very good job of portraying the events surrounding Princess Diana's death.
If you don't like biographies or movies that are a bit more on the documentary side, this movie is probably not for you. Otherwise, I very highly recommend renting The Queen if you missed it in theatres.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, biography, drama, Helen Mirren, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Cameron Diaz (Amanda), Kate Winslet (Iris), Jude Law (Graham), Jack Black (Miles)
For complete info, see IMDb's The Holiday page.
Jack black in a movie that has so many serious moments? Who would have guessed? In spite of that choice (great for the comic moments, sometimes not believable in the serious parts), I really enjoyed The Holiday. I thought it was a very entertaining and sweet story.
This story about women who are running away from their personal and professional lives and who find love where they least expect it is well worth watching. I definitely recommend renting The Holiday if you missed it in theatres.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, Cameron Diaz, comedy, drama, Edward Burns, Jack Black, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Hugh Jackman (Tomas/Tommy/Dr. Tom Creo), Rachel Weisz (Queen Isabel/Izzi Creo), Ellen Burstyn (Dr. Lillian Guzetti)
For complete info, see IMDb's The Fountain page.
From what I had heard, I expected The Fountain to be more like What Dreams May Come. Parts of The Fountain were a bit too out there for me, but after the beginning, when the tie-in to real life became clear, I really enjoyed the movie. Most of the Sci-Fi parts of the movie were too bizarre for David, but he still thought the movie was okay.
I think if you like Sci-Fi, you'll really enjoy this movie. If you don't like Sci-Fi that's pretty out there, I still think you'll enjoy the main story and appreciate the tie-in to the Sci-Fi portions of the movie. The Fountain was very well done. The special effects are very well done, the story is wonderful, the cast is amazing... I definitely recommend renging The Fountain if you missed it in theatres.
Grade: B-
Labels: 2006, action, drama, Hugh Jackman, movie, Rachel Weisz, sci-fi
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Denzel Washington (Doug Carlin), Paula Patton (Claire Kuchever), Val Kilmer (Agent Pryzwarra), James Caviezel (Carroll Oerstadt)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Deja Vu page.
Since I don't pay very close attention to previews or read about movies before seeing them, I didn't realize that Deja Vu was so much of a sci-fi movie. I thought it was just action. The sci-fi twist worked very well and made the movie much more entertaining than it would have been without that angle.
If you missed Deja Vu in theatres, I definitely recommend renting this entertaining sci-fi action movie with a bit of romance thrown in. Unlike many movies of its kind, Deja Vu does not concentrate on the love story. It's a good action movie with a sci-fi spin.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, action, Denzel Washington, James Caviezel, movie, Paula Patton, romance, sci-fi, thriller, Val Kilmer
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:45 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Kate Winslet (Sarah Pierce), Patrick Wilson (Brad Adamson), Jennifer Connelly (Kathy Adamson), Jackie Earle Haley (Ronnie J. McGorvey), Gregg Edelman (Richard Pierce), Sadie Goldstein (Lucy Pierce), Ty Simpkins (Aaron Adamson)
For complete info, see IMDb's Little Children page.
Now that I've seen Little Children, I'm upset that Babel won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture instead of Little Children. I still think The Departed deserved to win for Best Picture, but I thought Little Children was quite a bit better than Babel. I also think Jackie Earle Haley deserved to win best Actor in a Supporting Role, since he was really amazing in this movie.
The documentary styled voice-over in Little Children is pretty bizarre and it took me a little time to get used to the way Little Children was narrated. However, I think the concept worked very well for the movie, since Little Children is definitely not a typical movie. It's a complex movie that, in spite of many scenes not involving the children, revolves around the children throughout the story.
The interwoven story lines in Little Children kept me interested for the entire movie. This story would not have been nearly as interesting without all of the components being so wonderfully joined. Little Children is definitely more of an intellectual movie and a drama, so be sure you're in the mood for that before watching it (I'm not sure my husband was and that may have affected what he thought of the movie overall).
If you missed this in the theatre, I highly recommend renting Little Children to see it now. You'll miss nothing on the smaller screen and Little Children is a very well done movie with an exceptional cast.
Grade: A-
Labels: 2006, drama, Jackie Earle Haley, Jennifer Connelly, Kate Winslet, movie, Patrick Wilson, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:30 PM show | 0 screams