Cast: Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button), Cate Blanchett (Daisy)
For complete info, see IMDb's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button page.
This movie about a man (Benjamin Button) aging in reverse was more interesting than it sounded to me initially. I really only rented it, since Brad Pitt & Cate Blanchett were in the cast and they normally make good choices. Some of the aspects of aging in reverse were done differently than I expected and at times they made choices that seemed to contradict with the idea. However, the story was well done and if you're going to buy into the idea of someone aging in reverse, why not buy into the parts that may not make complete sense?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is worth renting if you missed it in a thetare.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2008, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, drama, fantasy, movie, mystery, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 7:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Kevin Bacon (Sean Nokes), Billy Crudup (Tommy Marcano), Robert De Niro (Father Bobby), Minnie Driver (Carol Martinez), Dustin Hoffman (Danny Snyder), Ron Eldard (John Reilly), Jason Patric (Lorenzo 'Shakes' Carcaterra), Brad Pitt (Michael Sullivan)
For complete info on this amazing cast, see IMDb's Sleepers page.
When a friend mentioned Sleepers to me, I was shocked that I'd never heard of it. I only listed the major characters above (and not even all of them) and look at that cast. How could I have possibly missed all information on this movie? Yes, it was just after I got out of college, I moved twice that year and got married, but that's no excuse for missing all information on Sleepers.
If you somehow managed to miss this movie, too, I highly recommend that you rent it. Definitely not an upbeat movie, but this story about boys who pull a prank that goes way too far, leading them to experience horrors in a detention center that scar them for life and the revenge they get 10 years later is very well done. The cast is beyond amazing. The story is gripping and heart wrenching. It's also never been proven either way, so it's possible the events in the movie actually happened. That possibility makes it much more horrific.
Grade: B+
Labels: 1996, Billy Crudup, Brad Pitt, crime, drama, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric, Kevin Bacon, Minnie Driver, movie, Robert DeNiro, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 9:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: George Clooney (Danny Ocean), Brad Pitt (Rusty Ryan), Matt Damon (Linus Caldwell/Lenny Pepperidge), Elliott Gould (Reuben Tishkoff)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Ocean's Thirteen page.
This is the movie they should have delivered last time. I definitely think that Ocean's Thirteen is worth seeing in a theatre, though the special effects weren't anything near those in Ocean's Eleven. The story in the third movie is much better than the second. Don't let Ocean's Twelve keep you from enjoying Ocean's Thirteen.
Definitely a fun summer action movie.
Grade: B
Labels: 2007, Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, comedy, crime, Don Cheadle, drama, George Clooney, Matt Damon, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 1:35 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Brad Pitt (Richard), Cate Blanchett (Susan), Mohamed Akhzam (Anwar), Peter Wight (Tom), Harriet Walter (Lilly), Adriana Barraza (Amelia), Elle Fanning (Debbie), Nathan Gamble (Mike)
For complete info, see IMDb's Babel site.
I can definitely see why Babel is nominated for best picture. Since I've only seen two of the nominated films this year, I can't say whether it deserves to win best picture. I doubt that it will, since Crash won best picture last year. Crash handled the same difficult topic of prejudice, but did a much better job.
This is a very good movie where all the stories intertwine by the end of the movie. The cast is wonderful and the story is moving. I recommend renting Babel.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2006, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, drama, Elle Fanning, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Paul Giamatti (Cleveland Heep), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Lady - Story), Jeffrey Wright (Mr. Drury), Cindy Cheung (Young-Soon Choi), M. Night Shyamalan (Vick Ran, author, & director)
For complete info, see IMDb's Lady in the Water page.
I hadn't read the reviews, but I had looked at the ratings in Entertainment Weekly and People and saw the negative title for the CNN review. So, I wasn't expecting much, in spite of Lady in the Water being created by M. Night Shyamalan, who has done some good movies (and one that I'd argue is great).
Perhaps it's because I wasn't expecting much, but I enjoyed Lady in the Water. Sure, it was never truly scary, but I kept expecting it to be, which allowed the sprinklers to get me every time. Fortunately, it was clear the same thing happened to others in the theatre.
The way the bedtime story from long ago that had been told to one of the occupants of The Cove turned out to be real as Cleveland tried to figure out how to save Story was pretty interesting. I'm not sure it's necessary to see this one in a theatre, but it's worth renting.
I think it's easier to enjoy it if you realize that this isn't a typical M. Night Shyamalan movie. It's not truly scary, but it is suspenseful at times and pretty interesting.
I also think that if they'd made it clear that the part about Lady in the Water being a bedtime story by M. Night Shyamalan was true (and not a joke as I thought it was when I saw the first preview that ended by saying it was a bedtime story by M. Night Shyamalan), expectations of the movie would have been more in line with the movie. Realize that it really is a bedtime story (you can even buy it on Amazon), originally written for M. Night Shyamalan's kids and you'll go into the movie expecting the right thing and be able to enjoy it.
Grade: B-
Labels: 2006, Brad Pitt, Bryce Dallas Howard, fantasy, M. Night Shyamalan, movie, mystery, Paul Giamatti, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:45 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Brad Pitt (John Smith), Angelina Jolie (Jane Smith)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Mr. & Mrs. Smith page.
We only went to see this one in theatres because of the special effects and were surprised to find it much more entertaining than we expected. Like many people, we were a bit sick of the Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie relationship being in every magazine and figured it was just a ploy by their agents to sell a movie that wasn't any good. But, the special effects looked worth checking out.
Glad we did, since the movie was a lot funnier and more entertaining as an action movie than we expected. Definitely worth the rental if nothing else.
Grade: B
Labels: 2005, action, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, comedy, movie, romance
Reviewed by Kat at the 4:00 PM show | 1 screams
Cast: George Clooney (Danny Ocean), Brad Pitt (Rusty Ryan), Bernie Mac (Frank Catton)
For complete cast, see IMDb's Ocean's Twelve page.
I think this movie has gotten a very bad rap. In part, that's deserved, but it's not the worst sequel ever. No, it's not original. It's a sequel to Ocean's Eleven. But, it was an enjoyable movie, which is sometimes all I want. The heist wasn't nearly as interesting as the first one, but I still thought it was fun and definitely worth seeing. If you loved Ocean's Eleven and go into this realizing it can't be as good as the original remake was, you'll enjoy Ocean's Twelve. As long as you don't expect much, you can still enjoy the mid-level movie.
Grade: C+
Labels: 2004, Bernie Mac, Brad Pitt, comedy, crime, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, movie, remake
Reviewed by Kat at the 12:00 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard (Ivy Walker), Joaquin Phoenix (Lucius Hunt), Adrien Brody (Noah Percy), William Hurt (Edward Walker), Sigourney Weaver (Alice Hunt)
For complete info, see IMDb's The Village page.
I know The Village got a lot of bad reviews. But, I think that's just because we've come to expect so much from M. Night Shyamalan and his movies. The Village wasn't his best effort, but it was still very entertaining. The cast was wonderful and the story was good. The whole idea of an isolated village believing that their alliance with the neighboring creatures is ending and threatening their way of life is really a good one. How it plays out is interesting - especially when the outside world is entered. I won't spoil that, since unlike most reviews I've read, I think The Village is well worth seeing.
It's not a horror film, per se, which might be the issue most people have with it, since most of M. Night Shyamalan's movies are more horror oriented. I still think it's very entertaining and worth seeing.
Grade: B
Labels: 2004, Brad Pitt, Bryce Dallas Howard, drama, Joaquin Phoenix, M. Night Shyamalan, movie, mystery, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 1:40 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Brad Pitt (Achilles), Diane Kruger (Helen), Eric Bana (Hector), Orlando Bloom (Paris)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Troy page.
Having read Homer's The Illiad in high school and enjoyed the story, I was looking forward to Troy and although it's a lot of epic to put into one movie, I think that they did a good job with Troy. The cast was wonderful and they seemed to concentrate on the parts of the story that made sense in a movie. The scenery and costumes were well designed and the shortening of the original novel was well done. I definitely recommend renting Troy if you missed it in theatres.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2004, action, Brad Pitt, drama, Eric Bana, history, movie, Orlando Bloom
Reviewed by Kat at the 1:30 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: George Clooney (Danny Ocean), Brad Pitt (Rusty Ryan), Bernie Mac (Frank Catton)
For complete cast, see IMDb's Ocean's Eleven page.
I didn't see the original Ocean's Eleven movie, so I can't say how the updated version compares with the original. However, I can say that as a separate movie, the new Ocean's Eleven is a great one! It's great to watch how Danny and the gang figure out how to accomplish their task of the biggest heist in Las Vegas history.
Grade: B+
Labels: 2001, action, Bernie Mac, Brad Pitt, comedy, crime, George Clooney, movie
Reviewed by Kat at the 1:50 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Robert Redford (Nathan D. Muir), Brad Pitt (Tom Bishop), Catherine McCormack (Elizabeth Hadley)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's Spy Game page.
This action-packed thriller about a CIA agent and his protege... When the agent learns that his protege has gone rogue as he nears the end of his career, the story really gets interesting. He takes on the mission to handle the situation and the mission gets intense.
Spy Game is full of flashbacks and good special effects. With an amazing cast to back up the fabulous story, how could they go wrong? That's what I thought when we chose it and that's how I felt when walking out of the theater.
Our whole group enjoyed the movie. I think it has something for everyone (well, everyone who likes thrillers). I love a fast-paced movie that keeps me guessing and this movie did just that.
Grade: A-
Labels: 2001, action, Brad Pitt, drama, movie, Robert Redford, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 2:50 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Edward Norton (The Narrator), Brad Pitt (Tyler Durden), Helena Bonham Carter (Marla Singer)
For complete info, see IMDb's Fight Club page.
What a movie! This movie about a guy starting a global organization to fight and vent aggression is amazing. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are wonderful, as are the rest of the members of this cast. From the ads, I wasn't sure I needed to see this movie, but after seeing it, I'm very glad that I did. It's an amazing movie that makes you think about society and everyone's place in it.
I won't say too much, since I think this is a movie that needs to be seen to be believed. I think it's a great film and I highly recommend it.
Grade: A-
Labels: 1999, Brad Pitt, crime, drama, Edward Norton, movie, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:10 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Harrison Ford (Tom O'Meara), Brad Pitt (Rory Devaney/Francis Austin McGuire), Margaret Colin (Sheila O'Meara)
For complete cast info, see IMDb's The Devil's Own page.
I enjoyed this movie, though it definitely did drag in parts. Brad Pitt's accent left a little to be desired and it was hard to see him as the cold-blooded killer type, but the rest of the cast did a really great job. The Devil's Own is a decent action movie, but nothing spectacular. Worth renting, but not putting it at the top of the rental list.
Grade: B-
Labels: 1997, action, Brad Pitt, drama, Harrison Ford, movie, thriller
Reviewed by Kat at the 4:45 PM show | 0 screams
Cast: Tom Cruise (Lestat de Lioncourt), Brad Pitt (Louis de Pointe du Lac), Kirsten Dunst (Claudia), Stephen Rea (Santiago), Antonio Banderas (Armand), Christian Slater (Daniel Malloy)
For complete info, see IMDb's Interview with the Vampire page.
The funniest thing (as a huge Anne Rice fan now, who hadn't read a book until she saw the movie was about to come out and then started reading) about this movie is that so many people complained about the casting of Tom Cruise as Lestat and almost no one complained about the casting of Antonio Banderas as Armand. I find this so interesting! I think that Tom Cruise did a wonderful job as Lestat, though he might not have been my first choice.
When I've discussed the casting of Antonio Banderas with friends, they've pointed out that in the first book (which this movie is based on), the reader doesn't know Armand's age. While that is true, since Armand is a vampire, he can't age and when we find out in the second book that he's a young teen when he's made into a vampire, he would have to be a young teen in the first book, and therefore the movie.
That being said, I still think that they did a very good job making Interview with the Vampire a movie. Of course, unlike most movies Anne Rice was allowed to write the screenplay for Interview with the Vampire, which certainly helped!
Grade: B+
Labels: 1994, Antonio Banderas, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater, drama, fantasy, horror, Kirsten Dunst, movie, Tom Cruise
Reviewed by Kat at the 4:10 PM show | 0 screams