Short Reviews 1

Where The Wild Things Are

Director:
Spike Jonze

Writers:
Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers

Cast:
Max Records as Max
James Gandolphini as Carol
Forest Whitaker as Ira
Paul Dano as Alexander

Released: 2009
Studio: Warner Bros.
Box Office: $77,233,467

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%
IMDB Score: 7.5

Format: Theater

I was really excited when I found out that they were making a movie of one of my favorite books from when I was a kid. Then I heard that Spike Jonze was attached to direct. I hadn’t seen any of his films, but I knew that he had made some well liked movies. Then I learned that Maurice Sendak, the author of the book, was actively involved, and I became even more excited. Then I saw the previews on TV, they looked really good and I got even more excited.

I saw the film on opening weekend and I was slightly disappointed, not because it was a bad film, but because I had such high expectations. It was a little darker than I thought it was going to be. The cinematography was exceptional. They used real suits for the wild things and CGI’d in the faces later.

Favorite Performance:
Max Records as Max

Favorite Quote:
Carol: Hey King! What’s your first order of business?
Max: Let the wild rumpus start!

Grade:
B+

The Blind Side

Director:
John Lee Hancock

Writer:
John Lee Hancock

Cast:
Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy
Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy
Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher
Jae Head as S.J. Tuohy

Released: 2009
Studio: Warner Bros.
Box Office: $248,953,327 (as of 03/02/10)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%
IMDB Score: 7.7

Format: Theater

This is a case of a movie taking an inspirational story and turning it into a cheesefest. What Michael Oher and the Touhy’s did really is exceptional, but what the makers of the movie did was play it up a little too much in my opinion.

Quentin Aaron did a good job playing the shy Oher, but Sandra Bullock is the one getting all the attention. She is nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. I thought she overacted and her southern accent was off. That one line that was in all the previews where she says, “You can thank me later.” just grates on my nerves.

Favorite Performance:
Quentin Aaron as Michael Oher

Favorite Quote:
Leigh Anne Touhy: If you so much as set foot downtown you will be sorry. I’m in a prayer group with the D.A., I’m a member of the NRA and I’m always packing.

Grade:
B+

Paranormal Activity

Director:
Oren Peli

Writer:
Oren Peli

Cast:
Katie Featherston as Katie
Micah Sloat as Micah

Released: 2009
Studio: Paramount
Box Office: $107,918,810

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
IMDB Score: 6.8

Format: Theater

First of all, I don’t like horror movies. I just don’t go see them. I can count how many horror movies I’ve seen on one hand, but I had to see this one. I waited and waited for it to finally come to my theater and I went to the first midnight showing. Holy crap! This was the single scariest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ll never watch it again.

It was shot for $15,000. That’s it. It took one week and one camera. If I didn’t know that the footage wasn’t real, I would totally believe that it was. If you want to see it, I would see it with a group of people because seeing their reactions really adds to the experience.

Favorite Performance:
Katie Featherston as Katie

Favorite Quote:
Micah: So you’d think a psychic would, uh, be on time. You know, like he could foretell if the traffic was going to be bad?

Grade:
A-