Movie Reviews - Free Family Film Festival

It's the start of summer for my nine year old and we've been to the first FFFF of the summer. Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa. Returning to our theater for a week (3 days in all tuesday through thursday) brings back Ben Stiller and company to cartoon series started in 2005.

In this one, Alex and his friends Marty, Melman and Gloria are still stranded in a lost country and are trying to get back to New York and safe, comfortable home. What's wrong is they are relying on the brains of a group of penguins to get them there. There was a few new gags for this episode and the laughs were abound.

I'm glad they brought this one back for the summer program because I missed it when it was in the theater the first time. And with this movie the children in the theater are part of the "Magic". My son buried his head into my shoulder for a few of the scenes when I would make oh, and ah noises for emotional moments.

For more theaters with this program, check out Regals Free Family Film Fest page at: http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx

And the Madagascar 2 trailer from IMDb at: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2831286553/

Thomas Pynchon, American Novelist | Reader's Guides & Information | Inherent Vice

Thomas Pynchon, American Novelist | Reader's Guides & Information | Inherent Vice

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DVD Review - Tropic Thunder (2 Disc Director's Cut) 2008

           The 2008 summer comedy blockbuster that is Tropic Thunder has now become two discs of an amazing movie and great features.  Disc one has the feature with two separate commentary tracks with the director (Ben Stiller) the writer and a few of the lead crew including the editor, production designer, and the director of photography.  On another commentary track there is the actors Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black.  If you missed this movie in the theaters last year, by any means that you can, see this movie on DVD.

            This is an incredibly smart love letter to making movies by actors that really enjoy their craft.  Building the characters as previously acclaimed movie stars in the beginning with faux trailers and advertisements, this sets up the main comedic plotline of actors being stuck in a remote part of Vietnam.  Their movie takes a turn for the worse and the crew including the actors has to fight their way back to the states.   The acting by the cast was amazing and having Ben Stiller as the director was a double pleasure from him.

            On the second disc there are hours of extras that include hilarious outtakes and deleted scenes with introductions by Ben Stiller and the editor for the movie.  There is also a faux documentary for the making of the movie about the failed movie in the film.  This documentary was “directed” by the writer of Tropic Thunder, Justin Theroux.

 For more information, check out the trailer from IMDb and check out their website: 

www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2677539609/

Film Reviews - The Hangover

First off, I never thought I’d like this as much as I did. Secondly, I want to see it again! This isn’t just a d!ck and f@rt movie. It’s mostly a who-done-it-and-how movie. For a great majority of this film, we’re on the adventure of tracking down where one of our lead characters, the bachelor ended up after a night that they’d obviously forgotten. Through bizarre clues (i.e. Mike Tyson, tiger, family heirloom, et al…) they’re finding their way through Las Vegas, where this wild bachelor party has taken place. Meanwhile, back home, the women in these men’s lives are worrying and wondering about how they are and where they are. Lies and misleading conversations are the guy’s only saving grace in order to buy them enough time to find their friend who they’ve misplaced. Obviously, after jumping through amazingly ridiculous hoops, they find their friend in the nick of time; but not without one surprise after another that keeps you laughing and wanting for more once the movie has come to an end. But don’t get up yet…stay for the credits.