Hot Tub Time Machine

Starring:  John Cusak, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke
2010, Comedy  (Rated R)

Three men in various stages of mid life crisis like experiences at home head out to their old favorite resort ski town after one of them has an apparent suicide attempt.  Adam (Cusak) takes along his younger brother Jacob who normally stays holed up in his basement playing video games and off they go to have some fun, relaxation and hopefully re kindle their spark.  After partying all night in a hot tub they emerge to find that they have gone back in time and anxiously try to figure out how to fix the situation so as not to do more damage to their present life while visiting their past.

• This movie was funny and had some stupid silly moments.
• My favorite part was actually the ending.  It was unexpected and I think it really made the move.

3 STARS

The Wolfman

Starring:  Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins
Sci Fi/Fantasy, 2010 (Rated R)

An actor (Del Toro) returns home after being told that his brother is missing.  He arrives home to find his brother has been found dead and the town is in an uproar and on the hunt for the vicious creature they believe is responsible for his and other murders.  He finds himself the target of the hunt after being bitten by a werewolf himself.  He finds out some terrible family secrets as he tries to avenge his brothers death as promised to his brother's wife Gwen (Blunt).

• The lighting in this movie is horribly dark.  I get it that it is supposed to be ominous and scary but I could hardly see what was happening on the screen.
• This movie is not as good as I expected it to be.  It was just OK and hardly even held my attention throughout. 

3 STARS

The Runaways

Starring:  Kristin Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon
Drama, Rated R

Kristin Stewart stars as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning stars as Cherie Currie in the story of the short lived hit teenage all girl band of the 70's called The Runaways.  The band came out of nowhere at a time when rock music was ruled by men.  Their rise to fame was unexpected and the film tells the story of the ups and downs that come along with that sudden popularity and living the rock star lifestyle.

• Loved it!!!  Kristin Steward and Dakota Fanning are a dynamic duo in this movie if I ever saw one.  They are both so captivating in their performances. 
• Fanning is so amazing I can't even put it into words.  Wasn't it just yesterday that she was a little girl on "I am Sam"?  Now she is all grown up and doing her first on screen kisses-one of them with a girl!  She has this amazing ability to really take on a character and make you believe it.  Fanning was gone and in her place I saw Cherie Currie-the rock star-and nothing else.
• Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) was obnoxious and ridiculous beyond belief.  Shannon did an excellent job playing this neurotic over the top character.
• I find it pretty amazing that this band was so young.  Currie was only 15 when the band got put together.  It seems like a more common trend now that superstars are barely teenagers but that wasn't the case so much back in the 70's.
• Another story about the pitfalls of super stardom but it was gritty, interesting and so well done that nothing about it felt like just another story.

5 STARS

The Road

Starring:  Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron
Sci Fi/Fantasy, 2009 (Rated R)

A man and his son travel on foot in a decimated post apocalyptic world hoping to find hope and some semblance of civilization 

• This movie was just sad.  As I watched this man and his son trudge onward in a world where people have committed suicide rather then live in it I find myself wondering what is the point.  What kind of life is that to live in fear, hunger, and constant survival mode?  This man is driven to keep going when it seems most logical to just give up.
• Great acting by Mortenson and the boy Smit-McPhee.  There were scenes where watching this little boy cry was almost heart breaking. 
• Great movie all around.

5 STARS