I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Starring: Taraji P Henson, Adam Rodriguez, Brian White, Tyler Perry
Comedy/Drama, 2009 (Rated PG13)

April is a selfish night club singer with a drinking problem. She is involved with an evil spirited married man and generally keeps to herself spending her days sleeping and her nights working and drinking. When her 3 nieces and nephews turn up on her doorstep without a place to go she begrudgingly takes them in but for a limited time only because she really doesn't want to be bothered. She is further intruded upon by a Mexican immigrant sent over by the church to do handy man work around the house in exchange for room and board. Even with so many people around her her heart is hard as a stone and rather then make room for what could be good things in her life she continues to push away.

• This movie is just shy of two hours but could have easily been 1 1/2 hours or less without all of the extended vocal performances put on display by the church choir, Mary J Blige AND Gladys Knight. I found myself wanting to fast forward because it just went on and on.
• A typical Tyler Perry formula: Evil Villain, person with a heart of gold, people that need saving and the church as central characters in the film.
• Even though his movies are so dramatic and tend to fall into the same pattern I like them. They always have a wonderful message and so much heart that you can't help but be touched at least a little bit.
• It's great that someone is really just making movies that mean something. That tell good stories, teach lessons, and inspire hope. You get the feeling that it's what Tyler Perry was put here to do and so that is what he is doing.

4 STARS

The Invention Of Lying

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner
Comedy, 2009 (PG13)

Imagine a world where people do not lie. Everything anyone says is taken as fact and nobody even bothers with little white lies that spare peoples feeling or keep things polite. Well, this movie does just that. Mark (Gervais) discovers one day that he can lie-although he doesn't even have a word to describe it. Suddenly his life changes as he realizes the power of telling lies especially in a world where others don't. He gets everything he wants except Anna (Garner) the girl of his dreams. Can he convince her that despite his plain exterior that he is the man of hers?

• This movie is actually quite funny and entertaining. It does have some slow moments but overall I really liked it because it was so unique.
• I am immediately annoyed by Anna because she is so incredibly shallow and vain. But really aren't we all in at least some small way? Just not in such an "in your face" kind of way.
• It confronts the concept of physical beauty and success or lack thereof in a head on no apologies kind of way. Often it's what people are thinking but no one dares to speak out loud.
• When a perfect stranger in this town asks you how you are doing it's ok to say you hate your life and you think that they are ugly. Somehow I found the thought of not having to say that you are fine if you aren't just to make polite conversation. On the other hand....do you really want people to know all of that information about you?

3 STARS

The Book Of Eli

Starring: Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis
2010, Thriller

Eli (Washington) is an exceptional man in a post apocalyptic world on a near impossible mission that is taking him out West by foot. There are no laws and very few morals among those who have managed to survive making his task even more difficult. He is trying to protect something so powerful that it could ultimately save the human race which at present is sinking further and further into despair. Along the way he meets Solara (Kunis) who could use some saving herself and together they continue on the journey.

• This movie takes survival of the fittest to a whole new level. There isn't much left but dust and people are driven to do anything to survive.
• Denzel Washington is excellent and nice to look at even in a bombed out dirty world as usual.
• It was nice to see Mila Kunis in a different kind of movie then what she has done in the past.
• Plenty of action and great fighting scenes but I must say the ending felt just a little flat.
• A testament to the power of faith.

4 Stars

Post Grad

Starring: Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford

Comedy (2009), Rated PG 13

Ryden (Bledel) is a recent college grad who has pretty much had her life mapped out since day 1 of high school. When she doesn't land that dream job her whole life goes into a tailspin of confusion. So distraught is she over her misfortune she fails to realize that love is starring her in the face and that there are other things that are more important then a certain job. As she tries to find a job and figure out what she is going to do now she learns lessons about love and life that can't be taught in college or found at a certain job.

• This movie was pretty good.
• Bledel is a great little actress and her eyes are absolutely gorgeous blue that looks great against her dark hair.

3 Stars

Pandorum

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster
Suspense Thriller, 2009 (Rated R)

Two astronauts awaken after an extended slumber on a space ship to a nightmare of killer mutated creatures and more questions then answers as they try to recover their memories and piece together what happened to derail their journey to a newly discovered planet called Tana. They encounter other survivors and attempt to keep the ship from shutting down so that they can continue onto their destination.

• I remained interested as the movie went on and more and more questions were answered about who they were and why they were there.
• Overall decent movie but it didn't knock my socks off in any way.

3 STARS

Fame

Ensemble cast
Drama, Rated PG (2009)

This is a story about dreams. The movie follows a group of dancers, singers, actors, and musicians from their Freshman to Senior year at a prestigious and competitive school of creative and performing arts in New York City. They all start out in one place with a dream and a goal and by the end of the four years some will make it and some won't. That's the harsh reality of show business and these young would be stars have a front row seat.

• I remember the original 1982 version so I was really looking forward to this one coming out.
• It's the age old story of young people who have this dream and a passion for a field that is so incredibly unforgiving.
• It was not a tear jerker by any means but I know what it's like to have a dream and I have a soft spot in my heart that is touched when I watch a movie about it.
• The acting was OK and the story line was a little flat but all of the amazing dancing and singing made up for it. It it's not your thing it probably won't interest you much.
• Ensemble cast of unknown actors. I heard they scoured the country casting for this.
• This movie really was about the dream. There was a little bit of drama but not enough to detract from the basic premise of the movie.

3 STARS

Spread

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Anne Heche, and Margarita Levieva
Drama, Rated R (2009)

Nicki (Kutcher) is a young former wanna be actor with stars in his eyes that gets by on his looks and his ability to finagle his way into the hears and pocketbooks of wealthy Hollywood women. He is a vagabond of sorts as he moves from mansion to mansion living of of other peoples dimes and latching onto the lavish lifestyle that he craves. While staying with Samantha (Heche) he meets his match when he meets a beautiful waitress. He tries to run his usual hustle and quickly finds out not only that she is the female version of himself but that he actually likes her.

• This was a good movie. Good acting and good quality.
• There is an underlying lesson that all the money in the world can still leave you empty.
• Everyone wants to live that lifestyle. The good life. But how pathetic is it when the only way you can get it for yourself is to use? What does that say about you and how long will people put up with it?
• Nicki is basically a man ho and at some point you have to face facts and start living life the way the regular folks do unless you've figured out a way to get it for yourself.
• Wouldn't if be nice to find love & money in the same place? Nicki couldn't seem to find that and if the woman wanted more and it became more trouble then it was worth it was time to move on.
• Heche has an awesome body. She's been around awhile so I know she is considered an "older" actress but you sure wouldn't know it by that body.
• Levieva has a natural beauty about her. She plays the hot girl in Adventureland.

3 Stars