Tooth Fairy

Current Ranking: #31 out of 33

Date Watched: 01/30/10

Original Ranking: # 6 out of 7

Nic says:

This movie is very cute and often funny, but, as you might have guessed, it lacks in overall plot. While watching Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson play Derek Thompson, who is sentences to serving time as a Tooth Fairy, is entertaining, the best parts of the film come from characters played by Julie Andrews and Billy Crystal. It is a shame they are only in a few scenes of the movie. My favorite scene is when Jerry, played by Crystal, explains to Thompson what amnesia dust is and how it works.

This is a fun family movie that you can see with the kids and have a few laughs and that’s how it works.

Amy says:
I agree that this was a cute movie. Nic pretty much said it all. While the tale was about learning to believe in dreams, Andrews and Crystal stole the show with their comedy and wit. The movie could have been about anything, but it worked because of their hilarious bit parts.

When in Rome

Current Ranking: #16 out of 33

Date Watched: 01/29/09

Original Ranking: #3 out of 6

Amy says:
Perfect chemistry showcases between Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, who play opposite each other in When in Rome. The romance between Beth, played by Bell, and Nick, played by Duhamel, is perfectly scripted with the necessary ups and downs of a romantic comedy but also includes that perfect “this is it” feeling brought on by a perfectly paired actor and actress.

When in Rome is one of the romantic comedies that remind me why I love this genre. Sure, the audience knows who will ultimately end up with whom, but that journey is filled with unexpected lessons on life, unforgettable characters, and lots and lots of laughter. Throughout the movie I felt like I was falling in love; in love with love itself, in love with movies, and in love with romantic comedies.

When in Rome is sure to be a classic romantic comedy viewed for years to come and I recommend it to anyone who wants to fall in love.

Nic says:
I agree that When In Rome definitely sets the bar for romantic comedies, and Bell and Duhamel really show us how it's done. Where the movie really excels, however, is in its lessons on love and free will. I really enjoyed that Beth must choose between having a chance for true love, or having a love that might be fake but will last forever.

Another terrific part of the movie is when the foursome who have also fallen in love with Beth figure out that love is more than just expecting love in return. They help Beth, not to persuade her to love them back, but just for the sake of helping someone they truly care about.

Extraordinary Measures

Current Ranking: #30 out of 33

Date Watched: 01/27/10

Original Ranking: #4 out of 5

Nic says:
Extraordinary Measures is a touching "based on true events" story about how far a husband and wife will go to save the lives of their children. The story is incredibly inspiring when it comes to risking everything for a chance at happiness and life. However, Dr. Stonehill, played by Harrison Ford and John Crowley, played by Brendan Fraser, fall short of creating a believable friendship in the film. It was hard to imagine that the two characters would ever successfully work together to bring about a cure.

Overall, I found the science and business side of the story very monotonous, but if you can see past that you'll find a greatly inspiring story that will challenge your own thoughts on how far you might go given a similar scenario.

Amy says:
The movie was a bit slow at times, but the characters each truly filled the shoes of their roles. When the parents of the sick children, Fraser and Keri Russell, have emotional breakdowns over the possibility of losing their children to illness, it feels real. It was interesting to have highly emotional scenes mixed in with dry scientific ones. Switching between hot and cold made this move jarring and also seem a little drawn out. It was a good story, but could have been a better movie.

Invictus

Current Ranking: #2 out of 33

Date Watched: 01/23/10

Original Ranking: #1 out of 4

Amy says:
The emotion of this film added depth to this well-known story that I was not expecting. Watching Morgan Freeman play South African President Mandela helped me understand this great man, who embodied the true spirit of forgiveness by showing compassion towards the people who had him imprisoned for three decades. Likewise, the country’s rugby captain Fracois, played by Matt Damon, showed humility in learning to understand and support the new president when most of his associates did not. Both actors did an excellent job at filling the shoes of these two great men.

The title of the film is for a poem of the same name which Mandela gives to Francois, that ends with lines the “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Both men embody the spirit of this poem while remaining hopeful in standing against insurmountable odds. Through watching Francois lead his team to the seemingly impossible victory of the World Cup, the country learns to believe that anything is possible and joins together to begin healing from the apartheid.

Invictus is a wonderful entertaining movie about the power of hope, and I could watch again and again.

Nic says:
I agree that Morgan Freeman channels Mandela's hope and inspiration beautifully in this movie. You cannot help but feel love and compassion for everyone, both in the movie and out. This is an amazing film that helps us see that the best approach to animosity and adversity is acceptance and love.

For anyone who doesn't have a clue as to how rugby is played, the game can be confusing at times; however the effect of a nation's team on its people is clearly communicated with each tackle, huddle, and point.

Lovely Bones

Current Ranking: #33 out of 33

Date Watched: 01/17/10

Original Ranking: #3 out of 3

Nic says:
There are (at least) two types of movies which cause me to procrastinate reviewing: movies so amazing that I don't feel I can come up with the words to do it justice, and movies so terrible that I loathe the idea of reliving them for you.

The Lovely Bones is the latter.

There are things in this world that most of us would rather not see depicted in a life-like manner on screen. In my opinion, one of those things is the murder of a child. Watching a family lose their daughter to a monster, seeing that family destroyed by murder, and then watching the murderer get away with it all, was not enjoyable.

It's hard to comment on anything else in the movie, because it is truly difficult to get past the horrific events that happen, and continue to happen, on the screen. I felt as if I was experiencing death, and dying, for 135 minutes. Not a fun experience.

Amy says:
I agree that it was not enjoyable to watch the Salmon family fall apart when fourteen-year old Suzie is brutally murdered. Especially when the audience is aware that the murderer is the family’s neighbor and the characters are not. The movie seemed to really hone in on the suspense and grief of the story and lacked the depth of the book, which focused more on family’s healing and process of moving on. There were some interesting scenes with Suzie existing in what they call the “in between,” overall this movie was disturbing.

Sadly, The Lovely Bones is first movie of the year that I do not recommend watching.

Leap Year

Current Ranking: #18 out of 33

Date Watched: 01/16/10

Original Ranking: #2 out of 2

Amy says:
Like most formulaic romantic comedies, it is easy to guess the basic plot of Leap Year. Boy meets girl, they run into difficulties, but in the end of the story the boy and girl end up together for their happily ever after. But isn’t it nice to have that security of knowing the ending is going to be a good one? For me, knowing the formula does not make the movie any less fun, and Leap Year provided plenty of the laughs and touchy-feely moments that I expected.

Control freak, American Anna paired with go-with-the-flow, Irish Declan immediately dislike each other upon introduction, making an excellent “opposites attract” pair. The relationship that builds throughout a series of hilariously unfortunate events seems to come as a surprise to the characters, but not the audience. It felt predictably right seeing Anna and Declan together in the end, with the complications of other love interests and emotional walls having melted away.

Overall, Leap Year provides that good ole security blanket feeling that that is warm and fuzzy.

Nic says:
I couldn’t agree more. What attracts us to Leap Year is not the suspense of will she or won’t she end up with Mr. Right? What we go to see is how she ends up with him. The movie takes us through a series of unfortunate events, some even Murphy’s Law would have trouble believing; such as Anna trying to charge her Blackberry and short-circuiting an entire village (really?). However, my favorite part of this film is Declan’s epiphany-inspiring moment to Anna: “If your home was on fire, and you only had 60 seconds, what would you save?”

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Current Ranking: #6 out of 33
Date Watched: 01/12/10
Original Ranking: #1 out of 1

Nic says:
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fun and creative movie that takes us on a wild ride through people’s imaginations. The best part of the movie is the devil known as Mr. Nick, played by Tom Waits. Mr. Nick is amazingly clever; so clever in fact, that he even when he loses, he wins. In his first bet with Parnassus, he is easily defeated and grants his opponent immortality. However, this only better serves Mr. Nick, for he has now guaranteed himself an eternal companion… one who foolishly believes he can beat the devil.

In addition to the wonderful character of Mr. Nick, there is mystery-man Tony Sheppard, originally scripted to be played solely by Heath Ledger. The role instead is filled by not only Ledger but Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell as well. One cannot help but think about Ledger’s untimely death while completing this movie when seeing his character transform, through the powers of the imaginarium, into the different faces of Depp, Law, and Farrell. Each actor continues the role quite convincingly; perhaps it’s just the aid of makeup, wardrobe, and whatever other movie tricks, but it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between them.

Overall, this movie continued to keep me guessing while telling an amazing tale.

Amy says:
I agree that Mr. Nick and Tony really stole the show as the really likeable are-they-villains-or-are-they-not kind of characters. In addition to the wonderful cast of colorful characters, the imaginarium is provides the sole to this story. Just beyond Dr. Parnassus’ magic mirror lies the imaginarium, a place where dreams, and sometimes nightmares, are brought to life. From the fun of the shoe-coveters world of nine-feet-tall yet still luxurious high heels to the river that changes in to a giant cobra, the audience rides the highs and lows of the characters imaginations. Just as the world beyond the mirror captivates, intrigues, and proves full of surprises, so is this curiously fabulous film by Terry Gilliam.

A perfect film for our first review! By default this movie claims the number one slot.