Shrek Forever After

Current Ranking: #21 out of 33
Date Watched: 05/31/10
Original Ranking: #13 out of 21

Amy says:

A fun animated movie, Shrek 4 is pretty good, even being the fourth of its kind. It is interesting to see the writers take on what Far Far Away would be like without Shrek. The most hilarious moments are from the formerly pampered Princess Fiona’s who plays a fierce warrior leader in the alternate reality. It is fun to watch Shrek try to kiss the stony Fiona and get slammed down several times.

Nic says:

I agree that this is a great movie for being a sequel, however I think that is also what ranked it lower on our list than it would have been if it were an original movie. Rumpelstiltskin is a very funny antagonist, but I especially love his bounty hunter, the Pied Piper. I still find myself whistling his flute breakdown of the Beastie Boys’ “Sure Shot”.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Current Ranking: #13 out of 33
Date Watched: 05/29/10
Original Ranking: #8 out of 20

Nic says:

For a movie based on a video game, this is a terrific story of heroism and overcoming adversity. I love stories that deal with free will versus destiny, questioning whether we have control of our future or if it is already planned out for us. The main character, Dastan, never questions what he believes and is committed to his virtues and adopted family. My only criticism of the movie is that the stealing of the dagger back and forth between the two main characters was a little overplayed and seems to just eat up time, but overall I think this is a great movie.

Amy says:

I agree that overall this was a great movie, which surprised me. I did not like the trailers and went grudgingly to the show. I was pleasantly surprised that Jake Gyllenhaal really pulls off the role as Dastan. The stunts are fantastic, and I would definitely go see him in another action movie. The love story is also pretty good and overall it worked.

Letters to Juliet

Current Ranking: #17 out of 33
Date Watched: 05/21/10
Original Ranking: #10 out of 19

Amy says:

Amanda Seyfried, from Dear John, once again pulls off playing a girl tossed about in the throws of young love in Letters to Juliet. I love the way Seyfried really draws me into the story and makes it believable. I am definitely a fan of her work! Christopher Egan and Marcia DeBonis support Seyfried’s performance perfectly, making for an excellent cast.

Another great romantic comedy, Letters to Juliet is heartfelt, memorable, and fun to watch. It probably would have ranked even higher in our review, except for the fact that the preview for the movie spoils both the happy ending and all the major plot points of the film. It would have been better if we were surprised.

Nic says:

I completely agree that the previews for this movie completely stole any element of surprise away from it. However, Amy and I both still enjoyed seeing it, which really speaks for how great of a movie it is. It definitely belongs up there with When In Rome for best romantic comedies we’ve seen this year.

Babies

Current Ranking: #23 out of 33
Date Watched: 05/11/10
Original Ranking: #11 out of 18

Nic says:

As a newlywed looking forward to having children of my own, nothing frightens me more than the prospect of having to take care of a baby. Don’t get me wrong, I also couldn’t be more excited to have kids; but, the idea of taking care of an infant scares me to death. The documentary Babies really puts things in to perspective. However, raising a kid in San Francisco is a cake walk compared to raising a child in Mongolia or Namibia.

The movie is a bit like a National Geographic special, meaning it does not hold back. Everything from breastfeeding to baby poop is featured in this film (it does, however, spare you the miracle of childbirth itself). Nonetheless, you can never go wrong with displaying the adorable wonder of four babies in their first year on this planet. It’s practically 80 minutes of “Awwwwww!”

Amy says:

I love the 80 minutes of “Awww!” I thoroughly enjoyed watching the babies grow and learning about how raising a baby is so diverse based on where you live in the world. This unique real life story was hard to rank because it is so different than the other movies we review. We loved it, but it is one of those movies we feel we only would watch once, which is why it is not closer to the top of the list.

Iron Man 2

Current Ranking: #10 out of 33
Date Watched: 05/09/10
Original Ranking: #6 out of 17

Amy says:

A great action packed flick, Iron Man 2 is definitely well suited to being released during a holiday weekend. Although, I am not sure Mother’s Day weekend is the best choice. Maybe they should opt for Memorial Day or 4th of July for the 3rd movie.
Iron Man definitely had me on the edge of my seat. Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow have the same great chemistry as the first movie. My favorite new character, Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, definitely steals the lime light. She has great ninja movies and an even cooler outfit. This is the first female super hero that packs a punch and keeps all her clothes on. You go girl!

Nic says:

Iron Man 2 is definitely entertaining, but what Amy forgot to mention is the awesome bad guys in this movie. Mickey Rourke did a great job as the Russian nut job Whiplash, and Sam Rockwell is excellent as Justin Hammer.
My favorite parts of the movie, however, are the hidden treasures found in its references to other Avengers characters. I love when Tony Stark uses Captain America’s shield to level his machine, and the scene after the credits has me even more excited for the next character’s movie!