Hooked By Movies

The Hangover is Worth Remembering

2009-06-09T10:32:00.003-05:00

The Hangover Rating: A-

Doug (Justin Bartha) and three of his friends travel to Las Vegas for a night they will never forget, Doug's bachelor party. The next morning the three groomsmen wake up to find they can't remember anything that happened the night before. To make matters worse, there is a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet, Stu (Ed Helms) is missing a tooth, and worst of all, they can't find Doug. The three groomsmen, Stu, Phil (Bradley Cooper), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) embark on a hilarious journey where they retrace their steps in an effort to figure out what happened, where they went wrong, and find Doug in time for his wedding.

Since its release last weekend, all movie talk seems to be about The Hangover. And I know why. It was a great adult comedy that both male and females will be able to appreciate. It was hysterically funny without being dumb funny. Plus, the movie was cast perfectly. Everyone was funny, and void of annoying and obnoxious. Galifianakis's character, Alan, stole the screen. He was fantastic. And of course, this movie was highly entertaining.

It's not just The Hangover's comedic appeal that makes it a great movie though. The film actually had substance and content. There was a mystery to what exactly happened that night that lead to all the mishaps and bad behaviors, including losing the groom. The way the film is ordered and set up, it doesn't chronologicalize everything, which creates a mystery and excitement to finding out what all went down that night, as well as if they will find Doug and make it back in time for the wedding.

There is a method to the madness of The Hangover that makes it so much better than your everyday comedy. The Hangover is a definite must see, and for it's genre I give it an A-. I have nothing negative to say about it, although I don't expect it to win any Academy awards. I think I would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't get a good laugh from this flick. There is some sexual content and nudity, so if that is a problem you'll probably want to stay clear. But with that being said, check out The Hangover, and stay for the credits!

June Movie Trailers

2009-06-06T07:16:00.003-05:00

The Taking of Pelham 123 - June 12

The Proposal - June 19

Year One - June 19

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen - June 25

My Sister's Keeper - June 26

Not That Into: He's Just Not That Into You

2009-06-05T09:15:00.006-05:00

He's Just Not That Into You Rating: C+

He's Just Not That Into You is a chick flick about several different relationships at different stages and how women perceive the actions of men. I.E. dating women perceive a man not calling as he lost her phone number, or his grandma died, instead of what is really going on...He's Just Not That Into You.

There was a lot of talk going around about how good He's Just Not That Into You was. However after seeing it, I am not sure what all the hype was about. The movie started off slow, and I didn't care for the film being sectioned with a black screen followed by interviewing some random never-to-be-seen again character. I felt this concept was disconnecting, and took away from the story and connection among the characters. I felt Ginnifer Goodwin's character, Gigi, was incredibly sad and embarrassing to watch. It wasn't till the end of the movie that I no longer wanted to shake some sense into this girl. And lastly this movie was immensely predictable. I knew what was going to happen long before it even happened. Although, on the plus side I suppose that means I understand the actions of men, at least in the context of this movie.

He's Just Not That Into You wasn't all bad though. It was relatively funny, which I wasn't expecting. I thought it was going to be a cry fest, it wasn't. It is very relateable, in that everyone has had their share of dating/relationship woe's or questions. The cast was phenomenal, including Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Jennifer Anniston, Jennifer Connelly, Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Kevin Connolly. And there was an element of entertainment there.

I don't want to give the impression that I hated this film, because I didn't. It just wasn't nearly as good as I was expecting, or it was talked up to be. My guess is if you saw this movie in the theater you probably walked away disappointed, but for a DVD rental it is worth checking out.

Terminator Salvation Rises Again

2009-05-27T16:45:00.008-05:00

Terminator Salvation Rating: B

I don't know why Terminator Salvation is getting a bad wrap. I have by far seen worse movies than this one. If you were expecting Terminator Salvation to be the best movie ever, then yes, you will be disappointed. It wasn't the best movie ever. Was it good though? The answer is yes.

Terminator Salvation is the fourth installment of the "Terminator" series. It takes place in post-apocalyptic 2018, where John Connor (Christian Bale) is fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and their Terminators. Amidst the fight against Skynet, Connor meets up with Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger who has no recollection of his past since being on death row, and must decide if Marcus is friend or foe. Connor and Wright find themselves at the heart of Skynet, but both the human resistance and Skynet have a plan to end the war and become the victor. The question is, who will win?

Terminator Salvation has a great cast which includes Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anton Yelchin. I felt that Sam Worthington did a stellar job as an actor playing the role of Marcus Wright. Although Marcus Wright is a new character, I don't think he should be overlooked, as he plays an interesting and pivotal role. And good or evil, I found him to be a very likable character.

The most important factor for a "good" movie for me is the entertainment value. Terminator Salvation was quite entertaining. The film contained highly energized action scenes, which were fun, exciting, and well, best seen in a theater environment. The continuation of the "Terminator" story-line is still very enjoyable, and there is always the question of what will they do next? Will there ever be an end? And will we see more of Arnold Schwarzenegger?

The downfalls of Terminator Salvation, the reason for its "B" review, were the occasional slow moments, a few lines that were meant to be humorous but came off cheesy, the fact that the T-800 was a fake, the confusion of past and present scenarios, and once again seeing familiar characters being played by completely different actors. I don't think I'll ever completely understand the sending of characters to the past, all while the future is taking place. Although I find this immensely interesting, too much thought into it is mind boggling.

And the last downfall I mentioned, happens to be the biggest issue for me. After seeing four "Terminator" movies, and the TV show and seeing the same characters played over-and-over by different actors, I get a bit thrown off. I find it hard to watch a character being played by a different actor without thinking about the previous actors who have filled those shoes. I preferred some over others.

All and all, I felt Terminator Salvation was not nearly the disappointed so many have made it out to be. It is entertaining, action filled, and continues one of the biggest franchises to exist. I've seen bad sequels and this just isn't one of them. And I suspect we haven't seen the last of the "Terminator" franchise. It'll be back!

"Taken" to the Edge of Your Seat

2009-05-17T09:54:00.009-05:00

"Taken" Rating: B

Kim (Maggie Grace) is vacationing in Paris with a friend, when she is taken by human traffickers with the intent of selling her into forced prostitution. Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is Kim's father, and a retired government operative. Bryan has 96 hours to find his daughter before she is lost into the world of human trafficking forever. Can he rescue her or will time run out?

"Taken" performed as expected. The film was entertaining, an important aspect of any movie, and as a DVD rental, it definitely put me at the edge of my couch with the action sequences, and Bryan's (Liam Neeson) 007 moves. Liam Neeson did a fabulous job portraying an ex-government operative, in that I went through the entire film believing that Bryan was incredibly good at his job.

I also found the concept of this movie, human trafficking, to be a raw and relatively untouched territory, which made for an interesting plot. I loved the scene (shown in previews) where Maggie Grace's character is hiding under the bed, and Liam Neeson's character tells her she will be taken. In its entirety I found this scene fantastic and left me thinking for while, as it isn't what one would expect to be said or done in such circumstances.

Unfortunately, "Taken" still left something to be desired. "Taken" seemed longer than its hour and 33 minutes, with its occasional slow moving and boring moments. This "B" movie was a bit on the predictable side, and although Liam Neeson put on a stellar performance, it often felt like a one-man show despite all other characters. I also had a hard time believing Maggie Grace as a 17-year-old, and felt the ending lacked "real" emotion to the events that had transpired.

Overall, this action/adventure had outstanding acting on Liam Neeson's part, a suspenseful plot, and great "on the edge of your seat" action elements that definitely make "Taken" worth renting.

Summer Movie Release Dates

2009-05-14T18:46:00.005-05:00

We've already had a taste of a couple of the summer's hottest flicks with X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Star Trek. If this taste of action-adventure, comedy, and eye-candy are a preview of what's to come this summer, than this summer is looking pretty hot!

Check out some of what this summer has to offer in summer flicks with the below movie release dates.

May
Angels & Demons - May 15
Terminator Salvation - May 21
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian - May 22
Up - May 29

June
Land of the Lost - June 5
The Hangover - June 5
The Taking of Pelham 123 - June 12
The Proposal - June 19
Year One - June 19
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - June 24
My Sister's Keeper - June 26

July
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs - July 1
Public Enemies - July 1
I Love You, Beth Cooper - July 10
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - July 15
(500) Days of Summer - July 17
The Ugly Truth - July 24
Funny People - July 31

August
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra - August 7
Julie & Julia - August 7
Paper Heart - August 7
Bandslam - August 14
District 9 - August 14
Post Grad - August 14
Taking Woodstock - August 14
The Time Traveler's Wife - August 14
Inglourious Basterds - August 21

Star Trek is Out of This World

2009-05-12T08:49:00.003-05:00

Star Trek Rating: A+

I admit I don't know much about Star Trek. I love movies though. I am a movie fanatic, which is why when I saw the previews for the new Star Trek film I felt compelled to see it. As it turns out, I am a new recruit. I am a Trekkie.

Star Trek was phenomenal, to say the least. First off, you do not have to be a long time Star Trek fan to jump on board this years, starship U.S.S. Enterprise, and journey through the galaxy with the fantastic characters of Star Trek. This film was designed for all audiences. It will reel in the original Star Trek fans, but also start a new generation to boldly go where no one as gone before.

Star Trek is an adventurous, action-packed, comedic journey onboard the most advanced starship to ever be created, the U.S.S. Enterprise. We rip through this incredible voyage where a thrill-seeking delinquent, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), and a logic-based being, Spock (Zachary Quinto), join together to form a powerful partnership and lead the young crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise to stop an evil being who threatens all of mankind.

This film was not only fabulous because it was easy to follow, but it is incredibly fast moving, with no lulls, or dragging moments. It's 126 minutes that go by at light speed. The action sequences are entertaining, as is the plot itself. You're at the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next, all while laughing at the quick-witted one-liners (Who would have thought Star Trek would be funny?). All and all, a highly entertaining film!

And lastly, lets not forget about the cast. The cast of Star Trek, which included Chris Pine (Just My Luck), Zachary Quinto (Heroes), Leonard Nimoy (original Star Trek), Eric Bana (Troy), John Cho (Harold and Kumar), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead), and Bruce Greenwood (National Treasure: Book of Secrets), did an impecable job. They were believeable, and enticing. And seriously, Zachary Quinto was born to play Spock!

Star Trek is the best movie I have seen thus far, this year. With the A+ rating I am giving it, I look foward to future installments (and we all know there will be more).

With that I say, "Live Long and Prosper".