Baby Mama (2008)

Number Rolled: 71

Movie Name/Year: Baby Mama (2008)

Tagline: Would you put your eggs in this basket?

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Length: 98 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Production Companies: Broadway Video, Michaels-Goldwyn, Relativity Media

Producer: Kay Cannon, Erin David, John Goldwyn, Ryan Kavanaugh, Jill Sobel Messick, Lorne Michaels, Louise Rosner

Director: Michael McCullers

Writer: Michael McCullers

Actors: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Martin, Maura Tierney, Stephen Mailer, Holland Taylor, James Rebhorn, Denis O’Hare, Kevin Collins, Will Forte

Blurb from Netflix: When straightlaced Kate learns she’s infertile, she hires immature Angie to be her surrogate, inviting hilarity as both women prepare for motherhood.

Selina’s Point of View:

I wasn’t really a fan of this film. There was nothing all that wrong about it, but there wasn’t much right, either.

I am a Tina Fey (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 30 Rock, Muppets Most Wanted) fan. Maybe if she had more of a hand in the writing of Baby Mama, it might have a difference.

Everything was just so basic. From the jump, I knew exactly how it would end and the exact road we would travel to get there. Michael McCullers (Enough About Me, The Boss Baby, Austin Powers in Goldmember), the writer/director, seemed to try to subvert expectations in a few scenes, but those attempts didn’t work.

I found myself bored. I don’t think I’ve ever been bored in a Tina Fey comedy. It sucks.

This film really isn’t for me, but it might serve as some brainless watching for someone that enjoys the kind of cringey comedy utilized.

Cat’s Point of View:

Baby Mama was definitely a refreshing change of pace. I had needed a little comedy today, and I was very glad that this one lived up to its genre definition. I had watched a movie earlier that was actually from Netflix’s comedies category. It was supposed to be a comedic horror. The only thing I could say was humorous was the laughable quality of the film overall. I digress. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here.

All told, this movie took a rather sensitive topic and gave it both a comedic and respectful treatment. Of course, not everyone will agree on the latter – but people just get offended too easily these days. I actually know someone who quit saying ‘bless you’ when someone sneezes because they don’t want to be seen as feeding into the whole superstitious origin of that practice. I’m digressing again.

Seriously, though, this movie had an outstanding cast full of comedy star power from both the ‘old guard’ and new. When you put Steve Martin (The Pink Panther, Love the Coopers, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk), Tina Fey (Date Night, Megamind, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot), and Amy Poehler (Arrietty, Inside Out, The House) together;  it apparently adds up to magic. I was also really excited to see Sigourney Weaver (Chappie, Ghostbusters, A Monster Calls) involved with this film. While she may be a sci-fi badass, I’ve really enjoyed her comedy work.

I felt that the story here was entertaining. Don’t get me wrong, though. When I mentioned the film was ‘respectful,’ I meant that only in the sense of treating the topic of infertility. The humor here is a bit on the crass side in places. While it may appeal to the lowest common denominator, it was still worth some good laughs and was a welcome stress reliever. After all the rush and hoopla surrounding the holidays, it’s great to just turn off your brain on occasion and giggle at the toilet humor.

While the movie wasn’t entirely unpredictable, and a little on the groany side in places; it was still enjoyable enough to get a recommendation. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 64%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 55%

Metascore – 55/100

Metacritic User Score – 7.7/10

IMDB Score – 6.0/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3/5

Movie Trailer:

Mamma Mia! (2008)

Number Rolled: 34

Movie Name/Year: Mamma Mia! (2008)

Tagline: Take a trip down the aisle you'll never forget.

Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance

Length: 108 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Production Companies: Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Littlestar, Playtone, Internationale Filmproduktion Richter

Producer: Benny Andersson, Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Mark Huffam, Björn Ulvaeus, Rita Wilson

Director: Phyllida Lloyd

Writer: Catherine Johnson

Actors: Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Rachel McDowall, Ashley Lilley, Julie Waters, Christine Baranski, Ricardo Montez, Mia Soteriou, Enzo Squillino, Dominic Cooper, Philip Michael

Blurb from Netflix: On the Greek isle of Kalokairi, a single mom goes into a tizzy when her bride-to-be daughter invites three of Mom’s ex-lovers to the wedding.

Selina’s Point of View:

This was my first time watching Mamma Mia. I’m not sure if it would have been better if I saw it earlier or not. Parts of it made me emotional as a new mom… but not really for any other reason.

I’m not going to go into whether or not any of it was believable, because I can’t. I grew up in a world where men who claimed their kids were in the minority, and this film was about three guys stepping up to a plate, having no clue if it was theirs or not.

The whole thing felt surreal and off to me.

Some of the songs were great, but I didn’t really like most of the music, to be honest. There was one scene/song that just came out of no where and felt like it belonged anywhere BUT this film.

I guess I’m just not that big a fan of ABBA.

I do enjoy musicals in general, this one just really didn’t do it for me.

Even well-loved movies aren’t going to please everyone.

Cat’s Point of View:

If I were asked to give a single statement to sum up my experience with Mamma Mia, there would be no waffling. My immediate and unequivocal response would be – I loved it. There really isn’t anything I didn’t enjoy about it.

The framework of the film using ABBA songs to illustrate a story in the fashion of a Greek Comedy was a stroke of genius. There are few who haven’t heard some of the songs at least once, as pervasive as they are in pop culture crossing generations. If I wasn’t trying to watch the film quietly with my headphones on so that my family could sleep, I would have been singing along with quite a few of the numbers, myself. 

The familiarity with the music is just an extra layer that draws you into the world. Of course, if you aren’t familiar with the works of ABBA; not only will you have remedied that by the end of the movie, but you won’t have less of an experience as a result.

Then there’s the cast. I have to say that this has to be my favorite role I’ve seen Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady, Into the Woods, The Post) in. One of the scenes featuring her singing had so much heartfelt emotion in it that my eyes were leaking.

The movie is crammed with talent. You’ve got Pierce Brosnan (The November Man, I.T., The Foreigner), Colin Firth (Dorian Gray, The King's Speech, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Julie Walters (Brave, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, Paddington 2), Christine Baranski (The Bounty Hunter, Yellowbird, The Good Wife), and Stellan Skarsgård (Angels & Demons, Melancholia, Cinderella) to name a few. I think this is my favorite role to date for Amanda Seyfried (Gone, Les Misérables, Epic), also.

There’s such whimsy in the film with all the singing and dancing, but I also enjoyed how those scenes were used to showcase the relationships of the characters – whether friends or otherwise. The mother-daughter scenes between Streep and Seyfried really resonated, and I loved the friend groupings for both the mother’s generation and the daughter’s. It looks like everyone on set had a lot of fun filming this project, and those good vibes shine through clearly.

I’m also pretty impressed that the cast really did sing all of their own parts. That’s just one of those things that adds something a little extra to a musical for me.

The sequel to this movie came out earlier this year, and you can bet I am now super excited to see it to find out what happens next. I can’t wait to see what sort of musically illustrated shenanigans will happen. I would definitely give this film a whole-hearted recommendation.

Languages

Speech Available: English

Subtitles Available: English

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 55%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 66%

Metascore - 51/100

Metacritic User Score – 6.9/10

IMDB Score – 6.4/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2.5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

Movie Trailer:

Victorio (2008) - Foreign Film Friday

Number Rolled: 55

Movie Name/Year: Victorio (2008)

Tagline: Only love conquers all.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Length: 89 minutes

Rating: NR

Production Companies: DMM films, Fondo para la Produccion Cinematografica de Calidad (Foprocine)

Producer: Joel Nunez, Elizabeth Romagnoli, Oscar Garcia Soberano

Director: Alex Noppel, Armando Croda

Writer: Elizabeth Figueroa

Actors: Roberto Sosa, Carmen Salinas, Luis Fernando Pena, Iran Castillo, Manuel Ojeda, Guillermo Quintanilla, Leticia Valenzuela, Francisco Rivera, Pilar Rachid

Choreographer: Jesus Yep

Languages

Speech Available: Spanish

Subtitles Available: English, Spanish

Blurb from Netflix: Each ensnared in a life of hustle and violence, gangbanger Victorio and prostitute Gabriela find love with each other, and hope for a new life.

Selina’s Point of View:

Victorio started with a shaky-cam awkward fight scene that looked very fake, continued with a strangely upbeat and colorful opening credits scene that was completely out of place, and was then filled with not much else that showed any potential.

The film was part drama part romance… but there was no chemistry or any realism to the romance so it felt completely forced. The violence wasn’t choreographed very well either, so it looked more like children pretending to fight than anything real.

Victorio being bad actually annoys me a great deal. 

The plot was really good. With a better writer/director, and stunt coordinators/choreographers that knew what they were doing, this film would have been outstanding.

With better handling, the entire thing could have been a tearjerker that was really elevated above everything else. Especially with the end message.

Unfortunately, everything was just handled wrong and that made the film almost unbearable to watch.

I can’t recommend Victorio, which is a shame because I WANT to. I wanted the film to be able to stand up to its plot and it just couldn’t.

Cat’s Point of View:

I’m going to try and start my review of Victorio with something positive. The subtitles weren’t horrible. They were laggy in places but they kept up with dialogue for the most part and were easy to read against the movie.

That is the only thing that I can say about this film that isn’t a negative.

I pretty much hated this movie – but in some ways, I feel guilty for it. Who am I to look down my nose at this independent film with the raw portrayal of life on the streets, right? The film delivers a powerful message, but it dragged me kicking and screaming to get to it.

There was shaky-cam at some points that I had to look away from because it was so disorienting. There was a heavy backdrop of Latin gangster music – yet none of it was translated, even when there was no dialogue over it. We also get into the sticky wickets of the ability of child actors, who haven’t yet grown into their craft, portraying some really dark shit that they likely don’t fully understand.

Moving on.

This movie was so much longer than it needed to be. There were too many slow artsy transitions that just weren’t necessary. I thought this movie would never end at a few points, and it had already become tedious for me within a few minutes – by the time the first episode of spastic-cam happened.

I didn’t buy in to most of the fight scenes. For a movie that was obviously meant to gut you and leave you bleeding with some sort of new awareness of the world – it just didn’t have enough literal punch to it.

Ultimately instead of effectively delivering its message, this film boiled down to a passive aggressive guilt trip. That very thing also happens to be one of my biggest pet peeves ever. Don’t preach to me with your movie. Frame your message better. If you want to screen a documentary, don’t call it a drama.

I hope to never have to watch this movie again. I definitely won’t be recommending it.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None

Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 1.5/5

Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 1.5/5

Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 1.5/5

Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 1/5

Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: R

Movie Trailer:

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Number Rolled: 3

Movie Name/Year: The Hurt Locker (2008)

Tagline: You’ll know when you’re in it.

Genre: Drama

Length: 130 minutes

Rating: R

Production Companies: Voltage Pictures, Grosvenor Park Media, Film Capital Europe Funds, First Light Production, Kingsgate Films, Summit Entertainment

Producer: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier, Jenn Lee, Tony Mark, Donall McCusker, Jack Schuster, Greg Shapiro, Kirk Shaw

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Writer: Mark Boal

Actors: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly, Christian Camargo, Christopher Sayegh

Blurb from Netflix: Kathryn Bigelow directs this gripping drama following one of the U.S. Army’s elite explosive ordnance disposal teams operating in Iraq.

Selina’s Point of View:

War movies are not often at the top of my list of movies to watch. That’s weird because I always seem to enjoy them.

Enjoy is not really the right word, but I can’t think of a better one.

In all honesty, war movies that are made well scare the fuck out of me. I watch as the characters are exposed to horrible things and immediately think about the people I care about that have been in war zones. It chokes me up a bit. I’m a firm supporter of the military and I have nothing but respect for anyone who enlists, but I would also prefer my loved ones remain safe.

Bah. Sorry. I could rant about that for a while, so I’ll just move right on.

The Hurt Locker was a very good movie. The acting was well above average and the plot/script brought me so far into the story that I experienced every emotion right along with the characters.

I had a couple of minor issues. None of which actually lessened how much I liked the film.

Some of the camera movement was jerky where it should have been smooth and there were aspects of some scenes that were disjointed and difficult to follow. Other than that, I can’t really find much wrong with the movie.

I was curious as to way it was called The Hurt Locker, however. At no point in the movie is it made clear. According to an explanation I found by BBC News, a “hurt locker” is GI slang for severe injury. As I write this it’s 4 am, so no one on my friends list is awake to ask. I’m going to have to just go with that for now.

Cat’s Point of View:

I watched this movie with my husband; back when it first came out on DVD. I’d remembered that I’d liked the film; but, of course, I watched it again to refresh my memory as to why.

Oscar wins and nominations aside, it has stuck with me a bit. Though, it is pretty impressive that this movie beat out Avatar (2009) for the Best Picture that year.

For your usual nugget of trivia – ironically, it was James Cameron (Titanic, Ghosts of the Abyss, Avatar) whom convinced Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, Strange Days, Zero Dark Thirty) to make this movie, as she was focused on another project originally.

I’m not a big war movie fan. I can watch them without feeling like I’ve been burdened with some onerous chore –they’re just not my preferred cup of tea.

At the same time, I hold high respect and admiration for our service men and women that put their lives on the line day in and day out far from home. Perhaps that is one of the tempering factors for me – if they can endure all of it as reality, then I sure as hell can sit through a couple hours of a sneak peek into that world.

That being said, this movie felt a bit like a window into reality rather than a contrived piece of fiction. The situations were gritty and visceral. There was plenty of suspense, and there were spurts of action.

Some sections felt a bit slow, but that could possibly have been intentional to maintain the mood of the movie.

Of course, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as big and explosive as it is these days, actors Jeremy Renner (28 Weeks Later, The Bourne Legacy, Kill the Messenger) and Anthony Mackie (Real Steel, Runner Runner, Love The Coopers) are practically household names as Hawkeye and Falcon.

When this movie was released, that wasn’t entirely the case. (There are a few more Marvel connections in this film – can you find them?) Though, there are a few more well-known actors among the cast; such as Ralph Fiennes (In Bruges, Great Expectations, Spectre) and David Morse (Disturbia, World War Z, Horns)…they just didn’t get as much screen time.

I haven’t forgotten Brian Geraghty (The Guardian, Open House, Flight). During the first few minutes he was on screen, I had a little debate with myself. “Is that who I think that is?” Turns out, I was right. He can be seen on the multi-show Chicago franchise on NBC, primarily on Chicago P.D. (2014-).

I don’t know that I would watch this movie a third time, personally – but it is an excellent film.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 98%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 84%

Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 4.5/5

Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 5/5

Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 4/5

Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score – 4/5

Movie Trailer: [ The TRAILER does this weird wibbly-wobbly-wavey thing that induces vertigo. The MOVIE does not. ] 

Princess: A Modern Fairytale (2008)

Number Rolled: 19

Movie Name/Year: Princess: A Modern Fairytale (2008)

Genre: Fantasy

Length: 88 minutes

Rating: PG

Production Companies: Princessa Productions, Treehouse North Productions

Executive Producer: Craig Berenson

Director: Mark Rosman

Writer: Heidi Ferrer

Actors: Nora Zehetner, Kip Pardue, Nicole Gale Anderson, Deborah Grover, Matthew Edison, Mayko Nguyen, Shileen Paton

William is a little lost. He’s not sure where his life is supposed to be going. When his friend drags him to a ball and he meets the strange princess, however, his life begins to take a definite direction.

Although the story told within Princess: A Modern Fairytale is good on paper, the film doesn’t really hold up to the possibilities. Even for a TV film.

The CGI was ridiculous. Charmed started in 1998 and had plenty of mythological/magical creatures in it. Even without the technology of today, they made their creatures so much more believable than this film did. Perhaps the director believed the terrible graphics would add a campy charm to the movie. They were very wrong.

On top of that, the acting was stiff and unfortunate. None of the actors really pulled off their parts, but the worst was definitely Nora Zehetner (Maron, Heroes, Grey’s Anatomy). At times she looked like a marionette with no joints carved into her limbs.

Children should enjoy watching this ABC mess, but their parents might find it growing old very fast.

I would like to state that if this were a book, I would happily read it. I bet it would be amazing.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 41%

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 2.4/5

Trust-the-Dice Score – 1.5/5

Movie Trailer:

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Number Rolled: 87

Movie Name/Year: Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Genre: Indie

Length: 112 minutes

Rating: R

Production Companies: Armian Pictures, Clinica Estetico, Marc Platt Productions

Executive Producer: Carol Cuddy, Ilona Herzberg

Director: Jonathan Demme

Writer: Jenny Lumet

Actors: Roslyn Ruff, Anne Hathaway, Bill Irwin, Anna Deavere Smith, Rosemarie DeWitt, Anisa George, Mather Zickel, Tunde Adebimpe, Debra Winger

Kym is getting to go home from rehab in order to attend her sister’s wedding. As a recovering junkie, she needs to balance her rehabilitation needs with her family obligations in order to make amends.

I had very high hopes for this movie. Not because the critics decided it was worth an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Critics are all about Hollywood politics and who campaigns the most, not who’s the best. After all, no Lego Movie nomination for Animation? No Hunger Games nomination for, at the very least, Original Song?

No. Forget the critics. I hate generic politics and I hate Hollywood politics. Lies and money.

I had high hopes because of director Jonathan Demme (The Manchurian Candidate, Philadelphia, The Silence of the Lambs). He’s got a few amazing movies under his belt and I haven’t seen anything of his that I haven’t enjoyed.

Until now.

Jenny Lumet (Dodgeball, Tougher Than Leather, Running on Empty) has been an actress in the past, but this was her first and only writing credit. First timers need support from the cast and crew to help them work through that inexperience. I expected Demme to be able to give her that support, but he dropped the ball.

Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables, The Dark Knight Rises, Get Smart) did an amazing job with her part, but the character itself was unlikable and difficult to empathize with. The script was choppy and boring at best. Add to that the unnecessary shaky-cam and the terrible editing and it leaves me wondering what made people enjoy this movie so much.

This is just one of those times when I completely disagree with the majority.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 85%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 62%

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 4/5

Trust-the-Dice Score – 1.5/5

P.S. Pointless scene during the start of the credits.

P.S.2. I would have been much happier going through my whole life without having seen Anne Hathaway pee.

Movie Trailer: 

Day Zero (2008)

Number Rolled: 60

Movie Name/Year: Day Zero (2008)

Genre: Independent

Length: 92 minutes

Rating: R

Affiliated Companies: Indalo Productions

Executive Producer: Robert Malkani

Director: Bryan Gunnar Cole

Writer: Robert Malkani

Actors: Elijah Wood, Chris Klein, Jon Bernthal, Ginnifer Goodwin, Elisabeth Moss, Ally Sheedy, Sofia Vassilieva, John Rothman, Daniel Oreskes, Robert Hogan, Adam LeFevre, Alexandra Rose

Feller, Rifkin and Dixon have been friends since high school. Although they’re very different, they’ve not only kept in touch, they’ve remained close friends. When the draft is reinstated in the U.S., all three men get a notice asking them to report in 30 days.

I’ll start with the good parts.

The ending of Day Zero was incredible. I can’t imagine there possibly being a better finale for this film. The three leading men, Elijah Wood (Wilfred, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit), Chris Klein (American Pie, Wilfred, Authors Anonymous) and Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Wolf of Wall Street, Fury), dove into their characters head first and made several of the scenes in the movie, including the ending, very powerful.

The problem is that I’m conflicted about rest of the movie. Despite the phenomenal acting and concept, I felt everything crept along so slowly that it took away from the overall experience.

The writing wasn’t exceptionally bad. In fact, nothing about the film was terrible. None-the-less, when I look back at the last 92 minutes, I not only don’t feel entertained, I don’t feel anything.

Normally, when I finish watching a good, powerful, drama I’m left with a slight ache in my chest. Sometimes I’ll have wetness in my eyes that no one believes is from allergies, though I always try to explain it away. Other times there will be a sense of satisfaction, especially in movies where the main characters were able to achieve their goals for a happy ending. For Day Zero, although the ending was amazing, I feel nothing.

It’s not a terrible movie if you’re interested in a political discussion about the draft, or if you just have an hour and a half to kill, but it’s nothing to write home about.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 24%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 45%

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 3.9/5

Trust-the-Dice Score – 2.5/5

Movie Trailer: 

Pathology (2008)

Number Rolled: 28

Movie Name/Year: Pathology (2008)

Genre: Thriller

Length: 94 minutes

Rating: R

Affiliated Companies: MGM, Lakeshore Entertainment, Camelot Pictures

Executive Producer: Marc Bienstock, Phyllis Carlyle, Yan Fisher-Romanovsky, Eric Reid, David Rubin, Barrett Stuart

Director: Marc Scholermann

Writer: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor

Actors: Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Weston, Alyssa Milano, Lauren Lee Smith, Johnny Whitworth, John de Lancie, Mei Melancon, Keir O’Donnell, Buddy Lewis, Dan Callahan, Alan Blumenfeld, Anne Girard, Debbie Pollack

Dr. Ted Grey is living a charmed life. He’s engaged to a rich, smart, beautiful woman named Gwen. She’s given him the resources and connections that allow him to become an intern at the University Hospital in Philadelphia. Upon his arrival there, he learned that some of the other interns have formed a tightly knit group. He begins to wonder what their deal is.

This movie was awesome.

At some points I had a little trouble with the main character. Not Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes, Rocky Balboa, Dirty Deeds). Ventimiglia is a highly underrated actor. He could play an old man counting out pennies at CVS and I’d watch three hours of it. It’s more about the almost instantaneous character development that threw me. It was a little too fast for me to believe it. It may very well be an issue of strange editing.

There were also a couple of plot hole near the end. I found them forgivable because of the sheer creativity involved.

The reason the movie scored so highly with me, despite downfalls, was because I couldn’t take my eyes away from the screen. Pathology was intense, morbid and just down-right amazing. It had that one thing that the best movies all have, it was uniquely entertaining.

Pathology is the best thriller I’ve seen in a while.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 43%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 40%

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 4.2/5

Trust-the-Dice Score – 4.5/5

P.S. There’s a small scene about half-way through the credits.

Movie Trailer:

Center Stage: Turn It Up (2008)

Number Rolled: 83

Movie Name/Year: Center Stage: Turn It Up (2008)

Genre: Drama

Length: 94 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Affiliated Companies: Stage 6 Films, Laurence Mark Productions

Director: Steven Jacobson

Writer: Carol Heikkinen, Karen Block Morse

Actors: Kenny Wormald, Rachele Brooke Smith, Sarah Jayne Jensen, Nicole Munoz, Christopher Russell, Peter Gallagher, Ethan Stiefel, Christian Vincent, Daniela Dib, Crystal Lowe, Lucia Walters, Cody Green, Jacqueline Ann Stuart, Keith Martin Gordey, Anthony Harrison

Kate is a home-trained dancer trying to get into the American Ballet Academy. When she’s rejected, she has to start on a back-up plan. However, she’s in a new city with nothing to help her. Only meeting Tommy helps her find her way out of her funk.

The original Center Stage is one of my favorite movies. It’s creative, the dance is spectacular, the music is great and the script is incredibly entertaining. The sequel, however, is one of the worst kinds of movies out there.

What makes Center Stage so great is that it’s original. There are a few general under-dog stereotypes but, for the most part, the originality of the movie overwhelms the rest. Center Stage: Turn It Up is almost the exact opposite. It banks only on stereotypes with little to nothing original in it. I have no issue with recipe movies, but this one is clunky. It’s ingredient after ingredient with nothing of value holding it all together. The acting and dance is crap compared to its predecessor as well.

I wouldn’t sit through this movie again if someone paid me.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 60%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 58%

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 2.4/5

Trust-the-Dice Score – 1/5

P.S. There are dance scenes during the beginning of the end credits.

Movie Trailer: 

Super Capers (2008)

Number Rolled: 3

Movie Name/Year: Super Capers (2008)

Genre: Comedy

Length: 93 minutes

Rating: PG

Director: Ray Griggs

Writer: Ray Griggs

Actors: Justin Whalin, Michael Rooker, Ryan McPartlin, Sam Lloyd, Danielle Harris, Ray Griggs, Doug Jones, Isaac C. Singleton Jr., Jon Polito, Christine Lakin, Oliver Muirhead, Tommy Lister, Clint Howard, Adam West, June Lockhart, Taylor Negron, Tom Sizemore, Pancho Moler, Bobby Jones, Chris Owen, Pat Crawford Brown, Beverly Long, Eva Marcille, Gary Sievers

Ed Gruberman is a wannabe superhero who gets in trouble for trying to live up to his costume. The judge sentences him to a fine and to train with a team of superheroes. Ed is thrilled with the turn of events and gets to begin his new life as Gruber-man.

I really, really, really wanted to adore this movie. It almost had the charm of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog, but it just misses the mark by an inch. It starts as amusing low-budget superhero high jinks and slowly, over the course of the first half hour, become a nearly unbearable regurgitation of every geek and semi-geek movie that has ever existed.

The parts that emulated Star Wars were particularly out of place and painful to watch. That’s coming from someone who loved Spaceballs.

Super Capers wasn’t all bad. It was cool to see Michael Rooker in this kind of comedy, and the cameo of Adam West was pretty funny. I also kind of liked the main character. I think if a different storyline and better jokes surrounded him, the movie would have been much better.

If you’re in the mood for constant mediocre references with no new material and a mildly amusing cast of characters, Super Capers is definitely for you.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 0% (Not none, there are reviews for it, it legitimately has a 0%)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 13%

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 2.3/5

Trust-the-Dice Score – 2/5

P.S. The full title is Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Bullion, but it’s listed on Netflix as simply Super Capers.

P.S.x2. Not only is there a scene after the credits, but the credits themselves are the absolute funniest and most worth watching for any movie I’ve ever seen. There’s even a recipe hidden within them! If you don’t want to watch the rest of the movie, that’s fine. Watch the credits.

Movie Trailer: 

20 Years After (2008)

Number Rolled: 11

Movie Name/Year: 20 Years After (2008)

Genre: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Length: 95 minutes

Rating: R

Director: Jim Torres

Writer: Ron Harris, Jim Torres

Actors: Joshua Leonard, Azura Skye, Diane Salinger, Aaron Hendry, Nathan Baesel, Reg E. Cathey, Charlie Talbert, Malika, Khadijah

Sarah is pregnant with the first child to be born in twenty years. With her husband dead, her fate is left in the hands of her mother and a very strange doctor figure.

These bad movies are killing my morale. Seriously. This movie was TERRIBLE. B-movies are fine, they can even be awesome; this one does not make that seem possible. “20 Years After” is incoherent and difficult to follow.

Why is that guy magic? Why has he never seen a pregnant woman even though he’s clearly older than the apocalypse? Why is everyone TALKING so damn much?! Not only were there way too many monologues, but they didn’t actually SAY anything. In a movie like this, it’s ok for nothing to be said outright – but you should show it; give the audience a chance to figure things out.

I can review this movie in a single word. What word? “No.”

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 11%

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 2.3/5

Trust-the-Dice Score – .5/5

Movie Trailer: 

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

Number Rolled: 94

Movie Name/Year: How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

Genre: Comedy

Length: 109 minutes

Rating: R

Director: Robert B. Weide

Writer: Peter Straughan, Toby Young

Actors: Kelan Pannell, Simon Pegg, Megan Fox, Gillian Anderson, Katherine Parkinson, Jeff Bridges, Miriam Margolyes, Kirsten Dunst, Sam Douglas, Danny Huston, Margo Stilley, Hannah Waddingham, Diana Kent, Max Minghella, Jefferson Mays, Ashley Madekwe, Jane Perry, Andy Lucas, Richard Young

Sidney Young has started his own tabloid-like magazine. The problem is, he can’t get into any parties in order to get the news on celebrities. After a particularly bad incident, he’s called up by the owner of a much more well-known publication and offered a job.

I’m a huge fan of Simon Pegg, but this is a rare miss for him. I can’t really blame him for the story or script, since he wasn’t involved in the writing or directing, but even as an actor he completely disappointed me. I’m almost angry at him for it, too. I’ve gotten used to him in movies like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” where he shows that he has it in him to rise to comedic heights yet unreached by other actors.

To be honest, I don’t blame the author of the book it was based on, either. The book goes into the corruption of celebrities and has an ironic tone on the way ‘fame’ affects people. I believe the script writer butchered the main idea of the novel and cheapened its meaning in a way that is completely unforgivable. The warping of the story would have been equivalent to making Harry Potter about a wizard boy whose one goal in life is to find a wife, not defeat Voldemort.

I went into this movie excited and looking forward to an awesome, ironic, comedy. What I got is the wonderfully sardonic Simon Pegg stuck looking like he picked the perfect roll to play. Unfortunately, you’ll only get that bite it you watch the film.

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 3.2/5

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 36%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 43%

Trust-the-Dice Score – 1.5/5

P.S. This movie is based on a book of the same name by Toby Young.

Movie Trailer: 

Idiots and Angels (2008)

Number Rolled: 70

Movie Name/Year: Idiots and Angels (2008)

Genre: Comedy

Length: 78 minutes

Rating: NR

Director: Bill Plympton

Writer: Bill Plympton

Every once in a while I come across a film that I simply cannot sit through. Sometimes it’s because of a technical error, sometimes it’s a creative issue. Whatever the reason, my mind simply will not allow me to watch it. “Idiots and Angels” falls into this category.

Before I begin, I must state that this movie got amazing reviews from both audience members and critics. It’s said to be surreal, challenging and very profound; but I can’t speak toward those claims. I am wholly unqualified to review this film and the main reason for that is because I couldn’t sit through even the first half hour.

I could have lived with the fact that there was no dialog. I actually like animated films, so that shouldn’t have been the problem either. My issue was the style of animation. I couldn’t get past the style and I couldn’t concentrate on the story at all. It was purely an opinion-related issue.

My suggestion is that you watch the trailer. If the lack of dialog and animation style doesn’t turn you off, give it a shot.

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 3.2/5

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 93%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 74%

Trust-the-Dice Score – NA/5

Movie Trailer: 

In Bruges (2008)

Number Rolled: 96

Movie Name/Year: In Bruges (2008)

Genre: Comedy Drama

Length: 107 minutes

Rating: R

Director: Martin McDonagh

Writer: Martin McDonagh

Actors: Elizabeth Berrington, Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, Eric Godon, Anna Madeley, Clemence Poesy, Jordan Prentice, Jeremie Renier, Thekla Reuten, Theo Stevenson, Inez Stinton

A traumatized hitman and his partner are sent to Bruges by their boss. Neither of them knows why they were sent, but they suspect it is either to hide out or to find a target. As they wait to hear from their boss, they sight-see in the town and interact with the residents.

“In Bruges” is a smart, unique film. Yes, it’s got the hitman aspect, which has been done to death, but it’s a really different spin on it. I also happen to think it’s the perfect vehicle for Colin Farrell. I like him as an actor in general, and I believe he does better in this film than in any other I’ve ever seen him in.

The movie itself has a great storyline. It’s not very fast paced, but it does have the ability to keep one involved until it gets to the meat of the plot. The script is intricate, and the actors all seem to be very invested in their rolls. I’ve been able to sit through this movie more times than I can count and, I think, what gives the film such rewatchability is the ending. Without saying too much, I will say that the ending – however strong – is debatable. I have a friend with a very different perspective than mine, we argue every time one of us watches the movie.

Ignore the label of “foreign movie” for the genre. Although it was made in another country, the language is English. If I were to give it a genre I’d say drama, despite the comedy and action also involved.

Netflix’s Prediction for Me – 4.3/5

Overall Opinion – 5/5

Movie Trailer: 

The Alphabet Killer (2008)

Number Rolled: 43

Movie Name/Year: The Alphabet Killer (2008)

Genre: Thriller

Length: 98 minutes

Rating: R

Director: Rob Schmidt

Writer: Tom Malloy

Actors: Eliza Dushku, Cary Elwes, Timothy Hutton, Michael Ironside, Bill Moseley, Carl Lumbly, Brian Scannell, Larry Hankin, Jack McGee, Melissa Leo, Andrew Fiscella, Rocco Sisto, Tom Noonan, Frank Rossi, Meltem Cumbul, Kristina Jewell, Sarah Anderson, Shawn Michael, Bailey Garno, Peter Mancarella, Martin Donovan, Russell Terlecki, Cholanda Roberts, Cynthia Mace, Aaron Chaney, Manny Siverio, Eva Mancarella

Megan is a well respected investigator. When a girl is killed, she begins looking for the murderer with the odd slaughter signature. As she goes deeper and deeper into the investigation, Megan begins to lose herself in odd hallucinations and manic-depression. Her entire world changes when she attempts to kill herself. She has to fight back from a serious mental illness while trying to hold it together enough to follow the clues left by the killer.

I have more fun at the dentist than I did watching this “thriller.” It was beyond boring, which was upsetting because I usually love three of the actors involved. Eliza Dushku was introduced to me in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and I’ve found her amusing ever since. Cary Elwes was introduced to me in “The Princess Bride” and I had a wicked crush on him for years – still kind of do. Finally, Michael Ironside was introduced to me in “Starship Troopers,” one of my all-time favorite “bad” movies. The combination of these actors is what led me to add this movie to my list. Dushku managed to play her part brilliantly, but with a horrible script and a ridiculous storyline her acting managed not to matter much.

I feel like the writer tried to mix the psychological thriller and horror genres. Normally, those two categories go together like peanut butter and jelly, but this time it didn’t seem to work even a little bit. I had to fight to keep my eyes open as the slow-paced failed thrills plodded along.

What really sucks is that I would have forgiven all of it – the bad story, the horrible script, the utter boredom – if they’d just pulled out an unexpected ending. Even with a rarely used denouement plot, it managed to find a way to be completely predictable and even agitating.

I’d rather watch paint dry.

Overall Opinion – 1/5

P.S. VERY loosely based on the Alphabet Killer. VERY loosely.

Movie Trailer:

Toxic Skies (2008)

Number Rolled: 70

Movie Name/Year: Toxic Skies (2008)

Genre: Thriller

Length: 90 minutes

Rating: NR

Director: Andrew C. Erin

Writer: Andrew C. Erin, Kyle Hart

Actors: Anne Heche, James Tupper, Tobias Slezak, Daniel Bacon, Kevin McNulty, Barclay Hope, Nicola Anderson, Cheryl Uphill, Laura Bertram, Jamie Switch, Patricia Mayen-Salazar, David Milchard, Ralph Alderman, Gerry Rousseau, Todd Zatwarnitski, Colin Decker, Carolyn Adair, Peter Abrams, Michael Cromien

There is an outbreak of a serious and fatal virus sweeping across the nation, after seeming to first spring up in the state of Washington. Dr. Tess Martin, a highly respected virologist, is called into the hospital to aid the locals in discovering what kind of virus is plaguing the patients. She is soon met by a mysterious man who does his best to convince her that the outbreak is part of a government conspiracy.

This was a watered-down version of “Outbreak” (1995). It followed the same basic recipe, almost to the very letter. The only real differences were some of the relationships between the characters, some minor plot details and the fact that Anne Heche and James Tupper couldn’t hold a candle to Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying either Heche or Tupper are terrible actors.  They both did alright in this movie and I don’t know enough about them outside of it to make any general assessments otherwise. I’ve only seen one other movie with Anne Heche, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, and I haven’t seen that since it came out in 1997. I’ve only seen James Tupper in “Me & Orson Wells” which I only watched the one time when I did it for an earlier entry in this blog. They did well enough in this movie to keep something highly predictable and overdone from being crap, but they only really pulled it up to mediocre. I wouldn’t choose, or pass up on, another movie because of either of them.

If I’m going to watch this kind of movie, in the future, I’ll wind up choosing “Outbreak” over “Toxic Skies” any day of the week.

Aside from that, I have one issue with this brand of story. I have a couple of the greatest doctors ever (in my opinion), but I have never had a doctor as nice or invested as they are portrayed in these movies – and my doctor was at my Sweet Sixteen. I think that’s the main reason I watch these movies without getting engulfed. It’s supposed to feel real and it just doesn’t to me.

Overall Opinion – 2.5/5