The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2

            “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” is the fourth and final movie of this series. It was directed by Bill Condon. Melissa Rosenberg wrote the screenplay based on Stephenie Meyer’s book.  The main stars include Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. It currently has a 48% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I would have to agree with that. I admit I really liked the books, but the movies aren’t good.

            Bella (Stewart) and Edward (Pattinson) are enjoying their lives together after their daughter, Renesmee, was born. Unfortunately, Irina thinks she is an immortal child and tells the crime to the Volturi. The Cullens and Jacob (Lautner) gather up witnesses to support them against the Volturi to protect Renesmee.

            The plot was a little dull for most of the movie, but this is based on the book. Since this movie has only the last part of the book, not much happens just during this part. Some liberties were taken with the film though. A twist was put in towards the end of the movie, and this was my favorite part. Since I had come to love the characters from the books, I was devastated by some of the things added in. At the same time, I loved it because it was something I had wanted to be in the books. I would watch this movie again just so I could see that one scene one more time. I was happy that it ended the same way as the book did though.

            I really liked the ending of this film. It is the only time I actually believed the characters meant and felt anything that was going on. It was also nice to see all the characters from the other movies again, even if it was just their pictures. It brought the whole saga to an end nicely.

            The acting wasn’t very good. This didn’t surprise me because it wasn’t very good in the other ones either. I never cared about the characters or what they did in these movies, unlike the books. It even seemed like the actors didn’t care about what they were doing. The actors actually made me like the characters less.

            I didn’t even think the music was as good in this movie. The other movies had great moments that involved great music. The soundtracks were great for the other movies. The only music scene I remember in this last film is the ending with Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years.”

            I knew this movie wouldn’t be good because of the last three movies in the saga. I have liked other movies involving the same people though. The other Condon movie I’ve seen is “Dreamgirls.” Other movies I’ve seen that Rosenberg has written are the other “Twilight” movies and “Step Up.” I’ve also seen Stewart in the other “Twilight” films, “Adventureland,” “Jumper,” “The Yellow Handkerchief,” “Into the Wild,” “Catch That Kid” and “Speak.” I’ve seen Pattinson in the other “Twilight” films, “Water for Elephants,” “Remember Me” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” The only other things I’ve seen Lautner in are the “Twilight” films, “Valentine’s Day” and “Cheaper by the Dozen 2.” Hopefully, they will be involved in other good movies.

Magic Mike

            I recently rented this summer’s “Magic Mike” from a Redbox. “Magic Mike” is a drama directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Reid Carolin. The main actors are Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey and Cody Horn. Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie an 80% fresh rating. This surprises me. I thought it was okay, but I don’t think it quite deserves that high of a score.

            Mike (Tatum) is an experienced stripper and entrepreneur. He takes Adam, The Kid, (Pettyfer) under his guidance. Mike introduces him into the world of stripping and quick money. Mike teaches him to pick up women and party. Even though Mike is great as a stripper, he would rather be making custom furniture.

            The plot started with a very basic storyline. It reminded me of  “Coyote Ugly,” but with guys. It went the very predictable route with Mike and Adam’s sister, Brooke (Horn). The movie got a little better with the serious tone it took on because of the problems from living a party lifestyle. However, I think the problems were made out to be no big deal and easily solved. I was also a little disappointed with the ending. It just kind of stopped. I was left a little unfulfilled. I’ve had this same feeling with other movies Soderbergh directed.

            The dancing was great in the movie though. With Tatum as the main character, I knew it would be good. The choreographed group numbers were a lot of fun. The only thing I would say I didn’t like about the dancing is that there wasn’t enough.
            Music was used very well in the movie. I couldn’t help but smile when I heard the beginning of “It’s Raining Men” for a group dance. It was the perfect song to use. Another excellent song choice was Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” when The Kid was put on stage for the first time.

            As far as the acting goes, Tatum played his best role yet. I felt he grasped this character more than the other ones he has played. I was pleasantly surprised by Pettyfer. His character was very different from other things I’ve seen him in. I was very impressed with McConaughey in his role. I feel that he understood his character the best. Also, his performance wasn't like anything I had seen from him before. I thought the actors did a good job of making the characters interesting.

            Other movies I’ve seen that Soderbergh directed are “Haywire,” “Contagion,” “The Informant!,” “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ocean’s Twelve,” “Ocean’s Thirteen” and “Erin Brockovich.” I haven’t seen anything else by Carolin. I have seen several other movies with Tatum including “21 Jump Street,” “The Vow,” “Haywire,” “Dear John,” “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” “Public Enemies,” “Step Up,” “Step Up 2: The Streets” and “She’s the Man.” Other movies I’ve seen with Pettyfer are “Beastly” and “I Am Number Four.” I’ve seen McConaughey in “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” “Failure to Launch,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “The Wedding Planner” and “Angels in the Outfield.” Lastly, the only other thing I’ve seen Horn in is “Flipped.”

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

            This week, I’m taking a look back at the 2008 film “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” I just watched it recently for the second time. I remembered liking the movie, but I forgot just how good it is. I had so much fun watching the movie, and I’m looking forward to the next time.

            “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” was directed by Peter Sollett. Lorene Scafaria wrote the screenplay of the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. The two main stars include Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. This movie has a 73% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is pretty good. The plot and cast are major reasons for this rating.

            Nick (Cera) is trying everything he can to win back his ex-girlfriend. One night, to his extreme disappointment, she shows up at his band’s gig with another guy. Norah (Dennings) is there too. Nick and Norah become acquainted when Norah walks up to Nick and asks him to be her boyfriend for five minutes. While dealing with issues from their exes, they search through the night to find Norah’s drunken friend and the mysterious concert location for their favorite band.

            I really thought the plot was intriguing. It was exciting, and I was interested in whether they would find the band. The plot took several humorous turns that kept me wanting more. I enjoyed the characters and cheered for them throughout the movie. I had a lot of fun during “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” and I wanted to watch it again when I finished.

            It seems to me that Cera plays his typical role of timid and unaware. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though because he acts that character very well. Also, Dennings is great in this softer role. The other characters all work well together to create the humor aspect to the film, which is a big part of why the movie is so good.

            I found the humor used to be really entertaining. Some of it is a little gross, such as the journey of a piece of gum, but it’s funny. Norah’s drunken friend, Caroline, is probably the most hilarious character I’ve seen in a while.

            Another essential part of the movie is the music. After all, the search for the band is a major plot point. Also, Nick and Norah develop a bond from their music connection. The music did not disappoint. It was great and fit the tone and storyline perfectly.

            This is the only thing I’ve seen by Sollett and Scafaria, but this movie makes me want to see more. I’ve seen Cera in many more things such as a few episodes of “Arrested Development,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “Youth in Revolt,” “Paper Heart,” “Juno,” “Superbad” and an episode of “Veronica Mars.” Other things I’ve seen Dennings in are “2 Broke Girls,” “Thor,” “The House Bunny,” “The 40 Year Old Virgin” and “Raise Your Voice.” I’m excited to see what they do next.

           

Skyfall

            The new James Bond movie, “Skyfall,” was directed by Sam Mendes and written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan and Ian Fleming, who is uncredited. Some of the actors include Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris. The movie is currently 92% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which is really good ratings. This is only the third Bond movie I’ve seen, but this one is my favorite.

            Bond (Craig) and an assistant, Eve (Harris), were tasked with finding a computer drive listing the identities of secret agents. Eve shoots Bond in an attempt to recover the list, and he’s thought to be dead. After an explosion at MI6, Bond returns to finish the mission. M (Dench) and Bond have to deal with their pasts to finish the task.

            This storyline was very good. Since I don’t know a lot about the Bond stories, I liked that I learned some background information about Bond and M. It made the characters seem more real. I also liked that there were mini storylines going on around the main one to add more depth to the plot. The opening credits foreshadowed the events of the movie. If you pay really good attention, you could probably guess a good portion of what happens throughout the movie.

            The action scenes were a lot of fun. The filmmakers did many things I hadn’t seen before. There were reptiles, trains, explosions, a chase scene across rooftops on motorcycles, an underwater fight and more. One of my favorite action scenes was at the beginning when Bond was trying to get the computer drive. He uses a crane claw to keep some train cars from separating, runs and jumps inside the train car at the last second and then stops and takes the time to straighten his tie before pursuing the thief.

            The movie included some great classic Bond moments. Throughout the movie, some snippets of the Bond theme song play to give a little extra oomph to a scene. In a casino, Bond gets a martini shaken, not stirred. He doesn’t say the classic line, but the visual alone is enough to create that nostalgic moment. Another great moment is when Bond gets some gadgets from Q, who jokes with Bond about the exploding pen he was given previously. This film includes some of those great moments everyone associates with 007, but uses a more modern take on them.

            Are you wondering about the gadgets Bond gets this time around? Q gives him a gun that only works when he uses it and a tiny radio. He doesn’t get anything over-the-top, but they’re still pretty cool. I was a little disappointed in the way they were used though. The gun is used very quickly into the movie in one scene, and then it’s gone. The radio is also used just once, and it’s very obvious when it comes into play.

            I’ve seen other movies Mendes has been involved in such as “Revolutionary Road,” “Starter for 10,” “Away We Go” and “American Beauty.” Purvis and Wade wrote the other two Bond movies I’ve seen, “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace.” Logan wrote “Hugo” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” I’ve seen other things Craig has been involved in such as “The Adventures of Tintin,” “Quantum of Solace,” “Casino Royale” and “A Kid in King Arthur’s Court.” I’ve seen Dench in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Quantum of Solace,” “Casino Royale,” “Pride & Prejudice,” “Chocolat” and “Shakespeare in Love.” I have also seen Bardem in “Eat Pray Love.” Fiennes is known for his role as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films. Other movies I’ve seen him in are “The Duchess,” “In Bruges” and “Maid in Manhattan.” Lastly, I’ve seen Harris in “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.” This experienced cast made a great movie, and I strongly suggest that you see “Skyfall.”

Seven Psychopaths

            The new Martin McDonagh movie, “Seven Psychopaths,” is a violent comedy. Some of the stars include Colin Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken. It resembles Quentin Tarantino’s films. This movie was what I expected it would be considering the people involved. Rotten Tomatoes currently has the movie at 84% fresh, meaning good reviews. “Seven Psychopaths” isn’t the movie for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

            Marty (Ferrell) is writing a movie about seven psychopaths. He takes some ideas from his strange friends Billy (Rockwell) and Hans (Walken), who kidnap dogs and return them for the rewards. Billy takes a gangster’s Shih Tzu. The gangster, Charlie (Harrelson), goes on a violent search to get his darling dog back.

            McDonagh came up with a very creative plot. The characters actually say what’s going to happen in the end of the movie ahead of time while discussing a possible ending for Marty’s movie. His seven psychopaths commit terrible, violent crimes, but they are deeply sensitive in a way. He makes you care for all of them, but yet still be upset about the violence. It’s amazing how he can give the characters two different personality traits that are complete opposites, but make them work together. This strange combination really helps the comedy.

            One of the main reasons this movie works well is the comedy. There are several laugh-out-loud moments as well as funny or surprising situations the characters get involved in. The comedy is used extensively throughout the movie, which is a good reminder not to take the movie too seriously. If you do take it seriously, you won’t experience the movie the way it was meant to be experienced. Humor also helps take your mind off how violent the characters truly are.

            Another thing that helps the violence shown is the exaggeration used. The violent acts are blown way out of proportion, some of them literally. The level of violence really helps drive the fact that the people are criminals and really are psychopaths. The movie wouldn’t have such a big impact without so much bloodshed.

            The actors played their characters very well. They were fun, sentimental, awful and likable. All of the interesting characters were brought to life. I became very invested in them and how everything was going to end. The actors really understood the tone and the purpose of the movie.

            I knew what I was getting into with this movie because I had seen McDonagh’s “In Bruges,” which Ferrell was also in. I’ve seen Ferrell in “Minority Report” as well. I’ve seen Harrelson in “The Hunger Games,” “Zombieland” and “Seven Pounds.” I’ve seen Rockwell in “Iron Man 2,” “Moon,” “Frost/Nixon,” “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” “Matchstick Men” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Other movies I’ve seen Walken in are “Balls of Fury,” “Hairspray,” “Wedding Crashers,” “Kangaroo Jack,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Poolhall Junkies,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “Annie Hall.” With this cast, how could it not be good?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I went to see “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” in theaters on Oct. 27. It was directed and written by Stephen Chbosky, who also wrote the book the movie came from. This movie stars Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller. I was expecting this to be a good movie, and it was even better than I was imagining it to be.

Charlie (Lerman) is a freshman in high school. He’s trying to make friends while also dealing with his mental illness and his best friend’s suicide. Two seniors, Sam (Watson) and Patrick (Miller), befriend him and guide him through a difficult life, something they all have in common.

The plot of this movie was really good. It was so much more interesting than the trailers showed. I haven’t read the book either, so I didn’t know much of the storyline before seeing the movie. The movie takes you on a journey through Charlie’s life as it happens during this period. It doesn’t provide much background information until it comes up in his current life situation. It feels a lot like meeting a new person. The person doesn’t tell you his or her important background information right away; you learn about it as it becomes important to what is going on at the time. I think having the writer as the director helped the story develop in the way Chbosky saw it, and presented the movie as he wanted it to be conveyed to an audience. Since Chbosky wrote it, he understands it more than anyone else could have, and that’s why the movie is so effective.

Another great part of the movie is the excellent acting. I believed that the actors had experienced the difficult things their characters had to deal with in their lives. They are really horrific things, and the actors completely immersed themselves in the roles. I felt for each one of them. Something that pulls the audience in and makes it feel something is a great way to determine the success of a movie.

There were also some interesting visuals throughout. Hazy flashback scenes are shown as Charlie sees intense memories as part of his mental illness. When he blacks out, the scene builds, goes black and instantly picks up at a different moment after the episode passed. It’s so realistic to what you would actually see if that happened to you. More effects are used to show his experience on drugs.

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” has some great music too. Music plays an important part in the story and therefore, plays a big role in the movie. The music is really good and is used effectively to add to the tone in the scenes.

I didn’t know many of the people involved in this movie very well except for Watson, who I saw in “Ballet Shoes” and everyone knows as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. This is the only thing I’ve seen Miller in. The only other thing I have seen that Chbosky was involved in is “Rent”, which he wrote the screenplay for. I had only seen Lerman in “Gamer” before this movie. Even though the main people involved in this movie haven’t done a lot of things, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is great, and you should see it.

Moonrise Kingdom

            The new Wes Anderson movie, “Moonrise Kingdom,” is a romantic drama. Anderson co-wrote it with Roman Coppola, and the movie includes many stars like Bruce Willis, Edward Norton and Bill Murray. However, the main characters in the movie are acted by Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. I think all these people came together to make a great movie.

            The movie takes place in the 1960s. Sam (Gilman) and Suzy (Hayward) fall in love, and the young couple decides to run away together. Several groups of people in the town go searching for them. The chaos that ensues turns the town on its head.

            It’s obvious from the very start that this is an Anderson movie. The rich, warm colors are a common theme throughout his movies. The villain, however, is seen in the cooler color blue. The warm and cool colors, which are at the opposite ends of the spectrum, are used very effectively to show the difference of good and bad. Not only are the colors distinctive, but the whole look of the movie shows the quirkiness of Anderson’s style. It looks realistic, but it feels a little off somehow, like something just isn’t quite normal in that world. The general appearance of the movie seems to be from a children’s book.

            The acting is well done throughout “Moonrise Kingdom.” This is especially important to note since this was the first movie the two main actors have been in. They understood the quirkiness and embraced it. Gilman and Hayward acted as if the unusual things they were doing were just normal parts of their characters’ lives.  The other actors were also great. They played the secondary characters as if their unique characteristics were their own.

            Another important thing to note is the music. The orchestral score fits the movie so well. It had a unique quality infused with the classical elements. Music was used very effectively to set the tone of the movie, which is often important to getting the people involved in the world on the screen.

            The distinctive elements of Anderson movies are something to be experienced. Other movies I have seen by him are “Rushmore,” “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” Out of these, “Moonrise Kingdom” is my favorite.

These films might not be your thing if all you want from movies are comedy or action. They are very artistic and stylized, and you need to go into them with the right mind set. Despite the type of movies you like, “Moonrise Kingdom” is a movie everyone should see at some point.

Pitch Perfect

Photo from mockingjay.net

            The comedy, “Pitch Perfect,” was released Oct. 5, and I went to see it in theaters Oct. 7. Jason Moore directed the movie, and Kay Cannon wrote the screenplay from Mickey Rapkin’s book. I thought the movie was pretty good.

            Beca (Anna Kendrick) is a college freshman. She’s a DJ who wants to move to Los Angeles to make music. Her father pushes her to get involved and give college a try. She joins the Barden Bellas, an all female a cappella group. After an embarrassing mishap at last year’s finals, Aubrey (Anna Camp) and Chloe (Brittany Snow) are doing everything they can to win.

            The movie had a typical plot. A girl and boy who like each other are on opposing sides, there’s a fight with the group and the boy and finally the issues get resolved. There wasn’t really anything surprising or different about the storyline. I liked that the characters made fun of that in the movie though. The people involved made a movie that criticizes the type of movie it is. I also liked the references to “The Breakfast Club,” which is a movie I love. After seeing the end of “Pitch Perfect,” I wouldn’t be surprised if a sequel was made.

            One of the main things this movie has going for it is the comedy. It’s not really my type of humor, but others in the theater seemed to like it. The character Fat Amy is the main source of the comedy, and even I thought some of the things she said were funny. This means the average person would probably think the movie is hilarious.

            Music is a key element to the movie, and it's really good. The mixes that Beca makes during the movie are amazing. Songs are mashed up together that I wouldn’t have expected, but they're great. However, when the characters did an a cappella mashup, it didn’t work quite as well.

            I thought the acting was okay, which maybe was another statement about this typical type of movie. I didn’t get that invested in the characters though, and that took away from the movie experience. I didn’t really care about the outcome.

            The only things I’ve seen by Jason Moore are a few episodes of "Everwood." I’ve seen the couple of episodes of "New Girl" that Kay Cannon was involved with. I’m more familiar with things Anna Kendrick has been in. I’ve seen “Rocket Science,” the “Twilight” movies, “Up in the Air,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” and “50/50.” Also, I’ve seen things Brittany Snow has been an actress in such as “Whisper of the Heart,” “American Dreams,” “John Tucker Must Die” and “Hairspray.”

            If you need to take some time to relax and laugh, you should see “Pitch Perfect.” It’s a fun movie, and I like the interesting way those involved made fun of the movie. However, it’s not a must see.

The Cabin in the Woods

            “The Cabin in the Woods” is a mystery and horror movie that was released Apr. 13. The director of the movie, Drew Goddard, co-wrote the movie with Joss Whedon. The main stars include Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, and Jesse Williams. I rented it from a Redbox not that long ago. I think it’s a good movie with several different elements.

            In this movie, five young friends take a trip to a cabin in the woods. When they get there, they find some pretty strange things, such as a cellar with many interesting objects.  Dana (Kristen Connolly) becomes fascinated with a diary and starts to read from it aloud. This triggers a zombie family to awaken and come after them. However, there’s more to the story of this cabin in the woods.

Photo by i09

            It’s important to understand that this movie isn’t completely focused on horror. If you’re looking for a scare-you-stiff movie, this isn’t what you want. “The Cabin in the Woods” also has mystery and humor that carry a lot of weight. I’m telling you this because if you see this movie expecting a full-blown horror movie, you will probably be disappointed. With the right mindset however, you will see how good the movie is.

            I enjoyed the plot of this movie a lot. It has some of the typical horror movie elements, such as crazy killers going after their victims one at a time. It also has a few jump scares. Only the first one got me a little though. I liked that there was a twist to the typical horror movie style. It made the plot more interesting and more enjoyable. It was actually a little thought provoking.

            The actors did a pretty good job. They played the stereotyped characters believably. I liked them enough to root for them to survive. Since the movie is so plot driven though, I wasn’t as drawn into the characters as I might have normally been.

            They used the special effects very well. They made some of the scenes really fun to watch. The music of a horror movie is also important because it builds up the intensity. I really like how the music was used to help the viewer get sucked in.

            I was not surprised that I would like the movie. My brother is a big fan of Joss Whedon and therefore, he has got me to watch most of the things he has done. These include “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Toy Story,” “Firefly,” “Angel,” “Serenity,” “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” and “The Avengers,” which I’m sure a lot of you have seen. I have only seen some of the things Drew Goddard has done because they were in these things by Joss Whedon.

            If you’re looking for something a little different, this movie is perfect for you. With Halloween coming up soon, now would be a good time to see it. It’s nice to get a break from those typical horror movies.

Looper

Photo from iTunes Movie Trailers 

 

“Looper” is a sci-fi movie that was written and directed by Rian Johnson. It stars Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, one of my favorites. It was released Sept. 28, and I saw it in theaters on Sept. 29.

Most of the movie takes place in the year 2044. Time travel is invented in the future, but it’s illegal. Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a looper, who works for the mob. His job to kill people sent back in time to him from the year 2074 and dispose of the bodies. The people are normally sent back in time with a bag over their heads. One day, Joe is sent a man whose head isn’t covered, and he comes face-to-face with his future self (Bruce Willis). Joe hesitates and his older self gets away. He needs to find and kill his future self before he gets killed.

To make it seem like Gordon-Levitt could grow up to be Willis, he wears prosthetics to make his face look more like Willis’ face. I understand the reasoning for it, and it does look like Willis, but I think it was distracting. I knew Gordon-Levitt from several other things before, so seeing him mixed with Willis was weird to me, especially since the prosthetics mostly covered just the lower half of his face.

The movie uses some special effects in some of the scenes. I think they were done really well. They were used for some of the futuristic aspects, but they weren’t overdone. Some movies use special effects to such an extreme that it doesn’t even seem the slightest bit possible that those things would ever happen. “Looper” isn’t like that.

I also think the plot was very good. Time travel is a hard subject to deal with because any slight changes have effects. There are usually plot holes with time travel movies. I think the time travel aspect was dealt with pretty well in this movie though.

Also, it’s easy to guess some of the things that happen, but this isn’t as bad as in some movies. I was surprised at a couple of parts. The solution at the end happens so fast that I didn’t have time to expect it.

Another great part of this movie is the acting. Gordon-Levitt learned many of Willis’ mannerisms really well. From the beginning of the movie, Gordon-Levitt moved just like Willis. I could tell instantly that he had studied him. This was so good that it made the prosthetics seem a little less awkward.

I’m really happy with the way the movie turned out because I had high expectations of Johnson and Gordon-Levitt. Johnson previously wrote and directed two other movies that I love called “Brick” and “The Brothers Bloom.” I’ve also seen Gordon-Levitt in “Angels in the Outfield,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Brick,” “(500) Days of Summer,” “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” “Inception” and “50/50.” I can honestly say I enjoyed every single one of these.

“Looper” is a really good movie made by a really good director and really good actors. The storyline is so interesting and fun. Make sure to put this one on your list of movies to watch.

The Princess Bride

            "The Princess Bride" has been in the news a lot lately in honor of its 25^th anniversary. It also happens to be one of my absolute favorite movies. I saw it for the first time when I was around 10 years old. My older sister showed it to my brother and me. Since that day, I have seen the movie many times, and even though I haven’t seen it in a little while, I remember it vividly. For these reasons, I decided to write about this movie first.

This 1987 movie, directed by Rob Reiner, was created from the book written by William Goldman. The movie starts with a grandpa reading the book to his sick grandson. As he reads, the story comes to life. Westley (Cary Elwes) goes to save Buttercup (Robin Wright) from marriage to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). She only agreed to marry the prince because she thought Westley, her true love, had died. During the course of the movie, Westley and Buttercup encounter some interesting characters including a revenge-driven swordsman, a strong giant and a man whose brilliance is inconceivable.

Guys, don’t let the title of this movie or the basic premise scare you away. Its action and humor are incredibly entertaining. This movie has a ton of great, quotable lines you won’t soon forget. I’d write you a whole page of my favorite lines, but that would ruin the surprise.

As handsome as Cary Elwes is, the comedy is what makes this movie work. The writer took a different spin on the everyday fairy tale. The characters don’t take themselves too seriously. The actors played this very well. Even though they were being ridiculous sometimes, they never played it like they knew that to the audience. One of my favorite examples of this is Miracle Max played by Billy Crystal, who has been the host for the Academy Awards several times. I love how Buttercup isn’t a completely defenseless girl as well, which is unusual for a fairy-tale princess.

I also love Cary Elwes in the movie "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" as Robin Hood and his three episodes in the television show "Psych" as Pierre Despereaux. He plays a similar role in these characters, with his comedy stealing the show.

This movie is loved by so many people with great reason. As they say, don’t be a Humperdinck. Watch this movie the first chance you get. After seeing it one time, you’ll be hooked like the rest of us. You’ll see why it’s still such a celebrated movie after 25 years.