PedS's stats
- Review count386
- Helpfulness votes92
- First reviewMay 31, 2008
- Last reviewApril 27, 2013
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.4
Overall rating
5
/
5
Extraordinary story of a father and son!
PostedJune 25, 2011
This movie truly shines as a story about how love and the teaching of good values can overcome all obstacles. The setting is the illegal community of Los Angeles and how they live, working hard and trying to improve the lives of those they love. The main characters are a father and son. The father works as a gardener. The son goes to a gang-infested school and is having a relationship with a gangster's sister. As if that were difficult enough to deal with, his best friend is anxious to become a gang member. But, amid all this pressure, he always has his father to remind him of what's right and wrong. The tension is thick between them, especially when his father reveals his idealistic, and downright honest, nature.
This subject-matter has been done often and I was reluctant to spend more time on it going into this film. However, I must admit that I was awestruck from beginning to end. This is a well-crafted movie with terrific tension, solid action, and suspense. I was impressed with the director's sensitivity to the subject and his ability to craft a balanced look at the controversial topic of illegal immigration. This movie is highly entertaining and educational, not to mention motivational and inspiring.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
A good time with a bad girl
PostedJune 24, 2011
What can you expect from a movie with the title "Bad Teacher"? Well, you can expect a funny and all-out raunchy performance by bad girl, Cameron Diaz. In short, her character hates her job and is saving for a pair of big boobs so she can attract and marry a rich guy. As if she weren't already one of the hottest women on the planet! The movie is set in a high school where the kids seem dull and nearly lifeless as Diaz's character gets away with things like smoking pot in the parking lot and drinking whisky out of a mini bottle at her desk in class while the students watch a movie. There are plenty of funny moments to keep you interested. What really doesn't work, is the brewing romance between Diaz and PE coach, Jason Segel. See it if you want to gawk at Diaz and watch her be as bad as she wants to be while working with a mediocre script.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Sequel, please
PostedJune 19, 2011
This is a great way to start the Green Lantern franchise. I definitely want to see the next one. Reynolds does solid job as the undeserving, if only at first, guy the ring chooses when it's previous master dies. The visuals are borderline cartoon-ish, but highly effective once you get used to them. Overall, a solid superhero movie that's bounds to be followed by a sequel.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
2
/
5
Underwhelming
PostedJune 17, 2011
Two very different high school seniors becomes friends...and more. They're essentially incompatible and fall for each other, only to resist. Emma Roberts's performance overshadows Freddie Highmore's in a script that's weak on dialog and lacks a story and character development. This movie is not pleasant to sit through and I don't recommend it.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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2of 2voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Reminiscent of ET
PostedJune 10, 2011
Excellent sci-fi movie that focuses in on the amazing friendship between a group of kids in a small town. The movie starts off with one of the best train crash special effects sequences I have ever seen. I will defer from giving away too much of the plot because the viewer's experience (and enjoyment) with this film hinges on the fact that there are several surprises about what the "monster" is and what its intentions are. As an added bonus, you get some terrific ensemble acting from a group of kids who are really into the art of film making. In fact, they start off by trying to inject as much "production value" as possible into their scenes and suddenly they have more production value than they know what to do with from all of the strange happenings surrounding the train crash. You should look forward to seeing this film and talking about it with friends. It's a well crafted sci-fi movie with terrific suspense and plenty of scares and intrigue. A must-see for sci-fi fans.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Hilarious and moving.
PostedJune 10, 2011
This movie is about the real-life Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon taking a trip to the northern part of England to sample some of the fine restaurants in the region for a magazine. That's at least the framework for the story, but the results are much more substantial than you would expect from such a simplistic plot. Both Characters are in their forties, have kids, Coogan has a girlfriend who's working in the US, Brydon has a wife and newborn baby at home, but they're good friends and Brydon decides to join Coogan when his girlfriend is unable to make it. "I don't want to go alone," Coogan says to Brydon (and he'll share the money from the job 60/40), and they agree to go together.
These two actors are extremely talented at the art of acting, doing impressions, and comedic timing. They play off each other like the best of duos to ever grace the screen and there's truly not a dull moment in the film. I also appreciated the scenery of the English countryside and some of the historical locations they visit. I must recommend this film with the caveat that it's not for everyone. It's for those who know comedy, acting, films, and poetry. It also contains some truly amazing insights into life as a forty-something actor who's torn between his craft and his family.
These two actors are extremely talented at the art of acting, doing impressions, and comedic timing. They play off each other like the best of duos to ever grace the screen and there's truly not a dull moment in the film. I also appreciated the scenery of the English countryside and some of the historical locations they visit. I must recommend this film with the caveat that it's not for everyone. It's for those who know comedy, acting, films, and poetry. It also contains some truly amazing insights into life as a forty-something actor who's torn between his craft and his family.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Adolescence and Love
PostedJune 5, 2011
This movie is about immature kids who fall in love and become awash with adult problems such as love, terminal illness, marital problems, etc. There are some terrific moments, but most of it proves to be tedious to sit through. I cannot recommend this movie because it's not as entertaining as it should be, especially considering the rich subject matter.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Dysfunctionals trying to cope
PostedJune 5, 2011
"Beginners" is about a father, a son, and their lovers. The father is played by Christopher Plummer with his usual flair for acting. He's a gay man who got married and had a child. He says to his son once, "I knew I was gay because I was always checking out the other husbands, not the wives." Once his wife dies, he starts clubbing and falls in love with another man. The son is played by Ewan McGregor, and he definitely has problems with relationships. In fact, he once tells his dad, "I have trouble with serious relationships because I never wanted to have what you and mom had."
They have a special relationship and as his dad get sicker with S4 cancer, their relationship and love for each other shines.
There are also some highly effective uses of flashbacks, still photography, and art to portray some of the feelings that have played a part in their lives. For example, they keep going back and forth between the 1950s and the present (2003 in the movie) by showing photographs and films from the era. Amid all of this, there's also a love story developing between McGregor and a very endearing Melanie Laurent. Her family life has also been difficult, but their relationship really begins to work and they soon fall in love. Unfortunately, they're both severely scarred and need to figure out how to love before taking it to the next level.
This movie is not for everyone. As a movie, it is well-crafted and uses some fascinating techniques, collages, and several mediums of art to tell the story. It does, however, depend heavily on the viewer to fill in some of the emotional blanks that are not acted out.
They have a special relationship and as his dad get sicker with S4 cancer, their relationship and love for each other shines.
There are also some highly effective uses of flashbacks, still photography, and art to portray some of the feelings that have played a part in their lives. For example, they keep going back and forth between the 1950s and the present (2003 in the movie) by showing photographs and films from the era. Amid all of this, there's also a love story developing between McGregor and a very endearing Melanie Laurent. Her family life has also been difficult, but their relationship really begins to work and they soon fall in love. Unfortunately, they're both severely scarred and need to figure out how to love before taking it to the next level.
This movie is not for everyone. As a movie, it is well-crafted and uses some fascinating techniques, collages, and several mediums of art to tell the story. It does, however, depend heavily on the viewer to fill in some of the emotional blanks that are not acted out.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Best X-Men Ever!
PostedJune 4, 2011
Set during the Cuban Missile Crisis, this X-Men prequel is fun to watch and well crafted. Magneto and Prof X are awesome characters and it's great to finally have a movie that explains the origins of their rivalry. The blue woman is also present and great fun to watch, along with a young Beast. It's a must-see movie for anyone who is a fan of the series, or those who enjoy a good sci-fi movie.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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0points
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Follows original's formula
PostedJune 3, 2011
The Wolf-Pack is back for more mayhem following the formula of the original to a tee. In fact, you can pick your favorites scenes from the first Hangover and there's a corresponding scene in the sequel. Did you enjoy the morning after scene in the hotel room with the tiger in the original? Check, it's in here too and it still works. What about the scene where Ken Jeung jumps out of the trunk? Check, he jumps out of an ice-maker in similar fashion here. Did you crack up when you saw Ken's tiny member? Check. What about the pictures of what happened? Well, I'm pleased to say that they have expanded on that and provide them at the middle as well as the end.
Hangover 2 still works to a lesser extent than the original. There are plenty of laughs and shocks to enjoy. Best of all, I left the theater hoping for a Hangover 3 that will improve on the original. I would hope that the writers take more risks and create some original funny moments that can't be tied back to a scene in the original film. That said, this formula still has legs and I look forward to a good time at the movies watching additional sequels.
Hangover 2 still works to a lesser extent than the original. There are plenty of laughs and shocks to enjoy. Best of all, I left the theater hoping for a Hangover 3 that will improve on the original. I would hope that the writers take more risks and create some original funny moments that can't be tied back to a scene in the original film. That said, this formula still has legs and I look forward to a good time at the movies watching additional sequels.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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