I'm writing this almost 24 hours later, and I can't remember any part of this movie that was laugh-out-loud funny. Thankfully it was only 89 minutes of sophomoric "comedy." The cast had very little to work with, so it's hard to bash the acting. The entire premise of the story was gold digger teacher with a bad attitude gets dumped by her rich fiance and decides she needs a boob job to land another big fish. But with no money, she has to get creative in raising the finances for the surgery. Timberlake is that big fish, a nerdy teacher from a wealthy family, but he's smitten by Miss Squirrel (seriously, that's her name). The story moves rather erratically to its rather predictable conclusion. Yawn...zzzzzz
Yes, the movie was full of action, but the story was completely disjointed. Hanna's mission, I assume, was to find the woman who killed her mother and execute revenge. I wonder if this movie shouldn't have been upgraded to an R, because I do not think it was suitable for tweens and younger because of the intense violence, especially at the hands of a child. It also seems the writers coasted on this one. Pacing was marginal, dialogue was weak, and the plot was horribly simplistic. Pass on this or rent.
This story sizzles with twists and turns, but Matthew McConaughey's performance was gritty and convincing. I totally remained immersed in the story from beginning to end. Superb acting, writing, and directing. A Home Run!
Just the idea of being about to access the entire brain and reach one's highest potential was enough to get me in the theater. Some of the images were dizzying to simulate the brain being bombarded with thoughts and sensations it doesn't normally encounter. I also thought some of the violence was over the top for PG-13, but the story premise worked for me. Very engaging and enjoyable!
I had some reservations about a movie where the same scenario would be played over and over, but the writers pulled it off beautifully. So many twists and turns and suspense kept me totally engaged throughout. Don't overthink this one. Just enjoy the ride (after ride, after ride, after ride).
I had higher expectations after seeing the trailers. This could have been a much better movie if the writers hadn't overused profanity, the lame stereotypes, and mindless chase scenes. There were a few good laughs, but not enough to rate the movie any higher. Basically, it was a road trip with an alien with many of the same elements that carry movies with weak story lines. I would recommend it for those who just want to kill a couple hours on Saturday night.
Clearly, Efron is trying put his "High School" days behind him, and he takes a notable step in "St. Cloud." This is an actor trapped in that awkward phase between 'tween idol and serious actor. To move to the next level, he's going to have to be a little less buff and clean cut and become a character who is more gritty and complex. This movie was not designed for that transformation - not a reflection on Efron who can simple play the part his is given. The movie is a simple, soft romance with one distinct message: life is for living. If you are an Efron fan, you should enjoy it. If not, it may disappoint for lack of complexity.
"Inception" is intellectually complex, both with complicated concepts and layering, and it challenges the audience to focus on each caveat of the storyline. DiCaprio delivers a strong performance, although I found his character too much like the one in "Shutter Island," which left me cold. Don't blink during this movie or you will be totally lost. Special effects are compelling, the acting is strong. This is not a movie for a lazy brain. The movie goer should be prepared to immerse himself into this film and accept the possibilities of the inception theory, or he will walk away confused and frustrated.
Jaden Smith steals this film from beginning to end! He is an up and comer who we will be hearing a lot from in the years to come. For me, this film far exceeded the original, mostly because of it being set in China and there seems to be more meat to the storyline. Good family film for those who are not upset by intense bullying and action violence.
I'm not sure what I was expecting from all the build-up that preceded this film, but a blockbuster ratings grabber it was not. There were some humor mixed in with endless action, but for the most part, I felt I was watching footage of Cruise doing stunts. Lacked substance and impact. No, it did not live up to the promos.