One Day

☆☆☆

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“One Day” (adapted from the bestselling novel) is the story of Emma (Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) who officially meet on the night of their college graduation (July 15, 1988) and have an awkward one-night-stand which results in a friendship that lasts for over two decades.

The film “visits” the couple on July 15th…throughout the two decades, and we see the engaging changes in the characters and their relationship (a touch of “Same Time Next Year”).
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It’s difficult to find many reasons to like Dexter.

The casting seems “off.”

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 48 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer!

30 Minutes or Less

☆☆1/2

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The sometimes funny “30…Less” (directed by Ruben Fleischer… “Zombieland”) stars Danny McBride and Nick Swardson as two thugs who concoct a money making plan that involves strapping a bomb to the body of their pizza delivery boy (well-played by Jesse Eisenberg) and forcing him to rob a bank before they give him the code to diffuse the bomb.
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The ethnic slurs, racial slurs, crude sexual references, and raunchy language are overdone and just too much.
Too close to an a real-life event that took place a few years ago.

Rated R (crude and sexual content, pervasive language, nudity, and some violence)
I hr. 23 min.

Visit the "30 Minutes or Less" website and see the trailer.

Glee: The 3-D Concert Movie

☆☆☆1/2

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“Glee: The 3-D Concert Movie” is an entertaining New Directions’ concert that includes several favorite songs and some moving “fan” stories woven in.

Surprise character appearance adds to the fun!
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This movie is what it is…a concert…not much of a storyline

It would have been fun to see the “Glee” students step out of character.

At times the sound and visuals are not in sync.

See this one fast…two week run!

Rated PG
1 hr. 30 min.

Visit the movie site and buy the soundtrack.

The Help

☆☆☆☆1/2

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Based on the best-selling book of the same name, “The Help” tells the moving story of Skeeter (Emma Stone) a white woman in the ‘60s who wants to write a book telling the story of the African-American women who cook, clean, and raise the children for white families…like hers…in the deep south.

While working on this secret project Skeeter develops an unlikely friendship with Aibileen (Viola Davis…Oscar nomination for “Doubt”), Minny (Octavia Spencer), and the other maids who contribute their stories to the book…in spite of the risk.

One of the best movies of the year.

Look for some Academy Award nominations (Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain, and Octavia Spencer)

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A little long…slow start

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 17 min.

Visit "The Help" website and see the trailer!

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes

☆☆☆

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“Rise…Apes” is the thought-provoking story of scientist Will Rodman (played by Oscar nominated James Franco) who is testing his possible cure for Alzheimer’s on primates.

Problems ensue as the experimental drug gets into the wrong hands.

John Lithgow delivers an excellent supporting performance as Will’s father…who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.
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Long wait for the real “ape action”

Didn’t we just have a remake of this movie ten years ago?

1 hr. 45 min.
Rated PG-13 (violence, terror, brief strong language)


Visit the official website and watch the trailer!

Cowboys and Aliens

☆☆☆

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Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”) and based on Scott Michell Rosenberg's 2006 graphic novel of the same name, “Cowboys and Aliens” is a creative blend of the Western and alien genres.
Daniel Craig gives it all he’s got playing Jake Lonergan, the amnesia-stricken cowboy who wanders into town…facing a whole lot of human and alien trouble.
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The film doesn’t work as well as it should have…maybe if the script was closer to Rosenberg’s comics

One big unanswered question…Why do the aliens need the gold?

It’s tough to take Harrison Ford seriously when he plays the character as comedic rather than dramatic.

As I have said in many other alien film reviews...Keep the aliens a mystery!
When the viewer doesn't see them there is much more suspense.

Rated PG-13 (intense sequences of violence, partial nudity)
1 hr. 58 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

☆☆1/2

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Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” tells the intriguing story of Snow Flower and Lilly…19th-century Chinese laotong (female friends bound together for eternity), and the parallel story of the laotong’s present day decendants Nina and Sophia.
As the stories unfold the four women learn about the challenges of love and friendship.
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One of the most confusing movies I’ve seen in years.

It may have helped to have kept the script closer to the book.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 40 min.

Visit the "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" website and watch the trailer.