Where the Wild Things Are

Goolphipp Award: 3.25 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Phipps:
I was never a big fan of Where the Wild Things Are growing up. But I am a fan of children's fantasy movies, and that's what this film promised in the preview. Crazy amazing Wild Things.

I had a hard time with this movie. I liked some of the pieces, which bears mentioning - performances, costume, cinematography. The whole cast did a wonderful job. The Wild Things did look awesome...CGI faces looked great. Cinematography was solid.

I didn't like that the pace was slow. I know director Spike Jonze was focusing on emotion, but it just took too long to get it. I would be amazed by something, then bored. It felt a little forced at times.

The comedic moments were stellar. I wish there would have been more. This movie was like a stone in your stomach - I needed more laughs and less raw emotions. I have a firm belief that the major camps of people fall into one of the Wild Things. I would be Judith, voiced by Catherine O'Hara. (And I swear, they modeled the ram-like Wild Thing after Seth Green.)

Even so, the biggest problem I have with this movie, is Max never says he's sorry - to the Wild Things or to his mother. I was simply flabbergasted. That's not the message I want to go out to kids. Because this is what I heard, "You don't have to say sorry no matter what you do or who you hurt. People will just know. Especially if you give them a hug." But as a grown-up, I know that isn't true. People need to hear the "I'm sorry," combined with the hug. I will not be showing this film to my children until they are old enough to disregard the "non-sorry policy" that Wild Things promotes.

AND this film showcased a big sister, Claire, who didn't take care of her kid brother when he was crying. It was really sad, and an insult to big sisters everywhere.

I wanted to get lost and run wild in this movie, but that just didn't happen.

Phipps overall: 2.5
Put together well, which saves it.

Goolsby:
I grew up with this book, and the short cartoon feature that circulated when I was a kid too. I have always loved anything animal based. I approached this movie differently. The biggest gimme in the movie was the characters. It's hard conveying consistent personality in heavy hot costumes. The faces were CG enhanced of course, but that doesn't mean that takes care of everything. The people who have to do the live action do a fantastic job. A true character has to be believable in physical actions as well. From the quiet, never heard Seth Green lookalike goat named Alexander, to the loud confident Carol, these wild things came to life.

I was very excited to see this movie, and I think it gave me what I wanted the most. Awesome live action costumes and seamless CG integration.

On the other hand, it was much more intense than I anticipated. I think the raw anger emotions could have been relayed in a less destructive manner. A dirt clod fight with giant beasts is unsafe! And come on, someone's arm gets ripped off! Who cares that there wasn't any blood, it is still an appendage! Comedy was selective but well placed as Phipps said. The stick arm replacement Douglas receives takes the cake.

All in all, I got what I was looking for- beautiful cinematography and awesome costumes. Parents should really think about taking their children, but as an adult, I can overlook the message and appreciate what I love.

Goolsby overall: 4
Still worth it I think.

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All About Steve

Goolphipp Award: 2 (See the Cheap Matinee)

Phipps:
All About Steve from the get-go reminded me of some other movie. Her red boots reminded me of Happy Go Lucky too much – crayon purple might have been a better choice. It was one of those movies where you had to grow to love the main character, and just when you wanted it all to work out – it simply doesn’t. At the end, you are left with your mouth hanging open in disbelief. It’s too bad, because you want this neurotically inclined, crossword-loving, smart girl to get the dude in the end. That being said, there were a lot of laughs along the way. I enjoyed the journey across the country with Mary. I did like the supporting cast. They were fun, and well cast. The details in this movie were stellar. Like I said, I would have loved this movie if Steve would have said, “When’s our second date?” at the end, but he didn’t. What’s a romance without a happy ever after? We need the kiss at the end. So, like Mary, we have to continue to search for a movie as normal as us.

Phipps overall: 2
Laughs kept it from being a total tanker.

Goolsby:
I agree with everything Phipps said. This movie marketed itself as a romantic comedy, not some coming of age movie. Therefore, I had expectations that were not met. Plain and simple. As you can tell from Phipps, the girl doesn't get the boy. The end was just sort of flat, not worthy of the character they build throughout the movie.

Want to hear the good things? We've got apple people carvings, a baby born with three legs, the classic scene of Mary falling down a mine hole, tornadoes, random outfits that don't match, and a crossword - all about Steve. All in all, that's not much. If I can't recall details that keep me laughing after the movie is said and done, it missed. I would say it had so much potential, but I would be lying. It had potential to be slightly more than average, but fell short because of the unsatisfying ending.

Goolsby overall: 2
Try again.

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Whiteout

Goolphipp Award: 2.25 (See the Cheap Matinee)

Phipps:

This is the lame duck of the summer, which is possibly why studio execs waited until after all the blockbusters had left town. It was just a big waste of time. It was this movie that attempted to appeal to guys without alienating the chicks – which accounted for the “unnecessary shots.” You can’t very well strip down naked in -55 degrees.

There was too much running around without much explanation. Even toward the end, what explanation was offered as the root of the plot was simply glossed over and wasn’t satisfying. I didn’t buy it.

I didn’t buy Kate Beckinsale as a US Marshall in Antarctica. And it was obvious that most of the people involved in this movie were about as aware of the realities of the frozen continent as a third grade class. You really shouldn’t walk around with your face exposed in the extreme cold – everyone in Russia knows this. It just wasn’t a smart movie.

Phipps overall: 2

I wouldn’t even rent it, unless you are desperate for action.

Goolsby:

What a let down. When you’ve got both of us sighing a big “Lame,” at the end of the movie, you know it failed. This looked like a promising action thriller. Lies. It was far too obvious. No suspense, save for the cheap shots, at all. It lacked everything.

From unnecessary shots involving Kate Beckinsale in a shower, to cliché and played-out plot, this movie just disappoints. There is really not that much to say about it. The acting was average. The CG was average. The plot was average. The whole lot, just average. The only place this movie succeeded in was the gore, not really gore, but close enough. Since the movie is set in Antarctica, we’ve got freezing temperatures. Throw in some murders, and you’ve got cold blood. The way they handled the blood was done really well. Yay for makeup artists, or who ever created those dead bodies, very convincing.

Goolsby overall: 2.5

There’s not much to say. Average.

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Gamer

Goolphipp Award: 4 (No Peanuts Chucked)

Goolsby:

As a fan of Gerard Butler, I went into this movie blind. I thought I knew the basics, but boy was I wrong. This movie sort of threw me off balance. It paints a world where something popular like Sims evolves into a real life version – where human players control human avatars. The human avatars are not forced into their roles, but actually paid, basically creating a new caste system. Gerard Butler’s character Kable, is a prisoner who participates in a game as an avatar. If he survives, he wins his freedom.

I think the neatest part of this movie is the future society and technology it creates. The world was created down to the details with vivid, vivid detail. Yes, it was a shocking alternate universe, but a very interesting one. I enjoyed the plot line. This movie was very confrontational, in the sense that most of the movie puts the viewer in this awkward place. We saw the bad and very bad of this new society. I appreciated the originality of the movie, but felt out of my element during specific scenes involving sex and drugs.

I think the actors’ delivery was great. Everyone did a good job, nothing corny or over played. Dexter’s Michael C. Hall gave a spooky but amazing performance as Ken Castle, the creator of the new gaming universe.

I guess I’m on the fence at where this movie stands. I was fascinated and disturbed by the future society. There haven’t really been that many main stream satirical movies lately, but this one sure leaves me scratching my head.

Goolsby overall: 4

Gamer is in a category of its own. It pushes the boundaries, and as much as I want to give it a lower score, it really did a good job at delivering what it set out to do. Add it to your Netflix queue when it comes out, but be prepared.

Phipps:
While I agree with Goolsby, I thought they could have toned the sex and drugs aspect down a little. I got their point early, and didn’t really need reinforcement every five minutes. For this reason, this movie’s audience must be 18+. If you are on the conservative side, I’m not sure this is the movie for you.

But I honestly couldn’t help but be fascinated with the plot. I’ve heard complaints that there was no plot, but I thought it was complicated and real albeit reactionary. Our man Kable (AKA Gerard Butler) is reacting the entire movie – as are most of the secondary characters – to the actions of Ken Castle and the virtual (or not so virtual) society of gaming. I love all the ethical questions Gamer brought out. It totally unglued me, because the fact is, this kind of technology doesn’t require a ton of stretch – we could see it one day.

The action was solid. Cinematography and filters were definitely different and contributed to how the audience was stuck in, as Goolsby called it, an “awkward place.” It felt like we were participants by simply observing the story. I was disgusted when confronted with the worst aspects of human nature, which Gamer does not hide or apologize for.

Gamer simply shocks you out of your skin. It makes you think. It takes the world we are building via Facebook, Second Life, and Wii and shows us where it could go if we aren’t careful. As much as I hated watching this movie, I can’t deny that it was sort of brilliant.

Phipps overall: 4
Simply shocking…in that strange makes-you-think way.

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The Ugly Truth

Goolphipp Award: 3.5 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Phipps:
Well, I’ve heard The Ugly Truth. I laughed a lot – although, sometimes I was so shocked…I had to nervously laugh. This movie is definitely adult. I’m thinking college crowd would enjoy it the most. It’s definitely not the movie you want to watch with your grandma. That being said, I enjoyed the movie.

The orgasm-in-the-middle-of-a-restaurant felt like a nod to When Harry Met Sally…and then promptly took it to the next level.

Gerard Butler, of course, is great as the good guy with edge.

The male stereotype soapboxes are brought out in the open. This movie is written by a bunch of women, who obviously wanted to back their male lead into a corner to prove a point. Sure, sure, men are absolute pigs. Sex sells, but at the end of day, someone has to fall for the neurotic females. And why? “Beats the s***t out of me,” says our male lead. I thought it was very interesting that it was all about breaking down men…as if women are angelic in their understanding of relationships. In the end, Katherine Hiegl’s character, Abby, doesn’t even say “I love you” back.

But I think, the main reactions you’ll get from people are, “it was funny” and “that guy was hot!” Sounds like a successful romantic comedy to me.

Phipps overall: 3.5
I could watch 2 hours of Gerard Butler any day!

Goolsby:
We went to see this for my birthday with my mom. It was a birthday choice because of Gerard Butler. He delivered of course. I knew that this would be adult humor, but goodness. Once I got over the “this-is-awkward-sitting-next-to-my-mom” I was fine. The character dynamic was great. Your typical brash guy meets controlling girl. They fall in love. The real core of this is the humor of course. The jokes were honest. The truth is always funny. There are a couple of scenes that I just died laughing. A certain panty scene in a restaurant was the most unexpected thing ever.

All girls can relate to Abby (played by Katherine Heigl) – who hasn’t done a happy dance when they thought no one was looking? I have. I’m also glad that they didn’t ruin some of the more major jokes in previews or trailers. I’m happy with the movie; it delivered what it was supposed to.

Goolsby overall: 3.5

I wont be buying it, but Gerard put a smile on my face.

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Goolphipp Award: 4.25

Where we stand: Both fans, not fanatics

Phipps: I read the books a long time ago, and haven’t read them a second time. I have these overall summaries in my head. I don’t read them before I see the movie to keep myself from nitpicking. The first five had to leave out a ton of stuff because of time, and mostly I agree with the calls made. I felt satisfied every time that they captured the spirit and plot of the book. This movie was different…didn’t feel like the others in terms of satisfaction.

Goolsby: I joined the Harry Potter scene late in the game. I saw the first five movies before I buckled down and read the books. After the fifth installment, I read all the books back to back in about one month. So for this sixth book, I thought I would take advantage of my knowledge and re-read the book to experience something different. So I bring a more book inclined view to the movies, but like most book adaptations, there is a stage of “making peace” that you have to go through. Oh, and of course, we attended the midnight showing.

Audience: Everyone – who doesn’t like HP?

Goolsby: Of course the story of the Chosen One gets darker. Good and evil, and all that jazz. You’ve got your teenage bumpkins in the audience who make stupid snide remarks as the romance develops. I would recommend older viewers to see the movie during a time where “kids” won’t be in abundance.

Phipps: As we go on, the plot gets darker. As a result, sometimes that translates into scary. So parents, know what your kid can handle.

Storyline: The Cauldron starts to boil over…

Phipps: Followed the book, sort of. The focus was the changing relationships, which could have been done in a shorter amount of time. That would have freed up some time to lay crucial groundwork for the next two. My biggest complaint is the end scenes…it didn’t feel right. And according to Goolsby, there were major deviations. And if I felt that way, I’m sure most people will feel it, too.

Goolsby: Well, if we look at the storyline compared to the book, there are obvious deviations. The most crucial being the Gaunt family history, potions class, and the battle sequence. I suspect they will tie up the loose ends of Voldemort’s history in the next movie as flashbacks or something similar. I understand why they left out the potions class, and I have “made peace” with that. The battle sequence, I understand, but don’t see the reasoning. The storyline based in regards to the other movies is however linear and fitting, I’ll give it that. I did however feel the storyline was split too drastically in obvious halves. The first half is the blustering romance and comedic relief. The second half is completely dark. I feel the two halves were not meshed well, but that is minor and expected.

Where’s the Drama: Love, friendship, good, and evil.

Phipps: Y’all know the story. Harry vs. Voldemort; however, this movie is much like the Prisoner of Azkaban, where Harry is fighting henchmen most of the time. The love stuff is much more fun in the book, and I feel sorry for the actors as they try to turn their sibling chemistries into romance.

Goolsby: The gusto in this movie was dispersed throughout. I loved the high school drama-ness of the budding love. I also loved the darker side of the film. The subtle rifts between the characters were executed with precision.

Continuity: Hmmm…

Goolsby: I feel this movie was consistent with the last, but had a very different feeling than that last, which is surprising. I think perhaps Yates wanted to strengthen the three amigos before sending them off on the rest of the journey – wanted the viewers to feel that bond in this movie. This movie picked up right where 5 ended, and I greatly, greatly appreciate that. Thanks Yates.

Phipps: This movie generally felt different. While the last 5 were all different there was a x-factor that tied them together. I think Yates wanted to make his own mark a bit too much. Felt a bit choppy too…with love, then dark plot, comedic love, dark plot, etc, but I have a feeling I will like it better the second time around.

Delivery: Expected and surprised

Goolsby: Of course we’re so used to everyone that it is almost impossible to disappoint us. I think everyone did very well. Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint are really getting to test out their wings. I was pleasantly surprised by Tom Felton (Draco). In the last scenes I thought he did a great job. I was also happy with the portrayal of Slughorn. Congrats everyone, job very well done. I mean come on, it would be so hard to kiss someone who is more like your sister or brother than anything else. Oh oh, the whole Felix Felicis scene was so perfect it made my heart smile.

Phipps: In true Harry Potter fashion, everyone was expertly cast and portrayed their respective characters so well that this is basically a non-issue for me. Everyone gets an A.

Phipps overall: 4
Solid 4, for now. I’m sure on my second viewing, it might hop up a couple notches.

Goolsby overall: 4.5
First viewing I give it a 4.5. I would like to say it is more, but honestly I was so cheesed that I had to vent out my differences. Overnight I made peace.
Second viewing I still give it a 4.5.

Goolphipp award: 4.25 (No peanuts chucked)

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The Proposal

Goolphipp Award: 3.9 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Goolsby:
This romantic comedy delivers the goods. Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock have this weird chemistry that works in an odd way. I loved the character Andrew Paxton (Reynolds) – he was obtainable in that down to earth way. I love the dynamic of the Paxton family too. The hard working dad Joe (Craig Nelson), the fitting mother Grace (Mary Steenburgen), and the most random grandmother I’ve seen on film in a long time (Betty White). Betty White randomly does this nature dance that ends up into a rendition of “Get Low” by Lil’ Jon.

It was a good mix with a clean simple plot, not complicated or drawn out. It was evenly paced and contained all the elements you need for a grade-A romantic comedy. And that Ryan Reynolds is sure dang dashing.

Oh, just remember the dog! There is a dog that get swooped up by a hawk, and I swear, it was the best.

Goolsby overall: 4.75
As far as romantic comedies go, it was great. If I ever go to Alaska, I’m for sure going to Sitka (even though the movie wasn’t filmed there).

Phipps:
I felt that Reynolds and Bullock had about zero romantic chemistry; they had chemistry as friends or siblings, sure, but I don’t think they were feeling amour. I just couldn’t buy it. That being said, this movie was light-hearted and fun. Reynolds, of course, is hilarious and dare I say it, hunky in Alaskan flannels.

The storyline was typical, but Alaska helps…as does Betty White’s crazy character. Loved the “baby-maker” quilt. Of course, I’m always won over by crazy families and dog-snatching eagles.

It’s a good escape, but I won’t buy it...but then again, Ryan Reynolds is a stud. He can “propose” to me any day!

Phipps overall: 3
It’s middle of the road. Keep it for a DVD rental or a girl’s night out.

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Away We Go

Goolphipp Award: 2.75 (See the Cheap Matinee)

Goolsby:
Away We Go was this weird combination of sweet, sour, and ripe. I had only seen a few trailers on TV, and knew very little about the film. The basic idea, two people traveling around the US looking for the perfect place to raise a family, seemed ideal. I knew this was an off beat movie but was not prepared for the awkward abrasive segments of this movie.

The opening of the film might have been awkward for some, but I thought it was within the bounds of the normal quirkiness. What blind sided me was the character of Lily (Allison Janney). A mother of two, who belittles her children repeatedly without remorse, was too much for me to handle. The character of Lily sky rockets past funny and transforms into me covering my mouth in shock. Once the couple moved on to another destination, the film had no where but up to go.
John Krasinski, who plays the lead soon-to-be-dad Burt, was awesome. Burt scares or tries to start a fight with his wife Verona (Maya Rudolph) throughout the movie to keep the babies heart rate up. It was the random tender moments that salvaged this movie.

Oh, and one more thing. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays a crazy new-age mom named LN. Craziness. I loved the stroller scene.

Goolsby overall: 2.75
It left me feeling to dazed to be a 3.

Phipps:
I’m still not sure about how I feel about Away We Go…still. I mistakenly expected something along the lines of Juno. I feel that sometimes the quirkiness was a little too quirky – like the case of Lily. It was off-putting.

The theme of “finding home” was sweet, as were the two central characters, Burt and Verona. The film’s way of presenting this theme felt really disjointed, when the movie concludes, you get it. Somehow, we all end up where we need to be, and usually, it’s a bunch of little things that push you there.

To totally get on my soap box, I liked that the movie presented that you need two committed parents…and that you have to make some kind of marital vow for things to be solid. Although there is no formal ceremony, Burt and Verona get married on that trampoline.

Quirky, strange, but I don’t feel bad about seeing it. I’m not sure I’d see it again, but it’s one of those that make you think about your own life…without making you completely depressed about the world.

Phipps overall: 2.75
Almost…but the on-purpose quirky was too much.

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Star Trek

Goolphipp Award: 5

Audience: All ages

Phipps: I think your kids will like it. It’s not Bolt. It does get a little scary and loud. I would venture to say around 9 or 10 age group would be fine. If you have a mature little tike, who watches action all the time…I wouldn’t hesitate to take them along.

Goolsby: Some of the clothing on the girls showed a little skin – but that was to be expected. There was one scene in which a green girl gets down with Kirk in her skivvies. Star Trek is about sex though, its about action, and as Phipps states it would be okay for a older youngin. Loud noises, love it!

Storyline: Where no one has gone before…

Phipps: I felt that Abrams did a phenomenal job of resurrecting the franchise. I thought it was fresh and fun and accessible, without sacrificing all the things we love about Star Trek. I actually can’t wait to see what they come up with for the next movie!

Goolsby: When space time travel is involved, I always end up explaining it with a lot of hand gestures that usually incorporate my feet. The storyline was a good mix. We got to see the childhood perspective which I thought was very well done. They have given themselves a clean slate for an innumerable amount of possibilities. Loved it.

Action: True

Phipps: There is one moment where someone is sucked out of the Enterprise screaming, and once she is out into space, there is no sound. And that is an accurate rendering of action in space. There is no noise. I appreciated that, being a space geek and all. I felt that all the action was necessary to the storyline and made sense. I was very pleased with it.

Goolsby: The action was loud, and it was very very well done. Of course Abrams wants to get our attention, and he got it, held it, and sucked it dry leaving us wanting more. And who’s that red coat, oh wait, doesn’t matter! Love it. They stayed true in more than one way. Even the fighting styles stayed true to the original characters – specifically Sulu.

Delivery: On target, Captain.

Phipps: I was amazed by the cast. They channeled the original actors in mannerisms and stayed true to the characters, while also bringing a new spin on it. This resulted in non-stiff, interesting characters. I could go on and on about it, but honestly, I thought everyone was great. Zachary Quinto blew us to smithereens as Spock (accompanied by Leonard Nimoy, of course). Chris Pine was inventive and decidedly James T. Kirk.

Goolsby: Point on all the way. Phipps said it all. Quinto owns a special part of my heart. Swoon, sigh, swoon. Delivery was amazing. Oh gosh, just got a flash back of Pine sitting in the chair eating that apple during the Kobayashi Maru. Classic, to the bone. Loved Bones too, Karl Urban did a fantastic job – “I can fix that!”

Phipps overall: 5
A must see, and then tell all your friends to go see it.

Goolsby overall: 5
Who needs to explain a 5? Of course it deserves a 5!

Goolphipp award: 5 (Opening Night Excellence)

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Fighting

Goolphipp Award: 3.75

Audience: 18+

Goolsby: Actually there wasn’t too much language that stood out. But for sheer hand to hand violence, needs to be an older audience. There was some sexual content as well as scantly clad women and men.

Storyline: Rock’em, Sock’em, Bop’em
Finding a new way to make ends meet using what you got – your fists.

Phipps: Don’t try to make it more complicated than it is. It’s 3 parts action movie, 1 part heart. Thanks to Tatum Channing, girls won’t mind watching it.

Goolsby: Set in New York, I think it accurately portrays the city in the context of this movie. We don’t see the frills, we see the grit. Simple storyline with just the right hint of a romance to keep it from being completely fist-to-fist content. Oh, and the grandma! She was awesome. Wholesome mix of action, family, love, and drama.

Action: Ouu, did you hear that hit?
Clean fight sequences with good shots, sounds, and lighting.

Phipps: I’ve got nothing to complain about here. The action was straight up awesome: believable, loud, and showed where it hurts.

Goolsby: I like a good fight sequence that is real. It was all believable and felt real, mostly thanks to the sounds I think. When you can hear each blow, you know it’s good. Reminded me a lot of Green Street Hooligans in the way they filmed the fight sequence – fast, a tad-spotty, and crisp. I liked it.

Delivery: Unexpected

Goolsby: I would finish that by saying, unexpectedly good. I didn’t go in expecting much, and was surprised to see a wide range of various multi-layered characters. We’ve seen what Tatum can do with the conflicted character in Stop-Loss, and in Fighting he brings an even new dimension to the table. That kid can sure convey a lot with his eyes. Terrence Howard as Harvey the fight manager, delivers this deep-rooted emotionally vast character. Albeit I’m not exactly sure the whole story on the Harvey character, but I got the general gist and it brought an element that made me really feel for his character. Kudos to you Howard for giving us such a complex and intriguing character.

Phipps: The only complaint I have is Terrence Howard. I couldn’t figure out if he was supposed to be slow because of a life of fighting, or if he was just slow. I spend half the movie wondering that. I also think it is more of a script issue, than acting ability. The rest of the cast did a great job.

Phipps overall: 3.5
It’s solid, likable, and believable.

Goolsby overall: 3.75
I don’t expect people that aren’t prepared for what they’ll be getting to come to this movie. It brings a specific group of people, and that randomly includes Phipps and I. Overall I think it stayed true to what it was, and gave even more than I expected. I’m happy to have more good fight movies in my frame of reference – so thanks Fighting.

Goolphipp rating: 3.75 (No Peanuts Chucked)

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