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Saturday, June 27, 2009

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Picture courtesy of www.millionaireplayboy.com
Goolphipp Award: 2.5 (See the Cheap Matinee)

Goolsby:
Sigh. Where to begin? All I can do it shake my head back and forth. Why did they have to go and ruin this with multiple inappropriate and ill-fitting sexual quips? This movie had potential to be awesome, and it did not rise to the occasion. Why did the two “ghett0-bots” have to so ghetto?! Robots with gold-capped teeth?! And what in the world was gained by having that anatomically correct Decepticon?! Wrecking balls?! Nothing!

Shia LeBeouf and the other actors did great; too bad their acting wasn’t the main focus. I had no qualms about the storyline of this movie or anything. The transformer movies are all about the graphics. We want to see things transform, we want to see cool stuff, but unfortunately we got subjected to crap. Compared to the first one, I thought the effects weren’t that great. I felt the movements went too fast, and the intricate detail was blurred.


Goolsby overall: 2.5
Sad day. Fallen it was.

Phipps:
The second Transformers has adopted the typical sequel regret: the shrug and the comment, “it wasn’t as good as the first.” The director made some major blunders by allowing the “anatomically correct” wrecking balls and ghetto-bots to make it into the final cut. I’m sorry, but those ghetto-bots get the prize for the most racist objects/characters/mean stereotypes on screen in recent history.

There were also weird unexplainable things. I was wondering how Shia gets so dang beat up and bloody, and yet Megan keeps white pants clean in the high desert with endless explosions around her. A Decepticon that passes as a human girl? Puh-lease. I missed Optimus for much of the movie, too. Just a few of the little mole hills that amounted to the “fallen” mountain.

The action wasn’t that spectacular either! This movie better not break any records, the word-of-mouth is out.

And so, I’d wait for DVD. The first one was better in every way, so save your money.

Phipps overall: 2.5
Ghetto-bots and wrecking balls, really?

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

A Note from Us

Hey readers,

We’re going to be posting in a new format so we can update more frequently. For the big box office hits we’ll use our lengthier format.

Keep reading!

Yours sincerely,
Goolphipp

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Hangover

Picture courtesy of www.screencrave.com
Goolphipp Award: 4.3

Audience: College +

Goolsby: It’s a bachelor party set in Vegas, so nudity, drinking, drugs, gambling, and more is guaranteed. I think is more of a guy movie, but I loved it and I’m a girl.

Phipps: No one under 17. Parents, I don’t want to see your 12-year-old son in this movie! It’s not appropriate. For adults in the world, it was unexpectedly funny…and it wasn’t as raunchy as I thought it would be. In fact, the worse nudity/drinking/gambling (the general crazy Vegas behavior that offends) is featured as the credits roll, and you see images of what really happened the night before. Watch out for that if you’re a bit more conservative.

Storyline: Flashback treasure hunt
A bachelor party gone wrong– bachelor is missing. The storyline uses flashbacks to tell the story. Their ultimate goal the wedding.

Phipps: Inventive storyline, I thought. Simple, fresh, and totally ripe for hilarious happenings! Brings together all the strangeness of people getting a little too tossed in Vegas. This is one instance where you have to dredge up what happened in Vegas!

Where’s the Humor: Non-stop fast lane freeway

Phipps: The guy with the missing tooth, played by Ed Helms, stole my heart. It was reported that Ed Helms is actually missing a tooth, and had the fake, implant tooth removed for the filming. Yes, yes…it was really gone. Warms my heart. There was a good variety of humor over all, which surprised me. I expected it to be on the crass side the entire time, and was pleased that there was plenty of physical comedy and witty one-liners to balance.

Goolsby: I could not stop laughing the whole time. If it wasn’t one thing it was another. The character Alan, played by Zach Galifianakis, was ridiculously random. Alan is the weird brother in-law that sports a wolf print t-shirt and a man purse. Love it. There was plenty of physical comedy, as well as dry humor too. All the way to the end, including the credits, I was smirking or laughing about something. The story about the missing tooth is pure classic. And who steals a lion?!

Delivery: Sharp and quick

Goolsby: The character of Phil played by Bradley Cooper, is point on. He’s the arrogant jerk you just have to like. Not to mention he’s a looker, who looks cherry-up in a suit. Everyone did a really good job. They delivered their lines convincingly throughout. Everyone kept to their character personalities. I hope, hope, hope that there is a blooper reel on the DVD.

Phipps: Funny men committing to off-the-wall characters! I know this was a stretch for Bradley Cooper, who always pulls off the “jerk” role, but it was nice to see that he has some comedic timing too! Mr. Zach Galifianakis stole the show, hands down. It was a breakout performance for him.

Phipps overall: 4
Solid 4. I’m not partial to the comedies, especially those on the crass side, but this movie did win me over.

Goolsby overall: 4.75
As far as adult humor goes, this is up there with the best of em’. It will definitely be added to my collection when it comes out on DVD.

Goolphipp award: 4.3 (No peanuts chucked)

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Friday, June 12, 2009

My Life in Ruins

Picture courtesy of playbackstl.com

Goolphipp Award: 3.6

Audience: Post-college chick flick crowd+
Although this does star Nia Vardalos and is based around the Greek culture, it is not My Big Fat Greek Wedding – so don’t treat it like it is. Take My Life in Ruins as what it is.

Goolsby: We went to a showing around dinner time, and were surrounding by people twice our senior – people who could be our parents and grandparents. I’m not sure why this happened, as the movie seems more directed at the 25-35 year old range. It’s a wholesome movie, with sex, so no lame teenagers.

Phipps: I agree with Goolsby, most teens will probably say, “huh?” But, in general, your average female will appreciate the movie - every girl wants to feel sexy and be in love. Guys will be kind of bored, so you might want to plan a girl’s night out around this one!

Where’s the Drama: Finding your kefi
Keeping to the Greek tradition, this movie is all about finding your kefi – your mojo.

Phipps: While this movie might seem slow to some, I appreciated the subtlety. Life is mostly subtle, is it not? Poupi and Georgia develop into a couple, they don’t meet-and-fall-into-the-sack. I liked the different side characters – tossing all these stereotypes together creates appropriate drama. All the characters were crazy, but lovable.

Goolsby: The drama is in the slow unveil of the love interest Poupi Kakas, played by the Greek stud Alexis Georgoulis. From bearded mountain man to GQ model in a suit, he pulls it off flawlessly. What better way to find your kefi? Swoon.

Storyline: Basic

Phipps: Pretty basic, but it’s fun. I’ve been on tours before, and you don’t necessarily get to know people as much as the film portrays…but then again, my family didn’t have to deal with a bus crash, a competing tour guide, a hospital visit, and haggling!

Goolsby: While Georgia, played by Nia Vardalos, takes a group of tourist around Greece, you not only get to see her character unfold, but the tourist as well. Irv, played by Richard Dreyfuss, was a treat. Each of the tourists had their own story to tell and it contrasted well next to Georgia’s.

Delivery: Expected

Goolsby: I didn’t go into this movie expecting the world, so I wasn’t disappointed. It’s not a deep movie, so there wasn’t that much to be impressed by. It had a good mix of humor and drama, and everyone did well.

Phipps: I’m satisfied with the movie. Georgia walking for miles on uneven streets in heels kind of bothered me – totally unrealistic! But overall, I have no complaints. Alexis Georgoulis was sweet…and ridiculously masculine at the same time – some men should take lessons!

Phipps overall: 3.5
Solid 3. It was fun. I left without being depressed. I left thinking it was worth spending the ten bucks…and that’s saying something in this economy. Oh, and you can watch it with your grandma.

Goolsby overall: 3.75
My Life in Ruins just didn’t have that pizzazz that I was hoping for. It was a nice afternoon treat none the less.

Goolphipp award: 3.6 (Worth 11 Bucks)


Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Up

Picture courtesy of www.larryfire.files.wordpress.com

Goolphipp Award: 4.75

Audience: All ages

Goolsby: Animal lovers will appreciate the randomness of this movie. From the dog named Dug, to the female bird named Kevin. Like most Pixar movies, adult innuendos go over the little heads, but those were far and few between. This movie was just clean good fun.

Phipps: Mostly all ages, although, for the really young kids, 4-6 years, it may be a little complicated. They will love all the visuals – the big, colorful bird and “flying” house. You’ll appreciate the jokes and the “squirrel!” of real life.

Storyline: Mixed but clear
An old man remembers what it means to live.

Phipps: Like I said before, Pixar’s Up is a little more complex than usual. It’s entirely clear, and I have to say…I couldn’t wait until the house floated into the air, but I also appreciated seeing the accelerated love story between Ellie and Carl. This movie is actually really pro-marriage and pro-commitment. You literally see Carl and Ellie walk through life together, and you see Carl’s dogged pursuit of to see a promise kept.

Goolsby: I’ve heard that some people were confused by the previews. I was not confused. The storyline has two main sections, the first half when Ellie (Carl’s wife) is still alive, and the second half when she is gone. You see a beautiful love, and then you see how lost someone can be without that love. Carl takes one last journey to see the world, and meets some crazy characters along the way.

Where’s the Humor: Layered
Squirrel!

Phipps: Honestly, Up is one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time. Just good, clean jokes. And it’s not the same thing, over and over, but a variety—whatever your humor, you’ll find something to laugh with. I have to say, the short film shown beforehand, “Partly Cloudy,” is the best Pixar short. I laughed so hard, I cried.

Goolsby: There are amazing one-liners that I’ve thrown down since. The most notable was featured in the previews, but still kept all of its charm on the big screen. Squirrel! Russell, the tubby Boy Scout who gets taken on the journey, is perfect. He compliments the guarded Carl very well.

Animation: Airy

Goolsby: Since a good chunk of this movie takes place in the sky, we get a wonderfully bright background. We did see this movie in 3-D and the special effects were done well. Nothing too dramatic, but it added a subtle layer to the film.

Phipps: Up was visually exciting. It had the look of the Pixar movies, and as Goolsby said, the best word to describe it is “bright.” The “past” with Ellie was subdued for contrast, and of course, I can’t help but think of the old adages “bright future” and “living in the present.” It was nice to visually translate that to screen.

Phipps overall: 5
I really liked this movie. Up is in the same neighborhood of classic-ness as Finding Nemo, but Nemo still earns the biggest house on the street. Time will tell if Up’s jokes will become standard to pop culture as Nemo’s are. Will “Squirrel!” become the new “Mine!”?

Goolsby overall: 4.5
Make sure you catch the short before the movie. I said right after walking out of Up that it was as good as Finding Nemo, but I think now I rescind that. Still good though.

Goolphipp award: 4.75 (No peanuts chucked)

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Star Trek

Picture courtest of www.vinelanddriveintheater.com


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)

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Fighting

Picture courtesy of movies.nytimes.com

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)

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

earth

Picture courtesy of www.moviescomments.com

Goolphipp Award: 3.75

Audience: All Ages

Goolsby: Who doesn’t want to see our furry friends? Bring the whole gang and wait for the collective “Awww” to overtake you all.

Phipps: There’s nothing to worry about for little kids in this one. It’s landscapes and happy animals mostly. There are a few predators, and they only show them getting their prey a couple times, without blood and ripping flesh. So moms, cart your little ones to this movie!

Where’s the Objectivity: Solid
Following a couple animal families through a calendar year.

Phipps: Literally, the circle of life in the frame of the year. Not much else to say. I liked this documentary, which is saying a lot. I’m not the biggest animal fan. But I thought it was presented fairly truthfully and straightforward. I was like a little boy though, I wanted to see the lion shred up an elephant – but I also understand that it was a Disney movie. I was surprised that there wasn’t more overtly liberal. I’m happy to report that it stayed with the facts, and made one comment at the very end. A very solid documentary based on the “Planet Earth” series.

Goolsby: From top to bottom of the planet you get a good overview of how the animal kingdom thrives mostly unbeknownst to us, and definitely unbeknownst to the kids. The facts are presented in a very accessible simple and straight forward form to the kids, who are the real target audience.

Cinematography: Gorgeous

Goolsby: Pristine. Stay for the credits to get a look at the difficulties some of the cinematographers’ had – lets just say, balloon chair meets tree, ouch. Thanks guys for getting dirty and most likely injured to deliver this timeless feature.

Phipps: Just beautiful. Great shots. They did a good job in the editing room, as this movie was a splice-and-dice of the “Planet Earth” footage. Word on the street is it took a month to get the shark shots, and I must say, it was well worth it.

Delivery: No Complaints

Phipps: James Earl Jones – you can’t beat him, ever. He’s got that voice. One small complaint, there was an overuse of the word “starving.” It was a little annoying, but other than that, no complaints.

Goolsby: Now Phipps thinks that the use of “starving” was a bit overdone – I however feel that the word “starving” is one of the few words that really conveys an animal’s true hunger. For kids, and even adults, we have many feelings of hunger. From, “I could go for a cookie,” to I-haven’t-eaten-all-day-stomach-pains, we have a wider base of hunger. But for animals, I think it’s a bit different, especially with their food resources growing limited. I think “starving” conveys primal hunger efficiently. So I’m okay with the use of the word starving – kids can identify with it.

Phipps overall: 4
Solid.

Goolsby overall: 3.5
A good documentary.

Goolphipp rating: 3.75 (No Peanuts Chucked)

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

17 Again

Picture courtesy of www.alliancefilms.com

Goolphipp Award: 3.5

Audience: High School Freshman+

Goolsby: When you think about the plot, it’s obvious that jokes will be much more appreciated by an older (young-Dad age) crowd. There was some odd and somewhat uncomfortable small plot development between younger Mike and adult Scarlett. Yes, awkward.

Phipps: I saw a ton of little kids in the theater…and honestly, it’s not for the HSM crowd if you know what I mean. The trailer is deceptive, it looks smart and funny – and most importantly, light-hearted. It is smart and funny - but it is also a rather serious movie dealing with serious issues. Take my advice, you don’t want your little ones watching this until they are a bit older.

Where’s the Drama: Side-splitting
This movie presented its dramatic moment, then retreated and took refuge in its comedy.

Phipps: I appreciated this movie, I did. It was Freaky Friday meets The Kid. I half-expected Spencer Breslin to jump up, point, and say to Zac Efron, “You’re a chickless, dogless jerk with a twitch!” The humor is well-placed to make its audience look, then laugh at a rather sad situation – as in high school girls not respecting themselves enough to demand respect from guys. Aside from the magical aspect, this movie presented real dramatic situations…and real reactions.

Goolsby: Oh gosh. When anyone speaks Elvish, it makes me smile. I love the sidekick character of Ned, and the progression of the romance with the principal. This movie gave throw backs to a lot of older nerdiness-awesomeness, and it was well received. And come on, any movie that revives the use of the “Tool” and “Douche” insult, well you get my chuckle. A lot of the funny bits were used in the trailers for this movie, but the rest of the movie delivers plenty more.

Storyline: Things Happen for a Reason
An unhappy 40-something wishing he could have a “do-over” and magically he gets his wish.

Goolsby: The wish granted by a Norse God of course! Haha. Storyline was simple, not much real build up. You expect what you get, fairly predictable, but I’m fine with that. This movie doesn’t really try to be more than it is. Take it for what it is, and accept what you see coming, and well, there’s always room for Jell-O.

Phipps: Shoulda, woulda, coulda – oh, things worked out for the best. I just thought of It’s a Wonderful Life. This storyline has been delivered multiple times, in multiple ways, and it’s been a staple since the black and white days. Its human nature, I guess, to wonder about the “what ifs.” However in this case, I’d choose Jimmy Stewart over Zac Efron. I must say, I did enjoy the Ned character – and all his Sci-fi memorabilia.

Delivery: Satisfactory

Goolsby: I was impressed. Zac brought his A-game, and it showed. This role is definitely something that he’s using to stretch his wings. Oh oh, one thing though, Zac should work on his man-cry-chin-wobble more, needs a bit more honing. I thought Leslie Mann was a bit too cliché in her delivery. The unhappy, dream-searching almost-divorcee is a pretty cookie cutter character, and I wanted to see her bring something more to her role, and I didn’t see it. It doesn’t bother me that much because her character, although important, is not really part of the main focus or part of the audience’s emotional investment. I was just hoping she would deliver us something a bit different.

Phipps: I thought most performances were generally okay. Zac Efron has said that he needed a lot of help to really get into this character, and the work did pay off. I almost believed it. I was left wondering if Zac Efron has suffered any real disappointment in life, which certainly would have gone a long way to helping him identify with a disappointed 40-year-old. One comment about Michelle Trachtenberg: she’s been in high school for the last ten years. Time to graduate. Thomas Lennon was the perfect Sci-fi geek, and rocks the elf ears. I sort of had a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that Leslie Mann and Zac Efron had to have some kind of romantic chemistry – it’s a little weird.

Phipps overall: 2.5
I’ve got to give it a 2.5 – I kind of wish I hadn’t paid the eleven bucks. It’s a fun afternoon movie.

Goolsby overall: 4.5
I’m much more inclined to the humor side. It was what is was, and I might buy it when it’s on sale someday.

Goolphipp rating: 3.5 (No Peanuts Chucked)

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.

Monday, April 6, 2009

The Great Buck Howard

Picture courtesy of www.impawards.com

Goolphipp Award: 4.25

Audience: 18 +

Goolsby: Although there is only small adult content, the nature and underlying theme and message of the film would be appreciated by a more adult crowd. Take your mom and grandma with you, I bet they’d get a kick out of it.

Phipps: For you conservative people, I thought this movie is alright for you: minimal sex, minimal language. You could probably let your teenagers watch The Great Buck Howard with you…no younger than 14, I’d say.

Where’s the Drama: Subtle
Like that thirst-quenching glass of not-too-sweet lemonade you never knew you wanted.

Phipps: If you were looking in Blockbuster for this movie, would you check under Comedy or Drama? Goolsby and I decided it was more of a drama – a funny and quirky drama. When you think about it, life can be filled with drama…and also be full of funny moments and strange characters. That’s what I liked best about this movie. It was unafraid of both sides of the coin – to be both dramatic and ridiculous – not unlike its title character.

Goolsby: Finding yourself… forced into law school, double ugh. Forced into a cube, double ugh again. During the end, when Troy watches the show as an audience member, you're sort of on the edge of your seat right there with him. This movie delivers the random suspense delicately and I appreciated that.

Storyline: Finding your place
An unhappy law student finds himself working with an old magician turned mentalist.

Goolsby: The movie starts off a bit slow, but builds beautifully. And once again, we have some throwbacks to the central valley – Bakersfield and Stockton, woohoo.

Phipps: Gosh, for the 18 and older crowd, this is a breath of fresh air. What…you don’t want to be high-powered contract lawyer – GASP! This movie has a good message – sometimes you have to take a strange and random job to learn something important. For all of us that work the 9-to-5 shift, this was two hours of escape to…well, dream along with Troy Gable (Colin Hanks). It’s a slow start, but it’s inventive and quirky.

Delivery: Grade-A class

Goolsby: What a treat! Papa Hanks and Baby Hanks unite, and boy they’ve got similar acting styles (better be careful Colin, don’t fall under Papa’s wing just because it’s there, make sure to carve out your own way). Colin Hanks does well as the soul-searching youngster, but he never seemed too contrived or cliché. Colin keeps the allure throughout the movie. And John! John Malkovich, as always, plays a character. John’s face towards the ending of the movie holds so much emotion. They’re both getting color photographs from me.

Phipps: Ok, ok. So Colin Hanks is the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson…who cares? Kid has some acting chops…and not all of it from Dad…his mother’s subtle (yet solid) style is also there. I’ve got to admit – I did get quite a kick out of the team-up. Next movie, maybe Mom can join. Listen, he’s gorgeous and talented – and most importantly of all, he’s paid his dues with "Roswell," Orange County, Untraceable, House Bunny, and now Buck Howard. Emily Blunt also is gradually taking center stage, and delivers a good performance. What can I say about John Malkovich? He’s stellar. I hate to say this because the year is early, but I could see an Oscar or Globe nod. And you know what? I think I’d root for him.

Phipps overall: 4.5
I grabbed a free promotion poster at the Indie theater, and I’m going to hang it up in my cubicle. If that doesn’t say it all…I might just have to persuade you to see this movie via hypnosis.

Goolsby overall: 4
Isn’t that wild?!

Goolphipp rating: 4.25 (No Peanuts Chucked)
Doesn’t really get much better, folks.

Contact us at goolphipp@gmail.com.