THANKSGIVING GRACE: After taking in homeless teenager Michael Oher, the Tuohy family rediscovers the importance of sitting at the table together. Photos courtesy of Alcon Entertainment/Warner Bros.
Part drama, part sports flick, part urban exposé, The Blind Side tells the inspiring true story of NFL star Michael Oher and the white family who transformed his life — and had theirs transformed as a result. (more…)
The movie 2012 lived up to my very low expectations — spectacular special effects and an incredible lack of substance. There’s only one major action sequence, which has been featured in all of the previews, while the rest of the movie focuses mostly on devastation. The story and the characters are clichéd and predictable. Pointless scenes of suffering and turmoil are used in a misguided attempt to spark some sort of emotional response from the audience. How is watching millions of people suffer supposed to be entertaining? I don’t get it.
Like a lot of people this past weekend, I caught a late-night showing of Paranormal Activity, the new horror film that cost a lowly $15,000 to make but has grossed more than $62 million at the box office so far. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie where the audience screamed so much.
Instead of relying on pop-out parts, loud music, and gore, this film relies on eerie, quiet scenes that make viewers fidget in their seats. There were several moments that I felt the adrenaline pumping in my veins! I’ve read reports about grown men crying in theaters and people not being able to sleep for a week after seeing it, and the hype is legit.
Last weekend I saw both Zombieland and Capitalism: A Love Story. Two very different movies, right? That’s what I thought going in. But as I later reflected on them, it occurred to me that they had more in common than one would think. So, if you’re still undecided about whether you should see one or both of these movies, allow me to submit this comparison of the two films for your consideration. WARNING: There might be a few spoilers below. Plus, you may disagree with certain aspects of Michael Moore’s political philosophy, as well as the worldview of Zombieland. But anyone who wants to see a movie featuring zombies or Michael Moore is bound to enjoy a good politics/horror story.