Friend Flix

Robin Hood

2010-10-23T22:26:00.000-07:00

It has been so long since I've updated this but I've been wanting to for a while now and I finally have a soap box to stand on. Mark and I recently got the new Robin Hood movie. I didn't really care to get it at first because I think it's a pretty over done story. But Mark doesn't care for most of the movies I get because they are mostly all chick flicks so I thought I'd get this one as one we might both enjoy. We did enjoy it but I got a bit irritated at it at times. I didn't like all the violence. There wasn't even that much compared to Gladiator or Braveheart which is why this one is only PG13 and not R like the others.
Maybe it's been a long time since I've watch an epic action film and so I've become sensitive. Either way I did not appreciate a few scenes that made me get choked up for the pain I saw the people go through. Later I watched the older Robin Hood just to compare, and I love it so much more. They still had fight scenes and battles but not nearly so graphic. In the beginning they show Robin Hoods father getting in a bad position, then later they show him dead. They didn't need to show all the gory details for me to believe he was dead and I still understood why Robin wanted vengeance on those who did what they did. Like I said, this is a soap box post and I'm not done yet. I feel like we are putting things in our heads that don't need to be there. I don't want to go to war, I know I could never kill someone. I have seen a couple of messed up dead bodies before and I can still see them if I think about it and I can still bring back that same terrible emotion I felt then too. I feel like, by watching some of the scenes that are in these "put me right in the battle" action movies we are subjecting ourselves to scenes that we normally would not want to see. If I were to ask you, "I video recorded some guy getting hit in the face with an arrow and it goes all the way through his face and you can see the blood going everywhere and you can see the life leaving him. It's crazy, you want to see it?" I think most of you would say, "No, that sounds horrible, why would you record that, and why would you want to show it to me?" So why do we watch it when Hollywood records it and offers it to us to see? I love the movie "Last of the Mohicans". It is one of my all time favorite movies. I saw it first when it was on tv and it was edited. In college I decided to not worrie about watching rated R movies and bought it on DVD because I loved it so much. I found out the ONE scene that made it R because it was the only scene cut out of the tv version. I didn't think it was that big of a deal and thought that it should even be bumped down to a PG13 rating. Well eventually Mark and I got married and we decided not to watch Rs and to get rid of all the ones we owned. The hardest part of this was getting rid of Last of the Mohicans and Braveheart and all the other violent war movies we loved. We didn't feel like the violence was as bad as the sex scenes in other movies and what have you. Now it has been so long that I see that although I never want to go to war, I have seen them all from the movies I have seen.
Like I said, this one doesn't have as many scenes as many others out there. It's just been a while since I've seen any of these types of scenes and it kinda slapped me across the face. I did like the twist in this story line as apposed to the other Robin Hood movies. It was almost a before the story idea of how he became the Robin Hood we know, so there might be a sequel. Oh one last thing that I didn't like was the feminism at the end. I just don't think you should try to add feminism in period movies before feminism began. I mean they were trying to fit a legend into actual history, trying to make it seem like a true story and then they throw in this idea that even then women are equal. Well they weren't. Anyway, I'll stop. It's an ok movie, if you watch it tell me what you think.

The Time Traveler's Wife

2010-07-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this movie. I thought it was charming and kinda made you think. I didn't know how it was going to end and I like that in a movie. I really like Eric Bana lately. I like his voice. I also really like seeing Rachel McAdams ever since The Notebook. They both do a great job in this movie. It's almost confusing but it all explains it self after a while. Once you kinda just go along with it and lose yourself in it, you'll start to enjoy it. Then when it's over it kinda looms over you and you keep letting yourself think about it. At least that's how it was for me. Also watching it a second time is a good thing too. I was able to enjoy it even more after I already knew what was to happen.
It's about a man who has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel at any given moment. He meets a girl that says she's met him before. That's when the story takes off and I wont spoil anything more for you. I seriously don't like time travel movies. I feel like there is always a huge gap in the story of how they make it possible. I didn't really get that thought too much with this. I even caught Mark stopping and watching from time to time. The small amount of science fiction in it is even intriguing to men. I hope you enjoy.

Love Happens

2010-07-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

This was a cute movie. I enjoyed it. It wasn't one of my favorites but I enjoyed it. It is about a man who lost his wife and, trying to cope, wrote a self help book for people who have lost loved ones. He is off giving a seminar when he bumps into a women. I have never lost anyone close to me. Well my grandpa died a few years back and I loved him dearly but I didn't have a hard time with his passing. This movie might mean more to someone who has lost someone close. I mainly just enjoyed watching Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart falling for each other. I also enjoyed the music. I think it's a fun movie to pass the time but not a must see.

Netflix

2010-05-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

Mark and I are such big fans of Netflix. We first gave it a try when we first got married. The apartment we were in gave us cable included in our rent. Mark was a big fan of comidy central so we watched that a lot, so long as it was clean. Well one of the clean shows was reruns of Scrubs. I became obsessed with it and had to watch every episode. But Mark thought buying movies was such a waist of money, while he only watches movies a few times I watch movies over and over again. So I decided to join Netflix for the two week trial offer and get all the Scrubs I could rent within that time and cancel right before they charged me. He had mixed emotions, afraid I wouldn't cancel in time but enjoyed watching Scrubs and hearing me yell "I'm no superman" at the beginning of each episode. I didn't get all of the seasons in those two weeks so I took the free trial offer of the on line Blockbuster rentals too. Netflix was a lot easier I thought.
Anyway, Mark and I moved and got our house and realized we needed a cable and internet provider. Comcast gave us a great deal on all the movie channels for a year and our internet all for $80 a month. But when the year ran out they tried to charge us $150 for it. Even changing our cable to the least amount of channels wasn't worth it. So we dropped our cable altogether and just paid them for our internet. Instead of cable we got Netflix again. We pay $9 a month to always have one dvd rented out and unlimmited internet movies to watch on our computer. We love it. We watch what we want to watch and don't worry about commercials or anything stupid. They now have devices to watch instantly to your tv. If you have a Wii, PS3, or a Xbox360 you're already set.
All this to get to my point. They have sent me some codes to try Netflix free for a month to give to family and friends. Well I've already got my family into it so I thought I would let who ever reads this have a shot. Here are 2 codes: M205318463835 or M225378463455. Click HERE and you will be directed to the page you will need to enter one of these codes. Like I said the month is FREE so when you sign up there is no reason why you shouldn't sign up for the most expensive offer. Just remember the day you signed up so you can cancel one month from then. If you decide you like it it's still a good idea to remember because you may want to change to one of the cheaper deals. If any of you came apon this post and the codes were already used then leave a comment and I will see if I can get you one. They give me codes every few months.

Pride and Prejudice

2010-05-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't written in a very long time but life has taken me away. I have seen a few movies but have forgotten them and the details of my thoughts. So I shall return to you, my two readers, with a story that I always am thinking about. This is by far my favorite story, in the book form or in all the many different movie forms. It is mothers day and this is my gift to myself, sitting in bed with my guilty pleasure, Pride and Prejudice.
Only I of all people would write about all the movies of P&P. Yes, I've seen them all and own all but the old black and white early talky version, but my parents own it on VHS so that's got to count for something.

This early version is fun but doesn't follow the book well at all. It ends with everyone happy and cheerful which isn't the way Jane Austin intended it to be. I shall spoil some of it for you. Lady Catherine DeBourg, Mr Darcey's Aunt, gives her blessing for Darcey to marry Elizabeth Bennet. This didn't happen in the book. This movie is fun for those who need a happy ending.

The next version is the 1985 BBC version of the movie. The telling is pretty accurate but the movie is just out dated. I do still enjoy it from time to time. One thing is always true with all P&P movies, Mr Darcey is always impressive. Although I don't love this version they got that one most important part right.

BBC must have realized that it was outdated because they made a newer one in 1995. Once again, BBC got it right as far as story line and Mr Darcey. One thing that I will complain about is that I don't love the way that the girls look. The woman at that time may have been considered beautiful a little more solid back then but they could have tried to make their faces more beautiful. Lizzy is pretty but Jane who is written to be more beautiful then Lizzy isn't even close. The other sisters are not even close to cute. However I still love the movie because of how well they portray the book. Also Colin Firth is not one that I would have called gorgeous before but after seeing him in this roll I will forever say so. He plays Darcey perfectly.

Some of you may not know this but there is a Baliwood made a musical of the story called Bride and Prejudice. I love this movie. It is a fun international play on the story and proves that Jane Austin didn't just make a timeless classic but one that any nationality can identify with. They changed parts of it and one thing that I noticed was that Lizzy and Darcey never kiss (kids love this movie, even young boys, and the girls who hate cooties and kissing). I think that the acting could be better at times but very entertaining. I don't mind lending it to anyone who wants to see it.

Another adaption of the story is the LDS version. This is also entertaining but again isn't very accurate. Mr Darcey again is very handsome, I just will never get sick of the character of Mr Darcey. It was filmed in Utah and is made to not be super LDS preachy. One thing that is in this version and the Boliwood version is the change in the Lydia character. These versions are both modern day adaptations. This irritates me because it makes it seem as if the ditzy, silly minded girl who only wants to get married is different today then they used to be. I don't think this is true because I know plenty a girl exactly like Lydia who never learned her lesson and married a man for all the wrong reasons and many a time when the man married the girl for all the wrong reasons. Oh well, I'll stop interpreting, I read into silly things with little consequence (I can't help but start to talk like them when watch or reading or talking about it).

Finally the last version is 2005 feature staring Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen. I went to see this movie with my little sister wanting to hate it. I went simply to see it and have the proof and the knowledge that Keira could not be a Lizzy and that Hollywood could not do it justice. I walked away dieing to see it again. There are things I would change, for instance, how poor they make the Bennet family to be. They weren't as wealthy as Bingly or Darcey but they were still well to do and the family of a gentleman and I don't beleive that gentlemen lived that way. I also didn't love how annoying Lydia and Kitty were but then again they aren't really supposed to be lovable. I do thing that Jane was casted just right and Keira did do a good job as Lizzy. Mr Darcey is so perfect in this. I want Matthew to be in more movies, I haven't seen him in anything else. I LOVE the music and the cinematography. There are so many breathtaking shots of the British country side. The best part in all the movie and I will even go as far as saying my favorite love scene ever is when Lizzy sees Darcey walking towards her in the field in the morning. I am often doing something else while watching the movie until that scene. I am stopped right then an I get lost in the movie and for that moment I am Lizzy and he is walking to me. I know that is by far the corniest thing you have ever heard but it's so true. Stops me every time.

Anyway, if you haven't seen any of the movies, take your pick. Or better yet, read the book, timeless!
And yes I know I'm a nut! Thank you!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

2010-03-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

I saw the trailers for this one and thought it kinda looked good but didn't care one way or the other. Well my mom was treating us and this one was chosen. I loved this movie! I never read the books so I didn't have that to compare to. For now I'm glad I haven't read them because I could have possibly been disappointed. The acting wasn't anything special, and the graphics were incredible. But the story line was good and it encouraged my imagination. It's about the Greek Gods and their children that they have had with humans. It's some what similar to Harry Potter in that there is a boy who doesn't know how amazing he is till he becomes a teen and finds this whole world of "power". I think it's good for kids but they might not understand some of it if they are too young. It's the kind of movie that if you go with no expectation and a pleasant attitude you will probably really enjoy, which was my case.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T16:14:00.000-08:00

So I went with my sisters and mom to go see Valentine's day the day after Valentine's day. I'm going to be completely honest here. I did enjoy the film... BUT... there were almost too many well known stars. The big problem with this is that someones got to be the bad guy, or in this movie, bad guys and it's people that you like and don't want to see be mean or make a bad choice. Also, with the tradition of these love stories that is full of all sorts of little love story instead of just one, there was the gay things there a little and I'm quite the mormon conservitive and I don't love seeing it. It's just not my cup of tea in my chick flicks. The whole time I couldn't help but think how they were trying to make it as cool as Love Actually but it just wasn't. Now i'm not going to tell you to see love astually persay because that movie is rated and for very good reason. But I will say this much, I love Love Actually and I am trying to get an edited version of it and that is the only way I will watch it now. But like I said, I did enjoy this movie and there were a lot of sweet little love stories and thoughts. I love Julia Roberts and wish she could have gotten a bit better role or more of a part. Anyway, I would say go see it if you have the time and money and just need something to do or watch. If you don't then don't think anything of it and see it when it comes out on DVD. It's not a must see in my opinion.

update

2010-02-14T11:37:00.000-08:00

3 new post of movies in theaters now so keep reading and don't forget to leave a comment

Dear John

2010-02-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

I love this movie. I never read the book, my sister Sarah has so Sarah you'll need to see it and tell us how it compares. But Nicholas Sparks is the same Author that has brought us such movies as Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, and The Notebook along with one that is coming out later on, The Last Song staring Mili Syrus. Anyway, this has the oh so cute Channing Tatum and yes there are plenty of shots of him without his shirt on, ummmm. And also, Amanda Seyfried from Mama Mia who, I'll admit, I don't love, her eyes just pop out a little too much for me. This movie is about a soldier who meets a girl while on leave and their long distance relationship. It takes place before and after 9/11 and in my opinion shines a very respectable light on our soldiers. I mean seriously, Channing in a uniform, ummmm. Anyway, there's a chance you might not love it, my friend Brandi who I saw it with didn't like it because it made her cry, and I did as well. So you will either like the end or hate it. I'm not going to say anymore about the story. I'm interested to here how you all like it tho so tell me what you think when you see it.

When In Rome

2010-02-14T10:58:00.001-08:00

This was a very cute chick flick. I really did enjoy it. I felt like there may have been too many other guys in the story tho. I kinda wish that I could have seen a bit more depth build in the real love story. That is why I choose to call this a chick flick instead of a romance. But it was a lot of fun to watch, the colors were very vivid and the two star peoples (Kristen Bell from Heros and Josh Duhamel from Transformers) had such fun expressions. Although, like I said earlier, there was a lot of time with the other guys, they were very funny. There charactors were so cartoonishly iconed to many men that us ladies can relate to dating at some in our lives. Except for the Nepolian Dinomite guy, can't say I ever dated a magicain. Anyway, if you need a fun chick flick, take this one in.

Young Victoria

2010-02-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

I should have been British for I love just about all things British. That includes the royals. But in all fairness I love any story about royalty, French, Russian,... Anyway, this story is about Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. I got really excited to go see this movie so read up on the net of what their "true" story was. I was amazed at how closely they followed. Queen Victoria was played by the first assistant in The Devil Wears Prada and Prince Albert was Mr Wickem in the latest Pride and Prejudice (why haven't I writen anything about that? stupid me). Now there is a 2 disc AandE movie about this couple simply called Victoria and Albert. I must say I loved this new story about the two more then the AandE but the AandE is longer and tells more of the older years. I like long stories. But the newer version gave a much better love story and the two were much more attractive and as I always say it is much more entertaining to see two attractive people fall in love then it is watching ugly people. I'm so supperficial I know. This movie isn't in all the theaters but if you can find it, I recomend it to all my fellow British at heart friends out there.

About a Boy

2010-02-02T20:23:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful movie. Probably in my top 10. It's a british film and also was a book. I need to read it. It's got Hugh Grant in it who's a grown man who really acts like a boy and a young kid who really has been forsed to grow up too fast. They are a terrible and not likely couple but they help eachother over come issues and learn to act their own age. I'm telling you it's sooooo good. It's got a little romance in it and I think it's really funny, but it's british humor so it might take a few watches to think it's funny. It was made in 2002 so it's out at the video store. Lindsey and Dan, if you haven't seen it you should, I think you guys would really like it. I'll say that to you guys because you're probably the only ones that read this, that is if you still are.

Calamity Jane

2010-01-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

This is one of my all time favorite movies. I'm telling you it's wonderful. Doris Day is Calamity Jane and Howard Keel (that would be Adam in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, also classic must see) is Wild Bill Hitcock. The music is great, they are truely talented. I'll be honest with you, I think Doris is beautiful and my sisters and I used to watch her movies all while I was in high school, I used to wish I could look as cute as she was. Silly girl I was.

Anyway, Calamity is a tom boy who is always trying to prove herself. She get's herself in a bind when she promises to bring a famous actress to her small little town in the Dekota Territories. When she does she realizes what it's like to be a girl. That includes all the jealousy of seeing her crush liking that same actress she brought into town. I love the old classic musicals, after this film you will too. Such a great one.

Leap Year

2010-01-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

This is a cute movie. It's predictable as far as romances go but I don't really think they were trying too hard to throw you off the romance course, that wasn't their intention I mean to say. I always enjoy Amy Adams and you might remember Matthew Goode from the movie Chasing Liberty with Mandy Moore from years ago. Maybe it's the Irish in me but I can't help but shwoon over an Irish accent. Just music to me ears. It's a clean movie with very little swearing, I can't remember any but just in case I blocked it out I'll just say very little. It was a fun movie to see but I think a lot of you can wait till it comes out cause it really is predictable.

The basic plot is that a man and a women are dating (can I just say she has my dream job, staging homes, so awesome). She thinks he's going to propose, he doesn't. He goes on a business trip to Ireland over Leap Day and she decides to go there and propose to him. She runs into all sorts of issues along with an annoying inn keeper. I'm sure you can put together the rest. Cute.

Sherlock Holmes

2010-01-09T13:33:00.000-08:00

I loved this movie! It was so good. My sis, Kate, and I went for our annual new years day movie. My dad had read the reviews and told me that it wasn't like other Sherlock Holmes movies. It wasn't, IT WAS BETTER! There's a little romance, some action, great suspense, surounded by a great mystery. The ever so cute Jude Law is not the normal, boring, Watson and Robert Downey Jr. is much more comically rude then I normally picture Sherlock to be. You walk out looking at people and things differently, trying to find clues to a mystery that doesn't exist outside your head. I really enjoyed it and I think Mark would too. Great for a date. Go see it!

Julie and Julia

2009-12-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

This movie was fantastic! When I rented it, I wasn't really sure if I would like it. I am not a cook and didn't think the movie seemed that interesting. I was wrong! This movie was charming and relatable, and I love it!!! It's a must see.

Blind Side

2009-11-30T18:40:00.000-08:00

Holy cow! Amazing movie! I loved this movie! It's the best movie I've seen in a long time. It's a great movie about listening to your intuition and trying to do the right thing. There is an ever present football story line, I love sports movies, but even if you don't you'll still enjoy this movie which I think makes it a great choice for the Mr and Mrs and even the little kids. I loved how they showed great family values between the husband (Tim McGraw, such a cutie) and wife (Sandra Bullock, such a great actress), and the Mom and Dad and kids. I could really go on and on and just spoil the movie for you but I wont. I'll stop with a simple, GO SEE IT!

August Rush

2009-11-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

This movie is CUTE, CUTE, CUTE! I loved it. In some ways a bit cheesy but movies have the best kind of cheese. The plot is two musicians find eachother one night and fall in love. The next morning reality happens and they are torn apart. The girl is pregnant though (not the best representation of standards but they don't show any naughty scene so that's nice). But she gets in an accident and the baby is born while she is knock out and get's taken before she comes to. Well this kid grows up "following the music" and in the end... well you'll have to see it to find out.

The acting is well done. I love Keri Russell, I just think she's beautiful with her big mane of hair. And who doesn't like a movie with an irish rock star. Robin Williams does a great jod ofcorse; I think for a funny man, he is an amazing actor in serious rolls. The boy is cute and it's crazy how he really almost does look like both the movie parents. Anyway, it's from 2007 so it's at your local video store, GET IT!

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-11-13T07:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to sugar coat this one, Mark and I HATED this one! We are both lovers of the book. In fact, I read this one to the daycare kids every time I'm there. Anyway, they took a childrens book that only has an average of 7 words to a page and around 10 pages and tried to make an hour and a half movie out of it. There's a lot that wasn't in the book, to say the least. Going to it I knew this would be the case, the thing Mark and I didn't like was how they turned it into some psycological thing. Like he was running away because he didn't know how to deel with the reality of his own life. The monsters, I wasn't sure if they were supposed to represent the people in his life or if they were supposed to be the voices in his head... They helped him work out one of the issues in his life but it was way too weird. I do think they did a good job in creating the wild things. I didn't like the music in it. I don't think that children will understand it, Mark and I had a hard time understanding it. See it at your own risk is what I'm trying to say. I am interested in knowing if any children liked it so let me know if you've taken your kids to it or heard any kids opinions.

Dear Frankie

2009-11-13T07:10:00.000-08:00

This was a great movie. I really enjoyed it. And yes that's the same Irish actor from "PS I Love You", such a cutie.
I have to add a little disclaimer to my enjoyment. I love British films and story lines. Also this is a drama, not a romance, not a comedy. Knowing this before hand might help you enjoy it more.
The plot is this. Frankie is a deaf boy growing up with his mother and grandma. He recieves letters from a father that he's never met who is a sailer. He get's really excted when his friend tells him that his fathers ship is coming to port in his city. The twist is that his mother made up the story of the sailing father and has been the one recieving and writing the letters to frankie.
That's about how much the trailer discloses so I wont say anymore. But it's a great movie to rent (it's been out for a few years).

Beginning Credits

2009-11-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

This is a blog for those who watch movies. I love to watch movies. Romance, comidy, drama, action... I love them all. And I know I'm not the only one who loves to watch movies. I also know I'm not the only one who often have something to say after movies. That's the joy of movie watching, that for a few hours we are taken away into someone elses life and we are affected. Sometimes we are inspired, sometimes we are disappointed, sometimes we just feel entertained. And that's what I want to know. How do you feel about the movies you watch? Tell us, did you laugh, cry, scream, shwoon? It doesn't have to be movies that are in the theater, give a review to one you've rented or one that you own and have seen millions of times and just want to tell the world that it's still amazing. So here's your invitation to give your opinion, stand on your popcorn box and tell the world your thoughts. Please email me at cellis106(at)yahoo(dot)com with your email address that is attached to your blog so I can add you as an author. STAY TUNED!