1. Barbershop *****
This movie was hilarious and also full of important knowledge about the Civil Rights Movement. Ice Cube and Eve surprised me with their multi-faceted talents, and Cedric the Entertainer had me rolling.
2. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde *****
I was worried that it wouldn't be as good as the first, but this movie did not disappoint. I think I just needed an idealism/optimism fix, and this movie was perfect for that. I love how the whole movie is based around the idea that if you believe in something and listen to your own voice, anything is possible. Perfect for dreamers.
3. Sex and the City Season 4, episodes 13-18 *****
What can I say? If you've seen SATC, you know.
4. Phone Booth ****
Complete shock. I started watching just for the heck of it, and it turned out to be a pretty good movie. Colin Farrell impressed me greatly, he has good range and apparently his bad boy language can come in handy for his career. Original plot and filming, as cliche as it sounds.
5. A Guy Thing **
I expected more from Selma, Jason, and Julia. I blame poor writing. Support them in their other endeavors, like Mona Lisa Smile, which I can't wait to see at the end of the year.
6. Wrong Turn *
Whatever you do, do not see this movie. I went under peer pressure from my cousins. It was the worst movie I have ever seen. Negative stereotypes about mountain people are in full force here, and it's full of unnecessary gore. There are scary movies and there are gory movies, and this one was gory. But if you want a good laugh at a really really B horror movie, go for it. The screaming cannibal guy was the best part.
7. Sex and the City Season 4, episodes 1-12*****
While much of this season was serious and depressing, I found episodes 9 and 10 to be extremely amusing, laugh out loud funny, and more reminiscent of past seasons. Even the bad episodes are good though. Can't wait for Season 5 on DVD:)
8. The Ice Storm*
Sometimes I like those movies where it's more about the people and less about the plot. Sometimes I like it when you have to figure out what happens after the end of the movie. Not this time. Although the acting was very good, and it had a great cast. Too many things left unsaid, and not enough character development or motivation. I wanted to know more.
9. Secretary****
Unlike The Ice Storm, this was a perfect blend of a character driven/plot driven movie. At first I wasn't sure about it, but as the story progressed and I came to know and understand the characters more, I began to like it. At the end everything came together for me and what I saw as weird and wrong at the beginning became beautiful and serene at the end. This movie makes you think and question, two things that we don't really do enough of anymore. Cliche in a decidedly non-cliche way (if that makes any sense).
10. Real Women Have Curves*****
Real people. Real story (with a few Hollywood twists). Real good. Several of the actors in this movie were just ordinary people who had no Hollywood experience, and the screenplay consisted of a lot of regular dialogue, not well crafted witty lines reminiscent of Dawson's Creek or some other high vocabulary show. At first I was a little put off by the regular-ness of the script, but eventually that was what appealed to me most. This story was believable on so many levels. It made me laugh and it tugged at my heartstrings.
11. Seabiscuit****
Sometimes when everyone says how great a movie is, you have high expectations and then the movie falls short. That's how the first half hour of Seabiscuit was for me. Choppy editing and a poor screenplay made for a confusing and muddled beginning, but true to the nature of the horse himself, he came from behind and stole my heart. I never liked horses much until today:) Seabiscuit is a fairy tale in true Hollywood fashion, and normally I wouldn't fall for that. However, it is based on a true story, and truth sells. Great acting by Tobey Maguire and William H. Macy, great theme, beautiful horse. Great for all ages (I saw it with my grandma and a theater of senior citizens; my 40-ish boss and his 15 year old daughter both loved it too).
12. Two Weeks Notice*
Sometimes when everyone says how bad a movie is, you have low expectations and then the movie pleasantly surprises you. That's not how this movie was for me. In the beginning it seemed to have potential. But soon I discovered that as much as I enjoy both Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock, I couldn't enjoy this movie. I'm going to blame the writers and directors. And as far as onscreen kisses between good actors go, I have never seen a less passionate kiss in my life. The jokes weren't funny, the plot fell flat, the actors were capable of much much more. Disappointing all around. To use Soo's favorite word, this movie had potential. Had, being the operative word.
13. American Wedding **1/2
I only went to this movie because someone else paid. Needless to say, I did not have high hopes for it. I thought the first was comic genius, the second fell victim to the curse of the sequels, and I figured the third would fall victim to the even rarer curse of whatever you call the second sequel. However, this was one of those movies where no expectations yield high results. While there was the standard fare of sex and genital jokes, I actually had quite a few laughs. There were also a few "I want to throw up now" moments. While definitely not the finest of the American Pie trio, American Wedding had its moments. And Stiffler was at his best in this installment.
14. Deliver us from Eva ***
I saw this in the summer but forgot to put it on the site. The story has been done before (guy gets paid to take girl out, ends up falling for her) but Gabrielle Union puts a fresh spin on the "girl" character.
15. The Magdalene Sisters *****
One of the best films I have seen in years. A week later, I'm still thinking about this movie every day. The acting was incredible, the screenplay amazing, and the cinematography fresh and original (especially the close up eye scene in which the eye acts as a mirror). That said, this film wa extremely painful and difficult to watch. My stomach turned over more than once, and after watching it, the last thing I wanted to do was think about it. It's such an important film, and one