Haywire VS Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Haywire VS Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

So this week i went out on a limb... the movies were not fitting into my timing and I will see anything after all. (almost anything)

Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender (big love?), Channing Tatum and michael Douglas in the Steven Soderbergh film sounds pretty promising. i kind of love Ewan McGregor and i know nancy is hot on Channing tatum. so, i figured that a movie with a self sufficient, martial arts and marksmanship skill tallented female spy type leading actor with a hottie supporting cast might not be too bad. I also (wrongly) figured that with such a good cast and seemingly smart actors, they would pick a great script.
Well... I could not believe how much is did not believe the character. the fight scenes had a lot of grunts and wallops and more ugh's and grunts and slap sounds for a lady fight! i (a feminist) found my self thinking why would he hit her, she's a girl!!
I don't know Gina Carano but she does not seem to have the required edge to pull it off. I remember Bridget Fonda in that movie a long time ago.. she was a great fem fatal.. and what about the bad ass, kind of scary person Angelina jolie... she can pull off spy bad ass. Gina was not fitting her role and further more he sound editing was having too much fun making the fight sounds sound too realistic. Whats with the slapping sounds right and left? i had to ask! I was not amused!

On the other hand... the next day or 2 i saw.. Underworld;rise of the Lycans. When i purchased the tickets at my most frequented king of Prussia theater the cashier looked up and proclaimed: "Really?, this is not like you". I questioned her and she shrugged and smirked... I reminded her that I see everything, well except the Saw movies and devil movies "based on a true story'. I became nervous that i would HATE this movie.
Well, actually.. i kind of liked it for what it was worth. Kate Beckensale is a bad ass and if i had any chance of looking remotely good id totally go as her character for my Halloween party. (commence diet!!!) She is like the Honey Badger of the underworld! She don't give a shit! she would not blink a steal blue vampire eye while she slaughtered any human or werewolf- monster in her path. Granted, she was just defrosted from a 12 year cryo-bath freeze... i'd be moody too. On top of her defrost, she discovered that she had a daughter conceived out of love with her (believed to be deceased) half man, half lyken, half vampire, all hottie lover... (i was a bit confused too many half's i know). Back to the kid. She is now 12 and apparently super special and the only one of her kind.. something about special powers, no origination (vampire bite scare) marks... etc... etc... etc..she needed to be protected at all cost!
There were fights with growling dog/monsters.. vampire antics, lovers lost... and a handsome, light eyed brown skin human sympathizer cop to make it all so action packed!
Selene... the main character was as i said a bad ass and would have sent Gina in haywire running for the hills.
the shocking conclusion, i liked the Underworld movie so much more then haywire.
can i recommend either film... no, I'm a chicken. If someone i know admits to seeing the underworld movie.. or better yet the movies preceded this one, id love some fun banter... and perhaps some explanation files

move movies.. less then nancy

Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows Trailer
Contagion (second time)
Iron Lady

nancy is plowing a head with her movie quest.. frankly i don't know when she was watching these movies because since DEC 16 she has been practically attached at the hip to me. It has been fun having her home and sad to say good bye yesterday. Yesterday came and went and Nancy was still here, quietly demanding all the attention that an only child wit h3 siblings does. the issues is i love her and want her to be happy... and have co-dependency when it comes to her... well she is the best!
since Nancy desired to leave today, we were able to watch my new latest favorite movie called "Iron Lady". Meryl Streep and her supporting actor Denis Broadbent were superb. It was a love story. Love for Margaret's husband and all that marriage and family brings and, love for conviction and service. One needs to be useful. It should not be about ones position in life, it should be about purpose. I will see this film again, perhaps today. I remember knowing about margrat thatcher in the 80's. I was in England as an exchange student when i was in 9th grade... there was real fear of the IRA bombings. Blimpy bars were being blown up.
I am sure nancy will write a fantastic review about Iron Lady...
I give it 4stars...

Off to lunch wit hight school friend and a movie alone... Free at last.

The Artist; a black and white, silent movie... cool or nu-cool

Yesterday Nancy and i want to see the Artist. a french silent film with subtitle in English. oh, in black and white too. in a way it sounds kind of boring, the cool Lydia says exciting, the realist Lydia says um, boring.
Well...cool Lydia was right. It was really great. I loved it. the acting wonderful. jean Dujardin plays the dashing protagonist and he is fantastic on the big screen.
i highly recommend this different film, it was charming, entertaining and cool! The music was totally memorable, and costumes perfect. I loved the white gloves and tails in the theater. I think i will get my kid gloves out for my next movie.

today we may see the 2hr 45 min bollywood film that "Players? a take off of the movie "Italian Job" ... that could be a lot of action, and reading at the same time. i need to learn Hindi or is it farce???

keeping up with nancy the film critic

my daughter Nancy has been going to movies with me since Babe the talking pig and Pocohanas.
I took her to many films that were before her time, and kind of regret taking her to see Hotel Rowanda in 2004 (she was 11). she has a sophisticated film pallet and is a funny and talented writer. I am her mother so i believe so.
Here is the issue; she is blogging about the movies she is seeing to meet her 365 movie challenge. I jumped in with her, but now feel like i am going to pale in comparison. so far each movie she has watched this year has had me right by her side.
the latest "my week with Marylin" and "tinker Tailor soldier Spy".
My week with Marylin was my second viewing and i took her because the acting is so great. Michelle from blue valentine is superb. Nancy writes about it in her blog and does so equivalently. what more can i say, I'm just the mom in the shadow' of greatness.
I will say that i made a bold move in that movie but ordering the onion rings at the King of Prussia Regal. They are amazing.. Delicious and crispy. it is shocking how good they are. It is kind embarrassing because they waft off a seductive smell of yummy delight to the eater but, Probably not what the other people in the theater want to smell while they are munching on hour old popcorn. i am sure Nancy finds an awkward dilemma ... love mom, love onion rings, love movies at the theater, but not all at the same time.

Yesterday we saw "Tinker, Taylor, soldier, Spy"... again Nancy sums it up in her blog, it is spot on and i feel like i would only look like a plagiarizer of idea if i too wrote about it. i will say that is was good. I am sure i need to say that because it was so slow, and gloomy and confusing and British if is said that i did not like it, i'd be an outcast in my imaginary film society. one side note; I am a fan of Gary oldman... but not a fan of his facial pores.
Bill wolffe told me that; one night after a group viewing of the X-files on TV, my Dad proclaimed "We need the X-planation Files after watching that show" ... HA! DOC! Both Mac and I felt like we needed the X-planation files after Tinker Taylor, sailor, soldier what ever... I will proclaim that it was awesome,, i am supposed to. I Will likely see it again and then see how i REALLy feel.

i forgot about War horse

Jan 1 war horse
Steven Speilberg presents a must see adventure about a horse and a hard working, long loving boy and a war. WW1 nightmare!
War is hell for young men, and brutial for a War horse. The movie is a made for the Oscars, almost gyneric film in its perfection. It is sure to tug at the tears and sentimentality but, and there is a But... seemed too perfect. It is like the pretty boy that is almost too good to be true!
the cinematography was perfect. Big screen sceen, dark war, Rain, Redemption, and brotherhood. I tend to like things and I did like this movie. i would have rented it and had a big glass of wine, fire and snacks...

the whole time i was watching War Horse I thought of the Documentary that I saw at BMF called BUCK

Net flicks tonight; Buck.
This is my second viewing of the documentary of the film called BUCK. a film that follows the real life horse whisperer Buck wonethingerather. what a story, what a film. Buck has a talent and compassion that gently jumps off the screen. I loved this quiet film when i saw it in the theater and still liked it at home in front of the small screen. There are no pretenses here. Buck is the real deal and his story is heroic in the personal scale. Robert Redford, (who is still so hot) appears in the film to talk about Buck and his involvement in the block buster film 'Horse Whisperer' ... a great film in the 90's?
I made nancy watch it after badgering her to see it for literally 3 days... she finally caved. I bet she liked it!

jumping on the ban waggon, new years movie challange 2012

My daughter Nancy is a talented, discerning film student, attending university. Studying film. what the hell... I do not think that could be a "real" major.. i am jealous er, envious, a more polite word. I think to my self, um... i am really good at watching movie's, and in a time machine i could toss aside social work and helping people for the art of film. Film Major! Masters in Film! so cool, But back to reality and 2012!
Nancy is blogging about her 2012 movie challenge. 365 movies in one year. can she do it? the challenge, can i do it?!?! I will try...

The first film of my 2012 was tom cruise in Mission Impossible 4. Macdaddy's choice.
I instantly remembered the opening of the TV show,,, dun dun. dun dun dun dundun.. beebabo beedaboo... dah dah! (true confessions, i didn't "get" that show back then. Perhaps i was too young!
This Mission Movie #4 was... well, hem, haw... It was fun. I too was not to thrilled to see toms man boobs. (nancy reminded me of them in her blogg). while watching in the post Christmas theater I felt proud that i did not heckle the screen by shouting "hey Tom, get a manzeer, or broh. " The people behind us shifted in their chairs when i whispered my comment to Nancy and Mac about his silky nasty shirt. Tom should not wear that shirt, with those boobs, Period!
I still love Tom Cruise in spite of him self. The movie was fast paced and slow at the same time. It was like a canned movie. Same old same old. I think in the next movie the bomb should actually drop and then Tom will have to save the world in the aftermath (with nuclear fall out and THE ROAD... and book of Eli, and district 9). All, in all the movie was exactly what i expected. Mission impossible to surprise Lydia #4.

Next day new movie:
Matt Damion in We Bought a Zoo
I laughed, I cried...
I am a sucker for "biased on a true story" films. And I am a sucker for Matt Damon (move over Sara Silverman, I loved him first)
Long haired, perfectly sloppy matt Damion plays a loving Widower Dad who will do anything to see his kids smile, including moving away from the horrible memories and mean schools to the country side, to a new home that happens to be a Zoo. (breath)
This kids were charming new comers and believable. The Zoo cast was quirky and somewhat what believable. The sound track Perfect for me.
Cat Stevens, neil young on the jukebox. The bar on the Zoo campus was the kind of joint id love to be a regular at. Like a New paltz, wood stock hang out with cool down to earth miss fits. I could see my self playing joni Mitchel and RLJ and dancing drinking beer with Zoo folks.
It was a family film, so i had to give some leeway to the predictable-ness. But all in all a feel so bad that you end up feeling good movie.
I can't wait t go to California to visit that Zoo.

George Clooney, The Decedents (again)
I took nancy to the BMFI for popcorn and a movie. We chose, the Descendents. My second time. I warned nancy, that it is sad. Good but, sad. Nancy does not like sick mothers, or worse dying mothers in films, for some reason.
a 4 star movie for the second time... hum, It is good. very good. A well put together story set in Hawaii, with real issues and real characters.
Several times, i thought to my self; 'I do not want to be in a coma'. My family should not have to deal with that nightmare. What a drag! The "women in coma", was amazing, so sad and real and scary and horrible. The dad and kids came together nicely and dealt as best as they could. I loved it how people spoke to the person who was brain dead. Nice chatting, angry words, venting... all to a basically dead person. That seemed real. the yucky sad real that Oscars are made of.
Was this movie Epic, No... was it very good, yes, especially for 2011 where the pickings were slim. Hawaii was cool, and a cultural i am not familiar with so that was a bonus.
side note. i love the salt and pepper George hottie!