Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Quick summary: A group of men trying to relive the past accidentally get taken back to the 80s through a hot tub time machine.

Reason for seeing it: I enjoy goofy comedy movies. The previews for this movie made me laugh and it seemed like a funny plot. I was concerned that this movie would have too few laughs to be worth watching. It became an instant on Netflix and I decided to give it a try.

Review:  Just as I had feared, I was not amused during this movie. About 15-30 minutes in I considered turning it off. I stuck it out and it and it did pick up a little. Yet, overall, the humor just was not there. It was a case of putting all of the funny scenes into the previews. Most of the jokes were repetitive and predictable while others were just of the gross out variety which also failed to get a laugh out of me.

Recommendation: If you are searching for a comedy on Netflix, I suggest that you look elsewhere as I am sure that you will be able to find a more entertaining movie that this one.

Blindside (2009)

Quick summary: A teenage boy without anything or anyone is taken in by a sympathetic wealthy family. This turns his life around and ultimately helps him get to the NFL.

Reason for seeing it: I am a huge football fan and it seemed like there was a big buzz about this movie around its release. Yet, I missed it in theaters and I have really not been a rush to watch it. This is partially because it appeared that there may be a little too much drama for my taste. It had also gotten mixed reviews from my friends and family.

Review:  It is an interesting story that deserves its own movie. Quinton Aaron and Sandra Bullock both play very convincing roles which allowed me to get emotionally involved very early in this movie.   This set the stage for the entire movie. Yet, despite the powerful roles by these actors, this movie was not without its flaws. Some of the smaller roles fell short.  For example, the coach of the high school team was distracting in his role as he did not play believable coach nor did he complement the rest of the movie. His interactions with Bullock’s character were uncomfortable for the most part. There were a few failed attempts at humor thrown in I suppose to try and balance the movie. This included an extended sequence of interviews with various SEC coaches. In addition, all of the scenes that included football action came off to me as being very dumbed down and over simplistic. I also felt that the scenes in the projects were water down to the point where it was unrealistic.

Recommendation: In spite of the flaws mentioned above, this movie was worth watching for the powerful story and compelling roles played by the lead actor and actress. I certainly recommend putting this one on your Netflix list. However, I am not disappointed that I missed this one in theaters.

Limitless (2011)

Quick summary: Bradley Cooper’s character goes from a writer with little going for him to an intellect with near limitless opportunities after he gets his hands on a pill that allows him to access 100% of his brain.

Reason for seeing it: From the first trailer I was convinced that this was a movie that I wanted to see. The thought of a pill that would allows you to use all of your brain’s potential including allowing you to tap into information stored deep within your brain seemed like an entertaining plot. This movie also had good reviews from my friends who have seen this one.

Review: This was a very entertaining movie. Bradley Cooper did a great job playing the role of the struggling writer whose life was falling apart as well as confident clean cut man with control over all of his brain. The action scenes were engaging as he was able use the additional brain power to outmaneuver his increasing list of foes. He was also able to defend himself with information he had accumulated from of the violent action movies, self help videos, and documentaries that he had watched at some point in his past.  The visuals added to the appeal as the pill lifted the film from the dull and foggy to the bright and crisp which was exaggerated by the blueness of Bradley Cooper’s eyes. I left the theater contemplating all of the possibilities this pill could bring me as I wondered what I would do if I were given this power.

Recommendation: This one is worth shelling out the money to watch it at the theaters. If you miss it at the theaters, I would definitely add this one to the Netflix list.

What this is about?

I have found that I do not consistently agree with the opinions of movie critics or the popular opinions of groups of people such as the results provided on rotten tomatoes or other such sites. It is hard for me to determine if I will enjoy any given movie without actually watching it. I have decided to create this blog to give my honest opinions of the movies that I watch in hopes that it can be used as a tool for readers to gauge whether or not a movie is for them.

I am going to divide the movies into three categories:

1.       The movies that are worth the money to see the theaters

2.       The movies that are worth putting on your Netflix list but not worth seeing in theaters

3.       The moves that are not worth seeing

If you do not have Netflix, I encourage that you get this service if you watch movies with any regularity outside of the movie theaters. I do not work for Netflix nor do I have any vested interest in the company. However, I feel that this product is well worth the cost. It has saved me a lot of money in not only movie rentals but it has also cut down on my trips to the movie theaters.  

Category #1: These are the movies that I feel are worth the $7-$10 per ticket to watch in theaters. I watch a broad range of movies (comedy, action, romantic, animated, etc.) and there are movies within each genre that are worth going to see in the theaters. This is typically based on the overall quality of the movie. However, it can also be something that you can only get from the movie going experience such as impressive action sequences on the big screen or the group laughter of a crowd in comedy movies.

Category #2: These are movies that are worth watching, but may leave you a little disappointed if you were to spend money on a movie ticket to watch the movie. The reasons for being added to this list are numerous. I will discuss any specific reasons for putting a movie on your Netflix list when I provide my thoughts of the movie in upcoming posts.

Category #3: These are movies I felt were a waste of my time to watch. I usually try and do my best to avoid watching any of these movies. However, there are often times that I am mislead by a preview or critic opinion and find myself suffering through a movie. I will provide you with my views so that you can avoid the same mistake.

I have decided that I am not going to express my opinions about movies that I have watched in the past or movies that I may rewatch in the future. Instead, I will provide my views on the new movies that I watch in theaters, Netflix, or otherwise. I will also give you the reasons that I will find myself watching these movies whether it is an intriguing storyline, action packed trailer, positive review, or simply what my friends have picked to watch.

As I get started on this journey, please let me know if you know any interesting titles that you feel that I should check out.