3 out of 5

Avatar

200px-Avatar-Teaser-Poster A month or so ago we watched Avatar (2009,PG-13) for family movie night.  From ScreenIt!:

In the distant future on another planet, an Earthling goes undercover in an avatar body to infiltrate the indigenous race in hopes of helping his people get their hands on a valuable mineral located there.

Sometimes you hear such good things about a film that you're disappointed when you actually seen it even if it's actually quite good.  This was the flip side of that.  I'd heard it had good special effects but a terrible plot, but I didn't think it was any worse than your typical popular blockbuster plot.

I give it 3 out of 5.

21

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I recently watched 21 (2008,PG-13).  From ScreenIt!:

Recruited by one of his professors, a college student agrees to join an underground card-counting team, but must deal with the repercussions of getting too good at it, all of which draws the watchful eye of Vegas casino loss prevention specialists.

This was probably an interesting story to read, but it didn't work all that well for me as a film...especially Spacey's character.  It could have actually been on target for all I know, but it didn't feel like it to me.  I also don't understand how casino's could possibly get away with kicking the shite out of it's customers or why Ben wouldn't use a bank account.

I give it 3 out of 5.

Honey, I Blew Up the Kid

200px-Honey_I_blew_up_the_kid_film_poster Last night we watched Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992,PG) for family movie night.  From IMDB:

Wayne Szalinski is at it again. But instead of shrinking things, he tries to make a machine that can make things grow. As in the first one, his machine isn't quite accurate. But when he brings Nick & his toddler son Adam to see his invention, the machine unexpectedly starts working.

A bit of wisdom from the film:

There's one thing every kid knows: daddies mean fun, mommies mean business.

The kids enjoyed it.  I give it 3 out of 5.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

200px-Harry_Potter_and_the_Order_of_the_Phoenix_theatrical_poster Lisa was chaperoning a dance tonight, so the boys and I had dinner at Pizza Hut and then watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007,PG-13).  From ScreenIt!:

A teenage wizard must contend with changes at his school all while trying to get everyone to believe in and prepare for the return of a dangerous entity in this fifth installment of the "Harry Potter" series.

I give it 3 out of 5.

Body of Lies

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Tonight I finished watching Body of Lies (2008,R).  From Screen It!:

A Middle East based CIA field operative clashes with his supervisor back in the states as the two try to find and stop a terrorist ringleader.

We started it last weekend.  Lisa gave up on it pretty quickly with all of the non-stop gunfire at the beginning.  She missed the romance in the middle before the violence returned at the end.  It was OK...reminded me of The Kingdom

I give it 3 out of 5.

Taken

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Tonight we watched Taken (2009,PG-13).  From ScreenIt!:

A former CIA agent uses every tool in his arsenal and leaves many bad guys in his wake as he tries to find and rescue his 17-year-old daughter who's been kidnapped into the sex slave trade while vacationing in Paris.

It’s chock full of violence and a bit too far-fetched over and over again.  Also, Lisa says the boys are never going to Europe alone.

I give it 3 out of 5.

The Upside of Anger

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I recently watched The Upside of Anger (2005,R).  From ScreenIt!:

A woman tries to deal with her anger regarding her husband who's disappeared and left her alone to raise their daughters whose actions and decisions challenge her in various ways.

It was fine but nothing special.  I suspect the fairer sex would relate more to the relationships between the sisters and with their mom.

I give it 3 out of 5.

New Moon

200px-Newmoonposter I enjoyed reading Twilight enough that I continued on with reading and then recently going to see New Moon (2009,PG-13) with Lisa.  From ScreenIt!:

A teen must not only contend with her vampire boyfriend suddenly dumping her and moving away, but also the discovery that her best friend is a werewolf.

I pretty much felt the same about this one as the first one.  The book was enjoyable enough, and the film was tolerable as a companion to the book.

I give it 3 out of 5.

Twilight

250px-Twilightbook On our 15th anniversary cruise back in July, Twilight (2008,PG-13) was showing in the ship’s theater.  I’d been planning to read it anyway (if the ladies occasionally watch football with us, we can occasionally read about romantic vampires), so I knocked the book out over a few days before watching it with the Crumps.  From ScreenIt!:

After relocating to a small town to live with her dad, a teenager meets and ends up falling for a teenage vampire who's torn between his love for her and his appetite for her blood.

I didn’t love the book or anything, but it was enjoyable enough.  Having read the book also made the film more interesting than it would have been otherwise.

I give the film 3 out of 5.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

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Back in March we went to see Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian in the theater.  From ScreenIt!:

A former museum night guard tries to rescue his museum figure friends -- that magically come to life at night -- from an Egyptian pharaoh figure that's likewise now animated and desirous of resurrecting his army of the dead.

The kids liked it, but I thought it was pretty bland.

I give it 3 out of 5.

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