My Movie Reviews

Release Date: 25 December 2008
Time: 1 hr 39 min
Distributor: Walt Disney pictures
Rating: PG
My Rating: PG
Starring: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell
Grade: B+

Synopsis: The Pacifier director Adam Shankman helms this children's fantasy concerning a hotel handyman who gradually begins to realize that the imaginative bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew are somehow beginning to manifest themselves in the real world. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

My Review: This film is a lot of fun but you must be prepared for some "cheesy" scenes in the film. Other than those scenes, this film was very well done, the humor is very clean and overall the film is a lot of fun. Sandler does a great job in his role and Russell actually really surprised me with her role. The overall story is fun as well and I was happily surprised at this film. It kept moving and never felt too slow. Oh yea, and Bugsy is awesome.

Recommend: Definitely see this movie. This film is great for all age groups and besides some women in bikinis there isn't anything really that bad in the film.

Release Date: 27 June 2008
Time: 1 hr 38 min
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Rating: G
My Rating: G
Starring: Wall-E
Grade: B

Synopsis: Disney and Pixar join forces for this computer-animated tale about a wide-eyed robot who travels to the deepest reaches of outer space in search of a newfound friend. The year is 2700, and planet Earth has long been uninhabitable. For hundreds of years, WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) has been taking out the trash, and collecting precious knick-knacks in order to stave off the boredom of his dreary routine. Little does WALL-E realize that he has recently stumbled onto a secret that could save planet Earth, and once again make the ravaged planet safe for all humankind. When highly advanced search robot EVE makes friends with WALL-E and realizes the value of his remarkable discovery, she excitedly races back to let the humans know that there's hope for their home planet after all. But after centuries alone in space, WALL-E can't stand the thought of losing the only friend he's ever known, and eagerly follows her into the deepest reaches of space on the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, the friendly trash-collecting robot who has always known what he was made for gradually begins to understand what he was meant for. Finding Nemo director Andrew Stanton returns to the helm for this family-friendly sci-fi adventure featuring the voices of Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, and Ben Burtt. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

My Review: I was a bit disappointed with this film. I had heard a lot of hype and good things, but it turned out to be a little slow. Wall-E was great and I enjoyed how they made him seem pretty human and he did a lot of fun things during the film. The basic storyline was a decent one, and so that was good. The end of the film was definitely much better than the beginning. I did enjoy the little cockroach :).

Recommend: The kids will love this one, and most people will enjoy it, but I am warning you not to watch it while you are tired.

Release Date: January 13, 2006
Time: 1 hr. 58 min.
Distributor: Disney
Rating: PG
My Rating: PG
Starring: Josh Lucas, Jon Voight, Derek Luke, Alphonso McAuley, Mehcad Brooks, Al Shearer, Damaine Radcliff, Sam Jones III, and Schin S. Kerr
Grade: B+

Synopsis: A true-life story of a basketball team who broke down barriers while racking up victories is the basis for this sports drama. Don Haskins was a high school and college basketball star who, after six years of working with high school teams, became the head coach at Texas Western University in 1962. At that time, Texas Western's basketball program was not well respected, but Haskins was determined to change that, and in 1966 Haskins assembled what he was certain was a winning team. However, Haskins' starting lineup was comprised entirely of African-American athletes at a time when racially integrated teams were still a novelty in the South and West. Despite generating a firestorm of controversy, Haskins and his players showed they could succeed where it counted -- on the court. In post-season play Haskins and the Texas Western team found themselves competing for the NCAA championship against the University of Kentucky's all-white team, lead by legendary coach Adolph Rupp. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

My Review: This movie is based on a true story and that makes it even greater. The storyline is very good and very interesting. The one thing I didn't like is that the film looked like it was made about 10 to 15 years ago. Other then that, the actors did a great job making you feel like this really was taking place in the 1960s.

Recommend: Definitely one for the whole family. The story is so uplifting, and it really makes you realize how badly black people were treated. There are a couple of scenes that may be disturbing for the little ones, but other then that a very great movie to make you realize how great the black people of this time really were and what they had to go through.

Release Date: December 21, 2007
Time:2 hr. 5 min.
Distributor:Walt Disney
Rating: PG
My Rating: PG
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha
Grade: A-

Synopsis: When a missing page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth surfaces, Ben’s great-great grandfather is suddenly implicated as a key conspirator in Abraham Lincoln’s death. Determined to prove his ancestor’s innocence, Ben follows an international chain of clues that takes him on a chase from Paris to London and ultimately back to America. This journey leads Ben and his crew not only to surprising revelations – but to the trail of the world’s most treasured secrets.

My Review: Not quite as good as the first one, but still very entertaining. The major difference between this film and the first one was that the first one had more clues along the path and they seemed to flow better. Nicolas Cage does a great job as usual, and Justin Bartha provides the comical "side-kick". I very much enjoyed this film and hope there is a third one.

Recommend: I would highly recommend this film. You don't have to see the first one to see this, but I would recommend to.

Release Date: November 19, 2004
Time:2 hr. 11 min.
Distributor:Walt Disney
Rating: PG
My Rating: PG
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha
Grade: A

Synopsis: A man sets out to steal a lost fortune in order to save it in this adventure drama from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage) is an archeologist who is from the eighth generation of a family who has shared an unusual quest. As Gates-family legend has it, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin hid a massive cache of gold during the waning days of the Revolutionary War and left clues as to its whereabouts in the original drafts of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. With no firm proof that it actually exists, Gates sets out to crack the code that will lead him to the fortune, which, as a member of the Gates clan, he is sworn to protect from wrongdoers. National Treasure also features Sean Bean, Harvey Keitel, Justin Bartha, and Jon Voight. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

My Review: This was my first time ever seeing this movie and I enjoyed it a lot. I love the adventure type movies and the detective part of this film really got to me. I felt like I was part of the story and I was playing along trying to guess what was next. There were some funny scenes as well.

Recommend: Yes. This is a great film for the entire family. This is a must see.

Release Date: May 24, 2007
Time:2 hr. 48 min.
Distributor:Walt Disney
Rating: PG-13
My Rating: PG-13
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush
Grade: A-

Synopsis: In the follow-up to the 2006 record-breaking smash hit 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,' we find our heroes Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) allied with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) in a desperate quest to free Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from his mind-bending trap in Davy Jones' Locker while the terrifying ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman and Davy Jones, under the control of the East India Trading Company, wreaks havoc across The Seven Seas. Navigating through treachery, betrayal and wild waters, they must forge their way to exotic Singapore and confront the cunning Chinese pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat). Now headed beyond the very ends of the earth, each must ultimately choose a side in a final, titanic battle as not only their lives and fortunes, but the entire future of the freedom-loving Pirate Way, hangs in the balance.

My Review: Better than the second, but the first is my favorite. It is great watching Jack talking to himself. Also, Jack running is always classic. Good action sequences, and the love story really heats up.

Recommend: Yes. Might be kind of frightening for children. Also, turning on the subtitles makes this film even better because you can understand all of the jokes (all that pirate talk is hard to follow sometimes).

Release Date: July 7, 2006
Time:2 hr. 30 min.
Distributor:Walt Disney
Rating: PG-13
My Rating: PG-13
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Grade: B+

Synopsis: Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) discovers he owes a blood debt to the legendary Davey Jones, Captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman. With time running out, Jack must find a way out of his debt or else be doomed to eternal damnation and servitude in the afterlife. Making matters worse, Sparrow's problems manage to interefere with the wedding plans of a certain Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), who are forced to join Jack on yet another one of his misadventures.

My Review: This film is good but feels a little long. Usually the second film in movies is this way. However, this is still a fun movie and Johnny Depp once again does a great job in his role here.

Recommend: For sure. Watch this right after you watched the first one. Then get ready for the third one. Once again, there are some scenes that might frighten the little ones.

Release Date: July 9, 2003
Time:2 hr. 23 min.
Distributor:Walt Disney
Rating: PG-13
My Rating: PG-13
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush
Grade: A

Synopsis: When Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), the daughter of Governor Swann (Jonathan Pryce) is kidnapped by a group of pirates led by Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and taken aboard their ship, The Black Pearl, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), the young man who loves Elizabeth despite the fact that she is promised to another, sets out to rescue her. But he can't do it alone, so he enlists the help of swashbuckling ship captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). Together the two chase after The Black Pearl, but they soon discover that the captain and crew aren't your average pirates. Cursed to remain between the living and the dead, Barbossa and his men look like skeletons when basked in the moonlight. When it is revealed that the only thing that can break the curse is Elizabeth's blood, Jack and Will are faced with a race against time and a battle against the undead to save the Governor's daughter. ~Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

My Review: This movie is great. I have seen it several times, but we watched it again yesterday. Johnny Depp is classic. He definitely earned his Oscar in this one. Without Depp I think that this film would have been a real flop. He keeps you on your toes and he is hilarious. One of my favorite films.

Recommend: Definitely. There may be a couple of scenes that are a bit scary for the little ones, but other than that, it is great fun for everyone.