Playing Oscar Catch-Up: Andrew's Review of "The Help"

Directed By: Tate Taylor

Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain

Rating: PG-13 for Thematic Material

Synopsis: In the early 1960s, Southern socialite Skeeter Phelan (Stone) graduates from college determined to become an writer. Inspired by how her friends treat their black maids, Skeeter tries to get the black women who spend their lives working for white families to tell her their experiences for a book. After finding initial resistance, she is able to get maids Aibileen (Davis) and Minny (Spencer) to tell their stories, leading to both good and bad consequences.

REVIEW

Sarah: Hello readers Many of you, including myself, have seen Tate Taylor’s “The Help.” Andrew, however, had not seen it. So, in regards to this being the week before the Oscars, we are catching up on the Best Picture nominees we missed. I have read the book and seen the movie, and like most books-to-movies, I thought the book was better, but I do think it’s a very good movie with great acting.

But I am interested to hear what you thought, Andrew, coming both from someone who didn’t read the book or is from the South.

Andrew: Well I think those are two separate things, so I’ll tackle them individually. First, coming from someone who has not read the book, I really enjoyed the film. I felt that I got the real gist of the book and the story without missing anything. You’ve told me you thought all of the actors were casted very well, and I’ll have to take your word for it – but I do agree in that I thought Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain and Bryce Dallas Howard were all exceptional.

Now, as someone who wasn’t raised in the South like you were (Sarah was born in Virginia and lived in Alabama for another 5 years, dear readers), I was totally disgusted with Howard’s character, Hilly Holbrook. I feel that the depiction of blatant racism is eye opening because of how genuine the performances felt. I think the film presented that era in American history quite well. And heck, I’ll go so far as the say that Howard’s character is one of the best villain’s in film history. I hated her.

S: Yes, I would have to say that Holbrook is one of the worst characters ever written. She’s just wicked. Now, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis are all up for Oscars this year. While I think you will agree with me that they all deserve the praise and if they could give out two different Best Supporting Actress awards, Chastain and Spencer both deserve the praise. What did you think about the other actors that didn’t receive any acknowledge, like Bryce Dallas Howard and Emma Stone?

A: Well as I just mentioned, I think Howard was perfect as Hilly Holbrook. She was just despicable; and while not on the same plane as Hannibal Lecter or Darth Vader, I think her realistic performance deserved more accolades.

Emma Stone is quickly becoming one of our favorite actresses (side note: if you haven’t seen “Easy A” yet, readers, you should – it’s hilarious) and I thought she was great in “The Help.” In regards to her performance, I really don’t understand why she hasn’t garnered award talk because I see almost no difference between her job in this film and Julia Roberts’ in “Erin Brokovich.”

There’s a particular scene toward the last quarter of the film that Emma’s character, Skeeter, has with her mother (played by Alison Janney) that really got to me. For that scene alone she should have gotten more award chatter. I guess in summation, the cast of “The Help” deserved their SAG Award for Best Ensemble.

S: I agree with your thoughts on the actresses, and I think they should have gotten more recognition. Now, with the Oscars coming up, what do you think are the chances of this one?

A: How about we save that conversation for later this week when we delve into our analysis and predictions of Sunday’s Academy Awards, shall we? I think our plan for right now is to touch on the Supporting roles categories on Thursday, the Lead roles categories on Friday and then do Best Pictures and Best Director on Saturday. Then Sunday we’ll have our complete Oscar predictions and we’re going to try to do a running blog of the award show. Sound good?

S: Works for me! And your final grading for “The Help” is?

A: Now that it’s out on DVD, I do think this is a must-see film for all the performances alone.

(Out of Five)

They're Not 007, But They'll Do: Our Review of "This Means War" (2012)

Directed By: McG ("Charlie's Angels", "Terminator: Salvation")

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Chelsea Handler

Rated: PG-13 for some sexual content including references, some violence and action, and for language

Synopsis: Two CIA operatives, Tuck (Hardy) and FDR (Pine), end up falling for the same girl, Lauren Scott (Witherspoon). Using all their skills and available CIA gadgetry, they fight each other for Lauren's affections. Pretty simple, huh?

SYNOPSIS

Andrew: Hello readers! This morning Sarah and I went to a morning viewing of the new Reese Witherspoon/Tom Hardy/Chris Pine film “This Means War.” We previewed it on Thursday and it topped our list of new releases we’d see, as we’re fans of all three main actors and the kind of film it is. So, Sarah, did “This Means War” live up to what we thought it would be?

Sarah: I think it did! It was a lot of fun and I actually laughed throughout most of it! I was concerned with this one. When the trailers for “This Means War” came out, I thought, “Oh no, they have given away all the good parts!” I was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t. What did you think?

A:  I with ya on this one. I personally didn’t have really high expectations for “This Means War” and so the amount of times I outright laughed out loud was a pleasant surprise. I think a lot of that had to do primarily with the chemistry between Chris Pine and Tom Hardy – they’re delivery of funny lines was spot on.

S: Once again, it was a movie that didn’t try to be the next great romance, or best action film. It was just an all around funny date movie. The characters interacted really well together, and even Reese Witherspoon was good, considering her last movie, “How Do You Know?” was a complete bust.

A: Reese was pretty funny in her own right, but I do think her character was pretty flat. She was a bit flaky and at times I actually didn’t like her, but she was solid. I thought the film did a better job of fleshing out Tuck and FDR, and they certainly were the two MAIN characters, in my opinion, so they should have been the more rounded ones.

Was there anything about the film that you didn’t like, or that you thought was subpar?

S: Oh I agree, I think that the character of Lauren Scott could have easily been changed out by any actress, and actually think that Emma Stone could have done a much better job.  I think that the movie lacked a little bit on the storyline. The whole understory of the Russian bad guys was a little weak. I actually think it would have been better if there had been a series of little missions that they had to go on.

A: That’s not a bad idea! Cuz the movie starts with Tuck and FDR on a mission, which introduces us to them and the villain, and that was one of the best parts of the film I think. So the idea of seeing them in action more is an appealing one.

On that note, one of the strengths of the film was when the two guys used their C.I.A. resources to spy on each other and mess up their respective dates with Lauren. They didn’t ruin too much of that in the trailers. Heck, my two favorite scenes weren’t in the trailers or commercials at all.

S: Oh I completely agree! The funniest parts were when they were trying to sabotage each other.

A: The last thing I have to say about “This Means War” is simply that, while you’re right that it didn’t set itself out to be anything more than it is, parts of it were derivative of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and other spy films (particularly a poker scene that is pretty much straight out of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”). It certainly had it's flaws, like a thin script, some choppy editing and one scene where the audio was completely out of sync with the video, but for what it was, it's not bad.

S: I will give you that. Some of it wasn’t very creative, but funny anyway.

A: So what’s our final grading of “This Means War?”

S: Ok readers, with all that said, we say it’s a Great Way to Spend an Afternoon, if you’re out on a date, otherwise, Netflix It!

(Out of  Five Clapboards)

Photos Courtesy of: Inquirer Movies and Collider

Our Preview of This Week's New Releases (for Friday, Feb. 17th)

Andrew: Hello readers! Today is our weekly preview of the films that will be coming out in theatres on Friday. Last week's releases were...well...kind of weak, in that there weren't many. "The Vow" was good and "Safe House" is a good way to kill the afternoon (respectively reviews for The Vow and Safe House linked there), and this week doesn't look too much better.

We'll start off with a film that I know the two of us have been looking forward to since we saw the first trailer, and it's release has been bumped around a bit until settling on February 17th, and that film is the new Reese Witherspoon/Tom Hardy/Chris Pine flick "This Means War." Sarah, what are your thoughts on "This Means War?"

Sarah: Well, dear, I think we will have to wait until Saturday to get what I really think about “This Means War.” But for now, let me just say that I am very excited at the prospect of this movie. I have been hearing mixed reviews from film critics, but those who saw the sneak preview on Valentine's Day have said that they loved it.

Official Trailer for "This Means War"

A: We didn't even mention that it's directed by the guy who did the Charlie's Angels movies and “Terminator: Salvation” (McG) or written by Simon Kinsberg, who wrote "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," or anything about how we both really like Tom Hardy and Chris Pine in general. But hey, I guess I just covered those bases, huh?

S: Chris Pine and Tom Hardy are quickly becoming men to have in your movie. They both have this rugged manliness that mirrors a little bit of George Clooney and Brad Pitt in their younger days. It will be interesting to see how their careers evolve as they take on different roles.

This might be a good time to mention, yet again, that if you haven't seen Tom Hardy in “Warrior” then you are SERIOUSLY missing out. With the same guy who wrote “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” I think we can expect a fun movie that will probably end up on shelves since we own 3 copies of Mr. & Mrs. (Ah the joys of combining movie collections when you get married). I can honestly say that I have never seen “Charlie's Angels” so I don't really know what to expect on that front, but I guess it will be a surprise!

Ok, the next installment of Ghost Rider also comes out this weekend. What are your thoughts on the prospect of “Spirit of Vengeance?”

A: I have mixed feelings about the new "Ghost Rider" film, and honestly, that's because I saw the first one in theatres with a college friend during a matinee, and we both had such low expectations for it that we ended up having a blast. It wasn't a good movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a FUN movie because it was so outlandish and silly. If "Spirit of Vengeance" is the same way, we'll have to check it out someday, maybe just not in theatres.

Oh! And remember that behind the scenes thing we saw at AMC about "Spirit of Vengeance" and how the directors, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, are also the cinematographers and do these crazy stunt things to get the shots they want? (Seriously, for highway action scenes these guys were being pulled behind trucks while wearing in-line skates and holding the camera. It’s nuts.)

Official Trailer for "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance"

S: I will say that the behind the scenes looked way better than the movie, but who knows, it might end up surprising me. Maybe it's just that I have a hard time taking Nicolas Cage seriously. We’ll probably end up picking it up to watch on some lazy night once it's on DVD.

Ok, now onto the kid’s movie hitting theatres this week, “The Secret World of Arrietty.” This take on the classic book The Borrowers looks interesting, but I have to admit, the anime look is a little off-putting. And this coming from a girl who loved the television show, Avatar.

A: Yeah, I'm confused about a few things about this movie; the first being why they've named it "The Secret World of Arriety" and not just "The Borrowers." I looked up the movie's entry on Wikipedia (totally reliable!) and it said nothing about the name change other than the main character is Arrietty Borrower, so I suppose the title was molded to focus more on her character in general.

That said it apparently won the Japanese equivalenty of the Academy Award for Best Animated Film, so it has that going for it!

Official Trailer for "The Secrety World of Arrietty"

S: Well, I guess that's something. Probably one that we won't see in theatres either...man, it is another weak weekend for the movies. This is just another reason why spring and summer are just so much better than winter.

A: It's very weak. February generally is a month when studios dump out their worst films (same as January), but even though we'll probably only end up seeing "This Means War" out of these films, we'll have our Oscar categories breakdowns starting on Monday with Best Supporting Actress, so it's all good!

S: Yes! So as we count down to the Oscars, we'll be picking up some of the films that got past us when they were in theatres and are now Oscar nominees, and writing reviews on them over the next week! Excited for one of the biggest nights for films!

A: Absolutely right. I believe "The Help" is first on that list, with "The Tree of Life" on the to-see list. We should probably also get to the theatre to catch "Hugo" before it leaves, yes?

S: Agreed. We’ve heard good things about “Hugo” as well. So for now, we will sign off. Get ready for our review of “This Means War” later this weekend!

A: And here's our ranking of which new films this week we're most likely to go see:

1.) "This Means War"

2.) "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance"

3.) "The Secret World of Arrietty"

Sarah Wishes We Had a Housekeeper Like This: Our Review of "Safe House"

Directed By: Daniel Espinosa

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Brendan Gleeson, Vera Farmiga

Synopsis: Fledging C.I.A. agent Matt Weston (Reynolds) is unhappy with his job as a Cape Town safe house "housekeeper" until a notorious former C.I.A. agent turns himself in and is brought to his safe house for interrogation. When a bunch of guys with guns break into the safe house to kidnap Frost, all hell breaks lose.

Rating: R for strong violence throughout and some language

REVIEW

Andrew: Hello readers! Tonight my lovely wife and I caught a late matinee showing of “Safe House” starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. Last Thursday in our weekly preview I mentioned how I thought it looked like a Tony Scott-like thriller, and I think that’s exactly what we got. What were your impressions on “Safe House,” Sarah?

Sarah: Well first of all let me just say that Denzel Washington is just fun to watch act. He’s got so much talent. And Ryan Reynolds isn’t far behind him in the acting field.

This movie was fun. It didn’t try to be anything it wasn’t and was action-packed. I know you feel similar about some of what I said, but what else did you think about it?

A: I thought “Safe House” was a pretty good action flick, overall, but if we’re being honest then I have to say it’s uneven. There are parts of the film that are pretty exciting and riveting, particularly the actual safe house scene you see in the trailer and a chase through a tin shack village.

But then there are plenty of scenes where the pace slows down considerably. And there’s a common denominator with the slower scenes, and that’s that Denzel isn’t in those scenes.

S: I can see where you would think that, but then again it wasn’t like they wanted the movie to be the next ‘best action film.’ I liked the simplicity of the movie.  Now down to details. I liked how the scenes were shot. It was gritty, and since the movie takes place in South Africa, the shots really felt natural.

A: I completely concur with you on that point; the film really does look good. The color palette makes the South African locale seem dirty and hot. It also has a grainy and shaky look to it that totally works. (Again, like a Tony Scott film.) I particularly liked how they shot the hand-to-hand combat. You could actually see the punches landing. It will sound cliche but they felt like the Bourne movies at those times.

But if you don’t mind, I’d like to go back to my point about Denzel real quick. This film is at it’s absolute best when Denzel is on the screen. I don’t think I can pin-point what it is exactly, but it’s definitely a combination of his smile, that wry look in his eyes that tells you his Tobin Frost is a guy who knows exactly what he’s doing, and just how he carries himself overall.

I’m a big fan of Ryan Reynolds, and I think he does a good job in “Safe House,” but I do think the movie should have focused on Frost more simply because of how energetic Denzel is.

S: Ok, I’ll give you that. But I do think that Reynolds did just as good of job as Washington. Denzel is a powerful presence, and he’s proven many times over that he’s a great actor, but I think that Ryan held his own. I think that they made a good pair.

What did you think about the other big names in the movie (Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson)?

A: I thought the other players did well. Gleeson probably had the third biggest role in the film as Reynolds’ immediate C.I.A. supervisor. But they really didn’t have too much to do in the film other than to help the exposition. Why, what did you think of them?

S: I liked them, but I wasn’t sure they were necessary.  They weren’t in it enough to make it worth it to me, but oh well, I’m sure they have already been paid. Next time.

A: Exactly what I mean – they didn’t serve a purpose other than to help move the story forward.  Obviously that’s needed for films, but I think it was a little obvious this time.

Ok! So we think the film looks good, has its fair share of good action pieces and has two very good lead actors. With all that said, what’s our final ranking for “Safe House?”

S: It’s a great way to kill an afternoon!

(Out of Five Clapboards)

Next Review: This weekend, either Friday or Saturday morning, we will be seeing the new Reese Witherspoon/Tom Hardy/Chris Pine film "This Means War" so be on the lookout for that review! And don't forget to follow us on Twitter now! Twitter handle @TwoTicketsFor

Photos Courtesy: Beyond Hollywood

First Look at Brad Pitt's Mob Movie!

Hey readers, Andrew here. Have you ever wanted to know what Brad Pitt would look like if he worked for the mob? Wonder no more, as pictures "Cogan's Trade" have hit the web.

"Cogan's Trade" is the next movie directed by Andrew Dominik, who also helmed the 2009 Brad Pitt film "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford", and stars Pitt as a hitman for the mob who investigates the heist of a high-stakes mob poker game. The film also stars Ray Liotta ("Goodfellas") as the head of the mob, James Gandolfini ("The Sopranos") as a hitman, and Richard Jenkins ("The Rum Diary").

Now, neither Sarah nor I have seen "Jesse James" but I've heard great things about it and plan to see it sometime soon. And from the looks of these pics, even without a current release date, I think "Cogan's Trade" has just placed itself in the top ten of our must-see list for whichever year it comes out.

Source: Kinopoisk

A First Trailer for "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter" Hits the Web!

Andrew: Hello readers! Whilst trolling my favorite movie news websites, I stumbled upon something I think is quite awesome, and I believe my wife will agree with me – the first official trailer for the Tim Burton produced “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer!”

Before Sarah and I chat about the trailer, we want you to be able to watch it as well, so check it out:

First Official Trailer for "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter"

Okay! Like I said at the top, I think this looks freaking awesome. What about you?

Sarah: Well let’s explain a little bit before we go into what we think about the trailer. This is just one story based off a series of books that takes classic books or famous figures in history and changes them by adding ghouls of some kind and adding a comedic element. "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter" is based off the book of the same name, written by Seth Grahame-Smith (who also adapted the book for this film), but he first wrote the other well-known book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which they are also turning into a movie.

Now, this trailer looks awesome and as it gets closer and the theatrical trailer comes out it will shine even more light on the story.

A: Even though I haven’t read the book yet (I plan to eventually) I did always think the concept of Abraham Lincoln being a vampire hunter looking to get revenge for the death of some family members was an awesome idea. When I heard they were making into a movie, I got excited, but other than some casting news and a poster (which you can see below) I didn’t know much else about it.

This trailer gives me all I need to know. It looks action-packed, it looks atmospheric, and while some may believe the idea of Lincoln being an action hero of sorts to be silly, I think it looks fine in that trailer. Honestly, I didn't even realize it was directed by the guy who directed "Wanted," which is a crazy action film, too, but one that I think is waaaaay too over the top. But going off of first impressions, I'm willing to give him a second chance with this one, especially as it's produced by Tim Burton.

S: I like how the stories are kind of tongue-in-cheek. I agree that it looks to be very action packed. I hope that they do a good job on the vampires, as there seems to be several versions of the mythological beings out there on the big screen these days.

We will keep you all updated as more information about the movie is released!

Courtesies: Time.com, IGN.com

Remembering The Love: Our Review of "The Vow" (2012)

Directed By: Michael Sucsy

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Sam Neill, Jessica Lange


MPAA Rating: PG-13 for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language

Synopsis: Driving home one night, young married couple Leo (Tatum) and Paige (McAdams) are rear-ended by a snow salt truck. As a result Paige comes out of a coma without the memories of her 5 years with Leo. With Paige last remembering being engaged to a former beau, Leo goes on a mission to win her love back. 

REVIEW

Andrew: This afternoon I further proved just how awesome a husband I am by accompanying my wife to see the new romance movie "The Vow" starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum. Sarah, I'll let you take the lead on this one as far as what you thought of the film.

Sarah: Oh no, you wanted to see this just as much as I did. Ok, as for the movie...if you loved “The Notebook,” you will love “The Vow!” The film that proves that love knows no bounds. I was a little leery of this film, was ready to see another Nicolas Sparks book to movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. This film had heart. It would not have had been nearly as good if the casting had failed, but in this case, the casting was perfect! Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams were the perfect pair for this role. What did you think about them?

A: I think your point about the casting is spot-on. For all movies, if the lead actors don't have chemistry then the whole film can be ruined; "The Vow" did not have that problem. Far from it, actually. McAdams and Tatum are perfect together, and Sam Neill and Jessica Lange as Paige's parents nail it as well. Neill and Lange are able to bring a gravitas to their parts as the long-estranged parents, and it helps to increase the tension between Leo and Paige's parents.

Going off of the casting a bit, what did you think of Tatum and McAdams' performances? 

S: Oh I think it was really well done! They made the audience feel what they are feeling, share in their anguish and confusion. When Tatum first came to the silver screen, I thought that he would just end up being some kind of butch guy who just does these macho roles, but I was wrong. He has really come into his own as an actor. He was perfect for this role. 

A: I'll be completely honest here: Channing Tatum killed me in this movie. His performance as a husband who can't do anything but watch as he loses his wife because of her memory loss just tore at my heart. I would have NO IDEA what I would do or how I would feel if something like that ever happened to us, but I feel like how Tatum played it is exactly how it would be.

There are a couple of scenes in particular - the one where they first realize Paige has amnesia and doesn't remember him, and one later on when Paige negatively reacts to something incredibly personally between the two of them - where Tatum's reaction felt so genuine that I teared up. (And yes, I'm man enough to admit that.)

I'm in the same boat as you in that I never thought much of him before, like in "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and "Step Up" (which I haven't seen, thankfully), but after this film, the promise he shows in the upcoming "21 Jump Street" film, and his comedic turn in the terrible "The Dilemma" (he was the best part, imo), I'm definitely changing my stance on him.

S: I will say that the scene that you're talking about where he does something that is so personal between the two and she doesn't remember is a tough one to handle, but did you notice her performance? While she does freak out about it you can also see in her face that she recognizes the feeling but because it is so personal to her, she doesn't like to receive it from this man who she doesn't remember. 

McAdam's performance is amazing. She has really become one of Hollywood's leading actresses and shows that while she has the chops to have hard-hitting dramatic roles and also comedies like “Wedding Crashers” and “Mean Girls,” she can still bring out the love for a perfect Valentine's Day flick.

A: I have to admit that I did not see the reaction McAdams had in that scene, but that's probably because it was so quick. I'll have to watch for that the next time we watch it. You're right; McAdams does do a great job, too. I know we're kind of harping on it a bit, but it's the performances in the film that make it rise above the kind of chick-flick fluff that has come before it (like "Valentine's Day" or that one Miley Cyrus movie I can't remember the name of right now and don't want to look up the name for).

All that said about the acting, I do think the storyline could be seen as a bit light, but there were some parts of it I was not expecting and I'm glad it went that route. An example of the storyline that wasn’t super great is the reason Paige and Leo get in a car accident in the first place: they basically park their car at a four-way stop sign on a snowy, icy Chicago street and are just begging to get rear-ended. Suspension of disbelief and all that, though.

S: I think what I liked about this storyline was not made-up. It was based on a woman who lost her memory from an accident and she and her husband had to completely start over. I love that there are classic love stories like this floating out in the world. While we live in such a cynical world, there are stories like this that out there reminding us that true love is forever and can make it through. I know it's cheesy, but that's what this movie makes the audience feel.

A: Amen, sister. Ok, so I know this movie obviously was released at this time of year for a very specific reason, but in a vacuum, what is our final rating on "The Vow?"

S: Oh, we will own this, or at least I will own this. It's a good one to pull out on those days when you just need a good romance to watch. 

A: I knew you were going to say that. I'll endorse the purchase of this film to add to our collection. It's not quite to the level of "Crazy, Stupid, Love,” but it's pretty good.

S: Agreed. Any blue-blodded male better be taking their sweetie to see this one this week!

(Out of Five Clapboards)

Next Post: We will start breaking down an Academy Award categories leading up to the Oscars in 14 days, starting with the nominees for Best Visual Effects. 

Our Preview of This Week's New Releases (for Friday, Feb. 11th)

Andrew: Hello readers! Today we bring your our second weekly preview of the new movies coming out on Friday. Sarah, we had some good ones last week with "The Woman in Black" and "Chronicle," both of which we wrote reviews for. This week looks like it has some promise as well.

Because Valentine’s Day is coming out early next week, we'll start this column off with the new Rachel McAdams/Channing Tatum movie "The Vow."  What are your thoughts on how this movie looks?

Sarah: Yes, this week’s movies are a little more "Sarah Friendly." I am excited about “The Vow!” They have timed it just right so that every blue-blooded male will have to take his significant other to the movies this weekend. I believe this duo will bring this touching, yet heartbreaking story to the screen in typical Nicolas Sparks fashion.

In case you’re not familiar with “The Vow,” it focuses on a young married couple in the great city of Chicago. Early on in their marriage, while sitting at a red light, they get slammed into from behind. The next thing the viewer knows, Rachel McAdams' character is waking up in the hospital and mistakes her husband for her doctor.

She has no memory of the last four years. She doesn't remember the accident let alone being married to Channing Tatum (who could forget that, I ask you?!). In fact, she still thinks she's engaged to her previous beau, played by Scott Speedman.  Shaken by this terrible event, Tatum starts the process of trying to bring his wife back to him by making her fall in love with him all over again.

Trailer for "The Vow" starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum

Now, what are your thoughts on "Safe House," starring the amazing Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds?

A: I don't know how I feel about "Safe House" to be honest. I'm a big fan of the stars and it looks like a slick, Tony Scott-type action film. I like the concept of Denzel playing a bad guy who gives himself up, is kept in a CIA safe house run by Reynolds, and then all hell breaks loose with people trying to kill Denzel. That's a set-up I can get behind. I just don't know if it’s a lock we'll see it in theatres.

Trailer for "Safe House" starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds

S: I understand what you mean about not being sure about it, but it also might end up being one of those films that needs to be seen in theatres. We can Netflix it, though and I'm sure we’d get some of the same effect.

Now...George Lucas has decided that the world needs to be tortured by putting ALL of the Star Wars movies back up on the silver screen, but this time in 3D! Like we need to see JarJar Binks up-close and personal! Now, I love Star Wars as much as the next nerd, but c'mon!  

Thoughts on the re-release of the series that refuses to go quietly?

A: If George Lucas didn't already kill most of the goodwill he had left with fans after his terrible script for the last Indiana Jones movie, he's killing ALL of it with this movie. It's a total cash-grab, which isn't unheard of in Hollywood obviously, but this is such a bad idea. It’s the worst kind of cash-grab – the obvious kind.

And "Phantom Menace" is the least liked of all the Star Wars films to begin with, so I think rereleasing all of them in numerical order is a mistake as well. If he wants to re-release them, in my opinion, he should do it like all the films originally came out and go Episodes 4-6 first and then 1-3 after that. That's how almost everyone who loves these movies first saw them, and to start with the weakest link (and targeting the kiddie crowd) could be a disastrous P.R. move.

Trailer for "Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace 3D"

S: Oh yeah, it's going to be bad, and if it fails it’s totally on Lucas.

The only other movie worth noting is “Journey 2” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Now I never saw the first one, and we don't have kids, so I think it is safe to say that we will not be seeing this one in theatres.

A: Uh, yeah. That's a resounding "hell no" on "Journey 2." Did anybody ask for a sequel to “Journey to the Center of the Earth” starring Bredan Fraser? This movie just looks terrible. (UPDATE: Minutes before editing this post before publishing it, I was walking between building’s on ESPN’s campus and ran into a co-worker who pointed and said, “The Rock’s cooking over there.” I look where he’s pointing and damn if Dwayne Johnson wasn’t walking right towards me being followed by a camera crew. #awkwardturtle)

By the way, earlier in this post did I say that this weekend had some promise? Now that I think about the movies that are coming out tomorrow, I take that statement back. I'm hoping that "The Vow" will be good because we're definitely seeing that, as we're celebrating Valentine's Day a bit early, otherwise I guess "Safe House" is really the only other movie coming out this weekend I'd want to see. I had totally forgotten that "Phantom Menace" was coming out this weekend (and I'm sure it will make tons of money at the box office), but yeah..."Journey 2" is not a movie we'll be seeing and then there's nothing else. At least next week brings a movie I really actually do want to see in "This Means War" but man...after last weekend's flicks the rest of February is looking bleak!

S: Oh well, maybe March will be better!

A: And with that, we'll wrap up this week's preview of the new releases coming out. You'll have to take my word for it because we write this blog via email and Sarah had to run to the grocery store, but here's our order for which movies we're most likely to see:

1.) "The Vow"

2.) "Safe House"

3.) "Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace"

4.) "Journey 2"

Next Post: You can expect a review of "The Vow" to be posted late tomorrow night, with the possibility of a post earlier in the day on some movie news. As always, thanks for reading!

Bringing Down the Hammer: Our Review of "The Iron Lady" (2011)

Director: Phyllida Lloyd


Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Alexandra Roach


Synopsis: The rise and fall of Great Britain's longest tenured and only female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher (Streep), is told through flashbacks and the eyes of an older Thatcher, who is suffering from advancing dementia.

REVIEW

Sarah: Anyone who knows me knows that I have an undying love for the United Kingdom. If I believed in “other lives” I would say that I was some sort of British noblewoman in a past life. So needless to say, I was excited to see “The Iron Lady,” starring Meryl Streep. We had heard mixed reviews, but with Streep being nominated for an Academy Award for her role as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, we felt that we owed it to our readers to see this movie. And we are glad we did. Meryl Streep was amazing in it and deserves all the praise for her role, and probably should win the award. But, if you were looking for another “The King’s Speech” or even “The Queen,” you won’t find it in “The Iron Lady.” While Streep had an amazing performance, the story was seriously lacking.

What did you think Andrew?

Andrew: Well, I honestly think you pretty much said it all about the most important aspects of the film. Streep certainly knocks it out of the park with her performance, as she truly does embody Thatcher. A lot of that had to do with the fantastic makeup work done on her (leaps and bounds better than the old-age makeup done in the disappointing “J. Edgar”), as well as her prosthetic teeth, but she absolutely nailed the accent and she certainly looks as close to the real Thatcher as anyone could have.

S: The feel of the movie is a little strange though. It was like looking into a biography book about Thatcher but told in flashbacks. You go from a very elderly Thatcher with advancing dementia to a young determined woman who dreamed of a stronger Great Britain, which she intended to do something about. But the flow is rough and there is little point to the film other than a biography of this historic figure. While it is interesting that Thatcher is still living while this biography is in theatres, I believe it is a testament to her record-breaking time in office.

A: Yeah, as we watched the movie the thing that kept coming back to me is that it was so disjointed. It skipped all over the place and I think it really had it’s strongest point in the first half when you first saw Streep playing the older Thatcher and how lost she is in today’s world, and then the younger version of Thatcher played by Alexandra Roach, as we see her gain political aspirations and achieve them. It’s when it got to the 1980s part of the film that it really felt more all over the place.

And who knows, maybe that was the intent of the filmmaker? If the idea was to have us feel the same confusion that the older Thatcher did, then it succeeded quite well. I mean, one of the main aspects of the film is that Thatcher seems to be haunted by the memory of her dead husband (played by Jim Broadbent) in what seems to be hallucinations, and the way in which it’s portrayed can be quite confusing, as it was supposed to be for Streep’s character.

S: That is a good point to say that it might have been filmed to make us see life through the eyes of Thatcher. Interesting. British movies tend to be an acquired taste, and while they will always hold a special place in my heart, I was a little disappointed in this one. But, I am sure that it will end up on our shelves…one day…when it’s cheap.

As far as our actual ranking of it: Netflix it!

(Out of Five Clapboards)

Ok…now last month we said that once a month we would put in a favorite movie memory and tonight will be February’s installment of that.

Sarah: One of my favorite movie memories was when we went and saw “Robin Hood” starring Russell Crowe (seriously bad, was expecting another ‘Gladiator’ and did not receive). But it was not the movie that I remembered, but what Andrew and I snuck into the theatre, Max and Emily’s Sandwiches! Anyone from Central Michigan University knows a) how tough it is to stick those bags even in a big purse and b) how ridiculously delicious those sandwiches are. It made the movie all that much better!

Andrew: That WAS a good movie memory. Good one, hun. For this month the one that pops into my head was the time you visited me in Atlanta in the summer of 2010 and we saw “Inception” in an IMAX theatre. We got these seats that we perfectly in the middle of the theatre. The stadium seating leveled out in the middle so handicapped seats could be put there, and there were four seats right in the middle with the two end seats blocked off for people who were with anyone in a wheelchair. We grabbed the two middle ones, no one sat next to us, and we proceeded to have our minds blown to the back of the auditorium. ‘Twas awesome.