Winter's Tale

I had just gotten done listening to a bit on the radio about how the worst movies of the year come out in February, and then I went to this movie. The radio does not lie. This movie is really bad. It's not even fun bad, it's just "I feel embarrassed for these people" bad. You know you are in trouble when the magic flying horse is one of the more believable plot contrivances. The completely unnecessary narrator was gratingly annoying, trying to ascribe depth or meaning or something to this poorly planned pile of film vomit. Do yourself a favor and go see Frozen again instead.

Inconceivable!

The Riverside has been showing a weekly "classic" film, which is how I can justify reviewing a movie that came out in 1987. I have seen The Princess Bride approximately one bazillion times, and it continues to be awesome. However, I always forget how utterly irritating and useless Buttercup is until I have to watch her standing around twiddling her thumbs while Westley faces near-constant death trying to save her dumb ass.

It was fun seeing this movie in a theater full of other people who have also seen it one bazillion times. Nobody was too bad about reciting the lines along with the characters, but people did start giggling before all the punch lines. And, at the very end, when Grandpa says "As you wish" to the kid, the old woman in front of me let out a really loud but obviously sincere "Aww!" and everybody laughed (but in a nice way).

I somehow managed to be dating the only person on earth who had not seen this movie, so I made him go with me even though he didn't really want to. "We're going to see an old movie? In a theater? And paying full price? Why?" But by the end of the movie, he was totally into it, and when it was over, he turned to me and said, "That was a good movie!" Yep. It's a good movie.

Hunger Games Part II: Hungrier and Gamier!

I hate when people make a movie whose sole purpose is to be an advertisement for the sequel. I call bullshit! That being said, if you want to sit through a two-and-a-half hour long advertisement for the Hunger Games Part III, you should definitely see this movie.

Thor 2, Frozen, The Croods (DVD)

We bloggers were informed that we are horrible human beings for not updating this blog regularly, especially when some of us have actually seen movies.  SORRY.

So, without further ado, Thor 2!

I really enjoyed this.  It has the same pleasant mixture of humor, sci-fi awesomeness, and action that the first Thor did.  Also, Tom Hiddleston has somehow weaseled his way into my affections by being a bad guy.  I don't even know.  My only complaint is that somewhere between the first film and this one Odin turned into a giant asshole.  The hell?

Frozen:
I enjoyed Olaf, the snowman, way more than I anticipated.  This movie was pretty cute, and has a nice little love story of the family kind (though, since its Disney, they did throw in a little romantic love too).  Not my favorite of the animated films I've seen this year, but it was fun. I have mixed feelings on Idina Menzel's singing...part of me adores her, but part of me wishes she didn't belt out everything ALL the time.  I actually like single/Demi Lovato version of "Let it Go" better than the one in the movie, which is probably sacrilege.  Kristen Bell was amazing, though (I had no idea she could sing--you go, girl!)

The Croods:
I rented this on a whim over New Years Eve because my father and I are both 12 and still love animated features.  A friend (with kids) had been forced to see this at some point and had been pleasantly surprised by it, so I decided to give it a chance.

You guys.  It is gorgeous.  The animation is amazeballs, its funny, and I was highly pleased.  Dreamworks has completely cemented itself into my heart (How To Train Your Dragon gets most of the credit for that, though).  Blog favorite Nicolas Cage is the voice of the father, which is both amazing and hilarious. Nicolas Cage is kind of cartoon anyway, so it works.