WE BOUGHT A ZOO

Movie: We Bought a Zoo
Jan's Rating: B+
Time: 2 Hours 4 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: I took my Grandson to see this movie today and we both enjoyed it very much, especially knowing it is based on a true story. Matt Damon's wife dies and his 14-year old son gets expelled from school, so he decides to move someplace else and start over. He ends up buying a zoo and thus begins the story of the "hows" and "whys" of maintaining a zoo. Matt also has a daughter who looks to be about 6 but very mature for her age. She is absolutely darling. Scarlett Johansson manages the zoo. It is a heart-warming story and one I think you will enjoy as much as we did.

YOUNG ADULT

Movie: Young Adult
Jan's Rating: B-
Time: 1 Hour 38 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: My friend Laura and I saw this movie today starring Charlize Theron who plays a believable role of a rude and crude immature author who lives in the big city and decides to go home to the small town she grew up in and resume a relationship with an old boyfriend who is now happily married and has a new baby. She is under the illusion that he must want to escape changing diapers and resume his relationship with her. She is not a very likeable person but you can't help feeling a bit sorry for her mental state. We enjoyed it but it is not exactly a "feel good" movie.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Movie: My Week with Marilyn
Rating: C
Time: 1 hour 39 Minutes

Saw this movie today with my friend, Nancy. We were both a bit disappointed, expected more since it is up for a Golden Globe Award. We felt it moved too slowly. Michelle Williams does an excellent job portraying Marilyn Monroe and can understand why she is up for Best Actress. The movie mostly shows you how mentally disturbed Marilyn really was. She didn't know who her father was and her mother was put in a mental institution when Marilyn was young. Consequently, Marilyn had deep-seeded insecurities and fears of anyone she loved leaving her. It is worth seeing when you can rent it, but spend your $7 on another movie. Just my opinion......

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED

Movie: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Rating: C
Time: 1 Hour 27 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: I took my grandson to see this movie Monday and we both enjoyed it, but probably not as much as the last one. You can't help but fall in love with the adorable little chipmunks but this movie was more of a drama than a comedy so not as many laughs as before. It was still fun to watch.

THE DESCENDANTS

Movie:  The Descendants
Jan's Rating:  B+
Time:  1 Hour 55 Minutes

Jan's Opinion:  I had heard from my friend Karen that the acting was very good in this movie but the storyline a little slow/lacking.  I saw this movie today with Cousin Bonnie and Bonnie was a little disappointed but maybe it was because the movie was built up so much so she expected more.  My opinion is that I loved the movie, the story, and the acting.  It was a very serious role for George Clooney being a father of two daughters, ages 10 and 17, and his wife is in the hospital in a coma.  I think he handled the girls and their hormonal temper tantrums very well, and he even cries in the movie.  However, I'm not sure his acting and crying was Oscar worthy.  It is definitely worth seeing, but don't expect so much and maybe you will enjoy it more.

TOWER HEIST

Movie:  Tower Heist
Jan's Rating:  B+
Time:  1 Hour 44 Mins.

Jan's Opinion:  I finally got my husband out to the movies today and we saw Tower Heist and we both enjoyed it very much.  Any movie with Eddie Murphy will always give you a lot of laughs.  Ben Stiller actually had the bigger role in the movie, and this was the first movie I have seen Alan Alda in where he plays the bad guy.  I hate to tell you the main story line because it might ruin it for you but go see it, you'll enjoy it too.

DOLPHIN TALE

Movie:  Dolphin Tale
Jan's Rating:  A
Time:  1 Hour 53 Minutes

Jan's Opinion:  My daughter, Michele and grandson, Danny, went with me to see this movie today and we all gave it an "A"!  We LOVED it!  It keeps your emotions on a roller coaster from happy to sad and back to happy again.  The movie is taken from a true story about a dolphin who got tangled up in a trap and landed on the beach in Clearwater, FL.  A young boy and the marine hospital help the dolphin get its life back, even though it lost it's tail.  Ashley Judd plays the boy's Mother; Harry Connick, Jr. plays the head of the marine hospital, and Kris Kristofferson plays the boy's grandfather.  The dolphin, named "Winter", is on display at the marina in Clearwater for everyone to visit.  It was a beautiful story and know you will enjoy it also.

FOOTLOOSE

Movie:  Footloose
Jan's Rating:  B+
Time:  1 Hour 53 minutes

Jan's Opinion:  Saw this movie with my sister Judy and friend Irene and we all really enjoyed it.  It would be hard to watch this movie and keep your feet stilll.  The dancers were phenominal!  I love Julianne Hough from Dancing with the Star anyway, and she did not disappoint me in this movie.  She is also a very good actress.  Her dance partner and eventually boyfriend in this movie was Kenny Womald, who was also an excellent dancer.  Dennis Quaid plays Julianne's father and the town's preacher.  After a tragic accident, the town votes not to allow dancing in their town and a strict curfew at night for teenagers.  Kenny Womald has just moved to this southern town of Bomont, GA from Boston, MA and can't believe that Dancing is against the law there.  You can imagine where the story goes from here so go see it and enjoy it as much as I did.

IDES OF MARCH

Movie:  Ides of March
Jan's Rating:  A
Time:  1 Hour 45 Minutes

Jan's Opinion:  LOVED THIS MOVIE!  Great story, great acting!  George Clooney wrote it, directed it, produced it, and starred in it.  Our local boy really did good with this movie.  My friend Irene went with me and we both gave it an "A".  George Clooney is Governor of Ohio and running for President. ( If only that were true, I would vote for him! )  Of course he runs into obstacles that make the movie interesting and you see just how crooked politics really are.  Ryan Gosling was superb, as were Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Paul Giamati.  I don't want to tell you more of the story because I don't want to ruin it for you so I will just say.....it is one of the few movies I would enjoy seeing a second time.

50-50

Movie:  50-50
Jan's Rating:  B
Time:  1 Hour 39 Minutes

Jan's Opinion:  Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie yesterday and we both enjoyed it.  The acting was especially good.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the part of a young man who finds he has a cancerous tumor on his spine, takes chemo, has surgery, and how he deals with all of it.  Seth Rogen plays the part of his best friend, doing whatever he can to keep a positive spin on this terrible disease.  Of course in a movie of this type there are sad parts but there are funny parts too.  It is definitely worth seeing.

I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT

Movie:  I Don't Know How She Does It
Jan's Rating:  B
Time:  1 hour 35 Minutes

Jan's Review:  I like just about everything that Sarah Jessica Parker is in and when you pair her with Greg Kinnear, you know there will be some sizzle.  Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie today and we both enjoyed it very much.  The title is self-explanatory and you have probably seen previews on TV.  Sarah is married, has 2 children, and lives in a brownstone in Boston.  She is a financial planner for a bank and has to travel a lot for her job but thanks to a supportive husband and a nanny, she is able to juggle all of it and make it work.  However,  we could not figure out how this woman can run all over the city in high-heeled shoes!

MONEYBALL

Movie:  Moneyball
Jan's Rating:  B
Time:  2 hours 6 Minutes

Jan's Review:  Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie yesterday because it has received such rave reviews and we had to agree, it was a good movie.  Brad Pitt might even be up for an Oscar for the starring role as the General Manager of the Oakland A's.  He's tired of playing by the rules and letting the big wigs tell him who he should hire for his team.  He can only pay around $275,000 per player and the better teams are paying over a million.  He and his Asst. G.M. find a new way to pick their players, much to the chagrin of everyone else.  This is a true story, which makes it even more interesting.  What is even nicer is that it is not a chick flick so the guys will enjoy it too!

ONE DAY

Movie:  One Day
Jan's Rating:  C  (I am switching over from numbers to letters)
Time:  1 Hour 47 Minutes

Jan's Opinion:  Cousin Bonnie and I went to see this movie today, wanted to see it before it leaves town.  We both enjoyed it though it started out slowly.  However, there is a shocker at the end that will make you gasp.  Anne Hathaway is a young woman just out of school living in London and hoping to be a famous author but realizes she has to do something to make money so she waits tables for a few years, goes back to school and gets her degree, gets a teaching job, then starts writing her book.  She has a male friend all these years that is her best friend but she is also in love with him and it takes 20 years before they really connect with one another.  The accent was very British and hard to understand at times when they spoke fast.   Overall, it was a fairly good movie.

THE DEBT

Movie:  The Debt
Jan's Rating:  4
Time:  1 hour 44 Minutes (seemed longer)

Jan's Opinion:  I did not like this movie at all.  Cousin Bonnie and I saw it today and neither of us cared for it.  Helen Miran did a superb job acting but that is all I can say for it.  I know some people enjoyed it but it is not my kind of movie.  However, I might have enjoyed it if they had started at the beginning and let the story evolve but they kept going back and forth which I don't like.  You never know what year it is or what country they are in which makes it difficult to follow.  I found it very confusing.  At the end they tell you what countries they were in and what years but they needed to tell you that during the story.  Then the ending leaves you up in the air not knowing if she lived or died.  My advice to you if you want to see the movie is to look it up on the internet and read about it before you see the movie, then it won't be so confusing to you.

SARA'S KEY

Movie: Sara's key

Jan's Rating: 9

Time: 1 Hour 53 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: We celebrated Cousin Bonnie's birthday today by going to lunch at the Dilly Deli in Mariemont and then we saw the movie "Sara's Key". I didn't want to see it because I knew it would be depressing, and it was, but Bonnie wanted to see it and since it was her birthday I agreed to see it too. It might have been depressing but we did learn that the French treated the Jews as bad as the Germans did during the Holocaust. It was a very sad story, but an educational and interesting one, and the acting was superb.

SPY KIDS, All the Time in the World, in 4D

Movie: Spy Kids, All the Time in the World, in 4D
Rating: 7
Time: 1 Hour 29 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: My Grandson and I saw this movie yesterday, his last day before school starts. He had seen the last 3 Spy Kids movies but I had not. He is the one who rated it a 7. It was cute, had a few laughs, and we both especially loved the robot dog. We saw the 4D version and as you probably know, you get SMELL along with 3-D. To get smells, the theater gives you a card with numbers one through eight and when that number comes up on the screen, you scratch the corresponding number on the card and you are supposed to get a smell. That didn't work too well. #4 smelled slightly like cinnamon and #5 smelled slightly like lemon; the others all smelled the same, not a particularly good smell. So, you might want to save some money there and just see the regular 2D version.

THE HELP

Movie: The Help
Rating: 9
Time: 2 Hours 17 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Saw this movie today with Cousin Bonnie and friends Patty and Kris and we all loved it. We had heard a few people say they didn't care for it so I think we were expecting a dud and it wasn't at all. I think the fact that it has been so long since we read the book that we had forgotten some of the details so did not miss them if they were forgotten. The cast gave outstanding performances! Octavia Spencer was delightful as Minnie, Emma Stone very genuine as Skeeter, Ron Howard's daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard played the part of a real B____ in the movie, Sissy Spacek gave us several laughs as Bryce Howard's Mother, and Jessica Chastain was a real charmer playing the role of Celia Foote. All the characters gave great performances, I just don't know all their names. I'm sure everyone knows what this movie is about, how the whites treated their "help" in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960's. We all agreed to give the movie a rating of "9" so hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.

THE BEGINNERS

Movie: The Beginners
Jan's Rating: 4 (I'm being generous)
Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: My friend Laura and I went to see this movie at the Esquire last night expecting a good comedy because that is what the trailers made you think it was. However, it was anything but funny and was in fact a big disappointment. Christopher Plummer (only known actor in the movie) "comes out" when he is in his 70's after his wife dies, gets a young boyfriend, then gets cancer and how he (and his son) deal with that. Not exactly the feel-good movie of the year. My advice is to save your money and don't see this one. This is the 2nd dud I have seen in a week - Snow Flower and the Secret Fan being the last one. Come on Hollywood, can't you do better than that???

SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

Movie: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Jan's Rating: 4
Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I went to see this movie today and were very disappointed. Bonnie had read the book and said she had enjoyed it. It is about 2 young Chinese girls growing up in the 19th century, back when they taped their feet to keep them from growing, which was terrible to watch. Very cruel! The movie kept flashing from the present back to different times in the past and was very difficult to follow. If the movie had started in the past and moved forward, it might have gotten a "7" rating from me. My recommendation would be....don't waste your money on this one.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Movie: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Jan's Rating: 9
Time: 2 Hours 45 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Took my Grandson to see this one on Monday and we both loved it. We didn't like it when they were being mean to the apes but kept telling ourselves that it was a movie and wasn't real. Then the apes got even at the end - great ending! A young man lives with his Father who has Alzheimer's disease. The young man is working on a cure for Alzheimer's and experiments on one of the apes. I want to tell you more but you will enjoy it more if you see the movie not knowing what is going to happen.

CRAZY STUPID LOVE

Movie: Crazy Stupid Love
Jan's Rating: 9-1/2
Time: 1-1/2 Hours

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie this week and we both loved it! I am normally not a fan of Steve Carell but really liked him in this movie; Julianne Moore was her wonderful great acting self as Steve's wife. However, Steve has become boring to her so she wants a divorce which breaks his heart. He starts hanging out at the bars and meets Ryan Gosling who shows him how to dress and act to attract women. All is well until Steve's daughter (Emma Stone) tells her father she is in love and introduces him to Ryan. It just gets better from there. I had not heard of Emma Stone until recently and all of a sudden she is THE actress to watch for. She is not a beautiful girl but is a good actress and has such a cute personality that you fall in love with her. See the movie, you'll love it!

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON 3D

Movie: Transformers: Dark of the Moon 3D
Jan's Rating: 4
Time: 2 Hours 34 Minutes!

Jan's Opinion: My opinion of this movie is it was 2 hours too long. If I had had to watch another car turn into a droid, I would have left. I was totally bored, not my kind of movie. However, my 13 year-old Grandson loved it and gave it a 9, so I guess the younger people will like it.

HORRIBLE BOSSES

Movie: Horrible Bosses
Jan's Rating: 5
Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I went to see this movie today and I think she was the only one laughing. We agreed that it was too crude. Would have been a better movie without all the "F" words and "MF'rs", not to mention detailed sex acts. I love Jennifer Aniston and was disappointed that she would play such a crude role. Jason Bateman, Kevin Spacey, Charlie Day and Colin Ferrell were all crude as well. Do yourself a favor and skip this one, or see it when it's free.

ZOO KEEPER

Movie: Zoo Keeper
Jan's Rating: 8
Time: 1 Hour 44 Minutes

My grandson and I saw this movie today and we both rated it an "8", had lots of laughs and really enjoyed it. Kevin James stars as the Zoo Keeper and he loves the animals and takes good care of them. Eventually, they start talking to him so he can actually have a conversation with them. He is having girlfriend problems and the animals try to help. It's light and cute and entertaining, and the "F"word is never used. Imagine that. We should let Hollywood know that we can actually enjoy a movie without that word being used.

LARRY CROWNE

Movie: Larry Crowne
Jan's Rating: 8
Time: 1 Hour 39 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie today and we both enjoyed it very much. When the Enquirer gave it a "C", we figured we would like it. It is not going to win an Oscar but if you enjoy a light, feel-good comedy, you will like Larry Crowne. Larry's wife left him and he has been fired from U-Mart "because he didn't have a college education", so he decides to go back to school and Julia Roberts is his teacher. She is married to a bum who would rather look at porn than work so she is not happy at home. Yes, the ending is predictable, but who cares? It was a fun movie to watch. Don't forget the popcorn!

BAD TEACHER

Movie: Bad Teacher
Jan's Rating: 6
Time: 1 Hour 29 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: I love Cameron Diaz but cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie today and we were both disappointed, agreed to give it a "6". Cameron plays an English teacher who just wants to make enough money for a boob job so she can land a rich husband. She takes drugs and smokes, and is truly a "bad teacher" until she gets serious about making more money for those new boobs. There are some funny parts and I think that Lucy Punch and Phyllis Smith gave a great performance in there comedy roles. Keep in mind this is rated a strong "R" for language, nudity and drug use. If you are younger, you might enjoy it more. It wasn't bad...........it wasn't good.

CARS 2

Movie: Cars 2
Jan's Rating: 6
Time: 1 Hour 54 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Zzzzzz. I dozed off a few times. My Grandson and I saw this movie yesterday and we both agreed it should be rated a "6". Larry the Cable Guy stars as Mater, the tow truck, Owen Wilson has the hot red Corvette, and my boy Jeff Gordon has the yellow Corvette with a "24" on the side (of course). Unfortunately, Jeff's role was a small one. In Cars 2, they are competing in an international Grand Prix race, and of course they have to outwit the bad guys. Ho hum. Sorry I spent the money on this one but little ones will probably giggle through it.

SUPER 8

Movie: Super 8
Jan's Rating: 9
Time: 1 Hour 52 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: I took my Grandson to see this movie yesterday and Cousin Bonnie joined us. Well, Cousin Bonnie did not like the movie because it scared her so she gave it a "5" rating; Danny LOVED it and gave it a "10"; I really liked it and gave it a 9. I have to admit, I would not have gone to see this movie if it hadn't been for my Grandson but I did enjoy it. The kids starring in his movie did a great job of acting, most of whom had not ever been in a film before. Elle Fanning (Dakota's sister) especially impressed me. As the movie starts off, they are shooting their own Super 8 movie when they witness a terrible train crash and mysterious happenings that they decide to investigate. You will be on the edge of your seat, most of the movie. I have bruises from Cousin Bonnie grabbing my arm.....if that tells you anything.....

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

Movie: Midnight in Paris
Jan's Rating: 8
Time: 1 Hour 34 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I went to see this movie today and we both gave it an "8". I love Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates and Rachel McAdams so it would have had to be pretty bad for me not to like it. Owen is engaged to Rachel and they go to Paris with her parents, who do not approve of him. Owen falls in love with Paris and wants to move there but his snobby wife and her parents think it's a ridiculous idea. Owen is walking the streets of Paris one night with one too many drinks under his belt and is suddenly living in the 1920's where he meets famous writers such as Hemingway and artists such as Picasso. Then he would go back to his hotel (in the present with his fiance) and the next night he go back to the 1920's again. His life is forever changed from this experience but I don't want to tell you anymore and ruin it for you. Just go see it and enjoy it.

EVERYTHING MUST GO

Movie: Everything Must Go
Jan's Rating: 8
Time: 1 Hour 36 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: My friend Laura and I went to see this movie today, and fyi, it is only playing at the Esquire in Clifton. It is the first movie in which I have seen Will Farrell play a serious role and he did a great job. It definitely was not a comedy. He gets fired one day and comes home to find his wife has left him and put all his stuff on the front lawn and changed the lock on the house so he can't get inside. The movie takes place over the next 4 or 5 days as he lives on his front yard and finally realizes that his being an alcoholic has cost him to lose eveything. In those 4 or 5 days, he meets some interesting strangers who actually help him more than his family and friends do to turn his life around. Laura and I both enjoyed it, even though it didn't make us laugh.

KUNG FU PANDA 2

Movie: Kung Fu Panda 2
Jan's Rating: 6
Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: I took my grandson to see this movie today and we both gave it a rating of "6". We really enjoyed the first Kung Fu Panda but found this one lacking. We decided it was just so-so. I hear they are talking about making #3 already. Sure hope it's better than #2.

THE HANGOVER (Part II)

Movie: The Hangover (Part II)
Jan's Rating: 6
Time: 1 Hour 42 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: As you know, I don't usually agree with the Enquirer's review but this time, I do. My husband and I loved the first Hangover movie so were eager to see the second one. Well, Hangover II had very few really funny parts but lots of crude parts. The title of the movie should have been "What the F___?" because they must have said that phrase 300 times. I'm not a prude but after a while, it gets old and really takes away from the movie. This was one of those times. In this movie, the dentist has divorced the prostitute in Las Vegas and is engaged to a beautiful young Asian woman. Alan is invited along again and puts a drug in their marshmellows and they wake up hungover in Bangkok, then they learn all the nasty things they did. Neither my husband nor I enjoyed this movie and would not recommend it to anyone.

BRIDESMAIDS

Movie: Bridesmaids
Jan's Rating: 8
Time: 2 Hours, 5 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie today and we both enjoyed it, had several laughs, which is always good for the soul. SNL stars Kristen Wiig (as Maid of Honor) and Maya Rudolph (as the bride) are quite funny in this movie, especially Kristen. They have been best friends for years and now someone else is trying to take the "best friend" role away from Kristen. That would be Melissa McCarthy as the bride's future sister-in-law. The two women try to out-do the other in the best friend category and it ends of being more like a womens' "Hangover" movie. Although I think I laughed more in Hangover. This was still a funny movie and one you gals will want to see. Interesting side note.........Jill Clayburgh plays the Mother of Kristen.

SOMETHING BORROWED

Movie: Something Borrowed
Rating: 8
Time: 1 Hour, 53 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this chick flick yesterday and we both enjoyed it. It gave us a few laughs and the story is certainly one that has happened a lot of gals over the years. Ginnifer Goodwin and Colin Egglesfield are in law school together and each is attracted to the other but neither ever does anything about it, so Ginnifer introduces Colin to her best friend, Kate Hudson, a much more aggressive female, and she reels him in. They get engaged and are planning the wedding, send out invitations, then Ginnifer and Colin share a cab, an unexpected kiss, and realize they have always been in love. What to do, what to do?? Ginnifer doesn't want to hurt her best friend. John Krasinski is also in the movie and is secretly in love with Ginnifer! Of course you are wondering how it all ends, but you will just have to go buy a ticket and find out. :)

RIO

Movie: Rio
Jan's Rating: 8
Time: 1-1/2 Hrs.

Jan's Opinion: I took my grandson to see Rio today and we both really enjoyed it. The whole story is about birds which talk and act like people but the movie industry has come so far making animated movies that you could swear it is all real. I guarantee your little ones will enjoy this one. Danny and I agreed it deserved an "8".

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

Movie: Water for Elephants
Jan's Rating: 10
Time: 2 Hours

Jan's Opinion: Drop whatever you are doing and go see this movie now! It is EXCELLENT! I had not read the book yet and now I don't have to. Cousin Bonnie and I went to see it today and both of us loved it. She had read the book. The only part I couldn't watch was when Christopher Waltz, who plays the Ring Master and owner of the circus, hurts the elephant. That was very difficult but the elephant got his revenge later, thank God. Christopher Waltz plays an older man who has an anger management problem, to say the least, and he is married to Reese Witherspoon, who looks like she's 15 and doesn't have an ounce of fat on her. I would hate her if I was younger. Robert Pattinson ends up working for the circus because he ran away from home and just jumped on the train, not knowing it was the circus train. Hal Holbrook plays the role of Robert Pattinson when he gets old. The acting was phenominal by everyone. You definitely don't want to miss this movie!

THE AMERICAN

Movie: The American Jan's Rating: 2 Time: 1 long hour + 45 minutes Jan's Opinion: My hubby and I rented this movie last night and I am so glad we didn't pay the money to see it when it was in the theaters! I wondered why the rental fee was $2.99 instead of the usual $4.99. I found out. Because it is the most boring movie made in the past 5 years! Dave told me to give it a 2 because of the beautiful scenery, or I would have given it a "0". George Clooney is a decent actor but the plot of this movie (if there was one) was beneath him. Save your money and see something else.

WIN WIN

Movie: Win Win Jan's Rating: 8 Time: 1 Hour 46 Minutes Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie today and really enjoyed it, though we had not seen an advertisement for it. It is only playing at the Kenwood Theater in Cincinnati area. The movie stars Paul Giamatti as a struggling attorney who needs extra money, so when he meets an elderly gentleman suffering from dimentia, he tells the court he will take care of the man at the man's home for $1500/month because the man does not want to go to a nursing home. Then the attorney (Paul Giamatti) puts the man in a nursing home and collects the $1500/month for doing nothing. Along comes the man's grandson who wants to live with his Grandfather and ends up staying with the attorney and his family because this boy is a good wrestler (in high school) and the attorney wants him on their team. It gets more confusing, but you need to see it for yourself. It is another great movie that we heard little about, like Barnie's Version, which we loved.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2: RODRICK RULES

Movie: Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules
Jan's Rating: 10
Time: 1 Hour 36 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT! I took my 12-year old grandson to see it yesterday and we both enjoyed it very much. It was laugh-out-loud funny. It is about 2 brothers, the Wimpy Kid Greg, who is in middle school, and his brother Rodrick, who is in high school. They don't get along at all and the older brother is always pulling tricks on the younger brother and his friend, Rowley. The Mother finally grounds them for the weekend and the parents go away, leaving the boys alone to try to get along and of course they aren't allowed to have any friends over. Yea, right. It is just adorable. You should see if whether you have kids this age or not.

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU

Movie: The Adjustment Bureau
Jan's Rating: 7
Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: The Enquirer gave this movie an A- and that's pushing it a bit. Cousin Bonnie and I went to see this movie today and weren't as impressed, but possibly a younger audience will appreciate it more. Matt Damon is running for Senator of New York and Emily Blunt is a Ballerina and they meet and the attraction is so strong that they fall in love almost immediately. (It does have a good love story.) However, the Sci Fi part of the story is what we could have done without. There is a group of men called The Adjustment Bureau who make sure things happen in a person's life as they think they should happen, and they DON'T think these two lovers should be together. Hence, they do everything they can to keep them apart but of course true love prevails!

UNKNOWN

Movie: Unknown
Jan's Rating: 9
Time: 1 Hour 53 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie today and we both really enjoyed it, and it wasn't even a "chick flick". My husband Dave will like this one. There is lots of action that will have you on the edge of your seat at times. Liam Neeson is an American doctor who wakes up in a hospital in Berlin after a bad car crash. He has been unconscious for 4 days and can't understand why his wife hasn't been looking for him. When he finally finds her, she pretends not to know him, and there the story and excitement begins. I really liked the role of Diane Kruger who plays the lady cab driver.

BARNEY'S VERSION

Movie: Barney's Version
Jan's Rating: 10
Time: 2 Hours 12 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: I wasn't anxious to see this movie at first but so glad Bonnie talked me into going today. This is one you do not want to miss - excellent story and acting, lots of drama and comedy. Paul Giamatti plays Barney, a Jewish guy who drinks too much and ends up with 3 marriages. Dustin Hoffman plays his Father and don't be surprised by anything that comes out of his mouth. Minnie Driver plays Paul's second wife who is from a wealthy Jewish family and they do not approve of Paul. A lot happens in this movie and you won't be bored. I predict that this movie will be up for an Academy Award next year and Paul Giamatti will be up for Best Actor.

GNOMEO AND JULIET

Movie: Gnomeo and Juliet
Jan's Rating: 9
Time: 1 Hour 24 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: The movie industry just keeps putting out better and better "cartoons". What a fun job those people have, whoever they are. I took my Grandson to see this movie yesterday and we both enjoyed it very much. They make cartoon movies now that are for the young and the old and this was one of them. The Gnomes are plaster and plastic figures on the lawns. The Red Gnomes live on one property and the Blue Gnomes live next door and there has been a life-long feud as to who was best, the Red or the Blue, kind of like the Hatfield's and the McCoy's. As you can guess, a Blue Gnome falls in love with a Red Gnome and then the feud gets worse. Definitely a "must see" movie!

JUST GO WITH IT

Movie: Just Go With It
Jan's Rating: 6-1/2
Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie yesterday and it was "cute" but it didn't give me any deep belly laughs. Adam Sandler is a plastic surgeon who falls for a beautiful (much younger) girl. Jennifer Aniston plays Adam's assistant/office manager who tries to help him win this girl over. The girl thinks Adam is married, which is isn't, but Jennifer pretends to be his wife who is divorcing him. Jennifer is divorced with 2 children, a girl and a boy. The little girl stole the show and gave me most of my laughs. I look for her to win an Oscar in the near future. My advice would be to see this movie when you can get a discount.

RED

Movie: Red
Jan's Rating: 9
Time: 1 Hour 51 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: This is another movie that I missed when it was on the big screen so Dave and I rented it last night and we both really enjoyed it. When Dave sits through a whole movie, you know it is good. It stars Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren, who are all retired Black Ops CIA agents. Something happened years ago in Guatamaula that these four people witnessed and the person responsible decides they want these four killed, and they start with Bruce Willis. I loved watching the retired people kick the butts of the younger ones who think they are so superior. A young Mary Louise Parker also has an important and delightful role in the movie. It will keep you on the edge of your seats and make you laugh too. If you haven't seen it, you will want to rent it.

GROWN UPS

Movie: Grown Ups
Jan's Rating: 7
Time: 1 Hour 42 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: I didn't see this movie when it was in the theaters so I rented it this weekend. It is a cute, light comedy starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock and David Spade (not one of my favorites). These guys have gone to high school together and several years later their coach dies so they all go home for the funeral. Adam Sandler is the only one who has done well for himself so he tries to downplay his wealth, tells them the Nanny they brought with them is not a Nanny but a friend. Kevin James tries to pretend he has more than he does, all the families go to the lake for the weekend and that's when the fun begins. It is worth renting.

The Company Men

Movie: The Company Men
Jan's Rating: 7
Time: 1 Hour 53 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie yesterday and really enjoyed it. It's a story of corporate lifers (CEOs, CFOs, COOs, etc), starring Ben Afleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Craig T. Nelson and Kevin Costner, all working for the same company and the down-sizing takes their jobs. It's a story of how they cope with family, friends, their finances, looking for another job, etc. Each one handles it differently but they all suffer in their own way. It was a bit sad but interesting also.

BLUE VALENTINE

Movie: Blue Valentine
Jan's Rating: 5
Time: 1 Hour 52 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: If single people see this movie, they won't ever want to get married. Cousin Bonnie and I went to see Blue Valentine today and we were both disappointed. The acting by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling is very good but the movie is boring and depressing. It was like peeking in on the marriage of two people who are miserable together and argue all the time. Not exactly entertaining. Frankly I would rather see a movie that makes me smile. The annoying part of this movie is that it kept going back in the past (in hers and his), so much so that it was hard to keep track if you were in a present scene or a past scene. The sex scenes were pretty graphic so again....do not take children to see this movie.

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

Movie: No Strings Attached
Rating: 8
Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I opted to see this movie today instead of watching football, which is about as exciting as watching paint dry, especially when your home team isn't playing. Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman keep meeting over the years during college, etc., and once they are out of school, they meet again and decide to have a "friends with benefits" relationship. Natalie is really the one who is afraid of a serious relationship but of course it eventually comes to the point where Ashton is ready to commit.....but she isn't. I have to tell you, I have not particularly been a fan of Ashton Kutcher in the past but have to admit, Demi has certainly made a man out of him! It is very much R-rated so don't take children thinking it is just a comedy.

THE DILEMMA

Movie: The Dilemma
Rating: 8
Time: 1 Hour 58 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I went to see The Dilemma today and it gave us both a lot of laughs. The Enquirer is wrong again! The movie did start out slow but it picked up and I thought it was very enjoyable. Vince Vaughn plays "Ronnie" and Kevin James plays "Nick", both have been friends since college and are in a business venture together. One day Ronnie is at the Conservatory and spots Nick's wife smooching with a younger guy. Poor Ronnie, he doesn't know what to do, tell his best friend that his wife is cheating on him or not. In the end he should have told him and saved himself a lot of trouble. It really is entertaining how he tries to tell Nick and then doesn't..........several times. Go see it, you'll enjoy it.

COUNTRY STRONG

Movie: Country Strong
Jan's Rating: 7
Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I saw this movie today and we both enjoyed it more than the Enquirer did, since they gave it a "D" and we gave it a "7". Gwyneth Paltrow plays country singer Kelly Canter who suffers from alcoholism. Her husband is played by Tim McGraw. The movie opens with Kelly in a rehab house for alcoholics. Her husband arrives saying she is ready to leave and he has her scheduled for a concert tour. A newcomer who did very well was Garrett Hedlund, who sang well and acted well also. He had a big role in the movie and I'm sure we'll see him again.

The King's Speech

Movie: The King's Speech
Jan's Rating: 9
Time: 1 Hour 58 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Yes, I went to the movie again today with my friend Laura. We had heard that The King's Speech was excellent so decided to go see it. It really was very good, especially the acting by Colin Firth. When King George died, his oldest son took over the throne, but then he wanted to marry a woman who had been twice divorced and of course that wouldn't do in proper England. So, his younger brother then took over the throne, another King George. Unfortunately, he had a very bad stammer in his speech so most of the movie was about his learning to speak without stuttering with the help of an offbeat speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush, who had a dry but witty sense of humor in his role. Although I don't normally like period pieces, I did enjoy this movie.

LITTLE FOCKERS

Movie: Little Fockers
Jan's Rating: 7
Time: 1 Hour 38 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Well, Cousin Bonnie and I saw two movies yesterday, trying to catch up from the holidays. After we saw The Fighter, we then saw Little Fockers. It was cute and light but I would not recommend it for children. It wasn't as good as the previous two Focker movies but I like all the actors in it and enjoyed a few laughs after a serious movie like The Fighter.

THE FIGHTER

Movie: The Fighter
Jan's Rating: 9
Time: 1 Hour 56 Minutes

Jan's Opinion: Cousin Bonnie and I went to see this movie yesterday and we enjoyed it very much. Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale play brothers in this movie and Christian (a druggie) is trying to train Mark to be a fighter. Their Mother definitely controls the whole family, including 6 (I think) grown daughters who still live at home and most look older than their Mother. They are a strange, dysfunctional, vulgar family. The real star in this movie is Christian Bale, who is up for Best Supporting Actor and has a good possibility of winning. I have never understood why men want to box each other and get hurt. My mind hasn't changed about that, but I do recommend the movie. A few less F-words and I would have given it a "10".