District 9

Movie Rating: R for violence

Movie Reviewer: FishMonkey

Snack/Bathroom Break: Anytime - kind of pointless

Review:

This movie was so bad for me, I just couldn't seem to review it. I like Sci-Fi movies, however, my imagination has a hard time enjoying this one. I must be more of a Trekkie.

District 9 starts out with Aliens being held in a large concentration camp. The camp is going to be moved and scientists are going around collecting signatures of Aliens being evicted. Why would they have to collect signatures? How ridiculous!!! The Aliens are in a concentration camp!!!

The camera work at the start was dizzying and poor. I'm not sure what special effect was being created. The fact that I had to read subtitles when Aliens were speaking was annoying.

The real story was about an Alien becoming friends with a human. The Aliens are trying to return home and a human tries to help. The ending leaves no doubt for second movie.

(dripping sarcasm) I just can't wait.

I really can't say anything good about this movie except for some of the special high tech Alien weapons, which were pretty cool. I have no idea why other professional reviewers liked this movie!

A Perfect Getaway

Movie Rating: Rated R for graphic violence, language including sexual references and some drug use

Movie Reviewer: FishMonkey

Review:

I haven't seen a mystery, "who done it", movie for a while, so I really liked this one. It was not predictable and kept you guessing as to who was the murderer.

The premise of the movie is: Newlyweds go to a tropical paradise on their honeymoon. What could be more romantic or mysterious? Throw in a double murder!! There are multiple other couples of different personalities, all of whom could be the suspected killers. (This movie will really have you wondering," Who are the killers?!?!") There are day dreams and flashbacks that characters experience at certain times in the movie, which give insight and explain a character's or couple's background.

Also, the scenery is beautiful, just like what you would expect from an island paradise. Waterfalls, steep cliffs, and beautiful beaches are all here to see.

Overall this movie is really entertaining. Keeps you on your toes and makes you think. The ending is exciting and fitting. Check it out.

The Time Traveler's Wife

Rating: PG-13 for minor nudity

Movie Reviewer: WebMonkey

Snack/Bathroom Break: You can take a bathroom break almost anywhere along the story, since each segment tends to stand on itself. If a scene doesn't catch your interest: That's the time to take a break. If you need a specific time... how 'bout when he shows up naked... no that won't work.... When he shows up naked in the library. That'll work.

Review: I've gotta admit, when someone recommended the book to me, I read it, although I didn't make it all the way through. It was an interesting premise, although REALLY hard to follow. It's a cerebral love story.

As shown on the previews, it's about a guy who spontaneously changes his position along the timeline and even changes his age. He falls in love, and there is our story line.

It just wasn't possible to do justice to the book with The Movie because the story is so complex to begin with. While the movie was OK, if you haven't read the book you will be completely lost several times during the movie. If you really REALLY loved the book, I recommend you see the movie because it did some interesting things with pieces of the story. If you've never read the book (or, like me, just thought it was "OK") I recommend that you spend your night out with a different movie.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for Intense Violence

Movie Reviewer: LocoMonkey

Snack/Bathroom Break: When they are fighting in Paris -- you have about 10 minutes. There's lots of actions, but no necessary information given then.

Review: Okay, so I grew up with GI Joe the cartoon, but I never really watched it much. And, I really didn't have a huge urge to see this movie. But even though I went because all my friends were going, it turns out that I really liked it! Once again, this movie is like "Transformers," so if you expect it to be life-changing, you'll be disappointed. However, if you just want a few hours of escape, and you like action, this is the movie for you!

The premise is really simple: good guys (G.I. Joes) are trying to stop the bad guys (lots of them) from launching weapons of mass destruction. The movie is pretty much a full 2 hours of constant action, but since the battles keep changing, the movie still moves along. Parts of it reminded me of "Star Wars" with all the good fighting evil (and drones, and the bad guy being in white and the good guy being in black, etc.), but I don't think this will be a classic movie in the same way. Just fun. That's why it's a "good" but not "great" rating from me.

One caveat: This movie has quite a bit of violence, so you may want to avoid showing this to children, or people who hate violence. Personally, I hate watching violence, so I closed my eyes a bit, but was still able to see most of the movie and understand what was going on.

ADAM

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, sexual content and language.

Reviewed by: QuasarMonkey

Snack/Bathroom Break time: when Beth takes Adam to a party at her friend’s house (about halfway through the movie)

Review: Adam is a sweet and thoughtful movie. Most people probably don’t know what Asperger’s Syndrome is unless they’ve watched the TV show Boston Legal. Unlike that off-the-wall comedy, this movie gives us a gentle peek into a young man’s life with Asperger’s Syndrome. The movie moves at a moderate but steady pace in plot and character development. Adam’s awkward but brilliant character is counterbalanced by the “normal” and intuitive Beth. As their lives intertwine, they find a special strength in their friendship that helps them face some significant life events. The movie draws a beautiful picture of the basic human need for love shown through loyalty, honesty and grace while drawing healthy boundaries.

The movie was not too dramatic, but did manage to evoke a gasp of surprise, a small sniffle, and a few good genuine laughs from the audience including one really funny reference to a big box office hit (15 years ago) with a similar theme. :)

All in all, it was a pleasant movie and reminds me of watching a time-lapse video of a simple but pretty flower blossoming steadily from a bud into full bloom and then closing as the sun sets. It’s a nice change of pace from all the high impact special effects and action movies that appeal to our external senses, as the movie speaks to our heart by reminding us to be patient, loving and honest with each other. Although it is rated PG-13, it is a modest movie.

I recommend this enjoyable movie with a GOOD banana!