racker-5 Reviews

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Deeply Moving

[7/10 · 5 June 2010]

This movie is deeply moving. I remember going into this film thinking, 'Am I really going to see this?' I love childhood stories, but the idea of this one being made into a movie was a little, eh, I don't know. Let's just say, I didn't expect to leave the movie theater with my mascara all over my shirt! This movie's take on a child's struggle with family and himself is very moving. I feel like this movie taps into a lot of feelings that children and adults experience but don't want to deal with. A lot of people said this movie was depressing and a downer. I think that the fact that this movie deals with struggles and issues that way it does demands for a more dramatic and emotional plot. I learned so much from this film and from each of the characters and felt very stirred by the emotions this movie evoked. I think this film is rather genius and a good one for people to experience.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

Definitely Worth It!

[8/10 · 5 June 2010]

I was skeptical going in, thinking it would be rather cheesy. How wrong I was! This movie was such a great ride! The story was excellent and the acting was great. There was plenty of adventure and action to keep me entertained and the main characters were very likable. I was worried when I saw Jake Gyllenhaal was playing Dastan. I didn't think he would fit the role at all. However, by the end of the movie, I was completely in love with his character and was sad to see the credits. The story wasn't overly complicated and yet it still left me asking questions at certain points. The Hassansins were wickedly awesome villains and were fun to watch on screen.

This movie has a great mixture of action, adventure, and humor. I was very impressed and left the theater feeling very satisfied. I hope to see more films like this in the future. Go see it!

Kick-Ass (2010)

Ass-Kicked

[5/10 · 17 April 2010]

I was excited about this movie. I read some of the reviews, saw the trailer, and was genuinely excited about this film. However, unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. I hardly ever say this, but I feel like there was too much story and not enough action. I felt there was too much immaturity in the movie. Granted, it was about young superheroes, but to me, when a movie has more mature language and violent scenes, I expect a little more maturity in the plot line. Kick-Ass'(the boy's) storyline was just not really all that great in my opinion, especially the "love" story part (what a joke). I do understand that this movie is not to be taken too seriously, but too much immaturity can be annoying/sickening to sit through. I did like Hitgirl and Big Daddy, but there wasn't enough of them in the film, I think, to make a big enough impression. While there were some good moments, overall, the film failed to live up to it's potential. Sadness :*-(

The Wolfman (2010)

Makes You Want to Rip Your Shirt and Howl

[7/10 · 13 February 2010]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to see this movie. I was a little worried when I saw that Benicio was playing "The Wolfman" but honestly, I think he did a great job. I absolutely loved his personality in the movie.

Overall, I really liked the film. I thought the directors picked a good cast and that the film moved at a good pace. It had the feel of a horror movie without being overdone. It gave me chills and thrills and didn't leave me with the feeling that I had been robbed of my time. While I do think that the main storyline needed a little more complexity so to speak, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Definitely a classic, fun ride.

9 (I) (2009)

It Stays With You

[8/10 · 24 October 2009]

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect out of 9. I still don't know exactly how I feel. All I know is that it moved me. I was actually crying at the end of the film. The visuals were stunning and very surreal. The plot is definitely a unique one. The ending is one that I just can't get over. I was surprisingly touched. I saw this movie about 4 weeks ago--and yet I waited to comment because I wasn't sure what to write about it. I think it's a movie that you'll have to see several times to fully understand. I know that I'll have to watch it again to fully wrap my mind around the concept. I think it's definitely a movie to see if you are a deep thinker. 9 is so much more than beautiful animation. It's a story that speaks to the soul--and stays with you.

Orphan (2009)

Delightfully Twisted...

[9/10 · 24 October 2009]

Wow--this movie blew me away. It was a ride from beginning to end. The acting was great. Esther was a character that I both loved and hated all at the same time. The unraveling of her character and her past was genius. The build to climax was timed and executed well. The tension that Esther brings to the family is seen in all of the characters in different ways. I like how the movie shows the powerful effect and control she has on the people around her. Overall, Orphan was twisted and intense, with a great storyline and acting. It left me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

You'll never guess her secret...

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009)

Brought a Surprising Smile to My Face

[8/10 · 24 October 2009]

This movie was actually very entertaining. I didn't expect much going in but I actually liked the story. While I thought it was going to be a Twilight ripoff, I think it actually made in fun of Twilight a little bit--which made for great fun. The acting was better than expected. I was especially surprised by John C. Reilly. I absolutely loved his character! I agree with others when I say that it's actually refreshing to see him in a more serious role. The movie was interesting, unique, caring, and humorous. I definitely recommend seeing the movie. I think it's going to be a great series. I look forward to seeing the next movie.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Best Freaky Movie I've Seen in a Long Time

[10/10 · 23 October 2009]

I wasn't expecting a lot when I went in to see this movie. I thought it was going to be another cheap Blair Witch rip off. How wrong I was! I absolutely loved this movie. The build was gradual but not too slow that you lose interest. The climax hits you out of nowhere! What an ending! I definitely recommend seeing this movie. While painful to watch in some places, it has a reality factor that I think is earth shattering. This movie was very well made. Not only was the scare factor nice, but the mixture of tension with humor/sarcasm was very smart.It makes you want to watch it again to see if you missed anything along the way--and you KNOW you want to see the ending again. I usually don't scare easy, but I definitely had trouble driving home after I saw this one.

Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

What is...Justice?

[8/10 · 17 October 2009]

This movie really surprised me. The story grabs you from the very beginning and the ride doesn't stop until the end. I was extremely impressed with Gerard Butler's performance in this movie. I thought he was perfect for the role and played his part well.

The only part I struggled with about this movie was the ending.

They spent the entire movie trying to catch this guy who was invincible. He killed people left and right and was in control seemingly the entire time. He was a mastermind. THEN, all of a sudden, they outsmart him at the end--out of nowhere. Don't you think that's a little too easy? Also, I think the movie would have taken an interesting turn if he had, in fact, had someone helping him throughout. Maybe one of the main characters who identified with him on some level? Overall, I liked the movie and thought the plot was great. I'm still bothered by the ending though. What do you think?

District 9 (2009)

Incredibly Intelligent and Moving

[9/10 · 12 September 2009]

What Peter Jackson does with this movie is incredible! I was a little uneasy at the beginning of the movie, thinking it was leaning more towards cheesy sci-fi--and then, out of nowhere, the heart of the story began and I found myself completely sucked in. The movie has a lot of different elements that make it work. I think the way Peter Jackson messes with the idea of empathy is genius. I fought with myself through the movie, trying to decide what emotions to feel--or what emotions were "right" to feel. This movie messes with you in a very powerful way. It is, in a lot of ways, very disturbing--and yet, in the same way, powerfully moving. Perhaps, even possibly...beautiful? You decide. It's a must see.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

Surprisingly Delightful and Fun!

[8/10 · 4 December 2008]

I decided before I even watched the movie that it was going to be stupid.

How wrong I was! I really enjoyed it! The romantic comedy in it was very cute and witty, which kept me entertained. The visuals were gorgeous and the characters were actually interesting. I thought it was a very fun ride.

I think this movie gets too much negativity. While the plot wasn't super genius, it still kept me interested up to the very end. The actors did a great job, I thought, bringing the characters and story to life on the screen.

Don't knock it till you watch it! You'll have more fun than you think. :-)

Session 9 (2001)

It'll Drive You Mental!

[8/10 · 4 December 2008]

I wasn't sure what to expect out of Session 9--it was a random rent at Movie Warehouse on a lonely Friday night.

I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out.

This movie kept me guessing and on edge the entire time. The plot was interesting and the build up of tension was excellent. The movie left me asking a lot of questions at the end--which made me go back and watch it a second time. I like movies that still have me thinking once the credits start rolling.

If you want to watch a suspenseful movie that's not cheap and actually has some originality to the plot, then Session 9 is a movie for you. I highly recommend it.

But I have to warn you...it will drive you nuts ;-)

The Dark Knight (2008)

Absolutely Genius

[9/10 · 20 July 2008]

This was the best movie I've seen in a long time.

The special effects were not overdone. The plot was intelligent and well thought out. The cast was spectacular and strong. It was awesome!

Heath Ledger definitely deserves an Oscar for his role as the Joker. Disturbing yet likable in character, he blew me out of the water with his talented acting. When I first heard that Heath was going to be the Joker, I laughed really hard. Now, I'm just dumbstruck. What a man :-)

The movie has a great plot that's interesting to follow. Whoever writes for this film is genius. He combines originality and legend to make one heck of a ride. I loved every minute of The Dark Knight and am looking forward to the next movie in the Batman series. It's a must see!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Not Sure How I Feel About This One

[6/10 · 2 June 2008]

I love Indiana Jones. I always have. I grew up on those movies and just loved all of experiences I had surrounding those films.

I was excited about this one because I thought, since it took them so long to finally agree on a script they liked, I knew it was going to be great.

There was definitely great humor and some great action scenes, but overall, I have to admit that I was also somewhat disappointed. The acting felt forced and unnatural, and some of the action scenes were overdone. I felt like the ending was a total cop out. I mean, is that really the best ending/plot line they could've come up with? Overall, it really makes me sad because I love the Indiana Jones legend and I hate slamming the movie, but I don't think the movie did justice to the Indy legend overall. I think they waited too long to make the film and decided to run with the wrong script.

But, I give them props for trying. :-) It was a good attempt.

Leatherheads (2008)

Charming and Delightful

[9/10 · 2 June 2008]

I absolutely loved this film.

I was a little skeptical since it was a football movie. Don't get me wrong, I love football, but there have been so many football movies made over the years, the topic feels a little worn out for me. I went into the theater skeptical, and walked out ultimately charmed and delighted.

The wittiness of both George Clooney and Renee Zellweger was adorable. Their energy throughout the film was great. It was quite entertaining and interesting to take a historical look at professional football. The atmosphere in this movie was beautiful. My friend and I laughed and cheered throughout the entire movie. What a breath of fresh air.

I highly recommend this movie. It's lightheartedness, fun, and charm touched my heart and left me smiling all the way home. Three cheers for Leatherheads!

Siren (2006)

It's Actually Rather Smart

[7/10 · 5 April 2008]

I feel like this movie has gotten some bad reviews, but I honestly think it's a great piece of work. The slow build of suspense works well in this movie, the characters are great (acting too), and the storyline is original. And the ending? Let's just say--I didn't see that coming.

I was tempted to be let down by the ending--but what I loved about the ending is that it still evoked questions inside of me. I had to go back and connect the dots throughout the movie to get a new understanding of it. After the ending, you see the movie from an entirely different perspective--which makes it quite powerful. Also, what do you make of the ending? While some people will view the ending and say "No--the end definitely means this"--I think that the ending can be interpreted many different ways.

The question is--what do you believe?

When the siren sounds...don't go outside.

Sunshine (2007)

You'll Never Look at the Sun the Same Way Again

[8/10 · 2 February 2008]

I really liked this movie. Ever since I saw the trailer, I became intrigued as to what this movie would be like. I think Sunshine is so good because, to me, it's not a typical Sci-Fi/Futuristic movie. I definitely saw a lot of deeper meaning and symbolism in the story itself, and in the characters. While I feel the movie doesn't focus so much on the audience getting attached to the characters, it does reveal throughout the movie certain aspects of the characters, which in turn is interesting and touching. I think the fact that the movie centered around the sun also brought an original touch to the film. The visuals in the film were absolutely stunning. Besides Star Wars, I think that was one of the only Sci-Fi spaceship movies in which I actually felt like I was part of the crew. It's a very beautiful movie and I would highly recommend seeing it.

Cloverfield (2008)

Very Well Made--J.J. Abrams Got It Right :-)

[10/10 · 27 January 2008]

I thought the movie was very well made. I'm not a screamer at movies, but I screamed a lot in this one. I think J.J. Abrams did a good job provoking a sense of real intensity and terror in the film. The monster was well done and the acting was better than I thought it would be. I'm definitely planning on seeing it again soon to catch things that I may have missed the first time. If done right, I think this thing could almost be a trilogy. I'm so excited! I really hope there is a sequel! I definitely recommend this movie.

However, if you're pregnant, I don't because: (1) You might get a little sick and (2) It's EXTREMELY loud.