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A Season for Family (2023)
Loved it
Loved this movie. The story couldn't be more heartwarming. Embodies the spirit of Christmas. The chemistry between the adult actors was great. But the chemistry between the kids was great too. There was a lot of emotion and dilemma in this. I liked that the one kid doesn't know he's adopted. Adds a level of tension. The way the two brothers build a friendship is very natural and organic. The way the one kid is doing a family tree project perfectly sets up that half of the story. This one never gets too sappy and really has the Christmas spirit. Anyone who doesn't think that must not have the Christmas spirit. This is a great Christmas movie. Not a professional woman who has to save the bakery in her childhood town and get back together with her high school sweetheart. An honest to goodness sweet, happy Christmas movie.
Fetch (2011)
Amazing: Acting, Writing, Directing, and Music.
Let me just start this off by saying that the lead actor in this project, Nathan Gamble, is THE future of Hollywood. He has the talent of three actors twice his age put together. I have never seen him in anything where he even so much as messes up a line, or gives bad delivery, or doesn't deliver a picture perfect facial expression. Everyone that works with him says he is a delight to work with, takes direction well, and is dedicated, driven and professional. His performance in this movie was spot on as usual. His facial expressions where perfect, the emotion was dead on, no room for guessing, he got it all. If it was singing, his acting would be called pitch perfect. In moments of heavy emotion where other actors his age would either overact or come up flat, Nathan delivers dead on. He is the definition of a professional actor. When he cries he makes you really feel it, when he yells or gets upset he makes you feel that emotion, when he's happy you can't help but feel the same way. He captures the hearts of audiences effortlessly. Any casting director that doesn't think he has the chops is a simple fool.
That being said, this film is very relatable for a lot of people young and not so young. People who had a parent die or a parent walk out of them can certainly identify with this story. The uncertainty and confusion of thinking you weren't good enough or your parents didn't want you. The lines are perfect. They carry the right emotion. They carry the right message. Also, importantly, they don't sound to heavy or too sophisticated to be coming from the person (a 12-year-old boy) they are coming from. The music does it's job well too. It makes you feel the right feelings at the right time. Finally I think the directing was very well done. The director seemed to be able to shape the scenes exactly the way you would think they should go. He seemed to be able to get the right emotions and the right actions out of the young lead (Gamble) in every single shot. Which is not to say it would be a difficult task, seeing as he is a phenomenal actor, and a sure-fire future A-list star. But still the direction was A+ work. The visual appeal of this film was very well crafted. It was not hard to look at. Scenery and sets where very well constructed and presented. I give this movie 5 stars all around and a 10 out of 10!
Dolphin Tale (2011)
Best Movie of 2011
This was the best movie of 2011. It is dramatic, comedic, fun, emotional all at the same time, and does it all very well. It is very family friendly, appeals to kids very easily, also it appeals to adults very easily. It also has a strong pull for veterans and disabled people. People can relate to a dolphin with a prosthetic tale and the main character's cousin who comes home from war with a disability. The acting is top notch. I have to say the young lead, Nathan Gamble, really stuck out as the best of the bunch. He acted every scene and every line, and every expression to the 't'. He has a bright future as an actor and will have no problem become as well known as star as his co-stars are now. Morgan Freeman was his usual fun and endearing self with a whimsical twist. Ashley Judd was very good as usual. The other young co-star, Cozi Zuelsdorf, made a very good start with her debut role, and should succeed should she choose to go on acting. Harry Connick Jr. was a fun character and made his usual top notch performance, he even got to flex his musician muscles for a scene. Winter the Dolphin who plays herself will even captivate your attention with her own unique personality. This movie is a hear-felt, fun, dramatic and inspiring movie. People may compare it to other aquatic-themed movies, but once they've seen it, they will agree it stands apart as unique and wonderful. I would give this movie a 20 out of 10 but this site won't let me. So 10/10 all around, especially for young Nathan Gamble!
Charlie St. Cloud (2010)
Amazing
This was an amazing movie. But if you don't like movies that have heartbreaking sad parts that stick with you after you leave the theater don't see this one. Otherwise you're in for a very well put together heart full, and touching movie. At times the plot line is hard to follow. But I think if you can tell what's going to happen when, the movie maker hasn't done their job. In this case you are hooked on the story and the acting the entire time. The moments between Charlie and his brother Sam where very heart warming and also heart breaking. All these things are the mark of a wonderful movie. It has a very good message: you can love your family forever, even if they are no longer with you, but you must also live your life. Zac Efron has come a long way from High School Musical. I think he could go the distance as an actor. The same can be said for his young co-star, Charlie Tahan, who played Sam St. Cloud. He was very convincing every second he was on the screen. I cried every moment it was intended with him. I think he also has a bright future as an actor. I really latched onto them both. Which means they where good at their parts. I give this movie, which will stay with me for a long time, a 10/10.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)
Great, a Blast for the whole family
This movie brought me back to middle school times. I'm an adult now. But this movie was highly entertaining. I can still relate to a lot of it, even though I am an adult and I don't have the same situations any more. But this movie makes it easy to remember. Middle school is a simpler time in your life. And this movie paints that picture very well. I don't mean they dumbed it down. This movie was smart with a very good message: "Never turn on your friends". What I mean is it shows how kids worry about simpler things in middle school. And they are frequently hilarious, just like the entirety of this movie. Zachary Gordon did an A+ job as Greg. I can't wait to see them all back in the sequel, and the one after that and the one after that! I give this a 10/10!
Predators (2010)
Awesome, a worthy sequel
This movie was awesome from start to finish. It wasn't as good as the original, but then what sequels that come years later ever are? It was better than Predator 2 (which had a lot of standstill moments with the main character yelling at people cause they wouldn't let him do his job), and it is much better than the AVP drivel. The acting in this movie was all great. The CGI wasn't overdone. People who say this is too much like the original are wrong. They have some of the same kind of props, like one of the weapons is the same. But the plot and all of the scenes are totally different. I was very impressed by all of the "Predator vision" shots. People who say the Predators where too easy to kill, unlike the one in the original, need to consider that if they where that tough the humans would die in the first twenty minutes, seeing as there are many more Predators in this one. Compare Alien to Aliens. The Aliens where much easier to kill than the one in the first one. But in this one they did things that where different. Like they where willing to sacrifice themselves to kill the Predators. They never caught the Predator in a direct explosion in the original like they did here. It was always near but not spot on to the Predator in the first movie. I love how brutally tough the Predators where when fighting hand to hand. As an entry to the series I give this a 7.5/10 Conservatively I give this movie an 8/10 Being generous I give it a 10/10
Star Trek: The Cage (1966)
In the beginning there was Pike
This was the very first Star Trek Episode ever. It was made in 1964 (two years before Trek became a TV show) Without >The Cage> it's possible that there would be NO star trek. The Cage had an entirely different crew.. except Spock...I think Bill Shatner made a much better Captian of the Enterprise then Jeffrey Hunter. The Props and set and special effects where more like 1940's then 1960's.. The Story was OK.. but it was a little boring..
But this is where it all begin. So this is what Gene Roddenberry's masterpiece was born from!! This was the trial run that set the stage for the real thing. I think if they had wanted to do more with Alien in this they could have.
Stand by Me (1986)
Timeless Classic
One of the best (if not the best) coming of age movies of all time. This movie has it all. It has murder mystery. It has misunderstood young men. It has hoodlums. It has flashbacks. And it has cussing cause it's cool. Although none of these actors, with the exception of Kiefer Sutherland, went on to make very major careers, maybe in River Phoenix's case because of his suicide, they all gave very convincing performances. The story was phenomenally captivating.From the start you won't want to stop, it is so much fun. It is a very serious movie, but at the same time it has a lot of well placed humor. All the characters have very distinctive and very likable personalities. The only thing I didn't like was the end where they told us what became of the boys as adults, and said the "bad boy" was going to turn his life around but was stabbed. Stephen King seems to like to kill kids (another example of this is "The Mist" where the father is forced to shoot his own son). This movie is a timeless classic. I will cherish it forever, and will definitely show this to my children. 50/10!
Marley & Me (2008)
Magically Wonderful
This is my favorite movie of it's kind. It is the only one that has made me feel actually emotional in a long time. Jennifer Anniston and Owen Wilson worked perfectly. But the performance that stuck me the most is one people may not even consider. It is the one of the boy Nathan Gamble who played their son Patrick at the oldest. He was brilliant and convincing as if already a seasoned actor. And of course Marley himself was wonderfully entertaining. But it's not about the dog so much as the way he affected lives. Although I never read the book, I though the story was fantastic. It was magically happy, and fun, funny, and heartbreakingly sad. I will treasure this movie as a classic forever. 10/10!
Defiance (2008)
Awesome
This was one of my favorite movies of 2008. Although I don't quite agree with the tag line that it was "Daniel Craig's Best Performance to date" (that would be Casino Royale) I do believe he gave a quite masterful performance. So did Liev Shrieber, and especially Jamie Bell and all of the other supporting cast members. I even like the acting by the young actor George MacKay who played Aron Bielski. I will keep this in my personal collection for the rest of my life. The length was great some times movies just aren't long enough these days. I will watch it again and again.It is a great World War II film. I recommend it to all. 10/10!!
Now and Then (1995)
Horrible
This movie is horrible all over. It is compared to "Stand By Me". That movie is a classic. This one does not even come close to measuring up to SBM. Some say this is an inspirational movie for young girls. Just so you know, they are wrong! If you're a parent do not show this to your child. It promotes sexism in the worst ways. The girls as children are all persecuted by boys. This is taken to the absolute extreme. This is not like real life. Every interaction with the boys these girls have they act as if they are being attacked. In response they proceed to become violent physically, verbally, and by their actions. This is a horrible movie and a bad influence. 0/10. Do not watch it.
Billy Elliot (2000)
Brilliance Defined
What's not to like about this film. It is a masterpiece in every way. It shows that a boy can participate in something that is generally reserved for girls and not be a homosexual. In fact Billy's friend was there to show that Billy was not gay but that he accepted him for who he was. It showed that even the most intolerant of parents can be turned to support their child once they see how much it means to them and what talent they have, even in the worst situations. All the performances where great from the adults to the kids. Jamie Bell was a master a "Billy". I'm glad to see that he has become an A-list British actor and that he is getting so many starring roles. He deserves it, his acting is golden. 10/10 all around for this move, which in my book is a timeless classic with a great message, and a must watch for anyone with an once of tolerance.
The Boys Are Back (2009)
Incredible, Very Moving, Everything I'd hoped for and a little more
This was an excellent movie, from the story to the acting, to even the camera work. It was a very touching piece. Mainly it was about how different people deal with the loss of a family member. And this didn't mean the death of one for all the characters. Clive Owen gave a brilliant performance as (Joe Warr)a grieving and now single father or a precocious little boy. He did drink heavily at first, but once he realized he had to deal with being a father he decided to become more mature. You couldn't ask for more from the six-year-old Nicholas McAnulty that played Artie. He was funny and cute and ill-tempered in just the right ways. He was the embodiment of how children do not know how to deal with the death of someone close. As for his older son from his first marriage. His name was Harry, he was played masterfully by George MacKay. This character was supposed to be moody and burned by his father's leaving him with his mother, who was now moved on with her life and had very little room for Harry in it. This is why he was so angry with his father. George portrayed all of this emotion quite brilliantly. He was the right person for this role. And has a promising future as an actor. He was angry and teen-age "I'm mad at my father" moody, and mature, and pleasant to his half brother... all in just the right ways. The only thing I hold against this movie, is that Joe was seemingly interested in another woman and it was never pursued. Although it would have been hard on Artie if his dad had moved on that quickly.
For performances and for the movie overall I give it a 9.5/10.
Skyrunners (2009)
Cool
This was a cool movie. You have to go easy on it considering it is a made for TV movie. I thought it was a really cool movie. A kid whose been picked on becomes someone with confidence and abilities to back it up. The acting (for the parts they where playing) was great. They delivered all the lines perfectly. They reacted very convincingly to everything that occurred. Whether it be fear, excitement, happiness, confidence, being tough...etc. People have to remember though, this is a TV movie. The acting can't be blockbuster level. The effects can't be blockbuster level. An so on. The one thing I can't wrap my head around is: How did they age the younger brother from pre-puberty to later puberty looks? I understand they can add fake facial hair, and use prosthetic make-up on his face to mature his facial features,and body suit to make his shoulders broader and musculature larger. But how did they make him taller, and how did they make his voice deeper?? I thought Joey Pollari did great!:) You couldn't tell he was a newcomer, he seemed very adjusted to the part. And Kelly Blatz was cool, he was cool as an older brother. Good actor.
If this had been a blockbuster movie theater movie I would give it a 5.5/10. But it's not so as a TV movie I give it a 10/10!! Awesome! :) :) :)
Terminator Salvation (2009)
A Disgrace to the name "Terminator"
This movie was junk. It was just called Terminator to sell tickets. I didn't enjoy more than two seconds of this movie. It was OK. But the other three where so much better. For those of you who scoffed at T3, I think after you saw this one you where probably more grateful for T3 than you had been. Let's hope, since they did take in a little bit of a profit, if you factor in the worldwide total, let's hope the next one is better. Let's hope they get better writers and a better director and a better soundtrack. I'd hate to see the Terminator franchise meet its own Judgement Day.
I think my favorite part about this movie wasn't the movie itself but Christian Bale's on set tirade.
I give this movie a 4.5/10. Sorry...
Star Trek (2009)
A Triumph in every possible way!!
I have been a Star Trek fan most of my life. I can honestly say this movie was probably one of the best (If not the best) Treks I've ever seen! I can't wait for the DVD to come out. What's more I can't wait for the sequel! and it looks very likely that their will be a sequel. And with a movie this good, you can't expect anything other than the huge success it's enjoying!
The things that made it great where: The story was fantastic, people who weren't already fans of Trek could really get into it, it wasn't hard to understand, but it was still very intelligent. The music was superb! it gave it a very grand and exciting feeling! The effects where top of the line, and just plain brilliant! The humor gave it a more personal quality, so it didn't feel as stiff as it could have been. And the acting was top-notch. They really hit the nail on the head by picking the unknown Chris Pine to play James Kirk. Not only does he look like William Shatner did when he first started playing Kirk, but his acting was exceptional. And there was Zachary Quinto, he did the part of Spock so much justice, it's hard to see anyone else play him. And there was the surprise appearance of Leonard Nimoy (the original Spock) playing Older Spock. He really tied the story together. And not to forget, there was also the wonderful performances of Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, Karl Urban, and Eric Bana. Also the children that played Kid Kirk (Jimmy Bennett) and Kid Spock (Jacob Kogan) gave masterful performances for the short background story parts they where tasked with.
So that is why I say this movie was a triumph in every way! Not just as a Star Trek film but as any film! I give this movie a 10 out if 10! If they'd let me I'd give it a 20 out of 10!!!
Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out? (2007)
Excellent
This DCOM was excellent. I have to admit the reason that made me want to watch this is because it is based on an R.L. Stein book, and I happen to be a fan of his kids horror stories. It thought the casting was great. They where able to use familiar Disney actors without them seeming like there characters from their shows. Luke Benward, Maddison Pettis,David Deluise, Kim Rhodes, they all delivered A+ performances. Let's not forget the main character Max played by a seemingly highly talented stage/movie/TV actor, Sterling Beaumon, I doubt this is the last we'll see of him (his resume is very long, even though he is only 13), he did an excellent job acting his role. This was classic R.L. Stein, from dumb bully brothers, to creepy basement creatures, to creepy children (ghosts), to a creepy ending where you know the bad guy is still out there, but he can't harm anyone any longer. I recommend this to anybody with kids, and to kids who want a good laugh, and maybe some scares. The special effects where top-notch considering it is a made-for-TV-movie. For performance, effects, and story I give it a 10/10!