Archive for December, 2008

John & Becky's Movie Review Of Doubt

Dec 31

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

doubtposter Becky and I went to see Doubt last night at the Kerasotes theater in Castle Rock, CO. The Yahoo movie website at Doubt describes the movie as follows.

“It’s 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A vibrant, charismatic priest, Father Flynn, is trying to upend the school’s strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline…”

The Review
Doubt is a movie we had great expectations for and it started out pretty good. It was actually pretty interesting for a while and then it got really slow. The acting is great in this film and that’s probably why so many people liked it, but the story was boring with a terrible ending.

We are actually surprised how great of reviews this movie has received. Some of you may like it for the acting and if you went to a Catholic school you may relate to some of the characters. I am one of the few people I know who actually got thrown out of a Catholic school in ninth grade back in Minnesota for arguing with a Priest. My parents and I were politely asked to find a different school to attend, so I could totally relate to the characters. Needless to say, I thought I would like this flick more than I did.

The ending is really terrible. Sister Aloysius, who is the main character played by Meryl Streep, sits down on a bench and say’s “I have doubts” to the other Sister who is in the film and that’s pretty much the end of the movie. No major climax, just a question on if she did the right thing and it was all over. I found it to be a complete waste of time, as much as I liked the acting and parts of the story. Becky thought it might make a good rental.

John – * Don’t Bother Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming hd Alive or Dead movie full
Becky – ** Rental
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Tags: Doubt

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of Bedtime Stories

Dec 30

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

bedtimestories Becky and I took the kids to see Bedtime Stories

the other day at the Kerasotes theaters in Castle Rock, CO. The Fandango movie website at Bedtime Stories describes the movie as follows:

“Hotel handyman Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) gets an unexpected surprise when he discovers that the tall tales he’s been telling his niece and nephew are somehow coming true. Hoping to take advantage of the mysterious phenomenon, Skeeter spins one outlandish yarn after another, but the children’s unexpected contributions to the stories turn Skeeter’s life upside down.”

The Review
Bedtime Stories Watership Down full movie stars Adam Sandler and Keri Russell who get the job of watching Adam’s niece and nephew while his sister goes in search of a new job. Adam has zero experience with kids, but he does a great job creating plenty of laughs for the audience in this romantic comedy as he spins his tales.

Bedtime Stories was very entertaining. We all enjoyed the film and thought it was great for kids and a really fun family movie, even if you’re not an Adam Sandler fan. Adam’s work is such a hit or miss, especially after Don’t Mess With The Zohan, which we hated, but he delivers in this one and everyone enjoyed it.

Bedtime Stories hasn’t done as well at the Box office as Marley & Me, but we liked it way better. It’s on the same level as Night At The Museum for a great Christmas and New Year’s movie, so you don’t want to miss this one, especially if you have kids. It’s a great flick and worth the price of admission.

John – **** Don’t Miss It
Becky – **** Don’t Miss It

The Kids
Conroy – **** Don’t Miss It
Corban- **** Don’t Miss It
Bianca – **** Don’t Miss It
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates The Guardian move in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Tags: adam sandler, bedtime stories, keri russell

John &amp;amp;amp;amp; Becky&amp;amp;amp;#039;s Movie Review Of Marley &amp;amp;amp;amp; Me

Dec 28

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

marleyandme Becky and I took the kids to see Marley & Me tonight at the Kerasotes theaters in Castle Rock, CO. The Fandango movie website at Marley & Me

describes the movie as follows:

“The Grogans adopt the cute, twelve pound yellow Labrador, who in no time at all, grows into a 100-pound steamroller of unbridled energy that turns the Grogan home into a disaster area.”

The Review
Marley & Me stars Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson and is a story about a guy and a girl who get married and buy their first totally unruly dog that grows old with them as they go from being newlyweds to having a family. Unfortunately, the first half of the movie is all about their sex lives and their whacky dog, along with their jobs and whether or not they should have children together at the time. Mr. Grogan is trying to decide if he should have been a reporter instead of a columnist at a newspaper and his dog has helped make his career a success.

The movie probably should have been rated PG-13, but once again the rating system in Hollywood is completely out of whack as we have seen in recent films we’ve been reviewing. Corban was ticked that they kept swearing and as he put it, “the woman kept getting naked in the movie.” Bianca and her friend Meghan, the neighbor girl who is eight years old like Corban, really liked the movie. Conroy leaned over about half way through and said, “Dad, this is a rental and it should have been rated PG-13″.

The movie is pretty good and redeems itself in the second half of the film, but for the most part it was pretty boring and watching the dog be a nuisance for two hours was a bit much. Becky and I both thought it was a rental and out of all of us, Bianca and her friend liked it the most.

John – ** Rental
Becky – ** Rental

The Kids
Conroy – ** Rental
Corban- ** Rental

Bianca – *** Worth The Trip
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates

Jersey Girl dvd in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Tags: Jennifer Anniston, Marley & Me, Owen Wilson

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of Valkyrie

Dec 28

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

valkyrieposter Becky and I went to see the new Tom Cruise film Valkyrie the other day at the Kerasotes theater in Castle Rock, CO with our friends Rod and Kimberly Tactaquin. The Fandango website at Valkyrie describes the movie as follows.

“A proud military man, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg is a loyal officer who serves his country all the while hoping that someone will find a way to stop Hitler before Europe and Germany are destroyed. Realizing that time is running out, he decides that he must take action himself and joins the German resistance. Armed with a cunning strategy to use Hitler’s own emergency plan – known as Operation Valkyrie – these men plot to assassinate the dictator and overthrow his Nazi government from the inside….”

The Review
Valkyrie

is a great movie if you are a history buff or if you have ever wondered why the German people or someone in the German military during World War II didn’t just kill Hitler when they found out that he was insane. This movie answers that question and shows the challenges of removing a Dictator from power once they have taken over the country, even if they are nuts.

The movie moves a bit slow, it’s definitely interesting, but as Rod pointed out after the film, it’s a great deal like the German version of the Alamo. You have to admire their mission that was impossible to pull off, but unfortunately they didn’t have much of a chance going into their mission. The problem for them is that they really believed that they had a fool proof plan and in the end they gave their lives for the right reasons.

Becky thought the movie was one that you should wait to hit the rental rack. I think that Rod agreed with her and Kimberly and I liked it more than they did, but we would probably all agree that it wasn’t a feel good movie to pay $10 to see at the box office. That’s four reviews for this movie review, so you’re best bet is to probably wait to see this movie when it comes out on DVD. We’re getting a bit tougher since the cost of movies continues to skyrocket while the economy is going in the other direction.

John – ** Rental
Becky – ** Rental

Rod – ** Rental
Kimberly – ** Rental
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates

in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Tags: John and Becky's Movie Reviews, Tom Cruise, Valkyrie

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Dec 27

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

Becky and I went to see the new Brad Pitt film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Christmas night at the AMC theater in Highlands Ranch, CO. The Rotten Tomatoes website at The Curious Case of Benjamin Button describes the movie as follows.

“Director David Fincher and Brad Pitt team up for a third time with this adaptation of a F. Scott Fitzgerald short story. Pitt plays a man who is born 80 years old, but instead of aging, he grows… Director David Fincher and Brad Pitt team up for a third time with this adaptation of a F. Scott Fitzgerald short story. Pitt plays a man who is born 80 years old, but instead of aging, he grows young. Oscar winner Cate Blanchett costars, along with Taraji P. Henson and Tilda Swinton…”

The Review
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the movie where you get to see Brad Pitt as an ugly baby, grow up backwards to become “Joe Handsome” and fall in love with the beautiful Cate Blanchett. The film is definitely unique and different. It looks at people from all walks of life and the part they play in the life of Benjamin and one another, as he grows young, which is an odd concept in itself.

The thing that bothered both of us about this movie is that it takes place in New Orleans and a good portion of it is during the time that hurricane Katrina is about to hit. For some reason they kept focusing on the hurricane and maybe that was because of Brad Pitt trying to have people remember what happened down there since he did a great deal of volunteer work after the storm. We couldn’t really figure out any other reason since it didn’t tie into the story whatsoever, so maybe it did it’s part.

We waited in line on Christmas night for an hour to see this 2 hour and 45 minute film, plus previews, but it was worth the trip. Other than the fact that they both did a great deal of sleeping around throughout their lives, the film was entertaining and thought provoking. We both thought it was a good film for the big screen, even though AMC has now raised their prices to $10 a ticket! I guess they have to pay Brad Pitt’s salary for a film like this somehow.

If you get a chance, we would recommend seeing this movie and you shouldn’t be disappointed. I’m going with Worth The Trip and Becky say’s Don’t Miss It because Brad Pitt is easy on the eyes.

John – *** Worth The Trip
Becky – **** Don’t Miss It
_________________________________________________________________________

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

Tags: Benjamin Button, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, John and Becky's Movie Reviews

John &amp;amp;amp;amp; Becky&amp;amp;amp;#039;s Movie Review Of Frost/Nixon

Dec 25

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

FrostNixon Merry Christmas! There are six new movies starting today, so stay tuned for some new movie reviews coming from John & Becky this weekend. Becky and I went to see the political filmFrost/Nixon on Monday at the Landmark theater in Greenwood Village, CO. The Rotten Tomatoes website at Frost/Nixon describes the movie as follows.

“Oscar®-winning director Ron Howard brings to the screen writer Peter Morgan’s (The Queen, The Last King of Scotland) electrifying battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced president with a legacy… Oscar®-winning director Ron Howard brings to the screen writer Peter Morgan’s (The Queen, The Last King of Scotland) electrifying battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced president with a legacy to save, and David Frost, a jet-setting television personality with a name to make, in the untold story of the historic encounter that changed both: Frost/Nixon. Reprising their roles from Morgan’s stageplay are Frank Langella, who won a Tony for his portrayal of Nixon, and Michael Sheen, who fully inhabited the part of Frost onstage in London and New York…”

The Review
Frost/Nixon has mixed reviews depending on the age of the viewing audience. I think for people who went through the Nixon Watergate era they will focus mainly on how crooked President Richard Nixon was as he tried to get out of admitting his wrong doing. For Becky and I, we liked the story and found it amazing because of what Frost had to go through to pull off the interview with Nixon when he was against all odds.

What we found fascinating about this film is that if you read between the lines, President Richard Nixon wasn’t really passionate about being President of the United States as much as he was concerned about creating personal wealth and losing his power. It builds throughout the film and then comes out loud and clear at the end where he makes a comment to Frost about how he would have been a good journalist.

Unfortunately, for President Nixon he spends the remainder of his life a very lonely man because of one giant mistake he made, which just goes to show you that one bad decision can have lasting consequences. As we left the film, it made me think about how many other Presidents or other men in power arrived in their positions of authority for the wrong reasons. If you go beyond just looking at President Nixon and punishing him for his sins and instead look at the contrast of the two people in the film and their difference in motivation and passion you can’t help but enjoy this movie. We both liked it and thought it was definitely worth the trip to the box office.

John – *** Worth The Trip
Becky – *** Worth The Trip
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates

in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Godsend dvd

Tags: Frost, Nixon, Ron Howard

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of The Tale of Despereaux

Dec 23

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

Despereaux Poster Becky and I took the kids to see The Tale of Despereaux yesterday at the Kerasotes theaters in Castle Rock, CO. The Rotten Tomatoes movie website at The Tale of Despereaux describes the movie as follows:

“Once upon a time, in the faraway kingdom of Dor, there was magic in the air, raucous laughter aplenty and gallons of mouth-watering soup. But a terrible accident left the king broken-hearted, the princess filled with longing and the townsfolk despondent. All hope was lost in a land where sunlight disappeared and the world became dreary gray. Until Despereaux Tilling was born… A brave and virtuous mouse, Despereaux is simply too big for his small world…”

The Review
The Tale of Despereaux can be summed up in a short story…

“Once upon a time there were some Hollywood executives who said, “We need a movie for the Christmas holiday season that parents will take their kids too and we can pull in 10 million on opening weekend. We don’t care if the plot is terrible, the story is dark, convoluted and somewhat twisted, but as long as we put a cute mouse in it and a fancy name we’ll attract kids of all ages and parents with cash.” and so it happened that the movie was made, the executives were right and they opened up with $10 million at the box office. The end.”
Perfect Opposites
This is a goofy cartoon that has an evil cat, an evil rat, a group of whacky mice, a mixed up king and his princess, a confused servant girl and a hero mouse who is not believable. Within the first ten minutes the Queen dies by drowning in her bowl of soup, that was really enjoyable and made for good Holiday cheer. The rats are ready to eat anything and everything, including the mice and are as wicked as can get. The servant girl is self seeking and misguided as she kidnaps the princess.

The bottom line is that this movie was messed up and we wouldn’t recommend it. Our kids liked it somewhat, but kids like just about any animated flick regardless of the content. Hollywood has this pegged and they can put out just about anything over the Holidays and get sales. Our advice is to skip this one and wait for the rental, if you are desperate to see it.

John – * Don’t Bother
Becky – * Don’t Bother

The Kids
Conroy – ** Rental
Corban- *** Worth The Trip
Bianca – *** Worth The Trip Employee of the Month buy
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

Tags: Despereaux, John and Becky's Movie Reviews

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of Seven Pounds

Dec 22

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

7 Pounds Becky and I went to see the new flick Seven Pounds on Saturday at the AMC theater in Highlands Ranch, CO. The Rotten Tomatoes website at Seven Pounds describes the movie as follows.

“Academy Award® nominee Will Smith reunites with the directors and producers of The Pursuit of Happyness for the emotional drama Seven Pounds. In the film, Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent with… Academy Award® nominee Will Smith reunites with the directors and producers of The Pursuit of Happyness for the emotional drama Seven Pounds. In the film, Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent with a fateful secret who embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers…”

The Review

Seven Pounds is more like eight ounces. It was really hyped as the Christmas season movie that nobody should miss and I think that Becky and I were expecting more from this Will Smith blockbuster. We spoke with a couple clients of mine the day we were going to see it and they told us how their son’s High School girlfriend came into their home the night before and couldn’t stop crying. We were expecting the same emotional response, but it didn’t happen for us.

Maybe Becky and I are just too old to get that emotionally charged about a film like Seven Pounds. I had it figured out about half way through the movie, so that was part of the problem, even though they did their best to try to make it difficult to follow. It was tough to follow though for most people since it jumps around a great deal. The problem though is the message is really pathetic.

Basically, the message of the film is that once you make a mistake there is no chance for redemption unless you give up something on the same level as what was lost. An eye for an eye is the message of Seven Pounds and as a Christian I find that the wrong message and so did Becky. There are some strong messages though about the fact that there are consequences for your actions and that was a good message, but it’s the way it’s presented that created a problem.

We can’t say it’s a feel good movie nor is it something that will make you think that Smith’s character was right in his actions by any stretch. It failed as a love story and it has a twisted ending. Bottom line is we were not impressed and there are better movies to go see than this one. Wait for the rental rack is our vote and you might actually like it since you didn’t pay $9 for admission.

John – ** Rental
Becky – ** Rental
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates

in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com The Court Jester video

Tags: John and Becky's Movie Reviews, Seven Pounds, Will Smith

John &amp;amp;amp; Becky&amp;amp;#039;s Movie Review Of Yes Man

Dec 22

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

Yes Man Becky and I went to see Yes Man on Friday at the AMC theater in Highlands Ranch, CO. The Yahoo movie website at Yes Man Candy dvdrip describes the movie as follows.

“A man signs up for a self-help program based on one simple principle: say yes to everything… and anything. At first, unleashing the power of “yes” transforms his life in amazing and unexpected ways, but he soon discovers that opening up his life to endless possibilities can have its drawbacks…”

The Review
Yes Man is another strange Jim Carrey film that is almost the same movie as Liar, Liar where he could only tell the truth. In this film, his character goes to a self-help seminar and now he can only say Yes to everything.

There are some very funny parts in the film and you actually start to really like the movie along with his bizarre girlfriend as it starts to shape up as a fun romantic comedy. Unfortunately, it then takes a very sour turn with a few parts that are nothing less than over-the-top crude sexual humor with him getting intimate with some old lady. It’s ridiculous and really wrecked the movie the way that they did it.

Yes Man Arabian Adventure move is definitely funny, so don’t get me wrong. I’m just amazed that they would make a PG-13 movie with crude sexual scenes and they used the “F” word at least once in the film. They don’t have to do that, so the Director is a moron. It should have been rated R. They should know that people are paying to see a movie that they may be bringing their kids to without having to be put in an uncomfortable position.

It’s also just too much like Liar, Liar and his other goofy films, so we would suggest waiting for the rental or don’t bother.

John – ** Rental
Becky – * Don’t Bother
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

Tags: Goblin Network, John & Becky, Yes Man

John & Becky's Movie Review of Nothing Like the Holidays

Dec 14

Posted by John & Becky's Movie Reviews in Movie Reviews | No Comments

nothingliketheholidays Becky and I went to see Nothing Like the Holidays yesterday afternoon at the Kerasotes theaters in Castle Rock, CO. The Yahoo movie website at Nothing Like the Holidays describes the movie as follows.

“It’s Christmastime and the far-flung members of the Rodriguez family are converging at their parents’ home in Chicago to celebrate the season and rejoice in their youngest brother’s safe return from combat overseas. For Jesse, coming home has rekindled feelings for an old flame, although she can’t seem to forgive him for leaving. His older sister Roxanna, a struggling actress, has been chasing her Hollywood dreams for years with little to show for it. And much to the dismay of their mother Anna, eldest brother Mauricio brings home a high-powered executive wife who would rather raise capital than a child…”

The Review
Nothing Like the Holidays is about an American family with Puerto Rican heritage living in Chicago and dealing with their cultural differences, economic challenges and having a son and brother who has just returned from Iraq. There are about five stories going on within this movie at one time and plenty of character interaction among the relatives and friends. It’s goofy at times and heart warming at others.

Nothing Like the Holidays is definitely a drama more than a comedy, but it does have some very funny people and parts in the film. It’s geared toward and around the Latin community for the Christmas season, but it’s enjoyable and fun regardless of your ethnic background.

It also makes you think about the challenges facing many people in America from different walks of life and what their experiences are in today’s economic climate, complete with a soldier coming home and even another character struggling with gang violence. It’s has some very emotional scenes and it’s much better than many of the Holiday films that come out this time of year. It sucks you in and you will like this flick.

We both liked this movie and thought that it would make for a good rental when it comes out on DVD or it is Worth The Trip if you head to the box office. Becky liked it as much as I did, but she thought most people would want to wait for the rental.

John – *** Worth The Trip
Becky – ** Rental
_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

Tags: Nothing like the holidays

SalesFreak.com

The SalesFreak's Blog and BoydFlix.com

Archive for December, 2008

John & Becky's Movie Review Of Doubt

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of Bedtime Stories

John &amp;amp;amp;amp; Becky&amp;amp;amp;#039;s Movie Review Of Marley &amp;amp;amp;amp; Me

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of Valkyrie

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

John &amp;amp;amp;amp; Becky&amp;amp;amp;#039;s Movie Review Of Frost/Nixon

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of The Tale of Despereaux

John &amp; Becky&#039;s Movie Review Of Seven Pounds

John &amp;amp;amp; Becky&amp;amp;#039;s Movie Review Of Yes Man

John & Becky's Movie Review of Nothing Like the Holidays

Archives

Meta