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wolflady26
Reviews
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)
Not Groundbreaking, But Entertaining Enough
If you're expecting an original groundbreaking comedy, you're probably going to be disappointed by this film. But if you're looking for a bit of sweet entertainment, it will fit the bill.
The acting was pretty decent, and there were quite a few chuckles throughout the movie. If you're looking for much more than that, you'll probably want to pick another movie. The biggest disadvantage was that the plot was absolutely predictable.
However, I was impressed with the way it showed a couple trying to work through a very serious problem in their relationship. The romance part was fairly believable.
It's not a movie that I'm dying to see again or rushing to go out and buy, but it was an enjoyable way to spend some time. I went to see it with family, and we all more or less enjoyed it.
Blood and Chocolate (2007)
I'm Glad I Didn't Let the Reviews Scare Me Away
While this probably won't go down as my favorite horror movie ever, I thought Blood and Chocolate was a very solid, interesting vampire story. It's kind of sad that people jump instantly to comparing it to Underworld. Underworld and Blood and Chocolate are both in the werewolf movie genre, but there are plenty of movies out there that are similar if viewed superficially. Think cop movies, or 99.9% of all romantic comedies. That doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of room for variation under those superficial similarities.
Where I found Underworld to be lackluster, I really enjoyed Blood and Chocolate. It's true that there aren't a ton of special effects, but I personally found the transformation between man and wolf to be quite beautiful. I also thought that the characterization was interesting, the acting excellent, and the storyline compelling. These elements placed against the perfect dark romantic setting of Bucharest made for a very enjoyable movie.
I'm glad I went ahead and saw this movie despite the negative comments and reviews. If you're expecting deep scares or blockbuster special effects, this is not the film for you. If you'd like a more thoughtful and introspective story that touches on the effects of living through violence and what it means to be different, outcast, and a member of a violent, isolated group, then this film is probably worth your time.
Prime (2005)
Pointless! (Extremely Mild Spoilers Within)
This was easily one of the most pointless movies I've seen recently. Basically, two characters fall in love and then whine a lot. Some important topics that people in love must handle come up, including a wide age gap and differences in religion, but those issues are never really handled. They are simply used for conflict and then discarded.
Meryl Streep's character is utterly pointless. It seems like the only reason for including this character in the movie is to create trailers that make this totally unfunny movie appear to be a comedy. It's not. I don't think there was a single point where I even was tempted to crack a smile.
The characterization was ham-fisted. Uma Thurman's character is described as being wonderful, but there is never anything to show why. The male lead is young, leading Thurman to believe that he can't provide her with what he needs, but he is never shown as being undependable. The random stabs at demonstrating these points are so old and tired that it's amazing they'd get written into yet another film - he wants to play Nintendo when she wants to have sex (of course, she presumably bought him the Nintendo, even after a friend warned her that could happen sometimes). He sleeps with someone else while "on a break." Do we really need to see these tired clichés warmed over yet again? All in all, this was a very "day in the life" film, with no message, no goal, no resolution, and worst of all, no fun.
Barfuss (2005)
Incredibly Romantic
I wasn't entirely enthused about seeing this movie. The trailer didn't look terribly interesting to me, and "crazy woman falls in love" movies aren't really my favorite genre. I was so very glad, however, that I didn't let those concerns stop me from going to see it.
This movie really makes you understand what so many romantic comedies these days are missing. Barfuss achieved romance without being flaky, silly or stupid. Most amazing of all, it achieved it without a single kiss, never mind a sex scene.
The acting was simply amazing, the characters believable and totally sympathetic. Two very different, very deeply flawed, people struggle with nearly unsurmountable obstacles to find and keep one another.
Although it's a romance, it's not a pure chick-flick. The humor and depth of characterization make it enjoyable for both genders, and the romantic elements steer clear of being cheesy.
All in all, I highly recommend it!