Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

After seeing the first Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and loving it, I was excited when I saw the previews for a sequel.

If you haven't seen the first Sisterhood movie, the sequel opens with a nice introduction of the characters and summary of events from the previous film, narrated by Carmen (America Ferrera). Carmen's been looking forward to the summer after her first year at Yale, because she will be reunited in her hometown with her three Friends of the Pants: Tibby (Amber Tamblyn), Lena (Alexis Biedel), and Bridget (Blake Lively). They jointly own this pair of really cute jeans, which somehow fits all of them even though they're hardly the same size, so everyone gets to take turns. But it turns out that all four have plans that will keep them from hanging out together, so the pants will have to travel from friend to friend once again.

The three years since we first met them have seen the girls mature and so has the story: sexual discovery, heartbreak, abandonment and forgiveness are on the menu as the girls face adulthood. Perhaps the magical, good karma-bestowing pants that act as a way from them all to stay connected via FedEx have started to fray, destined to be put away with the childish things of girlhood.

Simply, this was a sweet and satisfying time spent in the company of characters we like and understand that ultimately confirms the importance of women's friendship.

The Mummy: Tomb of Dragon Emperor

There weren't a lot of choices this weekend. Our choices were between The Mummy: Tomb of Dragon Emperor and Swing Vote, I chose The Mummy; about half way through the movie, as I struggled to keep my eyes open, I was regretting my choice.

I realize that this is nothing more than a popcorn movie designed to lure summer moviegoers in the lull after Dark Knight and before the serious Oscar contenders start to roll out. But even silly pop movies have standards and this one falls short.

The film starts off in 50BC China by telling an ancient tale of forbidden love and revenge when the power-hungry Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) - along with his terracotta army - are turned to stone while seeking the secret of immortality.

Fast forward 2,000 years and we’re in 1946 Oxford, where Egyptologist Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) has retired after his adventures of the first two films with wife Evelyn (Maria Bello, replacing Rachel Weisz). But, the power-crazy maniac has been unleashed and it is up to Rick and his wife to stop him from taking over the world.

Dumb, inept and more than a little dull, this lacklustre film suggests that it’s time to put The Mummy back in its coffin - for good!

X-Files: I Want to Believe

The X-Files: I Want to Believe was one that you would think I couldn't wait to go see. I've never watched the series so it was a take it or leave it movie for me; but mom, on the other hand, was a big fan of the show and seeing how this show is all about the paranormal - and I LOVE paranormal stuff - it seemed like one I might enjoy so off we went...

As the famous theme tune is whistled over the opening credits, listen carefully and you may hear the gentle chime of ringing tills as Mulder and Scully return for a pointless cash-in on the TV series. I Want To Believe isn’t a terrible film but it’s just not very good either.

Mulder and Scully are called back into action when a disgraced priest starts hearing voices and having visions after two FBI agents disappear.

Void of any monsters, super-natural quirkiness or even a psycho killer, the film fizzles. The only ‘mystery’ in the movie is whether or not the paedophile priest could possibly be psychic – and it’s hard to take this seriously when the priest uses his powers to deduce that the house he’s been taken to isn’t the scene of the crime at all – rather it’s the house opposite. The yellow police tape surrounding the property was probably the biggest clue.

I think it's lost its X factor.

Mamma Mia!

We could not wait for this one to come out!! A Musical...with Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan?!?! Oh yeah! This one was on our "MUST SEE" list.

Donna (Meryl Streep) owns and runs a resort hotel on a remote Greek Island where she has raised her daugher, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) alone. Neither Donna nor Sophie know who Sophie's father is but Sophie has narrowed it down to three men - Bill (Stellan Skarsgard), Sam (Pierce Brosnan) and Harry (Colin Firth) - after reading her mother's diary. And unknown to her mom, she invites all three of them to her upcoming wedding.

Donna's closest girlfriends - Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) - also show up for the upcoming nuptials. Leading into tons of singing, dancing and silliness.

I laughed, I tapped my foot, I smiled, and I found myself undeniably amused. If that's the kind of experience you're looking for, and if you dig ABBA, this crazy, mixed-up movie might just be for you.

This is entertainment, not a movie. And as entertainment goes, Mamma Mia! belts it out of the park!

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Journey to the Center of the Earth was one that mom and I just had to go check out...If for no other reason than the visual effects (it was 3-D).

I don't know if this one would be nearly as good in 2-D. These filmmakers understand why audiences have put on the 3-D glasses, and they offer up visual trick after visual trick in hopes of keeping the viewers wowed.

The plot is simple. Brendan Fraser plays Trevor Anderson, a volcanic scientist whose brother went missing during fieldwork. Trevor agrees to have his troubled young nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) stay with him for a week, but as soon as the kid arrives, suspicious activity is found on Trevor's computerized volcano-watch system. He and the kid pack up and head for Iceland, where they hire a tour guide named Hanna (Anita Briem) to lead them to the base of a volcano. There, Trevor finds what he always suspected: that there are volcanic tubes plunging straight into the Earth's core.

The trio falls down one of these tunnels and discovers a little "world within the world." There are mountains and an ocean, and other more dangerous things like dinosaurs, carnivorous plants, and man-eating fish. Together, they must navigate all these dangers and find a way to safely return to the surface.

Knowing that two-thirds of American cinemas will show this movie in standard 2-D, which is kind of sad considering that the whole thing exists as a demonstration of how digital 3-D takes a movie thrill ride to the next level. I say in 3-D - yes, absolutely, it's worth your time and money. In 2-D - probably not-so-much; that is unless you just like looking at Brendan Fraser and, in that case, it's still only a maybe.

Handcock

Mom and I thought that Handcock looked like it would be a pretty funny movie so this weekend we decided to go check it out.

There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock. With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock.

Perhaps the oddest take on superheroes that film has offered yet, Will Smith does an excellent job of playing the disinterested superhero with an existential crisis.

Hancock (Will Smith) is a drunken crime fighter with publicity issues stemming from his tendency to constantly cause collateral damage. But, after saving the life of compassionate public relations expert, Ray Embry (Jason Bateman), Ray is grateful enough to offer his services. Ray thinks he can get the public on Hancock’s side if he agrees to a serious attitude adjustment. Ray’s wife Mary (Charlize Theron) is not happy about the arrangement, fearful that Hancock will disappoint her husband. As it turns out, her reluctance to be around Hancock has more to do with a secret she’s been keeping from her family.

That secret kicks the story into hyper-drive. It changes the entire mindset of both Hancock and the audience, a course change that provides a layer of complexity that the first half of the movie never even hinted was around the bend.

In short, I am more than happy to recommend Hancock as a fun movie to see; however, I would like to stress....that this movie is rated PG-13 for a reason. It has a LOT of foul language and is not one for children under 13!!

Wanted

This weekends movie of choice was Wanted, starring James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, and Morgan Freeman.

This story is about an anxiety-ridden, frustrated office worker named Wesley (James McAvoy) who has less than $14.00 in his bank account, his boss is a donut eating slob on a power trip from hell, and his best friend is sleeping with his girlfriend.

Wesley gets the opportunity to avenge on his tormentors and enter a fantasy world where he can realize his hidden powers as a skilled assassin. This happens after he is picked up in a bar by Fox (Angelina Jolie), who confides that he is now a member of the Fraternity, a thousand-year-old secret society of assassins who kill bad people.

We enter a heightened reality in which there's a transformation from nerd to killer, a mystical a language in thread and an upside down world when fate spits out names to balance a chaotic world. Guilty pleasure or ripping escapism, it's a wild explosion of a film that rides high on its extravagant script and blows us away by its surreal action scenes.

I really enjoyed this movie!!