Coraline

Year: 2009

Genre: Fantasy/Animation

Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Robert Bailey Jr.

Dave - 3.5 Stars - Cool story, well developed, but just didn't have the "it" to really make something special. It was visually awesome, and probably better suited for the living room big screen. The snowglobe of the Zoo was really neat, and of course how can you not like a guy wearing an MSU sweatshirt the whole movie. Good movie all in all.

Lexie - 3.5 Stars - It was not until after we watched the movie that I discovered the story was written by Neil Gaiman, so without that knowledge I was surprised by the adult themes and images in the movie. The animation was fluid and beautiful. The story started out as an engaging fairy tale, but I couldn't help but drift as it developed and I had a lot of "Wait, that doesn't work," moments. Overall, this is a good watch, even if only for the artistry of the execution.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327597/

The Uninvited

Year: 2009

Genre: Horror

Starring: Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel, David Strathairn

Dave - 3 Stars - Solely because of the sweet twist at the end. The mom just has a perfect look for an evil stepmother so she sucked you in from the start. Luckily I haven't seen the one that they "ripped off" so I can appreciate this for what it was....interesting enough to enjoy, with a sweet twist to get you to go "oh snap" at the end.

Lexie - 3.5 Stars - Though the "twist" at the end was eerily similar to the end of 1972's "The Other," it actually came together for me. Throughout the movie I couldn't help but feel the plot has been done; the sisters coping with their mother's death (one sister is fresh out of the mental institution) have a hard time dealing with Dad's new hot live-in girlfriend and they soon discover she is trying to kill them. Perhaps she has killed before? Perhaps not? Why do the girls friends start to disappear? You'll find out. It's worth it to stick out the first hour or so for the last 20 minutes of action and resolution.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0815245/

Trivial

Year: 2007

Genre: Drama/Mystery

Starring: Sophie Marceau, Christophe Lambert

Dave - 2 Stars - A little too all over the place, and just not very memorable. Interesting idea, but just, well blah, like my review.

Lexie - 2 Stars - Many great elements were present here, but the story took entirely too long to unravel and when it did unravel, it was so complicated that I had to skip back and watch the explanations over again. "Whose kid belongs to who? He did what? His daughter? WTF?" These are just a few of the questions you'll be asking after being dragged around a seemingly endless runaround. The fact of the matter is, I don't believe there was enough motivation for this woman (who appears quite rational) to carry out the twisted plan she becomes involved in. She expelled entirely too much energy for someone who supposedly does not care. You won't care either.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0864918/

The Entertainer

Year: 1960

Genre: Drama

Starring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, Roger Livesay

Dave - 2.5 Stars - I would normally go a 2 but Laurence Olivier was pretty impressive with his ability to cover the spectrum of emotions throughout the movie. Story never really got anywhere, it was just a story of a guy who was down on his luck to start and just kept digging deeper. It would be a good PSA to people that were really worried about talking their kids out of being in entertainment or being with someone in the field because they are normally not very aware or concerned with the feelings and emotions of the people around them.

Lexie - 3 Stars - While I think the story of this movie was strong, something got lost in the adaptation from stage to screen. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters long enough to feel sympathetic, even though the story is quite sad from start to finish. I think it also failed to tie some of the main plot points together, and by the end I didn't feel as moved as I think I was supposed to be. This is a movie worth watching for the "classic" style and the characters of Archie and Billy Rice who I found to be quite viable despite some moments where I was lost.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053796/

Peeping Tom

Year: 1960

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Starring: Karlheinz Bohm, Moira Shearer, Anna Massey

Dave - 2 Stars - The lead and blind mom were really good, but the rest of the cast was pretty weak. Story could have been great, but it never really came together. He was so crazy that the writer didn't ever let you get to know him fully.

Lexie - 2 Stars - All of the elements were there: an engaging plot, a troubled main character who remains likable despite his issues, a mysterious backstory unraveling throughout, a hint of a tragic love story...so what happened? Nothing. With every new detail that arose I said, "Okay, but when is something going to happen?" Sadly, nothing ever did. This already short movie could have lost 35 minutes without compromising the story. It wanted to be suspenseful, but instead was plain boring outside of the murder sequences and awkwardly developing romance. I appreciate the fact that no gore was ever shown but left to my imagination instead, and I also appreciate the allegory of the main character's plight for movie watching as a form of voyeurism for the masses, but why not really delve into that instead of making us sit through a seemingly endless therapy session?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054167/

Halloween

Year: 2007

Genre: Horror

Starring: Daeg Faerch, Malcolm McDowell, Scout-Taylor Compton

Dave - 3 Stars - Solid remake even though I've never seen the original. Rob does do a nice job, and the young kid who played Michael really sold it in the beginning. You knew just looking at the kid that he was going to be a psycho killer, and very good at it. Glad to see it end with a gun shot to the face for a change.

Lexie - 3.5 Stars - I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised at how good this movie was; what I found most amazing about it, is that I have never heard any recognition of how amazing the actor who played 10-year old Michael Myers was, it was scary how well he pulled off the role; I was worried it was going to be terribly gory and graphic with Rob Zombie behind the camera, but the violence viewing was tolerable, not terribly gross.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373883/

The Outsiders

Year: 1983

Genre: Drama

Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze

Dave - 2.5 Stars - A lot of talent, and it was funny to see them all as young men...but all in all it was pretty weak. The have's holding down the have nots even though they "won the rumble"...guess what you're still broke. It just a movie that leaves you with nothing at the end of it, but a nice story of the crapiness that is life.....awesome!

Lexie - 3.5 Stars - The story is excellent and extremely relatable; my only wish for this movie would be for the relationships to be better represented and developed, the loving protectiveness the gang members feel for each other is one of the most important pieces of the story and it's a little lacking in the movie version; as an adaptation, this is pretty successful.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086066/