The Movies I've Seen So Far This Year #moviereviews

After this post I'll only review one weekend of movies at a time (though it is rare I see more than one).  The movie link will take you to IMDb.  So here's what I saw in the theatres so far this year.....

Exodus  There area movies that are created to be seen on a big screen

and this was one of them.  First things first ~ I would never expect today's Hollywood to create a truly Biblical version of any story from the Bible.  Therefore I am not at all concerned where the story line strayed from the Old Testament.  OK moving on ~ This is not your grandparents' Moses and that's OK.  I was a bit disappointed in how the story progressed but appreciated how they interpreted the 10 plagues. The relationship between Moses and Ramses was played out in a manner that anyone with a "favorite" sibling would understand.   All in all the special effects were beautiful though the scene with the chariots on the mountains were a bit too cgi read as way too fake.  To quote one of my kids ~ Out of Egypt is still the best Moses story.  I'd grade this a C/Drama Wait for redbox


Wild  This was not a movie I was planning to see in the theatres. I had planned to go to  preview The Wedding Ringer BUT got the date wrong so my daughter who is a huge Reese Witherspoon fan chose this.  I heard the author Cheryl Strayed on NPR and well I wasn't all that impressed.  NOT that I could in any way could hike the 1,000 miles of the Pacific Coast Trail.  Reese Witherspoon was fabulous in this movie but I just couldn't connect with the whole "my life has fallen apart so I'm selfishly walking away from everything and later I'll write a book which will become a movie premise." Now there's all this Oscar and awards buzz so I'm sure most will disagree with my review.  Personally I think this is a wait for the DVD movie and grade it a C/Drama



The Imitation Game We originally planned to see this movie on Thanksgiving Day, only to discover

it was a limited release even when fully released around Christmas the theatres in the 904

weren't playing it until after New Years.  I tell you all that to share my anticipation for this movie.  We saw it the first weekend our theatre showed it (Jan 11th).  This hands down was one of the best movies with sensational performances from the cast.  I've enjoyed Benedict Cumberbatch since Atonement and like most truly became a fan when he transformed Sherlock Holmes in the modern BBC version.  His performance in this movie shows what an astonishing actor he truly is.  He took Alan Turing, an unlikable man caught up in his own thoughts and reasoning and made us not only like him but ache when he hurt.  The supporting cast is full of actors that are going to not only be seen on many screens but whose names will be read often at award ceremonies.  While there is no cinematic reason to see this movie in a theatre ~ Go See This Movie Now!!  My grade: A/Drama/See in Theatre


Paddington We have a Christmas Tradition of going to see an English movie on Christmas Day so

when I saw the first preview for Paddington in March I announced I had found our movie. Fast

forward 8 months to a very disappointed me when I learn the release date has been pushed back to January :(  Not to worry we saw Night at the Museum 3 and Into The Woods on Christmas Day so it all turned out well.  If you ever enjoyed reading the Paddington stories to your children then you must see this movie.  The only new part of the movie adaptation is the role played by Nicole Kidman, Milicent a taxidermist who is determined to add Paddington to her collection.  Hugh Bonneville was glorious as the overprotective, not prone to fun Lord Grantham Mr. Brown.  In this wonderfully cast of primarily British actors we enjoyed the brief appearance of Geoffrey Palmer from As Time Goes By.  The animation was incredible, though not surprising as it was produced by David Heyman of Harry Potter fame.  While our audience was packed with children (as it should be) amongst their laughs and gasps were those of adults being thoroughly engaged.  Grade: A/Family Movie /See in Theatre Remember to Always Wear Your Invisible Crown