Watching new movies in a movie theatre is one thing that both my daughters and I have loved doing for years. Also, when I went through cancer treatment ten years ago, both girls, then ages 4 and 8, and I enjoyed spending afternoons watching the Disney Channel and movies on DVDs. We also love to look up information about actors online using IMDB, see what movies and TV shows they were in before, and what upcoming productions they have already scheduled. Usually when I see a new movie I’ll post my comments about it on my Facebook so I can share it with my friends. Originally I was going to write one BLOG entry that contained reviews for the Spring/Summer movies I’ve seen, upcoming Fall movies, and recaps of all ten 2011 Best Picture nominees but decided that would be WAY TOO LONG so I’m breaking it up into different entries.
This first one covers the following ten movies I saw during this past spring and summer, including information about each movie along with some of my comments. I listed them in the order that I liked them!
2011 EMMY AWARDS UPDATE: When I originally started writing these movie recaps weeks ago, I commented on the performances of both Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids and Kyle Chandler in Super 8. They both won Emmy’s on Sunday night!
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint
Released: July 15, 2011
Brief Description: Harry, Ron and Hermione search for Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord.
Leslie’s Notes: This is the final movie based on the Harry Potter series of seven books written by J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 was released in November 2010. We have seen all 8 movies; most of them at the midnight premiere. I have loved every movie and so far “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” has been my favorite, but I think “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” is my new favorite! It has suspense, humor, action, and drama all rolled into 130 minutes with an excellent conclusion to a well-loved saga. A friend of mine asked me this summer if he would understand this movie without seeing any of the other ones, and I told him yes.
Leslie’s Side Note: Harry Potter has been a part of our lives for ten years. The first movie came out when my oldest daughter, Lauren, was 10 years old and this final movie was released when she was 18 years old. Lauren went to New York City on a trip with her friend Jennifer and Jennifer’s family this summer and she was lucky enough to see Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch in the musical “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”. Even though she saw the play by herself and had to stand the entire time, she said it was amazing because Daniel Radcliffe was amazing! Four days later, Sara and I met Darren Criss of Glee at Six Flags and the next day found out that he is taking over Daniel’s role in the musical in January.
2. Glee: The 3D Concert Movie
Starring the cast of Glee: Dianna Agron (Quinn), Chris Colfer (Kurt), Ashley Fink (Lauren), Lea Michele (Rachel), Heather Morris (Brittany), Cory Monteith (Finn), Chord Overstreet (Sam), Kevin McHale (Artie), Naya Rivera (Santana), Mark Salling (Puck), Harry Shum Jr (Mike Chang), Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), Amber Riley (Mercedes), and the Dalton Academy Warblers: Darren Criss (Blaine), Jon Robert Hall, Riker Lynch (Jeff), Titus Makin Jr (David), Curt Mega (Nick), & Jaymz Tuaileva.
Released: August 12, 2011
Brief Description: A concert documentary filmed at East Rutherford, New Jersey during the Glee Live! In Concert! Summer 2011 tour.
Leslie’s Notes: I saw this movie three times in less than one week, including seeing it at a Midnight Movie Premiere. My daughters and I have watched the TV show Glee since the pilot episode first aired on May 19, 2009, so we are big fans of the TV show. We also saw the Glee Live Concert in Chicago on June 4, so we were familiar with the concert, but it was still great seeing it in 3D! In the movie, the members of the McKinley High School New Directions Glee Club perform 23 popular songs. If you love the TV series Glee, you will love this movie.
3. Midnight in Paris
Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, and Kathy Bates
Written and Directed by Woody Allen
Released: June 10, 2011
Brief Description: A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.
Leslie’s Notes: If you love Rachel McAdams, you’ll hate this movie! And Marion Cotillard (Glee’s Kurt and Blaine’s favorite Vogue cover appears in the movie as well!) Although Lauren and I saw this movie at the Market Street Cinema, which shows Independent and Foreign films, Midnight in Paris was one of the top 10 box-office movies of the summer.
4. Super 8
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Joel Courtney, and Elle Fanning
Released: June 10, 2011
Brief Description: After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.
Leslie’s Notes: Super 8 is one of my favorites movies of the summer. This movie has suspense, action, mystery, comedy and an amazing sound track from the 70’s! When the song “Silly Love Songs” started playing during the diner scene, I looked around to see whose cell phone was going off with the Glee version of the song!
5. Bridesmaids
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, and Jon Hamm
Released: May 13, 2011
Brief Description: Picked as her best friend’s maid of honor, lovelorn and broke Annie looks to bluff her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals with an oddball group of bridesmaids.
Leslie’s Notes: One of the funniest movies we’ve seen this year, thanks to Melissa McCarthy’s performance as Megan, sister of the groom. And Jon Hamm is in the movie too. I just found out that my friend Lynn went to high school in Illinois with Melissa McCarthy! And Bridesmaids is now out on DVD.
6. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Starring: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, and Ryan Gosling
Released: July 29, 2011
Brief Description: A father’s life unravels while he deals with a marital crisis and tries to manage his relationship with his children.
Leslie’s Notes: Lauren and I saw this movie together the first weekend it came out. We love Emma Stone. And Steve Carell. And Julianne Moore. And we loved this movie.
7. The Help
Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney, and Cicely Tyson.
Released: August 10, 2011
Brief Description: An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960’s decides to write a book detailing the African American Maid’s point of view on the White families they work for, and they hardships they go through on a day to day basis.
Leslie’s Notes: Sara and I tried to see this movie two times when the first week it was released, but it was always sold out. I would like to read the book as well, but the movie was very well written and has several outstanding performances from the cast.
8. Soul Surfer
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, and Carrie Underwood
Released: April 8, 2011
Brief Description: A teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack.
Leslie’s Notes: Based on the true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton. Sara celebrated her 14th Birthday by taking 6 friends to see this movie the night it premiered. I really enjoyed this movie, especially the performances of AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany and Carrie Underwood as her church youth director.
9. Bad Teacher
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, and Jason Segel
Released: June 24, 2011
Brief Description: A comedy centered around a foul-mouthed, junior high teacher who, after being dumped by her sugar daddy, begins to woo a colleague — a move that pits her against a well-loved teacher.
Leslie’s Notes: Kind of raunchy, it is rated R, but it has some funny scenes!
10. Prom
Starring: Aimee Teegarden, Thomas McDonell, and DeVaugn Nixon (Never heard of any of them!)
But my 14-year-old daughter Sara recognized two Disney kids Nicholas Braun (well, he’s 23 years old!) who was in Sky High and Minutemen and Danielle Campbell (who was in Star Struck) as also being in Prom.
Released: April 29, 2011
Brief Description: A group of teenagers get ready for their high school prom.
Leslie’s Notes: Sara and I saw this movie the day before Lauren went to her Senior Prom. At Lauren’s prom a girl from her school ended up in the Hospital Emergency Room because of alcohol poisoning. None of the “teen issues” such as underage drinking, sexual activity, or drugs are even mentioned in this movie. And that’s a good thing!
An idealistic staffer for a newbie presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail. Based on the play by Beau Willimon.
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