Valentines, Crazies and Wonderland

VALENTINE’S DAY---ROMANTIC COMEDY

I am a romantic, but I don’t like romantic comedies very much. So when this movie came out, I said "yet another one?"---but I was very surprised. It is like Love Actually (2003), which is to say it's about people falling in and out of love on Valentine’s Day. The cast has Julia Roberts, Queen Latifah, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, George Lopez and many others. It is like a box of chocolates---you never know what you are going to get!! It is sweet and a guilty pleasure. I don’t think guys will like it for the male actors in the film are very passionate for the women they love. The movie came out along with The Wolfman and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and it was number one at the box office. Why? Women love this stuff including myself. Should you see it---yes for the ladies--–video for the couples.

THE CRAZIES(2010)---HORROR/SCI-FI

Fright director George Romero once said the scariest people are your neighbors. Well this update version of his movie Crazies-1973 shows just that. You know the story---toxins in the water, people go nuts, military has to control the town and blow up the town!! The acting is good-Timothy Olyphant (Hit Man) as David the sheriff, his wife Judy Rada Mitchell (Pitch Black), but the one who stands out is an actor I have never seen. His name is Joe Anderson (Ruins, Across The Universe) as Russell, the deputy. He is outstanding!!! Bad-ass one minute, compassionate the next---amazing! The director Breck Esiner is very good setting up suspense. You are not suppose to think in a horror movie, but who are really the ‘crazies’---the victims or the military who mindlessly follow orders? You decide. If you like these kind of movies this is your movie---if not, well there is always video.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND---FANTASY

Let me say before going to see this movie, forget the book by Lewis Carroll and Disney’s earlier version. This movie is very imaginative and you see the beloved characters in a way different light!! In this version Alice is older (19) and her mother wants her to wed. Confused, she runs and falls in the rabbit hole and the adventure begins. At first she thinks she is dreaming then she has to become an action hero!! Does it make sense? No, but it is Tim Burton’s flick and he makes the most of nonsense!! Is it for little kids? Maybe, but it is better for teens and up!!! Johnny Depp is very good as The Mad Hatter. He is not only crazy, he’s clever too. Helena Bonham Carter is excellent as Red Queen. She is mean and controlling!! Ann Hathaway is the White Queen. and she reminds me of the Witch of the North in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Mia Wasikowska as Alice was very good as a sweet but strong heroine.