Movie Reviews


My personal rating scale may not coincide with how the movie was actually rated


  • F = Family
  • P = Probably ok for younger kids. Some inappropriate moments, but worth checking out
  • T = Teens and Older
  • A = Adults Only
  • K = Keep Kleenex close by

Please send me your favorites so I can add them to this list. Click the “Leave a comment” link at the bottom of this page. Thank you!

It Might Get Loud: (T) I took my kids to see this, mainly because my oldest son plays the electric guitar, and partly because I wanted to peek into the heads of 3 rock stars from 3 very different generations. This movie brought together legendary guitarists, Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, The Edge from U2, and Jack White. The movie was written like a book with many different chapters, each chapter allowing the artist to tell his story. While doing this, it never became a “commercial” for their individual albums or guitars. It was a view into the soul of each of these legends and their music, all being expressed through their connection with their guitar. If you play guitar, love rock and roll, or want to hear the story of how 3 men followed their passions which led them to their own individual genius, this is the movie for you! It is currently in theaters, hopefully out on DVD soon.

Julie & Julia: (F) At first when I heard about this movie I wasn’t sure what to think. How can they make a movie about Julia Child that would seriously bring the crowds to the theater. But, since I am a Foodie, I had to check this one out. I went with one of my friends and sat in the back row, honestly not expecting anything more than just a sweet story to watch. What I found was a movie that took me in, grabbed my heart, and left me wishing that the story would never end. The only complaint that I have is that the movie wasn’t dedicated to just the life of Julia Child. I found myself wishing that I had a Tivo controller in my had to fast-forward over the story line about Julie. Not that Amy Adams didn’t do a good job, I just wasn’t nearly as interested in her story, and I couldn’t get enough of the story about Julia Child. Meryl Streep absolutely channeled Julia through her performance and I never wanted it to end. I can not say enough wonderful things about this movie, and even if you are not a Foodie, you must ad this to you list of movies to see!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: (P) I really enjoyed this movie, in fact, my entire family sat through this 2 hour and 46 minute film and enjoyed every minute of it. I think that if the children are younger than 10 they may not be able to sit through the whole movie, but I do recommend this one for an adult or family movie night. My 11-year-old talked about it the next day saying that he felt the movie was trying to say that “even when you are old, you should try to have the heart of a young person” and I think he hit it right on the “button”. Definitely worth checking out.

Happy-Go-Lucky: (T) Not loving this movie. We didn’t even finish it, Poppy (Sally Hawkins) started annoying the crud out of us. We gave it a chance, but finally shut it off. We really couldn’t find the point of the movie... we looked but just never found it. Strange too because Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 92 so we thought we were in for a good flick. Oh well, we just haven’t had good luck with movie rentals lately.

Bottle Shock: (T) I am giving this a “T” rating because the younger crowd probably would be bored. We did make it through this one, but again, never really found the point. The characters were not people that I could “believe” and it just ended up getting rather silly. It’s not a horrible movie, but definitely not one that I would spend my rare-movie-viewing hours on.

Transporter 3: (T) Hated this movie. If it wasn’t for the fact that I enjoy looking at Jason Stathman, I would have turned this movie off. Even my kids didn’t like it, we found ourselves talking during most of the film. No one liked or believed in the “love interest” and the plot was pretty ridiculous. Don’t waste your time on this one!

Marley and Me: (F) My family listened to the audio book Marley and Me last summer and absolutely loved it! We were quite skeptical when the movie came out because rarely is the movie live up to the reputation of a really good book. I will stand by our skepticism that the movie was not as good as the book, however, we did thoroughly enjoy this movie. It wasn’t as much about Marley the dog as we would have liked, it was more about the family and their relationship. But in the end they pulled it out, and yes, I was attached to the dog enough to cry my eyes out even though I knew exactly what was going to happen. Definitely a good family night rental.

Outsourced: (F/P) We loved this movie, it was a great movie to have stumbled across. It says it is rated PG-13 for some sexual “stuff”, but I was looking for it and honestly really didn’t find any (ok, one scene, but it was SO tame). This story is about a man who’s job is suddenly outsourced to India and he has to go there to train the new guy how to do his job. It was funny, well-casted, charming... I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Slumdog Millionaire: (T/A) This one won so many awards that we had to see it. Maybe having heard all the hype about it before-hand made me expect too much, but I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. It was a beautiful film to watch and it was very well made, but I’m not totally sure I would have given it the Oscar. I’ll have to watch the other nominees to finalize that decision. However, it was a great movie to watch and I would recommend that everyone see it at some point. Quite violent at times, so it’s not for the younger crowd, but if you haven’t seen it, be sure to take some time and check it out.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: (P) I really wanted to like this one. I rented it thinking that it was going to be a move like Millions, which I loved! But it just never got there. In fact, it left my entire family so depressed and hanging at the end. It is a movie about the Holocaust and a young German boy and his forbidden friendship with a Jewish child. If you want to watch a movie that forces you to discuss the Holocaust with your kids, you might want to see this as a learning moment and watch it. Otherwise, pick another movie that will leave you feeling more uplifted when its over.

W.: (T) This one I would not recommend renting. There were a few interesting parts, feeling like you were getting a look at what George W. Bush may have been like before becoming President, but who knows how much of this is truly accurate and at the end we all felt like “What was the point of even making this film?”. Don’t waste your time, rent something else!

Burn After Reading: (T) This was a fun and entertaining movie. We loved Brad Pitt in this one, but the entire movie worth checking out. It is typical Coen brothers, kind of a screwball comedy.

Wanted: (T) I really enjoyed the way this movie was filmed. It was kind of a mix between The Matrix and a very violent Harry Potter movie. It was a bit outlandish, but it kept the family watching.

Shaun of the Dead: (T) As Rotten Tomatoes puts it, this is a “bloody good zombie movie”. Simon Pegg is his normal hysterical self (also in Run Fat Boy Run and Hot Fuzz... reviews below). It gets a bit ridiculous, but if you keep reminding yourself that it is SUPOSE to be ridiculous, you will really enjoy it. Kid of a cult “must-see” flick.

Ghost Town: (T) This movie had a very fun theme. Ricky Gervais is an anti-social dentist who can speak with the dead. He finds himself doing things with the living in order to help the dead people “die”. Fun humor, a good romantic comedy.

Bolt: (F) What a cute movie! The older kids may be bored, but 10 and under will love it (the jokes are so-so, but the kids laughed). My favorite character was Rhino the hamster. Perfect family movie.

Run Fat Boy Run: (P) We watched this one last night and haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. It is David Schwimmer’s directorial debut and if this is an example of what he has coming up, I will be sure to keep in eye on him. And the British lead actor Simon Pegg, what’s not to love! Rotten Tomatoes only gave it a 46% but I would have given it a score quite higher.

Hot Fuzz: (T) It has been awhile since I have seen this one, but watching Run Fat Boy Run last night made me realize that I have not included this in my review list. Simon Pegg stars in this movie and I remember really enjoying this one, along with my husband and my 13 year old son. Simon keeps you laughing all the way.

Psycho (1960): (P) It was really fun seeing this movie again. Hitchcock really has a way of making you feel the suspense without showing any real gore. We watched this as a family and it did make my 10 year old a little scared while watching it, but he got over it very quickly. I would definitely recommend this one to watch with the family. It is good for the kids to experience a good black-and-white now-and-then.

Kung Fu Panda: (F) I really loved this movie, I would recommend it for all ages. I was kind of expecting another “kid” movie to have to sit through, but was pleasantly surprised by how engaged I was throughout the entire film. If you get the chance, check this one out.

Step Brothers: (T) If you are having a “Stupid Movie Night” at your house, this would be the movie to pick. It is perfect Will Ferrell, stupid and trash-mouth to the max! I was about to turn this one off when I was reminded that we were in fact having Stupid Movie Night and this was the main attraction. Barely able to sit through this one!

The House Bunny: (T) This was feature number two during Stupid Movie Night, and it wasn’t quite as bad as Step Brothers, but it was up there. I have to admit that I did like the main character played by Anna Faris, but it was barely worth sitting through. A lot of sexual situations. Make sure that you have absolutely nothing better to watch before you rent this one.

Eagle Eye: (T) I am rating this one a T mostly because the younger kids probably would be kind of bored. We didn’t rent this for Stupid Movie Night, but it would have fit in quite nicely. We gave it a chance because Spielberg was an executive producer, but it was not nearly the quality of his other movies. It did have a lot of action, but that was about it. The story line was just too ridiculous to believe and it was hard to get past that.

Bruce Almighty: (F) This review is from an “Anonymous” mom (mother of boys 10 and 14), and I share her love for this movie. She said that her family thought it was great with only one “F” word that made it PG13. Very fun movie. Rotton Tomatoes only gave it a 49%, but I think that is way too low of a rating.

Get Smart: (F) This review is also from “Anonymous” (mother of boys 10 and 14), saying that her entire family loved this movie. They also rented the old Get Smart 1960’s series of it from Safeway and the kids loved it. Thanks for the review!

World Fastest Indian: (F) Fantastic family movie about a man who will not give up on his dream. The movie is more about the journey he takes following his dream. You will fall in love with the main character (Anthony Hopkins) and find yourself routing for him the entire time.

School of Rock: (F) I just can’t get enough of this movie! This one is a hilarious film. Jack Black is fantastic and Joan Cusack will have you rolling. If you haven’t seen this one, put it at the top of your list, especially if you or your children are into music. This is husband Dave’s favorite film.

The Pursuit of Happyness: (F/K) What a gem this movie is. Everyone in our house felt and loved this one. Great acting, great story, great message. Rent this one!

Iron Man: (F) My 10-year-old Sawyer insisted that I put this one on the list, and actually I agree with him. Robert Downey Jr. was made for this part, or was it made for him? Perfect fit and totally fun to watch.

Dark Knight: (F) Oh look, Sawyer is recommending movies again! This was a good one, but I have to admit that Batman was my least favorite character in this film. I was also skeptical after hearing all the hype about Heather Ledgers performance. I know this sounds terrible, but I thought he was getting all the good reviews because of his death. Well, I am adult enough to admit when I am wrong... his performance ROCKED! I was totally creeped out by his character and that’s exactly how they wanted you to feel. The movie was a bit too long for me, they could have ended it before all the “two-face” stuff, but all-in-all it was a good movie. I’d watch it again just to get creeped out by Ledgers performance all over again.

The Visitor - (F) This movie got a thumbs-up from age 10-44 in our household. Its kind of a quite movie, but keeps you engaged. I do not know why it received a PG-13 rating, there was nothing in it to shield your children from. Kind of an abrupt ending, but well worth seeing.

Waitress: (T) Fun relationship-food movie. I started making quiche after seeing this. Good for us FOODIES!

Wit: (A/K) This movie was recommended to me by one of my facial clients. I had never heard of it but decided to check it out, and I am so glad that I did. It’s not one for the kids so watch this one when you won’t be inturrupted. The movie is a ride through the life of a woman (Emma Thompson) who is dying of cancer. It is a first-person view of what goes through the mind of someone that is dying. Thompson did a FANTASTIC job and I would recommend this to everyone, even though you will not have that Hollywood “happy feeling” when the movie ends. You will, however, feel like you just experienced something powerful. Watch with a box of Kleenex close by.

Big Night: (T) Oh look, another FOODIES movie!!! And this one is Italian-style.... my favorite kind! If you ever get the chance, try cooking up this recipe for the Timpano that they make. It’s a meal to feed a large group and it is fantastic. Get everyone to help out, it really is a fun group hands-on dish to cook up. Better yet, watch the movie WHILE you cook up the Timpano!

Life is Beautiful: (P/K) This one we watched with the whole family and everyone got something from it. What a fantastic film and Roberto Benigni was genius. Get this one on your list to watch.

Benny and Joon: (P) What a fun movie this one is. OK, I will admit, I am a total Depp fan, but this one holds it’s own and really is a lot of fun. Kids like it too!

Don Juan de Marco: (T) Did I mention that I was a Depp fan??? Well, this one is fantastic! In fact, I would put this on my favorites list. It is probably classified as a “chick flick”, but I have to admit that my husband enjoyed it as well. Very funny and cute film. Good one for a GNI (Girls Night In).

Death at a Funeral: (T/A) So this one is not for the kids, but if the adults want to take a night away from “family” movies, this is a fun one. It is good British humor, slapstick but not over the top silly. I have to admit, we really enjoyed this one.

Juno: (P) This movie is rated PG-13 and was a request to watch by my 13-year-old son. I wasn’t too sure about the subject, but decided to go for it and we all really really liked this one. Even my 10-year-old gave it a thumbs-up.

The Usual Suspects: (T/A) Really good crime-thriller! It’s rated R so it’s not for the little ones, but teens and adults will really enjoy it. Check this one out!

The Birds: (P) We wanted to give our kids a taste of Hitchcock, so this is the one we picked. Yes, it was a bit spooky in spots, but my 10-year-old got over it quite easily. This is a good way to introduce your kids to the legendary film making of Hitchcock. It really was quite fun seeing it again.

Rain Man: (T) I stumbled across this one on the TV recently while surfing with my 13-year-old, and the both of us loved it.

Jerry Maguire: (P) Yes, another Tom Cruise movie, but this one is just too good to pass up. It’s rated R and has a few nudie scenes and some language that isn’t appropriate for the kids, but honestly, this is such a great movie that I would just work through that stuff and let the kids watch it. The little boy is so darn cute, and the “message” that you take from the movie is so good for everyone to see. I totally recommend it.

Porco Rosso: (F) What a fun movie this turned out to be. I rented it because it was directed by Hayao Miyazaki who directed another one of our families favorites called Totoro. This one has subtitles but that didn’t bother the kids at all. The animation and characters were so much fun, especially if you like the Japanese style of animation. I recommend this one if you want to try something a little different.

Raising Arizona: (P) Great movie! Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter will have you rolling with laughter. Good for the kids too. It’s fast-pased and filled with one laugh after another.

The Princess Bride: (F) Classic comedy and family movie. This is one that you can watch over and over again. Before you know it, you’ll be reciting the lines with the actors.

Murder By Death: (F) Old time comedy. Not sure if you can still find it at Blockbuster, but if you ever stumble upon it make some time to see it.