Popcorn Picks - Dave's Movie Reviews

Dave's Popcorn Picks - SAFE HOUSE

2012-02-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

If you like action thrillers, this is the movie for you.

Safe House is loaded with car chases, car crashes, knock down drag out fight scenes and shoot-em-up and spit-em-out true Hollywood excitement. I left the theatre feeling like I had been beaten to a pulp!

Eight minutes into the film you get the first big "WOW" piece of action.
At 10 minutes you get a second jolt and then it's on. Pretty much the rest of the movie is action, action and more action.

Safe House comes right at you. It's in your face.
It's IMPACT.

The guy behind me kept exclaiming things like "OH", "WOW", "JEEZ", "AAWW MAN" and "DAMN".He was right!

Denzel Washington is cooler than the other side of the pillow. This is a great character for him. He is part good guy, part bad guy and he hit that gray area groove beautifully. He is truly one of the most gifted actors in the entertainment industry. At least that is my opinion, which I respect very much.

Ryan Reynolds was terrific as well playing a guy who is new at his job and therefore isn't supposed to be so smooth and cool while at the same time being competent. Not an easy task if you think about it. He had to be good but not too good and Reynold's definitely pulled it off.

So, grab a bottle of 5 Hour Energy and rush out to see Safe House. Don't forget to buckle your seat belt!

I give Safe House a rating of 8 1/2 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

See the trailer below.

Peace,
Keep the Faith,

Dave W@KW

Safe House is an action thriller film directed by Daniel Espinosa, starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. It was released on February 10, 2012 in North America by Universal Pictures.^[2] Filming took place in Cape Town, South Africa.

Catching Up On Movie Reviews

2011-08-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

I've seen several films over the past few months but haven't written full reviews because of time constraints.

In an effort to catch up, here are some quick notes on some of them for your consideration:

1. GUN HILL ROAD - Starring Esai Morales.

Extremely erotic film about a man who returns home from prison and has a difficult time dealing with his son's sexuality. His son is played by Harmony Santana, who is amazing in the film. Just opened Friday.

I give Gun Hill Road 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

2. FRIGHT NIGHT - Colin Farrell as your friendly neighborhood vampire! I normally don't do scary movies but this was rather tame as scary movies go & I enjoyed it.

I give Fright Night 6 1/2 bags of popcorn. Rent it!

3. HORRIBLE BOSSES - I did do a review on this one (see below) & loved it. Funniest movie in years.

Adult fare. No kids, please. I gave it a 10.

Jennifer Anniston, I love you! Call me!!!

4. COWBOYS & ALIENS - Stars Daniel Craig & Harrison Ford.

I enjoyed it a lot. Daniel Craig (AKA James Bond) is super cool as a cowboy & Harrison Ford always delivers a solid performance. Good story combining The Old West with Science Fiction. Worth seeing.

I give Cowboys & Aliens 8 bags of popcorn.

5. PLANET OF THE APES - Another film I normally wouldn't see but I'm glad I did. Good story and a lot of monkeying around. 7 bags of popcorn.

6. CAPTAIN AMERICA - Loved this film & it's something for the whole family. It combines sappy patriotism with some neat visual effects. The story is futuristic and far fetched but, hey, it's a movie.

I give it 7 bags of popcorn.

7. THE HELP - By far the best movie of the year with several performances deserving of Academy Award nominations. Well written, well acted story of a troublesome time in the United States that is a permanent scar on our nation's history. Love Viola Davis.

I give The Help 10 bags of popcorn.

8. CRAZY, STUPID LOVE - Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone

Funny & entertaining film with a good story & solid performances from all. Would have liked more of Marisa Tomei.

I give Crazy, Stupid Love 8 1/2 bags of popcorn.

9. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS - Cast: Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni, Adrien Brody

Director: Woody Allen - Genres: Romantic Comedy, Fantasy Comedy, Comedy

Very cool movie with a good story, good acting, & the brilliance of Woody Allen. Made me want to travel to Paris. I give Midnight in Paris 9 bags of popcorn.

10. BRIDESMAIDS - Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper

Director: Paul Feig - Genres: Romantic Comedy, Farce, Comedy

The Hangover for chicks. It's funny. Very gross at times - but funny. Adult Fare.

I give Bridesmaids 7 bags of popcorn.

11. THE CHANGE UP - Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman, Leslie Mann, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin

Genres: Fantasy Comedy, Comedy
I didn't expect much but was pleasantly surprised. Adult fare. Funny.

I give The Change Up 7 bags of popcorn.

12. FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS - Justin Timberlake & Mila Kunis

He's the Man, she's ADORABLE! Loved this film & highly recommend it. Great romantic comedy & thoroughly engaging & entertaining. 9 bags of popcorn with extra butter just because Mila Kunis is so fine.

OK, we're up to date!

Peace,

Keep the Faith,

DaveW@KW

Dave's Popcorn Picks - HORRIBLE BOSSES

2011-07-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

Horrible Bosses was the funniest movie I've seen in years. Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis & Charlie Day are the employees with horrible bosses. Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell & my next ex-wife, Jennifer Anniston are the horrible bosses.

Everyone is great in their role but two of these actors are so fabulous that they make the film that much more memorable. Charlie Day is hysterical as the funny little dental hygienist who is the subject of sexual harassment from his boss, Jennifer Anniston. Doesn't sound bad to me, but Charlie's character has his reasons for wanting it to stop. Charlie Day pretty much steals the show. His character is that quirky and he is that good.

What can I say about Jennifer Anniston that hasn't already been written on the walls of men's rooms all over the world? We all know SHE BE FINE, but what's especially cool about this character is that it's such a departure from her normal cute, innocent, good girl image. She looks fabulous and delivers just the right amount of sexy and campy to equal really funny.

Jason Bateman plays it beautifully as the poor guy who must put up with the outrageous demands of Kevin Spacey. Jason Sudeikis (The Hangover) is perfect as the guy who never met a chick he didn't like. Kevin Spacey is so good you hate him. Colin Farrell is spectacular as a prejudiced, greedy, balding drug user who inherits his father's business. Jamie Foxx cracked me up as the guy's "murder consultant", M***** F***** Jones.

I suppose I should mention the movie is somewhat vulgar with lots of F-Bombs so if you are offended by such things, don't say I didn't tell you. It is adult fare to be sure.

As Frank Sinatra liked to say, "The written word is always first. If someone doesn't write a great song, I've got nothing to sing." The writers of this movie deserve high marks for a really funny, well written screenplay that gave these wonderful actors the ammunition to deliver such outstanding performances.

Those fabulous writers are Michael Markowitz, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein based on a story by Michael Markowitz. The film was directed by Seth Gordon.

One very cool thing about Horrible Bosses is that it starts out nicely and builds momentum. The situations become increasingly bizarre and you find yourself laughing more and enjoying it more and more as it goes on. It's especially fun to be in a packed theatre and feel the vibe & hear the laughter from other audience members as the comedic synergy grows.

RUN, DO NOT WALK TO SEE IT. I've already seen it twice!

For pure entertainment & laughs, I give Horrible Bosses 10 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

One last thing: Jennifer, you can reach me at (760) 861-0625.

The trailer is below.

Keep the Faith.

Peace,

David

Dave's Popcorn Picks - FAST FIVE

2011-04-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

WOW!

This was a FUN movie!

I smiled through the whole thing. Fast Five has car chases, big dudes fighting, and hot chicks. What more could you possibly want?

First of all, Vin Diesel is cooler than the other side of the pillow.

It's a terrific cast. The Rock is great. To see the Rock roll up on my man Vin was awesome. They let it all hang out in an awesome fight scene.

There is also Paul Walker, Ludacris, and Tyrece Gibson who is funny as hell.

Three fabulous young ladies kept me very interested throughout the film. They are Jordana Brewster as Mia, Gail Gadot as Gisele and my personal favorite, Elsa Pataky as Elena, the female cop. She can put me in handcuffs anytime. I kept thinking how much she looked like Bo Derek. See photo below.

ELSA PATAKY

The three of them added a lot of punch and pizzaz to this already tremendously entertaining action film.

Whoever was in charge of casting, I salute you! The locale of Rio de Janero lent itself beautifully to

the story.

Fast Five is great because it allows you to just lose touch with reality and go with the flow. It's the kind of flick where you get to root for the bad guys because they're really not that bad and root against the good guys because they're really bad. This movie has more action than an orgy at Charlie Sheen's crib.

If you just want to forget your worries for a while and don't need to see something deep and thought provoking, this be the place! You can see the trailer below.

I give Fast Five mad love and 9 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Keep the Faith,

David

By the way, if you know anyone who wants to buy, sell or invest in Palm Springs area real estate,
please tell them about me and please tell me about them.

Dave's Popcorn Picks - LIMITLESS

2011-03-19T21:51:00.000-07:00

Want to see a really good movie?

Want solid acting with a handsome leading man?

Want cool special effects?

Want a really great storyline?

Want action, action and more action?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then go see Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro & Abbie Cornish in Limitless.

It is a thriller that will give you two solid hours of entertainment that will make you forget the rent is late. It's the kind of movie you get lost in.

Great performances by the entire cast and certainly Bradley Cooper's best work to date. Abbie Cornish was perfect as his girlfriend.

I give Limitless a rating of 9 and 1/2 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Do not walk ... run to see this film.

Keep the Faith,
Peace,

David

Dave's Popcorn Picks - FOR COLORED GIRLS

2010-11-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

Written, Directed & Produced

by Tyler Perry

I love pretty much anything by Tyler Perry and if you know me at all you know that I also love poetry. Well, this film is by Tyler Perry and is based on a series of 20 poems.

Collectively, they are known as a choreopoem. How cool is that?
Poetry + a Tyler Perry movie = I like it!

The poems are performed by a cast of remarkeable actresses. They are Loretta Devine, Kimberly Elise, Whoopi Goldberg, Janet Jackson, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Tessa Thompson, Macy Gray and Omari Hardwick and the lucious Thandie Newton whom I adore. OK, Janet Jackson not so much, but the rest of the cast is sensational.

Kimberly Elise deserves special mention. You may as well hand her the Best Supporting Actress Oscar now. You heard it here first folks!

This movie by Tyler Perry is based on a 1975 play by a writer named Ntozake Shange. The name of the original play is "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf."

The first ever performance of the original play was at a women's bar near Berkley, California.
It has been performed Off-Broadway and on Broadway, and adapted as a book, a television film, and a theatrical film. The 1977 Broadway production was nominated for a Tony Award for best play.

The poems deal with life experiences such as love, abandonment, abortion and rape embodied by each woman's story. The recitation of each poem is woven seamlessly into the movies dialogue.

In reviewing one of the New York theatre performances, the New Yorker's "Critic's Notebook" of March 5, 2007, said "...all sorts of people who might never have set foot in a Broadway house—black nationalists, feminist separatists—came to experience Shange's firebomb of a poem. The disenfranchised heard a voice they could recognize, one that combined the trickster spirit of Richard Pryor with a kind of mournful blues."

The end of the film is quite powerful. I loved it as one of the characters begins the mantra,
"I found God in myself and I loved her. I loved her fiercely."

You can check out the trailer below.

I give For Colored Girls a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,
Keep the Faith,

David
November 9, 2010

The Movie "Jackass"

2010-10-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

What words shall I use to describe this movie?

Here's some that come to mind ...

Stupid
Disgusting
Poor Taste
Unneccessary
Ridiculous
Garbage
Vulgar
Horrible
Waste of time
Waste of money
Dumb
Brainless
Dopy
Irrelevant
Simple minded
Ludicrous
Witless
Irresponsible
Idiotic
Foolish
Pointless
Mindless
Moronic

I give Jackass a rating of ZERO bags of popcorn out of a possible 10 and hereby declare it to be the worst movie I have ever seen.

Don't bother.

David

Dave's Popcorn Picks - WALL STREET - MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

2010-09-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

WOW!

This is a great movie - must see!

Michael Douglas is superb!

Shia LaBeouf is magnificent!

Carey Mulligan is the next great actress of our time!

Who said all this?
The New York Times? The Calendar section in L.A.?
Ebert? Manny the Movie Guy?

Naw, I did silly, it's my review!
Check it out.

CAST

Michael Douglas ... Gordon Gekko

Shia LaBeouf ... Jake Moore

Josh Brolin ... Bretton James

Carey Mulligan ... Winnie Gekko

Eli Wallach ... Jules Steinhardt

Susan Sarandon ... Jake's Mother

Frank Langella ... Louis Zabel

Money never sleeps and it seems neither do I so I may as well do what I do and share my thoughts about the movie blockbuster that opened in theatres everywhere yesterday.

People around the country have been waiting for this weekend because of three significant events:

1. First weekend of autumn

2. The release of this movie

3. Michigan playing Bowling Green University.

I so looked forward to the release of this movie that as I stood at the box office to purchase my ticket I thought to myself, "It'll probably not live up to my expectations. I bet this will be OK, but not great."

Well, I'm happy to report that late thought was unjustified. This is a really great freakin' movie.

It is well worth your money and your time. If you've been waiting waiting to see one really good movie this year, wait no longer. This is the one. If you can see two, add Ben Affleck's "The Town" to your must see list. I haven't had time to write a review of The Town but I should. It's a great movie. You'll like it - not for kids.

Frank Sinatra always said "It all starts with the written word" and he was right on. If no one writes the song he's got nothing to sing! And so with movies. You should know this marvelous script was written by two guys named Allan Loeb and Stephen Schiff. It was directed by Oliver Stone who also has a cameo role.

One of the things I appreciated about this script is that it took a subject that is very complex, that being the turmoil in our economy, and made it pretty easy for the average Joe to follow. In other words you don't have to be an economist or an expert on credit default swaps to understand what they're talking about. The fascinating component however is the focus on greed and knowing that that this is truly a case of art imitating real life.

Bastards such as these dominate real life Wall Street, Washington, D.C., and brokerage houses and banks throughout America. They almost broke the entire world and remember this takes place just two years ago in 2008,BO. That is "Before Obama" lest ye forget.

The honor and praise however always go to those talented people who bring the story to life. They make it real for us. It just doesn't get any better than Michael Douglas. He is absolutely superb reprising his role of Gordon Gekko from the original Wall Street movie released in 1987. As an actor he is handsome, cool, savvy and classy. He is a movie star in the truest sense of the word. Guess it runs in the family.

He has a lot of great lines in this movie but of course I have a favorite. In a really great scene that finds him face to face with a dirt bag of a man who is his nemesis (Josh Brolin) Michael Douglas leans close and says "I'll make you deal, you stop telling lies about me and I'll stop telling the truth about you." I got chills that was freaking cool!

You have probably heard that following completion of the filming of this movie, Michael Douglas was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. That ain't good. Let's hope this was not his last movie. The guy is a treasure.

There is a brief scene that reunites him with Charlie Sheen who was also in the original Wall Street. If you went looked down for a moment you may have missed it.

Shia LaBeouf impressed the hell out of me ... again. I loved him in Transformers finding him to be likable, charming and funny. In this role he grows up. In this role he comes across as handsome, alluring, maturing and classy. The next Michael Douglas perhaps?

Carey Mulligan plays Michael Douglas' daughter.This young lady is a truly gifted actress. I predict that she is the next great actress of our time. Her character is meek and demure but toward the end there are scenes where you will appreciate her gift. Remember, you heard it here first. Meryl Streep, get thee out of the way.

Frank Langella gives the story great credibility early on and Josh Brolin always makes a really good bad guy. You just want to smack him. Susan Sarandon is terrific as Shia's mom and I must say she plays a realtor well enough we may want to recruit her at Keller Williams.

Wall Street is a must see.

I give it a rating of 3,475 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

That's the highest rating I have ever given a movie.

How can I do that? I bought it at 10, placed an option to buy more at 100 then sold short and rolled it into a block of credit default swaps. Ah capitalism!

Peace,

Keep the Faith,

David

By the way, be the first on your block to know where Bowling Green University is -
it's in Ohio, 20 miles south of my old high school drinking place, Toledo, off I-75.
"GO BLUE"

Carey Mulligan

Shia LaBeouf

Michael Douglas

By the way, if you know of anyone serious about buying or selling real estate in the Palm Springs area, please tell them about me & please tell me about them. If you are a real estate professional or are interested in a career in real estate, please contact me. I can help you to start or expand your business. - David Joseph Watkowski (760) 861-0625

Dave's Popcorn Picks - FLIPPED

2010-09-12T22:22:00.000-07:00

FLIPPED

written & directed by

ROB REINER

I had the pleasure of attending a screening of Rob Reiner's new film "Flipped" Saturday night at the
Cinema Palm D'Or in Palm Desert.

Following the movie, Mr. Reiner came out and spent time with the audience that had just seen the film. He spent about 40 minutes with us answering questions and telling us about the making of the movie.

I sat up front and took these photos. I'm really glad I went. The movie was great and he was a delight.
It was pretty cool to be so close to Meathead from All in the Family who has evolved into a truly gifted filmmaker.

In case you don't know, his films include such greats as When Harry Met Sally, Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride and A Few Good Men. He was funny, charming and totally down to earth. He talked about his famous father, Carl Reiner and about growing up in Hollywood. Of course people asked about his mother and her famous line from When Harry Met Sally. She was the one who said "I'll have what she's having" which he said was actually voted one of the Top 100 greatest lines in movie history!

He took questions about All in the Family too but most of the conversation was about this marvelous movie.

Personally, I flipped over Flipped!

I was very much looking forward to seeing it and for once I was not disappointed. Flipped is very well written. It is a wonderful story about two youngsters coming of age but it's really more than that. There are great life lessons in Flipped.

It is not a movie just for kids. It is a movie for all ages, boys girls, men women, young and old. It is great family entertainment that everyone will enjoy.

During his Q&A Reiner joked that his movies do not have creatures from outer space, nor are they loaded with special effects, sex and violence. The closest thing to a chase scene is when young Julie becomes upset and races home on her bike.

No, Reiner's films rely on great writing and great acting. In combining the two he manages to touch and teach our hearts.

Madeline Carroll plays young Juli Baker. She is fantastic! Talk about perfect casting.

Callan McAuliffe is her heartthrob, Bryce. It's a wonderfully talented cast. Rebecca DeMornay plays the boy's mother, Anthony Edwards is his dad. Penelope Ann Miller and Aidan Quinn are the girls parents.

The marvelous John Mahoney (TVs Frazier's father) plays the boys grandfather. It's a great role and he is exquisite in it. Reiner spoke about the character during the Q&A and his comments were right on.

"Really, the pivotal role in the film, aside from the two kids, is the grandfather. He's the moral compass in the movie," Rob explained. "Bryce is fortunate that his grandfather comes to live with him at such a critical time, when he's 12 or 13. The old man teaches his grandson something that Bryce's own father doesn't understand: that in terms of character, you can swim out so far from the shore that you can't make it back."

I loved the character. You will too.

I really hope you see this movie. If you have kids, take them. If you have parents or grandparents, take them too. You'll leave the theatre feeling good and best of all it's only an hour and a half long.

I give Flipped a rating of 9 3/4 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10. (It would've been a 10 but there was no sex or violence!)

Hats off to Meathead!

Peace,

Keep the Faith,

David

See the trailer for FLIPPED below.

Dave's Popcorn Picks - THE AMERICAN starring George Clooney

2010-09-04T04:15:00.000-07:00

THE AMERICAN

starring

George Clooney

So here's the deal.

George Clooney kills some people. We don't know why.

Then he goes to Italy. We don't know why.

Someone is still trying to kill him in Italy. We don't know why.

He kills people for a living. We don't know why ... or for whom.

George doesn't say much. He always seems mad. We don't know why.

He looks to his left a lot. Sometimes he looks to his right. Occassionally he looks down.

But he never really says much. We don't know why.

One thing we do know - he is an American.

He could have been a Martian. It really didn't matter.

A twelve year old could have written this screenplay.

The best part was when the beautiful Italian prostitute got naked.

It is BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING.

I give this movie 4 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

It would have been 3 but I did like the Italian chick.

If you go, bring a pillow.

Peace,

Keep the Faith,

David

Dave's Popcorn Picks - ROBIN HOOD

2010-05-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review

ROBIN HOOD

starring

RUSSELL CROWE

CATE BLANCHETT

MAX VON SYDOW

May 15, 2010

Robin Hood is a spectacular extravaganza of a movie.

Russell Crowe is the bomb as Robin Hood. I mean, the dude is cool.

He looks the part, sounds the part and he acts the part.

This is not some stroll along Sherwood Forest with Robin & his Merry Men. This is a big film with a big story and is meant to be seen on the big screen.

I really enjoyed the story being told from a historical perspective. Cate Blanchett was absolutely superb as Maid Marion. Despite the matronly wardrobe, she somehow managed to be a total turn on. She oozed sex appeal and the chemistry between her and Russel Crowe was unmistakable. This is a sexy woman and a great actress.

Max von Sydow was fabulous in his role as Marion's father.

I would have liked to have seen more character development among Robin's men. Will and Little John mostly stood in the background and waved. Friar Tuck had more lines than the others and the little fat dude that played him was very good but they missed an opportunity to showcase him and the others to their character's full potential. If there is a Robin Hood 2 or Robin meets Law & Order - Sherwood Forest, perhaps they'll address that important detail.

I'm not complaining though. It was a terrific movie and I got my money's worth.

I give Robin Hood a rating of 9 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Keep the Faith,

Your humble movie review specialist first class,

Dave W

Dave's Popcorn Picks - IRON MAN 2

2010-05-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

I surprised myself by going to see this movie. I wasn't going to do it. It's not something I would normally go see. I'm not a science fiction kind of guy.

Fate stepped in on Friday night however and since there was nothing else that appealed to me and I couldn't find anybody to go drinking with, I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did.

Iron Man 2 has a cast of great actors including Samuel L. Jackson, the luscious and leggy Gwyneyth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson ( and her soft, full, tender, tempting, moist, sensuous and alluring superstar sexy lips - sorry, I got carried away there - Scarlett always does that to me.), Mickey Rourke, who always makes a great villain, the always solid Don Cheadle & a fellow named Sam Rockwell who was fabulous as a bumbling bad guy.

There is no doubt that the star of the movie is Robert Downey, Jr.

He has more talent in his little finger than most actors have in their entire body. I did not see Iron Man One, so I did not know what to expect. I loved the way Downey infused such life and personality and zest into the character. He was so funny and so likable and the chemistry between he and Glyneth Paltrow was wonderful to watch.

It's an interesting story - even I could follow it - so that was a plus. It had great special effects and lots of action.

I give Iron Man 2 a rating of 9 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

If you'd like to, you can watch a preview of Iron Man 2 below.

Keep the Faith,

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - THE BOUNTY HUNTER

2010-03-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

THE BOUNTY HUNTER

starring

JENNIFER ANNISTON

GERARD BUTLER

I saw the Bounty Hunter Saturday night in Rancho Mirage. It features two big stars, both of whom are beautiful, perfectly shaped and reside just underneath the neckline of the little black dress Miss Anniston wears throughout the movie.

Add the fabulous Jennifer Anniston face, cute little Jennifer Anniston nose, piercing Jennifer Anniston eyes, great Jennifer Anniston hair, shoulders and arms by Pilates, great Jennifer Anniston butt and legs to die for and you have all the makings for a fun filled Saturday night for this movie fan. Meryl Streep, eat your heart out! This is an actress!!!

The Bounty Hunter is a cute movie. It has sort of a Beverly Hills Cop persona about it. It's not going to win any awards but it's worth seeing or at least renting when it comes out on DVD. On second thought, it could win a Golden Globes award, which reminds me ...

I just loved Jennifer Anniston - and that great little black dress.

I kept praying for a wardrobe malfunction.

Christine Baranski gives a marvelous performance as Jennifer Anniston's mother and my dear old friend Cathy Moriarty (from my old Hollywood days) plays Irene the loan shark. Cathy still has that incredibly sexy voice. You may remember Cathy Moriarty from Raging Bull. She played DeNiro's wife and was nominated for an Oscar. That was her very first movie role. Oh yes, and there's Jennifer Anniston in her great little black dress.

There are several good comedic performances including the bad guys who manage to be bad guys and funny at the same time. That is not an easy task, I'm sure. They did it very well. And, there is Jennifer Anniston in her great little black dress. The black dress has a slit. It's a small slit, but still. I love slits!

I am seriously considering selling my worldly posessions, moving to India and devoting my life to the worship of Jennifer Anniston.

I give The Bounty Hunter a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10 mainly because of,

you guessed it - Jennifer Anniston and that great little black dress. With a slit. I love slits!

Oh yeah, Gerard Butler is in it too.

Keep the Faith,

Peace,

Dave

You can watch a preview of the movie below. By the way, if you know of anyone serious about buying or selling real estate in the Palm Springs area, please tell them about me & please tell me about them.

If you are a real estate professional or are interested in a career in real estate, please contact me. I can help you to start or expand your business. Enjoy the preview. See you at the movies!

THE 2010 GOLDEN POPCORN AWARDS

2010-03-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

Watch the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, March 7th, 2010

Until then, however, here are my Golden Popcorn Awards for the top categories in film making.

Actress in a Supporting Role:
Penélope Cruz, Nine - Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air - Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart - Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air - Mo'Nique, Precious.
THE GOLDEN POPCORN AWARD GOES TO ...
Mo'Nique for Precious.

Special acknowledgement to Maggie Gyllenhaal for Crazy Heart - a close 2nd place but Mo'Nique was just too powerful in that role.

Actor in a Leading Role:
Jeff Bridges, George Clooney, Colin Firth, Morgan Freeman, Jeremy Renner

THE GOLDEN POPCORN AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR GOES TO ...
JEFF BRIDGES for Crazy Heart. No contest. Jeff Bridges all the way.

Actress in a Leading Role:

Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe, Meryl Streep

THE GOLDEN POPCORN AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS GOES TO ...
SANDRA BULLOCK for The Blind Side.

Directing:
Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Up in the Air, Precious

THE GOLDEN POPCORN AWARD FOR DIRECTING GOES TO ...
QUENTIN TARANTINO FOR INGLORIOUS BASTERDS.
As I said in my review, this was his masterpiece.

Best Picture Nominees:

Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air.

THE GOLDEN POPCORN AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE GOES TO ...

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. Incredible movie for the ages.

Here are a few special Golden Popcorn Awards just for fun...

Most overrated nominated movie - UP IN THE AIR

Most overrated nominated performances - ANNA KENDRICK & GEORGE CLOONEY , UP IN THE AIR.

Most overrated movie of the year period - THE HANGOVER

Biggest Dissapointment - PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.

Worst freaking movie of the year - ALL ABOUT STEVE (Sandra Bullock & Bradley Cooper) Simply awful. My review was one word, "STUPID."
Funniest Movie - I LOVE YOU, MAN. I think so anyway. I laughed for days.

Best Action Movie - TAKEN with Liam Neeson

Hottest Chick in a Movie - KATHERINE HEIGL, The Ugly Truth (funny movie & she is gorgeous!)

Most Enoyable Movie You Can See If You Didn't Already See It - THE PROPOSAL (Sandra Bullock)

Dave's Popcorn Picks - CRAZY HEART

2010-02-28T11:51:00.000-08:00

I saw Crazy Heart Friday night and I loved it!

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that JEFF BRIDGES WILL WIN THE OSCAR FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR. No doubt at all. None, zero, nada, nil. He will win. Write it down.
Bet the house on it if you can. Hear me Las Vegas friends? This is a sure thing.

Not only is Jeff Bridges performance the best of the year, it is the best performance by an actor in many years. This is a perfect marriage of role and actor. He is brilliant as Bad Blake, a down and out country singer battling the bottle and life. His character is a combination of real life country music legends Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings.

He stumbles from one road performance to another relying on a once glorious past to attract an audience.
His skills are diminished and his body aches from years of abusing it. If it weren't for bad luck, he'd have no luck at all. He hasn't written a song that is worth a damn in years and has no inspiration or desire to do so. He is weary from a life on the road. His health in is decline. All he's got to cling to is his guitar and a bottle of whiskey.

And then he meets a chick!

Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a beautiful and poignant portrayal of the woman who allows him to hope again.
She is pretty, sexy, vulnerable and she too should win an Oscar in the best supporting actress category.

Crazy Heart is also nominated for best song, "The Weary Kind." I give them that one too. Three nominations - three winners. This is a really good movie. Go see it!

I give Crazy Heart a rating of 9 1/2 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Dave's Popcorn Picks - PRECIOUS

2010-02-06T22:24:00.000-08:00

You think you've had bad days? This poor girl lives a life of pure hell.

The film takes place in 1987 Harlem. Precious is a teenager who is grossly overweight, illiterate, poor, has been raped by an abusive father and lives with the world's most horrible mother who constantly berates her and tells her she is ugly and stupid and will never amount to anything.

For Precious, that's all on a good day!

With the help of a concerned teacher, she does get invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.

There she meets another teacher played by Paula Patton who I found irresistable. She is truly beautiful!
Miss Patton's career should skyrocket as a result of this performance in what is a culturally significant film.

Should Miss Patton read this, you can call me at (760) 861-0625 anytime.

Other outstanding performances include comic Mo'Nique as the horrible bitch of a mother, Mariah Carey as a counselor, Lenny Kravitz as Nurse John and of course playing Precious is a young lady named Gabourey Sidibe. It's a good cast. The movie has 7 Oscar nominations, including best picture.

As good as Precious is, it is not for everybody. The trials this girl endures are tough to watch. Some of it can make you sick. The script is loaded with profanity. It is definitely not for kids.

I can tell you that this film is best described by the followings four words:

1. POWERFUL

2. EMOTIONAL

3. PROFANE

4. DISTURBING

Tagline: Life is hard. Life is short. Life is painful. Life is rich. Life is....Precious.

I give Precious a rating of 9 bags of Popcorn out of a possible 10.

(It is Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.)

You can see the preview below.

CAST

Gabourey Sidibe ... Precious

Mo'Nique ... Mary

Paula Patton ... Ms. Rain

Mariah Carey ... Mrs. Weiss

Lenny Kravitz ... Nurse John

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS FOR PRECIOUS

Best Achievement in Directing

Lee Daniels

Best Achievement in Editing

Joe Klotz

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Lee Daniels

Sarah Siegel-Magness

Gary Magness

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Gabourey Sidibe

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Mo'Nique

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Geoffrey Fletcher

Dave's Popcorn Picks - EDGE OF DARKNESS

2010-02-01T18:50:00.000-08:00

Dave's Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

EDGE OF DARKNESS

starring

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson rocks as a Boston cop out to solve the murder of his daughter. This film has a very good story line that will keep your attention. While Mel Gibson is the good guy, Edge of Darkness also has another key ingrediant; that is a villain you really hate.

He is an actor named Danny Huston who plays the smug head of a large firm that Gibson investigates. I swear, you just want to choke this dude.

Good writing, acting, directing and camera work make for a couple entertaining hours watching this mystery unravel. There is lots of action, drama and some very tender moments that may require a tissue or two.

I liked it! I give Edge of Darkness a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.
Click on the photo of Miss Popcorn Picks (Hayley Siekerman) to see a preview of Edge of Darkness.

(Please remember, if you know of someone interested in buying or selling real estate (here in the Palm Springs area or even elsewhere) please tell me about them and please tell them about me.

I value your referrals!

Directed by

Martin Campbell

Writing credits

(WGA)

William Monahan (screenplay) and

Andrew Bovell (screenplay)

Cast (in credits order)

Mel Gibson ... Thomas Craven

Ray Winstone ... Jedburgh

Danny Huston ... Jack Bennett

Bojana Novakovic ... Emma Craven

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- IT'S COMPLICATED

2009-12-26T16:01:00.000-08:00

DAVE'S POPCORN PICKS

Movie Review

IT'S COMPLICATED

starring

Meryl Streep

Steve Martin

Alec Baldwin

My take on this movie may surprise you because I find fault with a movie industry icon. As Bobby Brown would say, "It's my prerogative."

First let me say it's a funny movie and worth seeing. It's a good story, well written, good acting and blah, blah, blah. I'm not saying to not go see it. But there are two things about this movie that spoiled it for me and I need to vent.

First of all, it's too damn long! It's supposed to be 1 hour, 54 minutes but it felt like 2 hours and 54 minutes to me. The other problem I have about the film is the female lead, Meryl Streep.

Oh, I know she's a great actress and I don't dispute that. She's won two Oscars and has received fifteen Oscar nominations. Her acting was superior in this movie too. But here's the thing: I just don't like her!

Whenever I see Meryl Streep she just leaves me limp.I don't know if it's the thin lips, the long nose, the mousy hair or the lack of a body,but to cast her as a romantic lead is comparable to casting Flavor Flav over George Clooney.

I think Alec Baldwin should get an Oscar nomination for pretending to find her attractive.

I still have not gotten over having to go see Streep in "Out of Africa" and that was in the 80's.

Possibly the worst and definitely the longest film I've ever had to sit though, I only went because my wife wanted to see it. We divorced shortly afterwards and I think the film is still going.

That experience left me scarred for life it seems when it comes to Meryl Streep. Great actress?

Yes. Nice lady? Probably so? But desirable? Not to this kid. I just don't get it.

There are so many lovely actresses that could have played this part. Give me Diane Lane, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sharon Stone, Markie Post, Geena Davis. But freakin' Meryl Streep?

It just doesn't work for me.

As a result I give It's Complicated a rating of 5 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

It's more of a chick flick anyway. Check it out, you'll probably enjoy it. Tell Meryl I said hi.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- UP IN THE AIR

2009-12-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

Dave's Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

UP IN THE AIR

starring

George Clooney

Gorgeous George stars as a man who spends most of his life on airplanes traveling from city to city for his job. Hence the title, Up in the Air.

Clooney's job is firing people for a living. His company is hired by large firms who are downsizing or laying off large numbers of employees. In today's economy, his business is booming.

Clooney has the art of travel down to a science. He is an expert traveler. Rarely home, his life is a one piece travel bag.

The movie is really a study of this man's existence. He has no normal home life, no friends, and is out of touch with relatives. On the other hand, he is good at what he does, does well with the ladies and seems happier than most. Does a man really need love to be happy?

Vera Farmiga plays Alex, a female version of him. She's a middle aged hottie and can fly first class in my cabin anytime. She and Clooney have great chemistry on film.

Anna Kendrick plays Natalie, an emerging young corporate star intent on revolutionizing how people get fired. She did very well and held her own with George.

I found Up In the Air to be very entertaining and a good story. Kudos to Clooney for a job well done.

I give Up In the Air a rating of 7 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- THE BLIND SIDE

2009-11-22T21:43:00.000-08:00

THE BLIND SIDE

starring

SANDRA BULLOCK
TIM McGRAW

QUINTON AARON

KATHY BATES

About 15 minutes into The Blind Side, I first started getting tears in my eyes. OK, so I'm an old softy but this true story is very touching. It tells the real life story of Michael Oher and how he overcame being abandoned by a father who split and a mother addicted to crack to become a good student, a good athelete and a good man.

He did so with the help of a caring family portrayed beautifully by country singer Tim McGraw (Mr. Faith Hill) and the awesome Sandra Bullock. One of my personal favorites, I think Sandra Bullock may get an Academy Award nomination for this performance. It's a great role and she excels in it.

In football, when a quarterback drops back to pass he needs someone to protect him from the guys on the other team who are rushing in to knock his head off. He especially needs help to watch and protect the guys he can't see coming, his blind side.

We all have a blind side. We all need help in life.

While this young man grows and develops as a person, so too does the family who took him in. They all learn from each other. This is not a movie about football or sports. It is a movie about love and kindness and caring.

There are great performances by the entire cast. The writing is great. Everything about the film is excellent. I look forward to seeing it again. I enjoyed it that much.

I give The Blind Side a rating of 9 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - 2012

2009-11-18T16:10:00.000-08:00

2012 is a blockbuster.

It is a two and a half hour roller coaster ride featuring the end of the world as we know it.

You know the story by now, I'm sure. The ancient Mayans predicted the world will end in 2012. As soon as the Republicans heard that they asked that the vote on health care be postponed to 2013, but I digress.

The movie is a whirlwind of action with great special effects. It is really quite realistic. It's a little bit scary at times, kind of amusing at other times and really a lot of fun throughout.

2012 features a stellar cast headed by the always likeable John Cusack, Amanda Peet and my personal favorite, the super fine and super sexy Thandie Newton who plays President Danny Glover's daughter. Did I just say President Danny Glover?

I did and that should remind you not to take this movie too seriously as some have already done. 2012 is simply a terrific action movie and I highly recommend it to all. Click on the poster to the right to see a preview of 2012.

I give 2012 a rating of 9 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - THE BOX

2009-11-06T21:02:00.000-08:00

Dave's Popcorn Picks

THE BOX

starring

Cameron Diaz

James Marsden

Frank Langella

Writers: Richard Kelly (screenplay)

Richard Matheson ( original short story "Button, Button")

Let me ask you something. What would you do if someone gave you a box and told you that if you opened the box and pressed down the button inside two things would happen? First, someone, somewhere in the world who you do not know would die. The next thing that would happen is within 24 hours you would receive a million dollars.

Think about it. What would you do?

That is the dilemma facing a young married couple in 1976 played by Cameron Diaz and James Marsden. Academy Award nominee Frank Langella (Nixon) is the mysterious man making the offer.

You'll have to see the movie to find out why he would make such an offer and how the whole thing works and what the young couple's decision was. I recommend you do so.

I will tell you this movie is a whole lot scarier than the supposed scary movie I saw last week.
I jumped and gasped a few times and was heard to exclaim "Holy S _ _ T" a time or two. At least I think that was me!

It was a bit spooky at times!

Fine performances by all, especially Frank Langella who is a helluva actor. I saw it at my favorite movie theatre, The Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City. It is rated PG-13.

I give THE BOX a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave W

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

2009-10-31T22:43:00.000-07:00

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

starring

Katie Featherston

Micha Sloat

Paranormal Activity is billed as one of the scariest movies ever and I do not like scary movies. I went anyway. I went for you, my loyal readers. I even went on Halloween.

I went simply so I could report back to you. That's how I roll.

Brave? Stupid? A little of both? Well, let me tell you about my Paranormal Activity experience.

This low budget film is making millions. I read quotes from people who saw it that said it was so disturbing they now sleep with the lights on. There were reports of people running from the theatre in fear. Theatre employees told me some people come out and threw up. I saw it at The River in Rancho Mirage.

Here is a sampling of what others had to say about Paranormal Activity.

E-Online: "One of the decade's scariest films..." Grade A

Entertainment Weekly: "With its this-is-really-happening vibe, Paranormal Activity scrapes away 30 years of encrusted nightmare clichés." Grade A-

Rolling Stone: "...comes packed with thrills." Grade B

Here is basically what it's about - After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban "starter" tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic, but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to. The guy sets up video cameras and recording devices so they can play back what happened while they slept.

They see doors open and close, lights go on and off, the blankets on their bed lifted above them as they sleep and more. The demon appears to be after the girl but it becomes increasingly upset with the guy.

I entered the theatre slowly and cautiously. Damn, it was dark. Darker than usual it seemed.

God, what am I doing I thought to myself. Maybe I should cut out now and see the Michael Jackson movie instead. Then I thought, no, Michael Jackson is pretty scary too.

I looked around to get my bearings. I positioned myself so I could get out of the theatre quickly

and easily in case I couldn't take it. I took several deep breaths and kept reminding myself to stay calm. I told my heart this was just a movie and asked it to please not jump out of my chest no matter what happens.

Finally, after countless previews (all of them scary & disturbing) the movie started.

The girl was pretty. I liked that. OK, we're off to a good start. I figured the eye candy could help me get through the tough parts. Following my initial infatuation with the female lead I waited to be scared. And I waited. And I waited. And I waited some more.

After an hour of this supposedly scariest movie ever, I'm still freakin' waiting! And guess what?

The scary stuff? The disturbing stuff? It never happened!

This movie is an hour and thirty nine minutes long. The first hour and thirty four minutes sucked. The final five minutes were a little bit scary, but not really and they sucked too.

The whole unscary thing sucked. Anybody who got scared watching that should not be allowed to go to the movies. Or to go to bed.

Paranormal Activity the movie is a fraud.

I'm happy I was brave enough to try it and mad that I was stupid enough to pay the admission fee.

I got took!

I give Paranormal Activity a rating of 2 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

The 2 is just because the chick was cute.

Peace,

Dave W

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - Law Abiding Citizen

2009-10-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN

starring

Gerard Butler

Jamie Foxx

Law Abiding Citizen is a true thriller of a movie with an excellent cast headed by Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx and one of my favorite actresses, the very talented Viola Davis.

Viola Davis plays the mayor of Philadelphia where Clyde Shelton's (Gerard Butler) family is brutally murdered. Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) is a hotshot prosecutor more concerned with his conviction record and self advancement than in true justice.

This really p i _ _ es off Gerard Butler!

He develops an elaborate and incredibly violent plan to get justice for his wife and daughter's murder. No one, including the audience knows what incredible things he is capable of until time goes on and you learn that Gerard Butler is the ultimate wrong guy to mess with.

Great story, great acting, great movie.

I give Law Abiding Citizen a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave W

Couples Retreat & Capitalism: A Love Story

2009-10-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

I must catch up on my movie reviews so today I am combining the last two films I've seen into one review. So, you get two for the price of one. What a deal!

Let's start with Couples Retreat starring one of my favorite guys, Vince Vaughn.

It is a comedy centered around four couples who travel together to a tropical island resort for a vacation. Nothing from their reason to going, to how they get there, to what they do when they get there makes any sense whatsoever. It has a great cast including Vaughn's buddy Jon Favreau and Kristen Bell. The film suffers however from a case of terrible writing. The script is very weak.

Jason Bateman plays a very anal pain in the _ _ s husband who drives his wife crazy. He must be either a great actor or a very anal pain in the _ _ s because he totally got on my nerves.

The movie started out pretty good and the first fifteen minutes or so looked promising. Then it took a U-Turn and went straight in the toilet. Couples Retreat is mediocre at best. The only really good thing about it is Vince Vaughn. He always entertains.

Overall though the film is very disappointing. Wait for it to come out on DVD, then invite a couple you don't like to come over and watch it with you. That ought to discourage them from accepting future invitations. In-laws are a bit tougher. You may have to have them sit through several stinkers before you are rid of them.

I give Couples Retreat a rating of 5 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10. It pretty much sucked.

CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY

Now I turn to the Michael Moore movie, Capitalism: A Love Story. It is Moore's look at the global financial crisis and how the creeps on Wall Street made like hockey players and pucked us all up. I hope I cleaned that up sufficiently for the faint of heart who may read this.

Moore succeeded in making an entertaining documentary that even contains some humorous moments about very sad and often times tragic occurrences in our world today.

The film depicts how power hungry, unscrupulous and dirty bankers joined forces with power hungry, unscrupulous and dirty politicians to bilk the American people out of trillions of dollars.
Despite what you may hear on Fox News it is not anti-American or any such thing. Rather, it shows in vivid detail how unmitigated greed has corrupted our politics, our economy and the tragic consequences that result for average working people who deserve so much better.

Indeed, greed, corruption and putting the people last is one of the few things both parties approach in a bipartisan manner and a great example of why I have become an Independent.

There is a scene where he is interviewing a lady who is the congressional oversight officer and asks her where our money is. Her reply of "I don't know" is indicative of how screwed up things are.

There are bright spots however and Moore includes a wonderful story that shows the power people have when they join forces in peaceful demonstration. You will probably remember the story from the national news when it comes on screen.

I think this is a very worthwhile film and deserves your consideration. I suggest you check it out. Then go to Bank of America and / or Goldman Sachs and close your account.

Click on the movie poster to the right to see a preview.

I give Capitalism: A Love Story a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Be sure to check out the new Miss Popcorn Picks. She is my friend, Hayley Erin who recently established her own business. A polished and talented performer, Hayley's new venture is called Party Princess Productions. She and her amazing friends put on parties for kids that they will remember the rest of their lives. If you have kids or know someone who does, please check out her website for more information & pricing. If you dont have any kids, perhaps you would consider having some. I'd really like to help Hayley increase her business so she can buy a house.

Just click on the photo!

Peace. Keep the Faith.

Dave W

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- FAME

2009-09-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

FAME

They say fame is a fleeting thing, here today and gone tomorrow. And so it will be with this film.

Disappointment, thy name is Fame!

I expected a fresh approach to this remake of the 1980 original film that featured the likes of Debbie Allen, Irene Cara and Gene Anthony Ray. I expected great writing, great new songs and a great new cast. I expected to leave the theatre feeling energized and happy with the beat of one of the songs still in my head. That didn't happen.

This edition of FAME comes with a very bland cast of young talented kids who fall victim to poor writing and directing. The funny cast member isn't funny, the angry one is a wimp, the great singing one sings white bread songs and looks like an out of work Osmond brother trying to get back to Utah. The sexy one is about as sexy as Tom Delay on Dancing With the Stars!

The film lacks pizazz!

There's no excitement, no great love interest, no tragedy, no great musical number to speak of. The closest it came to giving me what I hoped for was a nice rendition of "Out Here on My Own" performed just slightly more than adequately.

If you loved the original as I did and therefore can't resist going to check this one out, just don't get your hopes up. Go see Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad all By Myself" instead. It was very good.

I give FAME a rating of 5 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave W

Dave's Popcorn Picks - ALL ABOUT STEVE

2009-09-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

starring

SANDRA BULLOCK
BRADLEY COOPER

DUMB!

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- INGLOUROIUS BASTERDS

2009-08-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

Inglourious Basterds
starring
Brad Pitt

WOW! What a movie!

This is Quentin Torantino’s masterpiece. He wrote it. He directed it. He deserves all the credit in the world for bringing this incredible movie to life.

Inglourious Basterds is a film full of interesting characters, intrigue and danger. It is incredibly well written, well acted, well filmed and judging by the audience reaction it is also well received. It seems hating Nazis never goes out of vogue.

Brad Pitt is Clark Gable like as Lt. Aldo Raine. Frankly Adolph, he don’t give a damn!

He heads a group of Jewish – American soldiers whose job is to brutally kill German soldiers in order to spread fear throughout Hitler’s troops. And so, they do. They do kill, they do spread fear, they become famous and they are definitely brutal.

Had the movie just been about that alone, which is what I expected, it would have been good. But what makes it really great is the introduction of one meaningful character after another and the way in which their lives intertwine. A Jewish character, a German character, a French character.

Each actor is marvelous in their own way. You love some. You despise others. They reel you in, captivating you in a way you may not have experienced in a theatre for some time. The look in their eyes, the tenseness of the situation; sometimes gripping and suspenseful, sometimes light enough even to laugh.

This movie is going to win a lot of awards. It will win more awards than Michael Jordan in a slam dunk contest. It will win more awards than Megan Fox in a wet T-shirt competition. Get the picture? This is a great freaking movie!

Awards are nice but mainly I think this film will win a spot in your life as one of the most memorable films you will have seen in a long time. Even if for some reason you walk away not liking it, you are not likely to forget it.

One thing I will warn you about is that while the film is free of sex and bad language it is extremely violent. Some of the violence may give the squeamish bad dreams for a year or two but it’s worth it. It is definitely not for kids because of the violence.

It is a long movie (2 ½ hours) but I didn’t mind. I could have stayed for more. The final 15 minutes of the movie, while extremely brutal, provide one of the best endings to a movie I’ve seen in some time. Click the movie poster photo to the right to watch the movie trailer.

I give Inglourious Basterds a rating of 10 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- FUNNY PEOPLE

2009-08-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

FUNNY PEOPLE
starring
Adam Sandler

I really had to think about this one. The movie is called Funny People. You would expect it to be funny. It is funny; sort of. It’s also serious.
In fact, there are moments that are quite touching; moments that tug at your heartstrings. That’s OK, in fact that’s good. You can combine funny and serious and heartwarming. Those elements are ingredients for a really good story. This is also Adam Sandler’s best individual work ever: no question about it.
Something, however, went terribly wrong in the making of this movie. I blame the maker of this film. His name is Judd Apatow. He both wrote and produced Funny People. Who would you blame? His previous films include such disasters as Pineapple Express, Year One, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Step Brothers, which was possibly the worst movie ever made.

To his credit, he also produced The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, both very funny and worthwhile films. His film history shows the ability to produce good work but is damaged by several absolute disasters. In Funny People, he achieved both, therefore accomplishing nothing. What a shame!

Apatow wrote a great script. Then he ruined it by including a plethora of crude and vulgar dialogue which is so unnecessary. It not only detracted from but in my opinion it ruined the movie. I don’t say this from a prudish standpoint. I say it from a creative point of view.

You don’t put fart jokes in Gone with the Wind. You don’t slap some peanut butter and jelly on the Mona Lisa. You don’t put metallic racing stripes on a Rolls Royce. I’m being kind here as much of the dialogue is so crude it would make Richard Pryor blush.

It is the types of stuff guys only say to other guys in the locker room or when they’re really drunk. It is not appropriate for general audiences.

Adam Sandler is George Simmons, a popular comedian who finds out he is dying. Seth Rogan plays Ira Wright. Ira wants to be a comedian. The problem is he’s not very good. Sandler’s character takes a liking to him though and helps advance his career while sharing the secret of his illness with him only. Seth Rogan is very good as Ira.

Leslie Mann plays Simmon’s ex-girlfriend. She’s the one who got away.
She is terrific in this role. In real life she is married to Judd Apatow. Their real life children play her kids in the movie.

I really liked the story. The performances were terrific, especially Adam Sandler. I’m glad I saw it. I just feel that they really took what could have been a masterpiece and blew it. Mr. Apatow is a victim of his own poor taste. Oh yes, and it’s too long too.

I give Funny People a rating of 6 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

On a side note, when I saw the movie, I could not help but notice a guy in the row ahead of me and to the right. He was a Jack Black looking dude, (too bad for him) who sat there with a huge smile on his face throughout the movie and laughed aloud at everything they said on the screen. Everything!

He laughed at the opening scene, which was silly by the way. He laughed at the funny stuff. He laughed at the not funny stuff. He laughed at the crude stuff and the vulgar stuff. He laughed throughout the closing credits. Perhaps this movie is really great if you get stoned prior to admission. It’s up to you.

Peace,

Dave W

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- THE UGLY TRUTH

2009-07-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

THE UGLY TRUTH
Starring
Katherine Heigl & Gerard Butler

If you like romantic comedies, you’ll like The Ugly Truth. There is one catch, however. In addition to liking romantic comedies, you must also enjoy, or at least be able to tolerate strong sexual content and blatant sexual language that many people would find offensive. I am talking very frank and very blatant sexual references. That said; let’s proceed with my thoughts on the movie.

There is certainly nothing ugly about the movies star, Katherine Heigl. She is gorgeous! She is also totally captivating and a lot of fun to watch. She has great comedic instincts and is simply marvelous as Abby Richter, a Sacramento TV producer who longs for romance with her concept of Prince Charming. She has definite ideas about what a man should be.

Into her life arrives Gerard Butler as Mike, the host of a local TV show called The Ugly Truth. His show is about how men really are, wherein lies much of the offensive language.

They end up working together and immediately hate each other. In an effort to negotiate peace, Mike helps Abby in her efforts to land the perfect guy.
Their adventures are quite hilarious at times. The restaurant scene where a young boy finds the remote control to Abby’s vibrator is so funny the audience howled.

Gerard Butler is excellent as Mike. The girls will like him. The guys will like Katherine Heigl. Those who can’t take the language will walk out. It is of course predictable, but interesting nevertheless.

I give The Ugly Truth a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Click on the photo of Katherine Heigl & Gerard Butler (above right) to see a preview of this movie.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- PUBLIC ENEMIES

2009-07-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

PUBLIC ENEMIES
starring
Johnny Depp
Christian Bale

Director Michael Mann (TV’s Miami Vice) brings us a shoot ‘em up thriller about the bad boys of the 1930’s. Guys like Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson and the first ever public enemy #1, John Dillinger.

Ultra cool Johnny Depp is Dillinger. He robbed banks for a living and became famous for it. The American public blamed the banks for causing the Great Depression and therefore delighted in this Robin Hood type who never stole from the customers, just the banks.

Come to think of it, that would probably go over pretty well today.
Too bad Dillinger’s not around today to knock off B of A and A.I.G.
I know A.IG. is an insurance company, but he was so cool he could do it.
Plus, who better to rob than those bums?

Dillinger relished his role as combination bad guy/folk hero and thought he was invincible. He took what he wanted. That included his women.

Marion Cotillard plays Billie Frechette, the woman he loves.
She won the Academy Award for best actress in 2007 for her amazing portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. She’s great! She earns special mention for her interrogation scene.

Christian Bale is FBI man Melvin Purvis, the G-Man placed in charge of bringing Dillinger to justice by J. Edgar Hoover. He did a great job too.
Billy Crudup is excellent as the young Hoover, just building his F.B.I. empire.

Michael Mann gave this movie a gritty substance. It’s earthy and dark. It looks like the 1930’s. Guys were guys and dolls were dolls. Get it sweetheart? My only complaint is that it was a bit too long.

Despite all of the fine performances, Johnny Depp is the heart and soul of this movie. He has a tremendous on screen persona. The camera loves him. He is a movie star.

It’s been rumored that he and Leonardo DiCapria are up for the role of Frank Sinatra in the upcoming movie about Sinatra’s life that is planned by famed director Martin Scorsese. Depp could do it and he would be my choice. He doesn’t have to actually sing as they will use Sinatra’s original recordings.

In Public Enemies, Depp dominates the screen and makes a great depression era gangster. Jimmy Cagney would be proud!

I give Public Enemies a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- TRANSFORMERS 2

2009-07-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

TRANSFORMERS 2
starring
Shia LaBeouf
&
Megan Fox

This sequel to the original Transformers movie is fun to watch. It features mechanical aliens, U.S. military forces, chase scenes, fight scenes, and incredible visual effects. The ultimate visual effect is ultra hottie Megan Fox.

The evil forces return to earth to take Sam Witwicky prisoner because he knows the secret of their origin. Shia La Beouf is brilliant as this young man who despite his youth and inexperience is able to handle aliens, doting parents, government investigators and the hottest chick on the planet all at once.

He joins forces with Optimus Prime, a good Transformer alien, to defeat the bad guys in another epic battle. The very survival of planet earth hangs in the balance. It is very entertaining.

Megan Fox reprises her role as Mikaela Banes, the ultimate auto mechanic.
Gentlemen, start your engines! She will get your motor running.

Handsome Josh Duhamel is Major Lennox and John Torturro is outstanding again as the wildly entertaining Agent Simmons.

Kevin Dunn and Julie White should get special awards for their super funny portrayal of the parents, Ron and Judy Witwicky. Julie White is particularly superb.

I am not a science fiction fan but this movie is great. The human characters make it more acceptable to me and the cast is really quite brilliant, especially Shia LaBeouf and Kevin Dunn and Julie White and John Torturro. Megan Fox is the cherry on top. This is well worth your ten bucks.
I give Transformers 2 a rating of 9 bags of popcorn, out of a possible 10.
Megan Fox is a 10.

Peace,

Dave

P.S. On some issues of this review I have included a link to an interview with Megan Fox about this movie. If you see this link, check it out.

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- THE PROPOSAL

2009-07-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

THE PROPOSAL
starring
Sandra Bullock
Ryan Reynolds

The Proposal is a delightfully entertaining comedy about a pushy and overbearing boss (Sandra Bullock) who forces her handsome young assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to agree to marry her, in order to avoid deportation to her native Canada.

Sandra Bullock is a true master in this kind of role. She is at her best when her character is uncomfortable. That is the case throughout this movie.

Her mannerisms, her facial expressions, her voice, and her timing are impeccable. She is simply a great comedic actress. She will have you laughing throughout this wonderfully entertaining movie.

Ryan Reynolds proves to be an equal match for this comedy queen.
He more than holds his own in his portrayal of Sandra Bullock’s tormented but devoted and ambitious employee. I appreciated the fact that despite his position, he was not a wimp. He played the role perfectly.

There is some beautiful scenery as the two travel to Alaska so she can meet his family. Craig T. Nelson is terrific as the father who doesn’t agree with his son’s outlook on life. Mary Steenburgen makes a lovely mother and Betty White is hysterical as Grammy. You will love her.

The proposal is funny, well written, well acted and well worth your ten bucks. I would see it again and again. It’s a great family movie.

I give this movie a rating of 9 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- HANGOVER

2009-06-05T21:18:00.001-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

HANGOVER
starring
Bradley Cooper

Hangover is not for everyone. If you are easily offended, don’t go. If it takes a lot for you to be offended, prepare to be offended. Much of the movie is in bad taste. Personally, I still liked it. The audience also seemed to like it, laughing aloud throughout.

It’s a pretty juvenile type movie about a group of guys who head to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. Chaos ensues, of course, but it is pretty funny most of the time.

Bradley Cooper is becoming a star. He is a strong lead character and very good at this type of role. The other characters are mostly unknowns, at least to me. Heather Graham has a role as a stripper. There is a cute baby making his acting debut, a very large tiger and also an out of shape Mike Tyson. Don’t tell Mike I said that.

I give Hangover a rating of 7 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10. Don’t bring the kids!

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- Is Anyone There?

2009-06-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

Is Anyone There?
Starring
Michael Caine

The wonderful Michael Caine portrays an elderly man struggling to accept the death of his wife. He misses her so much he wants to die.

With apologies to Mr. Caine who is a very accomplished actor, this is a horrible movie.
I never made it to the end. After 45 minutes, I wanted to die!

I give this movie a rating of 3 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10. Don’t bother.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- THE SOLOIST

2009-06-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

THE SOLOIST
Starring
Jamie Foxx & Robert Downey, Jr.

I will make this review short and to the point.

Three things:

1. Robert Downey Jr. is a great actor and is fabulous in this role as a newspaper reporter writing a story about a homeless but gifted musician.

2. Jamie Foxx is pretty good.

3. The movie is INCREDIBLY BORING!

I didn’t even stay for the end.

I give the Soloist a rating of 5 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10. Sorry Jamie.
Blame it on the alcohol.

Peace,

Dave

2009-05-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

OBSESSED

Starring

Idris Elba
&
Beyonce
&
Ali Larter

I loved it!

No Oscar nominations here, just a good “Fatal Attraction” replica with solid performances from Idris Elba, Beyonce and Ali Latrter who is excellent as the dillusional temptress.

The ending is the best part and Beyonce brings the audience to their feet. You go girl!

I give Obsessed a rating of 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Go see it!

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - I Love You, Man

2009-05-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

I Love You, Man

starring

Paul Rudd
&
Jason Segel

This is the funniest movie I have seen in ages. I absolutely loved every minute of it.

I declare it to be an instant classic. Run, do not walk, run to the nearest theatre that is showing I Love You, Man, hand them whatever they are charging for admission and sit back and enjoy this marvelous comedy. You may want to see it more than once. I do!

The writing is clever and the acting is superb. The timing with which the actors deliver their lines is impeccable. Paul Rudd is perfect as Peter Klaven, a young real estate agent working hard to be successful for himself and his fiancé.

By the way, realtors will especially love this movie!

Jason Segel is so good he is beyond perfection as Sydney, an extremely tall, whacky, slob of a fellow with a heart of gold who always tells it like it is. So much so in fact that the two meet when Sydney admits to attending Peter’s open house simply to get the free food.

Everything and everyone works flawlessly. Credit director John Hamburg with a comedic masterpiece.

The premise of the movie is unique. So many so called comedies have been done about a fellow trying to meet a girl with the help of his buddies. This movie is about a guy who does fine with women. He is at ease with women both personally and professionally. In fact he’s about to get married.

That’s when he discovers he has never really established any close male friends. He doesn’t even know anyone he can ask to serve as best man at his wedding. Encouraged by his fiancé and his family, he makes a concerted effort to secure some male bonding.

Therein lays the twist. He is so inept, so befuddled, so out of his comfort zone - and that is where the charm of this film blossoms and becomes so entertaining for all. His repeated failed attempts to conjure up appropriate male expressions that come naturally to most guys will have you in stitches.

The entire cast and crew deserve kudos for putting together a movie that will allow you to laugh and forget your troubles for an hour and a half or so. As realtors love to say, “This one is a must see.”

I happily give I Love You, Man 10 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- Taken

2009-05-26T23:56:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

TAKEN
Starring Liam Neeson

Apparently I am the only one among critics to give a positive review to this movie but I thought it was great. In fact, I loved it.

TAKEN stars Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, a former spy who is highly skilled at hand to hand combat who must travel abroad to save his daughter from villainous kidnappers.

I liked this movie because to me there was an interesting beginning, a heart pounding, intense, action packed middle and an appropriate ending. I thought it was a good logical set up as to how she came to be taken, by whom and why.

It unfolded nicely allowing you to follow the events as they occurred all the while keeping your interest. It was good guy vs. bad guys. It was good vs. evil.

Liam Neeson did a great job portraying a character that is a combination of James Bond, Death Wish’s Paul Kersey and Father Knows Best. He combined being cool with being a regular guy. He combined being the equivalent of Superman with the caring qualities of every father in America.

I liked that he didn’t mess around. He never wasted a second. When a guy needed to be hit, he hit him. When a guy needed to be shot, he shot him. He kept moving forward, pushing on relentlessly to find his daughter against seemingly insurmountable odds.

If you allow yourself to overlook things like the hero never getting hit amid hails of gunfire, then you can sit back, relax and be thoroughly entertained for a good hour and a half.

TAKEN wont win any Academy Awards. Nor will it win the acclaim of critics. What it will do is allow you to kick back, forget about the economy, and get lost in the action packed make believe world of the movies.

I give TAKEN a rating of 9 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - FIRST ANNUAL GOLDEN POPCORN AWARDS

2009-02-22T10:29:00.001-08:00

Dave's Popcorn Picks
Academy Award Special
2009

Announcing the winners of the first annual Golden Popcorn Awards

These are my picks for the best in cinema for the past year.
This is based on my opinion only among films I’ve seen.

Best Supporting Actress
The Golden Popcorn goes to … Penelope Cruz
For her outstanding performance in Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona

Best Supporting Actor
The Golden Popcorn goes to … Heath Ledger
For his outstanding performance in The Dark Knight

Best Actress
The Golden Popcorn goes to … Penelope Cruz
For her outstanding performance in Elegy. Yes, she is a double winner!

Best Actor
The Golden Popcorn goes to … Sean Penn
For his outstanding performance in Milk
(Honorary mention to Mickey Rourke for his outstanding performance in The Wrestler)

Best Movie
The Golden Popcorn goes to … Elegy
Elegy was by far my personal favorite film of the past year & in my humble opinion, the most underrated. It was not nominated for an Oscar.

Worst Movie
Everybody Wants To Be Italian …. and Bottle Shock
It’s a tie! They both sucked but I can’t decide which one was worse.

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU

2009-02-22T10:26:00.000-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

He’s Just Not That Into You
Starring
Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Anniston, Scarlett Johansson,
Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Justin Long, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper

He’s Just Not That Into You is perhaps the ultimate chick flick.
It therefore requires two separate reviews; one for guys, one for dolls.
Here goes:
FOR THE LADIES

If you are of the feminine gender, you will probably like this movie. I said like, not love. It shares the trials and tribulations of several young ladies both single and married. Their stories are presented from a female perspective.

You will probably find the film to be fun and whimsical and enjoy many aspects that you can relate to from personal experience.

The movie explores deep psychological mysteries (not), like why are men such jerks and what did he really mean by that? It is Sex & the City without any sex.
FOR THE GUYS

Two hours and nine minutes of dribble. It tells the story of a bunch of gullible chicks that don’t have a clue about guys or life. Go out for a beer instead.
SUMMARY

Great cast highlighted by Ginnifer Goodwin who plays Gigi. She is as cute and sweet as you can get. With all of the great talent in this movie, she steals the show. She is great! Unfortunately, the movie is still too long, too predictable and too boring.

I give this movie 5 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - TAKEN

2009-02-15T19:33:00.001-08:00

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - THE WRESTLER

2009-02-14T13:37:00.000-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

The Wrestler
Starring
Mickey Rourke & Marisa Tomei

Raw. That’s what this movie is. It is a pure raw character study of a man who well past his prime uses his body to try to make enough money to stay alive another day.

Mickey Rourke plays Randy “The Ram” Robinson in what is without question the finest performance of his long and often troubled career. His appearance has changed significantly from his days as the Pope of Greenwich Village. He looks rough. He is rough. He acts tough and tough he is. He does what he has to do to survive.

His world revolves around a love of his brotherhood of fellow wrestlers, workouts, performance enhancing drugs, and the circus like freak show of a grueling wrestling circuit attended by fans thirsty for blood.

Outside the ring he is desperate to establish a relationship with the daughter he fathered but has never known. Stephanie is portrayed nicely by Rachel Evan Wood, a talented newcomer. The two of them deliver the film’s most poignant scene. This tough hunk of meat can bring a tear to your eye and probably will.

The adorable, talented, sweet and sexy Marisa Tomei plays Cassidy, a stripper using her body to survive in a manner parallel to what Randy “The Ram” must do. I have been crazy about Marisa Tomei since her Oscar winning performance in My Cousin Vinny. A romance of sorts begins involving these two ravaged beings although I did think their relationship could have been further explored.

I loved this movie and I loved the way the movie ends, allowing for personal interpretation. It is a great story with incredible performances, especially by Rourke, and as an added bonus you get to see Marisa Tomei naked.
In any other year, Rourke would win the Academy Award for best actor. He still may. He is certainly deserving, but I believe Sean Penn’s performance in MILK will be too tough to beat.

Of a possible high rating of 10, I give The Wrestler a rare 10 bags of popcorn.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review- SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

2009-02-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

Slumdog Millionaire (R)
Danny Boyle,Madhur Mittal
120 minutes
10 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS!
Including Best Picture, Best Director: Danny Boyle, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song

WINNER OF 4 GOLDEN GLOBES INCLUDING BEST PICTURE!

If you love underdog stories then Slumdog Millionaire is the film for you. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is a street urchin (slumdog) who gets to appear on India’s version of the hit TV show WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
The film combines his answers on the show with flashbacks of his life that show the incredible poverty in the slums of Mumbai and the road Jamal traveled to reach this point in his young but incredible life.
I do not want to give away too much of the story. I will tell you that Regis Philbin is nowhere to be seen.
I highly recommend this film because of the way the story unfolds so expertly with the use of the aforementioned flashbacks. The editing is magnificent and should surely win the Oscar for that category. Editing is not something I usually notice in a film, but it truly stands out in this one.
Slumdog Millionaire is nominated for 10 Academy Awards including best picture. It won the Best Picture Golden Globe earlier this year.
Just go and see it. It is a memorable story and a movie you will remember fondly for years to come. It should be seen on the big screen.
I give Slumdog Millionaire a rating of 10 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - GRAN TORINO

2009-01-06T21:58:00.000-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review
GRAN TORINO
Starring
Clint Eastwood

I really like Clint Eastwood. The guy’s a heck of a good actor and director.
I am happy to report he’s back in his new movie called Gran Torino and the man still has that star power and the raw physical on screen presence that draws you to him. Pretty darn good for a guy 102 years old! Just kidding, Clint. Someone look, is he laughing? I hope he’s laughing.
In Gran Torino Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a retired auto worker living in a Detroit, Michigan suburb that has seen better days. I grew up in a Detroit suburb that had dozens of Walt Kowalski’s, so I could very much identify with his character and this film. This superstar of cinema made a great Walt Kowalski.
The Walt Kowalski character is kind of like Dirty Harry meets Death Wish as introduced by Archie Bunker. Walt is a Korean War vet who saw hell, went through hell and then came home to work at Ford Motor Company and root for the Detroit Lions. That’s a lot of hell for one nice Polish boy to endure. You’d be bitter too, especially about the Lions.
His prized possession is a 1972 Ford Gran Torino, a classic muscle car that draws the attention of neighborhood bad guys who would like to steal it. Hence the movies name, Gran Torino.
That actually is my only complaint about the movie. I don’t like the title. I didn’t like the name for the car and I don’t like it for the movie. Nobody remembers the Gran Torino just like nobody remembers the last time the Lions won a game.
It was a great car but a dumb name. They should have named it the Ford Shark or the Stallion. Watch for Ford’s new model called the 0-16 coming out in 2010. As far as the movie title, I would have called it “Old School” or just “Kowalski” but once again, nobody asked.
Recently widowed, old Walt is more than just a little ornery. He doesn’t like the ethnic groups taking over his neighborhood. He doesn’t like the young parish priest who tries to look out for him. Hell, he doesn’t even like his own kids! He expresses his displeasure by curling his upper lip and growling.
You see, with Walt the growling is actually his way of being polite. It’s a warning much the way a dog growls to let you know that if you keep bothering him, he will bite your ass. With Walt, if he growls you should be glad he’s not cussing you out or punching you in the face. He growls a lot in this movie. I loved it.
He also manages to offend pretty much everybody by calling then names that were common back in the day but today would get you sued. Politically correct, he is not. Yet, Eastwood somehow manages to have Walt spew his rants and still remain likeable. Not just likeable, but you can’t help but root for him. Even the objects of his ire shake their head and smile and take it.
When I saw the movie I noticed audience members smiled broadly and laughed aloud and really enjoyed Walt being Walt. Those of you who remember the TV show “All in the Family” will recall how Carol O’Connor somehow managed to make Archie Bunker a loveable soul even though he was a racist.
Eastwood accomplishes a similar feat with his portrayal of Walt Kowalski, plus he can kick your ass. Archie Bunker was never that tough.
Despite his scorn for the Asian family next door, old Walt sees that the young son is at a point in his life where he could live the American dream (carry a tool belt & root for the Detroit Lions) or get sucked into gang life and get dead quick.
After a series of events (go see the movie) he tries to help the kid which puts him at odds with the gangs. Every Eastwood movie has a great line such as “Go ahead, make my day.”
My favorite line in this movie is when gang members are getting rough with this kid & Walt comes out with his shotgun to announce, “Get off my lawn.” The looks on their faces were priceless. All hell was breaking loose and this guy was worried about his lawn. Lawns are big back home. You don’t want to mess with a Polish guy’s lawn, especially a freshly mowed one.
I give Gran Tornio 8 bags of popcorn out of a possible ten. Go see it, then meet me for some eggs & kielbasa. Oh yeah, and stay off my lawn.
Peace,
Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - YES MAN

2008-12-20T12:01:00.000-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

“Yes Man”
Starring
Jim Carey

Jim Carey stars as Carl Allen, a bank loan officer who lost his zest for life three years ago following a break up. Like many people he goes through each day passing up opportunities to live life to the fullest.

His existence is hum drum. He’s missing out. He’s alienating everyone around him. He’s going nowhere fast at work. Life is passing him by. Get the picture? His life pretty much sucks.

Things change, however, after he attends a cultish seminar featuring a dynamic leader (Terrance Stamp) who commands his disciples to say yes to anything and everything.

Carl’s reluctance to do so eventually becomes total and complete enthusiasm. He finds that by saying yes, good thing start to happen.

He becomes consumed by saying yes, which leads him on an uproarious and hilarious adventure that we get to watch. Carl goes bungee jumping. He learns Korean, he learns to fly and he learns to love again.

The object of his affection is Allison (Zooey Deschanel), a very pretty hippie type chick who digs anything unconventional. She teaches a class in photography while jogging (that’s not easy to do) and is lead singer in the world’s worst band at night. Pretty much your typical girl next door – not!

I loved her! I found her very appealing, very sweet, and very sexy.

Some guy I never heard of (Rhys Darby) plays Carl’s boss at the bank. I could have done without him, but I suppose he kind of grows on you as the movie goes on.

There is a hot-to-trot granny who plays Carl’s neighbor who absolutely cracked me up. Some may find her “big scene” a tad vulgar but I cracked up. Decide for yourself.

Jim Carey is his usual zany, Jerry Lewis type self, mugging his way through what surely will be another box office success for the former In Living Color cast member.

In addition to enjoying a lot of great laughs, you actually walk out of the theatre feeling at least a bit enlightened. It’s a good thing to be open about life and to explore things you normally would shy away from.

Great things can happen when you least expect it. All you have to do is say yes!

I give this film 7 1/2 bags of popcorn out of a possible ten.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - Four Christmases

2008-12-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

Four Christmases
starring
Vince Vaughn & Reese Witherspoon

Most reviews you will see of Four Christmases will tell you it is not very good. Keep in mind those reviews are done by predominantly pompous snobs who fancy themselves part of the elite in la-la land. They make a living writing about people with talent because they have no talent of their own.

I’m just a regular guy who pays his six bucks and hopes to be entertained for a couple of hours. I write about it for fun and because I want to. At any rate, I disagree with the elite snobs of tinsel town. I liked it and I can tell you why in just five words: Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon.

I really like Vince Vaughn. Everything he does cracks me up. He comes on screen and I smile. He opens his mouth and I laugh. He’s just a funny dude. Even when the writing isn’t up to par, his delivery is still right on and I enjoy it.

Reese Witherspoon is a lovely and talented actress who I always enjoy as well. Put the two together and hey, I’ll give it a shot. So it won’t win any Academy Awards, so what!

I was just looking for a few yuks and I got them with this film.

You see, Brad & Kate (Vince & Reese) is a young couple who are very adept at avoiding family gatherings during the holidays.

They annually connive and convince their families that they will be away serving poor children in Borneo or some trumped up story in order to escape what can in some cases be the drudgery of spending time with family during the holidays.

I’m hip to what they’re talking about. You see, I was married once.
I can identify. I can recognize. I can sympathize. After years of therapy and excessive bar tabs, I can laugh about it now.

It was fun seeing someone else go through “la familia” hell at Christmas. Especially Vince Vaughn, with his usual fast talking, self centered, condescending approach to his character. Why he didn’t get an Academy award for Wedding Crashers, I’ll never know! (It’s a guy thing.)

This year, however, a combination of events blows their best laid plans and they are unable to get away. They are stuck spending not one, not two, not three, but four Christmases with elements of their families.

Talk about a great cast! OK, so the material is not worthy of them, but still, this is a great ensemble of actors. Even with a sub par script, I give them an A for effort.

It’s kind of like watching the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants play touch football. Even though the intensity and drama are not there, it’s still fun to see Eli Manning throw the ball and see that defensive line come running in on an opposing quarterback, even if they just pat him on the head instead of delivering a punishing blow.

Occasionally in this film, some of these great actors shoot themselves in the foot. Kind of like Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg.

One Christmas is with Brad’s old school, super macho father played by Robert Duvall who gets great joy watching his son get his butt kicked by his brothers. One of his brother’s is played by Tim McGraw. The other brother is Jon Favreau.

Another Christmas is with Brad’s cradle robbing mother who lives with Brad’s best friend from school. Sissy Spacek is Brad’s mom with the fetish for young boy toys.

Mary Steenbergen plays Kate’s voluptuous and sexy mother who just can’t get enough of her preacher boyfriend, played by country singer Dwight Yokum. Tony award winner, Kate Chenoweth is Kate’s sex crazed sister. The pair visits them for Christmas #3.

Jon Voight plays Reese’s habitually tipsy, doting and loving father. Christmas #4 is at his house.

Through it all, fears from childhood raise their ugly head and old wounds reappear. Insecurities and moments better left forgotten come to light and Brad and Kate are left to re-evaluate their own commitment to each other.

This movie is just for fun. I suggest you rent it on DVD after the New Year or as part of next Christmas’ festivities.

Go in with low expectations and you’ll enjoy some good laughs with those you hate. I mean, those you love to hate. I mean, those you hate to love.

You know what I mean.

I give Four Christmases 6 ½ bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave.

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - Cadillac Records

2008-12-13T11:30:00.001-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

Cadillac Records
Starring
Jeffrey Wright
Adrian Brody
Beyonce Knowles
& some very good music

The film is based on a true story. It is the story of Leonard Chess, founder of Chess Records, a white man who pioneered black musicians and their music on his record label in the 1940’s & 50’s.
Adrian Brody is a terrific actor and he plays Leonard Chess beautifully.

Every time an artist did well, Chess would get them a new Cadillac. Hence, the name of the movie.

Jeffrey Wright is Muddy Waters, who with help from Leonard Chess transforms himself from poor Mississippi sharecropper to legendary blues man. I thought Jeffrey Wright’s performance was truly outstanding. He is the star of this film and truly its central character. The look and the feel of his character come through the screen vividly. I appreciate cool and the man was cool.

The beautiful and talented Gabrielle Union plays Muddy Water’s woman. The girl is a born actress. Her scenes and her role are understated and probably underrated but if you watch her closely, she is a master of her craft.

From the time she pokes her head out of her bedroom window to talk to Muddy Waters for the first time till the touching scene near the end when a friend dies in her arms, she is in control of her role and executes each nuance of it like the true professional she is.

Because the rest of the ensemble is so strong, her performance will likely go underappreciated, but if you see the movie, please make a conscious effort to take notice of how she uses her facial expressions, voice and body language to portray her character. I thought she was great!

Speaking of great, an actor named Columbus Short is truly brilliant as harmonica playing Little Walter. It is a fabulous role and Short made the best of it. I believe he deserves serious consideration for a best supporting actor nomination at next years Academy awards.

Little Walter was a harmonica playing, booze drinking, gun toting,
womanizing son of a gun. Short’s performance is in your face and I loved every minute he was on screen.

The fabulous Beyonce Knowles played legendary songstress Etta James. She had the look, the feel and the voice and she succeeded in getting Etta down.

When Beyonce stood in the recording studio and started into singing the Etta Jame’s classic “At Last”, I got chills. That’s what happens when great song meets great singer.

Beyonce is a tremendous talent. I thought she really excelled in a poignant scene in which Etta James is found barely alive following an overdose of drugs.

As Etta James, Beyonce was sassy, sexy, sultry and sensational.
See what you think. If you like it then you better put a ring on it. Know what I’m sayin’?

An actor named Eamonn Walker played blues man Howlin’ Wolf, who did not like Muddy Waters one bit. Walker’s performance must have been good because he scared the - - - - out of me. He was a scary dude!
Cedric the Entertainer was so-so as songwriter Willie Dixon as was Mos Def as Chuck Berry.

Emmanuelle Chriqui portrayed Revetta Chess, Leonard’s wife. Emmanuell Chriqui is without question one of the world’s most beautiful women. You may remember her as the beauty shop owner playing opposite Adam Dandler in Don’t Mess with the Zohan.

As Mrs. Chess she is demure and quiet and her fabulous looks are not played up. Trust me; she is a beauty for the ages and she played this role perfectly.

With the exception of Cedric and Mos Def, the entire cast deserves rave reviews. Their performances lift the film up and overcome weaknesses in other areas. I enjoyed Cadillac Records very much.

I give Cadillac Records 7 ½ bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - MILK

2008-12-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

MILK

In November of 1978, I had just moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. There were reports on the news of a terrible shooting in San Francisco. The mayor of San Francisco, George Moscone and a fellow named Harvey Milk, a city supervisor, were gunned down in cold blood right at city hall by a former city supervisor named Dan White.

Diane Feinstein, our U.S. Senator from California was also a city supervisor in San Francisco at the time and was just down the hall in her office that day. I remember her standing on the steps of city hall to announce both men were dead.

How could this have happened?

The movie, “Milk”, tells the story of the events leading up to that day. It is significant because Harvey Milk was the first openly gay U.S. politician elected to office of any kind. His penchant for speaking out and promoting gay rights lead him to be known as the Mayor of Castro Street.

The film follows his move to San Francisco, his activism, his numerous political defeats, his tumultuous personal life, his dreams, his aspirations, his disappointments, his triumphs and his murder.

It is an interesting story told with actual news footage from the 70’s as a backdrop. From my viewpoint, the city of San Francisco could have been utilized much more effectively.

San Francisco is such a beautiful, intriguing and compelling city; I would have made it and its fascinating locales the co-star. I was not consulted, however. Maybe next time!

The film is interesting from another standpoint. The film chronicles events during the early stages of the gay rights movement and the timing of the movies release coincides with current efforts by groups to legalize gay marriage.

You can’t help but notice the similarities in the struggles from then to now. It allows you to reflect on the progress of basic human rights since 1978 and depending on your stance, the road left to travel, or perhaps in your mind, if gay rights has gone too far.
It certainly makes you think.

Harvey Milk is portrayed by Sean Penn. You may as well hand him the Oscar for best actor now. Considering that he is 100% straight, I cannot imagine anyone delivering a more outstanding performance than Penn did in Milk. To say his performance is one of brilliance is probably an understatement.

Josh Brolin plays Dan White, Milk’s assassin. His portrayal leaves an image of a fellow who is not only extremely uptight, but pretty much an idiot. I have to wonder what really was going on in that head of his all along and unfortunately that goes pretty much ignored in the movie.

I suppose the best thing about this film is it can open eyes for people who are confused about the whole notion of gay rights.
It also shows Harvey Milk’s life and his activism is still having a profound effect on people even thirty years after his death.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review- SOUL MEN

2008-11-09T10:55:00.000-08:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

Soul Men
Starring
Bernie Mac & Samuel L. Jackson

I liked Soul Men a lot because it made me laugh a lot. It’s a funny movie and a wonderful remembrance of Bernie Mac, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

He & Samuel L. Jackson play the surviving members of a three man 70’s soul group called The Real Deal. Anyone with any imagination at all should see that is a great premise for a story featuring these two marvelous talents.

The group’s leader left and built a hugely successful solo career. Bernie became successful outside of show business and Samuel L. turned to drugs and spent time in prison.

When the group’s former lead singer dies, Bernie & Samuel L. are invited to perform at his wake at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Now, of course, they are both old and over the hill and way out of practice. This could be a great break for them both, or it could be a recipe for disaster.

Bernie is chomping at the bit to perform again because he is bored. Samuel L. could not care less.

The two men have not even spoken for twenty years as a result of a feud over a woman. Chicks! You can’t live with them and then you never really get over them. These two certainly have not gotten over a woman named Odessa.

They finally agree to reunite and drive from L.A. to New York finding lots of adventures and laughs along the way.

They also find out one of them is a father when they meet Cleo, a lovely and talented young lady who becomes a part of the group. In real life her name is Sharon Leal. She is fine, fine, fine! Get that? Fine! She also sings very well, with a kind of Alicia Keys quality to her voice. That’s a good thing.

I think the movie would have done well to feature her more than it did. That’s just my opinion, but hey, it’s my review. Plus, she’s fine. Oh yeah, I already mentioned that.

The film also features Sean Hayes of Will & Grace fame as the promoter and Isaac Hayes, no relation to Sean. They don’t even really look much alike so you can tell they’re not related. He plays himself in a small role. Both Isaac Hayes and Bernie Mac passed away shortly after making this movie.

You can’t help but think of that as you watch. I admit that is a little creepy.
Bernie Mac died on a Saturday in August. Isaac Hayes died the next day. Mac was just 50 years old. The Black Moses was 65. I will always remember Isaac Hayes’ haunting version of “Never Can Say Goodbye”, “Walk On By” and of course, “Shaft.”

I should mention there is a lot of profanity in this movie, but it’s the funny kind. It is too profane for small kids, but for adults, who are not offended by the “f” word, go for it.

Soul Men is kind of a black Grumpy Old Men with some good music and a lot of swearing.

There is a very cool moment in the movie when Bernie Mac & Samuel L. are dealing with a flat tire and break into an impromptu version of the R&B classic “I’m Your Puppet.” That was one of many really fun moments the two fine actors shared. Very enjoyable!

Be sure and stay for the credits as they show out takes from the movie & excerpts from a discussion with Bernie Mac that are both funny and heartwarming.

We still have one more Bernie Mac performance to look forward to as this was not his last acting role. He is in the sequel to “Wild Hogs” which was a very funny movie with John Travolta, Martin Lawrence & company.

Look for “Old Dogs” with Robin Williams and Bernie Mac sometime in 2009. Personally, I can’t wait. I’m hoping my friend Ashley Danielle will be in it too reprising her role from Wild Hogs. She was the beautiful blonde on the beach at the end of the movie.

As for Soul Men, I give this movie a rating of 7 very *!#@**&# funny bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - Everybody Wants To Be Italian

2008-10-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

Everybody Wants To Be Italian

I went to see this movie because of the title. I love all things Italian, so it seemed to me that I would like this movie. I was wrong. I made a mistake. Did you ever make a mistake? It happened to me.

This is a love story about a guy who is not Italian, but everyone thinks he’s Italian. There is also a girl who everyone thinks is Italian but she is not Italian either. So right off the bat, we’re off to a poor start.

They meet. She really likes him. He likes her too, but he still has feelings for someone else. That someone else is a former girlfriend who left him eight years ago because he cheated on her. Now, she is married with kids and this fool still buys flowers and waits outside her door right in front of her husband. Ridiculous!

Back to the new girl. You know the one who is not Italian. He takes her out on a date. They go out a few times. They fall in love. They fight. And so it goes. Yada, yada, yada.

This is a really, really, really dumb movie!

The story is stupid. The acting is lousy. It is a dreadful way to spend two hours that seem like an eternity.

Both John McCain and Barack Obama are against this movie. McCain suspended his campaign and went back to Washington to try and stop the release of this movie.

Obama wants us to “spread our wealth” by going to see a lot of other movies but not this one.

Joe Biden thinks it’s patriotic to boycott this movie. When asked if this movie sucked, Sarah Palin said “You betcha.”

Even Joe the Plumber hated this movie!

Once this becomes available on DVD, which should be any second now, I understand video stores will charge a penalty fee if you return it on time.

This is the biggest waste of time and money I have seen in a long time.

Don’t bother!

I give this movie a rating of 3 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10 just because the chick was good looking.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - Lakeview Terrace

2008-10-23T16:13:00.001-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

Lakeview Terrace

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington

Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington portray an interracial couple who have just moved into their new California dream home. Patrick is a good looking guy, Kerry is a beautiful young girl and their new suburban home is dreamy. Dreamy that is, until they meet their neighbor who turns everything into a nightmare.

The great Samuel L. Jackson plays the neighbor, Abe Turner. Abe Turner is a cop. He’s also a racist. As the story unfolds we learn that he is also freakin’ crazy. He patrols the neighborhood at night and consistently casts a disapproving eye their way.

His interaction with them starts out as awkward, and then becomes uneasy, uncomfortable, harassing and ultimately dangerous. Racism never is pretty.
Believe me; you do not want to live next door to this guy. Guys like him are good for at least a dozen of the queries on a Transfer Disclosure Statement!

His intrusion into their lives becomes increasingly menacing and develops into complete terror. The movie has some good action and suspense and very good acting by all the principals. Samuel L. is a highly skilled actor whose films are almost always worth seeing.

Because of the current economic crisis, you may want to save a few bucks and wait till it comes out on DVD as it shouldn’t be too long, but this worth watching.

I give Lakeview Terrace a rating of 7 bags of popcorn out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - The Express

2008-10-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review

The Express

I was around 9 or 10 years old and living in Erie, Pennsylvania when Jim Brown was the stud running back in the NFL with the nearby Cleveland Browns. Every kid knew Jim Brown and how great he was.

Every kid knew Jim Brown had gone to Syracuse University in upstate New York and that he made the number 44 famous there.

Every kid also knew and admired the young running back that followed Jim Brown at Syracuse. He too, wore #44. He was from Elmira, New York. His name was Ernie Davis and he won the Heisman trophy, given annually to the best player in college football. He was the first black player to win the prestigious award. Sportswriters dubbed him the Elmira Express.

Every kid was in awe of Jim Brown. Every kid loved Ernie Davis.
Ever kid was amazed when the Cleveland Browns drafted Ernie Davis and we couldn’t wait to see the great Jim Brown and the great Ernie Davis play together in the same backfield.

Every kid was disappointed when just before Ernie’s first pro season; we were told he would not be able to play with the Cleveland Browns. Every kid was confused about the reason. We were told he was sick. Maybe next year. It didn’t make sense to us.

Next year came and every kid cried when Ernie Davis died of something called leukemia. To this day, whenever I see the number 44 on any jersey, in any sport, or even on a piece of paper, I think of Ernie Davis. Yes Jim Brown made it famous first, and then came Ernie Davis and then Floyd Little. All wore #44 and all played at Syracuse but I always think of Ernie.

What every kid didn’t know was the story of how Ernie Davis struggled to become the great player and the great man and the great inspiration to others he had become.

This movie shares that story quite beautifully. Rob Brown delivers a wonderful portrayal of a true American hero, who most people don’t know much about.

Dennis Quaid is very effective as the Syracuse head football coach who learned as much from Ernie Davis about life as he had taught Ernie about football.

At this time in our history, when the citizens of the United States may very well elect the nations first black man as President, I think it is perfect timing to be reminded about Ernie Davis and all who struggled for their personal freedom.

The Express will not win any Academy Awards, nor will it break any box office records. It is however, a fine film that is well worth watching.

It is also a great way to be introduced to a very special young man you may previously had known nothing about. I suggest you see it and meet one of my childhood heroes from Elmira, New York. Back then, people knew him as the Elmira Express.

Please check out this movie and meet the Elmira Express. Meet Ernie Davis.

I give this movie 8 bags of popcorn, out of a possible 10.

Peace,

Dave

Dave's Popcorn Picks-Movie Review - Righteous Kill

2008-09-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks

Movie Review

Righteous Kill

Starring Robert De Niro & Al Pacino

Most people would tell you that Righteous Kill is not a very good movie. They would be right, in the technical sense. I admit that the script is weak, the story unfolds too slowly and the plot is rather transparent so the big surprise is not a surprise at all. It’s kind of like waiting till the end of the movie to find out Rosie O’Donnell is fat - or ugly. You are able to figure that out for yourself pretty quickly.

And yet, I liked it. Why? Robert De Niro, that’s why. Despite all the negatives working against him in this film, this is still Robert Freakin’ De Nero at his “Are you looking at me?” best.

He’s a cop. A tough cop. A New York City cop. He’s working on a serial killer case.
He can be brutal. Remember, he was Don Corleone. He was the guy from Goodfellas, for crying out loud. Now he’s wearing a badge and believe me my friend, you do not want to mess with him. Yes, he’s older, he’s heavier, but he’s still Robert Freakin’ DeNiro. I loved his performance. Are you listening to me?

Al Pacino was not as strong. He’s no De Niro. He’s just Al. Old Al. Not good old Al.
Just Old Al. He is no longer Michael Corleone. He looked short, old and tired - and with good reason. He is short, old and tired! He is still a fine actor, but he’s no De Niro.

Carla Gugino plays a CSI cop who has a thing for rough and kinky sex as well as for Mr. DeNiro. He is understandably happy to oblige. She can investigate my crime scene anytime.

Donnie Wahlberg (Mark’s less talented brother) and John Leguizamo play fellow cops who are also trying to find the serial killer. I imagine that John Leguizamo probably could not believe he was acting with Robert De Niro. I imagine De Niro felt the same.

The rapper 50 Cent plays a bad guy. In real life, he was a bad guy before he became a rapper. So, you would think he would be more convincing. Not! 50 Cent’s performance is worth about a nickel.

Whether you see it at the theatre or rent it on DVD a few weeks from now, it is still a very worthwhile movie to watch. It is entertaining after all and isn’t that what we want? Plus, it’s Robert Freakin’ DeNiro!

Vicky Christina Barcelona - Movie Review

2008-08-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks
Movie Review
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Let’s cut to the chase. I liked it!

This is a film by Woody Allen. The star of the film is Scarlett Johansson’s lips.

Other cast members include Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Patricia Clarkson and of course, Scarlett Johansson.

It is presented with a voice over narrative, which I like. You don’t have to work hard to follow the story because the narrative explains everything to you. At my age, I find that helpful.

It is a provocative and sexy movie. The mere presence of Scarlett Johansson’s lips deems it so.

The themes are love, sex, sex and love, love with sex, sex without love and sex among family and friends. Because it is a Woody Allen film these themes are explored with humor and from a neurotic perspective. As a result, things that would normally be quite serious, like trying to kill your lover and attempted suicide, seem lighthearted and entertaining.

The movie is set in Spain where Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Christina (Scarlett and her lips) are on vacation for an entire summer.

Vicky is kind of an uptight chick. Not a prude, but certainly more conservative with a somewhat provincial outlook on life and love. She is engaged to a nice guy who is able to offer her everything she wants in life except excitement.

Christina however, is a blossoming wild child with a lustful sense of curiosity, adventure and romance. And there are those lips!

Academy award winner Javier Bardem ( No Country For Old Men) is perfect as the sexy Spaniard artist Juan Antonio, who offers to satisfy the carnal desires of both Vicky and Christina if they would like to join him for a romantic weekend in the little Spanish town of Oviedo.

In Oviedo, the only things to do are eat and Juan Antonio.

For his part, Juan Antonio is trying to get over the break up of his marriage to Maria Elena, portrayed perfectly by Penelope Cruz. It is a challenging role as Maria Elena is a fiery and tempestuous woman filled with artistic talent, jealousy and rage. Penelope Cruz captures all of this perfectly. What a wonderful actress!

Like Lolita, she has the ability to lure, entice and arouse any man. Then, she can scare the hell out of you a la Hillary Clinton.

You may recall I gave Penelope Cruz high praise for her performance in Elegy as well. In case you’re wondering, in this film she brought the twins with her, but unfortunately they did not make an appearance.

The movie chronicles the many adventures of Vicky, Christina, Juan Antonio, Maria Elena and friends in a whirlwind of passion, jealousy and lust in the Mediterranean.

I give this film eight (8) bags of popcorn out of a possible ten.
I give Scarlett Johansson’s lips an 11.

Peace!

Dave

Cast

Rebecca Hall
... Vicky

Scarlett Johansson
... Cristina

Christopher Evan Welch
... Narrator

Chris Messina
... Doug

Patricia Clarkson
... Judy Nash

Kevin Dunn
... Mark Nash

Julio Perillán
... Charles

Juan Quesada
... Guitarist in Barcelona

Richard Salom
... Art Gallery Guest #1

Maurice Sonnenberg
... Art Gallery Guest #2

Javier Bardem
... Juan Antonio

Manel Barceló
... Doctor

Josep Maria Domènech
... Julio Josep

Emilio de Benito
... Guitarist in Asturias

Jaume Montané
... Juan Antonio's Friend #1

Dave's Popcorn Picks - Movie Review - ELEGY

2008-08-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

Dave’s Popcorn Picks – Movie Review
Saturday, August 23, 2008

ELEGY

I am very happy to share my feelings about a film that I absolutely adored. It is called Elegy and it stars Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz.

The word elegy is usually associated with poetry or music. It is defined as a poem or
song composed as a lament. That would be an appropriate description for this film that
is an amazingly insightful exploration of what it is like to be a man in the September of his years. Perhaps you recall the Cahn & Van Heusen song performed by Sinatra:

As a man who has always had the wand'ring ways
Now I'm reaching back for yesterdays
'Til a long-forgotten love appears
And I find that I'm sighing softly as I near
September, the warm September of my years

(J. Van Heusen, J. Cahn)
[Recorded May 27, 1965, Hollywood]

This song could have and should have been the soundtrack for the film.

In Elegy, Ben Kingsley is David Kepesh, an accomplished professor in the world of academia who becomes enchanted by a beautiful young woman, Consuela Castillo, portrayed flawlessly by Penelope Cruz. Her performance is extraordinary, as are her breasts.

The two people come to share a relationship that transforms them both forever.

While I first thought this was a man’s film, meant to explore life and love from a man’s perspective only, a twist in the film’s plot has you thinking what this all must be like for a woman. I don’t want to give away the story line so I’ll just say it is a surprise and it has a profound impact on the characters and the story and its meaning.

The bottom line is that both men and women can enjoy this movie.

Dennis Hopper is superb as George O’Hearn, Kingsley’s poet friend and confidant. Patricia Clarkson is ineffable as Carolyn, the erotic, sexy and satisfying middle aged woman in Professor Kepesh’s life. I was very surprised to learn that the woman playing Dennis Hopper’s wife in the film is Deborah Harry of Blondie fame. It’s a small role, and I never would have recognized her.

Elegy is a beautifully written and prodigiously told story full of erotic intensity, warmth and human frailty. I did not just sit back and watch Elegy. I became immersed in it. It provokes and elicits thought. The way it was filmed, the scenery, the lighting and the dialogue seemed to be full of symbolism. It drew me in closer and closer.

There was a line I just loved by Kingsley during his narration of a hot and steamy love scene. He said “When a man makes love to a woman, it’s like revenge on everything that ever defeated him in life.” As Link always said to Pete in the Mod Squad, I can dig it!

The film is based on a book by Philip Roth, The Dying Animal, which I now fully intend to read. This is an insightful and poignant film. It is well worth seeing. It is currently playing at the Cinemas Palme D’Or in Palm Desert. (760 -779-0730)

Can you say Oscar nomination? I can, for Kingsley, Cruz, the movie and the director, Isabel Coixet. Perhaps even best supporting actress for Patricia Clarkson.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give Elegy 9 bags of popcorn!

Dave

BOTTLE SHOCK

2008-08-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

I saw Bottle Shock this weekend. This is my report on the parts of the movie that I was able to stay awake for.

Bottle Shock attempts to tell the story of early California wine making. It depicts the blind wine tasting challenge in 1976 Paris and how California wine makers gained credibility and international respect.

I wanted to like this film. I really did. I thought it may be reminiscent of the 2004 movie Sideways that was a best picture nominee that year, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Sideways told the story of two old college friends off on a wine tasting road trip in California and starred Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, the wonderful Sandra Oh and one of my favorite actresses, the always sizzling and sexy Virginia Madsen.
Sideways was a very entertaining film and created a renewed interest in wine and wine making. Bottle Shock may send wine connoisseurs back to drinking beer. At any rate, you will definitely need a drink after sitting through this disappointing movie.

I envisioned a film filled with interesting characters, beautiful scenery, bawdy humor, and culminating in a rousing and triumphant ending that would send me out of the theatre smiling. You know what I mean, Rocky but with lots of vino. No such luck. Unlike Sideways, Bottle Shock has no Paul Giamatti or Sandra Oh.
It has Bill Pullman, Dennis Farina and a cast of several forgettable actors giving very forgettable performances. The writing is weak, the story predictable and there are simply no characters who sparked my interest.

Sideways was a fine cabernet. Bottle Shock is Thunderbird in a paper cup.

Cast (Credited cast)

Chris Pine ... Bo Barrett

Alan Rickman ... Steven Spurrier

Bill Pullman ... Jim Barrett

Rachael Taylor ... Sam

Freddy Rodríguez ... Gustavo Brambila

Dennis Farina ... Maurice

Eliza Dushku ... Joe
Miguel Sandoval ... Mr. Garcia

Bradley Whitford ... Professor Saunders

Joe Regalbuto ... Bill

Hal B. Klein ... Shenky
Kirk Baily ... Loan Officer

Philippe Bergeron ... Pierre Tari
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Avila ... Field Hand

Geoff Callan ... Man #3

James Carraway ... James / Vintner #3

Amiée Conn ... Bo's friend

Mark Famiglietti ... Waiter

Marcia Firesten ... Winery Owner

Jean-Pierre Gillain ... Pierre Brejoux

Leslie Goodman ... Wine Tasting Spectator

Arlo Hemphill ... French Waiter

Larry Kitagawa ... Country Club Member

Krystal Landrum ... TWA Ticket Agent

Justin Malachi ... Valet

Kathy McGraw ... Ms. Relyea

Jeff Redlick ... Pedestrian

Jean-Michel Richaud

Karl-Heinz Teuber ... German Tourist

Scott Updegrave ... Attorney

Mario Vendetti ... Valet

Dave Watkowski, SRES, ABR
Senior Real Estate Specialist
Accredited Buyer Representative
Specializing In Serving Mature Clients Age 55+
"Helping People Find Their Way Home"

Visit me in our beautiful new office!

Keller Williams Realty
47-170 Washington Street
La Quinta, CA 92253
When it comes to Real Estate ...
THINK DAVEW@KW
Office # (760) 601-3000
Fax # (760) 601-3099
Cell # (760) 861-0625

Be sure to visit my web site.
www.DaveWatkowski.com

PS: Should you hear of anyone who is serious about buying or selling real estate, do two things for me. First tell them about me, then hit REPLY and tell me about them.

Popcorn Picks Movie Review - Swing Vote

2008-08-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

Swing Vote opened Friday, August 1st and I was one of the very first to see it.
Why? Because I was starving for entertainment, that's why. I am very glad I went.

Kevin Kostner was great as Bud Johnson, a down and out fellow living in a small town in New Mexico who drinks too much and is pretty much of a screw up and lousy father to his daughter and yet has enough charm to remain likeable.

This film introduces Madeline Carroll as Bud's daughter, Molly. She is absolutely fabulous as an elementary school girl with more common sense than her old man.
I guarantee her performance will impress you. Kevin Kostner is big time and yet this tiny newcomer is the real star of the movie.

Through a strange chain of events, the U.S. Presidential election hinges on the vote of one man, the loveable lush, Bud Johnson. Of course, it's not believable but I don't think you'll care, because Bud and Molly are just too much fun to watch. It is a comedy after all.

Speaking of comedies, did you see all of our elected representatives went away for a months vacation without addressing the energy crisis? But I digress.

It has a good cast with Kelsey Grammer as the President, Dennis Hopper as his liberal Democrat opponent (there's a stretch!)and Richard Petty and Willie Nelson as themselves.

There has to be a fine chick and this movie did not dissapoint. I loved Paula Patton as local TV reporter, Kate Madison. She is fine and she delivers a very good performance.

Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, Judge Reinhold and the marvelous George Lopez all have small roles and they all contribute to the success of the film.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this movie 7 bags of popcorn, but it's a strong 7.

I liked it very much.

CAST
Kevin Costner ... Bud Johnson

Madeline Carroll ... Molly Johnson

Paula Patton ... Kate Madison

Kelsey Grammer ... President Andrew Boone

Dennis Hopper ... Donald Greenleaf

Nathan Lane ... Art Crumb

Stanley Tucci ... Martin Fox

George Lopez ... John Sweeney

Judge Reinhold ... Walter

Charles Esten ... Lewis
Richard Petty ... Himself
Willie Nelson ... Himself

Mare Winningham ... Larissa Johnson

Dave Watkowski, SRES, ABR
Senior Real Estate Specialist
Accredited Buyer Representative
Specializing In Serving Mature Clients Age 55+
"Helping People Find Their Way Home"

Visit me in our beautiful new office!

Keller Williams Realty
47-170 Washington Street
La Quinta, CA 92253
When it comes to Real Estate ...
THINK DAVEW@KW
Office # (760) 601-3000
Fax # (760) 601-3099
Cell # (760) 861-0625

CA License # 01455963

Be sure to visit my web site.
www.DaveWatkowski.com

PS: Should you hear of anyone who is serious about buying or selling real estate, do two things for me. First tell them about me, then tell me about them.

Dave's Movie Review - "DARK NIGHT"

2008-07-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

I saw "The Dark Knight" on opening night. It was my very first foray into the world of Batman. I have never even seen the old Batman TV series, so this was all new to me. I honestly did not expect much despite the good advance press the film had received. I expected a campy, cartoon kind of superhero film. I was very happily surprised.

Christian Bale plays Batman, AKA Bruce Wayne. He was cool, not campy. More James Bond than Popeye. I liked him. The ladies will really like him. He won me over early and I found myself getting into it.

Michael Caine played Alfred Pennywoth, Bruce Wayne's most trusted assistant. A smooth and polished veteran actor, Mr. Caine's performance was flawless. He wasn't on camera all that much, but his presence was important to the film and he played off Christian Bale beautifully. What a magnificent actor Mr. Caine is!

A young lady named Maggie Gyllenhaal played Rachel Dawes, an assistant district attorney caught in the middle of a love triangle between Bruce Wayne and the heroic district attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart.

This love triangle added a dimension to the film that I did not expect. Batman has feelings! Who knew? Could it be that a chick is more important than Gotham City? The two men had to face that question throughout the film.

Maggie was excellent in this role. She showed that she is a fine actress. My only reservation with this character is I kept wishing she was better looking. This role should have been portrayed by someone hot. Smoking hot. Playboy playmate hot. I know, I'm a pig. Maggie is more cute than hot but still gets an A minus. The girl can act and even I know that's the most important thing.

The aforementioned Aaron Eckhart was excellent as D.A. Harvey Dent and special raves to another important character in this film, Gary Oldman as Lt. James Gordon. All cops should be as dedicated as Lt. Gordon. He was really good.

Morgan Freeman had a rather small role as Lucius Fox but as Morgan Freeman always does, he made the most of it. His looks, mannerisms, facial expressions and that marvelous voice combine for perfection in whatever he does. I believe he is one of the very best actors of our time along with De Niro, Paccino and a small handful of others. He is my favorite actor in films today.

I saved the best for last. You have probably heard rave reviews for Heath Ledger who died last January. This was his last role and those raves are well deserved. He played The Joker, a sadistic and menacing villian who creates wave after wave of chaos in Gotham City.

This had to be an extremely difficult role to play. It is not a stretch, in my opinion, to describe Heath Ledger's performance as anything less than brilliant.
I noticed that he kept doing something with his mouth, kind of salivating as he spoke that made him seem even more sinister. If you see the movie, watch his mouth closely and you'll see what I mean.

At one point in the film, he walks away from a building he has just blown up, dressed in a nurse’s uniform. It is a scene that may well be remembered among movie goers for a long time. It is a defining momemnt of sorts for this villanous maniac.

Ledger gave us exactly what a movie such as this and the movies hero needs, that is a bad guy you can really hate.

This is a great movie. I highly recommend it for your viewing pleasure. I think it is appropraiate for all ages.

POPCORN PICKS RATING

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this movie ...

9 1/2 bags of popcorn.

(If the Rachel Dawes character was hotter, it would have been a 10)

Directed & cowritten by Christopher Nolan

CAST

Christian Bale ... Bruce Wayne / Batman

Heath Ledger ... The Joker

Aaron Eckhart ... Harvey Dent / Two-Face

Michael Caine ... Alfred Pennyworth

Maggie Gyllenhaal ... Rachel Dawes

Gary Oldman ... Lt. James Gordon

Morgan Freeman ... Lucius Fox

Dave Watkowski, SRES, ABR
Senior Real Estate Specialist
Accredited Buyer Representative
Specializing In Serving Mature Clients Age 55+
"Helping People Find Their Way Home"

Visit me in our beautiful new office!

Keller Williams Realty
47-170 Washington Street
La Quinta, CA 92253
When it comes to Real Estate ...
THINK DAVEW@KW
Office # (760) 601-3000
Fax # (760) 601-3099
Cell # (760) 861-0625

CA License # 01455963

Be sure to visit my web site.
www.DaveWatkowski.com

PS: Should you hear of anyone who is serious about buying or selling real estate, do two things for me. First tell them about me, then tell me about them.