"Men In Black 3" Movie Review

"Men in Black 3" movie poster.

"An alien criminal named Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) kills the young Agent K in 1969, altering the timeline, changing the Agency and placing the Earth in danger. Veteran Agent J (Will Smith) must travel back in time to 1969 to before the murder and work with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save him, the Agency, the Earth and humanity itself." Written by Anonymous (Link below.)

I had a tremendous time at the movie theater with this one. Although now I have that new Pitbull song stuck in my head. Oh well. It's entirely possible that the buzz around the internet that this movie may be the best in the trilogy that is the "Men In Black" franchise may actually be true.

Jemaine Clement.

Josh Brolin is every bit as good an impersonator of Tommy Lee Jones as everyone on the web has been stating. He was amazing and very believable as a younger version of Mr. Jones. Speaking of Mr. Jones, he seemed very covered with a veritable mask of makeup in this movie. It was very disconcerting.

Josh Brolin (L) and Will Smith.

I thought that some of the best acting wasn't just from Josh Brolin, but also from Jemaine Clement who played Boris the Animal. I didn't realize until I looked him up that that is the same guy from "The Flight of the Conchords" and, I think, the same guy who narrates the Outback Steakhouse restaurant commercials. 

Emma Thompson and her lovely coif.

Her part was kind of small, but I love Emma Thompson, who plays Agent O, a love interest of Agent K. I don't just love her for her accent either, even if that high class British accent of hers does get me randy. Her hair was amazing in this film! Whoever did her hair should be commended. However, if that is the same person who did Mr. Jones 'makeup mask' it might be one of those things where they are only great every once in a while.

Will Smith astride a largely
disappointing 'space bike'.

There was a lot of stuff missing from the movie that was in the trailers though. I'm not sure if I have a problem with that because a lot of it seemed like excess material. The only thing that I had a real problem with were those space bikes. They looked awesome, but they couldn't beat a regular motorcycle on the freeway. That's the kind of disappointing and pompous computer generated effects that action movies need to stay away from unless the thing actually is astounding. 

Oh, the 3D wasn't necessary at all and there weren't that many scenes where it would've increased the enjoyment of the film.

I enjoyed it, but I kind of hope that that is the end of this series. Hollywood needs to get over its 'sequelitis' that it is making everyone suffer from. 

I give this movie a 4 out of 5. 

Favorite Lines:

(L to R) Josh Brolin as Young Agent K, Michael Sthulbarg
as Griffin, and Will Smith as Agent J.

Agent J: I'm looking for K, have you seen him? Sort of a surly, older gentleman, smiles like this... 

[J makes a poker face] 

O: K's been dead for over forty years.

Agent J: All right, pay attention... 

[neuralyzes a crowd] 

Agent J: Okay. You know how you kids won the goldfish in that little baggy at the school fair, and you didn't want that nasty thing in your house so you flushed it down the toilet? Well, this's what happened... 

[points to an alien fish being towed away] 

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1409024/

P. S. I want to watch the first "Men In Black" movie, but I am afraid that, because technological use in the movies has gotten so good over the years that I won't be able to appreciate this first movie. When I was younger I thought it was so awesome. I don't want to ruin it for myself. Oh, dilemmas.

"Brave" Movie Review

"Brave" movie poster.

"Set in Scotland in a rugged and mythical time, "Brave" features Merida, an aspiring archer and impetuous daughter of royalty. Merida makes a reckless choice that unleashes unintended peril and forces her to spring into action to set things right." Written by Walt Disney Pictures (Link below.)

I saw this movie in a little theater quite close to my house and it was slightly cheaper than at the mainstream theaters. Candy was a dollar or less. Anyway, I'm glad I saw it with my mother because it's a growing-up tale with strong family values tied to it. Merida needs to repair her relations to her mother, Queen Elinor, voiced by the incomparable Emma Thompson, but I won't spoil it by saying what happens as it would ruin the whole movie for anyone who hasn't watched it yet.

Queen Elinor (voiced by Emma Thompson)
and Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald).

It featured the vocal the vocal talents of Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Kelly Macdonald (Helena Ravenclaw!), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid!), and tv personality Craig Ferguson. I feel like such a happy nerd! I love all of these people!

It was very funny and I enjoyed it. The animation was beautiful. There must've been ten people just to work on Merida's hair! I don't know if this Pixar film will garner any big name awards *cough* Oscars *cough*, but it was very good and a delightful film. 

Favorite Lines:

Princess Merida: I want my freedom! 

Queen Elinor: But are you willing to pay the price your freedom will cost?

An image from the movie "Brave".

King Fergus: [from trailer] The ancients spoke of it. It is the heart of this fierce land. it is carried in the wind. Born of our legends and when we are put to the test, it is the one thing that we must always be.

King Fergus: [in flashback] I saw something that day, something I'll not forget. It stands 12 feet tall, with razor sharp claws. Its hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors. Its face scared with one dead eye. I drew my sword and... 

[cut to the present] 

Princess Merida: CHOMP! Dad's leg was clean off! 

King Fergus: Awwwwww... That's my favorite part! 

[Merida giggles] 

King Fergus: Pretend I'm Merida, speak to me. 

King Fergus: [shrilly voice] I don't want to get married, I want to stay single and let my hair flow in the wind as I ride through the glen firing arrows into the sunset. 

Princess Merida: Mom, you'll never guess what I did, today! 

Queen Elinor: What's that dear? 

Princess Merida: I climbed up the Crown's Tooth and drank from the fire falls. 

[Hamish, Hubert and Harris look at her in awe] 

King Fergus: Did you, now? They say only the Ancient Kings were brave enough to drink the fire. 

Princess Merida: [Merida giggles and wrinkles her nose at Fergus]

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1217209/

"Love Actually" Movie Review

"Love Actually" movie poster.

"Set almost entirely in London, England during five frantic weeks before Christmas follows a web-like pattern of inter-related, loosely related and unrelated stories of a dozen or more various individuals with their love lives, or lack of them. The central character is the new bachelor prime minister David (Hugh Grant) who cannot express his growing feelings for his new personal assistant Natalie (Martine McCutcheon). The prime minister's older sister Karen (Emma Thompson) slowly grows aware of her husband Harry's (Alan Rickman) flirtation with an office worker named Mia (Heike Makatsch). Karen's friend Daniel (Liam Neeson) is a recently widowed writer whose 11-year-old son (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) asks for love advice about a girl he has a crush on. Meanwhile, Jamie (Colin Firth) is another writer who leaves his girlfriend (Sienna Guillory) after catching her cheating on him and travels to France to write a novel where he pursues a possible romance with his non-English speaking Portuguese maid Aurelia (Lucia Moniz). Also, Harry's American secretary Sarah (Laura Linney) questions a romance she pursues with the office hunk Karl (Rodrigo Santoro), but her personal family problems get in the way. Other secondary characters involve a photographer (Andrew Lincoln) who pursues his best friend's new wife Juliet (Keira Knightley); a pair of movie stand-ins, named John (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page), who grow closer after their simulated love scenes; a libidinous chum (Kris Marshall) who wants to travel to Wisconsin, USA to score with women; and a burned-out former rock star named Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) who is the main connection between all stories involved." Written by Matt Patay (Link below.)

Rowan Atkinson.

I love this movie! It has everything in it! It is witty and funny yet realistic and it covers all aspects of any relationship: the cheating spouse, the awkward first meeting (specifically if you work as a sex-scenes body double), loving someone you can't have because she's in love with your best friend, loving someone whom you don't understand because you don't speak the same language, and the finding of a new love after the death of an old one.

Written and directed by Richard Curtis, it has a splendid cast of the best British actors around: Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Rowan Atkinson/Mr. Bean, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Martine McCutcheon, Thomas Sangster, Kris Marshall, etc. Oh, and Billy Bob Thorton does his best impression of Bill Clinton as he is playing the president.

Between wrapping the presents, taking the kids to the Christmas pageant (where there is more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus Christ!) and pulling your hair out in frustration, you should sit down with some hot cocoa and watch this great movie!

Script can be read here: http://withmusics.blogspot.com/2008/12/love-actually-script.html.

(Back row, L to R) Colin Firth, Bill Nighy, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, and Liam Neeson.
(Front row, L to R) Keira Knightley, Martine McCutcheon, Alan Rickman, and Emma Thompson.

Favorite Lines:

Prime Minister: Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around.

Juliet: I thought I might be able to swap it for some pie or... or maybe Munchies?
Mark: Actually, I was being serious. I don't know where it is. I'll have a poke around tonight...
Juliet: Mark, can I say something?
Mark: Yeah.
Juliet: I know you're Peter's best friend and I know you've never particularly warmed to me. Look, don't... don't argue. We've never got friendly. But I just wanted to say, I hope that can change. I'm nice. I really am. Apart from my terrible taste in pie and... It would be great if we could be friends.
Mark: Absolutely.
Juliet: Great.
Mark: Doesn't mean we'll be able to find the video, though. I had a real search when you first called and couldn't any trace of it, so...
Juliet: Well, there's one here that says "Peter and Juliet's Wedding". Do you think we might be on the right track?

Jamie: Er... Would you like the last, uh...?
Aurelia: [in Portuguese] Thank you very much, but no.
Jamie: No?
Aurelia: [in Portuguese] If you saw my sister, you'd understand why.
Jamie: That's all right, more for me.
Aurelia: [in Portuguese] Just don't go eating it all yourself, you're getting chubbier every day.
Jamie: I'm very lucky, I've got one of those constitutions where I never put on weight.

[John is rehearsing a raunchy sex scene with his hands on Judy's breasts]
John: It's Junction 13 that's just murder, isn't it? Total gridlock this morning.

Prime Minister: I'm very jealous of your plane, by the way.
The President: Oh, thank you. We love that thing, I'll tell ya.

Daniel: Tell her that you love her.
Sam: No way! Anyway, they fly tonight.
Daniel: Even better! Sam, you've got nothin' to lose, and you'll always regret it if you don't! I never told your mom enough. I should have told her everyday because she was perfect everyday. You've seen the films, kiddo. It ain't over 'til its over.
Sam: Okay, Dad. Let's do it. Let's go get the shit kicked out of us by love.

Sources: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314331/plotsummary and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314331/quotes.