Battle: Los Angeles

Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, and Bridget Moynahan
Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman
SC=0 V=9 C=4
Grade: A++

I gave this an A++ for being awesome. This movie is one of the coolest action movies I've seen in a long time. I actually saw it twice in theaters. And Aaron Eckhart is one of the last people you'd think would be starring in an action movie but he's actually wonderful. Sgt. Michael Nantz (Eckhart) is about to retire when LA is bombarded with "meteors", which actually turn out to be aliens that are invading Earth for its water. Sgt. Nantz and his company (which includes Ne-Yo, Lucas Till, and a bunch of other actors) are sent into Santa Monica to find some civilians (Moynahan, Michael Pena, and Joey King, along with a couple of others) that are at a police station. But they only have 3 hours to do this before the Air Force levels Santa Monica, because that is where most of the aliens are. As the platoon heads into the area, fog is everywhere, no one can see anything, and I could literally feel my heart pounding. This is one of only a couple of movies that actually made me so nervous, I was nauseous throughout both times I saw it. But I would still watch it again. Very rarely does an action movie come out that has both heart-pounding action and loveable characters. And what this movie was lacking in plot (which was not much, I might add), it made up for with the characters.

Ramona and Beezus

Ramona and Beezus (2010)
Starring: Joey King, Selena Gomez, and Bridget Moynahan
Directed by: Elizabeth Allen
Based on the books by: Beverly Cleary
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Grade: A+

I loved these books when I was little. Beezus and Ramona was my favorite. (I always had more in common with Beezus than Ramona). This movie is magical. And wonderful. And adorable. And any other adjective like that you can think of. Ramona Quimby (King) is, of course, the mischievous little girl from the books and this movie follows her misadventures more than how they affect Beezus, although Selena is in it quite a bit. Joey King is adorable; a perfect match for Ramona. She perfectly captures Ramona's adventurous spirit. Selena is great as Beezus, the exasperated but loving sister (I still have more in common with Beezus...just sayin...). Other standouts are Ginnifer Goodwin (ahh! favorite actress!) as Ramona's Aunt B, Josh Duhamel as Ramona's neighbor Hobart, Bridgit Moynahan and John Corbett as Ramona's loving parents, and Hutch Dano as the adorable Henry Huggins. Overall, an adorable and heartwarming family comedy about a sweet little girl just trying to "find her way in the world".

Movie Review: I, Robot

I, Robot (2004)
Starring: Will Smith and Bridget Moynahan
Characters: Del Spooner and Susan Calvin
Directed by: Alex Proyas
Tagline: Laws are made to be broken.
Grade: A

This movie is pretty awesome. Face it, anything with Will Smith is. He's just awesome. Anyway, this movie is set in the future, I can't remember what year, and in the future everyone in the world has robots that do everything for them. (How they're not fat, I will never know.) Detective Spooner doesn't like robots at all, they creep him out and he's totally against them, which results in him getting kicked off the force. Before he is removed, though, his friend (a scientist named Dr. Alfred Lanning, who is in charge of designing the robots) commits suicide. He and Calvin find a robot hiding in his office. The only problem is that Dr. Lanning has programmed him so that he doesn't have to obey the three laws. (Law 1: A robot cannot harm a human or, through inaction, let a human come to harm. Law 2: A robot must obey orders from a human, unless it contradicts with the first law. Law 3: A robot must save himself, unless it contradicts with either of the first two laws.) So, he's super strong and can do anything. They can't figure out why Dr. Lanning would create a robot like this until they start investigating his death. Then, all of the ugly pieces come together to create one awesome fight scene....Will Smith against a bunch of undefeatable robots?! Heck yeah! Good movie?? Yes. Oscar worthy? No. Do not watch this movie expecting to feel great, but do expect to go on one heck of a ride.
-MOT

Just finished: Casino Royale
Watching now: Quantum of Solace
Excited to see: Remember Me