Some Kind of Wonderful

Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Starring: Eric Stoltz, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Lea Thompson
Directed by: Howard Deutch
Written by: John Hughes
Tagline: Before they could stand together, they had to stand alone.
Grade: A+

Don't let the stupid tagline (or the fact that it's not a very well known movie) fool you. This film isn't as famous as John Hughes's other teenage masterpieces (such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink) but it's still great. It's kind of Pretty in Pink, but the main character is a boy instead of a girl...and he ends up with his best friend instead of the popular person. This film is how Pretty in Pink would have ended if the studio hadn't intervened. Keith Nelson (Stoltz) is a "grease monkey" and very unpopular in school. That changes, however, when the most popular girl in school, Amanda Jones (Thompson), agrees to go out with him. What he doesn't know is that his best friend, Watts (Masterson), is in love with him. Okay, it's pretty much Pretty in Pink, but Hughes (my all time favorite filmaker) had a good reason! Still, this is a great chick-flick...I even watched it twice in one week...it's that good.

Movie Review: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Starring: Matthew Broderick and Alan Ruck
Chracters: Ferris Bueller and Cameron Frye
Directed by: John Hughes
Tagline: While the rest of us were just thinking about it...Ferris borrowed a Ferrari and did it...all in a day.
Grade: A+

I love 80's movies...they're all awesome, but the best of the best are John Hughes films. He was one of the best directors of teen movies. It was like he truly understood what hard things went on in teen lives. He didn't just portray them as stupid, flighty girls or cocky guys...he actually gave them personalities...awesome ones at that. Between The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and this movie, there are some of the best characters in any movie...ever. And they're all teenagers...which is a major score for us. This great movie is about a teen called Ferris, who is an expert at ditching school. It's a perfect day outside, so he decides to ditch another day of school (this makes his ninth "sick"day). So, he decides to make this one count. He calls his friend Cameron, who's always sick, and they get Ferris' girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) out of school. Then they go on a spree across the city in Cameron's dad's Ferrari. They even get in a parade. Ferris is the coolest, most smooth talking person ever. And John Hughes did a really cool thing where he had Ferris talk to the camera, as if telling advice to the people watching. Overall, a really fun, really cool 80's teen movie from the master himself.
-MOT

Just finished: The Terminator
Watching now: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Excited to see: Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Movie Review: A Far Off Place

A Far Off Place (1993)
Starring: Reese Witherspoon and Ethan Embry
Characters: Nonnie Parker and Harry Winslow
Directed by: Mikael Saloman
Tagline: A far off land, a far off journey, a far off adventure
Grade: A++

I've loved this movie for a long time. It's just a great feel good movie. One of Reese's first movies. She's a great actress and Ethan Embry is great as Harry, the spoiled boy. The only other movie that he was in after this that anyone even heard of was That Thing You Do!, where he played TB Player (The Bass Player). At least he got a name this time. This movie is about Nonnie, who's parents are Americans, but she's been raised in Africa. Her dad works to get rid of poachers and, because of the work he does, he, his wife, and his wife's friend (Harry's dad, the two were visiting the Parkers). Nonnie, her dog Kensa, and Harry are helping Nonnie's bushman friend Xhabbo when all of this happens, so nothing happens to them but Nonnie goes back to the house and sees the evidence of what happened. So, they decide to cross the Kalahari ("The wind can do it, we can do it.") with the bad guys in pursuit. Then they find out that the bad guy isn't at all who they expected. Another great family friendly movie with lots of heart and even some star power. I would reccomend this to anyone who loves great heart warming movies.
-MOT

Just finished: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Watching now: The Terminator
Excited to see: Tomorrow, When the War Began

Movie Review: Operation: Stormbreaker

Operation: Stormbreaker (2006)
Starring: Alex Pettyfer and Alicia Silverstone
Characters: Alex Rider and Jack Starbright
Directed by: Geoffrey Sax
Tagline: You're never too young to die
Grade: A

This movie is awesome. I've loved the books for a long, long time. (And yes, the books are better than the movie...but what books aren't?) Alex Pettyfer is just about the perfect Alex and Alicia Silverstone is a great Jack Starbright. And, the movie has Damien Lewis in it...with a Russian accent?!?!?! Epic win! So, the movie is about Alex Rider. After his uncle (who he thought was a banker, but is really a spy for MI6) dies, MI6 contacts Alex and threatens to have Jack's visa revoked. He goes on a mission to Cornwall to investigate an odd deal made by Darrius Sayle, a computer tycoon who has given a free Stormbreaker computer to every school in England. The Stormbreaker is an amazing new computer. But what the entire country doesn't know is that Sayle is actually trying to take revenge against his high school enemy, the Prime Minister, by releasing a form of the smallpox vaccine from the computers. Alex rushes out of the plant in Cornwall, with the help of some trusty gadgets, and saves the day...and gets the girl, speaking of which, Sabina doesn't come into the books until the third book...I wish they wouldn't have changed that, cause they changed her entire character. If they were to make another movie, I would be very surprised if they do, they'd have to completely change Sabina's character so everything makes sense...I guess I just don't understand why they have to change the books so much.
-MOT

Just finished: A Far Off Place
Watching now: Ferris Buller's Day Off
Excited to see: Eclipse :)