For 2013, I didn't make a goal of any number of movies in the theater, however I am going to keep up with them! So here goes:
1) The Guilt Trip--good movie about a road trip for a mother and son. I would recommend this movie for some laughs.
2) Parental Guidance--another good movie with Billy Crystal and Better Midler as the "fun" grandparents. Also lots of laughs and recommended.
For 2012, I have made a goal to see at least 12 movies in the theater. It has really been very rare that I have seen a movie in a theater in the last 20 years....since I got married... I really enjoy the theater atmosphere and the yummy popcorn (even though I am sure that it is bad for me!). Actually, we started going to the theater at the end of 2011. We saw two movies in the last week of the year! Here are the 2011 movies we saw:
1) We Bought a Zoo---This is a sweet movie based on a true story. There are some sad times and some difficult family relationships....like in real life, since it is based on a true story! By the time the movie begins, the mom has died. Daddy is struggling with all of life, including trying to be both mom and dad to a son and daughter. The family starts to look for a place in the country and end up buying a zoo that has closed down. With no experience in wild animals, they buy it---mostly because the little girl really wants to live there! The son is still not happy because now he has had to leave all of his friends. He does not want to open himself to life again---he has been hurt and he is scared. But the movie works through all the relationships, even having to deal with another death (but you will have to watch the movie again to see that!). All in all, it is a feel good movie, and the family ends up closer than ever and life goes on. I would recommend this as a good family movie.
2) Warhorse---This movie does take place during a war (WWI, to be exact). There is a great theme of a boy and his horse that is heart-warming and endearing. There is also the father....I really cannot think of a good thing to say about him. He wastes the family money (the little bit that they have), he drinks, he is an angry man...the list goes on. But what I really hold against him is that he does not treasure his wife or his son. The movie shows that he is this way because of a war that he fought in when he was younger. But I just think that is a crock! Sure, war will forever change you, but it is up to you whether you are an over-comer and whether you let it destroy everything in your life for the rest of your life. Bottom line, life gives us bad things, and it is our CHOICE how to handle those things. Do they make us bitter or do they make us better? He chose bitter, and I disliked his character a great deal. Other than the father, I think the movie was good. I am not partial to all the war scenes (I do not find those entertaining), but they were limited and there were stories within the story that made them bearable. So, I would recommend this movie to others. Might be too much for young ones, but teens and adults would be fine.
2012 movies:
1) The Iron Lady---This is a good movie about Margaret Thatcher. Flashbacks are the name of the game here. The movie covers Margaret's life from a teenager through present day. It was interesting to see that she was always ambitious and did not fear voicing her ideas, even in front of men. The men made fun of her, laughed at her, and didn't really welcome her into their circles, but she just kept moving forward. There were a couple of things about the movie that I don't know if they are true in real life though. She seems to have gone a little crazy at the end, often seeing and talking to her dead husband. Also, there seemed to be undertones of anger from her children about her life in the public eye and her not spending as much time with them as they would have liked. That is probably true on some level. I thought it was interesting that her husband was attracted to her because of her ambition, but later he seemed to be angry with her because of her ambition.... I think there might be some truth in that as well. It was a good movie if you are interested in biographies. I thought it dragged a little toward the end....I almost fell asleep, but I was tired and it was "nap time" when I saw it!!
2) Madagascar 3: Europes' Most Wanted---I finally made it a theater again! Cute movie for parents and kids alike! I always love these zany characters and the strange situations that they get themselves into. The monkeys are creepy, as usual...
3) Ice Age: Continental Drift ---As Ice Age movies always are, this was cute. Poor Scrat has a tough time again. Manny and Ellie are dealing with a teenager...very much like real life! I would recommend this movie for families. Enjoy! Only 9 more movies to see in the theater this year...
4) Hope Springs---I had hoped this would be an uplifting movie, but it turns out that it seemed to be mostly about sex. Oh well, I won't give up hope on all movies, just this one!!!
5) Skyfall---Bond, James Bond. As portrayed by Daniel Craig. I enjoyed this truly British flick. I'm not into action films very much, but who can resist Bond?
Looks like I'm going to fail on 12 movies in the theater this year. It's tougher than I thought it would be to just manage to find enough good films to see and then find time to see them while they are still in the theater!!! I saw several other movies shortly after they came to the Redbox, but I can't count those since they didn't meet the standard I set in the beginning. I'm not sure if I will try this goal again next year.
