Okay, okay, my sister shamed me into getting a new post out here. I know it's been a while, but it turns out these things are a bigger responsibility than you realize. Plus, you all know what a nutso summer schedule the kid and I have. But soccer is done, swimming is done, school shopping is almost done (I was informed this morning that a printed hoodie is now required) so it's time to catch up.

Now, I have to be honest, I don't even know if I can remember everything I've seen since the last post (MAY?!?! Really?), but I found some stubs and have some vague memories, so here goes.

Land of the Lost (Saturday, 6/6): I thought that, having been a fan of the show during my childhood, I might be slightly disappointed with the movie. And I was right, except that it had some pretty funny bits and wasn't as sucky as it might have been. Rental.

The Hangover (Saturday, 6/6): HA! But so not a movie for the kids. A genuinely funny movie, laughed very hard, had a lot of fun, but seriouly: NOT ONE FOR THE KIDS. And the end credits -- OY! Did I mention that this is not one you should watch around the kids? Because you really, really shouldn't.

BIG GAP IN MY MEMORY

My Sister's Keeper (Saturday, 6/27): Very sad, you will need tissues, and a decent movie. But I felt like the purpose of the movie was to make me cry, not to make me think, because in the end... well, if you haven't read the book, you should rent this one for a winter afternoon, curl up with a warm blankie and a box of tissues and let it all hang out.

Away We Go (Saturday, 6/27): Juno for adults. Great story of two slackers looking for their place in the parenting universe by visiting all of the worst examples they can find. Funny, touching, Maggie Gylenhall rocks, and you should rent this one, too.

ANOTHER BIG GAP IN MY MEMORY, BUT...

Ice Age 3: Yuck. Okay, not the worst movie in the franchise, not the best movie in the franchise, your kids will like it and you will go make dinner and do some laundry and never think of it again. And I was very disappointed that I couldn't really identify Simon Pegg's voice work. I knew which character he was, it just wasn't uniquely his voice.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (times 3): WOOHOO! At first, I was unbelievably perturbed, confused and let down. Then I went to see it again and realized how much I missed in the first go-round. Holy buckets, they did some really good stuff with the material. Of course, they also hacked and slashed through loads of the book, and I'm not sure how we're going to fill in the voids before we get to 7.1 and 7.2, but there was loads they did very right. And then I saw it a third time (long story, but see the review directly above, did it need a second viewing? No. No it did not.) and discovered that there were still a few things I had missed. Am now waiting breathlessly for the DVD.

500 Days of Summer (Saturday, August 8): Loved it, just loved it. If you don't like flashing back and forth, you might hate this movie, but I loved how they juxtaposed how we feel in and out of love. Funny and touching, you should definitely rent it.

Julie and Julia (Saturday, August 8): Cute and funny, and probably as big a reason for me to get my tush in gear again as my sister's guilt-inducing comment, because I felt guilty watching this lost 29/30 year old woman trying to find her life's joy again through her blog. She dedicated a year of her life, and I sat there thinking "oh boy, how behind am I?" And then Karen reminded me. Right after you take out the "My Sister's Keeper" DVD, you should put this one in and snuggle back down on the couch. It's exactly the pick-me-up you're going to need.

Funny People (Saturday, August 8): Too long, way too long, and I had a jumbo sized bladder issue through the last hour. It just kept going! URGH! It wasn't a great movie, it wasn't a terrible movie, but it certainly could have been a shorter movie. Best part of the movie: Eric Bana. So nice to see him having fun with a role, he usually has such heavy emotional characters he never seems to have fun. And he should always use his Australian accent from here on. Hoo boy!

And that's all I can remember. Whitney could probably fill in all the blanks for me, and I know the twist in Orphan (but I'm not sharing), so for whatever movies I've missed -- well, they must have sucked worse than Ice Age 3. I'll try to be more dilligent in the future since I know my sister's Netflix wish list needs filling.

Sunshine and love -- Chris

Well, how far behind am I?! Sorry, it's been a pretty busy month and I let myself get behind. So prepare yourselves for a long one!

"Observe and Report" - Seth Rogen is a mall security officer trying to deal with multiple break ins, the future of his career, his dysfunctional mother and his unrequited love for a perfume girl. I really like Seth Rogen, I have since the days of "Freaks and Geeks," so I really wanted this movie to kick Paul Blart's butt. Unfortunately, the movie left me kind of confused. I'm not really sure what the movie wanted to be: dark comedy, slapstick/character comedy, cop flick, or violent Tarantino-wannabe. I liked the slapstick/character stuff, and the cop stuff was pretty funny, but was floored by the violent and dark bits. Not one for your kids, so if you want a funny mall cop movie, make it "Paul Blart."

"Sunshine Cleaning" - Amy Adams is the girl most likely to that never quite did. Finding herself at a personal crossroads, she starts a business cleaning up after crime scenes. This was a very well-acted, intriguing character study with some funny moments, a la "Little Miss Sunshine." Amy Adams gave us a good peak at her acting chops, and had a tremendous supporting cast to help round out this movie. Fun, sad, very touching.

"Wolverine: X-Men Origins" - Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Wolverine, and explores how he came to be. Wow, that was a fun ride! Wanna go again?!? Please?!? All the best parts of previous X-Men movies, not a whole lot of the crap you endure while waiting for the good stuff. Question: if I buy this one on DVD, am I going to have to buy all of the previous X-Men movies?

"Star Trek" - What if the Star Trek you knew was forcibly changed due to a time-travelling Romulan hell-bent on destroying Spock? Okay, I just forgot X-Men, what was I saying? After years of being forced to watch the original series because my dad loved it, and then having a boyfriend/husband who is a huge Trekkie, I was prepared for this. Except I wasn't. What a lot of fun! I went into it not knowing how many names are in it, and that made it even more fun while I recognized faces and voices. Truly a good movie for the "Star Trek" pantheon, if a wee bit violent for the little 'uns.

"State of Play" - Russell Crowe as a Washington reporter trying to balance friendship and love with a hot breaking story rife with conspiracy. Am I developing a crush for Russell Crowe? Because I thought I was over it until I saw this movie. I do love a political thriller, I like a movie that makes me think and keeps me on my toes. So good job, "State of Play," you were a solid, likable flick. Not the best of the genre by a long shot, but a decent entry.

"The Soloist" - Jamie Foxx plays a mentally disturbed but talented musician, now living on the street, who comes to the attention of a reporter looking for his next personal interest story. Wow. Made me wish I could act, they were that good. The scenes on Skid Row are apocalyptic and depressing, but the characters never dwelt on it, didn't ram a plea for policy change down our throats, and instead made this a movie about two men struggling to understand one another and find a place in their lives for an unlikely friendship. And Whitney would probably want me to add: Robert Downey Jr., welcome home!

"Angels and Demons" - The pope is dead, and the Catholic church is threatened with extinction by an unknown enemy. Tom Hanks reprises his role as the symbologist who just might be able to unravel the mystery and expose the threat. Another one I wanted to like more than I could. I read the book, and maybe my imagination can far outstrip any movie, but films never live up to the way I played it in my mind. Not that this is a bad movie, I liked it better than "DaVinci Code." Plus, no more mullet on Tom Hanks, and that's a good thing. If you liked "DaVinci Code," you should find "Angels and Demons" faster paced with a big juicy mystery driving it.

I should be seeing "Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian" this weekend, will post as soon as I can. Love and lollipops to you all!

Okay, we made it to three movies this weekend. Let's begin at the beginning.

First, "Duplicity" with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. This one felt a lot like an "Ocean's" movie: kind of a spy movie, kind of a heist movie, with a little romantic comedy thrown in. All in all, not a bad movie but I do have to say that I was disappointed in the ending. spoiler alert I really wanted them to win, I guess. With one additional line to close out the movie, I think I would have gotten a final laugh and been content. That line would be from Clive Owen and would go something like this: "At least we have the $x million from Flaky Fresh."

Next up, "Knowing" with Nicolas Cage. Whatever happened to Nicolas Cage? Remember when we thought he was hot as Randy in "Valley Girl"? And then he made great movie choice after great movie choice in the 80's and early 90's? He still occasionally picks a good script, but hey, even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. This, however, it not a good script. It started out pretty good, with lots of potential, and then took a hard right from which it never recovers. Think M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village". Save your money, this one should be on the SciFi channel by Labor Day. Unless even they take a pass.

Lastly, "I Love You Man" with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. I love the Apatow guys, I really do. This one was funny and uncomfortable and gross, just everything you hoped it would be. Rudd's character was so uncomfortable in his skin, and he really played it well. You just felt so sorry for the guy. His character reminded me of how I feel when I watch "The Office," how you really want to save Michael from himself, but you still have to laugh at him. Good movie, funny, and don't leave when the credits start rolling.

Now, a word about the overall experience. We went to Carmike this time because we could not get the times to work at Marcus. Clearly we prefer Marcus, it's cleaner, it's not as scary (busted window and stolen radio aside), and the popcorn is way better. And here's a problem, when you walk into the building and they tell you there's a "problem" with the heat in one of the theaters. Dudes, there's problems with the heat in every theater. Either I'm freezing cold and trying to find clever ways to warm my nose or it's so warm I'm ready to take a nap.

And for the record, people, you can't be sneaky when you open your pop can in the theater. We can all hear you. Own it. Make that mother yours. Look, more people are doing it all the time, we can't afford $6.50 for the giant cup -- and hey, Carmike, what's with the $1.00 refill charge? Aren't you already overcharging me for this cup?

Alright, rant over. Peace and popsicles, I'm out.

Yo, Jenny, are you ever going to post?

So, me again. Went to see "Race to Witch Mountain" last week. It wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen, and I probably wouldn't poke my eye out with a stick if I had to watch it again, but I honestly can't call this a great movie. And this is from a gal with the mad love for the Rock -- I mean, Duane Johnson. The Rock and some kids usually make for an entertaining movie, and that's what you have here. Maybe a cut below "The Game Plan," but not an entire waste of money. I think he may have sold his soul to the Disney devil, and there's a neat sequel set up at the end that proves my theory.

And am I the only person who caught that the waitress and sheriff in the bar scene were the kids from the original movies (Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann)?

Apparently this is the hot 'tween date movie, because there had to be 30 middle school kids in this theater, so beware that you may be surrounded if you go see this one. The theater we went to (Parker, CO - hollah!) had an employee come in and threaten us if we used cell phones. Instantly, 29 'tweens shut down their cells. Yeah, you did the math, there was that one kid.

So if you want to see it, try to get to a matinee because full price is a little much for this one.

Love and licorice! Seacrest out....

Hey, Chris again!

Took my kiddo to see "Coraline" on Saturday. Now, I can't accurately tell you much about the movie because we had a cute little couple in there who could not seem to SHUT UP! I don't think I liked it, though. It was pretty dark and twisted for a kids' movie, and if your child is sensitive to separation anxiety, you definitely do not want to sit them down in front of this one. There was also a really funny vibe with the voices and music, so much so that it distracted me and made me kind of uncomfortable. It was like the soundtrack was forgotten until the last second.

As for the two people in the theater who could not seem to find their theater voices, I actually found it hard to decide if I should say something because they were clearly mentally challenged. I did shush them twice, which I have never done in a movie before. But honestly, if they can be out without a para, shouldn't they be capable of understanding the rules? And on top of that, they were in luuuuv, so there was constant kiss-smacking noise. In a theater with a bunch of kids. Sheesh.

Prior to that, I went to see "Slumdog Millionaire" for a second time. The first viewing of this movie absolutely blew me away. I honestly did not know what the movie was about, and had only heard rave reviews, so I was willing to give it a go. The first viewing was in a small, probably 100-seat theater, and we were ram-jammed in there. The second viewing was after the Oscars, and lo and behold, it was moved to the Ultra screen, 500-seat theater, and there had to be at least 200 people in there. Still good the second time around! I think the message that honesty and honor can be found in all people is a great one, especially in these tough times.

Did you know that I am a closet Bollywood fan? Love those big production numbers, and the first time we saw it, we had to leave before the post-credit number (sadly, to see "Benjamin Button" -- bleh!). This time, though, we stuck around, and while it was a good number, it wasn't quite the big production I was hoping for. Where was Malik? Where were the kids?

And I know we are all eagerly awaiting Jenny's post on "Friday the 13th" and "Taken." Sadly, though, no movies for us this weekend as we are all booked up, so look for a new post in a couple of weeks.

Sunshine and Lollipops! Seacrest out...

DUDE! I can't believe I just created a blog.

Okay, so here's the scoop. Jenny, Whitney and I go to tons of flicks, and end up with some bizarre stories and loads of opinions. And people are always asking us what we liked, what they should see, etc. When the department newsletter was cancelled for lack of interest, we didn't have a place to put all this information for people to find, but now we're sticking it out on the web for you to enjoy at your leisure.

So this weekend, I took the kiddo to Frosty Flicks to see "Star Wars: the Clone Wars." If you've ever been to Frosty Flicks at Marcus, you know it's geared toward families, there are going to be tons of kids, at least 3 bags of popcorn will be spilled, and your chair will be kicked several times. I thought "Star Wars" would have fewer little kids, and just fewer people in general than, say, "Madagascar 2." It was down from 4 theaters to just the one, but there were still about 80 people, including some smaller kids. Directly in front of us were two dads with three little boys between them. The littlest one was attending his very first theater movie, and he did very well for a 2-year old, but I think the dads liked the movie more than the kids.

The movie didn't suck a whole lot, and it does set up the Cartoon Network series very nicely. It's funny that the cartoon Anakin was almost as wooden as Hayden Christensen. But the movie was not the story this weekend. The story is how bad the theater bungled this showing. First, the trailers started, SOOOPER loud, then stopped, then started again but with no sound and the slide show playing over them. Then the whole shebang stopped, we went back to the pre-commerical slide show, the trailers started again, and again the freaking slide show started playing over them. Lord, who was running the booth, the WINGMAN?!?!?! So, they finally get the thing going, and the lights stay in pre-trailer mode. Uh, dude, can we dim them a tad? No? Okay, guess I'll have to deal, but how distracting. With about 30 minutes to go, someone must have realized that the lights were still up.

Look, I know it's only $2.50 a seat, and I got a free popcorn out of the deal, but there are always loads of people in there, it's not like they're going to make a dime on an empty theater. Maybe they should have someone check the theater once in a while. I mean, minimum wage for sure, but they're all just standing around, right?

And directly behind me, old guy on his own (creepy at a kids' matinee!) starts breathing like Darth Vader. I think he had an oxygen tank or something.

So.... see it if you're a "Star Wars" fan, pass if you're not, because you'll just be annoyed anyway.

Love and lollipops, Chris