Phone Booth (2003)

R For pervasive language and some violence.

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Cast:

Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, Radha Mitchell, Richard T. Jones, Paula Jai Parker, Arian Waring Ash, Tia Texada

Summary

In this intense drama, which takes place in and around a single phone booth in New York City, slick New York publicist Stuart Shepard (Colin Farrell) picks up a ringing receiver in a phone booth and is told that if he hangs up, he'll be killed. Turns out Shephard is being watched by a rooftop killer with a sniper rifle and the little red light from an infrared rifle sight is proof that the caller isn't kidding.

A really good, suspenseful movie. What surprised me is the fact a movie could be this good when most of it revolved around a guy in a phone booth. They really did an outstanding job picking the perfect cast for this movie. It keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the film. Yes to answer your question though it has a lot of language in this movie. Please beware.

Recommendable? Its a good thriller.

Would I have it in my home? Probably not.

Serendipity (2001)

PG-13 For a scene of sexuality, and for brief language.

Director:

Peter Chelsom

Cast:

John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Molly Shannon, Jeremy Piven, Bridget Moynahan, Eugene Levy, John Corbett

Summary

Serendipity has John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale meeting during a Christmas shopping spree but parting company soon thereafter. Ten years (and a few failed relationships) later, they yearn to put true love to the test by reuniting. But first, they have to find each other.

John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale are very romantic, funny and so charming that you can't help but sit up on the edge of your seat trying to uncover the twists and turns to see what will happen. Their smiles, glances, laughter and tears are so personal that you can't help but share their experiences. Not being a typical romantic person I did enjoy this story of what could happen if only we let ourselves go. "Serendipity" reminds us of all the things we already know; those fairy tale dreams that we carry within us. The only negative thing I must bring up incase you have children in the house is that they really didn’t need to put in the sex scene (no nudity seen). It didn’t have anything to do with the story and was very dumb. Other than that it was a cute flick.

Recommendable? Its cute.

Would I have it in my home? Undecided.

A League of Their Own (1992)

PG For adult language.

Director:

Penny Marshall

Cast:

Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, Bill Pullman, David Strathairn, Garry Marshall, Anne Ramsay, Jon Lovitz, Bitty Schram, Don S. Davis, Renee Coleman, Ann Cusack, Megan Cavanagh, Tracy Reiner, Freddie Simpson

Summary

Small-town sisters Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty) join an all-female baseball league formed after World War II brings pro baseball to a standstill. When their team hits the road with its drunken coach (Tom Hanks), the siblings find troubles and triumphs on and off the field.

This movie should be a classic for years to come. The cast is brilliant. The story is fun and interesting. The baseball scenes are well shot. Tom Hanks and Geena Davis are outstanding. Tom Hanks plays the washed up, whiskey-soaked manager better than I really thought possible. And the women that played the members of his team were what made this a superb cast. Not only is this movie about American History and the game of baseball, it is about patriotism and priorities. I will watch this movie over and over again and will never get sick of the moral that it brings across.

Recommendable? Absolutely.

Would I have it in my home? I really want to buy this one.

Runaway Jury (2003)

PG-13 For violence, language and thematic elements.

Director:

Gary Fleder

Cast:

John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Jeremy Piven, Bruce McGill, Nick Searcy, Stanley Anderson, Bruce Davison, Cliff Curtis, Bill Nunn, Nora Dunn, Rusty Schwimmer, Guy Torry

Summary

In this drama based on John Grisham's best-selling novel, Nick Easter (John Cusack) gets himself on the jury of a landmark case against a gun manufacturer and, as the foreman, tries to influence the other jury members to vote a certain way. Meanwhile, Easter's girlfriend, Marlee (Rachel Weisz), tries to swindle the attorneys (Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman) to pay millions of dollars to have the jury return a verdict friendly to their clients.

I really enjoyed this movie. It has the twists and turns that are expected in a John Grisham story but also has some reality to it. The acting was phenomenal. Dustin Hoffman is legendary. There is no guessing where each lawyer stands during the movie, you can feel the emotion from all of them. What I did think was interesting was how a jury really can and probably has been swayed this way. Its amazing how the legal system is and how we can portray it in movies. This is a great movie, probably not for kids, but definitely a great film.

Recommendable? Absolutely.

Would I have it in my home? I really want to buy this one.

Anastasia (1997)

G General audiances.

Director:

Don Bluth, Gary Goldman

Cast:

Christopher Lloyd, Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Hank Azaria, Kelsey Grammer, Angela Lansbury

Summary

This animated adventure retells the story of the lost daughter of Russia's last czar. The evil Rasputin places a curse on the Romanov family, and Anastasia and her grandmother, Empress Maria, get separated. After growing up in an orphanage, Anastasia encounters two Russian men seeking a reward offered by Empress Maria for the return of her granddaughter. The trio travels to Paris, where they find that the empress has grown skeptical of imposters.

I absolutely love this movie. It is one of my favorite animated films of all time. The voices are done perfectly, the music is unforgettable, and the animation is done well. I first fell in love with this story years ago when it came out and I still love it. The story is done so well that it will have you singing along one moment and wanting to cry the next. A perfect movie for the whole family to show for generations.

Recommendable? Absolutely.

Would I have it in my home? Already do and love it.

Mulan (1998)

G General audiances.

Director:

Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook

Cast:

Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, B.D. Wong, Soon-Tek Oh, Lea Salonga, Donny Osmond, Harvey Fierstein, Pat Morita, Gedde Watanabe, Miguel Ferrer, James Hong, June Foray, James Shigeta, Freda Foh Shen, Miriam Margolyes, George Takei, Frank Welker, Mary Kay Bergman, Marni Nixon

Summary

Disney brings an ancient legend to life in this animated tale of the brave Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen, with Broadway's Lea Salonga lending her singing voice), a tomboyish girl who disguises herself as a young man so she can fight with the Imperial Chinese Army against the invading Huns. With help from wise-cracking dragon Mushu (Eddie Murphy), Mulan just might save her country -- and win the heart of handsome Captain Li Shang (B.D. Wong).

One of the better animated Disney films that I have seen in years. This movie is surprisingly very funny, exciting, breathtaking, beautiful and awesome in its animation, especially the huge, panoramic battle scenes. This is definitely a movie to watch with the family, for sure. Especially if you just want to feel good, this is an enjoyable film to watch alone. The voices were very good, and now we know why Eddie Murphy went from a wise cracking dragon sidekick to a wise cracking donkey sidekick in "Shrek". His lines were hilarious and went with the flow of the story very well, very much like the way Robin Williams did "Aladdin". Definitely something to keep in your home forever.

Recommendable? Absolutely.

Would I have it in my home? Already do and love it.

The Cable Guy (1996)

PG-13 For dark thematic elements and crude humor.

Director:

Ben Stiller

Cast:

Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, Jack Black, George Segal, Janeane Garofalo, Diane Baker, Ben Stiller, Eric Roberts, Andy Dick, Harry O’Reilly, David Cross, Owen Wilson

Summary

When recently single Steven (Matthew Broderick) moves into his new apartment, cable guy Chip (Jim Carrey) comes to hook him up -- and doesn't let go. Initially, Chip is just overzealous in his desire to be Steven's pal, but when Steven tries to end the "friendship," Chip shows his dark side. He begins stalking Steven, who's left to fend for himself because no one else can believe Chip's capable of such behavior.

This is another movie that I wanted to see because everyone talks about it and I hadn’t yet. Well first of all this is not one of my favorite Jim Carrey movies. There are some memorable quotes though. The acting was pretty decent, and you have a lot of star cameos, but nothing in the movie that would make me want to watch it again. And there weren't hardly any laugh out loud parts either.

Recommendable? It really depends on what your looking for.

Would I have it in my home? Probably not.