Midnight in Paris

Description courtesy of Wikipedia:
Midnight in Paris is a 2011 romantic comedy fantasy film written and directed by Woody Allen. Taking place in Paris, the film follows Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), a screenwriter, who is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationship with his fiancée and their divergent goals, which become increasingly exaggerated as he travels back in time each night at midnight.


Hubby and I got this one out on Netflix this weekend. What a happy surprise! I LOVED it. This movie is beautiful, charming, romantic, and funny. It makes me want to go to Paris and get swept away in the romance of the city. Owen Wilson is wonderful in it, I have never liked him more in a movie. The story is well constructed, and well directed, this is clearly Allen's love letter to Paris and it doesn't falter for a second. Sometimes romantic comedies can get a bit slow and tedious during the second act crisis, but that never happens in this film. I was fully there, present in Paris for every minute. I know I'm gushing, but this movie definitely makes my list of all time faves. Put it in your queue Boos, you won't be disappointed.

Have you seen it? What did you think? Have you been to Paris? Tell me about it. Leave a comment below.

Madea's Witness Protection

Description courtesy of Wikipedia:
George Needleman (Levy), a high level CFO in New York City, promises his son that he will take him to his baseball game after he gets back from the office. He gets to his office and arrives to a harrowing scene. His co-workers are shredding documents and are in a state of chaos. He sees his boss who informs him that his company is a Ponzi scheme run by the mob. He is being accused of spearheading the scheme involving the mob and has to enter his family into a witness protection program. The program's location is a place that absolutely no one will think to look for them: Madea's house down south with her brother Joe and nephew Brian.

The hubby and I went to see Madea's Witness Protection this weekend. It was ok. It wasn't the best of Tyler Perry's Madea movies. Perry was funny as was Eugene Levy, but overall the acting was terrible. The story while superficially being what we have come to expect from a Madea movie had huge plot holes, and seemed to be missing large chunks of the story. The movie is pretty predictable but there were times when I was expecting something to happen and then just nothing, nothing at all happened. Also it was clear that in dealing with the issues of race and the preconceived notions different groups have about each other Perry was out of his comfort zone. In his movies that deal with topics like domestic violence he is able to write a story that is heartfelt, funny, and insightful, but this script had none of that. Madea's Witness Protection had no genuine emotion, had no revelations, and delivered very few laughs.

Have you seen it? What did you think? What's your favorite Madea movie?

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Friday night the hubby and I went to see Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter in 3D. Based on Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel of the same name, ALVH while not a great movie made for an enjoyable date night. The movie follows Lincoln from the death of his mother, at the hands of a vampire, during his childhood through his presidency and the civil war.  

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov ALVH is a combination horror/action flick but it didn’t deliver big in either category. There are, however,  some beautifully done fight scenes between Lincoln and the vampires. The final fight on a train made it almost worth spending the extra money for a 3D ticket. Benjamin Walker, who plays Lincoln, does a great job in the role for most of the movie but once the film gets to Lincoln’s presidency the make-up required to turn Walker into the older man interferes with his facial expressions and the portrayal suffers. Dominic Cooper and Anthony Mackie also give wonderful performances opposite Walker as Lincoln’s friends Henry Sturgess and Will Johnson. 

My overall opinion: at times the movie drags, and the whole allegory of vampire as the evil men are capable of thing gets a bit heavy handed, but ALVH was fun and made for a good night out.