The Descendants

I like this movie... it is geared towards a deep audience.
It talks about spiritual stuff, like how to let go of someone you love. And that's the main task of George Clooney's character Matt King, who has to come to terms with the fact that his wife is dying. He hadn't spent all that much time with her before her paralysis, and realized from his daughter that his wife had cheated on him.
The movie is pretty funny at times, like when Matt and his two daughters ( from whom he was estranged) go on a little road trip so Matt can face his wife's adulterer buddy and tell him the facts. The actual confrontation is melancholy, but the process has some comedy, like how Matt's older daughter brings along her boyfriend to the scene like a puppy dog.
I also like how Matt King's family is dysfunctional and normal. With one of his daughters being a violent little runt and the other one, a normal rebellious but down to earth teen (I know those are a lot of adjectives). Even though the setting is in Hawaii and the dad, being the sole inheritor of his great grandmother's land and money, is technically rich, his family still has problems, that rise to the surface and erupt after his wife has this accident.
"The Descendants" also brings up the dilemma that Matt King must do something with this inherited land. His cousins want him to sell it, but a lot of people don't want him to let go of it. His great-grandmother was apparently some sort of Princess, so his family is Hawaiian royalty, and by signing off on this decision about the land, Matt King will affect the entire state.
As far as the screenplay goes, I like the blunt beginning when Matt King says, "people think that Hawaiians relax and chill on the beach, well they are f****** wrong, what are they thinking?! I haven't gone surfing in twenty years!!"
Anyways, the movie is definitely well taken. It is worth watching if you want an insightful movie that has relatable characters. In other words, an almost 180 degree turn from a twilight movie.

Twilight: Breaking Dawn

Did I expect to enjoy Breaking Dawn? Not really.
But I couldn't resist being updated, and the new movie did seem pretty, with Edward and Bella venturing to an island near South America (or whatever) for their honeymoon and the wedding. So, I kind of had to see it.
And surprisingly, it was pretty entertaining. Kristen Stewart, who usually appears awkward, pale and monotone in most of the twilight movies, was radiant in this one. Edward actually laughed in the beginning, and my dear favorite Jacob, had matured and looked even hotter in this episode.
Sure, there were times when the movie was slow, like the stretches of sequences when Bella was pregnant and anorexic- looking, and you were like, "please cut to the chase!" but other than that, it had some entertaining elements...
like the actual honeymoon sequence. The lovemaking scene isn't all that explicit, which in this case suits the purpose, I guess. It flows more gently, naturally and romantically and epitomizes every girl's fantasy. I couldn't help noticing Kristen Stewarts' perfect body in these sequences. You mostly got to see only Edward's arms, that managed to rip up all the pillows and break the bed frame during their love-making.The wedding is also beautiful. With everyone religiously dressed in white, and palm trees stationed everywhere. At that point, I was picturing myself marrying Edward Cullen, or even better, Jacob Black.
The pregnancy part was bloody, but entertaining, since this is the closest to gore we'll ever get to see in any of the twilight movies.
I liked how the movie made some disastrous things in the book comedic. For instance, in the book Bella decides to choose the awful name "Renesmee" for her daughter (a combination of Renee and Esme, Her and Edward's mothers' names). In the movie, when she brings this up, Jacob (oh, how I love Jacob) tries really hard to look like he likes the name, and Edward cracks up.
Also, I thought that Jacob falling in love with Bella's baby would be really awkward in the movie, but they made it sweet, since they focused on Jacob being more of a protector rather than a lover.
I like how most of the characters in the movie are good looking except Sam from Jacob's tribe (sadly) and I don't think Esme and Rosalie are that pretty either.
I think Bella's dad is hilarious, saying that he has a gun at their toasting ceremony.
Ultimately, did I like Breaking Dawn better than all the other twilight movies? Yes. Do I recommend seeing it? If you wouldn't mind seeing a romantic pretty movie (with not a lot of logic) then yes.
Overall, not bad twilight, not bad...

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes is a fast-paced comedy-action flick with great actors, namely Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. I loved the slow motion shots when the characters are fighting each other and the mental fight that Holmes and his rival, Professor Moriarty have at the end.
The movie brings out the eccentric but lovable personality of Holmes through his wacky diet of embalming fluid and his intriguing but hilarious innovations, like his onesie camouflage costume. I like how his room is enshrouded in leaves and how he has a couple of goats and birds in there, randomly wandering. I love how he nags his nanny, Mrs. Hudson, to constantly take care of him and them.
I know that in Arthur Conan Doyle's novels, Holmes is portrayed to be serious and posh, but I really like Downey's rendition, with all his comedic dimensions. My favorite dialogue in the movie is when his partner, Dr. Watson (Jude Law) asks him, "isn't your costume a bit too conspicuous" and Holmes (wearing a messy fake beard) simply replies, "It's so overt that it's covert."
I also really enjoyed the character of Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry) who, being the most carefree guy in the world is somehow really important to the foreign ministry of the British Government.
The villain of Professor Moriarty is also well portrayed by Jared Harris, with his right eyebrow permanently arched and with a sharp, cunning way of speaking. His snaky but precise assistant is also an asset to the cliffhanging suspense of the movie, being the best marksman of the British army and all.
These are aspects of the movie that really stood out to me, other than the marvelous set design. As far as the story goes, twisted plots fail to impress me after watching the masterpieces of Christopher Nolan, but this movie sure has the comic wit and action to intrigue a large scale audience of which I am happy to say, am a proud member.

All American Tooles

I love everything about this Short Movie: the punny title, the length, the paranoia, the hilarity and the characters. "All American Tooles" is a funny picture about the extent of irrational fear and psychological dependency of technology in the United States.
The Tooles make an odd couple. Cindy Toole is paranoid, freak mom who has to drive a huge truck to keep her baby safe and believes that "the Babycam 90,000 Security Camera" is a good investment. Her husband is an equally stressed out nice guy who dresses/acts like a teenage burnout.
The layout of the movie is really funny, and I especially enjoy the way the Babycam causes the wife to believe that her husband is trying to kill her.
Other than that, I find the conventional American worries summed up pretty well.
Here's a revealing example:
"honey, we are not sending you to any gross mental institution..."
*wife shudders slightly and moves head on the emergency bed*
"you'll be going to happy camp."
*wife struggles to speak*... and in this seemingly life/death situation says... "Will the insurance cover it?"
...I guess the Tooles are not that weird afterall...

Super 8

Super 8 tries to be a lot like ET (1982). Somewhere along the way however, it loses its emotional appeal and becomes more of a science fiction thriller.

Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) is a young boy who is fascinated with building objects. His father has become estranged ever since his mother died and the only thing Joe seems to have for support are his seven other friends (hence the title—Super 8).

I enjoyed the special bond between Joe and his friends, and how they each have their own area of expertise. You see Charles (Riley Griffiths) is hoping to make a movie, and one kid knows a lot about explosives (Cary), one kid is a good engineer (Joe) and another is an awesome actress (Alice), etc. Anyway, their lives are drastically changed when while they’re shooting, they become firsthand witnesses to a train accident. The scene is rather spectacular, exhibiting a domino-effect sequence, as parts of the train explode one by one. The kids discover odd things at the event of the accident and through other eccentric occurrences and their own investigations come to the conclusion that there is an alien terrorizing their town.

What I liked the most about Super 8 were the special effects and the sweetness and innocence of the main characters that unfortunately gets diluted by the action.

So is Super 8 any E.T? I don’t think so.

Stand By Me

I did not do much research before watching Rob Reiner's "Stand by Me." I assumed that since it was about four twelve-year old boys going on a hike across town, it had to be innocent. Boy, was I wrong.
"Stand By Me" is more for adults. Not only because the beginning shows the young gang smoking and gambling, but also because their plan is to hunt for a dead body.
I am not saying that "Stand By Me" is inappropriate-- just that it is something I did not expect.
However, the movie does have some redeeming qualities, like its main characters. You've got the leader Chris (a highly confident River Phoenix), the daring Teddy, the scared Vern (whom I would personally identify with), and the sensitive Gordie. I enjoyed the infallible friendship between the characters: the type that makes you feel nostalgic when the ending credits roll.
Other than having a good cast, the movie has a great song. "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King almost made me cry in the last scene.
Ironically, this movie isn't for kids, but it is kind of about them. For example, it shows how kids SOMEHOW manage to accommodate the most annoying person in their group. When I was in elementary school, my bully was my best friend. It hurt, but I put up with it as though there was no other choice. When I think of it now, there was probably no way I could've handled a girl like that in high school... I guess being young makes you dream more about the impossible.
So should you watch Stand By Me? I think it is sentimental and sweet in its own gritty way, and I really felt for the twenty-six year old Gordie when he says, "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"