Brief Briefs

Shame on you if you’re thinking of men’s underwear!  Heck, no!  Actually, I’m more a boxers girl myself.  But, I’m not going there.  Today, I’m doing briefs on the current spate of movies out there.

I’m a movie buff.  Truth is, BH is a movie buff.  I’m more a movie snob.  At least, I like to think so, but when you’re living with a buff, snobbery mode diminishes.  A whole new world opens, although I absolutely refuse to promote violence and horror in any way.  Just watch the local and national news to get your fill of that.

GODZILLA
Fandango Critics Average:  62
Audience:  4 Stars out of 5
Another re-make of the sci-fi monster film.  This time in 3D with over the top effects.  Whoopee.  I am done with 3D.  I tried to remain open about it for so long.  But, really….paying $15 for 3D with the very ugly glasses you can’t even keep??!!  That’s the senior matinee price!  No, a thousand times NOOOOOO!  This movie is about as dumb as King Kong, but at least, in 1933, there was that darling damsel in distress, Fay Wray.  Yes, I’m old.

MALEFICENT
Fandango Critics Average:  56
Audience:  4 Stars out of 5
Off the charts blockbuster opening last weekend.  $70,000,000.  Her biggest opening ever. Maleficient….as in evil or malicious.  This is a Disney film???  Perfect for little girls??  Really?  I just don’t get it.  My understanding of the critics’ take on it that even she can’t save the movie.  Duh….Jolie being an A-list actress with an awful lot of B-list roles.  Her only great role, in my opinion, is when she played Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart, the film that chronicled the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter.  For all her philanthropy and altruistic causes, I would hope she’d choose roles that could make a difference….other than enhancing her already huge bank account.

MILLION DOLLAR ARM
Fandango Critics Average:  56
Audience:  4 Stars out of 5
Same rating as Maleficent?  Not in my ‘Brief Briefs.’  Way better.  Jon Hamm.  Mad Men.  Very easy on the eyes.  Playing opposite a sassy, independent Lake Bell.  Never heard of her, but were her parents hippies?  Thinking…River, Apple, Summer, Rain.  Predictable?  Yes.  It’s based on the true life story of Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, who were the first players from India to sign with a major baseball team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Total Feel Good.  Totally worth two hours of popcorn.

NEIGHBORS
Fandango Critics Average:  68
Audience:  4 Stars out of 5
I cannot claim to be a movie snob and absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this movie.  Yes, I know it’s raunchy.  Yes, I know I’m not supposed to love raunchy.  I can’t help it.  It was nothing less than hilarious from beginning to end.  My jaw ached the next day from laughing so much.  Can that be wrong?  Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne were perfect, Zac Efron played a complete idiot, but Dave Franco stole the movie for me.  He is the cutest thing ever….except for his brother, James.  It reminded of how much I loved last year’s, We’re the Millers, with Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston.  Panned by the critics with a 44 ratings, the audience gave is 5 full stars.  I could see it again and again.

IDA
Fandango Critics Average:  89
Audience:  3 1/2 Stars out of 5
I actually considered seeing this until I read this review by Enkidoo online:
     “As is typical of European movies, Ida is an exercise in despair.  People in misery, incapable of change confront their family history and choose to obliterate themselves.
     “A great movie to slit your wrists to.  The critics probably loved it.”

CHEF
Fandango Critics Average:  68
Audience:  4 Stars out of 5
Jon Favreau delivers this deliciously witty movie.  It’s all about creative integrity, which is exactly what he gives us on the screen.  It’s beautifully written and acted with humor and passion.  Sofia Vergara was nothing less than gorgeous and I flat out fell in love with John Leguizamo.  Some big names here…Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey, Jr.  No one disappoints least of all Emjay Anthony, the 11 year old who plays Jon Favreau’s son.  Predictable?  Yes.  So, what?!!  It’s a Must See…the best movie I’ve seen this year, not to mention the most amazing soundtrack!

Well, here it is.  The first edition of Brief Briefs.  Aren’t audiences flat out boring?  Every one gives each movie a 4 Star review, with the exception of last year’s We’re the Millers, that rated a 5 Star, which the critics gave the lowest of the low rating.  Mmmmm….