3-D

Lets' get one thing straight: I am tired of all of these movies coming out in 3-d all of the sudden. What is so great about 3-d? They charge more, it's distracting, and the color does not look as nice (it's faded). I will admit that seeing "Avatar" in IMAX 3-d was pretty cool, but otherwise, this is just an unnecessary way for movie theaters to make more money.

This past weekend, I saw "How to Train Your Dragon" in a regular format (no 3-d), and I loved it. The visuals are great, and I feel like the 3-d might ruin it. A couple of weeks ago, I saw "Alice in Wonderland" in 3-d, and the next day, I saw it in traditional 2-d. I must say that I enjoyed it more in 2-d because you could really appreciate the look of the film and the stunning visuals.

Now, it seems like EVERY movie is in 3-d. I hope that this will not continue for too long, because I truly feel that you get a better moviegoing experience with traditional 2-d.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

I don't know if it's because I'm an elementary school teacher, or if I'm just a kid at heart, but I absolutely love the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books. They are hysterical, making me laugh outloud while I am reading it. So when I heard they were making a movie of the first book, I was, as to be expected, very excited.

The original preview for the movie didn't look so great to me. After seeing it, I thought, "Uh-oh. This is going to be like other stupid live-action movies for kids." Well, I'm glad I was wrong, because this film was just as funny as the books.

If you are not already familiar with the books, here's what you need to know: Greg Heffley (played very well by Zachard Gordon) is in middle school. He is desperately looking for something to be good at in order to gain popularity. His friend Rowley (Robert Capron, who is pee-your-pants funny) is not exactly the type of kid who is popular in school, but is a loyal friend to Greg nevertheless. Throughout the movie, Greg faces the obstacles of girls, losing a friend, and losing popularity, which is a typical year to most kids in junior high.

Is this film a classic? No, but it is very fun to sit through. This is the kind of movie that puts a big smile on your face when you are feeling down. Whether or not you have kids, definitely check it out.

My take on the Oscars

Here are my thoughts on the major winners from Sunday's show:

Best picture: "The Hurt Locker"-I guess I missed something when I saw this. I feel like this movie was so overrated and boring. I think I'll rent it and watch it again. Who knows...maybe I'll like it this time. That tends to happen.

Best director: Kathryn Bigelow-While I don't agree with this choice, I must say it is nice to have a woman finally win this prize. She was extremely gracious as well, and you can tell she is easy to work with. I still wanted Tarantino to win, though, but wishful thinking, I guess.

Best actor: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"-Finally! Jeff Bridges is a great actor who should have won an Oscar a long time ago. He gave a great performance in "Crazy Heart," and he definitely deserved this.

Best actress: Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"-I love Sandra Bullock, and I always have. Was hers the best performance of this group? Perhaps not. Still, I am glad that she was finally recognized, and she gave the best acceptance speech I have ever seen at ANY awards show.

Best supporting actor: Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"-There was no way anyone else could have won this award. Waltz was outstanding, with his performance being complete perfection.

Best supporting Actress: Mo'nique, "Precious"-Who knew Mo'nique could act? She was great in "Precious," and I'm glad she won.

Best original screenplay: "The Hurt Locker"-Umm...original? No way. There was absolutely nothing original about this script. There are lots of war movies, and there was nothing majorly different about this one. Did the Academy even bother to notice how amazing and creative Tarantino's script for "Basterds" was? Apparently not.

Best adapted Screenplay: "Precious"-Biggest surprise of the night. The book "Precious" is based upon is a difficult, although riveting, read, and I know adapting it to the big screen had to have been a challenge. I think this award was well-deserved.

Best animated film: "Up"-Well, duh. This is by far the best Pixar film, and now that I think about it, definitely the best animated film I've seen, with "Finding Nemo" coming at a close second.

So, that's it for this year's Oscars. While there were some disappointments, I must say that I was definitely pleased with most of the awards.

Final Oscar predictions

Tonight's the night! Here are my oscar predictions, as well as who I think SHOULD win in the major categories.

Best picture:
What will win: "The Hurt Locker"
What should win: "Inglourious Basterds" or "Avatar"

Best director:
Who will win: Katheryn Bigelow (Boo!)
Who should win: Tarantino, the man!

Best actor:
Who will and should win: Jeff Bridges

Best actress:
Who will win: Sandra Bullock
Who should win: I love Sandra Bullock, and would love to see her win. I also believe, as those of you know me well know, that Meryl Streep is the greatest living actress, so naturally, I would be ecstatic if she won also.

Best supporting Actor:
Who will and should win: Christoph Waltz, who was amazing in "Basterds."

Best supporting Actress:
Who will and should win: Mo'nique

Best original screenplay:
Who will and should win: Tarantino!

Best adapted screenplay:
Who will and should win: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner for "Up in the Air"

Best animated feature:
What will and should win: "Up," which is my personal favorite of Pixar's films thus far.

Enjoy the Oscars tonight!

Alice in Wonderland

I love Tim Burton. He is a genius when it comes to making dark films with twisted stories and spectacular visuals. Films like "Sweeney Todd," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," and "Sleepy Hollow" are some of his greats, just to name a few. Now he has taken on the classic story of "Alice in Wonderland," and once again, he is successful.

In this telling, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is now 19 and does not remember her first trip to Underland( turns out she mispronounced it the first time). At her engagement party, she once again sees the white rabbit, complete with suit coat and clock, and follows him down the rabbit hole. When she enters Underland, we begin to see familiar characters, such as the Red Queen (the always outstanding Helena Bonham Carter), Mad Hatter (the equally brilliant Johnny Depp), and the smoking caterpillar (voice of the wickedly awesome Alan Rickman). Alice must now defeat a creature called the Jabberwocky in order for the evil Red Queen's reign to end.

This version of "Alice in Wonderland" is one not to be missed. In the hands of Tim Burton, one can always expect some twists and turns, as well as eye-popping visuals. He does not fail, as the special effects are glorious and beautiful to look at.

As twisted, funny, and brilliant Johnny Depp is as the Mad Hatter, his is not the only performance that stands out. Newcomer Mia Wasikowska is wonderful as Alice, and I hope to see her in other films to come. Helena Bonham Carter steals the show as the Red Queen, as her shrill cries of "Off with his/her head" are unforgettable and creepy. Anne Hathaway is sweet and innocent as the White Queen, while Michael Sheen and Alan Rickman lend their brilliant vocal talents to the White Rabbit and smoking caterpillar.

The film is currently being shown in 3d, 3d IMAX, and just regular 2d. I have to say that I saw the film twice this weekend (call me crazy, but I loved it!), once in 3d and once in 2d. I have to say that I enjoyed 2d only because the color is much brighter and beautiful to look at. The legend himself Roger Ebert wrote that he could not wait to admire the film in 2d simply for this reason, and I could not agree more. While I do feel that seeing films like "Avatar" in 3d enhance the experience, most of the time it is just extra money spent for no reason. So do yourself a favor and see this in 2d so you can get more out of the eye-popping visuals Mr. Burton has presented to us.

I highly recommend "Alice in Wonderland" to anyone, especially if you are fans of Burton's previous work. I also must say that this is a perfect companion to the old animated version of "Alice in Wonderland," a classic that I love and still laugh at.

Some recent movies

Here are some movies I have seen in the past month, as well as my thoughts:

"Frozen:" I know...some of you are thinking, "Frozen?" What movie is that? When did that come out? Well, let me tell you about this little movie "Frozen." First off, we meet three college students: Dan (Kevin Zegers), Dan's girlfriend Parker (Emma Bell), and his best friend Joe (Shawn Ashmore). They are at a weekend-only ski resort, getting ready for one last ride down the slopes. By accident, while on the lift, they get stuck. That's right...the lift just stops, with the three of them high above the ground, stuck until Friday when the ski resort reopens. Between dealing with guilt, frustration, frost bite, and a pack of hungry wolves below, these three probably wished that they had never gone for that extra ride. Let me tell you that this film is INTENSE. Yes, it is that intense where I had to write in caps. It's truly a shame that this film came and went because it is so much better than a lot of other crappy "thrillers" and horror films. Catch this on DVD if you missed it in theatres, and watch it with someone you can cuddle up with.

"Valentine's Day:" I don't want to waste too much of my time writing about this piece of crap. If this is not the worst movie I have ever seen, it comes really close. I think Garry Marshall thought, "Hmm...let's see how many big-name celebrities I can get in one movie with no real script or purpose, and then let's see if it makes any money." Well, the film made a lot of money opening weekend due to the release date right around the holiday of the film's title, but dropped hard the next weekend due to poor word of mouth, and rightfully so. By the way, I hope I never have to see Taylor Lautner or Taylor Swift EVER again because they have as much talent as grass.

"Shutter Island:" This had to be my most anticipated movie in a while. I LOVED the book (if you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? It's awesome!). Leonardo Dicaprio plays Teddy Daniels, a U. S. Marshall sent to a mental institution to investigate the disappearance of a missing patient. What follows is a mind trip Teddy could never have imagined, as well as a great twist ending. I have to say that this movie was great. It was a little slow-paced, but it was definitely worth it. Leo was fantastic, and Scorcese is a great director who knows what he's doing. I would still have to say I enjoyed the book more only because it goes into more details about certain twists and turns in the story, but this is still a great psychological thriller that you shouldn't miss.

"The Crazies:" In the small town of Ogden Marsh, Iowa, people are beginning to go insane, killing their loved ones and acting like zombies. The saying "it must be something in the water" proves to be true here, as it turns out that the infected waters begins to change people in the town for the worst. This film wasn't too bad. While not great, it was certainly better than recent horror movies. It takes a different path halfway through the film that took me totally by surprise, so that's always good in terms of being fresh, especially since it's a remake. While it's not a great film, it's not a bad one, and it keeps you entertained.

Stay tuned for my review of "Alice in Wonderland!"

The movie guy is back

I am back, and this time, for real. I am going to write more about movies for all you movie lovers out there like myself. Enjoy reading!