Mashed Thoughts of dPotato http://dpotato.posterous.com My online journal of my amazingly boring life. Don't expect anything juicy. I write those in my real journal at home safe away from prying eyes. Except for maybe my sister. posterous.com Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Winnie the Pooh - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/winnie-the-pooh-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/winnie-the-pooh-movie-review

Pooh
Disney brings us back to the Hundred Acre Wood by expertly weaving together three stories inspired by A. A. Milne to produce a wonderfully delightful movie that brought me back to my own childhood days. Winnie the Pooh (voiced by Jim Cummings) is still on his never ending quest of searching for hunny to sedate his rumbly tumbly. It brings him to Eeyore (Bud Luckey) house where he discovers that his friend has lost his tail! The search is on to help Eeyore find a new tail. Later on, after Owl (Craig Ferguson) misinterprets a note from Christopher Robin (Jack Boulter), the gang try to capture the elusive beast called the "Backson" that they thought have kidnapped their friend. Hilarity ensues as Pooh's hungry tummy distracts him from the task at hand and gets everyone else in a pinch. But the stuffed bear will pull through in the end and demonstrates that friendship is always more important than hunny...even though hunny is pretty important.

It was great to see the familiar faces of Pooh and the gang animate the screen again. I mean, who can resist Pooh Bear's charm and innocence?! Every Winnie the Pooh fan - young and old - will enjoy this movie though it is probably more suited to the younger audience. I loved how the movie plays out in a similar manner as the first movie; the characters interact with the narrator (John Cleese) and the words on the page.The movie soundtrack was great. Zooey Deschanel lent her voice for the soundtrack and it was very pleasant to hear her rendition of the familiar 'Winnie the Pooh' song in the beginning. There were many other songs just like in the first movie.

The only complaint I have is that the movie was so short, it is hard to justify seeing it in theatre; however, Winnie the Pooh is a delightful addition to the first movie and a welcoming one for those who grew up with Pooh Bear and his friends.

Winnie the Pooh comes out in theatres this Friday, July 15th.

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Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:17:00 -0700 Harry Potter Picnic & Muggle Quidditch Match http://dpotato.posterous.com/harry-potter-picnic-muggle-quidditch-match http://dpotato.posterous.com/harry-potter-picnic-muggle-quidditch-match

Warner Brothers hosted this event at David Lam Park to celebrate the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Many wizards and Muggles came down to be part of this epic event. There were a lot of awesome costumes and creative foods made by fans. And cake! Delicious cake! Advance screening passes, movie soundtracks, t-shirts, caps, magnets, key-chains and posters were given to the most enthusiastic fans. Muggle Quidditch was very interesting to watch. It was like a cross between tag and dodge ball. Looked fun and participants had a great time!

If you are craving more Harry Potter and don't have the coveted advance screening passes to Wednesday night's screening, you may want to check out the 'Harry Potter Relive The Magic' event at Chapters. They say it is all Chapter stores across Canada but you may want to call in to confirm.

It's hard to believe that the Harry Potter saga will be coming to an end soon. Don't miss the finale HP7: Part 2 in theatres this Friday July 15. I can't wait to see it!

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Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:00:00 -0700 Learn How to Draw Winnie the Pooh Characters http://dpotato.posterous.com/learn-how-to-draw-winnie-the-pooh-characters http://dpotato.posterous.com/learn-how-to-draw-winnie-the-pooh-characters

Winniethepooh

With the movie coming out next week, Disney has uploaded three videos with the animators themselves teaching you how to draw the characters from Winnie the Pooh: Winnie, Tigger and Eeyore. You can see my attempt at Pooh Bear above. It's harder than it looks! Haha. Why don't you try drawing them yourselves? It's fun!

 

 

Winnie the Pooh opens in theatres next week June 15.

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Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:00:00 -0700 Horrible Bosses - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/horrible-bosses-movie-review-15279 http://dpotato.posterous.com/horrible-bosses-movie-review-15279

Horriblebosses
Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day) are three guys stuck in their jobs where their bosses (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston) are making their lives miserable. One day while having drinks after work, Kurt proposes a question to the others: if somehow, hypothetically, they can eliminate their bosses and get away with it, would they? Everyone agrees that they would except Dale but the next day, after Dale's boss' sexual harassment behaviour drives him over the tipping point, he convinces the others to go through with their hypothetically plans. They decided to hire a hit-man only to get some dubious advice from a "murder consultant" (Jamie Foxx).  The friends concoct a seemingly foolproof plan to get rid of one another's bosses...permanently. However, murder may not be the friends' thing as their plans keep going awry and they keep digging themselves deeper into a hole of problems with their bosses...and the police. 

 After seeing the movie in an advance screening, I have only praise for Horrible Bosses! It was super hilarious, the audience were laughing their butts off the entire movie. In comparison with other comedies that were in theatres recently, it is on par with Bridemaids. Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston play characters you love to hate and they were superb in their roles. Jennifer Aniston's character is so skanky! All the bosses' behaviour were outrageous and probably not realistic for real life but in the movie it works. You instantly feel for the main characters and root for them as they struggle to murder their bosses. I loved the dynamic between the three and bantering between them is very funny. They had me laughing the entire time.  

Horrible Bosses opens in theatres this Friday, July 8, 2011. Go see it - you'll leave the theatre laughing guaranteed. 

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Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:03:00 -0700 Cars 2 - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/cars-2-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/cars-2-movie-review

Cars2
Rev up your engines because the confident race car Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) and his best pal Tow Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) are back in an exciting, fast-paced sequel brought to you by Disney Pixar Animation Studios. McQueen returns to Radiator Springs after winning the Piston Cup only to be challenged to another race. With the support his friends, he accepts and heads overseas with Mater to participate in the first World Grand Prix that takes them to Japan, Italy and England to rub fenders with some of the world's first class cars. Clearly out of his element, Mater embarrasses McQueen. Mater gets split up from McQueen as he accidentally gets involved with international espionage due to mistaken identity. Mater joins British intelligence agents Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) as they investigate a mysterious and danger plot to take down the World Grand Prix participants. Mater will have to gather up the courage to become an all-star car to be able to save McQueen from the ultimate engine combustion.

Cars 2 is a very entertaining movie. It may be impossible for Pixar to make a bad film! Compared to other Pixar movies, it may be at the bottom of the scale but it still is a wonderful movie to watch especially if you are a Pixar fan. It was fast-paced and action packed, accompanied with an awesome soundtrack. The story was interesting but a little forced and this time clearly centred around the funny and direct Tow Mater. It doesn't have as much emotion as previous Pixar films but it still had its moments. The film was really funny and had jokes that both kids and adults would appreciate. Movie buffs will also spot a lot of Easter eggs hidden throughout the film. The animation was amazing and the 3D effects were fantastic especially when going really fast in the races and during explosions. Overall, Cars 2 is a very fun, entertaining summer movie that the whole family will enjoy.

Cars 2 races into in theatres this Friday, June 24, 2011!

Prior to the main movie, we were treated to a hilarious short: Hawaiian Vacation that brings back Toy Story gang. Ken and Barbie had planned a special trip to Hawaii to celebrate their relationship only to be left at home. Now it is up to the gang to help them experience trip of their dreams!

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Sun, 19 Jun 2011 09:00:00 -0700 Official Muppets Trailer Released! http://dpotato.posterous.com/official-muppets-trailer-released http://dpotato.posterous.com/official-muppets-trailer-released

Have you seen the official trailer for the Muppets movie?! After several teasers, it is finally released! The three previous teasers where in the form of spoofs; the most recent one being of the Green Lantern:

There was the Hangover spoof:

And the rom-com spoof:

I love the Muppets and am really glad that another movie is being made with them. The Muppets movie comes out in November! I can't wait!

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Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:00:00 -0700 The Art of Getting By - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/the-art-of-getting-by-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/the-art-of-getting-by-movie-review

Artofgettingby
Freddie Highmore stars as George, a lonely slacker in the last year of high school, in this coming-of-age romantic comedy. Though George has shown talent as an artist, he has mastered the art of getting by in school and life by doing only the minimalist amount of work while teachers and the Principal tries to persuade him to do otherwise. He just lives day to day, believing that life is dull and meaningless. It isn't until he meets, Sally (Emma Roberts) who introduces him to her world of friends and parties that he finally finds some meaning in life. On Career day, he meets Dustin (Michael Angarano), an artist who becomes George's unofficial mentor and encourages him to develop his artistic abilities. Between his relationship with Sally and Dustin, George begins to show more interest in life but when things seem to change too quickly for him including his feelings for Sally, he withdraws back into his old lonesome world, alienating his new friends. However, George can't resist change forever, as graduation approaches, he will need to stop being afraid of living and seize the moments to redeem himself in the eyes of his mom, his teachers and Sally.

The Art of Getting By is a nice, feel good movie to watch and also quite funny at times too. That being said, the story line is kind of predictable and bland, however it is the actors that really shine through and carry this movie. It was nice to see Freddie Highmore all grown up! The dynamic between his and Emma Robert's characters is believable and endearing. They have very good chemistry in the movie. They are the reason this movie is as good as it is. Most likely teens will be able to relate to what these characters are going through. Though, one thing I didn't like was that both characters smoke. Overall this movie is okay, not too exciting but teaches some good life lessons if you can sit through the entire movie.

The Art of Getting By opens in theatres today, Friday June 17, 2011.

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Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:00:00 -0700 Green Lantern - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/green-lantern-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/green-lantern-movie-review

Greenlantern

In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power... Green Lantern's light!

Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is known for being reckless behaviour but is talented test pilot for the United States Air Force. While struggling to deal with his feelings with a tragic accident in the past and the relationship with his co-pilot, his life is turned up when a dying alien shows up and bestows a ring and a green lantern upon him claiming that the ring chose him as his successor. After reciting the oath, Hal is transported to the ancient world of Oa, home of the Green Lantern Corps, a organization tasked with the duty of keeping peace and justice in the universe. Green Lanterns use the power of Will which is channeled through the ring each of them wear. The vigorous training and responsibility of being a Green Lantern overwhelms Hal and he quits. When a seemingly unstoppable evil called Parallax returns to use the power of Fear to devour to whole worlds and threatens Earth. Hal will have to step up and prove that he has what it takes to be a Green Lantern and to save the people he cares about.

Being that I've never read anything about Green Lantern in my life, I wasn't sure what to expect. I've heard from people who have read the comics that the movie follows relatively closely to the original story. The trailer looked promising and I wasn't disappointed. The movie tells the back-story of the Green Lantern Corps and how Hal Jordan was the first human to be inducted into the Corps. I liked the story and Ryan Reynolds brought his charm to the character. There were a few funny moments that had the audience chuckling. 

The screening was in 3D and though there were some good 3D effects, these were few and far between. A warning to those who are looking for an action movie: most of the film is spent telling the origins of the Green Lantern, the powers of the ring and setting up character relationships. Except for a few skirmishes, only at the end is there a big fight between Parallax and Hal Jordan. I would also liked to see the relationship between Sinestro (Mark Strong) and Hal developed more. Sinestro is suppose to be the mentor of Hal and I didn't realize that until I researched about the characters. Despite these points, I enjoyed the movie thoroughly! It's a good fun movie to watch in the summer.

Remember to stay for the credits! Looks like there will be another Green Lantern movie in the future! Hurray!

Green Lantern opens in theatres on Friday June 17, 2011 starting with midnight showings tonight!

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Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:44:21 -0700 Green Lantern - Join the Corps Vancouver http://dpotato.posterous.com/green-lantern-join-the-corps-vancouver http://dpotato.posterous.com/green-lantern-join-the-corps-vancouver

A large Green Lantern symbol lit up the Sears Building on Granville and Robson after 9:30pm last night, calling to all with the desire to Join the Corps.

Right after the Canucks game I headed to the "secret" location to see what was up. It was only 8pm but there was a lot going on already. The Green Lantern street team were set up and parading up and down Granville street with their big Green Lantern posters taking photos with hopeful Canuck fans and handing out swag. A shaved ice machine was set up and there was a long line up to get the lime flavoured treat with a green glowing stir stick in it!

A huge crowd started to build as it got closer to 9pm. The street team did a great job of handling the crowd given how big it was. Rings, t-shirts, coasters, foldable water bottles, drawstring bags, temporary tattoos, glowsticks and Green Lantern toys were all given out. 17 lucky people also received a advanced screening pass to go see the movie tomorrow!

I usually don't see such events happening for movies held in Vancouver; they are usually reserved for bigger cities like Toronto, but Green Lantern is filmed in Vancouver and the star Ryan Reynolds was also born here! I hope last night's success will mean more events like these will be held in Vancouver!

Green Lantern is coming to theatres this Friday! I can't wait to watch it!

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Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:41:00 -0700 Green Lantern Events in Vancouver http://dpotato.posterous.com/green-lantern-events-in-vancouver http://dpotato.posterous.com/green-lantern-events-in-vancouver

I popped in to take a look at the Join the Corps event at Metropolis Comics & Toys today. The store was hosting a Green Lantern party and had lots of contests going on. I didn't stay for the entire duration of the event but I met some enthusiastic Green Lantern fans and also met the people behind @WB_Vancouver on Twitter. Very cool! The Warner Brother reps will be Play On ( the Street Hockey event happening at Metrotown Kingsway parking lot) again tomorrow at 2:30pm. If you find them you can get some cool Green Lantern swag like rings, t-shirts and bags. 

Also on Monday, Vancouverites will have a chance to Join the Corps! There will be a "Green Lantern" symbol projected somewhere in the downtown core at 9pm. The specific location is unknown but each day, Warner Brothers is releasing a clue to lead you to that secret location! The first 17 people to find the location will receive advance screening passes to see the movie on Wednesday! Other prizes will be available as well. But if you are a Canucks fan and there is a Game 7 which one would you go to? Hmm Tough call. Remember that Monday night is also game day so there'll be a lot of people downtown! So make sure you are on your feet!

Here are the clues:

Pre clue #1: During the Olympics the streets near this building were closed for the celebrations of superheroes clad in red and white.

Pre clue #2: Everyday it overlooks the most artistic building in Vancouver.

CLUE #3:  One of its neighbors is a vault for priceless works of art.

CLUE #4:  If shopping is your superpower, you can utilize it at this building.

CLUE #5:  Masked with secrecy this building has no windows.

CLUE #6:  One of its neighbors has never lost to its archenemy: high clothing prices.

CLUE #7:  If villains needed money to fund their evil plans they would target its neighbour recognized by its green logo.

CLUE #8:  The son of Rob meets his Gran at this ville.


Green Lantern is in theatres next week, Friday, June 17th, 2011.

 

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Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:29:00 -0700 Super 8 - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/super-8-moview-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/super-8-moview-review

Super8
A sci-fi thriller written and directed by J. J. Abrams, Super 8 follows Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his friends (Riley Griffiths, Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning) who are making a movie using a super 8 mm film camera for a contest in a small Ohio town in the summer of 1979. While filming at train station at night, the group barely escapes a catastrophic train crash. Strange occurrences start to happen around the town shortly after and as Joe and his friends dig deeper, they discover that accident may not be an accident after all and some thing has escaped from the wreckage. Things get stranger still when the military arrives to execute a coverup and a hunt for the creature.

Super 8 has a great story that is mainly centered around its characters. The acting is superb and completely natural. As for action though, besides the train wreck in the beginning, the middle of the movie goes at a relatively slow pace. We are only shown glimpses of that is causing the strange disappearances of people and metallic devices. However, this is super successful in building up uneasy and chilling atmosphere during that time - there were a few times where I jumped. The action doesn't pick up until the ending. Being that Super 8 was produced by Steven Spielberg, it is not a surprise that the ending is slightly reminiscent of E.T. Compared to the rest of the film, the ending seemed too happy happy to me. A lot of set up was done throughout the movie to give the viewer an emotional happy ending. It is nice that this film is so focused on the relationships between characters. It's not bad but it seemed just slightly over the top at the end. Still, besides the awesome dynamic of the characters, the movie is amazingly choreographed and train crash is spectacular and there are lot of explosions towards the end. Highly recommend watching it in theatres.

Super 8 is coming out in theatres and IMAX on Friday June 10, 2011.

 

Want to win tickets to see Super 8? IMAX is hosting a facebook contest here. Good luck!

Entering 'MINT' at super8secret.com will also give you a chance to RVSP for an advanced screening in select cities in Canada and the US.

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Mon, 30 May 2011 00:11:00 -0700 Kung Fu Panda 2 - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/kung-fu-panda-2-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/kung-fu-panda-2-movie-review

Kungfupanda2
A couple years after the first movie, Po (Jack Black) is living his dream as the Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace with the Furious Five - Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross). The peace is shattered when Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), an ambitious white peacock determined conquer all of China, sends his army of wolves to stripe all the villages of metal to create weapons capable of stopping Kung Fu. When Po does battle with the wolves, a symbol on their armor triggers repressed memories of his real parents to surface which cause him to have an identity crisis and conflicted feelings which distract him fighting. However, with the fate of China resting in Po and Furious Five's hands - err paws - Po will have to reach inner peace quickly in order to defeat Lord Shen and his massive army before it is too late. 

What can I say but this movie is all awesomeness! The movie brings back familiar characters as well as introduces new ones - Lord Shen, the wolves, a goat soothsayer and Kung Fu masters Storming Ox and Croc. Po is still the same excited, clumsy panda but a lot more confident in his abilities in Kung Fu. You wouldn't think a peacock would be very scary as a villain but the animation team combined with Gary Oldman's distinctive voice created a character that exudes evilness. Lord Shen's feathers are used as his weapon as well. He is the best evil peacock ever!

The movie is even better than the first one. The story is a little bit darker but it is still funny and heartwarming as ever. Po is so cute as a baby! There is a lot more Kung Fu fighting in this installment as well as some amazing explosions. The only thing I wish is that the Furious Five had more dialogue. We watched the movie in 3-D and I can say that this is a movie that is worth watching in 3-D; the effects are great and there are many throughout the movie. Highly recommended, adults and children alike will enjoy this one amazing sequel. Skadoosh!

Kung Fu Panda 2 is currently in theatres everywhere.

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Fri, 27 May 2011 10:39:28 -0700 The First Grader - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/the-first-grader-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/the-first-grader-movie-review

Firstgrader
Based on a true story, the First Grader is about Kimani N'gan'ga Maruge (Oliver Litondo), a 84 year-old Kenyan man and former Mau Mau freedom fighter, who decides to join first graders in school when the government announces it will provide free primary education to all citizens. His motive being to be able to read, for himself, a letter from the government of unknown contents. Even when turned away several times, Maruge never gives up and eventually the head teacher, Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris), allows him in the class. However, this stirs up quite a bit of controversy as room in the schools are already limited. Maruge and Jane face the ugliness of politicians, journalists, angry villagers and thugs as they threaten to get in the way of Maruge right to learn.

Besides the heartwarming main story, the movie is full of Kenyan history. Throughout the movie, we are greeted with flashbacks about Maruge's tragic past when he was spent years in prison and endured endless torture when he was captured while fighting a war for independence against the British colonial occupants in the 1950s. It is a much more serious movie than I imagined. There was much violence in Kenya's past that affected many. The film is very enjoyable though and the characters are very likable. The actors were amazing! Though brilliant filming and editing, and many closeup shots, the director has managed to capture all the emotion that Litondo poured out through his eyes and posture. The audience really feels intimately for all that Maruge has gone through. Harris similarly warms up the screen with her portrayal of her character and provides a much needed contrast to the negativity of the other characters. Maruge's story is an inspiration and teaches a lesson to all that you are never too old to learn.

The First Grader is currently playing in select theaters.

 

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Thu, 26 May 2011 10:46:00 -0700 The Hangover Part II - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/the-hangover-part-ii-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/the-hangover-part-ii-movie-review

Hangover2
The wolfpack is back! Set several years later after the first movie, we find out that Stu (Ed Helms) is getting married (the Vegas marriage didn't work out) to a sweet girl named Lauren. Not wanting to risk another incident like that last time, Stu tries to play it safe, forgoing the bachelor party and refusing to invite Alan (Zach Galifianakis). After some convincing from Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Doug (Justin Bartha), Stu finally relents and invites Alan and gang travels together to exotic Thailand for the wedding. The couple of nights before the wedding, the guys and Stu's fiancee convinces him to have just one drink at a bonfire on the beach with the guys and Teddy (Mason Lee), the bride's genius, cello-playing, younger brother. You just KNOW something awful will happen...and it does! Phil, Alan and Stu wake up to find themselves in a strange motel somewhere in Bangkok with a monkey and Teddy missing except for one of his fingers...With the wedding coming up fast, the three will have to take to the gritty streets of Bangkok to dodge drug dealers, canvas strip clubs and monasteries to find Teddy and get back in time for the wedding!

This movie is even more out there than the first one. The story has pretty much the same elements from the first movie - loss of memory, someone is missing, gangsters want money in exchange for their friend, that sort of thing but they top it by adding a lot of shock factor. It is hilarious! Plenty of laughs throughout the movie and the characters are as funny as always. These characters have amazing chemistry. Ken Jeong reprises his role as the crazy criminal Mr. Chow but I was most impressed by the monkey's acting! You'll love every moment Crystal the Monkey is on scene. And wow when they rated it R, they weren't kidding. There are many MANY instances of male genitalia on screen. A lot of jokes revolved around them too. Highly recommended if you want to relive the first movie and are in for some mindlessly fun humour.

The Hangover Part II is in theatres today, May 26, 2011.

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Thu, 19 May 2011 09:30:00 -0700 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides-mo http://dpotato.posterous.com/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides-mo

Pirates
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is back and this time he is after the fabled Fountain of Youth but he's not alone in this regard. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who is now working for the English monarch, is on a race to beat the Spanish to the fountain while the fearsome Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and his first mate, Angelica (Penélope Cruz), a woman pirate from Jack's past, are also wanting to use the waters of the fountain to prevent an unfortunate prophecy from coming true. Jack finds himself forced onto Blackbeard's ship, Queen Anne's Revenge. After a failed attempt at mutiny and finding out that his ship, the Black Pearl, is being held captive by Blackbeard, he becomes an semi-unwilling guide to the crew, sailing through mermaid infested waters to the islands that house the Fountain of Youth. With each party wanting Jack to show them the way and each having only a part of the necessary components for the fountain to work, Jack will have to use all his wits to outsmart and outplay his enemies in order to get out of this mess alive and get back his ship.

Even after three installments, On Stranger Tides proves that Pirates is still popular. Pirate fans are sure to enjoy this latest Jack Sparrow adventure as the movie is much better than the second and third movies. Jack Sparrow's outrageous craziness has been dialed down to more manageable doses in this one. The screening was in 3D but like most 3D movies, there isn't enough effects that warrants paying more for it. Just stick to the regular version of the movie - you'll enjoy it more without having to worry about the stupid glasses. There are a lot of unanswered questions (some I can't get into without avoiding spoilers) - one of being what is that "X" on Jack's face?! I thought the movie would go into detail about it but it wasn't even mentioned! Overall the story was exciting and interesting and the acting was good. Jack Sparrow can never disappoint. I enjoyed watching the old characters as well as the new ones. Loved the relationship between the missionary Philip and Syrena, the mermaid. What can I say? I'm a Little Mermaid fan. Action, adventure, danger, sword-fighting, explosions, romance, mermaids, a few zombies and voodoo - these are a few things you can expect from the movie. Also remember to stay until the end of the credits!

Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sails into theatres and IMAX this Friday, May 20, 2011.

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Wed, 18 May 2011 10:00:00 -0700 Forks Over Knives - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/forks-over-knives-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/forks-over-knives-movie-review

Forkknives
Forks Over Knives is a documentary-type film, distributed by D Films Corporation, that follows along similar lines as in Super-Size Me and Food Inc. except with much more scientific evidence to back up its theories. The film promotes a wholistic plant-based diet (they don't like to be called Vegan) claiming that this diet will help halt, reverse or even cure many of the diseases that afflict a growing number of North Americans today such as hypertension and diabetes. Several scientists and doctors, especially Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, did independent studies and produced scientific evidence that it is the North American meat-centric processed foods diet and specifically the animal proteins that is the major cause of disease and cancer. Plant proteins on the other hand can reverse the damage done to the human body by the comsumption of animal proteins. The film covers the effects of fast food, high fructose corn syrup, the real cause of osteoporosis and interviews many people that have been brought back from the brink of death by adhearing to this diet.

The film is a feel good movie in a way and offers a lot of hope to people currently afflicted by disease nowadays. The whole premise that food can be used as medicine instead of pills, injections or open-heart surgery (hence the title) is a very appealing message to many people. It is not a new concept but one that is a hard sell in a society where the recommended foods we consume is controlled by the agricultural companies. Dr. Esselstyn's son, Rip Esselstyn, who was also in the movie, was at the screening and he did a Q&A afterwards. He is living proof that a fireman can eat only veggies and still be strong and fit.

The message in the film is very clear - eat natural and eat plants or run the risk of being disease prone can be a tad extreme - and there is no mention to how our sedatary lifestyle also contributes to our overall health. However, I agree that changing our diet is not very hard and it is better to eat less meat and more veggies than to go under the knife. The film was extremely well laid like a well written essay and very informative. There are a few laughs put in it as well. After seeing this movie, I probably won't stop completely eating meat (I didn't eat much to begin with) but will definitely look into more alternatives to animal protein.

Forks Over Knives is in select theatres on Friday, May 20, 2011.

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Thu, 12 May 2011 11:00:00 -0700 Bridesmaids - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/bridesmaids-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/bridesmaids-movie-review

Bridesmaids
Universal Pictures presents a hilarious comedy about the dynamic between bridesmaids which centres around Annie (Kristen Wiig), a sad single who's childhood best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), is getting married before her. Annie's mediocre life perks up somewhat when she is asked to be the maid of honour. She meets the other bridesmaids (Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) for the first time at Lillian's engagement party and takes an instant dislike to Helen (Rose Byrne), Lillian's other close friend who also wanted the job as maid of honor. The two start competing for Lillian's favour which often ends disastrously for Annie. Her friendship with Lillian is strained as her life spirals out of control dragging down her job as maid of honour with it. When Annie hits rock bottom, she'll have one chance to prove to Lillian and her bridesmaids she is capable of being her best friend and rebuild her life in the process.

Bridesmaids is about friendship, jealous and romance presented in a super funny way. It has many emotional and tender moments and will leave the audience feeling satisfied after leaving the theatre. All the relationships are beautifully played out - Kristen Wiig nailed her part as the broke, self-pitying friend driven by jealousy. All the bridesmaids have their own quirks and have very colourful personalities. Megan played by Melissa McCarthy, may be the oddest of the bunch. She is so eccentric but McCarthy manages to play the character with a straight face. Word of caution: if you want to be able to eat a sandwich again don't stay for the credits! Bridesmaids is a highly recommend watch especially for women but I'm taking a guess that men will also find the movie hilarious. If you want a guaranteed laugh, this is the movie to watch.

Bridesmaids is in theatres this Friday, May 13th, 2011.

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Thu, 12 May 2011 00:37:00 -0700 Kermit at Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Premiere http://dpotato.posterous.com/kermit-at-pirates-of-the-caribbean-4-premiere http://dpotato.posterous.com/kermit-at-pirates-of-the-caribbean-4-premiere

Have you seen this? Kermit the Frog was at the black carpet premiere of the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides interviewing the cast and other guests. I love Kermit. He's so funny! Pirates will be release in theatres next week on May 20th. Kermit was also there to plug his new movie: The Muppets which will be coming out in November.

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Fri, 06 May 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Potiche - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/potiche-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/potiche-movie-review
Potiche
In France 1977, Suzanne Pujol (Catherine Deneuve) is the stay-at-home trophy wife of a rich man Robert Pujol (Fabrice Luchini) who runs the family umbrella factory with a tyrannical iron fist. When the workers, who are fed up their poor working conditions strike, he tries to deal with them with force only to be taken hostage. Suzanne enlists the help of former lover and communist mayor Maurice Babin (Gérard Dépardieu) and negotiates a truce. The stress causes Robert to hospitalized and with her husband indisposed, Suzanne is forced to manage the factory herself. To the surprise of everyone, she proves that she is a very capable woman and gets the factory up and running with better work conditions and even improving sales with the help of her artistic son and disbelieving daughter. However, the situation gets complicated when Robert comes back wanting to take over the factory again but now that Suzanne has been in control for several months, she realizes she is no longer content to live her life as a just a trophy wife!

Potiche, meaning trophy wife, is a French movie with English subtitles dealing with the subject of the women emancipation movement in the late 1970s. I really enjoyed the film! It was very funny and light even with such a serious topic. A lot of the jokes were about how the characters were so flippant about adultery though. The film even started with a pair of rabbits humping each other! Deneuve's character was so likable and she gave a great performance as the submissive trophy wife who left the shelf to pursue her independence. All the other actors did an amazing job as well. Funny and entertaining, this film is sure to delight audiences.

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Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Disney's PROM - Movie Review http://dpotato.posterous.com/disneys-prom-movie-review http://dpotato.posterous.com/disneys-prom-movie-review

Prom
The days leading to prom is an exciting experience for a highschooler's life while for others, it is extremely stressful. For Nova Prescott (Aimee Teegarden), it is both. As class president and organizer for the graduating class' prom night, she has worked overtime to plan the perfect evening only to have her dream go up in flames when a fire destroys all the decorations only three weeks before the big night. With all her friends now busy with their schoolwork, the principal assigns school rebel, Jesse Richter (Thomas McDonell), to help her rebuilt from scratch. At first the two despised each other and found every opportunity to clash heads but as the weeks pass, they eventually come to understand each other. Meanwhile, other classmates are desperately trying to find prom dates, dealing with betrayal and change. Friendships and close relationships will be tested before all converging on that one special night.

This film is told in the typical Disney-style with the good guys getting the girl and the bad guys getting burned and everyone except the bad guy gets a happy ending. How realistic is it though? The movie makes it seem that prom is the most important night of your life and everyone, with the exception of a few, seem too excited about it. However, the film does teach some important lessons: don't judge a book by its cover and stop waiting for life to happen, make the change yourself! Prom is a nice light movie that pre-teens and teens will enjoy, no matter how unrealistic the story seems.

Prom opens in theatres tomorrow, Friday April 29, 2011.

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