These reviews are for DVDs that are currently available for rental at your favorite video store or Netflix or whatever makes your skirt fly up. So, if it’s raining and cold, you can stay inside and warm while watching one of these; although, I’m only recommending one of the three.
The Invention of Lying stars Ricky Gervais, who I happen to find very funny. This movie, in fact was also written and directed by Mr. Gervais, and also stars Rob Lowe and Jennifer Garner. I happen to really like Jennifer Garner although a lot of folks can’t stand her. The premise of the film is that the world is a place where no one lies. Everyone is honest, even brutally so at times; so you never have to worry about what people are thinking because their honesty allows them to just blurt it out, which I guess can be funny at times. During the film, Ricky Gervais’ character says something that isn’t true and everyone believes him because after all since everyone tells the truth, why should they not believe him? This goes on throughout the film and as a result of the lies, Gervais’ character becomes rich, but is still unhappy.
I won’t reveal much more because in my opinion, there isn’t much more to reveal. Gervais’ character is in love with Garner’s character and she wants to marry Lowe’s character because he is better looking. In the end, Gervais and Garner end up together, which I guess is the silver lining at the end of this ridiculous movie.
When I saw the previews for this one, I wanted to see it; it looked funny – it’s not! The only funny parts are what the previews showed and it really gripes me when that happens. All I can say is that I’m certainly glad I didn’t waste $10 at the theater on this movie or I would have been extremely upset. The fact that I spent almost $5 on the rental doesn’t make me too happy either. The movie was boring, didn’t hold my attention, wasn’t funny, and just wasn’t good. In fact, both Tony and I dozed off while watching it. So, if you’re thinking about renting this one, don’t waste your money.
Tony's take: not good
Amelia stars Hillary Swank (who I happen to think is a good actress even though she gets on my nerves) as Amelia Earhart, and Richard Gere (loved him in Chicago) asGeorge Putnam, Amelia’s husband. This movie was boring from the start. I started watching it when I got home from work yesterday and could barely keep my eyes open. I finally brought out a Sudoku book to work while I was watching so I could finish the film. Now, I will admit, I don’t know much about Amelia Earhart, but I do know that she had to have had an interesting life, she was the first women to cross the Atlantic for goodness sakes! But whoever wrote the script for this film did not capture the essence of adventure in my opinion. I don’t know if not enough research was done or if there just isn’t enough known about Earhart to warrant a film; but, I was expecting a really great movie and was thoroughly disappointed. It seemed like the film jumped around a lot and there wasn’t a lot of substance to the storyline, which makes me wonder if there just isn’t a lot known about her personal life. I don’t know because I’ve never really read anything about her. The part I did enjoy was the very end when she was flying across the Pacific and her radio communication failed. Since I have never really read much about her, I wasn’t sure how her disappearance happened; so, I thought that was interesting just because it was new information for me. Overall, I didn’t like the movie and wouldn’t recommend it; it definitely didn’t do Ms. Earhart proud – she deserves better.
The final movie review for today is Whip It, directed by Drew Barrymore and written by Shauna Cross. It stars Ellen Page (who I’ve loved since Juno) and Barrymore as well as Kristin Wiig (hilarious) and Juliette Lewis. Marcia Gay Harden plays Page’s mother and Daniel Stern her father, and Jimmy Fallon is also in the movie.
The film is about a high school girl whose mother wants her to be in every beauty pageant in Texas; but clearly, this girl is not the beauty pageant type. On a shopping trip to Austin, she sees a flyer for a roller derby match and talks her best friend into driving her to the big city to watch. She immediately falls in love with the sport and tries out for and makes the team without her parents’ knowledge. Long story short, she becomes the star of the team and in the process the team goes from worst to playing in the finals of the Derby. There is also a love story intermingled in the plot; and also one of the main stories is the relationship between the mother and daughter and their struggles to understand one another.
This movie was really good; and unlike a lot of mainstream films in theaters these days, the script was well written and witty. This movie isn’t just a chick flick either; Tony liked it as well. I had wanted to see this one in the theater too, but when it was out, I wasn’t able to find the time to go see it. I’m glad I thought to rent it on video and recommend that you do too.
Tony's take: pretty good
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