DVD Release Reviews for November 17th

Four Christmases - C+ (Don’t Bother)

Four Christmases was about 3 Christmases too long. From the very beginning the chemistry between Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon just isn’t there. The reported tension on the set of filming clearly came through as they weren’t remotely a believable couple. Vince Vaughn was miscast and the leading male role should have been someone with a more likeable personality. Even the families of both characters came across as very annoying and not very funny. With a star-studded cast like this one, the film should have been a huge hit. Being your typical romantic-comedy the plot is predictable and not very interesting. If you love Christmas movies then you may enjoy this film, otherwise go with a rom-com such as The Proposal instead as it is better in every aspect.

Bruno - B- (Wait for It)

This came very close to being a complete disaster, and in fact I almost turned it off after the first 15 minutes. The crudeness and number of people that it offends far surpasses that of Borat, and was almost to the point of being unwatchable at first. However, once it focused more on the people Bruno interacted with and less on himself, it became quite hilarious. Just like Borat, the opinions and reactions of some of the people filmed are easily the funniest parts of the whole movie. It’s not nearly as good as Borat as that was almost non-stop laughing the first viewing. It’s definitely not for the younger crowd, but is funny enough to be watched once. Although, also just like Borat one viewing will be more than enough.

My Sister’s Keeper - A- (Gotta Rent)

Anyone with a child, brother, sister or a heart will be thoroughly moved by this film. Cameron Diaz plays the mother of her child who is dying from leukemia. In an attempt to save her life she has a 2nd child that is genetically altered to be a perfect match to her cancer stricken daughter. Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva turn in such strong performances as sisters that it breaks your heart to see what they are both going through. The way the story plays out is very unique. It shows their lives at different points through each of their eyes. It helps you understand why the son is so distant, why Breslin is so hesitant to continue donating her body to her sister, and why the mother will do whatever it takes to save her dying child. Alec Baldwin and Joan Cusack also costar and play key roles in determining the fate of the family. If you want a heart-wrenching film that will bring you to tears there is no better choice then My Sister’s Keeper.

Star Trek - A- (Gotta Own)

Coming from someone who has never seen a single Star Trek episode or movie, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It was a great action-packed sci-fi film that also provided something that few of the other 2009 blockbuster summer hits did, a decent and intriguing story. J.J. Abrams (the mind behind Lost and Cloverfield) really grabs hold and makes it his own. Unlike most other space-themed movies, it doesn’t across as cheesy or fake looking. My only major concern with the movie was the casting choices. The 2 main characters, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto were perfectly cast as Kirk and Spock. However, the choices for the rest of the cast kind of perplexed me. Tyler Perry, Simon Pegg, John Cho (Harold from Harold & Kumar) and Wynona Rider are just a few of the actors that play smaller roles. They weren’t necessarily bad in the roles, just really unexpected for a big-budget sci-fi flick. Even if you are not a Star Trek fan at all or have never seen anything Trek related this is still definitely worth a watch.