Kinky Boots (2005)

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Kinky Boots

From the makers of “Calendar Girls” comes an uplifting British comedy about two outcast dreamers who finally figure out how to stand up for themselves . . . in thigh-high leather stilettos.

Despite the Rotten Tomatoes rating of just 57% from the critics, this is a sweet movie – perhaps that is why it scored much higher with the general public who give it 78%.

Despite the name, there is nothing kinky, or even racy, about this movie.

Despite the cross-dressers, I recommended this movie to my mother, and she really enjoyed it, as well.

An absolutely fabulous performance by Chiwetel Ejiofor puts it right over the top for me

Rich in spunk, humor, dignity, subtle emotions when needed, and dressed to kill when belting songs like “I Want to Be Evil” in a meaty, gal-guy voice, Ejiofor amps and vamps the contrivances appealingly.


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 57%; Audience 78%

Snakes On A Plane (2006)

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Snakes on a Plane

Snakes on a Plane

This movie is hilarious.

This movie is exactly what it says it is.

Samuel L Jackson is the MAN!

However, I can’t expect my more reserved friends and family to watch a movie with so much violence, bad language and sex – no matter how fun it turns out to be. Therefore, 1.5 from me. Gonzo’s friends are a bit hipper than mine, so he was able to give it a 5.

There is much screaming and hissing and biting and … oh, it’s marvelously stupid. And exciting. And just plain fun


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 68%; Audience 55%

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

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Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine

With a cast this great, you know I was expecting a lot. Truth is, this movie was all about the cast, I can’t imagine it working with any other group of actors.

Little Miss Sunshine is one of those rare movies that brilliantly mixes laughter and heartache to engross you in every obstacle the characters face on this arduous journey down the road and through life.

We laughed so hard through this movie, our cheeks hurt by the end. I fell in love with this family and cringed at each of their misadventures.

It loses points on the Word of Mouth Scale only because of the overabundance of foul language, and some unnecessary (though very funny) sexual conversations.


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 91%; Audience 91%

Hard Candy (2005)

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Hard Candy

Hard Candy

Hayley’s a smart, charming teenage girl — but even smart girls make mistakes.

She’s hooking up in a coffee shop with Jeff, a guy she’s met on the Internet. And even though he’s a cute, smooth high-end fashion photographer in his early 30s, Hayley shouldn’t be suggesting that the two of them go back to his house-alone.

Here is where the Word of Mouth Scale gets confusing; this was quite a good movie but, due to the subject matter and graphic presentation, I can’t recommend it to most of my circle. I can’t imagine my mother enjoying it, after all.

This is an interesting concept, fairly well executed. You need to have pretty tight writing and extraordinary performances when the entire story involves two characters on one set. The dialog is crisp and intense and the actors are up to the challenge.

Movies generally require a suspension of disbelief, and this one is no exception. It clings precariously close to the edge for so long, I thought it would make it all the way. Unfortunately, just before the bathroom scene (you’ll know it when you see it) the train jumps clean off the tracks. There were moments after when I thought they were going to manage to regroup and bring the story to a convincing conclusion – no such luck.

I still think it is a really good movie, an original concept, a risky staging……just not great.

And it is very graphic – so

“Disturbing, controversial, but entirely engrossing, Hard Candy is well written with strong lead performances, especially that of newcomer Ellen Page. A movie that stays with the viewer long after leaving the theater.”


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 68%; Audience 76%

You, Me and Dupree (2006)

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Dupree

You, Me and Dupree

A best man (Wilson) stays on as a houseguest with the newlyweds, much to the couple’s annoyance.


I actually liked this movie more than I expected to. I did find it distracting knowing that while Carl (Matt Dillon) was suspecting Dupree (Owen Wilson) of moving in on his wife (Kate Hudson), that is exactly what Wilson was doing. It was just Hudson’s real life marriage that was sabotaged. Really wish I could have put that out of my head.

Light, inconsequential fare – humorous enough for an evening at home. A bit too many sexual situations for me to recommend it to a large portion of my circle, but goofy enough to recommend it to the others.

Here is a piece of a review especially for D

And Kate Hudson does wear a swimsuit and heels quite well. But as far as a recommendation as theater viewing? Nah. This’ll keep just fine until it comes out on DVD…wait for it to hit there.


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 21%; Audience 59%

Friends With Money (2006)

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Friends With Money

A drama about three married women, their husbands, and their lone single friend.

This movie is every bit as exciting as that tagline makes it sound – yawn

I found this review by Tony Medley that sums it up nicely, though the film apparently kept his attention more than it did mine. Besides the criticisms he mentions, I found the story to be tedious, boring, monotonous, characterless, cloying, colorless, drab, dull, humdrum, insipid, prosaic, routine, spiritless, stale, stereotyped, stupid, tiresome, trite, unexciting, vapid…..


Rotten Tomatoes: Critics 71%; Audience 37%

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