AMB Reviews

Hello everyone and thanks for checking out my new movie review website! My name is Anthony and this website is filled with my reviews on various movies. Keep checking back to see if some of YOUR favorite movies have been reviewed! I'm adding new ones every week!

~Anthony~

PS- Feel free to Contact me either by the online submission form or my e-mail, requesting me to review a movie. As long as it's not explicit and/or inappropriate, I'll probably end up reviewing it! 

You are the  visitor!   

*BREAKING NEWS (5-21-09)!*

Anthony's movie review of "Rachel Getting Married" (also published on this website) was just recently published in the March issue of the popular teen magazine, "Teen Ink." This magazine reaches thousands of schools, teachers, and teenagers every month and one of his movie reviews now appears in it! To look through this magazine ONLINE FOR FREE, simply click on the link below and check it out!

http://www.teenink.com/Issues/2009-March.php

Hey guys... it's Anthony. I just wanted to let you all know, that just because my reviews date back only to October 2008... I will still review a movie for you older than that. Just shoot me an e-mail or use the online "Contact Me" page, and give me the title. I won't post it on the website, but instead will send it straight to your e-mail inbox! Make sure to give me your e-mail address and I will try and send you the review within a week. Thanks and I hope this helps!

Title

1. Michael Jackson's This Is It

2. Paranormal Activity

3. Law Abiding Citizen

4. Couples Retreat

5. Saw VI

6. Where The Wild Things Are

7. The Stepfather

8. Astro Boy

9. Amelia

10. Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

Below is a list of several upcoming movie reviews to be looking for (they'll probably be released anytime in the next week or so):

The Stepfather (Available Today)!

A Christmas Carol

The following movies are a list of the most recent films I have reviewed, so that you can stay on top of everything! (If these reviews are not posted on the homepage, they can always be found in the Movie Review Index).

The Blind Side

The Box

Amelia

Where The Wild Things Are

All About Steve

The Blind Side: 9.5/10 Stars

Release Date: November 20, 2009

Content Advisory: Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references. A brief car crash (a boy is seen with some blood covering his shirt). A brief lived fight with no blood, but lots of pushing, shoving, punching, and a gun shot (no one shot). A married couple make out and sex is implied. The main character's mother is said to be a drug addict.

Review:

Let me just say that I was quite a happy camper when I received a free ticket for an early screening to this film (seeing that Sandra Bullock is my favorite actress)...

In Short:

"The Blind Side" is marketed as a sports movie. Let me just tell you that it's so much more than that, with the sports aspect put off to the side. This movie tells the tender, true story of a homeless teen, "Big Mike," who is taken in by a loving family. The mother of the family, Leigh Anne, slowly helps him raise his grades and try out for spring football. Of course, he ends up becoming an all-star player, but that's later on. The movie really focuses on Mike's heartbreaking past and how Leigh Anne helps him come to terms with it and move on with his future. It had me engrossed me from the start, and left me feeling uplifted. Sandra Bullock turns in one of the best performances of his career, as well as the downright best movie of her career.

In Full:

Michael Oher didn't start off as an all-star offensive left tackle. In fact, he started off with a drug addict for a mother, and after he was taken from her, it was only a matter of so many new schools before he just stopped trying. That all changes when Leigh Anne Touhy and her family take him in for "just one night." However, as their family grows closer to him, he slowly becomes a bigger part of their family. Though his GPA sits at 0.6, the Touhys help him raise it up to try out for football. From then on, it's just a matter of time before he learns the skills of the game and takes off from there. Though it's labeled as a sports movie... don't be fooled. There's only one football game in the whole movie. Me, not a huge fan of sports movies, found that quite refreshing, as the director chose to focus more on the characters and their relationships, rather than more football games.

Sandra Bullock is my absolute favorite actress of all time. Though I had thought her best performance came in "Hope Floats," after viewing this, I have to reconsider. Here, she plays a strong, independent and did I mention strong character. Her role, based on a real woman, is fierce and not afraid to tackle a challenge. She looks fear right in the eye, learning from the best (aka Amelia Earhart). Tim McGraw turns in a solid performance as her husband. Though he's really not given much to do here, he perfects what he's given. Quinton Aaron turns in his sophomore performance here as Oher, and though he isn't given many speaking parts, he was just the right person for the part. Kathy Bates rounds up the wonderful supporting cast.

This is a simple movie, visual-wise. This film was shot in Georgia, and there's nothing much to it. This isn't a huge budget, mind blowing visuals type film. The director cared more to dive into human emotions rather than show off an impressive budget. The movie had an underlying message of how much we take for granted. Once scene involves a lady complaining about an $18 salad, while Leigh Anne slowly learns that Big Mike never even had his own bed before. In the end, though she changes Mike's life for the better, he also changes her's in many good ways. It's an uplifting type movie that, though might make you cry in several spots, will leave you with a feeling that what you just watched was worthwile and inspiring.

If I was to find something negative about this film, it would take all day. There was simply nothing that stuck out to me that brought the film down. I'm a critic... I pick up on these things quickly, but I can honestly say that "The Blind Side" is a movie that is pure, fresh, funny, heartwarming, and at times, heartbreaking. The director captured the emotion perfectly for the film. The cast was spot-on, and the story inspiring. The script was well-written and though the movie did clock in around 2 hours, it is completely worth it. The only problem that some may find with it, is that it doesn't spend too much time focused on sports. For me, that was a pro, but it could be taken as a con for others.

In the end, "The Blind Side" has ended up as my third favorite movie of all time (following behind "The Dark Knight" and "Rachel Getting Married"). That's big. Though I love Sandra Bullock, and adored the trailer, I wasn't expecting to like it this much. The film is rated PG-13, but a PG would've sufficed. Don't let it stop you from buying tickets. I was lucky enough to view it two weeks early, and though I know that "New Moon" will crush it at the box office, I dearly hope that someone out there will get their butts off their computer chairs and buy tickets for this. It will truy uplift, inspire, and just put you in a good mood. Rarely does a movie come along that I feel like re-watching immediately after I finish it. I can now "The Blind Side" to that list.

The Box: 5/10 Stars

Release Date: November 6, 2009

Content Advisory: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some violence and disturbing images. Two women are shot, both with only minimal blood. A snowplow smashes into a car (sending it flipping through the air). Several intense moments. A man is shown missing half his face (very CGI-ish and unrealistic looking). Many moral questions are asked, dealing with forgiveness, consequences of our sins, and the afterlife.

Review:

"The Box" had me hooked from its savvy trailer. The actual movie, however, qualifies as one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen...

In Short:

"The Box" has a good premise. A couple struggling financially are given a box containing a button. If pressed, they will be given one million dollars. The solution to all of their problems, right? There's a catch though... one person whom they don't know will also die. So what do they do now? However, once the button is pressed, there will always be consequences. The main couple, Norma and Arthur, don't figure this out, of course, until after they press the button. It had me hooked at its beginning, but slowly began to slide downwards as the plot spiraled more and more out of control. It poses many questions on morality, but rarely ever answers them. The acting and visuals were both impressive enough, but with no real direction, they just aren't enough to save this sloppy old-fashioned mystery.

In Full:

Norma and Arthur Lewis are struggling. Arthur just lost his job, while their child's school is no longer offering tuition discounts. They need money... badly. So when a box containing a button and a creepy old man show up on their doorstep, Norma is just completely willing to let this complete stranger into her house (sarcasm alert). He tells her that if the button is pressed, they will receive one million dollars, but that someone they don't know will also be killed. Tough choice, huh? They have 24 hours. Of course, when the button is pressed, they must live with the consequences of their action. The plot was based off of a 1980's Twilight Zone episode, and though it has a great premise (and trailer), it loses steam halfway through when things grow messy, unrealistic, and just downright weird. Its old-fashionedness was definitely a pro, but when the movie has no real direction (or answers for all of the questions it asks), there's not much that can save it.

Cameron Diaz here plays an old fashioned woman with spunk and strength. Though she makes her share of stupid decisions throughout the film, she loves her son and her husband and will do anything she can to gain forgiveness. Though she sometimes sounded contrived and uncaring, she pulled it off for the most part with a certain elegance, grace, and... an accent. James Marsden turns in a surprisingly decent performance as her husband, Arthur, who is also strong, brave, and determined to win. Frank Langella gives an eerie and downright creepy performance as Mr. Steward (the old man proposing the offer), and though he's never given too much to do, he lights up the screen whenever he is on it.

The visuals were what really impressed me. This is made to look like an old-fashioned move. It laid along the lines of "The Invasion of the Body Snatchers," or somewhere around there. That being said... it is 2009, so the visual effects are definitely more up-to-date and advanced. Though I wasn't a huge fan of the film, several moments had my eyes locked to the screen due to the stunning visuals. It never overdoes it here... it keeps its feet on the simple and straight path, and in this occasion, I was very happy it did. It retained its older, Hitchcockian style that way, without losing its habit of hitting us with great visuals right as we're getting restless.

What can I say? I've already hit up many of my complaints for the film. It has a totally crazy plot that takes us down a spiraling path full of twists and turns that leads us straight to a dead end. There are times when I love a good outrageous plot with crazy and unrealistic turns. But I also like those type of movies to at least offer some type of resolution. Here... we get nothing. We're thrown down this twisting path before running right into a brick wall. I also found it somewhat slow... many of the scenes had me interested, as they had a vibe that things would pick up. Did they? Not really. Even up until the end, every scene that you thought would escalate into something big never really did. "The Box" is made up of a collection of lesser, small-impact scenes that eventually just end. Cue credits.

As much as you might think that I hate this movie right now... I don't. I really wanted to like this movie. The trailer was wonderful, and had me watching it at least 10 times. Then the movie started, and I was hooked. It started off snappily, the eerie mood was set right off the bat, and I thought all would be well. Then it took a few sharp turns, got a bit slower, and began to head off track. Soon, it took some even sharper turns, slowed down even more, and strayed even farther. It asks many questions, none of which are answered, and delivers a plot so crazy that it just needs an explanation. Are we given one? Nope. Nothing but the end credits. Movie endings are like shoes. Some are tied rather tightly, while others are left looser. Either one can be a good or bad thing, depending on the movie. "The Box" is like an untied shoe... even looser than lose. And after jogging down a winding path filled with moral questions and unbelieveable plot twists without tied shoes, you end up tripping. The trip wasn't enough to ruin the movie completely for me, but definitely left me feeling like this one could've waited for its DVD release.