Alice in Wonderland Reviews

Out @ Alice in Wonderland

Thanks to everyone who came out Tuesday night! After our trippy adventure to Wonderland, we headed down to Second Cup for coffee and conversation.

Our Reviews:

• "Good movie, dark at times. Overall -> good!" -Tony
• "Not optimistic going in but pleased and well entertained. Would recommend to others - definitely to kids!" -Donna
• "A fun two hours; doesn't get too bogged down in the silly world-play of the source material. Depp is great as Hatter but mercifully doesn't give us the unending ham that Jim Carrey or Robin Williams would've. Some great imagery." -Curtis
• "I had heard a mix of reviews so had low expectations going in. Pleasantly surprised by a fun adventure film. Though some of the gobbledy-gook language that Wonderland entails could've used subtitling." -Kirk
• "I found the movie sarcastically funny. Mad hatter actor (Johnny Depp) was true to the character and depicted his role well. It took me awhile to figure out this was a continuation of the old "Alice in Wonderland," as I was confused until I hit the end. I wish they had clarified that just a little more then the directer did. Other then that, interesting movie, great actors." - Ryan
• "The movie was great. I liked it." -Xian
• "Dark going in but fast-paced. Well done. I would like to see it in 3D." -Kate
• "I was pleasantly surprised by the script; very entertaining! Great cinematography!" -Cathy
• "Great night out at the movies; nice to see everyone. Very well done movie. Took me back to my childhood. Was a great story. Looking forward to another Out @ the Movies!" -Ken

April: And what about our next movie outing? That'll be Tuesday, April 20th. The current slate of candidates include:

• Date Night
• A Shine of Rainbows
• Death at a Funeral
• Kick-Ass

See you at the cinema!

Kirk

Out @ Alice in Wonderland

After a week of voting, I don't think it's any surprise that our winner is

Alice in Wonderland!

The combination of Johnny Depp, Tim Burton, fantastic imagery and an update to a classic children's tale won by a landslide 48% of the vote. The runner-up (Brooklyn's Finest) had only 16%.

And bonus! Out actor Matt Lucas (you probably know him from Little Britain and Little Britain USA) is featured; twice! He plays the roles of Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

The Plan:

• Tuesday, March 16 - Meet at Park Lane, starting at 6:20. If this is your first time coming, look for Kirk (wearing glasses and an orange ballcap) at the tables by the arcade.
• At 6:40, we'll head in to grab snacks and secure our seats.
• The movie starts at 7 and is about two hours long.
• After the movie, we'll head down to the Second Cup where you can offer your reviews and get to know your fellow moviegoers.

If you're on facebook, you can RSVP to the facebook event. You can also pre-purchase your tickets at Empire Theatres Web site.

Alice in Wonderland

The Movie: From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure "Alice in Wonderland," a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. Now, 19, Alice returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl and embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen's reign of terror. Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll's beloved "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (1865) and "Through the Looking-Glass" (1871), the film features stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history.

The Cast: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Mia Wasikowska, Matt Lucas, Marton Csokas, Tim Pigott-Smith, Lindsay Duncan, Geraldine James

The Web site: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/aliceinwonderland/

The Trailer:

Remember Brooklyn's Green League Wedding in Wonderland

Hey moviegoers and film fans!

Winter is slowly coming to an end (Reminder: clocks change on March 14th!) which means we're getting closer to summer blockbusters. Mind, you there are lots of March blockbusters!

Our next movie outing is Tuesday, March 16th and we've got a variety of options:

• Tim Burton's re-imagining of a childhood classic
• Training Day's director moves from L.A. to Brooklyn for a cop drama
• The director of the Bourne Supremacy and the Bourne Ultimate directs Matt Damon in a non-Bourne action flick
• America Ferrera stars in a cross-cultural family comedy
• Robert Pattinson is not a vampire in a romantic drama
• Jay Baruchel (Canadian, FYI!) stars in a "fish out of water" romantic-comedy

Alice in Wonderland

Opens: March 5th

The Movie: From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure "Alice in Wonderland," a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. Now, 19, Alice returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl and embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen's reign of terror. Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll's beloved "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (1865) and "Through the Looking-Glass" (1871), the film features stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history.

Note: Park Lane does not have 3D projectors so this would be the non-3D version.

The Cast: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Mia Wasikowska, Matt Lucas, Marton Csokas, Tim Pigott-Smith, Lindsay Duncan, Geraldine James

The Web site: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/aliceinwonderland/

The Trailer:

Brooklyn's Finest

Opens: March 5th

The Movie: Burned out veteran Eddie Dugan is just one week away from his pension and a fishing cabin in Connecticut. Narcotics officer Sal Procida has discovered there's no line he won't cross to provide a better life for his long-suffering wife and seven children. And Clarence "Tango" Butler has been undercover so long his loyalties have started to shift from his fellow police officers to his prison buddy Caz, one of Brooklyn's most infamous drug dealers. When NYPD's Operation Clean Up targets the notoriously drug-ridden BK housing project, all three officers find themselves swept away by the violence and corruption of Brooklyn's gritty 65th Precinct and its most treacherous criminals.

The Cast: Jesse Williams, Lili Taylor, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Richard Gere, Wesley Snipes, Ellen Barkin, Robert John Burke, Sarah Thompson, Wass Stevens

The Web site: http://www.brooklynsfinestthemovie.com

The Trailer:

Green Zone

Opens: March 12th

The Movie: During the U.S.-led occupation of Baghdad in 2003, Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller and his team of Army inspectors were dispatched to find weapons of mass destruction believed to be stockpiled in the Iraqi desert. Rocketing from one booby-trapped and treacherous site to the next, the men search for deadly chemical agents but stumble instead upon an elaborate cover-up that inverts the purpose of their mission. Spun by operatives with intersecting agendas, Miller must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil for answers that will either clear a rogue regime or escalate a war in an unstable region. And, at this blistering time and in this combustible place, he will find the most elusive weapon of all is the truth.

The Cast: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Khalid Abdalla

The Web site: http://www.greenzonemovie.com

The Trailer:

Our Family Wedding

Opens: March 12th

The Movie: Lucia and Marcus learn the hard way that the path to saying "I do" can be rife with familial strife. When they return from college and suddenly announce their marriage plans, they discover that their competitive and egotistical fathers can wreak serious havoc on their special day. With insults flying and tempers running high, it's anyone's guess if the alpha dads will survive to make it down the aisle. Lucia's mother is planning "her" dream wedding and the only levelheaded one in the bunch is Angela, the groom's father's best friend and lawyer. With only weeks to plan their wedding, Lucia and Marcus soon discover the true meaning of love and find there is truth to the saying - that when you marry someone, you marry their entire family.

The Cast: Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Regina King, Hayley Marie Norman, Lance Gross, Mimi Michaels, Anna Maria Horsford, Carlos Mencia, Lupe Ontiveros, Diana-Maria Riva

The Web site: http://www.ourfamilyweddingmovie.com

The Trailer:

Remember Me

Opens: March 12th

The Movie: Tyler, a rebellious young man in New York City, has had a strained relationship with his father ever since tragedy separated their family. Tyler didn't think anyone could possibly understand what he was going through until the day he met Ally through an unusual twist of fate. Love was the last thing on his mind, but as her spirit unexpectedly heals and inspires him, he begins to fall for her. Through their love, he begins to find happiness and meaning in his life. But, soon, hidden secrets are revealed, and the circumstances that brought them together slowly threaten to tear them apart.

The Cast: Robert Pattinson, Emile de Ravin, Chris Cooper, Lena Olin, Pierce Brosnan

The Web site: http://www.Facebook.com/RememberMe

The Trailer:

She's Out Of My League

Opens: March 12th

The Movie: An average Joe, can't believe his luck. Although he's stuck in a seemingly dead-end job as an airport security agent, against all odds Molly, a successful and outrageously gorgeous babe falls for him. Kirk is stunned. So are his friends, his family and even his ex-girlfriend. Now, he has to figure out how to make the relationship work, even though he's the first to admit "She's Out of My League."

The Cast: Jasika Nicole, Jay Baruchel, Lindsay Sloane, Krysten Ritter, Mike Vogel, Geoff Stults, Nate Torrence, Hayes MacArthur, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller

The Web site: http://www.getyourrating.com

The Trailer:

Vote now! The poll will close on the evening of March 9th.

(Can't see the poll? Go to http://poll.fm/1mhmh)

Out @ The Wolfman Reviews

Thanks to everyone who was able to tear themselves away from the Olympics to come to Out @ The Wolfman.

Before we see what our moviegoers thought of The Wolfman, let's learn a little more about the movie. It's a re-make of a 1941 movie (The Wolf Man) - the first mainstream movie about werewolves. The cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving.

The plot:

"Lawrence Talbot's childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades trying to forget. When his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers. As he pieces together the gory puzzle, he hears of an ancient curse that turns the afflicted into werewolves when the moon is full. Talbot must destroy the vicious creature in the woods surrounding Blackmoor, but as he hunts for the nightmarish beast, a simple man with a tortured past will uncover a primal side to himself -- one he never imagined existed."

What did others think of The Wolfman? IMDB users gave it a 6.8 out of 10. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 32%.

And what did our moviegoers think?

• It was like Teen Wolf on acid. - Tara H
• Effects = 7. Movie ... owes me points. Wait for the video. - Kate K
• The few entertaining moments and special effects didn't make up for the plot and dialogue. - CathyT
• The parts with the wolf were bang-on. A refreshing change from shirtless body builders standing around. But the non-wolf parts needed some polishing. Plenty of gore and muttonchops! An enjoyable homage to the original. - Curtis L
• Loved the Special effects! the movie - not so much. - Lynn
• Some movies are "so bad they're good." This was just bad; full of plot holes and inconsistencies. Glad I had a free ticket and didn't pay to see it. - Kirk F
• Sigh - I give Wolfman 2 out of 5 silver bullets. - Laurie M

After the movie, there was (as usual) coffee and commentary at the Second Cup. It was a great opportunity to compare various theories on the filmmakers' approach. Though it was fairly universally agreed there were plot holes a'plenty!

We've been on a bit of a streak with scary-themed/type movies; December was Gremlins, January was Daybreakers and February was The Wolfman. What about March? Right now, there are four potential movies up for March 16:

• Alice in Wonderland
• Green zone
• Remember Me
• She's Out Of My League

That's it for now. See you next month!

Kirk

Out @ The Wolfman

You're invited to Out @ The Wolfman on Tuesday, February 16th at Park Lane!

With a whopping 44% of the vote, the Wolfman trounced the competition.

THE PLAN:

• 6:30 - we meet up by the arcade. Look for Kirk (the guy wearing an orange baseball cap and glasses).
• 6:45 - we head in to grab seats (and popcorn and pop and candy etc).
• 7:10 - the movie starts and we sit back and a man become a monster!
• 9:10ish - after the movie we head down to the Second Cup for some coffee and conversation.

Share this! Invite your friends to the facebook event (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=298938238009) or give them this blog post (http://bit.ly/auMtGu).

THE MOVIE: Lawrence Talbot's childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades trying to forget. When his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe, tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers. As he pieces together the gory puzzle, he hears of an ancient curse that turns the afflicted into werewolves when the moon is full. Talbot must destroy the vicious creature in the woods surrounding Blackmoor, but as he hunts for the nightmarish beast, a simple man with a tortured past will uncover a primal side to himself -- one he never imagined existed.

The cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving.

You can learn more about the movie @ http://www.thewolfmanmovie.com or IMDB.

THE MOTIVATION:

• Sir. Anthony. Hopkins.
• A modern re-make of one of the classic horror movie icons.
• Victorian repression for a werewolf?!
• I think we can all relate discovering something about ourselves others would want us to hide.
• Fun fact: Director Joe Johnston created the designs for Yoda and Boba Fett in the Star Wars movies in his days as an art director.

THE TRAILER:

See you at the theatre!

Kirk