spydey & the mrs. movie night reviews
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Another MCU adventure. The third Ant-Man movie was a much bigger endeavor for Marvel. The upped the budget for a CGI extravaganza and it was fun to see on the big screen What made the first two Ant-Man movies so fun was the comedy and smaller tight knit story. That's what was missing from this one. Marvel used this movie to kick off a new phase for the MCU introducing the big bad Kang in the movies. Kang was the ultimate baddie in the Loki TV show and now he's loose on the MCU. I'm not sure Ant-Man is the character to do that kind of introduction, but I liked the movie because I didn't expect too much. Where it got sideways, I chose to ignore that! The family? Not so much. I do hope they tighten up the stories going forward in this phase.
Spydey 8/10, the Mrs. 7/10, the Rowan 7/10, and the Lincoln 9/10
2/21/23
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
We're an MCU family and usually hit the theaters when the new movies come out. We missed seeing the second Black Panther in the theaters and caught it on Disney+ for our family Valentine's Day. Of course, a lot of the visuals would have been much better on the big screen. This movie had a tough job to tell a story after Chadwick Boseman's death, and for the most part is accomplished that. Namor, the baddie in this flick, is a powerful character in the comics but I do not think they captured his full story in this movie. It felt there were a lot of leaps on who exactly he was for his people vs. the bad guy for Wakanda. It was a long movie too, so more could have been done to tell his story better where I actually cared about him. We love the Wakandans, especially Winston Duk'es M'Baku, and their character development was good with them having to carry the heavy load of losing T'Challa. All of these characters will be back and I wonder how they all fit in with Kang, who's coming.
Spydey 8/10, the Mrs. 9/10, the Rowan 9/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
2/14/23
Thor: Love and Thunder
Back in the swing or things with Marvel and Thor. Went on a family movie night and we really enjoyed it. I will admit it wasn't as good as the last Thor movie, but it was different this time around. Lots of changes after the Avenger movies so it was good to see Thor move on from that into something new. The bad guy was a good one from the comics, but not as nasty as the comics. We'll watch again now that it's on Disney+.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, the Rowan 9/10, and the Lincoln 9/10
7/10/22
Top Gun: Maverick
The kids saw this before us and loved it! They went to IMAX and it was like being in the plane. They hadn't seen the first one, yet, so this was the first taste of the Top Gun world for them. They're hooked. I'll have to finish this review after Brooke and I get out to see this one.
Update: We finally got to stream this on Paramount+ and I wish we'd have hit the theaters! We both loved this movie and it was so much better than the first one. Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10.
Rowan 10/10 (she said 16/10 which was an old school Lincoln ranking) and the Lincoln 10/10
6/12/22
Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
We saw this opening weekend in IMAX. It was a very different Marvel movie adventure with it's touch of horror in the story. It reminded me of what a true Dr. Strange comic book was, a little crazy and weird with a lot of different colorful worlds and loads of danger. Rowan said that some parts were gross and the jump scares kept you on your toes. It moves the Marvel story along by including the developments that Disney+ series have brought to the universe. We'll be watching this one again on the streamer.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, the Rowan 9/10, the Xzaden 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
5/10/22
Uncharted
We saw this one on a rainy Spring Break day in Florida. It was a fun adventure movie for this type of day. A nonsensical, inspired by a video game movie with two lead actors that are fun to watch: Mark Wahlberg and Tom Holland. Just sit back and enjoy the ride, don't think too much! There may be more of these because I think it did pretty well at the box office.
Spydey 7/10, the Mrs. 8/10, the Rowan 8/10, and the Lincoln 9/10
4/6/22
No Time To Die
We had a Spring Break movie by finally watching the latest James Bond movie. We watched this one as a family on our first vacation night. The action scenes were classic Bond and very well done. The cars were amazing and the plane at the end that took him to the final location was just super cool. This was a very different Bond movie and I'll leave it there so I can don't spoilery. It was a great swan song for Daniel Craig as 007. As usual, can't wait for the next one!
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, and the Lincoln9/10
4/2/22
Jujutsu Kaizen 0: The Movie
Guest review by Rowan: My mom took me to see an animated movie I was looking forward to seeing for a while. I am really interested in this manga and animated series. I thought it was really cool they put the first book into a movie instead of a television season. The animation was perfect and the story was even better. It created amazing suspense with a conclusion rather than continuing the story into the show. I would 100% recommend watching this movie and it will be great to watch again at home. Theater viewing with my mom was a much greater experience though!
Rowan 10/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
3/26/22
CODA
This was our first Academy nominated movie of the season on family movie night. It was a tear jerker with lots of adult themes from a HS student's perspective. We really enjoyed it and recommend a viewing on Apple+. I really liked the father and his perfomance has garnered him a Best Supporting Actor nom. All of the deaf characters are portrayed by deaf actors. Lots of funny parts with a bittersweet ending.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 10/10, and the Rowan 10/10
3/12/22
Spider-Man: No Way Home
The first family movie night at the theaters is a very long time! I'm sure most of you can relate. We picked the right movie at the right time too. The Sheridan family were the ONLY ones in the theater on this Thursday night, the first time that's every happened to me. We loved this movie. If you knew the whole Spider-Man feature film history from 2001's Spider-Man with Tobey McGuire through this one, you were in for a treat. The melding of all the storylines and why it needed to happen this way was a great ride. Adding in Dr. Strange kept the MCU stoyline engaged and setup his next movie too. It's might be too late to see this in the theaters, and it's best viewed there but we can't wait to watch this again from home.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
2/10/22
Black Widow
We waited until this was streamed on Disney+ with a standard subscription. We watched together as a family on a unique movie night. It was well accepted by the whole group. It was an interesting approach to an origin movie for an Avenger and well done. The story was good and the characters in Black Widow's past were well crafted. It was a good send off for her character.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Rowan 10/10 and the Lincoln 10/10
10/9/21
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
This was the movie that got Lincoln and I back in the theaters and we were glad we did. When this was released on Disney+, we all sat down for another family movie night to watch it again. Lincoln said that for the movie, the theater made a big difference with how the movie felt. The sound in the theater was amazing. I really loved how they created the characters to build into the story. Shang Chi and Katie are so much fun to go on this journey with. There were many funny moments and lots of great Marvel action. It will be fun to see what they do with Shang Chi and Katie going forward in the MCU.
Spydey 10/10 and the Lincoln 10/10
9/4/21
WW84
We saw our second home theater release with the new Wonder Woman movie. Started out OK, ran into several issues throughout, and the ending was a confusing mess. Wonder Woman is a great character played by an actress Gal Gadot that fits the role. The story just had too many holes and the CGI at the end was just bad, especially the Cheetah. Glad we saw this at home and not in the theaters.
Spydey 6/10 and the Mrs. 5/10
1/23/21
Soul
As a family, we watched a newly released streaming Pixar movie for Christmas. We really enjoyed it! The Pixar animation is so beautiful and easy to watch. This movie was a more adult version of the Pixar movie Inside Out. Both movies were created and directed by the same guy, Pete Doctor. The concepts for Soul were a bit deeper and needed more adult experience to fully understand. I think the kids liked it, but they did lose focus at times. You can watch this on Disney+ and we do recommend it.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Rowan 8/10, and the Lincoln 8/10
12/25/20
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Time to close the latest chapter in the original Star Wars saga. We've recently gotten hooked on The Mandalorian, so we were eager to see this movie too. It's getting mixed reviews and frankly, I'm not sure what everyone expected! It delivers the goods. Sure there were some scenes I felt could have been completely left out, but for the most part it completes the Star Wars story I started in 1977. There was awesome action pieces and several laugh out loud parts. The Force interactions between characters was tough to keep track of sometimes and some scenes were very darkly lit, tough to see. We all really did enjoy ourselves and I'm glad we got out to see this holiday movie.
Spydey 7/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
12/23/19
Spider-Man: Far from Home
The last movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon, and it was a good one. Took what happened in Endgame and showed the reactions that movies conclusions had on the world. It was a well built movie with a good story. They did a great job with the bad guy Mysterio's powers. His ability to alter what people believe is their reality was close to how the Disney XD Spider-Man cartoon did when Mysterio was the bad guy. I thought that was pretty cool. Can't wait to see Peter Parker's next adventure.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 9/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
7/7/19
Toy Story 4
What a great edition to the Poncho's Pond vacation movie list! We had another rainy day in Michigan and this was the perfect movie for the day. This year we could all go the same movie too. It was fun to see our toy friends again and their new adventure was pretty crazy. Woody has a way of trying to do the right thing, but ultimately creating a total mess. Then the crew comes together to clean it up. This one was more Woody than anyone else. A Woody swan song. We loved it. Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, the Rowan 9/10, and the Lincoln 9/10 6/27/19 Avengers: Endgame The movie we've been waiting a year for and it didn't disappoint. I was long, but I'm not sure what they could have cut to shorten it up. All scenes played apart in finishing the 10-year MCU story. We all went the first time to see it and then Lincoln and I went again a few weeks later. There was things we didn't notice on the first viewing. It'll be interesting to see where the story goes from here for the MCU, but the Avengers as we've known them have been changed forever. It was a well done good-bye.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
4/30/19
A Dog's Journey
This was another edition in the Grandma Movie Day. Rowan really wanted to see this movie, so the group went. The conclusion I've heard was that it was quite a sad movie. The way the story's told requires the dog to die, which can be difficult to watch over and over! If they had another chance to pick a movie, I think they would have seen something else.
Grandma 6/10, the Rowan 8/10, and the Lincoln 7/10
5/20/19
Shazam!
Rowan really wanted to see this movie as she's a Zachary Levi fan, so we went as a family. It's a different kind of super hero movie, but being a DC one they did a pretty good job with it. DC movies have been mostly miss than hit, however we think this one was a hit. There was a few scary parts that the kids weren't ready for, but it added depth to the type of evil that Shazam! was facing. I definitely see a sequel coming for this one.
Spydey 7/10, the Mrs. 8/10, the Rowan 9/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
4/13/19
Captain Marvel
This was a birthday family movie outing for the Mrs. We'd been waiting for this movie since Infinity War ended last Spring. It was an entertaining flick packed with action scenes and back stories for the main characters. Loved the fill in on Fury's character and the MCU origin story for Captain Marvel. I felt they could have trimmed the movie by 15-20 minutes to tighten up the story. The Mrs. said it was perfect and the kids loved it too. I definitely would like to see it again. After the extra scenes, we're ready for Avengers: Endgame in 6 weeks.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
3/16/19
Aquaman
Lincoln and I caught this flick on probably it's last weekend in the theaters. My brother told me that it was a good time and best seen on the big screen. After seeing the crazy battle scenes, I can agree with that statement, as it's much better on a bigger format. I went in with seriously low expectations because DC movies move way too fast to build their characters. For what Marvel would take 3-4 movies, DC tries to do it in 20 minutes. There was lots of comic book movie stuff for sure. Aquaman Jason Momoa carries this movie so much that when he's on the screen, it's a more fun movie. Not much else to talk about with the other characters as they're pretty shallow. Lincoln LOVED this movie and I think it was made for him!
Spydey 7/10 and the Lincoln 10/10
3/2/19
Ralph Breaks the Internet
This was a treat movie hosted by Heritage Elementary rewarding Rowan for her great behavior. That's a pretty cool bonus for being an awesome student! Rowan said she liked the movie, but it had some scary parts and was not as good as the first one. She told the rest of us we could wait to see this at home.
UPDATE: We've all seen this one now and we all agree it's not nearly as good as the original!
Rowan 7/10
2/26/19
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
A very satisfying end to the Dragon story we started with Rowan over 8 years ago. We had the whole family and included our stuffed animal dragons we've collected over the years. I didn't think it was the best of the three, but as a concluding movie for the dragon story, it hit the mark. The kids LOVED this movie and are a little upset it's come to an end. The movie inspired a dragon drawing session and play acting with our dragon friends upon our return home.
Spydey 8/10, the Mrs. 8/10, the Rowan 10/10 and the Lincoln 10/10
2/24/19
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Kids went to this one on President's Day with their Nana and Papa. Both said that it was a good movie but it wasn't as good as the first one. Asked Papa what he thought. He said, "it's talking blocks." LOL
Rowan 7/10, the Lincoln 7/10, the Nana 7/10, and the Papa 6/10
2/18/19
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Took Lincoln out for this one and we all loved it! Some new animation sure helped keep you engaged. I think this would be best viewed at the movie theater, not sure if the animation and colors will come across as well on a smaller screen. What a great way to introduce the Myles Morales Spider-Man. Also, if you've seen any of the Disney XD Spider-Man shows, that would help too as I already knew about the Spider-Verse. Let's face it, Spider-Pig, if unknown, is quite a shock. However the film makers incorporated all the different Spider-Man characters seamlessly. They have lots of room to make more of these in the future too.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
2/16/19
Mary Poppins Returns
The Grandma Movie Day (GMD) is back! This time Brooke joined in for the trip to see the new Mary Poppins movie. Everyone agreed this was a magical movie. Brooke loved every moment of it and the kids couldn't agree more. Grandma said this was by far the best GMD so far.
Brooke 10/10, the Rowan 10/10, the Lincoln 10/10, and the Grandma 10/10
12/29/18
The Grinch
The second Grandma Movie Day was a remake of the Grinch. This movie was another good choice, however I think they liked the TV one a little better.
Rowan 7/10, the Lincoln 8/10, and the Grandma 7/10
11/17/18
The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Grandma has started a monthly movie adventure for her and the kiddos. This was the first one and both of them really liked it. I think there were some scary parts of Lincoln, but overall a good choice.
Rowan 8/10, the Lincoln 9/10, and the Grandma 8/10
10/6/18
Christopher Robin
This is the story of an older Christopher Robin being visited by his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. Rowan was treated to this movie by big Pooh fan Grandma. Rowan says the movie is quite emotional with a few turns but really loved it. So did Grandma.
Rowan 8/10 and the Grandma 8/10
8/10/18
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Another Nana and Papa movie adventure for Rowan and Lincoln. I thought this might be a little too scary, but was informed that it wasn't. Nana and Papa were quite entertained and loved the cinematography. Papa said the story was as you'd expect from the previous Jurassic movies. Rowan and Lincoln of course love it and were back to playing with old dinosaur toys upon their return home.
Rowan 9/10, the Lincoln 9/10, the Nana 9/10, and the Papa 8/10
8/7/18
Mission Impossible: Fallout
I was excited to see this movie at the beginning of the summer. That only increased with its trailers were released. It totally lived up to billing. What a ride! The Mission Impossible series only got stronger with this one. Loved the way they continued story lines from previous movies. Action scenes were as you'd expect from MI, top notch. Rogue Nation and Ghost Protocol are reviewed in the Previous Movie Reviews with solid 9/10s. So it's no surprise about Fallout.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
7/31/18
Teen Titans Go to the Movies
Spydey and the Mrs. got out of this one as Nana and Papa took the kids during vacation week. The scores are generational as Rowan loved the movie with Nana and Papa a firm "meh". I will say that Papa laughed when retelling some parts of the movie. I think it was enjoyable, but since they didn't know background it wasn't as much fun.
Rowan 9/10, the Lincoln 7/10, the Nana 5/10, and the Papa 6/10
7/31/18
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Boys day at the movies for this one. The Lincoln joined Spydey for a Marvel afternoon matinée. I really enjoyed the second Ant-Man movie the same way I enjoyed the first one. A much smaller, tight knit start and finish story. There were several parts where I laughed out loud in the theater. Some really funny lines. There connections to the MCU, but only as a back story. I look forward to seeing these characters again.
Spydey 9/10 and the Lincoln 9/10
7/8/18
The Incredibles 2
On a quiet summer day, the Mrs. and the kiddos went to check this one out in a matinée. They were very happy they did! It took a while to wait for the second installment, but it was worth it.
The Mrs. 10/10, the Lincoln 9/10, and the Rowan 10/10
6/22/18
Avengers: Infinity War
The Mrs. and I saw this opening week and I thought it was one of the best Marvel movies ever. Action packed and they did an excellent job of incorporating all the different characters from all the movies into one huge extravaganza! This is the darkest Marvel movie so far and it's not a happy ending, so prepare yourself. I'm sure we'll be buying this on when it's released on iTunes. Can't wait for the conclusion next summer.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10 Second viewing with Spydey: the Lincoln 10/10
5/3/18
A Wrinkle in Time
The Mrs. and the kids went to see this one at the new Decatur movie theater. The kids didn't really like it that much. It was too weird for them they thought. I think they had a good time at the movies with mom, but didn't enjoy the movie that much.
The Mrs. 7/10, the Lincoln 6/10, and the Rowan 6/10
Peter Rabbit
Rowan went with her classmates as a special treat for good behavior. Her review: I liked how they made the animals be able to talk with live action actors as well. Other movies have trouble with that, this movie didn't. I loved the animation for Peter and his friends. The story was great and I really liked how it went. I recommend this movie highly!
The Rowan 10/10
3/5/18
Black Panther
Valentine's date night for the new Marvel movie. What a great time we had! We loved this movie and it was especially amazing in IMAX. An opening night viewing is so different than any other night. The audience was pumped and ready for a great show, and Black Panther didn't disappoint. I think we'll be seeing this again with the kids at some point. We would recommend seeing this in the theaters as the scenery on the big screen is awesome.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
2/16/18
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
We finally got out to see the latest Start Wars movie. I found myself a little frustrated with several scenes in the movie, but it was a good story. Brooke loved it from the start and I think both of us would be up for a second viewing. I think we'll see with kids in our own living room as the running time is just too much for Lincoln.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
1/12/18
Thor: Ragnarok
Took Lincoln on opening night and loved it. Fun story from beginning to end, enough to take Rowan as a family a week later. Recommend highly. Update: We bought this on iTunes as soon as it came out.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Lincoln 10/10, and the Rowan 10/10
11/4/17
Ferdinand
Nana and Papa took the kiddos to this one in the theaters. Rowan liked the animation but felt the story was just OK. Her favorite character was the Goat. Lincoln liked the movie. He thought it was pretty fun.
Rowan 8/10 and the Lincoln 8/10
12/16/17
Coco
Rowan went to this movie with Lincoln and other family. Spydey and the Mrs. were working. Rowan says that the movie was weird. She didn't like the skeleton animation and there was a lot of that! She knows that many people loved this Pixar movie, but she's sticking with Wall-E as her favorite. She also likes to watch Ratatouille with her dad.
Update: Rowan has since seen this again at a Girl Scout event. She liked the movie better the second time.
Rowan 7/10 and the Lincoln 8/10
11/25/17
The Lego Ninjago Movie
We had planned on going to the IU game, but it was so hot we decided to have a family day at the movies. Luck for us, this movie was released that weekend. Unlucky for us, it was completely different than the animated series we all love on TV. Because of that, I didn't care for this movie. I think the kids were entertained, but if it continued the story and relationships from the series, it would have been so much better.
Spydey 6/10, the Mrs. 6/10, the Rowan 6/10 and the Lincoln 6/10
9/23/17
Wonder Woman
This was our anniversary movie when we had some extra time at the end of the night. We both wanted to see it as it'd been getting great write ups after it's release. We both liked it, the Mrs. more than I. She loved the female character and her interactions with the other characters. I too liked the characters, especially Wonder Woman and her team on the battlefield. I did not like the last 30 minutes of CGI heavy action for the sake of CGI. It was just too much after they had set the scene the whole movie with low key CGI. I felt that was typical DC Comic movie traps they fall into. It is the best DC Comic movie, but let's be honest, that's not saying much.
Spydey 7/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
8/19/17
The Emoji Movie
Walked into the theatre for this one somewhat reluctantly. I knew critics slammed it, and half my family had gone to Dunkirk. With that said, i was pleasantly surprised. As an apple geek and app fanatic (let's face it, some have change life as we know it), I enjoyed all the tech references and laughed out loud a few times. The characters were endearing, the music fun, and the story line was original and unpredictable. UPDATE: Rowan watched this again and decided it wasn't so good. She changed her rating from a 6.
The Mrs. 8/10 the Rowan 1/10
Dunkirk
I saw this on a rainy vacation afternoon because I just know it'll be one talked about during award season. It was a tight 90 minute movie with a great story and actors. Very well done. The sound was the best for all the close quarters. How to show the movie with settings on the beach, air, and sea were excellent. I suggest watching this movie and looking up the history of the Battle of Dunkirk.
Spydey 9/10
8/4/17
Spider-Man: Homecoming
I couldn't be more happy they rebooted this again. This was by far the best Spider-Man movie of them all. Took what makes the character great in the comics or on animated TV and did it on the big screen. We splurged with a gift card for IMAX 3D and it was well worth it. Michael Keaton as the Vulture was a great villain.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
7/9/17
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Yet again we were pleased by the new Marvel movie. I thought the first movie really made you care about the characters and their relationship with each other. This story continues to build on this while adding new elements. Can't wait to see where this group goes next: Avengers 3.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
5/9/17
Power Rangers
Lincoln had to see this movie in the theaters, so he and I took in a matinée. I thought that for being a Power Ranger movie, they did a pretty good job. Have Bryan Cranston and Elisabeth Banks helped. Lincoln used a iTunes gift card to get this for his collection at home.
Spydey 7/10 and the Lincoln 16/10
4/2/17
The Lego Batman Movie
The new installment in the Lego series. Took the kids to see this on a matinée Sunday. The kids were so excited and loved it. I liked the movie as it was entertaining, but it wasn't as good for me as the original Lego movie. I think there were some slow parts, but Lincoln remained engaged for the whole movie. In the previews, there was a trailer for Ninjago, and that looks pretty good.
Spydey 8/10, the Rowan 10/10 and the Lincoln 10/10
3/4/17
La La Land
We loved this movie. I thought the start was interesting but kinda slow. Once Ryan Gosling's character Sabastian showed up, it was full speed ahead! I've said before that if a movie pops back into your head days later, then that's a good movie. This movie has been popping up in my thoughts since I left the theater. It's fun and it makes you think. Lots of emotion and two stars in Gosling and Stone carry the day. I highly recommend this movie.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
2/14/17
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
This was the annual Sheridan family movie this Christmas. It was a good adventure and I liked it. I did think there were some issues with the story and pace oft he movie, but not enough to change how much I enjoyed it when done. This has me waiting in anticipation for the Han Solo and Boba Fett Star Wars stories that will be coming soon. Rowan really loved her first Start Wars movie in the theaters.
Update: Used some Christmas money to get this one on iTunes.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, and the Rowan 10/10
12/23/16
Moana
We love this movie. Bought it on iTunes when it came out.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
12/5/16
Doctor Strange
The next Marvel installment moved everything forward and created a whole new line of story. Benedict Cumberbatch was awesome as Stephen Strange. Well paced and exciting story kept you wanting more. Looking forward to where they take this character in the whole scheme of things.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
11/13/16
Secret Life of Pets
This was a fun movie. We made a family night of it and the kids had a great time. They love animals so this was right up their alley. Rowan liked the fat cat and thought she was really funny. Lincoln enjoyed the new big dog. Of course he gave the movie a 16 again!
Spydey 8/10, the Mrs. 9/10, the Rowan 10/10 and the Lincoln 16/10
8/2/16
Finding Dory
Rowan and Lincoln went with Nana to watch this movie. Lincoln says that this movie is "Daddy, a 16!" I think that means he really liked it. His favorite part was when Dory found her family, hope that doesn't spoil it for you! Rowan: the movie was great but she wanted less human characters in it. She liked to just have the animals. Her favorite part was the whale that always bumped into walls. Nana felt it was as good as Finding Nemo, she loved it.
Update: Bought this on iTunes with some Christmas cash. We've watched it again several times.
The Nana 10/10, the Rowan 10/10 and the Lincoln 16/10
6/23/16
Captain America: Civil War
Another great movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I really liked how it continued the stories began in the very first Cap movie The First Avenger. Significant character changes for many of your favorites. It'll be interesting to see how they play out through Infinity War. Really looking forward to the new Black Panther and second Ant Man movie now. Update: Bought this on iTunes as soon as we could. Watched with the kids in a parental advisory way. They, of course, loved it.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
5/13/16
Zootopia
The Mrs. says it's a very good movie with an excellent message. Lincoln says "it's a 16!" Rowan says there were some scary parts and didn't have enough excitingness. Review the Review: Rowan said that in hindsight the movie was actually better than she thought. She wanted to adjust her review up.
Update: Spydey saw this one when it was released on DVD. Love this movie and pulling for it to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar.
Update: Oscar Winner!
Spydey 9/10, The Mrs. 9/10, the Rowan 9/10 and the Lincoln 16/10
3/19/16
Kung Fu Panda 3
Rowan said her favorite part was when Po turned into the Master Warrior. It's Lincoln's favorite part too. The Mrs. loved this movie and her favorite part was when Po rolled down the hill. We might get this one at some point.
Update: Spydey saw this on Netflix and loved it. These KFP movies are just lots of fun.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, the Rowan 10/10 and the Lincoln 10/10
3/5/16
Deadpool
Awesome. Totally awesome. As many outlets have reported, this R rated superhero movie was an anomaly. One I hope Hollywood chooses to repeat with other titles. Comics are more that PG13 faire. Can't wait for Deadpool 2.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
2/12/16
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
This movie was worth the wait of 30 years. Very similar in story and pace with the original Star Wars: A New Hope, but enough of it was different to get this new trilogy off to a great start. The emotional finish was very impactful.
Update: Got this on iTunes the day it came out. Watched with kids together and they loved it. Already have Ray and Kylo costumes.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
1/20/16
The Good Dinosaur
Rowan says this was good but there was some bad. There were some sad parts too and she was indifferent to it. Lincoln liked the part where the good dinosaur met his cave man buddy. He also liked when he found his family. Probably won't own this one. The Mrs. said "meh." and wasn't very original. Review the Review: After seeing more animated movies, this one took a hit. Both R & L thought less of this movie as time went on.
The Mrs. 6/10, the Rowan 6/10, and the Lincoln 6/10
12/14/15
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Another great addition to the MI reboot that got started with Ghost Protocol. We sat there thinking "how do they come up with this stuff!" several times during the quick 2 hour movie. Very well done with great action and even character development. Such a fun movie and who doesn't want to have fun at the movies?!?
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
8/19/15
Ant-Man
Was a little worried about this one as this isn't a character I read any comics on growing up. No need to worry, it was a really fun time and Paul Rudd was awesome as Ant-Man and it'll be great to have him in more Marvel movies going forward. Update: Bought it on iTunes for a snow day!
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
7/30/15
Minions
Brooke took the kids for the first viewing and then Nana and Papa took them for another viewing.
Rowan 10/10 and the Lincoln 10/10 and the Mom 6/10 and the Nana 5/10 and the Papa 1/10
7/11/15
Inside Out
Wow, what a great movie. Just really well done and had me enjoying it in my adult way as Rowan enjoyed it in her kid way. We'll be buying this one when it comes out.
Update: Bought it on iTunes for Valentine's Day!
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10 and the Rowan 10/10 and the Lincoln 7/10
6/20/15
Avengers: Age of Ultron
We waited in heavy anticipation for this one and it didn't disappoint. I thought it moved the Marvel Cinematic Universe forward and gave you something to look forward to for the next Captain America movie as well as the other Avengers movies. Review is pretty late so you've already probably seen this and if not, you should. We'll own it.
Update: Brought this on iTunes with some Christmas cash.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
5/2/15
Birdman
We rented this one prior to the Oscars and enjoyed it. I'm still not sure exactly how to take the ending, but it was a fun ride. Michael Keaton really carried this movie and was very good. The supporting cast was a great fit for the film and the way they shot it as one long take was incredible to watch. The Mrs. would have given Grand Budapest Hotel the top Oscar but agreed that this was a good flick too.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
2/20/15
The Grand Budapest Hotel
It's Oscar time! We DVR'd this one off a free weekend of HBO. Very enjoyable movie with lots of crazy sets and characters, which is par for the course on a Wes Anderson flick. If you get a chance, I'd check this one out before the Oscar telecast. It was nominated for 9 of them.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
1/20/15
Big Hero 6
Another kids movie and a good one. Wasn't sure what to expect as it's a Marvel property done by parent Disney. They did it right. Baymax was a great protagonist and someone the kids could really root for. It had a great story and totally setup for more movies in the future. Watch this one on DVD, or borrowit from us cause I'm sure we'll own it.Update: Got this on iTunes for a movie night and bought it.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
11/7/14
Edge of Tomorrow
I really wanted to see this movie. It's gotten great reviews and looked like a great story and adventure. We took it in at the discount theater and really enjoyed it. The Mrs. was surprised how much she did like it. It's an action sci-fi flick with a Groundhog Day theme but nothing like you've seen before. A true original story. See this one on DVD when you can.
Update: bought this for $10 in Walmart movie bin at Christmas.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
8/19/14
Guardians of the Galaxy
What a great movie. We were really looking forward to this one. They did a great job of introducing this strange band of characters and we were rooting for them immediately. The story was well done and worked well into the Marvel Cinema Universe. Really looking forward to Avengers 2 next summer now.
Update: we own it.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
8/9/14
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Another daddy movie date with Rowan and Lincoln. They could not wait for this movie! The themes in this one are deeper and a bit darker than the first one. Hiccup has grown up and finds a new family member that adds a whole 'nother level to the story. There's one big loss in the movie that I thought was just too much. Rowan handled it better than dad did! This was the first movie Lincoln lasted in his seat the whole time. We'll be getting the DVD when it comes out.
Update: of course we got this on DVD right away.
Spydey 9/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 10/10
6/21/14
X-Men: Days of Future Past
What a great movie! They've done so well with the new cast and then to roll them into the old cast with a great story straight from the comic pages. Perfection. Setting the story in the 70's was done really well with the music and the styles. Then the future parts were done well too and you felt the danger that the X-Men were in. Can't wait for the next installment due summer 2016. See this in the theaters!
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
6/5/14
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Round two on the reboot of Spider-Man with Sony Pictures. It was well done and the action scenes were quite amazing. We saw it in IMAX 3D, and that really took those scenes to another level. Not sure it's needed to enjoy the movie, but we like to take in the full theater experience. I thought they did a great job with Electro and Jamie Foxx looked like he was having a great time with the role. I could have had less lovey dovey stuff, but that's the parts that made the movie better for Brooke. To each his own I guess. I did say to Travis and I wish Marvel Studios had this franchise, I'd like to see what they could do with it.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
5/3/14
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Great next step in the Marvel Studios run and a really awesome movie. The characters are from comic books but this was so much more than a comic book movie. The action pieces were amazing and I thought the espionage parts were really well done. The movie doesn't spend a lot of time messing around, it gets down to business and continues through the full two hours. This is a must see in the theaters and I can't wait until Avengers 2 next summer!
Update: bought this one with some Christmas cash
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
4/6/14
Mr. Peabody and Sherman
Daddy movie day with Rowan and Lincoln. We checked out the new animated movie from Dreamworks because Rowan wouldn't stop talking about it. It was just a bit over the top for Lincoln, but Rowan loved it (and the popcorn). I thought it was OK and felt we could have done it on DVD later, but with matinee prices and Lincoln free it wasn't too bad on the wallet. We did have a lot of fun together.
Spydey 7/10, the Rowan 10/10, and the Lincoln 9/10
3/22/14
Gravity
Of course it's Oscar time and we need to rent one Oscar Best Picture nominated movie to watch the week of the show, right? We picked this one cause it was short and we could knock it out for a not so late night. We liked it but I was glad we both saw it for a rental and not full theater price. There were some gaps in the character setup but the visuals were amazing. I recommend a rental for sure. Decide on whether Bullock's character should have even been on the mission yourself. I say, no.
Spydey 7/10 and the Mrs. 7/10
2/28/2014
Lego Movie
Our Valentine's Day family movie. Hit the matinee with the whole family. Linco lasted about an hour before he needed a break, but Rowan loved the whole thing. It was well done for kids and adults. The story had a great ending and is well setup for a sequel. Lots of good humor throughout.
Spydey, the Mrs., the Rowan and the Lincoln all with 10/10
2/14/2014
Frozen
Took Rowan to this one and we loved it! Already made the digital copy purchase on iTunes the day it came out. Rowan and Lincoln sing the songs together in the car on the way to school. I liked how they flipped the script on Disney princess movies. Strong female characters as well as solid male characters. A movie boys and girls can enjoy.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 10/10 and the Rowan 10/10
12/8/2013
Thor: The Dark World
We're big Marvel fans and haven't missed one yet. Used to catch these flicks with Travis but lately it's been the Mrs. and I getting out to see them. We liked this Thor better than the first one they did for him. Maybe it was the fact we knew more about him from the Avengers movies and with Loki a main character again, we had an affinity with the characters. We'll probably own this one at some point.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
11/8/2013
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Since we've both read the books, we continued seeing the movies. This one was less a surprise and more expected to be pretty good. Stuck to the book very well and set up the story for the two conclusion movies coming. We liked it quite a bit!
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
11/22/2013
The Wolverine
This was our anniversary movie, what a great Mrs. I have! This go around for the Wolverine was much better than the original story that came out a few years ago. I liked the Japan settings and they did a good job getting their Japanese culture references correct. The bad guy had a nice twist and we thought it was a good time. Worth renting or streaming if you can.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
8/19/13
Despicable Me 2
We had to go see this one with Rowan. She's had the first movie on continuous play from the moment we got it on iTunes. We really loved this movie, it was such a good time! They do a great job with Gru and the kids and of course the Minion. Just know that there's a third one coming at some point. If you didn't see this in the theaters, shame on you! Definitely check it out on DVD. I know when they release it, we'll own it.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, and the Rowan 10/10
7/20/13
Monsters University
Summer Pixar flick and Rowan was ready to go. She was very familiar with the main characters of Sully and Mike. Took Sully a while to show up, so she kept asking about him. They did a great job of showing just how they met and got to know each other. I thought it was great Pixar storytelling. Some will complain about no 'original' story, but it was well done. Rent this for sure.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, and the Rowan 10/10
6/27/13
Iron Man 3
Great way to get the summer movie season started! We were so ready for this flick after last summer's Avengers movie. They had a bit of the aftermath of that movie written into the Tony Stark character, but it really was a new story for Iron Man. Loved the new suits and how they worked and really enjoyed the action. Wasn't much of a comic book bad guy, the Extremis was more the bad guy. Rent this!
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
5/13/13
Man of Steel
I saw the reviews and wondered what's wrong with this movie. After I saw the movie, I wonder what's wrong with those reviewers? It's a fun ride and a well done reboot of the Superman story. Good actors in all the right places and very well setup for the next installment. Should have no problem getting the Justice League off the ground too.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
7/4/13
Wreck-It Ralph
We'd been reading great things about this movie and wanted to compare it with Brave as Best Animated Feature. We watched it with Rowan on Sunday before the Oscars and we loved it. Great story and fun characters. Written in the same Toy Story vein but from a video game perspective. Rowan has watched some of this movie every day since. We got it for the iPad, so she's a master of it now. Rent this one if you can.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 9/10, and the Rowan 10/10
2/24/13
Argo
We rented this one on our Apple TV the weekend of the Oscars. Figured it was going to win the Best Picture and wanted to see it before it did. Very intense movie with great acting and good story. Even if you know how it all plays out, there are several times in the movie where the suspense is such that you're not sure how they get out of it. I'm not sure the Mrs. would have voted it the Best Picture, she's partial to Django. I think it deserved the Best Picture nod for the year and I'm glad we saw it before the award show.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
2/22/13
Silver Linings Playbook
We wanted to get out and see this on before the Oscar telecast. It was a great date movie for us and we really liked the characters and their interaction with each other. It had enough for each of us to enjoy our own aspects of the date movie. I suggest checking this one out if you get a chance. Well done flick.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
2/17/13
Django Unchained
Kind of interesting how we saw this one. I knew from Travis that it was a violent and foul mouthed movie, but it is Tarantino. The movie we were going to see was sold out, so we turned to this one as a back up. Glad we did. A tough part of American history told through the crazy mind of Quentin. As always, he gets the best from his actors and they delivered. It gets a little messy and campy at the end, but the payoff is worth is. Don't know if I'll watch again, but I suggest you do at least once.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
1/13/13
Lincoln
Had to see this one, right? I mean our son's name is Lincoln! Great history movie. You'd think it'd be slow and plodding, but it wasn't. The movie moved at a brisk pace and told a great American political story that I never knew. It's the last few months of Lincoln's life and the assassination is at the end, but it's a very small part. Daniel Day-Lewis will take another Oscar here, but not sure about the other noms it got. Rent this and you'll enjoy it.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
11/20/12
Skyfall
The best Bond movie I've ever seen. If they're going to hand out 10, then this movie should have gotten a Best Picture nomination. They've revived the Bond franchise and it's set to run for the next one coming out. Great villain makes a good Bond flick and this one had it. Good back story from Bond's life and then just great storytelling. The Mrs. would tell you that the Adele theme song sealed it too. Excellent flick, definitely rent this. We might even buy it.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
11/12/12
Looper
One of the best movies of 2012 I saw. I liked the trailers that were on TV and thought it sounded like a good adventure story. It sure was. I highly recommend this movie. There's great acting and an amazing story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing all the way to the end.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
9/30/12
The Dark Knight Rises
A very satisfying, amazing, incredible finish to the Christopher Nolan Batman series. What a great movie! I feel like I need to get out and see this again in the theaters. We saw it in IMAX and that's the way to go. Nolan didn't shoot this in 3D, which was fine by me. Didn't need it. It was a great story to tell and I was a bit sad that it's over. We'll see if they can continue with this series or reboot again in a few years.
Spydey 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
7/22/12
The Amazing Spider-Man
As you can tell by the name of my site, I'm a huge Spider-Man fan. He's my favorite by far. This movie is not. I kind of wish they'd have took the year off and waited for Avengers and Dark Knight to run their course, because this was not up to those standards. It was a serviceable reboot of the Spider-Man series, but they have some work to do for the next few. Won't be owning this one on DVD.
Spydey 7/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
7/7/12
Brave
Our first movie with Rowan and it was a good one. Pixar did a great job with their first movie with a female lead character and that made for a great first theater movie for Rowan. She did a great job with her popcorn, soda, and watching the movie. There were a few scary parts, but for the most part it was just a well done Pixar flick. Definitely worth a viewing at home and we'll probably be getting this DVD when it comes out. Rowan already has an Apple app downloaded on the iPad.
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 10/10, and the Rowan 10/10
6/24/12
The Hunger Games
We're in on the Hunger Games. I actually read the book prior to seeing the movie. Brooke started after we went and we're both about done with the series. This movie was very close to the book, which was nice. A lot bleaker and darker than I imagined it would be as popular as it was. But since it stayed true to the book, the fans were in on it. Read the book, it's much better than the movie, but the movie was well done.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 7.5/10
6/13/12
The Avengers
Wow! What a great movie. I loved it. Went with Travis for the midnight showing in 3D and it blew us away. Much better than both of us had anticipated it would be. Having the character development done with the previous movies helped in getting the action ramped up quickly in this one. They have this set up for a nice run of more Thor, Captain America and Iron Man before they do Avengers 2. Which should be amazing. Went and saw it again with the Mrs. on IMAX 3D and it was even better.
Spydey 10/10, Travis 10/10 and the Mrs. 10/10
5/4/12
The Artist
Well last week was the Oscars, so we got out to see the eventual Best Picture winner before the show. We really liked the movie. It was quickly paced, which helps when it is a silent pic. Now, I'm not sure if this one will stand the test of time for being an all time great, but for this year I think it was worthy of the Best Picture. We had only seen Moneyball out of the other 8, so what do we know? I suggest checking this one out on DVD when you can. At 100 minutes, it's a quick one and you can say you saw Oscar caliber film making.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
2/25/12
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Wow! What a great adventure flick. Easily the best of the four MI movies out there. We say this in IMAX and it was quite a scene. The globe trotting locales and high tech fights and weapons really made this a good night out at the multiplex. This movie is running around 95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, so for a Tom Cruise movie that's quite impressive lately. If you can't get to the theaters to see this definitely rent this one. You won't be disappointed.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
1/6/12
Moneyball
Finally getting some of our fall movies up here, it's only Oscar time! We really enjoyed Moneyball which is really the Billy Bean story. It would be hard to make a movie on sabermetrics and the economics of baseball, right? So they had Brad Pitt portray the baseball life of Billy Bean, the general manager of the Oakland A's. He turned baseball on it's head with how he built a team on very little money, compared to the Yankees for instance. There are many teams using his philosophy now, including the Chicago Cubs. This movie is up for several well deserved Oscars next month: Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor to name a few. I'm not sure they'll get any hardware, but I highly recommend a viewing of this flick.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
10/15/11
Captain America: The First Avenger
We always see the summer movie of the year, and I think excluding Harry Potter this may be it. It had a great story and good casting to carry it along. They did a good job setting up The Avengers movie for next summer where all the latest comic book characters come together for one movie: Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America. Of course by the time I get this review out, the movie isn't in the theaters. Definitely rent or stream this one, it's a keeper.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
7/27/11
Bridesmaids
The Mrs. was to do this review but since we saw it months ago I figured it was time to get something up. We really enjoyed this flick. It was the perfect laugh out loud movie. Kristen Wiig really carries the movie and the supporting cast was hilarious, especially Melissa McCarthy as Megan. I suggest you see this movie at some point, you won't be disappointed.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
5/25/11
Thor
The summer movie season begins on SpydeysWebb.com with a bang. Thor is great movie. The casting was spot on for the title character as well as the supporting cast. Rural New Mexico made the action scenes tighter and more 'believable'. This movie is another step in the lead up to next year's The Avengers. Lots of Marvel back story and foreshadowing for future plot lines. This one needs to be seen in the theater. We went 3D, but I don't think it's necessary to enjoy this flick.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
5/11/11
The Social Network
Didn't see this one in the theaters, but caught it on PPV right before Oscar night. I was glad that we checked it out because it made the battle between this a nd King's Speech better during the telecast. We enjoyed this movie. Being a movie based on recent history that we've experienced made it more interesting for me. Mark Zuckerberg as a character was a real jerk, so it was hard to relate to that. His friend was a more likeable and enjoyable character and he's the one that got screwed over. I thought that Justin Timberlake did a real good job with what he had to work with. I'd suggest a viewing of this, but definitely think the Academy got the Best Picture right with the movie below.
Spydey 7.5/10 and the Mrs. 7.5/10
2/27/11
The King's Speech
Our first movie for this year's Oscar prep was this excellent period drama. It was a good historical story with great acting that made for a very good time. I really like Geoffrey Rush, and he was awesome in his character. Along with Colin Firth, these two should be up for some hardware this award season. I'd suggest checking this one out in the theaters, it's that much fun. If you don't, definitely see it on DVD.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
1/20/11
Red
We really enjoyed this movie! It had good actors, lots of action, and many funny parts. It'd been a while since we've been to see a movie in the theaters and this was the perfect one to head back for. John Malkovich really steals the scenes he's in with both craziness and comedy. I'm not sure you need to run out and see this at the multiplex, but I definitely recommend it for DVD viewing when it comes out. You'll like it, I'm sure.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
10/28/10
Get Him To The Greek
Hilarious! Very funny movie that was well cast and did a good job with the story. This is a sequel of sorts to Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The rock star, Aldous Snow, that was in that movie is the main character in this one. It's a 3 day trip from London to the Greek Theater in LA for a comeback concert. A small time record intern must get the star to LA, the hilarity ensues. P. Diddy does an amazing job with his performance. Reminded me of Tom Cruise's part in Tropic Thunder. If you can, see this one.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
6/7/10
Iron Man 2
Alright! A new Iron Man movie. The first summer blockbuster was a great adventure. We'd been waiting for this one since the end of the first one, and I wasn't disappointed. They had a decent story and added some new Marvel mythology to carry on into their new movies coming out in the next few years (Thor, Captain America, The Avengers). I felt that it could have had a bit more action parts, but when there was action it was good. We hit this one with comic book movie buddy Travis and his girlfriend. It was a great night for everyone. If this is still in the theaters, see it. If not, rent it. It's good.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
5/7/10
Hot Tub Time Machine
Very funny movie! It was like Back to the Future time travel with Superbad high school hyjinx. All four of the time travelers were well cast and the story was constructed well, which made for a great adventure. I know this review is late, so you must rent this On Demand or in your video store. You won't be disappointed, lots of fun.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
3/31/10
Sherlock Holmes
A great adventure was in store for us at this movie. It was a movie that was a lot of fun. Downey and Law were perfect together as Holmes and Watson. Some may think the fighting and violence was not Sherlock Holmes, but it made for a great time in the multiplex. If you don't get out to see this in the theaters before it's gone, I definitely recommend a DVD or HBO viewing!
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
2/3/10
Up in the Air
It's Oscar time, and this one's getting some talk for being up for some biggies. We decided this would be movie one for 2010. We liked the less than two hour running time too. George Clooney is a great actor and I for one like to watch him act. He really carried the movie, but there are two solid female actors with him. The other supporting parts were actors that you would recognize, so an all around solid cast. The Mrs. mentioned that there were parts that needed to move a bit, but there were also some laugh out loud moments too. It's a good movie that tells a good story, what more could you ask for. I suggest catching this on DVD or HBO, but definitely worth seeing.
Spydey 8.5/10 and the Mrs. 8.5/10
1/20/10
Avatar
With Christian, Zach, and Yvette along, Spydey and the Mrs. took in our first flick in 4 months! The only way to come back was Avatar in 3D. The scenery and backdrop of the world of Pandora was worth the price of admission. First 3D movie I've seen in a theater in forever, and this one was different to begin with. The 3D only enhances the pictures on the screen. No swords, bullets or bomb parts flying at your head. It's used to increase your feeling of being on Pandora. It was very cool. The Mrs. liked the story more than I did, and that is reflexed in our scoring below. This movie is a must see in the theaters with the glasses and for the last three weekends, it looks like people are.
Spydey 9/10, and the Mrs. 10/10, and the Zach 10/10, and the Yvette 8/10, and the Christian 8.5/10
12/26/09
(500) Days of Summer
Anniversary night date movie for us, and we loved it. A very different kind of romantic comedy. It's like the narrator says in the beginning, it's a story of boy meets girl but NOT a love story. Very well done and well cast. It moved along quite well at 97 minutes, which was enough to tell the story without getting bogged down in the brutalness of it all! And there is some brutalness involved with the main character Tom. If you don't make it to the theaters for this, definitely check it out on rental or HBO. You'll like it.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
8/19/09
Transformers Revenge of the Fallen
Grade A summer blockbuster fare. We finally made it out to this one and was surprised how full the theater was. No wonder it's doing boffo box office. Director Michael Bay likes to blow stuff up and kinda have a story that goes along with the explosions. There's some story gaps and continuity issues throughout, but overall a very enjoyable movie. If you like the robot fights, you'll need to see this one in the theaters. It just won't be the same on the small screen at home. They have definitely set it up for another installment.
Spydey 7/10 and the Mrs. 7.5/10
7/18/09
The Hangover
Funny movie of guy's bachelor party in Vegas that goes completely off the tracks. Funniest character was Alan, played by Zach Galifianakis. Like they said in the movie, he's too stupid to be insulted, which makes for some hilarious dialogue. I remember him from 2005's The Comedians of Comedy (good stuff). One thing I wish I hadn't done before going was seeing all the trailers and sneak peeks. I felt that many times I'd already seen stuff, just not in the right order. Quick90 minute run with the action pretty fast moving and a nice solid finish. I'd see this one in the theaters if I were you.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 6/10
6/10/09
Star Trek
An amazing reboot of a classic series, the new Star Trek movie rocks. Both Trekkies and newbies will enjoy this go 'round. The casting was perfect and for movies like these, where the characters have been known before that's a must. All the major characters were perfectly portrayed and the story was tight and well done. The Romulans are the baddies in this one and there's some time travel and intergalactic misunderstandings involved in the story as well. Of course, right? Easily the best Star Trek since the Wrath of Khan in 1982. I really like where this new group is going and look forward to their next adventure. This is one you hit the theaters for. Enjoy!
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 8.5/10
5/14/09
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Movie night again, and this one we'd been waiting for. Another comic book movie adventure with Travis joining Brooke and I at Carmike for caramel corn(Brooke and me) and Snow Caps (Travis). Awesome flick! I can't understand the reviews that this movie is getting from some people. I think Dark Knight really warped how critics 'view' comic book movies. DK was a one of a kind masterpiece. Wolverine is the back story on one of comics greatest characters and it's very well done. Like Brooke said when we left, the character is such a likable one, it's easy to root for him. Actors Jackman (Wolverine) and Schreiber(Sabretooth) carried this movie along with great mutant characters and a surprise cameo at the end. Good stuff. I highly recommend this for theater viewing, amazing CGI and fight scenes. If you go, stay until after all the credits. There's a scene added to the very end just like they did for Iron Man last year (two different scenes depending on the theater you're in). It's becoming a Marvel movie tradition.
Spydey 8/10, the Mrs. 9/10 and the Travis 9/10
5/7/09
I Love You, Man
What a funny movie! We've become big Paul Rudd fans, and he didn't let us down again. Funny guy flick that doubles as a great date movie with the movie relationships between Paul's character and his fiancée and his new best friend. I would recommend a theater viewing for this if you like, it will also be good on second viewing from video or cable. The casting was top notch as well, the only thing I'd change is Jon Favreau's casting as a jerk husband. This was against this type of character and it just didn't fit. You'll recognize several other actors in this, which makes it fun. We really enjoyed it.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
4/2/09
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Guest review by Shelby and Travis Martin
As an eleven year old, this is my first movie review. My father and I went to see the movie together and I thought it was fantastic! Her music was more mature than the actual TV show, her new song "The Climb" is a country (not pop) song, and has made the top 20 song list. Billy Ray Cyrus has one of his songs, with original Rascal Flats songs, and an original Taylor Swift song, too. The love scenes were believable, based on her personality it seems she would really like the guy she has a crush on. One thing I didn't like about the movie is my favorite character Oliver, who plays a big part in the TV show was only in one scene! He would have given the movie more humor. Speaking of humor, some jokes were aimed to little kids, though my dad laughed in some parts. As the father of an eleven year old I wanted to bring my iPod which doesn't have any "Achy Breaky Heart". But I have a Berles-like weakness for musicals, and this wasn't worse than the John Mellencamp, George Strait movies with the same plot. I actually kind of liked it.
Shelby 9.5/10 and the Travis 7/10
4/23/09
State of Play
This was a very different movie than what we've been going to recently, which was mostly comedies or comic book movies. This was a full blown government conspiracy thriller, and a well done one at that. Russell Crowe really carried the movie and was in about 95% of the scenes. First rate cast for the other parts made this a well spun yarn! Now, they could have cut about 15 minutes off the length and still had a great story. The twists and turns come throughout the flick and you'll never know where they end up until it's over. If you like the thriller movies, you could see this in the theaters. Otherwise, I definitely recommend home viewing on HBO or DVD.
Spydey 7/10 and the Mrs. 7/10
4/23/09
Watchmen
Well, this was an interesting movie. Coming from someone who had read the graphic novel the movie is based on, I think they did a tremendous job. Alan Moore, the writer, always said that this could never be a movie, and he was right. They left out at least 40% of what's in the novel. Large swaths of back story and secondary stuff that fills in the meat of the characters. That doesn't really help people understand the movie if they haven't read the book! The casting was top notch except for Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II, she was freaking terrible. Problem is that character is a huge part of the movie! There were several scenes of extreme violence and one steamy sex scene with questionable music. My suggestion? Read the graphic novel (let me or Travis know, we'll let you borrow it). If you like it, then check the movie out on HBO or DVD. If you've read the novel, get to the theaters. I think you'll like what they did with it.
Spydey 7/10 (3/10 if you hadn't read the novel), the Travis 9/10 (2/10 if you hadn't read the novel), the Berles 3/10, & the Shlater 1/10 - neither of them had read the novel!
3/18/09
Slumdog Millionaire
We finally got out to see this movie! I've been talking about seeing this in the blog for weeks now. Rowan went to Grandma and Poppa Sheridan's and we hit the multiplex on Lynnette's gift card. What an amazing movie! We absolutely loved it. The characters were perfect with the main players portrayed by different aged actors. It was unlike any movie I've ever seen, truly one of a kind. I really enjoyed the music as well and the final Bollywood dance at the end was a great capper. I'm not sure if this is Best Picture yet, but it's definitely one of the best movies of the year. Very enjoyable.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
2/12/09
Role Models
What an enjoyable movie. We had a good time with this one. I'm not sure if everyone would want to pay full admission for it but I highly recommend it for HBO or rental viewing. The language is rough and the 10 year old was the worst, but he also had some of the best lines. Paul Rudd has really become a go-to guy for straight man comedy, and does a great job in this one. You will recognize many actors from other projects you've seen, especially the group counselor who's crazy/sick funny in this and 40 Year Old Virgin.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
11/11/08
Madagascar 2
Guest review by Jason Shlater
What a great family movie. If you liked the first one you will be very happy with its sequel. You could almost call this one more of a comedy than a kids movie. It really entertained the kids and parents. Many scenes made the audience laugh out loud. Home run for a family flick and the Penguins are hilarious. This will sum it up for you: Noah, our two year old, watched the entire movie, QUIETLY. Enough said! So go and "Move it, Move it" to the Box Office and get your tickets.
Jason 9/10 and the Julia 9/10 and the Noah 10/10
11/18/08
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Guest review by the Mrs.
This was a lot of fun! You wouldn't have guessed it, would you? The story line is respectfully original and you instantly care about the canine characters. The humans are entertaining enough and the details to the story are more then amusing. Take your kids or don't (we didn't!). You'll still leave the theatre feeling good...and probably singing.
Mrs. 7/10 and the Spydey 6/10
10/29/08
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Guest review by the Mrs.
This movie makes you remember what it feels like to be a part of the "what's happening now" crowd. With more then a few great characters, artistic shots of some cozy clubs, and some all-out rockin', this movie does a perfect job of documenting a night out in New York City. Just like a true night-on-the-town, youare taken on a roller coaster ride of experiences and emotions. The directing was incredibly able to create the same feelings in the audience that you wouldactually feel if out on your very own adventure in the city. Michael Cera delivers another awesome performance promoting being true to yourself andremaining your own person. Lots of laughs, some mouth-dropping outrageous action and lots of quirks. Yep, this movie is worth seeing.
Mrs. 8/10 and the Spydey 7/10
10/14/08
Pineapple Express
We made it out to our first post-Rowan movie and I think we chose a good one. This movie was pretty funny. Brooke loved the slap stick comedy and I enjoyed the boneheaded stoner comedy. Suffice to say, we're big Seth Rogen fans, and he came through again. Not everyone would enjoy this movie, it is a stoner comedy and it's a shoot 'em up action movie. People get shot dead in this movie and there's a couple of huge fight scenes. Interestingly enough, we were the only two people in the theater! First time that's ever happened to me. So basically, this is a review telling you that it's worth a rental or HBO viewing. It will not be in the theaters next week, that's for sure.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
9/24/08
Tropic Thunder
Got out to see one last movie before Rowan's arrival. We really enjoyed this flick!
Guest review by Travis Martin
Bringing the Thunder - For us Zoolander fans who are really, really, really ridiculously good looking, we were really looking forward to seeing Tropic Thunder. I was definitely not disappointed. The good news is you don't have to be a Ben Stiller fan to like this movie. He has some funny lines but as in Zoolander, it is the rest of the cast and the big name cameos that steal the show. The Tom Cruise part is NOT overhyped!!! No one in the theater left during the closing credits. Another thing, this is one movie where the parts on the trailer are funnier in the context of the movie. Danny McBride is hilarious as the trigger happy explosives expert but it is Downey, Jr. that steals every scene he's in. This movie napalms Hollywood egos but it also is a smart war movie parody. I will own this movie and wouldn't mind buying another $8 Coke and see it again.
Travis 10/10, the Beetle 10/10, Spydey 8/10, and the Mrs. 8/10
8/16/08
WALL-E
Took my dad to see a great flick this past weekend. WALL-E was absolutely awesome. From the very beginning you're drawn into WALL-E's world and care about the guy. You want him to survive amid the disaster the Earth has become. Lots of not so subtle environmental images in this movie, but it's the interaction of the characters that carries this film. You root hard for WALL-E and EVE to make it. Oh, and I guess the humans too, but mostly it's the robots. I should have seen Ratatouille in the theaters, so I'm very glad I got out and saw this in the theaters. It's a masterpiece. I can't wait to see Pixar's next effort.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Poppa Sheridan 9/10
8/2/08
The Dark Knight
Wow, I mean wow. What a movie experience. A comic book movie with superb casting, amazing sets, AND an awesome story!?! Hands down the best comic book movie ever, let alone one of my top films. Can you tell I liked it? With comic book movies you know what you're getting in the hero, it's the villain that makes the movie. Heath Ledger's Joker makes this movie. Every scene he's in steals the show. He made you cringe, laugh, giggle, and squirm. Perfect. I left thinking 9, but Travis called me at midnight to change his vote to the 10. We then talked several times over the weekend about it and the movie just grows on you. You remember things about it that affects you later. I might have to see this again on IMAX. It will be interesting to see where other comic book movies go from here. You can make a good one with a great story...it is possible. Good luck to Spiderman 4 and Iron Man 2. You have something to live up to.
Spydey 10/10, the Mrs. 9/10, the Buzz 9/10, the Beetle 9/10, the Ryan 9/10, and the Travis 10/10
7/18/08
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Well, we've been waiting for the second movie and it didn't disappoint. We really enjoyed this one. It's not going to win any awards, but it was very entertaining. Writer/Director Guillermo del Toro's imagination is incredible! Hellboy himself is written well, but the other beasties in the film are a sight to see. We especially liked the Johann Klauss character not to mention the Angel of Death toward the end of the film. Simply amazing. They've set this up for a third movie, and it will be interesting to see what GdT does with that.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
7/11/08
Iron Man
We had quite a group for the movie this week! Iron Man did not disappoint, it was a huge hit for the group. It was hard to imagine the movie being bad when you have Oscar caliber performers in all the big spots. The story was good, with only a few small holes. That could be due to the two writing duos that worked on the script. The action was great and the movie moved quickly. As far as I could tell, the Iron Man mythology was followed very well. We loved it!
Spydey 9/10, the Mrs. 10/10, the Berles 8/10, the Buzz 10/10, and the Travis 10/10
5/2/08
Sex and the City
Guest review by the Mrs.
The fact the premier of Sex and the City prompted "Girls Night Out" everywhere was just an added bonus, the movie did not disappoint. With silly and outrageous fiascos always happening to the four main characters, the high fashion wardrobes and accessories they model, and the "not-your-every-day" men they meet, the Sex in the City movie continued to spoil ladies everywhere with pure entertainment and eye candy. I also personally enjoyed the more serious side to the women's lives portrayed in the movie and experienced the evening as a roller coaster ride of sore sides and watery eyes. I will admit being disappointed by a decline in some of the acting that for some (especially the small roles of the male actors) seemed "mailed in". There were times when I wanted to roll my eyes at the absolutely unnecessary added drama i.e. the entire Mr. Big jilting scenerio...I mean, what couple could make it through an over-hyped one-sided wedding like that? The warning signs were blatantly obvious. But my question to those who have chosen to be critical and slam the movie altogether is, "Wasn't it better than nothing?" After getting hooked by the show, my attachment with the writing style, characters, and a peek into their extravagant urban lifestyles left me mourning for weeks when there were finally no more new episodes to watch. To join a reunion with Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda was just the dose I needed. The whole the show left when it ended has now finally healed (at least a little!).
Brooke 7/10, Concepcion 7/10, Julia 8/10, AJ 8/10, Marisa 7/10, and Kristen 4/10
5/30/08
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
We're back in the theaters! This one was a good one to get back to. Hilarious would be my one word review. There were two times I was laughing so hard I had tears. I can't remember the last time I cried at a movie! The latest installment from the Judd Apatow crew is an excellent 'date' movie. I think the ladies and the gents will love it for their own reasons. We had been looking forward to this movie for a few months and we're not disappointed.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
4/18/08
Michael Clayton
Didn't see this one in the theaters, but rented it at home on PPV. Awesome movie. A great legal thriller. George Clooney is a movie star and really shines in his role as Michael Clayton, a janitor for problems within his law firm. The problem the story focuses on is a big one and involves his closest friend at the firm. The intrigue and subtle suspense are done very well. We really enjoyed this movie and highly recommend renting it.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
Semi-Pro
Went to see Will Farrell's new sports spoof movie on opening weekend. It was a good call! A very funny movie that didn't outstay it's welcome. There was enough supporting help that Jackie Moon, Will's character, didn't overdo himself. The play on the 70's and ABA basketball in general were very well done. Much better than Blades of Glory and right on par with Anchorman, with less quotable lines.
Spydey 6/10, the Mrs. 8/10, and Papa Taylor 6/10
2/29/08
Juno
The missus was to do this review, but we're falling behind. We both enjoyed this movie very much. At first, I didn't care for the leading lady much. She seemed a bit off...but she as well as the other characters really grew on me as the movie went along. Juno's parents were awesome! Very well done characters and funny too. You might not be up for this movie in the theaters, so at least rent it. It was better for me than last year's indie darling, Little Miss Sunshine.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
1/12/08
We Own The Night
Guest review by Jason Shlater
Let's give this one a B for B movie. I know that grade is a little harsh. We Own The Night was a statement used by the NYPD in the 80's. The phrase symbolized the police department's fight against the soaring drug problem. Sounds like a great movie idea! You had Robert Duvall, Marky Mark, Eve Mendes(who has a nice scene early), and Joaquin Phoenix. A story based on a turbulent relationship between two brothers on different sides of the law and a father who happened to be the deputy police chief, watching. All that, how can you go wrong? The ending of the sucker is where they went wrong. The ending is so non-eventful it is hard to describe. I thin they wrote the ending in about 10 minutes just in time for their last coffee break! The story was very nicely built up, and the ending just brought it down.
Shlater 6/10 and his Mrs. 6/10
Bourne Ultimatum
It had been a while since our last movie! This was a good one to get back in the swing of things with. What an awesome finish to this trilogy, we were not disappointed. It starts right after the second one ends and doesn't let up until the finish. What a ride! I suggest reading the first book in this trilogy, Bourne Identity. One of my favorites.
UPDATE: Got this for Christmas. Sweet.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
10/6/07
Superbad
Funny ass movie. Rude and crude at times and boy can that character they aptly named Seth cuss! But the setups and the action of the movie were spot on and excellent for a number of laughs out loud. In the same vein as Fast Times and American Pie, these HSers are out for fun. The whole movie takes place in one night at the end of their senior years. I'm convinced anyone would find something in here that reminds them of high school and would enjoy it immensely.
UPDATE: Bought this for $7 at Blockbuster.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
Hot Rod
Well, after a good run of movies we ran into a dud this week. Hot Rod wasn't so hot. We questioned even going, but Roger Ebert said it was funny throughout. Well, it was funny in parts. But the overall feeling was wait for 'free' viewing on HBO or something along those lines. Typical SNL movie.
Spydey 4/10 and the Mrs. 4/10
Transformers
What a great summer movie. Good action, just enough cheese, and a well put together story (seeing as it's based on a cartoon). We loved it. I couldn't wait to see this movie and it didn't disappoint. When the Transformers fight, it's full on. Michael Bay usually knows how to do the action and he did again.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
Live Free or Die Hard
Another great summer movie. The action picks up right away and carries on throughout the flick. McClane has his work cut out for him and if you can suspend your disbelief several times you can see how he gets the job done. I wonder why it took so long to get this forth one made, over 12 years since the 3rd. I'd easier rank this as the second best behind the classic 1988's Die Hard.
Spydey 7/10 and the Mrs. 7/10
Spider-Man 3
Not as good as the previous two. The fight scenes were spectacular! But the lovely dovey story, as I call it, was way too much. It was also the first weekend movie we saw, and the punk ass kids' behind us took a little out of the whole movie experience. Did continue my comic book movie run with Travis. It was our3rd or 4th we've seen together. Spydey 8/10, Mrs. 8/10 and the Travis 10/10 Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End In a word, awesome. In another word, long. It was awesomely long as well. Too damn long, but very well done and entertaining. Answers all the questions from the previous two and we both enjoyed it very much.
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 8/10
Knocked Up
HILARIOUS!!! Like the Mrs. said, they made the perfect guy movie with chick flick mixture. It was funny as hell and flew by quickly. From the same guys who did TV's Freaks and Geeks and 40 Year Old Virgin. All new mothers and fathers should see this movie. With all our friends that just had babies, we were thinking it was rather timely. Seth Rogan, the guy in the Knocked Up poster to the left, has a new one coming out in August, Superbad. Looks just as hilarious. Check out that trailer here.
Spydey 9/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
Shooter
Guest review written by the Mrs.
Movie night came and went without a hitch. We're becoming more comfortable with 50 cent popcorn night and filled the largest mixing bowl we own to the brim. Mmmmm. It is not surprising our rating for the movie was different, but it was our reasoning that led to my writing this week's review of Shooter starring Mark Wahlberg. During my tomboy, cowgirl days I especially loved to watch sniper movies. In fact, I am on record stating I wanted to someday become a sniper (ask my dad, he was just a little concerned!). Therefore, I have seen all of them and remember them fondly. Most memorable are Sniper, Assassins, and Leon: The Professional. All great movies. Shooter just might top them all! My heart rate increased approximately 15 minutes into the movie and I remained on the edge of my seat for the entire 2 hours. On one hand, how can you compare this movie to the artistic genius that is 300 and rate it only 1 level difference. However, on the other hand it is the artistic advancements and new technologies in sniper film-making that make Shooter possibly the best sniper movie ever. With the same pace and feel of the The Bourne Supremacy and with its ultra dramatic, creative and down-the-barrel shots this film hits the spot for the updated sniper genre. I've waited for this for quite a while.
Mrs. 8/10 and the Spydey 7/10
300
The movie was good. At just under 2 hours, it really flew by. In depicting the Battle of Thermopylae in 480BC the fight scenes were amazing. I wish I could get my hands on the actual graphic novel the movie is based on, but have been unable to find it. You could tell that many of the shots in the movie were EXACTLY as they appeared in the graphic novel. If you liked 2005's Sin City, you'll like 300. Both were written by Frank Miller with 300 helmed by Zach Snyder. I am a big graphic novel fan and anxiously await the release of Moore and Gibbon's Watchmen next year also directed by Snyder. The Mrs. really enjoyed 300. She felt some of the scenes were quite intense, but thought it was as good or better than Sin City. I felt character development was better in Sin City, but that won't take away from 300's battle scenes. The characters of King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo were fleshed out the most. I would suggest you goon Tuesday nights to Carmike and take your own bucket or pail. They'll fill with popcorn for only 50 cent!
Spydey 8/10 and the Mrs. 9/10
