Archive for the PG-13 Category

All About… Mary

Posted in At Box Office, Comedy, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13, Romantic Comedy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 10, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

Don’t let the title All About Steve fool you.

Yeah, sure, Steve (played by Bradley Cooper – of the unfortunate The Hangover buzz) is the hot blind date who happens to have a cool job as adventuresome news videographer and also happens to be the obsession of one crazy, red-boot-wearing word meister called Mary Horowitz (Sandra Bullock, who also happens to be the film’s producer).

But, after viewing this new PG-13 20th Century Fox comedy, all I can say is , “There’s something about Mary.” Read more »

Quick Thoughts on ‘All About Steve’

Posted in At Box Office, Comedy, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13 with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 6, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

AllAboutSteveI just saw a matinee for the new 20th Century Fox comedy All About Steve, starring Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper, with a respectful nod to Thomas Haden Church. I am actually writing the official review for Blue Ridge Christian News, so I can’t share all my thoughts with you just yet.

But I will say that I did think the film was generally funny, and I liked the overarching message, which is the fact that what you think you are looking for externally is really something you need to find within yourself. You can’t look to the outside world for internal validation. That’s what Bullock’s character, Mary Horowitz, was trying to do in her crazy chase of handsome camera man, Steve (Cooper). Read more »

Delicious Comments on ‘Julie and Julia’

Posted in At Box Office, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13, Romantic Comedy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 31, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

LauraJBagby_hairupI had the distinct pleasure of seeing the wonderful film Julie & Julia starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep with my good friend and radio personality Liz Lane from The Current several weeks ago.

She asked me my first thoughts post-film and I said beaming, “I am simply inspired to blog and cook!” It’s true, the film does tickle the creative juices in more ways than one.

Together we relished every nuance in this fabulous film in our weekly radio discussion on The Current.

I have here an edited version of that radio commentary. Please excuse the static issue. It’s on the original recording and there isn’t much I can do about it. (I tried!) The phone line was particularly crackly that day – probably due to construction in our area. Ugh!

Audio Commentary:



‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’: Audio Commentary

Posted in At Box Office, Drama, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13 with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on August 29, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

Once a week, I tape a radio segment with my friend Liz Lane from The Current FM about the latest movie. I get on the phone line from the comfort of my home and she calls me up from the local radio station studio.  So what you will hear in this MP3 clip isn’t the final on-air version; it’s my version from my phone line.

We both had lots to say about The Time Traveler’s Wife starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams. Here is the audio clip for your enjoyment.


‘Time Traveler’s Wife’: Genetic Wardrobe Malfunction Meets Melodrama

Posted in At Box Office, Drama, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13 with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 29, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

timetravelerswifeRachel McAdams and Eric Bana star as two destined lovers, Clare Abshire and Henry DeTamble, who try desperately to nurture a relationship constantly complicated by Henry’s uncontrollable time traveling tendencies.

Henry has learned to live with this genetic disorder since childhood that not only strips him of his present reality, but literally of his clothes as he travels through time. (Can we say constant ‘wardrobe malfunction’?)

But the faithful Clare is becoming increasingly tired of Henry’s sudden and unpredictable disappearances that have caused him to disappear into thin air at the worst of moments. (I say ditto to that.) Read more »

‘Julie and Julia’ Sizzles on Screen

Posted in At Box Office, Comedy, Drama, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13, Romantic Comedy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 14, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

JulieJuliaHere’s one movie idea that isn’t half-baked. Julie & Julia, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, is scrumptious on-screen entertainment!

Writer/Director Nora Ephron (You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle) dishes up a great plot that interweaves two true stories – one about a New York woman named Julie Powell (Amy Adams), who, while working at a dead-end job, gets the crazy idea of cooking up 365 days of Julia Child’s famous recipes and then blogging about them, and the other about how Julia Child (Meryl Streep) went from bored housewife living in Paris to culinary star and American icon. Read more »

Movies for the Fourth of July

Posted in Action, Adventure, Animated, At Box Office, Family Friendly, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, On DVD, PG, PG-13, Sci-Fi with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 3, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

LauraJBagby_hairupTomorrow is a happy holiday for our nation. Hope you get a chance to get to the beach, the mountains, or at least take the day off and celebrate our freedom. It’s great to be an American!

And while you are enjoying a cookout with your friends and family, shooting off fireworks, or catching lightning bugs in your backyard, when it’s time to go inside after all those outdoor festivities, how about a good flick to remember this great holiday?

If you are thinking about new movies at the box office, consider Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. It just came out Wednesday, July 1. I may be heading to the theatre this weekend to catch this fun animated flick. Plus, it looks like it will be family friendly, so those kids can tag along and no one has to worry about problem content.

Or if you haven’t seen it yet, why not try the new Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian? I just saw this movie last week. I was surprised at how entertaining it was. I didn’t see the original Night at the Museum mostly because I am not a Ben Stiller fan. However, this film is creative, clean, and enjoyable. So consider a matinee if it is still playing in your area.

And, of course, if you are thinking about renting a DVD, I would recommend the thoroughly entertaining Independence Day (1996), the action-adventure starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, and more. Nothing like watching the good guys beat the aliens!

Be safe, get outside, enjoy your family, and celebrate with a great film. 

 

– Laura

‘The Proposal’: An Engaging Comedy

Posted in At Box Office, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13, Romantic Comedy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 26, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

theproposal-movieposterBeautiful but hard-nosed editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is about to get shipped back to Canada at the height of her career at Colden Books when she gets the brilliant idea of wedding her hardworking, faithful male assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), so she can stay in country.

But there is just one problem. Margaret’s immigration office, Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O’Hare), is bent on proving the wedding is a sham and threatens a stiff prison sentence for Andrew and instant deportation for Margaret should the engagement prove fraudulent as he suspects.

Despite the obstacles, the couple decides to continue the farce as planned by telling the engagement news at the 90th birthday celebration of Andrew’s Grandma Annie (played by Betty White). Read more »

‘Transformers 2′: Thin on Plot, Cool on Visual Effects

Posted in Action, Adventure, At Box Office, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13, Sci-Fi with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 24, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

TransformersAutobot Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) and the military, headed by Major Lennox (Josh Duhamel) have been successfully working side by side to defend Earth from enemy attacks from the Decepticons for years. But there are once again sinister stirrings from Decepticon forces, headed by The Fallen, who aren’t about to give up their infiltration and destruction of Earth. And now one government official is trying to rid the planet of Autobot defenses just at the time when those Autobot forces will be needed most.

Now the Decepticons are after college-bound Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), who happens to possess the remaining sliver of the cube, the ultimate object of robotic power force.   Read more »

‘Transformers’ Review to Post Tomorrow

Posted in Action, At Box Office, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, PG-13, Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi with tags , , , , , , , , , , on June 23, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

Last night I went to a screening for the new Michael Bay sci-fi action/adventure film starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. I can’t disclose my review yet. (Awww! Man!) I can’t give my official two cents until opening day, which is tomorrow, because that’s what the studios stipulate if you go to a film screening as press. My hope is to get the review up tomorrow afternoon, since I will be taping my Current FM radio review of the new romantic comedy The Proposal in the morning from the comfort of my home. 

– Laura J. Bagby

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