The Kings of Summer

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_kings_of_summer/


   If you've spent any time with me this summer, you've probably already seen this trailer. It is one of the best trailers I've ever seen, therefore, I made everyone I know watch it. But do you know what happens when you fall in love with a movie preview? Well, for starters, people think you're strange. Secondly, the movie never lives up to the trailer. So naturally, I was scared to see the movie, for I was sure I'd be disappointed. 

   I wasn't. The Kings of Summer is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. It exceeded my expectations and gave my family a ton of new inside jokes. I LOVED IT!!!

My Rating: 10/10

Safe Haven

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/safe_haven/

   Movies based on Nicholas Sparks novels are never any good. Do I still anticipate them? Yes. Do I watch the trailers a lot just to get excited about seeing them? Of course. And I'm sure you know me well enough to know that this reason is because I love to make fun of them.

   Don't get me wrong; they aren't the worst movies out there. If you like them, I won't hate you. They're enjoyable movies. I admittedly watch The Lucky One three times when we rented it for forty-eight hours. 

   But Safe Haven was actually kind of boring. Two hours was insanely long for such a terrible movie. And the plot twist? I won't give it away, but it is the silliest plot twist ever. It was even dumber than the ones I came up with (which says quite a bit). The only way this movie isn't dull is when you're watching it for the second time and you already know the twist. Then it's laughable. 

The Impossible

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_impossible_2012/

Oh gosh. Let's hope I can make it through this post.

  First, I want to warn you not to do what I did. Do NOT watch the trailer over and over and over and then say, "Oh, well, how sad can this movie be? I probably ruined it by watching the trailer so many times. I've already seen all the touching parts, right?"

NO. 

  That's what I thought. Especially since I cried at the trailer, I just assumed the movie would be easy to handle. Well, it wasn't. I think I cried more at this one movie than I did in 68 episodes of Parenthood (and that says a lot.)

   Nonetheless, The Impossible is an awesome movie and I would most definitely recommend it to anyone. It's sad, extremely moving, and very well directed and acted. Just keep your tissues close.

Safety Not Guaranteed

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/safety_not_guaranteed/

   This was possibly one of the funniest, most enjoyable movies I've ever seen. I absolutely LOVED the romance between Darius and Kenneth. They were hilarious together. And the ending? I was kinda surprised, but that only made me like it more.

Silver Linings Playbook

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/silver_linings_playbook/

    I had been looking forward to seeing this movie for months. I watched the preview so many times that I was sure I had jinxed it and the movie would turn out to be terrible.

   Which is why I was so happy to finally watch it and find that I was not disappointed. Silver Linings Playbook actually exceeded my expectations. It was well-done, touching, and surprisingly really funny. Definitely made my top five!

Wreck-It Ralph

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wreck_it_ralph/

  This was probably one of the best family movies I've ever seen. It was also just really unique and clever, which I love. Having seen the trailer fifty times (I have three brothers) I thought I would just find it annoying, but it really wasn't. If you like Gnomeo and Juliet, I'm pretty sure you'll like this one too! 

Celeste and Jesse Forever

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/celeste_and_jesse_forever/

   I liked this movie. I thought it had some really funny parts and was really enjoyable. The only thing is, you can't count on Common Sense Media for the stuff in it. There was one scene that I had to cover my eyes for that was not mentioned on there. Aside from that the language is bad and there are some comments, but it was otherwise a good movie.

My Rating: 7/10

The Good Doctor

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_good_doctor_2011/

  This is a well-made, good movie, but the plot is very weird. It is a very suspenseful movie and sometimes scary. 

  However, after seeing it and talking about it, it seems as though the plot is actually not so creepy. The movie may be trying to send a completely different message by using this plot. So it's also very thought-provoking. 

My Rating: 7/10

A Warrior's Heart

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_warriors_heart/

   This movie was terrible.

  First off, Ashley Greene's narrating was just annoying. She wasn't even around for most of the stuff she was telling us about, so it didn't make sense for her to be the one narrating. And also, most of the things she said were either dumb, pointless, or stuff we already knew. 

   Second, there was no chemistry between Brooklyn and Conor. They made eye contact and were suddenly friends. I think the movie took "love at first sight" just a little too seriously.

   But, despite all this, A Warrior's Heart is one of the best movies to make fun off. My favorite scene was the peekaboo in the library. (Yes, we did rewind it five times just to laugh at this scene)

My Rating: 2/10

Vamps

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/vamps_2011/

   Despite the cliched plot and bad effects, I thought this movie was really funny. Probably one of the best romantic comedies I've seen,as far as enjoyment and laughs go.

My Rating: 7/10 

Hotel Transylvania

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hotel_transylvania/

 Most of the bad reviews I read for this movie complained that it was a kids movie and would not hold the attention of adults. I don't really understand what they were expecting. It's supposed to be a Kids and Family comedy, isn't it?

   I thought it was pretty good. It had some really funny parts, and although not the best movie I've seen, it definitely was not the worst. I found it enjoyable and a fun movie to watch as a family.

My Rating: 6/10 

Looper

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/looper/

  Although you have to really pay attention to get the plot and even then it's a little confusing, I really liked this movie. I like how the characters acted as they should have and not unrealistically. Some of the scenes were really intense (to me). And afterwards I got to listen to the best conversation ever: one about the "logistics" of time-travel. 

My Rating: 8/10

The House at the End of the Street

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/house_at_the_end_of_the_street/

  After seeing the movie I am curious to read the book and see if they changed anything. My dad's commentary and the fact that my mom called the twist made it enjoyable to watch, but it wasn't a good movie.

  However, the last scene is the best. Possibly one of the worst acting moments I've ever seen and a really bad setup for a sequel. But it's a lot of fun to make fun of.

My Rating: 4/10
  

Brave

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brave_2012/

 I was really looking forward to seeing this movie. From the preview it looked really good. A Disney movie about a princess who stands up for what she believes in? Should be good, right?

  When I finally saw it I was really disappointed. It had a good idea, but Merida was just unlikable. She was whiny and disrespectful, and then she gets rewarded for it. And the movie had some offensive comments/scenes that I didn't think were needed. Otherwise it was a good idea, the animation was good, and so it was kind of good, but I didn't like Merida, and for me that sorta ruins the movie.

My Rating: 5/10

Top Five TV Shows

1. Gilmore Girls

   The best show ever. It's about a mother and her sixteen-year-old daughter, their relationship and their lives. The characters sometimes act unrealistically and the situations can be a bit crazy, but it's still great. And very funny. And I may be just a bit obsessed.

2. Parenthood

    My Murphy side really comes out when I watch this show. I cry about once an episode (if not more.) It's about four grown siblings, their parents and their own families. It's a really awesome show, especially the earlier seasons when the entire family would get together and were involved in each other's lives.

3. Downton Abbey

   I started the first episode three times and kept falling asleep, but once you get into it it's a great show about an estate in England, the family who lives there and their servants. It is a really good show, although the second season got a bit soap-opera-ish.

4. The Office

  Another really funny show. It takes place in an office (in case you couldn't guess) and follows the employees around. The earlier seasons are the best, when Steve Carrell was in it, but the later seasons aren't too bad.

5. Gravity Falls

  The first thing my brother said to me about this show was "Mabel reminds me of you because she always wears sweaters." I wasn't expecting to like it that much, but it is absolutely hilarious. Mabel and Dipper, twins, go to stay with their great-uncle (their "gruncle") who lives in Gravity Falls. It's a weird but really fun show.

Pitch Perfect

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pitch_perfect/

  The thing I didn't like about this movie is how we were supposed to feel bad for Beca. She's spoiled and whiny, yet we're supposed to sympathize with her because she has oh-such-a-terrible-life? I don't think so.
  
  But I really did enjoy this movie. It's really funny, and I loved the romance between Beca and Jesse. I would love a movie about just them, because they are hilarious together. 

My Rating: 7/10

Lebanon, PA

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lebanon_pa/

 Honestly, I think this is the worst movie I've ever seen, for a couple reasons.

  First of all, Lebanon is NOT a small town where the people living in it have never seen the world. Believe me, the Irish side of my family lives there and they know what wine is.

  Second, the acting is terrible, and third, the plot is awful. I was ready to throw the TV out the window when this was on. The only thing that held me back was my dad's hilarious commentary.

My Rating: 1/10
  
  
  

The Cabin in the Woods

 http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_cabin_in_the_woods/

 This is one of my all-time favorite movies. A lot of people probably won't get the jokes and will not love the movie as I do, but if you sit down to watch it expecting a horror movie that will give you nightmares and prevent you from sleeping , you're in for a huge disappointment.

   The whole movie makes fun of horror movies. A group of college kids go to a cabin (in the woods) and by breathing in a gas become very dumb. Because in most horror movies NO ONE acts realistically once the ghosts appear. Who goes into a room when there's a loud noise coming from it and you're the only one in the house? And who actually thinks splitting up is a good idea? 

I will warn you, there is a lot of violence that even I looked away at some parts. But it is still an awesome movie that I'm sure you'll enjoy.  

My Rating: 10/10
  
   

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

  Read the summary, reviews, and watch the trailer on Rotten Tomatoes:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_perks_of_being_a_wallflower/


 From the preview I expected it to be a lighthearted, feel-good drama about finding true friends and fitting in, but it was actually pretty dark. However, he movie didn't overdo it and make it unrealistic, and the darker stuff was more subtle, which I really like. It's really well-done and had me crying at a couple (okay, lots of) parts. 

  Plus, it had someone from Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), Harry Potter (Emma Watson). AND Parenthood (Mae Whitman) which are three of my favorite things. I absolutely loved this movie (possibly for that reason.)
  

My Rating: 10/10