No Good Deed is predictable, but still suspenseful

Movie Title:   No Good Deed

PG-13, 1 hour 24 minutes

Grade:  C

In a Nutshell:   He’s creepy.  She’s stupid.  It’s all very predictable, but that didn’t stop the audience I watched the movie with from screaming, cheering and clapping.  And yeah, 90% of the audience was middle-aged women who were happy to see the helpless female victim finally start to fight back and kick some bad guy butt. 

Uplifting theme:  Don’t be stupid.  Don’t open your door to strangers, especially to large, menacing men who could squash you with their finger.  On a serious note, women need to know self-defense and how to handle a firearm.

Things I liked:

• Idris Elba is excellent.  He is equally convincing as a heroic character in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom and Thor , as he is as an escaped felon looking for psychotic revenge.
•  Even though I thought the movie was pretty cliched, I still noticed that I was chewing my gum really fast.  Despite your head knowing what’s going to happen, your heart still races.
• The beautiful Leslie Bibb plays Meg, Terri’s slutty and wise friend who offers some comic relief.
• The movie takes place in Atlanta.  I lived in a suburb near Atlanta for 15 years and loved it.  The movie would have benefited, however, from a few of those magical fireflies they have in the South.
• I wondered if this would be a remake of the 2002 Samuel L. Jackson movie No Good Deed , but it’s really not.

Things I didn’t like:

• Terri could have gotten help from other people so many times during the ordeal.  She’s supposed to be an educated District Attorney turned stay-at-home mom, but she makes some really dumb and annoying choices.
• It kind of feels like one of those Lifetime movies created for an estrogen-filled audience. 
• I have to admit that I've uttered the phrase "No good deed goes unpunished" many times in my life when I have done something kind and yet it turned around to bite me.  It happens.  Still, it's important to not become so cynical that you stop serving others.  You just have to be smart about it too.

Interesting lines:

• “I would have thought with all those brains you got, you woulda figured out what game we’re playing.”  - Colin
• “Why are you doing this?”  - Terri

“You’ll see.”   - Colin

Tips for parents:  I’m not sure why this movie is rated R because it has 2 F-bombs.  Idris Elba steps out of a shower and is naked, but because of the lighting, you don’t see anything.  The beautiful Taraji Henson wears a tank top that gets wet in a scene…

If you like this movie, you'll probably also like:
 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie review

Grade:  C

PG-13, 1 hour 41 minutes

In a Half-shell:  You’re about to get shell-shocked.  OK, first of all…I have 2 water turtles.  So there’s that.  Secondly, I raised 4 sons who were obsessed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when the cartoon, toys, comic books, video games, and subsequent movie first came out.  We owned every plastic version of the toys with every miniature weapon accessory ever sold.  So, how could this movie be so boring?  I actually fell asleep in the theater.  Granted, I only had 4 hours of sleep the night before, but still.  Cowabunga.

Don’t worry if you don’t know the back story.  There is a short refresher in the beginning of the movie and then a new twist on the old story throughout the film.  The movie is filled with non-stop, fast action…if you can keep your eyes open.  

Uplifting theme: 

• Believe in the impossible.
• Don’t be a hater…unless you have to fight bad guys.

Things I liked:

• You’ll want to see this one in 3D.  The aerial scenes are pretty amazing and there are a lot of them.
• Shredder was pretty fierce and scary.  His samurai outfit was pretty cool.
• New York City is featured as the main locale.  Has anyone ever counted how many times the iconic Time Square has been destroyed in movies?
• The likable Will Arnett provides some comic relief as Vern Fenwick. 
• There is something about William Fichtner that I’ve always liked.  Maybe it’s that I dated a guy in college who looked like him.  He was great in Prison Break: Seasons 1-4 .

Things I didn’t like:

• Why did Megan Fox get plastic surgery?  She was gorgeous before.  Now she looks a little “off.” Madame Tussaud won’t have to create wax figures anymore if Hollywood starlets keep plasticizing themselves.  Megan Fox gets almost more screen time than the turtles themselves.  She spends most of the movie running around, panting.
• The age of the target audience is probably 5, so of course, there are fart jokes.
• You can’t always tell which turtle is talking.
• I always wonder how much money companies pay for product placement in films.  This one features Pizza Hut.  You know…turtle teenagers and pizza.
• The wise cracks are pretty mediocre…neither wise, nor particularly funny.  There were some small children laughing in the theater, but I suspect this may have been their first introduction to this franchise.
• Some of the action scenes are so fast that you can’t enjoy everything in the frame because it has jumped on to something else already.  Don’t sit too close to the screen or it’ll be a blur.
• Comedienne Whoopi Goldberg doesn’t get much material to work with.
• Splinter looked pretty mangey.
• The turtles sound more like Turtles in the Hood.  They’re super bulky and don’t look like teenagers.

Did you notice?

• The stickers on April O’Neill’s bike helmet?
• It’s pouring rain at the ship yard, but April’s beautiful hair doesn’t get wet.
• Incense burning in Splinter’s lair.
• Wall of boom boxes, reminiscent of the late 1980’s when the Ninja Turtles first became popular.

Funny lines:

• “That is insane!  That cat is playing “Chopsticks” with chopsticks!  - one of the turtles (I couldn’t tell who said it)
• “I so don’t understand the ending of Lost."- Michelangelo  (Yeah, you’re not the only one.) Lost: Season 6 - Final Season

“Hey guys, if it’s not obvious already about that girl…Dibbs!” – Michelangelo

“So, they’re aliens?”  - Vern

“No, that’s stupid.  They’re reptiles.  They help people.”  - April

“Heroes in a half-shell.”  - Vern

• “Maybe she’s a Jedi.”  - turtle  (I couldn’t tell who said that)
• “Yeah, I’m a talking turtle and you’re a human nerd.”  - turtle
• “You two are adorable.  I could just pinch your cheeks.” – Eric Sacks
• April O’Neill:  “So, you’re ninjas…mutant turtles..teenagers?

Donatello:  When you put it like that, it sounds ridiculous.

Interesting lines:

• “I don’t believe in fairy tales.”  - Shredder
• “Whenever someone takes a flame to this city, I’ll be there to put it out.” – Eric Sacks

Tips for parents:   There is a LOT of violent (but bloodless) fighting, but it’s mostly harmless fun for the younger set who haven’t discovered these reptilian heroes yet.  Maybe this is your chance to teach your kids about the true Renaissance masters: Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, Raphael Sanzio, and Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi.

There was a karate school advertising their classes for kids when we walked outside the theater.  Impressionable kids in your home will want to kick and jump and chop things.  Fair warning.

For fans who can't get enough of these heroes in a half shell:

BIG special effects, small plot in Into the Storm disaster thriller

Movie Title:  Into the Storm

PG-13, 2 hours 10 minutes

Grade:  C+

In a Nutshell:   The theater lights fade and the tornado begins swirling immediately.  Cue the jiggly camera and body count.  This disaster movie’s strengths begin and end with the special effects.  They are truly amazing.  Unfortunately, the characters are forgettable and you almost don’t care who lives and dies because the script doesn’t allow time for you to become invested in them.  If you don’t care too much about plot, then this action thriller will be right up your tornado alley.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Live every day as if it were your last because some day it will be.”   -  Donnie (Max Deacon)
• Always carry a knife in your pocket for emergencies!
• Learn CPR!
• Be prepared!
• The high school students were asked to create a video time capsule to be watched in the future.  One student who survived the super storm says at the end of the movie “25 years?  It doesn’t matter, you know.  I’m just taking it one day at a time.”

Things I liked:

• I liked that each character was introduced with a little caption on the bottom of the screen as they appeared in the beginning of the movie.  I thought it was funny when Donk was first introduced and the screen said “Amateur Daredevil, 302 YouTube hits.”  He provides the comic relief for the story and is a complete idiot.
• I’m kind of obsessed with long, beautiful hair lately because I don’t have it.  The only two females featured in the film do: the intense Sarah Wayne Callies and the young Alycia Debnam-Carey.
• The aerial views that showed the epic devastation after tornados hit certain areas were fantastic.
• When the audience saw the inside of the “eye” of the tornado, there was an audible gasp:  aaaah!

Things I didn’t like:

• Predictable plot and dialogue.  But you came to see the cool CGI, right?
• The movie took itself pretty seriously.  There was some humor, but it didn’t have the nice blend of dramatic and comedic moments that were in Twister  It's hard not to make the comparison between the two movies.  While  Twister did a great job of including all the elements that make for a good disaster flick, the visual effects in Into the Storm make Twister look like the tornado in the The Wizard of Oz .

Did you notice?

• Donk’s friend uses a Flip cam to record everything.  They're the easiest video recorder ever.  I bought mine for $99 when they first came out.  You can still get them, but they cost a lot more.  Check out this one:
Flip UltraHD Video Camera - White, 4 GB, 1 Hour
• How convenient that everyone’s batteries were fully charged.  In this day of easy technology, almost every character in the film is filming something, using cell phones, professional equipment, and handheld camcorders.  You’re the audience of their productions, as well as of the movie itself.  YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world and has allowed anyone with a camera to become a director.
• The name on Donk's truck was "Twista Hunterz"

Funny lines:

• “Me and the planet go way back.”  - Donnie
• “Grab a broom.  It’s like a zombie apocalypse out here.”  - Reevis (Jon Reep)
• “He’s really doing it!  I’m going to film this train wreck”, says Trey (Nathan Kress) as he watches Donnie awkwardly try to talk to the girl he’s been in love with for months.
• Gary (Richard Armitage) is disappointed that Donnie didn’t tell him where he was going and asks Trey “Why didn’t he just tell me?”  Trey answers sarcastically “I don’t know, Dad.  You’re so easy to talk to.”

Interesting lines:

• “It’s an instinct game.  And she ain’t got it.” – Pete (Matt Walsh)
• “I’ve studied storms all my life.  This one is bigger than has ever been.” – Allison

Did you know?

• Hail is one of the first signs that a tornado is coming.  I actually took a Skyarn class a year ago, because I thought it would be interesting.  I'm such a nerd.  It actually WAS interesting!
• Tornadoes have actually touched down in Los Angeles, Chicago, and even London.
• Tornado fires are rare, but they really do exist.
• The trailing winds on the back end of a tornado are even stronger than the front end.
• The guidelines for CPR have recently changed. 

Tips for parents:  The favorite word of choice in this film is “sh_t”…you’ll hear it a LOT.  Small children may be scared by the intense destruction and the image of people and things being sucked up by tornadoes.

If you haven't seen Twister yet, it's a winner:

Here's a survival knife I really like because it comes with a glass break feature and seat belt cutter for emergencies:

Disney offers a magical Maleficent to a new generation

Movie Title:  Maleficent

PG, 1 hour 37 minutes

Grade:  A-

In a Nutshell:  This magical Disney retelling of Sleeping Beauty (1959) begins “Let us tell an old story anew and we shall see how well you know it.”  The beautiful textures and fantastic artistry of this untold fairy tale creates such wonder that I knew I wanted to watch the movie again within 5 minutes of the opening.

Sure, there are some flaws in the story, but Angelina’s performance as villain and heroine is commanding (although her accent waivers at times).  There is a delightful touch of humor, as well as enough of a twist in the story to keep you interested.  Both Stefan and Maleficent steal “something far more precious than a jewel” because of different motivations, one learning life’s valuable lessons along the way and the other becoming more and more entranced with power.  Which one is which?

 

In a sense, Maleficent is to Sleeping Beauty (1959) what Wicked is to The Wizard of Oz (but without all the singing.)  Angelina Jolie describes Maleficent as "deliciously wicked."  Loyal Sleeping Beauty fans will feel betrayed, but I don't mind a new spin on a story I "thought" I knew.

 Uplifting theme: 

• Following on the heels of Frozen’s successful twist of “true love’s kiss”, young girls will be reminded not to wait for a handsome prince to truly live.
• Forgiveness is far greater than revenge.  We’ve all been wounded or felt betrayed by someone in our lives; the challenge is to not let it change us.
• Guys, don’t treat a woman’s heart lightly.  Consider the warning in Congreve’s phrase “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

Things I liked:

• I loved seeing “every manner of strange and wonderful creatures” in the moor at the beginning of the movie.  The phantasmic girls who danced above the water were stunning. There is so much to see in the first 10 minutes.
• Maleficent’s emerald eyes are mesmerizing. And those red lipstick lips...
• Maleficent is able to freeze people in a dream-like state, floating their bodies around in the air to move them to a new location.  It’s a very cool effect and magic power I wish I had.
• The three fairy sisters are adorable, both as fairies and (SPOILER ALERT) humans.  I love the little blue butterflies that circle around Flittle in both of her forms.
• I have a son who designs video games, so I especially notice the small details on weaponry and animated characters now.  I thought the talon-like points on Maleficent’s wings were uber cool.
• I love being able to see Maleficent’s fierce horns on her head before they’re covered by the silky, black headdress.  Notice her elf-shaped ears underneath the fabric.  
• Elle Fanning is lovely and fills the character of Aurora with light.  Her kindness and sweetness is so pure and sweet that it unnerves Maleficent and provides a contrast that draws you in.  In an interview with ScreenSlam, Elle reveals that out of all the Disney princesses, she personally relates the most to Sleeping Beauty and would choose those costumes to wear as a little girl.  When asked to select one word to describe the entire film, Elle said “Whimsical.”  Good choice!
• Angelina Jolie's own daughter, Vivian, is in the movie, playing Maleficent as a toddler.  Jolie admits it was awkward to say to her daughter "I don't like children" while dressed in devil horns.

Things I didn’t like:

*  I didn’t really care for Maleficent’s carved cheekbones.  I’ve never seen Angelina Jolie more beautiful than in The Tourist .  Angelina brings a sexy elegance to the role of Maleficent.
*  The script didn't develop Maleficent's motivation for saving the baby.  After her vicious spell, it was odd that she suddenly became curious and visited the baby in the countryside cabin.  She continued to call the baby a "beastie", yet she had a tender spot for the baby even from the beginning.  Disney's intentional attempt to show that even the most evil villain has good inside?

 Interesting lines:

• “Don't listen to him, Baltizar.  You’re classically handsome” said the young Maleficent to an old, gnarled tree creature after a human said he was hideous to look at.  By the way, you’ll get a kick out of his African-sounding clicking language.
• A handsome prince wanders through the forest and says to Maleficent “I’m looking for a girl.”  She sneers “Of course you are.”
• “I was so lost in hatred and revenge.  You stole what was left of my heart.”  - Maleficent
• “There is an evil in this world: hatred and revenge.” – Maleficent
• Princess Aurora says to a hidden Maleficent “Don’t be afraid.”  Maleficent states “I am not afraid.”  Aurora invites “Then come out.”  Warns Maleficent “Then you’ll be afraid.”
• “Oh come on….that was funny.”  - Maleficent
• “Oh look.  The little beastie is about to fall off the cliff.”  - Maleficent
• “I need you to be my wings.”  - Maleficent to Diaval
• “Oh dear.  What an awkward situation.” - Maleficent

Tips for parents:  This family flick provides a villain that isn’t too scary for little ones, but has some violence for its PG rating.  Other things that children will see include a fire-breathing dragon, sword fights, vengeance, anger, sibling fighting, and jealousy.

 

The vocabulary word for the day for your kids is MALEFICENT: doing evil or harm; harmfully malicious; causing or capable of producing evil or mischief

The Quiet Ones Inspires a Noisy Audience

Movie Title:   The Quiet Ones

PG-13, 1 hour 38 minutes

 

Grade:   C

In a Nutshell:  This is a campy horror film that is inspired by supposed true events.  Led by the talented Jared Harris of Mad Men: Seasons 1-4 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows , this creepy movie has all the familiar ingredients: mysterious noises coming from cob-webbed rooms in a dimly-lit house, scary gags that make you jump in your seat, sinister characters that make you laugh nervously, and a plot that unravels if you shine the light on it.

 

The movie title certainly wasn’t referring to the audience I sat with.  The teenagers in the audience yelled “OMG!”, screamed, laughed, and commented loudly on every scene, providing additional entertainment in an otherwise empty theater.  During the scene where an older man and younger girl kiss, one of the girls in the audience yelled “Get out!”  Whenever something unbelievable would happen, another teen in the audience would scream “Shut up!”  ha ha

 

Theme: 

• Who is the REAL crazy one? 
• Talk about manifesting your negative energy!

Things I liked:

 

• Director John Pogue successfully creates an atmosphere that provides an air of ethereal history.
• Nice touch to show artifacts and old photographs at the end of the film.
• It’s a good movie for teens to watch on DVD on a Friday night when they want to laugh and be scared at the same time during a party with their friends. 

Things I didn’t like:

• It’s ironic that a movie entitled The Quiet Ones spends so much time cranking up the volume on screams to get a reaction out of the audience.
• The jiggly camera effects made me more dizzy than scared.
• Everyone in the movie is always crying or sweating. 
• A bit predictable.  Even the twist ending isn’t original.

 

Interesting  lines:

• “You’re scared because you can’t explain what you’ve seen.”  - Professor Joseph Coupland
• “It’s human nature to question and be skeptical.” – Professor Joseph Coupland
• “He saved me from myself.”  - Jane Harper

Tips for parents:  Despite its PG-13 rating, the movie will give young kids nightmares.  There is very little profanity.

Godzilla proves to be a monster at the Box Office

Movie Title:  Godzilla [HD]

PG-13, 2 hour 3 minutes

Grade:    A-

 

In a Nutshell:   I love it when a movie trailer doesn’t reveal major plot points in an upcoming movie so that you’re pleasantly surprised.  Godzilla [HD] has all of the intensity, stunning visual effects, impressive sound design and suspense you’ve been wanting from this franchise for years.  Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the monstrous fun.

Box office sales proves that, just like Godzilla, this movie franchise won't die.

Uplifting theme: 

• There are good monsters and bad monsters.  Humans too.  Awww.
• There are nice examples in the flick of heroism, loyalty, sacrifice, and honor.

Things I liked:

• Disaster movie lovers will get a kick out of watching Las Vegas and San Francisco get destroyed.  Great special effects.  I loved the TV ticker line “Breaking News: Live Terror in Vegas!”
• The movie makes it current by including present-day concerns about compromised Japanese nuclear power plants being a danger to nearby communities and beyond.
• I liked how it tried to wrap the story around the 1954 Godzilla movie’s fear of the atomic age.
• Bryan Cranston makes everything better.
• Monsters Director Gareth Edwards is great at creating chaos and pandemonium.
• I watched it in IMAX 3D, which offers some moments when I really felt inside the movie.  At one point, I thought an audience member was standing in front of me and I almost asked him to move, but then realized it was the 3D effect.
• Go Army!
• (SPOILER ALERT)  I loved it when a “certain” monster glowed with fire inside.  Godzilla spews cool blue fire.
• I loved the scene where the skydivers dropped from the clouds, trailing red flares.
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson conveniently arrives in the right place at the right time to offer the ongoing thread that keeps the human story running alongside the monsters.  He’s likeable enough to get the job done as hero and provides another shout-out to the real everyday heroes in today’s U.S.Army.  My oldest son is an officer in the Army, so can I get a “Hooah!”?
• It was clever to show old movie clips in the beginning to bring newbies to the Godzilla franchise up to speed.
• One of the few funny moments of the flick featured some Japanese parents in an airport getting annoyed at their Emo kid.
• I loved seeing the city and aerial views of Tokyo.
• One of the best lines in the movie was when a Japanese doctor gets to say “We call him… Godzirra.”
• There are a few scene transitions that made the audience laugh out loud because they were expecting to see a real monster, but instead, saw a pet chameleon and a toy dinosaur.

Things I didn’t like:

• Audiences can’t help but compare this film to last summer’s blockbuster Pacific Rim .  They’re both fun, but Pacific Rim had some fresh elements that Godzilla [HD] can’t compete with (uber cool, digital kaiju, gigantic robot soldier fight scenes).  Click here for my review of Pacific Rim.
• While the 1998 Mathew Broderick version felt more like a cartoon, this one is full of drama.  In fact, it needs a touch of humor to offset the fact that it takes itself so seriously.
• The back story provided some meat, but was a bit contorted at times.
• Not nearly enough monster fight scenes.  Not nearly enough Godzilla.  He almost plays a supporting role.
• Dr. Ishiro Seriwaza does two things well in the movie: utter profound statements about Godzirra, and stare in disbelief with his mouth open.
• Thanks for the uncomfortable reminder that I live near Yucca Mountain...

Interesting lines:

• “The arrogance of man is thinking nature is under our control and not the other way around.” – Dr. Ishiro Seriwaza
• “The king of monsters is the savior of our city.”
• “Nature has a power to restore its bounds.  I believe he is that nature.”  - Dr. Ishiro Seriwaza

Tips for parents: 

• Loving married relationships instead of sexual content is refreshing.
• Very mild profanity that’s hardly noticeable because so many other things are going on.
• Lots of destruction and monster violence.  That's what you came to see though, right?

Vampire Academy now on DVD for those suffering Twilight withdrawals

The newest DVD to hit store shelves this week is:

Movie Title:   Vampire Academy

PG-13, 1 hour 45 minutes

Grade:   C-

 

In a Nutshell:   Juno meets Harry Potter meets Twilight meets Mean Girls meets terrible movie.  It could have been fun if it were designed to be a spoof.  Alas, brothers Daniel and Mark Waters have created crass characters with lots of hormones and little class.  It could be considered a guilty pleasure if you’re a teenager girl who has read the book and can’t get enough of vampire flicks.

 

Uplifting theme:   In the words of (NO spoiler alert): “Blood is what connects us all.  Blood is sustenance.  Blood is family.  Blood is pain and blood is death.” 

Things I liked:

• Ummm…

 Things I didn’t like:

• Snarky dialogue that tried too hard to be cool.
• Monologuing villains
• The ending leaves an opening for a sequel.  Please, no!

 Funny lines:

• “Stopping is for losers.”  -  Rose
• “A female, especially one who lives off of blood and magic, is going to have her mood swings.”  - Rose
• “They say Dimitri is a God.  Well, I’m an Atheist…an atheist with a big gun.” = Spiridion
• “Please don’t say Vampire Academy.  You know how I feel about the V word.” – Lissa Dragomire
• “Weird doesn’t begin to cover it.” – Rose
• “Stop staring at each other all gooey-like.”  - Rose
• “There’s a fine line between concerned and stalker.” - Rose

Tips for parents:   Lots of sassy words on the verge of profanity, inappropriate topics for young kids, pre-marital relations, talk of losing virginity, blood, violence.  Maybe the books are better?

The Other Woman offers estrogen-filled gal pal laughs

Movie Title:  The Other Woman

Grade:  B

PG-13, 1 hour 49 minutes

In a Nutshell:   

A woman’s guilty pleasure is to see a two-timing, adulterous scumbag get what’s coming to him.  It kind of gives “screwball comedy” another meaning.  This movie is all about revenge, girl power and the unconditional friendships that women crave and need.  The target audience is truly the stiletto crowd on a Girls Night Out.

Uplifting theme:   

• No woman deserves to be lied to and cheated on.
• A woman needs to be happy with herself and not rely on a man to do it for her.

Things I liked:

• Kate (Leslie Mann) brings Boston Market take-out to Carly (Cameron Diaz).  I haven’t eaten that since I lived on the east coast.  Yum.
• The audience loved it when Kate took off her bathrobe, revealing a black spy suit accompanied by the Mission: Impossible theme music.
• There is a lot of silly physical comedy featuring Leslie Mann and Cameron Diaz.  They have some great chemistry together and who doesn’t want to see them chest-bump in an ode to female empowerment?
• Guys just can’t truly appreciate the estrogen meltdown scenes like when Carly puts on her old wedding dress and gets drunk in a pity party, while squirting whip cream into her mouth through her toile veil.

Things I didn’t like:

• Watching a Great Dane poop.  Ick.  The slobbery giant’s name is Thunder and is really a handsome creature.  The audience howled with laughter.
• How nice that all of the parties involved were super rich and had amazing cars and houses.  I suppose it wouldn’t have been a comedy if they were all living in low-income housing.
• It’s strange to see Miami Vice: The Complete Series leading man, Don Johnson, as such an old guy now.  Of course, his character is still a romancer.
• Sure, there are messy problems with the movie, but you won’t mind too much if you’re watching it with your gal pals and eager to laugh at a silly chick flick.
• You don't realize Leslie Mann and Cameron Diaz are aging until you see Kate Upton.

Interesting lines:

• “Cheaters don’t change.” – Carly     Do you think that’s true?
• “Cry on the inside like winners.”  - Carly tries to teach Kate how to show strength during sorrow, but instead, Kate comically grimaces while attempting her brave face.

Funny lines:

• “If we find anymore mistresses, I’m going to have to send her to rehab.” – Carly
• “She makes me look like I’m wearing a diaper.” – Carly when she sees Amber for the first time.
• “I’m like Martha Stewart, but with big underpants.” - Kate
• “It’s a light recon day.” – Kate    Her brother Phil (Taylor Kinney) looks at her bag on the table and says “A grappling hook?  Really?”
• Kate says to Carly “No, you can’t have my husband AND my brother.  No! That’s just…no…greedy.”
• “My situation is pretty well situated, it’s true.” – Carly

Interesting references:

• Carly’s dad mentions eating Pho in Vietnam, a reference I wouldn’t have even understood before last weekend when my family went to a Vietnamese restaurant to try it for the first time.  It was delicious!  Find out if there is a Vietnamese restaurant in your town that serves it.  It’s kind of a soup with noodles and meat of various kinds.  They bring you a plate with bean sprouts, cilantro, lemon, pepper and sauces to add to taste.
• Carly says “I had a little Edith Piaf moment.”   Edith was a French singer who had quite a dramatic life.  Some of her songs have been featured in recent movies such as in Saving Private Ryan , , Bull Durham , and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted .

Tips for parents:   The subject matter of this film is really not appropriate for children.  There was quite a bit of profanity, although no F-bombs, which allowed it to be rated PG-13.  Although girl power is a theme, I would not recommend taking your daughters to see this.  There is a lot of discussion about sex and the many sordid aspects of it, not to mention adultery and fornication.