Yep, I have to agree with John (Cougar — sorry, can’t help myself) Mellencamp.
Say what??? John Mellencamp is doing movie reviews, you ask?
Yep. He sat in as a guest host on the TV show, Ebert & Roeper this week. I only caught one of his movie reviews — the one for Fracture, starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling.
And we both agree… two thumbs up for this movie!
For some reason, the “expert” Roeper didn’t agree. He gave the movie a thumbs down.
But the toughest movie critic of them all — my husband Jim — gave it high marks as well.
Here’s why I think Fracture is legitimately a winner:
- The plot is good.
- There are a few unsuspecting twists & turns.
- There’s even some genuine humor, where the audience belts out in a genuine full-out chuckle several times.(There was only one time — out of about 9 — where the humor seemed misplaced. It was toward the end.)
- Ryan Gosling is incredibly charming from start to finish in this movie. He made the movie. (Though Jim would beg to differ, saying that his “love interest”, Rosamund Pike, was quite a charmer herself. I agree.)
- And there’s no denying that Anthony Hopkins plays one heck of an “intense weird guy”. The movie wouldn’t have been the same without him. (But don’t be mistaken — as Roeper was — into thinking that they’re drumming up the old Silence of the Lambs character.)
- I thought the ending was a tad bit weak, but Jim thought it was okay.
- We went to the late movie (where normally I would be falling asleep), and this movie captivated my attention from start to finish.
Other New Releases That We Liked:
Shooter …Anytime there’s a new Marky Mark movie out, we’re first in line! His movies are always great. (By the way, another recent good one by Mark Wahlberg: Invincible!)
Disturbia …Starts out way slow. It’s a bit more of a “teenage movie” than we’d like, but all in all it was mildly suspenseful and interesting.
Wild Hogs …Call us crazy, but this one let us live out our “dream” of riding cross country on a motorcycle together. It’s a purely silly movie, but the laughs are genuine. The critics hated this one, but most people like you & me enjoyed it for what it was — a feel good movie for a Saturday afternoon.
Reign Over Me …Adam Sandler shines. As does Don Cheadle. Together, they’re the perfect movie duo. A classic feel-good movie with just enough tears and laughter.
Happy Feet …The only thing that made this movie worthwhile for us was the fact that we saw it at an IMAX theater. Some of the tunes were good. But the “cuteness factor” wore off very early in this movie, and we found ourselves watching the clock.
The Lookout …I was afraid it was going to be a teen thriller. In a sense, it was. But for the most part, it was an interesting drama movie.
Letters From Iwo Jima …Good. Based on truth, so it had to be good. It’s a sad truth, but true nonetheless.
Breach …Another good movie, based on the true story of FBI agent turned traitor, Robert Hansen.
Alpha Dog …Yet another fact-based movie. This one’s the story of Jesse James Hollywood, the youngest man to ever be on the F.B.I.’s most wanted list.
We stopped reviewing all the movies we’ve seen about a year ago, but here are some oldies but goodies we’ve reviewed in the past.
I like to help people find unique ways to do things in order to save time & money — so I write about “outside the box” ideas that most wouldn’t think of. As a lifelong dog owner, I often share my best tips for living with and training dogs. I worked in Higher Ed over 10 years before switching gears to pursue activities that I’m truly passionate about. I’ve worked at a vet, in a photo lab, and at a zoo — to name a few. I enjoy the outdoors via bicycle, motorcycle, Jeep, or RV. You can always find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
