Kung Fu Panda 2

Four Stars: ˜˜˜˜
As Hollywood continues to be consumed by the sequel epidemic, our beloved panda hero finds himself trekking to the big city to fight an evil industrialist who is bent on world domination. The old ways of kung fu collide with militant progress while Po attempts to reconcile with his past in a quest for inner peace. If you enjoyed the first movie, you'll probably like this one. Truth be told, however, my favorite part was listening to the children laughing in the theater.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
"I hope this plan is better than your plan to cook rice by eating it raw and then drinking boiling water."
"Baby geese come from an egg--don't ask me where the egg comes from!"
"Nothing is unstoppable except for me when you're trying to stop me by telling me that something is unstoppable."

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Four Stars: ˜˜˜˜
The fourth installment of this franchise phenomenon failed to top the first film but certainly improved upon the middle two. While it did not change my life, it was still thoroughly entertaining. Captain Jack is back and is blessedly free from lugging around the William/Elizabeth plotline. Several fun, new characters are introduced and many of the old favorites have returned. The writers were occasionally trying too hard and the beginning drags a little, but this movie manages to delight the pirate in us all.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
"A gentleman allows a lady to maintain her fictions."
"Someone make note of that man's bravery."
"If you had a sister and a dog, I'd choose the dog."

Thor

Four Stars: ˜˜˜˜
I had low expectations for this movie which were happily surpassed. The plotline was almost Shakespearean—quite appropriately as it was directed by Kenneth Branagh. Don’t worry though, there’s lots of action and healthy dose of humor to keep everyone entertained. Also, this film may very well start a new obsession with beards (I would be perfectly okay with that). I must say, though, the best part was watching this with my little brother.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“Next time you decide to taser someone, make sure he’s already in the car.”
“A wise king never seeks out war, but he must always be ready for it.”
“It’s not always bad not having all the answers. That’s when you start asking the right questions.”

Sabrina

Five Stars: ˜˜˜˜˜
Billy Wilder’s 1954 romantic comedy set an industry standard with an American fairy tale. Don’t watch the 1995 remake, go straight for the original! All the glamorous stars shine brightly in this perfect example of Hollywood’s golden age. Classism, romanticism and humor are all allowed to creatively develop when the daughter of a servant falls in love with the son of the castle—only to have his brother fall for her.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“A woman happily in love, she burns the soufflé. A woman unhappily in love, she forgets to turn on the oven.”
“Twentieth century? Why, I could pick a century out of a hat, blindfolded, and come up with a better one!”
“I've been trying to write her a poem, but I can't seem to finish it. What rhymes with ‘glass?’”

Be Kind Rewind

Four Stars: ˜˜˜˜
The ultimate movie-lover’s movie, this 2008 treat is surprisingly delicious. Remember video tapes? They play an important role this story, when the employees at a rental store accidentally erase all of them and begin shooting their own versions of the movies. Full of brilliant slap-stick comedy, it’s a satirical homage to the film industry that will make you laugh so hard that you’ll cry… and maybe even make you cry for real.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“I'm Bill Murray, you're everybody else.”
“Well, the common story is, the girl that you's goin' ask, you waited too long to ask. She went on to marry somebody else and then you can't find anybody to compare to her, so what happens? You get old.”
“The past belongs to us, and we can change it.”

Much Ado About Nothing

Four Stars: ˜˜˜˜
Kenneth Branagh’s frolicking 1993 film adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic is thoroughly palatable and enjoyable for all, exactly as we would expect from him. The use of a young, all-star cast helps audiences identify the many characters, allowing them to easily untangle the complicated comedy.  First-time viewers may want to make use of subtitles to better understand the language—also, watch out for the random butts at the beginning.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. Men were deceivers ever. One foot in sea and one on shore, to one thing constant never.”
“I would my horse had the speed of your tongue.”
“Good Lord for alliance! Thus goes everyone to the world but I, and I am sunburnt; I may sit in a corner and cry 'heigh-ho!' for a husband.”

The Four Feathers

Four Stars: ˜˜˜˜

When the sun never set on the British Empire, its armies could expect to be dispatched all over the globe at moment’s notice. One man resigns his commission when his unit is called up. His family and friends disown him for his cowardice, each giving him a symbolic white feather. This 2002 film follows the disgraced officer on his quest for redemption, as he follows his friends around the world to save their lives and reclaim his honor.
MEMORABLE QUOTES

“God put you in my way. I have no choice.”
“In the heat of battle, it ceases to be an idea for which we fight—or a flag. Rather, we fight for the man on our left, and we fight for the man on our right.”
“Don't worry, Vicar. They're only women. They won't bite.”

Empire Records

Three Stars: ˜˜˜

Yet another coming of age tale, in the style of John Hughes, this 1995 cult classic is full of teenage angst and sticking it to The Man. When the motley crew of an offbeat music store realizes that their beloved institution is in danger of becoming a corporate sellout, they put aside their adolescent issues and join forces. Of course, they all learn valuable life lessons along the way. Somehow this film manages to avoid being sickeningly cliché, thanks to its delightfully clever dialogue—and an awesome soundtrack.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“What’s with you today?” – “What’s with today today?”
“I don’t feel the need to explain my art to you.”
“Do you really know where Harvard is? It's another planet, man… filled with big blond guys who eat ivy and row boats.”

Father Goose

Four Stars: ˜˜˜˜
Supposed to be Cary Grant’s last film, he always said that this role in 1964 was his favorite because for once he didn’t have to wear a suit and be charming. Quite the opposite, in fact! One of my favorite comedies, this hilarious masterpiece centers around a grumpy old man who is marooned on a Pacific island during WWII. When a schoolmarm and her seven students are also stranded on the island, the stage is set for some classic laughs.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“So far you're shared me out of my clothes, my food and my house. Now, how about sharing some of my things with me.”
“I believe I've found our nail, sir. A rusty one I grant you, but they don't come any sharper.”
“Maybe if you stopped straightening pictures and let men wear their own pants, maybe they'd be able to touch you without asking ‘permesso!’”

Secondhand Lions

Five Stars: ˜˜˜˜˜
When a young boy is sent to live with his uncles, he has no idea what adventures are in store. As he gets to know them, he learns that they were not always so old and boring—their lives have been the stuff of legends. It turns out that he can help them even more than they can help him, for he leads them to discover new purpose and vitality, as they teach him what it means to really be a man. This brilliant film from 2003 will have you laughing and crying, much the way life itself does.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“Hub always hogs all the bad guys.”
“A man's body may grow old, but inside his spirit can still be as young and as restless as ever. And him—in his day, he had more spirit than twenty men.”
“We’ll see what the man’s selling, then we’ll shoot him.”

Man of La Mancha

Four Stars: ˜˜˜˜
The 1972 screen-adaptation of the Broadway hit based on Miguel Cervantes’ novel could have been a solid Five, had the lead roles been cast for musical talent instead of celebrity acting. Nevertheless, this film, set in the Spanish Inquisition, challenges the persecution which every society imposes upon dreamers and their supposedly impossible dreams. The music from this movie will stay with you, almost as much as the story itself.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“Many a man has gone to bed feeling well, only to wake up the next morning and find himself dead.”
“Too much sanity may be madness!”
“You know what the worst crime of all is? Being born. For that you get punished your whole life.”

The Conspirator


Three Stars: ˜˜˜
The unusual subject of this film alone was enough to attract me—not often is the Lincoln assassination addressed in movies. It was unfortunate that I already knew how it would end, else it may have been much more dramatic. The truth is that real life sucks sometimes and the good guy does not always win. Perhaps tragedy is what truly defines the real heroes by their actions in the face of failure. Right and wrong do not change because of circumstance.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
“This is a frightened country. You don’t need to scare us any more.”
“This habit of you quoting me back to me has become most annoying.”
“Results should not be the only measure of justice.”