Mama Mia

Plot Summary: Young Sophie invites three of her mom's old boyfriends to her wedding in Greece in hopes of determining which one is her father.

Movie Groupie Jabber: I am really not a fan of musicals. I didn't like Hairspray or *gasp* Chicago. I prefer live theatre if I'm going to see a musical. But Mama Mia was actually fairly entertaining. Amanda Seyfried steals the show as Sophie, and Meryl Streep leaves no doubt as to her amazing talents as a vocalist. Some parts of the movie were painfully corny, especially at the beginning, but I couldn't stop smiling during "Dancing Queen." Of course the three men, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, (Bootstrap Bill, if you can't place him) and Colin Firth were adorable, and Molly Weasely (Julie Walters) can sing!

My Score: 74

Metacritic: 51

Rotten Tomatoes: 53

The Dark Knight

Plot Summary: Batman returns to fight the evil Joker and his minions.

Movie Groupie Jabber: First of all, this movie is very dark. I keep asking myself if I liked it better than Iron Man, but they are so different, it's hard to compare. While Iron Man was full of light humor and fun action, Batman is full of murder, madmen and sometimes disturbing ideas. I almost question its PG-13 rating, though there isn't a lot of blood or profanity. However, the ideas are dark, very dark. Heath Ledger really made the movie for me. He WAS the Joker. Shuold he be nominated for an Academy Award? Maybe. Would I recommend this movie? Absolutely. But don't take the kids.

My Rating: 96 (I know, it's higher that Iron Man)
Metacritic: 82
Rotten Tomatoes: 95

The Happening

Plot Summary: A science teacher and his wife take refuge in the countryside when a mysterious illness turns people into suicidal zombies.

Movie Groupie Jabber: Remember when I said Iron Man was the summer's best movie? Well, The Happening is the worst! I almost walked out and I never walk out on a movie. I have been an M. Knight Shyamalan fan since The Sixth Sense, and Signs is on my list of top 10, but his last four movies have been horrible and this one is the bottom of the barrel. Even Mark Wahlberg, one of today's more talented actors, was wooden and uninspiring. And the plot is a complete joke. It's unbelievable and at times even comical. Don't even bother renting this one on DVD unless you want a good laugh.

My Score: 32

Metacritic: 34

Rotten Tomatoes : 19

Get Smart

Plot Summary: Maxwell Smart is back at it again battling the forces of Kaos with the help of beautiful Agent 99.

Movie Groupie Jabber: I can't believe it, but I actually liked this movie! I laughed - a lot! Steve Carell played Maxwell Smart with such heart. He was completely loveable. And Anne Hathaway did such a good job as Agent 99. From clips I had seen, I didn't think she fit the role, but she and Carell had great chemistry and she was very believable. I grew up watching the TV show, so probably appreciated it even more. It was fun seeing Masi Oka out of his Hiro role, (Heroes) and the Rock was a pleasant surprise. I'd recommend it!

My Score: 87

Metacritic: 54

Rotten Tomatoes: 52

Kung Fu Panda

Plot Summary: Po, a panda and an unlikely hero, is declared Dragon Warrior and trains with Kung Fu masters to defeat the evil snow leopard, Tai Lung.

Movie Groupie Jabber: I'm not much for animated flicks but I enjoyed this one a lot. The plot was easy enough to follow, there was just the right amount of humor, and there was LOTS of action. (As you know, I'm a bit of an action addict.) The celebrity voices didn't get in the way of the story (except maybe Angelina Jolie) which I appreciated. I also enjoyed the message of the movie which was appropriate for both children and adults. The final test was the opinions of my nieces and nephews. We saw it together and they loved it.

My score: 85

Metacritic: 73

Rotten Tomatoes: 88

Iron Man

Plot Summary: When wealthy weapons manufacturer Tony Stark is captured and nearly killed by militants in Afghanistan, he realizes the errors of his ways and constructs a super hero suit to fight against evil.

Movie Groupie Jabber: Best. Movie. Of. The. Summer. Hands down. Well, so far anyway. The movie is funny, action packed and even includes a little romance. Robert Downey Jr. brings Tony Stark to life while Gwyneth Paltrow, though a lot like her character in Sky Captain, is perfect as Pepper Potts. There is a torture scene toward the beginning of the movie that probably earned its PG-13 rating, so I wouldn't take younger children to see it, though. Iron Man moves at a brisk pace and the action is exhilarating. Honestly, I think one of the main reasons I enjoyed this movie so much is because Robert Downey Jr. (a long time Iron Man comic fan, by the way), so earned this role and it is a joy to watch him shine.


My Score: 94
Metacritic: 79
Rotten Tomatoes: 93

WALL-E

Plot Summary: A robot left alone on Earth leaves his home and journeys into space when he falls for another robot sent to Earth from a space station.

Movie Groupie Jabber: Wow. This movie has recieved such high praise from top movie critics around the nation. And it IS a cute, enjoyable flick. However, I can hardly say it's one of the best movies of the year. WALL-E is a robot with a very limited vocabulary (about 3 words), and I missed the witty dialogue I enjoyed in many other movies I've seen this summer. And, yes, the animators did a terrific job expressing WALL-E's thoughts and emotions without dialogue, but I have to be honest and say I missed it. I loved WALL-E's green theme, especially how animators showed that humans have not only trashed Earth, but the Moon and space as well. That was effective. But the movie is a bit slow and I wondered what audience it targeted. I think it would be very difficult for a 8 year old to sit through the whole thing without getting antsy. And it just didn't offer me enough as an adult viewer. Maybe I'm just too cynical to enjoy it's simple, sweet theme. I liked WALL-E, but feel it's overrated.

My score: 84
Metacritic: 94 (!)
Rotten Tomatoes: 97 (!)