Popcorn Bob's Movie Magic

Popcorn Key
One Popcorn: Flop
Two Popcorns: Wait till it’s on video
Three Popcorns: Go see it
Four Popcorns: Standing ovation

"Hyde Park On Hudson"
Two Popcorns
Genre: Drama
Cast: Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Samuel West, Olicia Colman, Elizabeth Marvel, Olivia Williams
Director: Roger Michell
Rating: R
Comment: Somewhat disappointing. Though there are some funny scenes, a bit dark. Bill Murray is Bill Murray, is Bill Murray. Hard to see him as Roosevelt. Some equate this movie in the same breath as "Lincoln" ... NOT!

"Les Miserables"
Four Popcorns
Genre: Musical Drama
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter
Director: Tom Hooper
Rating: PG-13
Comment: Superb performance by Jackman and Hathaway, sure to earn oscar nominations. A stunning adaptation of the classic musical. Cohen was perfectly cast and hilarious given the dark French Revolution setting.

"Jack Reacher"
Three Popcorns
Genre: Drama
Cast Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Robert Duvall, Werner Herzog, Richard Jenkins, David Oyelowo
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Rating: PG-13
Comment: Cruise's best effort to date. A real "page turner"! Cruise and Duvall fans must see.

"Django Unchained"
Three Popcorns
Genre: Action Adventure/Drama
Cast: Jamie Fox, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Rating: R
Comment: A real surprise! Despite Tarantino's signature blood fetish, a very entertaining, exciting, funny, well directed and acted experience.

"Parental Guidance"
Two Popcorns
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott, Bailee Madison
Director: Andy Fickman
Rating: PG
Comment: The usually funny Billy Crystal was flat and forced. The trailer had the funniest stuff. A disappointment.

"The Guilt Trip"
One Popcorn
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Barbara Streisand, Seth Rogan, Kathy Najimy, Colin hanks, Bret Cullen
Director: Anne Fletcher
Rating: PG-13
Comment: UGH! Streisand plays the doting mother to the hilt. An annoying 1 hour and 35 minutes periodically interrupted by a laugh usually generated by Rogan!

"This Is 40"
Two Popcorns
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Megan Fox, Albert Brooks, Chris O'Dowd
Director: Judd Apatow
Rating: R
Comment: An immature 40 at that. Apatow writes realistically, accept he verbalizes thoughts that shouldn't be. This makes for uncomfortable dialogue throughout, though funny in a painful kind of way. The words family dysfunction come to mind, often ... not funny.

"The Impossible"
Three Popcorns
Genre: Drama
Cast: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, Oaklee Pendergast, Marta Etura
Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Rating: PG-13
Comment: A true story of a tourist family who survived the Thailand Tsunami in 2004. Hard to watch but well done given the difficult circumstances to portray. Very sensitive and highlights the very best in humanity.