Deanna: The Movie Watcher

Super Size Me

2005-05-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

Rating: B+

Super Size Me is a documentary about obesity and fast food. Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock demonstrates fast food's effect on obesity by eating only fast food three meals a day for 30 days. He also creates a set of rules for himself: he can only eat/drink food if its on McDonalds menu, must eat three meals a day, he has to eat everything on McDonald's menu at least once, and if asked, he must supersize his meal.

I found this movie to be very interesting and a must-see. I thought going in that it would just show him eating meal after meal at McDonalds, but the movie also details the causes and effects of obesity. It shows interviews of elementary school cafeteria workers, lobbyists, McDonalds employees, and obese teenagers, to name a few. I felt afterward that I got a good idea of how much obesity is sweeping the nation and what some causes may be, including fast food restaurants and their promotions toward children, cafeteria food, and America's increasing need for convenience. Here are some facts that I found especially interesting:

- Americans eat 40% of their meals out
- 1 bagel = 5 servings of bread, a regular parfait with yogurt worse for you than a regular sundae, and a premium girlled chicken salad with ranch has more calories than a Big Mac
- obesity is the 2nd leading cause of preventable death behind smoking
- if trends continue, 1/3 of babies born in 2000 will develop diabetes in life
- 1st graders were surveyed and more knew who Ronald McDonald and Wendy were than who Jesus Christ and George Washington were
- effect of McDonalds 3 meals/day for 30 days on Morgan Spurlock: difficulty breathing, heart palpatations, chest pain, possible kidney stones, very harmful to liver, much less energy, lethargic, gained 25 pounds, 2x risk of heart failure, massive headaches, mood swings, and heightened cholesterol

I definitely recommend this movie to everyone just to learn about obesity and give you incentive to stop eating fast food! Morgan Spurlock has a great sense of humor and made the movie very interesting and eye opening.

Watch the Super Size Me movie trailer
More facts about obesity
Play Burger Man: The Official Super Size Me Game

Buy Super Size me at Amazon.com:

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2005 MTV Movie Award Nominees

2005-05-04T22:18:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I love MTV award shows. I always look forward to the MTV Video Music Awards and the MTV Movie Awards, because as opposed to many other awards shows, I've actually heard of the movies and music. Thanks to ComingSoon and The Movie Blog, here are the nominees for this year's MTV Movie Awards, which will air on June 9th at 8:30 PM. What are your picks? Mine are highlighted in bold, though I didn't give an opinion when I didn't see most of the movies in the category.

Best Movie
Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Miramax Films)
Napoleon Dynamite (Fox Searchlight)
Spider-Man 2 (Sony Pictures)
Ray (Universal Pictures)
The Incredibles (Walt Disney Pictures)

Best Male Performance
Jamie Foxx -- Ray (Universal Pictures)
Will Smith -- Hitch (Sony Pictures)
Brad Pitt -- Troy (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Matt Damon -- The Bourne Supremacy (Universal Pictures)
Leonardo DiCaprio -- The Aviator (Miramax Films)

Best Female Performance
Uma Thurman -- Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Miramax Films)
Lindsay Lohan -- Mean Girls (Paramount Pictures)
Hilary Swank -- Million Dollar Baby (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Rachel McAdams -- The Notebook (New Line Cinema)
Natalie Portman -- Garden State (Fox Searchlight)

Best Comedic Performance
Antonio Banderas -- Shrek 2 (DreamWorks SKG)
Dustin Hoffman -- Meet the Fockers (Universal Pictures)
Will Ferrell -- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (DreamWorks SKG)
Ben Stiller -- Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (20th Century Fox)
Will Smith -- Hitch (Sony Pictures)

Best On-Screen Team
- Lindsay Lohan/Rachel McAdams/Lacey Chabert/Amanda Seyfried -- Mean Girls (Paramount Pictures)
- Craig T. Nelson/Holly Hunter/Spencer Fox/Sarah Vowell -- The Incredibles (Walt Disney Pictures)
- Will Ferrell/Paul Rudd/Fred Armisen/Steve Carell -- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (DreamWorks SKG)
- Vince Vaughn/Christine Taylor/Justin Long/Alan Tudyk/Stephen Root/Joel David Moore/Chris Williams -- Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (20th Century Fox)
- John Cho/Kal Penn -- Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (New Line Cinema)

Best Villain
Tom Cruise -- Collateral (DreamWorks SKG)
Ben Stiller -- Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (20th Century Fox)
Rachel McAdams -- Mean Girls (Paramount Pictures)
Jim Carrey -- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Paramount Pictures)
Alfred Molina -- Spider-Man 2 (Sony Pictures)

Breakthrough Male
Jon Heder -- Napoleon Dynamite (Fox Searchlight)
Tim McGraw -- Friday Night Lights (Universal Pictures)
Zach Braff -- Garden State (Fox Searchlight)
Freddie Highmore -- Finding Neverland (Miramax Films)
Tyler Perry -- Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Lions Gate Films)

Breakthrough Female
Rachel McAdams -- Mean Girls (Paramount Pictures)
Ashanti -- Coach Carter (Paramount Pictures)
Elisha Cuthbert -- The Girl Next Door (20th Century Fox)
Bryce Dallas Howard -- The Village (Touchstone Pictures)
Emmy Rossum -- The Day After Tomorrow (20th Century Fox)

Best Kiss
Rachel McAdams & Ryan Gosling -- The Notebook (New Line Cinema)
Natalie Portman & Zach Braff -- Garden State (Fox Searchlight)
Gwyneth Paltrow & Jude Law -- Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Paramount Pictures)
Jennifer Garner & Natassia Malthe -- Elektra (20th Century Fox)
Elisha Cuthbert & Emile Hirsch -- The Girl Next Door (20th Century Fox)

Best Action Sequence
Destruction of Los Angeles -- The Day After Tomorrow (20th Century Fox)
The Subway Battle -- Spider-Man 2 (Sony Pictures)
Beverly Hills Plane Crash -- The Aviator (Miramax Films)
The Moscow Car Chase -- The Bourne Supremacy (Universal Pictures)
The Desert Terrorist Assault -- Team America: World Police (Paramount Pictures)

Best Fight
The Battle of the News Teams -- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (DreamWorks SKG)
Daryl Hannah vs. Uma Thurman -- Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Miramax Films)
Brad Pitt vs. Eric Bana -- Troy (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Ziyi Zhang vs. The Emperor's Guards -- House of Flying Daggers (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Musical Performance
Jennifer Garner & Mark Ruffalo -- 13 Going On 30 (Sony Pictures) -- "Thriller Dance"
Will Ferrell/Paul Rudd/Fred Armisen/Steve Carell -- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (DreamWorks SKG) -- "Afternoon Delight"
John Cho &amp;amp; Kal Penn -- Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (New Line Cinema) -- "Hold On"
Jon Heder -- Napoleon Dynamite (Fox Searchlight) -- "Election Dance"

Best Frightened Performance
Cary Elwes -- Saw (Lions Gate Films)
Sarah Michelle Gellar -- The Grudge (Sony Pictures)
Jennifer Tilly -- Seed of Chucky (Focus Features)
Mya -- Cursed (Miramax Films)
Dakota Fanning -- Hide and Seek (20th Century Fox)

Best Videogame based on a Movie
Spider-Man 2 (Activision)
Van Helsing (Vivendi Universal Games)
Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (Vivendi Universal Games)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (EA)
The Incredibles (THQ)

Rent Movies Online

2005-05-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

With the growth of buying everything from groceries to concert tickets online, you can also rent movies online...cheap! At Movielink, you simply register, pay $1.99 to 4.99 to rent a movie for 24 hours, download the movie, and watch it on your PC, TV, or laptop. They also offer a free trial: go to the site and download a movie free without any obligation. It's a great way to rent a movie without even having to leave your room! And, it's legal. Don't believe me? Check out the Video Business Online article "Movielink Free to Plan Future Growth" for more information.

Also, according to The Movie Blog, UK firm Wippit plans on offering movies for download that users can keep starting this summer for only 99p per movie . And, it will be legal! We'll see if it does launch this summer and if U.S. companies also provide a similar service. More information on Wippit can be found on BBC News.

The Interpreter

2005-04-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

The Interpreter Official Site

Rating: B

The Interpreter tells the story of an Africon-born interpreter, Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman), mistakenly overhears a death threat for an Aftican head of state in a language her and only a few other people know. She then becomes the target of those who made the threat, leading Tobin Keller (Sean Penn), a federal agent, to be assigned to protect her and determine if she is telling the truth or if she is involved in the threats.

I actually had pretty high expectations for this movie, since the previews really interested me, but I left feeling slightly disappointed. I thought the movie had an interesting plot, but at times it was too political and it seemed long. I wouldn't call it too suspenseful and at times it was so political that it was over my head, but I did find parts interesting. For instance, the movie centers around an African tradiation that if your family member/close friend is murdered, the murderer is placed into a body of water to drown. You, as the family or close friend of the victim, have the opportunity to save him or let him drown. If you save him, you will be able to know that life isn't fair and move on. If you leave him to drown, justice will be done but you will live your life in a state of unhappiness and without closure. I thought that was really interesting. And, this was the first movie ever that was actually filmed at the U.N. headquarters in N.Y. Also, I thought the characters were well developed and Sean Penn did a fantastic job. I think he made the movie for me, since he really drew me into the character he played. Overall, a decent movie for those of us who like something different, but not one that is a must see.

Trailers for The Interpreter
The Interpreter on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
The Interpreter Movie Times

Two Ways to Spoil a Movie

2005-04-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

Though it's not something I use, I know people who swear by movie spoiler sites. For those of you who don't want to spend almost ten bucks on a movie without knowing that it will be good, or for those of you who were unable to see a movie in theaters but are dying to know what happened, this may be for you. Visit http://www.moviespoilers.net or http://www.themoviespoiler.com to read everything about a movie, including the ending! I think the reason I like these sites is at those times when I see a horror movie that looks really interesting, but I know it would scare me to death. I get more sleep this way!

Ray

2005-04-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

The Ray Movie Official Site

Rating: B+

Ray is about the life and trials of Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx). It describes his regrets, how he became blind, his music, and his struggles. Not knowing anything about Ray Charles going into the movie except that I liked his music, this showed me a lot about the man behind the music. Ray Charles clearly dealt with more than most in his life, including the death of his brother, a drug addiction, struggles with adultery, and of course his blindness. However, he was able to overcome his regret, addiction, and was able to be a man that did more than those with eyes to see. It's amazing to me to see people with physical disabilities make such a difference, in Ray's case through music, that it's an encouragement and motivator for those of us who aren't. I thought this movie depicted his life very well, not just showing the highlights but also his faults which made it more realistic. He played a large part in producing it which makes it even more honest. I did feel that the movie was long at times, but overall I really enjoyed it. It made me respect Ray Charles even more than I did before. Even if you aren't a fan of his music, check it out because it is a story about a normal man who did extraordinary things. As stated in www.IMDB.com, " The only thing more extraordinary than the music is the man behind it: Ray Charles."

Academy Award Winner: Best Actor (Jamie Fox), Best Sound Mixing
Ray Charles Online: The Official Site
Ray on Yahoo! Movies
Ray on the Internet Movie Database

Take the poll!:

Buy the movie and soundtrack on amazon.com:
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Trailers at your convenience

2005-04-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in the situation where your friend wanted to see a movie and you never heard of it? Well, at http://www.apple.com/trailers/ you can view trailers for many new movies and a number of older movies. It's great for those of us who don't feel like a movie summary is as good as watching a preview. Check it out :)

Finding Neverland

2005-04-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

The Finding Neverland Official Site

Rating: A

J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp) is a playwright who befriends four boys and their widowed mother, Sylvia Davies (Kate Winslet) after meeting them at the park. After spending a great deal of time with them and being especially drawn to Peter, who struggled most with his father's death, he was inspired to write the story of Peter Pan.

This movie is fantastic. It draws you in and makes your imagination come alive while watching. The story is interesting because it is based on a true story and it's great to see how the story of Peter Pan was developed. It's also inspiring to see J.M. Barrie help the children use their imaginations and be able to act like children again after their father's death. And, you can see his thought process as he got to know the different members of the Davies family and how he thought of the different characters and parts of Peter Pan. The movie focuses on imagination and believing in things unseen, from believing a dog is a bear to believing in a place called Neverland, which is refreshing since many of us no longer use our imaginations to the extent J.M. Barrie and the boys did. The actors were great, and I was especially impressed with Freddie Highmore, who played Peter Davies in the film. He was extremely convincing as a child who grew up too quickly after losing his father.

I highly recommend this movie because it is strikingly different than many of the movies out there. It is unlike most other movies I've seen because it was entertaining, moving, and imaginative. It made me wish I was more artistic and could write stories half as good as Peter Pan! If you don't believe me, it received 7 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Check this one out - I have yet to meet someone who didn't love it.

Finding Neverland on Yahoo! Movies
Watch the Finding Neverland Trailer

Buy Finding Neverland on Amazon:
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Shall We Dance

2005-04-05T11:29:00.005-07:00

Shall We Dance Official Site

Rating: B

Shall We Dance is about a middle aged man, John Clark (Richard Gere), that seems to have it all: a good job, loving wife (Susan Sarandon), and good kids. However, there is something missing in his life. After seeing a beautiful woman, Paulina (Jennifer Lopez), in the window of a dance studio one day he gets off the train he commutes on for work and signs up for beginning ballroom dance lessons. However, even after rejection from Paulina he continues taking dance lessons and begins to love it, even participating in a novice dance competition. However, his wife doesn't know why he stays late after work and that he is dancing, leading to some wrong ideas and family problems.

This movie is cute and fun the first time you see it. The best parts are by far the dancing scenes, which made me even quickly consider switching career paths. And, the other dancers that John takes the lessons with are pretty hilarious and very likable, which brings some comedy into the movie. Despite this, the movie can at times seem too predictable and too much like every other chick flick. I felt like I liked the movie, but it wasn't one I needed to see again. The jokes are fun, the dancing great, and the actors are good, but overall it's cute but not memorable. Guys, this one isn't for you, and girls, this one may be good to rent and see with friends when you're in the mood for a predictable chick flick.

Shall We Dance's Trailer (need QuickTime to view)

Shall We Dance on the Internet Movie Database

Shall We Dance on Yahoo! movies

Buy the DVD on Amazon.com:

The Upside of Anger

2005-03-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

The Upside of Anger Official Site

Rating: B-

Because of a lack of alternatives, last Friday night I went to see a movie that I hadn't heard of. The Upside of Anger is the story of a mother, Terry Wolfmeyer (Joan Allen), and her four daughters and how they deal with their husband/father's disappearance. Their neighbor (Kevin Costner) comforts Terry and provides her with a friend to drink with.

This is one of those movies that you appreciate but don't really like. I really felt that the characters were very well developed and you can really see the impact her husband's disappearance has on Terry when she turns to drinking and her neighbor for support. The daughters each cope with the pain in different ways, from dating much older men, looking for attention from men elsewhere, and diving into hobbies instead of facing it. The neighbor, played by Kevin Costner, takes advantage of the situation to make a play for Terry. There is a great deal of conflict in the family and the movie enables you to understand the pain of losing someone close to you.

Despite the fact that the characters were well developed and the movie was well done for the story line, it was depressing and seemed quite long. This movie wasn't exactly entertaining and it was hard to watch since all of the characters were clearly unhappy and angry with life. The mother wasn't very likeable and Kevin Costner's character was pretty desperate. I could relate to the daughters more and felt that it was interesting to see how each dealt with their father's disappearance. Overall, this movie struck me as being more informational than entertaining, and pretty well done for what it was.

Ratings and Reviews on Yahoo! Movies
Newark showtimes

Ladder 49

2005-03-16T21:24:00.000-08:00

The Ladder 49 Official Website

Rating: A

Ladder 49 tells the story of a firefighter, Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix), who reflects on his life after finding himself trapped inside a burning 20-story building, while his fire chief, Mike Kennedy (John Travolta) frantically tries to save him.

This movie is a must see. It has surpassed many movies and now ranks as my favorite. Why? Well, this movie first of all is a must see because it makes you truly respect and get an idea of what firefighters go through. I have heard many stories of people who know firemen who say that the movie got it right. It probably helps that each cast member was trained by a fire department and the fires are real. Another reason I love the movie is that while watching the it you really become emotionally attached to each of the characters. Jack Morrison is extremely likable and heroic, Mike Kennedy is like a father figure you just have to love, the rest of the guys in the fire department are playful and fun (and very typical of how guys act when they all get together!), yet are also incredibly brave, and Jack's wife understandably struggles between wanting her husband to save lives while at the same time fearing for his life. The characters seem very real, like they could be your neighbor and friend. Because of how well they develop the characters and how you see the difficulties they face, this movie really exemplifies the phrase of a movie "pulling at your heartstrings."

I love this movie because it is realistic and it's so well done. The characters were well cast, the story line keeps your attention the entire time, and it showed you the laughs and the heartache that firefighters experience in their careers. While I can't personally find anything wrong with the movie, I have heard complaints that it is too similar to Backdraft, a movie about two brothers who don't get along and have to set their differences aside while being firefighters together. (from what I understand).

Overall, check this movie out. A word of warning: go with tissues. This is a movie that really effects you. Because of how realistic it is, it is somewhat frightening (well, at least for those of us that are afraid of fires) and can bother you some after watching it.

Information and Reviews for Ladder 49

Buy Ladder 49 on Amazon.com:

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The Pacifier

2005-03-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

The Pacifier Official Site

Rating: C+

The Pacifier is the story of Navy S.E.A.L. Shane Wolfe (Vin Diesel ) who is given the assignment to protect five children who are in danger after their father, an important scientist (Tate Donovan ) is killed leaving his top secret software in the house with the children. Throughout the story he, Shane Wolfe, learns the importance of family and reevaluates the priorities in his life.

I went into this movie knowing what to expect: a feel good, sweet movie showing the importance of family. I expected that after some initial problems, the children and Shane Wolfe would love one another and Shane would realize that family is the most essential thing in life. I won't give away the ending, but I will say that the movie was pretty predictable. However, going into a movie like The Pacifier that is what you expect. If you didn't want good, clean, predictable Disney fun, you wouldn't see it.

The movie had some funny moments and a few surprises. Shane didn't fall in love with the women I expected him to in the previews. The bad guys weren't the ones I expected. But, the overall story was what I expected leaving me feeling like the movie would have been a lot better if I was...12. It was cheesy and sweet. It was also pretty unrealistic, for in the movie five children experience pretty big changes in their lives and attitudes and a huge bond with Shane in just two weeks. A good result of this movie: for the first time I liked Vin Diesel.

For us college students, expect this to be a light movie with occasional humor. Expect the usual odd characters that may be pushing annoying. They are, in this case, the family nanny (Carol Kane ) and the school wrestling coach (Brad Garrett). For the ladies, expect a good looking lead character and a familiar face from Gilmore Girls. Guys, maybe this one isn't perfect for you. Overall, The Pacifier is a predictable Disney movie that may be better as a tv movie, but good clean fun nonetheless.

Showtimes for The Pacifier in Newark, DE
Information and Reviews for The Pacifier

Napoleon Dynamite

2005-03-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

The Napoleon Dynamite Official Site

Rating: C

Though not in theaters, this movie is all the rage on campus and therefore needs to be watched! The movie basically has no plot, but is really composed of random scenes with random funny phrases about an extremely nerdy guy, his friends, and his family. But, the impact it has had is remarkable. Everywhere I go I hear students quoting the movie, saying everything from "I spent it with my uncle in Alaska hunting wolverines!" to "Ugh! Gross! Freakin' idiot!" to a liger is "pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed... bred for its skills in magic."

This is one of those movies that you will love or hate. There's not really an in between. I love it because of some of the hilarious phrases but that's pretty much it. I have friends who live and breathe Napoleon Dynamite and others who hated the movie. That is why I give it a 3/5.

The characters are perfect for their roles. Napoleon manages to say everything with an attitude while at the same time with the same expression on his face. His brother, Kip, is a technology geek who finds his soulmate online and takes "Rex Kwan Do." His uncle claims to throw footballs further than mountains in the distance, and his best friend wears a woman's wig while running for class president. And, Napoleon's grandma has a pet llama, and his uncle and brother sell plastic containers for a living. Does this sound random to you? If you're looking for a movie with substance and, well, a plot, this one isn't for you. But, if you're looking for a movie with definite originality and want to understand what your friends are saying, check it out. I think that it's worth seeing just to be able to say "I hunt wolverines" and "I caught you a delicious bass " while sounding intelligent. But, as I've said, don't expect much substance, just some laughs because of nerdy randomness.

Some links of interest:
Napoleon's Famous Dance
Which Napoleon Dynamite Character are you?
The Napoleon Dynamite Soundboard

Hitch

2005-02-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

The Official Site for Hitch

Rating: B

Hitch is a romantic comedy featuring a "Date Doctor" (Will Smith) who helps other men with their dating problems so they can find true love. The twist is that he then meets a women (Eva Mendes) he finds attractive and he, as he puts it, "can't get his stuff right."

The film begins with Hitch meeting his new client Albert (Kevin James from the "King of Queens"). Albert is likeable but clearly a mess on the dating scene. He is messy, frequently uses an inhaler, and can hardly talk when women are around. Not only that, he has his eyes on a highly successful women who appears to be very much out of his league. However, with Hitch's help, he is able to get to know her better. In the meantime, Hitch uses his charisma and wit to get the attention of a very cynical gossip columnist, Sara. She reluctantly agrees to a date with him after entirely unique and impressive tactics he uses to get her attention. And, of course, she ends up falling for him (despite the fact that he seems to embarrass himself at every turn!) In the end it is somewhat predictable, but apparently romantic comedies all have to follow a predictable pattern in order for them to be successful. (I mean, seriously, how many of us like romances that end bad?)

Overall, I felt that it was at times funny and entertaining, but nothing I need to rush to buy. The plot was somewhat refreshing since it was unlike many other romantic plots I've seen (the closest movie I can compare it to is How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but this was not quite as good). Also, Hitch's tactics used to help men find relationships are somewhat correct, and I can't help but recommend that guys take a look at them. (*hint hint*) And, certain parts definitely deserved a good laugh. Another positive aspect of the movie is the fact that it's nice to see a overweight and unattractive male by society's standards (Albert in this case) date a women who is quite attractive and successful. The downsides of the movie are that it was somewhat long, predictable, and perhaps overly cheesy toward the end. Plus, like many movies lately, the best parts of the movie were in the previews. And, likely Will Smith may have saved the movie, because it's hard not to like a movie that he's in. (Admit it girls, he's pretty hot!) Yet, I recommend it to those of you looking for a laugh. It's nice to find a romantic comedy that even guys seem to enjoy (including the 15 middle school boys sitting in front of me in the theater!)

To see or not to see

2005-02-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

Are you a college student who wants to check out new movies but isnt sure it's worth the money? Do you look at reviews and say, "well, that's from someone who may be quite a bit older than me and likes different things, why should I believe them?" Well, I'm a 22 year old college student, so my reviews will be more relevant to you since my views will be more similar to yours than typical movie critics. I will attend new movies and review them for you so you know if a movie is worth the money or if you should spend that money elsewhere. If I am unable to attend a new movie each week I will review a movie that was recently released. So, check back often to see what you should be watching from Deanna, your movie watcher.