Robot & Frank

When he gets a robot caretaker to look after his house and keep him company, retired cat burglar Frank realizes it would make the perfect accomplice.  This movie is in the theaters now.  It stars Frank Langella and Peter Sarsgaard.  It deals with the onset of dementia and the effect on one's life and family.  There many humorous moments and you will find yourself rooting for Frank and the robot to accomplish their last big heist.  Especially recommend it for the over 50 crowd.

ParaNorman

When an army of zombies invades a small town, it is up to an odd local boy with a knack for communicating with the dead to save the day.  This animated film is in theaters now.  Animation was great and the grade school crowd howled with laughter.  Right up there with Casper the Friendly Ghost.    There were equally as many twenty somethings in the theater too and they weren't babysitting.  Stars Kodi Smit-McPhee and Tucker Albrizzi.    Your 3rd to 6th grader will love you for taking them.  Did I mention that it is in 3D?

Super 8

I don't remember hearing about this movie when it was in the theaters.  I saw this 2011 DVD and loved it.  I am not a big Sci-Fi fan but the kids were great.  A supernatural tale about six kids who witness something incredible while shooting a movie with their Super 8 camera.  J.J.  Abrams directs and Steven Spielberg does his thing.  Stars Joel Courtney and Kyle Chandler.  Interesting story line and great special effects.  Not too bloody and gory. 
 

Monte Carlo

2011 DVD that is the ultimate "chick flick".  Disappointed with their uninspired tour group in Paris, Emma (Katie Cassidy), Meg (Leighton Meester) and Grace (Selena Gomez) are swept into a breathtaking whirlwind of wealth, glamour and excess when one of the young friends is mistaken for a British heiress.  While the girls are whisked away to Monte Carlo and find themselves falling deeper into the lie, the alluringly extravagant lifestyle opens up new opportunities and unexpected romance.   A good bag of pop corm and your best girlfriend for this one.  Your significant other will hate you if you force him to watch.  The fashions are worth the tempid story line.

Farewell My Queen

As revolution threatens Louis XVI's reign, Marie Antoinette asks a lady in waiting to act as a decoy for her dear friend so she can escape unharmed.  The lady in waiting is her reader.  The dear friend is another noblewoman that Marie Antoinette is extremely fond of and admires in many ways.  At this point, one is not sure if the attraction is sexual and really only suggests and lets your imagination do the rest.  The movie is in the theaters now.  I initially ignored it since the subject is historical and we know the ending.  I am not particularly fond of seeing a queen get her head loped off.  While the Lady in Waiting (LIW) agrees to help, she begins to have second doubts about being used.  I didn't expect it to be good, but it was.  Great character portrayal of the servants of the court.  Who ever heard of a reader?  You do root for the underdog on this one.  Stars Lea Seydouy, Diane Kruyer, and Virginie Ledayen.

Friends With Kids

2011 DVD.  I missed the movie when it was in the theaters this spring.  Best friends Jason and Julie decide that the way to have kids without sacrificing their social lives or careers is to raise a child together platonically.  But romance and other complications interfere with their perfect plan.  Adam Scott and Jennifer Westfeldt star as the friends.  The movie kept my attention but the DVD format was the way to watch it.  They missed the main points of marriage and having children.  Sure there are hard times but they are out weighted by the good and great times.

Fast Five

Saw this movie in DVD format.  I would have enjoyed going to a theater to see it.  Vin Diesel and Paul Walker return for this fifth installment of the explosive Fast and Furious series.  Brian (Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) break Dom (Diesel) out of prison and thy head to Brazil to put together a racing team to take on a drug dealer who wants to kill them.  At the same time, they have to elude the capture of uncompromising federal agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) who's been dispatched to Rio to take them down. Lots of action and a fairly good story line.  It kept my attention for two hours.  Definitely worth seeing.