61 - Freedom Writers - 9/10 - Hilary Swank does a nice job as Erin Gruwell, a new teacher in Long Beach who takes a class of 9th graders that is filled with gang members, racial strife and low achievement levels and gets them interested in learning. I thought it was a very good movie and it kept my attention throughout. Some parts were kind of predictable, but it is based on a true story.
62 - In Bruges - 7.5/10 - I didn't like this movie as much as others did, but I thought it was a pretty entertaining film. Two hit men hide out in Bruges, Belgium after a hit goes a bit awry. One of them is a bit more into being a tourist than the other.
63 - Hancock - 7/10 - Will Smith plays an alcoholic superhero who has a penchant for destroying things while stopping crime. This movie didn't really go the way I expected, but I enjoyed it and thought it was a decent movie.
64 - Speed Racer - 8/10 - I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. The trailer was terrible and dampened any enthusiasm I had for the film when it was released. However, I decided to watch it on dvd since I've liked Speed Racer comics for a long time. The movie has a pretty good story, tons of special effects and sort of has the feel of a live action cartoon at times. For me, it came together into an enjoyable film.
65 - The Love Guru - 6.5/10 - This Mike Myers comedy about an Indian Guru with an inferiority complex to Deepak Chopra is certainly not going to be on any Best Picture lists, but I liked it. It was juvenile, but fun. I especially enjoyed the music and the Bollywood style music videos.
66 - Nim's Island - 6/10 - The story of a smart, young girl who lives on a South Pacific island with her dad and her animal friends. She has to fend for herself when a storm hits and she is left alone on the island. I thought this movie was okay, but could have been a lot better. It felt a bit forced at times. It's not a bad movie (adapted from the novel) - just a little uninspired.
Just some small bits like howl drops her off at her sister and they start talking and some guy just pops his head out and tells them they can use his office, why would he do that and how would he know they wanted to talk in private?
67 - Leatherheads - 7/10 - A romantic comedy starring George Clooney and Renee Zellweger about the early days of professional football. I thought the movie was a lot of fun, with plenty of action and humor.
68 - City of Ember - 7.5/10 - In the future, the end of civilization arrives, but a group of scientists build a city in a huge underground cavern with a plan to keep it secluded for 200 years to keep humanity going. However, when this time passes, the city starts to break down and nobody knows where to find the exit. I enjoyed this movie quite a bit, especially Saoirse Ronan's portrayal of Lina Mayfleet and the way the city of Ember was portrayed. I thought Harry Treadway was a bit old for Doon, but he did a decent job. BIll Murray and Tim Robbins were also good in their supporting roles. I think the movie would have benefited from and extra 20-30 minutes to add a bit more depth since everything seems a bit rushed. The movie is still a nice adaptation of the book, though.
