12 - Frozen

Connection To VERONICA MARS - The lovely Kristen Bell.

This movie is magical. I feel like I had to start with the start, the main reason was it felt like it was a groan inducing play on words and more importantly it's what I believe to be true. For almost the last 20 years most of the best films from the House Of The Mouse have come from Pixar - I'm not saying everything Disney (animation wise) put out was poor and everything Pixar put out was awesome (the Cars films say hi) but honestly since The Lion King there hasn't been a Disney film I have loved.

Honestly I feel like that has changed - Frozen, for me had the right balance of comedy sidekicks, likable heroine, lovely songs and a story I was invested in - going back to what Disney do best and classic fairy-tale in this case a loose adaptation of The Snow Queen.

I honestly think I got a crush on Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), now obviously I have a huge crush on Bell are self but there was something about Anna that was just adorable, her eternal optimism, I also liked that she was pitched somewhere between traditional Disney princess and action-girl, it always tends to be either extreme.

I thought the film had a great message about the bond of sisterhood (or siblings in general), Anna never stops loving her sister Elisa, whose being cursed with everything she touches turning to ice. Going back to the other characters which I only briefly touched on we had a likable male lead Krisoff  and his brilliant reindeer Sven, and we also have the snowman Olaf, who dreams of one day being in the sun - Olaf was the character in danger of being annoying if done wrong but Josh Gad does a good job with him as does the writers.

One last note there is a twist that actually genuienly took me by surprise, seriously when was the last cartoon (aimed at kids and families) that did that.

Overall, the first Disney film in a while that took me back to my childhood, the film is charming throughout, with a great character for Bell and a journey worth going on. I absolutely loved this film.

11 - Veronica Mars

Connection To WAITING - Justin Long

To start thing off I'm a massive fan of the Veronica Mars TV series, I have watched the series multiple times and still holds my interest even after knowing who committed what crimes. Do you want to know what's on my far living room wall - A Veronica Mars poster, the autographs of Kristen Bell and Amanda Seyfried next to it, and Harry Hamlin the other side, so yeah I just wanted to say it wasn't an understatement.

Sadly at the time Veronica Mars just wasn't getting enough viewers and ended after only 3 seasons and for me it was just filed with many other TV series has gone too soon. Last year though - Rob Thomas, the series creator, Bell and other co-stars launched a Kickstarter, attempting to raise $2 million in a month, it quickly did that amount and ended making over $5 million. I think the money they wanted to raise was also a sign to see if anybody would actually be interested in it - the answer was of course yes... I've read some negativity about this on IMDB boards (I know I should have just stayed away), I think there's all sorts of reasons for the negativity one to me is why not there favourite show - maybe one day soon it will happen for them - VM fans just put there money where there mouth was.

Veronica Mars coming back even after watching the movie still feels like a dream, I just never believed I would see these characters again - the sequel books, yes I could see but the characters living and breathing again by the actors who played I would have thought was out of the realm of possibility for a little watched but loved show.

The film picks up 9 years after the third season and Veronica has left the P.I. business and Neptune behind and is getting interviewed by a prestigious law firm and is in a relationship with season 3 regular Piz (Chris Lowell), who I believe it says they didn't stay together but have got back together in the years since, but she is contacted by her smoldering ex Logan (Jason Dohring), who is accused of murdering his girlfriend Carrie Bishop (who was a character in an episode of the show but was played by Leighton Meester, now she's played by Andrea Estella) and he is being bombarded with offers from offers from lawyers and she agrees to return to Neptune to help him choose the right one - I won't spoil anymore really but this is the crux of what gets her to Neptune.

As a long-term and big fan of the show I LOVED THIS - what I am writing is going to be based on that all warm and glowing feeling the film gave me, I was shouting the characters name at the screen such as GIA (Krysten Ritter who is one of my crushes behind KB) and SACKS where too names I said when they would come on and it only felt a few characters where missing (Jackie, Backup etc.) and those such as Van Clemons may have been short and sweet but they got their moments at least though some would have been welcome to stay around a bit longer.

The central mystery is decent which considering they only had 100 minutes rather then  a season still felt satisfying. There was also a bunch of welcome new faces who were welcome additions such as Gaby Hoffmann and even a surprise cameo of an actor as themselves.

There was one sole negative for this movie for me - Dax Shepherd - Kristen's real life beau, I'm not blaming him here but he is a cameo has a skeezy night club guy who dances to try and seduce Veronica and she pulls a face of disgust. I thought the joke was too obvious and knew it was coming the moment I saw him, VM is better then that but luckily it's what a 30 second scene in the entire movie.

Some other points of the movie I would just like to say - Tina Majorino as Mac looked even prettier then she ever did in the series (she was still pretty in the series) and KB though you got argue was still with the baby weight (bigger boobs then normal etc). she fit back in the role of Veronica perfectly and it's like she never went away.

Overall a magical movie for me, I was literally smiling throughout I was so pleased to be seeing this, who knows maybe a second viewing might change some opinion but I am staying with this for now . I AM A MARSHMALLOW

10 - Waiting

Connection To WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? - Anna Faris

Waiting is the sort of film that just passed me by, not completely unnoticed I was aware of it's existence on it's original release but considering it came out at one of my peak times for buying DVD, it's sort of surprising that I'd never seen it, not even caught it on TV because it's totally the film I'd put on to entertain myself for an hour and a half - also Anna Faris who I find adorable is also in this (though I'm not over-enthused about her current sit-com Mom what I've tried to get into)

It's fair to say this movie is a little bit uneven but sometimes is pretty funny and sometimes very funny - I enjoyed most of the characters particular Alanna Ubach's Naomi (pictured at the top) - on the subject of Ubach, I don't think I've ever give her enough credit she is often good value for money in the stuff I've seen her in - and Chi McBride as Bishop, are the two actors that deserve most mention.

I didn't have a problem with the rest of the cast, all of them often entertaining - Ryan Reynolds playing is typical persona is not a problem for me and Justin Long is likeable in his role. Faris though doesn't have quite enough to do for me liking.

The film is pretty plot-less and closer to just trying to show a particular day at this restaurant, some of it what you expect - doing stuff to a snotty customers food, bad tippers etc. - but the characters feel like they all know each other before the film as started if that makes sense - the familiarity is already there between everyone.

My biggest critiscm here really is there is a bit of homophobia it seems going through the movie - the word Fag used in a degotary term more then once, 2 gays customers who are on screen seconds are just as camp as can be and the lesbian who works there as the sole plot of getting a straight female customer (who's going through relationship) drunk. I can overlook this but it's a negative for me against the movie, and for the fag comments I guess that's the way people talk in certain places.

Overall, a funny and likable film most of the time, while it's more a series of little vignettes with the characters it works as a whole, I would happily watch it again sometime down the line.

9 - What's Your Number?

Connection To THE SITTER - Ari Graynor

I think I'm more tolerant to so-called "chick flicks" then the average male, don't get me wrong I enjoy action - all those manly sort of films - but I can sit and enjoy all sorts of chick flicks, which too me is honestly all that easier when the two ladies have decent chemistry and you care whether they get together or not.

Of course with that I'm talking about the romance aspect of it, which is often a key thing of something described as a chick flick, there's been some so-called great chick flicks or rom-coms where I just didn't give a crap if the two people ended or if they killed each other in a suicide pact or whatever - my natural thing for not liking Meg Ryan (Innerspace excluded) means when she's in that area, the film as already lost me -

Happily for me Anna Faris and Chris Evans, the stars of this movie have easy chemistry before the inevitable falling for each other, then something keeping them apart then a final grand gesture, the movie sees the only-in-the-land-of-film-and-TV issue of Anna Faris getting hung up of having slept with 20 men, way more then most of her friends and her engaged sister (Ari Graynor) and decides it sort of enough and maybe she as found her soulmate between the guys she's already been in, Chris Evans plays her next door neighbour who sleeps around and puts his detective skills to good use to find the 20 men so she can she can see if one of them was the one that got away.

Most of her exes are familiar faces who drop by for fun cameos - Martin Freeman, Andy Samberg etc. and Faris real life beau Chris Pratt plays an ex she keeps accidentally stalking - all of them for whatever reason are proven to not actually being the one, during this time it's clear Faris and Evans are falling for each other.

Like I say that description there nails it, it's something that wouldn't happen in real life unless you was really trying to recreate a rom-com plot, but the film gets by on the chemistry of the leads and some funny scenes.

On a note, I don't know which came first but the opening is identical to Bridesmaids opening, both where released in 2011 so I just think it's a case of both villages inventing the wheel at the same time. and on a more pervert note - Anna Faris has a nice body - she shows her butt off and yeah I thought this bit would be worth mentioning. 

It's negative is really the thing that didn't bother me, the predictableness of it all - sometimes the obvious route is the right route for a film.

Overall it's enjoyable, charming and funny, it's not a classic but it's a worthy entry into the rom-com genre, 

8 - The Sitter

Connection To 21 JUMP STREET - Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill's last fat film, I don't why I started with that but I was reading up about the movie and that little tidbit was presented to me, ignoring health reasons Hill looks better suited to being overweight.

The Sitter reminded me of the 80's movie Adventures In Babysitting (or Night On The Town as it was called here in the UK for a time) - in fact so much you could question if this was a remake or not and Elisabeth Shue as been replaced by Hill (I'd sooner have Shue babysitting me).

I have to say I did like this movie - Hill's relationship with the kids he's looking after where well developed and the adventures in babysitting he got into a long the way where enjoyable particularly when he meets with the closest thing to the film has to a villain - Sam Rockwell - who's a fucking hoot here. I'd like how they progressed the Hill character throughout the movie making him grow as a person throughout.

Going back to Hill and his relationship with the kids, I liked all their personalities - kid actors can often be annoying but I liked each of them and what they brought to the table - SPOILER I liked how they handled the potential sexuality of one of the kids and was in such a sweet way END OF SPOILER, Ari Graynor (who I'm getting more of a crush on) was also very enjoyable this movie as Hill's almost girlfriend (she lets him go down on her).

This is shorter then what I normally write because I think films that go on one adventure to another tend to you just listing the stuff that happened.

I liked this film, I know critically it wasn't amazingly recieved film but I enjoyed spending time with all the characters, while it's not necessarily a laugh a minute it has it's funny moments which make it not the worst way to spend 90 minutes.

7 - 21 Jump Street

Connection To LEAVE IT TO BEAVER - both are based on TV shows.

I have no problem at the end of the day with all these remakes - be it of an older film, a foreign film or an update of a TV show - the reasoning being nobody is forcing me at gunpoint to watch any of these - they don't effect my enjoyment of the original in anyway, the same way a film based on a book or comic doesn't effect what you once enjoyed there still there (I also hate the term raped my childhood which has been banded about), and I'm curious often then not to see how an adaptation of the same material attacks it (okay, a fair bit of the time it ends up being a lame duck).

21 Jump Street, was a show I was familiar with but never seen - I knew it starred Johnny Depp and Richard Grieco and knew it was about cops going undercover as high school students but that was about it, it probably also had something with Depp choosing to take interesting roles to avoid the pin-up moniker he would get with this show.

21 Jump Street works totally as a movie in it's own right, it's maybe because the show's concept can be boiled down to so few words, it also like the better TV remake movies sort of makes fun of some of the concepts (in a loving way) while being it's own thing. This film also feels like the first high school film in a long-time to acknowledge the world is a bit different now - that jock and geek are not quite how they are always presented anymore.

One of the stars Channing Tatum, actually went from hey I tolerate him to hey your actually a pretty good actor, so it's awesome when a movie pretty much changes your precipitation of people, who has great chemistry here with the other undercover cop Jonah Hill.

SPOILER(ISH) AHEAD - but do you want to know one of the most awesome things about this movie it's not actually a remake of the TV series it ends up being a stealth sequel and we get the cameo of two original 21 Jump Street actors in cameos playing their original characters which I won't spoil here END OF SPOILER

The supporting cast is actually filled out nicely with Dave Franco and Brie Larson cool as students and the ever adorable Ellie Kemper as a teacher among others in a pretty well cast film.

Overall, it's funny and the action scenes are cool and features great chemistry between the leads, this actually has me looking forward to it's sequel (22 Jump Street).

6 - Leave It To Beaver

Connection To THE RICH MAN'S WIFE - Shooter McGavin Christopher McDonald.

I remember watching Leave It To Beaver on the original Comedy Channel in the UK in the early 90's, it left such an impression on me that I don't really remember it besides the name - and enough of an impact then that in Scrooged - the Father Loves Beaver bit, I thought was just a reference to this and this alone, my kiddie mind didn't make the other connection.

So maybe choosing a movie version of a sit-com I barely remember might not the same memories for me if I watched the movies based on The Addams Family or The Brady Bunch for example, they where shows I remember very well (and love the films too boot).

The first question I have to ask myself about this film is what decade is this movie set? This is of course a rhetorical question with it's references to Brad Pitt and Gameboy it's obviously set in the decade it was made - the 90's, but the characters all act like, well... a sit-com from the 1950's.

I'm not sure that's where the problem lies, but it feels like say the opposite to The Brady Bunch movies, it doesn't want to make fun (even in a loving way) of the original show and it's conventions and seems more like a 50's sit-com script updated to the 90's with a few minor changes.

The jokes mostly miss the spot, really because they are so gentle - you wouldn't even say they are unfunny, I think they just aspire to be safe and soft. I thought most of the child actors where pretty poor - not quite as bad as most of the kids from the 94 Little Rascals movie but there just on the weak side, I hate having a go at kids performances but just it's noticeable when a cast is top-heavy with younger performers

Overall, the film just falls flat, mainly because other TV updates have just done it better. Maybe if I loved the original show I might have viewed differently - to be honest though I don't really think that would be the case

5 - The Rich Man's Wife

Connection To PERMANENT MIDNIGHT - Peter Greene.

Halle Berry - it seems to me many, many years from now she still will go down as an Oscar Winner - the first black woman to win Best Actress - that will never get took away from her, I just think her whole career will go down as a bit meh, I'm not saying she's had a bad career, it's just it's a career more Gothika, B*A*P*S, Catwoman, Perfect Stranger etc. and I'm not saying somebody should be completely blamed on their worst movies it's just whenever she's, besides an odd few the films are far from classic.

That above paragraph is not me saying I dislike Halle Berry and I was trying to be polite about it, that's me saying, hey if a film says it stars Halle Berry and it's on the shelf in a shop I'll think twice (or thrice) about picking it up to watch.

The Rich Man's Wife is from 1996 and is from before she started being considered an A-List actress, she was known there just wasn't a bonafide hit or critically acclaimed film with her name on it and it would be 4-5 years before that really changed in my opinion.

The Rich Man's Wife is something I've never seen before, I recall it being on the satellite movie channels but I just never settled on it and to be honest I could have gone the rest of my life without seeing it, the best possible thing I can say about it that's a run-of-the-mill thriller.

Halle Berry stupidly mentions that she is sometimes fantasizes about her husband's death to Peter Greene, who she doesn't really know which is pretty stupid since it's evident Greene is a bit on the crazy side, he "shockingly" ends up becoming aggressive when she spurns his advances, the passage of time happens and Berry and her husband (whose played by Shooter McGavin, I should have mentioned earlier) start to mend the relationship, but Greene ends up killing him and demands $30,000 off Berry for the silence.

For a thriller it's certainly... thrill-less, you can't really critique Greene's performance, he is decent as the psychopath, it's just not a great film with weak-ass motivations, Clea Lewis who has a couple of scenes should also be signaled out for how enjoyable she is. I should also say Clive Owen is in this, I had no idea he was making a film in America this early - for most of the movie he really doesn't have much to work with though.

I can't really hate on Halle Berry's performance because it's not fair to call it bad - it's a film of obvious twists and turns (I knew a character would be involved from their first scene) and the police that it keeps cutting back to just sort of seem ineffectual and they don't really have much bearing on anything related to the main plot.

Overall, I just don't think there is not enough to recommend of this movie, it feels like a been there, done it, seen it all before sort of thriller, this is the sort of thing that will end up becoming a distant memory even in weeks to come.