Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Due Date

Rated R for language, sexual innuendo and adult humor

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, and Megan Monaghan with Juliette Lewis and Danny McBride

Peter is about to head home from a business trip in Atlanta to be with his wife in Los Angeles who is scheduled to give birth to their firstborn on Friday via C-section. However things quickly go downhill the moment he gets to the airport and has a chance encounter with a man named Ethan. Through a series of mishaps, Peter and Ethan both get grounded and put on the "no fly" list. Desperate to get home in time for his child's birth but without his luggage or wallet (as they got left on the plane when Peter was pulled off), Peter unwillingly accepts to travel cross country with Ethan.

The odd couple (Peter is very uptight and business-like while Ethan is a naive, means well but accident prone aspiring actor coping with the react loss of his father) have a whole disaster of unfortunate events occur to them on their 3 day trek cross country - from cars getting totaled, to being shot, and a run in with border control near Mexico to name a few.

Due Date is a road trip movie mixed with a bit of a bromance as near the end Peter and Ethan begin to bond. It's also a bit of an updated "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", with Zach Galifianakis in the classic John Candy role and Robert Downey, Jr. in the Steve Martin role.

While it was funny and amusing, and brought to us by the director of Galifianakis' other hit film The Hangover, it wasn't nearly as funny as expected - The Hangover brought us many more laughs.

If you're fan of adult humor and like either actor, be sure to set a due date to see this one!

DVD Review: Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time

Rated PG13 for action violence, some innuendo

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, and Ben Kingsley

Taking place in Ancient Persia, we witness a young boy courageously standing up to the King's guards at they attempt to punish another young boy. After a chase in the streets, the King sees the boy's worth and courage and after learning he has no family, decides to take the boy in as his 3rd son.

Flash forward maybe 10 years later, the boy is now young adult Prince Dastan who is quick to battle with the gifts of strength and agility. The 3 Persian princes lead an attack on neighboring sacred city Alamut as they are led to believe the city is supplying weapons to enemies of Persia, however none are found. Dastan does come into possession of a pretty cool looking dagger though while Alamut Princess Tamina has agreed to marry one of the Princes as a way of bringing peace between the 2 cities.

At the ceremony after the Alamut attack, the king is mysterious poisoned and Dastan is framed. He flees the city with the help of the Princess who learns that Dastan possesses her city's sacred dagger. Eventually, as they learn to work together, she comes to tell him why the dagger is so important - with special sand only found in Alamut it can turn back time. Realizing this could prove his innocence, Dastan is determined to plead his case to his uncle, however he learns of more betrayal and deception.

Based on the popular Prince of Persia video game series that has been around since the late 80s, this one actually wasn't that bad and was a decent stand-alone action adventure movie, like a live action Aladdin. The cast and characters were likable, the relationship between Dastan and Tamina was amusing (think Han Solo and Princess Leia where they can't stand each other at first but grow to like one another) and the story/plot was fun and kept a good pace once it got going. It was extremely predictable though.

While a bit dark and violence at times for younger kids, families with somewhat older kids will enjoy watching this one together.