Moroni's Review of "Hotel Transylvania"

I took my kids to the movies over Fall Break, and I let them pick the movie.  They picked "Hotel Transylvania".  So off we went.  I usually don't have high expectations for these types of movies.  Little did I know that this is an Adam Sandler movie, disguised in animation.  (No, we didn't see the 3D version.)

What this means is that there was plenty of humor that only adults would get, and it was chock full of references meant to tickle the fancy of parents who are drug by their kids to see a cartoon.  I like it when they do this in movies.  This ensures that both the parents and the kids have something they will enjoy, a little something for everyone. 

Adam Sandler plays Dracula, who is a widower.  He builds a resort for monsters where they can get away from the threat of humans.  The movie opens up with Dracula preparing for the 118th birthday of his teenage daughter, Mavis (played by Selena Gomez).  Mavis yearns to see the human world, but Dracula is an overprotective dad and creates an entire Potemkin Village for her populated with his zombie servants masquerading as "scary humans".  The purpose is to dissuade her from leaving.  In the meantime, all of their monster friends arrive at the resort to help celebrate the birthday.  Everything is thrown into chaos when a human backpacker named Johnny (played by Andy Samberg) shows up.  Dracula disguises him as a monster until he can figure out a way to get rid of him.  Of course, Mavis and Johnny become drawn to each other.

The movie is pretty simple, so there is no need to philosophize about this piece.  It is entertaining and has a wonderful cast of comedians.  There are plenty of gags.  But it was a hit with the kids.  My kids went home for days, quoting, "Blah, blah, blah!"

Moroni's Review of "The Cold Light of Day"

I have always loved spy movies.  As a child, I used to watch James Bond movies on ABC on Sunday evenings.  As a teen, I actually read the original Ian Fleming novels.  So when I saw the trailer for "The Cold Light of Day", I knew that I would use my two movie passes to see that film.  Martha and I headed into town for date night.

The movie starts out very intriguing.  Will Shaw - played by Henry Cavill, whom I recognized from "The Tudors" and as the new Superman from the upcoming "Man of Steel" - shows up in Spain for a family vacation.  His father, played by Brice Willis, was a diplomat, so the family was used to traveling around the world.  So this trip to Spain is kind of a regular thing for the family.  Will can scarcely stand being around his family - his dad, his mom (Caroline Goodall), his brother (Rafi Gavron), and his brother's girlfriend (Emma Hamilton).  They take a yacht out into the Mediterranean, but Will is on his phone constantly, talking business, and his father eventually chucks his phone overboard.  Upset, Will swims to shore to get on the phone and get some supplies.

When he gets back, he finds the boat trashed and his family missing.  He goes to shore again to try to get help, but the cops try to kill him.  He is rescued by his father, who turns out to be some sort of spy.  Will never knew this about his father, but, come on, if your dad is Bruce Willis, he is not going to be wasted as a desk clerk.  It turns out that Will's family is being held hostage in exchange for a mysterious briefcase that was in his father's possession.  Before Brice Willis can answer any other questions, he is assassinated by a sniper.  No more Bruce Willis.

Okay, stop the film right here.  Up to this point, the whole mystery on the Mediterranean was very intriguing.  It sucked me in.  It was different.  It was original.  Everything that happens after this point became very predictable, very Jason Bourne-ish, very used and tired, very... boring.

I can usually gauge movies on this - I either don't want them to end, or I can't wait for them to be over.  I couldn't wait for this film to be over.

The kidnappers don't care that Will doesn't know anything about the briefcase, and he must obtain it by a certain time, or his family dies.  He sets out to find the briefcase and comes across his dad's former boss, played by Sigourney Weaver.  She turns out to be a bad guy.  No surprise there.  As he goes along, he discovers that he never really knew his dad.  He gets some unexpected help from a young Spanish girl (played by the beautiful Veronica Echegui) who turns out to be his sister from an affair his dad had in his days as a spy.

Seriously, do I need to go on?  Wait until this movie comes out on video - which should be soon.  Better yet, go see a James Bond movie.  "Skyfall" should be coming out soon.