Robots (2005) (PG)

Robots (2005) (PG)
Directed by Chris Wedge
Voices of Halle Berry, Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Jim Broadbent

Daddy Says:

Apparently, not my day for good movies. From the makers of the Ice Age movies (the first one I kind of liked), comes Robots, a tale of a world populated entirely by well, you guessed it, robots. Rodney (voiced by Ewan McGregor) is a talented inventor who goes off to Robot City to make his fortune. He meets the girl (Halle Berry), the lovable sidekick (Robin Williams) and the villain and his mother (voiced by Greg Kinnear and Jim Broadbent respectively) who try to stop him from succeeding in his quest. Well, you can probably guess the rest.

It's all fairly predictable, but my kids both seemed to enjoy it. As for me, I found the many references to much better movies took me out of the moment and reminded me that there are a lot of better movies I could be watching right now. Seriously, this movie throws in parts of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Braveheart, The Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain, and those are just the ones off the top of my head, any one of which I would have enjoyed more than this.

Robots is a very good looking film. The animation is decent. I just wish they hadn't spent the rest of the film's budget on hiring big name voice talent. If they had saved some money to be spent on an original script, this would have been a much better movie.

Grade for Robots: D-

Daughter Says:

Robots is a great movie for someone who just wants to sit down and enjoy the weekend. It has no sad or too emotional parts, so it's really fun to watch. All the good guys in this movie are likable and all the villains are obviously unlikable. It also had a good sound track that matched the personality of the movie perfectly.

I can't really find much wrong with this movie, I guess there were a lot of large name people. So I can see that it could have gone better. But the references were enjoyable. I always like to be able to know references in other movies; it makes me feel smarter.

Robots is definitely a movie for kids. It has plenty of humor and funny moments for them. Plus the Blue Men Group helped with the sound track and I love the Blue Men.

So my grade for this movie is exact opposite of Dad. "A"!!

Everybody's Fine (2009) (PG-13)

Everybody's Fine (2009) (PG-13)
Directed by Kirk Jones
Starring: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell

Daddy Says:

I just don't think some movies were meant for me. Not that I'm incapable of appreciating the talent involved, simply that I'm not the target audience for a film like this. Everybody's Fine stars Robert DeNiro as a recent widower trying to reconnect with his now-adult aged children, but finding the lines of communication have been disabled for many years. His children (Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell) cancel last-minute on a family get-together, prompting him to make a surprise visit to each of them. What he finds is that their lives aren't all he thought they were.

Given the level of acting talent involved here, I really wanted to like this movie. Robert DeNiro is one of my all-time favorite actors. From Taxi Driver, to The Godfather Part II, to GoodFellas, to Raging Bull, I have enjoyed many of his performances. His performance here anchors the film nicely and almost succeeds in making the movie worthwhile. The actors playing his children do well with what they're given to work with, but the script feels like it's just going through the motions most of the time. There is very little emotional resonance, and not really any good dialogue to work with.

Overall, I don't exactly feel like I wasted my time by watching this, but at the same time I don't feel like I gained anything in return either. My grade may seem harsh, and I don't mean for it to be seen that way, but I do believe that the film should have at least made me care about more than one of the characters. Although most of the films I've been watching lately have been action movies, I can appreciate a good drama. This just isn't one.

Grade for Everybody's Fine: F

Daughter Says:

Everybody's Fine was an okay movie. I don't really care for sad and depressing movies and this just happens to be one of those types of movies. I tend to lean toward movies that liven up my mood, not bring it down. As for taking the movie in, completely taking out my stereotyping, it wasn't all that bad of a movie.

This movie had okay parts and a lot of secrets that weren't that well hidden. It gave the impression that the main character was a bit of an idiot, which he isn't. The character writing was alright, because he was an old man and he acted like one. He would walk around telling everyone he knows about his children and liked to ramble on to complete strangers. To me, in real life, people who tell their life stories to random strangers drive me insane so I was rolling my eyes through most of the movie.

Besides the eye rolling, there were a lot of sad moments. You could tell that the kids were hiding things from their dad, which is always a sad story for me. I hate lying to anyone, that's why I don't do it. Plus, it was sad when Robert DeNiro found out the secrets and still kept his emotions to himself. I had the urge to cry, but didn't.

Overall an okay movie, I wouldn't rate it a "F" so I'll give it a "C".

Hot Fuzz (2007) (R)

Hot Fuzz (2007) (R)
Directed by Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Bill Bailey, Jim Broadbent

Daddy Says:

Hot Fuzz is an action-packed comedy/murder mystery from the makers of Shaun of the Dead. As in that film, they take a familiar genre of film (the zombie movie for that one, the buddy cop movie for this), and make it feel fresh again.

Simon Pegg stars as Nicholas Angel, promoted to Sergeant by virtue of his impeccable police work (his arrest record is 400% better than any other man on the force), he is then shipped off to small town so he'll stop messing with their statistics. Yes, he's promoted because he was throwing off the curve. He meets his new partner Danny (Nick Frost), Danny's father who runs the police force (Jim Broadbent, now known to most fans as Prof. Slughorn from the most recent Harry Potter movie), and a host of other colorful characters which I'll leave you to discover by watching so as not to spoil the fun. Nicholas remains as gung-ho as ever, but in this small town where nobody is ever murdered, no one believes him when people start dying in mysterious ways. It's up to him and his adoring partner to catch the bad guy.

This film is incredibly funny. The first time I watched it I had to rewind a few times to catch the parts I missed while laughing at the parts I had just seen. Incredible humor, great action scenes, you can tell the makers of this movie have a great affinity for these types of film, and while at the same time poking some fun at their conventions, they also realize that these are the things that make these movies fun to watch.

A word of warning if you are planning to watch this with families: there are some extremely graphic death scenes in this movie. One scene in particular near the middle of the film is about the most graphic death scene I can recall ever seeing in a movie. These scenes are played mostly for laughs, but they can still be disturbing. Sometimes I feel a little like a bad parent for letting my 9-year old watch with us, but he seems pretty balanced for a kid. He knows the things he sees in the movies aren't real. But please use your own judgment.

Grade for Hot Fuzz: A-

Daughter Says:

Hot Fuzz is a movie that knows how to make people laugh without going too far. Yes there are graphic scenes, dirty jokes, and even the occasional curse word, but I still loved this movie. It can make you laugh when having the worst of days.

Hot Fuzz has something in it for everyone: a mystery/murder, a cop movie, a bad comedy, and gory violence. Everything anyone could ever want in a movie, don't you think? This movie also has hiliarious refrences and pee your pants humor that keeps you laughing 'til your sides hurt.

The only downfall would be the ending, which I won't let it hurt my grading and I wouldn't even realize if Dad hadn't said anything. So don't let this judgment call stop you from watching this great comedy.

I grade this movie an "A".

Hero (2002) (PG-13)

Hero (2002) (PG-13)
Directed by Yimou Zhang
Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang

Daddy Says:

If you're ever asked "What the heck is Art Direction anyway?", you might try referring to this film. Hero is a joy to the eyes. Movies may be "motion pictures", but this film often looks amazingly like "motion art". Every scene is composed for maximum viewing pleasure. Director Yimou Zhang specializes in this type of gorgeous viewing experience.

But Hero is about more than just visual spectacle. Jet Li stars as the titular Hero, literally called Nameless. He has apparently done away with the three assassins the King fears the most. He arrives at the King's palace to receive his just reward, but not everything is as it seems. We're his actions motivated by an altruistic need, or does he have a darker motive? As in Rashomon, we get to watch as the same story of how Nameless was able to defeat the assassins, told several times from different points of view. Only in the end do we realize what did and did not actually happen.

Breathtaking choreographed fight scenes, emotion filled drama (my 9-year old son has seen this movie twice, once in English and now in Mandarin, and both times was moved to tears by the end of the film), this film is simply incredible. Don't let the fact that this is a "foreign" film dissuade you. Hero is not to be missed.

Grade for Hero: A

Daughter Says:

Hero is a breathtaking view of China, before China came to be. It covers the history behind the Great Wall of China, and two words that saved many lives and took many lives.

It wasn't just the powerful writing, but the colors that had me fixed to the screen. Every story is told in different colors. The actors robes and the scenery changes to match the person's interpretation of what happened.

This may be a foreign film, but you don't need the words to understand how emotional and gorgeous this movie is. You could never quite tell who the hero and the villain were. In the beginning it explains that in war, there is a hero on both sides.

Another amazing characteristic about this movie is the sounds. When every arrow is pulled, you can hear the bows creak. When every sword slices the air, you can hear the whistle of the wind. The only downer, would have to be the actors shouts when they're running. It makes me laugh every time. But you always need a good laugh, when it comes to serious movies.

I highly recommend this movie, for anyone who appreciates the arts and deep down emotions.I give Hero an "A+" !!

Avatar (2009) (PG-13)

Avatar (2009) (PG-13)
Directed by James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver

Daddy Says:

Hey look, a movie review for a film that's still in the theaters! Yes, your intrepid movie critic actually ventured out to see a film in an actual movie theater, instead of renting from the local video store. Why, you ask? Well, Sammi had a date who wanted to take her to the movies. Did I mention she's only 15? So one of us parental units felt it was our obligation to not just drop her off, but to actually be in the same theater, albeit eight rows back. I promise that keeping one eye on her and her friend won't color my opinion of the movie a bit.

For anyone who doesn't know, and judging by how much money this movie has raked in there aren't too many left, Avatar is the story of Jake Sully, recruited to fill the shoes of his dead brother because they share the same DNA. He has to link his mind to his "avatar", a sort-of imitation life-form that looks like the native species on the planet Pandora. The government agency wants to relocate the natives, so they can harvest the precious Unobtainium. No, I'm not kidding about the name. Along the way, Jake meets and falls in love with a native girl named Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana, who was Lt. Uhura in the recent Star Trek reboot). They have adventures and Jake finds himself drawn to the the native people more than his own kind. If all this sounds vaguely like Pocahontas or Dances with Wolves, it felt that way at times.

The movie is impressive on a technical level. All the incredible colors of the scenery, the various lifeforms on Pandora, the interaction between CGI and actors all worked on a level I've never seen before. James Cameron shows off his skills as a director once again and has created an incredible spectacle. I can see why this movie is so popular. It immerses you into a world that, while dangerous, I could see myself wanting to go back to again and again.

But, and there is a "but" coming, I'm not going to rate this movie highly. As I mentioned, this movie feels a lot like Dances with Wolves to me. I would have preferred a more original story than this one, as it felt like it was just connecting the right dots many times. Also, and this could just be me, but I really don't like watching 3D movies. It feels like I'm watching a movie through one of the old View Masters. Yes, there's a sense of depth, but the different layers often feel very flat, just spaced out. I'm not sure I'm explaining this well, but you can tell that there are different layers to any given scene, but none of them feel three-dimensional.

I may re-evaluate my opinion with a second viewing at home someday, minus the 3D glasses. Until then...

Grade for Avatar: B-

Daughter Says:

I enjoyed Avatar, even though it was in 3D. The last movie I saw in 3D was Shark Boy and Lava Girl and that was bad. This on the other hand was very well done. I know it was different technology than Shark Boy and Lava Girl, but it still was very realistic. The friend I was with had seen it already and warned me not to try to touch the stuff. "It isn't really there." I had to tell myself over and over again.

Overall, the story line was pretty well written. I will agree that it did seem a bit like Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves. The adventures in the movie were well spaced and not rough either.

I liked this movie enough to give it an "A-"

District 9 (2009) (R)

District 9 (2009) (R)
Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Mandla Gaduka

Daddy Says:

District 9 is the story of what would happen if a huge alien spaceship got stalled while hovering in the sky above South Africa. Us humans go up to help out the refugee aliens, bring them down to earth and set them up in their very own slum (the title refers to the area the aliens are housed in). A government agent (Sharlto Copley), while informing the aliens that they are being evicted to even worse conditions, gets accidentally sprayed with a liquid which slowly begins to change him into something else. Upon learning that his government now wants to harvest him for spare parts, he is forced to go on the run and rely on the very species he was persecuting only days before.

This is a wonderfully made film. It's technically brilliant (the aliens are completely CGI, but never do they seem to be less than real). The film manages to bring true emotions to both their plight, and that of the agent on the run. It has incredible action, a great script full of imagination, and all the elements of a thoroughly entertaining science-fiction classic.

Grade for District 9: A-

Daughter Says:

I was really impressed by District 9. It took me on an adventure of a life time. I have never seen so much violence and transformations in an alien movie since, well, Alien. I enjoyed District 9 a whole lot and was only grossed out once; it wasn't even caused by the weird looking aliens, or the blood splattering onto the cameras. It was the part where he pulls off whole fingernails that made me want to throw up, and it ends pretty fast.

Its a very detailed story about trusting other kinds when you have no where else to turn. I liked this alien story a whole lot and hope they come out with a sequel, because they left it on a good cliff hanger.

I rate District 9 a "A-" for the cliff hanger.

Quantum of Solace (2008) (PG-13)

Quantum of Solace (2008) (PG-13)
Directed by Marc Forster
Starring: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench

Daddy Says:

So Sammi enjoyed Casino Royale so much that she actually wanted to see the sequel. Yes, my 15-year old daughter, lifelong devotee of light romantic comedies, actually wanted to see a James Bond movie. Hold on while I check. Nope, no ice in Hell. Are the Eagles still together?

Quantum of Solace takes over where the last movie left off. Bond (Daniel Craig) is hunting the people responsible for the death of his lover Vespar. In addition, an assassination attempt on M (played once again by the marvellous Judi Dench), takes matters to a higher level.

Though this movie has plenty of action, it's both filmed and edited poorly. No shot seems to last for more than a split second, and most of them are filmed with a handheld camera while running, making it difficult to tell what's going on at any given moment. Olga Kurylenko, Bond's female companion for this film, is adequate but nowhere near as good as Eva Green was in the previous film. The same goes for this movie's bad guy: Mathieu Amalric (who was incredible in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). While I give the script props for making the villain also be an environmentalist, he's just not as interesting as a James Bond villain should be.

My review for Casino Royale asked "What more could you want from a James Bond film?". Apparently, I need more.

Grade for Quantum of Solace: D-

Daughter Says:

Ignore my Dad, I have wanted to see this movie ever since I saw previews for it on the tube. I must say though it is a bit surprising that I did want to see a Bond movie. But that's beside the point.

Quantum of Solace wasn't just hard to pronounce for me it also was hard to follow. All the bad guys were good and all the good guys were bad. It just left my brain all over the place. I'll give Bond this much, he does good action scenes. I was in love with the villain, Mathieu Amalric, in the last movie I saw him in (Dad listed above), but he was a bit of a disappointment in Quantum of Solace.

This movie gave me the impression of a chopping board. It was scene after scene with no grace or flow to it whats so ever. It made me kind of sad to see this in a Daniel Craig movie. I really like him.

This was still better than any of the other Bond movies in my book so I give this movie a "B-"

It Might Get Loud (2008) (PG)

It Might Get Loud (2008) (PG)
Directed by Davis Guggenheim
Starring: Jimmy Page, The Edge, Jack White

Daddy Says:

A loving tribute to rock and roll's primary instrument, It Might Get Loud takes three masters of the instrument (Jimmy Page of the Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin, The Edge from U2, and Jack White of the White Stripes), puts them in a room together and lets them talk about what it is that inspires them to create their own unique sounds for their bands.

It also allows them to play together for the first time, combining their own sounds while playing as a trio some of the songs they made famous as individuals. This movie has wonderful music. I loved hearing them play, and talk about why they love to play.

My only complaint about the film is that it feels like it's just scratched the surface of its subject. We get a lot of background on the three, but because it covers three guitarists instead of a single musician, it feels like there's more to say than what is contained in the film's short 98 minute run time. It's not often I wish a movie was longer, but in this case I would have loved another hour or so with these three legends of rock.

Grade for It Might Get Loud: B

Daughter Says:

I loved this movie. It's not everyday I can sit down and watch documentaries about anything at random. I was really fascinated by what Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White had to say.

Before this movie, I didn't really care for Led Zeppelin, and I didn't even know who Jack White was or The White Stripes. But after watching It Might Get Loud I finally got to understand and get to know these people.

My one complaint as well was not getting enough time to know the guys. I really was interested and it had me listening to all they had to say. The music was amazing. Just overall, one great show. I didn't really realize how short it was until Dad said that, but I do wish it was longer. To learn more about them would be really cool. But I still highly recommend this movie.

So my rating must be a "A-" Just for the one complaint.

The Hangover (2009) (R)

The Hangover (2009) (R)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha

Daddy Says:

The Hangover is the story of a bachelor and his three friends who head out to Vegas for one last fling before he gets married. All goes well until they wake up the next morning in their trashed hotel suite, the groom missing, with no memory of the previous nights events, and a tiger trapped in the bathroom and a baby left in the closet. It's a race against time to hazily reconstruct the previous night, find the groom and get him back in time for his wedding in 24 hours.

It's a detective story played for big laughs, some of which work, some don't. Typical of today's comedies, many of its laughs are of the shock/gross-out type, which I just don't find very funny. There are some truly great laugh-out-loud moments, which I won't spoil for you. Many of the best are found in the movie's trailer, so don't be surprised that many of them are already spoiled. My favorite non-trailer moment is a song performed by Ed Helms (he's Andy Bernard from The Office) on the suite's piano.

Overall, it's a decent movie. I laughed a bit, smiled some more. Some of it felt original, a lot of it felt like I'd seen it before. I recommend it for people who don't get offended easily, looking for a good time at the movies.

Grade for The Hangover: B+

Now to see if I was a bad parent for letting my 15-year old daughter watch this.

Daughter Says:

Well, I have one thing to say, this movie made my brother look like a clean freak when it came to trashed rooms. It was an okay movie that had some laughs, naked people, and tigers. My favorite part was with fighter, Mike Tyson. The Hangover had a great sound track that went well with the scenes.

This movie was funny and a bit acquired for me, but it didn't go so far as to be extreme. I would defiantly rate this better than Bruno.

So I give The Hangover a "B".

Casino Royale (2006) (PG-13)

Casino Royale (2006) (PG-13)
Directed by Martin Campbell
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green

Daughter Says:

Casino Royale, based in many places, took me on the ride of a lifetime. The movie started out in a black & white scene with amazing angles that even Citizen Kane would be jealous of. Even with the color taken out of the scene it creates a the impression of a vivid murder done by Bond, Daniel Craig. I must add this tidbit, he was one good looking Bond.

After killing off one criminal, it goes to the credits starting with traditional Bond opening, a gun shot and Bond surrounded by black. As the credits roll on they give the impression that this will be about poker, by having people made by cards get beat to a pulp. I really loved the credits.

The rest of the movie is in beautiful colors. Set first in Africa, then goes to London, finally to Miami with a few spots before that. While in Miami, Bond is confronted with one problem, he finally meets a girl who isn't in love with him. That must have pushed his huge ego down a notch.

Apart from hurt feelings, he has to win a poker game to catch the main villain, Mads Mikkelsen. While playing, Bond loses all his money, gets poisoned, and wins the heart of the one girl that doesn't find him attractive, Eva Green. Major problems come Bond's way, including an awful but funny torture scene. This scene is brutal for any man, and everyone can feel Bond's pain as they watch it.

Overall this movie was spectacular. I loved it and would watch it again any time. It was also the first Bond movie I've really liked. So I'm going to have to give Casino Royale an "A+".

Daddy Says:

A brand new Bond, the 21st in the film series, but this one is based on the very first James Bond Novel. This was a really great reboot of the decades old franchise. Daniel Craig does a marvellous job as James Bond, really intense in his characterization, very physical. After the opening black & white flashback, which shows how Bond got his "OO" status, we are treated to one of the most incredible street chases I've seen in the movies. Bond chases after actor/Parkour innovator Sebastien Foucan, who helped produce the scene, up the sides of skyscrapers, across the machinery building it, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. It's a scene that really sets the tone for the rest of the film.

Eva Green plays Bond's love interest, Vespar Lynd. Says Bond: "I hope you gave your parents hell for that" referring to yet another oddly named female in a James Bond film. It's the little self-referential touches scattered throughout the movie that I really enjoyed. A bartender asks Bond if he wants his martini "shaken or stirred"; Bond's response gets a big laugh from us longtime Bond fans.

The movie's plot is slightly over-complicated, but it doesn't really matter much in the end. There's action galore, pretty girls, a strong male lead, humor, glamorous locations, what more could you want from a James Bond movie.

My Grade for Casino Royale: A

Bring It On: Fight to the Finish (2009) (PG-13)

Bring It On: Fight to the Finish (2009) (PG-13)
Directed by Bille Woodruff
Starring Christina Milian, Rachele Brooke Smith, Laura Ceron, Cody Longo

Daddy says:

This was really not what I thought the movie our first review would be about, but that's what my daughter brought home from the video store... So, there it is.

Bring It On: Fight to the Finish is the fifth movie in the Bring It On series. That pretty much sums up the movie right there. Short review, huh? I didn't even use the word "fierce".

This movie is essentially the same as the first one (the only other one in the series I've seen), whereby a group of misfit cheerleaders, who like to work the word "cheer" into as many phrases as possible, make a cheer-bid to become state cheer-ampions, or spirit champions, or something. The first film had the benefit of having Kirsten Dunst as a lead, and Eliza Dushku as her second. They both played characters who were at least somewhat likable. This one, not so lucky. Christinia Milian plays Lina, the East-LA cheerleading captain who has to move to Malibu because her mother gets remarried. She plays a character so unlikeable she actually seems like the villain of the piece (a job ably taken on by Rachele Brooke Smith as Avery, the rival team's cheer captain). Everyone in the school looks costumed to the hilt, and about ten years older than most high-schoolers should look. I actually thought the movie was set in college for a while.

Essentially these movies are all about watching pretty people doing stripper moves, while pretending to be cheerleaders. I've watched actual cheerleading competitions on ESPN; the routines don't look like they came straight out of music videos. Here they do. The athletes perform on a well-lit stage, obviously so the judges can see them. Here, they're performing on a half-lit stage with swirling spotlights. It makes no sense.

There's a "love" interest too, who turns out to be the rival's brother, but I really don't want to get into it. Obviously, a 45 year old, father of two is not the target audience for a film like this. I'm not sure exactly who is the target audience, or just what kind of message you're supposed to take away from a movie like this. Or even if it has a message to give.

Cheer-Grade for Bring It On: Fight to the Finish: Give me an "F"...


Daughter says:

I'll start by putting it into the cheer words. It was a cheerdisaster. I loved the first movie and the the third movie. And even the fourth movie. I've never seen the second, but want too. (That's beside the point) I was not impressed.

I couldn't even like the main character. She started like a snobby all that kind of girl and didn't want to associate with anyone in her new town of Malibu. Daddy pretty much summed up the movie and even gave pretty good opinion to the movie. It was an overall disappointment.

The only good thing I got from it was a nice sound track featuring Lady Gaga which is always a plus if you ask me. I just hope the Bring It On series of movies stops while it's ahead.

This is why I rate this movie, Bring it on: Fight to the Finish a C

New Movies or Old?

In case you were curious, we don't go out to the movies often. Not that I don't enjoy seeing a film with an audience, we just can't afford to go out very often. So most of the movies we will be writing about will be those you can get at your local video store, or through an online rental service.

Also, we've both decided to use a letter rating system to determine what we feel the movies are worth (i.e. A, B, C, etc.), with a possible plus or minus added to it.

What's this all about anyway?

I woke up this morning with this thought in my head: The Daddy/Daughter Movie Project.

Probably not the best title in the world, but there it is. But, what is it?

I have a 15 year old daughter, Sammi, who has wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. Not sure where she came up with this notion, but her Mom and I have supported her dream as much as possible. We encourage her to read, take her to the library, take her to meet other authors to find out what they know, and encourage her to write whenever possible. She's written short stories and poems, even going so far as to write a story in paint on her bedroom wall.

Recently, for a journalism class assignment, she had to write a review, choosing the AMC mini-series "The Prisoner" because she really enjoyed watching the original Patrick McGoohan series with me (I own it on DVD). We both watched it together, and were both disappointed by it together. She wrote her review of it, and if I remember correctly got a pretty good grade on it and enjoyed doing it.

Myself, I'm 45. A husband to a loving wife for the last 18 years. In addition to my daughter, we have a son who is 9. Don't know what he wants to be when he grows up yet. But if he had his wishes granted right now, it would probably have something to do with playing video games.

When I was a teen myself, I started noticing that there were people who made a living watching movies and giving their opinions about them. They called themselves "movie critics" and the first two I noticed were Siskel and Ebert. This was back when they were on PBS doing a show called "Sneak Previews". I watched it religiously. I found myself agreeing with Roger Ebert more than Gene Siskel, and I still read his reviews to this day. When I told my mom that I wanted to be a movie critic when I got older, she told me I needed to get a real job instead. Broke my heart, but she was right.

In college, I did become a movie critic of sorts, writing reviews for the college newspaper. Spent my own money to go see the movies, didn't get paid a single cent for the column, but I did get some small fame on campus when someone read my review and let me know. It was fun, but I still knew there was no way for me to make a living doing this.

So here it is, 2010. Newspapers are dying out, and movie critics can be found all over the internet. Why in the world would you want to read one more? What's different about these reviews?

My idea is to give you not one, but two opinions on a movie. One from a 45 year old father, and the other from a 15 year old girl. The Daddy/Daughter Movie Project. I'll write a review from my perspective, she'll write a review on the same film from her perspective. Like Siskel and Ebert, I don't often think we'll agree (she loves watching Sandra Bullock romantic comedies, I prefer films with loftier aspirations), but I do hope we'll both inform and entertain you. And, perhaps, get to live out our dreams (her of being an author, me of being a movie critic), at least online for a little while.