Archive for entertainment

‘The Proposal’: An Engaging Comedy

Posted in At Box Office, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13, Romantic Comedy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 26, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby

theproposal-movieposterBeautiful but hard-nosed editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is about to get shipped back to Canada at the height of her career at Colden Books when she gets the brilliant idea of wedding her hardworking, faithful male assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), so she can stay in country.

But there is just one problem. Margaret’s immigration office, Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O’Hare), is bent on proving the wedding is a sham and threatens a stiff prison sentence for Andrew and instant deportation for Margaret should the engagement prove fraudulent as he suspects.

Despite the obstacles, the couple decides to continue the farce as planned by telling the engagement news at the 90th birthday celebration of Andrew’s Grandma Annie (played by Betty White). Continue reading

‘Angels & Demons’: A Better Dan Brown Adaptation

Posted in At Box Office, Film Genre, Film Rating, Film Release, Film Review, PG-13, Thriller with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 22, 2009 by Laura J. Bagby
Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

The newly released Angels & Demons effectively beat out Star Trek, bringing in 48 million in box office revenue its first weekend. The film marks the second of Dan Brown’s novels to make it to the silver screen. The first was 2006’s smash hit the Da Vinci Code.

Now, with Angels & Demons, we see Tom Hanks again in his role as Harvard symbolist Robert Langdon. This time he is headed to the Vatican. The pope has died and the Cardinals must prepare a conclave to choose the next successor. When the Illuminati capture the top four potential candidates – or Preferatti – and threaten to kill each man at a certain time and locale across Rome, Dr. Langdon teams up with physicist Vittoria Vetra from Switzerland to solve the clues and end the violence, effectively saving all of Rome from destruction and allowing the Vatican to pick the right man to lead the Catholic church at large. Continue reading