The Eagle (2011)

Little bit Braveheart.  Little bit Gladiator.  And a little bit King Arthur.  Not as good as any of the above, but not a total waste of time.

Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell are good together but they make it work well enough to keep my attention through the whole movie.  Donald Sutherland and Mark Strong even make a few appearances


I watched the unrated version and figure there were really two scenes, both graphic and gruesome, but not overly gory or prolonged.  Who knows what else was slipped in the full version?


Watch this if you are into stories about liberty and honor.  Otherwise feel free to skip it.

Rio (2011)

Cute. Playful.Colorful. All with brief glimpses of what life for some is like in Rio.  Not overly preachy.  Great Carnaval animation.

All that said, I have the same complaint here which I have with other animated films set in other countries.  Why didn't they use more local talent?  Are the Hollywood suits convinced that people paid to see this movie because of the voice talents on Anne Hathaway and Will.I.Am?  A native New Yorker and Angelino playing Brazilian birds didn't feel right to me.  However, I totally bought Jesse Eisenberg, another New Yorker, as the bird-napped blue parrot. Go figure.

This music is fairly authentic, and there is something here for all ages.

Watch this movie with someone who loves to dance.