Inkheart, 2008

There is a soft-spot in my heart for Brendan Fraser. Despite the fact that he almost always stars in B movies. Inkheart is no exception. Fraser stars as Mo 'Silvertongue' Folchart, a man who has the ability to "read" characters out of books and into real life.



Based on the book by Cornelia Funke, this film had enormous potential but the extreme over-acting (directed by Iain Softley) and annoying script (really, you really think the characters would talk that way? really?) by David Lindsay-Abaire, made this film almost painful to watch.

Oh, also why do all the characters have English accents except for Fraser? I guess on the upside, at least he wasn't trying to use one...

Melody's Stars: *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Bolt, 2008

Cute movie about an Action Hero dog, Bolt (voice of John Travolta), who doesn't know he's actually just a TV actor. When producers decide to add some drama to his show by "kidnapping" Bolt's human, Penny (voice of Miley Cyrus), things go horribly wrong when Bolt leaves the set for the first time ever in his attempt to save her.

Think The Truman Show for a younger audience.
However, older audiences will enjoy it too.



There are some confusing messages as well as some dramatic chase scenes, so not for young children who scare easily.

Directed by Byron Howard and Chris Williams.
Screenplay by Dan Fogelman and Chris Williams.

Melody's Stars: * * *

Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

City of Ember, 2008

I'm not quite sure why, but I really liked this film. For an action/adventure family film it is not too cheesy and the young stars (Saoirse Ronan as Lina Mayfleet and Harry Treadaway as Doon Harrow) are quite likable. Bill Murray often gets on my nerves, but I even enjoyed his performance as Mayor Cole.




There are a number of intense scenes (including a very hungry mole rat) so I would not recommend this movie for most children under 10.
Directed by Gil Kenan the movie also features Tim Robbins and Liz Smith.

Melody's Stars: ****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

WALL-E, 2008

WALL-E is a robot love story with a message. When humans trash the earth so badly that there is no room left for living plants, they move to another planet where they grow fat and lazy while machines do everything for them.

I can't decided if this movie was hyped-up so much that it could never live up to my expectations, or if, perhaps, it really is only so-so.



Cast includes the voices of Fred Willard, Kathy Najimy, and Sigourney Weaver.
Directed by Andrew Stanton.


Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system