Reviews

I was invited to a pre-release screening of this movie on April 7th. Amanda Seyfried once again plays a character named Sophie who travels to Italy with her fiancé on a pre-honey moon. While apart she visits a spot in Verona where love lorn women write letters to Juliet. She finds a lost letter in the wall from 50 years ago and answers it. Clair receives the letter and visits Verona with her Grandson and both meet Sophie. The three set off to find her long lost lover. Much of the movie reminded me of Mamma Mia except set in Italy and without the ABBA songs. Vanessa Redgrave plays Clair who long ago lost her husband and still wears the ring her Italian love from years ago gave her. It was predictable that Sophie would fall for Clair's grandson who is at first obnoxious and their dislike is mutual. The film ends with the lovers getting married and the new young lovers also falling for each other.

Invited to a screening of the film on 7-27-2009. I had read about the film and expected a so so movie. Very pleasantly surprised by the story, characters and music in the film. Would recommend this to all ages. Some very funny lines with this one, sit back and enjoy Will as he leaves one school and begins anew in Lodi NJ. As an outsider/loner he is paired with SAM for a class project. The outcome is both fun to watch and makes you feel good about him and his role in the film. Partly told via Will's emails to his idol, David Bowie, the film concludes with a Bowie cameo. The film's web site should be looked at only after you see the film as it will give away too much of the story line. The soundtrack is excellent and contains tracks from the various bands performing in the annual Band Slam competition.

I was lucky enough to see what they said was the first public showing of this movie to a test audience on February 19th in Phoenix AZ. Security was tight, lots of metal detector wands, airport type security walk through, ladies purses inspected, no cell phones allowed in. They want to make sure no one is filming or taking snapshots of the movie. It is very funny, Ben Stiller is the star and is a fiction action star with lots of films to his credit. While filing in Vietnam they stumble into a war with drug lords who think they are DEA. Stiller and cast believe there are hidden cameras and they are still in production making their epic film. Tom Cruise also stars and when he appeared I told my wife there is Tom Cruise, at the end of the movie she said which one was Tom Cruise? Go figure, he is not playing the Tom we know and love from Top Gun. As the first test audience we answered questions about the movie and some viewers were selected for a discussion panel afterwards. This should appeal to Ben's fans as well as anyone wanting a laugh filled evening.