Precious Will Break Your Heart and Build It Back Up

The story of Precious is one that you don't often see in the movies. Or if you do see something like it, it won't affect you as much as this film will.

Claireece Precious Jones, or Precious, is a 16-year-old girl living in Harlem in 1987. She is over weight, illiterate, and pregnant with her second child. Precious lives with her slave driving like mother Mary (Mo'Nique) in an old run down apartment where she is to clean, make dinner, and take care of her physically abusive mother. Precious's principal comes to her house one night and tells Precious that she should really consider going to an alternative school. She signs up for the school and there is where she makes friends and gains a real teacher, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) who helps Precious learn to read and write and is there for her in her time of need when no one else is.

I don't say this too often, but this is a very heavy movie. it deals with a lot of serious issues that are definitely still around in today's society. Precious has to deal with physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse and all on a regular basis. The reason she is pregnant for the second time is because of her drug addicted father who rapes her repeatedly. And just when things start to look better for Precious, they get worse and worse.

Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, who plays Precious, is as real as actresses come these days. While watching her play the part, it almost felt like a documentary it felt so real. Comedian Mo'Nique portrays Mary in her drama film debut and is shockingly amazing at it. Mary is such a broken down character and Mo'Nique really nailed the emotion that she wanted the audience to feel. Other well known names play the smaller parts of the movie like Mariah Carey (who has stepped it up since the whole Glitter fiasco) and rocker Lenny Kravitz who, in his acting debut, did a pretty good job.

With Executive Producer Oprah Winfrey. obviously this movie would not be a let down. I'm pretty sure that everything Oprah touches turns to gold, and I'm pretty sure that gold has a name and its name is Oscar. I am certain there is an Oscar in the future for Precious. It was really one of the best movies of 2009.

Overall Grade- A

2012

As the myth or the legend or whatever goes, the Mayan calendar ends on 12/21/2012 and so that will be when the world ends. Well, I don't know if I believe that, but i really hope it doesn't end like it did in the movie!

2012 was directed by disaster movie specialist, Ronald Emmerich, who also directed blockbusters Independence Day and Day After Tomorrow. I think I can say comfortably that Emmerich is a professional disaster movie director and he shows us that in 2012.

Although the story line follows struggling writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), his ex-wife Kate (Amanda Peet), and his children, and all their sarcasm about the world coming to an end, what really makes this movie interesting are the special CGI effects. There are tsunamis all over the world, volcanic eruptions in Yellowstone National Park, and half of California literally breaks apart from earthquakes and falls into the ocean. As horrible and tragic as it sounds, it is actually very entertaining to watch.

Aside from Cusack, the movie has a very B list cast. Cusack actually does a fantastic job playing a sarcastic father of two, but at times (like when Las Vegas is crumbling underneath them), the sarcasm is a little unnecessary. Peet plays it safe as Cusack's ex wife , Kate, with a mediocre performance. Time after time Kate's children are in danger and only once towards the end does she really show a lot of emotion about it. Danny Glover plays a very one note, rather calm over the end of the world, President of the United States.

2012 is a good, but typical, disaster movie. I think it was an original idea and very smart of Emmerich to make this movie close to the actual year of 2012 because it gives the audience that little extra thought of, "What if this really happened?" But the real reason to see it are for the special effects! I remember in 1996 (even though I was only 8), going to see Independence Day with my parents. I remember my parents reassuring me that none of it was real, but I always wondered how they made it look so real? I almost feel like the same way now after seeing 2012 (but luckily my parents don't have to reassure me its not real this time).

Overall Grade- B

I Am Team "New Moon"...

...rather than "Team Twilight."

I have to admit, i am not a huge Twilight fan. I have never read any of the books and absolutly despised the first movie, Twilight.

But after being dragged to see New Moon by a friend who is also a "Twihard" (a huge fan of the Twilight series), I have to admit it actually wasn't that bad. I literally could not stay awake for the first movie. I tried watching it four times and fell asleep every time. The fifth time I tried I stayed awake for the whole movie, but wish I hadn't.

But fortunately, New Moon is starting to change my mind. In case you have been living in a cave in the middle of Antartica for the last year, the Twlight series of books written by Stephenie Meyer is about a clumsy girl Bella and her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen. The first book/movie are all about how they meet and fall in love. But theres that big elephant problem in the room, that he is a vampire. But to completely understand all of this, it must be mentioned that Edward and his vampire family are "vegetarian" which means they do not prey on humans, just animals.

New Moon starts off where Twilight left off, with the couple struggling their way through two worlds, the human world and the vampire world. After one of Edward's brothers tries to attack Bella, Edward decides it is too risky for him and Bella to be together and disappears with out a trace. Bella is left heartbroken and decides to confide in her friend Jacob. And of course, Jacob turns out to be a werewolf and werewolves don't like vampires.

Although I want to tell more of the story line, I think if I continue I will be giving too much away! That being said, New Moon was pretty entertaining and definitely kept my attention, unlike the first movie. One major problem I had with the first movie was the acting. Kristen Stewart could not act her way out of a paper bag in the first movie as Bella and semi new actor Robert Pattinson looked pretty on screen, but was not convincing as Edward, a love struck vampire. Luckily in New Moon, Stewart picked up the pace and was so much more interesting as Bella. The very young and very "built" 17-year-old Taylor Lautner plays werewolf Jacob and does an excellent job of it.




I have to add, if you intend on seeing New Moon, make sure you see Twilight first, otherwise you will be completely lost. I would not recommend Twilight in any other situation but it really is necessary before seeing the second movie.

Overall Grade- B+