A Perfect Getaway

A Perfect Getaway is an excellent movie if you are looking for a cheap thrill...or maybe just some beautiful Hawaiian scenery.

The basics of the plot are as follows: Cliff (Steve Zahn) and his new bride Cydney (Milla Jovovich) are on their honeymoon in Hawaii. They have planned to go on a hike to a secluded beach. On the way they meet a couple that they get bad vibes from and there is an awkward moment. They then learn that a couple on their honeymoon as been murdered on one of the nearby islands and it is suspected that a couple committed the crime. On their hike they meet another couple, Nick (Timothy Olyphant) and Gina (Kiele Sanchez) who, for various reasons, they also find to be a little suspect. As the tension has seemingly got as bad as possible a police helicopter comes in and arrests the bad vibes couple Cliff and Cydney met on the way. This temporarily relaxes the remaining two couples...that is until the twists and turns really begin.
Plot twist written in white. Hi-light it to see. Through the video camera that Cliff and Cydney have been carrying around, Gina sees that the two are not who they say they are. They were the ones that murdered the honeymoon couple and then took their identities. By this time Cliff has already pulled a gun on Nick, but we have already been told a few times that Nick is REALLY hard to kill. After a bit of a standoff with the four of them the police are called by Cydney who you believe is going to accuse Gina and Nick to be the real killers. At the last minute she admits that Cliff is the one behind everything and it is revealed that he is the guy that Cydney told Gina about in a story where she broke character and actually talked about her life...a guy that is very messed up and dragged Cydney down for a long time. Nick and Gina get their happy ending.
Overall I really enjoyed this movie. It is true that I had fairly low expectations so maybe they were pretty easy to blow away, but the movie did it. I thought it had enough suspense/action moments and not all of the twists and turns were that obvious to me. There was also a nice about of comedy.
A Perfect Getaway gets two kernels - cheap thrill with some comedy that exceeded expectations.

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper, the cry your eyes out movie based on the book of the same name.

I have not read the book so I can not compare the two (though I have read up on some of the differences). I can say that the movie is pretty good. I went to it with some friends, kleenex in pocket, and we prepared to cry over the sad cancer story.

While nothing was particularly surprising in the movie (except maybe that I didn't cry as much as others or as much as I thought I would) it was enjoyable to watch. Enjoyable in the sense that it was incredibly sad and well acted. Cameron Diaz played the mom who just couldn't accept her daughter's fate. Sofia Vassilieva, who played the dying daughter Kate, was also really good in her role. Of course Abigail Breslin was excellent as ever.

My Sister's Keeper gets two stars - a family tragedy that is enjoyable to watch but not overly original.