Real Steel movie review

When I was first offered tickets to Real Steel with Hugh Jackmand and Evangeline Lily, I was hesitant...it was billed as a kids movie...about boxing robots.  Not my cup of tea.  I decided to watch the trailer and it didn't look bad, so I decided to go.  I brought my friend Staci and told her nothing about the movie.  When we sat down, another blogger was talking to us about the movie and I notice that Staci has the "oh lordy, what have you gotten me into, Beck" look on her face.  Robot boxers?  Why are there so many kids here?  What kind of movie is this?  I'll tell you exactly what kind of movie- a great one!  It's rated PG-13, mostly for language, but would be appropriate for the pre-teen group as well.  Staci said it best- it's very comparable to The Karate Kid.  Instead of the scrawny boy attempting to take on the bully, it's the junkyard bot taking on the champion fighter.  It is a feel good movie, but it doesn't start out that way.  You'll just have to see it for yourself

Watch the trailer here.
real steel



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Genre: Action-Drama
Rating: PG-13
U.S. Release date: October 7, 2011

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand

Director: Shawn Levy

Producers: Don Murphy, Susan Montford, Shawn Levy

Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg, Jack Rapke, Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen

Screenplay by: John Gatins

Story by: Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven

Based in part on the short story “Steel” by: Richard Matheson
A action ride set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.

“Real Steel” is directed by Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum” franchise and “Date Night”).

“Real Steel” is about a former boxer (Hugh Jackman) who, against all odds, gets one last shot at a comeback when he teams up with his estranged son (Dakota Goyo) to build and train the perfect contender for the new high-tech sport of robot boxing.


Disclosure- I was given two free passes to see the movie.  As always, the opinions are my own.

Win free chicken!

I've already told you about Zaycon Foods and how fabulous their chicken was.  Now, I have the opportunity to give away a free box of chicken!  If you live in an area where Zaycon delivers, you can get $65 credited to your account (this equals one box of chicken) or if you're in a different area, you can get a check for $30. Right now, in Georgia, the first delivery is October 4th.  This contest ends Monday, September 19th so hurry to enter.  You can get one extra entry by tweeting the contest using my twitter handle @TheVioletFig. Leave a comment for each entry.

My winner was

Congratulations!

The Help

A few weeks ago I would have told you that if you could see ONE movie this summer, it should be The Bridesmaids.  While I still think it's one of the funniest movies ever, I now would have a different answer. If you can only see one movie...it should be The Help.  I would go as far as to say that everyone NEEDS to see it  The movie was surprisingly funny, which was unexpected.  The acting is just superb.  Emma Stone did a great job in the hard role of Skeeter, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer NEED to win an Oscar for their roles as Aibilene & Minny. I could easily say that every role was amazing acting.  Some of the other big names are Bryce Dallas Howard, Cicely Tyson, Chris Lowell (Private Practice) and Nelson Ellis (True Blood). 

What can I even say about this movie that would do it justice?  The entire theater laughed together, cried together and laughed some more. Watch this trailer...it gave me chills even now...and then go see The Help- it comes to theaters tomorrow.

“Like” THE HELP on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/thehelpmovie.

THE HELP opens in theatres everywhere on Aug 10th. 

Based on one of the most talked about books in years and a #1 New York Times best-selling phenomenon,  “The Help” stars Emma Stone (“Easy A”) as Skeeter, Academy Award®–nominated Viola Davis (“Doubt”) as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny—three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi during the 1960s,  who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed—even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times.

Deeply moving, filled with poignancy, humor and hope, “The Help” is a timeless and universal story about the ability to create change.

Disclaimer- I was given two passes to a screening of The Help in exchange for my review.  

Zaycon Foods

The other day I was asked if I wanted 40 lbs of free chicken.  Um...yes!!  I was offered this chicken so local Atlanta bloggers could introduce you to Zaycon Foods- a company that is just expanding to our region.  The premiss behind it is to eliminate the middle man while selling quality foods like meats and produce in bulk form.  After you sign up, you will be notified the next time there is a delivery going on in your area.  For example, this pickup was either in Alpharetta or Atlanta and it was for a box of fresh, boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  After all was said and done we had about 50 chicken breasts.  Because it came straight from the farm to my trunk, the chickens were literally clucking two days prior to my receiving them.  That is pure awesome! When you receive your chicken, it will look like this. 

From browsing the website, I see that they had all sorts of fresh foods like cherries, peaches, ground beef and bacon. So far, the chicken that we have eaten has been delicious and very fresh tasting. I love that it is 100% natural chicken with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients.  I also love that we get wholesale costs!  I am really hoping this gains popularity in Georgia because the company sounds awesome!

So far I've made spicy honey brushed chicken, teriyaki chicken and Jamie Oliver's baked curry chicken fingers. Yum yum!

Go here to register: https://www.zayconfoods.com/refer/zf34415 and when you are prompted to say who referred you, enter: beckyz77 

Disclaimer- I was given one box of chicken (40 lbs) to review the product.  The views expressed are my own.

Win an iPad 2!

I’m posting this to enter a contest offered by Buy More Contacts at Uppercase Woman! I want to win theiPad 2! Enter to win here!




Date Night with my son!

When I was asked if I wanted to go to an advance screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides I jumped at the chance.  Usually, when I get invited to blogging events they are things that I can take my 11 year old to, or just a friend.  I never get invited to things that my 14 year old would think was cool...until now.  I knew he would love it and boy, did he! I made a night of it and decided to first take him to Richard Blais' restaurant, Flip Burger Boutique.  Jake loves Top Chef so I knew he would love going to this season's winner's restaurant. Doesn't he look happy?

 The restaurant was very cool- love when you can see the chefs and we had a perfect view.  We watched them construct burgers the whole time!

 We also loved the design concept where everything can be flipped- check out the matching booths on the ceiling above the booths!

 The best part of the meal was the Nutella and Burnt Marshmallow shake.  It came frozen solid and steaming with Nitrous...such a cool presentation.  My only problem was that there were too many marshmallows and only the top ones were burnt. 

 I got the burger of the day- the Osso Bucco burger.  So delish.  Veal burger, veal short rib shredded on top, micro parsley and a rockin' sauce.  The fries were just fries.  I didn't like the smoky mayo which people rave about.  Wish I had ordered the fried pickles instead.

 Jake had the local burger- local grass fed beef, locally grown yellow tomatoes, very crisp bread and butter pickles, lettuce, chives and coca cola ketchup.  It was pretty awesome, as were the vodka onion rings.

 After an awesome meal, we went to Atlantic Station to see the movie.  How fabulous is it to skip right past the lines and head to a chair with this paper on it?

 

Jake looks like Justin Beiber here, doesn't he?  He hated that I said that!  He he he!

So, the movie starts and we are just sucked right in.  After the last movie, I honestly didn't know if they would keep going.  There wasn't really a cliff hanger.  The good thing about that is the movie is more independent than others. My favorite part is that the movie is very Jack-centric.  No Orlando Bloom. No Keira Knightly.  That whole story line was wrapped up. 

The movie follows Jack as he tries to find the Fountain of Youth with Penelope Cruz and Blackbeard.  I didn't think any mermaids could be more scary than the ones from Harry Potter, but these give them a run for their money.  Beautiful and terrifying at the same time!  The movie wraps up nicely and as usual, gives us the option for a sequel.  Love that!  This is a great summer movie and I would absolutely go see it in 3D again!  It's one I'll buy on DVD to add to the Pirates collection, that's for sure!. Love the love story between the missionary and the mermaid!

Disclaimer: I was given tickets to go to the advanced screening of Pirates of the Caribbean by Disney Theatrical Releases and Allied Integrated Marketing. Of course, all thoughts are my own.