Kim's Thoughts

I just read on AOL that the critics are SLAMMING Katie Holmes’ performance in Mad Money!

First, I rarely agree with the critics – I read their opinions for entertainment, but don’t listen to them. If a movie peaks my interest and is the type of movie I enjoy seeing, I go see it and form my own opinion! I never understood why some people stay away from a movie just because the critics say it isn’t worth their time!!! It is a shame that critics have the power to kill a movie before the vast majority have a chance to prove them wrong! There are a lot of movies that end up being huge hits on video after they were declared duds and dropped at the theater because of bad reviews and subsequent low box office turn out!

Now – about my opinion of Katie’s performance in Mad Money: I think she was adorable and was perfect in her role as the hippie-ish cart girl. The critics thought her dancing made her character look childish and unbelievable. Quite the contrary — I think her dancing was charming and put the cherry on top of her character – it made the character! AND made her ability to pull off her part of the plan go unnoticed by the security cameras. I think she looked like she was having fun — not only was her character having fun, but SHE was having fun playing the character!

BRAVO, Katie — job well done!!!

Get a grip, critics — not all movies have to live up to A Streetcar Named Desire; not all characters have to be as deep as Blanche DuBois or Stanley Kowalski; not all actors have to be as powerful as Vivian Leigh or Marlon Brando……………..I absolutely agree that Streetcar was an amazing film and the characters/actors deserve their spot of honor in classic movie history – BUT – some movies/characters/actors are just plain entertaining and give us something to smile about!!! And that’s OK, too!!!

The first movie was 27 Dresses — the story is about a girl who has been a bridesmaid in 27 weddings and has all 27 dresses in her closet! She is in love with the idea of weddings and being a part of them! She goes above and beyond to fulfill the duties of the devoted bridesmaid! Without giving out too much detail: there is a guy who becomes quite smitten with her, but he starts out with an ulterior motive before he falls madly in love with her and, of course, the ulterior motive can’t be stopped and gets in the way; there is a guy who she has secretly loved “forever”, everyone but the guy sees it, but the guy is oblivious to it; and, finally, there is the younger sister who comes to town and the “secret love” guy falls for the sister and the sister, of course, asks her to be her bridesmaid and help her plan the wedding! All this comes together in a hilarious series of events that culminate to the perfect happy ending! Aahh…… It is familiar and predictable — same old story with a different theme, but it really is funny and cute and entertaining — I enjoyed it.

Mad Money was everything I thought it would be — great characters, great story, funny, fun, entertaining, well put together and well executed!!! They couldn’t have cast it better — Diane Keaton, Queen Latifa, and Katie Holmes were perfect for their roles and made the movie a success!!! The idea of stealing worn out money from the Federal Reserve that was in queue for destruction in a way that it wouldn’t be detected was ingenious! Diane Keaton plays a socialite who’s husband lost his job in a downsizing effort and finds herself in a situation of needing to find a job or lose their beautiful home! She takes a job as a cleaning lady at the Federal Reserve and begins to think as she sees the way things are done there! She elicits the help of two key employees – Katie Holmes, who delivers the locked carts of money to the shredding room, and Queen Latifa, who runs the shredder! The entire place is under high security and video scrutiny – EVERYWHERE, EVERY SECOND, EVERYTHING! But, Diane watches and learns and comes up with the perfect plan (gotta love a woman who puts together a perfect plan) – and it WORKS!!! The entire movie is a gem! I loved it!