Movie #17........................."Happy, Texas"

Movie#17 "Happy, Texas" is a goofy, romance-comedy that was a sundance
festival winner. It handles the two guys playing a gay couple with
sensitivity, yet humor, and it should get a plus for that! Also, in the
credits it states: "Thanks, Happy, Texas, even though we shot all of it
in California, sorry!" And that sets it apart, too! I found this a nice
"find" -- and a little like "Raising Arizona"

You rated this movie: 4.0

Happy, Texas(1999) PG-13

Mistaken as consultants to a beauty pageant in the town of Happy, Texas, two escaped convicts go along with the ruse, masquerading as gay lovers Harry (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne (Steve Zahn). In trying to teach Happy's Junior Misses to win, the two run up against a sheriff (William H. Macy) with the hots for Harry, and a local teacher (Illeana Douglas) catches Wayne's eye. Director Mark Illsley's comedy was a winner at the Sundance Film Festival.

#16........................."Bonneville"

Movie #16 "Bonneville" (plot see below) is one of the thousands of "grief" ladened films out there, and yes it bears resemblance to "thelma and Louise" with solidarity of women driving out west in a classy car, but it's so well acted, and so different in its goal (to bring Lang's husband to his daughter for a funeral ) that it bears a second look --- esp. by people who don't think there's life after age 60.

You rated this movie: 4.0

Bonneville(2006) PG

Jessica Lange, Joan Allen and Kathy Bates star in this road trip yarn, which follows three friends on a journey across the West after one of them is widowed. Along the way, they learn a thing or two about themselves, one another and life. Powerful performances drive home the themes of friendship and female solidarity, while the awe-inspiring landscapes of the American Southwest convey a true sense of carpe diem.

Movie#15........................."Rage in Placid Lake"

Movie #15 "Rage in Placid Lake" (plot see below) is a quirky (albeit filthy) satirical thinkpiece on individuality vs. conformity --- it certainly departs from teenage angst with never a boring moment ---no conformity here and very enjoyable (but disclaimer as to the amount of sex in this one and too bad, too, because an appropriate audience would be h.s. seniors

You rated this movie: 4.0

The Rage in Placid Lake(2003) NR Should be R

Just out of prep school -- where he was the target of tyrannical bullies -- misfit teen Placid Lake (Ben Lee) yearns to be a regular Joe. When a mishap lands Placid in a body cast for months, he formulates a plan to reinvent himself by donning a suit and taking a job as a drone at an insurance agency. But he soon discovers that conformity isn't what it's cracked up to be in this offbeat Aussie comedy from rookie director Tony McNamara.

Movie #14........................."The Grocer's Son"

Movie #14 is "The Grocer's Son," is a very universal film (see plot below) dealing with universal feelings I had when I was growing up about duty to family, stubborn dads, giving moms, how important educatiion is, service to others, etc. I found it very universal, and the elderly people he befriends with the mobile store really grow on the audience as they do on him. It's in French and very lowkey. A slice of family life.

You rated this movie: 3.0

The Grocer's SonLe Fils de l'épicier(2007) NR

When his father suffers a stroke, Antoine (Nicolas Cazale) reluctantly returns home from the big city to his small mountain village to help out with the family business, a grocery that makes daily rounds to the town's elderly inhabitants. But when Antoine's poor manners rub the villagers the wrong way, can the lovely young Claire (Clotilde Hesme) help smooth things over? French director Eric Guirado helms this charmingly low-key film.

Movie #13........................."Broken English"

Donna Kramer Barnes

Movie #13 (for DB's netflix challenge to do 300 in 365 days) is "Broken English" -Parker Posey runs the movie and I think it has a lot to say about biological clocks ticking, finding that one soulmate, living alone, the need to be loved by someone -------anyone. Parker is amazingly natural (she's usually more quirky) and she made the film for me. I highly recommend it.

You rated this movie: 4.0

Broken English(2007) PG-13

Writer-director Zoe R. Cassavetes's charming indie yarn follows 30ish New Yorker Nora Wilder (Parker Posey), a single woman in a dead-end job whose friends are all happily engaged or paired off in "perfect" marriages. Love seems to elude Nora until she meets an oddball Frenchman (Melvil Poupaud) who helps her discover life beyond her self-imposed boundaries. Gena Rowlands, Griffin Dunne and Drea de Matteo also star.

Movie #12........................."Paper Clips"

MOVIE #12 (For DB's netflix challenge to do 300 in 365 days) is "Paper Clips", a documentary (see below for the plot). I liked the idea of the film, but it went on way toooooooo long. Pacing was slow and not much info given. It looked like a cool project but wanted to see more of the kids and how they felt and what they learned and what the inside of the train car looked like when it was done.

Plot --- 3 stars

Whitwell Middle School in rural Tennessee is the setting for this documentary about an extraordinary experiment in Holocaust education. Struggling to grasp the concept of 6 million Holocaust victims, the students decide to collect 6 million paper clips to better understand the enormity of the calamity. The film details how the students met Holocaust survivors from around the world and how the experience transformed them and their community.

Movie #11.........................The Puffy Chair"

Movie #11 (for DB's netflix challenge to do 300 in 365 days) is "The Puffy Chair', a slice of life film about two guys and a girl on a journey to purchase/pick up a chair for the two guys' dad --- but what they learn on the way is so much more ------about relationships, about marriage, real love and commitment, and esp. what they learn about each other.

You rated this movie: 3.

The Puffy Chair(2005) R

When Josh (Mark Duplass, whose brother Jay directs) finds the perfect birthday present for his father, he decides to deliver it in person. But with his high-maintenance girlfriend Emily (Kathryn Aselton) and granola brother Rhett (Rhett Wilkins) along for the ride, Josh's simple road trip turns into a much bigger journey than anyone anticipated. This indie romantic dramedy was an audience favorite at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

Movie #10........................."I Love You, Man"

So Movie #10 (for Donna B's netflix challenge to do 300 in 365 days) is "I Love You, Man" , a bit crude but it has its moments, and Paul Rudd steals the movie --- he's amazingly, naturally funny --- the jam session a la RUSH is a stitch, and Favreau and pressley are wonderful in their small parts --- mandate idea is a good one. But it's not for everyone...........lots of chuckles, though.

You rated this movie: 3

I Love You, Man(2009) R

In this bromance, the cinematic equivalent of a rom-com buddy flick, Paul Rudd plays a recently engaged guy who's got the bride-to-be of his dreams but lacks an all-important significant other when it comes to their pending nuptials: a best man. On a determined hunt for a stranger who will stand up for him, he eventually meets a candidate (Jason Segel) with wedding-party potential. Jaime Pressly, Rashida Jones and Jon Favreau co-star.

Movie #9........................."Been Rich All My Life"

Movie #9 critique DBarnes netflix challenge (291 to go!) “Been Rich All My Life”

I like the idea of 80 and 90 year olds still tap dancing, but not much to the movie at all..............idea is great, the execution is a bit dull. Rent "Young at heart" instead if you want to see a movie about senior citizens performing. Much more to the story and a real feel good film. Not this one.

PlayAddIn Instant Queue

You rated this movie: 3.

Been Rich All My Life(2006) NR

Join the Silver Belles, a group of five former Harlem showgirls now aged 84 to 96, as they continue to entertain in this documentary by Heather MacDonald. From dancing together in the hottest venues such as the Cotton Club to performing with world-renowned bandleaders Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington, the gallivanting gals were the toast of the town during the 1930s; in 1985, they renounced retirement and reunited to grace the stage once again.

movie #8........................."Game 6"

Movie #8 "Game 6" refers to the sixth game in the Boston Red Sox vs. Mets series (1985) where Billy Biuckner (ex cub, I might add) dropped that fatal ground ball that lost them game 6 ---------Nicky is a NY playwright who feels a failure ------ in being a husband, a father, a writer, a son, just basically in life --- even his favorite team (the Red Sox) fail year after year to win the world series (he should try being a Cub fan) - Game 6 happens to occur on the night of his show and he goes to a bar to watch his team lose, rather than see some upstart critic "kill" his play --- he decides he should take matters in his own hands. The high point and turn at the end was good, but not sure it was worth the 82 minute wait -----slow until the last few minutes where we are watching the ball game and its inevitable conclusion. Micheal Keaton was really good here, though. And of course Robert Downey, Jr who. is usually good, is the critic.

You rated this movie: 3.0

Game 6(2005) R

Legendary scribe Don DeLillo wrote this fascinating film about a New York playwright, Nicky Rogan (Michael Keaton), who's immersed in failure. Unable to ride the coattails of success no matter how hard he tries, Nicky distracts himself from his endless career woes by obsessing about those of others -- namely, the perpetual underdogs of baseball, the Boston Red Sox. But Nicky can't sit out the game of life forever. Michael Hoffman directs.

Movie #7........................."L.I.E."

-- Movie #7 "L.I.E." was very interesting to watch because Paul Dano (from "Little Miss Sunshine" (the nontalking brother) and "We Are Blood") was this little 12-year-old kid who recently lost his mom and trying to deal with the grief and his dad who has gotten himself into trouble with the law. There is a lot of sexual undertones here, but the actors are so good they draw you in, especially Paul Dano and Brian Cox ----- they come across as such fleshed out characters, also Billy Kay who plays Gary. But I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Might be a bit too disturbing for most watchers. It's just an interesting study of how kids get drawn into situations because they are so fragile.

You rated this movie: 3.0

L.I.E.Long Island Expressway(2001) UR

A biting and disturbing coming-of-age story. Life is bittersweet along the L.I.E. -- also known as the Long Island Expressway -- as suburban teenager Howie Blitzer (Paul Franklin Dano) learns all too clearly. In the space of a week, Howie loses nearly everything and everyone he knows and is left to navigate his adolescence virtually unsupervised. Brian Cox co-stars as an older man who befriends the troubled youth.

Movie #6............................."No Time for Comedy"

Movie #6 is "No Time for Comedy" that was a teevoed film from TCM a couple of weeks ago. It was billed as a comedy with two of my favorite people in comedies: Jimmy Stewart and Rosalind Russell, script written by the Epsteins brothers (Casablanca), but it wasn't strong in the funny department. Jimmy was doing Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but this time his character goes to NYC as a hayseed playwright who falls in love with the lead character Roz ----- they continue on a streak working together, but changes occur when he can't come up with an idea for the next play. I say 2 stars for this one. A couple of chuckles, and it IS fun to see these two people working together, but that's it.

Movie #5........................."In the Realms of the Unreal"

Movie #5 "in the Realms of the Unreal" --- a documentary on the life of Henry Darger, janitor by day, artist/writer extraordinaire. Here is a very poor man, a recluse, whose life was lacking, living in one poor house or home for the mentally ill after another. His life seemingly empty but then..............so rich with this made up world he developed. One story after another, made up society full of wars, 7 beautiful women and their travails. The movie gets bogged down a bit with reading lengthy passages from what he has written , but it could be I was a bit tired tonight. Really, I can say I have never seen a movie like this --- one of a kind film about a one of a kind man. After he died in 1972, they found this huge manuscript (and they mean huge --- the longest "novel " in existence, with all the illustrations about this made up society (move over Faulkner). Wow, makes me want to look up more about him, and isn't that what a film is supposed to do. And he lived in Chicago!

You rated this movie: 3.0

In the Realms of the Unreal(2004) NR

By day, Henry Darger was a reclusive janitor who had few -- if any -- friends. But at night, he became a literary artist with a unique vision. Darger's 15,000-page novel is a wonderland of imagination as it details the exploits of seven angelic sisters who lead a rebellion against child-enslaving men. Featuring the voices of Dakota Fanning and Larry Pine and the work of talented animators, this film tells the story of Darger's hidden world.

Movie #4........................."Bella"

Movie#4 of D Barnes' Netflix Challenge is entitltled "Bella" ---- a slice of life film about two very sad people who come together on one marvelous day, and as a result of their sharing the day, they give direction to each other. A very kind gentle film about family love. Part in Spanish and part in English. I recommend it.

You rated this movie: 4.0

Bella(2006) PG-13

Two lost souls -- Nina (Tammy Blanchard), a pregnant, unmarried waitress, and Jose (Eduardo Verástegui), an introspective cook with a tragic past -- find solace in each other as their lives become unpredictably linked throughout the course of one incredible day. First-time director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde also co-wrote the screenplay for this inspirational story about love, hope and forgiveness.

Movie #3....................."Mr. Skeffington"

Donna Kramer BarnesMovie #3 in DBarnes' and the Netflix Challenge is Mr. Skeffington. I didn't realize Bette earned an oscar for this film ----I think it is for the first half of the movie because I had never seen her so light and flirty and naive, but then after the tragedy strikes, she's back to badass Bette -----the condescending, biting Bette Davis we all know so well. Poor Claude Rains, who unfortunately falls in love with her and marries her, knowing she doesn't love him. The famous line from the film: A woman is truly beautiful when someone loves her. So for Bette, she had to move from loving herself to loving others. It was just okay. She spends most of the second half of the film tearing up the scenery being haughty. Predictable.

Movie #2........................."Phoebe in Wonderland"

Movie #2 in Donna Barnes' and the Netflix Challenge (whittling down her 500 in her queue) is "Phoebe in Wonderland" --- wonderfully acted with Felicity Huffman and Patricia Clarkson and Bill Pullman and Scott Campbell and esp. Elle Faning. It wasn't what Ithought it would be --- it's a lot about parenting --- it wrangles with getting bored and angry with kids and you wanting your kid to be NOT like others, but then they are a bother and annoying sometimes when they aren't. It really is mostly from the parent's pov, but then it deals with teaching and following rules and how that can squelch creativity, much like the theme to "Alice" whose storyline it parallels. Really a good, thoughtprovoking which I recommend to parents and Emily Bennett, and everyone else out there, who loves Alice in Wonderland.

You rated this movie: 4.0

Phoebe in Wonderland(2008) PG-13

Whether at home or at school, 9-year-old Phoebe (Elle Fanning) always seems to get in trouble for breaking the rules. When her drama teacher (Patricia Clarkson) casts her in a production of "Alice in Wonderland," Phoebe begins to receive personal advice from the play's characters. Felicity Huffman, Bill Pullman and Campbell Scott also star in this fantastical tale about inspiration and overcoming adversity.

Movie #1........................."The Italian"

Movie #1 in Donna Barnes and the Netflix challenge (300 movies in 365 days, to whittle down my Netflix queuel of 500 movies!) ---- "The Italian" I rented because I thought I would see some of Italy (since I will be vacationing there in November), but this movie's location was Russia. It's a russian Oliver Twist and very enjoyable.

You rated this movie: 5.0

The ItalianItalianetz(2007) PG-13

Six-year-old Vanya (Kolya Spiridonov) is about to be handed every Russian orphan's dream: A loving Italian family wants to adopt him and take him away from the rundown orphanage he calls home. But Vanya can't let go of his yearning for his birth mother. Determined to find her, he runs away and sets off on an adventure that leads him into a mysterious and sometimes perilous world. This moving drama received several international awards.