Movie #368 ........................."The Fighter"

Movie #368 "The Fighter" Okay, I have to admit, I was not looking forward to this movie --- my attitude was: not another fight movie. How could it be better than "Raging Bull" which to me defines the genre? I usually sit through fight films and end up hating them because of the gratuitous violence I think they exhibit. But, of course, that's what fighting films are supposed to be on, so then I tell myself that it's my fault, what did I expect? and why do people find movies about such violence so exciting? blah, blah, blah. It's the same dialogue with myself, and I last had it when I saw the wrestler. The staple gun scene pretty much did me in. The acting in these films is usually good, don't get me wrong. But I just don't want to see another film on the prize fighting world, because I don't really care about it. I don't get the passion about it. Enough said on that. Then, this one comes along, and I really wasn't going to see it, but I saw the Charlie Rose interview, and it piqued my interest. Mark Wahlberg trained for this for 12 years? Christian Bale lost weight again for this movie and was willing to work for a director that snubbed him earlier when he wanted to do a movie called three kings? Amy Adams is playing a foul mouthed girlfriend, without makeup? Melissa Leo, touting a blonde wig and huge Boston accent as the fighter's overprotective, pushy mom? Well, I'm glad I saw it because there's much to like. First, it was amazing to watch both Wahlberg and Bale don their roles ---- when you see the real brothers at the end of the film, you appreciate how spot on both these actors are - Amy Adams and Melissa Leo get across their characters who are so different from their previous work in film, that I hardly recognized them. There were few fight scenes (hooray) and the ones in here, the audience was privy to most of the strategy so we could actually follow the fight instead of just go "ooh" when they were hit! The story, acting, editing/cinematography were all excellent, and it looked truly collaborative. And what a story --- it's as much about family ties as it is about the fightworld-------- I'm glad I went to see it, and I'm here to say that it isn't just another fight movie.




I give it 4 stars
The Fighter
(2010) R
Mark Wahlberg stars as boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward and Christian Bale as half brother and trainer Dicky Eklund in this inspiring drama based on the fighter's rise from working-class Lowell, Mass., to world-class welterweight champ. After a string of defeats, Mickey rediscovers his fighting will with help from Dicky -- a once-talented pugilist battling drug addiction. The film earned multiple Golden Globe nods, including Best Motion Picture (Drama).
Genre: Sports Dramas, Boxing, Biographies
Format: DVD and Blu-ray availability date unknown

Movie #367 ........................."The Black Swan"

Movie #367 "The Black Swan" is the Natalie Portman vehicle that just might win her an oscar --- she's that good in it. And it is all her! Oh, she's supported well by Barbara Hershey (mom) and Mila Kunis (her all- about -eve- rival), but she's the one you can't take your eyes off of --- she's the one that does most of her dancing --- she's the one that baffles you as you watch her character unfold and destroy itself as her life unravels in front of you. It's a hard movie to watch (which is why I didn't give it a 5 ---- there are some sex scenes in it that are VERY uncomfortable to sit through ----- can't imagine doing them in front of film crews!) , but what it is able to do is have a huge audience sit through ballet scene after ballet scene and sit on the edge of one's seat! That's amazing in itself. I don't think anyone who ever watches this film will ever say again that ballet is boring, because the director is able to keep your attention throughout. A psychological thriller in the ballet world ! Imagine that! and not one car scene. Hats off to Aronofsky! and Natalie Portman, I have thought you were amazing since I saw you in a little film called "Beautiful Girls" and made my hubby Dave sit through all your scenes with Tim Hutton (while I sped through the rest of that film). I have been wowed by you in almost everything you have done, and I think this one might be the one that cinches it for you! It's a wow wow performance!





Average rating: 4.247
I give it 4.4
Black Swan
(2010) R
In director Darren Aronofsky's psychological thriller, ambitious New York City ballet dancer Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) lands the lead role in "Swan Lake" but soon thinks her dreams of stardom are threatened by a rival ballerina (Mila Kunis). As opening night approaches and the pressure to be perfect builds, Nina's obsession descends into paranoia and delusion. The film earned Golden Globe nods for Portman, Kunis, Aronofsky and Best Picture.
Genre: Psychological Thrillers, Suspense
This movie is: Dark, Suspenseful

Movie #366 ........................."Holiday Inn"

Movie #366 "Holiday Inn" is NOT one of my favorite of the season..far from it, really. To be honest, I never could get all the way through it, so I decided to sit down and watch it once and for all. I finally figured out what I didn't like about it, in comparison to say "Wonderful Life," "White Christmas," "Christmas Story," "Elf," or "Bells of St. Mary's." Weak story (the love story is so hot and cold that by the end, I was saying ----Fred Astaire got that girl? geez!), weak on good songs (okay, so White Christmas is in it, but it's sung by a nonsinger (in my opinion) and I don't mean Crosby ---- in White Christmas Clooney sings it with him --- a huge step up!), hugely weak on good dancing partners for Astaire (totally obvious), dumb storyline (let's put on a show but just for the holidays --- and let's try to celebrate George Washington's b-day with a toe tapping good show! Ridiculous), weak on comedy (it sorely needs Danny Kaye!) ...........it's just weak, weak, weak. It would get a two from me, but Hey, Astaire is in it and the fireworks number for the 4th of July is one of the best of his --------too bad it's in this dumb movie. Sorry, fans of Holiday Inn, but check out White Christmas instead. It has an Inn, it has Bing Crosby, it has Vera Ellen (if you you don't have Astaire, she isn't a bad alternative), it has snow, and it has tons more laughs and heart!





3 stars
Holiday Inn
(1942) NR
Bing Crosby croons to the tune of the Oscar-winning "White Christmas" in Irving Berlin's love triangle romantic comedy. Tired of the bright lights of showbiz, Jim Hardy (Crosby) retires to the countryside to become a farmer. He converts the farm into the Holiday Inn, open only on holidays, then competes against his pal (Fred Astaire) for a singer-dancer's (Marjorie Reynolds) affection.
Genre: Classic Movie Musicals, Classic Comedies, Romance Classics
This movie is: Sentimental, Romantic, Feel-good
Format: DVD

Movie #365 ........................."How Do You Know"

Movie #365 "How Do You Know" I saw because it was a romantic comedy (my favorite genre) and it was directed by James L. Brooks. The movie was too pushed in it style of acting ---- the more than capable actors were working too hard, and it was noticeable. The flow was start and stop, start and stop ---- and so the film came across kind of uneven to me. I found it enjoyable in that it tried to surprise the audience many times --- and with me, it was successful in that area, but what I got out of it is all surmising --------I'm thinking the answer to how do you know is just that you do --------you end up with someone who gets you -----and I guess that goes for the film, too. You would really, really appreciate it if you got it more than I did. I just thought it was entertaining, and that's it. And that's because I find all three of the leads so good: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson. Jack Nicholson has never been a favorite of mine --- I always think he chews up the scenery, and he sure did here. no doubt.



Average rating: 3.576
I rate it 3.5
How Do You Know
(2010) PG-13
Forget friendly -- the competition gets downright fierce when a hotly contested love triangle connects a newly single sports fan (Reese Witherspoon) with a professional baseball player (Owen Wilson) and a business executive (Paul Rudd) who are both vying to be her full-time boyfriend. Jack Nicholson co-stars in this athletically minded romantic comedy from acclaimed writer-director James L. Brooks (As Good As It Gets).
Genre: Romantic Comedies, Sports Comedies
This movie is: Romantic

Movie #364........................."Tron: Legacy"

Movie #364 "Tron : Legacy" I have to admit a couple of things. One is that I really only saw this movie because one of our ohs theatre alums worked on it, and his name was to be in the credits, and two, I usually don't expect much from movies that are overloaded with visual effects. That being said, I enjoyed the movie, but I found the story line kind of silly (along with a lot of the dialogue) It seemed a retread of Star Wars and almost every other science fiction chase movie. What I really liked about it is the strong female, and the black/white sets and costumes of the grid. I guess I expected the film to be smarter --- to point out that the reason people do well on the grid is because they know and understand the basics of video games --- but I never got that sense, so I guess they knew how to get out of situations because they've seen earlier movies? Hats off, though, to the visual effets people, especially our own Erich Hauptmann! It is really amazing the world they have created here!




You rated this movie: 3
Tron: Legacy
Tron 2
(2010) PG
While investigating the mysterious disappearance of his father, Kevin (Jeff Bridges), techie Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) lands in a beguiling computerized world of enslaved gladiators, where his dad has been living for the past 25 years. Joined by Kevin's trusted friend (Olivia Wilde), the father and son must journey across a breathtaking -- and perilous -- cyberscape in this 21st-century update to the beloved 1982 sci-fi classic.
Genre: Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sci-Fi Thrillers, Disney
Format: DVD and Blu-ray availability date unknown

Movie #363 ........................."Tortilla Soup"

Movie #363 "Tortilla Soup" was just so so. I guess with the cast I was expecting something more spectacular. This is a remake, I think, of an Ang Lee film "Eat, Drink, Man Woman" and the first is sooooo much better (different ethnicity has nothing to do with it). This looked like a made-for-t.v. movie. It should be shown juxtaposed with Ang Lee's original in a film class, and then students can make a list of what a good director does in comparison to a not-so-good one. When a film makes Elizabeth Pena look like a mediocre actress, something is wrong, in my opinion. Truth be told, I fell asleep in the middle, woke up at the end and filled in the blanks --- but then, I went back and saw what actually happened, and I wasn't off by much at all. Predictable, not very funny, but full of lots of beautiful shots of Hector Elizondo concocting good food. But that isn't worth it to me to watch it again, or recommend it. I'd skip it and see Ang Lee's film --- much better fare (foodwise and filmwise).




You rated this movie: 3
Tortilla Soup
(2001) PG-13
In director María Ripoll's bilingual drama, widower Martin Naranjo (Hector Elizondo) is a Los Angeles restaurateur with a booming business and three headstrong daughters (Jacqueline Obradors, Tamara Mello and Elizabeth Peña), who are all on the verge of leaving the house to pursue their individual destinies. He knows he must let go, but things get even more complicated when brassy neighbor Hortensia (Raquel Welch) sets her sights on Martin.
Genre: Romantic Comedies, Latino Comedies, Romantic Dramas
This movie is: Romantic, Feel-good
Format: DVD and streaming

Movie #362 ........................."Kicking and Screaming"

Movie #362 "Kicking and Screaming" I sought out because 1) I've liked the other Noah Baumbach films like the recently watched "Greenburg" and 2) I was looking up the star of another movie I really liked "Outsourced," and he happens to be in this film, as well --- his name is Josh Hamilton, and I found him likable again in this movie, which isn't near as good as outsourced, though. However, Baumbach has an ease about him, a realism in his delivery, no matter what the environment, and this time it's a college campus. Don't cringe because it wasn't all drinking and drugs (like the infamous Dazed and Confused), but it actually dealt with intelligent people who were scared with the "what next?" question. I found it charming, oftentimes very funny, disrespectful, intuitive, and just plain entertaining. I gave it a 4 because, like all Baumbach films, it meanders a bit --- but other than that, I liked it a lot. Although it won't give many new college graduates the answers, it does offer the reasons why it is so scary to take the next step. The film lets all of us realize that it is those rites of passages that we all share --- and sometimes we need to be reminded of that. Oh, and P.S., the queen of indie films is in this --- the one and only Parker Posey. "End of Scene!"




You rated this movie: 4
Kicking and Screaming
(1995) R
In writer-director Noah Baumbach's take on postcollege angst, Grover (Josh Hamilton) declines to go with his girlfriend (Olivia d'Abo) to Prague and decides to move in with other recent college grads who can't quite break the gravitational pull of campus. Together, the friends wrestle with leaving the past behind as they reluctantly step into adulthood. But they're afraid they'll end up like bartender and professional student Chet (Eric Stoltz).
Genre: Indie Comedies, Indie Romance
This movie is: Quirky, Romantic, Understated, Witty
Format: DVD and streaming

Movie #361 ........................."Cashback"

Movie #361 "Cashback" is a very well done indie romantic comedy. I'm always a sucker for the first person narrative, and this guy Sean (whom I have never seen before) is very winning, so it was easy to fall into the story. It takes its time to develop a relationship with this girl that he works with, but really paints from "afar" --- the only negative that I had, and one that prevented it from being a 4 or over for me, was that it uses this stop action/freeze frame technique --- it is part of the plot, but I didn't buy into that idea, and it just seemed to slow the story down to a dead standstill. This is a big film on being dumped and feeling alone and having trouble sleeping as a result of it. And with all the stopped action, I kind of chucked to myself when I thought that this movie might cure the sleeplessness that comes from a big break up. But it isn't that bad at all --- just the stop action scenes. And if you are watching it on a dvd player or your t.v. (streaming) you can cure that with a press of a button. Wish we could cure the bad feelings one gets from a breakup as easily! Maybe watching this film might help.




Cashback
I would give it 3.8 stars
2006R 101 minutes
After breaking up with his girlfriend, aspiring artist Ben Willis (Sean Biggerstaff) develops insomnia and takes a night-shift job at a supermarket to pass the hours. He soon discovers that he can freeze time and begins fantasizing about pretty checkout clerk Sharon (Emilia Fox). When he's not dreaming of Sharon -- who may hold the key to resolving his sleeplessness -- Ben roams the aisles disrobing beautiful customers and sketching them.

Cast:Shaun Evans, Sean Biggerstaff, Emilia Fox, Michelle Ryan, Stuart Goodwin, Michael Dixon, Marc Pickering, Michael Lambourne, Nick Hancock, Keeley Hazell Director:Sean Ellis Genres:Comedy, Indie Comedies, United Kingdom, Romantic Comedies This movie is:Mind-bending, Romantic Format:DVD and streaming (HD available

Movie #360 ........................."Noel"

Movie #360 "Noel" is a nice "made for t.v." - like movie for Christmas time. Unlike made for t.v movies, it has a stellar cast of Susan Sarandon, Penelope Cruz, and Robin Williams (who for some reason is uncredited) --- but the pace is slow, every minute is directed as melodramatic and poignant, and the director would be so darn disappointed if you didn't get a lump in your throat by the end of the film. For that reason, it got a 3 from me, but I really did like the acting and what it said. There should be more movies about the problems with being too jealous ---- and about people who experience the Christmas season alone. If those two topics look intriguing to you, you'll want to see this very christmassy film.




You rated this movie: 3
Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star
Noel
(2004) PG
Five New Yorkers face Christmas Eve alone in this meditation on what lies at the root of the holiday spirit. Rose (Susan Sarandon) tries to connect with her dying mother. Nina (Penélope Cruz) and her boyfriend (Paul Walker) are in love but must work through his jealousy issues. Artie (Alan Arkin) thinks his late wife's spirit lives in someone else's body. And Jules (Marcus Thomas) is a brutalized man yearning for peace. Chazz Palminteri directs.
Genre: Romantic Dramas
This movie is: Emotional, Sentimental, Romantic
Format: DVD and streaming (HD available)

Movie #359 ......................."Burlesque"

Movie #359 "Burlesque" was a big shock to me. I had looked it up on rotten.tomatoes (of course) before taking a small group to it (the calendar girls), and I was not surprised that 30 percent of critics disliked the movie; however, the big surprise is that 70 percent of the audience liked it ---- a huge difference, so I wanted to see it because of the controversy. I really liked this. Of course, the movie has been done before (what hasn't, if you have seen a lot of movies?), and some of the dialogue is a bit stagey, but here are the positives: it has Cher (and we rarely get to see her in movies anymore --- she used to be really, really good acting --- I'm not raving about her acting here, but you get to see her perform 2 numbers, and she's terrific in both of them --- and I'm guessing we'll get to see her sing a song at the academy awards this February, the songs are that good!); the movie has Stanley Tucci, and who doesn't like him? he keeps it real! And then, there's an amazing performance by Christina Aguilera, whom, I have to admit, I have never really heard/seen perform, that I knew of. When she takes over the stage, she really takes over the stage --- and her voice is a lot like a younger Cher, so that was fun to watch the mentor/mentee play out in the film ---- there's obvious a rapport/respect between the two singers, and that's fun to watch. One more kudo goes the lighting ---- the powers that be in this film got ,oh,just the great Broadway team of Fisher/Eisenhower (who did Chicago and everything else that has ever been really good on Broadway, so far) to light this movie --- so, it is worth it to see a film lit well. And one more thing --------it is clean! seriously, I had heard about Aguilera being , well, not a good role model for kids, but the movie is very clean, well, for a movie on burlesque --- women are hardly in their clothes and they gyrate around (like flashdance) but It takes several minutes in for a first kiss, and then the love scenes fade to black, so you could take teen girls and they would love the musical numbers ---- which are the best parts of the film. So, yes, I recommend it. There's a song toward the end that Cher sings about not having seen the last of her, and I hope we haven't!




I gave it 4 stars
Burlesque
(2010) PG-13
After leaving Iowa with stars in her eyes, Ali (Christina Aguilera) arrives in Los Angeles and at a burlesque lounge, where she dreams of taking the stage with her soaring voice. Club owner Tess (Cher) is about to lose the place and thinks Ali might help business. Meanwhile, Ali's roommate, Jack (Cam Gigandet), starts to fall for her. Steve Antin directs; Stanley Tucci co-stars as Tess's sidekick, and Kristen Bell plays Ali's rival.
Genre: Contemporary Movie Musicals, Showbiz Dramas
This movie is: Campy
Format: DVD and Blu-ray availability date unknown

Movie #358 ........................."Love and Other Drugs"

Movie #358 "Love and Other Drugs" is an Ed Zwick film, and I've been a Zwick fan for a long time, so I had to see this one. I liked it but not as much as I thought I would. The characters are winning enough, but the opening 1/2 of the film (or more) is really force fed to the audience ---- everyone comes on too strong ---- a little too cutesy, a little too noisy, a little too much for someone like me who wants honesty ---------perhaps, that was done on purpose because most everyone is putting everyone on, and the world Jamie travels in (selling drugs legally) isn't too honest with its products, either. There's lots of sex and drugs in the film (which is really different for Zwick), but it didn't seem gratuitous because the film's focus is on the building of a relationship, and in this day and age, well, things have changed, and since their relationship starts out as just sex, you can see why the film uses it quite a bit. Anne Hathaway is so good, she is able to take Jake G. with her beyond the lines in many scenes, which is good because the script has some problems. However, I DO recommend it for its risktaking -------let's face it, romance films have very little variety, but this one seems on speed ---- the tempo is different, and so I valued that the director was trying to do something different here.




Average rating: 3.64
I give it 4 stars
Love and Other Drugs
(2010) R
Pharmaceutical representative Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes a player in the big game of male-performance-enhancement-drug sales and, along the way, finds unexpected romance with a woman (Anne Hathaway) suffering from Parkinson's disease. Based on the real-life Jamie Reidy's memoir, Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman, this satirical look inside the culture of Big Pharm is directed by Edward Zwick.

Genre:Romantic Dramas, Romantic Comedies, Dramas Based on Real Life

Movie #357 ......................."Unstoppable"

Movie #357 "Unstoppable" is a nail biter; Tony Scott knows how to direct the action thriller, and Denzel Washington knows how to infuse just enough humor, seriousness, and emotions to keep it going without getting derailed (excuse the pun). What I didn't like about this film was that it doesn't explain enough all the train terms so that we, the audience, can more easily follow it and be even more frightened about the whole situation. All of that aside, I liked it and recommend it. It is done well----I was yelling out to the screen quite a bit during the movie --- I was that involved!




Average rating: 3.914
I gave it 4 stars
Unstoppable
(2010) PG-13
It's a nail-biting race against time as an unmanned train carrying a load of lethal chemicals speeds out of control, and a conductor and engineer do everything in their power to keep it from derailing and killing tens of thousands of people. Denzel Washington leads the cast in Tony Scott's tough-minded action thriller, in which a terrible circumstance forces a couple of ordinary men to become extraordinary heroes.

Genre:Action Thriller

Movie #356........................."Bridge to Terabithia"

Movie #356 "Bridge to Terabithia" I liked a lot, mostly due to the two very capable young actors. After seeing this, I looked up the two kids and their long list of projects is quite commendable (the girl was the Winn-Dixie girl and she even sings one of the songs in the closing --- very talented) (the boy was an actor I especially liked in the recent "Kids Are All Right" film I saw) The story was okay --- I don't usually like this genre, but the two actors were so good, and the subtext of being bullied by other kids was so universal that I bought it. I can see where the subject matter might be a bit disturbing for younger kids (deals with death), but it has a very powerful ending that all kids should see some time in their lifetime. I'm sorry I didn't see it earlier, but thankful I got to see it at all! Beautifully photographed, to boot!




Average rating: 3.545
I gave it 4 stars
Bridge to Terabithia
(2007) PG
New classmate Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb) unlocks a mesmerizing world of fantasy and imagination for fifth-grader Jesse Aaron (Josh Hutcherson) in this magical adventure based on the best-selling novel for young adults by author Katherine Paterson. The two outcasts, who are rivals at first, eventually become friends and create the make-believe kingdom of Terabithia, where they reign supreme and plot vengeance against school bullies.

Genre:Family Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Family Dramas, Book Characters
Format:DVD and Blu-ray

Movie #355 ........................."The Breaking Upwards"

Movie #355 "The Breaking Upwards" concerns two people who figure a detailed way to break up correctly --- but it's really full of honest scenes about a relationship between two people who seem to be in love, but bored with their relationship. There are some honest answers to some honest questions here, and the paretns are good, as well. For an independent film, it has a pretty good cast of famous people in it. This is one of those films where the writers are both the leads, the male lead is the director and the editor and the female lead wrote all the lyrics to all the songs in the film. Very talented people, and I'm glad my niece suggested it ---- it especially has a powerful ending. Hope you get to see it, esp. if you've gone through a tough breakup, or are contemplating one.



Our best guess for DONNA: 3.0 stars
Average of 47,294 ratings: 3.0 stars
I gave it 4 tars
Breaking Upwards
2009NR 89 minutes
Breaking up is painful -- but does it have to be? Subdued individually by their relationship yet scared of life apart, Zoe Lister Jones and Daryl Wein set out to meticulously orchestrate and manage their split into painlessness in this indie comedy. The New York couple's struggles attain an extra air of authenticity as they expose -- pretty much uncensored -- every bit of their four-year, complex and codependent union for audiences to witness.

Cast:Zoe Lister Jones, Daryl Wein, Julie White, Andrea Martin, Peter Friedman, La Chanze, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Olivia Thirlby, Pablo Schreiber, Heather Burns Director:Daryl Wein Genres:Comedy, Romantic Comedies, Indie Comedies, Indie Romance This movie is:Romantic Format:DVD and streaming (HD available)

Movie #354 ........................."Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I"

Movie #354 "Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part I" is one of the best of the whole series (my very favorites are Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix), ranking 3rd with me. It is very dark, though (but not full of as many deaths as Nick Degilio suggested on WGN the other day). It's different than the others due to the use of more realistic settings, and the lack of adults in comparison to the "kids" (they aren't kids anymore, really, though) in the film ----It is mostly Harry Potter (except for maybe one or two scenes, he is on screen every minute). The story is one of the clearer ones of the series, so it's easy to follow even if you haven't read this one (which I haven't done, only one I haven't read of the series, but it's my next audio book I'm working on.) Well photographed, good sound, nice editing, I even jumped out of my seat once or twice --- can't beat an afternoon of entertainment like this, so I highly recommend it.




Average rating: 4.565
4.2 stars
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Harry Potter 7: Part I
(2010) PG-13
The first installment of the two-part conclusion to the Harry Potter series finds the bespectacled wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) walking away from his last year at Hogwarts to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes, putting an end to Voldemort's bid for immortality. But with Harry's beloved Dumbledore dead and Voldemort's unscrupulous Death Eaters on the loose, the world is more dangerous than ever.

Genre:Family Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Book Characters, Blockbusters

Movie #353 ........................."The Madness of King George"

Movie #353 "The Madness of King George" concerned a king in history I knew little about --- I had no idea that King George (the one we beat in the Revolutionary War) had dementia and what the people around him tried to do to him. Wow! It was a real eye opener, and the film was well acted with Helen Mirren playing his wife, and Rupert Evert playing his son (very funny part). There were things I couldn't always follow in the film (wish I knew more details about the history of the times), but what I learned in the film was well worth the time it took to watch this.





Average rating: 3.538
I gave it 3 stars
The Madness of King George
(1994) PG-13
The dementia of King George III -- the English monarch who lost the war to keep the American colonies -- ignites a flurry of political and familial treachery in this comical biopic that earned Nigel Hawthorne and Helen Mirren a pair of Oscar nods. Based on Alan Bennett's play, the film provides insight into the primitive medical practices of the time and co-stars Ian Holm, Rupert Graves and Rupert Everett.

Movie #352........................."Speak"

Movie #352 "Speak" I found very well done, and a must see for a teenager. It should be shown in a high school setting in a family values class because it deals with all kinds of issues for kids to talk about ---- rape is the subject, and the film gives a clear signal about the importance of TELLING people, esp. adults, of the problems you, as a teen, are going through ---- Besides the importance of communicating (thus, the title of the film); the film also shows the influence one teacher can have (the other teachers shown don't come across as well, but that's okay --- they are still oftentimes found in a high school setting); I really appreciated how realistic this movie was ---- lots of quiet moments of looking into the eyes of the very, very capable Kristin Stewart (of vampire fame). Her parents are utterly clueless, but theirs is a journey in the film, as well. My favorite moment is when the teacher looks at all of her drawings for her final project --- as a teacher, as a student, as a human being, you will feel how powerful that moment is when someone finally "gets you". I LOVED the book (and highly recommend it -- we used it for speech team a couple of times through the years) so I was a bit fearful that the people in Hollywood wouldn't do this novel justice, but they did. Nice job, Hollywood. I think you got this one right.




Average rating: 3.717
I give it 4
Speak
(2004) PG-13
A violent crime against Melinda (Kristen Stewart) has left her shunned by her friends and completely traumatized as she enters the ninth grade a selective mute, isolating herself from everyone at school until a sympathetic teacher (Steve Zahn) encourages her to express herself. Elizabeth Perkins and D.B. Sweeney co-star in this powerful teen drama from writer-director Jessica Sharzer, which debuted at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

Genre:Indie Dramas, Social Issue Dramas
This movie is:Understated, Emotional
Format:DVD

Movie #351 ........................."The Girl Who Played with Fire"

Movie #351 "The Girl Who Played with Fire" was more violent than the first one, more intense, more confusing, I would think, for people who haven't read the book. Gee, I read all the books and I was confused from the start. It's those darn names and places. They left A LOT out --- like the whole opening of the second book --- and I really missed all the texting that I remember went on between the two leads (where was all of that?) and lots of characters (They didn't introduce any female cops, weren't there a bunch of them, at least Modig, Bublanski's assistant? --- I think she was there, but named I think once) Another thing missing was all the smarts Salander always uses to get info............missing. She shows up and the viewer assumes she looked up all this stuff, but missing in film --- I guess it wouldn't be so interesting to see someone messing with the computer (just look into our windows now and you'll see two (what looks like ) sedentary people plucking away at the computer), but film people are creative --- they could show some of it. So I guess I was a bit disappointed --- I really, really liked this book ---- almost as much as the first (sorry, I liked the serial killer storyline (as gruesome as it was) in the first book) But the cat and mouse chase I still liked in this book and some of it was here, but there were just too many unanswered questions, and don't even bother with this if you haven't read the book. uh uh~ no way~



Our best guess for DONNA: 4.2 stars
I give it 4 stars
Average of 277,424 ratings: 3.9 stars
The Girl Who Played with Fire(Flickan Som Lekte Med Elden)
2009NR 129 minutes
Tech expert Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) becomes the prime suspect when two journalists, including Dag Svensson (Hans Christian Thulin), die after Millennium magazine publisher Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) launches an exposé of the Swedish sex trade. In Part 2 of the trilogy based on the action novels of Stieg Larsson, the vampiric Salander vanishes as Blomkvist digs deep into a possible conspiracy.

Cast:Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Lena Endre, Hans Christian Thulin, Sofia Ledarp, Peter Andersson, Georgi Staykov, Yasmine Garbi, Micke Spreitz, Tehilla Blad, Annika Hallin Director:Daniel Alfredson Genres:Foreign, Foreign Thrillers, Scandinavia, Swedish Language, Blu-ray Language:SwedishThis movie is:Violent, Dark, Suspenseful Format:DVD, Blu-ray and streaming (HD available)

Movie #350 ........................."Timer"

Movie #350 "Timer" is an interesting premise, and it might be intriguing to viewers who are especially out there in the dating world because it is a sci fi idea that involves implants that count down to the moment you are suppose to meet his or her perfect match --- if you know that information and you are dating, it greatly influences your choices and your relationships with those who have the implants and those who don't. I liked this, but I found the pacing a bit slow in parts; otherwise, I would have given it a 4. I wouldn't call it a "comedic" fantasy, as the blurb says below. Not all that funny, at all.

Average rating: 3.642
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TiMER
(2009) R
In this comedic fantasy, science has facilitated the search for a soul mate via biotechnological implants that count down to the moment one is supposed to meet his or her match. But Oona (Emma Caulfield) is worried: She's nearly 30, and her TiMER isn't ticking yet. Will her dream guy get snatched up by someone else? John Patrick Amedori co-stars in this film from first-time writer and director Jac Schaeffer.

Genre:Indie Comedies, Fantasy, Indie Romance
This movie is:Romantic, Imaginative
Format:Streaming (HD available)

Movie #349 ........................."Enduring Love"

Movie #349 "Enduring Love" was a bit of a surprise for me. Though not rated a 5 to me because it seemed a tad long in the middle, I found it quite a good thriller with a rewarding ending. It was well acted with Daniel Craig and Rhys Ifans playing totally different roles from what I know them from (Craig for James Bond, Ifans for the underwear guy in "Notting Hill"), and Samantha Morton doing her always good thing! It opens with a sequence that deserves to be shown in a film class because it is THAT good, and the rest of the movie is quite Hitchcockian (and I don't usually say that because to me Hitchcock put an indelible stamp on all his films so he isn't easily copied). In a Hitchcock way, the director (who happens to be Morning Glory's director (a film I saw yesterday) was able to keep you watching while only really dealing with the psyche (you don't need car chases or dead bodies to keep some of us interested) Nice framed shots, good editing, excellent music to set mood, symbolism set up with props, and a tight chase scene that steers the audience very expertly into the very exciting closing scene. It's got that voyeuristic pov of the camera that seemed a lot to me like "Rear Window" (which is a huge compliment for me to say, because "Rear Window" is one of my very favorite films of his). So now I recommend two of this director's movies and I intend to look up some others --- he evidently likes to work with the same people because he worked with Ifans in "NottingHill" and Craig in "The Mother," another film of his. I plan to investigate further because I like his directing so far. ("Nottinghill" has always been one of my favorite romantic comedies)






Average rating: 2.856
I gave this movie 4 stars
Enduring Love
(2004) R
Joe's (Daniel Craig) placid, circumspect life is thrown wildly off kilter when he becomes the target of another man's obsession after witnessing a horrific hot-air balloon accident and attempting to rescue its passengers. This harrowing drama also stars Samantha Morton, Rhys Ifans, Bill Nighy and Alexandra Aitken. Roger Michell (Notting Hill) directs from his own script, an adaptation of the novel by Ian McEwan.

Genre:Dramas Based on the Book, Indie Dramas, Mystery
This movie is:Suspenseful, Dark
Format:DVD and streaming

Movie #348 ........................."The Celluloid Closet"

Movie #348 "The Celluloid Closet" is a very good documentary on homosexuality in films through the years. The people they interview are very articulate and knowledgeable, the film clips are well chosen, and I now have about 20 more titles of films I plan to add to my queue that this documentary deemed important on the topic. The Subtexts, the trends, the brave, risk taking actors and directors and writers who tried to push past the prejudice, are all dealt with and more in this film, and I recommend it. I also spent another hour watching the special features (something I miss when I stream films directly from netflix to Roku).





Average rating: 3.813
I gave it 4 stars
The Celluloid Closet
(1995) R
Narrated by Lily Tomlin, this acclaimed documentary takes its name from Vito Russo's groundbreaking book. The filmmakers examine the subtext of more than 100 Hollywood movies -- including Spartacus, Rope and Thelma and Louise -- and chart the cinematic journey of lesbian and gay characters. Film clips are paired with director, producer and actor interviews featuring, among others, Gore Vidal, Tom Hanks and Whoopi Goldberg.

Genre:Social & Cultural Documentaries, Historical Documentaries, Indie Documentaries
This movie is:Witty, Heartfelt, Cerebral
Format:DVD

Movie #347 ........................."Megamind"

Movie #347 "Megamind" is just one of several really good animated films this year (it will be competing with "Toys Story 3" which in my opinion is better), and it has a really intelligent script and involved plot parts and intense editing (perhaps too involved for a little kid? not sure he/she will follow the whole plotline, but that's why you would go along, right?) What I liked about it is a bit of a switch (kind of like "Wicked" in a way) because first there is a longer backstory on the bad guy and reasons why he is the way he is, and then he's forced to do good by the end of the picture --- I liked that. Kind of gives me faith after the bloodbath of an election last Tuesday! Anyway, the characters are excellent, and Brad Pitt is used just enough for me! Tina Fey and Will Ferrel steal the show!




Average rating: 3.996
I give it 4 stars
Megamind
(2010) PG
When a cunning supervillain (voiced by Will Ferrell) accidently kills his crime-fighting nemesis, the rogue suddenly finds life boring and uninspired. So, he creates a new enemy (Jonah Hill) who seeks to destroy the world, forcing Megamind to play the hero role for once in his life. This hilarious 3D animated feature from director Tom McGrath (Madagascar) also features the voices of Brad Pitt and Tina Fey.

Genre:Family Animation, Comic Books and Superheroes

Movie #346 ........................."Grace Is Gone"

Movie #346 "Grace Is Gone" is sad, sad, sad, sad, sad. Did I say sad? The whole movie is intense, bordering on weepy, and a big problem is EVERYONE knows the end. Yet, in its defense, it is an important film to see because it reminds us of all the sacrifices that are being made by our military, and how families are greatly affected. At one point in the film, the kids question whether there was a good enough reason for their mom to be away from them, and I thought of how President Bush should be answering THAT question! How different John Cusack is in this film --- he even walks differently. He's very much an odd duck, and so is his first born, but then universal feelings kick in when faced with the tragedy. I kept wondering about his wife's family and how they needed to know and why nothing was mentioned about them. Anyway, you certainly don't want to see this if you want to see people smiling once in a while, because you won't see it in this film at all! Very uncomfortable to watch, but very valid to see.





Average rating: 3.144
I gave it 3 stars
Grace Is Gone
(2007) PG-13
Director James C. Strouse's indie drama stars John Cusack as Stanley Phillips, an ex-military man trying to find the courage to break some devastating news to his two daughters: Their mother has died while serving in Iraq. As he works through his complex feelings about his wife's death and the war, Stanley delays telling his girls the truth, instead taking them on an excursion to a theme park. The film won the Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance.

Genre:Indie Dramas
This movie is:Understated, Dark, Emotional
Format:DVD

Movie #345 ........................."Conviction"

Movie #345 "Conviction" is on a topic I don't remember ever seeing a movie about ----- how a sister spends her whole life while putting her life on hold to save her brother . It seems like this blurb and the one below tells the whole story, but watching it unfold is the magic being spun here. Well acted, well directed, well told, this is a story that needs to be told. I highly recommend it.





Average rating: 3.676
I give it 4.5
Conviction
Betty Anne Waters
(2009) R
Convinced that her brother, Kenneth (Sam Rockwell), has been unjustly convicted of murder and incompetently defended by court-ordered attorneys, high school dropout Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) puts herself through law school in order to represent him in his appeal. Inspired by a true story, director Tony Goldwyn's stirring drama also stars Melissa Leo, Minnie Driver, Peter Gallagher and Clea DuVall.

Genre:Courtroom Dramas, Crime Dramas, Dramas Based on Real Lif

Movie #344 .........................."Driving Lessons"

Movie #344 "Driving Lessons" is a film stolen by the likes of actress Julie Walters, whom I have been a fan of since "Billy Elliott" and "Educating Rita." Without her, the film would be nothing, in my opinion. In fact, I did not like this movie for a good 30 minutes or so --- I found it dragged, and the characters had thick accents and mumbled their lines --- and the lines I did hear were full of British idioms and I felt the film was leaving me, the audience, out of a lot of the characters' comments. But then Julie Walters made her entrance, and I didn't seem to care more if I understood every single word/phrase --- I liked her character, but I still found the film a bit dull ------however, what redeemed it was a very good third act --- I esp. liked her entrance into the church dramatic production doing a take off of Shakespeare while freeing Ben, her friend, from the apronstrings of his Mother (Laura Linney). So, all in all, this tried to be Harold and Maude, but failed. Really, like H & M the relationship is between a young man and a much older woman, but this time they are just friends, and I was happy with that. I really liked the last scene. It kind of made the whole experience of watching this film worthwhile. Nice theme!








Average rating: 3.279
I gave it 3 stars
Driving Lessons
(2006) PG-13
Looking to earn some cash -- and to get out from under the thumb of his domineering mother (Laura Linney) -- shy teen Ben Marshall (Rupert Grint) accepts a job working as an assistant to a retired soap opera actress (Julie Walters) with an unquenchable thirst. But what begins as a simple summer job blossoms into a life-changing experience. Nicholas Farrell plays Linney's henpecked spouse in director Jeremy Brock's affecting coming-of-age drama.

Genre:Indie Dramas, United Kingdom, Indie Comedies
This movie is:Understated, Quirky
Format:DVD

Movie #343 ........................."The Cake Eaters"

Movie #343 "The Cake Eaters" is a pretty flat film, even with Mary Stuart Masterson's debut at the helm, and Kristin Stewart playing a character with a neurological disease. It is her show, her rite of passage, having a boyfriend she falls in love with. Meanwhile there's another story with a continued romance between two oldies, Bruce Dern and Liz Ashley. Ironically, he is mourning the loss of his wife, but he had this woman on the side for years...........then there's one more story, but to tell you the truth, I was typing on the computer and not paying much mind to any of this. This film struck out with me --- I really didn't care about the characters or what happened to them in the film (which wasn't much). I think it was trying to be "What's eating Gilbert Grape" but ohmygod, it wasn't. That film is SO MUCH BETTER!!!!




You rated this movie: 2.0
The Cake Eaters
(2007) R
When aspiring musician Guy Kimbrough (Jayce Bartok) returns to his family home in upstate New York, his arrival shakes up his father, Easy (Bruce Dern), and brother Beagle (Aaron Stanford), who are both still devastated by the recent death of the family matriarch. As the three men struggle to connect, each also tries to find love. Kristen Stewart, Elizabeth Ashley and Miriam Shor co-star in actress Mary Stuart Masterson's directorial debut.

Genre:Indie Dramas, Romantic Dramas, Indie Romance
This movie is:Romantic, Heartfelt
Format:DVD and streaming (HD available)

Movie #342 ........................."Passengers"

Movie #342 "Passengers" has an ending that is prepared for way too long --- guessed it (didn't everyone?) so it needed to come more quickly -- that wouldn't be so bad, but when you say, "Hey, wait a minute --- how is that possible?" then something is amiss. When you feel cheated or tricked (or manipulated), then it isn't as honest a film as i would have wanted it to be. I did stick with this one, though, mostly because the acting is so good --- Hathaway, Wilson, Diane Wiest, and David Morse all could have phoned their parts in, but they didn't. And I also esp. liked that neither the beginning or ending scenes, though frightening, show the plane actually crashing. thanks for that!




You rated this movie: 3.0
Passengers
(2008) PG-13
When therapist Claire Summers (Anne Hathaway) starts working with the surviving passengers of a plane crash, she discovers that their individual accounts of the tragedy differ significantly from the airline's official version. As Claire digs deeper for the truth, beyond the airline's sanitized statements, the survivors suddenly begin to vanish, leaving her swimming in a dark abyss of intrigue and conspiracy.

Genre:Mystery, Supernatural Thrillers, Psychological Thrillers
This movie is:Suspenseful, Mind-bending
Format:DVD, Blu-ray and streaming (streaming available until 10/26/2010)

Movie #341 .........................."Edukators"

Movie #341 "Edukators" is a very different film -- it's full of philosophy, but it isn't preachy ---- the themes of the film come out in discussions between the kidnappers and the kidnappie (such a word?) ---- they all learn a little about each other's philosophy and learn to be more tolerant for the "other guy" ---- and that there are consequences for their political views. There's also some conflict with the love triangle of the two guys and the one girl, whom they both love. I esp. liked the powerful ending and the characters, (even the kidnappie) who are the meat of the film. I recommend it because it is so different from other films I have seen.




DONNA's rating: 4.0 stars
Average of 88,441 ratings: 3.7 stars
The Edukators(Die Fetten Jahre Sind Vorbei)
2005R130 minutes
Peter (Stipe Erceg), Jan (Daniel Brühl) and Jule (Julia Jentsch) -- a trio of anticapitalist radicals who call themselves the Edukators -- rankle Germany's elite by breaking into mansions, rearranging the possessions and leaving menacing messages that warn of an impending class war. But when Jule leaves her cell phone behind and they return to the scene to retrieve it, an unexpected visitor forces them to improvise.

Cast:Daniel Brühl, Julia Jentsch, Stipe Erceg, Burghart Klaussner, Peer Martiny, Petra Zieser, Laura Schmidt, Sebastian Butz, Oliver Brocker, Knut Berger, Hanns Zischler, Claudio Caiolo, Bernhard Bettermann, Sylvia Haider, Claudia JakobshagenDirector:Hans WeingartnerGenres:Foreign, Foreign Dramas, German Language, Foreign Comedies, Eastern Europe, Foreign Languages, Foreign RegionsLanguage:GermanThis movie is:Witty, Understated, SuspensefulFormat:DVD and streaming

Movie #340 ..........................."Elegy"

Movie #340 "Elegy" is a well acted movie on kind of a different subject --- a professor in his late 50s falls hopelessly in love with a student in her 20s (after the grades are in) ---- the relationship starts sexually, but she becomes the end all be all to him and he's never felt that way --- it's a new experience, and at his age he feels he is a "dying animal" (the Philip Roth book title this movie is based on) and he thinks it's just a matter of time until he gets dumped so he "shoots his own foot" by becoming suspicious when she isn't around, and a few other goofy things that just push her away. There are a few surprises along the way, but really the movie centers on the two big performances of Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz, and Cruz for my money steals the movie (I guess it is because we always expect the best from Kingsley and Patricia Clarkson) -- she is really radiating in this film, and probably worth the price of admission. This movie is NOT for everyone --- it's slow moving and has a lot of sex scenes, but it DOES have Penelope Cruz!




You rated this movie: 3.0
DONNA's rating: 3.0 stars
Average of 284,179 ratings: 3.3 stars
Elegy(The Dying Animal)
2007R113 minutes
Cultural critic David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) sits comfortably in his ivory tower, divorced from any romantic or familial entanglements. That is, until the striking 24-year-old daughter (Penélope Cruz) of Cuban exiles reawakens his sense of sexual excitement. Their unlikely bond yields shocking revelations that change David's life forever. Spanish director Isabel Coixet helms this star-studded adaptation of the Philip Roth novel The Dying Animal.

Cast:Penélope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Sonja Bennett, Antonio Cupo, Deborah Harry, Dennis Hopper, Chelah Horsdal, Peter SarsgaardDirector:Isabel CoixetGenres:Drama, Romantic Dramas, Dramas Based on Contemporary Literature, Dramas Based on the BookThis movie is:Romantic, EmotionalFormat:DVD, Blu-ray and streaming (HD available)

Movie #339........................."Secretariat"

Movie #339 "Secretariat" was a very inspiring movie about the love of one horse for his owner, Penney Chenery. It took me a few minutes to get into the story, but once the horse was introduced, it sucked me in. Audience beware, there is some clunkiness occasionally with the dialogue (esp. lines like "This is the big one!" when talking about the Kentucky Derby ---who doesn't know that?) In my head I was comparing this movie with Seabiscuit, and there's no doubt there was more conflict involved with Seabiscuit's rise, but there's something cool about this story as well ---- the aforementioned love between the owner and the horse, the jockey who will take the horse past the comfort zone, the gentlemen's club of horse owners who refuse to see this woman as anything other than a housewife who belongs in her kitchen, this woman's courage and audacity to go against her family to take a stand alone, the cooky fashion deficient trainer who is also willing to take chances when his career is on the line -------these are all topics that are covered very well in the film, and I think you will find it very fulfilling. You know the movie gets you when you are at the end all races (the Belmont) and the movie goes to slow mo (I know, cliche, but used quite well here, really) and "Oh happy days" is playing on the soundtrack and you feel (almost) as if you are there and witnessing a true miracle! Go see it, if just for that moment!




You rated this movie: 4.0

Secretariat
(2010) PG
When Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father's thoroughbred stable, she transforms from housewife to horse breeder -- and owner of the colt that will take the 1973 Triple Crown -- in this dramatic biopic. The film explores Chenery's bond with "Big Red" and depicts her rise to greatness as the "first lady of racing." John Malkovich plays trainer Lucien Laurin, and Fred Dalton Thompson co-stars as big-shot breeder Bull Hancock.

Genre:Sports Dramas, Horse Racing, Biographies

Movie #338 ........................."Runaways"

Movie #338 "Runaways" was not interesting to me at all. Very disappointed. I saw it a couple of days ago, and I've been waiting to think of something positive to say about it because I really thought it was a waste of time viewing. And it isn't necessarily the subject matter to me or the people involved ---- I have always been interested in Joan Jett, and the creation of one of the first all girl rock bands would be exciting for me to watch, but it wasn't at all. I'm also a huge fan of Dakota Fanning and I like most of Kristin Stewart's work -- I find both those girl/women very good actresses, making excellent choices with the material they've had in the past, so that wasn't the problem either. Here's what I think it was. For some reason, the director decided to make a film about two inarticulate people ----so the result? not much. so I don't recommend this movie. It really doesn't show young girls in a good light, and thank god, Joan Jett went on and did something more with her life. That's all I have to say.




Average rating: 3.246
I gave it 1 star
The Runaways
(2010) R
Dakota Fanning stars in this musical biopic as Cherie Currie, lead singer of the 1970s all-girl rock group the Runaways, whose meteoric rise up the charts was saturated with drugs and other excesses of the era. Though the Runaways start out as a novelty act, the rock 'n' roll chops of Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart), Lita Ford (Scout Taylor-Compton) and the other girls lift the group to international stardom. Floria Sigismondi directs.

Genre:Dramas Based on Real Life, Contemporary Movie Musicals, Punk Rock
Format:DVD and Blu-ray

Movie #337 .........................."For 80 Days"

Movie #337 "For 80 Days" is an unusual story about two women who rekindle a relationship after 50 years in a hospital room where they are visiting two comatose patients. The conflict is that one woman is married, while the other one is a lesbian ---- the one who is married starts to question her life --- it seems to be all cleaning and cooking and not much else, and she searches for some spark --- is it with this new woman? The title refers to the time period they visit the patients, and in that time, both women go through major changes in their lives, and they try to find the strength to face their problems head on. A very good film, full of a very competent cast. It takes place in Basque country (northern part of Spain) with subtitles, and I give it 4 stars. (saw it at the Chicago Film Festival)

Movie #336 ........................."R U There"

Movie #336 "R U There" is a movie we saw at the Chicago Film Festival, and because we were treated to a Q & A session afterwards with the director, that helped a lot in the enjoyment of the film. While watching it, it struck us as a rather slow moving film, full of awkward moments of nonactivity from the main character,lots of nature, passages in chinese (taiwanese), video game screens, games that the crew is playing , and animation of another world. I know, doesn't sound really exciting, and it really isn't, but excitement would go against what the film is showing ---------- it concerns all the ins and outs of a gaming competition, and the main characters all see the world mostly through the video screen --- and when one of them, Jitze, is walking outside one day, the world comes crashing in the form of a tragedy that he is a witness to, and he starts to question the inactivity of his life. In his pursuit of something more, he meets up with min-min, and things will never be the same. If this sounds intriguing at all, I'm sure you will like it (Dave thought it was a tad long, but we both thought the ending was good enough to get through the rest of it) A very valid, important theme in this day and age of video games.





Average rating: 2.866
I gave it 4 stars.
R U There
(2010) NR
All Jitze (Stijn Koomen) does is play video games, and he's good at it. So good, in fact, that he makes a living by competing around the world. While in Taipei, he's sidelined by an arm injury, and in the downtime he meets Min Min (Huan-Ru Ke). Unable to escape into his games, Jitze finds that human contact isn't so bad after all. David Verbeek's examination of the virtual generation was an Official Selection of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

Genre:Social Issue Dramas, Indie Dramas

Movie #335 ........................."Red"

Movie #335 "Red" stands for retired, extremely dangerous, and this sets up the movie really well --- it is funny, but violent. A very funny heist film that I didn't believe for one minute, but that's the fun of it. If it would be whimsical and fun for you to see academy award winner Helen Mirren wielding an RPG (rocket propelled grenade) in a beautiful white gown, you need to see this. A special mention should be made for the casting: Mary Louise Parker was a stitch as Willis' girlfriend, Morgan Freeman, wonderful, as always, but playing against type here, John Malkovich was the most memorable, being even goofier than he normally is --- but instead of stealing scenes, he just enhances them. REally, this was a lot of fun and I recommend it!






Average rating: 3.866
I gave it 4 stars
Red
(2010) PG-13
After trading in his professional past as a black-ops CIA agent for a new identity, Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is basking in normalcy. But he's forced to return to old habits when a shadowy assassin puts a target on his back and goes after the woman (Mary-Louise Parker) he loves. Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich co-star as former members of Moses's team who reluctantly reassemble to save his life.

Genre:Action Thrillers, Crime Action

Movie #334 ........................."April in Paris"

Movie #334 "April in Paris" --- it has Doris Day, Ray Bolger (Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz) , and Paris is in the title, so I thought, what the heck -- I had never seen it, so it should be fun, right? Not really. The Musical numbers are fun, but it all takes place on a ship --- you never do see Paris --- oh,a picture of the Eiffel Tower is on a backdrop for the last song, but that's it! And as for the storyline, it's very weak --- a good 20 minutes of film time is spent trying to keep two people who think they are married from spending the night together because they really aren't married (broken beds, doors that myseriously open and shut, etc.)--- hey, it's a 50s movie! What else would be on their minds? I don't recommend this one. See any of the other wonderful Doris Day movies like Pillow Talk or Lover Come Back or Please Don't Eat the Daisies and skip this one!

You rated this movie: 3.0
April in Paris
(1952) NR
In search of an emissary to represent the American theater at an arts expo in Paris, a State Department bureaucrat (Ray Bolger) invites Ethel Barrymore to appear -- too bad her invitation is sent to chorus girl Ethel "Dynamite" Jackson (Doris Day) instead! Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Miss Jackson hightails it to Paris -- with the bureaucrat in pursuit. A plethora of song-and-dance numbers ensues in this Sammy Cahn-scored musical.

Genre:Classic Movie Musicals, Classic Comedies, Musicals
This movie is:Feel-good, Romantic
Format:DVD and streaming

Movie #333 ........................."Righteous Kill"

Movie #333 "Righteous Kill" is a good crime thriller; I don't know what the critics were all in a bunch about, saying it was one cliche after another. Too hard on it, I'm guessing, mostly because of the two main stars --- they were expecting something like "Heat." Well, it isn't "Heat" --- this time they are partners, and as partners, they are able to make snarky comments to each other, or add snide comments to what the other has said --- that made the film enjoyable for me, and I also liked the murder mystery. It worked for me, so I'm recommending it. But the reason it doesn't get higher marks is the violence, and several clunky scenes due to dialogue. But the main actors (and supporting ones) are so good, you hardly notice.





You rated this movie: 3.0
Righteous Kill
(2008) R
Oscar winners Robert De Niro and Al Pacino drive this taut thriller as New York City detectives tasked with investigating a rash of vigilante killings that are linked to an old case, suggesting they might have put an innocent man behind bars. John Leguizamo, Carla Gugino, Brian Dennehy, Donnie Wahlberg and rapper-turned-actor 50 Cent also star in director Jon Avnet's crime drama, penned by Russel Gerwitz (Inside Man).

Genre:Crime Thrillers, Crime Dramas
This movie is:Suspenseful, Gritty, Dark
Format:DVD, Blu-ray and streaming

Movie #332 ........................."Me and Orson Welles"

Movie #332 "Me and Orson Welles" was a fun movie to watch, for someone who is thespian-inclined, that is. The BeST part of the film is Orson Welles ------the actor who plays him is so good that "attention must be paid" to him in all his scenes. And the film captures the Caesar performance at the opening of the Mercury Theatre, which was the beginning of Orson Welles' soar to the top of film and theatre! But he was a horse's ass! to everyone! The rest of the movie captures that and other things very well: like the time period, Joseph Cotten and the rest of the Mercury Theatre (Citizen Kane) cast members, what it is like to put on a play, the thrills and chills of opening night, the first time on stage and you're lucky enough to be working with the likes of Orson Welles! This is all a bit too much for the young, fledgling actor Zac Efron to handle, I'm afraid. I wouldn't go so far as to say what one critic so aptly did ---- "'And me ' is the only thing wrong with this film!" But his scenes without the actor who played Welles were a bit weak, but Clare Danes was around to boost them up a bit. All in all, I thought I should have felt more at the end for this young guy, and I didn't, so I'm thinking it was his fault? But, if you like movies about putting on shows, this one is a must see!





Average rating: 3.008
I would give it 3.8 (which is very close what netflix said I would give it)
Me and Orson Welles
(2008) PG-13
After convincing Orson Welles (Christian McKay) to give him a key role in the first Shakespearian play to run on Broadway, 17-year-old Richard (Zac Efron) finds himself on shaky ground when he clashes with the manipulative director over pretty assistant Sonja (Claire Danes). Sonja's ambition, Richard's desires and Welles's controlling nature all add up to more drama off stage than on for the Mercury Theater's production of "Julius Caesar."

Genre:Showbiz Dramas, United Kingdom, 20th Century Period Pieces
Format:DVD

Movie #331 ........................."Maxed Out"

Movie #331 "Maxed Out" was an interesting documentary on the credit card system, and it kept drumming into the audience's head that the credit card companies do not like people like me, who pay our bills. They would prefer that all people owe them until they are in the grave. The only way to get out of paying is bankr uptcy, and there are so many problems with that, but that doesn't stop a ton of people that are declaring that. I really had no idea that I was in a minority now, and the majority of the world pays fees to keep their credits cards. The film supported the idea that there is no longer really a middle class --- if you pay your bills, you are in the upper class and if you don't, you are in the lower, and that's that! The movie also brought out how the big credit card institutions are treating this all like a drug war, feeding off of our young --- that they want those new college kids to apply for card after card, and there were some sad stories about kids who have committed suicide rather than pay their exorbitant credit card bills. My one complaint in the film is that it didn't explain well enough some of the terms it used ------- I wanted more information! I guess I'll seek it in other documentaries on the subject!




You rated this movie: 3.0
Maxed Out
(2006) NR
With sobering facts, this thought-provoking documentary unveils the consequences of Americans' collective addiction to plastic debt -- including its contribution to the vanishing of a once-robust middle class. Investigating personal debt, the U.S. government's out-of-control national debt and those who prey on the poor, this film explores the staggering financial burden people live with every day, which has driven some to extreme action.

Genre:Social & Cultural Documentaries, Political Documentaries
Format:DVD and streaming

Movie #330 ........................."Babies"

Movie #330 "Babies" is a wonderful movie full of wonder -------it's like eavesdropping on these 4 babies as they go from being born until hey take their first steps alone---- it's about how they deal with their environment, what they do when they are on their own "playing," how they interact with others, how they deal with sound/music, animals in their life, bathing, and a multitude of other situations. I enjoyed the humor in some of the scenes and the way one baby is juxtaposed to the next one (so a shout out to the adroit editing) . But I do realize it is not a film for everyone --- it moves much too slowly for those action thriller movie advocates; but for indie fans and ones who enjoy watching kids, this one is for you! lots of fun and quite educational, as well.




You rated this movie: 4.0
Babies
Baby(ies) ; Bébé(s)
(2010) PG
Documentary filmmaker Thomas Balmes charts the simultaneous early development of four babies from different parts of the world, illustrating what makes human life unique, similar and precious wherever it occurs. Training his camera on newborns Hattie from San Francisco, Ponijao from Namibia, Bayarjargal from Mongolia and Mari from Tokyo, Balmes captures everything from first screaming breaths to first steps.

Genre:Social & Cultural Documentaries, Pregnancy & Parenting
Format:DVD, Blu-ray and streaming (HD available)

Movie #329 ......................."The Town"

Movie #329 "The Town" --- ironically, I saw two movies today, and loved the script of "Social Network" and disliked this one a lot! It seemed same old, same old. We've seen this story before ---- and it doesn't hang well ---- it obviously is interested in the backstory of the characters, but more than half way through, the script feels the need to tell us why these two guys are good friends -----why wasn't it told us earlier? No, it needed to be told at a more obvious time. but why? and if these characters love their city so much, why do they choose to leave at the drop of the hat? And the cops come across bumbling, John Hamm has this "surfer dude" kind of look about him (how does he get anything done?) throughout the film, and the town itself comes across in a bad light --- which wasn't the intent of the director, so says a disclaimer at the end of the film. But I felt like saying: no matter what your intent was, you failed at that because I wouldn't want to live in this place at all! Anyway, I did enjoy Ben Affleck's performance --- but I couldn't help thinking he was doing an imitation of his brother Casey. And the girl, Claire, the banker, from Vicky Christina Barcelona film, was very believable. There were a couple of moments that really worked, and it was mostly due to the acting --------not the script. Too much violence and use of the F word for every adjective for me!






Average rating: 4.055
I gave it 3 stars
The Town
(2010) R
Career bank robber Doug (Ben Affleck) and his volatile partner, Jim (Jeremy Renner), hit a roadblock when Doug falls for bank manager Claire (Rebecca Hall), whom he kidnapped during their last heist. Worse, an FBI agent (Jon Hamm) is now trailing the thieves around their Charlestown, Mass., territory. Affleck directs and co-writes this smart, intricate actioner that co-stars Blake Lively as Krista, Jim's sister and Doug's troubled former flame.

Genre:Crime Thrillers, Heist Films, Dramas Based on Bestsellers
This movie is:Suspenseful, Gritty, Exciting

Movie #328 ........................."The social Network'

Movie #328 "The Social Network" --- this script was amazing and should win best screenplay this year at the academy awards. It's so smart, quick and layered. I also loved the editing ---- it was like a juggling act, with three storylines going at the same time, and you have to be quick to be able to follow it. I had heard that this movie does not show zuckerberg in a good light, but I disagree. He came across quite sad and lonely and driven to succeed for a variety of reasons ---- since he is so "to himself" the film isn't always clear as to his motivations, and I enjoyed the guessing game. Really, I'd recommend this movie highly --- i was so darn entertaining.




Average rating: 4.291
I gave it 5 stars
The Social Network
(2010) PG-13
David Fincher's biographical drama chronicles the meteoric rise of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) from Harvard sophomore to Internet superstar, examining his relationships with co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). Aaron Sorkin penned the screenplay based on Ben Mezrich's best-seller The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook.

Genre:Dramas Based on Real Life, Dramas Based on Contemporary Literature, Dramas Based on the Book

Movie #327 ........................."Bart Got a Room"

Movie #327 "Bart Got a Room" I have to admit, surprisingly, was pretty good. It had more meat in it than I thought it would. I was looking for a movie of the shortest length in my instant queue, and I was intrigued by the goofy title. I thought no movie would be good with a title like "Bart Got A Room" but I was wrong. I would recommend this movie if you understand that people think that a prom night is the end-all be-all time of your life ----- but this movie is about so much more ---- wanting to be popular, wanting to break expectations that everyone has for you, dealing with a parents' divorce, your relationship with your father etc. It ended up to be quite universal, and it was in good hands with William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines as the parents, and the girl from Arrested Development as the best friend, and last but not least, who is Steven Kaplan? he was very good in this and I'm anxious to see more of his work!




You rated this movie: 3.0
Bart Got a Room
(2008) PG-13
Already dealing with his parents' divorce, sad-sack Danny Stein (Steven Kaplan) faces his next big emotional challenge: asking a girl to prom and getting her into a hotel room after the dance -- something even total dweeb Bart Beeber is confidently planning. But as Danny's prospects dwindle, he turns to ever-more desperate measures to score the perfect date. Brian Hecker directs this teen comedy that co-stars William H. Macy and Alia Shawkat.

Genre:Teen Comedies, Indie Comedies
This movie is:Quirky, Raunchy
Format:DVD and streaming

Movie #326........................."Brooklyn Lobster"

Movie #326 "Brooklyn Lobster" has hardly a story, and characters who say the same thing in each of the scenes. It lost my interest from the get go, and I can honestly say, I didn't make it to the end of this one. Don't bother.






You rated this movie: 1.0
Brooklyn Lobster
(2005) R
A family struggles to keep their seafood business from folding in this quirky drama. Although it's been a Brooklyn tradition for more than half a century, Giorgio's Lobster Farm is in financial trouble. Owner Frank Giorgio (Danny Aiello) tries hard to stay afloat, but his stubborn pride gets in the way. He won't accept help from his grown children (Daniel Sauli and Marisa Ryan), and now his marriage to Maureen (Jane Curtin) is on shaky ground.

Genre:Indie Dramas
This movie is:Understated, Feel-good, Quirky
Format:DVD and streaming

Movie #325........................."When In Rome"

Movie #325 "When In Rome" has a lot of good people in it ----Kristin Bell, Napoleon Dynamite guy, Will Arnett, Danny Devito and josh Duhamel, but it really doesn't work --------the location places in Rome are very beautiful, but the plot is pretty weak/silly. The film is full of a lot of running around, getting away from these guys who are chasing Bell all over because she picked up their coins in the fountain and interrupted their dream of love ----- it is a bit annoying and didn't add to the humor for me. The two "lovers" didn't have enough screen time together to make their connection believable, so I felt it was a "phone in" kind of film for everyone. So to me it deserves a phone in audience. I don't recommend it.







You rated this movie: 2.0
When in Rome
(2010) PG-13
After fishing out coins from a water fountain in Italy, cynical New Yorker Beth Harper (Kristen Bell) finds herself being wooed by several ardent suitors. As she deals with the attention, Beth tries to figure out whether a charming reporter (Josh Duhamel) really loves her. Danny DeVito, Anjelica Huston, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard and Will Arnett also star in this romantic comedy. Mark Steven Johnson directs.

Genre:Romantic Comedies
This movie is:Feel-good, Romantic
Format:DVD, Blu-ray and streaming

Movie #324 ........................."Temple Grandin"

Movie #324 "Temple Grandin" was an amazing film. From the get-go, when she introduces herself, the film shows the world through her eyes, a forthright and intelligent woman who just happens to be autistic, but doesn't let the disease define her. Claire Danes is wonderful, and so is her supporting cast. I especially liked to watch the teachers dealing with the way she learns -----that's a fascinating part of the film --- to see her mind at work, and the film so well explores that. It makes learning so exciting, and we are there cheering her on, even against huge and daunting odds-----because she is the way she is, she is constantly picked on by others, and those scenes are tough to watch, because she is such a wonderful character to watch at work. I highly recommend this movie. It'll make you feel good, and perhaps see things in a different way ---- and isn't that what film is supposed to do?




Average rating: 4.345
I gave it 5 stars
Temple Grandin
(2010) NR
Emmy winner Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin, a brilliant young woman coping with the stigma of autism at a time when it was misunderstood. With the support of her loving family, Temple dedicates herself to learning and becomes a famed animal behaviorist. Her passion for animals gives her a unique ability to understand them, and she fulfills her love of education by teaching about autism and the most humane ways to treat both livestock and pets.

Movie #323 ........................."Solitary Man"

Movie #323 "Solitary Man" was a meanspirited film, with a meanspirited main character. Micheal Douglas usually has enough charm to make a film watchable, but this character is a slimeball. Didn't care for him, didn't find the supoorting characters interesting, didn't care for the thin plot --- one positive thing --- it was short. I don't recommend it. It's a skip it.





Average rating: 2.858
I give it 1 star
Solitary Man
(2009) R
Michael Douglas stars as a former car dealership owner who sees his personal and professional lives take a nosedive when the repercussions of years of shady business dealings and chronic womanizing finally catch up with him. Susan Sarandon, Mary-Louise Parker, Danny DeVito and Jenna Fischer co-star in this comedic drama written and co-directed by Brian Koppelman.

Genre:Indie Dramas
Format:DVD and Blu-ray

Movie #322 ........................."Centerstage"

Movie #322 "Centerstage" is a movie I have wanted to see for a long time ---it's a dance movie, specifically one of my favorite dances, the ballet. It's directed by a theatre director and it really does show what goes into probably the toughest type of dance --- the tryouts for the ABT are full of work, stress, physical anguish, sometimes bleeding, and all for maybe 4 spots on the roster. A movie on the ballet would be tough to cast ---- because ballet dancers can't just be taught over night, so you would have to find a dancer who can also act -------some of the parts are more successful than others. I was most impressed with Avatar's Zoe Saldana ---- didn't know she had any dancing in her background. There were a couple of surprises, but all in all, the movie has been done before --- still, the dancing is what is best in the film and it's lovely to watch............if you like ballet!




You rated this movie: 3.5
Average of 424,362 ratings: 3.8 stars
Center Stage
1999PG-13116 minutes
Vying for a spot in the prestigious American Ballet Company, 12 ambitious dance students are ready to push their bodies and minds to the limit to realize their ultimate dream. With the recital audition looming and their futures on the line, conflicts within the group result in jealous backstabbing, petty criticism and heartbreak. Peter Gallagher leads the cast -- composed largely of professional dancers -- as the troupe's choreographer.

Cast:Amanda Schull, Zoe Saldana, Peter Gallagher, Susan May Pratt, Donna Murphy, Debra Monk, Ethan Stiefel, Sascha Radetsky, Ilia KulikDirector:Nicholas HytnerGenres:Drama, Teen Dramas, Ballet & Modern Dance, Showbiz Dramas, Dance, Sony Pictures Home EntertainmentThis movie is:Feel-good, Sentimental, InspiringFormat:DVD and streaming

Movie # 321 ........................."Dear John"

Movie #321 "Dear John" was a nice romantic movie --- surprisingly, not a lot of plot, and a lot of it (a lot) is letter writing between the two leads, but with those negatives aside, there are lots of good things to be said about it. First, the ability of the two leads ---- the chemistry is great and they both make the characters very real --- Richard Jenkins as the odd dad, excellent, and what a wonderful choice in casting Henry Thomas in a major role here --- love him (ever since playing Elliott in ET) and he helped make the movie very enjoyable for me to watch. But if you expect a lot of story, don't look here. It's really heavy on the romance (I don't mean love scenes, but showing a relationship grow, break up,grow again, etc.)





You rated this movie: 3.0
Dear John
(2010) PG-13
While on leave, U.S. soldier John Tyree (Channing Tatum) falls for Southern college student Savannah (Amanda Seyfried), whose ideals and heartfelt principles are at once attractive and unfamiliar. But their love is put on hold when terrorist attacks prompt John to reenlist. Now, handwritten letters hold the lovers together. Lasse Hallstrom directs this modern romance based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.

Genre:Romantic Dramas, Military & War Dramas, Dramas Based on Bestsellers
This movie is:Romantic, Emotional
Format:DVD, Blu-ray and streaming

Movie #320 ........................."Get Low"

Movie #320 "Get Low" is a movie people will be talking about at Oscar time ---- Robert Duvall is able to get across a very interesting, quirky character without saying very much --- kind of a Boo Radley at an older age (ironically, he played Boo way back at the beginning of his career) so this seems a full circle thing for him, as an actor. It's hard to take your eyes off of him, and especially when he is in scenes with Bill Murray or Sissy Spacek, both more than capable supporting actors (oscar worthy, too). The story is about a man who is planning his death , and surprisingly, there are lots of funny moments in it! A very worthwhile 100 minutes at the cinema today, and I highly recommend it!




Average rating: 3.719
I gave it 4 stars
Get Low
(2009) PG-13
Oscar winners Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek team up to tell the true story of irascible Felix Bush, a backwoods Tennessee loner who planned his funeral in 1938 while he was still around to attend -- and enjoy -- the proceedings. Director Aaron Schneider's deft blend of dark humor and poignancy also stars Bill Murray as Frank Quinn, the huckster owner of a failing funeral home, and Lucas Black as his dubious assistant.

Genre:Indie Comedies, Indie Dramas

Movie #319 ........................."Maid to Order"

Movie #319 "Maid to Order" is a nice movie for tweens to watch because it teaches good values on how to live your life ---- not as good as "Penelope" which I saw earlier this year, but one I would suggest for my niece to watch. It was a bit too fantastical for me (hard to believe) and the love story a bit too easy, but it's good to see a movie that teaches that it's not all money and parties.





You rated this movie: 3.0

Maid to Order
(1987) PG
Rich, arrogant Jessie Montgomery (Ally Sheedy) thinks she's above it all -- until she's arrested and her dad gives her the boot. Homeless, hungry and broke, Jessie meets her fairy godmother, who promises to make things right -- by landing Jessie a job as a maid. In a role reversal, Jessie goes to work for a wealthy, selfish couple, learning firsthand that respect and honor are earned, not bought.

Genre:Romantic Comedies, Fantasy
This movie is:Feel-good, Romantic
Format:Streaming

Movie #318 ........................."Wall Street - Money Never Sleeps"

Movie #318 "Wall Street - Money Never Sleeps" is a good sequel, and very instructive on what has been happening to our economy. And the movie has a capable cast, from Frank Langella, to Michael Douglas, To Shia LaBeouf to Carey Mulligan! Well done! Very tense drama that has some surprising moments that work. Good tight script. I just wished they would have watered down the economic discussions a tad more for people like me who don't seem to get all the intricasies. I recommend this, even if you haven't seen the first one. And Oliver Stone films are usually interesting to watch; he keeps the camera moviing, that's for sure!




Average rating: 3.494
I give it 3.7
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
(2010) NR
Trader Jake (Shia LaBeouf) tries to mend the broken relationship between his fiancée, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), and her father, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), while avenging the fate of his mentor, Lou (Frank Langella), by getting close to Wall Street's new megalomaniac, Bretton James (Josh Brolin). Centered on the 2008 financial crisis, director Oliver Stone's follow-up is a modern-day ode to unfettered capitalism and, of course, greed.

Movie #317 ........................."Dogville"

Movie #317 "Dogville" is one of the oddest films I've ever seen. It is staged like a play (such as Our Town) with minimal amount of furniture and sound effects --- no doors, no streets, we are talking minimal. Besides that, the show is full of really strange people --- make that creepy people walking around this town. So when they take Nicole Kidman in, is there any wonder that they treat her like a dog, including putting a dog collar on her to keep her restrained in her room? But wait until you see the shocking ending to this --- very powerful, and again very weird. All in all, this is one of the strangest, and one I'm still thinking about --- it's pretty violent and disturbing in some of the scenes, so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, at all! But there was something about it (that same something that keeps us attentive to accidents and ambulances) that kept me glued to my seat!





Average rating: 2.933
I'd give it 3 stars
Dogville
(2004) R
When a mysterious woman (Nicole Kidman) claims she's being chased by hoodlums and needs a place to hide out, the residents of Dogville come to her rescue. But she must prove herself worthy of the privilege -- and win the trust of everyone in town. John Hurt narrates director Lars von Trier's meditation on small-town America, with an all-star cast that includes Paul Bettany, Chloë Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgård, Lauren Bacall and James Caan.

Genre:Indie Dramas, Experimental, Period Pieces
Format:DVD

Movie #316 ........................."You Again"

Movie #316 "You Again" had a lot of good stuff in it ----- the entire cast is all very competent and fun to watch, from Kristin Chenoweth as the salsa teacher, Kristin Bell, whom I have liked since Veronica Mars days, Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis, always fun to watch, and esp. in dancing scenes, the perennial Betty White, and the groom who has these big brown eyes. I didn't know Odette Yustman, but she seemed the only weak link -----even Dad (Victor Garber, of Sweeney Todd fame) and the little bro were quite funny in their small amount of screen time. I also liked most of the script ---- it seemed somewhat believable..............that is, until the hoaky ending ---- from the plate throwing on out, could have been less exaggerated and more grounded in reality, and with a better ending , this film would have been rated a 4 or 5 with me. As it is, it was a little better than average for a comedy and offered quite a few laughs. And it gets you thinking about high school experiences, high school friends, competition with friends, etc. Enjoyable, and not a lot of low, off color humor at all!





Average rating: 3.787
I would give it 3.6
You Again
(2010) PG
History -- make that high school -- may repeat itself when Marni (Kristen Bell) learns that Joanna (Odette Yustman), the mean girl from her past, is set to be her sister-in-law. Before the wedding bells toll, Marni must show her brother that a tiger doesn't change its stripes. On Marni's side is her mother, Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis); Joanna's backed by wealthy Aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver). Kristin Chenoweth plays wedding planner Monique Leroux.

Genre:Romantic Comedies

Movie #315 ........................."The Believer"

Movie #315 "The Believer" is about a jew who happens to become a white supremicist and it's clockwork orange-tough to watch.........because there's so much violence from Ryan Gosling to everyone else in the film ---- he's generally a likable character, no matter what he plays (like Lars and the Real Girl) even a teach drug-head, but this was a bit too much. The film was just one violent scene after another --- if he wasn't kicking people, he was ranting and raving about how jews are secondary -------- which is ironic since he is one. Anyway, the film does do a good job to show that inner struggle, which develops into a pretty powerful ending. But the rest is too tough to recommend to watch.






DONNA's rating: 3.0 stars
Average of 182,694 ratings: 3.5 stars
The Believer
2001R99 minutes
Danny Balint (Ryan Gosling), a young Jewish man from New York City, is struggling with the conflict between his beliefs and his heritage and eventually joins a neo-Nazi organization, rising up the ranks to become a leader in the white supremacy movement. Director Henry Bean's gripping drama, which won the 2001 Jury Prize at Sundance, is a psychological examination into the forces of intolerance, both on the individual and society as a whole.

Cast:Ryan Gosling, Summer Phoenix, Theresa Russell, Billy Zane, A.D. Miles, Joshua Harto, Glenn Fitzgerald, Garret Dillahunt, Kris Eivers, Joel GarlandDirector:Henry BeanGenres:Drama, Indie Dramas, Social Issue Dramas, Lionsgate Home EntertainmentThis movie is:Suspenseful, Dark, Controversial, ViolentFormat:D

Movie #314 ......................... Paradise Now

Movie #314 "Paradise Now" is a good movie and very important to watch in this day and age --- it speaks for the Palestinian side of the conflict (a rarity in film). It is a very quiet movie with a powerful ending. But it has its faults in my eyes: it's a tad too preachy at times, could develop the characters a bit more (it took me a long time to tell the two main character apart --- maybe it's just me) , and the editing caused confusion at times ---- presented gaps in the narration that didn't need to be there. But overall, it was a very satisfactory movie experience, and I would recommend the movie with a few reservations (seen above). This one, I think, will linger for awhile in my head, and that's what films should do.





Average rating: 3.635
I'd give it 3.4
Paradise Now
(2005) PG-13
Hany Abu-Assad's disturbing yet moving tale examines two young Palestinians who are drafted as suicide bombers for an assignment in Tel Aviv. Both commit to their mission, but have second thoughts after spending a final night with friends and family. Instead of portraying the men as soulless monsters, Abu-Assad attempts to humanize them and find reasons why they would accept such a drastic, tragic fate. The film was shot on location in the West Bank.

Genre:Foreign Dramas, Middle East, Foreign Languages
This movie is:Understated, Gritty, Dark, Controversial

Movie #313 ........................."I'm Reed Fish"

Movie #313 "I'm Reed Fish" was a not-so-good movie. I liked Jay Baruchel, and the females were actually fun to watch. However, the plot and acting of the secondary people was amateurish. It seemed so pushy as far as the comedy, that I just resisted it. I didn't really like the big surprise at the end either.............a bit confusing and didn't justify the affectiveness and overacting of the characters. I wouldn't recommend it.




DONNA's rating: 2.0 stars
Average of 274,109 ratings: 3.1 stars
I'm Reed Fish
2007PG-1393 minutes
A big fish in the little pond of Mud Meadows, Reed Fish (Jay Baruchel) has it all: He hosts a radio show with the mayor (Katey Sagal) and is about to wed the town beauty (Alexis Bledel). But when his high school crush (Schuyler Fisk) resurfaces, he makes choices that throw his life into chaos. DJ Qualls and Chris Parnell are among the colorful characters in this quirky comedy about a small-town love triangle, penned by the real Reed Fish.

Cast:Jay Baruchel, Katey Sagal, Alexis Bledel, Schuyler Fisk, A.J. Cook, Victor Rasuk, DJ Qualls, Chris ParnellDirector:Zackary AdlerGenres:Comedy, Romantic Comedies, Indie Comedies, Indie RomanceThis movie is:Romantic, QuirkyFormat:DVD and streaming (HD available)

Movie #312 ........................."O'Horten"

Movie #312 "O'Horten" was an unusual film with very little dialogue (and what's there is Norwegian) , and the subject matter is very strange, as well. It's about this guy who is a train engineer and he is taking his last ride (it's an overnight) and on his way to his own retirement party, he gets unexpectedly detained and never does get his award, nor his last trip home. From there, he wanders around from one eccentric person he meets to another, one venture to the next (some seem way out there) One scene he was locked in the sauna room because he fell asleep in there, comes out and swims nude in the pool, but is interrupted by a nude couple that jump in the water, and he is able to sneak out. H tries to find his niche in life wherever he turns, and i'm happy to say the ending is satisfactory. It's hard not to be detached from the film and the lead character and the place, because they are all detached anyway ---- it's cold, dull and he is lonely through most of the film, but IDO recommend it to people at a crossroads in their lives ---- misery loves company.





You rated this movie: 3.0
O'Horten
(2007) PG-13
Odd Horten (Baard Owe) is having trouble adjusting to retirement. In the skewed vision of filmmaker Bent Hamer (Factotum), Horten's restlessness launches encounters with a host of strange characters, new behavior and unlikely adventures. He makes new friends, including a doctor he finds sprawled on the sidewalk and a blindfolded motorist, reconnects with an old flame and tries wearing heels -- all representing the end of 40 years of routine.

Movie #311 ........................."The Ramen Girl"

Movie #311 "The Ramen Girl" is another Brittany Murphy film, and since she died a couple of months ago, I decided I wanted to see what she had done before leaving this earth so early. I had been a fan of hers for most of what she did early on, and I couldn't remember seeing something the last 5 or 6 years, so I put all of those titles on my queue. This is just okay. She's good, as she always is --- and the film is interesting --- it's about what it takes to be a great ramen noodle cook --- it takes the spirit, and it is something she works hard at developing. The guy she works for is grouchy, for sure, and would easily push anyone away, so she proves she is worth of being his successor. They both come into each other's lives at the right time, and I liked that about this film. But the film itself seems to lack "spirit" at times. It could be because there are long passages of people speaking Japanese and she doesn't understand them ---- and long passages where she speaks, and they don't understand her. The comedy is there for those scenes but it wears thin after awhile. It just proves what you can communicate through your eyes, your gestures, and the food that you cook. Incidentally, 99% of the film is done in Japan, and that was cool to see!




Average rating: 3.428
I gave it 3 stars.
The Ramen Girl
(2008) PG-13
When her boyfriend leaves her high and dry in Tokyo, spoiled American tourist Abby (Brittany Murphy) finds solace in a neighborhood ramen noodle house run by a cantankerous old chef (Toshiyuki Nishida), who agrees to take her on as an apprentice cook. But will the dirty grunt work and endless criticism drive Abby away before she discovers the serene beauty in the perfect bowl of soup -- and in herself? Robert Allan Ackerman directs this comedy.

Movie #310 ........................."Edge of Love"

Movie #310 "Edge of Love" was not a movie I would recommend to lots of people. It wasn't sure what story it wanted to tell, trying to go back and forth among 4 people === Dylan Thomas's wife, girlfriend, Thomas himself and William, who ends up marrying Keira (the girlfriend). It is only a couple of years of Dylan's life, when he was in Wales writing. The environments are gorgeous, the women are gorgeous, Dylan himself is nice looking, but it gets a bit weird with the foursome --- everyone is friends but jealous of everyone else. So it seems so high schoolish --- I wanted to say, Hey you are adults --- sort it out and make it right! The one redeeming factor that it holds on to is the fact that the women really liked each other and were friends, in the true sense of the word. And the last moment when they connect was a good one, and one that makes the ending more satisfactory than the rest of the movie.




DONNA's rating: 3.0 stars
Average of 134,960 ratings: 2.9 stars
The Edge of Love
2008R111 minutes
Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys) is torn between his free-spirited childhood sweetheart, Vera Phillips (Keira Knightley), and his fiery wife, Caitlin MacNamara (Sienna Miller), in this lush, fact-based period drama. Despite their rivalry over Dylan, Vera and Caitlin develop an unlikely friendship, but jealousy enters the picture when Vera marries William Killick (Cillian Murphy) and the threesome becomes a quartet.

Cast:Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy, Matthew Rhys, Simon Armstrong, Ben Batt, Geoffrey Beevers, Rachel Bell, Nick Stringer, Lisa Stansfield, Joel Dommett, Anne Lambton, Richard Clifford, Alastair MackenzieDirector:John MayburyGenres:Drama, Romantic Dramas, 20th Century Period Pieces, Period Pieces, Dramas Based on Real Life, United Kingdom, Foreign Regions, Blu-rayThis movie is:Romantic, Dark, CerebralFormat:DVD, Blu-ray and streaming (HD available)

Movie #309 .........................."High Heels and Low Lifes"

Movie #309 "High Heels and Low Lifes" is a funny heist film, which is one of the reasons I found this enjoyable. I also liked the chemistry of the two women (and I ordinarily don't like Minnie Driver), the witty script, and the goofiness of everything. But what I really liked about this film is that you have two women, "one blonde and one brunette, both attractive" (as the film keeps repeating) and they were able to make the film interesting without one love scene --- this movie proves that every woman doesn't have to "get her man" ---- that like lots of films that have two guys, there doesn't have to be the proverbial love scenes to sustain interest in the viewer. And I liked that about this film. It put the women through the paces the guys usually go through, and I guess because it was women wielding a machine gun, they played it for laughs --- and found it funny and refreshing!



Average rating: 3.039
I give it 4 stars
High Heels and Low Lifes
(2001) R
When two girlfriends (Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack) eavesdrop on a phone conversation describing a bank heist in their London neighborhood, they decide to blackmail the culprits for $2 million rather than report the crime to the police in this hilarious action comedy. Refusing to give up the money, however, the robbers (Kevin McNally and Michael Gambon) start pulling some dirty tricks to try to outwit the two women.

Genre:Action Comedies
This movie is:Quirky, Goofy

Movie #308........................."Mostly Martha"

Movie #308 "Mostly Martha" is a pure delight. I wanted to see it after I saw the remake "No Reservations," which I also liked, but this one I would highly recommend. Everything is really good about it --- so few mistakes --- with casting, with sets and props, with lighting, with characterization, the chemistry, the kitchen scenes, the reality of it all --- I liked it a lot! I would rank it right up there with "Big Night" as an appetizing movie about food. You'll want to eat out at a really good restaurant after this one!




Average rating: 3.805
i gave it a 5. (rottentomatoes gave it 91%)
Mostly Martha
Bella Martha
(2002) PG
German director Sandra Nettelbeck whips up this tragicomic tale about an uptight professional chef named Martha (Martina Gedeck), who finds her world turned upside down when she takes in her newly orphaned niece, Lina, and tries her hand at parenting. Martha's obsession with precision gourmet cooking extends to discussing recipes with her bewildered therapist (August Zirner) and verbally attacking anyone who attempts to send her food back.

Movie #307 ........................."Love and Other Disasters"

Movie #307 "Love and Other Disasters" is enjoyable, but don't think Bloom and Paltrow are in it for any length of time --- they come on for a 5 minute scene that is pretty funny. I recommend this movie if you like stuff like Bridget Jones' diary or Notting Hill --- terribly British, rapid-fire dialogue with lots of Brit slang, quick on its feet, liberal in presenting sex..........I found it refreshing for a romantic comedy in that while it is doing its thing showing you the rise of one love story dealing with the main female (B. Murphy) with a male (whom she thinks is gay), it also shows her homosexual best friend trying to find love in all the wrong places, suggesting that love problems are universal for everyone! And that we tend to make wrong decisions based on looks. Not an earthshatteringly new idea, but I liked the ease of friendship between the always capable Brittany Murphy (so sad she left the earth so early) and Matthew Ryhs (the gay lawyer from t.v.'s brothers and sisters). I liked it and found it refreshing.





Average rating: 3.257
I would give it 3.5
Our best guess for DONNA: 3.2 stars
Average of 246,006 ratings: 3.3 stars
Love and Other Disasters
2006R90 minutes
Director Alek Keshishian unspools a charming tale that finds a young American (Brittany Murphy) attempting to play matchmaker for friends and co-workers -- with mixed results -- while interning at a major British fashion magazine. Problem is, she's so busy hooking up everyone else that she can't see her ideal match right under her nose. The supporting cast of characters includes Matthew Rhys, Santiago Cabrera and Catherine Tate.