Movie #200........................."Owning Mahoney"

Movie #200 "Owning Mahoney" is like watching paint dry, quiet, dull, repetitive I usually like heist films, and that's what looked appealing about this --- some unassuming guy taking the mafia and a bank for the ride. I wish I got all the ins and outs on gambling, and embezzling, because I might have liked this film a bit more. So if you know a lot about "the art of betting," this film might be for you, and the reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 1. I usually like whatever Hoffman does, but not this. It's just really sad , not emotional sad but the kind of sad I feel when I walk through casinos in Vegas and see a better, leaning on a machine, putting in one coin after another after another.........and on and on and on. A desperate life I do not and don't care to understand.





Average rating: 3.332
I gave it 2 stars
Owning Mahowny
(2003) R
Quiet and unassuming Dan Mahowny (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an assistant bank manager with a penchant for gambling and a talent for embezzling, is the unlikeliest of men to rise up against two of the most powerful financial institutions around: the bank and the casino. But that's precisely what he does -- right under his girlfriend's (Minnie Driver) nose. John Hurt co-stars in this crime drama that Roger Ebert ranked one of 2003's best movies.

Movie #199........................."Stop-Loss"

Movie #199 "Stop-Loss" is another important film on the Iraq War to watch, this time concerning our Stop-Loss program. Directed by a female, her goal (according to the special features, which are intriguing to watch, as well) is to show the results of this particular war directly from the soldier's point of view. She went through thousands of the hand-held videos (well edited, she might ad) that soldiers have been taking. She follows 4 guys into a tragic bit of circumstances where they lose 3 of their friends and one is burned badly and loses and arm and a leg, back to a parade in their honor , and back to living with the consequences. EAch one reacts differently. When Ryan Philippe (the Sarge) gets a notification of Stop-Loss (reconscription back in) after two stints there, he reacts with, "Hell, no!" and thus his journey begins. It's a journey for the viewer, too, if you are unaware this program has been going on, and what happens to the guys who don't want to "Stop-Loss." It's an eye opener and one I highly recommend. Well done all around. This film has a lot to say on the Iraqi War.





Average rating: 3.384
I'd give it 4 stars
Stop-Loss
(2008) R
After a tour in Iraq, decorated hero Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) returns home to his small Texas town and tries to readjust to civilian life. But when he's called up again as part of the military's controversial stop-loss program, he decides to go AWOL. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Channing Tatum play Brandon's war buddies, and Timothy Olyphant is his stern commanding officer in this poignant antiwar drama from director Kimberly Peirce.

Movie #198.........................Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland"

Movie #198 "Alice in Wonderland" (Tim Burton's) was more adult than the Disney-version (some of that due to that evil Jabberwocky that looks like the alien creature, again (keeps reappearing in movie after movie) and yet this is another Disney version, just not animated. Well, not quite. I have to find out how they did Helena Bonham Carter's big head and small body. Exquisite and shines a whole new light on her catch-phrase: "Off with his head!:" And loved Johnny Depp, though Dave and I thought that the ship scene at the end (not giving anything away) should have had Alice meet up with Pirate Jack Sparrow, and thus it would end tongue in cheek. Loved all the creatures, loved the realism aspect, the creepiness as only Tim Burton can do, the clarity of the story, the creativity, though for my money, there could have been more play with words (like original book), but Burton excels with visuals, I get that. Really well worth seeing. And we didn't see it in 3D or Imax. In the film Alice suggests she's coming back maybe for another fall into that rabbit hole, so could there be a sequel on the horizon? hmmmm!







Average rating: 3.962
I would give it 3.8
Alice in Wonderland
(2010) PG
A 19-year-old Alice (Mia Wasikowska) journeys through Underland, where she experiences strange ordeals and encounters peculiar characters, including the vaporous Cheshire Cat (voiced by Stephen Fry), the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and the sadistic Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Anne Hathaway, Alan Rickman, Matt Lucas and Crispin Glover co-star in director Tim Burton's bold adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic.

Movie #197........................."Towelhead"

Movie #197 "Towelhead" - what an uncomfortable movie to watch (the other time I felt that way was another Ball (director) film entitled "American Beauty" and also "Happiness" -- it concerns an older guy hitting on a 13 year old, so if that makes you squeamish in the least, you won't like this film. I was giving it a 1 or 2 for most of the film; then, the high point scene came on and it was very good, and the ending worked out well, too. So that's what bumped it up to a 3. But geez, getting there was just so darn tense, uncomfortable, looking away from the screen, etc. But I guess that's what it was supposed to do. The title of the film is a little deceiving --- it suggests the film is more about racism, cultural bias. It may possibly be one of the reasons the girl acts the way she does, but then it wouldn't be universal, and I think the people behind this film were pushing that more.............just sexual curiosity on the part of a 13 year old girl; but she does happen to be called towelhead by a neighbor boy, and that seems a good justification to me why she seems to want to please everyone so much (at least all the men in the film). The one huge gripe I have gainst this movie, is how bad all the adults seem to be --------- thanks god for Toni Collette and her husband --- glimmers of light in a very cruel world for this little girl. Everyone is a head case. How will she ever turn out? Tough, tough life, tough tough world, and tough tough movie to watch.





Average rating: 3.111
I gave it 3 stars
Towelhead
Nothing Is Private
(2007) R
Based on Alicia Erian's novel, this coming-of-age tale follows the topsy-turvy life of Jasira (Summer Bishil), a 13-year-old Arab American girl wrestling with the challenges of adolescence, bigotry and life with an overbearing father. Directed and adapted for the big screen by Alan Ball (American Beauty), this darkly comic film set during the first Gulf War earned Bishil a Best Female Lead nod at the Independent Spirit Awards.

Movie #196........................."Hachiko: A Dog's Story"

Movie #196 "Hachiko: A Dog's Story" is a wonderful fllm with so many attractive features: 1) Lasse Halstrom's direction 2) Richard Gere's connection with the dog 3) Joan Allen whom I love (she comes from Rochelle, Il) 4) a great true story that it is based on and 5) a fine script with a wonderfully "acting" (if that's possible) dog (s). There's nothing not to like here --- I heard, as the producer did, about this dog at Shubuyo train station in Japan who went 9 years everyday to the train station AFTER his master had died, and he finally died there, and how he taught loyalty and bonding to all the people there. So much so, that they erected a bronze station at the train station in his memory. You'll find yourself being very emotional when you see this --- a wonderful family film. I found myself so sad that this dog doesn't understand death (he isn't even told that his master dies), but then, maybe he does, and he knows soemthing more than we do. There's something magical about this dog (an akita) and his relationship with his master professor Parker, and it makes the movie magical. This is one you want to see!





Average rating: 4.162
I'd give it 4.2 stars
Hachi: A Dog's Tale
Hachiko: A Dog's Story
(2009) G
When his master, Parker (Richard Gere), dies, a loyal pooch named Hachiko keeps a regular vigil -- for more than a decade -- at the train station where he once greeted the man every day in director Lasse Hallström's touching drama based on a true story. Hachiko's faithful routine teaches the station's patrons about true love and commitment. Joan Allen stars as Parker's wife; Sarah Roemer, Jason Alexander and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa co-star.

Movie #195........................."Date Night"

Movie #195 "Date Night" was very funny to me. I know comedy varies from one funnybone to another, but Dave and I both found this a very satisfactory comedy. The premise and characters are very believable , and it didn't cross the stupid line for me. I kept thinking: what if this happened, ohmygod! And instead of being terrified, I laughed because the comedy is in the good hands of masters of comedy Steve Carrel and Tina Fey, and only enhanced by all the other cameo appearances (like Kristin Wigg from SNL, Mark Ruffalo in a comic twist, and Markie Mark is a hoot!). I recommend it, esp. knowing full well that good dramatic films outnumber good comedies in the theaters like 2 to 1. Out of all of them out there now, I'm placing bets on this one!





Average rating: 3.756
I gave it 4 stars
Date Night
(2010) PG-13
Who knew simple dinner reservations under a different name could turn one New Jersey couple's date night so terribly upside-down? Claire (Tina Fey) and Phil (Steve Carell) Foster leave their kids with the sitter (Leighton Meester) and head out for a night on the town -- as the Tripplehorns. Shawn Levy (Just Married, Night at the Museum) directs this action-comedy; Mark Wahlberg and James Franco co-star.

Movie #194........................."Kathleen"

Movie #194 "Kathleen" is a Shirley Temple movie I saw on TCM yesterday morning basically because I had never seen it nor heard of it before. And it's a Temple movie where she's at that difficult age: 12. And she wasn't bad, really. The story was a typical Temple storyline --- Mom is dead, Dad is too busy working to stay home , wicked nanny who finally leaves fed up --- a doctor comes to "straighten Shirley out" for a few months before going to a foreign country, and, she happens to be Larraine Day, kind, warm, loving, and someone whom Shirley comes to adore............and her dad learns to love this capable woman, too. Meanwhile, some evil possible stepmother comes into the picture and she seems to have her hooks in Shirley's dad -- he just doesn't realize it, until Shirley shows him the way. In order to get in Shirley's singing and dancing, she has these dream sequences where she does that and more. All of it seems to set up for that last line when her dad and Larraine Day find her after she's run away, and she turns to them and says: "Am I dreaming or is this really true?" AWWWWWWWW. I give it a 3. Shirley is always a good watch with the family.

Movie #193........................."How About You"

Movie #193 "How About You" - what an adorable film, and what the plot summary doesn't include is that the four mischievous people include Imelda Staunton, Vanessa Redgrave, Brenda Fricker and Josh Ackland, all more than competent character actors that make the film delightful to watch. I liked it a lot! Beautiful photography and lots of heart here. It takes place mostly during the Christmas holidays, and it's about all kinds of things: aging, people's worth in life, what makes a family, how to be friends to others, how to approach life. The young girl has a definite effect on these people, and they, in turn, teach her a thing or two. Very charming and I recommend this delightful film.

Average rating: 3.475
I gave it 4 stars
How About You
(2007) NR
When the manager of a retirement home in the Irish countryside asks her younger sister, Ellie (Hayley Atwell), to run the facility during the holidays, four mischievous residents take advantage of the power vacuum and turn the place upside down. As Ellie learns to take charge, the residents also come to terms with their own troubles. Anthony Byrne directs this heartwarming comedy-drama co-starring Joss Ackland and Vanessa Redgrave.

Movie #192 ........................."In the Loop"

Movie #192 "In the Loop" is a very intelligent script. So much so, I missed some of the jokes.........and I was reading subtitles so I wouldn't miss anything. If you enjoy political humor, you'll find a lot here. The screenplay was nominated for an academy award, and for a "no-name" film to be nominated, I knew it would have to be good, and I wasn't disappointed. But it's not for everyone. I think I need to see it more than once to get its full effect. Although I enjoyed "Wag the Dog" more, this rivals it in many ways. But those Brits speak sooo quickly. And filthily. One guy's vocabulary includes only f-bombs. Colorful, huh?






Average rating: 3.281
I gave it 4.
Our best guess for DONNA: 3.3 stars
Average of 98,007 ratings: 3.3 stars
In the Loop
2009NR106 minutes
When the U.S. president and the U.K. prime minister decide to invade a certain Middle Eastern country, skeptical American and British operatives do their best to stop the runaway train to war in director Armando Iannucci's scathing political comedy. This Oscar nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay stars Tom Hollander as a British international development chief, James Gandolfini as a U.S. general, and Anna Chlumsky as a well-positioned intern.

Cast:James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander, David Rasche, Anna Chlumsky, Steve Coogan, Peter Capaldi, Enzo Cilenti, Chizzy Akudolu, James Doherty, Paul HigginsDirector:Armando Iannucci

Movie #191........................."The Young Victoria"

Movie #191 "The Young Victoria" - I have spent most of the winter wanting to see this movie: 1) Victoria is my favorite queen 2) historical pictures about strong females are one of my favorite genres 3) Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend are two of my favorite young actors. So how could this go wrong? Well, it could, but it didn't. It was the feature film on the plane on the way back from Arizona, and boy did it help me forget I was flying (which I get nerved up about, usually). This lady sitting next to me was an ex-history teacher, so we would compare notes occasionally, and that was fun, too. What a beautiful love story dealing with all the conflicts that go along with a young person's rise to the throne --- whom to trust, how much power should your partner have, how do you develop your own philosophy on how to govern, etc. I highly recommend it if you are also interested in historical fiction. This is well- acted, and won an academy award for costumes.





You rated this movie: 5.0

The Young Victoria
(2009) PG
Eighteen-year-old British royal Victoria (Emily Blunt) ascends to the throne and is romanced by future husband Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) in this lush period film that chronicles the early years of the British monarch's larger-than-life reign. Produced by Martin Scorsese and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, the Oscar-nominated film also stars Miranda Richardson as the Duchess of Kent, Jim Broadbent as King William, and Paul Bettany as Lord Melbourne.

Movie #190 ........................."The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo"

Movie #190 "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" was a wow film for me. WITH A DISCLAIMER: it's only for people who actually like shows like Criminal Minds..because it's bloody and violent. If you don't mind looking away for those scenes (anyone who knows the book, knows what I'm talking about), then you would find this most thrilling. It's very tense and very true to the book. And the changes it made were GOOD changes. Whoever directed this film (I'm not acquainted with Swedish films) shows a great respect for this author ---- as if the attitude is, Hey this Larsson novelist is our closest thing to Shakespeare, so don't screw this sacred book up! It's 152 minutes but I really didn't notice it. When it was over, I was sitting by myself in a theatre with about 6 other people, and we all stood around and talked about the movie and the book. It was great fun. One woman said she had put the book down because it was so confusing at first (I agreed with all the names that you get introduced to at the beginning), and another one and I discussed the missing scenes and the added ones and we really agreed that the movie was AS GOOD as the book. If you've read the book, when you see the film, I'd appreciate a comment from you to see if that is true. Because I rarely say a movie is as good as a book. But there it is. I really like this one. One of my favorites out of 190 so far!


I gave it 5 stars
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Män Som Hatar Kvinnor; Millennium: Part 1: Men Who Hate Women
(2009) NR


Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and rebellious computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) team up to investigate the unsolved disappearance of wealthy Henrik Vanger's (Sven-Bertil Taube) teen niece (Ewa Fröling), only to uncover dark secrets about Vanger's powerful family. Niels Arden Oplev directs this Swedish thriller based on the first novel from Stieg Larsson's best-selling trilogy.

Movie #189........................."Death at a Funeral" (2010)

Movie #189 "Death at a Funeral" (2010) is not quite as good as the British film --- mostly in the believability category. Because it is played in all seriousness the first time, it's funnier. This one is played for the laughs, and although it shows (esp. with Martin Lawrence and Chris Rock scenes), it IS funny, and the group I was with laughed through the whole thing. Hats off to James Marsdan who was able to be AS good as the British actor Alan Tudyk who played Oscar the first time around. The director of the British farce was Frank Oz, and I noticed that Neil Labute (the director for this one) thanked Oz in his credits. Good idea! I would recommend either one. The story is funny. It shows funerals don't necessarily bring out the best in our families.





Average rating: 3.32
I gave it 4 stars
Death at a Funeral
(2010) R
Put-upon Aaron (Chris Rock) is always plagued by drama and dysfunction, but he encounters more than he can handle while attempting to plan his father's funeral. What's a family gathering without jealousy, tension and blackmail? Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Danny Glover, James Marsden, Luke Wilson, Zoe Saldana, Regina Hall and Columbus Short round out a stellar ensemble cast. Neil LaBute directs.

Movie #188........................."The Rivals"

Movie #188 "The Rivals" won the best picture award in the Phoenix Film Festival, and we saw this when we had bought a ticket for the best picture viewing. I'm sorry out of all the movies this one made it because there was way too much football for this viewer. The premise of this documentary was that there are two schools in the state of Maine that have been rivals for a while --- the two schools are Rumford Mountain Valley H.S. and Cape Elizabeth. What makes the rivalry is: Cape Elizabeth is a moneyed area, whereas Mountain Valley is a rural community that owes most of its livelihoods to the local mill. All Mountain Valley really has is this fantastic winning football team for years and years and years. Cape Elizabeth is busy building its team and it has money, and a coach that would love to be the other coach ---The kids that attend Cape Elizabeth all want to get scholarships to good colleges; the Mountain Valley kids will go work at the mill or some other blue collar job OR go into the service. For the first 45 minutes, I was so bored I found myself not always looking at the screen --- as aforementioned, too much football! Give the nonfootball viewer a break! (and I felt a prisoner, because I hadn't picked this movie --- it was forced upon me) But then there was a pivotal scene where Cape Elizabeth beats MV at the very end of the game, and they and their fans are so excited they don't line up and congratulate the other team, which the other team, and esp. the coach takes as a slap in the face. (and rightly so, really) So the older coach chastises the younger coach, and that interchange started the ball rolling, in my opinion. From then on, it was a bit more interesting. I guess I bought into the "experience wins out" attitude , and that motivated me to be interested in who actually won by the end of the film. Other than that, I wouldn't recommend it. I'd give it 3 stars, knowing that some people would probably like this film much more than I did because.............duh! they like to watch football! and they understand all the plays that you have to watch in this film.

Movie #187........................."Cyrus"

Movie #187 "Cyrus" was one of those awkward, but funny, romantic comedies with two very, very very good actors elevating the script in a number of places (for example, the last moment of the film is all them and it is wonderful) Add Jonah Hill to the mix and you get still another film I'd recommend that we saw from the Phoenix Film Festival. This film had a lot of physical comedy, but it didn't pass the stupid line for me --- it seemed all embedded in the reality of the situation so it worked (and Dave liked it even more than I did) . It's not a jokey film at all =- in fact, much of the humor comes out in the characters themselves and their reactions, and I think that's what I liked most about it. Nice job, Jay and Mark Duplass. I'll have to look up other indie films they directed to see if I like them, as well.





Average rating: 3.843
I gave it 4 stars
Cyrus
(2010) R
Indie favorites Jay and Mark Duplass co-direct this wry look at modern love and family dysfunction. John C. Reilly plays a recently divorced man who thinks he's found just the right woman (Marisa Tomei) to help him recover and move on. Unfortunately, the woman's son, played by Jonah Hill, has no interest in allowing another man into their lives -- a stance he proceeds to demonstrate in a variety of obnoxious ways.

Movie #186........................."The Square"

Movie #186 "The Square" has been likened to an Alfred Hitchcock thriller or the Coen Brothers' "Blood Simple" --- well, it is a good comparison esp. with it being a tense film full of lots of twists and terms, and as the two lovers kill off one after another of the people who see more than they should, they get deeper and deeper into this chasm , unable to get out. In those ways, the film excels. And the photography is good; it's just not near as stylish as "Blood Simple" nor "Double Indemnity" but I kept thinking about the latter as I watched this. This was part of the Phoenix Film Festival, and it was quite enjoyable. esp with the strong plot and jittery tone. I highly recommend it.



Average rating: 3.466
I gave it 4
The Square
(2008) R
Bored with married life, middle-aged Ray (David Roberts) devises a dangerous scheme to steal a large sum of money and run away with his beautiful young mistress, Carla (Claire van der Boom), in this neo-noir thriller from Australia. It looks as if the plot involving Carla's unscrupulous husband and a career arsonist is a success -- until an anonymous blackmailer threatens to expose the truth. Anthony Hayes, Joel Edgerton and Peter Phelps co-star.

Movie #185 ........................."Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans"

Movie #185 "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" is NOT Dirty Harry, but it tries to be. I've seen this movie over and over -----we're supposed to find this bad cop endearing --- doesn't work for me. First, he's a hideous human being, and second he's played by Nicolas Cage (one of my least favorite actors) and then to top that, his partner is Val Kilmer (another disliked actor) and finally, it's directed by Werner Herzog, who is supposed to be this great director, but I rarely like what he does. So it has three strikes against it before I even watch it............watch "Criminal Minds" or "NCIS" for better stuff than this movie metes out. Blah!





Average rating: 3.007
I gave it 2 stars
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
(2009) R
Corrupt Det. Terence McDonaugh (Nicolas Cage) -- whose bad habits include pain drugs, reckless sports gambling and accepting sexual bribes -- investigates the murder of five Senegalese illegal immigrants in New Orleans. Co-starring Val Kilmer as McDonaugh's partner, Xzibit as drug supplier Big Fade and Eva Mendes as prostitute Frankie Donnenfield, director Werner Herzog's action drama is a loose update of Abel Ferrara's 1992 film, Bad Lieutenant.

Movie #184 ........................."Amreeka"

Movie #184 "Amreeka" is a wonderful movie to teach us all how difficult it is to live one's life where there is so much discrimination no matter where you go. Mother and son journey from their beloved home in Palestine to America because they are tired of the police guarding their city --- they can't travel anywhere anymore --- it just isn't safe, so they think it will be better to live with relatives in America (Amreeka), but it isn't. The mom goes from an okay banker's job to working at White Castle. The son goes from being an excellent student to one who is called a terrorist by his fellow students. (just because he's Arab, does not mean he is a Muslim) And this is in Illinois, where I live!!!! it seems pretty grim through most of the movie, but there is a glimmer at the end ---- just a glimmer, and that's the reason for the 4 rating instead of 5. Ending could have been a tad more satisfying, but it was really a slice of life and so it ends in that tone. I really recommend this -- kept me thinking all day today.




average rating: 3.504
I gave it 4 stars
Amreeka
(2009) PG-13
Eager to provide a better future for her son, Fadi (Melkar Muallem), divorcée Muna Farah (Nisreen Faour) leaves her Palestinian homeland and takes up residence in rural Illinois -- just in time to encounter the domestic repercussions of America's disastrous war in Iraq. Now, the duo must reinvent their lives with some help from Muna's sister, Raghda (Hiam Abbass), and brother-in-law, Nabeel (Yussuf Abu-Warda). Cherien Dabis writes and directs.

Movie #183........................."17 Again"

Movie #183 "17 Again" --- Again (for the 17th time probably) the use of the "if I could go back in time" idea, well played by an excellent cast, headed by teen idol Zac Eron, who proves he's worthy of all the attention. The movie plays to his talents and he comes out very impressive, so if you are a fan, this is the movie to watch. He also has a pal who is a stitch and while acting as Zac's dad, pursues the principal of the school in hilarious fashion (he's a star trek geek, enough said). Leslie Mann (Apatow's wife) plays the soon-to-be-ex-wife of Zac/Perry, and she does it with aplomb. Michelle Trachtenberg plays the daughter. Better than average on the topic with good messages for kids and parents. A nice surprise.




Average rating: 3.728
I gave it 3 stars
17 Again
(2009) PG-13
On the brink of a midlife crisis, 30-something Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) wishes he could have a "do-over." And that's exactly what he gets when he wakes up one morning to find he's 17 years old again. With his adult mind stuck inside the body of a teenager (Zac Efron), Mike actually has the chance to reverse some decisions he wishes he'd never made. But maybe they weren't so bad after all. Leslie Mann and Michelle Trachtenberg co-star.

Movie #182........................."Jeffie Was Here"

Movie #182 "Jeffie Was Here" was the comedy we saw at the Phoenix Film Festival last night, and we both gave it 3 stars. I'll put the plot in here, as well, since it isn't listed on netflix --- but it might be, some day, who knows? The guys who put the film together are also in it --- Todd Edwards and Peter Bedgood, and their gain to fame is an animated film they wrote entitled "Hoodwinked" which I didn't know about (I plan to see it in the future, if it's avaialble on netflix). Anyway, "Jeffie" is about a college professor and live-in girlfriend who are in dire straits when it comes to money --- you can tell this in the opening scene, because their apartment they are renting on the east coast is the size of a small closet. Anyway, an opening phone call beckons the professor home (on the west coast) and they can't afford the trip ---------unless, they advertise for a third person to accompany them on the trip........entrance Jeffie, and the comedy escalates (too much, in my opinion) on his entrance. He becomes an annoying traveling companion (that's an understatement) as this film gets bigger, bigger, and bigger until it builds to its unrealistic climax. The movie works too hard to get the jokes. It takes too long to get its jokes, and the guy playing Jeffie is not Bill Murray --- whom he is trying to be, because this movie is a lot like "What About Bob?" in the premise. One thing Bill Murray had was some charisma, which this guy lacks, so we find him as annoying as the couple do, and that doesn't help the comedy here. There are some funny bits, and it's quite an ambitious film and it DOES take risks, and some people would probably LOVE it, but we just thought it was way over the top (and past that stupid line!)

Movie #181........................."Against the Current"

Movie #181 "Against the Current" I liken to "'Night, Mother," but not quite as good, but it would be difficult to surpass one of the most emotional play experiences we have ever had. In that play, Kathy Bates comes on stage and points out to her mother that she plans to kill herself in 90 minutes (real play time, too --- there's a clock on stage that ticks away). It was one of the most unusual, emotional rollercoaster rides Dave and I have ever experienced. As much as I would NEVER, EVER accept suicide as any option at all, by the end of the 90 minutes, the audience member is partially convinced(? dare I say that) to Bates way of thinking....or maybe we just give up to her very solid, no holds barred arguments. I remember that after she says, "'Night, Mother" and the stage turns black and you hear the gunshot.........no one dared breathe. There was a pause, and the stage lights went up gradually, and the two women came from both sides of the stage and met in the middle and bowed. No one clapped...........we were too shocked, upset, emotions drained, whatever ------but everyone stood up for these women who had worked so hard for us during the show............then after a minute or two, the applause began. It was incredible. This has the same premise, basically. I'm not giving anything away here..............the booklet at the phoenix film festival that we saw this at last night told us what was on Joe's mind. And there are arguments, and emotional rollercoasters, and funny bits with Mary Tyler Moore, who offers a mother's point of view, but it isn't the emotional impact of the other one. Could it be because it isn't a play? perhaps. I don't know. But Dave and I left talking and talking and talking about this one. It's sombre, no doubt, and it has to be well acted and creative, because it's a lot of Joe Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love) swimming and his friends following behind in a boat, but it worked. And we do recommend it. It might just go straight to dvd, though. It's worth looking for it, if it sounds intriguing to you. It's one of those new year's eve movies!!! I'll have to tell you about that reference if you ask!




Average rating: 3.356
I gave it 4 stars
Against the Current
(2009) NR
To honor the anniversary of his beloved wife's death, financial writer Paul Thompson (Joseph Fiennes) sets out to swim the entire 150-mile length of the lower Hudson River with the help of friends Jeff (Justin Kirk) and Liz (Elizabeth Reaser), who are facing problems of their own. As they go about turning Thompson's dream into a reality, each faces the inevitability of loss and learns the power of friendship. Peter Callahan directs.

Movie #180........................."Funny People"

Movie #180 "Funny People" a comedy? nope. Funny? not really. I felt most of it was either mean or dirty (90% are jokes on body parts or doing the whatever) But it's Sandler, so what do you expect? And what do I now expect from Apatow? I hated "Knocked Up". But I have liked others of his. The jury is still out on Seth Rogan for me...........I loved "Geeks and Freaks" and his humor seems to work when he isn't allowed to slow a film down; here it's 140 minutes (but it's Sandler's style, too) , enough said. I DID like a few things here: Apatow's real wife (Leslie Mann) is Sandler's exwife and she's great --- loved most of the scenes she was in. And their two real kids were a breath of fresh air, acting as her kids in the film. I've never seen Eric Bana like this --- I usually can't stand him and stay away from EVERY film he is in, but he was actually pretty funny here. Esp. when Mann makes fun of his accent, badly. I like the cameos of real comics, like the bit with Ray Romano (I thought everybody liked you!) But really, the rest was not what I would recommend. The two best moments, happen toward the end of the movie. One dealt with the oldest Apatow girl singing "Memory" from Cats and Sandler laughing (while they are crying) saying that it was so strange for such a young kid to sing a song about getting old. Rogan and Mann look at him and think he doesn't get it, and they tell him, "It isn't supposed to be funny." and he says, "Well, it is!" Isn't that supposed to be the whole idea behind this film? I felt that idea of what IS funny and what isn't was the whole concept the guys were trying to write a film about, but they got waylaid a bit. Too bad the rest of the film didn't have the purity of the final scene (the other good moment), when two stand up comics are helping each other out, writing bits for each other, and laughing at what the other one wrote. Were the whole movie.............and the world, like that!




Average rating: 3.142
I gave it 3 stars
Funny People
(2009) UR
Famous and wealthy funnyman George Simmons (Adam Sandler) doesn't give much thought to how he treats people until a doctor (Torsten Voges) delivers stunning health news, forcing George to reevaluate his priorities with a little help from aspiring stand-up comic Ira (Seth Rogen). Judd Apatow (Knocked Up) writes and directs this moving comedy that also stars Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman and Aubrey Plaza.

Movie #179........................."Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"

Movie #179 "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story" was a very uplifting film, and what a quiet hero this pediatric neurosurgeon is (the top of his field, according to this film). I found myself so interested in him that I watched all the extras, too. He reminded me of Arthur Ashe, such a quiet, gentle man, unassuming, but with such a gift. And the great story about it is the tough road to get where he was. And it's a different story because it doesn't deal with abuse, at all. On the contrary, he had a mother who believed in him and breathed a spirit into him of not quitting ever. That's what made it so uplifting. It's all about a mother's love, the power of education, the importance of working hard and of creativity and problemsolving. I gained such an admiration for these doctors who spent 22 hours on one operation ---- a separation of siamese twins. The hospital scenes were so authentic, and I learned from the DVD specials that those scenes were cast with REAL doctors and nurses all around Cuba Gooding, who was playing Ben. I highly recommend this. Good stuff.




Average rating: 4.249
I gave it 4 stars
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
(2009) NR
Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson (portrayed as a child by Jaishon Fisher and as a teen by Gus Hoffman), who overcomes enormous obstacles to study medicine and save lives at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Kimberly Elise plays Carson's hardworking single mother, Sonya, who faces her own hurdles on the road to helping her son succeed in this made-for-cable drama based on Carson's memoirs.

Movie #178........................."Katyn"

Movie #178 "Katyn" - maybe I've seen too many Holocaust films, but this one brought very little emotion to me; in fact, for the first time on this subject. I felt the ending was more gratuitous violence than a powerful look at what really happened. The story is basically below, not much more, really, and the characters looked a lot alike, and weren't introduced very well, so I was only able to really feel for one mother and her child (the first ones we are introduced to). I didn't know this story and I expected to learn more about it, but the film seemed long and cold and stark, and not very effective to me. I saw it last night, hoping that my first reaction would change by the morning, but it didn't. I know it was nominated for an Oscar, but I've seen so many more pictures on the subject (though not the same exact story) that are far better. "The boy in the striped pajamas" is one of the best I've seen lately. Rent that. (oh, one more thing which added me not enjoying this film so much was the subtitles. 1) they came on along with Polish subtitles, so your eyes were wandering around where to look and 2) they went too quickly and 3) the polish language that the people were speaking was audially displeasing --- everything was staccato and mean-sounding, if that makes sense. So each time I was to read the subtitles, there were distractions (see above). That just added to me not liking this film so much.





Average rating: 3.61
I gave it 3 stars
Katyn
Post Mortem: Opowiesc Katynska
(2007) NR
Polish director Andrzej Wajda helms this Oscar-nominated drama based on the 1940 massacre of some 20,000 Polish military officers and intelligentsia at the hands of Soviet troops, along with the stories of the wives and children who survived them. How did they carry on in the face of such horror, especially when responsibility was publicly denied by the perpetrators? Joachim Paul Assböck, Andrzej Chyra and Stanislawa Celinska star.

Movie #177........................."The Private Lives of Pippa Lee"

Movie #177 "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee" has a wonderfully talented cast in a very different kind of film. Robin Wright has come to a crossroads in her life ---- married to a man much older, having raised two kids (one of which hates her), with no hobbies, she sees her life as just watching her husband as he grows older and older. She's stuck, and she starts to sleepwalk --- her life now she finds keeps colliding with her past ---- she keeps flashing back to when she was younger (played by Blake Lively). All of this keeps the movie going and provided much interest for me; there aren't a lot of laughs, but occasionally, Ms Wright or Mr. Alda gets a zinger in there, but it's usually sarcastic --- but I liked that. And I can't remember when Keanu Reeves was used as well in a film --- he is handsome "stick" of a man (half-baked, his mother terms it), and he does services to that description rather nicely. I recommend it to anyone who wants to see quirky. This is an example of a movie that netflix said I'd rate a 2. something, and I gave it a 4. Take that, Netflix!









Average rating: 2.925
I gave it 4 stars
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
(2009) R
When her husband (Alan Arkin), who's 30 years her senior, relocates the family to a retirement community, flawless wife and mother Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) slides toward a nervous breakdown as she reflects on her tumultuous past and befriends her neighbor's enigmatic son (Keanu Reeves). With a powerful cast that also includes Julianne Moore and Winona Ryder, this pensive drama is adapted from director Rebecca Miller's novel of the same name.

Movie #176 ......................."Michael Jackson's This Is It"

Movie #176 "Michael Jackson's This Is It" was a nice tribute to the man, the musical genius, singer, songwriter, choreographer, supreme dancer who died too young, but this film shows what an amazing catalogue of music he has left behind. Most of his hits are here in all their glory. I am especially thankful that Kenny Ortega filmed the rehearsal process so that the many fans of MJ (that's what everyone called him in the film) could see some of his last concert. This is one concert I would have wanted to see, and because of Ortega's efforts, I did finally get to see MJ have fun making his music. There were several other observations I made while viewing this movie: the amount of rehearsal it took for this, and MJ was there in the trenches, making many of the decisions from the dance steps, orchestrations, the lighting, etc.; the risktaker he was -- there's a cute scene when he's traveling in a cherry picker where Ortega says, "this is the lowest it goes." and MJ tells Ortega, "Oh, Kenny, you shouldn't have said that, you know me" (suggesting he wanted to be taken up as high as it went); the many times he told the people he worked with that he loved them; the professionalism he showed on and off stage; the giving nature with the singers, and one particular scene with the guitarist when he tells her, "this is your time to shine" and then proceeds to help her do just that; the stalking across the stage so he's involved every moment; the dancing, dancing, dancing. Most singers play an instrument (or just barely), but Michael's body was his instrument and he's constantly moving it to the beat of the music --- he can't stop; at one point, all his fellow dancers and singers are cheering him off to the sides and he tells then very gently, "god bless you all!" I enjoyed all those things, but the most pervading emotion I had throughout the movie was.............how sad. How sad this never became anything more than rehearsals. How sad for all these young kids who idolized MJ and now were performing in his "family" on stage and then never got to an opening of the show. How sad that such a talented guy died and only people who see this movie can see his last efforts, and esp. understand his last message ---- that the planet has a fever right now and we must do everything we can to make it better. We need to heal the world (says MJ) , and like the man in the mirror, we need to take the first step ourselves. If you are interested at all in the rehearsal process, the joy of dancing, the unmasking just a little bit the mystery of the man whom everyone called MJ, see this movie. You won't be disappointed. A little sad,maybe, but not disappointed.




Average rating: 3.858
I rated it 4 stars
Michael Jackson's This Is It
This Is It
(2009) PG
Rehearsal footage, backstage action and interviews comprise this moving Michael Jackson experience. He is shown here preparing for a series of 50 sold-out London shows, which were scheduled to kick off in late summer 2009. Singing his numerous hits at the Staples Center in Los Angeles during the days leading up to his untimely death, Jackson is also seen refining cues, delving into dance details and working with director Kenny Ortega.

Movie #175........................."Men Who Stare At Goats

Movie #175 "Men Who Stare at Goats is wacky, silly, a military farce, not near the calibre of a mash show or Joseph Heller's Catch 22, but still funny, sometimes hysterical in moments. There aren't enough of those moments, though, and the ending isn't fulfilling enough to make this a truly hit-the-mark satire, like "Tropic Thunder" was. It just doesn't go far enough, but it sure is pleasing to watch these military men trying to knock a goat over with their minds. Much more satisfying than what we all know they are trained to do. sorry, a bit political there, but I couldn't help it. If the plot sounds amusing to you, you may just like this tease of a film. If it sounds too wacky, you are probably right! But you gotta love Clooney, McGregor and the dude (Jeff Bridges) going through their psychic antics here!




Average rating: 3.072
I gave it 3.2 stars
The Men Who Stare at Goats
(2009) R
Journalist Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) latches onto an unbelievable story in Iraq when he meets Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a man of mysterious origins who reveals he was a "warrior monk" trained by the U.S. Army to develop psychic powers. Jeff Bridges co-stars as Lyn's mentor, the man who dreamed up the top-secret operation. Kevin Spacey and Rebecca Mader co-star in this Grant Heslov-helmed wild spoof.