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