Movie #629 ......................... "Eames: The Architect and the Painter"

Movie #629 "Eames: The Architect and the Painter" is about the husband and wife team of Charles and Ray Eames, mostly their work, with a small mention of their films (which I would like to look more into)and a little about their relationship, which I found the most fascinating of the whole film. Becoming famous in that time period, most of the credit has been attributed to the man in the relationship, but it seems he couldn't function really without her --- that she was the creativity behind it all, and yet, she was always in his shadow. She died 10 years after he did, on the same exact day --- and that speaks a whole lot about the two of them. In those 10 years she was able to come out from behind, but the whole week before she died, she kept asking her friend, what day is it today.....as if she planned to die on the exact day that he died so they'd be together into eternity? I'm not sure, but it did sound unearthly and made their relationship transcend time and make it more amazing! You rated this movie: 3 out of 5 stars Eames: The Architect and The Painter (2011) NR This documentary tells the story of the husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames, widely considered America's most important designers. Their creations include furniture, photography, interiors, multimedia exhibits, games and much more. Genre:Documentaries, Biographical Documentaries, Social & Cultural Documentaries This movie is:Cerebral

Movie #628 ........................."Bernie"

Movie #628 "Bernie" is a dark comedy, an Independent film with Jack Black at his best (this director also was in charge of the other Jack Black hit "School of Rock" --- he should always direct Mr. Black)and what a wonderful find this one is. I don't want to say too much about this because it is more fun to walk into it blindly, knowing it is based on a true story about a mortician's assistant and his move to the town of Carthage, Texas. This director sure does know Texans and uses several of them IN his film --- and that adds to the charm of it. This one if full of laughs, reigns in on Jack Black's usual overacting (and also Shirley Maclaine's overacting, too) and presents an excellent indie film that you might want to check out. Saw it at our Sundance theatre in Madison but hopefully it will be more widely released once more people see it. Average rating: 3.593 I gave it 5 out of 5 stars Bernie (2011) PG-13 In this black comedy inspired by real-life events, affable Texas mortician Bernie befriends the small town's wealthiest widow and then kills her. But despite the suspicious nature of her death, no one wants to think anything but the best of Bernie. Genre:Comedies, Independent Movies, Independent Comedies This movie is:Quirky, Witty

Movie #627 .........................."Wild Target"

Movie #627 "Wild Target" is a very black humor film --- dark comedy ---- as many people shot dead as car chases. But it's a stitch --- a comedy, more than a thriller, that slows down about 1 hour into it, and starts to become a love story. But the characters are very capable and very funny ---- what with Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt and Ron Weasley from Harry Potter films. There's a hysterical parrot, a gun toting mother, quirky con artists, and lots of laughs. I enjoyed it all the way through, but the people I was watching the film with had mixed emotions (one fell asleep and said it got slow halfway through......) but I still thought it worked out (some critics disagreed, others agreed, so there's a controversy as to just how successful this film really is) I vote on the side of: talented cast, quirky plot, hysterical car chases and mayhem (song sung appropriately at the end), and I found it most enjoyable! You rated this movie: 4 Rate 5 starsRate 4 starsRate 3 starsRate 2 starsRate 1 star Wild Target (2010) PG-13 When veteran hit man Victor Maynard (Bill Nighy) finds himself unable to kill his latest target, Rose (Emily Blunt), he winds up with an unexpected sidekick, Tony (Rupert Grint), who thinks Victor is a detective in this action-packed comedy from Britain. Now, with Rose and Tony tagging along, Victor tries to deal with the dual forces of his overbearing mother (Eileen Atkins) and a very angry client (Rupert Everett) who wants Rose dead. Genre:Action & Adventure, Comedies, Action Comedies, Crime Action & Adventure This movie is:Goofy, Quirky

Movie #626 ........................."Page Eight"

Movie #626 "Page Eight" was a movie mentioned in a Charlie Rose interview with Bill Nighy, the star of the film. The scene with the famous Michael Gambon looked well done, so Dave and I checked out our newly acquired Amazon plus, and sure enough it was available on there, free of charge, so we watched it last night. Nighy works for the MI% (the same circus in the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)and becomes suspicious of his new neighbor Rachel Weisz who asks him in when he first meets her. And she introduces him to another man that has been following her and him around. This is a good mystery, that keeps you wondering throughout the ending. A much better film than the Tailor Tinker one and easier to follow ----the cast is very impressive and we highly recommend it. But it is played close to the vest, in Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon style. I rated it 4.5 stars out of 5 Masterpiece Contemporary: Page Eight Page Eight (2011) NR Silky-smooth veteran MI5 agent Johnny Worricker is wholly dedicated to his work, but his loyalty to the British spy agency is about to be tested. A top secret document surfaces that reveals heinous government misdeeds -- and puts Johnny on the spot. Genre:Thrillers, British Movies, Political Thrillers, Spy Thrillers This movie is:Cerebral

Movie #625 ........................."What to Expect when You're Expecting"

Movie #625 "What to Expect When You're Expecting" is a so-so film. I thought it might be better because I had heard the director is the same one that did "Waking Ned Devine" which is one of my favorite films, but in this film the actors overact (esp. Cameron Diaz, sorry not a fan!), the script brings absolutely nothing new to the subject, and the tone is pushed --- like, oh here's Chris Rock, he'll probably be funny, blah, blah, blah! My favorite character is a minor one, Chris Rock's son Jordan, and that's pretty much it. Very disappointing. It presents the story like New Year's Eve (which I actually liked, a little) so even the frame isn't original --- oh, look who Anna Kendrick is related to! What a surprise! Sorry, I'd pass this one. Not that funny, and nothing new. I give it 3 out of 5 stars What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012) PG-13 This star-studded romantic comedy follows the intersecting lives of several couples as they hazard the ups and downs of pregnancy and impending parenthood. In the process, they discover some important lessons about life and love. Genre:Comedies, Romantic Movies, Romantic Comedies This movie is:Romantic

Movie #624 ........................."Monsieur Lazhar"

Movie #624 "Monsieur Lazhar" is an amazing film --- everything about it is just right! Considering that everyone is walking around on eggshells due to the subject matter, that every second of the film is full of grief, there is a lot of warmth and humor in the film. I loved it. I loved that not everything is told to you -----you have to peel off the layers of the characters and the film --- and boy, is it layered. And if you ever worked with kids, you know how deep they can be ---- esp. after a tragedy like this. I highly recommend it! Average rating: 3.925 I gave it 5 stars Monsieur Lazhar (2011) PG-13 When an Algerian immigrant seeking asylum in Montreal takes a job replacing an elementary school teacher who committed suicide, he finds that his own secret, tragic background enables him to help the children deal with their loss. This movie is:Emotional

Movie #623 ........................."Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"

Movie #623 "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is an excellent film and I highly recommend it. What a cast: Judy Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton (both from Downtown Abbey), all people who have worked together before and bring a ton of experience to their roles. Loved the subject matter , where they all movie to India because they are having trouble making a living on their retirement money (although, I wish there was more back story here as to exactly why each was coming and staying in a not ideal hotel (at first). I enjoyed each of the characters and didn't find it predictable, which is what some critics are saying about it. I liked the way the story wove into and out of each of the characters' stories very delicately and very particularly. What a gem of a film and you should do yourself a favor and watch this one! 4.7 out of 5 stars The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) PG-13 To make the most of their meager retirement savings, a group of British seniors relocates to India to live out their golden years at the Marigold Hotel. But upon arrival, they discover that the once-lavish resort has wilted considerably. Genre:Dramas This movie is:Sentimental

Movie #622 ........................."Pirates: Band of Misfits"

Movie #622 "Pirates: Band of Misfits"-- I liked it. It's got a pretty involved plot for little kids (what's new? this is Wallace and Gromit crew) lots of fighting (which I'm not a fan of) and mostly men (the only women are either sexpots or bad girls) but I guess it's a pirate movie and that's expected. I liked the humor, the details, the voices (fun to hear Hugh Grant bumble his way through the lead character) and I guess amidst all the silliness and fighting, the sophistication of the comedy ---- i.e. there's some intelligence behind the jokes here, and I appreciated that. Especially since Dave and I went alone, not accompanying any kids. It was a fun afternoon and I'd recommend it with reservations. I'm not going to go out and buy it, but it might be fun to have around in my library some day. You rated this movie: 3.8 out of 5 The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) PG This animated tale follows a pirate captain from the high seas to the streets of London as he strives to win the Pirate of the Year Award. But to snag the coveted prize, he'll have to beat his dreaded rivals Black Bellamy and Cutlass Liz. Featuring an all-star cast that includes the voices of Hugh Grant, Jeremy Piven and Salma Hayek. Genre:Children & Family Movies, Family Features, Family Adventures, Family Feature Animation This movie is:Feel-good, Witty

Movie #621 .........................."Moonlighter"

Movie #621 "Moonlighter" is a Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray (a duo more famous for "Double Indemnity") western that I caught on TCM the other night, and I would rate it 3 out of 5 stars. Although most of the film was anomalous to most westerns, the ending was laughable as they ride off into the sunset. The story starts with Fred MacMurray in a cell next to a man who is hauled off a hanged, mistaking him for Fred. Fred is able to escape, and comes back after several weeks as a relative to the dead guy and pays (while, kind of, after he collects at gunpoint at the funeral) for the guy's funeral. So he shows up for his own funeral. Meanwhile, he decides to seek revenge on those who killed the guy. Meanwhile, after a couple of years, Barbara comes to the same funeral home to pay for a funeral and finds out that another guy did already. This indicates to her that Fred still lives --- she used to date him and is now dating his brother. Well, Fred comes home to mom and brother and old girlfriend and tries to rekindle romance, but they both decide it's better if she stays with the brother. The banker brother has always looked up to Fred,and when Fred and Ward Bond (who is in all these westerns, but usually a good guy because he is pal of John Wayne) concoct a scheme to rob the bank, the brother wants to be IN --- Fred objects because he promised Babs that the brother would stay safe, but brother says he's an adult and can make up his own mind. Well, I don't want to tell the rest, but there are more twists and turns after what happens during the bank robbery. How they ride off into the sunset after all of it is really ludicrous, but I guess they had to make the movie short and sweet. I enjoyed watching these two elevate the script, but bottom line? see Double Indemnity if you want to see these two in their best film together!

Movie #620 ........................."Chloe"

Movie #620 "Chloe" is a dumb, dumb, dumb film story --- really. This is a don't bother movie, and I wouldn't have, except I was in Utah, finally with an HBO station (we don't have HBO), and I thought I wouldn't pass up the experience to watch a newer film on the popular station. Anyway, I wouldn't have watched this at all, except for the impeccable cast. I like all three of the people involved, but that didn't help them convey the story to me. I guess I just think it is a stupid idea for a movie, and the film pretty well never changed my thoughts about that. There is supposed to be somewhat of a big surprise, but it wasn't to me, so the ending wasn't that effective either. This is a don't bother film, as I said above --- and I haven't changed my mind through this blog about that either. I gave it 2 stars out of 5 Chloe (2009) R Suspecting her husband, David (Liam Neeson), of infidelity, doctor Catherine (Julianne Moore) hires sexy escort Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce him and test his faithfulness. But as Catherine checks in on Chloe's encounters with David, Chloe's reports become increasingly lurid. Soon, the relationships between all three intensify in unexpected ways. Renowned filmmaker Atom Egoyan directs this psychological drama. Genre:Romantic Movies, Thrillers, Psychological Thrillers This movie is:Cerebral, Suspenseful, Romantic

Movie #619 ........................."In the Land of Blood and Honey"

Movie #619 "In the Land of Blood and Honey" is a very, very difficult film to watch --- violence, rape scenes, babies thrown out of windows, innocent people shot in the street ---- sometimes war films are even easier to watch because they are soldiers who sometimes signed up for the shooting, but not the innocent people just trying to get some food to feed their families. Angelina Jolie directed this and it was a very impressive first film --- stark, no holds barred type of style was exactly what was needed for this story ---- still, I wish I could have seen a few more moments of less despair. Of course, that's my problem, not hers. She couldn't make them up. But it is just so tough to watch ---- but that's the point! So if your eyes and stomach are ready to see this, I'd recommend it. It's quite an eye opener, considering this just happened in the 90s, and there is very little bookwise or filmwise done on this worst war since WW2 (according to the subtitles at the end) Incidentally, I watched it with subtitles and I would suggest you do, too. They speak English, but it is so much easier to hear and understand when you can read it, too. You rated this movie: 3.9 out of 5 DONNA's rating:4 stars In the Land of Blood and Honey 2011R127 minutes Danijel, a Bosnian Serb soldier serving under his father's command, reunites with Ajla, a Bosnian Muslim woman he was involved with before the war, when she is captured by his camp and forced to work as a sex slave. Cast:Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic, Rade Serbedzija, Branko Djuric, Nikola Djuricko, Dolya Gavanski Director:Angelina Jolie Genres:Dramas, Independent Movies, Independent Dramas, Military Dramas, Period Pieces This movie is:Dark