Movie #700........................."Trouble with the Curve"

Movie #700 "Trouble with the Curve" was a bit disappointing. I normally like all of the actors in the film, but they had trouble at times getting across the lines from tis really clunky and predictable script. That's the weakest part of the film. That and seeing Clint Eastwood play the same part over and over and over --- he is always Dirty Harry, just speaks more grovelly as he ages. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last we see of him on the screen (not directing, but acting) because he kind of sucked the life out of every one else in the film ---- and that's tough to do with effervescent Justin Timberlake! Amy Adams rises above everyone because she is able to act in between the clunky lines --- and I liked that she knew more about baseball than a lot of the guys in the film --- kind of a switcher there. Oh, and a shout out for the music --- I bet Eastwood had a hand in that, because whenever there was a lull, there would be jazz or blues playing in the background. If you like baseball, you probably will still like this because of the subject matter, but oh my, the script is weak. I give it 3 out of 5 stars. Trouble with the Curve2012PG-13111 minutes Slowed by age and failing eyesight, crack baseball scout Gus Lobel takes his grown daughter along as he checks out the final prospect of his career. Along the way, the two renew their bond, and she catches the eye of a young player-turned-scout. Cast:Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Matthew Lillard, Robert Patrick, Scott Eastwood, Joe Massingill, Matt Bush, Chelcie Ross Genre:Sports Dramas, Sports Stories, Baseball, Drama

Movie #699 .........................."The Other Love"

Movie #699 "The Other Love" --- caught this on TCM on Barbara Stanwyck day, and I noticed it had David Nivens in it and he's one of my favorites, so I sat down to watch it while I ordered Christmas gifts from catalogues. The movie deals with wanting to be free, but sometimes due to whom you love, or the illnesses you have, or whatever gets in the way, you have to settle for something else. Faced with the possibility of her own death very soon, Barbara wants to strike out and just "live" what she has left, trying to forget that time is creeping up on her, little by little. She's such an excellent actress that she is able to go through all the inner conflicts this concert pianist would go through with a disease cutting her life/career so short. It was fun to see a different kind of love story ---- one from afar, one that matures from doctor-patient to something so much more. I give it 3.4 out of 5 stars The Other Love1947 92 minutes Concert pianist Karen Duncan (Barbara Stanwyck) is admitted to a Swiss sanatorium to recover from a serious illness. There she feels the romantic magnetism of Dr. Anthony Stanton (David Niven), who warns her of the potentially fatal dangers of not resting completely. Despite these warnings, Duncan flees to Monte Carlo in the company of playboy racecar driver Paul Clermont (Richard Conte), who just might be all the medicine she needs. Cast:Barbara Stanwyck, David Niven, Richard Conte, Gilbert Roland, Joan Loring, Natalie Schafer Genre:Romantic Dramas, Drama

Movie #698 ........................."People Like Us"

Movie #698 "People Like Us" is a very different kind of movie. I can honestly say I never saw a movie on this subject --- very odd storyline, where the two major good looking actors play brother and sister, with their mother Michelle Pfeiffer, no less. So needless to say there are no love scenes here, per say, but a lot of areas are covered --- infidelity, what being a dad is all about, what really makes up a family, how we are defined at an early age as to whom we end up becoming......and more. I esp. like the last scene and it was well worth the journey to the end of the film. Out of all of the films I am writing critiques for tonight, this one has been lingering a lot longer than the others. It's worth a look. I gave it 3.8 stars out of 5 People Like Us2012PG-13 115 minutes When Sam flies home for his estranged father's funeral, the reading of the will reveals a sister he never knew he had -- and an order that Sam must bring his alcoholic sibling and her young son their inheritance. Cast:Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Jon Favreau, Michelle Pfeiffer, Philip Baker Hall, Michael Hall D'Addario Genre:Drama

Movie #697 ........................."Ruby Sparks"

Movie #697 "Ruby Sparks" is a Woody Allen-like movie that takes risks but not that many, esp. the ending. But it is very likable, and the characters are very congenial, esp. Paul Dano. It's fun to see him let go and be comical, instead of dark and introspective so much. And his real life girlfriend wrote this script and acted as the muse and she is a breath of fresh air, but then one shouldn't be surprised of this talent from a Kazan because it's in her genes. I liked it but there's nothing really groundbreaking here --- it's just a really good indie that you might want to check out --- cute love story and very creative! I rated it 3.8 out of 5 stars Ruby Sparks2012R104 minutes In an effort to conquer his writer's block, a young novelist -- who's having trouble duplicating the success of his earlier work -- jots down all the attributes of his dream girl. But things get weird when she suddenly comes to life. Cast:Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Antonio Banderas, Annette Bening, Steve Coogan, Elliott Gould, Chris Messina, Alia Shawkat, Aasif Mandvi, Toni Trucks, Deborah Ann Woll Genre:Comedy

Movie #696 ........................."Four Christmases"

Movie #696 "Four Christmases" --- I've wanted to see this for a while because I couldn't believe that Reese Witherspoon could actually make a bad movie, and she didn't. This isn't a "bad" movie, but a tad uneven. When it does physical schtick that is believable (the t.v. scene I thought worked), it can be laugh out loud funny, but then it becomes too crazy and crosses the stupid line occasionally. Finally, it decides it needs to have a theme, so it tacks on some ending that doesn't really jive with the rest of the film, in my opinion. I think it's tough enough to make a comedy, so I try to be a tad more lenient when critiquing a comedy, but this one works in spurts --- Vince V. and Reese W. work well together, they mumble, they use sarcasm, they have an ease with each other, so they are believable, and when they are left to do what they need to do, they can get it done. Too bad the script isn't a bit better. I give this 3.5 out of 5 for this movie Four Christmases2008PG-13 88 minutes Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon teams up with Vince Vaughn for this romantic comedy that casts them as a dating couple who are forced to spend their first Christmas together visiting each of their four divorced parents -- in a single day. Cast:Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Robert Duvall, Kristin Chenoweth, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam, Sissy Spacek, Brian Baumgartner, Carol Kane, Tim McGraw Genre:Romantic Comedies, Comedy

Movie #695 ........................."True Crime"

Movie #695 "True Crime" --- the only thing interesting about this movie is the mystery of who killed the young woman ---- the dialogue in the police station is awful --- even James Woods, Clint Eastwood and Denis Leary can't do anything with it! yikes! And there's nothing endearing about the character Clint Eastwood plays --- not sure if he's believable --- he does rude and despicable things (like pushing his little daughter so quickly through the zoo (to get it over with) that he knocks her off the buggy and she's hurt! But then he keeps pursuing the story --- not sure why --- things don't add up with him --- maybe if he pursues the truth? yet, that's brought up in the film and it doesn't seem to be the answer ---he says in the film that he has a gut feeling and he seems to relish in that ---- nope, nothing really good about this guy so why does someone keep watching? Because Isaiah Washington is so damn convincing as the wrongly convicted black man who is accused of killing a white girl and is condemned to death because of all the white witnesses. Hmm. One thing the film really hits hard is that the true crime is that he is more than likely convicted because he IS black. The movie is good when it shows how wrong that is, and how wonderful the black family is --- kudos to all the secondary actors who make those characters believable and passionate! Clint Eastwood does his gravely booze drinking character that he always does lately. I would give this 3 out of 5 stars True Crime1999R127 minutes Steve Everett (Clint Eastwood) is on the brink of ruining his marriage and journalism career with his alcoholism and womanizing when he's assigned to write a human-interest story about a death-row inmate (Isaiah Washington) -- and learns the conviction was built on shaky evidence. Now, with 12 hours left until the execution, Everett embarks on a quest to save a man he's convinced is innocent. James Woods and Denis Leary co-star. Cast:Clint Eastwood, Isaiah Washington, Lisa Gay Hamilton, James Woods, Denis Leary, Bernard Hill, Diane Venora, Michael McKean, Michael Jeter, Mary McCormack, Hattie Winston, Penny Bae Bridges, Francesca Fisher-Eastwood, John Finn, Laila Robins, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Frances Fisher, Nancy Giles, Tom McGowan, Lucy Liu Genre:Crime Dramas, Drama

Movie #694 .........................Stage Beauty

Movie #694 "Stage Beauty" is a beauty of a film which I found most enjoyable. But, of course, I would be the target audience for this movie about doing plays during Shakespearian times. "Othello" is the play du jour here, and it has always been done up until now (as all of the plays) with a male Desdemona --- what happens when a female dresser of this male Desdemona pines to be on stage doing it herself? But there's much more to this film --- it has some complex issues, including the love story, and it's intriguing from beginning to end. It is very talky, the acting is very stylistic of the times (i.e. pretentious when doing the stage acting), and they speak quickly , but it's well worth the listening you need to do to see this. If you are interested in theatre, and you want to get a flavor of what it was like during those times , this is one you want to see. Very capable director, and I even sat and watched all the special features. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars Stage Beauty2004R109 minutes Edward "Ned" Kynaston (Billy Crudup), England's most celebrated leading "lady," becomes a nonentity practically overnight when Charles II allows women to tread the boards, decreeing that men may no longer play women's parts. Ned built his career by making the greatest female roles his own. But to become a real man again, he'll need assistance from a willing woman -- his ex-dresser, Maria (Claire Danes). Cast:Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Rupert Everett, Tom Wilkinson, Ben Chaplin, Hugh Bonneville, Richard Griffiths, Edward Fox, Zoe Tapper, Claire Higgins, Tom Hollander Genre:Romantic Comedies, Romantic Dramas, Pre-20th Century Period Pieces, Romance