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

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




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

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

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





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

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

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





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

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

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



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

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

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




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

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

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




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

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

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




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