Indie, Romance
4 stars
Really sweet movie about a young man with Asperger’s Syndrome (Hugh Dancy: Jane Austen Book Club, Black Hawk Down, Evening, Confessions of a Shopaholic) trying to get through a socially awkward life, who has a mutual attraction with his pretty neighbor (Rose Byrne: Wicker Park). Co-stars include Peter Gallagher and Amy Irving as Byrne’s parents, and Frankie Faison as Dancy’s father’s old war buddy. I really liked this movie, it’s sweet without being sugary or sappy, and Dancy will make your heart melt. Dancy is also proving to be a very talented actor, not just another pretty face. I hope you get to see it.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Inglorious Basterds
Drama
4 stars
Great movie; albeit for a select audience. Quentin Tarantino creates his own, more satisfying version of WWII in Nazi-occupied France. While it’s not nearly the fun filled Nazi killing slaughter fest the previews promised, this film has more of a slow burn suspense effect with the congenial “Jew Hunter” Nazi who employs all the niceties and politeness of a proper lady at a tea party, then overstays his welcome with persistent questions like an evil version of Peter Falk’s Columbo (ingeniously played by Christoph Walz). This movie is really three stories that eventually culminate: Brad Pitt’s Nazi killing band of Jewish American soldiers is only a small segment of the film. The bigger story is that of a Jewish woman (Melanie Laurent) under the guise of a French girl trying to keep a low profile, and also that of the aforementioned “Jew Hunter”. Tarantino displays his love of cinema with an integral part of the movie taking place in one and he takes his time telling the story with artful angle shots and prolonged scenes that reminded me a bit of films like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Tarantino’s style is not for everyone, but most everyone should enjoy the ending. Also stars Diane Kruger (both National Treasure movies). Very well acted on all accounts.
4 stars
Great movie; albeit for a select audience. Quentin Tarantino creates his own, more satisfying version of WWII in Nazi-occupied France. While it’s not nearly the fun filled Nazi killing slaughter fest the previews promised, this film has more of a slow burn suspense effect with the congenial “Jew Hunter” Nazi who employs all the niceties and politeness of a proper lady at a tea party, then overstays his welcome with persistent questions like an evil version of Peter Falk’s Columbo (ingeniously played by Christoph Walz). This movie is really three stories that eventually culminate: Brad Pitt’s Nazi killing band of Jewish American soldiers is only a small segment of the film. The bigger story is that of a Jewish woman (Melanie Laurent) under the guise of a French girl trying to keep a low profile, and also that of the aforementioned “Jew Hunter”. Tarantino displays his love of cinema with an integral part of the movie taking place in one and he takes his time telling the story with artful angle shots and prolonged scenes that reminded me a bit of films like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Tarantino’s style is not for everyone, but most everyone should enjoy the ending. Also stars Diane Kruger (both National Treasure movies). Very well acted on all accounts.
Post Grad
Comedy
2.5 stars
Should have gone straight to video. Alexis Bledel stars as a recent college grad whose life plans are dashed when she doesn’t get the dream job she expected straight out of school and also doesn’t recognize that her platonic male best friend is her soul mate (Zach Gilford of TV’s Friday Night Lights). The movie was disappointing despite an impressive supporting cast including Carol Burnett, Michael Keaton, J.K. Simmons, Jane Lynch (Child’s sister in Julie and Julia, also Charlie’s shrink in Two and a Half Men) and even the little brother (Bobby Coleman) starred in Martian Child (with John Cusack). The jokes fell flat and the outcome was obvious to all except Bledel’s naïve character. Maybe catch it when it comes out on TV, but only if you’re in the mood.
2.5 stars
Should have gone straight to video. Alexis Bledel stars as a recent college grad whose life plans are dashed when she doesn’t get the dream job she expected straight out of school and also doesn’t recognize that her platonic male best friend is her soul mate (Zach Gilford of TV’s Friday Night Lights). The movie was disappointing despite an impressive supporting cast including Carol Burnett, Michael Keaton, J.K. Simmons, Jane Lynch (Child’s sister in Julie and Julia, also Charlie’s shrink in Two and a Half Men) and even the little brother (Bobby Coleman) starred in Martian Child (with John Cusack). The jokes fell flat and the outcome was obvious to all except Bledel’s naïve character. Maybe catch it when it comes out on TV, but only if you’re in the mood.
Friday, August 21, 2009
District 9
Sci-Fi
3.5 stars
Better than average sci-fi movie if you don’t mind hideously ugly aliens with voices that sound like a combination of belching and retching. A huge spaceship parks itself over Johannesburg, South Africa full of over a million malnourished aliens who get transferred to a slum-like refugee camp called District 9. The aliens are violent scavengers who raid dumps and seem incorrigible until you see how their treatment led them to regress to this state. Filmed annoyingly in documentary style, the film location proved more interesting with the international cast – none of whom were familiar to me. Sharlto Copley stars as a field operative in charge of evicting the aliens from District 9 and confiscating any illegal possessions. They never explain why the spaceship seemed to stall out (if they did, I missed it), and they leave it wide open for District 10. Good movie for sci-fi lovers.
3.5 stars
Better than average sci-fi movie if you don’t mind hideously ugly aliens with voices that sound like a combination of belching and retching. A huge spaceship parks itself over Johannesburg, South Africa full of over a million malnourished aliens who get transferred to a slum-like refugee camp called District 9. The aliens are violent scavengers who raid dumps and seem incorrigible until you see how their treatment led them to regress to this state. Filmed annoyingly in documentary style, the film location proved more interesting with the international cast – none of whom were familiar to me. Sharlto Copley stars as a field operative in charge of evicting the aliens from District 9 and confiscating any illegal possessions. They never explain why the spaceship seemed to stall out (if they did, I missed it), and they leave it wide open for District 10. Good movie for sci-fi lovers.
The Goods: Live Hard * Sell Hard
Comedy
3.5 stars
Wicked funny! A bit raunchy and crude and definitely politically incorrect, Jeremy Piven leads a foursome (including Ving Rhames, David Koechner & Kathryn Hahn) of folks who travel around the country helping staid auto-dealerships to kick start their businesses. James Brolin stars as the owner of the current dysfunctional car lot, and his character is very reminiscent of Peter Grave’s pilot in Airplane!. Also co-stars Ed Helms and Ken Jeong (both starred in The Hangover). Hilarious.
3.5 stars
Wicked funny! A bit raunchy and crude and definitely politically incorrect, Jeremy Piven leads a foursome (including Ving Rhames, David Koechner & Kathryn Hahn) of folks who travel around the country helping staid auto-dealerships to kick start their businesses. James Brolin stars as the owner of the current dysfunctional car lot, and his character is very reminiscent of Peter Grave’s pilot in Airplane!. Also co-stars Ed Helms and Ken Jeong (both starred in The Hangover). Hilarious.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Action, Sci-fi
2 stars
Mindless action film with fighting, explosions, and MORE fighting; designed for those action fans inflicted with ADHD. Jim made me go to this one… Channing Tatum and Marlon Wayans are two soldiers out to save the world against a man set on world domination (Christopher Eccleston) by using destructive metal-eating nano-bugs – the bug idea was blatantly stolen from The Day The Earth Stood Still. And what action film is complete without storm trooper-like soldiers being led by a hot chick in a cat suit? In this case the hot chick (Sienna Miller) resembles Tina Fey with Pamela Anderson’s, um, assets displayed with beaucoup décolletage. There’s even a second hot chick (Rachel Nichols), so of course an obligatory cat fight is inevitable (at least this chick has red hair). Oh, I almost forgot the creepy Japanese guy (Lee Byung-hun) with the ninja warrior kung-fu talents. This movie just has it all for die-hard action lovers, and it’s even left wide open for a sequel. Ya, Jim is SO going to take me to a chick flick now.
Action, Sci-fi
2 stars
Mindless action film with fighting, explosions, and MORE fighting; designed for those action fans inflicted with ADHD. Jim made me go to this one… Channing Tatum and Marlon Wayans are two soldiers out to save the world against a man set on world domination (Christopher Eccleston) by using destructive metal-eating nano-bugs – the bug idea was blatantly stolen from The Day The Earth Stood Still. And what action film is complete without storm trooper-like soldiers being led by a hot chick in a cat suit? In this case the hot chick (Sienna Miller) resembles Tina Fey with Pamela Anderson’s, um, assets displayed with beaucoup décolletage. There’s even a second hot chick (Rachel Nichols), so of course an obligatory cat fight is inevitable (at least this chick has red hair). Oh, I almost forgot the creepy Japanese guy (Lee Byung-hun) with the ninja warrior kung-fu talents. This movie just has it all for die-hard action lovers, and it’s even left wide open for a sequel. Ya, Jim is SO going to take me to a chick flick now.
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Chick Flick, Tearjerker
3.5 stars
Good tear-jerker about a man (Eric Bana) who has no control over when and where he travels through time. I did not read the book, so I was left with a million questions: Where does he go when not with his wife (Rachel McAdams)? How was he able to keep an apartment and a job before he met his wife? How could his father entrust him with his late wife’s rings when Bana could disappear at any moment? Isn’t his first meeting with his wife kinda creepy - you know, a naked man hiding in the bushes while a little girl picnics? And many more. I still liked the movie – the romance, the longing, the tragedies - and tissues are definitely needed for the ending.
3.5 stars
Good tear-jerker about a man (Eric Bana) who has no control over when and where he travels through time. I did not read the book, so I was left with a million questions: Where does he go when not with his wife (Rachel McAdams)? How was he able to keep an apartment and a job before he met his wife? How could his father entrust him with his late wife’s rings when Bana could disappear at any moment? Isn’t his first meeting with his wife kinda creepy - you know, a naked man hiding in the bushes while a little girl picnics? And many more. I still liked the movie – the romance, the longing, the tragedies - and tissues are definitely needed for the ending.
G-Force
2 stars
Family
Dull kid’s movie about CIA trained guinea pigs trying to save the world. It’s a cute concept, and the guinea pigs were cute looking, but they had adult voices and adult conversations and even the kids in the audience seemed bored with them. And the plot seemed too complicated for younger ones to follow. Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) stars as the human in charge of training animals and outfitting them with tiny translators so humans can communicate with them. Bill Nighy is the CEO of a small electronics company that the CIA is investigating. All star cast of voiceovers (must be an easy buck for the stars): Nicholas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Penelope Cruz, Steve Buscemi, and Tracy Morgan. Kids and adults will surely enjoy Aliens in the Attic or Ice Age far better.
Family
Dull kid’s movie about CIA trained guinea pigs trying to save the world. It’s a cute concept, and the guinea pigs were cute looking, but they had adult voices and adult conversations and even the kids in the audience seemed bored with them. And the plot seemed too complicated for younger ones to follow. Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) stars as the human in charge of training animals and outfitting them with tiny translators so humans can communicate with them. Bill Nighy is the CEO of a small electronics company that the CIA is investigating. All star cast of voiceovers (must be an easy buck for the stars): Nicholas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Penelope Cruz, Steve Buscemi, and Tracy Morgan. Kids and adults will surely enjoy Aliens in the Attic or Ice Age far better.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
In The Loop
Political Satire
2.5 stars
Passable British satire with enough profanity to make a drunken sailor blush. This film focuses on minor British government officials as they argue and act buffoonish as the imminent US invasion of Iraq looms in the near future. It’s pretty funny but scary as it demonstrates about how stupidity and self-preservation lead to decisions about war. I’d have liked it better if it wasn’t so profane and didn’t remind me so much of TV’s “The Office” (sorry, I just can’t get into that show) with their unprofessional behavior. Stars Tom Hollander (Pirates of the Caribbean (2 & 3), A Good Year), Peter Capaldi and James Gandolfini. If you enjoy the sort of humor in TV’s “The Office”, then you might like this fast paced film.
2.5 stars
Passable British satire with enough profanity to make a drunken sailor blush. This film focuses on minor British government officials as they argue and act buffoonish as the imminent US invasion of Iraq looms in the near future. It’s pretty funny but scary as it demonstrates about how stupidity and self-preservation lead to decisions about war. I’d have liked it better if it wasn’t so profane and didn’t remind me so much of TV’s “The Office” (sorry, I just can’t get into that show) with their unprofessional behavior. Stars Tom Hollander (Pirates of the Caribbean (2 & 3), A Good Year), Peter Capaldi and James Gandolfini. If you enjoy the sort of humor in TV’s “The Office”, then you might like this fast paced film.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Julie & Julia
Chick Flick, Comedy
4 stars
Make reservations at a French restaurant immediately following the viewing of this movie! Meryl Streep is amazing as usual as Julia Child and Amy Adams is lovable as the underdog Julie who decides to cook every recipe in Child’s book in a years time while documenting it in a blog. The film switches back and forth between the women’s lives and I disagree with all the critics who found Adam’s performance unworthy of Streep’s. Let’s face it, Child’s voice is lovable but got on my nerves after awhile and I found switching back to Adams in New York a refreshing change. I also thought Adam’s character was more relatable as a minion in a cubicle whose dreams feel out of reach. Great chick flick, and trust me, you’ll be hungry for some fine dining afterward.
4 stars
Make reservations at a French restaurant immediately following the viewing of this movie! Meryl Streep is amazing as usual as Julia Child and Amy Adams is lovable as the underdog Julie who decides to cook every recipe in Child’s book in a years time while documenting it in a blog. The film switches back and forth between the women’s lives and I disagree with all the critics who found Adam’s performance unworthy of Streep’s. Let’s face it, Child’s voice is lovable but got on my nerves after awhile and I found switching back to Adams in New York a refreshing change. I also thought Adam’s character was more relatable as a minion in a cubicle whose dreams feel out of reach. Great chick flick, and trust me, you’ll be hungry for some fine dining afterward.
Funny People
Drama
3 stars
A somber look at the lives of comics. Adam Sandler plays a character with similar fame as himself, only he learns he has a rare form of leukemia with little chance of survival. Seth Rogen is hired as Sandler’s personal assistant and watches as Sandler’s very unlikable character tries to win back his ex-wife (Leslie Mann, wife of director Judd Apatow). Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman and Eric Bana co-star along with a myriad of celebrity cameos. The two little girls in the film are adorable and also Apatow and Mann’s actual children. The humor is crude as with most of Judd Apatow’s films (seriously, how many jokes can one make about oral sex?), and the movie is really long at 136 minutes. I loved the house that belonged to Sandler’s character though – my new dream home. Very long, kinda depressing, but some very good acting.
3 stars
A somber look at the lives of comics. Adam Sandler plays a character with similar fame as himself, only he learns he has a rare form of leukemia with little chance of survival. Seth Rogen is hired as Sandler’s personal assistant and watches as Sandler’s very unlikable character tries to win back his ex-wife (Leslie Mann, wife of director Judd Apatow). Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman and Eric Bana co-star along with a myriad of celebrity cameos. The two little girls in the film are adorable and also Apatow and Mann’s actual children. The humor is crude as with most of Judd Apatow’s films (seriously, how many jokes can one make about oral sex?), and the movie is really long at 136 minutes. I loved the house that belonged to Sandler’s character though – my new dream home. Very long, kinda depressing, but some very good acting.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Aliens in the Attic
Family
3 stars
Very cute movie. A large family vacations in a big home in Michigan which gets infiltrated by mean little aliens. The aliens were cute, as were the younger kids. There is an overdone fight scene between Nana (Doris Roberts of Everybody Loves Raymond) and her granddaughters’ (Ashley Tisdale) boyfriend which was pretty silly. Kids of all ages should enjoy the pint sized aliens (one is voiced by Thomas Hayden Church).
3 stars
Very cute movie. A large family vacations in a big home in Michigan which gets infiltrated by mean little aliens. The aliens were cute, as were the younger kids. There is an overdone fight scene between Nana (Doris Roberts of Everybody Loves Raymond) and her granddaughters’ (Ashley Tisdale) boyfriend which was pretty silly. Kids of all ages should enjoy the pint sized aliens (one is voiced by Thomas Hayden Church).
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