Indie, Drama
4 stars
Most depressing film of the year so far. Jennifer Lawrence stars as a 17 year old supporting her younger siblings and invalid mother who learns they will lose their house if her nomadic crack-head father doesn’t show up for court. Set in the poor Missouri Ozarks, Lawrence hikes from one ramshackle house to the next trying to locate her Dad in an area teaming with mean, redneck, crack-head losers. I half-expected Dueling Banjoes to start playing. Includes some violent scenes. Very realistic and raw - and did I say “depressing”? Excellent acting. I hope to see more of Lawrence – who’s a dead ringer for Renee Zellweger without the annoying voice. Critically acclaimed and the darling of all the film festivals, this movie has been lingering in the indie theaters all summer – much like last year’s Hurt Locker. Expect to see several award nominations for this one.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Salt
Action, Drama
3.5 stars
For action lovers only. Angelina Jolie stars as a CIA operative accused of being a Russian spy who goes on the lam to locate her husband and becomes a one woman killing machine. Liev Schrieber costars as her fellow CIA colleague. Full of nonstop action and adventure. Definitely a “guy film”.
3.5 stars
For action lovers only. Angelina Jolie stars as a CIA operative accused of being a Russian spy who goes on the lam to locate her husband and becomes a one woman killing machine. Liev Schrieber costars as her fellow CIA colleague. Full of nonstop action and adventure. Definitely a “guy film”.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The Kids Are Alright
Indie, Dry Comedy
4.5 stars
Really good! Annette Bening and Julianne Moore star as a lesbian couple whose teenage children seek out their biological father, Mark Ruffalo. Complications ensue. Simultaneously poignant and funny; while the numerous sex scenes are hilarious. I’m sure there will be several Oscar nominations for this film – especially for Bening. Mia Wasikowska as the teenage daughter is proving to be a very talented actress herself after starring in Alice and Wonderland and playing a notable role in I Am Love. If nudity offends you, skip it, otherwise I think most everyone would enjoy this film. Loved it.
4.5 stars
Really good! Annette Bening and Julianne Moore star as a lesbian couple whose teenage children seek out their biological father, Mark Ruffalo. Complications ensue. Simultaneously poignant and funny; while the numerous sex scenes are hilarious. I’m sure there will be several Oscar nominations for this film – especially for Bening. Mia Wasikowska as the teenage daughter is proving to be a very talented actress herself after starring in Alice and Wonderland and playing a notable role in I Am Love. If nudity offends you, skip it, otherwise I think most everyone would enjoy this film. Loved it.
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Fantasy, Action
4 stars
Fun movie with lots of special effects. Jay Baruchel (She’s Out of My League, How To Train Your Dragon) stars as a wimpy nerd who learns he is a great sorcerer who is destined to kill a powerful, evil sorceress and save the world (sounds kinda like Harry Potter, doesn’t it?). Nicholas Cage stars as Baruchel’s mentor. It’s a fun movie loaded with special effects and includes a recreation of the Fantasia scene with the mops and brooms. Very fun movie.
4 stars
Fun movie with lots of special effects. Jay Baruchel (She’s Out of My League, How To Train Your Dragon) stars as a wimpy nerd who learns he is a great sorcerer who is destined to kill a powerful, evil sorceress and save the world (sounds kinda like Harry Potter, doesn’t it?). Nicholas Cage stars as Baruchel’s mentor. It’s a fun movie loaded with special effects and includes a recreation of the Fantasia scene with the mops and brooms. Very fun movie.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Inception
Action, Intrigue
4.5 stars
My mind is still blown. Hmm, Leo DiCaprio stars in a dream within a dream within a dream within reality along with a side dream and a back story. Oh, and did I mention there are dream people trying to kill you off at every level? Follow?? Go in with a clear and well rested mind in order to follow this complex story. You’re also left with an ambiguous ending that might just drive you nuts. Skip the beverages because it’s a long one (148 minutes) and you won’t want to miss anything. Really good movie, I almost gave it a full 5 stars but I think they spent too much time with the Marion Cotillard back story. Just go see it.
4.5 stars
My mind is still blown. Hmm, Leo DiCaprio stars in a dream within a dream within a dream within reality along with a side dream and a back story. Oh, and did I mention there are dream people trying to kill you off at every level? Follow?? Go in with a clear and well rested mind in order to follow this complex story. You’re also left with an ambiguous ending that might just drive you nuts. Skip the beverages because it’s a long one (148 minutes) and you won’t want to miss anything. Really good movie, I almost gave it a full 5 stars but I think they spent too much time with the Marion Cotillard back story. Just go see it.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
The Girl Who Played With Fire
Foreign, Suspense
5 stars
Excellent movie; Swedish with English subtitles. In this is the second installment in the trilogy of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the title character returns to Sweden after taking a year abroad while her love interest in the first book tries to expose a human trafficking ring. I’m sorry I didn’t get to read this book, but thankfully I remembered the character’s names from the first book because this movie wastes no time and dives right in without introductions. Noomi Rapace returns in the title role as does Michael Nyqvist as a prominent journalist and her former flame. Some nudity. Really, really good, edge of your seat, nonstop suspense thriller.
5 stars
Excellent movie; Swedish with English subtitles. In this is the second installment in the trilogy of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the title character returns to Sweden after taking a year abroad while her love interest in the first book tries to expose a human trafficking ring. I’m sorry I didn’t get to read this book, but thankfully I remembered the character’s names from the first book because this movie wastes no time and dives right in without introductions. Noomi Rapace returns in the title role as does Michael Nyqvist as a prominent journalist and her former flame. Some nudity. Really, really good, edge of your seat, nonstop suspense thriller.
Despicable Me
Animation, Family
3.5 stars
Slow start, but has a great finish. A couple of villains try to out-do each other when the lead character, Gru, gets bogged down with three orphans who muck up all his plans. The minions are adorable, as are the three little girls. Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, is a Grinch of sorts whose despicable heart inevitably grows. I loved the ending. Stay throughout the credits for four more cute scenes involving the minions. This film may actually be better in the 3-D version since lots of objects are thrust into your face. Very cute.
3.5 stars
Slow start, but has a great finish. A couple of villains try to out-do each other when the lead character, Gru, gets bogged down with three orphans who muck up all his plans. The minions are adorable, as are the three little girls. Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, is a Grinch of sorts whose despicable heart inevitably grows. I loved the ending. Stay throughout the credits for four more cute scenes involving the minions. This film may actually be better in the 3-D version since lots of objects are thrust into your face. Very cute.
I Am Love
Foreign, Drama
4 stars
Excellent acting; Italian with English subtitles. Tilda Swinton stars as the matriarch of what appears to be a perfect family living lavishly in Milan. Slowly the flaws start to emerge. Wonderfully acted, beautifully filmed, and includes sensuous love scenes. However, I thought the story itself wasn’t that original and it moved along slowly. Despite my complaints, the film is critically acclaimed and the darling of the all the film festivals. I’m sure there will be several Oscar nominations for this film.
4 stars
Excellent acting; Italian with English subtitles. Tilda Swinton stars as the matriarch of what appears to be a perfect family living lavishly in Milan. Slowly the flaws start to emerge. Wonderfully acted, beautifully filmed, and includes sensuous love scenes. However, I thought the story itself wasn’t that original and it moved along slowly. Despite my complaints, the film is critically acclaimed and the darling of the all the film festivals. I’m sure there will be several Oscar nominations for this film.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The Last Airbender
Fantasy, Drama
3 stars
Good news and bad news. The bad? Stiff acting, lame dialogue and poor direction mire this film. However, I give an A+ to the imagination, creativity, stage set design, and the interesting concept. If only M. Night Shyamalan could realize his limitations and have used another screen writer to help with the dialogue and then hired a talented director this could have been a really great film. The story takes place in another world where people are able to manipulate or “bend” the four elements and the fire-benders decide they want to conquer the earth, air, and water-benders. The title character is a rare avatar who can bend all four elements and is therefore very powerful so the fire-benders want to control him. I kept wondering all along when the evil fire-benders came by a fleet of ships to attack the water-benders why didn’t it occur to the water-benders that the ships are on, um, water, and why didn’t they shake the seas and sink the ships? No, it took a spirit dragon to point this out after many lives were lost. Silly. Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) stars as a fire-bender and newcomer Noah Ringer plays the title character. It’s a decent story (left wide open for a sequel) and I liked the multinational cast and the cool special effects, but yeah, the acting and dialogue are pretty lame.
3 stars
Good news and bad news. The bad? Stiff acting, lame dialogue and poor direction mire this film. However, I give an A+ to the imagination, creativity, stage set design, and the interesting concept. If only M. Night Shyamalan could realize his limitations and have used another screen writer to help with the dialogue and then hired a talented director this could have been a really great film. The story takes place in another world where people are able to manipulate or “bend” the four elements and the fire-benders decide they want to conquer the earth, air, and water-benders. The title character is a rare avatar who can bend all four elements and is therefore very powerful so the fire-benders want to control him. I kept wondering all along when the evil fire-benders came by a fleet of ships to attack the water-benders why didn’t it occur to the water-benders that the ships are on, um, water, and why didn’t they shake the seas and sink the ships? No, it took a spirit dragon to point this out after many lives were lost. Silly. Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) stars as a fire-bender and newcomer Noah Ringer plays the title character. It’s a decent story (left wide open for a sequel) and I liked the multinational cast and the cool special effects, but yeah, the acting and dialogue are pretty lame.
Friday, July 2, 2010
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Horror, Teen Romance
3.5 stars
Really good! The love triangle continues with girl, vampire and werewolf as the two latter must form a reluctant alliance against evil vampire Victoria, who is building an army of vampires to kill Bella. The new actress playing Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) appeared to be more scared than angry – not what I’d expect of vengeful Victoria. I loved the comical tension between Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner (so did the 100 or so teenage girls in the theater). Kristen Stewart is still a stiff actress, but Pattinson sure can act since his off-putting goofiness in real life interviews is forgotten when he becomes cool Edward. Only for “Twi-hards” and vampire lovers.
3.5 stars
Really good! The love triangle continues with girl, vampire and werewolf as the two latter must form a reluctant alliance against evil vampire Victoria, who is building an army of vampires to kill Bella. The new actress playing Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) appeared to be more scared than angry – not what I’d expect of vengeful Victoria. I loved the comical tension between Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner (so did the 100 or so teenage girls in the theater). Kristen Stewart is still a stiff actress, but Pattinson sure can act since his off-putting goofiness in real life interviews is forgotten when he becomes cool Edward. Only for “Twi-hards” and vampire lovers.
Cyrus
Indie, Dry Comedy
3 stars
Kinda slow and awkward. More of a typical indie with plenty of awkward tension, but it wasn’t as comical as the previews led us to believe. John C. Reilly stars as a sad and depressed guy who meets the woman of his dreams in Marisa Tomei, until he meets her overgrown, emotionally dependant son, Jonah Hill. Jonah Hill plays the typical product of a broken marriage who is too selfish too allow his single parent to move on, so he does everything in his power to drive the outsider away. I liked it, but the film moved slowly and the awkward tension, which is almost a hallmark of independent films, is played out almost too much in this movie. Only for indie lovers and/or diehard fans of the stars.
3 stars
Kinda slow and awkward. More of a typical indie with plenty of awkward tension, but it wasn’t as comical as the previews led us to believe. John C. Reilly stars as a sad and depressed guy who meets the woman of his dreams in Marisa Tomei, until he meets her overgrown, emotionally dependant son, Jonah Hill. Jonah Hill plays the typical product of a broken marriage who is too selfish too allow his single parent to move on, so he does everything in his power to drive the outsider away. I liked it, but the film moved slowly and the awkward tension, which is almost a hallmark of independent films, is played out almost too much in this movie. Only for indie lovers and/or diehard fans of the stars.
Grownups
Comedy
2.5 stars
Not as funny as I hoped, and more gross-out humor than I prefer. Adam Sandler and four buddies reunite, along with their families, for a weekend after learning their beloved youth basketball coach died. Costars include Kevin James, David Spade, Chris Rock and Rob Schneider as well as Salma Hayek as Sandler’s wife. I expected dumb humor, but I just didn’t laugh that much. Wait for cable.
2.5 stars
Not as funny as I hoped, and more gross-out humor than I prefer. Adam Sandler and four buddies reunite, along with their families, for a weekend after learning their beloved youth basketball coach died. Costars include Kevin James, David Spade, Chris Rock and Rob Schneider as well as Salma Hayek as Sandler’s wife. I expected dumb humor, but I just didn’t laugh that much. Wait for cable.
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