Foreign, True Story
4 stars
Interesting true story - untold until recently - of Cold War espionage in Russia in 1981. French and Russian with English subtitles. A French businessman working in Moscow gets pressured into becoming a liaison between his boss and a senior KGB officer who has become disenchanted with the Communist regime under Brezhnev. The Russian provides Top Secret intelligence to the French who in turn share with the USA. Guillaume Canet stars as the Frenchman, Emir Kusturica stars as the Russian informant, and smaller roles go to Willem Dafoe as the head of the CIA and Fred Ward as Ronald Reagan. Very well done and smartly told piece of history.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Switch
Comedy
3 stars
Better than I expected it to be. Jennifer Aniston decides to become a single mom and Jason Bateman is bent out of shape that she didn’t want him for a sperm donor. I loved the little boy, and Patrick Wilson (Little Children) was good at playing the guy you love to hate. Unfortunately for me, the theater I was in lost power in the entire building and I never got to see the last 15 or 20 minutes of the end of the film. Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis make for funny co-stars (Hmm, I wonder if Aniston and Lewis compared notes on their mutual ex Brad??). Anyway, cute movie, I’ll just have to sneak in to catch the ending next time I’m at the theater.
3 stars
Better than I expected it to be. Jennifer Aniston decides to become a single mom and Jason Bateman is bent out of shape that she didn’t want him for a sperm donor. I loved the little boy, and Patrick Wilson (Little Children) was good at playing the guy you love to hate. Unfortunately for me, the theater I was in lost power in the entire building and I never got to see the last 15 or 20 minutes of the end of the film. Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis make for funny co-stars (Hmm, I wonder if Aniston and Lewis compared notes on their mutual ex Brad??). Anyway, cute movie, I’ll just have to sneak in to catch the ending next time I’m at the theater.
Lottery Ticket
Comedy
3 stars
Not the full-out comedy I expected, but a decent flick about a level headed kid (Bow Wow) who wins the lottery and wants to do the right thing. Unfortunately for him, he has to wait until a holiday weekend is over before he can cash it in, and several people in his poor community are conniving and scheming to either steal the ticket or somehow benefit from it. I am grateful that the characters were closer to real people, rather than caricatures like you see in Tyler Perry-type films. Co-stars are Ice Cube as an old recluse, Loretta Devine as Bow Wow’s mom, and Brandon T. Jackson and Naturi Naughton as Wow’s best friends. Keith David had a smaller role as the don of the local mafia, with Terry Crews (love him!) as one of his thugs. Cute film with a nice message.
3 stars
Not the full-out comedy I expected, but a decent flick about a level headed kid (Bow Wow) who wins the lottery and wants to do the right thing. Unfortunately for him, he has to wait until a holiday weekend is over before he can cash it in, and several people in his poor community are conniving and scheming to either steal the ticket or somehow benefit from it. I am grateful that the characters were closer to real people, rather than caricatures like you see in Tyler Perry-type films. Co-stars are Ice Cube as an old recluse, Loretta Devine as Bow Wow’s mom, and Brandon T. Jackson and Naturi Naughton as Wow’s best friends. Keith David had a smaller role as the don of the local mafia, with Terry Crews (love him!) as one of his thugs. Cute film with a nice message.
Piranha 3D
Horror, Camp
2.5 stars
An adolescent boy’s dream, since it should be subtitled “Big Bare Boobs in 3D”. I was looking forward to some campy fun as the piranhas attack in a lake during spring break. A surprising cast, with Richard Dreyfuss in the opening scene (we love Richard with killer fish), Elisabeth Shue as the local sheriff, Ving Rhames as her deputy, and Jerry O’Connell as a producer of “Wild Wild Girls” porn videos. There is even a small role for Christopher Lloyd. Steven R. McQueen (Vampire Diaries) stars as Shue’s son who gets hired by O’Connell to be his local tour guide. Jessica Szohr (Gossip Girl) is the object of his affection who gets lured on the boat with creepy O’Connell. Mostly though, it’s just big bare boobs parasailing, swimming in a sort of underwater ballet, jet-skiing, water skiing, and of course, getting eaten by piranhas. For adolescent minded males only.
2.5 stars
An adolescent boy’s dream, since it should be subtitled “Big Bare Boobs in 3D”. I was looking forward to some campy fun as the piranhas attack in a lake during spring break. A surprising cast, with Richard Dreyfuss in the opening scene (we love Richard with killer fish), Elisabeth Shue as the local sheriff, Ving Rhames as her deputy, and Jerry O’Connell as a producer of “Wild Wild Girls” porn videos. There is even a small role for Christopher Lloyd. Steven R. McQueen (Vampire Diaries) stars as Shue’s son who gets hired by O’Connell to be his local tour guide. Jessica Szohr (Gossip Girl) is the object of his affection who gets lured on the boat with creepy O’Connell. Mostly though, it’s just big bare boobs parasailing, swimming in a sort of underwater ballet, jet-skiing, water skiing, and of course, getting eaten by piranhas. For adolescent minded males only.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Vampires Suck
Comedy, Satire
2.5 stars
Funny but dumb satire that parodies the Twilight series and makes the most of pop culture references. While it starts out a little slow with most of the jokes falling flat, I did laugh out loud several times, especially at the Black Eyes Peas jokes and the dancing werewolves. I have to give kudos to newcomer Jenn Proske who was absolutely spot-on with her embodiment of Kristen Stewart’s bad acting. I hope to see more of her in the future since she obviously has talent. Chris Riggi (Gossip Girl) and Matt Lanter (90210) played Jacob and Edward “Sullen”, respectively. Yes, I loved the renaming of the Cullen family as the “Sullens” and I also loved the ending. Only for Twilight fans (or haters).
2.5 stars
Funny but dumb satire that parodies the Twilight series and makes the most of pop culture references. While it starts out a little slow with most of the jokes falling flat, I did laugh out loud several times, especially at the Black Eyes Peas jokes and the dancing werewolves. I have to give kudos to newcomer Jenn Proske who was absolutely spot-on with her embodiment of Kristen Stewart’s bad acting. I hope to see more of her in the future since she obviously has talent. Chris Riggi (Gossip Girl) and Matt Lanter (90210) played Jacob and Edward “Sullen”, respectively. Yes, I loved the renaming of the Cullen family as the “Sullens” and I also loved the ending. Only for Twilight fans (or haters).
The Expendables
The Expendables
Action, Macho
2.5 stars
Disappointing. I so wanted to like this one. Sylvester Stallone stars in this silly action flick full of macho one-liners and pretty bad acting. Don’t get too excited about Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger since they are in only one scene, and from the extreme close-ups and constant cutting of the camera, it appears to me that they filmed their parts separately with body doubles and were later spliced together into one scene. Jason Statham, Jet Li and Stallone are the real stars and the other aging action heros all have smaller roles. The tough guys are hired to fly to a remote island and decimate its corrupt army to free the locals. The first person killed is literally blown in half, and I hate to say it, but I burst out laughing when it happened. Lots of explosions and mindless killings. Anyway, take it or leave it.
Action, Macho
2.5 stars
Disappointing. I so wanted to like this one. Sylvester Stallone stars in this silly action flick full of macho one-liners and pretty bad acting. Don’t get too excited about Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger since they are in only one scene, and from the extreme close-ups and constant cutting of the camera, it appears to me that they filmed their parts separately with body doubles and were later spliced together into one scene. Jason Statham, Jet Li and Stallone are the real stars and the other aging action heros all have smaller roles. The tough guys are hired to fly to a remote island and decimate its corrupt army to free the locals. The first person killed is literally blown in half, and I hate to say it, but I burst out laughing when it happened. Lots of explosions and mindless killings. Anyway, take it or leave it.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Eat Pray Love
Chick Flick, Romance
4 stars
Loved it! Julia Roberts stars in the Elizabeth Gilbert memoir of spending a year traveling through Italy, India and Bali after a nasty divorce and a toxic rebound relationship. Thankfully, Gilbert’s neuroses are in it, but not harped on, like in the book. Some small changes were made, mostly in Bali, and of course Javier Bardem’s character is 20 years younger than the book’s character, but the core story is intact. Loved the scenery and her experiences, but why oh why was the Pretty Woman dressed in the ugliest clothes? I kept waiting for her wardrobe to bloom much like her self-fulfillment did. Anyway, loved it, and husbands/boyfriends should like it too.
4 stars
Loved it! Julia Roberts stars in the Elizabeth Gilbert memoir of spending a year traveling through Italy, India and Bali after a nasty divorce and a toxic rebound relationship. Thankfully, Gilbert’s neuroses are in it, but not harped on, like in the book. Some small changes were made, mostly in Bali, and of course Javier Bardem’s character is 20 years younger than the book’s character, but the core story is intact. Loved the scenery and her experiences, but why oh why was the Pretty Woman dressed in the ugliest clothes? I kept waiting for her wardrobe to bloom much like her self-fulfillment did. Anyway, loved it, and husbands/boyfriends should like it too.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Get Low
Indie, Dry Comedy
4.5 stars
Really good bittersweet movie, albeit a little slow. Robert Duvall stars as a mean old man in the early 1900’s who has alienated himself from society and wants to have a living funeral to hear all the "stories" and gossip people have been telling about him. Lucas Black (Legion, Jarhead) and Bill Murray co-star as funeral directors and Sissy Spacek plays a kindly woman in town. It's a dry comedy but there's some sniffles near the end. It’s probably unfair that I described it as “slow” but I find most movies that take place in ‘Small Town USA’ in the 1800’s and early 1900’s seem kinda slow. Well acted. Good movie.
4.5 stars
Really good bittersweet movie, albeit a little slow. Robert Duvall stars as a mean old man in the early 1900’s who has alienated himself from society and wants to have a living funeral to hear all the "stories" and gossip people have been telling about him. Lucas Black (Legion, Jarhead) and Bill Murray co-star as funeral directors and Sissy Spacek plays a kindly woman in town. It's a dry comedy but there's some sniffles near the end. It’s probably unfair that I described it as “slow” but I find most movies that take place in ‘Small Town USA’ in the 1800’s and early 1900’s seem kinda slow. Well acted. Good movie.
Le Concert
Foreign, Dry Comedy
2.5 stars
Well, I liked the violin solo at the end… A disgraced former maestro (Alexei Guskov) for the Bolshoi Orchestra puts together a ragtag group of musicians to impersonate the Bolshoi for a performance in Paris to fulfill a lifelong dream. Russian and French with English subtitles. Co-starring is the talented Melanie Laurent of Inglorious Basterds as an esteemed violinist. Unfortunately I don’t know the history, but according to the film, Jews were being persecuted in Russia in 1980 and the maestro was disgraced because he had Jewish musicians in his orchestra. It’s a good premise, but I found myself stressed out by the disorganized Russians, the caper was improbable and I didn’t think it was funny. But I definitely liked the violin solo at the end.
2.5 stars
Well, I liked the violin solo at the end… A disgraced former maestro (Alexei Guskov) for the Bolshoi Orchestra puts together a ragtag group of musicians to impersonate the Bolshoi for a performance in Paris to fulfill a lifelong dream. Russian and French with English subtitles. Co-starring is the talented Melanie Laurent of Inglorious Basterds as an esteemed violinist. Unfortunately I don’t know the history, but according to the film, Jews were being persecuted in Russia in 1980 and the maestro was disgraced because he had Jewish musicians in his orchestra. It’s a good premise, but I found myself stressed out by the disorganized Russians, the caper was improbable and I didn’t think it was funny. But I definitely liked the violin solo at the end.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Middle Men
Comedy, Drama
3.5 stars
Smart story about two dense idiots who had the jackpot idea of putting porn on the internet. Giovanni Ribisi and Gabriel Macht co-star as the underachievers who come up with the idea to put porn on the internet but lack the business know-how to keep on top of it all. Enter Luke Wilson as a sort of a business “fixer” who helps them get organized. Mix in some Russian mafia, along with a hilarious FBI side-story, and it’s actually a very smartly told story. Thankfully the movie didn’t focus on the sleaze, though it is present in the background throughout (it’s more “Playboy bunny sleaze” rather than anything too hard core). Co-stars James Caan as a ne’er do well. It claims to be “based” on a true story, but I have to believe the bulk of the story is fiction. As I said, a smartly told tale.
3.5 stars
Smart story about two dense idiots who had the jackpot idea of putting porn on the internet. Giovanni Ribisi and Gabriel Macht co-star as the underachievers who come up with the idea to put porn on the internet but lack the business know-how to keep on top of it all. Enter Luke Wilson as a sort of a business “fixer” who helps them get organized. Mix in some Russian mafia, along with a hilarious FBI side-story, and it’s actually a very smartly told story. Thankfully the movie didn’t focus on the sleaze, though it is present in the background throughout (it’s more “Playboy bunny sleaze” rather than anything too hard core). Co-stars James Caan as a ne’er do well. It claims to be “based” on a true story, but I have to believe the bulk of the story is fiction. As I said, a smartly told tale.
The Other Guys
Comedy
3.5 stars
Very funny. Ridiculously stupid on purpose, but very funny. Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell star as two bumbling cops hoping to replace Dwayne Johnson and Samuel Jackson as the precinct’s “super cops”. There is a running joke about the lyrics to a TLC song; I guess if I actually knew the song there would have been more to laugh about. Wahlberg especially was hilarious. It is really dumb but I laughed through most of it (as did the rest of the audience).
3.5 stars
Very funny. Ridiculously stupid on purpose, but very funny. Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell star as two bumbling cops hoping to replace Dwayne Johnson and Samuel Jackson as the precinct’s “super cops”. There is a running joke about the lyrics to a TLC song; I guess if I actually knew the song there would have been more to laugh about. Wahlberg especially was hilarious. It is really dumb but I laughed through most of it (as did the rest of the audience).
Charlie St. Cloud
Tearjerker
3 stars
Tearjerker without the tears; I didn’t even come close to sniffling and I’m the biggest sniffler I know! Zac Efron sees dead people. Namely his little brother whom he plays catch with nightly and also a soldier buddy. His life changes when he meets a pretty girl who shares his love of boating. Co-stars include Charlie Tahan as the little brother (he looks so much like a mini Steve Zahn!) and Amanda Crew as the love interest. Gorgeous scenery of the West Vancouver coast, but a so-so story that I figured out long before the “surprise twist” was revealed. It’s a 2.5 star story with 5 star scenery, so I settled for 3. Wait for cable.
3 stars
Tearjerker without the tears; I didn’t even come close to sniffling and I’m the biggest sniffler I know! Zac Efron sees dead people. Namely his little brother whom he plays catch with nightly and also a soldier buddy. His life changes when he meets a pretty girl who shares his love of boating. Co-stars include Charlie Tahan as the little brother (he looks so much like a mini Steve Zahn!) and Amanda Crew as the love interest. Gorgeous scenery of the West Vancouver coast, but a so-so story that I figured out long before the “surprise twist” was revealed. It’s a 2.5 star story with 5 star scenery, so I settled for 3. Wait for cable.
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